Thursday, August 11, 2022

What's hidden in the Convocation address?

Three full business days have passed since the superintendent addressed the employees with his "convocation". 

You can see the link on livestream. His talk is at  https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10569733

Here's what you'll see ...


What is in there that he doesn't want us to know?

Vote on the Dress Code

When the Dress Code came up at the August 9th board meeting, how was it handled? (I didn't watch that part of the meeting yet.)

After a Motion and Second, when discussion started, did Holmes or McKie say, "We know how it's going to turn out, so why don't we skip the discussion and vote?"
 
Was the vote 4-3? 

The stage was set The Core Four (Manning, Holmes, McKie,, Caution-Parker) voted against Trustee Agostini's motion to amend the agenda and postpone the vote on the Dress Code.

I'll make the coffee extra-strong in the morning and try to watch the rest of the meeting after public participation.

Secret Convocation Message?

What did Supt. Baron Davis say in his "convocation" to Richland 2 employees on August 9 that he doesn't want the public to hear?

The "speech" location is saved at  https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10569733. But it is password-protected. That means Locked. If you don't know the password, you can't get at it.

Email Baron Davis now at badavis@richland2.org and demand that he unlock that livestream broadcast.

Before Tuesday night's board meeting I asked about it. I was told (by someone who is in a position to know) that not all employees had heard his message, and that is why the speech was locked.

My response was "We (the public) want to know what he is telling them."

Is the District "under attack"? What foolishness!

Rather than wait, I have filed a FOIA request this morning. That, of course, should not have been necessary. That livestream recording never should have been locked in the first place! Once he finished his remarks, the public is entitled to know what he said.

"This FOIA Request is for documentation of the August 9, 2022, Convocation remarks delivered by Supt. Baron Davis including, but not limited to, the Livestream.com recording and the written text of that presentation. 
"This FOIA Request will be considered met, if Richland School District Two unlocks the password-protected feature on the Livestream.com website or provides a password to the presentation without restriction on dissemination of that password."

Oust The Core Four

This morning I am thinking more about last Tuesday night's board meeting and how The Core Four stuck together to oppose Trustee Agostini's motion to amend the agenda to remove the Dress Code from a vote that night.

With 89 days to Election Day, I have re-thought my position on voting. Normally I would approach an election only with a positive thought; i.e., for whom will I vote?

But this election is different. This year I'm thinking of how important it is to replace all four of The Core Four; Holmes, McKie, Caution-Parker, and Manning.

What good reason last Tuesday night was there for not postponing the vote for two weeks to allow further consideration? None!

Yet The Core Four stuck together, as they have for the last year, like peanut butter. Or like cold asphalt. So the vote on Agostini's motion was 3-4 (Fail). And then they turned right around and approved the agenda (without a delay in the vote) 4-3.

Trustees Agostini, Scott, and McFadden know that, no matter what they bring up, The Core Four will vote against them. And that is why ALL of The Core Four must go.

Pay close attention to the candidates who have already filed: McGee Moody, Angela Nash, Larry Smalls, and Joe Trapp (alphabetically by last name). Each and every one of them is a better choice than any of The Core Four.

Watch here for more about them: photos, profiles, campaign materials, maybe interviews.