How did Toya Hampton-Green become the CCSD board member elected from District 20? Notice I didn't say "representing," since Green claims she was not elected to do that.Running for the school board in 2006, Toya Hampton-Green refused the Charleston City Paper's quiz for candidates, stating, "There's too much at stake in this election to play a guessing game."
The "guessing"would have been regarding the size of CCSD's budget, per-pupil spending, the district's absolute rating on the 2005 state report card, the number of schools in the district, the number rated excellent by the state, and the number rated unsatisfactory by the state. According to reporter Greg Hambrick, Green also described herself as a "businesswoman" (in the business of law, apparently) and "soccer mom."
In this article, Green called the Charleston Plan for Excellence "good"; would refuse to sell the district's office; opposed tuition tax credits; was silent on the role of constituent boards and how to improve schools in low-income areas (even though running as a resident of District 20); and claimed to support charter schools. In a League of Women Voters' profile of the same time, Green stated that her three goals for CCSD were to "increase fiscal accountability and promote more equity among the schools, particularly Downtown"; "achieve better student performance by sound policies set by the Board which better support teachers' mission"; and "build consensus on the Board." Hmm.
In a separate article, the City Paper stated that Green was a "C" candidate but "the fact that she's raised more money than any of the other candidates, including the collected A-Team, is an indication of her support in the community [italics mine]. Like other candidates for District 20, Hampton Green's showed a passion for focusing on improving low-performing schools." It also reported that "the nonprofit Blue Ribbon Committee [a "thinly veiled" arm of the local Democratic party run by the same Katherine Cofer who headed Teach Charleston, a contractor with CCSD]" and "the Business Advocating Change political action committee [BACPAC--an arm of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce]" endorsed both Meyers and Green.
The guessing on our part would be, where did Toya Hampton become familiar with American public education? Where did she go to high school? According to an interview in 2004, she stated that she had to "opt for US citizenship" at the age of 18 because of her dual-citizenship with Germany. Most Americans would assume that meant that, because she was born in Heidelberg of American parents, she gained that duality. Actually, in order to have German citizenship, she needed to have one parent who was a German citizen.
In the same League of Women Voters' profile, Green reported that "as part of her father's career in the Army," she had grown up in Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Frankfurt, Mainz, and Wiesbaden, Germany; Tacoma, Washington, and Burke, Virginia. Green has also stated that she is the "daughter of a public schoolteacher."
Consulting my own expert on this matter--that would be my own lawyer-daughter of Green's generation, who has lived several years in Germany and, in fact, gave birth to a child there who does NOT have German citizenship--I confirmed that Green is either confused, overstating her German connections, or both. If she ever had dual citizenship, one of her parents must have been a German citizen. Also, the only reason for giving up German citizenship at 18 would be the compulsory obligation to serve in the German military--that is not required of females. Maybe she had a brother or friend who had to do this.
Green's Charleston connection began when she "took off two years between undergraduate school and law school to work as a team leader and public relations specialist for AmeriCorps, the national service organization," according to the LWV. That's also when she met lawyer Dwayne Green, the son of West Indian immigrants, who grew up in Charleston and plans to become its first black mayor.Certainly, her in-laws wouldn't have touted the local public school system to her! When they moved from Brooklyn where her husband was born to West Oak Forest [small world department: same street I lived on decades earlier], Dwayne first enrolled at St. Andrew's Elementary, then transferred to Blessed Sacrament for two years, then entered and graduated from Porter-Gaud. His not-rich parents wanted him to get a good education and kept searching for the best.
According to the P & C, "Public school at its best is an authentic reflection of the American way of life, says Toya Hampton Green, a Charleston County School Board member and self-described idealist." Unfortunately, that is also true at its worst. Green has her child safely in Buist Academy, after the child's selection by CCSD's notorious lottery while Green ran for the board. Is Buist "an authentic reflection"? She is quoted as saying that, "seeking a seat on the board was never part of [her] plan," when "motherhood prompted her" to see that "trying to get elected to the board [was] a way of holding herself accountable."
Where did all that campaign money come from? How did she get appointed to so many prominent positions without connections to the community? Why is the Post and Courier so eager to give her a good press? Exactly what has she done on the CCSD board so far besides second Gregg Meyers on every issue?
And has she removed politics as an issue on the CCSD Board, which she originally claimed she was running to do?
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16 comments:
Oh, you've really touched a raw nerve with this one. Let's do talk about politics, perceptions, power and connections.
I'm fine with Obama, but tell me, is Toya just playing at the black thing because its politically expediant?
If Toya's husband Dwayne plans to be the city's first black mayor then he's either about twenty years too late or he's waiting for a majority of city voters to be Porter-Gaud alumni.
I think Dwayne would have a better chance of running on a platform of just trying to be the city's first honest mayor in modern times. Nice guy, but he still lacks experience. Being pushed along like he has smacks of Affirmative Action which will bring with it a backlash…justified or not. It’s still how it looks. If it’s unjustified, then this is why some on the left and who are black are beginning to rethink AA. If his advancements have been “favored” then there may be some valid concerns about the depth of his experience.
Anyway, just the appearance of race among elected boards and councils is getting to be passé for all but the most guilt-ridden and socially challenged. Like diversity, as a word it's starting to have no meaning. Show us instead what you can do for the city, not what you look like at a country club cocktail party.
Toya needs to get this message...if she could ever thaw out.
I want to give Mrs. Green a chance to prove herself but she continues to allign herself with those that divide the races for political gain. When she voted against Dr. McGinley getting the job it seemed to be only about race. The Charter School issue also seems to be something that she is against only because it might mean there are white downtown kids finally going to public school (near their homes) alongside black downtown kids. Is that so terrible? Then when she put her kid in Buist this year it was even harder to think she respects her community.
What about Charleston Progressive and Fraser? I guess those schools aren't "county-wide" enough for her to give any attention to as a board member. If she had grown up here she might understand that this is a small peninsula that is one community. Black and white, our lives overlap in this very small city. Her allies Butzon, Meyers, and Dot Scott are not part of this community. She should look to people like Arthur Lawrence if she needs a mentor.
She never entered downtown public schools until after the election, and even then it was only in the company of others. She has taken no initiative to really learn what potential these schools and the communities they serve have. Even when she voted with Arthur Ravenel to give Memminger as much as $350,000 more this year "to be like Buist" there was no follow up to make sure that changes were being put in place to accomplish that goal. They haven't. This was a bandaid that only partially addressed previous neglect, not long term excellence. Toya has shown no respect for her neighbors or public education in Charleston...and especially those in District 20. Just because a person isn't from an area doesn't mean they can't learn about what they didn't grow up knowing. But to do that requires patience and an open mind. It also requires an ability to empathize with others. Toya Green doesn't seem to have those qualities.
For an attorney she seems to be totally insensitive to the need to be seen as both informed and objective. Both she and Hillery Douglas (along with Ruth Jordan) were present and highly involved in the NAACP's hate fest held at Burke on Sunday evening. The only purpose was to oppose the math & science charter school. How does she and Hillery propose to remain objective as part of CCSD's 3-member negotiating team with the charter school group after being so much a part of a meeting designed to undermine the charter school entirely?
Yes, why not Burke? Why haven't county school board members made a solid commitment to raising the standards and programs at Burke before now? Why has it taken a grassroots community effort to form another charter school before county board members give serious attention to what they have neglected for so long? Yes, why not Burke?
Toya Green can attend the NAACP meeting at Burke last night to oppose the charter school. Yet she voted for the charter school and she must know that most Dist. 20 residents support it. But she can't attend the Dist. 20 meeting with the Superintendent held in the same place last month. She either holds the Superintendent in contempt or the Dist. 20 constituents she's supposed to represent in contempt. Maybe she holds both equally in contempt and doesn't care how she votes as long as she's seen supportive of Dot Scott. She's more than just confused, Toya obviously has no political skills or polish.
Has anyone connected the dots with the McNair firm on this one?
Yes. They needed a token.
Having dealt with Ms. Green on a professional basis, I can say without hesitation that she is borderline incompetant. The fact that she would feel the need for a "mentor" at her age and with her work experience is just another way of saying that she can't cut it in a small practice where she has to generate business, be responsible for public relations, placate Realtors--all the things that are part of the modern day small law practice.
Think of it this way--by joining the McNair Firm, Ms. Green is now a worker drone rather than a Queen Bee. This is fine, but she is hardly a leader.
Of course, a review of Ms. Green's resume reveals that she has been the recipient of one patronage position after another--only the names of her patrons have changed.
Changing the subject slightly--I disagree with Anonymous 10:11. Ms. Green is hardly a "token." While she is not the person you would want to be the public persona of your firm, with the help of a highly trained staff and the guidance of a "mentor" she is certainly capable of pushing paper from 9:00 to 5:00. She will earn her paycheck even if the clients don't get their monies worth.
Now, now...we're not suppose to use the word "token", remember? That upsets Mr. Brandenburg and his friends at Headquarters' Island. Of course, it may be wise for Mr. Brandenburg to read last week's Chronicle and read our dear Rev. Darby's use of the same word.
I wonder if Mark even knows what The Chronicle is.
Doesn't the McNair firm do some work for CCSD?
Every major law firm in town is doing business with CCSD. That's how CCSD discourages those firms from representing the other side when CCSD is sued. It would be a conflict of interest. Just look at the retainers they spread around as street money.
PS: Building on what has been stated earlier, "Extremely well said, Paul E. Ticks."
Anonymous 2:04 PM:
While I usually disagree with Mr. Brandenburg, I do agree with him to the extent that he objects to the use of the word "token" to describe Ms. Hampton-Green. I think name-calling both lowers the quality of the discourse on this Blog and is counter-productive.
The work that the McNair firm does for CCSD is primarily bond work. Certainly, the McNair Firm is qualified to do this work. Ms. Paylor of the Rosen firm is the primary litigator for the CCSD, whereas, Robert Rosen once held that position. Ms. Paylor, while also not a "token," has also benefited from the patronage system. Additionally, while I have no personal experience with her, judging from comments attributed to her in the Post and Courier, I would have to conclude that Ms. Paylor is borderline incompetent also.
I suspect that if the McNair Firm were handling litigation for CCSD, that there would be far less litigation because CCSD would take a more rational approach to conflict resolution. Governor McNair is well-known for his ability to build consensus and find a way of appeasing people with disparate views. When he passes we will have lost one of South Carolina's giants.
What patronage positions has Toya held?
Anonymous 10:16:
Every job Ms. Green has held in the legal profession has been given to her. Surely, you do not think her academic credentials and Charleston connections were strong enough that she could have gotten a job with either the Rosen Firm or the McNair Firm without Mayor Riley's assistance?
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