Editor’s Note: Describing the BAD things about the CCS School Board under Chairman Robert Queen and his band of Rogue Republicans is not so difficult because there is so much of it. Robert A says this article has a huge potential of being pretty long that he will perhaps write several articles about the many bad thigs that went on. But, after reflection and some clarification, Robert A has decided that this article, The BAD, should be limited. Once completed, Robert A will move on to the UGLY, as things really turned UGLY and should be presented that way. Remember, the UGLY parts are yet to come. When the UGLE parts are made known to the public, ALL Y’all will likely be ready to IMPEACH Robert Queen, Joel Shores, Rodney Fitch, Ron Humphries and Greg Taylor before this is all over. And FIRE Superintendent Stephen Fisher on the spot.
Note that Robert A will start with where the “Good” part left off and will go to the point where the BAD parts become UGLY. Then, he will start the UGLY parts of this series of articles. Folks, remember that these Rogue Republicans once promised us all that they would be honest, truthful and Transparent. And almost immediately turned to the dark side on all three promises. Us voters will have to work hard in the 2024 Elections to make sure these Rogues get defeated by a wide margin. Also, you good independent registered people need to get registered as REPUBLICAN as soon as possible. First, No Democrat or fringe party candidate will get elected in Cleveland County to anything for at least another generation. Second. We will all have to make sure every ROGUE Republican candidate is discovered, identified and defeated. That is not just Robert A’s responsibility. It is everyone’s responsibility. All you good people, get yourself ready to get elected to the School Board. Commissioners too. Tim Moore, Kelly Hastings and Ted Alexander; we are also looking closely at YOU. NO MORE dirty shenanigans from the CCGOP, or else.
BAD Items: (Note that the following is not in chronological order. The descriptions are in the order of “Badness” as determined by Robert A and his “read” of applicable North Carolina laws.
- The CCS School Board Work Session “official notice” came out on Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 2:14 PM that stated ”The Cleveland County Board of Education will meet Friday morning at 10 a.m. at Central Services, 400 West Marion Street of Shelby.” This is less than 24 hours’ notice. Which violatesall laws related to giving adequate Notice to the Public of Open Meetings of Governmental Agencies in North Carolina. To make matters even worse, the Board actually met at 8:30 AM. And, the Agenda provided with the Notification turned out to be phony.
- The CCS entire School Board was illegally “called” by Chairman Robert Queen to come in by 8:30 AM before this so-called Work Session for some “Training” provided by Superintendent Stephen Fisher. As the Superintendent, according to North Carolina Law is only the Secretary to the School Board and the School Board is charged with oversight of the Superintendent. Having the Secretary training the Boss is highly irregular and likely totally illegal. Note: that in the past school board member Traininghas always been conducted by the NC Department of Public Instruction and consists of leadership and educational law related training. Often held at high dollar resorts around North Carolina and elsewhere. And NEVER (that Robert A has heard of) beentaught by a School District Superintendent. Robert A smells plenty of rats in this obvious and evil shenanigan.
- School Board Member Rodney Fitch must have also smelled a rat about this illegal notice and training that was clearly intended to bring in the School Board members before the Notice to the Public stated they would be meeting. Obviously to discourage any member of the public from hearing and knowing what was going on. And falsifying public documents along the way.
Rodney Fitch did NOT show up at 8:30 AM as ordered by Chairman Robert Queen, but instead showed up right before 10:00 AM. Robert A observed Rodney Fitch come into the meeting room around 9:55 AM. Some have suggested that Mr. Fitch might have been next door playing “Pickleball” until the school board work session legally began. (Good for Mr. Rodney Fitch on this point and also voting AGAINST Robert Queen for Chairman in 2022. When Queen was running unopposed for Chairman.) Perhaps a few others who also knew this BS stuff from Robert Queen was illegal, just showed up to see what would be going on. They would soon find out the hard way. That will be in the UGLY part of this series. As it was truly ugly. Name calling, lots of personal attacks, etc., at times cursing, jumping up and down. Yelling and screaming too.
- The Staff Development Room at the CCS Headquarters, where this School Board Work Session was held, is a very, very big room. Regular school board meetings during the COVID panic were held there so social-distancing rules could be maintained. For this January 20, 2023 School Board Work Session, the seating was unnecessarily way too far apart. The School Board members were far apart and for the two members of the public who attended (Robert A being one of the two) it was often impossible to clearly hear and understand what was being said. Especially if the speakers at the podium were speaking to the school board members on the opposite side. There were no microphones, speakers or video cameras in sight. And were clearly intentional to be missing from the room as the School Board Chairman’s promises of Honesty, Truth, and Transparency has now been completely disregarded.
- At the beginning of the Work Session-AFTER 10:00 AM. Superintendent Stephen Fisher (in what is NOW known is a continuation of the illegal 8:30 AM “gathering” of the majority of the School Board members, began showing charts (illegible to members of the public) that allegedly showed Cleveland County Schools were near the top in comparison with other “selected” School Districts across North Carolina. The charts were projected on several screens around the room for public consumption. The charts were included in “Handout” packages to the School Board Members just prior to Fisher’s presentation. There was ZERO time for the School Board members or the public to review the charts in depth and were shown too quickly for anybody to form an independent evaluation of whether or not Fisher’s presentation was accurate or just a made-up pack of lies. Robert Ahas seen such as this MO from Superintendent Fisher too often to believe a word that Fisher was saying. Also, NO members of the public, including Robert A,were given a copy of the presented charts and other documents to review before Fisher’s presentation or at a later time. Another famous MO of Supt. Fisher. Obviously approved of by School Board Chairman Robert Queen. Queen himself was the one who had the handouts in his personal possession until just seconds before passing them out as Fisher was about to begin his presentation. All a total disregard for transparency and a total insult toward taxpayers and the public. Not to mention the school board members that actually care about our children, teachers and taxpayers-Drs. Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg. PhDs in Common Sense. Who are about to be treated with total disrespect and total disdain. And attacked unmercifully!!! An attack that also included a totally and incredibly foolish and stupid attack on Robert A by RINO Rogue Republican Greg Taylor. A “fool for the ages.”
Stay tuned folks. All Y’all ain’t heard nothing yet.