Today's Special Board Meeting

The conference room was set up differently today, and a U-shaped table arrangement greeted the five (yes, Five - only five) members of the community who showed up for the 2019-2020 Budget General Fund Update and the revisions to numerous Policies.

Once again, sound amplification in the room was a problem. The U-shaped table arrangement was in the center of the room, and side chairs were placed neatly against a wall. As Board members talked to one another and asked questions of the ten staff members present, they often forgot to punch the button to turn on their microphones and, even when they did, their voices could not be heard.

Do they care whether they are heard? By all appearances, they do not.

I heard about 50% of the presentation by the staffer who explained the budget. I heard none of the questions asked by Board members, and none of the comments of staff seated, because their backs were to the community members and they didn't use the microphone.

After about 50 minutes, the Board moved on to the Policy revisions. At this point I was reminded of how a zebra came out. A committee was formed to design a horse. After they struggled and struggled, the end result was a zebra.

The Board nitpicked a few policies, and it was time for me to leave. I noticed the two deputy sheriffs on duty in the room today and thought, "What a waste!" But I'm glad they were there to protect us five community members (at least three of whom were teachers) from the Board and staff. Thanks, Deputies.

The policy revisions brought to the Board should have been ready for approval. Committees should have taken care of all the nitpicking. Maybe that's too much to ask.

Consider just this one - Policy LA "Education Agency Relations Goals and Objectives"

Three paragraphs were scrapped. This new one is proposed.

"The board will strive to establish and maintain positive working relationships with other public and private organizations that contribute to the educational process. This cooperation extends to the South Carolina School Boards Association, the South Carolina Department of Education, the National School Boards Association and the United States Department of Education."

Any consultant looking at that would shake his head and utter works that ought not be printed here.

"The board will strive to establish and maintain positive working relationships ...?" NO.

Better: "This board will establish and maintain positive working relationships ..."

That is a goal toward which you can measure progress. Why give a prize for "striving"? But maybe that's how education is these days. Everybody gets a blue ribbon. Just for showing up.

Maybe Richland 2 should hire me to take a red pencil to their policies. The whole revision plan is just a "make work" deal to spend money and keep people employed. I hope there was some Excedrin on the table by the coffee, soft drinks and box dinner that was set up for the board!

May 1 sick-out?

How will Richland 2 deal with teachers who knock off for the day, so that they can parade about the Capitol grounds demanding higher pay?

SC4Ed is organizing a rally for Wednesday, May 1.

I say, if a teacher is scheduled to work that day (and who isn't?), then he or she had better be in the classroom - all day. If they want to protest or march, they can do it on their own time.

And to hear them tell it, they don't have any of their "own time".

Will Supt. Davis put out a Memo - "Be at work or else!"?

The little kiddies need to be educated; right? Buses will run; cafeterias will pump out the meals. The students will be there.

Will all the teachers be at work?

They can write letters, email their state reps and make phone calls (after work, of course). The State email system works 24/7. Use it.

How important is grammar? spelling? pronunciation?

A number of years ago I was listening to an NPR program, and the guest that day was David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker. Much of the program was devoted to the memory of Eleanor Gould (1917-2005), and two comments of Remnick have stayed with me.

Remnick's February 2005 column, titled "Miss Gould", can be found here.

In today's schools, including Richland 2 schools, how particular are teachers about grammar, spelling and punctuation? I would ask, "How picky are they?" And does it matter?

Years ago in an elementary school in northern Illinois I visited a third-grade classroom. I heard the teacher say something like, "Him and I went to the library." I was shocked. As a visitor to the classroom, I didn't say anything. But three weeks later, during an IEP, that same teacher said something like "He gave the book to him and I." I remember thinking, "We're paying that teacher???"

On another day a teacher used the word "hyperbole", pronouncing it hy'-per-bowl. Seriously?

Is it any wonder that students don't learn good grammar?

Are sentence structure and diagramming taught today?

Remnick wrote that The New Yorker created the title of Grammarian for Eleanor Gould. Read the article linked above. Remnick included this sentence in his 2005 column: "Miss Gould once found what she believed were four grammatical errors in a three-word sentence." And "She could find a solecism in a Stop sign."

Solecism? Do you know this word? Can you pronounce it? Can you define it? Do you look up words you don't know?

Do your ears perk up when you hear a word mispronounced? Richland 2 has two Board members who mispronounce "ask". Does anyone correct them? Should someone correct them? Are they not an example for today's students? Is there a higher standard to which they should hold themselves and, in so doing, invite the gentle correction? 

Being literate is important. Speaking correctly is important. Writing correctly is important. The time to learn it is in elementary school. The time to correct it is in middle and high school. Colleges should not have to teach "remedial" classes. Students needing remedial classes should never have been graduated from high school in the first place.

Question: Did you look up "solecism"?

How does the Dress Code read?

School Board policies across the country are being scrutinized, as students and parents begin paying closer attention to them.

For example, in Wisconsin a student at Markesan (Wisc.) High School was punished "for wearing t-shirts with non-violent, non-threatening images of firearms on them, as well as t-shirts with the word 'gun' on them." (Source: WisconsinCarry, Inc.). "In November 2018 a Federal judge denied Markesan's motion to dismiss and GRANTED [sic] a preliminary injunction sought against the principal and district forcing them to allow the student to wear the shirts while the case is litigated." (ibid.)

See this article in Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel.

Cases elsewhere involve NRA t-shirts and MAGA caps and clothing.

The Richland 2 School Board Policy JICA reads,

Policy JICA Student Dress/Articles/Displays

Issued 8/15

"Richland School District Two students are expected to dress, be groomed, and otherwise conduct themselves in such a way as to not distract or cause disruption in the educational program or orderly operation of the school. Personal appearance and conduct of students should promote health and safety, contribute to a climate conducive to teaching and learning, and project a positive image of the district to the community. School administrators will be responsible for determining violations of this policy. The principal reserves the right to amend any provisions that he/she deems to be in the best interest of the student or the educational process. The board will review the policy for any changes needed on a periodic basis.

"The administration will make the final judgment on the appropriateness of a student's clothing, appearance, and/or display of symbols, messages, or statements on school grounds and reserves the right to prohibit students from wearing any articles of clothing or other items or displaying any symbols, messages, or statements which lead to or may foreseeably result in the disruption of or interference with the school environment."

When you read the second paragraph of Policy JICA, how many readers quickly see the First Amendment problem? 

How many schools are there in District 2? There are 20 elementary schools, seven middle schools and five high schools. Add the magnet schools, Blythewood Academy, R2i2 and others. There could be 35+ "administrations" imposing what each hopes will be District Policy.

If a Principal can "amend any provisions", is there really a District Policy?

There is plenty of attention in the media to the liberal bias in our country's schools, with some estimates as high as 85% of the teachers being left-leaning. I'm thinking the gun issue here. 

But what about clothing? When a well-spoken Blythewood High School student says that leggings and crop tops are not distracting, is she pinning a target on her back for speaking out? Only time will tell.

What was, or will be, the Board's response to the student who spoke out on April 9?

Accountability. Standards. 17 inches!!!

How wide is home plate? You know, on a baseball diamond? Today on Facebook I came across a long story that is a worthwhile read. Do you know the name, John Scolinos (1918-2009)?

Rather than copy it here, I'll provide the link to the copyrighted article by Chris Sperry. Click here and read why the 17" width of home plate is important.

Here's one line from the story: "We don’t teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We just widen the plate!”

And when those "kids" grow up? They haven't learned accountability and they try to avoid the consequence for failing to meet standards. The plate has just been widened.

"Home plate" at the Richland 2 School Board needs to be re-drawn to 17 inches. If this puts the squeeze on a couple of people? Well, maybe they should just head back to the bench.

The game is still "3 Strikes and You're Out". Right now, the count is 3-2. They can't keep hitting foul balls forever.

Should Board Member visit classroom?

At a recent School Board meeting, one of the Board members said she wanted to visit a classroom. There had been a presentation that evening about the Gifted & Talented Program, and the Trustee asked who the teachers were in the G&T Program.

The presenter paused, oh, so briefly, before stating that the teacher's names were in the material that had been submitted for the meeting's Board packet. If the Board member had read the electronic packet before the meeting, she would have seen the names.

I wanted to compliment the presenter for keeping a straight face and for not ducking the question. I was reminded of the Navy Admiral who sat patiently while Congressman Hank Johnson repeatedly said in a U.S. House sub-committee hearing that he was afraid that the island of Guam might tip over, if too many Navy personnel were stationed on one side of the island. How that Admiral ever kept a straight face, I do not know.

Now, should a Board member visit a classroom?

My immediate thought is No. If the Board member wonders what is happening in a classroom, the right path is to ask the Superintendent. He'll get the answer. Board members are decision-makers in charge of millions of dollars in assets and thousands of students. Sitting in one class for a few minutes "to see how things work" is not in their job description.

Liken this to a member of a Board of Directors of a large corporation. There is no way that a Director would ever go, or should be allowed to go, into a department within the corporation and visit/or inspect operations. And there is no need for it.

Besides, that Director has a job elsewhere. As does the curious trustee of the School District. And that job is at a different school in a different school district.

If the inquisitive trustee has time to visit a classroom and the Board approves, let the Superintendent choose the classroom and probably accompany the trustee. Let him choose a "difficult" classroom with high discipline problems, not a G&T classroom. Find out what many teachers are really dealing with during the school day. And sit in the back, quietly and unobtrusively. If the visitor is introduced, the teacher should merely say, "We have a visitor today" and move on. No special treatment.

A school board trustee is properly involved in governance, not administration.

Dress Code Comment

At the April 9th school board meeting, Sterling McLean-Hasinger presented an excellent comment on the Dress Code. Sterling is a senior at Blythewood High School. 12th Grade student.

Her statement is presented in its entirety and with permission. Comments are invited.

Her statement was well-organized and presented clearly to the Board. I wonder whether the Board will direct staff to respond to her in any way.

Good evening.  I would first like to thank the board for their service to our community.

My name is Sterling McLean-Hasinger and I’m a 12th grade student at Blythewood HS.

I, and several other students in Richland 2, strongly believe that the dress code imposed on the student body is discriminatory.

Richland School District Two Policy JICA states that “students are expected to dress, be groomed, and otherwise conduct themselves in such a way as to not distract or cause disruption in the educational program or orderly operation of the school.”

Furthermore the dress code, as published in our school’s handbook, states that “any items deemed distracting, revealing, overly suggestive or otherwise disruptive will not be permitted.”

My question is, who is being distracted by leggings and crop tops? From what I have deduced from the language and application of the dress code, it’s men.  This conclusion leads to some troubling implications. Not only are women being rendered as objects to distract and attract men, but men are also depicted as entities who aren’t capable of self-control. A boy is made to pull up his pants in the hallway when he’s caught sagging just for them to fall back down in the next few steps, but if a girl is caught with a skirt that’s an inch too short it’s an issue that requires her to be sent home.

Ignoring the implications made by this language, the notion that students and teachers are not responsible for their ability to teach and learn because of of a student’s dress is irresponsible.

I fail to see why an exposed shoulder is considered so “revealing” and “suggestive” that it prevents learning from happening in the classroom

I’d even propose that it is the very act of dress coding a student that is the true distraction from learning.

If  students are being asked to follow a dress code at our schools, I think it’s only fair that students have a say in what that dress code should be.

So what’s the next step? I’d like to urge the school board to review dress code with not only its administrators, but also to the children that are requested to follow it. I trust that every decision made is in the best interest of the student, and that our concerns will be taken into account.

Thank you.