[Additional Item Recognitions]
[00:00:07]
IT IS NOW TIME FOR OUR RECOGNITIONS, AND I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO'S GOING TO BE HONORED TODAY.
SO FIRST WE HAVE 2022 CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE IN LOUISIANA, SIX DISTRICT AND BOARD MEMBER GOE.
I DO APOLOGIZE YOU ALL, BUT IF SENIOR ARMY INSTRUCTOR, COLONEL JONAH M HUGHES, IF YOU WILL, COME TO THE MIC.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS FROM LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
MS. CHIARI WILLIAMS, A 10TH GRADER.
SHE HAS A 3.5 GRADE POINT AVERAGE, IS A TWO YEAR J R T C CADET AND IS INVOLVED IN, IN THE, THE GE CLUB, AND SHE'S INVOLVED IN ROBOTICS.
AND TONIGHT WE WANNA CELEBRATE TAKARI IN HER RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SHE'S A 2022 CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE WINNER IN LOUISIANA SIXTH DISTRICT, REPRESENTING BY CONGRESSMAN GARRETT GRAVES, THE TEENS OUTSTANDING APP LINK.
IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP TEENS AND THEIR YOUNG ADULTS FIND SOMEONE TO STUDY WITH OR GET TUTORING.
SO, TA SAKARI, PLEASE ACCEPT YOUR AWARD ON BEHALF OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND THE BOARD, WE GOTTA TAKE IT OUTTA HERE.
PLEASE ACCEPT THIS MEDAL ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR ALL OF YOU OUTSTANDING WORK AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE HELPING YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS.
YOU WANNA STEP RIGHT HERE? IS THAT YOUR DAUGHTER? COME ON, PATRICK, JUMP ON IN, IN THERE.
STAND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, RIGHT THERE.
NEXT WE WILL RECOGNIZE CLASSIFIED AND COUNSELING EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR.
AND MS. HALL, IF YOU WILL, COME FORWARD.
HAPPY TO SEE MOST OF YOU GUYS ARE HERE.
I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO MRS. ALLISON BROWN LANDS AND I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE SPEED IT UP CUZ WE ONLY HAVE 20 MINUTES.
I THINK, I THINK THAT MEANS THAT I TALK TOO MUCH.
HOW ARE YOU? VICE PRESIDENT MS. POWELL, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT.
SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY AND THE HONOR TO RECOGNIZE OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR, OUR COUNSELORS OF THE YEAR, AND OUR MENTOR AND NEW TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE SO MANY GROUPS THAT WE'RE HONORING.
THE FIRST GROUP WILL BE MENTOR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.
NOW WE HAVE MANY THAT WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT AND SOME THAT WERE NOT, BUT WE STILL WANNA PUT THEIR FACES UP OR EVEN THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT
[00:05:01]
THEM.STOP TO, TO NOMINATE THAT, NOMINATED THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE FIRST IS BRITTANY MEHAN FROM DUROCK THE DUROCK.
OUR NEXT MENTOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
MARIA DEL MARIA GILL DELGADO FROM BATON ROUGE.
UH, FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACADEMIC IMMERSION MAGNET.
AND OUR NEXT WINNER, LASHONDA GORDON WOODLAWN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THE NEXT RACHEL AIKENS BELAIRE HIGH SCHOOL.
ANY BOARD MEMBERS WANNA JOIN IN PLEASE? THANK YOU.
THE DISTRICT FIVE SCHOOLS ARE DOMINATING TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I HEAR A CHALLENGE.
AND THE NEXT CATEGORY, OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS OF THE YEAR.
ANGEL JACOBS CAPITAL MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THE NEXT JASON CARILLO WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND OUR NEXT LISA LANGSTER, MAGNOLIA WOODS.
YOU WANT ALL CLASSIFIED IN ONE TIME OR THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES? NO.
THE NEXT FOR OFFICE AND TECHNICAL CATEGORY FOR OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR.
MS. DENNIS THOMAS GOODWOOD CENTER.
DANNY, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROFESSIONAL ALISON.
DON'T SPEAK TO PEOPLE AND SAY COME UP.
HOW YOU DOING? JOYCE BARRY WOODLAWN.
KAREN HURST, SHARON HILLS ELEMENTARY AND THE NEXT CHERIE TULE MAYFAIR LABORATORY SCHOOL.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME, IT'S TULE IF YOU'RE OUT THERE, BUT IT FELT RIGHT TO SAY IT THAT WAY.
FOR OUR CHILD NUTRITION CATEGORY, WITHIN OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE DANI SUAREZ WOODLAWN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WE ALSO HAVE MISS KATHY HAYES.
MS. HAYES PRACTICALLY RAISED MY CHILDREN.
AND THE LASALLE ELEMENT ELEMENTARY.
MORONE POINTER, BATON ROUGE MAGNET HIGH MEN GET THEIR FLOWERS TOO.
IN THE NEXT CATEGORY, WITHIN CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR FOR OUR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES, WE HAVE UP FIRST ALVIN PRICE.
I SAW THE PRINCIPAL OF EVA LAGAR.
HE COULD COME UP IF HE LIKES I SAW HIM.
I SAW HIM IN THIS EYE RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE GOOD EYE.
UHHUH RICKY SHEPHERD, WESTDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
OUR NEXT CATEGORY, THE FIRST LATRICE JACOB.
[00:10:01]
WHEN YOUR, YOUR CLASS GOT QUIET FOR A SECOND.WHAT HAPPENED? DID I MESS IT UP? LEE? COZY EBR R.
NOW FOR OUR COUNSELORS OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE MS. TIER A BRAZIER.
YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD? OKAY.
SO BEFORE THE COUNSELORS OF THE YEAR, ALLISON, STOP AND UNLESS THERE WE GO, JOIN.
I KNOW Y'ALL PROBABLY SAYING WHAT KIND OF BOARD MEETING THIS IS.
WE WROTE, THIS IS GOOD THINGS.
I MEAN, I KNOW SHE'S, BUT THAT'S MS. JACOBS FROM CAPITAL.
MS. JACOBS ONE OF OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR.
AND FOR OUR COUNSELORS OF THE YEAR WINNERS, WE HAVE MELINDA HARRIS, GAINES, CRES WHITE ELEMENTARY TO WESLAND YOUNG, E B R, READINESS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
RACHEL YOUNG TURNER WESTDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I DON'T LIKE THE SILENCE WHEN YOU, MA'AM, WE'RE JUST GOING.
THAT'S OUR COUNSELORS OF THE YEAR.
MS. BRAZIER, ARE YOU COMING UP FOR THE PICTURE? YES.
AND OUR LAST RECOGNITION GROUP, NEW TEACHERS OF THE YEAR, MS. HALLS LOOKING AT OUR CLUB.
EMILY JOHNSON, WOODLAWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE ALSO HAVE CHRISTOPHER MAYFIELD, CRESS WORTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND THE NEXT WE HAVE CLAIRE GIRLING, MCKINLEY MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL.
AND KEVIN JOHNSON FROM CAPITAL MIDDLE SCHOOL.
GENESIS BELINAS, BELAIRE HIGH SCHOOL.
MAGGIE MCMICHAEL, LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
I ALSO SEE THE PRINCIPAL OF LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS GOOD EYE HERE,
[00:15:01]
OH, AND THE SCREEN WENT.MS. HALL, YOU ALWAYS EMBARRASSED ME IN FRONT OF PIZZA.
YOU SURE? THAT WAS IT? THAT'S IT.
BUT SINCE, SINCE WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME, I WAS HOPE MA'AM.
I KNOW, BUT HE THE AWARD WINNER.
THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME DOING THIS, THIS BIG AND NEXT YEAR WILL BE BIGGER, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT AND CELEBRATING WITH US,
SO THIS CONCLUDES OUR, I GOT ONE.
OH, THERE IS ONE MORE RECOGNITION.
VIPS PARTNER IN EDUCATION, UH, IF MR. JUSTIN LEWIS WILL COME FORWARD.
UH, I MISSED THE FLOWER MEMO, SO I'M EMPTY HANDED, SO I APOLOGIZE.
UM, BUT I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO BE HERE AGAIN.
UH, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF OUR AMAZING PARTNERS, UH, FIRST JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE WITH VIPS.
UH, DURING THE FIRST NINE WEEKS OF THIS SEMESTER, UH, VIPS, MATH AND READING FRIENDS HAVE LOGGED OVER 497 VOLUNTEER HOURS.
THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT, THIS IS, THIS IS AMAZING.
WE'RE EXCITED THAT THE WORK THAT OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING, UH, THIS IS OVER 105 ADDITIONAL ONE-ON-ONE HOURS THAT, UM, OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE SERVING WITH OUR STUDENTS, UH, THAT ARE UNDERPERFORMING AND READING THAT IN MATH.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE, UH, 11 OF OUR VOLUNTEERS IN, UH, OF OUR VIPS, PARTNERS IN EDUCATION THAT HAVE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN SCHOOLS THIS SEMESTER.
AND THESE PARTNERS ARE FAITH-BASED INSTITUTIONS, UH, LOCAL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT UTILIZES THEIR RESOURCES TO HELP SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.
ONE OF THOSE PARTNERS IS HERE TONIGHT.
MARY BETH LIMA, AND I HOPE I GET THIS RIGHT, OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING AT LSU.
SHE HAS BEEN A DEDICATED PARTNER, UH, HERE WITH VIPS.
UH, SHE PARTNERS WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO HELP BUILD AND DESIGN PLAYGROUNDS.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THIS, UM, SHE MEETS WITH THE STUDENTS AND HELP GET THEIR IDEAS OF, OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN GO INTO THE PLAYGROUND AS WELL.
AND IT'S, IT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, OF JUST TEACHING OUR YOUNG STUDENTS THE DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES AND TURNING THEIR IMAGINATION INTO REALITY.
UH, SHE ALSO ENCOURAGES HER SERVICE LEARNING STUDENTS TO, UH, SIGN UP AS READING AND MATH FRIENDS.
LEMER AND OUR SERVICE LEARNING GROUP ARE WORKING WITH MAGNOLIA WOODS.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY SERVING AS READING AND MATH FRIENDS AND IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THAT PLAYGROUND.
AND SO VIPS IS, IS HONORED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR PARTNER IN EDUCATION, UH, DR.
GIVE HER A FEW WORDS, WHAT Y'ALL THINK.
UH, REALLY IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN A PARTNER WITH E B R SCHOOLS AND VIPS FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
AND I'M JUST BLOWN AWAY EVERY DAY BY THE DEDICATION OF OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY AND THE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO REALLY IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
AND I'M JUST THRILLED TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF, UM, YOU KNOW, MA MAKING SURE THAT MY STUDENTS UNDERSTAND AS FUTURE ENGINEERS, THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO TRANSLATE THEIR DREAMS INTO DESIGNS FOR PLAYGROUNDS.
ON BEHALF OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD, WE WISH TO GIVE YOU THIS TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE CUZ THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS SO CRITICAL TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
YOU WANNA STEP RIGHT HERE AND TAKE A PICTURE REAL QUICK.
[00:20:06]
THANK CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN TO ALL OF THE RECIPIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED TODAY.UH, IT IS 4 51 AND WE WILL TAKE A NINE MINUTE BREAK WITH THE OFFICIAL MEETING STARTING AT 5:00 PM THANK YOU.
[A. Meeting Opening]
EVERYONE.I NOW CALL THIS BOARD MEETING TO ORDER ON THIS DAY, THURSDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2023 AT 5:00 PM WE'LL START OUR MEETING, MEETING BY STARTING WITH THE INVOCATION, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THE INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FROM LIBERTY MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.
COACH GRACE'S FATHER IN HEAVEN.
THANK YOU FOR BLOWING THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO US TODAY.
THANK YOU HEAVEN FATHER, FOR GIVING US A DAY THAT WAS NOT PROMISED.
WE PRAY HEAVEN, FATHER, TODAY AS WE BEGIN YOUR WORK HERE TODAY, THAT ALL THINGS WILL WORK FOR THE GOOD OF EACH AND EVERY FAMILY.
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL REPRESENTED HERE TONIGHT.
IN JESUS PRECIOUS NAME AND PRAY.
I'M GONNA INTRODUCE THE CADET THAT'S GONNA DO THE PLEDGE.
GOOD EVENINGS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SUPERINTENDENT AND ESTEEM MEMBERS OF SCHOOL BOARD.
IT IS MY DISTINCT IRON TO INTRODUCE ONE OUR MOST OUTSTANDING J R TC CADETS OF THE PATRIOT BATTALION CADET PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, OLIVIA BARQUE IS A SOPHOMORE IN HER FIRST YEAR AT THE J R T C PROGRAM.
ALSO, SHE'S A MEMBER OF BOTH ARCHERY AND THE CADET CHALLENGE TEAMS. OLIVIA CURRENTLY HAS TWO AP CLASSES, TWO HONOR CLASSES, AND HAS A 4.1 GPA.
CADET BARRICADE GOLD AFTER HIGH SCHOOL IS TO DOUBLE MAJOR IN A NARO ENGINEER AND PROFESSIONAL AVIATION.
AFTER GRADUATION, SHE WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN THE AIRCRAFT DESIGN AND LATER BECOME A CHIEF PILOT AT LOUIS ARMSTRONG NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
CADET BARRICADE EMPHASIZE WHAT IS A MEAN TO BE A J R T C CADET.
WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE WATCHED HER GROW.
IMMATURE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HERE TO LEAD YOU IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PRESENT TO YOU CADET OLIVIA BARRICADE OF LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, SHE WENT BEFORE OUR LEADERSHIP ACADEMIC BOARD AS, UM, A LET ONE, WHICH IS THE FIRST YEAR IN J R T C AND OUTTA ALL THE EAST BATON ROUGE SCHOOLS.
SHE PLACED NUMBER ONE 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 TO LIBERTY MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL.
AND MISS OLIVIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD, LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS MEDAL.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO ADD THAT I HAVE A PERSONAL FRIEND WHO'S A MAN WHO GRADUATED FROM TIDO, UH, AND HE ROSE UP TO BE THE, UH, HEAD OF MISSION SYSTEMS FOR NASA.
AND CURRENTLY IS THE, THE, UH, ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF NASA.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS, IF A BOY FROM BFU AND TIDO CAN DO THAT, THE SKY'S YOUR LIMIT.
NEXT UP WE HAVE CALL TO ORDER.
[00:25:01]
DISTRICT SIX.[B. Minutes]
BUSINESS TODAY WE HAVE ITEM B ONE.MEETING, MEETING MINUTES, APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH, 2022, REGULAR BOARD MEETING REVISED FEBRUARY 16TH, 2023.
AND THE MARCH 2ND, 2023 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.
MOVED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RUSS.
SECONDED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN.
WE'LL NOW GO TO THE BOARD TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE ABOUT THE REVISED MINUTES FOR THE NOVEMBER 22 MEETING.
UM, IT HAD TO DO WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL'S RESOLUTION.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT IT WAS, UH, SIGNED AS BEING, UM, PASSED, ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T.
UM, AND ALSO THAT IT HAD FOUR YES VOTES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS ABOUT ITEM B ONE? UH, MR. MARTIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN.
AT THIS TIME SEEING NO EQUIPMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I'M SORRY.
UH, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL NOW GO TO OUR PUBLIC.
FIRST UP WE HAVE MR. JAMES FEENEY.
IT IS EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT THAT THE MINUTES GET, THAT GET POSTED TO THE WEBSITE AND PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF RECORD ARE ACCURATE.
AND I AM TERRIBLY CONCERNED THAT THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER MEETING WERE NOT PUBLISHED ACCURATELY.
AND WOULD HOPE THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN AND TRUST THAT THESE CORRECTED MINUTES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE ADVOCATE TO COMPLETE THIS PROCESS OF MAKING THAT CORRECTION.
AND ACTUALLY, I CAN SAY THIS MUCH BEFORE YOU WALK OUT OF THE ROOM.
JAMES FINNEY THAT BROUGHT THIS CORRECTION TO OUR CONCERN.
AND AS SOON AS YOU DID, WE GOT RIGHT ON TOP OF IT.
MAKE SURE WE BROUGHT IT UP TO BE CORRECTED.
AND MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL BE SURE TO PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND MAKING SURE IT'S ACCURATE INFORMATION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS FROM OUR PUBLIC SEEING, UH, THIS TIME WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR BOARD SEEING NO NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
THANK YOU, MADAME VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, AT THIS TIME BEFORE WE GO INTO OUR INFORMATION ONLY ITEMS, I HAVE A SPEECH THAT I HAVE PREPARED FOR OUR GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL AS OUR BOARD MEMBERS, AS IT CONCERNS A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING AROUND OUR COMMUNITY REGARDING SCHOOL SAFETY.
AND THIS IS A POINT OF PUBLIC PRIVILEGE, BY THE WAY.
I WANTED TO BEGIN BY SHARING THAT DR.
CTO IS IN WASHINGTON DC FOR A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING THAT HE DISCUSSED WITH ME SOMETIME AGO, AND ONE OF WHICH I ENCOURAGE HIM TO ATTEND, WHICH IS ON, UH, OUR PATHWAYS PROGRAM IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM THAT HE DEFINITELY NEED TO BE THERE FOR TO ENSURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS AS A REGARDS FOCUS CHOICE, ARE RUN INTO OPTIMAL EFFICIENCY.
HE'S ATTENDING A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, OF WHICH THE EASTBOUND ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL, UH, IS A MEMBER AND A CRITICAL GROUP WE RELY ON FOR PEER CONSULTATION ON BEST PRACTICES, SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT MODELING, FITTING AND SO, AND SCHOOL DISTRICT SAFETY MEASURES ACROSS THE NATION.
CLEARLY, WE HAVE SOME IMPORTANT ITEMS TO DISCUSS AND TO CONSIDER TONIGHT.
[00:30:01]
SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE BOARD'S DUTIES TO ENSURE SAFETY AND SECURE SCHOOLS FOR OUR STUDENTS, STAFF MEMBERS, AND COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AND PASSIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DEMANDING MORE DETAIL ABOUT OUR EFFORTS IN THOSE ARENAS.
AND TONIGHT WE INTEND TO COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT, TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT AND RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE SERVE.
THE BEAUTY OF THE PUBLIC DIS DISCOURSE IS THAT WE ARE INVESTED IN THIS VILLAGE.
AND THAT REQUIRES US TO LISTEN TO YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR IDEAS AND TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THE POLICIES WE CRAFT.
AND FINE TUNE AND SERVICE TO ALL OF YOU.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO A FRUITFUL DISCUSSION AND POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR ALL OF THE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN AND IMPLEMENTED TONIGHT.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR COMMENT AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT.
NOW, AT THIS TIME, I'LL JUST CLEARLY GO INTO IT LAST WEEKEND.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE HAD SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS FROM PEOPLE ALL ACROSS OUR DISTRICT AS IT PERTAINS TO SAFETY INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SOME WILL SAY THAT TONIGHT CHANGING POLICIES IS A BANDAID.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IT IS STEPPED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND IT IS ONE THAT SHOWS THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA STAND FOR VIOLENCE HAPPENING INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WHETHER THAT PERTAINS TO OUR PARENTS, OUR STUDENTS, OR EVEN LAW ENFORCEMENT TODAY, WE TAKE A STAND BY MAKING SURE THAT WE CHANGE POLICIES THAT BENEFIT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY, NOT ONLY FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND FOR ANYBODY INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO BE A PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO TONIGHT, AS WE DISCUSS THESE POLICIES, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSIONS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE QUESTIONS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONCERNS THAT OUR PUBLIC HAS AS A WHOLE.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD IS GONNA MOVE STEADFAST AND ENSURING THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE ALWAYS SAFE, PRODUCTIVE PLACES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO WORK.
[C. Information Only]
ITEM C, INFORMATION ONLY MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.IS MS. LOPEZ IN THE BUILDING? HEY, MS. LOPEZ, COME ON DOWN.
DID WE HAVE ANYTHING WE'RE SHARING TODAY? OKAY, SO WE HAVE NOTHING WE WERE SHARING TODAY.
HOWEVER, UH, I JUST WANNA REMIND THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT, UH, NEXT MONTH THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, WE WILL HAVE OUR SECOND ADDITION TO OUR, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOP THAT'S PERTAINING TO ANYTHING DEALING WITH OUR BUDGET AS WE MOVE FORWARD BEFORE WE GO INTO OUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING ANYBODY THERE THAT MAY HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS.
PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR BOARD MEMBERS OR ALSO REACH OUT TO OUR CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF.
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM C2 PERSONNEL CHANGES.
MS. HALL, ARE THERE ANY PERSONNEL CHANGES THAT WE HAVE AT THIS TIME? I'M SORRY, I KNOW I GOT Y'ALL GOING.
SO AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE WE HAVE NONE, WE'LL KEEP IT ROLLING.
NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, MONTHLY REPORT.
THAT WILL BE YOU, MR. SHALIN, THAT WE HAVE ANY REPORT TODAY.
UM, NOT TODAY, BUT WE'LL GET A REPORT TO THE BOARD.
AT THIS TIME, THAT'LL CONCLUDE, UH, ITEM C FOR OUR INFORMATION ONLY.
[D.1. Update from Superintendent]
D, RECEIVE INFORMATION UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.WILL YOU BE PROVIDING THAT TODAY FOR US ATTORNEY CHAMBLIN? I BELIEVE THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS SUBMITTED A VIDEO REPORT FOR HIS, UM, HIS REPORT.
SO I BELIEVE IT'S QUEUED UP BY IT, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND RUN THAT.
I WANNA WELCOME YOU TO THIS BOARD MEETING AND BEGIN BY APOLOGIZING FOR MY ABSENCE.
IT IS IRONIC THAT I HAD LONG AGO COMMITTED TO TAKE PART IN A CONVERSATION AROUND STRATEGY WITH THE COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS MEETING IN WASHINGTON, DC ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES YOU ALL WILL BE CONSIDERING AND DISCUSSING TONIGHT.
THIS IS A LEADERSHIP COHORT MADE UP OF 78 OF THE LARGEST URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN AMERICA WHO MANAGE THE SAME PROGRESS AND PROBLEMS WE DO IN EBR R SCHOOLS.
THEY ALSO FACE MANY OF THE SAME CHALLENGES, AS YOU MAY KNOW, SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES INVOLVE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ON SCHOOL CAMPUSES, SPECIFICALLY PHYSICAL ALTERCATIONS.
TOO OFTEN THESE INCIDENTS ARE THE RESIDUAL OUTCOMES OF DISAGREEMENTS THAT BEGIN OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DOMAIN AND MIGRATE ONTO CAMPUS.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS LENDS TO BYSTANDERS BECOMING WITNESSES TO PHYSICAL ALTERCATIONS AND OFTEN RECORD VIDEO AND SHARE ONLINE AS AN UNACCEPTABLE ADDITION.
WE'VE SEEN TOO MANY INSTANCES OF ADULT FAMILY MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES SHOWING UP TO OUR SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE EVENTS.
TONIGHT, YOU'LL DISCUSS SOME AGENDA ITEM DETAILS THAT AIM TO STRENGTHEN AND AUGMENT OUR CURRENT SECURITY POLICIES IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS THESE
[00:35:01]
ISSUES, WHETHER THEY ARE DISRUPTIONS OR DANGEROUS FROM ENSURING A VIOLENCE FREE WORKPLACE TO CAMPUS CONDUCT, WE WILL NOT CONDONE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE OR EVEN THREATS TO OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.I'D ALSO BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION THAT WHILE TOO MANY OF THESE SECURITY ISSUES RESULT IN OUR SCHOOLS, THEY ALMOST ALWAYS MANIFEST OUTSIDE OF OUR WALLS IN SOME FORM.
SO THE CHALLENGE WE FACE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT MIRROR THOSE FACE WITHIN OUR ENTIRE PARISH LANDSCAPE AND INCLUDE A MYRIAD SOCIETAL, CULTURAL, AND CIRCUMSTANTIAL FACTORS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
WHILE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS AN INSTITUTION, SO IS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO IS THE POLITICAL SYSTEM COMPRISED OF ELECTED LEADERS AND FAMILY IS ALSO AN INSTITUTION.
WE MUST INCLUDE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT SUFFER THE SAME CHALLENGES AND CAN LEND TO THE SOLUTION.
WITH THAT FOCUS, WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN CONVERSATIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES OF E B R, MAYOR, PRESIDENT OFFICE, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BUSINESS LEADERS, FAMILY COURT, AND TRUANCY COMMITTEE.
IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY TAKE A COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH CONTINUITY AND VIGOR.
WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, WE ARE WORKING ON A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AS A COHORT TO PROVIDE INPUT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COLLECTIVE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS AT EVERY LEVEL FROM THE LIVING ROOM TO THE CLASSROOM.
AS A FINAL BUT IMPORTANT MENTION, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT EDUCATION TAX RENEWAL ELECTION IS A WEEK FROM SATURDAY ON MARCH 25TH.
THIS FUNDING REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR DISTRICT BUDGET, AND EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO THE CLASSROOM FROM TEACHERS SALARIES AND RAISES TO STUDENT RESOURCES AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.
PLEASE TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO GET OUT AND VOTE ON MARCH 25TH.
AT THIS TIME, THAT CONCLUDES ITEM D ONE UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.
[E.1. Resolution: "Art In Schools Month"]
ITEM E.FIRST ITEM FOR ITEM E IS RESOLUTIONS RESOLUTION, ART AND SCHOOLS MONTH.
CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE ADOPTION OF A RE RECORD, I'M SORRY, OF A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MARCH, 2023 AS ARTS AND SCHOOLS MONTH.
CAN I GET A MOTION MOVED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIP MR. LAND.
WHEREAS MARCH HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY THE NATIONAL DANCE EDUCATION ORGANIZATION HAS DAN IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.
MUSIC EDUCATION IS MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH BY THE NATIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATION AS THEATER IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH, AND BY THE COUNCIL FOR ARTS EDUCATION AS YOUTH ART MONTH.
AND WHEREAS ARTS EDUCATION AND EAST PATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS INCLUDES FOUR SEPARATE AND DISTINCT DISCIPLINES, DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, ARTS, AND VISUAL ARTS, EACH WITH ITS OWN BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.
AND WHEREAS THE ARTS HAVE BEEN PART OF LIFE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND ARE AN INSEPARABLE PART OF THE HUMAN JOURNEY, DESCRIBING, DEFINING AND DEEPENING THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
AND WHEREAS THE ARTS ARE EVERYWHERE IN OUR LIVES, ADDING DEPTH AND DIMENSION TO THE ENVIRONMENT WE LIVE IN AND SHAPING OUR EXPERIENCE DAILY.
AND WHEREAS ALL STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN ARTS EDUCATION COURSES BENEFIT FROM THE SKILLS AND PROCESSES DEVELOP THROUGH THE ARTS, AND APPLY THOSE SKILLS IN A VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES AND SETTINGS, NO MATTER THEIR INTENDED CAREER PATH.
AND WHEREAS ARTS EDUCATION CONTRIBUTES TO STUDENTS' DEVELOPMENT THROUGH HEIGHTENED SKILLS IN LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING HUMAN EXPERIENCES, CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, ADAPTING TO AND RESPECTING OTHERS, DIVERSE WAYS OF THINKING, COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY AS WELL AS ANALYZING NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION, READING SELF-EXPRESSION, IMAGINATION OF HUMANKIND, CREATIVITY.
AND WHEREAS ARTS EDUCATION INNOVATIVELY IGNITES AND ENGAGES LEARNERS PERSONALLY AND ENHANCES THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL MORALE, AS WELL AS THE QUALITY OF ALL STUDENTS IN ALL SCHOOL CULTURES, BY HELPING DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE, BOOSTS SELF-RELIANCE AND INCREASE EMPATHY AND COMPASSION TOWARDS ONESELF AND OTHERS.
AND WHEREAS ARTS EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL STUDENTS IN E E B R AS PART OF A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED.
THE EAST BATON ROUGE SCHOOL BOARD DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH, 2023 AS ARTS IN OUR SCHOOL MONTH AND URGES ALL CITIZENS TO CELEBRATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ARTS EDUCATION AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EVERY STUDENT'S EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
[00:40:01]
IN THE BATON ROUGE, UH, PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.SEE WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS FROM OUR BOARD? MS. I'M SORRY.
VICE PRESIDENT MS. CAR POWELL.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THIS IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
THE IDEA OF HAVING ARTS, UH, RECOGNIZED WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.
UH, RESEARCH HAS SHOWN JUST AS, UM, BOARD MEMBER MARTIN MENTIONED THAT, UH, WHEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ARTS OR ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, THAT HELPS TO ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO BE WELL-ROUNDED.
IT ACTUALLY PROVIDES SOME, UH, IN SOME CASES, INFORMAL AND SOMETIMES FORMAL SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
UH, I SPEAK FOR MYSELF WHEN I THINK OF, UM, MY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN MUSIC, UH, WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN MUSIC THROUGH KIDS ORCHESTRA, THROUGH OTHER ARTS PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVIDED.
UM, MY, MY NIECE RIGHT NOW IS A PART OF, UM, I THINK IT'S CALLED COLORS AND KICK IT OUT WHERE THEY GO ON SUNDAYS FOR PRACTICE.
AND IT'S, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT IS SUPPORTED WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEN THEY HAVE A, A FINAL PERFORMANCE.
UH, IT PROVIDES AN OUTLET FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN SOME CASES, DEAL WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OPENLY SPEAK OUT ABOUT.
AND THEN IN THE END, IT ALLOWS THEM TO, TO BE ABLE TO THINK THROUGH A LOT OF, UM, THE, THE, THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY HAVE WITHIN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, UM, TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS OF PROVIDING, UH, ARTS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MCKINNON.
UM, I, I SPOKE ON THIS, UH, AT PAST MEETINGS.
OBVIOUSLY I'M A PROMOTER OF ALL THINGS ARTS.
I THINK THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, UM, ESPECIALLY IN SCHOOL.
UM, BUT I WANNA BRING A LITTLE ATTENTION TO, UM, THE TEACHER SIDE THAT, AND AS WELL AS THE STUDENT SIDE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL TEACHERS, UM, ARTS EDUCATION TEACHERS IN EBR R WHO ARE, ARE STRETCHED VERY THIN, UM, IN AND OVERLOADED WITH, WITH, UM, WITH TASKS.
UM, THIS ACTUALLY BEING ONE OF THEM, UM, A A A A QUICK, UH, DISPLAY OF ALL THE THINGS THAT, THAT ARE BEING DONE, UH, WITH ARTS PROGRAMS. WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL RECEIVED MAILERS ABOUT EVERY SCHOOL EVERY DAY, WHICH IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL, BUT IT, IT, THERE NEEDS TO BE ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ARTS TEACHERS THAT FUNDING NEEDS TO BE, UM, PROVIDED FOR THAT, UM, TO, TO HELP WITH THE CURRENT TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE WHO ARE OVERLOADED AND BEING MOVED FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
UM, NOT, NOT HAVING A PLACE, UH, TO TEACH, UH, THEIR, THEIR CLASSES BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A CONSIDERED A
UM, SO THAT NEEDS MAJOR IMPROVEMENT.
BUT ALSO, UM, WE, WE NEED MORE ARTS TEACHERS OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE I'M, I'M STILL WORKING ON COMPILING INFORMATION ON HOW MANY STUDENTS RECEIVE ARTS EDUCATION, WHICH, WHICH SCHOOLS GET IT, WHICH SCHOOLS DON'T.
UM, THERE'S STILL OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE OUT THERE THAT I'VE NOT GOTTEN ALL THE INFORMATION.
SO I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M NOT PREPARED TO, TO SPEAK TO THAT TODAY.
UM, BUT THESE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED QUITE SOME TIME AGO.
UM, BUT IN THIS RESOLUTION, WE, IT SAYS ARTS EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL STUDENTS IN E B R AS PART OF A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION.
AND, AND I HOPE THAT ALL THE YESES THAT WE GET ON THIS TONIGHT ARE HONORED LATER ON WHEN WE HAVE ACTUAL REAL CHANGE UP HERE TO BE DECIDED UPON.
UM, THERE'S AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF STUDENTS IN EBR R THAT AREN'T RECEIVING ANY ARTS EDUCATION, AND THAT IS, IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.
UM, SO I'D HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN THIS EFFORT TO BRING MORE ARTS TO EVERY, EVERY CHILD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AS WE CONTINUE TO GO ALONG, UH, GOING THROUGH OUR BUDGET, WE WILL CERTAINLY LOOK, LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING FOR THAT.
UH, NEXT IN THE QUEUE, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PATRICK MARTIN.
[00:45:01]
JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE A COUPLE OF NOTES.ONE ON A PERSONAL NOTE, MY WIFE IS A, UM, ART HISTORY MAJOR IN COLLEGE AND HAS BEEN A, UH, AN ARTS EDUCATOR IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE PAST, AS WELL AS OUR PRIVATE SCHOOLS HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF ARTS IN MY, IN MY HOME LIFE.
UM, AND, AND SECOND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE SAW A PRESENTATION BRIEFLY FROM A TARA HIGH STUDENT AT I THINK OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.
AND I WENT TO AN EVENT THAT THEY HAD.
UM, THE, THE COLLECTIVELY THE ARTS AND THE ENGLISH TEACHERS THERE HAD PUT TOGETHER A, A GROUP PROJECT WHERE ALL OF THE, UH, FRESHMEN, UH, THE NINTH GRADE STUDENTS HAD, UH, GOTTEN INTO GROUPS AND WRITTEN CHILDREN'S BOOKS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY.
THAT WAS THE TOP, THE GENERAL THEME OR TOPIC THAT THEY WERE TO COVER WAS HOW THEY HAD OVERCOME SOME KIND OF HURDLE.
AND I WENT TO EVENT THAT THEY HAD WHERE THEY INVITED THE FAMILIES TO COME, AND THEY HAD SET UP EACH GROUP AT A TABLE WITH COPIES OF THEIR, UH, BOOKS THAT THEY HAD PRINTED UP AND, AND HAD AVAILABLE FOR SALE.
AND I TALKED TO A BUNCH OF THE STUDENTS AND IT WAS REMARKABLE, UM, HOW MUCH THEY HAD TAKEN AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? AND SOME OF THE ART WAS REALLY GOOD.
SOME OF THE ART WAS REALLY NOT.
UM, BUT ALL OF THE STORIES WERE VERY COMPELLING.
AND AS I TALKED TO THE STUDENTS, THEY, THEY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT HAVING LEARNED HOW TO DRAW BETTER OR EVEN TALKED ABOUT, UM, HOW TO WRITE A STORY.
THEY LEARNED SOME OF THOSE THINGS, WHAT THEY ACTUALLY LEARNED HOW TO DO MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
EVERY ONE OF THEM TOLD ME WAS THEY LEARNED, A, THAT IT'S VERY HARD TO WORK IN A GROUP
AND IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN YOU CAN KIND OF GET PAST THE INTERPERSONAL THINGS THAT WE ALL HAVE GOING ON.
AND, AND THAT COLLABORATIVE PROJECT, WHICH HAD A VERY SIGNIFICANT ARTS COMPONENT TO IT, UH, IT WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THEM TO LEARNING SOME VERY PROFOUND LIFE LESSONS.
SO I THINK, UM, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE DIFFERENCE THAT ARTS EDUCATION CAN MAKE IN OUR KIDS, IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE ARTS TEACHERS THAT, THAT ARE LABORING OUT THERE.
AS MS. SKINNESS NOTES UNDERPAID AND VASTLY OVERWORKED, WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOU DO.
UH, BOARD MEMBER MARTIN, AND I JUST PUT MYSELF INSIDE OF THE CUBE.
MR. JIAN, YOU IN THE BUILDING.
I JUST WANTED ANYBODY, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE PHENOMENAL WORK THAT MR. JIAN DOES INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS AROUND ART, HE IS PHENOMENAL WITH HOW HE WORKS WITH OUR TEACHERS, HOW HE WORKS WITH OUR STUDENTS, HOW HE TRIES TO ENHANCE PROGRAMMING.
AND I KNOW HE HAS SOME GREAT AND AMAZING THINGS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE.
LOOK, I WON'T EVEN GIVE IT AWAY, MR. JIAN, BUT I WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME OUT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU INSIDE OF THE CROWD TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE AMAZING THINGS YOU DO AROUND ART.
UH, NEXT UP INSIDE OF THE QUEUE, WE HAVE S SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
UM, THANK YOU KATIE, WITH THE TIE ON.
YOU KIND OF GOT ME TO KENNY, BUT
UM, FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, I HAD OP OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HIM, MISS CYNTHIA OBIE AT MENTORSHIP ACADEMY, WHO WAS A ARTS TEACHER.
AND SHE'S SAD TO SAY SHE'S RETIRED AND LEFT THE SYSTEM, BUT I WISH SHE WOULD COME BACK.
SHE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH ART.
OUR KIDS ACTUALLY HAD ABOUT A SIX WEEK, UM, SHOWING AT THE SHAW CENTER.
AND IT TRULY DOES UNLOCK THE DOORS.
IT OPENS CHILDREN'S MINDS UP TO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, MS. KENON.
WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME FORM OF ART IS AVAILABLE TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
IF WE ARE GOING TO A HOLISTICALLY EDUCATE THEM ALL, LIKE WE PROCLAIM THAT WE WANT TO DO.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN, PATRICK AND THEIRS.
S SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LEWIS, SEEING NO OTHER NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE AT THIS TIME.
WE'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC OR THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
JAMES FEENEY HAS JUST WALKED IN.
WHEN THE BUDGET PROCESS COMES ALONG WITH RESPECT TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THE BOARD MEMBERS MAKE, UNDERSTAND THAT ARENS ARTS ARE NOT AN EXTRA THAT YOU PAY FOR JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE SOME EXTRA MONEY.
ARTS ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT VIOLENCE, THINK ABOUT HOW ACTIVE THE ARTS PROGRAM IS AT THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.
UH, THERE ANY CO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME? SCENE? NONE.
[00:50:04]
MS. KENON.I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SECOND WHAT DR.
IT'S, IT SEEMS, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE THINKING CONCRETELY THAT, UM, AN ELEMENT TO HEALING A SCHOOL THAT'S HAVING TROUBLE WITH VIOLENCE, UM, ADDING AN ART CLASS, HOW WOULD THAT HELP? BUT IF WE THINK ABOUT THE SITUATION OUTSIDE OF THE BOX IN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT DYNAMIC WAYS, IT'S DIRECTLY CAN DIRECTLY AFFECT THIS SITU, THIS GROWING SITUATION WE HAVE.
SO WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS, UM, TO THE, THE, THE GROWING VIOLENCE ISSUE, WE, WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES TO CONSIDER ALL ELEMENTS OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A HEALTHY PERSON AND WHAT, WHAT EACH KID NEEDS IN THEIR LIVES TO BE.
AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
IS MS. MONIQUE SPADING IN THE BUILDING? CAN YOU WAVE YOUR HAND? IS THAT NOTED? CAN WE GET THAT ON THE THANK YOU AS WE CAN CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
MS. KENSON, WE'LL BE SURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT A PRIORITY.
SEEING NO OTHER NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO TO THE VOTE.
WE'RE VOTING THE MOTION CARRIES.
[E.2. Resolution: "National School Breakfast Week"]
WE'RE GOING TO ITEM E TWO RESOLUTION NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST, BREAKFAST WEEK.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MARCH 6TH THROUGH THE 10TH, 2023 AS NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK AT THIS TIME WILL ACT THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BALLOU READ IT AND READ THE RESOLUTION INTO ORDER.
WHEREAS THE SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM HAS SERVED OUR NATION ADMIRABLY SINCE IT WAS PERMANENTLY ESTABLISHED IN 1975.
AND WHEREAS THE SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO THE, TO THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR NATION'S CHILDREN.
AND WHEREAS THE SCHOOL BREAST BREAKFAST PROGRAM JOINS AND HAS BEEN JOINED THROUGH THE YEARS BY MANY OTHER EXCELLENT CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS. AND WHEREAS THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD NUTRITION AND SERVES OVER 55,000 MEALS DAILY.
AND WHEREAS THE EVIDENCE OF CONTINUED NEED FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF THE VALUE OF SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 6TH THROUGH 10TH 2023 AS NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK.
THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS DIG INTO SCHOOL BREAKFAST.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BELU, MOVE BY MEMBER BELU.
SECONDED BY MEMBER GOK SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER GOK.
AT THIS TIME, I GO TO THE QUEUE TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANYBODY INSIDE.
IF I COULD GO BACK IN TIME
AND I'M LOVING THE THEME BY THE WAY.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS DEALING WITH THIS ITEM FROM, UH, ANY OF OUR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? I SEE S SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS IS THE SIDE OF THE QUEUE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
YOU GOT KIDS WHO COME TO SCHOOL HUNGRY.
AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, SOME OF 'EM CAN ONLY GET ONE SERVING.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S A NATIONAL DEAL, OKAY.
BUT IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING TO CARVE IT OUT AND MAKE IT MORE LOCAL, OUR KIDS NEED TO EAT BREAKFAST.
THE BREAKFAST WAS SO BAD AT THE SCHOOL 10 YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED WORKING THERE, WE KICKED THE PEOPLE OUT AND BOUGHT IN OUR OWN CHEFS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD PARENTS WHO WORKED DOWNTOWN CAME TO SCHOOL TO EAT BREAKFAST AND LUNCH WITH THEIR KIDS.
[00:55:02]
SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DIG INTO BREAKFAST FOR SURE, BUT WE NEED TO DIG INTO WHAT KIND OF BREAKFAST THEY'RE GETTING AND HOW MUCH CAN THEY HAVE.AND LET'S MAKE SURE NO KID GOES HUNGRY THE WAY TO THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR HEADS IS THROUGH THEIR STOMACH.
I UNDERSTAND THE NATIONAL BREAKFAST AND ALL THAT, BUT I, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HOW IT'S CARRIED OUT.
AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS ARE DEFINITELY WELL FELT.
AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF OUR KIDS DO.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE FOOD AT HOME.
SO THE VERY FIRST MEAL THEY EAT IS BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING.
SO I THINK, UH, THAT SENTIMENT IS FELL NOT ONLY ON THIS BOARD, BUT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE ROOM.
AND WE, WE WILL DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT.
UH, NEXT INSIDE OF THE QUEUE WE HAVE SCUBA MEMBER MARTIN, UH, THANK YOU.
I THINK YOUR, YOUR CONCERNS ARE, ARE CERTAINLY THE, THE RIGHT WAY FOR US TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IN, IN A VARIETY OF AREAS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB ON AS WE, AS WE CONTINUE IN THIS ROLE, IS FOCUSED ON, ON RESULTS, NOT INPUTS OR ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE.
IF, IF WE'RE PROVIDING, UH, SOME MEAL EVERY DAY, BUT THE STUDENTS ARE JUST NOT INTERESTED IN EATING IT FOR WHATEVER REASON, UM, THEN THAT'S NOT DOING ANYBODY GOOD.
SO, SO I THINK WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH LIKE HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE DEVELOP METRICS THAT WE CAN MEASURE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? I DID CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD, UM, SOMEBODY FROM THE U S D A COME TO JEFFERSON TERRACE AND MEET WITH THE MAYOR AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, I WAS THERE A COUPLE OF OTHERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL BIG SHOW AND ALL LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
WE CAN PUT ON A GOOD SHOW WHEN WE WANT TO.
UM, IS THAT THE SAME BREAKFAST THEY HAVE EVERY DAY? I, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, UM, AND, AND IS THAT A BREAKFAST THAT'S DESIRABLE TO THOSE STUDENTS? YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY CERTAINLY ALL SEEM TO BE HAPPY AND THEY GO BACK INTO THEIR LITTLE, WE WENT WITH THE KINDERGARTENS TO WATCH 'EM, WATCH 'EM, YOU KNOW, VERY EXCITED TO, TO, TO, TO HAVE THAT.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO, WE NEED, WE NEED A WAY AS A BOARD TO SEE AND NOT JUST STOP BY THE SCHOOL ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS WHEN THEY KNOW WE'RE COMING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND ON A GLOBAL LEVEL WHAT'S BEING DONE.
AND ARE ARE, ARE WE ACTUALLY PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH THE NUTRITION THAT WE THINK WE ARE BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY ON IT.
AND THE U S D A HAS A TON OF MONEY THEY'RE HAPPY TO GIVE TO US TO FEED KIDS.
UM, UM, AND, AND WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, WE NEED TO DO IT IN A SMART WAY.
NEXT WE HAVE VICE PRESIDENT POWELL.
SO I'M GONNA ASK, I GUESS MR. SHAMAN, BECAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS QUESTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO, BUT HAS THERE BEEN A SURVEY OR ANY TYPE OF, UM, UM, DR.
MANN CAN COME FORWARD, UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY SURVEY, UH, PUT IN PLACE OR HAS THERE BEEN ANY WAY THAT WE HAVE ASSESSED THE SUCCESS OF US HAVING CHEFS NOW THAT, THAT WORK IN OUR NUTRITION DEPARTMENT? HAVE WE SEEN A DIFFERENCE IN THE RATE OF STUDENTS WHO ARE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN BREAKFAST AND LUNCH? MS. HALL OR DR.
MANN NUTRITION IS ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT I MANAGE AND WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES AND I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT CHILD NUTRITION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE AND I'M OPEN TO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE, WE'VE HIRED REGIONAL CHEFS, WE'VE REVAMPED THE MENU FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2324.
WE'VE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN TASTE TESTING AT THE TEACHERS, UM, COUNCIL, UH, ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE PRINCIPAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.
UH, WE ALSO DID THE STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL AND COME INTO A THEATER NEAR YOU.
YOU GUYS ARE NEXT, NEXT MONTH.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE SUPER HAPPY.
YOU KNOW, UNCOMFORTABLE MAKES US WORK, RIGHT? SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ARE COMING.
I JUST WANT YOU TO JUST HANG ON WITH US CUZ WE'RE GONNA GET IT RIGHT.
AND I DO RECOGNIZE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THERE'S A PASSION FOR ME CUZ THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE SPACE THAT I CAME FROM.
SO WHEN A CHILD PUTS A MEAL IN THE GARBAGE, I'M UPSET CUZ THAT'S MONEY THAT GOES IN THE GARBAGE, MY TAXPAYERS MONEY, YOUR TAXPAYERS MONEY, ET CETERA.
SO WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN AND WE'RE WELCOME ANYONE, BOARD MEMBERS OR EVEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANTS TO COME OUT ANY, WE EVEN HAD THE PARENT TEST TASTING LAST MONTH.
SO WE'RE GOING AROUND AND WE'RE HITTING ALL THE SPOTS AND WE ARE EAGER AND OPEN TO HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO SAY.
PRESIDENT LANI, VICE PRESIDENT POWELL AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, E B R PARTICIPATED IN A PILOT BREAKFAST PROGRAM IN 1968 PRIOR TO, AS IT WAS MENTIONED, 1975
[01:00:01]
WHEN IT WAS MANDATED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.BUT WE WERE AHEAD OF THE BALL YEARS AND YEARS AGO IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AND IN LOUISIANA BY WAY OF OFFERING OUR KIDS A BREAKFAST.
IN 1997, I WANNA SAY BEFORE 1997, KIDS HAD TO PAY FOR THEIR MEAL, EITHER REDUCE PRICE OR FREE BASED ON THEIR APPLICATION.
1997, I BROUGHT IT TO L D E TO ALLOW EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH TO PROVIDE A FREE BREAKFAST TO ALL STUDENTS.
AND IT WAS BASED ON THE PERCENT OF, UM, FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS.
AND FROM 1997 UNTIL 20, UH, 15, WE, WE ACTUALLY WERE THE ONLY DISTRICT IN THE STATE THAT HAD FREE BREAKFAST FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS.
THERE WAS NO OTHER LARGE DISTRICT, THERE WAS NO OTHER SMALL DISTRICT THAT DID IT, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THAT OFF.
SO FAST FORWARD TO 2015 WHEN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH BECAME A CCEP P OR COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY DISTRICT, WHICH BROUGHT IN NOT ONLY BREAKFAST FREE OF CHARGE, BUT LUNCH FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, ONE FREE MEAL.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE SO MANY KIDS, 20 UP TO 20,000 STUDENTS A DAY.
BUT WE STILL LACKED THE ABILITY TO GET ALL OF THOSE KIDS THROUGH THE LINE.
WE ONLY HAD 15 MINUTES BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
SO WE BROUGHT IN BREAKFAST IN THE CLASSROOM, WHICH WAS OFFERED.
AND UNDER, UM, SUPERINTENDENT DRAKE, HE ALLOWED THE PRINCIPALS TO ELECT TO VOLUNTARILY ELECT BREAKFAST IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE STARTED WITH FIVE PRINCIPALS.
IT GREW TO 35 PRINCIPALS AND WE WERE IN 35 SCHOOLS.
THEN OF COURSE WHEN COVID HIT THINGS SHUT DOWN.
AND IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020 WHEN KIDS WERE BROUGHT BACK INTO SCHOOL AND THEY WERE HOUSED IN THE CLASSROOM, WE HAD A MODEL ALREADY SET UP.
AND THAT WAS OUR BREAKFAST IN THE CLASSROOM MODEL.
SO WE ROLLED OUT THE LUNCHE IN THE CLASSROOM AND WE KEPT RIGHT ON MOVING.
SO, UM, THE THEME AT U S D A HAS A THEME EVERY YEAR.
AND THIS YEAR IT WAS DIG INTO SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND WE BROUGHT IN A MASCOT, UM, BOB THE BUILDER AND THE KIDS WERE SO EXCITED.
UM, WE HAD, UM, A LOT OF PRESS THAT CAME ABOUT AT, UH, JEFFERSON TERRACE AND WE SERVED 587 STUDENTS IN 20 MINUTES, WHICH IS REMARKABLE.
THE KIDS DID ENJOY THEIR MEAL.
AND IF YOU GO BACK THIS WEEK, YOU'LL SEE THE SAME THING THERE AND AT, AT OTHER SCHOOLS.
SO, UM, THIS YEAR WE WERE, UM, THE BOB THE BUILDER WENT TO, TO, UM, NINE SCHOOLS IS IS WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO GO TO.
WE SAID HE WAS ON TOUR AND SO THE KIDS DID LIKE IT.
BUT WE FEED ABOUT 18,000 STUDENTS EVERY MORNING IN 20 MINUTES.
AND, UH, THAT'S QUITE A FEAT BECAUSE, UM, WE CAN'T TAKE INSTRUCTION TIME.
SO BEFORE CLASS, WHEN, UH, THE KIDS ARE, UH, THEY GET THEIR MEAL, THEY GO TO CLASS, AND BY THE TIME THAT BELL RINGS, THE HALLS MIGHT BE EMPTY BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE READY TO TO, TO LEARN.
THEY'RE ALREADY WITH THEIR TEACHER.
WE SERVE 22,000 LUNCHES EVERY DAY.
WE, WE ARE THE SECOND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT WE SERVE MORE KIDS THAN JEFFERSON PARISH DOES.
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A LITTLE BIT UNDER THEM IN ENROLLMENT, WE SERVE MORE KIDS.
WE ARE, WE ARE ALWAYS STRIVE TO IMPROVE AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHEFS COMING AND WORKING WITH THE KIDS, UM, THIS COMING YEAR AND SOME CHANGES GOING ON.
IF YOU DON'T MIND MY ASKING, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SERVING THE KIDS OF OUR DISTRICT? A LONG TIME.
DO YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT YEAR I STARTED? YES MA'AM.
I, I WAS AWAY FROM THE DISTRICT.
I BROKE, UH, AWAY THREE YEARS WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL MID MIDWAY.
BUT I STARTED IN 19 75, 19 75.
SHE'S BEEN A PART OF THIS DISTRICT SERVING THE KIDS OF OUR DISTRICT.
I JUST TELL YOU, UH, THE RESPECT OF YOURSELF, THE RESPECT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU AND YOUR WORKERS OR STAFF HAD TO GO THROUGH DURING THE PANDEMIC.
I WAS THERE, I SAW IT AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY ON THOSE FRONT LINES, WHILE NO SCHOOL IS, YOU KNOW, WHILE OUR BUILDINGS ARE EMPTY.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART AND
[01:05:01]
I THINK I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THIS BOARD, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR DISTRICT.THIS TIME NOW I SEE NUMBER ONE NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
WE'LL GO TO OUR PUBLIC AND I HAVE A FEW CUE CARDS.
FIRST UP IS MS. KORANDA CORLEY.
I AM A PROUD PARENT AND DISABILITIES ADVOCATE.
CORINTH IS A FUTURE SELF-ADVOCATE REPRESENTING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
IT IS VERY, VERY HORRIBLE THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN HERE SINCE 1975.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN THAT HAVE SPECIALIZED DIETS SUCH AS CORINTH THAT IS NOT GETTING THEIR NEEDS MET BY OUR DIETARY DEPARTMENT.
WE WANNA TALK ABOUT CHILDREN THAT MAY BE SOCIOECONOMIC, DISADVANTAGED, THAT'S NOT GETTING FOOD.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE RECEIVING THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDING COURTESY OF FDA AND YOU ARE NOT MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN GET A WELL-BALANCED DIET.
LET'S GO A LITTLE STEP FURTHER.
I PROVIDED EMAILS TO EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEMBER THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE NINE OF THEM AND THERE'S MORE THAN NINE EMAILS THAT I'VE BEEN SENDING OUT FAITHFULLY SINCE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
NOT JUST THIS YEAR, THE YEAR BEFORE TOO.
OUR SUPERINTENDENT WHO MANAGED TO BE ABSENT FOR THIS PART NEED TO HAVE HIS ASS SITTING RIGHT THERE SO HE CAN HEAR IT TOO.
I'M GONNA BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT 1 50, 1 54 APRIL.
MS. CORLEY, I'LL ASK IF WE PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.
NO PROFANITY USE INSIDE OF THIS ROOM PLEASE, AS IN BIBLE, BUT KEEP GOING.
SO WHEN WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE WANNA TEACH THESE CHILDREN THE CORRECT THING, LET'S MAKE SURE WE TEACH THEM ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC POLICY, OKAY? BECAUSE ACCORDING TO FEDERAL LAW, IF OUR DIETARY DEPARTMENT SEEMS TO FAIL AT PROVIDING OUR CHILDREN WITH FOOD IN ACCORDANCE TO WHAT THE FDA REGULATION STATE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE VOUCHER.
NOW MY CHILD IS SEVERELY ALLERGIC TO MILK AND SOY.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND DISCLOSE HIS HIPAA PROTECTED INFORMATION FOR YOU CUZ THE SCHOOL SYSTEM LIKE TO LOSE IT.
SO I'MA SAY IT, HE'S SEVERELY ALLERGIC TO MILK AND SOY.
HE HAVE EPIPENS AT THE SCHOOL.
AND NOT ONCE HAVE WE RECEIVED OUR VOUCHER.
IN FACT, WE ARE ABOUT TO GO TO FEDERAL COURT AGAINST THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR FAILING TO FOLLOW THAT LAW.
NOW WHEN ARE Y'ALL GOING? GET UP OFF THE POT AND ACTUALLY DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
YOU KNOW, THE OLD FOLKS SAY IF IT'S TOO HOT IN THE KITCHEN, GET OUT, THEN MAYBE SOME OF Y'ALL NEED TO VACATE THESE SEATS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT MAKING SURE THAT THAT DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY SUPPOSED TO DO ACCORDING TO FEDERAL LAW.
LET'S GO A LIST, STEP FURTHER.
SO IT'S ALSO LISTED IN HIS HEALTH PLAN THAT'S ATTACHED TO THAT I E P, WHICH MEANS THAT THAT NOW FALLS UPON THE I D A IN ADDITION TO FDA.
LET'S GO A THIS STEP FURTHER BECAUSE HE HAVE A DISABILITY.
NOW IT GOES UPON THE AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT IN ADDITION TO THE MOTHER TWO AND THE, AND THE LAW KEEPS GOING ON AND ON CUZ IT ALSO IS A 5 0 4 AND A 5 0 1 REHABILITATION ACT PROBLEM TWO.
SO I THINK THAT IF Y'ALL GOING SIT IN THOSE SEATS, YOU BETTER LEARN AND MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS TO KNOW THOSE LAWS AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY ADHERING TO IT.
BEFORE YOU WANNA TRY TO CEL CELEBRATE NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ACTUALLY FOLLOWING FEDERAL LAW.
OH, CORINTH, YOU WANNA TELL HIM SOMETHING? YOU WANT YOUR VOUCHER.
WHOLE FOODS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
POINT, POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
AND MS. CORLEY DON'T LEAVE YET.
SO MY, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT WHEN YOU SUBMITTED THAT DOCUMENTATION AT YOUR SON'S SCHOOL, WHAT WAS THE NEXT STEP? THE NEXT STEP OR WHAT HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THAT? OKAY, SO THE NEXT STEP, ACCORDING TO EBR R'S SCHOOL SYSTEM POLICY, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY THAT ACTUALLY GIVE YOU A COMPLAINT PROCESS OF WHAT A PARENT IS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW.
THE ONLY THING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAVE AND EVERYBODY CAN PULL IT UP ON EBR R'S WEBSITE CUZ THE WEBSITE IS VERY NEW AND UPDATED.
IF YOU JUST IN CASE Y'ALL WANT MS. CORLEY, MS. CORLEY, THERE'S A FORM THAT SAID THAT YOU SUPPOSED TO FILL OUT IF YOUR CHILD IS LACTOSE INTOLERANT OR IF YOUR CHILD HAVE ANY ANAPHYLAXIS REACTION.
HIS DOCTOR SUBMITTED MORE THAN FOUR DOCUMENTS ABOUT THAT.
NOW THEN AFTER THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MADE US HAVE TO GO BACK TO HIS STATE FACILITATED I P WHICH WE DID WITH NO PROBLEM, MADE SURE IT WAS INCORPORATED IN HIS HEALTH PLAN, WHICH WE DID.
ON TOP OF THAT, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THEN LEGALLY HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT TO DR.
NAING MANN GBE AND WHAT'S THE OTHER LADY? FRAISE WILLIAMS. THEY SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE IT, WHICH I WENT A STEP FURTHER AND I PROVIDED IT TO THEM MYSELF.
I EVEN MADE SURE THAT THE BOARD HAD IT.
I CONTINUE TO SEND THE EMAIL, NOT JUST ABOUT THE FOOD, I DO TRANSPORTATION TO, I DO ALL THE REQ, ALL THE ADA, UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NOT BEING
[01:10:01]
ADHERED TO AND FOLLOWED FOR NOT JUST HIM BUT OTHER CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THAT MATRICULATES INTO THE BUILDING LIKE HE DO.AND NOTHING, NOTHING IS BEING ADDRESSED.
AND SO WHEN WE GET TO TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY PROBLEMS THAT WE GOT WHEN IT COMES TO THESE KIDS FIGHTING AND STUFF, THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE FOR ME TO BRING UP THAT TALKS ABOUT THESE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THE FAILURE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO HAVE A SAFETY.
SO LET'S, SO LET'S STOP AT THE NUTRITION PART CUZ YOU JUST GAVE US A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO NOW WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TURNED IT INTO THE SCHOOL, THEN YOU DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE FROM, FROM THE SCHOOL NUTRITION DEPARTMENT OR WHAT HAVE YOU FROM THE CAFETERIA.
IS THAT CORRECT? I DIDN'T GET, UH, I MET WITH PATRICE, UH, WILLIAMS ALONG WITH CAFETERIA.
SO WHO IS, WHO IS PATRICE WILLIAMS? OKAY.
PATRICE WILLIAMS. COME ON, DR.
NA UH, MAN, YOU CAN COME BACK UP HERE.
SHE IS ONE OF THE, UH, SHE'S ONE OF THE, UH, PROGRAM MANAGERS UNDER, UH, CHILD NUTRITION.
AND SO SHE, HER ALONG WITH UH, CECIL GRIS BOTH SENT MENUS AND WE BROKE IT DOWN AND I MADE SURE ALL OF OUR NINE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WAS INCLUDED WHERE I CONTINUED TO ASK THEM.
SO LIKE ONE OF THE FOODS THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO DO WAS A MEAT CRUMBLE.
WHAT IS A MEAT CRUMBLE? I AIN'T NEVER HEARD OF A MEAT CRUMBLE A DAY IN MY LIFE.
WHAT IS THAT? WHEN THEY ELABORATED, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MEAT TAKEN OUTTA THE FROZEN FOOD SECTION.
OKAY, READ THE BACK OF THE BOX.
SAY THE FOOD IN THE FROZEN FOOD SECTION HAVE MILK AND SOY.
THAT'S WHAT VOTE SAY HE CAN'T HAVE IT.
OKAY, SO HAVE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE THAT'S ABOUT, THIS IS NOT GERMANE TO THE RESOLUTION AND THIS IS A PERSONAL PROBLEM.
UH, AND I DON'T THINK IT HAS A PRESENCE HERE AT THE BOARD MEETING.
I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING TO THAT.
WE ARE GETTING OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING ON THE ITEM RIGHT NOW.
NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE BEEN ON THIS, ON THIS PARTICULAR DISCUSSION FOR OVER FIVE MINUTES.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TABLE THIS AND MOVE ON AND MOVE ALONG TO THE NEXT PERSON THAT'S IN THE DISCUSSION.
HOWEVER, WE DON'T WANT THIS TO STOP HERE.
UH, THIS IS THE DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN HAVE AFTER THE BOARD MEETING, IF THAT'S FINE.
AND IF WE DON'T GET A RESOLUTION TODAY AFTER THIS BOARD MEETING, I'LL SEE EVERYBODY IN 19 JDC AND FEDERAL COURT.
NEXT WE HAVE MS. KATHY CARMICHAEL.
KATHY CARMICHAEL, DISTRICT SEVEN, MOTHER OF A HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT.
UM, I'M DELIGHTED THAT THE NUTRITION TEAM IS HERE TODAY.
IN FACT, I WAS IN ALEXANDRIA TODAY HOSTING A TRAINING ON SCHOOL NUTRITION, AND I WANTED TO BRING UP MR. LEWIS, WOULD YOU GET YOUR CALENDAR OUT? FRIDAY, MAY 5TH.
GET THE PEN
MS. KENON, FRIDAY, MAY 5TH IS SCHOOL LUNCH.
AND IN OCTOBER, IT'S NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES THAT WORK VERY HARD EVERY SINGLE DAY IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
THEY KNOW THE FIRST NAMES OF THESE KIDS THAT COME THROUGH THE LINE EVERY DAY.
THEY MAKE SURE THOSE KIDS WASH THEIR HANDS.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE NUTRITION DEPARTMENT FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND END ON THAT SO WE CAN MOVE ON.
THANK YOU, MS. CARMICHAEL, FOR THOSE HEARTFELT SENTIMENTS.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE MS. BRANDY, UH, MISS MELISSA, BRANDY, DID I SAY IT IN ORDER RIGHT? NO, IT'S BRANDY.
UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE ANIMATED OR LENGTHY, BUT THERE IS AN ACT THAT WAS PASSED IN THIS PAST LEGISLA LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT BEARS MY NAME THAT DEALS WITH EVERY MEAL, EVERY DAY INSIDE SCHOOL AND I, THAT ACT 6 26 THAT Y'ALL HAVE NOT IMPLEMENTED YET, AND IT'S BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER PARISHES AS A SMALLER THAN THIS ONE.
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND Y'ALL OF THAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, PATTY MERRICK, RETIRED TEACHERS.
THE SCHOOL FOOD SYSTEM IS A VERY, VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, HAS ALWAYS BEEN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TEACH THE KIDS THAT THE FOOD AT SCHOOL IS NOT GONNA BE LIKE THE FOOD AT HOME, BUT THE FOOD NEEDS TO BE HOT, WARM WHEN THOSE KIDS GET IT.
AND THE REASON WE HAVE FREE LUNCH AND FREE BREAKFAST IS BECAUSE WHEN CHARLOTTE PLA SEED WAS HERE AND ACCOMMODATED FOR THOSE FUNDS AND BECAUSE WHAT SHE SAVED IN THE SYSTEM ALLOWED E B R TO SERVE THOSE FREE MEALS.
I SENT THE SYSTEM, BUT WE APPRECIATE IT.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THOSE BUSES ARE
[01:15:01]
LATE, LIKE YOU SAY, IF YOU ALL ARE NOT THERE OR CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE NOT THERE, THEY RUSH THOSE KIDS RIGHT ON THROUGH AND TELL 'EM THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO EAT.THEY WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BUS.
THOSE KIDS COME FROM HOME, NO FOOD, GET ON THAT BUS HUNGRY.
WHATEVER HAPPENED WITH THE BUS BEING LATE OR WHATEVER HAPPENED WITH THEM GETTING THERE, THEY ARE USHERED TO CLASS BECAUSE THE BELL IS SOUNDING FOR THEM TO GO TO CLASS.
NOW, LUNCH, ACCORDING TO WHAT IS BEING SERVED FOR LUNCH, IT'S THE SAME THING FOR BREAKFAST.
KIDS EAT PANCAKE ON A STICK DAY.
AND YOU'VE GOT HUNGRY KIDS IN THE LINE AND THOSE KIDS CANNOT GET AN EXTRA PIECE OF FOOD.
SO KIDS, ANYTIME A KID ASKS FOR EXTRA SCHOOL FOOD, THEY'RE HUNGRY.
SO WHEN YOU GIVE IT TO 'EM, AND I WAS TOLD BY THE HEAD PERSON AT SCHOOL, THAT IS NOT THE WAY WE OPERATE.
WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GIVE THEM ANYTHING EXTRA FISH STICKS COLD BECAUSE THE OVEN WOULD NOT HEAT THE WARMER.
I THINK IT'S ONLY THERE TO MAKE SURE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS, WE CAN MAKE IT PRESENTABLE AND WORTHWHILE FOR THOSE KIDS TO EAT.
ALL IT TAKES IS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CARE TO GIVE THEM A MEAL.
THE MILK, THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE THOSE COOLERS NEED TO BE REPLACED, IS NOTHING WORSE THAN SPOILED MILK.
AND THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WHEN THEY STICK THAT STRAW IN IT, IT'S FALL.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO THERE AGAIN, THAT HAS TURNED HIS STOMACH.
THERE'S NO ONE THERE TO GIVE HIM FOOD AND THEY'RE SICK.
SO IT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
MANN, I KNOW YOU PERSONALLY, I KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE DONE, AND I APPRECIATE IT, AND ALL OF US CAN APPRECIATE IT, BUT SMALL KIDS DON'T HAVE A CHOICE TO GET SOMETHING ELSE TO EAT.
UM, I'LL DO MY BEST TO BE RESPECTFUL.
I I'M IN FULL AGREEMENT THAT I'M GLAD THEY'RE GIVING KIDS MORE CHOICES FOR SCHOOL BREAKFAST, BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT CAN BE DONE, INCLUDING PROVIDING DAIRY FREE MILK.
I, I KNOW OBVIOUSLY I'M, I'M AN ADULT, BUT I, MY WHOLE FAMILY AND I ARE ALLERGIC TO, UH, COW'S MILK AS FAR AS I KNOW.
I, I KNOW MANY OF US ARE, AND THAT COMES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY.
I I DIDN'T GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, BUT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS THAT, THAT ARE ALLERGIC TO, TO DAIRY MILK RIGHT HERE.
UH, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, 95% OF ASIANS, 60 TO 80% OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND ASHKENAZI JEWS, AND 80 TO 100% OF NATIVE AMERICANS.
AND 50 TO 80% OF HISPANICS ARE AFFECTED BY LACTOSE INTOLERANCE.
AND UH, SO I, I KNOW THERE'S REALLY A PROBLEM WITH THE U S D A, BUT I, I STILL BELIEVE THAT THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO FOR THESE KIDS.
AND I MET SOME OF THEM WHO CAN'T HAVE, UM, DAIRY MILK.
AND, AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, THERE'S SOME THAT ARE, UH, ALLERGIC TO, TO GLUTEN.
AND, UH, YOU'VE GOTTA THINK ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AS WELL.
AND LIKE WAS STATED EARLIER, THERE'S NOT ALWAYS ENOUGH FOOD FOR THESE KIDS, ESPECIALLY FOR BREAKFAST.
THERE, THERE'S NOT ALWAYS ENOUGH.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BIG APPETITES AND UH, THEY, THEY NEED TO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SATISFIED, THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TO FEED THEM, THAT THEY CAN GET EXTRA IF, IF THEY NEED IT.
[01:20:01]
SO THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CONSIDER.NEXT WE HAVE MS. STORM MATTHEWS.
I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, BUT WHAT MS. MERRICK SAID WAS VERY CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE THAT BREAKS FEDERAL LAW.
SO ANY SCHOOL THAT IS SENDING CHILDREN WHEN BUSES ARE LATE, SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR BUS SHORTAGE, SO ANY BUS THAT COMES TO THAT SCHOOL LATE, IF Y'ALL GET REPORTS OF THAT, THAT SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO STILL SEND THEM THROUGH THEIR BREAKFAST LINE THAT BREAKS FEDERAL LAW.
THEY DO NOT GO THROUGH THAT BREAKFAST LINE.
AND WE DO HAVE LACTOSE FREE OPTIONS FOR CHILDREN, CUZ MY CHILD IS LACTOSE INTOLERANT.
HE GETS JUICE WHEN HE ASKS FOR IT, BUT HE'S 17 SO HE DON'T ASK FOR NOTHING CUZ HE'S TOO COOL.
AT THIS TIME I SEE NO OTHER CUE CARDS FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK INSIDE OF THE PUBLIC, SO WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD.
HOWEVER, BEFORE WE GO BACK TO THE BOARD, I DO WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY IN OUR FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE NEW MENUS THAT ARE GONNA BE ROLLING OUT FOR YEAR 20 23, 20 24.
AND WE ALSO HAVE REGIONAL CHEFS THAT WE'RE ADDING TO OUR STAFF.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I PUT THAT OUT THERE TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE TO KNOW THAT WHILE WE ARE HEARING ALL OF THESE CONCERNS AND A LOT OF QUESTIONING ABOUT THE FOOD THAT IS BEING SERVED, CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY.
UH, NEXT WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR BOARD, AS I SAID BEFORE.
FIRST IN THE QUEUE IS MR. PATRICK MARTIN, A SCHOOL BOARD, UH, MEMBER MARTIN.
NEXT WE'LL GO TO BOARD ATTORNEY GWEN CHALIN.
I WAS IN THE QUEUE FOR A PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, ATTORNEY CHALIN.
NEXT INSIDE OF THE QUEUE WE HAVE VICE PRESIDENT CARER POWELL.
FIRST I WANTED TO SHARE, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS, UH, IN OUR, ON OUR DESK ABOUT, OR CONCERNS ABOUT ME ALLOWING, UM, MS. CARLEY TO SPEAK.
I ASKED FOR HER TO SPEAK BECAUSE I WANTED CLARITY IN ORDER TO LEAD TO THE FACT THAT SHE NEEDS TO ASK THE QUESTIONS OF THOSE ON HER SCHOOL SITE.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED HER TO GIVE FURTHER ELABORATION.
YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT JUST SAY, MS. MANN IS HERE TODAY, AND SO WE'RE GONNA FEED HER ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT ISOLATED SCHOOL SITES.
I'VE WORKED AT MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND SOME CAFETERIA STAFF DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AND FEED KIDS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FEED THEM AND SOME DON'T.
AND IN SOME SCHOOLS, ADMINISTRATORS LET KIDS GET OFF THE BUS AND GO STRAIGHT TO THEIR CLASS AND TELL THEM THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO EAT.
AND SOME SCHOOLS, THE ADMINISTRATORS ALLOW THEM TO GO AND GET THE BREAKFAST THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY I ALLOWED HER TO SPEAK, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
WE HAVE TO SHARE THEM PUBLICLY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONCERNS THAT ARE GOING ON AT SCHOOLS AND, AND SCHOOLS ARE OPERATING AS THOUGH THEY ARE ISOLATED, WHICH THEY ARE NOT.
THEY HAVE SOMEONE THAT THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, PARENTS, IF YOU ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH YOUR STUDENTS RECEIVING THE SERVICES AT THEIR SCHOOL SITES, THEN THAT'S WHEN YOU TAKE IT TO THE HIGHER LEVEL.
BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS AT THE SCHOOL SITE FIRST.
NEXT IN THE QUEUE, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL MICHAEL GODDE.
I JUST WANT TO TRY TO BRING US BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION WAS TO CELEBRATE THE HARD WORK, UH, BEING HERE ON THE BOARD THROUGH THE COVID ERA WHEN ALL OF THESE PEOPLE IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS MADE TREMENDOUS SACRIFICES AND WERE COOKING NOT ONLY FOR THE SCHOOL KIDS, BUT ALSO FOR WHOLE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE WERE LINES WHERE THEY WERE PASSING OUT FOOD.
AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT DURING THE COVID CRISIS, THEY WERE PUTTING THEMSELVES OUT THERE, UH, DOING THIS.
SO THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A CONGRATULATIONS AND A RECOGNITION FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING.
AND I WANT TO KIND OF BRING US BACK TO THAT.
WE HAVE 30 SOMETHING THOUSAND STUDENTS THAT WE FEED THAT HAVE THE OPTION OF FEEDING, UH, TWO MEALS A DAY.
SO THAT'S 60,000 MEALS A DAY, UH, THAT COMES THROUGH THAT GROUP.
SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO BRING US BACK TO, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THERE MIGHT BE SOME ANECDOTAL THINGS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO BETTER AND SOME INDIVIDUALS HERE AND THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE, YOU KNOW, AT 30,000 KIDS, 60,000 MEALS, IF WE HAVE A 1% ERROR RATE, THAT'S STILL 600 A DAY, WHICH ISN'T ACCEPTABLE, I AGREE.
BUT LET'S NOT FORGET THE 99% THAT WE'RE DOING VERY WELL.
[01:25:01]
AND SO WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT, UM, OUR FOOD SERVICE PERSONNEL TO GO AWAY THINKING THAT WE AREN'T APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE HARD WORK AND EFFORT THAT THEY PUT INTO.I ALSO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE RECOGNIZES THAT FOR THE MOST PART, THE ENTIRE FOOD SERVICE IS SELF-SUPPORTING.
UH, ALL OF THE MONEY COMING FROM THAT COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I THINK WE TYPICALLY, AS A DISTRICT PUT IN, I THINK IT'S LIKE $400,000 OR $300,000 A YEAR FOR FEEDING 60,000 MEALS A DAY.
AND SO WE PUT IN NOT EVEN PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR, WE PUT IN HUNDREDTH OF A CENT ON THE DOLLAR FOR THAT.
SO THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY WELL RUN FINANCIALLY, UH, VERY MANAGED, VERY, VERY WELL.
AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN DO AND I'M SURE WE'RE ON THE PROCESS OF DOING THEM, BUT I DON'T WANT TO THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER.
UH, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHEFS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, COMING IN AND, AND HAVING, UM, THE ABILITY TO TASTE THE MEALS.
I THINK ALL OF THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT STEPS.
I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT I ALSO DIDN'T WANT OUR FOOD SERVICE WORKERS NOT TO KNOW THE HEARTFELT THANKS THAT WE HAVE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY TO FEED OUR CHILDREN.
NEXT WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KENON.
UM, I AGREE WITH MR. GOE IN APPRECIATION FOR ALL YOU GUYS DO TO FEED SO MANY KIDS.
IT'S A HUGE, HUGE FEAT EVERY DAY.
UM, BUT, BUT ALSO THERE, THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
LOUISIANA'S NOT KNOWN FOR BEING VERY HEALTH CONSCIOUS.
UM, THE, SOME OF THE FOOD THAT THAT COMES THROUGH THE SCHOOLS, UH, IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE MAY WANNA LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, RESEARCH ON BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AND, AND THE SORTS OF THINGS WE'RE PUTTING INTO OUR BODIES.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THE PLANS.
UM, ARE THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR EVERY SCHOOL? YES.
AND, UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT, UH, JUST DECLARE ON BEHALF OF LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TINY CONSTITUENTS WHO, UM, REALLY WANT ME TO EXPRESS IMPROVE SCHOOL LUNCH.
IS THAT ALL SCHOOL MEMBER? KENON? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
UH, AND I, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY SOMETHING.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE NEW CHEFS AND ACTUALLY TRY THE FOOD.
AND WHEN I, WHAT I'LL SAY IS THAT I AM HAPPILY AND THOROUGHLY THRILLED WITH THE FOOD IN THE MENU THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE ROLLING OUT.
UH, THERE'S JUST A, A SHAMELESS PLUG.
AND, UH, AGAIN, AS I THINK BOARD MEMBER, GDAY SAID AN EXCELLENT POINT.
YOU ALL FEED 60,000 MEALS A DAY.
AND I ALSO THINK VICE PRESIDENT POWER GAVE AN ANOTHER ASTONISHING POINT IS THAT YOU CAN'T BE THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR EVERY LITTLE SMALL INCIDENT THAT HAPPENS ON OUR CAMPUSES.
THERE IS A CHAIN OF ORDER AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT CHAIN OF ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON ON OUR SCHOOL CAMPUSES.
BUT I AM OF NO MISTAKE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GONNA FIX THAT PROBLEM, UH, AND WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT STEPS.
SO AGAIN, WE THANK ALL OF THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS AT THIS TIME.
THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS IN THE QUEUE.
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN WE PLEASE VOTE IN THIS RESOLUTION? PLEASE VOTE.
[E.3. Resolution: "National Women's History Month"]
MOVING ON TO ITEM E THREE RESOLUTION WOMEN, NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MARCH, 2023 AS NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MISS CARER POWER.
CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE RESOLUTION INTO ORDER? EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN OF EVERY RACE, CLASS, AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND HAVE MADE HISTORIC AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GROWTH AND STRENGTH OF OUR NATION AND STATE IN COUNTLESS RECORDED AND UNRECORDED WAYS.
AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE PLAYED IN CONTINUED TO PLAY CRITICAL ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ROLES IN EVERY REALM OF THE LIFE OF THE NATION AND OUR STATE BY CONSTITUTING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE LABOR FORCE WORKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.
AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE PLAYED A UNIQUE ROLE THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY BY PROVIDING THE MAJORITY OF THE VOLUNTEER LABOR FORCE OF
[01:30:01]
THE NATION AND STATE.AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN WERE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EARLY CHARITABLE PHILANTHROPY AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR NATION AND STATE.
AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN OF EVERY RACE, CLASS, AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND SERVED AS EARLY LEADERS IN THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY MAJOR PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL CHANGE MOVEMENT.
AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY COURAGEOUSLY IN THE MILITARY.
AND WHEREAS AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE BEEN LEADERS NOT ONLY IN SECURING THEIR OWN RIGHTS OF SUFFRAGE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO IN THE ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT, THE EMANCIPATION MOVEMENT, THE INDUSTRIAL LABOR MOVEMENT, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AND OTHER MOVEMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE PEACE MOVEMENT, WHICH CREATES A MORE FAIR AND JUST SOCIETY FOR ALL.
AND WHEREAS DESPITE THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, THE ROLE OF AMERICAN WOMEN HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY OVERLOOKED AND UNDERVALUED IN THE LITERATURE, TEACHING AND STUDY OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
AND WHEREAS SINCE 1987, THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS HAS PASSED A RESOLUTION ANNUALLY TO PROCLAIM MARCH AS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IN ORDER TO RECOGNIZE THESE MANY CRUCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
AND WHEREAS THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING AND HONORING THE SIGNIFICANT AND LONG-STANDING CONTRIBUTIONS WOMEN HAVE MADE IN THIS NATION.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE FIRST EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, UH, THAT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MARCH.
THAT MARCH IS DESIGNATED AS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND CALLS UPON THE SCHOOL'S, STAFF, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, FAMILIES OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM TO OBSERVE MARCH AS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH BY CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING THE COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY WOMEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY.
AND BEFORE I SAY I SO MOVE, UH, HAPPY WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH TO EVERYONE WHO IS IN THIS ROOM.
ALL WOMEN THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM.
THANK YOU MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, SECONDED BY MS. SHOSHONE STEWART.
UM, I'LL BE THE FIRST TO SPEAK US CAUSE I SEE NO OTHER NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
I WANT TO FIRST SAY THANK YOU TO THE PHENOMENAL WOMEN THAT WE SERVE WITH ON THIS BOARD FOR MS. KATIE KENERSON TO MADAM VICE PRESIDENT K POWELL, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SHOSHONE STEWART, AND ALSO MADAME UH, SECRETARY MS. APRIL ALLMAN, UH, AND THE AMAZING WOMEN THAT SERVE US IN CENTRAL OFFICE.
TO EVERY SINGLE TEACHER, TO EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE, TO EVERY SINGLE STUDENT THAT MAY BE INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT IDENTIFIES AS A GIRL OR A WOMAN OR A FEMALE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
EVERY SINGLE YEAR FOR ALL OF THE AMAZING THINGS THAT YOU DO AND ALL OF THE FEATS THAT YOU HAVE WENT THROUGH AND ALL OF THE BEARS YOU HAVE HOPPED OVER JUST TO GET TO THIS POINT.
SEEING NONE THIS TIME WE GO TO OUR PUBLIC.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD, NO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
CAN WE, RESIN THAT VOTE? THANK YOU.
I UNDERSTAND Y'ALL WON'T IGNORE ME, BUT I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU KOON CORLEY PARENT DISABILITIES ADVOCATE.
THIS IS CORINTH CORLEY WHO IS A SELF-ADVOCATE WHO IS NOT IN THE BEST UH, MOOD RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE TRIED TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT, UM, WHAT NEEDED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BECAUSE OUR STAFF, EVEN THOUGH THEY GOT COVID AND STUFF, WHAT THEY SENT TO THEM CHILDREN TO EAT WAS A CRIME.
AND SO I, I CAN'T SPEAK ON THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'LL BE AFTER WE GET OFF OF THE CAMERA.
CUZ WE DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT THEY REALLY GOT TO EAT.
UM, AND LIKE HOW MY CHILD GOT GALLONS OF MILK AND HE'S SEVERELY ALLERGIC MILK.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT JAMAICAN CHILD.
NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NATIONAL HISTORY MONTH, WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE WOMEN.
SEE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN THAT DID SOME GREAT AND WONDERFUL THINGS.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TOOT MY OWN HORN SINCE I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE DOING SOME WONDERFUL THINGS.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BLACK WOMEN WE HAVE HAD DO SOME GREAT AND WONDERFUL THINGS THAT WE DO
[01:35:01]
NOT ACTUALLY RECOGNIZE AND PAY HOMAGE TO.AND THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FAILED TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN ABOUT, CONSIDERING THAT THE POPULATION IS MAJORITY BLACK AND BROWN.
BUT ON TO WHAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
BUT ARE YOU AWARE THAT THIS IS ALSO A NATIONAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH? OH, I, I JUST THOUGHT I'D LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE RECOGNIZE A MONTH LIKE NATIONAL HISTORY, NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, WE NEED TO ALSO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES LIKE LAST MONTH, THAT WAS CARDIOVASCULAR MONTH, RIGHT.
MS. CORLEY, I'M ASKING RESPECTFULLY TO PLEASE STAY JERMAINE TO THE TOP.
WAIT BEFORE YOU SAY I KNOW WHAT YOU WANNA SAY.
I KNOW I NEED YOU TO STAY JERMAINE TO THE TOPIC AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY OR IN THIS PARTICULAR, WE TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING BUT NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
SO ANYTHING THAT IS OUTSIDE THAT SCOPE, WE'RE GONNA STOP THE TIME AGAIN AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO PLEASE NOT DO THAT.
AND IF IT PERSISTS, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE OFF OF THE MIC.
SO I'M ASK WHAT I WANT US TO GET TO THAT POINT.
BUT PLEASE, LET'S KEEP IT JERMAINE TO THE TOPIC.
I'LL GET ANOTHER SECOND BECAUSE GO AHEAD MR. STOP THAT ONE 17.
NOW ONTO, WE ARE DOING A RESOLUTION ABOUT IT, BUT WE HAVE DONE SO MANY RESOLUTIONS EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL YEAR AND NOTHING MANIFEST IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION THAT WE DOING TO RECOGNIZE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, ARE WE SAYING THAT WE WANT OUR STAFF TO START EDUCATING THE CHILDREN ABOUT THE GREAT BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN THAT THEY MAY HAVE HAD EVEN HERE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM? CUZ I KNOW YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SUPER FORMER SUPERINTENDENT CHARLOTTE PLAK, A BLACK WOMAN THAT DID REALLY GREAT, WONDERFUL THINGS, RIGHT? MS. AVA LAGAR, ANOTHER BLACK WOMAN, DID WONDERFUL GREAT THINGS, BUT THE KIDS AND I BEING TAUGHT ABOUT IT.
AND SO WHEN WE DO A RESOLUTION, THAT RESOLUTION IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME MEAT AND POTATOES TO GO WITH IT, RIGHT? WHERE WE ARE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE THINGS.
WE'RE NOT JUST DOING A RESOLUTION JUST BECAUSE IT SOUND GOOD.
WE ACTUALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR CHILDREN KNOW.
SO WHEN WE NAMED THE SCHOOL AFTER MS. AVA LAGAR, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EDUCATE THE KIDS ABOUT MISS AVA LAGAR BEING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO BE ON THIS SCHOOL BOARD.
WE WERE SO SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EDUCATE THESE CHILDREN.
AND SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, YOU DO THE RESOLUTION, BUT YOU MAKE SURE YOU EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN ABOUT THE GREAT, WONDERFUL WOMEN IN THIS HISTORY.
AT THIS TIME I SEEN OTHER Q CARDS FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING.
WE HAVE ANOTHER CARD THAT JUST CAME IN.
I'M REALLY, OH, MY TIME HASN'T STARTED ANYWAY.
I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND I'M HIGHLIGHTING SOME PEOPLE WITH, WITH MY STUDENTS.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY CAN UNDERSTAND A BIT CUZ THEY, I WORK WITH SEVERE AND PROFOUND SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, BUT AS A TEACHER'S AIDE ACTUALLY.
BUT I, UH, SHOWED, UH, SOME VIDEOS ON, UH, CONDO LISA RICE, WHICH GOING ALONG WITH WHAT MS. UH, KDA CORLETT WAS SAYING, I THINK SHE'S SOMEONE WE, WE DON'T TEND TO RECOGNIZE, IN MY OPINION.
UM, AND SHE DID A GREAT JOB AS, UH, FIRST I BELIEVE THE FIRST FEMALE, BUT CERTAINLY THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE SECRETARY OF STATE AND, UH, ALWAYS HAD A SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE.
AND, UH, I'M SURE IF SHE'S STILL ALIVE, STILL DOES.
SO I, I DO THINK WE NEED TO DO A GOOD JOB OF, UH, RECOGNIZING PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICAL PARTY AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, WHO, WHO DID GREAT THINGS FOR OUR NATION.
AND, AND I'M, I'M DEFINITELY GRATEFUL FOR CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
I THINK THAT WOMAN BRING A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO THE WORKPLACE, AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING AMONG WOMEN THROUGHOUT MY LIFE AND, AND, AND CURRENTLY.
AND, AND I'M GREAT, CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND THE WORKPLACE AND WILL CONTINUE TO, TO DO MY BEST TO WORK WELL
[01:40:01]
WITH THEM.THIS TIME I SEE NO OTHER CUE CARDS.
I'M DOUBLE CHECKING MS. ALMOND.
SO THIS TIME WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD.
I WANNA TELL MS. CORLEY AND MR. LANGFORD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, JUST AS THEY'VE MENTIONED, WE DO APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE, BUT IF THERE IS A CASE WHERE WE NEED TO DISCUSS THESE DIFFERENT, UH, INDIVIDUALS OR REFLECT ON THESE DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, UH, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF PUBLIC RECORD, UM, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR CURRICULUM DEPARTMENTS AND THAT OUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENTS ARE AWARE OF THE COMMENTS.
SO THAT WAY, IF WE NEED TO, TO THEN WE CAN UTILIZE SOME OF THESE NAMES THAT WERE MENTIONED ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CELEBRATED, THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE CELEBRATE THEM AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES.
THANK YOU MADAME VICE PRESIDENT.
AT THIS TIME, I SEE NO OTHER NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM F REPORTS AND BOARD APPOINTEES TO COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES.
THIS WILL BE INFORMATION ONLY.
ARE THERE ANY BOARD APPOINTEES THAT WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ANY, UH, REPORT FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMITTEES? OKAY, SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE
[G.1. Policy Revision]
RIGHT ALONG.UM, TO UNFINISHED BUS, UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEM G ONE POLICY REVISION CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL BOARD POLICY REVISIONS AND RELATED MATTERS.
CAN I GET EMOTION MOVED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BELU, SECONDED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN, THIS TIME WE'LL GO TO THE BOARD FOR ANY COMMENTS CO UH, QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? I SEE NO NAMES INSIDE.
MS. KENON, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KENON.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME TALK AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ABOUT SOME REVISIONS TO THIS, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE RECIPIENT, UM, ITEMS, UM, UH, RECIPIENT ELIGIBILITY.
ITEM FIVE ON ITEM SEVEN, UM, REGARDING RETURNING UNUSED BELIEVE THAT IT'S BEEN, THAT'S BEEN DONATED AND, AND THE ISSUE OF IT NOT BEING ALLOWED TO BE USED INTERMITTENTLY.
UM, CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO STRIKE THOSE TWO, UH, ITEMS? SO YOU'D BE MAKING A SUBSTITUTE MOTION? I, I BELIEVE JUST, YES.
SO, ALL RIGHT, YOU HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ONE SECOND.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU CAN'T SECOND BECAUSE YOU ARE THE SECOND ON THE AL.
WE NOW HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS A POINT OF ORDER.
COULD WE, COULD I GET EXACTLY WHAT THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS? YES.
SO THE MOTION IS, UM, PER MS. KENON, BE, BE SURE TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT, UM, THE POLICY AS WRITTEN, BUT STRIKING UNDER RECIPIENT ELIGIBILITY ITEMS FIVE AND SEVEN.
SO ITEM FIVE DEALS WITH, UM, ANY UNUSED DAYS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR BEING RETURNED TO THE SICK, SICK LEAVE BANK.
ITEM SEVEN DEALS WITH, UM, ALLOWING OR CURRENTLY SAYS, UM, SHALL NOT ALLOW THE DONATED TIME TO BE USED INTERMITTENTLY.
SO THIS WILL BE STRICKEN SO THAT IT CAN BE USED INTERMITTENTLY.
SO FOR ABSOLUTE CLARITY ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT IS ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW, IT IS ASKED THAT WE STRIKE ITEMS, I'M SORRY, NUMBER FIVE AND NUMBER SEVEN FROM THE, UH, INITIAL ITEM? CORRECT.
WE GOOD WITH THAT MR. GORE? UH, SCHOOL BY MEMBER, GO THERE.
ALL RIGHT, MS. KENON, YOU'RE, YOU FINISHED WITH YOUR SUB? OKAY.
UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK MS. HALL, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS
[01:45:01]
OF THAT, THOSE CHANGES? UH, BECAUSE I'M NOT AN HR EXPERT, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND NECESSARILY WHAT ALL THESE MEAN.AND I KNOW SOMETIMES THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS, UH, UNINTENDED OR INTENDED IMPLICATIONS.
I, I'M, I'M AM I'M AMBIVALENT ON THE MOTION.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.
SO THE LAST TIME, UM, THE, AT THE CAL MEETING COMMITTEE, THE WHOLE MEETING, WE DISCUSSED THIS INITIATIVE, RIGHT? THIS PROPOSAL, UM, AND I, MY RECOMMENDATION, UM, STILL STANDS THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT FROM ONE SPACE, YOU HAVE TO DO IT CONSISTENTLY ALONG ALL THE OTHER LEAVES.
SO WE HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT, UH, I THINK MR. SHALIN, UH, SHOULD HAVE SHARED A ONE PAGE, ONE PAGER WITH, UH, A QUICK LINK TO EACH OF THE DIFFERENT LEAVES THAT WE HAVE AND A QUICK SYNOPSIS OF WHAT THEY ARE.
AND INTERMITTENT LEAVE IS ALSO A LONG, THOSE LINES.
SO IF YOU'RE CHANGING FROM ONE SPACE, WE WANNA BE CONSISTENT TO CHANGE IT IN OTHER AREAS TOO.
SO IF WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A POLICY REVIEW ON ALL THE OTHER DIFFERENT LEAVE POLICIES, WE COULD DO THAT TOO.
ACTUALLY, THAT WAS ON ONE OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE, COMMITTEE COMING UP FOR A POLICY REVIEW.
SO, UM, I'M JUST RECOMMENDING THAT YOU DO IT ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WHEN THEY SAY, SHALL THE DONATED SICK LEAVE SHALL NOT BE USED ON AN INTERMITTENT DAILY BASIS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO INTERMITTENT LEAVE, YOU GET UP TO, UH, 20% OF WHATEVER TIME.
UM, SO FOR A NINE MONTH EMPLOYEE, THAT'S 20%, YOU CANNOT SURPASS THAT.
UM, AND FOR 12 MONTH, ET CETERA.
SO IF YOU'RE IN ON AN INTERMITTENT LEAVE, YOU LITERALLY TELL US EXACTLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO USE YOUR TIME, RIGHT? SO WE APPROVE IT BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED FROM THE DOCTOR.
SO THE INTERMITTENT LEAVE IS ALSO, IT ALSO EXISTS IN F M L A.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THE USE OF SICK TIME TO BE USED FOR INTERMITTENT LEAVE, IT SHOULD REFLECT IN THE OTHER POLICIES.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE OR DID I CLOUD IT UP MORE? IT, IT MAKES SENSE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK I'M DOING
I, I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I'M JUST AFRAID THIS IS A FEEL GOOD MOTION AND I JUST CAUTION THE BOARD, UH, NOT TO JUMP INTO THINGS THAT THEY NOT CERTAIN EXACTLY WHAT THEY MEAN.
AND I'D BE PERFECTLY HAPPY TO SAY THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS REFLECTED IN, IN, ACROSS ALL THE POLICIES OR BRING ON A POLICY.
UH, I, I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MAY BE TO BE CHANGED.
AND I HATE TO CHANGE THIS AT THE BOARD MEETING, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT THE, WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE, UH, AND WHAT OTHER POLICIES IT MAY AFFECT.
SO MY, MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD IS LET'S PASS IT THE WAY IT IS AND GIVE A REQUEST TO HAVE ALL OF THE POLICIES LOOKED AT TO COME BACK AND LOOK AT THIS.
CUZ I DON'T THINK WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
UH, NEXT UP AND IS THE QUEUE, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN
SO, SO I CAN TRY TO UNDERSTAND IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CORRECTLY, MS. HALL, RIGHT NOW YOU CAN'T USE REGULAR SICK LEAVE FOR INTERMITTENT LEAVE.
UM, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? SO THERE'S A, IT'S A SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF INTERMITTENT LEAVE AND YOU GET 20% OF YOUR TIME.
SO YOU HAVE, YOU COULD DO THE EXTENDED LEAVE.
SO HOW IT STARTS OFF, FIRST YOU HAVE TO EX EXHAUST, YOU HAVE YOUR REGULAR SICK LEAVE, AND THEN YOU UTILIZE ALL THAT THAT'S IN THE BANK.
THEN THE EXTENDED SICK LEAVE, AND THEN THERE IS LEAVE WITHOUT PAY.
AND THEN THE OTHER SITUATIONS IN WHERE FOLKS HAVE TO TAKE OFF BECAUSE OF REOCCURRING DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, ET CETERA.
IT'S A, THE INTERMITTENT LEAVE IS REALLY CRUCIAL IN THAT SPACE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THE EMPLOYEE, I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING TO HAVE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT ALL AROUND CLIMATE CULTURE AND WELLNESS OF EMPLOYEE, TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STILL COME TO WORK AND LEAVE AND GO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MEDICAL APPOINTMENT AND RETURN IF CHOOSE SO, OR TAKE OFF A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, COUPLE TIMES A WEEK OR WHATEVER TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CANCER TREATMENT, ET CETERA, AND STILL HAVE JOB PROTECTION.
MY CONCERN, UM, AND MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IF WE'RE, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO USE THE SICK BANK IN THAT SPACE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE REFLECTS IN THE OTHER AREAS.
SO IT'S JUST A CONSIST SPECIFICALLY.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND IS, IS WHAT CATEGORIES OF LEAVE CAN YOU NOT USE INTER CAUSE WHAT IT SEEM TO, WHAT I THINK I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THAT YOU CAN'T USE SEVERAL OTHER KINDS OF LEAVE FOR INTERMITTENT LEAVE.
AND, AND WHAT OTHER KINDS OF LEAVE CAN YOU NOT USE FOR INTERMITTENT LEAVE? I DON'T REMEMBER THE VERBIAGE, UM, VERBATIM.
BUT THERE IS A PART OR OR SENTENCE IN THE F M L A, UM, SECTION, IF YOU GUYS COULD PULL IT UP WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT.
[01:50:01]
ABOUT REFERENCE INTERMITTENT LEAVE IN THE REGULAR SICK LEAVE POLICY.SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS BECAUSE IT PUTS ME A GRACE SPACE TO MAKE A DECISION, IF YOU KNOW, WELL THE SICK LEAVE SAYS I COULD USE IT HERE, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT I CAN'T USE IT HERE.
ALL I'M SAYING IS JUST TO BE CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM COMING BACK WITH A POLICY.
AMANDA, THE ONE THAT'S NEAR, UH, HERE NOW A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THAT AND ALSO MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE IS REFLECTIVE ACROSS THE, THE BOARD WITH THE HELP OF EXTERNAL COUNSEL AND OUR INTERNAL POLICY PERSON.
I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT, UH, THE GRACE SPACE IS THERE THAT MAY EXIST.
IS THERE A PARTICULARLY URGENT NEED TO PASS THE CHANGES TO THE SICKLY TO THE, TO THE SICK BANK, SICK LEAVE BANK POLICY? OR COULD WE TABLE THE WHOLE MOTION AND COME BACK, YOU KNOW, NEXT MONTH TO CONSIDER IT ALL? WE CAN, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M STRUGGLING TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES AND THE GOAL IS TO CATER TO THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND WHEN WE HAVE RESOURCES THAT HELPS.
AND I THINK THIS WILL HELP EMPLOYEES.
UM, THAT WOULD BE A DECISION THAT YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE TO MAKE IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT NOW.
UM, AND I THINK WE COULD, YOU KNOW, FIND A MIDDLE GROUND HERE.
NOT SURE, BUT THIS WOULD BE A DECISION IF YOU GUYS WANT TO TABLE IT FOR NEXT MONTH OR PASS IT NOW, AND THEN I COME BACK NEXT MONTH WITH A REFLECTION ACROSS THE BOARD.
I'M WILLING TO WORK EITHER WAY, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
I THINK IT'S BE A REALLY GOOD THING FOR THEM.
I THINK I'VE, I'VE KIND OF GOT A, GOT A FEELING THAT LET'S, THAT I'D RATHER TABLE THE WHOLE THING SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT WHEN WE PASS IT'S THE FIRST TIME AND, AND MAKE IT CONSISTENT.
I MAY NOT UNDERSTAND ALL THE DETAILS OF THE TYPES THAT LEAVE AND THE INTERMITTENTLY, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSISTENCY.
I MIGHT LIKE PREFER TO TABLE THE WHOLE THING SO WE CAN KEEP THE PRESSURE ON YOU, NO OFFENSE.
TO, TO, TO, TO, TO, TO, TO, TO CONTINUE EXPLORING THIS INTERMITTENT ISSUE, UH, GLOBALLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ACT ON THAT QUICKLY.
NEXT WE HAVE BOARD MEMBER BALU.
AND, UM, I, I WAS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT THE ORIGINAL, UH, UH, POLICY, UH, TO HR TO, TO LOOK INTO AND, AND IT WAS STRICTLY JUST TO DO ONE THING, AND THAT WAS FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAD, UH, SIRIUS ELDER ILLNESS THAT EXHAUSTED ALL THEIR SICK LEAVE RATHER THAN GO STRAIGHT TO, UM, EXTENDED, UH, YOU KNOW, EXTENDED, UH, DISABILITY, UH, WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE, UH, DONATED TIME, UH, BEFORE THEY DID THAT.
UH, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO STICK WITH THAT MOTION NOW BECAUSE IT, I MEAN WE COULD TABLE IT, BUT UH, FOR THOSE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, COULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS POLICY, IT WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO THEM, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AS FAR AS THE CHANGE TO THE INTERMITTENT, UM, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO, UM, HAVE THAT DONE ALL, ALL AT THE SAME TIME LATER.
BUT, UH, THAT WE GO AHEAD AND PASS THIS, THIS MOTION THAT, UH, OR THIS POLICY CHANGE THAT ALLOWS, UH, ACCESS TO THE, UH, DONATED TIME BEFORE TAKING EXTENDED, UM, EXTENDED LEAVE.
SO JUST FOR ABSOLUTE CLARITY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT, UM, YOU WOULD LIKE US TO, TO STICK WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND THEN WORK THROUGH ALL THE KINKS AND DETAILS OF ACROSS THE BOARD CHANGES, UH, LATER.
UH, NEXT IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RUSS.
I WANTED TO OFFER MAYBE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO YOUR FRIENDLY AMENDMENT
UM, SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN AT LEAST GET THIS POLICY IN PLACE.
SO IT COULD BE USED IN SOME WAY TO BENEFIT OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT THIS KIND OF MORE COMPLEX ISSUE.
DOES THE AUTHOR AND THE SECOND ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY? HE WAS THE SECOND, WASN'T HE? OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH, YOU THE SECOND, UH, NATHAN.
SO YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OFFER, UH, FRIENDLY SOMEBODY OFFER A FRIENDLY WELL HE CAN, YEAH, HE CAN SUGGEST THAT THE AMENDMENT, THE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT.
HE CAN SUGGEST A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE ORIGINAL MAKER OF THE, THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
IF SHE ACCEPTS IT, THEN HE HAS TO AS A SECOND SAY
[01:55:01]
I ACCEPT IT ALSO.SO MS. KENSON WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION PLEASE? YES, MA'AM.
UM, MS. HALL, IS THERE A LINE OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BENEFIT THAT YOU KNOW, WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO YOU PERSONALLY THAT WILL BE BENEFITING BETWEEN NOW AND A MONTH FROM NOW? I DO KNOW OF A FEW THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT, UM, IMMEDIATELY AND HONESTLY IT HELPS A LOT CUZ THERE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE HAVING ATTENDANCE ISSUES, BUT THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE INTERMITTENT LEAVE.
AND THE INTER INTERMITTENT LEAVE WOULD HELP IN TERMS OF JOB PROTECTION AND HELPING TO RETAIN THEM.
SO I'VE BEEN USING THAT AS A WAY TO GET FOLKS TO RETAIN INSTEAD OF PUTTING THEM UP FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR TERMINATION, IS TO SHARE WITH THEM THE RESOURCES AND INTERMITTENT RELIEF IS ONE OF THOSE.
HOW MANY SPECIFICALLY HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO WITH, I'VE MET WITH WHO WILL BENEFIT SPECIFICALLY IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS FROM, I HAVE PERSONALLY MET WITH ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE, EIGHT EMPLOYEES, TEACHERS OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN TERMS OF ATTENDANCE ISSUES.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS EXISTED AND IT WAS CRUCIAL, IT WAS HELPFUL TO NOT ONLY RETAIN CERTIFIED TEACHERS, BUT ALSO TO HELP MAKE SURE THEY TAKE CARE OF THEIR HEALTH.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, WOULDN'T THAT, UM, FALL UNDER INTERMITTENT, INTERMITTENT LEAVE? SO FOR THE SICK BANK, WE DO HAVE, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE LINED UP TO GET THAT.
I KNOW I HAVE THE TOTAL NUMBER.
I BUT FOR THE, YOU JUST SAID THAT THEY WOULD BENEFIT FROM USING IT INTERMITTENTLY.
THEY COULD, WHICH, WHO STRUCK IT SO THEY COULD BENEFIT INTERMITTENT LEAVE.
I'M SAYING IT'S TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
SO THE BANK, THE SICK BANK, WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR SICK TIME AND THAT WOULD BE A GREAT SPACE FOR THEM TO TAP INTO.
RIGHT? THE, THE TROUBLE, OR I SHOULD SAY THE UM, UH, THE CHALLENGE WE'VE MET WAS THE, IS DONATION, RIGHT? MAKING SURE IF WE HAVE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DONATE INTO THE SICK BANK, THE INTER, INTER INTERMITTENT LEADS NOT ALREADY IN PLACE.
BUT IT'S STILL PART OF THE PROMOTIONAL PROCESS OF, HEY GUYS, WE WANNA DONATE TO THE SICK BANK TO HELP YOUR FELLOW EMPLOYEE.
SO GIVEN WHAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE, THEY COULD MAKE USE OF IT IF EVEN IF WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THIS.
SO, SO PARTICULARLY PASSING THIS TONIGHT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WITH THOSE EIGHT PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM WHAT'S ALREADY THERE COULD BENEFIT FROM WHATEVER'S THERE.
I GUESS THE CROSS WIRES, IT'S THE INTER INTERMITTENT LEAF PART.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE CROSS WIRES ARE MAKING IT.
SO THEY COULD, YOU COULD USE RIGHT
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T STAY IN THE SICK BANK, THAT YOU COULD USE INTERMITTENT LEAF AND IT DOESN'T STAY IN THE INTERMITTENT LEAF POLICY THAT YOU COULD USE THE SICK BANK.
IT'S NOT, THE LANGUAGE IS NOT CLEAR ON BOTH SIDES.
SO, SO WE COULD MAKE THE LANGUAGE CLEAR ON ONE SIDE TONIGHT AND THEN MAKE IT CLEAR ON THE OTHER SIDE, UH, WHILE YOU HANDLE THE GRAY AREA FOR FOUR WEEKS WITH THESE EIGHT PEOPLE.
I'LL WORK WITH WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANNA DO.
THAT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE AND SOLVE HALF OF THE PROBLEM.
OKAY, SO SCUBA MEMBER KENON THE QUESTION OR THE FRIENDLIEST STILL ON THE FLOOR, DO YOU ACCEPT? I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DO YOU GUYS SAY?
WELL, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE YOU MY OPINION ABOUT THE ACTUAL POLICY, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION AFTER THAT, UH, EXPLANATION IS THAT, IS THAT FRIENDLY STILL STAND? THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU THINK THAT YOU WANNA DO WITH IT.
I JUST SEE, RIGHT? UM, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO EXPOSE HR, UM, TO A SCENARIO WHERE, UM, THEY'RE HAVING TO MAKE THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION OF POLICY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE OUR JOB.
UM, IF MS. HALL, IF YOU FEEL LIKE, UM, WITH THE POLICY AS IT STANDS THAT YOU CAN HELP THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED TO HELP, UM, THEN I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO THAT.
IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU FEEL LIKE IF WE CHANGE POLICY TONIGHT THAT YOU CAN HELP THEM, THEN THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO.
UM, SO YES, I JUST WANT, I JUST WANNA BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR.
WHATEVER YOU GUYS CHOOSE TO DO, I WILL MAKE IT WORK.
I JUST NEED YOU HELP WITH THE GRACE SPACE.
SO I, I'M COMMITTED TO COMING BACK NEXT MONTH WITH A POLICY THAT REFLECTS THE LANGUAGE IN ALL THE AREAS.
I'M ALSO OKAY WITH YOU PASSING WHATEVER YOU DECIDE AS A BOARD TONIGHT, I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH WHATEVER YOU GUYS DECIDE TO DO.
I'LL, I'LL WITHDRAW MY FRIENDLY THANK
[02:00:01]
YOU.SO NOW WE ARE BACK TO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, THE CURRENT POLICY WITH ITEM.
I'M SORRY, WITH NUMBERS FIVE AND SEVEN BEING STRICT STRICKEN.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE SCUBA MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
MS. HALL, OUT OF ALL THE THINGS YOU SAID AT THE MIC TONIGHT, HELPING RETAIN TEACHERS, I HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.
WAS THAT LOUD? CAN THIS, LIKE, IT STANDS WITH FIVE IN WITH FIVE AND SEVEN IN, OR FIVE AND SEVEN OUT.
WHICH ONE WILL HELP US RETAIN OUR TEACHERS AND KEEP THEM HAPPY? EITHER ONE.
I, I DON'T WANNA, I I DO NOT, I DON'T WANNA CAUSE ANY MORE CONFUSION, BUT OUT OF ALL THE EXPLANATIONS AND DEFINITIONS AND ALL THE STUFF THAT YOU'VE GIVEN AT TONIGHT, THE ONE THING THAT I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR WAS RETAINING TEACHERS.
WE HADN'T HAD A BOARD MEETING THIS YEAR WHERE TEACHER RETENTION WAS NOT MENTIONED IN SOME SHAPE, FORM, OR FASHION.
SO I'M ALL ABOUT EDUCATING KIDS AND RETAINING TEACHERS TO DO SO.
NEXT WE HAVE MADAME VICE PRESIDENT CALL POWELL.
OKAY, MS. HALL, I GUESS YOU CAN COME BACK.
SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS HOW MANY VACANCIES DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? DAMN IT.
MY S**T EVEN REALIZE YOU SAID IT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO PULL UP THE HR DOCUMENT.
WHILE THEY'RE RESEARCHING THAT QUESTION, WHAT IS THE NEXT, OKAY, SO THAT, THAT'S MY QUESTION FOR YOU.
AND THEN MY, MY QUESTION AGAIN TO OUR BOARD IS, FOR ANYONE WHO IS QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD DELAY THIS ITEM, WHAT WOULD BE THE PURPOSE OF DELAYING IT? I JUST, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE WANNA KEEP OUR TEACHERS HAPPY.
THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT COACHES JUST SAID.
AND I MEAN, LET'S, LET'S HEAR WHAT THE NUMBERS CURRENTLY ARE.
SO CURRENTLY OUR VACANCY WITHOUT, UM, SUPPORT FROM EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND THE EXTERNAL PARTNERS ARE EXTERNALS ESS LONG-TERM SUBS AND PROXIMITY TEACHERS.
IT'S FOR TEACHERS ALONE, THAT IS 138.
UM, FOR TOTAL VACANCY ACROSS THE DISTRICT, IT'S 2 0 3 PARIS IS 40.
JUST, JUST BY SHARING THAT, THERE ARE 203 VACANCIES CURRENTLY AND WE ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO GIVE OUR TEACHERS WHATEVER KIND OF EXTENDED SICK LEAVE.
MADAME VICE PRESIDENT X AND ACUTE, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PATRICK MARTIN.
I WANT TO ASK CLARIFICATION FROM OUR GENERAL COUNSEL, BUT AS, AS I AND I GOT CONFUSED.
UH, MY APOLOGIES MISS, UH, SHOSHONE STEWART HAS JUST REMINDED ME THAT YOU SPOKE ALREADY.
CONCLUDES SCHOOL BOARD POLICY, SO UNFORTUNATELY, UH, HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE COMING UP.
MS. ALMAN IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, BUT YOU ONLY GET THREE MINUTES THIS TIME.
THAT'S, I WON'T TAKE THAT LONG, BUT I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND, AND, AND MR. SHALIN, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I MISSTATE THIS, THE, THE, WE HAVE A SICK LEAVE BANK POLICY ALREADY.
THAT'S NOT THE, THE MOTION THAT WAS ORIGINALLY MADE TO CHANGE THE POLICY IS NOT TO DO, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THOSE TWO PARTICULAR SECTIONS AT ALL.
THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE BEING ASKED TO BE MADE WAS BASICALLY TO ALLOW, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EXCESS SICK LEAVE TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO AN INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS TO THE SICK LEAVE BANK.
WE'VE WOUND UP IN A DISCUSSION OVER, YOU KNOW, THE SICK LEAVE BANK MORE BROADLY.
I, I I THINK IT GIVEN, GIVEN THE NARROW NATURE OF THE PROPOSED REVISION, IT'D BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO VOTE FOR THAT POOR, THAT THAT ORIGINAL REVISION STANDING ALONE,
[02:05:01]
BECAUSE THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS, IS ADDRESSING PARTS OF THAT, THAT WERE NOT PROPOSED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM TO BE CHANGED.AND ADDITIONALLY, MR. MARTIN, TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL CLARITY TO IT.
SECOND PURPOSE WAS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO USE THIS SIT TO, TO ALLOW, DON'T EASE PEOPLE RECEIVING THE SICK BANK DAYS TO USE THEM BEFORE COMPLETELY EXHAUSTING ALL OF THE FORMS OF LEAVE.
SO IT WOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE EASIER ON EMPLOYEES IN TERMS OF HOW AND WHEN THEY USE THAT.
NOW, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING MR. BLUE, THAT WAS ALSO YOUR REQUEST AND, AND THE POLICY DOES THAT.
SO I THINK CONSIDERING THAT WITH ALL RESPECT TO, TO MY COLLEAGUE MS. KENON, I THINK I, I I OPPOSE THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S MAKING IT SUGGESTING A NEW CHANGE THAT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY CONTEMPLATED OR TOUCHED ON BY THE VERY LIMITED AMENDMENT TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THOSE TWO CHANGES YOU JUST MENTIONED MR. SHALIN.
SO I WOULD PREFER ULTIMATELY TO, TO PASS AS WRITTEN WITH A DIRECTION TO STAFF TO EXPLORE THE INTERMITTENT LEAVE ISSUE.
UM, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, IN MORE DEPTH, YOU KNOW, FOR NEXT MONTH.
UM, WHILE I'M NOT IN THE QUEUE, I WILL SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM MYSELF.
I THINK I HEAR THE SENTIMENTS OF BOTH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BELU AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN.
UH, AND I AM NOT AGAINST A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
HOWEVER, IF WE WERE TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT, GIVEN ALL OF THE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND CONCERNS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE BOARD, I THINK THAT IT'LL ALMOST GIVE THE APPEARANCE THAT WE'RE VOTING ON THE WOMEN ON SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT PROPERLY VETTED COMPLETELY.
AND, UM, I'M THINKING IN THE SAME SENSE THAT IF WE APPROVE THE ORIGINAL, WE ALWAYS CAN COME BACK, EVEN IF WE BRING IT AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING TO DISCUSS WHAT DOES THE OTHER ADDITIONAL ITEMS LOOK LIKE.
THAT WAY, AGAIN, IT GIVES US A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO PROPERLY VET THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING A PERFECT MOVE SO THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING, UH, HRS BACK AGAINST THE WALL.
I JUST THINK WE NEED MORE TIME FOR THE SUB, IS WHAT I'LL SAY.
SO I'LL STOP THERE, UH, TURN THIS OFF, SAYING THAT THERE ARE NO MORE BOARD MEMBERS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE AT THIS TIME.
AGAIN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TONIGHT FOR ANYBODY THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC.
UH, NOW WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I SEE ONE CARD.
UH, THANK YOU MS. I WAS LOOKING FOR, FIRST UP WE HAVE MS. STORM MATTHEWS.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU GUYS A MOMENT OF VULNERABILITY, WHICH I DO NOT DO OFTEN, SO ENJOY IT.
UM, I HAD NO INTENTION OF SHARING THIS WITH ANY OF YOU.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO PEOPLE UP HERE WHO KNOW THIS INFORMATION.
UM, THIS POLICY CAME ABOUT DECEMBER 7TH.
I HAD MY SECOND STROKE IN EIGHT MONTHS, AND I MADE THEM DISCHARGE ME FROM THE HOSPITAL.
AND I WAS AT WORK THE NEXT DAY.
BALU SAID, WHY, WHY WERE YOU AT WORK THE NEXT DAY? I SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANY SICK DAYS.
AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE EXTENDED SICK LEAVE, WHICH IS 65% OF YOUR PAY.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE A SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO TEENAGE BOYS AND YOUR GROCERY BILL IS $400 A WEEK, I CAN'T PAY MY MORTGAGE ON 65% OF MY PAY.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SICK DAYS SINCE AUGUST.
I'VE HAD ANOTHER SURGERY, LIKE I SAID, TWO STROKES IN EIGHT MONTHS.
BUT YET AS SICK AS I AM, I AM THE HIGHEST PERFORMING TEACHER AT SHERWOOD MIDDLE ACADEMIC MAGNET, WHICH IS YOUR HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT, MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT.
I DON'T MISS UNLESS I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO, BUT I COULD NOT EVEN REST MY BRAIN AFTER A STROKE.
WHEN I AM SICK AND I AM DRAGGING, I STILL HAVE TO GO BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY TIME.
I HAD SOMEBODY WHO WANTED TO DONATE 10 DAYS FOR ME FOR MY SECOND SURGERY THIS YEAR.
BUT GUESS WHAT? I DIDN'T QUALIFY BECAUSE I HADN'T USED ALL MY EXTENDED SICK LEAVE.
I COULDN'T RECEIVE THOSE DAYS.
I AM ON EX, I AM ON INTERMITTENT F M L A BECAUSE I LIKE TO DIE AND COME BACK.
WHY CAN'T I USE THIS INTERMITTENTLY? IN ORDER TO DONATE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE HERE FOR A MINIMUM OF SIX YEARS AND NEVER MISSED A DAY TO DONATE 10 DAYS.
IF SOMEBODY IN THIS DISTRICT THINKS THAT HIGHLY OF ME, WHY CAN'T THEY GIMME THOSE 10 DAYS? AND GOD FORBID I KEEP 'EM AT THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, NEXT YEAR I'LL BE IN THE SAME POSITION BECAUSE I'M THAT SICK.
BUT I, I STILL PERFORM THIS WELL, AS SICK AS I AM.
CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME STILL BE THE GOOD TEACHER
[02:10:01]
THAT I AM, THE PHENOMENAL TEACHER THAT I AM.IN MY 17 YEARS, I HAVE NEVER BEEN ANYTHING BUT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, THE HIGHEST PERFORMING TEACHER AT SHERWOOD.
AND I'VE HAD YEARS WHERE I WAS OUT SIX WEEKS FOR TWO NEUROSURGERIES BECAUSE I NEVER MISSED WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE TO.
I DON'T HAVE 'EM THIS YEAR I HAD TO GO ON THE SEVENTH GRADE FIELD TRIP TO SOUTHERN.
I HAVE CLOCKED 12,000 STEPS TODAY.
I AM AM NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT CUZ OF MY JOINTS.
BUT GUESS WHAT? I HAD TO, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE TODAY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS BLUE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE DECEMBER.
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME WAIT ANOTHER MONTH, PLEASE.
AND YES, IT, IT IS, THERE'S SEVERAL OF US THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM US.
IT'S NOT THAT MANY, BUT PLEASE DON'T MAKE US WAIT ANYMORE.
WE'RE STILL ON PUBLIC COMMENT.
FIRST, DON'T LET THE PERFECT POSSIBILITY KEEP YOU FROM DOING GOOD TONIGHT.
SECOND, THE HR DEPARTMENT HAD TWO WEEKS TO FIX THIS.
THE FACT THAT YOU'RE STILL TOSSING AROUND VERBIAGE AT A BOARD MEETING IS UNACCEPTABLE.
SO WHETHER IT'S THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION OR THE ORIGINAL MOTION PASSED SOMETHING TONIGHT AND MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO HR THAT IN THREE WEEKS THEY BETTER HAVE Z POLICY REVISIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THIS ROCK SOLID.
ANYTHING LESS WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE SUCH THAT YOU NEED TO REPLACE HIGH LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE THAT THIS WASN'T FIXED BETWEEN THE COW.
AND TONIGHT YOUR TIME AND OUR TIME IS MORE VALUABLE THAN THAT.
BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, PASS ONE OF THESE.
EITHER ONE TONIGHT, I DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW ENOUGH TO KNOW WHICH VERSION IS BETTER, BUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S STILL CONFUSION, IT SHOULD BE ALARMING.
SEEING NO OTHER COMMENT CARDS AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR BOARD.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, AS READING THROUGH THIS, I FIND NOWHERE IN OUR POLICY, THE TERM INTERMITTENT LEAVE DEFINED, THE INTERMITTENT LEAVE IS ONLY MENTIONED ONCE IN THE FAMILY LEAVE ACT AND IT REALLY DOESN'T EVEN SAY WHAT IT IS.
AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW IS THE, IF YOU GO THROUGH THE VARIOUS TYPES OF LEAVES THAT WE, THAT MR. SHALIN SENT US, NONE OF THOSE ARE CALLED INTERMITTENT LEAVE.
INTERMITTENT LEAVE IS NOT IN OUR SICK LEAVE POLICY.
THE ONLY MENTION I SEE OF IT ANYWHERE THE TERM INTERMITTENT LEAVE IS IN THE, UH, A SECTION OF THE F MLA.
IT SAYS UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES EVER EMPLOYEES MAY TAKE F M L A LEAVE ON AN INTERMITTENT OR REDUCED BASIS.
SO I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA IN OUR POLICY WHAT INTERMITTENT LEAVE IS.
SO AS WE REDO THIS, THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DEFINED AS TO WHAT IT IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE TAKING IN OR LEAVING OUT OF ANYTHING.
CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEFINITION OF INTERMITTENT LEAVE FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE IS.
AND I FULLY SUPPORT MS. MATTHEWS AND THE THINGS FOR THE SICK BANK POLICY.
AND I THINK WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE HARSH HERE AT ALL.
I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC I JUST WANT US TO BE A GOOD POLICY MAKING BOARD.
AND I, I FEEL LIKE I'M STEPPING OFF A LIMB HERE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TERM MEANS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO APPLIES IN POLICY AND ALL OF THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO WHATEVER WE DO, PLEASE COME BACK AND GIVE US CLARIFICATION ON EXACTLY WHAT THESE THINGS ARE BECAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE I'M FIGHTING IN THE DARK HERE.
SO, AM I WRONG? IS IT NEVER DEFINED? UM, YOU ARE CORRECT.
THIS IS MY STRUGGLE IN THE GRAY.
A LOT OF THINGS IN THE POLICIES, NOT JUST THE LEAVE POLICY ACROSS THE POLICIES.
A LOT OF, AND I, AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT BLAMING YOU FOR THIS.
YOU INHERITED ALL OF THESE POLICIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AT THIS TIME, I SEE NO OTHER NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE, SO WE'LL GO TO MADAME SECRETARY FOR THE VOTE.
AND JUST FOR THE CLARITY, CAUSE
[02:15:01]
I KNEW BOARD MEMBER GOE WAS GONNA GET ME ON THAT ONE.SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION PROPOSED BY SCU, BOARD MEMBER KENSON, SECONDED BY, UH, SCU BOARD MEMBER RUSS.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE, THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS BACK ON THE FLOOR AND WE WILL GO TO THE BOARD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO NOW WE GO BACK TO THE BOARD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I SEE NO NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE AT THIS TIME.
NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
I SEE NO NEW CUE CARDS FOR COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
FOR THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD SEEING NO NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION PROPOSED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I'M SORRY, MOVED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARK BALLOU, SECONDED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PATRICK MARTIN, PLEASE VOTE.
[H. Consent Agenda]
WE'LL GO TO ITEM H, CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO ORDER BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL GODDE.UH, NUMBER A ITEM H A CONSENT AGENDA.
THE CONSENT VOTE, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE TO BE APPROVED AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED WITH ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF ITEMS UNLESS A BOARD MEMBER, SO REQUESTS IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED AT AN ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE PRECEDING THE LAST ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
ITEM TWO, SCHOOL RELOCATION BRC V P A CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL TO RELOCATE BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR, UH, VIGIL AND PERFORMING ARTS TO THE KENILWORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL SITE FOR THE 20 23, 20 24 AND 2024.
ITEM THREE, CAPITAL HIGH CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST TO ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL SUCH REC RECOMMENDATION TO BEGIN IN THE 20 23 20 24 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, A SETTING IN ATTENDANCE SLASH PRIORITY ZONE.
SETTING A GRADE CONFIGURATION OF GRADES NINE THROUGH 12 C, CREATING A PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A HYBRID, TRADITIONAL, AND FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOL D AUTHORIZING STAFF TO APPLY FOR A SITE CODE WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION E AUTHORIZING STAFF TO ENROLL ANY STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE CURRENT CHARTER SCHOOL LOCATED CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION RECORDING JK HAYNES SCHOOL.
SUCH RECOMMENDATION TO BEGIN IN THE 20 23 20 24 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, A SETTING A GRADE CONFIGURATION OF PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12 B.
CREATING A FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR A TEACHER ACADEMY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY WITH ADDITIONAL CONTRACTUAL DOCUMENTS TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD C AUTHORIZING STAFF TO APPLY FOR A SITE CODE WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DE AUTHORIZING STAFF TO ENROLL ANY STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE JK HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL.
E AUTHORIZING THE LOCATION OF JK HAYNES SCHOOL AT ITS CURRENT SITE.
FIVE BR FLAME CLASSROOM EXPANSION.
CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF
[02:20:01]
THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A FOUR CLASSROOM EXPANSION AT BR.FLAME STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUND SIX AGREEMENTS.
GRADUATIONS CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND THE FOLLOWING, A SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND THE AMOUNT OF $34,175 FOR THE RENTAL OF FG CLARK MINI DOME FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS.
B LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $66,600 FOR THE RENTAL OF THE PETER MARIC ASSEMBLY CENTER FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUNDS SEVEN POLICY REVISIONS.
CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL BOARD POLICY REVISIONS AND RELATED MATTERS.
A G B R I B C DASH COVID LEAVE.
AND THAT IS THE END OF THE CONSENT.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MIKE GODDE.
CAN I GET A SECOND? OKAY, THERE.
UM, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MS. SHOSHONE STEWART.
OKAY, UH, POINT OF ORDER BEFORE WE MOVE TO, UH, BOARD DISCUSSION.
IF I DON'T SAY THIS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER NATHAN RUSS IS GOING TO GET ME.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE SOME LANGUISH CHANGES TO THE NAMES OF THE BUILDINGS WHERE THE GRADUATION WILL TAKE PLACE.
THE FIRST ONE IS FG CLARK ACTIVITY CENTER.
THE SECOND ONE IS PETE MIRAVICH
ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE THAT NOW CHANGED INSIDE OF THE QUEUE ON THE RECORD.
UM, THIS TIME I NOW GO TO THE BOARD.
UH, FOR, FOR THE RECORD, I ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
APPRECIATED SCHOOL BOARD A MEMBER.
UM, AT THIS TIME I HAVE, UH, PATRICK MARTIN, A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, MARTIN INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT ITEM SIX B UH, SEPARATED FROM THE REST.
UH, I'M GONNA HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THAT ITEM AND I'D PREFER NOT TO HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO I'D REQUEST THAT ITEM SIX BE PULLED AND VOTED ON SEPARATELY.
ITEM SIX HAS NOW BEEN REQUESTED TO BE PULLED AS A STANDALONE ITEM, RIGHT? SO, DAD, WE HAVE IT ON THE RECORD, SO WE'RE GOOD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED AT THIS TIME? PLEASE, UH, PUT YOUR NAME IN THE QUEUE.
I SEE SCUBA MEMBER KATIE KENERSON IS NOW IN THE QUEUE.
WHY IS THAT STILL ON THERE? IT'S THE SICK LEAVE BANK.
UH, IF YOU EVER RECALL THE LAST, THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, THOSE, THE ITEM THAT MAR UH, I'M SORRY, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BALU AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RUSS PUT UP, THEY WERE TOGETHER, BUT WE BIFURCATED THOSE ITEMS SO WE CAN, UH, DISCUSS AND VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY.
IS THAT ALL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KENON? OKAY.
AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ONLY ONE ITEM THAT HAS BEEN PULLED, WHICH IS ITEM SIX, UH, AGREEMENTS AND GRADUATIONS.
UH, BESIDES THAT, THE REGULAR CONSENT AGENDA IS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO GAR READY TO VOTE ON MINUS ITEM SIX.
ALL RIGHT, NOW THAT WE HAVE GONE TO OUR BOARD, WE GO TO THE PUBLIC AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
JAMES FINNEY, AND THIS IS FOR ITEM H.
YOU CAN DISCUSS THEM ALL THE WAY.
ALRIGHT, SO BECAUSE THIS IS THE, THE, I'M SORRY, BECAUSE THIS IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, YOU CAN, UH, DISCUSS ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE, UH, A QUESTION OR CONCERN ABOUT.
I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ITEMS TWO THROUGH FIVE FOR RELOCATING B R C V P A.
MOVING THAT SCHOOL TO, UH, THE KENWORTH CAMPUS IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD LIKE TO PRETEND YOU CAN MAKE A MIDDLE SCHOOL SUITABLE FOR KINDERGARTNERS WITHOUT SPENDING ANY MONEY.
YOU SHOULD INSIST THAT YOU GET A FISCAL NOTE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT ALREADY.
WITH RESPECT TO CAPITAL HIGH, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU, UH, WHEN IT COMES BACK TO THE BOARD, HAVE SOMEBODY PULL IT AND TAKE OUT, UM, PART C.
UM, THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOWHERE CLOSE TO HAVING ANYTHING READY FOR FOCUS CHOICE FOR CAPITAL HIGH.
YOU JUST NEED TO PROCEED WITH THAT AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
AND IF THE ADMINISTRATION CAN EVER PUT TOGETHER A COMPLETE WELL-EXPLAINED CASE FOR FOCUS CHOICE ANYWHERE, INCLUDING THE TWO EXISTING SITES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN WELL DEFINED OR ESTABLISHED YET, THEN MAYBE
[02:25:01]
YOU CAN THINK ABOUT A THIRD SITE FOR JK HAYNES.I THINK YOU NEED TO ADMIT PART B FOR THE SAME REASON.
I'M REALLY TROUBLED WITH THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE CAN RUN A CHARTER SCHOOL POORLY SURRENDER THEIR CHARTER, AND THEN SOMEHOW THINK THEY GET TO EXPAND TO BE K THROUGH 12 AND STILL BE IN CHARGE.
THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT I THINK YOU'RE SENDING.
AND FINALLY, WITH THE BR FLAME CLASSROOM EXPANSION, YOU ARE SUPPOSEDLY SPENDING 1.8 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS.
SO I STILL HAVE A MINUTE AND 25 SECONDS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE ALL PULL UP THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET PAGES 90 AND 91? THAT'S 103 AND 104 OF THE PDF.
THE ONLY PLACE I FOUND ANYWHERE WHERE YOU COULD PULL 1.8 MILLION IS SOMETHING LIKE 4.6 MILLION WORTH OF MAINTENANCE, UM, BUDGET.
SO YOU'RE GONNA BLOW A THIRD OF THAT AT ONE CAMPUS SO YOU CAN KICK UPPERCLASSMEN UPSTAIRS AND MOVE THREE YEAR OLDS INTO A MAGNET SCHOOL.
WHEN YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD PROGRAM AT EVERYBODY'S NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF KEEPING TRACK OF THE PUBLIC'S MONEY.
THIS IS A REALLY BAD USE OF PUBLIC MONEY, SO I WOULD PREFER YOU KILL FOUR AND FIVE COMPLETELY.
AND ONE MORE THING WITH RESPECT TO NUMBER TWO, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT FOOLISH ENOUGH TO SEND POSTCARDS TO CURRENT STUDENTS AT OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS AND TELL THEM THEY'VE BE BEEN REASSIGNED TO, UM, CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
WE CERTAINLY INVITE HIM TO CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL, BUT PART OF THE REASON THAT I BUG YOU AS OFTEN AS I CAN IS THAT 25 OR SO YEARS AGO, WE REGISTERED OUR KID FOR WILDWOOD AND THEN HE GOT A POSTCARD IN THE SUMMER SAYING HE WAS GOING TO UT THANKS.
UH, BEFORE THE RECORD, I THINK YOU WERE REFERRING TO ITEM THREE, CAPITAL HIGH.
I KNOW YOU SAID ITEM TWO, BUT THAT'S THE RELOCATION OF BATON ROUGE'S VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
UM, NEXT I SEE THAT MS. STORM MATTHEWS, UH, SUBMITTED A COMMENT CARD, BUT SHE HAS ELECTED TO WAIVE.
UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE MR. JAMIE ROBINSON.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU GUYS TO PULL H THREE.
UM, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION THAT, UM, NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE YOU APPROVE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
AND I THINK SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LEWIS DID A GREAT JOB LAST WEEK AS WELL AS MS. KENON AS TO POINT OUT SOME CRITICAL ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO HOW WILL WE DEFINE WHAT STUDENTS WILL BE QUALIFIED TO ENTER INTO THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM AND HOW, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO REMAIN IN THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM.
FURTHERMORE, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO OFFER A FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM TO A SCHOOL THAT WE ARE JUST BRINGING BACK INTO THE FOLD.
IF WE HAVE JUST IMPLEMENTED FOCUS CHOICE FOR THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR AT EXISTING SCHOOLS, WHY WOULD WE DO THAT AT A NEW SCHOOL THAT WE'RE BREAKING INTO THE FOLD? I HEARD SOMEONE SAY LAST WEEK, WELL, THEY HAVE A TRADITIONAL PROGRAM RIGHT NOW AND THEY'RE THRIVING.
THEY'RE GROWING AS, AS IT RELATES TO THEIR S PS SCORE.
BUT THAT'S NOT WITH EBR R'S CURRICULUM.
THAT IS NOT EBR R'S TRADITIONAL PROGRAM.
WE SHOULDN'T MOVE BASED UPON THAT.
I, I BELIEVE IT'S TIME FOR US TO BE RESPONSIBLE PHYSICAL, UM, FISCALLY, BUT ALSO AS IT RELATES TO THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR CHILDREN.
I DON'T EVEN SEE WHERE WE HAVE REALLY MADE THE HONEST STEPS TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT BREAKING, UH, CAPITAL BACK TBR AS IT RELATES TO HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE WE OFFERED AN APPLICATION TO WHO'S GOING TO BE THE PRINCIPAL NEXT YEAR? THE, THE, IT'S MARCH THAT SCHOOL OPENS BACK IN AUGUST AND YOU WANT TO HAVE A NEW PROGRAM THERE THAT'S GONNA HAVE A DIFFERENT CURRICULUM AND YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IN PLACE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A CURRICULUM DEVELOP YOURSELVES.
I WANT E I WANT CAPITAL BACK WITH EBR R BUT I WANT IT DONE THE RIGHT WAY.
AND I DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT DIDN'T WORK OUT THIS YEAR AND WE THINK IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM.
WE'LL REGROUP, WE'LL SHUT IT DOWN AND WE'LL OPEN IT BACK UP IN THE FUTURE.
AND I CAN SAY THAT CONFIDENTLY BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN AGAIN.
PLEASE PULL IT AND TAKE OUT THE FOCUS PROGRAM AND LET'S MAKE CAPITAL STRONGER THAN EVER.
AND IT'S, IT'S POSSIBLE WE CAN DO IT.
[02:30:01]
YOU ALL ARE INTELLIGENT INDIVIDUALS.LET'S MAKE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION.
AT THIS TIME I SEE NO OTHER, UH, CUE CARDS, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK.
SO WE'LL BE GOING BACK TO OUR BOARD.
UH, MS. KATIE KENERSON, I'M SORRY, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
KENERSON, YOU'RE NOT IN THE QUEUE.
UM, DID THE PAST, UH, BOARD EVER VOTE ON FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM? DO WE KNOW THAT? IS IT WAS, WAS IT APPROVED BY, WAS THE MODEL APPROVED BY THE BOARD SINGULARITY? YES.
IS THAT A WORD? IF YOU RECALL? UH, THERE'S SEVERAL SCHOOLS, BUT ONE THAT COMES TO MIND WOULD BE, UH, PARK MEDICAL ACADEMY.
I MEAN, AS JUST ONE, AS ONE ITEM.
NOT, NOT TO IMPLEMENT IT INTO A SCHOOL, BUT AS, AS A MODEL ITSELF.
UH, I WILL DEFER THIS TO, UH, ATTORNEY SHALER.
YEAH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MS. KENON, I DON'T BELIEVE THE BOARD TOOK A VOTE ON THE MODEL.
UM, THE APPROVAL OF THE MODELS OF TEMPLATE, THEY DID APPROVE SEVERAL SCHOOLS AS A PILOT.
UH, PARK ELEMENTARY AND THE WATER SCHOOL, I BELIEVE WERE THE TWO EVIL LAGAR WATER SCHOOL ARE CURRENTLY IN OPERATION.
ALL I THINK THAT, UM, THAT PUBLIC COMIC IS, IS VERY VALUABLE.
UM, AND IN THIS CASE, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LISTEN TO THAT.
UM, ANYTIME WE HAVE AN ITEM WHERE THERE'S MULTIPLE ELEMENTS PULLED IN THE SAME THING AND WE, WE, WE APPROVE IT, WE'RE IN A SENSE BEING PLAYED.
UM, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM THREE AND FOUR.
I DON'T THINK THAT BRINGING A SCHOOL BACK INTO THE DISTRICT AND ADDING FOCUS, CHOICE OR ANY OTHER MODEL SIMULTANEOUSLY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS ONE ITEM.
I HAVE MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE MODEL ITSELF, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT SENTIMENT, EACH THING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON ITS OWN.
SO I'D LIKE TO PULL THREE AND FOUR PLEASE.
REFERRING TO GENERAL COUNSEL BECAUSE WE'VE PASSED THAT POINT.
WE CAN'T PULL ITEMS AT THIS POINT, CAN WE? THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UNFORTUNATELY.
SO, SO BEFORE WE, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A CHANCE TO SPEAK SINCE WE WERE PULLING THINGS.
WE ARE AT THE POINT OF PUBLIC COMMENT BACK TO THE BOARD.
I'M, I WAS THINKING THAT WE HAD ALREADY VOTED TO DO THE STANDALONE ITEM, BUT WE ARE STILL ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITSELF, SO YEAH, YOU CAN PULL.
IT'D BE A GOOD TIME SAVER FOR YOU, BUT WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT.
SO YOU SAID YOU WANNA PULL, WHICH ITEMS? JUST, JUST A POINT OF WATER.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, AS FAR AS THE, UH, POLICY FOR WHEN AN IDA CAN BE PULLED, IS IT BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT OR CAN IT BE PULLED AT ANY TIME BEFORE THE VOTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE POLICY IN FRONT OF ME.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT SPECIFIES WHEN I THINK IT HAS TO OCCUR BEFORE THE VOTE, BEFORE THE ACTUAL, WE CAN JUST LEAVE IT IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE, AND I CAN JUST VOTE NO ON THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA.
BUT I MEAN, I, I BELIEVE I HAVE A RIGHT TO PULL.
YEAH, I WOULD ADVISE ALLOWING BOARD MEMBER KENON TO PULL THREE.
IS IT TWO AND THREE OR THREE AND FOUR IF NEEDED? IT LOOKS TO BE THREE AND FOUR.
NO, AND, AND IT WILL BE ACCEPTED AGAIN, I, FOR CLARITY, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO GO TO ATTORNEY CHALIN.
HE'S ALREADY CLARIFIED, SO IF YOU WANNA PULL, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY, UH, WELCOME TO, SO YOU SAID THREE AND FOUR.
OKAY, SO THAT'LL BE CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, ITEM THREE, G THREE.
SO NOW WE HAVE THREE ITEMS THAT WE WILL BE PULLING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND WHICH WILL BE THREE, FOUR, AND SIX.
WE GOOD WITH THAT? UH, SCHOOL MEMBER KENSON? YES, SIR.
UH, NEXT IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE MADAM VICE PRESIDENT CAR POWELL.
UM, FIRST QUESTION, UH, MS. HALL, I BELIEVE MAYBE, UM,
UH, I KNOW THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA PULL HIM, SO, SO I NEED TO WAIT TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
I WOULD SUGGEST, SINCE WE'RE GONNA PULL HIM AND DISCUSSION, SO THEN WE'LL, WE'LL WAIT TO ASK.
I DO APOLOGIZE, UM, BUT I WILL SAY THIS AS WELL, AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT AND KINDNESS TO MY BOARD MEMBER, MS. KENON, WE, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ITEMS ARE SUPPOSEDLY FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BETTER FOR KIDS.
SO, TO THREATEN ON THE MIC TO VOTE AGAINST EVERYTHING, JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING DOES NOT GO OUR WAY, IT'S KIND OF DISTASTEFUL.
[02:35:02]
MAY I SPEAK TO THAT? PLEASE? I WAS, IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS NOT BEING ALLOWED MY RIGHT TO PULL AN ITEM.IT WAS NOT A, WE JUST, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT THOUGH.
NEXT WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN.
SO HE WAVES UNTIL WE GO ON THE STANDALONE.
AND WE HAVE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, CLIFF LEWIS.
HE'S GONNA WAVE UNTIL WE GO ON THE STANDALONE.
SEEING NO OTHER BOARD COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, WE WILL GO TO THE PUBLIC.
HAD WE, WE WERE BACK TO THE BOARD.
I GOT A LITTLE TIED UP, UH, WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES.
ALRIGHT, SO AT THIS TIME WE ARE VOTING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND SIX BEING PULLED.
MADAM, UH, SECRETARY, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE.
[H.3. Capitol High]
DISCUSS STANDALONE ITEM H THREE, CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS TO BEGIN IN 2023.
2024 SCHOOL YEAR TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, A, SETTING A ATTENDANCE ZONE SLASH PRIORITY ZONE B, SETTING A GRADE CONFIGURATION OF NINE THROUGH 12 C, CREATING A PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A HYBRID, TRADITIONAL, AND FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL D AUTHORIZATION AUTHORIZING STAFF TO APPLY FOR A SITE CODE WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION E AUTHORIZING STAFF TO ENROLL ANY STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE CURRENT CHARTER SCHOOL LOCATED AT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, CAN I GET A MOTION MOVE BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER GOK.
SECONDED BY SCHOOL MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
NOW WE WILL GO TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT LENIS, I, YOU KNOW, I, I SHARE MANY OF MS. KEN'S CONCERNS, UM, AND THOSE OF OTHERS, I THINK THAT, UH, THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM MAY BE REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
I, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE GENERAL IDEA BEHIND IT AND, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH IT AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, AS CONFIRMED A LITTLE WHILE AGO, THERE'S NEVER REALLY BEEN BY THE US THE, YOU KNOW, NINE WHO ARE ON THE BOARD NOW, OR THE PRI PRIOR BOARD WHERE THERE'S BEEN A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF, UH, IN PUBLIC, IN A, IN A PUBLIC VOTE ON THIS IS THE VISION FOR FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS.
THIS IS THE STRATEGIC GOALS OF THE FO FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS.
THIS IS, UM, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
THE BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS AND THE ENROLLMENT IMPLICATIONS OF THE ATTENDANCE ZONE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS VERY SIGNIFICANT POLICY.
AND, AND SO I, I FEEL IN A TIGHT SPOT HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING, THIS IS AN ISSUE WE'RE INHERITING.
IT'S COMBINED WITH SOMETHING VERY GOOD, TAKING BACK CAPITAL HIGH, UM, IN THIS INSTANCE.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M WORRIED THAT THIS CONTINUED INCREMENTAL APPROVAL, ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME IS GOING TO BE USED AS A PRECEDENT.
SUDDENLY WE'VE GOT A VERY LARGE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE NEVER SAT DOWN AND, AND THOUGHT ABOUT AND TALKED ABOUT FROM A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT, WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THAT SAID, BECAUSE OF ALL THE COMMITMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY MADE, BECAUSE THIS WAS SOMETHING, UH, UH, UH, UH, PUSHED AND, AND SUPPORTED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS BY THE PRIOR BOARD, I FEEL KIND OF COMPELLED TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT I DON'T INTEND TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF, OF ADDITIONAL FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS AFTER TODAY UNTIL WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT BROADER STRATEGIC POLICY DISCUSSION OF WHAT THAT PROGRAM IS AND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF IT ARE.
NEXT IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, VICE PRESIDENT POWELL.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS OF SECURING STAFF OR FACULTY FOR CAPITAL HIGH? OKAY.
HR QUESTION, BECAUSE AT FIRST I WAS LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE NOW.
SO WE MET WITH, UM, UH, ABOUT TWO FRIDAYS AGO.
WE MET WITH THE CURRENT STAFF AT CAPITAL TO WALK THEM THROUGH OUR APPLICATION PROCESS AND CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
UH, BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, BACKGROUND CHECK, FINGERPRINT CHECK, AND EVERYONE IS CERTIFIED.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE WITHOUT A BOARD APPROVED, I CANNOT
[02:40:01]
PROGRESS OR MOVE FORWARD.SO I'M WAITING ON TONIGHT'S VOTE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE NEXT STEP.
THE ONLY THING WE'VE DONE IS TO ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT AND HOW WE COULD HELP THEM ALONG THE WAY ONCE THIS APPROVAL GOES THROUGH.
AND HOW QUICKLY DO YOU THINK THAT PRO, OR HOW QUICKLY DOES THAT PROCESS NORMALLY WORK? OH, WE'LL BE READY.
WE ARE ALWAYS UP FOR A CHALLENGE.
SO I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME PERSONNEL, UM, YEAH.
CHANGES OR REPORT THAT GOES ALONG WITH, WITH, UH, CAPITAL HIGH RETURNING TO OUR DISTRICT.
UM, MY QUESTION MAY BE TO MR. SHALIN.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, WE'VE JUST ENTERTAINED QUESTIONS ABOUT FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS AND, AND PILOTED PROGRAMS. WHEN WE AGREED TO TAKE CAPITAL HIGH BACK IN, WAS THERE A VOTE SPECIFICALLY FOR CAPITAL HIGH TO HAVE A FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM? NO, MA'AM.
UM, AND, AND I AM, I'M WORKING FROM MEMORY WITHOUT HAVING DOCUMENTATION IN FRONT OF ME, WE ACCEPTED TO RE TO ACCEPT, WE VOTED, THE BOARD VOTED TO ACCEPT THE RETURN OF CAPITAL HIGH SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS SET BY BESSIE, UH, IN THEIR VOTE TO RETURN THE SCHOOL TO US.
UM, THOSE DID NOT INCLUDE A FO UH, A, A FOCUSED CHOICE COMPONENT THAT IS, UH, DR.
NARCISS RECOMMENDATION GOING FORWARD IN TERMS OF, UH, EMBEDDING THAT COMPONENT IN THE SCHOOL, RESPECTING THE CONDITIONS ALSO OFFERED BY BESSIE.
UM, SOME OF THOSE CONDITIONS INCLUDED, UH, ASSURING THAT THE STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ENROLLED AND GRADUATE FROM CAPITAL.
UM, ASSURING THAT THE SCHOOL WOULD BE A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL ACCESSIBLE BY STUDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE WERE SEVERAL CONDITIONS, UM, ASSURING THAT THE BOARD WOULD TAKE A, WOULD TAKE SOME ACTION TO ADDRESS FACILITIES NEEDS.
UM, THOSE ARE THE THREE CONDITIONS FROM MEMORY I CAN REMEMBER.
UM, BUT THOSE CONDITIONS WERE REQUIRED AND ACCEPTED BY VOTE OF THIS BOARD, THIS PUBLIC BOARD.
THE FOCUS CHOICE COMPONENT IS AN ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION MADE BY DR.
PARK ELEMENTARY IS PRE-K THROUGH EIGHT OR PRE-K THROUGH FIVE.
AND IT'S THE MEDICAL, I'M SORRY, PRE-K SIX.
AND IT'S THE MEDICAL, UH, FOCUS CHOICE MEDICAL FOCUS PROGRAM.
AND I GUESS THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION IS TO SEE IF THERE WAS LIKE A, A COMPLETE TRANSITION FROM PARK ELEMENTARY TO CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WOULD LEAD TO US WANTING TO HAVE THE FOCUS CHOICE MEDICAL MODEL, OR WHAT HAVE YOU TO FOLLOW SUIT WITH, WITH PARK ELEMENTARY, IF I MAY ATTORNEY CHAMBLIN.
I'M SORRY IF I MAY, VICE PRESIDENT POWELL, UH, PART OF IT, SOMEBODY STANDING.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, MADAME VICE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD? YES.
UH, MR. SHALER, YOU WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, AND I THINK THE GOAL IS TO ADD A GRADE LEVEL PER YEAR, UH, AT PARK ELEMENTARY.
AND PARK RIGHT NOW IS, UH, A MEDICAL, A MEDICAL, UH, MEDICAL FOLKS CHOICE SCHOOL.
AND I GUESS THE GOAL IS FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO MATRICULATE INTO THAT HIGH SCHOOL ARENA.
I'M, I'M SORRY, WE WE'RE ASKING.
UM, SO, SO WHAT IS YOUR AFFILIATION? I'M SORRY.
I'M, I'M PITCHING, I'M PITCHING FOR MR. BRICKHOUSE TONIGHT.
MILLS AND BATTIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE NORTH REGION.
I ATTENDED SOME OF THE MEETINGS AT CAPITOL DE HIGH LAST SPRING.
AND IF MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT, WE DID TALK ABOUT IT BEING A FOCUSED SHORT SCHOOL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WANTING TRADITIONAL EDUCATION AND, AND ALL THOSE THINGS AT THE SCHOOL, BUT, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL HIGH WOULD NEVER BE THE CAPITAL HIGH.
IT WAS WHEN I WORKED THERE, IF WE EVER, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M A VISIONARY, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SEE THE REALLY BIG PICTURE AND THEN TRYING TO WORK THE SMALL DETAILS IN.
IF WE DON'T TAKE SOME RISK RIGHT, AND START THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, WE WILL NEVER MOVE THIS DISTRICT FORWARD.
WE'LL BE STUCK, BE STUCK IN NEUTRAL.
IF WE WANNA BECOME A PROGRESSIVE 21ST
[02:45:01]
CENTURY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE'VE GOT TO DO THINGS OUTSIDE THE BOX.I'M QUOTING MS. KENON EARLIER TODAY.
SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT GETTING OUTSIDE THE BOX.
WE'VE GOT TO, IF WE'RE EVER GONNA MOVE FORWARD, IF WE WANNA JUST BE STUCK IN THE MUD AND BE THE SAME OLD EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT THEY'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS, THEN LET'S DO EVERYTHING TRADITIONAL.
LET'S DON'T TRY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
LET'S JUST GO RIGHT ALONG AND MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO AND KEEP GETTING WHAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING.
UH, NEXT I'M INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
UH, AS I GIVE MY EXPLANATION, I WANT TO GIVE A HISTORIC CONTEXT OF WHERE WE ARE FROM THE PREVIOUS BOARD, BECAUSE THREE OF US STILL SIT HERE FROM THE PREVIOUS BOARD.
THE APPETITE TO BRING CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL BACK WAS KICKED DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE A LOT OF BOARD MEMBERS HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE ALREADY THERE.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 10 YEARS, CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL HAS WENT THROUGH A SLEW OF DIFFERENT CHARTER MANAGEMENT GROUPS, AND IT HAS NOT WORKED.
WHEN CHARTER BEFORE CHARTER MANAGEMENT GROUPS TOOK OVER CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN IT WAS A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL, IT DID NOT WORK IN TERMS OF PROGRAMMING FOR OUR SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS TAKEN OVER AS A RECOVERY SCHOOL.
WE ARE NOW IN THE SPACE, OR HOW FAST FORWARD WHERE WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO OUR BOARD.
AND WHAT OUR BOARD DEMANDED WAS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO DIFFERENTLY TO CHANGE WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING THIS OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS.
FOR SCHOOLS LIKE CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL? THE REASON WHY WE DID NOT DO AN ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, POLICY FOR FOCUS CHOICE IS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO VET IT FIRST.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO ACROSS THE BOARD CHANGE AT ALL SCHOOLS.
AND WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE SINKING MONEY INTO, HOW MUCH MONEY IS GONNA COST, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY TYPES OF RESULTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN THE PAST.
FAST FORWARD, NOW, LET'S TAKE CAPITAL, I'M SORRY.
BEFORE THIS SCHOOL WAS TURNED INTO A FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL, IT WAS A CONSISTENT F NOT A D, NOT A JUST A UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL.
IT WAS A CONSISTENT F AND NOW NOT JUST AN F I WANNA SAY LIKE A 29, 20 8% F WHEN WE ADDED THOSE NEW PROGRAMMING FOR FOCUS CHOICE, THAT SCHOOL IS NOW A C IT JUMPED TWO LETTER GRADES AND IS NOW ONE OF THE MOST IMPROVED SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND HAS RECEIVED RECOGNITION.
THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE CHOSE TO PILOT THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE RESULTS ARE GONNA BE YIELDED AT THE END OF EVERY SCHOOL YEAR.
NOW WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN WHEN THE SUPERINTENDENT CAME BACK AND HE SAID, LET'S MAKE THE SAME THING HAPPEN AT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
CUZ AS THESE STUDENTS MATRICULATE THROUGH THE MEDICAL COMPONENT AT CAPITAL, UM, UH, MEDICAL ACADEMY, THEY'RE GONNA STILL PICK UP THOSE SAME COMPONENTS AS THEY MATRICULATE THROUGH.
AND BY THE TIME THEY FINISH, THEY'LL ALL BE ON THE SAME TRACK.
NOW, SOME MAY NOT AGREE WITH THAT, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THIS, BASED OFF WHAT WE HAD ASKED FOR FROM THE PREVIOUS BOARD, WE HAVE SAW THE RESULTS.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE TO ALSO REMEMBER THAT A PART OF THE KPIS INSIDE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED TO WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING INSIDE OF OUR FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS.
AND I CAN SAY WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE, THEY ARE WORKING.
SO HOWEVER, BOARD MEMBERS CHOOSE TO VOTE TONIGHT, I DON'T WANT YOU TO WALK OUTTA THIS ROOM THINKING THAT WE JUST THREW SOMETHING TOGETHER HAPHAZARDLY AS A LAST BOARD, AND WE DID NOT PROPERLY THINK IT THROUGH IN TERMS OF VETTING WE DID.
AND WE SAW THE RESULTS FROM IT, AND WE NOTICED CAN WORK OUTSIDE OF THAT.
SO I BROUGHT ATTORNEY SHALIN, YOU CAN ATTEST TO THIS, BUT THROUGH ALL OF THE BESSIE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, WHILE IT WAS NOT EMPHATICALLY PUT INSIDE OF THE RECORD THAT WE HAD TO PUT UP PROGRAMMING, A PART OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WE TURNED IN WAS THAT WE ARE GOING TO CREATE A FOCUS, CHOICE AND MODEL WITH CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT IS THE AGREEMENT WE GAVE BESSIE TO STOP THAT PROCESS NOW MEANS WE STOP THE TIMETABLE AND WE HAVE TO START ALL THE WAY BACK OVER.
KEEP IN MIND, WE STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR FACILITIES NEEDS AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THAT PART YET.
I JUST WANT TO, I'M SAYING ALL OF THIS AGAIN AS A HISTORICAL BASIS FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE STARTED FROM AND WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE, THAT WE PUSH THROUGH OF WHAT WE HAVE.
CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER MOVING PARTS TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'LL SAVE THE OTHER COMMENTS FOR JK HAYNES.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL GODA.
UH, ALONG THE SAME KIND OF LINES, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT THE FOCUS CHOICE CONCEPT WAS NOT DISCUSSED AND VETTED THAT IT JUST CAME OUT IN A DREAM SOMEWHERE.
UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN THE PAST BOARD.
UH, WE'VE STARTED SEVERAL SCHOOLS.
I'VE SPENT, UH, SOME TIME THIS PAST WEEK OR WEEK BEFORE IT LAST, UH, AT THE EVIL GUARD CENTER, UH, THERE, THAT'S THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND WATER RESOURCES SCHOOL.
[02:50:01]
THEY, THAT CLASS IS GOING TO SEVENTH GRADE AND THE SIXTH GRADE COMING UP IS ALREADY ESSENTIALLY FULL.SO THERE IS A DEMAND FOR THESE KINDS OF SCHOOLS.
UH, THE RELATED TO CAPITAL IN PARTICULAR, UH, WE HAD PETITION OF OVER 5,000 PARENTS, UH, OR 5,000 PEOPLE, CITIZENS OF THIS DISTRICT WHO, UH, SIGNED THEIR NAMES TO PETITION.
AND PART OF THAT WAS INCLUDING THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE FOCUS CHOICE CAME ABOUT WAS A PUSHBACK THAT WE'VE PROBABLY GONE AS FAR AS WE SHOULD GO, OR AROUND THE AREA OF, UH, MAGNET SCHOOLS.
AND THE, THE THING ABOUT THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL IS THERE'S NO ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS.
SO ANY CHILD, ANY STUDENT CAN GET INTO THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL.
AND IF IT'S THEIR CUP OF TEA AND THEY COME UP TO THE STANDARDS, THEY CAN DO IT.
THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS OPERATE UNDER OUR AUSPICES.
THE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A BOARD THAT CONTROLS SOME OF THE THINGS AROUND THAT, BUT THINGS LIKE STUDENT PROGRESSION, THE GRADE LEVELS THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED TO STAY WITHIN THE SCHOOL, ALL OF THOSE THINGS COME BACK TO THIS BOARD FOR A VOTE.
THEY ARE NOT AN INDEPENDENT GROUP JUST RUNNING OUT AND DOING ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO.
IT IS A WAY, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BEING IN THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS IS A WAY WITH US TO CONNECT TO THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU GO OUT TO THE PARK, UH, BOARD, UH, THAT'S OVER THERE AND WE REFER TO IT AS THE BOARD AND THEY DO CONTROL SOME THINGS.
BUT LOOK, THESE ARE ALL OUR TEACHERS THAT WE HIRE AND PAY.
IT'S OUR PRINCIPALS THAT WE APPOINT, WE SET, UH, MANY, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT GO IN THERE.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A CHARTER SCHOOL JUST RUNNING IT AND SOME KIND OF WAY.
I THINK PEOPLE HAVE STARTED TO EQUATE THE FOCUS CHOICE WITH BEING A PSEUDO CHARTER SCHOOL.
IT IS A WAY TO COORDINATE OUR COMMUNITY INPUT AND HAVE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, UH, INPUT INTO HOW WE RUN THESE SCHOOLS, WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS WE OFFER AND HOW THEY'RE DOING.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, ANYTHING AT THAT SCHOOL STILL COMES BACK TO THIS BOARD.
AND WE ARE STILL IN CONTROL OF THAT SCHOOL.
SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET THE MISNOMER THAT, THAT IT'S SOME KIND OF WAY WE'RE GIVING UP CONTROL OF THE SCHOOL, CUZ WE'RE NOT, WE AND CAPITAL IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT OF A HYBRID BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE SORT OF A, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING A 5 0 1
BUT WE WILL BE THE OPERATOR OF THAT SCHOOL.
AND SO, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT APPOINT THE BOARD FOR THE 5 0 1
SO AGAIN, IT ALL COMES BACK TO EXACTLY IN CONTROL OF THIS BOARD.
AND AS THE OPERATOR SCHOOL, WE'LL HAVE ALL THE OPERATING DECISIONS ON HOW THAT THINGS RUN.
AND I'VE HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT COSTS AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, NO ONE IS EVER BROUGHT TO ME THAT HAVING A FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOL COSTS ANY MORE THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY FOLLOW EXACTLY THE SAME STAFFING RULES AND ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
THEY GET EXTRA RESOURCES FROM THE RESOURCES THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS PUT IN THERE.
I'M NOT AWARE OF A SINGLE EXTRA COST THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE OF A FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS FLOWING AROUND HERE THAT, UH, I DON'T THINK ARE NECESSARILY CORRECT.
UH, NOW I THINK, I WOULD THINK IT'D BE GREAT MR. SHALIN, FOR YOU TO BRING TO US A DETAILED BLUEPRINT OF WHAT THE, UH, UH, BYLAWS OF THE FOCUS CHOICE, UH, SCHOOL WOULD BE.
I, I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE MADE THAT AVAILABLE TO ALL OF US, BUT IN ALL OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING RIGHT NOW ABOUT CAPITAL AND ALL OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE SPECIFICALLY TALKED WITH THE CAPITOL HIGH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND THINGS ABOUT THIS BEING A FOCUS CHOICE.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WHY THEY WANTED US TO TAKE THE SCHOOL BACK.
THE COMPROMISE WAS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A TRADITIONAL PART TO THAT.
SO WE ARE HAPPY TO COMPROMISE AND HAVE A HYBRID SCHOOL, WHICH IS PART TRADITIONAL PART FOCUS CHOICE.
BUT I, I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT SUCCESS WITH FOCUS CHOICE SO FAR.
SO I CAN SEE NO REASON TO, TO HOLD BACK ON THAT AND DENY WHAT WE PROMISED TO THE PARENTS AND, UH, COMMUNITY AT CAPITAL.
NEXT IN THE QUEUE, WE HAVE BOARD MEMBER KATIE KENON.
I AGREE WITH MR. GODDE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF IDEAS FLOATING AROUND THAT ARE NOT CORRECT.
UM, THE CONNOTATION THAT FOCUS CHOICE, UM, MARRIES A SCHOOL WITH A COMMUNITY IS NOT EXACTLY CORRECT.
IT MARRIES SCHOOL WITH BUSINESS.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT CLOSELY.
[02:55:02]
TURNING, UH, STUDENTS INTO EMPLOYEES IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT CLOSELY.AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN A ITEM AN HOUR AGO, WE, WE VOTED TO NOT AMEND A POLICY THAT WAS GOING TO SPECIFICALLY DIRECTLY AFFECT A VETERAN TEACHER.
WE VOTED TO NOT HELP BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE CLEAR AND CONCISE IN THE POLICIES THAT WE MAKE AND THE POLICIES THAT WE REVISE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT TINY, TINY DETAIL, WE SENT HER HOME SAYING, NO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW APPROVING THIS, THESE, THIS PROGRAM THAT'S NOT GONE THROUGH THE BOARD CORRECTLY, UH, FOR US TO REVIEW AND APPROVE AND JUST INSERTING THEM INTO THESE SCHOOLS.
AND, UM, I IT'S IN VAIN, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO TAKE I THE C ITEM TO MAKE IT FOCUS CHOICE OUT.
NEXT WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARK.
SHE MADE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, SO WE'LL NEED TO CONSIDER, SORRY, A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION.
CAN WE GET A SECOND ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? CAN I GET THAT LANGUAGE AGAIN? UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KENSON TO REMOVE THE FOCUS CHOICE, UH, UH, FACTOR FROM THIS ITEM.
SO C FOR CLARITY, YOU WANT TO REMOVE, UH, SECTION C FROM ITEM H THREE.
UH, NOW THAT THE SUBSTITUTE IS ON THE FLOOR IS UNDERSTOOD, CAN WE GET A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
SO WE GOT A SECOND NOW BY ONE SECOND.
SECOND BY SCUBA MEMBER PATRICK MARTIN.
AT THIS TIME NOW WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
WE GO BACK TO OUR BOARD FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AND IN THE QUEUE RIGHT NOW, SCUBA MEMBER MARTIN.
I, I'D LIKE TO, TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE, UM, WHAT I UNDERSTOOD MR. GODDE TO SAY JUST NOW, UH, I DON'T THINK IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT SOME ANSWERS, I GOT TO THE QUESTIONS I ASKED TWO WEEKS AGO AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, UH, PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE ROLE OF THE NONPROFIT.
UH, BOTH BECAUSE I UNDERSTOOD, UM, IN RESPONSE TO MY QUESTIONS TWO WEEKS AGO THAT I WAS TOLD THAT THE, UM, THAT THIS VOTE AND DESIGNATED A FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOL IS NOT ACTUALLY EMPOWERING THE NONPROFIT ENTITY THAT HAS BEEN CREATED.
BUT I DON'T THINK ANY BOARDS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED AND THAT THIS IS NOT GIVING THEM ANY AUTHORITY WHATSOEVER.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. SANDLIN? THAT IS CORRECT.
THE VOTE TONIGHT IS TO APPROVE THIS, THE SCHOOL CAPITAL HIGH, UM, WITH A FOCUS CHOICE COMPONENT.
THE NONPROFIT THAT YOU SPEAK OF IS IN PROCESS, THE PREVIOUS BOARD OR THIS BOARD IN PREVIOUS COMPOSITION APPROVED COUNCIL TO FORM THAT NONPROFIT.
BUT THERE, THERE'S STILL SOME ADDITIONAL STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS ACTION.
TONIGHT, THE BOARD IS ONLY APPROVING CAPITAL HIGH WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I BELIEVE THERE'S THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, AND SO THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS ACTION.
AND IN THE EXISTING FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE WITH, THERE'S TWO OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
DO THOSE HAVE NONPROFITS THAT HAVE ANY LEGAL STANDING? NO, SIR.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE NONPROFITS HAVE NO LEGAL STANDING WHATSOEVER TO CONTROL ANYTHING.
IT, IT IS, WHILE IT'S GOT THIS FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY, ANY SPECIAL OPERATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, OF THE NONPROFIT NO, SIR.
TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CLARITY OF THE FOCUS CHOICE ADVISORY BOARDS, AND WE CALL 'EM ADVISORY BOARDS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FORM, THEY DO NOT CREATE POLICY OR, OR DIRECT POLICY.
THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BOARD FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
THOSE BOARDS ARE COMPRISED OF BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL, BUT ALSO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO THEY ARE COM COMBINATION, UM, OF, OF THAT CONCEPT.
SO, SO FOR THOSE SCHOOLS, THE HIRING OF PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, CAFETERIA WORKERS, ALL THAT ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS EVERY OTHER SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT, CORRECT? YES.
WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THAT ADVISORY BOARD WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO LEADERSHIP, POTENTIALLY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD FOR FINAL APPROVAL BY THIS BOARD.
BUT THE BUT THE, BUT THE, BUT THAT'S JUST A, AN ADVISORY, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTION.
UM, NO, NO BINDING AUTHORITY WHATSOEVER.
I THINK SOME OF THE CONFUSION OVER THAT POINT I IS, IS WHY I MADE MY INITIAL COMMENTS.
IT'S NOT TO SUGGEST, UH, THAT IT WAS UNWISE FOR THE PRIOR, UH, COMPOSITION
[03:00:01]
OF THIS BOARD TO EMBARK ON A CREATIVE INNOVATIVE PILOT PROGRAM.WE'VE GOT TO, TO TRY NEW THINGS AND SEE, UH, WHAT WORKS.
AND THIS SEEMS SO FAR THAT IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, BEEN, BEEN, BEEN OFF TO A GOOD START, RIGHT? WITH THE SUCCESS THAT, THAT PRESIDENT LANIS MENTIONED.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT THE CONFUSION ILLUSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF STEPPING BACK AFTER THIS, AFTER THIS VOTE, UM, TO, TO, TO SAY, OKAY, WELL WE'VE DONE THE PILOT, RIGHT? LET'S EVALUATE THE RESULTS AND LET'S DECIDE WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO EXPAND.
AND I THINK THAT IN ITSELF IS A SEPARATE ISSUE, UH, AS MS. KENON SUGGESTED THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER SO THAT ONCE WE DO EVERY, ALL OF US AROUND THIS TABLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, UH, OR UNCERTAINTY EVERY SINGLE TIME.
IT, IT COMES UP, LET'S JUST, LET'S MAKE A DECISION AND, AND MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH IT.
AND, AND, AND I DON'T MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE FOCUS CHOICE, I THINK IT'S, THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT GOOD OF IT, BUT I, I THINK OBVIOUSLY SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE CONCERN WITH IT, AND I THINK WE NEED TO ALL MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE, THE IMPLIC SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS THIS HAS ON THE OVERALL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO YEAH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA SUPPORT, UH, ALTHOUGH I SECOND THE MOTION SO WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS, I, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL MOTION BECAUSE I DO FEEL THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT THE, THAT THE PRIOR BOARD, WHETHER IN A BIG FORMAL VOTE OR NOT INDICATED SUPPORT FOR THIS, AND BESSIE AND OTHERS MADE DECISIONS AND RELIANCE ON THAT.
AND, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE WAY OF THAT.
UH, BUT, BUT MY COMMENTS AND CONCERNS STAND AS, AS IT, YOU KNOW, UH, RELATES TO GOING FORWARD WITH, WITH FUTURE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS.
AND IT IS DULY NOTED, UH, THAT WE MUST DO, UH, I, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY A BETTER JOB OF GETTING THE INFORMATION TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO GET COPY SPEED ON WHAT FOCUS CHOICE IS THE HISTORIC NATURE BEHIND HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA AND THE RESULTS THAT WE ARE YIELDING RIGHT NOW INSIDE OUR CURRENT SCHOOLS.
I WILL GIVE A JUST A QUICK CAVEAT TO SOMETHING THAT ATTORNEY SHALIN HAS ALREADY KIND OF STAYED AHEAD OF THAT.
UM, EVERY EMPLOYEE AT THE SCHOOL IS GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY AGAIN.
EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE THAT CURRENTLY TEACHES AT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL IS GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY AGAIN, INCLUDING A PRINCIPAL.
EVERY CHILD THAT IS ATTENDING THAT SCHOOL RIGHT NOW IS GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY AND GET IN.
IT'S COMPLETELY UP TO THEIR PARENT AND THAT CHILD, WHETHER OR NOT THEY SEE THAT AS A PERFECT FIT FOR THEM.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY ON THE RECORD, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE I, I WANNA MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISSPEAK FOR PERSONNEL DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, HIRING OF THE PRINCIPAL'S TEACHERS, THAT IS A SUPERINTENDENT'S PURVIEW UNDER ACT ONE, BUT THE ADVISORY BOARD MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO HIM.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR.
NEXT WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARK BALU AQ.
THE, UM, THE BOARD VOTED TO TAKE CAPITOL HILL, UH, CAPITOL HIGH BACK IN THE SEPTEMBER MEETING.
SO IF ANY BOARD MEMBER WANTS TO LOOK BACK AT THE MATERIALS FROM THAT SEPTEMBER MEETING, UH, THAT'S WHEN IT DOES.
UM, WHEN WE DID IT, UM, COUNSEL WAS CORRECT THAT, UH, BESSIE DID NOT REQUIRE THE FOCUS CHOICE AS A PART OF IT.
THAT WAS NOT ONE OF THE COMPONENTS.
HOWEVER, THAT WAS THE VISION THAT, UH, UH, SUPERINTENDENT NARCISE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD AT THE TIME.
UH, WE VOTED TO, UH, TAKE IT BACK, UH, WAS THAT IT WOULD BE A NATURAL PROGRESSION FROM THE PARK MEDICAL SCHOOL.
HE, UH, PRESENTED TO ALL, ALL OF THE, UH, UH, PUBLIC FORUMS AND ALL THE MATERIAL AND, AND, UH, SO JUST TO CLARIFY THAT.
BUT IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT THE MATERIAL, IT'S IN THE SEPTEMBER OF 22, UH, MEETING.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BELU, AND I'LL MAKE THAT REQUEST.
CAN WE PLEASE, UH, PULL THOSE DOCUMENTS OR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, UH, AND GET THOSE OUT TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS SO THEY CAN GET COPY TO SPEED? YES.
UM, ALSO, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CLARIFY A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT WERE MADE, UM, EARLIER BECAUSE I THINK THAT SOMEONE ASKS ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRENTLY, PARK IS A K THROUGH SIX, UM, CONFIGURATION FOR THE BOARD APPROVED A K THROUGH EIGHT.
HOWEVER, THE IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT SCHOOL IS THAT WE WILL ADD ONE MIDDLE GRADE LEVEL EACH YEAR.
SO WE WILL ACTUALLY MATRICULATE UP TO THE EIGHTH GRADE AT THAT PARTICULAR SITE.
THE HOPE IS THAT THOSE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND PAR CURRENTLY WILL HAVE A PLACE TO CONTINUE STUDY IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
MEANING THAT ONE CAPITAL IS A FEEDER FOR THAT PARTICULAR LOWER ELE, LOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND ALSO THAT PROGRAM NEEDS TO HAVE CONTINUITY TO IT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT CAUSE I KNOW IT'S SOMEONE ONE ACT AND WE SAID K THROUGH SIX, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A K THROUGH EIGHT PROGRAM.
[03:05:02]
THANK YOU MS. SMITH FOR THAT.UH, NEXT IN THE QUEUE, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER NATHAN, RUSS.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, SO THIS ITEM MADE IT THROUGH THE COW.
IT WAS SENT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I HAVE NOT HEARD A SINGLE PIECE OF INFORMATION TONIGHT THAT WE DID NOT HEAR IN THE COW.
THERE HAS BEEN NO NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SCHOOL, ABOUT THE FOCUS CHOICE MODEL THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD OR ANY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD HAS NOT HEARD YET.
I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'RE DEBATING THIS.
IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME AS A BOARD MEMBER THAT THE PEOPLE OF THAT COMMUNITY SPOKE ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED DONE WITH THAT SCHOOL.
UM, I RESPECT THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO VOICE THEIR OPINION ON THAT.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT THINK THEY'RE SMARTER THAN EVERYBODY ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH THIS SCHOOL.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
I ENCOURAGE MY BOARD MEMBERS, LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, NATHAN, RUSS.
UH, NEXT IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL GODDE PASS HE WAVES.
UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER GODDE.
NEXT WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
KANYE, RUSS, KANYE, RUSS, KANYE.
THAT, THAT'S KIND OF AN INSIDE JOKE.
BUT MS. SMITH WAS TALKING ABOUT KIDS MATRICULATING UP TO CAPITAL TO HIGH SCHOOL.
I DON'T HEAR THE SAME KIND OF ARGUMENTS WHEN PEOPLE, WHEN THE KIDS FROM WESTDALE GO TO BATON ROUGE HIGH OR THE KIDS FROM WHAM GO TO WESTDALE OR THE KIDS FROM FLAME, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, A NATURAL MATRICULATION.
THEY'RE GOING FROM THE MAGNET ELEMENTARIES TO THE MAGNET MIDDLES TO THE MAGNET HIGHS.
SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? WHY CAN'T THERE BE SOME TYPE OF INNOVATIVE OUT OF THE BOX THINKING TO MOVE US FORWARD? WE SEND KIDS TO SCHOOL SO THEY CAN BE EMPLOYABLE.
PART OF THE PROBLEM IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, THE WORKFORCE, THESE WHAT WE'RE DOING WILL IMPACT THE WORKFORCE IN THIS CITY FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WANNA SEE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE IT DISTURBS THE STATUS QUO.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE THIS DISTRICT FOR WHETHER SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT.
I'M FOR ONE, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M SITTING HERE, BECAUSE MY GRANDCHILDREN AND MY GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN WILL MAKE THIS THEIR HOME.
AND I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THEM GROWING UP WITH THE CURRENT STATUS QUO QUOTE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
WE CAN BE A GREAT CITY AND A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
YOU JUST GOTTA BE WILLING TO CHANGE AND EMBRACE CHANGE AND EMBRACE THE RISK THAT IT TAKES TO PRODUCE CHANGE.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE SCU, BOARD MEMBER, VICE PRESIDENT CARLA POWELL IN THE QUEUE.
HI, UH, IF I CAN CALL UP MS. MS. PORTER.
MS. PORTER, MY QUESTION AND YOU CAN COME ON UP.
I'LL, I'LL WAIT UNTIL YOU GET UP THERE.
MY QUESTION IS, UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, SCHOOLS THAT OPERATE A 5 0 1
SO I HAVE TO DEFER MAYBE TO THIS, THE SHALIN.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS, BUT WE'D HAVE TO CHECK TO BE SURE.
CAN I GIVE SOME CONTEXT? ACTUALLY, SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL DOES HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD.
THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, UH, WHEN IT WAS A FOOTBALL COACH OR IT WAS THE PRINCIPAL, THEY MADE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY SAT IN ON THE INITIAL INTERVIEWS AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SENT UP TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.
BUT I WAS REFERRING TO THE QUESTION.
I THINK SHE, I THINK THE QUESTION WAS IS IT A 5 0 1? 5 0 1? IS IT, IS IT A 5 0 1? I BELIEVE IT'S AN ADVISORY BOARD, BUT NOT A YES.
ONE MAKE SURE'S QUESTION, SO CORRECT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING.
CUZ I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE, UM, H SEP WHICH, UH, WHICH DEALS WITH THE ENGINEERING PROGRAM, BUT THAT'S CORRECT.
I DID NOT KNOW IF THEY WERE OFFICIALLY LIKE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
UM, AND THEN I KNOW THEY ALSO HAVE PAC, WHICH IS FOR THEIR OTHER ACADEMIES OR CAREER ACADEMIES THAT THEY HAVE THERE.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT I'M CORRECT IN SAYING, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER ATTEST OR TELL ME IF I'M ACCURATE IN THIS, THAT
[03:10:01]
THEY HAVE OPERATED NUMBER ONE, THEIR ENGINEERING PROGRAM FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS, AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY'VE HAD THEIR H STEP BOARD FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT THIS, AT THIS JUNCTURE.AM I CORRECT? WELL, I DO KNOW THE ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ENGINEERING COMPONENT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE A LONG TIME AND POSSIBLY WHEN THE MAGNET PROGRAM WAS SET UP AT SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS CLOSE TO 40 YEARS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE OTHER ADVISORY BOARD, I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
SO, SO WHAT DOES THAT ADVISORY BOARD DO FOR A GUEST OR TO SUPPORT THE ENGINEERING PROGRAM? SO THEY HELP THE SCHOOL TO IDENTIFY THE CURRICULUM.
THEY MENTOR STUDENTS TO PROVIDE SUMMER INTERNSHIPS.
THEY PRETTY MUCH SUPPORT THE SCHOOL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY, INCLUDING INDUSTRY BASED STANDARDS.
WHEN THESE STUDENTS GRADUATE, THEY ARE EMPLOYABLE.
SO, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE SEE THAT THIS TAKES PLACE ALREADY IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT ANYTHING FOREIGN THAT WE ARE INQUIRING ABOUT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS SCHOOL THAT WE ARE REFERRING TO OPERATES WITHIN OUR INNER CITY AREA IN, IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
SO THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT WE WOULD EMPLOY THIS SAME TYPE OF MODEL AT THAT WOULD NO DOUBT SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY.
UH, NEXT IN THE Q I C, UH, ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD.
YEAH, WE DID SOME INVESTIGATING.
IT IS A 5 0 1
AND ADDITIONALLY, I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, THE, THE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT HAS ALSO EXPRESSED THIS CAME TO ME AS WE WERE SPEAKING.
HE DOES INTEND TO, I BELIEVE, DO A WORKSHOP, UH, ON THE MODEL FOR FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOLS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHEN THAT'S GONNA BE SCHEDULED, BUT HE'S SPOKEN A COUPLE OF TIMES TO ME ABOUT THAT AS WELL AS SOME BOARD MEMBERS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED.
AND JUST TO GET SOME, UH, UH, FURTHER CONTEXT, UH, THE FIVE OH, UH, 5 0 1
THERE ARE FIVE BOARD MEMBERS ON THE 5 0 1
UH, FOUR MEMBERS SERVE ON THE ALUMNI FOR CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE FROM A FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION TO OUR BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
AT THIS TIME, SEEING NO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE, WE'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THIS IS THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
EVERYONE THAT HAS A CARD FOR H TWO CAN SPEAK AGAIN.
SO THAT FIRST WILL BE MR. JAMIE ROBERTSON.
FIRST THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE GREAT AT CAPITAL HIGH BECAUSE WE SEE HOW IT'S DOING AT OTHER SCHOOLS.
LET ME POINT SOMETHING OUT FOR YOU.
PARK ELEMENTARY GAINED THE FOCUS CHOICE PATHWAYS, THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR 22 TO 23.
THE C LETTER GRADE THAT WE HAVE NOW THAT CAME FROM AN F WAS FROM THE 21 TO 22 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR WHEN IT WAS A, JUST A TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
THERE IS NO REAL METRICS AVAILABLE THAT CAN SHOW US, ASIDE FROM WHATEVER MATH TESTING YOU MAY OFFER TO THE STUDENTS NOW IN THE SCHOOLS, THAT THIS WILL BE A GOOD PROGRAM AT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
THE C THE TWO LETTER GRADES THAT WE HAVE GROWN, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FOCUS CHOICE, EVIL LAGAR, JUST BECAUSE IT'S FULLY ENROLLED, THAT MEAN WE SHOULD HAVE IT IN AT CAPITAL HIGH.
THAT DOESN'T TELL ME ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT HAS CHILDREN ENROLLED AND IT HAS A FAILING GRADE.
IT TELLS ME NOTHING WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE WORKFORCE.
AND THIS WILL BE GOOD BECAUSE OF THAT.
THE PROBLEM ISN'T THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILLING AND AVAILABLE TO WORK.
THE JOBS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN NORTH BATON ROUGE.
THAT'S NOTHING Y'ALL CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE A COMPONENT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ONLY THING, POSSIBLY CLOSE TO THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM THAT WE COULD ASSOCIATE HERE, I THINK BACK TO THE, UH, PATHWAYS, TO BRIGHTER FUTURES THAT'S IN EXISTENCE AT GLEN OAK HIGH.
AND GUESS WHAT? THAT'S STILL AN F.
IF YOU WANNA DO A PROGRAM LIKE THIS TO TURN IT AROUND, DO THAT AT SCHOOL.
LET'S TRY THAT, GLEN OAKS AND SEE HOW IT DOES.
WE DO NOT NEED THIS AT CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL.
[03:15:01]
BOUGHT THIS BEFORE THE COMMUNITY, KEEP IN MIND HE ALSO TOLD US WE HAD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WERE GONNA BE INVESTED AND WAS GONNA BE AVAILABLE TO DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS SUCCESSFUL.GUESS WHAT? WE DON'T KNOW WHERE HE GOT THAT FROM BECAUSE HE DON'T KNOW WHERE HE GOT IT FROM.
IF IT WALKS LIKE A DUCK TALK, CRACKS LIKE A DUCK, IT MUST BE A DUCK.
AND THIS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A HORRIBLE IDEA.
IT LOOKS LIKE A HORRIBLE IDEA.
SO GUESS WHAT? IT MUST BE RECKLESS.
NEXT WE HAVE MS. KODA, CORLEY, CARON DE COLEY, PARENT DISABILITIES ADVOCATE.
I LEFT MY LITTLE, UH, SIDEKICK, THE SELF-ADVOCATE IN THE FOER BECAUSE HE AIN'T NEED TO BE IN HERE FOR THIS PART.
I SPOKE, UM, AT BESSIE IN REGARDS TO CAPITAL HIGH RETURNING BACK TO THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND WHEN I SPOKE ON BESSIE, UH, SPOKE AT BESSIE, I TALKED ABOUT CAPITAL HIGH RETURNING BACK TO BE A FULL TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SEE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS FOCUSED CHOICE PIECE IS THAT THE GPA STANDARDS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE STUDENTS TO MEET IS HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THEM TO MEET IN THE ACTUAL MAGNET PROGRAMS. SEE, IN ORDER FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GO TO, UH, BATON ROUGE MAGNET HIGH, OR LEE, WHICH Y'ALL LIKE TO CALL IT LIBERTY, SO I'LL CALL IT LIBERTY, WHERE THERE IS NO LIBERTY HIGH, THOSE KIDS ONLY HAVE TO HAVE A 2.5 GPA TO GO THERE.
BUT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO ENROLL INTO CAPITAL HIGH AND BE IN THE MEDICAL COMPONENT OF A FOCUSED CHOICE PROGRAM, THAT GPA WAS GONNA BE 2.7.
HOW ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAN YOU ASK FOR THOSE KIDS TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO INTO A PROGRAM AND ACTUALLY HAVE TO MEET A LOVER THAT YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR THOSE KIDS THAT SAY BATON ROUGE CHILD, LEE LIBERTY, NO LIBERTY TO BID.
HOW IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GO TO AVA LAGAR, THEY GOTTA BE, THEY GOTTA HAVE A THREE POINT GPA.
THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU ASKING FOR, FOR THE OTHER ONES.
SO WHO IS YOUR FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM HELPING? CUZ IT'S NOT ALLOWING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO COME IN THERE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT DISCRIMINATION.
THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT SAY THAT YOU CANNOT CREATE PROGRAMS USING FEDERAL FUNDING TO ACTUALLY SEGREGATE OR DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CLASSES OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DO.
SO IT DON'T MATTER IF ANY BOARD MEMBER WANT TO SAY, OH, WELL THIS IS WHAT WE HAD IN SEPTEMBER, IT WAS WRONG THEN IT'S WRONG NOW.
AND IT WAS WRONG WHEN YOU TRIED TO MAKE IT AT BESSIE.
WHEN YOU SAID IT AT BESSIE, Y'ALL ACTUALLY AGREED WITH ME AND SAID THAT YOU WAS GONNA ALLOW THE PROGRAMS TO ALLOW THOSE KIDS TO ACTUALLY GO BACK TO WORKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
YOU WAS GONNA BRING ALL THAT BACK.
SO WHY IS IT THAT WHEN WE GET IN FRONT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT'S NOT THE ELECTED BODY, WHY IS IT THAT YOU TELL THEM SOMETHING DIFFERENT? QUIT LYING TO THE PEOPLE WHOSE TAX DOLLARS IS PAYING FOR YOU TO SIT IN THIS ELECTED POSITION.
AND IF YOU CAN'T LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND ACTUALLY BE HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, THEN MAYBE YOU NEED TO CHANGE BECAUSE GOD IS NOT PLEASED WITH WHAT HE SEE ON Y'ALL.
SO, UH, BEFORE ORDER UPON ORDER, OH, YOU ORDER 26 SECONDS.
SECRETARY 20 SECONDS PLEASE STOP DOWN SECONDS.
MISS CORON, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I'VE ASKED YOU NOT TO USE PROFANITY.
NO, PLEASE LISTEN, I'M LISTENING NOT TO USE PROFANITY WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING A BOARD MEETING.
AND WHILE YOU'RE SPEAKING ON THE MIC, THAT'S A SECOND TIME.
I'M ASKING YOU FOR A SECOND TIME.
DO NOT USE PROFANITY IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN, I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE THE MIC.
AND THAT'S WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, PLEASE GIVE TIME BACK 26 SECONDS.
IT'S 26 SECONDS JUST FOR PUBLIC CLARITY.
THAT WORD I USED IS ACTUALLY IN THE BIBLE.
LOOK IN YOUR BIBLE AND READ PEOPLE.
IT'S ALSO IN WEBSTERS AND MIRIAM'S DICTIONARY TOO.
SO JUST IN CASE EVERYBODY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A PROFANE WORD IS ALSO USED AS A, AS A METHOD TO BLOCK WATER.
BUT I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT I EDUCATE, MAN.
SO BY, OH, Y'ALL, Y'ALL DIDN'T GIMME MY SECOND.
YOU USED IT TIME TO TELL US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WITH THE WORD YOU USED INSTEAD OF SPEAKING WITH MY SECONDS.
YOU KNOW I'M GONNA SPEAK AGAIN BEFORE I CALL UP THE NEXT PERSON TO THE MIC.
I WANT TO SAY THAT IT IS NOT THE POSITION OF OUR BOARD TO DISRUPT OR INTERRUPT ANYBODY ON THE MIC, BUT WE ASK ANYBODY THAT COMES AND WISHES TO SPEAK TO PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL AND BE MINDFUL
[03:20:01]
THAT THIS IS A TELEVISED MEETING AND THAT THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG DO WATCH AND DO WATCH THESE MEETINGS.SO I'M ASKING YOU PLEASE DON'T USE PROFANITY AND PLEASE SPEAK JERMAINE TO THE TOPIC.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. I'M SORRY, DR.
I APPRECIATE YOUR SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UM, I APPRECIATE MR. ROBINSON'S COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO PARK ELEMENTARY'S.
UM, RATHER COMMENDABLE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE GRADE PREDATING THE FOCUS CHOICE PILOT.
FURTHERMORE, WHEN FOCUS CHOICE CAME IN, A VERY SPECIAL ARTS PROGRAM WENT OUT.
I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH ARTS AVAILABILITY THERE IS AT PARK ELEMENTARY.
NOW, UM, KINDERGARTEN IS AWFULLY YOUNG TO PUT SOMEBODY ON THE NARROW PATH TOWARD EMPLOYABILITY IN EXACTLY ONE PROFESSION.
TO COACH LEWIS'S COMMENTS, YOU SEND YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOLS TO BE EMPLOYABLE.
THAT IS A REALLY DISAPPOINTING STATEMENT.
I SENT MY KIDS TO SCHOOL TO BE EDUCATED.
MR. RUST, YOU SAID YOU WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU HADN'T HEARD NEW INFORMATION.
SO HERE'S SOME NEW INFORMATION YOU'VE PROBABLY FIGURED OUT.
I LIKE SUBMITTING PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS.
I HAVE RECEIVED ONE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FROM THE TWO EXISTING FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS.
THE ADMINISTRATION CANNOT FIND THE EXECUTED COPY OF THE MEMORANDUM FOR THE EVA LAGAR CENTER.
SO I TOOK A QUICK LOOK TODAY WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT AT THE MEMORANDUM ROUTE, THE GARDEN PARK ELEMENTARY.
AND IT SAYS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT BATON ROUGE GENERAL COULD POSSIBLY DO.
AND IT'S VERY CLEAR TO SAY THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO DO ANYTHING.
SO SEATING ANY AUTHORITY TO A PRIVATE COMPANY IS I THINK A MISUSE OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS AN ELECTED BOARD.
FURTHERMORE, MR. SHALIN HAS DESCRIBED WHAT THE VISION OF FOCUS CHOICE BYLAWS APPEARS TO SUGGEST THERE DO EXIST.
FOCUS CHOICE BYLAWS IN DRAFT FORM.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE READ THOSE? AND WHEN DID THE BOARD VOTE ON THOSE? NEVER.
UM, COACH LEWIS, YOU WANNA THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX? PUT THE CONSERVATORY AT CAPITOL HIGH, NOT FOUR BLOCKS FROM BROADMORE HIGH.
THAT WOULD BE WAY OUTSIDE THE BOX.
ONE LAST THING, YOU HAVE SIXTH GRADERS IN THE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM AS THE HIGHEST GRADE AT PARK ELEMENTARY.
YOU HAVE TWO YEARS TO FIGURE OUT IF THAT'S WORKING.
AND THEN IF YOU WANNA DO A FOCUS CHOICE AT CAPITAL HIGH, MAYBE THE WRINKLES WILL BE WORKED OUT FROM EVA LAGAR AND PARK ELEMENTARY.
BUT IT'S THE MIDDLE OF MARCH SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
I'M NOT CONVINCED THIS ADMINISTRATION CAN PULL OFF A SIMPLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL IN FOUR MONTHS WITHOUT SCREWING IT UP.
SO I AM ABSOLUTELY IN FAVOR OF THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION AND WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD VOTE FOR IT.
SEEING NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS AT THIS TIME, WE GO BACK TO OUR BOARD AND SEEING NO ONE INSIDE OF THE QUEUE, I'M GONNA CUE MYSELF IN AND I'LL BE REALLY, REALLY BRIEF.
UM, AND I'M JUST ONLY SPEAKING ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS CUZ I LOVE TO, UH, IT IS MY POSITION TO, UH, PRESENT FACTS WHEN, WHENEVER WE RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION THAT MAY HAVE A LACK THEREOF.
SO LET'S START WITH ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAPPENED ABOUT GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, THEY HAVING A FOCUS CHOICE MODEL ONE.
WHY GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL HAS A LETTER GRADE OF AN F EFFORT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FOCUS CHOICE MODEL BECAUSE THE FOCUS CHOICE MODEL DOES NOT FOCUS ON THE ENTIRE SCHOOL.
IT FOCUSES ON THE NINTH GRADE COHORT, WHICH IS WHY THEY NOW HAVE A NINTH GRADE ACADEMY AND SAYS, BRINGING THAT MODEL OF THE BR PATHWAYS TO BRIGHT FUTURES TO GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THE FIRST YEAR, OVER 90% OF THE NINTH GRADERS AT THE SCHOOL WERE ON TRACK TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE FOR ALMOST A DECADE.
I SAY IT AGAIN, 90% IN THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS WERE ON TRACK TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE IN OVER A DECADE IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND I DON'T SAY THIS TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT OF WHITE VERSUS BLACK, BUT IN CONTEXT OF WHAT IS THE POPULATION MAKEUP OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, ABOUT 76% OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IDENTIFIES AS AFRICAN AMERICAN.
78% FALL BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, WHICH IS WHY THEY RECEIVED FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.
THE LAST TWO YEARS ALONE, 48% OF OUR STUDENTS THAT GRADUATED FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOLS GRADUATED WITHOUT
[03:25:01]
A BASIC CREDENTIAL ON THEIR DIPLOMA.MEANING THEY WERE VIRTUALLY UNEMPLOYABLE AT THE TIME OF GRADUATION WHEN THEY WALK ACROSS THE STAGE.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT BEING NO JOBS, IF THERE WERE JOBS, ALMOST 50% OF OUR GRADUATING COHORT WOULD NOT BE EMPLOYABLE.
WHICH IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE ALIGNING FOCUS CHOICE TO INDUSTRY.
CUZ BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A JOB READY TO GO OR THAT THEY'RE READY TO GO INTO COLLEGE OR THAT THEY'RE READY TO GO OUT AND GET AN INDUSTRY BASED CREDENTIAL.
THIS IS WHAT THE STATE IS ALIGNING ITSELF AROUND AND WE ARE FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF THE STATE IN TERMS OF THE GPA FOR CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU DON'T NEED A GPA TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL.
YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN A GPA TO STAY INSIDE OF THE FOCUS CHOICE MODEL.
THE REASON WHY IT IS HYBRID, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO KICK OUT ANY KIDS THAT GO INSIDE OF THAT SCHOOL WITHIN THEIR FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, OR FOURTH YEAR.
IF YOU DON'T FIT THE FOCUS CHOICE MODEL, YOU STILL CAN GET INSIDE A INSIDE OF THE TRADITIONAL CHOICE TRACK.
AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
WE HAVE EVEN MADE ADJUSTMENTS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MS. PORTER, IF YOU DON'T FIT ONE FOCUS CHOICE TRACK, YOU HAVE TIME TO CHANGE THAT TRACK AND GET ON, GET ALIGNED TO ANOTHER TRACK.
PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
PATHWAYS, PATHWAYS, I APOLOGIZE.
SO TECHNOLOGY AND THE LIBERAL ARTS ARE ALSO PATHWAYS THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE AT THE CAPITAL IN THE COMPREHENSIVE COMPONENT CAN FOLLOW.
NOW AGAIN, I ONLY SAY ALL OF THIS BECAUSE CONTEXT MATTERS IN THESE TYPES OF SPACES.
WHENEVER SO MANY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ARE BEING RAISED, THIS IS THE REASON WHY I'VE ASKED MS. KORAN SMITH AS WELL AS THE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO PLEASE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE CONCERNS ARE WRAPPED AROUND FOCUSED CHOICE, LET'S GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS SO THEY CAN DISSEMINATE THAT AMONGST THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND ALSO THEIR SCHOOLS.
AND SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO FLOW AT A STEADY, CONSISTENT PACE TO GET OURSELVES CAUGHT BACK UP ON TRACK.
SO I'LL JUST STOP THERE NEXT INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
BY THE WAY, MS. PORTER, NEXT INSIDE OF THE QUEUE WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
YOU SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL FOR EDUCATION.
IS, IS, IS IS CORRECT, BUT WITH EDUCATION, THE THE GREATER THE EDUCATION, THE GREATER THE CHANCES OF OF EMPLOYMENT AND THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT.
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM KNEW WHAT I WAS SAYING.
THAT'S WHY I WENT TO SCHOOL AND GOT AN EDUCATION SO I COULD BECOME IMPLORABLE.
AT THIS TIME WE SEE NO FURTHER NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE, SO WE ARE GONNA GO TO THE VOTE.
BUT BEFORE WE VOTE AGAIN FOR CLARIFICATION, WE ARE VOTING ON THE SUBSTITUTE ITEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ORIGINAL ITEM WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT WE STRIKE ALPHABET C.
ALPHABET C CREATING A PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A HYBRID, TRADITIONAL, AND FOCUSED CHOICE MODEL FROM THE ITEM.
IS THAT CORRECT? SUPERINTENDENT SHALIN
SHALIN? I'M SUPERINTENDENT TONIGHT.
UH, PLEASE GO TO THE VOTE PLEASE VOTE.
OKAY, NOW WE ARE BACK ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION FOR CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL AS WRITTEN ON OUR AGENDA AND WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO OUR BOARD FOR COMMENT.
SEEING NO NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, PUBLIC SEEING NO NEW COMMENT CARDS.
WE HAVE ONE COMMENT CARD YOU BE SPEAKING TO.
SO WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS THAT WE HAVE IN FIRST UP WOULD BE MR. JAMIE ROBINSON, AND WE'RE SPEAKING ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
UM, FIRST THING I WANT TO DO, UH, COULD YOU ADDRESS THE, THE COM THE COMMENT I MADE, UM, OUTSIDE OF YOUR CONFUSION FOR PATHWAY TO SUCCESS IN FOCUS CHOICE
[03:30:01]
SCHOOLS, I PULLED UP THE PROFICIENCY LEVEL OF THE NINTH GRADERS WITH HOW THEY DID ON STATE STANDARDIZED TESTING, WHICH IS WAS BELOW STATE LEVEL.THAT'S NOT JERMAINE TO THE TOPIC THOUGH, MR. ROBINSON, BUT IT'S THE COMMENT YOU MADE.
IT IS, AND WE CAN DISCUSS AFTERWARDS IF THAT'S OKAY.
BUT YOU KEEP LYING TO THE PUBLIC OR BEING MR. ROBINSON.
HOW ABOUT THAT POINT OF ORDER, SIR? OKAY.
YOU ARE ADDRESSING ONE MEMBER BASED ON A COMMENT COMMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT ADDRESSED YOU BASED UPON THE COMMENT, RIGHT? CORRECT.
BUT WITH DOES NOT JERMAINE TO THE TOPIC.
AND WHAT I'M ASKING RIGHT NOW IS THAT YOUR COMMENT THAT YOU HAVE MOVING FORWARD OR JERMAINE TO THE TOPIC.
AND IF ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS YOU HAVE ABOUT ANY QUESTIONS THAT I MADE OR ANY OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THAT WE DISCUSSED AFTER THE MEETING GOTCHA.
SO LET ME MAKE SURE, THIS IS JERMAINE, THIS IS WHY I DON'T SUPPORT THE FOCUS, FOCUS, UH, MODEL THAI CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL OR ANY OTHER SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE LACK OF HONESTY, THE LACK OF INTEGRITY THAT IS, THAT ISN'T EXISTENT, THAT ISN'T SHOWN TO US.
BECAUSE YOU WILL COME UP HERE AND YOU'LL JUST SAY INFORMATION THAT ISN'T CORRECT AND, AND YOU'LL SAY, OH, I WASN'T LYING, I WAS JUST MISINFORMED.
I DIDN'T, AND AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE CONSISTENTLY, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS FOCUS PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHY WE DON'T WANT IT.
AND AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU, NOT ONLY DO Y'ALL LIE, BUT Y'ALL JUST SO GOOD AT IT.
BUT I'LL I'LL I'LL MAKE THIS COMMENT AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE NEXT YEAR WHEN CAPITAL HIGH COMES BACK TO THE FOLD.
AND IT, I PRAY TO GOD THAT IT IS A SUCCESS, BUT IN THE CASE THAT IT IS NOT, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD STAND ON THE SAME WORDS THAT YOU'VE BEEN STANDING ON AND THAT YOU DON'T BLAME YOUR FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM MODULE.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. JAMES FEENEY.
UM, FIRST I JUST NOTICED SOMETHING THAT DESERVES FIXING PROBABLY CAN'T BE AT THIS POINT, BUT THE AGENDA ITEM REFERS TO AN EXISTING CHARTER SCHOOL.
THE EXISTING SCHOOL IS NOT A CHARTER SCHOOL, IS A SCHOOL DIRECTLY RUN UNDER AN MOU IN ONE SCHOOL IN SHREVE FORT ARE FREAKS IN THAT REGARD.
UM, BUT I'M USED TO THINGS BEING STATED INCORRECTLY AND BOARD BACKUP.
SO LET ME GET BACK TO THE MERITS OF THIS MOTION.
I'M RETURNING TO COMMENTS MS. KENON MADE EARLIER IN THIS TOPIC IN ORDER TO GET THE LANGUAGE JUST PERFECT, YOU PUT OFF FOR I GUESS EFFECTIVELY FIVE WEEKS A MATTER OF FIXING A SICK LEAVE BANK POLICY.
AND YET YOU'RE, YOU ALREADY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA SAID HERE SUPERINTENDENT, GO AHEAD AND BLOW 1.8 MILLION ON A, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WE DON'T NEED.
AND NOW YOU ARE WANTING TO WRITE THE SUPERINTENDENT A BLANK CHECK TO TURN OVER AS MUCH AUTHORITY AS HE POSSIBLY CAN TO CHARTER SCHOOL'S USA OR A NONPROFIT CORPORATION THAT JUST CAME INTO EXISTENCE OR THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE BATON ROUGE GENERAL MEDICAL CENTER.
WHY DOESN'T CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL DESERVE TO BE A REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOL? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WEIRD WITH CAPITAL INSTEAD OF JUST BRINGING IT BACK? IT HAS BEEN A GENERATION SINCE SOMEBODY HASN'T BEEN DOING SOMETHING WEIRD WITHOUT SCHOOL.
I MEAN, A HUNDRED BLACK MEN RAN IT AS TWO SEPARATE SCHOOLS.
UM, I'M PROBABLY FORGETTING SEVERAL.
THE STATE DIRECTLY RAN IT FOR A WHILE.
UM, I THINK FRIENDSHIP CAME IN, THEY WERE DISASTER, BUT THE STATE DIDN'T HAVE A BETTER IDEA.
SO THE SAME BOARD KEPT RUNNING IT YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AT LEAST TRIED DOING A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL.
IT'S BEEN A GENERATION SINCE IT'S BEEN TRIED.
I MEAN, THE SUPERINTENDENT ISN'T HERE TO DEFEND FOCUS CHOICE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S DEFENSIBLE.
I THINK IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS AND YOU GUYS ARE FALLING FOR IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE FREE TIME, BUT I'M SURE
AS A REMINDER, WE'RE SPEAKING ON THE ORIGINAL ITEM.
NOW NOON CO PARENT DISABILITIES ADVOCATE FOR THE RECORD, I DO NOT CURSE.
THE WORDS ARE USED AND NOT CURSE WORDS.
THERE ARE OTHER CURSE WORDS THAT DO EXIST, BUT THOSE WASN'T THEM NONE.
AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, WHEN REPRESENTATIVE DENISE MARCELL AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CLEVE DUNN
[03:35:01]
ATTENDED CAPITOL HIGH SCHOOL, THERE WAS NO FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM.ALL CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ABLE TO GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS AND WHEN THEY WENT, THEY WENT AND THEY MADE AN EARNEST LIVING.
THEY WERE EDUCATED BY PROFESSIONALS THAT REALLY LOVE CHILDREN, ALL PROFESSIONALS.
AND GUESS WHAT? CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WE'RE ABLE TO ATTEND TOO.
WHAT? REGARDLESS, WHATEVER PROGRAM THEY HAD, THE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WERE A PART OF IT.
BUT YOU WANNA CREATE A SEGREGATED OPPORTUNITY.
AND WHEN I SAY SEGREGATED, HOW MANY OF THESE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY BEING EDUCATED? I'M SORRY, I I DON'T HEAR TOO MINUTES SAYING THEY ARE.
WHY? BECAUSE THERE'S A GREAT EXODUS.
CUZ RIGHT NOW YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO THE STAFF CUZ THE STAFF IS LEAVING.
DIDN'T THEY JUST LEAVE E B R READINESS AND HAVE TO GET, UH, PUT IN PUT IN OTHER SCHOOLS TRANSFERS? I'M JUST SAYING WHY, RIGHT? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU ARE MAKING IT SEEM LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE AROUND CAPITOL HIGH WILL NOT, WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO ATTEND THOSE FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAMS IN THE NIGHT.
NOW WHEN YOU MAKING THEM HAVE TO MEASURE UP TO A CRITERIA THAT YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE CHILDREN AT BATON ROUGE HIGH OR LIBERTY WHERE THERE IS NO LIBERTY, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
THAT'S CALLED DISCRIMINATION AT ITS FINEST DISCRIMINATION.
NOW, IF WE CAN'T AGREE ON NOTHING ELSE, WE CAN'T AGREE ON THAT.
YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR THE SAME THING OF ALL, ALL, EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY.
THERE'S OVER 40,000 KIDS IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE ONLY ONE THAT YOU WANNA ASK FOR THEM TO MEET A 2.7 OR A THREE POINT AVERAGE IS IN AVA LAGO AND NOW CAPITAL HIGH.
AND THOSE ARE ALL SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN 100% BLACK COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN YOU WANNA GO AND ASK FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES LIKE EXXON MOBIL OR UM, ALMORE OR SHELL MOTIVA TO ACTUALLY DONATE, THEY DO NOT DONATE TO DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.
THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT MS. CARGILL FROM EXXON MOB, PLEASE COME AND LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT I'M TELLING YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR.
WHEN WE SPOKE ON RECORD AT BESSIE RONNIE MORRIS, LET IT COME THROUGH ONCE YOU SAID THE COMMUNITY WILL BE THERE, HE DID NOT APPROVE OF A FOCUSED CHOICE PROGRAM AND WE ARE NOT APPROVING OF IT TODAY.
SEEING NO OTHER CUE CARS AT THIS TIME.
FIRST UP IN THE QUEUE IS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SHOSHONE STEWART.
AS A, UM, 1997 GRADUATE OF CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CORRECT ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL SIDE, BUT I'VE BEEN OUTTA SCHOOL FOR 25 YEARS AND, UH, WITH TIME AND CHANGE, UH, THE ENVIRONMENT PEOPLE, A LOT OF THINGS CHANGE.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I BELIEVE IN IMPLEMENTATION OF KEEPING UP WITH CHANGE AND IMPLEMENTING THINGS TO GO ALONG WITH WHERE WE ARE IN LIFE.
AND THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOL OPTION RATHER, I'M SORRY, UH, I BELIEVE IS AN OPTION.
CAPITAL HIGH WILL STILL HAVE THE TRADITIONAL COMPONENT.
NOBODY WILL BE DENIED ACCESS TO CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE VARIOUS OPTIONS THAT CAPITAL WILL BRING TO THE COMMUNITY AROUND ITSELF AND FOR THOSE PERSONS THAT WERE, ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, THAT OPTION IS THERE.
AS WE'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST, AND I BELIEVE AT THE CAL, THERE IS NOT A GPA THAT IS MANDATED TO ENROLL IN THE RETURNING CAPITAL HIGH.
I'VE SAID THAT THE RETURNING CAPITAL HIGH.
AND SO, UH, I JUST WANNA ALLOW OUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE OPEN TO BE OPEN TO OPTIONS AS WE SAY, LIKE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE OPTIONS.
CAPITAL SCHOOL WOULD BE AN OPTION WITH THE FOCUS CHOICE IMPLEMENTED SO THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THOSE TRADES AND THOSE SKILLS AND THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE ARE GONNA PARTNER ALONG WITH IS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I'VE SAID IT PREVIOUSLY, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS AND I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT I DID WANNA PROVIDE SOME CLARITY BECAUSE I DID WANT TO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THE SENTIMENTS OF THOSE PERSONS THAT ARE SPLIT WEIGHING OR NOT A, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS, FOR
[03:40:01]
CAPITAL, UH, FOCUS CHOICE OPTION TO COME ALONG.SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT, UH, THINKING ABOUT THIS AS AN OPTION AND LOOKING AT IT, AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS ALSO TOO, I DO UNDERSTAND THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS NOT BEING TESTED AND YOU KNOW, THE DATA NOT BEING PROVIDED.
BUT LET ME SAY THIS, I'M GONNA AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LOUIS, AS HE SAID, JUMPING OUTSIDE THE BOX, TRYING THINGS DIFFERENT.
AND IF IT DIDN'T WORK, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT, WE FIX IT.
WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE NOW TO DO AS A BOARD IS TO TRY TO MAKE SOME DIFFERENT CHANGES AND TO IMPLEMENT SOME THINGS SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME DIFFERENT RESULTS.
WE CAN'T KEEP DOING THE SAME THINGS TO GET A DIFFERENT RESULT.
NEXT UP IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE VICE PRESIDENT TO MADAME VICE PRESIDENT MS. CARLO POWELL.
I JUST WANNA NUMBER ONE, REITERATE WHAT MY COLLEAGUE STEWART, UH, MS. STEWART SHARED, BUT ALSO TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
WE ARE ABOUT TO VOTE ON ITEM THREE, INCLUSIVE OF ALPHABET C MM-HMM
AND ON ALPHABET C IT SAYS, CREATING A PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A HYBRID, TRADITIONAL, AND FOCUSED CHOICE SCHOOL.
SO THAT MEANS THAT TRADITIONAL STUDENTS AND FOCUS CHOICE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL.
THANK YOU MADAM VICE PRESIDENT.
AND IN THE QUEUE NOW WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
ALL RIGHT, HE WAVES, UH, BEING THAT HE WAVE NOW THERE ARE NOBODY ELSE DOES.
NO ONE ELSE INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
AND THIS IS ON THE ORIGINAL ITEM? YES.
UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT STANDALONE ITEM, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, H FOUR, I JUST WANNA REMIND OUR BOARD AND REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THE TIME IS NOW 8 22.
IF WE GET TO 8 50, 55, 55, UM, I'M SORRY, EIGHT 50, I'LL HAVE TO CALL FOR A VOTE TO EXTEND THE MEETING IN ADDITIONAL 30 MINUTES.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REMIND THE, AGAIN, OUR BOARD AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC OF THAT POLICY AND OF THAT VOTE THAT MAY HAVE TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TWO STANDALONE ITEMS AND WE STILL HAVE A ITEM ON NEW BUSINESS TO GET TO JUST, JUST POINT, ORDER PRESENT.
I, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE DISCRETION TO REDUCE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT TWO MINUTES TO ALLOW FOR THE TIME WHEN WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE TIME.
UH, IF, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL NOT EXHAUST THAT YET.
CAUSE I DO THINK THAT WE MAY HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO AT LEAST GET THROUGH OUR LAST TWO STANDALONE ITEMS, BUT BY THE TIME WE GET THROUGH THE STANDALONE ITEMS AT THE TIME, IT'S STILL DWINDLING ON US AND IT'S GETTING CLOSE.
I WILL MAKE THAT, UH, I WILL MAKE THAT CHOICE.
[H.4. J.K. Haynes]
ITEM H FOUR, JK HAYNES.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING JK HAYNES SCHOOL.
SUCH RECOMMENDATION TO BEGIN IN THE 2023 2024 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, A, A, SETTING A GRADE CONFIGURATION OF PRE-K, I'M SORRY, OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12 B, CREATING A FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM FOR A TEACHER ACADEMY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
ADDITIONAL CONTRACTUAL, UH, DOCUMENTS WILL BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD C AUTHORIZING STAFF TO APPLY FOR A SITE CODE WITH THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION D AUTHORIZING STAFF TO ENROLL ANY STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN JK HAYNES CHARTER SCHOOL AND E AUTHORIZING THE LOCATION OF JK HAYNES SCHOOL AT ITS CURRENT SITE.
MOVED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARK BLUE.
SECONDED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER VICE PRESIDENT MS. CARLA POWELL.
OKAY, THIS TIME NOW I GO TO THE QUEUE AND THIS NOW WILL ADDRESS OUR SCHOOL, I'M SORRY, OUR SCHOOL, OUR BOARD, UH, COMMENT SECTION.
FIRST UP IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PATRICK MARTIN.
NO, NO, I WAS GONNA MAKE THE SAME POINT MR. BELU MADE ABOUT TIME EARLIER, SO NO PROBLEM.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN, I THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, FOR
[03:45:01]
THE REMINDER, UH, AT THIS TIME NOW I SEE NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR CONCERNS FROM OUR BOARD INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KATIE KENON.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE A NOTE OF THE, I PULLED IT FOR THE SAME REASON, BUT I, I WILL NOT BE MAKING A SUBSTITUTE MOTION IN THE, UM, GIVEN WHAT TIME.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KENON, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS REGARDING ITEM H FOUR? FROM MY BOARD, SEEING NONE, I WILL CHECK THE CUE CARDS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS TO SPEAK.
THEY SPOKE ON, THEY SPOKE ON SPOKE.
THIS IS JUST A, HE SPOKE ON THAT ALREADY.
A, A MOMENT AGO YOU AUTHORIZED THE, UM, ADMINISTRATION TO SET UP A BLENDED FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM FOR A HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY REALLY HAVEN'T STARTED ANYTHING YET.
IT'S MARCH SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST, AND NOW THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS YOU TO GIVE THEM AN EVEN BIGGER BLANK CHECK TO PERPETUATE A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT HAD LOTS OF ISSUES AMONG THEM, POOR GRADES AND THE FACT THAT THEY WERE RUNNING A SEGREGATED SCHOOL IN EFFECT, EVEN IF THAT WAS NOT THEIR INTENT.
AND BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF ED IS STILL THE LAW OF THE LAND.
FURTHERMORE, WHEN THE DISCUSSION WAS THROWN AROUND ABOUT HAVING A TEACHER PREPARATION FOCUS, CHOICE, MAGNET, WHATEVER, SCHOOL, UNLESS I'M DELUSIONAL, THE IDEA WAS THIS IS GONNA BE CO-LOCATED ON SOUTHERN'S CAMPUS, THEN WHEN THE COMMITTEE, THE WHOLE AGENDA CAME OUT, IT WAS GOING TO BE EITHER CO-LOCATED OR REPLACE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SOON TO BE CLOSED JK HAYNES SITE.
AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 14 GRADES IN A FAIRLY RUNDOWN FACILITY THAT HASN'T BEEN MAINTAINED OR HASN'T HAD ANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN, I WOULD IMAGINE A COUPLE DECADES.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY SAFE, IT'S NOT VERY ATTRACTIVE, IT'S PROBABLY NOT VERY WELCOMING.
UH, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE CAMPUS CUZ WHEN I TRIED TO GO TO THE BOARD MEETING, THE DOOR WAS LOCKED CUZ THEY WERE BREAKING THE LAW AND MEETING VIRTUALLY.
SO THERE IS EVEN LESS OF SUBSTANCE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGENDA ITEM THAN THERE WAS WITH CAPITAL HIGH.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF PROMISES THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS MADE TO THE EXISTING CHARTER BOARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON KEEPING THE NAME, I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SERIOUSLY GONNA HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM AND YOU'RE GONNA ENROLL SENIORS IN AUGUST.
ARE YOU JUST ALLOWING JK HAYNES TO KEEP RUNNING THE PROGRAM? YOU KNOW, I'D LOOK IN THE BOARD BACKUP, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
SO EITHER YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU'RE SAYING, OR YOU JUST COMPLETELY TRUST THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO WHATEVER AND YOU'RE JUST HERE FOR DECORATION.
OR MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
MAYBE THAT SCHOOL JUST NEEDS TO GO AWAY, FIND SOMEPLACE FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO GO.
I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS, BUT I SUSPECT YOU COULD PROBABLY TAKE THAT ENTIRE STUDENT BODY, MOVE 'EM UP TO PROGRESS AND STILL HAVE ROOM TO SPARE.
I MAY BE WRONG ON THAT, BUT I THINK PROGRESS WAS BUILT WITH LOTS OF CAPACITY.
AND I KNOW THERE AREN'T VERY MANY STUDENTS AT JK HAYNES.
AND IF YOUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A FOCUS CHOICE OR MAGNET OR OTHER PROGRAM THAT PREPARES TEACHERS, NUMBER ONE, I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO PIGEONHOLE PEOPLE IN KINDERGARTEN THAT THE ONLY CAREER PATH THEY HAVE IS TO BE A TEACHER.
I THINK MAYBE YOU START TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN SIXTH GRADE WITH PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS UNTIL THEY'RE HALFWAY THROUGH COLLEGE.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. JAMIE ROBINSON.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SCHOOL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR SPECIFIC GRADE LEVELS, MAKE IT 14.
[03:50:02]
THAT'S DANGEROUS.WE SEE CHARTER SCHOOLS DOING IT ACROSS OUR PARISH AND THEY'RE FAILING BECAUSE OF IT.
BUT WHAT I READ IN THE PAPER THREE WEEKS AGO, IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD A, THEY STABBED A CHILD IN THE LEG, THIRD GRADE STUDENT RIGHT BEHIND CORTANA MALL.
YOU KNOW, WHO DID IT? A STUDENT WHO SHOULD BE IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT'S SEPARATE.
I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED A SCHOOL THERE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL WHERE THEY LIVE, BUT IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD NOT BE ALL TOGETHER.
AND FINALLY, I WOULD ASK YOU THIS ONE QUESTION.
THE INVESTMENT, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GONNA HA MAKE THESE THINGS THAT YOU'RE PROVING TONIGHT.
CAPITAL HIGH, JK HAYNES AND ALL, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO INVEST IN THESE SCHOOLS WITH CHILDREN THAT LOOK LIKE ME, THAT HAVE GONE FROM NOT BEING INVESTED IN FOR SO LONG? THAT FACILITY OVER THERE IS IN DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS.
YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW IT? BECAUSE WHEN WE, FOR ELECTION DAY, MS. POWELL, YOU REMEMBER THAT THE GRASS WAS HIGH AS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OVER THERE AT UH, J HAYNE.
SO WHAT DID WE DO? WE WENT THERE AND WE CUT THE GRASS BEFORE ELECTION DAY.
AND GUESS WHAT? THERE'S A BIG HOLE RIGHT IN THE MAIN OFFICE.
THERE'S HOLES ALL IN THE ROOF.
ARE ARE WE, ARE YOU GUYS PREPARED TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY OR ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT? I KNOW IT SOUNDS SENSIBLE.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT JUST BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT DON'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT.
SO WHEN YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS TO DO THIS, MAKE SURE YOU'RE PREPARED TO DO THE WORK THAT'S REQUIRED BECAUSE THE, I DON'T, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE YOU'RE REALLY PREPARED TO DO TO, TO DO IT.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TAKING ON.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENT CARDS AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO OUR BOARD.
I SEE OUR VICE PRESIDENT, UH, MS. POWELL IS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
I JUST HAVE A POINT OF INFORMATION MAYBE, UM, UH, SOMEONE CAN ANSWER.
I DON'T KNOW WHO, BUT A LOT OF THIS AS, UH, BOARD MEMBER RUSS HAS MENTIONED BEFORE WAS DISCUSSED TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND I'M SURE THERE HAS TO BE A VIDEO RIGHT? OR RECORDING OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.
SO, SO IN THAT RECORDING, WE GO INTO DETAIL DISCUSSING THESE TOPICS AND ANSWERING A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED AS COMMENTS TODAY.
SO I, I JUST WANT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, WHETHER IT'S THOSE WHO MADE PUBLIC COMMENT OR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING.
THERE IS A RECORDING AVAILABLE.
IT'S ON YOUTUBE BECAUSE I SHARE IT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGES THAT YOU CAN GO BACK AND WATCH THE RECORDING AND GET A CHANCE TO HEAR THE RESPONSES TO THE STATEMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING ASKED TODAY.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT, THAT THAT'S IT FOR ME.
BUT, UM, MS. PORTER, IF YOU COULD COME UP PLEASE.
COULD YOU GIVE US A QUICK SUMMARY? I ONLY HAVE THREE AND A HALF MINUTES, LET HIM
BUT A QUICK SUMMARY OF THE JK HAYNES PROGRAM OR, OR WHERE ARE WE IN THE PROCESS? OKAY.
SO JK HAYNES, UM, THE PROPOSAL IS FOR IT TO BE A PRE-K THROUGH, UM, WELL, FOR THIS YEAR IT WOULD BE PRE-K THROUGH SIXTH GRADE.
AND THEN IT WOULD, UM, THOSE GRADES WOULD PHASE IN AS YOU KNOW, THE YEARS PROGRESS.
SO IT IS A TEACHING ACADEMY MODEL AND WE ARE NOT, UM, TRAINING STUDENTS TO BE TEACHERS.
WE ARE EXPOSING THEM TO VARIOUS METHODS AND, UM, STRATEGIES, UM, JUST TO HELP THEM JUST LEARN AND TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZE AND TO SYNTHESIZE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE CURRICULUM AND THE TIMELINE THAT WAS MENTIONED, WE HAVE A TIMELINE IN PLACE, WHICH I SHARE AT THE COW.
SO AS FAR AS SENDING LETTERS OUT TO PARENTS, MEETING WITH, UM, UH, STAFF MEMBERS, MEETING WITH PARENTS, WE HAVE THOSE DATES LINED UP WHERE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE BOARD MAKE A DECISION.
UH, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT NIXON AND THE QUEUE.
WE HAVE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LEWIS, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT
[03:55:01]
THIS, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THERE WITH THE TEACHERS BECOMING 21ST CENTURY TEACHERS, TEACHING KIDS THE WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THEY LEARN TODAY.I MEAN, IT, IT'S TO, TO ME, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A, A PLACE OF DESTINATION WHERE PEOPLE COME TO SEE HOW 21ST CENTURY TEACHERS ARE EDUCATED.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT WAS WHEN WE WENT TO SCHOOL.
WELL, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE TEACHING US WERE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE, THEY HAD BEEN EDUCATED TO TEACH IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT MANNER.
YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE LEARN IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY KIDS LEARN NOW.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT YOUNG PROGRESSIVE TEACHERS WHO ARE APPLYING ALL THE LATEST, UH, METHODS OF, OF, OF, OF PRESENTING, YOU KNOW, THE PEDAGOGY, IT'S, IT IS, IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
AND A LOT OF THAT'S GOING TO COME INTO PROGRAMMING PART AT JK HAYNES.
KIDS DON'T LEARN THE WAY THEY USED TO LEARN, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN'T TEACH 'EM THE WAY WE USED TO TEACH.
IT HAS TO BE INNOVATIVE, FORWARD THINKING FOR IT TO BE A SUCCESS.
AND I WOULD'VE HATE TO THINK THAT WE DO ALL THIS AND DON'T TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED AT JK HAYNES TO MOVE TEACHERS FORWARD.
NOT JUST STUDENTS, BUT TEACHERS.
YOU KNOW, I MAY BE, I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I HOPE NOT.
THANK YOU SCHOOL WOMAN, MA LEWIS.
UH, SEEING ALL THE NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
UM, I'LL JUST SPEAK REAL BRIEFLY.
UM, THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH JK HAYNES IS THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY.
AND WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT BOTH OF THEM IS THIS, THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DOING THIS WORK ALREADY.
BOTH OF THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE LABORATORY SCHOOLS, AND IF ANYBODY DON'T, DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LABORATORY SCHOOLS.
THOSE ARE SCHOOLS OF EXPERIMENTATION FOR TEACHERS THAT ARE LEARNING TO GO INSIDE OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION.
SO BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING WITH TWO GREAT INSTITUTIONS, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ONLY GONNA BE GREAT FOR OUR TEACHERS, BUT IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA BE GREAT FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE GONNA CHOOSE TO ATTEND THAT SCHOOL.
AND BY THE WAY, JK HAINES IS A PILLAR INSIDE OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO IT GIVES US GREAT HONOR TO KNOW THAT WE ARE PARTNERING WITH, UH, UH, SOMEONE IN OUR SCHOOL OR PARTNERS WHO ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO THE WORK AND MOVING AT THE, THE, THE NEEDLE FOR KIDS.
I THINK WE'VE ALREADY WENT TO THE PUBLIC.
WE NOW WE JUST CAME BACK TO THE BOARD.
SO NOW MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
[H.6. Agreements: Graduations]
A VOTE ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM H SIX AGREEMENTS GRADUATION.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL'S SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE FOLLOWING, A SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IN THE AMOUNT OF 34,000 145 270 $5 FOR THE RENTAL OF THE FG CLARK ACTIVITY CENTER FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS B LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $66,600 FOR THE RENTAL OF THE PETE MEROVICH ASSEMBLY CENTER FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS.
CAN I GET A MOTION MOVED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MICHAEL GODDE, SECONDED BY MS. SHOSHONE STEWART.
THIS TIME NOW WE'LL GO TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION.
SEEING NO NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE, WE WILL NOW GO TO OUR PUBLIC.
DO WE HAVE ANY CUE CARDS? MADAM SECRETARY? OKAY, WE HAVE ONE CUE CARD ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU MR. MARTIN FOR YOUR COMING RECUSAL.
THERE ARE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS NOT ADDRESSED BY THIS MOTION.
SINCE I DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE TO MY PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS MAKE SURE THOSE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS GET MEANINGFUL CEREMONIES ALSO.
SEEING NO OTHER COMMENT CARDS AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR BOARD SEEING NO BOARD MEMBERS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL CALL FOR A VOTE.
[04:00:08]
THE MOTION.[I. Policy: JCDAE, KGA, GAMK]
MOVE ON TO ITEM I, NEW BUSINESS.UH, ONE POLICY J C D A E, UH, K G A AND G A M K CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES AND POLICY REVISIONS AND RELATED MATTERS.
A G K G A M K VI, VIOLENCE FREE WORKPLACE, B J C D A E, ELECTRONIC TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES, AND C K G A PUBLIC CONDUCT ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
NOW, BEFORE I CALL FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND, UM, I WANT TO TURN TO GENERAL COUNSEL FOR JUST A SECOND BECAUSE I KNOW, UH, THERE WERE PRESSING CONCERNS FROM SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND THOSE, ALL OF THOSE CONCERNS WERE UPHELD AND THEY WERE HEARD.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I WANTED TO KNOW BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS MOTION OR BEFORE WE TAKE A MOTION, UH, HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SEPARATING ONE OF THESE, UH, POLICIES FROM THIS SO WE CAN VETTED FURTHER? CAUSE I KNOW WE TALKED EARLIER, AND I KNOW YOU SAID WE MAY NOT HAVE TO BIFURCATE IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU AGAIN FOR FURTHER, UH, ADVICE.
WE'LL, WE WILL NEED TO BIFURCATE A MOTION.
UH, UH, WE WILL NEED TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM A BOARD MEMBER TO BIFURCATE THE ITEM INTO TWO SEPARATE OR THREE SEPARATE ITEMS. YOU CAN, YOU CAN SAY, I WANT TO CONSIDER TWO POLICIES TOGETHER AND THEN AN, AN INDIVIDUAL POLICY IF THAT'S YOUR, IF THAT'S YOUR, YOUR, UH, DESIRE.
BUT WE'LL NEED A, A MOTION, A SECOND OF THE VOTE.
THEN WE'LL HAVE TO CONSIDER THOSE ITEMS INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, SEE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PATRICK MARTIN WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO M UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO BIFURCATE THIS INTO THREE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. YES, SIR.
SECOND BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KATIE KENERSON.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW IS TO BIFURCATE THIS ONE ITEM INTO THREE SEPARATE ITEMS TO BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY.
THE MAKER WAS SCU, BOARD MEMBER MARTIN.
THE SECOND WAS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KENON.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE GOING TO, UH, I'M GONNA GO TO THE BOARD, BUT WE'RE ONLY DISCUSSING THE BIFURCATION OF THESE, OF THE, UH, ITEM AT HAND.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GO TO THE BOARD.
SEE, SEE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PATRICK MARTIN IS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
SO HE WAVES SEEING NO OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
I WILL NOW GO TO, UH, THE PUBLIC.
AGAIN, THIS IS TO ONLY SPEAKING ON THE ITEM TO BIFURCATE THE ORIGINAL ITEM.
AND THE SECOND, THESE SHOULD NEVER HAVE APPEARED AS ONE AGENDA ITEM.
SEPARATE TOPICS SHOULD ALWAYS BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
AND SO THIS IS A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AT THIS TIME, I SEE NO OTHER CUE CARDS.
Y'ALL DON'T HAVE, BUT WE CAN SPLIT IT UP ON WRITING IT AS THE AGENDA ITEM.
I THINK THAT I, I DON'T THINK THE POLICIES ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE CAME B UH, CAME BEFORE US.
HOWEVER, SINCE THEY ARE, THEY SHOULD BE SEPARATE BECAUSE I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING Y'ALL BEEN DOING TONIGHT HAS BEEN ABOUT SEPARATE, SEPARATE BUT EQUAL, RIGHT? IS EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SEGREGATED.
SO I THINK THE POLICIES SHOULD BE SEGREGATED, SEPARATED SO THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT THE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN WHICH Y'ALL WANT TO P Y'ALL WANNA PASS? THANK YOU.
HOW WE CLAIM THE REST OF TIME.
SEEING NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS OR CUE CARDS, WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR BOARD SEEING NO BOARD COMMENTS IN THE QUEUE OR SEEING NO NAMES INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.
PLEASE VOTE MISS FOR THE BIFURCATION.
THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY, AT THIS TIME, NOW, ITEM I HAS NOW TURNED INTO THREE SEPARATE ITEMS. THE FIRST UP WILL BE,
[I. 1.A.GAMK (Part 1 of 2)]
UH, ITEM I ONE CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL BOARD POLICY, POLICY, REVISIONS AND RELATED MATTER, A G A M K,[04:05:01]
VIOLENCE, VIOLENCE FREE WORKPLACE.CAN I GET A, CAN I GET A MOTION MOVED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CLIFF LEWIS.
SECONDED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SHOSHONE STEWART, CAN WE PLEASE DIS DISPLAY THE VOTE, THE BIFURCATION VOTE.
WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA TIME, SO CAN WE JUST KEEP GOING WHILE THAT'S BEING PULLED UP? YES, SIR.
UM, CAN I GET A MOTION? I'M SORRY.
WE GO TO OUR BOARD NOW AND THIS IS TO DISCUSS, UH, ITEM I ONE A G A M K, VIOLENT VIOLENCE FREE WORKPLACE, SEEING NO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS INSIDE OF THE QUEUE AT THIS TIME.
WE'LL NOW GO TO OUR, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC.
MS. MATTHEWS, YOU'RE FIRST, UM, VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE IS, I BELIEVE THIS IS A RED HERRING POLICY TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT, UM, THE VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE FACING, WORKPLACES, EMPLOYEES VERSUS EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE NOT FIGHTING EACH OTHER.
UH, WE ARE BEING ATTACKED BY STUDENTS AND PARENTS.
STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE NOT AT WORK, THEREFORE, IT IS NOT THEIR WORKPLACE.
YOU COULD SAY ALL EBR R PROPERTIES BE VIOLENCE FREE.
UM, THAT'D BE A GOOD STARTING OFF POINT.
OTHERWISE, THIS FIXES NOTHING THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE HAVING A CURRENT PROBLEM WITH BECAUSE WE'RE TOO TIRED TO FIGHT EACH OTHER.
SO THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM BETWEEN EMPLOYEES OF E B R.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE PRETTY MUCH A VIOLENCE FREE WORKPLACE WITH EACH OTHER, PEOPLE WHO ARE AT WORK.
SEEING NO OTHER CUE CARDS AT THIS TIME TO SPEAK ONE.
UH, MR. LEONARD A BROOKS? YES, SIR.
YOU'RE UP NEXT EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, UH, AND UP SCHOOL PERSONNEL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AFTERNOON, THIS A EVENING TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, ARISE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE.
HOWEVER, I, I DID GET CHANCE TO REVIEW SOME OF THE, UH, REPORT THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND REPORT THAT WAS PRESENTED WITH HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE EXECUTIVE AUDIT PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT, A PREVIEW OR A PROPOSAL OR AS TO WHAT, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS I WOULD THINK IT WAS PRESENTED.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT, THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ADDRESSING ISSUES OF VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE, AND WE ALSO ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF CONDUCT OF SCHOOL, POP, UH, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOL CONDUCT ON, ON THE CAMPUSES, I THINK WHAT WE, WE HAVE TO ALSO ADDRESS IS THE FACT THAT, UH, OUR SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICERS ARE NOT THERE.
I THINK I, I'VE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM A VERY LONG TIME.
I'VE WORKED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PARISHES AND, AND I'M, I'M ALSO A BUSINESS OWNER IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, IT'S JUST BLATANT VIOLENCE.
IT'S JUST NO RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THIS YOUNG ADULTS JUST BLATANTLY VIOLENT, ATTACKING OTHER STUDENTS AND ANYTHING THEY GET IN THEIR WAY.
I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET ON THE FRONT END OF THIS THING FIRST, THEY HAVE TO ANALYZE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND, AND WE CAN GO THERE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE THE CONSENSUS OF THIS BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE PARENTS TO STEP UP AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES OF VIOLENCE.
HE'S COMING BACK TOMORROW WITH A VENGEANCE AND HE'S GONNA HIT ANOTHER KID.
AND SO THE, THE, THE WEAPONS THAT WE HAVE FOUND ON THE CAMPUS, THE DRUGS, THE VAPING AND THE DRUGS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL IS JUST HORRENDOUS.
KIDS GETTING OFF THE BUS HIGH IN THE MORNING AND, AND, AND YOU HAVE TO DRESS THAT KIDS WALK AROUND SMELLING LIKE MARIJUANA ALL DAY LONG.
I TOLD A COUPLE OF MY YOUNG, UH, SCHOLARS THAT IF YOU GO TO THAT BATHROOM AND IT SMELLS LIKE WE DON'T GO IN THERE, IT'S GOING TO GET ON YOUR CLOTHES, IT'S GOING TO GET IN YOUR HAIR, AND YOU'RE GONNA WALK OUT THERE.
YOU GO HOME, YOUR MAMA GONNA SAY, YOU ARE SMOKING DRUGS, YOU'RE DOING DRUGS.
NO, MOM, I WAS JUST IN THE BATHROOM.
WE HAVE TO GET IN FRONT OF IT, BUT WE ARE SHORTHANDED HERE.
WE HAVE MOST OF THESE CAMPUS HAVE
[04:10:01]
ONE SAFETY OFFICER, AND YOU GOT 600, 700, 900 YOUNG SCHOLARS HERE, PLUS, UH, UH, PERSONNEL.I BROKE UP 13 FIGHTS LAST YEAR AND, AND THIS JUST GETS WORSE AND WORSE.
AND I'M TRYING TO SAY, HOW DO WE GET IN FRONT OF THIS? HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THIS SO KIDS CAN COME TO SCHOOL AND FEEL IT'S NOT JUST SEEING VALLEY ROUGE, IT'S, IT'S IN NEW ORLEANS.
I LOOKED AT SOME REPORTS THAT WAS HAPPENED IN NEW YORK YESTERDAY.
IT'S JUST BLATANT VIOLENCE, BLATANT ATTACK, NO RESPECT FOR THIRD, THE POLICE OFFICER SAID, STAND OVER THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR MY TIME.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEEDED TO HEAR IS WHAT I'LL SAY, UM, AT THIS TIME.
NOW, BEFORE WE GO TO OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT, THE TIME IS NOW EIGHT 50.
[I.2. Extend Meeting]
UH, I NEED TO CALL FOR A VOTE FOR US TO EXTEND, UM, OUR MEETING TIME FROM NINE O'CLOCK TO NINE 30.ALSO, UH, I'M GOING TO NOW ELECT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BELU TO REDUCE THE TIME OF BOARD TO SPEAK TO TWO MINUTES IN PUBLIC TO SPEAK TO ONE FOR THE SAKE OF TIME AND GETTING THROUGH ALL OF OUR ITEMS TONIGHT.
SO AT THIS TIME, CAN I NOW GET A MOTION TO EXTEND OUR BOARD MEETING TO NINE 30? ALL RIGHT.
THAT MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MS. SCHUBERG, MEMBER SHOSHONE STEWART, CAN I GET A SECOND? SECONDED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER NATHAN RUSS.
AND THIS VOTE REQUIRES A UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF ALL PRESENT.
SO THAT MEANS EVERYONE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE YES FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS, UH, MOTION ITEM.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM SECRETARY, I'M SORRY.
YOU DO NEED PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS.
AND Y'ALL ARE ALL GONNA NEED TO REFRESH IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO VOTE, BUT GIMME A SECOND.
THANK YOU, MR. SO WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'LL GO TO OUR BOARD FIRST.
SO THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD REGARDING THE AGENDA ITEM TO EXTEND THE MEETING TO NINE 30? OKAY.
MR. BELU, I'M SORRY, SCU BLUE.
I, I'M PLAN TO VOTE TO EXTEND IT.
I WOULD JUST, UH, ASK LEADERSHIP TO CONSIDER, UH, UM, IN THE FUTURE MAYBE A MORATORIUM ON CEREMONIAL PROCLAMATIONS.
I I WOULD RATHER SPEND AN HOUR AND A HALF DISCUSSING THIS THAN THE, UH, RESOLUTIONS WE HAD EARLIER TODAY.
MS. VICE PRESIDENT POWELL, CAN WE NOTE THAT? MM-HMM.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, SCU BOARD MEMBER BALU.
SEEING NO OTHER PUBLIC, I MEAN COMMENTS FROM OUR BOARD THIS TIME.
WE'LL NOW GO TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENTS.
THIS IS ONLY SPEAKING ON THE EXTENSION OF THE MEETING TO NINE 30.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE AT LEAST ONE OF YOU TO VOTE NO THAT AUTOMATICALLY TABLES THESE ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETING, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF 'EM ARE READY.
AND IN PARTICULAR, I DON'T THINK THE SOLUTION TO A BRAWL AT AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL IS WHIPPING OUT SOME QUICK POLICIES AND VOTING ON 'EM.
SO I DON'T SEE ANY NEED TO EXTEND THE MEETING.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. JAMIE ROBINSON.
I'M SORRY MR. ROBINSON BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE.
MR. FEENEY CAME ON THE TIME, THE, THE TIME TO SPEAK NOW FOR THE PUBLIC IS NOW ONE MINUTE.
I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT SOMEONE VOTE NO TO THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN, FIRST OFF, YOU'RE NOT OFFERING THE PUBLIC ANYTHING REALLY.
THIS, YOU'RE PUTTING A BANDAID ON SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES STITCHES.
WE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY VOICE OUR OPINIONS.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU OUR CONCERNS, AND YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ASK THE STAFF CERTAIN QUESTIONS IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TWO WEEKS AGO, AND MS. POWELL, YOU GO BACK AND LOOK ONLINE.
WHERE KATIE, KEN, WHERE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KENERSON COULD NOT GET A SECOND.
THE REAL PROBLEM IS WE DON'T HAVE THE APPROACH REQUIRED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THESE CHILDREN.
THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT GOING TO THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
THIS GANG VIOLENCE CAN BE CEASED IF CHILDREN WENT TO SCHOOL.
I'M SORRY, MR. MR. UH, ROBINSON.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING US EXTENDING TIME OR EXTENDING THE TIME TONIGHT FOR OUR BOARD MEETING? THIS IS NOT SPEAKING.
SO BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE COMES ON THE MIC, I'M SORRY.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THIS IS NOT TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ITEMS FOR I RIGHT NOW.
IT IS ONLY TO SPEAK TO EXTEND TIME FOR OUR BOARD MEETING.
I I DON'T SEE A NEED TO EXTEND THE TIME BECAUSE THERE'S STILL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT AND IT IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE THAN 30 MINUTES TO, TO WORK EVERY DETAIL OUT OF WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
SO I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOTE NO ON THAT, ON THIS.
[04:15:01]
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING THE ITEM TO EXTEND TIME FOR THE, FOR THIS PARTICULAR BOARD MEETING? SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME, I COME BACK TO OUR BOARD, ASK ARE THERE ANY BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS REGARDING EXTENDING THE BOARD TIME? THAT WAS FOR THE ITEMS? YES, SIR.SEEING NONE, MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
OKAY, NOW WE WILL GO BACK TO PUBLIC
[I. 1.A.GAMK (Part 2 of 2)]
COMMENT.WE HAD MSDA CORLEY DE PARENT, UM, AND DISABILITIES ADVOCATE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STAFF THAT HAVE DISABILITIES TOO.
UM, NOT JUST PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, BUT SOME HAVE DISABILITIES THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE TO THE EYE.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORKPLACE VIOLENCE, UM, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT UNDER FEDERAL LAW, YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES SAFE.
YOU HAVE TO ALLOW THEM TO ACTUALLY ENTER INTO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SAFE, FREE OF HARM.
IN FACT, WE ACCESS, WE TALK ABOUT THAT SO MUCH.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MISSION STATEMENTS IN YOUR HANDBOOK ON THE SECOND PAGE.
AND YET WE DON'T MAKE THE ENVIRONMENT SAFE, NOT JUST FOR THE STAFF, BUT ALSO NOT FOR THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE DISABILITIES TOO.
AND SO WHAT I THINK THAT, THAT WE CAN DO TO ACTUALLY FIX THAT IS WE NEED TO HAVE MORE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES.
WE NEED TO HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN THAT SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT IN LIFE AND LIVING COLOR.
AND UNTIL YOU GET THAT, THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU GONNA GET THAT'S GONNA ACTUALLY HELP PREVENT SAFE, UH, PREVENT, UH, VIOLENCE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO YOU NEED TO LOOK BACK AT THAT.
AT THIS TIME NOW, WE'LL CALL UP MS. BRANDY.
UM, I'M BRANDY, MR. GOD IS MY REP.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, I'VE BEEN AT THE STATE CAPITAL WITH SENATOR BARROW'S CHILD SEX CRIME DETERRENT BILLS, AND SHE KIND OF GOT ME TO EXPLAIN MY MEDICAL SITUATION TO EVERYBODY.
I'M HAVING THE SAME DISCUSSION WITH CHILD.
I HAD HER MRI, WHICH I HAVE EVERY SIX MONTHS.
THE RADIOLOGIST WAS NEW, DIDN'T KNOW ME OR ANYTHING.
SO HIS FINDINGS WERE POST HYPER CHANGES OF A BY FRONT OR CAR AUTOTOMY.
IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MEDICAL TERMS, CRANIOTOMY MEANS PART OF YOUR BRAIN, ISN'T THERE? THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT MY MRIS HAVE LOOKED LIKE.
IF I HAD SOMEBODY, A CHILD, IF I WOULD'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL AND IF I BROKE OUT AND I WASN'T IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, I CAN'T GET AWAY FROM A SITUATION AS EASILY OR AS FAST AS ALL THEY ALL CAME.
SO THAT PUTS KIDS WITH DISABILITIES IN BAD SITUATION.
AT THE RISK OF REPEATING MYSELF, YOU DON'T ADDRESS A BRAWL AT AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL BY WHIPPING OUT SOME POLICIES.
THIS COULD AND SHOULD HAVE COME THROUGH THE COW RATHER THAN BEEN DUMPED ON YOU AND THE PUBLIC WITH LESS THAN A WEEK TO REVIEW IT.
THE MORE YOU LOOK AT THESE POLICIES, THE MORE YOU DISCOVER THINGS LIKE, UM, MS. MATTHEWS POINTED OUT THAT THE PROBLEM ISN'T WORKPLACE VIOLENCE.
IT'S A PROBLEM BET BETWEEN WORKERS AND PEOPLE THAT AREN'T EMPLOYED THERE.
AND IN YOUR RUSH TO DO SOMETHING TO ADDRESS A PERCEIVED PROBLEM, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS.
AND SO YOU SPEND ATTENTION ON THIS INSTEAD OF FINDING THE CAUSE SO YOU CAN FIND A SOLUTION.
SO I THINK THIS IS A USELESS POLICY THAT SHOULDN'T BE ADOPTED.
JAMES FINNEY AT THIS TIME NOW WE HAVE A CUE CARD FOR
[04:20:01]
MR. JAMIE ROBINSON.SO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON ITEM I TWO? I TWO? YES, SIR.
NEXT WE HAVE MS. MARIA HARMON.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. DANIEL LANFORD, RIGHT IN THE NICK OF TIME.
SO I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS, ARE, ARE, ARE WE TALKING JUST ABOUT ITEM A OR, OR COULD WE INCLUDE B AND C IN THIS AS WELL? NO, SIR.
SO WE ALL THE, EVERY, UH, ITEM IS GONNA BE STANDALONE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE ON ITEM, UH, ITEM I ONE A.
UM, THAT'S VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE.
SO I, I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT AS A MAJOR PROBLEM.
LIKE SOMEONE SAID EARLIER, I, I SEE IT MORE BETWEEN STUDENTS AND, AND ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, PE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PARENTS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EMPLOYEES OF, OF THE SYSTEM COMING IN.
YOU KNOW, PARENTS NOT SETTING GOOD EXAMPLES AND, AND STIRRING UP FIGHTS AND, AND STUDENTS, UM, EXERCISING, VIOLENCE AND THE WORKPLACE.
SO, YEAH, THAT'S ALL I WAS GONNA SAY.
AT THIS TIME, SEEING NO OTHER CUE CARDS FOR ITEM I ONE A, WE WILL NOW GO BACK TO OUR BOARD.
FIRST UP IN THE QUEUE IS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN.
I, I'M UNDER NO ILLUSION THAT PASSING A COUPLE OF POLICIES TONIGHT IS GOING TO MIRACULOUSLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS IS, THIS IS NOT SOME PANACEA.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I THINK THIS IS WORKPLACE VIOLENCE.
IT'S OUR EMPLOYEES BEING INJURED WHILE THEY'RE WORKING, RIGHT? THIS IS WORKPLACE VIOLENCE.
IF A, IF A PATIENT IN A HOSPITAL ATTACKS A DOCTOR OR A NURSE, THAT'S WORKPLACE VIOLENCE.
SO I THINK THIS IS WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND APPROPRIATE FOR US TO CLEARLY SAY IT'S WRONG, BUT IT'S NOT.
IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT THE END ALL BE ALL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT WE, WE LACK IS SOLID DATA ON WHAT VIOLENCE DO.
WHAT IS THE REAL VIOLENCE LEVEL ON OUR SCHOOLS.
WE HEAR ANECDOTAL, UH, REPORTS LIKE THE GENTLEMAN, UH, PROVIDE US.
WE'VE SEEN VIDEOS AND WHATNOT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW SYSTEMICALLY JUST EXACTLY HOW EXTENSIVE IT IS AND HOW LOCALIZED IT IS TO ONE SCHOOL OR ANOTHER SCHOOL, OR THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
SO I'VE ENCOURAGED AND, AND, AND, AND, UM, ASKED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PREPARE, UH, TO ENGAGE A FIRM TO SURVEY OUR TEACHERS, ALL OF OUR TEACHERS ANONYMOUSLY, SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL SAFE IN PROVIDING THEIR REAL OPINION, UH, WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL.
UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, AS A BOARD HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THOSE TEACHERS WITHOUT, AGAIN, WITHOUT THEM WORRYING THAT THEY'LL BE DISCIPLINED FOR WHATEVER THEY SAY BY THEIR PRINCIPAL OR CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF OR ANYBODY ELSE.
SO WE CAN START QUANTIFYING WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON THERE BECAUSE UNTIL WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE EXACT AND, AND GET A GRIP ON EXACTLY HOW EXTENSIVE THE PROBLEM IS, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO EVEN BEGIN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
SO, UM, UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS MOTION BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE A VERY CLEAR STAND THAT VIOLENCE AGAINST TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL EMPLOYEES IS NOT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM ACCEPTABLE.
NEXT IN THE QUEUE IS MYSELF, AND I'LL SPEAK REALLY, REALLY FAST IN BRIEF.
UM, THE IDEA OF BRINGING THESE ITEMS TODAY HAD TO DO WITH EXPECTATION AND STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO SET AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS IS IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM FOR ITEM ONE.
UH, WAS IT I ONE A IS AN ATTACK AGAINST TEACHERS.
WE DON'T SEE INSTANCES WHERE TEACHERS ARE FIGHTING EACH OTHER ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY THAT IT WILL NOT SOMETI IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM ONE DAY HAPPEN.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS SAFE AND GIVING THE APPEARANCE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE, WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
[04:25:01]
AGAINST TEACHERS, BUT IT'S TO ENSURE THAT OUR TEACHERS DO NOT FIGHT IN THE WORKPLACE.THAT THEY DO NOT ENGAGE IN FIGHTING IN THE WORKPLACE, WHETHER THAT'S WITH ANOTHER TEACHER, WHETHER THAT IS WITH A STUDENT, OR WHETHER THAT'S WITH A PARENT.
WE'RE ADDRESSING EVERYTHING ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE SUPERINTENDENT, I MUST SAY, WASTED NO TIME BRINGING TOGETHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR SCHOOL SAFER? THE VERY FIRST THING THAT WE DID WAS ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE THAT IS FOR SCHOOL SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS.
CAUSE WE HAVE REALIZED WE CANNOT DO THIS WORK ALONE AND WE HAVE TO BRING IN EXTERNAL SOURCES THAT HAVE THE PROPENSITY AND THE CAPACITY TO STEP INTO THESE, TO STEP INTO OUR HALLWAYS INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND WORK TO HELP MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFE.
THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THE WORK AND A LOT OF THEM ARE NATIONALLY CERTIFIED FROM THE DOJ IN THE WHITE HOUSE TO COME IN AND DO COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AS WELL AS GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE.
WE'VE EVEN TALKED, UH, WITH, WITH UH, ATTORNEY SHALIN ABOUT BRINGING BACK SOME OF THE TRAININGS THAT WE DID BEFORE TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE ENGAGED AND READY AND PREPARED ON DAY ONE.
WHEN THESE INSTANCES TAKE PLACE, I WILL END HERE.
LAST WEEK THERE WAS AN OCCURRENCE OF SOMETHING OF A SORT THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
OVER 200 KIDS FIGHTING AMONGST EACH OTHER.
OFFICERS CAUGHT UP IN THE MELEE, PARENTS FIGHTING EACH OTHER OVER 60 UNITS CUZ I WAS THERE.
60 UNITS CALLED ON ONE CAMPUS.
YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT WE HAD AN ACTIVE SHOOTER ON CAMPUS.
WHAT IT SHOWED US IS WE HAVE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
AND AS THIS ELECTED BODY, WE CANNOT WAIT TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
CAUSE GUESS WHAT? FIGHTS IS STILL HAPPENING TODAY TO HAPPEN YESTERDAY, AND THEY'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL WE MAKE THE STANDARD AND THE EXPECTATION ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THESE POLICIES START AT, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AS IT PERTAINS TO KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS SAFE.
IN THE QUEUE WE HAVE VICE PRESIDENT, MS. CAR POWELL.
OFFICER WALKER, IF YOU CAN COME FORWARD PLEASE, IF YOU WILL SHARE WITH US.
FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING, IF YOU WILL SHARE WITH US, UM, HOW MANY SROS DO WE HAVE THAT OPERATE WITHIN EBR R RIGHT NOW? UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO SHIFTS OF ABOUT 15 EACH.
VERSUS, UM, YOU ALL, HOW MANY SCHOOLS DO WE HAVE? 80, 84? MM-HMM.
THAT, THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION.
SO I, I ASKED THAT QUESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE VISIT THIS VIOLENCE FREE WORKPLACE POLICY, IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE CLEAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INCREASING OUR SROS.
IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE CLEAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IS WITHIN THE SAFETY PROTOCOL OF TEACHERS.
YOU KNOW, AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND I READ THE, THE BACKSTORY OF IT, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE FACT, I REMEMBER WHEN I STOPPED BREAKING UP FIGHTS AS A TEACHER, AND I WAS EXPECTING MY SON AT THAT TIME, AND I SAID, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PUT MY LIFE IN JEOPARDY AND NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF MY SON BECAUSE OF WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS DOING ON CAMPUS.
BUT AFTER HE WAS BORN, I WENT BACK TO THE PROCESS AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW, HE'S A LITTLE BIT OLDER NOW, SO I, I I'M, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD PREFER FOR PEOPLE TO BE SAFE ON MY CAMPUS.
IN THAT PROCESS, IN THAT PROCESS, I WENT TO, UM, ONE SCHOOL WHERE A SPECIAL ED TEACHER WAS PUNCHED IN HER CHEST AREA AND HAD TO GO THROUGH EXTENSIVE, UH, SURGERIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN I WORKED AT ANOTHER SCHOOL WHERE THERE WAS A MASSIVE SITUATION, AND THEN I GOT TEARGASSED.
OTHER TEACHERS STEPPED AWAY AND I WAS WONDERING WHY WERE THEY NOT PARTICIPATING IN BREAKING UP THE FIGHT? AND SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE HAVE TO HAVE INTENTIONAL CONVERSATIONS.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE HAVE ANOTHER SITUATION LIKE WE DID LAST WEEK? WHAT IF WE HAVE THAT TOMORROW? YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, OH, IF WE HAD A SAFETY ISSUE AT OUR HOUSE, WE'RE GONNA WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE ALL THE MEASURES IN PLACE.
NO, WE'RE GONNA START THE CONVERSATION IMMEDIATELY TO KEEP OUR FAMILY SAFE.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
NEXT IN THE QUEUE, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BALLOU, HE WAVES NEXT IN THE QUEUE.
WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LEWIS.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA BE EXTREMELY BRIEF.
UM, BESIDES MS. POWELL, I'VE PROBABLY GOT MORE, YOU KNOW, TIME IN SCHOOLS THAN ANYBODY SITTING UP HERE.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THAT TIME, I'VE, I'VE BROKEN UP FIGHTS, UM, YOU KNOW, COUPLE, TWO OR THREE FIGHTS A
[04:30:01]
YEAR.BUT EVERY MEETING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE PANDEMIC.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT LEARNING LOSS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TEACHER SHORTAGES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT KIDS, NOT, YOU KNOW, COMING TO SCHOOL, UH, NOT BEING WELL FED.
YOU KNOW, AND I'VE SAID BEFORE, NOTHING ABOUT EDUCATION IS EVER GONNA BE THE SAME.
THE THE BROTHER HERE IN IN THE BLUE HAT TALKED ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING ON NATIONWIDE.
THIS IS JUST NOT A PROBLEM THAT'S GERMANE TO EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
TWO YEARS AGO, I WAS HAVING TO BREAK UP FIVE FIGHTS A DAY WHERE I MAY NOT HAVE TO BREAK UP FIVE IN A YEAR.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING STILL IS THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT OF EVERYTHING THAT OUR KIDS WENT THROUGH, IN MY OPINION, EVERYTHING OUR KIDS WENT THROUGH, THROUGH A PANDEMIC.
AND I'M JUST NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COVID SHOT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IMPACTED THOSE KIDS' LIVES.
BASICALLY TAKING THEM OUT OF A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALMOST 18 MONTHS.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS FIGHTING AND ALL THE VIRUS THAT'S TAKEN PLACE IN THE WORK IN, IN OUR SCHOOLS IS STILL A RE EXCUSE ME, STILL A DIRECT RESULT OF WHAT OUR KIDS EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AS FAR AS BEING IN, UH, IN SCHOOL.
THE, THE FIGHTING AND ALL THAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S IMPACTED THESE CHILDREN'S LIVES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
JUST LIKE WE HAVE TO GET OUR HANDS WRAPPED AROUND, MY APOLOGIES, BUT I KNOW BROTHER BOY POLICY IS THAT DICTATES TWO MINUTES NOW.
WHEN HAVE I EVER I KNOW, BUT MAN, SINCE I'VE BEEN UP HERE, YOU WERE GOING COACH.
WHEN HAVE I EVER GONE ALONG WITH THE BOARD TIME? THIS IS MY HEART THAT I GOTTA STOP YOU RIGHT NOW, MY MAN.
OKAY, NEXT INSIDE OF THE QUEUE, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KATIE KENON.
UM, THIS IS A, THIS IS A GIANT PROBLEM AND IT, MS. PAOLOS, CORRECT? WE DO NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT IT NOW.
UM, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DONE CORRECTLY PASTING A FEW POLICIES THAT DON'T REALLY DO MUCH.
UM, THE, I BELIEVE THE DAY BEFORE THE MEETING, UM, IT'S, IT'S, I'M GLAD WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO START TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT 20 MINUTES AT NINE 30 AT NIGHT ISN'T, ISN'T GOING TO DO IT ANY SORT OF JUSTICE.
WE'RE ALL OBVIOUSLY VERY TIRED.
WE COULD HAVE AN ENTIRE MEETING JUST ON THIS SUBJECT.
UM, AND ALSO IT NEED, LIKE, IT DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, AND I WAS PROMISED IN ABSOLUTELY NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT THIS WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO OCCUR.
AND IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR AND IT IS A PROBLEM.
UM, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE ITEMS AND HAVE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO RESEARCH, TO GET INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION.
UM, I DON'T, I AM, I AM GLAD THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF IT, BUT THIS, WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES DOES NOTHING.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THIS ISSUE IN WHATEVER FORM, UM, IS ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA AND WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO DISCUSS AND, UM, WE NEED TO BE MEETING AND TALKING ABOUT REAL SOLUTIONS LIKE THE, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS, THIS IS A BANDAID, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION WITH THE PROBLEMS ARE MUCH DEEPER.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS FAMILIES, WE NEED TO ADDRESS, UM, ADDRESS THIS ON A MUCH, A MUCH BIGGER SCALE.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THINGS NEED TO GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE YES, MA'AM.
SO, I'M SORRY MS. KENON, THAT'S TIME, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S TWO MINUTES TO DISCUSS.
BUT, UM, I'M GONNA QUICKLY ENTER THE QUEUE JUST TO ADDRESS SOME OF WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE.
UH, IT IS NOT, IT IS NOT THE APPROACH OF LEADERSHIP TO MOVE ITEMS WITHOUT BEING VETTED THROUGH COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
WHEN IT INCURS AND IT INVOLVES SCHOOL SAFETY FOR KIDS AND OUR EMPLOYEES, WE WILL MOVE SWIFTLY BECAUSE THAT IS OUR JOB AND OUR DUTY AT THE END OF THE DAY.
I WISH THAT WE HAD TIME TO PUT THIS THROUGH THE COMMITTEE OF THE HOLE.
AND I WILL SAY AGAIN, YOU HAD TO BE AT BROOKSTOWN MIDDLE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO SCOTLANDVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING
[04:35:01]
THERE.YOU HAVE TO GO TO GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO, UH, CAPITOL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
JUST THE OTHER DAY, A CHILD BROUGHT A KNIFE TO SCHOOL AND STABBED ANOTHER CHILD.
NOT ATTEMPTED, BUT STABBED ANOTHER CHILD.
THIS IS THE REALITY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WE WERE ELECTED ON THIS BOARD TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS SAFE.
THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, REGARDLESS OF HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, BY CHANGING THESE TONIGHT, A LOT OF THESE OCCURRENCES CAN GO DOWN.
IS IT GONNA STOP? NO, I DON'T.
IF YOU CHANGE EVERY SINGLE POLICY IN THESE BEVERAGE PARISH, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU IT'S GONNA BE PERFECT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, IT'S GETTING US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN START TO SEE REDUCTIONS IN A LOT OF THESE OCCURRENCES THAT WE'RE SEEING HAPPENING.
YOU ARE NOW INSIDE OF THE QUEUE.
I'M NOT GONNA USE TWO MINUTES.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT I DO AGREE THAT I AM NOT A BIG FAN OF ITEMS NOT MAKING IT THROUGH THE COW.
THAT IS A, UH, A PERSONAL STICKING POINT FOR ME TOO.
I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN I SAW THESE ITEMS ADDED TO THE AGENDA AND I READ THROUGH 'EM AND I UNDERSTOOD WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACT, UM, I HAVE YET TO HEAR A SPECIFIC REJECTION OF ANYTHING IN THIS PARTICULAR POLICY.
ANY REASON FACTOR INFORMATION, WHY WE WOULD NOT VOTE AND ADOPT THIS POLICY, BESIDES THE FACT THAT IT JUST AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WHEN I READ THIS, I SEE THAT IT GIVES A POLICY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN HOW TO DEAL WITH VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE.
I HAVE HAD TEACHERS, COACHES, AND ADMINISTRATORS SAY SPECIFICALLY TO ME THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE POLICY WAS AND HOW TO APPROPRIATELY DEAL WITH TWO KIDS FIGHTING.
THIS MAKES IT VERY CLEAR, IT SOLVES A PROBLEM.
WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS? THANK YOU.
WE'VE ALREADY GONE TO THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME.
MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE, PLEASE? VOTE.
NOW AT THIS TIME WE'LL BE MOVING
[I. 1.B. JCDAE]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM I ONE B J C D A E, ELECTRONIC TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES.WE HAVE A MOTION BY, I'M SORRY, MS. POWELL IS IN THE QUEUE.
UM, I GUESS POINT OF INFORMATION OR, OR POSSIBLY I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST IF WE COULD MAYBE MOVE THIS OR I, I WANNA RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE THIS ITEM, UM, TO A FURTHER AGENDA.
SO THAT WAY WE, WE WOULD HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER.
UH, MR. SHALIN, TELL ME IF I USE THE RIGHT WORDING.
YES, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER TO A DATE UNCERTAIN OR TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, WE COULD BRING IT BACK WHEN AT THE FURTHER VETTING AND CONSIDERATION IF THAT'S YOUR YES.
SO I MOVE THAT WE, UM, EXCUSE ME.
CAN I ASK A POINT OF ORDER? SURE.
IF, IF NOBODY ACTUALLY MAKES A MOTION TO, TO, TO ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION TODAY, THEN, THEN, THEN THAT IS TRUE.
I THINK IF WE JUST, NOBODY MAKES A MOTION OR SECONDS THE MOTION, THEN IT'LL TAKE SOUNDS GOOD.
AND JUST AS A POINT, UH, JUST AN ADDITIONAL REFERENCE POINT, IF IT DIES, IF THIS ITEM DIES, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT 60 DAYS BEFORE TAKING IT BACK UP.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE FOR ME TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? NO, WE, WE GOT THAT.
I THINK LET NO, WE DON'T, I POINT OF ORDER.
I WOULD SUGGEST WE DEFER IT, UH, TO THE, UH, COM, UH, COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IN, IN, UH, NEXT MONTH.
GO TO OUR BOARD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SUPERINTENDENT
I I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT WITH MS. POWELL BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CELL PHONES
[04:40:01]
IN THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE FCC AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT FEDERAL LAWS MM-HMM.AND I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU FROM MY TIME IN SCHOOLS, THOSE ARE, THAT ONE LITTLE ITEM IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS TODAY.
I'D JUST LIKE TO URGE JUST TO RESOLVE THIS ONE ISSUE IMMEDIATELY AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY HAVE TIME TO CONSIDER THE, THE, THE, THE LAST POLICY.
BUT I SUSPECT WE'RE GONNA RUN OUT OF TIME BEFORE WE GET TO THAT.
I'LL JUST ONLY ASK IN REQUEST TO WHAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARTIN HAS JUST SAID THAT ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS BE MINDFUL OF TIME.
UH, WE CAN GET THROUGH THESE ITEMS, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE TIME THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, WHICH IS LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES AT THIS POINT.
THIS TIME NOW WE'LL GO TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
BILL BARRY CALL CAN CALL 'EM ALL IN.
MR. CRAIG, BILL BARRY'S ARE FIRST FOLLOWED BY MR. JAMIE ROBINSON, FOLLOWED BY MS. PATTY MERRICK, FOLLOWED BY MR. DANIEL LANFORD, FOLLOWED BY MS. STORM MATTHEWS.
AND PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT YOU HAVE, UH, ONE MINUTE AND PLEASE PRESENT MR. PRESIDENT, BE MINDFUL THAT IT IS THE MOTION TO DEFER.
SO ITEMS AROUND THE ACTUAL, UH, DETAIL OF THE MOTION IS NOT JERMAINE.
SO I WASN'T, I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION TO DEFER.
I COULDN'T, COULDN'T REALLY TELL YOU.
BUT SINCE I'M UP HERE, GOOD EVENING.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ADDRESSING Y'ALL.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY THAT WAS ELECTED.
I APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
SO, BUT WHEN IT'S MY TURN, I WANT WASN'T SPEAKING ON.
WHEN I GOT UP HERE AT NINE O'CLOCK, I LOOKED AT Y'ALL AND I THOUGHT Y'ALL WERE UP HERE WHEN WE ALL REALIZED OUTSIDE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF.
AND NOW WE'RE SAYING YOU OFFER THIS MOTION TO DEFER.
SO I DO HOPE THAT IT IS ACCEPTED AND I HOPE THAT YOU DO IT FOR THE NEXT ONE TOO, BECAUSE YOU SHOULD ALLOW YOUR, THE PUBLIC MORE THAN ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, MS, THIS IS A BANDAID.
UH, SO PLEASE DO DEFER IT AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE YOU REALIZE WHAT WE SEE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MS. MERRICK, MS. PATTY, MERICK.
WELL, I'M HOPING LIKE EVERYONE IS SAYING THAT YOU CAN DEFER ALL OF 'EM.
I REALLY CAN BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS HERE TO SPEAK AND I THINK THEY DESERVE THE RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEMS. BUT I DO WANNA SAY ONE THING BEFORE I LEAVE FOR THIS ONE.
MEETING PROBLEMS START IN-HOUSE.
LOCKED DOWN MEANS LOCKED DOWN.
YOU DON'T OPEN MY CLASSROOM DOOR TO GO OUT TO RUN OUT TO SEE WHO'S FIGHTING.
AND YOU DON'T SIT UP IN THE CLASSROOM AND CALL.
BUT WE ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND YOU ALL, AND IT'S, WE'VE GOTTA DO SOME IN-HOUSE CLEANING.
I SPOKE ON THIS SEVERAL TIMES AGO BEFORE WE CAME UP WITH THIS AND THE NEW BOARD CHANGED.
I KNOW YOU REMEMBERED ME WHEN I TOLD YOU, AND I MENTIONED HERE THAT IF LOCKDOWN IS LOCKDOWN, PEOPLE NEED TO DO, TEACHERS NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND KEEP THEIR STUDENTS WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
BUT YOU GOT TEACHERS RUNNING TO SEE THE FIGHT AND GET IN TOO.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MR. DANIEL LANGFORD.
ALL RIGHT, MS. MATTHEWS, YOU UP NEXT.
I HOPE THAT YOU DO DEFER IT BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE IN HERE IS ALL THE, APPARENTLY STUDENTS AREN'T PEOPLE.
UM, ALSO THIS WOULD BAN TEACHERS FROM HAVING THEIR CELL PHONES ON CAMPUS AS WELL FROM USING FACSIMILE, UM, VIDEOTAPE RECORDERS CAMERAS, WHICH WE USE TO ACTUALLY TEACH.
AND WE HAVE TO FILM THE, ALL OF OUR MEETINGS TO SEND TO CENTRAL OFFICE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING THEM.
SO THAT WILL BE ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO THIS ALSO, UM, RECORD AND REPORT.
HAVING KIDS RECORD THE FIGHTS AND POST 'EM TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME STOP THAT.
BUT KIDS RECORDING THE FIGHTS AND GIVING IT OVER TO THE POLICE OFFICERS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST WAYS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY CATCHING WHO'S DOING IT.
SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT IN, IN BOTH AREAS.
IT'S A CURSE AND A BLESSING AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THE LANGUAGE IN HERE IS, IS ALL KINDS
[04:45:01]
OF MESSED UP.UNFORTUNATELY AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, UH, GET READY TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING AND ENROLL.
I ITEM I ONE A B AND ITEM I WON ONE C OVER TWO.
UH, COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, AS WELL AS OUR PRESENTATION FROM CS R S, HER POLICY.
THOSE ITEMS WILL MOVE WITHOUT BOARD ACTION TO THE NEXT REGULAR BEING OF THE BOARD.
WE WILL DISCUSS PLACEMENT ON THE COW.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY WILL MOVE TO THE REGULAR MEETING.
UH, THANK YOU ATTORNEY CHALIN.
AT THIS TIME CAN I CALL FOR AN ADJOURNMENT? YEAH.
[K.1. Announcement of Meetings]
SORRY.ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEETINGS BY MR. LEWIS.
AND THEN WE'LL CALL FOR THE ADJOURNMENT, UH, BOARD.
BOARD WORKSHOP IS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 6TH, 2023 FROM FOUR TO 5:00 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING IS TO BE HELD ON AUGUST 6TH, 2023, 5:00 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
REGULAR BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD AUGUST 20TH, 2023 AT 5:00 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE.