Chutzpah Personified: CCSD's Taj Mahal

Even Brian Hicks knows its wrong. [See Wednesday's P&C.]

Spending $76,000 on renovations to the administrative offices of the Charleston County School District? Why not, Superintendent McGinley would say. After all, we have the money just lying around unspent.

Meanwhile, it becomes obvious that CCSD Board chair Chris Fraser doesn't know Roberts Rules of Order or how to follow them or doesn't care about them because he takes his marching orders from elsewhere.

Oh, that's right. He's the voice of the Metro Chamber of Commerce, I forgot.

Why should anyone care what shenanigans were pulled to get the item back on the agenda for a second vote? What we should care about is who voted for this deaf-and-dumb-to-the-taxpayers decision. I'll list them for you.

Chris Fraser, Chair 452-9245

Elisabeth Ann Oplinger 406-6685

Craig Ascue 884-6862

Cindy Bohn Coats 529-2457

Chris Collins 813-0616

Toya Hampton Green 723-7831

I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

Unauthorized CCSD Renovations Plow Ahead

What part of "no" doesn't the administration of the Charleston County Schools understand?

Late last month the CCSD School Board refused to authorize the funding of renovations to its Human Resources Department at 75 Calhoun, citing other pressing unfunded needs. The job is estimated at $140,000.

Yet here they are in January going full steam ahead.

McGinley & CCSD Board Putting Students at Risk?

The list in Tuesday's P & C of "waves" of CCSD school construction financed by the one percent sales tax deserves a Bronx cheer.

After years of alarm concerning seismic deficiencies leading to the transfer of students from five schools and massive busing of same, Superintendent McGinley and the Charleston County School Board have decided that further exploration of seismic problems in other school buildings can be safely put off until some later date as yet unnamed. Apparently, the only Board member to object was Mary Ann Taylor. Chris Fraser, the Board Chair, has some 'splaining to do.

Either an earthquake is imminent, or it's not. Fraser and the Board can't have it both ways.

Charge McGinley with Crime if Frierson Closed

Should Frierson Elementary School on Wadmalaw Island be closed so that CCSD's Superintendent McGinley can get a raise next year?

Well, that's just about the level of thinking going on in the Charleston County School District these days.

City Financially Rewards Private School?

It's for a good cause, providing a high-quality education to the children of the poor. It even assuages the conscience of Sherman Financial Group, one of the worst offenders in the cut-throat debt collection world. It's called Meeting Street Academy. [See previous discussion in this blog.]

However.

Should the City of Charleston have spent almost $5 million to purchase property for building the school? Could the City Council not come to an agreement with the Charleston County School District to use one of its old properties that is just lying around going to waste, adding to CCSD's expenses but not income?

Or is the City Council now encouraging a parallel universe of alternate schooling that bypasses its discredited school district?

What happens if Sherman Financial Group decides to get out of the school business and sell the school? Do the new private owners get the sweetheart deal too?

How Does CCSD Attorney Earn Salary?

Is it fending off Freedom of Information requests?

To support its challenge to paying for classroom buildings and transportation for public school students who attend charter schools, the Charleston County School District has hired Derfner, Altman & Wilborn, a firm that knows more about constitutional law, according to John Emerson, CCSD's attorney.

Anyway, he's too busy to do trial work "because of the time commitment involved."

Or is he unqualified?

Or is he being paid $145,000 + (starting salary in May 2008) for part-time work?

Facts Speak Loudly on Busing

Isn't Alabama the state that always saves us from being last?

South Carolina has just arranged to purchase 11-year-old school buses from Alabama. These must already have 100,000 miles on them.

PUNCH LINE: to replace SC buses that are more than twice that age.

Meanwhile, CCSD does its bit in driving up demand.