McGinley-Meyers Candidates for CCSD Seat

Pay attention.

The P&C has not only put forward the obvious candidates--Seabrook, Moody, Miller, Copeland--for the recently-vacated seat on the Charleston County School Board. It has leaked the plans of the McGinley-Meyers nexus.

The long arm of former Board member Gregg Meyers has reached into his bag of tricks and pulled out the name of William L. "Sam" Hiott, who the reporter mentions formerly served on the District 23 constituent board.

And now the rest of the story.

Meyers recruited Hiott to run against Sandi Engelman in the 2006 school board elections. After all, Hiott thought Engelman was "too divisive."

We all know those code words.

He had difficulty finding enough signatures for his petition to be valid, so the Taj Mahal found some more for him. Despite Meyers's plans, Ruth Jordan won that election.

No doubt Hiott has the common touch, since he made over $18 million dollars in 2009 in his last year as executive vice president of the Bank of South Carolina. He won't need to worry about this "salary" business. Now that he's semi-retired, he can mingle with the hoi polloi.

At least he's from the Low Country's "front porch."

Such cannot be said for McGinley's choice, Rew A. "Skip" Godow, whose Facebook page sports a 25-year-old picture, reveals no family, and states his interest in women.

The College of Charleston and Trident Technical Center employ this native of Chicago (well, Oak Brook, its tony suburb) in various administrative capacities. Who better to take McGinley's side than another member of the edublob? His Ph.D. in the Psychology of Philosophy (or is it the Philosophy of Psychology?) should come in handy on the Board.

Godow has served and continues to serve on multiple boards of directors--the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, the Charleston Education Network, the Education Foundation, and even the Community Advisory Committee to CCSD.

You get the picture. Just the type of bureaucrat McGinley wants--can be counted on to show up for meetings and not ask too many questions.

Let's see if the Charleston legislative delegation has any common sense.

Speaker Harrell: Transparency Starts in CCSD

What a great idea House Speaker Bobby Harrell has: require public colleges in South Carolina to post all expenditures on line--transparency!

WAIT! Doesn't that idea sound familiar?

Of course. The same was proposed for CCSD by David Engelman when he was a member of the Charleston County School Board. They were going to "look into it," although 75 Calhoun anticipated too many problems and expenses would probably be involved.

Yeah, right.

CCSD's Oplinger Shows True Colors

I'm shocked, shocked to find out that there's cheerleading going on in this School Board. From Saturday's P & C:

"I want to set the record straight regarding a recent letter [i.e., Sandi Engelman's] to the editor about the "25 Worst Performing Public Schools in the U.S."

"Of the 25 schools listed (actually 24, because one was removed from the list), 10 are in South Carolina and nine are charter schools.

"Of the four schools listed in Charleston County, two are charters, one is being closed and one is being restructured.

"I would like to add that our Academic Magnet High School is one of the top 10 high-achieving high schools in the United States, and that Charleston County received an excellent improvement rating on the state report card, a first for our district. That tells me that Dr. Nancy McGinley is doing an excellent job and that we should be doing everything we can to support her.

Ann Oplinger

Smoke and mirrors again.

• We have an improvement rating resulting from counting students differently.
  
• "Two are charters"--yes, the ones originally supported by the School Board and encouraged by 75 Calhoun for its own purposes. They aren't charters that arose naturally out of the community.
  
• And I sincerely doubt that the Academic Magnet believes Supt. McGinley is responsible for its success. They're still waiting for the other shoe to drop after they move in with the School of the Arts.

Carrot-and-Stick Legislation for SC Schools

To a great sigh of relief from state and local school officials, the long-awaited bill authorizing school districts across the state more "flexibility" in spending state funds finally passed yesterday. [Schools Eager for Flex Spending]

But WAIT--thanks to an unheralded amendment, that's the carrot part of the legislation.

According to a press release,
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Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) introduced an amendment, which was overwhelmingly supported by the Republican majority and added to the flexibility bill, that requires school districts to place all expenditures over $100 on the Internet [italics added]. Senator Bryant’s amendment calls for more spending transparency and helps ensure that more money in spent on classroom instruction instead of wasteful bureaucracy.

“Teachers are already dipping into their own pockets for classroom supplies. We have to ensure that every single possible dollar is being spent in the classrooms to help our teachers and students,” Senator Bryant said. “This bill gives taxpayers more transparency and shines a bright light on wasteful spending.”

Senator Bryant’s amendment requires school districts to place expenditures on their website. If they do not have the capabilities to do so, they can utilize the Comptroller General’s website and resources for free.[in other words, no excuses]

David Engelman may be gone from the CCSD Board, but his spirit lives on!

Let's see them wiggle out of this one.

Kandrac Is No Toya Green, Gregg

Dissension on the Charleston County School Board? Who would'a thunk it? After all, didn't they get rid of those spoilsports like David Engelman in the last election? You know, the ones who want transparency in CCSD's spending, wanted to put it on-line, for heaven's sake?

Dissatisfied with a whopping 6-2 majority, long-time Board member Gregg Meyers, whose influence put puppet Toya Hampton-Green into place as chairman, feels the need to insult those who disagree with him and his carefully written agenda. [See Dissension a Challenge for Board.] He's found out that he can't cow Arthur Ravenel, Jr., with the usual Greggisms (think of a gnat trying to annoy an elephant), so he's decided to try them out on Elizabeth Kandrac.

Mistake. Maybe you'd like a do-over on that one, Gregg. We all sense your exasperation that a Board member actually knows what's really wrong on the front lines and that all your posturing about excellence as the goal of school redesign isn't going to fix it.

Anyone who's taught for, say, ten minutes tops, knows that the most learning takes place in a classroom where behavioral expectations are clear, enforced, and supported by the principal. Why, even academic studies have proved it! Imagine that.

Kandrac's remarks should be taken very seriously:

Kandrac said the school district has way too many schools that aren't improving, and she cited the increasing number of at-risk ratings on district schools' report cards, from 22 to 24 this year.

"I think they want to fool the public," she said. "I think it's intentional. I think they want people to think we're getting better" because they're spending nearly a half-billion dollars. She said some board members refuse to admit the real problem in schools, which is discipline. Staff members are afraid of children, and that's the reason students are not excelling, she said.

So Meyers thinks this is a personal agenda? More fool he.

Democratic Stealth Campaign in CCSD

Under the radar. Well, at least it was under my radar, but as usual one commenter has made sense of Tuesday's results for Charleston County School Board.

Here's a snippet plus my take on why the analysis makes sense:

"Good old fashioned dirty politics based on rumor and fear[. . .]. Add Altman to the ballot and he became a target in an already high profile election. The others just became collateral damage."

"Despite this being non-partisan, the two political parties are working openly for certain candidates. This only causes further partisan divisions."

Those of us who don't travel in educrat or partisan circles wouldn't realize how carefully Mayor Riley managed to get the word out. Certainly the P & C wouldn't cover that. It's believable because of the GOP-sponsored ad in the P & C just before the election for four recommended candidates--Stewart, Engelman, Kandrac, and Lecque.

When I saw it, I was a bit mystified why it had appeared. I didn't view all these candidates as Republicans. Now I know they simply were the ones not being pushed by the Democrats.

Do voters in Charleston realize that, in the large majority of states, non-partisan positions are voted upon on a different date than partisan ones?

How did South Carolina arrive at this crazy "system"?

"It really is ironic that the Democratic Party has gone out on a limb by backing the candidates they have. [. . .] Why any political party would want to claim 'ownership' of this board is beyond me. Maybe we should give out the personal contact information so parents with problems might be able to reach the party leadership and the mayor at home. They can’t expect Toya Green or Greg Meyers to be much help."

Maybe the question should be, what does the Democratic Party have to gain by backing these candidates? Unfortunately, corruption comes to mind.

Where do Mayors Summey and Hallman stand in this "non-partisan" effort? Were they on board as well? Do they care?

"To some extent the Republicans have painted themselves out of the picture by never having gained any real influence on the school board. AR’s isolation on the current board proves the point."

Now, here I must disagree. They never had a chance. Republicans have never gained any real influence on CCSD's School Board because any school board is the last refuge of Democrats in a generally Republican area. Democrats can run as "non-partisans," and most Republicans are none the wiser. I saw this disguise work all too well in the New Jersey suburbs.

Add to the previous remarks another commenter's observation that the North Charleston results reflect two black versus one white candidate, and the total finally make sense.

How someone as sensible and well-educated on school policies as David Engelman could be defeated while at the same time Chris Collins, a novice who thinks that the student population in Charleston County is down because some students have decided to attend schools in Berkeley County instead (well, that's what he said!) is, in fact, an example of the world turned upside down.

How school board trustees are elected needs to be reformed if the Charleston County School District, especially its downtown schools, is to become truly excellent.

Shock and Awe, Post-and-Courier Style

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Is it the new leadership of the P & C's editorial page that has made the difference? [See Charleston School Board: Lecque, Kandrac, Engelman, Fraser, Stewart.]

SHOCK:Saturday's P & C endorsed CCSD school board candidates Lecque, Kandrac, Engelman, Fraser, and Stewart. If you think that's business as usual, you're wrong.

First of all, the editors snubbed Toya Hampton-Green, an incumbent and favorite of Mayor Riley. Second, they also ignored Ann Oplinger, a former CCSD principal. Those two facts taken together signal a sea change.

AWE: When you add to that the endorsements of three candidates--Engelman, Kandrac, and Stewart--the least likely to slavishly follow the machinations of Gregg Meyers--well, what further can be said?

Granted, the endorsement of Fraser is no aberration. He's simply the designated Chamber-of-Commerce guy replacing the old Chamber-of-Commerce guy, Brian Moody. And it would have been bizarre had the P & C endorsed John Altman, one of its most unfavorite pols.

Gee, I'm in the position of actually hoping all those folks in Mt. Pleasant follow the P & C's lead, for a change. Is the temperature dropping in hell?

The Real 5 for Downtown CCSD School Properties

How about several acres of prime real estate for sale in downtown Charleston? The REAL 5 have a deal for you.

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors has its eye on a couple of prime spots. Of course, at the moment these contain neighborhood elementary schools, but who needs those?

Now that CCSD mismanagement has driven half the students on the peninsula out of its schools, it's time to elect the REAL ESTATE TEAM--Collins, Fraser, Green, Lecque, and Oplinger--to the CCSD School Board. These candidates, the endorsers candidly admit, "best represent the interests of the real estate community." What better qualification could they share?

The team also happens to have the endorsement of the Metro Chamber of Commerce PAC, with the permission of Mayor Joe Riley. What a coincidence. [See Business Panel Backs 5 School Candidates.]

Imagine what could be built where Memminger and Fraser sit! Once the REAL 5 are elected, the Superintendent can get down to business recommending school closings (i.e., "school redesign") without fear of hard questions. David Engelman's request to put district expenditures on line for more transparency will be relegated to the dustbin of history. These will "set a positive tone," the one desired by Brett Jonas, Metro Chamber PAC chairman.

With the REAL 5 on board, so to speak, CCSD need no longer fear that unused school buildings will be occupied by those pesky charter schools. And, with the downturn in the real estate market, these properties are serious bargains.

Sounds like a plan. No, not conspiracy. Stupidity.

Go, David! CCSD Dollar Transparency Wanted

CCSD School Board member David Engelman made a reasonable request at the Board's last meeting: show everyone where the money is going. What a thought!

As reported in Sunday's P & C,

Charleston County School District spends more taxpayers' dollars than any other Lowcountry agency, but finding out how that money is spent can be difficult.

Anyone can ask the school district to provide that information, but one county school board member wants to make it easier for the public to access the district’s financial records. David Engelman asked the board earlier this week to begin posting its expenses online.

Engelman asked for all expenses to be listed, from grants to contract payments to electricity bills to association dues. The only exception, he said, would be salaries.

“I think we owe that to the people who pay for the budget,” he said. “I do think a lot of taxpayers want to see what’s going on at the local and state levels. That’s how we keep people honest.”

The effort to make financial records more transparent in schools and other government agencies is happening across the state and country. On the federal level, the Web site www.usaspending.gov gives details on government grants and contracts. On the state level, Gov. Mark Sanford issued an executive order nearly a year ago that required his 15 Cabinet agencies and the Comptroller General’s Office to create and post an online, searchable database of travel, office supplies and other expenses. The Comptroller General’s Office now has that information, searchable by year and month, for all of the state’s agencies.

Won't it be fun to see what excuses 75 Calhoun can engender? We'll see how creative they really are.