[ Call to Order: Board President]
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          THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON AUGUST 18TH, 2025 AT 6:11 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MISS ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MISSUS PERRY HERE, MR. SEWELL. HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER PRESENT. MR. MCVICAR HERE. MR. KORN. PRESENT. 
          MRS. HAHN PRESENT. MISS BRUCE HERE, MRS. ALVAREZ, PRESENT. VICE PRESIDENT PAIGE HERE. 
          PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON, IF YOU'RE MUTED, PLEASE UNMUTE. THANK YOU. I'M HERE. 
          THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT WILSON HERE. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. DRE, IF YOU'LL READ THE STATEMENT. FIRST PAGE OR SECOND PAGE. AWESOME. THANK YOU. WELCOME. 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, MISS PAGE WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. DOCTOR BOLTON WILL RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS OR CALL IN THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION, I ASK 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? THIS IS DIANE. SO MOVED. THIS IS MELISSA. I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES YES YES YES. AND IF YOU'LL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. I'M NOT I'M NOT SURE WHO IS DOING THE FROM A SECURITY REPRESENTATIVE, BUT IF YOU WILL, PLEASE READ THE RULES OF ORDER. IS IT DONOVAN? ORGANIZING? SORRY FOR MY DELAY. GOOD EVENING. I'M MATT PETZEL, REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, I WOULD LIKE. EXCUSE ME. I'D LIKE TO SHARE UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND FOR ALL FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. SORRY, I WAS RUNNING STEPS. 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. THE RULES OF ORDER REQUIRE COMMENTERS TO REFRAIN FROM IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND DO NOT SIT ON THE BOARD. COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD, AND IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ADDRESS OR IDENTIFY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BY NAME. IN THE CONTEXT OF A BOARD BUSINESS MEETING. THE PUBLIC INCLUDES SCHOOL STAFF OTHER THAN THE SUPERINTENDENT. ADDITIONALLY, DISPARAGING COMMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS, AND INFLAMMATORY REMARKS ABOUT SPECIFIC SCHOOLS, PERSONNEL, OR ANY PERSON OR GROUP ARE NOT PERMITTED. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG IN OUR MEETINGS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS OR NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SHOULD AN ATTENDEE ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS, THUS DISTRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, THE ATTENDEE WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR. IF THE ATTENDEE DOES NOT CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR, THE ATTENDEE WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING BY SECURITY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENDANCE AND 
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PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. AS WE HAVE EIGHT SPEAKERS. ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND RESPECT AS WE GET THROUGH EVERYONE. SO IN-PERSON SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED ON BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK AND ONE MINUTE FOR INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING A GROUP. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30S LEFT. 
          WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR ONE MINUTE MARK, THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. MISS ROLLO, PLEASE BEGIN TO CALL ON IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. THANK YOU. WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, I'M GOING TO TRY AND DO FOUR AT A TIME. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE LINE UP. WE WILL BEGIN WITH ISMAEL ROYER, FOLLOWED BY CHARLENE HAUPT, CHRISTOPHER PROVIDENCE AND AMELIA GOSSMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS SMILE. I AM DIRECTOR OF THE COALITION OF VIRTUE. OH, SO YOU CAN HEAR ME? OKAY. SORRY. YES. MY NAME IS ISMAEL ROYER, AND I AM DIRECTOR OF THE COALITION OF VIRTUE. WE ARE A MUSLIM PUBLIC POLICY ORGANIZATION BASED IN MARYLAND. WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF THE BOOK FLAMER FROM THE SHELVES HERE, BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT IS WHAT BOOKS MEET THE COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND WHAT DON'T, AND WHAT THEIR BOOKS, WHAT THEIR CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WE AGREE WITH OUR FRIENDS WHO WANT THE BOOK TO STAY ON THE SHELVES ON. ONE THING IS, AND I BELIEVE AND THAT IS, THAT NOT EVERY BOOK SHOULD BE ON SHELVES. THERE ARE SOME BOOKS THAT ARE RACIST, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT SHOULD NOT BE ON SHELVES. SO WE THIS IS NOT A BOOK BAN. THIS IS SIMPLY A DEBATE ABOUT WHAT BOOKS ARE APPROPRIATE AND WHAT ARE NOT. THANK YOU. CHARLENE HAUPT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHARLENE HAUPT, AND I WAS A RETIRED TEACHER FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I PERSONALLY DO NOT APPROVE OF BANNING THIS BOOK. FLAMED IN HARFORD COUNTY. 
          I TOTALLY ACCEPT THE PREMISE THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE THE ONES TO SAY WHAT THEIR CHILD READS AND WHAT IS AVAILABLE IN THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARIES, TO TAKE THAT AWAY BY A BIASED MINORITY ON OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION. IT SEEMS THEY WISH TO STYMIE OUR STUDENTS CHOICES AND DICTATE TO ALL PARENTS. THAT IS ANTITHETICAL TO THE FREEDOM OF EACH PERSON, TEACHER, PARENT, AND EACH CHILD IN OUR SCHOOLS. TO OVERRIDE THAT FREEDOM IS AN AFFRONT TO EVERY HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENT. HOWEVER YOU LOOK AT IT, THIS IS NOT FREEDOM. I THINK MOST OF US HERE TONIGHT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN YOUR THOUGHT PROCESSES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN EXPLAINED WITH ANY SPECIFICS ABOUT BANNING THIS BOOK, NOR ANY FEEDBACK TO THE OPPOSITION. IN MY OPINION, IF THIS STANDS, IT IS ONE MORE GUARDRAIL TAKEN AWAY FROM EVERY PERSON IN HARFORD COUNTY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO AGAIN EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THE DECISION TO BAN THE BOOK FLAMER. AND I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING THE FIVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO VOTED TO BAN THE BOOK. AND I HAVE SOME CONCERNS AS TO HOW YOU WOULD BAN A BOOK WITHOUT READING IT. DOCTOR POINTON, YOU INDICATED OR YOU SAID IN A STATEMENT, IF I WERE TO READ EXCERPTS ALOUD DURING A BOARD MEETING, I WOULD BE FIRED, FINED BY THE FCC. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A PORTION OF THE BOOK VERY QUICKLY. WHEN THE 14 YEAR OLD PROTAGONIST OF THE STORY SAYS, IT'S JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING LIKE THIS FOREVER. ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON. TOO SHORT, TOO FAT. NOT MAN ENOUGH, NOT WHITE ENOUGH, NOT STRAIGHT ENOUGH. I'LL NEVER BE SAFE ANYWHERE. AND THE NEXT DAY HE GOES OUT AND CONSIDERS SLASHING HIS WRIST. THIS BOOK CAN SAVE LIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS AMELIA GOSSMAN. I'M HERE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE BOARD'S DECISION TO BAN FLAMER FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M A HC ALUM, NORTH HARFORD, CLASS OF OH NINE, AND I ALSO WORK IN A COLLEGE LIBRARY. I'M A COLLEGE EDUCATOR. I'M ALSO AN AUTHOR ILLUSTRATOR IN THE CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING WORLD, AND I'M A PEER OF MIKE CURATO. SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF CONTROVERSIAL MATERIAL. THE BOOKS ARE TOOLS FOR STUDENTS TO 
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SAFELY MENTALLY TRAIN FOR THE REAL WORLD AND PROCESS CHALLENGING TOPICS. SO THINK OF THE DANGER ROOM FROM X-MEN. BOOKS ARE ALSO THERE TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES. GAIN EMPATHY FOR OTHERS, ESPECIALLY FOR LGBTQ A+ STUDENTS. SO IF PARENTS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT CHALLENGING TOPICS, THEY SHOULD CONSIDER ENGAGING IN MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR CHILDREN RATHER THAN PRETENDING THE TOPICS DON'T EXIST. AND WE SHOULD TRUST CHILDREN TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND NOT CENSOR IDEAS FOR THEM. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE WILLIAM MARTINO, FOLLOWED BY NEIL THOMPSON, TRACY THOMPSON, AND SUSAN DINI. GOOD EVENING. I AM DISGUSTED THAT I HAVE TO ONCE AGAIN STAND UP HERE AND ADDRESS THE REMOVAL OF A PERVERTED AND IMMORAL BOOK FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES DOWN TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. I AM AMAZED THAT THE PURPLE SHIRT LEFTISTS CONTINUE TO FIGHT SO HARD FOR THE PROMOTION OF FILTH TO INNOCENT YOUNG MINDS. WHY NOT FIGHT HARD FOR ACADEMIC STANDARDS? WHEN THE SCHOOL SUCCESSFULLY BANNED CURSIVE WRITING THE CONSTITUTION AND BANNED PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, THERE WASN'T A PEEP OUT OF THE LEFT. BUT WHEN YOU TRY TO REMOVE MATERIAL FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARY THAT HAS DOZENS OF F-BOMBS, MALE GENITALS IN YOUR MOUTH, AND DEGRADING TERMS TO WOMEN, THEY COME OUT IN DROVES TO STOP IT. THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG MINDS TO BE EXPOSED TO. IT IS OUR JOBS AS PARENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOL IS TEACHING ACADEMICS AND KEEPING CHILDREN INNOCENT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. STUDY AFTER STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT KIDS BROUGHT UP IN A WHOLESOME ENVIRONMENT OUTPERFORM IN EVERY CATEGORY TO THOSE WHO ARE EXPOSED. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NEIL THOMPSON, AND I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THE BANNING OF THE BOOK FLAMER. THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE IS CHARGED WITH EVALUATING CHALLENGED LIBRARY BOOKS USING CRITERIA OUTLINED IN THE LIBRARY'S EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE. ALL MEMBERS MUST READ EACH BOOK ASSIGNED TO THEIR SUBCOMMITTEE. THEY DID THEIR JOB. YET THE SCHOOL BOARD OVERTURNED THE RECOMMENDATION, APPARENTLY BASED ON NAUGHTY LANGUAGE. MARYLAND LAW ENCYCLOPEDIA CLARIFIES THAT COURTS MAY NOT RULE BASED ON PERSONAL VIEW, BUT AN OBJECTIVE REVIEW OF MATERIALS, ALLEGEDLY OBSCENE MATERIAL MUST BE TAKEN AS A WHOLE. LISTEN TONIGHT WHEN EXCERPTS FROM FLAMER ARE READ ALOUD, THE BOOK DOES NOT GLORIFY PROFANITY. RATHER IT USES IT TO TEACH A LESSON. THIS BOOK BELONGS ON THE SHELVES OF OUR LIBRARIES. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I OPPOSE THE REMOVAL OF FLAMER FROM HC HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE WAS FORMED TO REVIEW CHALLENGED BOOKS BASED ON MARYLAND LAW. THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT, THE VERY NAME OF THE ACT, FREEDOM TO READ, EMPHASIZES THAT WHAT WAS DONE HERE GOES AGAINST IT. ONE PARENT WHO DIDN'T READ THE BOOK TOOK THE CHOICE AWAY FROM ALL THE OTHER PARENTS AND STUDENTS. THE THEMES OF FLAMER DEALING WITH RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, FAT SHAMING, HOMOPHOBIA, DISCOVERING IDENTITY, AND DESPAIR ARE IMPORTANT. THE STUDENTS WHO ARE DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES NEED TO SEE THEMSELVES IN BOOKS. AS I READ FLAMER, I THOUGHT OF MY GREAT NIECE. I ALSO THOUGHT OF MANY STUDENTS FROM MY 35 YEARS OF TEACHING. THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES, AND IN OUR CLASSROOMS THERE IS A MESSAGE OF HOPE AT THE END OF THE BOOK ARE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SUSAN DINI AND I'VE BEEN A PUBLIC SERVICES LIBRARIAN FOR OVER 40 YEARS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT BANNING NEVER WORKS. 
          HISTORY PROVES THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BANNING BOOKS NEVER WORKS. THE MORE YOU TRY TO SUPPRESS A BOOK, THE MORE PEOPLE WANT TO READ IT. THAT'S NOT DEFIANCE, IT'S HUMAN CURIOSITY. 
          AND IN THIS CASE, IT'S ALSO SURVIVAL. YOUNG PEOPLE WHO FEEL ALONE, WHO FEEL LIKE OUTSIDERS WILL FIND FLAMER BY MIKE CURADO WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, BECAUSE IT SPEAKS TO THEM, YOUR BAN WILL NOT STOP THAT. ALL IT DOES IS SEND THE MESSAGE THAT THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THEM, THAT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE SHAMEFUL AND DANGEROUS. THAT IS A MESSAGE NO EDUCATOR SHOULD EVER WANT TO SEND. OVERTURN THE BAN ON FLAMER. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHEILA ALLEN, FOLLOWED BY HELEN MANN AND HARTOG AND CHRISTIE CRAWFORD 
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SMITH. HI, MY NAME IS SHEILA ALLEN. FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC IS A NOVEL BY V.C. ANDREWS PUBLISHED IN 79, WITH REFERENCES TO ABUSE, FORBIDDEN LOVE AND FAMILY BETRAYAL. WHEN I SAW MY SEVENTH GRADE SON HAD THIS BOOK, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT ABOUT PREVENTING HIM FROM READING IT, AND I WAS A READING TEACHER. MY HUSBAND AND I DISCUSSED WHETHER HE SHOULD BE READING THIS PARTICULAR BOOK, AND WE APPROACHED HIM AND EXPRESSED OUR OPPOSITION. I REMEMBER HE LOOKED AT US AND HE SAID, YOU CAN TAKE THIS BOOK AWAY FROM ME, BUT I CAN FIND IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I'M NOT SAYING I WILL, BUT I CAN. WE DECIDED TO ALLOW THE BOOK, BUT WITH CONVERSATION. WHAT WE HAD WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION. AS HE READ THAT, AND OUR SON EVENTUALLY LOST INTEREST IN THE BOOKS BY THAT AUTHOR. TODAY, AT 42, HE'S STILL A READER AND READS ABOUT 40 BOOKS A YEAR. 
          BANNING A BOOK MAY PREVENT SOME STUDENTS FROM READING WHAT YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO READ, BUT AT WHAT COST? REDUCED ACCESS TO DIVERSE, CHALLENGING LITERATURE CORRELATES WITH LOWER READING ENGAGEMENT AND WEAKER CRITICAL THINKING. THERE REALLY ARE NO PLUSES FOR BANNING A BOOK. THINK ABOUT IT AND DON'T. BUY FIRST. I'M OPPOSED TO BOOK BANS. IN THE CASE OF FLAMER, I WAS SURPRISED THAT I READ THAT SOME THAT IT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED VULGAR BY SOME PEOPLE HERE BECAUSE OF THE SALTY LANGUAGE. I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THAT LANGUAGE EITHER, BUT I'M ALSO NOT A TEENAGE BOY TRYING TO PROVE MYSELF AMONG MY PEERS. WE WERE A SCOUTING FAMILY AND GUESS WHAT? BOY SCOUTS CUSS. 
          VULGAR TO ME, IS DENYING SOME YOUNG PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ A STORY THAT VALIDATES THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE IN A CULTURE THAT IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO DENY THEIR REALITY. TO ME, THIS IS VULGARITY. THANK YOU. THE MARYLAND FREEDOM TO READ ACT WAS SIGNED ON APRIL 25TH LAST YEAR. DO YOU KNOW OF THIS ACT, YOUR DECISION TO BAN THE BOOK FLAMER RUNS AFOUL OF THIS LAW'S PRINCIPLES TO PROTECT AND DEFEND EDUCATORS JUDGMENTS IN VETTING AND SELECTING BOOKS FOR THEIR SCHOOLS. YOUR UNINFORMED DECISION WITHOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, AND YOUR CAPITULATION TO ONE PARENT'S IDEOLOGY ABOUT WHAT IS MEANINGFUL AND APPROPRIATE FOR STUDENTS, DEMONSTRATES YOUR WILLFUL DEFIANCE OF THE LAW. IT NEGLECTS THE NEEDS AND WISHES OF THE OTHER COUNTY STUDENTS. YOU MUST DO BETTER. REINSTATE FLAMER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. 
          WE HAVE SPENT YEARS OF OUR LIVES WITH OUR HANDS OVER OUR HEARTS, RECITING THE WORDS WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. YET IT'S PROBLEMATIC TO ACTUALLY WANT LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          LAST YEAR IT WAS AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES. BUT NOW YOU'RE TARGETING THE QUEER COMMUNITY. 
          IT MUST BE EXHAUSTING BEING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY. SO MUCH FOR PARENTAL RIGHTS. 
          PARENTS HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE RIGHT TO LIMIT THEIR CHILD'S ACCESS TO SPECIFIC BOOKS. NOW YOU'RE INFRINGING ON THE RIGHTS OF OTHER PARENTS. SO I GUESS YOU DO CO-PARENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT AS LONG AS IT SUITS YOUR SPECIFIC NARRATIVE. GOT IT. THE EXCERPTS FROM FLAMER THAT YOU FIND SO APPALLING ARE DEPICTING REAL LIFE BULLYING. LET'S BE CLEAR, THOSE WERE THE WORDS OF THE BOY SCOUTS TORMENTING A FELLOW CAMPER. IF THAT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, BECAUSE IT SHOULD. WORDS HURT AND BULLYING IS UNACCEPTABLE. YOU HAVEN'T BOTHERED TO READ THE BOOK YET. 
          YOU SECRETLY BANNED IT AND IT HAS BEEN CREDITED FOR SAVING LIVES. THE BULLIES IN THE BOOK WERE THE PROBLEM. JUST LIKE IN REAL LIFE. YOU MAY LIMIT ME TO 60S, BUT YOU WILL NOT SILENCE ME. I AM ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND I AM NOT ALONE. AND WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN. OH, HOLD ON, HOLD ON. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE DYLAN. LEWIS. VICTORIA HARVEY, RITA SHERMAN, AND MAUREEN WESNER. HI, MY NAME IS DYLAN LEWIS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF TOGETHER WE WILL AND I'M HERE IN OPPOSITION TO ANY BOOK BAN AND ALSO INTO THE SPECIFIC BOOK BAN OF FLAMER. THERE ARE TWO PARALLEL AND EQUAL ISSUES HERE. ONE IS THAT YOU'RE VIOLATING THE LAW. YOU'RE VIOLATING CONSTITUTIONAL LAW. YOU'RE VIOLATING MARYLAND STATE LAW. YOU'RE VIOLATING YOUR OWN PROCESS AND PROTECTIONS THAT WERE ALREADY EXISTED AND IN PLACE FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS IN THE SYSTEM. PARENTS ALREADY HAD THE ABILITY TO INDICATE THEY DIDN'T WANT A BOOK, TO HAVE THEIR CHILD TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE BOOK, AND THAT WAS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT. INSTEAD, YOU'VE STEPPED IN FRONT OF PARENTS. YOU'RE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT ALLOW THEIR STUDENTS TO READ. ADDITIONALLY, IT'S USING A BOOK REVIEW PROCESS TO SEEK TO SHAME OUR LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND FORCE THEM TO HIDE. IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE NOT WELCOME. THIS BOOK 
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SENDS A MESSAGE OF HOPE AND SURVIVAL THAT HAVING SOMEONE WHO SEES AND SUPPORTS THEM CAN SAVE LIVES. PLEASE REINSTATE THE BOOK. I WONDER IF PRIESTS JERK OFF THIS LITERARY. THIS LITERARY GEM IS FOUND ON PAGE 86 OF FLAMER, THE BOOK THAT SO MANY ARE HERE TO DEFEND. PULLING THE BOOK OFF SCHOOL SHELVES IS AN ATTACK ON ANY COMMUNITY. IT IS REMOVING A POORLY WRITTEN, CLASSLESS, LOW BROW, VULGAR GRAPHIC NOVEL THAT HAS ZERO EDUCATIONAL VALUE. THIS ALLEGED, HIGHLY ACCREDITED GRAPHIC NOVEL IS A COLOSSAL WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY. IF A PARENT FINDS FLAMER TO BE SUCH A CLASSIC, GET IT FROM AMAZON. I'M SURPRISED THIS BOOK IS ONE THAT SO MANY ARE ARDENTLY DEFENDING. THERE MUST BE A BETTER WRITTEN MATERIAL THAT ISN'T SO VULGAR AND LOW IQ THAT REPRESENTS THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. DON'T WE ALL WISH TO INSPIRE OUR KIDS? EXPAND THEIR VOCABULARY? AS A MOM OF A SOON TO BE MIDDLE SCHOOLER, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE FORTITUDE TO REMOVE THIS ONE TITLE OFF THE SHELF. THE LAST THING MY KID NEEDS TO HEAR IS SUCK ANY GOOD DICKS LATELY? HI, MY NAME IS RITA SHAMAN. THE RECENT ACTION OF THE BOARD TO OVERRIDE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE RECONSIDERATION PANEL REVIEWING CONTESTED BOOKS IS BOTH BAD POLICY AND SIMPLY WRONG. THE REVIEW COMMITTEE IS A WELL BALANCED BODY OF QUALIFIED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROFESSIONALS REPRESENTING A FULL SPECTRUM OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL VIEWS. THE BOARD OVERRIDING THIS BODY'S RECOMMENDATION DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE AND SUBSTITUTES INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS POLITICAL VIEWS AND PERSONAL BIASES, RATHER THAN THE WELL DEVELOPED COMMUNITY CONSENSUS. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS MAUREEN WESNER. I OPPOSE THE BANNING OF THE BOOK FLAMER. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHOULD RESPECT THE DECISION OF THE LIBRARY MATERIALS RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE, WHOSE MEMBERS ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK, EVALUATED IT, AND APPROVED IT. I ASK THAT YOU REINSTATE THE BOOK. FLAMER. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE CHERYL ADAMS, DOCTOR STEPHANIE STONE. CARRIE FRANSON, AND CAITLIN HURLEY. 
          GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO STATE MY OPPOSITION TO BOOK BANNING IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EVEN BOOKS THAT I MAY NOT PERSONALLY ALIGN WITH BECAUSE I WANT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO READ WHAT THEY CHOOSE AND FORM THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND IDEALS THROUGH CRITICAL THINKING. I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT GIFTS. WE CAN GIVE OUR CHILDREN THE ABILITY TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. WHEN YOU BAN BOOKS BECAUSE YOU PERSONALLY DISAGREE WITH SOMETHING ABOUT THE BOOK, YOU ARE TAKING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AWAY FROM THEM. 
          THAT'S NOT FREEDOM OR LIBERTY. ALSO, WHEN YOU BAN A BOOK, YOU MAKE IT WAY MORE ENTICING, WHICH IS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO BANNING THE BOOK IN THE FIRST PLACE. FOR ME, IT WAS ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. I'M SHOWING MY AGE AND GO ASK ALICE. THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT POPPED INTO, YOU KNOW, THAT I READ GO ASK ALICE IS ONE THAT PROBABLY WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO READ AT THE AGE THAT I. THAT I READ IT AND IT WAS ONE TO BE BANNED, BUT IT KEPT ME FROM EVER DOING DRUGS. I WAS SO SCARED AFTER READING THE BOOK. LOOK, IF YOUR GOAL IS TO KEEP KIDS FROM READING A BOOK BANNING IT, THANK YOU. I ASK YOU TO. PLEASE READ THE BAN. THANKS. CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME? CAITLYN HURLEY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CAITLIN HURLEY, AND I'M A LIBRARIAN WITH HC, WHO ALSO SERVED ON THE BROADER RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE. I READ THE ENTIRE BOOK COVER TO COVER, AS DID EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE. THEY FOLLOWED LEGAL PRECEDENT, DISTRICT POLICY, AND THE MARYLAND RIGHT TO READ ACT, AND FOUND THAT FLAMER HAS CLEAR LITERARY AND EDUCATIONAL VALUE. THE CLAIM THAT IT'S PERVASIVELY VULGAR IS LEGALLY UNSOUND. IN BOARD OF EDUCATION VERSUS PECO, THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT A BOOK CANNOT BE REMOVED SIMPLY FOR BEING OFFENSIVE. PERVASIVELY VULGAR APPLIES ONLY WHEN VULGARITY DOMINATES THE WORK SO COMPLETELY THAT IT HAS NO SERIOUS VALUE. THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. ANY PROFANITY IS LIMITED AUTHENTIC TO A 14 YEAR OLD BOY'S VOICE, AND IS FAR OUTWEIGHED BY THE BOOK'S POWERFUL STORY OF BULLYING, IDENTITY, RESILIENCE AND SURVIVAL. COURTS, INCLUDING MILLER VERSUS CALIFORNIA, REQUIRE A BOOK TO BE JUDGED AS A WHOLE, AND FLAMER CLEARLY PASSES THAT TEST. YOU'VE MISAPPLIED THE LAW AND DISMISSED THE PROFESSIONAL PROCESS, THE RECONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GARY AMBRIDGE, 
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FOLLOWED BY DEBORAH BOWERS. DOCTOR STEPHANIE STONE, AND CARRIE RAMSDEN. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GARY AMBRIDGE. I'M A RETIRED SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SUPERVISOR. I HAVE I HAVE EVALUATED THOUSANDS OF BOOKS. I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. LIBRARY BOOK BANNERS FAIL TO CONSIDER THAT THIS VERY ISSUE HAS BEEN RULED UPON BY THE SUPREME COURT. IN 1982, IN BOARD OF EDUCATION, ISLAND TREES SCHOOL, UNION FREE DISTRICT VERSUS PICO. WHAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS SAID SCHOOL LIBRARY BOARDS MAY NOT REMOVE BOOKS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARY SHELVES SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DISLIKE THE IDEAS CONTAINED IN THOSE BOOKS. TEXTBOOKS AND LIBRARY BOOKS ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU DO HAVE A RIGHT TO CHANGE TEXTBOOKS. THE PARENTS THAT DO NOT LIKE BOOKS MAY CENSOR THEIR CHILD'S READING, BUT THEY MAY NOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SARAH DEBORAH BOWERS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DEBORAH BOWERS. I WAS A NORTH HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE BACK IN 1972, AND I ENJOYED THE PUBLIC LIBRARY THERE. THE SCHOOL LIBRARY HAD PLENTY OF GOOD BOOKS IN IT, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB IF YOU BAN BOOKS AND EXCLUDE CERTAIN PEOPLE FROM FINDING BOOKS THAT THEY CAN RELATE TO. 
          FLAMER IS NOT A FRINGE WORK. IT IS AN AWARD WINNING GRAPHIC NOVEL RECOMMENDED BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, PRAISED THE NATIONAL REVIEW'S. IT WAS CREATED WITH SKILL, COMPASSION, AND PURPOSE. BY BANNING IT, YOU ARE SAYING NONE OF THAT MATTERS. YOU ARE REDUCING ART TO A HANDFUL OF LINES PULLED OUT OF CONTEXT. BOOK BANS DON'T PROTECT CHILDREN. THEY PROTECT FEAR. LET TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS DO THEIR JOBS. THANK YOU. DOCTOR STEPHANIE STONE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOCTOR STONE. I AM A PSYCHOLOGIST AND AN EDUCATOR. SO I WENT TO WEBSTER'S FOR SOME HELP. TURNS OUT THEY PROVISIONED THIS VERY TOPIC. WEBSTER'S SAYS TO EDUCATE IS TO ONE IMPART KNOWLEDGE AND TWO DEVELOP POWERS OF REASONING AND JUDGMENT. IN A NUTSHELL, TO BE EDUCATED, OUR STUDENTS NEED CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND THEY NEED A COMPLETE DATABASE. THEY NEED ALL THE DATA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CARRIE CRANSTON. GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS CARRIE. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE HC, PS BOARD OF EDUCATION VIOLATED THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IN COMBER FOR 107. THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT YOU HAD A COMMITTEE FOR A REASON, A LIBRARIAN, AN ADMINISTRATOR, TWO PARENTS, TWO STUDENTS AND A COMMUNITY MEMBER. THEY WERE GIVEN EXTENSIVE INSTRUCTION ON THE LAW AND HOW TO APPLY IT. WHEN EVALUATING A BOOK. THE PARENT WHO ASKED FOR THE BOOK TO BE REMOVED HAD NOT EVEN READ IT. PLEASE RESPECT YOUR COMMITTEE AND DO NOT BAN THIS BOOK OR FURTHER BOOKS PER THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. NEXT WE HAVE JODY FREY, JANIE GARCIA, NOAH HUTTON. AND TANISHA GANNON. HI, I'M JODY FREY. I URGE THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER ITS DECISION TO BAN FLAMER. THE BOOK RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE FOLLOWED HARFORD COUNTY'S ESTABLISHED POLICY AND FOUND THE BOOK APPROPRIATE TO REMAIN IN OUR LIBRARY. THIS AFTER IT WAS ALREADY DETERMINED BY OUR PROFESSIONALS. THE LIBRARIANS OVERTURNING THAT DECISION DISREGARDS THE RULES THAT WE ALL AGREED TO FOLLOW. BOOKS SHOULD NOT BE BANNED SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY INCLUDE SOME SEXUAL LANGUAGE. LITERATURE REFLECTS THE REALITIES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FACE. IT HELPS THEM BUILD EMPATHY, RESILIENCE, AND UNDERSTANDING. PARENTS ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT TO GUIDE THEIR OWN CHILDREN'S READING, BUT NO ONE SHOULD DECIDE WHAT EVERY 
          [00:30:03]
STUDENT CAN OR CANNOT READ. WHEN WE BAN BOOKS, WE SILENCE VOICES. WE LIMIT. WE LIMIT LEARNING, AND WE SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO SHIELD FROM IDEAS, BUT PREPARE OUR CHILDREN TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT THEM. LET US HONOR THE REVIEW PROCESS. REAFFIRM THE COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW OUR COUNTY'S POLICY, TRUST OUR EDUCATORS, AND KEEP OUR SCHOOLS PLACES WHERE CURIOSITY AND FREEDOM TO READ ARE RESPECTED. THANK YOU. WAS THERE A JANIE GARCIA? HI, MY NAME IS JANIE GARCIA. I'M THE MOTHER OF A 14 YEAR OLD SON. I DON'T BELIEVE IN BANNING ANY BOOKS. DIVERSITY IS VERY IMPORTANT IN EDUCATION. IT'S CRUCIAL. IT PROMOTES INCLUSIVITY, EMPATHY AND EQUITABLE LEARNING. ENVIRONMENT. THE BOOK FLAMER INTRODUCES NOT MUCH THAT'S NEW TO THIS WORLD. I MEAN, THESE THESE KIDS ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE HOMOSEXUALS OUT THERE. WHAT IT DOES IS HELP THEM MAYBE GATHER A SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING, AND MAYBE IT'LL PREVENT BULLYING, AND MAYBE IT'LL PREVENT A SUICIDE OF A YOUNG PERSON WHO'S STRUGGLING WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL THEY FIT IN. AND BANNING IT IS JUST MAKING IT MORE OF A SHAMEFUL ACT FOR THAT PERSON WHO'S STRUGGLING WITH THESE ISSUES. NO BOOKS SHOULD EVER BE BANNED. STIFLING KNOWLEDGE IS JUST NOT OKAY. IT'S NOT A GOOD THING. THANK YOU. WE HAD NOAH HUTTON, FOLLOWED BY TANISHA GANNON. HI, MY NAME IS NOAH HUTTON. I'VE BEEN TEACHING AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND I ALSO GRADUATED FROM HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M AGAINST THIS BOOK, BANNING THIS BOOK TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT. I HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK, AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE VALIDITY OF THE BOOK ITSELF. WHAT I AM CONCERNED WITH IS THE FACT THAT THE BOOK WAS BANNED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, AND THAT IT WASN'T ACTUALLY EVEN ANNOUNCED TO THE COMMUNITY. THE WAY THE COMMUNITY FOUND OUT IS THEY WENT ON TO HTTPS WEBSITE, AND THEY NOTICED IT WAS ADDED TO THE BOOK, TO THE BANNED BOOK LIST WITHOUT IT EVER BEING ANNOUNCED. SO THAT WAY PEOPLE COULD ACTUALLY REFLECT AND APPEAL THE DECISION, OR COME TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WITH THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BANNING OF THE BOOK. SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT IN ALL MATTERS THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MAKES, UNLESS IT'S A VERY SENSITIVE NATURE OF HIDING SOMEONE'S IDENTITY, WHICH BANNING A BOOK IS NOT, IT SHOULD BE DONE IN THE PUBLIC'S EYE. SO THAT WAY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND SPEAK TO IT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TANISHA GANNON, EMPLOYEE ALSO LOCAL 2471, PRESIDENT OF ASME. WHAT TYPE OF REPUTATION WILL BANNING THIS BOOK DUE TO HARFORD COUNTY COMMUNITIES? THERE'S A AIDING IN EVERY FAMILY, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. BANNING THIS BOOK WILL NOT STOP. WHAT IS A PART OF LIFE? EDUCATION STARTS AT HOME AND EXTENDS TO THE CLASSROOMS WITH THE PROFESSIONALS. DON'T BAN THIS BOOK. EDUCATE THE ONES WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE JUDY STILES, FOLLOWED BY KELLY QUINN, STEPHANIE TIPO AND PIERSON. MICHAEL. WE ARE A GOVERNMENT THAT WAS CREATED ON THE PRINCIPLE BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, OF THE PEOPLE. THE KEY WORD HERE BEING PEOPLE. THIS IS A GOVERNMENT WHERE THE PEOPLE GET A VOTE. THINGS THAT ARE DONE SECRETLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DESIRES OF ONE OR A FEW. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OBJECTED TO THE BOOK. ARE NOT OUR FOUNDING PRINCIPLES. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SPEAK OUT AND READ THE BOOK IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLES, AS I UNDERSTAND YOU ALL DID IN THE VERY BEGINNING. AND THEN SOMETHING CHANGED IN THAT MEETING. WE MUST BE TRANSPARENT. WE MUST REPRESENT THE PEOPLE, NOT A SINGLE PERSON. 
          THANK YOU. I'M A MOTHER OF A 13 YEAR OLD. I'M A QUEER MOTHER OF A QUEER 13 YEAR OLD. I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NAVIGATE YOUR SEXUALITY IN A HOMOPHOBIC COMMUNITY, AND UNFORTUNATELY, SO DOES MY CHILD. BANNING BOOKS DOESN'T SAFEGUARD INNOCENCE. IT CONDEMNS CHILDREN 
          [00:35:06]
AND ADOLESCENTS TO SUFFER IN SILENCE AND SHAME. MY CHILD SUFFERS IN SILENCE AND SHAME. 
          I'M DEFENDING MY CHILD'S RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION IN THE BOOKS THEY READ. THANK YOU. CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL PAYSON. YOU CLAIM THE BAN OF FLAMER BY MIKE CURADO IS ABOUT PROTECTING CHILDREN. BUT PROTECTING THEM FROM WHAT REALITY? PROTECTING THEM FROM WORDS THAT MIGHT MIRROR THEIR OWN FEARS. PROTECTING THEM FROM SEEING THAT BULLIES CAN CHANGE AND COMMUNITIES CAN HEAL. WHAT YOU CALL PROTECTION IS REALLY ERASURE, AND CHILDREN WILL SEE THROUGH IT. THEY KNOW WHEN ADULTS ARE AFRAID OF THE TRUTH. 
          FLAMER ISN'T DANGEROUS. SILENCES. BOOK BANS DON'T PROTECT CHILDREN. THEY PROTECT FEAR. LET TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS DO THEIR JOBS AND PLEASE OVERTURN THE BAN. THANK YOU. I'M JENNIFER RALSTON. I SERVED AS A LIBRARIAN IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR 32 YEARS. PART OF MY JOB WAS TO HANDLE COMPLAINTS TO SUPPORT INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND THE RIGHT TO READ AND TO CREATE COLLECTIONS THAT REFLECTED THE DIVERSITY OF THIS COMMUNITY. 
          PLEASE DO NOT BAN THIS BOOK. PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS IN THE SCHOOLS WHO WHO FOLLOW THE SELECTION CRITERIA, WHO KNOW THEIR CHILDREN, WHO ARE TRYING TO CREATE DIVERSE COLLECTIONS FOR ALL THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I WAS ALSO HONORED TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS PART OF THE RECONSIDERATION PROCESS. I WAS AMAZED AT THE PROFESSIONALISM OF HOW IT RAN, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS, SUPPORT THE PROCESS OF RECONSIDERATION OF BOOKS, AND DON'T BAN BOOKS. RETURN TO THE SHELVES. THANK YOU. HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KELLY QUINN. DUE PROCESS MATTERS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. THIS WAS ONCE A VICTORY OF DUE PROCESS. THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE AND THE SUPERINTENDENT APPROVED FLAMER FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES. YET THIS BOARD MET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, OVERRODE THAT VERDICT, AND REMOVED THE BOOK 5 TO 3 IN A SECRET VOTE ON JUNE 26TH. PROCESS MATTERS. YOU SPENT TWO YEARS TO CREATE A REVIEW SYSTEM OF STAFF, BOARD AND PUBLIC INPUT, AND THEN YOU BYPASSED IT. DON'T CALL IT DEMOCRACY. THIS IS DISMISSAL BY DECREE. THAT'S NOT THE EXAMPLE WE WANT FOR OUR STUDENTS OR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. REVERSE THE BAN. HELLO, I'M LINDA MARKOVITZ, LIBRARIAN AT EDGEWOOD HIGH. I'M HERE TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO TOLD US HOW THEY VOTED REGARDING FLAMER AND TO EXPLAIN WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT. EVERY DAY, WE LIBRARIANS SEE FIRSTHAND THAT MANY CHILDREN WHO ARE BULLIED CHOOSE TO SPEND THEIR LUNCH PERIOD SITTING ALONE IN THE LIBRARY. WE WISH THE CREW LANGUAGE IN FLAMER WERE NOT A REALITY FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT IT IS. SO IF WE HAVE A BOOK ABOUT A BOY WHO ENDURED THIS TERRIBLE BULLYING AND WHO QUESTIONED HIS OWN VALUE, BUT ULTIMATELY DECIDED NOT TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE, WE'D LIKE THAT BOOK TO BE THERE FOR SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT, WOULDN'T YOU? ONE OF YOUR YOU FEARS SENDING MIXED MESSAGES ABOUT WHAT LANGUAGE IS APPROPRIATE. BUT THE MESSAGE IN THE BOOK IS THAT THE LANGUAGE THE BULLIES USE IS NOT OKAY. IT HURTS. HOW CAN WE GET THIS MESSAGE TO THE KIDS WHO NEED IT IF WE DON'T HAVE REALISTIC, MEANINGFUL STORIES? ARE YOU SUGGESTING WE ONLY LET THEM READ BOOKS THAT WHERE PEOPLE SPEAK PROPERLY TO EACH OTHER, PLEASE SERVE AS MANY FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE BY LEAVING THE BOOK ON THE SHELF AND LETTING US WORK WITH FAMILIES TO FIND BOOKS FOR THEIR STUDENTS. WE LOVE DOING THAT. THANK YOU. LAURETTE VERTUCCI, FOLLOWED BY KATIE YORK, KIM SACRA, AND 
          [ Public Comments]
CHRISTINE BOWERS. HELLO, MY NAME IS LAURETTE BERTUCCI. I'M A RETIRED SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, AND I. I OPPOSE THE BANNING OF BOOKS IN GENERAL AND THE BANNING OF THIS BOOK, FLAMER IN PARTICULAR. 
          I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD TRUST AND RESPECT THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY THE COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE. PLEASE REINSTATE THESE, THIS BOOK AND RETURN IT TO THE SHELF. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS KIM SAGER AND I AM A MOTHER OF TWO 
          [00:40:02]
BOYS, ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, ONE IN HIGH SCHOOL IN HARFORD COUNTY. I READ FLAMER, FINISHED IT TODAY. IT IS A BOOK I WOULD LOVE MY CHILDREN TO READ AND GAIN EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT LIKE THEM. PLEASE DO NOT BAN THIS BOOK BECAUSE ONE SMALL MINORITY VOICE FINDS THIS VULGAR. WHATEVER THE REASON IS, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY. IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO GROW AND EXPAND AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL SAFE AND INCLUDED. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I AM A BOOK LOVER MYSELF. I'M ALSO OPPOSED TO BOOK BANS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DIFFERENTIATE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT CREATING A CAREFULLY CURATED COLLECTION IS THE SAME AS BANNING A BOOK, AND I APPLAUD THE BOARD FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING. LET'S NOT KID OURSELVES THAT THE HARFORD COUNTY LIBRARY SHELVES, PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARY SHELVES ARE THE ONLY PLACE THAT CHILDREN CAN HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS. I HEAR IT BEING SAID OFTEN IN THIS ROOM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FIND THE INFORMATION ANYWAY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT HAVING A KINDLE IS I CAN FINISH A BOOK IN THE IN THE COMFORT OF MY HOME AND NOT LEAVE AND CHECK OUT THE NEXT BOOK THAT I WANT TO READ. SO I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING. AND I DON'T THINK THAT ACCESSIBILITY IS A PROBLEM EITHER. WHEN WE'RE HEARING THAT PEOPLE CAN CHILDREN CAN FIND THIS INFORMATION ON THEIR CELL PHONES. SO I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS A BOOK CALLED WICKED. NEW YORK TIMES SAYS THAT IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR KIDS. IN A WORD, NO. IT HAS ADULT THEMES. HOWEVER IT'S IN HC. LET'S MOVE ON. THANK YOU, MISS KATIE YORK HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATIE YORK. I WANTED TO REQUEST THAT YOU REINSTATE FLAMER TO THE SHELVES. 
          ADDITIONALLY, I ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER REMOVING BOOKS FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IS ONE PLACE WHERE SOME STUDENTS THAT MAY BE THE ONLY PLACE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT A BOOK TO READ. THEY MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS AT HOME. THEY ADDITIONALLY MAY ALSO BE SEEKING OUT INFORMATION THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE THEMSELVES OUT. I CAN TELL YOU, AS A QUEER TEENAGER, I WISH THIS BOOK WAS AROUND. WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, I ALMOST DIED BY SUICIDE. AND FOR ME, IT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE BOOK SAYS THIS BOOK WILL SAVE LIVES. I BELIEVE IT BECAUSE AS AN ADULT, GETTING TO READ THIS BOOK, I FELT SO REFLECTED. 
          AND I ALSO JUST URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER REMOVING BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY IN GENERAL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE DAVID FABI, JOSEPH FLECKENSTEIN, ELLEN BUZON, AND SUSAN NOSS. WHEN YOU START YOUR COMMENT, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVE FABI. LISTEN FAST. WHEN BOYNTON DID THE FACEBOOK POST, IF I WERE TO READ THESE EXCERPTS ALOUD DURING THE BOARD MEETING, I WOULD BE FINED BY THE FCC. FLAMER AND PORNOGRAPHIC CONTENT HAVE NO PLACE ON THE SHELVES IN HARFORD COUNTY. LIBRARY BOARD MEMBER MUELLER DIDN'T EVEN READ THE BOOK. SO, SO MUCH FOR CONSIDERING THE PARENTS OF YOUR DISTRICT. THAT'S KIND OF WEAK. A LITTLE BIT OF A DI EXCUSE ANYWAY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE. ADMINISTRATIONS THAT HAVE FAKE ACCREDITATIONS FOR THAT PARTICULAR BOOK, AND KIRKUS, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL AND ALL THE ONES YOU GUYS CITE. BUT I BROUGHT THE BOOK ALONG JUST SO PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN IT. AND YOU MENTIONED THINGS ABOUT BULLYING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS PARTICULAR PAGE SHOWS A, A BOY GOING TO THE SHOWERS IN ORDER TO TAKE A SHOWER, BUT THERE'S MEN IN THERE. NEXT PAGE SHOWS A THE ACTUAL MAN WITH A BOY. SO THIS IS THAT'S NOT BULLYING, THAT'S GROOMING. AND WE CAN GET THIS BOOK ANYWAY. THANK YOU. HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOE FLECKENSTEIN. IN A TAXPAYER FUNDED ENVIRONMENT LIKE OUR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROTECT CHILDREN, MINORS, BASICALLY FROM PORNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE. I'M NOT SAYING THAT FLAMER NECESSARILY IS OR ISN'T, BUT OTHER BOOK IT VERY WELL COULD BE. BUT THERE ARE BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WOULD FALL IN THAT CATEGORY. ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE IS ONE OF THEM. IT CAN BE FOUND IN SEVEN OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I'M GOING TO READ A QUICK EXCERPT FROM IT. AS WE KISSED, HE BEGAN UNZIPPING MY PANTS. HE REACHED HIS HAND DOWN AND PULLED OUT MY DICK. HE QUICKLY WENT TO GIVE ME TO GIVE ME HEAD. HE THEN CAME UP AND ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO TRY TRY 
          [00:45:01]
ON HIM. I SAID SURE, I BEGAN AND HE SAID, WATCH YOUR TEETH. HE DIDN'T KNOW I WAS A VIRGIN. I DID MY BEST TO ACT DOMINANT LIKE ANY FAVORITE PORN STAR. HIS BODY FELT GREAT. MY MOUTH. I CAME UP AFTER A WHILE AND KISSED HIM AGAIN. WE BOTH GOT GOT UP AND WENT INTO IT. I HATE YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S HARD TO DO THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU. ELLEN, I'M GOING TO READ A QUOTE FROM FLAMER I HATE BULLIES, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY GET OUT OF IT AND I NEVER KNOW WHAT TO SAY IN RESPONSE. SOMETIMES I THINK OF A COMEBACK HOURS LATER. EVEN THEN, IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE BEST COMEBACK. I THINK, LIKE EVERYONE'S BEEN SAYING, THIS BOARD IS TOTALLY DISREGARDED. 
          THE PROFESSIONALS, THE LIBRARIANS, THE RECONSIDERING COMMITTEE AND YES, THE PARENTS HAVE AN OPTION TO NOT READ, TO HAVE THEIR CHILD NOT READ THIS BOOK. AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE SATISFACTORY FOR THEM. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SUE NORSE. I AM A LESBIAN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I AM THE MOM PROUD MOM TO A GRACE WARRIOR MIDDLE SCHOOLER WITH THIS BOOK SPEAKS TO IS TO BULLYING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS DIFFERENT AND STRUGGLING TO FIND OUT WHO HE IS CULTURALLY AND AROUND HIS SEXUALITY, IN A PLACE AND TIME. WHERE IS WHAT IS MODELED FOR OUR CHILDREN IS THAT BULLYING IS THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IN THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THIS COUNTRY. THIS STORY OFFERS THE ANTIDOTE TO THAT IN KINDNESS AND ACCEPTANCE. GROWING UP, BOOKS OFFERED ME ESCAPE AND POSSIBILITY. IT OFFERED ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND MYSELF AND SEE MYSELF REFLECTED SOMEWHERE OUT THERE. CURRENT STATISTICS SHOW THAT 39% OF QUEER YOUTH AND 46% OF TRANSGENDER NON-BINARY. SERIOUSLY, CONSIDER. PLEASE CONSIDER GRANTING THIS BOOK. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE MANDY ROBINSON, LUCY BUXTON, RUTH OSWALD, AND BETH. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? LOUDER. OKAY. MY NAME IS MANDY ROBINSON, AND I AM IN OPPOSITION OF YOUR BANNING OF THE BOOK FLAMER BY MIKE CURADO. I NOT ONLY WENT TO A HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL, BUT ALSO GREW UP IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE. AND DESPITE ALL OF THIS, I AM STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY AS AN OUTAND PROUD LESBIAN WOMAN WHO WAS ONCE PART OF THE 20% OF QUEER YOUTH WHO MAKE ATTEMPTS AT THEIR OWN LIVES AND WAS LUCKY TO NOT HAVE SUCCEEDED. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY BOOKS YOU BAN OR WHAT KIND OF RHETORIC YOU FEED TO THEM, KIDS WHO ARE GAY ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE GAY. AND IT'S NOT DISGRACEFUL TO SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT DISGRACEFUL TO BE GAY. CALLING THIS BOOK VULGAR IS AN EXCUSE TO BAN A QUEER STORY, AND IT HAS OPENED A PIPELINE THAT WILL LEAD INTO MORE QUEER STORIES BEING BANNED FROM BOOKS. THOSE OF US HERE WHO ARE HERE TO DEFEND FLAMER ARE ASKING THAT YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT YOUR ADULT LIFE WOULD LOOK LIKE, HAD YOU BEEN FORCED TO SUPPRESS A MAJOR FACET OF YOUR IDENTITY DUE TO THE OPINIONS OF ADULTS WHO WERE NOT. 
          GOOD EVENING, I'M LUCY BUXTON, AND I'M HERE. HANG ON A SECOND. NO START AGAIN. OKAY, LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT. IF EVERYBODY JUST SORT OF STEPPED CLOSE TO IT, IT DOES REQUIRE YOU TO BE CLOSE. 
          THAT'S OKAY. IT WON'T TAKE ME LONG. I'M LUCY BUXTON. I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO ASK YOU TO REVERSE YOUR DECISION TO BAN THE GRAPHIC NOVEL FLAMER. INCLUSION OF THIS BOOK IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES WAS APPROVED BY EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE DECISION TO BAN THIS BOOK, BASED ON THE OBJECTIONS OF A SMALL GROUP OF PARENTS, VIOLATES THE RIGHTS OF THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS. IT ALSO RUNS COUNTER TO THE MISSION OF EDUCATION, WHICH IS TO OPEN MINDS AND BROADEN HORIZONS. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT AND FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS BETH HABECK. BOOKS ARE TOOLS FOR UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX ISSUES LIMITING YOUNG PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO BOOKS DOES NOT PROTECT THEM FROM LIFE'S COMPLEX AND 
          [00:50:04]
CHALLENGING ISSUES. I HAVE GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS REASONS FOR BANNING THE BOOK WERE BASED ON PERSONAL IDEOLOGIES, PERHAPS BASED ON CHRISTIAN FAITH. I'M A PERSON OF DEEP CHRISTIAN FAITH, AND THAT'S WHY I OPPOSE THE BAN. THE BOOK IS WRITTEN TO HELP STUDENTS WHO ARE MADE TO FEEL LESS THAN. MY FAITH TELLS ME THAT WE ARE NEVER TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LESS THAN. ALL ARE LOVED. I URGE YOU TO HONOR THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION AND REINSTATE FLAMER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN ELLIOTT, FOLLOWED BY JAN HIRSCHFELD. LESLIE THOMPSON AND BRIAN CRESWICK. HI. MY NAME IS KAREN ELLIOTT. DO YOU REALIZE HOW THIS MAKES HARFORD COUNTY LOOK? WE'RE NOT BEING TALKED ABOUT FOR INNOVATION, ACHIEVEMENT OR EXCELLENCE. WE'RE IN THE HEADLINES FOR BANNING AN AWARD WINNING BOOK. THIS IS NOT JUST A MORAL FAILURE. IT'S A REPUTATIONAL ONE. FAMILIES MOVING HERE, BUSINESSES INVESTING HERE, COLLEGES EVALUATING OUR STUDENTS. THEY WILL ALL SEE THIS AND ASK, DOES HARFORD COUNTY REALLY VALUE EDUCATION OR DOES IT VALUE CENSORSHIP MORE? YOU DIDN'T BAN A BOOK. YOU BANNED HONESTY, FREEDOM AND THE BEST TRADITIONS OF OUR COUNTRY. OVERTURN THE BAN ON FLAMER BY MIKE CURADO. GOOD EVENING. I'M JAN HIRSCHFELD. I CAME TONIGHT TO OPPOSE THE BAN ON THE BOOK FLAMER. I OPPOSE THIS BOARD MAKING DECISIONS TO BAN BOOKS WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE AN ESTABLISHED, ROBUST, PROFESSIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINE COMMITTEE THAT APPROACHES DECISIONS LIKE THESE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT. THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD WHO SEEM UNABLE TO DO THAT. YOU ARE ABOUT TO MAKE A DECISION THAT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CHILDREN. I REMIND YOU THAT IF YOU BELIEVE EVERY PARENT SHOULD HAVE A VOICE, REMEMBER THAT YOUR DECISIONS CUT OUT. PARENTS WHO WANT AND NEED BOOKS LIKE FLAMER TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR KIDS. PLEASE DO NOT MAKE THE DECISION TO BAN THIS BOOK. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LESLIE THOMPSON AND I AM THE LOWBROW, LOW IQ PARENT OF A 14 YEAR OLD THAT I ALLOWED TO READ THE BOOK. DATA IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMBATING INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC, LIKE THE STATEMENT THAT THE BOOK FLAMER IS PERVASIVELY VULGAR. 
          LET'S LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME DATA. FLAMER IS 368 PAGES LONG. IT CONTAINS 56 SWEAR WORDS. FOR CONTEXT, LET'S LOOK AT A COUPLE OF FAMOUS LITERARY CLASSICS. CATCHER IN THE RYE, 277 PAGES LONG, 186 SWEAR WORDS THROUGHOUT. GRAPES OF WRATH, 464 PAGES LONG, 500 SWEAR WORDS, WHICH IS MORE THAN ONE PER PAGE. IT'S CLEAR THAT THE BANNING OF FLAMER IS A RESULT OF HOMOPHOBIA, NOT VULGARITY. IT'S DISCRIMINATION, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BRIAN CRESWICK, AND I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD REVERSE THE BAN OF FLAMER. IT'S THE PLACE OF PARENTS TO HAVE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR KIDS. AND SCHOOL BOARD ALREADY ALLOWS THAT BY GIVING PARENTS AN OPT OUT PROCESS. BUT BY BANNING A BOOK, RATHER THAN ALLOWING INDIVIDUAL PARENTS TO ADDRESS THIS, YOU ARE VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF OTHER PARENTS TO HAVE THIS AVENUE TO ADDRESS DIFFICULT TOPICS WITH THEIR KIDS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE CHRISTINA LANOKA. KAY CRESWICK, BRENDA PHILLIPS, AND GARY JOHNSON. 
          YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. MATTHEW 18 SIX BUT WHOEVER CAUSES ONE OF THESE 
          [00:55:02]
LITTLE ONES WHO BELIEVE IN ME TO STUMBLE, IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM TO HAVE A HEAVY MILLSTONE HUNG AROUND HIS NECK AND TO BE DROWNED IN THE DEPTH OF THE SEA. I WANT TO AGAIN THANK YOU THOSE WHO VOTED TO REMOVE THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOK FLAMER FROM OUR SCHOOLS. DOCTOR POINT NOTED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BANNING BOOKS AND CURATING, I.E. THE BOOKS SHOULD BE CHOSEN BASED ON AGE APPROPRIATENESS. BOOK CLEARLY VIOLATES HTTPS SELECTION STANDARDS, WHICH PROHIBIT MATERIALS WITH OBSCENE LANGUAGE, SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT, OR DEPICTIONS OF ILLEGAL OR VIOLENT ACTS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE AGE GROUP SERVED. THIS REASONING SUGGESTS THAT MANY MORE BOOKS MUST BE AGGRESSIVELY PURGED FROM OUR LIBRARIES. FLAMER WAS DEFINITELY NOT THE ONLY BOOK THAT WAS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE, AND NOT THE ONLY BOOK THAT CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BEEN RATED R AS A MOVIE. TAXPAYERS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO PAY FOR BOOKS THAT ARE IMMORAL, WHETHER HETEROSEXUAL OR HOMOSEXUAL. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS AND GUIDE YOU IN ALL YOUR DECISION MAKING. 
          HELLO, MY NAME IS KAY CRESWICK AND I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THE BAN OF THE BOOK FLAMER. SORRY ABOUT THAT. WHEN THIS BOARD BANNED FLAMER, YOU CHOOSING IGNORANCE OVER FREEDOM, YOU ARE TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN THAT FEAR HAS MORE AUTHORITY THAN TRUTH. PRESIDENT EISENHOWER ONCE SAID, DON'T JOIN THE BOOK BURNERS. DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO CONCEAL FAULTS BY CONCEALING EVIDENCE THAT THEY EVER EXISTED. YET HERE WE ARE IN 2025 AND HARFORD COUNTY, WITH A BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT HAS. 
          BENT JOINED THE RANKS OF THE BOOK BURNERS. YOU SHOULD BE DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM TO READ AND NOT DESTROYING IT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD REVERSE THE BAN ON FLAMER. THANK YOU. 
          GARY JOHNSON IN MY MOVIE TAYLOR, THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS SUCH AS HARFORD COUNTY'S VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS WHEN THEY EXPOSE CHILDREN TO LGBTQ BOOKS TOUTING PERVERSE SEXUAL LIFESTYLES WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS CONSENT. THE COURT SAID THAT IT IS THE RIGHT OF PARENTS TO DIRECT THE RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING OF THEIR CHILDREN. THE CONTENT OF THESE BOOKS IS AT ODDS WITH THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF MANY. WHEN MONTGOMERY COUNTY FORCED CHILDREN TO BE EXPOSED TO THESE BOOKS, SOME PARENTS SOUGHT AN OPT OUT. BUT WHEN THE OPT OUTS BECAME A BURDEN TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE OPT OUTS ENDED. THE COURT WAS LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE BURDEN ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAN IT WAS ABOUT THE BURDEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS PLACING UPON THE PARENTS, FOR WHAT WAS BEING TAUGHT WAS AT ODDS WITH THE PARENTS BELIEFS. THE COURT HAS AFFIRMED THAT PARENTS HAVE RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO BE RELEASED FROM SCHOOL DURING SCHOOL HOURS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RELIGIOUS TRAINING. LIKEWISE, ACADEMY OFFERS SUCH TRAINING. LET OUR CHILDREN GO. THEY BELONG TO THE PARENTS, NOT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IS THERE A BRENDA PHILLIPS? OKAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE BRIDGETTE CRENSHAW, KATE CHRISTIE, ROBIN BROWN, AND ARAVINDA PALLOMARI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BRIDGET CRENSHAW. I AM AN 18 YEAR EMPLOYEE WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 12 OF THOSE YEARS, I'VE SERVED AS A MEDIA TECHNICIAN. FIVE OF THOSE 12 YEARS, I HAVE BEEN SPLIT BETWEEN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. MY HOPE TONIGHT IS THAT MY VOICE. JUST ONE VOICE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 
          JUST LIKE ONE VOICE MANAGED TO CONVINCE THIS BOARD TO REMOVE AN ALREADY APPROVED BOOK. ONE REASON CITED FOR THE REMOVAL OF FLAMER WAS DUE TO THE LANGUAGE. BUT I WANT TO ASK THIS BOARD. 
          WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME ANY OF YOU WALKED THROUGH THE HALLS ALONE IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL? DURING CLASS CHANGE, WHEN YOU HAVE AN 11 YEAR OLD KID IN SIXTH GRADE TELL YOU TO F OFF, YOU STAND THERE JUST GOBSMACKED. THAT HAPPENED TO ME LAST YEAR. THESE CHILDREN USE THIS LANGUAGE, WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT. MY POINT IS, LANGUAGE IS USED IN FLAME OR REFLECTS THAT WE ALREADY HEAR IN OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS BOOK IS REALISTIC. MORE IMPORTANTLY, STUDENTS ARE DRAWN TO THE BOOK WHERE THEY SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN A CHARACTER. THANK YOU. PLEASE. THANK YOU. HEY, CHRISTIE. ROBIN BROWN. ARAVINDA. PALMARI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ARAVINDA PILLALAMARRI. AS A PARENT, I EXPECT DECISIONS ON LIBRARY MATERIALS TO BE MADE BY LIBRARIANS AND ANY REVIEW CONDUCTED THROUGH PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE PROCESSES. IT IS MY RIGHT TO BENEFIT FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE OF THESE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS, NOT TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION SUBJECT TO AUTHORITARIAN WHIMS AND BANS DESIGNED TO SPREAD FEAR AND SHOW POWER. THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY FLAMER DON'T VANISH 
          [01:00:06]
JUST BECAUSE YOU BAN IT. YOUNG PEOPLE DO OFTEN WONDER WHETHER THEY BELONG, WHETHER LIFE IS WORTH LIVING. AND WHILE WE READ FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AIDEN, WE ALSO SEE ONE OF THE BOYS WHO MOCKS HIM, ELIAS, COME TO ADMIT HIS MISTAKE IN ONE OF THE MOST MOVING PASSAGES OF THE BOOK, HE REALIZES HIS WORLD IS SMALLER WITHOUT AIDEN AND SEEKS TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT WITH HIM. 
          RESPECTFULLY, YOU CAN LEARN FROM A TEENAGER IN A NOVEL. ALL OF US CAN. OUR STUDENTS DESERVE LEADERS AS BRAVE AS THE CHILDREN YOU CLAIM TO PROTECT. STORIES THAT OFFER HOPE, TEACH EMPATHY, AND SHOW A WAY FORWARD ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH CHALLENGING TOPICS, AND THAT IS ALL THE MORE REASON TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT BANNED. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE DANIEL FLANNERY, RICK. CHECK, JEAN SALVATORE, AND THOMAS PIDDINGTON. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DANIEL FLANNERY. I HAD A LONG SCRIPT HERE, READY FOR THREE MINUTES. BUT NOW THAT I KNOW WE'RE DOWN TO JUST ONE MINUTE, I AM FOR BANNING THIS BOOK IN THE SCHOOLS. TO THOSE THAT THINK THAT THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK, I WON'T SAY I READ THE ENTIRE BOOK, BUT I'VE READ A GOOD BIT OF THIS ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS BOOK, INCLUDING READING TO THE END WHERE THERE IS NO RESOLUTION IN THE BOOK. SO HOW THEY CAN SAY THIS IS A USEFUL TOOL IS REALLY BEYOND THE POINT. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO REINSTATE THIS BOOK, THEN I THINK YOU ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT REINSTATING SOME OTHER VERY CONTROVERSIAL BOOKS. OF MICE AND MEN, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. OF COURSE, HUCK FINN, BUT I DOUBT THAT ANYBODY WOULD HAVE THE GUTS TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS A SELECTIVE. FAVORITE. THANK YOU. SORRY, I. MY NAME IS RICK CHECK, AND I AM A RETIRED HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER. THOUGH I WOULD SAY I GENERALLY DO NOT APPROVE A BOOK BANNING, I WILL LAUD THIS BOARD FOR MANAGING THE LITERATURE THAT PROMOTES HYPERSEXUALIZATION IMAGERY. FOR THE SAKE THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT SAVING, PRESERVING, CARING FOR THE TENDER MINDS AND IMAGINATIONS OF OUR YOUTH FOR TOMORROW. IF WE THOUGHT THIS MATERIAL WAS APPROPRIATE, WE COULD PUT IT UP ON A BILLBOARD, LET PEOPLE CALL IN AND SAY VOTE. 
          AND I THINK WE KNOW THAT PROBABLY A VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY, NO, YOU DID RIGHT. OKAY, REGARDLESS OF OUR RAVEN FANS HERE, YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR IT. REMEMBER, IT'S ABOUT SHARED ENVIRONMENTS. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO HONOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. BOARD I'M TOM PIDDINGTON AND JUST TO START OUT, I SUPPORT THE BAN. THIS BOOK ISN'T GOING TO SAVE LIVES. 
          IT'S GOING TO CAUSE SOME CONFUSION. PEOPLE WITH WITH MY PERSPECTIVE WILL COME UP HERE AND THE OTHER SIDE IS AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BRAND US. WE'RE HOMOPHOBIC. I HOLD NO ILL WILL. I'M AS LIBERTARIAN AS ANYBODY COULD BE ABOUT THE WAY YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CONFUSING YOUNG CHILDREN AND DESTROYING THE PURITY OF THEIR HEARTS, I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THAT. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE LAST, LAST MONTH WERE TALKING ON THE SAME SUBJECT AND THEY WERE SAYING, WE NEED TO TRUST OUR TEACHERS. WELL, THERE'S ONLY ONE TEACHER IN THIS ROOM THAT I SAW COME UP AND STOOD AGAINST THE BAN, AND HE WAS RETIRED. EVERY OTHER PERSON STOOD FOR THE BAN. I THINK TEACHERS HAVE LOST AN AWFUL LOT OF RESPECT AND TRUST FROM OUR SIDE ON THIS. WE HAD PARENTS COMING IN. WE HAD A VERY PROUD PARENT LAST MONTH WHO ACTUALLY REFERRED TO HER CHILD AS A NOT GAY YET CHILD, ALL WHILE SUPPORTING THIS BOOK. 
          THANK YOU. IS THERE A JEAN SALVATORE? NEXT WE HAVE CASEY MALEY, ELI BURBY, JULIE PARKER, AND OUR FOURTH IS RONNIE DAVIS. IS THERE A CASEY MALEY? ELI BURPEE? JULIE PARKER. RONNIE 
          [01:05:11]
DAVIS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RONNIE DAVIS. BANNING BOOKS IS NOT JUST ABOUT TAKING TITLES OFF A SHELF. IT IS ABOUT SILENCING VOICES, ERASING STORIES, AND CONTROLLING WHAT PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO THINK. HISTORY HAS SHOWN US WHERE THAT PATH LEADS. THE NAZIS BURN BOOKS TO DESTROY IDEAS THEY FEARED. IT SEEMS WE'VE GONE DOWN THAT ROAD IN THIS COUNTY. AS A FORMER TEACHER, I HAD PARENTS WHO DIDN'T WANT THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR CHILD, TO HEAR HARRY POTTER BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED I'D BE TEACHING WITCHCRAFT IF ONLY I HAD THAT POWER. I FOUND AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THOSE CHILDREN. OTHER PARENTS WERE THRILLED HARRY POTTER GOT THEIR CHILDREN TO READ. THE TRUTH IS, THE ONLY REAL POWER TEACHERS HAVE IS TO OPEN DOORS, TO SPARK CURIOSITY AND TO GIVE CHILDREN THE TOOLS TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. EVERY BOOK IS A CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD BETTER, AND WHEN WE START CLOSING THOSE DOORS, WE DON'T JUST LIMIT OUR CHILDREN, WE LIMIT OUR FUTURE. THE LAST THREE SPEAKERS I CALLED WERE ACTUALLY VIRTUAL, SO WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE IN PERSON, WE'LL CALL IN THE VIRTUAL. NEXT WE HAVE. KAYLA PALLOMARI. AL, ALMA, ELIAN, AND JESS FENDRICK. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KAYLA. I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 21. I'M HERE TODAY TO OPPOSE THE BAN AND ASK YOU TO REINSTATE FLAMER. AND I'M ALSO HERE TO ASK YOU FOR TRANSPARENCY GOING FORWARD IN ALL OF THE BOARD'S OPERATIONS. I AM AGAINST BOOK BANS IN GENERAL. I'M IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHT TO READ, OF THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO READ. READ. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. HUCKLEBERRY FINN. WHEN I WAS YOUNG, REALLY GLAD I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, AND TO DISCUSS ONE OF THOSE BOOKS IN MY ENGLISH CLASS. AND I REALLY LIKE FLAMER. I READ IT RECENTLY. IT ADDRESSES A LOT OF REALISTIC ISSUES THAT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FACE, WHETHER THAT'S BULLYING, WHETHER THAT'S QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBERTY, WHETHER THAT'S QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY FIT IN WITH THEIR PEERS, WHETHER THAT'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR FAMILY. AND IT ENDS WITH THE MESSAGE OF HOPE, WHICH I'D LIKE TO READ IN MY LAST 10S. 
          YOUR FAMILY LOVES YOU, AIDEN. YOU KNOW THEY DO. COULD YOU WATCH YOUR MOTHER FROM THE OTHER SIDE WEEPING FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE? WOULD YOU LEAVE THE TWINS WITHOUT THE BIG BROTHER THEY LOOK UP TO? WILL YOU LEAVE THEM TOO SCARED TO GROW UP? THIS BOOK. IS THERE AN ALMA ELIAN? THANK YOU. HI, I'M ALMA ELIAN. I'M A MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER AND A GREAT GRANDMOTHER. AND I BELIEVE THAT BOOKS SHOULD NOT BE BANNED BECAUSE CERTAIN PARENTS FIND THEM UNDESIRABLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO READ. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WISH THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE BOOKS. THIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT BANNING CERTAIN BOOKS, BUT THE LACK OF PARENTAL PARENTAL SUPERVISION ON THE PART OF CERTAIN PARENTS. IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR CHILD TO LEARN WHAT IS WRITTEN IN CERTAIN BOOKS, YOU SHOULD CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO MAKE THE ISSUE CLEAR TO THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT READING THEM. IT IS NOT THE JOB OF THE LIBRARY OR THE GOVERNMENT TO SUPERVISE WHAT YOUR CHILD IS READING. BUT YOU AS A PARENT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU, AS A PARENT, CAN OPT YOUR CHILD OUT OF CERTAIN BOOKS. PLEASE MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOUR CHILD AND LET OTHER PARENTS CHOOSE WHAT THEIR CHILD READS. AMEN. HI EVERYONE! I'M JESSICA FENDRICK. 
          I AM SPEAKING ON MY OWN BEHALF TODAY, BUT FOR THE NEW FOLKS ON THE BOARD, I'M A MEMBER OF THE NAACP OF HARFORD COUNTY, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IN HARFORD COUNTY, UPPER CHESAPEAKE, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT HERE IN THE AREA, AS WELL AS A PROUD MEMBER OF BE SMART, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS HELPS PREVENT GUN AND UNINTENTIONAL GUN VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD THINK THAT YOU SHOULD REVERSE YOUR DECISION, WHICH I KNOW YOU GUYS LEFT YOURSELF NO OPTION TO DO THAT. SO I THINK YOU NEED TO WRITE ANOTHER PROCEDURE THAT YOU ALL WROTE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T LET THE MAJORITY WHO HAS BEEN IN THE PAST TWO SESSIONS BEEN AGAINST THIS BOOK BAN. THEIR VOICES BE UNHEARD BECAUSE ONE PERSON WENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET TO THE PEOPLE THEY WANTED TO GET TO AT THE VERY END, REGARDLESS OF THE PROFESSIONALS AHEAD OF TIME. I'M AFRAID THAT THIS IS THE FIRST OF JUST MANY POOR DECISIONS THIS BOOK BANNING WILL BE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE GETTING READY TO PUT SOME MORE BOOKS ON THE LIST FOR Y'ALL TO BAN, SO I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO PUT OUT A LEGAL PROCEDURE THAT. THANK YOU. NO, MA'AM. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE FRED DURST, FOLLOWED BY PAUL MELKA. MICHAEL PEARSON, AND PAMELA 
          [01:10:02]
DEMMER. HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS. I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THREE THINGS ABOUT ASKING YOU TO REINSTATE FLAMER. IT'S IRONIC THAT YOU WANT CHILDREN TO GROW UP TO BE STRONG THINKERS. YET WHEN FACED WITH A BOOK THAT COULD CHALLENGE THEM TO THINK CRITICALLY, YOU CENSOR IT. YOU SAY YOU WANT TO PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR THE WORLD, YET YOU HIDE THE REALITIES OF BULLYING, IDENTITY AND BELONGING. YOU SAY YOU WANT SAFE SCHOOLS, AND YET YOU TAKE AWAY STORIES THAT HELP KIDS FEEL SEEN. THE HYPOCRISY IS OBVIOUS AND OUR STUDENTS ARE SMART ENOUGH TO SEE IT. WHAT LESSONS DO YOU THINK THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT HONESTY, LEADERSHIP, AND TRUST? LET ME JUST SAY THAT YOU'VE CAUSED A HUGE CONTROVERSY. YOU DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE PROFESSIONALS. YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW YOUR PROCEDURES. I HOPE THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT THIS BAND HAS AFFECTED. PLEASE LISTEN TO. HELLO. MY NAME IS PAUL MELKA. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS SPEAKING UNTIL I WALKED UP TODAY. AND THAT GENTLEMAN THAT JUST WENT BEFORE ACTUALLY INVITED ME TO GO AHEAD AND SPEAK. TO BE HONEST, I AM OPPOSED TO BANNING BOOKS PER SE, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH AN INAPPROPRIATE AGE, BOOKS BEING REMOVED FROM SHELVES, AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS BOOK IS APPROPRIATE FOR 10TH TO 12TH GRADERS, NOT MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. CERTAINLY, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ARE DEALING WITH VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE DEALING WITH. BUT AGAIN, DO WE REALLY WANT TO EXPOSE THESE YOUNGER CHILDREN TO BASICALLY THE LANGUAGE IN THAT BOOK? I KNOW I'M A VOLUNTEER COACH. IF THOSE KIDS USE THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THAT BOOK, I WOULD BE VERY SHOCKED AND I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD BE PLAYING ON THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, MUCH LONGER IN MY OPINION. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. SIR. 
          MICHAEL PAYSON, I BELIEVE HE MAY HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN. PAMELA DEMMER. HELLO. CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OVER THERE? OKAY. I OPPOSE THIS BOOK BAN. AND I ASK THAT YOU REINSTATE THE BOOK. YOU DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE PROFESSIONALS. YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THE PROCESS. THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU DID WRONG. AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY. A WAY TO SILENCE PEOPLE. AND LOOKS LIKE THE OTHER SIDE HAS GOT A WHOLE LOT OF BOOKS THEY WANT TO BAN HERE, OPPOSE THE OPPOSE THIS BANNING OF THE BOOK. NEXT WE HAVE KATIE BAUSERMAN, DONNA ZAVASCKI, CAROLYN FURLETTI, AND KAYLEE MIKKONEN. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME OVER THERE? YES. GREAT. WHEN WE DO THIS AGAIN, PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIC SO WE CAN ALL HEAR. GOOD EVENING. I OPPOSE THE REMOVAL OF THE BOOK FLAMER, AND I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER REINSTATING THE BOOK INTO THE LIBRARIES ON THE SHELVES FOR THE STUDENTS TO READ AND SHARE WITH THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR FRIENDS. AND I MEAN, THERE'S SO MUCH BULLYING THAT GOES ON IN SCHOOLS. I'M AN ADVOCATE. I DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME IN TEAM MEETINGS. I GET REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF IT THAT'S GOING ON. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST OUR STUDENTS NEED TO HAVE MESSAGES LIKE THE ONE THAT'S IN THIS BOOK. THE OKAY, I'M JUST GOING TO READ THIS. THIS IS ON PAGE 126, MESSAGE ABOUT SEXUALITY, SELF AWARENESS AND BULLYING. AND EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT GAY, I FEEL BAD FOR GAY PEOPLE BECAUSE I KNOW HOW MEAN PEOPLE CAN BE. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT SOMEONE'S LIFE WOULD BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, BEING GAY OUT IN THE OPEN. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. BOARD. I'M A RETIRED TEACHER. I'VE TAUGHT IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR 42 YEARS, AND I'M JUST SO SURPRISED AT WHAT'S HAPPENING. THIS BAN SAYS ONE THING LOUD AND CLEAR. YOU DO NOT TRUST YOUR OWN PROFESSIONALS. 
          YOU DON'T TRUST THE TEACHERS WHO GUIDE OUR KIDS EVERY DAY. YOU DON'T TRUST THE LIBRARIANS 
          [01:15:01]
TRAINED TO CURATE COLLECTIONS. YOU DON'T TRUST THE REVIEW COMMITTEE YOU APPOINTED. 
          INSTEAD, YOU BOWED TO PRESSURE FROM PEOPLE WHO CHERRY PICK LINES AND SPREAD FEAR. IF OUR SCHOOL CANNOT TRUST EDUCATORS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS, THEN WHAT MESSAGE ARE YOU SENDING? PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS CAROLYN FALLETTI AND I'M THE PARENT OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL BOYS, AND I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK THAT I. I OPPOSE THE BAN AND WANTED TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION. HARFORD COUNTY IS NOT A SINGLE STORY. OUR CHILDREN COME FROM DIVERSE FAMILIES, DIFFERENT RACES, FAITHS, CULTURES AND IDENTITIES. 
          PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXIST TO SERVE ALL OF THEM. WHEN YOU BAN A BOOK THAT UPLIFTS THOSE WHO FEEL DIFFERENT, YOU ARE SAYING YOU DO NOT COUNT. YOU ARE NARROWING EDUCATION TO FIT ONE WORLDVIEW WHEN ITS PURPOSE IS TO EXPAND MINDS. PUBLIC EDUCATION BELONGS TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, NOT TO THE LOUDEST FACTION. OVERTURN THE BAN OF FLAMER. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS CAITLIN MCKERNAN. I AM WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE HEARD OVER FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND I AM AGAINST BANNING THE BOOK FLAMER. I'M AGAINST ALL BOOK BANS. THOSE WHO BAN BOOKS ARE NEVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. THE CLAIM THAT THIS BOOK IS ONLY BEING BANNED BECAUSE IT IS PERVASIVELY VULGAR IS INCORRECT AND IN MY OPINION, PURPOSELY A LIE. SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SHARED HOMOPHOBIC BELIEFS ON THEIR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES. WE CAN SEE THAT. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THIS BOARD TRY TO PUSH POLICIES THROUGH THAT ARE HOMOPHOBIC IN NATURE, AND ARE CLEARLY TARGETING OUR QUEER STUDENTS. THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE SENDING IS UNACCEPTABLE. OUR QUEER COMMUNITY DOES NOT FEEL WELCOME BY US. THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE SENDING. BY BANNING BOOKS LIKE FLAMER. REVERSE THE BAN. NEXT WE HAVE CHERYL WORTHINGTON, SABRINA, AND JOSHUA BRYANT. MARLON MAHIKA CRUZ. IS MY THE ONLY ONE HERE. OKAY. 
          OKAY. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I COULD SAY ABOUT BANNING THIS BOOK. ALL I'M GOING TO SAY IS DON'T BAN IT. THAT'S IT. I'M SORRY. WERE YOU SABRINA BRYANT, THIS OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SABRINA AND JOSHUA BRYANT. NO. JULIA. JULIA RESIN. SORRY. JULIA. RESIN. ADRIANA HUSTA. 
          DOCTOR GREGORY. OKAY. THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M JULIA RESIN. I ACTUALLY HAD A LITTLE TYPE THING THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, BUT EVERYONE HAS ALREADY SAID IT, SO. THE ONLY ONE AND ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS ON THE COVER OF FLAMER. THIS BOOK WILL SAVE LIVES IF IT SAVES ONE LIFE, IT'S WORTH IT. IT'S WORTH READING. IT'S WORTH PUTTING BACK IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL, IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS. PLEASE, PLEASE ONE LIFE WILL BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO HAVE THIS BOOK IN THE LIBRARY. THANK YOU. I'M ADRIANA HUSTA AND I AM A MEMBER OF A FORMER MEMBER OF THE HARTFORD COMMUNITY ARTS BOARD. AND SO I COME TO YOU TO ASK YOU NOT TO BAN FLAMER, BECAUSE FLAMER IS A BOOK ABOUT THE HUMAN CONDITION AND WE SHOULD NEVER BAN THE HUMAN CONDITION. CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS KNOW ABOUT THE HUMAN CONDITION. THEY UNDERSTAND IT VERY WELL. SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION AND WE SHOULD RESPECT THAT. LET US STAND PROUD. YOU KNOW, IN HARTFORD COUNTY THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN CONDITION. AND WE ALLOWED THE ARTISTS AND 
          [01:20:07]
THE WRITERS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. HI, I'M DOCTOR GREGORY VAN DIKE. I'M A RETIRED DENTIST. I HAVE A DEGREE IN DENTAL MEDICINE, AND I TAUGHT GENETICS IN IN GRADUATE SCHOOL. HOPEFULLY I CAN MAYBE OFFER YOU A SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION FOR THIS. 
          AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER IN BANNING BOOKS. I THINK WE HAVE TO TEACH THE FACTS. THE FACTS IS, IS THAT GENDER DYSPHORIA IS ROOTED IN GENETICS AND BIOLOGY. 
          TO BAN ANY BOOKS IS TO BAN HUMAN RIGHTS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THEY WERE BORN THAT WAY. THE EVIDENCE IS OUT THERE, EVIDENCE OF GENDER DYSPHORIA IS WITH SEVERE GENETIC MUTATIONS. AND THAT AFFECTS THE TESTOSTERONE LEVEL IN THE IN THE IN THE DEVELOPING FETUS AND THE FETUS THEN OR THE. THANK YOU SIR. NEXT WE HAVE K FLOW COLLEEN BIANCO BRYCE PORTER AND JACQUELINE BOOTH. GOOD EVENING. I AM K FLOW. I'M THE SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY NAACP. I JUST WANT TO READ A STATEMENT OFFICIALLY FROM THE NAACP. WE FIRMLY OPPOSE BOOK BANNING, VIEWING IT AS A FORM OF CENSORSHIP THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SPECIFICALLY BLACKS AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITIES. 
          WE SEE IT AS AN INFRINGEMENT ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH AND EXPRESSION, HINDERING SOCIETAL PROGRESS. WE BELIEVE THAT DIVERSE BOOKS, INCLUDING THOSE REFLECTING VARIOUS HISTORIES AND LIFE STORIES, ARE CRUCIAL FOR STUDENTS EDUCATION AND FOR FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING WITHIN COMMUNITIES. I ALSO BESEECH THIS BOARD AS WE START THE NEW BOARD YEAR, THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING DISTRICTS WITH DIVERSE PEOPLE, AND STOP REPRESENTING JUST SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. THANK YOU. SO. HELLO, I'M COLLEEN BIANCO. THE DANGER ISN'T JUST THIS ONE BOOK, BUT EVERY BOOK THAT FOLLOWS, IT'S ABOUT EVERY BOOK THAT MIGHT BE PULLED BECAUSE SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE WHO POSSIBLY HASN'T READ THE BOOK DECIDES IT IS OFFENSIVE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, THEN DON'T READ IT. BUT DON'T BAN IT. REMEMBER, YOU REPRESENT EVERY STUDENT. THEIR STORIES NEED TO BE HEARD. AS IT SAYS ON THE COVER, THIS BOOK WILL SAVE LIVES, DO BETTER AND REVERSE THE BAN ON FLAMER. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS BRYCE. I'M A STUDENT HERE AT HARFORD TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. I OPPOSE THE BANNING OF THE BOOK FLAMER OR OF ANY OTHER BOOK. THE WAY THESE BOOKS ARE BEING REVIEWED AND BANNED IS ILLEGAL. THE MEETINGS TO REVIEW THESE BOOKS AND TO SEE IF THEY SHOULD BE BANNED WAS DONE IN SECRET AND WAS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO BE AWARE OF WHEN THE OF WHAT BOOKS ARE CURRENTLY UP FOR REVIEW, AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE BANNED. THE PUBLIC ALSO HAS THE RIGHT TO GIVE OPINIONS ON THE RULES AND GUIDELINES ON HOW THESE BOOKS ARE BANNED. I KNOW COUNTLESS STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING MENTALLY HARMED BY THE BANNING OF THESE BOOKS. THESE BOOKS MAKE STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEMSELVES, FEEL SAFE AND HELP THEM FIND FRIENDS, FIND AND CREATE FRIENDSHIPS. THESE BOOKS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO STUDENTS AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. NOT ONLY IS THIS HURTING MENTAL HEALTH, IT'S HURTING THEIR SKILLS. THEY NEED TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. BANNING BOOKS IS CREATING MINDLESS STUDENTS WHO CANNOT PROCESS EMOTIONS PROPERLY. THE CONTENT IN THIS BOOK IS THE SAME VULGAR CONTENT THAT ANY MODERN CHILDREN CAN FIND ONLINE VERY EASILY, OR IN PERSON OR IN SCHOOLS. YOU CANNOT STOP THIS HAPPENING. THANK YOU. HI, I'M JACQUELINE BOOTH, SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO THE ISSUE OF ACCESS HERE. I OPPOSE THE BANNING OF THIS BOOK AND ANY OTHER BOOK THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THE DUE PROCESSES THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED BY THE BOARD OF ED AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH MARYLAND STATE LAW, AS WELL AS HOW IT INTEGRATES WITH HCP POLICY. SOME FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED ABOUT HOW THIS WILL LIMIT STUDENTS ACCESS IF WE TAKE IT OFF THE SHELVES. YES, WE HAVE OUR WONDERFUL PUBLIC LIBRARIES, BUT WE ARE 
          [01:25:04]
ALSO NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT STUDENTS WHO ARE DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS. WE ARE NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT STUDENTS WITH VARIOUS SITUATIONS, WHETHER IT BE FROM A STORM OUTAGE TO A CONSISTENT ISSUE WITH PAYING FOR HOME INTERNET ACCESS. THESE ARE CONSIDERATIONS WHERE STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME ACCESS ACROSS THE BOARD AND REMOVING MATERIALS OUT OF OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES THAT HAVE BEEN VETTED AND OTHERWISE APPROVED. LIMITS. NEXT, WE HAVE JANINE CANEDO. KURT DOAN, EMILIE PINE, AND ERIC THOMPSON. GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, BANNING BOOKS IS AN INCREDIBLY GASLIGHTING, INFLAMMATORY CHARACTER CHARACTERIZATION OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN TO READ IN SCHOOL. 20 YEARS AGO, IF I WAS ALERTED AS A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, THAT A TEACHER WAS SHARING SOME OF THE CONTENT IN SOME OF THESE BOOKS BOOKS, AS A MANDATED REPORTER, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO REPORT THEM TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. WHAT'S CHANGED? HOPEFULLY NOTHING. SO WHERE IS THE LINE? IT KEEPS MOVING AS FAR AS I CAN SEE. I'VE HEARD BOOKS SHOULD REFLECT LIVED EXPERIENCE. WHAT'S THE NEXT LIVED EXPERIENCE? I DON'T KNOW. THE LINE KEEPS MOVING. I HAVE TO CONTROL. MY NAME IS DOCTOR KURT DOAN, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY PRIDE FOUNDATION. 
          I'M ALSO THE PARENT OF TWO KIDS, AND I URGE YOU TO REVERSE THE BOOK BAN. FLAMER WAS BANNED ON THE ABSURD PREMISE THAT IT IS VULGAR, PERVERTED, AND PORNOGRAPHIC. IT IS NONE OF THESE THINGS. FLAMER ILLUSTRATES THE IMPACT OF PEER AND INSTITUTIONAL BULLYING ON TEENS. 
          A GOOD EXAMPLE OF INSTITUTIONAL BULLYING MIGHT BE FOR BOARD MEMBERS WHO SEEM TO LOATHE QUEER KIDS SO MUCH THAT THEY BAR THEM FROM ACCESSING POTENTIALLY LIFE SAVING LITERATURE. IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL KIDS, NOT JUST THE ONES THAT LOOK LIKE YOU OR ALIGN WITH YOUR IDEOLOGIES, THEN YOU HAVE NO PLACE ON THIS BOARD. AND SINCE I HAVE SOME TIME LEFT, THE MILLSTONE PARABLE THAT HAS BEEN USED TWICE IN THIS MEETING IS A VEILED THREAT. WHAT ARE YOU ALL GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT? YOU SEEM SO INTENT ON BANNING. THAT IS THE THING THAT YOU SHOULD BE BANNING AND ADDRESSING. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM RESPONDING. HI, I'M EMILY. AND I ASKED THE BOARD TO REVERSE THE DECISION TO REMOVE FLAMER FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I READ FLAMER AND I RESONATED WITH THE PROTAGONIST. YEAH. ADA NAVARRO AS HE QUESTIONED HIS IDENTITY. GENDER, SEXUALITY AND GRAPPLED WITH THE EMOTIONAL WEIGHT OF FINDING BELONGING. AS I READ, I LET MYSELF REMEMBER THE DISCOMFORT OF YOUTH, OF TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF MY OWN MIDDLE SCHOOL STRUGGLES, WITH FEELINGS OF QUEERNESS, OF FEELING ON THE OUTSIDE OF WHAT WAS DEEMED NORMAL. THIS BOOK COULD HELP YOUNG STUDENTS FEEL LESS ALONE, PERHAPS EVEN FAST TRACK THEM IN THEIR JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY. I BELIEVE FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY. AND SO I JUST REALLY ASK YOU, REINSTATE FLAMER. THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS ERIC THOMPSON. I LIVE HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. I HAVE TWO AWESOME NEPHEWS WHO ATTEND HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I OPPOSE BOOK BANNING AND I OPPOSE THE ARBITRARY AND ILLEGAL REMOVAL OF FLAMER FROM HC LIBRARIES. FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK, OR MIGHT BE UNDER THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT IT'S PERVASIVELY VULGAR WITH NO REDEEMING VALUE, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A SHORT PASSAGE. THIS IS A NOTE FROM THE MAIN CHARACTER'S PEN PAL, VIOLET, WHO IS BASED ON A REAL PERSON FROM HARFORD COUNTY. DEAR AIDEN. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU. YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD. I WOULD NEVER, EVER ABANDON YOU. I AM HERE AND ALWAYS WILL BE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSIE SCOTT, FOLLOWED BY IMANI, AL, AND KIANA CHARLTON. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. IT'S JUST TOO BAD THAT WE'RE SPENDING ANOTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING LISTENING 
          [01:30:02]
TO THE SAME MISINFORMED TALKING POINTS REGARDING THE DECISION OF YOUR DECISION TO REMOVE ONE PERVASIVELY VULGAR BOOK FROM OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THE CLAIM THAT WE SHOULD TURN THE MATTER OF CURATING OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES OVER TO THE EXPERTS IS RIDICULOUS. THANK YOU FOR ACTING TO REMOVE THE ONE BOOK THAT WAS CHALLENGED BY A VERY BRAVE MOM WHO IS THE EXPERT OF HER CHILD, AND TO CLEAR UP THE CLAIMS THAT SHE DIDN'T READ THE BOOK. THAT'S A PATENT LIE. SHE READ THE WHOLE BOOK. SHE FOLLOWED THE PROCEDURE. IF WE'VE LEARNED ANYTHING, IT'S THAT THIS CURRENT PROCEDURE OF CHALLENGING BOOKS ISN'T WORKABLE. SO I IMPLORE YOU TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT'S BEING PURCHASED FOR USE IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. AND WE YOU ARE CURATING A LIBRARY. THIS USE OF THE WORD BANNING THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE TIME IS RIDICULOUS. DON'T STAND UP. STAND UP TO THE BULLIES. YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. STAND BY IT. THANK YOU. HI. MY NAME IS IMANI AND I AM A STUDENT HERE AT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. GRAPPLING WITH HARSH TOPICS IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE THEY REVEAL THE REALITIES OF OUR WORLD. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SHIELD OURSELVES FROM. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO SHIELD OURSELVES FROM THE EXISTENCE OF VIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION. THE NEXT GENERATION MUST LEARN FROM THE STORIES REFLECTING TODAY'S WORLD, ENABLING US AS A SOCIETY TO PROGRESS FORWARD AND EXPOSURE TO THESE DIVERSE NARRATIVES, EVEN THOSE THAT MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE, FOSTERS DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX ISSUES. BY CONFRONTING THESE REALITIES, WE CAN EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO CHALLENGE INJUSTICE, PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY, AND BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE SOCIETY FOR ALL. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS KENYA CHARLTON. IN 1933, THE NAZI REGIME BURNED AND LATER BANNED ANY LITERATURE DEEMED UN-GERMAN OR PROMOTED IMMORAL TOPICS SUCH AS SOCIALISM, DEMOCRACY AND MARXISM. AMERICA'S REACTION AT THAT POINT WAS ONE OF DISGUST AND OUTRAGE. 100,000 PEOPLE MOBILIZED IN PROTEST IN NEW YORK CITY. IT IS BEYOND DISHEARTENING TO SEE THE NEARLY 100 YEARS LATER THE US HAS COME TO MIMIC THEM. AS A STUDENT, MAYBE A CORRUPT ONE. I VERY WELL COULD HAVE READ FLAMER ALONGSIDE BOOKS LIKE PERSEPOLIS BY MARJANE SATRAPI OR OF MICE AND MEN BY JOHN STEINBECK. ALL THREE ARE CONFLICTING PIECES THAT CONFRONT UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS, YET TWO ARE IN THE CURRICULUM WHILE ONE IS PUSHED AND DIMINISHED. HOW CAN YOU LET SOME BOOKS PASS AND CHALLENGE OTHERS JUST BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN CONSPIRACY EXPERIENCES AND SCENARIOS THAT CONTRADICT YOUR IDEALS? THANK YOU. VICE PRESIDENT PAGE. THAT'S ALL THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF VIRTUAL OKAY. I WILL GO AHEAD AND ADMIT THE FIRST VIRTUAL SPEAKER. GOOD EVENING. YOU ARE NOW IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. 
          BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME. YOUR TIME WILL CONCLUDE IN ONE MINUTE. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU MAY BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. 
          HI, THIS IS CASEY MILEY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. YES, YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. OKAY. 
          I'M HERE TODAY AS THE GRANDPARENT OF FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, TWO BOYS AND TWO GIRLS. I SUPPORT THE GAY COMMUNITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SOME LINES THAT SHOULD NOT BE CROSSED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH OUR VULNERABLE YOUTH. I'M NOT HERE SPECIFICALLY TO DISCUSS THE BOOK FLAMER, ALTHOUGH I DO APPLAUD THE BOARD FOR REMOVING IT FROM THE SHELVES. AFTER HEARING SOME OF THE EXCERPTS TONIGHT, AND HOW ANYONE CAN SAY WITH A STRAIGHT FACE THAT THAT BOOK DOES NOT CONTAIN GRAPHIC CONTENT IS AN OUTRAGE. I'M MORE CONCERNED WITH THE OVERALL MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION POLICY ON PROVIDING SAFE SPACES FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH, AND I'VE HEARD A FEW COMMENTS TONIGHT ABOUT SUICIDE RATES IN THE GAY COMMUNITY AND HOW THIS BOOK, FLAMER QUOTE, SAVES LIVES. BUT ACCORDING TO THE NIH, SUICIDE RATES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO UNDERWENT GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY HAD A 12.12 FOLD HIGHER SUICIDE ATTEMPT RISK THAN THOSE WHO DID NOT. I THINK WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING AND ARITHMETIC AND STOP THIS IDEOLOGICAL GROOMING WITH OUR HARD EARNED TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND WE HAVE REACHED THE ONE MINUTE MARK. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. YOU ARE NOW IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. 
          BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME. YOUR TIME WILL CONCLUDE IN ONE MINUTE. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU MAY BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. 
          HI, MY NAME IS ARVEL BURBY. FOR MY PUBLIC COMMENT, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT ACQUIRING DIVERSE KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVES IS PART OF GROWING AND BEING HUMAN, AS IS DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH 
          [01:35:02]
THAT INFORMATION AND DRAWING YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. ALL THAT LIMITING ACCESS TO BOOKS DOES IS PROHIBIT PEOPLE FROM THINKING FOR THEMSELVES, AND IN THE CASE OF DEVELOPING YOUNG MINDS, FINDING OUT WHO THEY TRULY WANT TO BE IN LIFE. THE LAST THING SCHOOL AGE KIDS SHOULD BE IS SHELTERED, INFLATED, AND HELD BACK BY THE PERSONAL WHIMS OF OTHERS WHO FORGOTTEN WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS AND MEANING IN A WORLD THAT WON'T LOOK OUT FOR THEM, ENABLING YOUTH TO FIND A FULFILLING FUTURE MEANS A GENUINE NEED AND INTEREST OF EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY MUST BE CONSIDERED. AND THIS IS NOT IT. WE'VE ALL HEARD THE PHRASE DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. AND YET HERE I AM, HAVING TO DEFEND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND A BASIC RIGHT OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TO BE HEARD FROM THOSE WHO HAVEN'T EVEN BOTHERED TO READ A BOOK AND MADE A PERSONAL VALUE BASED JUDGMENT INSTEAD. WHAT SORT OF HARMFUL PRECEDENT IS THAT SET FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT FIND VALUE IN ALL MANNER OF MEDIA? IS THE GOAL NOT TO BUILD A MORE HARMONIOUS, HONEST, EDUCATIONAL UPBRINGING IN AN AGE SO SATURATED WITH INFORMATION THAT REALITY CAN EASILY BE TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT, DECLINING CRITICAL THINKING IS SLOW AND INCREMENTAL. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. WE'VE REACHED THE ONE MINUTE MARK. THANK YOU. OKAY. 
          GOOD EVENING. YOU ARE NOW IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME. YOUR TIME WILL CONCLUDE IN ONE MINUTE. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU MAY BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. MY NAME IS JULIE PARKER. I WAS JUST THINKING IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR CHILDREN IN HARFORD COUNTY TO LEARN MORE THAN JUST FOUR LETTER WORDS FROM BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARIES. EXAMPLE F-U-C-K. DICK SUCK. I HOPE TO DO BETTER. IT MAKES HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE UNEDUCATED, PERVERTED HILLBILLIES. HOW ABOUT LEARNING SOMETHING INTELLIGENT AND USEFUL WITH SOME CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS? MAYBE HOW TO READ BIGGER WORDS THAT WILL KEEP THEM FROM COMMITTING SUICIDE, TAKING DRUGS, AND HOW TO GET A JOB AND STAY OUT OF JAIL. I WAS JUST THINKING WORDS LIKE BEAUTIFUL, MAGNIFICENT, ELOQUENT. WE NEED BIGGER IDEAS, BIGGER HOPES AND DREAMS. IT WAS A POOR REPRESENTATION OF HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATORS AND THOSE WHO ARE PUSHING THIS FILTH. ONE WORD SUMS IT UP PATHETIC. THOSE WOE TO THOSE WHO CALL EVIL GOOD AND GOOD EVIL. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO REMOVE BOOKS IF THE COMMITTEE PICKED AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS TO BEGIN WITH. THIS BOOK GIVES IDEAS TO BULLY. YOU HAVE REACHED THE ONE MINUTE MARK. THANK YOU. MISS PAGE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT AND FOR BEING HERE. WE WILL NOW START WITH BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND DOCTOR POINTON, I WILL START WITH YOU. ALL RIGHT. 
          GOOD EVENING. I'LL GO FIRST HERE SINCE I'M REMOTE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING. 
          EVERYONE JUST WANTED TO GIVE SOME INSIGHT INTO MY DECISION TO REMOVE THE BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY SHELVES, WHERE STUDENTS AS YOUNG AS 10 OR 11 HAD UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THE BOOK. FIRST, MANY OF THE CLAIMS THAT I HEARD TONIGHT ABOUT THE BOARD VIOLATING THE OPEN MEETING ACT OR EXCEEDING ITS AUTHORITY ARE SIMPLY FALSE. WE ACTED WITHIN FULLY WITHIN BOTH THE PROCEDURE AND THE LAW. THE PROCEDURE, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED WITH EXTENSIVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND IS ALSO MADE PUBLIC, REQUIRES MATERIALS TO BE EVALUATED FOR APPROPRIATENESS FOR RECOMMENDED GRADE LEVELS AT EACH GRADE LEVEL. FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS, QUOTE, EXPLICIT SEXUAL ACTIVITY OR EXTREME DESCRIPTIONS OF SEXUAL AGGRESSION, AND, QUOTE, DISRESPECTFUL PORTRAYALS OF CHARACTERS AND SEXUAL OBJECTS, AS WELL AS CONSIDERING PROFANITY. YET, FLAMER, PUBLISHED CLEARLY BY ITS OWN PUBLISHERS, DESIGNED FOR GRADES TEN, 11, AND 12, WAS PLACED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARIES WHERE STUDENTS HAD UNFETTERED ACCESS TO IT. THAT DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS BOTH OUR OWN STANDARDS AND COMMON SENSE. LET ME BE CLEAR THIS IS NOT ABOUT CENSORSHIP. I OPPOSE CENSORSHIP, IT'S ABOUT APPLYING AGE APPROPRIATENESS STANDARDS CONSISTENTLY. IN FACT, TO MY RECOLLECTION DURING THE DEBATE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIDN'T EVEN COME UP AT ALL AS A FACTOR FOR PULLING THE BOOK. DURING THE CONVERSATION. THE DECISION WAS MADE BECAUSE FLAMER CONTAINS GRAPHIC SEXUAL REFERENCES AND VULGARITIES SO EXPLICIT IT WAS NOTED TONIGHT THAT I COULD NOT EVEN READ THE BOOK HERE OUT LOUD AT THIS FORUM WITHOUT BEING FINED BY THE FCC, BECAUSE THESE ARE ON PUBLIC AIRWAYS. IF IT WERE A MOVIE, IT WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE RATED R. EARLIER, SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD READ THE BOOK AND IT HAD OVER 50 FOUL WORDS. WHILE THE MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION USES THE STANDARD OF ONLY TWO F 
          [01:40:03]
BOMBS TO BE RATED R, SO ASK YOURSELF THIS SHOULD PARENTS SURRENDER THEIR RIGHTS TO A TICKET TAKER AT THE MOVIE THEATER? IF YOU'RE 10 OR 11 YEAR OLD CAME HOME AND SAID THAT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO SEE AN R-RATED FILM WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION, WOULD YOU ACCEPT THAT IN THIS CASE, THE TICKET TAKER IS THE LIBRARIAN? THAT'S A BROKEN PROCESS. PUBLIC CONFIDENCE RIGHT NOW IN K THROUGH 12, EDUCATION IS ALREADY AT HISTORIC LEVELS, AT HISTORIC LOW LEVELS. WHEN WE IGNORE OUR OWN STANDARDS, WE ERODE THAT TRUST EVEN FURTHER. I AGREE THAT THE CURRENT PROCEDURE IS FLAWED, AND I INTEND TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD TO FIX IT. BUT PARENTS, NOT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, SHOULD DECIDE WHETHER THEIR CHILD IS EXPOSED TO CONTENT THAT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR THEIR AGE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE BOOK'S OWN PUBLISHER. THAT IS, ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT IS RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE, AND THAT IS NOT CENSORSHIP. BUT WITH THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING, WE CANNOT LET THIS SINGLE ISSUE OVERSHADOW THE REAL STORY OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE'RE MAKING REAL PROGRESS EVERY DAY FOR OUR STUDENTS. OUR GRADUATION RATE HAS CLIMBED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN A DECADE. LITERARY INITIATIVES ARE MOVING MORE STUDENTS TOWARDS GRADE LEVEL READING GOALS. AND JUST LAST WEEK, WE ANNOUNCED A RECORD NUMBER OF AP EXAMS TAKEN, WITH RESULTS AT ALL TIME HIGHS. THAT'S THE REAL STORY OF HCPS. 
          WE DO HAVE MORE WORK TO DO. BOOKS WILL CERTAINLY BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT THE FOCUS MUST REMAIN ON OUR CORE MISSION OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PLEASE KEEP THE ENERGY GOING, BUT LET'S KEEP IT WHERE IT MATTERS MOST. PREPARING EVERY CHILD FOR SUCCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS PERRY. I'LL START WITH YOU. OKAY? MINE IS SHORT AND SWEET. YES. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF. I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT WERE EXPRESSED IN SUPPORT OF OUR STAFF AND EDUCATORS. THE OTHER REASON WE STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE THE BEST EDUCATION WE CAN PROVIDE. WE APPRECIATE THE EXPERTISE THAT LIBRARIANS PROVIDE IN DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATE BOOKS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO READ. THANK YOU. MR. SEWELL. YES, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SPOKE THIS EVENING. AND FOR THOSE THAT STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE BOARD THROUGH EMAIL, YOUR VOICE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNIT. AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS THIS BOARD NAVIGATES NEW TERRITORY. I HOPE THAT A RESOLUTION CAN COME FORWARD THAT CAN SATISFY EVERYONE. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTED THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION. STUFF THE BUS EVENT JUST OUTSIDE THE BUILDING TODAY. THERE IS STILL TIME TO DONATE TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE. THAT IS SO CRITICAL TO MAKING SURE EVERY STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES THEY NEED, AND TO SUPPORT TEACHERS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY, PARTICULARLY THE NEW TEACHERS WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT AND NEED TO STOCK THEIR BRAND NEW CLASSROOMS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE, THERE ARE MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY TO DONATE. YOU CAN DONATE THROUGH THE FOUNDATION'S TARGET REGISTRY, AMAZON REGISTRY, OR WALMART REGISTRY. THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE, HARFORD EDUCATION, BEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME. HARFORD EDUCATION ORG HAS A BUTTON THAT SAYS SCHOOL SUPPLY DONATIONS. 
          THAT PAGE HAS LINKS TO ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN DONATE, AND THE LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTY WHERE YOU CAN PHYSICALLY DROP OFF. THE DONATION TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. HOWEVER, AS SCHOOL IS STARTING VERY SOON AND THE SOONER WE RECEIVE THE SUPPLIES, THE QUICKER WE CAN GET THE SUPPLIES TO THE TEACHERS AND THE CLASSROOMS IN NEED. IT'S SO CRITICAL THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THE TREMENDOUS INCREASE STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES, AND THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE PASS RATE. OVERARCHINGLY, I WANT TO COMMEND THE EDUCATORS THAT STEPPED UP TO TEACH THESE COURSES AND DID SO EFFECTIVELY. LAST YEAR. YOU TAUGHT 37% MORE STUDENTS IN THESE COURSES YEAR OVER YEAR, AND YET WE'RE ABLE TO INCREASE THE PASS RATE BY 4%. 
          THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT. SO I HOPE YOU, THE EDUCATORS THAT TAUGHT THESE 
          [01:45:01]
COURSES AND WORKED SO HARD TO CHALLENGE THE STUDENTS AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE DIFFICULT COURSEWORK AND RECOGNIZE YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO. I'M SORRY, I THINK I LOST MY PLACE. 
          HANG ON JUST A SECOND. HERE. LET ME JUST GO BACK. SO I HOPE YOU, THE EDUCATORS THAT TAUGHT THESE COURSES AND WORKED SO HARD TO CHALLENGE THE STUDENTS THROUGH THE DIFFICULT COURSEWORK. 
          RECOGNIZE YOUR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDENTS AND TO YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTED THE FRONTLINE EDUCATORS IN THESE CLASSROOMS SO THAT THEY CAN EXCEL IN THIS WAY. THANK YOU TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT FOR PUSHING THE RIGOR OF INSTRUCTION IN THIS COUNTY, SO THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PUSH THEM TO THEIR ACADEMIC LIMITS. I WANT TO THANK THIS BOARD FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE DIVERSITY AND STRENGTH OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD PRESIDENT, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH THE FUNDING WE NEEDED LAST YEAR TO PROVIDE THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR STUDENTS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE AND CELEBRATE THE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSEWORK. IT IS NOT EASY. THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WHO SUPPORTED THESE STUDENTS. I CAN SPEAK FIRSTHAND. IT IS A LOT. 
          YOUR SUPPORT OF YOUR STUDENT IS TO BE RECOGNIZED AND COMMENDED. AND NOW TO A NEW YEAR OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES. GODSPEED TO THE STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES AS YOU PUSH YOURSELVES TO THE VERY LIMITS. WHEN WE PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ACCESS TO EDUCATION, OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED. THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ADVANCED PLACEMENT THIS PAST YEAR IS JUST A WINDOW INTO THE PERFORMANCE OF A SUBSET OF THE STUDENTS IN OUR COUNTY. I AM SO DELIGHTED TO CELEBRATE OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STUDENTS, AND WE OFTEN DO NOT HAVE THE METRICS TO SHOW ALL OF THE SUCCESSES FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE EDUCATORS AND OUR STUDENTS WHO WORK SO HARD EVERY YEAR. AND THE EDUCATORS WHO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO WELCOME ALL THE EDUCATORS BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS, THEIR LIBRARIES, AND THEIR CLASSROOMS FOR A BRAND NEW SCHOOL YEAR. I HOPE ALL OF YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC START TO THE YEAR. PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR LEADERSHIP IF YOU NEED ANYTHING AT ALL TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS. ALL OF US WANT YOU TO SUCCEED AND TO FEEL A DEEP SENSE OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. AT HCPS, WE ARE FAMILY AND WE LOVE YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MUELLER. SO I WANT TO MENTION OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. AS SOME OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE, THE ENVIROTHON TEAM FROM NORTH HARFORD WON SECOND PLACE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. ON TOP OF THAT, LAURA O'LEARY, WHO IS THEIR ADVISOR FROM NORTH HARFORD. SHE WON THE AGRICULTURAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR BY THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. HOWARD EAKS, WHO IS THE HEAD OF HARFORD GLEN, WON THE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD FROM THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE, NOT ONLY AT NORTH HARFORD AND AT HARFORD GLEN, BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION HERE. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A NOTE THAT WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT WHO WERE ELECTED LAST MEETING. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ELECTED AND APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND IT IS THE PRESIDENT'S CHOICE FOR THE AGENDA FOR THE ORDER OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE THEY COME AND WHAT TIMING THEY HAVE AVAILABLE. AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MINUTE. I KNOW I HAD I WAS THE PRESIDENT AT ONE POINT AND HAD PEOPLE ACCUSING ME OF TAKING AWAY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. WHEN I ASKED FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO BE MOVED FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE MEETING. BUT AT NO TIME DID I LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT PEOPLE HAD TO MAKE THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO IF THAT'S TAKING AWAY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, NOT ONE PERSON HAS MENTIONED THEIR RIGHTS BEING TAKEN AWAY WHEN THEY'RE LIMITED TO A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. BACK DURING COVID, WHEN WE WERE DOING REDISTRICTING, SOMETIMES WE HAD MEETINGS THAT LASTED TILL TWO IN THE MORNING BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND A LOT OF TIMES THOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE REPEATED. AND I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN PEOPLE CAME IN WITH THE SCRIPT AND READ IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, I DID GET A LITTLE TIRED OF IT, BUT PEOPLE WERE HEARD AND WHAT THEIR VOICES WERE SAYING WAS HEARD BY EVERYONE ON THE BOARD. 
          [01:50:03]
I WANT YOU TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. THEY ALSO HAVE THE PRESIDENT. IT'S TOTALLY UP TO THEM WHAT THE SEATING ARRANGEMENT IS. I MEAN, I GOT MOVED ONE PLACE. I'M NOT COMPLAINING. I'M NOT MAKING A BIG DEAL OUT OF THAT. I DON'T CARE, ACTUALLY, LIKE TRACE, I DON'T MIND. I LIKE WADE, TOO. I MEAN, I GOT TWO GOOD PEOPLE SITTING WITH ME. BUT THINK ABOUT THE OPTICS, THE CENTER PORTION, WHICH IS WHERE MOST PEOPLE'S EYES GO. THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, SUPERINTENDENT. HE JUST STAYS IN THE SAME PLACE ALL THE TIME. WE DON'T MOVE HIM AROUND. ARE ALL THE APPOINTED OFFICIALS YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE ON THE OUTSKIRTS. OKAY. SO WHERE IS THE IMPORTANCE HERE? IF YOU'RE ELECTED, YOU'RE MARGINALIZED. AND IF YOU'RE APPOINTED, YOU'RE ELEVATED. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE. I ALSO WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE ENTIRE OPTICS OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE BOARD. DOCTOR BOYNTON SENT AN EMAIL OUT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD SAYING THAT EVERYTHING SHOULD BE ANSWERED BY THE BOARD LEADERSHIP. NOW, I WILL TELL YOU, I DO RESPECT THE FACT THAT AARON IS OUR PRESIDENT AND LAUREN IS OUR VICE PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT. HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THAT. I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH BEING TOLD WHO I CAN TALK TO AND WHO I CAN'T TALK TO. I HAVE A BIG ISSUE WITH BEING TOLD WHO I CAN TALK TO AND WHO I CAN'T TALK TO. IF SOMEBODY CAME UP TO ME ON THE STREET, YOU KNOW, I COULD KIND OF HIDE AND TALK TO HIM, MAYBE NOT GET CAUGHT BY THE PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT MY JOB. I'M NOT. 
          WAIT, REALLY? THAT'S NOT MY JOB. I GOT ELECTED. I MEAN, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME, MONEY AND EFFORT ON GETTING ELECTED, AND PEOPLE HAD FAITH IN ME THAT I WOULD BE OUTSPOKEN AND THAT I WOULD SAY THE THINGS THAT THEY EXPECTED TO HEAR FROM ME, AND THAT I WOULD REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT. AND OF COURSE, I'M NOT GOING TO AGREE WITH EVERYBODY IN MY DISTRICT ON EVERY ISSUE. I MEAN, MR. FLECKENSTEIN SPOKE TONIGHT. HE'S ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS. WE DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT I DEFINITELY AGREE ON HIS RIGHT TO SAY WHAT HE BELIEVES, AS I WOULD HOPE THAT HE WOULD AGREE ON MY RIGHT TO SAY WHAT I FEEL MOST OF MY CONSTITUENTS WOULD WANT. BUT WAIT, THERE'S ONE OTHER THING. ONCE YOU'RE ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, I'M NO LONGER JUST THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT C. I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. I'M SUPPOSED TO HELP EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY ANY WAY THAT I CAN. SO IF YOU WROTE TO ME AND YOU'RE NOT MY CONSTITUENT, SHOULD I NOT BE ALLOWED TO ANSWER YOU? I DON'T KNOW THAT I AGREE WITH THIS, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS MORE DISCUSSION. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE BOOKS. AND WHETHER IT'S A BAND OR A CURATION OR WHATEVER, THAT'S FINE. I DID MENTION THE FIRST TIME THIS CAME UP THAT I HADN'T READ THE BOOK. I HAVE SINCE READ THE BOOK. THE REASON I HADN'T READ IT WAS NOT BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT. 
          WHAT THE APPEAL HEARING WAS, WAS ON THE PROCESS WAS THE PROCESS FOLLOWED. WE HAD A PROCEDURE. WE HAD A COMMITTEE. THAT COMMITTEE MADE A DECISION AND THEN THE PARENT APPEALED THAT DECISION. 
          THE APPEAL OF THAT DECISION IS ON THE PROCESS DIDN'T REALLY MATTER TO ME WHAT THE BOOK WAS AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE IT WAS THE PROCESS WAS THE PROCESS FOLLOWED AND THAT WAS APPEALED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. THE SUPERINTENDENT UPHELD THAT PROCESS, AND THEN IT CAME TO THE BOARD. I DID NOT SET THE PROCESS, BUT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS. THE VERY PEOPLE THAT SET THE PROCESS, THAT DEVELOPED THE PROCESS ARE THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED AGAINST THE BOOK. BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A VOTE ON THE BOOK. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A VOTE ON THE PROCESS. 
          SINCE THEN, I HAVE READ THE BOOK. SO THE PERSON WHO EARLIER SAID THAT I HADN'T READ IT, I HAVE. I'VE READ THE BOOK. IF I'D READ THE BOOK, WOULD IT HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED? NO, THE PROCESS WAS. DON'T LIKE THE PROCESS? THEN REVAMP THE PROCESS. GO BACK AND CHANGE THE PROCEDURE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAY THE PROCEDURE IS WRITTEN, IF YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD PROCEDURE AND YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT YOUR COMMITTEE CAME UP WITH, SORRY YOU WROTE THE PROCEDURE. SO I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS FROM A DIFFERENT TAKE. AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY THAT WE DID THIS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, IT WAS AN APPEAL HEARING. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT US TO GET RID OF A LOT OF BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY, YOU GUYS HAVE GOT IT MADE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A NEW PROCESS TO DO IT BY APPEAL, APPEAL, APPEAL. AND AS YOU APPEAL, IT GOES BEYOND WHETHER THEY FOLLOWED THE PROCESS. THE BOARD CAN JUST TURN AROUND AND SAY THEY DON'T LIKE THE BOOK AND WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM NO, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM RESPONDING OR SOMETHING. WE NEED TO REMOVE THE AUDIENCE. 
          [01:55:01]
GREAT. GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. TODAY I HAD SO BEAR WITH ME. MY COMMENT IS A BIT ALL OVER THE PLACE TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN MANY DIFFERENT CONCERNS AND MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT. SO MY COMMENTS KIND OF GOING TO GO ALL OVER THE PLACE. 
          SO BEAR WITH ME. I'M GOING TO START WITH TODAY I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION STUDENT MEMBER ORIENTATION, WHERE I CONNECTED WITH OTHER STUDENT MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND GAINED VALUABLE INSIGHT TO BRING BACK HERE TO HARFORD COUNTY. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS ON THE RECENT BANNING OF THE BOOK FLAMER, BUT I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY CONGRATULATE THE STUDENTS WHO CAME, THE STUDENTS WHO CAME TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER. 
          THIS TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR SPEAKING UP. ALL OF YOUR VOICES MATTER AND I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT IN THESE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS. WHILE I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF BANNING THIS BOOK BECAUSE I HAD NOT BEEN YET SWORN IN, I PLAN TO ORDER THE BOOK AFTER THIS MEETING TONIGHT TO READ IT. I WANT TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY AND OF THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT. I'M ALSO EXCITED TO SHARE THAT I WILL BE STARTING A NEW SERIES ONLINE CALLED BEYOND THE AGENDA NOTES FROM YOUR STUDENT MEMBER. THIS WILL GIVE POST BOARD MEETING SUMMARIES, SO PLEASE BE SURE THAT YOU FOLLOW THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MEMBER ACCOUNT AT HTTPS UNDERSCORE. SMOB SMOB ON INSTAGRAM TO STAY UPDATED AND CONNECTED WITH THE WORK THAT I'M DOING ON THE STUDENT'S BEHALF. FOR OUR STUDENTS. AS THE SCHOOL YEAR IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT ONE OF MY GOALS THIS YEAR IS TO VISIT AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT TWO, SCHOOLS EVERY WEEK SO I CAN DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH YOU, LISTEN TO YOUR CONCERNS, AND MAKE SURE YOUR VOICES ARE HEARD AT THIS TABLE. 
          THIS IS A LOFTY UNDERTAKING, SO THERE MIGHT BE A WEEK HERE AND THERE. YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN'T QUITE HIT THAT GOAL, BUT THAT IS THE GOAL. AND THAT IS A PLATFORM THAT I RAN ON DURING MY ELECTION. AND THAT IS ONE THAT I PLAN TO UPHOLD. WELL, I PLAN TO UPHOLD ALL OF THEM, BUT THAT ONE IS ONE THAT IS COMING ALONG WITH THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO THIS IS A BIT OFF OF MY SCRIPT, AND I WANTED TO BRING IT UP BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE MEETING. I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT STUDENT MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE AND THEIR VOTING RIGHTS AND THE RECENT. I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF A THING, BUT THE RECENT EMOTIONS AND RECENT OPINIONS THAT HAVE COME UP REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENT MEMBER SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO SIT UP HERE ON THIS DAIS OR DIOCESES ACROSS THE COUNTY, AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE ON MATTERS THAT THE OTHER ADULT MEMBERS ARE ALLOWED TO. FIRST, I WANT TO START OFF WITH THAT. I WAS ELECTED BY A GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MY PEERS. I WAS ELECTED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM EVERY SINGLE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS COUNTY. AND I UNLIKE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HERE, WELL, THE APPOINTED MEMBERS, OF COURSE, BUT UNLIKE THE OTHER ELECTED MEMBERS, I AM ELECTED. I REPRESENT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN THIS COUNTY, ALL 38,000 OF THEM FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL. AND I TAKE THIS ROLE EXTRAORDINARILY, YOU KNOW, I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. SO WHILE MY VOTING RIGHTS IN THE WELL, I'M GIVING VOTE, I'M GIVEN VOTING RIGHTS THROUGH THE MARYLAND STATE LAW, AND I AM GIVEN CERTAIN RIGHTS ON THIS BOARD BY OUR LOCAL LAW AND LOCAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE COUNTY. BUT REGARDLESS, THAT RIGHT IS WRITTEN INTO LAW, AND I MIGHT BE RESTRICTED IN SOME OF MY THE THINGS THAT I AM ABLE TO VOTE ON. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I AM A FULLY FUNCTIONING AND FULLY SITTING BOARD MEMBER ON THIS BOARD, AND SO ARE ALL OF THE OTHER STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE OR ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. AND I AM STILL ABLE TO VOTE ON MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT COME THROUGH HERE. WHILE I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE ON CERTAIN THINGS, I'M WORKING ON EXPANDING THAT. SO WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES. BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. IF, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR TO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW WHERE TO REACH ME AND WHERE TO REACH THE REST OF OUR BOARD. AND GOING OFF OF HER COMMENT, I WILL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK TO ANYBODY ABOUT ANYTHING THAT OCCURS ON THIS BOARD, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WAS ELECTED BY A BODY OF MY PEERS TO REPRESENT ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN THIS COUNTY, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE, HOW OLD THEY ARE, OR WHAT THEIR SITUATION IS. AND THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO WISH EVERY STUDENT ACROSS HARFORD COUNTY A WONDERFUL FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND AN AMAZING START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR. LET'S MAKE THIS ONE A GOOD ONE. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. DR. WELL, YES, WITH RESPECT TO MY NAME IS MARK QUINN. HI NEW MEMBER. I JUST WITH RESPECT TO THE BOOK, WHICH I DID NOT VOTE ON, WHETHER THE 
          [02:00:06]
APPEAL OR HAD ANY PART OF THE REMOVAL OF THE BOOK FROM THE SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, WHAT I NOTICED WAS THAT EVERYBODY HERE HAS HAD SOME OPINION ON IT BECAUSE BASED UPON READING OF THE BOOK, I ALSO READ THE BOOK, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T HAVE IT WAS POST THE OPINION OF THE BOARD. 
          THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, AND THE SYSTEM IS THE SYSTEM, AND THERE ARE CERTAIN STANDARDS OF REVIEW. BUT. EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. 
          IN MY YOUTH, I WAS AN EMT. IF YOU'VE EVER COME, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN AN EMT OR A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, AND YOU'VE COME ACROSS A SCENE WHERE SOMEBODY HAS TRIED OR ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT SUICIDE, YOU WOULD KNOW IT AND IT WOULD STICK WITH YOU FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME IN THIS BOOK, WHICH IS JUST IT'S SO PROFOUND THAT THIS THAT PEOPLE ARE ARGUING TO HAVE THIS BOOK IN THE HANDS OF A TEN YEAR OLD, BECAUSE I HAVE A TEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AND I IMAGINE MY TEN YEAR OLD WAS AN AVID READER. BUT I LOOK AT, I THINK ABOUT MY TEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER LOOKING AT A BOOK WHERE YOU HAVE THREE PAGES OF THIS BOOK WHERE A BOY IS TAKING OUT A POCKET KNIFE AND SHOWING HOW TO ACTUALLY CUT THEIR VEIN. NOT IN THE WAY. AND WE USED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AS AN EMT. YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE CUT THEIR VEIN. THEY WOULD CUT IT IN ONE WAY THAT WAS EASILY REPAIRABLE, AND OTHER PEOPLE WOULD CUT IT IN ANOTHER WAY THAT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE AND WOULD PRETTY MUCH ENSURE DEATH. AND THAT'S THE THAT'S THE PICTURE THAT YOU HAVE IN THIS BOOK. IT'S AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL ON SUICIDE. 
          IT'S ON PAGE 306. IT LITERALLY HAS A POCKET KNIFE. AND THE BOY IS CUTTING INTO HIS VEIN SHOWING HOW TO COMMIT SUICIDE, WHY ANYONE WOULD PUT A, A, AN INSTRUCTION MANUAL ON SUICIDE IN THE HANDS OF SOMEBODY WHO MAY BE TRAGICALLY SUFFERING FROM GENDER DYSPHORIA OR OR JUST READING THE BOOK IS JUST BEYOND ME. SOMEBODY WHO CAN'T PERHAPS READ. WE HAVE A 50 56.8% LITERACY RATE OR PEOPLE WHO ARE READING READING PROFICIENCY IN EIGHTH GRADE. SO THAT MEANS THAT ROUGHLY HALF THE KIDS WHO WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE BOOK CAN'T EVEN READ IT. THEY'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE PICTURES ON HOW TO COMMIT SUICIDE. AND YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THIS IN THE HAND OF A TEN YEAR OLD? I WOULD HAVE I WOULD HAVE VOTED TO NOT BAN THE BOOK. I DON'T BELIEVE IN BANNING BOOKS, BUT PLACING BOOKS WHERE THEY ARE AGE APPROPRIATE. AND THIS PICTURE AND THIS BOOK IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE FOR TEN YEAR OLDS, 11 YEAR OLDS, 12 YEAR OLDS WHO MAY BE SUFFERING FROM GENDER DYSPHORIA. I WOULD HOPE THAT PEOPLE COULD GET MOVE FORWARD WITH RESPECT TO NOT FOCUSING, NOT ON JUST WHAT'S AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN, BUT FOR ENCOURAGING THEIR CHILDREN TO LEARN, TO SPEND TIME DOING THE HOMEWORK THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THEM, TO WORKING WITH THEIR TEACHERS TO BETTER THE EDUCATION THAT THE KIDS RECEIVE. WHAT THE TEACHERS CAN ONLY PRESENT, THE INFORMATION THAT IS PRESENT, THE INFORMATION TO THE STUDENTS, AND IT HAS TO BE REINFORCED AT HOME. SO IT ASKS AND ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO REINFORCE THE EDUCATION THAT THEY ARE RECEIVING IN SCHOOLS. SO WE CAN SEE HIGHER GRADES AND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A SUCCESSFUL, HAPPY, HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THIS IS THE LAST WEEK OF SUMMER BREAK FOR OUR TEACHERS AND NEXT WEEK IS THE LAST WEEK FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS THESE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF SUMMER AND HAS HAD, HAD, HAS HAD A RESTFUL, FUN AND REJUVENATING SUMMER. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAS A GREAT FIRST DAY BACK AND IS EXCITED FOR THE NEW YEAR. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE MISS LAURA O'LEARY FROM NORTH HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL FOR BEING RECOGNIZED FOR HER OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND FOR BEING NAMED THE AGRICULTURAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR BY THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF SOIL CONSERVATION. SHE IS PHENOMENAL, AND SHE IT IS A WELL DESERVED AWARD FOR HER. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF MANY IN THIS ROOM. FIRST, LET ME SAY AGAIN, YES, I VOTED TO REMOVE THE BOOK FLAMER FROM OUR SCHOOLS. I STAND BY THAT DECISION AND I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE NOT BANNING THE BOOK, SIMPLY REMOVING IT FROM LIBRARIES. IF YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU MUST READ THE BOOK OR YOUR CHILD MUST, THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE TO READ ONLINE AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, OR YOU CAN PURCHASE IT FROM LOCAL BOOKSTORES. ALL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, AS WELL AS MATERIAL AVAILABLE IN ALL CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES, SHOULD EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT AND ENRICH THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT IS THE JOB OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO CURATE OUR LIBRARIES CAREFULLY TO DO JUST THAT. THIS BOOK, FLAMER, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER BOOKS, HAS BEEN BANNED IN NUMEROUS SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THE CONTENT IS 
          [02:05:05]
PERVASIVELY VULGAR AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR A SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PROVIDE TO ITS STUDENTS. I HAVE READ THIS ENTIRE BOOK FROM THE VERY FIRST PAGE TO THE VERY LAST PAGE, AND I FIND MANY SITUATIONS AND REFERENCES INAPPROPRIATE. INDIVIDUALS SPOKE PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THIS BOOK BEING REMOVED BECAUSE OF A KISS THAT IS INCORRECT. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES AS TO WHY I VOTED TO REMOVE THIS BOOK. JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS BOOK USES EXTREME PROFANITY ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, OBJECTIFIES WOMEN, TALKS ABOUT, BUSTING A LOAD IN A BOTTLE AND DRINKING IT, WATCHING HIS FATHER'S PORNOGRAPHY COLLECTION, AND SPEAKING ABOUT HOW MUCH HAIR AND HOW LARGE THEIR PRIVATE PARTS ARE OF THOSE PORN ACTORS, AND ASKING IF PRIESTS JERK OFF. 
          THIS IS JUST A FEW OF THE INAPPROPRIATE SITUATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS IN THIS BOOK, AND IS EXACTLY WHY IT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM HCPS AND MANY OTHER SCHOOL LIBRARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 
          THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT IN MARYLAND PROTECTS LIBRARIES FROM BEING CENSORED DUE TO PARTIZAN IDEOLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS DISAPPROVAL. IT SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS THE REMOVAL OF BOOKS OR OTHER MATERIALS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES BASED ON THE AUTHOR'S ORIGIN, BACKGROUND, OR VIEWS. 
          THE ACT ALSO SHIELDS LIBRARY STAFF FROM RETALIATION FOR ADHERING TO THESE STANDARDS. THE LAW ENSURES THAT MATERIALS ARE REVIEWED AND DECISIONS MADE THROUGH A DEFINED PROCESS. HC HAS A PROCESS IN PLACE. THE PROCESS THAT HC HAS IN PLACE WAS FOLLOWED, AND THE BOARD VOTED TO REMOVE THIS BOOK FROM OUR LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOMS. WE FOLLOWED THE LAW AND THE PROCESS. THEREFORE, THE REMOVAL OF THIS BOOK FROM LIBRARIES FOLLOWS THE RIGHT TO READ ACT IN MARYLAND AND UPHOLDS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT LAW. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A TON OF EMAILS ABOUT THIS TOPIC. I'VE READ EVERY ONE OF THOSE EMAILS, AND I COUNTED THOSE IN FAVOR OF THOSE OPPOSED TO REMOVING THIS BOOK. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THE MAJORITY OF EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED ARE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THIS BOOK FROM LIBRARIES. I ALSO DO WANT TO ADD THAT I DO NOT AGREE WITH LIMITING THE TIME TO ONE MINUTE. 
          I HAVE NEVER SUPPORTED LIMITING PUBLIC COMMENT, AS I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE TO SPEAK AND TO BE HEARD, AND AS A BOARD ELECTED OR APPOINTED, IT IS OUR JOB TO LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND THEIR CONCERNS. THAT IS ONE OF OUR HUGE RESPONSIBILITIES, AND I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. WHETHER I AGREE WITH WHAT IS BEING SAID OR NOT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I GUESS A LOT HAS BEEN SAID IN REGARDS TO THIS PROCESS, AND I THINK THAT AS A BOARD, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT PROCESS. I WAS STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF THE PROCESS WHEN IT WAS BEING DEVELOPED. I ASKED AARON LAUREN A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND I THINK THAT IF WE AS A BOARD MEMBER, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE PARENT OR WHOEVER IS NOT HAPPY WITH IT, IT IS A PROCESS. IT GOES THROUGH THE PRINCIPAL, THEN IT GOES UP TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. AND THEN IF THE SUPERINTENDENT SUPPORTS IT, IF OR IF THE PARENT IS NOT HAPPY, THEN IT COMES TO THE BOARD FOR AS AN APPEAL, IT WAS NOT A CLOSED DOOR MEETING BEHIND WE HAD. WE HAVE APPEALS ALL THE TIME. WE HAVE APPEALS THAT RELATE TO STUDENTS WHO WANT TO GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT'S NOT IN THAT DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE APPEALS AND WE DEAL WITH THOSE APPEALS. BUT THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO, TO HANDLE BECAUSE I SUPPORT THE STAFF, I SUPPORT DOCTOR BULSON AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HIRED TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. AND I THINK THAT AS A BOARD, WE WERE ALL LOOKING AT SOME OTHER EMOTIONAL THINGS. SO I ASK YOU JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT PERFECT. AND THIS WAS A SITUATION THAT I HOPE WE CAN LEARN FROM. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS, ON ANOTHER NOTE, I WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. WE RECEIVED FUNDING THROUGH THE MARYLAND INVESTMENT AND REPAIR FUND DUE TO DISPROPORTIONATE CANNABIS ENFORCEMENT, AND THE FUNDING CAME THROUGH THE COUNTY, AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED WHEN I GOT THE COPY OF THE LETTER FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, BECAUSE THERE WERE ORGANIZATIONS WHO APPLIED FOR THESE GRANTS FOR THE FUNDING, AND A LOT OF THEM HAD BEEN ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD COME TO US IN REGARDS TO BOYS TO MEN PROGRAMS AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND WE DIDN'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO GIVE TO THEM. BUT I WANT TO APPLAUD MISS MUMBY IN THE BACK. SHE SITS THROUGH THESE MEETINGS EVERY TIME WE HAVE THEM. AND I CALLED HER TODAY BECAUSE I HAD READ THE LETTER AND I SAW THE 
          [02:10:04]
ORGANIZATIONS, AND SHE SAID SHE HEARD ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS. AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. SHE WENT BACK TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HE TOLD HER, CERTAINLY GET THE GET FUNDING TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS. SO I WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU, THERE'S FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS, FOR YOUTH PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT THE CHILDREN, TO BENEFIT CHILDREN. AND THIS IS CANNABIS HAS AFFECTED, I'M SURE EVERYBODY IN HERE, YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS, BUT IT'S MONEY COMING BACK. AND SO THEY WILL HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLICATION PROCESS. SO IN JANUARY, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE YOUR ORGANIZATIONS, YOUR NONPROFITS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH TO APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS SO THAT YOU CAN WORK, HELP THE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I APPLAUD COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR FUNDING THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS GOT, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH FLAMER CERTAINLY IMPACTS THEM ALSO. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE. ALVAREZ. HI. GOOD EVENING. LAST WEEK I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO ATTEND THE GOLDEN APPLE AWARDS. THESE ARE AWARDS PRESENTED TO TEN OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OR COUNTY BASED ON THEIR ABILITY TO CREATE NEW CREATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CLASSROOM. THERE WERE SO MANY CREATIVE IDEAS. ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS THE WALKING CLASSROOM. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA FOR THE STUDENTS TO GET SOME FRESH AIR WHILE LEARNING. I COULD TELL HOW EAGER THESE OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS WERE TO INTRODUCE THESE PROGRAMS. WHEN OUR DOORS OPEN IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SERVING IN THIS POSITION IS SOMETHING I TAKE SERIOUSLY, AND I APPRECIATE THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE I GOT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND BEING ELECTED TO IT. I BELIEVE IN EDUCATION AND WANT OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE AN EDUCATION THAT WILL PREPARE THEM FOR THEIR ADULT LIFE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CRITICISMS THAT YOU PROVIDE TO HEART AND I TRY TO ACT ON THEM. SOME OF YOU HAVE STATED THAT WE DO NOT SPEND ENOUGH TIME IN THE SCHOOLS. I HAVE REQUESTED TO VISIT CLASSROOMS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND VOLUNTEER TO MONITOR THE CAFETERIA OR HALLWAYS. IN THE PAST, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SIT IN SEVERAL OF THE CLASSROOMS AND HAVE TOURED ALMOST ALL OF THE SCHOOLS, BUT IT HAS BEEN VERY INFREQUENT. SO THIS YEAR I WOULD LIKE TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM MORE OFTEN, AND I DO HOPE THAT THE ADMINISTRATORS CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE EDUCATORS THAT SEND ME COMPLAINTS OR CRITICISMS AND THEN DO NOT TAKE ME UP ON MY OFFER TO MEET WITH THEM. I WANT THEM TO THINK ABOUT THE MESSAGE THAT THEY ARE SENDING. WE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENCES, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE RESOLVED BY CREATING ISLANDS OF INDIFFERENCE. WE MUST COME TOGETHER IN CIVIL DIALOG. THE EDUCATION SYSTEM SPEAKS OF. EQUITY AND INCLUSION, BUT I'M NOT REALLY EVEN SURE THAT ANYBODY HAS GIVEN ME A DEFINITION OF WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS. IT'S COMPLEX, I THINK. I DON'T THINK IT'S SIMPLE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THESE ARE HATE GROUPS OR THIS IS THAT, BUT AT PERSON IS NOT A HATER JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T AGREE WITH YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO OFFER MY DEFINITION OF LOVE BECAUSE LOVE IS NOT AGREEING WITH SOMEONE. LOVE IS WANTING WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM ABOVE YOUR OWN NEEDS. AND THEN I WANT TO TURN MY A SOME COMMENTS ON EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT ON THE BOOK OF FLAMER, BECAUSE IT'S CREATED A LOT OF DISCUSSION. WE RECEIVED 124 COMMENTS, AND I THINK WHAT YOU'LL BE SURPRISED TO LEARN IS THAT STATISTICALLY, WE'RE EQUALLY DIVIDED ON THE TOPIC. THERE WERE 65 THAT SUPPORTED THE DECISION. THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE BOOK FROM OUR LIBRARY AND 59 OPPOSED. 
          [02:15:03]
STATISTICALLY, THERE'S REALLY NO DIFFERENCE. SO WE'RE EQUALLY DIVIDED ON THIS. AND I THINK THAT SAYS SOMETHING OR IT SHOULD SAY SOMETHING TO YOU. AND I HOPE THAT INSTEAD OF SURROUNDING YOURSELVES WITH THOSE THAT THINK LIKE YOU OR ALLOWING IA TO I TO TUNE YOU INTO THINGS THAT YOU THEY. THAT SUPPORT ONLY YOUR VIEWS, THAT WE TRY TO TALK TO THOSE WITH OPPOSING VIEWS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE CIVIL DIALOG ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN BANNING BOOKS, BUT REMOVING INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE PRUDENT WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS AND PURCHASING BOOKS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE, AND IT MIGHT COME TO SURPRISE TO YOU THAT I ACTUALLY HAD AN EDUCATOR APPROACH ME, AND HE WAS JUST STATING ONE OF OUR EDUCATORS STATED THE SAME THING, THAT THE BOOKS THAT ARE BEING WRITTEN TODAY ARE JUST NOT A VERY GOOD QUALITY, JUST IN GENERAL. THE BOOKS ARE NOT AS GOOD A QUALITY AS THEY USED TO BE. THAT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE. A DETAIL THEN AND I DOCTOR POINT ALREADY EXPRESSED HIS HIS VIEWS ON THIS, BUT HE DID WRITE A DETAILED LETTER TO THE TEACHERS UNION ON WHY THE BOOK WAS AND THE REASONS WHY THE BOOK WAS REMOVED. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, YOU MAY WANT TO CONTACT THEM. THERE WERE ALSO MANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROCESS. THE PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED. THAT'S ALREADY BEEN STATED. I BELIEVE THE BUT THERE ARE WERE A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT WE DIDN'T FOLLOW THE PROCESS. WE VIOLATED OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH IS NOT A VIOLATION. BUT YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW DOCTOR POINTON ALREADY SAID THAT WE COULD LOOK AT WAYS TO MAYBE MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT, BUT THERE'S REASONS WHY APPEALS ARE NOT DONE IN THE PUBLIC. AND SO WE DIDN'T VIOLATE THE LAW. WE FOLLOWED THE LAW. AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL USE THESE COMMENTS IN ANY NEEDED UPDATES. SO YOUR YOUR COMMENTS DO MATTER AND THEY THEY WILL BE USED, I'M SURE, IN ANY FUTURE UPDATES. AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I HAVE EDUCATORS, THE STAFF, STUDENTS, AND THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN MY PRAYERS EVERY DAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I HAVE COMMENTS WRITTEN, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID. SO IN ESSENCE OF TIME, I WE WILL MOVE 
          [A. Consent Agenda]
ON. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OLD BUSINESS, SO WE HAVE NO OLD BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS EVENING. ITEM A THE CONSENT AGENDA. TREY, I WILL CALL ON YOU TO READ THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU. NUMBER ONE MONTHLY PERSONNEL REPORT JULY 2025. NUMBER TWO APPOINTMENT OF 2026 TO 2027 CALENDAR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. NUMBER THREE SCHOOL SPONSORED PROJECT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL DPW DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SPONSORED TREE PLANTINGS. NUMBER FOUR CONTRACT AWARD. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND MARCHING BAND UNIFORMS. NUMBER FIVE CONTRACT AWARD. PRIVATE DUTY NURSES. NUMBER SIX CONTRACT AWARD MICROSOFT CAMPUS RENEWALS. NUMBER SEVEN CONTRACT AWARD ON CALL PAVING AND CONCRETE, AND NUMBER EIGHT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS JULY 21ST, 2025. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND LAUREN, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT ITEMS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN BE REMOVED OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION. OKAY, SO THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR NUMBER ONE, TWO, THREE AND EIGHT. SO IF I CAN HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THOSE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. THIS IS JAMES MCVICKER I MOTION CAROL MUELLER SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY YES. YES. THOSE OPPOSED PLEASE SAY NO. OKAY I OPPOSE FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. 
          YOU OPPOSE ONE, TWO, THREE AND EIGHT. WHAT? I'LL BET THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON HERE OKAY. YES. 
          YOU'RE RIGHT. OKAY. THE REMOVAL IS THE ONE. WHEN YOU GET TO THE REMOVAL. CORRECT. ANY BOARD DISCUSSION, ANY BOARD MEMBER CAN REMOVE AN ITEM. OKAY, OKAY. TO BE DISCUSSED. OKAY. CAN WE. DID YOU SAY SIX WAS INCLUDED? I'M SORRY. YES. OKAY. 456. SO WE CAN WE CAN DO THAT AGAIN. SO WE TOOK TOOK A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEMS ONE, TWO, THREE AND EIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE 
          [02:20:03]
JUST VOTED ON OKAY? OKAY. ALL EVERYONE WAS IN FAVOR. SO NOW WE WILL DISCUSS ITEMS FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN. DIANE I'LL LET YOU ASK YOUR QUESTIONS. YEAH. SO ONE OF THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE TO ON THIS BOARD IS OUR FIDUCIARY, FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE TAXPAYERS. THERE'S A THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY PURCHASE ABOVE TEN, TEN K TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. AND HCP HAS BEEN DOING THAT. BUT THEY DO IT IN IN A WAY WHERE THEY HAVE THE CONTRACT VEHICLE, NOT THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE APPROVED. I HAVE VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT IT IN THE PAST, BUT BUT WITH THE LOSS OF OUR EDUCATORS IN IN OUR SCHOOL, I THINK THAT IT'S MORE IMPERATIVE THAT WE TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR EXPENDITURES ARE APPROPRIATE, NOT SAYING THAT THEY'VE DONE ANYTHING WRONG OR THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN INAPPROPRIATE. BUT GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CEILING OF WHAT IS BEING APPROVED. THIS WAY, WE CAN DETERMINE WHETHER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. SO, YOU KNOW, IF THE CEILING, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GOING OVER 100 K AND IT'S GOING TO BE 5 MILLION, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED, YOU KNOW, 100 OR JUST BARELY OVER 100. SO I THINK WE NEED TO PLACE SOME SIGNIFICANCE ON WHAT WE'RE APPROVING IN THE CONSENT THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD. SO FOR THESE REASONS, I MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE THE CEILING OF WHAT WE CAN SPEND ON THESE PLATFORMS BE ADDED TO OUR CONTRACT APPROVALS. I SECOND THAT MOTION. OKAY. CAN I ASK A QUESTION JUST FOR CLARIFICATION? MAYBE WE COULD HAVE DEBORAH JUDD WEIGH IN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A POLICY. SO, DEBORAH. WELL, NO, THE POLICY IS 100 K THE UPPER LIMIT. I'M NOT SURE. IS THERE ANYTHING HERE IN POLICY BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST CHANGE IT ON A BASIC MOTION POLICY. SO IT IS A POLICY. AND TO CHANGE THE POLICY WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE. I DON'T HAVE THE POLICY IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY IS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE PROCESS OF PROCUREMENT AND HOW WE ARE GOING ABOUT SOLICITING CONTRACT VEHICLES FOR PURCHASES. THE BOARD APPROVES OUR BUDGET AND OPERATIONALLY, YOU, AS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADHERING TO THAT BUDGET AND BRINGING ANY BUDGET VARIANCES AND CHANGES WHICH WE DO BEFORE THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. SO IN ORDER TO. REQUIRE MORE FOR WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING FORMALLY FOR APPROVAL, I BELIEVE THE POLICY WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED. 
          CERTAINLY ANY BOARD MEMBER CAN ASK FOR INFORMATION RELATED TO CONTRACTS. AND I, I BELIEVE THAT THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROVIDED. BUT WHEN WE BRING IT TO YOU, PER POLICY, IT IS SAYING THAT THE BOARD WE ARE ASKING FOR THE BOARD'S APPROVAL TO APPROVE A SPECIFIC CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE ITEMIZED THINGS THAT WE'RE BUYING. AND IN MANY CASES, I'D VENTURE TO SAY MOST CASES, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT UPPER LIMIT IS GOING TO BE. SOMETIMES WE DO CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE ABSOLUTELY DO. WE GO OUT TO BID. THIS IS THE CONTRACT PRICE, AND THEN WE DO CHANGE ORDERS AND DEAL WITH THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? RECLARIFY. 
          SURE. SO, YOU KNOW, MY REQUEST IS NOT THAT WE IT IT IS MORE OF AN UPPER LIMIT. SO A LOT OF LIKE ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AGENDA TONIGHT IS FOR A RENEWAL. SO I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE EXPENDED HISTORICAL EXPENDITURE AMOUNTS THAT WE COULD BASE THAT CEILING IN OUR APPROVAL ON. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE POLICY NUMBER SO THAT I CAN PULL THAT UP, BECAUSE I'M QUITE I WOULD BE QUITE SURPRISED TO FIND IN THE POLICY THAT IT SAYS THAT WE CANNOT PUT A CEILING LEVEL ON OUR APPROVAL WHEN WE ARE THE FIDUCIARY BOARD THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXPENDITURES IN OF TAXPAYERS MONEY. MISS ALVAREZ, IF I MAY, IF I CAN GIVE YOU MY 
          [02:25:08]
PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE BOARD, BECAUSE I DO PROCUREMENT FOR A LIVING, I HAD TO CHANGE MY MINDSET. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE BUDGET AT ALL. 
          THIS IS JUST ARE WE APPROVING THEM TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT? ANYTHING OVER? AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THAT POLICY AND IT IT TOOK ME A WHILE, BUT IT IS JUST SAYING, ARE WE APPROVING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT? IT'S GOING TO BE OVER 100 K, BUT IT'S NOT BUDGET RELATED. WE'VE APPROVED THE BUDGET SO THEY HAVE A JOB TO STAY WITHIN. BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM BECAUSE I'M ALSO LIKE THAT. I WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M APPROVING THE AMOUNT. I THINK WE CAN REVISIT THAT POLICY. I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THAT THIS EVENING. BUT. BUT THE POLICY SAY THAT WE CAN'T PUT A DOESN'T SAY YOU CAN'T, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE POLICY BECAUSE IT WOULD REQUIRE THE STAFF TO DO EXTRA WORK AND THEN IT WOULD REQUIRE THEM. WHAT IF IT GOES ABOVE? AT WHAT POINT DO THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND GET RE APPROVAL? WHERE DO THEY STOP? IT'S NOT JUST THAT EASY TO SAY. IT'S A IT'S A CEILING LIMIT. SO THEIR THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO STAY IN THE BUDGET THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED. IF IT COMES TO US WHERE THEY'VE GONE OVER BUDGET IN AREA, THEY COME BACK TO US FOR APPROVAL AND WE HAVE TO GO TO THE COUNTY. SO THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE TO CONTROL COSTS. BUT FROM A CONSENT AGENDA, WE ARE JUST APPROVING THEM TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT. SO I'M SORRY, LAUREN WILL, YOU SAID THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO US. AT WHAT POINT WAS THAT THAT THEY HAD TO COME BACK TO US. IT'S AND DEBORAH, YOU CAN BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE. CAN YOU KIND OF THEY COME BACK TO US ON A CERTAIN LINE ITEM WHEN THEY GO OVER COST. IT'S NOT AS DETAILED AS THIS, BUT IN THE BUDGET BY STATE CATEGORY IF I CAN CLARIFY FOR THAT. SO BY EACH STATE CATEGORY WE CANNOT OVERSPEND. SO WE ACTUALLY CAME BEFORE THE BOARD IN MAY AND ASKED FOR THOSE INTER CATEGORY TRANSFERS. AND ACTUALLY I BELIEVE WE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN TO THE BOARD IN SEPTEMBER BECAUSE THERE WERE CHANGES IN EXPENDITURES THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THOSE STATE CATEGORIES ARE OVER. WE BELIEVE NOW WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED ALL THE NUMBERS, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO FLIP FUNDS BETWEEN CATEGORIES BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEND AT THE END OF THE YEAR OVER A PARTICULAR STATE CATEGORY. SO THAT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD ANNUALLY. YEAH. THANK YOU, DEBORAH. AND I YOU KNOW AND I GET THAT. BUT THIS IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. AND LAUREN, I KNOW THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT AND LIKE WITH GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS THEY DO THE SAME THING. IF THEY'RE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S I YOU KNOW, I YOU KNOW, OVER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD IT GETS A DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION AND A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE IS APPLIED TO IT. SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME EXACT AMOUNT, BUT IF, IF WE, WE SHOULD AND WE SHOULD HAVE SOME HISTORICAL RECORDS OF WHAT WE SPENT ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE THE PREVIOUS TIME WE CAME FORWARD TO APPROVE IT. SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS GOING TO BE A SMALL EXPENDITURE OR A LARGE EXPENDITURE. AND I DO THINK IT ALL RELATES BACK TO THE BUDGET, MAYBE TANGENTIALLY, BUT IT'S IT IS A EXPENDITURE OF MONEY, AND ALL OF THAT IS IN THE OVERALL UMBRELLA, THE UMBRELLA CATEGORY OF BUDGET. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS, MISS ALVAREZ. YOU KNOW, IT IS DEFINITELY THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY, FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AS FAR AS THE BUDGET GOES, THE OVERARCHING BUDGET. AND, YOU KNOW, AS A BOARD, EVERY YEAR WE APPROVE THE BUDGET, WE APPROVE THE BUDGET CATEGORIES. AND THEN IT IS THE ADMINISTRATION'S JOB TO THEN DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO STAY WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES. OF COURSE, THEY CAN'T ALWAYS PREDICT EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE MARKETPLACE OR EXACTLY WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE VARIATION FROM YEAR TO YEAR OF WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED AND WHAT OUR SCHOOL SCHOOLS NEED FROM A CAPITAL STANDPOINT. BUT I DO APPRECIATE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM THAT YOU TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY. BUT I WOULD GO BACK TO TWO THINGS. ONE, I'M OPPOSED TO ANY ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THE STAFF OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE HAVE REDUCED STAFF THIS YEAR. WE HAVE REDUCED CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF, AND I WOULD. I WOULD WANT HISTORICAL INSTANCES WHERE THAT WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN NECESSARY, THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE EVER HAD TO STEP IN WITH REGARD TO THAT, BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DIDN'T ACT APPROPRIATELY. 
          MY TENURE ON THE BOARD AND, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY LAST TEN YEARS AS I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE SCHOOL 
          [02:30:05]
SYSTEM FINANCIALLY, VERY, VERY CAREFULLY, I DON'T REMEMBER A CASE WHERE THAT'S BEEN AN INSTANCE. SO I'M SORRY, WHAT CASE WAS NOT AN INCIDENT? I DON'T I DON'T KNOW OF ANY CASE WHERE THAT WOULD BE. YOU KNOW, AN EXAMPLE. WHAT IS THAT? I'M SORRY. WHERE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ACTED INAPPROPRIATELY FINANCIALLY. OKAY. WHENEVER, WHENEVER CATEGORIES OR THAT TYPE OF THING. I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC, BUT OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          JUST GENERALLY. SO, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO PUT ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON OUR ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO. AND WE ALREADY PUT A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON THEM WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION REQUESTS WE ALREADY HAVE FROM THEM. SO I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY. 
          IT MAY I MAY BE HEARD. YEAH. SO I YOU KNOW, I'M A PRACTICING ATTORNEY AND I HAVE CLIENTS. WE ALL WORK HERE FOR FREE. THIS IS PUBLIC SERVICE. YOU KNOW, IF I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S SO ONEROUS IF THERE'S, LIKE, A REQUEST FROM THE SCHOOL SCHOOL SYSTEM TO SPEND A BLANK CHECK OF 100 OR 200 OR $300,000 TO, LET'S SAY, ASK, MAY I SEE THE CONTRACT? RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING. I READ CONTRACTS, AND IF I'M, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'M BEING TOLD IT'S MAYBE ABOVE MY HEAD OR SOMETHING. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING, RIGHT? I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO ONEROUS TO SAY, WELL, CAN I SEE THE CONTRACT? I THINK IT IS. WELL, I REALLY DO. WELL, HERE'S THE PROBLEM. THE, THE YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE, THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT I THINK THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE FEELING. IT'S WHAT I CAME IN HERE ABOUT. AND I THINK I WENT BACK TO ORIGINALLY WITH WHICH IT GOES TO TRANSPARENCY. AND I THINK THAT PARENTS ARE FEELING LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPARENCY WITH RESPECT TO A LOT OF THINGS, WHETHER IT'S SPENDING, DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, WHETHER IT'S CURRICULUM, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN HEAR ALL KINDS OF EXCUSES WHY THESE THINGS DON'T ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO PARENTS OR OR SCHOOL OR BOARD MEMBERS, BUT IT IS THE JOB OF THE BOARD TO OVERSEE THESE THINGS. AND IF AND IF THERE AND IF AND IF I ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION LIKE IF WE HAVE A CONTRACT FOR A PARTICULAR TO REPLACE, YOU KNOW, FOR A SERVICE CONTRACT FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WI-FI, WI-FI NODES, AND I WANT TO READ THE CONTRACT, OKAY. WHY SHOULD I BE DENIED AS A BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER TO READ THE CONTRACT? IF I'M GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT, THEN YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD JUST HAND OVER THE $150,000 AND NO ONE SHOULD READ THE CONTRACT, AND THAT'S TOO ONEROUS TO SEND ME A PDF OF THE CONTRACT. OR IF THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A CONTRACT FOR MICROSOFT, MICROSOFT OFFICE AND THERE'S FIVE DIFFERENT LEVELS AND MICROSOFT OFFERS FREE FOR THIS. I'M NOT SAYING I WOULD OPPOSE IT OR I'M FOR IT. I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE VOTING ON. AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT AND IF CORRECT ME, IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO JUST VOTE FOR A BLANK CHECK AND NOT LOOK AT ANYTHING, AND IT'S TOO ONEROUS ON THE STAFF OF THE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE US THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. THAT'S WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING. AM I HEARING YOU INCORRECTLY? YOU ARE HEARING ME INCORRECTLY. SO LET ME LET ME CLARIFY. SO, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR JOB IS TO. CREATE A BUDGET, APPROVE A BUDGET YEARLY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO STAY WITHIN WITH CATEGORIES FOR THOSE YOU KNOW, THERE'S VARIOUS CATEGORIES FOR DIFFERENT EXPENSES. AND THAT THAT IS OUR JOB. AND THEN IT IS THE ADMINISTRATION'S JOB TO FULFILL, YOU KNOW, TO STAY WITHIN THAT BUDGET. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO, AND THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO COME TO US FOR APPROVAL. IF THERE IS AN EXPENDITURE OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT AS A, AS A CHECK AND A BALANCE ON THAT SPENDING. 
          RIGHT? SO I MEAN, THAT'S THEY, THEY WOULDN'T BE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF, FOR OVER $100,000 IF THERE WASN'T REQUIRED TO DO SO. RIGHT. IT IS A POLICY THAT THEY COME FOR OVER 100 K. AND I THINK THIS IS GOOD DIALOG. I AGREE, IF HE ASKS FOR A CONTRACT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET HIM THE CONTRACT TO LOOK AT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN UNREASONABLE REQUEST, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF TONIGHT, ARE THERE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON 4 OR 5, SIX AND SEVEN ON THE ITEMS? CAN I CLARIFY ONE THING BECAUSE AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE NOT BRINGING $100,000 MARKER AS BEST I UNDERSTAND IT. AND AGAIN, DEBORAH, YOU CAN JUMP IN IF I'M IF I MISSTATE THIS IS ABOUT THAT'S TO SOME DEGREE AN ARBITRARY LINE, BUT IT IS A LINE THAT IS ESTABLISHED THAT BECAUSE 
          [02:35:01]
WE NEED TO ENSURE THERE'S NO UNETHICAL PRACTICES AROUND WHO WE AWARD CONTRACTS TO. AND SO AGAIN, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE PROCESS HERE, THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY IN LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS OVER $100,000 ISN'T THE DOLLAR AMOUNT. THE $100,000 TRIGGERS THE LAW SAYING, WE HAVE TO BRING IT TO YOU. BUT AGAIN, WHAT YOU ARE APPROVING IS DID WE USE THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS TO AND THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS OF GETTING THERE, AND WE INCLUDE THAT IN WHAT WE PROVIDE TO REACH THE DECISION TO AWARD IT TO THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR OR THIS PARTICULAR LIST OF VENDORS. BECAUSE I THINK AT TIMES WE BRING MULTIPLE. THAT'S THE DECISION. IT'S AGAIN, THE BUDGET IS WHERE WE DETERMINE THE AMOUNTS. AND THE SPENDING LIMIT FOR ANY AMOUNT IS THE LIMIT IN THAT BUDGET CATEGORY. AND SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S $100,000. YOU GET TO DECIDE IF WE SHOULD BE SPENDING THAT MUCH. YOU'VE ALREADY MADE THAT DECISION. IT'S A FOCUS ON WHO ARE WE AWARDING THIS TO AND IS IT INAPPROPRIATE. IS IT MY BROTHER'S COMPANY? IS IT YOU KNOW, TREY'S FAMILY'S COMPANY OR SOMETHING? YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S A BIGGER QUESTION IN THIS THAN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT. AND DEBORAH, IS THAT IS THERE ANYTHING INACCURATE ABOUT THAT? NO, THAT'S A GOOD SUMMARY OF THE PURPOSE OF THAT. SO HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO THAT IF WE DON'T SEE THE CONTRACT? I MEAN, I'M NOT THE ETHICS SUPERVISOR. 
          THERE'S A BOARD OF THERE'S AN ETHICS COMMITTEE THAT DOES THAT. BUT THE THERE'S AN ETHICS COMMITTEE FOR THAT. BUT HOW HOW AM I BUT LET'S SAY YOU'RE RIGHT AND THAT'S THE THAT'S THE THAT'S THE THRESHOLD OR THAT'S THE PURPOSE. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IF I DON'T SEE THE CONTRACT? AND I NEED TO SEE THE CONTRACT? I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO ONEROUS TO SEE IF I'M VOTING ON SOMETHING TO SEE WHAT I'M VOTING ON. I JUST DON'T THINK. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT. THIS IS AARON. I HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS BECAUSE THIS IS I APPRECIATE THE GOOD CONVERSATION AROUND THIS AND DEFINITELY A FAN OF TRANSPARENCY, AS YOU KNOW. BUT THIS IS NOT A NEW CONVERSATION. WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST YEAR. AND YOU KNOW, ALL BOARD MEMBERS GET A SUMMARY OF WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON. I'VE NEVER BEEN I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CASE WHERE A BOARD MEMBER HAS ASKED FOR THE FULL CONTRACT. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH A 200 PAGE, YOU KNOW, LEGAL CONTRACT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MARK, MAYBE YOU WANT TO DO, I DON'T KNOW, YOU'RE A LAWYER, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ENTITLED TO DO THAT. BUT FOR MOST BOARD MEMBERS, THAT IS GENERALLY NOT REQUIRED FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION ON A VOTE. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE ANYTHING IS BEING HIDDEN. IT'S JUST THAT YOU IN SOME CASES, YOU MAY HAVE TO ASK FOR THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT FAMILIAR OF ANY CASE WHERE A CONTRACT WAS REQUESTED AND SOMETHING WASN'T GIVEN. I DO AGREE WITH DIANE THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET MAYBE A SENSE OF WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES THAT IT MAY SPEND UNDER THAT CONTRACT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER BUDGET FOR IT. WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE POLICY AND CHANGE THE POLICY, OR JUST SIMPLY MAKE IT A CONVENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE BRIEFING SHEETS COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, THAT THERE'S JUST NOT THE THRESHOLD, BUT THERE'S AN ESTIMATE SPENT AS WELL. AND IT'S NOTEWORTHY THAT SOMETIMES IN THESE CASES, YOU MAY APPROVE A CONTRACT BECAUSE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GO OVER 100,000. BUT MAYBE YOU SPEND NOTHING AGAINST IT, RIGHT? SO IMAGINE, FOR EXAMPLE, A CONTRACT FOR SNOW REMOVAL. WELL, YOU ASK THE ADMINISTRATION, HOW MUCH ARE YOU GOING TO SPEND ON THAT? WE DON'T KNOW. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DAYS IT'S GOING TO SNOW. 
          MAYBE IF IT SNOWS ZERO DAYS, WE SPEND NOTHING ON THAT CONTRACT. BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE IS HISTORICALLY THAT OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS IT SNOWED THIS MANY DAYS. AND THEREFORE WE THINK THAT CONTRACT'S GOING TO BE $150,000. AND WE DO HAVE THE BUDGET FOR IT. IS THIS LINE ITEM RIGHT HERE. SO I THINK THERE'S A COMPROMISE HERE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, BEING TWO, YOU KNOW, ONEROUS ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ALSO GIVING SOME, SOME IDEA AS TO HOW MUCH WE WILL BE SPENDING AGAINST THAT CONTRACT. BUT AGAIN, TO LAUREN'S POINT, IN THE DOCTOR PAULSEN'S POINT, THE BUDGET IS ALREADY APPROVED. THE MONEY'S IN THERE. THESE CONTRACTS WOULD NOT COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD UNLESS THE MONEY WAS ALREADY IN THERE FOR IT. WE ARE APPROVING THE CONTRACT ITSELF, NOT THE MONEY THAT BACKS THE CONTRACT. AND IN THE RARE CASE WHERE WHERE IT GOES OVER FOR SOME REASON, LET'S SAY WE GET 50 STRAIGHT DAYS OF SNOW IN MY TO COME BACK TO THE D AND FIND THE ADDITIONAL MONEY. SO I HOPE THAT CLEARS IT UP. I THINK WE, I DO THINK WE NEED TO MOVE ON. I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT THE BOARD CAN HAVE MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT IN A DIFFERENT FORUM, LIKE A WORKING SESSION, IF I MAY JUST ADD ONE THING, I DID PULL UP THE POLICY, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT PRECLUDES A CEILING FROM PUTTING ON THE PUTTING ON THE APPROVAL VEHICLE THAT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD, SO THE POLICY DOESN'T PROHIBIT IT. IT DOESN'T REQUIRE IT EITHER, THOUGH, RIGHT? IT DOESN'T REQUIRE IT, RIGHT. IT JUST DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT AT ALL. IT JUST SAYS OVER A HUNDRED K. AND IT'S PRETTY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DETAIL, I 
          [02:40:06]
GUESS WHEN WE HAVE THE SMALL GROUPS. AND I KNOW, MR. COHEN, YOU HAD I SAW YOUR EMAIL WHERE YOU REQUESTED INFORMATION ON THE ONE FOR MICROSOFT. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS IS A PIGGYBACK WITH UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND IT SAYS THE PRICING MODEL FOR THIS CONTRACT REFLECTS DISCOUNTS EXTENDED TO MARYLAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND OTHER PUBLIC EDUCATION AGENCIES. AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS. YEAH, I ONLY ALSO BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS OVER. SO IT WAS FROM 2018 UNTIL 2025. SO THE I DID LOOK AT THE MARYLAND STATE SITE AND THAT THAT WHATEVER CONTRACTUAL PRICE IS OVER IN JULY. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A RENEWAL. I DIDN'T SEE IT. THERE WAS REFERRED TO SOME NUMBER AND I FOUND IT. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, LOOK, WE HAVE A DUTY TO BALANCE THE INTERESTS OF THE TAXPAYER WITH THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS. I'M IF THE STUDENT NEEDS I LOOK, I WANT THE STUDENT TO HAVE MICROSOFT WORD ON THEIR DESKTOP AND NOT A VIRTUAL VERSION. DOES THE KINDERGARTNER NEED IT? PROBABLY NOT. YOU KNOW, I WANT THEM TO BE PREPARED AND I WANT THEM TO HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. BUT BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO JUST BUY THE I MEAN, THE MICROSOFT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EVE, THE A5 ACCOUNT INCLUDES TELEPHONY, TELEPHONES FOR ALL ANYONE WHO'S ON THAT SYSTEM. THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN USE IP TELEPHONY TO USE A TELEPHONE WITH A TELEPHONE ON THEIR DESK. DO WE NEED TO? I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT COST. ARE WE SPENDING AN EXTRA $25 PER PERSON PER MONTH FOR, YOU KNOW, A THOUSAND PEOPLE? I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, THAT THAT'S BUT I THINK MY POINT TO THAT IS WHEN WE HAVE THIS SMALL GROUP THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ALL THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I THINK BY THE TIME WE COME TO THIS MEETING, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A VOTE ON IT. WE ARE WE'RE NOW DISCUSSING STUFF. IT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ON THE AGENDA. I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE. IF I HAD AN ANSWER, I WOULD BE READY TO VOTE. WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. THEN. THEN WE'VE GOT. YOU'VE GOT TO LET THE PRESIDENT KNOW WHEN THESE AGENDAS COME OUT, WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN. YOU YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AND WANT TO REMOVE IT. WE ASKED FOR THE CONTRACT. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT. I SAID, CAN I HAVE A CONTRACT? ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC WE'VE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD. SO WE HAVE STAFF HERE. THERE, THERE WAS A MOTION THAT WAS YEAH, THERE WAS A I MADE A MOTION. IT WAS ARE YOU, ARE YOU, IS YOUR MOTION TO UPDATE THE PROCUREMENT POLICY. MY MOTION IS TO UPDATE THE INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD GETS FOR APPROVAL TO PUT A CEILING ON THE REQUEST FOR APPROVAL FOR CONTRACT VEHICLES. SO, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT SMALL GROUPS TO CAROL BRUCE'S COMMENT, SMALL GROUPS, WE'RE WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CREATE A FORUM. SO THIS IS THE TIME. THIS IS THE ONLY A QUORUM. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO DISCUSS THIS WITH EVERYBODY. AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT MR. CORN'S QUESTIONS CONCERNING THAT ONE CONTRACT. THAT CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY THAT WAS THAT WAS ON THE CONSENT ITEM. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS THAT HE RAISED ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOW TO GET BENEFITS FROM OTHER VEHICLES. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING THAT HE WAS SAYING, BUT HE SAID THAT SOME OF THE SOFTWARE THAT WE USE MAY BE AVAILABLE TO FREE TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID BUT IN THE IN THE DESCRIPTION, IT SAYS THE PRICING MODEL FOR THIS CONTRACT REFLECTS DISCOUNTS EXTENDED TO MARYLAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND OTHER PUBLIC EDUCATION AGENCIES. I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF THIS WAS IF YOU DIDN'T WANT IT ON THE AGENDA, THEN YOU NEED TO TELL THE PRESIDENT YOU DON'T WANT IT ON THE AGENDA UNTIL YOU RESOLVE IT. BUT WITH TO COME HERE TONIGHT, NOW AND TAKE ALL THIS TIME, WHEN IN FACT YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS THAT NOBODY CAN ANSWER. WELL, I REMOVED ALL FOUR ITEMS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE CONTRACT VEHICLES ARE APPROVED, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF THE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT WE'RE APPROVING. AND I'M GOING TO STOP THERE WITH WITH THE MOTION AND MY COMMENTS. BUT IF I CAN GO BACK TO YOUR MOTION, JUST TO BE SPECIFIC, I DON'T ARE YOU DO YOU WANT YOUR CEILING TO BE ADDED TO THE INFORMATIONAL REPORT THAT IS GIVEN? IS THAT WHAT YOUR REQUEST IS? JUST SO I CAN. SO POINT OF ORDER, AREN'T WE DOING THE CONSENT AGENDA? SHOULDN'T THAT COME UNDER NEW BUSINESS? AND IF YOU WANT TO NOT APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT'S FINE. THAT'S AN OPTION. 
          BUT I'M JUST SAYING WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP NOW, YOUR MOTION RIGHT NOW SHOULD BE UNDER NEW 
          [02:45:02]
BUSINESS, NOT UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA. THANK YOU. CAN MAKE A MOTION AT ANY TIME. THE MOTION THAT WAS THE MOTION THAT WAS RAISED IS NOT GERMANE TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND. I THINK THIS IS WHAT SHE'S REALLY ASKING FOR. MISS ALVAREZ, I BELIEVE, IS A POLICY CHANGE. BUT WE'RE REALLY DISCUSSING THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA UNTIL THE POLICY IS CHANGED, THAT THAT'S CERTAINLY YOUR PREROGATIVE. BUT MISS, MISS PAGE DOES NEED TO PULL A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE NEED A POLICY CHANGE? I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THAT. I ADD TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, WHEN WE SAW THE BUDGET, I DON'T RECALL GOING THROUGH LINE BY LINE AND APPROVING ITEMS LINE BY LINE. WE ASKED FOR A LINE BY LINE BUDGET, BUT I NEVER RECEIVED AN ACTUAL LINE BY LINE BUDGET. ALSO, WE ASKED FOR A ZERO BASED BUDGET SO THAT WE COULD. I DID ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION PREVIOUSLY, AND THAT WAS WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE A ZERO BASED BUDGET BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. IT WAS TOO COMPLICATED, TOO MUCH WORK. SO WHEN I APPROVED THE BUDGET AND I ACTUALLY DIDN'T VOTE TO APPROVE THE FINAL BUDGET BECAUSE THERE WERE LOTS OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAD, BUT I DID NOT HAVE MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED SURROUNDING THE BUDGET AND SURROUNDING QUESTIONS THAT I HAD WITH SEVERAL THINGS IN THE BUDGET. SO THAT'S WHY I VOTED TO NOT APPROVE THE BUDGET. SO THAT'S WHY PEOPLE KEEP SAYING THAT THIS IS WE ALREADY APPROVED THIS IN THE BUDGET. I DIDN'T APPROVE IT IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE I HAD QUESTIONS THAT WERE UNANSWERED AT THAT POINT, AND THOSE QUESTIONS STILL ARE UNANSWERED. AND I THINK THE BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WHEN THE MAJORITY OF BOARD MOVED, WHETHER WE ONE PERSON VOTES NO, IT'S STILL THE WHOLE BOARD. BUT IT'S MY JOB AS AN ELECTED BOARD MEMBER TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SPENDING THE MONEY RESPONSIBLY, THAT WE ARE ALLOCATED. BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE BUDGET WASN'T APPROVED BY THE BOARD, BUT THE MAJORITY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER? I WANT TO GET MISS NEAL'S TAKE ON THIS. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, I BELIEVE WHAT MISS ALVAREZ IS TRYING TO DO IS SHE'S TRYING TO SAY, INSTEAD OF JUST WRITING A BLANK CHECK, SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CEILING AT $200,000. IT HAS TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT I. IF YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO CHANGE TO THE POLICY, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A POLICY, WE HAVE A WHOLE SECTION THAT SPEAKS TO FISCAL, WHICH I DID SEND YOU, MISS ALVAREZ, DURING THIS MEETING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU HAD PULLED UP. THERE IS A PARTICULAR POLICY ON ON CONTRACTS WHICH SPEAKS WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS WHOLE TIME. SO I DO THINK THAT IF YOU'RE WANTING THAT LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY, THAT THAT'S A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE THAT WOULD REQUIRE A POLICY CHANGE. I THINK ANYONE CAN MAKE THE I MEAN, YOU CAN ALSO MAKE THE REQUEST IN A LESS FORMAL FASHION. AND IT MAY IT MAY BE THAT YOU CAN WORK WITH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE BUSINESS SERVICES TO ADDRESS THAT CONCERN. AND CERTAINLY ANYONE CAN RECEIVE COPIES OF THE CONTRACTS. I MEAN YOU CAN MPI THE MPI WOULD WOULD ALLOW THAT. SO THE CONTRACTS ARE ALL PUBLIC IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND WE DO GET REQUESTS REGULARLY FOR COPIES OF CONTRACTS AND THINGS. 
          I THINK IT'S MORE OF THE LAST MINUTE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO BUT I THINK THE MOTION AS IT STANDS, WOULD BE SUGGESTING A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICY. I GUESS I DON'T SEE WHERE WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS PRECLUDED. MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING YOU, BUT BUT THAT THIS WAS THE THIS WAS THE POLICY THAT I REVIEWED PRIOR TO MY STATEMENT. IT JUST SAYS THAT OVER A HUNDRED. AND ACTUALLY IT SAYS FOR CONTRACTS THAT ARE 25 THAT WE BE INFORMED OF THEM. AND THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT, IF I CAN CLARIFY THAT, I DO SEND THE BOARD A QUARTERLY LISTING OF ALL CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNED OVER 25,000, AND IT'S NOTED IN THAT LIST WHICH ONES CAME TO THE BOARD BECAUSE THEY WERE OVER 100,000. SO WE ARE WE ARE PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION. BUT DEBORAH, WE I MEAN, JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SO WE DO HAVE A NEW BOARD MEMBER AND FEW NEW BOARD MEMBERS, WE DON'T GET AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S BEEN EXPENDED ON THAT CONTRACT AS A COURTESY OR, OR, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT FOR THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION TO COME TO THE BOARD. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES GOES BEYOND APPROVING THE BUDGET. YOU KNOW, IT'S CONTINUOUS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE YEAR. CORRECT. AND, MISS ALVAREZ, I DO COME BEFORE YOU EVERY QUARTER WITH QUARTERLY FINANCIALS. AND I HAVE MADE MYSELF AVAILABLE, MY TEAM AVAILABLE TO COME IN AND GO THROUGH ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO IN THE BUDGET. SO THE OPPORTUNITY IS CERTAINLY THERE. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T FEEL IT WAS, YOU KNOW, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S 
          [02:50:05]
SOMETHING THAT I'VE OFFERED NUMEROUS TIMES. SO WE DO REPORT ON THE BUDGET, ON THE SPENDING EVERY QUARTER. AND I'M SORRY, DEBORAH, I DID NOT MEAN TO IMPLY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN VERY OPEN. 
          YOU'VE HAD AN OPEN DOOR POLICY. THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT. IF YOU IF YOU'RE GETTING THE IMPRESSION THAT I HAVE NOT FELT LIKE YOU WELCOME US INTO YOUR OFFICE, AND I DID NOT INTEND FOR THAT TO BE THE MESSAGE I WAS SENDING. WE DON'T LOOK AT THINGS ON AN INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT BASIS. WE TYPICALLY LOOK AT THEM ON THE ON THE CATEGORIES FOR THE STATE IS KIND OF HOW THEY END UP GETTING ROLLED UP. SO, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S COMPLICATED NOT JUST BUT ON A CONTRACT LEVEL, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE SIGNIFICANT OF SIGNIFICANCE OF THE OF THE CONTRACT WE'RE APPROVING IS IMPORTANT TO ME, MISS PAGE. YES. WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE STEP FORWARD RIGHT NOW TO CONTINUE WITH THE APPROVAL THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE? SO, DIANE, I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YEAH, I AGREE, I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU. I THINK AN UPDATE TO OUR POLICY IS NEEDED. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON SOME OTHER COUNTIES, SO IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT, I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE TACKLE THIS. AND IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE STAFF AND ASK, WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTED SPEND HERE. WHAT AND GET THE CONTRACT. THOSE ARE VALID REQUESTS. AND DOCTOR BOLSON, I HOPE YOU WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE IN BOARD MEMBERS ASKING AND RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION. BUT IN ESSENCE OF TIME, WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO GET THROUGH. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, JUST JUST TO JUST TO ACCORDING TO ME. SO TIME OUT ACCORDING TO MISS NEAL, WE IT'S A POLICY CHANGE, RIGHT? DOESN'T IT HAVE TO. IT WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT FOR 30 DAYS. I MEAN, BUT THERE WAS A MOTION PUT ON THE, ON THE BOARD AND A SECOND TO THE MOTION TO VOTE ON THAT MOTION. YEAH. I THINK WE SHOULD VOTE. SO YOU CAN DO THAT DURING THE CONTRARY, DURING THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT I, I MEAN, YOU CAN YOU COULD MAKE A MOTION, SOMEBODY COULD MAKE A MOTION THAT THAT ANYTHING ANY TIME, YOU KNOW, BLACK AND. OKAY. GOTCHA. AND I, I WOULD BE WILLING TO AMEND MY I WOULD BE WILLING TO AMEND MY MOTION TO SAY THAT IT'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PUT THE CEILING ON THE CONTRACT, REQUEST THAT IT BE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BUDGET OFFICE, THAT WHEN CONTRACTS ARE CONTRACT VEHICLES ARE COMING IN FOR APPROVAL, THAT SOME CEILING BE GIVEN TO THEM SO THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA AND OF THE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE. SO I'D BE WILLING TO AMEND THE MOTION WHICH MISS ALVAREZ, THIS IS THIS IS AARON POINTING HERE. I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO AND I AM IN AGREEMENT, AS I EXPRESSED EARLIER, THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM INTENDS OR IS EXPECTED TO SPEND UNDER THESE CONTRACTS. BUT BUT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU JUST POSED IS NOT A BOARD ACTIONABLE ITEM. WE CANNOT PULL A VOTE ON THAT AT THIS TIME, BUT MY STRONG RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT WOULD BE TO RETRACT YOUR INITIAL MOTION, AND WE CAN DISCUSS THE BEST WAY TO GET THIS DONE OFFLINE. WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO RETRACT AND I THINK IT'S BEEN SECONDED. SO AND I THINK SO. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND HER? REPHRASE. YEAH BUT BUT BUT BUT LAUREN SHE IS THE MOTION IN THE SECOND WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION IS NOT A BOARD ACTIONABLE ITEM. 
          NOW SHE CAN MAKE AS MISS AS KIMBERLY SAID ANYONE CAN MAKE A MOTION FOR ANYTHING AT ANY TIME, EVEN IF IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA. IT DOES HIJACK THINGS. I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS, WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? BUT IF THE MOTION STANDS, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE, WHICH IS TO AMEND THE POLICY. BUT IT'S STILL COMPLICATED BECAUSE NOW IT STILL NEEDS TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD TO BE WORDSMITHED AND TO GO OUT FOR 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC NOTICE. 
          AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE TWO THIRDS OF A BOARD VOTE. IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROCESS. 
          AND SO YOUR MOTION AND A SECOND FOR A RECOMMENDATION IS NOT BOARD ACTIONABLE. WE DON'T WE DON'T. YOU CAN MAKE A RESOLUTION. THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO. BUT A RECOMMENDATION IS NOT A BOARD ACTIONABLE MOTION IN A SECOND. SO WOULD IT BE WOULD IT BE THE MOST WISE DECISION RIGHT NOW TO JUST MAKE ANOTHER MOTION TO APPROVE THE WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA, THE CONTRACT AWARDS THAT WERE ALREADY TO VOTE ON IT? YES, BECAUSE IT WAS A MOTION THAT WAS 
          [02:55:02]
MADE. WELL THEN THEN LET'S TAKE A VOTE. SO CALL FOR PREVIOUS QUESTION. LET'S GO BACK AND LET'S VOTE ON IT. LET'S TAKE A VOTE OKAY. WELL YOU ASKED FOR THE MOTION TO BE STATED. YEAH. 
          WOULD YOU RESTATE IT AT THIS POINT. I HAVE MADE A MOTION THAT IN FUTURE APPROVALS FOR CONTRACTS, THAT A CEILING AMOUNT BE PLACED ON THEM BEFORE THEY COME TO THE BOARD. SO YOUR MOTION TO AMEND IS YOUR MOTION TO AMEND THE POLICIES THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? NO, NOT WHAT SHE SAID. I MEAN, THE POLICY MAY NEED TO BE REVIEWED ACCORDING TO THAT MOTION, BUT THE POLICY DOES NOT PRECLUDE PUTTING THAT INFORMATION ON WHAT COMES TO THE BOARD. WE CAN REQUEST ANY INFORMATION THAT WE WANT. THE POLICY DOESN'T NECESSARILY PRECLUDE THAT. SO, DIANE, I WOULD I WOULD THINK IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD FRAME IT AND THAT THAT INFORMATION IS ADDED TO THE INFORMATIONAL REPORT THAT COMES WITH THE CONTRACTS. IF YOU CLICK ON YOUR LINK, YOU GET INFORMATION REPORT. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO GET TO WHAT YOU'RE IS FOR YOUR MOTION TO SAY, I'D LIKE TO ADD A CEILING AMOUNT TO THE INFORMATIONAL REPORT THAT COMES TO THE BOARD. DOES THAT HOWEVER IT GETS PUT ON THERE. I'M NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, NOT GOING TO DETERMINE HOW WHATEVER THE BEST AND EASIEST WAY FOR THEM TO GET THAT INFORMATION ON THERE. LIKE, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT MR. SOLIS SAID. WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THE ON THE ADMINISTRATORS. AND, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS INFORMATION, I THINK, IS CRITICAL TO HOW WE LOOK AT THESE DIFFERENT CONSENT ITEMS. OKAY. ARE WE READY TO TAKE DOCTOR POINTON, ARE YOU READY TO TAKE A VOTE? YEAH. SO JUST TO JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE IT DOES REQUIRE PUBLIC NOTICE FOR ANY POLICIES CHANGES. AND IT DOES REQUIRE TWO THIRDS OF A VOTE AT THE END OF THE PUBLIC NOTICE. SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS JUST A MOTION AND A SECOND TO SIMPLY ADD THE LANGUAGE INTO THE POLICY AND THEN PUSH IT OUT EFFECTIVELY FOR PUBLIC NOTICE AND THEN BRING IT BACK FOR THE VOTE, NOT FOR THE VOTE ITSELF. SO THE MOTION IS TO ADD LANGUAGE TO THE POLICY REQUIRING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ADD INTO ALL FORTHCOMING CONTRACTS OVER 100,000 WATT. A CEILING FOR THAT CONTRACT WOULD BE RIGHT. AND IS THAT THE MOTION PROPERLY RESTATED? I THOUGHT THAT SHE JUST WANTED TO ADD IT AS AN ITEM UNDER THE DESCRIPTION. SO THAT WOULD UNDER THE DESCRIPTION WHERE YOU HAVE THE AMOUNT EXPENDED WOULD DEPEND ON THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT AND EXPECT TO. AND THEN YOU WANT TO ADD THE CEILING. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT A POLICY CHANGE. THAT COULD BE JUST A CONVENTION. I CAN AMEND THE MOTION AGAIN TO SAY THAT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A MOTION TO PUSH TO COMMITTEE, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE STATING TO SAY, I BELIEVE DOCTOR POINTING AND MY MOTION WAS NOT NECESSARILY TO DO THAT, BUT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE INFORMATION BE PUT ON THERE, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT A POLICY CHANGE NEEDS TO BE MADE. BUT IF WE WANT TO PUSH THIS TO COMMITTEE, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. 
          BUT I THINK THAT THIS INFORMATION IS VITAL TO APPROVING CONTRACT VEHICLES. 
          YEAH, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU. I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROCESS HERE BECAUSE YOUR RECOMMENDATION, YOU CAN JUST SIMPLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO ME AND WE CAN WORK TOWARDS IT. 
          BUT TO CHANGE THE POLICY, TO DO A MOTION IN A SECOND, TO CHANGE THE POLICY IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. SO I GUESS AT THIS POINT I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THE MOTION IS FOR. 
          WELL, I'LL AMEND IT AGAIN THAT I AM MAKING A MOTION TO MAKE A POLICY CHANGE AND TO ADD CEILING INFORMATION TO CONTRACT VEHICLES AND TO SEND THIS TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. OKAY. LAUREN, YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO A ROLL CALL. YEP. MISS ROLLO, CAN YOU TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE. MRS. PERRY? NO, MR. SEWELL, NO DOCTOR MUELLER, NO. MR. MCVICKER, I'D LIKE TO ABSTAIN, MR. CORN. YES, MISS. HAHN? YES. MISS. BURSE? NO. MISS ALVAREZ. 
          YES, VICE PRESIDENT. PAIGE. NO. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. ABSTAIN. THIS MOTION FAILS 3 TO 5. I WILL SAY, MISS ALVAREZ, WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THIS UNDER CONSIDERATION AND PUSH IT 
          [03:00:03]
FORWARD TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WHERE ARE WE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY, SO WE STILL HAVE FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOUR, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN I SO MOVE. SECOND THIS IS JAMES MCVICKER I SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH. OH SORRY. FOURTH FIFTH SIXTH AND SEVEN. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. 
          THOSE OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO. NO, I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN. SO ONE NO AND ONE ABSTAIN AS WELL. TWO 
          [ Meeting Break]
ABSTENTIONS. ONE. NO. ALL 
          [B. Administrative and Supervisory Appointments, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources]
I'M. DECISION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY APPOINTMENTS. SO, MR. RICHARDSON, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, WE ARE READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION I THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BOYNTON, VICE PRESIDENT PAIGE, SUPERINTENDENT BOLTON AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I AM BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. AND I'M JOINED THIS EVENING BY BY DOCTOR DIANE MACK, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR ACADEMICS. WE BRING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TWO ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POSITIONS FOR THE BOARD'S APPROVAL. THE SUPERVISOR OF EDUCATION SERVICES AND THE COORDINATOR FOR TEACHER PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. I WILL START WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF EDUCATION SERVICES POSITION UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR EDUCATION SERVICES, THE SUPERVISOR OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES POSITION ASSISTS IN PROVIDING LEADERSHIP, SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT FOR ALL INSTRUCTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS WITHIN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT TO YOU THIS EVENING FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MISS MISS TARA G. 
          DOE. I'LL GO AHEAD AND TRY TO MOVE THIS SLIDE FORWARD. THERE WE GO. MR. DOE BRINGS 31 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AS AN EDUCATOR IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHE HAS SERVED THE PAST 12 YEARS AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, LEADING SCHOOLS TO NOTABLE GAINS IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND SCHOOL CLIMATE. PRIOR TO ASSUMING THE PRINCIPAL ROLE, MR. DOE HAS SERVED IN MULTIPLE INSTRUCTIONAL AND LEADERSHIP ROLES, INCLUDING SEVEN YEARS AS AN ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TEACHER, FIVE YEARS AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, FOUR YEARS AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CHAIR, TWO YEARS AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, TWO YEARS AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITATOR, AND TWO YEARS AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITATOR. 
          BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE PERSPECTIVE. MY APOLOGIES. BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE PERSPECTIVE ON SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND STUDENT SUCCESS. SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EXPERT REVIEW TEAM, CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING TO STATEWIDE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS THROUGH DATA ANALYSIS, INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEW, AND SYSTEM WIDE FEEDBACK. THE NEXT POSITION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING IS THE COORDINATOR FOR TEACHER PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SUPERVISOR OF TEACHER PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS POSITION PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND COORDINATION OF ALL TEACHER PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING NEW TEACHER INDUCTION. 
          THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MISS AARON G. SCHISLER. JEREMY, GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. MISS SCHISLER BRINGS 20 YEARS OF SERVICE AS A DEDICATED EDUCATOR AND LEADER IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHE HAS SERVED IN OVER 21 DIFFERENT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INCLUDING TITLE ONE AND PRIORITY SCHOOLS. MISS SCHISLER HAS SERVED AS A TEACHER SPECIALIST FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INSTRUCTIONAL COACH, INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITATOR, MENTOR, TEACHER, AND CLASSROOM TEACHER. SHE HAS ALSO SERVED IN ROLES INCLUDING TEACHER IN CHARGE, PBIS TEAM LEADER AND COACH, DIGITAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEMBER, LIFE AND ENGAGEMENT COACH COHORT PARTICIPANT AND THE ON SITE SUPERVISOR AND MENTOR OF ELEMENTARY INTERNS. VICE PRESIDENT PAGE THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY, RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS. QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION. I GUESS I'LL JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT CONCERNING THE APPOINTMENT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. I YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE VERY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THAT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. SO ANYTHING I DO AND VOTE IS NOT AGAINST THE INDIVIDUALS, BUT WAS THE LACK OF INFORMATION I RECEIVED AND THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT DURING THE, THE DURING FOR THIS COMING YEAR THAT DID NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE 
          [03:05:03]
TRANSPARENCY TO HOW THE CENTRAL OFFICE AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WAS REORGANIZED AND THE LOSS OF TEACHERS, I THINK, IS IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET IS STRUCTURED. I WOULD LIKE TO AGREE WITH DIANE. I, I MEAN, WE JUST CUT 120 TEACHING POSITIONS. 
          I DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S VERY RESPONSIBLE TO FILL THESE POSITIONS WHEN. TO ME, YOU KNOW, TEACHING POSITIONS THERE, WE CAN FUNCTION WITHOUT MANY OTHER THINGS. WE CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT TEACHERS. SO I HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME APPROVING THESE POSITIONS. WHEN WE CUT THE VERY CORE OF HCPS. ANYBODY ELSE? I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW THE. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS $2 MILLION FOUND TO $2.5 MILLION FOUND. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT AFFECTS THE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO, BUT I HAVE TO SAY, I, I JUST WANT I MEAN, I HAVE I DON'T KNOW, THESE PEOPLE. I, I'M SURE SHE'S IMMENSELY QUALIFIED, BUT ANY VOTE I HAVE IS NO REFLECTION ON THE INDIVIDUAL WHATSOEVER. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. I AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. 
          THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER. THEN I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US. SO MOVED. SECOND AND, MISS, WILL YOU TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE YES. MRS. PERRY. YES, MR. SEWELL? YES, DOCTOR. MUELLER. 
          YES. MR. MCVICKER. YES. MR. PREFERENTIAL ONLY FOR YOU, MR. QUINN. I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN. 
          MISS HAHN. NO, MISS. BRUCE. YES, MISS ALVAREZ, I ABSTAIN. VICE PRESIDENT PAGE. YES. PRESIDENT. 
          BOYNTON. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON, YOU'RE ON MUTE. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE UNMUTE. 
          OH, I'M OFF MUTE. I'M OFF MUTE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE GOT YOU. YES. WE WERE OKAY. ROLL CALL. 
          YEAH, YEAH. NO, NO, I WAS OFF MUTE. I'M SORRY. YEAH. THAT WAS. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. 
          MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. THANK YOU. BOARD. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, MR. BUCK HANNIGAN, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES VERSUS PRESENTATION ON THE NEW BOARD POLICY ON STUDENT ELOPEMENT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR BOYNTON, VICE PRESIDENT, PAGE, DOCTOR BOLTON AND BOARD MEMBERS. I'M HERE TONIGHT FOR A DECISION ON THE ELOPEMENT. STUDENT ELOPEMENT POLICY CAME BEFORE YOU TWO BOARD MEETINGS AGO TO PRESENT THIS POLICY AGAIN. AS A REMINDER, THIS IS A POLICY BASED ON OR DUE TO NEW LEGISLATION MANDATING THAT ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE STATE DUE TO THREE THINGS WITH STUDENT ELOPEMENTS ONE, THAT THEY TRACK THEM, TWO, THAT THEY NOTIFY PARENTS OF THEM, AND THREE, THAT THEY PROVIDE TRAINING TO STAFF REGARDING THEM. AND EACH SUMMER, I WILL PROVIDE A REPORT TO THE BOARD OF ALL THE STUDENT ELOPEMENTS THAT OCCUR ACROSS OUR DISTRICT, DISAGGREGATED BY STUDENT. AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT. RACE, GENDER, SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND THEN WE WILL PRESENT TO THE STATE BOARD OUR NUMBERS BY OCTOBER OF EVERY YEAR. SO WE HAD ONE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS, WHICH WE DISCUSSED IN THE SMALL GROUP BOARD MEETING. SO AGAIN, I KNOW CHANGES BEEN MADE TO THIS POLICY SINCE ITS ORIGINAL PRESENTATION. SO I COME TO YOU TONIGHT FOR A VOTE OR FOR ANY QUESTIONS PRIOR TO THE VOTE. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. IF NOTHING'S HEARD, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO VOTE ON APPROVING THE POLICY FOR STUDENT ELOPEMENT. I SO MOV. 
          SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE SAY NO. YES YES YES YES YES. MOTION PASSES OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ITEM D DECISION ON PROPOSED REVISED 
          [03:10:02]
BOARD POLICY. FINAL EXAMINATION REPORT CARDS AND CALCULATION OF FINAL GRADES. DOCTOR MAC, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR ACADEMICS. AND MISS NATALEE HOLLOWAY, DIRECTOR OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS, WELCOME YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT PAGE AND DOCTOR BOLTON. TONIGHT, I COME BEFORE YOU WITH NATALEE HOLLOWAY, DIRECTOR FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, WITH A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL FOR THE FINAL EXAMINATION, REPORT CARDS AND CALCULATION OF FINAL GRADES POLICY. THERE WAS ONE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED DURING THE TIME THAT THIS POLICY WAS POSTED. WE HAVE REVIEWED THAT COMMENT AND NO FURTHER ADDITIONS OR REVISIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR THIS POLICY. THE REASON FOR THIS, THE REASON FOR THE REVISION OF THIS POLICY, IS TO UPDATE THE NAMES OF THE POSITIONS TO GO FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, AS WELL AS INCLUDING LANGUAGE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKING HIGH SCHOOL COURSES, AND HOW THAT FINAL GRADE WOULD BE CALCULATED. 
          FINALLY, THE OTHER ADJUSTMENT IS JUST NOTING THAT WE WILL NOT WE DID NOT INCLUDE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ABOUT REPORT CARDS BEING GIVEN FOUR TIMES A YEAR, BECAUSE WE WANT THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES FOR ELEMENTARY. I COME AT THIS TIME FOR APPROVAL OF THIS POLICY. THANK YOU. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD WANT TO OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY IS, I THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POLICY, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT IT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ANY COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER. THEN I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE NEW BOARD POLICY ON REVISE BOARD POLICY, FINAL EXAMINATION REPORT CARDS AND CALCULATION OF FINAL GRADES I SO MOVE. SECOND, IT'S NOT TO APPROVE IT, IT'S TO SEND IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. RIGHT. WE ALREADY DID THE PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, YOU ALREADY DID THAT OKAY. AND WE RECEIVED ONE COMMENT. 
          OKAY. THEN I WITHDRAW MY PREVIOUS COMMENT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IF WE'RE GOOD, I BELIEVE I MESSED US UP THE LAST TIME WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE ON POLICY. SO, MISS ROLLO, IF YOU WILL DO A ROLL CALL, VOTE, PLEASE. MRS. PERRY. YES, MR. SEWELL, DOCTOR MUELLER. 
          YES. MR. MCVICKER. YES, MR. CORN. YES, MISS. HAHN. YES, MISS. BRUCE. YES, MISS. ALVAREZ. 
          YES. VICE PRESIDENT. PAIGE. YES. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM E, PRESENTATION OF PROPOSED NEW BOARD POLICY ON VOLUNTEERS. 
          WE'LL CALL FORWARD MISS MARY BETH STAPLETON, MANAGER OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. AND MR. JASON WILKINSON, ENDPOINT SERVICE TEAM LEADER, FOR THEIR PRESENTATION. 
          GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT BOYNTON, VICE PRESIDENT. PAIGE. BOARD MEMBERS. SUPERINTENDENT. OLSON, MARY BETH STAPLETON, MANAGER OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEER POLICY DRAFT THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO YOU CURRENTLY. CURRENTLY, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES NOT HAVE A VOLUNTEER POLICY DRAFT. AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS ESTABLISH CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, CONSISTENT PROCESS FOR ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS ACROSS ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. SO THERE WOULD BE CONSISTENT GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS IN SECURING VOLUNTEERS. THAT'S TO SUPPORT GOAL TWO OF THE BOARD'S STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS TO ENGAGE FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITIES AS PARTNERS IN OUR STUDENTS EDUCATION, THE BOARD POLICY DEFINES FOR YOU VOLUNTEER CHAPERONS COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS VOLUNTEERS AND ALSO CLARIFIES FOR YOU THE CLASSIFICATIONS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY OF THE THREE TYPES OF VOLUNTEERS WHICH ARE SUPERVISED, ALWAYS WITH A STAFF PRESENT AND DIRECTLY SUPERVISED. THEY MAY VOLUNTEER, MAY BE ALONE WITH STUDENTS, AND REQUIRE A BACKGROUND CHECK OR NO STUDENT CONTACT. WORK DONE WHEN STUDENTS ARE NOT PRESENT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PARENT GOES INTO THE K P TO CUT UP THINGS FOR THE K POD, THAT WOULD NOT BE NEEDING SUPERVISED STAFF. SO WITHIN THE POLICY, WE OUTLINE BASICALLY HOW VOLUNTEERS CAN SECURE OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW THEY CAN EXPRESS INTEREST TO SCHOOLS BY VISITING THE WEBSITE. AND ALSO CONTACTING MY OFFICE. AND MY OFFICE WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH A POTENTIAL INTEREST THERE, CONNECTING THEM TO SCHOOL BASED STAFF. JUST TO REMIND YOU, I WE HAVE 55 PARENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LIAISONS IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND THEN IN 17 OF OUR SCHOOLS, THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE, WE HAVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL SPECIALISTS. SO ALL OF THOSE 
          [03:15:01]
STAFF ARE WORKING WITH MY OFFICE AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SYSTEM AT CENTRAL OFFICE TO HELP IDENTIFY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND PLUG IN THOSE VOLUNTEERS AS THEY COME TO US INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS. BASICALLY, WHAT WE DO FOR YOU IN THE POLICY IS OUTLINE HOW WE WILL ASSIST IN DEVELOPING THOSE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES. SO IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED AGAIN, THEY CAN CONTACT ME, THEY CAN CONTACT THE SCHOOL. WE WILL PROMOTE RECRUIT RECRUITMENT ACROSS THE SYSTEM, AND THEN WE'LL PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO YOU EVERY YEAR SO WE CAN REALLY CATEGORIZE FOR YOU WHERE OUR VOLUNTEERS STEPPING UP TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS AND GIVING YOU THOSE NUMBERS. SO THAT'S THE POLICY. ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? IT IS FOR REVIEW FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. SO THE THIS IS A NEW PROCEDURE. IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S A NEW POLICY. CORRECT. IT'S A NEW A NEW POLICY. AND THE PROCEDURES THAT THAT ARE OUTLINED IN HERE FOR VOLUNTEERS, ARE THEY PRESENTLY IN PLACE OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD DO AFTER THE POLICY IS APPROVED? THEY ARE PRESENTLY IN PLACE, BUT THIS PUTS THEM INTO LANGUAGE. SO EVERYONE IS CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THOSE PROCEDURES ARE. CORRECT. 
          SO THERE IS A PROCEDURE FOR VOLUNTEERS THAT PRESENTLY EXIST BUT NOT A POLICY. CORRECT? OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION. THE. I THINK IN THE SMALL GROUP YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, THIS WOULD BE INCUMBENT UPON THE VOLUNTEER TO BE INCUR THE BURDEN OF COST. 
          IS THAT ANYWHERE IN HERE? AM I MISSING THAT? SPECIFICALLY? YES, IT IS IN THERE. SO IN THE SMALL GROUP WE TALKED ABOUT THE WHO BEARS THE COST. IS MY QUESTION CORRECT? YEAH. SO A SUPERVISOR, A VOLUNTEER THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE SUPERVISED DIRECTLY BY STAFF. SO THE EXAMPLE THAT WE GIVE YOU ON THAT LAST PAGE IS BASICALLY THE STAFF ISN'T PRESENT BECAUSE IT'S A CHAPERON SITUATION, A MENTOR OR TUTOR. SO THAT STAFF PERSON WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY $60. PARDON ME. THE VOLUNTEER WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY $60 TO SUPPORT THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY, IS THAT GOING TO BE A NATIONAL. IS THAT A NATIONAL REGISTRY, THE NATIONAL REGISTER? IS THERE A NATIONAL? I DON'T KNOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE JASON WILKINSON HERE THIS EVENING. OUR ENDPOINT IN TECHNOLOGY ENDPOINT LEADER, WHO CAN TALK WITH YOU ABOUT RAPTOR AND HOW THAT COULD BE USED AS VOLUNTEERS ARE COMING INTO THE SCHOOL. YEAH. I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS OBVIOUSLY. SO IT IS RAPTOR TAKES A COLLECTION OF ALL 50 STATES, PUTS THEM INTO ONE DATABASE. SORRY, RAPTOR TAKES ALL 50 STATES PUT INTO ONE DATABASE. AND EVERY TIME THAT PERSON CHECKS IN, LIKE EVERY DAY, EVEN IF THEY GO OUT TO LUNCH AND COME BACK IN, IT'S SCANNED AGAIN. SO THAT'S HOW THAT WORKS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK WE'RE GOOD. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ITEM F PRESENTATION OF DRAFT 2025 2026 HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION PLAN FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS. MISS KATIE RIDGEWAY, CHIEF OF STAFF. WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. SITUATED OKAY. IT'S HAPPENING FOR ME. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATIE RIDGEWAY. I AM CHIEF OF STAFF FOR HCPS, AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING A PLETHORA OF OUR STAFF WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF INCLEMENT WEATHER. YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE TEAM THAT HAVE DIFFERENT STAKES IN THIS, AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THEM IN TERMS OF THE POTENTIAL INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN FOR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION. SO FOR THE BACKGROUND OF WHY WE ARE HERE, MARYLAND MSD WAITING FOR THE CAN I DO IT MYSELF? I CAN OKAY, WAITING FOR MSD. ALL RIGHT. 
          LET'S START THAT SECOND THAT THAT OVER. I AM HERE BECAUSE MSD HAS ALLOWED US TO USE TO HAVE VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION AFTER WE USE THREE TRADITIONAL INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS. THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT SET FORTH, SUCH AS YOU HAVE TO HAVE FOUR HOURS OF SYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION. IF WE WERE TO GO THROUGH THAT, THAT CHOICE OF HAVING A VIRTUAL INCLEMENT 
          [03:20:01]
WEATHER DAY. SO THIS PRESENTS DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. WE DID HAVE A SURVEY LAST YEAR AND THERE WAS SUPPORT FOR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION. WE DID NOT GO FOR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PLAN LAST YEAR DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF SIX BUILT IN CLOSURE DAYS AND OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES. LAST YEAR, WE DID ONLY HAVE FIVE INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS, SO WE WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD THE OPTION TO USE THOSE INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS FOR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION. ANYWAY, AS WE ARE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE CALENDAR TO ONLY THREE TRADITIONAL INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS, WE ARE NOW PROPOSING A INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY OR AN INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN. WE HAVE POSTED A DRAFT PLAN THAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW. I HAVE ONLY PUT UP A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS HERE BECAUSE WE EVERYONE WILL HAVE TIME TO READ THIS VERY EXTENSIVE PLAN. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PLAN ARE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION THE DAY BEFORE, SO THAT STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO TAKE HOME THEIR TECHNOLOGY. WE WOULD HAVE A TWO HOUR DELAY IF WE WERE TO HAVE THAT SYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION. STUDENTS WOULD HAVE TEN DAYS FOR ASSIGNMENTS. STUDENTS WOULD GET THEIR LINK FOR THEIR CLASSES THROUGH CANVAS. ATTENDANCE WOULD BE TAKEN AND THERE WOULD BE PRACTICE DAYS FOR SCHOOLS. THOSE ARE JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS. THIS IS GOING TO BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF YOU TO READ AND REVIEW, AND FOR ANY BOARD MEMBERS THAT WANT TO GET INTO THE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THAT PLAN IS, WE CAN SET UP INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS AND HAVE MEETINGS ACCORDINGLY SO THAT WE CAN REALLY GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT. WE DID SEEK FEEDBACK FROM A VARIETY OF INSTRUCTIONAL GROUPS, INCLUDING THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR GROUPS AND CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION LEADERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF, AND PRINCIPAL ADVISORY GROUPS TO FORMULATE THE PLAN THAT IS NOW PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. WE DID ALSO DO A NEW SURVEY THIS SUMMER THAT WAS VERY SPECIFIC TO THE LOGISTICS THAT WOULD BE AROUND ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING AN INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY. WE JUST POSTED TODAY. AS A BOARD ARTIFACT ON YOUR AGENDA, THERE IS A LINK TO THE DASHBOARD. THAT DASHBOARD IS PUBLIC, SO ALL OF YOU HAVE TIME OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS, AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT THE RESPONSES OF THOSE SURVEYS ARE. WE DID HAVE ABOUT 3000 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND 1500 STAFF MEMBERS RESPOND, AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND SEE THE PARENTS VERSUS STAFF. YOU CAN ALSO SEE STAFF WHO ARE NEWER STAFF WHO'VE BEEN HERE LONGER, AND YOU CAN SORT IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO SEE THOSE RESPONSES. WE DID HAVE SOME KEY THEMES, SUCH AS INTERNET ACCESS, THE NEED FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT, THE NEED FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND SOME BARRIERS FOR STUDENT POPULATIONS. IN ALL OF OUR FEEDBACK, A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER. AND THESE ARE JUST AGAIN HIGHLIGHTS WHERE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH THE DATA IN DETAIL. WE DO HAVE IN THE AT LEAST THE SURVEY RESPONSES, 24% OF THE TEACHERS WHO RESPONDED HAVE HAD LIMITED OR NO EXPERIENCES TEACHING SYNCHRONOUSLY OR TEACHING VIRTUALLY AND SYNCHRONOUS SYNCHRONOUSLY. 19% OF FAMILIES LACK OR UNSURE SUPERVISION DURING CLOSURE. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT NUMBER IS WHEN YOU GO IN, YOU CAN DO IT BY GRADE, BAND LEVEL, AND THAT NUMBER RAISES WHEN YOU DO THE PRE-K LEVEL. MY, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 21%. AND IT GOES DOWN WHEN YOU DO FOR SOME OF THE OTHER LEVELS, 19% IS THE AVERAGE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PLAY WITH TO LOOK AND SEE IN TERMS OF HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS TO YOU FOR CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT WE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS PLAN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT RELIABLE HOME INTERNET ACCESS IS A CHALLENGE AND THE COST TO PROVIDE HOTSPOTS. WE ESTIMATE AT ABOUT $200,000, AND THAT IS WITH OUR PREVIOUS DATA ABOUT HOW MANY STUDENTS WE BELIEVE WOULD NEED INTERNET ACCESS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD UPDATE ONCE. IF WE FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS PLAN, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE OUR STUDENTS. BUT THAT IS THERE IS A BUDGETARY IMPACT FOR CHOOSING THIS PLAN. WE WILL NEED TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY RESOURCES, AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW TO PROVIDE DAY OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS. AS YOU WILL SEE, THE RESULTS IN THE SURVEY INDICATE A DESIRE FOR THAT. SO THE NEXT STEPS IS THE PLAN. AS YOU SAID, YOU HAVE LINKS FOR IT IN YOUR AS A BOARD ARTIFACT. YOU ALSO HAVE LINKS TO THE SURVEY YOU HAVE LINKED TO THIS INFORMATION AS WELL AS THERE'S SOME EXPANDED INFORMATION IN THE SLIDE DECK THAT YOU CAN REVIEW FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS. WE CAN ALSO SET UP MEETINGS WITH ANY BOARD MEMBERS WHO WANTS TO GO THROUGH THE SPECIFICS OF THE PLAN, AND WE WILL BE BACK IN SEPTEMBER FOR A VOTE. THAT'S ALL I GOT. CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON THE SURVEY? YOU SAID THAT IT WAS FAVORABLE. LAST YEAR'S SURVEY? YES. WAS WAS THERE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ASKING 
          [03:25:07]
DO YOU SUPPORT. YEAH. SO HERE'S A HERE'S SOME EXPANDED BACKGROUND IN YOUR SLIDE DECK. 
          AND YOU'LL SEE UNDER THE THIRD CIRCLE THAT FOR THE 2024 2025 SURVEY, IT WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DESIRABILITY OF VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION ON INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS. AND WE HAD 75% OF STAFF IN FAVOR, 25% NOT IN FAVOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS, 71% IN FAVOR, 29% NOT IN FAVOR. IS THAT ON THIS SURVEY? BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THAT QUESTION. NO. THIS SURVEY FOCUSED ON THE LOGISTICS OF WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON HAVING AN INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY. WHAT ARE THE. SOME QUESTIONS IF YOU'RE DONE? YEAH. SO GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS AN INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE INTERNET BEING DOWN IS GREATER THAN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE NOT IN THAT SITUATION, AND CANVAS HAS THE ABILITY TO DOWNLOAD MATERIALS. WAS IT WERE DID THE SCHOOL LOOK AT DOWNLOADING THE MATERIALS THAT WOULD BE USED FOR INSTRUCTION AND USING MORE OF AN ON ON THE PHONE, WHICH MIGHT BE A MORE RELIABLE METHOD FOR SYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION? AND IT WOULD ALSO PRECLUDE US HAVING TO PURCHASE $200,000 WORTH OF ADDITIONAL HARDWARE. SO THAT TYPE OF DETAIL IS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD WE COULD DEFINITELY WORK THROUGH WITH YOU AND TALK THROUGH WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM AND WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM ON THE VARIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF THAT. BUT FOR US TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT, SYNCHRONOUS LIVE INSTRUCTION, THE PLAN IS TO PROVIDE THAT THROUGH MICROSOFT TEAMS. DOES THIS MEAN I GET FREE STARLINK? DO YOU GET FREE STARLINK? PROBABLY NOT. IF WE'RE IF WE'RE GIVING INTERNET OUT TO EVERYBODY, I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO HAVE THIS INCLEMENT WEATHER VIRTUAL PLAN, THEN YES, WE WOULD NEED TO REQUIRE INTERNET ACCESS FOR STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS SO THAT THEY CAN ACCESS CLASS FOR THAT DAY. CAN I ASK THAT YOU FORWARD THE RESULTS FROM THE SURVEY FOR THE DESIRABILITY FOR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION? JUST SO I COULD READ THE COMMENTS, PLEASE? YES, I WAS THERE A COMMENT SECTION OR WAS IT JUST A YES OR NO? WE WILL FORWARD YOU THE RESULTS OF LAST YEAR'S SURVEY EITHER WAY. ALL RIGHT, $200,000. EXCUSE ME, IS THAT A ONE TIME COST OR HOW. 
          THAT'S TO KEEP THE HOTSPOTS ACTIVATED ALL YEAR. WE ARE UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THEM. AT A POINT IN TIME, WE HAVE TO ACTIVATE THE HOTSPOTS AND HAVE THEM AVAILABLE. AS WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN AN INCLEMENT WEATHER EVENT WOULD OCCUR. SO WE COULD BE PAYING THAT AND NOT EVER USE IT. YES. IS IT UNLIMITED DATA FOR THE HOTSPOTS? I WOULD HAVE TO ASK HER, OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM, CATHY BENDIS OR DREW MOORE, ARE YOU ON? I'M ASSUMING THE ANSWER IS YES. THIS IS CATHY BENDIS, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR OPERATIONS. YES. AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN WHAT WE WOULD BE EXPLORING AS AN OPTION FOR STUDENTS. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER AS THE BOARD CONSIDERS WHETHER THEY WANT TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON A VIRTUAL INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AGAIN, ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN, ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, LET US KNOW AND WE WILL MAKE SURE YOU'RE CONNECTED TO THE BEST PERSON TO WORK THROUGH THOSE DETAILS WITH YOU. SO I HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND I'M SORRY IF THIS IS ALREADY COVERED, BUT OTHER COUNTIES HAVE THIS IN PLACE. HAD THIS IN PLACE LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, RIGHT. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THEY HANDLED THAT PIECE OF IT. THE HOTSPOT PIECE OF IT. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO THERE ARE SOME COUNTIES IN THE, IN THE STATE WHO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH DOING VIRTUAL INCLEMENT WEATHER INSTRUCTION AND THE FIDELITY IN WHICH THEY'RE ABLE TO REACH ALL THEIR STUDENTS IS SOMETHING THAT IS OF CONSTANT CONVERSATION. 
          WHEN DISTRICTS SHARE AND CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER, THERE'S A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BEST FAITH EFFORTS TO REACH ALL STUDENTS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PAYING FOR HOTSPOTS OR 
          [03:30:01]
WHATEVER THAT COMMUNITY IS DECIDED TO REACH THOSE STUDENTS, OCCURS. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT. SO EACH DISTRICT, DEPENDING ON HOW RURAL THEY ARE OR WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED, HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS FOR THINGS LIKE HOTSPOTS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY IS A COUNTY THAT DID PROVIDE VIRTUAL INCLEMENT WEATHER INSTRUCTION. THEY HAVE LESS OF A NEED FOR HOTSPOTS THAN WE WOULD HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY, OR PERHAPS A GARRETT COUNTY. SO THAT PARTICULAR CHALLENGE IS WHY MANY DISTRICTS DID NOT CHOOSE TO DO VIRTUAL INCLEMENT WEATHER INSTRUCTION, BECAUSE THE BELIEF WAS THAT THEY CANNOT REACH EVERY STUDENT WITH FIDELITY. SORRY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE DAYS, RIGHT? THREE DAYS, THREE DAYS, 200 GRAND A YEAR FOR THREE. I'M JUST WONDERING, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST ASKING, RIGHT? JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SNOW DAY, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU GET A SNOW DAY, RIGHT? YOU GET THREE. I MEAN, LIKE, AS A KID, YOU GET A SNOW DAY. 
          SNOWBALLS. I MEAN, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR THREE. I JUST DON'T, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN NECESSARILY REACHING. WHAT'S THE. JUST TELL ME. THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THE ADVANTAGE OF MAKING SURE WE GET THE $200,000 OR $100,000 A DAY, SO I DON'T PERSONALLY HAVE AN OPINION ON THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES, BUT THERE ARE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES THAT DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT MARYLAND HAVE HAD TO CONFRONT IN TERMS OF THIS. SO FROM THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR, OUR SURVEY RESULTS INDICATED A SUPPORT FOR THIS, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO AT LEAST WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS AND COME OUT WITH WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE FOR US, WHAT ARE OUR CHALLENGES AND WHAT ARE OUR BENEFITS? AND THAT WAS PART OF THE LOGISTICAL QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED IN OUR SURVEY THIS YEAR TO SEE WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS. YOU'LL SEE IN THE SURVEY RESULTS, WHERE FAMILIES LIST WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES, WHAT THEY BELIEVE WOULD BE THE CHALLENGES FOR THEM OR THE BENEFITS FOR THEM. SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH. SO THE CHALLENGES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INTERNET ACCESS, INSTRUCTION FOR ALL, HOW WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET READY, THE RESOURCES WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE. BUT THE BENEFITS, AND I THINK THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE SURVEY RESULTS WOULD BE THE END DATA SCHOOL. SO COMMUNITY SUPPORT. AND THEN THERE'S THE BENEFIT OF OUR TESTING ALWAYS OCCURS ON THE SAME DATES REGARDLESS ON IF WE HAVE SNOW DAYS. MAYBE IT'S JUST ME AND THE PTSD FROM COVID. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, JUST BEING LOCKED UP IN THE HOUSE DOING KINDERGARTEN AGAIN JUST SEEMS VERY TRIGGERING. BUT OKAY. NO, I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR INPUT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. SO THERE'S AN ASTERISK ON THERE THAT SAYS STATE NATIONAL TESTING DATES DON'T CHANGE REGARDLESS OF OUR OPENING CLOSING ON INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS. DOES THAT MEAN THAT IF WE ARE CLOSED FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY, THEY STILL HAVE STATE TESTING? NO. THAT'S TO IMPLY THAT IF YOU MISS THREE DAYS OF INSTRUCTION PRIOR TO A STATE TEST, IT DOESN'T. YOU KNOW, YOU EITHER GET THOSE THREE DAYS OF INSTRUCTION OR NOT. SO IT'S HOW PREPARED ARE YOU FOR THE TEST WHEN THEY WHEN THEY COME AROUND? I MEAN, THAT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN IF WE START A WEEK EARLIER OR A WEEK LATER. WE DON'T GET ANY EXTRA TIME TO PREPARE. EVERYBODY GETS THE TEST AT THE SAME TIME. EXACTLY. SO I DO HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION. 
          IS THERE A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY BE ONLINE FOR IT TO COUNT AS AN ASYNCHRONOUS DAY BY THE STATE? IT HAS TO BE ASYNCHRONOUS DAY. I MEAN, SYNCHRONOUS, SYNCHRONOUS MEANS LIVE INSTRUCTION. BUT IT COULD IT BE ON THE PHONE? DO THEY HAVE TO BE ON I MEAN THAT IS A FEEDBACK THAT COULD BE GIVEN FOR THE PLAN IN TERMS OF YOUR FINAL DECISION MAKING AND BE SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD WORK WITH IN WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM FOR THEIR PLANNING, BECAUSE IT IS LIKE $200,000, YOU KNOW, CHUNK OF CHANGE FOR A FEW DAYS. THANK YOU MISS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 
          [Superintendent's Report]
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, DOCTOR BOLTON, YOU'RE UP. THANK YOU. I THINK, LIKE EVERYONE THIS EVENING, I DO HAVE A BIT OF A LIST. SO LET ME LET ME TRY TO GET THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. FIRST, JUST A COUPLE CELEBRATIONS. OTHERS MENTIONED THIS. MISS ALVAREZ MENTIONED THE GOLDEN APPLE AWARDS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SPECIFICALLY THANK OUR MAJOR SPONSOR FOR THAT FREEDOM FEDERAL. THERE ARE MAJOR SPONSORS OF SO MANY AMAZING THINGS. YOU KNOW, THEY STEP UP TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND THAT IS DEFINITELY A WAY THEY DO IT. AND AGAIN, ABSOLUTELY, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RECIPIENTS OF THE AWARDS. I'M SORRY I WASN'T ACTUALLY ABLE TO BE THERE THAT DAY. DOCTOR DAVIS WENT IN MY PLACE. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU TO FREEDOM FEDERAL AND 
          [03:35:01]
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE RECIPIENTS. ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE. HOWARD EAKES AND THE ENVIROTHON TEAM AND OUR TEACHER FROM NORTH HART. ALL THE ALL THE RECOGNITION EVERYONE GOT FOR THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF SOIL CONSERVATION IN GENERAL. JUST RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S BEEN GREAT WORK GOING ON AROUND THIS AND HARFORD COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME. I THINK PARTICULARLY OF MR. EAKES, WHO'S BEEN DOING THIS SO LONG AND REALLY BEEN AN IMPORTANT VOICE IN THAT AREA. SO I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN ONE MANNER OR ANOTHER WITH OUR STUFF THE BUS CAMPAIGN, OUR EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, AND I KNOW WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS ON THERE AND SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE SUPPORT THE WORK THEY DO. THEY ARE AN AMAZING RESOURCE FOR US. THEY HELP US FILL GAPS THAT NOT ALL OF OUR FAMILIES CAN FILL. AND THEY HELP, YOU KNOW, LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS. AND SO IT'S FANTASTIC TO SEE THEM OUT THERE. AND I PARTICULARLY WANT TO NOTE THE FACT THAT THIS ONE WAS DONE. AND IN HONOR OF DOCTOR TIM TOOTEN, WHO WE UNFORTUNATELY LOST, HE WAS AN AMAZING RESOURCE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM. I JUST I MEAN, WE LOVED IT WHEN HE CAME BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WAS ABLE TO HE DELIBERATELY LOOKED FOR GOOD STORIES TO TELL ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND JUST SUCH A HUGELY POSITIVE PERSON. HE WASN'T AFRAID TO REPORT, YOU KNOW, THE REAL NEWS AND THE HARD STORIES ALSO. BUT WE KNOW HE'S JUST SOMEONE WHO WAS ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR THOSE CELEBRATIONS. WE LOVED HAVING HIM COME OUT. HIS ENTHUSIASM WAS AMAZING AND JUST AN INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEING. SO WE DO MISS HIM AND I APPRECIATE THE FOUNDATION FOR DOING THIS EVENT IN HIS HONOR. I DO WANT TO TAKE A SECOND. WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WHO HELPED US GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHERE WE WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 2ND. AND SO FOR MANY PEOPLE, THE SUMMER SEEMS LIKE A BREAK IN THE CALENDAR. BUT FOR SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES, IT IS OUR ABSOLUTE BUSIEST TIME. AND YOU CAN SEE, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU THINK OF OUR OPERATIONS TEAMS, WHETHER IT'S CLEANING BUILDINGS, REPAIRING BUILDINGS, TURNING OVER TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS A HUGE, HUGE TASK, NOT TO MENTION WHAT'S GOING ON IN HR AND EVERYTHING WE'VE DEALT WITH AND IN OUR BUDGET AND FINANCE TEAM, WITH THE CHANGE, WITH ORACLE. AND SO THERE'S JUST SO MUCH HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM FOR ENSURING WE HAVE AS SEAMLESS AND SAFE AND SMOOTH AND OPENING AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THEIR WORK. AND ON THAT NOTE, I WANT TO ECHO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT MR. MCVICKER SHARED THAT WE HOPE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE A FANTASTIC, EXCITING, BUT ALSO VERY SAFE FIRST DAY. AND SO I HOPE EVERYONE IS GETTING THEIR SLEEP HABITS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS OR ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE BEFORE THEY COME BACK. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S ALL GOING ON, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ON A VERY, VERY SERIOUS NOTE, LAST YEAR, HARFORD COUNTY EXPERIENCED MORE THAN 2500 STOP ARM VIOLATIONS, WHICH IS PEOPLE RUNNING BY THE STOP SIGN ON THE SIDES OF OUR BUSSES. WE'VE HAD INCIDENTS HERE. I THINK IT WAS MY FIRST YEAR WE LOST A STUDENT IN AN SUCH AN INCIDENT. SO THIS IS ALSO THE TIME. REMIND OUR FRIENDS, REMIND OUR FAMILIES. YOU CAN'T BE SO IMPATIENT THAT YOU FEEL THE NEED TO IGNORE ONE OF THOSE STOP ARMS AND ONE OF OUR BUSSES. I APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR VENDORS WHO HELP US WITH THOSE. NOT EVERY ONE OF OUR BUSSES IS EQUIPPED WITH STOP ARM CAMERAS, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE. AND LIKE WE SAID, 2500 VIOLATIONS. AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONLY A FRACTION OF THE TIMES THAT OCCURS BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY BUSSES THAT AREN'T EQUIPPED WITH THOSE CAMERAS. SO PLEASE, THOSE BIG YELLOW BUSSES, LOOK CLOSELY WHEN YOU'RE APPROACHING ONE. IF THE LIGHTS ARE ON THE YELLOW LIGHTS OR THE RED LIGHTS, PLEASE JUST DO THE SAFEST THING AND STOP. IT'S SO IMPORTANT WE TRACK THAT ON OUR OUR DATA DASHBOARD FOR A REASON, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GREATLY CONCERNED WITH. AND, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. AND ONE LAST THING, AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO EVERYTHING GOING ON THIS YEAR, JUST TO PUT THIS IN THE BACK OF PEOPLE'S MINDS, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A 250TH CELEBRATION FOR THIS COUNTRY, WE ALSO HAVE ONE COMING UP FOR HARFORD COUNTY, AND THERE WILL BE INFORMATION COMING OUT, MUCH OF IT FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL TRY TO SPREAD THE WORD AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR THEM, FOR ACTIVITIES. AND SO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. I HOPE 
          [03:40:02]
EVERYONE GETS A LITTLE MORE REST BEFORE WE KICK BACK OFF. BUT THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO GOT US 
          [Future Meetings Review]
TO WHERE WE ARE BOARD AND THANK YOU ALL. WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR IS UP AND RUNNING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO THE NEXT BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE MONDAY,
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.