One Day - Two Security Events

Yesterday was a busy day for Richland 2 security.

All schools were locked down while RCSD deputies searched the area (not the schools) for two miscreants. They were later taken into custody.

Perhaps Supt. Davis will be kind enough to explain why ALL schools were locked down ...

And a 14-year-old girl had a knife at RNE. 

What is really happening at Richland 2 schools? Maybe, out of 28,000 students, a few incidents are not abnormal. You know; just another day at the office.

This problem isn't going away by being addressed in the superintendent's office or at school board meetings. Where it needs to be addressed is at the school classroom level. 

Does Richland 2 have a master list of the students most likely to bring weapons to school? to start fights? to bully? to be bullied? Would that be profiling? Yes? So what?

According to information received yesterday, there are 38 SROs used by Richland 2. I'm awaiting the balance of information I requested; How much do SROs cost Richland 2?

A while back I thought I heard the figure of $150,000/year for a SRO, his patrol car, gun(s), uniform, equipment, etc. Is RCSD charging Richland 2 $5,700,000 annually.

When a SRO is tied up with a student with a gun or a knife or dealing with a fight or some other criminal problem, does that then leave the school defenseless? How quickly does the SRO turn over the errant student to another RCSD deputy, so he can get back to his duty to the entire school?

There are 32 elementary, middle, and high schools. Add R2i2, Blythewood Academy, W.R. Rogers and other facilities. Are there two SROs at each high school?

Who covers when an SRO is transporting a detained student? is on leave? is sick or injured? I was told (unofficially) that each of the five high schools had two SROs. That's not possible, if there are 38 SROs. 

McKie Campaign Fund $4540

When Amelia McKie leaves office in November, what will she do with the $4,540.87 balance in her Campaign Fund?

The balance hasn't changed since the Third Quarter 2019 Report.

One of the things she cannot do with the money is pay down her $57,100 debt to the Ethics Commission. And she can't spend it on her "vacation" to Miami at the end of this month, when the taxpayers will pay her way to her final National School Boards Association CUBE Conference.

Let's just say that more than a few people think she should not be attending that conference at School District expense, since she leaves the board about a month later. The District will derive absolutely no value for that cost. Nor will it for Mannng's attendance at the same meeting.

McKie's last two school board meetings will be October 11 and October 25.

The term-of-office for the new school board members will start about November 17, and a Special-Called board meeting is planned for November 18 to swear in four board members and seat them.

How to Rate Candidates

When it comes time to make your final selection of the four candidates for whom you will vote in the School Board election in November, how will you choose?

Will you just wing it? Or will you give it thoughtful consideration?

You might even have already decided. Is your mind open? Or have you decided and shut the door on change?

Will you examine a candidate's experience for a Trustee-level, decision-making position? Does he or she have practical, Business experience? Does s/he have financial experience? Is s/he able to see the big picture of large-dollar expenditures? Does the candidate understand that being a school board trustee is NOT making day-to-day decisions about school business matters?

A trustee is responsible for directing the business of the District. How many times in the past year did the Trustees get mired down in "It's for the children"?

Print this grid. I came across it 40 years ago in Denver. It's the National Career Development Project Prioritizing Grid. If I knew where I found it, I'd certainly give credit here.

Working horizontally across the top row, for every choice, circle one number. Ex., do I choose Holmes or Mobley. Holmes? Circle the 1. Mobley? Circle the 2. Next: Holmes or Moody? Circle 1 or 3. Next? Holmes or Nash? Circle 1 or 4. The last one? Holmes or Wright? Circle 1 or 12.

Now do Row 2. Then Row 3.

To score the grid, count the number of circles. Enter that number to the left for each row.

Which row had the highest number? That's your first choice.

Which row had the second-highest number?

Third-highest?

Fourth-highest?

There are your top four candidates. Be sure to vote for them.

Teresa Holmes' real colors

 Here are "words of wisdom" from Teresa Holmes, which she posted on Facebook.

Here's where you get a chance to see the person she really is. 

Great work going on? Teresa is responsible for the chaos on the board, by leading The Core Four away from respectful dialogue, cooperation, collaboration. With Teresa, it was "My way or the highway."

So James Manning, Cheryl Caution-Parker, and Amelia McKie are taking the highway. By exiting now, they avoid the embarrassment of possible removal by the Governor, when the State Inspector General submits his findings.

No one is saying "the whole board" needs to go. Four DO need to go, and three decided to go. Holmes is going to stick around until November 8. Help her come in #12 out of twelve candidates. Just think, the worst she can do is come in No. 12.

We don't get to "vote out" Manning, Caution-Parker, and McKie. They are running out on their own, leaving Teresa to face the music alone.

We want you off the board, Teresa, because you were the Chaos Leader. 

All your good work? Seriously? Why did you disrespect Lashonda McFadden from almost her first day on the board?

"If" you return in November, you'll be on the short end of votes that will be 6-1. The Six will not treat you the way you treated Trustees Agostini, Scott, and McFadden. But you'll find some way to the oppressed and the victim. It's in your blood.

Community Member addresses Board

The following message was sent to the Richland 2 Board of Trustees by a Richland 2 parent and community member. Please read it carefully and then send your own email or letter.

Good Friday afternoon,

 

As my work schedule prevented me from attending the meeting in person, I did have the opportunity to observe via LiveStream.

 

I would like to address several items:

 

1) Board staff travel - This is an extremely troubling business practice that taxpayer funds would be expended for Board members who only have several months left on their term.  As stewards of taxpayer money, you have a fiduciary responsibility.    This attendance at conferences by outgoing board members is just bad business practice.  To that end, I would ask that the Board enact a policy regarding Board travel by members whose terms are limited.

 

2) Extension of contract for Superintendent - The fact that the contract was extended by 1 year by members who will no longer be seated in a few months is certainly troubling.    It is a known fact that there are four seats up in this election cycle.   From all appearances, it was like the majority knew that votes might change in a few months and in effect, rammed a contract extension through as a last gasp of power.  To that end, I would ask that the Board enact a policy regarding contract extensions by members whose terms are limited.

 

After the meeting, I learned that the Security(Safety) committee had been disbanded.  How in the world does this even make sense?   Rather than get community engagement and support on this very critical issue, the Chair decided to pull the plug.  This of all decisions is the most perplexing to me.  Safety and security should be front and center.   It is quite evident that this committee was formed to appease angry residents and parents and once things quieted down a bit, the Chair decided, community be damned.   

 

I'm continually amazed by the lack of self awareness, grandstanding and embellishment by members of this board.    As elected officials, you are held to a higher standard of accountability and transparency.    It is quite evident to some on this Board, that your oath means very little and your term is to satisfy your egos that are large enough to fill Williams-Brice Stadium.  

 

It is my fervent hope that in a few months, the voters will see the power grab for what it is and transparency and accountability will return to R2.

 

Good friday!

 

Monica Glowinski

Apparently one of the small group of residents who likes to make noise

Published with permission. Before moving to Columbia the author was an elected public official for more than ten years.

Richland 2 Community - show up 9/27/2022

Community members, parents, teachers, staff, students:

The next school board meeting is Tuesday, September 27, 2022, 6:30PM, at R2i2.

Please attend. Arrive by 6:00PM, if you'd like to sign up to speak.

Three current board members whose terms expire in November may be going to Miami on Sept. 29 - Oct. 1 at District expense to attend a National School Boards Assn. CUBE conference. This is a waste of public funds. 

Manning and McKie will not be on the board after November 18, only six weeks after their junket to Miami. That's when the new term-of-office starts for the four who will be elected on November 8th. 

Holmes will hopefully not be re-elected. If you paid any attention at all to the chaos of the past school year or have been reading this blog, you'll know why I feel this way.

Whatever would cause them to think it is okay to spend District money in this way on their way out the door?

Another item of outrage is James Manning's unilateral decision to disband the Committee of the Whole on Safety & Security. Without any discussion with the Committee chairperson, Trustee Monica Scott or with the rest of the board.

Who does Manning think he is? Vladimir Putin? Xi Jinping? Kim Jong-un? Ali Khamenei? Joe Biden?

What about solving the problems of the fights in schools? the rumble at the Spring Valley-Ridge View game? guns in schools? the mess at Blythewood Academy?

How will the trustees and the public find solutions to these problems, when Supt. Davis hasn't solved these problems?

See you on September 27. Bring friends.

Statement by Terrance Staley

Read this great statement by Richland 2 school board candidate Terrance Staley. He addressed the school board on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 - the link to his remarks follows this statement.

Good evening Friends of District Two. I am glad to have attended the meeting on the 13th. Many thoughts come to mind concerning the many questions, issues and concerns that were and weren’t spoken of during the meeting. I must first say how encouraging the presence of all the parents, teachers, and concerned citizens was to my heart. Unfortunately there was also an obvious presence of disorder, unaccountability, and a lack of transparency, responsibility and leadership from the current school board members. Seemingly no notes were being taken by board members, no pursuit of answers to questions or concerns by the community, and no positive moral. Questions concerning board spending and board activities funded by taxpayers also went unanswered. This has got to stop. We as a community we deserve more. Parental, educational, business, and community stakeholders have payed and deserve a school board with the pursuit of solutions always in mind and pro-active paths to get the job(s) done. Again, there may not be any one answer to all the issues facing District Two. But the first steps will be to: 1. Acknowledge and take responsibility for the problems 2. Remove all negative influences and reasonings for those problems 3. Establish an accountability complex where integrity, transparency and accountability are MANDATORY 4. Begin COA’s (Course of Action) where ideas and problem solving and solutions are pursued This will not happen overnight. This will take a lot of time and effort and self-discipline. I ask for your patience, and most of all faith. But it is possible if we work together and embrace the mindset that it takes a village to raise a child. Every individual pursuing what’s best for the community, especially our children. I can be reached via email at: TeStaley2022@gmail.com I look forward to meeting you, hearing from you, and being of service to you. Sincerely, Retired Colonel Terrance E. Staley

Listen to his remarks to the school board on September 13, 2022 by going to https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10609944 and fast-forwarding to 1:43:40