[00:00:01]
CLOSE CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.
[Call to Order]
GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING ON JUNE 27TH, 2023.THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED IN PERSON AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS AND IS ALSO BEING CONFERENCED VIA HYBRID VIDEO.
THE MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED BY COUNTY CHANNEL REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN FIVE AND FIVE 30 THIS EVENING BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER, AND TOPIC TO ROBIN WITH A Y CUSHING BARRY BEAUFORT.K12.SC.US.
YOU'LL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES.
ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN, THE FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 30 MINUTES.
IF YOU ARE IN PERSON, YOU MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES WITHIN THE BOARD'S DOMAIN.
AND EACH SPEAKER MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
PLEASE SEE THE BOARD CLERK FOR A CARD REQUEST FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN SEVEN AND SEVEN 30 THIS EVENING IN THE SAME MANNER THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT NO LATER THAN 9:00 PM THE SECOND FORUM WILL BE LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES.
IN THE EVENT THE BOARD HAS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LOW LISTED IN THE JUNE 27TH, 2023 AGENDA, THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW NIGHT AT 6:00 PM TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS, WE NOW NEED A MOTION TO GO
[Executive Session]
INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.AND WOULD YOU JUST GO AHEAD AND READ THE, UM, OH, THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU, EARL.
JUST GO AHEAD AND READ THE BULLET POINTS HERE.
UH, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO INTO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
DO WE HAVE A FOR A RECEIPT? JUST WANNA READ THOSE OR SOMEBODY READ THOSE? OKAY.
I'LL READ THEM FOR RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO THE PENDING LEGAL CLAIM.
CL COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CO.
CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 34 70 82.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO SOCIAL MEDIA LITIGATION COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 34 78.
TWO RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO ONE DISMISSED LEGAL CLAIM COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 34 78 2.
AND DISCUSSION OF EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT PROMOTION COMPENSATION PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 34 70 A ONE.
SO MR. A CAMPBELL MADE THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
WHICH WAY DO YOU VOTE, MR. SMITH? OKAY.
SO EVERYBODY VOTED IN AFFIRMATIVE.
DID YOU HEAR ME? I SHALL ABSTAIN.
WISNESKI, CAN YOU SAY YOUR NAMES AND WHICH WAY YOU VOTED? WISNESKI? YES.
SO WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, THE VOTE WAS ALL, ALL YESES AND TWO ABSTENTIONS.
[00:05:03]
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR YOUR PT GEAR ANYMORE, RIGHT? IT'S COMFORTABLE.SO HOW WAS FEELING LIKE TREATING YOU? IT'S FINE.
WHEN I GOT OUT, I DIDN'T WANNA ADMIT THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG BECAUSE I FELT LIKE A FAILURE.
AND THEN I REALIZED LIKE THERE'S NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.
SO I STARTED TALKING TO SOMEONE.
MAYBE YOU ARE FINE, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, IT'S OKAY.
IF YOU OR A VETERAN YOU KNOW, NEEDS SUPPORT, DON'T WAIT.
FIND RESOURCES AT VA.GOV/REACH 9 1 1 YOUR EMERGENCY.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]
TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF JUNE 27TH, 2023.THE MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED IN PERSON AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS MULTIPURPOSE GYM.
AND THIS MEETING IS ALSO BEING VIDEO CONFERENCED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE BOARD WAS JUST IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE ARE NOW BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY AN ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MA'AM.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BUTFOR COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION RETAIN THE WAC STAFF AND CARTMEL LEGAL TEAM TO REPRESENT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA LITIGATION BEING FILED IN THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT.
OKAY, SO SOUNDS LIKE, UH, MR. EARL CAMPBELL.
SECOND, MR. EARL CAMPBELL, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? DR.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS IS THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC SESSION, UH, CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF TABLING THE MOTION, UH, AND HAVING A DISCUSSION PUBLICLY ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL LITIGATION.
THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED WITH US THAT WOULD BE VITAL, I THINK, FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
SO TABLING, UM, THE DISCUSSION TO THE, TO A PUBLIC SESSION THAT WOULD NOT BE TONIGHT, THAT WOULD BE AT A, UM, FUTURE MEETING MADE BY DR.
WISNESKI AND SECOND BY, UH, MS. BOATWRIGHT.
I THINK THIS IS A WORK SESSION TOPIC.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DELVE INTO BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY QUESTIONS.
SO THE MOTION, UH, ON THE, UH, FLOOR IS THE TABLING, UH, THIS UNTIL A PUBLIC SESSION.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
DO WE HAVE ANY OPPOSED? YEAH, US OPPOSED? OKAY.
AND ANY, ANY, UM, ABSTENTIONS SMITH ABSTAINS? OKAY, SO THE MOTION, UH, TO TABLE CARRIES NINE 11.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE, WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO EMPLOY DR.
WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO EMPLOY DR.
QURAN WEBB AS SECONDED PRINCIPAL OF MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
OKAY, SO, UM, THE MOTION MADE BY OUR SECRETARY MIDDLETON AND SECOND BY SMITH.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY OPPOSED? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
I BELIEVE THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE MOTIONS COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[Approval of Agenda]
TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.[00:10:01]
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.UM, I'D LIKE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH, UM, EITHER HAVING THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS APPROVED SEPARATELY, OR HAVING THE JUNE 2ND SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING MINUTES MOVED TO BOARD BUSINESS ACTION.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS QUITE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS ABSENT FROM THAT MEETING.
SO I WOULD, UH, LET YOU MAKE THAT DECISION BASED ON, SO SINCE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WERE ABSENT, THEY PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES, SO THEREFORE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THINGS TO DISCUSS.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST JUST HAVING THEM TWO SEPARATE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. IS THAT OKAY? YES, MA'AM.
SO THE MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE TWO, UH, SETS OF MINUTES, JUST SEPARATED OUT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, NOT VOTED AS A GROUP, JUST INDIVIDUALLY.
SECOND? YEAH, THAT, THANK YOU.
THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A SECOND SINCE ANY MEMBER CAN DO THAT, BUT THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S, UH, CALL FOR THE VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA WITH THAT MODIFICATION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
WILL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.WE'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED.
[First Public Comments]
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND A REFRESHER FOR PEOPLE.PLEASE CONFINE YOUR COMMENTS TO ISSUES WITHIN THE DEBATE OF THE BOARD.
UH, YOU CANNOT EXCEED THREE MINUTES, AND THERE'LL BE A VISIBLE OR AUDIBLE TIMING DEVICE USED, AND YOU MAY NOT YIELD YOUR TIME TO SOMEONE ELSE.
AND WE'LL DO THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS IN PERSON FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO ANY, UH, COMMENTS, UH, ON THE PHONE.
SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE ROBIN LIEBENBERG.
HER TOPIC IS CHANGES PROPOSED TO PUBLIC COMMENTS RULES.
I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT MY COMMENTS TODAY TO THE PROS, CHANGES TO SECTION 23 CONCERNING PUBLIC COMMENT AT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS TABLED TO A WORK SESSION JUNE 13TH.
IN THE JUNE 13 DISCUSSION, MR. NAY SAID, MEETINGS ARE STUPID LONG.
MR. DALLAS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT WHAT HE CALLED THE OPTICS.
WISNESKI CLARIFIED THAT THIS REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS RULES STEMS FROM THE ERA OF THE COVID MASK DEBATES, NOT THE BOOK BANS.
MR. SMITH SAID, THIS PROPOSAL IS D OA.
SOME BOARD MEMBERS AFFIRMED CHANGES.
MR. NAY OFFERED A NEW SUGGESTION.
LIMIT COMMENTS TO BOARD AGENDA ITEMS. OF COURSE, THIS IGNORES THE FACT THAT NOT ALL PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS COINCIDE WITH A FULL BOARD AGENDA JUNE 2ND AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL IS ONE EXAMPLE.
THESE CHANGES CURTAIL VOICES IN THE ONLY PLACE THAT OFFERS SPACE NOW FOR WORKING PARENTS AND FOR NON-PARENTS WHO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY AND CARE ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THIS IS OUR CHILDREN, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR TAX DOLLARS.
BUT THE CHANGES PURSUED DO NOT REFLECT THIS RECOGNITION THAT DELIBERATIONS BENEFIT GREATLY FROM PUBLIC INPUT AND PERSPECTIVE.
AS PER YOUR DOCUMENT TO WIT, THE HABIT OF THIS BOARD REGULARLY EXERCISED, EXTENDS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THIS WAS IN SECTION E, WHICH HAS BEEN DELETED ENTIRELY ALONG WITH THE SECOND COMMENT PERIOD.
IT NOW READS DURING THE 30 MINUTES SET ASIDE FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
IF THERE ARE SEVERAL SPEAKERS, THE BOARD MAY DIVIDE THE TIME ACCORDING TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, ADDITIONAL TIME ALLOTTED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD.
THE BOARD MAY WANT TO CONSIDER HOW THIS WOULD ACTUALLY WORK IN REAL TIME.
WHO DOES THAT MATH? HOW WILL EACH SPEAKER FEEL WHEN YOU WON'T HEAR THEIR FULL INPUT? OTHER CHANGES
[00:15:01]
SHOW INDIVIDUAL VOICES LACK MERIT IN H.MULTIPLE SPEAKERS FROM A GROUP OR ORGANIZATION MUST APPOINT A SINGLE REPRESENTATIVE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, WHICH SEEMS TO TARGET DELO, WHO RAISED INDIVIDUAL CONCERNS, NOT GROUP.
THINK IF YOU'VE LISTENED TO ANYTHING THEY'VE SAID, I SUGGEST SPEAKERS BRING HANDOUTS FOR THE BOARD, WHICH DOESN'T PUT ANY OF THAT INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC RECORD, DOES IT M DELETES RACIAL OR TARGETED DEROGATORY COMMENTS TO JUST THE USE OF PHYSICALLY THREATENING REMARKS? THAT'S IT.
THIS DIMINISHES THE THREAT INHERENT IN HATE SPEECH.
THIS PRO PROPOSAL SHOULD BE D O A TABLE IT IN THE TRASH CAN.
NEXT WE HAVE NANCY WILLIAMS SPEAKING ON BOOK BANDS.
AS AS YOU'VE SAID, MY NAME IS NANCY WILLIAMS. I SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT AS A RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, THE PARENT OF A GRADUATE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, THE PAST DIRECTOR OF BEAUFORD COUNTY ADULT LITERACY ORGANIZATION, AND THE CURRENT STATE PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO FREE SPEECH AND THE FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.
THE BOOK BANS ARE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT, WHICH GUARANTEES ALL AMERICANS THE RIGHT TO ACCESS INFORMATION AND THE FREEDOM TO READ WITHOUT CENSORSHIP.
THEREFORE, I URGE YOU TO REJECT ANY EFFORTS TO REMOVE BOOKS FROM OUR SCHOOLS LIBRARIES.
READING IS A FOUNDATIONAL SKILL CRITICAL TO FUTURE LEARNING, DEVELOPING EMPATHY, AND TO EXERCISING OUR DEMOCRATIC FREEDOMS. BOOK BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY SELECTED BY OUR PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS.
FOR AGE APPROPRIATE CONTENT, PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN'S READING.
BUT A SMALL GROUP OF PARENTS SHOULD NOT DICTATE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED TO READ.
BOOKS ARE TOOLS FOR UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX ISSUES.
LIMITING YOUNG PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO BOOKS DOES NOT PROTECT THEM FROM LIFE'S COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING ISSUES.
IN FACT, IT MAY RENDER THEM LESS PREPARED TO NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES OF ADOLESCENCES AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD.
REMOVING AND BANNING BOOKS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP AND THE EROSION OF OUR COUNTRY'S COMMITMENT TO THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH APPEARS AT THE TOP OF YOUR BOARD MEETING AGENDA, IS TO QUOTE, PREPARE GRADUATES WHO COMPETE AND SUCCEED IN AN EVER-CHANGING GLOBAL SOCIETY AND CAREER MARKETPLACE.
IN KEEPING WITH THIS MISSION, I ASK YOU TO REJECT THE APPEALS TO THE BOOK PANEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS, AND TO RETURN THESE BOOKS TO THE LIBRARY WHERE THEY BELONG.
NEXT, WE HAVE IVY ZELAYA TOPIC, OBSCENE BOOKS AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TONIGHT.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO SAY WITH VERY LITTLE TIME.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING AGAINST WHAT MYSELF AND MIKE COVERT SET IN MOTION.
YOKE SUCCEEDED IN GETTING PEOPLE TO BELIEVE YOUR FALSE NARRATIVE.
THE FACT THAT YOU CONTINUALLY SAY THAT THIS WAS A MOMS FOR LIBERTY EFFORT IS LAUGHABLE.
MOMS FOR LIBERTY, NATIONAL, STATE, NOR LOCAL, HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY EFFORTS.
A DEAR FRIEND ASKED ME TO INVESTIGATE 15 BOOKS THAT APPEARED IN AN ARTICLE BY PALMETTO STATE WATCH SO THAT SHE ACTUALLY COULD ADDRESS THIS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AFTER I DID THAT FOR HER, I INVESTIGATED FURTHER AND DID THE WORK TO FIND THE BOOKS.
THE 96 BOOK LIST WAS CURATED BY ME AND ME ALONE.
[00:20:01]
TO SAY THAT WE WERE MEETING AS MOMS FOR LIBERTY TO DO THIS IS A FALSEHOOD.FRANKLY, IF IT HAD BEEN A TEAM EFFORT, I LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO SUBMIT THE LIST.
CON, CONTRARY TO WHAT SOME HAVE SAID, I DON'T LIKE TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
I LIKE TO WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, JUST LIKE IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO GET UP HERE AND SPEAK TO YOU.
TONIGHT, I FELT LED TO DO WHAT I DID, AND I DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE PROCESS, I TALKED WITH A MOM WHO HAD READ AN EXCERPT IN THE COLUMBIA AREA TO HER BUR BOARD, TO WHICH HER BOARD DECIDED TO CENSURE HER ENTIRE COMMENT.
IN THE RECORDED VERSION, SHE TALKED WITH THE TA, ATTORNEY GENERAL ALAN WILSON, AND HE TOLD HER THAT UNDER THE STATUTE, THE CRIMINAL INTENT NEEDED TO BE PROVEN THAT HAVING THE BOOKS WASN'T QUITE ENOUGH.
THE BOOK PUSHED BY SAPPHIRE, ONE OF THE WORST BOOKS ON THE LIST HAS BEEN REVIEWED.
AND YOU AS A BOARD UPHELD THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE TO PUT IT BACK.
AND FOR GRADES NINE THROUGH 12, YOUR YES VOTE IS YOUR INTENT FOR THIS OBSCENE BOOK TO BE AVAILABLE TO MINORS.
I WILL BE TAKING THE NEXT STEPS IN THIS PROCESS.
YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MATERIAL AND DO THE RIGHT THING, AND STILL NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU TO CHANGE YOUR MIND.
GOING TO READ A SHORT EXCERPT FROM PUSH.
NOW HE SLAMMED HIS HIPS INTO ME HARD.
HE COME, HE SLAPPED MY THIGHS LIKE COWBOYS, DO HORSES ON TV, SHIVER, ORGASM IN ME, HIS BODY SHAKING.
YOU WANNA SAY, I, I WANNA SAY I DON'T.
I WANNA SAY I'M A CHILD, BUT MY P***Y POPPING LIKE GREASE FRYING IN PAN.
HE STARTS SUCKING MY T***Y AGAIN.
YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND.
NEXT, WE HAVE SUSANNA COOK OBSCENE MATERIALS IN BOOK.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND MADAM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANKS TO YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO APPEAL TO THE GOODNESS OF YOUR HEARTS.
WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGES AND TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
AND YOU ARE ALL IN A VERY SPECIAL POSITION WHERE YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT THING.
AS AN IMMIGRANT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR SCHOOLS IN THE LAST YEAR IS ALARMING FOR MYSELF AND ALSO FOR MOST OF MY HISPANIC COUNTERPARTS.
THEY'RE JUST TOO AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND THE BOARD KNOWS IT.
I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY WITH THE HOPES THAT MY LIFE WOULD IMPROVE.
AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT IMMIGRANTS AND RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY HAVE THE SAME GOAL.
AS A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I AM ASKING YOU TO PLEASE RESPECT OUR RIGHTS AS PARENTS, TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN INNOCENT AND STOP THE DISSEMINATION OF ABSTINE MATERIAL, THEIR HARMS, THEIR WELLBEING.
PLEASE ALLOW THEM TO LEARN MATERIALS THAT ELEVATE THEIR THOUGHTS.
AND IN A WORLD THAT IS FILLED WITH NEGATIVITY AND EVIL, LET THE SCHOOLS BE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT, A PLACE THAT CHILDREN LOOK FORWARD TO GO TO BECAUSE IT IS A HAPPY PLACE.
PLEASE GET RID OF THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT ABUSIVE AND OBSCENE MATERIAL.
THE LAW EVEN STATED, IF IT'S NOT CURRICULUM, IT IS NOT ALLOWED.
YOU KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT FOR SOME REASON YOU ARE AFRAID TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS BETTER TO FAIL AT DOING THE RIGHT THING THAN TO SUCCEED BY DOING THE WRONG THING.
NOW, I'M GOING TO SAY WHAT I JUST SAID IN SPANISH BECAUSE I WANT ALL PARENTS OF THE DISTRICT THAT DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO AFRAID AND THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
[00:25:17]
THANK YOU.YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE THE CHANCE.
NEXT WE HAVE DAVID COOK, PUBLISHED STUDY FROM ACP ON IMPACT OF PORNOGRAPHY ON CHILDREN.
CAN I HAVE ROBIN HAND TO YOU? CAN HAND IT TO ROBIN.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS, THANKS FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BOOK BAN AND ELIMINATING ACCESS TO THIS MATERIAL.
THESE BOOKS HAVEN'T BEEN PROPERLY REVIEWED OR THEY'D NEVER BEEN IN OUR LIBRARIES, NOR HAVE THEY BEEN APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
A FEW WEEKS AGO, I REFERRED TO A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF PORNOGRAPHY ON CHILDREN PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PEDIATRIC PEDIATRICIANS FROM JUNE OF 2016.
ROBIN HAS THOSE COPIES FOR YOU.
THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY IS PROOF OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF PORNOGRAPHY ON CHILDREN.
USE IT TO JUSTIFY RECALLING ANY BOOKS THAT YOU'VE SENT BACK INTO OUR LIBRARIES.
IT IS WITHIN YOUR POWER TO REFER TO THIS STUDY SOME SOLUTIONS TO PROHIBITING STUDENT ACCESS TO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS WITH PARENTS' PERMISSION.
ONE, STUDENTS CAN ORDER BOOKS THROUGH THE LIBRARY LOAN SYSTEM AND HAVE THEM DELIVERED TO THEIR SCHOOL.
AND LAST, NUMBER THREE, MONTHLY FIELD TRIPS TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR FOR KIDS WHO WANT THIS MATERIAL WITH PERMISSION OF THE PARENTS.
I'VE APPEALED TO YOU ALL REPEATEDLY AND ONLY A FEW OF YOU HAVE RECOGNIZED.
WE DO NOT NEED TO KEEP SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THE REST OF YOU HAVE SOMEHOW FOUND A WAY TO BEHAVE IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH ALMOST EVERY BELIEF SYSTEM IN THE WORLD, AND CHOOSING TO EXPLOIT CHILDREN BY GIVING THEM ACCESS TO PORNOGRAPHY IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THE BOOKS THAT ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS APPEAL TO THE PRURIENT INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS.
RODRIGUEZ HAVE MADE THIS INTO A JOKE.
INVITING 60 MINUTES AND INVITING A PRODUCTION COMPANY TO FILM WHAT'S HAPPENING.
YOU AS A BOARD ARE BEING HUMILIATED BY THE VERY PEOPLE YOU HIRED.
THEY'RE INTENTIONALLY EMBARRASSING THE DISTRICT.
BY INVITING THESE COMPANIES TO RECORD BOARD MEETINGS AND BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES, DISTRICT STAFF CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VICTORY.
I AND MANY OTHERS CONSIDER THIS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ONCE THIS STORY AIRS ON 60 MINUTES, AN INDELIBLE MARK WILL TARNISH THE IMAGE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT HONOR IS ONLY YOURS TO CELEBRATE.
ACCORDING TO MY MOTHER-IN-LAW IN CHILE, WHO LIVED UNDER PRESIDENT AGENDA AND DOES NOT SUPPORT YOUR BEHAVIOR, IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THERE WAS NO FOOD AND THERE WERE HARD TIMES IN CHILE.
SO THE PEOPLE OF CHILE WERE UPSET WITH THE MILITARY LEADERS THAT DIDN'T TAKE ACTION.
THEY STARTED THROWING CHICKEN FEET AT THE DOORS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SIGNALING THE MILITARY LEADERS WERE TOO CHICKEN AND TOO AFRAID TO TAKE ACTION.
I GIVE YOU THIS GIFT AS A WAY TO DEMONSTRATE MINE AND MANY OTHERS' OPINION OF YOUR LACK OF ACTION.
MATTER OF FACT, YOUR BEHAVIOR GIVES CHICKEN A BAD NAME.
OKAY, ROBIN, WE'RE READY FOR THE, UM, TELEPHONE COMMENTS.
[00:30:52]
THIS IS NANCY.I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR TOPIC AND GARRETT TO PUT YOU ON SPEAKER.
UM, I'M ON RIVER ROAD IN YEM EMBASSY AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I THANK ESPECIALLY THE DISTINGUISHED AND BRAVE PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THIS INCREDIBLE EVIL BEING PERPETRATED ON OUR CHILDREN.
YOU KNOW, JESUS REMINDED US IF ANYONE CAUSES ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES, THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ME TO STUMBLE, IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THEM.
IF A HUGE MILLSTONE WERE HUNG AROUND THEIR NECK AND THEY WERE THROWN INTO THE SEA, HE SAYS IT WOULD BE BETTER.
SO CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IS WORSE WHEN WE HARM A CHILD? I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO GO SEE THE SOUND OF FREEDOM.
I'M A FRIEND OF THE SOUND OF FREEDOM.
THE NEW MOVIE COMING OUT OPENING JULY 4TH.
IF YOU WANNA KNOW THE HORRORS BEING PERPETRATED ON OUR CHILDREN AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SEXUALIZE AND PERVERT CHILDREN, WHAT THAT DOES TO SOCIETY? WELL, MICHAEL FLYNN PUT OUT TODAY, THE GREATEST NATIONS, THE GREATEST EMPIRES HAVE ALL FALLEN WITH ONE THING IN COMMON, THE PERVERSION OF THEIR CULTURE.
IF YOU KNOWINGLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT PERVERSION.
IT IS TIME TO GET THE OBSCENE BOOKS OUT OF THE SCHOOLS.
PARENTS HAVE POINTED THEM OUT TO YOU.
THEY HAVE PUT IN COUNTLESS HOURS STUDYING THIS MATERIAL.
I INVESTIGATED THIS AS A CITIZEN JOURNALIST MANY YEARS AGO AT MY OWN CHILD'S SCHOOL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THE PORN AND THE HORROR AND THE SEX.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY NOT THE C R T BEFORE WE LEFT.
IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY BECAUSE THIS NEW MOVIE WILL SHOW YOU THAT THAT HISTORY WILL BE CHANGED.
AND MEL GIBSON'S NEW HIDDEN WAR DOCUMENTARY COMING OUT WILL EXPOSE WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING AND WHY AMAZON AND NETFLIX WOULD NOT PUT ON THE SOUND OF FREEDOM.
I HOPE YOU'RE READY TO ACCEPT THE REALITY AND KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THAT POWER.
AND TODAY YOU CAN STAND UP AND MAKE THAT CHANGE BECAUSE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW 16 15 3 0 5, AS YOU'VE BEEN TOLD REPEATEDLY, IS BEING VIOLATED FOR DISSEMINATING THIS TRASH TO OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[Chairman’s Report]
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.UM, AS THE BOARD KNOWS, AND, UH, THE PUBLIC, PROBABLY SOME OF YOU KNOW, THE BOARD HAS TO VOTE ON THE CALENDAR, UH, FOR THEIR MEETINGS FOR THE YEAR.
AND THE BOARD ALREADY VOTED TO HAVE OUR WORK SESSION ON AUGUST 25TH AND, UM, TO ACCOMMODATE THAT DATE, UH, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THE WORK SESSION FROM 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM SO SEVERAL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS CAN ATTEND A LAW CONFERENCE IN GREENVILLE, SPONSORED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION FOR THAT WEEKEND AND DRIVE UP THAT AFTERNOON FOR THE CONFERENCE.
[Committee Reports]
REPORTS AND, UH, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION SUMMARY AS WE'VE ASKED STAFF TO DO FOR US IF WE CAN DO THE SAME THING.AND IF TODAY THE TWO REPORTING, UM, DON'T HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THAT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT.
JUST REPORT AS YOU AS YOU PLAN.
SO FOR FINANCE, WHO DO WE HAVE REPORTING? OH, DICK, DICK, YOU'RE ON THERE.
UM, WE HAD A, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE 14TH OF JUNE AND, UM,
[00:35:01]
WE, UH, DISCUSSED THE BOARD MONTHLY BUDGET, EDUCATION BUDGET, UH, THE MONTHLY $1,000 REPORT FOR APRIL, AND ALSO A TRANS TRANSPARENT REPORT FOR APRIL.WE ALSO GOT AN UPDATE ON THE ASSET FUNDS, AND, UH, YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY IN YOUR, UH, IN YOUR, IN YOUR BAG.
UH, WE ALSO HAD AN UPDATE ON DEBT SERVICE, UH, BY MRS. UM, CROSBY.
YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT? YES, SIR.
DID YOU WANNA, I DIDN'T HEAR EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
UPDATE ON ONE OF THE ITEMS? YES.
UM, SO OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR IS ON OUR, UH, ON THE ZOOM WITH US THIS EVENING.
AND WE WERE JUST PROVIDING INFORMATION, UM, THAT WAS ALSO SHARED WITH THE BOARD REGARDING THE MILLAGE, UM, AND THE, UH, 8% BONDS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE APPROVING, UH, THAT ARE UP FOR APPROVAL THIS EVENING.
UM, AND THE IMPACT OF THE AMOUNTS OF THE BONDS AND HOW IT AFFECTED THE MILLAGE.
SO AS, UH, PROPOSED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD, UM, THE BONDS THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED WILL MAINTAIN THE SAME MILLAGE AS WE HAVE, UH, HAD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AT 36.3.
SO THAT WAS THE PRIMARY DISCUSSION THAT WE HA HELD IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE END OF OUR REPORT.
NEXT UP WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY REPORTING CHAIR INGRID BOATWRIGHT.
UM, I, THERE WAS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN LAST BOARD MEETINGS, BOARD DOCS AND I SENT OUT AN EMAIL IF, UH, BOARD MEMBERS COULD LOOK AT THAT.
AND BASICALLY WE, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE MEETING WAS TO HEAR ABOUT, UM, THE DISTRICT'S DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS.
UM, THEY HAVE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT THAT COMES IN REVIEWS IN TERMS OF IF THERE WAS TO BE A MASSIVE DISRUPTION, LIKE A HURRICANE KNOCK ON PLASTIC.
UM, THE, HOW THE DISTRICT CONTINUE TO FUNCTION.
UH, THERE WERE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT REPORT.
ONE WAS THAT, UH, THE DISTRICT WAS IN GOOD SHAPE OVERALL, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPARTMENTS DO SPECIFIC CONTINUITY PLANS.
SO FINANCE AND OPERATIONS AND WHATNOT WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN SPECIFIC, I'M RIGHT HERE BY THE ECHO, UH, HAVE THEIR OWN SPECIFIC DISASTER RECOVERY PLANS.
AND THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION WAS TO DO SOME, BASICALLY SOME SIMULATION DRILLS OF A DISASTER.
BUT OTHERWISE, THE, THE DISTRICT WAS IN GOOD SHAPE.
WE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED, UH, CYBERSECURITY AND THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER OUTSIDE FIRM THAT CONDUCTS PENETRATION TESTING ON A YEARLY BASIS.
AND THAT'S REVIEWED, UM, FOR ENHANCED SECURITY PURPOSES.
AND WE ALSO REVIEWED CHANGES TO THE, UH, TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY, UM, WHICH WILL A LOT OF PARENTS WILL BE SIGNING IN AUGUST.
I ASKED WENDY CARTILAGE TO REVIEW, I HAVE A FEW CONCERNS ABOUT THE BROAD SCOPE OF THE, UM, WHAT THE DISTRICT CAN DO IN TERMS OF DATA, AND SHE'S GONNA GET BACK TO ME ON THAT.
AND WE ALSO DISCUSSED, UH, SORRY, THIS IS REALLY HARD TO DO, UM, EQUIPMENT REFRESH CYCLES.
AND, UH, MR. SHAN'S GONNA PROVIDE US AT OUR NEXT MEETING A COST BREAKDOWN OF THE CURRENT, UH, HP LAPTOPS THAT WE'RE USING.
HOW MU HOW OFTEN THEY'RE BREAKING, HOW MUCH FAMILIES ARE BEING ASKED TO SHOULDER OF THAT COST, AND HOW MANY, UH, PARENTS NEED TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE.
UH, IF THEY HAVE A, THE FIRST DAMAGES FREE, THE SECOND DAMAGE IS CHARGED TO THE FAMILY.
SO THAT WILL BE AT OUR FOLLOW-UP MEETING.
I ALSO INCLUDED WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS IN TERMS OF GETTING OUR OE COMPLETED, WHICH WE EXPECTED TO HAVE COMPLETED IN THE FALL.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, GO AHEAD.
SORRY, MY QUESTION PERTAINS TO THE ESSER FUNDS UPDATE THAT WAS UNDER FINANCE COMMITTEE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF WHEN THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT BACK OR IF THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT BACK FOR ANY MODIFICATIONS? CUZ I THINK SR THREE IS ABOUT 55% EXPENDED AND THERE'S 17 MONTHS LEFT ON THE GRANT.
I KNOW THERE'D BEEN DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE AN ACTUAL DATE OF WHEN, IF THAT'S HAPPENING.
[00:40:11]
UM, I BELIEVE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.IS THAT RELATING TO ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD BE MADE? OKAY.
UM, SO WE BROUGHT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, UM, BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT WERE IN, WITHIN THE CURRENT ACTIVITIES, THERE ARE JUST SALARY AND BENEFIT CHANGES FROM ONE AREA OR AREAS BETWEEN SALARIES, BENEFITS, AND PURCHASE SERVICE.
I'M SORRY, THERE'S AN ECHO IN THIS, SO IT'S HARD TO CONCENTRATE
UM, SO WE, ALTHOUGH IT IS APPEARED THAT WE ARE 55, WE ARE 55% SPENT ON, UH, ESSER THREE FUNDING AS A WHOLE.
WE'RE 70% SPENT OF THE, ALL OF THE ESSER FUNDS.
AND WE SPEND THE OLDEST FUNDS FIRST.
SO WE WERE CONCENTRATING, UM, UH, OUR ACTIVITIES ON SR TWO.
AND THEN NOW THAT THAT'S ENDING, UH, I THINK WE HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS LEFT, THAT THEN THOSE SH TRANSACTIONS ARE SHIFTING INTO THE SR THREE HAVE SHIFTED INTO THE SR THREE FUNDS.
SO WE HAVE 24 MILLION REMAINING, UH, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT 17 MONTHS, UH, REMAINING IN THE GRANT.
AND, UH, SPENDING AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE SPENDING AT THIS POINT, 1.3 MILLION THAT WILL BE FULLY EXPENDED, UM, OR VERY CLOSE TO THAT AT THE END OF THAT 17 MONTH PERIOD.
SO, UM, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY, ANY MAJOR CHANGES, BUT ADDING NEW ACTIVITIES OR, UM, THEY MAY, THERE MAY BE SHIFTS AND AMENDMENTS WITHIN THOSE ACTIVITIES, BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ADDING ANY, UH, NEW PROGRAMS OR NEW THINGS.
WE'RE JUST FINISHING OUT WHAT WE HAVE.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING BACK A BUDGET, ANOTHER BUDGET AMENDMENT SHOWING THAT THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE, UM, WE DO THAT ABOUT QUARTERLY.
SO MS. MATSON IS BACK HERE, THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL REVENUE.
AND SO, UM, WE BROUGHT ONE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND WE MAY HAVE ANOTHER AT THE END OF THIS QUARTER.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT.
SO THAT QUARTERLY REPORT WOULD HAVE ANY OF THOSE SHIFTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? YES, IT WOULD INDICATE WHAT, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M HEARING FEEDBACK OR NOT, BUT, UM, SO THAT WOULD INDICATE ANY SHIFTS THAT WERE MADE WHERE THE ALLOCATIONS WERE CHANGED AND WHATNOT.
CAUSE I DON'T RECALL THAT AND SO I APOLOGIZE.
I CAN LOOK BACK AT OUR LAST ONE AND SEND THAT OUT TO THE BOARD AS AN UPDATE.
UM, THAT WILL BE JUST SO I CAN LOOK AT IT FOR FORMAT TO SEE IF THAT, IF IT'S CLEAR TO ME WHAT THE CHANGES WERE.
AND I CAN ASK ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
THANK, AND THERE WILL BE SOME SHIFTING BECAUSE SOME PROGRAMS ARE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WE ANTICIPATED AND SOME ARE LESS EXPENSIVE OR WE FINISHED SPENDING AND ABLE TO SAVE FUNDS IN THAT POT, SO WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE FUNDS AROUND WHERE WE NEEDED THEM WITHIN THE GRANT.
SO, UM, COMPARED TO OUR PEER DISTRICTS, UH, I THINK THAT SOUNDS BETTER.
UM, IT APPEARS THAT WE ARE IN ON A REALLY GOOD TRACK WITH THE 70 PERCENTILE.
SO I KNOW OUR, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS IS, IS, UH, MUCH LESS.
SO I THINK WE'RE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE ACTUALLY, SO THANK YOU.
MR. SMITH, IN TERMS OF THE, I WOULD SAY WE HAVE ABOUT MAYBE WELL, BUT YET THE QUESTION IS, AND, AND TO FINISH UP SPENDING THE ESSER FUNDS, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE DOING ALL THE ACTIVITIES, UM, HOSTING THE PROGRAMS AND PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT WE CONTINUE MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, WE ARE HA WE HAVE THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. ALL THOSE PROGRAMS CONTINUE, UH, UNTIL THE END OF NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, THE 2024.
AND SO, UM, WE WILL JUST CONTINUE SPENDING AT THOSE LEVELS.
UH, IF WE GO OVER IN ONE, WE'LL SHIFT TO THE OTHERS AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GONNA BE SPENDING EVERY PENNY OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE REMAINING IN THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAD APPROVED BY THE STATE.
AT, AT THIS POINT, DO WE HAVE A PRETTY MUCH AREA THAT ALL THE MONEY IS PRETTY MUCH ALLOCATED FOR? NO, THERE ARE 37 ACTIVITIES, UM, BROAD ACTIVITIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE BUDGETED FOR.
AND SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO SPEND IN MAJORITY OF THOSE.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME THAT WE COMPLETED THE SPENDING SUCH AS A ONE TIME SPENDING SUCH AS A FURNITURE AREA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE ARE CONTINUING TO SPEND IN EVERY CATEGORY.
WELL, SO WE CONTINUE TO MEET WITH OUR, UH, CONTACTS.
WE HAVE CONTACTS FOR EACH CATEGORY.
EACH ACTIVITY HAS A PERSON THAT WE WILL MEET WITH MS. MATSON MEETS WITH THE STAFF, UM, AQUA AT LEAST ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
WE MAY BE MEETING MORE FREQUENTLY AS THE GRANT WRAPS UP AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE ARE ALL IN LINE WITH
[00:45:01]
WHAT PURCHASES HAVE BEEN MADE AND WHAT THE FUTURE OF SPENDING WILL OCCUR IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.[Superintendent’s Report]
THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT AND WE HAVE ALICE WALTON, UM, SUBBING IN FOR DR.UH, THE FIRST AREA IS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE TOPIC IS THE BIOLOGY TEXTBOOK ADOPTION, WHICH WE, UH, MOVE FROM THE LAST BUSINESS MEETING TO TONIGHT DUE TO THE LENGTH OF THE LAST MEETING.
STRATOS TO COME UP AND SHE'S GONNA GO OVER THE ITEMS THAT WAS THE ITEMS THAT WERE LEFT OVER FROM OUR LAST MEETING THAT WE COULD GET.
SHE'S GONNA GO OVER THE ITEMS THAT WERE LEFT FROM THE LAST AGENDA THAT WE COULD NOT, UM, GO OVER.
AND I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS.
YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR, UM, MOUTH FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT MAYBE CUTS DOWN A LITTLE BIT ON THE ECHOING.
UM, SO GENTLEMEN OVER THERE, BEFORE WE GO ON, UM, THE AUDIO GROUP, DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S SO ECHOY IN HERE TONIGHT? BECAUSE NORMALLY IT'S NOT.
WE'VE BEEN IN HERE MANY TIMES.
SO IF THEY COULD, IF YOU COULD KEEP WORKING TO TRY TO, EH, YEAH.
IT DOES SOUND LIKE A SPEAKER'S OVER HERE.
WELL, WE'LL JUST CONTINUE ON AND THEY'LL KEEP WORKING ON IT.
STRATOS, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE SOUND THIS EVENING.
I DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN UTILIZED FOR TEXTBOOK ADOPTION FOR BIOLOGY.
THE COURSE IS A HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT COURSE.
I DO WANNA SH INTRODUCE ALSO CARRIE MCKINSEY, WHO HAS WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS TEACHERS WHO WENT UP TO COLUMBIA TO REVIEW THE, UH, BOOK CARAVAN THAT IS PART OF THE PROCESS.
SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL ASK MRS. MCKENZIE TO COME FORWARD TO SHARE THE PRESENTATION.
WELL INTIMIDATED BY THE SOUND.
SO STATE ADOPTED TEXTBOOKS IS OUR FIRST SLIDE HERE.
THE STATE PROVIDES TEXTBOOKS TO US BOTH DIGITALLY AND PRINTED.
UM, ONCE THEY DETERMINE TO ADOPT A BOOK, IF IT'S OFFERED IN BOTH, IT'S OFFERED TO US IN BOTH.
THIS ALSO STATES THAT THE STATE, ANY PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED TEXTBOOK DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ANNUAL PROCESS.
IF WE GO TO REORDER IT, WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK.
ISS 36 REQUIRES THAT OUR DISTRICT TEXTBOOK COORDINATOR, WHICH IS STACY CLEVELAND, SENDS OUT THE STATE ADOPTION SELECTIONS AND ALL OF THE PERTINENT INFORMATION TO OUR SCHOOLS.
OUR SCHOOLS THEN GARNER A CONSENSUS AMONG THEIR TEACHERS WHO TEACH THAT COURSE.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED BY THE STATE TO DO PUBLIC REVIEWS OF ALL MATERIAL FOR THE BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS.
PUBLIC REVIEWS WERE HELD IN COLUMBIA, AND AS DR.
STRATAS SAID, WE HAD SEVERAL TEACHERS PRESENT THE NEXT STEP AND INVOLVES US BRINGING THE SELECTIONS THAT THE TEACHERS DECIDE UPON TO YOU FOR
[00:50:01]
APPROVAL ARE SELECTIONS FOR BIOLOGY, BIOLOGY ONE, INSPIRE SCIENCE BIOLOGY, MCGRAW HILL BIOLOGY ONE HONORS INSPIRE SCIENCE BIOLOGY, MCGRAW HILL, BIOLOGY TWO S C MILLER, AND LEVINE BIOLOGY, SATH LEARNING AN AP BIOLOGY BIOLOGY FOR THE AP COURSE.AND THAT'S PUBLISHED BY BEDFORD FRIEDMAN AND WORTH.
MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES THE SEGMENT OF THE PRESENTATION, MA'AM.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. SMITH, ARE YOU REQUIRING ANY MOTIONS? ARE YOU REQUIRING ANY ACTIONS COMING OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, SIR.
WE ARE REQUIRED BY STATE LAW FOR BOOKS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS TO BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, AND THEN FOR A MOTION TO BE MADE FOR APPROVAL AND A VOTE.
SIR, AT THIS TIME, MADAM CHAIR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT I GOT, OKAY.
UM, UM, MISS, THANK YOU, MR. CO SMITH.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, AT THIS TIME I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES THE ADOPTION OF THE FOLLOWING STATE APPROVED BIOLOGY BOOK TITLES AS PRESENTED FROM THE MAY 24TH, 2023 ACADEMIC COMMITTEE.
BIOLOGY ONE, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
UH, BIOLOGY ONE, INSPIRE SCIENCE BIOLOGY, MCGRAW HILL BIOLOGY ONE HONORS INSPIRE SCIENCE BIOLOGY, MCGRAW HILL BIOLOGY TWO.
SC MILLER AND LEVIN BIOLOGY SERVICE LEARNING AND BIOLOGY, I MEAN, AND AP BIOLOGY.
BIOLOGY FOR THE APS COURSE, BEDFORD FREEMAN.
AND W I THINK I HEARD MR. DALLAS SECOND.
WENSKI, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
MY QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO O E 12, UNDER INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS, THERE IS AN ITEM THAT STATES THAT WE WILL ENSURE APPROPRIATE INPUT FROM STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS INVOLVED IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS AS TEXTBOOKS ARE REVIEWED AND SELECTED.
UM, SORRY, I'M TRYING NOT TO CAUSE A BAD ECHO
UM, SO I CAN READ THAT AGAIN IF NEEDED.
BUT MY MAIN POINT OR QUESTION, UH, FROM THE PRESENTATION IS THAT YOU DID NOTE THERE WAS PARENTAL INPUT, THERE'S TEACHER STAFF INPUT, UM, GOES THROUGH THE STATE.
MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENTS? SO IF, IF I CAN SHARE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE PUT THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS, THERE IS A COMMUNICATION THAT GOES OUT TO ALL OUR PARENTS REGARDING THE BOOK CARAVAN.
OUR TEACHERS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THESE MATERIALS INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE STUDENTS AND TO THE POINT THAT WE HELD A WEEK OR SO FOR ADDITIONAL INPUT.
WISNESKI, SO JUST TO CONFIRM, IT'S COMING FROM THE, THE STAFF OR THE TEACHER INPUT, OR FROM THE PARENTS? NOT DIRECTLY FROM, OR ELICITED FROM THE STUDENTS.
THEY WORK WITH THE STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSES.
BUT IT'S NOT IN THAT INPUT THAT WE DON'T INITIATE.
WE WORK THROUGH OUR TEACHERS AND DIRECTLY THROUGH THE CLASSROOM.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THESE TEXTBOOKS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
THE TEXTBOOKS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[Board Business Action]
AGENDA IS BOARD BUSINESS ACTION, AND TONIGHT WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS. THE BOARD WILL BE, UH, VOTING ON FIRST WE HAVE THE 8% BOND RESOLUTION FOR 30 MILLION.[00:55:01]
UP AGAIN.UM, I'M IN INTRODUCED GRANNY HEISER, OUR BOND COUNCIL AS WELL WITH BUR FOREMAN.
AND ONLINE WE HAVE, UH, BRIAN RIK, WHO'S WITH, UH, COMPASS MUNICIPAL ADVISORS AS WELL.
SO I'M GONNA DO SOME, UH, SAY COUPLE OF BRIEF WORDS AND SEE IF FREDY, UM, I MAY HAVE MISSED SOMETHING.
SHE CAN FILL IN THE BLANKS AND WE'LL ALL AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO THE FIRST ITEM IS, UM, UH, RELATING TO 8% BONDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $30 MILLION, UM, AT A PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, UH, THE BOARD APPROVED PROJECTS, UH, TOTALLING THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30 MILLION.
AND THESE, UH, TH THIS EVENING, UH, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT AUTHORIZES THE DISTRICT TO ISSUE $30 MILLION OF BONDS FOR THOSE FY FISCAL YEAR 20, 25 8% PROJECTS.
SO, UH, THE MOTION IS ACTUALLY IN THE AGENDA, SO WE SIMPLIFIED AT SOME TO REFER TO THAT RESOLUTION.
SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE A LONG, UH, LEGAL LANGUAGE THERE.
AND, UM, IF FRAN, IF I'VE MISSED ANYTHING, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I THINK TANYA SUMMED IT UP.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL, AT YOUR LAST MEETING, I THINK TALKED ABOUT THE 30 MILLION.
I WOULD POINT OUT THAT IT, IT IS A NOT TO EXCEED NUMBER.
THE EXACT AMOUNT TO BE BORROWED WILL BE DETERMINED LARGELY BY MR. NORICK.
AND THE GOAL IS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR 8% BORROWING WHILE STAYING UNDER YOUR MILAGE LIMITATION.
YOUR, YOUR SELF-IMPOSED MILAGE LIMITATION.
I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A BOND, ISSUANCE AND SALE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30 MILLION TO FUND THE FY 2025 8% CAPITAL PROJECTS.
ALL RIGHT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THERE BEING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
SO COULD THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE REMOTE, SAY YOUR NAME AND, AND SAY WHETHER YOU VOTE OR NOT? CAUSE I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE, I CAN'T TELL WHETHER YOU'RE ON A IYE.
SO, UM, WE HAD EVERYBODY PRESENT.
SO WE HAVE, UM, 10 YESES AND, AND ONE NO AND NO ABSTENTIONS.
NEXT WE HAVE THE S GGO INSTALLMENT BOND, PURCHASE BOND RESOLUTION OF 3 MILLION.
SO THIS IS AN ANNUAL, UH, BOND RESOLUTION THAT WE BRING BEFORE THE BOARD.
IT IS TO COVER THE FALL AND THE SPRING BONDS THAT TOTAL, UH, NOT TO EXCEED 3 MILLION.
SO WE'LL HAVE THOSE ANNUAL BONDS.
UM, AND TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THE INSTALLMENT PURCHASE, I'M GONNA ASK FRANNIE TO COME FORWARD, THAT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX, BUT IT IS A BOND WE'VE HAD FOR, UH, PROBABLY ALMOST SIX, 2006.
SO SHE CAN EXPLAIN THAT MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN.
UM, ESPECIALLY FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, IF WE COULD GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S BETTER FOR ME TO BE RIGHT ON IT OR RIGHT BACK FROM IT, BUT I THINK BETTER CLOSER TO IT.
SO IN 2006, THE THEN SCHOOL BOARD ENTERED INTO A TRANSACTION CALLED AN INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR THAT TRANSACTION WAS TO PAY OFF SOME 8% DEBT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IN 2006, THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD MAXED OUT ITS 8% CAPACITY AND REALLY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH TO MEET A, A, UH, AN EMERGENCY.
AND SO BY ENTERING INTO THIS TRANSACTION, APPROXIMATELY 30 MILLION OF YOUR 8% CAPACITY WAS RESTORED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS FORM OF DEBT, UH, WAS USED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS UP UNTIL 2006 THAT YEAR, ACT 3 88, WHICH DID SO MANY THINGS, IN FACT, SHUT THE DOOR ON THIS TYPE OF TRANSACTION.
SO THERE ARE NO FURTHER NEW INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BONDS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
IN APPROXIMATELY 20 15, 20 16, WE WERE ABLE TO REFINANCE THIS DEBT.
[01:00:01]
SO WE LOWERED THE INTEREST RATE, AND THERE IS PROBABLY MAYBE EIGHT OR NINE YEARS STILL LEFT ON, ON THIS TRANSACTION.AND SO, ACT 3 88 SAID THAT WHEN, BY THE TIME Y'ALL ISSUED YOUR, YOUR INSTALLMENT PURCHASE BONDS, IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS, THE PAYMENTS HAVE TO BE MADE FROM THE PROCEEDS OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
I THINK THE PURPOSE WAS MAYBE TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL LIMITATION ON HOW MUCH SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD BORROW, BUT IT, OBVIOUSLY, FOR Y'ALL, IT'S NOT A REAL CAP OR ANYTHING BECAUSE OF YOUR 8% CAPACITY, IT'S SO LARGE.
BUT, UM, SO EVERY YEAR THERE ARE TWO PAYMENTS.
THERE'S AN INTEREST PAYMENT IN EACH JUNE AND IN DECEMBER THERE'S A PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENT.
AND BECAUSE OF IRS REGULATIONS, EACH OF THOSE PAYMENTS HAS TO BE BORROWED THROUGH GEO BONDS WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE PAYMENT DATE.
SO EVERY YEAR Y'ALL ISSUE A SMALL BOND IN THE SPRING TO MAKE YOUR INTEREST PAYMENT.
AND IN THE FALL, YOU ISSUE A LARGER BOND TO PAY THE PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST.
AND SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF, OF THIS BOND.
NOW, SGO IS A STATEWIDE NONPROFIT.
AND FULL DISCLOSURE, I AM BOND COUNSEL TO SGO.
SO, SO I'M, I'M NOT SELLING YOU ON S SC GGO, I'M JUST EXPLAINING.
BUT CGO ALLOWS THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ISSUE ITS INDIVIDUAL GEO BOND.
THEY POOL THOSE DEBTS TOGETHER AND SELL THEM TO THE PUBLIC MARKETPLACE.
AND WE HAVE FOUND OVER THE YEARS, SINCE 2006, 2007, THAT PARTICIPATION IN S CGO GIVES YOU A LOWER COST OF INTEREST.
MEAN LOWER COST OF ISSUANCE GIVES YOU THE LOWEST POSSIBLE INTEREST RATE AVAILABLE ON THAT DAY BECAUSE IT'S SOLD IN A COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE.
AND THERE'S JUST EASE AND CONVENIENCE.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BACK IN, IN, THIS WILL BE JUST SAY, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY COMBINED THE INSTALLMENT PURCHASE BONDS OR, OR THE DEBT TO PAY THOSE BONDS WITH YOUR ANNUAL BOND.
AND SO INSTEAD OF $30 MILLION IN YOUR 8%, WE WOULD BE ISSUING $33 MILLION.
I GOTTA TELL YOU, THAT WAS THE MOST COMPLICATED BACKWARDS GOING AROUND YOUR ELBOW TO GET TO YOUR THUMB.
THAT ENDED UP BEING A NEAR DISASTER.
MISSING SHORT TERM AND LONG-TERM DEBT.
AND I THINK IT WAS EVEN, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS NOT OPTIMAL TO BORROW MR. EK'S TERM.
SO IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, I THINK WE'VE RECOMMENDED THAT YOU KEEP THE SHORT TERM DEBT SEPARATE FROM THE LONG TERM.
AND SO THE SGO PROGRAM WOULD HAVE THE DEBT SOLD IN AUGUST, IT CLOSES IN SEPTEMBER FOR THE FALL PAYMENT.
ALL OF THE MONEY BORROWED IN THE FALL IS REPAID BY MARCH THE FIRST.
AND THEN THE SMALL AMOUNT THAT YOU BORROW IN THE SPRING ROLLS TO THE NEXT MARCH THE FIRST.
BUT USING THAT VERY SHORT TERM DEBT, YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE THE DEBT OUTSTANDING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND SO YOU DON'T PAY ANY MORE INTEREST ON THAT DEBT THAN YOU HAVE TO.
SO THAT'S SORT OF A, A REAL SKINNY ON THE, UH, THE 3 MILLION BOND ISSUE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION, MADAM CHAIR? I MOVE THAT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SGO INSTALLMENT PURCHASE, BOND ISSUANCE AND SALE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 3 MILLION.
ANY DISCUSSION OR FURTHER DISCUSSION? MR. UM, VICTOR NE THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE, UH, OF THE FUNDS? AND YOU SAID THIS IS REVENUE NOTE.
SO I'M, WHAT ANTICIPATION OF REVENUE ARE WE GETTING TO PAY? I HAVE, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS BY THE WAY.
AND, UM, THEY'RE NOT, NO, THE, THE BONDS, I UNDERSTAND THE DEBT, THE DEBT THAT'S BEING PAID.
THE, THE DEBT SERVICE IS BEING PAID ON INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BONDS, WHICH WAS ISSUED, AND THAT STEM FROM THE FORMAT OF THAT TRANSACTION WHERE A NONPROFIT CORPORATION WAS CREATED AND ISSUED DEBT ON BEHALF OF THE CORPORATION.
AND THE NONPROFIT ASSIGNS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THE RIGHT TO USE THE FACILITIES SO LONG AS THE ANNUAL PAYMENTS ARE MADE.
AND SO THE REASON IT'S CALLED A REVENUE BOND IS THAT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE BOND HOLDERS, IT'S THAT ANNUAL PURCHASE PAYMENT,
[01:05:01]
THE PAYMENT FOR THE USE OF THE FACILITIES AND THE PAYMENT FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THE, OF THE, UH, FACILITIES IS WHY IT'S CALLED A REVENUE BOND.SO, UH, YOU SAID WE HAD SEVEN OR EIGHT, NINE YEARS LEFT.
DO DO, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH PRINCIPAL HIT HAVE LEFT? UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ABOUT HOW MUCH IS LEFT ON THE, UM, MR. NORICK WOULD HAVE THAT NUMBER, BUT, UM, 12,490,000.
ANY PENALTY FOR PAYING IT OFF EARLY? IT IS NON CALLABLE AS OF TODAY.
I'M, I'M SORRY, REPEAT YOUR LAST.
IT IS NON CALLABLE, NON COBLE.
WHEN WE, WHEN, WHEN WE REFINANCED IT, IT WAS LESS THAN, UM, 10 YEARS OR LESS.
SO TYPICALLY WHEN YOU ISSUE TAX EXHIBIT DEBT, UH, THE CALL DATE, UH, IS 10 YEARS, OR I'M SORRY, THE CALL DATE, UM, IS 10 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE REFINANCED THE DEBT IN 2016, AND THE FINAL PAYMENT WILL BE DECEMBER 1ST, 2028.
AND I HAVE WELCOMED ANY OPPORTUNITIES.
IF, IF HAD THAT HAPPENED OR HAD IT BEEN CALLABLE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY CUZ IT IS VERY COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT TO, UM, UNDER UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF THAT.
AND SO, UM, WE, WE TALK ABOUT IT EACH YEAR, THE POSSIBILITY OF TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PAY OFF THE DEBT, BUT AS YOU CAN HELP THE CALL, IT IS NOT CALLABLE.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, SGO INSTALLMENT PURCHASE BOND RESOLUTION OF 3 MILLION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, TEN ONE.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH Y'ALL THIS SUMMER.
I, I WILL BE AT SCHOOL LAW, SO I MAY SEE SOME OF Y'ALL THERE, BUT I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE REFERENDUM AND THE DO'S AND DON'TS.
SO HOPE Y'ALL HAVE A NICE REST OF THE SUMMER.
NEXT WE HAVE, UM, SOME, UH, POLICY, UH, READING MOTIONS.
WISNESKI, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
I'LL JUST DO THEM IN ORDER THAT THEY ARE HERE ON THE AGENDA.
UM, THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL READING FOR THE MOTION.
UM, SO I, I NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADD QUOTE AND VOLUNTEERS TO THE END OF OE FOUR.
OKAY, SO THE MOTION WAS MADE BY DR.
RUSKI AND SECOND BY MS. BOATWRIGHT.
I'M JUST GONNA VOTE NO AGAIN BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED THE FIRST READING, I JUST THINK IT WE'RE MIXING, UH, EMPLOYEES WITH VOLUNTEERS.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO ABSTENTIONS, GORDON AND MIDDLETON.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES EIGHT 12.
THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL READING.
SO I MOVE THAT POLICY GC 5.1 SECOND SENTENCE READ COMMITTEES CUSTOMARILY WILL PREPARE RECOMMENDATIONS IN A FORM OF A MOTION FOR FUTURE BOARD AGENDA AND CONSIDERATION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THE ABSTENTION WAS MIDDLETON, DR.
WAKI AND SECOND AND FINAL READING FOR THE RECOMMENDED MOTION.
I MOVE TO ADD TO GC TWO 11 B THAT ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE DRAFT AGENDA FOR BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE PLACED ON THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
[01:10:02]
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
NEXT ON THE, UH, AGENDA IS THE BOARD DETERMINATION ON THE APPEALS FROM THE MATERIALS RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE REPORTS, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION IS SO MOVED, MADAM CHAIR TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE APPEALS.
CAN YOU SEE IT? UM, MR. DALLAS? YES, SIR.
CO LATERAL BY ELLEN HOPKINS, COURT OF MS. AND FURY BY SARAH J MO, COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES BY SARAH J MO, LIVING DEAD GIRL BY ELIZABETH SCOTT.
MORE HAPPY THAN NOT BY ADAM SILVERA.
AND THERE'S ALSO ASK THE PASSENGERS BY AS KING.
WELL, I DON'T SEE THAT ONE, MA'AM.
IT'S IN THE YELLOW AHA HIGHLIGHTED PORTION.
ASK THE PASSENGERS BY A S KING.
THE, UM, MADAM CHAIR MOTION? YEP.
I DO HAVE ONE THING ON THE WORDING.
WE'RE NOT MAKING A DETERMINATION.
I MEAN, WASN'T IT THE APP? UM, WE ARE BASICALLY THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS IS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, RIGHT? UM, I CAN'T READ THE WHOLE THING.
CAUSE LIKE MR. DALLAS, YOU SAID IT, I THINK YOU SAID THAT WE, I'VE FORGOTTEN THE WORD.
WE, WE SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE APPEALS OKAY.
ANYBODY ELSE? YES, MR. NAY? SINCE, UH, THE PRINCE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S NOT HERE, IS ANYBODY FROM THE STAFF THAT CAN SPEAK ON INTRO LIBRARY AGREEMENT? I BELIEVE THAT, AND HIS AND HIS NOT BEING HERE, HE ASKED A QUESTION.
THIS DOES PERTAIN TO THE, THE MOTION.
MR. NAY, I WILL FILL IN TO THE BEST I CAN REGARDING INTERLIBRARY AGREEMENTS.
DO WE HAVE AN INT INTER-LIBRARY AGREEMENT WITH OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES? I KNOW WE HAVE WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE LENDING THAT GOES FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL, BUT I CAN FIND OUT DIRECTLY IF IT GOES FROM SCHOOL TO LIBRARIES.
I CAN'T FIND OUT, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN AWARE OF SUCH A PRACTICE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONFIRMED THAT FOR YOU, SIR.
I MEAN, I WOULD THINK, UH, OF ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM, YOU WOULD BE THE ONE TO ANSWER THAT.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE, THE ANSWER.
MR. SMITH, UH, JUST AN ADDITIONAL TO HIS QUESTION, I BELIEVE THAT MRS. WALTON IS THE CONTACT PERSON IF MS. SUPERINTENDENT IS NOT HERE, THAT SHE'S NEXT IN COMMAND.
AND AS WELL, IF WE DID HAVE A RELATIONSHIP IN TERMS OF CONTRACTS, UH, WOULD THAT GO THROUGH MRS. WALTON OR OPERATIONS? WHERE WOULD, WHERE WOULD THAT CONTRACT LIE AT FOR, IN TERMS OF HIS QUESTION? IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR AN MOA, A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT RIGHT? BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THAT WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, THAT'S, I HAVE NOT SIGNED.
THAT WOULD BE ORIGINATED THROUGH MY DIVISION.
SO THAT'S WHY I DON'T WANNA GO AHEAD AND TELL MR. NAY A DEFINITE NO, BUT I CAN SAY WITH YOU SHARE THAT I HAVE NOT SIGNED ANY MOA FOR AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH US AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I, I MEAN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM,
STRATS, UH, MOST PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEIR MOAS AND WHAT THAT STAND FOR AND WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO THEREFORE, THAT WAS THE POINT OF ME ASKING IN TERMS WHAT IS THE, I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT'S THE PROCESS? AND YOU ANSWER WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
AND SO I WOULD FIGURED IN TERMS OF PROCESSING WITHIN THE MOA OR EITHER A CONTRACT, NO CONTRACTS COME FROM MRS. WALTON OFFICE, BUT YOU MADE CLEAR THAT IT'S AN MOA MOAS MOSTLY COME FROM YOU.
SO THEREFORE, THAT LET US KNOW THAT IT WOULD COME FROM YOU.
SO THEREFORE, PROBABLY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE OUR ANSWER TODAY.
SO THEREFORE TO ME, THERE, THERE IS NO, UH, THERE'S NO RELATIONSHIP THERE THAT, THAT WE KNOW OF AT THIS POINT
[01:15:01]
IN TIME.THERE'S NO MEMORANDUM, NO MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, WHICH WOULD STAND IS THE ACKERMAN IS M O A? YES, SIR.
I DON'T WANNA COMPLICATE MATTERS, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, PREDATES YOUR TENURE HERE.
GENERALLY THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, BUT WE DID GO THROUGH AN ANNUAL REVIEW.
UM, BECAUSE I ONLY TRY TO KEEP THEM FOR ONE YEAR.
WADS, I HAVE NOT ADDRESSED SUCH AN I AM.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
ALL THOSE, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
ANY OBSTE? ANY ABSTENTIONS? NO.
SO THE, UH, MOTION CARRIES SEVEN 30.
[Consent Agenda]
AS THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, THE ITEMS WILL BE, UH, VOTED ON SEPARATELY.SO COULD WE PLEASE HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MOVE ON.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE JUNE 2ND SPECIAL CALL BOARD MEETING MINUTES.
AND WHO'S THE SEC? WHO SECONDED MOTION.
THAT IS, UM, APPROVAL OF THE JUNE 2ND, 2023 SPECIAL CALL BOARD MEETING.
UM, ANY NAYS AND HOW MANY ABSTENTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
WISNESKI, CHLOE IS YOUR HAND UP OR NO? I SAY YES.
I CAN'T HEAR DOWN HERE, SO I'M SORRY.
SO I THINK WE ONLY HAD TWO ABSTENTIONS, RIGHT? YEAH.
ALL OF THE PEOPLE ONLINE VOTED YES.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES, UH, 9 0 2 AND THE TWO ABSTENTIONS ARE THE TWO TO MY RIGHT, DR.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE JUNE 13TH BOARD 2023 BOARD MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY, THOSE ARE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
MADAM CHAIR, MAY I RAISE A QUESTION ON THE JUNE 2ND VOTE PLEASE? UM, DID YOU SAY THE, THE COUNT WAS SEVEN THREE? THE OTHER VOTES I THINK HAVE TOTALED 11.
DID I? SO IT SHOULD BE EIGHT THREE.
DID YOU GET THAT, UH, CORRECTION, ROBIN? I THINK I SAID THE WRONG THING.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? RIGHT? YEAH.
AND THEN WE, I MIGHT HAVE MISSPOKE FOR THE BOOK APPEALS.
I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 8 3 0.
AND THEN THE JUNE 13TH MEETING MINUTES WERE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE JUNE 13 MINUTES WERE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[Future Agenda Topics]
AGENDA TOPICS.OH, I THINK VICTOR RAISED HIS HAND.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN ENTERTAIN, UH, DIRECTING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO, IF NOT, UH, REVIEW THE INT INTER-LIBRARY POLICY TO SEE IF WE HAVE ONE, IF WE NOT, UH,
[01:20:01]
SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH AN INTER-LIBRARY LOAN POLICY WITH OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.I'M TRYING TO PULL IT UP AT THE MOMENT, BUT IN OUR POLICIES, EXCUSE ME.
IN REGARD TO THE BUDGET, UM, THERE IS ONE AREA WHERE I BELIEVE THE BUDGET'S SUPPOSED TO BE BROKEN DOWN BY SITE LEVEL AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE AS WELL AS MULTI, THEY CALL IT MULTIFUNCTIONAL FACILITIES.
UM, AND THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE AN AGENDA TOPIC, BUT I DON'T RECALL SEEING ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS THIS YEAR.
SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE REVIEW THAT.
ALSO, MADAM CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UH, IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, SOMETHING INTO, TOWARDS, UH, SCHOOLS, SCHOOL RANKINGS AND, UH, AND ALSO, UH, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE OUR SCHOOL'S AT IN TERMS OF, UH, END OF YEAR TESTING SOMETHING, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, OF THE, WELL, OF THOSE, UH, COUPLE AREAS, SCHOOL RANKINGS IN THE DISTRICT, AND ALSO IN TERMS OF, UH, ENDING YOUR TESTING.
WHERE DO WE FINISH IT BACK? THANK YOU.
IF NO OTHER, IF THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN LINE, I'D LIKE TO YES, AHEAD.
I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT THE DISTRICT CONDUCT A STRATEGIC STUDY IN TERMS OF THE LEARNING THAT OCCURS BETWEEN BIRTH TO FIVE.
AND DOES THAT, WHATEVER THE FINDINGS ARE, DOES THAT WARRANT THE DISTRICT STRATEGICALLY LOOKING TO EXTEND ITS REACH EARLIER INTO A CHILD'S LIFE? BECAUSE QUITE OFTEN FROM WHAT I'M LEARNING, BY THE TIME THEY GET TO US, IF THERE'S A DEFICIT BETWEEN BIRTH TO FIVE, IT IS REALLY A CHALLENGE THAT CAN BE OVERCOME, BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE TO GET THAT KID ON LEVEL, UH, BY, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME THEY ACTUALLY GRADUATE.
SO, UH, I KNOW THAT MAY BE A PRETTY HUGE UNDERTAKING, BUT STRATEGICALLY, I THINK IT COULD DISTINGUISH US FROM OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT REALLY SORT OF PUT A LOT OF WONDERFUL EFFORT INTO, UM, AME RATING THE DEFICIT ONCE THE KID COMES TO US.
I THINK AS A ROOKIE, I'M SORT OF SENSING THAT STRATEGICALLY WE MAY NEED TO PROPOSE SOMETHING REALLY RADICAL TO INTERVENE EARLIER AND HELP THOSE FAMILIES SO THAT THEIR KIDS ACROSS ALL, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY.
YES, CHLOE, UH, MADAM CHAIR, UM, IN LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT, UM, WITH A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THROWING SOMETHING ON THE STAGE WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS BEING PRESENT AND OUR COMMUNITY PEOPLE BEING PRESENT, UH, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DISCUSS, UH, MORE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, UM, IN THIS ARENA BECAUSE I TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY WHEN OUR COMMUNITY COMES HERE TO A MEETING WHERE THEY SHOULD FEEL SAFE AND WE'RE COMING HERE, BUT THAT WAS NOT, UH, WARRANTED AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT WE AS A BOARD NEEDS TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE HERE IN PUBLIC.
CUZ I WANT OUR PEOPLE TO, TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT AND I WANT TO COME OUT.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DISCUSS THAT, PLEASE, EARL.
UM, I WILL AGREE WITH MRS. GORDON.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DISAGREE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE NASTY AND STUPID.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN DISAGREE ALL THE TIME, BUT, BUT THAT IS THE, THE ATTITUDE GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY.
SO, MR. CAMPBELL, YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO AGENDA TOPICS.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO ACT LIKE GROWN UP AND STOP ACTING LIKE KIDS.
UM, UM, MS. WALTON, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I DO NOT, MA'AM.
[Second Public Comments]
NOW WE WERE UP TO OUR, UM, SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND FIRST UP WE HAVE MARY FOSTER ON BOOKS.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I WAS NOT PLANNING TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT AFTER SITTING IN A MEETING AND LISTENING FOR THE SECOND TIME TO AN EXCERPT BE READ FROM THE NOVEL PUSH I FELT COMPELLED TO SPEAK, UM, I AM LOOSELY FAMILIAR WITH PUSH BECAUSE IT WAS MADE INTO A MOVIE CALLED PRECIOUS.
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND I WAS HEARING A LOT OF BUZZ, SO I DID SOME RESEARCH ON IT, AND I DECIDED
[01:25:01]
AS A HIGHLY SENSITIVE MOVIE VIEWER THAT THAT WAS NOT FOR ME.INCIDENTALLY, I MAKE THE SAME DECISION ABOUT WHAT BOOKS I DO OR DON'T READ.
BUT I DID SOME MORE RESEARCH AFTER HEARING THAT EXCERPT LAST MEETING AND SEEING THE QUOTES CIRCULATING ONLINE.
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT SEXUAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE.
IT WAS WRITTEN BY AN AUTHOR WHO EXPERIENCED THOSE THINGS.
THE WEBSTER'S DEFINITION OF PORNOGRAPHY SAYS DEPICTION OF EROTIC BEHAVIOR IN PICTURE OR WRITING INTENDED TO CAUSE SEXUAL EXCITEMENT.
THIS BOOK WAS NOT WRITTEN TO EXCITE ME OR TO EXCITE YOU.
THE AUTHOR DID THIS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND OFFER THAT TO OTHERS WHO MIGHT ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED OR MIGHT NEED MORE EMPATHY.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE CALLING THAT PORNOGRAPHY IS A TERRIBLE MINIMALIZATION OF VERY REAL EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE HAVE.
PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE IT DESERVE BETTER THAN LABELING THAT AS PORN.
I KNOW THAT BOOK IS ALREADY BACK ON THE SHELVES.
I JUST HAVE TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT.
AS A PERSON WHO WORKS WITH CHILDREN, THE DAUGHTER OF A SOCIAL WORKER.
THIS ISN'T PORNOGRAPHY, THIS IS REAL LIFE FOR SOME PEOPLE.
ALSO, I WENT BACK AND READ ABOUT THE END OF THE STORY BECAUSE I HEARD SOMEONE SAY THERE'S NO JUSTICE FOR THE ABUSER.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THAT MIRRORS REAL LIFE.
MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL ABUSE NEVER GET JUSTICE IN THE TERMS THAT WE ARE PROBABLY ALL THINKING THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, THE END OF THE BOOK DOES SHOW HOW THE VICTIM PUSHES THROUGH HER TRAUMA AND FINDS MEANING AND COMMUNITY BEYOND IT.
SHE'S HIV POSITIVE AT THE END OF THE BOOK.
BUT THE IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF THE BOOK IS THAT SHE PUSHES THROUGH.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL OF US, AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE VICTIMS THEMSELVES.
NEXT, WE HAVE IVY ZLA, OBSCENE BOOKS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
UM, I THINK I'M GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT OFF SCRIPT.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, PUSH, THAT BOOK IS NOT BASED ON THE AUTHOR'S STORY.
IT IS BASED LOOSELY ON A STORY OF ONE OF HER STUDENTS, UM, CONCERNING PORNOGRAPHY AND ELICITING SEXUAL FEELINGS FROM IT.
THERE ARE MANY DEVIANT PEOPLE WHO GET PLEASURE FROM READING ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS AS YOUNG AS 14 YEARS OLD, BEING ABLE TO READ SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND NOT HAVING THE FULLY DEVELOPED MIND TO PROCESS IT.
WHY ARE WE DOING THAT TO STUDENTS? THESE STORIES ARE IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE STORIES LIKE THAT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT DON'T CONTAIN THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL.
ROBIN, DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, BY PHONE? THANK YOU.
UM, DAVID, I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR TOPIC.
THIS IS DAVID COOK MADE A COMMENT ON, UM, BOOK POLICY.
UM, IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS GET UPSET AT, UH, WHAT TRANSPIRED THIS EVENING.
SO MAYBE THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION NOW.
THE REALITY IS THAT IF YOU WANT PARENTS TO STOP DOING THIS, THEN YOU NEED TO STOP ACTING LIKE A CHICKEN BECAUSE YOU HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN WILLING TO GIVE IT A LOOK.
[01:30:01]
TONIGHT, YOU FAILED TO VOTE ON EACH AND EVERY BOOK THE WAY THEY WERE ENUMERATED IN THE AGENDA.SO YOU DIDN'T EVEN FOLLOW YOUR OWN AGENDA.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE PARENTS COMING TO BOARD MEETINGS AND DOING WHAT I DID, THEN YOU NEED TO GET YOUR HEADS ON STRAIGHT BECAUSE I AM NOT GONNA STOP AND I AM NOT GONNA BE CENSORED, AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO, TO CENSOR WHAT I'M DOING.
SO KEEP THAT IN MIND, AND IF YOU'RE MAD AT WHAT I DID TONIGHT, GOOD.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT BUSINESS MEETING IS JULY 11TH, AND WE WILL ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE AND WE'RE ADJOURNED.