Friday, July 7, 2023

Here we go - - World Drumming???

Tuesday, July 11th, will be the first regular school board for the new superintendent. The agenda has been published.

I didn't get any further than Item 5.4 in the Consent Calendar before I was ready to pull out all the rest of my hair (which wouldn't take long).

Item 5.4 Local Board Approved (LBA) Course - World Drumming

Look at it. Click on the link. Who wanted that in the agenda? The agenda is planned by the Board Chair (Joe Trapp), the Superintendent, and (I think) one other board member. OK, who else was in that agenda-planning meeting?

Maybe that item is on the agenda as a joke to see who reads the agenda. Maybe it's there to push a few buttons. Will a trustee move at 5:30PM to amend the agenda and remove Item 5.4? If not, when the Consent Agenda is called, identify who wanted that item.

From the attachment to the agenda:

What is a Local Board Approved course (LBA)? A Local Board Approved (LBA) course is an elective course that is not listed in the South Carolina Department of Education’s Activity Code Book. The state allows local school districts to create Local Board Approved courses, but they must be electives only. These courses allow us flexibility to best meet school and student needs in our district. [Emphasis added] As a formality, local School Boards are required by the South Carolina Department of Education to approve these courses annually. 

There certainly aren't any "school" needs for that. What "student" needs could there be?

The only drumming needed in Richland 2 is to drum into the little brains of the students to learn the three R's and other things that will prepare them for Life and Work. 

If a few of them want to learn drumming, they can find it on their own, away from school.