Oct 16, 2023 Board Meeting

[Call to Order]

[00:00:04]

TO PLEASE MEET YOUR DEVICES TO AVOID INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. HARFORD COUNTY, OCTOBER 16TH 2023 AT 6 30 PM THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MS. ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE ROLL CALL. MISS ALVAREZ, PRESIDENT. MR BRUCE HERE, MISS COKER HERE, DR MUELLER, PERRY OVA HERE, MR SEWELL. MR HOUSE VICE PRESIDENT HAN PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT CLINTON HERE COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL.

THANK YOU, MR BROOKS OR REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE READ THE RULES OF ORDER FOR THIS EVENING.

GOOD EVENING, DJ RAVAGED REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING. IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND FOR ALL FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING, ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. GRANDSTANDING WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIORS IS NOT PERMITTED. LIKEWISE THREATENING WORDS, GESTURES OR BEHAVIORS ARE NOT PERMITTED SHOULDN'T ATTEND TO ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS, THUS DETRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING ATTENDEE WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR. IF YOU ATTENDED DOES NOT CEASE TO PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR . THE ATTENDEE WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING BY SECURITY. WE ASK THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE REFRAINED FROM APPROACHING THE DAY IS FOR ANY REASON DURING THE BOARD MEETING. WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WILL BE USED THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MUTE THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON BOARD MEMBERS. PLEASE HOLD ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION.

FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, DR POYNTON WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. DR BOLTON WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL ON THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR EMOTION. I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH A YES OR A NO. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. ALL IN FAVOR.

CAROL SORRY. THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? THIS IS MELISSA I SECOND THE MOTION.

THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES ANY OPPOSED? POLICE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE. WHY. HOLIDAY STAND NATION UNDER GOD. VISIBLE JUSTICE. OKAY UM, WE'RE GOING TO START THIS EVENING WITH BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND WE WILL

[Board Member Comments]

[00:05:02]

FOR A LONG TIME EVEN BEFORE IT HIT THE HEADLINES. UM SO I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, UM AND I PULLED MOST OF THIS STUFF OFF OF THE WEBS OFF OF THE WEBSITE AND OFFER THE SELLERS AND PUBLISHERS SO LAW AND BOY HAS WRITTEN AT A THIRD GRADE LEVEL. UM BUT IT CONTAINS SEXUAL CONTENT. UM, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE FOR AN EIGHT YEAR OLD PERSON. GENDER QUEER IS IDENTIFIED BY, UM, THE ONLINE BOOKSELLER AS A AS AN COMIC ENTERTAINMENT WITH GRAPHICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. NEITHER OF THESE BOOKS REALLY LEND THEMSELVES TO LITERACY. UM SO AND THEY'RE ISSUES THAT ARE THEY MEANT FOR THE SCHOOL. ARE THEY MORE APPROPRIATE FOR UM, YOU KNOW, PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, UM, AND TRAINED COUNSELORS TO ADDRESS UM . THE OTHER BOOK, A IS FOR ACTIVISTS. ANOTHER BOOK WRITTEN FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN.

UM ACTIVISM SHOULD BE SHOULD ACCOMPANY PROPER CIVIL CONSTRUCTION. UM SO SCHOOLS NEED TO HAVE A STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE A LENS TO VIEW THE ISSUES OF SOCIETY AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF CIVIL ACTION. I'M NOT AGAINST ACTIVISM. BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD LET OUR CHILDREN BE CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS NOT A PLACE TO ENCOURAGE ACTIVISM, BUT IT'S A TIME TO TEACH CIVIL STRUCTURE AND DISCIPLINE. UM SO AND THEN, FINALLY ON THE PETITION TO CHANGE YOUR NAME TO THE SCHOOLS. I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT. UM WHILE WE SHOULD NOT PENALIZE OUR HISTORICAL LEADERS, I THINK WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SEGREGATION AND HATE CRIMES. UM THAT'S SAD, I BELIEVE ARE HIS HISTORY LESSONS NEED TO TEACHING STUDENTS TO PUT HISTORY IN PERSPECTIVE OF WHEN IT OCCURRED. AND NOT HOLD OUR PAST LEADERS. UM. UM OR PENALIZE THEM DUE TO OUR BLIND SPOTS OF OUR PAST. UM AND FINALLY, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THIS YEAR'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR. MARY KAY CONNOR ITON. AND, UM. WANTED, UH, DID ATTEND THE GALA AND I WAS CLEAR. YOU KNOW, OUR GOVERNOR WAS THERE IT WAS CLEAR THAT MARYLAND IS COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION. SO THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU ALL TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND PLEASE PRAY FOR PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU, MISS BRUCE. UM I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. UM AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US ALL IS SITUATION GOING ON IN ISRAEL? SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. FOR AT LEAST KNOWING THAT THERE WERE YOUNG PEOPLE. THAT LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SMITHS APPS. SO COULD WE PLEASE DO THAT? YES THANK YOU.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN ISRAEL, INCLUDING SOME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS AND STUDENTS AFFECTED HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR PEACE.

THANK YOU. AND FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT OFTENTIMES WE HAVE TOPICS THAT COME UP IN THE WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE DIRECTED BY LAW. SUCH AS LIKE RELIGION OF BIBLES IN THE SCHOOLS. AND WE HEAR IT. EVERY MONTH ABOUT THESE ISSUES, BUT THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT WE AS A BOARD HAVE ANY CONTROL OF SO IT'S NOT THAT IT'S BEING IGNORED IS JUST THAT WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOVERNANCE, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE LAWS AND REGULATIONS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR COOPER. WELCOME

[00:10:05]

MOMENT OF HISTORY. TEACHING IDEOLOGY HAS OFTEN RESULTED IN KIDS LEARNING TO HATE AND BE ANGRY. TEACHING IDEOLOGY IS NOT OUR JOB. AT ANY EDUCATIONAL LEVEL. AND FOR MATERIALS THAT ARE NOT AGE APPROPRIATE. ESPECIALLY DO SEXUAL CONTENT. SEVERAL FOLKS HAVE ASKED US TO LOOK INTO THAT WE'VE ALL SEEN THOSE, MS ALVAREZ NOTED. SOME OF THEM AND THE MAID CONFERENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATIONAL SUITABILITY OF SCHOOL CONTENT WAS NOTED THE TYPE OF SEXUAL CONTENT IS IRRELEVANT. PARENTS CAN CHOOSE ANY MATERIALS FOR THEIR KIDS. HOWEVER SEXUALLY EXPLICIT IMAGES. VERBIAGE ARE NOT EDUCATIONALLY SUITABLE AND HAVE NO PLACE IN SCHOOLS. MANY BELIEVE THIS MANY SPEAKERS HERE HAVE SHARED THIS CONCERN. MANY SEEM TO BE OKAY WITH THAT. AND FOR THOSE PARENTS THAT COULD BE THEIR CHOICE. TO PARAPHRASE THERE WERE A NUMBER PAST SPEAKERS WHO WERE CONCERNED WITH LETTING KIDS BE KIDS AND I'VE HEARD IT SAID THAT WE MUST ALLOW STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO FOCUS ON CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS AND NOT TAKE INSTRUCTION. TIME WAY FOR IDEOLOGY RELATED TOPICS AS THIS IS CRITICAL TO IMPROVE ACHIEVEMENT. AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE TO SUPPORT OF OUR PARENTS AND HELPING THEIR CHILDREN TO DO WELL IN SCHOOL AND TEACH THEM AS WE DO TO TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR MUELLER. I'M NOT GOING TO TALK MUCH TONIGHT BECAUSE MY VOICE IS GOING IN AND OUT. BUT I DID WANT TO MENTION THE MAID CONFERENCE. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP. UM, I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THE COACH HERE OF THE CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE, AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE OUR OWN. DR ERIC DAVIS IS ONE OF OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND HE DIDN'T SOME JOB AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. SO I WANTED TO NOTE THAT FOR EVERYONE, UM, I ALSO THINK THAT IT WAS GOOD TO NOTE THAT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, I WAS THE ONLY MEMBER FROM THE HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AT THE CONFERENCE.

THIS YEAR, ALL BUT ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WAS ABLE TO ATTEND AND THEY LEARNED VALUABLE THINGS

[00:15:06]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR SEWELL. HIGH HUG CLEARLY EVERYONE, SO I ALSO WANTED TO START OFF BY RECOGNIZING JOPPATOWNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR WINNING THEIR SECOND FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHOOL AWARD. I HAD THAT, UH, PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THAT. UM AND IF, IF YOU EVER IF YOUR SCHOOL HAS EVER PICKED FOR THIS, IT'S REALLY AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE FOR THE SCHOOL. UM AND I JUST I WANTED ALSO JUST RECOGNIZE ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE WORKING HARD IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO ENGAGE. THE PARENTS, THE STUDENTS, UM AND TO MAKE PROGRESS, YOU KNOW FOR THEM FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WE KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO DO THAT. UM. I CONTINUE TO STAY IN ENGAGED WITH THE BOSTON COMMUNITY ON THE DEVELOPMENT

[00:20:02]

PLEASE JOIN YOUR T. A UH, EVERYONE LISTENING OUT THERE IF YOU IF YOU CAN JOIN YOUR PT ALSO, THIS GOES FOR BOARD MEMBERS IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. PLEASE JOIN YOUR PTS. UH THEY NEED YOU. WE NEED TO BUILD THE CHEETAHS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I ALSO ATTENDED THE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME CEREMONY AT EDGEWOOD WITH MR PERRY. THAT WAS REALLY POWERFUL. YOU KNOW, STUDENTS CAME BACK THERE WAS SIX INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING RECOGNIZED ONE PAST POSTHUMOUSLY. UM AND YOU KNOW, THESE ARE FOLKS THAT HAD OUTSTANDING NOT ONLY OUTSTANDING ATHLETIC CAREERS BUT ALSO JUST OUTSTANDING WITH THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THEY HAD. AH MADE TO THE EDGEWOOD SCHOOL. UM YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST OUTSTANDING. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, NEED TO ATTEND. UM MR MUELLER ARE DOCTOR MILLER MENTIONED THAT THE HARVARD COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION HAD THEIR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, BREAKFAST. UH LAST WAS IT WAS TO BE THE SIXTH. YEAH, IT'S ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UM SO FOR THIS YOU DON'T KNOW. THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION IS TWO DECADES OLD NOW. AND IT WAS STARTED. TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE. THE TOOLS, THE JUSTICE REALLY THE SUPPLIES, UM, THAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. AND IT HAS GROWN. THE MISSION HAS GROWN TO A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THAT, WHERE IT'S THEY SUPPORT STEM EDUCATION. UM AND OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, SO IT'S A IT'S A NONPROFIT. IT'S RIGHT. IT'S LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN BEL AIR.

AND IT IMPACTS ALL OF THE SCHOOLS AND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, SO THEY DO A LOT OF FUNDRAISING.

THE THIS PAST BREAKFAST WAS OUR MOST IMPORTANT FUNDRAISER. I SAY WE BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY ON THAT BOARD. UM AND SO WE TRY TO RAISE FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE YOU KNOW THERE ARE AREN'T AS WELL OFF AS AS SOME OTHER STUDENTS IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. UM SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE, JUST GOOGLE HARVARD COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. I ALSO JUST JOINED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMITTEE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING TODAY. REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GET ENGAGED WITH THAT I LOVE CUSTOMER SERVICE. IT'S KIND OF LIKE CENTRAL TO WHO I AM. I REALLY I LOVE JUST TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER SO REALLY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE.

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST I ATTENDED THE MARYLAND TEACHER OF THE YEAR GALA NECK THIS PAST FRIDAY. THAT WAS EXCEPTIONAL. UM YOU KNOW, JUST CELEBRATING. YES SELECT VIEW OF TEACHERS THAT

[00:25:07]

PLEASE KNOW THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY HTTPS ADMINISTRATION. THE BOARD OF THAT IS NOT INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. HOWEVER I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THESE DETERMINATIONS ARE NOT MADE LIGHTLY, AND THAT THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY OR AT THE VERY CORE OF THESE DIFFICULT CHOICES, THANK YOU TO THE HARTFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR INCREASING SECURITY AT THESE EVENTS, YOUR SUPPORT OF HCPS STUDENTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I ALONG WITH MR SEWELL AND THIS HAN ATTENDED ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. I AGREE WITH YOU. IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO DIALOGUE WITH COUNTY EMPLOYEES, COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND HCPS ADMINISTRATION, MR BROWN AND MR VALENTINO. YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE AND FIELDING QUESTIONS. I ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP A PULSE ON THE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT ON OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. AND LASTLY, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK, WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THIS WEEK'S BUS SPIRIT WEEK SO WE CAN SHOW OUR LOVE FOR AMAZING TRANSPORTATION STAFF. MANY MARYLAND SCHOOL SYSTEMS REALLY STRUGGLED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO STAFF THEIR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS. HARFORD COUNTY DID NOT AND SO WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE DEDICATED TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT THAT ENSURES THAT WE STAY FULLY STAFFED AND THAT STUDENTS GET TO SCHOOL SAFE EVERY DAY. AND SPEAKING OF SAFETY, I WANT TO DRAW SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE VIDEO THAT WILL COME OUT THURSDAY. THIS VIDEO WILL TALK ABOUT THE ADDITION OF SEATBELTS TO OUR NEW BUSSES. WHEN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PURCHASES NEW BUSSES FOR THE FLEET, IT WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH THREE LAPS. AND SHOULDER SEATBELTS PER SEAT. THIS WILL TAKE PLACE SEVERAL YEARS OR TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO ACCOMPLISH AS WELL MAINTAINED. SCHOOL BUSSES CAN STAY IN OUR FLEET FROM MORE THAN 12 YEARS, BUT WE ARE EXCITED TO BEGIN TO ADD THIS NEW SAFETY EQUIPMENT TO SCHOOL BUSSES AS NEW ONES ARE NEEDED. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT THIS UPCOMING CHANGE AND BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS NEW SAFETY FEATURE. THANK YOU, MISS HAN. GOOD EVENING, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. UM I FIRST WANT TO CONGRATULATE JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHOOL AWARD. GREAT JOB. I WAS ALSO I HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME COMMENTS AS EVERYBODY ELSE JUST SAYING, UM, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATED BOARDS OF EDUCATION IN ANNAPOLIS CONFERENCE, UM, ALONG WITH MOST OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. UM THANK YOU, DR MUELLER FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND PLANNING THE CONFERENCE AND DR DAVIS FOR THE AMAZING OPENING COMMENTS THAT YOU DID THERE WERE THERE WAS FANTASTIC. MY ONLY UM, INPUT. THE ONLY INPUT THAT I HAD WAS NEXT TIME. LET'S HAVE TISSUES AT THE TABLE BECAUSE THE OPENING COMMENTS ON THE CLOSING COMMENTS THAT IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL. I KNOW I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE FEELING IT. IT WAS GREAT. UM HEADS UP ABOUT THE WARM UP. YEAH OH, YEAH. YEAH THAT TOO. YEAH UM, OUT OF ALL THE DISTRICTS PRESENT, HARFORD COUNTY HAD THE LARGEST BOARD PRESENCE. UM I IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE SO MANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THERE AND SUPPORTING. IT WAS GREAT TO SUPPORT DR DAVIS AND I DO AGREE WITH WADE. I FEEL LIKE IT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW US A LITTLE BIT BETTER EACH ONE OF US, SO THAT'S A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. UM I'M REALLY EXCITED TO LEARN AND SEEK OUT NEW PERSPECTIVES AND IDEAS AND ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE. UM YOU GET TO MEET VERY DIVERSE POPULATION OF PEOPLE AND LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. AND FIND OUT HOW THEY RUN THEIR DISTRICTS

[00:30:03]

YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW HER NAME, BUT I DO. IT'S KATHY BENDIS, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION. AND HER ENTIRE TEAM. I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE'VE GOT HUNDREDS OF BUSSES THAT MAKE THOUSANDS OF STOPS EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST OPERATIONALLY COMPLEX THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN. AND WE DO IT LIKE CLOCKWORK. WE REALLY DO, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT A LOT OF LOT OF OTHER COUNTIES HAVE. I WAS WATCHING THE NEWS THE OTHER NIGHT, AND EVERYONE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW THEIR STUDENTS WERE GETTING HOME TWO OR THREE HOURS LATE OR HOW, IN SOME CASES, THE BUSSES DIDN'T SHOW. AH AND YOU KNOW HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT BUSSES? WE'VE GOT? YOU KNOW, WE GENERALLY GET. ZERO OR VERY FEW, AND THAT'S A TESTAMENT. I THINK TO MISS BEND IS HER ENTIRE TEAM BUT AS WELL AS TO THE SCHOOL BUS OPERATORS, SOME COUNTIES LIKE BALTIMORE COUNTY HAVE CHOSEN TO GO WITH A BIG NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS BRAND THAT'S OUT OF STATE.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OUR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, THERE'S OUR SCHOOL BUS COMPANIES. UH, THERE'S MANY OF THEM. THEY'RE SMALL BUSINESSES, THEIR COMMUNITY BASED. UM AND MANY TIMES, YOU'LL EVEN SEE THE OWNERS DRIVING THE BUSSES. UM, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT KEEPS THAT. WORKING EVERY SINGLE DAY LIKE A WELL OILED MACHINE SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE TO DO. UM AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T KEEP NOTE WITH THE COUNCIL WE ARE AT. UNFORTUNATELY YEAR TO DATE 1380 BUS VIOLATIONS. FOR RUNNING RUNNING THE STOP ARMS. UM THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE TO WORK ON. UM, AND KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE BUSSES NOT EVERY BUS HAS THEM AS WELL. IF EVERY BUS

[00:35:05]

THE ADMINISTRATION DID MAKE THEM BUT I WAS CONSULT CONSULTED ON IT. THESE ARE REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE. BUT WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS IN THE NAME OF SAFETY. I'M VERY SORRY AND I FEEL VERY BAD THAT THIS HAD TO HAPPEN BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SO MANY STUDENTS LOST A LOT OF THESE EXPERIENCES OVER COVID. BUT YOU KNOW, REALLY, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT, AND IT WAS REALLY THE RESULT OF A FOOLISH AND RECKLESS AND REALLY TERRORIZING EXPERIENCE THAT WAS CREATED THERE. AND I HAVE NO SYMPATHY AND HOW WELL WE WILL HAVE NO MERCY FOR ANYONE THAT PUTS OUR COMMUNITY AT RISK LIKE THIS. UM, ON A BRIGHTER NOTE. TOMORROW YOU WILL SEE ME WEARING A SNOOPY SHIRT IN A ADVERTISEMENT THAT GOES OUT AND JUST A BRIEF COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING THE FIRST OF WHAT WE'RE CALLING ENGAGED FOR EDUCATION. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I THINK THAT KEEPING THE CONVERSATION GOING IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S HOW WE SOLVE PROBLEMS. UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY THAT THESE COMMENTS WORK HERE AT THE BOARD MEETINGS, THEY'RE VERY UNIT DIRECTIONAL ONE WAY AND YOU'RE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES AND SO IF WE REALLY WANT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, WE HAVE TO ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE. SO WE'RE STARTING. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE MONTHLY. WE'RE GOING TO DO ONE EXCLUSIVELY FOR STUDENTS, WHICH MEDINA WILL BE HELPING US WITH. WE'LL DO ONE FOR FACULTY AND STAFF, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO ONE IN EVERY DISTRICT, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY AND OPEN HALL FORUM TO BE ABLE TO FOR A FEW HOURS ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION WHERE WE HAVE NO AGENDA. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, TALK AND DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS AND WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS. SO THE FIRST ONE WILL BE NOVEMBER 1ST AT FALSE IN HIGH SCHOOL FROM 5 30 TO 7:30 P.M, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THERE. LASTLY UM, I WILL NOT BE HERE NEXT WEEK. AS I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED. I'VE ASKED MISS HAN TO FILL IN FOR ME. I WILL BE JOINING VIRTUALLY AND STARTING IN NOVEMBER, BASED ON SOME FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, WE WILL BE MOVING THE BOARD MEETINGS FROM 6 30 TO 6 P.M. THAT'S ALL. I HAVE, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE

[Public Comments]

TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IN PERSON. SPEAKERS WILL PROCEED. FIRST THEY WILL BE CALLED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. REMOTE SPEAKERS WILL PROCEED NEXT. THEY WILL BE ADMITTED TO THE MEETING BY HCPS STAFF MEMBER WHEN IT'S THEIR TURN. ALL SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK IN FIVE MINUTES FOR IF YOU'RE REPRESENTING A GROUP SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND MAY BE GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR 3 TO 5 MINUTE MARK, THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. WHO DO WE HAVE IN THE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY DO WE HAVE ANY? VIRTUALLY WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS. SPEAKERS OKAY. THANK YOU. MR ROLLO, CAN YOU PLEASE BEGIN THE IN PERSON REGISTRATION OF THE SPEAKERS? SO THIS EVENING WE HAVE 13 REGISTERED AND PERSON SPEAKERS, STARTING WITH AMBER WELLNESS. AND THEN FOLLOWED BY DAVID BAUER.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AMBER MILLIONS AND I AM A PROUD TEACHER AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL.

I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK UP AND CLEAR UP MISINFORMATION THAT IS SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE THROUGH THE COUNTY AND CAUSING SEVERE CONSEQUENCES THAT HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE CHILDREN OF THIS COUNTY. I HAVE BEEN A TEACHER FOR 25 YEARS AND I STILL ENJOY EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THE CLASSROOM. HOWEVER THE PAST FEW YEARS HEARING AND READING COMMENTARY FROM THESE MEETINGS ARE STARTING TO WEAR ON ME. I AM FRUSTRATED BY MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND THE HYPOCRISY THAT YOU SPEAK EACH BOARD MEETING WHEN YOU SAY YOU REPRESENT ALL STUDENTS, I NEED TO SPEAK UP AND OUT FOR MOST HCPS TEACHERS IN THE COUNTY. WE ARE NOT INDOCTRINATING KIDS. WE ARE TEACHING YOUR KIDS TO SUBJECTS THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO TEACH. WE ARE TEACHING KINDNESS,

[00:40:03]

NO WE JUST DON'T WANT TO GLORIFY PEOPLE WHO ARE TIED TO SLAVERY. THESE SCHOOLS INVOLVED A LARGE PORTION OF ALREADY MIRAJ REALIZED GROUPS IN THIS COUNTY. CAN THEY AT LEAST GO TO A SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T REMIND THEM OF THAT FACT. PLEASE STOP THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION, CONTINUING TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, ACKNOWLEDGE AND VALIDATE HOMOPHOBIC AND RACIST BELIEFS OF A CERTAIN GROUP AS A VALUABLE STAKEHOLDER UNDERMINES YOUR STANCE ABOUT BEING FOR ALL STUDENTS. THIS GROUP IS NOT A STAKEHOLDER, NOR DO THEY DESERVE TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. HE HELPS NO ONE MOVE FORWARD. IT JUST MOVES ALL OF US BACKWARDS. TO QUOTE A TIKTOK. I RECENTLY WATCHED EVERYONE YOU ENCOUNTER YOU EITHER LEAVE A FOOTPRINT OF FOLLOW. OR SCAR TO HEAL. WHICH DO YOU CHOOSE TO LEAVE ON YOUR TENURE SHIP HERE AT HTTPS ON THE BOARD OF ED. LET'S STICK TO THE REAL ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR M CAP SCORES LIKE THE BUDGET BY PROVIDING THE BARE MINIMUM OF FUNDING CLASS SIZES CONTINUE TO BE LARGER THAN WHAT RESEARCH SAYS IS PRODUCTIVE FOR ACTUAL LEARNING. AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

OUR BUDGET ALLOWS FOR 25 TO 30 STUDENTS PER CLASS. HOW IS THAT PROVIDING THE ENVIRONMENT NECESSARY TO NURTURE A LOVE OF LEARNING IN THOSE EARLY MOST CRITICAL YEARS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY, BUT WE, UM WE DON'T ALLOW CLAPPING. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER. AND THIS EVENING, I'M GOING TO BE TALKING AROUND THE THEME OF RANDOMNESS AND PATTERNS. A COMMON THEME. INDEED ANALYSIS IS WHEN YOU HAVE JUST A FEW SAMPLES OF DATA THEY OFTEN DON'T SHOW MUCH THEY LOOK KIND OF RANDOM. AS YOU ADD MORE DATA POINTS, PATTERNS EMERGE AND GET STRONGER. FOR EXAMPLE, INDIVIDUAL INCIDENTS OF THREATS, HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE OFTEN APPEAR RANDOM. WHEN THE DATA IS COMPILED. WE SEE PATTERNS WHEN THE FBI RELEASED THEIR 2020 HIT CRIME STATISTICS, THEY SHOULD DIG INCREASES AGAINST ASIAN GROUPS. SEEN AS A REACTION TO COVID RHETORIC. LOOKING BACK FURTHER. THE FBI REPORTED A HUGE INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES AGAINST MUSLIMS FROM 2000 TO 2001 ATTRIBUTED TO THE 9 11 ATTACKS AND THE RESPONSES TO THEM. THAT BRINGS US TO THE TERM STOCHASTIC TERRORISM. SO CASTAIC TERRORISM IS ROUGHLY 11 PERSON OR GROUP.

ATTACKS A SECOND PARTY VERBALLY EARNED WRITING AND THEN SOME THIRD PARTY RESPONDS BY PHYSICALLY ATTACKING THE SECOND PARTY. PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS EXAMPLE IS KING HENRY OF THE SECOND SAYING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECTIVE QUOTE. WILL NOBODY RID ME OF THIS MEDDLESOME PRIEST IN QUOTE. AND WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT SOME NIGHTS WENT AND KILLED THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. HOW RANDOM IN THE MODERN ERA. WE HAVE BIG EXAMPLES SUCH AS THE COLORADO SPRINGS CLUB Q MASS SHOOTING AND THE BUFFALO, NEW YORK, MASS. SHOOTING BOTH OF WHICH HAPPENED JUST LAST YEAR.

NOW SHOOTINGS ARE KIND OF RARE. WHAT ABOUT MILD, MILDER INCIDENTS? STOCHASTIC BULLYING OR STOCHASTIC HARASSMENT? IN DAVIS, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC LIBRARY WAS EVACUATED REPEATEDLY IN AUGUST TO THE BOMB THREATS AFTER THEY STOPPED PROVIDING A SPACE TO MONSTER LIBERTY. MANY OTHER SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES AND EVEN HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THREATS. DO THE RIGHT RING. DUE TO RIGHT WING ACTIVISTS AND RHETORIC. AND THESE ARE THE BIG EVENTS THAT MAKE THE NEWS. HOW

[00:45:06]

AND I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE BECAUSE I'M ALSO A 26 YEAR TEACHER FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TONIGHT. I'D LIKE TO MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR TO THE BOARD AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHERS DO NOT TEACH PORNOGRAPHY IN CLASSROOMS THAT MEDIA SPECIALISTS DO NOT HOUSE PORNOGRAPHY IN OUR LIBRARIES, AND NONE OF US HAVE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO INDOCTRINATE THE STUDENTS OF HCPS, NOR DO WE TEACH THEM TO STEAL OR LIE OR SUPPORT THIEVERY OR FLAG BURNING. DURING THE HDS CURRICULUM, AS WAS ACCUSED OF OUR 10TH GRADE CURRICULUM IN THE CLASSROOM ONLY A WEEK AGO. IT'S SO EASY THESE DAYS TO TAKE SOMETHING OUT OF CONTEXT AND EXAGGERATE COMPLETELY. AND THIS LEADS SOMEONE NOT KNOWING THE ENTIRE SITUATION OR READING AN ENTIRE BOOK. THESE LIES AND ACCUSATIONS MUST STOP BEING POSTED AND SPOKEN ABOUT OUR EDUCATORS. THIS IS A DEFAMATION OF OUR CHARACTER AND CAUSING UNDUE STRESS FOR THE CHILDREN THAT WE TEACH. THOSE WHO SAY THAT ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHERS AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS ARE EXPOSING CHILDREN TO PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL. SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FRAMING OF THE CHARACTER AND THE REPUTATION OF HCPS AND ITS EMPLOYEES. THERE'S A GROUP WHO SAY THAT THEY'RE FOR LIBERTY, BUT THEY PROCLAIMED THE EXACT OPPOSITE. SO MUCH OF LIBERTY IS THE POWER OF CHOICE AGAIN.

LIBERTY IS DEFINED AS THE POWER OF CHOICE AMONG THE FREEDOM FROM DESPOTISM. THIS GROUP. AND THEIR SUPPORTERS ARE TRYING TO ATTEMPT TO TAKE READING RIGHTS AWAY FROM YOUNG ADULTS, ESPECIALLY LGBT COUPE. L G B T Q. PLUS STUDENTS OF COLOR AND STUDENTS OF SPECIAL NEEDS. THEY DO NOT WANT STUDENTS TO RE LITERATURE. THAT IS AN INTEREST TO THESE STUDENTS, BECAUSE IT COULD BE THAT ONE PIECE OF LITERATURE SHARED IN THEIR LIVES THAT THEY CAN CONNECT YOU. IT COULD BE THE ONE BOOK THAT GIVES THEM THE COMFORT TO BELIEVE AND TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH WHO THEY ARE.

THE ONE BOOK THAT GIVES THEM A NEW PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM, THE ONE BOOK THAT COULD HELP THEM MAKE CHANGE. SOME BOOKS. I WILL SAY CONTAINMENT TO OUR CONTENTS, BUT THOSE ARE HOUSED IN HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND AN ENTIRE BOOK CANNOT BE DEFINED BY A FEW PASSAGES. I UNDERSTAND BOTH AS A PARENT AND EDUCATOR THAT NOT ALL SUBJECT MATTER WILL BE AGREED UPON. HOWEVER WHAT SITS IN A HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY WILL NOT BE FOUND IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WON THE ANCHOR TEXT FOR ENGLISH FOR SENIORS WILL NOT BE FOUND IN FIRST GRADE LESSONS. THERE ARE SUBJECTS THAT PARENTS DO NOT WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO READ ABOUT, AND THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. THAT'S WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP. AND COMMUNITY AND DIALOGUE BETWEEN ALL OF US TO FIND BETTER THINGS THAT ARE SUITED FOR YOUR CHILD'S. BUT NOT EVERYONE'S CHILD IS THE SAME. THEY SHOULD HAVE A CHOICE OF WHAT THEY SHOULD READ AND WANT TO READ. FOR EXAMPLE, WE WOULDN'T FEED STUDENTS THE EXACT SAME LUNCHES EVERY SINGLE DAY IF SOME OF THEM HAD ALLERGIES, SO WHY DO WE EXPECT THEM ALL TO LIKE THE EXACT SAME MATERIAL? I JUST FINISHED THE NIGHT WITH MY 10TH GRADERS. MANY OF THEM HAD NO IDEA. THE HORRORS FACED BY ELLIE WAS L AND THOSE IMPRISONED UNDER HITLER'S VILE DISTORTION OF HUMANITY. SOME CRIED. SOME LET OUT ANGER AND DISCUSSIONS. THEY REALIZE THAT 82 YEARS WAS NOT THAT LONG AGO AND THAT TODAY WE'RE FACING ALL SORTS OF ANTI SEMITISM, DISCRIMINATION OF KIDS WHO WERE DIFFERENT OR JUST TRYING TO BE WHO THEY ARE. I ASKED THE BOARDS AND THE COMMUNITY TO BLOCK OUT THE NOISE OF THOSE WHO LIE ABOUT EDUCATION WHEN IT COMES TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHERS AND MEDIA SPECIALIST LET'S HAVE A REAL

[00:50:04]

GOOD EVENING, DR BOLSON. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER PROVIDENCE. I'M A RETIRED EDUCATOR AND LIVE IN HEAVEN TO GREECE. HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE SAFE, AFFIRMING, WELCOMING PLACES FOR ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION, INCOME LEVEL SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER, IDENTITY OR DISABILITY. AT THE END OF THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR, THE SCHOOL BOARD LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY AND MADE THE DECISION. TO RENAME TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WERE NAMED AFTER MEN WHO OWNED ENSLAVED MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN. FOR CENTURIES AMERICANS CRUEL AND INHUMANE SYSTEM OF SLAVERY, USED VIOLENCE AND TORTURE TO EXPLOIT AND CONTROL ENSLAVED PEOPLE FOR FREE LABOR, BENEFITING GENERATIONS OF WHITE FAMILIES WHILE DENYING THE ENSLAVED THEIR FREEDOM AND BASIC HUMANITY. LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE, TRYING TO PROTECT YOUR LOVED ONES TRYING TO ESCAPE COULD RESULT IN BEING SEPARATED FROM YOUR FAMILY FOREVER, AS WELL AS WHIPPINGS, TORTURE, MUTILATION OR DEATH. SLAVERY TOWARDS GENERATIONS OF BLACK FAMILIES APART. DURING THE SEPTEMBER 18TH BOARD MEETING. A PETITION WAS SUBMITTED REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD REVERSED THEIR DECISION AND RESTORE THE NAMES OF JOHN ARCHER AND WILLIAM PACKER TO THESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AND WHY WOULD SOME PEOPLE FROM THIS COMMUNITY THINK THAT NAMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AFTER MEN WHO OWNED BOUGHT AND SOLD OTHER HUMAN BEINGS? IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN 2023. IS IT A COMPLETE LACK OF CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND EMPATHY? IS IT A DISREGARD FOR THE IMPACT OF SLAVERY THAT IS STILL FELT TODAY AND THE RACIAL DISPARITIES THAT PERSIST IN HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, HOUSING, POLICING, INCARCERATION ACCESS TO CAPITAL WAGES, EMPLOYMENT AND VOTING ACCESS. ARE THEY DENYING AND MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF SLAVERY AS A WAY OF CONDONING IT? WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS IF WE ARE TO MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY. I ASK THOSE WHO SUPPORT THIS PETITION.

WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND A SCHOOL NAMED AFTER SOMEONE WHO ENSLAVED, BRUTALIZED , RAPED AND MURDERED YOUR ANCESTORS OR ANYONE'S ANCESTORS, FOR THAT MATTER, EVEN IF THEY DID GOOD THINGS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. MISS ALVAREZ. I WAS GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE OPPOSING THIS PETITION. HOWEVER YOU SAID THAT WE SHOULDN'T PENALIZE HISTORICAL LEADERS, BUT WRONG IS WRONG AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY SHOULD BE CALLED OUT FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND NOT MINIMIZED. THOSE WHO SUBMITTED AND SUPPORT THIS PETITION DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS IN HARFORD COUNTY. NO PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER MEN WHO OWN BOUGHT AND SOLD HUMAN BEINGS, URGED THE CORN CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD TO DO THE RIGHT THING ONCE AGAIN BY NOT SUPPORTING THIS PETITION. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMANDA ROBERTS, FOLLOWED BY KATHY KOVALEVSKY. SHORT. I'M SORRY. HELLO MY NAME IS AMANDA ROBERTS. I'VE BEEN TEACHING IN HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS. SO I HAVE SEEN MANY ITERATIONS OF THE HCPS CALENDAR. AND I AM HERE TO PROVIDE A TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE TO SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR. FIRST A PRE LABOR DAY START IS BETTER FOR STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY THAN A POST LABOR DAY START. TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO GET STUDENTS READY FOR STANDARDIZED TESTING IN APRIL AND MAY, STARTING BEFORE LABOR DAY GIVES US A MUCH BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. STANDARDIZED TESTING DATES DO NOT CHANGE, NO MATTER HOW LATE WE START SCHOOL, THERE ARE SCHOOLS IN OTHER STATES THAT WILL HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOL FOR A MONTH BEFORE HCPS STARTS. WHO STUDENTS WILL DO WILL BE BETTER PREPARED FOR TESTS LIKE AP EXAMS THAN HCPS STUDENTS GIVING KIDS EXTRA TIME IN THE CLASSROOM BEFORE TESTING HELPS TO ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS. SECONDLY TAKING AWAY TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE

[00:55:06]

THANK YOU AND SORRY TO BE A PARTY POOPER HERE, BUT HE AND GESTURES ARE ALSO NOT ALLOWED NOTHING AGAINST YOU. SORRY. HAND GESTURES ARE ALLOWED. SORRY, GUYS SLIPPERY SLOPE. I'LL TRY NOT TO MAKE ANY HANDS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AS I LISTENED TO THESE BOARD MEETINGS, EITHER IN PERSON AT HOME, I'VE HEARD MANY DIFFERENT TOPICS BROUGHT UP , INCLUDING MANY THAT EVOKES STRONG FEELINGS THAT OFTEN DIFFER. THE ONE THING THAT I BELIEVE WE ALL AGREE ON IS THAT WE WANT TO SEE OUR STUDENTS PERFORM WELL AND SUCCEED. THAT BRINGS UP THE QUESTION OF HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION TO A NUMBER OF MY CO WORKERS, TEACHERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS , PARAPROFESSIONALS, INCLUSION, HELPERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS.

HERE ARE SOME OF THEIR RESPONSES. I NEED SMALLER CLASS SIZES SO I CAN BETTER ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MY STRUGGLING STUDENTS. I NEED PARENTS TO WORK WITH ME AND SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION. I NEED STUDENTS TO COME TO SCHOOL, BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY READY TO LEARN. I NEED MORE TRAINING AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BEHAVIOR CHALLENGES AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE. I NEED MORE PLANNING TIME TO PLAN WITH MY COWORKERS. I'M NEW AND PLANNING WITH MY COWORKERS REALLY HELPS NEED TO FEEL RESPECTED AND SUPPORTED BY THE PUBLIC FOR THE PROFESSIONAL THAT I AM. I NEED BETTER PAY, SO I'M NOT TEMPTED TO GO TO ANOTHER COUNTY THAT PAYS BETTER. I NEED A SMALLER SPECIAL ED CASELOADS SO THAT I CAN IMPLEMENT MY STUDENTS. I PS WITH FIDELITY SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE GREATER PROGRESS. OUR SPECIAL EDUCATORS ARE DROWNING. I NEED MORE BUILDING BASED SPECIAL MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT ARE THERE TO ASSIST WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO EARN A LIVING WAGE. I LOVE MY JOB. BUT DON'T THINK I CAN STAY AFTER THIS YEAR. THAT WAS FROM A PARAPROFESSIONAL. IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR SALARY, IT IS PATHETIC. EACH OF YOU HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT OUR STEPHANIE IS TO HELP OUR STUDENTS ACHIEVE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS. THIS SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR PRIORITY LIST, AND I WILL HOPE I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT LET OTHER ISSUES DISTRACT OR DETER YOU FROM THIS RESPONSIBILITY. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO OUT TO SCHOOLS AND SPEAK TO STAFF TO SEE WHAT THEY TELL YOU. THEY NEED TO BETTER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND PLACE YOUR TIME AND ENERGY INTO SEEKING OUT THOSE RESOURCES. YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO COME VISIT ME. I WORK IN TWO OF THE NEEDIEST SCHOOLS IN THE EDGEWOOD COMMUNITY. BUT YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU COME BECAUSE I AM SHARED BETWEEN BUILDINGS. AS A TAXPAYER IN THIS COUNTY. I DON'T WANT TO SEE MY TAXES GO UP ANY MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE, BUT IN MUCH RATHER SEE MY TAX DOLLARS SPENT ON MEETING STUDENTS NEEDS SO THAT THEY GRADUATE AS PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY AND SEE MY TAX DOLLARS PAY TO SUPPORT THEM IN PRISON. STATISTICS TELL US THAT THOSE WHO DON'T FINISH HIGH SCHOOL ARE 3.5 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO END UP IN PRISON THAT THOSE WHO DO PUPIL SPENDING IN THIS COUNTY IS ROUGHLY $16,000 A YEAR . THE COST OF INCARCERATION FOR ONE PRISONER IS ROUGHLY 44,000.

I'D RATHER SEE MY MONEY SPENT ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ON JACOB BENNETT. PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. HELLO AND

[01:00:09]

UM SPEAKING AS MY ROLE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAD A YOUNG CONSTITUENT REACH OUT TO ME IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. WHO'S A SENIOR WHO PLAYS BASEBALL IN HCPS? AND THE REASON HE REACHED OUT TO ME IS HE WANTED TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE SO THAT JACKIE ROBINSON DAY CAN BE CELEBRATED THROUGH OUR HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SPORTS TEAMS. HE'S GOING INTO HIS SENIOR YEAR, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEEN FORMALLY RECOGNIZED DURING THE SEASON. AND AH, HE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MAYBE COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME OUT AND SPEAK BEFORE THE GAMES THAT WEEK. BANNERS AT THE BALL FIELDS AND ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND MAYBE A PATCH THAT PLAYERS CAN WEAR ON THEIR UNIFORM TO RECOGNIZE JACKIE ROBINSON DAY AND THEN ADDITION TO THAT RECOGNIZED THE LOCAL HISTORY IN THE NEGRO LEAGUES HERE CONNECTED TO HARTFORD COUNTY. UM I THOUGHT THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. UM AND I HOPE I'LL SEND A FOLLOW UP EMAIL TO THE BOARD TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HE SHARED. I HOPE THAT WOULD BE AN EASY THING FOR HCPS TO WRAP ITS ARMS AROUND AND SUPPORT BECAUSE, AS I WAS SO AWESTRUCK THAT 17 YEAR OLD TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES. EMAIL ME TO HAVE A 10:30 A.M. MEETING ON A WEEKEND AND, UH, TO SHARE HIS THOUGHTS AND HIS FEELINGS. UM IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM I JUST WANTED TO SHARE. UH CONTINUE TO SHARE MY CONCERNS IN REGARDS TO READING INSTRUCTION. UM YOU KNOW, BOTH AS A LOCAL LEGISLATOR, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IT MAKE OH, FROM COUNTY TO COUNTY. UM AND ALSO JUST AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, YOU KNOW, JUST TONIGHT, ACTUALLY, ON MY WAY, WALKING FROM THE COUNCIL BUILDING TO HEAR I HAD SOMEBODY STOP ME. TO ASK ME ABOUT READING INSTRUCTION TO ASK ME ABOUT THE UNITS OF STUDY, AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF THEIR TRIALS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A PILOT SCHOOL OR NOT, AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR THEIR CHILD'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE ANSWER IS NO. THEY ARE NOT A PILOT SCHOOL. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT US CONTINUING TO USE THE UNITS OF STUDY AS WE PILOT BENCHMARK ADVANCE, WHICH I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT WE'RE DOING, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE ANSWER IS NOT TO PILOT BENCHMARK ADVANCE AND THE UNITS OF STUDY.

I THINK THE ANSWER IS THE PILOT BENCHMARK ADVANCE AND ANOTHER SCIENTIFICALLY ALIGNED CURRICULUM SO WE CAN SEE WHICH OPTION IS THE BEST FOR US. I REALLY HOPE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT. UH YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST READING RESEARCH FROM DR PAMELA SNOW THAT SHOWED THAT, UH BEING BEHIND AND READING AND WRITING IS DEEPLY LINKED WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY FOR YOUNG LEARNERS, AND I THINK WE SEE THAT IN WHAT SCHOOLS ARE STRUGGLING WITH READING ACHIEVEMENT, AND THEN WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS STRUGGLE THE MOST WITH REFERRALS TO THE OFFICE. UM AND SO ALONG WITH THAT HARFORD COUNTY, HAVING THE THIRD LARGEST RACIAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, FOR ALL BOARDS. AH OF EDUCATION. I REALLY HOPE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE GRAB HOLD OF IT TO HELP TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR KIDS. UM THEN, LASTLY, PUTTING ON MY OTHER HAT AS A SCHOOL TEACHER AT OLD POST ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. UM YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE CONTROVERSY GOING ON AROUND THAT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT YOU KNOW, EACH MORNING WITH MY STUDENTS, WE SAY OUR SCHOOL MISSION, WHICH IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE PENGUIN AT A TIME. WE ARE OPTIMISTIC, PROUD AND RESILIENT. WE ARE OPR.

IN ARGUING NAME THERE'S DEFINING OF OURSELVES. WHO ARE WE? YOU KNOW WE ARE NOT SOMEBODY WHO LIVED HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO. WHO'S ACTUALLY YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESS PARK ACROSS THE STREET IS ALSO NAMED AFTER SO WE STILL SEE HIS NAME EVERY DAY, BUT WE ARE OPTIMISTIC. WE ARE PROUD AND WE ARE RESILIENT. THAT'S A DECLARATORY STATEMENT MADE EACH AND EVERY DAY BY A CHILD OPR.

AND WITH THAT NEW NAME COMES A NEW IDENTITY. UM THAT THE CHILDREN GRAB HOLD OF THAT. THEY SCREAM OUT IN THE MORNING THAT THEY'RE PROUD OF, UM AND I HOPE THAT THEIR LOVE OF THEIR NAME WOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND THE STAKEHOLDERS OF THAT COMMUNITY WOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND THEIR DESIRES. UM BUT THAT'S EVERYTHING FOR ME TONIGHT. AS ALWAYS, PLEASE REACH OUT WHENEVER I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO COMMUNICATE, AND I HOPE TO COMMUNICATE BACK TO MY COUNCIL MEMBERS. EVERYTHING SHARED TONIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACKIE JOHNSON, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINA LYNN OSHA. GOOD EVENING. PRIOR TO THE CLOSE OF SCHOOLS FOR THE SUMMER. I DID

[01:05:05]

ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE. IT SEEMS THEY ARE NOT REALLY GIVEN HOMEWORK. LAST YEAR, THEY HAD VERY MINIMAL HOMEWORK SOME DAYS, NONE AT ALL. HOMEWORK IS MEANT TO REVIEW WHAT WAS TAUGHT AND TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE TEST. ONE OF FIRST GRADE TEACHER WAS ASKED IF THE CHILDREN WERE TAUGHT SPELLING, SHE STATED. WE DON'T TEACH SPELLING BECAUSE THE CHILDREN HAVE SPELL CHECK WHEN THEIR COMPUTERS WHAT HAPPENS WITH WORDS SUCH AS THEIR T H E R E T H E I R AND TH EY PASTOR FEE, ARI. HOW ARE THEY TO KNOW WHEN AND WHERE TO USE EACH OF THESE SPELLINGS? AND WHAT IS CAUSING THE TEACHER SHORTAGE IN THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS? THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, AND I PERSONALLY KNOW OF SEVERAL SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. NO SECONDARY DEGREES. HOW CAN THIS BE? GRANTED THEY ENJOY WHAT THEY DO, AND MOST ARE AN OLIVER ELEMENTARY LEVELS. CAN WE ALSO RETURNED TO MOTHER HELPERS ROOM MOTHERS AS WE USED TO BE CALLED. WE SHOULD GO IN AND HELP THE TEACHERS WHENEVER THEY NEEDED HELP, IF NOT WHY NOT? AND FINALLY, CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK THIS YEAR? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CHILDREN ALWAYS ENJOYED PREPARING FOR. NOT ONLY HAVING PARENTS COME INTO THE CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO A SPECIAL DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS. WHY WAS THIS REMOVED FROM THE SCHOOL CALENDAR? IT'S ALMOST AS IF THE SCHOOLS ARE TRYING TO HIDE WITH THEIR TEACHING. I KNOW I BROUGHT UP SEVERAL QUESTIONS, BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE CONCERNED ABOUT THESE ISSUES. AND I TRULY HOPE THAT WE AS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS WILL GET TRUTHFUL ANSWERS.

YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. ACCORDING TO THE CORNELL LAW SCHOOL, THE FIRST AMENDMENT GUARANTEES FREEDOMS CONCERNING RELIGION, EXPRESSION, ASSEMBLY AND THE RIGHT TO PETITION IT FORBIDS CONGRESS FROM BOTH PROMOTING ONE RELIGION OVER OTHERS AND ALSO RESTRICTING INDIVIDUALS. RELIGIOUS PRACTICES GUARANTEES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION BY PROHIBITING CONGRESS FROM RESTRICTING THE PRESS OR THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO SPEAK FREELY, ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. ONE OF THE DEFINITIONS OF RELIGION IS A PARTICULAR VARIETY OF SUCH RELIEF. ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY WHEN ORGANIZED INTO A SYSTEM OF DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE YOUR TEACHINGS ON GENDER IDEOLOGY AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING FIT INTO THAT DEFINITION. HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS HAS ORGANIZED THESE BELIEFS INTO A SYSTEM OF DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE AND ARE TEACHING THESE BELIEFS TO A CAPTIVE AND VULNERABLE AUDIENCE.

OUR CHILDREN YOU ARE PROMOTING THIS RELIGION OVER CHRISTIANITY AND ALL OTHER RELIGIONS. IN ADDITION, YOU'RE RESTRICTING THE RIGHTS OF OUR CHILDREN AND EVEN OUR TEACHERS TO SPEAK WHAT THEY BELIEVE ABOUT GENDER INSTEAD OF INSTEAD REQUIRING THAT THEY GO ALONG WITH THE MISGUIDED BELIEFS OF SOME STUDENTS, MOST PEOPLE CORRECTLY BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO GENDERS AS GOD CREATED US AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE RELIED LYING TO OUR CHILDREN. SKEWING THEIR SENSE OF REALITY.

ANOREXICS BELIEVE THEY ARE FAT. BUT DO WE TELL THEM? THIS IS THE TRUTH BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IT TO BE SO, NO, WE GENTLY AND COMPASSIONATELY. TELL THEM THE TRUTH AND GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED. SECOND CHRONICLES 14 11. THEN ASA CALLED THE LORD HIS GOD AND SAID, LORD, THERE IS NO ONE LIKE YOU TO HELP THE POWERLESS AGAINST THE MIGHTY HELP US. LORD OUR GOD, FOR WE RELY ON YOU. AND IN YOUR NAME WE HAVE COME AGAINST THIS FAST ARMY LORD, YOU ARE OUR GOD DO NOT LET MERE MORTALS PREVAIL AGAINST YOU. THE PORNOGRAPHIC AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS, WHICH HAVE BEEN FOUND IN OUR SCHOOLS AND READ HERE AT THE BOARD MEETINGS ARE NORMALIZING SEX IN

[01:10:02]

MY NAME IS SUSIE SCOTT. I'M THE CHAPTER CHAIR OF MOMS FOR LIBERTY, HARFORD COUNTY. UH STUDY WAS COMMISSIONED AT THE END OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, AND IT WAS CONDUCTED BY A NATIONALLY RESPECTED POLLING FIRM MCLAUGHLIN. UM IT HAD AN EVEN SAMPLE OF DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS AND THE RESULTS , MUCH LIKE OUR STUDENTS ASSESSMENTS WERE SHOCKING. 67% OF AMERICANS IN THE POLL BELIEVED PUBLIC EDUCATION IS HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

67% 70% OF THOSE POLLED BELIEVE THAT PARENTS SHOULD HAVE THE ULTIMATE SAY AND WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT. 71% OF THOSE POLLED OPPOSED TEACHING GENDER IDEOLOGY TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. AND 73% WANT SCHOOLS TO GET BACK TO TEACHING THE BASICS. NO ONE CAN DEFEND THE ABYSMAL RESULTS. WE'RE SEEING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, YET WE CONTINUE TO WATCH AS THE EXPERTS COME BEFORE WE NEED. MORE A NEW CURRICULUM WE NEED. SURVEYS MORE SURVEYS WE NEED WE NEED. WE NEED AND THE PUBLIC SITS HERE AND WATCHES THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION, RUBBER STAMPING ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. SINCE HIS ARRIVAL WE HAVE HAD AND WE'VE TAKEN A SEVERE DOWNTURN IN EVERY ACADEMIC INDICATOR. BUT HE TELLS US THAT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACING HCPS IS SYSTEMIC RACISM. BUT MANY BEG TO DIFFER. I'M NOT BUYING THIS NARRATIVE, AND NEITHER ARE MANY OTHER TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIS NARRATIVE ISN'T JUST HAPPENING HERE. BUT IN EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE NATION COINCIDENCE. I DON'T THINK SO. THE RESULTS OF THIS NATIONAL POLL REFLECT THE FEELINGS OF THE MAJORITY OF TAXPAYERS AND PARENTS IN THIS COUNTY AS WELL. THE PEOPLE WHO FUND HCPS AREN'T SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS THAT WE'RE GETTING ON OUR INVESTMENT. TONIGHT YOU'RE GOING TO SIGN ON AGREED TO SIGN ONTO A LAWSUIT. WHICH APPEARS TO BE NOTHING OTHER THAN A MONEY GRAB. BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. WHAT ARE YOU TELLING US? WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US IS THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING HARMED BY VAPING AND PARENTS AREN'T CAPABLE OF PROTECTING THEM. SO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BIG MOTHER IS GOING TO SUE THE NASTY BEAT MAKER. AND SCORE A BIG SETTLEMENT. SO HOW EXACTLY IS THAT GOING TO HELP JOHNNY TO READ OR MARRIED TO SOLVE AN ALGEBRAIC EQUATION? WHAT DATA? ARE YOU TURNING OVER OR WHAT STRINGS ARE ATTACHED TO THIS LAWSUIT? WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE MONEY? DID YOU SEEK PARENTS' PERMISSION TO USE THEIR CHILDREN TO GAIN A FINANCIAL WINDFALL? WHO ARE YOU GOING TO SUE NEXT? UM COMMENTING ON WHAT MISS COKER BROUGHT UP IN HER HER COMMENTS. I'D LIKE TO THANK HER FOR POINTING OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY OUTDATED POLICIES. UM BUT THEY'RE ALSO POLICIES ON THE BOOK THAT PROHIBIT SMOKING AND VAPING IN SCHOOLS. SO WHAT? WHAT GOES? ARE YOU NOT ENFORCING THE POLICIES ON THE BOOKS? WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE NOT ENFORCING A POLICY ON THE BOOK. AH PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS HAVE LESS PATIENTS GOING ALONG TO GET ALONG IS NOT GOING TO CUT IT ANYMORE, AND IT'S TIME FOR SOME TRUE LEADERSHIP AND COURAGE FROM THIS BOARD. YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE THIS, BUT IT'S TRUE. I HAVE GREAT SYMPATHY, NOT JUST FOR YOU, DR TOLSON, BUT FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD IT TAKES COURAGE TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AND TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD OR TO TAKE THE ASSIGNMENT IF YOU WERE AN APPOINTED MEMBER. BUT YOU CHOSE TO DO THIS, AND NOW YOU'RE BEING PUT TO THE TEST. OUR CHILDREN

[01:15:04]

BUT IF YOU'RE ON THE WRONG ROAD PROGRESS MEANS DOING AN ABOUT TURN AND WALKING BACK TO THE RIGHT ROAD. IN THAT CASE, THE MAN WHO TURNS BACK SOONEST IS THE MOST PROGRESSIVE THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARGIE GALLAGHER. OKAY I'M NEXT SPEAKER IS DELAINE LEWIS, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU'LL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. HELLO MY NAME IS ELAINE LEWIS.

I'M WITH TOGETHER WE WILL THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO ISSUES THAT IMPACT ALL OF THE STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF AT HCPS. I READ DR POINT IN HIS LETTER TO THE EDITOR. AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE WILLING TO LISTEN TO EVERYONE.

THE PROBLEM WITH YOUR COMMENTS IS THAT YOU HAVE PUT EVERYONE ON EQUAL FOOTING. AND PERHAPS THAT IS WHERE WE SHOULD ALL START. BUT AT THIS POINT, THERE IS NO EQUALITY OF PURPOSE. THERE ARE GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO SEEK ACTIONS BY THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT ARE DIRECTLY HARMFUL TO THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM THE BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE. DO NOT SAY THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS YOUR PRIORITY AND THEN GIVE CREDENCE TO PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO CLAIM THAT TEACHERS ARE GROOMING CHILDREN TO BE GAY, OR WHO SAY THAT BEING GAY IS A MENTAL ILLNESS THAT CHILDREN ARE BEING INDOCTRINATED TO BE GAY AND TO BE HUMAN TRAFFIC. THAT LEARNING ABOUT THE FULLNESS OF OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, INCLUDING OUR RACIAL HISTORY HARMS CHILDREN. THOSE WHO SAY THIS ARE NOT EQUAL. THEY ARE HARMFUL AND DANGEROUS TO THE WELL BEING OF THE STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF HERE. THE FACT THAT MULTIPLE TIMES ONE PERSON WHILE WEARING HER MOM'S FOR LIBERTY SHIRT, AND THEN IN THE LAST MEETING, ANOTHER PERSON QUOTED MATTHEW 18 6, WHICH STATES THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE DROWNED BY PUTTING A MILLSTONE AROUND THEIR NECK. THAT IS ADVOCATING VIOLENCE, BUT IT IS ALLOWED TO GO ON AND ON REPEATEDLY IT IS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF YOUR POLICY THAT IS READ AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. SO THAT WE ASK THAT YOU MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ANYONE WHO QUOTES THAT VERSE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE ESCORTED FROM THIS ROOM AND IF THEY CONTINUE TO DO SO THAT THEY SHOULD BE BANNED FROM THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS, THEY CAN STILL SEND THEM TO YOU AND WRITING. WHERE ARE GAY STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND STAFF. DO NOT HAVE TO HEAR THAT PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THINK THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF DEAD FOR EITHER BEING GAY OR FOR BEING WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT QUEERNESS EXISTS. WE DO EXPECT PROFESSIONALISM FROM OUR BOARD. MISS ALVAREZ AND MISHAAN SEEMED TO HAVE NO CONCERN ABOUT MAKING OR REPEATING ALLEGATIONS ABOUT HCPS WITHOUT VERIFYING THEM FIRST. HERE'S A BASIC STANDARD THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD ALL EMPLOY. DOES IT. PASS THE MAN ON THE STREET TEST IF YOU WALK UP TO A PERSON ON THE STREET AND SAY HCPS IS TEACHING CHILDREN THAT IT'S OK TO STEAL. IT IS SO ABSURD ON ITS FACE THAT NO ONE WILL BELIEVE YOU. MAYBE YOU BETTER NOT MAKE A REPEAT THAT ALLEGATION UNTIL YOU HAVE CHECKED IT OUT FIRST. OR MAKING STATEMENTS THAT NO ONE IN HCPS WILL PROVIDE YOU SOME INFORMATION YOU SEEK. IT JUST ISN'T CREDIBLE. IN REFERENCE TO YOUR ALLEGATIONS ABOUT CURRICULE STATES THAT'S THE STANDARDS FOR THE CURRICULUM, AND THAT IS ALL ONLINE. PLEASE GOOGLE IT TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL THAT HCPS HAS TO PAY TO USE. YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO VIEW IT AT AN HCPS FACILITY. THERE IS NO CONSPIRACY. AND WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT IDEOLOGY PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL. HOW ARE YOU ARE DEFINING THAT WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S IDENTITIES AND HUMANITY. NOT AN IDEOLOGY. AND AS A BOARD, YOU ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO RESPECT AND PROTECT THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS STUDENTS HAVE THEM ALSO. SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS SEEK TO DIVERT ATTENTION TO THEIR GROSS OBSESSION WITH ANYTHING THAT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS MENTIONING SEX OR GENDER AND LABEL IT PORNOGRAPHY. AND OF COURSE, IT'S ALWAYS FRAMED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO CREATE THE MOST DRAMA. NO ONE HERE IS ADVOCATING FOR PORNOGRAPHY. AND BEFORE YOU DISMISS ANY GRAPHIC NOVELS, PLEASE REMEMBER IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE MATERIALS FOR ALL DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES. TO ME. THIS IS A THEM PROBLEM, NOT AN HCPS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY ARE TREATED AS LEGITIMATE. YOU ARE NOW PANDERING TO THEM WITH THIS BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL ON IT. THIS IS THE WASTE OF TIME AND RESOURCES THAT COULD BE SPENT ON READING AND WRITING.

[01:20:05]

PLEASE PROTECT THOSE IN YOUR CHARGE TO ACT PROFESSIONALLY AND TO DO THE JOB. THE LAST AND PERSON SPEAKER I HAVE REGISTERED AS MR IN INCOGNITO. GOOD EVENING. UM. I WANTED TO ADDRESS WHAT ARE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. IT'S AN INTELLECTUAL PROCESS OF A VALUE WAITING INFORMATION BASED ON LOOKING AT MULTIPLE SOURCES. UH BASED ON REASONING, EXPERIENCE OBSERVATION IT IS NOT BASED ON EMOTIONAL REASONS. UH WHEN ONE APPLIES CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS TO THE ARGUMENT THAT WILLIAM PACK AND JOHN ARCHER WERE NEARLY SLAVE OWNERS FALLS APART WHEN YOU APPLY CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. THE TERM RACIST IS NOW USED AS A WEAPON. FACT OUR FOREFATHERS WERE BORN INTO A WORLD THEY DID NOT CREATE.

DURING A TIME WHEN SLAVERY WAS COMMON, AND NO MORAL JUDGMENT WAS APPLIED. SLAVERY HAS BEEN A BLIGHT ON CIVILIZATION SINCE LITERALLY THE BEGINNING OF TIME. IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO AMERICA, AND IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO AFRICAN AMERICANS, EITHER. MUSLIMS HAD EUROPEAN SLAVES. MIDDLE EAST HAD JEWISH SLAVES. GREAT BRITAIN, CHINA. THEY HAD SLAVES FROM TURKEY. PERSIA, INDONESIA. UM.

THE FACT IS, OUR FOREFATHERS WORKED HARDER THAN ANY OTHER WORLD LEADERS IN HISTORY TO ABOLISH SLAVERY. AND THE FACT IS THERE WAS LESS LAVERY AFTER OUR FOREFATHERS THAN BEFORE. DOES OWNING SLAVES. RELEASE OUR FOREFATHERS FROM MORAL CULPABILITY. ABSOLUTELY NOT, BUT IT ALSO DOES NOT WARRANT CONDEMNING THEM AND REMOVING ALL THEIR NAMES FROM PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, STATUES, MONUMENTS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND CONTEXT. THERE'S A LOT MORE NUANCED TO RATHER THAN HOW DARE YOU WANT TO PUT SLAVE OWNERS NAMES? ON BUILDINGS. WHAT'S NEXT ? THE JEFFERSON MONUMENT BEN FRANKLIN BRIDGE, THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL WHERE WHERE DOES IT STOP? AND LASTLY, AS FOR QUOTING A PART OF SCRIPTURE, CLAIMING IT'S A CALL FOR VIOLENCE IS SO DISINGENUOUS. IT'S DISINGENUOUS. UM AND I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ YOUR BIBLE TO, UH, TO GET THE REAL MEANING OF THAT IS WHAT I HOPE IS. THIS BOARD IS BOTH CAPABLE OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON THAT AS WELL AS MM, MORALLY. BRAVE TO STAND UP TO WHAT AMOUNTS TO COMMUNITY BULLYING AT THESE MEETINGS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SAID IT IN PERSON FOR IN PERSON. OKAY MISS LATER. CAN YOU BEGIN VIRTUAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS? I UNDERSTAND THERE IS ONE IN THE LOBBY. YES, THANK YOU, PRESIDENT POYNTON. SKILLS AND MAKING DECISIONS.

EVENING. YOU ARE NOW IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME YOUR TONGUE. GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? NUMBER ENDING IN 04 TO ZERO. OKAY, SO YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES BEFORE YOU START STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOU'LL HEAR A BELL RING WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING. OKAY? TO GO AHEAD AND STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOU CAN BEGIN YOUR COMMENTS. THEY'RE SEEING ANTHONY. AS A MOTHER OF TWO KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS THAT ATTEND OPR OPAL ELEMENTARY

[01:25:03]

[A.1. Contract Award: HVAC Direct Digital Control of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Equipment]

[A.2. Contract Award: Chromebook Protective Cases]

NUMBER TWO CHROMEBOOK PROTECTIVE CASES. SO THEN, DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. TO APPROVE CONTRACT AWARD H VAC. THIS IS MISS HAN AND I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE NUMBER ONE. THE CONTRACT FOR THE H V. A C. DIGITAL CONTROL OF HEATING VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT.

THANK YOU. IS THERE A 2ND 2ND? THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. MOTION PASSES. SO THEN WE ARE AT, UH OPENING UP THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION FOR CONTRACT AWARD CHROMEBOOK PROTECTIVE CASES. BOYS YOURS. THANK YOU. UM. I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT SPENDING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY ON CASES FOR THE LAPTOPS IS ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE FACING CHALLENGES WITH OUR BUDGET THAT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON THE CASE FOR THE LAPTOPS HAS BENEFICIAL. UM CONSIDERING LIKE IN THE DESCRIPTION IT STATES THAT LAST YEAR THEY REPLACED TWO REPLACED. EXCUSE ME. 2870 BROKEN SCREENS FOR A TOTAL COST OF $215,221. SO THAT ISN'T EVEN I MEAN THAT'S HALF OF THE COST TO JUST PUT THE CASES ON THEM. I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT A BENEFICIAL AGAIN. THIS COULD BE. AT LEAST TWO MAYBE THREE TEACHERS SALARIES IN ORDER FOR US. I JUST DON'T THINK THIS IS A BENEFICIAL UM, COST FOR US TO SO THIS IS A GRANT AND I BELIEVE THERE ARE CERTAIN CONDITIONS THAT COME WITH THIS GRANT. IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN SPEAK TO THIS? THAT'S ROLLO. MR PRESIDENT. I THINK THAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBER NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE OTHER COSTS OF 1629, MAN HOURS CONSUME. SO THERE, MAN HOURS. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE COST OF THE ACTUAL PRODUCT SHOULD BE FACTORED INTO THAT. DO WE KNOW IF THAT COST WAS ONLY TO

[01:30:03]

YES, PLEASE. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. JASON WILLIAMSON AND MANAGER OF THE ENDPOINT TEAM, WHICH REPAIRS THESE CHROMEBOOKS AND WE DO TAKE THAT COST OUT OF THE PROTECTION PLAN, BUT LIKE MRS UM BRUCE SAID. THAT IS NOT FACTORING IN THAT IS JUST SCREENS ALONE. SO YOU HAVE TO ALSO FACTOR IN TIME AND INSTRUCTION LOST WHEN WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE DEVICE. WE HAVE TO FACTOR IN MAN HOURS TO DO THIS, AND THERE'S A TON OF OTHER PARTS LIKE PLASTICS. WE HAVE TO SHIP THE LAPTOPS, THE DELL AND THAT COST YOU'RE SEEING IS JUST THE SCREENS FROM ONE FISCAL YEAR WE HOLD THE CHROMEBOOKS FOR THREE YEARS AND ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL LICENSE FOR FOUR YEARS. SO THE FACT OF THAT STUFF INTO ITSELF. HAVE A QUESTION. AND ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE CASES WOULD BE PROTECT THE CORONA BOOKS OF THE SCREENS DON'T GET BROKEN AND STUFF LIKE THAT'S WHAT? WE'RE HOPING. YES SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. GET PROTECTIVE CASE. HOLD IT UP SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE YOU HAVE ONE HERE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE SAW IT OVER BREAK, BUT I WANTED THE PUBLIC TO SEE IT AS WELL. YEAH AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY OF THESE ARE BROKEN BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE STUDENTS AND MANY SCHOOLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY THEM IN THEIR BACKPACKS. IS THAT RIGHT? WHICH IS MAYBE ANOTHER ISSUE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS, BUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, OKAY? YEAH, THEY SLIDE OFF THE PANTS AND THEY'RE JUST ACTING BOOKS THEY FALL.

USUALLY THEY'RE LIKE FROM A FIVE FOR THE LAST FALL, AND IT WILL CRACK THE SCREENS, AND THIS IS GOING TO HOPEFULLY STOP THAT. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT, CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE FOR THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC WHERE THEY GRANT IS COMING FROM? I AM NOT SO I'M OUTSTANDING RIGHT HERE, SO I DON'T KNOW. I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. THAT'S OKAY. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD HELP. A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH AT THE END OF THE LEASE. WE HAVE A TON OF MAN HOURS WHO SPENT A TEAM OF 20 GUYS ALL SUMMER. JUST GETTING THESE DEVICES BACK TO THE SHAPE WHERE WE COULD GIVE THEM BACK TO DELL. AND THAT'S AWESOME FACTORING AND IF WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE 20 GUYS AND SPEND THREE MONTHS PREPARING THIS. THAT'S ALSO A HUGE FACTOR IN TIME AND ENERGY. AND MR PRESIDENT. YES, MA'AM. IT SAYS HERE THAT THIS IS AN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF BRAND. ALRIGHT THANKS. CAN'T BE REDIRECTED TO TEACHER'S SALARY. JUST FOR CLARITY. WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON THE NUMBER IS 28,000 PROTECTIVE CASES. DO YOU KNOW DOES THAT COVER EVERY CHROMEBOOK? YES. HEY, THROUGH EIGHT, THOUGH, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. THIS AND THAT'S UH K THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVES LAPTOP BOOK, RIGHT? OKAY. THANK YOU. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. LIKE ALL THE EXTRA MONEY? YES. YEAH. AND WE SPEND EXTRA MONEY, THOUGH, ON , YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE IN THE CLASSROOM THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT EDUCATORS, WE'RE DOING THAT NOW, BUT THAT'S PART OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WON'T HAVE THE FUNDING THAT MONEY ENDS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. SO THIS IS KIND OF ONE TIME EXPENDITURE. UM WE HAVE NEARLY $10 MILLION WORTH OF PEOPLE. OUT OF THESE GRANTS, AND THAT WILL BE ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR. SO, ADDING TO THAT WOULD JUST CREATE IT WOULD ADD TO THE BURDEN. WE HAVE TRYING TO FIND THE FUNDS TO REPLACE THOSE PEOPLE. THIS MIGHT EXPIRES DECEMBER 23. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THE SPECIFIC DATE. UM, IT WE HAVE LESS THAN A YEAR TO SPEND THIS. BECAUSE YOU GOT BALLS AND THIS IS ERIC CLARK, ERIC. THE DIRECTOR OF BUDGET, JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS THE FUNDS IN SEPTEMBER 30TH 2024. HOWEVER WE'RE HOPING TO SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THEM BY JUNE 30TH OF 24 AND THEN ALSO FUN DOES THE SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM THIS SUMMER OF 2024? AND AS AS SOMEONE MADE THE POINT THAT THE OTHER 406,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THAT'S SPREAD OVER THREE YEARS IS 135,000, AND IT BREAKS DOWN TO $14.50 PER CASE WHEN YOU MULTIPLY WHEN YOU DIVIDE THAT 406,000 BY 28,000, SO YES, IT IS A LOT OF MONEY. UM WE DID APPLY FOR IT AND THE ESTER THREE AMENDMENTS. WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR THE YESTERDAY THREE AMENDMENT. TODAY SO IT IS APPROVED. UM BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE POINTS. IT IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S $14.50 PER DEVICE AND IF WE CAN SAVE YOU KNOW, A THIRD TO TWO THIRDS OF THAT 215 THAT WE'RE SPENDING PER YEAR PLUS THE MAN HOURS. IT DEFINITELY PAYS FOR ITSELF. THANK YOU. UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO I

[01:35:02]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE COMMENCE A ROLL CALL VOTE. MS ALVARO'S YES. MISS BRUCE? YES.

MS COKER? YES. DOCTOR MILLER? YES. MISS PERRY? YES. MR BARROSO TO MR SEWELL? YES. MISS STRAUSS? YES. VICE PRESIDENT HAN NO. PRESIDENT PUTIN. YES, THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK THE NEXT ONE. OKAY. WELCOME BACK. ALRIGHT WE'RE GONNA START WITH NEW BUSINESS. UM. WE'RE

[B. Presentation on Proposed Altria Settlement, Kimberly H. Neal, Esq., General Counsel]

EVER KIMBERLY NEAL ON THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. UM AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT WITH PRESENT TO YOU, UM, RECOMMENDATION TO SETTLE A CASE THAT WAS ACTUALLY ENTERED INTO A FEW YEARS AGO. BY THIS BOARD. WE WERE ONE OF 100 OR SO SCHOOL SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

UM THAT ENTERED INTO THIS PARTICULAR LAWSUIT THAT INVOLVED A FEW DIFFERENT DEFENDANTS IN THE VAPING INDUSTRY. YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT BACK IN FEBRUARY, THIS BOARD SETTLED WITH ONE OF THOSE TWO. DEFENDANTS, WHICH WAS JEWEL. UM AND THEN THIS PARTICULAR SETTLEMENT IS WITH A DIFFERENT DEFENDANT, WHICH WAS ALTRIA. UM IN A CLOSED SESSION. YOU ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT. UM THAT FROM OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL WHO HAS HANDLED THIS CASE ON BEHALF OF MULTIPLE DEFENDANTS, UM AND SO AGAIN THIS EVENING. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE VOTE BY THE BOARD TO ENTER INTO THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT TO COMPLETE THE PAPERWORK BY NOVEMBER, 30TH. THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED SUFFICIENT INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC, SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION. TO HAVE A VOTE FOR THE PROPOSED ALTRIA SETTLEMENT. AND A SECOND, PLEASE. CAROL BRUCE AND MOVED THAT WE ACCEPT THE SETTLEMENT. FROM THE, UM IT IS. I CAN'T SAY THE NAME ALTRIA COMPANY IN THE VAPING. IT'S THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THE MOTION. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES. ANY OPPOSED. POLICE SAY NO. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU YOUR

[C. Presentation of FY 2025 Capital Improvement Program, Mr. Cornell Brown, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, Ms. Patti Jo Beard, Executive Director of Facilities Management, Mr. Chris Morton, Supervisor of Planning and Construction, and Ms. Missy Valentino, Facilities Planner]

[01:40:06]

[01:45:01]

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KNOCK OFF SOME OF THESE SMALLER PROJECTS THROUGH THAT, UM, WHICH, SADLY, IS SUNSETTING. IT'S A STATE FUNDING THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE LOCAL MATCH AND IT IS SUNSETTING FY 26. SO THAT WILL BE THE LAST YEAR THAT THAT FUNDING WILL BECOME AVAILABLE, SO SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WERE ABLE TO TAKE OFF OF THIS LIST. UM ARE FUNDED THROUGH THAT ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND AND CHECK OFF SOME OF THESE NEEDS IS THROUGH. BALANCE TRANSFERS. END OF YEAR BALANCE TRANSFERS, CAPITAL BALANCE TRANSFERS WHEN WE FINISH OUR CLOTHES OUT OF PROJECT IF THERE IS MONEY AVAILABLE, IT CAN ROLL OVER INTO ANOTHER CATEGORY AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO APPLY THAT BASED ON NEED AT THAT TIME FOR THESE PROJECTS, SO IT KIND OF JUST GIVES A PICTURE. IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SAY. COMING THINGS ROUTE. WE'RE DEFERRING, BUT EACH SCHOOL AND EACH SYSTEM HAS A LIST OF PRIORITIES. BROUGHT OUT BY SCHOOL, AND IT CONTINUOUSLY IN IS MOVED DOWN INTO WERE ABLE TO MEET THAT TOP PRIORITY, SO I HOPE THAT CLARIFIES THAT A LITTLE BIT UM AND QUESTION DO YOU MIND? IF WE HAVE HAS QUESTION WOULD YOU GO BACK TO THE PRE? OKAY I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN READ THAT PIE CHART OVER ON THE SIDE. I THINK YOU HAVE TO THINK WE CAN READ ANY OF IT. SORRY I PUT THIS TOGETHER INTERLINKED, AND IT WAS LITERALLY 333 30 TODAY THAT I WAS FINISHING UP THIS IT IS 14% OF PROJECTS THAT ARE REQUESTED ARE FUNDED AND THAT'S JUST A 10 YEAR HISTORY. WE HAVE A LONGER HISTORY THAT GOES BACK FURTHER.

BUT THESE ARE LOCAL AND THESE WERE PROJECTS THAT WERE LISTED AS A PRIORITY. AND WE GET 14% OF THEM FUNDED, CORRECT AND YOU CAN SEE DOWN THE BOTTOM EACH YEAR. IT'S DIFFERENT AMOUNTS DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THAT. I UNDERSTAND. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THE SMALL PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING. THAT WE GET FOR PRIORITIZED PROJECTS. THANK YOU.

CLAIRE BENNET. JUST ONCE. IT'S UM SO WE TALKED ABOUT LOCAL FUNDING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THAT WAS AUTHORIZED FIRST BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THEN APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL. OKAY? SO WE'VE ASKED FOR 100% OF OUR CRITICAL NEEDS, AND THEY'VE GIVEN US 14% OF THE LAST 10 YEARS. THAT'S OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AND THEN OUR COUNTY COUNCIL. THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. I HAVE A QUESTION . WHAT IS DOMESTIC WATER AND BACKFLOW? SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A COMPLIANCE ISSUE. UM. YOU PROBABLY CAN EXPLAIN IT BETTER ON OUR WHAT OUR SYSTEMS THAT

[01:50:06]

LAB TECH TECHNOLOGY LABS. YOU'VE BEEN REQUESTING THIS FUNDING. SINCE 2014. SO UM, THE MUSIC TECHNOLOGY LABS. THINGS LIKE THAT. YES, THEY WE THEY GET PUSHED DOWN THE ROAD. UM I BELIEVE SOMETIMES THEY REPLACE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT. THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, YOU'LL SEE THIS WITH ALSO LIKE OUR TECH ED TYPE OF SPACES WHERE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES OVER TIME, AND IF WE'RE NOT GOING IN AND REFRESHING THE EQUIPMENT AND UPDATING IT TO CURRENT DAY STANDARDS, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE INDUSTRY AND ACTUALLY BEING USED IN THE INDUSTRY. THEN THOSE AREAS ARE BEHIND AND THIS IS THE KIND OF GO THROUGH REFRESHING UPDATE TO BRING THEM UP TO DATE WITH TODAY'S STANDARDS, BUT YOU HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE. I MEAN COMPLIANCE WITH WHOM? THAT WE COULD PUSH IT OUT. 10 YEARS SO COMPLIANCE ISSUES THAT COULD BE ON UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS THAT OR ABANDONED AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF OUR LARGER PROJECTS, WE'VE ACTUALLY ATTACK TACKLE THEM WITH THEM. UM WE TRIED TO BRING IT IN WHEREVER WE CAN WITH OTHER PROJECTS. AND

[01:55:04]

SO I HAVE THIS KIND OF A SIMILAR QUESTION LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF ZEROS ON HERE. BUT LIKE WE KNOW THAT WE APPROVED TEXTBOOK REFRESH, SO THAT IS THE MONEY COMING FROM OTHER SOURCES, AND IT WASN'T COMING FROM THE REQUESTED FOR SUPPLEMENTAL REFRESH. UM, IT'S FOR THE LARGER REFRESHES. THAT ARE CREATED THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, SO I KNOW THEY HAD SOME MONEY THAT THEY HAD SITTING IN THEIR CAPITAL ACCOUNT THAT RESIDING WERE ABLE TO SPEND JUST BECAUSE WE SEE A ZERO DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT ITEM WASN'T SATISFIED TO SOME DEGREE OR ANOTHER. THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, BUT NOT ALWAYS NOT THE CASE AS WELL. IF YOU THINK ABOUT US CARRYING THINGS THROUGH UNTIL WE GET TO A LARGER PROJECT. YES WE WILL. WE WILL EVENTUALLY GET AROUND TO THE SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AROSE RESPECTFULLY IF WE IF WE ANSWER FOR THE MONEY FOR THE COUNTY IS BECAUSE WE WORK FOR THE BUDGET MANAGER STOOD BY THOSE CRITICAL NEEDS TO BRING TO THE WAR TO GET APPROVAL AND WE ASKED, AND IF THEY DON'T GET DONE, YEAH, THEY HAVE TO BE CREATIVE IN THE WAY. SO IF WE'RE TAKING MONEY FROM AGING SCHOOLS ARE TAKING MONEY FROM FUND BALANCE, TAKING MONEY FROM THE CAPITAL BUDGETS. AND USING THOSE MONEYS TO PAY FOR THINGS. THAT THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN REDIRECTED IN WHETHER DIRECT AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT YOU GUYS GO THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE ITEMS THAT WE NEED. I'M JUST YOU KNOW IT. I'M SURE YOU KNOW, I'M SURE IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT AND A BALANCING JOB THAT YOU THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DO. UM BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WAS JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE I THINK CAROL WAS BRINGING UP. WELL YOU KNOW WHY WE'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE DO YOU KNOW AND KIND OF STAY AFLOAT, RIGHT? I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE AGING SCHOOLS, UM, MONEY, WE GET THAT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND WILL TYPICALLY HOLD THAT FOR A PORTION OF THE YEAR SO THAT WE KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY CRITICAL FAILURES OF, SAY, A MOVING PARTITION THAT WITHOUT IT, THEN WE CAN'T CLOSE THE CAFETERIA FROM THE GYM AT SOME SCHOOLS, SO WE'LL HOLD THAT FOR A WHILE, WHILE WE MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE EMERGING THEN WE WILL IN THE SPRING. IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES WHERE WE CAN THEN CLICK OFF THOSE PROJECTS BECAUSE WE FEEL YOU'VE GOTTEN SO FAR IN THE YEAR AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING CATASTROPHIC THAT WE NEED THAT MONEY FOR AND WHEN YOU BRING THESE ITEMS TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE UM, THERE THE PRIORITIZATION AND THE RATIONALE FOR EACH OF THOSE ITEMS ARE IS PRESENTED. SO YES. YES SO, UM, THIS IS OUR FIRST PRESENTATION FOR THE LOCALLY FUND. IT AND SO NOW WE ARE FINALIZING THE SCORING AND RANKING OF THE VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. I JUST WILL GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THAT PROCESS. UM, REALLY, WE HAVE THE PROJECT. CATEGORY WE DO HAVE THOSE COMPLIANCE ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO MEET. BASED ON LAWS AND RESTRICTIONS. FACILITY REQUIREMENTS, JUST MAINTAINING OUR FACILITIES, UM, ACADEMIC AND THEN JUST GENERAL REPLACEMENT TYPE OF CATEGORY JUST OVER TIME, THINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED. WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR STATE FUNDING WOULD RECEIVE A HIGHER PRIORITY BECAUSE WE REQUIRE LOCAL MATCH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. UM AND THEN WE HAVE PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS. AND I BELIEVE THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OF THE CONSIDERATION, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY GIVEN TO MULTIPLE CATEGORIES, AND IT'S BASED ON THE WHEN THE IMPACT WILL BE FELT. IT'S A POTENTIAL 1 TO 2 YEARS 3 TO 45 OR MORE OR NO NO POTENTIAL IMPACT. AND THAT'S HOW THERE'S A SCORED AND THEN WE ALSO SCORE BASED ON THEIR LEVEL OF NEED. IS IT A CRITICAL ITEM

[02:00:02]

[02:05:03]

THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FUNDING PRIORITIES ARE. AND I SEE CINDY AND BENNETT BACK THERE , SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THIS TO YOU GUYS AT SOME POINT MIGHT BE HELPFUL. YEAH AND, UM UM, THE COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MR VINCENTI, UM UM, MR GUTHRIE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL WALKED DIFFERENT , YOU KNOW FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE A LOOK AT CONDITIONS. PREVIOUS COUNTY EXECUTIVES. WE'VE TAKEN TOURS WHEN THE CAPITAL BUDGET CONVERSATIONS COME UP. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, DONE, AND WE'LL MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO DO SO AGAIN. THANK YOU. JUST OPEN UP THE FLOOR IF THERE'S ANY FINAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I JUST KIND OF CURIOUS WITH THE SUBJECT FACILITY CODE UPGRADE THAT HASN'T BEEN FUNDED. UM WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. SO A LOT OF IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS, AND IT COULD BE SOME COMPONENTS THAT ARE AGING THAT WE KNOW WE KNOW TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND PROPERLY WE NEED TO WHETHER IT'S PUT ON TELEMETRY OR SOME OF THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, NOTHING THAT'S IN VIOLATION. NOW IT'S JUST THE ANTICIPATED WRECKED, OKAY. JUST CHECKING. YES MA'AM. YES TO SLIDE NUMBER NINE. THANK YOU, CAPTAIN. KEVIN OLD SEEN OCCUPANCY, NO FUNDING. THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT REQUESTING FUNDING, BUT THAT'S A TIMELINE OF OUR MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, CONSTRUCTION FUNDING CONSTRUCTION FUNDING OCCUPANCY. THAT MEANS THE PROJECT IS FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES COMPLETE AND WE HAVE STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING AND WE'RE NOT REQUESTING FUNDING. THAT'S JUST THE YEAR WE CAN EXPECT THAT PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING. OKAY? THANK YOU . I'M A LITTLE SLOW. NO, I HAD TO READ IT AND THINK FOR A MINUTE. SO WHAT DID I MEAN? THANK YOU, MR BRUCE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IS THAT A HALF HAND OR A FULL ONE? TAKE IT OFF SOMEONE ELSE. WHO IS I THINK YOU'RE THE LAST ONE YEAR. OKAY GREAT. UM SO AND I'M TRYING TO FIND THAT I COULDN'T FIND IT. BUT THERE'S A RANKING. UM LIKE EACH COUNTY HAS LIKE A RANKING. I BELIEVE OF LIKE WHERE THE BUILDINGS ARE. WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WHAT IS THAT CALLED THE STATE I SEE CONDITIONING. BLACK SCORING? YES. OKAY SO WHERE DO WE RANK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE IN THE MIDDLE AVERAGE. NOW WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THAT RED ZONE THAT ARE YOU KNOW, AT THAT HIGH END OF THE PRIORITY. UM AND THEN WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE GREEN ZONE, BUT OVERALL WRITING YELLOW WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTIES, RIGHT? UM AND THEN BE INTERESTING TO KNOW. I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK AND YOU KNOW I IT'S

[02:10:01]

REMOVE THEM. UM THIS IS LIKE UNIFORMS LIKE BAND UNIFORMS. UM. WHAT ELSE? ANY TYPE OF TEXTBOOKS LIKE TEXT GENERAL MAINTENANCE TEXTBOOKS SHOULDN'T BE IN CAPITAL TEXTBOOKS. TECHNOLOGY LIKE WE MOVED TECHNOLOGY DEVICES OUT OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET, SO IT'S KIND OF TAKING THE YOU KNOW WE LIKE TO, UM INVESTIGATE LEASING OUR FLEET. BUT THAT WOULD BE AN OPERATING BUDGET. THAT'S NOT A CAPITAL BUDGET. SO WE BUY CARS IN OUR VANS AND TRUCKS OUT OF OUR CAPITAL BUDGET. BUT IF THEY DON'T YOU SEE FINDING THEN YOU KNOW, THEY JUST CONTINUE TO AGE.

IT IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAVE WITH EXECUTIVE AND THEY LIKE PART OF THAT ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES. THINGS REALLY ISN'T ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES THAT NEEDS TO BE PUSHED INTO OPERATING TRY TO MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS, YOU KNOW, UM BUT YEAH. DOES ANYBODY WANT A PROJECT? WELL BEFORE YOU GIVE US ADDITIONAL WORK BEFORE YOU GIVE US ADDITIONAL WORK. THERE'S ONE YES, BECAUSE PLEASE, AND INDUSTRY STANDARD AND I'VE BEEN, UM SAYING IT'S A LOT LATELY IS THERE'S A BENCHMARK WHERE THEY SAY IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR REPLACEMENT COSTS FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO, AND YOU TOOK A CERTAIN PERCENT YOU THE STANDARD IS A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE. YOU SHOULD FUND UM 4% FOR CAPITAL REPLACEMENT AND BUILDING MODERNIZATIONS AND 3% IN YOUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS BUDGET, AND WHEN LOOKING AT THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR OUR 54 SCHOOLS AND THREE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING 6.2 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF SPACE WITH THE STATE COST PER SQUARE FOOT OF $481, IT WOULD TURN OUT THAT WE SHOULD BE RECEIVING FUNDS AROUND $90 MILLION IN OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TO INCLUDE STAFFING AND UTILITY. AND AROUND $119 MILLION ANNUALLY IN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET. AND I AND I HAVE THE RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THAT INSTEAD OF COMPARING IT WITH OTHER COUNTIES AND ALL THAT STUFF, UM AND THAT'S THE STANDARD. BUT WE FALL WASTEFULLY SHORT OF THOSE NUMBERS. SO, UM WELL, THERE ARE TWO COUNTIES THAT WE LIKE TO BE COMPARED TO. I THINK I HEAR A LOT OF FOLKS COMPARES TO FREDERICK COUNTY. BUT THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. BALLGAME BECAUSE THEY'RE GROWING. THEY'RE THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN THE STATE. UM BUT CARROLL COUNTY CARROLL COUNTY A LOT RIGHT THESE DAYS. I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU KNOW APPLES TO APPLES THAT IS, BUT IF WE JUST INSTEAD OF DOING ALL 24 MINUTES SHRINK THIS DOWN GROWING . CAROL'S GOT TOO CLOSE BUILDINGS RIGHT SO WE CAN JUST TAKE THOSE TWO LITTLE PIECES. I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE CAN COMPARE OURSELVES TO JUST I'M JUST CURIOUS WHERE WE RANK OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. YOU KNOW, 14% WE COULD HAVE DONE IT WITH 10. I MEAN, REALLY DID YOU NEED THE ALL 14? OR THE REAL ISSUE IS THE PAYGO VERSUS BOMB. SO THE PAYGO IS YOUR MONEY THAT YOU TAKEN THROUGH VARIOUS REVENUES, REAL ESTATE TAXES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

[02:15:03]

[D. Superintendent's Report]

DR BOLSON. THANK YOU, UM, MAKE IT QUICK TONIGHT. BUDGET SURVEYS BEING SENT OUT TOMORROW. SO WE ASK PEOPLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND COMPLETE IT. THAT DEVICE PROTECTION PLANS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. SO ALSO BE GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO CONSIDER PURCHASING ONE OF THOSE FOR THEIR STUDENTS DEVICES. AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF THE BOARD MEMBERS. NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK SO PLEASE JOIN US IN CELEBRATING OUR AMAZING TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING, DR POYNTON SAID. LET'S TRY TO BE SAFE ON THE ROADS AROUND OUR BUSSES. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. THAT WAS THE SHORTEST SUPERINTENDENT SPORT I'VE EVER SEEN. ONE MINUTE. ALRIGHT ONE MINUTE.

[Future Meetings Review]