Then, to back up Danny Blanton’s previously stated contention that warned the entire School Board that if they voted to reopen schools without recommendations from Health experts, they would be liable for lawsuits=Danny Blanton made a Motion to wait until October 26, 2020 to make the decision to reopen Cleveland County Schools. Blanton stated that the Motion was to protect the health of our children, teachers and staff until health officials would make their recommendations. Dr. Jack Hamrick seconded Danny Blanton’s Motion.
Blanton’s motion set off 90 minutes of discussion, disagreements, second guessing and more second guessing about when to talk and when to re-open. With me and most everybody else in the audience not knowing about the Crest COVID-19 outbreak, about 80% of the discussion seemed to want the board to discuss reopening right before the start of early voting and then do something right before the November 3rd Election Day. Strangely Shearra Miller, Phillip Glover, Richard Hooker, Jo Boggs and Roger Harris, the nucleus of the anti-Danny Blanton faction on the School Board-minus Coleman Hunt went on and on among themselves about the dates of discussion and voting to reopen the schools. It was like most of this contingency of School Board members had gotten together amongst themselves and left Coleman Hunt out of the discussion. I have to note that Coleman Hunt’s MO is a staunch supporter of the Anti-Danny Blanton contingency. Danny Blanton was calling for a vote on his motion, made and seconded. But the total lack of leadership on the CCS School Board was totally exposed when everybody did not have a secret and pre-decided upon narrative. Mr. Banton called for a vote again and Phillip “Bully” Glover made a “Substitute Motion to discuss reopen on October 12th and to actually reopen on October 26th. And then everybody started going over and over the same things they had already gone over and over.
Everybody in the audience was also stunned by the spectacle of a leaderless school board gone wild. A striking display of a lack of leadership on the School Board. Dr. Peggy Borders, who happened to be sitting beside me on my right side was leaning forward and listening closely to every word. On my left side a person who I thought was Star Reporter Dustin George was doing something feverishly on a smartphone or small electronic notepad apparently trying to capture what was going on. I could hear a few gasps and groins from behind me, apparently also dismayed at what was happening and also what was not happening. As for myself, this hour and a half of total chaos on the school board disgusted me. I also was puzzled and even baffled by Tiffany Hansen of the CC Health Department refusing to answer Blanton’s pertinent questions. I started to jus get up and leave three or four times before it was all over.
Finally, Shearra Miller called for a vote on Bully Glover’s substitute motion. Danny Blanton voted NO because his motion was not voted on. Roger Harris voted NO because, in my opinion, he is the most devious of the incumbent candidates running for reelection and he wanted to be able to deny voting for a motion to restart schools. Glover’s Motion passed 7-2.
The next item was to adjourned the meeting and they did adjourn the meeting without delay.
But the action was not over. Bully Glover made a bee-line for Dr. Peggy Borders saying “Oh, I am so glad you were able to come (to the meeting). I knew right then that Glover had asked her to come to the meeting and also arranged for the public participation to be moved to the start of the meeting and for Dr. Borders to speak first-probably hoping she would leave the meeting after she spoke and before the ensuing chaos. Then I turned and saw Commissioners Doug Bridges and Deb Hardin. I asked Bridges why HIS Health Department refused to give the School Board a recommendation on restarting the schools. Kerri Melton, Assistant County Manager war right there too. I asked her why she was there? She said she was there to support the Health Department person Tiffany Hansen. School Board Candidate Ron Humphries was flabbergasted by what he just witnessed. School Bord Candidate Samantha Davis had already left before I got to speak to her. Obviously wondering what had just happened and why.
And, now I sit here writing this article, finally knowing about the COVID-10 outbreak at Crest High School and figuring out the pieces of the puzzle.
To the best of my belief and knowledge, I have to conclude that Shearra Miller, Richard Hooker, Roger Harris and Bully Glover knew about the outbreak at Crest and were covering up-at least until after the 2020 School Board forum the next night was over. And surely trying to lie out of this whole set of circumstances right before their re-election vote.
As for me, my recommendations as noted below are proved correct one more time.
I recommend voting just like this:
