Editor’s Note: North Carolina Governmental Agencies, such as School Boards and Boards of County Commissioners are required by strict and concise North Carolina laws to:
- Hold Business Meetings on a regular and periodic basis. Meetings that are ALWAYS OPEN to the public. Although certain parts of these meetings may be CLOSED to discuss certain well-defined lawful topics.
- Public records called “Minutes,” of all these Official< (Open and Closed Meetings, are kept that contain a fair and accurate description of what transpired in these official meetings such that a person who did not attend the meeting could read the “Minutes” of that meeting and fully understand what had transpired in that meeting. “Closed” meeting “Minutes” are made public information when the reason(s) the “Closed Sessions” were held no longer apply.
- These “Minutes” of meetings, when approved (usually at the next official business meeting), are required to be officially signed by the Chairman of the Board as well as the Secretary of that Board and immediately becomes an official legal state document and a public record. Suitable for use in North Carolina Courts when necessary and for whatever purpose or reason.
- Note that Cherokee County, NC taxpayers learned the hard way about falsified documents when it cost them over $42,000,000.00 in property tax increases to pay off their part of a $53,000,000.00 lawsuit settlement, jury awards, and attorney fees that resulted from bad and illegal actions of one of their agencies related to falsified documents. (For more information on that, Google “Cherokee County Lawsuits.” Robert A advises you look this up as Cleveland County agency was doing exactly the same thing. But, never got sued.)
Folks, also note that there are multi-million-dollar lawsuits in the legal system right now awaiting trial that involve both the CCS School Board as well as the Cleveland County Commissioners. Not counting this one!! And maybe a few more when CC folks wake up to the fact that Cleveland County Governmental officials have to obey the law just like everybody else.
Now folks, let’s get to the particulars of this CCS School Board Falsified Document situation that is the subject of THIS article.
The March 11, 2024 CCS School Board Meeting where CCS School Board Chairman Robert Queen announced in Open Session that the School Board had voted in Closed Session to join in with School Boards across the USA on a Federal and Nationwide Class Action Lawsuit against Multi-Media Giants like Facebook, Tikor and others. And that the closed session vote, likely illegal for other reasons, was 5-0 to join in on this lawsuit. Folks, Robert A published an article on March 18, 2024 titled CCS School Board votes to Join-in on Federal Class Action Lawsuit!! Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg enabled a bad decision?? Not Ready for Leadership Role when “New” Members are Sworn in?? In regard to an action reported to have been voted on by the CCS School Board in a Closed Session. The CCS School Board had voted 5-0 to approve CCS joining in on a National Federal Class Action Lawsuit started by the National School Board Association. The very same group that calls concerned parents “Domestic Terrorists.” This previous article is reprinted in full at the end of this article for your convenience and understanding. of the CCS School Board’s dangerous lies and unabashed deceptions, this one is particularly disturbing.
Folks, Keep on Reading!!! You will be surprised at the amounts of deception going on between the Cleveland County School Board all the way up to the National School Board Association.
After Robert A published his March 18, 2024 article noted above and also provided below, Robert A decided to “lay low” on this March 11, 2024 CCS School Board joining in on the National Federal Class Action Lawsuit. Mostly because he wanted to wait until the CCS School Board APPROVED the March 11, 2024 CCS School Board Meeting minutes were approved at the next (April 8, 2024) CCS School Board meeting. You see, Robert A was smelling a rat. A BIG RAT!! Perhaps several rats!!
So, the April 8, 2024 School Board Meeting rolled around and Robert A was sitting there on the very front row. Robert A had received the CCS Meeting Notice for the April 8, 2024 and reviewed it. The DRAFT minutes of the March 11, 2024 School Board meeting did not include one word about the suspicious National Federal Class Action Lawsuit that CCS School Board Chairman Robert Queen had announced that CCS would be joining in on. That the CCS School Board had approved by a 5-0 vote. Again, not a peep about this was included.
During the April 8, 2024 CCS School Board meeting the March 11, 2024 Meeting minutes came up on the agenda and were duly approved by an 8-0 vote. Just like it had never happened.
But, it did happen at the March 11, 2024 School Board Meeting as reported in Robert A’s March 18, 2024 account, and Robert A was NOT the only person that had waited through the hour long Closed Session at the March 11, 2024 School Board meeting and heard every word that was said, exactly as reported.
So, the bottom line here is School Board Members Robert Queen, Joel Shores, Ron Humphries, Greg Taylor, Walter Scott Spurling, Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg and Aaron Bridges ALL voted to APPROVE a Document that they all knew was false without discussion or question.
Knowingly voting to approve a public record document that they all knew was false is an illegal act. Eight School Board members agreeing to commit an illegal act is a Conspiracy. And Conspiracy is a FELONY CRIME. Even when the underlying criminal act might only be a misdemeanor.
So, it appears a reality that ALL the Cleveland County School Board Members that voted 8-0 to approve that falsified legal document are just uncharged and unconvicted Felons!! And, apparently don’t know it!! Just like the whole population of Cherokee County who were looking the other way while County Officials were doing those illegal things that eventually dropped a $42,000,000.00 property bill increase down on All their heads. And, especially their pocketbooks. It’s kind of like the 52,000 Registered Cleveland County voters who didn’t show up to vote at the March 5, 2024 Primary Elections.
And, there is more!!!
The CCS School Board consists of NINE members and for at least the past two meeting School Board Member Rodney Fitch has been absent. And at both the March 11, 2024 and April 8, 2024 School Board Meeting School Board Member Rodney Fitch has been absent, And, at both these meetings Closed Sessions included discussions with lawyers about personnel matters. The “Gossip” going around CC is that duly elected (although defeated in the 2024 School Board Primary Election-along with Robert Queen and Greg Taylor”, Rodney Fitch whose term will end in December, 2024, has been somehow “banned” from Attending CCS School Board Meetings. And, everything is “Hush-Hush!!!”
Robert A has no personal knowledge of this purported “banning” of Rodney Fitch from School Board meetings. But, if such as this has happened, Robert A would recommend getting rid of Robert Queen and Greg Taylor (AND Joel Shores, Ron Humphries and Walter Scott Spurling) in exactly the same way. Whatever that way is. As long as it is legal!!
Also, folks, consider this: Why would the CCS School Board vote to join in with the National School Board Association (NSBA) on some hairbrained National Federal Class Action Lawsuit against Mega-Billion$ companies like Facebook and Tikor when the North Carolina School Board Association (NCSBA) formally broke ties with the NSBA back in 2021. See link at” https://www.ednc.org/2021-11-15-state-school-boards-association-severs-ties-with-national-organization-over-letter/
Editor’s Note: Whatever the reason, the named School Board members have lied to deceive the citizens of Cleveland County about joining some class-action lawsuit, or some other nitwit program. They need to get their act together RIGHT NOW!! CCS is presently losing students, planning on laying off teachers and staff and spending money they don’t have. And lying about it. Stay tuned about other things that happened at the April 8, 2024 School Board Meeting!! And, on what is coming up soon.
(Republished Published March 18, 2024 Article)
CCS School Board votes to Join-in on Federal Class Action Lawsuit!!
Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg enabled bad decision??
Not Ready for Leadership Role when “New” Members are Sworn in??
Eye Witness Report and Commentary by Robert A
The March 11, 2024 CCS School Board Meeting was the very first meeting after the March 5, 2024 Republican Primary Elections for the School Board. Thirteen Republican candidates for the School Board had signed up to run for the CCS School Board and the race was on to clean house of the Rogue Republicans: Robert Queen, Joel Shores, Ron Humphries, Rodney Fitch and Greg Taylor who were the incumbents and all these incumbents richly deserved to be defeated.
By the end of the evening of March 5, 2024, CCS School Board Chairman Robert Queen, Rodney Fitch and Greg Taylor had been defeated by Gloria Sherman, David Fisher and Kenneth Ledford. These three plus incumbents Danny Blanton, Ronnie Grigg, and Aaron Bridges would, on paper, reverse the 6-3 majority presently on the School Board with a new majority beginning in December, 2024.
However, don’t forget the Democrat School Board Candidates headed up by former School Board member Coleman Hunt that will be on the November, 2024 General Election Ballot for the School Board. If history is our guide, Robert A would bet that the Rogue Republicans and the CCGOP will be pushing for the Democrats in the November 2024 School Board Elections. Just like they did in 2022. A bushel basket full of dirty political tricks that is still well remembered. A history that is already being repeated in 2024. This time by Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg. Who have alienated longtime political friends and supporters who now vow to defeat Blanton and Grigg in the 2026 School Board Elections. A total error of judgement by Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg that was totally unnecessary. And, there was more to come at the March 11, 2024 School Board Meeting.
The March 11, 2024 School Board Business Meeting started off well enough to the untrained observer. The Invocation, The Pledge of Allegiance, Special Recognitions, adoption of the Agenda and all. However, it was at the Approval of the Minutes of previous meetings that the first signs of trouble began. In previous meetings Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg had objected to the Minutes as NOT being accurate. Same with the Committee Reports. This time Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg had no such objections. Blanton and Grigg gave their “Rubber Stamp” approval. Just like Robert Queen, Joel Shores, Walter Scott Spurling, Ron Humphries, etc. The question immediately arose: Blanton and Grigg, why the change of heart? Blanton and Grigg had been correct in challenging the inaccurate Minutes of Previous Meetings and now they just went along without question. And it gets worse. Robert Queen, Joel Shores, Greg Taylor, Ron Humphries Walter Scott Spurling, Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg go into Closed Session. (Rodney Fitch was absent from the meeting altogether and Aaron Bridges had called in to the regular meeting, but telephone call-ins are not allowed in Closed Sessions.
After the Closed Session, School Board Chairman Robert Queen announces that a personnel matter had been discussed in Closed Session and that the School Board had voted 5-0 in Closed Session to enter into a National Class-Action Lawsuit against major Multi-Media corporate entities. Then, the meeting was adjourned.
Robert A’s immediate reaction was that Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg must have been the two that had abstained from the vote to enter into a National Class-Action Lawsuit instead of voting against such a foolhardy measure. According to Robert A’s thinking, the last thing Cleveland County Schools needs to get involved with is another lawsuit.
Another political miscalculation by Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg was the fact that their abstaining to vote on this National Class-Action Lawsuit resulted in a “recorded” 5-0 vote, which appears to be a unanimous vote by the Cleveland County School Board to join in on this lawsuit. When a 5-2 vote would have correctly indicated a split vote. Perhaps this is splitting hairs, but having the “appearance” of a unanimous vote actually enables the 5-0 vote with undue importance than a 5-2 vote. Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg have just unwittedly supported a bad decision by the Rogue Republicans on the School Board that will make it much more difficult or impossible to “undo” when the newly constituted School Board is sworn-in in December, 2024 with three brand-new School Board Members.
This was just another unforced error by Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg. An error that was matched by their “dear in headlight” look right after Robert Queen announced the 5-0 vote by the CCS School Board to join in on this National Class-Action Lawsuit without even reading the lawsuit prior to voting to join the unknown lawsuit.
Folks, Chew on this report over the weekend. Robert A is researching this National Class-Action Lawsuit and has found plenty of reasons that CCS should not be involved at all. Stay Tuned.