[00:00:01]
CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY.[Call to Order]
CONDUCTED BY A HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED ON THE COUNTY CHANNEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH NEW SAFETY AND SECURITY GUIDELINES.BAGS, BACKPACKS AND PURSES ARE PROHIBITED AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS.
PARTICIPATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BETWEEN FIVE AND FIVE 30 THIS EVENING BY SENDING AN EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER, AND TOPIC TO ROBIN.
AND THAT'S ROBIN WITH A Y CUSHING BERRY AT BUFORT 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, EACH SPEAKER MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD.
PLEASE SEE THE BOARD CLERK FOR A CARD REQUESTS 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 IS LIMITED TO 15 MINUTES.
IN THE EVENT THE BOARD IS NOT FINISHED ADDRESSING ALL ITEMS LISTED ON THE AUGUST 1ST, 2023 AGENDA.
THE BOARD WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW NIGHT, AUGUST 2ND, AT 6:00 PM TO FINISH THE AGENDA ITEMS, WE NOW NEED A MOTION
[ Executive Session]
TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOUR.
RECEIPT OF LEGAL ADVICE AND REVIEW OF SAFETY AND SECURITY PLANS AT BOARD MEETINGS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO EMPLOYMENT MATTER PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE RECEIVABLE, LEGAL ADVICE RELATED TO FOUR PENDING LEGAL CLAIMS COVERED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A TWO.
DISCUSSION OF NEGOTIATIONS INCIDENT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENT NUMBER 44 TO M B CONN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN INCORPORATED CONTRACT FOR SAFETY, SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE SCOPE AT BLUFFTON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR 70 A TWO.
AND DISCUSSION OF PROMOTION OF A STUDENT PURSUANT, PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A ONE.
OKAY, THE MOTION WAS MADE BY SECRETARY MIDDLETON AND, AND, UH, SECOND BY EARL CAMPBELL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR DO SAY AYE.
HI, I'M JOE PASSMAN, BUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN FOR DISTRICT FIVE AND ALSO THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN.
I HAVE A UNIQUE DISTRICT THAT GOES FROM LAUREL BAY IN THE NORTH ALL THE WAY TO EAGLES POINT IN THE SOUTH.
IF THERE ARE THINGS YOU WANT ME TO KNOW ABOUT, PLEASE CONTACT ME.
MY INFORMATION WILL BE AT THE SCREEN AFTER THIS.
THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY SERVES AND SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY FOR LEARNING FOR LEISURE FOR LIFE, BUT NOT JUST FOR ADULTS.
BUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HAS EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES ALL YEAR LONG.
JOIN US FOR STORY TIME AND SUMMER READINGS.
TEENS CAN JOIN OUR ART CLUB LEGO CLUB OR COME TO OUR TEEN HANGOUT SESSIONS.
OUR CALENDAR IS FULL OF EVENTS FOR SMALL KIDS, TEENAGERS, EVEN EVENTS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
TO SEE OUR EVENT CALENDAR OR FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG TO THE BUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING OF AUGUST 1ST, 2023.
THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED VIA HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED BY THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THE, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION WAS JUST AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NOW WE ARE BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.
[Action as Necessary or Appropriate Regarding Matters Discussed in Executive Session]
DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, ACTION OR, UH, AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING THE MATTERS WE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES, MA'AM.MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE FOUR MOTIONS.
THE FIRST I MOVE, WE APPROVE THE
[00:05:01]
SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT LISTED ON THE JULY 1ST, 2023 THROUGH JULY 31ST, 2023.PERSONNEL RATIFICATION REPORT.
OKAY, THANK YOU COLONEL GEIER.
SO THE MOTION WAS MADE BY SECRETARY MIDDLETON AND SECOND BY VICE CHAIR, UH, GEIER.
SO BEFORE WE TAKE THIS FIRST VOTE, I JUST WANNA REMIND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE PARTICIPATING ONLINE AF WHEN WE'RE VOTING, THE THE MEMBERS IN PERSON WILL VOTE AND THEN I'LL JUST SAY YOUR NAME AND WHICH WAY YOU VOTE.
THAT MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR ROBIN TO RECORD THE VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO THE MOTION, CARRIE SMITH ABSTAINED.
I MOVE THAT THE BE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE SETTLEMENT AUTHORITY IN THE PENDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION CASE INVOLVING THE FEMALE CLAIMANT CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SECOND MOTION MADE BY MIDDLETON AND SECOND BY SMITH.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY NAYS? ANY ABSTENTIONS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY I MOVE THAT THE BU COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED SETTLEMENT AUTHORITY IN THE PENDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION CASE INVOLVING MALE COMPLAINANT CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, YOU SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, OPPOSED VOTE, RIGHT? AYE.
ANY, ANY, ANY ABSTENTIONS? SO THE MOTION CARRIES.
I WAS THE ONE, UH, OBSTE, UH, EXCUSE ME.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 44 FOR BLUFFTON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, SAFETY, SECURITY, AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE SCOPE WITH M B CONN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
FOR A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE OF $1,426,940 SECOND BY CARLTON DALLAS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAY? ABSTENTIONS? OKAY, SO THE MOTION CARRIES WITH, UH, ONE ABSTENTION AND DR.
WISNESKI, DOES THAT CONCLUDE THE MOTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
[Approval of Agenda]
HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.MADAM CHAIR, I'M, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA WITH THE ADDITION OF THE CLOCK PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS INADVERTENTLY REMOVED.
SO WISH IT'S NOW, UH, CORRECTLY, UH, LISTED HERE AFTER THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, ET CETERA.
ANY SECOND? I'LL SECOND FOR THAT MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE STATE AYE.
GUAD, SOMETHING SEEMS AMISS WITH YOUR MICROPHONE.
I HAVE NO TROUBLE HEARING ANGELA, BUT YOURS IS CACKLING OR CRACKLING.
IT'S STILL A LITTLE FUZZY, BUT I CAN HEAR YOU BETTER.
LET US KNOW AGAIN IF THAT BECOMES PROBLEMATIC.
[Pledge of Allegiance, Moment of Silence, Statement of Media Notification]
WE WILL NOW STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.PLEASE STAND FOR THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[00:10:03]
THE MEDIA IS PROPERLY NOTIFIED.[CLOC Update]
CLOCK UPDATE WITH CHAIR TED BARBER.WE RETAIN, I GUESS IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
THIS IS OUR SECOND QUARTER UPDATE, UH, TO THE BOARD OF THE CI CITIZEN LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR THE 2023 REFERENDUM, UH, FOR THE BOARD.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS REFERENDUM WAS PASSED IN 2019 FOR APPROXIMATELY 344 MILLION, UH, THIS PAST MONTH IN JULY.
THE CLOCK COMPLETED ITS 43RD MEETING.
WE WILL BE CONDUCTING OUR 44TH MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY EVENING.
SO WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO FOUR YEARS AS A GROUP.
WE FEEL WE ARE IN PRETTY GOOD ROUTINE AND YOU LET ME LEAD YOU AROUND THE DISTRICT TODAY AND GIVE YOU UPDATES ON HOW WE ARE DOING ON OUR PROJECT.
OF COURSE, I ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE CLOCK'S ROLE IS.
WE ARE AN INDEPENDENT GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO MONITOR ALL OF THE REFERENDUM PROJECTS.
WE LOOK AT THE BUDGETS AND THE SCHEDULES AND WE UPDATE THIS OLD AUGUST GROUP ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
WE ALSO DO AN ANNUAL REPORT AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR.
NOW OUR CLOCK MEMBERS ARE MADE UP OF ALL TYPES OF PROFESSIONALS IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY COMMUNITY FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE BROAD RIVER.
WE HAVE CPAS, WE HAVE URBAN PLANNERS, WE HAVE CIVIL ENGINEERS, PROJECT MANAGERS, AND ALSO WE DO HAVE AN EDUCATOR ON OUR BO ON OUR BOARD AS WELL.
UH, NEW MEMBER NOW WE ARE A WATCHDOG AND WE DO MONITOR THE PROJECTS AND THE SPENDINGS AND REPORT BACK TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THIS BODY.
SO ON SLIDE THREE, WE MONITOR EVERYTHING AND WE ARE INDEPENDENT AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE THE REFERENDUM WAS PASSED IN NOVEMBER, 2019.
SO LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF OUR PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTY.
LET'S LOOK AT ONE OF OUR FIRST ONES, WHICH IS BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT PROJECT IS UNDER BUDGET AND ON SCHEDULE, UH, ITS REFERENDUM FUNDING WAS AT 55,000,800 67,000 ENCUMBERED FOR THE PROJECT AND PAID IS 55 MILLION TO, AND, UH, AND THAT WAS ENCUMBERED AND PAID TO DATE IS 48 MILLION.
SO THAT PROJECT ON THE NEXT SLIDE, IT IS ON SCHEDULE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PROJECT IS ON BUDGET AND ON SCHEDULE AND WILL BE READY FOR THE STUDENTS AND STAFF IN, UH, THIS MONTH.
THE SUBCONTRACTORS ARE COMPLETING SOME OF THE REMAINING PUNCH LIST ITEMS. O S F WILL DO THE FINAL INSPECTIONS, WHICH WILL BE SCHEDULED AUGUST AND EIGHTH AND NINTH OF THIS WEEK.
WE DO HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST THE 25TH AT 1:30 PM I'M SURE I'LL SEE SOME OF YOU THERE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT ROBERT SMALLS.
ROBERT SMALLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, WHICH IS A BRAND NEW SCHOOL THAT'S BEING BUILT NEAR THE, THE CURRENT SCHOOL, IT WAS PART OF THE REFERENDUM.
ITS FUNDING WAS AT 69,449,000.
IT IS ON SCHEDULE AND UNDER BUDGET.
ON SLIDE EIGHT, JUST A FEW ITEMS HIGHLIGHTS HIS OWN BUDGET ON SCHEDULE.
THE CONTRACTORS ARE COMPLETED REMAINING WORK AND THEY ARE CORRECTING PUNCH LIST ITEMS. ABATEMENT MATERIALS IN THE EXISTING BUILDING ARE 90% COMPLETE AND THE DEMOLITION IS SCHEDULED FOR THE OLD BUILDING THE WEEK OF BEGINNING ON AUGUST THE 14TH.
SO THAT NEW, THE OLD SCHOOL WILL BE RAISED, UM, WE'RE DEALING THE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DEALING WITH SOME BEAUFORD JASPER, UH, WATER SEWER AUTHORITY ISSUES, BUT THE WATER METER IS ON SCHEDULE TO BE INSTALLED.
NOW O S F IS SCHEDULED TO DO THE FINAL INSPECTION THAT WE COULD, IT WILL OCCUR, OCCURRED LAST WEEK AND THE MASONS WILL BE DOING A LAYING OF A CORNERSTONE IF MANY OF YOU DO NOT REALIZE THIS.
FOR HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, ROBERT SMALLS WAS A MEMBER OF THE MASONS AND THE MASONS HAS AGREED AND DONATED A CORNERSTONE THAT WILL BE LAID ON AUGUST THE SECOND AT 3:00 PM PUT THAT IN YOUR HISTORY IF YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MASONS FOR DOING THAT IN HONORING ROBERT SMALLS.
AND THE RIBBON CUTTING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST THE SEVENTH AT THREE O'CLOCK.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO OVER TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BROAD RIVER, UH, HILTON HEAD, ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL IS PROGRESSING WELL.
IT'S ON BUDGET AND ON SCHEDULE.
UH, IT'LL BE READY, UH, THIS MONTH FOR SCHOOL OPENINGS.
F O S F, UH, SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED THAT INSPECTION.
THE MAIN BUILDING RENOVATIONS HAVE STARTED IN THE ADMIN AREA, THE MEDIA CENTER AND THE 700 WING IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN AUGUST AND THE RIBBON CUTTING WILL BE AUGUST THE 30TH FOR THOSE THAT AREAS THAT HAVE
[00:15:01]
BEEN COMPLETED.WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL.
HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, OF COURSE, IS UH, SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, HAD PART OF THE PROJECT DONE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DESIGNING A NEW SCHOOL FOR HILTON HEAD AND RENOVATING PART OF THAT SO THAT THEY HAVE, THE DISTRICT HAS EMPLOYED A LITTLE DIVERSIFIED ARCHITECTS TO DO THAT.
WE ARE, UH, KEEPING ABREAST OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY DID DO A, A TOWN OF HILTON HEAD BUILDING REVIEW ON JUNE THE NINTH, UH, O S F.
THEY CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF THEM ON JUNE 15TH.
SCHEMATIC DESIGN IS DUE ON JUNE 28TH.
PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD WITH THE LANDSCAPING WAS IN JUNE AND PHASE ONE, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT IS UNDERWAY.
SO A LITTLE DIVERSIFY HAS COMMENCED THE PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS SO THAT IT WILL BE READY, UH, FOR THE PROPOSED NEXT BOND REFERENDUM.
UH, ALSO HILTON HAD THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE FIELD HOUSE.
NOW THIS HAS WORKED, IT WAS UNDER THE CURRENT REFERENDUM, UH, IS ON SCHEDULE, THE DUGOUT RENOVATIONS ARE ON SCHEDULE.
THE BLEACHERS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED AND M B CONN IS TO APPROVE, UH, WAS APPROVED TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK AT THE JUNE 13TH BOARD MEETING.
UH, IT'S 50% OF THE EXISTING CABLING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
AND I WANTED TO INCLUDE THIS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PHOTOGRAPH, IT MAY NOT BE AS A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEAR IN THAT PRINTOUT, BUT THAT IS ALL OF THE OLD CABLING THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND REPLACING ALL THE CABLING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT PHOTOGRAPH.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE UPGRADING THE SECURITY SYSTEMS AND THE IT SYSTEMS, BUT ALSO THEY'RE REMOVING ALL THE CABLING.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, SEE HOW MUCH OF THAT CABLING HAD TO BE REMOVED AND THAT'S THERE DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN THE FALL OF 2023.
THAT'S WHERE I WANTED TO NOTE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ALL OF THE IT UPGRADES.
UH, THIS ONE IS THE FRONT OFFICE, UH, RENOVATION.
THE WORK IS, IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BEFORE, UH, AUGUST 14TH.
THE NETWORK CUTOVER IS COMPLETE THERE.
THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING COMPLETE IS COMPLETE AND THE EMERGENCY GENERATOR, WHICH HAS BEEN BACKORDERED, IS SCHEDULED FOR THE ARRIVAL IN Q FOUR OF THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S ST HELL ON THE ELEMENTARY DISTANT UPDATE.
OKAY, ON OUR NEXT SLIDE, ON SLIDE 14, THE REMAINDER PROJECTS ACROSS THE DIVISION.
THESE ARE WHAT WE CALL MEDIUM SMALL SCOPE PROJECTS, WHICH DEAL WITH SAFETY, SECURITY, TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE, PLAYGROUNDS, AND SOME ATHLETIC SCOPES.
THERE ARE 89 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS UNDERWAY.
THERE'S ONE IN THE PLANNING PHASE TWO IN THE BID PHASE AND FIVE IN THE BID AWARD PHASE.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S EIGHT THAT STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO DO.
THE REMAINING OF THESE ARE EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THEY ARE IN THE CLOSEOUT PHASE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
SO THAT'S 89 PROJECTS AND EVERYTHING IS GREEN THERE, THERE USING OUR TRAFFIC LIGHT STATUS.
NOW, SUPPLY ISSUES STILL CON ARE CONCERNED, UH, AS I SAID WITH THE, UH, WITH THE GENERATOR FOR ST.
HELENA, BUT THE PROJECT MANAGERS ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING THE PROJECTS ON SCHEDULE.
OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR PROJECT CLOSEOUTS.
WE TRACK ALL OF THESE AND THESE ARE, THIS IS HOW, THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE REVIEWED.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE TRACK ALL THE PROJECTS AND YOU SEE THOSE IN YELLOW ARE THE ONES THAT ARE WAITING ON CLOSEOUT.
BUT YOU CAN SEE IT'S MANY OF THESE ARE THE, THE PAPERWORK THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO OFFICIALLY CLOSE OUT A PROJECT.
AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE FOR BEAUFORT HIGH, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE ASBUILT DRAWINGS.
NOW, ASBUILT DRAWINGS OR DRAWINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED BASED ON WHAT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT.
'CAUSE THINGS ARE CHANGED, UH, AS THE SCHOOL IS BUILT.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE A CURRENT SET OF DRAWINGS OF ON RECORD OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY THERE.
SO WHEN SOMEBODY HAS TO DO WORK IN THE FUTURE, THEY WANNA KNOW THAT THAT IS THERE.
A LOT OF THAT IS THE PAPERWORK.
NEXT PAGE, THERE'S SOME MORE OF OUR CLOSEOUTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, MANY OF THOSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, SO WE TRACK THOSE UH, EVERY MONTH.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE FINANCIALLY.
I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THIS THAN ANYTHING.
SO ON PAGE 19, ALL THE BUD, ALL BUDGETS CONTINUED TO BE TRACKED AND WERE EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN THE DOLLARS APPROVED IN THE REFERENDUM.
SO WE DO TRACK BASED ON THOSE TWO REFERENDUMS, UH, THAT WERE PASSED, THE INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED AND THAT'S BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE REFERENDUM CONTINGENCY, WHICH WAS PART OF THAT AS WELL AS THE BOND PREMIUMS THAT WERE PAID.
THE DOLLAR SPENT AND THE ENCUMBERED DID NOT EXCEED THE BUDGETED TOTAL DOLLARS AMOUNTS.
THE DOLLAR SPENT PER PROJECT DID NOT EXCEED THE ESTIMATED PROJECT PERCENT COMPLETE.
AND OF COURSE, MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION CO UH, COST CONTINUED TO CHALLENGE AND THE PROJECT MANAGERS ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF CONTROLLING THAT, UH, EVEN THROUGH AS WE COME OUT OF COVID.
SO LET'S LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE ON PAGE 20.
THE ORIGINAL BOND REFEREND WAS 3 4 4 6 10.
THE BOND PREMIUMS THAT WERE PAID WERE 31 MILLION, BRINGING THE TOTAL CURRENT, THE CURRENT BUDGET TO 3 75 7 10.
[00:20:01]
AND YOU COMMITTED MORE TO THIS NUMBER THIS EVENING.AT THE END OF JUNE, IT WAS $36,206,764 FOR 96.67% OF THE MONEY HAS BEEN COMMITTED.
WHAT'S REMAINING IS 12,000,503.
THAT'S 3.3% IS LEFT TO BE SPENT.
SAVINGS RETURNED IN JUNE FROM CONTINGENCY WAS 2.3 MILLION.
YOU USED AND AGREED TO USE 8.2 MILLION.
THE CONT CONTINGENCY REMAINING IS 3 9 5 1 7 9 1.
AND WITH THOSE FEW PROJECTS IN THE EARLY PHASES, IT DEFINITELY APPEARS THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING THIS IN IN A SOFT LANDING AND BE RIGHT ON BUDGET AT THE END OF THE TERM.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT, I'M GOING TO ASK ONE OF MY PREVIOUS CLOCK MEMBERS, MR. CARLTON DALLAS, WHO DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING GREATER AND RUN FOR THE BOARD AND WAS THEREFORE DULY ELECTED.
DALLAS, WHAT IS M E P? UH, I THINK I WAS EJECTED FROM CLOCK, SO I NEED TO REDEEM MYSELF.
THE REASON I DO THAT IS WE USE A LOT OF ACRONYMS IN THE CLOCK MEETING.
WE HAVE TO ALWAYS MAKE SURE WE REMIND EACH OTHER OF WHAT THOSE ACRONYMS ARE BECAUSE IT'S CONSTRUCTION JARGON AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IT.
SO WITH THAT, I WANNA ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
I GUESS YOUR PRESENTATION WAS SO THOROUGH.
COLONEL GUYER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE CLOCK AS WELL.
YOU'VE ATTENDED MANY OF OUR MEETINGS AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY.
AT ANY TIME, ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US AND WE WELCOME YOU.
SO I, YES, I WOULD JUST ASK ALL PRESENT AND FORMER CLOCK MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.
PLEASE STAND SO THE, SO THE BOARD AND THE AUDIENCE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING YOU AN UPDATE IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
NO, I WAS ACTUALLY JUST GONNA DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST DID IS THANK, UH, MR. BARBER AND I NOTICED, UH, THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL CLOCK MEMBERS THAT WERE PRESENT AND SO I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND THANK THEM FOR, FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
[First Public Comments]
ALL RIGHT.OUR NEXT UH, ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND I WAS DIRECTED BY THE BOARD BY A MOTION TO READ THIS STATEMENT AHEAD OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WHEREAS IN ORDER TO BETTER ENSURE THE SAFETY, SECURITY, AND GOOD ORDER OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND ALLOW ALL CITIZENS FAIR AND OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT, BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS BOARD GOVERNANCE POLICY GC 2 23 4 ADHERENCE TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
PARAGRAPH B STATES THAT QUOTE, SHOULD A PARTICIPANT FAIL TO ABIDE BY THE REASONABLE DIRECTIVES OF THE BOARD'S OR COMMITTEES PRESIDING OFFICER, THE BOARD OR COMMITTEE MAY PROHIBIT THE OFFENDING SPEAKER FROM PARTICIPATING IN FUTURE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED SIX MONTHS.
SO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SESSIONS ARE, ARE, UH, OUR SPEAKERS ARE SOME ARE OF YOU ARE ARE HERE IN PERSON TONIGHT AND OTHERS ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE, UH, VIA PHONE.
I WILL JUST REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DELIVER YOUR COMMENTS AND THERE'LL BE A TIMER, UH, VISIBLE AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, NOTIFYING YOU OF THE TIME AND YOU MAY NOT YIELD YOUR TIME, UH, TO ANOTHER UH, PERSON.
SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE MANDY BURSON SPEAKING ON TEACHER POINT OF VIEW.
GOOD EVENING RESPECTED BOARD MEMBERS, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, COLLEAGUES, STUDENTS AND BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPPORTERS.
MY NAME IS MARTY BURLESON AND I'M A PROUD BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT AN EVENT IN MY CLASSROOM THAT HAS LED TO PUBLIC ATTACKS ON ME PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.
MY STORY BEGINS WITH AN OPTIONAL STUDENT INTEREST SURVEY I MAKE AVAILABLE TO MY NEW STUDENTS, NOT UNLIKE THE ABOUT YOU GET TO KNOW YOU IN STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRES AND ACTIVITIES PROVIDED BY PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
EVERY YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE ONLY FORMAL PARENTAL COMPLAINT I'VE EVER RECEIVED, MY SURVEY WAS
[00:25:01]
MISCONSTRUED AND MISREPRESENTED IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.IT WAS SECRET, IT WAS REQUIRED AND MOST DAMAGING THAT I'M USING THIS INFORMATION FOR SOME STU NEFARIOUS REASON OR TO HARM MY STUDENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NOT SECRET.
IT'S IN THE STUDENT'S GOOGLE CLASSROOM AND IS AVAILABLE FOR GUARDIANS TO REVIEW THEIR CHILD'S RESPONSES ANYTIME THEY LIKE.
THE ACCUSATION SAYS, I KEEP THIS INFORMATION FROM PARENTS.
HOWEVER, THIS STATEMENT IS HYPOTHETICAL BECAUSE NOT ONCE HAS A PARENT OR GUARDIAN, INCLUDING THE PARENT MAKING THESE FALSE CLAIMS ASKED ME ABOUT A STUDENT'S ANSWERS.
I DO ASSURE THE STUDENTS THAT THEIR ANSWERS ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND I WON'T SAY ANYTHING UNLESS THEY WANT ME TO, UNLESS IT FALLS UNDER MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A COURT MANDATED REPORTER.
THERE ARE NO POINTS GIVEN FOR RESPONDING TO IT AND THERE ARE NO PENALTIES FOR, UH, NOT FILLING OUT, AND MANY OF THE QUESTIONS ARE OPTIONAL.
THIRD, I'M A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR.
AS SUCH, I'VE BEEN TRAINED BY OUR VERY OWN DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE STATE TO MAKE CONNECTIONS AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR STUDENTS BY LEARNING ABOUT THEM AND SPECIFICALLY HOW TO WORK WITH UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS LIKE LGBTQ PLUS AND TRAUMA IMPACTED STUDENTS.
I AM NOT GATHERING INFORMATION OR USING IT FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN MY PROFESSIONAL DETERMINATION TO TRULY SEE AND KNOW EACH OF MY STUDENTS SO I CAN SERVE THEM TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AN EFFORT I'M CERTAIN YOU EXPECT OUT OF ALL OF YOUR BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.
SINCE THESE FALSE ACCUSATIONS WERE MADE PUBLIC, I'VE BEEN PUBLICLY AND WRONGFULLY ACCUSED OF MISCONDUCT WITH MY STUDENTS.
I'VE BEEN PLACED ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE FOR MY OWN SAFETY.
PEOPLE HAVE CALLED FOR ME TO BE ARRESTED, FIRED MY CERTIFICATION REVOKED, AND THAT MY FACE SHOULD BE ON A BILLBOARD.
AND WORSE, I'VE BEEN PHYSICALLY THREATENED.
MY FULL NAME FACE AND WHERE I WORK HAS BEEN SHARED PUBLICLY ONLINE AND ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA.
I'VE BEEN DEFAMED, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL UNSAFE IN MY OWN COMMUNITY AT WORK AND EVEN IN MY OWN HOME.
MY MINOR SON HAS BEEN PUBLICLY OUTED BY THIS MAN AS WELL.
I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE TRAUMATIC AND DEVASTATING REVOLT RESULTS, INCLUDING SUICIDE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AGED KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE A TRUSTED ADULT TO TURN TO.
MY STUDENTS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME.
I RESPECT EACH ONE OF THEM, THAT BECAUSE OF THEIR DIFFERENCES, BUT JUST NOT DESPITE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THEM, I WILL ALWAYS BE THAT TRUSTED ADULT AND AL ALLY.
ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE MANY OTHER TEACHERS WHO CAN'T SPEAK UP, I WANT TO SAY I WON'T BE BULLIED ANYMORE.
WE RESPECTFULLY IMPLORE THE DISTRICT AND THE BOARD TO PROTECT THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS IN YOUR DISTRICT FROM THOSE THAT WISH US HARM.
NEXT WE HAVE BLUE BUR, BLUE BURLESON'S TOPIC STUDENT POINT OF VIEW.
MY NAME IS BLUE BURLESON AND I'M A JUNIOR AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN A STUDENT IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND ALONGSIDE THAT, I'VE ALSO HAD THE SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AS MY SELF OPENLY IN MY SCHOOLS, THANKS TO THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN THIS DISTRICT.
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT FROM THESE STAFF MEMBERS, I'M NOT SURE I WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH MY MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS, AND YOU ALL WILL LOOK AT ME THINKING, IS THIS 16 YEAR OLD REALLY SAYING THAT HE WOULD'VE KILLED HIMSELF IN MIDDLE SCHOOL? AND MY SIMPLE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, AND ALTHOUGH I AM STILL HERE, I'M SAD TO SAY THAT I HAVE LOST FRIENDS WHO DID NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS I DO.
I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE OFF THE BRINK OF SUICIDE AT THE RIPE AGE OF 12 AND EVEN TO THIS DAY, I REMEMBER THE FEAR AND PAIN THAT WAS FELT ON EACH SIDE OF THE SITUATION.
I SIT UP HERE TODAY TO SAY THAT THE SUPPORT THAT THESE TEACHERS PROVIDE IS LIFESAVING AND WITHOUT THEM YOU WOULD HAVE STUDENTS DROPPING LIKE FLIES, INCLUDING ME, THE STUDENTS SPEAKING IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
HAVING TEACHERS WHO MADE ME FEEL UNDERSTOOD AND SAFE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS CHANGED MY OUTLOOK ON SCHOOL FOR THE BETTER TEACHERS WHO RESPECTED MY IDENTITY, DESPITE WHETHER OR NOT I WAS OUT PUBLICLY IS WHAT KEPT ME GOING THROUGH THE YEARS OF MY LARGEST DEVELOPMENTS.
I ENJOYED SCHOOL BECAUSE I COULD BE WHO I TRULY WAS WITHOUT FEAR.
THANKS TO MY EDUCATORS, I AM HUMAN AND I AM HERE WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT.
NEXT WE HAVE KATHLEEN HARPER SPEAKING ON TEACHER SAFETY, KATHLEEN HARPER.
MY NAME IS KATHLEEN HARPER AND I'M THE LITERACY COACH AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, A PARENT BEGAN TARGETING ME.
I WAS ASSISTING IN AN EIGHTH GRADE CLASSROOM WHERE THE KIDS WERE RESEARCHING TYPES OF MODERN DAY SLAVERY.
I SHARED A TEXT FROM A SCHOOL APPROVED RESOURCE THAT CONTAINS FIRST PERSON ACCOUNTS FROM VICTIMS OF VARIOUS FORMS OF MODERN
[00:30:01]
DAY SLAVERY.ONE OF THE NARRATIVES WAS BY A YOUNG KENYAN GIRL WHO TELLS ABOUT HER FORCED MARRIAGE AND CIRCUMCISION.
A STUDENT ASKED, WHAT'S THAT? AND I SAID, IT'S A BARBARIC PRACTICE THAT STILL OCCURS IN SOME AFRICAN VILLAGES.
THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION AND THERE WAS NO DESCRIPTION THERE.
PARROT BEGAN EMAILING ME, DEMANDING A MEETING, MEETING.
I WAS TOLD NOT TO RESPOND, AND HE WAS TOLD NOT TO CONTACT ME.
THIS WAS JUST A SHORT TIME AFTER MS. BURLESON WAS PUT ON LEAVE FOR HER SAFETY.
WHEN THE PARENT COULD NOT PROVOKE ME INTO A RESPONSE VIA EMAIL, HE TURNED TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE LIES AND THREATS HE HAS WRITTEN OR SPOKEN PUBLICLY.
QUOTE, MRS. HARPER DESCRIBED GENITAL MUTILATION AND GRAPHIC DETAIL.
IT IS IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
MRS. HARPER WAS VERBALLY AND SEXUALLY ABUSIVE TO MY DAUGHTER.
QUOTE, NOTHING COULD SAY, I'M A GROOMER MORE THAN THIS TEACHER, MS. HARPER, QUOTE, YOUR BEHAVIOR WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
ON MAY 31ST, THIS PARENT DELIVERED A THANK YOU CARD TO MY SCHOOL CAMPUS REPE, REPEATING THE SAME LIVES AND THREATS.
I FILED MY FIRST POLICE REPORT THAT DAY.
THE NEXT DAY, BUFORD'S DIRECTOR OF SECURITY WAS ON CAMPUS WHEN I ARRIVED AND TOLD ME THAT A NO TRESPASS ORDER WAS GOING TO BE DELIVERED AND THAT HE WAS GOING TO REMAIN ON CAMPUS BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PARENTS'S RESPONSE.
HE SUGGESTED I NOT COME ON CAMPUS AFTER DARK AND TO WATCH MY SURROUNDINGS IN PUBLIC.
FIVE DAYS LATER, I RECEIVED A CALL AND WAS TOLD THAT THE NO TRESPASS WOULD NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL I'M BACK ON CAMPUS THIS MONTH.
I WALKED INTO MY FIRST CLASSROOM 42 YEARS AGO.
NEVER HAVE I EXPERIENCED HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION SUCH AS THIS.
I HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN, FOUR AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN WHO I LOVE DEARLY.
TO THEM I AM YAYA AND THEIR LI EYES LIGHT UP WHEN THEY SEE ME.
WHEN I SEE FORMER STUDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, THEIR EYES OFTEN LIGHT UP TOO.
LAST DECEMBER I RAN INTO ONE OF THESE STUDENTS AND SHE ASKED ME IF I REMEMBERED HER PRESENTATION ON CHILD LABOR ON COCOA FARMS AND SAID THAT I HAD TOLD HER SHE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
SHE REMEMBERED ME SAYING THAT SHE SHOULD CONSIDER DOING MORE PUBLIC SPEAKING AND EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT.
SHE SAID THAT, THAT SHE'S CONTINUING THAT RESEARCH AT HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS IS WHY WE DESERVE PROTECTION.
THIS IS WHY YOU MUST DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO STOP EVER, TO CENSOR FREE SPEECH AND TO SHOW EDUCATORS THAT YOU ARE COMMITTED TO KEEPING THEM SAFE.
TEACHERS IMPACT LIVES NOT JUST WITH HAPPY POSITIVE STORIES, BUT WITH AUTHENTIC LEARNING, REAL WORLD CHALLENGES AND ATROCITIES.
THE VERY PROJECT THIS PARENT OBJECTS TO IS THE ONE MY STUDENT REMEMBERS.
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, THIS PARENT WROTE QUOTE THAT WOMAN HARPER NEEDED TO KEEP HER MOUTH SHUT AND I'D LEAVE HER ALONE F A F O.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? I DO.
AND I'M SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW UNSAFE THIS MAKES ME FEEL.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR HAVING OUR BACKS AS WE BEGIN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
NEXT UP IS SCOTT HARPER ON EDUCATOR SAFETY.
I'M THE HUSBAND OF THE EDUCATOR WHO JUST SPOKE ABOUT BEING TARGETED AND THREATENED BY MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WAS REALLY HARD TO LISTEN TO.
I'M IN HERE, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF HER AND ALL THE HARDWORKING EDUCATORS IN THIS COUNTY.
BUT A LITTLE ABOUT HER FIRST, KATHLEEN AND I GREW UP IN THE SAME SMALL TOWN IN NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA, NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE.
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, SHE WENT ON TO RECEIVE HER FIRST DEGREE FROM WINTHROP UNIVERSITY UP IN ROCK HILL.
AND IN 1982 BEGAN TEACHING ENGLISH AT EAST AUGUSTA MIDDLE, AN INNER CITY TITLE ONE SCHOOL.
MY WI MY WIFE FELL IN LOVE EDUCATING MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER.
OVER THE COURSE OF HER TEACHING CAREER, KATHLEEN HAS IMPACTED THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF COLLEAGUES AND PARENTS AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN DURING ALL THOSE COUNTLESS ENCOUNTERS.
NOT ONCE HAS SHE EVER HAD A A COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST HER, NOT ONE SINGLE TIME.
THE TRUTH ABOUT KATHLEEN'S CHARACTER LIES WITHIN THOSE ENCOUNTERS AND CAN BE FOUND IN HER EXTENSIVE BODY OF WORK.
A BODY OF WORK THAT'S OPEN TO ANYBODY WISHING TO EXPLORE IT.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SHARE MANY OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS HERE, BUT SINCE ARRIVING ON THE ISLAND IN 2016, KATHLEEN'S IMPACT HAS BEEN BOTH NOTABLE AND NOTICED.
IN ADDITION TO HER REGULAR TEACHING DUTIES, SHE'S ALSO SPEARHEADED A NUMBER OF STUDENT PROJECTS, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO HER RECEIVING THE HONORED, UH, MAYOR'S HONORED ISLANDER AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
I HUMBLY SUBMIT TO YOU THAT KATHLEEN MCKIBBEN HARPER IS JUST THE TYPE OF EDUCATOR YOU HOPE YOUR CHILD HAS ACCESS TO.
[00:35:01]
IS A GROWING USE, A THREATENING, HARMFUL AND FALSE LANGUAGE THAT DIRECTLY TARGETS EDUCATORS MALICIOUSLY ATTEMPTING TO LABEL THEM AS GROOMERS.I'M SADDENED TO REPORT THAT MY RECENT RESEARCH, UH, THAT REVEALS THAT PA FACEBOOK PLATFORMS ARE WIDELY CIRCULATING THESE POSTS AMONG GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS ACTIVELY SEEKING TO UNJUSTLY CRIMINALIZE THE SPEECH OF THESE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS.
ESTEEMED MADAM CHAIR RESPECTED BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ, SHERIFF TANNER, AND ANYONE ELSE LISTENING.
IF YOU OR ANYONE WITHIN YOUR NETWORK IS AWARE OF ANY HATEFUL, HARMFUL, OR FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT MY WIFE OR ANY OTHER EDUCATOR HERE FOR THAT MATTER, I IMPLORE YOU TO TAKE THE ACTION TO HAVE IT TAKEN DOWN BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT.
ON HER TOPIC IS TEACHER SUPPORT.
I'M A FORMER B C S D EMPLOYEE AND A FUTURE PARENT OF TWO B C S D STUDENTS.
I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ADDRESS YOU TONIGHT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ELEVATING TEACHER VOICE IN OUR DISTRICT AND SUPPORTING THOSE WHO DO TAKE THE RISK TO SPEAK UP.
AS WE ARE ALL AWARE, PUBLIC EDUCATION IS UNDER ATTACK IN OUR NATION AND OUR STATE.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF AN UNPRECEDENTED TEACHER SHORTAGE.
THE STATE IS FUNNELING MONEY AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHAT CURRICULUM CHOICES YOU MAKE AS BOARD MEMBERS AND DISTRICTS ARE UNDER A MICROSCOPE.
PARENTS AND EDUCATORS WHO SUPPORT INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM ARE LABELED AS GROOMERS AND PEDOPHILES.
NONE OF US ARE SPARED FROM THIS MOMENT, AND WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RISE TO THE MOMENT AND TURN THE TIDE.
EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL BOARDS BOTH MAKE DECISIONS REGULARLY THAT IMPACT OUR STUDENTS AND THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION THAT TAKES PLACE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THEY ARE TWO PLAYERS OF THE SAME TEAM.
I WANNA REMIND YOU OF THAT AS THE SCHOOL YEAR IS SET TO RESUME.
AND AS WE SEE EDUCATORS FINALLY FINDING THE COURAGE TO USE THEIR VOICE TO SPEAK UP AND DEFEND NOT ONLY THEMSELVES BUT THEIR COWORKERS, THIS DISTRICT, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND ULTIMATELY YOU AS THE BOARD YOU HAVE HIRED AND TRAINED THESE INDIVIDUALS, THAT MEANS YOU SHOULD TRUST THEM.
I APPLAUD THOSE WHO TAKE THIS STEP HISTORICALLY, TEACHERS WHO TAKE THE CHANCE TO USE THEIR VOICE HAVE NOT BEEN MET WITH SUPPORT.
I URGE YOU TO CHANGE THAT TREND.
LET'S CONTINUE TO ELEVATE THEIR VOICES AND WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO CONTINUE TO MOVE BEAUFORT COUNTY IN A DIRECTION THAT WE ARE ALL PROUD OF.
NEXT IS TIM DODDS TOPIC, BOARD OF EDUCATION RESPONSIBILITIES.
I'M A RETIRED EDUCATOR WHO CHOSE TO MOVE DOWN TO THESE WARM CLIMBS TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE, UH, AND WALKED RIGHT INTO THIS AND OTHER SITUATIONS IN HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY THAT WE ALL LOVE.
THERE'S A, I MENTIONED EARLIER BY YOUR PREVIOUS PRESENTER ABOUT A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY REMINDING US ABOUT ROBERT SMALLS.
I WANNA INJECT INTO YOUR THINKING AS BOARD MEMBERS AND TO YOU DR.
RODRIGUEZ, UM, THAT YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY THROUGH PERHAPS, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY'S PRISM.
RECONSTRUCTION BEGAN RIGHT HERE, AND THIS IS THE BIRTH PLACE OF IT.
AND WITH A COUPLE YEARS, A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL GROUP PUT TOGETHER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION IN THIS STATE THAT MADE A DIRECT COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION FOR THE FIRST TIME AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AS THE CORE PRINCIPLE AND REASON FOR GOVERNMENT IN THIS STATE THAT CONTINUES AND OBTAINS TO THIS DAY.
AND IF, IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT, IF YOU EVER APPROVE EVERY
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION THAT SAYS EDUCATION IS THE REASON FOR OUR GOVERNMENT, IT'S PRIMARY REASON.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.
AND EVERYTHING YOU DO, YOU REMEMBER THAT AS YOU LISTEN TO THE REST OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR TONIGHT AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM MOON NIGHTS, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND LISTENING AND GIVING VOICE TO THE VOTE FOLKS WHO NEED TO BE HEARD.
AND I KNOW THAT IN
[00:40:01]
TO LOOK ATNEXT IS AN KNOW THE SSQ TOPIC BOOK BAN.
I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, UH, SORRY TO BELIEVE, BUT I DO QUITE A BIT OF PUBLIC SPEAKING.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE.
I LOVE TO VOICE MY VO UH, OPINION.
I LOVE TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE AND IMPART IDEAS, BUT BEFORE I CAME UP HERE, I JUST, I KEPT GOING OVER MY HEAD, OVER AND OVER JUST PRAYING TO GOD, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO SAY, HOW TO REACH YOU ALL.
I KNOW THAT TENSIONS ARE HIGH.
I KNOW THAT PASSION IS FLARING.
THERE ARE EMOTIONS BOTH ON BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.
BUT I REALLY WANTED TO COME HERE AND JUST IMPART A PLEADING VOICE TO PLEASE DO NOT BAN THE BOOKS.
AND THE REASON I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE I AM AN AVID READER.
I SPEND WAY TOO MUCH MONEY ON THEM.
AND I THINK THE REASON I DO THAT IS BECAUSE GROWING UP I DIDN'T HAVE THAT LUXURY.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE ON BOTH ENDS HAVE HAVE ARGUMENTS AS TO WHY BOOKS SHOULD BE BANNED.
YOU CAN BUY THEM IF YOU REALLY WANNA READ THEM.
AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE BLESSED LIKE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BUY BOOKS.
I WASN'T SEE, AND I'M SORRY, I LOOK TIRED.
I'M WORKING ON MY MASTER'S DEGREE.
UM, AND THAT'S EVEN MORE EXCITING BECAUSE I AM A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT AND ACCORDING TO THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER, ONLY 35% OF FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS GET A MASTER'S DEGREE.
BUT ANOTHER THING WE HAVEN'T TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IS I'M A LATINA WOMAN, SO THAT MEANS ONLY 7% OF LATINA WOMEN GET A MASTER'S DEGREE.
NOT ONLY THAT, I GREW UP BEING HOMELESS.
I LIVED IN THE FAMILY'S VAN IN THE CAR AND CITY HO CITY HOTEL ROOMS. IF WE WERE LUCKY, WE COULD CRASH IN SOMEBODY'S HOUSE.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, I HAD TWO SPECIAL NEEDS BROTHERS.
I WENT TO 12 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS FROM PRE-K TO HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GRADUATE FOURTH IN MY CLASS.
I WAS ABLE TO GRADUATE WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, CERTIFICATES A BACHELOR'S DEGREE WHILE WORKING FULL TIME.
AND NOW MY MASTER'S DEGREE, I HAVE ASPIRATIONS OF GOING FOR A DOCTORATE DEGREE.
AND THE REASON I'M DOING THAT IS BECAUSE OF READING OF BEING ABLE TO READ BOOKS.
I'VE READ THREE OF THE BAND BOOKS RIGHT NOW WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND DESPITE MY, MY UGLY BACKGROUND, DESPITE FEELING LIKE I DON'T BELONG, THOSE BOOKS MADE ME FEEL LIKE I DID.
THEY LET ME SEE MYSELF AND MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS ENOUGH.
I HAD TEACHERS THAT TOLD ME HOW YOUR VOICE, YOU CAN SPEAK.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD WANNA HEAR POOR LATINA GIRL SPEAK, BUT THEY HAVE.
AND I'VE HAD CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF, OF GENDER, OF RACE, OF NATIONALITY, COME UP TO ME AND TELL ME THAT THEY SEE THEMSELVES IN ME THAT THEY HAVE HOPE.
SO I JUST WANNA REVIEW WITH A QUICK QUOTE TO READ AS TO FLY, IT'S TO WHICH GIVES A VIEW OVER WIDE TERMS OF HISTORY, HUMAN VARIETY, IDEAL SHARED EXPERIENCE IN THE FRUIT OF MANY INQUIRIES.
PLEASE DO NOT CLIP THIS GENERATION'S WINGS.
NEXT WE HAVE JEANNIE BRAINERD ON BOOK BANNING JEANNIE BRAIN BIRD.
UM, I'M A RETIRED PUBLIC EDUCATOR WIFE OF AN ARMY HUSBAND WHO WE MOVED HERE AFTER HIS 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO YOUR LOVELY AREA.
UM, WE BROUGHT OUR GRANDDAUGHTER WITH US WHO WE'RE RAISING AND SHE IS A STUDENT AT ESSAU ELEMENTARY, RISING THIRD GRADER RIGHT NOW.
UM, I HAVE SAT ON NOW FOUR, UM, COMMITTEES REVIEWING THE BOOKS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.
I'LL BE THERE TOMORROW NIGHT TALKING ABOUT A BOOK THAT I, I DID NOT ENJOY, BUT I WILL VOTE TO NOT BAN IT.
UM, I'M A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST BUT NOT A CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST.
I PERSONALLY DISLIKE MANY OF THE BOOKS ON THE LIST, BUT I DO NOT WANT THEM BANNED.
UH, A FORMER PRESIDENT HAS ALMOST SINGLE HANDEDLY DIVIDED US AS A NATION TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE ALMOST, AND I EMPHASIZE ALMOST TWO SIDES WHO CANNOT COME TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR FRAGILE DEMOCRACY.
FOR THE COMMON GOOD, NOT FOR INDIVIDUAL POWER GRABS
[00:45:01]
ON SPECIFIC SOCIAL ISSUES.I AGREE WITH PEOPLE ON EITHER SIDE OF THIS DIVIDE.
THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS A JEW AMONG JEWS WHO PREACHED UNITY IN CHRIST AND FREEDOM FROM THE LAW THAT THE EARLY CHRISTIANS WERE, WERE BEING PRESSURED TO ALSO FOLLOW.
TODAY WE STAND HERE WITH, WITH A PILE OF BOOKS, WITH SCENES THAT MIGHT STAND IN CONFLICT WITH OLD TESTAMENT LAW.
I HAVE TWO OPINIONS ABOUT THIS AT THE, AT THE SAME TIME, I WISH MY GRANDDAUGHTER WOULD NEVER READ SOME OF THEM.
UM, THE SECOND, I WANT HER TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN SHE'S OLD ENOUGH FOR THE MATERIAL TO CHOOSE FOR HERSELF.
I KNOW TWO OTHER THINGS, BOOK BANNERS HAVE NEVER COME DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY TO IF WE BAN ALL THE BOOKS THAT THAT OFFEND OLD TESTAMENT SENSIBILITIES, THE OLD TESTAMENT ITSELF HAS TO BE ADDED TO THAT LIST.
AND I CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT THAT FAB FRIENDS REST WHERE WHITE TONIGHT TO SHOW WHERE WE STAND.
I HAD TROUBLE COMING UP WITH JUST WHITE FROM MY CLOSET.
MAYBE THAT'S A MESSAGE I'M TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.
WE CAN'T KEEP LETTING THE ENEMIES OF DI DEMOCRACY DIVIDE US.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO COME TOGETHER AND NEGOTIATE COMPROMISES TO SAVE THAT DEMOCRACY.
THE OTHER OPTION IS THAT WE LIVE WITH WHAT COMES AFTER THE PRESENT DEMOCRACY, WHICH AS FLAWED AS OUR PRESENT SYSTEM MAY BE THAT I FEAR WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL.
NEXT UP WE HAVE ROBIN LIEBENBERG, UH, TOPIC BOOKS UNDER REVIEW.
THANK YOU TEACHER AND WORKING POET ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
ONE OF THE BOOKS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW IS BERNARD MALAMUD'S THE FIXER.
I READ THIS BOOK IN HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WAS NOT IN MY SCHOOL'S CURRICULUM, BUT IN THE LIBRARY.
IT WON THE 1966 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND A PULITZER.
AND WHAT A STORY I COULD BE PUZZLED BY.
THIS BOOK APPEARS ON THE 97 BOOKS TARGETED BY MOMS FOR LIBERTY AND THE TWO BEAUFORT COUNTY PARENTS WHO RAISED THIS RUCKUS.
THIS IS ABOUT DEMONIZING THE OTHER, THOSE OTHERS THAT THESE PARENTS FEEL ARE TOO HORRIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO MEET, WHICH IS THEIR RIGHT CERTAINLY.
BUT THE OTHER HERE WAS A REAL LIFE VICTIM OF INJUSTICE AND A REAL LIFE HERO.
IN A WAY, THESE PARENTS THINK THEY'RE BEING BRAVE BY TRYING TO DENY EVERY CHILD IN THIS COUNTY THE RIGHT TO READ WHAT THEY CHOOSE, WHICH IS NOT THEIR RIGHT AND OF THAT I AM ALSO CERTAIN THIS IS A STORY ABOUT MENNA.
BAYLESS ACCUSED IN 1911 OFFERED A DEAL ONCE IT BECAME CLEAR THE TRUMPED UP EVIDENCE WOULD NOT HOLD UP.
HE REFUSED IT UNDER TORTURE, REFUSED IT, AND STAYED WRONGFULLY IMPRISONED FOR TWO YEARS IN ORDER TO GET WHAT HE KNEW HE DESERVED A TRIAL.
THIS MAN BY HAVING HIS DAY IN COURT, WAS ABLE TO SHED LIGHT ON THE CORRUPTION OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN CZARIST RUSSIA.
AND BY SYSTEMATICALLY CHALLENGING THE EVIDENCE BROUGHT BY THE PROSECUTION WAS ABLE TO EXPOSE THE DISINFORMATION AND SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT RAN THROUGH THE LIES.
RUSSIANS BELIEVED ABOUT HIS ACIDIC JEWS LIKE BELIZE.
HIS DEFENSE RIPPED THE ANTI-SEMITIC CAMPAIGN RUN AGAINST THEM.
TO SHREDS THIS AT A TIME IN RUSSIA OF A PRACTICE KNOWN AS POGROMS, THE SYSTEMATIC MASSACRE OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN RUSSIA AND EASTERN EUROPE THAT BROUGHT MANY IMMIGRANTS TO THE US DURING THIS DECADE, THESE RACIST SENTIMENTS KILLED 6 MILLION JEWS TWO DECADES LATER IN THE HOLOCAUST, ALONG WITH 6 MILLION INTELLECTUALS, WRITERS, TEACHERS AND OTHERED ETHNIC GROUPS.
THE NEW YORK TIMES NOTED THAT POLICE'S FELLOW JEWS ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT HIS CONDUCT IN RESISTING ALL PRESSURE TO IMPLICATE HIMSELF OR OTHER JEWS SAVED HIS COUNTRYMEN FROM A POGROM BRAVE.
THE FIXER IS NOT A NOVEL TO BE BANNED, BUT ONE THAT OPENS A WINDOW FOR STUDENTS INTO WHAT HAPPENS IN AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN SCAPEGOATS ARE CHOSEN BASED UPON PREJUDICE RATHER THAN EVIDENCE.
IT SHOWS A DARK TIME IN HISTORY.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW ONE BRAVE MAN FOUGHT FOR JUSTICE AND GOT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BAD BOOK DOES IT MIGHT EVEN BE UPLIFTING.
[00:50:03]
NEXT WE HAVE MARY ROTH, BUT MAYBE IT'S PRONOUNCED ROOF, I'M NOT SURE ON BOOK BANDS.GOOD EVENING, I'M MARY ROOF, A RISING JUNIOR AT BEAUFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF OUR CHAPTER OF DELO, THE DIVERSITY AWARENESS YOUTH LITERACY ORGANIZATION.
BEFORE TOMORROW NIGHT'S BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES MEET, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE ONGOING CHALLENGES FACING OUR DISTRICT.
AFTER ATTENDING MANY SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, I HAVE NOTICED ONE OF THE COMMON ARGUMENTS FOR BANNING BOOKS IS THAT MANY HAVE BEEN DEEMED PORNOGRAPHIC BY THE COMPLAINANTS.
HOWEVER, THIS TERM HAS BEEN INAPPROPRIATELY APPLIED.
LAST SPRING I READ DAMSEL BY ELENA ARNOLD, ONE OF THE 97 CHALLENGED BOOKS IN A VERY POWERFUL FEMINIST NOVEL WHICH CONTAINED SCENES OF RAPE.
THESE ASPECTS OF THE NOVEL ARE CONSISTENTLY PRESENTED AS CAUTIONARY, NOT AS ENDORSEMENT.
ACCORDING TO THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY, PORNOGRAPHY IS INTENDED TO STIMULATE EROTIC RATHER THAN AESTHETIC OR EMOTIONAL RESPONSES.
TO CLARIFY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NOVEL, THERE WAS ALWAYS A NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT.
AND TO CLARIFY FURTHER, THESE SCENES ARE NOT CRAFTED FOR PLEASURE.
IF SOMEONE PERCEIVES DEPICTIONS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AS PLEASURABLE, THEN THE BOOK ISN'T REALLY THE PROBLEM, IS IT? ADDITIONALLY, I CAN SEE HOW THESE STORIES CAN BE VERY HARD TO READ DUE TO THE INTENSELY TRAGIC AND DISTURBING CONTENT.
HOWEVER, FOR MANY STUDENTS, THESE SUBJECTS ARE NOT FICTIONAL.
WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO RECOGNIZE THIS OR NOT, MANY STUDENTS DEAL WITH THESE TRAGEDIES REGULARLY.
AND BOOKS WHICH ADDRESS SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE WITH BLATANT NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES CAN HELP A STUDENT LEARN MORAL LESSONS AND TO SEEK HELP AND FEEL LESS ISOLATED SHOULD THEY EVER FACE SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
PARENTS WHO DEEM THESE PARENTS WHO STILL DEEM THESE BOOKS AS PORNOGRAPHY OR OTHERWISE OBJECTIONABLE FOR THEIR CHILD, MAY USE THE OPT-OUT FORM PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH NOT NEGATE THE RIGHT OF OTHER FAMILIES TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICE ABOUT WHAT THEIR CHILDREN MAY ACCESS TO READ.
AS COMMITTEES MEET TO CONTINUE THE REVIEW PROCESS, I ASK THAT WE STRIVE TO UNDERSTAND THE OVERARCHING CONTEXT OF THESE BOOKS AND REMIND OURSELVES THAT AN OPT-OUT OPTION FOR INDIVIDUALS ALWAYS EXIST.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING TO ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING AND FOR YOUR WORK AND SERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
NEXT WE HAVE MELINDA HENDRICKSON, SUPPORT FOR EDUCATORS.
MY NAME'S MELINDA HENDRICKSON AND I'M THE CHAIR OF FAB FAMILIES AGAINST BOOK BANS.
AN ORGANIZATION CREATED SIX MONTHS AGO IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE NOW HAVE OVER 350 MEMBERS, AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZATION.
FAB INITIALLY ORGANIZED TO OPPOSE THE BOOK BANS, BUT HAS EVOLVED TO FOCUS ON THREE AREAS, PROMOTING SEC, PROMOTING INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, ADVOCATING FOR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS, AND ADVANCING SOCIALLY JUST AND EQUITABLE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
TONIGHT WE'RE HERE FOR THIS SECOND TENANT ADVOCATING FOR OUR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS, MOST NOTABLY THE ONES BEING VERBALLY VICTIMIZED BY PARENTS.
TEACHERS OPERATE IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION, THEY'RE ON THE FRONT LINES SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR SOCIETY.
THEY OBTAIN DEGREES AND ATTEND REGULAR TRAINING TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST EDUCATIONAL THEORIES AND METHODS.
AND DUE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR JOB, TEACHERS ARE UP OFTEN SUBJECT TO INTENSE SCRUTINY.
THE PUBLIC'S CONTROL OVER CLASSROOM CONTENT LOOMS OVER THIS ERA OF TEACHING FROM POLICIES THAT ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO POLICE BOOK, WHICH BOOKS ARE ALLOWED IN LIBRARIES TO TEACHERS BEING LABELED AS GROOMERS AND PEDOPHILES WHEN SIMPLY ASKING FOR A STUDENT'S PREFERRED PRONOUNS, ONE OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CHALLENGED THE BOOKS IS NOW PERPETUATING A CONSPIRACY THEORY, THAT THERE'S AN OVERARCHING PLAN TO MAKE PEDOPHILIA LEGAL AND ACCEPTED.
THEY DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE AT WORK AND FREE FROM HARASSMENT.
THEY DESERVE PROTECTION FROM THEIR ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT FROM THEIR COMMUNITY.
I'D LIKE TO ASK ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'S HERE TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS TO PLEASE STAND NOW.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE BROUGHT A LARGE GROUP LASTLY TO OUR EDUCATORS WHO ARE GETTING READY TO RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM THIS MONTH.
WE SEE YOU AND WE'RE A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY.
[00:55:03]
NEXT WE HAVE JEFF BAKER, TOPIC BOOK REVIEW PROTOCOLS.I WAS SELECTED TO SERVE ON ONE OF THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES AND IN JUNE I PARTICIPATED IN A REVIEW WITH A GROUP OF COMMITTED TALENTED EDUCATORS, OF WHICH SEVERAL HAD TO MODIFY THEIR SUMMER FAMILY VACATIONS, BUT GREATLY VALUED THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR WORK.
EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE READ THE BOOK, TOOK DETAILED NOTES, PROVIDED CONSIDERABLE DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT THEIR POSITIONS.
THAT EVENING THERE WERE SEVEN REVIEW COMMITTEES, INCLUDING UP TO SEVEN MEMBERS PER TEAM DELIBERATING IN THE CAFETERIA AT OCA OKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND AS I LOOKED AROUND THE CAFETERIA, I REALIZED WHAT AN INCREDIBLE WASTE OF TALENTED TIME.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER, I REVIEWED THE FORM KNOWN AS THE REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF SCHOOL IVORY MATERIALS.
THE ESSENTIAL CATEGORIES OF THE FORM CAN BE FILLED OUT BY COPYING AND PASTING CERTAIN TALKING POINTS.
HOW CONVENIENT THESE LOCAL COMPLAINANTS DID NOT EVEN HAVE TO READ THE BOOK IN ITS ENTIRETY.
THE TIME AND ENERGY COMMITMENT IS FAR FROM STRENUOUS IN THIS PROCESS, WHEREAS THOSE WHO CONDUCTED THE REVIEW AS NOTED EARLIER, HAVE TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING.
THIS IS UNBALANCED AND UNFAIR.
MOMS FOR LIBERTY ARE NOT GOING AWAY, BUT NEITHER ARE WE.
I PROPOSE TO THE BOARD THAT YOU CONSIDER A ADDING SEVERAL CHANGES TO STREAMLINE THE BOOK REVIEW PROTOCOL.
NUMBER ONE, THE BOOK SHOULD REMAIN ON THE SHELF THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
LAST YEAR, THE COUNTY WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND COUNTED WITH A KNEE JERK RESPONSE.
NUMBER TWO, THE COMPLAINANTS MUST HAVE READ THE ENTIRE BOOK.
THAT CAN BE EASILY VERIFIED WITH A FEW OVERT REFERENCES TO THE TEXT.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE COMPLAINANTS MUST APPEAR BEFORE A GROUP PERHAPS APPOINTED BY THIS BOARD TO PRESENT A LOGICAL, COHERENT ARGUMENT AS TO WHY THE BOOK IN QUESTION SHOULD EVEN BE RECONSIDERED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SUCH A STEP, SUCH A STEP CAN GAUGE THE MERITS OF THE GRIEVANCE.
AND IF THE BOOK IN QUESTION SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT ENTER THE REVIEW PROCESS LOOKING AHEAD, THE PROCESS NEEDS TO BE STREAMLINED AND MORE EFFICIENT.
I ASSURE YOU ADDITIONAL BOOK COMPLAINTS ARE FORTHCOMING.
SO THAT COMPLETES THE UM, 30 MINUTE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION AND THAT COMPLETES EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM.
UM, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FROM THE BOARD, WE HAVE FOUR MORE THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UH, COMMENT BY PHONE AND WE'LL GO AHEAD UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION AND MAKE A MOTION.
SO ROBIN WILL BE CALLING EACH OF THESE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
STATE YOUR NAME AND TOPIC PLEASE.
MY NAME IS MIKE COVERT FROM BLUFFTON.
ASIDE FROM THREE, POSSIBLY FOUR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, THE COMMUNITY HAS LOST FAITH AND TRUST IN YOU.
[01:00:01]
YOU'RE NO LONGER SERVING THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY, RATHER APPARENTLY SERVING THE GOOD OF THE LOUD, THE OBNOXIOUS, UNSTABLE AND POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.YES, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THOSE IN THE PUBLIC CLAMORING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF ALL 97 BOOKS, BOTH OF THE COMPLAINANTS OF WHICH I'M ONE PUT FORTH BACK IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER OF 2022.
I SAY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED BECAUSE IF THEY WERE NOT POLITICAL IN VER ATTACKS, THEY WOULD'VE BECOME AS ALEC WITH THE FOUR BOOKS THAT YOU AGREED TO BE REMOVED FROM LIBRARY SHELVES OVER THE COURSE OF THIS EXERCISE.
AS MUCH AS THEY ARE AND WERE WITH US REQUESTING THEM TO BE AND FURTHER NOTICE ANYWAY, THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE.
THIS PHRASE HAS LEGAL CONNOTATIONS, IT HAS LEGAL REFERENCES, IT'S A LEGAL STANDING.
I URGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, ESPECIALLY THOSE SEVEN OR EIGHT WHO CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY.
I URGE YOU TO STUDY THE CASE OF BOARD OF EDUCATION VERSUS PECO, ALONG WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA'S ATTORNEY'S GENERAL OPINION OF SEPTEMBER, 1999, THE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE HARRY STYLES OF DUE WEST SOUTH CAROLINA.
I URGE YOU TO READ VILLAGE OF EUCLID VERSUS AMBER REALTY COMPANY, WHERE THE PRESIDING JUSTICE SAID QUOTE, A NUISANCE MAY BE THE RIGHT THING IN THE WRONG PLACE LIKE A PIG IN THE PARLOR INSTEAD OF THE BARNYARD.
THE CLAIM WE HAVE MADE IS THAT THESE BOOKS IN QUESTION ARE VULGAR AND LEWD.
THAT TOO HAS LEGAL CONNOTATION AS OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL OCON READS QUOTE, THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECT AGAINST
IF THE MOTIVATION OF SCHOOL OFFICIALS IS NOT TO SUPPRESS IDEAS, BUT TO REMOVE A PERVASIVELY, VULGAR BOOK OR A BOOK WHICH IS DEEMED EDUCATIONALLY UNSUITABLE, THEN REMOVAL IS CONSTITUTIONALLY VALID.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAVE A DUTY UNDER THE LAW TO PROTECT SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM INDECENCY AND LEWDNESS.
I WANT YOU TO HEAR WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA SAID AGAIN.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAVE A DUTY UNDER THE LAW TO PROTECT SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM IN DECENCY, INDECENCY AND LEWDNESS.
BREAKING IT DOWN, FOLKS, YOU HAVE ONE JOB, PROTECT THE CHILDREN.
OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT FOR SALE AND THEIR MINDS ARE NOT YOURS.
TO CONTINUE TO PROSTITUTE, VULGAR AND LEWD MATERIAL IN FRONT OF THEM.
HELLO, IS THIS NANCY? HI, THIS IS ROBIN.
I'M CALLING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST LAST NAME, YOUR TOPIC.
I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON SPEAKER AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
ARE YOU READY? GO AHEAD PLEASE.
IT'S NANCY ROSS AND THE TOPIC IS THE SEXUAL VERSION OF OUR CHILDREN.
I WANNA THANK, UH, THE CONCERNED PARENTS WHO'VE SPOKEN TONIGHT ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE MATERIALS BEFORE OUR CHILDREN AND TO THE BOARD MEMBERS TO MOST OF YOU.
I SAY THIS SAME ON YOU, SAME ON YOU.
YOU KNOW WHAT IS ABUSIVE TO CHILDREN AND ABUSIVE TO PARENTS, FRANKLY DISTRESSING TO PARENTS.
AND IF YOU DON'T, IT IS TIME TO RESIGN.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THE FINAL TWO MINUTES WHILE I FINISH MY COMMENTS FOR YOU TO WRITE YOUR RESIGNATION BECAUSE PARENTS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS.
UH, THE LAST TIME I SPOKE, A NUMBER OF YOU GOT UP AND LEFT THE TABLE.
I THINK SOMEONE LEFT THE ROOM, DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE COMMON DECENCY TO HEAR OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS WITH MY CHILDREN, AS I SAID OVER 12 YEARS AGO.
I'VE SPENT 35 YEARS AS AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST.
I'VE STUDIED SEXUAL PREDATORS.
I'VE STUDIED CULTS, I'VE STUDIED SATANISM, I'VE STUDIED WITCHCRAFT, I'VE STUDIED THE BIBLE.
PAUL DID NOT PREACH FREEDOM FROM THE LAW.
HE PREACHED THE FREEDOM TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS JUST UNDER GOD.
HE PREACHED AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY, SEXUAL PERVERSIONS,
[01:05:02]
AND ALL KINDS OF IMMORALITY.I'D ADVISE YOU STRONGLY TO REREAD ST.
PAUL IF YOU'RE GONNA PREACH CHRISTIANITY.
SO THE CONCERNED PARENTS HAVE BEEN RESPECTFUL.
PLEASE BE QUIET WHILE SOMEONE'S DELIVERING THEIR COMMENTS.
EVERYBODY DESERVES THE CIVILITY AND RESPECT CALLING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU'LL, IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME, YOUR TOPIC, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, BOARD POLICIES AND RETALIATION.
NOTHING I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS BEING CONSTRUED AS A THREAT, NOR IS IT MY INTENT TO ATTEMPT TO HARASS OR SCARE ANYONE TO THE TEACHERS WHO THINK THEY'RE VICTIMS. THEY'RE NOT.
THE STUDENTS ARE THE VICTIMS, SO GET IT STRAIGHT.
I'M NOT SAYING THESE THINGS AND MY DAUGHTER'S NOT MAKING THESE CLAIMS FOR NO REASON.
MY DAUGHTER AND HER CLASSMATES ARE THE VICTIMS TO THESE TWO TEACHERS.
I'M NOT REQUIRED TO MOVE MY CHILD FROM A CLASS.
WHEN A TEACHER CROSSES THE LINE, THE TEACHER'S OBLIGATED TO BEHAVE IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT RAISE CONCERN.
IN THESE TWO SITUATIONS, BOTH TEACHERS DISPLAYED MISCONDUCT IN THE CLASSROOM, RAISING A RED FLAG TO MY DAUGHTER, THE HERO.
SHE HAD THE GUTS TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THEIR BEHAVIOR AND NOW THE DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY WANNA RETALIATE AGAINST HER.
BOTH TEACHERS WERE GIVEN A CHANCE TO MEET WITH SCHOOL STAFF AND MYSELF, BUT THEY HID FROM US.
AN APOLOGY WOULD'VE ENDED EVERYTHING IN JANUARY AND MARCH.
JUST TODAY, THE COMPUTER TEACHER ADMITTED TO ISSUING THIS SURVEY FOR FOUR YEARS THAT SHE GAVE OUT TO HER STUDENTS WHERE CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO ANSWER IN CLASS ON A HARD COPY PAPER OR GET A BAD GRADE.
YES, THEY ADMITTED TO GIVING OUT THIS UNAUTHORIZED, ILLEGAL SURVEY FOR FOUR YEARS, VIOLATING NOT ONE, BUT TWO DISTRICT POLICIES IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATOR CODE OF CONDUCT ALL WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT.
SORRY, BUT YOU'RE NOT THE VICTIM.
MY DAUGHTER AND OTHER STUDENTS OF THE VICTIM.
MY DAUGHTER'S HAD OVER 50 EDUCATORS IN HER LIFE AND NEVER A PROBLEM UNTIL JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
IS IT ME OR IS IT THESE TWO EDUCATORS? ON JULY 11TH AT THE BOARD MEETING, MY DAUGHTER SPOKE ABOUT THESE USES UP AT THE BOARD MEETING AND THE DISTRICT IS IN DIRE STRAITS USING THE MEDIA TO DISPARAGE A STUDENT'S RIGHTFUL COMPLAINT AND TO DISRESPECT A PARENT AFTER HIS CHILD WAS SUBJECT TO LEW AND VULGAR MATERIALS I'VE NEVER SPOKEN WITH NOR MET THESE TEACHERS.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER PARENTS WHO HAVE SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT THE SURVEY AND SUBSEQUENT CLASSROOM CONVERSATIONS.
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT TEACHER GOT AWAY WITH GIVING AWAY A SURVEY FOR FOUR YEARS BECAUSE THE KIDS NEVER TOLD THEIR PARENTS, NOR DID THE TEACHER.
THOSE KIDS DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID THE PARENTS DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE THEIR KIDS WOULD BE TARGETED JUST LIKE MINE.
WERE TARGETED BY NUMEROUS TEACHERS OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
RETALIATION IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TOLERATED, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE DISTRICT ALLOWS THE DISTRICT POLICIES ON RETALIATION ARE TERRIBLE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOW ATTACKING A STUDENT WHO FILED A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT.
BUT IT WAS COMPLETELY COVERED UP, ALMOST A DOZEN MEETINGS SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR.
AND NOTHING WAS DONE, NO PROTECTION FROM MY DAUGHTER AND SON.
WELL, I WON'T APOLOGIZE FOR DEFENDING MY CHILDREN.
MY WIFE AND I HEARD BOTH SCHOOL AND DISTRICT STAFF CONFESSING TO NOT KNOWING ABOUT THE SECRET SURVEY IN THE COMPUTER TEACHER'S CLASS, NOR THE READING MATERIAL.
THE LAW REQUIRES DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE PARENTS THE CHANCE TO OPT THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF ANY SURVEY AND SCHOOL MATERIALS.
THESE TEACHERS FORCED STUDENTS TO READ THOSE SURVEYS AND MATERIALS AND WERE TOLD THEY HAD NO CHOICE TO READ, TO READ DELUDE AND VULGAR MATERIALS IN CLASS, OR BE GIVEN A BAD GRADE.
THAT'S GROOMING AND HARASSMENT, AND IT'S AGAINST THE LAW TO COURT.
[01:10:25]
FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR TOPIC.
MY NAME IS ISABELLA COOK AND ME AND MY CLASSMATES ARE THE VICTIMS OF BEING FORCED TO TAKE AN ILLEGAL SURVEY, AS WELL AS BEING FORCED TO HEAR A TEACHER TALK ABOUT GENITAL MUTILATION IN CLASS.
WE ARE THE VICTIMS, NOT THESE TEACHERS.
WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO READ INAPPROPRIATE ARTICLES.
WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LISTEN TO TEACHERS TALK ABOUT THE ARTICLES.
WE HAVE BEEN, WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO TAKE SECRET SURVEYS WITHOUT PARENT PERMISSION.
NOTICE HOW THESE PAST SENTENCES START WITH, WE HAVE BEEN FORCED.
THE BOARD DOESN'T HELP EITHER.
THESE TEACHERS ARE GETTING AWAY WITH BAD BEHAVIOR AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE.
WHEN WILL THE TEACHER STOP THREATENING STUDENTS AND FORCING THEM TO DO STUFF THEY DON'T WANNA DO? GOODNIGHT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE FIRST, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
[Chair’s Report]
AND WE ALREADY HEARD FROM OUR CLOCK CHAIR THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING THE GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW ROBERT SMALLS SCHOOL THIS WEEK.AND THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO ATTEND.
AND AS MR. BARBER ALREADY, UM, NOTIFIED YOU TOMORROW AT THREE O'CLOCK IS THE LAYING OF THE CORNERSTONE.
AND THEN MONDAY IS THE, UH, RIBBON CUTTING.
ALSO AT THREE O'CLOCK, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE, OKAY, FOR THOSE OF YOU EXITING, CAN YOU PLEASE EXIT, UH, EFFICIENTLY AND QUIETLY SO WE CAN CONTINUE OUR MEETING? THANK YOU.
AS I JUST MENTIONED, WE'RE HAVING, UH, TWO CELEBRATIONS FOR THE NEW ROBERT SMALL SCHOOL IN THE COMING WEEK, AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED.
I THINK WE ESPECIALLY NEED TO THANK OUR TAXPAYERS WHO, UH, VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND REFERENDUM IN 2019 AND SEVEN $70 MILLION OF THOSE FUNDS, UH, BUILT THIS NEW ROBERT SMALL SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR TAXPAYERS.
WE ALSO ALREADY RECOGNIZE THE CLOCK COMMITTEE, WHICH IS A VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE, UH, THAT REVIEWS THESE, UH, PROJECTS FROM THE 2019 REFERENDUM.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE COM COMMUNITY COMMITTEE PROJECT RE REVIEW OF CITIZENS.
I'M NOT SAYING IT QUITE RIGHT,
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CITIZEN, UH, INPUT AND GENEROSITY.
[Committee Reports]
REPORT OPERATIONS BY CHAIR COLONEL GEIER.THE FIRST ITEM, UH, ON THE REPORT IS A MOTION THAT, UH, RECEIVED UNANIMOUS SUPPORT BY THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
I'M GONNA READ, READ THE MOTION, AND THEN ASK MR. OTTING TO COME UP AND EXPLAIN IT.
THE MOTION FOLLOWS, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE RAIDER DRIVE WATER AND SEWER EASEMENT REQUEST.
SO IS THIS ON? YEAH, THERE IT GOES.
UM, SO THIS REQUEST IS THE SECOND REQUEST FOR THIS PROPERTY.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, BACK IN APRIL, THE BOARD APPROVED A DRIVEWAY EASEMENT.
UM, THIS WAS WITH UNIVERSITY INVESTMENTS.
UM, AT THAT TIME, WE NOTED THAT THEY WERE THE ONES THAT DONATED PROPERTY FOR RAIDER DRIVE TO BE BUILT THAT WAS APPROVED.
NOW THEY'VE COME ASKING FOR ACCESS TO TAP INTO THE WATER AND SEWER THAT'S ALONG THAT ROAD.
SO THEY'RE REQUESTING A CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT TO TAP INTO THE WATER AND SEWER, AND THEN A PERMANENT EASEMENT FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO WATER AND SEWER.
SO, WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
[01:15:02]
THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, IF YOU'RE GETTING INTERVIEWED OR ARE GONNA, UM, CHAT, THAT'S FINE.BUT JUST PLEASE STEP OUTSIDE OUR, OUR MEETING ROOM.
SO THERE BEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY NAYS AND VOTE? RIGHT.
MR. ROB CORMAN, UH, PRESENTED A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON THE PROJECTS FROM THE REFERENDUM.
UH, YOU HEARD THE CLOCK, UH, GAVE BASICALLY THE SAME, UH, SAME REPORT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BY BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CONSTRUCTION ON THE REFERENDUM? MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, UH, MR. UH, BRANDY MAJOR, SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE, AN OUTSTANDING MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL MONTHLY UPDATE.
AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, MR. ICK COME UP AND MAYBE MS. BRANDLEY COME UP AS WELL ONLINE.
IF NOT, I WILL GIVE THE REPORT.
I DON'T SEE THAT SHE IS ON THERE.
WHAT'S THAT? SHE'S NOT ON THERE.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO FILL IN FOR BRANDY, SO I APOLOGIZE AHEAD OF TIME 'CAUSE I KNOW I WON'T DO AS GOOD A JOB, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST.
UM, SO WHAT WE WERE REPORTING ON IS A MONTHLY, UH, CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE REPORT.
IF, IF YOU REMEMBER, UH, WE'VE PUT, UH, A NEW PROGRAM OUT, WE WILL BE MONITOR BRANDY MONITORS THEM ON A MONTHLY BASIS, ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
ACTUALLY, HER GOAL IS TO COMPLETE AT LEAST, UH, FIVE INSPECTIONS.
THESE ARE SPOT INSPECTIONS WHERE SHE JUST SHOWS UP AND, UM, LOOKS AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE BUILDING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL GO OVER IS WHAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN HER REPORT.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT KIND OF STOOD OUT AND WE BROUGHT TO THE, THE COMMITTEE'S ATTENTION.
BASICALLY, UH, A NOTICE OF TO CURE WAS ISSUED TO H E S DUE TO THEIR FAILURE IN TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS TO MEET A SCORE OF AT LEAST 80% ON SPOT INSPECTIONS.
THIS WAS DONE AT RED CEDAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND THE WAY OUR PROGRAM IS IN PLACE, UH, IF YOU SCORE LESS THAN AN 80, WE WILL AUTOMATICALLY COME BACK THE NEXT WEEK.
UH, SHE WENT BACK THE NEXT WEEK AND THE SCORE WAS A 73.
SO BASED ON THAT, H E S WAS PLACED, WAS GIVEN A NOTICE TO CURE, WHICH GAVE THEM 14 DAYS TO CORRECT THE ACTION.
NOW, THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND LET YOU KNOW THAT SINCE THAT TIME, BRANDI DID GO BACK AFTER THE NOTICE TO CURE WAS INSPECTED AND THEY DID SCORE HIGHER THAN 90.
AND SO WE HAVE LIFTED THAT NOTICE TO CURE FROM H E S BECAUSE THEY MET THE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, SO LATER, UH, IN JUNE, ADDITIONAL INSPECTIONS WERE ALSO DONE.
THESE ARE ALL DONE BY OUR DISTRICT MANAGER.
AND YOU CAN SEE THERE THE NUMBER COMPLETED.
DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE, UH, THERE WERE 36 TOTAL INSPECTIONS.
SHE VISITED SIX SCHOOL SCHOOLS WITH AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 81.
I MEAN, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN REPORTING TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND I, I'D HAVE TO SAY IT'S GOING VERY WELL AND VERY PLEASED ON THE OUTCOME ON HOW THIS IS GOING.
WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, AT RED CEDAR, THEY DID, UM, UH, EXCEED THE, THE SCORE SO THAT NOTICE SECURE HAS BEEN LIFTED.
REAL QUICK, I'LL GO OVER THE WORK ORDERS FOR MAINTENANCE.
WELL, LET ME JUST STOP RIGHT THERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CUSTODIAL? WE WILL NOTE THAT ALSO THAT WHAT'S THAT? UH, INGRID, GO AHEAD.
UM, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION.
UH, SORRY, I'M GETTING AN ECHO.
ONE QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION AND THEN A GENERAL QUESTION.
WHAT I WAS READING ON THE, ON THAT IS THAT THEY, IF THE STAFFING PERCENTAGE GOES BELOW 70%, THEY GET A CAUTION.
RIGHT? BUT ANYTHING ABOVE 70% IS A, IS A NON CAUTION OR A GREEN LIGHT, IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, WHAT I, THERE'S A STAFFING PERCENTAGE AND THEN THERE'S AN INSPECTION SCORE.
SO WHAT I WAS TALKING I'M THE STAFFING PERCENTAGE.
YEAH, THE STAFFING PER PERCENTAGE.
WHO, UM, ANYTHING LESS THAN A 70% YES, WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO COME UP WITH A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN AT ANY ONE LOCATION.
AND THEN I NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS REPORT
[01:20:01]
THAT LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, MAY RIVER HAD THE MOST H V A C AT 14, BUT THAT MAKES SENSE 'CAUSE IT'S FAR AND AWAY OUR LARGEST SCHOOL.I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE VALUABLE TO PRESENT THAT IF YOU'RE, IF WE'RE GONNA PAY ATTENTION TO WHO HAS HIGH NUMBERS OR LOW NUMBERS AS A PERCENTAGE.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY MAY RIVER IS GONNA BE ONE OF THE TOP AREAS.
'CAUSE IT'S QUITE A MUCH, QUITE A BIGGER SCHOOL THAN MOST OF THE SCHOOLS.
UM, SO I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THAT AS A PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW, 14, BUT THEY HAVE HOW MANY AC UNITS VERSUS OTHER SCHOOLS.
I THINK THAT'D BE MORE VALUABLE.
AND THEN AT SOME POINT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE ACTUAL STAFFING PERCENTAGES ARE BROKEN DOWN BY SCHOOL AS WE GET INTO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
AND MY APOLOGIES IF I'M MISSING IT IN THE REPORT.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME ON COMPLETING A WORK ORDER? SO THAT WAS ONE THING THAT IS NOT IN THIS REPORT.
I KNOW MR. CAMPBELL REQUESTED THAT, AND WE DO PLAN ON BRINGING THAT A REPORT ABOUT RESPONSE TIME TO THE UPCOMING OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
BUT THIS REPORT DID NOT HAVE A RESPONSE TIME IN IT.
WE DID NOT COVER THAT IN THIS REPORT.
THE, AND THE REASON I ASKED IS, 'CAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE TOTAL WORK ORDERS TO DATE HAVE AN 89% COMPLETION RATE, BUT THEN IF YOU LOOK AT JUNE, IT SAYS WE'RE AT 66% AT AS OF THE DATE OF THIS REPORT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET AN IDEA OR A, A LOOK ON HOW LONG THOSE ARE TAKING.
AND ONE MORE QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT A SPOT CHECK LOOKS LIKE? SO WHAT THAT ENTAILS IS, AND NOW THIS IS FOR CUSTODIAL, UM, MS. MAJORS WOULD GO TO A SCHOOL AND CHECK AT LEAST FIVE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
SO YOU MAY GO TO A BATHROOM, A CAFETERIA, A CLASSROOM, UM, AND, AND AN OFFICE OR MAYBE ANOTHER BATHROOM.
SO WE JUST COME IN, CHECK FIVE LOCATIONS, AND THEY, AND WE SCORE THEM USING, UM, THE SAME SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT THE CONTRACTOR H E S USES.
IT'S CALLED COMP CLEAN, I BELIEVE.
UM, IT'S SPELLED OUT IN THAT WHAT'S INSPECTED IN EACH OF THOSE AREAS.
MR. SMITH, UM, FIRST OFF, UM, JUST IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU'VE, YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THIS MAJORS REPORT, CORRECT? YOU'RE FINISHED WITH THAT REPORT? WELL, I, I DID NOT COVER THE MAINTENANCE, BUT, UM, WE'VE KIND OF ALREADY TOUCHED ON SEVERAL OF THOSE ITEMS. UM, SO WOW.
WELL, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST WAIT, BUT I, WHY, WHY I HAVE THE MIC OUT ACTUALLY.
UM, UM, I KIND OF, I JUST WANNA SAY TOO, UM, I, I HEAR WHAT MRS. BOATRIGHT IS SAYING, BUT I, I SEE IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL.
MAYBE THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING THAT MAY RIVER HAVE, MAY BE A LITTLE BIT, MAY BE A DIFFERENT, BUT, UM, THE WAY WE'RE ADDING ON TO SOME OF THESE OTHER SCHOOLS, I THINK SOME OF THESE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE, ARE POSSIBLY ARE WRONG ABOUT THE SAME.
AND I, I THINK THAT THE, UM, I THINK THE THING THAT THE WORK ON IS PROBABLY, UH, JUST, UH, ABOUT THE SAME.
I JUST THINK, I THINK THAT, UM, IN CERTAIN BUILDINGS AND CERTAIN FACILITIES, WE'VE SEEN CERTAIN ISSUES AND CERTAIN PROBLEMS. UM, SO, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT, THAT, THAT THE PERCENTAGE AND, UH, WHAT SHE WAS SAYING IS NOT, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD MAKE THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE.
I MEAN, UH, IN, IN, IN GENERAL.
SO, UM, I, I JUST DISAGREE WITH THAT.
I, I THINK THAT THE WAY IT IS IS, UH, I THINK IT'S BEEN PRETTY THOUGHT OUT.
IT SEEMS LIKE SHE SAID, SHE'S LIKE, MRS. MAJOR THOUGHT THIS OUT PRETTY, UH, METHODICALLY AND, UH, PRETTY ACCURATELY.
AND SO I, I, I, AS AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBER, I JUST DON'T SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THE WAY SHE'S DOING IT.
I MEAN, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS I, I THINK I'LL TAKE BOTH YOUR COMMENTS TO HEART.
I DON'T THINK THERE'D BE ANY HARM WITH US DOING BOTH THE TOTAL NUMBER AND A PERCENTAGE AND LOOKING AT WHAT HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER AND THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE.
SO I THINK BOTH COMMENTS ARE GOOD.
AND WE, WE CAN INCORPORATE BOTH THOSE INTO OUR REPORT.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND YOU SEE THE NUMBERS THERE.
WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT MAY RIVER AND THE HIGH H V A C NUMBERS.
A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH, UM, HAVING TO PUT IN, UH, UH, HAVING CLASSROOMS ON, UH, 'CAUSE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, WE TURN, WE TURN MOST SYSTEMS TO UNOCCUPIED.
UH, ALSO THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF WORK ORDERS NOTED THERE WAS THAT FOR GENERAL MAINTENANCE WAS LA LADIES ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, SO THAT, THOSE ARE SOME, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE.
JUST TO NOTE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE DOING A REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, BECAUSE JULY IS THE DEEP CLEANING MONTH.
WE WILL START BACK IN AUGUST, UH, ONCE SCHOOL GETS BACK AND STUDENTS ARE UNDERWAY OF DOING THE SPOT INSPECTIONS.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL CONCLUDE MY REPORT.
SORRY, I JUST HAD ONE MORE IN REGARD TO THE SPOT CHECKS.
UM, IS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A SPOT CHECK COULD BE CONDUCTED AT A, AT A SITE WHERE THERE
[01:25:01]
ARE, UH, MOBILE UNITS AND THE MOBILE UNITS DO NOT GET CHECKED IN THAT SPOT? CHECK? UM, LET ME JUST PUT THE SPOT CHECKS A LOT OF TIMES ARE, UH, INITIATED BY A COMPLAINT.UH, SO IF THERE WAS A COMPLAINT ABOUT A MOBILE UNIT, THE SPOT CHECKS WOULD INCLUDE THAT.
LET'S JUST SAY IF THE COMPLAINT WAS ABOUT THE CAFETERIA, WE MAY NOT GO TO THE MOBILE UNIT.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE ONLY DOING FIVE LOCATIONS, BUT WE DO TRY TO TARGET AREAS THAT WE'VE HAD CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT.
SO IF THERE IS A RAISE ABOUT A MOBILE UNIT, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE INCLUDED IN A SPOT CHECK OF THAT BUILDING.
UM, I KNOW WE, WE HAVE, UM, SCHOOLS FOR MAINTENANCE CUSTODIAL.
WHAT ABOUT GROUNDS UPKEEP? I WAS TOLD I THINK ABOUT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE RENEWING GROUNDS, PEOPLE CONTRACT LAST MONTH.
AND I HAVE SOME ISSUES, UH, WITH, WITH, WITH THOMAS THAT, THAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND, AND I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A NEXT OPERATION COMMITTEE MEETING, HAVE WHOEVER HAS THE CONTRACT TO COME BEFORE THE OPERATION COMMITTEE AND ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT DOING THE JOB THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, WE HAVE PLANNED ALREADY TO GIVE A REPORT ON GROUNDS AT THE NEXT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
I WILL SAY THAT WE HAD NOT INVITED.
NOW WITH THAT, WE WILL MAKE SURE WE INVITE THE CONTRACTORS TO BE THERE AS WELL.
REALLY THINK THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OR WELL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, YES, SIR.
UM, I'LL JUST, I, LIKE I SAID, MRS. MRS. BRANDY AND MRS. MAJOR.
UM, WHEN WE GAVE HER THIS TASK, OR WHEN WE ASK HER ASK FOR THIS TO BE DONE, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY SHE, I LIKE TO GIVE HER A JOB WELL DONE,
I MEAN, YOU COULD TELL THAT SHE METHODICALLY TOOK HER TIME, WAS VERY PATIENT AND THOUGHT IT OUT WELL.
WELL, ANY QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED, SHE COULD ANSWER.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HER PUBLIC, MY, MY MOM WOULD SAY, YOU SPANK ME PRIVATELY.
UH, YOU, YOU, CAN YOU, I MEAN, WELL, SHE SAID, SHE SAID, IF YOU KISSED ME, I MEAN, HOWEVER IT GOES, BASICALLY, I WANNA, I WANNA GIVE HER A PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BECAUSE SHE DID A, A WELL JOB.
THIS IS, I'VE BEEN IN OPERATIONS ABOUT, AND A LOT, MAJORITY OF MY TIME ON THE BOARD SINCE I'VE BEEN ON, ON THE BOARD FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST CLEANEST.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST CLEANEST, UH, SURVEYS AND THEN A PACKAGE THAT WAS GIVEN TO US.
AND YOU COULD TELL SHE PUT TIME IN IT AND THAT'S WANTED TO MAKE IT, MAKE IT, MAKE IT, UH, I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK HER FOR THAT, FOR PUTTING THE TIME IN.
'CAUSE YOU CAN TELL SHE PUT HOURS INTO THAT, NOT JUST MINUTES OR SECONDS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK HER FOR THAT.
MADAM CHAIR, THE, THE NEXT ITEM THAT THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED WAS THE F Y 2025 8% LIST IN THE 10 YEAR PLAN.
AND MR. OTTING, UH, YOU WANNA BRING THAT UP AND WELL, WHAT, DESCRIBE THAT? WELL, WHAT I'LL SU UH, SUMMARIZE FROM THAT FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS WAS WE PRESENTED THE SUMMARY OF THE 10 YEAR PLAN.
AND ONE OF, AND ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS, OR WHAT WE WERE TASKED TO DO WAS TO MAKE SURE WE REVIEWED ALL SAFETY AND SECURITY ITEMS THAT WERE IN FUTURE YEARS AND MAKE SURE THEY DID NOT NEED TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO F Y 25.
AND I BELIEVE MR. GUYER, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT BROUGHT THAT FORWARD.
UM, WE HAVE DONE THAT REVIEW AND WE PLAN TO MAKE A REVISED VERSION BACK TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AT THE UPCOMING MEETING.
AND HOPEFULLY IF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES THAT, WE WILL THEN BRING THAT BACK AS A, UH, A FULL REPORT TO THE BOARD.
BUT AT THIS TIME, WE'VE BEEN TASKED TO REVIEW IT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE PLAN ON DOING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WORK ORDERS AND PROCESS, UH, FROM THE TIME THEY'RE SUBMITTED AND THE LENGTH OF TIME TO COMPLETE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SECOND QUARTER FOIA REPORT.
WE HAVE GROUNDS, AND NOW WE'LL HAVE THE, THE CONTRACTOR THERE AS WELL FOR PROCESS FOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE.
AND LASTLY, UH, TRANSPORTATION ROUTES, UH, FOR THE SCHOOLS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS THAT, UH, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE LOOK AT? MR. SMITH? UH, ALSO JUST WHEN THE GROUNDS COME, ALSO, IF, UH, WE COULD HAVE A DESCRIPTION
[01:30:01]
OF THE JOB, WHAT IT ENTAILS TOO, I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE, UM, A GREAT STARTING POINT IN, IN, IN THE, UM, ENTRY TO THAT CONVERSATION.SO WE COULD ALSO HAVE THE JOB DESCRIPTION, WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I, I JUST WANT TO, UH, APPLAUD THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT REQUESTS COMING FROM VARIOUS BOARD MEMBERS.
IT GIVES US MORE CLARITY OR SPECIFICITY IN WHAT TO LOOK AT.
OUR NEXT MEETING OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WILL BE AUGUST 8TH AT 5:00 PM THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
WISNESKI, IT MIGHT BE A BRIEF QUESTION.
SO ON THE 8% PROJECTS WHERE IT SAYS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION, THERE'S SOME ALLOCATIONS THERE.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE HAD ANY MORE, OR IF I'M SUPPOSED TO LIKE, PULL THOSE OUT FROM THE PAGES BELOW.
IT HAS ITEMS LISTED UNDER, THEY'RE UNDER SOME OF FINAL COSTS.
AND FOR BUILDINGS, IT'S GOT NEW CONSTRUCTION RENOVATION TO THE TUNE OF, I DON'T KNOW, 6 MILLION IF I'M READING IT CORRECTLY.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE HAD A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT THOSE WERE.
OH, I GOT, I GOT WHERE YOU'RE AT.
UM, IS THAT A CUMULATIVE COST FOR THAT IS FULL RENOVATION? YEAH.
THAT'S CUMULATIVE I'D TO BE HONEST, I, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH THIS TO PULL OUT WHAT THOSE ARE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET YOU TO DO FOR ME.
SO WE WILL MAKE SURE WE GO OVER THOSE IN DETAIL.
MR. NICK FILA WITH C B R E, HUY, PUT THIS TOGETHER, KNOWS THOSE DETAILS AND HE WILL BE AVAILABLE.
[Superintendent’s Report]
HAVE, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.I WANT TO, UH, I WANNA, UH, WELCOME DR.
RAOS, UH, TO, UM, UP TO THE PODIUM.
SHE'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AND A RECAP OF OUR SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING THIS YEAR.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS THIS EVENING.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE DIVISION IS SHARING INFORMATION REGARDING THIS YEAR'S SUMMER SCHOOL AND DISTRICT SUPPORTED CAMPS.
AND DURING THE MONTH OF JULY, WE ALSO HAD EXTENDED LEARNING FOR A TOTAL OF 2,322 OF OUR STUDENTS BEING SERVED IN JUNE AND JULY.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT WE HAD CAMPS, EXTENDED LEARNING.
WE HAD SUMMER SCHOOL AT ELEMENTARY AND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND TO JOIN US THIS EVENING, I HAVE MY COLLEAGUES, MELISSA MURRAY, OUR DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY TEACHING AND LEARNING.
KAREN MCKINSEY, OUR DIRECTOR FOR SECONDARY TEACHING AND LEARNING, AND THE APPLEBEE, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR FOR MED TECH, AS MANY OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, ALSO KNOWN AS OUR MAGNET SCHOOLS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANT.
I ALSO WANNA MAKE A NOTE THAT OUR DIVISION EMPLOYED OVER THE SUMMER 237 CERTIFIED EDUCATORS TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS.
UH, MY TEAM WILL COME FORWARD AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU, AND I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY OF HIGHLIGHTING THE HARD WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO START OUR COLLABORATIVE RECAP OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUMMER PROGRAMS. WE PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO CONTINUE TO LEARN.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDED SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, THE ARTS, AND OF COURSE, AN ACADEMIC FOCUS.
AS THE DIRECTOR OF LITERACY, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SUPPORTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR ELEMENTARY SUMMER READING PROGRAM FOR ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SOUTH CAROLINA ACT 2 84 REQUIRES DISTRICTS TO MAKE AVAILABLE A SUMMER READING INTERVENTION TO SELECT STUDENTS.
WE SERVED ALL 92 STUDENTS REQUIRED BY THE STATE AND ADDITIONAL STUDENTS THAT WAS IDENTIFIED BY EACH SCHOOL.
THIS YEAR, OVER 1100 STUDENTS WERE ROSTERED, AND WE MAINTAINED AN AVERAGE OF 86% ATTENDANCE.
OUR INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS WAS DETERMINED BY OUR DATA AND WITH ALL, AND ALL OF OUR EDUCATORS RECEIVED PD, THAT FOCUSED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THAT FOCUSED ON INFORMATIONAL TEXT AND WHOLE GROUP WITH INTERACTIVE READING AND WRITING LESSONS.
IN ADDITION, TEACHERS WERE PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC SMALL GROUP MATERIALS THAT PROVIDED A FOCUS ON SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTION IN
[01:35:01]
PHONICS, PHONEMIC AWARENESS AND SIGHT WORDS.AS WE WENT TO EACH SCHOOL TO SUPPORT, WE SAW FOCUSED INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IMPLEMENTING BEST PRACTICES.
UM, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE MEDTECH SEVEN SUMMER STEAM CAMP THAT WE OFFERED.
IT WAS OFFERED, UH, FOR TWO WEEKS.
SESSION ONE WAS FROM JUNE THE 12TH TO THE 15TH AT OUR WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SESSION TWO WAS JUNE 26TH THROUGH THE 29TH AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THE CAMP WAS OFFERED AT NO COST FOR RISING FOURTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE HAD APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED STUDENTS REGISTERED FOR EACH CAMP, AND WE LOOKED, WE HAD, UH, OVER 14 TEACHERS SERVING FOR THOSE CAMPS.
WE WISH WE WOULD'VE HAD MORE TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SECONDARY SUMMER SCHOOLS AND CSSA, THE SEA ISLAND SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS CSA.
WE WERE FORTUNATE TO SERVE OVER 150 STUDENTS THIS YEAR.
UM, THAT IS OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS ARTISTICALLY GIFTED AND TALENTED FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT IN GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE TWO LOCATIONS NOW.
WE PROVIDED ONE IN OUR SOUTHERN REGION AT RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY AND ONE IN OUR NORTHERN REGION AT LADIES ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT PROVIDES A MYRIAD OF ARTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THE SESSIONS ALLOW FOR OUR STUDENTS TO DIG INTO THEIR ARTISTIC GIFTS AND HONE THEIR ARTISTIC TALENTS.
THIS YEAR, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO PROVIDE A SPECIAL OFF CAMPUS TRIP AND EVENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE TOOK STUDENTS TO THE MATHER SCHOOL ON THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE LOW COUNTRY CAMPUS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO TOUR THE MUSEUM, MEET WITH A TRUE MATHER, RIGHT RUFUSS PICKNEY.
AND THEN THEY WERE ABLE TO CREATE ART INSPIRED BY THAT EXPERIENCE.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL PLAN FOR THEM TO DO IT OUTSIDE UNDER THE TREES.
AT THE END OF THE WEEK, THERE IS AN ES EXTRAVAGANZA, AND THIS IS ALWAYS A PARENT, A COMMUNITY, AND DEFINITELY A STUDENT FAVORITE.
THIS YEAR, MR. WALL, WHO'S THE ARTS COORDINATOR AND MYSELF SPLIT AND DIVIDED AND CONQUERED.
HE ATTENDED LADIES ISLAND, WHICH HE SAID WAS A WONDERFUL SUCCESS.
I ATTENDED RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY, AND MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW I DON'T LIKE TO BE LATE.
THERE WERE MULTIPLE PERFORMANCES, INCLUDING THEATER, DANCE, VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.
THERE WAS ARTWORK THAT LINED THE HALLS, ARTWORK THAT LINED THE CAFETERIA AND STUDENTS' MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS.
THAT WAS THE FIRST FOR US THIS YEAR IN A HUGE HIT WE'RE SET TO PUSH AND PLAY SO PEOPLE COULD VIEW STUDENTS' WORK.
I THINK THIS YEAR HAS ONLY SET THE BAR HIGHER FOR NEXT YEAR'S SISA CAMP SECONDARY SUMMER SCHOOL, BEAUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD A WONDERFUL SUMMER SESSION IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
WE FOLLOW THE SOUTH CAROLINA UNIFORM GRADING POLICY AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION 48.
WE OPEN OUR SCHOOLS TO STUDENTS TO EXTEND THEIR LEVELS OF SUCCESS.
I TOLD OUR PRINCIPALS IN THE MEETING LAST WEDNESDAY THAT THEY HIT A GRAND SLAM THIS YEAR, AND THEY CERTAINLY DID.
WE SERVED 714 STUDENTS IN GRADE SIX THROUGH 11.
WE PERSONALIZE THOSE EXPERIENCES FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS.
WE HAD 96 TEACHERS FOSTERING THAT SUCCESS.
WE HAD 14 COORDINATORS HELP TO PLAN THAT SUCCESS.
AND WE HAD 14 ADMINISTRATORS HELP TO LEAD THAT SUCCESS.
THIS YEAR'S SECONDARY SUMMER SCHOOL WAS A GRAND SLAM.
WE WERE AT ABOUT 88.89% SUCCESS RATE THIS YEAR, WHICH IS VERY HIGH, VERY HIGH.
AS WE LOOK AT PROGRAM OUTCOMES, WE HAVE TO BE PROUD OF OUR DISTRICT FOR PROVIDING UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER 2000 STUDENTS.
THAT IS A LEVEL OF SUCCESS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CHALLENGE FOR NEXT YEAR.
LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024, WE WANNA CONTINUE OUR FOCUS ON EXPLICIT QUALITY INSTRUCTION DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR, BUT ALSO PLAN THOSE RICH AND ENGAGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR THE SUMMER.
[01:40:02]
MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.WE'RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS, MA'AM.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON SUMMER SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE, I'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT A LOT AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT.
UM, I WAS WONDERING WHEN YOU SAID IN THE SECONDARY SUMMER SCHOOL AN 88% SUCCESS RATE, HOW DO WE DEFINE SUCCESS? DOES THAT MEAN THAT THAT STUDENT CAUGHT UP ON THEIR CREDIT RECOVERY? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S EIGHT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT WENT ON TO GRADUATE, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
HOW DO WE DEFINE SUCCESS IN THAT PROGRAM? ONE WOULD BE FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OF COMPLETING COURSES.
SECOND WOULD BE THE COMPLETION OF THEIR EDGENUITY COURSES THAT WERE ENROLLED FOR THEM.
OBVIOUSLY THE PRIMARY IS OUR STUDENTS WHO GRADUATE AS MS. MCKINSEY SHARE.
THAT IS A PRIMARY GOAL AT THE, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, BUT IT'S COMPLETING COMPLETION OF THE COURSES AND BEING ABLE TO BE PROMOTED OR LEVEL TO YOUR APPROPRIATE GRADE LEVEL.
SO OF THE 714 88% OF THEM WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE AND GET BACK ON TRACK ESSENTIALLY.
I THINK THAT SUMMER SCHOOL IS IMPORTANT.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITY AND A LOT OF SUCCESS.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, AND THIS IS NOT IN ANY WAY TO BE SEEN AS A CRITICISM, 'CAUSE I THINK THE CI ON THE SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS IS AWESOME.
WHAT I WANNA KNOW, AND THIS IS JUST THE HORN I'M ON, WHEN THAT EIGHTH GRADER WHO ATTENDED CSA IS MOVES INTO NINTH GRADE, WHAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM? AND SO THIS IS KIND OF A QUESTION, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THIS YEAR.
I HOSTED SEVERAL STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR CHAMBER MUSIC, FOR THE PIANO COMPETITION.
I ATTENDED A LOT OF SUMMER FESTIVALS.
KIDS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GREAT OPTION IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
WE DON'T EVEN REALLY HAVE A GREAT OPTION UNTIL YOU GET TO ABOUT CHARLESTON FOR KIDS, EITHER IN THE PERFORMING ARTS SPACE OR IN THE, UM, UH, LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY THAT, WHAT'S THE TERM? THE NON-PERFORMING ARTS, UM, TO VISUAL TO REALLY EXCEL.
SO AS MUCH AS I LOVE THE SEATTLE SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS THREE THROUGH EIGHT, I THINK THAT'S A DEFICIT IN OUR DISTRICT, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE NOW THAT WE HAVE A, UM, ARTS COORDINATOR THAT NEXT SUMMER THAT WE OFFER A NEXT LEVEL PROGRAM.
AND THAT IT'S NOT AS MUCH OF A BUFFET OF ARTISTIC INTEREST, BUT IT'S THOSE KIDS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THROUGH CSA WHO ARE PROGRESSING THROUGH OUR SCHOOLS, THAT THEY HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO PROGRESS.
UH, AND PARTICULARLY INSTRUMENTS, VOCAL TALENTS, ACTING.
THERE'S, SO, I MEAN, WE HAVE THE SOUTHEASTERN, UH, STUDY, THE SOUTHEASTERN THEATER INSTITUTE HERE.
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES WE SHOULD BE PARTNERING WITH SCAD, WHATEVER IT TAKES THAT ONCE THOSE KIDS ACTUALLY WE IN GET THEM INTERESTED, THEY'VE GOTTA HAVE SOMEWHERE TO DEVELOP THEIR TALENT.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ONE OF THESE 153 KIDS, PARTICULARLY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, UNLESS THEY WANNA GO TO THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL.
THERE'S REALLY VERY LITTLE THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM.
SO I'M HOPING THAT NEXT YEAR WE HAVE A, AN, AN ADDITIONAL OPTION, UM, BEYOND THE SEATTLE SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS.
SO THAT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION, SO THAT'S UNFAIR.
BUT MY QUESTION ACTUALLY IS ON THE MEDTECH SUMMER CAMPS, THE, UH, MEDTECH SUMMER CAMPS, YOU SAID WE HAD 97 KIDS REGISTERED.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, I DON'T NEED EXACT NUMBERS, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE MEDTECH SEVEN CAMPS? BEYOND WHO? 97.
OKAY, BECAUSE YOU SAID 97 REGISTERED.
SO 197 ATTENDED THE TWO WEEKS AND 150 WERE REGISTERED.
MS. BOATRIGHT, I HAVE TO COMMENT IF I CAN PLEASE.
TELL MR. WALL, I'LL BE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT HE COMES UP WITH.
ONE, UM, THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DIVISION HAS BEEN TOUGH IN MY EARLIER ROOKIE DAYS TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON WITH ME EDUCATING ME ON A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THEY OFFER.
ONE OF THE, THE AREAS I WOULD REALLY HOPE IF I COULD JUST WAIT FOR MAGIC WAND, IS THAT MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THE EXTENSION OF THOSE PROGRAMS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I ACTUALLY CHALLENGED THE SOCIAL SOCIETY TO HELP COMMUNICATE THAT SO THAT A LOT OF OUR YOUNGSTERS WHO WOULD BENEFIT BUT ARE NOT AWARE, CAN LEAPFROG TO THE FRONT OF THE PACK.
THE OTHER THING IS, UM, IN TERMS OF THE MED TECH SEVEN, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT.
I THINK MS. APPLEBEE IS GOING TO SPEAK TO A LOCAL ORGANIZATION
[01:45:01]
IN NOVEMBER MM-HMM.AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WITH THE GOVERNOR, HE IS REALLY PUSHING ADVANCED MANUFACTURING RESEARCH, THOSE TYPES OF CERTIFICATE JOBS, BECAUSE WE ARE SOUTH CAROLINA'S REALLY FORGING AHEAD AS BEING ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE STATES IN THE WHOLE UNION FOR THOSE TYPES OF JOBS AND COMPANIES COMING IN.
SO, JUST APPLAUD YOU FOR BEING VISIONARY IN THAT, AND HOPEFULLY AS A BOARD WE CAN HELP ENERGIZE THAT EVEN MORE.
UH, I, I ATTENDED LAST WEEK, A GRADUATION CEREMONY OR COMPLETION CEREMONY OF THE THUMBS UP SUMMER SCHOOL.
THUMBS UP IS A PRIVATE, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN IN A BEAUFORT AREA NOW FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
UM, THEY HAVE ALL PRIVATELY FUNDED, SO THEY, THEY RAISE MONEY AND GET GRANTS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD HELP THEM IN RAISING GRANTS IS TO HAVE SOME METRICS, SOME DATA ON THE CHILDREN THAT THEY SERVICE.
THESE, ALL THESE CHILDREN ARE CHILDREN FROM THE, UH, UH, BUFORD L AREA.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF IT'S POSSIBLE, UH, IF WE COULD PROVIDE THE NAMES AND GRADES OF THESE CHILDREN AND GET THEIR SCORES FROM, UH, LAST SPRING'S TESTING AND THEIR SCORES FROM THE FALL TESTING TO SEE IF WE CAN SEE WHAT KIND OF IMPROVEMENT THOSE CHILDREN MADE.
THERE'S ONLY 15 CHILDREN RIGHT NOW.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND IT TO 30 NEXT YEAR, BUT THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED SOME, UH, LITTLE MORE METRICS, UH, TO PROVE HOW EFFECTIVE THE PROGRAM IS.
SO IS THAT POSSIBLE? IT'S ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE.
TODD, MAY I, UH, NOW RESPOND TO THAT? CERTAINLY, UH, UH, IT, THOSE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
UH, COLONEL GEIER, BUT THEY REQUIRE, UH, DATA SHARING AGREEMENTS, AND THEY PROBABLY REQUIRE, UH, A RELEASE FORM FROM PARENTS, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, ENTER IN THAT TYPE OF, UH, OF AN ENGAGEMENT.
I JUST THINK THOSE THINGS ARE REQUIRED, UH, TO BE PUT IN PLACE.
AND I THINK, UH, UH, ESTABLISHING A DIALOGUE IN A MEETING WITH THEM, UH, WOULD BE, UH, THE PROPER PROTOCOL TO GET TO THAT POINT.
YES, THEY, THEY HAVE, UH, UH, FORMS, UH, CONSENT FORMS FILLED OUT BY THE PARENTS THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY'RE IN THE SAME FORMAT THAT YOU NEED.
WE'D HAVE TO, UH, CHECK THAT OUT.
BUT THE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, DR.
UH, CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON, AND, UH, I MENTIONED THAT I WOULD HAVE HIM CONTACT, UH, INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE DIVISION, UH, AND TRY TO WORK THIS OUT.
UM, I, I THINK, UM, I, I'M SURE THEY PROBABLY HAVE, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, THEIR, UH, THEIR FORMS THAT THEY USE, WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE, UH, A, A FORM THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THOSE PARENTS DIRECTLY.
BUT, UH, THAT'S PROBABLY EASILY DONE.
SO IF, IF THOSE PARENTS ARE INTERESTED, THAT'S PROBABLY EASILY DONE.
MR. SMITH, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UM, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION AND YOUR HARD WORK AS WELL.
UM, AND GOING AND GOING OVER THIS, UH, WAS THERE ANY TRIPS TAKEN DURING THE SUMMER? WAS THERE, WERE THERE, WERE THERE ANY FIELD TRIPS? WE, WE HAD ONE FIELD TRIP WITH CSA TO THE MATHERS SCHOOL THAT WAS CONDUCTED.
SO IT, THIS IS MORE OF A SCHOOL SITUATION HAPPENING.
UM, WITH OURA, WE DID HAVE A TRIP PUT IN PLACE, SIR, WE DIDN'T HAVE FIELD TRIPS TIED TO OUR, OUR EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR OR OUR SUMMER SCHOOL, BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE RIGHT NOW THAT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS WHO OBTAIN ACADEMIC RECOVERY.
AND I DO UN I DO UNDERSTAND THAT HOW, HOW, HOWEVER, I, I DO BELIEVE IN EXPOSURE.
AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE A KID GIVING, UH, THAT'S COMING TO SUMMER SCHOOL OR SOME OF THESE OTHER DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, CERTAIN IN TERMS OF MED SEVEN WHO ARE GIVING UP THEIR SUMMER, THEN THEY HAD, THEY, THEY, THERE ARE, THERE'S SOME WORDS, AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO REWARD THEM OR WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER, WE HAVE TO LET 'EM SEE OUTSIDE THE BOX BECAUSE LEARNING JUST DOES NOT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE IN A CLASSROOM OR A FOUR BY FOUR OR, OR, OR WITHIN, WITHIN WALLS.
LEARNING CAN TAKE PLACES AS IN TERMS OF GOING TO THAT PLACE ON THAT BUS.
[01:50:01]
LEARNING CAN TAKE PLACE AT, UH, ONE ONCE, ONCE THEY GET TO THAT FIELD TRIP.AND I THINK THERE'S TOO MANY TIMES WHERE WE'RE TI WHERE WE'RE TIED DOWN AND SAID THAT WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW.
AND JUST IN THE CLASSROOM, AND I'M ONE SIDE, I'M ONE TO LEARN DIFFERENTLY.
ONE, TWO, SOMETIMES I, I LIKE TO MOVE AROUND AND THEN DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I JUST, AND, AND, AND ONE THING THAT ONE OF MY FORMER PRINCIPALS HAVE, HAVE TAUGHT US IS THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE TO, TO GET A LITTLE BIT.
AND WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM STIMULATING HOW WE'RE KEEPING 'EM STIMULATED.
IF KEY, IF KEY IS BY GIVING THEM MARKERS TO KEEP THEM ACTIVELY ENGAGED.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF.
THE CLASSES, THE CLASSROOM IS PERFECT, BUT WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT WE'RE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AS WELL.
YOU WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE? MADAM CHAIR? MAY I BUILD ON THE COMMENTARY? SURE.
SO OUR MED TECH ACTUALLY DID WORK SIGNIFICANTLY ADDED A BOX.
I HAVE TO SHARE THAT WE DIDN'T INCLUDE A VIDEO, BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE TIME OR MAYBE AT A WORKSHOP, I'LL SHARE SOME, A LITTLE MORE VISUALS, UM, REGARDING THE PERFORMANCE AND THE WORK THAT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR EDUCATORS DID.
I'D, I'D LIKE THAT OPPORTUNITY, SIR.
AND ALSO, HOW MANY, HOW MANY, HOW MANY, UM, IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE SYNOPSIS OF THESE PROGRAMS, HOW MANY SPED STUDENTS DO WE HAVE INVOLVED? SO OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND OUR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS WERE INTEGRATED INTO ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, WITH THE EXCEPTION FOR 37 STUDENTS WHO QUALIFIED SUBJECT TO THEIR I E P FOR EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR.
THOSE ARE INTENSIVE SUPPORT STUDENTS.
THEY WERE PROVIDED SERVICES, UM, WITHIN THREE SCHOOL SITES IN THE DISTRICT.
SO WE HAVE THE INTENSIVE SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT SERVICE 37 STUDENTS, BUT THE REMAINING OF OUR SPECIAL ED AND ML STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED SERVICES, WE PROVIDED OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION EDUCATORS FOR THEM AS WELL AS MULTILINGUAL TEACHERS FOR SUPPORT.
SO WE DIDN'T BREAK THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF STUDENTS DOWN IN THAT LIGHT, BUT EVERYONE WAS INTEGRATED INTO THE CLASSES, SIR.
GORDON, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
UH, I'M ENJOYING ALL THE INFORMATION YOU'RE SHARING.
GETTING BACK TO DR, I MEAN, COLONEL GEIERS QUESTION, UH, DR.
RODRIGUEZ, MY CONCERN IS GIVING INFORMATION TO A PRIVATE ENTITY ABOUT OUR STUDENTS.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT TO GET PARENTAL, BUT I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF YOU GOT, UM, WENDY'S TAKE ON THIS, BECAUSE ONCE YOU OPEN THAT DOOR TO GIVE INFORMATION TO ONE PRIVATE ENTITY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT TO OTHERS.
SO I JUST WANNA BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GIVING OUT, WHY WE'RE GIVING IT OUT.
UM, AND I, I JUST DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING IT INFORMATION.
I WAS GONNA SAY SOMETHING SIMILAR.
UM, UH, COLONEL GUY AND I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THAT ENTITY AND THE GREAT WORK THAT APPEARS THEY'RE DOING.
UH, I KNOW I'VE ONLY BEEN IN THIS ROLE ABOUT SIX MONTHS, AND IF I'VE BEEN INUNDATED WITH ANYTHING, IT'S ABOUT PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS WANT TO ACCESS THE EXPERTISE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THEN THEY TAKE A VERY PARASITIC APPROACH AND SAY, WE CAN DO IT LESS, LESS COSTLY.
SO I MEAN, THAT'S PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.
UH, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THE ONLY SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE US CONSTITUTION WHERE IT IS IDENTIFIED.
AND IN COUNTRIES, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN COUNTRIES WHERE YOU HAVE A BALKANIZED EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, YOU'LL SEE HOW THAT REALLY SORT OF TURNS INTO A REALLY INSIDIOUS FACTIONALIZATION OF A SOCIETY.
AND SO I'M ALL FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS, DON'T MISINTERPRET THAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY SYSTEMATIC.
I KNOW SOME SCHOOLS ON HILTON HEAD CAME TO ME, AND I HADN'T EVEN BEEN SWORN IN SAYING THEY WANTED PUBLIC SCHOOL INFORMATION.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST, BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, IT CAN REALLY GET SIDEWAYS.
SO AGAIN, SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC INTENT.
LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE GONNA UNDERMINE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE.
COLONEL GEIER? YES, MS. GORDON.
I MENTIONED THAT TO, UH, UH, DR.
THOMPSON ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THE PRIVACY AND SO ON.
AND BASICALLY THE DATA HE NEEDS IS JUST, UH, EX STUDENTS HAD A NO NAMES INVOLVED AT ALL.
THEY WOULD JUST GET THE SCORES, WHAT KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THE SCORES WITHOUT IDENTIFYING THE STUDENTS OR EVEN THE ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE IT WOULD JUST GO TO THE GRANT WRITING PEOPLE TO SHOW WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT PROGRAM HAD.
BUT YOUR, YOUR POINT IS VERY VALID.
[01:55:01]
AWARE OF THAT.AND I NOTICED YOU SAID THERE WERE 15 STUDENTS, AND I KNOW DATA, IF YOU HAVE 15 STUDENTS, YOU KNOW WHO THOSE 15 STUDENTS ARE, SO I, I'M REALLY OPPOSED TO THAT.
JUST, UH, JUST, UM, JUST WANT TO, UM, JUST CLARIFY.
UH, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING OR MOVE ANYWHERE ON THIS, UH, WITHOUT A VERY TIGHT AND SPECIFIC DATA SHARING AGREEMENT AS PART OF THAT EQUATION, WHICH WOULD DICTATE, UH, UH, THE USE OF THAT DATA SPECIFICALLY.
UH, SO, SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE, UH, LEGAL, UH, AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
SO I THINK WHAT, UH, MR. GORDON AND MR. DALLAS ARE, ARE GETTING AT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS, BECAUSE LEGAL WOULD BE INVOLVED IN, UH, UH, ON THE FRONT END WITH ANY KIND OF, UH, DATA SHARING AGREEMENT.
THAT DATA SHARING AGREEMENT, UH, IS SEPARATE ALSO FROM, UH, A PARENTAL, UH, APPROVAL, UH, AS WELL.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THE, UH, I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH THAT COMFORT THAT IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE HANDS OF LEGAL, UH, AND, AND HAVE A LEGAL EYE, UH, REVIEWING ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UH, BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENED.
RODRIGUEZ TODAY, THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE POLITICAL CONCERN THAT I HAVE, WHICH IS, IN FACT, THERE ARE LOTS OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT WILL SADDLE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH EXPENSES, AND THEY SAY THE DOLLARS WILL FOLLOW THE KID.
OKAY, WELL, LET THE DOG ON DOLLARS, FOLLOW THE FULL DOLLARS, FOLLOW THE KID.
AND THEN THAT'S COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES.
BUT IF YOU ARE ONLY GOING TAKE A KID AND SAY, WE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO TRANSPORTATION.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE TO DO THAT.
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU'VE LAY IT ON SO MUCH ADDITIONAL COST.
ALL I'M ASKING, I DON'T, I NEVER SHY AWAY FROM COMPETITION, EVER, BUT LET'S JUST MAKE IT FAIR, STRAIGHT STARTING LINE, STRAIGHT FINISH LINE, LET THE BEST ENTITY WIN.
I, AND I, I AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL.
UH, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A, IT'S, I'M NOT ADDRESSING THAT.
MY, MY RESPONSE WAS NOT ABOUT THE POLITICAL COMPONENT.
IT WAS, UH, UH, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
WE HAVE, OH, I'M SORRY, MR. SMITH.
UM, AND I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, I DEFINITELY DO WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE TOOKEN AND PUT INTO THIS PRESENTATION AND ALSO, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE SUMMER SCHOOL.
AND I, I'M, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AND DOC, I KNOW THAT YOU BELIEVE IN, IN, IN GIVING KIDS THAT OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE THOSE FOUR WALLS.
THAT'S JUST WHAT I WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS I WAS, I WAS LOOKING FOR, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT.
MA, MADAM CHAIR, MAY I JUST ADD ONE ITEM? SURE.
SO, MR. SMITH, WE ARE LOOKING AT IT FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
I, I'VE ACTUALLY RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM EDUCATORS AND PRINCIPALS, UM, TO RE TO REVISIT SOME OF THE MODELS WE'RE USING.
AND I DON'T MEAN TO DRAG THIS OUT ANY LONGER THAN WE NEED YOU ON THIS ITEM.
UM, SO I WAS JUST THINKING IN MY HEAD, AND I'LL THINK OUT LOUD BRIEFLY HERE.
UM, SO WE HAD, OF THE 88% OF 714 THAT WENT AHEAD AND WERE SUCCESSFUL, THAT'S 80 OR SO STUDENTS, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD AN 86% ATTENDANCE RATE.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION, I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW THIS ANSWER IS OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE 86% THAT DID COME, ARE THE ONES THAT WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL, ONES THAT ALSO WERE NOT ATTENDING AS WELL.
AND I THINK WHAT I'M DRIVING AT HERE IS FOR NEXT YEAR WHEN WE GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL, WE CAN TELL PARENTS OF THOSE THAT ATTENDED THIS PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS, WHICH IS PROBABLY EVEN HIGHER.
OSKY, NOW, AND I WISH YOU WERE, YOU, YOU WERE IN OUR OFFICE TODAY, ACTUALLY, AND I, AND I MEAN IT POLITELY BECAUSE THAT WAS THE MARKETING AND THE PHONE CALLS AND WHAT THEY DID IN SCHOOL.
SO WHAT HAPPENED DAY ONE OF SUMMER SCHOOL, WE MAY HAVE BEEN EXPECTING, LET'S JUST SAY 10 STUDENTS, EIGHT SHOWED UP.
SO DAY TWO, THOSE PHONE CALLS STARTED.
THEY WERE ALREADY ATTENDANCE, THEN THEY STARTED ATTENDING
[02:00:01]
AND WERE COMPLETERS.SO THAT ATTENDANCE RATE, BECAUSE I MAY NOT HAVE STARTED THE SAME TIME AS YOURSELF, WE, THEY FOUND BY THE THIRD DAY, EVERYTHING WAS WORKING AT FULL ATTENDANCE.
SO IT WAS LIKE, I DON'T WANNA GET UP.
SO, AND I HAVE TO TOUT SOMETHING ON THE WORK AND OUR OF OUR EDUCATORS, BECAUSE AT THE ELEMENTARY, THERE WAS ONLY ONE RETENTION THAT IS SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT FOR OUR THIRD GRADE GRADERS AND OUR TEACHERS.
UH, THE LAST ITEM IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT IS WITH RESPECT TO, UM, A COUPLE OF GRAND OPENINGS THAT WE HAVE.
THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, JUST, JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION AGAIN, IS ROBERT SMALLS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY ON AUGUST 7TH, AND THEN ON AUGUST 25TH IS BATTERY CREEK, UH, HIGH SCHOOL THAT WILL HAVE THEIR GRAND OPENING.
SO, UH, THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A, A LONG TIME COMING HERE.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
UH, AND, AND IT'LL BE VERY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE GRAND OPENINGS AND, UM, MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE, UH, UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN, IN, IN THESE GRAND OPENINGS.
OUR OPERATIONS TEAM HAS BEEN, I THINK, GETTING, UH, UH, FLOODED WITH REQUESTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT, ABOUT THOSE GRAND OPENINGS.
SO I THINK, UH, IT'S EXCITING.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, APPROVED THAT BOND REFERENDUM IN 2019.
AND, AND THIS IS COMING TO FRUITION, UH, UH, WITH THESE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW.
[Consent Agenda]
THE CONSENT AGENDA.WE NEED A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WISNESKI, SECOND BY MR. DALLAS.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[Future Agenda Topics]
TOPICS.OUR NEXT MEETING IS THE WORK SESSION ON AUGUST 25TH, AND I KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE A, A LENGTHY, UH, UH, AGENDA TOPICS, POSSIBLE TOPICS.
SO, UM, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND IF YOU'RE GIVING A TOPIC RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT CAN I ASK, UH, CLARIFICATION? WHAT TIME ARE WE STARTING? 'CAUSE I, IT GOT CONFUSED FOR ME 'CAUSE IT'S THE LAW THING TOO, RIGHT? CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY, IS IT A FULL DAY SESSION? UM, YES.
THE BE THE WORK SESSION IS FROM 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM OKAY.
UH, RODRIGUEZ MENTIONED, THE RIBBON CUTTING AT BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, UM, SHORTLY IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON, AND THEN A NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS ARE DRIVING UP TO GREENVILLE FOR THE S C S B A LAW CONFERENCE.
SO IT'S JUST A HALF DAY WORK SESSION THEN? WELL, IF YOU COUNT FROM EIGHT TO ONE AS A HALF DAY, I GUESS IT IS, YEAH.
BUT JUST, I JUST, I WOULD COUNT THAT AS FIVE HOURS, A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF DAY.
[Announcements]
ANY, DO YOU HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, DR.I, I HAD THAT AS PART OF, UM, THE OTHER MATTERS.
JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS WEEKEND IS THE TAX FREE HOLIDAY FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND THINGS.
ALSO, UH, I THINK WE'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T, UH, WE KNOW I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT GRADUATIONS WHEN WE HAVE THEM, UH, DOUBT THEY'D HAVE THEIR GRADUATION.
AND, UM, I HEARD FROM A COUPLE PEOPLE THAT, UM, THAT IT WAS VERY, IT WAS VERY NICE.
I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE DR.
MORALE AND HER TEAM FOR HAVING THAT GRADUATION.
UM, AND, UH, MY, UH, HATS GO OFF TO THOSE GRADUATES WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COME BACK AND MAKE IT APPROPRIATE, UH, AND TAKE THE TIME OUT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THEY MAKE SURE THEY GOT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS.
SO HATS DO OFFER HER AND HER STAFF FOR DOING THAT.
[Second Public Comments]
OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, JODY EK ON HER TOPIC IS BOOK REVIEW PROCESS AND BOARD MEETING SECURITY.AM I ALLOWED TO LIKE APPROACH YOU
YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA SIT AT THE DESK THERE.
CAN YOU PUSH THIS PODIUM TO THE SIDE? OKAY.
I FEEL LIKE I'M TESTIFYING BEFORE CONGRESS.
[02:05:08]
AM I GOOD, MOLLY? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD TONIGHT.
UM, AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST SCHOOL YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, THIS COMMUNITY OVERWHELMINGLY STANDS IN SUPPORT OF A FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THIS COMMUNITY OVERWHELMINGLY STANDS IN SUPPORT OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND THE FREEDOM TO READ.
AND TONIGHT, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE COMMUNITY STANDS IN SUPPORT OF OUR TEACHERS AS WELL.
THE POLICY THAT YOU USE TO SELECT AND MAINTAIN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY COLLECTION, SPECIFICALLY STATES NON-DISCRIMINATION.
V C S D IS AFFIRMS THE RIGHT OF ALL INDIVIDUALS TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND BE PROTECTED FROM INTIMIDATION, DISCRIMINATION, PHYSICAL HARM, AND OR HARASSMENT.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS MAY NOT BROADLY REMOVE BOOKS FROM A SCHOOL LIBRARY BASED ON NARROWLY PARTISAN OR POLITICAL GROUNDS THAT MAY VIOLATE A STUDENT'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO RECEIVE INFORMATION AND IDEAS.
ANOTHER POINT, THE RECONSIDERATION PROCESS SHOULD DISCOURAGE THE MONOPOLIZATION OF THE CHALLENGE PROCESS BY A FEW INDIVIDUALS AND REQUIRE COMPLAINANTS TO SUBMIT COMPLETE, SUBSTANTIVE AND FULLY RESEARCHED CHALLENGE REQUESTS.
THINK BACK TO WHEN THIS POLICY WAS UPDATED LAST OCTOBER, AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
ONLY 62 BOOKS OF THE ORIGINAL 97 HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY COMMITTEES.
AND OF THOSE JUST THREE HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR REMOVAL.
AND THOSE WERE NOT EVEN UNANIMOUS VOTES.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MONTHS OF SEEING THE POLICY AND PRACTICE, NO MATTER HOW WELL INTENTIONED WE ARE EXPERIENCING EXACTLY THE PROBLEMS THAT THE POLICY WAS WRITTEN TO PREVENT.
WE HAVE TEACHERS BEING HARASSED AND INTIMIDATED, STUDENTS EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION, AND A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WITH EXTREME POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIEWS, IN EFFECT, DETERMINING POLICY FOR THIS COMMUNITY, A COMMUNITY THAT HAS SHOWN TIME, AND AGAIN, THAT WE DO NOT ALIGN WITH THEIR NARROW-MINDED VALUES.
I CAN'T EVEN APPROACH YOU TO, TO TALK TO YOU LIKE I USED TO.
UH, I REMEMBER WHEN WE USED TO TALK AMONGST OURSELVES DURING BREAKS.
WE USED TO HAVE LUNCH DURING WORK SESSIONS.
WE USED TO ACT LIKE A COMMUNITY AND SHARE IDEAS.
SO I ASK EACH OF YOU TO REFLECT ON THAT AND THINK OF THE WAYS THAT YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ENVIRONMENT, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
I ASK THAT YOU AMEND THE BOOK RECONSIDERATION PROCESS AND ALLOW CHALLENGED BOOKS TO REMAIN AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS, EVEN IF IT'S WITH NOTIFICATION OF AN OPT-OUT FORM FOR PARENTS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT'S TOUGH CRITICISM, BUT I THINK IT'S FAIR.
AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ADD THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALSO HAS A ROLE IN THIS.
IF THOSE TEACHERS WHO SPOKE TONIGHT WERE PHYSICIANS OR ATTORNEYS, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
THAT'S CONCLUDES OUR SECOND, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND WE WILL ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
GO TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV, SCROLL DOWN TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, CLICK WATCH NOW, AND THEN CLICK THE VIDEO ON DEMAND BUTTON AND SELECT YOUR PROGRAM FROM THE LIST.
CALL THE MEETING TO, UH, ORDER.
IF YOU'D LIKE A D V D OF THIS PROGRAM, CLICK ON THE LINK ON THE RIGHT AND FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM.
AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE COUNTY CHANNEL.
THIS IS THE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
THE SUBJECT OF THIS MOMENT IS THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY
[02:10:01]
LOST TO FOLKS TODAY, BUT THE ARTIFACTS, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY ARE AROUND US.PHOSPHATES WERE KNOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.
THEY WERE FIRST DISCOVERED UP AROUND SOMERVILLE AND NORTH OF CHARLESTON.
AND BENEATH THE MARL WAS THE PHOSPHATE ROCK.
GEOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS KNEW ABOUT IT.
PHOSPHATE WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE AGRICULTURAL OF THE SOUTH BECAUSE IT IS THE BASIS OF MOST FERTILIZER.
AND MANY OF THE COTTON LANDS OF THE, OF THE OLD SOUTH WERE MUCH EXHAUSTED BY THE COTTON INDUSTRY BEFORE THE WAR.
SO AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY WAS INTRODUCED FIRST IN CHARLESTON IN 1867, AND THEN LOOKING FOR BEDS OF HIGH CONTENT PHOSPHATE ROCK.
THESE PHOSPHATE EXPLORERS AND ENTREPRENEURS DISCOVERED BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BEAUFORT COUNTY BECAME THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF PHOSPHATE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ONE OF THE RICHEST SOURCES OF PHOSPHATES KNOWN IN THE WORLD.
BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900, THIS BECAME THE CENTER OF THE MINING PART OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY.
MANY OF THE FERTILIZER FACTORIES WERE IN CHARLESTON, BUT THE MINING AND THE PHOSPHATE WORKS, AS THEY CALLED THEM, WHERE THEY BROKE THE ROCK DOWN INTO POWDER AND THE PURE PHOSPHATE AND SHIPPED IT OUT.
THOSE INDUSTRIAL CENTERS WERE MOSTLY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AT THE HEIGHT OF THIS INDUSTRY.
IN THE 1880S, 3000 AUREON WERE EMPLOYED IN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.
$5 A DAY IN MANY CASES WAS A RULE OF THUMB.
WHEN THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS BEGAN IN THE 1870S, THE RICHEST VEINS OF PHOSPHATE WERE UNDERWATER UNDER THE OSA RIVER, UNDER THE BEAUFORT RIVER UNDER BATTERY CREEK.
SO INITIALLY, LOCAL SEA ISLANDERS WOULD DIVE DOWN FOR THE ROCK AND FILL UP BASKETS, AND THEN GET PULLED UP IN A ROW, NOT ONLY LIMITING THE DEPTH TO WHICH THEY COULD MINE AT, BUT LIMITING THEIR HEALTH AS WELL, GOING UP AND DOWN.
BUT VERY QUICKLY IN THE 1870S, ENGINEERS DISCOVERED THAT THEY COULD BUILD VERY LARGE UNDERWATER SKIING, POWER DREDGES ON FLOATING BARGES.
AND SO THEY BEGAN TO MECHANIZE THE INDUSTRY.
AND RATHER THAN EMPLOYING FEWER PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY EMPLOYED MORE, MORE THAN HALF OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND 80% OF THE PHOSPHATE PRODUCED IN SOUTH CAROLINA CAME FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY BETWEEN 1870 AND 1900 WAS THE LARGEST INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE LARGEST MINING INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND PEOPLE HAVE PRETTY MUCH FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT, BUT IT WAS THE SOURCE OF GREAT PROSPERITY IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BETWEEN 1870 AND 1890, THE POPULATION OF BEAUFORT COUNTY GREW.
BAY STREET BECAME A FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTER.
PHOSPHATE WORKS, IN OTHER WORDS, FACTORIES, WHERE THEY BURNED THE PHOSPHATE ROCK AND BROKE IT DOWN INTO POWDER.
WERE LOCATED ON SPANISH POINT, WE'RE LOCATED ON LUCY CREEK, AND THE LARGEST WAS LOCATED FIRST ON SOFF PLANTATION, AND THEN OUT AT THE END OF CHISHOLM HIGHLAND ON SUMMER HOUSE POINT, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SAU RIVER, SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES AND PHOSPHATE RIDGES AND THE TUGBOATS AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT HAD TO, UH, SUPPORT THIS INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS WERE AN ENORMOUS BOON TO BEAUFORT COUNTY.
EVENTUALLY, THE SMALLER PHOSPHATE COMPANIES WERE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE VERY LARGE COMPANY CALLED THE SAU MINING COMPANY.
THE SAU MINING COMPANY, BY 1892, WAS THE LARGEST PHOSPHATE MINING COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT IN THOSE SAME YEARS, IN 1888, RICHER VEINS OF PHOSPHATE WERE DISCOVERED NEAR TAMPA, FLORIDA.
AND DURING THE 1890S, THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE EXTRACTED FROM BEAUFORT COUNTY DECLINED.
AND THE PERCENTAGE OF PHOSPHATE DISCOVERED AND EXTRACTED FROM FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES LIKE NEAR NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, WAS RICHER PHOSPHATE.
AND EVENTUALLY IT PUT THESE PHOSPHATE MINES OUT OF BUSINESS PHOSPHATE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE RIVER ROCK, AS IT WAS CALLED IN THOSE DAYS, WAS 60% PURE PHOSPHATE, WHICH IN 1870 WAS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
BY 1888, THE FLORIDA ROCK WAS 80% PURE PHOSPHATE, AND THE ECONOMICS OF THAT SIMPLY PUT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY PHOSPHATE BUSINESS OUT OF BUSINESS.
THE SAU MINING COMPANY STOPPED MINING IN 1905.
THE VIRGINIA CAROLINA COMPANY TRIED TO CONSOLIDATE SOME OF THE OLD WORKS AND FINALLY WENT BANKRUPT IN 1914.
AND THAT WAS THE BITTER END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS.
A CONSEQUENCE OF THE END OF THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT EXODUS OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION OF THE SEA ISLANDS, WHO, WITHOUT GOOD WAGE JOBS, BEGAN TO MOVE NORTH AND DEPOPULATED MUCH OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT THE OTHER EVENT WHICH HASTENED THE DEMISE OF THE PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY IN BEAUFORT
[02:15:01]
COUNTY WAS OF COURSE THE GREAT HURRICANE OF 1893, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE 10 LARGEST HURRICANES AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANES EVER TO HIT.THE UNITED STATES KILLED AS MANY AS 2000 PEOPLE ON THE SEA ISLANDS AND WRECKED THE PHOSPHATE FLEET.
SO THE INVESTORS IN PHOSPHATE FLEET MOVED THEIR CAPITAL TO FLORIDA, AND THE PHOSPHATE BUSINESS DECLINED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THIS HAS BEEN A BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
UH, I WE'RE, WE'VE GOT A LOT TO TALK ABOUT, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT IN A, ALL OF THIS IN A VERY SMALL KIND OF PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UH, IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, UH, WE STARTED WORKING ON A NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR, UM, BECAUSE WE KNEW, AND WE HAVE KNOWN THAT TRYING TO RECRUIT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE CLASS ONE CERTIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED, UH, YOU KNOW, TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, WHICH ARE, IS, IS A SPECIAL, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT THAT IS REALLY A SPECIAL CANDIDATE, UH, THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THAT CLOSE IN ASSOCIATION TO OUR KIDS.
UM, AND, BUT WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS IT CREATES, NOT ONLY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT OUR WHAT, WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SCHOOL IS A MELTING POT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO HAVING THAT RIGHT PERSON IN THAT JOB AND THAT ROLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO OUR KIDS LEADERSHIP, TO OUR KIDS, UH, AND GIVING THE CONFIDENCE TO THE STAFF TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS, I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT RIGHT PERSON.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A CLASS ONE OR A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS ONE THAT GOES TO THE ACADEMY FOR 12 WEEKS, SPENDS 12 WEEKS FOR THE MOST PART IN COLUMBIA, AND WE DO SOME OF THE TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE, UH, HAS TO BE DONE IN COLUMBIA.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO BE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS THAT REALLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THEIR LIFE AND THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLUMBIA AND GO THROUGH BOOTCAMP TO BE A CLASS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
SO I HAD OUR TRAINING STAFF PUT TOGETHER A TRAINING SYLLABUS FOR A, WHAT WE CALL A CLASS THREE, UH, AND IT WAS A CLASS THREE DESIGNATION FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
WHAT THAT DID IS IT ALLOWED US TO CREATE A TRAINING SYLLABUS THAT WE COULD TAKE A PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, OF, OF ANY AGE, UM, AND THAT WE WOULD BRING 'EM INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH BLUFFTON OR BEAUFORT OR PORT ROYAL OR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, AND WE WOULD TRAIN THEM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
ALL OF THEIR TRAINING WOULD BE DONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, IT WOULD BE EIGHT WEEKS, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS OF TRAINING.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS, UH, THE, OUR FIRST CLASS.
WE'D LIKE TO START IT IN JUNE.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN GET 'EM THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND BE READY FOR DEPLOYMENT, UH, WHEN SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST.
UH, I, I THINK IT'S AN AWESOME PROGRAM.
WE, WE, WE SENT THE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO THE ACADEMY THAT TRAINS ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THEY APPROVED IT, UH, WITH THE BLESSING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINING COUNCIL.
SO WE ARE READY TO GET THIS THING MOVING AND GET IT STARTED.
AND I THINK FOR US, UH, WE JUST NEED TO KIND OF TELL OUR CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? UH, THE ROLE IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
IT'S A CLASS THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT DESIGNATION.
UH, THEY HAVE ARREST POWERS, UH, AND THEY HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, JOE, SHERIFF? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING LEAD ON THIS.
UM, WE HAVE FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN BLUFFTON THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT STAFFED BY CLASS THREE OR HIGHER OFFICERS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS PROGRAM IS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THESE POSITIONS, AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE MORE OF A SECURITY BLANKET FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT.
WHO, WHO DO WE WANT TO ATTRACT? I THINK WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF RETIRED MILITARY FOLKS HERE MM-HMM.
THEY MAY HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
UM, THEY'LL BE HOME WHEN THEIR CHILDREN ARE HOME, NOT IN SCHOOL.
[02:20:01]
UM, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, SHERIFF, WE NEED TO GET INTO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IF WE, IF WE WAITED UNTIL HIGH SCHOOLS WERE TOO LATE.I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON IT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME PEOPLE IN, BUT I REALLY THINK THE YOUNG RETIRED MILITARY PEOPLE ARE, THEY'RE JUST MADE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGHOUT OUR CAREERS, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF BEAUFORT, AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION AFTER CONVERSATION WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M RETIRED, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO 'EM, AND THEY'RE A RETIRED TEACHER, OR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT, RETIRED FIRE DEPARTMENT, RETIRED MILITARY OR RETIRED BANKER BANKERS, A RETIRED, I MEAN, RETIRED, THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER ARE STILL, STILL AT AN AGE THAT THEY COULD, UM, THEY COULD DO THIS JOB WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL OF ANY KIND.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
YES, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THOSE THAT ARE STILL, THEY STILL FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE THAT MAYBE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS BEING A JOB, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PAY AND BECAUSE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND FAMILIES AND, AND ALL THAT, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANNA DO IT.
BUT HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE $45,000 A YEAR STARTING PAY TO WORK, BASICALLY THE SCHEDULE OF THE TEACHING AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS A PRETTY GOOD SCHEDULE.
IT IS, UH, TO HAVE BENEFITS, UH, TO BE IN THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR MATURITY, UH, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TO, TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE KIDS WHO WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM JUST HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND BE AROUND, UH, THESE FOLKS THAT BRING A LOT TO THE TABLE.
AND I, WE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, YOU TAKE BLUFFTON AND BEAUFORT AND, AND IN THE COUNTY AND THEN IN PORT ROYAL, THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO.
AND I JUST THINK THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DO IT KINDA LIKE NIKE, LET'S JUST DO IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, THE TRAINING IS, I THINK THEY'LL ENJOY THE TRAINING.
AGAIN, IT'S ALL DONE RIGHT HERE.
THEY, THEY'LL STAY AT HOME, THEY'LL SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN PILLOW, AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO TRAINING.
AND ONCE THEY'RE CERTIFIED, UH, THEN THEY'LL START THE SCHOOL YEAR, UH, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, I KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, SO WHAT ELSE, WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA DO IN TOTALITY FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? I THINK, I THINK THIS PROGRAM, ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET US OVER THE TOP.
I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL IN BEAUFORT COUNTY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
A POLICE OFFICER AND I, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS JOB.
THERE IS, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A SECURITY OFFICER.
THIS IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE WELL TRAINED, UH, IN THIS.
AND I, I THINK THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WITH THE YOUNG CHILDREN TARGETING THE RETIREES MM-HMM.
THEY'VE GOT THE LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR THE, FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND, AND TO GET THAT STARTED OFF.
SO
POSSIBLY A THIRD COMING ON BOARD.
I'VE GOT NINE JOE, I HAVE FOUR.
SO, I MEAN, IN TOTAL, AND HERE'S THE THING.
IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU WORK AT THE CITY OF BEAUFORT OR THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON, UH, OR PORT ROYAL, OR FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU TO COME TO WORK.
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE A CLASS THREE SS R O DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO, DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY.
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT'S BASICALLY THE SAME.
THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN UNIFORM THAT YOU WEAR AT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE ASSIGNED TO, UH, THE PAY.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY THE SAME.
SO ALL WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS PUT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM IN DETAIL.
AND IF YOU REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN IT, UH, THEN LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET STARTED.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I WANT TO HIT ON IS THIS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT AND, AND REASON BEING IS NONE OF OUR KIDS SHOULD FEEL AFRAID GOING TO SCHOOL.
UM, THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL TO LEARN AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.
UM, AND WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS PROVIDES ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN MM-HMM.
AND SO, LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU TRULY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, UH, THIS IS A POSITION THAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
[02:25:01]
START POURING IN.AND IF YOU GET MORE THAN, THAN YOU NEED THEN AND, AND WE NEED TO GO TO BEAUFORT OR WE NEED TO GO TO, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, OR PORT ROYAL, WE JUST NEED, WE NEED TO PUT THESE PEOPLE TO WORK.
WE NEED TO FILL THESE VACANCIES, UH, AND LET'S MAKE OUR SCHOOLS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AS SAFE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I THINK THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS PROGRAM, THESE OFFICERS WILL BE, BE TRAINED BY PEOPLE THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN THESE SCHOOLS.
THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIRES, THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WELL, I MEAN, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE ARE, WE WILL BE DOING THE TRAINING TOGETHER.
IF YOU GET, IF YOU GET, IF YOU HIRE ONE OR TWO AND YOU HIRE FOUR, AND YOU KNOW, AND I CAN FILL THE NINE THAT WE NEED, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE TRAINING TOGETHER.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE TRAINING SYLLABUS TO BENEFIT, UH, THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER PROGRAM.
I MEAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA AS A WHOLE.
THIS IS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY.
BUT I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS AND INITIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SS R O CLASS THREE POSITION HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE STATE IT WORKS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE TRAINING TOGETHER, SHERIFF, IS YOU'RE CREATING A NETWORK BEFORE YOU EVEN GET STARTED.
SO YOU'RE GONNA KNOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE IF YOU CAN RUN INTO A PROBLEM, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THAT YOU CAN CALL AND GET SOME ADVICE OR TALK TO THEM ABOUT THINGS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOL AND CURRENT TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY GETTING TOGETHER, BECAUSE HAVING THAT NETWORK AND PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELY ON FOR ADDITIONAL ADVICE IS INVALUABLE.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, I MEAN, I WANT, I WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS OR GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST THE, THE, THE CLASS THREE S R O, UH, THROUGH ALL AGENCIES.
SO I THINK LINDSEY, IF WE CAN, I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I THINK IF WE PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THIS VIDEO FOR BLUFFTON, BEAUFORT, PORT ROYAL, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WEBPAGE AND PHONE NUMBERS, UH, I THINK WE'LL HOPEFULLY WE'LL START GETTING CALLS.
THAT SOUND GOOD TO Y'ALL? YES, SIR.
GETTING THE FLU IS NOT FUN FOR ANYONE.
FLU PREVENTION AND RESPONSE IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3.
SOME WAYS YOU COULD PRACTICE PREVENTION IS BY ONE, WASHING YOUR HANDS AND KEEPING YOUR HOME CLEAN.
TWO, KEEPING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM STRONG BY EATING HEALTHY AND BEING ACTIVE.
AND THREE, STAYING AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK.
NOW, IF YOU DO GET THE FLU OR GET SICK, THEN ONE, GO TO THE DOCTOR.
TWO, STAY HOME FROM SCHOOL OR WORK.
AND THREE, STAY HYDRATED TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY, TO FIGHT THE VIRUS.
SO REMEMBER, FLU PREVENTION IN RESPONSE IS AS EASY AS THAT.