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CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUFORD COUNTY[Call to Order]
BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING JANUARY 17TH, 2023.THE MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED BY A HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND THE COUNTY CHANNEL REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN FIVE AND FIVE 30 BY SENDING EMAIL NUMBER AND TOPIC TO ROBIN WITH A Y CUSHING BUFORT K12.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK ADDRESS FOR MAXIMUM THREE MINUTES ON ISSUE.
THE BOARD'S DOMAIN, 30 MINUTES TO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE FOR MAXIMUM EACH SPEAKER MUST GO OUT PUBLIC COMMENT CARD PLEASE CLERK FOR REQUEST FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN SEVEN AND SEVEN 30 THIS EVENING IN THE SAME MANNER.
SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURN AT THE 9:00 PM THE SECOND FORM IS SO THAT IT'S A 15 MINUTES IN THE EVENT THE BOARD IS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED TONIGHT ON THE JANUARY 17TH, 2023 AGENDA.
THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:00 PM TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS. WE NOW
[Executive Session]
NEED A MOTION FOR THE BOARD TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WHOEVER MAKES THE MOTION, PLEASE READ THE REASONS WHY.WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING FOUR PENDING MATTERS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO MATTERS 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 LOBBYIST CONTRACT RENEWAL WITH BURR FOREMAN LAW FIRM PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT PURSUANT, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE ADULT ED HOMESCHOOL REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 40 A FOUR.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE MV CON CONTRACT AMENDMENT NUMBER 29 FOR HVAC REPLACEMENT SCOPE AT LEPTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 34 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AMENDMENT NUMBER 29 FOR SAFETY, SECURITY TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ATHLETICS AT BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
AND LAST EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT EVALUATION RESULTS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF GOING DO SESSION PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE.
OPPOSED? WE HAVE, UM, MEMBERS ON WHISKY.
AND HOW ABOUT, UM, ELIZABETH? SO THE, UH, MOTION CARRIES, EXCUSE ME, TOTALLY WRONG.
MOTION CARRIES 10 ZERO EXECUTIVE SECTION, WHICH IS, UH, DOWN THE HALLWAY, UH, IPAD, YOUR EXECUTIVE SECTION LOADING UP BOXES OF FOOD.
MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEAMED UP WITH THEIR PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION FOR A HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE.
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TO TEACH THE KIDS THAT GIVING, TEACH THE KIDS THAT THERE'S SOME FAMILIES THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ENOUGH FOOD FOR THANKSGIVING OR FOR ANY MEAL FOR THAT MATTER, AND WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO PAY IT FORWARD.FOR THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS, STUDENTS BROUGHT IN CANNED FOODS AND OTHER NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS TO DONATE TO THOSE IN NEED THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
I THINK IT WAS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE DON'T HAVE FOOD TO EAT AND IT WILL, AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE TO BRING SOME FOOD FOR THEM TO EAT.
SOME PEOPLE NEED THAT CUZ THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THOSE THINGS FOR THEIR FAMILY AND SOME PEOPLE JUST NEED TO EAT CAUSE THEY CAN'T.
SEVERAL STUDENTS HELP MEMBERS OF THE PTO PUT THE BOXES OF FOOD IN THEIR CARS.
THE SCHOOL IS PROUD OF ALL THE STUDENTS FOR STEPPING UP AND GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE WELL OVER 1200 ITEMS, PERISHABLE ITEMS, INCLUDING CANNED FOODS.
AND IT'S JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO PRACTICE THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND ALSO DEVELOP THOSE SKILLS WITH RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, EMPATHY AND SOCIAL AWARENESS.
ALL THE FOOD ITEMS WILL BE DONATED TO THE HELP OF BUFORT AT MOSY OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
RON LOES, BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF JANUARY 17TH, 2023.
THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED VIA HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]
JUST, UH, COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE ARE NOW BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MA'AM.
MADAM CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE.
WE APPROVED THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE DECEMBER 1ST THROUGH 31ST 2022 PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.
UH, MS. MIDDLETON MADE THE MOTION AND MR. EARL CAMPBELL SECOND THE MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, 9 0 1 WITH MS. HAY, NOT VOTING.
WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MONTHLY ADULT EDUCATION AND HOMESCHOOL REPORT FOR JANUARY 17TH, 2023.
THANK YOU MS. UH, MIDDLETON MADE THE MOTION AND, UH, MS. GORDON, UH, SECOND THE MOTION FOR THE ADULT EDUCATION HOMESCHOOL REPORT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL ANY OPPOSED MS. HAY? NOT OPPOSED.
ALL RIGHT, THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED AMENDMENT NUMBER 29 WITH MB CON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
FOR THE BLUFFTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SUMMER 2023 HVAC SCOPE BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE GMP $871,926 SECOND.
SO, UM, MS. CUSH BERRY, THE SECOND MOTION WAS, UH, SECONDED BY EARL CAMPBELL.
THIS THIRD MOTION IS CARLTON DALLAS.
ANY, ANY DISCUSSION? MR. SMITH? THE, THE, UM, THIS, UH, AMENDMENT IS COMING FROM THE ERUM, IS THAT CORRECT? THIS THE BLUFF THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, THE BLUFF IS 8% CONTINGENCY.
SO THIS IS A, THIS IS THE, UH, IT'S A NEW EMERGENCY THAT IS ARISING MR. ROT.
SO BLUFF ANDEL HAS, UM, AIR CONDITIONING UNITS THAT HAVE REACHED THEIR LIFESPAN.
WE STARTED REPLACING 'EM LAST YEAR.
UM, WE'RE CONTINUING TO REPLACE IT.
WE DID AS MANY AS WE COULD GET DONE LAST SUMMER.
WE'RE GETTING THE REST THAT WE, UH, THE REST OF THE UNITS THIS SUMMER.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL THAT ARE OUT.
THERE COULD BE ONES DOWN AT ANY GIVEN DAY.
WELL, THIS, BUT THIS, BUT BASICALLY YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THIS WAS REQUIRED TO NOW WAS ON A LIST, BUT IT COULDN'T BE DONE.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING BACK AND DOING IT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES.
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UM, MANPOWER TO DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME LAST SUMMER.IT WAS TOO MUCH TO DO IN ONE SUMMER, LAST SUMMER.
SO DO YOU WANNA, UM, DISPLAY THE MOTION? OKAY.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, THE MOTION DISPLAYED.
PLEASE, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, 10 0 1 MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 29 WITH THOMPSON CONSTRUCTION FOR THE SAFETY, SECURITY, TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ATHLETIC SCOPE AT BLUFFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,312,562.
ALL RIGHT, MS. UM, BOATRIGHT SECOND THE MOTION, WE'LL LET YOU DISPLAY IT.
UM, ROBIN, MR. SMITH AND THIS, AND THIS, THIS MOTION HERE IS BASICALLY TO, IS TO, UH, FACILITATE THE REFERENDUM MONEY.
IS THAT CORRECT? THIS WAS ON THE REFERENDUM, CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
I DIDN'T HEAR, UM, ELIZABETH, I'M SORRY.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, 10 10 0 1 WITH, UH, DR.
MADAM CHAIR, I'M MOVED THAT THE BOARD APPROVED THE CONTRACT WITH BURR FORM AND FOREMAN WITH THE CHANGES MADE TO THE DATE AND THE MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
EARL CAMPBELL SECOND THAT MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? THIS IS THE, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE LOBBYIST, AND WE'RE WAITING FOR ROBIN TO GET IT DISPLAYED.
DATE AND THE MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT.
MR. SMITH ACTUALLY, UH, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT, UH, WITHIN THE DISTRICT, UH, BEST WAY TO SPEND OUR, OUR MONEY.
I THINK WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A LOBBYIST COMMITTEE AND WE HAVE, UH, STATE OFFICIAL STATE SENATORS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT SOME OF US FROM TIME TO TIME GO UP TO COLUMBIA AND WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT OF, I THINK SPENDING THAT MONEY IS KIND OF, UH, I, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE A NEED TO, TO SPEND THAT MONEY AND I DON'T SEE WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN MORE BANG, FIVE BUCKS, SO I CAN'T SUPPORT IT DUE TO THOSE REASONS I JUST LISTED.
MR. EARL CAMPBELL, THEN MS. BOATWRIGHT, I, THAT WE HAVE NOT HARASS ME WAS THEM, UH, WAS PASSED IN DECEMBER.
DECEMBER, UH, BUT THEY, THEY, UH, WE WON'T LISTEN AT ALL.
SO I THINK WE, WE DO NEED A, THEY SENT THEM, THEY DON'T BOARD.
WE JUST GOT A MESSAGE THAT, UM, OUR MEMBER, UH, JOINING US REMOTELY COULD NOT HEAR YOU.
SO WAS YOUR, YOUR, UM, MICROPHONE ON? SO JUST, YOU CAN JUST RESTATE.
I WAS JUST SAYING THAT THE LOBBYISTS HAVE HELPED US QUITE A BIT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS SINCE THEY'VE BEEN ON BOARD.
UM, THEY HAVE MADE SURE, SURE.
THAT WE HAVEN'T LOSE ANY MONEY.
UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY I SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
UM, AS WAS ALREADY MENTIONED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION,
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UH, A HUN OVER 120 BILLS HAVE BEEN PRE-FILED REGARDING EDUCATION.UM, AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS LOBBYIST WORKS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND THEM, WILL HELP US ADVOCATE FOR THEM.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPACTFUL YEAR, LEGISLATIVE YEAR FOR EDUCATION.
SO I'M GLAD TO HAVE A, A SEASONED, UM, EXPERT WHO KNOWS OUR DISTRICT, MR. CARLTON DALLAS, I'LL, EXCUSE ME.
UM, SO CARLTON, GET YOUR MOUTH CLOSE TO THE WELL MICROPHONE.
UM, WORKING WITH THE LOBBYISTS WHEN THEY HAVE SINGULAR ACCOUNTABILITY TO A SINGLE ENTITY, GET A LOT BETTER RESPONSE.
WE CAN CUSTOMIZE OUR NEEDS AND THEY REPRESENT THAT.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, TEN ONE ZERO MADAM CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE MOTIONS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND, UH, MS. CUSHEN BARRY, UH, I ASKED YOU, AND MAYBE YOU'VE ALREADY DONE IT, TO, UH, CORRECT.
THE SECOND MOTION WAS SECONDED BY EARL CAMPBELL, NOT CARLTON DALLAS.
[Approval of Agenda]
NEXT UP, WE NEED A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE AGENDA.WISNESKI MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE JANUARY 17TH AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY NAYS? THE THE AGENDA IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE BODY.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
UH, STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.WE'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
[Student Performance – Broad River Starfish Singers ]
WE NOW HAVE A STUDENT PERFORMANCE, THE BROAD RIVER STARFISH SINGERS ARE PERFORMING.HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THEIR MUSIC TEACHER LAURA BOOZER.
GOOD EVENING, OUR AWESOME SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT AND ALL OF OUR DISTRICT STAFF.
IF I MAY, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR AWESOME STARFISH SINGERS PERFORM FOR YOU TONIGHT.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, BUT I TOLD THEM, WHEN YOU COME FROM THE BEST SCHOOL, YOU SHOULDN'T BE NERVOUS.
YOU'RE GONNA DO WONDERFUL AND FANTASTICALLY WELL.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU'RE GONNA ENCOURAGE THEM.
I INVITE YOU TO COME FROM BEHIND YOUR CHAIRS TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN SEE AND HEAR THEM VERY WELL, BECAUSE THEY ARE EXCITED BUT NERVOUS.
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IT'S A GOOD YEAR.JUST TO SEE WHAT YOU DO BEHIND AND TRY SOMETHING NEW NOW.
IT'S A NEW DAWN AND THE BIRDS ARE SINGING.
IT'S A BEST HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
THANK YOU TO THE, UM, STARFISH SINGERS.
[Points of Celebration]
ON OUR AGENDA ARE THE POINTS OF CELEBRATION.GUZ AND THANK YOU TO OUR, UH, SINGERS TODAY, FORGETTING US STARTED THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, FIRST ON POINTS OF CELEBRATION IS SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH.
JANUARY IS SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH WITH THE THEME OF FORWARD TOGETHER.
FORWARD TOGETHER REMINDS US OF THE LEADERSHIP ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, WHILE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED FOR THE COLLECTIVE PARENTS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS, PARTICULARLY AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES OF THE LAST OF THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AS A SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION, YOU WILL FIND UMBRELLAS AT YOUR SEATS.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN EXPRESSING OUR APPRECIATION AS WE HONOR THE YEAR ROUND COMMITMENT THAT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS MAKE TO OUR DISTRICT AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO LET'S HAVE A PHOTO OF THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE WITH OUR POSTER FROM THE, UM, SCHOOL BOARD'S ASSOCIATION.
MAYBE WE'LL JUST HAVE SOMEBODY HOLD THE POSTER UP HERE AND WE COULD JUST ALL GATHER AROUND.
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NEXT ITEM ON POINTS OF CELEBRATION IS THE CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM WAS FORMED TO SUPPORT PARENTS' EFFORTS TO DEVELOP GOOD CHARACTER IN THEIR CHILDREN.
TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE CHARACTER ED STUDENT FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, AND DECEMBER'S CHARACTER TRAIT WAS COMPASSION.
COMPASSION IS DEFINED AS A FEELING OF WANTING TO HELP SOMEONE WHO IS SICK, HUNGRY, IN TROUBLE, ET CETERA.
DECEMBER'S STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR NORTHERN BEAUFORD COUNTY IS BRIANNA MACL, AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT BRIANNA IS SOCIAL WORKER MARIAH KINNEY? YEAH.
HAPPY, UH, SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH.
I'M THE SOCIAL WORKER AT LADIES ALLEN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO KNOW BRIANNA MICHAEL THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
HER COMPASSION IS VERY EVIDENT.
YOU WILL NEVER SEE HER HAVE A BAD DAY.
SHE'S ALWAYS SMILING, ALWAYS HAS SWEET WORDS TO SAY TO EVERYBODY, AND I'M JUST VERY PROUD OF HER.
THANK YOU FOR SOUTHERN BUFORD COUNTY.
THE DECEMBER STUDENT OF THE MONTH IS ISABELLA SKELLY, A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
HERE TO TELL US MORE ABOUT HER STUDENT IS PRINCIPAL MICHELLE BROCKWAY.
CONGRATULATIONS BOTH TO BRIANNA AND ISABELLA.
I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE TO INTRODUCE OUR CHARACTER EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE MONTH, ISABELLA SKELLY.
ISABELLA WAS NOMINATED BY HER ART TEACHER, MRS. JAKE WHIS, THE ENTIRE SPECIALIST TEAM AND HER CLASSROOM TEACHERS AGREED THAT ISABELLA WAS THE PERFECT STUDENT TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR SHOWING COMPASSION.
ONE OF HER FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS SHARED SHE HAS NEVER HAD A STUDENT WHO IS MORE GENUINE, KIND AND CARING THAN ISABELLA.
ISABELLA HAS THE CLASSMATE THAT WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH HALLOWEEN AND DIDN'T HAVE A COSTUME TO GO TRICK OR TREATING.
BACK IN OCTOBER WHEN SHE LEARNED THIS, SHE CREATED AN ENTIRE COSTUME WITH REPURPOSED MATERIALS IN THE ART ROOM FOR HER CLASSMATE.
IT CAME OUT FANTASTIC AND HER CLASSMATE WAS SO HAPPY.
THIS SAME CLASSMATE HAD TO HAVE SURGERY OVER THE WINTER BREAK AND BEFORE LEAVING FOR BREAK, ISABELLA CAME IN WITH A GIFT FOR HIM.
SHE HAD REMEMBERED HIM MENTIONING HIS FAVORITE TOYS AND THOUGHT SHE WOULD BRING HIM IN A SPIDER-MAN TOY AND A MONSTER TRUCK.
SHE THEN PLAYED WITH HIM IN HIS NEW TOYS DURING INDOOR RECESS.
ISABELLA IS SO DESERVING OF THIS RECOGNITION AS A STUDENT THAT LISTENS WITH EMPATHY AND SHOWS COMPASSION.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND CONGRATULATIONS.
CONGRATULATIONS BOTH TO BRIANNA AND ISABELLA.
WE HAVE ONE FINAL POINT OF CELEBRATION TONIGHT THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND THAT IS THE BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE BEACON AWARD.
AFTER, UH, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS RECEIVED THE EXCELLENT NEWS THAT THEY RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE BEACON AWARD.
IF YOU TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREEN FOR A SHORT VIDEO ABOUT THE AWARD FOLLOWED BY A FEW WORDS FROM WALES BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, MR. DAVINA COLEMAN PROUDLY DISPLAYING THIS AMAZING AWARD, WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVED THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE BEACON AWARD.
THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON PROGRAM RECOGNIZES SCHOOLS BASED ON THEIR OVERALL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE OR THEIR PROGRESS IN CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS.
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WINNING THIS BEACON AWARD HAS BEEN SUCH AN HONOR FOR OUR SCHOOL.IT CELEBRATES THE EXCELLENCE THAT HAS TAKING PLACE IN OUR SCHOOL.
IT CELEBRATES THE PATHWAYS THAT WE ARE PRESENTED TO OUR STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.
I LIKE TO BE PROJECT BASED BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET ENGAGED IN INFORMATION, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO RETAIN IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE WARRIORS ON A PATH TO EXCELLENCE AND AT THIS MOMENT WE'RE UNITING THE VILLAGE.
AND THIS AWARD CAME AT THE RIGHT TIME TO CELEBRATE AND TO HONOR THE JOURNEY.
THE SCHOOL OFFERS STUDENTS A VARIETY OF COURSES, PREPARING THEM FOR COLLEGE AND CAREERS, AND STUDENTS ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT WHILE THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY WORLD BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE.
HIGH SCHOOL IS SUCH A GREAT SCHOOL BECAUSE IT AFFORDS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ON THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE OF TCL ALLOWS YOU TO GET ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.
ANOTHER REASON WHY THIS SCHOOL IS SUCH A GREAT SCHOOL IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A J R T C PROGRAM IN WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO JUST BUILD THAT PATH FOR THOSE WHO WANNA SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
SO ANOTHER THING THAT MAKES WELL BRANCH STAND OUT THAT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNOW IS THAT WE OFFER CAKE CLASSES AND ALSO STEM CLASSES, ESPECIALLY IN THE ENGINEERING FIELD.
LIKE WE HAVE A ROBOTICS CLASS, WE HAVE A CYBERSECURITY CLASS, WE HAVE MANY CLASSES THAT HELP TRAIN STUDENTS IN AREAS THAT MANY BUSINESSES NEED TODAY IN THE WORLD.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WE BRANCH IS THAT IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT FACILITATES, YOU KNOW, GOOD LEARNING HABITS AND THEY REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO PUT IN THE BEST WORK THAT WE CAN.
THEY OFFER US TONS OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN DO.
THEY OFFER ONSITE TESTING FOR COLLEGE READY TESTS.
THEY OFFER TCL CLASSES THAT HELP US A LOT.
THE SCHOOL ALSO OFFERS SEVERAL INSTRUCTIONAL SESSIONS FOR STUDENTS IN THEIR FAMILIES DISCUSSING A C T AND S A T TESTING FINANCIAL AID EVEN MORE.
WE HAVE LIKE NIGHTS LIKE FAFSA NIGHTS WHERE COUNSELORS CAN COME MEET WHERE OUR STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL IN THE CAFETERIA AND TALK ABOUT, UH, FINANCIAL STATUS AND HOW THEY CAN LIKE RECEIVE REWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS OR LOANS, HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE AND OVERALL, YOU KNOW, BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE IN THEIR CAREER.
THE SCHOOL WAS PRESENTED WITH A REWARD LAST MONTH DURING A CONFERENCE IN FLORIDA FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT RAMOS.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR POINTS OF CELEBRATIONS.
THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE THAT WERE RECOGNIZED.
[First Public Comments]
ON OUR AGENDA IS THE FIRST PUBLIC'S, UH, COMMENTS AND WE HAVE, UH, APPROXIMATELY CLOSE TO 20 PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT.WE HAVE, UH, MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE IN PERSON.
WE HAVE A COUPLE PEOPLE ALSO, UM, WHO ARE GOING TO DO IT REMOTELY ON, UM, OVER THE PHONE.
SO I'LL REMIND THOSE THAT HAVE, UH, DECIDED TO COMMENT THAT THE RULES FOR SPEAKING THE SPEAKERS MUST ADDRESS THE BOARD, CONFINE YOUR COMMENTS TO ISSUES WITH AN THE DOMAIN OF THE BOARD, REFRAIN FROM RACIAL COMMENTS.
OBSCENITIES, VULGARITIES DO 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 COMMUNICATIONS WILL NOT INCLUDE GOSSIP, DEFAMATORY WORDS OR ABUSIVE AND VULGAR LANGUAGE, NOT EXCEED.
THREE MINUTES, THERE'LL BE A VISIBLE AUDIBLE TIMER.
TIMER AND PERSONS MAY NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO SOMEONE ELSE.
YOU'VE COMPLETED THIS CARD AND UH, YOU HAVE SHOWN US, UH, OR FILLED OUT THE PORTION THAT TELLS US THE TOPICS YOU, YOU'LL BE TALKING ABOUT.
SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE MAYOR DECKER WHO WILL BE TALKING ABOUT BOOK BANNING.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
I BELIEVE THEY VIOLATE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND LIMIT STUDENTS' EXPOSURE TO GREAT LITERATURE.
UM, BUT IN REGARD TO THE COMPLAINANTS, I WOULD NOT OBJECT IF THEY HAD A LEGITIMATE CONCERN INVOLVING THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
THEY FOLLOWED THE DISTRICT'S PROTOCOL FOR CHALLENGING ANY MATERIALS AND THEY ACTUALLY READ THE MATERIAL.
HOWEVER, I CHALLENGED THIS BAN BECAUSE MY INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE COMPLAINANT'S EFFORT TO REMOVE ALMOST A HUNDRED BOOKS FROM OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES WERE COORDINATED WITH FAR RIGHT GROUPS AND THEY WERE THE POINT OF CONTACT IN THE STATEWIDE EFFORT TO REMOVE LIBRARY BOOKS.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THEIR MEMBERS BOMBARDED DISTRICT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES THAT WITH EMAILS THAT THREATEN CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOR DISTRIBUTION OF PORNOGRAPHY.
TO BE CLEAR, THESE EFFORTS TO BAN BOOKS ARE NOT ABOUT SPONTANEOUS PARENTAL CONCERN.
BOOK BANNING IS DRIVEN BY SOCIAL MEDIA, CONSERVATIVE WEBSITES AND WELL-FUNDED RIGHT WING POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECT FOLLOWERS TO TARGET SPECIFIC BOOKS AND THEY PROVIDE SCRIPTS FOR THEIR ACTIVISTS.
THAT'S WHY THEIR DISCIPLES ARE CLUELESS ABOUT THE CONTENT OF
[00:35:01]
THE VERY BOOKS THEY SEEK TO BAN BECAUSE THEY DON'T READ THEM.IN FACT, THE GREAT IRONY OF ALL THIS UNNECESSARY CHAOS IS THAT WHILE THE REVIEW COMMITTEES HAVE TO READ THE BOOKS BEING CHALLENGED, THE COMPLAINANTS DON'T IN MY VIEW, THOSE WHO ACCUSE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT OF BEING QUOTE UNQUOTE PORN PEDDLERS FOR NOT PROTECTING THE CHILDREN FROM AWARD-WINNING BOOKS CAREFULLY WRITTEN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE VERY ONES ASSERTING THE SAME CHILDREN CAN HANDLE GUNS AND HAVE BABIES.
IN 1964, THE ESTEEMED SUPREME COURT JUSTICE POTTER STEWART FAMOUSLY STATED WHEN ASKED TO DESCRIBE HIS TEST FOR OBSCENITY, I KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT, BUT RATHER THAN RELY ON THE WISDOM OF POTTER STEWART, WE'RE EXPECTED TO TAKE DIRECTION FROM READING A VERSE.
HER TOPIC IS ORGANIZATIONS LEADING THE BOOK BAN EFFORTS.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
THE UNPRECEDENTED SL OF BOOK BANS IN OUR COUNTY STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY REFLECTS AN INCREASING ORGANIZATION OF GROUPS INVOLVED IN ADVOCATING FOR SUCH BANS, THE INCREASED INVOLVEMENT OF STATE OFFICIALS AND BOOK BANNING DEBATES AND THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW LAWS AND POLICIES.
CURRENT CHALLENGES TO BOOKS ORIGINATE, ORIGINATE NOT FROM CONSIDERING PARENTS ACTING INDIVIDUALLY FROM POLITICAL ADVOCACY GROUPS WORKING IN CONCERT TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF LIMITING WHAT BOOK STUDENTS CAN ACCESS AND READ.
THE RESULTING HARM IS WIDESPREAD AFFECTING PEDAGOGY, INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, AND PLACING LIMITS ON THE PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY OF SCHOOL.
THE REPERCUSSIONS EXTEND FURTHER TO THE WELLBEING OF THE STUDENTS AFFECTED BODIS PAYMENTS.
CHILDREN OF ANY AGE DESERVE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN BOOKS AND THEY DESERVE ACCESS TO A DIVERSITY OF STORIES AND PERSPECTIVES THAT HELP THEM UNDERSTAND AND AND NAVIGATE THE BOOKS REFLECTING DIVERSE IDENTITIES RISK CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH STUDENTS FEEL EXCLUDED WITH POTENTIALLY PROFOUND EFFECTS ON HOW STUDENTS LEAD AND BECOME INFORMED CITIZENS AND PLURALISTIC AND DIVERSE SOCIETY.
WHAT CHALLENGES IMPEDED FREE EXPRESSION RIGHTS, WHICH MUST BE THE B*****K OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN AN OPEN, INCLUSIVE, AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.
THOSE BANS ATTEMPTED ATTEMPTS POSE A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT TO THOSE IN AND OUT SCHOOLS INTERSECTING WITH OTHER MOVEMENTS TO BLOCK OR COURT ALL THE ADVANCES IN CIVIL RIGHTS FOR HISTORICALLY MORE PEOPLE AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF OTHER EFFORTS TO ROLL BACK CIVIL LIBERTIES AND DEMOCRATIC MEANS.
THE SURROUNDING SCHOOL PINS ARE A CANOE IN THE COAL FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND FREE EXPRESSION.
NEXT WE HAVE PETER BACH SPEAKING ABOUT BOOK REMOVAL.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE BOOK REMOVAL EFFORT.
THE ORGANIZATION MOST CLOSELY LINKED TO NATIONWIDE BOOK REMOVAL EFFORTS IS THE IRONICALLY NAMED MOMS FOR LIBERTY.
MOMS FOR LIBERTY CLAIMS TO BE AN ORGANIC GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT WHOSE PRIMARY FOCUS IS PARENTAL RIGHTS.
THEIR CLAIM, THEY CLAIM THAT THEIR PRIMARY SOURCE OF FUNDING IS T-SHIRT SALES.
THEY HAVE CLAIM STATUS AS A 5 0 1
IT ALSO MEANS THAT THEY'RE PROHIBITED FROM ENGAGING IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY.
IN REALITY, MOMS FOR LIBERTY IS A VERY WELL-FUNDED ORGANIZATION THAT IS TIGHTLY ALIGNED WITH EXTREME ELEMENTS.
THE RETU REPUBLICAN PARTY AND FAR-RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND THE C**K NETWORK, THEIR FOUND THEIR FUNDING IS TOTALLY NON-TRANSPARENT.
ALTHOUGH WE DO KNOW THEY RECEIVE GENEROUS FUNDING FROM AN FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH RE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THEIR CLAIM TO BE NON-POLITICAL IS A COMPLETE LIE.
THEIR AGENDA IS TO IMPOSE THEIR NO NARROW-MINDED VIEWS ON EVERYONE ELSE AND THEY HAVE CHOSEN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS THEIR PRIMARY BATTLEGROUND.
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DO NOT WANT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO TEACH ANYTHING THAT CONFLICTS WITH THEIR WORLDVIEW.A WORLD IN WHICH WHITE, CHRISTIAN HETEROSEXUAL MEN ARE DOMINANT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS SUBSERVIENT.
A WORLD IN WHICH WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR KNOW THEIR PLACE AND GAY PEOPLE EITHER DON'T EXIST OR ARE COMPLETELY INVISIBLE.
THEY RELY HEAVILY ON BULLYING AND INTIMIDATION.
WE'VE SEEN THAT RIGHT HERE IN BEAUFORD COUNTY.
ANYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH THEM IS LABELED A PEDOPHILE OR A GROOMER.
THEY HAVE BULLIED AND HARASSED TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AS ONE MOMS FOR LIBERTY.
MEMBERS SHOUTED AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING INFL IN FLORIDA.
WE'RE COMING AT YOU LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU BEG FOR MERCY.
IF YOU THOUGHT JANUARY 6TH WAS BAD, WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU.
IT IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT MOMS FOR LIBERTY DOES NOT REPRESENT A MAJORITY OF PARENTS, WHICH IS WHY THEY NEED TO RELY ON BULLYING AND THREATS OF VIOLENCE TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, THEY SIMPLY CANNOT ACCEPT THE TRUTH.
A SOLID MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WANTS A COUNTRY WHERE EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT AND A COUNTRY WHERE EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THEIR STORY.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS MY FINAL COMMENTS TO THE TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
MANY OF US WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED WHEN YOU CAPITULATED TO A VOCAL MINORITY, UH, WHO DEMANDED REMOVAL OF 97 TITLES FROM OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOUR OWN ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES AT THIS POINT.
YOU PROBABLY WISH THIS WHOLE ISSUE WOULD JUST GO AWAY SO YOU CAN FOCUS YOUR TIME, YOUR TALENT, AND YOUR ENERGY ON ISSUES THAT WOULD ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE EDUCATION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY STUDENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES, DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THAT IS GONNA HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE IF YOU WERE GIVEN A DO-OVER, YOU WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A DIFFERENT COURSE OF ACTION.
I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED THAT THE NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN APPROACH SIMPLY DOES NOT WORK.
APPEASING POLICE IS NOT A VIABLE STRATEGY.
WE FULLY EXPECT YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND WE WILL SUPPORT YOU IF YOU DO SO.
THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IS FAR TOO IMPORTANT THAN TO BE DICTATED BY A LOUD NARROW-MINDED MINORITY.
NEXT UP IS MILLIE BENNETT ON BOOK.
I AM MILLIE BENNETT AND I AM A SENIOR AT HIGH SCHOOL AND I AM HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE BOOK THAT HAVE BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION IN OUR COUNTY.
I'M CONCERNED BY THE TARGETS OF THE BOOKS ON THE LIST OF THE PERSPECTIVES AND LESSONS WE ARE TAKING OUT OF THE CLASSROOM, SPECIFICALLY THAT OF LGBTQ PLUS AUTHORS.
AS A QUEER WOMAN MYSELF, I FIND IT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT THE STORIES THAT WE READ REFLECT BOTH PERSPECTIVES THAT THOSE OF MINORITIES EXPERIENCE AND THAT THE MAJORITY ARE UN UNABLE TO EXPERIENCE FOR THEMSELVES.
THE ABILITY FOR A PERSON TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THE STORY IS AN IMPERATIVE EXPERIENCE.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THIS APPLIES IN MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.
I READ A BOOK THAT FEATURED A LESBIAN AS THE MAIN CHARACTER.
IT WAS THE FIRST STAFF ROMANCE THAT I HAD READ AND IT WAS PART OF MY JOURNEY FOR REALIZING IT WAS OKAY TO BE MYSELF AS I WAS BORN.
THIS EXPERIENCE IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THOSE NOT WITHIN THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
THE ABILITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRAIGHT TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS KIND OF STORY ELEVATES THE ABILITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE GAY OR TRANS TO LIVE THEIR LIVES SAFE AND ACCEPTED.
READING NEW STORIES BUILT EMPATHY CREATES UNDERSTANDING AND CONNECTS OUR COMMUNITY TO BE STRONGER TOGETHER.
BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE STORIES TO QUEER STUDENTS AND OF BUILDING EMPATHY, IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO NOT BAN BOOKS THAT TELL THE STORIES OF MINORITIES.
OF THE 97 BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM OUR CELL UP FROM OUR SHELVES, 30% OF THEM FEATURE A QUEER MAIN CHARACTER.
HOWEVER, THE QUEER COMMUNITY TAKES UP LESS THAN 4% OF THE POPULATION.
JUST FROM THIS LIST ALONE, STORIES OF QUEERNESS HAVE BEEN BANNED ALMOST EIGHT TIMES AS MUCH AS OUR STRAIGHT COUNTERPARTS.
IN CLOSING, ALL I WANT TO SAY IS THAT LGBTQ PLUS BOOKS HAVE AN INTENSE AND IMPORTANT IMPACT ON BOTH COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS.
REMOVING THESE BOOKS FROM OUR LIBRARIES WILL NOT POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY IN ANY WAY AND WILL INSTEAD ONLY INCREASE STRIFE AMONG QUEER KIDS WHO MAY ONLY NEED A BOOK TO LEARN TO LOVE THEMSELVES.
NEXT WE HAVE MADELINE CONAIR ON BOOK BANNING.
I'M FROM BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M 17 YEARS OLD.
AS YOU CAN ASSUME, BY MY AGE I WAS NOT ALIVE DURING THE ATTACKS OF NINE 11 DURING SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES AND HONORARY EVENTS.
WHEN PEOPLE SAY, DON'T FORGET, I AM NOT EVEN ABLE TO REMEMBER BECAUSE I WASN'T BORN.
IT WASN'T UNTIL I FINISHED THE BOOK EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLO CLOSE TWO DAYS AGO THAT I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD.
IF THAT TITLE SOUNDS FAMILIAR, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S ON THE BAND BOOK LIST, WHICH IS WHAT I'M HERE TO DISCUSS TODAY.
THIS BOOK HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE BOOK LIST SEEMINGLY DUE TO ITS REFERENCES TO SEXUAL CONTENT, WHICH I DID.
THE MATH AND THE SEXUAL CONTENT OF THE BOOK IS ESTIMATED TO MAKE UP 0.7% OF THE BOOK SHOWING THAT THE SEXUAL CONTENT ISN'T THE ACTUAL MESSAGE OF THE STORY.
THE POINT OF THE STORY WAS TO FOLLOW THE MORNING OF A KID NAMED OSCAR WHO LOST HIS FATHER DURING NINE 11.
ALTHOUGH I HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT NINE 11,
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IT WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THE WEIGHT OF THE SITUATION AND THE GRIEF THAT OCCURRED WITHOUT LIVING THROUGH IT.HOWEVER, READING AN ENTIRE BOOK ABOUT A LITTLE BOY WHO LOST HIS FATHER SO EARLY ALLOWED THINGS TO BE PUT IN PERSPECTIVE EVEN IF IT WAS FICTIONAL.
IF THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS BAND BOOK LIST HAD ACTUALLY READ THIS BOOK, THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE FOCUS ISN'T SEXUAL CONTENT, BUT RATHER THE JOURNEY OF GRIEF OF A LITTLE BOY READING A BOOK LIKE THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO MY GENERATION AND GENERATIONS AFTER ME, WHICH ARE THE PEOPLE MAINLY AFFECTED BY THESE BOOK BANDS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT LIVED THESE EXPERIENCES, WE WERE NOT ALIVE TO EXPERIENCE THE GRIEF OF NINE 11 BOOKS ARE HOW WE ARE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE MULTIPLE LIVES AND SEE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES.
HOW WAS I ABLE TO GRIEF FOR MY NATION WHEN I WASN'T EVEN ALIVE DURING NINE 11? NOW THAT I HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE EYES OF OSCAR SHELL, I AM ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF MOURNING THAT OUR NATION EXPERIENCED.
THE BOOKS ON THE BAND BOOK LIST CONTAIN STORIES THAT WE NEED TO HEAR.
JUST LIKE HOW I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE TRAGEDY OF NINE 11 THROUGH OSCAR SHELL'S EYES, ALL PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEEK INSIGHT INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED A DIFFERENT LIFE.
THIS DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO THE BOOK I FINISHED READING, BUT ALSO TO ALL OF THE BOOKS ON THE BAND BOOK LIST, WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY BANS QUEER PEOPLES AND PEOPLE OF COLOR'S STORIES.
IF YOU DON'T LOOK OR FEEL LIKE SOMEONE ELSE, HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO EMPATHIZE WITH THEM? IF NOT THROUGH A STORY AND HOW ARE YOU EXP? HOW ARE WE EXPECTED TO HELP THESE MINORITIES IF WE AREN'T EVEN EDUCATED ENOUGH TO GRASP THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY ARE FACING? IN THIS CASE, IGNORANCE ISN'T BLISS BUT A FATAL WEAKNESS.
WHETHER YOU WANT TO ACCEPT IT OR NOT, THE WORLD IS DIVERSE AND CONTAINS PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL LIVING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LIVES.
A FEW PARENTS SHOULD NOT PREVENT ALL OF US FROM READING ABOUT THESE COMPLEX AND BEAUTIFUL STORIES BECAUSE THESE STORIES REFLECT THE LIVES OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD AND OF OUR REALITY.
NEXT UP WE HAVE SHIRLEY CRUZ PEREZ.
HER TOPIC IS BOOK BANDS NOT HERE.
HIS TOPIC IS WE NEED BOOKS TO HELP UNDERSTAND HISTORY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THEIR PAST ARE CONDEMNED.
WHEN A POLICE OFFICER OFFICER CONDUCTS AN INVESTIGATION, HE HEARS MULTIPLE STORIES FROM MULTIPLE WITNESSES TO MAKE AN IDEA AND COME UP WITH A, AND COME UP WITH A SCENARIO THAT IT WAS LIKELY TO OCCUR.
IF WE STUDY HISTORY BUT ONLY TAKE THE MAJORITY'S PERSPECTIVE, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED, WE ARE BOUND TO REPEAT OUR MISTAKES.
BOOK LIKE STAMPED THAT ARE NON-FICTION, BUT ADDRESSED HISTORICAL EVENTS FROM A DIFFERENT LENS.
WITHOUT THEM WE DON'T GET A FULL VIEW OF HISTORY.
COMMON SENSE MEDIA GAVE THE BOOK A FIVE, OUTTA FIVE FOR ITS EDUCATIONAL VALUE.
STAMP HAS BEEN CRITICIZED IN BANS DUE TO ITS CLAIMS OF PICKING AND CHOOSING FROM HISTORY.
PEOPLE SAY IT ONLY TELLS ONE SIDE OF THE STORY, BUT BY BANNING IT, YOU ARE ONLY GIVING US ACCESS TO ONE SIDE OF THE STORY.
IN MY EYES, THAT IS HYPOCRISY AT ITS FINES.
IF ONLY GIVING US ONE SIDE OF THE STORY IS WRONG, WHY IS IT? WHY IS ONLY GIVING US A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE STORY? CORRECT? PEOPLE ALSO SAY STAMPED AND OTHER BOOKS DISCUSS DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TOO MUCH, TOO MUCH THAT IT IS BANNED.
BUT BY NOT LEARNING ABOUT THEM AND ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR IMPORTANCE, YOU ARE ASKING MY GENERATION TO DO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
IF YOU ASK A TODDLER NOT TO EAT CANDY BEFORE DINNER, IT IS STILL GOING TO EAT CANDY BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT EXPLAINED ITS IMPORTANCE.
INSTEAD, YOU CAN TELL IT YOU DON'T GET DESSERT AFTER DINNER.
YOU ARE IMPLYING CONSEQUENCES AND THAT IS WHAT BOOKS ARE TEACHING US.
ELIZABETH FOSTER ON BOOK BANDS.
MY NAME IS ELIZABETH FOSTER AND I'M A SENIOR AT BUFORT ACADEMY.
I'M SPEAKING AS THE LEADER OF BA'S DIVERSITY AWARENESS YOUTH LITERACY ORGANIZATION.
22% OF THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS WERE WRITTEN BY AUTHORS OF COLOR.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE BANDS CITE, THIS IS A POINT OF PRIDE, A DEFENSE AGAINST ACCUSATIONS OF DISCRIMINATORY SELECTION PROCESSES.
I WONDER IF THEY REALIZED THAT ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES FROM 1950 TO 2018, JUST 5% OF BOOKS WERE WRITTEN BY NON-WHITE AUTHORS.
SUDDENLY ONLY 22% OF BAND AUTHORS IDENTIFYING AS PEOPLE OF COLOR DOES NOT SEEM QUITE AS IMPRESSIVE.
ONCE WE STOP PRETENDING THAT BOOK BANDS AREN'T A DIRECT ATTACK ON DIVERSE LITERATURE, WE CAN BEGIN TO DISSECT THE SOCIAL AND RACIAL RACIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR IMPLEMENTATION.
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OF SYSTEMIC RACISM IS EXPOSED IN COUNTLESS AREAS, EDUCATION INCLUDED.AS A RESULT, HONORS AND AP CLASSES OVERWHELMINGLY CONSIST OF WHITE STUDENTS.
INSTEAD OF WORKING TO INCREASE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN SCHOOLS, WE ARE REMOVING REPRESENTATION THAT WOULD EMPOWER STUDENTS OF COLOR AND POSSIBLY BEGIN TO BRIDGE THE RACIAL GAP.
IN EDUCATION, STUDENTS WANT TO RELATE TO BOOKS TO SEE THEIR OWN STORIES BEING TOLD AND TO FOLLOW CHARACTERS FACING SIMILAR STRUGGLES.
THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE WHEN SUCH A LARGE PROPORTION OF NOVELS WRITTEN BY MINORITY AUTHORS ARE BEING SNATCHED FROM CLASSROOM SHELVES.
IN ADDITION TO EMPOWERING STUDENTS OF COLOR, DIVERSE AUTHORS HAVE INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL TO EDUCATE WHITE STUDENTS AND FORGE NOVEL PERSPECTIVES THAT CAN ONLY BE ADOPTED THROUGH LITERATURE.
WHILE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO LITERALLY VIEW THE WORLD FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S EYES, READING BRINGS US ABOUT AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET.
BOOKS PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE STRUGGLES WE WOULD NEVER KNOW OTHERWISE.
TO FACE ENTIRELY FOREIGN CONFLICTS, WE CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW OUR LIVES MIGHT CHANGE IF WE LOOK DIFFERENT OR HAD ACCESS TO AN ALTERNATE SET OF RESOURCES.
EXPOSURE TO THESE STORIES FORCES STUDENTS TO RECONSIDER CONCEPTS LIKE PRIVILEGE AND PREJUDICE, MINIMIZING THE LIMITATIONS OF IGNORANCE AND UNAWARE WHETHER OR NOT AUTHORS RACES ARE OFFICIALLY TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY THOSE PUSHING FOR BANDS.
THE CURRENT LIST DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGETS NON-WHITE AUTHORS.
THIS COMPLETELY CONTRADICTS THE GOAL OF EDUCATION TO PROMOTE CRITICAL THINKING AND EMPATHY IN STUDENTS.
IF BEAUFORT WANTS TO GENERATE A KIND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL CITIZENS, REMOVING DIVERSE STORIES SHOULD BE THE LAST THING ON ANYONE'S MIND.
UH, HER TOPIC IS BOOK BANNING.
UM, HELLO, UM, MY NAME IS ISABELLA TROY AND I'M A SENIOR AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
THE LAST TIME I SPOKE ABOUT BOOK BANNING, I HAD A DIFFERENT APPROACH, MAINLY FOCUSING ON HOW BANNING BOOKS WOULD NOT FACTOR INTO WHETHER OR NOT STUDENTS CHOSE TO USE DRUGS.
I'VE SINCE REALIZED THAT BANNING CERTAIN BOOKS WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT IMPACTS.
PARENTS ARE DEMANDING CERTAIN BOOKS BE BANNED BECAUSE THEY'RE FULL OF LIES OR BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN A CERTAIN POLITICAL AGENDA THAT ISN'T SUPPORTED IN THEIR HOUSE.
BANNING BOOKS IS NOT A LONG TERM FIX FOR KIDS BEING EXPOSED TO HARSH REALITIES.
I REALIZED THAT BOOKS ARE JUST A LENS INTO THE TRUTH OF THE AUTHOR AND PEOPLE FIND COMFORT IN CERTAIN BOOKS BECAUSE THIS TRUTH ALSO APPLIES TO THEM.
ONE OF THE BEAUTIES IN THIS COUNTRY IS THAT WE ARE ALL FREE.
FREE TO MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS, FREE TO VOTE FOR WHOEVER WE DESIRE, FREE TO WALK THE STREET AS WE PLEASE FREE TO WEAR WHAT WE WANT, PRAY TO WHO WE WANT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE FREE TO CHOOSE WHAT WE READ.
BOOKS CONTAINING SUBJECTS ABOUT SURVIVING CHILD ABUSE, DISCRIMINATION, RACISM, AND MISO.
AND YOU SPEAK TO ME THE MOST BECAUSE THOUGH THESE WERE HARD EXPERIENCES FOR ME, THEY ARE MY TRUTH.
THE FREEDOM WRITERS' DIARY IS A BOOK FULL OF STORIES FROM KIDS THAT SUFFERED HARDSHIPS EARLY ON IN THEIR LIVES.
PURPLE DISCUSSES EXTREME ISSUES THAT BLACK AMERICAN FACE DURING THE JIM CROW ERA, SUCH AS SEXUAL ASSAULT, CHILD MARRIAGE, RACISM, UNFAIR GENDER ROLES, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SPIRITUALITY AND SELF-DISCOVERY.
THESE TOPICS THEY HURT TO TALK ABOUT, BUT PEOPLE EXPRESSING THEIR TRUTH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH.
IT IS KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD THAT IF WE DO NOT LEARN FROM OUR HISTORY, THEN WE ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT, EVEN THE KING HIMSELF, MLK JR.
PREACHED THAT I ASKED FOUR OTHER CLASSMATES AT BATTERY CREEK TO DESCRIBE IN ONE WORD HOW THE BANNING OF BOOKS CONTAINING STORIES FROM BLACK KIDS AND TEENS MADE THEM FEEL.
THE RESPONSES I RECEIVED WERE THAT THEY FELT EMBARRASSED AND DISGUSTED.
ANOTHER STATED THAT THE BOOK BANNING FELT PERSONAL.
ANOTHER STUDENT STATED THAT SHE WAS EXTREMELY HURT AS SHE ONLY GETS ACCESS TO READ THROUGH SCHOOL.
I REALIZE THAT SOME OF THESE SUBJECTS ARE HARD TO TALK ABOUT FOR MANY PARENTS BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CHILD HAS NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO SUCH ATROCITIES.
BUT FOR A LARGE POPULATION OF STUDENTS, THESE TOPICS ARE JUST ANOTHER TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
LET'S TIGHTEN UP ON DRUG AWARENESS AND IN AN AND PUT AN END TO OPPRESSION AGAINST MINORITIES.
WHEN WE CHANGE THE SYSTEM, THEN WE'LL SEE LESS BOOKS ABOUT HARDSHIPS AND MORE BOOKS ABOUT SUCCESS.
INSTEAD OF TAKING THINGS OUT OF SCHOOLS TO MAKE A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE COMFORTABLE, MAYBE WE SHOULD BE PUTTING THINGS INTO THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNICATE COMMUNITIES TO EDUCATE ALL OF US RESULTING IN SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.
NEXT WE HAVE MELINDA HENDRICKSON SPEAKING ON BOOK BANDS.
MY NAME IS MELINDA HENDRICKSON AND I'M A PARENT TO THREE CHILDREN, ONE WHO IS CURRENTLY IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AT BEAUFORT HIGH.
I'M ALSO THE ORGANIZER OF FAMILIES AGAINST BOOK BANDS FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WHEN I GOT MY HANDS ON A LIST OF THE CHALLENGED BOOKS, I MADE A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO WORK MY WAY THROUGH READING THEM.
I'VE FINISHED ABOUT 25 FROM THE LIST AND KEEP COMING BACK TO THE SAME THREE CONCLUSIONS.
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THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BAN THESE BOOKS HAVEN'T BOTHERED TO READ THEM.THEY'RE CHERRY PICKING PASSAGES AND SHARING THESE FOR SHOCK VALUE CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT IN LITERATURE AND SEXUAL CONTENT DOES NOT EQUATE TO PORNOGRAPHY.
JUST LIKE READING ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION DOES NOT EQUATE TO GROOMING.
NUMBER TWO, THE THING, THE SECOND THING I'VE LEARNED, OUR LIBRARIANS ARE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SELECTING BOOKS THAT ARE WELL WRITTEN, THEY'RE INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE, AND THOUGHT PROVOKING.
SOME OF THESE BOOKS, I STAYED UP LATE INTO THE NIGHT JUST TO FINISH BECAUSE I COULDN'T PUT THEM DOWN, SO KUDOS TO OUR LIBRARIANS.
NUMBER THREE, THESE ARE EXACTLY THE KIND OF BOOKS I WANT MY KIDS TO READ.
THESE STORIES DEVELOP COMPASSION, CRITICAL THINKING AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN NATURE.
THESE ARE THE TYPE OF BOOKS THAT MAKE PEOPLE SMARTER.
IF CERTAIN PARENTS WANT TO KEEP THEIR KIDS IN THE DARK, LET THEM SUBMIT AN OPT OUT FORM.
THEY SHOULD NOT GET TO CHOOSE FROM MY CHILDREN.
I JUST WANNA CONCLUDE FOR AND ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR LIBRARIANS, OUR EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS.
THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB SPEAKING AND KEEP THESE BOOKS ACCESSIBLE IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
OUR STUDENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO READ.
NEXT WE HAVE JEFF BAKER SPEAKING ON OPPOSED BOOK BANS.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
ONE OF THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF THIS ASSAULT ON BOOKS IS TO DRIVE OUT TEACHERS AND PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS FROM THE PROFESSION OR RELOCATE TO A STATE THAT APPRECIATES SUPPORTS AND NURTURES ITS EDUCATORS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A COUNTYWIDE AND STATEWIDE TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT WILL ONLY BE EXACERBATED BY THIS ATTACK ON TEACHERS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WHY WOULD OUR COLLEAGUE TEACHERS WANT TO ENDORSE SUCH ATTACKS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO PRACTICE THEIR METHODO METHODOLOGIES IN APPROACHING COURSE CONTENT? THESE ATTACKS HAVE A GREATER, A GREATER MOTIVE THAN BANNING BOOKS.
IF YOU READ THE FRONT PAGE OF THIS PAST SUNDAY'S GAZETTE, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ON THE ATTEMPT BY SOME STATE LEGISLATURES TO MAKE IT EASIER TO TRANSFER PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS AWAY FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION AND REDIRECT SUCH FUNDS TO A PRIVATE SCHOOLS, BOTH RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE SEPARATION OF BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE? JUST TODAY, OUR SENATE IN COLUMBIA BEGAN DELIBERATING BILL S SENATE 39, THE EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP TRUST FUND.
THIS IS SIMPLY A VOUCHER SYSTEM TO DIVERT PUBLIC MONEY TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS CAN ALSO CONVENIENTLY REJECT STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL ISSUES OR WITH QUESTIONABLE ACADEMIC RECORDS.
THIS HAS THE MAKING OF A PRIVATE ELITIST SYSTEM.
CONSERVATORS HAVE RUN THIS STATE FOR GENERATIONS AND HAVE FAILED MISERABLY TO DELIVER ON THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION.
BUT INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF DIVERTING THIS MONEY TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THEY SHOULD LOOK UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD, THE STATES LIKE MASSACHUSETTS AND MARYLAND WHO LEAD THE NATION IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SEE HOW THEY INVEST IN STUDENTS' EDUCATIONS.
THESE STATES REAP THE AWARDS FROM THEIR EFFORTS.
HEAVEN FORBID THEY SHOULD EVER TAKE LESSONS FROM A LIBERAL BLUE STATE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE RATE NEAR THE BOTTOM NATIONALLY IN EDUCATION.
THIS TRAJECTORY IS NOT INEVITABLE.
LET'S LAY THE BLAME WHERE IT PROPERLY SHOULD REST AND TO THE BOARD I SAY STAND STRONG, HOLD FAST, AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THEIR FUTURE.
NEXT WE HAVE IVY ZAI SPEAKING ABOUT BOOKS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND THANK YOU AND THE NEW AND THE OLD FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE APPEALS FOR THE FIRST SIX BOOKS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE
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TONIGHT.I'M ASKING THAT YOU NOT JUST MAKE A BLANKET DECISION BASED ON THE REVIEW COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS THAT EACH OF THE, THAT EACH OF YOU STRONGLY CONSIDER THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU THROUGH THE APPEAL PROCESS FROM THE COMPLAINANTS.
IF YOU'VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT SOME BOOKS WERE RECOMMENDED TO BE RETURNED WITH NO RESTRICTIONS AND SOME BOOKS WERE RETURNED WITH RESTRICTIONS.
I HOPE YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND ASK WHY SOME WERE RETURNED WITH WITH RESTRIC WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.
THE HANDMAID'S TALE RATED FOUR WAS APPROVED TO GO BACK WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.
WHILE THE OTHER TWO RATED FOUR BOOKS WERE RECOMMENDED ONLY TO BE AVAILABLE IN HIGH SCHOOLS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT IN THE PAST, DR.
STRATOS HAS SAID THAT THE COMMITTEES ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMM COMMUNITY.
THE COMMITTEE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MADE UP OF SEVEN PEOPLE WITH FOUR OF THEM BEING DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AND THREE OF THEM FROM THE COMMUNITY RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
THE COMMU COMMITTEE IS ALREADY A MAJORITY OF DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AND MY PO.
I POINTED OUT THAT THE FIRST FOUR BOOKS THAT WERE REVIEWED, 82% OF THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED ON THOSE BOOKS WERE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AND IF IT IS THE DISTRICT'S OPINION THAT THESE BOOKS SHOULD BE IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES, THEN MOST LIKELY THE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES WILL NOT GO AGAINST THAT OPINION, WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH IT OR NOT, BECAUSE THESE BOOKS SOMEHOW WERE ALLOWED TO COME INTO THE DISTRICT'S SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU AS A BOARD ARE NOW FORCED FACED WITH A VERY CRITICAL DECISION.
IT MAY SEEM TO YOU THAT IT IS ONLY A SMALL HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE REMOVAL OF THESE BOOKS COMPARED TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME OUT TO VOICE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE BOOKS TO BE AVAILABLE.
HOWEVER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT OUR SUPPORT IS MUCH LAR LARGER THAN IT APPEARS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WITH CANCEL CULTURE, MANY PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY CANNOT SPEAK OUT BECAUSE THE ISSUE OF THEY IS OUT ON THE ISSUE.
EXCUSE ME, FOR FEAR OF REPRISAL TO THEIR FAMILY, JOBS OR BUSINESS.
FOR EXAMPLE, I PARTICIPATED IN A POLITICAL MEETING A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO AT A SMALL, LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANT, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BOOK ISSUE, BUT THERE WERE SOME THAT DECIDED TO MAKE IT ABOUT THE BOOK ISSUE AND TRY TO CANCEL THIS RESTAURANT.
FORTUNATELY, THE COMMUNITY RALLIED AND DECIDED TO HELP INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS.
INSTEAD, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LET YOUR CONSCIENCE GUIDE YOU IN THIS DECISION NOT BE SWAYED BY THE LOUDEST VOICE THAT YOU MIGHT BE HEARING.
IN CLOSING, THE FACT REMAINS THAT THE DISTRICT DOES HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN PROTECTING MINORS FROM BEING EXPOSED TO RACIAL COMMENTS.
OBSCENITIES, VULGARITIES AS OF EVIDENCED IN THE RULES FOR SPEAKING DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, NOT TO MENTION SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL.
THIS IS PROVEN BY THE FACT THAT THERE ARE FILTERS ON SCHOOL DEVICES.
AND I MAY PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME, CUR INCORRECTLY, ABAN SPEAKING ON BOOK BANDS.
GOOD EVENING GENTLE PEOPLE OF THE BOARD.
I AM THE REVEREND LAURIE GORGAS LAIN.
I SERVE THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF BEAUFORT LOCATED ON LADIES ISLAND AT HOME.
I HAVE ABOUT A DOZEN COPIES OF A BOOK OF BOOKS THAT MIGHT BE FOUND IN SOME OF YOUR HOMES AND MAYBE EVEN IN THE SCHOOLS OF THIS DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, SOME OF THESE BOOKS THEMES ARE DISTURBING, INCEST, RAPE, MURDER, EXPLICIT SEX.
IN ONE STORY, TWO YOUNG WOMEN GET THEIR FATHER DRUNK IN ORDER TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM.
THIS IS AFTER THAT SAME FATHER HAD OFFERED THE YOUNG WOMEN TO AN ANGRY ROB TO BE RAPED.
IN ANOTHER STORY, A YOUNG WOMAN IS GANG RAPED TO DEATH.
AFTERWARD, HER BODY IS DISMEMBERED AND THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF HER CORPSE SENT TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
THIS BOOK, THE HOLY BIBLE, THE FIRST TWO STORIES ARE FROM GENESIS THE THIRD IS IN JUDGES AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO THE SONG SONGS.
IF YOU ARE THINKING THAT I'VE LIFTED THESE STORIES OUT OF CONTEXT, YOU ARE CORRECT.
THEY ARE PART OF A COLLECTION OF SACRED LITERATURE REVERED BY MANY.
HOWEVER, NOW I HOLD BOTH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY AND A MASTER'S OF DIVINITY DEGREE AND AS A WORKING PASTOR, I WOULD BE OPPOSED TO THE BANNING OF THIS BOOK OR RESTRICTING ACCESS TO IT AND I HOPE YOU WOULD TOO.
I KNOW THAT THE GREAT MISSION OF EDUCATION IS TO TEACH CHILDREN AND TEENS TO THINK CRITICALLY, TO READ A STORY AND CONSIDER CHARACTER'S MOTIVATIONS, TO IDENTIFY THEMES AND SYMBOLISM AND METAPHORS AND ALLEGORY AND INTERPRET ALL
[01:05:01]
OF THAT IN CONTEXT AND THEN APPLY THE VALUES THEY'VE BEEN TAUGHT AT HOME.MY HUSBAND AND I RAISED THREE CHILDREN, SO I UNDERSTAND PARENTS DESIRE TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM SOME ASPECTS OF, EXCUSE ME, SOME ASPECTS OF LIFE.
AS A PARENT AND A PASTOR, I SUPPORT PARENTS BEING INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AND MONITORING WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE READING AND VIEWING.
WHAT I CANNOT SUPPORT IS ONE PERSON OR ONE SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE MAKING THE DECISION OF WHAT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOMS FOR ALL THE FAMILIES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I URGE THE BOARD TO RETURN ALL THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE LIBRARY SHELVES AND CLASSROOMS. NOW LET OUR EDUCATORS AND LIBRARIANS TEACH, LET OUR PARENTS MAKE LITERATURE CHOICES APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR OWN FAMILIES, NOT OTHER FAMILIES.
SO OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION IS LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES AND WE HAVE HAD THE 30 MINUTES WITH 12 PEOPLE SPEAKING.
WE STILL HAVE THREE OTHERS PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AND TWO MORE ON THE PHONE.
SO WHAT WOULD, WHAT IS THE BOARD'S WILL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE, UH, TIME PUBLIC COMMENT UNTIL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE FINISHED.
SO WE, THE, UH, MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS FOR THE, UM, BOARD TO EXTEND OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
TO FINISH UP WITH THE FIVE ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS, SE MADE BY INGRID BOATWRIGHT, SECOND BY WILL SMITH.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE AND RAISE YOUR HAND.
ANY OPPOSED AND NO ABSTENTION.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE ON, UH, WITH, WITH THE UNANIMOUS DECISION FROM THE BOARD.
NEXT IN, UH, PRESENT FOR SPEAKING IS JULIE MATTHEWS ON BOOK REVIEW.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TIME TO SPEAK.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GO ON RECORD THAT I'M STILL WILLING TO BE ON THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEE AND HAVE FINE FINALLY RECEIVED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT MY APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.
I'D FURTHER LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT BANNING BOOKS, JUST THAT BOOKS SHOULD BE AGE APPROPRIATE AND THERE IS NO PLACE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES FOR ANYTHING DEEMED PORNOGRAPHIC OR SEXUALLY PROVOCATIVE.
THINK ABOUT THOSE PRECIOUS CHILDREN THAT JUST PERFORMED, PROTECT THEIR MINDS FROM THE INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS.
NEXT WE HAVE ROBIN, UH, LEIBENBERG.
UH, HER TOPIC IS BOOKS UNDER REVIEW.
UH, MY BACKGROUND AS A 33 YEAR VETERAN TEACHER IN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH CLASSROOMS IN FOUR STATES MAY OFFER THIS BOARD SOME PERSPECTIVE.
I WOULD URGE THE BOARD TO KEEP THE TITLES UNDER REVIEW IN THE BUFORD COUNTY CURRICULUM AND LIBRARY.
IN FACT, IF THIS BOARD HAS ANY DESIRE TO OFFER OUR CHILDREN AN EDUCATION THAT WILL MAKE THEM COMPETITIVE IN THE JOB MARKET AND THE WORLD, I SAY KEEPING THESE BOOKS IS ESSENTIAL.
THE HANDMAID'S TALE FOR ONE EXAMPLE IS PART OF THE CANNON WRITTEN BY ONE OF OUR GREAT CONTEMPORARY WOMEN WRITERS AND CENTRAL TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TAUGHT THIS BOOK FOR YEARS IN MY AP PROGRAM.
TAKE AWAY ANY TITLE AND YOU HANDCUFF OUR STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES.
A RESPONSIBLE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD EXPAND THE TITLES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS, NOT RESTRICT THEM.
TRUST YOUR EDUCATORS TO KNOW WHAT IS AGE AND LEVEL APPROPRIATE AND IMPORTANT.
THEY HAVE TRAINED FOR THIS ALL THEIR LIVES.
TRUST THEM TO KNOW APPROPRIATE ALTERNATIVE TITLES TO GIVE STUDENTS WHEN TITLE DOES NOT FIT THEIR NEEDS.
NO ONE IS FORCED TO READ A PARTICULAR TITLE OR BOOK.
WHY FORCE THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY TO MISS ONE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT WE HAVE DAVID COOK ON STUDENT SUPPORT AND I BELIEVE THESE ARE
[01:10:01]
TWO SEPARATE, UM, TOPICS, RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE.THANKS FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS MOVING FORWARD.
PLEASE KEEP THESE WORDS IN MIND WHEN I SPEAK TO THE BOARD OR SEND AN EMAIL.
I WOULD RATHER TELL YOU THE TRUTH THAN YOU THINK I'M A BAD PERSON THAN TO TELL YOU SOMETHING I KNOW IS A LIE.
WE DO THIS AS FRIENDS AND IT'S SELFISH, NOT SELFLESS.
YOU LIKING ME IS NOT MY FIRST PRIORITY.
THAT'S NOT EVEN MY TOP THREE TO BE HONEST.
IF YOU.LIKE ME, GREAT BUT THAT ISN'T MOTIVATING ME.
MY CHILDREN AND GOD MOTIVATE ME AS A FATHER, I HAVE THE DIVINE RIGHT TO PROTECT MY CHILDREN.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE AT TIMES THAT I HAVE TO PROTECT MY CHILDREN FROM PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS AND THE MATERIALS THEY CHOOSE TO PUT IN THE SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE ON STUDENT DEVICES.
STAFF ARE TO ACT IN PLACE OF PARENTS IN LOCAL PARENTIS.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THAT'S HOW INSTITUTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BEHAVE.
A SHORT TIME AGO, A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER RESPONDED TO ONE OF MY EMAILS STATING THAT I STAND ALONE IN MY ENDEAVORS.
I PRAYED FROM THAT DAY FORWARD HE WOULD NOT GET REELECTED AND HE DID NOT.
MYSELF AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS ACROSS THE STATE STAND TOGETHER.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS ONLY PROTECTED UNDER THE TEST OF TIME, PLACE, AND MATTER.
CLASSROOMS ARE NEITHER THE TIME NOR THE PLACE FOR BOOKS WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL TO BE IN FRONT OF MINORS.
GO WHEREVER YOU WANT, JUST NOT IN SCHOOLS.
YOUR OWN CARD PROHIBITS THE USE OF VULGARITY AND OBSCENITY.
BOOKS THAT CONTAIN EXPLICIT MATERIAL ARE SUBJECT TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA OBSCENITY STATUTE.
RETURNING THESE BOOKS TO THE LIBRARIES WILL COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF CRIMINAL INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE OBSCENE MATERIAL TO MINORS.
WINSTON BOOKS FOR STUDENTS TO READ THAT HAVE STORIES OF SUCCESS.
I YOU WITH SCRIPTURE IN REGARDS TO BOOKS BEING REVIEWED.
ALTHOUGH YOU THESE THINGS FROM THE AND LEARNED, YOU HAVE REVEALED THEM TO THE CHILDLIKE.
SO MS. CUSHING BARRY, OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, WILL NOW, UM, CALL THE THOSE THAT ARE GONNA, UM, COMMENT OVER THE PHONE.
SPEAKER, UH, WOULD YOU STATE YOUR FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME AND YOUR TOPIC PLEASE? MY NAME IS ANGELA.
I'M CALLING ON A TOPICS THIS, UM, I WILL CONTINUE REPEATING THEM UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THEM.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION REVISE THEIR ONLINE REGISTRATION TO REQUIRE ONLY PROOF OF RESIDENCY AND DATE OF BIRTH AND CONSENT TO LAW REQUIRES ONLY BIRTH CERTIFICATE, SO THE REST OF THE ITEMS WE FORCED THROUGH.
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.
THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT STIPULATES THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION CAN CREATE SUCH POLICIES TO ACCOMMODATE STUDENTS WHOSE PARENTS REFUSE STANDARDIZED TESTS ON THEIR BEHALF.
AS CAN PRINCIPAL AND INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS, I FEEL THAT PRINCIPALS HAVE NO IN POLICY AS IT IS CLEAR TO THEIR OPINIONS, CAN FILE THEIR JUDGMENT.
BEING SEPARATE ROOMS OR USING THE TEST IS NOT ONLY A WASTE OF TIME, BUT IT HAS CAUSED OUR OLDEST DAUGHTER TO MISS REVIEW END OF COURSE EXAMS AND OUR THREE YOUNGER DAUGHTERS MISS I REQUESTING SOONER THAN LATER AS TESTING SEASON READ PART FOR 20 YEARS, I EXPRESS MY FRUSTRATION WITH THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEE.
I'VE ATTENDED ONE COMMITTEE MEETING AND IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE ARE NOT SEVEN MEMBERS FOR BOOKS AS WE RECALL.
THERE WOULD BE AND CLEAR THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS ARE EMPLOYED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
HOW DO I KNOW THIS? STILL WEARING THEIR ID CARDS.
WE DO EXPECT FAIR REVIEWS IS BOARD EMPLOYEES AND THE MAJORITY OF THE REVIEWING YOU.
LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK UP TO THE EDUCATORS.
I'VE LEARNED THAT IF A TEACHER WORK AND THEY REQUIRE TIME OFF, THEY'RE GIVEN HALF.
[01:15:01]
TO PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE DAY IN AND DAY, WE CAN'T RETAINS PLENTY.I'M CALLING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME.
ARE YOU READY? GO AHEAD, JOSEPH.
THE BOOK REVIEW THE FEW MONTHS I READ EXCERPTS FROM BOOK THAT CONTAIN GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF CHILD PROSTITUTION, INCEST ACTS, SEXUAL ACTS, A WAY THAT THE VISUALS THAT ARE TAKING A PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS ARE PROTECTED UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
I WILL SAY THIS AGAIN, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE.
THERE IS NO CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION FOR OBSCENE ADULT AND PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO CHILDREN.
GOVERNOR MCMASTER MEMORANDUM TO THE I KNOW PARENTS SIGNED UP PROCESS BOARD MEMBERS.
STAFF SEE ADULT AND CHOREOGRAPHING BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS WHILE CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO THEM.
IN ESSENCE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CREATED A PROCESS WHERE THEY CAN BLAME THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR VIOLATING SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 63 5 70 16.
16 16 3 85, WHICH OBSCENE IN PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO CHILDREN.
THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THESE BOOKS, PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UM, FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION, AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT, UH, COMMENTED.
[Chair’s Report]
WE HAVE, UH, THE CHAIR'S REPORT.OUR FIRST ITEM TONIGHT IS BUS BUSINESS MEETING PROTOCOL.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, CHLOE GORDON, DISTRICT TWO, VICTOR NAY, DISTRICT FIVE, CARLTON DALLAS, DISTRICT EIGHT, AND ELIZABETH HAY DISTRICT 10, WHO IS, UH, JOINING US, UH, OVER ZOOM.
SINCE IT IS A NEW YEAR, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW, MAKE A FEW REMARKS ABOUT BUSINESS MEETING PROTOCOL PER BOARD POLICY GC TWO GOVERNING COMMITMENTS.
THE BOARD UTILIZES ROBERT'S RULE OF ORDER PROCEDURE AND SMALL BOARDS TO CONDUCT OUR MEDIUM MEETINGS WITH MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY.
PLEASE COME TO THE MEETINGS PREPARED.
SPEAK ONLY WHEN RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR.
[01:20:01]
KEEP COMMENTS SUCCINCT, CLEAR AND GERMANE TO THE MATTER OR MOTION BEING DISCUSSED.A MEMBER MAY ONLY SPEAK TWO TIMES ON ANY ONE MOTION ON ANY ONE DAY.
EVERYONE WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ONCE BEFORE ANYONE IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK A SECOND TIME.
DO NOT REPEAT WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
DO NOT MONOPOLIZE THE DISCUSSION.
EQUAL PARTICIPATION OF ALL MEMBERS IS VALUED.
SUPPORT THE CHAIR'S EFFORTS TO FACILITATE AN ORDERLY MEETING.
SEEK THE INPUT OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT WHEN APPROPRIATE.
AS ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED, WE CAN AGREE TO DISAGREE, BUT PLEASE TREAT OTHERS WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT THE DECISIONS OF EACH OTHER AND THE FULL BOARD.
ALL MEETINGS ARE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
ALL BOARD MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EXCEPT FOR PERIODS IN WHICH THE BOARD IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE FULL BOARD TO ENSURE ORDERLY AND EFFICIENT MEETINGS.
ONE OF THE DUTIES OF THE BOARD CHAIR IS TO MAKE THE BOARD COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, UH, AND I RECEIVED INPUT FOR COMMITTEE PREFERENCES FROM EVERY BOARD MEMBER MEMBER, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO TONIGHT ON THE SCREEN, WE HAVE DISPLAYED THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS AND I WON'T READ ALL OF THESE, UM, CUZ THEY'RE HERE AND, AND, UH, THEY CAN BE SEEN AND THEY CAN BE POSTED.
THEY WILL BE POSTED, EXCUSE ME, ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.
THAT CONCLUDES THE CARE REPORT FOR TONIGHT.
[Committee Reports]
UP WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE REPORTS OPERATIONS REPORTING, WHICH WOULD BE MS. INGRID BOATWRIGHT FOR THE MOMENT.MY LAME DUCK OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT.
UM, WE DID, WE MET AT, UH, RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, UM, ONE OF OUR MANY MEETINGS OVER THE NOVEMBER, DECEMBER PERIOD, AND WE KIND OF TACKLED A FEW BIG TICKET ITEMS AND I THINK, UH, WE CAN START WITH A CONSTRUCTION UPDATE AND DO THAT PART FIRST, IF THAT SUITS EVERYBODY.
IS UM, ROB AVAILABLE? YES, I'M, YES.
SO GIVE US YOUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATES.
AND I'M GONNA DO THE UPDATE FOR THE, UH, REPORT WITH THE DATA THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2022, UH, IS WHAT I HAD PREPARED.
UH, I'LL TRY, IF YOU'LL PULL OPEN THE OTHER REPORT, UH, ROBIN I'LL GO AHEAD AND START CAUSE OF, UH, INTEREST IN TIME, IF THAT'S OKAY.
UH, LONG LEAD ITEMS AND INFLATIONARY COST INCREASES CONTINUE TO BE ENCOUNTERED.
UH, THERE'S A TOTAL OF SIX YELLOW TRAFFIC LIGHTS THAT APPEAR IN THIS MONTH'S REPORT.
UH, PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ONES ARE AT ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY.
THAT SLIDES EIGHT THROUGH 10 AS WELL AS THE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS SHOWN ON SLIDE 11, UH, FOR ROBERT SMALLS.
PROJECT MANAGER CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED SCHEDULE CONCERNS WITH THE DELIVERY OF THE ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR AND THE MAINTENANCE, UH, PROJECTS.
UH, THOSE HAVE BUDGET CONCERNS.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS REVISIT THE AVAILABLE CONTINGENCY IN THE SPRING OF 2023 SO THAT WE, UH, HOPEFULLY CAN, UH, FIND A MEANS TO MOVE THOSE PROJECTS FORWARD, UH, ON MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
SLIDE 15, PROJECT MANAGER IS ADDRESSING POTENTIAL SCHEDULE CONCERNS WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE ATHLETIC SCOPE, THE GRADUATION DATE, AND THE FIRST HOME FOOTBALL GAME SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 18TH AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
SLIDE 30, THE PROJECT MANAGERS ADDRESSING SCHEDULE CONCERNS WITH RECEIVING THE A HUNDRED PERCENT CDS FOR THE REMAINING SAFETY, SECURITY AND ATHLETIC PHASE THREE SCOPES.
AND FOR PRI ELEMENTARY THAT SLIDE 46, UH, WE'VE EXPERIENCED SOME ADDITIONAL PLAYGROUND MANUFACTURING DELAYS.
UH, THAT INSTALLATION IS NOW SCHEDULED TO OCCUR THIS MONTH.
MOVING ON, UH, UPDATE REAL QUICK FOR ST.
HELENA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYM RENOVATION.
THAT SLIDE 62, THE PRESSURE WASHING OF THE EXTERIOR.
THE GYM, UH, WAS COMPLETED DURING WINTER BREAK.
ROBERT AND I HAVE LOOKED AT THE EXTERIOR.
WE WE'RE NOT QUITE PLEASED WITH THE EXTERIOR APPEARANCE, BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE DO SOME PAINTING OF THAT BRICK AND FILL WHERE THOSE EXTERIOR LADDERING IS LOCATED, IT WILL IMPROVE THE EXTERIOR FACADE APPEARANCE.
AND WE'VE GOT A CONTRACTOR WORKING ON PRICING THAT RIGHT NOW.
THE BIPOLAR IONIZATION PROJECTS DEVICES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AT 21 SCHOOLS AND THE REMAINING FIVE LOCATION INSTALLATIONS HAVE BEGUN.
[01:25:01]
UH, THE DEVICES STILL REQUIRE THE CONTROLS TO BE CONNECTED AND TESTED FOR THOSE TO BE COMPLETED.AND FOR THE BOTTLE FULLER PROJECTS, UH, INSTALLATIONS ARE SCHEDULED, WILL BEGIN THIS WEEK.
UH, RELATED TO PROJECT CLOSEOUTS, UH, WE'RE DOWN TO HAVING ONE REMAINING PROJECT FOR THE FY 2019 8% CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
THERE'S FIVE REMAINING FOR FY 2020 AND FOR THE REFERENDUM PROJECTS, IF YOU'LL REFERENCE SLIDES 82 THROUGH 84, YOU'LL SEE THE UPDATES FOR THE, UH, REFERENDUM.
UH, PROJECTS 15 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED TO DATE.
THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER SOURCE FOR THAT DATA.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL SUMMARY REPORT, UH, THAT'S, UH, ATTACHMENT.
UH, WHAT WAS THAT? THAT'S ATTACHMENT THREE.
IN THE MATERIALS TONIGHT, THERE'S 96 LINES THAT ARE REFLECTING THAT THEY'VE BEEN COMPLETED TO DATE.
AND THAT'S, UH, CAN BE DISSEMINATED BY THE ROWS THAT HAVE BEEN SHADED IN GREEN, UH, REFERENDUM FINANCIAL EXPENDITURES THROUGH, THROUGH THE END OF LAST YEAR NOW TOTAL, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A HUNDRED AND, UH, 89.3 MILLION TO DATE.
AND THEN LAST, UH, UNDER COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME UPDATED, UH, ACTIVITY SCHEDULE FOR HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ADVANCED DESIGN PROJECT THERE.
UH, THE MEETINGS ARE SET UP TO INTRODUCE LITTLE DIVERSIFIED ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTING, WHO'S BEEN HIRED, UH, AS THE DESIGNER OF RECORD FOR THAT WORK.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT THE S I C MEETING TAKING PLACE, UH, ON JANUARY 19TH AT 6:00 PM AND THERE IS A CORRECTION THAT I'VE PICKED UP.
WE'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE DETAIL.
THE STAFF MEETING, UH, THAT'S SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ON FEBRUARY 1ST, WILL STILL TAKE PLACE AT 3 45, BUT THE COMMUNITY MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE AT 6:00 PM ON THAT DAY.
UH, THIS CONCLUDES MY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION UPDATES FOR TONIGHT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE A OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING TO REVIEW THIS MATERIAL, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT.
MR. SMITH, UM, IF I OVERHEARD YOU CORRECTLY ABOUT THE, UM, THE ST.
HELEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYM, CAN YOU TELL ME, UH, ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE PAUL WASH? UM, SO NOW WHAT IS, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS GONNA BE LIKE?
YOU HEARD ME BRIEF, UH, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE, UH, UPDATES, UH, THAT OVER WINTER BREAK THE CONTRACTOR WAS GONNA PRESSURE WASH THE EXTERIOR OF THE GYM.
THAT PRESSURE WASHING LOOKS GOOD, BUT IN REVIEWING THAT EXTERIOR FACADE, WE STILL THINK THAT THERE'S ADDITIONAL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS GETTING A PROPOSAL FROM AJAX, UH, CONSTRUCTION BUILDERS SO THAT THEY'LL PAINT THAT BRICK INSERT WHERE ALL OF THOSE LETTERS ARE LOCATED CURRENTLY ON THE EXTERIOR OF THAT BUILDING.
WE BELIEVE THAT THAT ADDITIONAL PAINTING WILL HELP THAT, UH, EXTERIOR POP AND LOOK A LOT MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.
UH, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN DO WE HAVE IT IN ALIGNED TO BE FINISHED WITH THIS PROJECT? UH, WE ARE TRYING TO, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THAT DATE WITH ME.
I'D BE GLAD TO, UH, OBTAIN THAT INFORMATION AND, UH, SEND THAT BACK TO ROBIN SO THAT THAT ANSWER CAN BE SHARED WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
AND, AND THEN ALSO, UM, I'M A TAB IT A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE I WAS, I KNOW THAT, THAT, WELL, THIS PROBABLY SHOULD, POSSIBLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLY DONE, BUT I, WE WERE IN BETWEEN, UH, FINISHING UP WITH ONE CONTRACT AND YOU WERE WAITING TO GO TO ANOTHER CONTRACTOR, CAUSE ANOTHER CONTRACTOR THAT WAS GOING OUT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, IN THE, IN THE COURSE OF THAT, I WAS KIND OF THINKING THAT WE BE DONE, WE WOULD BE DONE WITH THIS PROJECT BY NOW.
UH, SO, UH, SO, UH, ALSO AS I'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THEY WERE WONDERING TOO, AND, UM, THAT THEY'RE BEGINNING TO NOTICE NOW THAT THOSE LETTERS ARE UP, UP THERE AND THAT THAT LOOKS THE WAY IT LOOKS.
UM, I'VE SEEN THIS AS BEEN POWER WASHED.
UH, I, I I THINK THAT THERE'S ALSO SOME, UM, WELL, OBVIOUSLY I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROJECT BEING COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THAT WE'RE GIVING, THAT WE'RE GIVING THE ATTENTION THAT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO THAT PROJECT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GIVING IT THE SAME ATTENTION WE'RE GIVEN, WE'RE GIVEN OTHER PROJECTS.
AND, AND I, AND IF I MAY, I WILL, UH, ADD ON, UH, RECALL THAT WE HAVE HAD THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT, UH, JIM ENTRY CANOPY, UH, WITH A LONG LEAD TIME OF THAT MATERIAL.
[01:30:01]
TO OCCUR THIS SUMMER.UH, AND I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE PROJECT MANAGER ON THAT AND CONFIRM WHEN WILL THAT PROJECT, UH, WHEN IS THAT PROJECT SCHEDULED TO FINISH? AND I'LL SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH ROBIN SO THAT, UH, THAT THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH THE ENTIRE BOARD.
SO DOES ANY, WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC, MR. SMITH? AND, AND ALSO, AND, AND IN TERMS OF, EXCUSE ME, I HAVE TWO THINGS.
ARE YOU, I, I WAS DISC FOR A SECOND CAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE.
I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THE, THE CANOPY THAT, UH, NOT ONLY JUST THE CANOPY, WE WERE ALSO GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR ABOUT A, THE, THE A THE ENTRANCE WAY INTO THESE ON THE GYM UPON HOW WE WENT TO MAKE THE FRONT LOOK.
AND I REMEMBER US DISCU DISCUSSING THAT AS WELL.
AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BRING US BACK A, UH, QUOTE, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT, ROBERT, IF YOU COULD HELP ME WITH THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE HAD DONE, MR. SMITH, WAS THAT WE HAD, UH, OBTAINED SOME PROPOSALS AND, UH, COST LIMITATIONS, UH, SORT OF LED US TO THE SOLUTION WHERE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, UM, UH, SOLUTION THAT I JUST BRIEFED ON WITH THE NEW, UH, CANOPY OUT FRONT.
AND, AND IN TERMS OF THE CANOPY, I DON'T REMEMBER THE BOARD MAKING A DECISION.
ONLY IT CANOPY MAYBE, UH, YOU CAN REFRESH MY MEMORY IF WE DID, AND EXCUSE ME, UH, IF, IF I, IF I'M INCORRECT, BUT I I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A BOARD THAT WE DID DO THAT BECAUSE, UM, I, I, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SEVERAL COMMUNITIES MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN AS WELL, BEEN KEEPING UP AND WATCHING THIS AS WELL.
AND, UM, I, I DON'T REMEMBER IT, BUT MAY, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME REFRESH MY, MY, MY MEMORY IF I'M, I'M, UH, INCORRECT SINCE I'M GONNA BE GETTING UP WITH THE PROJECT MANAGER.
LET ME, UH, INVESTIGATE THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN I CAN THAT AS, UH, FOLLOW UP INFORMATION ALONG WITH THE, UH, SCHEDULE COMPLETION DATE, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
THAT IS, I, I WOULD HOPE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE HAD, WE HAVE NOT, UH, APPROVED, UH, WHAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY'S, UH, STILL CONCERN AND THAT'S NOT, UM, WHAT WOULD BE EQUITABLE.
DO YOU HAVE I, I'LL LET YOU RESPOND CUZ I REMEMBER SOME OF THAT ACTUALLY NO, I, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT TO ME, THIS IS SORT OF COMMITTEE TYPE WORK.
UM, SORT OF GETTING INTO MORE OF THE DETAILS.
SO I WOULD PROBABLY JUST SAY WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AS HE'S DOING AT THE, UM, WHENEVER THE NEW COMMITTEE CHAIR DECIDES TO HAVE THE NEXT MEETING.
CAUSE IT'S NO LONGER, UM, THAT WAS, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY COMMENT.
UM, AND I DO, I'M, I ALSO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS, BUT I'M GONNA WAIT UNTIL, UH, THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, DURING THIS MEETING WE ALSO HAD, UH, SOME AR UH, ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS, WHICH ARE SEPARATE FROM THE BOARD'S OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS ARE, UM, GUIDELINES SET OUT BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF, UH, TO REGULATE CONDUCT WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
UH, WE DO NOT ACTUALLY HAVE A SAY IN THOSE, UH, FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, BUT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY US OF ANY CHANGES.
SO, UM, A COUPLE OF 'EM THAT WE HAD RIGHT OFF, WE HAD, UH, HR S 16 STAFF LEAVES AND ABSENCES, AND THE, UH, REDLINED VERSION SHOWING THE CHANGES IS AVAILABLE IN BOARD DOCS HR S 51, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES THEY MADE THERE.
UM, WE ALSO HAD ONE, UH, HR S FOUR STAFF CONDUCT.
I WANTED TO, UH, TAKE A MOMENT TO GO INTO THIS IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL BECAUSE BACK IN APRIL OF 2022, THE BOARD, UH, HAD DISCUSS, HAD A DISCUSSION ON A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY, UM, UH, THAT THE DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE ONE, AND THAT THAT WOULD BE AN AR.
AND, UH, MS. WALTON BROUGHT THIS REVISED HR HRS FOUR STAFF CONDUCT, WHICH NOW INCLUDES REFERENCES TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES AS, UH, WHAT SHE CALLED A FIRST STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPING A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAD ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE, BUT WE HAD A GOOD BIT OF DISCUSSION ON THAT.
IN PARTICULAR, SOME OF THE, UM, STANDARDS THAT WERE GONNA BE USED IN TERMS OF DETERMINING WHAT WAS, UH, CONCERNING CONDUCT.
SO THERE WAS A, UM, RATHER VIGOROUS DISCUSSION ON THAT ISSUE, WHICH MAYBE WILL BE TAKEN UP AGAIN.
AND I GUESS I'LL JUST SHARE, I WAS MY CONCERN, UM, AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SAY ON THESE, BUT MY FEEDBACK, UH, TO THE DISTRICT WAS THE AREA WHERE IT SAYS BASICALLY THAT IT WILL BE THE CONCERN OF THE DISTRICT IF IT DISRUPTS, UH, THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT.
I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON RECENTLY WHERE, UH, CLASSROOMS ARE BEING DISRUPTED IF SOMEONE DISAGREES WITH SOMEONE'S POLITICAL, UM, POSITION ON SOMETHING.
AND I, I WAS, WE GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF
[01:35:01]
MICHIGAN'S WHITE COAT, UH, CEREMONY WHERE HALF OR MORE THAN HALF OF THE STUDENTS LEFT BECAUSE THE SPEAKER WAS PRO-CHOICE OR PRO-LIFE.THAT TO ME WOULD NOT WARRANT THAT SORT OF DISRUPTION OF THE CLASSROOM.
SO I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I DON'T WANT SOMEONE, ESPECIALLY AS WE COME INTO A RATHER HEIGHTENED POLITICAL SEASON, TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT SOMEONE POSTS OR WHAT THEIR, UM, INTERESTS POLITICALLY ARE AND THEN USE THAT TO DISRUPT THE CLASSROOM.
SO THAT WAS MY FEEDBACK AND WE HAD KIND OF A DISCUSSION ON THAT.
ANY, SHOULD I STOP HERE? OKAY, MR. SMITH? NO, I WOULD DISAGREE WITH YOU.
UM, I, I DO THINK THAT SOME, THAT SOME, SOME WORD IN THIS, IN, IN THIS, UH, POLICY OR THIS POLICY THAT BRINGS SOME OF THIS COULD, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT, IT DO, UH, LEADS TO A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ON THE, ON THE, UM, THIS ENTITY, UH, INTERNET POLICY.
I, I THINK THAT, UM, ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT IN INFRINGING ON PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.
AND THEN THAT DOES, THAT DOES CONCERN ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY TIME THAT, AND, AND EVEN IN RECENT MEETINGS, I REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WAS TOO AT THE TALKING SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION WHO WE PAY SO VERY WELL.
UM, I REMEMBER THEM, UH, TELLING US, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU POSSIBLY WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM STAFF MEMBERS, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, UH, THAT THAT'S, THAT, THAT BASICALLY, THAT, THAT WAS A, A SLIPPERY SCOPE.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU SAY THIS, THIS IS A STAFF CALL.
I THINK THAT WE WANNA BE COGNIZANT OF HOW WE APP, HOW WE APPROACH THIS AND, UM, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE, UH, PUT INTO THIS.
SO, UH, THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM, UH, DISTRICT STAFF WAS THAT THIS IS STILL AN ONGOING, YOU KNOW, PROCESS.
AND THIS WAS SORT OF THEIR FIRST STEP AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD HAD REQUESTED THEM TO LOOK INTO.
SO, UH, THE OTHER THING THAT WE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH WAS THE, UH, SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MANDATED BY TITLE IX, UH, FROM THE FED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT IS NOT THE NEW RULE THAT'S STILL UNDER, UM, PROPOSAL THAT HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED YET.
WENDY'S UP THERE BEHIND THE COLUMN.
UM, BUT THERE IS IT, IT IS MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE.
WE NOW HAVE, UH, MS. SWINTON IS, IS IT MS. SWINTON OR DR.
SWINTON? MS. SWINTON, UH, MS. SWINTON WHO DID A, AN AMAZING JOB, A VERY DETAILED OR, UM, UH, PRESENTATION ON TITLE IX THAT IS AVAILABLE.
THE DRAFT POLICY IS AVAILABLE ON BOARD DOCS.
THE MEETING WAS RECORDED AND, UH, I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH HER, UM, COMMAND OF THE SUBJECT.
CAUSE THIS IS A REALLY COMPLICATED SUBJECT.
SO SHE IS OUR NEW REFRESHMENT ON THE TERM TITLE IX COORDINATOR.
UM, AND SO IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, MS. UH, CARTILAGE IS STANDING BY.
I WILL OFFICIALLY PASSED THE OPERATIONS GAVEL TO COLONEL GEIER.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE, WE HEARD A, UM, WE HEARD THE, UM, THE, THE GRIEVANCE ONE.
THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION IN BOARD DOCS AND I, I, SORRY, I BLEW RIGHT THROUGH THAT.
WE DID HAVE ALSO A VERY NICE PRESENTATION, UH, FROM ALICE WALTON AND HER STAFF ON THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS FOR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT IS, THAT PRESENTATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN BOARD DOCS.
AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD, IT REALLY EXPLAINED A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE FOUR TYPES OF GRIEVANCES, VENT COMPLAINT, GRIEVANCE, AND THEN A TITLE IX AND HOW THOSE ARE ALL HANDLED.
AND H IF THEY'RE HANDLED AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, WHEN IT RISES TO A SUPERVISOR LEVEL.
UM, SO THERE, THERE'S A NICE FLOW SHEET, UM, THAT SHOWS THE DIFFERENT, UH, PROCESSES AS WELL AS THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN REPORT A COMPLAINT.
SO IT WAS PRETTY, UM, THOROUGH.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING, ANYONE HAD QUESTIONS ON THAT, I ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION THAT MR. SMITH.
AND IT DID BRING, BRING SOME, UH, CONCERNS AS WELL, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF HOW THE DISTRICT HANDLED GRIEVANCES, BECAUSE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF HANDL A GRIEVANCE STOPS AT THE SUPERINTENDENT.
AND I, I'VE SEEN IN OTHER PLACES WHERE ACTUALLY, UH, EVEN HERE, WELL, THAT THE GRIEVANCE A A SOMEONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GRIEVE.
I SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO THE BOARD.
I MEAN, THE, THE QUESTION IS, IF THERE'S SOMETHING AGAINST THE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR INSTANCE, THEN IT WOULD COME TO US.
BUT IF THE SUPERINTENDENTS HANDLE A GRIEVANCE UN UNDER, UNDER HIM, IT STOPS AT THE, AT THE, UH, HR LEVEL, AT HIS, AT HIS LEVEL.
I, I THINK THEN I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PEOPLE JUSTICE.
SO, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, UNDERSTANDING THE, THIS, THIS, UH, PROCESS, I THINK THAT THE, THE BOARD, UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DEFINITELY PUT IN PUTTING A TEAM OR, OR FOR US TO LOOK INTO THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS SHOULD COME TO THE BOARD AND, AND, AND BE, AND BE.
UM, AND, AND I MEAN, AND JUST, JUST BE FULLY LOOKED AT IT.
AND IN, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW,
[01:40:01]
WE, WE SAY THAT WE LOOK, WE, WE WANT TO RETAIN PEOPLE.I MEAN, THAT'S JUST ONE MORE STEP OF SHOWING, SHOWING PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU COMING TO THE BOARD OR, OR THE GRIEVANCE.
IF IT, IF YOU REALLY DID EVERYTHING AND YOU THAT YOU NEED TO BE, AND YOU SAID THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU WERE NOT HANDLED BY THE LOWER LEVEL, THEN YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO, TO, UH, TO BRING THAT GRIEVMENT FORWARD TO THE BOARD WITHOUT RETURNING A, AN ETERNAL AN ATTORNEY.
BECAUSE EVERYONE THAT HAVE LAWYER, LAWYER MONEY TO GO OUT AND GET A LAWYER TO, TO BRING IT TO THE BOARD.
SO I JUST THINK THAT FOR US TO BE TRANSPARENT, I THINK THAT THAT'S A, A PROCESS THAT, THAT, THAT WE SHOULD, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IN NOT, NOT A PROCESS THAT IS, IS THERE, THAT DOESN'T EXIST.
I BELIEVE THE PRO HELEN, HELEN GRIEVANCES SHOULD COME TO THE BOARD AS WELL.
AND WE DID BRING THAT UP AND MS. WALTON SAID THAT, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, UH, A GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE SUPERINTENDENT DOES COME TO THE BOARD BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR SOLE EMPLOYEE.
UM, SO I, I'M JUST MORTIFIED CUZ MY FINAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT, I WANT IT TO BE FLAWLESS.
NOW I'M LIKE TOM BRADY, I'M LIMPING OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS.
SO
SO, UH, I GUESS I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION WITH THAT BECAUSE I'M, I'M ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, I'M, UM, I'M ACTUALLY FOR ACTION, UM, AT, AT THIS TIME.
UM, I MAKE A MOTION THAT, THAT WE SENT INTO THE POLICY COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH A, WITH A FE WITH A FURTHER ACTION OF HOW WE DEAL WITH GRIEVE GRIEVANCES THAT COME FROM BEYOND, BEYOND THE, BEYOND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? THEY'RE BEING NONE.
THE BODY DOES NOT ENTERTAIN IT.
ARE YOU FINISHED WITH YOUR, UM, REPORT MS. BOATRIGHT FOR THE THIRD TIME? YES.
[Superintendent’s Report]
THE NEXT ITEM, UH, TONIGHT IN IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.AND WE HAVE TWO ITEMS IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT THIS EVENING.
ONE IS UNDER, UH, GOAL NUMBER ONE ON, UH, A STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMPONENT, AND IT'S ON STUDENT SUPPORTS, AND THE OTHER ONE IS UNDER OTHER MATTERS.
TO GIVE YOU A, A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEE, TWO POINT OH'S WORK, UH, TO DATE.
AND SO, UH, WE'LL BEGIN WITH, UH, THE STUDENT SUPPORT PIECE.
AND SO TODAY THIS IS, UH, PRESENTED FOR INFORMATION, UH, FOR THE BOARD, UH, TO HAVE.
AND SO, UH, YOU SEE THAT SOUTH CAROLINA ACT TWO 13 ON MAY 18TH, 2018, GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER SIGNED INTO LAW ACT TWO 13, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FIRST, AND THEN LANDED ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, AND HE SIGNED AND APPROVED ACT TWO 13, WHICH DIRECTED DISTRICTS TO IMPLEMENT M T S MTSS, WHICH STANDS FOR MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT BEGINNING IN THE 20 19 20 20 SCHOOL YEAR.
MTSS ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE CHILD BY LOOKING AT THEIR ACADEMIC NEEDS, THEIR BEHAVIORAL NEEDS, AND THEIR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS THROUGH A HOLISTIC AND A PERSONALIZED SYSTEM, BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER, AND A LEARNING FRAME, AND A LEARNING, UH, PERSONALIZED SYSTEM OF LEARNING THAT INCORPORATES THE ACADEMICS AND THE SOCIAL, UH, EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR INTO ONE FRAMEWORK.
ACT TWO 13 REQUIRES THAT SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROVES SCREENERS USE TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO MAY BE AT RISK OF EXPERIENCING ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES IN READING, MATH, OR WRITING.
AND WHO ALSO MAY BE AT RISK OF EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES IN SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
PARENTS MAY OPT OUT THEIR CHILD OF THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SCREENING PROCESS.
LET ME BE CLEAR, PARENTS MAY OPT OUT THEIR CHILD OF THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SCREENING PROCESS.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS OVER 53% OF STUDENTS OF POVERTY AND CHILDREN THAT EXPERIENCE ADVERSE TRAUMA.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED TRAINING TO EMPLOYEES TO RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF TRAUMA AND CHILDREN AND TRAINING TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT STUDENTS MAY BE EXPERIENCING.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HOSTED A SHOWCASE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ATTEND DURING THE SSY 2020 SCHOOL YEAR TO REVIEW AND SELECT FROM STATE RECOMMENDED LITERACY, NUMERACY, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SCREENERS.
BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ATTENDED THIS SHOWCASE AND SELECTED THE FOLLOWING STATE, RECOMMENDED N T S S SCREENERS FOR
[01:45:01]
ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LITERACY.THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SELECTED IREADY FOR NUMERACY.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SELECTED IREADY AND FOR SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SELECTED PANORAMA.
YOU CAN SEE BY THE LAST SLIDE THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS A PROFILE OF A SOUTH CAROLINA GRADUATE.
THAT IS THEIR PROFILE, MINUS THE RED ARROWS.
THE RED ARROWS IS SOMETHING THAT WE PLACED ON THERE TO SHOW YOU THIS EVENING.
WHAT ARE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLSETS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE STATE'S PROFILE OF A SOUTH CAROLINA GRADUATE? SO YOU HAVE WORLD CLASS SKILLS, CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING, COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK, COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION, UH, KNOWING HOW TO LEARN LIFE AND CAREER CHARACTERISTICS.
THESE ARE SKILLS THAT STUDENTS NEED FOR SUCCESS IN LIFE AND IN WORK.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STUDENT SUPPORTS PRESENTATION.
UH, IN TERMS OF THE OTHER MATTERS SECTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, UM, WE HAVE MR. BILL PYRO, WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHO COULD SHARE A BIT OF INSIGHT FOR YOU ON THE COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW TWO POINT OH'S WORK.
BEFORE YOU GO ON, WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
WISNESKI, I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME, SOME CLARIFICATION CUZ THAT THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE PANORAMA ASPECT OF THE YES.
SO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROVED THAT SPECIFIC SCREENER, CORRECT? THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE SCREENERS THAT THEY APPROVED AND THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS THAT ARE UTILIZED OR THE ACTUAL SCREENING TOOL THAT IS UTILIZED IN THE SCHOOL, THEY APPROVED THAT AS WELL, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND THEN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO HAD THE, UH, IT WAS WITHIN THEIR PURVIEW TO REMOVE ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS IF WE DECIDED TO CORRECT.
AND A COPY OF THE S E L SCREENER OR THE TOOL IS AVAILABLE TO PARENTS IF THEY'D LIKE IT.
THAT SEEMS TO BE IT WITH QUESTIONS MR. HERE THIS EVENING.
I HOPE I PRONOUNCED YOUR NAME CORRECTLY.
UH, MY NAME IS BILL PIERRO, P I E R R O.
AS YOU HEARD, I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEE, C P R C 2.0.
THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE BEING TO, UH, DO DUE DILIGENCE AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD FOR THE, UH, PROPOSED, UH, SECONDARY BOND REFERENDUM.
CONSIDERING THAT THE FIRST BOND REFERENDUM HAS NOW MATURED, THE TEAM IS MADE UP OF 28 PEOPLE, UM, 14 FROM THE BEAUFORD AREA, SEVEN FROM THE BLUFFTON AREA, AND SEVEN FROM THE HILTON HEAD AREA.
WE'VE CONDUCTED FOUR MEETINGS SO FAR, AND WE INTEND TO CONDUCT AN AVERAGE OF THREE TO FOUR MEETINGS PER MONTH FROM NOW THROUGH, UH, MARCH.
UM, WE REVIEWED SIGNIFICANT, UH, BACKGROUND MATERIALS, WHICH I'LL, UH, LIST IN BULLET FORM.
AND WE HAVE CONDUCTED VISITS OF NINE SCHOOLS, WHICH, WHICH I'LL GET TO AFTER REVIEWING THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL.
UH, TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE SCHOOL REVIEWS, WE REVIEWED THE 2019 BOND REFERENDUM AND THE CITIZENS LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, C L O C, AND DISCUSSED WHAT WAS LEFT FROM THE FIRST CPR C'S LIST OF 629 MILLION WORTH OF PROPOSED PROJECTS.
WE REVIEWED THE RESULTS OF THE BLUFFTON GROWTH AND NORTHERN BU COUNTY AD HOC COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD, WHICH LED TO THE CREATION OF THIS COMMITTEE.
WE REVIEWED THE 2022 FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, UH, AND PROJECT LIST.
UH, WE LEARNED ABOUT THE CAPITAL FUNDING, UM, THROUGH THE 8% METHOD VERSUS THIS BOND ME, UH, REFERENDUM.
WE REVIEWED THE PLANNING PROCESS AND PROJECTION OF RESIDENT STUDENTS.
WE DISCUSSED THE AGE OF THE BUILDINGS.
UH, WE OVER, WE DID AN OVERVIEW OF THE RECENTLY COMPLETED FACILITIES CONDITION ASSESSMENT, F C A, WHICH INCLUDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE HVAC NEEDS AS A RESULT OF THE F C A AND R 22 REFRIGERANT REPLACEMENT NEEDS.
UM, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ITEM, UH, TOTALING, UH, A 10 YEAR PROJECTION OF CLOSE TO 300 MILLION.
THIS ONE PIECE ALONE, DURING THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY, WE VISITED NINE SCHOOLS, UM, THOSE BEING IN LADIES ISLAND, THREE IN LADIES ISLAND, THREE
[01:50:01]
IN BLUFFTON, THREE IN HILTON HEAD.THERE WAS, UH, GOOD REPRESENTATION FROM THE TEAM.
THE COMMITTEE, 11 MEMBERS VISITED LADIES ISLAND, EIGHT IN BLUFFTON AND EIGHT WENT TO HILTON HEAD.
I'M NOT GONNA GIVE A, A BIG DETAILED REVIEW OF, UM, WHAT WE FOUND IN ALL NINE SCHOOLS, BUT BRIEFLY, UM, THE HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL BUILT IN 1983 IS BEING DISCUSSED FOR, UH, RENOVATION AND POSSIBLE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT.
UH, WE, THIS IS BASED STRICTLY ON THE, UH, CONDITION OF THE BUILDING.
BUT THE COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE DETERMINED THIS TO PROBABLY BE THE WORST SCHOOL THAT WE VISITED.
UH, WE, THE LADIES, ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL IS ALSO BEING DISCUSSED FOR REPLACEMENT AND WAS PROBABLY THE SECOND WORST SCHOOL WE VISITED BASED ON THE CONDITION OF THE FACILITY.
AND FINALLY, THE HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILT IN 1992, UH, HAS RENOVATIONS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY FROM THE 2019 REFERENDUM.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, SEE THOSE.
UM, JUST AN OVERALL PRELIMINARY THOUGHT, THIS IS NOT A CONSENSUS OF THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE, BUT, UH, FROM MY OWN OBSERVATIONS, I CAN TELL THE BOARD THAT THE NEEDS ARE REAL.
THE NEEDS ARE SIGNIFICANT, INCLUDING NEW CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATIONS OF EXISTING BUILDINGS, LAND PURCHASES, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. UH, WE CAN ANTICIPATE THAT WE, OF COURSE, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH, UM, MORE COMPLETE AND SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN ANTICIPATE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT REFER, UH, REFERENDUM RECOMMENDATION.
MS. UH, MR. PIERRO CAN, IT'S ACTUALLY FOR DR.
JUST ON THE, UM, WHAT ROLE IS HERBERT BERG PLAYING IN THE C R P C R P C 2.0? DR.
BERG IS A CONSULTANT FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN REGARDS TO THE OVERALL REFERENDUM COMPONENT, BUT HE IS NOT, UH, LIKE A, THE, THE COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW IS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD NOMINATED AND OTHERS THAT WERE APPOINTED, RIGHT.
BUT HE'S ESSENTIALLY A, AN OVERALL CONSULTANT IN TERMS OF, UH, THE REFERENDUM AND ULTIMATE, UH, PACKAGING OF THE REFERENDUM BEFORE WE BRING IT TO, TO YOU.
UM, AND THEN JUST AS A FOLLOW UP KIND OF, UM, ONE THING I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED OF, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TO HAVE PARENTS ON THE C R P C AND I THINK OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER PARENTS.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MEETINGS, THERE'S SCHOOL TOURS, AND I GUESS I'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF PIECES OF FEEDBACK.
ONE, THESE MEETINGS MAY NEED A FACILITATOR TO GET TO STAY ON TASK.
THERE'S A HUGE TASK IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF HOW THEY SCHEDULE SOME OF THE MEETINGS AND SOME OF THE, UM, SCHOOL TOURS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE WORKING AND HAVE KIDS AND WHATNOT.
SO IT WOULD JUST BE NICE TO SORT OF TAKE THAT PIECE OF FEEDBACK.
THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DOWN THE ROAD, AND I DON'T RECALL US DOING IT WITH THE LAST ONE, BUT IS THERE PLANS TO DO SOME TYPE OF SURVEY OR FEASIBILITY STUDY ON WHAT THE PUBLIC WILL SUPPORT IN TERMS OF DOLLAR AMOUNT? UM, AT THE MOMENT, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP, BUT IT, BUT IT, UH, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T MEAN WE COULDN'T.
YEAH, I JUST THINK IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE WANNA CONSIDER THIS GO ROUND, UM, CONSIDERING THE NEEDS ARE STILL VERY GREAT AND YEAH, WE WANNA BE SUCCESSFUL, SO.
MR. SMITH, UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, WELL FIRST I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S ON THAT COMMITTEE BECAUSE Y'ALL PUT A LOT OF TIME IN AND Y'ALL DO PUT A LOT OF EFFORT IN WORK WORKING IN, UH, WHAT YOU'RE DOING ON THAT COMMITTEE.
SO WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FILE FIRST.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY.
WE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU.
UM, THEN, UH, SEC, UH, SECONDLY, UM, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S, WHAT DOES THE MAKEUP OF THAT COMMITTEE LOOK LIKE IS, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR DISTRICT AND IN, IN TERMS OF THE DISTRICT, DISTRICT AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE MAKEUP OF THAT COMMITTEE? DEMOGRAPHICS? WELL, THE, UH, WE KNOW THOSE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS MOSTLY ARE MEMBERS THAT BOARD MEMBERS APPOINTED.
YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, YOU ALL HAD, UH, UH, PROVIDED TWO NAMES FOR, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND, UM, AND, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE UTILIZED IS, IS THE, THE NOMINEES FROM THE BOARD AS WELL AS, UM, OTHER APPOINTEES THAT EITHER I MAY HAVE APPOINTED OR, OR THAT WE HAD FROM, UM, I THINK S I C MAYBE AS WELL.
[01:55:01]
GO AHEAD.SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE, I THINK WE HAVE 7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 MEMBERS HERE.
SO IF YOU WANNA SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, IF Y'ALL STAND UP,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I, ONE THING YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW ABOUT ME, I DON'T MIND ADJUSTING IN THE ROOM.
AND THIS IS, THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN ASKED, UH, TO, UH, TO FROM, FROM PRIOR YEARS.
EVEN THIS YEAR WHEN, UM, SOMEONE SAY, I HEARD YOU, I HAD A REFER FRIEND COMMAND, LIKE, OH YEAH, DA DA, DA.
AND THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND, AND, AND, AND WHO'S INTERESTED IN AND, AND ARE THEY PULLING FOR THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH? I SAID, ALL THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I DON'T KNOW, BUT SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS I WILL, DIGESTION, I WILL ASK, ASK SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT, THAT HAS OUR BEAR.
SO, YEAH, I MEAN, YEAH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD, UH, GROUP OF PEOPLE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WANNA KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERY, EVERYONE IS GETTING THEIR FRESH SHAKE AND EVERY, THAT EVERYONE IS BEING REP, REP REPRESENTED IN, IN THAT, AND IN, AND IN TERMS OF BLACK, WHITE, HISPANICS, UM, ALL ASIANS, I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERY, EVERYONE IS, YOU KNOW, TO SOME DEGREE IS, IS BEING REPRESENTED AT WE ALL, WE ALL, WE ALL GETTING A FAIR SHAKE AT THE, AT THE DOLLAR.
NOBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
I WANNA THANK MR. PIERRO FOR AN EXCELLENT, UH, SUMMARY.
AND LIKE MR. SMITH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE PRESENT AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT HERE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK, UH, THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE, AND THAT THAT IS AHEAD OF YOU.
AND IT'S, UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, CERTAINLY BY THE BOARD AND ALSO BY THE, THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS OF OUR DISTRICT.
YOU, YOU'RE GONNA, UM, DO A LOT OF, A LOT OF LEGWORK FOR THE BOARD IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEMBER, THERE'S 11 OF US, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMEND TO, UM, REPRESENTATIVES TO THAT COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE THAT WAS DONE BY EVERY BOARD MEMBER, BUT CERTAINLY EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE TWO I RECOMMENDED.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK THEY'RE DOING, UH, FOR MY DISTRICT AND THE REST OF THE DIS AND THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE THING, JUST SO THE PUBLIC IS, DOES NOT HAVE A MISCONCEPTION.
THIS, ALTHOUGH THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMEND, UH, MEMBERS TO THIS COMMITTEE.
ULTIMATELY, THIS COMMITTEE REPORTS TO DR.
RODRIGUEZ AS THE C E O OF OUR DISTRICT.
SO THEY WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, COLLECT ALL THE INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE, UH, AND BRING IT FORTH TO HIM.
BERG DID BACK IN 2019, WILL MAKE THE FINAL DECISION ON WHAT HE THINKS IS BEST TO BRING FORWARD TO THE BOARD.
ULTIMATELY, YES, THE, IT WILL BE THE BOARD'S DECISION TO VOTE ON IT, BUT, UM, IT, IT WILL NOT BE THE COMMITTEE COMING DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD.
AND, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK WE ARE, UM, FINISHED WITH THE COM COMMUNITY PROJECT COMMITTEE UPDATE.
[Board Business Action]
UP IS BOARD BUSINESS ACTION.AND THE FIRST, UM, ITEM IS THE, THE DETERMINATION BY THE BOARD ON THE APPEALS FOR THE MATERIALS RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE REPORTS FOR THE FO FOR THE FOLLOWING SIX BOOKS, THE HAND MAIL HANDMADES TALE BY MARGARET ATWOOD, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALL FIRE BY STEVEN CHABOS.
SPEAK BY LORI HA ANDERSON, THE KITE RUNNER BY COLLED HOSSEINI THE LOVELY BONES BY ALICE CBOL, STAMPED RACISM, ANTI-RACISM, AND YOU IRAM EX KDI AND JASON REYNOLDS.
YES, MR. GEIER, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CONCURS WITH THE FINDINGS OF THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES FOR THE FOLLOWING BOOK TITLES SPEAK, STAMPED THE HAND, MAIDEN'S TALE, THE KITE RUNNER, THE LOVELY BONES, AND LASTLY, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALL FOLLOWER.
SECOND, CAN I JUST, I THINK YOU WANT TO CHANGE ONE WORD, RIGHT? YOU, YOU'VE SAID THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT DON'T YOU WANT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD? OH, I'M SORRY.
[02:00:01]
UM, AND YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT? YEAH.UM, SINCE YOU'RE THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? I AM, I'M SOMEWHAT OF A LIBERTARIAN.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY SHOULD TELL ANYBODY WHAT TO READ OR WHAT NOT TO READ.
THEREFORE, THAT'S WHY I MADE THIS MOTION.
WISNESKI, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I WANNA ASK, JUST SO THAT I GET CLARIFICATION OF THE BOOKS, UM, TODAY.
WHICH BOOKS EXACTLY ARE ONES THAT ARE UTILIZED IN AP OR HONORS COURSES? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S DATED ON THE RECORD, PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, DR.
THE QUESTION YOU ASKED ASHLEY WAS OUR FIRST CYCLE OF READING THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS FROM COMMITTEE GROUP ONE, THEY WERE THES TALE RUNNER, RUNNER, THE LOVELY BONES SPEAK, AND I DON'T GET MY EXACT NOTES, I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK ON THE FIFTH BOOK TO YOU, BUT THOSE BOOKS WERE ACTUALLY PRIORITY BOOKS FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOLS FOR AP.
AND I COULD, I COULD PULL MY NOTES RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU JUST GIMME ONE MOMENT, MA'AM.
I WANNA SAY THAT PERKS IS IN ENGLISH, TWO HONORS PRE-AP, CORRECT? I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.
AND I DO ALSO WANNA GIVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION WITH THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT LITERATURE BOOKS, THAT THOSE BOOKS ARE SELECTED BY THE EDUCATORS WHO HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN ALIGNMENT OF THE READINESS FOR OUR STUDENTS FOR THAT RIGOROUS EXAM.
THE EXAM IS BASED ON GENRE AND QUESTIONS THAT HAVE APPLICATION, AND THE STUDENTS HAVE THE CHOICE.
THEN, ALTHOUGH WE WERE EXPOSED TO BOOKS OF WHAT TO READ, THE STUDENTS HAVE THE CHOICE BY WHICH, WHICH BOOK THEY WANNA UTILIZE IN THEIR APPLICATION TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONS BY COLLEGE BOARD.
SO PERKS IS, LEMME JUST GRAB MY NOTES, MA'AM.
I JUST WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION ON THE PRE-AP AND HONORS ASPECT OF THAT TEXT BEING USED IN WHAT GRADE LEVEL, BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GO BACK INTO NINE THROUGH 12, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THOSE COURSES ARE OFFERED.
YOU ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE, SO WE MAY BE SITTING AS AN AP LIT COURSE THAT GENERALLY WOULD BE A JUNIOR, BUT IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO STARTS WITH ENGLISH ONE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE FOUR HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT.
IF THE STUDENT IS VERY ADVANCED, IF OF VERY TRUE GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENT, THEY MAY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AT AN AP COURSE AS A 10TH GRADER.
SO I, I DO HAVE TO LEAVE THAT LATITUDE AND UNIQUENESS FOR THE INDIVI FOR THAT ACADEMIC FREEDOM OF THE EDUCATOR AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENT.
BUT JUST TO SHARE FROM ME, COMMITTEE ONE, THE HANDMAIDS TALE, THE PERKS OF BEING WALLFLOWER SPEAK, THE KITE RUNNER, WERE THE FIRST FOUR BOOKS IN COMMITTEE ONE.
AND THOSE ARE THE BOOKS THAT WERE PRIORITY GIVEN TO US BY EDUCATORS, MA'AM.
IT'S NOT FIVE TITLES, IT IS FOR MADAM CHAIR, NO ONE ELSE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, GO AHEAD.
AND THEN THE LAST BOOK STAMPED RACISM, ANTI-RACISM IN YOU.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS ALSO AN ELEMENTARY VERSION.
WAS IT ONLY THE MORE ADULT TEXT THAT WAS REVIEWED, OR WAS THE ELEMENTARY VERSION ALSO REVIEWED AT THE COMMITTEE? THE ELEMENTARY VERSION WAS NOT READ.
IT WAS THE YOUNG ADULT VERSION THAT WAS READ.
THAT ELEMENTARY VERSION OF THAT BOOK HAS NOT BEEN PULLED OUT, PUT OUT TO FULL CIRCULATION.
I DO WANNA SHARE THAT AS WELL.
IT WAS PURCHASED BY ONE SCHOOL.
IT IS ONE BOOK THAT HAS BEEN, THAT WAS PURCHASED AND THAT HAD BEEN IN A SPECIAL COLLECTION AREA.
ALL RIGHT, MS. BOATWRIGHT, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION AS WELL.
UM, SO WE HEARD ABOUT A MEMORANDUM, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISSING SOMETHING HERE.
WE, UH, IT WAS I THINK NOVEMBER OF 2021 THAT MCMASTER, UM, SENT OUT A THING AND BASICALLY DIRECTED THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO, UM, DEVELOP A POLICY FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? NOVEMBER OF 2021.
AND THEN THIS MEMORANDUM THAT WAS REFERENCED, UM, WHICH I BELIEVE CAME OUT IN JANUARY OF 2022, WHICH IS FROM, UH, MOLLY SPEARMAN, THE MODEL POLICY FOR LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER MATERIALS AND RECONSIDERATION PROCESS.
[02:05:01]
MEMORANDUM ON JANU OF JANUARY OF 2022, THEY LAY OUT THE BEST PRACTICES MODEL FOR S V E, WHAT'S THAT ACRONYM? SCHOOL-BASED EDUCATION, I DON'T KNOW, LIBRARY MATERIALS, UM, AND THE RECONSIDERATION MATERIALS FORM, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S, THAT CAME OUT IN JANUARY, 2022 ISH.THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, THAT THEY, THEY HAD ALREADY HAD A MANUAL OUT PRIOR TO THAT AS WELL.
SO AS I REVIEW THE MODEL POLICY FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS, I'M GONNA GET TO MY QUESTION, I'M KIND OF TEEING IT UP HERE.
SO AS I REVIEW THE MODEL POLICY FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS, WE BASICALLY FOLLOWED THAT ALMOST TO A T, IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, I'M LOOKING EXACTLY.
EDUCATIONAL, SIGNIFICANCE, APPROPRIATENESS, NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL REPUTATION, SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AUTHOR.
THOSE WERE ALL IN THE BOOK REVIEW PROCESS.
AND, BUT WE WENT FURTHER WITH THAT WITH THAT, OKAY.
UH, UM, PROCESS, BECAUSE IN OUR PROCESS WE ADDED A COMMUNITY MEMBER, RIGHT? CUZ HERE I'M SEEING IT SAYS SIX PEOPLE, DISTRICT SUPERVISOR OF LIBRARY MEDIA SERVICES, ONE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST WITHIN THE DISTRICT, ONE TEACHER WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
THAT'S THREE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
AT LEAST ONE PARENT REPRESENTING A SCHOOL FAMILY OTHER THAN THE PERSON FILING THE COMPLAINT.
SO THAT'S A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE PRINCIPAL WITHIN THE DISTRICT, AND THEN AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
SO IT DOES, MOLLY SPEARMAN'S ACTUALLY DOES WANT HEAVILY WEIGHTED TOWARDS DISTRICT STAFF.
THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO ANOTHER MEMORANDUM.
IS THERE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS ME MEMORANDUM FROM MOLLY SPEARMAN THAT IS TO DIRECT THIS PROCESS THAT WE DID NOT SEE MRS. BELT RIGHT AT THIS TIME? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY, THAT OTHER MEMORANDUM THAT WAS PUT FORWARD.
MISSING SOMETHING CUZ I MISS A LOT OF EMAILS.
UM, BUT ANYWAYS, OKAY, SO THAT, SO THAT IS FROM MOLLY SPEARMAN AND THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SHE LAID OUT THE MODEL POLICY, WE FOLLOWED THE MODEL POLICY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HAVE ALL THAT CORRECT CUZ I TOTALLY SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE'S, UM, CONCLUSIONS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED CORRECTLY.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION THAT, UM, HAVING REVIEWED THE MATERIALS, UM, IN OUR PACKET FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, ONE THING, AND I, SO ALL OF THE BOOKS THAT WERE, UH, REVIEWED, IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO GO BACK, UM, INTO CIRCULATION, WAS THE RECOMMENDATION, THE, THE CIRCULATION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY, THAT WAS ONE THING I COULDN'T TELL WAS WERE BOOKS, UM, MOVED FROM, YOU KNOW, SIX TO 12 TO NOW BE NINE TO 12 OR WHATEVER.
IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE OR NO? DO YOU KNOW THAT ANSWER? IF YOU GIMME, GIMME ONE MOMENT.
I IF YOU, MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU GIMME THE RIGHT TO CALL A FRIEND, I'D LIKE TO HAVE MS. COLLEEN BECKEN BARSKY, UM, DIAL IN.
SHE'S AVAILABLE TOO DIFFICULT, BUT I WAS, BUT NO, SHE HAS A DETAILED NOTES WITH IT BE BECAUSE I'VE, I'VE ACTED AS A SIDEBAR OF OBSERVING TO SEE THAT WE MAINTAINED WHAT WE SAID WOULD BE OUR PROTOCOL.
COLLEEN, ARE YOU AVAILABLE, MA'AM? YES, I AM.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YE YES MA'AM.
COLLEEN, THE QUESTION, I DO BELIEVE IT WAS ONE BOOK, BUT I DON'T WANNA CITE INCORRECTLY THAT WE DID HAVE ONE BOOK THAT THEY WAS ASKED TO REMAIN AT HIGH SCHOOL ONLY WAS PART OF THE JUDGING, UM, RESPONSE FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
IF YOU COULD SHARE, THERE WERE ANY BOOKS AFTER THE REVIEW COMMITTEES THAT THEY SHIFTED WHERE A BOOK SHOULD BE SHELVED AT.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT WAS AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE RECOMMENDATION OVERALL FROM THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE BEEN JUST FOR GRADES NINE THROUGH 12.
SO I MAY HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH ANNE WHO IS ALSO ON.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE THE TWO BOOKS THAT WERE SPECIFIED FOR GRADES NINE THROUGH 12 ONLY, UH, PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER AND THE KITE RUNNER.
SO THE VOTING COMMITTEE'S DESIGNATED SPECIFIC GRADE LEVELS FOR THAT, WHERE THEY WERE PRIOR TO THE VOTE.
UM, AND I MIGHT HAVE YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION, I BELIEVE.
UM, HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH.
SO THERE WERE, UM, TWO TITLES THAT WERE DESIGNATED YOUR TURN ONLY FOR NINTH THROUGH 12TH THAT HAD COPIES EXISTING AT A SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF THOSE GRADE LEVEL BANDS.
UM, ONE WAS PERKS OF BE A WALLFLOWER, THE OTHER WAS THE KITE RUNNER.
UM, AND THEY WERE MOVED FROM 2, 3, 4 DISTRICT SCHOOLS, ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY, THREE DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
SO THOSE COPIES HAVE BEEN, UM, THEY, THEY HAVE BEEN DELETED FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT HAD A COPY OF THEM AND THEY, THEY ARE READY TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A HIGH SCHOOL IF NEEDED.
THAT WAS EXACTLY ASKED AND ANSWERED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE THANK YOU.
AGAIN, THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO AN AR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION.
UM, AND I KIND OF, THE OTHER THING IS, AS FAR AS POLICY GOES, WE, I COULD, WE DON'T HAVE ANY POLICY.
ALL OF OUR, UM, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TIES DIRECTLY TO INSTRUCTIONAL, BUT WE DO HAVE TWO POLICIES THAT I THINK APPLY HERE.
[02:10:01]
IS THAT WE REQUIRE THAT THE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT COMPLY WITH ALL LAWS, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE THE MODEL POLICY AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE.AND THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I COULD FIND UNDER TREATMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS, UM, TH UH, OE 3.3 MAINTAIN AN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE THAT VALUES INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS.
SO FOR THOSE TWO REASONS, I THINK THAT BY POLICY, UM, THE COMMITTEE IS IN COMPLIANCE AND I WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
WISNESKI? THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
I'M JUST GONNA GIVE, UM, SOME BRIEF COMMENTS ABOUT MY, UH, MY THOUGHTS ON THE PROCESS AND KIND OF THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE GOING.
UM, ONE, I DO HAVE, UH, A BIT OF A CONCERN IN REGARDS TO THE COMMITTEE MAKEUP.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING MORE THAN WHAT THE MEMORANDUM ORIGINALLY STATED, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE ON A COMMITTEE, UM, AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO MEETINGS AND TO ACTUALLY COMPLY WITH WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS, IS ASKING FOR.
I THINK THAT THE MAKEUP IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE RESTRICTED AND, AND WHO SHOWS UP.
MY OTHER COMMENT AND CONCERN IS IN REGARD TO PARENTAL OPTOUT, THE FORM THAT IS PROVIDED AT THE, AT THIS PRESENT POINT IN TIME, THE ONE THAT I'VE SEEN, UM, IT, IT SOMEWHAT INDICATES THAT A PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW A SPECIFIC TITLE OR AUTHOR'S NAME IN ORDER TO OPT THEIR CHILD OUT OF CONTENT.
UM, I KNOW I'VE SPOKE WITH DR.
STRATAS ABOUT, UH, PARTICULARLY CREATING SOME TYPE OF RATING SYSTEM WHEREBY PARENTS KNOW, OKAY, THIS CONTENT IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT OR CONTAINS, UM, OBSCENITIES.
UH, BECAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE EXPECTING PARENTS TO KNOW THE CONTENT OF EVERY BOOK THAT'S ON THE SHELVES IN OUR INDIVIDUAL LIBRARIES.
AND THAT'S DIFFICULT, UH, FOR ANYBODY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT OUR PARENTAL OPT-OUT FORM IS CHANGED OR PERHAPS THAT WE LEAN INTO CREATING SOME TYPE OF A RATING SYSTEM THAT GIVES MORE TRANSPARENCY TO PARENTS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE CONTENT THAT IS PROVIDED IN THE BOOKS, OR THAT THEY CAN JUST PUT A BLANKET STATEMENT OUT THERE AND SAY, I DON'T WANT MY CHILD TO READ CONTENT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT HAS A BUNCH OF VULGARITIES OR OBSCENITIES OR SEXUAL CONTENT OR THESE TYPES OF SCENES.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT THE PRESENT OPT-OUT FORM WE HAVE IS PROBLEMATIC AND THAT I DON'T THINK IT REALLY ALLOWS PARENTS TO OPT OUT IN AN EDUCATED WAY.
UM, SO THAT'S MY INPUT, I THINK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT, THAT THINGS ARE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW I'M, I'M GOING TO VOTE ON THIS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND MAY I COMMENT? YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY, CAN YOU HAVE A RESPONSE? IT WAS, YES, GO AHEAD.
IT WAS HARD TO TELL WHO IT WAS.
UH, I'M JUST LEARNING THE PROCESS AND FLOW, OBVIOUSLY, OF THE MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, I WANT TO SECOND OR REITERATE EXACTLY WHAT DR.
WAS, NEVSKY JUST SAID THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT BEING A PARENT, UM, IN MY DISTRICT AND HAVING TALKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW, ANYONE WHO VOTED FOR ME OR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T, THE MAKEUP OF THOSE COMMITTEES IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF, OF THE PARENTS, THE FAMILIES, AND SO FORTH.
UM, I WOULD ALSO AGREE WITH MRS. WISNESKI, UM, IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT OPT-OUT FORMS, IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARER OR THERE NEEDS TO BE A MORE DEFINED WAY TO GO ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW FROM A LOT OF PARENTS, THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A LOT OF BOOKS, UM, OR JUST AN UNDERLYING TONE OF ESSENTIALLY RAPE CULTURE THAT'S HAPPENING OR THEY FEEL IS HAPPENING, UM, WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR THE MATERIALS PROVIDED.
AND IN READING THESE BOOKS OR REVIEWING THEM, I HAD TO KEEP IN MIND AS WELL, THE MAJORITY OF THESE BOOKS WERE NOT WRITTEN WHEN ANY OF US WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND SO ON.
SO AS A PARENT, I REALLY HAD TO REFLECT ON HOW I WOULD FEEL IF MY CHILDREN CAME TO ME READING THESE THINGS, WOULD I FEEL COMFORTABLE READING THEM TO MY CHILDREN AT SPECIFIC AGES WITHIN THE BRACKETS, FOR EXAMPLE, K THROUGH FIVE, SIX THROUGH EIGHT, AND SO ON.
UM, SO I REALLY TOOK THIS TO HEART BEING AN ACTUAL PARENT OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN.
[02:15:01]
JUST REITERATING I GUESS, WHAT DR.WIKI SAID, LIKE THAT IS, THAT COMES TO MIND OR WAYS ON ME PERSONALLY, UM, WHEN I KNOW, UM, THIS IS COMING DOWN TO A VOTE AND I WANT TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ECHO DR.
UH, I DON'T WANNA STICK A LOT OF WIND OUTTA MY SALES.
THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING HERE.
UM, UH, I, I'M ALSO, UH, DISAPPOINTED A LITTLE BIT, UH, BY THE BOARD'S ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT IT AS A BOARD.
UH, WE DIDN'T REALLY DO THAT AT ALL.
UH, AND, UH, I, I, I ALSO AM AGAINS BOOK BANNING.
I'M NOT, UH, IN FAVOR OF BOOK BANNING AT ALL.
THERE'S NO BAN BOOKS BEING BANNED, UH, AT ANY TIME.
UM, PARENTS CAN TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND CHECK THESE OUT OR BUY THEM OFF AMAZON AND GUARANTEE THAT THE, THE BOOK GOES IN THE CHILD'S HANDS.
UM, WHAT, AND THIS TO ME IS ABOUT, IS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
ARE WE REALLY GONNA TAX AND LEVY TAX ON THE, THE TAXPAYERS, UH, TO PUT THIS BOOK ON THE SHELF TWICE, UH, ONCE IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ONCE ON THE SCHOOL SHELVES? UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT I AGREE WITH THAT AS A, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY'S SUPPOSED TO BE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE OF THIS.
UH, AND I ALSO AM NOT SURE HOW I'M GONNA TO VOTE ON THIS.
UM, JUST TO RESPOND TO, UH, DR.
ESKY, I WAS GONNA ASK HER, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF, SHE MENTIONED THE, THE, UM, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN SHE MENTIONED THE, THE, UH, THE PROCESS, I MEAN THE, UM, THE APPLICATION THAT THE APPLICATION, THE APPLICATION THAT THE APPLICATION WASN'T, WASN'T CLEAR.
I THINK THAT THAT'S A, UH, QUICK FIX.
STRS AND THE STAFF, UM, COULD, COULD, UH, GO AHEAD AND, UH, AND, AND, AND CHANGE THAT.
CAUSE I KNOW THAT OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR WEBSITE IS FOREVER EVERLY EVOLVING.
I'M SURE THAT THEY, THEY'RE CHANGING STUFF ON THAT.
UH, I'M, I'M SURE THE STAFF WILL CHANGE STUFF ON THAT DAILY.
TELS KNOWS COULD GET THAT, UH, CHANGE, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S, UH, IN TERMS OF THAT, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A QUICK FIX BECAUSE OUR STAFF IS, I BELIEVE THEY'RE VERY, THEY'RE VERY CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.
UM, OR WERE YOU WILLING TO MAKE THAT A MOTION OR? WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR WE NEED TO ADDRESS FIRST.
WELL, WELL, THAT'S NO PROBLEM.
WELL, WE, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
BUT MY, MY QUESTION IS ALSO IF WE WANT, ONCE WE MOVE FORWARD, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT, THAT MIGHT HINDER HER DECISION IN, UM, IN, IN VOTING FOR IT OR VOTING AGAINST IT.
SO MY, MY QUESTION WOULD, WOULD THAT BE, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY, UH, I'M JUST PLAIN DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.
WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP YOU, UM, SO SUPPORT IT? YEAH.
UM, I'M CONSIDERING MAKING A MOTION FOLLOWING THIS ONE TO DIRECT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO COME UP WITH A RATING SYSTEM FOR BOOKS SO THAT PARENTS ARE BETTER INFORMED WHEN THEY ARE FILLING OUT THOSE FORMS. AND THEY CAN SAY, I DON'T WANT MY CHILD TO READ THIS TYPE OF BOOK.
THAT'S, THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GIVEN A VERY CLEAR LINE IN THE SAND OF THIS IS WHAT TYPE OF CONTENT IS THERE.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M WAITING FOR THE PRESENT MOTION TO GO FORWARD.
AND, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND ALSO, UM, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, DR.
SCR, UH, JUST TO, JUST TO ASK A QUESTION.
I MEAN, IF, UH, ARE ANY OF THOSE PARENTS, I MEAN, ANY OF THOSE STAFF MEMBERS, WERE THEY PERHAPS JUST S ADVOCATE? WERE ANY OF THOSE, UH, STAFF MEMBERS? WERE ANY OF THEM POSSIBLY PARENTS WITHIN STUDENTS OF THE DISTRICT? MR. SMITH? I, I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YES AND NO, BUT TO BE VERY DIRECT WITH YOU.
WE HAVE STAFF MEMBER, DISTRICT EMPLOYEES WHO CAME IN AS EMPLOYEES, AS EDUCATORS.
WE HAVE THOSE WHO CAME AND REPRESENTED AS PARENTS AS WELL.
SO I HAVE TO SHARE, I DID NOT GO FROM TABLE TO TABLE TO SPEAK BECAUSE I, WE TRY VERY HARD AT THESE COMMITTEES NOT TO LEND ANY INFLUENCE AND LET THE REVIEW COMMITTEES GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS.
BUT IT HAS BEEN SHARED WITH MY, WITH ME THAT MANY ARE PARENTS AS WELL, AND HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I JUST, UH, THAT, THAT WAS JUST ONE SOMETHING I WAS, I WAS WONDERING THAT I THOUGHT THAT, THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, AS I JUST SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO ON THAT, UH, LA LAST VOTE.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, I THINK THAT'S VERY, UH, PI, UH, PIVOTAL.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST HEARING SOME OF WHAT WE JUST SAID, I'M JUST AT, UH, I, I'M, I'M ALMOST AT, OBVIOUSLY I DEFINITELY DO BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY, BUT YOU KNOW, AS I, AS THE MO MOTION I MADE IN, IN, IN THE LAST CONVERSATION IS, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER.
IF, IF WE DON'T BELIEVE IN HAVING A, IF WE DON'T BELIEVE IN HAVING A, AND WE DON'T BELIEVE IN HAVING A PROCESS FOR, FOR EVERYONE AT ALL AND, AND BE, AND BE EQUITABLE ACROSS THE BOARD, THEN, I MEAN, I ALMOST
[02:20:01]
SEE THIS AS A, IF WE DON'T BELIEVE IN HAVING A, IN MY LAST DISCUSSION, IF WE DON'T BELIEVE IN HAVING A, A, ANOTHER PROCESS TO, TO SUPPORT STAFF, UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, OF, OF WHAT THEIR GRIEVING BELIEFS THEN, AND, AND IN TERMS OF NOW WE ARE QUESTIONING THE, THE JUDGMENTS OF IT IN TERMS OF HOW, HOW THIS PROCESS HERE TAKES PLACE.GOOD, GOOD FOR, AGAIN, TRANSPARENCY AND TRANSPARENCY.
I JUST, I'M, I'M KIND OF A LITTLE, A LITTLE, UH, LOST HERE OR CONCERNED HERE, BUT MORE, MORE, MORE SO.
UM, I THINK THERE'S STILL, THERE'S STILL QUESTION, THERE'S STILL QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING, UH, AND DIGESTING THIS PROCESS.
AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING, FOR BEING.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO TRANSPARENT YOURSELF.
UM, I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED BY THE PROCESS.
I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED BY THE SPECIFIC DETAILS THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED.
CHAPTER PAGE NUMBER, CHAPTER PAGE NUMBER, UH, AND THEY GAVE AN ASSESSMENT OF IT.
SO TO ME, IT INDICATED THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE TEAMS WAS VERY EFFECTIVE IN LOOKING AT IT VERY BROADLY.
I KNOW QUITE A FEW OF THE RESPONSES.
THERE WERE THREE BUCKETS THAT THEY COULD HAVE PUT THE BOOK IN.
QUITE A FEW OF THE RESPONSES HAD A PERSON VOTING.
SO I THINK THERE WAS VERY DISPARATE VIEWS WITHIN EACH COMMITTEE, AND I THINK THAT'S HEALTHY.
SO THE REASON THAT I'M SUPPORTING, UH, UPHOLDING WHAT THE COMMITTEES HAVE DONE IS BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL OPTOUT.
SO IN TERMS OF LIBERTY, EVERY PARENT CAN SAY, I DON'T WANT MY KID TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT BOOK.
I WOULD EXPECT THAT THEY WOULD ABSOLUTELY USE THAT ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR KID, WHICH THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT AN ENTITY OR AN EFFORT TO ACTUALLY ISSUE A BAN, WHICH THAT'S FUNCTIONALLY WHAT IT IS.
THAT IF I WANT MY KIDS TO DO IT, READ IT, ACCESS IT, I HAVE CONVERSATIONS, THEY'LL BE PROHIBITED FROM IT.
THE OTHER THING IS, I THINK WE'RE SELLING PARENTS SHORT BY SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO COMPLEX OF A FORM WITH ALL DUE RESPECT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SAY WE WANT MORE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.
SO THIS HAS BEEN GOOD TONIGHT.
THIS HAS REALLY BEEN GOOD TO SEE THE PARENTS ON BOTH SIDES COME UP AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT I'M SUPPORTING.
I THINK LET'S GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE CREDENCE FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEIR JUDGMENT.
THEY KNOW HOW THEY WANT TO REAR THEIR KIDS.
AND I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS, THIS PARTICULAR MOTION, MR. EARL CAMPBELL.
UM, I DON'T, FOR ME, UM, I THINK THE COMMITTEE DID A JOB THAT THEY WAS ASKED TO DO.
AND, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WE WANT MORE COMMITTEE, ME, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE BOARD, ON, ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT I DON'T WANT THE COMMITTEE TO HAVE A MAJORITY OF FOLKS THAT WANT TO BAND EVERYTHING.
AND IN THE MINORITY, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANNA KEEP CERTAIN BOOKS ON THE SHELF.
UM, MY THING IS THIS, AND IT IS NOT JUST HERE IN BEAUFORD COUNTY OR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
IT'S GOING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
FOLKS DON'T WANT TO BE OR TO TELL THE TRUTH.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA HISTORY, WORLD HISTORY, US HISTORY AND, AND, AND BAN THOSE BECAUSE THE HISTORY BOOKS IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH.
UM, AND I, I, I SHOULDN'T GO IN THIS, BUT I'M GONNA GO INTO IT.
WE, IN THE HISTORY BOOK, IT TELLS YOU THAT COLUMBUS, MR. CAMPBELL, I'LL REMIND YOU, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
SO JUST MAKE YOUR COMMENTS GERMANE TO THE MOTION.
NOW YOU CAN BRING THEM INTO THE MOTION IF YOU'D LIKE.
WELL, I, I, I'M GONNA BRING IT IN THERE.
OKAY? BECAUSE I, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN, IN THE HISTORY BOOKS IS, IS NOT TRUE, PERIOD.
AND I CAN PROVE IT, YOU KNOW, UM, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS NOT, UM, A PERFECT STATEMENT.
THE THINGS THAT WENT ON IN THIS STATE, THEY DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT TO MY FOLKS.
THE LYNCHING AND STUFF THAT WENT ON, THEY DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT.
THE MASSACRE OF PEOPLE IN THIS, IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS LIKE THEY SAID BEFORE, IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR PAST, IT, IT, IT WILL COME BACK AGAIN TO HAUNT YOU IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW? UM, AND, AND LEMME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M
[02:25:01]
TALKING ABOUT.LET JUST RELATE TO ONE OF THE BOOKS,
WE'VE GOTTA KEEP JER TO THE, TO THE MOTION.
I, I, I JUST WANT, WANT THAT, WANT TO HAPPEN.
NOW, AS FAR AS THE OPTOUT, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
WE'RE CHANGING THAT, BUT PARENTS KNOW EXACTLY IF THEY, THEY DON'T WANT THE CHILDREN TO TALK ABOUT SEXUAL OR ISSUES IN THE BOOKS, UH, OR PROFANITY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
BUT, UM, I THINK WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT THIS, WE NEED TO TALK, TELL THE WHOLE STORY, AND WE ARE NOT TELLING THE WHOLE STORY.
UH, FIRST I WANT TO, UH, TO THANK DR.
UH, I ACTUALLY READ SOME OF THESE BOOKS AS WAS, UM, COMMENTED EARLIER BY SOME OF THE PARENTS WHO SPOKE.
AND THE CHILDREN, IF YOU DIDN'T READ IT, DON'T COMMENT.
SO, I BELIEVE LIKE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, MR. DALLAS AND OTHERS, I DON'T BELIEVE IN BANNING THE BOOKS.
I DO BELIEVE IN INFORMED STUDENTS AND INFORMED PARENTS AND, AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMITTEE DID THAT.
WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH THESE BOOKS, THEY HAD A SHEET AND THEY TALENTED THE SHEET, AND THEY GAVE US THE INFORMATION, UH, THAT THEY FOUND WAS CREDIBLE TO, FOR, UH, THE BOOKS TO STAY IN OUR SCHOOLS OR NOT.
THE OTHER THING IS THE FORM ITSELF.
I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER TIME.
I THINK THAT THAT'S A DISCUSSION WHERE, UH, THE COMMITTEE NEEDS TO RE-LOOK AT THE, IT IS CUMBERSOME.
I MEAN, I READ THE BOOKS AND I WAS STRUGGLING, YOU KNOW, AND AS A PARENT FOR ME TO OPT OUT, WHAT AM I OPTING OUT ON? SHE DOESN'T SAY THAT THE, THE SCENES ARE OBSCENE OR THERE'S A SEXUAL CONTENT IS NOT ENOUGH.
SO THE PARENTS KNOW, BECAUSE I'LL BE HONEST, UH, ONLY BECAUSE I HAD TO READ, I READ.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CHILDREN AND PARENTS' OPINIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THE COMMITTEES NOT, BUT THEY DID AN AWESOME JOB IN DELIVERING WHAT WE HAVE TONIGHT.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE GIVEN US, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO.
I BELIEVE THEY, BUT I ALSO THINK A FORM THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE, YES, IT CAN POSSIBLY BE IMPROVED.
AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T REALLY SIT HERE TONIGHT AND TELL THE PARENTS WHAT IS EXACTLY ON THAT OP OUT FORM, WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT TO ADD ON THAT FORM IS CRITICAL.
JUST TO SAY, OH, I OPT OUT IS NOT ENOUGH.
WE DO HAVE TO BE SPECIFIC, BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA TAKE MORE THAN JUST DR.
STRATAS AND THE TEAM JUST MAKING A CHANGE.
SO I SUPPORT, I SUPPORT COMMITTEE'S, UH, FINDINGS.
AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.
JUST LIKE I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO SPOKE HERE TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN.
LISTEN TO THE CHILDREN, THEY THESE AWAY, RIGHT? DR.
UM, RODRIGUEZ, AND THEY, THEY SPOKE PASSIONATELY.
HOW CAN WE NOT LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAID TONIGHT? AND HOW CAN WE NOT COMMEND THIS TEAM, THIS COMMITTEE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE? APPRECIATE THE OPINIONS FOR MINUS TO GO AND, UH, MAKE ANOTHER FORM ANOTHER DAY.
PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE SPOKEN? ANYBODY ELSE WANNA SPEAK? OH, WE'RE GOOD.
MR. SMITH, YOU CAN, I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE YOUR SECOND TIME SPEAKING.
SO IS IT, WE, IS IT SOMETHING NEW THAT HAS NOT BEEN DISCUSSED RELATED TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? UM, AND IN, IN TERMS OF THAT, I, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ALL SPEAK TWICE.
AND, UM, AND I DON'T, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.
I MAY UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT TO CUR KURT TELL THIS CONVERSATION, BUT SOMETIMES, UH, WITH, WITH, WITH LIFE, YOU GOT GOOD, BAD, AND UGLY, AND IT'S A TOUGH SOUND CONVERSATION.
BUT WHAT MUST BE HAD I ONLY THING I WANTED TO SAY, UH, IN, IN, IN REFERENCE, UH, AS IN, UH, WHAT, UM, MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID.
I JUST WANTED TO DEFINITELY, UM, THANK THOSE STUDENTS BECAUSE I WAS OUTLINING THINGS, UH, EARLIER.
I REALLY HADN'T REALLY ACTUALLY MADE, I PLAYED DEVIL'S
[02:30:01]
ADVOCATE AND JUST I UNDERSTANDING THE INFORMATION OF A, OF MY, OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUE.BUT IN TERMS OF THAT, I, I MORE SOLELY WANTED TO THANK THOSE STUDENTS FOR STAYING HERE AND COMING HERE TO THIS MEETING, AND LET THEM KNOW THAT Y'ALL VOICES ARE HEARD AND THOSE SCHOOLS THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE COMING FROM ARE IN MY AREA.
SO I DO HEAR YOU, AND YOU ARE THE DRIVING FORCE TO MY VOTE TONIGHT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN BEING TRANSPARENT, AND I DON'T BELIEVE IN ROBBING YOU OF YOUR TIME.
SO I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND STANDING UP ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
THAT'S, UM, ON THE, ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, AYE.
SO THE, THE MOTION CARRIES 8 2 1.
RUSKI, MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DEVELOP A RATING SYSTEM FOR RECREATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MEDIA CENTERS.
ANY DISCUSSION? YES, ACTUALLY, GO, GO AHEAD.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'LL BE BETTER.
AS MS. GORDON ALREADY ALLUDED TO, IF THE SUPERINTENDENT, SINCE HE'S OUR C E O AND DR.
STRATOS, CHIEF INSTRUCTIONAL OFFICER, UH, LOOKED AT THIS PROBLEM AND CAME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH A SOLUTION, PERHAPS A GRADING SYSTEM, UH, IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO ADDRESS AN OPT OUT FORM.
I DON'T KNOW,
THEY'VE HEARD WHAT THE PROBLEM IS FROM, FROM THE, FROM THE, FROM THE BOARD, AND ESPECIALLY FROM FROM YOU THAT ARE PARENTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
COULD I SAY ONE ON, OH, YES, GO AHEAD.
THAT'S, THAT'S ELIZABETH, RIGHT? I WAS GONNA SAY, UM, SORT OF CURTAILING OFF OF THIS, BUT I, I, AS WELL AS COLONEL GEIER, I IDENTIFY MORE AS A LIBERTARIAN.
AND WHILE I DO NOT WANT TO CONTROL THE ACTIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE OR WHAT PEOPLE CAN OR CANNOT READ, I ALSO BELIEVE THAT PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT, OR FREEDOM, IF YOU WILL, TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN HOW THEY WANT TO, OR THE INNOCENCE OF THEIR CHILDREN.
UH, NUMBER ONE, THIS OPT-OUT PROCESS SHOULD BE SIMPLE.
IF A PARENT WANTS TO TAKE THE 96 BOOKS AND WITHOUT READING THEM, BUT SAY, BASED ON THE WEBSITE, BASED ON THE MOMS FOR LIBERTY, I JUST WANT THOSE 96 BOOKS NOT TO BE, UH, ABLE FOR MY CHILDREN TO, TO READ THEM.
MY CHILD WILL NOT READ THOSE BOOKS.
AND I, AND THEY'RE GIVEN TO THE LIBRARIAN, AND THE LIBRARIAN SAYS, SORRY, JOHNNY MAMA SAYS, YOU CAN'T READ IT.
UH, GO HOME AND SEE MAMA, IF YOU'RE GIVING A NOTE SAYING THAT YOU CAN FINE IT.
NOW, RATING THE BOOKS FOR THE DISTRICT, I MEAN, COME ON FOLKS.
THE MOVIE INDUSTRY RATES, MOVIES, THE PUBLISHERS, THEY'RE NOT ABOUT TO READ THEM BECAUSE FRANKLY, SOME OF THEM, THAT'S BILL WORKING FOR THE, FOR THE BOOK SALES.
THIS IS NOT AN EASY THING TO, TO RATE HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH.
UH, THAT, THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING, I THINK MAKE IT SIMPLE.
BUT THAT'S UP TO, I AGREE WITH YOU DR.
CLAUS, THAT THAT'S UP TO THE EDUCATORS TO FIGURE OUT THIS PROCESS.
BUT THE OPT-OUT THING SHOULD BE EASY.
ROSKI, JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, SO I THINK EVERYBODY'S, UM, OR, OR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE KNOW THE RATING SYSTEMS FOR TELEVISION AND FOR MOVIES, UM, MUSIC THAT'S EXPLICIT.
UH, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR AT THIS TIME.
SO IT IS VERY MUCH WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE
[02:35:01]
SUPERINTENDENT TO, YOU KNOW, DIRECT HOW HE SEES FIT, WHAT A RATING SYSTEM WOULD BE.IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS CONTAINS PROFANITIES, YOU KNOW, A LABEL ON IT, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND TO YOUR POINT, COLONEL GEIER, MAKING THE OPT-OUT FORM MORE SIMPLISTIC AND EASIER FOR PARENTS.
UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED LISTING OFF, YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF BOOKS.
MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT WHAT BOOKS DO PARENTS NOT KNOW ABOUT? AND THAT'S JUST ASSUMING THAT SOMEONE HAS DONE, UH, MADE A LIST, SOME ORGANIZATION HAS MADE A LIST.
IT'S MORE ABOUT THE CONTENT THAT IS THE CONCERN FOR THE PARENTS, WHETHER IT'S PROFANITIES, VULGARITY, SEXUAL CONTENT, THE, LIKE, IF PARENTS ARE INFORMED THEY CAN MAKE AN APPROPRIATE DECISION FOR THEIR CHILD.
AND SO THE OPT-OUT FORM YES, NEEDS WORK AND WHATEVER RATING SYSTEM YOU GUYS COME UP WITH THAT INFORMS PARENTS BETTER, UM, AND ALLOWS THAT FORM TO WORK BETTER FOR PARENTS, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, SO I'M NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR AT THIS TIME, AND, AND IT'S DEFINITELY WITHIN Y'ALL'S PURVIEW TO, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT THOSE ARE MY KIND OF INTENTIONS BEHIND THIS MOTION SO THAT EVERYBODY'S CLEAR OF WHERE I, WHERE I STAND.
MR. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, CLARIFICATION, DR.
UM, AND FOR THAT, I, UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT BECAUSE, UH, AS I STATED EARLIER, UM, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES AND DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING OF, OF, OF, UH, WHAT MAY NEEDED.
AS I STATED EARLIER, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND I'M JUST REALLY, UH, KIND AT, AT ODD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS, UH, CONVERSATION IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, THIS WAS PARTLY THE SAME CONVERSATION, ASK THE BOARD TO HAVE EARLIER ABOUT A DIFFERENT, ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE GRIEVANCE PROCESS.
AND THEY HAVE VERY SIMILAR THINGS IN, IN TERMS OF SERVING THE SERVING OF SERVING PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO, WHO ARE ELECTED AND ALSO ARE STAFF MEMBERS.
BUT ANYWAYS, UM, IT, IT'S SIMPLE.
IT'S JUST MORE CHECKS AND BALANCES.
IT'S GETTING, GETTING AT MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAS A FAIR SHOT AND EVERYONE HAS, THEY HAVE A CHECKS AND BALANCE SYSTEM THAT, THAT THEY CAN MAKE, MAKE, MAKE A SOUND DECISION BASED ON THEIR, BASED ON THEIR PERSONAL FAMILY AND THEIR PREFERENCES, AND TO PROTECT EVERYONE.
SO I WILL SUPPORT THAT MO THIS MOTION.
OH, I WAS, I'M GONNA, UM, AMEND THE MOTION, PASS THE GAVEL.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO STRIKE TO DEVELOP A RATING SYSTEM FOR RECREATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN V C S D MEDIA CENTERS.
AND JUST REPLACE THAT WITH, UM, I'LL READ THE WHOLE THING.
I MOVED THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REEVALUATE THE OPT-OUT FORM FOR PARENTS, AND IT'S UP TO HIM AND HIS STAFF TO FIGURE IT OUT.
I HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN HIM AND DR.
STRATOS AND HER STAFF, AND I THINK WE DON'T WANNA MICROMANAGE, YOU KNOW, LET HIM, LET HIM, AS WE'VE SAID, MAKE IT SIMPLE AND MAKE IT SO PARENTS CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, GET THE RESULT THEY WANT TO FROM THE OPTOUT FORM.
IT'S THEIR CHOICE WHAT THEIR CHILD READS.
WOULD ANYBODY SECOND THAT? I SECOND? OKAY.
THE OPTOUT, THE OPTOUT FORM FOR THE, UM, I GUESS YOU'D SAY THE MEDIA CENTER OR THE LIBRARY BOOKS OR
RECREATIONAL RESOURCES IN OUR MEDIA CENTERS.
ARE YOU OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION? I'M NOT DOCUMENT I MADE THE MOTION OR AMENDMENT.
UM, TO ME, THIS MOTION, IT DOES NOT SAY NOTHING DIFFERENT FROM, WELL, DR.
ESKY, AFTER SHE SIT THERE, AND SHE HAD A VERY COMPELLING, UH, REASON TO HER, BASICALLY HER MESSAGES, THIS MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE EXACT VERBIAGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
I, I, I SAW NOTHING WRONG WITH HER, WITH HER, UH, MOTION.
AND I SAID PUBLICLY I WAS SUPPORTED.
AND I THINK THAT IT IS OUR JOB, UNFORTUNATELY, TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT.
UH, AND, AND I, I DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS, I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY TAKEN MORE PRE IN A, IN A PERSONAL CONTEXT.
BUT I THINK THAT HER MOTION WAS GENERALLY, UH, BASICALLY TO DO THE SAME THING.
[02:40:01]
MOTION HAD ANY DIFFERENT SIGNIFICANCE FROM THE, UH, FROM, FROM THE PRIOR MO MOTION.SO THEREFORE, I WILL NOT TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT SHE DID A GOOD JOB IN HOW SHE ARTICULATED WHAT, WHAT SHE WANTED, BASICALLY NOT SHOVING A SELF, SHOVING A SHOVEL AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
SO I WON'T SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
UM, ACTUALLY I READ SOME OF THESE BOOKS WHEN MY DAUGHTER READ THEM IN HIGH SCHOOL, CUZ I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT SHE WAS READING.
AND I, WE HAD A CON, WE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS WAYS TO MAKE SURE PARENTS ARE ENGAGED AND INFORMED.
UM, WHICH PUTTING THAT ON OUR SUPERINTENDENT IS A BIG BURDEN BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S TRICKY, RIGHT? HOW DO WE HAVE A RATING SYSTEM? HOW DO YOU OPT OUT? WHO OPTS OUT? WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THE KID? YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST SO MANY QUESTIONS.
SO MY THOUGHTS ARE THIS, I DON'T SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S WELL-INTENTIONED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THIS.
MY DAUGHTER WAS ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS.
I THINK FOR MOST PARENTS, YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOUR KID'S TRYING TO CHECK BOOKS OUT FROM THE LIBRARY.
AND CAN I, THIS IS JUST SORT OF A FUNNY THING, BUT SOMEONE, THERE WAS A HEADLINE SAID 72% OF 13 YEAR OLDS HAVE SEEN ONLINE PORNOGRAPHY.
AND SOMEONE MADE A COMMENT, THEY'RE LIKE, NEW STUDY REVEALS 28% OF KIDS ARE LIARS.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST SO PREVALENT IN OUR SOCIETY, YOU KNOW? SO I MEAN, IT, IT IS HARD AS A PARENT TO TRY AND PROTECT THEIR INNOCENCE AND TRY TO PROTECT, YOU KNOW, PROTECT THEIR MINDS AND LET THEM BE CHILDREN.
I, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT SENTIMENT.
I WOULD LOVE TO WRAP MY DAUGHTER IN LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE AND YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF A BOOK.
BUT SHE READ THESE BOOKS, THEY WERE REALLY IMPACTFUL.
I READ THEM, WE HAD GOOD DISCUSSIONS OFF OF 'EM.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M WRESTLING WITH IS I DON'T SEE HOW WE COME UP WITH A POLICY FOR THIS.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY POLICIES IN OUR OE THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH LIBRARY MATERIALS OR IN TERMS OF, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE DIRECTING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO SOMETHING REGARDING COMING UP WITH SOME SORT OF A RATING SYSTEM.
IT FEELS TO ME A LITTLE BIT LIKE, UM, AN UNDOABLE TASK.
AND SO SETTING ALL THAT ASIDE, WHAT I'LL SAY IS I DON'T SUPPORT THIS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THOSE 120 BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PRE-FILED IN THE LEGISLATURE.
MANY OF THEM ARE REGARDING BOOKS.
I THINK THE STATE'S GONNA SOLVE THIS PROBLEM FOR US.
THE STATE IS GOING TO DIRECT OUR DISTRICT JUST LIKE THEY HAVE WITH THIS MEMO FROM MOLLY SPEARMAN IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS.
AND I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE STATE COMES UP WITH AND LET THE SUPERINTENDENT THEN COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE SENTIMENT AS A PARENT, UM, BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST SUCH A COMPLICATED ISSUE.
JUST SORT OF HAND IT OFF AND BE LIKE, COME BACK WITH SOMETHING THAT'S A BIG ASK.
AND SO I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT AND WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, BODY SAYS.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO JUST CLARIFY CUZ IT SEEMS LIKE FROM YOUR COMMENTS,
YEAH, WELL, NO, SO ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS BROADEN THE, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S ABILITY TO CHANGE THAT OPT-OUT FORM.
IF HE AND HIS STAFF SEE FIT, HE, HE'D COME BACK TO US AND SAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
I'M GONNA WAIT UNTIL I HEAR FROM THE, THE, THE, THE STATE STATE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION.
WISNESKI UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE SHE WAS GOING WITH HER MOTION.
BUT I, I THINK KURT WAS MORE RESTRICTIVE.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I SUGGESTED NOT HAVING IT SPECIFICALLY SAY THERE HAS TO BE A RATING SYSTEM ON THE OPT-OUT FORM.
IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT IS WHAT DR.
RODRIGUEZ WILL COME BACK TO US.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO, WE ALL, IT SEEMS LIKE THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WITHOUT A VOTE IS MAKE THE FORM SIMPLE, MAKE IT SO PARENTS CAN UTILIZE IT WITHOUT IT BEING A BURDEN TO THE PARENT.
AND SO THE, THE PARENT CAN GET THE RESULT THEY WANT.
THEY WANT THESE BOOKS, THEIR CHILD TO, TO REVIEW OR ACCESS AND THEY DON'T WANT THOSE BOOKS FOR THEIR CHILD TO ACCESS.
SO WE HAVE JUST, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND, BUT CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? SURE.
WE'RE SETTING THE GUIDELINE, WE'RE DIRECTING HIM.
YES, WE'RE SETTING THE GUIDE BASED ON WHAT POLICY TO, TO RE BECAUSE HE'S A, BECAUSE THAT IS THE WHOLE PREMISE OF COHERENT GOVERNANCE.
WE SET THE GUIDELINES FOR HIM TO WORK WITHIN.
AND OUR GUIDELINE IS IT LOOKS LIKE THIS FORM MAY BE NOT IDEAL.
CAN YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE? AND HE MAY SAY, NO, THIS IS THE BEST FORM WE HAVE.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S GONNA SAY.
MY THING IS JUST, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN OUR POLICY THAT ADDRESSES LIBRARY MATERIALS, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME.
SO MY, ANYWAYS, BUT MY WHOLE THING IS, I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I THINK, I MEAN, I, I'M GETTING TIRED THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO TACKLE THAT ISSUE.
SO PERSONALLY I DON'T SUPPORT IT.
I'M, UM, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CLEAR POLICY.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GIVING HIM CLEAR DIRECTIONS.
WE'RE TELLING HIM TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S MODERATELY UNFIXABLE.
AND I DO THINK THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE SOME GUIDELINES COMING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT YEAR ABOUT HOW SCHOOLS APPROACH ISSUES LIKE THIS.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I, I WANNA GO BACK TO THE MOTION, THE AMENDED MOTION THAT I'M, THE MOTION, I'LL READ IT AGAIN.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO
[02:45:01]
REEVALUATE THE OPT-OUT FORM FOR RECREATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT GIVING IT A RATING.
IT'S SIMPLY TO REEVALUATE THE OPTOUT FORM.
THAT'S WHAT THIS MOTION IS FOR.
I DON'T HAVE LIKE A REALLY GREAT DEFENSE.
I JUST HAVE A GUT FEELING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO DO.
AND AGAIN, IT'S AN AR AND WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD FROM DAY ONE IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DOESN'T GET INVOLVED IN AR IT'S FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE POLICY THAT ADDRESSES LIBRARY MATERIALS.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE CAN WAIT UNTIL SEE WHAT THE STATE'S GONNA DO.
CAUSE I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
I'D RIGHT FOR A FACT, UM, THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT ALREADY UNMADE THIS IS WHAT THEY GONNA DO.
YOU KNOW? SO, UM, IF IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY COME DOWN ON, ON, ON ME AS A BOARD MEMBER, LET THEM DO IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW I'D WANT TO TELL THE TRUTH.
THEY DON'T WANT THE STUDENTS TO KNOW THE TRUTH AND KIN.
AND I, OH, SORRY MR. CAMPBELL, YOU FINISHED.
YOU KNOW, THEY TOLD ME A LIE WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, TOLD MY CHILDREN TO LIE.
AND, BUT I, I STRAIGHTENED THAT LIE OUT BECAUSE I TAUGHT THEM ALL THEM WHAT WAS CORRECT AND WHAT WAS NOT CORRECT.
AND, AND THE STATE IS NOT GONNA CHANGE THE ATTITUDE.
THEY'RE AFRAID TO TELL THE TRUTH, YOU KNOW? THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED CORRECT SOMETHING.
SO WE DO HAVE AN OE THAT TOUCHES ON THIS, AND IT'S OE 12 POINT 12 AND ALSO NUMBER 16.
OR I WOULD CONTEND THAT OUR, THAT OUR POLICIES DO TOUCH ON THIS, UM, IN TERMS OF RECREATIONAL MATERIALS OR TEXTBOOKS, UM, AND OUR ABILITY TO ENGAGE FAMILIES IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
UM, SO WITH REGARD TO THE, THE PRESENT MOTION, I, I WAS INCLINED TO SUPPORT IT, MADAM CHAIR, UM, UNTIL PEOPLE STARTED TALKING ABOUT WAITING ON THE STATE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SAY THIS, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, FRANK MIGHT COME BACK AND SAY, OH, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE CHANGED.
UM, THAT DOESN'T JIVE WELL WITH ME.
SO I'M, I'M GONNA BE DOWN ON THIS AT THE MOMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, UH, CALL THE QUESTION, READ THE MOTION AGAIN.
I MOVE AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REEVALUATE THE OPT-OUT FORM FOR RECREATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MEDIA CENTERS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFIED BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, 1, 2, 3, 4.
SO THAT MOTION CARRIES AND SO DOES THE GAVEL.
ALRIGHT, SO I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THE MAD CHAIR.
I WAS GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING IF I CAN, TO THE DONATION.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVED THAT WE APPROVED THE DONATION FROM TAMMY AND DUKE NOVAK IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,500 FOR NEGATIVE LUNCH BALANCES AT HILTON HEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM VERY MUCH FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATION.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S A WONDERFUL THOUGHT AND GESTURE.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THE NOVAKS FOR THEIR, UM, GENEROUS DONATION.
AND I WILL ALSO SAY I'VE KNOWN TAMMY FOR NOVAK FOR MANY YEARS, AND IN ADDITION TO BEING A VERY GENEROUS BENEFACTOR, SHE'S AN EXCELLENT BOOKKEEPER.
SO,
ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE DONATION AND THE AMOUNT OF 5,500 FOR THE NEGATIVE LUNCH BALANCES FROM THE NOVAS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND ANY ABSTAINING? SO THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[Consent Agenda]
ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.AND, UM, WE APPROVE OUR, OUR BOARD, UH, PRECEDENT AS WE APPROVE ALL THE ITEMS TOGETHER AS ONE, AS
[02:50:01]
OPPOSED TO GOING TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY.WISNESKI, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MR. WILLIAM SMITH, SECOND THAT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? SO, ALL IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.
[Future Agenda Topics]
NEXT WE HAVE FUTURE ADD AGENDA TOPICS, AND, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UH, RECOMMEND A FUTURE AGENDA TOPIC, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.WE'RE ONLY GIVING THE TOPIC AS AS A AS AS, UH, UM, IN YOUR, IF YOU RESPOND, PLEASE DON'T GIVE AN EXPLANATION WHY YOU THINK THIS SHOULD BE ON THE, ON THE, THE, UM, THE, UH, AGENDA OR WHICH MEETING IT SHOULD BE AT, OR DON'T GIVE GOOD INTO THE DETAILS.
THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TOPIC IS JUST MERELY, MERELY, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA TOPIC THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO ENTERTAIN MR. CARLTON DALLAS? YES, MA'AM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN TRULY IMPRESSED BY AS A NEW BOARD MEMBER OR THE PLETHORA OF PROGRAMS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS, I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY PROGRAMS, I'M JUST AMAZED, UH, AT THE EFFICACY THEY APPEAR TO HAVE, UH, THE PASSION THAT THE STAFF AND TEACHERS HAVE BEHIND PRESENTING THEM.
I GUESS THE OPPORTUNITY I LOOK AT IS HOW DO WE SORT OF LOOK AT COMMUNICATION INTO THE COMMUNITIES? BECAUSE TOO OFTEN THERE'S NOT AN AWARENESS OF ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, AND I THINK WE CAN REALLY GAIN MORE SUPPORT.
UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT, UH, REPRESENTATION OF SCHOOLS IN STUDENT PERFORMANCES.
UH, ANYONE WHO'S RECEIVING A CHECK FROM THE DISTRICT, WHAT THE, THE CONVERSATION FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU TOLD ME NOT TO GO INTO IT.
ANY, ANYONE WHO IS WHO, WHO'S RECEIVING CHECKS FROM THE DISTRICT, FROM THE DISTRICT, WHEREVER, UH, IT'D BE CONTRACTORS OR WHEREVER BE EMPLOYEES.
RIGHT THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
[First Public Comments]
I KNOW, UH, MR. UH, CARLSON DALLAS WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.PURSUANT TO THE COMMENTS I WAS BEGINNING TO MAKE A FEW MINUTES AGO,
I'D LIKE TO NAME THEM BY NAME.
AND, UM, UH, THEY'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH PASSION INNOVATION IN HELPING US ACTUALLY CREATE THE COMMUNITY CAREER EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH ABOUT 20 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
COMMITTEE, THE BE COUNTY E C, UH, BU DIGITAL CARTER.
AND THOSE STAFF PEOPLE ARE MS. KAREN GILBERT, DIRECTOR OF CTE E UH, DR.
NIKIA CAMPBELL, WHO I THINK IS IN CHARGE OF OUTREACH.
BROODER, WHO'S DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB IN TERMS OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL DELIVERY OF SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. MS. STACY LYNCH, WHO WORKS WITH DR.
ANGELA WILLIAMS, WHO IS A, ONE OF THE, UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HER TITLE, FORGIVE ME FOR THAT, BUT SHE'S BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY AT HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL TO MAKE SURE ALL THE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE IN PLACE.
UH, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE IT KNOWN THAT REALLY APPRECIATE THE PASSION AND ENERGY THAT THEY HAVE, UH, FOR THEIR JOBS AND FOR THE, FOR THE TEACHERS AND STAFF.
[Second Public Comments]
THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENTS NEXT ON OUR AGENDA ARE THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS.AND WE'RE JUST A LITTLE, FEW MINUTES BEFORE NINE, WHICH IS GREAT,
SO WE HAVE, UM, A FEW HERE, UH, IN PERSON AGAIN, AND THEN WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE OR MORE ON THE PHONE.
SO FIRST IS IVY ZALE ON THE BOOKS.
SO I PREPARED SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT, UM, DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY HERE TONIGHT HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS A MOMS FOR LIBERTY LIST.
IT IS NOT A MOMS FOR LIBERTY LIST.
IT'S BEEN REPORTED IN THE PAPERS IN THE MEDIA.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SPREAD THESE RUMORS.
THIS IS A LIST THAT I COLLATED ON MY OWN.
IT TOOK ME CLOSE TO A WEEK TO COMB THROUGH THE
[02:55:01]
DISTRICT'S DESTINY SITE TO FIND EACH AND EVERY BOOK THAT HAD A RATING OF THREE OR HIGHER, WHICH WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO A BOOK, SAY THAT'S LIKE A PG 17 OR CLOSE TO AN R-RATED MOVIE.THIS WAS BASED ON SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL.
IT WAS NOT BASED ON TRYING TO MARGINALIZE ANY KIND OF COMMUNITY.
I READ THE STATISTICS THAT I COLLATED FOR YOU.
UH, AT THE NOVEMBER, I THINK IT WAS 15TH OR 17TH BOARD MEETING, THE MINE, THE MINORITY AUTHORS, UM, C THEIR 22% OF ALL OF THE AUTHORS THAT I SUBMITTED, BLACK AUTHORS WERE 11%.
THAT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE 96 BOOKS THAT WERE SUBMITTED.
UM, I J I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP BECAUSE MOMS FOR LIBERTY DID NOT PUT THIS LIST TOGETHER.
AND TO, TO TRY TO MAKE THIS POLITICAL OR RELIGIOUSLY MOTIVATED IS, IS REALLY UNTRUE.
I KNOW WHAT WAS IN MY HEART AND PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT ME, SAID THINGS ABOUT ME THAT ARE NOT TRUE.
I'VE, I'VE BEEN ATTACKED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, LIKE I SAID IN MY, IN MY PREVIOUS SPEECH, UH, A GROUP TRIED TO, UM, CANCEL CULTURE, CANCEL A A, A SMALL BUSINESS HERE, HERE LOCALLY, BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY LET A GROUP OF REPUBLICANS MEET AT THEIR BUSINESS.
HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BAND BOOKS.
I, I'M JUST, I'M, I'M REALLY TIRED OF THE RUMORS ARE FLOATING AROUND AND I JUST WANTED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THE MEDIA CHANGES THAT I'VE TRIED TO CONTACT A PARTICULAR PUBLICATION AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT I WAS LYING.
I'M NOT SURE HOW I'M LYING WHEN I KNOW THAT I SAT THERE AND COLLATED THE LIST MYSELF.
NEXT WE HAVE MILLIE BENNETT THANKING THE BOARD.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR, UH, TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME AND MY FRIENDS, AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REALLY LISTEN AND, UM, TAKE OUR WORDS INTO ACCOUNT AND LET THEM REFLECT INTO THE DECISIONS YOU HAVE MADE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, ELIZABETH FOSTER, ALSO THANKING THE BOARD.
UM, I ALSO JUST WANTED TO REITERATE HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU TONIGHT.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LISTENED TO MY PEERS TONIGHT AND CONSIDERED OUR WORDS IN FORMULATING YOUR DECISION, UM, I THANK YOU SO PATRICK, GOOD ON BOOK BANDS ALSO.
AND I KNOW WHATEVER I'M SAYING IS JUST GONNA BE THE SAME THING AS THEY DID PARAPHRASED.
SO
I NEVER HAD ANYTHING REGARDING THE BOOK REVIEW APPEALS, WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM.
ALSO BASED ON THE BOARD'S DECISION.
I THINK IT'S SAFE TO ASSUME NOW THAT THOSE, THAT ANY MOVIES THAT ARE BASED ON THOSE BOOKS CAN NOW BE SHOWN IN CLASSROOMS. THIS IS ROBIN.
I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES IF YOU STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME.
I HOPE OBVIOUSLY I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED, UH, IN, IN YOUR DECISION.
AND I HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO MAKE.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I'M ONE OF TWO PEOPLE WHO FORMALLY REQUESTED THE 96 PLUS AN ADDITIONAL ONE, UH, TO BE REMOVED AND, AND REVIEWED.
[03:00:01]
AND FOREMOST, LET SAY THE DECISION OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEGATED WHEN THE MAKE OF THAT COMMITTEE WAS 82% SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.FOR ANY ONE OF THE 11 OF YOU TO SIT THERE AND SAY THEY DID A GREAT JOB, THAT IS, YOU DIDN'T LISTEN.
IT WAS 82% SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
THAT IS NOT THE BASIS OF WHAT'S INCLUSIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
STATE LAWS CLEAR AND CONCISE WITH THE PERTAINING TO PROVIDING OR MAKING AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN OF SCENE MATERIALS.
PORNOGRAPHY, READING MATERIALS IN THE LIBRARY IS AS CLEAR AS IT GETS MAKING AVAILABLE OR PROVIDING.
TONIGHT YOU HAVE OPENED PANDORA'S BOX LEGALLY, AS I STATED IN MY FIELD, I TRIED TO READ EXCERPTS TO SEVERAL CLERGY PEOPLE IN BLUFFTON, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WANTED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
WHY WOULD YOU ALLOW THIS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS? AS I POINT OUT MY APPEAL, WHICH I HAVE TO ASK, DID ANYBODY ON THAT DAY IS READ MY APPEAL.
THIS IS PUBLIC SCHOOL, THE PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS.
THIS CANNOT BE CONTINUED TO BE ALLOWED IN SCHOOLS WITH PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS.
THIS HAS BEEN IN OTHER STATES.
IN, IN AUGUST IN DISTRICT, FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT IN MISSOURI, THEY SHOT THIS DOWN BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY SHOT THIS DOWN BECAUSE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS DO NOT COVER OB AND PORNOGRAPHY.
THE SEAT WATCHING THE MINOR FOR THESE BOOKS TO REMAIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ARE VERY MINIMAL, BUT OF THEIR SHEER AUDACITY IT'S LAW.
AND IS NEXT, NEXT DECISION WILL BE THE WISE.
I CONCLUDE WITH SOMETHING I YOU PONDER THE VITAL IN EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN'S BRAINS THAT WE DO NOT TO EDUCATE THEIR HEARTS, HAVE THEY? AND THEY WILL DAMAGE THE YES.
OTHER SCHOOLS, OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THAT DURING THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, THEY HAVE THE PARENTS CHECK A BOX DURING REGISTRATION STUDENTS TO PRO POLICY SO THAT IF A STUDENT SHARES CONTENT WITH ANOTHER STUDENT AND THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO, THE STUDENT IS DISCIPLINED FOR SHARING THAT MATERIAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATUTE, CRIMINAL STATUTE SITUATION THAT STARTED, UH, ORGANIZATION, AGENDA, OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING RIGHT DOWN
[03:05:04]
VICTIM IS A PROBLEM.WOULD YOU LIKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SURE.
WE ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
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