CCSD Community Groups Do McGinley's Job

Was that the plan all along? Superintendent Nancy McGinley would propose such shockingly destructive School Redesign in Charleston County that local residents would take matters into their own hands?

Of course not. She and her henchmen aren't that bright! Nevertheless, community groups are trying to counter her hare-brained schemes for economizing. [See Groups Tackle School Revamp in Monday's P & C.] Still, questions remain concerning closures under temporary circumstances. Come an economic turn-around and/or new formulas for school funding emanating from Columbia, we will be asked to provide new schools in their places. Surely someone has reminded McGinley and the CCSD School Board that monies gained from selling capital (land and schools) cannot be used for operating expenses!

• If community members could satisfactorily reconfigure schools in District 9 (Johns Island and Wadmalaw Island) in one hour, why couldn't McGinley do so in the months she took to create three unsatisfactory options? Easy. CCSD deliberately avoids getting unfiltered opinions from its constituent districts. In their agreement the residents of District 9 put one piece of advice to good use: the perfect is the enemy of the good.
  
• Members in Hollywood have more trouble agreeing but with good reason: why should half of their schools be closed? As one PTA president complained, "the economy will recover, . . . and . . . the district [must] justify closing and selling school buildings in a bad real estate market while the community is positioned for growth."
• District 20 (the peninsula) has the biggest fight on its hands but also the most seasoned fighters in Park Dougherty and Arthur Lawrence. More will come from that quarter.
  

And where is the NAACP? Dot Scott and Joseph Darby sure have been quiet since the plans for closing schools were announced! Do they really believe the black community isn't being injured?

CCSD's District 20 School Board Candidates

As the P & C has so carefully told us while it bashes Park Dougherty, a major force behind the success so far of the Charter School for Math and Science (CSMS), three candidates have submitted petitions for District 20's one seat on the CCSD School Board--the incumbent, Toya Hampton-Green; Marvin Stewart, who has been an active member of the District 20 constituent board; and Robert Russell, who has contributed to the formation of CSMS. Even though we're still in the dog days of summer, the educrats at 75 Calhoun and CCSD Board President Hillery Douglas have already made their choice clear: the incumbent. They've also made it clear that, proposals to the contrary, they intend to PLAY POLITICS in order to get Hampton-Green reelected.

Let me state that I do not know, nor have I ever met (as far as I know), any of the three candidates or their families, do not reside in District 20, have no children or relatives with children that are in the district schools, and do not have the time to participate actively in political campaigns. Nevertheless, I'm an interested resident of Charleston County who will be voting in November. My opinions of these candidates are based on watching taped CCSD Board meetings, reading P & C articles, and contemplating what I have found on both the Web and my blog's comments section. I do pay attention to what happens in CCSD.

With that caveat in mind, here's what I see so far concerning the three candidates.

Toya Hampton-Green (THG): has strong ties to the Democratic party in Charleston County. Her husband ran against state Sen. Robert Ford in the Democratic primary and lost with only 25% of the vote, even though he managed to raise and spend more money. Here's what I said about them in April:

"[. . .] the Greens have been enjoying the perks of being Charleston's young black 'power couple.' Toya's election to the school board after representing CCSD for a local law firm was well bankrolled by local Democrats, and she won despite lack of support from District 20, the constituent district she represents (oops, I mean the one she lives in, since she claims that she represents the WHOLE county). Strangely enough [sorry, the sarcasm just slipped through] the Greens' child was a winner in Buist Academy's "lottery." Readers of this blog will understand that we are using the word "lottery" loosely here."

Although her husband is a native of Charleston, THG is not. She has consistently supported the agenda of the Meyers-Douglas voting bloc and rarely speaks at its public session. The Greens live in a newly developed area of District 20, not in one of the old neighborhoods.

Marvin Stewart (MS): maybe the most vociferous chairman of the District 20 constituent board ever. Has been described as a "former teacher and downtown-schools activist." Stewart has watched the treatment of District 20 like a hawk and has not wavered in challenging the School Board in its decisions concerning Buist, Charleston Progressive, Fraser, etc. He has also supported the development of CSMS. I surmise that he is a graduate of Burke High and a native of Charleston (and District 20). Maybe some readers can supply further information.

Robert Russell (RR): a professor at the College of Charleston who has been involved in the development of CSMS (although I don't know the details). Has four children who may or may not be in CCSD schools now. Obviously an advocate of charter schools but his views on the rest of District 20 and CCSD School Board shenanigans remain veiled so far. Not a native Charlestonian as far as I can tell, but certainly his courses on architecture sound interesting. Students rate him as tough but brilliant. Here's the information from the CofC website:

Robert Russell
Professor, Architectural History/Urban Design
Director, Historic Preservation & Community Planning Program

Courses:

ARTH 245 Introduction to Architecture
ARTH 260 Addlestone Seminar on the Arts and Culture of the Lowcountry
ARTH 265 The City as a Work of Art
ARTH 335 History of American Architecture
ARTH 394 History of 18th and 19th Century Architecture
ARTH 395 History of 20th Century Architecture

BA, Southern Illinois
Ph.D. Princeton University

From these descriptions regular readers of this blog know already with whom I am muy simpatico so far. That would be Marvin, of course.

P & C Plans Hatchet Job on Charter School Organizer

What are the chances that Monday's promised article on Park Dougherty will be balanced? Golly, maybe between slim and none? Even the article's teaser in today's on-line version [see Charter School Leader Spurs Controversy] trashes Dougherty by saying that "some [note, unnamed] say Dougherty has resorted to 'low down, dirty politics' and 'playing the race card' by pushing two candidates for one seat," the one now held by Toya Hampton-Green.

It's an opening volley from 75 Calhoun Street in the election of new board members. The Superintendent and Gregg Meyers know that many issues have been decided on a 5-4 vote from the present members of the board. No one, not even Toya Hampton-Green, would claim that her voiceless votes in lockstep with Meyers have supported Dougherty in his quest for CSMS to be a success.

What I can't figure out is how Dougherty's support of Marvin Stewart and Robert Russell is "playing the race card." All he's doing is saying, ANYONE but Toya. If both of these candidates were white, the statement would be justifiable (barely!), but they're not.

Wanna bet that the "some" are Dot Scott and her cronies? They can't attack the balanced racial makeup of the school, so they've gone to Plan B. The P & C is happy to oblige.