[A. Meeting Opening]
[00:00:04]
IT IS 5:01 PM UM, WE WILL NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THE INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER MARK BALLOU, AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT LANDON BLOCH.
UH, BRAVO FLIGHT COMMANDER HELIX MENTORSHIP ACADEMY, ACCOMPANIED BY SERGEANT WEBB AIR FORCE, J-R-O-T-C.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE MI MIRACLE OF OUR EXISTENCE AND THE BEAUTY IN OUR LIVES HELP US ALSO TO SHOW GRATITUDE TO OTHERS, THOSE WHO HAVE MADE SACRIFICES FOR US, OR INFLUENCES OUR LIVES IN A POSITIVE WAY AS WE MAKE DECISIONS TODAY THAT AFFECT OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE SO THAT WE MAY ENGAGE IN THOUGHTFUL, REASONED DISCUSSION AND MAINTAIN RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY WITH WHICH YOU HAVE ENDOWED EACH OF US.
UH, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, THAT I HAVE TO INTRODUCE A PHENOMENAL YOUNG MAN THAT I HAVE BEHIND ME HERE, UH, CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT LANDON BLOCH.
UM, I MET, UH, CADET BLOCH, UH, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO WHEN HE DECIDED TO JOIN JUNIOR ROTC.
AND I WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED.
UH, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO RECRUIT YOUNG MEN TO JOIN JUNIOR ROTC BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO CUT THEIR HAIR AND HAVE THE MILITARY, UH, HAIRCUT.
SO IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT'S, UH, SUPER POPULAR.
UM, LANDON LANDON, UH, JUMPED IN AND, UM, UH, I WOULD SAY HE SKIRTED, UH, THE RULES A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT? THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS HE IS, HE, HE TOWED THE LINE A LITTLE BIT.
UM, HE, UH, BARELY HAD HIS HAIR IN WITHIN THE STANDARDS THAT IT NEEDED TO BE RIGHT.
UH, BUT HE WAS SUCH A GOOD STUDENT, SUCH A GOOD PRESENCE IN THE ROOM, UH, THAT WE KEPT HIM AROUND.
YOU CAN SEE HE'S, UH, GOT THE MILITARY MD HE EXCEEDS THE STANDARDS NOW.
UH, HE KNEW THAT THIS WAS AN INSPECTION YEAR FOR US.
SO WE HAD, UH, AIR FORCE, UH, HEADQUARTERS COME DOWN AND INSPECT.
HE WAS A ELEMENT LEADER ON OUR, UH, DRILL TEAM.
UH, WE DID, UH, PHENOMENALLY, UH, HIGHEST RATING THAT YOU CAN GET ON INSPECTION.
SO, UH, KUDOS TO, UH, LAND AND BLOCK HIM AND CADET THERE.
UM, I COULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT TELLING YOU ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HE'S DONE.
HE WAS THE, UH, UH, WHAT IS THE PRINCE LAST YEAR AS A JUNIOR.
UM, HE'S A MEMBER OF NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, BETA CLUB KEY CLUB.
UH, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
UH, SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO, UH, GIVE YOU CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT LANDON BLOCH.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY STANDING, SO, UM, YEAH, PLEASE GET YOU TO FACE THE FLAG.
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, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UH, AND YES, YES, JIM, MAN, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD AGAIN.
SO THAT WAY I BELIEVE MR. LEWIS HAS SOMETHING TO PRESENT YOU WITH.
AND WHAT WAS YOUR NICKNAME AS NINTH GRANT? CASH APP,
EVERY DAY WE HAD A RUNNING JOKE, MR. LEWIS.
HE, YOU CASH APP ME A FEW DOLLARS FOR LUNCH, BUT, UH, GREAT YOUNG MAN.
HE'S GOT A SENIOR MEETING HERE IN A FEW, UH, A FEW MINUTES.
SO I'M GONNA GET HIM OUTTA HERE.
ALSO, WE WANNA RECOMMEND, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE A FRIEND OF THE DISTRICT, DR. ANGELA LEE DOMAIN.
MY FORMER TEACHER AND MENTOR,
BEFORE, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL NOW HAVE A ROLL CALL AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER I HAVE A STATEMENT.
DISTRICT THREE, PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS.
PRESENT, DISTRICT NINE, VICE PRESIDENT MARTIN.
[00:05:01]
DISTRICT SEVEN.MR. GDAY HERE, DISTRICT EIGHT.
UM, ALSO, BEFORE I MAKE MY STATEMENT, THANK YOU.
UM, IT HAS, UH, BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT OUR HISTORIC DR.
PRESS ROBINSON IS IN THE HOUSE.
IF YOU WILL, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, WAVE YOUR HAND OR SOMETHING.
AS WE GET STARTED, UH, HERE TONIGHT, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE QUITE A LENGTH OF AN AGENDA WITH, UH, SOME TOPICS THAT MAY, UH, MAY BECOME A BIT TESTED OR HEATED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE ONCE AGAIN, AS WE START TONIGHT'S MEETING, PLEASE BE REMINDED OF THE FOLLOWING, THE RULES OF PROPER DECORUM, AS MENTIONED IN THE CITIZENS' GUIDE TO THE, TO THE CONDUCT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS THAT CAN BE FOUND ON THE RECEPTIONIST COUNTER IN THE FOYER.
WE ASK THAT ALL SPEAKERS REMAIN GERMANE AND RELEVANT TO THE TOPICS AS THEY ARE LISTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
AGAIN, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PERSONALLY ATTACKING BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF, AND CONSTITUENTS, AND PLEASE REFRAIN FROM THE PUBLIC USE OF PROFANITY, INAPPROPRIATE, AND OR OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE DURING THE MEETING.
AND THEN ALSO, BOARD MEMBERS ARE GIVEN FIVE MINUTES DURING EACH COMMENT SESSION.
AND PUBLIC COMMENTERS ARE GIVEN THREE MINUTES DURING EACH COMMENT SESSION.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS AND PARTICIPATES IN OUR MEETINGS.
WE ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO A HIGH LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM, ORDER EFFICIENCY AND DECORUM AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN OUR MEETING TONIGHT AND IN THE FUTURE.
[B. Minutes]
B ONE.MEETING MINUTES, APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MINUTES OF THE MARCH 21ST, 2024 REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
APRIL 11TH, 2024, SPECIAL BOARD MEETING.
BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THE ACADEMICS ACCOUNTABILITY CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION, AND STUDENT SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETINGS AS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.
IS THERE A MOTION IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. RUST? IS THERE A SECOND? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR. LEWIS.
UH, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? MR. RUSS? I WAS GONNA DO THE, UH, APPROPRIATE RESPONSE THAT YOU PUT IN OUR SCRIPT FOR US.
I MOVED TO APPROVE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF THE MARCH 21ST, 2024 REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
APRIL 11TH, 2024, SPECIAL BOARD MEETING IN THE APRIL 11TH, 2024.
BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THE ACADEMICS ACCOUNTABILITY CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION, AND STUDENT SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETINGS AS WERE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? OKAY.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY, DR.
I'LL TURN IN A CARD IN A MOMENT.
I APPRECIATE HAVING THE MOTION EXPLICITLY READ.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A VOTE.
CAN WE CALL A ROLL CALL VOTE? 'CAUSE I THINK A COUPLE PEOPLE AREN'T LOGGED IN YET.
DISTRICT THREE PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS? YES.
DISTRICT SEVEN, MR. GODDE? YES.
DISTRICT NINE, VICE PRESIDENT MARTIN? YES.
[C. Information Only]
ALPHABET C INFORMATION ONLY ITEMS. THE FIRST WOULD BE OUR MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.MS. LOPEZ IS THAT ONE TODAY? OKAY.
SO THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION LATER, UH, IN REGARDS
[00:10:01]
TO FINANCE.UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE ARE PERSONNEL CHANGES.
IS THERE A REPORT FOR PERSONNEL CHANGES? OKAY.
AND THEN THE NEXT WOULD BE FISCAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT.
THAT REPORT IS SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD IN YOUR PACKET, AND WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT REPORT PRESENTED TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
WE ARE NOW TO ALPHABET D RECEIVING AS INFORMATION.
[D.1. Recognition: Historical Desegregation Award]
RECOGNITION OF THE HISTORICAL DESEGREGATION AWARD.MR. MARTIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I, I HAD NOT RECOGNIZED THAT THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT, UH, UNTIL DR.
FRYER RIVERS BROUGHT IT TO, UH, THE BOARD'S ATTENTION, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
AND I THOUGHT APPROPRIATE TO, TO HAVE THIS RECOGNITION AS SHE REQUESTED TONIGHT.
UM, AND, AND I HAVE A FEW REMARKS, UH, TO MAKE IN CONJUNCTION WITH RECOGNIZING THIS, THIS EVENT.
60 YEARS AGO IN THE FALL OF 1963, WHICH WAS FULLY NINE YEARS AFTER THE U US SUPREME COURT DECLARED THAT SEPARATE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ARE INHERENTLY UNEQUAL BET ROUGE FINALLY BEGAN TO INTEGRATE ITS SCHOOLS.
WE RECENTLY HAD AN EVENT AT DEROCK ELEMENTARY TO RECOGNIZE THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS TO INTEGRATE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
TONIGHT, WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR 28 BRAVE STUDENTS WHO BEGAN THE PROCESS OF DESEGREGATING OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
THESE 28 STUDENTS WERE SELECTED OUT OF 56 WHO APPLIED.
THEY ATTENDED FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, LEHIGH, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS LIBERTY BATON ROUGE HIGH, ISMA HIGH, AND GLEN OAKS HIGH.
BASED ON HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS, THE NATIONAL GUARD WAS PRESENT ON THE ROOFTOP OF BATON ROUGE HIGH.
ON THE VERY FIRST DAY THEY ENTERED THE SCHOOL, ONE OF THE 28 STUDENTS, DR.
VELMA JACKSON, WHO'S HERE TONIGHT, RECOUNTED HER FIRST DAY.
I REMEMBER SEEING NATIONAL GUARDSMEN ON THE ROOFTOP.
JACKSON SAID, WE HAD BEEN TOLD THEY WOULD BE THERE FOR OUR PROTECTION, SHOULD WE NEED IT.
SINCE I WROTE THOSE REMARKS, I'M NOT FINISHED YET, BUT I I I, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH SOME OF THE BOOKLET THAT DR. RIVERS PREPARED, UM, WHICH PROVIDED A GREAT DEAL MORE COLOR.
UM, IF YOU'LL EXCUSE THE TERM TO THE, UM, EXPERIENCES THAT THESE STUDENTS WENT THROUGH, UM, WHEN THEY WERE INTEGRATED INTO OUR SCHOOLS, MUCH OF IT'S VERY UNPLEASANT.
AND IT MAKES ME ADMIRE THE BRAVERY AND COURAGE OF THOSE STUDENTS.
ALL THE MORE I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS FOR THE BRAVERY THEY SHOWED THAT DAY TO THEIR COURAGE TO STAND UP FOR JUSTICE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THAT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE.
THE EXCITEMENT THAT A DAY LONG FOUGHT FOR HAD FINALLY ARRIVED, BUT AT A PERSONAL PERIL, SO GREAT THAT ARMED SOLDIERS WERE NEEDED TO GUARANTEE THEIR SAFETY.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT YOUR PARENTS WENT THROUGH SENDING YOU OFF TO THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE TO PLACE ON A 14 OR 15-YEAR-OLD.
I THANK YOU AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR YOUR ACTIONS THAT DAY AND THROUGHOUT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.
MORE IMPORTANT THAN HONORING THE PAST IS UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
THE ACTIONS WE HONOR TONIGHT ARE OUR RECENT PAST, NOT ANCIENT HISTORY.
THESE EVENTS WERE WITHIN IN THE LIFETIME OF AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND ONLY FOUR YEARS BEFORE MY OWN BIRTH.
MY OWN PARENTS GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL AROUND THAT SAME TIME.
DR. RIVERS, WHO WE HONOR TONIGHT, WAS ATTENDING LSU AS ITS FIRST BLACK WOMAN STUDENT IN 1967.
WHEN I WAS BORN ON THE LSU CAMPUS.
PRESS ROBINSON, WHO BECAME THE FIRST ELECTED AFRICAN MEMBER, AMERICAN MEMBER OF THIS BOARD IN 1980, JUST OVER 40 YEARS AGO, HAS OBSERVED THAT BATON ROUGE, STILL TO THIS DAY, DOES NOT OPERATE A UNITARY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WHEN DR. ROBINSON JOINED THIS BOARD IN 1980, 60% OF OUR STUDENTS WERE WHITE AND 40% WERE BLACK.
TODAY ABOUT 70% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE BLACK, AND ONLY 11% ARE WHITE.
WHILE 14% ARE HISPANIC, MORE THAN 75% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
PEOPLE WITH MEANS SIMPLY TOOK THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS AND ENROLLED THEM ELSEWHERE.
AND THE 1980S, MY FAMILY MOVED TO ANOTHER PARISH.
I WAS ENROLLED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT DID NOT ACCEPT BLACK STUDENTS UNTIL THE YEAR 2024 YEARS AGO, WHEN THE SCHOOL ACQUIESCED TO ADOPTING A NON-DISCRIMINATION, NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY SIMPLY SO THAT ITS STUDENTS COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR TOPS SCHOLARSHIPS.
ATTENDING THIS DISCRIMINATORY BIGOTED HIGH SCHOOL CAUSED
[00:15:01]
ME TO SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF MY TIME THINKING ABOUT RACIAL RELATIONSHIPS.WHEN I STARTED COLLEGE IN 1985, I RECENTLY CLEANED MY OLD PAPERS FROM MY MOTHER'S ATTIC.
I FOUND SOMETHING I WROTE IN 1989 WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT.
I, I DID NOT AT THE END, AT THE TIME, THERE WAS THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD BE A COURT ORDERED DESEGREGATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN LOUISIANA.
I WROTE IN NOTES FOR A SPEECH.
SOON THE STATE WILL BE UNDER A COURT ORDER TO DESEGREGATE ITS HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM.
DESEGREGATION IS A NECESSARY THING, A GOOD THING.
BUT DESEGREGATION IS NOT THE SAME AS INTEGRATION.
DESEGREGATION IS A TOOL TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
IN THE BATON ROUGE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE TOOL OF DESEGREGATION DID NOT ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF INTEGRATION.
AS DR. ROBINSON NOTED IN AN INTERVIEW IN 2013, FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE WILL ONLY COME WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE OF BATON ROUGE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT AND MUST WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP IT AFLOAT.
AS I WROTE IN 1989, INTEGRATION IS A MATTER OF ATTITUDES.
IT CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY CHANGING OUR ATTITUDES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NO LAW, NO COURT ORDER CAN EVER DO.
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION TODAY IS NOT ONLY ILLEGAL AND ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES AND ECONOMY, BUT IT IS ALSO SEEN AS ANATHEMA TO NEARLY ALL CIVILIZED PEOPLE.
BUT DESPITE OUR PROGRESS, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUFFER FROM THE GENERATIONAL LEGACIES OF CENTURIES OF SLAVERY AND THE MANY DECADES OF LEGAL SEGREGATION IMPOSED ONCE SLAVERY WAS FINALLY ENDED.
THE FIERCE RESISTANCE OF SO MANY IN THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY TO DESEGREGATION IN THE 1970S AND 1980S CONTINUES TO ECHO INTO THE PRESENT.
BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK AHEAD OF US TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF TRUE INTEGRATION AND TRUE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY.
NO MASSIVE VIOLENCE ERUPTED IN BATON ROUGE IN THE FALL OF 1963 WHEN THESE BRAVE STUDENTS STOOD UP FOR JUSTICE.
UM, UH, BUT VIOLENCE OCCURS REGULARLY IN OUR SCHOOLS TODAY.
IN 1963, WE HAD ARMED NATIONAL GUARDSMEN PROTECTING THESE 28 STUDENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
TODAY WE HAVE ARMED SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES PROTECTING OUR STUDENTS FROM EACH OTHER, THE 28 STUDENTS WE HONOR TONIGHT.
STUDENTS WE EDUCATED 60 YEARS AGO HAVE PROVEN TO BE AMONG THE BEST BATON ROUGE HAS EVER PRODUCED.
THE COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP THEY DISPLAYED IN 1963 AND THROUGHOUT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND THE EDUCATION THEY WERE PROVIDED BY THE BATON ROUGE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS LED THEM TO SUCCESSFUL CAREERS AND LIVES.
MANY OF ARE IN PHDS AND OTHER ADVANCED DEGREES.
THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL DENTISTS, PHARMACISTS, EDUCATORS, AUTHORS, CIVIC LEADERS, AND PARENTS.
BUT WHILE WE CONTINUE TO PRODUCE MANY EXCEPTIONAL GRADUATES TODAY, WE FAIL MANY OTHERS.
SOME 40% ALMOST OF OUR STUDENTS ARE UNABLE TO READ AT GRADE LEVEL.
WHILE WE HAVE MANY GREAT SCHOOLS IN BATON ROUGE, WE ALSO HAVE MANY WHICH ARE FAILING TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO READ, WRITE, AND DO MATH.
OUR SCHOOLS ADMITTED BLACK STUDENTS, BUT THEN FAILED TO ACTUALLY EDUCATE FAR TOO MANY OF THOSE STUDENTS.
EVERY CHILD IS ENTITLED TO AND DESERVES A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE THE MEANS TO PROVIDE THIS EDUCATION TO EVERY ONE OF OUR CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES OR BACKGROUND.
WE HAVE THUS FAR LACKED THE WILL AND THE SINGULARNESS OF PURPOSE TO PROVIDE IT.
TONIGHT, I CHALLENGE MY COLLEAGUES AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO SERVES IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO HONOR THE COURAGE AND SACRIFICES THAT OUR STUDENTS MADE IN 1963 BY REDEDICATING OURSELVES TO THE CAUSE OF PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY EDUCATION FOR EACH AND EVERY CHILD ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE.
NOW EVERYONE, PLEASE JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING THESE COURAGEOUS ALUMNI OF OUR, WE WILL NOW TAKE A MOMENT FOR EVERYONE, UH, FOR OUR BOARD TO JOIN TOGETHER, IF POSSIBLE, TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH, UH, THE HONOREES FROM TONIGHT.
[00:20:01]
ISMA BETA BOWMAN IS DECEASED.BATON ROUGE HIGH CHARLES BURCHELL, BATON ROUGE HIGH.
ELAINE SHOOTS GREEN BATON ROUGE HIGH DOHA DAVIS DECEASED FREDDIE EAGLES ISMA.
MARIAN GREENUP, BATON ROUGE HIGH.
IS THERE SOMEONE HERE REPRESENTING HER? SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT.
VELMA JEAN HUNTER JACKSON, BATON ROUGE HIGH.
BETTY JAMISON WAGNER, BATON ROUGE HIGH YOLANDA LAWS GLEN OAKS HIGH.
SHARON LAUFF, WEST BATON ROUGE HIGH DECEASED.
AURELIUS MARTINEZ, BATON ROUGE HIGH.
LOUIS MORGAN LEHIGH, DECEASED MERYL PATAN, GLEN OAKS HIGH.
CLARA PATAN DELUCAS, BATON ROUGE HIGH.
MELVIN PATRICK LEHIGH, DECEASED.
PAULA WALLER BARRINO GLEN OAKS HIGH.
PATRICIA ANN WELLS, BATON ROUGE HIGH
CARMEN WILLIAMS DWYER, GLEN OAKS HIGH.
YOLANDA, I CALLED YOU AND FREYA ANDERSON RIVERS LEHIGH.
ALRIGHT, READY? RIGHT THIS WAY.
CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE WHOLE THING.
PERRY SAID THAT HE COULDN'T FIND ANY INFORMATION, SO I SAID, LET ME, I APPRECIATE IT.
OKAY, YOU ALL, WE HAVE, UM, MS. RIVERS, UH, HAS A FEW REMARKS, AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW OF OUR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS AS WELL.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF THE DESEGREGATION OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS.
60 YEARS AGO, 28 AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE WHILE SACRIFICING THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, LEAVING THEIR BELOVED SCHOOLS, FRIENDS, TEACHERS, CLUBS, SENIOR TRIPS, PROMS, AND ALL ACTIVITIES OF SENIOR FUN TO STAND UP FOR THEIR BELIEFS IN JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.
WE FOUGHT AGAINST THE INJUSTICE OF OUR SCHOOLS BEING BUILT ON A CITY DUMP, HAVING TO USE DISCARDED BOOKS FROM WHITE SCHOOLS, UNEQUAL PAY FOR BLACK TEACHERS, AND SO MUCH MORE.
WE ENDURED ISOLATION, NAME CALLING, SPITBALLS, FOOD, THROWINGS, PUSHING, SHOVING, AND EVEN FIGHTING EVEN OUT OF SCHOOL.
WE SUFFERED THROUGH DENIGRATING VITRIOLIC PHONE CALLS AND CROSS BURNINGS.
BUT ONE OF THE MANY LOWS WAS NOVEMBER 22ND, THE DAY OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S ASSASSINATION.
WE WERE APPALLED AND AMAZED THAT THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY BECAME JUBILANT WHILE CHEERING.
WE KILL KENNEDY AND WE'LL KILL ANYONE ELSE THAT TRIES TO HELP YOU N****S.
WE HAD TO BE ESCORTED OUT OF THE SCHOOLS BY FEDERAL MARSHALS AND A FEW WHITE TEACHERS THAT OFFERED US ASSISTANCE.
WE FOUGHT TO CHANGE BATON ROUGE
[00:25:01]
AND DESTROY JIM CROW.THIS HISTORY ALONG WITH MUCH MORE MUST BECOME REQUIRED READINGS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THE REVOLTS AND RESISTANCE NEED TO BE TAUGHT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE CAN DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES.
SO WE ASK THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE TO STAND UP FOR.
RIGHT? STAND UP FOR JUSTICE, STAND UP FOR TRUTH, AND STAND UP FOR EQUALITY.
DO THE RIGHT THING AND KNOW THAT YOU ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
IT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW WITH SUCH ELOQUENCE AND, AND EMOTION AND HEARTFELT LOVE FOR, FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, HONOR ANOTHER GROUP THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THAT TIME AND ERA.
I SAW THIS ENTIRE, UM, EVENT HAPPEN FROM A LITTLE BIT OF A DISTANCE.
I WAS IN LAFOURCHE PARISH AND IN LAFOURCHE PARISH.
WE WERE DECLARED TOTALLY INTEGRATED IN I THINK 64.
SO I SAW SOME OF THIS AND WE DID NOT HAVE NEAR THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT APPARENTLY OCCURRED HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
BUT I, I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AND APPROPRIATE THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE STUDENTS WHO WENT THROUGH THAT.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HONOR THE BLACK EDUCATORS THAT WENT THROUGH THAT BECAUSE THOSE TEACHERS, UH, MANY TIMES WERE LET GO AS THINGS WERE CONSOLIDATED.
MANY TIMES, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED, SUFFERED FROM LOWER PAY AND ALL OF THE KINDS OF, UM, DISPARAGING ATTITUDES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT JUST WERE DESCRIBED ABOUT BEING DIRECTED AT THE STUDENTS.
I'M SURE THEY WERE ALSO DIRECTED AT THE, AT THE, UH, PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STAFF THAT HAPPENED TO BE AFRICAN AMERICAN.
MY FATHER AT THE TIME WAS AN A PRINCIPAL, THEN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT HE BROUGHT ABOUT WITHIN LAFOURCHE PARISH IS EQUALIZING ALL OF THAT SORT OF THING.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF HIM FOR HAVING DONE THAT.
BUT AS WE HONOR ALL OF THESE STUDENTS, I THINK WE ALSO OUGHT TO HONOR THE BLACK EDUCATORS THAT WENT THROUGH THAT PERIOD AND GAVE AN EXAMPLE TO ALL OF THESE STUDENTS.
SO I'D JUST LIKE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE OR I KNOW MOST OF THEM ARE NOT HERE TO, MOST OF THEM AT THAT TIME MAY BE DECEASED, BUT THEY STILL DESERVE IT.
THERE CAN'T BE PROUDER MOMENTS THAN ONE LIKE WE JUST SAW A FEW MINUTES AGO, A FEW MOMENTS AGO.
HEROES AND SHEROES OF OUR PAST WHO ARE STILL HERE TO TELL THAT STORY, A STORY THAT HAS TO BE TOLD, AN UNCOMFORTABLE STORY THAT OUR FUTURE NEEDS TO KNOW.
I SAY ALL OF THIS BECAUSE I HEARD A FEW OF THE NAMES.
I AM A GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.
SO WHEN I HEAR AND UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL THAT I ATTENDED AND THOSE WHO FOUGHT, SO THAT I CAN WALK THROUGH THOSE DOORS, MY FRIENDS CAN WALK THROUGH THOSE DOORS AND MY FAMILY COULD.
I DON'T THINK YOU ALL UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU AND REVERE YOUR STRUGGLE.
IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU THAT I SIT ON THIS BOARD.
AND ONE OF THE PROUDEST MOMENTS THAT I CAN SAY THAT I HAVE DONE SINCE SERVING ON THIS BOARD WAS REMOVING THE NAME ROBERT E. LEE FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND CHANGING IT TO LIBERTY, GIVING NEW HOPE, NEWFOUND HOPE TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
IT TOOK US ALL COMING TOGETHER TO SEE THAT THAT HAPPENED.
I ALSO THANK OUR BOARD AND OUR COLLEAGUES, BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I LOVE YOU.
AND AS LONG AS YOU GUYS AND LADIES CONTINUE TO LIVE AND TELL THAT STORY, I'LL BE HERE TO TELL IT WITH YOU.
I HAVE ENTERED THE QUEUE AS WELL AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY NUMBER ONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT IS BECAUSE JUST AS MR. LANIS HAS MENTIONED, IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SIT ON THIS BOARD.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE LEGACY AND FOR THE STANDARD THAT YOU HAVE SET BY, UH, ALLOWING US, NUMBER ONE, TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT, TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE, TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. LEWIS.
I GOTTA THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TOO LONG 'CAUSE I, UH, I
[00:30:03]
THANK YOU.SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, ONCE AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WE WILL NOW MOVE TO
[D.2. Update from Superintendent]
UPDATES FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT.THANK YOU PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS.
IT'S HARD TO GIVE UPDATES AFTER THAT.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY TO DR. RIVERS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, THERE WAS A QUOTE BY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING.
COURAGE IS THE INNER RESOLUTION TO MOVE FORWARD IN SPITE OF OBSTACLES.
AND I'M STANDING ON YOUR SHOULDERS, THE GENERATION THAT COMES AFTER ME OF STANDING ON YOUR SHOULDERS AND WE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.
STU AND GRADES K THREE ARE CURRENTLY WRAPPING UP THE END OF THE YEAR.
THE ASSESSMENT END WINDOW ENDS APRIL 30TH, ALSO ARE STU, AND GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT AND HIGH SCHOOL ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING LEAD 2025 ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THAT WINDOW CONCLUDES ON MAY 17TH.
WE WISH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS THE BEST OF LUCK DURING THESE STATE ASSESSMENT WINDOWS.
ALSO, AS WE APPROACH MAY GRADUATION IS QUICKLY REACHING UPON US, AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
OUR GRADUATION DATES ARE POSTED ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO PLUG IN, WE HAVE, WE ARE HOSTING A SPRING FLEE ON APRIL 27TH AT JEFFERSON TERRACE AT 9:00 AM WE WELCOME EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LISTENING ORDER TO COME JOIN US THIS SATURDAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO GIVE THE BOARD AN UPDATE ON OUR REIMAGINE GRANT.
BETHLE TO COME FORWARD TO GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE.
SO PART OF, UH, WHAT OUR DELIVERABLES FOR THE REIMAGINED GRANT IS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, AND THIS IS WILL BE OUR FINAL UPDATE ON THE REIMAGINED GRANT.
SO WITH THE REIMAGINED GRANT, UH, WE HAD TO SELECT A VENDOR, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OUR DISTRICT AND LDOE, UH, SELECTED IN EMPOWER SCHOOLS.
SO THROUGHOUT, UH, FOR TWO YEARS, UM, THEY HAVE PROVIDED US WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, THEY ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE PLANNING AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GRANT.
SO THIS SLIDE CAPTURES THE RECIPIENTS OF THE GRANT, UH, BATON ROUGE, UH, FLAME BATON ROUGE, UH, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE RECEIVED TWO ALLOCATIONS.
UH, BOTH SCHOOLS RECEIVED $300,000.
IN PHASE TWO, BOTH SCHOOLS RECEIVED A MILLION AND $50,000.
AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, EXPENDING THOSE FUNDS.
THEN WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BRING CAPITAL HIGH BACK TO THE DISTRICT, AND WE APPLIED FOR THAT GRANT.
SO CAPITAL HIGH RECEIVED $300,000 IN PHASE ONE AND $690,000 IN PHASE TWO.
HEAL AVIATION RECEIVED $300,000 IN PHASE ONE AND $330,000 IN PHASE TWO.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MS. MORGAN, MS. FONTAN, MR. FONTANEL, AND DR. MOORE TO COME.
THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT THIS GRANT HAS, UH, AFFORDED OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND I GOT TO FLAME LITERALLY NINE MONTHS AGO ON JULY 3RD, 2023.
AND THE GRANT WAS ALREADY IN MOTION WITH THE WHEELS ROLLING.
BETLEY AND HER TEAM QUICKLY BROUGHT ME UP TO SPEED AS TO WHERE WE WERE.
AND SO WITH THE GRANT, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT OUR PRE-K THREE PROGRAM, WHICH WE CURRENTLY SERVE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, TWO CLASSES WITH 30 STUDENTS.
UM, AND OUR, UM, WE UPGRADED OUR PRE-K FOUR PROGRAM LAST YEAR.
BEFORE I GOT THERE, THEY HAD ONE PRE-K FOUR CLASS, WHICH WAS A TRADITIONAL PRE-K CLASS.
THIS YEAR, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE, WHICH ARE IMMERSED INTO OUR THREE LANGUAGES OF FRENCH LANGUAGE,
[00:35:01]
AND, I'M SORRY, FRENCH, SPANISH, AND MANDARIN.AND THERE'S 56 STUDENTS IN THAT PROGRAM.
SO THROUGH THESE, UH, TWO PROGRAMS, WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, IMPLEMENT WITH OUR STUDENTS MORE LANGUAGE OF WHICH IS OUR THEME.
IF ANYBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT FLAME, WE TAKE PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING THEIR LANGUAGES I IMMENSELY, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE GETTING ALL OF THEIR INSTRUCTION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF READING AND WRITING IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO BE LEARNING.
UM, OUR PRE-K THREE PROGRAM IS AN EXPLORATORY PROGRAM.
SO THOSE STUDENTS ARE NOT IMMERSED IN THE LANGUAGES.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE EXPOSED THEM THROUGH VIDEOS.
WE'VE HAD SPEAKERS COME IN AND SPEAK TO THEM IN THE LANGUAGE AND HAVE THEM PERFORM DIFFERENT LITTLE ART ACTIVITIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS TO EXPOSE THEM.
FOR OUR THREE YEAR OLDS, OUR FOUR YEAR OLDS ARE IMMERSED INTO THOSE LANGUAGES THROUGH THEIR CURRICULUM.
UM, AND WE, AGAIN, READING AND WRITING IS DONE IN ENGLISH, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE FOR THEM IS DONE WITHIN OUR, UM, UH, LANGUAGES.
SO THEY'RE REALLY GROWING AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM NOW.
ALL OF OUR THREE YEAR OLDS HAVE BEEN SEATED FOR OUR PRE-K FOUR PROGRAM FOR NEXT YEAR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO.
AND THOSE PARENTS CHOSE TO DO OTHER THINGS WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
AND ALL OF OUR PRE-K 4-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS HAVE BEEN, UH, SEATED FOR OUR REGULAR KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO THEY WILL CONTINUE THEIR LANGUAGE EXPLORATION AND THEIR LANGUAGE IMMERSION AS THEY GO ON.
SO CURRENTLY, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING OUR PROGRAM BASED ON THAT INFORMATION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE SPANISH CLASSES IN FIRST GRADE, AND THAT WILL CARRY ON TO SECOND GRADE.
SO THEY'RE GOING FROM TWO TO THREE IN THIRD GRADE.
AND OUR FRENCH PROGRAM IS GROWING.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO IN EVERY GRADE LEVEL EXCEPT FIFTH GRADE.
NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE TWO IN FIFTH GRADE AS WELL.
SO STARTING OUR BABIES EARLY OFF WITH, UH, IMMERSION IS CARRYING ON TO THEIR GRADE LEVELS.
I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL, THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE REIMAGINE GRANT AS WELL.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TOOK CAPITAL BACK, WE HAD SOME STIPULATIONS AND WE HAD TO CONTINUE SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT CAPITAL HAD, THE EXISTING PROGRAMMING THAT THEY HAD.
AND SOME OF THAT PROGRAMMING WAS THE DIGITAL MEDIA PROGRAM.
UH, SO, UH, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE RECEIVED HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR VARIOUS DIFFERENT REASONS.
UH, SO WE USED A LOT OF THAT MONEY TO REPLACE SOME IPADS, SOME IMAC AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE BUILT, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BUILD OUT, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT IMAC LABS.
WE HAVE A, A FULLY FUNCTIONAL TV, UH, PRODUCTION, UH, UH, CENTER, UH, THAT WE USE.
AND, UH, WE TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THE EBREL, THE, UH, SPORTS, UH, PRODUCTIONS, UH, THAT YOU SEE, EVERYTHING YOU SEE WITH THEM.
UH, CAPITAL HIGH DOES, UH, WE ALSO HAVE OUR FOCUS CHOICE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE, UH, I'M GONNA MESS UP THIS, BUT IT'S MAGE BOARD.
UH, ONE OF THE ONLY ONES, THE ONLY ONE IN BATON ROUGE AND ONE OF THE FEW IN THE COUNTRY, RIGHT? AND, UH, CURRICULUM THAT WE HAVE.
UH, WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO USE THAT REIMAGINED GRANT TO, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF.
DID THIS TEACHER AT CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL BLAME ME? NOT THE KIDS SECOND SEMESTER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S USUALLY ABOUT GEARING UP INTO BUILDING THAT PORTFOLIO, INTO GETTING CERTIFIED IN, UH, ONE OF SEVERAL ADOBE PROGRAMS. SO I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD OF THIS CURRENT END OF YEAR PROJECT THAT I HAVE MY STUDENTS DOING.
IT'S A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS, A SERIES OF INFOGRAPHIC PRESENTATIONS.
UM, OUR FIRST ONE IS ON LATINO COUNTRY.
SO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO IS THEY HAVE TO READ AND RESEARCH THE, THE COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE TO, UH, WRITE AND COME UP AND FORMULATE AN OUTLINE FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.
THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE HISTORY OF THAT COUNTRY, UM, LANDMARKS, HISTORIC LANDMARKS, FOOD FAMOUS PEOPLE.
UH, ONCE THEY HAVE THEIR OUTLINE, THEN THEY HAVE TO FLESH OUT EACH PORTION OF THE OUTLINE AND INTO PARAGRAPHS TO CREATE A COHESIVE, UH, PAPER, WHICH THEY WOULD THEN READ AS A NARRATION FOR THEIR MEDIA PRESENTATION.
SO IT IS LESSONS LIKE THESE THAT I REALLY FEEL LIKE MAKE MY PROGRAM SPECIAL.
IT GIVES THEM REAL WORLD TYPE OF PROJECTS.
IT GIVES THEM PRACTICAL THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO, THAT THEY CAN TAKE OUTSIDE OF MY CLASS AND TO WORK ON IMMEDIATELY WHILE TYING IN ACADEMIC ELEMENTS.
YOU KNOW, READING, WRITING, RESEARCH INTO THE PROJECT AND INTO DIGITAL MEDIA AS WELL.
SO OUR KID, SO OUR KIDS ARE ABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW TO DO THIS, HOW TO, UH, HOW TO DO FINAL CUT PRO AND HOW TO GET THOSE CERTIFICATIONS.
UH, SO WHEN THEY LEAVE CAPITAL, THEY CAN IMMEDIATELY START MAKING MONEY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE ALSO USE THIS, UH, PORTION OF THE REIMAGINED GRANT TO DO SOME DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES.
[00:40:01]
NOT EXCLUSIVELY, BUT A PORTION OF IT.SO WE HAD 101 KIDS THAT ATTEMPTED DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES THAT IS UP FROM ZERO FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
OKAY? 93% OF THOSE KIDS EARNED A, A, B, OR C.
I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR KIDS.
OKAY? NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT IT, OVER HALF OF OUR SENIORS EARNED A DUAL ENROLLMENT CREDIT.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? BECAUSE WE LEAD OUR SCHOOL, UH, WITH THE SBS IN MIND, WHICH MEANS WHAT? 'CAUSE THIS YEAR WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A, A SCORE WITH THE STRENGTH OF DIPLOMA.
WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A SCORE WITH THE, UH, UH, UH, WITH THE GRADUATION, UH, COHORT.
BUT WHEN WE DO GET THAT, THAT'S ALL GONNA MAKE OUR SCORE SHOOT UP BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO MY SUPERINTENDENT AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHY WE DO THESE THINGS STRATEGICALLY, RIGHT? SAYING WE USE THAT REIMAGINED GRANT TO DO SO.
WE USE THAT REIMAGINED GRANT TO BUY BOOKS FOR THOSE DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES.
WE ALSO USE THAT REIMAGINED GRANT FOR OUR A CT TO RETEST THOSE KIDS IN THE A CT AND TO RETEST THOSE KIDS IN WORK KEYS.
NOW, RIGHT NOW WE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 30%.
IT'S NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE, BUT IT'S UP FROM THE 20.2% THAT THEY WERE AT LAST YEAR.
NOW, CHARGE IT TO MY HEAD, NOT MY HEART IF I'M NOT CORRECT WITH THIS, BUT ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH, AND I, AND I'M HUMAN, I COULD BE MISTAKEN, BUT I BELIEVE IN 2016 OR 2018, UH, THE HIGHEST THAT CAPITAL EVER HAD WAS A 28, RIGHT? SO WE ARE HIGHER NOW.
IT COULD BE A LITTLE LOWER, IT COULD BE A LITTLE HIGHER, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN PRETTY GOOD AT PREDICTING WHERE WE ARE GONNA LAND.
OKAY? UH, THE PRELIMINARY DATA SHOWS THAT WE ARE HIGHER THAN CAPITAL'S EVER BEEN BEFORE.
NOW WE ALSO USE SOME OF THIS MONEY TO BUY ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE NEED.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE OVER A SCHOOL THAT HAS, UH, BEEN A CHARTER FOR A LONG TIME, OR BEEN WITH ANYBODY ELSE FOR A LONG TIME, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE SOME THINGS BECAUSE SOME THINGS JUST NATURALLY NEED TO BE REPLACED.
AND, UH, THE DISTRICT WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, GREETINGS, UH, TO PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS.
I'M THE PRINCIPAL, THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF THE BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
WE WERE VERY EXCITED WHEN WE GOT THIS GRANT.
UH, SO WE DID MEET AS A TEAM, UH, GOT A LOT OF, UH, SUPPORT FROM OUR DISTRICT AND FROM, UH, THE STATE.
AND THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS TO DEVELOP A VISION AND A MISSION, UH, BEFORE WE MADE THIS PLAN.
SO THE VISION IS TO OFFER AND PROVIDE B CPA'S ARTS INTEGRATED CURRICULUM AND FINE ARTS PROGRAM TO MORE STUDENTS ACROSS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
OUR MISSION IS TO EXPAND OUR SCHOOL'S STUDENT POPULATION, FACULTY AND STAFF, AND OUR ARTS PROGRAM TO UPGRADE OUR MATERIALS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, TO GROW, TO ENRICH, AND TO SUSTAIN A RIGOROUS ARTS INTEGRATED PROGRAM AT B-R-C-V-P-A RESULTING IN INCREASING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
SO THE FOCUS OF OUR EXPANSION CAME IN THREE, THREE WAYS.
NUMBER ONE, EXPANSION IN KNOWLEDGE, AND THAT'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I'LL TELL YOU REAL QUICKLY ABOUT EXPANSION IN STUDENT POPULATION AND STAFF AND EXPANSION IN MATERIALS AND RESOURCES.
SO WE STARTED WITH OBSERVATIONS, UH, OF FINE SCHOOLS IN THE LOVELY CITY OF, UH, DENVER, COLORADO.
SO AS WE WENT THROUGH AND SAW THE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN SIDE AND ALL OF THE DISPENSARIES, AND WE WENT THROUGH AND, UH, WE SAW, UH, SOME REALLY GREAT, UH, SCHOOLS PERFORMING ART SCHOOLS.
AND WE TOOK SOME IDEAS FROM THEM.
UH, THEY HAD GREAT ART INTEGRATION, UH, TECHNIQUES THAT WE CAN USE.
WE ALSO, WHILE WE WERE AT DENVER, WE WENT TO, AND THAT'S IN 2023, WE WENT TO THE A SCD CONFERENCE, UH, THE ASSOCIATION OF, UH, SUPERVISION, UH, AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE LEARNED ABOUT EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES.
SO WHEN WE GOT READY TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR THIS YEAR WITH THE REIMAGINED GRANT FUNDS, UH, WE HAD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ARTS INTEGRATION, UH, FROM THE END OF JULY OF 2023 TO THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL.
UH, B-R-C-V-P-A FACULTY AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON IMPLEMENTING ARTS INTEGRATION IN THE CLASSROOM FROM THE KENNEDY
[00:45:01]
CENTER, FROM PERFORMING FOR PERFORMING ARTS.TO SUM IT UP, OUR, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES, UH, WERE THAT, UH, B-R-C-V-P-A UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS INTEGRATION IN OUR PROGRAM.
UH, THIS IS AN APPROACH TO TEACHING IN WHICH STUDENTS CONSTRUCT AND DEMONSTRATE UNDERSTANDING THROUGH AN ART FORM, SUCH AS VISUAL ARTS, DANCE, AND DRAMA.
HERE COMES THE PHYSICAL EXPANSION.
SO WE WERE ABLE THIS SCHOOL YEAR TO ADD THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS, PRE-K THREE TEACHER, PRE-K THREE PARAPROFESSIONAL, AND THEN WE ADDED A SECTION TO THE FOLLOWING GRADES, KINDERGARTEN, FIRST GRADE, SECOND GRADE, AND THIRD GRADE.
SO THE NEXT YEAR WE WILL ADD FOURTH GRADE, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR WE WILL ADD FIFTH GRADE, WHICH WILL COMPLETE THE COURSE SUBJECT EXPANSION, UH, FOR OUR ADDITIONAL FINE ARTS POSITIONS.
WE ADDED ANOTHER VISUAL ART TEACHER, A DANCE TEACHER, DRAMA, AND, UH, GENERAL MUSIC ALONG WITH THREE, UH, PARAPROFESSIONALS.
THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE OUR POPULATION INCREASED.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT HAVE WE ADDED AND ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE OF THIS REIMAGINED GRANT? WE ADDED A SECOND SET OF ART TEACHERS TO ACCOMMODATE STUDENT POPULATION INCREASE.
UH, WE ADDED NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT TO LAST FOR A DECADE OR MORE FROM XYLOPHONES DRUMS, UH, PIANO KEYBOARDS, VIOLINS, YOU NAME IT.
WE ADDED IT FOR OUR KIDS SO THEY CAN LEARN.
IN JANUARY 20, 24, D-R-C-V-P-A ESTABLISHED ITS FIRST MARCHING BAND ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
WE ARE NOT QUITE SOUTHERN YET,
SO WE, UH, ADDED, UH, ART SUPPLIES THAT WILL LAST US FOR, UH, QUITE A LONG TIME.
AND ALSO, WE, UH, ADDED A NEW COURSE AND WE GOT THE IDEA FROM DENVER ON, UH, TECHNOLOGY IN THE ARTS.
AND THOSE, FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE A LITTLE STAGE FRIGHT, THEY HAVE A LITTLE STAGE FRIGHT OR DON'T LIKE TO BE ON THE STAGE, THEY'RE ABLE TO WORK, UH, THE LIGHTS, THE LIGHTING, UH, STREAMING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE HAVE A 26, UM, UH, COMPUTER, UH, UH, LAB, UH, WHERE THEY HAVE A GREEN SCREEN CAMERAS AND THINGS THAT THEY CAN USE.
THEY ALSO DO YEARBOOK AND OTHER ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, IN A NUTSHELL, UH, THE REIMAGINED GRANT HAS HELPED US TO, UH, SECURE OUR DREAM TO EXPAND AND MAINTAIN IN THE FUTURE.
BETLEY HAD THREE MINUTES TO DO HER PRESENTATION, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF PASSIONATE LEADERS.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS.
THAT ENDS MY SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES.
WE HAVE COMMENTS AND OR QUESTIONS FROM OUR BOARD.
MR. LANIS, YOU CAN TAKE ANOTHER QUEUE.
I WAS WANTED TO ASK ABOUT CAPITAL, BUT I SEE THE PRINCIPAL LEFT.
YOU GOOD, DOCTOR? WE GOOD? THANK YOU.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, OKAY, SO THE GRANT, WHEN DOES THE GRANT END AND THEN AFTER IT ENDS THE, AS THE STAFF THAT WERE, HI, I LOVED ALL THIS.
AFTER THIS, THE GRANT ENDS, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE NEW STAFF THAT WAS HIRED? OKAY.
SO THE GRANT WILL END SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, BUT WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, UM, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO USE TITLE ONE FUNDING AND GENERAL FUND AND, UH, PRE-K UH, LA FOUR TO SUPPORT THE PRE-K TEACHERS AND OTHER FUNDING FOR THE, UH, ARTS TEACHERS.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION ON THE REIMAGINED GRANT.
UH, AND THEN UPDATES FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.
WE WILL NOW GO INTO OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
[D.3. Budget Presentation]
SO WITH THAT.THANK YOU MS. LOPEZ P, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT SMITH.
TONIGHT WE'LL GIVE THE INITIAL PREVIEW OF THE 24 25 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
WHILE WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, THIS WILL GIVE THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OUR FOCUS AREAS AND GOALS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THE ENTIRE BUDGET WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING NO LATER THAN MAY 20TH.
A BALANCED BUDGET IS ONE WHICH REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES.
AS A DISTRICT, OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
IT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL
[00:50:01]
NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND NEEDS OF OUR STAFF.OUR GOAL IS TO ALIGN THE FINANCIAL GOALS OF THE DISTRICT WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AS WE WORK THROUGH THE ENDING OF THE ESSER FUNDING.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE OF THE RULES THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REQUIRES OF ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AS A DISTRICT INCLUSIVE OF TYPE ONE CHARTERS, THE DISTRICT MUST BE IN BALANCE THREE OF EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AS THE PROPOSED BUDGET APPROVED BY THE BOARD NOTATES, THE DISTRICT WILL HAVE A DEFICIT BALANCE FOR THE 2324 FISCAL YEAR.
MOVING FORWARD, THE DISTRICT MUST WORK TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE FINANCIALLY SOUND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GUIDANCE FROM LDOE.
IN DISCUSSIONS WITH BOARD LEADERSHIP, IT IS A DISTRICT PRIORITY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE FINANCIALLY HEALTHY AS A DISTRICT FOR THE 24 25 FISCAL YEAR, THE DISTRICT IS USING THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO MAKE FINANCIAL DECISIONS SO THAT THE INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS OF THE DISTRICT ALIGN WITH THE FINANCIAL GOALS OF THE DISTRICT.
OUR TOP FIVE PRIORITIES, NOT IN ANY SPECIFIC ORDER, ARE EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY, HIGH DOSE TUTORING, COLLEGE CAREER READINESS AND ATTENDANCE.
AND TRUANCY REVENUES INCLUDE THE FUNDS THAT THE DISTRICT RECEIVES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE FROM AVALOR AND PROPERTY TAXES, SALES TAXES, OTHER LOCAL REVENUES INCLUSIVE OF OUR MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT, MFP, WHICH IS OUR STATE DOLLARS AND FEDERAL INDIRECT COSTS.
NOW, OUR FEDERAL INDIRECT COSTS ARE BASED COMPLETELY UPON THE PERCENTAGE PROVIDED TO US BY LDOE, AND THEY ARE PROVIDED TO US THROUGH THE GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SPECIAL REVENUE SOURCES INCLUDE OUR FEDERAL GRANTS, SUCH AS TITLE FUNDS, IDEA, OUR STATE GRANTS, INCLUSIVE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD, AND OUR LOCAL GRANTS, WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF ICARE AND PAYMENTS THROUGH DONATIONS FOR OUR INTERNS.
THAT'LL BE WORKING THROUGHOUT THE, THE SUMMER AND INTO NEXT YEAR WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THIS CHART SHOWS MULTIPLE ITEMS TO UNDERSTAND THE REVENUES OF THE DISTRICT.
IN TOTAL, THE NAVY BARS INCLUDE THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
THE GRAY BAR IS OUR SPECIAL REVENUES AS WE JUST DISCUSSED.
THOSE ARE FEDERAL GRANTS, STATE GRANTS, INCLUSIVE ESSER.
THE GREEN BAR SHOWS THE TOTAL OF THE REVENUES RECEIVED FROM ALL FUNDS INCLUSIVE.
NOW YOU'LL SEE SEVERAL LINES RUNNING ACROSS THE TOP AND ONE ACROSS THE BOTTOM.
THE ORANGE BAR AT THE BOTTOM SHOWS OUR STAFFING AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL ONLY.
THE BLUE LINE IS OUR TRADITIONAL DISTRICT RUN SCHOOLS ENROLLMENT, AND THE GREEN LINE IS INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF OUR DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
TYPE ONE, TYPE TWO, TYPE FIVE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IN 2018, OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE WAS $442.9 MILLION.
OUR SPECIAL REVENUE WAS 187.2 FOR AN INCLUSIVE OF $630.1 MILLION.
AS WE CONTINUE ON THE TRENDS, YOU CAN SEE THE REVENUES CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
AS WE BEGIN WITH THE COVID, UH, PANDEMIC, THE BEGINNING OF ESSER DOLLARS AND THE INCREASES IN SALES TAXES THAT THEN BEGAN.
SO AS OF 20 24, 20 25, OUR PROPOSED BUDGET IS 591 MILLION FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, 172.3 FOR OUR SPECIAL REVENUES FOR A TOTAL OF $763.3 MILLION.
OUR PROPOSED ENROLLMENT AT OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS IS 30,776.
AND OVERALL TOTALS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LDOE GUIDANCE IS 43,963.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROJECTED REVENUES AND NET REVENUES, WHICH IS THE DE THE DECREASE THAT WE RECEIVE ONCE THE CHARTER SCHOOL PORTION OF ALL LOCAL REVENUES AND MFP ARE REMOVED.
AS YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR, OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE FUNDED THROUGH BOTH LOCAL TAXATION AND MFP MONEY.
NOW, IN THIS AS DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER SLIDE THAT WE PREVIOUSLY SAW, THIS IS ONLY INCLUSIVE OF GENERAL FUND AND THE THREE PROPOSITIONS.
AND THE REASON THAT THAT'S ONLY INCLUDED, THOSE ARE, THESE ARE THE ONLY FUNDS THAT RECEIVE LOCAL FUNDS AT VALOREM AND SALES TAX.
NOW, I HAVE REMOVED THE PART OF CAPITAL PROJECTS FROM PROPOSITION ONE AND I HAVE ONLY INCLUDED $4 MILLION EACH YEAR FOR OUR PROPOSITION ONE.
AND THE REASON THAT IT'S DONE IS BECAUSE $4 MILLION IS PART OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PORTION THAT WE USE FOR THE CHROMEBOOKS THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT AND IT'S DISCRETIONARY FOR THE DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, THE REST OF PROPOSITION ONE IS USED TO BUILD OUR BUILDINGS AND THAT IS WHAT THE TAXPAYERS HAVE SPECIFICALLY NOTATED THIS TAX BAR.
SO INCLUDING IT, WE CAN'T USE IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE BUT BUILDINGS.
SO FOR THIS, I HAVE INCLUDED $4 MILLION FOR PROPOSITION ONE EACH YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE ALLOWED 40 MILLION OVER THE 10 YEAR PROCESS.
I'VE INCLUDED GENERAL FUND PROP TWO AND PROP THREE.
SO FOR 2018 19, THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE, UH, THE TOTAL REVENUE FOR GENERAL FUND AND THE PROPOSITIONS WAS $488.8 MILLION WITH
[00:55:01]
APPROXIMATELY 81 MILLION GOING TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR A TOTAL OF 407.4 NET REVENUE THAT YEAR.NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, WHILE OUR REVENUES INCREASE, SO DO THE POPULATIONS AND THE PERCENTAGE AMOUNT AS IT IS CALCULATED THROUGH THE LOCAL PROP, LOCAL TAXATION.
FOR OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS, THE PROJECTIONS FOR 24 25 ARE $644.4 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND THE PROPOSITIONS 102.4 FOR TYPE 1 53 0.3 INCLUSIVE OF OUR TYPE TWO AND TYPE FIVE FOR A TOTAL NET REVENUES OF $488.7 MILLION.
SO OUR EXPENDITURES ARE MONEY THAT THE DISTRICT SPENDS ON OPERATING.
AND IN THIS I HAVE INCLUDED ALL FUNDING SOURCES.
SO SALARIES AND BENEFITS ARE 37 AND 17%, WHICH IS INCLUDES FOR ABOUT 54%.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL, KELLY, YOU'VE ALWAYS SAID 70% OF GENERAL RE GENERAL FUND IS PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S TRUE, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE FOR EVERY FUND.
FOR EXAMPLE, PROPOSITION ONE IS ALL BUILDING EXPENSES.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN TOTAL, ABOUT 54% IS PEOPLE, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IS 4%.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE YOU WOULD SAY IS CONTRACTS.
PROPERTY SERVICES ARE THINGS LIKE WATER BILLS, UM, OTHER PURCHASE SERVICES.
THESE ARE ITEMS SUCH AS TRAVEL, UM, AND UM, OTHER AND INTERNET, WHICH IS 4%.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
WE BOUGHT PROPERTY AND APPROPRIATIONS IS 22%.
THE APPROPRIATIONS IS INCLUSIVE OF THE PORTION THAT GOES TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS MULTIPLE ITEMS TO UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT.
THE NAVY BARS, AGAIN, SHOW THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES BY GENERAL FUND EACH YEAR.
THE GRAY BAR SHOWS YOUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS AND THE GREEN SHOWS THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES OVERALL.
SO IN 2018 19, WE HAD TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES OF 470.4 MILLION TOTAL SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS OF EXPENDITURES OF 181 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $651.4 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES.
NOW AS YOU CONTINUE ON, YOU SEE THE EXPENDITURES CONTINUE TO GROW, ESPECIALLY YOUR SPECIAL REVENUE ACCOUNT.
NOW, WE ARE EXPECTING IN 24 25 THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE A SIGNIFICANT DROP BECAUSE ESSER IS SUNSET, ESSER IS GOING AWAY.
SO TO THAT FACT, YOU CAN SEE IT HAS GONE, IT HAS TRICKLED UP ALL THE WAY UP FOR 2324 FOR A TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF $788.8 MILLION.
SO IN WORKING THROUGH THE 24 25 BUDGET WITH ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, IT HAS BEEN, UH, IT HAS BEEN CHALLENGING, BUT WE'VE SEEN SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT.
SO, SALARIES AND BENEFITS ALLOWS US TO REALIZE THAT WE CAN STRATEGICALLY PLACE PEOPLE WHERE IT BEST, UH, PRESERVES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BECAUSE THAT IS OUR GOAL, IS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT CONTRACTED SERVICES.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? HOW IS IT PERFORMING? HAVE WE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS? IS THIS THE GOAL OF THE DISTRICT? DOES THIS FOLLOW OUR STRATEGIC PLAN? MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES AS THEIR DOLLARS? WERE USED TO BUY MANY THINGS.
AS ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS SAID, THEY BOUGHT INSTRUMENTS THAT WILL LAST THEM A DECADE.
SO WE'VE BOUGHT THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BUY AGAIN BECAUSE WE USED OUR MONEY WISELY.
SO THERE ARE CURRENTLY 167 EMPLOYEES IN ESSER FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
NOW I'M SAYING THIS IS AS A REFLECTION OF ESSER ONLY, NOT A REDUCTION OF STAFF.
SIMPLY THAT THERE ARE 167 POSITIONS CURRENTLY IN ESSER.
THESE CAN BE CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
PARAPROFESSIONALS AND 18 ARE DISTRICT BASED.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY $30.7 MILLION IN CONTRACTS IN ESSER THAT WILL EITHER HAVE TO BE DECREASED, RESTRUCTURED, KEPT, ARE ELIMINATED COMPLETELY.
THIS CAN BE INCLUSIVE OF ASSESSMENT PLATFORMS, HIGH DOSE TUTORING, A CT, PREPARATION, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
THERE WERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ESSER GAVE US.
THINGS THAT WE COULD PURCHASE TO ASSIST THE DISTRICT IN MOVING BEYOND THE COVID CRISIS MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.
AGAIN, IT GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHAT STAYS AND WHAT CAN GO.
TEACHER GIFT CARDS, TEXTBOOKS, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA NEED TEXTBOOKS.
WE'RE GONNA GONNA NEED LIBRARY BOOKS, WE'RE GONNA NEED RESEARCH MATERIALS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE'RE GONNA NEED MATERIALS OF INSTRUCTION FOR OUR TEACHERS TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN.
BUT IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW WHAT IS BENEFICIAL SO THAT EVERY STUDENT IS EQUALLY SERVED ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS OUR BUDGET TIMELINE.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, WE ARE FINISHING UP OUR LAST PIECES.
WE ARE PUTTING THE LAST PIECES OF THE PIE TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH BOARD LEADERSHIP AND SO WE CAN MAKE THE FINAL DECISIONS OF WHAT WE ARE GONNA PRESENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION,
[01:00:02]
MR. GODDE.EVERYONE KNOWS I CAN'T LET A BUDGET PRESENTATION GO BY WITHOUT ASKING A QUESTION.
VERY LIKE THE WAY IT WAS LAID OUT AND DID A VERY NICE JOB OF IT.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION THOUGH.
AS WE DO THE UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS, UH, ON THE BUDGET, MM-HMM
I JUST HAVE 'EM WRITTEN DOWN HERE.
UH, WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, IT IMPLIES ON THE ENROLLMENT SIDE IT IMPLIES, OR WHAT IT SAYS HERE IS FROM 2223 TO 2324, THE TOTAL CHARTER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT WAS ESSENTIALLY FLAT.
AND THEN FROM 2324 TO 24 25, IT'S SHOWING A 2,317 STUDENT INCREASE IN THE CHARTER NUMBERS.
BUT WE HAVE A TYPE ONE THAT'S ALREADY ANNOUNCED THEY'RE CLOSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I REALIZE THIS IS A NUMBER, BUT I THINK THAT'S A NUMBER THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE US GOING DOWN IN ENROLLMENT, UH, THIS BIG, WHICH TYPE TWOS ARE OPENING? UH, DISCOVERY HEALTH OPENED LAST YEAR.
YEAR, WELL, LAST YEAR AS KENILWORTH.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE SPEAKING OF 2324.
I'M TALKING ABOUT 23, 24 TO 24 25.
LOOKING AT YOUR NUMBERS HERE, IT'S SHOWING WELL OVER A 20% INCREASE IN CHARTER STUDENTS AND THE CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN OUR STUDENTS.
I I JUST, I I NEED TO BE CONVINCED OF THAT
AND, AND ALL I CAN USE FOR OUR TYPE TWOS AND TYPE FIVES IS THE GUESSTIMATE THAT I RECEIVED FROM LDOE.
WELL THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN USE FOR BASIS.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN OUR BUDGET.
SO I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A FULL REVIEW SURE.
'CAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK WHEN I, WHEN I LOOK AT FROM A 10,000 FOOT LEVEL, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT.
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. LOPEZ.
NO, DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, MR. SMITH? OKAY.
SO AS WE MOVE TO ITEM D FOUR, SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH UPDATE, IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND SELECTION UPDATES IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF ITEM H ONE UNDER NEW BUSINESS, CONSIDERING THE RELATIVE CONTEXT OF THAT PARTICULAR ITEM TO THE SEARCH SELECTION PROCESS.
AND WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ALPHABET E, WHICH ARE REPORTS FROM BOARD APPOINTMENTS, UH, TO COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES.
ARE THERE ANY REPORTS FROM ANY OF OUR COMMUNITY COMMITTEES? OKAY.
[F.1. School Relocation: JK Haynes Teacher Prep & Leadership Academy]
F OR ALPHABET F UNFINISHED BUSINESS ITEM ONE, SCHOOL RELOCATION, JK HAINES TEACHER PREP, UH, TEACHER PREP AND LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO RELOCATE AND HOUSE JK HAYNES TEACHER PREP AND LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AT THE SCOTLANDVILLE PRE-ENGINEERING MAGNET ACADEMY SITE FOR THE 20 24 20 25 SCHOOL YEAR.
IS THERE A MOTION? OKAY, MADAM PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO, OH, DO, OH WAIT.
I'LL MOVE TO, UM, SEND THIS ITEM BACK TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED TO THE, UH, FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. RUST, UM, AND I'M ASSUMING SECONDED BY MR. MARTIN TO MOVE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM BACK TO THE OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE TO A DATE UNCERTAIN.
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AND OF COURSE I'VE ENTERED INTO THE QUEUE AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE NUMBER ONE.
UM, THANK YOU TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ACTUALLY, UH, CAME OUT AND VISITED BOTH, UM, SCOTLANDVILLE, PRE-ENGINEERING ACADEMY, AS WELL AS JK HAYNES WITH ME A COUPLE OF FRIDAYS AGO.
ALSO, UH, THOSE WHO ATTENDED, UH, WERE NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT MR. SMITH, MS. SOLE, AND MR. RUSS.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SIMPLY REQUEST AS, AS ALREADY STATED, THAT WE WOULD DEFER THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO DETERMINE WHAT MIGHT BE THE BEST ALTERNATIVE, UH, FOR ALL THE INVOLVED STAKEHOLDERS.
WE TOURED, LIKE I SAID, FEMA AND
[01:05:01]
JK HAYNES.WE SAW CLEARLY WHERE ROOM WAS AVAILABLE.
WE ALSO SAW CLEARLY THE CONDITION OF JK HAYNES AS WELL.
I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK PRIVATELY WITH MS. DAVIS, WHO IS THE PRINCIPAL OF S FEMA OR SCOTLANDVILLE PRE-ENGINEERING MAGNET ACADEMY.
I HOPE TO SPEAK WITH DR. JAMES, WHO IS THE PRINCIPAL OF JK HAYES IN A, UH, PRIVATE MEETING AS WELL.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH THE HAYES FAMILY, WHO HAS A DEEP AND RICH LEGACY WITHIN THE JK HAYES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE IN, IN A COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WOULD INCLUDE ALL STAKEHOLDERS OF POSSIBLE OPTIONS.
SO DEPENDING ON WHERE WE DECIDE TO TRANSFER THOSE STUDENTS TO OR WHAT WE WANT THAT TO LOOK LIKE, I HOPE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS OR THOSE STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE THE MOTION AND THE, UH, SECOND THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN ON BEHALF OF THIS SITUATION.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS.
UM, I THINK YOU SUMMED IT UP PRETTY WELL, UM, THAT WE, WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME SITE VISITS TO THE SCHOOLS, UM, AND, AND GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THE PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED BY SUPERINTENDENT SMITH AND HIS TEAM.
UM, I THINK AFTER, YOU KNOW, SEEING THOSE IN PERSON AND, AND LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT, UM, CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE WITH THESE TWO DIFFERENT, UH, SCHOOLS AND IN THAT PLAN, UH, WE DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT THAT, OR, OR AT LEAST I DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST SOLUTION.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE, UM, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ON THE TABLE.
AND I THINK THAT THE MAIN THING IS, IS THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS GONNA BE, UH, THE BEST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN.
UM, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CONSIDER, UM, THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, UM, ON DECISIONS WE CAN MAKE AROUND THOSE TWO SCHOOLS.
UM, AND, AND IN A BROADER SENSE AS WELL, A LOT OF MY, UH, PAUSE AND OBJECTION WITH THIS ITEM HAS TO DO WITH, UH, JUST A, A LACK OF A CONTEXT FOR HOW THESE DECISIONS, UH, COULD PLAY INTO THE BIGGER PICTURE OF OUR SCHOOL PORTFOLIO.
NOT JUST AS AN ENTIRE PARISH, BUT ALSO JUST IN THAT COMMUNITY.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE HASTY DECISIONS, UM, BUT I DO WANT TO, UH, TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THOSE KIDS IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A STRATEGY, UM, FOR THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT ARE AT THE JK HAYNES SCHOOL.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE MADE IT TO MY REQUEST TO SUPERINTENDENT SMITH THAT, UM, THAT WE LOOK AT SOME OTHER SCENARIOS THAT WE COULD PRESENT TO THE BOARD.
UH, WE WANT TO GIVE THEM TIME TO, TO THINK THROUGH THAT, UM, AND DECIDE WHEN IT'S A GOOD TIME TO, TO PUT THAT BACK IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND ALSO GIVE, UH, YOU, MS. POWELL LEWIS TIME TO, TO TALK TO YOUR DISTRICT, UH, ENGAGE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SO I APPRECIATE, UM, THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE WE GOT TO GO SEE THOSE SCHOOLS.
UH, SUPERINTENDENT SMITH, CAN YOU REMIND ME WHERE WE ARE IN THE, UH, SELECTION PROCESS FOR, FOR FAMILIES TO DECIDE WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SCHOOL FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR? HA.
HAS THAT ALREADY PASSED? OR, OR, UM, AS IT RELATE TO THE MAGNET PORTAL OR JUST IN GENERAL? UH, WELL, I GUESS BOTH.
A ACTUALLY, IF, IF, UH, IF WE CAN HAVE BOTH.
WELL, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, ROLLING STUDENTS OVER BASED OFF THEIR HOME ATTENDANCE ZONE, UH, FOR SCHEDULING PURPOSES WITH OUR, OUR, OUR SCHOOLS.
NOW FOR THE MAGNET PORTAL, THERE IS A, ARE WE IN THE SECOND ROUND, SECOND ROUND FOR THOSE UNDER DESCRIBED SCHOOLS WHERE WE STILL HAVE SPACE FOR ENROLLMENT? OF COURSE, WE HAVE SPACE AT SOME OF OUR FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS, BUT, UH, WE ARE IN THE, THE SCHEDULING PROCESS NOW WITH ROLLING STUDENTS OVER.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU HAVE LIKE FIFTH GRADERS ROLLING OVER TO SIXTH GRADE, YOUR EIGHTH GRADERS ROLL OVER TO NINTH GRADE.
AND SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THAT DONE.
AND SO, UH, I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, ANSWER I JUST WANTED, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ATTENDING, UH, SCHOOL AT JK HAYNES, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW SOON THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION AND, UH, WELL, WE WOULD LIKE TO HOPEFULLY COME BACK WITH A FEW SCENARIOS THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE, UH, OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN AFTER, UH, MEETING WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THAT COMMUNITY, UH, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS COME UP WITH A, SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON HOW WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
UH, ONE OPTION IS TO TRY TO KEEP KIDS AS CLOSEST TO THEIR HOME ATTENDING ZONE BECAUSE OF BUSING.
WE DON'T WANNA BUS KIDS OUTSIDE.
AND GENERALLY FOR HISTORY, WE'VE HAD A FAMILY OF SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA PROGRESS, UM, R ELEMENTARY AND CREST, WHERE THOSE TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN A FAMILY OF SCHOOLS WHERE WE WOULD ALLOW FAMILIES TO STAY, UM, IN THOSE SCHOOLS, EVEN IF
[01:10:01]
THEY KIND OF MOVED AROUND IN THAT, THAT AREA.THE SECOND THING WE WANNA LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, UH, FACILITIES.
WE WANNA PLACE STUDENTS IN THE BEST FACILITIES, THE BEST ENVIRONMENT, AND THEN OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE WANNA LOOK AT, WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT, THE, UH, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, TEACHERS, UM, READY AND AVAILABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE THE BEST, UH, INSTRUCTION FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
AND SO, SO WE'LL DEVELOP A CRITERIA, SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
I SEE FEMA STAFF IS BACK THERE.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ALL DAY WITH THE KIDS.
IS ANYONE FROM JK HAYNES HERE? I JUST WANNA TELL HOW MUCH I APPRECIATED GETTING TO SEE YOUR SCHOOL AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE AND, UM, AT J KANES AS WELL.
IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO GET TO SEE THE CAMPUSES AND, UM, AND I'M SURE IT CAN SOUND A LITTLE FRUSTRATING THAT WE'RE STILL NOT QUITE SURE, BUT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHAT IS BEST FOR KIDS AND FOR FAMILIES.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENT FROM THE BOARD, WE WILL NOW TURN TO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC.
FINNEY, AS I BELIEVE MR. BALLOU NOTED, IT'S LATE APRIL SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
THE FIRST RULE AS A BOARD SHOULD BE, DON'T JERK PARENTS AROUND.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE EVER BEEN OPENED.
I THINK IT WAS A BAD IDEA TO TRY TO PERPETUATE WHATEVER WAS GOING ON THERE.
FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS ARE A BAD IDEA, BUT IT'S APRIL.
SO THE FIRST RULE SHOULD BE DON'T BREAK SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE BROKEN.
YOU MOVED INTO THAT SCHOOL, YOU MADE A COMMITMENT THAT YOU WERE GOING TO AT LEAST TRY THIS TEACHER PREP.
I'M NOT SURE THAT ANYTHING'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, BUT SPEND SOME MONEY, MAKE THAT BUILDING TOLERABLE.
TRY TO GET SOME OF THOSE 650 STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN POORLY SERVED BY IDEA AND GET 'EM TO GO ABOUT A MILE OR TWO WEST AND SEE IF YOU CAN HAVE A FUNCTIONAL PROGRAM.
AND IF NOT, DECIDE IN ABOUT NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER THAT IT WAS AN EXPERIMENT GONE WRONG.
AND PLEASE DROP THE J AND THE K SO THAT THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL CAN BE ALPHABETIZED, LIKE IT'S THE NAME OF A SCHOOL.
SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS, ARE THERE ANY ONLINE? NO.
WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A VOTE.
AND THIS IS TO SEND THIS ITEM BACK TO THE FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, FOR REVIEW ON A DATE.
[G. Consent Agenda]
THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.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 MEMBERS, SO REQUEST IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED AS AN ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE.
PRECEDING THE LAST ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
TWO SUMMER PART-TIME RATE CONSIDERATION.
REQUEST TO AMEND THE SUMMER 2024 SALARY SCHEDULE TO APPROVE A 40% INCREASE IN COMPENSATION FOR SUMMER PART-TIME EMPLOYEES SPECIFIED.
THREE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS, CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING NEW JOBS DESCRIPTIONS AS REFERENCED IN THE DOCUMENT.
NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS, STRATEGIC ALIGNNESS OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS FOR APPROVAL OF FOLLOWING AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, A ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, B, REGISTERED NURSE, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, BR FLAME EARLY CHILDCARE.
CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONVERSION
[01:15:01]
OF THE TYPE THREE EARLY LEARNING CENTER SLASH MICROCENTER AT BR FLAME TO A TYPE THREE EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDER.STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FUNDING SOURCE C-C-A-P-B THREE REDUCED TUITION B-R-C-V-P-A EARLY CHILDCARE CONSIDERATION OR REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONVERSION OF THE TYPE THREE EARLY LEARNING CENTER SLASH MICROCENTER AT B-R-C-V-P-A TO A TYPE THREE EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDER.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FUNDING SOURCE C-C-A-P-B THREE SLASH REDUCED TUITION.
NUMBER SEVEN, CAPITAL ELEMENTARY CHILDCARE.
CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONVERSION OF THE TYPE THREE EARLY LEARNING CENTER SLASH MICROCENTER AT CAPITAL ELEMENTARY TO A TYPE THREE EARLY CHILDCARE PROVIDER.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FUNDING SOURCE ECE FUNDS, EXCUSE ME.
NUMBER EIGHT, CONTRACT AGREEMENT PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT AGREEMENT BETWEEN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND CSS SLASH TILLAGE FOR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF 6,762,196 AND 45 CENTS OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
SCHOOL CLOSURE AND RELOCATION CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING CLOSURE OF WHITE HILLS ELEMENTARY.
B, RELOCATION OF BROWNSFIELD ELEMENTARY TO 1 1 6 1 5 ELLEN DRIVE WITH A NEW ATTENDANCE ZONE ENCOMPASSING THE COMBINED AREA OF THE FORMER ATTENDANCE ZONES FOR WHITE HILLS AND BROWNSFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MAINTAINING THE BROWNSFIELD ELEMENTARY SITE CODE 10 RFP DATA AGGREGATION PROJECT SCHOOL FACILITIES CONSIDERATION REQUEST AUTHORIZING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF TO ISSUE A REC REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A DATA ACQUISITION PROJECT AS PHASE ONE OF A BROADER INTENDED FACILITIES MASTER PLAN.
SUCH DATA AGGREGATION PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED BY AUGUST 15TH, 2024.
AND INCORPORATING EXISTING INFORMATION REGARDING THE FOLLOWING ENROLLMENT AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FROM ALL PUBLICLY AVAILABLE SOURCES AS WELL AS OTHER RECENTLY CONDUCTED LOCAL SOURCES.
AN UPDATED FACILITIES INVENTORY THAT INCLUDES BUILDING CONDITIONS AND ANALYSIS OF BOTH CAPACITY AND UTILIZATION.
AN UPDATE ON ONGOING AND COMPLETED TAX PLAN PROJECTS.
IN ADDITION, THE PROJECT SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE, DEVELOP AND DOCUMENT FOR THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD GUIDELINES FOR AN OPTIMAL SCHOOL FACILITY CHARACTERISTICS ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR RANKING FACILITY PLAN PRIORITIES.
THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR ARE AUTHORIZED TO REVIEW THE SUBMITTED RESPONSES TO THE RFP AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ACCEPTANCE TO THE BOARD LEADERSHIP WITH FINAL APPROVAL AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD.
THAT IS THE END OF CONSENT, UH, ITEMS. AND, UH, I MOVE, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, DO I NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION NOW? I'LL LET PEOPLE PULL OFF FIRST.
I THINK LET PEOPLE PULL FIRST.
UM, SO, MR. LANDIS, ARE YOU PULLING IN ITEM NINE.
SCHOOL CLOSURE AND RELOCATION.
THREE AND FOUR NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
YOU SEEING NO OTHER, WE, UH, WILL NOW RECEIVE A MOTION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND NINE.
I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, OR WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF ITEM THREE, FOUR, AND ITEM NINE.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. GODDE AND SECONDED BY MR. LANDIS THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE EXCEPTIONS OF ITEMS THREE, FOUR, AND NINE, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL NOW TURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO YOU.
[01:20:01]
WOULD CHOOSE TO WALK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND HAVE A SEAT BEFORE WE GO FAR DOWN, FARTHER DOWN THE PATH OF MAKING ROOM FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND HOUSING PRIVATE BUSINESSES IN PUBLIC FACILITIES.WITH RESPECT TO EIGHT, YOU WENT THROUGH A FAIRLY EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SPEND 30 OR $40,000 ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO I'M DISTURBED THAT YOU WANNA JUST KEEP GOING WITH CSRS BEFORE YOU EVEN GIVE ANY THOUGHT TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MIGHT BE A BETTER, UH, ORGANIZATION OUT THERE TO WORK WITH.
SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
AND THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THREE, FOUR, AND NINE.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A VOTE.
[G.3. New Job Descriptions]
TO G THREE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS AS REFERENCED IN THE DOCUMENT.NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. GODDE AND SECONDED BY MR. LEWIS.
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MR. LEWIS? PRESIDENT POWELL? I THINK THAT THERE'S JUST STILL TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, UM, CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, UH, AND ALSO WITH FELLOW COLLEAGUES.
I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND DISCUSS IT FURTHER.
SO YOU'RE MOVING TO, TO, TO SEND THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE? OKAY.
IS THERE A DATE IN MIND? UM, DATE INSERT.
SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. LEWIS, THAT ITEM THREE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS BE SENT BACK TO THE POINT OF ORDER.
MR. I ALREADY HAD A MOTION ON THE BOARD AND MR. LEWIS SECOND IT
IF YOU'D LIKE TO WITHDRAW THAT SECOND PLEASE.
SO YOU, I'LL TAKE THE MOTION SECOND.
SO THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION BEING PUT FORWARD.
SO THERE IS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO, UM, SEND ITEM THREE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, TO A DATE UNCERTAIN.
AND IS THERE A SECOND FOR THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? OKAY.
AND IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR. RUSS.
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD IN REGARDS TO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UH, I'M GONNA SAY SOMETHING PRETTY RADICAL.
UH, AND I KNOW MR. FINNEY, DR.
FINNEY WILL NOT LIKE THIS WHAT I SAY.
BUT I REALLY THINK THAT AS WE GET DOWN INTO THE DEPTHS OF INDIVIDUAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS, WE ARE REMOVING OURSELVES FROM BEING A POLICY BOARD TO GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF RUNNING THE SYSTEM.
WE CONTROL ALL OF THIS BY THE FINANCIAL PURSE STRINGS.
AND IF WE DON'T LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE THAT, WE CAN NOT FUND THEM OR WE CAN REMOVE THEM.
BUT THIS IS THE KIND OF REASON WHY WE END UP WITH WHAT, 30,000 JOB DESCRIPTIONS IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THE BOARD, IF IT'D BE UP TO ME, I WOULD NOT HAVE THE BOARD HAVE TO APPROVE A JOB DESCRIPTION BECAUSE THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RUNNING THE DISTRICT FOR THE SUPERVISOR, A SUPERINTENDENT TO DO.
AND OUR, OUR CHECKS AND BALANCES ON THAT IS THE PURSE STRINGS AND APPROVING THE BUDGET.
AND SO I, I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS GETTING TOO MUCH INTO THE DETAIL OF RUNNING THE DISTRICT.
AND I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THE, UH, SUBSTITUTE MOTION, UH, JUST BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE DEBATING HOW DO WE MAKE KIDS LITERATE? HOW DO WE DO ALL THESE THINGS AND NOT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF A JOB DESCRIPTION.
BECAUSE ORGAN ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS CHANGE THINGS, CHANGE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, ALL OF THESE THINGS CHANGE.
AND BY PUTTING THINGS IN SUCH SHACKS, ONE
[01:25:01]
OF THE REASON WHY WE HAD SO MANY JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND SO MANY JOB DESCRIPTIONS NOT REALLY OFFICIALLY APPROVED, IS 'CAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO BRING 'EM TO THE BOARD.AND WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GOTTA GO HIRE SOMEBODY? AND YEAH, I RECOGNIZE IT'S PUTTING SOME FAITH AND TRUST IN THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT WE'RE TRUSTING HIM WITH A $700 MILLION BUDGET.
AND IF WE DON'T LIKE WHAT HE IS DOING, WE CUT THE BUDGET.
THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS WE CAN DO IN THAT.
SO I, I THINK THIS IS A LEVEL OF TOO MUCH CONTROL THAT IF WE GONNA REALLY BE A POLICY BOARD, WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK.
THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION.
I RESPECT THE RIGHT OF ANYONE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT ONE.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, WE WILL NOW TURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
I WAS ABOUT TO SAY MS. APRIL, MAKE SURE YOU BRING ME HIS CARDS.
I OPPOSE THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION AND IF IT HAPPENS TO COME BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, I WILL OPPOSE THAT TOO FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.
THE REASON I'M OPPOSED TO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS THAT THIS CAN HAS ALREADY BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN EVERY MONTH.
THIS, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS KEEP HIRING PEOPLE, KEEP PAYING PEOPLE WITH NO JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
YOU HAVE A POLICY THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL KEEP A LIST OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND EVERYBODY THAT WORKS FOR THIS SYSTEM SHOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION IS.
AND UNTIL YOU MAKE SOME MOVEMENT SOMEWHERE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, YOU'RE JUST STICKING YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND.
SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE NOT EITHER, BUT BOTH GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THESE SO THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY EMPLOYED ACTUALLY HAVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
AT LEAST MORE, MORE OF THEM DO THAN DO NOW.
AND PUT SOME PRETTY STRINGENT DEMANDS ON MR. SMITH AND HIS DESIGNEES SO THAT AT THE MAY, UM, APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE, THERE IS A LIST OF EVERY JOB DESCRIPTION THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER APPROVING IN ONE LUMP SUM, ALL 300 OR WHATEVER.
AND FOR THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHO IS ATTACHED TO EACH OF THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
IT'S NOT JUST THIS ADMINISTRATION, IT WASN'T JUST DR.
THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR YEARS, IF NOT DECADES, IF NOT THE LIFE OF THIS DISTRICT.
YOU SHOULD DEMAND IT GET FIXED AND IT GET FIXED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT CONSIDERING A BUDGET PROPOSAL.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
AND THIS IS ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
I'M GONNA TURN TO BOARD ATTORNEY GWEN SHALIN.
CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON THIS, ON PROCEDURES FOR MOVING FORWARD ON JOB DESCRIPTIONS? WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, MR. GDAY AND HE'S, HE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
IT IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT THAT BOARDS APPROVE A JOB DESCRIPTION.
I THINK, AND I KNOW HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE LEVEL OF DETAIL, HOW MUCH YOU GO INTO IT, BUT IT IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT.
AND SO BOARDS ARE REQUIRED TO APPROVE A JOB DESCRIPTION AT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A VOTE.
AND THIS IS ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO SEND ITEM THREE NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, FOR RECOMMENDATION OF A DATE.
[G.4. Amended Job Descriptions]
G FOUR, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, ALPHABET, A ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR, ALPHABET B, REGISTERED SCHOOL NURSE, STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. UH, BALLOU AND SECONDED BY MR. LEWIS.
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME.
OKAY, MR. RUSS? UH, SINCE MR. LEWIS SECONDED, UH, I WILL, UH,
[01:30:01]
TRY TO HELP HERE AND RECOMMEND THAT WE SEND THIS ITEM BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, TO TAKE AT A DATE TO BE DETERMINED.AND, AND THAT YOU MOVE THAT
SO THIS, WE'RE GONNA GET THIS RIGHT? YES.
SO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO SEND ITEM FOUR AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR RECOMMENDATION, UH, WITH A DATE UNCERTAIN.
DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? YES.
SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. RUSS.
IS THERE A SECOND? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR. MARTIN COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SEEING NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, WE WILL NOW TURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ASSUMING THAT THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION PASSES SO THAT YOU CONSIDER THESE TOGETHER, I WOULD ENCOURAGE WHOEVER THE CHAIR OF THAT APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE IS, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO IT IS, TAKE THIS UP IMMEDIATELY AND EXPAND IT BASED ON THE COMMENTS ON THE LAST BUDGET ITEM OR THE LAST AGENDA ITEM THAT I MADE.
SEEING NO FUR, NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
I SEE ONE POTENTIAL PROBLEM GOING DOWN THE PATH IF WE DELAY THIS BECAUSE ONE OF THOSE, UH, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS IS FOR THE REGISTERED NURSE.
AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO HIRE NOW TO BE ABLE TO STAFF FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND, UM, I, I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CONCERNS, BUT WE JUST CAN'T STOP THINGS FROM WORKING.
UH, AND SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE, A SUGGESTION MIGHT BE TO VOTE THIS DOWN AND HAVE A SECOND SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT ONLY APPROVES THE, UH, REGISTERED NURSE.
BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE MUCH ISSUE WITH THE REGISTERED NURSE, UH, JOB DESCRIPTION.
AND I THINK WE'RE KIND OF USING A SLEDGEHAMMER TO, UH, TO, TO, TO DO THIS OR ASK FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED.
WELL, BUT, BUT YOU COULD MOVE MAYOR.
I BELIEVE IF I REMEMBER THE PARLIAMENTARY LECTURE LAST TIME, YOU COULD MOVE.
YOU COULD, YOU COULD MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THAT MOTION TO, TO READ THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO READ.
BUT THERE'S ALREADY A MOTION AND A SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
ACTUALLY, MR. LEWIS COULD WITHDRAW.
MR. RUS COULD WITHDRAW MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION.
YEAH, CAN'T AMEND THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
WHY DON'T YOU MAKE A NEW SUBSTITUTE MOTION WITH THE NURSES.
OH, MR. MARTIN, DO YOU, DO YOU AGREE WITH MR. RUSS IN WITHDRAWING YOUR MOTION? SURE.
WITH, SO, SO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
LET ME, LET ME PULL THIS UP HERE.
UH, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, SEPARATE ITEMS, UH, OR BIFURCATE.
THANK YOU BIFURCATE ON ITEMS A AND B, UH, INTO TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. UH, AND MOVE TO, UH, YEAH, I'M GONNA HAVE TO GET SOME HELP FROM MR. SHALIN ON THIS ONE.
SO YOU WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO BIFURCATE THE ITEM.
SO I MOVE TO BIFURCATE ITEMS A AND B.
ALRIGHT, SO MR. RUSS HAS MOVED TO, UM, MADE A MOTION TO BIFURCATE ITEMS. UM, FOUR A FROM FOUR B.
IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR. GODDE COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
SEEING NONE, WE RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
THE REGISTERED NURSE WOULD NOT BE THE ONLY EMPLOYEES HIRED WITHOUT A JOB DESCRIPTION.
SO, YEAH, I MEAN, IF YOU'RE, IF IF YOU'RE GONNA GO GET INVOLVED, I WOULD SUGGEST A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT
[01:35:01]
THE, UM, SUPERINTENDENT IMMEDIATELY REMOVE FROM THE EMPLOYMENT ROLES.ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BOARD APPROVED JOB DESCRIPTION, IT'S A THOUGHT.
SO GO AHEAD AND BIFURCATE THE COULD GET.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A VOTE.
UM, ITEM FOUR A FROM FOUR B PLEASE VOTE.
SO THIS MEANS THAT I WILL GO BACK AND READ FOUR A.
SO NOW WE, WE ARE NOW ABOUT TO ADDRESS ITEM FOUR A, UH, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTION.
IS THERE A MOTION? OKAY, IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. RUSS.
IS THERE A SECOND? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR. MARTIN COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
SO JUST A POINT OF ORDER I THINK, UH, MR. RUST HAD, HAD WANTED TO, UH, MOVE IT TO, UH, YEAH.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY WHAT THE MOTION WAS.
THANK YOU, MS. MR. RUSS, WAS THAT YOUR MOTION TO, TO MOVE THIS ITEM FOUR A TO A DATE? UNCERTAIN.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO MOVE FOUR A BACK TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, FOR RECOMMENDATION WITH A DATE.
AND MR. MARTIN, YOU AGREE WITH THAT? YES, MA'AM.
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY.
WILL ENTERTAIN A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
ITEM FOUR B, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING, AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTION, ALPHABET B.
IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? IT, IT'S, I MOVE WHO RECOMMEND, UH, UH, APPROVAL OF THE, OF THE JOB AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR B REGISTERED SCHOOL NURSE.
SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. GODDE, THAT, UM, ITEM FOUR B BE APPROVED.
IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR. RUSS.
SEEING NONE, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
FANNING, I'LL CATCH UP ON THE PAPERWORK IN A MOMENT.
I DON'T RECALL THAT THIS BOARD EVER HAD A, UH, FULL DISCUSSION ON WHETHER YOU WANTED TO BRING HEALTHCARE BACK INTO SCHOOLS, UM, RUN BY EMPLOYEES.
AND I BELIEVE MS. MATTHEWS MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING THAT HIRING NURSES DOESN'T CUT IT IF YOU'RE NOT HIRING, UM, FOLKS WITH DIFFERENT SKILL LEVELS AND A LOWER COST.
SO THIS DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
IT MAY BE AN IMPORTANT STEP, BUT IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT EVEN IF IT'S NECESSARY.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR AN UPDATE, UM, AT THE, UH, NEXT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, UH, REGARDING, UM, THAT WHOLE NURSE PROGRAM.
WE, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN WHEN WE WERE VOTING ON THAT, UM, CONTRACT ITEM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEEDED TO SEE THE TOTALITY OF THE PLAN FOR HOW TO, HOW WE'RE GONNA BE HANDLING THOSE SERVICES.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD,
[01:40:01]
WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A VOTE ON ITEM FOUR B.[G.9. School Closure and Relocation]
CLOSURE AND RELOCATION.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING, A CLOSURE OF WHITE HILLS ELEMENTARY B, RELOCATION OF BROWNSFIELD ELEMENTARY TO 1 1 6 1 5 ELLEN DRIVE WITH A NEW ATTENDANT ZONE ENCOMPASSING THE COMBINED AREA OF THE FORMER ATTENDANCE ZONES FOR WHITE HILLS AND BROWNSVILLE'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MAINTAINING THE BROWNSFIELD ELEMENTARY SITE CODE.
IS THERE A MOTION IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. LANIS? IS THERE A SECOND? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MR. RUSS.
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY, MR. LAN, JUDITH AND MR. MORES, COME ON DOWN LIKE YOUR COAT
SO AS MR. ELLIS COMES DOWN, LEMME JUST SAY FOR THE INTEREST OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, I HAVE SEEN THE LEVEL OF DETAIL YOU ALL HAVE PUT INTO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY MY HAT GOES OFF TO YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. MORE MORALES FOR YOUR DESCRIPTIONS.
WHENEVER WE'VE MET IN THE NEW SAFETY POINTS INSIDE OF THAT SCHOOL IS THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD.
THE PARENTS ARE GONNA APPRECIATE IT.
THE KIDS ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO APPRECIATE IT.
AND I KNOW THE EMPLOYEES ARE, UM, HAVE WE BROKEN GROUND YET? I HAVEN'T.
I HAVEN'T, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT I'M SORRY.
WE'RE SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN AUGUST.
YOU MEAN AN OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY? YES, MA'AM.
THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY.
WELL, I'LL LEAD THAT UP TO SOUP.
I KNOW HE GOING YEAH, I GOT YOU.
UH, BUT NO, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS, UH, ABOUT THIS WAS REALLY THE PROCESS OF WHERE WE ARE VERSUS WHERE WE STARTED OFF AT.
I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL WE CAN UNVEIL THIS TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WHITE HILLS IS, UH, MOVING TO THAT SCHOOL.
UH, WE KNOW WE VOTED ON IT QUITE SOME TIME AGO, BUT WHEN WE SAW THE, UH, SCORES, ACTUALLY THEY'RE ALREADY TOGETHER RIGHT AT WHITE HILLS BECAUSE WHEN THEY START DOING THE BUILDING, SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS WHEN I STARTED, THE SCORES HAD INCREASED.
EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT WE MOVED THOSE STUDENTS THERE.
I KNOW WE DID SOMETHING SPECIAL.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
WHEN THE WHITE HILLS FACILITY IS EMPTIED, I HOPE IT IS NOT LEFT TO FALL APART AS APPEARS TO BE THE TRADITION OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND IN FACT, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT RATHER THAN PAYING PRIVATE COMPANIES TO RUN, UH, STOREFRONT DAYCARE FACILITIES IN BAKER, THAT PERHAPS THE WHITE HILLS FACILITY COULD BE REPURPOSED FOR THAT USE.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, IT SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED.
AND THEN YOU'D BE SURPRISED WHEN THE WINDOWS GET BROKEN, UM, OR SOMEBODY LIGHTS A FIRE 'CAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO STAY WARM.
UM, ALSO, UH, TO MR. LANDIS'S POINT, THOSE UM, SCORES SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMBINED TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THE SCHOOLS WERE MERGED.
THIS IS TWICE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE PULLED A STUNT OF HAVING MERGED STUDENT BODIES AND PRETENDING THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
UM, I WAS WORRIED THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE IF YOU MOVE HAYES, UM, ELEMENTARY ACROSS AND EFFECTIVELY MERGE IT WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO ABSOLUTELY THIS IS THE THING TO DO AND IT SHOULD BE A CAUTIONARY TALE THAT, UM, SITE CODES SHOULD REFLECT SITES AND YOU HAVE SOME FIXING TO DO WITH RESPECT TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS.
BUT, UM, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION.
SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL NOW RETURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A VOTE.
[01:45:09]
THANK YOU.WE HAVE NOW MOVED TO NEW BUSINESS ALPHABET H AND BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN THE FIRST ITEM, I WILL GO
[D.4. Superintendent Search Update]
AHEAD AND GIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND SELECTION PROCESS UPDATE.UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO COA, WHO IS ALREADY STARTED, UM, WITH INTERVIEWING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO RECORD OUR PRIORITIES.
UH, COLLEAGUES, IF YOU HAVE NOT, UH, SCHEDULED YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH COA, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO.
THAT LEADS THE LEADS TO THE REST OF THE WORK THAT THEY NEED TO DO.
UH, THEY ARE CURRENTLY CREATING A SURVEY TO ASK COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO RANK AND GIVE THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE GIVEN AS A BOARD.
AND SO, UH, COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE COMING OUT SOON.
UM, IT HAS ALSO BEEN THE REQUEST OF, UH, MR. LEWIS AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH OUT TO EVERY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER THAT WE HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR WITHIN OUR DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SURVEY IS SENT OUT.
AND IT'S LITERALLY JUST ASKING YOU TO RANK THE PRIORITIES BASED ON WHAT HAS BEEN GIVEN BY THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
AND COA WILL CREATE THE REPORT FOR THAT.
SO YOU SHOULD BE RECEIVING THAT WITHIN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THEN, UH, THERE WILL BE A SERIES OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
WHAT WAS STATED IS THAT THERE, THAT THEY WILL TAKE PLACE NO LATER THAN MAY 10TH.
AND ASIDE FROM A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING AND A SPECIFIC, UH, ENGAGEMENT MEETING FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OR BUSINESS PARTNERS, I AM RECOMMENDING THAT THE FOLLOWING REGIONAL MEETINGS BE HELD IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS.
AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THAT THERE WILL BE THREE REGIONAL MEETINGS.
AND SO WITHIN THOSE REGIONS, ONE OF THE MEETINGS WILL BE INCLUSIVE OF DISTRICT TWO, THREE AND FOUR COMBINED.
AND MR. LANIS, THE HOPE IS THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT AT GLEN OAKS HIGH SCHOOL IN THE NEAR FUTURE DIS THE NEXT WOULD BE DISTRICTS FIVE, SEVEN, AND EIGHT COMBINED.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT MR. GODDE, THIS WOULD BE HELD AT LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WE WILL WORK WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AT THAT SCHOOL.
AND THEN THE OTHER WOULD BE WITH DISTRICTS ONE, SIX AND NINE COMBINED.
AND MR. MARTIN, THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN HOST THAT AT TERRA HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT WITHIN THE NEAR FUTURE.
BUT THOSE ARE THE REGIONS THAT HAVE, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN LISTED OR THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED.
ADDITIONALLY, CONSIDERING THE LEVEL OF WORK AND THE NEED FOR OBJECTIVITY AND NEUTRALITY IN THIS PROCESS, I AM REQUESTING THAT AN AD HOC SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND SELECTION COMMITTEE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD BE CREATED AND FACILITATED UNDER A PERMANENT OR UNTIL A PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT IS SELECTED.
THIS COMMITTEE WOULD RECEIVE THE REPORTS OF COA FOLLOWED BY THE REST OF THE BOARD.
ALSO, THIS COMMITTEE WOULD RECOMMEND THE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT APPLICATION PROCESS.
THIS COMMITTEE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND A NECESSARY SUPERINTENDENT SELECTION CONSULTING FIRM IN REGARDS TO THE ITEM THAT WE WILL HEAR IN JUST A MOMENT.
AND THEN ALSO THAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD RECOMMEND THREE FINAL SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES, UH, FOR THE FULL BOARD TO INTERVIEW BASED ON THE APPLICATIONS AND SELECT, OF COURSE, THIS, THIS WOULD LEAD TO THE SELECTION OF A, OF SEMI-FINALIST AND FINALIST AS WELL.
UH, ALSO THIS COMMITTEE WOULD INDEED HAVE TO AGREE TO MEET AT A SET TIME AND DATE NO LESS THAN BIWEEKLY, WHICH WOULD BE ALTERNATING WEEKS.
AND OF COURSE WE KNOW THOSE MEETINGS WOULD BE HELD PUBLICLY.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR SERVICE ON THE AD HOC SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND SELECTION COMMITTEE.
FIRST WOULD BE YOURS TRULY, CARLA POWELL LEWIS.
THE ADDITIONAL INVITATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, VICE PRESIDENT PATRICK MARTIN, BOARD MEMBER MARK BALLOU, BOARD MEMBER EMILY SOLE, AND BOARD MEMBERS SHOSHONE STEWART.
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT.
I HOPE THAT YOU ACCEPT MY INVITATION AND FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
MR. GODDE? YES, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT COMPLETE RUNDOWN.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT, UH, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN KIND OF OPERATING IN A VACUUM HERE, SO I APPRECIATE THE SPECIFICITY OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE.
[01:50:01]
I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER ONE CHANGE IN THAT.UM, I THINK AS A BOARD WE OUGHT TO RECEIVE ALL APPLICATIONS AND THE AD HOC COMMITTEE SHOULD RECOMMEND THREE FINALISTS, NOT SELECT THREE FINALISTS, SO THAT THE BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE APPLICANTS AND THE, UH, THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IS NOT WINNOWING DOWN THE FIELD, UH, PREMATURELY.
I WOULD GREATLY ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PUSHBACK ON THE, UH, UH, ON THE SELECTION OF THE FINALISTS.
UH, SECONDLY, THAT'S FIVE, FIVE BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAVE.
IS THERE ANY ISSUES WITH QUORUMS? MR. SHAMBLIN? I'LL LEAN ON YOUR EXPERTISE WITH THAT.
UH, IT'S AN AD HOC COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD.
SO THE INTENTION I THINK OF THE CHAIR OF THE PRESIDENT IS THAT IT WILL FUNCTION IN AN OPEN MEETINGS CAPACITY, WHICH MEANS ALL MEETINGS WOULD BE NOTICED OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN BE PRIVY TO THE CONVERSATION AND RECOGNIZE THAT IN A PERSONNEL DECISION AS SENSITIVE AS A SUPERINTENDENT SELECTION, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE BEST PATH FORWARD.
I WOULD, I PERSONALLY WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST THAT.
SO YOU COULD HAVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHERE FRANK AND FREE DISCUSSIONS COULD BE HAD WITHOUT EVERYONE.
UH, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY I AM HIDING ANYTHING BECAUSE ALL THIS IS GONNA COME BEFORE THE PUBLIC BODY AND DO ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
I THINK MAKING YOUR AD HOC COMMITTEE, UH, HAVE A QUORUM AND OPEN MEETINGS LAWS AND EVERYTHING IS SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO RECONSIDER, BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE.
UH, THAT LEADS TO ANOTHER QUESTION FOR ME, MR. SHAMBLIN.
SO AT ANY POINT IN THAT PROCESS, WOULD WE BE ALLOWED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION IF WE NEEDED TO? 'CAUSE IT'S FUNCTIONING UNDER THE SAME RULES.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE AND TWO THIRDS OF THAT BODY WOULD HAVE TO PROVE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO IT, IT WOULD BE THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS FIRE BOARD MEETING.
ALSO, I WILL ACCEPT THAT RECOMMENDATION AS WELL, UM, MR. GODDE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL RECEIVE ALL THE APPLICATIONS AND THEN JUST RECEIVE A, A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THAT.
SO THIS LEADS TO, UM, OUR VOTING ITEM TONIGHT.
SO SHOULD I MAKE THAT AS A SUBSTITUTE, AS A MOTION FOR WHAT YOU JUST SAID OR, 'CAUSE I'M WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION BECAUSE YOU, YOU INCLUDED WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IN MY MOTION.
SO I THINK I GOT LOST IN WHAT HE JUST SAID.
SO
AND SO MR. GODEL ARE, ARE YOU SAYING THAT BECAUSE SHE'S INCLUDED IN HER PLANS THAT YOU WELL, SHE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN THAT I AD HOC COMMITTEE WOULD GO THROUGH, LOOK FOR SEARCH FIRMS AND, AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE MOTION WAS TO, TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A SEARCH FIRM.
AND SO IF SHE'S DOING THAT IN THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR THE MOTION.
IF WE ACCEPT HER AD HOC COMMITTEE AS A MOTION, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE TO OR WE CAN JUST, SO BY POLICY SHE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO, TO, TO CREATE THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE.
THEN I WILL WITHDRAW THE MOTION.
SO YOU'RE WITHDRAWING THE MOTION AND WE'LL HAVE TO PULL THE ITEM, WHICH WE CAN DO.
WHERE ARE WE HERE? WHAT, UH, 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO MOTION.
ARE ARE WE STILL GOING TO CONSIDER ITEM ONE? I'M NOT SURE.
SO YOU WERE WITHDRAWING THIS ITEM, RIGHT? PULLING THE ITEM FROM THE AGENDA? YES.
SO, UM, THERE'S NO ITEM TO SPEAK ON, RIGHT? YOU HAVE ADVERTISED TO THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'LL HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM.
WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IF I POINT OF CLARIFICATION? IF I COULD SUGGEST YES.
UM, WE DO NEED TO READ THE ITEM.
I, I WANNA SAY WE NEED TO READ THE ITEM SINCE IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
I WOULD SUGGEST ASK FOR A MOTION.
IF THERE IS NO MOTION, THEN THE ITEM FAILS.
OR, OR YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THE ITEM INDEFINITELY IF NEEDED.
MAKES THE MOTION THEN IT JUST FAILS.
[H.1. Solicitation]
BUSINESS SOLICITATION CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE AUTHORIZATION FOR BOARD LEADERSHIP AND STAFF TO OBTAIN A MINIMUM OF THREE QUOTES TO PROVIDE FOR[01:55:01]
THE SOLICITATION OF FIRMS OR OTHER ENTITIES TO FACILITATE THE HIRING OF A NEW SUPERINTENDENT WITH A RECOMMENDATION FROM BOARD LEADERSHIP TO THE BOARD AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD ON MAY 9TH, 2024 OR EARLIER.CONSIDERING THAT THERE IS NO MOTION, THIS ITEM DOES FAIL.
[H.2. Resolution]
BUSINESS RESOLUTION CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED LOUISIANA STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FUNDING THROUGH THE MINIMUM FOUNDATION, UH, PROGRAM AND POSSIBLE NEW TAXES OF NEW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHOUT ANY VOTE BY THE LOCAL PARENTS AND TAX PAYING CITIZENS IMPACTED BY THE CREATION OF A NEW DISTRICT.AS DETAILED IN LOUISIANA HOUSE BILL SIX BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE EMILY SHEVA, UM, DISTRICT 66 OF THE 2024 REGULAR SESSION OF THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. GORE AND SECONDED BY MS. STEWART.
UH, COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MR. LANIS? THANK YOU.
UH, I'LL BE QUICK, BUT I'LL BE VERY CLEAR.
TO ME THIS IS AN OKIE-DOKE MOVE.
WE CLEARLY KNOW WHAT IS DESIGNED BEHIND IT.
HAVING THIS TYPE OF RESOLUTION, I THINK ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD, SAYS THAT WE SUPPORT OUR SYSTEM, WE SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES, WE SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, AND WE SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT IS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
SOME CAN SAY THIS IS SOMETHING BEING TAKEN UP WITH THE LEGISLATURE, BUT I SAY WE SEND OUR OWN MESSAGE.
AND THAT MESSAGE IS WE SUPPORT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOLS TODAY, TOMORROW, AND IN THE FUTURE, ANYBODY WHO'S WILLING TO VOTE NO ON THIS, YOU SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO OUR WHOLE ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT YOU DON'T STAND FOR.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE AUTHOR OR CARRIER OF THE BILL, UH, REPRESENTATIVE MS. SHIVER TO IF SHE WOULD, UH, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC.
UM, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE 'CAUSE I DEFINITELY WANNA CLARIFY AND CLEAR UP, UM, I THINK SOME INFORMATION THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT THE INTENT OF SOME LEGISLATION.
UM, I'M GONNA READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHAT THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, UM, DRAFTED AND WHAT THIS INTENT OF THIS LEGISLATION IS.
AND I'M GONNA BE REAL CLEAR SO THAT, AND I'M GONNA READ TO YOU WHAT IS IN THE CURRENT CONSTITUTION AND JUST THE THOUGHT BEHIND THIS LEGISLATION.
HB SIX IS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE THIS FALL THAT WOULD REMOVE, UH, THE PROHIBITION AGAINST ANY SCHOOL SYSTEM OTHER THAN THOSE NAMES SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN IN THE CONSTITUTION.
SO CURRENTLY HOW EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS BEEN CREATED, WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO WRITE THE NAMES OF THESE SCHOOLS IN OUR CONSTITUTION.
OKAY? HOW WE ALL KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.
WE IN THE PAST, CURRENTLY, I'M GONNA READ IT FROM THE CONSTITUTION, CURRENTLY THE CONSTITUTION LIST, THE CENTRAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE ZACHARY COMMUNITY SCHOOL SYSTEM IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, MUNICIPALITIES OF BAKER IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, MONROE AND WASHINGTON PARISH AND BOGALUSA AND WASHINGTON PARISH AND NO OTHERS.
THOSE WORDS, NO OTHERS ARE IN THE CURRENT CONSTITUTION.
WHAT THIS BILL WOULD DO IS STRIKE THROUGH NO OTHERS AND ADD ANY OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM CREATED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
SO WHAT IT IS, IS THAT A LEGISLATIVELY APPROVED SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF THESE FIVE SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE STATE MFP DOLLARS AND THE LOCAL ABILITY TO LEVY TAXES, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO PULL IT OUT OF THE, OF CON CONSTANTLY EDITING, AMENDING OUR CONSTITUTION TO PUT IT IN.
AND SO THE INTENT IS THAT CURRENTLY ON THE FLOOR, AND IT WAS BY MY DOING IN RESEARCHING AND FIGURING OUT WHAT HAPPENS IN STATUTE CURRENTLY, LET'S JUST SAY HYPOTHETICALLY, THAT WE WANT TO CONSOLIDATE, UH, ANYWHERE IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, CURRENTLY IN THE CONSTITUTION TO CONSOLIDATE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE, AS YOU SHOULD, A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE LOCAL ELECTORS WHERE THOSE SCHOOL
[02:00:01]
SYSTEMS AND THOSE PARISHES WOULD BE IMPACTED.THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE LOCALLY THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE CONSTITUTION UNDER CONSOLIDATION.
SO WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE STAFF AND I SAID, IF IT'S THAT WAY FOR CONSOLIDATION, IT SHOULD BE THE SAME WAY FOR DIVISION.
HENCE WHEN I WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WANTED TO AMEND IT AND SAY, I WANNA MAKE SURE, BECAUSE AS IT'S WRITTEN, IT APPEARS THAT THE INTENT IS TO DO SOMETHING HARMFUL AND REMOVE THE LOCAL VOTE.
BUT IF IT'S IN THE CONSTITUTION, IF YOU ARE TO CONSOLIDATE, IT SHOULD BE IN THE CONSTITUTION IF WE ARE TO DIVIDE.
AND SO THE, THE CHANGE HERE IS BASICALLY WHERE THERE'S THREE LEVELS CURRENTLY.
WHEN YOU GO TO A VOTE OF THE CONS FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, IT HAS TO PASS STATEWIDE.
IT HAS, WELL FIRST IT PASSES, THE LEGISLATURE PASSES STATEWIDE, AND THEN IT ACTUALLY GOES TO A LOCAL VOTE.
THAT PIECE THAT'S ALWAYS HAPPENED.
I, THAT PIECE IS GOING TO REMAIN AS IT SHOULD.
BUT NORTH LOUISIANA AND TALKING TO COLLEAGUES ON THE FLOOR, NORTH LOUISIANA AND THEIR AREAS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S TAKING PLACE.
MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE STATE, SOUTH LOUISIANA, MAYBE HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON THAT NORTH LOUISIANA, THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THERE.
IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DYNAMIC.
AND THIS IS ABOUT SUPPORTING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OR THE LOCAL BUY-IN AND WHAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT.
AND SO MY INTENT IS NEVER TO TAKE AWAY THE LOCAL VOTE OF THE PEOPLE IF WE'RE CREATING A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND IF IT CAME ACROSS THAT WAY IN AN ORIGINAL AMENDMENT, I UNDERSTAND.
NOT MY INTENT IN ANY CAPACITY.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW AT THE CAPITOL ABOUT A POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE SHAKING UP AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN THIS FALL.
AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION THAT SOME OF THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE IN STATUTE IN LAW THAT WE CAN DEBATE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION AND KEEP ADDING IT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THE LONGEST CONSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
RIGHT? ACTUALLY I DO THINK ALABAMA'S A LITTLE LONGER THAN THIS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR.
SO IT'S NOT THE INTENT TO REMOVE THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
AND I'M WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATIVE STAFF.
WE TALKED ABOUT SOME LANGUAGE TODAY.
'CAUSE CURRENTLY MY LANGUAGE, BASICALLY, I, I DO WANNA READ SOMETHING REALLY QUICK.
I KNOW I'M, I WANNA KEEP MY TIME 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND SOME TIMING IT SAME WAY, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OVER THERE IN THE, AT THE CAPITOL.
BUT THERE'S A RECENT EXAMPLE, KIND OF LIKE A PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
I WANNA READ SOMETHING FOR A PROVISION ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN THE CONSTITUTION.
AND THERE'S A LAW, THERE'S A BIGGER PIECE HERE, BUT I JUST, I WANNA MENTION THIS OUT OF THE CONSTITUTION ABOUT A BREAKAWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT, A PROPOSED AMENDMENT DIRECTLY AFFECTING NOT MORE THAN FIVE PARISHES OR AREAS WITHIN, NOT MORE THAN FIVE PARISHES SHALL BECOME PART OF THIS CONSTITUTION ONLY WHEN APPROVED BY A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTORS VOTING THEREIN THEIR STATE.
AND ALSO A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTORS VOTING THEREIN IN EACH AFFECTED PARISH.
AND IT IS FOLLOWED, THIS IS PER THE STAFF, IT IS FOLLOWED BY A SIMILAR PROVISION REGARDING MUNICIPALITIES.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS CURRENTLY, IF A CONSTITUTIONAL VOTE TAKES PLACE, WHEN IT PASSES STATEWIDE, IT ASK, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO AND MAKE SURE IN THOSE PRECINCTS WHERE THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE, WHAT'S THE VOTE THERE? AND SO WE ARE GONNA KEEP THAT LOCAL VOTE.
WE'RE JUST SAYING WE GOTTA STOP AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION LEFT AND RIGHT AND WE'RE GONNA STOP FROM A STATEWIDE VOTE.
AND SO I JUST WANNA BE REAL CLEAR ON THAT SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BE HERE AND SHARE THAT.
SO YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT HB SIX WAS AND WHAT THE EFFORT THERE IS.
IT'S NOT, IT'S ABOUT STATEWIDE, IT'S ABOUT HAVING A, A, A LOCAL BUY-IN, IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
AND IT'S ABOUT, I THINK THIS IS A VERY PRO-PUBLIC SCHOOL THING.
I THINK IT'S GIVING LOCAL BUY-IN TO COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND FIGURE IT OUT.
AND I'LL ALSO SAY IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR A LEGISLATURE, UH, SOMEONE WHO'S ELECTED TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE AND AND, AND TO, AND TO DRAFT A BILL.
THIS IS NOT DRAFTING A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS IS NOT IN CREATING A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS A POLICY THAT SAYS WE'RE SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT HOW MAYBE THEY'VE BEEN CREATED BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTANTLY AMENDING OUR CONSTITUTION OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT SO YOU WOULD KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND MY LANGUAGE ON THIS, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THIS, WAS WE'RE WORKING ON SOME LANGUAGE, BUT INCLUDING LANGUAGE, LIKE EXISTING SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES AND THE NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL IN
[02:05:01]
THOSE BOUNDARIES THAT THOSE WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE SO EVERYBODY WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE.NOT JUST THE CART, NOT JUST THE PIECE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT THE, THE PARISH AREA THAT'S IMPACTED.
AND SO WE ALL KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS WITHIN EBR.
WE HAVE CENTRAL, WE HAVE ZACHARY AND WE HAVE BAKER.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT IT IS NEVER MY INTENT TO TAKE AWAY THE LOCAL VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE LOCAL VOTE.
I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL VOTE.
THAT IS HOW WE ALL GET ELECTED LOCAL VOTING.
SO I JUST WANNA BE REAL CLEAR, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL TAKE QUESTIONS NOW OR LATER, BUT WHATEVER, I CAN COME BACK UP IF I NEED.
I APOLOGIZE FOR RUNNING OVER ON MY TIME, BUT THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
I, UH, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS I ITEM BECAUSE, UM, AS IMPORTANT AS THE ISSUE IS, AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE REASONS FOR THE SENTIMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUE MR. LANDIS EXPRESSES, UM, UH, THIS IS REALLY FUNDAMENTALLY NOT RELATED TO HOW WE GO ABOUT EDUCATING OUR KIDS AND TEACHING 'EM TO READ AND WRITE IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND FOR ME, THAT'S OUR HIGHEST, UH, PRIORITY AND AND TIME THAT WE SPEND TALKING ABOUT THESE KIND OF ISSUES THAT ARE REALLY ENTRUSTED TO THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT TIME THAT WE'RE SPENT, UH, TRYING TO IMPROVE THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION SERVICES TO THE KIDS IN THIS DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO BE, UH, ABSTAINING.
UM, HI MS. UNIVER, CAN YOU COME UP? THANK YOU.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION IN REGARDS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE THE LOCAL VOTE AWAY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, DOESN'T THIS BILL ALSO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY BACKDOOR FOR A DISTRICT TO BE CREATED THAT WOULD AFFECT OUR MFP FUNDS? SO I CAN BREAK DOWN A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
AND I'VE TALKED TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS AND I REALLY ASK ABOUT WHAT'S THE MOST RECENT, WHERE THIS TOOK PLACE.
'CAUSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND IT REALLY BREAKS DOWN PER STUDENT.
AND THEY DID LIKE AN ESTIMATE NOT TOO LONG AGO IN 2019 BECAUSE THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND I'M VERY OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT THAT UPFRONT AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
BUT THE TRUTH IS THIS, IS THAT BASICALLY IT'S BROKEN DOWN PER STUDENT, WHICH THE AVERAGE STATE MFP RIGHT NOW, WHICH Y'ALL KNOW IS ABOUT $5,500 IN 2019.
THERE WAS AN IDEA OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU HAD AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL JUICE, WHETHER IT'S SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE, WHETHER THE CITY OF ST.
GEORGE GETS A RULING IN THE FUTURE.
AND SO IT COULD BE ALL DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
SO THE DISCUSSION WAS LOOKING AT WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND IN THAT IDEA THAT SHE, WHEN I WAS TALKING TO HER, ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY TALKED MORE ABOUT THIS TODAY MORE THAN EVER WAS THAT IT, IT ALL DETERMINES ON THAT AREA THAT IS CREATING THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT OKAY.
AND SO WHEN THEY DID A RUNDOWN IN 2019 OF WHAT HAPPENED, THE, THE, THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN EBR, SO LET'S SAY, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE NEW DISTRICT, THERE WAS A NEW DISTRICT FORM, LET'S SAY THE CITY OF ST.
GEORGE, RIGHT? THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS PER STUDENT DOLLAR WOULD ACTUALLY INCREASE FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
THIS IS WHAT I'M BEING TOLD WHEN THEY RAN KIND OF THIS ESTIMATION IN 2019.
OKAY? SO THERE WOULD BE MORE MONEY BASICALLY BASED ON, IT'S CONSIDERED ON TAXES, IT'S CONSIDERED ON, UM, THE STUDENTS THERE ON, ON POVERTY LINE.
SO THERE WOULD BE MORE OF AN INCREASE FROM STATE DOLLARS TO THAT SYSTEM THAN CURRENTLY.
AND I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS WHEN I'M ON THE PHONE WITH DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TODAY TAKING NOTES ON THIS.
AND SO WHEREAS MAYBE A NEW AREA WOULD, THEY WOULD MAYBE GET MAYBE, UH, CITY OF ST.
GEORGE MAY GET LESS, A LITTLE BIT LESS UNDER THE AVERAGE BASED ON THEIR TAX DOLLARS AND WHAT'S COMING IN THAT AREA.
SO IT ALL WOULD IT, IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM POVERTY, HOW THE TAXATION COMING IN.
AND SO WHEN IT WAS DONE, IT WOULD ACTUALLY, THERE WOULD BE MORE STATE DOLLARS IN THE MILLIONS ACTUALLY WOULD COME IN 9 MILLION TO BE EXACT, BUT STILL ULTIMATELY AFFECTING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISHES MFP DOLLARS.
WELL, WELL, I MEAN, I'M SAYING, I'M TALKING ABOUT STATE LEVEL BECAUSE GET, WE JUST DEAL WITH THE STATE LEVEL.
NO, AND I GET, AND I GET THAT FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE, BUT 9 MILLION MORE WOULD BE GOING INTO EBR.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD TODAY WHEN THEY RAN THESE NUMBERS BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE TAXATION AREA OF LIKE A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND LOOK, AND IT COULD BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN NORTH LOUISIANA VERSUS WHEREVER.
IT DEPENDS ON THAT AREA AND THE TAX, WHAT'S COMING IN VIA TAXES AND THE STUDENTS.
IT'S ALL, IT'S, IT COULD BE DEPENDENT ON SPECIAL NEEDS.
IT'S, AND SHE BASICALLY, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, IT'S ALL THESE GIFTED AND TALENTED SPECIAL NEEDS, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS PER STUDENT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THAT'S CALCULATED.
YEAH, I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT ADDS ON THE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS FOR SURE.
BUT MY WHOLE OBJECTIVE IS UNDERSTANDING THE TOTAL, THE WHOLE PICTURE RATHER THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, IT NOT AFFECTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT VOTES.
[02:10:03]
THANK YOU.AND THANK YOU, UH, REPRESENTATIVE SHEVERA FOR COMING AND DOING THE EXPLANATIONS.
I, I GUESS THAT MY CONCERNS ON THIS AND, AND I FULLY APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO KEEP OUR CONSTITUTION STREAMLINED, RECOGNIZING THAT SINCE 1977, I BELIEVE WHEN THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN, 74 74, I WAS CLOSE, YOU'RE CLOSE.
1974 WHEN THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN, THERE'S BEEN ABOUT 15 WORDS ADDED UNDER THIS PROVISION.
'CAUSE BOGALUSA AND MONROE EXISTED BEFORE THEY DID.
AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN BATON ROUGE.
IT'S JUST BEEN ZACHARY CENTRAL AND, UH, BAKER, WHICH ISN'T A LOT OF WORDS ADDED TO THE, TO THE AMENDMENT.
WELL, FROM SCHOOL'S PERSPECTIVE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE WORDS ADDED.
I, I'M, I KNOW I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE.
SO I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE TRYING TO STREAMLINE THE THINGS.
MY ISSUE IS THAT CREATING A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN AFFECT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
IT CAN AFFECT THOUSAND OR PLUS MORE EMPLOYEES, LOTS OF FAMILIES, LOTS OF LOTS OF THINGS.
AND WHEN YOU CREATE A SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT'S THERE FOR THE NEXT A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND I RECOGNIZE TOTALLY THAT THIS, AND I BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY, THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE DISTRICT, EVEN THOUGH AS THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN, IT WOULD'VE AUTOMATICALLY CREATED IT.
THIS, IT IS BEEN CHANGED, UH, LIKE YOU SAID, IT WOULD HAVE TO NOW GO FOR A VOTE.
SO THAT'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, WHERE IN A ERA OF EMOTION, SOMETHING TO GET PASSED REALLY QUICKLY AND THEN WITH MOMENTUM GET DONE AND YOU GOT IT FOR THE NEXT A HUNDRED YEARS.
THE ONLY REASON SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE DISTRICT HASN'T COME UP FOR A VOTE RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROVISION, WHICH MEANT THAT YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE TWO THIRDS OF THE LEGISLATURE PASS IT IN ORDER TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY ACTUALLY WHEN IT PASSED IN THE HOUSE AND PASSING THE SENATE, UM, AND I WASN'T INVOLVED AND I WASN'T THERE DOING THAT.
BUT I DO KNOW THEY WERE TOLD, YOU KNOW WHAT? EVERYBODY ELSE HAD TO GET A MUNICIPALITY, SO GO GET YOUR CITY AND THEN COME BACK.
THAT WAS NO, I'M, THAT WAS THE OPINION.
THAT WAS THE OPINION OF THE LEGISLATURE.
I'M SAYING WHAT THEY WERE TOLD.
WELL, THAT WAS A DISCUSSION IN THE LEGISLATURE.
I DEFINITELY NO, THE DIFFERENCE THAT HAS NO BASIS IN, IN SOME OF THESE DECISIONS.
SO BY HAVING IT BE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, IT HAD TO GO TO TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT FAILED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES.
ONCE BY HUNTER GREEN, ONCE BY BODIE WHITE, AND A SECOND TIME BY BODIE WHITE.
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THAT, THAT WOULD'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH.
AND IN DISCUSSING THIS, I'VE HAD YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE TELL ME, OH, WELL THE PEOPLE THERE DON'T EVEN WANT THAT SOUTHEAST DISTRICT ANYMORE.
BUT HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THAT PROVISION OF THE TWO THIRDS VOTE, THIS WOULD'VE GONE IN MY VERY WELL PASS.
AND YOU MIGHT HAVE IT TODAY, WHEN LOOKING BACK IN HINDSIGHT, YOU DON'T REALLY THINK THAT'S A GOOD DISTRICT TO HAVE.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING TO ME IS THAT THIS IS PULLING AWAY THE TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A SCHOOL SUBDIVISION THAT WAS VOTED DOWN AT THE STATE, IT'S ALWAYS COME DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AND I DON'T KNOW OF A SCHOOL DIVISION THAT HAS FAILED, SO THE STATE HAS NEVER VOTED THEM DOWN.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A NON-ISSUE.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT HAVING THE LOCAL VOTE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE IN THERE.
JUST AS A CHECK AGAINST, FOR INSTANCE, IF IT WOULDN'T BE FOR THAT, WE'D HAVE A SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
WELL, YOU WOULD'VE HAD TO GO TO THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
YOU WOULD'VE HAD TO, HAD TO VOTE.
SO YOU WOULDN'T HAVE, BUT AT THAT TIME, WITH THE EMOTION AND EVERYTHING GOING, IT VERY, VERY LIKELY WOULD'VE PASSED.
AND EVERYONE LOOKING BACK GOING SAYING, GEE, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A REALLY BAD IDEA.
WELL, I, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, BUT IT'S THE LOCAL PEOPLE THAT WOULD'VE MADE THAT DECISION.
I I, AND I THINK, AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN THE ENTIRE PARISH.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN JUST THE SOUTHEAST BAPTIST UNDERSTAND AREA.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE CRITICAL PIECE HERE.
I, I GUESS I'M GOING TO THE POINT OF, I THINK THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I WOULD AGREE THAT A TWO THIRD VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT SO, 30 SECONDS, 30 SECONDS.
MR. GOLDEY, I UNDERSTAND SHE TOOK SOMETHING LIKE TIME
UH, A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INORDINATE ON THIS.
YOU HAVE TWO THIRDS VOTE TO OVERRIDE
[02:15:01]
VETOES.YOU HAVE TWO THIRDS VOTE FOR SOME TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
A TWO THIRDS VOTE WOULD AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SOME CHECK AND BALANCE ABOUT HOW THIS THING WORKS, BECAUSE IT'S TOO IMPORTANT.
IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO LEAD TO YOUR LEGISLATORS.
NO, I'M, I'M SAYING THAT, BUT, BUT I REALLY THINK THIS MAKES IT TOO EASY.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS THING BECAUSE I THINK IT MAKES IT TOO EASY.
AND IF IT COULD BE AMENDED TO HAVE A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE, I, I, I COULD SEE THAT, THAT WORKING TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROCESS.
CAN I, CAN I SHARE FOR A SECOND? SURE.
SO I UNDERSTAND, I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WE HAVE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
IT'S NOT AS EASY AS WHAT YOU THINK TO GET THINGS THROUGH DOWN AT THE CAPITOL.
IT'S NOT JUST A TWO THIRDS VOTE IN ONE HOUSE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S BILLS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH AND YOU'VE GOT PERSONALITIES AND I'M, AND EVERY PARTY.
SO IT'S NOT EVEN JUST ALL ON A PARTY THING, RIGHT.
IT HAS TO GO FIRST AND FOREMOST.
IT HAS TO GO INTO A COMMITTEE, AND THE COMMITTEE DEBATES IT FOR HOURS.
WE'VE SAT IN COMMITTEES, SOMETIMES ON, ON PIECES OF LEGISLATION, AND YOU DEBATE FOR HOURS.
IT GOES BACK TO THE CALENDAR 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T GET THE VOTES.
AND IT COMES BACK, GOES BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE.
SOMETIMES YOU'RE SITTING THERE DEBATING IT ANDS BEEN TWO HOURS AND THERE'S NOBODY IN THEIR SEATS.
'CAUSE THEY HAD TO LEAVE FOR SOME REASON.
SO YOU GOTTA PUT IT BACK ON THE CALENDAR.
THEN IT HAS TO GO TO SENATE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN THE SENATE IS EVEN HARDER THAN THE LEGISLATURE TO GET THINGS PASSED BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT SO MANY MORE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE GETTING PRESSURE FROM SO MANY MORE PEOPLE.
AND SO THEN IT'S GOTTA GET THROUGH SENATE COMMITTEE, THEN IT'S GOTTA GO TO THE SENATE FLOOR AND FIGURE OUT IF THEY ALL LIKE IT, AND THEN DOES THE GOVERNOR EVEN LIKE IT? AND THEN IT COULD GET VETOED.
SO, I MEAN, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WITH THE TWO THIRDS AND I, AND I RESPECT THAT GREATLY.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE TWO, IT'S NOT JUST TWO THIRDS.
AND FOR THE SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, EXCUSE ME, YOU'VE BEEN HARD REPRESENT.
MAY I RESPOND THOUGH QUICKLY? I'LL PROMISE TO BE QUICKLY YOU 30 SECONDS.
YES, I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'VE ALSO SEEN THE PAST SOME POWERFUL PEOPLE LIKE HEAD OF SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THINGS BE ABLE TO GET THINGS PASSED THAT COULD GET A MAJORITY, BUT NOT A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HAVING SOME OF THIS DISCUSSION.
SO I HEAR YOU, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DON'T SHARE, I DON'T SHARE THE SENTIMENT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S PUTTING, I, I THINK IT SHOULD BE VERY HARD FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO DO IT BECAUSE AGAIN, IT LA IT IMPACTS THE LIVELIHOOD AND EDUCATIONAL OF MANY, MANY PEOPLE.
AND IT'S HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE VERY, VERY HARD.
IT MIGHT BE VERY HARD TO PASS A BILL.
IT SHOULD BE VERY, VERY HARD TO PASS THIS IN MY OPINION.
SO I STILL, I I STILL THINK IT SHOULD BE A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE.
SO MR. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHOWING UP.
OKAY, MR. SHAMBLIN, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WHEN, WHEN WE ENGAGE IN BOARD COMMENT, SHOULD THERE BE DIALOGUE OR SHOULD IT JUST SIMPLY BE MONOLOGUE AS FAR AS THE, THE FIVE MINUTES ARE CONCERNED? SO IN THIS CASE, UH, I BELIEVE MR. RUSS INVITED MS. VERA TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
UH, IN THESE CASES GENERALLY CAN BE DIALOGUE, BUT IT'S THE CHAIR.
IT'S UP TO THE CHAIR TO DECIDE THE EXTENT OF THE DIALOGUE AND HOW IT SHOULD GO BACK AND FORTH.
OF COURSE, THE RULES CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.
WHEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC SPEAKS IN THE THREE MINUTE FORMAT, THEN IT'S ONE WAY.
SO PUBLIC, OF COURSE, THAT MEANS THAT YOUR, YOUR STATEMENTS, THERE WILL NOT BE A DIALOGUE.
UM, ALSO WHAT I WILL SAY IS THIS, YOU ALL, UH, I KNOW COACH, YOU'VE BEEN KIND OF QUIET TONIGHT, BUT WE, I DO WANT YOU TO SPEAK, BUT WE, WE GOT A STACK OF PUBLIC COMMENTS TOO.
SO MR. GODDE TOOK EVERYBODY'S TIME TONIGHT.
SO, MR. LEWIS
AND IF IT TAKES YOU FROM, YOU CAN'T SEE IN THE MORNING WHEN YOU GET TO THE CAPITOL TO WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE AT NIGHT WHEN YOU LEAVE THE CAPITOL, THAT'S YOUR JOB.
OKAY? SO I KNOCKED ON A LOT OF DOORS TO BE HERE, SO DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT IT THEN.
I'M NOT THAT'S YOUR JOB REPRESENTATIVE.
I, I MEAN, LOOK, MS, MR. LEWIS.
I JUST, 'CAUSE I KNOW SOME, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL KNOW THAT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE FOR THE RECORD, THAT WE REALIZE THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE'RE NOT JUST DOING A TWO THIRDS VOTE AND THEN IT JUST GOES TO THE BALLOT.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO BREAK IT DOWN.
AND I JUST, JUST, LET ME BREAK THIS DOWN.
THE GENESIS OF THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON A CONSTITUTION AND CHECKS AND BALANCES.
AND WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THAT YOU WANT TO SHAVE AWAY SOME OF THOSE
[02:20:01]
CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT MAYBE NOT.THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY.
UM, TWO THIRDS MAJORITY IS WHAT'S NEEDED.
LIKE MR. GODDE SAID, IT SHOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD, NOT JUST HARD, BUT EXTREMELY HARD BECAUSE OF THE RIPPLE EFFECT THAT IT WILL CAUSE.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT MR. GODS, MR. LANIS, MS. STEWARTS AND MY MYSELF, UM, PROCLAMATION TO NOT APPROVE THIS, UH, TO STAND WITH THE BOARD AND NOT APPROVING IT.
I, I WANTED TO SHARE IF I COULD, CAN I RESPOND TO YES MA'AM.
THREE MINUTES IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD A CONVERSATION TODAY ABOUT SHOULD IT BE A MAJORITY VOTE WITH COLLEAGUES AND TWO THIRDS? AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF ASSUMPTION GOING ON THAT'S NEVER BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE.
AND I JUST WANNA BE REAL CLEAR THAT THE, THE AWESOME PART OF MY JOB THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IS, IS, IS DEBATING.
THERE'S A BILL THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING AND WORKING ON OF, OF JUST NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, I LOVE GETTING INTO THE NITTY GRITTY WITH IT.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSIONS ON THAT VERY TOPIC WITH COLLEAGUES ABOUT LEGISLATORS WHO REPRESENT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
AND SO WHEN WE ELECT PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, THAT ARE THERE, THAT WE WORK VERY HARD, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO BE THERE.
OKAY? AND SO, UM, WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS THERE'S CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
THIS ISN'T ME JUST TELLING PEOPLE THIS IS THE WAY IT'S GONNA BE.
IT'S WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY'S ABOUT AND THE PROCESS OF IT.
AND SO I'M JUST HERE TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, THAT WHEN LOCAL BUY-IN IS THERE, I THINK IT IS A WIN FOR THE STUDENTS AND A WIN FOR THE FAMILIES, AND A WIN FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND I THINK IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT REALLY US, IT'S NOT REALLY AGAINST EACH OTHER IN ANY CAPACITY, IS I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT GREAT SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, LOOK, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, ZACHARY AND CENTRAL, IF YOU TOP FOUR SCHOOLS IN THE STATE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN THAT, IN THAT LIST.
AND SO I'M JUST HERE TO SAY THAT LIKE, THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE THAT HAPPENS AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND THAT CONVERSATION HAS COME UP TODAY, YOU KNOW, EARLIER.
AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY SOMETIMES WHEN THAT, WHEN, WHEN SOMETHING IS DRAFTED THE BEST OF THAT DRAFT, YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET IN THE BEGINNING, OKAY? 'CAUSE YOU'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS.
YOU'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT, AND I'M HERE FOR IT.
AND I WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
I WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT IF I WASN'T WILLING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, 'CAUSE IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG WEEK AND A LONG DAY, AND I'M ALL ABOUT IT.
SO I JUST WANNA BE REAL CLEAR THAT I'M, I'M WILLING TO BE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
I'M NOT SHYING AWAY FROM THESE CONVERSATIONS.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA HAVE 'EM, RIGHT? AND I, AND I'M HERE FOR 'EM.
AND I, I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE REAL CLEAR ON THAT AND THANK JUST 10 SECONDS AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
BUT OUR LAWS AND OUR CONSTITUTIONS ARE UNDER CONSTANT ATTACK IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY.
THERE'S A REAL THREAT THAT WE MAY NOT EVEN LOOK LIKE THE COUNTRY.
WE LOOK LIKE 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
LAWS ARE UNDER ATTACK EVERY DAY IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE LIVE IN A VERY DIVISIVE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT CAN KEEP US TOGETHER IS LAWS.
AND WE JUST CAN'T CHANGE 'EM BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE THEM OR WE JUST CAN'T CHANGE THEM BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY THIS COUNTRY HAS SURVIVED FOR AS LONG AS IT HAS.
AND RIGHT NOW OUR WAY OF LIFE IS ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
SEEING NO FURTHER BOARD COMMENT, WE WILL NOW TURN TO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME AND WE'LL START WITH, UM, DANNY ALTA ZION.
AL I THINK I SAID IT CORRECTLY.
MY NAME IS DANNY ALTAN AND I'M A RESIDENT OF A PART OF DISTRICT NINE THAT WOULD BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WAS REMINDED THIS WEEK, UH, THAT ADVOCACY IS NOT EASY.
IT REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE, PASSION, COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND RESPECT.
IT'S OKAY TO NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THINGS.
LEARNING REQUIRES PUTTING YOURSELF AROUND PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE EXPERIENCED AND EDUCATED AND ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED EXPANDED EXPLANATIONS ON THOSE QUESTIONS DON'T HAVE TO BE EASY.
I'M ALSO VAGUELY REMINDED OF MY DARE DAYS WHERE WE WERE TAUGHT THAT THERE'S POWER AND STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.
UM, CURRENTLY THERE'S A PART OF THE STATE, THE LEGISLATIVE BODY THAT IS SEEKING TO GOVERN BY MOVING QUICKLY AND SPITEFULLY.
THEY'RE DEFERRING ANSWERING ANYONE THAT ARE ASKING THE, ASKING THE LOGISTICALLY HARD QUESTIONS.
[02:25:01]
REPRESENTATIVE'S HOUSE BILL SIX IS VERY DANGEROUS, NOT JUST TO THOSE OF US IN BATON ROUGE, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.THERE'S AN EMAIL GOING AROUND FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON HOUSE BILL SIX, AND I WANNA POINT OUT A FEW QUOTES FROM HER IN THERE, EVEN THOUGH SHE ADDRESSED SOME OF IT JUST FOR ALL THE PEOPLE AT HOME.
UM, I, SHE SAYS, I'M FOR THE VOTE OF THE LOCAL CAPITALIZED PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS MOVING FORWARD, EVEN IF IT INCLUDES PUTTING IT IN STATUTE OR AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.
AGAIN, IF FOR SOME REASON WE CAN'T FIX SOME OF THIS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION THIS YEAR, REPRESENTATIVE SHIVER IS TRYING TO ADD AN AMENDMENT FOR THE LOCALS TO VOTE ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WOULD AFFECT THEM, BUT IS CONVENIENTLY LEAVING OUT THAT DUE TO THE LANGUAGE IN A PREVIOUS BILL FROM OVER A DECADE AGO, THAT THE PEOPLE IN EBR SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD FOREGO THAT STEP AND ELIMINATE THEIR ABILITY TO VOTE TO VOTE COMPLETELY.
UM, SHE ALSO TALKS ABOUT A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN VOTED ON.
AND SO SHE'S INADVERTENTLY SAYING, I HAVE THE POWER AND I HAVE THE NUMBERS.
SHE ALSO STATES, IF THE AMENDMENT PASSES IN NOVEMBER, THERE WILL BE NO NEW DISTRICT THAT IS FUNDED UPON THE IMMEDIATE PASSING OF THE AMENDMENT.
AS FOR WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THE CITY OF ST.
GEORGE IS SETTLED AND THAT INCORPORATION PROCEEDS, IT WILL BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION.
THIS HASN'T EVEN PASSED THE HOUSE YET AND HASN'T MADE IT TO THE SENATE.
SO SHE'S OVER HERE TALKING ABOUT IT BEING ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER, AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
ALSO SAYING, I HAVE THE POWER AND I HAVE THE NUMBERS.
I APPLAUD THE BOARD'S COMING TOGETHER AND BRINGING FORWARD THIS RESOLUTION.
I'M ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE BATON ROUGE AREA COUNCIL IS ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE BOARD'S CONCERNS.
UH, I HOPE THAT YOU NOT ONLY VOTE IN FAVOR OF PASSING THIS TONIGHT, BUT I FURTHER CHALLENGED THE BOARD TO PASS IT UNANIMOUSLY, STAND TOGETHER AS ONE GOVERNING BODY AND REALIZE THAT REPRESENTATIVE SHIVA'S ACTUAL BILL LANGUAGE DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS HER OWN WORDS AND THINK OF THE DANGEROUS IMPLICATIONS THAT PASSING THIS BILL'S LANGUAGE AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN COULD HAVE FOR ALL OF LOUISIANA REPRESENTATIVES HAS THREATENED TO CREATE A PLAN THAT YOU WILL BE LOGISTICALLY EXPECTED TO FIGURE OUT, FOLLOW THIS BILL AND BE DEMANDING TO GET THE ANSWERS THAT THE LEGIS OF THE LOGISTICAL QUESTIONS THAT THEY KEEP DEFERRING THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR YOU TO BE THEIR VOICES.
MY NAME IS HAYDEN CROCKETT AND I'M A SEVENTH GRADER AT SHERWOOD MIDDLE MAGNET.
I'VE BEEN IN THE MAGNET PROGRAM IN EAST BATON ROUGE SINCE I WAS IN KINDERGARTEN.
I HAVE ENDURED THE FAST-PACED CURRICULUM THAT WOULD SET ME UP TO ATTEND ONE OF THE TOP HIGH SCHOOLS IN OUR STATE.
IF HOUSE BILL SIX IS PASSED, MY ABILITY TO CONTINUE MY MAGNET SCHOOL EDUCATION ANY FURTHER WOULD BE STOLEN FROM ME.
MY ADDRESS PUTS ME JUST INSIDE THE NEW PROPOSED SCHOOL DISTRICT BY APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER MILE.
A QUARTER MILE IS ALL THAT SEPARATES ME FROM HAVING MY ENTIRE ACADEMIC CAREER TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.
IT WILL LEAVE A BLACK CLOUD OF UNCERTAINTY OVER MY ACADEMIC FUTURE AS THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT I'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THE QUALITY TEACHERS AND CURRICULUM THAT I HAVE BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO.
LIKEWISE, MY SISTER, WHO WAS IN THE SECOND GRADE RECENTLY ATTENDED AN EVENT THAT UNVEILED THE DESIGN OF A BRAND NEW SCHOOL THAT SHE MAY NEVER GET TO ATTEND.
BEING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, I DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE MY OPINION BY CASTING A VOTE.
I CAN ONLY USE MY VOTE, MY VOICE TO PETITION YOU, THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO BE A VOICE FOR ME AND EVERY OTHER STUDENT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS HARMFUL BILL.
PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION TONIGHT.
YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY PASS THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, AND I HOPE MR. MARTIN IS BACK BY THE TIME I GET SOME, THE END OF MY THREE MINUTES BECAUSE I HAVE A COMMENT DIRECTLY IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING HE SAID EARLIER.
IF WE'RE PROPOSING TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION, IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO WRITE THE BILL THAT PROPOSES TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION CLEARLY, THOROUGHLY, SO THAT IT DOES WHAT THE AUTHOR INTENDS.
I REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT THE AUTHOR'S INTENT IS.
I CARE WHAT THE LETTER OF THE BILL SAYS.
I DON'T CARE HOW SHE MIGHT HAVE IT AMENDED EVENTUALLY, POSSIBLY IF THEY DON'T RUN OUT OF TIME.
I CARE HOW THE BILL READS NOW.
I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH SHE PROTESTS ABOUT THE SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ST.
GEORGE, HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HER BRINGING THIS BACK FROM WHENEVER IT WAS APPRO FIRST PROPOSED AS AN AMENDMENT THAT SHE DIDN'T WRITE A FEW YEARS AGO.
[02:30:02]
WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS THERE'S A ZOMBIE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND IF SHE WANTED TO MAKE THINGS SIMPLE, HER FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPEALING THE CREATION OF THE SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH WAS A BAD IDEA IN 2013.AND BEFORE I RUN OUT OF TIME, SINCE I WASN'T INVITED BY A BOARD MEMBER AND CAN'T GO ON FOREVER, I WILL GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS.
THE STUDENTS THAT LIVE OUTSIDE THE SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE DISTRICT AND ATTEND SCHOOLS WITHIN THAT PART OF THE TOWN INCLUDE 222 STUDENTS AT JEFFERSON TERRACE, 579 AT SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, 348 AT WOODLAWN HIGH, AND SEVERAL OTHERS, AND 302 STUDENTS AT BATON ROUGE MATERA.
JUST AS CONCERNING, THERE ARE MANY OF THE 8,349 STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT WEDGE OF THE COMMUNITY AND CURRENTLY ATTEND EVR SCHOOLS.
THAT WOULD BE DISENFRANCHISED, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN THAT JUST SPOKE, EVEN IF THERE'S A PROVISION IN THE STATUTE FOR THE 516 CURRENT BATON ROUGE HIGH STUDENTS.
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE PLANS OF THE TWO? UM, WELL, THERE ARE ALSO 216 AT LIBERTY AND 3 0 1 AT TARA HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU'VE GOT 106 STUDENTS AT BATON ROUGE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, 98 AT BATON ROUGE, FLAME 89 AT MAYFAIR LAB.
SO, MR. MARTIN, PLEASE DON'T YOU DARE CLAIM THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATING CHILDREN IF YOU ABSTAIN YOUR VOTING NO.
SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION, SUPPORT ONE COMMUNITY, ONE SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU, UH, MADAM PRESIDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT SMITH.
IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU TODAY.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GRADUATING FROM E STROMA HIGH SCHOOL, 1965 PROUD GRADUATE.
BEEN INVOLVED AT EMA FOR THE LAST ALMOST 60 YEARS.
IN FACT, ON SATURDAY WE HAVE A REUNION AT, UH, CROSSING, UH, DUKES AND WATSON FOR THE CLASS OF 1955 AND THE CLASS OF 56, THAT'S A BILLY CANNON'S YEAR.
ANY OF YOU WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO, THERE'LL BE ABOUT 80 PEOPLE THERE WHO'VE SURVIVED FROM THOSE YEARS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THIS CITY FOR 28 YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, I ALSO, UH, WAS HONORED TO BE NAMED THE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, BY THE WAY, I ALWAYS HAVE SUPPORTED ALL THE TAXES FOR EAST BATON ROU PARISH SCHOOLS.
I SAY THAT BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION.
BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES, UH, SENATOR MIKE CROSS AND I, MIKE HAD BEEN THE MAYOR OF BAKER.
HE AND I BEGAN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS REALLY WRONG WITH OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE COULD CHANGE IN THIS PARISH.
AND WE LOOKED AROUND THE COUNTRY TO TRY TO SEE A MODEL, AND IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS WHAT THE MODEL WAS.
AND THAT WAS RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN TEXAS.
IN TEXAS, YOU HAVE OVER A THOUSAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THEY'RE, MOST OF 'EM ARE BASED AROUND A HIGH SCHOOL, HAVE SOME MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND THEY HAVE SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THEY'RE GOVERNED VERY CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE.
AND WE LOOKED AT EAST BATON ROUGE AND WE SAID, MAN, IT IS WAY TOO BIG.
THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NEVER GO TO.
WHEREAS IN A COMMUNITY SCHOOL SYSTEM WHERE YOU USUALLY HAVE ONE OR TWO HIGH SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE ALL INVOLVED.
SO THAT LED US TO INTRODUCE THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO DOC, UM, MIKE CROSSON AND I TO INTRODUCE THAT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO CREATE THE BAKER SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT PASSED IN EAST BATON ROUGE AND BAKER AND STATEWIDE.
AND THEN THE FEDERAL COURTS STOPPED IT FOR 10 YEARS.
IT WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO INTO EFFECT.
AND BAKER COMPLETELY CHANGED IN THAT PERIOD.
WE INTRODUCED THEN THE BILL, SEVERAL OF US TO CREATE THE ZACHARY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AGAIN, HELD UP FOR SIX YEARS BY THE COURTS, BUT WHEN IT WENT INTO EFFECT THE FIRST YEAR, IT BECAME THE NUMBER ONE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
A FEW YEARS LATER, THE PEOPLE IN CENTRAL WERE ABLE TO CREATE THE CENTRAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT BECAME THE NUMBER TWO SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
NOW, WHAT THIS PROCESS IS NOT A NEW THING, IT'S NOT A FAST THING.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 30 YEARS TO TRY TO MAKE THIS SYSTEM MORE MANAGEABLE AND SMALLER.
THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN THAT PROCESS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING
[02:35:01]
ABOUT, HAVING SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE.SUPERINTENDENT SMITH, YOU, I OWE YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE, ALL OF US DO FOR YOUR WORK TO HELP US CREATE THE NEW REMA HIGH SCHOOL AND SOME OF YOU ON THE BOARD.
MR. GODDE, WHEN YOU CREATED THE NEW ESMA HIGH SCHOOL, THE SUPERINTENDENT WARREN DRAKE APPOINTED A SCHOOL BOARD FOR THAT SCHOOL.
WE WERE INVOLVED IN HELPING CHOOSE THE PRINCIPAL.
GO AHEAD AND BRING YOUR STATEMENT TO A CLOSE.
HELPING CREATE THAT, WE DESIGNED THE SCHOOL, LITERALLY CHOSE THE, THE PRINCIPAL THAT WORKED OUT BEAUTIFULLY.
IT WAS A SMALLER OPERATION COMMUNITY BASED.
THE PEOPLE IN SOUTHEAST LOS, UH, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ARE NOT SENDING THEIR KIDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU REALIZE THAT IT'S SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND WE NEED TO CREATE MORE DISTRICTS IN THE FUTURE CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE TEXAS MODEL COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I RECOMMEND.
I, I I HOPE YOU WOULD NOT GO WITH YOUR RESOLUTION, MIKE.
UM, I AM A RESIDENT OF BATON ROUGE, WHO VERY HAPPILY AND PROUDLY SINCE MY KIDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL OVER THE YEARS OF, UM, ENCOURAGING MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES AND ACQUAINTANCES AND ANYONE ELSE THAT I CAN TALK TO ABOUT, UM, ALL THE GOOD AND WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN A BR.
AND I WANT TO THANK, UM, THE BOARD FOR THIS RESOLUTION.
I THINK IT SENDS A VERY NICE, WONDERFUL, SUPPORTIVE MESSAGE TO PEOPLE LIKE ME AND MY KIDS THAT, AND ALL THE KIDS IN OUR DISTRICT, UM, EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN OUR DI EV ANYWAY, EVERYONE THAT, UM, YOU ARE FOR THEM THAT YOU WANT, YOU WANT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND SUPPORT IT THE BEST THAT YOU CAN.
UM, OVER THE YEARS, THESE OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN CARVED OUT.
UM, THEY HAPPEN TO BE WEALTHIER PARTS OF, UM, OUR PARISH.
AND, UM, IT ISN'T PARTICULARLY SURPRISING THAT THEY, THAT THEY THEN GO ON TO DO.
WELL, IT'S RELATIVELY EASY IN INEXPENSIVE TO EDUCATE MIDDLE CLASS KIDS.
UM, AND, UH, SEPARATING OUT MORE DOESN'T DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE REMAIN THE REMAINING KIDS IN IN OUR CITY.
WE, THOSE, THOSE KIDS DESERVE EVERYTHING.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE A REQUEST THAT, UM, THE ONLINE COMMENTS BE READ.
IF THAT'S, IF THAT IS POSSIBLE, UM, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UH, FOR THIS.
UM, EVEN THOUGH NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE ABILITY TO, TO TAKE TIME OUT TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD.
I THINK IT SENDS A WONDERFUL, SUPPORTIVE MESSAGE TO ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND THE ONLINE COMMENTS WILL BE READ AS WELL.
CATHERINE CARMICHAEL, DISTRICT SEVEN.
I HAVE THREE CHILDREN, UH, IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM AND I, UH, SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION AND I AM THANKFUL FOR THOSE WHO AUTHORED IT.
UH, THIS IS SUPPORTING THE RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION OF HOUSE BILL SIX.
AND I WOULD, UM, I AM DISAPPOINTED IN MR. MARTIN FOR SAYING THAT HE WILL ABSTAIN FROM THIS.
IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND YOU GET WITH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD TEAM AND RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION ON THE, UM, THE NEGATIVE REPERCUSSIONS THAT IT COULD OCCUR.
IF THIS PASSES, UM, EARLIER TODAY THE BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER RELEASED, UM, SOME POINTS ABOUT THE OPPOSITION OF HOUSE BILL SIX TO THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND IT WAS POSTED PUBLICLY, SO I WANTED TO READ THOSE.
SO THIS IS FROM THE BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER.
UM, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO READ THESE TONIGHT.
UH, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO STUDENTS CURRENTLY IN EBR SCHOOLS LIKE BATON ROUGE MAGNET, BUT WHO LIVE IN THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO STUDENTS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE SOUTHEAST DISTRICT BUT ATTEND SCHOOLS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES? WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO CHARTERS LIKE BASIS, WHICH ARE AUTHORIZED BY EBR SCHOOLS, BUT WHOSE FACILITY IS WITHIN THE SOUTHEAST BOUNDARIES? WILL THEIR CHARTER BE REVOKED? WHAT ENTITY WILL RECEIVE THE MONEY FROM THE MFP STARTING 7 1 25? IS THERE A PLAN FOR WHO WOULD LEAD THIS DISTRICT? ARE THERE SUFFICIENT FACILITIES TO SERVE THE K 12 STUDENTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BOUNDARIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN
[02:40:01]
EBR BUT WOULD BE SOUTHEAST STUDENTS ON 7 1 25? WHAT ARE THE FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS ON EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM? TO WHAT EXTENT WOULD A NEW DISTRICT SOUTHEAST DISTRICT OWE LEGACY COSTS TO EBR FOR FACILITIES OR PENSION LIABILITIES? WOULD THE PROPOSED DISTRICT BE RESPONSIBLE ON FACILITY DEBT FOR ANY FACILITIES THEY RECEIVE FROM EBR SCHOOLS? SO OBVIOUSLY THERE IS MAJOR CONCERN.I WOULD ALSO, UH, RECOMMEND ALL OF OUR, UM, SCHOOL SYSTEM PARENTS AND FAMILIES, UH, UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS.
WE ARE HERE AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE, SHE WHO CAME THIS MORNING IS A LEGISLATOR.
YOU SHOULD ALL KNOW OUT IN THE YOUTUBE WORLD WHO YOUR LEGISLATOR IS.
SO THOSE ARE THE VOTES THAT WILL BE TAKEN ON MONDAY HOUSE BILL SIX WAS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE AT 7:15 PM AND THEY DECIDED TO DELAY THE VOTE AND THE DEBATE TO MONDAY.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN THEY VOTED TO DELAY, 23 LEGISLATORS WERE ABSENT.
THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP, THEY DIDN'T VOTE.
SO YOUR VOTE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND SO WE ELECTED Y'ALL TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND WE HAVE ENTRUSTED YOU TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS AND PROTECT OUR KIDS AND PROTECT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO LET'S SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION AHEAD OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON MONDAY.
AND VOTE YES ON THE RESOLUTION.
VALENCIA JOHNSON, PRESIDENT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS.
UM, I WANNA SAY THAT I, UM, AND WE AT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS, UH, SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
AND WE, VE MAY OPPOSE HOUSE BILL SIX.
HOUSE BILL SIX IS GOING, UH, IF PASSED.
AND IF SOMEONE WANTED, OR PEOPLE WANTED TO DEVELOP A NEW DISTRICT WITH INSIDE OF EBR, IT'S GONNA DRASTICALLY AFFECT, UH, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
NOT ONLY IS IT GONNA AFFECT THE STUDENTS, THE EDUCATORS IS GONNA AFFECT OUR BOTTOM LINE, AND THAT MEANS THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE LEFT, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SERVICE THOSE STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED.
AND TO SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE POINT WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT THE YAY, ZACHARY BROKE AWAY.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN ZACHARY.
I WENT TO ZACHARY SCHOOLS MOST OF MY LIFE.
BUT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, IT CHANGED FROM A EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH TO ZACHARY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
AND THAT EFFECT ON THOSE TEACHERS, ON THOSE STUDENTS WAS HUGE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE A RETIREMENT AGE WHO HAD TO GO EITHER DECIDE TO GO INTO E-B-E-B-R SCHOOLS OR, AND THEY COULDN'T STAY AT THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY HAD TAUGHT 40, 50 YEARS 'CAUSE THEY WERE STILL TEACHING LIKE MYSELF.
WE'RE STILL TEACHING THAT, THAT THAT IS A BIG EFFECT.
AND WE ARE STILL PAYING LEG LEGACY COSTS.
LIKE, UM, MS. CARMICHAEL MENTIONED ALL OF THAT STUFF IS GOING TO AFFECT OUR BOTTOM LINE AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE ANY, UH, ANY MORE STUDENTS.
WE JUST SAW THE TRAJECTORY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING DOWN.
SO WE NEED ALL OUR FUNDS SO WE CAN SERVE, FULLY, SERVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND, UH, SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
UH, I HEAR IT MISPRONOUNCED OFTEN.
THE SOUTHEAST BA, BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THE ISSUE THAT GOT ME INVOLVED IN EDUCATION ADVOCACY.
UM, I HAD JUST RECENTLY RESIGNED FROM LSU.
I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA BE RUNNING AFTER MY KIDS AND WRITING THAT GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL.
AND THEN THERE WAS THIS PROPOSED BREAKAWAY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAD DECIDED NOT TO MOVE TO NEW ORLEANS 'CAUSE WE'D SEEN THE TRAGEDY THAT HAD OCCURRED DOWN THERE.
I'M A PROUD PRODUCT OF NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAD THE BEST THING HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WITH OUR SCHOOLS.
AND WE WANTED OUR KIDS TO GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS.
WE KNEW THE DISTRICT WAS STRUGGLING, BUT WE ALSO KNEW THAT THERE WAS, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOLS AT THE TIME WAS REALLY QUITE INCREDIBLE.
UM, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE BREAKAWAY SCHOOL SYSTEM CAME ON
[02:45:01]
TECH IN 2012, AND MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS, FINE, TAKE YOUR TOYS AND GO HOME BECAUSE WE GOT GREAT THINGS GOING ON AND WE ARE GONNA BE AN AMAZING DISTRICT.AND THEN, UM, I LEARNED ABOUT THIS EFFORT TO BREAK OUT THE SOUTH BATON ROUGE AREA, AND I GOT DOWN TO THE CAPITOL AND THAT'S WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT LEGACY COST AND BONDED INDEBTEDNESS AND THE WAYS IN WHICH IT WOULD DRAMATICALLY ADVERSELY AFFECT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, IF NOT ME, THEN WHO? AND SO I SHOWED UP AT THE CAPITOL THINKING IT WAS GONNA BE ONE SPRING, SPRING SESSION, AND HERE I STILL AM.
I THINK MOST OF Y'ALL AT LEAST HAVE SEEN MY FACE
UM, I'VE, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE.
I JUST CANNOT IMPRESS UPON YOU HOW SERIOUS THIS ISSUE IS.
AND, UM, I'M SORRY, I HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING TO THE MIC.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, IT IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
WHEN I WENT BACK DOWN TO THE CAPITOL THIS YEAR WITH, UM, HOUSE BILL SIX, IT WAS SURPRISING TO ME, SO THE ZOMBIE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS STILL ON THE BOOKS.
IT WAS PUT IN THE STATUTE IN 2013.
AND IF THE WAY IN WHICH THIS HOUSE, THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IS WRITTEN, IT WOULD CIRCUMVENT THE LOCAL VOTE SO THAT THAT SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD BE, UH, UP AND RUNNING AS EARLY AS 2025.
AND THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS WOULD BE PROFOUND.
AND I'M TRYING TO TALK TO LEGISLATORS AND THEY ARE COMPLETELY UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS BECAUSE THERE'S TERM LIMITS AND A WHOLE NEW CROP OF LEGISLATORS AND NOBODY REMEMBERS THAT.
2013, THIS NEW SCHOOL SYSTEM GOT PUT INTO STATUTE AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE, THE WAY IN WHICH IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDED AND SUPPOSED TO BE APPROVED.
AND SO IT HAS BEEN, UM, IT HAS BEEN REALLY, UM, UH, INTERESTING TO TRY TO TALK TO PEOPLE.
AND IF YOU SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION, IT WOULD REALLY HELP IMMENSELY FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IT AND THE FAR REACHING IMPACTS, NOT JUST FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
BECAUSE IT WILL SET THE PRECEDENT THAT JUST A COLLECTION OF NEIGHBORHOODS CAN CREATE, UM, A SCHOOL SYSTEM WITHOUT, UH, A TWO THIRDS VOTE OR WITHOUT EVEN A LOCAL VOTE.
UM, I KNOW MS. REPRESENTATIVE, SHE BROUGHT AN AMENDMENT, ATTEMPTED TO, BUT THE LANGUAGE WOULD NOT HAVE ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE.
AND SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT'S A SIMPLE, UM, IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE IN THE LEGISLATURE WITHOUT A LOCAL VOTE TO ALLOW NEW INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BE CREATED.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF ONE COMMUNITY, ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HELPED FIGHT THE CREATION OF THE SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER A DECADE AGO.
AND I JUST ROLLED OFF FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.
UM, I HEAR A LOT FROM REPRESENTATIVE.
SHE, UM, ABOUT, IT'S NOT MY INTENT.
I HAVE READ EMAILS TO HER CONSTITUENTS WHERE SHE HAS SAID, IT IS NOT MY INTENT TO IMMEDIATELY FUND THE SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT IS NOT MY INTENT TO DENY VOTERS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON THE CREATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THIS IS REMINISCENT OF SENATOR BODE WHITE WHEN HE WAS FIGHTING TO CREATE THIS DISTRICT, WHEN HE WOULD SAY, IT'S NOT MY INTENT TO HARM THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BUT YET AS PARENTS, WE HAD TO FIGHT TO MAKE HIM TAKE ON BONDED INDEBTEDNESS IN A WAY THAT CENTRAL ZACHARY AND BAKER WERE NOT OBLIGATED TO DO.
WE HAD TO FIGHT TO ASK HIM TO ADDRESS UNFUNDED ACCRUED LIABILITY IN A WAY THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF CENTRAL BAKER AND ZACHARY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO DO OR NOT REQUIRED TO DO.
WHAT I AM ASKING AS A PARENT IS FOR THIS BOARD TO JOIN US IN THE FIGHT OF PROTECTING THE FINANCIAL SOLVENCY OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
RIGHT NOW, THE DANGER WITH REPRESENTATIVE SHIRA'S BILL IS THAT IT IS BEING DISCUSSED IN THE ABSENCE OF CONTEXT AROUND HOW IT AFFECTS THE FINANCES OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE DIVIDED, UNFUNDED, ACCRUED LIABILITY WITH THE CREATION OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE ESTIMATE IS BETWEEN FIVE 50 MILLION AND $200 MILLION.
WHAT SHE, WHAT'S NOT BEING DISCUSSED IS THAT THAT UNFUNDED ACCRUED LIABILITY NUMBER THAT IS GOING TO BE OBLIGATED TO THIS NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT IS UP FOR GRABS.
IT'S A MYSTERY FORMULA THAT HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED RIGHT NOW.
$800 OF IN-CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION FUNDS ARE PULLED OUT OF OUR STUDENTS' CLASSROOMS TO PAY FOR UNFUNDED ACCRUED LIABILITY.
FOR CENTRAL ZACHARY AND BAKER, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE
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THAT MONEY PULLED OUT OF OUR CLASSROOMS. IT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS LOW INCOME STUDENTS, STUDENTS OF COLOR.I AM ASKING YOU TO STAND UP FOR THE STUDENTS THAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO SERVE AND VOTE YES FOR THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT CANNOT AFFORD TO DO OTHERWISE.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING SHE SAID.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO DO IS TO LOSE ANY MORE MONEY.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANY KID.
MS. VER, I APPRECIATE YOU, BUT THE CIVIC LESSON THAT YOU TRIED TO GIVE TODAY IS VERY FOUL.
TWO THIRDS VOTES WE KNOW ABOUT AND WE DIDN'T COME HERE AND WE, HOPEFULLY YOU WERE NOT INVITED TO GIVE A CIVIC LESSON.
ALL OF THIS GOES BACK TO GENDER, THE MFP, IT GOES BACK TO HIM AND YOU'RE CONSTANTLY, EVERYONE IN THE LEGISLATURE WITH HIM, YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE.
YOU WANNA TAKE THE FUNDS AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND TO USE IT FOR WHOEVER THAT YOU WANT TO USE IT FOR.
YOU CONSTANTLY WANT TO BUILD UP ST.
IF IT HADN'T HAVE BEEN FOR LSU, IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE STUDIOS AND FOR THEM BEING SPLIT WITH THE DIFFERENT ZIP CODES AND SO FORTH, WE WOULD'VE LOST A LONG TIME AGO.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL MEANS, THEY STOOD BEHIND EBR, NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH EBR BECAUSE THEY HAD TO STAND BEHIND US AND LAINA, YOU ARE CORRECT.
YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR, YOU OUGHT TO PLAY YOUR LITTLE GAMES AND RUN AROUND DOWN THERE AT THE LEGISLATURE.
YOU PLAY GAMES, YOU DISMISS, YOU GO AROUND, YOU WALK AROUND, YOU EAT YOU, YOU DO ALL THESE LITTLE GAME THINGS.
WE ARE A VERY IMPORTANT SYSTEM AND WE'RE TIRED OF PEOPLE SPLITTING, TAKING AWAY.
BAKER NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO LAST LONG.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE FINANCES TO CONTINUE TO GO ON.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RATING TO CONTINUE.
WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM.
IN ORDER FOR EBR TO STAND, WE HAVE A BOARD THAT IS WORKING.
STAND YOUR GROUND, STAND UP AND DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO, EBR IS GONNA BE IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
WE TRIED TO SEE IT ON THE EIGHTH AND THE WEATHER CHANGED ON US AND WE COULDN'T.
NOW, IF YOU WANNA CONTINUE TO LOSE THINGS, YOU GONNA BE A LOSS ECLIPSE LIKE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO SEE AND ALL OF THE KIDS AND EVERYONE ELSE WAS OUT TO SEE IT.
LET SHE BEAR, GO ON BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE, MAKE ANOTHER NOMINATION, OR COME UP WITH ANOTHER BILL TO DO.
WE LIKE YOU, YOU'RE A NICE PERSON, BUT WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON IS NOT FOR EBR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND YOU ARE NOT FOR EBR AND MR. JENKINS, YOU ALL DID WELL WITH A STREAMER WHEN YOU WERE THERE, BUT IT TURNED INTO WHITE FLIGHT, DIDN'T IT? THANK YOU.
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENTS, ONLINE? ONE OR TWO? YES MA'AM.
I WILL READ THEM NOT QUITE AS FAST AS AN AUCTIONEER MIGHT, BUT I WILL TRY TO BE EXPEDITIOUS.
I'VE ALSO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT GOING TO READ ANY COMMENTS OF ANYBODY WHO ACTUALLY TESTIFIED IN PERSON, WHICH I THINK JUST COVERS MS. CARMICHAEL.
UH, AND A COUPLE PEOPLE EMAILED OR, OR MADE SECONDARY COMMENTS TO CORRECT SOMETHING.
I'M JUST GONNA READ THE, THE CORRECTED COMMENT AGAIN.
THESE ARE THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS, NOT MYSELF.
TYING BANTER SAYS, THANK YOU FOR OPPOSING HB SIX.
THIS IS A DIRECT THREAT TO THE PROGRESS THAT THE DISTRICT IS MAKING AND IS NOT, UH, A MOVE OF THE PARENT SLASH CARETAKER STAKEHOLDERS WITH CHILDREN CURRENTLY IN THE SYSTEM.
LATOYA GRANT SAYS, I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BILL AS THIS AFFECTS MANY CHILDREN CURRENTLY IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
MY CHILD, AS WELL AS SEVERAL CHILDREN GO TO AMAZING MAGNET PROGRAMS AND THIS BILL WILL AFFECT THEM TREMENDOUSLY ON THEIR SCHOOL OPTIONS WITH THE MAGNET PROGRAMS. PLEASE VOTE NO ON THIS BILL.
MELODY DIXON SAYS, I SUPPORT THE EBR SCHOOL BOARD'S POSITION STATEMENT OPPOSING HB SIX.
THE CREATION OF A SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD FURTHER DECREASE FUNDING FOR EBR SCHOOLS AND INCREASE EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY IN OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS.
DURING A TIME WHEN OUR ABSOLUTE TOP PRIORITY SHOULD BE FINDING THE FUNDS TO INCREASE TEACHER SALARIES, I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT EBR
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SCHOOLS WOULD BE LEFT WITH MORE THAN ITS SHARE OF LEGACY COSTS.ASHLEY BALLARD SAYS I FULLY SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE HB SIX.
IT WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR DISTRICT, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR STUDENTS.
IT HAS NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS STATEWIDE AND POSES A THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
ALEX JOYNER SAYS HB SIX WILL RUIN THE STATE SCHOOLS.
PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BILL.
PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF OUR RESOLUTION THAT SAYS EBR SCHOOLS WILL NOT SUPPORT THIS BILL.
UH, TRACY BARKER SAYS, PLEASE DO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION.
WE HAVE OUR KIDS IN MAGNET SCHOOLS AND WE LOVE IT.
GEORGE DISTRICT AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO MOVE INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ALLOW OUR KIDS TO ATTEND SHERWOOD MIDDLE MAGNET AND BATON ROUGE MAGNET.
MY SON WILL GRADUATE FOR B-R-M-H-S IN 2026 AND I CAN'T BEAR FOR HIM TO LEAVE OPPOSE.
MALIKA WHITE, UH, SAYS, AS A PARENT WHO LIVES IN THE BREAKAWAY ZONE, I TOTALLY OPPOSE AGE SIX.
MY DAUGHTER HAS ATTENDED B-R-C-V-P-A FOR TWO YEARS AND IT'S WHERE WE INTEND FOR HER TO STAY THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
PLEASE DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE BREAKAWAY ZONE FROM HAPPENING IN CRIPPLING THE DISTRICT.
IRENE BARRY SAYS, PLEASE OPPOSE HOUSE BILL SIX.
THIS IMPACTS ALL EBR CHILDREN NEGATIVELY.
IT ALSO IMPACTS TEACHERS AND STAFF, WHICH IN TURN IMPACTS THE CHILDREN EVEN MORE.
SO WE HAVE SO MANY IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TO MAKE AN EBR AND HOUSE BILL SIX PASSING WILL JUST SET THOSE IMPROVEMENTS BACK EVEN MORE.
HEATHER AKIN SAYS, I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE HB SIX.
I DO NOT SUPPORT HB SIX NOR THE CREATION OF A BREAKAWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE BREAKAWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR SCHOOLS AND THE STUDENTS VERDE.
GARY SAYS, PLEASE OPPOSE HB SIX.
THIS BILL WILL NEGATIVELY IN AFFECT MANY KIDS IN THE TRADITIONAL STYLE CLASSROOM AND MAGNET CLASSROOMS. BY REMOVING FUNDING TO SUPPORT A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS AND THE FACULTY STAFF OF EBR SCHOOLS.
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GIVE TEACHERS A RAISE.
NOW THIS WILL DEFINITELY FORCE QUALIFIED TEACHERS TO SEEK JOBS IN OTHER PARISHES OR STATES THAT WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH A BETTER SALARY.
KIDS WILL NOT HAVE THE TOOLS NEEDED TO THRIVE IN THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE OF LIMITED FUNDS.
ALSO, WITH THE CREATION OF THIS NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT, HOW DO WE KNOW IT WILL PERFORM BETTER THAN THE SCHOOLS WE DO NOW? THE RECENTLY CREATED BAKER SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT THE CREAM OF THE CROP.
WITH THIS NEW DISTRICT, WE COULD BE MAKING A WORSE PROBLEM THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
ELENA M RUEL SAYS, IN SUPPORT OF THEIR RESOLUTION, UM, BENJAMIN CALDWELL SAYS, I DO NOT SUPPORT HB SIX AND WANT THE BOARD RESOLUTION OPPOSING HB SIX TO BE PASSED.
THIS IS NOT THE BEST THING FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE PARISH.
DANIEL A BUREAU SAYS, WE SUPPORT H TWO AS IT IS IN, UH, OPPOSITION TO H SIX, WHICH WILL UNDERMINE THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF EDUCATION IN THE DISTRICT.
H SIX WILL ALSO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON FAMILIES AT LARGE.
THANK YOU DAN BUREAU FAIRLY COOK JACKSON SAYS MANY THANKS TO BOARD MEMBERS, GODDE, LANIS, LEWIS, AND STEWART FOR BRINGING FORTH THIS HOPEFUL RESOLUTION.
ALSO, THANK YOU TO THE MANY PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO WORK TO KEEP OUR DISTRICT WHOLE.
AND WITH RESOURCES, WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.
AS NOTED IN THE RESOLUTION AND SUPPORTED BY DATA, HB SIX IS A THREAT TO THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, 6,000 PLUS IN THE BREAKAWAY DISTRICT AND TO THOUSANDS MORE ACROSS OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT THAT WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE FISCAL IMPACT OF HB SIX I AIR DREW ALL VOTE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT YOU SERVE AND THE STUDENTS IN YOUR CARE AS THE COLLECTIVE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.
I ALSO HOPE THIS IS THE START OF A CONTINUED EFFORT FOR YOU AS A BOARD TO ENGAGE IN AND HAVE A VOICE IN THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT IMPACTS THE STUDENTS', FAMILIES, AND TAXPAYERS OF OUR DISTRICT.
PLEASE VOTE YES ON THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, AMANDA BUREAU SAYS, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING OPPOSING HP SIX.
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION WOULD'VE A DIRE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AND FINANCIALLY.
CRIPPLE E-B-R-P-S-S-I STRONGLY URGE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION OPPOSING HB SIX SINCERELY, AMANDA BUREAU MELISSA FLOURNOY SAYS, PLEASE PROTECT OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
WE DO NOT NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BREAK AWAY FOR BREAKAWAY SCHOOL SYSTEMS. EVELYN WARE JACKSON SAYS, EBR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS PLEASE STAND TOGETHER FOR THE DISTRICT AND UNANIMOUSLY VOTE YES IN SUPPORT OF PASSING THE RESOLUTION THAT STATES THAT THE BOARD DOES NOT SUPPORT THE PASSAGE OF HB SIX AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
PLEASE WORK DILIGENTLY TO LISTEN AND SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THE ROOT OF THE BREAKAWAY SYSTEM IS FROM YEARS OF REQUESTS OF PARENTS NEAR SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN AREA, FALLING UPON DEAF EARS OF ADMINISTRATIONS AND STUBBORN BOARD MEMBERS SUPPORT FOR ATTENDANCE LINE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND A TRUE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODEL COULD HAVE RESOLVED ISSUES LONG AGO.
SINCERELY, EVELYN WARE JACKSON, NICOLE DAN DURAN SAYS, I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
I DO NOT WANT TO SEE OUR DISTRICT PULLED FURTHER APART.
JENNIFER HARDING SAYS, I SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE ALL B BOARD MEMBERS TO APPROVE THIS IMPORTANT RESO RESOLUTION AS STEWARDS OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I URGE YOU TO STAND UP AND SEND A STRONG MESSAGE OF UNANIMOUS OPPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE OVERREACH OF HB SIX THAT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO OUR DISTRICT IF PASSED.
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I APPRECIATE AND WANT TO COMMEND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS IN TAKING INITIATIVE BY BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION.FLOWER SAYS, I'M IN FULL AGREEMENT WITH THIS RESOLUTION THAT OPPOSES THE CREATION OF ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.
PLEASE VOTE YES ON THIS RESOLUTION.
JULIA BUCKER SAYS, AS PARENTS OF KIDS IN THE MAGNET PROGRAM AND B-R-E-B-R-P-S-S, I'M WRITING TO URGE YOU TO VOTE TO SUPPORT THE BOARD RESOLUTION OPPOSING HP SIX.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS HAVE A SAY IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
DEBBIE JACKSON SAYS, I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION, ALLOW STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE CREATION OF NEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE PROCESS.
ANDREA AND MATT HERE SAYS, UH, I HAVE THREE CHILDREN IN EBR MAGNET SCHOOLS.
LOSING THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE ON THE SAME ACADEMIC PATH THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ON SINCE KINDERGARTEN WILL IMPEDE THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS THAT THEY HAVE WORKED EXTREMELY HARD FOR AND IT WILL DEVASTATE THEM SOCIALLY.
I'M IN COMPLETE SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION.
AUTUMN DARBY SAYS IN FAVOR OF H TWO RESOLUTION.
CAROLYN BELL, UM, UH, SAYS H TWO RESOLUTION.
THIS BILL IS NOT A GOOD BILL FOR EBR SCHOOLS.
IT WILL CREATE A FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IS DETRIMENTAL TO OUR STUDENT POPULATION.
VALERIE BLACK SAYS, I'M WRITING TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THIS RESOLUTION.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO OPPOSE HB SIX, WHICH WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR PARISH, OUR SCHOOLS, THE STAFF AND FACULTY IN EBR SCHOOL AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR CHILDREN.
VALERIE BLACK ERROL DOMAN SAYS, I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION AGAINST THE ZOMBIE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ALLISON SCARDINO SAYS, AS A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE MAGNET PROGRAM AND A PRODUCT OF THE EBR MAGNET PROGRAM MYSELF, I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO HB SIX AND URGE YOU TO OPPOSE IT AS A SCHOOL BOARD.
OUR DISTRICT HAS ITS STRUGGLES, BUT FOR DECADES, THE NON-TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS WITH A FOCUS ON ACADEMIC, ARTISTIC OR STEM EXCELLENCE HAS BEEN A BRIGHT SPOT.
THE LAST THING THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IS REMOVING STUDENTS FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE WORKING FOR THEM WITH A LEGISLATIVE BILL THAT DOES NOT EVEN ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY.
LET'S FOCUS ON BRINGING THE FAILING SCHOOLS UP INSTEAD OF CHANGING THE DISTRICT WITH THE PARENT INTENT TO PRIVATIZE DOWN THE ROAD.
CATHERINE HART SAYS, MY CHILD IS BUSED TO JEFFERSON TERRACE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION BECAUSE IT IS A DA 2010 COMPLIANT.
THE CREATION OF THE SOUTHEAST EBR SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD REMOVE MANY OF THE NEWLY BUILT A DA COMPLIANT CAMPUSES FROM EBR AS.
EBR CANNOT SEND CHILDREN, UH, IN WHEELCHAIRS TO A SCHOOL THAT IS LESS ACCESSIBLE.
THIS WOULD RESULT IN THE SHUFFLING OF THE LOCATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SELF-CONTAINED ELEMENTARY CLASSES TO BROADMOOR ELEMENTARY OR MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY IN ORDER TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH A-D-A-E-B-R SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER STOPPING ALL BUILDING AND RENOVATIONS IN SOUTHEAST BATON ROUGE AND ST.
GEORGE, AND FOCUS ON RENOVATING AND REBUILDING THE SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF THIS AREA.
SINCE THIS TOPIC CONTINUES TO COME UP, ANNA FOGLE SAYS, PLEASE PASS A RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE HB SIX AS A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND ALL OF E-B-R-P-S-S.
SMI RAVI, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I BUTCHERED THAT NAME SAYS I OPPOSE HB SIX STORM.
MATTHEWS SAYS, I THINK THE, I THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT BROUGHT THIS RESOLUTION FOR RECOGNIZING THAT THIS WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THIS PARISH.
HOWEVER, FOR THOSE THAT UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF THIS AND THE FINANCIAL IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE ON THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE, AS WELL AS THE STUDENT'S ABILITY TO ATTEND SCHOOLS OF CHOICE WITHIN BEBR, THIS WILL NOT STOP THE LEGISLATURE.
EVERYONE MUST SHOW UP AND CALL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SHE ASKED ME TO SAY THAT PART WITH FAVOR WITH F EMPHASIS.
SHE SAYS, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THOSE THAT WILL AFFECT, UH, PASS.
UH, FRED, UH, FRED, JEFF SMITH.
SMITH, FRED JEFF, UH, UH, UM, UM, UH, SUPPORTS THE RESOLUTION AND OPPOSES HP SIX.
MARIA HARMON SAYS, MY NE MY NAME IS MARIA HARMON, A RESIDENT AND VOTER IN EBR SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT SIX.
I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE HP SIX.
THIS LEGISLATION IS DANGEROUS IN REGARDS TO FURTHER SEGREGATING, SEGREGATING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS DISTRICT HAD AN, HAS AN, HAD AN EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE OF DESEGREGATING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH A FEDERAL DESEGREGATION ORDER BEING LIFTED AS RECENT AS 2003.
THIS LEGISLATION DOESN'T NEED TO PASS.
IT WILL CERTAINLY SET US BACK.
THIS WILL ALSO HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS WHO ARE BUSED FROM OTHER AREAS TO ATTEND SCHOOLS IN THE DESIGNATED AREA TO BE DEEMED AS THE SOUTHEASTERN COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IMPACTED BY THIS.
AGAIN, I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION AND THANK YOU EBR SCHOOL BOARD FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
ANJA BRADFORD SAYS THIS LEGISLATURE IS EXTREME.
THEY'RE NOT OPERATING IN LOVE.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS OR FAMILIES OR COMMUNITIES.
WE NEED A VOICE OF LOVE, OF UNITY AND SOLIDARITY WITH
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ONE ANOTHER.FROM BATON ROUGE TO LOUISIANA, WE CANNOT AFFORD ADDITIONAL SEGREGATIONIST EFFORTS HERE IN BR NOR ACROSS LOUISIANA.
BE THE FIRST TO START A TREND OF RESOLUTIONS.
DAWN COLLINS SAYS, I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AGAINST HB SIX.
IT IS SEGREGATIONIST IN NATURE, YET WILL HURT CHILDREN IN AND OUT OF DESIRED BREAKAWAY DISTRICTS.
AND THE FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE INTERNET IS FROM MARY JUNO.
DEAR BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE HOUSE BILL SIX BY REPRESENTATIVE.
PLEASE RECALL THAT YOUR OATH OF OFFICE IS TO PROTECT EBR PSS.
I AM GRATEFUL TO MR. GODDE, MR. LEWIS, MR. LANIS AND MS. STEWART FOR WRITING THIS RESOLUTION TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF OVER 10% OF E-B-R-P-S S'S BUILDINGS, PROPERTY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND STAFF.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE INTERNET PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VICE PRESIDENT.
OKAY, SO WE NOW RETURN TO, UH, BOARD COMMENTS.
UH, FIRST REPRESENTATIVE SHAVER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THE BILL.
REGARDLESS OF WHERE ANYBODY, ANYONE FALLS ON IT.
I THINK THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT IS MORE THAN REPRESENTATIVE AND REFLECTIVE OF HOW OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY FEELS.
WE HEARD STUDENTS, WE HEARD PARENTS, WE HEARD TEACHER UNIONS.
WE HEARD THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE HEARD PAST, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING.
THEY ADAMANTLY OPPOSE THIS BILL.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE INTENT, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE RAMIFICATIONS BEHIND THE INTENT.
AND THAT'S THE STUFF THAT'S NOT BEING DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
MS. KELLY LOPEZ CAME BEFORE US, AND THAT'S OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND TALKED ABOUT THE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF A DISTRICT.
SHE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ESER DOLLAR'S SUNSET AWAY FROM OUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT TO LOSE MFP DOLLARS AT A TIME LIKE THIS WILL ABSOLUTELY DISMANTLE A SCHOOL DISTRICT OF OUR SIZE.
BUT IF, EVEN IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT FROM ACROSS THE STATE, YOU HAVE ABOUT 72 DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
ALL OF THOSE SCHOOLS DISTRICTS ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME SITUATION THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH BECAUSE ESER DOLLAR SUNSETS ON THOSE DISTRICTS ALSO, THEY ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR MONEY.
AND I WANNA ALSO REMIND OUR BOARD, WE JUST SUNK, I WON'T SAY SUNK BECAUSE THIS IS OUR ENTIRE PARISH, BUT WE JUST PLACED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PUT NEW BUILDINGS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF OUR PARISH.
WHY? BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR ENTIRE PARISH.
GEORGE DIDN'T HAPPEN, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE STILL MADE THE POINT AND THE INFERENCE TO PUT MONEY THERE BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT ALL KIDS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE ARE HERE DOING, AND IF ANYBODY REALLY BELIEVES THAT ST.
GEORGE IS DONE, I WOULD ASK THE QUESTION, WHY ARE YOU IN THE SUPREME COURT RIGHT NOW? WHY WE FOUGHT THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND WHY THAT, AGAIN, IT MAY NOT BE THE INTENT, BUT NO MATTER HOW YOU DRESS IT, IT'S A ST.
GEORGE BILL BECAUSE IF IT GOES THROUGH IT RUBBER STAMPS THEM, THEY'VE BEEN DORMANT, THAT WAS ALREADY PASSED.
SO THE LOCAL VOTE HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.
IT'S GONNA RETROACTIVELY PUT IT IN PLACE AND WE LOSE THOSE DOLLARS IMMEDIATELY ON TOP OF ALL OF OUR BUILDERS THAT WE PUT INSIDE OF TOWN.
NOW THE LAST THING I'LL END ON IS WE NEED TO HAVE A WORKSHOP ON ANNEXATION PROCESS TO SEE HOW WE CAN SAFEGUARD AND PROTECT THE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE INSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT THAT EVERYBODY PAID FOR.
NOT A PARTICULAR SECTION OF OUR CITY OR OUR PARISH, BUT OUR ENTIRE PARISH AS A WHOLE.
UH, SORRY, REPRESENTATIVE FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO COME AND EXPLAIN, BUT IT'S A NO FOR ME.
AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IF YOU SUPPORT KIDS, IF YOU UP HERE AND YOU NOT FOR THE POLITICS, LIKE WE ALL SAID WHEN WE RAN FOR ELECTION, DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO AND SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION.
IT'S BEEN AN HOUR OF DISCUSSING THIS AND I, UM, AM A LITTLE SURPRISED BECAUSE I I'M, I'VE BEEN LISTENING AND I HEAR THE PEOPLE.
UM, WHAT I'VE ALSO HEARD IS WE WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR KIDS.
THIS, IT'S OUR DECISION TO VOTE ON IF WE WANNA SAY SOMETHING TO OUR LEGISLATURES.
BUT WE DON'T, WE'RE WE'RE NOT MAKING THIS BILL HOUSE.
BILL IS NOT HOUSE BILL SIX IS NOT OUR BILL.
UM, I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS.
I HEARD THAT WHAT'S COMING, WHAT'S GONNA COME NEXT? UM, I HEAR THAT THAT'S ALSO NOT PART OF HOUSE BILL SIX IS WHAT I HEARD TONIGHT.
I ALSO HEARD MS. SAY THAT SHE ACTUALLY LISTENED AND HEARD THESE QUESTIONS AND WENT AND ASKED,
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UM, EDUCATION TODAY, LOUISIANA EDUCATION TODAY, AND FOUND OUT THAT IT ACTUALLY COULD POTENTIALLY BRING IN MORE MONEY FOR EBR.I HEARD THAT THERE ARE STILL LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
UM, I ACTUALLY WASN'T QUITE SURE HOW I WAS GONNA VOTE WHEN I GOT HERE TODAY.
I DID ACTUALLY MEET, UM, WITH MR. SHALIN THIS WEEK AND HAD ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, WHAT CAN THE BOARD KNOW BETTER ABOUT LEGISLATION AS A WHOLE.
UM, I FEEL LIKE IF THE BOARD'S GONNA MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT LEGISLATION, WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT IT IN A MORE HOLISTIC VIEW, WHICH IS ALSO WHAT I'VE HEARD TODAY, IS THAT PEOPLE WANT US TO LOOK AT THIS IN A BIGGER VIEW AND NOT JUST LOOKING AT ONE IN PARTICULAR THING.
AND SO I APPRECIATE IT AND I THANK I THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT.
UM, I FEEL LIKE WHERE, WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS I'M GONNA ABSTAIN.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS IS A, A THING THAT I NEED TO, UM, MAKE A DECISION ON SUPPORTING A RESOLUTION.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THE, UH, RESOLUTION'S VERY WELL WRITTEN.
UH, MR. GOE, ANYBODY ELSE WHO HAD A PART IN IT, UH, IS GOOD JOB.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE, OUR PROPER ROLE FOR THIS BOARD IS AS AN ENTITY CREATED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND, UM, IN THE BILL'S ORIGINAL FORMAT, I THINK THIS RESOLUTION DOES A GOOD JOB IN EXPLAINING, UM, WHAT THE BILL DOES AND WHAT THE, UH, IMPACT COULD BE, OR HOW IT AFFECTS PEOPLE WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK, UH, WE SHOULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE TAKE A, UM, EITHER OPPOSE OR, OR SUPPORT LEGISLATION.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST THE RESOLUTION.
BUT I DO SAY IT'S, UM, VERY INFORMATIVE.
AND LIKE I SAID, UH, I THINK THAT'S OUR, OUR PROPER ROLE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION.
SO, UM, AND ALSO, UH, REPRESENTATIVE, SHE THANK YOU FOR COMING AND EXPLAINING, UH, SOME OF THE POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS, UH, THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE CONSIDERING.
UM, AND I, I CERTAINLY RESPECT THE, THE VIEWS OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, AND AGAIN, MS. SHE THANK YOU FOR THIS.
YOU GOT A BOTTLE OF WATER AND A BAG OF ALMONDS,
UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN SOME WAYS, I'M SORRY, THIS MORPHED INTO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, GOING INTO WHAT A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PART AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW I REALLY BELIEVE MS. SHEVERA WHEN SHE SAYS THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT, BUT AS MR. LANIS SAID, IT WOULD BE THE RESULT AS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN.
NOW, I ALSO DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME AMENDMENTS GOING ON, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THOSE AMENDMENTS AND TO WORK THROUGH THOSE.
UH, AND I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO STAY IN CONVERSATION AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT, TO, TO PULL THAT TOGETHER.
BUT I STILL COME BACK TO THINKING OF CREATING A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD BE DIFFICULT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I WILL BE ADAMANT ON BELIEVING THAT IT SHOULD BE A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE.
JUST, JUST MY ONLY, MY ONLY POINT OF VIEW.
SO I'M GONNA MAINTAIN THE, UH, MAINTAIN THE RESOLUTION THAT WE HAVE AND, AND VOTE FOR IT.
I ALSO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, THOUGH, I'M GONNA DEVIATE JUST A SECOND ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND, UH, MR. JENKINS IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HE MENTIONED ZACHARY AND CENTRAL BOOM AUTOMATICALLY BEING NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO, THERE'S SOME VERY INTERESTING DATA.
I HAVEN'T UPDATED IT FOR 2023, BUT I HAVE DATA BEYOND THAT.
AND THERE IS AN ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE PERCENT ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ENROLLMENT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE SCORE, AND THE PERCENT ECONOMIC DISENROLLMENT, UH, IN DISADVANTAGED ENROLLMENT IN A SCHOOL.
AND THE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE SCORE.
IT IS AMAZING HOW CLOSE TO THAT TRACKS.
EAST BATON ROUGE RUNS ABOUT AN 80% PLUS A LITTLE BIT ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CENTRAL AND ZACHARY RUN LESS THAN 60%.
AND AT ONE POINT, ZACHARY WAS BELOW 50%.
WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE SEVEN SCHOOLS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH THAT HAVE A STUDENT BODY ENROLLMENT WITH AN ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PERCENTAGE OF UNDER 60%.
ALL SEVEN OF THOSE SCHOOLS OUTPERFORM ANY SCHOOL IN ZACHARY AND OUTPERFORM ANY SCHOOL IN CENTRAL ANY SCHOOL.
SO A LOT OF THIS IS NOT THE FACT
[03:15:01]
THAT IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL, IT'S THE FACT THAT IT'S THE SCHOOL THAT CAN CLUMP TOGETHER ECONOMICALLY WELL OFF KIDS.BAKER, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS OVER 90% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, AND EVERY SCHOOL IN THAT DISTRICT FAILS.
SO A LOT OF THIS IS BEYOND JUST COMMUNITY SCHOOL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE'RE DOING MANY, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT MR. JENKINS TALKED ABOUT WITH THE FOCUS CHOICE SCHOOLS, WHERE WE'RE HAVING COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND DO ALL THESE THINGS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS ARGUMENT'S ABOUT.
THIS ARGUMENT'S ABOUT A PROCESS, AND I GOT TWO MAJOR ISSUES.
ONE IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED 11 YEARS AGO IN LIES DORMANT, SHOULD BE THROWN AWAY AND THROWN OUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ANYTHING ANYBODY WANTS.
AND THAT JUST REEMPHASIZES THE FACT THAT IT SHOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET THAT DONE.
AND SO, SOME SAFEGUARDS, SOME GUARDRAILS, SOME SPEED BUMPS NEED TO BE PUT INTO THIS PROCESS SO THAT IN A FIT OF EMOTION OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD, WE DON'T CREATE A MISTAKE THAT LASTS A HUNDRED YEARS.
AGAIN, MS. VIE, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING.
AND BY NO MEANS WAS I TRYING TO SAY THAT YOU GUYS DON'T DO YOUR JOB.
BUT I WANT TO REFERENCE BACK TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS MS. DAVIS MADE WHEN SHE CAME TO THE MIC.
AND SOME OF THE SAME THINGS MIKE JUST, UH, ALLUDED TO.
HE TALKS ABOUT THESE WEALTHY SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR THESE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS, MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE WHOSE KIDS ATTEND THESE SCHOOLS.
WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY THINK THE OPPOSITE OF WEALTH IS POVERTY IS NOT THE OPPOSITE OF WEALTH IS JUSTICE.
AND WE CAN'T PROVIDE THE TYPE OF EDUCATION THAT OUR KIDS NEED WITHOUT JUSTICE.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE HONORED IN THIS ROOM EARLIER TONIGHT WERE LIVING EXAMPLES OF AN INJUSTICE THAT WAS PERPETRATED ON THEM AND SOME OF THEIR, AND THE, AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE THEM.
JUSTICE IS THE OPPOSITE OF POVERTY.
WE'VE GOT TO PROVIDE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE EDUCATION FOR THE CHILDREN IN OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
MIKE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE LEVELS, THE INEQUITY IN, IN THE LEVELS OF, OF KIDS WHO ATTEND SCHOOLS IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
WE NEED TO DO RIGHT BY OUR STUDENTS.
AND BECAUSE EBR IS SUCH A LARGE DISTRICT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHY, IT'S, WHY IT'S, IT'S UNDERPERFORMING IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS.
IT'S YEARS OF NEGLECT, IT'S YEARS OF TRYING TO SKATE AROUND THE LAW.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO STOOD HERE TONIGHT STOOD WITH, WITH TESTIMON, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE LIVING TESTIMONIES OF THAT.
WE JUST NEED TO REALIZE, AND IT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE TO YOU, BUT JUST THINK ABOUT IT, THE OPPOSITE OF WEALTH IS JUSTICE.
AND JUSTICE IS DOING RIGHT BY THE CHILDREN THAT WE EDUCATE AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN ELECTED TO REPRESENT FROM THIS HORSESHOE UP HERE.
THE OPPOSITE OF WEALTH IS JUSTICE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO.
WE'VE GOT TO BE RIGHT, DO RIGHT BY THE KIDS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THEIR PARENTS, AND THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW THEM.
I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, IF YOU WOULD OBLIGE US.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL TIRED, AND YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED TOO.
UM, FUNDAMENTAL TO THIS, UH, UH, PETITION, IF YOU WILL, IS AN ASSERTION THAT PASSAGE OF THIS BILL, LET'S SAY HYPOTHETICALLY BY THE LEGISLATURE AS IT STANDS IN ITS CURRENT FORM, AND THEN BY THE SENATE, AND THEN BY A VOTE OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, WOULD FUND A DEFUNCT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IS THAT ACCURATE? IT IS NOT ACCURATE.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN, LET ME, LET ME EXPLAIN WHY
[03:20:01]
IT'S NOT ACCURATE.WHEN I WAS ON THE FLOOR, MY AMENDMENT BEFORE DEBATE TO THIS BILL, WHICH PROVES MY INTENT BEFORE I BROUGHT IT TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE FLOOR, WAS TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT MY INTENT IS CLEAR IS TO KEEP A LOCAL VOTE TO THE PEOPLE.
AND SO WHEN YOU'RE ON THE FLOOR AND YOU'RE PRESENTING A BILL AND THE DEBATE'S HAPPENING, I ADDED THAT AMENDMENT.
NONE OF MY COLLEAGUES BROUGHT THAT AMENDMENT.
AND SO WHAT IT MEANS IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BILL AND YOU SAY, IF THERE'S A LEGISLATIVELY APPROVED SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF THE PEOPLE, IF THIS GOES TO THE VOTE IN NOVEMBER, I WANTED IT TO BE CLEAR IN LAW THAT EVERYBODY IN THAT LOCAL AREA WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE.
SO ANOTHER STEP WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN IF PASSED IN NOVEMBER, NO SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE FORMED WITHOUT THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
SO, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE THING, IS THAT THERE'S NO AUTOMATIC TRIGGER THAT WE, BECAUSE I WANNA KEEP IT WITH A VOTE TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE.
AND LOOK, PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE MAY NOT BELIEVE ME, THAT'S FINE.
BUT WHEN YOU BRING A BILL TO THE FLOOR AND YOU BRING YOUR AMENDMENT, YOU'RE SAYING, I WANNA MAKE IT IN A BETTER FORM.
I WANNA BRING IT TO YOU SO THAT WHEN WE VOTE AS A BODY, WHEN ALL 105 MEMBERS VOTE AS A BODY, I WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE THIS.
I WANT THE LOCAL VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
AND SO THAT'S THE INTENT AND THE REASON I CAN STAND ON THAT INTENT, WHETHER ANYBODY BELIEVES ME.
MY INTENT PROVE THAT WHEN I'M BRINGING IT TO THE FLOOR IN THAT FORM TO GET THE LOCAL VOTE.
SO I WANTED THAT CLARIFICATION, UM, TO POINT OUT THAT I THINK THAT ONE, THIS IS A, THIS IS A BILL THAT IS STILL IN SESSION, HASN'T EVEN BEEN VOTED FOR BY THE LEGISLATURE.
WE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND ALL THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS BILL YET.
UM, I WANNA SAY FIRST I REALLY APPRECIATE THE LEVEL OF DIALOGUE THAT WE'VE HAD HERE, BECAUSE WHAT I EXPECTED WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
BUT WHAT I ACTUALLY GOT TO HEAR WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW LAWS ARE MADE CHANGE SHAPED AND FORMED IN OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPINIONS ON THAT, BUT IT'S WHAT MAKES US WORK AS A REPUBLIC, AS A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, UM, AS WHAT MAKES THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY WORK, WHICH MAKES YOUR LEGISLATIVE BODY WORK AND HOW THEY DON'T WORK SOMETIMES.
UM, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT I, I THINK THAT IT, IT, IT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION, BUT A AS A SCHOOL BOARD, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE PREEMPTIVE TO BE ASKING YOUR, YOUR LEGISLATIVE BODY TO MAKE A FORMAL STATEMENT ABOUT A BILL THAT HASN'T EVEN MADE IT THROUGH A VOTE, HASN'T EVEN MADE IT TO YOUR SENATE, HASN'T EVEN MADE IT TO A VOTE OF THE ENTIRE STATE TO BE RATIFIED.
AND FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE ENTIRE PEOPLE WANNA SEED AN AUTHORITY TO THOSE LEGISLATOR, I THINK THEY HAVE A, A, A RIGHT TO VOTE ON THAT.
UM, BUT THAT'S KIND OF NEAR NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.
SO MANY OF THIS CONVERSATION COMES BACK TO THE POWER OF ONE'S VOTE.
AND, UH, WE HAVE THE POWER OF A VOTE IN THIS ROOM WHETHER OR NOT TO MAKE STATEMENTS OR NOT.
SO I, I, I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES AND ALL THE DIFFERENT OPINIONS VOICED HERE.
UM, I REALLY HAVE A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY THAT COULD COME IF, UH, IF THERE WERE, UH, A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT CREATED WITHIN THIS PARISH.
IT'S VERY, VERY COMPLEX AND HAS A LOT OF GREAT EFFECT TO, UH, FAMILIES AND CHILDREN OF THIS PARISH, BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF DEPTH TO THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHAT ELSE AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE CAN DO TO AFFECT THESE THINGS.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US SHOWED UP, UH, WHEN THIS BILL WAS IN COMMITTEE TO GIVE, UH, UH, TESTAMENT OR OR OPINION WHEN IT WAS IN COMMITTEE.
I WATCHED THE COMMITTEE, NONE OF US WERE THERE.
UM, IT'S BEEN FILED A LONG TIME.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK EIGHT, SIX, IT WAS THE SIX ONE FILED IN LIKE FEBRUARY OR WHENEVER IT WAS FILED.
YEAH, I, I KNOW I TALKED TO MS. RE ABOUT THE BILL BEFORE THIS WAS BROUGHT FORTH, BUT, UM, THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS THAT I KNOW OF.
PLEDGE RICHARDS, MR. ROSS, MAKE SURE YOU'RE BRINGING YOUR, YOUR STATEMENT TO A CLOSE.
OH, I'M SORRY I WASN'T WATCHING MY TIME.
UH, I'LL, I'LL BRING IT TO A CLOSE.
[03:25:01]
I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY BUSINESS AS A SCHOOL BOARD MAKING AN OPINION ON LEGISLATURE LEG LEGISLATION THAT IS IN THIS STATE OF INFANCY.AND I THINK WE COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF JUST GOING TO SHOW UP IF YOUR LEGISLATURE, AT YOUR LEGISLATURE, IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON STATE LAW, WHICH IS SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO DO WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENT AT THIS TIME, WE WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A VOTE ON ITEM H TWO.
OKAY, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO UM, ITEM H THREE.
[H.3. Student Expulsion]
AND THIS BEGINS, OUR EXPULSION MATTERS TO MY COLLEAGUES.WE ARE DECIDING ON WHETHER TO HEAR THE FOLLOWING EXPULSION MATTERS FULLY AT A FUTURE MEETING OF THE BOARD.
IN ORDER TO HEAR A MATTER, WE WILL NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND NO VOTE OF THE BOARD WILL OCCUR AND THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC COMMENT AS DESIGNATED IN POLICY.
STUDENT EXPULSION, ITEM H THREE DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO APPEAL A STUDENT EXPULSION.
AND SO FOR ITEM H THREE BOARD MEMBERS, HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE RECORD FOR THIS EXPULSION MATTER? YES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS EXPULSION? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, WE CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT, AND LET ME JUMP IN FOR A SECOND.
[H.4. Student Expulsion]
THE APPELLANT, THE APPEALING PARTY REQUESTED THAT THE APPEAL BE PULLED AND SO WE WILL NOT HAVE TO CONSIDER H FOUR.[H.5. Student Expulsion]
H FIVE STUDENT EXPULSION DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO APPEAL A STUDENT EXPULSION BOARD MEMBERS.HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE RECORD FOR THIS EXPULSION MATTER? YES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS EXPULSION? I MOVE TO HEAR THIS EXPULSION.
IS THERE A SECOND MR. LEWIS? OKAY.
SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. MARTIN AND SECONDED BY MR. LEWIS.
AND SO MR. SHAMBLIN, DO WE STILL CONTINUE? OKAY.
[H.6. Student Expulsion]
UH, H SIX STUDENT EXPULSION DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO APPEAL A STUDENT EXPULSION BOARD MEMBERS.HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE RECORD FOR THIS EXPULSION MATTER? YES.
SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. RUSS.
IS THERE A SECOND? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY MS. SOLE TO HEAR THIS EXPULSION AND THIS IS H SIX.
[H.7. Student Expulsion]
STUDENT EXPULSION DISCUSSION.CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO APPEAL A STUDENT EXPULSION BOARD MEMBERS.
HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE RECORD FOR THIS EXPULSION MATTER? YES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS EXPULSION, MR. LEWIS? OKAY.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED BY MR. LEWIS.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? IT IS SECONDED BY MR. MARTIN.
[H.8. Student Expulsion]
TO H EIGHT STUDENT EXPULSION DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO APPEAL A STUDENT EXPULSION BOARD MEMBERS.HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE RECORD FOR THIS EXPULSION MATTER? YES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS EXPULSION? OKAY.
OKAY, SO, UM, HEY, UH, MADAM SECRETARY OR MR. SHALIN, WILL ONE OF YOU SHARE WITH US JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE ONES THAT, THAT WE SAID THAT WE WOULD HEAR? HH FIVE, H SIX AND H SEVEN? YES.
[03:30:01]
OKAY.AND SO AT THIS POINT, DO WE GO INTO JUST THE NEXT PART OF THE AGENDA? YES, MA'AM.
OKAY, SO THE NEXT THAT WE HAVE ARE ORGANIZATIONAL ITEMS. UM, THERE IS FIRST THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEETINGS, UM, MS. SOLE, BEFORE I HAVE YOU TO READ THAT, I WANTED TO SHARE, UH, ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT.
UM, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL FAMILY.
THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME ON MANY OCCASIONS, UM, ASKING FOR A COMMUNITY MEETING AND I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY SHARE WITH THEM IF ANY OF THEM ARE LISTENING THAT UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT I'VE HEARD YOUR REQUEST FOR A COMMUNITY MEETING ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.
I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH MR. LANIS AND MR. SMITH AND I WILL WORK TOGETHER TO COLLABORATE ON A DATE AND TIME TO FULFILL YOUR REQUEST IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WAS ALL THAT I HAD ANNOUNCEMENT.
YEAH, YOU CAN, 'CAUSE I, I KNOW I DON'T HAVE THE FLYER FOR, WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DISTRICT ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, JUST FOR ANOTHER UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SHOSHONE STEWART.
SHE'S HAVING A LITERACY AND WELLNESS EVENT, UH, THIS SATURDAY, UH, FROM 12 TO THREE AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT'S A LITERACY AND WELLNESS EVENT FOR DISTRICT FOUR.
SHE WANTED TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT TO PARTICIPATE.
[I.1. Announcement of Meetings]
OF MEETINGS, MS. SOLE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF MEETINGS.THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD ON MAY 6TH, 2024 AT 5:00 PM AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS, BUDGET AND FINANCE, ACADEMICS, ACCOUNTABILITY, CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION, STUDENT SERVICES AND OPERATIONS TO BE HELD.
MAY 9TH, 2024, STARTING AT 5:00 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
BOARDROOM, REGULAR MEETING TO BE HELD ON MAY 23RD, 2024 AT 5:00 PM IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE.