In 2006 the S.C. State Legislature passed a law specifically for CCSD. It inadvertently (0r deliberately) insures that a charter school cannot be charged rent for using a public school building. Park Dougherty and friends can thank the citizens behind the chartering of Orange Grove Elementary for the favor. When CCSD was threatening to put THEM out of business and glowering at James Island Charter High School, our local representatives guaranteed that paying rent for their own buildings would not become an issue.
So what happened this summer with the Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight, a.k.a. the CCSD School Board?
Most likely Gregg Meyers drew up the invidious "incentives" plan on his own without consulting the school board's attorney. Embarrassing. Well, it was summer, after all. Or maybe Alice Paylor forgot all about the law until this brouhaha surfaced its memory. She still counsels that the law doesn't apply, but Meyers now disagrees.
Actually, we really don't know what Meyers thinks about its applicability; all we do know is what he's said to the P & C. However, once he has changed his mind, can anyone doubt that at least two more, if not three more, members of that majority vote on the Charter High School rent will change theirs also?
What we have here is much ill will created by a lapse in memory and judgment. So, what does each participant take away?
- No one in the group behind the Charter High School for Math and Science should have illusions left that the CCSD school board is his or her friend;
- Supporters of the CCSD "incentives" package have been left hanging by this bungle; and
- The community at large may assume that the CCSD school board as presently composed doesn't know what it's doing.
Hmm. Could be worse.
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So now it's down to just figuring out where High Tech High goes. CCSD wants it at Rivers but still can't describe what it will be, where its students will come from or if it will be even remotely related to the math & science curriculum of the charter school. CCSD officials can only say that HTH will require a 2 year delay and a $24 million renovation of Rivers.
On the other hand, Burke supporters want High Tech at Burke saying they've always wanted the technical & trades program brought back to where it began in Charleston County and they're ready to go with it now. Word is that 7th & 8th grades are being returned to the elementary schools under the Peninsula Plan anyway.
Should we trust the gang that can't shoot straight to make the logical choice?
Oooh...I have a glob of silly puddy in my hands that my child forgot to put away. It's green and slimy and reminds me of Gregg Meyers.
You can run, but you can't hide, Gregg.
I've got a couple of questions. If Meyers says he's going to bring this up at the next meeting (tonight, right?) but it's not on the agenda...but he's going to discuss it in executive session...but it's not on that agenda either...so they discuss it in executive session anyway...isn't that against the law?
How can Meyers and the others on the county school board discuss something in executive session that isn't on the announced agenda and that isn't a personnel matter, a student's appeal or a contract actively being negotiated? Don't tell me it's the last one because there's no contract and they've already discussed their ideas about terms in public. Shouldn't someone on the board or the press object when the county board goes off the reservation with illegal discussions of public business behind closed doors? I hear they do something like this almost every time they go into executive session.
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