Last night's special-called board meeting included two excellent presentations. One was on Robert's Rules of Order and the other was an update on Discipline. I'll separate my comments.
The invited speaker on Robert's Rules of Order was Helen McFadden. She is a retired attorney with years of experience in the world of Robert's Rules.
As it happened, my library Hold on Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), 10th edition, became available, and I picked it up on the way into the meeting.
Hopefully, Ms. McFadden's remarks were recorded and will be available on YouTube and on the District's website later this week.
Toward the end of her presentation, on a slide titled "Other Issues" was a bullet-point that read, "Ability to hear and be heard". That point was not discussed, and I wondered whether it applied to each board member (or member of a public body) or if it meant the audience.
Beginning remarks by Board Chair Manning and Supt. Davis were loud and clear. They got up close to their microphones and spoke into them, causing their voices to be amplified and audible throughout the room. They forgot to ask Ms. McFadden to do likewise at her microphone, and the few in the audience (four, plus a second speaker) seated behind her could be seen on the laptops and phones during portions of her remarks. Was that because they could not hear her?
One topic she did cover was the Quorum for a meeting.
When the meeting started, there were six at the head table, plus Supt. Davis. Trustee Elkins-Johnson was absent. But you wouldn't have known it, because no roll call was taken.
Before the meeting began, I had looked up Roll Call in RONR to learn what Mr. Robert had to say about it. It's found under Optional Headings, and it apparently is not required. If Roll Call is taken, its place in the Agenda would be at the end of opening ceremonies. The board could place it elsewhere. The logical place, in my opinion, would be right after the meeting is called to order.
Why would it have been important last night?
There are seven positions as Board members. With the ongoing controversy about the legitimacy of two elected persons, this could mean that, to have a quorum, all five of the legal members would have to be in attendance. Without Trustee Elkins-Johnson last night, there was not a quorum. Trustees-elect McKie and Holmes are not yet legal, official members of the Board, because they have not taken the oath of office since filing their Statements of Economic Interest with the South Carolina Ethics Commission since December 4, 2018. As soon as they do take the oath of office, they will be legal school board members.
But they were there and seated, and the District considers them as members. So six were present; a quorum is five.
At 6:43PM Amelia McKie quietly left the meeting. This left five present - exactly a quorum.
Then, at 7:41PM Teresa Holmes left the meeting. This left four members attending - less than a quorum.
What would Ms. McFadden have counseled the Board to do at that time? Should there have been a statement by the Board Chair that the official Special-Called Board Meeting was over, because a quorum was no longer present? Should that change in quorum-status have been recognized? No votes were scheduled. Can the Board receive information in unofficial session?
This is where a Roll Call is important. A formal acknowledgement of official members coming and going. It can be done with a simple statement to the public.
When it was time to close the meeting after the Discipline Update, a Motion to Adjourn was made, seconded and voted upon. Except the Board's vote is ineffective, because there was no quorum.
If Ms. McFadden returns for further discussion of Robert's Rules of Order, perhaps she will clarify what to do when a quorum is no longer present. Does the Board have to sit there for a week until the next meeting?
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Special Called Board Meeting - TODAY
At last week's Regular Board Meeting Supt. Davis announced a Special Called Board Meeting for December 3, 2019.
Today I read a Facebook message about a Special Called Board Meeting for TODAY.
I wondered immediately whether it might concern school safety issues (it doesn't), in view of last week's threatened shooting involving Ridge View High School. There was an article in The State but never any follow-up.
The Board will convene at 5:00PM and go right into Executive Session. Two matters will get their attention. 1. Contractual Matter Regarding Regarding Energy Management Performance Contract and 2. Litigation Update
The public portion of today's Special Called Board Meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00PM.
No Public Participation Segment is planned.
"New Business - No Action Requested" will include two topics: Parliamentary Procedure and Discipline Update.
My reservation for Robert's Rules of Order is ready for pick-up, so I'll grab it on the way into the meeting. I wonder whether my harping on the need for a Parliamentarian has done some good.
Today I read a Facebook message about a Special Called Board Meeting for TODAY.
I wondered immediately whether it might concern school safety issues (it doesn't), in view of last week's threatened shooting involving Ridge View High School. There was an article in The State but never any follow-up.
The Board will convene at 5:00PM and go right into Executive Session. Two matters will get their attention. 1. Contractual Matter Regarding Regarding Energy Management Performance Contract and 2. Litigation Update
The public portion of today's Special Called Board Meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00PM.
No Public Participation Segment is planned.
"New Business - No Action Requested" will include two topics: Parliamentary Procedure and Discipline Update.
My reservation for Robert's Rules of Order is ready for pick-up, so I'll grab it on the way into the meeting. I wonder whether my harping on the need for a Parliamentarian has done some good.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Becoming a Premier Board
How can the Richland 2 School Board become the "premier" board that the superintendent and some of the members talk about from time to time?
Some that come to my mind are:
* Require that Amelia McKie and Teresa Holmes take the oath of office, now that they are eligible to do so, and become legitimate members of the school board. The Board has operated with only five legal members since November 6, 2018.
* Control the duration of semi-monthly meetings better, so that they do not exceed 90 minutes. Set time limits for the Moment of Inspiration, Recognition, for school focus and for staff presentations.
* Educate board members to speak clearly, loudly enough, and with purpose to their remarks. Eliminate slow, rambling remarks.
* Coach board members to eliminate grand-standing. Students in elementary school might be called "children"; middle and high schools have "students".
* Coach board members to cease usurping the authority of the Chair with lengthy expressions of appreciation to staff and others. Brief thanks to specific personnel are fine, but it's not necessary to name everyone in the room. The Board Chair should be the one to express appreciation to teachers and staff as a group, unless he designates it. Most staff members attending are required or expected to be there as part of their jobs, and their pay includes their attendance.
* The audience or staff doesn't need to be blessed for attending. Save that for church or personal conversation.
* Board members should speak only for themselves when expressing positions or opinions. For one to say that she speaks for all Board members is a statement easily suspected as not true. By keeping remarks brief and specific, there will be less chance for embarrassing mistakes.
Do you have suggestionsfor the Board? Post them in comments and email them to the Board Chair, James Manning, at jamesmanning@richland2.org
Some that come to my mind are:
* Require that Amelia McKie and Teresa Holmes take the oath of office, now that they are eligible to do so, and become legitimate members of the school board. The Board has operated with only five legal members since November 6, 2018.
* Control the duration of semi-monthly meetings better, so that they do not exceed 90 minutes. Set time limits for the Moment of Inspiration, Recognition, for school focus and for staff presentations.
* Educate board members to speak clearly, loudly enough, and with purpose to their remarks. Eliminate slow, rambling remarks.
* Coach board members to eliminate grand-standing. Students in elementary school might be called "children"; middle and high schools have "students".
* Coach board members to cease usurping the authority of the Chair with lengthy expressions of appreciation to staff and others. Brief thanks to specific personnel are fine, but it's not necessary to name everyone in the room. The Board Chair should be the one to express appreciation to teachers and staff as a group, unless he designates it. Most staff members attending are required or expected to be there as part of their jobs, and their pay includes their attendance.
* The audience or staff doesn't need to be blessed for attending. Save that for church or personal conversation.
* Board members should speak only for themselves when expressing positions or opinions. For one to say that she speaks for all Board members is a statement easily suspected as not true. By keeping remarks brief and specific, there will be less chance for embarrassing mistakes.
Do you have suggestionsfor the Board? Post them in comments and email them to the Board Chair, James Manning, at jamesmanning@richland2.org
Change in GBEB increases risk to students, staff
When the School Board tinkered with Board Policy GBEB for three meetings and finally settled the matter (temporarily, let's hope) on October 29, 2019, it unwittingly increased risks for students and employees.
How did that happen?
In October Trustee Elkins-Johnson had said that she received an anonymous letter that informed her of two Richland 2 employees who were carrying firearms at work.
On September 24 I had addressed the Board after spotting a man in civilian clothing in the board room who was carrying a concealed semi-automatic pistol in a holster under his sweatshirt. It turned out he was the Assistant Manager of the Emergency Services Department of Richland Two.
The Superintendent knew he was armed, because he was authorized to carry. But apparently not one Board member knew it.
Instead of taking ownership of the decision to authorize the two Emergency Services Department employees to carry, the Board now forbids any employee to carry.
What never was spoken of was the protection provided to students and staff by these two employees, should they interrupt an incident when someone was threatening harm to someone else on school grounds. As civilians, the two employees are not Security and they are not the police. They could lawfully use their firearms only in self-defense or to defend another person.
Several members of the board, including the two trustees-elect who have never become legal members of the board, almost go into shock at the mention of "firearm" or "gun". I suspect that none of them has ever had a gun pointed at them or has had to defend someone else.
I have two questions for each board member:
1. If you were a teacher and were barricaded in your classroom with 20 students and some madman with a gun was trying to break down your classroom door, wouldn't you wish you had a gun and knew how to use it?
2. If you are a parent, if a madman with a gun is trying to break into your child's classroom, won't you wish your teacher has a gun and knows how to use it?
Recommended reading:
Why Meadow Died, by Andrew Pollack
From Luby's to the Legislature, by Suzanna Gratia Hupp (don't miss the last 3-4 pages)
How did that happen?
In October Trustee Elkins-Johnson had said that she received an anonymous letter that informed her of two Richland 2 employees who were carrying firearms at work.
On September 24 I had addressed the Board after spotting a man in civilian clothing in the board room who was carrying a concealed semi-automatic pistol in a holster under his sweatshirt. It turned out he was the Assistant Manager of the Emergency Services Department of Richland Two.
The Superintendent knew he was armed, because he was authorized to carry. But apparently not one Board member knew it.
Instead of taking ownership of the decision to authorize the two Emergency Services Department employees to carry, the Board now forbids any employee to carry.
What never was spoken of was the protection provided to students and staff by these two employees, should they interrupt an incident when someone was threatening harm to someone else on school grounds. As civilians, the two employees are not Security and they are not the police. They could lawfully use their firearms only in self-defense or to defend another person.
Several members of the board, including the two trustees-elect who have never become legal members of the board, almost go into shock at the mention of "firearm" or "gun". I suspect that none of them has ever had a gun pointed at them or has had to defend someone else.
I have two questions for each board member:
1. If you were a teacher and were barricaded in your classroom with 20 students and some madman with a gun was trying to break down your classroom door, wouldn't you wish you had a gun and knew how to use it?
2. If you are a parent, if a madman with a gun is trying to break into your child's classroom, won't you wish your teacher has a gun and knows how to use it?
Recommended reading:
Why Meadow Died, by Andrew Pollack
From Luby's to the Legislature, by Suzanna Gratia Hupp (don't miss the last 3-4 pages)
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Ga. School District Arms Teachers
Compare the response at Laurens County, Georgia to the February 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida with the response of the Richland 2 School District.
CBS46 News reported on November 13, 2019 with this headline:
Read the story here.
What happened at the Richland 2 School Board meeting on February 27, 2018, when I proposed to the Board that it survey teachers, staff, parents and community members on the topic of arming teachers and staff?
You can view my remarks to the Board on the YouTube recording of the February 27, 2018 meeting here. Fast-forward to 30:05 on the counter to hear my comments.
What was the response from the Board? Nothing. Zip. Nada.
The CBS46 article reads, in part, "Laurens County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Dan Brigman spearheaded the initiative in 2018..."
Although then-Board Chair Craig Plank said in his remarks introducing the Public Participation segment that "...someone from the District office will be reaching out to you at the conclusion of your remarks or at a later date..." No one contacted me until after I emailed Mr. Plank to let him know that I had not been contacted. Very quickly thereafter, Supt. Davis called to tell me there would be no survey. I wondered when the Board decided that!
The article about the Georgia school district continued, "After weeks of research and planning, the initiative was voted on by the Board of Education in April of 2018. It passed unanimously..."
Should this be considered in Richland 2? Contact your elected Board members.
And post your comment below. Unless you assemble with other concerned parents and voters here, nothing will change.
CBS46 News reported on November 13, 2019 with this headline:
Locked and loaded: CBS46 goes inside the first Georgia school district to arm its teachers
Read the story here.
What happened at the Richland 2 School Board meeting on February 27, 2018, when I proposed to the Board that it survey teachers, staff, parents and community members on the topic of arming teachers and staff?
You can view my remarks to the Board on the YouTube recording of the February 27, 2018 meeting here. Fast-forward to 30:05 on the counter to hear my comments.
What was the response from the Board? Nothing. Zip. Nada.
The CBS46 article reads, in part, "Laurens County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Dan Brigman spearheaded the initiative in 2018..."
Although then-Board Chair Craig Plank said in his remarks introducing the Public Participation segment that "...someone from the District office will be reaching out to you at the conclusion of your remarks or at a later date..." No one contacted me until after I emailed Mr. Plank to let him know that I had not been contacted. Very quickly thereafter, Supt. Davis called to tell me there would be no survey. I wondered when the Board decided that!
The article about the Georgia school district continued, "After weeks of research and planning, the initiative was voted on by the Board of Education in April of 2018. It passed unanimously..."
Should this be considered in Richland 2? Contact your elected Board members.
And post your comment below. Unless you assemble with other concerned parents and voters here, nothing will change.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
SRO Statistics for Richland 2
Are you interested in the School Resource Officer statistics for Richland 2 schools?
Today I was searching for more news about the threatened shooting at Ridge View High School that hit the local news on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. If you can find it, good luck. There seems to be nothing further in the new about that.
But what I did find was the Richland County Sheriff's Department's "2017-2018 SRO Program Arrest Report". The numbers at the end of the URL (080519) may indicate the date - August 5, 2019" - when the report was filed online by the Sheriff's Department.
This report includes information for all Richland County Schools, not just Richland 2.
As you read the report, keep in Andrew Pollock's book, Why Meadow Died.
The Youth Arbitration Program appears to be RCSD's answer to questions about the school-to-prison pipeline" that some people are all worried about.
I have a simple solution to doing away with such a pipeline. Teach kids not to do the crime. Then they won't have to be worried about doing the time.
Read about a deputy's "discretion" to "exercise every available diversionary option".
In the 2017-2018 school year RCSD deputies arrested 132 Richland 2 students.
One hundred thirty-two. 132. Only 132. How much did the State of South Carolina and Richland 2 spend per arrest? I don't have that answer, but RCSD and Richland 2 do.
At a recent school board meeting the Richland 2 put out cost figures per SRO. $130,000 per deputy PLUS about $55,000 in operating costs per deputy.
I'll venture a guess that not two dozen people in Richland 2 know about this report.
Today I was searching for more news about the threatened shooting at Ridge View High School that hit the local news on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. If you can find it, good luck. There seems to be nothing further in the new about that.
But what I did find was the Richland County Sheriff's Department's "2017-2018 SRO Program Arrest Report". The numbers at the end of the URL (080519) may indicate the date - August 5, 2019" - when the report was filed online by the Sheriff's Department.
This report includes information for all Richland County Schools, not just Richland 2.
As you read the report, keep in Andrew Pollock's book, Why Meadow Died.
The Youth Arbitration Program appears to be RCSD's answer to questions about the school-to-prison pipeline" that some people are all worried about.
I have a simple solution to doing away with such a pipeline. Teach kids not to do the crime. Then they won't have to be worried about doing the time.
Read about a deputy's "discretion" to "exercise every available diversionary option".
In the 2017-2018 school year RCSD deputies arrested 132 Richland 2 students.
One hundred thirty-two. 132. Only 132. How much did the State of South Carolina and Richland 2 spend per arrest? I don't have that answer, but RCSD and Richland 2 do.
At a recent school board meeting the Richland 2 put out cost figures per SRO. $130,000 per deputy PLUS about $55,000 in operating costs per deputy.
I'll venture a guess that not two dozen people in Richland 2 know about this report.
R2 Teachers - GOTCHA!
How many Richland 2 teachers and staff members became subject to Misconduct on October 29, 2019, when the School Board revised Board Policy GBEB?
Teachers should be lined up ten deep at future Board meetings, until the Board further revises GBEB and removes the sledge hammer now being held over the heads of all employees.
Why? Because, when you show up on-time (ha! even early) for work and park on school district grounds, you will very likely be violating GBEB. You will most likely be in possession of a weapon.
What's a "weapon"?
The Board inserted this addition to GBEB on October 29, 2019, without discussion. ""(See policy JICI for items categorized as weapons.)"
How does JICI define "weapon"? It is "any item capable of inflicting injury or harm to persons or property when that item is not used in relation to a normal school activity at a scheduled time for the student. No vehicles parked on school property may contain firearms..."
The Policy does not say that you have to use such item as a weapon. It says that possession of such an item is the underlying cause. What do you have, when you arrive at school? Keys? Metal fingernail file? Hair spray? Tire iron? Golf club? Ballpoint pen? Sharpened No. 2 pencil? (Fill in the blank) Any of these could be used as a weapon. Right?
And you'd better leave your firearm at home, even if you have a South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit. Because the Board stripped "unless otherwise authorized by law" from Policy GBEB.
Of course, you might try to defend yourself by saying, "But Policy JICI applies only to students." See how far that gets you.
Teachers, now is the time to wake up and dispute GBEB. Don't wait until one of you is caught up by it.
Teachers should be lined up ten deep at future Board meetings, until the Board further revises GBEB and removes the sledge hammer now being held over the heads of all employees.
Why? Because, when you show up on-time (ha! even early) for work and park on school district grounds, you will very likely be violating GBEB. You will most likely be in possession of a weapon.
What's a "weapon"?
The Board inserted this addition to GBEB on October 29, 2019, without discussion. ""(See policy JICI for items categorized as weapons.)"
How does JICI define "weapon"? It is "any item capable of inflicting injury or harm to persons or property when that item is not used in relation to a normal school activity at a scheduled time for the student. No vehicles parked on school property may contain firearms..."
The Policy does not say that you have to use such item as a weapon. It says that possession of such an item is the underlying cause. What do you have, when you arrive at school? Keys? Metal fingernail file? Hair spray? Tire iron? Golf club? Ballpoint pen? Sharpened No. 2 pencil? (Fill in the blank) Any of these could be used as a weapon. Right?
And you'd better leave your firearm at home, even if you have a South Carolina Concealed Weapons Permit. Because the Board stripped "unless otherwise authorized by law" from Policy GBEB.
Of course, you might try to defend yourself by saying, "But Policy JICI applies only to students." See how far that gets you.
Teachers, now is the time to wake up and dispute GBEB. Don't wait until one of you is caught up by it.
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