[00:00:04]
IT'S CALLED A WORD WISDOM IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH, 2021.
[A. Notice and Instructions]
I'D LIKE TO READ A NOTICE.THE PUBLIC WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND AT A REDUCED RATE OR 75% CAPACITY OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER MEETING ROOM SPACE.
ONCE THE CAPACITY HAS BEEN REACHED ADMISSION INTO THE MEETING SPACE WILL BE CLOSED.
ALL AUDIENCE MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES, MASS WOULD BE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST THE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 18TH, 2021 AT 5:00 PM WILL BE STREAMED LIVE VIA YOUTUBE.
THE LINK TO WATCH THE MEETING CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS LOCATED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD'S WEBSITE IT PERIOD FOR WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE PROVIDED BEFORE THE MEETING, AS WELL AS BEFORE EACH ACTION IS TAKEN BY THE BOARD ON AN ACTION ITEM, INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE POSTED ACTION ITEMS. WHEN THE TWO CLICK ON THE AGENDA ITEM IN BOARD DOCS AND SUBMIT VIA THE HIGHLIGHTED PUBLIC COMMENT HYPERLINK ON THE AGENDA.
ITEM DETAILS ONLINE COMMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A BOARD MEMBER
[B. Meeting Opening]
MARK BALLOU TO PLEASE LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION.AND THEN I W UH, SERGEANT FIRST-CLASS RONALD KENNEDY WILL INTRODUCE OUR CADET TO MEET US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND SERVICE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
DURING OUR DISCUSSIONS THIS EVENING, WE ASK THAT YOU HELP US TO FOCUS ON MAINTAINING AN OUTWARD MINDSET AND CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.
WE ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR NAME.
PRESIDENT MR. TAYMAN SCHOOL, BOARD MEMBERS, DR.
DORSEY, CITIZEN, FRIENDS WITH EAST BATON ROUGE, PARIS.
I AM SORRY FOR A CLEVER RETIRED RON KENNEDY ARMY INSTRUCTOR AT SCOTTSVILLE MAGNET.
HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVE UNDER ULTIMATE LEADERSHIP.
BUT MR. PAUL JACKSON PRINCIPAL, SCOTT WILL BE A MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ALL SCOTLAND, STRONG VAIL PROUD.
IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU.
ONE OF OUR PROGRAM'S TOP SECOND YEAR CADETS.
SHE IS A DAUGHTER OF MR. CLIFTON, JACK AND IT'S ALICIA DAVIS FOR BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, AND JERKS SLEEP.
SHE SERVED AT THE BATTALION, THEIR STREET OR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OR TRAINING AND OPERATIONS.
SHE'S A MEMBER OF JERSEY COLOR GUARD.
CAUSE YOU HAVE A FITNESS TEAM AS A MEMBER OF THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM IN SCOTLAND, THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE TRACK TEAM IT HUNDRED METER RELAY FOUR BY EIGHT RELAY THE FOUR BY FOUR RELAY TEAM, WHICH HAS JUST EARNED ALL-AMERICAN ISLANDS IN THE FORM OF HERS.
SHE HAS MAINTAINED A 3.5 GPA OR HIGHER WHILE SHE DID SCHOLARSHIP.
LIKE IN THE HOUSE, SHE BELIEVES PERSONAL COURAGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF HER SEVEN ON ME, VERY BECAUSE IT ENCOURAGES HER TO PUT HER FEARS ASIDE TO COMPLETE ANY TASK.
AND SHE MAY BE AFRAID OF DOING MANY, TO DESCRIBED HER AS AN OPEN NOTEBOOK, BUT THAT BEING SAID, SHE COMES INTO A SENSE OF HERSELF WITH OTHER STRENGTHS AND THEIR WEAKNESSES WHILE ALSO CHALLENGING THEM TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES THIS DILIGENT AND WELL-MANNERED CADET PLANES OFF TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL AND OBTAIN A SCHOLARSHIP AND TRACK AND FIELD WHILE PURSUING A DEGREE AT THE FESTIVAL FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR, EVEN GENTLEMEN.
IT'S MY GREAT PLEASURE AND PRIDE TO INTERVIEW CADET.
SECOND, LIEUTENANT LEIGHTON, JACK.
CAN YOU ALL, PLEASE STAY STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, DOING THE PLAYS FOR US TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE ENTIRE BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
[00:05:01]
NINE PRESIDENTS ATMAN PRESENT DISTRICT FOUR, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS PRESENT DISTRICT ONE.MR. BALOO HERE, DISTRICT TWO, MR. LANA'S DISTRICT THREE, MR. HOWARD DISTRICT FIVE.
MS. WARD JACKSON HERE, DISTRICT SIX, MS. DYSON DISTRICT SEVEN, MR.
UH, WE NOW MOVE TO RECOGNITION,
[C. Minutes]
UH, MINUTES C1 APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 21ST, 2021 REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2021 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MS. BERNARD SECONDED BY MR.
WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON THE MINUTES.
ANY COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
WE MOVE NOW TO RECOGNITIONS, UM, ITEM D ONE
[D.1. National Blue Ribbon]
NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON RECOGNITION OF BATON ROUGE, MAGNET HIGH IN WESTDALE HEIGHTS, ACADEMIC MAGNET SCHOOLS FOR EARNING A DISTINCTION OF NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL.VICE-PRESIDENT COLLINS BOARD MEMBERS AND DR.
I'M YOUR CHIEF OF SCHOOL? SHARON WILLIAMS. TONIGHT.
WE'D LIKE TO HONOR OUR 2021 NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS, RECIPIENTS, WHAT STALE ACADEMIC MAGNET, SCHOOL, WHAM AND BATON ROUGE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.
BOTH OF OUR ESTEEMED SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ARE HERE ALONG WITH STAFF MEMBERS FROM EACH SCHOOL.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON AWARD SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND EDUCATORS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES STRIVE TO ACHIEVE THE COVETED PRIZE, THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON AWARD AS A DISTINGUISHED SYMBOL OF EXEMPLARY TEACHING AND LEARNING EVERY YEAR.
THE U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACKNOWLEDGES AND CELEBRATES GREAT SCHOOLS AND THEIR UNPARALLELED COMMITMENT TO PROPEL STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS PROGRAM DISTINGUISHES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS BASED ON THEIR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE OR THEIR IMPROVEMENT IN CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AMONG STUDENTS SUBGROUPS WITH GREAT APPRECIATION AND ESTEEM.
THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS PROGRAM HAS GRANTED MORE THAN 10,000 AWARDS TO OVER 9,000 SCHOOLS AND AN ONGOING EFFORT.
THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON PROGRAM CELEBRATES TEACHING AND LEARNING OF STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES, AND THEIR DEMONSTRATIVE STRIDES AND CREATING INNOVATIVE PATHWAYS FOR LEARNERS.
NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR PROUD PRINCIPALS BEFORE THEY ARE INVITED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THEIR SCHOOLS, THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, CRYSTAL AGUILAR, SYLVAIN, MRS. NANETTE MCCANN IS THE PRINCIPAL OF BATON ROUGE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE HAS SERVED AS A LEADER OF THIS SCHOOL FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS AND HAS EARNED NUMEROUS AWARDS, LOCAL STATE AND NATIONAL, INCLUDING NATIONAL MAGNET PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AND LOUISIANA STATE PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
THE LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE CONTINUES AS HER SCHOOL IS BEING AWARDED AND NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE SECOND TIME.
CONGRATULATIONS MRS. MCCANN AND THE BATON ROUGE HIGH FAMILY.
MRS. ALICIA KAVANAUGH IS THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF WESTDALE HEIGHTS, ACADEMIC MAGNET SCHOOL, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS WHAM STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE THINKERS, PROBLEM SOLVERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL AMBASSADORS.
SHE IS VERY PROUD OF LEADING A SCHOOL THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR SUCH AN AMAZING HONOR AS IT SYMBOLIZES THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
CONGRATULATIONS MRS. CAVENAUGH AND THE ENTIRE WESTDALE HEIGHTS, ACADEMIC MAGNET SCHOOL FAMILY FOR BEING A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE SECOND TIME.
WILLIAMS, AN PRESENT CATMAN IS COLLINS.
[00:10:01]
THANK YOU SO MUCH, BUT IT'S MY THIRD BLUE RIBBON.IT'S THE SCHOOL'S FOURTH BLUE RIBBON, BUT THANK YOU.
I, UM, I'M VERY PROUD TO BE THE PRINCIPAL BEVERAGE MAY IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALONE.
I HAVE A GREAT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND I HAVE A TREMENDOUS FACULTY THAT, UM, WORKS VERY HARD EVERY DAY, BUT I HAVE THE BEST STUDENT BODY THAT WE HAVE ACCEPTED EVERY APPLICATION THAT QUALIFIED THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
SO THE DEADLINE IS DECEMBER THE THIRD.
SO IF YOU WANT TO APPLY, MAKE SURE YOU DO.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US BECAUSE ONCE THE LDO HE NOMINATES YOU, THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.
YOU HAVE TO DO A LENGTHY APPLICATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE HANDLED THE COVID 19 SITUATION.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOUR SUPPORT, DR.
DARCY'S, YOUR SUPPORT MEANS SO MUCH TO OUR FACULTY STAFF, OUR STUDENT BODY.
AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US AND DR.
AG, I MEAN, MS. AGUILAR, MR. JAMES AND TERESA PORTER, I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US AND EVELYN, WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND DR.
ROBINSON, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO OUR CELEBRATION.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR WONDERFUL STUDENTS AT WHAM.
THEY ARE HARDWORKING, ARE WONDERFUL TEACHERS.
THANK YOU TEACHERS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY, OUR STAFF MEMBERS, OUR PARENTS, AND OUR WONDERFUL FAMILIES.
YOU DO YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AND DEDICATION.
AND THANK YOU TEACHERS, MS. VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY OF COURSE, UH, AS ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU ALL, UH, ON YOUR MULTIPLE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON WINS.
I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
AND THEN I JUST ALSO WANT TO LIFT UP AND LESS.
WE FORGET THAT THIS DISTRICT IS ALSO CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON STATUS WITH SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT DEDICATED MAGNETS AND PROGRESS.
ELEMENTARY WAS A SHINY BEACON AND STAR OF SUCH, UH, WITH, UH, WITH DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WE ASSUME CAN'T, CAN'T MAKE IT.
AND SO I'M PROUD OF THIS DISTRICT AND I'M PROUD OF YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UH, WINS THIS YEAR.
A AND MRS. MCCANN ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU THESE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND SUPERINTENDENT METALS.
YOU ARE SUCH AWESOME PRINCIPALS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
WHAT A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION, WHAT A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT WE KNOW NOW TO, UH, ITEM D
[D.2. VIPS "Partners in Education"]
TO, UH, PARTNERS IN EDUCATION RECOGNITION, UH, VIPS PARTNERS IN EDUCATION FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER FLOWERING BRUSHES, NAUSEA, WEB MS. SIMMONS.I'M THE VOLUNTEER AND PARTNERS, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, DIRECTOR FOR VIPS VOLUNTEERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK MS. COLLINS FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AT YOUR EFFORTS TO COMMUTE CONNECT WITH THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE REALLY VALUE THAT AND APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS PROUD TO SERVE AS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND
[00:15:01]
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.UM, WE ENJOY ANSWERING THE CALL FROM OUR SCHOOL LEADERS WHO NEED HELP AND MATCHING THEM WITH THOSE COMMUNITY ENTITIES THAT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, JUST THIS WEEK, UH, WE GOT A COUPLE OF CALLS FOR INTERPRETERS TO ASSIST WITH TRANSLATING AT PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SWAHILI AND VIETNAMESE TRANSLATORS, AND WE ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO CONNECT RESOURCES TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, THIS EVENING WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT YET ANOTHER OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY PARTNER.
WE HAVE NAUSEA WEB WITH FLOWING BRUSHES.
UM, NAUSEA IS SO COMMITTED TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PARTNERING WITH VIPS THAT SHE, UM, HAS AN ORGANIZATION.
IT'S AN ART BASED ORGANIZATION AND SHE PARTNERS WITH TWO SCHOOLS PER WEEK, UH, FOREST HEIGHTS, ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE AND GLENOAKS PARK ELEMENTARY.
AND SHE DOES ART ACTIVITIES WITH THE STUDENTS AND INCORPORATES SOCIALLY LEARN SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING, BECAUSE SHE HAS A PSYCHOLOGY BACKGROUND.
I'LL LET HER TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HER BACKGROUND.
UM, AND SHE ALSO, IT HAS A PLANT-BASED PAINT THAT SHE USES AND TEACHES THE STUDENTS HOW TO DO THAT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE PRINCIPAL BERNARD WILLIAMS HERE WHO WILL SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF WITH ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE ABOUT NAUSEA WITH FLOWING BRUSHES AT HIS SCHOOL GLENOAKS PARK ELEMENTARY.
HI, HOW'S EVERYONE DOING TODAY? WELL, ONCE AGAIN, I AM NAUSEA.
I AM THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FLOWING BRUSHES FOREIGN BRUSHES.
WE WERE FOUNDED WITH THE MISSION TO ADVOCATE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ARTS AND MENTAL HEALTH, UM, GROWING UP.
WELL, I DID GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS GROWING UP, OF COURSE.
UM, I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND MCKINLEY, MIDDLE ACADEMIC MAGNET SCHOOL AND MCKINLEY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND AS WELL AS ZACHARY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO MY ARTISTIC BACKGROUND, I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH ART AND I, I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO ART, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO MY SUCCESS AND HOW I HANDLE CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHILE I WAS IN COLLEGE, I DID A LOT OF VOLUNTEER WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, A LOT OF VOLUNTEER WORK AND LOW IN THE LOW INCOME AREAS.
AND I SAW A GREAT NEED FOR ART IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
AND SO, UM, NOT TOO LONG AGO, I CAME ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION VIPS AND I JUST THOUGHT, I WAS LIKE, OH MAN, THIS WILL BE AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP.
AND I'LL BE ABLE TO BRING ART TO THE SCHOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT NEED ARE TO STUDENTS THAT DESERVE TO EXPERIENCE THE, UM, THOSE FUN OF ART, THE HEALING OF ART, THE THERAPEUTIC AFFECTS OF ART, AND ALSO THE ACADEMIC BENEFITS THAT ART, UM, BRINGS TO THOSE STUDENTS.
AND SO, UM, MY EXPERIENCE THUS FAR HAS BEEN SIMPLY AMAZING, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE COSTA GLEN OAK PARK ELEMENTARY, UM, THEIR SCHOOL ACTUALLY DOES NOT HAVE AN ART CLASS AT HALL.
AND, UM, I JUST LOVE THE APPRECIATION THAT I SEE FROM THOSE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO PARTAKE IN THOSE ART ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY THE PLANT-BASED OR SESSIONS, WHERE I BRING DIFFERENT HERBS AND PLANTS AND FRUITS, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE PLANT-BASED PAINT USING THOSE MATERIALS AND THE CHILDREN LOVE THAT.
AND SO, UM, I AM VERY THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS.
NEXT SEMESTER, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING, UM, THIS PARTNERSHIP TOUR, OTHER SCHOOLS AS WELL.
AND SO ONCE AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO GIVE A THANKS TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE SCHOOL PARISH.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, VIPS FOR ALLOWING A PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP.
WE DID HAVE AN ART TEACHER AT ONE POINT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ONE NOW.
SO OUR KIDS LOOK FORWARD TO ART AND WE TOOK SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING TO THE NEXT LEVEL BECAUSE OUR KIDS NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE HANDS-ON PART, NOT JUST THE VIDEOS AND NOT JUST THE TOP, BUT BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO TANGIBLE.
AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY A GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, WE WENT LIKE TO PRESENT YOU THIS METAL, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS SO WONDERFUL AND THE ART YOU MADE ME EXCITED.
I CAN IMAGINE WHAT THE KIDS ARE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
OUR KIDS REALLY NEED IT AND ENJOY IT.
[00:20:39]
NOW[D.3. Exchange Club of Baton Rouge]
TO ITEMI'M GONNA MOVE THIS MIC A LITTLE BIT.
I AM THE HR, I SHOULD SAY, CHIEF OF HR FOR THE BATON ROUGE.
I'M SUPER, SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
THIS IS MY FIRST PUBLIC SPEAKING EVENT, SO I'M SUPER EXCITED AND I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED BECAUSE OF THE PROJECT THAT I'M ASSIGNED TO DO TONIGHT WITH UP A FLICKER AND ALSO WITH MS. UH, MRS. BROWN.
EACH YEAR, THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF BATON ROUGE AND ALL VOLUNTEER CIVIC GROUP WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE SUPPLIES AND SCHOOL AIDS GIFT CARDS TO NEW ELEMENTARY TEACHERS THROUGH THE ADAPT THE TEACHER PROGRAM, THE ADAPTIVE TEACHER PROGRAM HAS AWARDED 593, A TEACHER ADOPT I'M SORRY.
ADOPT THE TEACHER PROGRAM HAS AWARDED 593 NEW EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH TEACHERS GRANTS TOTAL IN ALMOST A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
THE SIZE OF EACH GRANT IS USUALLY IN THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED GRANT APPLICANTS, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE, AND A PANEL OF JUDGES RELATIVE RANKINGS OF THE GRANT APPLICATIONS, DR.
RICHARD FLICKER, ONE MEETING RIGHT NOW, SUPER HAPPY TO MEET YOU AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND FORMER COLLEGE PROFESSOR HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF BANNER ROOTS FOR 45 YEARS.
HE LIVED IN, UH, BATON ROUGE FOR 25 YEARS AND IN LOUISIANA FOR 46 YEARS STARTING INSURE REPORT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE AND TO RECOGNIZE THE LATEST CLASS THEY'RE 18 NEW TEACHERS, AS YOU CAN SEE.
ALISON MS. ALISON MS. BLAIR, MS. CHATMAN, MS. CHEATHAM, MS. COLEMAN, MS.
MS. DOYLE, UH, MS. GEORGE, MS. GOODYEAR, UH, MISS JUNE JUNIOR, JUNO, UH, MS. GINELLE, UM, MS. PORTER, MS. REED, MS. SUAREZ, AND I AM NOT GOING TO ATTEMPT TO PRONOUNCE THIS NAME ONE MALIQUE FAN.
UM, MS. WHITFIELD AND MS. WHITMAN.
SO I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THESE 18, UH, NEW TEACHERS, RIGHT.
AND SINCERE, THANKS TO OUR 2021 SPONSORS.
SO WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE BUSINESS SPONSORS, UH, SCHOOL AIDS, THE NEIGHBORS, FEDERAL CREDIT UNION CAPITAL ONE BANK, LOUISIANA LOTTERY CORPORATION.
THE PARKER'S FARMER FELT PHARMACY, UM,
IN ADDITION, THE NONPROFIT SPONSORS OR THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF BATON ROUGE, BATON ROUGE AREAS, SOCIETY OF PSYCHOLOGISTS, EAST BATON ROUGE, LIONS CLUB, AND THE INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE LISTED HERE, UH, DR.
FLICKER LIQUOR, UH, LEE, LILLIAN, AND JOHN CROSSLY, JOHN AND BRUCE HAMOT MAY DEAN AND SCOTT COOPER, CHRISTINE, DR.
CLAIRE ADVOCATE, THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVENING SLASH HEY.
THESE TEACHERS ENJOYED AN AMAZING DAY AT SCHOOL AIDS, WHERE THE PRESENTATIONS WERE GIVEN TO THEM AS FAR AS THE GRANT TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE AMAZING SUPPLIES AT SCHOOL LATE.
SO SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13TH WAS AN AMAZING DAY, AS YOU CAN SEE WHICH DAD WAS IN THE PICTURE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
AND THEN UP YOU'RE MEMBERS OF THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF BATON ROUGE TO SCHOOL LATE.
[00:25:01]
AND A SCHOOL LIGHTS FOR GRANT PRESENTATIONS ON THIS DAY AS WELL.THOSE ARE THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE EXCHANGE CLUB, MS. DOWNEY AND THE OTHERS.
AND WE DID ENOUGH THE TEACHERS.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I CAN CLICK THROUGH THEM QUICKLY AGAIN.
MS. CRAWLEY DOLE, PHYLLIS, ALISON LAURIE BLAIR, BRANDY CHATMAN, JESSICA ACHIEVEMENT.
ALL OF THESE ARE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, BRIA COLEMAN, CHRISTINA DEL MOOT RIGHTS.
JESSICA JONES, GEORGE KAYLA GOODYEAR, MEGAN JUNO, JOHNNY LAMELLE AND LORI PORTER.
UM, NANCY REED, ALLYSON SCHWARTZ, UH, SHANNON CARR.
CONGRATULATIONS, MS. CHENEY, MS. NADIA WHITFIELD, ALSO KURT WHITMAN.
AND AGAIN PROVIDES A LICENSE TO THESE TEACHERS.
FLICKER AND EXCHANGE CLUB SUPPORTS THESE TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR CAREER.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU AND TO DR.
THERE'S ALSO A METAL IN IT FOR YOU.
I DIDN'T GET ONE, BUT YOU'RE GETTING ONE DR.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT EVERY YEAR.
AND THOSE SPONSORS, UM, IF YOU SAW THE LIST, SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE BEEN WITH, UH, THE PROGRAM ALMOST SINCE THE BEGINNING 24 YEARS, 23 YEARS PARK IS PHARMACY.
THIS WAS THEIR FIRST YEAR AND THEY MADE A SIZABLE DONATION.
AND WITHOUT THOSE SPONSORS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROGRAM.
FLICKER, ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, I WANT TO PRESENT YOU WITH THESE, AND I THINK WE HAVE ONE FOR EVERY TEACHER AND FOR YOU.
HE GOES, SHE COULD WEAR FLATS AND SHE SELLS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT WORK THE EXCHANGE CLUB DOES.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU BACK HERE AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
[E.1. Monthly Financial Report]
ONE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT THERE FOR INFORMATION ONLY, AND A MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT PERSONNEL CHANGES[E.2. Personnel Changes]
TO, WE MOVED TO ITEM AF[F. Receive As Information]
AN UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR.NRCS, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TATLIN.
UH, FIRST I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO ALL EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS, WE WILL BE CLOSED NEXT WEEK IN OBSERVANCE OF THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF, AND WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE ENJOYS THIS MUCH, MUCH DIFFERENT RESERVE RESTS.
LET'S GIVE OUR FACULTY AND STAFF A HANFORD, AT LEAST GETTING THROUGH THE FIRST SEMESTER.
WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WORK DONE FOUNDATION AND THE PEPSI STRONGER TOGETHER TO BRING THE BETTY'S HOPE PROGRAM TO AS SOON AS IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, THE BETTY'S HOPE PROGRAM WILL ADDRESS GRIEF AND TRAUMA THROUGH AN EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM LAUNCHING IN JANUARY.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AT PEPSI STRONG TOGETHER, AND THE WARD DUNN FOUNDATION FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UH, WE ESPECIALLY WANT TO TELL, UM, UH, MR. DUNN, WE APPRECIATE IT.
AS YOU KNOW, HE HAS BEEN A PRODUCT OF THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR HIM TO COME BACK, UH, AFTER PLAYING IN THE PROS TO GIVE BACK TO HIS COMMUNITY OR THAT HE CARES SO MUCH.
SO WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO HIM FOR THAT.
AFTER CONSULTING WITH OUR HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE, A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE THAT IF THE CURRENT DOWNWARD TREND OF COVID-19 POSITIVITY RATE PERSISTS MASS WILL BE OPTIONAL WHEN STUDENTS AND STAFF RETURN TO SCHOOL ON JANUARY 4TH, 2022, THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPROMISED OF LEADING PHYSICIANS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS AGREE THAT IF THE DISTRICT'S POSITIVITY RATE CONTINUES TO AND OR REMAINS AT 0.5 PER PERCENT THROUGHOUT THE FALL SEMESTER, IT WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO ALLOW OPTIONAL MASKING THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A COVID HOTLINE AND ARE ABLE TO LOOK ON OUR WEBSITE THROUGH WWW EBR
[00:30:01]
SCHOOLS.ORG.OUR PARTNERS AT THE CASTLE FOUNDATION HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR DISTRICT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING SEL PRACTICES ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CASTLE FOUNDATION TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY LEARNED, UH, AND OUR NEXT STEPS.
AS MANY OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, CASTLE IS THE LEADING ORGANIZATION THAT LEADS FOR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN THE NATION.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE SO GLAD THAT THE BOARD AND THIS DISTRICT HAS DECIDED TO PARTNER WITH THEM AS THEY HELP TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT NOT ONLY OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO OUR ADULTS.
UH, AND SO NOW, UH, I WILL ALLOW THE CASTLE FOUNDATION TO BEGIN, UH, AND WITH OUR CHIEF OF STUDENT SUPPORTS MS. STACY BLUEPRINT, GOOD EVENING FOR PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT ESTEEM BOARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR WONDERFUL TEAM FROM CASTLE, DR.
SO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THEY SEE SOLID DURING THE AUDIT.
AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE WITH US THUS FAR.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HAPMAN, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, SUPERINTENDENT NARCIS AND BOARD MEMBERS.
AND FROM CASTLE, BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR REPORT, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT CASTLE.
CASTLE IS THE COLLABORATIVE FOR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING.
WE'RE HEADQUARTERED IN CHICAGO.
WE ARE THE NATIONAL LEADER IN TERMS OF THE SEL WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR 27 YEARS.
WE DRIVE THE FIELD FORWARD BY PARTNERING WITH RESEARCHERS, PRACTITIONERS, AND POLICYMAKERS TO DEFINE SUPPORT AND IMPLEMENT HIGH QUALITY SEL.
AND EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING.
YOU'LL SEE, IN OUR, IN OUR INFORMATION THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU, OUR FRAMEWORK IS BASED ON THE FIVE CORE COMPETENCIES, SELF AWARENESS, SELF-MANAGEMENT SOCIAL AWARENESS, RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING SKILLS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY PARTNERING WITH 20 PLUS SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A GOOD GROUNDING IN THE RESEARCH THAT'S NEEDED TO BUILD HIGH QUALITY SEL IN OUR, IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND WE ARE WELCOMING THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH EAST BATON ROUGE.
NOW TO GET INTO THE REPORT IN MID MID-SEPTEMBER, WE ENGAGED IN WHAT WE CALL A CELL RHEA.
A CELL RHEA IS A SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING READINESS AND ENGAGEMENT ANALYSIS.
IT'S BASICALLY AN AUDIT OF THE SEL PRACTICES THAT WE WERE ALREADY SEEING IN SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE PRACTICES THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AROUND SEL.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE STRENGTHS THAT WE NOTICED THROUGH OUR, THROUGH, DURING OUR INTERVIEWS WITH STAKEHOLDERS LIKE PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS, STUDENTS, CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS, AND A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE FIRST STRENGTH THAT WE NOTICED WITH THAT, THERE WAS HIGH ENTHUSIASM AND STRONG SUPPORT FOR SEL IN THE PARISH, IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE ALSO KNOW THIS, THAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED A STRATEGIC PLAN WITH A FOUR CORNERSTONES, AND WE SEE DEFINITE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE FOUR CORNERSTONES AND THE SEL PRACTICES AND RESEARCH THAT WE WOULD, THAT WE ADVOCATE.
THERE'S ALSO A STRONG HISTORY OF SEL PROGRAMMING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED CURRENTLY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THERE ARE ALSO EXISTING STRUCTURES AND ROLES SYSTEMS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE THAT WELL POSITIONS THE DISTRICT TO CONTINUE THE SEL AT A HIGH-QUALITY LEVEL.
WE ALSO WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT.
THERE ARE ALREADY DATA SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT WILL ALIGN NICELY TO, TO SHOW THE PROGRESS THAT IS, THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT.
AND TO ALSO FORGE A PLAN FOR, TO INCREASE IN AN ADVANCE SEL SYSTEM-WIDE.
AND WE ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE ARE STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
THAT AGAIN, WILL ALIGN NICELY WITH THE WORK THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO DO IN THE COMING YEARS.
NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE DEIDRE FARM FARMERY GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT PATMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SUPERINTENDENT NARCISSIST.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS DEIDRE FARMERY WITH CASTLE.
I, FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE I GET INTO THE CHALLENGES AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROGRESS THAT MY COLLEAGUE
[00:35:01]
PAMELA AND I HAVE SEEN.WE WERE FIRST HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE IN JULY TO CONDUCT A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY HALF A DAY AROUND SDL.
AND THEN AS PAMELA HAS ALREADY SPOKEN ABOUT, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE VIRTUALLY IN THE CELERY.
AND WE HAD BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, WITH STACEY DUPRE AND HER TEAM.
AND WE DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE SEEN.
SO IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, UM, THAT WE FOUND IN THE CELERY, YEAH, WE REALIZED THAT RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NOT A SHARED UNDERSTANDING ACROSS THE DISTRICT, UM, ACROSS SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND PRINCIPALS, UM, ABOUT WHAT SEL IS ALL ABOUT.
THERE ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SEL AND EQUITY.
WE ALSO FOUND AS A CHALLENGE THAT WHILE THE FOUR CORNERSTONES OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN POTENTIALLY ALIGN WITH SEL THE ALIGNMENT OR THE CONNECTION IS NOT EXPLICITLY STATED AT THIS POINT.
OUR THIRD CHALLENGE IS RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT A FULL UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEL AND ACADEMICS AND THE POTENTIAL THAT SEL HAS TO BOOST ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ALL SUBJECT MATTERS IN TERMS OF THE PRACTICES THAT ARE USED IN CLASSROOMS. WE ALSO DETECTED AS WE SPOKE TO VARIOUS CONSTITUENTS, THAT THERE IS SOME INITIATIVE FATIGUE AMONG STAFF, UM, WHICH LEADS TO A SKEPTICISM THAT A NEW S E L EFFORT WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT.
THERE IS A FEELING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW.
AND SO HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMITTING TO SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE LONG-TERM A FIFTH CHALLENGE IS A LACK OF CLARITY AROUND ROLES FOR THE VARIOUS POSITIONS RELATED TO SEL.
ALTHOUGH WE WILL SAY THAT IN THE FEW MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH STACEY DUPRE AND HER TEAM, WE HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN SOME OF THAT ROLE CONFUSION.
UH, SIX ONE IS THAT THE DISTRICTS PRIOR HISTORY OF A ZERO TOLERANCE DISCIPLINE POLICY MAY PRESENT A BARRIER TO SEL ADOPTION.
SO THIS WILL IN, IN, UH, NECESSITATE, A LOT OF MIND SHIFTING WORK THAT MOVES AWAY FROM, UM, PUNISHMENT INTO RESTORATION AND REALLY HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO MAKE MORE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT STEPS.
SO ONE IS THAT WE FEEL THERE'S A NEED TO DEVELOP A SHARED DEFINITION OF SDL AND A VISION THAT WILL REALLY ARTICULATE HOW IT RELATES TO DISTRICT PRIORITIES.
WHY INVESTING TIME, ENERGY, AND EFFORT IN SEL WILL INDEED SUPPORT THE OVERARCHING DISTRICT VISION.
UH, SECOND, MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO LOOK AT THAT DISTRICT WIDE STRATEGIC PLAN AGAIN, TO CONSIDER HOW TO EXPLICITLY POINT OUT THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE CORNERSTONES AND SEL.
WE SEE THOSE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR BEING REALLY EXPLICIT IN TERMS OF SHOWING HOW THEY ALIGN AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
THE THIRD RECOMMENDATION IS ABOUT THE ROLLOUT, HAVING A VERY STRATEGIC MULTI-YEAR PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING SEL, INCLUDING A CAMPUS ROLLOUT PROCEDURE AND PRACTICE SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THEIR PLACE IN REALLY BEING COMMITTED TO SEL.
THE FOURTH ONE IS ABOUT FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING, MAKING SURE THAT EVERY ADULT HAS THE SHARED UNDERSTANDING FOR SEL AND THEREFORE A GREATER SENSE OF ENGAGEMENT AND COMMITMENT.
UH, FIFTH RECOMMENDATION IS REALLY DEVELOPING AND DEEPENING THE SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, THE EYE CARE SPECIALIST AND THE SEL SPECIALIST.
SO THEY CAN CONFIDENTLY MOVE THE WORK FORWARD WITH SCHOOL LEADERS.
SO HOW DO WE REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UH,
[00:40:01]
LIFTING UP THEIR CAPACITY TO BE THE BEST ADVOCATES FOR SEL AS A PASS POSSIBLY CAN BE, AND TO WORK IN A COLLABORATIVE FASHION.AND THERE'S ALREADY BEEN GREAT STRIDES MADE IN THAT AREA.
THE SIX RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROMOTE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ACADEMICS AND SEL AND PROVIDE FOR MORE SYSTEMIC INTEGRATION OF SEL INTO ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION.
SO THE PEOPLE WILL THINK NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF MAYBE A PROGRAM THAT'S SUPPORTING SEL, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF SEL PRACTICES THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED ALL DAY, EVERY DAY IN EVERY SINGLE ACADEMIC CONTENT AREA.
AND THE SEVENTH RECOMMENDATION IS TO COLLABORATE WITH THE ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR MEASURING SEL IMPLEMENTATION AND ITS IMPACT.
UM, IN OUR INTERVIEWS WITH THE ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT, THEY ALREADY HAVE A VERY SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SEL AND ACADEMICS, AND ALSO TO MAKE THE KPI TARGETED AND QUANTIFIABLE UNDER YOUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AREA, WHERE YOU DISCUSS SEL FOCUSING ON HOW MANY SCHOOLS AND HOW MANY PRACTICES AND MAKING SURE THAT THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT REALLY USE THOSE, THE, UH, THE KPI AS MEASURES OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE NEED TO GO AND WHAT THE SHOULD BE.
SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
IS THERE ANY TIME FOR DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? UM, YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, MS. DYSON, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ON YOUR LAST SLIDE, UM, YOU INDICATED TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SCHOOLS ARE, WHICH SCHOOLS, UM, DO WE HAVE SOME IDEA, DOES THIS MEAN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, UH, IMPLEMENTED DISTRICT-WIDE? UM, ALL AT ONCE, I WOULD SAY THAT DECISION IS STILL BEING MADE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN DISTRICTS WHERE THERE'S BEEN AN ALL SCHOOL DISTRICT WIDE APPROACH, BUT I'LL SAY TRANSPARENTLY, MOST OF OUR DISTRICTS TEND TO DO A ROLLOUT OF THE GRADUAL ROMA ROLL OUT OF CADRES OR COHORTS OVER THE YEARS.
AND SO IT WOULD REALLY BE THE DECISION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND, UH, STACY DUPREES A TEAM TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
WE HAVE ROLLED OUT THREE BASIC AREAS IN OUR SEL PROGRAM TO EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT.
SO WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND THE NUMBER OF AREAS, THAT'S THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING ADDITIONAL AREAS.
THERE ARE 10 AREAS THAT WE LOOK AT FOR SEL, AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE CURRICULUM, IT'S THE CULTURE AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON CAMPUS.
SO WE WANT THE DISTRICT IN EACH SCHOOL TO INCLUDE MORE AND MORE ASPECTS OF SEL, NOT JUST THE CURRICULUM.
SO WE WANT A PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOLS OR NUMBER OF SCHOOLS DOING THREE OR MORE WITHIN SO MANY YEARS.
SO THE PRINCIPAL HAS SOME AUTONOMY ON WHEN AND HOW FAST.
AND, BUT YOU SAID THREE OF THE, THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE.
SO LET ME HELP ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
WOMEN DYSON, THE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW SCHOOLS ARE VARIED IN TERMS OF PRACTICES.
AND SO THE STRATEGY THAT THE, UM, TEAM IS RECOMMENDING IS THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE THEM FOCUS ON A FEW PRACTICES SO THEY CAN DO IT REALLY WELL.
UH, SO A PRINCIPAL MAY HAVE, LET'S JUST SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, A SCHOOL LEADER, BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT, THEIR TEAM DOES, UH, SAY THAT THIS PARTICULAR PRACTICE THEY'RE DOING WELL, RIGHT? SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT.
THEY MAY ADD IT ON ANOTHER ADDITIONAL PRACTICE THAT THE SYSTEM IS WORKING TO DO.
WELL, THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU SAW IN THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT, UH, SCHOOLS ARE NOT DOING ALL THESE PRACTICES WELL.
AND AT SOME POINT THERE'S SOME MISTRANSLATION, EVEN WITHIN SCHOOLS AROUND SEL.
AND THE GOAL WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT AS A DISTRICT, WE'D SAY, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THESE THREE PRACTICES AND MAYBE THE SCHOOL LEADER AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO START WITH THIS PRACTICE FIRST BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S BETTER FOR OUR, UH, TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT FOR US.
BUT THE GOAL FOR US WOULD SAY, YOU CAN PICK ANY OF THESE THREE PRACTICES, BUT WE, THESE ARE THE THREE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON OVER, OVER PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO, FOR THEM TO DO REALLY WELL OVER TIME WITHIN THOSE PRACTICES.
SO THEY WANT, THAT CAN BE A PART OF THE SCHOOL PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.
[00:45:01]
SO IN MY OTHER LIFE, I, UH, AM VERY INVOLVED WITH, UH, AN UNDERSTANDING OF RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AND ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE HAT I WEAR NOW IS ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT AN OVER TOLERANCE FOR NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR AND WHAT THAT'S DOING TO THE REST OF THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND NOT PROTECTING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO I'VE SEEN, AND I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, UH, WITH SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE STILL ALLOWING PRINCIPALS, THE AUTONOMY THAT OUR POLICY THAT SAYS FOR THIS INCIDENT, WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER FACTORS, THEY GET TO DECIDE IF IT'S GOING TO BE AN OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION, IF IT CAN BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN ONE TO 10 DAYS, AND STILL ALLOWING THAT PRINCIPAL TO DECIDE BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
AND MAYBE IT'S SOME OF THIS MISINFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE OR HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
BUT, UM, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT IS THAT IF THEY HAVE TO LIMIT TO THREE WITHOUT FURTHER APPROVAL OVER THEM, THEN IT'S JUST LIKE THE CHILD ISN'T OUT LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE THAT WHATEVER WAS FESTERING CALMED DOWN.
AND SO THEY GO AND THEY CONTINUE IT IN THE PARKING, LOTS OF WHEREVER, APARTMENTS, STREETS, WHATEVER.
AND THEN THEY BRING IT RIGHT BACK IN THREE OR FOUR DAYS.
AND IT IT'S JUST THIS REVOLVING DOOR.
AND SO WE'RE NEVER REALLY ADDRESSING THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PROBLEM AT HAND, YOU KNOW, THE, WHAT THE ROOT PROBLEM.
AND IT'S JUST THIS CYCLE AND IT'S A REPEATED DISTURBANCE FOR THE INSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF THE REST OF THE STUDENTS.
SO IF I COULD JUST TAKE THAT ANSWER.
SO, UM, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING IS NOT, UM, SUSPENSION.
IT'S A PRACTICE AND A PROCESS TO HELP STUDENTS TO REFOCUS AND RECONNECT WITHIN THE SCHOOLS.
SO IF A CHILD IS OFF TRACK, THERE ARE A SETS OF STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES TO HELP THEM TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO WORK WITH SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THOSE PRACTICES ARE.
SO WE CAN PROVIDE INTERVENTIONS AND WAYS TO KEEP CHILDREN IN SCHOOL SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO BE MORE CONNECTED IN THOSE PRACTICES ARE VARIED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR INTERPRETATION, WHAT WE'VE READ IS THAT, UM, OUR SCHOOLS CURRENTLY DO NOT DO THOSE PRACTICES NOW ONLY NOT VERY WELL FULLY, BUT ALSO WE HAVEN'T CREATED A GOOD ENOUGH SYSTEM TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS ACROSS SCHOOLS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY ARE AROUND INTERVENTIONS TO HELP CHILDREN STAY ON TRACK.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S THE KIND OF WORK THAT, UM, WILL ONLY TAKE ONE YEAR, BUT IT TAKES MULTIPLE YEARS.
IT'S DEFINITELY MULTIPLE YEARS.
AND IT REALLY IS ABOUT BUILDING COMMUNITY BEING PROACTIVE.
IT REALLY IS AN ACCESS ASSETS BASED APPROACH, SO THAT WE'RE HOPEFULLY PREVENTING THESE STUDENTS FROM ACTING OUT SO THAT THEY'RE ULTIMATELY JUST SUSPENDED.
YES, IT HAS TO CHANGE MINDSETS.
AND IT'S, IT'S A VARIETY OF, UM, APPROACHES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS BEING BUILT SO THAT THOSE KIDDOS ARE STAYING IN THE, IN THE CLASSROOM STAYING THE BUILDING.
AND SO, UM, ON THAT NOTE, I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT ANY SCHOOL THAT'S BEING ASKED TO IMPLEMENT THIS, ESPECIALLY THAT THE SCHOOLS WITH REALLY LARGE POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS, UM, THAT THEY BE GIVEN FULL TIME SOCIAL WORKERS THAT CAN AID THIS AND NOT JUST A SOCIAL WORKER A DAY OR TWO HERE, YOU KNOW, A WEEK, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SCHOOLS WITH LARGE POPULATIONS, WE'VE GOT INFRACTIONS THAT ARE, UH, INCREASING.
AND SO THERE'S A BALANCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO, BUT, BUT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL FULLY WITH WHAT THEY NEED, UM, WHICH IS SOCIAL WORKERS QUALIFIED, UH, T O R M ROOM PEOPLE AND ENOUGH TOR PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS WITH VERY LARGE POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS AND ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS.
AND I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR ATTORNEY SHAMBLIN AND THAT IS DO OUR ZERO TOLERANCE POLICIES ALIGN
[00:50:02]
WITH, UM, STATE LAW.SO WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CHANGE AND, UH, OR THAT I WOULD WANT TO, BECAUSE THEY'RE SERIOUS INFRACTIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IF THEY'RE FALLING UNDER THE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY.
THANK YOU, MR.
UH, I WOULD JUST ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE PRESENTERS.
UH, I'VE FULLY BELIEVED IN SEL, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
ONE THING THOUGH, I THINK YOU, YOU MAY BE INCLUDED WITH GLOSSED OVER A LITTLE BIT WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, INFORM ALL ADULTS, BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT MS DYSON WAS BRINGING UP AND, AND SOME OF HER COMMENTS, WHICH WERE WELL-FOUNDED, UH, REALLY RELATES TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT SEL IS AND WHAT THE INTENTIONS OF SEL ARE.
AND PEOPLE RELATE SEL WITH LOOSE DISCIPLINE.
AND THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT A CORRECT RELATIONSHIP, BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE, UH, EDUCATION.
YOU SAID ALL ADULTS, AND I KNOW ALL ADULTS MEAN COMMUNITY, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SPECIFICALLY REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, THE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND TELL THEM WHAT EXACTLY IS SEL, WHAT ARE THE IMPLEMENTATIONS OF IT? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BREAK THIS, THIS LINK BETWEEN SEL AND DISCIPLINE, BECAUSE WHILE THEY ARE SORT OF RELATED, THEY'RE NOT THE SAME THING.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EXPOSED TO SEL REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE, THEY ARE RELATED, BUT NOT LINKED.
AND SO I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A GOOD FOCUS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PARTICULARLY PARENT EDUCATION AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
WE, WE LIKE TO SAY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ASSOCIATING THE TWO, WHEN IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT, IT'S A HOLISTIC APPROACH, RIGHT? THAT IN TIME, IF IMPLEMENTED WELL WILL HELP TO REDUCE SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF INFRACTIONS THAT LEAD TO, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A SPECIFIC EFFORT TO EDUCATE PARTICULARLY PARENTS WHERE THEY'RE CONCERNED.
SO THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT SEL IS, UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE SEVERAL YEARS FOR IT TO HAVE AN IMPACT.
UH, AND IT'S IT'S DOES HAVE A T I WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SCHOOL THAT PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO IT, AND IT TOOK THEM THREE YEARS TO REALLY GET THERE, BUT THEIR ACADEMIC SHOT THROUGH THE ROOF, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE IF A CHILD IS HAVING DIFFICULTY OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, GENERALLY THAT BRINGS IT INTO THE CLASSROOM AND A BEHAVIOR MOOD.
AND SO I FULLY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
AND PARTICULARLY WITH PARENTS, THAT SEL DOES NOT MEAN NO DISCIPLINE.
WE REALLY NEED TO REALLY NEED TO GET THAT DOWN.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE.
I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, DR.
[G. Reports from Board Appointees to Committees/Agencies]
G ONE, UH, BOARD APPOINTEES TO COMMUNITY, UH, AGENCIES AND COMMITTEES.ANY BOARD MEMBERS WISH TO REPORT ANYTHING, SEEING NONE.
WE'LL MOVE TO I, THE CONSENT AGENDA, MS. WHERE JACKSON, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION BEFORE WE GO INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA TO MOVE UP IN AN UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
TO WHICH, WHICH ITEM AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS AFTER G FOR REPORTS FOR APPOINTEES AND COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES.
BROUGHT MORE MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE, CHARTER SCHOOL CONTRACTS, EXCEPT XR, UH, EXTENSIONS AND REAPPORTIONMENT AND REDISTRICTING CONSULTANT.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? ONE SECOND.
I'M SORRY, NOT A VICE-PRESIDENT.
SO H THREE IS REAPPORTIONMENT.
I ONLY SUGGESTED THAT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT REAPPORTION IS GOING TO BE A REALLY HOT TOPIC.
[00:55:01]
TO TRY TO FOCUS ON THOSE STUDENT BASED, UH, UH, INITIATIVES ITEMS FIRST.SO I'M NOT AGAINST THAT, BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY I ASKED FOR US TO MOVE IT UP.
SO GIVE ME A MOTION AGAIN, MR. LANTIS, I'M SORRY, JUST TELL ME YOUR MOTION AGAIN.
THE MOTION IS TO MOVE UP ITEMS ONE, TWO, AND THREE, AN UNFINISHED BUSINESS BEFORE WE GO INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, MR. SHAMBLIN HELPED ME WITH THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE ON THIS.
UH, IF MAY BY MOTION, THEY REQUIRES A SUPER MAJORITY, TWO THIRDS VOTE.
SO THAT'S SIX OF TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD.
SO THAT SIX VOTES, IS IT A DEBATABLE MOTION? NOT DEBATABLE WITH THE PUBLIC LOOK MOST COMMON.
THE IDA, THE ISSUE OF MOVING THE AGENDA ITEM.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE BASICALLY ON UNFINISHED BUSINESS, ALL OF THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS BEFORE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, IS THERE, UH, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THAT ITEM ON MOOT ON MOVING? YEAH.
YOU, YOU, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME SPEAK.
THE ISSUE WILL BE, UH, THE, YOUR COMMENTS NEED TO BE SPECIFIC TO MOVING THE ITEM SO YOU CAN SPEAK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M SUBJECT FLAWED, UH, ONE OF THE DEMOGRAPHERS AND I'M DOING LIVINGSTON PARISH, UH, UH, COUNSEL.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT REDISTRICT IN.
I WOULD HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE THE FIRST ITEM UNDER THAT, OR I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
I WOULD HOPE TO LET ME DO MY PRESENTATION AND I MIGHT TAKE A REST ONLINE, BUT I WILL HAVE TO GO DELIVER SOME PERISH WITHIN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES, A PRIOR COMMITMENT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO A PUBLIC PRESENTATION ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BEFORE I LEAVE.
VERY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? YES.
SEEING NONE, UH, BACK TO THE BOARD AND WE'RE THERE, UH, WAITING TO SET IT UP.
I SEE PEOPLE IN THE, THE QUEUE.
SO ARE YOU ALL WAY YOU WANT TO MAKE A POINT OF ORDER OR SOMETHING? UM, GIVE SUPPORT TO THE COMMENT HE HAS.
NON-DEBATABLE SO, UM, SO, OKAY.
SO MA UH, WE'RE VOTING ON WHETHER TO MOVE ON FINISHED BUSINESS BEFORE I'M SORRY.
UM, YOU WERE GOING TO STAPLE VOTING ON, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE MOVING ALL THREE ITEMS. NO.
SO IT LOOKS, I'M GOING TO RESTATE IT.
I WAS GOING TO, AND I DID PLAN TO DO THAT.
UM, UH, THE, WHAT I, WHAT I BELIEVE THE MOTION SAYS IS THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD MOVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS TO NOW, BEFORE THE COURT, BEFORE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO, UM, THE VOTE WILL BE ON THAT MOTION.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE OPEN THE MACHINES, PLEASE VOTE.
SO WE GO NOW TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
[H.1. Broadmoor Middle School Site]
ONE CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE REOPENING OF THE FORMER BROADMORE MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE AS A CONSERVATORY SCHOOL, SERVING STUDENTS GRADE SIX THROUGH 12 STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, DR.NARCIS, UH, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TAT, MAN, IF I CAN GET, UH, MR. SEAN JEFFREY ON A DR.
ROBINSON AND MS. PORTER TO, UH, JUST COME AND GIVE A SMALL BRIEF PRESENTATION, UH, CONCERNING THE, UH, CONSERVATORY SIX, 12 PROPOSAL.
[01:00:01]
MADAM PRESIDENT COLLINS AND BOARD MEMBERS.WE ARE EXCITED TO COME TODAY AND WITH THE PROPOSAL OF BROUGHT MORE MIDDLE SITE BEING THE NEW HISTORIC FINE ARTS CENTER FOR STUDENTS SIX THROUGH 12 AND BACK IN BATON ROUGE, I GOT THE CLICK.
OUR VISION IS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE AND SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND WE HAVE A RICH, VIBRANT COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY ARTS COMMUNITY.
WHO'S LOOKING FOR A PROGRAMMING FOR KIDS WHO ARE OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE TRULY ARTS STUDENTS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS IN OUR PARISH WHO HAVE WHERE WE HAVE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL, PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRUE ARTS STUDENTS, BECAUSE OF THE, NOT THE LACK OF PROGRAMMING, BUT THE NEED FOR MORE PROGRAMMING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE PARTICULAR STUDENTS.
SINCE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS CLICKER LIKES ME SINCE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, WE'VE HAD AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY, AND ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN A PART OF OUR PLANNING FOR THIS ACTUAL CONSERVATORY.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING THIS SINCE MAYBE AUGUST HAVING THE, THE THOUGHTS GOING, HAVING OUR COMMUNITY FORUMS, LISTENING TO PARENTS, FINDING THEIR IDEAS, WHAT THOSE THINGS THAT THOSE STUDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR, AS WELL AS THOSE PARENTS.
AND WE USE THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ACTUALLY BE A JOINT EFFORT FOR US TO ACTUALLY SEE HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE AND HOW WE CAN BENEFIT FROM THEM WITH A CONSERVATORY.
AS YOU SEE HERE, THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS FROM MAJOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT BATON ROUGE, AS WELL AS PHILANTHROPIC CIVIC AND SOCIAL CLUBS WHO TRULY HAVE A CENTER ON THE ARTS.
AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ON THIS LIST HAVE EXTRAORDINARILY HELPFUL TO US AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS, AS WELL AS MEET THE NEEDS OF ARTISTS IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
THE MODEL ITSELF IS FOR US TO BRING PARTNERSHIPS, A CONSERVATORY INSTRUCTION DESIGN, AND A DEDICATED, WHICH IS ALSO A DEDICATED MAGNET MAGNET AND LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS.
THE MODEL IS FOCUSING ON ALL OF THESE THINGS.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE FOR PARENTS WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT TALENTED AS WELL AS THE CONSERVATORY EXPERIENCE IS SOME TALENTED STUDENTS HAVE THESE TALENTS THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY JUST LIKE TO, I GUESS, MOLD AND MAKE THEM A PART OF THEIR ACTUAL ACADEMIC CURRICULUM.
OUR CONSERVATORY MODEL IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IT'S FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE TRULY TALENTED.
WELL, THOSE TRULY TALENTED KIDS WHO HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES AND WANT THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
IT WILL TRULY BE A CONSERVATORY THAT PRIORITIZES THE SKILL BASED, LEARNING IN A TALENT, AND THAT WILL LEAD THE INSTRUCTION, WHICH WILL COME WITH IT.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN THE NEXT SLIDE TO MRS. PORTER JUST BEFORE YOU GO, I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A MOTION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE SIDE? I'M MOVED BY MR.
UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, WE'RE NOT LIVE ON METRO 21 TONIGHT BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
SO WE JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW IN CASE YOU'RE GETTING TEXTED BY YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO ANYWAY, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT I JUST NEEDED TO GET THOSE TWO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS OUT.
JUST, UH, MS. JONES, YOU CAN LEAVE THE CLICKER, LET THE TECHNOLOGY GROUP MOVE THE SLIDES.
IT SEEMS THERE'S SOME TECHNOLOGY DIFFERENT.
THANK YOU, MS. JONES, YOU JUST CAN TAKE CARE FROM THERE.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED OF US WAS TO, UM, CLARIFY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO MCKINLEY MIDDLE VERSUS THE CONSERVATORY.
MIDDLE IS AN ACADEMIC BASE PROGRAM.
THERE'S TALENTED SERVICES, SPORTS, COLLEGE PREP.
WHEREAS THE CONSERVATIVE AS MR.
[01:05:01]
JEFFREY, JOHN SAID, WE'RE FOCUSED MORE ON STUDENTS RESIDENCY.WE TALKED ABOUT STUDENTS HAVING CORE CLASSES IN THE MORNING, AND THEN, UM, THEY, THEY WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THEIR PARTICULAR DISCIPLINE IN THE AFTERNOON.
NOW BOTH SCHOOLS HAVE COMMUNITY AND THE VISUAL PERFORMING ARTS COMPONENT, BUT THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN THE MANNER OF WHAT THEY WILL OFFER NEXT.
SO TO PROPOSE PATHWAYS ARE LIMITED BECAUSE AFTER MEETING WITH THE COMM COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TOLD OUR BROTHER WILL THE SUGGESTED WAS TO START OFF SMALL.
SO MUSIC, THEATER, ARTS, VISUAL PERFORMANCE, VISUAL ARTS, DANCE, AND MEDIA ARTS WOULD BE PART OF THE CONSERVATORY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW AND THIS, WE ALSO SAW THIS IN MIAMI DADE WAS WHEN STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING THERE, THEY SHOULD BE VIDEOED AND BROADCAST.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAD THE MEDIA COMPONENT TO IT.
LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
IT NEEDS TO BE A ARTS INFUSED CURRICULUM FOR US.
ARTS INTEGRATION IS A GREAT CURRICULUM THAT WE WILL USE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRIORITIZE THE LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY.
AND WHAT'S REALLY GOOD ABOUT THIS IS THE COLLABORATIVE, SMALL GROUP MODEL OF LEARNING THAT WILL BE THERE FOR, FOR THOSE STUDENTS AND THE PROFESSIONAL GUIDED ARTS TRAINING THAT WE ARE THINKING OF.
AND PART-TIME RESIDENCIES AND ADJUNCT PROFESSORS.
WE DO WANT TO HIRE FULL-TIME TEACHERS, BUT THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO HIRE PART-TIME TEACHERS WHO COME WITH A SKILL BASE THAT'S NEEDED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE TRUE ARTISTS.
WE DID NOT FORGET ACADEMICS BECAUSE THAT IS A PRIORITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SEND.
THAT'S WHY OUR PARENTS SEND OUR, THEIR STUDENTS TO US.
THEY SEND US THEIR BEST AND THEIR BRIGHTEST.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GIVING THEM THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE RIGOROUS ACADEMICS THERE AT THE CONSERVATORY TO AS WELL, HONORS TOPS, TECH INTERNSHIPS, DUAL ENROLLMENT, COLLEGE PREP, ADVANCED PLACEMENT, ALL OF THOSE CLASSES, WHICH ARE IN ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS NOW WILL ALSO BE AT THE CONSERVATORY AS WELL.
THE LABORATORY OF LEARNING FOR TEACHERS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A SCHOOL, NOT JUST FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO WILL WALK THROUGH THOSE DOORS EVERY DAY, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE TEACHERS, THIS WILL BE A TRUE LABORATORY EXPERIENCE FOR ARTS TEACHERS WHO TEACH AT ANY SCHOOL IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
THIS WILL BE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HUB LIKE WE ARE IN THE PDC RIGHT NOW.
THE ARTS CENTER WILL ALSO BE THE PDC NUMBER TWO, FOR THOSE ARTS TEACHERS.
THAT WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE COLLABORATIVE, COLLABORATIVE PLANNING TIMES WITH THOSE TEACHERS TO LEARN THE MOST, UH, INNOVATIVE NEW THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE YARDS.
AND WE WILL HAVE THE FACILITY AND THE RESOURCES RIGHT THERE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL TEACHERS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT SCHOOL THEY TEACH YOU AT IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE SUMMER CAMPS AND MAKE THOSE SUMMER CAMPS AVAILABLE TO EVERY CHILD IN THE PARISH.
IT'S NOT JUST FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THIS SCHOOL.
THESE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL KIDS TO HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES, NOT JUST THROUGH THE SUMMER, BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
PARENTS SOMETIMES WANT TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR THE CHILDREN, BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE RESOURCES OR KNOW HOW TO GET THE RESOURCES.
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO ARTS CLASSES AT THIS CONSERVATORY, THIS CONSERVATORY WILL BE OPEN TO EVERY CHILD IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
IT WOULD BE A AFTERSCHOOL EXTENDED DAY EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE KIDS TO GET THOSE ONE-ON-ONE LESSONS, AS WELL AS GROUP LESSONS IN ANY ART FORM THAT IS OFFERED AT THE CONSERVATORY.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A COLLABORATIVE PIECE IN WHICH THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN OUR PARISH WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM AND BE A PART OF THE SCHOOL WHENEVER IT IS A OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
AND THIS SCHOOL WE'LL HAVE OUR FIRST ADVISORY BOARD THAT I'M AWARE OF IN THE DISTRICT THAT WOULD ALSO HELP LOOK AT WHAT WE DO AS A CONSERVATORY AT THE SCHOOL, USING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE ARTS COMMUNITY, WHICH HELP US TO BE EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO BE IN OUR GREAT CITY SELECTION REQUIREMENTS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON WAS EQUITY FOR STUDENTS WHO APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO THE PORTFOLIO WILL BE BASED ON A RUBRIC THAT,
[01:10:01]
UM, IN FACT, THERE WERE SEVERAL RUBRICS THAT WE'VE, UM, KIND OF EXPERIMENTED WITH, BUT WE WANT TO CHECK THE PROPENSITY OF A STUDENT, WHETHER THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THE ARTS.SO THERE'S AN INTERVIEW PROCESS BECAUSE PERHAPS THE STUDENT PORTFOLIO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS HIGH ON THE RUBRIC.
THEN THERE'S AN INTERVIEW PROCESS.
AND THEN THE ENROLLMENT, UM, COMPONENT IS SIMPLY APPLYING FOR, UH, A SEAT AT THE SCHOOL FOR GRADES.
UM, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, UH, PREVIOUSLY WHAT'S THE NUMBER? WELL AFTER HAVING DISCUSSION WITH, UM, JUDY, THE CR CSRS, THE NUMBERS FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL WILL BE NO MORE THAN 65 TO 70 STUDENTS.
SO, UM, THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE A NUMBER OF SPECIALIZED AREAS, THE ENROLLMENT NUMBER WILL BE PRETTY SMALL.
OH, AND I SHOULD ALSO ADD THERE'S NO ACADEMIC REQUIREMENT IF I DIDN'T MAKE THAT CLEAR EARLIER.
SO THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS, IS TRULY MEANINGFUL TO OUR DISTRICT.
AS WELL AS TO CITY, THE SPECIALIZED PROGRAMMING HERE IS, WOULD BE EVIDENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE CLOSEST PLACE WHERE STUDENTS CAN ACTUALLY GET THIS TYPE OF, UH, EDUCATIONAL GROWTH WOULD BE, I WOULD SAY NEW ORLEANS, WHICH WOULD BE SOMETHING SUCH AS AN OCA OR PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHO HAVE THIS.
NOW WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE ATTRACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE CHOICE OPTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY FOR KIDS IN THE ARTS THAT SOMETIMES ARE LEFT OUT BECAUSE OF OTHER PRIORITIES, NOT TO SAY IT'S NOT A PRIORITY.
UM, THE RECRUITMENT AND CULTIVATE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND THE TALENT PIPELINE IS VERY ESSENTIAL TO US.
WE WANT TO KEEP OUR TALENT HERE.
WE WANT THEM TO INVEST INTO OUR CITY AND INVEST INTO OUR FUTURE, WHICH IS THOSE KIDS WHO ARE COMING UP, WHO ARE TRULY TALENTED.
AND THEY HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN FROM OTHERS AS WELL AS TO GIVE BACK TO THE CITY.
AND THE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE WILL HAVE FOR THIS CONSERVATORY BAR, NONE, UH, WILL TRULY BE TRUE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY PLAY A PART THROUGH THE ADVISORY BOARD, BE IT THROUGH ARTISTIC MEANS ARE THROUGH OUR BUSINESSES AND THE DUAL ENROLLMENT PIECE, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT AND HAVE BEEN TALKING TO DR.
AND LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS, PROBABLY LEAVING THIS UNIVERSITY WITH ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES IN PERFORMANCE PATHWAYS, WHICH WE ARE TALKING TO UNIVERSITIES NOW.
AND ONE IN PARTICULAR, WHO'S TRULY INTERESTED.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NAME BECAUSE I'M STILL WAITING FOR A YAY OR NAY, UM, PROPOSED NEXT STEPS.
IF THIS GOES THROUGH TONIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO SOLIDIFY THE ADVISORY BOARD, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT YOU'VE SEEN HAVE BEEN PART OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, BUT NINE TIMES OUT OF 10, ALL OF THOSE WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR TRUE ADVISORY BOARD.
THE CURRICULUM DESIGN IS OUR, WE ALL HAVE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON THAT AND ACTUALLY SEEING HOW THAT WILL LAY OUT AND HOW THE CURRICULUM WILL LOOK MOVING FORWARD.
PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IS THERE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE ACTUALLY REACHING OUT TO US ASKING IF THE CONSERVATORY HAS PASSED, HOW CAN THEY CAN PLAY A ROLE WITH THE CONSERVATORY AND NOW FACULTY AND STAFF RECRUITMENT.
THAT'S THE NEXT STEP, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP TEAM THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT SCHOOL CAN GROW.
NOT SAYING THAT OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WORKING IN EBR CAN NOT APPLY QUITE NATURALLY, THEY CAN.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SEEKING OUR RECRUITMENT FOR STAFF, THAT'S ALSO FOR OTHER ARTS AREAS IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN NEED OF TEACHERS TOO, AS WELL.
AND STUDENT RECRUITMENT, THAT WOULD BE THE BIG JOB OF MS. PORTER.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON THAT, LOOKING AT HOW THAT INTERVIEW AND THAT PORTFOLIO, AS WELL AS AUDITION PROCESS, BUT LOOK AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS TRULY, TRULY, TRULY EQUITABLE TO ALL STUDENTS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE, UH, QUOTES AND B END WITH THIS IS VINCENT VAN GOGH AND VINCENT VAN GOGH SAID, I DREAM MY PAINTING.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN FRONT OF US.
YOU HAVE THE, YOU ARE THE ARTS SUPPLIER.
NOW YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THOSE DREAMS TO THOSE STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE DREAMS OF BEING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN BE ARTISTICALLY BEING ARTISTICALLY INCLINED TO BE EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO BE.
AND I WISH I HAD, AGAIN, LIKE I TOLD YOU AT THE KYLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SCHOOL LIKE THIS, THIS WOULD
[01:15:01]
BE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AND HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY TO BRING THE ARTS AND SHOW THAT THE ARTS ARE FOR ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR CITY.SO PLEASE, UH, TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION TOO, AS WELL.
THANK YOU, MR. JEFFREY ON, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE BEFORE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ANYBODY OUT.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU WANT OUT, YOU JUST LET ME KNOW YOU GOOD? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I MUST'VE MISSED SOMETHING, UH, GENERAL FRUSTRATION, UM, BORDERLINE RESENTMENT, UM, PRO MAGNET.
SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE PAST HAVE HAD UNKIND WORDS FOR MAGNET.
I AM STILL PRO MAGNET, BUT THE PLACE OF MY RESENTMENT COMES FROM, I KNOW YOU GOING TO PICK A TOP NOTCH PERSON.
I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BRAND NEW DEDICATED MAGNET IS GOING TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND THE REMAINING SCHOOLS STILL AIN'T GOING TO GET WHAT THE HELL THEY NEED.
AND I'M TIRED OF CONSISTENTLY BE BEING PUT IN TOUGH VOTING POSITIONS WHERE I KNOW THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE IS GOING TO BE MORE.
THEN WHAT WE SAY GOOD IS GOING.
IT'S GOING TO BE A PERFECT LITTLE ISLAND UNTO ITSELF, JUST LIKE LIBERTY.
THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A DEDICATED MAGNET WITH ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS.
JUST LIKE BATON ROUGE HAS HIGH, HAS LONG BEEN JUST LIKE MANY OTHERS.
AND SO I'M TIRED AND I'M FRUSTRATED AND YOU KNOW WHAT, PROBABLY GOING TO GET YOU MY BOAT.
AND THEN I GOT TO SIT HERE AND WATCH THIS PLAY OUT.
I GOT TO WAIT AND WAIT FOR THE COMPENSATION FOR THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN AND ALL THAT STUFF TO GO ON BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO SCHOOLS THAT DO NOT HAVE DEDICATED MEG PEOPLE KNOW THIS.
AND THEN THERE'S TALK ABOUT POTENTIALLY MORE AFTER THIS I'M PISSED, I'M PISSED AND I'M TIRED BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS THIS.
AND I UNDERSTAND, BUT CAN WE APPROACH THINGS IN A WAY IN WHICH WE DON'T HURT THOSE THAT AREN'T IN THAT BUILDING? I HAVE YET TO SEE A PLAN WHERE YOU EXTENSIVELY REVIEW WHAT EXISTING PROGRAMS OF MAGNET AND OTHERWISE WE ALREADY OUT THERE ARE WORKING AND ARE NOT WORKING.
WE JUST HEARD CLEAN OAKS ELEMENTARY DON'T EVEN HAVE, LET'S TEACH THEM AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AT THE CONSERVATORY, NOT GONNA FIX THAT.
IT'S NOT, HEY, WE AIN'T GONE DO NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY ABOVE AND BEYOND AFTER THIS AMAZING BUMP TO GET THEM KNOW OR TEACH THEM, WE AIN'T.
WE PICK AND CHOOSE WHO THE HELL WE WANT TO GIVE EXTRA ORDINARY TO WHAT HAS THE PLAN? WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT EQUITY AND EQUITABLE, BUT THEN WE DON'T, WE DON'T DO THE HEAVY LIFTING AND THE HARD WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT ENSURES EQUITY AND DOES NOT FURTHER DRAIN RESOURCES AGAIN FROM THE REST OF THE BABIES.
I DON'T EVEN WANT TO WASTE MY TIME ASKING ABOUT OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.
THAT'S JUST SO BASIC A WHOLE BRAND NEW SCHOOL, A WHOLE BRAND NEW SCHOOL.
WE MIGHT APPLY FOR THEM SAP GRANT OR EXCUSE ME, WE VOTED TO APPROVE AN APPLICATION FOR THE MSF GRANT.
THAT'S JUST FOR PROGRAMMING AND THAT'S TEMPORARY.
WHAT ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL EXPENSE OF A WHOLE NEW SCHOOL PERIOD ASKED FOR THAT IN THE DOLL PRESENTATION? WHEREAS THE MONEY I'VE ASKED FOR THAT 3, 4, 5 TIMES IN PRIVATE AND IN PUBLIC MEETINGS, WHERE IS IT? WE JUST GO PRETEND LIKE THIS IS 3 99 AFTER THE NIGHT AFTER THIS PROBABLY PASS, UH, SINCERELY ASKING FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT, HIS TEAM AND MY COLLEAGUES.
LET'S BE SERIOUS ABOUT MOVE HER FORWARD WITH A ACTUAL WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN ABOUT ALL
[01:20:01]
OF THESE SCHOOLS.VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, MS. WHERE? I'M SORRY.
UH, IT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.
UM, HMM, WELL, UM, HM, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION AND, UM, THE ONLY QUESTION, UH, I HAVE AROUND THIS AS, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY, THE ONE, THE, THE MAIN QUESTION THAT I'M GETTING FROM PEOPLE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS WILL AFFECT THE ARTS IN, UH, IN OTHER SCHOOLS.
AND, UH, AND, AND BASICALLY, UH, OUR PLAN FOR MORE ARTS IN OTHER SCHOOLS.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST, UM, BRIEFLY ADDRESS THAT, UH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BY WORKING WITH THIS PLAN AND WORKING WITH DR.
I DON'T THINK IT WILL AFFECT OUR ARTS PROGRAMMING.
DO WE NEED MORE ARTS PROGRAMMING AT SCHOOLS? QUITE NATURALLY? I WILL ALWAYS SAY YES.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE CRY OF EVERYONE IN THE NATION.
ART, MORE ARTS PROGRAMMING IS NEEDED.
UM, WHAT WE HAVE DONE THIS YEAR TO HELP WITH THAT IS MAKE SURE THAT WE HIRED THE INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALISTS WHO ARE TRULY GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS AND HELPING THOSE TEACHERS.
UM, AND THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE MEET THOSE NEEDS INDIVIDUALLY AT EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS.
UM, I'M GONNA, YOU CAN FINISH.
AND WE'RE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ON THE GROUNDS RUNNING, LOOKING FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO CAN TAKE THOSE ARTS POSITIONS THAT ARE OPENING AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT THE CONSERVATORY ITSELF AGAIN, WOULD BE THE LABORATORY OF LEARNING FOR THOSE TEACHERS.
SO LOOKING AT IT AND HOW WE DEVELOP THE PLAN, IT WILL NOT, UH, TAKE AWAY FROM THOSE PROGRAMS BECAUSE IT'S LESS THAN 1% OF STUDENTS WHO COULD ACTUALLY BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO THE PROGRAM PROGRAMMING STILL SHOULD BE AS VIABLE AS IT IS NOW, OR SHOULD BE EVEN MORE AT THE SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE MS. UH, BOARD MEMBER JACKSON, JUST WANT TO REMIND THEM WHAT WE, WHEN WE SHARED, UM, THE DATA, UH, CONCERNING WHERE STUDENTS WERE ACROSS THE CITY AND LOOKING AT ALSO WHERE THEY WOULD GO, UM, WHAT WE HAVE NOTICED IN MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, IF YOU EVEN NOTICE WE HAVE OVERCROWDING SCHOOLS AS WELL, IS THAT THE CITY WANTS MORE OPTIONS AROUND PROGRAMS AS SUCH AND NOT LESS.
UM, WE ARE IN A PLACE IN BATON ROUGE RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE MUST PROVIDE MORE HIGH QUALITY OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS AND NOT LESS.
UM, THERE IS A NOTION THAT WE BELIEVE THAT LESS OPTIONS WILL HELP WITH OUR STUDENTS IN THIS CITY, BUT THE REALITY IS WE NEED MORE HIGH QUALITY OPTIONS.
SO THEREFORE THIS IS JUST ONE CHOICE OF MANY CHOICES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TO DO THAT.
IT IS ALSO, UH, AS I'VE BEEN, UM, UH, MOVING TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD THAT, UM, WHICH I AM EXCITED TO SHOW, UH, MOVING US TO A PLACE WHERE WE ARE INCREASING MORE OPTIONS AND PROGRAMS FOR KIDS WILL NOT ONLY BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THE EDUCATIONAL CAPACITY IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT IT'LL ALSO HELP US BRING KIDS INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WELL.
UH, THERE ARE MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR CITY THAT ARE ASKING FOR MORE, UH, BUT THE REALITY IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF OPTIONS, IT HAS BECOME A CHALLENGE.
AND THE REALITY IS OUR GOAL IS TO MOVE THE DISTRICT INTO PROVIDING MORE OPTIONS.
SO WE CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT, THAT IS VERY TELLING ALSO ABOUT HOW OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, UH, IS GOING ON IN OUR CITY AS WELL, UH, WHICH PLAY A PART IN WHY WE'RE DOING ALL OF THESE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
UM, AND SO, UM, WHAT I WOULD JUST STRONGLY CONTINUE TO SUGGEST IS, UH, IT IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING.
UH, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I THINK WE, AS A CITY NEED TO, UH, BEGIN TO WRAP OUR, OUR MINDS AROUND, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY, MANY FAMILIES THAT ARE ASKING FOR MORE, NOT LESS.
AND WE HAVE MANY, MANY FAMILIES THAT, UH, BELIEVE IF THEY HAD AS MANY OPTIONS, UH, IT WOULD HELP THEM TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, AND SO JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT POINT.
WELL, UM, THE TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES BE AVAILABLE WITH WILL, WILL WE BE LOOKING INSIDE THE DISTRICT FOR THE, UM, TEACHERS TO FULFILL
[01:25:01]
THE, THE PLACES IN THIS? WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS.I MEAN, AS YOU GROW AS A DISTRICT, BECAUSE THIS WILL GROW US AS A DISTRICT, UH, THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL SCHOOL.
UM, AS YOU GROW AS A DISTRICT, WE WILL LOOK AT TEACHERS INTERNALLY.
WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT PARTNERSHIPS, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS OR WE WOULD CALL THEM AS YOU HEARD RESIDENTS, ARTISTS, AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT FOLKS WHO LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SCHOOLS.
AND, UH, THIS IS A MODEL WHERE YOU HEARD, UH, ONE OF THE CONTEXTUAL MODELS AROUND PART-TIME ADJUNCTS AND RESIDENTS.
THESE ARE FOLKS WHO MAY BE AN EXAMPLE.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE A TRADITIONAL TEACHING DEGREE, BUT THEY ARE GREAT GUITARIST WHO KNOW HOW TO TEACH KIDS HOW TO PLAY GUITAR.
SO WE BRING THEM INTO OUR SCHOOLS TO HELP PARTNER WITH TEACHERS TO DO THINGS.
AND SO THIS IS NOT A NEW MODEL, UH, AT ALL.
UM, IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE IT HERE AS OF YET TO ACCELERATE AS QUICKLY AS WE'RE DOING.
AND I, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT WILL HELP CONTINUE TO GROW OUR CITY AND ALSO TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY OPTIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
SO, SO VERY SIMILAR TO SOME OF THE, UM, UH, SCHOOLS WE SAW IN DADE COUNTY ABSOLUTE WHERE THEY HAD PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH ABSOLUTELY THE WHOLE PURPOSE FOR BRINGING THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WENT ON THE TRIP.
UH, WHEN WE WENT TO GO VISIT A DISTRICT THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, SIX TIMES LARGER THAN US WAS HIS SEE SIMILAR CONSTRUCTS AND WHERE IT IS ACTUALLY SUCCESSFUL TO SEE WHAT YOUR OWN EYES, UH, BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND IT IS A NEW WAY OF THINKING AND A NEW PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH.
UH, BUT, UH, AS WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU, AS WE GET FEEDBACK FROM FAMILIES, MANY FAMILIES ARE ASKING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY AND WE HAVE TO MOVE FASTER AND TO PROVIDING MORE HIGHLY QUALITY, HIGH QUALITY OPTIONS AND NOT SLOWER, UH, AS A PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT SHARED WITH ME, OR EVEN WITH US IN A GROUP, YOU DON'T ASK AN AIRPLANE TO TAKE OFF AND TELL IT TO SLOW DOWN ON TAKEOFF.
YOU TELL IT TO ACCELERATE, TO TAKE OFF.
AND I THINK THAT IT IS A, UM, A NEW APPROACH AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK ALSO IS HOW WE ARE EQUITABLE IN OUR PROCESS.
BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS THAT WE DON'T THINK BECAUSE WE RAISE HIGH STANDARDS AND WE DO THOSE THINGS THAT, UH, LIMITS STUDENTS, BUT IT PROVIDES MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, WHICH IS, UH, BASED ON A LOT OF THE CONCEPTUAL APPROACH OF SCHOOLS.
UM, MS. BERNARD, I THINK THAT WAS ACTUALLY ON ANOTHER ITEM, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M NOT GONNA LET, UM, GOOD GET IN THE WAY OF GREAT OR PERFECT.
SO I THINK WE'LL GIVE THIS A TRY.
THANK YOU, MS. BERNARD, MS. DYSON.
I JUST, UM, WANTED TO SAY THAT I'VE GOT SIMILAR FEELINGS, UM, BUT I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS.
MY CHILDREN BOTH WENT THROUGH THE TALENTED PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS.
AND, UM, AND, AND I, I REALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ACADEMICS AND ARTS.
UM, THE SIZE OF THIS BEING 65 TO 70 PER GRADE LEVEL, UM, WHERE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ALL COME FROM ONE SCHOOL AND THEN MAY COME FROM OTHER, UH, DISTRICTS OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER, THEY MAY, WHO KNOWS THEY COULD MOVE BACK INTO OUR DISTRICT FOR IT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'M JUST SO HOPEFUL.
I, I DO KNOW THAT, I MEAN, JUST TODAY, A PARENT CALLED ME ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ISSUE.
AND IN THE CONVERSATION SAID THAT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT HER CHILD WAS ATTENDING HAD BEEN FOR THREE YEARS WITHOUT AN ART TEACHER AND, UM, AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE, BECAUSE WE'RE SO OVERCROWDED IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, A FEW OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT YOU, YOU DON'T ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE ANOTHER PLACE YOU'VE TAKEN THE TEACHER'S LOUNGES, YOU'VE TAKEN ALL OF THE THINGS AND YOU'RE, YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY IT IS AN EQUITY ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S SO SEVERELY OVERCROWDED THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE THE, ALL THE ANCILLARIES AND YOU'RE, AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN STAFFING TO HAVE ALL THOSE ANCILLARIES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT PRINCIPAL HAS TO DECIDE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GOING TO USE THAT
[01:30:01]
CLASSROOM FOR PRE-K OR ARE YOU GOING TO USE IT FOR AN ART TEACHER AND THAT KIND OF THING.AND IT'S, IT'S A LOT THAT PLAYS INTO THIS.
UM, I KNOW, CAUSE I'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE RECENTLY, UM, UH, CONFIRMED AND APPROVED, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AND I CAN SIT HERE AND NAME A FEW THAT BRING WONDERFUL THINGS TO SOME OF THE SCHOOLS, BUT THEY DON'T COME OUT EVERYWHERE.
AND SO NOT EVEN FOR AFTERSCHOOL STUFF, EVEN IF THE PRINCIPAL IS BEGGING FOR IT.
UM, SO WE JUST GOT TO GET RIGHT IN MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS GET EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND ANCILLARIES AND ARTS AND, AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND ALL OF THAT, UH, AT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, BUT I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION AND WELL, ONE MORE COMMENT, AND THAT IS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME REALLY GOOD DISCUSSIONS HAD BY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT TEACH SOME STUDENTS THAT JOINED TO TAKE THE LESSONS WITH THEM IN DANCE AND ART AND ALL OF THAT, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT THOSE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT BE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, THAT THEY ARE TEACHING AFTERSCHOOL AND HOLDING, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTIONS OF THE NUTCRACKER AND DOING THIS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A VERY CONCERTED EFFORT TO OUR ARTISTS IN OUR AREA, UM, THAT THIS IS A RECRUITMENT FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS, ALL OF THEIR STUDENTS.
UH, AND, AND, AND I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO REALLY MEET WITH THEM AND SHOW THEM HOW THIS PROGRAM'S GOING TO WORK SO THAT WE CAN WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM, WITH THE STUDENTS.
UM, SO THAT'S, AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE IN YOUR POWERPOINT, YOU MENTIONED, UH, AND THERE WAS A BULLET FOR TOPS TECH, BUT YOU SPECIFIED TOPS TECH AND NOT JUST TOPS.
IT'S NOT AS MUCH DOLLARS THAT GOES TO THE CHILD.
IT'S A LOWER, UM, DOLLAR AMOUNT TO PAY FOR.
AND SO IT'S FULL AND IT DOESN'T GET YOU INTO THE FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, DOESN'T GET YOU IN, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA WORK AT, UH, SOUTHEASTERN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO WORK AT SOUTHERN OR NOT THAT ONE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, BUT SO WHEN WE DO TECH, UH, TOPS TECH, WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, IF THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY GOOD FOR YOU TO GO TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH, RIGHT.
SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING TOO, THAT NEEDS TO BE SIGNED ON WITH, AND THAT FACT, AND THE FACT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, THE, THE SMALLER STUDENTS.
AND I'LL, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY, THAT EVEN NARROWS IT DOWN EVEN MORE BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE KIDS THAT ARE HAVING PRIVATE LESSONS AND ALL THAT, THEY NOT GOING TO BE SATISFIED WITH TOPS TECH.
SO WHEN TOPS TECH WAS IN THE PRESENTATION, IT WASN'T INTENDED TO EXCLUDE THE TOPS PROGRAM ALTOGETHER BECAUSE THERE'S NO ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS.
AND BECAUSE OF THE PATHWAY, THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAD TOP TECH IN THE PRESENTATION VERSUS JUST TOP, BUT IT DOESN'T EXCLUDE STUDENTS FROM QUALIFYING FOR THE TOPS PROGRAM.
'CAUSE LIKE ON THE ACT, YOU HA YOU HAVE TO MAKE A 17 OR 18, MAYBE A VERSUS LIKE A 22 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEY, THEY TALK ABOUT RAISING THE, THE GPA AND YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT TOO.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT I FEEL LIKE WE'VE JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THAT MESSAGE.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT, THIS IS A DIFFERENT STUDENT.
THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY COMING FROM
[01:35:01]
OUR FLAGSHIP SCHOOLS, NOT NECESSARILY.AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND TOO.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER, BALLOU AND COLLEAGUE, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME SAYING BEFORE YOU SPEAK, I MEAN, NONE OF MY COMMENTS WAS IN REFERENCE.
UM, I HAVE IT PLAY IN DISTRICT, BUT GO AHEAD.
UM, BUT I, I, UM, I THINK THIS IS A BOLD AND EXCITING, UH, UH, CHOICE AND ENVISIONED FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DISCUSSED IT AT A COMMITTEE THE WHOLE, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND DECIDED TO WAIT AND, UH, UM, DO SOME MORE RESEARCH, GET, GET, UM, MORE FEEDBACK AND, AND FULLY DEVELOPED THE PLAN.
I'M GLAD WE DID, BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE GOT A VERY THOUGHTFUL AND, UM, UH, GOT MORE PEOPLE ON BOARD.
AND I THINK IT'S, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, GONNA CONTRIBUTE TO THIS SUCCESS WITH THE SCHOOL.
AND, UM, I DID MEET WITH THE SHERWOOD FOREST, UH, UH, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND PRESENTED THE PLAN AND GOT NOTHING BUT A POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM, FROM THEM.
SO, UH, THEY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF, OF THE SCHOOL AND, UM, AND, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT MOVE FORWARD.
UH, BOARD MEMBER HOWARD, I'LL LET YOU GO BEFORE I GO.
UM, SO MY COMMENTS REMAIN SIMILAR TO THE COMMENTS THAT I SAID ALREADY.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR ADDING THE COMPONENTS OF THE THINGS THAT I TALK ABOUT, ABOUT EQUITY AND EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I SHARED THE SAME SENTIMENT, UM, AS MY COLLEAGUE STATED EARLIER, IS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE STRATEGY AROUND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AND CHOICES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE DISTRICT ONLY REALIZED AND DEDICATED MAGNETS.
UM, WE'VE UTILIZED THAT STRATEGY BEFORE SEEING WHERE, WHERE IT'S LANDED US.
UM, SO I DO BELIEVE THIS IS ON THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU GUYS, THAT THERE HAS TO BE A MORE INTENTIONAL STRATEGY IN MY OPINION, AROUND HOW WE ATTRACT PEOPLE BACK TO OUR DISTRICT AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS INCLUSIVE OR FIXING THE THINGS AND MAKING THE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
CAUSE TO MY COLLEAGUE'S POINT EARLIER, UM, WE, WE ALWAYS DO WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THE NEW AND SHINY, BUT WE HAVE SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT, UM, THAT HAVE CONTINUOUSLY NOT GOTTEN WHAT THEY DESERVED AS STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT FOR THE NEW AND SHINY.
AND SO PEOPLE LOVE TO THROW EQUITY AROUND AS A BUT EQUITY IS ACTUALLY AN ACTION.
AND SO WE HAVE TO SHOW EQUITY.
WE CAN'T JUST KEEP USING IT AS A BUZZWORD TO SAY THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS.
UM, I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT WOULD LOVE TO JUST HAVE, UM, AN INTENTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO BE, TO BE GREAT.
I LIVE FOR THE DAY WHEN EVERY SCHOOL IS LIKE THE NEW AND SHINY EVERY SCHOOL DESERVES TO BE EXCELLENT.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT CONTINUOUSLY ADDING MORE DEDICATED MAGNETS IS THE WAY TO GO, UM, TO MY COLLEAGUES.
I JUST, I JUST HOPE THAT PAST MY TERM ON THIS BOARD PASSED THE REST OF THESE INDIVIDUALS TERM ON THIS BOARD THAT WE TRULY TAKE A APPROACH TO MAKE EQUITY IN ACTION BECAUSE EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD HAS SAID IT A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO I DON'T SEE USING IT IN ACTION.
UM, MS. MS. DODSON, THIS IS NO OFFENSE TO YOU, BUT I JUST HAD TO BRING THIS PART UP, UM, ABOUT THE TOPS TECH PROGRAM, SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IS AN INSTITUTION IN THIS CITY.
IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO US.
SO TO, TO UTILIZE THAT EXAMPLE AND SAY, OH, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SOUTHERN.
THAT'S IN OUR CITY AS A COLLECTIVE, WE WANT EQUITY BE AN ACTION.
SOUTHERN IS A FLAGSHIP INSTITUTION.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S THE ONLY HBCU SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE TO MAKE EQUITY ACTION AS A BOARD.
AND SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT IN OUR PRACTICES, IN OUR DECISION-MAKING AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I JUST IT'S ENCOMPASSING ON ME, UM, AS A BOARD MEMBER TO USE SUPERINTENDENT TO NOT JUST PUT THINGS ON PAPER AS A PLAN, BUT ACTUALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IMPLEMENTATION FITS WHAT WE SAY, BECAUSE WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO A LOT OF STUFF ALL THE TIME.
AND I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THIS BOARD THREE YEARS AND CONTINUOUSLY THINGS DON'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE US THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A PART OF PLANNING WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS ADMINISTRATION ON BOARD.
THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT NEEDS A PLAN TO STRATEGIZE AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERY DECISION IMPACTED EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM EITHER.
SO I JUST WANT US, IT'S JUST ME, MY CHARTER, THIS BOARD TO NOT STOP MAKING
[01:40:01]
EQUITY, A BUZZWORD AND MAKE EQUITY IN ACTION.AND, UM, I'LL JUST SAY THIS, I'LL SAY THE BEFORE, AND WE'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
WE HAVE OPTIONS THAT ARE STRONG, THAT ALREADY EXIST HERE IN THIS DISTRICT.
WE WENT TO MIAMI AMAZING TRIP, SO AMAZING THINGS, BUT GUESS WHAT? WE ALREADY GOT SOME OF THAT RIGHT HERE.
WE WERE AMAZED SOME OF US, CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW.
AT THE ROBOTICS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AT THE SPECIAL SCHOOL IN MIAMI AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND IT WAS GREAT.
BUT GUESS WHAT? I HAD BABIES AND POP BARS, ELLA, MINNERY DOING WHAT WE SAW THOSE BABIES DOING, BUT WE DON'T TAKE TIME TO EVALUATE WHAT THE HECK WE ALREADY HAVE, BUT WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON MORE.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS ONE PASS ON THIS, BUT YOU SEE ANY OTHER DEDICATED MAGNET THAT COME UP? MY ANSWER IS, HELL NO, HELL NO.
IN FACT, ANY OTHER PROGRAM, THIS, THAT, AND THE THIRD WITHOUT EVALUATING WHAT WE ALL READY HAVE RECOGNIZING OUR OWN ASSETS AND BUILDING ON THAT AND WHERE WE ARE WEAK MAKING, WHATEVER CHANGES WE MAKE, WE ATE.
WE JUST SAYING EVERYTHING THAT WE AIN'T GOT.
PRESIDENT TABOO, UH, HAD STEPPED AWAY INTO HIS OWN MEAT TO SAY, UH, PUBLIC HERMIE GOOD EVENING.
UM, I'M RENEE, SADELAIN THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE.
UM, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF THIS SCHOOL, BUT IN LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT, I WANT TO ESPECIALLY, UM, VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
I, UM, I AM IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE INACCESSIBILITY OF ARTS PROGRAMMING ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND SOME OF YOU ALL HAVE ECHOED THAT BIG EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL AND THE PLANNING BEHIND IT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE COMMUNITY ARTISTS ADVISORY BOARD WILL BE THAT YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE THE MANY, MANY, UM, I GUESS, UH, ARTISTS, TEACHING ARTISTS AT WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE DYING TO BE PLACED IN ALL OF THE SCHOOLS THAT RIGHT NOW HAVE ZERO ARTS PROGRAMMING.
WE JUST NEED FOR YOU TO LET US KNOW WHERE TO GO AND WE WILL GO THERE AND THEY ARE WORLD-CLASS AND THEY ARE TRAINED.
WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, WE ARE READY TO GO IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
WE JUST NEED THE ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND WHAT IS EXCITING ABOUT THIS SCHOOL IS NOT ONLY WILL IT BRING THESE STUDENTS IN RIGHT AND TEACHERS FROM ACROSS, UM, YOUR DISTRICT, BUT BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO REACH OUT NATIONALLY TO SOME OF THE ALUMS FROM THIS DISTRICT, RIGHT? WHO HAVE COME FROM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM, NOT NECESSARILY MAGNET SCHOOLS, BUT WERE ARTISTIC STUDENTS WHO NOW WORK FOR TYLER PERRY WHO NOW WORK, UM, OR DANCE WITH ALVIN AILEY WHO ARE WORKING ACROSS THE WORLD.
AND I'VE SAID TO THEM, PLEASE COME BACK AND BE ADJUNCTS, PLEASE COME SPEND A WEEK.
RIGHT? AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU NECESSARILY HAVE TO SPEND THE WHOLE WEEK AT THIS SCHOOL.
IT'S THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PERSON IN THIS ARTIST AND WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE CAN ALSO ENRICH THE OTHER AREAS AND CORNERS OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOT BEING REACHED.
SO I JUST SAY YOU, UM, CONSIDER THAT THIS SCHOOL IS A CATALYST FOR THAT CONVERSATION, BUT THAT WE HAVE A VERY RICH AND DIVERSE SET OF ARTISTIC AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE HUNGRY TO BE PART OF THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM AND HELP WHERE THERE ARE GAPS IN GLENOAKS PARK ELEMENTARY AND THOSE OTHER PLACES.
CAUSE THAT IS A FABULOUS SCHOOL.
AND WHEN WE BROUGHT GUEST ARTISTS IN, THEY ARE SO APPRECIATIVE AND THEY LOVE IT.
WE JUST WANT TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO I SAY THAT TO YOU NOW, BUT I ALSO SAY THAT THIS PARTICULAR, THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL IS A CATALYST FOR GREATER LARGER CONVERSATIONS WHERE THE PIE WON'T BE SLICED THINNER, THE PI WILL GET BIGGER, RIGHT? AND WE WILL HAVE MORE CAREER ARTISTS WORKING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I LOOK AT IT FROM THE END OF, FROM CRADLE TO CAREER CAREERS THAT STAY IN THIS CITY AND THAT CAN ENRICH THESE SCHOOLS AND THAT CAN BE HIRED BY THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. BUT THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IS VITAL TO THE WHOLE PROCESS AND LOOKING AT THIS ENTIRE DISTRICT
[01:45:05]
GOOD AFTERNOON.I'M QUASHA BELL, I'M A TOWN START TEACHER AT MCKINLEY HIGH.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THAT I CUT MY TEETH AT THE ARTS COUNCIL AS A TEACHING ARTIST, FRESH OUT OF SOUTHEASTERN DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IN THE WORLD I WAS DOING.
AND THEY TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING.
THEY HAD THOSE PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR TEACHING ARTISTS.
SO WHEN SHE SAYS, SHE'S THERE FOR YOU WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, SHE IS NOT, SHE'S NOT MAKING IT UP BECAUSE HERE I AM IN THE SYSTEM NOW AS A TALENTED ART TEACHER.
SO, AND I DID TEACH TRADITIONAL AS WELL.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, ARTS OR SIDELINE AND EDR QUITE A BIT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY ART IN THEIR HOMES.
UH, WHAT THEY SEE IS, IS COOKIE CUTTER OR PRINTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
BEING EXPOSED TO QUALITY ART, HANDMADE ART BY THEIR PEERS OR BY THEIR TEACHERS.
IT RAISES A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF QUESTIONS FOR THESE KIDS.
OKAY, THIS, THIS IS A SCHOOL THAT WOULD GIVE THEM MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND IT'LL PRODUCE MORE ARTISTS, NOT, NOT LESS AND INSPIRE SOMEBODY TO BECOME AN ART TEACHER.
I WILL SAY AGAIN, I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
I TEND TO BROADMORE HIGH SCHOOL.
LORI JOHNSON WAS MY HIGH SCHOOL ART TEACHER IN A SCHOOL LIKE THIS.
I WOULD HAVE THRIVED MY GRADES.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA MAKE IT UP Y'ALL THEY WERE NOT THE BEST.
I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT A BETTER SHOT AT ALL.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT A TALENTED ART PROGRAM I'M FROM WISCONSIN.
SO NO, I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN, BUT MY SKILL LEVEL AND CERAMICS WAS OFF THE CHARTS.
SHE DID WHAT SHE COULD FOR ME WHILE I WAS THERE.
BUT THIS TYPE OF SCHOOL, I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT I WAS AN ARTIST BEFORE I WAS 30, WHICH IS HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO REALIZE THAT'S WHERE I NEEDED TO BE.
IT'S AN EXCELLENT SCHOOL IDEA.
I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY, BUT I'M GONNA LEAVE IT AT PERSONAL TESTIMONY.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS ANNA LACEY.
I'M A TALENTED VISUAL ART TEACHER AT BROWNFIELDS RYAN AND THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY THIS YEAR.
UM, I'M ALSO A GRADUATE OF NOCCA.
SO I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS CAN DO.
AND I WAS JUST IN THE AFTERSCHOOL PORTION BECAUSE MY HIGH SCHOOL WAS ACTUALLY PARKVIEW BAPTIST.
HAD WE HAD A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IN BATON ROUGE.
MY MOTHER HAS TOLD ME SHE WOULD HAVE SENT ME TO IT INSTEAD OF A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS AN OPTION, YOU'RE GOING TO PULL KIDS FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
BUT THE THING IS, IS THAT LIKE ALL MY KIDS IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, WHEN THEY, UH, GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY ALL MO THEY PRETTY MUCH ALL GO TO SCOTLANDVILLE.
SCOTLANDVILLE DOES NOT HAVE A TALENTED PROGRAM, SO THEY DON'T RECEIVE TALENTED SERVICES AFTER ELEMENTARY, IF, AND IT'S BECAUSE THEIR KIDS DON'T WANT THEM TO GO TO THE SCHOOL THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GO TO.
UM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, I THINK IF THEY HAD A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, WHERE THEY COULD APPLY TO IT AND BE AT AN ALL ARTS CONSERVATORY, THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THAT ARTISTIC SERVICES.
NOT THAT ALL MY KIDS WOULD QUALIFY, BUT I KNOW I HAVE THIS YEAR, FOUR OF THEM THAT WOULD PROBABLY QUALIFY.
AND I'VE GOT 20 KIDS THAT ARE JUST MY ELEMENTARY.
SO FOUR OF THEM QUALIFYING IT'S A LOT, YOU KNOW, TWO OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY FOURTH GRADERS.
SO I'M HOPING BY THE TIME THEY ARE GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THIS WILL BE AN OPTION THAT THEY CAN APPLY TO.
IT WOULD BE GAME CHANGING FOR THEM BECAUSE EVEN WITH LIKE NEW ORLEANS, MOST OF THEM, THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO DRIVE DOWN THERE RIGHT.
EVERY DAY YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO.
IT'S AN ESPECIALLY WITH HOW GAS IS GOING NOW.
SO IF WE HAD IT IN TOWN, IN TOWN SO MUCH EASIER FOR THE KIDS, EVEN IF IT'S JUST THE AFTERSCHOOL PORTION.
I'M THE TALENTED ART TEACHER AT GLASGOW MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WHEN I WAS IN THIRD GRADE, I WAS TOLD I HAD TO PICK A CAREER AND START WORKING TOWARDS IT.
I ALWAYS LOVED ART AND CRAYONS WHERE A BABYSITTER'S BEST TRICK FOR OCCUPYING MY, MY ENERGY.
I DID NOT LIVE IN AN ART FORWARD AREA, AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
[01:50:01]
THAT ART IS A RESPECTABLE CAREER.I REMEMBER ASKING MY TEACHER, WHICH CAREERS MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
I DECIDED THEN AND THERE, THAT'S NOT A GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE I REALLY LIKED DRAWING PEOPLE AND HELPING PEOPLE AND DOCTOR WOULD WORK.
PLUS I COULD HANG MY ARTWORK IN MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
I SPENT MY ENERGY AND EDUCATION ON SCIENCE-BASED LEARNING, KNOWING THAT I COULD JUST USE MY ARTWORK, MY OFFICE AS MY GALLERY WASN'T UNTIL COLLEGE, I DECIDED HELPING PEOPLE THROUGH PSYCHOLOGY WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME AND I COULD STILL HANG MY ARTWORK IN MY OFFICE.
I ALWAYS NEEDED THE ART TO ACCOMPANY THE JOB.
IT'S TRULY WHAT I NEEDED BECAUSE I AM AN ARTIST.
FORTUNATELY, I MADE THE LEAP HALFWAY THROUGH MY COLLEGE CAREER TO TRUST MY TRUE PASSION AND SWITCH MY MAJOR TO ART.
I'M NOW A TALENTED AND TRADITIONAL ART AND ANIMATION TEACHER, FORMER SMALL BUSINESS OWNER OF A FINE ART SCHOOL, WHERE I REGULARLY RECEIVE STUDENTS LOOKING TO BUILD SKILLS AND PORTFOLIOS TO ENTER THE TALENTED ART PROGRAM, PROFESSIONAL SHOWING ARTISTS.
AND I'M A YOUTH ART COMPETITION COORDINATOR.
IF THERE WAS AN ART CONSERVATORY IN MY COMMUNITY THAT TAUGHT ART AS A POSSIBLE CAREER CHOICE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MORE DIRECT MY LIFE TRAJECTORY WOULD HAVE BEEN? HOW MANY OF OUR CHILDREN IN EBR ALSO FEEL THE WAY I DID IN THIRD GRADE, WE ALREADY KNOW THE RESEARCH AND STATISTICS ON HOW THE ART BENEFIT, THE WHOLE OF A CHILD AND THE GROWTH OF ART FORWARD COMMUNITIES, OUR BEST STUDENTS GRADUATE AND LEAVE BATON ROUGE.
THEY LEAVE, THEY LEAVE FOR A PLACE THAT BENEFITS THEM MORE THAN BATON ROUGE WOULD.
BUT WHAT OF BATON ROUGE WAS THE BETTER PLACE THAT FUTURE COMMUNITY GROWERS MOVE TO? WHY NOT EBR, PLEASE VOTE ON THIS CONSERVATORY.
I WORK AT MCKINLEY MIDDLE MAGNET.
I AM A TRADITIONAL ART TEACHER.
MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW WHO I AM.
UM, I AM ALSO A, ONE OF THE VERY FIRST STUDENTS EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL TO ATTEND BRC VPA ALL THE WAY.
FIRST THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, I WAS LIKE THE SECOND STUDENT TO SIGN UP FOR THAT SCHOOL EVER.
UM, I ALSO WENT TO BROADMORE MIDDLE MAGNET WHEN IT HAD AN ART PROGRAM AND OUR, OUR CLASSROOM, OUR TALENTED ART CLASSROOM, I WANT TO ADD WAS A CLOSET.
UM, I ALSO ATTENDED ROUGE MAGNET HIGH AND GRADUATED FROM IT.
AND I AM PROBABLY ONE OF A HANDFUL OF ART TEACHERS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY IN YOUR DISTRICT WAS A SPECIALIZED ART DEGREE AND LITERALLY AN EXPERT IN MY FIELD, ALTHOUGH I DON'T ALWAYS GET TREATED THAT WAY.
SO I'M HERE TO TELL YOU MY EXPERIENCE AS AN ARTS KID, WHO WOULD HAVE GONE TO A CONSERVATORY AND NOT JUST AS AN ARTS KID, BUT AS A POOR ARTS KID, I GREW UP ON THE CORNER OF GOVERNMENT STREET WHEN IT WASN'T GOVERNMENT STREET, THAT IT IS NOW OKAY.
MY MOM WAS A SINGLE MOM WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS WHO DELIVERED NEWSPAPERS FOR A LIVING, AND IT WAS JUST HER AND ME.
AND THE ONLY WAY I WAS GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE WAS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY.
AND SO I WORKED MY BUNS OFF TO GET INTO BATON ROUGE HIGH BECAUSE THEY HAD THE BEST ARTS PROGRAM AND THEY COULD GET ME A SCHOLARSHIP TO A DEDICATED ARTS SCHOOL.
AND I DID, I GRADUATED FROM MEMPHIS COLLEGE OF ART IN 2012 ON A SCHOLARSHIP THAT BASICALLY PAID MY TUITION BECAUSE OF MY PORTFOLIO.
BUT THAT WASN'T BECAUSE BATON ROUGE HIGH DID EVERYTHING THAT THEY COULD HAVE FOR ME.
MY TEACHER DID SURE, APRIL HAMMOCK AND MARSHA I'S WORTH FOR THE BEST ART TEACHERS I HAVE, BUT BATON ROUGE HIGH DIDN'T CARE THAT I WANTED TO GO TO AN ART SCHOOL AND THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT IT IF I HAD HAD A CONSERVATORY BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO GO TO NOCCA.
MY WHOLE LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.
AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT THAT WHILE YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT EQUITY.
AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT KIDS WHO NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHO NEED THAT MONEY TO GET INTO COLLEGE, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I GOT INTO COLLEGE.
AND I HAVE KIDS THAT'S THEIR SAME DREAM AT THEIR, AT MCKINLEY.
AND SURE, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM OUT OF MY PROGRAM, BUT IT COULD BENEFIT THEM.
THEY COULD GO TO SCHOOL FOR THIS.
THEY COULD GET MONEY TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR THIS.
WE WOULD BE STUPID NOT TO DO THIS.
I GREW UP IN SOUTHEAST BATTERS, UH, IN A SALT AREA AND MY PARENTS ARE FROM SCOTLANDVILLE.
AND I'M A VOLUNTEER, UM, WITH A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS HERE TONIGHT.
[01:55:01]
I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO PLEASE DROP THE IDEA FOR THE CONSERVATORY.UM, I THINK IT'S AN IDEA THAT'S GREAT FOR THE FUTURE, BUT IT DOESN'T MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS MOMENT.
THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG NEGLECTED NEEDS OF THIS MOMENT.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT JUST IN THE ARTS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS CONSERVATORY, BUT WHO NEED THE ARTS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO GET INTO THIS CONSERVATORY.
IF YOU HAVE MONEY, IT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD USE NOW IN ALL OF THE SCHOOLS OR IT AS MANY SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE.
DON'T WAIT FOR THIS PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS, THIS HORRIBLE, ALMOST TWO YEARS OF A COVID-19 PANDEMIC THERE'S GAPS.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEGUN TO ON THE DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL, THE WAY PEOPLE WHO EITHER DIDN'T GO TO EBR SCHOOLS, DIDN'T SEND THEIR KIDS THERE, OR DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THIS FIGHT.
MAGICALLY YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THIS CONSERVATORY TRULY GIVES ME PAUSE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE NEFARIOUS.
I, EVEN THOUGH THE FOLKS THAT HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE ME, I DO BELIEVE HAVE BEEN SINCERE TO ME.
IT'S VERY DESPICABLE THAT ESSENTIALLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER PROGRAM TO DEFINE STUDENTS OF QUOTE, UNQUOTE CHOICE.
I DON'T KNOW FOR FOLKS THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH TRANSIT OR TRANSIT EQUITY, UM, DIFFERENT, UH, TRANSIT AGENCIES WILL CALL FOLKS WRITERS OF CHOICE, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHITE FOLKS THAT DON'T WANT TO RIDE THE BUS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING BACK.
AND I'M JUST HERE TO REMIND US THAT THERE'S A POPULATION OF FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN GONE SINCE DESEGREGATION.
AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT MORE THAN A CONSERVATORY TO BRING THEM BACK.
I'M SICK OF TALKING ABOUT KIDS.
LIKE THEY ARE A MARKET OR SOMETHING ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE.
THEY'RE NO LONGER PEOPLE, BUT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE CHOOSE TO EXPLOIT.
AND WE KEEP COMING UP WITH ALL THESE IDEAS.
WE NEED ROBOTICS, WE NEED MUSIC, WE NEED STEM.
WE NEED ALL OF THIS TO HURRY UP AND GET THEM TO A POINT THAT EVENTUALLY THEY'LL GET TO ANY WAY.
CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE ON THINGS BY THE TIME YOU'RE 30.
THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR A FULFILLING LIFE.
WE TALK ABOUT THEM IN THE CONTEXT OF A JOB OR AN ITEP EXEMPTION OR MONEY OR CAPITALISM.
AND IT'S HONESTLY PATHETIC AND DISAPPOINTING.
UH, DON'T THINK THIS CONSERVATORY IS GOING TO HAVE A NET BENEFIT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THIS IS ABOUT SENSE OF CHOICE.
AS I SAID BEFORE, AND IT'S ABOUT ESSENTIALLY IGNORING ALL THE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER PROGRAM TO REALLY JUST CIRCLE US BACK TO MEETING THE BASICS OF HISTORY AND MATH AND SCIENCE AND WRITING.
AND IF WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ON THAT LEVEL, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT A CONSERVATORY.
THIS IS THE CORNY GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY OUTFIT SHOULD HAVE, SHOULD MAKE A VERY POSITIVE STATEMENT TO YOU BECAUSE YOU SAY THAT WE BLESSED.
WE'RE BLESSED BECAUSE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
NRCS IS SUPPOSED TO BE SITTING UP THERE, EQUITY AND INCLUSION WITH THIS SCHOOL THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING ABOUT THERE, IT WOULD NOT BE INCLUSIVE TO A CHILD LIKE MINE.
IN FACT, MY CHILD WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THAT BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM DON'T KNOW HOW TO TEST CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED.
IF YOU THINK I'M LYING, LOOK INTO HIS RECORD, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY, SEE THIS SCHOOL WOULD BE 43 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOME, WHICH MEAN IN ORDER FOR MY CHILD TO ATTEND, HE WOULD HAVE TO RIDE THE BUS FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS, OR YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY HIS MAMA TO BRING HIM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE BUS DRIVERS.
WHAT OUR CONVERSATION SHOULD BE.
IT'S ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET QUALIFIED STAFF AND RETAIN THEM.
AND HOW CAN WE MAKE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL? WHY ARE WE NOT HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HAVING THIS PROGRAM AT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL? WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT TO SAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WHOSE TEXTED DOLLARS DO NOT COME TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN IN HERE IS DISHEARTENING BECAUSE A PARENT LIKE ME WHO'S TEXTED, I WAS COME TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I WILL GLADLY X FOR MY MONEY BACK.
SEE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN EVERY SINGLE DAY AND EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHEN I LOOK AT MY CHILD, I WANT THE ABSOLUTE BEST, THE BEST COURTESY OF MY TAX DOLLARS THAT COME TO A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS NOT MAKING EXCESS ABILITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AT THE FOREFRONT.
SO AM I LAST MINUTE, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY BLESSED, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN FACE LITIGATION BECAUSE WHAT THIS WILL DO IS CREATE A SEGREGATED ENVIRONMENT.
ONE THAT WOULD ALLOW YOUR MOST FEDERALLY PROTECTED CLASS TO NOT HAVE EXCESS ABILITY TO A SCHOOL SYSTEM
[02:00:01]
THAT IS FALLING UP ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN YOU MAKE THIS DECISION, BECAUSE IF IT, BECAUSE IT COULD GO TO THE CIVIL COURT AS WELL AS SUPREME COURT.
SEEING NO OTHER, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, ANY, UH, OH, THE BOARD MEMBER, UH, HOWARD AND I'M SORRY, THE BOARD PRESIDENT IS NO, NO, I'M OKAY.
UM, WE YOU'VE ASKED HER THIS QUESTION.
UM, THIS QUESTION BEFORE MS. COLLINS, DO WE HAVE A ROUNDABOUT FIGURE OF HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO RUN AND OPERATE THE SCHOOL WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OR WITHIN THE, THE TIME SPENT ON THE SCHOOL? HELLO? YES.
WERE YOU USING THE TAX PLAN? UH, THE 15 MILLION FROM THE TAX PLAN, UH, TO LAY OUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL, AS WELL AS, UH, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH, UH, INFORMATION ON, UH, THE SCHOOL ITSELF.
UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS TRYING TO GET A DESIGN, UH, TO BE ABLE TO LAYOUT ALL THE COST FACTORS IN THE SCHOOL.
UM, THE QUESTION HAS BEEN TO FIRST GET THE APPROVAL, UH, BASED ON THE SCHOOL FOR THE TAX PLAN.
AND MY LAST QUESTION IS IF THE $15 MILLION IS NOT COVERED THE FUNDING NECESSARY FOR THE INVESTMENT, WHERE WILL WE GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING? YES, THERE'S A NUMBER OF RESOURCES.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE MAGNET OFFICE THAT WE ARE GETTING NOT ONLY RESOURCE, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FROM THE M SAT GRANT, WHICH HAS BEEN A PART OF WHAT YOU, THE BOARD HAS APPROVED, UM, MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL COSTS, UH, FROM, UH, VARIATIONS OF PRIVATE FUNDERS IN THE CITY.
THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD, MS. BERNARD Y MR. BERNARD WAVES.
UM, I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND DENSITY.
UM, BUT AS A, HOW DO YOU SAY A BAD PAINTER, A FOUR SKETCH ARTIST, AN AVERAGE GUITAR PLAYER, A BAD PIANO PLAYER, A DECENT PRODUCER, AND A REALLY BAD ACTOR.
IF THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHEN I WAS A KID, IT WOULD'VE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
I MIGHT'VE BEEN GOOD AT SOMETHING IN THE ARTS, UM, BUT I JUST, I, ART THE ARTS FOR ME IS SOMETHING SPECIAL BECAUSE IT IS THE ONE THING THAT I CAN DO, EVEN IF I DO IT POORLY TO CLEAR MY MIND, UM, AND TO HELP ME GO TO A DIFFERENT PLACE.
UM, AND I'M AT PEACE WHEN I AM, UH, IN THE ART.
I'M GOING TO WATCH IT CLOSELY, BUT, UH, I INTEND TO SUPPORT IT.
UH, BUT I WANNA, I WANT TO SEE THE NUMBERS, NOT THE NURSES.
SO, UM, SEE NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UM, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
[H.2. Charter School Contract Extensions]
WE MOVE NOW TO H TO CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS WHERE THE APPROVAL OF A ONE-YEAR CHARTER CONTRACT EXTENSION BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE FOLLOWING CHARTER SCHOOLS AND OPERATORS, A SOUTH BATON ROUGE CHARTER SCHOOL, UH, SOUTH LOUISIANA CHARTER FOUNDATION, INC B J K HAYNES ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.WILLIAMS GOING TO SPEAK ON THIS, OR, UM, WE'VE PROVIDED DR.
WILLIAMS, IF YOU CAN COME UP TO THE MIC, UH, AND, UH, IN YOUR NOTES, WE ALSO PROVIDED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, BUT IF YOU JUST WANT TO SORT OF, OH YEAH, I NEED A MOTION.
IS THAT EMOTION, MR. HOWARD? YEAH.
MOVED BY MR. HOWARD SECONDED BY, UH, FOR THE ONE YEAR EXTENSION SECONDED BY MR. GAUDETTE YOUR BIKE'S NOT ON IT IS.
MY, MY, MY REASON FOR MAKING THE MOTION IS I DON'T WANT ANYTHING CAUSE THIS GROUP WOULD, THESE GROUPS WOULD BE UP FOR RENEWAL,
[02:05:02]
UH, IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY.IF WE GRANT THIS ONE-YEAR EXTENSION, I DON'T WANT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT AND THE CHARTERS, IF WE PASS THIS EXTENSION CAN COME BACK AND SAID, WE PASSED THE DEADLINE ON THE RENEWAL AND TRY TO GET A RENEWAL THAT WAY.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT AND THAT THEY WAIVED THEIR RIGHT FOR RENEWAL, UH, IN THE FIRST YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD THAT, BUT I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO.
YEAH, YOU CANNOT ASSIST PLEASE.
SO THE MOTION WOULD BE THE AUTHORIZED GENERAL COUNSEL TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT CONDITIONED THE FOREIGN PARTIES AGREEMENT TO WAIVE THE RIGHTS TO A RENEWAL COME JANUARY.
AND, UH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAD THE SECOND PART OF YOUR CONCERN, RIGHT? CONDITIONED UPON THE PARTY'S RIGHT TO WAIVE THAT THAT WAS BASICALLY IT, BUT THAT WAS ANOTHER PIECE.
THEIR RENEWAL WOULD COME UP THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO I DON'T KNOW YOU WRITE THE WORDS, BUT THAT'S WHAT YEAH.
BUT, BUT TH TH THE MAIN THING IS, IS THAT THE PARTIES HAVE TO AGREE TO THIS, TO THIS.
OTHERWISE WE WILL RETURN FOR RENEWAL IN JANUARY.
I THINK THAT'S MR. THAT'S MR.
AND THAT IS A SITUATION WHERE WE PASSED THE EXTENSION, BUT THEN WE MISSED THE DEADLINE FOR RENEWALS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW I'M PROBABLY SPLITTING HAIRS, BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR, AND THAT IS, IT IS APPROPRIATELY LEGAL AS WELL.
SO, MR. HOWARD, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YEAH.
I THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT ORIGINALLY.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, UM, JUST WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT AT ALL.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, BOARD PRESIDENT HAPMAN VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS, BOARD MEMBERS, DR.
SO THE, UM, CONSIDERATION FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT TO THE BOARD THIS EVENING IS FOR A ONE YEAR EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT CHARTER CONTRACTS FOR SOUTH BATON ROUGE, UM, CHARTER SCHOOL AND JK HAYNES CHARTER CONTRACTS.
AND THIS IS BASED ON THE CLIMATE OF COVID-19 AND THE LDL E UM, DECIDING TO GIVE WAIVERS TO SCHOOLS REGARDING SPS IN SCHOOL PERFORMANCE.
UM, OUR OFFICE HAS ALSO BEEN DIRECTED BY DR.
NRCS TO CONDUCT AN EVALUATION OF BOTH OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS THIS FALL, SO THAT WE CAN BE READY FOR, UM, A RENEWAL, IF, IF THE BOARD SO PLEASES THAT WE GO FORWARD WITH THAT, UM, WE WILL BE CONSIDERING ALL ASPECTS OF THE CONTRACT AND THE RENEWAL PROCESS, UH, VIA THE BOARD, UM, POLICY REGARDING THESE TWO CHARTER SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.
UH, SO THAT WILL GO FORWARD AT THE DIRECTION OF DR.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PREVIOUS MATERIALS THAT WE'VE USED IN EVALUATING THESE, UM, NOT THE SPS INFORMATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT IS FROM BOARD POLICY THAT DICTATES, UH, THAT WE PERFORM AN EVALUATION OF THEIR FINANCIALS AND THEIR OPERATIONS ANNUALLY.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT LAID OUT SPSS ONE THING, BUT WE HAVE OTHER CONCERNS AS WELL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO COMMUNITY CONCERNS OVER 10 COMMUNITY CONCERNS OVER FIVE.
I WOULD LIKE MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
I DON'T NEED NAMES, BUT BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THIS, UM, AND SO MY INCLINATION IN COMING HERE TONIGHT WAS TO POSTPONE THIS UNTIL JANUARY WHEN WE WOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
UM, ONE OF THESE IN PARTICULAR HAS A PRETTY GOOD HISTORY OF SOME COMMUNITY COMPLAINTS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I HAVE PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THAT.
SO, UM, THE NATURE OF THOSE CONCERNS.
SO DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE? DO WE HAVE THE PREVIOUS EVALUATIONS AND THIS YEAR'S EVALUATION AVAILABLE, DIRECTED BY DR.
NARCIS TO CONDUCT THE EVALUATION THIS FALL? SO WE WOULD HAVE THAT IN THE SPRING, IF WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, WE MIGHT HAVE THAT IN JANUARY, THEN.
THE FINANCIAL EVALUATION AND THE OPERATION.
ALL THREE ASPECTS OF, UM, WHAT THE BOARD ASKS FOR IN TERMS OF EVALUATION OF THOSE PROGRAMS, ACADEMIC, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND FINANCIAL.
AND, AND THE INSTRUMENT OR THE, THE RUBRIC THAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST, I THINK IN ORDER TO HAVE APPLES AND APPLES, THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE SAME CONSIDERATIONS, THE SAME
[02:10:01]
ITEMS, JUST SO THAT WE'RE COMPARING THE SAME THINGS.SO, UM, MS. I THINK KONSKI HAD DONE THOSE PREVIOUSLY, SO SHE MAY HAVE THOSE FILES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, THEY WERE AVAILABLE, UH, TO BOARD IN BATTEN BOARD BACKUP MATERIAL FROM THOSE MEETINGS AS WELL.
SO I REALLY WORKED, CAME HERE TONIGHT, UM, ANTICIPATING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO POSTPONE THIS UNTIL JANUARY AND JUST NOT MAKE THIS DECISION.
UM, UH, MAYBE, MAYBE THE JANUARY MEETING WOULD BE A LITTLE LESS STRESSFUL FOR ALL OF US FOR OTHER REASONS.
UM, SO IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD BACK ME UP ON THAT IF I MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION OR IT, WOULD YOU GUYS ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY, AND I DO LIKE THE ADDITION OF YOUR LANGUAGE FOR THE CONTRACT TO SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR RENEWAL UNTIL ONE YEAR POST THAT THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AND MAYBE MR. CHAIRMAN WOULD PUT UP A SPECIFIC DATE IN THERE, BUT ARE YOU, ARE YOU INTERESTED? ARE YOU WILLING TO, OKAY.
I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THEN THAT MS.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? UM, JUST, JUST, UM, CLARIFICATION, UH, SINCE THE ADMINISTRATION BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, I JUST WANT TO, FOR A, WE CONSIDER IT SECOND.
WOULD IT BE OKAY IF WE FIND OUT FROM IF THERE'S ANY PROBLEM WITH POSTPONING, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER BLUE, THERE'S NOT A ISSUE WITH POSTPONING OF, HOWEVER, THE, UM, QUESTION THAT, UM, THE REASON FOR THE RECOMMENDATION IS, WAS BECAUSE THE STATE HAS APPROVED A, UH, COMING OUT OF COVID, UH, FOR US TO NOT HAVE SCORES.
AND THERE WAS THINGS WE DID NOT THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO JUDGE A SCHOOL ON THEIR PERFORMANCE BASED ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR SCORE, WHERE YOU THOUGHT THAT THIS YEAR, AS MUCH AS WE'RE DOING FROM MOST SCHOOLS WOULD BE FAIR TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UM, UH, WE JUST BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, WOULD BE ONE OF THE ONLY DISTRICTS I WOULD SAY, DOING THIS THIS WAY.
AND, UM, AND WE JUST THINK THAT FROM A FAIRNESS STANDPOINT, TOWARDS THE SCHOOLS, UH, TO ALLOW THEM TO, UM, HAVE A FULL YEAR TO PROVE, UH, BASED ON OUR STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE AS A WAR, WHETHER THEY ARE PERFORMING OR NOT PERFORMING, UH, BUT TO JUDGE THEM BASED ON A COVID YEAR WHERE LEARNING LOSS HAS HAPPENED FOR EVERYONE.
UH, WE DID NOT THINK THAT THAT WAS A FAIR APPROACH AND TO JUDGE THEM ON THE YEAR BEFORE COVID AND THE YEAR OF COVID, UH, WE'RE NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD BE A CONSISTENT APPROACH TO THAT.
SO THAT WAS WHY WE MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE MOTION DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
WE ARE NOW IN THE MAIN MOTION.
SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS AT THE MOMENT FROM THE, UH, BOARD, WE WILL GO TO THE AUDIENCE.
UM, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM H TO PLEASE COME TO THE MIC GOOD EVENING.
UM, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, I THOUGHT THAT THIS ISSUE WAS TIME SENSITIVE AS IT RELATE TO, UH, WHETHER OR NOT WE APPROVE OR DENY THE CONTRACT FOR THESE TWO CHARTERS.
UM, IF NOT, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IF THE BOARD CAN ELABORATE AFTER I SPEAK, BUT, UM, TO THAT STATEMENT, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA SPEAK FOR J K HANGS CHORE.
UM, I CAN'T SAY THAT MUCH ABOUT SOUTH BATON ROUGE CHARTER, CAUSE I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT ONE, BUT JK HANGS CHARTER ACTUALLY ALLOW CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO AS TEAM.
THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ACTUALLY ADHERE TO THE LAW AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO NOT ONLY THEIR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, BUT THEIR CHILDREN THAT ARE SOCIOECONOMIC DISADVANTAGED AS WELL AS THEIR REGULAR AGE STUDENTS.
THIS IS A SCHOOL THAT IS ACTUALLY IN AN AREA WHERE THERE AREN'T TOO, TOO MANY, UM, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT PROVIDES SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING.
BUT THIS SCHOOL HAS BEEN EXTREMELY CREATIVE TO SAY THE LEAST.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID DO WAS HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN.
UM, THIS SCHOOL ACTUALLY DOES A NEEDS
[02:15:01]
ASSESSMENT ON EACH AND EVERY SINGLE CHILD THAT ATTENDS.THEY PROVIDE A BOOK SACK WITH THEIR SCHOOL LOGO AND THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES, BUT EACH AND EVERY SINGLE STUDENT, THEIR STAFF REALLY, AND TRULY CARE, THEY HAVE CERTIFIED EDUCATORS AND THEY ARE MANAGING TO RETAIN THEIR STAFF, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO.
MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A PAGE FROM THEIR BOOK, BUT I THINK THAT WORKING WITH THAT ONE WITH THIS PARTICULAR CHARTER SCHOOL WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL BECAUSE THEY EMBRACED THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM, THIS SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL, AND THEY FEED THEIR CHILDREN RIGHT BACK INTO OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO PLEASE STRONGLY STRONGLY VOTE.
THANK YOU, MS. CORLEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD, MR. SHAMBLIN, YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR A QUESTION? UH, YEAH, SHE WANTS TO PROVIDE SOME CLARITY FOR THE BOARD.
SO THE LAW REQUIRES US TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO A CHARTER SCHOOL OF OUR INTENT TO RENEW A REVOLT BEFORE JANUARY 31ST OF THE YEAR, THAT THEY'RE UPRIGHT.
AND SO JUST TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS, I WOULD ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT IN GOOD FAITH.
IF I SEE WHERE THAT'S NOT GOING WELL, I WOULD THEN ADVISE, UH, MR. UH, DR.
DORSEY'S TO THEN PROCEED WITH AND BRING TO THE BOARD A RENEWAL CONSIDERATION IN JANUARY, WHICH WILL REQUIRE FULL EVALUATION.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS.
YOU GIVEN ME THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS, BUT IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, WE WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
SO THAT'S WHY WE MAKE SURE WE CAN ALL KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE WORKING.
UM, YOU, YOU PUT A TIMER ON MR. SHAMBLIN.
UH, I SEE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, UH, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
[H.3. Reapportionment/Redistricting Consultant]
NOW MOVE TO H THREE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO HIRE DATA CENTER AS THE CONSULTANT FOR REAPPORTIONING MINT AND REDISTRICTING SERVICES FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL.BOY, DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MS. WHERE JACKSON SECONDED BY VICE PRESIDENT COLLINS.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN THE QUEUE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, MR. GODADDY, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO MAKE US, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, UM, AWARD THE CONTRACT TO, WAS IT G E I GOTTA GET THE CORRECT NAME HERE.
GEOGRAPHIC PLANNING AND DEMOGRAPHIC SERVICES MOTION BY MR. GORDY.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND TO THE MOTION.
UM, MS. DYSON, SECOND, THAT MOTION SEEING NO COMMENTS AT THE MOMENT ARE QUESTIONS FROM THE BOOK.
IT MUST BE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT SLOW.
IS IT OKAY? MS. COLLINS? OH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FREEZE.
WE'RE GOING TO WA WHATEVER THE BOARD, WHATEVER THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD IS PRESENTATION.
MR. CHAIRMAN, WILL YOU CALL THEM UP? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE NAMES.
UH, I HAVE DATA CENTER, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE OTHER NAME.
SO YOU WANT TO JUST BRING THEM UP? I BELIEVE THAT, UH, UM, CEDRIC FLOYD IS HERE NOW TO DO A PRESENTATION.
[02:21:07]
WELL, I GET MINE TO THAT, RIGHT? I'M MISSING A PAGE.UH, GOOD EVENING SUPERINTENDENT.
AND, UH, WAS THERE SCHOOL HE'LL BE RIGHT BACK? NO PROBLEM.
I'M CEDRIC FLAWED PRESIDENT OF DATA CENTER, LLC, A 40 YEAR FULL SERVICE REDISTRICTING COMPANY.
SHE'S BEEN TRAVELING A ROAD AROUND LOUISIANA SINCE MARCH 1ST, JUST ABOUT EVERY TRIP WITH 40 YEARS OF PROVIDING REDISTRICT IN SERVICES, DATA CENTERS, THE MOST EXPERIENCE WE DISTRICT IN COMPANY IN THIS STATE, ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED REDISTRICT COMPANY IN THE COUNTRY.
WE DID IT IN 19 80, 19 90 2000 TO 2010 IN 2020.
WE'LL WORK FOR 40 DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, SOMETIME THREE TIMES SINCE 1980.
ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE WORKED ON 16 VOTING CASES, ALL SUCCESSFUL MAKING SURE FAIR REDISTRICTING HAPPENS AROUND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA DATA CENTER HAS UNMATCHED EXPERTISE.
I'M THE CHIEF DEMOGRAPHER, THE ONLY PERSON IN THIS STATE THAT'S BEEN CERTIFIED AS AN EXPERT, DEMOGRAPHER DRAWING DISTRICTS IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA.
IT WAS WASHINGTON VERSUS 10 SAW PARENTS, THE 1986 IN THE MIDDLE DISTRICT CLOTH VERSUS EDWARDS.
DID WE DISTRICT 10 AROUND THE STATE STATE COURT COURT OF APPEALS AND ALSO THE EASTERN DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE NEW ORLEANS AREA AND A ST.
AND ALSO WESTWEGO CASE IN THE 1980S.
SO I'VE BEEN A CERTIFIED EXPERT WITNESS FOR OVER 30 YEARS WE GUARANTEE OUR WORK.
IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG, WE WILL WORK FREE TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT.
ALSO, WE HAVE A TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS UNMATCHED, 120 YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER 120 YEARS IS PART OF YOUR HANDOUT.
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO EAST BATON ROUGE, WHAT ARE THE PREVIOUS COMPANY WAS IN THE MIX ARE THE TWO THAT'S LEFT.
WE'VE WE HAVE THE MOST EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO REDISTRICT IN, IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
SINCE THE 1980S, YOU MAY TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, BUT DATA CENTER DID THE BLUEPRINT OF THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT.
WE DID THE BLUEPRINT DISTRICTS FOR THE FAMILY COURT, THE FIRST CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS, AND ALSO DATA CENTER CREATED THE PUBLIC SYSTEM OF PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DISTRICTS.
IN THE 1980S, I WENT INTO EFFECT IN 1992 IN DISTRICT THREE GOALS FROM NEW ORLEANS TO BATON ROUGE.
AND SINCE 2010, UH, THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT FOLLOW THE SAME WAY THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, UH, DISTRICT DOES.
SO, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE BEEN REDISTRICTED IN EAST BATON ROUGE SINCE THE EIGHTIES, OVER 30 YEARS, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO DIVERSITY PORTAL, YOUR RFQ CUBE, UH, IT TALKS ABOUT DIVERSITY.
WE, THE ONLY PERSON THAT RESPONDED,
[02:25:01]
THEY HAVE A DIVERSITY PARTNER.WE COULD, WE COMPLIED WITH THAT.
DIDN'T GET ANY POINTS FOR IT, BUT WE COMPLIED WITH THAT.
OH, WHAT I PASS OUT? IT WAS PAGE EIGHT OF YOUR RQ QUEUE IN THE PORT.
I WANTED TO READ AND EMPHASIZE THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS TURNED IN IN APRIL MUST BE COMPLETE AND STAND.
IT MUST STAND ON ITS OWN MERIT.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, BUT DATA CENTER AND THE OTHER TWO COMPANIES SUPPLIED ALL INFORMATION.
YOU SAID THAT YOU NEEDED TO MAKE A DECISION CONSISTENT WITH BOARD POLICY.
THE CRITERIA THAT THE RQ QUEUE WAS JUDGE ON WAS BOARD APPROVED.
AND WITH THAT, WE CAME IN FIRST PLACE.
IT WAS 20 POINTS ON PRODUCT PRO PRODUCTIVE EXPERIENCE, APPARENT CREDENTIALS, EFFECTIVE WORK STRATEGY, CLEAR DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES, TOTAL COST OF SERVICE, NOTHING ABOUT MAKING A PRESENTATION TO THIS BOARD.
ANYTHING OTHER RELATED THAN THAT, THAT THE RQ HE WAS SHOULD BE JUDGED ON.
AND WHEN YOUR SELECTION COMMITTEE UNBIASED SCORED, WE SCORED THE HIGHEST YES, BY FOUR POINTS.
BUT EVERY YEAR WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO HIGH SCHOOL, SOMETIME YOU GO TO 4.6, SIX ONE A 0.001 TO PICK A VALEDICTORIAN ALL THE TIME, THE SAINTS WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BEAT THE LAST TEAM BY ONE POINT, YES, IT WAS FOUR POINTS, BUT WE SCORED THE HIGHS FROM YOUR OWN COMMITTEE.
ALSO, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE RQ QUEUE, WE WERE $15,000, LESS OR OVER 50% LESS THAN THE IS HERE TODAY.
AND IN THE QUOTE IS FROZEN CASE AND POINT.
THE NEXT PIECE OF PAPER YOU GOT IS FROM THE CATTLE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.
THEY DID AN RFP IT ON TUESDAY NIGHT, THEY SELECTED DATA CENTER BY THREE POINTS AS THEY ARE REDISTRICT IN-COMPANY AGAINST MR. HAFFNER, WHO I'VE BEEN KNOWING FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
IT WAS A UNANIMOUS BEFORE THE BOARD.
AND I S I SENT YOU A COPY OF THE LETTER.
THEY SENT TO ME LAST NIGHT, SAME PROCESS.
THEY WENT THROUGH IT, THAT SELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE ONE THAT WAS RECOMMENDED AND VOTED ON BY THE BOARD UNDER CONSENT AGENDA.
THE SECOND, THE THIRD PIECE OF PAPER IS FROM CATTLE PARISH COMMISSION OR PARISH GOVERNMENT.
WE ALSO WON THAT RFP JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT DATA CENTER IS WARM WORKING WITH PARISHES LIKE YOU, SCHOOL BOARDS, LIKE YOU DOING FAIR AND EFFECTIVE.
WE DISTRICT TODAY, I LEFT HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO BECAUSE DATA CENTER IS DOING LIVINGSTON PARISH COUNCIL AND LIVE AS IN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, WE DISTRICT IN A VERY CONSERVATIVE PARISH, BUT ALSO NEXT DOOR, A BEAR, A VERY PROGRESSIVE PARISH ST.
LYNITA POLICE JURY, AND A SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
IT MUST BE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET HIRED AND REHIRED OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS, I IMPLORE THE BOARD TO BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR POLICY.
YOU PUT AN INTERVIEW WITH COMMUNITY, GATHER THE PRICE WAS RIGHT OVER 50% CHEAPER.
AND BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID, THE CRITERIA DATA CENTER CAME OUT.
WE HAVE A STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF 120 YEARS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU TAKING SERIOUSLY WHAT YOUR INTERVIEW COMMITTEE DECIDED, WHAT THE BEST PRICE AND DATA CENTER SHOULD BE AWARDED UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, YOU'LL REDISTRICT IN SERVICES BECAUSE IT DID COME IN FIRST PLACE.
IT DID HAVE THE LOWEST PRICE AND UNMATCHED EXPERIENCE WE'VE BEEN DOING REDISTRICT IN SINCE 1981.
NO OTHER COMPANY HAS BEEN DOING IT AND ALL SUCCESSFULLY.
AND ALSO EVERY TIME WE'VE GONE TO COURT, 16 DIFFERENT TIMES ON VERY TOUGH REDISTRICTING CASES.
[02:30:01]
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EAST BATON ROUGE SCHOOL BOARD, JUST LIKE CATTLE, JUST LIKE LIVING SON, JUST LIKE SAY BEING JUST LIKE CLEVELAND SCHOOL BOARDS.AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE OVER 20 CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THIS STATE.
YEAH, WE HAVE, WE'VE JUST LIKE, WAIT, WE HAVE TO LEAVE.
AND LIKE I SAID, SAYS, SEND US THE DOCUMENTS.
AND NOT PRETTY MUCH THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
AND I DIDN'T THINK BEING ON ZOOM, WHATEVER, UH, SERVED A PURPOSE.
UM, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, SUPERINTENDENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY VIEW, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE, UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU WHEN WE DID THE STUDENT PROJECTION REPORT, AS PART AS YOUR SALES TAX RENEWAL WORKED THROUGH WITH YOUR STAFF AT THAT TIME, AND, UH, MADE PRESENTATIONS TO SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ALONG WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND, UH, HOPEFULLY PLAYED A PART IN A SUCCESSFUL TAX RENEWAL, BUT IT'S GOOD SEEING YOU AND MEETING SOME OF THE, UH, NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M MIKE HAFNER WITH GEOGRAPHIC PLANNING, A DEMOGRAPHIC SERVICES.
YEAH, IT'S A MOUTHFUL, BUT I CAME OUT OF THE PLANNING DISTRICT ARENA AND WE ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE LONG NAMES FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
I'VE BEEN DOING THE REDISTRICTING WORK SINCE 1990.
WE, UH, STARTED WITH THE, UH, ELECTRONIC FILES THAT THE CENSUS BUREAU CAME OUT WITH IN 1990, WHERE A CENSUS DATA CENTER AFFILIATE AT THAT TIME STARTED WORKING WITH SOME OF OUR MEMBER GOVERNMENTS ON THEIR PLANS, UH, MOSTLY THROUGH THEIR ATTORNEYS OR OTHER, UH, CITY ENGINEERS, OTHER FOLKS, 2000 STARTED DOING THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK MYSELF.
UH, CURRENTLY THIS WOULD BE MY FOURTH REDISTRICTING CYCLE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE PROBABLY TO DATE HAVE DONE OVER 400 PLANS FOR JURISDICTIONS SINCE, UH, 1990 CYCLE.
UH, THIS TIME AROUND, WE ARE PROBABLY WITH THE 2020 CYCLE, WE WILL PROBABLY BE SERVING ABOUT, UH, PROBABLY ABOUT A HUNDRED, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE, A HUNDRED CLIENTS AROUND THE STATE FOR JUST RE-DISTRICTING, UH, DO A LOT OF OTHER WORK WITH REGARDS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH THE, UH, DESEGREGATION CASES, UH, PROVIDE A LOT OF EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY, UH, AND, UH, MAY DEPART IN JUST A MOMENT.
UH, ACTUALLY THE VERY FIRST EXPERT WITNESS CASE I HAD WAS ACTUALLY A CHALLENGE TO WANT TO MR. FLOYD'S PLAN.
THE BAKER SCHOOL SYSTEM DREW A PLAN, THE STATE REJECTED IT.
YOU GOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FILE SUIT AND FORCED THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
I WAS CONTACTED TO PROVIDE EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY.
I DID THAT HIS PLAN WAS REJECTED BY THE COURTS.
IT WAS REJECTED AGAIN ON THE APPELLATE LEVEL, AND IT WAS REFUSED TO BE HEARD ABOUT A SUPREME COURT.
UH, ANYBODY CAN REALLY DRAW A PLAN.
IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF HAVING A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE CRITERIA THAT IT TAKES AND THE WORK THAT IT TAKES TO REALLY DEVELOP A QUALITY PLAN.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE, I CAN DRAW A PLAN RELATIVELY QUICKLY, BUT IS THAT A GOOD, A GOOD PLAN MIGHT MEET THE CRITERIA, BUT IS THAT THE BEST PLAN? PROBABLY NOT.
AND THAT IS WHY MY METHODOLOGY IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN MY COUNTERPARTS.
I DON'T LIKE TO MEET WITH INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS ONE OR TWO AT A TIME BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE WORK IS THAT WHENEVER YOU MOVE A DISTRICT LINE, YOU'RE AFFECTING A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT.
AND WHEN SOMETIMES YOU'RE EVEN AFFECTING DISTRICTS BEYOND THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE MOVE IS.
I MEET WITH A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS.
I MEET THEN LATER WITH THE BOARD MEMBER THAT WAS AFFECTED BY THE FIRST MEETING.
WHY DID MY LINE CHANGE? WELL, WHO TOLD YOU TO MOVE MY LINE? THAT IS WHERE MISTRUST STARTS.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL PART OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.
THEY NEED TO HAVE TRUST IN THAT.
THE PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED IS THE VERY BEST PLAN THAT REPRESENTS THEM, THEIR NEEDS WORKING WITH YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM DATA.
YOU HAVE A VERY DIVERSE PARISH, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU WORK AT, YOU KNOW, THOSE COMMUNITIES BETTER THAN ANYBODY.
THE PUBLIC THAT LIVES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES KNOW WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
WE HEARD A LOT OF VERSITI, UH, OPINION WITH REGARDS TO THE ART SCHOOL, OKAY? EACH AREA THAT PARISH HAS THEIR OWN NEEDS.
MY PROCESS BRINGS YOU ALL TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
I LIKE DOING THIS COLLECTIVELY AS A GROUP.
THAT WAY EVERYBODY HEARS THE SAME THING.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAVE DISCUSSIONS AMONG THEMSELVES AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE PLANS
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DISTRICT BY DISTRICT.WHEN WE HAVE TO MOVE A DISTRICT LINE, IF WE HAVE TO MOVE MR. HOWARD'S LINE, IT'S GOING TO BOTHER THE NEIGHBORING DISTRICT.
IT, WHEN THEY'RE HERE TO DISCUSS IT, YOU CAN AGREE.
I CAN LIVE WITH IT, PUT IT IN.
THEN WE ACTUALLY ARE BUILDING THESE PLANS.
I'LL COME WITH A STARTING PLAN, BUT WE BUILD THESE PLANS IN PUBLIC.
WE BUILD THESE PLANS WITH YOUR INPUT AND THE PUBLIC'S INPUT, BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR PLAN.
YOU HAVE THE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ADOPT THE PLAN, BUT IT'S A PLAN THAT THEY USE TO ELECT THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
ANY PLAN THAT IS DEVELOPED NEEDS TO BE REFLECTIVE OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND YOUR INPUT, NOT INDIVIDUAL INPUT, NOT ME WORKING IN MY OFFICE AND COMING AND HANGING UP A MAP OR SHOWING ON OUR SCREEN SAYING, THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD ADOPT.
WE ACTUALLY WILL BUILD THESE PLANS AND IMPROVE THEM.
BECAUSE BY THE END OF THE PROCESS, THROUGH THE USE OF THESE REDISTRICTING WORKSHOPS THAT I DO, WE WILL COME OUT WITH A BETTER PLAN, A BETTER PLAN THAN WHAT I STARTED WITH, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO REFLECT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE BASED ON YOUR INPUT AND PUBLIC INPUT.
REJECTED STATE, FEDERAL NEVER HAD ONE REJECTED.
AND I DON'T PLAN ON CHANGING THAT, THAT RECORD.
UH, I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY ONES IN THE STATE.
THAT'S NEVER HAD A PLAN REJECTED ON EITHER LEVEL, BUT IT'S BECAUSE I LIKE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY.
I SEE MYSELF AS A FACILITATOR, I HAVE THE LEGAL KNOWLEDGE.
I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL, GOT MY LAW DEGREE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK, BECAUSE IT IS CONTROLLED BY STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.
AND A LOT OF COURT CASES THAT HAVE INTERPRETED THOSE LAWS.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT, MY EXPERTISE WITH THE SOFTWARE ALLOWS ME TO FACILITATE WORKING WITH YOU, TO GIVE ME INPUT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THESE LINES IN A LIVE SESSION AND SEE WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
THE MORE YOU UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE POPULATION IN YOUR PARISH, THE MORE THE PUBLIC THAT ATTENDS.
THOSE UNDERSTANDS THE DYNAMICS OF THE POPULATION.
THE MORE TRUST THERE IS IN THE EVENTUAL PLAN THAT COMES TO YOU FOR AN ADOPTION.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THE BOUNDARIES ARE WHERE THEY ARE.
YOU UNDERSTAND THE AREAS OF THE PARISH THAT NEED TO HAVE ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION ON THIS BOARD.
AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHY THOSE BOUNDARIES ARE WHERE THEY ARE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU PLAY FAVORITES WITH.
I DON'T PLAY FAVORITES ON THIS.
I DO BELIEVE THOUGH, AS A BOARD MEMBER, WHEN I SERVED THE LAFAYETTE, I WANTED STAFF TO GIVE ME ALL THE INFORMATION I NEEDED TO MAKE A DECISION.
OTHERWISE, THAT'S THE LEVEL OF SERVICE I BRING TO YOU.
I'M GOING TO GET YOU THE INFORMATION.
IF IT'S AVAILABLE, I'LL GET IT FOR YOU.
I REMEMBER MR. GAUDETTE AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE, UH, OF THE, UH, PROJECTION REPORT, ASTRO SOME INFORMATION ON CHARTER SCHOOLS.
WE WENT AND WE CHASED THAT DOWN AND WE GOT THAT INFORMATION AND CAME BACK AND PROVIDED THAT.
I LIKE, I GUESS MAYBE IT'S A FRUSTRATED TEACHER.
I ENJOY EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT IT.
I ENJOY GETTING THE PUBLIC INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT MY APPROACH IS.
ALL OF US THAT DO THIS KIND OF WORK.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF US, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALL RUN THE SOFTWARE.
BUT TO ME, WHEN YOU CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY, THIS MAY BE ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY ALL END UP WORKING WELL TOGETHER ON, I WORKED WITH A LOT OF COUNCILS AND BOARDS AND SOME MUNICIPALITIES THAT YEAH, ON A LOT OF ISSUES AND KNOCKING HEADS CAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS.
BUT WHEN WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER ON A PROJECT THAT IS FOR THE COMMON GOOD I'VE, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF AGREEMENTS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING WELL TOGETHER.
AND IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF ME FACILITATING YOUR DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT MY APPROACH IS, BUT TO MAKE IT WORK, I NEED THE SUPPORT OF THE BOARD.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE AN UNSUCCESSFUL CONTENDER FOR RFP WAS SELECTED, UM, WAS NOT SELECTED AND CONTINUED TO UNDERMINE THE PROCESS.
WORKED THROUGH A COUPLE OF MEMBERS CAN BRING UP COMPETING PLANS.
YOU HAVE MY INFORMATION THAT I SENT TO YOU EARLIER TODAY.
IF THAT'S WHAT THE SITUATION WILL BE HERE, I'M NOT YOUR PERSON.
I UNDERSTAND MR. FLOYD, YOU GOT A FEW MORE POINTS AND I CAN TELL YOU WHY IT'S BECAUSE OF MY PRICING.
WHY WAS MY PRICING HIGHER? NUMBER ONE, YOU GET MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE WITH MY WORK.
I KNOW THAT MY CLIENTS TELL ME THAT EVEN HIS PAST CLIENTS THAT
[02:40:01]
USE ME NOW TELL ME THAT THIS IS FULL-TIME FOR ME.I DON'T DO THIS FOR TWO, THREE YEARS AND DISAPPEAR.
I DO DEMOGRAPHIC WORK FULL TIME ALL THE TIME.
SO WHEN YOU NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME, SOMETHING I'M THERE AND I RESPOND.
THE MAIN THING IS THAT YOU REALLY NEED SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN TRUST.
AND I NEED CLIENTS THAT I CAN TRUST.
AND IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON THIS, THEN I REALLY WOULD ENJOY WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS.
I REALLY THINK WE COULD MAKE A LOT OF PROGRESS ON GETTING SOME COMMON GROUND, AT LEAST ON THIS ELECTION PLAN.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS, HIS PRICE WAS LESS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF YOUR SYSTEM OUT OF ALL THE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, YOURS IS THE MOST COMPLEX.
IT TAKES A LOT OF ACCURATE PROGRAMMING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DATA IS CORRECT BEFORE WE EVEN START.
I PRICE MINE FAIRLY FOR THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT I PROVIDE, WHICH I CAN TELL YOU IS A LOT HIGHER THAN ANYBODY ELSE THAT DOES THIS WORK.
AND I DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT AREN'T IN THE SCOPE OF WORK BECAUSE IT BENEFITS MY CLIENTS.
MEANING I WAS UP AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, THE OTHER DAY TO GO MEET HIM.
IT'D BE AT A ROTARY MEETING BECAUSE A BOARD MEMBER ASKED IF I WOULD GO THERE AND EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS WAS.
I WAS ON THE ROAD AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND MAKE IT FOR A SEVEN 30 MEETING TO GO THROUGH THAT.
MY SCOPE OF WORK WITH, WITH THE STUDENT PROJECTION REPORT, WASN'T TO GO OUT AND MEET WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITY GROUPS, BUT IT WAS VITAL TO YOUR TAX PASSAGE FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DYNAMICS AND THE GROWTH FOR THE CHANGES THAT YOU HAD IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I DON'T JUST LIMIT IT TO THAT ONE THING AND SAID, LOOK OUTSIDE MY SCHOOL.
I'M GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.
IF WE DO THIS PROJECT TOGETHER, YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD LIKE TO MEET AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE I DO THAT.
I WANT THE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS AS MUCH AS I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT IT'S REALLY UP TO YOUR CHOICE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT HE CAME OUT FIRST IN POINTS AND I RESPECT THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, I RESPECT THAT THE WORK THAT THE COMMITTEES DID, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU.
IT'S WHO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
AND I'M GOING TO RESPECT WHATEVER DECISION THAT THE BOARD MAKES.
AND I GUARANTEE YOU, IF I'M NOT THE SUCCESSFUL CONTENDER, I WILL NOT BE INTERFERING.
I GOT PLENTY MORE OUT THERE THAT I'M TAKING CARE OF RIGHT NOW.
IN FACT, I WAS A LITTLE WORRIED WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WHEN I WASN'T A SUCCESSFUL ONE, ALL THE LITTLE SLOTS THAT I HAD IN MY T MY WORKFLOW SET ASIDE FOR THIS, WHEN I WASN'T THE ONE THAT WAS BIG, I STARTED FILLING THOSE IN.
BUT THANKFULLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING A NUMBER OF MY PROJECTS, UH, ALMOST OUR CLOSURE NOW WHERE WE'RE AT FINAL ADOPTION, WHICH OPENS UP MY SCHEDULE SOON.
SO I DO BELIEVE I CAN GET YOUR WORK DONE.
AND ACTUALLY THANK YOU, GOING TO LEARN A WHOLE LOT BY GOING THROUGH THIS METHOD RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL WAY THAT MOST OF THE DEMOGRAPHERS GO ABOUT DOING IT.
SO I'M GOING TO STOP IT RIGHT THERE AND ASK IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL GOT A LONG EVENING.
Y'ALL STILL GOT A LOT LEFT ON YOUR AGENDA.
MS. COLLINS IS THE ONLY ONE ON THE BOARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU OR JUST IN GENERAL IS COLUMNS.
I MUST SAY THAT I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.
UH, MR. HEFNER, WE'VE HAD, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH YOU BEFORE, DURING MY TENURE UNDER SUPERINTENDENT DRAKE, IT WAS, UH, A GOOD EXPERIENCE.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY PROBLEMS, BUT WHAT I'M DISAPPOINTED THIS EVENING ABOUT IS YOUR COMPETITOR GOT UP, MADE HIS PRESENTATION BASED ON HIS OWN MERITS AND THREW ABSOLUTELY NO SHADE AT YOU.
YOU STOOD UP THERE AND PRETEND TO BE SPOTLESS.
YOU MADE ACCUSATIONS ABOUT HIS WORK AND THEN YOU YOURSELF THROUGH JUDGE FOOT IN A LAWSUIT, YOU SPOKE AND YOUR TESTIMONY WAS DISCOUNTED BY JEWISH FOOT.
SO YOU CAN'T GET UP THERE AND SAY, OH, EVERYTHING I'VE DONE HAS BEEN SPOTLESS, LEFT YET.
I PREFER NOT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA THROW IT OUT, THEN LET'S THROW IT OUT.
I THINK THAT YOU BOTH HAVE SERVED.
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ANY COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN IN SERVICE FOR SEVERAL DECADES MIGHT MAKE A MISTAKE HERE OR THERE.WOULD YOU SAY YOUR TESTIMONY BEING DISCOUNTED IS EQUIVALENT TO A SMALL MISSY? I DON'T KNOW.
WOULD YOU SAY, UH, BEING SUED BY LAFAYETTE GOVERNMENT IS A SMALL MISTAKE, BUT I WILL SAY BEING IN SERVICE AND PROVIDING SERVICES FOR 40, 30 DECADES, PEOPLE MIGHT MAKE MISTAKES.
THE PROBLEM I HAVE LOGIN IS DON'T GET UP HERE ACTING LIKE THE RECORD IS SPOTLESS, DISPARAGING IN YOUR COMPETITOR WHEN HE HAS HAD NOTHING NEGATIVE TO SAY ABOUT YOU.
AND THEN HERE WE ARE, AND YOU'VE BEEN SUED BY ONE OF YOUR OWN CLASS.
WELL, IF I MAY ADDRESS THAT MR. PRESIDENT, IT WAS ASKED TO YOU.
YES, MA'AM AND MS. COLLINS, THOSE ARE VERY VALID POINTS.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THOUGH THAT THE JUDGE FOOT THING WAS THE ST.
MARTIN PARISH DSEK CASE WITH JUDGE FOOT WAS NOT UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ALL PAST COURT CASES WITH VISA CASES DEALT WITH RESIDENTIAL DEMOGRAPHICS.
THEY WERE DEALT WITH RESIDENTIAL DEMOGRAPHICS, NOT ENROLLMENT DEMOGRAPHICS, BECAUSE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE ASSESS, THE, UM, DEMOGRAPHICS OF A SCHOOL POPULATION BY THE RESIDENCE WITH ALL THOSE STUDENTS GO TO THAT SCHOOL.
THAT IS WHAT THE PROFILE WILL BE WHEN YOU USE ENROLLMENT DATA.
YEAH, BUT HE, YOU ASKED HIM A QUESTION HE NEEDS TO, HE ASKED IT, HE SAID, THE JUDGE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HER.
I TOOK THAT PART OF HIS ANSWER.
YOU NOT THE PRESIDENT AND YOU NOT PRESIDE IN THAT POSITION.
THIS IS, THIS IS EMBARRASSING.
THE CHAIR HAS YOU ALL CORRECT? BUT I'M TIRED.
AND HE HAS DONE IT WITH ME SEVERAL TIMES.
AND I'M NOT ABOUT TO DEAL WITH IT TODAY.
LET'S MOVE LET'S LET'S UH, LET'S JUST MOVE FORWARD.
JUDGE FOOT WAS CONFUSING ENROLLMENT DATA THAT THE PLAINTIFFS WERE PROVIDING WITH MY RESIDENTIAL DATABASE ON STUDENT RESIDENCY.
AND I, THROUGHOUT THE TESTIMONY, TRIED TO EXPLAIN IT TO HER.
IT WAS SOMETHING SHE WAS UNWILLING TO ACCEPT, WHICH GOES AGAINST ALL THE PRIOR COURT CASES.
THAT'S ALL BEING APPEALED RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE DISCREPANCY WAS BECAUSE I DID IT THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.
SHE TOOK IT BASED ON ENROLLMENT, WHICH IS REALLY A RATHER NOVEL WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.
NOW, THE OTHER THING WITH LAFAYETTE, LAFAYETTE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE.
WHEN MY METHODOLOGY AND FOLLOWED, I WAS ASKED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AND LAFAYETTE, IF I COULD DRAW A FIVE MEMBER PLAN FOR THE PARISH AND A FIVE MEMBER PLAN FOR THE, FOR THE CITY AT THAT TIME, THEY WERE CONSOLIDATED.
THAT WAS NINE MEMBERS FOR BOTH.
LOOK, I HAVE BEEN DRAWING PLANS FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, CITIZENS, COMMITTEES, INDIVIDUALS, AND PAST COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR 10 YEARS, BECAUSE OF THESE REQUESTS, SOMETHING I'VE VOLUNTEERED TO DO.
THEY ASKED FOR SOME CHANGES, I MADE IT, THEY ASKED FOR MORE CHANGES I MADE.
AND THEN I SAID, ARE, Y'ALL LOOKING AT MAKING THESE CHANGES? OH, WE'RE JUST EXPLORING.
IT'S LIKE, THERE'S REALLY, YOU REALLY NEED TO DO THIS IN A FORMAL PROCESS.
WE'RE JUST EXPLORING A FEW WEEKS LATER, I GET A CALL FROM THE COUNCIL ATTORNEY, UH, ON PLAN TWO.
CAN YOU WRITE UP THE DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE PARISH PLAN? AND THE CITY PLANNER SAID, YEAH, I CAN.
IT TAKES ME TWO DAYS TO DO JUST ONE OF THOSE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DONE RIGHT.
I SAID, WHAT'S GOING ON? SO WHEN THEY'RE BRINGING IT TO AN INDUCTION ORDINANCE TONIGHT, SO HE PUT ALL THAT INTO THE ORDINANCE.
THEY WENT THROUGH WHEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ADOPTION, MY STEP WAS BASED ON 2018 PRECINCTS.
WHAT THEY DID THOUGH, A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER IS THEY CHANGED THE PRECINCT NUMBERING.
THEY CONSOLIDATED PRECINCTS AND CREATED NEW PRECINCTS, AND THEY NEVER WENT BACK AND UPDATED WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS.
WE HAD AN ERROR AND ON MY PART, AND THAT WHEN THEY WERE ASKED FOR THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS, THEY HAD MADE A LAST MINUTE CHANGE.
THE DAY BEFORE I WAS ON THE ROAD, THEY NEEDED IT.
I SENT WHAT I HAD ON THERE, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE THE ONE THAT WAS JUST PRIOR TO THAT.
SO THERE WAS AN ERROR IN THAT, BUT THE MAPS ARE CORRECT NOW AFTER THE CHARTER PASSED, WHICH OF, SOME OF THEM IN GOVERNMENT DID NOT WANT THE PAST.
THAT'S WHEN SOME OF THE ERRORS WERE FOUND, THE FAST MAJORITY WERE BECAUSE THE PARISH CHANGED PRECINCTS UPON WHICH THOSE DESCRIPTIONS WERE BASED.
AND THEY NEVER CAME BACK AND UPDATED THEM AT WHAT MY ISSUE, THAT WAS THEIR ISSUE.
NOW, MY ISSUE WAS LEAVING OUT THAT ONE PART ON THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTION, WHICH YOU EASILY CORRECT WITH THE TECHNICAL
[02:50:01]
ORDINANCES, WHICH I ADVISE THEM TO DO.THEN OPPONENTS OF THE CHARTER CHANGE FILED SUIT ON THAT.
AND THAT'S WHEN I GOT BROUGHT IN AS THE EXPERT WITNESS FOR THE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT, THE JUDGE AGREED, YOU'D DO THIS CORRECTION BY A TECHNICAL ORDINANCE.
JUST LIKE I TOLD THEM, WE WON AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, THE APPELLATE LEVEL, AND THE SUPREME COURT SAID, THERE'S NO ERROR.
SO IT STOOD AT THE SUPREME COURT LEVEL, BUT THE OPPONENTS OF THE CHARTER, WEREN'T HAPPY WITH THAT.
SO WHAT DID THEY DO RIGHT BEFORE THE MAYOR PRESIDENT ENDED HIS TERM.
HE FILED SUIT TO TRY TO COLLECT MONEY.
SO DEFRAY LEGAL EXPENSES THAT THE PLAINTIFFS SHOULD HAVE PAID OFF OF MY PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY CONTRACT.
I HAVE YET TO FIND AN ATTORNEY THAT HAS, HAS FOUND A LEGAL BASIS FOR THAT LAWSUIT AS IT, AS IT WAS PUT OUT.
THANK YOU, MR. HEFNER, YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
MA'AM FIRST AND FOREMOST, AS IT RELATES TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT JUDGE FOOT, THAT'S A TALL ORDER TO CALL INTO QUESTION A JUDGE'S UNDERSTANDING.
SO MY INITIAL RESPONSE WAS AN OFFENSE TO THAT.
SECONDLY, CAN YOU REPEAT THE FLAW THAT YOU FIND IN, UH, IN THE DATA CENTER SO THAT, UH, THAT THEY CAN ALSO RESPOND TO, UH, ALLEGATIONS OF THEIR, IF DON'T DO IT, HE GOT UP THERE AND HE SAID HE DID NOT HAVE TO GET UP THERE AND SLING MUD.
AND NOW IN ORDER FOR THIS MAN TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND, HE RESPONDED TO MY QUESTIONS.
LET THE OTHER MAN RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS WORK.
WHEN I'M TRYING TO LET PEOPLE HAVE EQUAL FOOTING ON, ON, ON DEFENDING THEMSELVES.
COME ON, CAN YOU REPEAT? BECAUSE HE WAS NOT IN THE ROLE.
AND IN FAIRNESS, YOU MENTIONED THAT SOMETHING THAT HE DID IMPROPERLY, SUPPOSEDLY, CAN YOU REPEAT IT SO THAT HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO EXPLAIN WHAT HE, WHAT HE SUPPOSEDLY DID NOT GET ACCURATE? I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MISSTATE IT.
HE HAD MADE THE STATEMENT THAT HE'S NEVER HAD A PLAN REJECTED.
AND MY STATEMENT TO YOU IS THAT THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE.
MY FIRST CASE WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AS AN EXPERT WITNESS IN THE AREA OF REINFORCEMENT WAS A CHALLENGE THAT THEY, THE CITY OF BAKER WITH WHOM HE WAS A DEMOGRAPHER AND HE WAS THEIR EXPERT WITNESS.
THIS IS ALL HIM IN THE COURTHOUSE.
HE SAID THAT THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN DRAW A PLAN THAT DOESN'T VIOLATE THE NUMBER OF PRECINCT SPLITS THAT ARE ALLOWED IN SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT.
WELL, IT TOOK ME A MATTER OF 20, 30 MINUTES AFTER I GOT THE CALL FROM THE STATE TO DEVELOP THE PLAN THAT HAD ALL OF THE PROPER NUMBERS AND REPRESENTATION WITHOUT SPLITTING AN EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS.
I TESTIFIED TO THAT 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO DRAW A PLAN WITHIN KEEPING WITHIN STATE STATUTE.
THEY APPEALED IT AT THE APPELLATE LEVEL.
AND THE SUPREME COURT DIDN'T HEAR IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ERROR.
IS THAT WHAT HE TOLD YOU WAS NOT ENTIRELY TRUE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT FROM FIRSTHAND BASIS, BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE TESTIFYING FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
I KNOW Y'ALL GOT A LOT OF ANSWERS, Y'ALL COMPETITORS, SO Y'ALL GOT A LOT OF ANIMOSITY TOWARDS EACH OTHER.
WELL, MR. HEFNER'S IS SEE THEN A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE HE WAS REJECTED BY THE ST.
MARY PARISH COUNCIL LAST NIGHT.
UH, UH, HE WANTED THE WORK IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
AND HE VOTED HIM FROM NOT BEING, WORKING FOR ST.
MARY PARISH COUNCIL, AND I WAS THERE.
SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT MR HAPPENED TO IS TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF BIG, UH, UH, SCHOOL BOARD OR WHATEVER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
UH, SO, UH, MAYBE SOME OF THE STUFF MR.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT LET ME JUST TELL YOU THIS, UH, 20 YEARS AGO, WHEN I FIRST RAN ACROSS, UH, MR. HAPPENED IN 1990, I DID THE ST.
MARY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD IN 1990 AND 2000, THE PARISH COUNCIL SELECTED THIS TO HALF AN, UH, HE WAS THE LOW RESPONSE, A RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
WHAT HE DID IS YOU HAVE TWO BLACK MAJORITY DISTRICTS IN ST.
HE LED THE COUNCIL TO BELIEVE THAT THAT THE BLACK MAJORITY DISTRICT HAD LOST SO MUCH POPULATION.
YOU HAD TO DO A SWITCH, A RULE FROM TWO TO THREE, AND THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
SO DOWN THE LINE, AND I COULD GIVE YOU A SEND YOU THE MINUTES THAT WHEN I WAS ASKED TO CHECK
[02:55:01]
IT OUT, BECAUSE ANYTIME I DO REDISENT TO, EVERYBODY COULD CHECK ME OUT.MR. MR. HAPPENED TO THE LETTER OF THE DAY OLD DON'T HAVE ANYBODY WATCHING ME.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO WATCH ME WELL, ANYWAY, I WAS ABLE TO DRAW THE PLAN.
SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THE PLAN PLAN.
SEE THAT MR. HALF THE DEAD WAS RESCINDED BY THE ST.
IT WAS UP AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
I VOLUNTEERED MY SERVICES PLAN D THAT'S THE PLAN THAT THEY ADOPTED.
AND THAT'S THE PLAN THAT'S IN EFFECT TODAY.
UH, SO GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? AND SO LAST NIGHT, MR. HEF HAPPENED TO, WAS ON THE AGENDA TO BE HIRED, AND IT WAS REJECTED LAST NIGHT.
THAT'S WHY HE SENT IT OUT THE DAY.
AND THAT STEMS FROM THAT HE MISLED THE BLACK COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE ST.
MARY PARENTS COUNCIL, BECAUSE WHEN YOU, THE DEMOGRAPHER, YOU HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY YOU COME IN AND SAY, WELL, WE CAN'T DO THIS BASED ON A POPULATION DECLINE.
WE MUST SWITCH FROM ONE DISTRICT TO THE NEXT DISTRICT.
SO I DIDN'T WANT, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T HAVE TO, UH, I STAND BY MY RECORD OF 40 YEARS AS MR. HEFNER HAS DONE, UH, DESEG, OR I'VE DONE REDISTRICTING WORK IN EVERY COURT.
AND HE HAS NOT, I'VE TESTIFIED AND WORKED ON 16 CASES AS AN EXPERT WITNESS.
SO I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE LAW AND MOST, UH, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE JUDICIAL DISTRICTS, THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT, THAT'S MY FINGERPRINTS ON THIS ELECTION SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THIS STATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THAT LED TO OTHER, UH, I GUESS, MINORITY DISTRICTS, STATE REP, STATE, SENATE DISTRICT, UH, BEING CREATED AROUND THE STATE AFTER 1980, UH, CLARK VERSUS, UH, ATLAS LAWSUIT.
LIKE I SAID, I REMEMBER I HAD BEEN DOING REDISTRICTED 20 YEARS BEFORE I MET MR. HAFFNER IN 2000.
AND AT THAT TIME, BEFORE THAT HE WAS WORKING FOR A KATIE ANA, UH, THAT HE JUST STARTED HIS COMPANY IN 2000, UH, CHECK THE SECRETARY OF STATE WEBSITE, CHECK IT ABOUT ME.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I DO SUPERIOR WORK THAT MR. HAFFNER, ONE-ON-ONE EVERYTHING HE DOES, I COULD DO BETTER.
HE SAYS THAT I HAVE ONE-ON-ONE WITH MY CLIENTS.
UM, AND LET ME JUST TELL YOU THIS THOUGH, SOMETIME THE POLITICS OF A BOARD, HEY, THEY WANT TO CHOOSE SOMEBODY ELSE.
A NEW IBERIA SELECTED ME, UM, OVER MR. HEFLIN, UM, DESOTO PARISH, UH, MAJORITY, UH, THIS YEAR I HAD DONE IT THREE YEARS IN THE PEOPLE WHO I WAS DOING IT WITH, DIED OFF THE BOARD, BUT THE SAME BLUEPRINT I PUT FORWARD SINCE 1990, IS THERE SOMETIME OVER 20 YEARS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT LEAVE THE BOARD POLITICS CHANGE.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE QUALITY OF WORK BECAUSE EVERY PLAN I'VE EVER DONE HAS BEEN PRE-CLEARED AND WITH GOALS AND INTO EFFECT AT THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY THAT I DID.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT MR. HEFLIN SAID, MAYBE YOU'LL SEND IT TO ME.
CAUSE LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH MR. HEFFER BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? I INTEND TO GET THE WORK IN LAFAYETTE PARISH COUNCIL AND A CITY COUNCIL THAT REDISTRIBUTE WEALTH, AND ALSO GET THE WORK FROM BATON ROUGE, METRO COUNCIL THAT'S DUE ON TUESDAY BECAUSE OF MY EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF MY CALLS.
I'M ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY MR. PETE, MR. HAFFNER, EVERY TIME I BEAT HIM IN SAME SAY BEING SCHOOL BOARD.
AND I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO BE APOLOGETIC FOR BEING STEREOTYPICAL BLACK WOMAN, UH, IN MY RESPONSE.
UM, IT'S JUST, THIS MAN DID NOT, DID NOT COME WITH ANY SHADE AGAINST HIS COMPETITOR.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IF WE GONNA THROW SHADE, LET'S LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD ON THE SHADE.
WELL, IF I'M LIKE, NO, WE'RE NOT.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A TIT FOR TAT IF A BOARD.
NO, IF A BOY, NO, MR. HAPPENED, IF A BOARD MEMBER CALLS YOU, I NOW UNDERSTAND, BUT IF A BOARD MEMBER CALLS YOU UP AND ASKS YOU A QUESTION, THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE IT.
WE GOT A LOT ON THE AGENDA AND WE WANT TO MOVE ALONG.
SO, UM, LET'S SEE MS. WHERE JACKSON, I'M SORRY.
I COMPLETELY DELETED YOU, BUT YOU'RE UP AND THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TADEMAN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, ASSIGN THIS TO, UH, AN RFQ AND, AND WE DEVELOPED A COMMITTEE THAT WORKED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, UM, ON THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, UH, SO WE ENTRUSTED THAT THEY CAME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND, UH, AFTER LOOKING AT OUR BACKUP IN AUGUST, UM, IT SEEMED PRETTY CLEAR TO ME WHY THEY CHOSE, UM, THE RESPONDENT THAT, UH, THAT
[03:00:01]
THEY CHOSE.UM, BUT HOWEVER, THE WAY THINGS TURNED IN AUGUST, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT LEFT ME SORT OF SCRATCHING MY HEAD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE PUT EVERYTHING IN THE RFQ, UH, OR EVERYTHING SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE RFQ THAT, THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
AND YET WE DIDN'T CHOOSE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE, UH, WELL, WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
UM, BUT AFTER THAT, I LOOKED MORE CLOSELY AT THE RFQ OR LOOKED AT IT AGAIN AND COMING AWAY FROM THERE, I HAD A BURNING QUESTION BECAUSE WITHIN THE RFQ, YOU KNOW, IT SAID WE WANTED CERTAIN THINGS, THERE WERE FIVE THINGS THAT WERE LISTED, BUT IN THE RFQ, IT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE BOARD OF, AND PARDON MY PARAPHRASING OF THE BOARD OF WOULD APPRECIATE, UH, DIVERSITY PARTNER IN THE, UM, IN THE CONTRACTS OR, OR AS A PARTICIPANT.
AND, UM, I NOTICED THAT ONLY ONE, IT WASN'T REQUIRED, BUT ONLY ONE, UH, ADDED A DIVERSITY PARTNER.
SO I WANTED TO ASK, UM, MR. HAFFNER, UH, IT BROUGHT TO THE, THAT CAME TO MIND WHEN YOU MADE THE STATEMENT THAT YOU TRY TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE BOARD ASKS.
SO IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, WHY DID YOU NOT PROVIDE OR SEARCH OUT A DIVERSITY PARTNER? I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET WITH THE DIVERSITY PARTNER.
I, I, I LIKE TO BE HANDS-ON WITH ANY OF THESE PLANS BECAUSE WHEN I MAKE A PRESENTATION ON A PLAN, SOMEBODY HAS A QUESTION ON, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO TURN TO SOMEBODY AND SAID, WHAT DID THAT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU DID THAT? YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE, THAT'S JUST THE WAY I AM AND A DIVERSITY PARTNER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT BRINGS TO THE MIX.
UH, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND IT'S IMPORTANT IN A LARGER FIRMS, BUT, UH, I'M VERY, I'M A VERY SMALL FIRM, BUT IF, IF IT'S, BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK MEETS THE NEEDS OF MINORITY COMMUNITY AND OTHERS, YOU KNOW, I DO THAT AS A, AS A MATTER OF COURSE, UH, I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY I WORK.
MY, MY WORK NEEDS TO BE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO.
I'M NOT JUST GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO GET POINTS.
I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK I CAN DO GOOD WORK FOR THIS, FOR THIS COUNTY, UH, FOR THIS BOARD IN THE RFQ, IT WAS, IT WASN'T REQUIRED, BUT IT WAS A REQUEST.
AND THAT, AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT IT WAS A REQUEST FROM THE BOARD, NOT A REQUIREMENT.
SO I'M ASKING YOU WHY, SINCE YOU SAID THAT YOU TRY TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR YOUR CLIENT, YOUR CLIENT, YOUR POTENTIAL CLIENT WAS ASKING YOU TO INCLUDE A DIVERSITY PARTNER, ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT HAVE POINTS, BUT SO I'M ASKING YOU, WHY DID YOU NOT ATTEMPT TO DO THAT? IF YOU GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY TO PLEASE YOUR CON YOUR CLIENT, BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A FALSEHOOD.
IF I PUT IT IN THERE JUST TO SAY IT, THAT I HAVE IT, AND I'M NOT GOING TO USE IT.
AND IT'S NOT A JERMAINE PART OF THE WORK THAT I PROVIDE TO MY CLIENT, THEN ALL I'M DOING IS JUST PERPETUATING A FALSE HOOD AND I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
I DON'T CARE IF I GET POINTS FOR IT OR NOT.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT TYPE OF SHELL GAME, YOU KNOW, WITH A CLIENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR ME TO DO MY WORK.
AND AGAIN, I'VE SAID THIS EARLIER, THIS IS NOT A GAME.
IT'S NOT A GAME, AND I'M NOT GOING TO ADD A DIVERSITY PARTNER ON THIS RFQ QUEUE, JUST TO SAY THAT I HAVE ONE JUST CAUSE OF THE BOARD WAS ASKING FOR IT.
I HAD THE BOARD MAY ASK FOR IT, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S NECESSARY.
AND IF THE BOARD WANTS TO HOLD THAT AGAINST MY FARM, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FINE.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO PUT OUT SOMETHING THAT SAYS, OH, I HAVE A DIVERSITY PARTNER HERE.
I JUST APPOINTED ONE JUST TO BE ABLE TO SCORE POINTS WITH YOU BECAUSE THAT DOES, THAT'S NOT GERMANE TO THE QUALITY OF THE WORK THAT I WOULD BRING TO YOU.
I MEAN, IT LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL RUBBER MEETING THE ROAD.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A DIVERSITY PARTNER SITTING NEXT TO ME WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE PLANS.
THE PUBLIC IS MY DIVERSITY PARTNERS.
[03:05:01]
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT I GET THEIR INPUT.AND I PUT TOGETHER ON THAT PLAN.
I FACILITATE THAT YOU'RE ALL MY DIVERSITY PARTNERS.
NONE OF Y'ALL REPRESENT A HOMOGENOUS ZONE AREA.
THIS PARISH IT'S JUST, THIS AREA HAS A LOT OF NEEDS.
SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT A DIVERSITY PARTNER IS FOR ME, IT'S YOU AND THE PUBLIC AND THE REST OF Y'ALL ON THE BOARD.
WELL, YOU JUST NEGATED YOUR STATEMENT WHEN YOU SAID YOU GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
AND IN THE RFQ, IT WAS ASKING YOU FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, MISS WHERE JACKSON, MR. BALU.
I, I JUST, UM, WITH ALL THE DISCUSSION, I THINK WE'RE PUTTING TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON, ON THE ROLE OF DEMOGRAPHER PLAYS.
IT'S THIS BOARD THAT'S GOING TO PUT A PLAN TOGETHER AND I HAVE NO DOUBT.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT A PLAN TOGETHER THAT THAT'LL MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.
THAT'S GOING TO DO THE PLANS, THE BOARD, AND WE NEED A CONSULTANT TO A R D.
I DON'T EVEN THINK WE NEED A CONSULTANT.
UH, WE CAN DO ONE WITHOUT ONE ON PURE, BUT WE WOULD LIKE A CONSULTANT THAT WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH.
AND IDEALLY ONE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD, UH, UH, BE USEFUL FOR US AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT DRAW NEGATIVE ATTENTION TO US.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE RFQ, UH, PROCESS, I, YOU KNOW, I NORMALLY, WHEN WE HAVE AN RFQ, WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, AN AREA THAT NONE OF US ARE EXPERTS IN, OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HIRING AN ARCHITECT OR HIRING SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOMEBODY ON THE COMMITTEE THAT'S FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROCESS.
I MEAN, THIS HIRING A CONSULTANT FOR THIS PROCESS, IT INVOLVES STRICTLY THE BOARD OTHER THAN MR. SHAMBLIN.
IT'S JUST STRICTLY, THE BOARD IS A POLITICAL PROCESS.
IT'S NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I REVIEWED THE ART HUMAN MATERIAL, IT'S JUST, I WASN'T SURE IT WASN'T HELPFUL TO ME IN TERMS OF DETERMINING, UM, HOW IT WOULD HELP WE AS A BOARD, UH, COME UP WITH A PLAN.
UM, CAUSE WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH HIM, UH, OR WHOEVER THE DEMOGRAPHER IS.
SO, UM, THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENTS.
UM, BEN AND I'LL, LET'S MY HOUSE.
UM, I SEE NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS TIME.
SO WE WILL GO TO THE AUDIENCE, ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM THREE, PLEASE, PLEASE COME AND SPEAK.
I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONE THAT NORMALLY CUT UP, BUT THANK Y'ALL FOR DOING IT FOR ME.
SO I THINK THAT IT WAS A DOWNRIGHT DISGRACE FOR GE PLANNING TO COME UP HERE.
MARY PARISH AND LAUGH HERE, THAT SAYS A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT.
SO, BUT THE LACK OF DISRESPECT THAT HE HAD FOR A VICE PRESIDENT BOARD MEMBER, DON COUNTLESS AND BOARD MEMBER, EVELYN, WHERE JACKSON, UH, I COMMEND YOU FOR BEING SO RESPECTFUL AND HOLDING YOUR COMPOSURE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT WAS HARD.
AND I THANK YOU BOARD PRESIDENT TADEMAN BY ACTUALLY STEPPING IN, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE LIKE ME TO ACTUALLY COME UP AND SPEAK, WE ONLY ALLOW ME AND THE REST OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC THREE MINUTES, AND WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE CUT THE MIC OFF ON HIM A LONG TIME AGO.
CAUSE THAT WAS A DOWNRIGHT DISGRACE, ESPECIALLY WHEN MY CHILD IS PRESENT, BUT HIM, THEY ACTUALLY, RICK WITNESSED SUCH RUDENESS RULE, INCONSIDERATE, LACK OF COMPASSION, LACK OF SYMPATHY, EMPATHY, HELL THE LIST CAN GO ON AND OWN, BUT HE DEFINITELY DIDN'T LIVE UP TO WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS.
SO IF HE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, ACCORDING TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN RIGHT HERE AT THE MICROPHONE, THEN THAT MEAN HE DEFINITELY IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING IN LINE WITH OUR MISSION, AS IT REFLECTS ON THE STUDENT BODY FOR REAPPORTIONMENT, THIS IS EVEN MORE REASON WHY DATA CENTERS SHOULD ACTUALLY BE CHOSEN BECAUSE HE CAME UP HERE AND HE ACTUALLY CARED HIMSELF WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, INTEGRITY, AND CHARACTER.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BUILDING IN OUR CHILDREN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I THINK THAT WE DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, AS A BOARD, DON'T TRY
[03:10:01]
TO DO IT ON OUR OWN BECAUSE WE CAN'T EVEN SIT TAR.WE CAN'T EVEN HANDLE OUR BUDGET.
IT TOOK US MORE THAN NINE MEETINGS TO ACTUALLY DO A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO I WOULDN'T ADVISE THAT WE ACTUALLY TRY TO DO THIS OURSELVES, BUT I DEFINITELY DO THAT.
I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD SEEK THE EXPERTISE OF THE GENTLEMEN RIGHT HERE THAT CARRIED HIMSELF WITH SO MUCH RESPECT.
AND I WANT TO TELL HIM, THANK YOU FOR BEING A MAN OF GOD AND ACTUALLY SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT REAL INTEGRITY LOOKED LIKE.
I REPRESENT DISTRICT SEVEN ON THE BR D PECK.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE DATA CENTER, UM, FOR THIS CONSULTING.
UM, I THINK TONIGHT WE'VE SEEN A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY ON THE PART OF GE, UH, CONSULTING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF THEY BECOME OUR CONSULTANT.
WE'LL SEE A LACK OF INTEGRITY IN THAT WORK.
AND WE'LL JUST, WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM IN REGARDS TO TALKING TO CONSTITUENTS THAT YOU REPRESENT AND ALSO YOURSELVES.
AND WHEN YOU THINK OF WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT AND WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO, AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE HIS VISION, AS HE MOVES FORTH F HE'S CONSIDERED TO BE YOUR A CONSULTANT.
HE SAID, FIRST OFF, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE PLAN.
AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE OKAY WITH THE PLAN AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO YOU GUYS AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY WITH THE PLAN.
AS LONG AS THE PLAN REPRESENTS THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, WE NEED A SCHOOL BOARD THAT REPRESENTS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF EBR AND THAT'S ALL THAT WE NEED OUR DEMOGRAPHER TO DO.
WE DON'T NEED, ARE THERE MARKERS FOR, TO MAKE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAPPY? WE DON'T NEED THEM TO EVEN MAKE US HAPPY.
BE FAIR AND BE JUST, AND HAVE A MAN CAN STAND BEFORE YOU ALL AND DISRESPECT TWO POWERFUL BLACK WOMEN WHO REPRESENT BLACK DISTRICTS.
I DON'T TRUST THEM TO, TO STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
I DON'T TRUST THEM TO BE JUST, I DON'T TRUST HIM TO HAVE INTEGRITY OR TO BE PROFESSIONAL.
BUT WHEN WE HEARD MR. CURTIS FROM THE DATA CENTER COME UP AND SPEAK, HE SPOKE WITH SUCH ELEGANCE.
HE TALKED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.
HE TALKED ABOUT HIS TRACK RECORD.
HE TALKED ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S WHAT I VALUED.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU VALUE THAT AS, AND I PRAY AND I URGE THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW HIM TO BE THE CONSULTANT, UM, THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU, MR. ROBINSON, MR. CHAIRMAN.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO COMPEL THE PUBLIC, TO REFRAIN FROM PERSONAL COMMENTS ON THE INTEGRITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS BEFORE US FOR THE CURRENT DULY NOTED.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T THINK I CAN COMPLETELY CONTROL THAT, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE US TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE AT HAND AS OPPOSED TO PERSONALITIES.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ALONG.
UM, SO I'M NOT GOING TO GET UP HERE AND TELL YOU, UM, WHO TO CHOOSE TONIGHT.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE CONTRACT THAT, UM, WE DRAW UP FOR WHICHEVER FORM YOU GUYS CHOOSE, AND WE DO NEED TO CHOOSE A FIRM.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, GO WITHOUT, UH, A COMPANY.
UM, SO FIRST POINT, PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE CONTRACT DOES NOT CONTAIN CLAUSES THAT WOULD PROHIBIT OR DISCOURAGE THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW MATH THAT WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE NEW CONTRACT SHOULD ENCOURAGE EACH BOARD MEMBER TO DESIGN THEIR OWN PLAN, EVEN ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SUBMIT MAPS FOR REVIEW SECOND POINT.
UM, IT APPEARS BOTH BIDS PROVIDED BY THE TWO FIRMS UNDER CONSIDERATION INCLUDE GUARANTEES FOR THE MAPS, PRODUCED DATA CENTERS, STATES THAT IF THERE'S A LEGAL CHALLENGE, THE COMPANY WILL CORRECT OR DEFEND THE PLAN AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE GEOGRAPHIC STATES.
IT WILL DEFEND THE PLAN AS SUBMITTED TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY ENSURE THAT THE FIRM HIRED WILL DO THEIR OWN DUE DILIGENCE TO PROVO, TO PRODUCE A MAP THAT WILL MEET THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
IT ALSO PROTECTS THE TAXPAYERS.
IF THE FIRM DOES SHODDY WORK, I BELIEVE THE CONTRACT WITH THE LAST FIRM FAILED TO INCLUDE THIS STIPULATION.
[03:15:01]
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SUCH A STIPULATION BE INCLUDED IN THE NEW CONTRACT WITH THE FIRM.YOU HIRE MY THIRD POINT, UM, LESS TO DO WITH THE, UH, THE CONTRACT, BUT THE LAST FORM, HIS PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT RESIGNED, UH, ADMITTED CRITICALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
SO I HOPE ANOTHER PRESENTATION WILL BE MADE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TO THE PUBLIC AND THAT THE PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE SOME IMPORTANT HISTORY, PARTICULARLY FROM THE LAST DECADE IN ORDER TO MAKE AN ORDER TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO KNOW THE FOLLOWING THAT IN 2010, THE BOARD CONSISTED OF 12 MEMBER DISTRICTS IN 2012, IT WAS REDUCED FROM 12 TO 11 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
IN 2013, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WAS ESSENTIALLY GUTTED AND OUR MAPS WERE NO LONGER SUBJECTED TO PRE-CLEARANCE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
SO THEN IN 2014, THE BOARD WAS COMPELLED TO REDUCE AGAIN FROM 11 TO NINE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
THAT MAP THE MAP WE'RE CURRENTLY USING WAS NEVER SUBJECT TO PRE-CLEARANCE.
SO I'D LIKE THE, UH, I GUESS THE LAST MAP APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WAS THAT 11 SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT MAP.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENTERTAIN THAT IDEA OF EXPANDING THE BOARD AGAIN.
GOOD EVENING, JENNIFER HARDEN, DISTRICT FIVE.
THIS IS A, THIS IS QUITE A MEETING.
UM, SO I'M HERE TONIGHT BASICALLY TO JUST REALLY BEAT THE DRUM FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, I, I AM REALLY, REALLY DISAPPOINTED, UM, IN THE TONE AND TENOR OF THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION TONIGHT, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT ENDED UP IN THE PAPER AND HOW, UM, IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S SOME SNIPING, UM, AND LACK OF UNITY ON THIS BOARD THAT IS GOING TO BE, UM, NOT PRODUCTIVE FOR THIS PROCESS GOING FORWARD.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO REFOCUS AND RECENTER AND REPRIORITIZE THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE.
AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE TUNED INTO THE REDISTRICTING ROADSHOW THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN DOING, BUT IT'S FANTASTIC.
THEY'VE BEEN GOING ALL AROUND THE STATE, UH, AND, AND REALLY GIVING THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GO AND WEIGH IN.
AND IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN SHOWING UP AND SHOWING UP WITH VERY, VERY GOOD PARTICIPATION FOLKS HAVE BEEN USING TOOLS, MAKING THEIR OWN MAPS.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YES, I THINK WE NEED A PROFESSIONAL INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, BUT THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE EDUCATING THEMSELVES ON WHAT REDISTRICTING IS ALL ABOUT AND GIVEN THE PROBLEMATIC HISTORY THAT THE LAST REAPPORTIONMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE STILL UNDER THAT CLOUD, RIGHT? WE ARE IN, UM, DISTRICTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED AND PROBABLY WOULD NOT PASS FEDERAL SCRUTINY AT THIS POINT.
UM, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO REVISIT A VISION FOR WHAT THIS PROCESS COULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT KIND OF MAPS WE COULD HAVE.
UM, AND I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
I WANT TO SEE Y'ALL MAKE A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE ENGAGEMENT IN EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT THAT HAS TO BE PART OF THIS PLAN.
UM, IF NOT, YOU'RE NOT GIVING MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN.
UM, AND I THINK AS ANN MARIE MENTIONED, I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT THIS CONTRACT IS FAIR, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO CREATE A SET OF DISTRICTS, A MAP THAT CREATES DISTRICTS THAT ARE FAIR, THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE, AND THAT ARE COMPETITIVE.
THE DISTRICTS WE HAVE NOW ARE TOO BIG.
YOU REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE CASE THERE DON'T, THEY DON'T REALLY LIKE MATCH UP WHEN YOU COMPARE THE POPULATIONS CLOSE TO THE SIZE AND OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REALLY PACKED INTO THESE DISTRICTS.
UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO CREATE A VISION FOR OUR BEFORE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS AND CO-DIRECTORS WITH STEP UP LOUISIANA, WHERE A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
[03:20:01]
AND I'M JUST COMING UP TO ENCOURAGE THAT WE INCORPORATE MORE, UH, COMMUNITY VOICE AND REALLY COMMUNITY WISDOM DURING THIS PROCESS.UM, JUST TO ECHO WITH PREVIOUS PUBLIC SPEAKERS HAVE CAME UP AND COMMENTED.
UH, IT SHOULD BE EFFORTLESS TO REALLY DO TOWN HALLS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REALLY HEAR FROM YOUR VOTERS ON WHAT A FAIR DISTRICT REALLY MEANS.
ALSO, I WANTS TO ENCOURAGE THAT YOU ALSO CHOOSE THE DATA CENTER TO GO FORWARD AS YOUR DEMOGRAPHER, UH, BEING THAT THEY HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD.
THEIR COST IS LESS, WHICH MEANS IT'S MORE FEASIBLE TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS CHOICE.
ALSO, YOU, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT ENTAIL.
THEIR PLAN IS FULLY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD, WHICH TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE RELYING ON COMPLIANCE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THE VOTER RIGHT FIT.
AND THAT ITSELF SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY.
I, MICHELLE BRADFORD AGAIN, UM, FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE, THAT WE'RE ON.
IF THE DATA CENTER OR ANY OF THE REMAINING CONTRACT RECIPIENTS CAN ABIDE BY AND COMMIT TO THE DRAWING OF MAPS THAT ARE RACIALLY PROPORTIONAL AND INHERENTLY COMPETITIVE, THEN PLEASE AWARD THEM THE CONTRACT.
IF NONE OF THE PROPOSED CONTRACT RECIPIENTS CAN MEET THOSE TWO METRICS, THEN PLEASE CONTINUE THE SEARCH.
WE'RE READY FOR A PROFOUND CHANGE IN HOW OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM FUNCTIONS OR WHETHER WE ARE READY FOR A FULLY FUNCTIONAL DEMOCRACY AND TRANSPARENT PROCESSES THAT GUIDE THE DECISIONS THAT IMPACT ALL OF OUR LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS.
AS I STATED IN MY REDISTRICTING COMMENTARY ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE ROAD SHOW SOUTHERN, THERE'S JUST NO INCENTIVE FOR ELECTED LEADERS TO MEET WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
WE ARE ALL BEHOLDEN BY A MINORITY OF FOLKS THAT GENERALLY ARE EITHER DRIVEN BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OR BY THE UNDERMINING OF THE BATON ROUGE GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE DISTRICTS SHOULD BE COMPETITIVE AND INCUMBENTS SHOULD NEVER THINK THAT THEY ARE SAFE BECAUSE THEY'RE COMPETITIVE.
UH, BUT, UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CHILDREN, RIGHT, WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO EDUCATE THEM, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN HAVE ARE INCENTIVES.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCENTIVES AND REDISTRICT THING, THE FIRST THING THAT COMES UP IN MY MIND, AND I'M PRETTY SURE IT COMES UP IN LOVE.
OTHER PEOPLE'S MINDS IS COMPETITIVENESS.
WHEN WE PICK OUR NEW, UM, UH, CONTRACT TO RE TO REDRAW OUR DISTRICTS, WE NEED TO ENSURE, UH, LIKE MANY I'VE SAID TONIGHT THAT OUR DISTRICTS ARE COMPETITIVE.
BECAUSE JUST LIKE WHEN YOU GIVE KIDS INCENTIVES, WHETHER IT BE A PIZZA PARTY OR A BOOK FAIR, THE POLITICIANS ON THIS BOARD NEED AN INCENTIVE.
THE INCENTIVE IS TO GET BACK ON THE BOARD, BUT YOU GOT TO WORK FORWARD AND TO WORK FOR IT.
YOU CAN'T HAVE A GERRYMANDER UNCOMPETITIVE DISTRICT MAKE THEM COMPETITIVE, MAKE THEM FAIR, KEEP COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TOGETHER.
AND IF YOU'RE GOOD, YOU'LL BE BACK HERE ON THE NEXT TERM.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MR. GODADDY? YEAH, I THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT TALKING TONIGHT.
UH, I WAS NOT GOING TO, BUT, UH, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID THAT, THAT I THINK I NEED TO DISCUSS AND PEOPLE GOT UP HERE AND I WROTE DOWN FOUR WORDS THAT I HEARD THROUGH TONIGHT.
PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY, TRUST AND DISRESPECT.
SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO BRING IN A FEW FACTS ABOUT THOSE FOUR ITEMS. UH, I HAVE HERE ARTICLES FROM THE NEW ORLEANS NEWSPAPER.
THE FIRST ONE DEALS WITH DISRESPECT, DISRESPECT OF WOMEN.
THE TITLE OF IT SAYS THAT CEDRIC FLOYD COSTES JEFFERSON PARISH DISTRICT, ANOTHER 25, THAT'S $22,500.
AND I'M GONNA READ A LINE OR TWO FROM THIS CEDRIC FLOYD'S BEHAVIOR COST OF JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, ANOTHER $22,500.
THAT'S HOW MUCH THE SCHOOL BOARD AGREED WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13TH, TO PAY A SECRETARY.
HE ACCUSED THE FORMER BOARD OF HARASSING HER ANOTHER ARTICLE JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD TO VOTE ON SETTLING HARASSMENT SUIT.
JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD IS EXPECTED TO VOTE APRIL 10TH ON WHETHER TO PAY $60,000 TO A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD SECRETARY WHO FILED A LAWSUIT ALLEGING SHE WAS HARASSED BY BOARD MEMBER, CEDRIC FLOYD,
[03:25:01]
SHARON HUNTER FILED THE LAWSUIT IN MARCH, 2017, CLAIMING THAT SHE WAS FORCED TO QUIT HER JOB.SO THAT KIND OF GOES TO THE DISRESPECT, PARTICULARLY DISRESPECT OF WOMEN.
AND I I'M GLAD THAT ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT THE JUDGE NOT DOUBTING THE WORD OF A JUDGE FLYER SENT OUT AND JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD RACE INACCURATE, AND SCURRILOUS JUDGE SAYS CALLING ITS CONTENTS INACCURATE AND SCURRILOUS A STATE DISTRICT JUDGE ON TUESDAY ORDER JEFFERSON PARISH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, CEDRIC FLOYD, NOT TO FURTHER DISTRIBUTE AND MISLEADING FLYER ABOUT HIS OPPONENT IN THE SATURDAY RUNOFF INTO DISTRICT FIVE SEAT.
FLOYD CONTINUED TO ASSERT IN THE GRETNA COURTROOM THAT THE FLYER WAS TECHNICAL, CORRECT, BUT THE 24TH DISTRICT JUDICIAL DAGE NANCY MILLER DISAGREE, CLEARLY THE FLYER CONTAINS INACCURATE AND SCURRILOUS INFORMATION ABOUT MR. DICKERSON MILLER SAID BEFORE GRANTING THE RESTRAINING ORDER, WHICH ALSO PREVENTS FLOYD FROM PUBLICIZING, THE FLYERS ALLEGATIONS.
SO THAT KIND OF GOES AROUND INTEGRITY AND TRUST, UH, PROFESSIONALISM, UH, CEDRIC FLOYD, JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MUST STAY THREE FEET AWAY FROM A COLLEAGUE.
JUDGE RULES, AGAIN, A DISTRICT JUDGE STATE DISTRICT JUDGE GRANTED A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION MONDAY AGAINST JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, CEDRIC FLOYD, ORDERING HIM TO STAY AT LEAST THREE FEET AWAY FROM BOARD MEMBER, MICHAEL DEZ, LES DURNER.
THE REELING EXTENDS A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER THAT DOES THE LESS DURNER ONE AGAINST FLOYD AFTER A DUST THAT BETWEEN THE TWO MEN AT JULY 2ND BOARD MEETING PROFESSIONALISM.
THIS IS ANOTHER ARTICLE WITH THE FEET OF CEDRIC FLOYD, JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD LOSES A CONTROVERSIAL FIREBRAND.
UH, IT SAYS IN HERE BY THE, UH, QUOTE FROM THE, UH, AND HE PICKED FIGHTS WITH SEVERAL OF HIS COLLEAGUES FOLLOWING IN MAY, THAT MOST OF THEM WOULD BE GONE AFTER THE ELECTION AND SELLING ANOTHER'S MARITAL STATUS.
AND ONCE THREATENING THAT HEADS WILL BE CUT OFF AT A FUTURE MEETING, MARK MARGAN CURRENT BOARD PRESIDENT, AND I'LL SKIP A FEW CEDRIC MADE BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, UNPLEASANT, EVEN RICKY JOHNSON, THE BOARD'S ONLY OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEMBER.
AND ONE OF THE TWO VOTES, WHICH FLOYD COULD ROUTINELY COUNT SAYS HE LOOKS FORWARD TO A MORE HARMONIOUS BOARD.
THE BOARD IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE WILLING TO HEAR WHAT EACH OTHER HAS TO SAY.
SO I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT I THINK THAT AS PEOPLE BRING UP THE IDEAS OF PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY, TRUST AND DISRESPECT, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT MR. FLOYD IS A FINE DEMOGRAPHER, BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM AND WE HAVE TO HAVE, HE IS THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE WHOEVER WE HIRE IS GOING TO BE A FACE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY HAS TO HAVE TRUST.
AND QUITE HONESTLY, GIVEN THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN IN HERE, UH, AND OTHER PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO, I CAN NOT HAVE THAT TRUST IN MR. FLOYD.
I WOULD NOT LIKE HIM OUT THERE REPRESENTING US AS A CONSULTANT WITH THE LARGER GROUP.
AND I THINK THOSE FOUR CHARACTERISTICS, WHICH WAS PRESENTED BY THE FOLKS TALKING IN HIS FAVOR TO ME, THOSE ARE THE VERY FOUR CHARACTERISTICS THAT SAY WE NEED TO MAKE ANOTHER CHOICE.
THANK YOU, MR.
THANK YOU SO CUTE THAT WHEN YOU CAN'T BE THE PERSON ON THEIR CREDENTIALS FOR THE WORK, THEN WE MIGHT SIT IN GOOGLE SEARCH TO OUR HEART'S CONTENT.
I'M SURE IF I CALLED AROUND AND LAFAYETTE, I KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT KNOW MR. HEFNER.
MIGHT'VE HAD A LAUNDRY LIST TO READ ABOUT MR. HEFNER TOO, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HEAR TO VOTE ABOUT.
WE HEAR THE VOTE ABOUT THEIR CREDENTIALS.
NOW YOU GO SLING MUD ABOUT CREDENTIALS, EITHER WAY, IF YOU WANT.
I DON'T SEE THE POINT IN THAT YOU HAD A FAIR PROCESS.
THEY REACH THOSE TO GO THROUGH AND HE ROSE TO THE TOP.
NOW THOSE ARE ALLEGATIONS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT HIM AND CONCERNS ABOUT HIM AS A BOARD MEMBER, BECAUSE HE WAS ONCE WHEN HE LAID THAT OFFICIAL, UH, JUST LIKE MR. HEFNER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND WHAT I, THE LITTLE BIT THAT I BOTHERED TO PAY ATTENTION
[03:30:01]
TO ABOUT HIM AND MENTIONED FOR THE MEAL PURPOSE OF SAYING, IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THESE GAMES, WE CAN, OKAY.HE WAS ABLE TO DEFEND HIMSELF.
I'M ASKING AND REQUESTING THAT HE'S ABLE TO, UH, DEFEND HIMSELF AT THIS TIME ABOUT THOSE ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH DATA CENTER AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH WHEN HE WAS ONCE.
AND HE LAID THROUGH THE FISHER.
BUT SINCE WE THROWING IT OUT THERE, WELL, THANK YOU AS A JEFFERSON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, UM, IT WAS MUDDY.
AND, UM, MIKE, THE LESSON HERE WHO WAS ELECTED IN 2010 AND HE WAS OUSTED IN 2014, HE'S THE GUY WITH THE THREE FEET AS A, AS A ELECTION PRANK IN 2014.
SO WHAT HE DOES IS DOWN SIX, SEVEN MONTHS LATER AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS SELECTED.
HE'S THE ATTORNEY ON THE CASES THAT SOLICIT THE FEMALES TO DO THAT.
MIKE, THE LESSON THERE ABOUT THE THREE FEET, HE WAS OUSTED FROM THE BOARD AND HE TOOK CASES THAT THE COURT, LET ME SAY, LET ME JUST SAY THIS, THOUGH.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE COURT RULING, IT WAS DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE COURT RECORD TODAY, YESTERDAY THAT I SAID, I DID ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
IT'S NOTHING YOU COULD SEARCH.
HIRE ME, NOT HIRE ME, WHATEVER, MIKE, THE LESSON THERE, WHO DID THE ELECTION PRANK IN 2014 LAST ELECTION.
HE ENDED UP BEING THE ATTORNEY TO ATTACK ME ABOUT THAT.
AND THE JUDGE ON A 12, B SIX MOTION THROUGH THE CHARGES OUT RELATED TO ME.
PEOPLE GO TO COURT, PEOPLE MAKE ALLEGATIONS, AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT NOTHING I DID WAS INAPPROPRIATE, NOT THAT SAID AND NOTHING I DID.
AND I, AND I'LL COME BEFORE YOU HIRED OR NOT HIRED.
COMPLETE DIRTY IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
LIKE I SAID, MIKE, THE LEFT STILL GOT, GOT THE ARTICLE.
HE GOT TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO SAY THAT I BRACED ON HIM AND THEY WITNESSED, OF COURSE THE JUDGE THREW AGAINST ONE.
HE LOST THE ELECTION FOR DOING ELECTION PRANKS.
HE WAS THE ATTORNEY ON THE CASES ABOUT HARASSMENT THAT GOT THROWN OUT, CHECK IT OUT.
I GOT THE, I GOT THE, I GOT THE, UH, MARCH 10TH, 2017 ARTICLE THAT STATES ABOUT THAT.
HUNTER IS BEING REPRESENTED BY ATTORNEY MIKE, THE LESSON THAT A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHO WANT A RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST FLORIDA FOLLOWING THE SHOW.
HE TOOK TO THE COURT AND HE THAT'S WHAT HE DID.
ARTICLE SAYS THAT THEY, YOUR NAME WAS DROPPED AFTER THE AGREEMENT WAS MADE FOR PAYMENT.
AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ROUTINE.
WHAT LIMITED? LET ME JUST STATE AS THOUGH I WAS, LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
I WAS DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE AND BEFORE IT WAS DISMISSED, THE JUDGE IN A 12, B SIX MOTION TOOK THE STUFF OUT, IN EFFECT IN MY CAR, JUST BECAUSE I THOUGHT MAYBE COME UP.
IT WAS OCTOBER 17, 20 WHAT? 2017.
EVERY ALLEGATION AGAINST ME WAS DISMISSED BY THE COURT.
CAN I GIVE YOU THAT? I'LL GIVE YOU THAT COURT ORDER, UH, AFTER THIS, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE FLYER? WAIT, I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S OKAY.
I LOST, I DON'T MIND TO ANSWER.
LET ME JUST TELL YOU NO PROBLEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INITIATIVE.
YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I GOT THE COURT ORDER IN MY CAR THAT EVERYTHING RELATED TO ME GOT THIS VIS ON THE 12, B SIX FOR BEING FRIVOLOUS IN FEDERAL COURT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AT, AT, BECAUSE THIS IS, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT IT'S JUST BACK AND FORTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE GOING TO VOTE, HOW THEY WANT TO VOTE AND THERE'S NO NEED IN US DIGGING, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I COULD GO AND PROBABLY DO SOME MORE GOOGLING ON MR. HEALTH AND THEN THROW SOMETHING ELSE OUT.
SO I CANNOT CALL THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION WILL AUTOMATICALLY.
SO YOU NEED TO CALL THE QUESTION BECAUSE MS. WHERE JACKSON GOT IN THE QUEUE.
[03:35:01]
SO YOU GET YOU, I'M GOING TO LET YOU CALL THE QUESTION.GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION.
UM, SO NOW WE'RE IN A WEIRD QUEUE SPOT.
SO, UH, UM, ANY, UH, COMMENT, WHAT IS THE CALLING? THE QUESTION? A DEBATABLE MOTION.
SO, UM, WE, WE GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON CALLING THE QUESTION.
SO THE SUBJECT MATTER WILL BE WHETHER OR NOT TO CALL THE QUESTION, UH, ON THE SUBJECT, MATTER OF ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE PROCEDURAL, MATTER OF CALLING THE QUESTION ONLY.
SO, UM, WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
UM, I, UH, SO IT'S NOT DEBATABLE.
SO MADAM SECRETARY PLEASE, UH, CONDUCT A BOAT.
IT'S GOT TO BE TWO THAT REQUIRES A TWO-THIRDS OF IT.
THE MOTION CARRIES MOTION CARRIES.
SO WE ARE NOW, UM, ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, MR. SHAMMAH, WILL YOU READ THAT? SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE GEOGRAPHIC PLANNING AND DEMOGRAPHIC SERVICES AS A CONSULTANT FOR REAPPORTIONMENT AND REDISTRICTING SERVICES FOR THE EAST PARENTS PERISCOPE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
[I. Consent Agenda]
NOW GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA BACK ON THE AGENDA.UM, MS. WHERE JACKSON CONSENT AGENDA, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED WITH ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF ITEMS UNLESS A BOARD MEMBER SOLE REQUESTS, IN WHICH EVENT, THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED AS AN ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE PRECEDING THE LAST ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA TO CONTRACT REQUEST, TO WITHDRAW CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST, TO ACCEPT THE REQUEST.
I'M SORRY, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO ACCEPT THE REQUEST OF STRATEGIC DEMOGRAPHICS, LLC, TO WITHDRAW FROM ITS CONTRACT FOR REAPPORTIONMENT AND REDISTRICTING SERVICES.
THREE GRANT CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE U S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, CLEAN DIESEL GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $733,975 TO REPLACE 20 DIESEL FUELED BUSES, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR MAGNET SCHOOLS, ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, GRANT CONSIDERATION OVER REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A VOLUNTARY DESEGREGATION PLAN FOR THE COHORT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE 2020 TO 2027 THROUGH 2027 MAGNET SCHOOLS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, INCEPT GRANT, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, FIVE GRANTS, ESSER CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING GRANTS, A S OR TO ACTION TO CORONAVIRUS VIRUS, RESPONSE AND RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 32 MILLION, $191,911 B S OR THREE ACTION TO AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 115 MILLION, $677,532, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT,
[03:40:01]
EXEMPLARY CUSTOMER SERVICE, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, AND EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT, SIX PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE PRESSURE OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE FOLLOWING A PRESENCE LEARNING INC IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000 TO PROVIDE SYNCHRONOUS INDIVIDUALIZED ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING TELEPHONE TILL TELETHERAPY FUNDING SOURCE, IDA IDA SIX, 11, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT B DEF FOCUS IN THE AMOUNT OF $18,000 TO PROVIDE SIGN LANGUAGE SERVICES DURING THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS, FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUNDS, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, EXEMPLARY CUSTOMER SERVICE, SEVEN REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION GIVING PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO THE ASSISTANT, TO THE ISSUANCE OF NOT EXCEEDING $35 MILLION OF REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, STATE OF LOUISIANA PROVIDING CERTAIN TERMS OF SAID NOTES, MAKING APPLICATION TO THE STATE BOND COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL OF SAID NOTES AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THERE WITH EIGHT BOND RESOLUTION CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE BY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, STATE OF LOUISIANA OF ITS NOT EXCEEDING $35 MILLION.YES, REVENUE ANTICIPATION NOTE, PROVIDING FOR THE TERMS AND PAYMENT THEREOF AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THERE WITH NINE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE SEMI-ANNUAL FINANCIAL TAX PLAN UPDATE AND THE 20 20, 20 21 PRELIMINARY ACTUAL RESULTS FOR PROPOSITIONS ONE, TWO, AND THREE STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, 10 OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, FOREST HEIGHTS, ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE, EXPANSION CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO MODIFY A PLAN TO IMPROVE FACILITIES, TECHNOLOGY, DISCIPLINE, AND COMPENSATION IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM TAX PLAN TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SIX THROUGH EIGHT GRADE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS MIDDLE SCHOOL FACILITY ON THE FOREST HEIGHTS ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE, PROPERTY FUNDING SOURCE TAX PLAN, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, 11 CHARTER CONTRACT, GREAT HEARTS, LOUISIANA INCORPORATED, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A CHARTER SCHOOL CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND GREAT HEARTS, LOUISIANA INCORPORATED 12 SUPERINTENDENT PERFORMANCE TARGETS CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT PERFORMANCE TARGETS.
AND THAT'S THE END OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND I, SO MOVE, IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY.
MR. HOWARD, UM, IS ANY MEMBER WISH TO PULL AN ITEM GOING ONCE GOING? UM, I SEE NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FROM THE BOARD.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? HOW YOU DOING TONIGHT? UM, I WOULD LOVE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO PULL ITEMS NUMBER 10 BECAUSE BOARD MEMBER DEANDRE'S LANA SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT ONE TODAY AT THIS BOARD MEETING AT THE COW.
UM, AND ACTUALLY NUMBER 12, CAUSE NUMBER 12, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PERFORMANCE TARGETS THAT WAS NOT ACTUALLY PRESENTED AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING.
AND SO RESPECTFULLY WE SHOULD ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO ACTUALLY BE ENTERTAINED WITH WHAT HIS ACTUAL TARGETS ARE GOING TO BE, ESPECIALLY AS THEY RELATE TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, BECAUSE IT DEFINITELY WAS NOT REFLECTED ON THE BOARD DOCS.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THAT IN THERE.
UM, AND THAT WE ACTUALLY BRING THOSE ITEMS TO THE TABLE.
BUT IF NOT, THEN I DEFINITELY SAY THAT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW LISTED AS A TARGET BY HIM, THEY'RE NOT MEASURABLE.
THEY HAD NO MEASURES WHATSOEVER.
AND SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO MAKE SURE LIKE A BOARD MEMBER GO.
THEY SAID CHARACTER INTEGRITY, INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY, ALL THAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT TARGET, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GIVING HIM A $10,000 BONUS.
THANK YOU, MS. CORLEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING
[03:45:01]
NONE? WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD SEEING NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.
WE MOVE NOW TO, UH, ITEM J NEW BUSINESS, UM, ITEM
[J.1. Litigation]
ONE CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GWEN SHAMBLIN, GENERAL COUNCIL, UH, EBR POWER SCHOOL BOARD IN THE MATTER OF GENEVIEVE ROBINSON VERSUS MAC WALLACE AND THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD SUIT 6 6 8 9 6 3, SECTION 27TH OF THE 19TH JUDICIAL COURT PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MS. BERNARD, UH, SECONDED BY MS. DYSON, ANY COMMENTS SEEING NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I'LL GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM J ONE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE? OKAY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT LITIGATION AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE LITIGATION ON EVERY SINGLE AGENDA, EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT'S PROBLEMATIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE JUST, WE JUST VOTED TO HAVE SOMEONE DO REAPPORTIONMENT AND TALKS ABOUT LITIGATION FOR ROUGHLY HOW LONG I DON'T KNOW WAS ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS KEEPING COUNT, BUT LITIGATION, HOW MUCH LITIGATION WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, UH, HAVE TO PAY AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHEN WE HAVE THE POLICE CALLED ON PARENTS FOR NO REASON HOW MUCH LITIGATION WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAVE TO FACE WHEN WE DON'T DO WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
I DO RECALL THE WORD FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
COMING TO MIND, WE HAVE AN ADDRESS THAT, BUT WE CAN IN LITIGATION.
I KNOW OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, IT RAN AGAIN ON THE NEWS TONIGHT ABOUT THE YOUNG GUY THAT COMMITTED SUICIDE AT WHERE'S THERE A MIDDLE THAT'S, ANOTHER LITIGATION.
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS CONSTANTLY BEING PLAGUED WITH LITIGATION AND THAT LITIGATION IS ACTUALLY A REFLECTION OF OUR BOARD, NOT IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
IT'S ALSO A REFLECTION OF LEADERSHIP, NOT IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
SO HOW DO WE GET OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR BOARD AND OUR LEADERSHIP TO HAVE A POSITIVE LIGHT ON THEM? I CAN THINK OF MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, PRAYER, AND GOD, WE NEED TO ACTUALLY START THESE MEETINGS WITH GOD AND WE NEED TO USHER HIS PRESENCE INTO THIS BUILDING EVERY SINGLE TIME.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, WE NEED TO REMEMBER.
WE NEED TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FOCUS.
EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE DO IS SUPPOSED TO IMPACT THESE CHILDREN IN A POSITIVE MANNER.
AND WHAT WE DID BY CHOOSING THAT FROM FOR REAPPORTIONMENT IS NOT LAST, BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST.
WE NEED TO ALWAYS BE INCLUSIVE AND HAVE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY AT THE TABLE.
THANK YOU, MS. CORLEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE LITIGATION?
UH, WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD SEEING NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
[J.2. ITEP Non-Compliance: Tin Roof Brewing Company]
TO ITEM J TWO AND MAY NEED A LITTLE HELP FROM COUNCIL BECAUSE I, HOW THE MOTION WOULD BE MADE.BUT, UM, ITEM J TWO UNDER NEW BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION PROVIDING WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OUTLINING THE EAST BATON ROUGE POWER SCHOOL.
BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD REGARDING TIN ROOF BREWING COMPANY'S NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM CONTRACT FOUR YEARS, 2018, 19 AND 20.
WHAT IS THE MOTION, MR. SHAMBLIN? CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THIS BECAUSE THIS IS NEW FOR EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD.
AND SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE, AND I FIRST I READ
[03:50:01]
A SAMPLE MOTION, THEN I'LL EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.AND I THINK DONNIE MILLER IS HERE TO SPEAK AND TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOLLOWING THE CONVERSATION EARLIER.
UM, SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION, UM, TO PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OUTLINING EAST BRANCH PER SCHOOL.
BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE COMPANY AT SUB WHATEVER SUBJECT COMPANY WE'RE DISCUSSING THERE TO TONIGHT, UM, NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM CONTRACT FOR THE YEAR AND WHICHEVER YOU IS WHERE WE'RE ADDRESSING.
AND THEN EACH RESOLUTION PROVIDES THREE OPTIONS AND THE BOARD CAN CHOOSE ONE OF THREE OR CREATE A FOURTH OPTION OR AN ADDITIONAL OPTION THAT THEY CHOOSE TO GO WITH, RIGHT? THE THREE OPTIONS ON THE RESOLUTION, OR TO TAKE NO ACTION TO SUSPEND THE COMPANY'S PARTICIPATION, THE PROGRAM FOR THE GIVEN YEAR OR THE TERMINATE PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.
AND I SPOKE WITH DONNIE EARLIER.
UH, WE TALKED THROUGH THIS, UM, THE BOARD SHOULD SHOULD KNOW, AND I THINK I SENT AN EMAIL EARLIER.
THEY EXPLAINING THIS, BOY'S NOT LIMITED TO THOSE THREE OPTIONS.
THOSE ARE THE THREE OPTIONS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, UH, BOARD PRESIDENT.
I MET WITH VIRTUALLY WITH A LARGER GROUP TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH HOW THIS WOULD OPERATE.
SO THIS IS A NEW, A NEW ISSUE FOR US AND THAT WE'RE KIND OF NAVIGATING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
NEXT TWO ITEMS WOULD HAVE THE SAME MOTION.
SO THE MOTION BASICALLY TRACKS THE TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION.
AND THEN WHEN THE ACTION IS TAKING THE ACTION, THAT'S CORRECT.
MS. BERNARD, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE METRO COUNCIL LAST NIGHT TOOK NO ACTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE ANOTHER OPTION.
ONE WOULD BE THAT WE TAKE NO ACTION, BUT THAT WE ALSO SEND A STRONGLY WORDED LETTER TO THEM THAT THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN.
AND WE WOULD LIKE, UM, SO YOU HAVE THAT MOTION BECAUSE IF YOU DO, I'LL, UH, I'LL SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND.
WELL, I GUESS I COULD ASK, IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? OKAY, MR. GODADDY, I'M SORRY.
I'M NEW AT THIS Y'ALL THIS IS MY FIRST TIME.
UH, THE, UH, OKAY, SO YOU GOT IT, MR. SHAMBLIN.
SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AND I WON'T READ THE LONG TITLE, BUT TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO TAKE NO ACTION, BUT TO SEND A STRONGLY WORDED LETTER TO THE COMPANY REGARDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UH, I THINK WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF TIN ROOF JUST TO, UH, JUST KIND OF EXPLAIN TO US A LITTLE BIT, UH, BRIEFLY OR DANI.
YOU CAN, WHATEVER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF THIS AND THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND, UH, THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS NEW, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
THIS IS, UH, A BRAND NEW STRANGE PROCESS FOR EVERYONE AND LEGAL COUNCILS GIVING YOU GREAT GUIDANCE.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I BRING BACK THE MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF COMMERCE INDUSTRY THAT THEY DO WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR LOCAL BODIES, METRO COUNCIL, SCHOOL BOARD, AND SHERIFF THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE HAD THREE CASE STUDIES, THREE EXAMPLES OF COMPANIES GO INTO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND THE LETTERS THAT WERE SENT BACK, OR BASICALLY LEAVING IT UP TO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
THEY DO WANT TO HEAR FROM THIS BOARD, UM, MY RECOMMENDATION MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE, BECAUSE THIS IS BRAND NEW, NOT JUST FOR EBR, BUT FOR LOUISIANA.
AND THERE'S FROM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING OVER 200 THAT THE STATE IS ABOUT TO SEE IS THAT WE LOOK AT THESE AS AN INDIVIDUAL CASE BECAUSE EVERY ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S COVID, WHETHER IT'S NOT COVID, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING WITH THE BUSINESS, WHETHER IT'S A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING THAT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION FOR EVERY COMPANY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT TONIGHT WITH 10 ROOF.
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT, UH, TONIGHT WITH, UH, INTERNATIONAL MEZZO TECHNOLOGIES, IT'S IMPORTANT, BOTH COMPANIES HAVE BEEN SITTING OUTSIDE AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THEY, UH, WERE WELL-REPRESENTED, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THEM, UH, BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GO BACK TO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING A LOT OF GUIDANCE FROM LED.
WE'VE REACHED OUT FOR ASSISTANCE FROM LED, AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THE HELP IT WAS REQUESTED BY FROM THE METRO COUNCIL.
UM, THAT'S A REPRESENTATIVE, COME GIVE THE SCHOOL BOARD SOME GUIDANCE, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR AN ANALOGY OF PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE, NOT ONLY WITH, UH, THE COMPANY, BUT WITH LED AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD.
UM, SO IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM, BUT IN AN EFFORT OF TIME, I'LL, I'LL STEP BACK.
AND I DEFINITELY WANT YOU TO INTRODUCE, UH, CAMMIE FROM 10 ROOF,
[03:55:01]
UH, AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK MORE TO WHAT SHE'S WORKING WITH.YES, AND I, UM, I'M PRETTY MUCH THE GENERAL MANAGER CEO AT 10 ROOF BREWING COMPANY.
UM, A POSITION THAT I DID NOT START OFF WITH AT OUR COMPANY.
UM, IT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I KIND OF INHERITED ALONG THE WAY, UM, IN BETWEEN OWNERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP CHANGES.
AND THEN THAT PROCESS IS KIND OF WHERE THE BALL WAS DROPPED ON OUR PART.
UM, AND I DO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY PART ON THAT AS WELL, BUT THERE WAS SOME COMMUNICATION BETWEEN, UM, OUR PREVIOUS CONSULTANT THAT HANDLED THIS CONTRACT FOR US.
UM, IT WAS BAD COMMUNICATION, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT WAS BEING HANDLED AND WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
UM, AND PAPERWORK DID NOT GET FILED.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, AND WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS WITH A NEW THIRD-PARTY CONSULTING TO REALLY DIG INTO THE, TO THE NUMBERS AND PULL APART THE REPORTS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE HAVE FULL INTENTION OF FILING THOSE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
IT HAS TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER BECAUSE WE ARE KIND OF STARTING FROM SCRATCH WITH THESE NUMBERS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT WE DO INTEND TO DO A FILE THAT THOSE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, UM, AND WE ARE, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO FILE THEM WITH THE METRO COUNCIL.
UM, THE ATTORNEY THERE GIVE THEM A GOOD HEADS UP.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING NEXT WEEK ON TUESDAY, THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY GO THROUGH THE INFORMATION AND MAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MS. MCGEE, I DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS.
UM, NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UH, WE NOW GO TO THE AUDIENCE ON ITEM J TO ANYBODY FROM THE WISH TO SPEAK GOOD EVENING.
I'M ANGELA RINGS, BROWN PRESIDENT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT WORKERS.
UH, I'VE BEEN SITTING IN THE OTHER ROOM, LISTENING AND OBSERVING MY BOARD MEMBERS AS AGE TO TRY TO DECIDE THE FAITH OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT THEY'VE BEEN ELECTED TO MAKE DECISIONS ON.
NOW, WE WENT DOWN THE PATH OF THE ITEP EXEMPTION SOME YEARS AGO, FOR YEARS, WE WEREN'T GETTING ANY MONEY.
SOMEBODY DECIDED THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE CITY COUNCIL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T NEED THEIR SHARE OF TAXES.
WE HAVE PAST MILLAGES ON OUR CITIZENS TO ENSURE THAT THIS DISTRICT HAS THE MONEY NEEDED TO HIRE CERTIFIED STAFF AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL BOYS AND GIRLS LEARN WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN.
WE PUT STANDARDS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT EXEMPTIONS, IF THEY WERE GIVEN THESE STANDARDS HAD TO BE LIVED UP TO.
AND YET TONIGHT YOU WANT TO SIT THERE AND CONSIDER GIVING A COMPANY ADDITIONAL TIME, ADDITIONAL LEEWAY, NOT TO PAY TAXES.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT WORKERS.
WE HAVE THE LAMINATED SCHOOLS WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH CAFETERIA WORKERS.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IN MY MIND OF MINDS, HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY THINK THAT IT WOULD BE OKAY? I DON'T CARE ABOUT NO COVID WE STILL FUNCTION AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT DOING COVID.
WE STILL HAD TO PAY OUR TEACHERS.
WE HAD TO PAY ALL SUPPORT WORKERS AND GOING FORWARD.
WE ARE STILL GOING TO NEED TO DO THAT.
NOW I'M GOING TO BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU.
IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SUPPORT ANY TAX OR MILLAGE GOING FORWARD.
IF YOU START GIVING MONEY AWAY AS THOUGH WE DON'T NEED IT AS A DISTRICT.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE THINKING OF APPROVING, LETTING 10 RULE BREWERY AND THE OTHER COMPANY GET AWAY WITH NOT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.
IF I WERE YOU, I THINK AGAIN, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. BROWN, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE
[04:00:06]
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'LL BE BACK UP FOR THE NEXT ITEP EXEMPTION TO, UM, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW EXACTLY IF WE GIVE, IF WE APPROVE THIS AD TYPE EXEMPTION, HOW WILL WE PROVIDE PROGRAMMING TO CROSSWORDS ELEMENTARY? THAT'S IN MR. HOWARD'S, UH, SCHOOL IN HIS DISTRICT.HOW WILL WE PROVIDE THE ACTUAL FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM? THAT'S GOING TO BE AT BROADMORE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THAT'S IN MR. BLUE'S DISTRICT.
HOW WILL WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE PROGRAMMING THAT'S IN AT SOUTH DOWNS ELEMENTARY THAT'S IN MR DAYS, DISTRICT C.
WE TALK ABOUT ALL THESE PROGRAMS AND STUFF THAT WE WANTED TO GIVE AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO PROVIDE, BUT WE REALLY, AND TRULY DON'T HAVE THAT FUNDING.
WE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM ITEL.
WE DO KNOW THAT OUR, THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS ALREADY FISCALLY STRAPPED.
AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BRINGING US INTO THE BLACK WAS THE ESSAR FUNDING ALONG WITH THE CARES ACT MONEY AND AN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONIES.
WELL, WE HAVE DISSEMINATED THE SR FUNDING ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE NOT TAKEN PLACE.
AND SOME THAT ACTUALLY IS A WASTE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY IN LITIGATION AND FUTURE LITIGATION THAT'S COMING.
WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS TAX THEM, NOT JUST THEM, BECAUSE I'M NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THEM.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE APPROVED THE TAP EXEMPTION, BUT COCA COLA, UH, AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, EITHER EACH EVERY TIME WE DO THAT, IT MEANS WE'RE GOING AGAINST THOSE FOUR CORNERSTONES IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EACH AND EVERY CHILD, BECAUSE EACH AND EVERY CHILD IS NOT GETTING A FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BY LAW DO THAT.
SO THIS FUNDING THAT WE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE FROM ITF EXEMPTIONS, WE NEED TO STOP APPROVING THEM EXEMPTIONS, AND WE NEED TO START TELLING THEM WE VALUE OUR CHILDREN SO VALUE IN OUR CHILDREN, MEANING THE MONEY COMING INTO OUR SYSTEM.
SO WE HAVE TO TELL THEM, NO, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. CORLEY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE, UM, AND NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? UH, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE.
THAT WAS BERNARD AND GO THE RIGHT PROMOTION.
BERNARD, UH, WAIT, UM, UH, YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
I WANTED MR. SHAMBLIN TO GO BACK TO THE AGENDA AND MAKE SURE WE HIT EVERYTHING SPINNING.
WE MAY HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL IF EVERYONE HASN'T VOTED THE MOTION CARRIES.
[J.3. ITEP Non-Compliance: International Mezzo Technology Inc.]
THREE, UM, CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS FOR APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION PROVIDING WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OUTLINING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL.BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD REGARDING INTERNATIONAL MEZZO TECHNOLOGY, INKS NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM CONTRACT FOR THE YEAR 2019.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY? AND YOU WANT TO JUST CLARIFY THE MOTION? OKAY.
AND, UM, MS. DYSON SECONDS, MS. MA, UH, I'M SORRY, MS. BERNARD, YOU WERE, IT WAS THAT WHAT THAT WAS FOR? OKAY.
MA'AM MS. BERNARD, UM, DO YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS? WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED WITH MEZZO? CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US YES.
AND I HAVE, UH, MR. KEVIN KELLY OUT IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM, THE CEO, UH, TO COME ALSO SPEAK.
UH, MR. KEVIN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND WALKING IN, BUT THIS IS A COMPANY THAT THIS IS THEIR THIRD ITEM THAT THEY'VE FILED FOR, AND THEY'RE FOLLOWING A BASELINE OF JOBS.
SO WHEN YOU FILE YOUR APPLICATION, YOU HAVE YOUR BASELINE OF, OF WHERE YOU WERE AND THEN WHERE YOU'RE HEADED.
UM, THE COMPANY FELL BELOW THAT BASELINE DUE TO FOUR EMPLOYEES
[04:05:01]
LEAVING ON THEIR OWN WILL, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GOT BACK INTO COMPLIANCE, THE COMPANY NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HIRED.AND I'LL, I'LL LET, UH, MR. KELLY SPEAK IN A MOMENT.
THE KEY TAKEAWAYS ARE, THEY WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE FOR SIX DAYS.
THEY ARE BACK IN COMPLIANCE, THEY WERE IN COMPLIANCE.
UH, THEY'VE GOT A GREAT TRAJECTORY FOR GROWTH, AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MORE INVESTMENTS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
THE ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN BY THE METRO COUNCIL WAS NO ACTION BECAUSE OF IT WAS, IT WAS A SIX DAY ISSUE.
AND I THINK, YEAH, THE COMMENTS AREN'T GOING TO BE ABOUT THE ITEP PROGRAM, BUT WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE NINE COMPLIANCE TODAY, BUT I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, MR. MILLER, EVER, WHEREVER YOU WANT.
MR. KELLY, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST THAT MICROPHONE THOUGH.
JUST IF YOU JUST WANT TO KIND OF HIT A LICK ABOUT IT.
UH, I'LL JUST GOING TO OFFER THE DETAILS RELATED TO OUR NON-COMPLIANCE.
UH, WE WERE, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO ADD TWO JOBS IN 2019, ALONG WITH BUYING SOME MORE EQUIPMENT.
UH, WE DID THAT, UH, AND, UH, BY OCTOBER OF 2019, WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE THEN FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, WE LOST A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.
WE LET GO, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE AND A COUPLE OF PEOPLE JUST LEFT.
WE ACTUALLY DID HIRE ALL FOUR PEOPLE BACK BEFORE THE YEAR WAS OUT.
UH, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE LATER IN THE YEAR IT IS THAT YOU LOSE SOMEBODY THE HARDER IT IS TO ADD SOMEBODY BEFORE, BUT WE ACTUALLY DID ADD ALL FOUR PEOPLE.
UH, TWO STARTED BEFORE JANUARY 1ST AND TWO STARTED ON THINK ON JANUARY SIX.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE, WE, WE MISSED THE, WE MISS THE TARGETS BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT'S THE, UH, THAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE NON-COMPLIANCE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT THE, WHAT THE PER DAY FOR THE SIX DAYS.
SO THAT I SEE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT, WHICH IS TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NOPE.
UM, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE TO CONFIRM IT WAS MR.
UM, WE MOVE NOW TO
UH, WE WANT TO POINT A PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
[J.4. Adding Item To Agenda]
UH, MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY HAD A REALLY ENLIGHTENING AND WONDERFUL TRIP TO MIAMI DAY COUNTY SCHOOLS.AND, UH, THEY SHOWED US AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF HOSPITALITY AND GOODWILL AND SHARING OF THEIR INFORMATION.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE IF WE COULD, UH, PASS AND I WILL LEAVE IT TO, UH, OUR GENERAL CONSOLE TO WRITE THE RESOLUTION, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HAVE UNANIMOUS CONSENT FOR OUR COUNCIL TO WRITE A RESOLUTION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, THANKING THEM FOR THE WONDERFUL VISIT THAT WE HAD FROM BATON ROUGE.
SO PROCEDURALLY, I THINK WE'D HAVE TO ADD THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
OR, OR I THINK MR. GOLDEN MIGHT'VE BEEN REQUESTING, WE BRING IT TO THE DECEMBER NOW.
I WAS REQUESTING WE DO IT NOW BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE, SO YEAH, IF IT'S UNANIMOUS, WE CAN ADD A NEAT AGENDA ITEM NOW.
NO NEED TO CHECK THE RULES, IF IT'S YOU, IF IT MAY BE THE, UH, IT MIGHT HAVE TO BE ALL BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET A QUICK ANSWER.
IT'S NOT WORTH IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR, FOR OUR DISTRICT TO SEND THEM, BUT I THINK THAT'S AN OFFICIAL.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY WOULD OBJECTIVE, PERHAPS THE SUPERINTENDENT WORKED ON THAT WITH ME.
AND EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T THERE, I COULD, WE COULD DO SOMETHING NICE.
CAUSE I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT OKAY? IT'S UNANIMOUS, UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE PRESENT MEMBERS.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT ANY WAY, BUT WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
MR. GAUDETTE UNANIMOUS VOTED THE
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT ITEM.
UH, UM, MR. GODIN MOVE, UM, MS. BERNARD, UH, SECONDS.
[04:10:01]
WE HAVE TO GO TO THE AUDIENCE, UH, ON, UH, THE ADDING OF THE AGENDA ITEM TO THANK THE MIAMI DADE MIAMI-DADE SCHOOL SYSTEM.SO WE'RE GOOD SEEING NO COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD, UH, AND AS SOON AS YOU GET THAT INPUT, WE'RE DEFINITELY READY TO TAKE THAT BOOK.
I'M SORRY TO DELAY THE TERM, BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY, WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO WALK OUT AND SEE THE LUNAR ECLIPSE BY THE TIME THREE O'CLOCK IS THE MAX LIKE TURN INTO A WEREWOLF.
I THOUGHT HE SAID PRESENCE CAUSE THEY USUALLY CALL IT.
SO, SO PROCEDURALLY, THIS WOULD BE A MOTION TO ADD AN ITEM.
DO WE NEED TO ENTERTAIN THEN THE ITEM ITSELF? OR WOULD THIS BE TO ADD AN APPROVED? WE HAVE TO ADD THE ITEM AND WE THEN HAVE TO GO BACK AND CONSIDER IT.
I KNOW MR. HOWARD'S JUST ANXIOUS TO READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
I'M SORRY, BUT THEY DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB.
YOU, WE NEED TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD SET.
WELL, WE, SO WE HA WE HAVEN'T VOTED YET THOUGH, ON THE ADOPTION.
READ THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA ITEM.
MOTION TO ADD AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA TO CREATE A RESOLUTION THANKING THE MIAMI-DADE SCHOOL.
UM, UM, MS. BANORA WAS A SECOND.
UM, AND YOU CAN CONDUCT THE BOAT.
WE ALREADY WENT TO THE AUDIENCE AND WE CAME BACK.
SO THIS IS TO ADD THE ITEM AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK AND ACTUALLY APPROVE THE ITEM OR NOT APPROVE THE ITEM.
UH, WE CAN, WE CAN CALL ROLL IF WE NEED TO.
UM, THIS IS BECOMES ITEM J FOUR.
IS THAT HOW IT WORKS, MR. SHAM AND UNDER NEW BUSINESS? THAT'S CORRECT.
[J.5. Resolution]
THIS WOULD BE FOR YOU READY.THIS WOULD BE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO THANK THE MIAMI-DADE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION BY
UM, DO YOU NEED THE FLOOR AGAIN? OKAY.
THE BOARD IS CLEAR ON FOR THE BOARD.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE ON THE RESOLUTION C NINE, WE COME BACK TO THE BOARD.
[04:15:01]
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE.THE RESOLUTION IS APPROVED, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEETINGS.
[K. Organizational Items]
MR. HOWARD, I THINK PRESIDENTS HAVE MEANT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER THE SECOND, 2021 5:00 PM.AT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR, TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER THE 16TH, 2021 AT 5:00 PM AT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD, UH, WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE STAFF FOR BEING HERE AND HANGING IN? I WANT TO THANK THE IT DEPARTMENT FOR THE GREAT JOB YOU ALWAYS DO.
I WANT TO THANK THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS FOR BEING HERE, AND I WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC FOR BEING HERE AND I WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND VISTA HOWARD MAKES A MOTION THAT WE ADJOURN.