Good afternoon, Morgan,
I have been attending Richland 2 board meetings since February 2018 (immediately post-Parkland, Fla. shootings) and have been writing a blog (www.Richland2.info) since March 2019. I felt the board had legitimacy problems that it was not addressing.
"In just the past year, police have had to escort people out of board meetings," is not correct, nor is "On at least one occasion, police escorted members of the public out of a meeting." In the first, you wrote "meetings" - plural; in the second, you wrote "members" - plural. There was only one meeting (1/25/2022). I was not escorted out by police. Two security officers followed me out, after I asked them whether they were going to walk out with me. Otherwise, I could have just headed out by myself.
I heard that a deputy did accompany Gary Ginn to the exit, but I had already departed by the time Superintendent Davis reportedly went after Ginn.
Supt. Davis and Mrs. Davis were the ones who should have been escorted out for causing the disruption. You can guess why they were not.
You missed the whole point of the walk-out by Trustees Agostini, Scott, and McFadden in September 2021. The Chair (Holmes) and the superintendent had failed to provide the revisions to the superintendent's contract to the three in a timely manner. Agostini and Scott departed, but a quorum still remained. Then Chair Holmes was rude and condescending to McFadden, and she walked out, leaving the board without a quorum. Holmes continued business, until Davis finally stopped her.
I believe you don't understand this. "During a meeting soon after, in October 2021, then-Board Chair Teresa Holmes and Scott got into a shouting match over comments made by a member of the public." Holmes continually demanded that public speakers not mention "names". Nothing in Board Policy prevents a public speaker from mentioning the name of a District employee or board member. Holmes refused to understand and properly apply Board Policy BEDH, which prohibits "expression of personal complaints" about anyone associated with the District. Holmes even prevented one speaker from complimenting the principal and staff at Round Top Elementary School.
You wrote, "Almost exactly a year ago, in Jan. 2022, police got involved at a school board meeting when a district parent had a “verbal disagreement” with Davis’ wife, a Richland 2 teacher. Davis intervened, getting into his own argument with two members of the public before district security escorted the two people from the building."
There were two separate incidents. One involved the superintendent's wife, Pamela Davis, shouting at me after I politely introduced myself. What I said was, "Hello, I'm Gus Philpott." What she shouted was, "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! DON'T TALK TO ME! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
I was told of the second incident, which occurred after I had left the building. Mrs. Davis cussed out a 14-year-student, Ethan Lopez. (I don't say "allegedly", because the student told me the words she used.) Gary Ginn intervened and told her she could not talk to a minor and student that way. That's when the supt. charged over toward Ginn and had to be restrained by District security and board members.
Supt. Davis did not speak to me that evening. At all!!! Nor did the District Security Director explain why he was kicking me out.
Funny how the media has not reported that accurately!
Did you listen to Manning's recording of the executive session? Did you hear Holmes' demeaning, condescending, rude, taunting, teasing remarks toward Trustee McFadden? You soft-soaped that.
Board member Scott didn't go by ("went by") another name. Elkins-Johnson was her name, before she married Mr. Scott. You make it sound like she was improperly "using" a different name.
The "conflict entrepreneurs" mentioned in the IG's Report were not Agostini, Scott and McFadden.
There is no "faction" on the board that wanted to "revisit Davis' employment". The full, legitimate board did so, and ALL SEVEN (7) board members voted to accept Davis' resignation.
Former board member James Manning is 100% wrong to tell you that this board wants a weak leader.
You wrote, "Manning was specifically named in the report as well for recording an executive session discussion and sharing it with media." What you failed to report was that Manning violated Board Policy BEC by so recording. That Policy reads, in part, "Board members or any other persons attending will not use tape recorders or any other means of sonic or video reproduction to record executive sessions." That is a serious violation of Board policy, but the board never sanctioned or disciplined Manning. He was on the board for many years and was Vice Chair at the time. He knew the policies. Ask him why he violated that policy.
I suggest you do some investigative reporting about P-card usage and identify who bought $873 worth of clothing at Lululemon and other P-card purchases.
Also, you should get the complete story on the McFadden childrens' meal debt. I believe she stated at a recent board meeting that she didn't even know about the increasing debt until it hit $2,000. As superintendent, Davis was ultimately responsible for administering the meal plan.
The new board is facing a steep learning curve. They are all nice people, but with mostly without executive experience in governing a huge business entity. Richland School District Two is a business with $1 Billion in assets and a $300,000,000+ annual budget. That's why there must be a strong leader (superintendent), not a weak one.
If you ever want the truth about what has been going on at Richland 2, please contact me. Yes, I have my biases, and I'll tell you the truth.
Gus Philpott
847.971.7083
www.Richland2.info
