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CLOSE CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORD COUNTY, A BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF NOVEMBER 15TH, 2022.
THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED BY A HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IS BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN FIVE AND FIVE 30 THIS EVENING BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER, AND TOPIC TO ROBIN DOT CUSHING@BEAUFORT.K12.SC.US.
AND ROBIN IS SPELLED WITH A Y.
YOU'LL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN, AND THE FORUM WOULD BE LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES.
YOU MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN.
AND EACH SPEAKER MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
PLEASE SEE THE BOARD CLERK FOR A CARD REQUEST FOR THE SECOND.
IT SOUNDS VERY MUFFLED, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING IT SOUNDS MUFFLED.
HOW ABOUT, UH, ANGELA? IS IT MUFFLED TO YOU? YES, MA'AM.
I WAS ABOUT TO TYPE IN THE CHAT THAT YOU DO SOUND MUFFLED.
YOUR, UH, MIKE IS NOT THAT CLEAR.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, NO
SO, UM, WILLIAM, EARL AND ANGELA.
OKAY, EARL AND WILL? YES MA'AM, I'M SURE.
AND EARL, IS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO? YEAH.
SO REQUESTS FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN SEVEN AND SEVEN 30 IN THE SAME MANNER.
THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM THE SECOND FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES IN THE EVENT THE BOARD HAS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THE NOVEMBER 15TH, 2022 AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE AT 6:00 PM TOMORROW EVENING, THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS. SO WE NOW NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE, OR THE, UH, MOTION MISS, UH, BOATRIGHT? YES.
I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO, FOR RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO A CONTRACTUAL MATTER COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING TWO PENDING CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE C B R E HEARING CONTRACT AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 78 2.
SO THE MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION BY MS. BOATRIGHT WAS SECOND BY, UM, MEL CAMPBELL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH? YES, MA'AM.
MADAM UH, CHAIR, UH, WHO WILL BE ADVISING US IN THE LEGAL MATTERS? OKAY? YEAH.
UM, THE FIRST MATTER, THE CONTRACTUAL MATTER IS WITH RESPECT TO DR.
COULD YOU PLEASE LOWER YOUR HAND AND ARE THERE ANYBODY, ANYBODY ELSE HANDS UP? NOPE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, I, I, I MIDDLETON, I SMITH, I AND EARL CAMPBELL.
SO THE VOTE TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION IS UNANIMOUS.
WE WILL BE MEETING IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM ACROSS THE HALLWAY.
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GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF NOVEMBER 15TH, 2022.THE MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED BY HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE BOARD WAS JUST AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND NOW WE ARE BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MADAME CHAIR, THERE ARE TWO MOTIONS.
RESULTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS, EXTEND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT BY ONE YEAR THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2028, INCREASE THE SALARY BY 5% SUCH THAT HIS ANNUAL SALARY WILL BE 251,254 AND 50, AND INCREASE THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUITY BY 1%, SUCH THAT THE TOTAL ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION WILL BE 16% OF HIS SALARY.
MS. ANGELA MIDDLETON MADE THE MOTION AND MR. EARL CAMPBELL SECOND THE MOTION AND THE MOTION IS NOW DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN.
I DON'T SEE ANY, UM, HANDS UP, ELECTRONIC, HANDS UP.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, THE MOTION PLEASE SAY, I, I MIDDLETON I AND WILL I MM-HMM.
AND ANY NAYS? OKAY, MR. SMITH, NAY AND NO ABSTENTION.
SO IT'S, UH, THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, 9 1 0.
WE HAVE ONE MEMBER ABSENT TONIGHT.
THE LAST MOTION MEDICARE, I MOVED THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN WITH C B R E HEARING, AUTHORIZES A NOT TO EXCEED LIMIT OF $1,755,753 FOR THE YEAR 2023 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PLAN.
OKAY, MS. MIDDLETON MADE THE MOTION AND, UH, MR. EARL CAMPBELL SECOND THE MOTION, AND I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS UP.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY I, I ANY NAYS? NAY, MR. SMITH.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR MOTIONS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, ADAM CHAIR.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE MOTION CARRIES 8 1 0 WITH ONE BEING ABSENT, AND I SHOULD HAVE READ THE PRIOR MOTION AS THAT SAME OUTCOME.
THERE'S 10 OF US INSTEAD OF 11.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR MOTIONS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.
NEXT UP, WE NEED APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
MISS, UH, INGRID BOATRIGHT MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING TONIGHT'S AGENDA, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
DO WE HAVE, UH, ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA IS UNANIMOUS.
WE NOW NEED TO STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE UNDER GOD, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
WE WILL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR SAM MURRAY, WHO PASSED AWAY ON NOVEMBER 5TH.
HE WAS THE FORMER MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF
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PORT ROYAL, AND HE ALSO WAS A RETIRED PRINCIPAL FROM JAMES J. DAVIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
NEXT, WE HAVE LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, INSTRUMENTALIST, VIRTUALLY PERFORMING ROCK AND ROLL, AND 400 DEGREES UNDER THE DIRECTION OF BAND DIRECTOR STEPHEN JOHNSON.
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TWO THREE.THANK YOU TO BAND DIRECTOR STEVEN JOHNSON AND THE LADIES ALLEN MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUMENTALIST BAND.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA ARE THE POINTS OF CELEBRATION, AND WE HAVE TONIGHT WE HAVE, UH, ALICE WALTON WITH US.
RODRIGUEZ IS NOT ABLE TO BE AT TONIGHT'S MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN OUR CELEBRATION TONIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN OUR CELEBRATION TONIGHT WITH OUR CHARACTER ED STUDENT OF THE MONTH CHARACTER EDUCATION.
OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM WAS FORMED TO SUPPORT FOR, TO SUPPORT PARENTS EFFORTS TO DEVELOP GOOD CHARACTER IN THEIR CHILDREN.
TONIGHT WE ARE CELEBRATING THE CHARACTER AT STUDENT OF THE MONTH, EXHIBITING THE CHARACTER TRAITS OF COURAGE AND TOLERANCE.
COURAGE IS DEFINE AS DOING THE RIGHT THING IN FACE OF DIFFICULTY AND FOLLOWING YOUR CONSCIENCE INSTEAD OF A CROWD.
TOLERANCE IS DEFINED AS REALIZING THAT EVERYONE IS AT A VARYING LEVEL OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH SOUTH OF BROAD FOR OCTOBER IS CRYSTAL BUCK AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT AT BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT CRYSTAL IS HER SCIENCE TEACHER, MISS GARRA
JUST BE SURE YOUR MIC, YOUR MOUTH IS CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE FOR IT TO BE PICKED UP.
UM, I HAVE KNOWN CRYSTAL FOR A YEAR AND A HALF NOW.
I HAVE A HER CHEERLEADING COACH LAST YEAR, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TEACHING HER, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S THROUGH HOME BOUND, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO HER COMING BACK TO SCHOOL WITH US.
UM, OVER THE SUMMER IN JULY, CRYSTAL WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA.
UM, SO SHE HAS OVERCOME A LOT, AND THROUGH THIS, SHE STAYS THE POSITIVE AND HAPPY AND OUTGOING PERSON THAT I KNEW HER AS IS LAST YEAR BEFORE SHE HAD THE LEUKEMIA.
UM, SO SHE MORE THAN ANY OTHER OF THE 890 STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL EXHIBITS THE COURAGE SHE'S FIGHTING AND SHE'S GETTING THROUGH THIS CHEMO SO THAT SHE'S ABLE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL, AND SHE'S DOING IT WITH THAT SAME SMILE YOU SEE IN THAT PICTURE.
SO WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR CRYSTAL, AND WE ARE HONORED TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD FOR HER.
THE BOARD WISHES CRYSTAL ALL THE BEST WITH HER, UM, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON A A VERY WELL-DESERVED AWARD.
OUR NEXT, UM, AWARD GOES TO OUR SECONDARY LEVEL ART EDUCATION EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR.
PATTY HAS BEEN WITH US SINCE 1997.
SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING ARTIST, AND OUR HATS GO OUT TO HER FOR WHAT SHE'S DONE.
AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT HER IS PRINCIPAL STEVE SHEDRICK.
SO, UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PATTY SHOWOFF.
UH, PATTY IS AN EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATOR WHO CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATES LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE IN BOTH THE CLASSROOM AND THE
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COMMUNITY.SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GROWING THE ARTS PROGRAM IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FOSTERING AND APPRECIATION FOR ART IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, MS. WALTON HAD SAID, SHE, UH, HAS BEEN IN THE DISTRICT FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND SHE'S DONE A LOT AS A LEADER IN ART EDUCATION.
SHE STARTED THE, UH, THE ART NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AT HILTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE'S ALSO HELPED EDUCATORS IN OTHER SCHOOLS TO DO THE SAME.
SHE ALSO, UH, IS THE MODERATOR OF OUR QUILT AND SCROLL SOCIETY.
WHAT'S IT? QUILT AND SCROLL SOCIETY, WHICH IS THE HONOR SOCIETY FOR JOURNALISM.
SO, UM, SHE HAS A LOT, I I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UH, JUST IN THE LAST YEAR, OUR YEARBOOK WAS RECOGNIZED, UH, FOR ITS CREATIVITY NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.
UM, AND SHE'S ALSO, UH, THROUGH HER WORK WITH HER STUDENTS, A LOT OF THE STUDENTS WORK HAS BEEN DISPLAYED NATIONALLY, UM, AT OUR STATE FAIR AND ALSO AT THE COAST DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
SO FOR A BODY OF WORK, UH, MISS SCHOFF WAS NAMED THE SOUTH CAROLINA ART SECONDARY ART EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE ART AWARD.
SEVERAL STUDENTS FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, RECENTLY WON AWARDS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR ART STUDENT COMPETITION.
HERE TO INTRODUCE THE STUDENT IS HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL ART DEPARTMENT CHAIR TORI MONTGOMERY AND MAYOR RIVER HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL TODD BAUER MONTGOMERY.
WHAT WAS THIS THE, OKAY, THAT'S
UM, SO THERE WERE, UM, FIVE AWARDS FOR HILTON HEAD, I THINK.
AND, UM, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW WE HAD A BEST TO SHOW, WHICH WAS, UM, UM, A GORGEOUS, UH, CHARCOAL DRAWING, UM, BY LADY SAMRAN, IS SHE HERE THIS EVENING? UM, AND THEN THERE WAS TWO FIRST PLACE, UM, FOR ZOE FORHE, FORHE AND ALEXIS'S CLAIM.
AND EMILY FI GOT SECOND PLACE.
UM, SKYLER HAD A SWIMMING CONFLICT, BUT UM, SHE GOT AN ARAL MENTIONED SKYLER BRUNER.
SO, AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME KATIE DONAHUE TO COME FORWARD.
UH, GOT TO KNOW KATIE A LITTLE BIT AND HER LIFE IS INCREDIBLY BUSY THESE DAYS.
SHE ASPIRES TO VETERINARY SCIENCE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, BUT IF THAT FOLLOWS FALLS THROUGH, OR IF SHE CHOOSES HER ALTERNATE PATH, IT WOULD BE MORE ALONG ALONG THE LINES OF ARCHITECTURE WHERE SHE CAN EMPLOY HER ART SKILLS.
YOU CAN SEE HER AMAZING 2D DRAWING, THE FLOWER THAT IS IN THE UPPER RIGHT THERE.
AND, UM, JUST SO PROUD OF, OF KATIE AND ALL OF THESE STUDENTS.
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SO WE HAVE HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, UM, AGAIN WITH A GIRL'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP.WE'RE GONNA ASK JENNIFER WHITEY CAMPBELL TO COME UP AND TELL US ABOUT THIS FABULOUS TEAM THAT BROUGHT HOME THE CLASS A CLASS FOUR, A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
I'M PROUD OF THIS AND IT'S JUST A PIECE OF CARDBOARD WITH ME TONIGHT.
IS MY ASSISTANT COACH, LAURA FULLER, AND WE'LL BE AS QUICK BUT AS CONGRATULATORY AS WE CAN WITH THE PARTICULAR GROUP.
THE TROPHY AND THE GIRLS ALREADY TOOK ALL THEIR MEDALS, BUT THE TROPHIES BACK AT THE SCHOOL.
UM, COACH MOMA DOES NOT KNOW I SNAGGED THE CARDBOARD
I DID HAVE TO GET SOMEBODY TO GO TO IN HIS OFFICE.
I'VE BEEN COACHING GIRLS TENNIS FOR SOME TIME NOW.
AND THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD WON THE STATE TITLE WAS WHEN EMILY RENO WAS A FRESHMAN.
SHE'S NOW A SENIOR WITH LOTS OF ACCOLADES AND SHE IS ONE OF OUR TEAM CAPTAINS WHO IS HERE TODAY.
WE WERE UNDEFEATED IN THE REGION.
WE WERE 17 AND ONE FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, UM, HAD TWO ALL STAR ATHLETES INVITED TO THE STATE SINGLES.
SO NOT ONLY DID WE, AND, AND I'M GONNA CALL OUT EMILY LAST, UM, BUT I'M GONNA LET COACH FULLER CALL OUT AND RECOGNIZE THOSE GIRLS THAT SHOWED UP TODAY.
WE HAVE 18 ATHLETES ON THE TEAM, AND ALL 18 SPENT ALL SEASON.
THERE ARE ONLY SEVEN PLAYING POSITIONS, FIVE SINGLES.
AND THEN FROM NUMBER SIX DOWN TO NUMBER 18, THE BEST TWO DOUBLES PLAYERS.
AND I'M GONNA STAND BY FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS.
THE TEAM THAT WINS SECOND DOUBLES USUALLY WINS STATES, AND OUR DOUBLES TEAM CINCHED IT FOR THAT FOURTH POINT TO WIN THIS YEAR.
BASED ON THAT, COACH FULLER WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE GIRLS THAT ARE HERE.
LADIES STAND WHEN SHE CALLS YOUR NAME.
I'M GONNA START FIRST WITH JESSICA STEIGER.
DELANEY ARROYO, LIZZIE MARKOWITZ, COURTNEY COSTO, BELL LUTHER.
AND THEN I'VE GOT LILY FRIDAY, MIA REXTON, HALEY CRUZ AND JULIA DEL ANGEL AND OLIVIA COSTELLO.
IF I COULD TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO BRING EMILY RNO UP HERE.
WELL, IF I COULD JUST TAKE A QUICK MINUTE.
SHE'S JOINED, OH GOD, I CAN'T DO THIS.
SHE HAS PLAYED 159 MATCHES FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE IS A THIRD PERSON IN MY COACHING CAREER THAT HAS MADE THAT A HUNDRED MARK, BUT NEVER A HUNDRED WINS.
EMILY RNO WON ALLSTATE SINGLES THIS YEAR, AND HALEY POPLIN, WHO IS NOT HERE TODAY, WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY HAD THAT OPTION FOR THIRD IF SHE WAS NOT PUT UP AGAINST EMILY IN THAT SENSE.
SO EMILY HAD TO BUMP OUT HER TEAMMATE.
UM, BUT WE DID HAVE TWO ALLSTATE ATHLETES.
IT IS NOT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, BUT SHE HAS COMMITTED AND HOPEFULLY IN THE SPRING, VERBALLY, HOPEFULLY IN THE SPRING AFTER HER APPOINTMENTS AND HER INTERVIEWS, SHE CAN ANNOUNCE WHERE SHE'LL BE PLAYING AND SHE HAS NOT BURNT OUT ON THE SPORT.
AND FOR THREE YEARS IN A ROW, THE SOUTH CAROLINA COACHES ASSOCIATION, APPROXIMATELY 18 DIFFERENT COACHES IN THOSE LAST THREE YEARS.
OUT OF THE SIX TIMES SHE'S GONE TO STATE SINGLES HAVE VOTED HER FOR THE THIRD TIME THE SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD.
THE MICHELIN JUNIOR DESIGN CHALLENGE WINNER, KYLIE MOORE FROM MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, KAYLEY MOORE, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WAS PRESENTED WITH THE MICHELIN DESIGN CHALLENGE AWARD AT THE HILTON HEAD COURSE, THE GALA ELEGANCE.
IF I COULD DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREEN, WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO TO SHARE THOSE HIGHLIGHTS.
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I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THIS CHECK FOR $1,000.RIDING INTO THE WINNER CIRCLE.
THIS MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WON THE SIXTH ANNUAL MICHELIN JUNIOR DESIGN CHALLENGE AND WAS GIVEN A CHECK FOR $1,000 AT THE HILTON AND ISLAND CONCORD LA GOON MOTORING FESTIVAL.
THIS YEAR'S CHALLENGE ASKED STUDENTS TO DESIGN A FUTURISTIC VEHICLE TO TAKE THEM ON AN ADVENTURE OF THEIR DREAMS. IN THE PRESENTATION I MENTIONED THAT I HAVE DYSGRAPHIA, SO I HAVE AN ISSUE CONVEYING WHAT I THINK AND MY DREAMS INTO WORDS.
SO IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO SHOW PEOPLE THAN TO TELL THEM.
SO MY CAR IS TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW I DREAM, AND MY DREAM WAS TO SEE THE AURORA BOREALIS.
AND I WANTED PEOPLE TO BE IMMERSED IN THE LIGHTS AND NOT JUST LOOKING UP AT THEM.
THE STUDENT FINALIST TOOK TURNS UP ON STAGE PRESENTING THEIR DESIGNS TO A PANEL OF JUDGES.
I LIKED THE FACT THAT I GOT TO MEET SOME REALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE AND THEY WERE REALLY DOWN TO EARTH AND THEY TALKED TO ME AS IF LIKE I WAS A DESIGNER ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THEM.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY COOL.
CUZ USUALLY WHEN YOU HEAR FAMOUS PEOPLE'S NAMES, YOU DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA TALK TO YOU LIKE AN EQUAL.
THE JUDGES, AS WELL AS MICHELIN REPRESENTATIVES ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE STUDENT DESIGNERS QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR VEHICLES BEFORE CHOOSING A WINNER.
THESE ARE 15, 16 YEAR OLD HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT CAME UP WITH IDEAS THAT WORLD'S FAMOUS CAR DESIGNERS THINK ARE SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE GONNA BRING BACK TO THEIR TEAMS TO CHALLENGE THEM.
AND, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S THE POWER OF, OF THESE YOUNG MINDS.
MORE THAN 100 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT SUBMITTED MORE THAN 75 ENTRIES INTO THIS YEAR'S COMPETITION ON HILTON AND ISLAND RAMOS BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SKYLA HERE TONIGHT.
SHE IS, SHE IS COMPETING IN THE MATH COMPETITION.
THIS CONCLUDES THE CELEBRATIONS.
UM, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE THE, UH, STUDENTS THAT WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THE STATE FAIR ART AWARDS THAT ARE PRESENT TO PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT.
SO WE CAN GIVE YOU A STANDING OVATION AS WELL.
AND TAKE YOUR PHOTO
YEAH, YOU CAN GO DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA ARE THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT ARE, THAT ARE SPEAKING TONIGHT, WHETHER YOU'RE SPEAKING IN PERSON OR OVER THE PHONE, THAT SPEAKING AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS IS A PRIVILEGE AND NOT A RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO READ THE BACK OF THE, UM, COMMENT CARD, UH, BY, BY SPEAKING TONIGHT.
YOU AGREE TO, UH, FOLLOW THESE, THESE, UH, RULES.
CONFINE YOUR COMMENTS TO THE ISSUES WITHIN THE DOMAIN OF THE BOARD.
OBSCENITIES AND VULGARITIES SHALL NOT REFERENCE OR MAKE DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS BY NAME SHALL NOT COMMIT OTHER BREACHES OF RESPECT.
SPEAKERS MAY REFERENCE THE NAME OF SPECIFIC BOARD MEMBERS, BUT SUCH COMMUNICATIONS WILL NOT INCLUDE GOSSIP, DEFAMATORY WORDS, OR ABUSIVE IN VULGAR LANGUAGE.
I WAS INFORMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL THAT THEY POTENTIALLY COULD BE FINED IF PROFANITY IS USED BY A SPEAKER.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEY MAY PASS THAT FINE ONTO THE SPEAKER.
YOU DO NOT EXCEED THREE MINUTES.
THERE'LL BE VISIBLE AUDIBLE TIMING DEVICE TO BE USED.
THE PERSONS MAY NOT YIELD YOUR TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON.
AND WHEN YOU COMPLETE THIS CARD, PLEASE PROVIDE
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ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC TOPICS.UM, AND THE FIRST, THE WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD NOW, AND IT IS NORMALLY 30 MINUTES.
IF WE NEED TO EXTEND IT, THE BOARD CAN VOTE ON THAT.
AND THE SECOND, UH, PERIOD WILL BE FOR 15 MINUTES.
SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN PERSON, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE, TO THOSE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY OVER THE PHONE.
SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE CARTER HOYT, WHO IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON REMOVAL OF BOOKS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME A FEW MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
I LIVE ON LADIES ISLAND AND I'M PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE BEAUFORD LIBRARY.
I JUST BECAME AWARE OF THIS MEETING THIS MORNING, SO I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO POLL OUR ENTIRE BOARD.
SEVERAL MEMBERS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD BE HERE, ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT, BUT HAVE GIVEN ME THEIR SUPPORT FOR WHAT I PERSONALLY AM ABOUT TO SAY, I BELIEVE IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND ITS FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS.
I THINK GOING DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF BANNING BOOKS IS A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE.
WHERE IS THE LINE DRAWN AS TO WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE IF THESE BOOKS ARE BANNED? WHAT ABOUT THE BIBLE? I'M A PERSON OF FAITH AND HAVE STUDIED THE BIBLE FAIRLY EXTENSIVELY OVER THE YEARS.
BUT IF YOU WANNA RULE OUT BOOKS THAT INCLUDE MURDER, RAPE, INCEST, TREACHERY, LUST, SEXUAL PERVERSION, AND THE LIKE, THE BIBLE MIGHT BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
YET AT THE SAME TIME, IT HAS BEEN A CHERISHED AND UPLIFTING SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR SO MANY.
FOR CENTURIES, I BELIEVE IN PARENTS BEING AWARE OF AND INVOLVED IN WHAT THEIR CHILDREN READ, NOT THE GOVERNMENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE VALUES OF A FEW SHOULD NOT BE INFLICTED ON THE VALUES OF THE MANY.
SOME OF THE BOOKS ON THE BAND LIST ADDRESS SOME VERY TOUGH SUBJECTS.
SEXUAL IDENTITY, BULLYING, RACISM, IMAGE ISSUES, RAPE, INCEST.
WE WON'T MAKE THOSE GO AWAY BY TAKING BOOKS THAT ADDRESS THEM OFF THE SHELVES.
AND SOMETIMES THOSE BOOKS MAY BE THE ONLY LIFELINE A CHILD HAS WHEN THE CHILD FEELS THERE'S NO ONE ELSE TO HELP OR UNDERSTAND.
WOULDN'T WE RATHER OFFER THAT HELP THAN FACILITATE A SUICIDE? THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A POLARIZING ISSUE.
CERTAINLY WE CAN FIND SOME ROOM FOR COMPROMISE.
IF IT'S DECIDED THAT A BOOK'S TOPIC IS PERHAPS TOO HARSH FOR A CERTAIN AGE GROUP, CONSIDER MOVING IT TO A LIBRARY SECTION FOR MORE MATURE READERS.
IF A CONTROVERSIAL BOOK IS GOING TO BE DISCUSSED IN A CLASS, ALERT THE PARENTS AHEAD OF TIME AND SUGGEST THAT THE PARENTS READ AND DISCUSS THE BOOK WITH THEIR CHILD.
AND FINALLY, AS WE ALL KNOW, TELLING A CHILD NOT TO DO SOMETHING IS ONLY GONNA MAKE IT MORE LIKELY THAT THE CHILD WILL WANNA DO IT.
SO ISN'T IT BETTER TO BE WITH THEM IN THE PROCESS? I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO JUMP DOWN THE BANNING RABBIT HOLE.
NEXT UP, AND I'M, IT'S KAREN AND I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU PRONOUNCE HER LAST NAME.
YOU
UH, MY NAME IS KAREN GARRIS AND I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING.
I, AND SHARE MY CONCERNS ABOUT OUR LACK OF UTILIZATION OF THE EXISTING LIBRARY MATERIALS CHALLENGE.
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION IS 38.1, UH, IN NOT USING THAT REGULATION FROM THE BEGINNING.
WE ARE SETTING A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT AND WE HAVE OPENED OURSELVES UP TO NOT FOLLOWING THE PROCESS WITH FUTURE CHALLENGES.
CONSIDERING THE CONSOLIDATED ORGANIZATION OF EFFORT IN THE WAY THESE CHALLENGES HAVE SWEPT THE COUNTRY.
WE WOULD BE NAIVE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS JUST THE, UH, THE END OF IT.
THIS IN FACT, IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
UH, I AM THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE UNTIL RECENTLY MANY OF THESE TITLES WERE AVAILABLE.
I AM ALSO A PARENT OF A B CSD MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, A MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL, AND A RETIRED NAVY MASTER CHIEF WITH 27 YEARS OF ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS AND ASSERT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THOSE FREEDOMS IS NOT DILUTED SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE STUDENTS.
AS A CERTIFIED SCHOOL LIBRARIAN WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION AND ENDORSEMENT IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE, I AM PROFESSIONALLY BOUND TO PERFORM MY ROLE IN A MANNER THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR CORE COMPETENCIES AND VALUES OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION.
THROUGH A MULTITUDE OF NARRATIVES AND EXPERIENCES, SCHOOL LIBRARIES EXIST TO SERVE EACH UNIQUE STUDENT WITH COLLECTIONS THAT SUPPORT
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THE CURRICULUM, ENGAGE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, EDUCATE, INFORM, ENTERTAIN, AND DEVELOP A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING AND LEARNING.TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THIS ENDEAVOR, SCHOOL LIBRARIES MUST CONTAIN NUMEROUS BOOKS THAT REFLECT OUR STUDENTS' UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND CIRCUMSTANCES.
BOOKS THAT AFFIRM THEIR EXISTENCE AND BOOKS THAT DEMONSTRATE MULTIPLE AND POTENTIALLY CONTROVERSIAL POINTS OF VIEW.
DENYING THE PRESIDENTS OF ALTERNATIVE POINTS OF VIEW AND EXPERIENCES DOES NOT PROTECT STUDENTS.
IF WE ENGAGE IN CENSORSHIP, IF WE FAIL TO UPHOLD THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE TENANTS OF THE LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS, OUR STUDENTS RIGHTS TO READ, WE ARE EFFECTIVELY STUNTING THEIR EDUCATION AND PREVENTING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP EMPATHY AND MAKING THEM VULNERABLE IN THEIR IGNORANCE.
I DO NOT WISH IN ANY WAY TO INFRINGE UPON A PARENT'S ROLE IN RAISING THEIR CHILD OR THEIR RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHAT THEIR OWN CHILD READS.
THOSE FAMILY VALUES CONVERSATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL AND PROCEDURES EXIST FOR A PARENT TO BRING THOSE CONCERNS TO MY ATTENTION AS THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARIAN.
I DO WISH TO MAKE IT CLEAR THOUGH THAT I DO NOT SUPPORT THAT SAME PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBER OVERSTEPPING THEIR ROLE AND DECIDING WHAT OTHER STUDENTS CAN READ FOR EDUCATIONAL OR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.
IF WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH OF ALLOWING ONE PERSON OR GROUP OF PEOPLE TO ASSERT DOMINANCE OVER INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, TO LET LISTS OF BOOKS SLIDE ACROSS THE TABLE CIRCUMVENTING THE MATERIAL CHALLENGE PROCESS, WE ARE PLACING A HEAVY AND UNNECESSARY BURDEN ON THE PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS ARE SUITABLE FOR THE STUDENTS THEY SERVE.
MOVING FORWARD, I HUMBLY REQUEST THE BOARD RECOGNIZE THE PRECARIOUS POSITION, POSITION WE ARE IN REGARDING FUTURE BOOK CHALLENGES, AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN SEEKING TO BALANCE THE ISSUES OF WHAT IS MORALLY AND ETHICALLY ACCEPTABLE WHILE STILL AFFORDING OUR STUDENTS THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
HER TOPIC IS DECISIONS REGARDING BOOK CURRICULA.
BANNING GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M A LOCAL PARENT AND GRANDPARENT, AND A RETIRED 30 YEAR ENGLISH TEACHER, 15 OF WHICH WAS AT HILTON HEAD HIGH.
UM, I WANT TO DELIVER A SHORT MESSAGE TO YOU AS YOU FACE CHALLENGES OVER BOOKS AND CURRICULA.
INTERESTINGLY, I WAS DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH AND I FOUND A STATEMENT FROM MOMS FOR AMERICA.
IT MIGHT JUST BE A BASIS FOR SOME COMMON GROUND.
IT SAYS SOMETIMES WHAT YOU SEE, THE GOOD COMMON SENSE IS THE TRUTH.
DON'T LET POWERFUL VOICES TELL YOU OTHERWISE.
THE TRUTH IS, LITERATURE IS COMPLEX AND THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF BANNING BOOKS COMES FROM THE LIBRARY TO THE CLASSROOM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
WE TEACH STUDENTS TO LOOK AT THE CRAFT OF THE AUTHOR.
IT'S A MISSION OF DISCOVERY, INVESTIGATING HOW AUTHORS WRITE, NOT WHAT TO BELIEVE, OTHER IDEAS, OTHER CULTURES, OTHER BELIEFS CREATE MANY WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THE WORLD AS TO WHAT TO BELIEVE.
WE, EDUCATORS ARE THERE FOR ONE REASON TO HELP THE STUDENTS REACH THE NEXT LEVEL OF LEARNING.
READING CRITICALLY AND WELL FROM GOOD WRITERS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE IS CRUCIAL IN GETTING THERE.
THE TRUTH IS WHAT STUDENTS MIGHT DISCOVER IN BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY JUST MAY BE SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS THEM TO OVERCOME A DIFFICULT SITUATION OR UNDERSTAND WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING THROUGH.
UNDERSTANDING IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE AVOIDED, IT'S TO BE SOUGHT TO SAY, I SEE WHERE THIS PERSON'S COMING FROM.
DIVERSE AUTHORS CREATE UNDERSTANDING, BANNING THEM LIMITS IT.
THE TRUTH IS, EDUCATORS I HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE LAST 30 YEARS DON'T TEACH POLITICS OR DOCTRINE OR THE WORST OFFENSE OF ALL GROOM CHILDREN SEXUALLY.
ARE THERE BAD SEEDS IN ANY PROFESSION? YES, BUT THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH THEM.
MOST OF ALL, TEACHERS HOPE THAT STUDENTS ARE SAFE, FED, READY TO LEARN, BUT THAT ISN'T ALWAYS THE CASE.
SO THEY WORK HARD TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, TO PROVIDE MOTIVATION FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO CRITICALLY THINK LITERATURE AND AVAILABLE BOOKS ARE A KEY PART OF THIS.
THE TRUTH IS OUR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS ARE WORRIED.
THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS WHOSE OPINIONS DESERVE RESPECT.
AND WHAT YOU WILL SEE ARE TEACHERS WORKING IN OFTEN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS TO TEACH STUDENTS THE SKILLS TO BRING THEM TO SUCCESS IN THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL.
UH, FINALLY, THE SHORT MESSAGE.
MAKE SURE YOU BOARD MEMBERS LISTEN TO THEM.
AND THESE TEACHERS HAVE A SEAT AT THE ROUND TABLE WITH PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
TEACHERS WANT TO EDUCATE, NOT INDOCTRINATE.
LET US SEEK COMMON SENSE AND COMMON GROUND.
DON'T LET THE POWERFUL VOICES TELL YOU OTHERWISE.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE MI DECKARD SPEAKING ABOUT BOOK REMOVAL.
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GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED TODAY.TONIGHT, AS YOU KNOW, I WAS HERE LAST WEEK BECAUSE I, UH, FILED A CHALLENGE TO THE REMOVAL OF THE BOOKS BASED ON, UH, MY POSITION THAT THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE DISTRICT DIDN'T FOLLOW ITS ESTABLISHED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH I MAINTAIN IS WHAT ALLOWS YOU TO CONTINUE TO STAY NEUTRAL AND ADDRESS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS INSTEAD OF CAVING TO ONE, UH, OR TWO PEOPLE, OR A SMALL GROUP THAT'S JUST VERY VOCAL AND VERY DEMANDING.
UH, SINCE THEN I'VE BECOME AWARE OF SOME OTHER INFORMATION, UH, HAVING TO DO WITH CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED BEHIND THE SCENES HAVING TO DO WITH THIS BOOK REMOVAL.
SO AS A FOLLOW UP TO MY CHALLENGE, I HAVE A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST THAT I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY HAND TO THE DISTRICT TONIGHT RATHER THAN SENDING IT IN THROUGH THE, UH, EMAIL SYSTEM.
SO I HAVE COPIES FOR EACH ONE OF YOU, AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHICH POINT OF CONTACT HERE TONIGHT I SHOULD GIVE THEM TO.
YOU SHOULD GIVE THEM TO THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT.
THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH COPIES HERE.
NEXT WE HAVE LAUREN MARTEL SPEAKING ABOUT OBSCENITY IN SCHOOL.
I MEAN, WHAT A GREAT PRESENTATION SO FAR.
EACH ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN IS SO AMAZING THAT GOT RECOGNIZED.
I SHOULD COME TO THESE MORE OFTEN.
MY CHILDREN ARE SUCCESSFULLY GROWN FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMS. ONE GRADUATED IB THAT WAS INTENSE.
AND NOW I HAVE A YOUNG NIECE AND NEPHEW WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN SCHOOLS.
SO I KIND OF HAVE A BEAT ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
I SEE PEOPLE HERE THAT I KNOW FROM YEARS AGO AND PEOPLE WHO I CONSIDER FRIENDS.
THE REASON WHY I'M TALKING TODAY THOUGH, IS BECAUSE I'M AN ATTORNEY.
AND THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT ABOUT BANNING BOOKS.
IT'S ABOUT SECTION FIF 16 15 3 0 5, WHICH IS CALLED DISSEMINATING, PROCURING, OR PROMOTING OBSCENITY.
AND WHEN YOU PULL IT UP, IT SAYS IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON KNOWINGLY TO DISSEMINATE OBSCENITY.
A PERSON WHO DISSEMINATES OBSCENITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THIS ARTICLE SELLS, DELIVERS, PROVIDES OR OFFERS OR AGREES TO DELIVER SELLER, PROVIDE OBSCENE WRITING PICTURES, RECORDS, DIGITAL OR ELECTRONIC FILES, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OF DESCRIPTION OF OBSCENE.
I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO READ THIS ENTIRE STATUTE TO YOU, HOWEVER, THE POLICE HERE KNOW IT.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW.
THIS STATUTE, MANY PEOPLE GET CONCERNED ABOUT POLICY, POLICY IS NOT LAW.
AND WHEN WE COME DOWN TO DEFINE THE, UM, OBSCENITY AND THE USE OF SEXUAL CONDUCT, HAS ANYONE BEEN HERE WHEN ONE OF THE PARENTS READ SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE CRINGEWORTHY WHERE YOU KIND OF GO, I DON'T EVEN WANNA SAY THAT OUT LOUD BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF, I SAY THIS OUT LOUD AND THERE'S MINORS IN THE ROOM.
I'M NOT GONNA BE DOING THE RIGHT THING THE SERVICE TO THEM.
I'M NOT GONNA BE A GOOD LEADER IN MY COMMUNITY IF I'M PROMOTING SEXUAL CONDUCT MEANS VAGINAL, A**L, OR ORAL INTERCOURSE, WHETHER ACTUAL OR SIMULATED, NORMAL OR PERVERTED, WHETHER BETWEEN TWO HUMAN BEINGS, ANIMALS OR COMBINED THEREOF MASTURBATION EXC EXPIRATORY FUNCTIONS.
AND I WANNA TELL YOU, I HEARD THERE WAS CAUTION TAPE IN ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS BATHROOMS BECAUSE KIDS ARE STARTING TO RUB THEIR POOP ON THE WALLS.
WHERE ARE WE GOING? THIS ISN'T ABOUT BOOK BANNING.
THIS IS ABOUT PROMOTING OBSCENE MATERIAL.
YOU CAN'T DELEGATE THIS TO THE LIBRARY.
EVERYONE HERE HAS A DUTY, AN INDIVIDUAL DUTY.
YOU ARE ELECTED, YOU REPRESENT CONSTITUENTS, AND MORE IMPORTANT, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT OUR MINORS.
SO I JUST ASK EVERYONE TO READ THE STATUTE AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE LAW BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE LAW TRUMP'S POLICY.
NEXT WE HAVE JULIE MATTHEWS SPEAKING ON BOOKS AND THE MISSION STATEMENT.
GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SAY PORNOGRAPH PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL IN BEAUFORD SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKS.
[00:50:01]
FOR THIS READING MATERIAL.NO ONE SUGGESTED THAT THESE BOOKS SHOULD BE BANNED FROM SOCIETY.
THEY'RE READILY AVAILABLE AT OTHER SOURCES.
THEY DO NOT BELONG IN PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
AND I'M DISGUSTED, BUT THAT MY TAX DOLLARS, MY TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BUY THIS STUFF WATCHING MY LANGUAGE.
IF PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN TO READ THIS SUCH THIS, THIS MATERIAL, THEY CAN PURCHASE IT AT BARNES AND NOBLE, AMAZON OR ANY OTHER SOURCE HAS NO PLACE IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
AND AS FAR AS THE MISSION STATEMENT, I READ, THE MISSION STATEMENT SAYS, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT THROUGH A PERSONALIZED LEARNING APPROACH, WILL PREPARE GRADUATES WHO COMPETE AND SUCCEED IN AN EVER-CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TALKING TO GRADUATES OF COLLEGE.
SHOULDN'T IT READ THE BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT? THROUGH A PERSONALIZED LEARNING APPROACH, WE'LL PREPARE STUDENTS TO COMPETE AND SUCCEED IN AN EVER-CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE DROPOUT RATE IS IN BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS.
I, I VENTURE TO SAY IT'S NOT VERY HIGH OR THAT THE GRADUATION RATE IS NOT VERY HIGH AND THE THE, UH, DROPOUT RATE IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
AND NEXT WE HAVE IVY ZO ON SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS.
WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN ONCE AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TO YOU CONCERNING THE ISSUE OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO GO ON THE RECORD THAT THE IS 3 81 REVIEW FORM WAS SUBMITTED AND IT WENT TO THE SPAM FOLDER.
THE DISTRICT HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED IT.
AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU HEARD FROM A PLETHORA OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT ANY MATERIAL, NO MATTER IT'S AGE APPROPRIATENESS, IS ACCEPTABLE.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF PERSON THINKS THAT IT'S OKAY FOR AN ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT TO HAVE ACCESS TO A BOOK THAT HAS SCENES PORTRAYING ANYTHING FROM PEDOPHILIA, RAPE, INCEST, EXCESSIVE DRUG USE, ET CETERA.
I TRULY DO BELIEVE THAT ALL CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO MATERIAL THAT REPRESENTS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
HOWEVER, BOOKS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT EXCERPTS SHOULD BE EXEMPT SOMEHOW THE MORAL COMPASS OF OUR NATION HAS BEGUN TO DEGRADE AND SOCIETY SEEMS TO WANT TO EXPOSE MINORS TO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT TOPICS, YOUNGER AND YOUNGER.
I'M NOT NAIVE IN THE FACT THAT CHILDREN DO HAVE ACCESS IN OTHER AREAS OF THEIR LIVES, BUT AS THE PARENTS' DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE SAFEGUARDS JUST AS IT IS THE DISTRICT'S RESPONSIBILITY AND DUTY TO ENSURE SAFEGUARDS FOR THE CHILDREN WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL.
THE DISTRICT DOES PLACE RESTRICTIONS ON ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
SO WHY IS IT SO FAR FETCHED THAT YOU SHOULD PLACE RESTRICTIONS ON BOOKS FOR AGE APPROPRIATENESS? WOULD YOU ALLOW AN ART TEACHER TO SHOW NUDES FOR ARTISTIC PURPOSES? IF NOT, WHY ARE WORDS DIFFERENT THAN A PAINTING OR PICTURE? OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING A BOOK BANNING EFFING NAZI RACIST TRANSPHOBIC AND EVEN HAD SOMEONE SHARE MY HOME ADDRESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
FOR THOSE REASONS, I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME STATISTICS FROM THE BOOK LIST THAT I SENT TO THE DISTRICT.
ONE BOOK IS ANONYMOUS, SO THAT LEAVES 95 BOOKS.
OUT OF THE 95 BOOK TITLES, 78% ARE BY WHITE AUTHORS.
22% OF THE BOOKS ARE BY MINORITY AUTHORS, AND 11% OF THE BOOKS ARE BY BLACK AUTHORS ALSO READ BIOS FOR EACH OF THE AUTHORS AND WAS ABLE TO FAIRLY CONFIDENTLY, CONFIDENTLY DETERMINE THE PREFERRED SEXUALITY OF 68 OUT OF THE 95 AUTHORS.
OF THOSE 68 AUTHORS, 81% ARE HETEROSEXUAL AND 16% ARE QUEER, GAY, OR BISEXUAL.
THE REMAINING 3% COULD POSSIBLY BE, UH, MEMBERS OF LGBTQ.
WHEN THESE COMMITTEES ARE REVIEWING THESE BOOKS, THEY NEED TO HAVE THE MOST OLD FASHIONED MINDED PARENT OR GUARDIAN IN MIND, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PARENT THAT IS GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM IF THIS MATERIAL IS GIVEN TO THEIR CHILD WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
THIS LITERATURE IS AVAILABLE IN A MYRIAD OF OTHER PLACES IF A PARENT WANTS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THEM.
MANY HAVE SAID THAT THESE BOOKS MAY HELP MINORS THAT EXPERIENCE THAT HAVE EX UH, THANK YOU IVY.
[00:55:01]
NEXT WE HAVE MELISSA TONO ON BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS.I AM A MOTHER OF THREE RANGING FROM 10 TO 25.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM PRIOR GENERATION TO NOW, AND I AM CONCERNED AT FIRST I DIDN'T HAVE CONCERNS OVER BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I DIDN'T KNOW, AND I DIDN'T THINK THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW THIS KIND OF MATERIAL IN OUR SCHOOLS UNTIL I HEARD TWO PARENTS READ THEM AT THE BOARD MEETING A MONTH AGO.
I WAS HORRIFIED AND SADDENED THAT A STUDENT, A CHILD, COULD CHECK THIS MATERIAL OUT IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A NO BRAINER THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE UNTIL I SAW SOCIAL MEDIA POST.
AND THEN THE BOARD MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, 24 PEOPLE SPOKE OUTRAGED OVER WHAT THEY CALLED A BOOK BAND AND LABELED PARENTS TRYING TO MAKE THIS A POLITICAL THEATER.
HONESTLY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WAS MORE HORRIFYING OR WHAT I READ OR HOW PEOPLE WERE DEFENDING AND SUPPORTING PORNOGRAPHY CONTENT IN OUR SCHOOLS.
CALL ME CRAZY, BUT BOOK CONTAINING OR SHOWING GRAPHIC IMAGES HAS NO PLACE IN OUR SCHOOLS TO BE ARGUING WITH PARENTS OR MATERIALS.
A CHILD AS YOUNG AS 1111 CAN CHECK THIS MATERIAL OUT WITHOUT A PARENT'S KNOWLEDGE.
HOW I WOULD BE ENRAGED IF MY 11 YEAR OLD CAME HOME WITH A BOOK THAT I HEARD READ THAT NIGHT, AND NO, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO TO THE DISTRICT WEBSITE TO DOWNLOAD SOME FORM OPTING MY CHILD OUT OF THIS SORT OF MATERIAL.
I SHOULDN'T IF MY CHILD WAS TO SNAP A PICTURE OF THE CONTENT IN THESE BOOKS AND TEXT IT TO A FRIEND THAT WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS DISTRIBUTING PORNOGRAPHY.
SO WHY WOULD A TEACHER, LIBRARIAN OR SCHOOL BE EXEMPT FROM THAT? OUR CHILDREN HAVE SHORT WINDOWS TO BE KIDS 17 YEARS.
IN FACT, THEY HAVE THE REST OF THEIR LIVES TO BE ADULTS.
I SUPPORT A PARENT'S CHOICE TO ALLOW THEIR CHILD TO READ THIS MATERIAL, BUT THEY CAN GO TAKE THEIR CHILD TO A PUBLIC LIBRARY OR PURCHASE SOME MATERIAL FOR THEMSELVES.
MY QUESTION IS HOW, WHY AND WHO THOUGHT THAT THIS GRAPHIC MATERIAL HAD A PLACE FOR 11 TO 17 YEAR OLDS IN OUR SCHOOLS? I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THESE, THESE CHILDREN CAN'T EVEN BE TRUSTED IN THE BATHROOMS AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
BUT WE'RE GONNA TRUST THESE BOOKS IN OUR DISTRICT.
I'M A MOTHER AT THE END OF THE DAY.
MY CHILDREN DON'T HAVE SMARTPHONES.
I OBSERVE EVERY LITTLE OUNCE THAT MY EIGHTH GRADER DOES.
I PROTECT MY CHILD'S INNOCENCE AND WHEN I SEND THEM TO SCHOOL, I EXPECT YOU TO PROTECT THEM AS WELL.
I HAVE HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
NEXT WE HAVE JOSEPH CAST SPEAKING ON BOOKS IN LIBRARY.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PRACTICING ON THAT NAME.
UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
UM, I JUST WANNA TALK, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF HOW WE GOT HERE.
UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE BOOKS, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ALLOWED HUNDREDS OF BOOKS IN THE SCHOOL, LIBRARIES THAT CONTAIN ADULT OBSCENE AND IN SOME CASES PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS CONCERNED.
PARENTS HAVE RAISED CONCERNS FOR MANY MONTHS ABOUT THESE BOOKS, AND THESE REQUESTS WERE LARGELY IGNORED BY THE DISTRICT STAFF.
THAT WAS UNTIL WE READ THOSE EXCERPTS IN THIS MEETING A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THESE BOOKS WERE ABLE TO BE REVIEWED AND CHECKED OUT FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES BY CHILDREN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
MY SON WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO TAKE OUT TWO OF THESE BOOKS FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AT MAY RIVER.
ONE CONTAINED EXTREME RACIST, UH, AND CRT MATERIALS AND THE OTHER ONE CONTAINED EXTREME PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS.
I HAVE BOTH OF THESE BOOKS IN MY POSSESSION.
ONCE THE MEDIA WAS INFORMED THAT THESE BOOKS WERE IN OUR SCHOOLS, THE DISTRICT WENT INTO CYA MODE AND PULLED THE BOOKS FROM THE SCHOOLS, THEN MISLED THE MEDIA TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THEY PROACTIVELY REVIEWED THE BOOK OR REMOVED THE BOOKS ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT ANY PARENTAL, UH, REQUEST.
PRIOR TO THAT, THE INDOCTRINATED AND GROOMERS WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THESE BOOKS IN THE SCHOOLS BY MAKING FALSE CLAIMS AND ATTACKS ON PARENTS.
THEY CALL PARENTS BOOK BANNERS AND BOOK BURNERS CONCERNED.
PARENTS HAVE NEVER ASKED FOR THESE BOOKS NOT TO BE WRITTEN CONCERNED.
PARENTS HAVE NEVER TRIED TO TELL OTHER PARENTS THAT THEY CAN'T BUY THE MATERIAL FOR THEIR KIDS
[01:00:01]
CONCERNED.PARENTS HAVE NEVER SAID WE NEED TO CLOSE DOWN PUBLISHERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF THESE BOOKS.
THESE ARE ACTIONS OF THE WOKE AND CANCEL CULTURE FOLKS, NOT PARENTS THAT WANT AGE APPROPRIATE, AGE APPROPRIATE MATERIALS GIVEN TO THEIR CHILDREN.
THEY ALSO MAKE CLAIMS THAT WE'RE VIOLATING THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL LAWS IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT BLATANTLY PROHIBIT OBSCENE MATERIALS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO CHILDREN.
SE CODE 16 15 305, SE CODE 16 15,345, SE CODE 16 15,385.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS NO CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION FOR OBSCENE AND PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS BEING GIVEN TO CHILDREN, PERIOD.
THIS HAS BEEN RULED MANY TIMES BY THE SUPREME COURT AS WELL.
IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO TELL BY THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION LAST WEEK, PARENTS HAVE SPOKE UP, THEY DO NOT WANT THIS MATERIAL IN OUR, IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND WE ARE ELECTING PEOPLE THAT WILL PUT CHILDREN FIRST.
PARENTS WILL ALSO REMEMBER THIS WHEN IT COMES TIME TO ELECT OUR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS IN THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLE.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE REFERENCE TO SOMETHING THAT WAS A WORD THAT WAS USED BEFORE, AND THAT'S CALLED COURAGE.
UM, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULD TAKE COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING, FOLLOW THE LAW AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN SINCE I DO BELIEVE THAT WAS ALSO AN OATH THAT OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TOOK WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY SAT IN THESE CHAIRS.
BUT APPARENTLY, I, I GUESS YOU, YOU DO NEED TO SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF COURAGE HERE.
YOU NEED TO STAND UP TO THE WOKE INDOCTRINATED THAT ARE PUSHING FOR THESE BOOKS.
SO WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE FILLED OUT CARDS THAT ARE GONNA GO AND THE SECOND COMMENT SECTION.
SO, ROBIN, HOW MANY, UM, COMMENTERS DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR LIST, UH, BY TELEPHONE? SEVEN.
SO THE BOARD NEEDS TO DECIDE WHAT IT WOULD LIKE TO DO SINCE OUR 30 MINUTES HAS, UH, JUST OCCURRED.
MS. RUBBIN, I MOVE, WE CONTINUE, UM, WITH THE SEVEN THAT ARE ON THE PHONE, WE'RE FOUR MINUTES AWAY FROM 30 MINUTES.
SO THE MOTION TO CONTINUE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
FIRST, THE SEVEN SPEAKERS ON THE PHONE WAS MADE BY MS. REINE AND SECOND BY, UM, MR. WILLIAM SMITH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
MR. CAMPBELL, I ANY NAYS? ALL RIGHT.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH, UH, THE NINE OF US VOTING UNANIMOUSLY.
SO ROBIN WILL BE DOING THIS PORTION.
MICHAEL, I AM CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME.
WA AND, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL COVERT AND I RESIDE IN BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TIME TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU.
I FIND IT DISINGENUOUS FOR PEOPLE TO LAY CLAIM THAT THERE IS A COLLECTIVE CRY FOR BOOK BANNING WHAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED IS NOT A BOOK BAN NOR A BOOK BURN, SIMPLY A REMOVAL AND READDRESS OF THE 96 OR 97 OR SO.
TITLES AS HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED, THE PUBLIC STILL DOES NOT KNOW HOW THESE BOOKS EVEN MADE IT TO THE SHELVES OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL AND WHERE THOSE APPROVALS TOOK PLACE.
WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER ARE THESE FACTORS.
ONE, TAX DOLLARS, PUBLIC MONEY ARE USED FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE BOOKS.
THEREFORE, THEY, THE, THE TYPE OF BOOK MUST BE HIGHLY SCRUTINIZED, WHICH IS USUAL IN CUSTOMARY THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
NEXT TAX DOLLARS WERE SPENT SEVERAL DECADES AGO ON COPIES OF BIBLES, THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, ET CETERA.
AND SOME GROUPS LED BY THE FANATICAL A C L U WERE APOPLECTIC IN GETTING THOSE ITEMS REMOVED FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS. NOW, THE SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT AND THAT SAME GROUP IS NOW APOPLECTIC BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING FOR THIS TO BE REMOVED AND READDRESSED.
SOME HAVE SAID THIS MOVE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THAT IS COMPLETELY INACCURATE.
AND I ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE CASE LAW KNOWN AS CK BY AND THROUGH HER PARENTS TK AND ALL VERSUS WINFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THIS AUGUST, 2022, WHERE THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI FOUND THAT IT
[01:05:01]
IS PERFECTLY CONSTITUTIONAL TO REMOVE SET BOOKS AS IT WASN'T BANNING ANYTHING.I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ AND REREAD TITLE 16, ARTICLE THREE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS.
THESE BOOKS OVERWHELMINGLY VIOLATE ARTICLE THREE.
I DO DO NOT BELIEVE THE SCHOOL BOARD NOR ANY OF ITS MEMBERS WANT TO KNOWINGLY VIOLATE SOUTH CAROLINA LAWS.
FINALLY, I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
IT IS MY RIGHT AS A PARENT AND GRANDPARENT TO NOT SUBJECT MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO THIS MATERIAL IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
WHY ARE MY RIGHTS BEING VIOLATED? WHY ARE MY RIGHTS OR MY GRANDCHILDREN'S RIGHTS NOT IMPORTANT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL? I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT HARD CHOICES AND HARD DECISIONS ARE BRUTALLY WEARING ON YOUR MINDS.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE ONE OF THEM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT THESE COMMITTEES ANSWERS ARE.
FUNNY THING THOUGH, I APPLIED TO BE ON THIS SET OF COMMITTEES BUT WAS NOT GIVEN CONSIDERATION DUE TO MY POLITICAL POSITIONS.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS ILLEGAL.
BUT I WILL GIVE YOU A PASS THOUGH.
I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IF I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON PHONE, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND YOUR LAST NAME.
UM, AS ALWAYS, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION REVISE THEIR ONLINE REGISTRATION TO REQUIRE ONLY PROOF OF RESIDENCY AND DATES OF BIRTH, AND TO LEAVE OUT HIDDEN CONSENT TO C R T AND SEL.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION CREATE A PROCEDURE FOR PARENTS WHO WANT TO REFUSE STANDARDIZED TESTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
GUYS, I'M GONNA SAY IT EVERY OTHER WEEK UNTIL SOMEBODY LOOKS AT THAT.
NOW, HERE'S THE MAIN REASON I CALLED.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DR.
STRATOS FOR REVIEWING THE BOOKS THAT ARE QUESTIONABLE.
I WAS AN EDUCATOR FOR OVER 20 YEARS WHEN I FIRST STARTED TEACHING AND UP TO ONLY THREE YEARS AGO.
I WOULD NEVER DISCUSS MY POLITICS, MY SEXUALITY, OR ANYTHING THAT WAS QUESTIONABLE WITH MY STUDENTS.
THREE YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS TEACHING AT OKEE ELEMENTARY, A MOM CAME UP TO ME WHILE I WAS WORKING THE CAR WRITER LINE AND EXPLAINED TO ME HOW UPSET SHE WAS WITH A BOOK ON THE SHELVES IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY.
THIS BOOK WAS AGE APPROPRIATE AND IT WAS A GRAPHIC NOVEL, BUT SHE WAS UPSET BECAUSE THE MAIN CHARACTER HAD A CRUSH ON A MEMBER OF THE SAME SEX.
I SAW NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS AND TOLD HER.
SO EXPLAINING THAT REPRESENTATION MATTERS AND CHILDREN IDENTIFY WITH CHARACTERS WHO ARE LIKE THEM.
THIS MOM MARCHED INTO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE AND DEMANDED THIS BOOK AND OTHERS LIKE IT.
AND THE PRINCIPAL DID JUST THAT.
SHE REMOVED THEM FROM THE SHELVES AFTER EXPLAINING TO HER THAT THE BOOK WAS NOT INAPPROPRIATE AND SHOWING IT TO HER, SHE UNDERSTOOD AND RELUCTANTLY LEFT THE BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY.
YESTERDAY I SIGNED THE PERMISSION SLIP BECAUSE MY TWINS TEACHER WANTS TO SHOW THE MOVIE THE OUTSIDERS.
AND BECAUSE IT'S PG 13, SHE NEEDS PARENTAL PERMISSION.
AND AS I'VE READ THE BOOK AND SEEN THE MOVIE, I UNDERSTAND THE ACADEMIC CORRELATION.
NOW WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SPECTRUM.
BOOKS THAT INCLUDE VIOLENT SEXUAL INTERACTIONS, DESCRIPTIONS OF INCEST AND RAPE, AND GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF BEATINGS HAVE JUST BEEN TAKEN OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS FOR REVIEW.
I WAS THE ONE WHO CALLED IN AND READ ALOUD FROM ONE OF THESE BOOKS TWO BOARD MEETINGS AGO.
I DID THIS BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE BROUGHT TO PARENTS ATTENTION AND BECAUSE THE BOARD NEEDED TO ACT.
SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN CALLED AWFUL THINGS, INCLUDING NAZI BOOK, BURNER BIGOT, IGNORANT.
I AM NOT SUGGESTING THESE BOOKS BE BANNED.
I AM NOT SUGGESTING THESE BOOKS BE TAKEN OUT OF OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
I AM SUGGESTING THAT BOOKS BE REVIEWED BY A COMMITTEE SELECTED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF THEY BELONG IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, I'M NOT NAIVE TO THE FACT THAT CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THIS AND MORE ON THE WEB.
AS A PARENT, I DO WHAT I CAN AND WHAT I MUST TO SET EXPECTATIONS AND CREATE BLOCKS THE THINGS I CAN CONTROL.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, I DO NOT EXPECT OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE THIS KIND OF MATERIAL AVAILABLE TO OUR CHILDREN.
[01:10:04]
HELLO, THIS IS EMILY.I'M CALLING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ARE YOU READY? I I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON SPEAKERPHONE YOU.
IF YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, IF YOU WILL STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS EMILY MAYER AND I'M ADDRESSING YOU TONIGHT OVER CONCERNS OVER THE PROCESS OF OUR BOOK REVIEW POLICY.
UM, I SPOKE WITH YOU ALL A FEW WEEKS AGO AND I WAS SO THRILLED WITH THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.
YOU ALL SEEMED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DISCUSSION AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU WERE HAVING AROUND THESE BOOKS.
UM, BUT I'M STILL CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE 97 BOOKS REMOVED FROM THE SHELVES OF OUR SCHOOL.
SEEING AS WE CAN'T FIND PEOPLE TO SIT ON THE COMMITTEES, UM, THE LONGER THAT OUR BOOKS ARE OFF THE SHELVES AND HOLDING, WAITING FOR THESE COMMITTEES TO BE FORMED, THE MORE INFRINGEMENT THAT WE'RE TAKING OUT ON OUR STUDENTS' INTELLECTUAL FREEDOMS. SO TONIGHT I'M CALLING FOR THE BOARD TO VOTE TO REPLACE THE BOOKS ON THE SHELVES WHILE WE EITHER AWAIT A FORMAL COMPLAINT OR THE FORMATION OF THE COMMITTEES ARE FINALIZED.
I APPRECIATE THE SINCERITY IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER, AND I KNOW THAT TOGETHER WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT IS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM.
HELLO, IS THIS LYNN? UM, I'M CALLING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME.
I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON SPEAKERPHONE.
I'M CALLING IN FROM, UH, ACTUALLY DORCHESTER COUNTY, UH, AS A MOM, AS A, AS A CITIZEN OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND AND OF AMERICA AS WELL.
OUR GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED TREASON AND TYRANNY IN COMBINATION WITH, UH, THE SCHOOL BOARDS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
UH, WE'VE, OUR SCHOOLS HAVE RECEIVED FEDERAL DOLLARS, UH, FROM THE, THE MANDATES AND ALL OF THESE AREAS.
AND THE MANDATES HAVE CAUSED IRREPARABLE HARM, UH, TO OUR STUDENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, SHUTTING DOWN OUR SCHOOLS, THIS HAS ONLY, UH, KNOCKED OUR STUDENTS AT A LOWER, UH, RATE IN UNDERSTANDING AND IN EDUCATION, WE'RE ALREADY RANKED ONE OF THE LAST IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT I THINK THAT THE MOST HORRIFIC THING ABOUT, UM, THE HYPER IS THE HYPERSEXUALIZATION OF CHILDREN.
I PERSONALLY ESCAPED TRAFFICKING, UH, THROUGH THIS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL USING, UH, MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AND AIDING AND ABETTING AND GROOMING CHILDREN PREYING ON THEIR VULNERABILITIES.
AND THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR IS ALSO HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS, UM, IN COORDINATION WITH SOME OF THE TEACHERS AND SOME OF THE STAFF, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT WHEN WE HAVE, UM, CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING TOLD THAT THEY CAN COME TO SCHOOL AS A CAT OR THEY CAN COME TO SCHOOL AS, AS A BOY WHEN THEY'RE A GIRL WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT, UM, GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM, IN SOME CASES, CHEMICAL CASTRATION, WHICH IS, I, IT'S, IT'S NOT REVERSIBLE.
UM, AND SOMETIMES THAT IS HAPPENING WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
UH, WE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWING THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR.
UH, IT IS, IT HAS INCREASED IN, UM, CATASTROPHIC MENTAL ILLNESS IN OUR CHILDREN.
UM, MOST CHILDREN DON'T, DON'T UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE IN THE SENSE OF THEIR IDENTITY AT YOUNG AGES BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SO MANY HORMONAL CHANGES.
SO THESE BOOKS THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEING POINTED OUT BY PEOPLE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND ACROSS THE STATE NEED TO BE REMOVED.
THEY NEED TO, TO, UM, NOT BE IN THE SCHOOLS.
THAT IS NOT THE SCHOOL'S JOB TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS GROOMING.
IT IS NOT THE SCHOOL'S JOB TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HYPERSEXUALIZATION OF CHILDREN.
IT IS CHILD ABUSE AND IT SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED.
MA'AM, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME? I DIDN'T HEAR IT.
I THINK IT'S, IF YOU GOT IT, THAT'S FINE.
I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[01:15:01]
YOU STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME.MOM, I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON SPEAKER.
HELLO, IT'S JODY THROUGH TECH, UH, HERE FROM BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME TIME TO SPEAK AGAIN THIS WEEK.
UM, I'LL, I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF PREPARED COMMENTS, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD RECENT SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.
UM, AND I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRING TO FOLKS ATTENTION THAT SOME OF THESE CANDIDATES WON THEIR SEATS WITH LESS THAN 33% OF THE VOTE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME FOLKS, UH, WHO WERE ELECTED EVEN WITH FEWER THAN 200 VOTES.
UM, GIVEN A RECENT EVENTS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND THE BOARD, THE DISTRICT PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF OUR MISSION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND, AND SPECIFICALLY BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.
SO ONE THING I DID HAVE TIME TO PULL WAS THE MISSION STATEMENT FROM THE WEBSITE.
THE MISSION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S SCHOOL DISTRICT THROUGH A PERSONALIZED LEARNING APPROACH, WILL PREPARE GRADUATES WHO COMPLETE AND SUCCEED IN EVER-CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE.
OUR VISION IS TO WORK WITH FAMILIES AND OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS PERFORM AT AN INTERNATIONALLY COMPETITIVE LEVEL IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SAFE, NURTURING AND ENGAGING.
OUR CORE BELIEF IS THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO COMPETE AND CONTRIBUTE IN AN EVER CHANGING GLOBAL AND MULTILINGUAL SOCIETY.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY STUDENT CAN LEARN USING HIS OR HER VALUABLE AND UNIQUE TALENTS AND SKILLS.
AND LEARNING TAKES PLACE WHEN THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND INTELLECTUAL WELLBEING OF ALL STUDENTS IS ASSURED AT EVERY LEVEL.
AND DURING EVERY TRANSITION, THERE'S MORE TO IT.
BUT THE POINT I AM MAKING IS THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE OPEN TO ALL, AND THEY ARE FOR EVERYONE.
PUBLIC PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS, PEOPLE OF NO FAITH, PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, GENDERS, ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.
WE SERVE STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS.
WE SERVE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DESIGNED TO SERVE EVERYONE.
AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL.
SO IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL, PEOPLE WILL BE EXPOSED TO FOLKS WHO HAVE DIFFERENT FAITH AND CULTURES AND ABILITIES AND BELIEF SYSTEMS. UM, SO I REALLY ASK THAT EACH OF YOU REMEMBER THAT AS BOARD MEMBERS, SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS, PARENTS, ET CETERA.
UM, I ASK AGAIN THIS WEEK THAT YOU FOLLOW YOUR OWN POLICY WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE CHALLENGE BOOKS.
SEVERAL OF THESE BOOKS HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN APPROPRIATELY CHALLENGED, AND THEIR RETURN IS DELAYED.
WHILE YOU GUYS FORM THESE COMMITTEES, UM, PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR OWN POLICY.
DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO RETURN THE BOOKS TO THE SHELF SO THE STUDENTS CAN ACCESS THEM.
THOSE WHO WISH TO POSE A LIBRARY MATERIALS CHALLENGE CAN DO THAT BY FILLING OUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK, AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW THE PROCESS AS IT WAS DESIGNED.
SO ALSO, PLEASE REMIND PARENTS THAT THEY ARE PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF CENSORING THE BOOKS THAT THEIR CHILDREN READ, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.
I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME, AND I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON SPEAKERPHONE.
ARE YOU READY? ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD.
I AM SPEAKING AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, FORMER STUDENT, AND FORMER PARENT OF TWO PREVIOUSLY ENROLLED STUDENTS.
I WANT THE STATE MY SUPPORT FOR HAVING A REVIEW TO REMOVE THE BOOKS ON THIS LIST.
UM, I WANNA FIRST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CONTENT INVOLVED AND THEN LIST SOME OF THE TITLES THAT I HAD READ PERSONALLY.
UM, CONTENT FROM JUST FOUR OF THESE BOOKS INCLUDED GRAPHIC SEXUAL SCENES INCLUDING RAPE, MOLESTATION, IDEALIZED PEDOPHILIA, GROOMING, IDEALIZED SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, PROFANITY, PROFANITIES, AND DEROGATORY TERMS. IF THESE WERE MOVIES, THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW MINORS TO VIEW THESE IN MOVIE THEATERS AS THEY WOULD BE RATED R
[01:20:01]
OR MATURE.EACH OF THESE WERE RATED NOT FOR MINORS.
BOOK 39 IDENTICAL BY ELLEN HOPKINS HAS AN ADULT CONTENT WARNING FROM BOOK LOOKS.ORG, AS NOT FOR MINORS, SHARES A SUMMARY OF CONCERN FOR EXPLICIT SEXUAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING SEXUAL ASSAULT AND CHILD MOLESTATION VIOLENCE, INCLUDING SELF-HARM AND SUICIDAL IDEATIONS, PROFANITY, DEROGATORY TERMS, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, ANY OF THOSE THINGS BROUGHT UP IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IF ONE OF THE STUDENTS WAS VAPING, THEY WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE SUSPENDED.
IF YOU HAD STUDENTS USING DEROGATORY TERMS OR PROFANITY, AGAIN, THEY WOULD BE IN ISS OR SUSPENDED.
YET WERE ALLOWING THEM TO READ THESE THINGS FROM BOOKS AND EXPECT THEM NOT TO EXHIBIT THESE BEHAVIORS WITHIN THE SCHOOL.
IDENTICAL WAS ACTUALLY AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, AND YOU HAVE NINTH GRADERS READING THESE BOOKS.
UM, LOLITA BY VLADIMIR NABA, NAMA COVA, UM, BOOK BOOKS.ORG ALSO HAS AN ADULT CONTENT RATING FOR THIS BOOK FOR SEXUAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PEDOPHILIA, SEXUAL NUDITY, AND PROFANITY GROOMING IN PEDOPHILIA.
IT WAS A STORY OF A 1225 YEAR OLD MAN OBSESSING OVER A 12 YEAR OLD GIRL, AND YET WE HAVE THIS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALLOWING 12 YEAR OLDS TO READ IS THAT'S NOT OKAY.
THAT BOOK WAS AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, NUMBER 47, LIVING DEAD GIRL BY ELIZABETH SCOTT.
THE ADULT CONTENT WARNING FOR THIS ONE WAS FOR VIOLENCE, INCLUDING SEXUAL ABUSE, EXPLICIT SEXUAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING SEXUAL ASSAULT, BATTERY, AND SEXUAL NUDITY.
THIS BOOK WAS AT BEAUFORT HIGH.
THIS BOOK HAD A GRAPHIC GRAPHIC SCENE THAT I WILL NOT EVEN REPEAT BECAUSE I WAS SO OFFENDED BY IT.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD SEE ON A HORROR DOCUMENTARY.
UM, 19 MINUTES BY JODI PICCOLO.
ADULT CONTENT WARNING WAS FOR SEXUAL ACTIVITIES AND SEXUAL NUDITY, AND THIS ONE WAS AT BEAUFORT HIGH.
EACH OF THESE BOOKS YOU COULD LET NINTH GRADERS READ, AND THEY WERE SO GRAPHIC THAT MOST OF THESE SCENES WOULD BE CENSORED ON TV.
UM, SCHOOL SUSPENDED KIDS FOR VAPING, YET WE'RE GONNA LET THEM READ ABOUT A BOOK ABOUT A GIRL THAT'S TAKING OXY TO GET AWAY FROM CERTAIN, I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME IS OUT IN YOUR LIFE.
UM, I JUST WANT, I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME IS, MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP.
THERE'S NO ANSWER FOR THE LAST ONE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, ALL OF YOU THAT DID, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION FOR BEING RESPECTFUL AND FOLLOWING THE RULES OF SPEAKING.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS, UH, MY REPORT AS CHAIRMAN.
SO OUR, THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, UH, WHO IS THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD, UH, RECEIVES AN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION BY THE BOARD.
AND WE ARE GOING TO, UH, DO THAT EVALUATION IN THE NEXT, UH, TWO WEEKS.
THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENT AND JOB DESCRIPTION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE BOARD MEMBERS ON FRIDAY AT THE WORK SESSION NOVEMBER 18TH, 2022.
THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL THEN EACH COMPLETE THEIR INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION AND RETURN THE INSTRUMENT COMPLETED INSTRUMENT TO THE BOARD OFFICE NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, 2022.
THE BOARD OFFICERS WILL THEN SCHEDULE A TIME TO MEET WITH THE BOARD SECRETARY TO REVIEW THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION, IF ANY, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT THOSE, UM, GUIDELINES THAT IT IS PRINTED ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE REPORTS.
WE HAVE, UH, FINANCE, UH, REPORTING FIRST BY THE CHAIRMAN, COLONEL DICK GEIER.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET ON NOVEMBER 10TH AND REVIEWED THE FOLLOWING MONTHLY REPORTS, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MONTHLY BUDGET REPORT, THE SEPTEMBER $100,000 REPORT, THE SEPTEMBER TRANSPARENCY REPORT, AND WE HAD THREE QUESTIONS ON THAT REPORT,
[01:25:01]
AND WE RECEIVED SATISFACTORY ANSWERS ON THE QUESTIONS.WE RECEIVED AN SER UPDATE, AND MS. CROSBY PRESENTED A LIST OF SER LEARNING LOSS ACTIVITIES AND DESCRIPTIONS.
MS. CROSBY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND SHOW US THE DASHBOARD AND TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE LEARNING LOSS ACTIVITIES, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
UM, WE'RE GONNA PULL UP THE DASHBOARD, UM, AND AS WE BEGIN TO DO THAT, UH, JUST WANNA TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO REVIEW SOME OF THE KEY POINTS OF THAT, UH, ONE PAGE DOCUMENT, UH, THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED TO KIND OF GET A, GIVE A HIGH LEVEL, UH, VIEW AT OUR SR FUNDING.
UM, UH, WE HAVE THREE, UH, DISPLAYED.
WE HAVE DISPLAYED THREE, UH, SR FUNDING SOURCES, GRANTS, SEPARATE GRANTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, SR ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
AND, UH, WITH THE FIRST, UH, ROUND OF GRANTS HAVING BEEN COMPLETELY EXPENDED A HUNDRED PERCENT AS OF THIS POINT.
UH, THEY WERE DUE TO BE EXPENDED AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022.
UH, THERE ARE TWO REMAINING, UH, SR TWO, WHICH IS, HAS 12 MONTHS OF THE GRANT REMAINING, AND SR THREE, WHICH HAS 24 MONTHS.
UM, SO OVERALL WE HAVE EXPENDED 47%, ABOUT 32 MILLION, AND WE DO HAVE SOME TIME STILL AND HAVE PLANNED ACTIVITIES, UM, PLANNED EXPENDITURES THAT ARE BUDGETED IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES, PRIMARILY WITH THE FOCUS ON LEARNING LOSS.
SO 32 MILLION, UH, TOTAL DOLLARS OR ALLOCATED TO LEARNING LOSS ACTIVITIES.
AND ABOUT HALF OF THAT, A LITTLE UNDER HALF OF THAT HAS BEEN SPENT AS, AS OF THIS POINT.
AND SO, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE BAR GRAPH, THE TOP ONE IS SR ONE WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT EXPENDED.
UH, SR TWO IS ABOUT 52% EXPENDED.
SO WE'RE ONE YEAR INTO THE GRANT, HAVE ONE YEAR REMAINING, SO RIGHT ON TARGET THERE.
AND, UH, ESER THREE WITH ABOUT 40% EXPENDED.
IT'S A THREE YEAR GRANT, AND WE HAVE ABOUT TWO YEARS REMAINING UNTIL THE DEADLINE ON SEPTEMBER 30TH.
AND SO, UH, THE BOTTOM QUADRANT OF THAT SAME GRAPHIC ON THE ESER DASHBOARD HAS PROJECTIONS OF SPENDING VERSUS THE REMAINING BALANCE, THE REMAINING BALANCE BEING THE GREEN LINE.
UH, AS WE, AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH TO THE, UH, FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 25, UM, UH, AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE, UH, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE SEPTEMBER, JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF CALENDAR, YEAR 2024, IN WHICH WE EXPECT TO BE, UM, AT, AT OR AT THE ZERO AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE, UM, ACTUALLY A LITTLE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE WITH, UH, COMPARE COMPARED TO OUR CASH FLOW PROJECTIONS AND DO EXPECT TO EXPEND ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS BASED ON, UM, THE PLANS WE HAVE IN PLACE.
AND JUST TO NOTE, UH, SR TWO, WE'LL HAVE SOME, UM, OUR RECRUITING RETENTION STIPENDS AS WELL WILL BE COMING OUT, UH, AND IN DECEMBER.
SO THAT WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $6 MILLION OF SPENDING IN SR TWO.
SO, UH, WE PROVIDED A LIST OF ACTIVITIES THAT PROVIDE, UH, SOME DETAILS, MORE DETAILS ABOUT LEARNING LOSS ACTIVITIES IN THE PACKET.
UH, I WON'T BE GOING OVER THOSE THIS EVENING, BUT THAT MAY GIVE A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF SOME OF THE BUDGETED ACTIVITIES THAT WE'LL WE ARE, UM, PARTICIPATING IN.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ESSER FUNDING? MS. REINE? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
UM, I WOULD, UM, SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SPENDING A MILLION DOLLARS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT ADDRESSES LEARNING LOSS AS WELL, THAT, THAT BRINGS, IS BRINGING THOSE STUDENTS UP.
UM, THEY MAY, IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN OUR, IN OUR STUDENTS, IN, IN OUR ACHIEVEMENT.
SO I, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS ON HERE, CERTAINLY TEACHER QUALITY, THOSE THINGS ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS, THEY'RE INDIRECT, BUT THEY ARE, UH, DIRECT ADDRESSING LEARNING LOSS.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT.
MR. KIM, MEL KIMBLE SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT OF THE FUNDING WAS TO ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND, UH, ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN BE RELATED, BUT I, I, I STILL AM CONCERNED WITH THE DIRECTION, UH, OF THE COMPONENTS.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST $1 MILLION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD.
IF WE ARE ADDRESSING LEARNING LOSS, I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL
[01:30:01]
FIND THAT THOSE PEOPLE PROBABLY SUFFER THE MOST IN TERMS OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE, AND THE LOSSES.BUT WE ONLY PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT THERE.
AND, AND, AND TEACHER, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ALL THAT OTHER STUFF IS GENERALLY AN ONGOING PROCESS AND EDUCATION.
AND I, FOR ONE, THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT TOWARDS IMPROVING SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT WERE CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC, NOT BY US HAVING TEACHERS THAT WERE ALREADY BELOW THOSE LEVELS OR INEFFICIENT.
SO I, I STILL HAVE MY QUESTIONS, AND I THINK THIS WAS TARGETED TOWARDS SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE SAID BEFORE IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION OF THE SPENDING HERE AND, AND THE URGENCY OF THE SPENDING.
MR. SMITH, I TOO AGREE WITH THAT, BUT ALSO IN, IN, IN TERMS WITH, UM, THE $1 MILLION THAT WE'RE SPENDING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD FOR US TO HAVE ACTUALLY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS IN THIS COUNTY ALREADY.
HOW HAVE WE BEING IN THE CONCERT WITH OTHER PROGRAMS OR IN SP BUT YET HOW HAVE WE BEEN IN SYNC WITH OTHER PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE OR ALREADY? AND HOW HAVE WE, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO, UH, WHAT'S TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE THAT, THAT'S VERY CONCERNING, A MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S, UM, THE MILLION DOLLARS I BELIEVE IN MS. MATSON IS AS SHE COMES UP.
SHE'S, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL REVENUE PROGRAMS AND IS DIRECTLY OVER, UH, MANAGES THE ESTHER PROGRAMS IN ALL FEDERAL PROGRAMS ACTUALLY.
UM, WHICH INCLUDE FEDERAL PROGRAMS ALSO INCLUDE SPECIAL EDUCATION, OUR I D E A OR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, UM, HAS ALSO RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A RESULT OF COVID AND LEARNING LOSS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO WE HAVE, UM, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF THE MILLION DOLLARS, I BELIEVE, IF I, YOU MAY CORRECT ME, BUT IT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO AN ADDITIONAL TEAM TO FIND STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE HIGHER RISK THAN OTHERS AND MAY BE ABLE TO QUALIFY TO ENTER INTO OUR PRE-K, UH, AS A, AS FOUR YEAR OLDS IN OUR DISTRICT, MAYBE A LITTLE SOONER THAN, UH, OTHERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
UM, AND IT MAY BE, UH, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, UH, SPECIAL ED TEACHERS THAT, UH, GATHER AND, AND IDENTIFY STUDENTS.
AND SO THAT IS PRIMARILY WHAT THE COST OF THAT ADDITIONAL TEAM.
WE ALREADY HAD ONE TEAM, BUT THIS, UH, LAYERED ON ANOTHER GROUP THAT WAS ABLE TO HELP, UH, EXPAND THOSE OFFERINGS AS WELL AS THE PRE TRAVELING PRESCHOOL BUS, UM, FUNDING TO GET THE BUS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, REACH OTHER STUDENTS AS WELL.
WELL, WELL, IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I AM RATHER DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING YOU HAVE GROUPS LIKE, UM, UM, GROUPS LIKE, UM, THE HEAD START, THEY HAVE A HUGE WAITING LIST.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO GO OUT AND FIND THOSE STUDENTS, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CORRECTLY, BECAUSE THEY HAVE LARGE WAITING LISTS.
SO WE, SO MY THING IS, WE SHOULD BE IN THE SYNC WITH THEM TO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE STUDENTS THAT THEY CAN'T SERVE, THAT WE, WE CAN SERVE.
SO SPENDING THAT MONEY FOR THAT KIND OF ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE IT'S KIND OF A, A, A, A WASTE IF WE ALREADY HAVE RESOURCES.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE PARTNERS WHO, WHO, WHERE WE, WHO WE, WE CAN GET THEIR STU GET THEIR, GET THEIR STUDENTS OUT OF THEIR WINGERS, AND WE CAN SERVE THOSE STUDENTS BECAUSE EVENTUALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL THOSE STUDENTS, MAJORITY OF THOSE STUDENTS COME TO BEFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S TO, FOR ME, THAT'S A LITTLE TROUBLESOME BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH ALL OUR PARTNERS TO, UH, TO BETTER SPIN OUR TEXTILES TO HELP THE LEARNING LOSS.
I MEAN, WAS, SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AN EDUCATOR, UH, BY TRADE, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY CONNECT YOU WITH THOSE THAT ARE VERY INTRICATELY INVOLVED IN THOSE AREAS.
WHITE AND, UH, ASHLEY HUTCHINSON ARE TWO OF THE CRITICAL PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY INVOLVED IN THOSE AREAS AND COULD CERTAINLY, UM, GIVE YOU SOME, SHED SOME LIGHT ON THESE PROGRAMS AND HOW WE'RE UTILIZING THOSE DOLLARS AND THE I, ALONG WITH THE I D E A DOLLARS AND OTHER EARLY CHILDHOOD DOLLARS TO EXPAND THE SERVICES AND HOW THESE ENHANCE AND EXPAND THOSE SERVICES BASED ON WHAT, UH, BEYOND WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING.
SO I CAN CERTAINLY CONNECT YOU WITH THEM TO HELP YOU,
[01:35:01]
UM, HOPEFULLY REDUCE SOME OF YOUR, UM, UH, UNCERTAINTY IN THIS AREA, AND WE'LL MAKE THAT HAPPEN.NEXT UP, WE HAVE EARL CAMPBELL.
UM, THE REASON WHY HEADSTART HAS A WAIT LIST IS BECAUSE THEY GO, THEY GO BY WHAT A PARENT'S SALARY IS, THE EARNINGS, AND IF THEY DON'T MEET THAT, THEN THEY DON'T GET INTO THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEY, YOU HAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN AT ARE SITTING AT HOME NOT GETTING ANY TYPE OF EDUCATION AT ALL, YOU KNOW, SO I, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO SPEND SOME OF THAT MONEY TO, TO GET THOSE CHILDREN.
UH, MS. CROSBY GAVE US THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT.
CROSBY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO OVER THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT? YES, SIR.
UM, WE ARE JUST WANNA MENTION THAT WE'RE FINALIZING OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 AUDIT, UH, OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
UH, WE HAVE JUST A FEW MORE WEEKS BEFORE THAT DEADLINE IS DUE ON DECEMBER 1ST.
SO, UH, WE ARE, WE'VE HAD AN OVERLAP HERE OF, YOU KNOW, WORKING A LITTLE BIT IN LAST YEAR AND, AND A LITTLE BIT IN THE CURRENT YEAR AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, THE FIRST, THIS FINANCIAL UPDATE IS A, BASICALLY A BUDGETARY UPDATE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2023 FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS JULY THROUGH, UH, SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2022.
UM, SO OUR LOCAL, OUR REVENUES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE PRIMARILY BASED ON TAX REVENUE, UH, AND STATE REVENUE AS WELL.
BUT LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES, UH, MAKE UP A, THE LION'S SHARE OF OUR, OF OUR REVENUES, AND WE RECEIVE VERY LITTLE DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
MOST THIS, IT IS PRIMARILY COMING IN IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, AND SO YOU'LL SEE VERY SMALL.
WE ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 2% OF COLLECTIONS THERE, ABOUT $3 MILLION.
AND AS YOU CAN EXPECT, THAT SMALL TRICKLE IN OF, OF REVENUE, UH, DOES REQUIRE US TO ISSUE A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
WE, WE LIVE OFF OF THE RESERVES IN OUR, AT OUR END OF YEAR, UM, FUND BALANCE.
UH, SO AS OF OUR, OUR JUNE 30TH FUND BALANCE, WE, UH, EXHAUST THOSE FUNDS BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE OCTOBER, UH, NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME, AND IT REQUIRES US TO BORROW ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN A SHORT TERM BASIS.
SO OUR TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE IT DOWN TO SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION THIS YEAR.
IT WAS DRAWN DOWN IN OCTOBER AND WILL BE PAID BACK IN, UH, FEBRUARY OF 23 ONCE TAX COLLECTIONS COME IN.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, REPAY THE 10 AS WELL.
STATE REVENUES ARE ABOUT 12 MILLION.
THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE STEADY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UM, BUT THEY, AND SO THEY ARE AT 10% AT THE END OF THIS QUARTER.
PRIOR TO YOUR COLLECTIONS, WE'RE AT 9%.
SO WE'RE A LITTLE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON BOTH THE, UM, UH, ON THE STATE REVENUES, A LITTLE BEHIND SCHEDULE ON THE LOCAL PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS, BUT THAT'S, IT'S TOO EARLY TO REALLY TELL HOW THE END OF THE YEAR WILL COME UNTIL WE GET TO THE JANUARY TIMEFRAME.
UH, EXPENDITURES IN THE GENERAL FUND ARE REPORTED AT 53 MILLION.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE STEADY SPENDING IN THAT, UH, GENERAL FUND, UH, THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
PRIOR YEAR SPENDING WAS ABOUT 17%.
SO WE'RE JUST A LITTLE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE OF FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THE OTHER MAJOR THING TO NOTE, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, WE HAD OUTSTANDING 8%.
UH, OUR FUNDING FOR CAPITAL COMES IN PRIMARILY TWO WAYS.
EIGHT ARE, UH, BORROWINGS SUBJECT TO 8% OF THE COUNTY WIDE ASSESSED VALUES.
SO WE ALSO, THEY'RE ALSO KNOWN AS OUR 8% PROJECTS.
AND SO THOSE BORROWINGS, UH, THE PROJECTS RELATING TO THOSE BORROWINGS ARE ABOUT 75% AT THE END OF THIS, UH, FIRST QUARTER.
AND OUR 2019 REFERENDUM PROJECTS ARE 85% SPENT AND ENCUMBERED AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO THINGS LOOK NORMAL AS OF THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THINGS, UM, ARE AS ON TRACK AS EXPECTED.
WITH THAT, DON'T TAKE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO GO ON AND, UH, REPORT THAT, UH, MS. CROSBY PRESENTED A REPORT THAT LOOKS AT AVERAGE TEACHER SALARY BY SCHOOL.
UH, CHART SHOWS A PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN POVERTY BY SCHOOL.
WE TOOK A LOOK AT THAT, AND WE RECOMMENDED THAT THE INFORMATION GO TO THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE AND TO STUDENT SERVICES TO LOOK AT THE FINDINGS.
[01:40:01]
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL DATA POINTS NEEDED FOR THIS.THIS IS A FIRST LOOK AT EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS ON WHAT IT COSTS, UH, TO EDUCATE OUR, OUR CHILDREN.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, WE HAVE AVERAGE SALARIES AND WE HAVE THE TOTAL AVERAGE SALARY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE TOTAL SALARIES OF, OF TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT.
AND THERE'LL BE MORE ON THAT AS, AS, UH, AS WE GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT DATA.
SHE ALSO PREVENT PRESENTED A FINANCE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION CHART.
CAN YOU PUT THAT UP, PLEASE? THIS IS A CHART THAT SHOWS WHO DOES WHAT IN THE FINANCE OFFICE, AND YOU REMEMBER THAT, UH, THIS IS A FINANCE OFFICE THAT HAS TO MANAGE ALMOST, UH, 400 MILLION A YEAR IN OPERATION FUNDS AND, AND WELL OVER 300 MILLION A YEAR IN DEBT SERVICE.
SO, UH, THIS HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY OUR EFFICIENCY REPORT, AND FRANKLY, UM, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE LEAN, BUT OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL ON AUDITS, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT AUDITS IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT IT MAY BE TOO LEAN IN SOME AREAS, AND WE'RE GONNA BE, LOOK, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.
FUTURE TOPICS, UH, FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS THE TIMELINE FOR HUMAN CAPITAL, AND THAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THE LOSS OF ESSER FUNDS AND WHEN THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HIRED, UH, WITH FEDERAL FUNDS, WHEN THE FEDERAL FUNDS DRY UP, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE FUNCTIONS THAT THEY ARE BEING FUNDED BY AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE EMPLOYEES.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, UH, GET A INITIAL TIMELINE FOR THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE EVALUATING, UH, OE 18 OF FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES, AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE OUR FIRST ANNUAL AUDIT FROM THE AUDITOR REPORT, AND THE COMMITTEE WILL GET THAT BEFORE THE FULL BOARD GETS IT AT OUR FOLLOWING MEETING.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 7TH AT 5:00 PM ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. MEL CAMPBELL ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR ON THIS CHART WITH THE POVERTY LEVEL AND THE AVERAGE TEACHER SALARY? WELL, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT OUR EFFICIENCY, UH, RATE IS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DATA AND HOW IT'S DISPLAYED.
FOR EXAMPLE, THIS SHOWS AVERAGE SALARIES ISN'T SO TOTAL TEACHERS SALARY.
THAT'S ANOTHER, ANOTHER PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
UH, WE, WE ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT'S, WHAT DETERMINES LEVEL OF POVERTY? WHAT ARE WE USING FOR THAT DATA TO SHOW WE ARE AT SUCH AND SUCH A PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN IN POVERTY, AND THAT CHANGES FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT WE NEED TO FILL OUT WITH THIS, BUT IT'S JUST THE START.
I MEAN, CAN I ASK A SPECIFIC QUESTION? I'M LOOKING AT THIS SHOT AND I SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, BRIDGEVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE LINE GRAPH MEETS THE TOP OF THAT BAR, WHICH I ASSUME MEANING THAT THE AVERAGE TEACHER SALARY IS VERY MUCH IN COMMON WITH WHETHER BRIDGEVILLE PROBABLY LEVEL.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, IS THAT IDEAL OR IS THAT WELL, THAT'S, WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET.
WELL, WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT A LOT MORE DETAIL.
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED TO GO TO THE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE FOR THEIR INPUT.
WE NEED TO GO TO STUDENT SERVICES FOR THEIR INPUT.
AND WE NEED TO MAYBE LOOK AT THE DATA A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE THE FULL BOARD AN IDEA OF WHERE WE STARTED AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO TELL YOU IN A FEW MONTHS WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO.
UH, AND, AND IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL, THE, UM, THE, THE, THE CHART THAT TELLS
[01:45:01]
US, UM, BASICALLY WHAT THEY HAVE IN OFFICE, YOU SAID THAT, UH, THAT YOU, THAT YOU THINK THAT IT'S KIND OF SLIM.CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YES, I, I CAN SPEAK TO IT.
UH, MAYBE MS. CROSBY CAN SPEAK TO IT BETTER THAN I, UM, COLONEL GEIER MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF ASKING, UH, LOOKING AT OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE SIMILAR SIZED AND MAKEUP OF, OF OUR DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE, UH, TAKEN SOME LOOKS AT THAT IN THE PAST, BUT NOT RECENTLY.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, PROCUREMENT HAD IN RICHLAND TWO IS OUR RICHLAND ONE OR TWO, I BELIEVE IT WAS, IS OUR SIMILAR SIZE, HAD SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PROCUREMENT STAFF IN, UH, THE SAME SIZE DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO, AND THERE ARE OTHER AREAS THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY, UH, UTILIZE ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR.
UM, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY BE OPEN TO DOING SOME ANALYSIS AND DOING SOME COMPARISONS AND BRINGING THAT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, FOR A NEED DISCUSSION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GOTTA LOOK AT IN YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS THAT YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT PEOPLE WITH SUFFICIENT ENERGY TO KEEP A VERY CLOSE TABS ON HOW MONEY IS SPENT, HOW MONEY IS ACCOUNTED FOR, AND FUTURE PLANNING FOR BUDGETS AND, AND, AND BUDGET MONITORING.
UH, DO WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE VISIBILITY ON? AND, AND THAT'S, SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? WELL, I MEAN, I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE SEEN THIS FAR THAT WE NEEDED NOT VERSUS JUST SOMETHING TELLING US THAT WE NEED THESE PEOPLE AND WE JUST GO AHEAD AND HIRING 'EM.
I MEAN, BECAUSE WE, I AM CONCERNED IN THE TIMES THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW, THAT MONEY MAY MONEY, MONEY MAY NOT COME, IS THE WAY IT CAME AS WITHIN THE LAST 2, 2 24 MONTHS TO 1224 MONTHS TO, TO 12 TO 12 MONTHS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE GOING OUT IN A MINUTE FOR POSSIBLE, OR POSSIBLY GOING OUT TO, FOR A REFERENDUM.
SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AND IN TERMS OF VERY, VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT CREATING POSITIONS AND SPENDING MONEY AND HOW WE SPEND THAT MONEY IN TERMS OF OUR TAXPAYERS POCKET, NOT, NOT PERSONAL DIMES.
I THINK MY ENTIRE JOB IS ABOUT THAT MR. SMITH
AND I UNDERSTAND AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
HOWEVER, I'M ELECTED AS A BOARD MEMBER, AND THAT IS ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES PER, UH, THE PEOPLE WHO ELECT ME IN THIS OFFICE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, OPERATIONS, UH, CHAIR REPORTING.
UH, SO WE HAD A TWO AND A HALF HOUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THAT DIDN'T EVEN INVOLVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
WE LOOKED AT OE FOUR, THEY, UH, OP, UH, HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, UH, REPORTED ON THE ENTIRETY OF OE FOUR, WHICH IS THE, UM, OE FOR PERSONNEL.
AND THERE ARE 15 COMPONENTS TO IT.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, FOR PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING, WE ARE A COHERENT GOVERNANCE BOARD, WHICH MEANS WE GOVERN BY POLICY, WE SET POLICY EXPECTATIONS AND CLEARLY DELINEATE WHAT WE EXPECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO.
AND THEN, UM, ESSENTIALLY THEY REPORT BACK IN A MONITORING FORMAT.
SO THAT WAS WHAT THE POINT OF THAT MEETING WAS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO WHICH THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF, UM, INTEREST AND SCRUTINY ON, YOU KNOW, THE RESULTS OF COHERENCE GOVERNANCE, ONE OF OUR MAJOR RESULTS IS WE WANNA SEE AN EMPHASIS AND AN INCREASE IN TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
SO WE KIND OF GOT BOTH THINGS AT THIS MEETING.
UM, AND, UH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT PUTTING THE STUFF UP ON THE, UM, ON THE SCREEN, ROBIN, CAUSE I'M JUST GONNA KIND OF HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS.
THE MEETING DID GET OFF TO A BIT OF A ROCKY START BECAUSE, UH, REGGIE DS REFUSED POINT BLANK TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
AND WE HAD TO RECITE THE PLEDGE, BUT IT WAS ALL UPHILL FROM THERE.
THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 10 HR PROFESSIONALS THAT CAME INTO THE OFFICE PANEL STYLE AND EACH PRESENTED IN DEPTH ON BOTH THE OE AND JUST IN GENERAL, UM, THE CONCEPT OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, SO I'M GONNA HIT A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS AND, UM, THEN WE ARE BASICALLY HAVE A MOTION TO BRING THAT FOR BOARD APPROVAL, UH, THE MONITORING PORT FOR OE FOUR.
SO FIRST OF ALL, IN RECRUITMENT, UM, WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT OUR HR DEPARTMENT IS BRINGING OUT, UH, FOR RECRUITMENT.
UM, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE BUILDING A TALENT PIPELINE WITH SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE 95 INTERNS, UH, FROM COLLEGE, FROM COLLEGES HERE DOING PRACTICUMS. NUMBER ONE, THE IS USC BEAUFORT.
[01:50:01]
WE ALSO HAVE THE CITADEL LIBERTY UNIVERSITY AND A HANDFUL OF ONLINE PROGRAMS. AND THEY'RE, UM, ACTUALLY HERE WORKING IN THE DISTRICT AND GETTING THAT EXPERIENCE.UM, IN ADDITION TO WHICH WE HAVE A NEW, I DON'T KNOW HOW NEW IT IS, IT'S FAIRLY NEW CUZ THIS, THIS WHOLE CONCEPT'S FAIRLY NEW, UM, OF USING HANDSHAKE, WHICH IS A, UM, LARGE SCALE NATIONAL SORT OF MEGA EVENT, UH, RECRUITING EVENT, UM, APP THAT COLLEGE KIDS ARE USING NOW.
SO WHAT YOU DO AS A COLLEGE KID IS YOU SIGN UP THROUGH YOUR COLLEGE, UM, AS A CANDIDATE WITH YOUR RESUME AND YOUR INTERESTS AND EMPLOYERS ARE ALSO KIND OF REACHING OUT TO THESE COLLEGES AND YOU CAN SEND OUT SO MANY REQUESTS PER DAY.
UM, AND BASICALLY THE COLLEGES ARE ALLOWING CANDIDATES AND EMPLOYERS TO CONNECT ONLINE THROUGH THIS HANDSHAKE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HEAR A LOT OF COLLEGE KIDS TALKING ABOUT.
YOU ALSO GET, UH, WORK STUDY INTERNSHIPS, OTHER PROGRAMS. SO IT'S REALLY TRYING TO CONNECT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, UM, COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH INTERESTED EMPLOYERS.
SO WE'RE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS.
WE HAVE, I THINK IF I CAN GET TO THAT NUMBER.
I THINK WE HAVE 79 INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE SCHOOLS, OR AT LEAST, UH, STAFF.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE SOME ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE USING FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE A TEACHING CERTIFICATION BUT WISH TO TEACH.
THEY CAN BECOME A TEACHER AND START TEACHING WHILE THEY'RE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF SOME OF THESE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS. UM, AND, AND WORKING TOWARDS, EXCUSE ME, GETTING THEIR TEACHER CERTIFICATION.
UM, SO WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE USING WITH THAT.
SO THESE ARE ALL KIND OF NEW AVENUES THAT THE DISTRICT IS USING TO GO OUT AND FIND YOUNG TALENT TO GO OUT AND FIND POTENTIALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE SEMI-RETIRED AND MAYBE INTERESTED IN TEACHING GOING INTERNATIONAL.
SO WE'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF GOING ON A LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED.
UM, IN ADDITION TO WHICH, AND THIS WAS KIND OF FUN, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON MARKETING FROM, UH, MR. DS AND HE WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN GEOFENCING, WHICH WAS, YOU KNOW, UM, ENTERTAINING, UH, GEOFENCING.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF COMPLEX, UM, MARKETING TYPE THINGS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING HERE.
UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE PERHAPS INTERESTED IN RELOCATING BEAUFORD COUNTY TO CONSIDER JOBS, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF A OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THEY'RE DOING IN TERMS OF TEACHER RECRUITMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S AN EMPHASIS ON TEACHER RETENTION.
SO I WOULD SAY ONE OF THE MAIN EMPHASIS OF THE DISTRICT IS OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF NEW, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND OPTIONS IN FOR, UH, TEACHERS SO THAT WHEN THEY, WE DO RECRUIT THEM FROM THE SCHOOLS OR WE DO RECRUIT THEM AS A NEW CAREER, THEY HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO GROW PROFESSIONALLY.
UM, WE ALSO DO A LOT OF MENTORING FOR STU, UH, FOR STUDENTS, SORRY FOR TEACHERS, UM, PARTICULARLY YOUNG TEACHERS BECAUSE THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS THERE'S A HIGH RATE OF TURNOVER.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL MENTORS WHO ARE GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS AND WORKING WITH THESE YOUNG TEACHERS AND GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED SO THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN BE, UM, SUCCESSFUL HERE.
UH, COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE, UM, APPROVED A LARGE RAISE AND I THINK WE, ARE WE STILL NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE? ALICE? YES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE THE TOP SALARY FOR TEACHERS, UH, STARTING SALARY FOR TEACHERS IN THE STATE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO WHICH, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE HEALTH BENEFITS RETIREMENT, BUT THERE WERE A FEW BENEFITS THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY OFFERS THAT OTHER, UM, SCHOOLS AREN'T DOING THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE INNOVATIVE.
WE HAVE CHILDCARE AFTER SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS AND WE ALSO HAVE, THAT WASN'T ME.
AND WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR TEACHERS, UM, USING ESSER FUNDING.
CAUSE THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A BIG CONCERN COMING OUT OF THE, UH, PANDEMIC.
AND FINALLY, UM, THERE WE DO, UH, WHAT IS IT? TEACH BEFORE SHOOT, WHAT'S THE PROGRAM WE DO FOR CLIMATE? THERE'S A PROGRAM WE'RE PARTNER WITH IS TEACH BEFORE TEACH UP.
I WAS CLOSE, I HAD ONE WORD, TEACH UPBEAT, SORRY.
UM, THAT DOES A BIANNUAL SURVEY OF STAFF ON CLIMATE ISSUES AND LOOKING AT WHERE THINGS CAN BE IMPROVED, WHERE, WHERE WE'RE DOING WELL, WHERE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO, UH, RETAIN TEACHERS.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF A THREE MINUTE OVERVIEW OF A TWO AND A HOUR, TWO AND A HALF HOUR MEETING.
UM, IN ADDITION TO WHICH WE HAVE THE ACTUAL MONITORING REPORT, WHICH IS A MORE OF AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WHICH I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, AND IF YOU READ IT, IT'S DATA POINTS IT GO, IT TIES IT SPECIFICALLY TO OE FOUR, 4.2, OE 4.9.
SO IF YOU REALLY WANNA LOOK AT HOW THE DISTRICT IS COMPLYING WITH EACH ASPECT OF OE FOUR, UM, THAT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS IN THERE.
SO THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT IS LEFT THAT WE, WE DID AGREE, UH, THEY HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE MONITORING PORTION OF, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN HAVING A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON IS THE, UM, PART OF THE OE LOOKING AT
[01:55:01]
THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS AND JUST GETTING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING FROM HR TO THE BOARD OF HOW EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES ARE HANDLED WITHIN THE DISTRICT.SO NEXT MONTH WE ARE GONNA HAVE A MORE SPECIFIC LOOK INTO THAT ASPECT OF THE OE, BUT THE OE IS COVERED IN THE MONITORING REPORTS, SO WE FELT COMFORTABLE BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD IN FULL.
UM, AND SO THAT IS A MOTION, RIGHT? ROBIN? DO WE HAVE IT UP? SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION COMING OUT OF COMMITTEE THAT WE, THAT THE BOARD APPROVE OE FOR PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION.
MS. VI, I'LL SECOND IT, BUT I THINK WE, DO WE ACCEPT THESE OR APPROVE THEM? DAVID WAS ALWAYS GOOD ON, I JUST READ IT.
I, ROBIN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME? ACCEPT THE INFORMATION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, AND MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ACCEPT THE MONITORING REPORT FOR OE FOUR PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING FURTHER ABOUT IT? NO.
MR. SMITH, UH, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR REPORT.
MS. BULLRIGHT ALSO JUST WANT TO PUT OUT SOME, SOME ALSO THIS, UH, ADD A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE, THAT, UH, WERE MENTIONING ALSO WE TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF, UM, OF RECRUITING.
I, I THINK I SAID THAT I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THAT, I THINK THAT IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT SOMEHOW THAT WE MAKE MORE CONNECTIONS WITH UNIVERSITIES IN TERMS OF, AND BEING INTENTIONAL.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE TRIED AND THEY, THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TRY A LITTLE MORE HARDER AND BE A LITTLE MORE INTENT INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SOME OTHER RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNIVERSITIES TO BRING, TO BRING, UH, MORE STAFF HERE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE FULL STAFF AND ALSO WE CAN HAVE MORE OPTIONS.
AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO REACH OUT TO, UH, HBCUS AS WELL.
AND, UM, IT WAS STATED THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WOULD WORK ON TOO.
AND ALSO, UH, ALONG WITH THAT, UH, THERE WAS ALSO A HIGHLIGHT IN TERMS OF, UM, THE IN-HOUSE TRAINING.
I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY GOOD BY THE DISTRICT, THAT THEY WORK TO SAVE MONEY AND HAVE A LOT OF IN-HOUSE TRAINING AND PROVIDE TRAINING TOWARDS STAFF MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN GET TRAINED, THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET FROM OTHER PLACES AND THAT THEY CAN GET IT HERE, HERE AT HOME, YOU KNOW, VERSUS THAT WOULD POSSIBLY CAUSE THE DISTRICT A TON OF MONEY.
THEY SEND THEM TO OTHER PLACES, BUT THEY DO THAT, DO A LOT OF THAT TRAINING IN HOUSE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE DISTRICT KUS FOR THAT, THAT, THAT IT WAS A SHOWN TRACK RECORD OF ALSO OF HOW MANY TRAININGS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS HAVE IN-HOUSE TRAINING VERSUS THAT PROBABLY CAUSE MILLIONS AND OTHER, OTHER PLACES AND FROM STAFF TRAVELING.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A VERY, THAT WAS A VERY GOOD THING TOO FOR THEM.
SHOWN THAT THEY HAVE WORKED HARD TO SAVE DISTRICT AND TAXPAYERS SOME MONEY.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
THE MOTION IS TO ACCEPT OE FOUR PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION BY THE BOARD.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
SO THE, THE, UH, ACCEPTANCE IS, UH, UNANIMOUS.
AND I WILL SAY IF ANYONE HA WANTS TO SEE THE FULL TWO AND A HALF HOUR PRESENTATION, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON COUNTY CHANNEL.
BUT THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO, I, I SECOND, UM, MR. SMITH'S, UM, KUDOS.
I THINK THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING A GREAT JOB WITH ITS EVALUATION.
THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO UNIVERSITIES.
I ALSO WANNA SAY I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE HARD ON THE HR DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF DATA, BECAUSE IT, IT IS SUCH AN ERROR.
WE NEED TO REALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND UNDERSTAND.
UM, IT'S NOT JUST A LOCAL HIRING EVENT OF OLD, IT IS GOING OUT TO UNIVERSITIES.
I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE, UM, AMOUNT OF DATA THAT THEY BROUGHT AND THE ANALYSIS THAT THEY HAD DONE ON IT.
SO I WANTED TO PUT THAT IN THERE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE, COMING OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE MEETING, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE OE 4.2, WHICH IS VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECKS, THAT IS GOING TO BE UNDER, UM, DR.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT O WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE POLICY COMMITTEE TALK ABOUT TAKING THAT OE OFF OF THE HR OE AND PUTTING IT INTO SOMETHING WITH STUDENT SERVICES.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED A MOTION.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REQUEST THAT POLICY MEETING, ADD THAT TO THEIR AGENDA.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING
[02:00:01]
TOMORROW, WHICH IS A FACILITIES FOCUS MEETING.WE'LL GET OUR CONSTRUCTION UPDATE AS WELL AS OUR SAFETY UPDATE.
THAT'S OUR ANNUAL END OF THE YEAR SAFETY ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE AT TWO O'CLOCK HERE AT THE DISTRICT.
AND WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH, UM, KIND OF AN HR FOCUS ON DECEMBER 14TH, TIME TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, AND, UH, THAT WILL BE, UH, WE'LL GET THAT WHAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS.
AND, UH, A FEW OTHER THINGS ARE COMING TO THAT MEETING.
THAT'S MORE OF AN HR FOCUS THAT CONCLUDE MY REPORT.
RIGHT NEXT WE HAVE THE POLICY CHAIR REPORTING.
UM, UM, MISS BOATRIGHT, I'M GONNA TRY TO FOLLOW YOUR EXAMPLE.
SERIOUSLY, YOU DID A TWO AND A HALF HOUR MEETING INTO THREE MINUTES.
AND, AND ALICE, YOUR TEAM DID A GREAT JOB.
SO THE POLICY COMMITTEE MET LAST WEEK AND WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD A COUPLE THINGS TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR PURVIEW AND APPROVAL.
UM, LAST WEEK WE WERE GOING TO, OR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD THE, UM, HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT WE DIS DETERMINED IT NEEDED A LITTLE MORE ANSWERING.
AND SO WE CONDUCTED THAT THIS PAST WEEK.
SO WE BRING THAT IN IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
UM, MR. NICK FLOWERS AND WENDY CARTLEDGE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD ON DEVELOPING THE BYLAWS OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IT'S A MANDATED COMMITTEE, UM, BY STATE STATUTE.
AND, UM, SO IT IS, IT WAS IN YOUR BOARD DOCS LAST BOARD MEETING, AND IT'S HERE FOR US TODAY.
SO I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE BYLAWS OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
MOTION BY MS. FID AND SECOND BY KATHY REINE TO ACCEPT THE BYLAWS FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THERE BEING NO HANDS UP, MR. SMITH.
MR. FLOWERS IS HERE FOR ANY DISCUSSION.
AND THANK YOU MR. FLOWERS, FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON ALL THAT YOU DID TO MAKE SURE TO BRING US IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, STATE STATUTE.
CAN, CAN SOMEONE EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON, ON WHAT, ON WHAT EXACTLY THIS IS.
IT'S NOT JUST SO WE JUST NOT JUST MOVE ON SO THAT THERE'S SOMETHING AT SOME POINT MEAN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THIS IS, IF YOU WOULD.
SO THIS COMMITTEE HAS THE PURVIEW OF THREE AREAS IN STATE STATUTE OF REVIEWING CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, EDUCATION, FAMILY LIFE, EDUCATION, AND PREGNANCY PREVENTION EDUCATION.
THE ONLY OTHER CAVEAT WOULD BE IF STDS IS TAUGHT AS A SEPARATE INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT, THEN THIS WOULD BE COVERED, UM, INTO THAT PURVIEW ALSO.
SO IT'S JUST WHEN THE DISTRICT'S GOING TO ADOPT ANY KIND OF CURRICULAR MATERIALS THAT ADDRESS ONE OF THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS IN THE LAW, THEN IT WOULD GO THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE TO BE REVIEWED.
AND THEY'RE ADVISING THE BOARD THEN, UM, OVER WHAT THEIR, WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
AND THEN IT'S STILL UP TO THE BOARD THOUGH, TO TAKE ANY NECESSARY ACTION THAT THEY SEE FIT.
SO IT'S JUST AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THOSE THREE TOPICS.
SO FOR OUR DISTRICT, WE WOULD SIMPLY TAKE CURRICULAR MATERIALS THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE FIRST, AND THEN THEY WOULD THEN GO TO THE ACADEMICS COMMITTEE LIKE WE TRADITIONALLY DO FOR THE NORMAL PROCESS FROM THERE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT WE NEEDED TO ADD IS THAT BY THE STATUE, MR. SMITH AND FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A 13 MEMBER LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH, WITH CLERGY AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, ONE BEING THE PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT BODY, AND TWO OTHER PERSONS WHO AREN'T EMPLOYED BY THE DISTRICT.
SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THIS COMMITTEE ORGANIZED AND WORKING, AND THE COMMITTEE HAS THAT OPTION.
IT CAN USE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, WHICH ARE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, OR WE COULD DEVELOP OUR OWN.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMITTEE.
AND WHO POINTS THAT COMMITTEE? THE BOARD OR THE SUPERINTENDENT? IT'S THE BOARD'S COMMITTEE, SO, OKAY.
WE WILL, UM, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, AND UM, THIS WILL, IT SETS THE PROCESS FORWARD.
SO WE WILL PUT OUT TO RECEIVE, UM, PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EVERYBODY THAT SATISFIES THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS.
AND THEN THAT WILL GO THROUGH THE ACADEMICS COMMITTEE THEN TO, UM, TO, TO SELECT, UM, A NOMINEE THAT WE BROUGHT TO THE FULL BOARD THEN TO BE VOTED ON, UM, FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE COMMITTEE.
AND, AND WE SET IT FOR A THREE YEAR TERM.
[02:05:01]
ROTATING.AND THE VERY LAST PAGE KIND OF PUTS OUT THAT I DIDN'T WANT THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE TO GO OFF EVERY THREE YEARS.
SO I WENT AHEAD AND KIND OF PREDETERMINED AS WE SELECT PEOPLE THEN THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD VOTE TO SEE WHICH OF THE ROTATING TERMS THAT THEY WOULD FILL.
SO WE WOULD BE ABOUT 3, 3, 4 EACH EVERY THREE YEARS.
I, I WAS GOING TO ASK THAT YOU COME UP AND, UM, UH, SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
AND SO FOR YOUR EDIFICATION THERE, UM, MR. SMITH ROMAN NUMERAL THREE A, THE SC STAYS AT THE HJ SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD.
UM, SO DEFINITELY THAT IS, UH, A SCHOOL BOARD JOB.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE BYLAWS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NA NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? RIGHT.
APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, MS. FEDRICK CONTINUE ON.
THE SECOND THING THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS OUR PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
WE DID NOTE THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE, UM, DISCREPANCY BETWEEN SOME OF THE WORDING ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND WHAT IS IN OUR POLICY.
SO WE, UM, ARE BRINGING FORWARD TO THE BOARD THAT WE CHANGE THE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD TO REFLECT WHAT IS IN POLICY.
SO IF YOU WILL LOOK AT THE, UH, SECOND BULLET.
ON THE PUBLIC, UM, WHAT WAS IN INFORMATION.
AND ROBIN, IF YOU CAN CALL THAT UP PLEASE.
THE SECOND BULLET IS DIRECTLY OUT OF OUR POLICY REFRAIN FROM RACIAL COMMENTS.
OBSCENITIES AND VULGARITIES SHALL NOT REFERENCE OR MAKE DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS BY NAME AND SHALL NOT COMMIT OTHER BREACHES OF RESPECT.
SPEAKERS MAY REFERENCE THE NAMES OF SPECIFIC BOARD MEMBERS, BUT SUCH COMMUNICATIONS WILL NOT INCLUDE GOSSIP, DEFAMATORY WORDS, OR ABUSIVE IN VULGAR LANGUAGE.
ALSO, IF YOU WILL NOTE ON THE FRONT OF THE CARD, ALRIGHT, WE LEFT MORE ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO PUT IN THEIR NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, EMAIL, DATES AND TOPICS, AND TOOK OUT SOME UNNECESSARY, UH, INFORMATION THERE.
SO, UM, I WOULD IMAGINE THIS MIGHT NEED, UH, DOES IT NEED A MOTION TO CHANGE A, I GUESS IT WOULDN'T HURT.
SO, UM, THIS IS, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THE NEW PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND, MS. BOATRIGHT? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MS. BOATRIGHT? ONE THING, UM, WITH THESE PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PERSONALLY, AND THIS IS MAYBE FOR ROBIN, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUIRE THAT PEOPLE FILL OUT THEIR ADDRESS SO THAT IF THEY'RE IN MY CONSTITUENT DISTRICT, I CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO THEM IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN PEOPLE COME UP IF THEY'RE, UH, A DISTRICT 11 PERSON, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT OPTION.
AND I KNOW IT'S PART OF, I KNOW IT'S PART OF THE, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE REQUIRE THAT, BUT I WOULD, IS THERE A WAY TO DO THAT? WELL, THE, I THINK THE, I MEAN, I THINK THE ONLY, I THINK THE PRACTICAL WAY TO DO IT WOULD BE WHEN THEY TURN THE CARD IN AT THE, RIGHT.
SO THEY'LL PUT, EVERYONE'S REQUIRED.
THEY JUST LOOK TO SEE WHETHER IT'S ON THERE.
I WOULD, MOST OF THESE DO HAVE THE FULL ADDRESS.
AND MS. BOATRIGHT, THAT WAS SOME OF, UM, THE COMMENT, UH, THAT WE'D HAD DURING POLICY IS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO INCREASE THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT THIS PUBLIC COMMENT CARD IS FILLED OUT LEGIBLY SO THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE CAN MAKE COMMENT TO THEIR CONSTITUENT AND ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION.
SO WE'RE HOPING THIS WILL, THIS WILL, UH, HELP PROMOTE THAT MR. SMITH, WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY MAYBE, OR WE COULD PUT SLASH OUR SLASH REPRESENTATIVE MAYBE THAT WAY THEY COULD TELL US WHO, IF THEY, SOME, SOME PEOPLE DO KNOW WHO THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, THEY, THEY CAN JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANNA PUT THAT AND THEY CAN JUST SAY, I'M FROM DISTRICT THREE, OR I'M FROM DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE DOES HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT IF THEY WANT TO.
THAT'S ALL BECAUSE EVERYONE'S NOT COMFORTABLE PUTTING THE ADDRESS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE, UH, AMENDED UH, COM, UH, COMMENT CARD, PLEASE SAY, I, I, I AND I, I DIDN'T HEAR MR. EARL CAMPBELL.
[02:10:01]
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.AND, UH, THE LAST BIT OF CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR POLICY MANUAL AND WITH THE NEW INCOMING BOARD MEMBERS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, THAT THERE'S A SECTION OF THE BACK CALLED THE HANDBOOK.
AND IN THE HANDBOOK ARE, UM, IS INFORMATION THAT IS HELPFUL FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY NEW ONES, BUT IT DOES NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF POLICY.
SO OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO ON, WE'VE BEEN BEEN ADDING TO THINGS THAT BELONG IN THE HANDBOOK.
SO I'M JUST BRINGING IT FORWARD TO THE BOARD TO SUGGEST THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT INTO THE HANDBOOK, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT FOIA, YOU KNOW, SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN THERE.
THE, UH, RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE RIGHT OUT OF THE STATUTES, THE RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOARD MEMBERS IN OUR POLICY.
WE KNOW WHAT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR BOARD MEMBER OFFICERS.
IT'S, IT'S NOTED, BUT IT'S NOT NOTED NECESSARILY OF WHAT IT IS FOR, YOU KNOW, NON OFFICERS OF, OF THE BOARD.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A, UH, A LIST OF THINGS FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO KNOW WHAT THEY SH WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION THEY SHOULD EXPECT, UH, SUCH AS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF COHERENT GOVERNANCE.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, THE, THE, THE OTHER THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS THAT SOME OF OUR MOTIONS RISE TO THE LEVEL POLICY AND THEY NEED TO THEN BE PUT INTO THE OTHER PARTS OF OUR POLICY BOOK.
SO THERE WAS A MOTION TAKEN ON OCTOBER 22ND, 2020 THAT BOARD MEMBERS BADGES WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO DISTRICT OFFICE ONLY.
WE, UM, BELIEVE THAT THAT AR THAT PARTICULAR MOTION SHOULD GO INTO GC 3.9 WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT ME, SHALL MAKE OFFICIAL VISITS TO SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO, IT'S ALREADY POLICY.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO THE APPROPRIATE SPOT WITHIN THE POLICY.
SO, UM, THAT WAS OUR SECOND POLICY COMMITTEE WITHIN LIKE TWO WEEKS, AND WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT DONE.
THERE IS NOT ANOTHER POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULED.
UM, THAT WILL BE THE NEW BOARD WITH NEW POLICY MEMBERS BEGINNING IN JANUARY.
AND THE ONE ITEM THAT INGRID JUST MENTIONED.
ALRIGHT, UH, SHOULD MAKE SURE IF YOU, ROBIN, IF YOU CAN TAKE NOTE OF THAT ONE FOR THE NEW POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ONE THING I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, MS. FEDRICK WITH THE, UM, STATE STATUTE FOR THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, THEIR WEBSITE, WHICH IS SC SBA.ORG, HAS AN EXCELLENT, UM, UH, PAMPHLET ABOUT, UM, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.
AND THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER GOOD RESOURCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE DISCUSSED THAT I BELIEVE EVA AND MISS KUCHER BERRY MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT THAT UP.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE IN THERE ARE LINKS.
LINKS TO THIS, LINKS TO THAT, JUST SO THAT BOARD, UH, NEW BOARD MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY AN OLD BOARD MEMBERS, WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE IT ALL IN ONE SPOT.
SO THE, THAT IS ALSO GONNA BE ADDED TO THE HANDBOOK.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE, UH, DO NOT HAVE, UH, ITEMS TONIGHT UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE DOWN TO, WE'RE SKIPPING SEVERAL SECTIONS AND GOING TO FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS.
MS. BOATRIGHT, THIS ISN'T EXACTLY AN AGENDA UP TOPIC, BUT I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE SECOND COMMUNITY, UM, COMMITTEE THAT WE ALL SUBMITTED NAMES FOR.
THERE'D BE NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
I KNOW, UH, WE'RE HAVING A WORK SESSION ON FRIDAY AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE, SO THAT'S NOVEMBER, UM, 18TH.
AND, UH, WE ARE ALSO HAVING IT, THE TEACHER FORUM IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST, UH, ON THE, THE DAY PRIOR 9:00 AM ON NOVEMBER 17TH, OUT AT, UM, TCL.
OH, YEAH, ACTUALLY I DO HAVE A FUTURE TOPIC.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT BACK ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE NEVER, WE NEVER HANDLE THAT SCHOOL START TIMES.
IS THAT NOT ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE? FUTURE TOPICS? I THINK, I THINK IT WAS ADDRESSED AN AGENDA AND IT'S GONNA COME OUT OF OPERATIONS THROUGH
[02:15:01]
THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND WE'LL PUT THAT ON FOR THE 14TH IF WE HAVE ENOUGH ROOM.UH, ACTUALLY I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT IT WAS TAKEN, I THOUGHT IT WAS VOTED, UH, OFF ALTOGETHER.
I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT THAT WAS SAID AT THE AGENDA SETTING THAT, THAT IT, THAT IT WAS ALREADY DISCUSSED AND THAT, THAT THAT WAS OVER.
I MEAN, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING NOW AT THE AGENDA, AT THE AGENDA SETTING.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT WAS SAID.
THAT'S WHY I PUT IT BACK ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE I DIDN'T, I DON'T REMEMBER IT EVEN BEING SENT TO OPERATIONS.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO PUT IT ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AGENDA ON THE 14TH IF THAT WILL WORK.
THAT'S A, AND, AND I BELIEVE I ALREADY BROUGHT THAT UP AND WAS SAID THAT IT WAS ALREADY, IT WAS ALREADY DEALT WITH.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT SOMETHING THAT WE WAS DISCUSSING IS THAT MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY.
SO THAT'S THE POINT OF ME BRINGING IT BACK UP BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY LEFT IN OPERATIONS WHEN I WAS ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, WE, WE, WE HAD A TASK TO DO AND WE WERE DOING THAT.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE THE, UM, SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JIM STEVENSON SPEAKING ON BOOKS, BUT I STILL, NOT MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE LEFT.
AGAIN, I'M JIM STEVENSON, I'M IN, UH, CAMPBELL'S DISTRICT 10.
UM, I AM NOT IN SUPPORT OF WHAT I'M HEARING.
I THINK THE SCHOOL NEEDS TO TAKE MORE ATTENTION IN LOOKING AT THESE BOOKS AND DOING THE RIGHT THING.
UM, I'M, IF YOU GO BACK ON MY BACKGROUND, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU MUCH, BUT I WAS A COMMANDER IN THE NAVY SUBMARINE FORCE WEAPONS OFFICER, AND I WAS ALSO CHRISTIAN MINISTER APPROVED BY THE NAVY ONBOARD THAT SUBMARINE TO PROVIDE SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE COUNSELING WITH, WITH THE CREW.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M OLD SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN SCRIPTURE WAS SCRIPTURE AND YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THE, UH, MAKEUP OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS EXAMPLE, YOU'VE GOT 78% IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIANS.
SO AS CHRISTIANS, I LOOK AT THE WORD OF GOD, THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD.
AND, BUT NEW CHURCHES HAVE ARISEN LATELY.
AND THEY'RE KIND OF SAYING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE USED TO SAY THAT THAT WAS, UH, FORBIDDEN IN SCRIPTURE IS NOW SAYING, WELL, IT'S ACCEPTABLE NOW.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE POSITION I'M TAKING AND I THINK THIS IS ALL A PERSONAL DECISION EVERYBODY NEEDS TO MAKE AND LOOK AT THEMSELVES.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT GOD HAS WRITTEN HIS LAW UPON YOUR HEARTS.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED A LOT OF THESE THINGS IN LIFE TO TELL YOU WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG.
AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT'S IN THESE BOOKS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN AND APPROPRIATE DECISIONS MADE FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND I THINK YOU NEED TO FOLLOW WHAT YOUR SPIRIT IS TELLING YOU.
WHAT GOD'S TALKING TO YOUR HEART, NOT WHAT MAN IS SAYING, WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR OTHER CHURCHES OR WHATNOT.
BUT GOD SPEAKS TO YOUR HEART DIRECTLY.
AND I THINK YOU NEED TO CONSIDER THAT AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
UM, THREE OF THE GOSPELS TALKING ABOUT LUKE, MATTHEW, AND MARK SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT, BUT IF YOU CAUSE ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES WHO TRUST IN ME TO FALL INTO SIN NOW, THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF FALL INTO SIN.
IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR YOU TO HAVE A LARGE MILLSTONE TIED AROUND YOUR NECK AND BE DROWNED IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA.
NOW ONE MIGHT SAY, BOY, THAT'S BULLY LANGUAGE.
WELL, THAT'S GOD HIMSELF SPEAKING, AND THIS IS A TRUTH THAT I TAKE.
SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WORDS ARE IN THESE BOOKS AND WHAT CHILDREN GET FROM THAT.
ESPECIALLY WITH BOOKS THAT THEY CAN CHECK OUT THEMSELVES AND TAKE HOME AND WHATEVER, WITHOUT EVEN THEIR PARENTS EVEN HAVING TO SAY IN IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE MOVIES THEMSELVES HAVE, UH, RATINGS.
WELL, YOU GET THE GIST OF WHAT I'M SAYING.
NOW WE GET PART TWO, I THINK THOUGH.
YOU CAN'T GIVE YOUR TIME TO HIM EITHER.
GOOD EVENING, I'M DEBORAH STEVENSON SPEAKING ABOUT IN, UH, 10 SPEAKING ON BOOKS.
UM, I WASN'T EXPECTING TO BE HERE.
I HAVEN'T HAD KIDS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR OVER 20 YEARS, BUT I WAS AT THE DINNER PARTY LAST WEEK AND SOMEONE READ AN EXCERPT FROM, LET'S SEE IF I GET THIS RIGHT, ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT'S PROPER ENGLISH, BUT IT HA IT WENT IN GREAT
[02:20:01]
DETAIL ABOUT EATING A GIRL'S BODY PARTS.AND I'M NOT GONNA GET NASTY HERE CUZ IT ALMOST TOOK TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE SITTING AT THE TABLE WERE IN THEIR EIGHTIES.
AND I HONEST TO GOD, THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE THE HIGH MANEUVER TO 'EM.
BUT I LOOK AT IT AND I GO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN AN ENGINEER FOR OVER 40 YEARS IN THE AEROSPACE AND THE MEDICAL DEVICE FIELDS.
AND I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY WE DIDN'T, I WAS ALWAYS BLAMING THE COLLEGES FOR NOT HAVING ENOUGH PEOPLE SO WE COULD GO OUT AND RECRUIT AND GET BETTER ENGINEERING PEOPLE IN, IN TALENT.
AND THE PROBLEM WASN'T WITH THE, UH, THE, UH, UNIVERSITIES BECAUSE AFTER 40 YEARS I RETIRED AND I WENT TO WORK AS A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA AND I TAUGHT ENGINEERING THERE.
AND I LOOKED AROUND AND WHAT DO I SEE? ONE OR TWO, UH, EACH OF MY CLASSES WERE AMERICANS, THEY WERE FULL OF FOREIGNERS.
AND THEN I FIND OUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TALENT TO GO OUT AND GET, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TALENT OUT THERE.
AND EVERY BIT OF TIME THAT IS SPENT ON SMUT OR THINGS THAT ARE NON DISCIPLINED AND NON-FOCUSED IS ACTUALLY HURTING OUR COUNTRY, IS HURTING EVERYONE BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE TALENT TO BE PULLING THESE PEOPLE IN.
SO WE NEED STEM, YOU KNOW, THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH.
AND EVERY KID CAN LEARN THAT THEY NEED TO BE FOCUSED AND, AND GUIDED TOWARDS A PRODUCTIVE SOCIETY AND PRODUCTIVE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'LL FEEL REALLY GOOD.
I WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO GET A MASTER'S IN ENGINEERING IN OHIO UNIVERSITY AND I FEEL DARN PROUD OF THAT.
AND I CAME FROM A LOW CLASS FAMILY AND MY DAD DIDN'T EVEN GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IT CAN BE DONE AND IT CAN BE DONE TO ANYBODY.
I DON'T CARE YOUR RACE, YOUR SEX, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
BUT IT TAKES FOCUS AND IT TAKES DISCIPLINE AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR SMART.
NEXT WE HAVE IVY ZA ON SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS.
Y'ALL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME CUZ I'M DOING THIS ON THE FLY.
I LIKE TO HAVE PREPARED WHAT I'M GONNA SAY, BUT UM, LIKE TO REFER TO YOUR NEW BOARD RULES SAYING, REFRAIN FROM RACIAL COMMENTS.
OBSCENITIES AND VULGARITIES SHOW UP, NOT REFERENCE OR MAKE DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS BY NAME AND SHALL NOT COMMIT OTHER BREACHES OF RESPECT.
SPEAKERS MAY REFERENCE THE NAME OF SPECIFIC BOARD MEMBERS, BUT SUCH COMMUNICATION WILL NOT INCLUDE GOSSIP, DEFAMATORY WORDS, OR ABUSIVE OR VULGAR LANGUAGE.
THIS RIGHT HERE IS POINT, IN FACT, WHY MOST OF THESE BOOKS DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE SCHOOLS.
YOU DON'T ALLOW IT HERE, YOU DON'T ALLOW IT ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE AVAILABLE TO MINORS.
ROBIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY PHONE? OKAY, SO WE'LL FINISH THE, THOSE IN PERSON FIRST.
WE'LL SPEAK ON POLICIES AND BOOK REVIEW.
JUST NEED ONE SECOND HERE TO BRING UP THIS DOCUMENT.
THINK OF GOING FROM, UH, WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN TO, SHE'S 14 NOW, RUNNING AN ESTATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP.
UM, GOOD EVENING, MADAME CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS.
RODRIGUEZ, UM, I DON'T KNOW, SEE ON THE ONLINE.
UM, THANKS FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
UM, EVEN IN THE DISTRICT'S, UM, VISION STATEMENT, IT INDICATES A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN.
UM, I DO HAVE TO, UH, APPLAUD AND CONGRATULATE, UH, DR.
RODRIGUEZ FOR TAKING ACTION AS QUICKLY AS THEY DID AND, AND FOR GETTING THE SUPPORT OF SO MANY PARENTS TO DO WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.
I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO A REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I THINK THE KEY FACTOR, UH, IN REVIEWING THESE BOOKS IS LOOKING AT THEM THROUGH THE EYES OF THE CHILD THAT WOULD BE READING THE BOOK, NOT NECESSARILY THROUGH THE EYES OF A PARENT OR AN ADULT.
[02:25:01]
IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL, I HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AS A MIDDLE SCHOOLER.AS A PARENT, I EXPECT MY CHILDREN TO BE EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT FAITHS, RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS.
I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO BE EXPOSED TO THIS TYPE OF OBSCENE MATERIAL THAT'S UNFIT FOR A MINOR.
I WANNA STAY START OFF BY SAYING, I BELIEVE IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, AND I BELIEVE IN THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
I BELIEVE IN THE IDEA OF THE FREEDOM TO READ, BUT FOR CHILDREN, THAT'S WITH THE CONSENT OF A PARENT.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH DOES NOT PROTECT OBSCENITY LANGUAGE OR PORNOGRAPHY WHEN BEING DISTRIBUTED TO MINORS.
YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY TO PAY FOR THAT, UH, TO, TO PAY THAT YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY THAT YOU PAY A LOT OF MONEY THAT WILL SHARE THE JUDGMENT JUDGEMENTS WITH YOU IN REGARDS TO THAT MATTER.
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO THINK WE'RE TRYING TO BAN BOOKS, GO EDUCATE YOURSELF AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S ON THE LIST OF BOOKS THAT'S BEING CHALLENGED.
THE BOOKS THAT'S BEING CHALLENGED DO NOT TARGET ANY GENDER SEXUAL PREFERENCE OR RACE.
THEY DO TARGET WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE AGE APPROPRIATE AND ACTUALLY CONTAIN EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL OF ANY VALUE.
SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT ME AND SAY, WHY IS HE FIGHTING SO HARD FOR THESE THINGS? AS A PARENT, I DON'T GET IT.
I HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN THAT WERE A GIFT FROM GOD.
AND WHEN THEY WERE BORN, GOD TOLD ME THAT I HAD TO PROTECT THEM.
SO PROTECT THEM IS WHAT I DO CURRENTLY.
I HAVE TO PROTECT THEM FROM THEIR OWN SCHOOLS.
IT'S KIND OF DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE I'M SUPPOSED TO ENTRUST MY CHILDREN WITH THEIR TEACHERS, AND RIGHT NOW I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
THIS IS THE PATH GOD HAS GIVEN ME, SO I'M GOING TO ACCEPT IT.
WE DON'T CHOOSE OUR PATH IN LIFE.
I KNOW IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE EASY, AND I ACCEPT THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
I HAD SOME HANDOUTS THAT I WAS GONNA GIVE TO YOU, BUT THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH TIME TO DO IT.
I'M NOT GONNA READ ANYTHING OUT LOUD THAT'S OBSCENE.
MOST RECENTLY, I WAS FACED WITH THE ISSUE OF BEING INTENTIONALLY DEFEATED IN A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL ELECTION.
AND, UH, BIG PART OF IT HAD TO DO WITH THE WAY I SPEAK OUT.
UH, IN REGARDS TO MY COMMENTS HERE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS, I'D LIKE THE BOARD TO INVESTIGATE THAT ELECTION FROM THE HILTON HEAD ELEMENTARY, IB SIC.
NEXT IS JULIE MATTHEWS ON COMMITTEE FOR BOOK REVIEW.
YES, THERE WAS A PHONE CALL IN SAYING THAT THEY DIDN'T, THEY HAD A SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE APPLYING TO BE ON THESE BOOK COMMITTEES.
I'M MORE THAN WILLING, YOU ALL HAVE MY CONTACT INFORMATION.
I'M HAPPY TO BE ON MY COMMITTEE BOOK.
ALL RIGHT, ROBIN, THAT CONCLUDES THE IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
IT'S JODY THROUGH TECH ME AGAIN.
UM, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO SAY THIS BEFORE, BUT, UH, I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER SOME SORT OF PROCESS FOR ADDRESSING MISINFORMATION THAT COMES OUT AT SOME OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND WE DON'T WANNA CENSOR FOLKS OPINIONS, BUT, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL JUST BLATANT COMMENTS TONIGHT THAT ARE JUST FACTUALLY UNTRUE.
SOMEONE REFERENCING CHEMICAL CASTRATION OF CHILDREN AND ALL KINDS OF OFF THE WALL THINGS THAT JUST ARE NOT BASED IN FACT.
AND SO WHETHER YOU PUT OUT SOME SORT OF STATEMENT AFTER THE FACT OR WHATEVER, BUT I, I'M CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE ARE USING YOUR MEETINGS AS A PLATFORM TO SPREAD MISINFORMATION.
SO THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF MY SECOND, UH, CALL IN TONIGHT.
AND THEN JUST TO ADDRESS A FEW OF THE OTHER COMMENTS, A LOT OF PEOPLE SPEAKING VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT THEIR OWN PERSONALLY HELD RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, THAT IS WONDERFUL FOR THEM.
AND THEY ARE WELCOME TO THOSE BELIEFS AND THEY'RE WELCOME TO SHARE THOSE BELIEFS WITH OTHERS.
BUT WHERE THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE IS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO WE DON'T USE ANY SPECIFIC RELIGION TO CHOOSE BOOKS THAT ARE FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND SO MAYBE SOME FOLKS WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE IF THEIR CHILDREN ATTENDED PRIVATE RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, IF THAT IS THE TYPE OF EDUCATION THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
BUT IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL, WE HAVE SERVE ALL STUDENTS AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.
MAY I COMMENT ON THIS SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP NO, YOU MAY NOT.
[02:30:01]
SIR.WE, WE DON'T HAVE AN INTERACTIVE, UH, COMMENT SESSION.
NO, SHE TALKED ABOUT MY, NOPE, THAT WAS IT.
UM, NEXT WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I GUESS IT WAS A MR. GEER AND INGRID DID THE SECOND.
THE COUNTY CHANNEL IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON VIDEO ON DEMAND.
GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST.
CALL THE MEETING TO, UH, ORDER.
IF YOU'D LIKE A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS IS A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
FOREST GUMP, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, THE GREAT SANTINI.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE BIG HOLLYWOOD MOVIES FILMED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY DURING THE 1980S AND 1990S.
BUT THE EARLIEST BIG SCREEN PRODUCTION, A SHOT HERE DATES BACK NEARLY A CENTURY.
LATE IN NOVEMBER, 1917, AMERICAN FEATURE FILMS OF GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA SENT A COMPANY OF ACTORS ON LOCATION TO ST.
HELEN ISLAND AND AMONG THE ANTEBELLUM MANSIONS OF BEAUFORT AND THE WORDS OF THE BEAUFORT GAZETTE, THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CONFEDERACY IS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE AND STUPENDOUS MOTION, MOTION PICTURE SCENARIOS EVER ATTEMPTED BY ANY DRAMATIST.
IT CERTAINLY WAS A COSTUME DRAMA WITH OVER 640 PIECES OF PERIOD CLOTHING SHIPPED IN FOR THE ACTORS JOINING THE PRODUCTION JUST BEFORE FILMING WAS WON WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM OF PEERLESS FILM COMPANY OF LOS ANGELES, HE LENT A HOLLYWOOD TOUCH TO THE PRODUCTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE FILM HAS DISAPPEARED.
IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE STUDIO EXAGGERATED ITS CLAIMS OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE MOVING PICTURE SINCE THE BIRTH OF A NATION.
I'M DENNIS ADAMS, AND THIS HAS BEEN YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
ART STUDENTS FROM TWO DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS WON SEVERAL TOP AWARDS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR STUDENT ART COMPETITION.
STUDENTS WON SIX TOTAL AWARDS.
FIVE OF THE WINNING ARTISTS ARE FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
TWO STUDENTS PLACE FIRST AND SECOND IN THE PHOTOGRAPHY CATEGORY.
I TOOK A STUDIO PORTRAIT OF MY TWIN SISTER AND RED IN BLUE LIGHTING, AND IT WAS TO KIND OF SHOW HER LIKE SWEET PERSONALITY.
AND I HAD LIKE A POSE THAT MADE IT KIND OF HELP EXPRESS THAT.
AND THEN THE SOFT LIGHTING AND TEXTURE ON HER FACE, I THINK REALLY HELPED EXPRESS THAT FEELING.
I TOOK A PICTURE AT THE BEACH AND I BROUGHT A MIRROR TO IT AND I HUNG IT ON A TREE AND I TOOK A PICTURE OF THE REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR AND I THOUGHT IT LOOKED COOL BECAUSE IN THE BACKGROUND THERE WASN'T VERY MUCH COLOR, BUT IN THE REFLECTION YOU COULD SEE THE MARSH AND THE GREENERY.
SO IT KIND OF STOOD OUT, LIKE THE REFLECTION STOOD OUT FROM THE BACKGROUND, STUDENTS ALSO WON THREE AWARDS IN THE 2D DRAWING CATEGORY.
A STUDENT WON BEST IN SHOW FOR THIS CHARCOAL PORTRAIT, AND TWO OTHER STUDENTS ONE FIRST PLACE IN HONORABLE MENTION FOR THEIR WORK.
I DID A SELF-PORTRAIT IN COLOR PENCILS, AND THEN I DID IT IN RED LIGHT.
SO I CHALLENGED MYSELF BY DOING A MONO CROW PIECE.
IT WAS VERY DETAILED AND IT WASN'T ONE COLOR, SO IT'S MORE CHALLENGING TO DO.
I DID A DRAWING, AN INK DRAWING OF A SHIP IN THE OCEAN, AND I USED THE TRADITIONAL CALLIGRAPHY PEN.
SO I THINK ALL THE DETAILS AND INTRICATE LINES REALLY, I ENJOYED
[02:35:01]
MAKING THEM, AND I THINK THEY STOOD OUT.THIS MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ALSO WON FIRST PLACE FOR ARTWORK.
SHE SUBMITTED IN THE ART OF THE CAMILLIA CATEGORY.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON PHOTOREALISM, SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK AS MUCH LIKE THE PICTURE AS I POSSIBLY COULD, WHICH I THINK THAT APPEALED TO THEM BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK AS REAL AS POSSIBLE.
MORE THAN 2000 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE ENTERED ARTWORK INTO THE COMPETITION FOR THE BEFOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT RAM OPS, WHO'S READY FOR FOOTBALL.
IT'S FALL AND TIME FOR SPORTS FANATICS TO KICK IT INTO HIGH GEAR.
WHAT ELSE KICKS OFF WITH SPORTS TAILGATING? COLLEGE PARTIES AND TAILGATING ARE A RITE OF PASSAGE, AND STUDENTS, IN ADDITION TO BEING UNDERAGE, ARE ALSO AT INCREASED RISK FOR ALCOHOL ABUSE AND BECOMING ALCOHOL DEPENDENT.
BINGE DRINKING DAY, DRINKING TAILGATING ARE ALL A RISK.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL ABUSE OR DEPENDENCE, SAY SOMETHING, SAVE A LIFE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BEFOR COUNTY SC.GOV AND CLICK ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG.
GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
UM, GUEST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR TENNIS PLAYERS.
WELCOME TO THE NEWLY RENOVATED BEAUFORD TENNIS COURT.
UM, THIS ROUGHLY $700,000 INVESTMENT WILL SERVE TENNIS LOVERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
THE RENOVATION STARTED LAST APRIL WITH, UH, DEMOLISHING OF THE EXISTING COATS AND INSTALLING ALL NEW COATS, NETS, FENCES, AND GATES, ALONG WITH ADA COMPLIANCE SIDEWALKS.
THE EXISTING COURT LIGHTING WAS UPGRADED AND RAIN GARDENS AND RUNOFF CONTROLS WERE ADDED TO ADDRESS THE STORM WATER ISSUES.
THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED THROUGH A VERY STORMY, WET SUMMER.
THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BEAUFORD COUNTY INVESTING IN THE CITY OF BEAUFORD.
SPENDING AROUND $2 MILLION IN PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, THE CHARLES LYNN BROWN CENTER CONTINUES TO BE UPGRADED AND THE COUNTY WILL ADD MORE PICKLE BALLS AND BASKETBALL COURT TO THE SOUTH SIDE PARK WITH MUCH MORE TO COME.
ALTHOUGH TENNIS IS THOUGHT TO BE A, PREDOMINANTLY A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE SPORT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN 2022, MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE PLAYING TENNIS.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A LONG, RICH HISTORY BEYOND ARTHUR ASH AND THE WILLIAMS SISTERS TUSKE INSTITUTE FOUNDED BY BOOKER T WASHINGTON, ADDED TENNIS COURTS IN THE TENNIS TEAM IN THE 1880S.
NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THE STORY OF A LETHA GIBSON.
SHE WAS BORN IN A TOWN OF SILVER IN CLARATON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND MOVED TO THE, IN 1930S TO HARLEM.
GIBSON WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO COMPLETE, TO COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY IN TENNIS, WINNING FIVE GRAND SLAM SINGLE TWO, UH, TITLES BETWEEN 1956 AND 1958.
IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO THE, UH, IN THE 1960S, SHE ALSO BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PLAYER TO COMPETE ON THE WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, AMERICAN, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE HAVE BEEN, HAVE ENJOYING TENNIS FOR A LONG TIME.
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I LEARNED TENNIS, OH, HOW THEY HIT THE BALL, UH, ON THAT COURT RIGHT THERE BACK IN THE 19 EARLY 1960.
I NEVER KNEW THE GAME OF TENNIS UNTIL I GOT TO COLLEGE, AND I FIRST LEARNED WHAT, UH, 15 LOVE WAS.
UM, SO WE JUST PLAYED TENNIS, UH, ON THIS COURT RIGHT HERE.
I HOPE THAT THIS STORY AND THESE COURTS INSPIRE ALL THE YOUTH IN BEAUFORD COUNTY TO EXCEL IN THEIR INTERESTS AND TALENT.
AND MAYBE, YES, MAYBE A TENNIS STAR WILL START THE JOURNEY RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORD,
[02:40:01]
UH, THE BEAUFORD AREA WILL ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.I GREW UP RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, SO THIS IS THE HOOD, THIS IS HOME.
UM, THIS HAS BLESSED MY GRAND BABIES.
UH, ALL FOUR OF THEM PLAYED, UH, NATIONAL TENNIS BECAUSE OF, UM, LARRY DWAYNE, WE JUST LOVE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
JUST A LITTLE SIDE NOTE BEFORE I PRAY.
UH, LARRY'S UH, I GREW UP ON THIS CORNER AND HE GREW UP RIGHT ON THE CORNER.
HIS OLDEST SISTER WAS MY BEST FRIEND, AND WE COULD TALK FROM THE STEPS.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE, LITTLE, HE WAS, HE WASN'T EVEN WALKING, HE WAS CRAWLING AND HE HAD A TENNIS BALL IN HIS HANDS.
AND I TOLD MY JULIE, HIS MOTHER AT THE TIME, I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HE'S GONNA BE IN LIFE IS GONNA BE WITH THE BALL.
AND NOT ONLY DOES HE PLAY TENNIS WELL, HE PLAYED EXCELLENT BASKETBALL, BASEBALL AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT HE HAS EXCELLED IN TENNIS AND HAS GIVEN THAT GIFT BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY.
HE'S SUCH A JEWEL AND A TREASURE, AND I THANK GOD FOR HIM, FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU, HALLELUJAH.
SWEET HOLY SPIRIT FOR YOUR PRESENCE IN THIS PLACE.
FATHER GOD, WE ANOINT THESE GROUNDS AS HOLY AND HOLLOW GROUND FOR YOUR SERVICE, FOR YOUR SPIRIT TO DWELL GOD.
WE SAID, NONE OF US, BUT ALL OF YOU, AND WE SAID, NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED HERE SHALL BE ABLE TO PROSPER.
FATHER GOD, AS WE WALK THESE COURTS AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE COME, FATHER GOD, THEY WILL FIND A PLACE OF SAFETY, A PLACE WHERE LOVE ABIDES IN THIS PLACE AND WHERE SOMEBODY CAN SPEAK A POSITIVE WORD INTO THEIR LIVES.
AND GOD, THOSE THAT HAVE HAD A HAND IN THIS MOMENT, GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THEM WITH A DOUBLE PORTION OF A PROPHET'S REWARD.
AND GOD, ORDER OUR STEPS IN YOUR WORD.
HELP US TO TRU TRULY BE KEEPERS AND STEWARD OF THE GIFT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US AND NOT TO TAKE THIS DAY FOR GRANTED.
LORD, THIS IS THE DAY THAT YOU HAVE MADE AND WE'VE MADE A CHOICE TO COME TOGETHER TODAY AND TO BE REJOICE AND BE GLADED.
NOW, ONE OF THE GULLAH TRADITIONS IS ONCE YOU GET THE WORDS YOU HAVE TO JOIN IN, THIS IS NOT A SOLO.
OH, Y'ALL GONNA DO THE PLEDGE.
WANNA DO THE PLEDGE FIRST? AMEN.
OH, 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.
HOLY SPIRIT, KUMBAYA, HOLY SPIRIT, KU, HOLY SPIRIT, KUBA SAID, WE SO LONG FIRE YOU.
PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER, TOGETHER.
HOLY SPIRIT, MA, Y'ALL SAY HOLY SPIRIT.
HOLY SPIRIT, HOLY SPIRIT, HOLY SPIRIT.
RED SAID, WE SO LONG FIRE CAN LOVE RIDE.
HOLY SPIRIT, RED KUAH, HOLY SPIRIT, KUAH, HOLY SPIRIT.
KUAH SAID, WE SO LONG FIRE, UM, I SAID, WE SO LONE FIRE.
I SAID, DO WE SO LONE FIRE? THE MANDATE IS THAT WE LOVE BETTER, AND IF WE LOVE BETTER, WE'LL DO BETTER.
THANK HANG TIGHT, HANG TIGHT, HANG TIGHT.
MY NAME IS MARSHALL WILLIAMS AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE NEW BEAUFORT TENNIS CLUB.
THE CLUB HAS BEEN ORGANIZING OVER THE SUMMER TO BE READY TO BRING THESE BEAUTIFUL TENNIS COURTS TO LIFE WITH CHILDREN AND ADULTS FROM THIS HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF BEAUFORT, AND FROM THE WIDER AREA NORTH OF THE BROAD, AND EVEN FROM SOUTH OF THE BROAD, IF YOU CAN BRAVE THE TRAFFIC
[02:45:01]
THINK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BEAUFORT TENNIS CLUB STEERING COMMITTEE ARE HERE THIS MORNING.AND I'LL JUST ASK THEM TO STEP FORWARD OR WAVE SO WE CAN SEE EVERYONE.
JANICE JOHNSON, MARY ENRIGHT, CHRIS PETERSON, ROB HILTON, JAN HORAN, VICKI HANOWSKI, SALLY HENDRICKS, SUE RAINY.
IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.
IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLUB, PLEASE SPEAK TO ANY OF US AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU VOLUNTEER ALONG WITH US.
WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION AND AN EMAIL SIGN UP SHEET FOR YOU AFTER THE CEREMONIES.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE ON OUR LIST ALREADY.
IT'S ALSO A REAL PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE TO INTRODUCE AND RECOGNIZE LARRY.
HE REALLY DOESN'T NEED AN INTRODUCTION.
LARRY HAS BEEN LEADING FREE PUBLIC CH CLINICS FOR CHILDREN AT THESE COURTS, AND HE'S TAUGHT LEGIONS OF YOUNG AND OLDER TENNIS PLAYERS THROUGH THE YEARS.
HE'S HERE WITH HIS ASSISTANT, DONNA WINLAND.
GREW UP COMING HERE TO PLAY TENNIS.
HE WAS BORN AND RAISED RIGHT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND CHARLES LYNN BROWN WAS A MENTOR TO LARRY AS HE WAS TO SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE GROWING UP HERE.
LARRY AND HIS CREW WORK HARD TO CONTINUE THAT TRADITION.
HIS FREE CLASS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGED TWO TO 18 WILL START ON SATURDAY AT NOON, AND HIS CLINICS AND LESSONS BEGIN TOMORROW.
LARRY, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH ALL OF US SOON, AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE HERE, BUT PLEASE JUST TO HAVE A WORD FOR US.
OH, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO PARKS AND RECREATION FOR GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GIVE OUR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
UH, THANK YOU TO MY COUSIN, UH, PEARL SUE, SAYING THOSE KIND THINGS ABOUT ME.
UH, THANK YOU TO, UH, MY ASSISTANT, MISS WENLING, AND TO ALSO MS. JANICE JOHNSON, JAN AND ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE HELPED ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS.
AND ALSO I KNOW MR. LYNN BROWN'S LOOKING.
AND OF COURSE, MY PARENTS,
THIS LAND WAS GIVEN MANY YEARS AGO TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE RECREATION OF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE.
OUR GOAL AND PURPOSE IS TO SEE THESE COURTS FILL UP WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS PLAYING TENNIS AT ALL LEVELS.
AND OUR CLUB WILL BE MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS HELPING TO ORGANIZE ROUND ROBINS SPECIAL EVENTS, MEN'S AND WOMEN'S MIXED DOUBLES, TENNIS UNDER THE STARS, U SSTA, A CCTA, AND OTHER TOURNAMENTS.
WE CAN USE EVERYONE'S HELP AND IDEAS.
THE USTA A AND COASTAL CAROLINA TENNIS ASSOCIATION HAVE BOTH SENT THEIR BEST WISHES AS WE OPEN UP.
AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE PATTY LATA, WHO IS THE CCTA LEAGUE COORDINATOR WHO IS JOINING US TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OF THANKS TO SHANNON LOPER FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY PARKS AND REC FOR GETTING US HERE TODAY TO THEIR MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR, JACK FRIPP, WHO MADE THE PARK BEAUTIFUL AND USER FRIENDLY.
AND THEIR STAFF, JEREMY AND HEATHER ARE ALSO HERE.
THANKS, MR. GLOVER, AUNT PERLEY, SUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BLESS YOU FOR LAUNCHING THE NEW TENNIS COURTS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WELL, IN CLOSING, EVERYBODY'S KIND OF BEEN THANKED, BUT I'D STILL LIKE TO THANK A FEW MORE.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT HERE TODAY.
WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO OPEN UP THE COURTS.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND I THINK EVERYBODY CAN AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AT PARKS AND REC TO HAVE, UM, LARRY, SHE AS, UM, PART OF OUR STAFF NOW, UM, TO BE WORKING WITH US, BUT ALSO TO BE WORKING AND DOING CLINICS OUT HERE.
UM, WE FEEL LIKE THAT IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BY HAVING HIM ON BOARD TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY MONITOR THE COURTS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MORE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, FREE PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS, AND TO BE ABLE TO OFFER LESSONS WITH THE KIDS.
UM, WE STILL HAVE A FEW THINGS TO FINISH UP, SO IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT WE'VE COME A LONG WAY WITH IT.
UM, AS WE, UM, PROGRESS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, YOU'LL SEE SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHTING, UM, THAT'LL BE DONE.
UM, SOME WATER FOUNTAIN CHANGEOUTS, UM, MESSAGE BOARDS ADDED AND, UM, JUST ODDS AND ENDS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
WE'LL HAVE, UM, MORE SIGNS, WE'LL HAVE THE COURTS
[02:50:01]
NUMBERED, UM, BUT WE WANTED TO GET EVERYBODY OUT HERE AND, AND START PLAYING TENNIS WITHOUT ANY MORE HOLD UP.UM, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR OVERSEEING THE PROJECT.
UM, I REALLY THANK ERIC LARSON FOR COMING OUT HERE ON THURSDAY WHEN I WAS IN A HUGE PANIC OF HOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA GET THIS RIGHT AND HAVE HIM CALL EVERYBODY THAT HE CALLED OUT TO, UM, GET THE, UM, EVERYTHING COMPLETE AND LOOKING GOOD.
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR BRINGING ALL THEIR CREWS OUT.
MY MAINTENANCE CREW WHO'S BEEN OUT HERE SINCE THURSDAY, UM, CHUCK, UM, ATKINSON, WHO SUPPORTS ME IN MY ROLE AS THE PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR, AND ALSO WHAT I CALL OUR DYNAMIC DUO, ERIC AND WHITNEY, FOR BRINGING, UM, THE OLD PARKS AND REC BACK TO LIFE AND REALLY SUPPORTING US, UM, IN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, IF EVERYBODY IS READY, WE'RE GONNA CUT THE RIBBON AND, UM, EVERYBODY CAN SERVE UP, START SOME MATCHES AND HIT THE BALLS.
HI, MY NAME'S VICTORIA HOFFMAN AND I'M THE RECYCLING COORDINATOR FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
TODAY I'M GOING TO PROVIDE A QUICK COMPOSTING 1 0 1 TUTORIAL.
COMPOSTING IS A GREAT WAY TO DIVERT FOOD AND YARD WASTE FROM LANDFILLS, AND IT'S WONDERFUL FOR YOUR PLANTS.
A FEW REASONS WHY WE LIKE TO PROMOTE COMPOSTING ARE THE EPA REPORTED MORE THAN 63 MILLION TONS OF FOOD WASTE SENT TO LANDFILLS IN 2018 IN SOUTH CAROLINA, ABOUT 30% OF WASTE TAKEN TO LANDFILLS IS YARD WASTE.
COMPOSTING REDUCES MATERIALS SENT TO LANDFILLS AND REDUCES METHANE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHAT IS COMPOSTING? COMPOSTING IS THE BREAKDOWN OF PLANT MATERIAL THROUGH DECOMPOSITION.
THIS HAPPENS IN NATURE, BUT AT A SLOWER PROCESS.
ONCE THE MATERIAL BREAKS DOWN, YOU ARE LEFT WITH A NUTRIENT RICH DIRT LIKE MATERIAL THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO PLANTS YOUR GARDEN OR YOUR LAWN.
COMPOST HELPS RETAIN MOISTURE AND SOIL AND REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS USED IN GARDENS.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN COMPOSTING, BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS EARTH MACHINE COMPOST BINS FOR SALE FOR A GREAT PRICE OF $50.
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON PURCHASING ONE ON OUR WEBSITE.
THE BINS ARE ALMOST AT A 50% DISCOUNT OF THE NORMAL PRICE.
IT IS EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND DISCREET.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BINS COME IN THREE PARTS, SO TAKING THEM HOME IN YOUR CAR IS SIMPLE.
THE BIN COMES WITH FOUR SCREW PEGS TO SECURE IT TO THE GROUND.
A HARVEST STORE THAT CAN SLIDE UP AND HAS THE CAPABILITY OF BEING LOCKED.
ALSO, YOU HAVE A BASE, A TOP, AND A LID.
THE COMPOST BINS COME WITH A HANDBOOK THAT INCLUDES EASY ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS.
CHOOSING THE LOCATION OF YOUR BIN IS IMPORTANT.
YOU WANT IT TO BE CLOSE TO YOUR HOUSE IN A SHADED AREA, AND YOU NEED A WATER SOURCE AVAILABLE.
YOU DON'T WANT IT TOO FAR FROM YOUR HOME BECAUSE YOU WANT THIS TO BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
YOU NEED A WATER SOURCE SUCH AS A WATER HOSE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP IT MOIST.
A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU WILL NEED TO START YOUR COMPOST BIN ARE SOME GREENS, WHICH IS YOUR NITROGEN SOURCES.
THIS INCLUDES GREEN GRASS AND LEAVES AND GARDEN CLIPPINGS AND YOUR BROWNS.
YOU NEED YOUR BROWNS, WHICH ARE THE CARBONS.
EXAMPLES OF THESE ARE DRIED LEAVES, TWIGS, AND WOOD CHIPS.
SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF YOUR NITROGEN AND CARBON SOURCES ARE LISTED ON THE SCREEN.
WHEN JUST STARTING YOUR COMPOST BIN, IT IS IDEAL TO LAYER YOUR GREEN AND BROWN MATERIAL IN AN ALTERNATING PATTERN.
BE SURE TO ADD WATER TO KEEP YOUR BIN MOIST, LIKE A WRONG OUT SPONGE.
NOW THAT YOUR COMPOST BIN IS SET UP, YOU'RE ALL SET TO BEGIN DIVERTING YOUR FOOD WASTE.
WHEN YOU ARE IN THE KITCHEN, PREPARING YOUR MEALS, INSTEAD OF TOSSING THOSE FOOD SCRAPS IN THE TRASH, YOU CAN SET THEM ASIDE TO DISPOSE OF IN YOUR COMPOST BIN.
THINGS LIKE PEELS FROM VEGETABLES AND FRUITS, EGG SHELLS AND COFFEE GROUNDS CAN ALL BE PUT INTO YOUR BIN.
I LIKE TO KEEP A CONTAINER ON MY COUNTER FOR ANY SCRAPS THAT ARE COMPOSTABLE.
A SMALL BIN WITH A LID IS IDEAL TO DETER ANY PEST OR SMELLS.
YOU CAN ALSO STORE YOUR SCRAPS IN THE FRIDGE OR FREEZER UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO TAKE THEM OUT TO YOUR COMPOST BIN.
YOU WANNA BE SURE TO KEEP THESE ITEMS OUT, BONES, MEAT, AND TOXIC PLANTS.
HERE'S A LIST OF OTHER ITEMS YOU WANNA KEEP OUT OF YOUR BIN.
OFTEN I LIKE TO USE A PITCHFORK AND WORK MY WAY AROUND THE BIN THROUGH THE TOP.
[02:55:01]
SHOVEL OR OTHER GARDEN TOOLS.A PROPERLY MANAGED COMPOST BIN SHOULDN'T ATTRACT PEST OR RODENTS, NOR SHOULD IT SMELL BAD.
IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO COMPOST OUTSIDE, YOU MAY WANT TO EXPLOIT.
BUR ME COMPOSTING IS WHEN YOU USE WORMS TO FACILITATE THE COMPOSTING PROCESS.
IT CAN BE DONE WITH A SMALL BIN AND KEPT INSIDE.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COMPOSTING, PLEASE GO TO THE COUNTY WEBSITE TO ORDER YOUR BIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING AND HELPING US TO DIVERT OUR ORGANIC WASTE.
AND REMEMBER, GO GREEN, KEEP IT CLEAN.
I'M JOE BOGUS, AND I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH THE BEFOR COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.
FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, I'VE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER MOST RECENTLY FINANCE CHAIR FOR THE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY REWARDING AND ENRICHING EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY SINCE I BEGAN THE BOARD, MY BOARD TERM DURING THE HIGHGRADE RECESSION WHEN HE HAD VERY FEW BOOKS AND VERY FEW VISITORS.
BUT OVER TIME, THE BOARD AND LIBRARY LEADERSHIP HAVE MANAGED TO REBUILD OUR FINANCE THAT WE'RE SPENDING MORE MATERIALS NOW THAN EVER BEFORE, AND IN A GREATER VARIETY.
BOTH HARD COPY AND DIGITAL GROWTH IN BUFORD COUNTY MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO CAREFULLY HUSBAND OUR RESOURCES.
AND THIS IS WHERE VOLUNTEERS IN THE LIBRARY COURT DO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SUSAN AND I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 18 YEARS, AND WE KNOW THE POSITIVE IMPACT LIBRARIES CAN MAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TODAY'S LIBRARY IS A NEW TOWN HALL FULL OF VIBRANT MIXTURE OF PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS.
AS A BOARD MEMBER, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT WE CAN MAKE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE PEOPLE SPEND THEIR TIME AND TALENT ON MAKING BEAUFORT COUNTY A BETTER PLACE.
THIS IS OUR HOME, AND THIS IS WHY I MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN BOTH MY TIME AND IN MY COMMUNITY.
THIS VERY BRIEFLY IS WHY I SERVE, OR I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER SPENDING YOUR TIME ALSO FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY.
TO SEE A LISTING OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S AGENCY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, OR TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION, VISIT WWW.BEAUFORTCOUNTYSC.GOV/BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
BEAUFORT COUNTY STRONGLY ENCOURAGES LOCAL, SMALL AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES TO SUBMIT A NEW VENDOR APPLICATION TO ITS PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
APPLICATION AND VENDOR GUIDE ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
ALONG WITH INFORMATION ABOUT CURRENT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.
VISIT WWW.BEAUFORTCOUNTYSC.GOV.
CLICK ON I WANT TO VIEW BIDS AND RFPS.
UNDER BUSINESS SERVICES, VENDORS MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE COUNTY IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO SOLICITATIONS, QUOTES, BIDS OR PROPOSALS SUBMITTED BY BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE COUNTY WILL BE REJECTED.
REGISTERED VENDORS RECEIVE EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS WHEN NEW SOLICITATIONS PERTAINING TO THEIR AREA OF INTEREST ARE POSTED TO THE WEBSITE.
THANKS FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE ONESTOP SHOP IS LOCATED IN THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN ROOM 2 25.
BEFORE THE ONESTOP SHOP, PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE THAT YOU HAD TO GO UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, AND POSSIBLY ONCE YOU WERE UPSTAIRS YOU HAD TO GO BACK DOWNSTAIRS TO SEE ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
SO WITH THE ONESTOP SHOP, WE CONSOLIDATED THOSE.
SO IT'S ONE LOCATION, THE BUSINESS LICENSE DEPARTMENT AND THE BUILDING CODES DEPARTMENT.
IT'S LITERALLY ONE STOP FOR YOUR PERMITTING AND LICENSING.