Tuesday, August 2, 2022

What's up? Public Participation Form on Retreat Agenda

On Friday, August 5, 2022 the school board will hold a "summer retreat" at the Sandhill Lake House located at Clemson University's Sandhill Research and Education Center, 900 Clemson Road, beginning at 9:00AM.

The District could livestream it but will not. 

Item 3.8 on the Agenda is "Public Participation Form". Apparently, some revision is on the way. The revised form could be attached to the agenda, but it is not.

So much for transparency in the new School Year, which started July 1.

Item 3.12 is Safety Plan. No elaboration there, either.

Why isn't the District livestreaming this event? The excuse offered of length and no action to be taken just doesn't cut it. 

The District threatens the public with this paragraph, which has become standard boiler-plate in meeting announcements:

"In an effort to effectively maintain a safe environment, any person attending the meeting who is out of order, loud, disruptive, making inappropriate comments, and/or a safety concern will be asked to be seated or leave by a security officer. If the person does not comply, the individual will be escorted off the property. No signage or other objects will be allowed into the facility that could either be a distraction or used as a weapon."

As the public knows from January 25, 2022, when an attendee shouts, "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! DON'T TALK TO ME! GET AWAY FROM ME!", such shouting will not be considered creating an unsafe environment. It is not out of order, loud, disruptive or inappropriate. It will no lead to be escorted out.

Especially if you are married to the superintendent.