BLYTHEWOOD — Richland School District Two Food Services, operated by Sodexo, will again serve free meals this summer. Meals, provided at a first come, first serve basis, will be provided to all children age 18 and under. Blythewood Academy will provide breakfast from 7:30 – 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 – noon June 10 […]
Agostini: Board chair plays favorites with speakers
May 23, 2019 By
COLUMBIA – Amid budget discussions, policy revision votes and a slew of special recognitions, one board member’s critique of the Richland Two chairwoman’s job performance punctuated a more-than-four-hour meeting. The drama began at about the 38-minute mark of the May 14 meeting when board member Lindsay Agostini called attention to “inconsistent” enforcement of the board’s […]
Letters: R2 Must Follow the Law
May 23, 2019 By
The law is absolutely clear. Mrs. McKie was not eligible to take the oath of office on November 13, 2018, because she had not filed her Statement of Economic Interests Report (SEI). Therefore, the oath that she did utter on November 13th is worthless and invalid. Mrs. McKie first became eligible to take the oath […]
Altered bond doc slips past R2 board
May 9, 2019 By
COLUMBIA – When the Richland Two school board trustees’ former secretary declined to sign documents asserting that Board Chairwoman Amelia McKie is legally allowed to serve on the board, two trustees say the board was not notified the documents were modified to include phrasing dismissive of McKie’s ethics controversy. “I was not aware of the […]
McKie fails to file ethics form… again
May 9, 2019 By
COLUMBIA – In January, after racking up $51,750 in fines over unfiled ethics forms, Richland Two school board chair Amelia McKie vowed she would remedy the problem. “I am working with my legal counsel to address the fines and penalties imposed,” McKie said at a January board meeting. “I’ve learned a lot from my experience. […]
R2 board secretary resigns when asked to verify that McKie is legally seated
May 2, 2019 By
COLUMBIA – Chairwoman Amelia McKie’s ongoing ethics problems have prompted another member of the Richland 2 Board of Trustees to resign her officer position. Lindsay Agostini stepped down as secretary of the Richland Two board, but still remains on the board as a voting member. Agostini notified McKie and Superintendent Dr. Baron Davis of her […]
R2 board OKs stricter conduct for teachers
April 11, 2019 By
COLUMBIA – Weeks after brushing aside adopting greater accountability measures for their own conduct, the Richland Two school board voted 6-0 for similar conduct rules for district staff. On March 26, board members combed through the five-page policy, which lists numerous behaviors classified as “misconduct.” Many behaviors focus on teacher-student interactions. Board vice-chair Monica Elkins-Johnson […]
Supers take home top pay, benefits
March 28, 2019 By
COLUMBIA – Public education isn’t the most profitable profession in South Carolina. For a select few, however, the field can be quite lucrative. In a state where the governor earns $106,078 a year and agency heads like the state superintendent of education make $92,007, many district level school superintendents rake in two to three times […]
Update: R2 board member claims harassment
March 28, 2019 By
Bender: “Public officials have to expect feedback from constituents.” COLUMBIA – Another spat involving a Richland Two board member and law enforcement is further fueling criticisms of elected officials already marred by mounting ethical and legal issues. Columbia area resident Gus Philpott is identified as the subject in a harassment complaint he says Richland Two […]
R2 ethics debate smolders
March 14, 2019 By
Residents: Some R2 Members Could Face Charges COLUMBIA – Calls for the resignation of Richland Two board members once again punctuated an otherwise mundane agenda filled with student appeals, a diploma petition and votes on policy revisions. And this time, one resident says some board members could face criminal charges for failing to comply with […]
