Thank you, Loudoun County (Va.) Parents

Thanks for Loudoun County, Va. parents and the school board there, Loudoun County has been much in the news about the parents' fights with the board over Critical Race Theory.

Do you think CRT is right here in Richland 2? Do you know the extent of "diversity training" (mind-bending) in Richland 2 School District? Think you should find out more - now?

Here's an article for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-loudoun-county-became-the-apex-of-the-fight-against-critical-race-theory?itm_source=parsely-api&utm_source=cnemail&utm_medium=email

And here are some highlights from that article:

police arrested at least two parents who refused to leave a public school board meeting. 

nearly year-long pushback against the district for allegedly pushing critical race theory on children

progressive ideology in the classroom. 

Between 2018 and 2020, LCPS spent $422,500 in taxpayer funds on diversity training programs hosted by The Equity Collaborative, a California-based consulting firm. 

How much has Richland 2 spent?

promoting social justice in the classroom

Learning for Justice — the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center’s teaching arm — to craft the district’s new curriculum. The proposed lesson plans recommended restructuring history and social studies classes to emphasize slavery as fundamental to American society for students from kindergarten to fifth grade. 

You've heard of The 1619 Project; right?

Dr. Seuss’s children’s book contained “racial undertones” that are not suitable for “culturally responsive” learning. 

the district’s progressive school board. The board did not publicly announce many of the changes

speech code that would have prohibited teachers from criticizing the school board’s racial equity plan. District employees were instructed to be committed to “action-oriented equity practices” in all forms of personal and public speech. 

district also hired an equity lead

teachers were required to undergo an equity presentation 

teacher bullying a student for saying he takes a colorblind approach to observing people. 

Parents who pushed back against critical race theory in Loudon County were met with intense pushback from the “anti-racist” community, including teachers. 

A black mother called the board racist for daring to teach her children that they were oppressed. 

The board voted to silence parents condemning them by suddenly ending the public comment portion of the meeting, which was scheduled to go on for hours. 

TED Talks - Luvvie Ajayi Jones

There are two short TED Talks by dynamic Luvvie Ajayi Jones. Without saying more, I'll just recommend them and urge you to listen to them. 

"Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable"

https://www.ted.com/talks/luvvie_ajayi_jones_get_comfortable_with_being_uncomfortable

"How to be a Professional Troublemaker"

https://www.ted.com/talks/luvvie_ajayi_jones_how_to_be_a_professional_troublemaker

Every parent and every student should hear these two talks. Read her books, too. And check out her website at www.luvvie.org 

R2 Public Should Speak

One of the most important school board meetings of the year will be held Tuesday, June 29, 2021. A massive number of the public should attend - to speak and to observe.

On June 29 the officers for School Year 2021-2022 will be elected. Only one office is really important - The Board Chair position. The Chair and the Superintendent are the ones who set the agendas for twice montly board meetings, workshops, etc.

The Secretary is also important, because the office protects the official signatures on documents. You may remember that a Secretary resigned in 2019, rather than attesting to the naming of Amelia McKie in school bond documents as Board Chair and McKie's signature on bond documents. 

The Vice-Chair acts only in the Chair's absence. The Vice-Chair should be completely familiar with the requirements of the Chair for running board meetings, which hasn't always been the case in the past. 

This year the public should demand that the seven-member board elect leadership (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary) that is more conservative than in the past. Important issues to be addressed are the continuing direction toward Critical Race Theory and the presence on the board of two trustees-elect who have never taken the oath of office legally. The board should get training in Robert's Rules of Order.

The Board, at some point, is going to have to review ALL decisions made since November 13, 2018 and remove the votes of McKie and Holmes. This will change some of the decisions - those that were swayed by the votes of McKie and Holmes. 

The longer the Board waits to do this, the farther back they will have to go to correct the votes.

In some cases disciplinary actions will change. If a 4-3 (Passing) vote contained the Yea votes of McKie and/or Holmes, that vote will change to 3-3 (Failing) or 2-3 (Failing). Maybe a kid who was expelled or transferred really shouldn't have been. Maybe McKie shouldn't have been nominated to the South Carolina School Boards Association.

It's the board that elects its officers, not the public. But the public can be persuasive on how the board votes. Contact board members now and ask them to elect leadership that will change the direction of the board and of the District, by its supervision of the superintendent.

"Dog-whistle Politics"?

Be sure to read this article about the Loudoun County, Va. school board and its "esteemed" leader, who appears not to give two hoots for the public.

That board is getting a lot of heat from parents over Critical Race Theory (CRT). The mindset of the board seems to be "We know what's best for your kids' education, and you don't."

Meetings are chaotic, as 259 signed up for the public-speaking period.

Just imagine if 259 parents showed up at a Richland 2 school board meeting. Imagine if just 159 showed up. Or even just 59. Where are you folks?

First of all, the scared-to-death Richland 2 board still insists on 30-max at a board meeting, social distancing, pre-arranged seating and only 30 minutes for public comment. Then they ramble on for over two more hours to act like they are taking care of business.

Learn about CRT and show up. This indoctrination of young minds must be stopped.

Is Critical Race Theory legal?

Here's an interesting article by Dr. Carol Swain. If you don't know her name, be sure to sure read her bio.

Titled "Is Critical Race Theory legal?" Dr. Swain discusses it. You should know what CRT is and how it might be disguised in Richland 2.

In a recent presentation to the Superintendents' Association, one Richland 2 elementary school principal referred to "CRT". She was referring to Culturally Relevant Teaching. CRP referred to Culturally Relevant Pedagogies. 

Or, as popularly known today, Critical Race Theory. A horse by any other color is still a horse.

If you still not paying attention to Critical Race Theory, may I strongly encourage you to "up your game" and learn about it. Black or white, you won't like it.

Feud at Lex-Rich 5. Board Member Wrong

Are you watching the feud at Lexington-Richland 5 over the recent, abrupt resignation of the Superintendent?

Read yesterday's article by Bristow Marchant in The State newspaper that carries the headline "You were warned".

You should spot right away where Board Member Ken Loveless is wrong. His nose is out-of-joint because the (now-previous) superintendent didn't respond to a text message from him.

Loveless appears to be demanding considerable information from the superintendent in his communications, and that's where he is wrong.

The superintendent doesn't obey or report to any particular board member. The superintendent got her marching orders from the Board - the whole board. After a Motion, Second and Vote. A superintendent doesn't have seven bosses. A superintendent has one boss - the full board. Just because Loveless is Vice-Chairman of the board, that doesn't give him any special clout. He is one board member of seven. 

Reporter Marchant includes comments from several board members that clarify to whom the superintendent reports. 

How does this translate to Richland 2? 

More topics should be discussed in public. More board votes should be taken. Then the public would have a clear view of The Squad right here in Richland County.

For example, why hasn't the board addressed publicly the issue of two trustees-elect being allowed to serve on the board since November 13, 2018, even though they have never taken the oath of office legally? Both Amelia McKie and Teresa Holmes took an oath of office on November 3, 2018, a full three weeks before they became eligible to take the oath.

Thus, they are not legitimate board members. The law is that they first file their Statements of Economic Interests (not filed until December 4, 2018), and then take the oath and then assume their official responsibilities.

Why hasn't the attorney for the school district explained the law to them? 

Should the South Carolina Supreme Court have the opportunity to decide whether McKie and Holmes are usurping public office? 

Should McKie and Holmes be required to return all monies and cost of benefits paid by Richland 2? Why does the superintendent authorize payments to them and why does the majority of the board approve those payments? 

Should all board votes since November 13, 2018 be reviewed and the votes of McKie and Holmes removed? How many decisions will change?

Since November 13, 2018 McKie and Holmes have not been eligible to hold office as a board officer, and McKie is not entitled to be a regional director of the South Carolina School Boards Association. 

Special-Called Meeting - sound issues!

When I attempted to listen to the recorded version of the June 17, 2021 Special-Called Board Meeting, there was no sound!

For the first 23 minutes the screen shot was displayed that the board was still in executive session. The opening remarks of the public meeting at 5:30PM were not recorded.

The public meeting starts AT 5:30PM, and that's when the recording, including sound, should begin. Recently, important remarks were made during that portion of the open meeting, preceding the executive session. The public is entitled to hear (and see) everything!

At 23:19 of last night's meeting the open meeting began recording. without any sound. I skipped forward at short intervals, and there was no sound - ever. I wondered whether it could have been my computer, so I re-booted. More than once. 

This morning I checked again. The splash page for the executive session is still there. Video recording begins with the board members at their seats, waiting for the beginning of the meeting. Supt. Davis takes his seat at 23:26. There is no sound. Chairman Manning appears to be speaking, and then there is a hand vote on something - probably the opening of the meeting. Trustee Agostini votes No on something by raising her hand.

It's hard to read lips when they are still wearing their masks.

Shortly after that there is another hand vote. Still no sound.

I was told previously that staff monitors the audio and video. Where was the staff last night? Why didn't the meeting stop until the sound issue was resolved. The public is entitled to hear what is said, when meetings are livestreamed!

This morning, sound begins at 30:03. Then at 31:12 Chairman Manning pauses the meeting while a livestream sound issue is worked on. 

During Dr. Miley's budget presentation Teresa Holmes interrupted (34:09) with a comment to re-state what Dr. Miley had just said. She must have wanted a sound bite for a future campaign, because her comment was otherwise totally worthless. Dr. Miley had just made the statement. Holmes did not need to re-state it. Most of the other trustees had their board packets, notebooks, pads for notes, etc. on their desks. Holmes did not. All she had on her desk were her phone, water bottle, water cup and elbows. She must have a phenomenal memory for detail on complicated issues like budgets.

A potential increase in the SRO contract with the sheriff's department has been budgeted, but Dr.Miley did not mention the amount of the current contract or the increase. Residents should be especially interested in the cost of having SROs in Richland 2 schools. How much does it cost to have a cop in a school? Any guesses? Personally, I feel only the law-enforcement aspect aspect is the only worthwhile benefit; i.e., having a cop on hand to handle cop stuff. Having them present as Officer Feel-Good is a terrible waste of money. SROs are not instructional staff. They should be friendly, but they aren't your "friends." 

A lower-step teacher with a B.A. can earn up to $41,000/year. Dr. Miley talked about being competitive. Is Richland 2 a leader in the competitive world of education or trying to catch up? It's easy to spend other peoples' money - the taxpayers'. Should the hiring goal be to find the best you can afford, or to raise taxes so that you can afford those who want more pay?

Dr. Scott (f/m/a Elkins) asked a line-item question. Note again. Holmes had NO materials in front of her. Did she have the proposed budget committed to memory? Where was Trustee Caution-Parker? Did anyone hear her comment or ask questions? Without a roll call taken at the beginning of the meeting, who knows if she was there? 

Dr. Miley spent some time talking about "needs and wants" of the District and then referred to surpluses. Remember how recently the District just couldn't wait to spend half its surplus and paid out bonuses to teachers and staff? Yippee, Free Money. And now it's gone, and they are hunting around for money for the "needs and wants". Why didn't the District hang onto that money then?

This is one of the problems with having so many feel-good trustees on the school board and too few trustees with solid foundations in business and finance!!!

If there were a transcript of that special-called meeting and then someone went through it with a big red marker, what would be left? Knock out all the drivel and blabber, and cut to the chase. It's M-O-N-E-Y. Other Peoples' Money. OPM. The School Board, just like Congress and State Legislature, doesn't feel any pain when spending your money and asking for more. Does it?

At the end of the meeting, Caution-Parker seconded the motion to adjourn. Wonderful!