Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Timeline for Candidates' Forum

This may help you find your way through the 2+-hour Richland Two Candidates' Forum that was held October 3, 2022 at Spring Valley High School.

Go to   https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10621014/videos/233172004

07:38 Recording begins with introduction by Patrick Kelly, Moderator.

One-minute opening comments

12:05 Joe Trapp

13:06 Tamika Washington

13:58 Maryann Wright

15:10 Teresa Holmes

16:27 James Mobley

17:35 McGee Moody

18:42 Angela Nash

19:39 Niki Porter

20:40 Darrell President

22:03 Eric Rovelli

23:53 Larry Smalls

24:04 Terrance Staley

25:17 Question 1 "If you are elected to the school board, what would be your top priorities and how will you encourage community support for our schools?"

26:23 McGee Moody

28:19 Angela Nash

30:06 Niki Porter

32:28 Darrell President

34:34 Eric Rovelli

36:24 Larry Smalls

38:39 Terrance Staley

40:55 Joe Trapp

43:04 Tamika Washington

45:18 Maryann Wright

47:17 Teresa Holmes

49:36 James Mobley

50:15 Question 2 "Knowing the ongoing educator shortage crisis in this state, what policies do you believe are necessary to enable Richland 2 to recruit and retain the best talent to work with our students?" (Question varied slightly between candidates.)

51:10 Maryann Wright

53:23 Teresa Holmes

55:42 James Mobley

56:20 McGee Moody

58:06 Angela Nash

59:41 Niki Porter

1:02:04 Darrell President

1:04:26 Eric Rovelli

1:06:43 Larry Smalls

1:09:01 Terrance Staley

1:11:01 Joe Trapp

1:13:13 Tamika Washington

1:15:24 Question 3 "Richland 2 is a diverse community. In your opinion, how can board members both support and enhance the experience of diverse learners, educators and families in our schools?"

1:16:08 Terrance Staley

1:18:15 Joe Trapp

1:20:30 Tamika Washington

1:22:27 Maryann Wright

1:23:57 Teresa Holmes

1:26:15 James Mobley

1:27:03 McGee Moody

1:29:08 Angela Nash

1:30:54 Niki Porter

1:33:27 Darrell President

1:35:40 Eric Rovelli

1:37:20 Larry Smalls

1:39:37 Question 4 "If elected, what skills do you have and what steps will you take to contribute to the effective operation of the board as a whole?"

1:40:20 Darrell President

1:42:31 Eric Rovelli

1:44:22 Larry Smalls

1:46:34 Terrance Staley

1:48:51 Joe Trapp

1:51:02 Tamika Washington

1:52:57 Maryann Wright

1:54:53 Teresa Holmes

1:57:07 James Mobley

1:57:53 McGee Moody

1:59:54 Angela Nash

2:01:49 Niki Porter

2:04:14 One-Minute Closing Comments

2:04:40 Tamika Washington

2:05:36 Maryann Wright

2:06:36 Teresa Holmes

2:07:52 James Mobley

2:08:37 McGee Moody

2:09:34 Angela Nash

2:10:45 Niki Porter

2:11:57 Darrell President

2:13:06 Eric Rovelli

2:14:10 Larry Smalls

2:15:21 Terrance Staley

2:16:21 Joe Trapp

2:17:28 Moderator thanked the candidates and the members of the League of Women Voters, and the Richland 2 Teachers' Forum, and the audience (in-person and online).


A Filter for Choosing

Did you attend the Candidates' Forum last night? Watch it on Livestream? Planning to watch it?

Did you miss it? Watch it here: 
https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10621014/videos/233172004

I suggest this filter/lens for choosing four candidates to join the school board on November 8th.

The school district is a business. It's a huge business with about $1 Billion in Assets, a $300 Million annual budget, 3,500+ employees, and 28,000+ students.

If YOU owned that business, whom would you pick from the 12 candidates last night?

That puts quite a different slant on it, doesn't it?

What if the Columbia or South Carolina Chamber of Commerce had conducted the forum and put together the questions?

What if there had been some hardball questions last night, worthy of a $1 Billion business' board of directors? 

The teachers and the staff (yes, even the bus drivers) don't run the business. They work there.

All those questions and answers about pay, benefits, and working conditions stroked the teachers and those among the candidates who talked about pie in the sky.

The District has a fixed amount of money. The source of the money is the State and property taxes. The mindset of many of the candidates was just "Pay teachers more", without thinking that there is no "more" from which to pay.

Voters should elect people who know how to run a business! That sharply narrows your choices.

I used my Prioritizing Grid again, when I got home last night. Some of my choices changed!