Released Time Questions for the Board

At tonight's school board meeting Release Time (R/T) will once again be on the menu (err, Agenda) for discussion. Under Old Business - No Action Requested is Item 8.1 Release Time for Religious Instruction.

This means another night of discussion or, as some might call it, argument and division. No vote tonight. How much time will be used to repeat what has been said at previous meetings? Will the Board Chair ask speakers during Public Participation to speak about "new" issues or concerns, rather than wasting everybody's time with points that have already been raised?

And will the Board  Chair do the same with the Trustees? When they drag out words and thoughts that have already been pointed out, which they ought to remember as they move toward a future night when they will actually vote on it, will the Board Chair say, "We've already heard that. Do you have something new?"

Q. How many Richland 2 students are expected to take advantage of Release Time for Religious Instruction?

Q. How many students at which schools are expected to be involved?

Q. What is the District's estimate of the cost to implement and administer the Release Time Program?

Q. What has been the cost so far?

Q. What is the real liability? The District's lawyer should provide a written opinion. The statute does not eliminate the district's liability. It says only that the (religious) sponsoring entity will be liable during the time the student is with it. A plaintiff's attorney will quickly see the District's deep pocket, when anything goes awry.

Q. What impact on teachers and staff is expected?

Q. What will be the cost for teachers to help R/T students make up their homework and missed instructional time in the classroom?

Q. How many teachers are expected to quit over the extra workload?

The school board is expected to be executives who make decisions. Why are so many trustees down in the weeds, poking around, and doing the job that staff is supposed to be doing?

Cut out the campaign speeches. Ask short, direct questions of the staff and listen to their answers.

Is all this time and expense worth letting a student out of school for one hour of religious instruction per week??? 

Record Ethics Fine?

In an email from Newsbreak.com today I learned of an article in The State newspaper yesterday about former Richland County Councilwoman Gwendolyn Kennedy. Reporter Bristow Marchant did a great job of reporting on that case.

Kennedy hit rough waters with the S.C. Ethics Commission and got socked with a fine and penalties of $298,544.07 on August 17. She did not appear at her hearing.

That amount might be a record. The Debtors' List at the S.C. Ethics Commission now totals $2,376,862.62, as of August 24, 2023. It contains 29 pages of names of individuals and businesses that are in debt to the State of South Carolina.

Kennedy is on that list for $10,972 for the years 2012 and 2015. The new fines have not yet been added to the List.

The Ethics Commission offered a sweetheart deal to Kennedy. If she pays $25,610 plus $2,644.07 to the Children's Trust Fund, the Ethics Commission will dismiss the balance of fees and penalties. 

While not stated in the article, the Commission usually requires that smaller payment within 90 days. A deal not to be passed up; right?

Plus there is a $48,800 penalty for her P-Card problems. She can settle that debt for $4,800, if paid within 18 months.

Whose debts are the largest?

Gwendolyn Kennedy $358,316.07 ($298,544.07+$48,800+$10,972)

Torlando R. Childress $211,919.07

Richard E.R. Johnson $163,200

Paul M. Rivers $153,800.00

Stanley Pasley $148,514.25

Arnold Karr $104,674.44

Patrick R. Litman $86,033.27

Keith C. Van Winkle $69,800.00

Tony E. Lewis $60,955.00

Amelia McKie $58,035.13

The debt collector for the State is the S.C. Dept. of Revenue. The Governor should fire the DOR. It is doing a terrible job of collecting debts for the Ethics Commission.

Why are kids depressed and anxious?

Here's a link to a fascinating interview with Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, which will be published in March 2024.

The title of the article is "Parents Need To Hear This: Why Schools Should Outlaw Cell Phones Now".

Hear what he has to say about the result of cell phones in the hands of almost every child.

A phone lockers a good idea? Haidt says phone-free schools "will promote mental health, social development and learning."

The book is already on my "must read" list.

Haidt highly recommends From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur C. Brooks. Check this one out, too.

Should we Go Green?

 

Check out this 5-minute PragerU video about wind, solar and batteries.  Share it with your friends, co-workers, family, children. Watch it with them, and then have a discussion.

Ask, "What do we think now about going green?"

Disorderly Mobs at Sandhill Shopping Center

The following has been send to the Richland County Council, with a copy to Sheriff Lott.

Members of the County Council,

Sheriff Lott has announced that he will no longer work with the Special Duty Agreement with Sandhills Shopping Center. Pulling paid, off-duty deputies from Sandhills endangers the public. Please review immediately this decision by Sheriff Lott.

The RCSD PR person spoke on video about the importance of parental control of their children. When parents fail to control their children and the children then participate in criminal acts in public, it is a law-enforcement matter. 

Apparently, there were only two arrests Sunday night. What in the world is the policy at RCSD? Just dispatch the kids to a different location? 

We don't want L.A.-type disorder here in Columbia. RCSD can and should stop it.

Please direct the Sheriff to re-engage with Sandhills Shopping Center management and to authorize the maximum arrests to send a message to law breakers that they WILL be arrested.

CRT - Understand it?

Over the past 2-3 years you've heard a lot about CRT - Critical Race Theory.

You've heard Richland 2 claim it doesn't teach CRT. That's true; it does not teach CRT. But it's here, in all its glory, as DEI - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion.

Watch this 5-minute video.

By the way, do you know that PragerU videos can be used in the schools in Florida?

Can they be used in the schools in South Carolina?

UBI - Good? Bad?

 UBI = Universal Basic Income. Good idea? Or not?

Do you know anything about UBI? How would you like $1,000/month? Free. Really? 

Sit down with your kids and watch this 5-minute video. Then have that discussion. Tell them how you'd feel about 74% increase in your taxes.

Where is personal responsibility in the scheme of Life?