Speech to School District of Pickens County... But CRICKETS!

 

On Monday, August 22nd a speech was given by COTU leadership team member Johnnelle Raines to the School District of Pickens County Board members, she is also a Board Member of United States Parents Involved in Education. (USPIE Board of Directors | US Parents Involved in Education ) 

As of today, August 28th she has not received any official response to her questions asked. At least 7 other citizens spoke at that board meeting. Have any of them received any official response to their speech? If not, why not? Isn't it their job to respond to citizens who take time out of their day to speak about concerns? They sure didn't answer any questions during their "comment" section on the agenda that night.

Please email your school board members and tell them we expect them to respond to the people in a timely manner, not just sit up there on their throne and remain silent and not give citizens the respect to answer their valid questions. 

Maybe that's why they don't get many people speaking...because they won't get any answers?

Here's their contact info link: School Board | School District of Pickens County

Good evening, School Board and Superintendent Merck,

I am very concerned about what I am seeing take place in the School District of Pickens... Teachers, principals, administrators and school board members are ignoring laws and you are quite possibly violating your own policies passed.

 

First there was the Unity Program at Pickens Middle School which violated Civil Rights laws as well as the Budget Proviso and now we have this book, STAMPED being used that violates SC Proviso Law and violates your own policy on a teacher teaching controversial issues without preauthorization from her principal. I also have proof you are failing to fulfill your FOIA requests fully which is against the law.

 

When can I expect you to send me ALL communications concerning the Unity Progam event program at PMS and the copy of the contract and payments to the speaker of that event?

 

Do any of you know if the teachers are given permission to teach this controversial book Stamped? Has Superintendent Merck made it a priority that all the principals and all teachers know about the SC Proviso Law?

 

I attended a meeting last night in which someone said this book is on the SC Dept of Ed approved list of reading material and therefore no prior approval was needed. They were wrong.

 

I found out this morning from the SC Dept of ED that “Any supplemental reading list is a DISTRICT publication. The SCDE does not provide a supplemental reading list to districts."

 

Is there an approved SDPC reading list provided to grade k-12 teachers? And if so, where can parents view this list?

 

Bottom line, this book violates SC Law. The Unity program that took place violated SC law. Not fulfilling my FOIA request I paid $280 for violates law.

 

Why is our school district thumbing their noses at laws?

by Johnnelle Raines, Board Member United States Parents Involved in Education and Leadership Team member of Conservatives of the Upstate