[00:00:01]
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY IN THE MEDIA CENTER, 2,900 MINK POINT BOULEVARD.
THIS IS HYBRID VIDEO CONFERENCING.
WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS PRESENT AND WE HAVE ONE ONLINE.
I'M REQUIRED BY, UH, STATE OR BY A, UH, BOARD APPROVAL TO READ THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS AT THE START OF EACH, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER ON BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SCHOOL RELATED TOPICS.
CITIZENS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN DO SO IN PERSON OR VIA PHONE.
THERE'S ONE 30 MINUTE SESSION NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, LIMITED TO TOPICS ON THE BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA PHONE WILL BE ACCEPTED ELECTRONICALLY.
YOU CAN FIND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY EDU BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC COMMENT FO FORM ON YOUR, ON OUR WEBSITE@WWBUFORTSCHOOLS.NET ABOUT US BOARD OF ED PUB PUBLICATION, PUBLIC COMMENTS PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM 24 HOURS FROM THE DAY OF THE MEETING.
REQUESTERS WILL SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THEIR RESPECTIVE PUBLIC FORUM TIME AND SHOULD BE READY TO SPEAK.
CITIZENS DESIRING TO PARTICIPATE IN PERSON.
MUST FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE BOARD CLERK UPON ARRIVAL.
WOULD, WOULD YOU, UH, INFORM THE BOARD OR MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? CERTAINLY WILL.
CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF ECU
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION INTERN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
DISCUSSION OF INFORMATION RELATING TO SECURITY PLANS PURSUANT TO SOUTH CAROLINA CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 30 DASH FOUR DASH 20 C AND 30 DASH FOUR DASH 70 A THREE.
ALL THOSE HERE, UH, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
I, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE BOARD MEETING BACK IN ORDER.
MADAM SECRETARY, ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS AS REGARDING, UH, MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? YES.
CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE ONE MOTION COMING OUTTA EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER 1 0 1 WITH THOMPSON TURNER CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED FOR THE WHALE BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL SAFETY SECURITY SCOPE BASED ON THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROPOSAL OF NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FIVE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY DOLLARS, SECONDED BY MR. SMALL.
ANY DISCUSSION MR. SMITH, IN TERM IN TERMS OF, OF, OF THIS, UM,
UM, MY COLLEAGUES BROUGHT UP SOME THINGS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO ME THAT STICK OUT AND THAT, AND THAT DO CONCERN ME AND, UM, I WANT TO PUT ON A RECORD THAT I WOULD LIKE THESE TO BE PACKAGED BETTER AND IN A MORE TIMELY FASHIONED, BUT TODAY, UM, JUST FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF IT, I WILL, HOW I WILL SUPPORT IT.
UH, BUT, AND, UH, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY OUT HOW, ANOTHER WAY, HOW TO GET TO GET THIS DONE.
SO, I MEAN, I JUST WANNA PUT IT ON, ON RECORD PUBLICLY THAT I DON'T LIKE HOW IT'S PACKAGED AND, UM, I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT FULLY IN SUPPORT OF IT, BUT BECAUSE OF, OF THE, THE INTENTION OF THE NEED OF IT, I'M MORE, MORE SUPPORTED, UH, AT, AT THIS TIME.
[00:05:01]
CHAIRMAN, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, UH, FOR THE VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.RIGHT NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
SO MOVED BY MR. NAY, SECONDED BY MR. DALLAS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
NOW PLEASE JOIN ME WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
A MOMENT OF SILENCE IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT WE WILL BE HAVING A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OUR COLLEAGUE WHO UNEXPECTEDLY PASSED AWAY.
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR RALPH LATRELL, A FORMER POLICE OFFICER AND US ARMY VETERAN.
MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY KNOW RALPH AS HE PRESENTED TO OUR BOARD MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS ALONGSIDE CTE DIRECTOR KAREN GILBERT.
THE INFLUENCE RALPH HAD ON CTE PROGRAMMING WAS PROFOUND, BUT EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, HIS LOSS HAS BEEN FELT BY MANY CLASSROOM TEACHERS AS HE SUPPORTED OVER THE YEARS.
HIS IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN BUFORT COUNTY WILL BE FELT FOR GENERATIONS AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR HIS SERVICE BOTH TO THE BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WE'D ALSO LIKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR DR.
A GIANT IN BEAUFORT COUNTY PASSED AWAY RECENTLY.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE HAVE TWO TIMES THIS, UH, TODAY WHERE WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ONE IS THE FIRST GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO READ THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE IN THE BACK OF THE, UH, COMMENT CARD IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T READ 'EM.
SPEAKERS PARTICIPATING IN PERSON SHALL READ AND FULLY COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND SUBMIT IT TO THE BOARD'S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE BOARD MEETINGS 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED MEETING.
THE PERSON WILL BE HEARD AND ORDER OF PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ARE PROVIDED TO THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA PHONE WILL BE ACCEPTED ELECTRONICALLY.
PLEASE SIGN UP USING THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORM.
24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE DAY OF THE MEETING WITH REQUESTERS WILL RECEIVE A PHONE CALL DURING THE RESPECTIVE PUBLIC FORUM TIME AND SHOULD BE READY TO SPEAK.
ISSUES INVOLVING PENDING LITIGATION ARE NOT SUBJECT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
PARTICIPATION, THE USE OF PHYSICALLY THREATENING ACTIONS OR REMARKS, COMMENTS, OR CONDUCT BY SPEAKERS OR MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE ARE PROHIBITED.
AND ANY BEHAVIOR THAT WILLFULLY DISRUPTS A MEETING TO THE EXTENT THAT ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING IS SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED IS PROHIBITED.
NO PRESENTATION BY THE SPEAKER SHALL EXCEED THREE MINUTES.
CHAIR WILL STRICTLY ENFORCE THE SPEED LIMIT.
A SUITABLE TIMING DEVICE SHALL BE EMPLOYED TO NOTIFY THE SPEAKER OF THE END OF HIS OR HER COMMENT PERIOD.
SPEAKERS SHALL NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER.
PERSONS APPEARING BEFORE THE BOARD SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE WITHOUT AUTHORITY TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY AS INDIVIDUALS IN OFFICIAL MATTERS.
NEITHER THE BOARD NOR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WILL RESPOND TO SPEAKERS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
BOARD CHAIR WILL DESIGNATE A LOCATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
PERSON SHALL REMAIN IN SUCH LOCATION DURING THEIR ALLOTTED TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD BY A PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD'S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOLLOWING THE COM.
THE COMMENTER'S APPEARANCE PERSONS WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[00:10:01]
DELIVER COMMENTS PUBLICLY MAY SUBMIT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE BOARD'S EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.THE FIRST NAME WE HAVE, UH, FOR A COMMENT IS KERRY KEARNEY.
ARE WE SITTING HERE OR AT THE PODIUM? I THANK YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS THIS BETTER? MY NAME IS KERRY KEARNEY AND I'M THE MOTHER OF SEVEN CHILDREN WHO HAVE ALL BEEN EDUCATED IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I WAS HONORED TO SERVE ON TWO BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES DURING THE FIRST PROCESS WHEN WE REVIEWED THESE NINE BOOKS, I WANNA REITERATE THAT THE PROCESS THAT YOUR BOARD HAD IN PLACE FOR BOOK CHALLENGES WORKED FOR THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES THAT I SERVED ON.
EVERYONE READ THE BOOKS IN THEIR ENTIRETY AND EVERYONE PARTICIPATED IN FRANK OPEN AND INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSIONS THAT WEIGHED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BOOK'S TOPIC.
THE VALUE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE AND THE AGE APPROPRIATENESS OF EACH BOOK BEAUFORT COUNTY WAS, HAS EXPENDED AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND TREASURE TO REVIEW THESE BOOKS.
THE COMMUNITY AGREED THAT THESE NINE BOOKS SHOULD REMAIN ON OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY SHELVES.
YOU AS A BOARD DID THE RIGHT THING AND APPROVE THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE PROCESS WORKED AND IT IS A PROCESS THAT SHOULD BE D DUPLICATED ACROSS THE STATE, BUT INSTEAD, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION PASSED DRACONIAN REGULATIONS THAT ARE ALLOWING ONE PARENT IN BEAUFORT TO REMOVE PARENTAL DECISIONS FROM ALL OTHER PARENTS AND REMOVE INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM FROM ALL CHILDREN IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE URGE YOU TO OBJECT TO THIS PROCESS AND USE THE POWER THAT YOU HAVE AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY TO PUSH BACK ON REGULATION 43 1 70 AND ASK THE STATE TO AMEND THESE REGULATIONS.
THERE ARE STATUTORY PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW YOU TO DO SO.
YOU HAVE SENT A STRONG MESSAGE THAT YOUR BOARD IS PRO-EDUCATION, PRO INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, AND PRO FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS FOR STUDENTS.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THIS MANTLE BY PETITIONING THE STATE TO AMEND REGULATION 43 1 70.
AS THEY ARE WRITTEN, THE REGULATIONS DO NOT REQUIRE THE BOOK TO BE READ IN ITS ENTIRETY.
DO NOT ALLOW YOU TO EVALUATE THE LITERARY MERIT OF THE BOOK.
DOES NOT ALLOW FOR AN APPEAL ON BAND BOOKS ONLY FOR REFUSING TO REMOVE THE BOOKS AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY DOES NOT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHAT MATERIAL IS APPROPRIATE FOR A KINDERGARTNER OR A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
THESE REGULATIONS ARE VERY HARMFUL AND HAVE RESULTED IN SOUTH CAROLINA HAVING THE MOST STATEWIDE BOOK BANS IN ANY STATE IN THE NATION.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION SYSTEM IS RANKED AS THE EIGHTH WORST IN OUR COUNTRY.
IF THESE REGULATIONS ARE ALLOWED TO STAND, SOUTH CAROLINA WILL BE IN A RACE TO THE BOTTOM.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND ENSURE THEIR FREEDOM TO LEARN.
PLEASE VOTE TO UPHOLD THE REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND RETURN THESE NINE BOOKS TO THE SHELVES AND WE IMPLORE YOU TO PETITION THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO AMEND THESE OVERLY BROAD, UNDULY BURDENSOME AND ANTI-EDUCATION REGULATIONS.
NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, MS. IVY SAI SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS IS HER TOPIC.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW ME, MY NAME IS IVY SAI AND I'M THE PROUD MOTHER OF TWO BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT GRADUATES.
MY YOUNGEST SON GRADUATED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, 2025.
SOME MAY QUESTION WHETHER THIS PROCESS SHOULD CONTINUE THAT I NO LONGER HAVE A STUDENT ENROLLED.
HOWEVER, ALL OF MY COMPLAINTS WERE SUBMITTED WHILE I STILL HAD A CHILD IN THE DISTRICT.
IF THE STATE BOARD HAD DETERMINED OTHERWISE, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE DIRECTED YOU TO ADDRESS THESE BOOKS.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THIS BOARD.
WHILE WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERY ISSUE, I DO VALUE AND APPRECIATE THE TIME AND COMMITMENT YOU DEDICATE TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
I'LL KEEP MY PRESENTATIONS CONCISED AND FACT BASED.
FOR EACH BOOK, I WILL REFERENCE THE SPECIFIC PAGE NUMBER AND CITE THE VIOLATION OF REGULATION 43 1 70.
IN SOME CASES, I WILL READ A PASSAGE ALOUD TO DEMONSTRATE THE VIOLATION.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THESE PASSAGES ARE NOT AGE APPROPRIATE UNDER THE STANDARDS OF THE REGULATION.
I'LL ASSUME THAT ANY STUDENT PRESENT HAS THEIR PARENTS' PERMISSION TO HEAR THE MATERIAL BEING READ.
I ALSO HOPE THAT IN PREPARING FOR THIS HEARING, EACH OF YOU HAS REVIEWED BOTH THE REGULATION AND THE MATERIALS AT ISSUE.
REGARDLESS OF PERSONAL OPINIONS ABOUT THE
[00:15:01]
REGULATION, IT CARRIES LEGAL WEIGHT AND MUST BE APPLIED ACCORDINGLY.I WOULD ALSO REMIND THE BOARD THAT THE HUMAN BRAIN IS NOT FULLY DEVELOPED UNTIL AFTER THE AGE OF 20 WITH SOME RESEARCH EXTENDING THAT MATURITY THRESHOLD TO 25.
UNTIL THEN, YOUNG MINDS REMAIN HIGHLY SUGGESTIBLE.
OUR STUDENTS ALREADY FACE COUNTLESS EXTERNAL INFLUENCES THAT CAN INCUR HARMFUL OR RISKY BEHAVIOR.
INTRODUCING AGE INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL INTO SCHOOL LIBRARIES ONLY COMPOUNDS THIS RISK.
WHILE SOME STUDENTS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PROCESSING SUCH CONTENT, MANY OTHERS ARE NOT YET DEVELOPMENTALLY EQUIPPED TO DO SO BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION.
LIBRARIANS HAVE NOT READ EVERY BOOK IN THEIR COLLECTIONS AND ARE THEREFORE NOT IN A POSITION TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE OR RESTRICT INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT.
THIS FACT MAKES IT ESPECIALLY TROUBLING THAT CREDITS TARGET THE INSTRUCTIONAL REVIEW COMMITTEE OF THE STATE BOARD FOR NOT READING EVERY BOOK IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE MAKING DETERMINATIONS.
HISTORICALLY, TEACHERS HAVE DRAWN ON SELECTED PASSAGES FOR INSTRUCTION RATHER THAN REQUIRING STUDENTS TO READ AN ENTIRE BOOK, WHICH UNDERSCORES THE VALIDITY OF ASSESSING MATERIALS BY EXCERPTS.
FINALLY, I FIND IT CONCERNING AND FRANKLY IRONIC THAT THE DISTRICT HAS BLOCKED ACCESS TO OWN STUDENT DEVICES TO PR U WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH BOOKS THAT CONTAIN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL TO OBJECT, TO REMAIN, TO REMOVING AND INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS ON THE GROUNDS OF CENSORSHIP.
WHILE ENGAGING IN CENSORSHIP OF OTHER CONTENT IS INCONSISTENT AND INDEFENSIBLE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO PRESENTING THE REASONS WHY THE MATERIALS IN QUESTION SHOULD EITHER BE REMOVED FROM CIRCULATION OR RESTRICTED TO OLDER STUDENTS.
NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MS. MEGAN BAUER.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I COME NOT ONLY AS A PARENT OF A UH, PROUD THIRD GRADER AT BEFORD ELEMENTARY, BUT IS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO VALUES BOTH EDUCATION AND THE VOICES FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
A FEW YEARS AGO AS A DISTRICT AND AS PARENTS, WE CAME TOGETHER TO CAREFULLY REVIEW THESE BOOKS IN QUESTION.
WE HAD CONVERSATIONS, WE LISTENED TO DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, AND AS A COMMUNITY WE DECIDED TO PUT THOSE BOOKS BACK ON THE SHELF.
THAT PROCESS NOT ONLY REFLECTED OUR VALUES, BUT IT WAS A DECISION THAT WE DID NOT MAKE LIGHTLY.
NOW WE FIND OURSELVES HERE AGAIN, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASK, WILL THE WILL OF A FEW INDIVIDUALS OVERRIDE THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY? IF WE ALLOW THAT, WE SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT WHERE ONE, ANY SINGLE COMPLAINT COULD DICTATE WHAT EVERY STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT CAN OR CANNOT READ.
WORSE, SOME BOOKS MAY HAVE BEEN BANNED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT EVEN READ THEM.
THESE BOOKS ARE NOT DANGEROUS.
THE BLUEST EYE CONFRONTS RACISM AND BEAUTY STANDARDS.
KITE RUNNER IN SOUL SHED LIGHT ON GLOBAL INJUSTICES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPATHY.
LOVELY BONES EXPLORES GRIEF AND HEALING.
WHILE 13 REASONS WHY TILT OPEN THE DOOR TO CONVERSATIONS ON BULLYING, MENTAL HEALTH AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR CHOICES.
FREEDOM WRITER'S DIARY SHARES TRUE STORIES OF RESILIENCE AND TOLERANCE, WHILE THE DEAF AND ART OF RACING IN THE REIGN ENCOURAGE READERS TO FIND SELF-ACCEPTANCE AND PERSEVERANCE.
TOGETHER, THESE BOOKS GIVE OUR STUDENTS TOOLS AND UNDERSTAND BOTH THEMSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
TODAY IT'S THE BLUEST EYE OF THEIR KITE RUNNER.
TOMORROW IT COULD BE KILL UP TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD OR A MICE OF MEN.
THE BOOKS UNDER REVIEW AREN'T THREATS.
THEY ADDRESS REAL ISSUES, RACISM, BULLYING, MENTAL HEALTH, GRIEF, GLOBAL AWARENESS AND RESILIENCE, AND THEY GIVE STUDENTS A SAFE PLACE TO WRESTLE WITH THOSE DIFFICULT TOPICS AND TO BUILD EMPATHY.
IN ADDITION, OUR FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION, AND THAT INCLUDES THE RIGHTS OF STUDENTS TO ACCESS BOOKS AND IDEAS.
THE SUPREME COURT IN CASE OF BOARD VERSUS PICO, UM, IN 1982, THE COURT RULED THAT STUDENT OR SCHOOLS CANNOT REMOVE BOOKS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DISLIKE THE IDEAS WITHIN THEM.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE BOARD TO REMEMBER THIS, THESE BOOKS ON THE LIST WERE REVIEWED, DISCUSSED, AND ULTIMATELY KEPT BY THIS COMMUNITY TO MOVE THEM.
NOW BECAUSE OF AN OBJECTION, NOT ONLY DISREGARDS THAT PROCESS, BUT UNDERMINES THE TRUST WE PLACE IN EACH OTHER.
I HOPE THAT MOVING FORWARD THIS CONVERSATION WILL ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO GUIDE OUR CHILDREN AND TO THINK CRITICALLY BY NOT SHIELDING THEM FROM IDEAS.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO LITERATURE IS HOW WE PROTECT OUR FREEDOM AND HOW WE PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR THE WORLD BEYOND THESE WALLS.
THANK YOU MS. CHRISTIAN, MS. CHRISTIAN BERRY, HAVE WE HAD ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED? ARE THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK, UH, DURING OPEN PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF SO, IF SO, YOU
[00:20:01]
MUST COME UP AND FILL OUT A CARD.WE DID FILL OUT WE, WE, WE ARE GOING TO, TO HAVE ANOTHER SESSION WHERE WE WILL DISCUSS EACH BOOK INDIVIDUALLY.
SO I HAVE, I HAVE COMMENT CARDS FOR PEOPLE WHO WISH TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST A SPECIFIC BOOK, AND THIS IS HOW WE'LL DO IT.
WE'LL START WITH THE FIRST BOOK ON THE LIST, WHICH IS THE BLUEST EYE BY TONY MORRISON.
THE FIRST SPEAKER TO SPEAK ON THIS WILL BE MS. IVY.
THE SECOND PERSON ON THE WILL BE ASKED TO SPEAK AS ANY PERSON WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, UH, IN SUPPORT OF MS. IVY.
THAT WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO, TO SPEAK ON THAT TOPIC AND THEN THE PERSON THAT WISHES TO OPPOSE MS. IY WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE'S ONLY TIME ALLOTTED FOR NINE MINUTES PER BOOK.
AFTER BOTH THE MS IVY AND THE TWO EITHER ONE, FOUR OR ONE AGAINST SPEAKS, WE'LL ASK THE BOARD IF THE BOARD HAS ANY COMMENT ON THE BOOK HERE.
IF THERE ARE NO COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT BOOK AND REPEAT THE PROCESS.
IF THERE IS NO ONE HERE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE BOOK AND WISHES TO CALL IN, WE WILL ANA ANNOUNCE THAT WE'LL ANNOUNCE THE PHONE NUMBER THAT THEY CAN CALL AND THEY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO, TO, UH, SPEAK ON THE PHONE.
WE'LL GIVE THEM ONE MINUTE A TIME.
UH, WE ANNOUNCE THE BOOK IS OPEN OR COMMENT.
UH, WE'LL GIVE THEM ONE MINUTE TO COME TO THE PHONE AND CALL US.
IF THEY DON'T CALL US WITHIN A MINUTE, WE WILL CON ASSUME THAT THERE IS NOBODY SPEAKING ON THAT SUBJECT FOR THAT BOOK.
I FILLED OUT A COMMENT CARD AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO PROCESS NOT TO THE BOOKS.
YOU WANNA SPEAK IN GENERAL? YES.
DO YOU WANNA SPEAK NOW IN GENERAL COMMENTS? I DO.
AND THE REVIEW PROCESS AND PROCEDURES.
UM, UM, OUR LOCAL REVIEW PROCESS BEGAN IN OCTOBER OF 2022 AS THE SIC CHAIR FOR MY DAUGHTER'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I SAT ON SEVEN COMMITTEES TO REVIEW SOME OF THE 97 BOOKS CHALLENGED IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THE PROCESS WAS WELL PLANNED AND WE HAD ABOUT A MONTH TO READ THE BOOKS THAT WE WERE REVIEWING.
I DID IN FACT READ EVERY WORD.
I DON'T IMAGINE THAT THE CHALLENGER READ EVERY BOOK THAT SHE'S CHALLENGING OR SHE CHALLENGED.
97 BOOKS WERE REVIEWED AND I BELIEVE ALL BUT FIVE WERE RETURNED TO THE SHELVES.
IN JUNE OF 2024, A NEW REGULATION 43 1 70 WAS PUT INTO PLACE THE UNIFORM PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OR RECONSIDERATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
THIS ESTABLISHED A STATEWIDE PROCESS FOR CHALLENGING AND REVIEWING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THE PARENT CHALLENGER IS UNHAPPY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, THEY CAN APPEAL TO THE STATE BOARD.
THEN THESE SAME BOOKS BEGAN BEING BROUGHT BEFORE THE STATE BOARD.
THEY HAD COMMITTEE REVIEW, THEY HAD COMMITTEES REVIEW THE BOOKS AND BROUGHT THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE BOARD THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO VOTE ON ON THEM.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS INDIVIDUALLY, BUT INSTEAD OF VOTING ON THEM INDIVIDUALLY, THEY VOTED TO REMOVE ALL BOOKS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD.
BRINGING SOUTH CAROLINA THE DUBIOUS HONOR OF THE MOST BOOK BANS IN THE NATION.
I ATTENDED SOME OF THESE MEETINGS AND MY DAUGHTER EVEN SPOKE AGAINST ANYONE, QUOTE, BUT MY PARENTS AND MY LIBRARIAN HELPING HER TO DETERMINE WHAT SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ.
AS I LOOK AT THE LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE BEING ADDRESSED TODAY, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'RE HERE.
THESE BOOKS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED LOCALLY.
THERE'S NO PROVISION IN 43, 1 70 TO RETURN TO THE LOCAL BOARD AFTER THE LOCAL BOARD HAS DEALT WITH THE CHALLENGE BOOKS AND THEY'VE BEEN DEALT WITH AT A STATE LEVEL.
THE CHALLENGER DIDN'T GET THE RESULTS THAT SHE WANTED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, SO SHE TOOK HER CHALLENGES TO THE STATE.
THEN FOR SOME REASON THAT ESCAPES ME.
WE'RE BACK HERE LOCALLY TALKING ABOUT THE SAME BOOKS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED.
IT'S AN INSULT TO THOSE OF US WHO VOLUNTEERED AND GAVE MANY HOURS TO, EXCUSE ME, TO THE PROCESS.
OUR HARD WORK ACTUALLY EXAMINING THE MATERIALS IS BEING DISMISSED FOR ONE WOMAN WHO NO LONGER HAS A CHILD IN THE SYSTEM.
[00:25:10]
TO INFORM YOU OF THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, AGAIN, I'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT HOW THE SPEAKING WILL BE DONE.EACH BOARD MEMBER HAS A PACKET, AND IN THE PACKET WE HAVE MS. ALI'S, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL, UNIFORM PARENT COMPLAINT FORM FOR THAT BOOK.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR LIBRARY MATERIALS AND REVIEW.
IT'S A LITTLE, UH, PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS OF THE BOOK BY AN OUTSIDE AGENT.
IT HAS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE CHECKLIST FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT MET ON THAT BOOK PREVIOUSLY.
AND LASTLY, A TALLY OF THE OFFICIAL VOTE BY THE COMMITTEE.
SO WE HAVE THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL TO LOOK AT HERE ON THE BOARD WHILE WE LISTEN TO, UH, THE SPEAKERS SPEAK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC BOOK.
EVERY BOOK WILL BE, UH, REVIEWED IN THE SAME PROCESS.
AT THE END OF ALL NINE BOOKS BEING REVIEWED, THE BOARD WILL TAKE A VOTE ON EACH BOOK AND THE, THE VOTE WILL HAVE EITHER RETAIN THE BOOK IN THE LIBRARY, RESTRICT THE BOOK IN THE LIBRARY, OR REMOVE THE BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY.
THOSE ARE OPTIONS WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE VOTING ON, UH, DEPENDING ON THE MOTION THAT'S GIVEN OUT AT THE END, WE TALK ABOUT THE VOTING ON THE SPECIFIC BOOK.
AFTER THE VOTING IS FINISHED, WE WILL BE REWRITING OUR LETTER TO RESPONSE TO THE STATE BOARD TO INCORPORATE THE, THE RESULTS OF THAT VOTE.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LETTER AND SEND IT OFF IN RESPONSE TO THE STATE BOARD'S REQUIREMENT.
UH, THAT WILL BE DONE AT THE END OF THE LAST AGENDA ITEM, UH, OF TODAY'S MEETING.
BOARD MEMBERS, ARE WE READY? OKAY.
FIRST BOOK IS THE BLUEST EYE BY TONY MORRISON.
MS. SAI, I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT I DID NOT LINE UP ANYONE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY EFFORTS LIKE THE OPPOSITION HAS DONE TO SPEAK AGAINST ME.
I FEEL LIKE THE COMPLAINTS STAND ON THEIR OWN WHEN APPLIED TO THE REGULATION.
IF ANYONE DOES NOT SPEAK IN SUPPORTIVE REMOVAL, PLEASE KNOW THAT I DID NOT ASK THEM.
HOWEVER, I WELCOME THE APPROPRIATE.
I WELCOME AND APPRECIATE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO DO SO.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT A POPULARITY CONTEST AND WHO HAS THE MOST PEOPLE HERE? THIS IS ABOUT FOLLOWING THE REGULATION AND REMOVING ANY BOOKS THAT ARE NOT AGE OR DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AND OR HAVE DESCRIPTIONS OR VISUAL DEPICTIONS OF SEXUAL CONDUCT AS DEFINED IN SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 16 DASH 15 DASH 3 0 5 C1.
THE BLUEST EYE IS AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS, BATTERY CREEK BEAUFORT HIGH AND BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL.
PAGE 83, VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF VAGINAL SEX, DESCRIPTION OF FEMALE BODILY FLUIDS AND A DESCRIPTION OF SOMETHING SIMILAR TO MASTURBATION.
THE DAMP MAY GET INTO HER HAIR AND THAT SHE WILL REMAIN DRY BETWEEN HER LEGS.
SHE HATES THE GLUING SOUND THEY MAKE WHEN SHE IS MOIST, WHEN SHE SENSES SOME SPASM ABOUT TO GRIP HER AND SHE'LL MAKE RAPID MOVEMENTS WITH HER HIPS.
PRESS HER FINGERNAILS INTO HER BACK, HIS BACK, SUCK IN HER BREATH AND PRETEND SHE IS HAVING AN ORGASM.
SHE MIGHT WONDER AGAIN FOR THE 600 TIME WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE THAT FEELING WHILE HER HUSBAND'S PENIS IS INSIDE HER.
THE CLOSEST THING TO IT WAS THE TIME SHE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND HER NAPKIN SLIPPED FREE OF HER SANITARY BELT.
IT MOVED GENTLY BETWEEN HER LEGS AS SHE WALKED GENTLY, EVER SO GENTLY, AND THEN SLIGHTLY AND DISTINCTLY DELICIOUS SENSATION COLLECTED IN HER CROTCH.
AS THE DELIGHT GREW, SHE HAD TO STOP IN THE STREET, HOLD HER THIGHS TOGETHER TO CONTAIN IT.
THAT MUST BE WHAT IT IS LIKE SHE THINKS, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENS WHEN WHILE HE IS INSIDE HER.
PAGE 93 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF TOUCHING OF BREAST.
PAGE ONE 20 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH MENTION OF BITING BREASTS, FONDLING GENITALIA, FEMALE EXCRETION, AND DESCRIPTION OF INTERCOURSE.
PAGE 1 29 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF MASTURBATION.
PAGE 1 49 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF FEELING GENITALS AND ANUS.
[00:30:01]
A DESCRIPTION OF INTERCOURSE, PAGE 1 52, VIOLATES THE REGULATION FOR AGE APPROPRIATENESS.PAGE 1 65 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF TOUCHING AND BITING LITTLE GIRLS' BREAST AND THE INSINUATION OF FONDLING LITTLE GIRLS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT WHEN I TOUCHED THEIR STURDY LITTLE T**S AND BIT THEM JUST A LITTLE, I FELT I WAS BEING FRIENDLY.
I GAVE THEM MINCE MONEY AND THEY'D EAT ICE CREAM WITH THEIR LEGS OPEN WHILE I PLAYED WITH THEM.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF MRS. ZA? RIGHT.
WE'LL NOW, UH, ASK ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IN FAVOR BY PHONE AND PLEASE CALL THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN THE NUMBER.
THE NUMBER IS 8 4 3 3 2 2 0 7 3 3.
NOW I HAVE ONE MINUTE TO CALL IN PRESIDENT.
WE ARE NOT GONNA TAKE CALLS FROM NON-RESIDENTS.
THIS IS A BUFORD COUNTY ISSUE.
IT'S NOT A NATIONAL ISSUE, IT'S NOT A STATE ISSUE.
IF YOU'RE NOT A RESIDENT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOUR COMMENTS.
WE STILL HAVE TIME LEFT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO CALL.
I IF PEOPLE WANT THEIR KIDS TO READ THIS STUFF, THEY'RE FREE TO BUY IT AT BARNES AND NOBLE OR BOOKSTORES OR ONLINE OR KINDLE, AND THEY CAN ALSO GET AT THEIR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
OTHERWISE, IT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR EDUCATION.
ALL RIGHT, IS MS. VALERIE SAYERS HERE AND YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AND A NOVELIST, UH, BEAUFORT HIGH LEGENDARY TEACHERS JEAN NORRIS MILAN ELLIS AND PAT CONROY DEFENDED BOOKS AGAINST BOOK BANDS AND HELPED MAKE ME A WRITER FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
I TAUGHT ENGLISH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME, WHERE THE POSTERS WE USED TO PROMOTE OUR CLASSES FEATURED ONE OF THE TOWERING FIGURES OF CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE.
TONY MORRISON, THE LAST AMERICAN WRITER TO WIN THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE FOR PROSE.
MY STUDENTS OFTEN COUNTED HER AMONG THEIR FAVORITES, AND IT WAS HARD TO FIND A BOOK THAT THEY HADN'T ALREADY READ IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL AP CLASSES OR REGULAR ENGLISH CLASSES.
THE BLUEST EYE WAS MORRISON'S FIRST NOVEL AND HAS BEEN TAUGHT ALL OVER THE WORLD.
IT'S INSPIRED COUNTLESS ESSAYS ARGUING FOR ITS IMPORTANCE IN UNDERSTANDING BLACK AND WHITE IDENTITY IN MID 20TH CENTURY AMERICA.
IT EXPLORES THE INTENSE SENSE OF INFERIORITY SUFFERED BY A YOUNG BLACK GIRL COLA LIVING WITH A FOSTER FAMILY.
THOUGH COLA'S FEELING THAT SHE'S UGLY HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HER COLOR.
STUDENTS OF ALL COLORS USUALLY HAVE NO PROBLEM EMPATHIZING WITH HER AND ARE GRATEFUL TO SEE THIS FEELING OF INFERIORITY EXPLORED.
COLA'S STORY IS SHOCKING IN MANY REGARDS.
[00:35:01]
FOR ONE THING, WHEN SHE RETURNS TO LIVE WITH HER OWN PARENTS, HER A ALCOHOLIC FATHER RAPES HER.SHE BECOMES PREGNANT AND GRADUALLY UNRAVELS.
THIS IS TOUGH STUFF FOR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS BECAUSE IT'S TOUGH STUFF FOR ALL OF US.
AND THOUGH MOST OF THEM WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE ANYTHING AS A AS HORRIFIC, SOME OF THEM WILL AND ALL OF THEM KNOW THAT INCEST AND RAPE AND MENTAL BREAKDOWNS ARE REALITIES IN OUR WORLD.
THEY'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THESE SUBJECTS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, STUDENTS KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO FIND THE BAND BOOKS.
HOW MUCH BETTER TO HAVE A TEACHER OR A LIBRARIAN, A COMPANY AND GUIDE THEM THROUGH A BOOK LIKE THE BLUEST EYE THAN TO HAVE THEM FIND A PIRATED EDITION ON THEIR PHONES AND READ IT IN ISOLATION? MORRIS'S LANGUAGE IS SOMETIMES SHOCKING.
AND MAY I SAY PROBABLY NOT THAT SHOCKING TO OUR STUDENTS IN 2025.
HER PROSE IS CHALLENGING FOR OTHER REASONS AS WELL, AND SO IS THE BOOK'S COMPLICATED STRUCTURE.
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS WHO CHOOSE TO TEACH IT ARE TEACHING THEIR STUDENTS TO BE AMBITIOUS READERS.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF REVIEWING A TONY MORRISON COLLECTION OF ESSAYS FOR THE LAY CATHOLIC MAGAZINE COMMON WHEEL.
IN IT, SHE ARGUES FOR WRITERS NEED TO FIND THE LANGUAGE THAT RESPECTS RELIGION AND ALSO RESPECTS THE WORLDS OF THE DISPOSSESS.
DO YOU HAVE, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS, UH, ABOUT THIS BOOK THEY WISH TO SHARE? ANYBODY ONLINE, UH, MS. HAY OR MS. FRAZIER HAVE ANY COMMENTS? ANY WE HAVE NONE.
NEXT BOOK IS SOLD BY PATRICIA MCCORMICK, SLAY.
SOLD IS AVAILABLE AT BATTERY CREEK BEFORD HIGH, BLUFFTON HIGH HILTON ED ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, HILTON HEAD, ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL AND WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.
PAGE 1 0 2 VIOLATES THE REGULATION FOR EDUCATIONAL SUITABILITY AND AGE APPROPRIATENESS.
PAGE ONE 20 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH A DESCRIPTION OF RAPE AND THIS IS AN EXCERPT.
THEN HE IS ON TOP OF ME AND SOMETHING HOT AND INSISTENT IS BETWEEN MY LEGS.
HE GRUNTS AND STRUGGLES TRYING TO FIT HIMSELF INSIDE ME WITH A SUDDEN THRUST, I AM TORN INTO.
OH, YES, HE SAYS PANTING HABIB IS GOOD IN BED, I HEAR COMING FROM A DISTANCE, A STEADY THUD, THUD, THUD AND REGISTER THAT THIS IS THE SOUND OF THE HEADBOARD HITTING A WALL AFTER A WHILE, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG ANOTHER SOUND INTERRUPTS THE RHYTHM.
RHYTHMIC THUD OF THE HEADBOARD.
I KNOW THIS NOISE FROM SOMEWHERE.
I WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE IT OUT.
SO SOUND OF SOBBING HABIB ROLLS OFF OF ME THEN I UNDERSTAND I WAS THE PERSON CRYING.
PAGE 1 23 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF RAPE.
PAGE 1 25 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF BLEEDING FROM WHERE THE VICTIM HAS BEEN PLE REPEATEDLY RAPED.
PAGE 1 33 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH MENTION OF PLACING SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE IN THE CHARACTER'S VAGINA, WHICH IS HOT PEPPER.
PAGE 1 41 IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE.
PAGES 1 45 2 28 2 54 ARE NOT AGE APPROPRIATE.
PAGE 2 57 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH MENTION OF PLACING SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE INTO THE CHARACTER'S VAGINA.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF MS. SAI? UH, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYBODY.
SO IT'S NOW OPEN FOR SOMEONE TO CALL IN AT (843) 322-0733 IF YOU WISH TO CALL IN SUPPORT OF MS. ALI'S COMMENTS ON THIS BOOK AND THE TIME BEGINS NOW.
YOU'RE CALLING ABOUT BOOKS SOLD.
ARE YOU TELLING ME ABOUT THE BOOK SOLD?
[00:40:02]
WELL, HOLD ON PLEASE.I'M CALLING ABOUT THE BOOK SOLD AND IN SUPPORT OF MRS.
THE ONLY THING IT'S LACKING IS AN IMAGE, UH, BUT DESCRIPTION OF RAPE OF A MINOR IS CONSIDERED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL.
AND, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S A FELONY.
SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE, THE BOARD NEEDS TO CONSIDER IS, IS THIS SUITABLE FOR EDUCATION IN ANY MANNER, WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE'S NO PROVISION IN THE CURRENT REGULATION TO INCLUDE ANY VOTES OR PREVIOUS REVIEW COMMITTEES.
UM, BUT THIS MATERIAL NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
I THINK EVERYONE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF COMMON SENSE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD FOR OUR KIDS.
IT DOES NOT INCREASE READING PROFICIENCY.
UH, IT DOESN'T EVEN STIMULATE INTEREST IN A NORMAL WAY.
COURTNEY THOMAS, GOOD MORNING, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY.
MY NAME NAME IS COURTNEY THOMAS AND I'M THE ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR THE A CLU OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING OUR MEMBERS HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT BOOK CHALLENGES.
I'D LIKE TO START BY ADDRESSING, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE BOOK SOLD BY PATRICIA MCCORMICK, SIMPLY TO ENDURE IS TO TRIUMPH.
SOLD IS A BOOK ABOUT A 12-YEAR-OLD NEPALI GIRL BEING SOLD INTO A LIFE OF SEXUAL SLAVERY BY HER STEPFATHER.
SHE LIVES IN A RURAL, IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY.
SHE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HER OR WHAT SHE'S BEING FORCED TO DO.
OUR MAIN CHARACTER, LAKSHMI, IS 12 YEARS OLD AND SIMPLY DOESN'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE AS YOU HEARD IN THE COMPLAINT.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HER.
SHE SAYS SHE IS WITH MEN AND DESCRIBES THEIR SMELL AND PAIN AND WHAT SHE FEELS.
BUT IF THE READER WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT SEX WAS, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THAT BY READING THE BOOK.
INFERENCE ALONE OF SEXUAL CONDUCT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY THE REGULATION IN LINE WITH REGULATION 43 1 70 AND THE STANDARD SET BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S, UH, RETENTION OF BOOKS LIKE 1984 BY GEORGE ORWELL.
UH, THE STATE BOARD ACTUALLY WENT TO GREAT LENGTH TO DEFINE WHAT A DESCRIPTION IS.
A DESCRIPTION IS IN THEIR WORDS, AND I QUOTE, DISCOURSE INTENDED TO GIVE A MENTAL IMAGE OF SOMETHING.
IF YOU LISTEN TO WHAT LAKSHMI SAYS IN THE BOOK, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON UNLESS YOU HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT SEX IS.
THE AUTHOR CHOSE TO MAKE LAKSHMI HER MAIN CHARACTER 'CAUSE SHE'S A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND BECAUSE THE AVERAGE AGE OF TRAFFICKED CHILDREN IN THE IN THE COUNTRY IS 13, SHE WANTED READERS TO READ LAKSHMI'S STORY AND KNOW HOW TO ASK FOR HELP.
I DON'T THINK THE AUTHOR KNEW JUST HOW PRESSING THIS COULD BE EVEN TO CHILDREN IN JASPER COUNTY OR BEAUFORT COUNTY, BUT THIS IS A RELEVANT WORK.
THE BOOK IS HEART WRENCHING AND A TOUGH READ, BUT IT IT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN EMPATHY.
THIS BOARD ALSO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY.
YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE STATE.
ENCOURAGE AND JUST GOOD SENSE.
UM, I KNOW A COMMENTER SAID, YOU KNOW, COMMON SENSE.
I BELIEVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS MORE THAN THE STANDARD MEASURE OF GOOD SENSE.
A RULE LIKE REGULATION 43, 1 70 IS VAGUE AND TO THAT END CAN BE APPLIED INCONSISTENTLY OR ILLOGICALLY.
I HOPE YOU WILL ENTREAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO AMEND THIS REGULATION BECAUSE REGULATIONS LIKE THIS OPEN UP YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO LEGAL LIABILITY AND IT'S JUST NOT FAIR FOR OUR STUDENTS.
LAKSHMI WAS BRAVE AND I HOPE WE CAN FOLLOW IN HER EXAMPLE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ON THE BOARD WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON THE BOOK? SOLD NONE.
NEXT BOOK IS FREEDOM WRITER'S DIARY.
UM, WANNA JUST VERIFY THAT Y'ALL
[00:45:01]
ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMENTERS ARE RESIDENTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY BECAUSE I THINK THE PREVIOUS PERSON SAID SHE'S WITH THE ACL U, SO I WONDER IF SHE DOES ACTUALLY LIVE IN OUR COUNTY.UH, THE FREEDOM RIDERS DIARY IS AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL SCHOOLS.
BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, BEAUFORT HIGH, BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL, HE MCCRACKEN MIDDLE SCHOOL, HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
THE UM, MOVIE WHICH IS RATED PG 13 IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, TYPICALLY MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, THAT TOP GRADE IS, IS THE 13 YEAR OLDS, UM, MAYBE 14.
UM, SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS WHY PG 13 MOVIE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO, UH, THOSE AGES.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE ESSAYS WRITTEN UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THEIR ENGLISH TEACHER IN BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MANY OF THE THINGS WRITTEN WOULD BE AGAINST THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND I CANNOT IMAGINE A TEACHER ACCEPTING WORK OF THIS NATURE.
IF A STUDENT CANNOT WRITE IT AS AN AN ASSIGNMENT, WHY WOULD IT BE ACCEPTABLE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CHECK OUT THE LIBRARY OR HAVE ACCESS IN THE CLASSROOM OR CHECK OUT THE MOVIE? UH, PAGES 7, 8, 9 AND 10 COULD POTENTIALLY VIOLATE THE BUDGET.
PROVISO 1.79, WHICH PROHIBITS INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, WHICH INCLUDE LIBRARY BOOKS FROM CONTAINING MATERIAL DEPICTING ONE RACE OR SEX IS INHERENTLY SUPERIOR TO ANOTHER RACE OR SEX.
PAGE 13 IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE.
PAGE 19 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH A DESCRIPTION OF ORAL SEX.
PAGE 1 27 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH THE TOUCHING OF BREAST.
PAGE ONE 50 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH A DESCRIPTION OF ORAL SEX AND THIS IS AN EXCERPT AS HIS PENIS SWIRLED IN MY MOUTH.
THOUGHTS OF POPCORN HE PROMISED ME RAN THROUGH MY MIND.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THAT IS MOST LIKELY A MINOR.
PAGE 180 3, NOT AGE APPROPRIATE, ALONG WITH PAGES 180 5 AND 180 6.
PAGE TWO 15 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH THE MENTION OF, OF MALE BALLS BEING WIPED ON PEOPLE'S FACES.
UM, THE WORD ASS IS IN THIS BOOK 15 TIMES, B***H SIX TIMES F**K, 13 TIMES THE N WORD WITH, UM, HARD R AND A THREE TIMES AND S**T IS IN HERE 12 TIMES.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF MISS ALI? RIGHT.
WE NOW HAVE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A OUTSIDE CALLER TO CALL 8 4 3 3 2 2 0 7 3 3.
AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, UH, TO CALL IN.
UH, THE TIME IS UP MS. ROBIN LIEBENBERG, UH, TO OUR RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND.
AND, UH, YOU ARE IN DEFENSE OF THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TO ARGUE THAT REMOVING THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY FROM OUR BOOKSHELVES FLIES IN THE FACE OF ALL THAT A BOOK OFFERS TO NOT ONLY A STUDENT BODY, BUT ITS FACULTY AS WELL AS A 33 YEAR ENGLISH EDUCATOR.
OFTEN WITH A CLASSROOM FULL OF AT-RISK STUDENTS.
I CAN ATTEST TO THE POWER OF WRITING TO UNLOCK
[00:50:01]
STUDENT POTENTIAL AS A WORKING POET.WHAT AARON GRU DID AS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER BECAME A BESTSELLING BOOK AND BLUEPRINT FOR EVERY ENGLISH TEACHER TO UNLEASH THESE POSSIBILITIES.
AND SHE DID IT WITH 150 STUDENTS WHO WERE AT RISK DESTINED BY ALL INDICATORS TO LANGUISH.
INSTEAD, SHE GAVE THEM A YEAR CHRONICLED IN THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY THAT SENT, SENT THEM DOWN A DIFFERENT PATH.
SHE DID THIS BY SHOWING THEM HOW TO WRITE THEIR OWN STORIES AND THUS VALUE THEMSELVES.
THE STORY WAS SO POWERFUL IT BECAME A HIT MOVIE 150 GRADUATED RATHER THAN BAN THIS BOOK, SHOULDN'T WE READ IT? FIND OUT WHAT SHE DID? SHOULDN'T OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SEE THEMSELVES IN THESE STUDENTS, DISCOVER THIS STORY AND FEEL ITS POWER.
HER STUDENTS WERE PARTICULARLY INSPIRED BY THE WRITINGS OF ANNE FRANK AND ZLA KOVICH AND THE BOOK'S TAGLINE BECAME THEY CHOSE TO PUT DOWN THEIR WEAPONS AND PICK UP A PEN.
THE ONES HARDENED TEENS DISCOVERED A NEW WAY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND EMBRACE HISTORY, HUMANITY, AND HOPE.
BY SHARING THEIR STORIES, THEY REWROTE THEIR FUTURES AND BECAME CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE.
THE FREEDOM WRITERS FOUNDATION, WHICH GREW FROM THE BOOK SUCCESS HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 20 YEARS AND REACHES AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.
IT OFFERS AN INTENSIVE WORKSHOP TO HELP EDUCATORS OF ALL SUBJECTS AND GRADE LEVELS FOCUS ON THE HUMANITY OF EVERY STUDENT.
SOME ORIGINAL FREEDOM WRITERS PARTICIPATE AND AN OUTREACH PROGRAM IMPROVES CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE, INCREASES STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, AND FOSTERS INCLUSIVE CAMPUS ATMOSPHERES.
TOPICS LIKE HOMELESSNESS, ADDICTION, RECOVERY, BULLYING, DEPRESSION, AND SUICIDE AWARENESS SHOW HOW TO USE STORYTELLING TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY.
ISN'T THIS WHAT EVERY EDUCATOR WANTS FOR THEIR STUDENTS? DOESN'T THIS CAPTURE WHAT PUBLIC EDUCATION SHOULD BE? WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT THIS BOOK REMOVED? I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT BY ALLOWING ONLY ONE SPEAKER PER BOOK, BY RETURNING THE CASE HERE, AFTER YOU VOTED MOST BOOKS BACK TO SHELVES, THE GOALPOSTS MOVE FOR ONE CITIZEN, WE'RE IN A BIZARRE GAME OF PING PONG WHERE NO FINAL SCORE IS ACCEPTED.
IN THE CASE OF THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY, THERE ARE 150 REASONS WHY IT SHOULD STAY.
NEXT BOOK IS THE KITE WRITER, MS.
THE KITE RUNNER IS AVAILABLE IN BATTERY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, BEAUFORT HIGH, BLUFFTON HIGH, HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL, AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, UM, I'M REQUESTING THAT THIS BOOK BE LIMITED TO 11TH AND 12TH GRADE, SO I'M NOT REQUESTING A FULL REMOVAL.
PAGE SIX IS NOT APPROPRIATE WITH DESCRIPTION OF USING FINGERS TO STIMULATE SEX DESCRIPTION OF A WOMAN'S VAGINA.
PAGE 66, NOT AGE APPROPRIATE WITH DESCRIPTION OF RAPE AND A**L SEX.
ASF KNELT BEHIND HASSAN, PUT HIS HANDS ON HASSAN'S HIPS AND LIFT LIFTED HIS BARE BUTTOCKS.
HE KEPT ONE HAND ON HASSAN'S BACK AND UNDID HIS OWN BELT BUCKLE WITH HIS FREE HAND.
HE ZIPPED HIS JEANS, DROPPED HIS UNDERWEAR, HE POSITIONED HIMSELF BEHIND HASSAN.
HASSAN DIDN'T STRUGGLE, DIDN'T EVEN WHIMPER.
HE MOVED HIS HEAD SLIGHTLY AND I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF HIS FACE, SAW THE RESIGNATION IN IT.
IT WAS A LOOK I HAD SEEN BEFORE.
PAGE 69 IS NOT APPROPRIATE WITH DESCRIPTION OF BODILY FLUIDS AFTER AN A**L RAPE.
AND THIS IS AN EXCERPT JUST LIKE I PRETENDED I HADN'T SEEN.
THE DARK STAIN IN THE SEAT OF HIS PANTS ARE THOSE TINY DROPS THAT FELL FROM BETWEEN HIS LEGS AND STAINED THE BLACK SNOW.
THE SNOW BLACK PAGE 1 0 1 IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE BY FURTHER DESCRIBING THE A**L RAPE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN PLACE.
AN EXCERPT ME PEERING AROUND THE CORNER IN THE ALLEY.
KAMAL AND WALLY HOLDING HASSAN DOWN A ASSESS BUTTOCK MUSCLES CLENCHING AND UNC UNCLENCHING HIS HIPS THRUSTING BACK AND FORTH.
[00:55:01]
PAGE 2 24, NOT AGE APPROPRIATE WITH ALLUDING TO SELLING CHILDREN FOR SEX.PAGE 3 0 3 IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE AS IT COULD BE TRIGGERING TO READ ABOUT SUICIDE.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF MS. ALI'S STATEMENT? SO AS NOBODY'S HERE, SO IF SO, IF YOU WISH TO CALL IN AT (843) 322-0733.
AYE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, I ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE PROCESS THAT YOU HAD ESTABLISHED THE LAST TIME THIS OCCURRED.
UM, I WAS A, BEFORE MOVING TO BEAUFORT COUNTY, I WAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR 24 YEARS.
SO I DO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN BOOK CHALLENGES AND I WAS THRILLED TO HEAR THAT COMMITTEES READ THE BOOKS BECAUSE THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAKING A PASSAGE OUT OF CONTEXT AND THEN SEEING WHERE THAT PASSAGE GOES AS A WHOLE TO DEVELOP.
IN ADDITION TO BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR 24 YEARS, I WAS A TEACHER FOR 33 AND IN SOME OF THAT TIME I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH A KITE RUNNER.
SO I I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, IT WAS AN AMAZING BOOK TO CONNECT WITH STUDENTS AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I WATCH STUDENTS COME IN THE DAY AFTER READING CERTAIN SECTIONS, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE, THE RAPE SCENES AND THE REALLY HARD SECTIONS AND SAY THEY CRIED.
THEY WERE SO UPSET BY WHAT HAPPENED, THEY PUT THE BOOK DOWN AND THEN VERY QUICKLY THEY PICKED IT UP BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SEE WHERE IT WAS GONNA GO.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS, THE ONE OF THE MAJOR THEMES IN KITE RUNNER IS A REDEMPTION ARC.
YOU, AMIR HAS TO GO THROUGH AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF GUILT AND AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF SHAME AND HE CARRIES THAT WITH HIM, BUT THEN HE HAS A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH A REDEMPTION ARC AND YOU DON'T HAVE A REDEMPTION ARC WITHOUT THE PAIN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE FOUND IN TEACHING LITERATURE IS IT'S A COMBINATION OF SUFFERING AND JOY, JUST LIKE LIFE THAT HARD THINGS HAPPEN AND THIS SHOWS STUDENTS THAT THEY DON'T DEFINE WHO YOU ARE.
MOREOVER, IN A TIME WHEN I WAS TEACHING AND STILL TODAY, WHEN YOU SEE A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND CULTURE AND CULTURES OTHER THAN WHAT STUDENTS SEE IN THEIR OWN LIVES, IT'S VITAL FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE EXPOSED TO OTHER CULTURES, TO HOW HIERARCHIES WORK, TO SEE HOW OTHER PEOPLE LIVE.
UM, IT ALSO OPENS A POINT OF DISCUSSION AND TO THE READER OR TO THE PERSON CALLER THAT SAID THEY CAN GET IT OUTTA THE LIBRARY.
I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING TO HAVE IT IN THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEN WHEN A STUDENT IS UPSET, THEY HAVE ADULT FIGURES THEY CAN GO TO AND THEY CAN TALK TO AND THEY CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHY IT'S HAPPENING.
UM, IT ALSO HAS, IT, IT OFFERS A CHANCE FOR THEM TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS ON VERY TOUGH MATERIAL AND SEE THAT THERE'S A CHANCE TO ALWAYS TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND AND IMPROVE.
UM, AS THE, UH, BOARD PARLIAMENTARIAN, I'D LIKE TO QUOTE ROBERT'S RULES
[01:00:01]
OF ORDER DURING DEBATE.MEMBERS MUST REMAIN SILENT EXCEPT WHEN RECOGNIZED AND ALL OTHER PERSONS PRESENT SHOULD NOT APPLAUD, SPEAK OUT OR IN ANY OTHER WAY INTERFERE WITH THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.
COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? NEXT BOOK IS THE LOVELY BONES SELECT LIKE TO, UM, JUST MAKE AN OFF THE CUFF COMMENT.
UM, I THINK THAT USING, UH, MATERIAL THAT IS IS DESCRIBED TO BRING CHILDREN IN, SUCH AS A RAPE SCENE AS THIS GENTLEMAN, UM, JUST DESCRIBED AND CRYING ABOUT IT, UM, YEAH, IT GRABS 'EM, IT MAKES 'EM WANNA READ MORE.
UM, BUT IS THAT REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO BE GRABBING THEM WITH? WE WE NEED TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND FIND OTHER THINGS THAT GRAB THEM AND MAKE THEM WANT TO READ.
THE LOVELY BONES IS AVAILABLE.
BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, BEAUFORT MIDDLE SCHOOL, BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND UH, HILTON HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
PAGE 13, VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF A CHILD BEING RAPED.
MR. HARVEY, I REALLY HAVE TO GET HOME.
MR. HARVEY SAID, I WANT TO CHECK THAT YOU'RE STILL A VIRGIN.
I SAID, I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR PARENTS WILL THANK ME.
MY PARENTS, THEY ONLY WANT GOOD GIRLS.
HE SAID, MR. HARVEY, I SAID, PLEASE LET ME LEAVE.
YOU AREN'T LEAVING SUSIE, YOU'RE MINE.
I FOUGHT AS HARD AS I COULD, NOT TO LET MR. HARVEY HURT ME, BUT MY HEART AS I COULD WAS NOT HARD ENOUGH, NOT EVEN CLOSE.
AND I WAS SOON LYING DOWN ON THE GROUND, IN THE GROUND WITH HIM ON TOP OF ME PANTING AND SWEATING, HAVING LOST HIS GLASSES IN THE STRUGGLE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD TO BE LAYING FLAT ON MY BACK WITH A SWEATING MAN ON TOP OF ME TO BE TRAPPED INSIDE THE EARTH AND HAVE NO ONE KNOW WHERE I WAS.
MR. HARVEY STARTED TO PRESS HIS LIPS AGAINST ME.
THEY WERE BLUBBERING AND WET AND I WANTED TO SCREAM, BUT I WAS TOO AFRAID AND TOO EXHAUSTED FROM THE FIGHT.
I MANAGED AND I KEPT SAYING THAT ONE WORD A LOT.
DON'T, AND I SAID, PLEASE A LOT TOO.
FRANNY TOLD ME THAT ALMOST EVERYONE BEGGED PLEASE BEFORE DYING.
I WANT YOU, SUSIE, HE SAID, PLEASE.
I SAID SOMETIMES I COMBINE THEM.
IT WAS LIKE INSI INSISTING THAT A KEY WORD WHEN IT DOESN'T OR YELLING.
AS THE SOFTBALL GOES SAILING OVER YOUR HEAD INTO THE STANDS, PLEASE DON'T.
BUT HE GREW TIRED OF HEARING ME PLEAD.
HE REACHED INTO THE POCKET OF MARK PARKER PARKER AND BALLED UP THE LAST, THE HAT MY MOTHER HAD MADE ME SMASHING IT INTO MY MOUTH.
THE ONLY SOUND I MADE AFTER THAT WAS THE WEAK TINKLING OF BELLS AS HE KISSED HIS WET LIPS DOWN MY FACE AND NECK AND THEN BEGAN TO SHOVE HIS HANDS UP UNDER MY SHIRT.
I BEGAN TO LEAVE MY BODY, I BEGAN TO INHIBIT THE AIR AND THE SILENCE.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SUPPORT MS. SAI? NONE.
NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVER TO CALL IN AT (843) 322-0733 TO SUPPORT MS. SAI.
ARE YOU CALLING IN IN SUPPORT? UH, IT'S DAVID COOK.
GO AHEAD AND SPEAK SPEAKING YOU.
UM, AGAIN, HERE WE GO WITH, WITH THESE BOOKS THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW PERVERTED IT'S GONNA GET, BUT
[01:05:01]
IT'S PRETTY DISGUSTING TO TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THIS, THIS MATERIAL'S BEING REVIEWED AGAIN AND IT HASN'T CHANGED.AND WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS MORE MATERIAL THAT THAT IS CONSIDERED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL.
UM, I HAVE A DAUGHTER AND I DON'T THINK HAVING THIS KIND OF MATERIAL IN SCHOOLS DOES ANY GOOD FOR ANY BOY OR GIRL.
UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A DESCRIPTION OF A RAPE AND THE MAJORITY OF THE TIMES WHEN A BOOK CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF A RAPE THE PUNISHMENT, UH, DISAPPEARS.
THERE'S NO, THERE IS NO JUDGMENT RENDERED ON, UH, ON THE SUSPECT THAT COMMIT THAT COMMITS THE RAPE.
AND FURTHERMORE, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE THE EMOTIONAL RAPE OF OUR CHILDREN AND IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THANK YOU, MS. MILLIE BENNETT.
GOOD MORNING, BRIGHT AND EARLY TO EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS MILLIE BENNETT AND I AM A 2023 GRADUATE AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL AS AN AP SCHOLAR WITH HONORS AND A RECIPIENT OF OF THE PALMETTO FELLOWS SCHOLARSHIP AND THE FOUNDATION FOR LEADERSHIP EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP.
I AM NOW A JUNIOR AT THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON IN THE HONORS PROGRAM AND I'VE COME BACK TO BEFOR TODAY TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RESOLVED.
THE LOVELY BONES BY ALICE BOLD HAS BEEN HERE BEFORE, PUT ON TRIAL BY ONE COMPLAINANT ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO.
AT THAT TIME, IT WAS REVIEWED BY OUR COMMUNITY FOR ITS EDUCATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, QUALITY, CONTENT, APPROPRIATENESS, AND AVOIDANCE OF PERVASIVE VULGARITY.
ALL CATEGORIES PULLED DIRECTLY FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY'S BOOK REVIEW FORMS. THE LOVELY BONES PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS PRAISED BY ITS REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR ITS DIVERSE AND THOUGHTFUL HANDLING OF THEMES SUCH AS LOSS AND VIOLENCE.
I SAY DIVERSE BECAUSE THIS BOOK ADDRESSES ITS THEMES THROUGH DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW, SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT A THREAT, BUT RATHER A STRENGTH OF THE NARRATIVE.
WHEN THE LOVELY BONES WAS FIRST I READ IT, I WAS 18 AND STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE NEVER GONE THROUGH ANY OF WHAT IS DETAILED IN THE BOOK.
BUT READING ABOUT IT WAS A SAFE WAY FOR ME TO ENGAGE WITH THE HARSH REALITIES OF OUR WORLD.
SHORTLY AFTER ITS PUBLICATION IN 2002, THE NEW YORK TIMES SAID THIS AS A REVIEW.
THIS BOOK HAPPENS TO HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED AT A MOMENT WHERE
THE VERY IDEA OF SAL'S SUBJECT MATTER MIGHT MAKE A READER QUEASY, BUT THERE'S NOTHING PUR OR EXPLOITATIVE IN THE LOVELY BONES.
SUSIE'S STORY, PARADOXICALLY, IS ONE OF HOPE SET AGAINST A GRIM REALITY.
OH YES, THIS BOOK IS SAD AND UPSETTING, BUT ITS INTENT IS NOT VULGARITY, BUT EDUCATION AND SAFETY.
WHAT SAFEWAY IS THERE? I ASK YOU FOR A STUDENT TO LEARN ABOUT THESE VERY REAL DANGERS IN THE WORLD THEN BY READING A BOOK.
SCHOOL IS NOT JUST ABOUT MATH AND SCIENCE, YOU CAN GO TO COLLEGE AND GET A JOB.
SCHOOL IS ALSO EDUCATION ABOUT THE WORLD, BOTH ITS WONDERS AND ITS UGLINESS.
EDUCATION IS MEANT TO BE EXPANSIVE, NOT REDUCTIVE.
REMOVING STUDENTS IN SCHOOL ACCESS TO BOOKS IS WHAT ACT WHAT IS ACTUALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT PREVENTS STUDENTS FROM ARMING THEMSELVES WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT ACTUALLY PROTECTS THEM FROM HARM.
IF NOTHING ELSE, I WANT TO LEAVE YOU ALL WITH THIS.
THE CITIZENS OF BEAUFORT HAVE ALREADY MADE THEIR DECISION.
THEY MADE IT THROUGHOUT THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR WHEN STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME OUT AND DROVE TO PROTEST.
THE BANNING OF THESE BOOKS GREATLY OUTNUMBERING THOSE WHO, THOSE WHO WANT THE BOOKS BANNED.
OUR COMMUNITY SHOWED UP IN DECEMBER 1ST WHEN THE RE REVIEWING COMMITTEE APPROVED THE LOVELY BONES FOR CIRCULATION.
WE SHOWED UP AGAIN IN JANUARY WHEN THE COMPLAINANT APPEALED THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS, THE COMMUNITY PROTESTED AND THE BOARD UPHELD THE COMMUNITY'S DECISION.
THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE TODAY ONCE MORE DEFENDING THIS BOOK IS NOT BECAUSE THE BOOK NEEDS TO BE UNJUSTLY TAKEN FROM OUR STUDENTS FOR SUPPOSED VULGARITY, BUT BECAUSE THE SAME COMPLAINANT FROM THREE YEARS AGO DID NOT GET TO MAKE THE DECISION SHE WANTED FOR 21,000 STUDENTS BECAUSE THE COMPLAINANT DECIDED THAT SHE LOANED KNEW BEST FOR 21,000 CHILDREN THAT ARE NOT HERS.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY ZERO REASON BEYOND THE RESTRICTIVE WORLDVIEW OF ONE PERSON.
THIS BOOK DOES NOT BELONG IN THE HANDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
I HOPE YOU'LL LISTEN TO YOUR STUDENTS, LISTEN TO YOUR VOTERS, AND LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO HE DOES GET CAUGHT AT THE END OF THE BOOK.
ANY COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, GO TO THE NEXT BOOK.
NEXT BOOK IS 13 REASONS WHY SILA.
EVERYBODY KEEPS MENTIONING THE REVIEW COMMITTEES AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THIS BOARD THAT THOSE REVIEW COMMITTEES WERE CONDUCTED PRIOR TO REGULATION 43 1 70.
SO THEY WERE NOT ADDRESSING WHAT IS IN THAT REGULATION, SO THEIR DECISIONS SHOULD BE NULL AND VOID.
[01:10:02]
I'M GONNA ASK FOR SOME DECORUM.IF YOU CANNOT KEEP QUIET, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
BEAUFORT HIGH, BLUFFTON HIGH, BLUFFTON MIDDLE, HE MCCRACKEN MIDDLE HILTON, HEAD ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL, HILTON HEAD ISLAND MIDDLE MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE AND SPANISH VERSIONS IN BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
PLEASE NOTE THAT RESEARCH CONFIRMS PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FROM THE ADAPTATION OF THE MOVIE.
FROM THIS BOOK, LOGIC WOULD DICTATE THAT SIMILAR RISK COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT FROM THE BOOK AS WELL.
ALTHOUGH THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT OF THE BOOK IS MINOR, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK COULD BE MAJOR.
THEREFORE, I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS BOOK IS EDUCATIONALLY SUITABLE NOR AGE APPROPRIATE FOR MINORS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THE NETFLIX SHOW 13 REASONS WHY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A 29, UH, EXCUSE ME, 28.9% INCREASE IN SUICIDE RATES AMONG US YOUTH AGES 10 TO 17 IN THE MONTH APRIL, 2017, FOLLOWING THE SHOW'S RELEASE ACCORDING TO AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR ONGOING TRENDS IN SUICIDE RATES.
ACCORDING TO A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CA ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY, THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE NECESSITY OF USING BEST PRACTICES WHEN PORTRAYING SUICIDE AND POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT.
THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY RESEARCHERS AT SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS, AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
PART OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH IS ALSO, AND IMH ALSO FUNDED THE STUDY.
THE NUMBER OF DEATHS BY SUICIDE RECORDED IN APRIL, 2017 WAS GREATER THAN THE NUMBERS SEEN IN ANY SINGLE MONTH DURING THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD EXAMINED BY THE RESEARCHERS.
WHEN THE RESEARCHERS ANALYZED THE DATA BY SEX, THEY FOUND THE INCREASE IN THE SUICIDE RATE WAS PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN SUICIDE IN YOUNG MALES.
WHILE SUICIDE RATES FOR FEMALES INCREASED AFTER THE SHOW'S RELEASE, THE INCREASE WAS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
THE RESEARCHERS EXAMINED WHETHER THE RATES OF SUICIDE FOR THE PERIOD AFTER THE RELEASE OF 13 REASONS WHY WERE GREATER THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED BASED ON SUICIDE COUNTS AND TRENDS OBSERVED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
THE RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT THE RATES FOR SUICIDE FOR 10 TO 17 YEAR OLDS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN THE MONTHS OF APRIL, JUNE AND DECEMBER, 2017 THAN WERE EXPECTED BASED ON PAST DATA, THIS INCREASE TRANSLATED INTO AN ADDITIONAL ESTIMATED 195 SUICIDE DEATHS BETWEEN APRIL 1ST, 2017 AND DECEMBER 31ST, 2017.
THE OBSERVED SUICIDE SITE RATE FOR MARCH, 2017.
THE MONTH PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF 13 REASONS WHY WAS ALSO HIGHER THAN FORECAST.
THE RESEARCHERS NOTE THAT THE SHOW WAS HIGHLY PROMOTED DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH, EXPOSING AUDIENCES TO THE SHOW'S PREMISE AND CONTENT THROUGH TRAILERS.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK AT SUPPORT OF MS. SAI? HEARING NONE NOW, OPEN IT UP FOR SOMEONE TO CALL IN AND IN SUPPORT AT 8 4 3 3 2 2 0 7 3 3.
AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, UH, TO CALL IN.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK, UH, TO RETAIN, UH, 13 REASONS WHY
[01:15:01]
I DON'T HAVE A COMMENT CARD FROM ANYBODY.I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ANYBODY UNLESS SOMEBODY WISHES TO CALL IN.
IF YOU WISH TO CALL IN, IN SUPPORT OF RETAINING THE BOOK, 13 REASONS WHY, UH, YOU CAN CALL IN AT (843) 322-0733.
YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TEAM, ANYBODY CALL IN? SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT BOOK UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT A BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS BOOK.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT BOOK.
THE BOOK IS THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN.
I AM REQUESTING TO BE UM, LIMITED TO 11TH AND 12TH GRADES.
IT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, BLUFFTON HIGH, BLUFFTON MIDDLE, AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL.
PAGE 17, POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF SEX.
POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF THE REGULATION, AS IT SEEMS, IS IF THERE'S A REFERENCE TO GIVING A B*****B.
PAGE 52 IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE.
THE INSINUATION OF USING A TURKEY BASTER TO INSEMINATE IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE.
PAGE 100, NOT AGE APPROPRIATE.
A MINOR TRYING TO SEDUCE AN OLDER MAN.
AND, UM, THE WORD F**K IS IN THE BOOK 10 TIMES.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK, UH, IN SUPPORT OF BANNING THE ART OF RACING OR RESTRICTING THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN? IF SO, CALL 8 4 3 3 2 2 0 7 3 3.
AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO CALL IN.
UH, MR. OR MRS. PARKER, I CAN'T READ THE FIRST NAME.
I ATTEND BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF STUDENTS DEMAND ACTION, AND I SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF DIVERSITY AWARENESS YOUTH LITERACY ORGANIZATION.
RIGHT NOW, I SHOULD BE IN MY PSYCHOLOGY CLASS EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT, BUT INSTEAD, I'M HERE TO EXPLAIN TO A ROOM FULL OF ADULTS WHO SHOULD BE EMPOWERING ME TO READ MORE BOOKS.
WHY ONE PARENT SHOULD NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DICTATE WHICH BOOKS 22,000 BEAUFORT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS DO AND DO NOT GET TO READ.
DURING THE PREVIOUS CHALLENGE, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN WAS REVIEWED AND APPROVED FOR RETURN TO OUR SCHOOLS IN MARCH OF 2023.
IN BOTH COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS NOVEL AND OTHERS, THE COMPLAINANT LISTED EVERY SWEAR WORD CONTAINED IN THE BOOK IN
[01:20:01]
AN EFFORT TO SHOCK US.APPARENTLY SHE'S DISGUSTED BY THE USE OF THE WORD B***H, BUT ISN'T SHOCKING IS THAT, THAT THE COMPLAINANT IS STILL MISSING THE CONTEXT OF THE USAGE.
AS ANYONE WHO HAS ACTUALLY READ THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN KNOWS THE NARRATOR.
AND IN EVERY INSTANCE, ENZO IS USING THAT WORD CORRECTLY.
AND FURTHERMORE, THE SUPPOSED SEXUAL CONTENT IN THIS BOOK, IT'S NOT GRAPHIC AT ALL, NOR IS IT VIOLENT.
THE COMPLAINANT'S VERY UNCERTAIN LANGUAGE IN HER OWN COMPLAINT FORM MAKES CLEAR HER ARGUMENT IS WEAK AT BEST, THE COMPLAINANT STATES AND OF AN OUT OF CONTEXT PASSAGE THAT IT SEEMS AS IF THIS IS A REFERENCE TO ORAL SEX.
NOW, AS SOMEONE WHO READ THIS BOOK RECENTLY, I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE THIS REFERENCE.
UNSURPRISINGLY, THE COMPLAINANT MISSED THE CONTEXT.
THE NARRATOR, WHO, AGAIN, IS A DOG, STATES A FEW SENTENCES BEFORE THE PASSAGE IN QUESTION.
I TRY NOT TO ACT OFF PUTTING BECAUSE I KNEW HOW INFATUATED DENNY WAS WITH HER, BUT I ADMIT I WAS LESS THAN EMBRACING OF HER PRESENCE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, SHE WAS LESS THAN EMBRACING OF ME.
WE WERE BOTH SATELLITES ORBITING DENNY'S SON, STRUGGLING FOR GRAVITATIONAL SUPREMACY.
THE CONTEXT IS ENZO EXPRESSING HIS JEALOUSY OF HIS OWNER'S GIRLFRIEND AS PART OF HIS OWN JOURNEY TO UNDERSTAND HUMANITY.
ANOTHER PASSAGE CITED IN THE COMPLAINT IS AN OUT OF CONTEXT REFERENCE TO A SUBPLOT ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES THAT COME FROM THE PUBLIC LIES OF A TOXIC ATTENTION SEEKER.
IT'S A SHAME THAT INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE MAIN THEMES OF THIS NOVEL, LOVE, PERSEVERANCE, AND COMMUNICATION, ALL SKILLS AND TRAITS ESSENTIAL FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS LIKE ME TO LEARN BEFORE WE GRADUATE AND ARE SENT OFF TO FEND FOR OURSELVES.
I'M INSTEAD CURRENTLY TRYING TO DEFEND THE BOOK ABOUT A DYING DOG, WHICH IS ODD FROM BASIS COMPLAINTS, CONTEXT MATTERS, TRUTH MATTERS, TRUSTING YOUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR EDUCATORS.
MAKE TO MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES ABOUT THE BOOKS WE READ MATTERS.
AGAIN, I AM BRIA PARKER, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE DIVERSITY AWARENESS YOUTH LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION AT BEAUFORT HIGH SCHOOL.
ANY, ANY COMMENTS BY BOARD MEMBERS THERE? NONE.
WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT BOOK ON THE LIST.
UH, DO YOU MIND IF WE TAKING, UH, 88 8 A 10 MINUTE BATHROOM BREAK? YEAH.
WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.
IS TILT MS. SAI TILT BY ELLEN HOPKINS.
AVAILABLE BEAUFORD HIGH SCHOOL.
BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, AND WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE.
PAGE FOUR, VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF SEX.
PAGE SEVENTEENS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE.
DESCRIBES HOW PORN CAN BE ASSESSED ONLINE FOR MINOR.
DESCRIBES THE PORN, THE MINORS WATCHING.
PAGE 55, NOT AGE APPROPRIATE, COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE POINT ACROSS WITHOUT THE MENTION OF BLEEDING THAT WAS CAUSED BY NON-CONSENSUAL A**L SEX OF A MINOR.
PAGE 71 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF SEX AND BODILY FLUIDS.
PAGE ONE 15 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF MASTURBATION AND SEX.
PAGE 2 36, VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF SEX.
PAGE 4 0 4 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH KISSING OF NIPPLES, TID PENIS AND DESCRIPTION OF ORAL SEX WITH A MINOR.
AND THOUGH I WANT TO SAY, NO, I CAN'T, IT FEELS SO GOOD.
BENEATH MY SKIRT, I FEEL HIM GROW HARD AGAINST THE THIN BARRIER OF MY PANTIES.
HIS MOUTH IS AROUND MY NIPPLE, AND HE MUMBLES Y.
NOW HIS LIPS MOVE AN INCH OR SO HIGHER, AND HE STARTS TO SUCK SOFTLY AT FIRST, THEN HARDER.
IT IS CRAZY GOOD, AND IT MAKES ME MOAN.
BUT WHEN HE TRIES TO SLIDE DOWN MY PANTIES, I KNOW I CAN'T, NOT YET.
THEN HE SAYS WE CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE.
HE LIFTS ME UP, UNDOES HIS ZIPPER, AND THIS IS NO MOVIE.
WHEN HE FREES HIS ERECTION AND SHOWS ME EXACTLY HOW TO USE MY MOUTH TO GET HIM OFF.
I WISH I COULD SAY I DON'T LIKE IT, BUT SOMEHOW I DO.
YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THE PROPER GRIP WITH A SLIPPERY FIST, WHOOPEE.
BUT MAN DOES NOT LIVE BY E*********N ALONE.
THERE'S THE WHOLE PURSUE AND CONQUER THING
[01:25:01]
TO CONSIDER, WHICH IS WHY LOOSE GIRLS AREN'T ALL THAT MUCH FUN.OKAY? MAYBE I'M A BIT WARPED THAT WAY, BUT HARD TO GET.
TURNS ME ON BESIDE KIND OF LIKE PLAYING TEACHER, WHICH IS WHY I AM SO PATIENT WITH THIS LITTLE GIRL WHO WILL BE SO WORTH THE WAIT.
I PLAN ON WINNING A MAJOR JACKPOT, TAKING HER ALL THE WAY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
IF THAT MEANS PATIENCE, OKAY, BY ME.
PAGE 4 26, VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF ORAL SEX.
PAGE 4 31 VIOLATES THE REGULATION, WHICH DESCRIPTION OF TOUCHING A BREAST, SEXTING WITH A MINOR, WITH INSTRUCTIONS OF WHAT TO DO AND WHERE TO TOUCH.
AND GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF MASTURBATION.
I WANNA PICK, AND NOW I WANT ANOTHER ONE.
I LET ONE HAND SLIDE TO THE CROTCH OF MY PANTIES.
PULL THE LACEY MATERIAL JUST A LITTLE TO ONE SIDE.
I KEEP MY FINGERS COVERING THE MOST PERSONAL PART.
TAKE A QUICK PICTURE THAT I HOPE WE'LL DO WELL.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF MS. SAI? IS THERE ANYBODY, UH, ONLINE WOULD WISH TO CALL IN? YOU CAN CALL IN AT (843) 322-0733.
AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO CALL IN.
WELL, I DID READ THIS BOOK AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT MY OPINION OF IT, UH, SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS DISTRICT OR ANY OTHER PARENT, OR HOW THEY DETERMINE, UH, THE BOOKS THAT THEIR CHILDREN SHOULD READ.
AND I DON'T THINK MY OPINION SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON ANY OTHER CITIZEN IN THIS STATE OR ANY OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTRY.
UH, I DO THOUGH TO GIVE MY COMMENT MORE WEIGHT THAN THE OTHER GAL THAT SPOKE ON THIS BOOK BECAUSE I ACTUALLY READ THE ENTIRE BOOK.
BUT I DO THINK THAT ANY LITERARY WORK MORE ADVANCED THAN C SPOT RUN, WILL HAVE PHRASES OR CONTENT THAT'S BOUND TO TRIGGER SOMEBODY OR OFFEND SOMEBODY WHEN TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.
AND I DO ALSO THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE ONLY HAVE THE POWER TO UNDERMINE OUR FREEDOMS IF WE ALLOW IT.
AND AS A REMINDER TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THIS BOARD, UM, PLEASE RECALL HOW MUCH OF YOUR TIME, ENERGY, AND OUR TAX DOLLARS THESE FOLKS ALREADY WASTED TILTING AT THIS VERY SAME WINDMILL.
ISN'T THERE A SEVERAL YEAR PERIOD THAT HAS TO ELAPSE BEFORE THE SAME PERSON IS ALLOWED TO MAKE THE SAME TIRESOME REQUEST? I, I MEAN, HOW MANY BITES AT THIS SAME APPLE AS ONE PERSON ALLOWED TO HAVE? UH, AND JUST IN CLOSING, WHEN I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, A LOCAL BOOK BANNER TRIED TO GET HUCKLEBERRY FINN AND TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD BAND, AND THEY GOT LAUGHED OUT OF TOWN.
ANY COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MIKE, GO TO THE LAST BOOK.
[01:30:07]
THE DUFF IS AVAILABLE AT BLUFFTON HIGH SCHOOL, MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL AND WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.PAGE 29, VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH TOUCHING OF BREAST THROUGH FABRIC.
PAGE 65 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH TOUCHING OF BREAST THROUGH FABRIC.
PAGE 75, PAGE 96, AND PAGE 1 48 FOR AGE APPROPRIATENESS, ALONG WITH PAGE 1 65.
PAGE 1 67 VIOLATES THE REGULATION WITH DESCRIPTION OF ORAL SEX.
HIS HANDS BEGAN MOVING MY JEANS AND UNDERWEAR DOWN MY KNEES.
ONE OF THEM PAUSING BRIEFLY TO SQUEEZE THE TICKLISH PLACE ABOVE MY HIP, CAUSING ME TO JERK ONCE WITH A GIGGLE, HIS LIPS MOVED LOWER AND LOWER, AND I WAS SURPRISED BY HOW MUCH I WAS ANTICIPATING THEIR FINAL DESTINATION.
I HEARD VICKI AND EVEN CASEY TALK ABOUT THEIR BOYFRIENDS GOING DOWN ON THEM AND HOW GOOD IT FELT.
I'D HEARD, BUT I DIDN'T ENTIRELY BELIEVE IT.
JAKE AND I HAD NEVER DONE THAT.
AND I'D ALWAYS JUST ASSUMED IT WAS GROSS AND WEIRD.
IT WAS KIND OF WEIRD AT FIRST, BUT THEN IT WASN'T ANYMORE.
IT FELT STRANGE, BUT IN A GOOD WAY, DIRTY, WRONG.
MY FINGERS CURLED IN THE SHEETS, GRIPPING THE CLOTH TIGHTLY, AND MY KNEE SHOOK.
I WAS FEELING THINGS I'D NEVER FELT BEFORE.
AH, OH, I GASPED WITH PLEASURE AND SURPRISE AND OH S**T.
HE HEARD THE CAR DOOR SLAM TOO.
THIS BOOK HAS THE WORD F**K IN IT 54 TIMES AND THE WORD S**T 46 TIMES.
AND THAT IS THE LAST OF THE BOOKS.
UM, FOR TODAY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, HEARING ME OUT.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE REVIEW COMMITTEES THAT REVIEWED THESE BOOKS PREVIOUSLY DID SO NOT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF REGULATION 43 1 70.
THEREFORE, THOSE COMMITTEE'S DECISIONS DO NOT PERTAIN TO WHAT THE LAW IS NOW.
SO I APPRECIATE IF YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF EITHER REMOVING THE BOOKS THAT I HAVE RECOMMENDED OR RESTRICTING THE, I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO BOOKS THAT I RECOMMENDED FOR THAT.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF MS. SAI IN THE, UH, THE ROOM? SEEING NONE, YOU'RE NOW AVAILABLE TO CALL IN AT (843) 322-0733.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF MS. ALI, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO CALL IN.
THOSE WHO SEEK TO BAN BOOKS ARE NEVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.
THIS QUOTE HAS BEEN SHARED WIDELY AND MOST NOTABLY ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN ROSENTHAL, A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
AND HE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT BECAUSE IN A WORD, IT'S OPPRESSION.
AS HIGHLIGHTED BY HISTORIAN DR. CAROLYN PORTER, THE ACT OF DENYING LITERACY AND BANNING BOOKS HAS BEEN USED AS A TOOL, UH, HAS, IS, IS A TOOL THAT HAS BEEN USED BY OPPRESSIVE FORCES THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN THE 18 HUNDREDS, RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA, RIGHT HERE IN BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA,
[01:35:01]
WEALTHY WHITE ELITES ENACTED LAWS THAT PROHIBITED ENSLAVED PEOPLE FROM LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE AS A METHOD OF MAINTAINING THEIR OPPRESSION, DENYING THEM THE USE OF KNOWLEDGE AS A TOOL OF LIBERATION.IN THE 1930S AS A PRECURSOR TO THEIR LARGER UNSPEAKABLE ATROCITIES, THE NAZIS STAGED PUBLIC BOOK BURNINGS, DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF BOOKS AUTHORED BY JEWISH, GAY OR OTHER SO-CALLED DISSIDENT AUTHORS.
NOTABLE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AND ITS ADVOCATES HAVE LONG ATTESTED TO THE FACTS THAT BANNING BOOKS RESTRICTS INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM, HINDERS CRITICAL THINKING, HOMOGENIZES WORLDVIEWS, AND LIMITS EMPATHY BY PREVENTING ACCESS TO CHALLENGING IDEAS AND DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.
WHY ON EARTH WOULD TO ADVANCE ANY DIRECTIVE THAT WANTS THE, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT THIS WORLD COULD USE, IT'S MOST CERTAINLY THE, THE D IS A EXAMPLE OF AGES 15 PLUS THAT PROMOTES EMPATHY AT THE TENDER AGE OF ALMOST 17
IT FOLLOWS THE STORY OF BIANCA, WHO CONSIDERS HERSELF THE DUFF DESIGNATED UGLY FAT FRIEND OF HER PEER GROUP.
WHAT SHE COMES TO REALIZE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE BOOK IS THAT ALL OF US ARE THE DUFF IN OUR OWN WAY, AND WE SHOULD EMBRACE IT.
THE BOOK REALISTICALLY TOUCHES ON THEMES LIKE BODY IMAGE, ALCOHOLISM, DIVORCE, STRUGGLES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY GIRLS FACE AS TEENS WHILE TRYING TO ESTABLISH THEIR SELF-WORTH.
LIMITING ACCESS TO BOOKS LIKE THIS DOES NOTHING TO PROTECT OR HELP WHERE INSTEAD HURTS THEM.
IN FACT, AS THE MOM OF A SIXTH GRADER CURRENTLY SCHOOL, CROOK COUNTY HAS CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO SERVED ON TWO OF THE COMMITTEES DURING THAT PROCESS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
I FEEL LIKE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, TIME, AND SOURCES THAT COULD BE BETTER SPENT SHARING PUBLIC EDUCATION VERSUS THE BOARD.
HAVE ANY THE BOARD HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE BOOK? DUFF? SEEING NONE, UH, OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO, UH, EV VOTE.
UH, I LIKE TO APPLAUD BOTH SIDES.
I LIKE TO APPLAUD BOTH SIDES FOR THE PASSION AND COMMITMENT, WHICH BOTH SIDES HAVE EXPRESSED.
IT'S A CHALLENGING CONUNDRUM THAT WE AS A BOARD HAVE TO SORT OF DECIDE.
HOWEVER, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SOLOMONIC DECISION.
WE DON'T HAVE TO SPLIT THE BABY.
I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND IN TERMS OF RESPECTING THE FIRST AMENDMENT, THE 14TH AMENDMENT AND PARENTAL RIGHTS, THAT THIS VOTE, THIS BOARD VOTE FOR ALL NINE BOOKS TO BE RESTRICTED AND RESPECTING PARENTAL RIGHTS TO DECIDE WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO ACCESS.
SECOND, I'LL SECOND THAT A MOTION.
MOTION'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? THANK YOU.
UH, I DO THINK, UH, I WAS ON AN AI PODCAST, NOT ON IT.
I WAS LISTENING TO A PODCAST ON AI AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE, GEN Z, UH, TREATING AI AS FRIENDS AND WHAT THAT WAS A CONCERNING, UH, THING THAT'S DEVELOPED.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WAS, UM, SOME STATS THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH ABOUT, UH, PORNOGRAPHY IN YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND THEY SAID THAT THE AVERAGE AGE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SO I'M ASSUMING COVID WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT THAT, UH, PEOPLE BEGIN WATCHING.
PORNOGRAPHY HAS DROPPED FROM 20 TO 16, AND THAT GREATER THAN 50% OF 12 YEAR OLDS IN AMERICA HAVE SEEN PORN BY THE TIME THAT THEY'RE 12.
I THINK ALSO ONE IN FIVE, DEPENDING ON WHICH STATISTIC YOU LOOK AT, BETWEEN ONE IN FIVE AND ONE IN 10 GIRLS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 24 ARE ON ONLYFANS.
SO I THINK THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, UH, WITH SOME OF THESE, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, WHEN I TALK TO OTHER PARENTS ABOUT THIS, THE PROBLEM IS NOT IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
UM, THE PROBLEM IS ON THE DEVICES.
THE PROBLEM IS ON WHAT'S ON TV, WHAT'S ACCESSIBLE ON YOUTUBE, WHAT'S ACCESSIBLE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
[01:40:01]
I THINK THAT THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND EFFORT THAT THIS BOARD IS HAVING TO COMMIT TO SCHOOL BOOKS, UH, LIBRARY BOOKS, WHICH WE'VE SEEN THE CIRCULATION STATS, THEY'RE NOT GETTING CHECKED OUT.UM, THEY'RE AVAILABLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING CHECKED OUT IS NOT REALLY THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STATE IS TRYING TO DO, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT MS. S I'M SORRY.
UM, ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK IT'S A SYMBOLIC EFFORT AND NOT, SO IT'S MORE OF A PURIC VICTORY BECAUSE WE ARE VENTURING INTO, WITH THIS REGULATION SOME FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISSUES, UH, SOME STUDENT AGENCY ISSUES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A DANGEROUS SLOPE FOR US TO START DOWN TOO.
SO I'M UNWILLING TO VACATE WHAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY REVIEW PROCESS HAS ALREADY DECIDED, BECAUSE THAT IS A BIG COMPONENT OF OBSCENITY LAWS, AND IT IS A BIG COMPONENT OF, UM, FREE SPEECH IN TERMS OF, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE WHAT CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY STANDARDS ARE.
OUR PROCESS TRIED REALLY HARD TO GET AT THAT.
IT WASN'T A PERFECT PROCESS, BUT IT WAS TIME CONSUMING.
I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN IT, IT WAS WELL RESPECTED.
UM, UM, AND I ALSO THINK THAT THIS REGULATION, IT HAS SOME, UH, SOME ISSUES THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT IN TERMS OF HOW YOU APPLY IT.
BECAUSE I THINK, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, HOW CAN WE RESTRICT RACING IN THE RAIN AND NOT 1984? I DON'T WANNA BE MAKING THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY I, UM, APPRECIATE BOTH SIDES.
I APPRECIATE THE ARGUMENTS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND WERE WELL THOUGHT OUT.
UM, BUT I'M NOT GONNA BE WILLING TO VACATE OUR COMMUNITY REVIEW PROCESS.
DO YOU HAVE OTHER COMMENTS, DR.
CAR? UH, I'LL ECHO MS. BOATWRIGHT THAT, UH, I'M NOT WILLING TO VACATE THE PREVIOUS DECISIONS OF THE REVIEW PROCESS AND THE DECISIONS THAT WERE UNDER GOING FORWARD.
MS. GORDON? MS. GORDON, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, A LITTLE CLOSER.
UM, I APPRECIATE BOTH SIDES AS WELL.
UH, WHAT WAS SAID TONIGHT, UH, OR TODAY, ESPECIALLY FROM MS. PARKER, UH, THE YOUNG STUDENT WHO, WHO SPOKE SO ELOQUENTLY, UM, ON ON ON WHAT HER ISSUES ARE, UM, LISTENING TO WHAT WAS BEING READ AND WHAT WAS BEING PRESENTED TO US.
THERE WAS NOT ONE PERSON WHO SPOKE, WHO ACTUALLY SAID, WELL, THIS HAPPENED TO ME AS A YOUNG GIRL.
WELL, I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THIS DID HAPPEN TO ME.
I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WASN'T RAPED, BUT THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN RAPED.
BUT BECAUSE OF BOOKS NOT BEING AVAILABLE TO ME TO READ, TO KNOW, UH, WHAT WAS BEING DONE OR TRYING TO BE DONE TO ME, OR WHAT I COULD DO TO PROTECT MYSELF, I WAS ABLE TO READ A BOOK AND THEREFORE ARM MYSELF SO THAT I WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE GIRLS, ONE OF THOSE STATISTICS.
BUT FOR YEARS, UM, I FINALLY GOT THE COURAGE TO TELL MY MOM THAT WAS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE, THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.
AND THERE'S SO MANY YOUNG GIRLS OUT THERE WHO CAN'T TELL ANYBODY, WHO WON'T TELL ANYBODY WHO, AND YOU'RE LISTENING TO THIS, UH, THINGS THAT THEY WANNA READ TO US.
IT REALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN LIKE THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE WHAT THIS BOARD, WHAT THE COMMITTEE HAS DONE TO GO THROUGH THESE BOOKS.
I APPRECIATE THE YOUNG LADY FOR, YOU KNOW, PAGE 92, 1 0 2.
THE BOOK MAY HAVE A THOUSAND PAGES, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT EIGHT OR 10, 10 PAGES.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE ROOT CAUSE LIKE WHAT SHE'S, SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
OUR KIDS CAN SEE THIS ANYTIME THEY WANT TO.
BUT HOW DO WE STOP IT? ONE YOUNG LADY AT A TIME SPEAKING UP ABOUT IT LIKE MS. PARKER DID TODAY HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT I AGREE, I THINK WE SHOULD PUT THESE BOOKS BACK WHERE THERE WERE, WE'VE
[01:45:01]
BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT WE SHOULD EDUCATE OUR GIRLS.AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT IT HAPPENS BECAUSE THEY CAN READ IT AND SOME OF THEM GET EMPOWERED BY WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP SAVE THEMSELVES.
BUT NOT THAT I DON'T HAVE DREAMS ABOUT IT SOMETIMES, OR WONDER WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED TO ME IF THAT HAD TRULY HAPPENED TO ME.
SO WITH THAT, I I'LL SAY TO YOU, I AM ONE OF THOSE GIRLS, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT SEEING THAT THEY CAN READ ABOUT THIS, GIVEN THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, I CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM.
I CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS.
I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT BOARD.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUT THE INFORMATION OUT THERE AND LET IT FALL WHERE IT MAY TO HELP SOMEBODY'S CHILD ALONG THE WAY.
YOU OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU, OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I, I HAVE A, UH, MR. NAY.
UH, GIVEN THE, GIVEN THE THE 43 1 70 AND, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 16 15 3 0 5, UM, NOW THAT WE WE'RE GOING, IT, IT'S WITHOUT A DOUBT, WITHOUT A DOUBT.
THIS WHOLE, THIS WHOLE PROCESS SPLIT OUR COMMUNITY BACK IN, UH, 2223.
AND I, I, UH, WHEN, WHEN THIS SITUATION CAME BACK UP TO US, I WAS THE ONE OF THE BIGGEST OPPONENT OF THIS ALL HAPPENING AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE DIVISIVENESS THAT IT CREATED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I THINK GIVEN, UH, EVERYTHING THAT WE, THAT AS A SCHOOL BOARD THE STATE IS NOW EXPECTING US TO DO, WE'VE RECEIVED THE LETTER FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD ASKING US TO, TO REVIEW THIS AGAIN, KNOWING, KNOWING THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS GONE THROUGH THE RINGER, UM, WITH THE, WITH ATTENTION THAT WE DIDN'T ASK FOR, UH, ON 60 MINUTES AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
I, I THINK, UH, MR. DALLAS, UH, HAS A, UH, A PLAUSIBLE CONCLUSION FOR THIS.
I, I THINK RESTRICTING OUR BOOKS KEEPS THE BOOKS ON OUR SHELVES.
IT RESPECTS THE COMMUNITY'S, UM, INTENT WITH THE FIRST REVIEW PROCESS THAT WE DID.
IT KEEPS OUR BOOKS, UH, THOSE BOOKS, UH, IN OUR SCHOOLS.
BUT IT ALLOWS PARENTS, UH, TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO READ THESE BOOKS.
UH, AND I, I THINK, UH, GIVEN THE NEW GUIDANCE, 43 1 70, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE, THE MOST AMICABLE SOLUTION RIGHT NOW.
DR. RODRIGUEZ, A QUESTION, UH, HOW WOULD YOU IMPLEMENT RESTRICTING THESE BOOKS IF THIS MOTION PASSES? WELL, I THINK WHAT WE WOULD, WE'D WORK WITH OUR, UH, DISTRICT LIBRARIAN WHO, WHO I KNOW WILL BE COMMUNICATING WITH, UH, LIBRARIANS AT SCHOOLS.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, UM, BASED ON, BASED ON THE MOTION AND WHAT IT'S ASKING FOR, UM, THE BOOKS WOULD, WOULD BE, UH, UH, WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE CHECKED OUT WITHOUT, UH, HAVING, UM, A PARENTAL, UH, UH, CONSENT, UH, SENT TO THE, THE SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN.
UM, SO THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ACCESS 'EM UNTIL, UNLESS THEY HAD THE, UH, PARENTAL CONSENT BASED ON MOTION.
UM, RESTRICTING RESTRICTION IS NOT BANISHMENT BANNING BOOKS.
YOU BAN A BOOK, YOU TAKE IT OUT OF THE LIBRARY, YOU BURN IT IN THE STREETS LIKE THE NAZIS DID.
RESTRICTING A BOOK REALLY CONSTITUTES GIVING PARENTAL RIGHTS.
AND THE US PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO RAISE CHILDREN AS PARENTS SEE FIT, INCLUDING DECISIONS ABOUT EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND RELIGION.
THESE RIGHTS ARE GROUNDED IN THE 14TH AMENDMENT.
IT ALLOWS PARENTS TO GUIDE THEIR CHILD'S UPBRINGING, BUT CAN BE LIMITED OR TERMINATED BY A COURT FOR REASONS OF LIKE ABUSE, NEGLECT, OR ABANDONMENT.
IF THE STATE DEMONSTRATES A COMPELLING INTEREST, WE ARE GIVING PARENTS THE RIGHT TO RESTRICT ACCESS TO THEIR CHILDREN THAT DOES NOT RESTRICT ANOTHER PARENT'S RIGHT TO GAIN ACCESS WITH THEIR PERMISSION.
[01:50:01]
VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO AT MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL AND AT RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY IN THEIR SOCIAL SCIENCE FAIR WHERE THE CHILD PICKS A TOPIC, SHOWS IT TO THE TEACHER ON, IT'S ON SOCIAL ISSUES AND IT'S SEXUAL ISSUES.THERE'S SEXUAL IDENTITY ISSUES.
THERE'S LOTS, UH, LOTS OF VERY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.
THE CHILD HAS TO TAKE HOME A SLIP TO THE PARENT AND THE PARENT SAYS THAT TOPIC IS OKAY FOR THEIR CHILD TO DO RESEARCH IN THE LIBRARY.
THEY COME BACK AND THEY DO THAT RESEARCH AND THEY SHOW THAT RESEARCH ON A TRIFOLD.
AND I HAVE BEEN TO AT LEAST FIVE OF THOSE SESSIONS, AND I SEE SOME OF THE BOOKS ON THIS ON THE 97 BOOK LIST THAT WE ORIGINALLY, UH, WERE LOOKING AT.
I SAW PICTURES FROM THE NOVEL SHOWN ON THE TRIFOLD AND ASKING PART OF THIS SCIENCE FAIR AS YOU GO AROUND AND ASK THE STUDENT, NOT ONLY TELL ME ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH, AND I WOULD ASK THEM, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A NOVEL? AND THE ANSWER WAS, I GOT A LOT OF FACTS ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, I LEARNED ABOUT THE SUICIDE RATES.
I LEARNED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S HAVING THOSE ISSUES AND I'M HAVING THOSE ISSUES.
BUT I GAINED MORE BY READING A STORY ABOUT WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH.
AND THAT MADE A GREATER IMPACT THAN ANYTHING THAT I FOUND WHEN I DID MY RESEARCH ON GOOGLE ABOUT MY PARTICULAR ISSUE.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A PROPER RESPONSE TO THE STATE BOARD'S REQUEST TO US, AND I WILL BE VOTING FOR IT.
AND IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, I'M GOING TO CALL A ROLL CALL VOTE.
I'LL CALL YOUR NAME BY ROLL CALL.
IF YOU SUPPORT IT, YOU CAN SAY NAY IF YOU DON'T, AND YOU CAN ABSTAIN IF YOU WISH TO MAKE YOUR COMMENT ON THIS PROCESS.
THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT.
TO SAY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHY YOU ARE VOTING THE WAY YOU ARE.
I'LL COMMENCE WITH THE VOTE NOW.
WOULD YOU MIND READING THE MOTION ONE MORE TIME BEFORE YOU START THE ROLL CALL NOW THAT WE'VE ALL COMMENTED, PLEASE.
THE MOTION IS THAT, UH, WE WOULD VOTE FOR ALL NINE BOOKS TO BE DESIGNATED AS RESTRICTED, UH, WHICH PUSHES THE AUTHORITY OVER TO THE PARENTS.
YOU HAVE IT? DO YOU HAVE IT WRITTEN OUT? I HEARD THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION RESTRICT THE NINE VOTES SUBMITTED, BUT I'LL CLEAR IT UP AFTER.
WELL, FOR CLARIFICATION, UH, FOR CLARIFICATION, CAN WE JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT IN A MOTION AND, UH, SO THAT, SO THAT WE, SO THAT IT'S CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE MOTION IS MOVING FORWARD.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND CRAFT THAT IF YOU COULD.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
WHAT WAS THE REST OF YOUR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION VOTE TO PLACE ALL NINE BOOKS PRESENTED TODAY IN THE RESTRICTED CATEGORY.
WHICH HONORS THE PARENTAL AUTHORITY AND CONSENT FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AUTHORITY THEIR CHILDREN CHAIRS.
[01:55:02]
BUT HE BROUGHT IT ONNOW YOU PUT THE VERY POSITION THERE IS I WANNA HEAR FROM ALL THE MOTION.
I MOVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION VOTE TO PLACE ALL NINE BOOKS PRESENTED TODAY IN THE RESTRICTED CATEGORY, WHICH HONORS THE PARENTAL AUTHORITY AND CONSENT TO GOVERN THEIR CHILDREN.
BEGIN THE, I'LL BEGIN THE VOTE FIRST.
I, I REQUEST THAT THEY BE RETURNED TO THE SHELVES WITHOUT RESTRICTION.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 4 2 AGAINST.
ARE WE READY TO MOVE ON THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM? OKAY, NEXT AGENDA ITEM BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD FOUNDATION LIKE GRANT LETTER OR OF INTENT OR APPLICATION FOR FUNDING.
GOOD MORNING BOARD MEMBERS YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR POSSESSION, ASHLEY, THE NEXT TWO AGENDA ITEMS, YOUR BOOKLET WILL CONTAIN AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
BARRY, STARTING ON PAGE ONE AND THE BOOKLET THAT YOU HAVE ON PAGES THREE WILL START THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR A LETTER OF INTENT TO APPLY TO THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD SOUTH CAROLINA FOUNDATION.
THIS IS IN SUPPORT OF OPERATIONAL EXPECTATION OS SEVEN.
WHENEVER THERE IS A GRANT IN REQUEST TO, UM, ANYTHING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, I MUST UPDATE YOU.
LET ME GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
THE LETTER OF IMP OF INTENT TO APPLY HAS BEEN SHARED WITH THE BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD, UM, OF CAROLINA MENTAL HEALTH INVESTING IN THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, SOUTH CAROLINA FOUNDATION GRANT FOCUSES ON AREAS THAT WILL HAVE A LASTING POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND MY MUST ADD BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOLS.
THOSE AREAS INCLUDE, AND THEY'RE LISTED IN THERE.
THEY SUPPORT ACCESS TO CARE, BUILDING A STRONGER WORKFORCE FOR HEALTH, IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND VALUE OF HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE, INVESTING IN THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AS WELL
[02:00:01]
AS SPECIAL PROJECTS.IF YOU LOOK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM ON PAGE THREE, IT IDENTIFIES THE NAME OF THE GRANT.
IT IS UNDER THE TERM FRAMEWORK, FAMILY RESEARCH BASED ADVOCACY FOR MENTAL HEALTH, EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND WELLNESS FOR IMPROVED OUTCOMES, RELATIONSHIPS AND KIDS.
THIS GRANT IN, UH, WILL BE EMBEDDED IN CURRENT RESEARCH THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE RESPONSIVE NEURODEVELOPMENTAL ROOTS OF MENTAL HEALTH IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SUGGESTS THAT THE PROMOTION OF SELF-REGULATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD HAS A POTENTIAL TO THE LADY ONSET OF CHRONIC PSYCHOPATHOLOGY.
SO LET ME PUT THIS INTO OTHER LA LANGUAGE.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING IS THE OPPORTUNITY OF SCREENING YOUNG CHILDREN EARLIER TO SEE IF MARY MAY NOT BE WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPMENTALLY, AND PUTTING IN EARLIER INTERVENTIONS IN SUPPORT OF OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD.
ALSO PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY OF OUR TEACHERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD TO IDENTIFY ACES OR CRITICAL AREAS OF THAT A CHILD MAY BE EXHIBITING LACK OF RESILIENCY, LACK OF CONTROL, AND PUTTING IN ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SO THAT MARY, LATER ON, I'LL USE MYSELF AS THE EXAMPLE MARY LATER ON, MAY BE ABLE TO BE IN THE RIGHT OR, OR ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE SUPPORT NECESSARY TO HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE IN OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED, UM, COMPLETED THE RFP AND I WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
SO WHY IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADING THE GRANT PROPOSAL IF IT THIS IS ZERO THROUGH FIVE, CORRECT? Y YES MA'AM.
SO, BUT WE DON'T INTERACT WITH CHILDREN UNTIL WE START INTERACTING WITH CHILDREN, ACTUALLY AT A FOUR.
AND WE WOULD PARTNER WITH HEAD START.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PPK SCENARIO THAT WE ARE INTERACTING WITH CHILDREN FROM AGES FOUR AND FIVE BECAUSE I'LL JUST SHARE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THIS, SO I DEFER TO THE EXPERTS, BUT I LIKE THE SOUTH CAROLINA INFANT MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION.
SOUNDS PRETTY DYSTOPIAN TO ME.
THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT'S LIKE WORRIED.
ALL OF MY NEPHEWS AND NIECES WHO WERE BORN AFTER A CERTAIN AGE HAVE BEEN PUT IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY.
THEY'VE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, IN MY OPINION, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MUCH AND I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHY HEAD START WOULDN'T APPLY FOR THE GRANT AND, AND PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOL.
I'M JUST SAYING, LIKE, TO ME IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE EXPANDING SORT OF WHAT THE SCHOOL'S RESPONSIBILITY IS INTO A YOUNGER AGE GROUP.
AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, WHO'S GOING TO BE DOING THIS THERAPY, WHAT, HOW THEY'RE GONNA BE RECOMMENDED.
LIKE IT SEEMS LIKE A BIG BITE IS, I GUESS ALL I'M SAYING.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY YOU GUYS DO, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT TO SAY IT'S A GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA, BUT I JUST WANNA RAISE THE CONCERN THAT I THINK LOWERING THE AGE AT WHICH THERE ARE CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS FOR SOME SORT OF INTERVENTIONS.
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
MAY I, SO THE SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL LICENSE THERAPISTS IN THE, IN THE, IN THE COUNTY.
I DO WANNA SHARE THAT THE EXPERIENCE AT ASHLEY GOULD, OUR DIRECTOR OF EARL EARLY READ READINESS, MANY OF OUR TEACHERS ARE FINDING MORE AND MORE CREATIVE BEHAVIORS IN OUR CLASSROOMS DOWN TO THE POINT THAT STUDENTS CHILDREN ARE NOT EVEN READY FOR, UM, USE OF TOILETS.
WE'RE STILL UTILIZING DIAPERS AT THE AGE FIVE FOR MANY COMING IN.
UM, THERE ARE OUTBREAK OF BEHAVIOR.
A LOT OF THIS IS POST COVID THAT WAS CITED EARLIER TODAY IN OUR MEETING.
UM, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR PARENTS, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS, AND HAVING READINESS FOR LEARNING AS AN INTERVENTION IS PROBABLY AT THE CORE OF THIS INTENT OF THE GRANT.
THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY ACTION.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A AREA OF, OF INFORMATION ONLY.
WHEN THE RFP IS COMPLETED, ALL INFORMATION WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
A COMMITTEE IS BEING ESTABLISHED FOR THE WRITING OF IT.
AND I CAN KEEP YOU APPRAISED OF THAT PROCESS AT ALL TIMES.
UM, I TEND TO AGREE WITH, UM, MS. BOATWRIGHT.
UM, MY CONCERN IS HOW MANY, HOW MANY, UM, FOUR OR FIVE YEAR OLDS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? ABOUT, UH, DO YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS FOR US OR WHAT PARTICULARLY ARE THEY NOT DOING AT THAT AGE THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING AT THAT AGE? AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MAY BE AN IEP THING OR GROWTH, UH, YOU KNOW, NON DEVELOPMENTAL, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? SO IF I COULD BRING YOU TO PAGE
[02:05:01]
FOUR WHERE IT SAYS GRANT ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES IN THAT FIRST SENTENCE, IT IDENTIFIES IMPROVED EARLIER LEARNING, SELF-REGULATION, PARENTING SKILLS, AND PROVIDER OF C CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, BEING ABLE TO DECREASE OFFICE REFERRALS FOR PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS AND INCREASE REFERRALS FOR MENTAL SUP HEALTH, OR I WANNA SAY MORE MENTAL WELLNESS.THE GOAL ULTIMATELY IS TO HAVE LESS OF AN INCREASE OF LOOKING AT STUDENTS ONTO A PATHWAY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND GIVING SUPPORT EARLY ENOUGH TO OUR CHILDREN TO SAY MAYBE MARY JUST NEEDED SOME DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORT IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR MY AGE VERSUS PUTTING ME DIRECTLY ON A PATHWAY FOR MTSS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AS WELL.
YEAH, I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, UM, IN THAT SAME GRANT ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES, IT SAYS DECREASE OFFICE REFERRALS FOR PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS AND INCREASE REFERRALS FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S THE PART THAT GOT MY ATTENTION.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT DECREASING THE REFERRALS FOR THAT AGE OF OF STUDENT.
UM, BUT WHEN I GUESS YOU THROW 'EM MORE INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OF IT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO THAT'S GONNA ATTRACT THEM FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? I MEAN, FOR, FOR THE REST OF THEIR SCHOOL LIFE? YOU KNOW, UM, THE SCHOOL REC IS GONNA SHOW, OH, WELL HE HAD MENTAL ISSUES, BUT HE OKAY.
VERSUS A DISCIPLINARY DOES GET INPUT.
SO WHEN IT SAYS DISCIPLINE, WE'RE TALKING DISCIPLINE MATRIX THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE OF DISCIPLINE AT YOUNGER AGES WITH STUDENTS.
ANY TYPE OF SUPPORT THAT A CHILD MAY RECEIVE THROUGH COUNSELING, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENTIAL ON A STUDENT.
THAT INCLUDES US ADULTS AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE TO, SO WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO HIRE, IF THIS WAS TO GO IN PLACE, WE'D HAVE TO HIRE QUALIFIED.
THAT IS PART OF THE GRANT IN ITSELF IS PARTNERING WITH OUTSIDE AGENCY, BUT ALSO BUILDING THE RESILIENCY OF THE CLASSROOM TEACHER.
NOT TO TURN FIRST TO A DISCIPLINE REFERRAL, BUT TO HELP BUILD THAT OPPORTUNITY OF BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH MARY AS, YES, I MAY NOT BE ACTING WHAT I BELIEVE WE MAY BELIEVE AS A FIVE-YEAR-OLD, HOW WE SHOULD ACT.
AND MARY MAY HAVE A LITTLE EXPLOSIVE BEHAVIOR IN THE CLASSROOM.
DOES THAT TURN INTO A DISCIPLINARY REFERRAL IMMEDIATELY OR DOES IT TURN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEESCALATE MARY AND THEN HAVE A COUNSELOR COME IN AND SPEAK WITH MARY BEFORE THERE'S A PATHWAY OF DISCIPLINE HAPPENING ON THAT CHILD AS WELL? OKAY.
UM, THE SOUTH CAROLINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAD A REALLY PHENOMENAL GATHERING YESTERDAY AT TCL.
UH, WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED BY A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF LEADERS FROM THE COMMUNITY BUSINESS, PHILANTHROPIC, UM, MEDICAL, UM, THREE LEVELS OF EDUCATION.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS OFFERED IS THAT SINCE, AND I'VE LEARNED THIS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, I DID, I HAD NO IDEA BEFORE THAT PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN BIRTH AND ACTUALLY COMING INTO THE DOORS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THAT IS REALLY PRIME LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT SPACE.
AND THE AVERAGE PARENT HAS NO IDEA.
AND SO IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME INSTITUTIONAL SOLUTIONS THAT BASICALLY GIVE THOSE KIDS A CHANCE, TO ME THIS IS THAT TYPE OF INITIAL EFFORT TO START LOOKING AT THAT BUSINESSES ARE BEGINNING TO REALIZE, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO EXPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO COMPENSATE FOR A KID WHO HASN'T HAD THAT NURTURING AND CATCHING THEM UP.
AND THAT AFFECTS THE CALIBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT THESE BUSINESSES ARE BASICALLY BRINGING IN.
AND YOU HEAR THEM ENUNCIATE THAT VERY CLEARLY.
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE INTERPERSONAL SKILL, THEY DON'T HAVE THE WORK ETHIC, THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO BUILD TEAMS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, GOOD, HONEST, HARDWORKING PEOPLE, BUT THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT MATURATION IN THE EARLY YEARS IN A LIVE DEVELOP OVER 12 ENSUING YEARS.
SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, AND THERE'S A STRONGEST, NOT ONLY A COINCIDENCE OR A CORRELATION, AS THEY SAY IN STATISTICS, IT'S A COST CAUSATION TYPE LINKAGE TO PARENT HOMES.
AND I, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I BRING IT UP, PEOPLE SAY, WHAT?
[02:10:01]
COME ON, I LIVE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE REALLY HONEST WITH OURSELVES, HARDLY HONEST WITH OURSELVES.
AND SOCIETY IS SAYING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE THINGS IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
SO I VIEW THIS AS A POSITIVE WAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
SO, UM, WE JUST HEARD ALL KINDS OF COMMENTS ABOUT PARENTS WANTING TO RESPECT THEIR RIGHTS TO PARENT AND GOVERN THE CHILDREN.
UH, I I'M NOT SURE THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE REACHING ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO TWO AND THREE YEAR OLDS, UH, FOR THIS KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE WE'RE ENC CROUCHING UPON WHAT WE JUST DECIDED WE WERE GONNA PROTECT.
SO, I MEAN, THAT, THAT SEEMS A LITTLE AWKWARD TO ME, BUT, SO IS THIS PROGRAM ACTIVELY, ACTIVELY LIKE RECRUITING PARENTS TO BRING THEIR KIDS IN? OR ARE WE JUST SAYING THIS IS, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT IF YOU WANT YOUR KID IDENTIFIED, SCAN THE QR CODE AND COME SEE US? I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS DEFINITELY THE LATTER OF THE TWO, SIR.
UM, WE CANNOT PROVIDE SERVICES WITHOUT HAVING A PARENT PERMISSION.
THAT IS VERY MUCH EVEN DOWN TO A SURVEY BEING ADMINISTERED TO A STUDENT THAT IS VERY MUCH TIED TO THE PARENT TRANSPARENCY ACT.
SO THE OPPORTUNITY OF SERVICE FOR YOUR CHILD, UNLESS WE GO TO DUE PROCESS, AND THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER COMPLICATED AREA.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA WALK THAT PATH.
THIS WOULD NOT GO TO THAT AREA.
BUT THE OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING THAT TYPE OF COUNSELING TO ANY CHILD INVOLVES THE PARENT FIRST BEFORE WE COULD, UNLESS THAT CHILD IS IN SOME TYPE OF CRITICAL STATE AND THEY'RE GONNA INFLICT HARM ONTO THEMSELVES, THEN WE DO HAVE TO USE WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE AS A SYSTEM IMMEDIATELY WITH EVERY IT IS AT A SCHOOL SITE, A FIELD TRIP.
BUT WE CANNOT DO ANY OF THESE SERVICES THAT WOULD GO THROUGH A SCREENING WITHOUT PARENTAL PARENTAL PERMISSION AT ALL.
I WAS JUST SAYING THAT THE EARLIER, THE BETTER AND WHATEVER ASSISTANCE CAN BE OFFERED, THANK DR.
THE EARLIER WE CAN INTERFERE IN CHILDREN'S LIVES AND NOT EVEN NECESSARILY INTERFERE, BUT BEING SOMEONE THAT, MY MOM HAD A DAYCARE IN HER HOME, AND YOU CAN SEE THE CHILDREN STRUGGLING, GIVING HELP AND ASSISTANCE IS WHAT IS NEEDED AT EVERY AGE.
I, I, I WOULD NEED YOU TO REPHRASE THE QUESTION, MA'AM.
IT WAS JUST, IT WAS PRAISE FOR YOU REACHING OUT TO AND DOING THIS AND INITIATING IT.
FIRST OFF, I'M GONNA START OFF BY SAYING, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, UH, UH, TO THE BOARD AND, UH, AND, UH, AND ALLOWING US TO NOTICE INFORMATION, UM,
BECAUSE ONE THING WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS AS A, AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THAT WHEN THOSE STUDENTS COME TO US AND MAJORITY OF THOSE HEAD START STUDENTS COME TO US, THAT WE TAKE FROM THE EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE OF NUMBERS, WE INHERIT THEIR NUMBERS AND WE TAKE UPON, THEY, THEY'RE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE HAVE A BUS THAT GOES AROUND THAT DRIVE AROUND FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF BEAUFORT.
NOW, I'M NOT SURE OF, UH, WHAT THE AGES THE BUS WON'T TAKE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE BUS DOES TAKE MATTER.
MATTER OF FACT, IN FACT, I'LL PAUSE THERE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT WITH REGARD TO OUR US WHO SERVICES OUR FAMILIES? I WILL, I WISH ASHLEY WAS HERE, BUT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, WE SERVICE THE NEED OF FAMILIES FROM BIRTH ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UM, PRENATAL CARE TO YOUNG MOTHERS, HELPING THEM ONCE YOU CHILD GIVES BIRTH, WE ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH DOCTORS IN REGARD TO PUTTING BOOKS IN THE HANDS OF NEW MOTHERS AND FATHERS AS, AS YOUR CHILD IS BORN.
WE PROVIDE SUPPORT FROM EARLY ON.
I DO WANNA ALSO BRING FORWARD THAT WE'VE MET WITH, UM, HEAD START RECENTLY, AND IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL MEETING, AND I DO WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION.
IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE FIVE, I GIVE YOU THE DEFINITION OF CHRONIC, AND BASICALLY IT IS PERVASIVE BEHAVIOR THAT CONTINUES AFTER THE SCHOOL HAS TRIED THE TOOLS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR HANDS.
THIS IS JUST AN ADDITIONAL TOOLBOX TO BRING IN EXPERTS TO HELP OUR LITTLE ONES SO THAT THEY ARE READY
[02:15:01]
FOR LEARNING AS THEY GO FORWARD.SO I, I HOPE I GAVE YOU PART OF YOUR ANSWER, MR. SMITH.
ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, YEAH, YOU DID, YOU DID.
UM, AND, AND, AND MOVING FORWARD AND MOVING FORWARD WITH MY, UH, COMMENTS AND UNDERSTANDING THIS, UM, I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE HAD A MEETING WITH, WITH, UH, WITH, WITH HEADSTART, UH, IN RE IN REGARD REGARDING THIS, UH, THIS, UM, TOOL MOVING FORWARD.
BECAUSE HERE'S WHAT REALITY IS.
UH, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN SCHOOL A MONTH.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN SCHOOL IN A MONTH WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS OF TALKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WATCHING DIFFERENT THINGS OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE HAVE A SITUATION HERE AND, AND, AND, AND, AND NOT ONLY JUST IN THIS COUNTY, BUT IN, IN THIS NATION, BUT IN THIS COUNTY, DEALING WITH AN UNDERSTANDING FROM ZERO TO FIVE, THE EARLY ON THAT YOU CATCH 'EM IS THE BETTER IT IS BECAUSE I, I USE MYSELF, HELL, SOMETIMES MY MY COLLEAGUES MAY LAUGH AT ME OR THEY MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT.
THE, AND I I SOMETIMES SAY THAT THE EARLIER ON THAT YOU CATCH US, THE MORE HELP YOU CAN GET.
SOME PEOPLE CATCH HELL GETTING THEIR KIDS TESTED AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE ARE RELENTLESSLY.
SO THE EARLIER YOU CATCH 'EM AND THESE KIDS CAN GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, THEN AT SOME POINT, MAYBE IN THE FOURTH OR FIFTH OR THIRD GRADE, WHEN THEY GET THAT TEST, THEY MAY NOT NEED AS, THEY MAY NOT NEED AS MUCH RESOURCES IN THOSE UPCOMING YEARS VERSUS HAVING THE RESOURCES THAT THEY MAY REQUIRE.
NOW, IF YOU VISIT THESE SCHOOLS AND YOU SEE SOME OF THE TRAUMA AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THESE SCHOOLS ARE, UH, SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT OCCUR THAT THESE KIDS ARE, ARE DEALING WITH, THEN THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THESE KIDS NEED RESOURCES.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THAT THE RESOURCES IN HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED IS CORRECT AND THAT WE ARE, WE ARE PUTTING THAT OUT THERE AND PARENTS NEED HELP.
JUST TO GO BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING TO THE MAIN THING I'VE SEEN, I'VE HEARD SO MANY PARENTS WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS AND ISSUES WHO HAVE SAID, GOING TO THE IEP MAKES ME CRY TO ME.
SOMEONE WHO HAS RAN THEIR IEP WHO HAS RAN THEIR OWN IEP MEETING THINK, UM, I'M GLAD MRS. MON DIXON IS SITTING IN THE ROOM BECAUSE SHE WILL TELL YOU SHE'S BEEN IN MY IEP MEETING AND SHE'S SEEN ME AS A STUDENT RUN MY OWN IEP MEETING OR TELL THEM WHAT I NEED AS A KID OR AS A STUDENT IN, IN THIS DISTRICT, IN THE SAME DISTRICT THAT I'M SERVING ON THE BOARD IN TODAY.
SO WHEN I SEE PARENTS SAY THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I HEAR PARENTS TELL ME THAT, THAT GOING TO THE IEP MAKES THEM CRY.
AND THEY'RE TAKING IT AS IN, HEY, LISTEN, Y'ALL ARE COMING IN HERE AND TELLING ME EVERYTHING THAT MY CHILD ISN'T DOING.
THE PARENTS SAID, WELL, WELL, BUT WHEN WE LEAVE THERE, IT IS HARDER TO GO HOME AND TRY TO IMPLEMENT IT ON ONE SIDE AND THEN THE SCHOOL IS TELLING ME WHAT MY KID ISN'T DOING.
SO WHAT TELLS ME IS THAT PARENTS NEED SOME TYPE OF HELP AND GUIDANCE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN BE A TEAM PLAYER, NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE.
SO I'M HEARING THAT THEY WANT TO BE, SO, MY MY THING TO GET BACK TO THE MAIN THING, IF WE'RE GIVING THEM THE RESOURCES TO SHOW THEM THAT, HEY, LISTEN, THIS IS WHAT YOU, YOU WANT TO IMPLEMENT YOUR CHILD ON SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR CHILD AT EARLIER AGE, AND WE CAN CATCH IT IN TERMS OF PATTERN OF BEHAVIORS.
WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, YOU MAKE IT BETTER.
BUT IF YOU DON'T COME HOME, I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T MAKE YOUR BED, THEN YOU COME HOME TO AN UNMADE BED.
SO ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU CATCH THE PATTERN OF BEHAVIORS EARLY AND YOU'RE STARTING TO ADDRESS IT, THEN THE PARENT IS MORE LENIENT AND MORE WILLING TO SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST LABORING MY CAR, MY CHILD TO ATTACK MY CHILD.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE MATERIALS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH AND WHAT WE ARE GIVEN TO HOW, HOW WE CAN BETTER SPEARHEAD THESE THINGS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE UTILIZING THE RESOURCES THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT TO US.
BECAUSE THIS, THIS, THIS RIGHT HERE IS, IF THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING, UH, COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING, GIVING PARENTS THE PARENTAL, AND ACTUALLY WE ARE GIVING THE PARENTAL UH, UH, DECISION BECAUSE WE GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE OPTION TO ENGAGE INTO THIS PROCESS TO IDENTIFY THINGS EARLIER SO THAT WE CAN BE GREAT TOGETHER.
UM, FOLLOWING UP ON THE COMMENTS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE VISITS I'VE MADE IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE HAS BEEN TO MRS. HUTCHINSON'S PARENTS AS TEACHERS.
AND I'VE BEEN IN THE LIBRARY DOING SOME RESEARCH AND ONE OF THOSE PARENT AS TEACHERS WHO'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CAME IN AND I WAS WEARING MY BADGE MM-HMM
AND THEY STARTED A CONVERSATION, WONDERFUL CONVERSATION.
I HAD NO IDEA HOW IN DEPTH AND HOW FAR THEIR OUTREACH GOES INTO THE FAMILY AND HOW APPRECIATIVE THE FAMILIES WERE.
AND SO I KEEP GOING BACK TO THE BELEAGUERED AMERICAN TWO PARENT HOME,
[02:20:01]
WHICH IS AT ITS LOWEST RATIO IN BASICALLY DATA SINCE DATA'S BEEN COLLECTED.WHICH MEANS THOSE OF US WHO GREW UP IN TWO PARENT HOMES, WE HAD TWO PARENTS.
AND REARING A KID IS A CHALLENGING, CHALLENGING UNDERTAKING.
AND A BELEAGUER PARENT, SINGLE PARENT, MALE OR FEMALE, HAVING TO WORK AND THEN TAKE CARE OF A KID, SOMETHING IS GOING LACKING.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN HELICOPTER UP MORE STRATEGICALLY AT THE SOCIETY LEVEL.
I'VE PROPOSED THAT WE SHOULD ADD A CONCENTRIC CIRCLE OF SOMETHING THAT AS FAR AS I KNOW, IS CREATED HERE IN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH ARE YOUR EXTENDED LEARNING CENTERS.
SO WOULD FEED INTO EVERY ONE OF OUR ELC WOULD BE THAT OUTER CIRCLE CREATED TO TAKE THOSE LITTLE KIDS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT LEFT BEHIND AND THEY DON'T SORT OF SURRENDER BECAUSE THEY'RE FEELING LEFT BEHIND.
SO THANK YOU ALL, UM, FOR YOUR WORK AND EFFORT.
THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP STARTS AT AGE THREE AND IT STARTED WHEN MY TWO GRANDSONS WENT TO, UH, SEA ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL AT AGE THREE AND FOUR.
AND THEN THEY WENT TO KINDERGARTEN AT CSA ELEMENTARY AT FIVE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE FIRST TIME THEY SAW THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BECAUSE THEY SAW KIDS THAT DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN ANY KIND OF PROGRAM AT AGE THREE AND FOUR, THEY WERE ALREADY SOCIALIZED.
THEY'D ALREADY LEARNED ABOUT KEEPING THEIR INSIDE VOICE SHARING LINING UP AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND THEY MADE THE IMPRESSION THAT THOSE THAT DIDN'T HAVE THAT ACCESS WERE SOMEWHAT LESS TALENTED, SMART THAN THEY WERE, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG.
AND SO WE CAN GET THE BIGGEST PAYOFF AND TAKING CARE OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BY GETTING THEM TO FIRST GRADE AT KINDERGARTEN AT SOMEWHAT EQUAL LEVEL.
I'VE HAD PEOPLE TELL ME, WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE A MINI SCHOOL OR SOMETHING, A TWO WEEK TRAINING PERIOD BEFORE KINDERGARTEN STARTS FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T, HAVEN'T BEEN IN PRESCHOOL.
SO WE CAN TEACH THEM SOME OF THE BASIC THINGS THAT WILL START THEM OFF ON THE SAME FOOT AS THOSE THAT HAD THE ABILITY AND THE PRACTICALLY THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE OUGHT THINK ABOUT.
WELL TAKEN COLONEL, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN, UM, A LIFETIME OF SECONDARY WORK AND HAS TURNED THE PAGES SIGNIFICANTLY INTO THE NEED OF EARLY CHILDHOOD WORK AS WE GO FORWARD AS A SOCIETY, THE GAP DOES WIDEN AND I'LL LEAVE THAT ALONE.
UM, IF I MAY, UM, SUPERINTENDENT RODRIGUEZ, MAY I GO TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION? SO BOARD MEMBERS, IF I COULD TAKE YOU BACK TO PAGE ONE IN YOUR HANDOUT.
IT'LL TELL YOU THAT AT PAGE SIX HAS THE EXECUTIVE SU SUMMARY OF THE NEXT COMPONENT OF MY PRESENTATION.
IT IS IN REGARD TO THE SELECTION OF CURRICULAR PROGRAMS, UM, FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, OUR PROCESS.
SO SEE IF I COULD HAVE YOU TURN TO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN, IN YOUR PACKET.
ACTUALLY THE END, THAT SECOND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WILL START TECHNICALLY ON PAGE SEVEN FOR YOU.
I JUST WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO REFERENCE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS BECAUSE THE SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, UM, I'LL REFER TO IT.
WHAT I STARTED ON THIS SUMMARY OF SHARING WITH YOU IS WHAT WE ARE HELD AT BY REGULATION.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO START ON WHAT I CAN'T CHANGE TO WHAT WE DO WORK WITH DIRECTLY.
SO THAT WOULD BE 43 1 70 IS VERY DIRECT SHARING WITH US WHAT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL MATERIALS ARE.
THE UPDATE TO THE DEFINITION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IS ACTUALLY PROVIDED TO YOU HERE.
AND IT IS UNDER THE GUIDANCE, GUIDANCE THAT WE WORK WITH GOING FORWARD AS A SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT TO REGULATION.
IF I CAN TAKE YOU TO CONTINUE YOU TO PAGE EIGHT WHERE I SHARE WITH YOU IN ROMAN NUMERAL THREE, THAT THE STATE ALSO HAS PUT INTO PLACE WHAT
[02:25:01]
IS REFERRED TO AS THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE OUR STANDARDS OF CONTENT AND THE STATE RECOGNIZES WE ALSO MUST DEVELOP PEOPLE FOR THE WORKFORCE.
AND THEY HAVE BROUGHT BOTH TOGETHER.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE HELD UNDER REGULATION.
SO AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE WERE HELD TO THE STATE STANDARDS AND AS WELL AS INTRODUCING OUR CHILDREN AT ELEMENTARY TO CAREER DEVELOPMENT AT MIDDLE SCHOOL, MORE OF AN EXPLORATION AND AT HIGH SCHOOL A PATHWAY FOR SOME TYPE OF LEVEL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT WE GO INTO INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION OR CERTIFICATION OF OUR STUDENTS.
AS OF A SYSTEM WE HAVE STARTED TO BUILD THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY OF A CULINARY PROGRAM PARTNERING MORE WITH CTL.
SO WE'RE GROWING OUR PATHWAYS DEEPER.
BUT YOUR QUESTION WAS HOW DO WE SELECT, HOW DO WE DEVELOP, WE KEEP AN ALLIANCE TO THE STATE STANDARDS AND UNDER CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, WE MUST KEEP AN ALLIANCE TO WHAT THE STATE STATES UNDER THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT.
SO WE WANTED TO START A CAREER TECHNICAL PROGRAM THAT IS NOT UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACT.
WE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THE ACCOUNTABILITY POINTS TIED WITH THOSE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION TESTS THAT A STUDENT WILL SIT AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
RIGHT? SO WE CAN'T GO CREATE OUR OWN CAREER PATHWAY.
BUT THERE ARE 32 PATHWAYS FROM THE STATE.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT AND THEY ARE ALIGNED WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT I'M SHARING WITH YOU, STARTING ON PAGE NINE IS HOW WE PULL OUR TEXTBOOKS.
WE ARE HELD ONCE AGAIN TO REGULATION.
I CITE HERE REGULATION 59.3 1.3, THE PROCESS.
AND YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT, RIGHT? THERE IS A STATE VETTING PROCESS THAT GOES THROUGH A WHOLE LIST OF PUBLISHERS FROM WHAT THE STATE APPROVES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ALLOWED TO PULL REVIEW.
IT IS A PUBLIC REVIEW THAT INCLUDES PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND EDUCATORS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND THEN THAT IS PUSHED DOWN INTO THE DISTRICT LEVEL WHERE WE HAVE A MATERIAL REVIEWED AS WELL BY OUR TEACHERS.
NOW, I AM NOT SAYING THAT A TEXTBOOK IS A PROGRAM.
WHAT I AM SHARING IS THAT WE HAVE ITS DIRECT PROCESS BY WHICH WE FOLLOW.
SO IF YOU LOOK QUICKLY AT PAGE 11, WHEN WE DEVELOP A PROGRAM OR SELECT, WE ARE TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE REGULATIONS, THE STANDARDS PUT OUT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WE STAY ALIGNED TO OUR POLICY WITHIN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS.
AND THEN I TRY TO BREAK THAT OUT.
WE DO THAT FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD, MIDDLE GRADES, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
WHAT YOU'LL HAVE LATER IN YOUR DOCUMENT ARE THE ADMINISTRATOR REGULATIONS THAT WE USE.
AND I'M GONNA GO BACK TO THE TABLE OF CONTENTS JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE OF CONTENTS AT I SIX OR IS SEVEN, IT GIVES YOU THE EXACT LANGUAGE THAT WE ARE HELD TO.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES NINE, WHICH SAYS INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM.
AND THAT IS PA FOUND ON PAGE 43.
YES, MR. DALLAS, I MAKE LITTLE DISSERTATIONS FOR YOU.
AND THIS CITES THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE ARE HELD TO FOR PROGRAMS. AND I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU BOARD MEMBERS.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
IF A SCHOOL WANTED TO START A PROGRAM THAT WAS ON THE STATE LIST, THAT ADOPTION MUST COME IN FRONT IN FRONT OF YOU BY NOVEMBER IN ORDER TO YOU MAKE A DECISION IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A SCHOOL WANTS TO DO SO YOU CAN GET READY FOR YOUR BUDGET SEASON.
VERY SELDOM DO WE REALLY SEE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH REFERENDUM WORK THE PASS FEW YEARS THAT HAS REALLY BUILT A ROBUST CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM HERE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
AND OUR SCHOOLS ARE VERY FORTUNATE, AS ARE OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO IN BUILDING THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, NEW STATE STANDARDS.
IT HAS STARTED WITH SCIENCE, ELA, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATH.
I'D LIKE YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE GONE FROM A SPIRAL CURRICULUM WHERE TEACHERS GET TO RETEACH A LITTLE BIT OF LAST YEAR, SECOND GRADE, AND THE THIRD YEAR TO WHAT IS NOW CALLED A STEP CURRICULUM WHERE STUDENTS ARE TO MASTER STANDARDS OR
[02:30:01]
SKILLS.LET'S USE THAT LANGUAGE MORE AT THIRD GRADE.
AND THEN THAT TEACHER BUILDS THOSE SKILLS IN THE NEXT STEP, WHICH WOULD BE FOURTH GRADE.
THAT TIME OF RE TEACHING HAPPENS IN THE CLASSROOM.
THE STATE IS GOING MORE TO A SKILLSET VERSUS THE BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE OF A STANDARD, MEANING THEY ALL SHALL UNDERSTAND AUTHOR'S PURPOSE.
NOW THEY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS THE AUTHOR ACTUALLY SAYING AND YOU AS A STUDENT, HOW DO YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? RIGHT? SO THEY BECOME A LITTLE MORE DESCRIPTIVE, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD FOR THE TEACHERS AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD FOR THE STUDENTS.
SO WHEN YOU GO BACK TO PROGRAMS, WE TRY TO TIE EVERYTHING TOGETHER FROM WHAT THE STATE ALLOWS US TO, TO WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE IN RELATION TO THAT.
AND THEN THE TEXTBOOKS THAT MUST BE ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE TO THE STATE KEPT IT SIMPLE.
I GAVE YOU THE REGULATIONS, SIR, I DO WANT YOU TO NOTE THAT IN HERE.
YOU HAVE REGULATION 38, AND UM, ALSO IN 38.1, WHICH IS PART OF THAT, UM, THERE ARE OPTIONS FOR OUR PARENTS TO BE, UM, WITH REGARD TO MATERIALS THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEIR STUDENTS TO RECEIVE.
UM, CHAIRMAN GUYER, IF I MAY SHARE THAT, AS WE BRING FORWARD PROGRAMS, WE NORMALLY DO GO THROUGH ACADEMIC COMMITTEE AS WELL, SIR.
HOW DOES THE STATE KNOW, AND THEN HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT ARE THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE SHOULD BE TRAINING IN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION? BEAUTIFUL.
WELL, PART OF THAT WAS YESTERDAY, THE OPPORTUNITY OF WORKING WITH WORKFORCE.
THERE ARE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTED WHO ATTEND.
UM, MRS. GILBERT IS VERY PROFICIENT AND VERY DEDICATED, ATTENDING ALL THOSE MEETINGS.
THEN THAT INFORMATION IS ACTUALLY NOT KEPT IN ISOLATION.
IT IS SHARED WITH ACTUALLY ALL OUR DIRECTORS.
WE HAVE UPDATES FROM DURING OUR DIRECTOR MEETINGS.
SO IF YOU ARE MATH CONTENT, YOUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, YOU HAPPEN TO BE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, YOU BRING THOSE UPDATES TO THE TABLE.
SO THEN WE IDENTIFY THEM, LOOK UPDATES, WHERE DO THEY ALIGN WITH OUR INTERNAL GOALS THAT WE HAVE IN INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT? AND THEN WE START COLLABORATING TO SET UP, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING NEXT.
SO, TO STATE, FOR EXAMPLE, LAST TWO YEARS AGO, AI WAS COMING FORWARD TO THE TABLE.
THEY PUT FORWARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COURSE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO SCHOOLS COMING FORWARD.
THIS ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, BLUFFTON, NAM HIGH ACTUALLY WAS OUR FIRST CO UM, SCHOOL ADDRESSING THAT COURSE THAT'S GOING THROUGH CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND THE INTEGRATION OF THE SOFTWARE.
REMINDS YOU OF AN OLD MISS FRIZZLE, YOU KNOW, CARTOON.
BUT, SO THAT INFORMATION IS BROUGHT DOWN.
THEN WE BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR EDUCATORS AS WELL.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE INTEGRATE THAT DURING OUR BUDGET SEASON.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM A VENDOR THAT, UH, I SENT OFF TO, UH, DALLAS, RIGHT? EX UH, TITLE EXPLORING AI FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND WANNA KNOW HOW THEY, HOW THEY CAN BE, UM, HELPING US EVALUATING STUDENT EDUCATION AND ACHIEVEMENT USING AI AND OTHER THINGS.
AND WE'RE IN A TIME OF EXTREME RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL GROWTH.
AND I, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE COULD END UP IN A CUL-DE-SAC.
OR IF WE PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS IN THAT THIS, THIS GUY WANTS TO MEET WITH US AND, AND TELL US WHAT HIS FIRM, BUT THERE'S ALL KINDS THAT ARE OUT THERE TRYING TO, UH, GET THAT.
BUT THERE ARE, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE CODING, CODING'S A DEAD END NOW.
IT'S GONNA BE AI'S GONNA DO THAT.
AND SO IF WE HAD A PROGRAM FOR CODING, THEY'RE IN A CUL-DE-SAC.
AND HOW WE CAN KEEP ABREAST OF THAT IS GOING TO THESE MEETINGS.
BUT I'M CONCERNED THE STATE IS LOOKING FORWARD THAT I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE
[02:35:02]
STATE.SO THAT THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LONG DISCUSSION.
AND I, I WILL SHARE THAT'S AT A LEVEL OUTSIDE OF AMAYA IMMEDIACY, BUT I'M SURE THOSE VOICES ARE RESONATED.
AND I WILL PUT FORWARD THAT AS WE WORK IN THE AREA OF TECHNOLOGY, OUR DIVISION WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH TECHNOLOGY HERE IN THE BUILDING.
WE DO NOT STEP FORWARD MAKING SURE THAT WE DO NOT, DO NOT BRING ANYTHING FORWARD OR NOT THAT CANNOT BE CAPABLE TO THE HARDWARE THAT WE HAVE OR ANYTHING THAT WILL COMPROMISE WHAT WE HAVE IN THE SYSTEM.
THE STATE IS A LI IS A LITTLE BIT LAGGING AT GROWTH.
WE ARE, HE HELD TO STATE CODE DIRECTORY FOR COURSES THAT WE USE.
AND AS COURSES ARE DEVELOPED, WE ARE ALSO HELD AS A DIVISION AND OBVIOUSLY AS A BOARD OF A SYSTEM TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY OF THE DISTRICT AND THE TEACHERS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AND WE WORK CLOSELY AT DOING THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU BRING UP AI, I HAVE TO LIKE JUMP INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE CONVERSATION.
IT'S JUST WHAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES I HAVE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY IN TECHNOLOGY.
WE DON'T ALLOW KIDS TO HAVE ACCESS TO CHAT GPT TO CLAUDE TO ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS AS FAR AS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE TWO AI COURSES ARE.
'CAUSE I'M NOT SO CONCERNED WITH TEACHING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HOW TO USE LARGE, I MEAN, HOW TO BUILD A LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, CODE FOR THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA BE AT A HIGHER LEVEL BECAUSE THE, THE BASELINE CODING IS ALL BEING DONE BY AI.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT WORRIES ME IS THAT WE'RE NOT INCORPORATING THIS TECHNOLOGY INTO THE CLASSROOM.
SO NOT SPECIFICALLY AI SPECIFIC COURSES, BUT LIKE I JUST COMPLETED, UM, A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IN AI AND HEALTHCARE.
WE, NEW DOCTORS, NEW NURSES HAVE TO HAVE THAT TO DO THEIR JOBS.
I THINK THAT ONE THING WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT, WHATEVER CURRICULUM AND COURSE WE TALK ABOUT AI IS GONNA BE A TOOL.
AND THESE KIDS THAT DUNNO HOW TO USE IT ARE GOING TO HIT THE WORLD WITHIN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
THAT, THAT WAS A TERRIBLE WAY TO PUT IT.
IF THEY GO TO COLLEGE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT CAREER THEY'RE IN.
EVEN IN THE TRADES, UM, BILLING, ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS WE ARE IMPLEMENTING, UM, WHERE I WORK, AI, DONOR MANAGEMENT, AI RECEPTIONISTS.
SO IF YOU DON'T, AND IT'S, IT ALLOWS YOUR BUSINESS TO SCALE.
SO IF WE'RE NOT INCORPORATING AI INTO OUR ALREADY CURRICULUMS IN SOME WAY, I THINK WE ARE DOING A DISSERVICE TO KIDS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, EVEN BEYOND PICKING A A AI SPECIFIC COURSE, WE CAN MODERNIZE IT QUICKLY BY SHOWING PEOPLE HOW AI CAN ENHANCE WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY LEARNING.
THERE IS THIS SORT OF GUT REACTION TO IT'S CHEATING, RIGHT? AND I HAVE WRITTEN A FAIR NUMBER OF LETTERS, ESSAYS, MY, UH, SPEECH THAT I GAVE AT GRADUATION WAS WRITTEN WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM AI.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE'S DOING.
THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT AREN'T DOING IT ARE, YOU KNOW, KIDS BECAUSE IT'S SEEN AS CHEATING.
AND THEY NEED TO LEARN TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
BUT WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME WAYS TO EVALUATE THEM.
UM, THESE STANDARDIZED TESTS, THESE ESSAYS, ET CETERA, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WORK AS EFFECTIVELY IN CLASSROOM WORK IS BEING TALKED ABOUT A LOT.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE CURRICULUM THINGS GO, IS HOW DO WE ALLOW KIDS TO BEGIN TO ACCESS THESE TOOLS AND LEARN TO USE THEM.
'CAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE THEM.
IT IS JUST THE REALITY OF LIFE.
SO IF I'M HEARING CORRECTLY, MA'AM, IT IS THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ALIGNED TO PROGRAM PROGRAMS, CORRECT? I WOULD SAY ENHANCING INFO WITH THAT RESEARCH CURRICULUM.
AND WE NEED TO SORT OF TRAIN THE EDUCATORS TO AN EXTENT THAT THIS IS NOT CHEATING.
IT'S HOW THE WORLD IS GOING TO BE DONE.
PEOPLE DO NOT, IT'S BUILT INTO EVERY EMAIL SOFTWARE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS WRITE YOUR OWN EMAILS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I'M GONNA SAY EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK FOR, FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BUT I WOULD SAY EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH, IT'S, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE CHEATING.
'CAUSE I I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S THERE MAYBE, BUT, BUT THE TRUTH IS, I MEAN, KIDS USE IT MAY NOT USE IT ON OUR DEVICE, BUT THEY'RE USING IT ON THEIR PHONE.
THEY'RE USING IT ON THEIR DEVICE AT HOME, RIGHT? BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU GAIN ACCESS TO ONE OF THOSE, UH, AI PLATFORMS THAT EXIST OUT THERE, FIRST THING PEOPLE DO IS SAY, CHECK, CHECK.
RIGHT? WHEN THEY GAIN, WHEN, WHEN THEY GAIN ACCESS WITHOUT READING, AND I VENTURE TO SAY MOST
[02:40:01]
PEOPLE DON'T READ IT.THOSE TERMS OF CONDITIONS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
WHEN THEY GAIN ACCESS TO THAT, MANY TIMES YOU'RE GIVING UP ACCESS TO, TO YOUR OWN DATA, TO YOUR OWN INFORMATION EXTERNALLY TO, UH, TO SOME OF THOSE AI UH, PLATFORMS. OKAY? SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU USE IT, POTENTIALLY, POTENTIALLY, IF YOU USE IT HERE, RIGHT, IT'S ALL PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT? NOT NECESSARILY A BIG DEAL, BUT, BUT IF YOU USE IT, A LOT OF TIMES THAT ENDS UP IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, RIGHT? SO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT IS MADE IN ACCESSING THE THE PLATFORM SOMETIMES CAN OPEN UP AN ORGANIZATION OR A SYSTEM.
AND I'M, I'M ALSO SPEAKING A LITTLE BIT BEYOND MY OWN, UH, CAPACITY.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GLANCE AND SEE IF WHAT I'M SAYING
SO THAT IS A CHALLENGE, RIGHT? UH, THAT I THINK ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, TO SOME DEGREE, WELL, DEFINITELY HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT STUFF TOO, I WOULD IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, HAVE TO CONTEND WITH AS THEY STEP INTO THIS NEW WORLD, RIGHT? OF AI.
AND, AND STUDENTS ARE USING IT, RIGHT? FOR SURE.
RIGHT? TEACHERS ARE USING IT FOR SURE.
BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBER SUPERINTENDENTS, RIGHT? PEOPLE ARE USING IT, RIGHT? UM, SO I THINK IT, IT'S A MATTER OF HAVING TO WORK THROUGH AND FIGURE THOSE THINGS OUT IN ORDER TO SORT OF NOT STOP THE WHEELS OF PROGRESS, WHICH, WHICH ARE TURNING.
UH, I, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE.
I I ALWAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TELLING MARINES FOR, FOR 24 YEARS OF MY CAREER, YOU, YOU, YOU CHANGE WITH THE MARINE CORPS, IT CHANGES WITHOUT YOU.
AND I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.
EITHER CHANGE WITH TECHNOLOGY OR CHANGE WITHOUT YOU.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESISTANT TO TECHNOLOGY.
UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, SO I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT ALONE.
I'LL LET MY KIDS SHOW ME HOW TO DO IT.
UM, BUT, UH, THIS, THIS DISTRICT HAS BEEN A TRENDSETTER IN MANY THINGS.
ESSER FUNDS, UH, THE BOOKS, UM, WHETHER IT'S POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, WE ARE TRENDSETTERS.
UH, I, INSTEAD OF BEING SCARED OF THE STATE, I THINK THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE STATE.
I GUARANTEE THERE'S SCHOOL, THERE ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS.
UH, HOW DO WE LEARN FROM THEM? HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE, UH, UH, INTEGRATE AI ETHICALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, UH, AT THE OPERATIONAL, TACTICAL AND, UH, STRATEGIC LEVEL.
UH, IT, IT CAN BE DONE, IT CAN BE DONE, DONE.
WE JUST HAVE TO CHOOSE TO DO IT.
MR. SMITH, THIS CONVERSATION IS GOOD, BUT HOWEVER, UM,
I STILL HEAR PARENTS WHO TELL ME EVERY DAY, ARE Y'ALL STILL TEACHING? HOW TO TELL? TIME DOWN THERE? ARE Y'ALL STILL USING, UM, TEXTBOOKS? SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T MIND HAVING THE AI COMPONENT AND THE TECHNOLOGY COMPONENT, BUT WE, BUT, BUT WE CANNOT, UH, GET, GET LOST BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME WHERE WITH TECHNOLOGY MOVING AS FAST AND AS WAVES MOVING, IT COULD CRASH.
AND HELL, WE KNOW THAT, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL THESE OFF OFF AREAS WHERE WE STORE, STORE TECHNOLOGY.
SO WHY DO, WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT MRS. SMITH? IT'S BECAUSE I DON'T, AS A YOUNG FOLKS SAY, I DON'T WANNA GET LOST IN THE SAUCE.
IT'S VERY EASY TO GET LOST IN THE SAUCE.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IS I, UH, APPRECIATE THE AI COMPONENT, BUT ALSO LET'S REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE OTHER COMPONENTS TOO THAT, THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS, THAT WE MUST STILL KEEP OUR, OUR OUR, UM, OUR, OUR OUR TARGET ZONE.
BECAUSE ALSO IN TERMS OF THAT ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS ALSO SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.
THERE IS ALSO A, WHAT THEY CALL A WEALTH GAP.
BECAUSE AS MRS. BOATWRIGHT MAY HAVE THE, UH, THE, THE AGGRESSIVE KNOWLEDGE AND MAY MAYBE THE, UM, SHE MAY BE, SHE MAY MAYBE, MAYBE THE I, THE IB STUDENT WHO MAY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO USE OR UNDERSTAND WHAT AI DOES AS QUICKLY.
[02:45:01]
AND, YOU KNOW, VERSUS ANOTHER STUDENT MAY NOT HAVE THOSE RESOURCES.OR IN TERMS IN TERMS OF, OF, UH, RESOURCES IN THE, UH, THE WEALTH GAP, WHICH SOME PEOPLE CALL ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR, UH, IS WE MAY, THEY MAY, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE RESOURCES THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY HAVE.
SO EVEN IN TERMS OF TEACHING SOME OF THIS CURRICULUM OR TEACHING SOME OF SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS IN TERMS OF HAVING PARENTAL PARENT PARENTAL HELP, SOME OF THESE PARENTS MAY NOT BE EQUIPPED TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN HELPING THEIR KIDS.
THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE RUN INTO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE RUN TO.
SO JUST BE MINDFUL, UH, IN TERMS OF WHEN WE MOVE, HOW WE MOVE AND HOW, ALSO HOW WE EDUCATING PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, BE PARENTS.
UH, YOU KNOW, MR. SMITH, I, I, UM, I UNDER I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU KNOW, THERE, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S TRUE.
I THINK IN, IN SOME WAYS, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU'RE ALSO MAKING THE ARGUMENT, UM, TO, TO, TO SUPPORT THE USE OF, OF THE AI BECAUSE WHAT, BECAUSE DOING IT THROUGH SCHOOL ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO ACCESS THAT EXPERIENCE AND OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? WHERE MAYBE ON, MAYBE ON THEIR OWN, THEY MAY NOT HAVE THAT, THAT ACCESS TO IT, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE, I MEAN, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
DON'T FORGET THE BASICS, RIGHT? AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORLD IS TECHNOLOGY'S MOVING, YOU KNOW? AND, AND SO, SO THE SYSTEM ALSO, UH, IS IN A POSITION TO HELP, UH, EXPOSURE TO THOSE, PROVIDE EXPOSURE TO THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH OF IT ON THEIR OWN.
RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TUTORIALS AND THINGS LIKE, THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, TUTORIAL COMPONENT.
LIKE KHAN ACADEMY HAS A AI COMPONENT TO IT NOW, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE THAT CAN BE HELPFUL IN, UH, IN, IN STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, ACADEMIC SUPPORT.
UM, YOU'RE SO CALMING WITH YOUR VOICE THAT I ALMOST DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTION, UM, AS YOU PRESENT TO US AND, AND ENLIGHTEN US ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON.
UM, AND MS. BOATWRIGHT IS CORRECT ABOUT, WE'RE ON THE WAY TO AI.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT AI WAS, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THIS YEAR.
AND I WAS WATCHING TV AND, UM, THERE WAS, UH, IT WASN'T AN OLYMPIC RUNNING, BUT THEY WERE, UH, COMPETING THEIS WERE COMPETING WITH, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN, UH, UH, RUNNING AND JUMPING.
AND ALTHOUGH THEY FIZZLED OUT, YOU KNOW, AND CRASHED
BUT I, I BET YOU NEXT YEAR THEY WILL COMPLETE THE TASK BECAUSE THEY ARE LEARNING WHAT WE DO.
THERE WAS LIKE THREE OF 'EM THAT THEY SHOWED.
AND, UM, SO OUR CHILDREN, YOU'RE RIGHT, WHAT THEY GET AND WHAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO, UH, HAPPENS RIGHT HERE IN THE CLASSROOM.
BUT THEY ARE ALREADY AWARE OF AI.
THEY'RE JUST WAITING FOR US TO PULL THAT BUTTON, PUSH THEM INTO, UH, WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, LEARNING ADULTS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING AND WORKING ALONGSIDE THE AI AIS.
I MEAN, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT IT'S TRUE.
UH, SOME OF THEM WILL BE REPLACING SOME OF OUR CHILDREN, UH, AT MCDONALD'S, YOU KNOW, SO, OR, YOU KNOW, IN THE CORPORATE, YOU KNOW, TEACHING A CLASS.
SO, UM, THIS IS FORWARD THINKING.
UH, AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, THE FUTURE'S ALREADY HERE.
IT'S ALREADY, WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND PEOPLE.
IF WE'RE JUST NOW TALKING ABOUT ADDING AN AI COURSE TO THE CURRICULUM, WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND.
SO LET'S DO THE GOOD, WHERE THE GOOD IS NEEDED AND TRYING TO DO, AND IN DOING, UH, KEEPING UP AND GIVING OUR CHILDREN WHAT THEY NEED.
PARENTS WILL COME ALONG LIKE, YOU KNOW, MR. NAY SAID, HEY, I'LL ASK MY KID HOW TO DO IT.
UM, MY GRANDCHILDREN PROGRAMMED MY PHONE AND SHOWED
[02:50:01]
ME HOW TO JUST SPEAK INTO IT AND NOT EVEN HAVE TO WRITE.I HAD NO IDEA I COULD DO THAT, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE MY VISION IS NOT LIKE IT USED TO BE.
SO, IN THE REALM OF BEING EDUCATORS, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A TEXTBOOK, TALKING ABOUT A CLOCK, KIDS DON'T USE THAT ANYMORE.
THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY TOUCH THEIR WATCHES, THEY TOUCH THEIR, THEIR, THEIR IPHONES OR WHATEVER, AND IT TELLS 'EM WHAT TIME IT IS.
I KNOW COLONEL KNOWS WHAT THAT IS.
I KNOW A NA KNOWS WHAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT TIME.
SO LET'S CONTINUE TO BE ENLIGHTENED BY DR.
STRATUS AND, AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE BRINGING FORTH.
AND I, I DO LIKE THE MONEY THAT'S COMING FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE MILLION DOLLARS.
I, I LOVE THE MONEY, UH, THAT WILL HELP.
BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY IS GOING TO RIGHT.
PLEASE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING TO HIRE NEW TEACHERS, AND I KNOW WE WILL, BUT THAT IT DOESN'T EAT UP ALL THE MONEY THAT CAN HELP THE CHILDREN.
SO, UM, AND I'M RATTLING, BUT I'M JUST, IT'S BEEN A LOT PUT AT US.
BUT, UM, IF WE CAN GET ON BOARD WITH AI, I THINK WE SHOULD BE GOOD.
AND, UH, I, I'M GONNA TAKE A CLASS MYSELF IN AI.
OKAY? BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US, MS. MS. HAY.
UM, I AM ENJOYING THE AI CONVERSATION AS, UH, DR. RODRIGUEZ AND I WERE JUST DISCUSSING SOME AI OPTIONS FOR THE DISTRICT THE OTHER DAY, UM, ACTUALLY IN TERMS OF MON MONITORING FACILITY EQUIPMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
HOWEVER, I HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN MY FAMILY WHO BUILD AI MODELS FOR DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.
AND IT'S FASCINATING BECAUSE I'M CAUTIOUSLY, I'M NOT EVEN SURE I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT AI.
I'M JUST CAUTIOUS ABOUT AI AS A WHOLE.
I'M AN AVID READER, AND RECENTLY WAS READING A BOOK.
I HAD FINISHED THE ENTIRE BOOK AND RECALLED SOME INFORMATION BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT A BUSINESS IDEA, AND I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHAT CHAPTER THEY DISCUSSED THIS SPECIFIC DATABASE.
SO I WENT INTO CHAT, GPT AND WAS LOOKING FOR, HEY, CHAT, GPT, CAN YOU TELL ME, IN SUCH AND SUCH A BOOK BY SUCH AND SUCH AN AUTHOR, SO ON AND SO FORTH, GAVE IT EVERYTHING IT NEEDED.
IT RETURNED THE WRONG PAGE TO ME.
THEN WHEN I TOLD THE AI, NOPE, THAT'S INCORRECT.
YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, TRY AGAIN.
IT STILL GAVE ME THE INCORRECT INFORMATION.
SO MY POINT IN ALL OF THIS IS SAYING THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST MODELS.
THE INFORMATION THAT IT RETURNS TO YOU ISN'T CORRECT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO TEACH.
IF WE WERE INTRODUCING THIS TO THE CLASSROOM, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DOUBLE CHECK, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T FOOLPROOF AND IT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, THE END ALL BE ALL.
BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, MY OLDEST CHILD WAS JUST GIVEN A SYLLABUS FROM A CLASS IN WHICH THE TEACHER STATED THAT AI, THERE'S ZERO TOLERANCE.
HOWEVER, MY HUSBAND, WHO IS VERY MARINATED IN THE AI, COULD TELL THAT SHE WROTE HER SYLLABUS AND THE INTRO TO THE CLASS USING AI, BECAUSE THERE ACTUALLY ARE FLAGGED TELLTALE SIGNS WHEN SOMEONE USES AI TO WRITE.
UM, SO HE GOT A CHUCKLE OUT OF IT BECAUSE HE IS LIKE, SO THE TEACHERS TELLING THE STUDENTS THEY CAN'T USE AI YET THE TEACHERS USE AI TO INTRODUCE HER, YOU KNOW, THIS CLASS TO THEM.
SO IN THAT REALM, I'M JUST SAYING, AGAIN, CAUTION.
BECAUSE AS MR. SMITH LIKES TO ALWAYS SAY, WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GO IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER.
SO WE CAN'T BE ALLOWING OUR TEACHERS TO USE AI TO WRITE COURSE MATERIAL INTROS TO CLASSES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WHEN WE DO HAVE EDUCATED PARENTS AT HOME WHO ARE LEARNING HOW TO USE THE TOOL AHEAD OF A LOT OF THE EDUCATORS, AND THEN CAN TELL, AND THEN START TO QUESTION THE VALUE OF THE EDUCATION WHEN THEY REALIZE THE EDUCATORS ARE USING THE AI TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN.
[02:55:01]
SO ALL I'M SAYING, AND ALL OF THAT IS TO CAUTIOUSLY STEP OUR TOE INTO THIS, OR WHEN WE'RE BEING COURTED BY PEOPLE TO APPLY AI TO OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WE NEED TO COURT MULTIPLE SUITORS, NOT JUST ONE OR TWO.WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE GAMBIT, BUT THEN ALSO PERHAPS GET SOME OTHER AI PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED TO LOOK THROUGH AND MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE VALUE AND 10 SIDESTEP PITFALLS THAT PERHAPS WE DON'T SEE, BUT OTHERS KNOW ARE THERE.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED? YEAH, MS. HAYES JUST, JUST SLAMMED EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO SAY
BUT, UM, ME AND MYSELF BEING AN AVID READER AND COMING UP HOW I CAME UP WITH EDUCATION, WE HAD TO DIG INTO IT AND, AND GET IT DONE, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, I FOUND A, I'M A, I LIKE TO TAKE NOTES.
WHEN SOMEBODY INTRODUCED AN APP TO ME, AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NEVER GONNA WRITE ANOTHER NOTE.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT THE, UH, THE APP DID FOR ME WAS IT CHARACTERIZED EVERYTHING.
AND EVERYBODY WAS TALKING, SPEAK A, SPEAK A B.
I'M ABOUT TO RETIRE MY PEN DOWN.
BUT, UM, MS. BOAT, MS. BOATRIGHT SAID SOMETHING, HOW DO WE GET THE TEACHERS TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO SAY THAT, OKAY, THE CHILD WENT THROUGH AI, BUT THEY'RE NOT CHEATING.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK THAT'S A LINE THAT WE GONNA HAVE TO FACE IF WE PUT AI IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, FULLY, WE ARE GONNA, HOW DO YOU TEACH THE TEACHERS? OKAY.
NO, THEY, THEY ACTUALLY WERE DOING THE RESEARCH, BUT THIS, THIS IS THE RESEARCH NOW.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ENCYCLOPEDIAS ANYMORE.
SO ONE CLICK, LIKE, LIKE, UM, SUPERINTENDENT SAID 1, 2, 3, CLICK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE TEACHERS TO THE POINT WHERE, OKAY, THEY DIDN'T CHEAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THAT LINE AT? IS THAT, IS THAT A GRAY AREA FOR US OR WHAT? SO, UM, THANK YOU PASTOR GORDON.
I, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK IT IS, UH, THERE WAS PROBABLY BACK IN THE DAY, 'CAUSE I HAD THOSE DOT MATRIX PRINTERS.
Y'ALL REMEMBER THOSE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE JUST GETTING THE WORD PROCESSING AND STUFF, AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE, IT'S CHEATING.
YOU GOTTA WRITE IT BY, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT, RIGHT? UM, BUT I THINK THAT EVERYONE'S MADE REALLY EXCELLENT POINTS ABOUT NOT TRUSTING IT.
WE'VE GOTTA TEACH THESE KIDS HOW TO BE SKEPTICAL AND TO VALIDATE WHAT THEY'RE BEING TOLD.
RODRIGUEZ'S POINT, I THINK IT'S COMPARABLE TO GOOGLE SEARCHES.
GOOGLE SEARCH, GOOGLE TRACKS YOUR DATA.
IF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN WALKING AROUND AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING AND YOU GET AN AD, IT TRACKS YOUR LOCATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO TO FEEL LIKE, WELL, AI POSES AN EXCEPTIONAL NEW RISK.
I THINK IT'S NEW, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE, WE ALSO NEED TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS ABOUT DATA PRIVACY.
'CAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT THE PHONE, YOU GO IN, EVERYTHING'S PRESET TO SHARING DATA ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND YOU GOTTA GO IN AND TURN THAT STUFF OFF, RIGHT? SO THERE'S THAT.
SO YOU'VE GOTTA TEACH KIDS ABOUT DATA PRIVACY.
YOU GOTTA TEACH 'EM ABOUT THE SKEPTICISM OF, OF AI.
AND MR. SMITH'S YOUR POINT, I MEAN, A COUPLE OF USE CASES, IF YOU ARE, IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST WRITING PAPERS.
SO WE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT IT'S HARD FOR SMALLER LOCAL CONTRACTORS TO GET CONTRACTS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA CRITERIA.
IF YOU'RE A BIG COMPANY AND YOU WENT TO BUSINESS SCHOOL AND YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE THAT ACUMEN, WE MIGHT GRADUATE KIDS WHO HAVE THE SKILLS TO DO THE JOB.
NOW WITH AI, HOW DO I GET CERTIFIED? HOW DO I, WHAT KIND OF LICENSE DO I NEED? WHAT KIND OF CERTIFICATION? IT'S LIKE HAVING A BUILT IN, IN SOME CASES FREE, SOME CASES 20 BUCKS A MONTH, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANT.
SO THAT, I THINK IT ACTUALLY BRIDGES THE WEALTH GAP, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIRE AN EXPERT OR A CONSULTANT.
I THINK AI IS GONNA BE, UM, REALLY HARD ON THE CONSULTANT, UH, INDUSTRY.
SO, ANOTHER USE CASE THAT I THINK THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE LOOKING INTO IS TUTORS IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE.
SO, CONMIGO, IF YOU'RE TRAVELING TROUBLE IN EIGHTH GRADE MATH, THERE IS AN EIGHTH GRADE MATH AI, AND YOU CAN DO IT IN SPANISH.
SO THE KIDS CAN GO HOME WITH THEIR DEVICES AND ASK THEM, AND I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT IN SPANISH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SAY SOMETHING LIKE, HERE'S THE ANSWER TO QUESTION B.
YOU KNOW, IT'S B THE AI WILL KNOW THAT IT'S SPANISH OR GERMAN, OR, YOU KNOW, FARSI AND WILL RESPOND TO THE CHILD IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE.
AND I'LL SAY, THAT IS INCORRECT, AND HERE'S WHY.
AND HERE'S THE CORRECT ANSWER.
AND THE CHILD CAN THEN FOLLOW UP WITH THEIR OWN QUESTIONS.
LIKE, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS? MY TEACHER TOLD ME THIS.
AND THE AI WILL ACT AS A PERSONALIZED LANGUAGE SPECIFIC TUTOR, AND IT REMEMBERS YOU.
SO YOU BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WHERE REMEMBERS WHAT YOU AS A, UH, STUDENT RESPOND BEST TO.
THAT IS SOMETHING THE DISTRICT CANNOT AFFORD.
WE CANNOT AFFORD PERSONALIZED, MULTILINGUAL TUTORS FOR EVERY STUDENT, BUT
[03:00:01]
FOR 20 BUCKS A MONTH, AI CAN DO IT.SO I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE TEACHING THE KIDS AND THE TEACHERS HOW TO USE, BUT MAN, THE USE CASES ARE PHENOMENAL FOR STEPPING UP, UH, PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UPCOMING JOB MARKET.
SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO RESPOND TO.
UM, I KNOW IT CAN SOUND DAUNTING TO TRY.
I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
STRATAS TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST PROGRAMMING, LET'S SAY, FOR AI, FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AND OBVIOUSLY SHE HAS A TEAM TO HELP HER, HOWEVER, THERE ARE SIMPLE WAYS TO CHECK THE STUDENTS FROM THE STUDENT END.
FOR EXAMPLE, AGAIN, YOU CHILD, HE HAD SUMMER READING, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE KIDS HE SPOKE TO DIDN'T READ THE BOOK.
SO WE, THE PRINCE RECEIVED AN EMAIL THE OTHER DAY SAYING HOW PANICKED THE KIDS ARE, BECAUSE THE TEACHER HAS NOW ANNOUNCED A COMPREHENSION TEST THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE NEXT WEEK.
AND I IMMEDIATELY SAW THROUGH IT BECAUSE THE KIDS HAD BEEN TELLING EACH OTHER UP UNTIL THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER THAT THEY STILL HAD NOT READ THE BOOK, WHICH TOLD ME THEY WERE MORE THAN LIKELY USING AI TO WRITE THEIR REPORTS FOR THEM.
THERE WERE DIFFERENT REPORT OPTIONS.
YOU COULD WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CHARACTER, YOU COULD WRITE AN ALTERNATE ENDING, YOU COULD WRITE AN ALTERNATE EPILOGUE, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WELL, I KNOW CHAT GPT CAN DO THAT FOR THE STUDENTS.
SO I JUST FIND IT FUNNY FROM A MOM AND A BOARD MEMBER'S PERSPECTIVE KNOWING THAT THESE KIDS ARE NOW PANICKING BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A COMPREHENSION TEST ON THE ACTUAL BOOK THAT THEY DIDN'T READ.
BUT THE POINT IN IT IS, THAT'S ANOTHER TOOL TO CROSS REFERENCE, TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, LITTLE JOHNNY, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH HE MIGHT HAVE USED AI, HE MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK.
UM, OR YOU FIND OUT THE ONES WHO DIDN'T DO THE WORK AND USED AI TO WRITE THEIR REPORTS.
SO IT'S JUST A REALLY INTERESTING, UM, YOU KNOW, TIDE THAT WE'RE WADING INTO HERE.
WELL, JUST ACTUALLY, I, SHE CAN AS, AS SHE SHOULD DOWN, YOU CAN SIT DOWN.
I JUST WAS GONNA SIT, UM, JUST IN A, YOU KNOW, IN A FUNNY, UM, IT JUST RE REMINDED ME LISTENING TO, UM, MRS. UH, LISTENING TO, UM, MR.
UH, JACKSON, UH, MRS. DR. JACKSON CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO BRING CURRENT EVENTS TO CLASS.
AND SHE SAID, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS WHEN, UH, PLAGIARISM WAS CAME OUT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THE INTERNET AND YOU CUT AND PASTE AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE, THE, IT WAS CURRENT EVENTS.
SO A COUPLE OF US WAS, YOU KNOW, WE SMART.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO THAT.
I'LL NEVER FORGET, I FORGET, WE, THAT AFTERNOON, UH, A COUPLE OF US HAD SOME LAS ASSIGNMENTS IN.
AND SO WE HAD TO, SHE GAVE US SOME TIME TO GET OUR, OUR, UM, CURRENT EVENTS IN.
AND WE WENT STRAIGHT OVER TO THE LIBRARY, JUST SOME CUTTING AND PASTING.
AND SHE, SHE, SHE CALLED US BACK.
SHE SAID, I KNOW Y'ALL DIDN'T DO THAT.
I LIKE WHAT YOU TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO BASICALLY WHAT WE DID WAS WE CUT AND PASTE, BUT I GUESS WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT SHE COULD JUST PUT IT IN.
AND, I MEAN, BUT, BUT WE WERE, WE WERE THINKING AT THAT TIME, WE DIDN'T, I DON'T THINK WE UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY THE PRINCIPLES OF PLA PLAGIARISM.
AND WE JUST CUT AND PASTE AND WE TURNED IT IN ZERO.
SO, SO IT'S JUST, THIS IS GONNA BE AN INTERESTING THING MOVING FORWARD TO HAVE THE, THE SITUATION LIKE THIS.
THEY'RE ALL GONNA OCCUR, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE BEST OF 'EM WHEN THEY DO.
JUST TO BE A LONG STORY SHORT.
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD TIME FOR A LUNCH BREAK.
WE HAVE LUNCH READY, AND SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO, LET'S, LET'S PLAN TO BE BACK, UH, BY A QUARTER TO ONE.
AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S ROBERT, THE DYNAMIC CAROL DUO.
SO, YES, THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALLOWING US TO COME TALK WITH YOU TODAY.
THIS CAME UP AS A CONVERSATION OUT OF THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND SO BASED ON THAT CONVERSATION, THAT REQUEST, WE PUT THIS PRESENTATION, UM, TOGETHER FOR YOU.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO CAROL CRUTCHFIELD.
WELL, AND I THINK ROBERT JUST HIT ON
[03:05:01]
THAT WE, WE'VE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL AS BOARD MEMBERS AND, AND FROM STAFF THAT THE CAPITAL PROJECT LIST AND THE PROCESS FOR GETTING SOMETHING ON THE LIST AND HOW IT WORKS AND HOW YOU GET SOMETHING COMPLETE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENT.SO WE'RE BRINGING THIS CONVERSATION TO YOU SO YOU CAN ALSO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON HOW WE CAN HELP MAKE THAT TRANSPARENT FOR EVERYONE.
SO I JUST, I'M GONNA TOUCH BASE ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW, BUT THESE ARE JUST KIND OF HERE AS REMINDERS.
WHAT IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT? SO IT'S A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT FOR WHAT'S THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS.
AND THESE TYPICALLY INVOLVE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, OR A MAJOR REPAIR OF, OF ACTUAL SCHOOL FACILITIES OR THE THINGS IN THOSE LIKE HVAC UNITS.
UM, AND THAT WOULD HAVE A USEFUL LIFE OF 10 OR MORE YEARS.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS, AGAIN, A REMINDER ABOUT THE FACILITIES, UM, MASTER PLAN THAT LISTS OUT ALL THOSE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND GIVES YOU A LOOK AHEAD FOR WHAT, WHAT YOU MIGHT BE SEEING IN THE FUTURE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND THEN THERE ARE ONLY THREE WAYS TO FUND FACILITY NEEDS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, A REFERENDUM, WHICH WE'VE DONE TWO OF, ONE IN 19 AND ONE IN 23.
UM, THE 8% FUNDING, THAT IS THE BULK OF WHAT THIS CONVERSATION IS ABOUT.
AND IMPACT FEES, WE'VE TRIED IMPACT FEES IN THE PAST THAT DIDN'T WORK.
SO WE FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW WE REALLY ONLY HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR FUNDING, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS.
SO, SO WE HAVE A STRATEGIC APPROACH, UM, TO A LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENT FOR ITEMS THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOL.
AND THAT'S REALLY BASED OFF OUR FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT THAT WE HAD DONE BACK IN, UM, 2022.
AND SO WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY ASSESSING ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU SEE LISTED, ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASSETS AND ADDING TO THAT LIST.
SO HOW THINGS GET ON THE LIST AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
SO THEY COME FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES.
THAT NEXT SLIDE, ROBIN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, THE, THE FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEN WE HAVE A ROOFING CONSULTANT.
HE LOOKS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A ROOF LEAK.
HE GOES OUT THERE AND HE LOOKS AND HE SAYS, OH, THIS IS A QUICK REPAIR, OR NO, THIS IS A BIGGER PROBLEM.
AND WE NEED TO PUT THAT ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT LIST.
UM, MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION STAFF, THEY CAN ADD PROJECTS, PRINCIPALS, ATHLETIC DIRECTORS, SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCILS, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
WE HEAR SOMETHING, PRINCIPAL MIGHT PUT IT ON A LIST BECAUSE THEY'VE HEARD SOME THINGS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, CERTAINLY OUR OWN INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE TO MEET THE INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
SOMETIMES WE GET PROJECTS ON FROM THEM, TRANSPORTATION, UM, BECAUSE WE ALSO FUND BUSES AND VEHICLES AND ALL THOSE THINGS OUT OF 8% LIST FOOD SERVICE AND THEN TECHNOLOGY AND, AND THE PROJECTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO NOT ONLY JUST LIFECYCLE REPLACE, BUT TO, TO, UM, BEEF THINGS UP WHEN WE NEED TO AS WE ADD MORE ITEMS. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE ALL THE PROJECTS COME FROM.
AND THEN KNOW THAT WE HAVE A HUGE LIST.
IF YOU'VE SIT IN AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE SEEN THE LIST.
AND WHEN IT GOES INTO THIS DATABASE, WE'RE TRACKING ALL THESE FIELDS, WHICH ARE THE LITTLE, THE COLUMNS THAT YOU SEE ACROSS THE TOP.
AND EVERY PROJECT HAS THIS INFORMATION IN IT.
AND SO WE, WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE PUT IT IN THERE, WHEN WE INITIALLY THINK IT MIGHT BE NEEDED.
AND AGAIN, THAT USUALLY COMES FROM WHATEVER SOURCE IT WAS THAT PUT THAT ITEM ON THE LIST, WHICH WE ALSO TRACK WHEN DID THIS PROJECT GET ON THE LIST? WHO PUT IT ON THE LIST, AND WHAT DO WE THINK IT'S GONNA, UM, WHEN IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DONE.
AND, BUT WE'RE CONSTANTLY REASSESSING THAT.
SO SINCE WE WENT THROUGH THE 8% LIST WITH YOU ALL BACK IN MAY, JUNE, THROUGH THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING INTERNALLY BECAUSE WE, AGAIN, WE'VE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL ABOUT NOT WANTING TO SEE EVERYTHING ON THE LIST LIST, BUT WANTING TO SEE THINGS A LITTLE MORE CATEGORIZED.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE CATEGORIES AND HOW THAT WE CAN BETTER SHOW
[03:10:01]
YOU THE INFORMATION SO THAT IT MAKES MORE SENSE AND YOU'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT, UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON.SO THAT, SO THESE ARE SORT OF THE CATEGORIES WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF FOCUSED IN ON THE DISCIPLINE AND THE SUB-DISCIPLINE.
SO THE DISCIPLINE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, ATHLETIC SUPPORT, BUILDING ENVELOPE, YOU KNOW, THE ROOF, THE WALLS, THE WINDOWS, WHAT'S INSIDE THE BUILDING, WHAT'S ON THE SITE, WHAT'S OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, UH, AGAIN, UH, FURNITURE FIXTURES, ASSETS.
AND THEN TECHNOLOGY GETS ITS OWN CATEGORY.
AND SO WE'VE TAKEN THOSE CATEGORIES WE WORKED ON AND THEN APPLIED THAT TO THE, TO THE DATABASE.
GO AHEAD WITH THE NEXT ONE IF YOU WOULD, ROBIN.
SO I JUST PULLED UP SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY AND JUST PULLED OUT SOME THINGS JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW YOU COULD POTENTIALLY SEE THINGS AS YOU GO THROUGH AND MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF, OF PROCESS SO THAT YOU SEE THINGS FOR THE WHOLE LIST THAT WE WOULD PRESENT BY DISCIPLINE AND SUB-DISCIPLINE AND HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHERE WE INTEND ON SPENDING ON SPENDING MONEY.
AND THEN AGAIN, ON THE NEXT ONE SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU CAN EVEN BREAK THAT DOWN FURTHER SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT DETAIL BY SCHOOL.
SO YOU WOULD KNOW EXACTLY DISCIPLINE, SUB-DISCIPLINE BY EACH SCHOOL.
AND AGAIN, THIS CAN BE DONE FOR EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD AS WE BUILD OUT A FULL TENURE YEAR PLAN.
SO NOW WE, WE KIND OF HAVE A LIST
AND SO THE NEXT PART OF THE PROCESS IS KIND OF TALKING ABOUT, UM, AMONGST OPERATIONS STAFF AND WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE PRINCIPALS AND STAFF AT SCHOOLS.
WHEN DOES THAT PROJECT REALLY NEED TO BE COMPLETED? DOES IT NEED TO GO THIS YEAR? CAN IT GO ONE YEAR? OR WE REALLY LOOKING AT A FIVE YEAR FUTURE PROJECT, CAN IT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE NEEDED AT YOUR SCHOOL SO THAT WE CAN MINIMIZE DISRUPTION AT THE SCHOOL AND MAYBE PUT TWO THINGS TOGETHER AND GET THEM DONE AT ONE TIME TO SAVE EFFICIENCIES ON TIME AND EFFICIENCIES ON MONEY.
AND THEN HOW OFTEN ARE WE SHUTTING DOWN A SCHOOL? WE DON'T WANT EVERY SUMMER FOR THAT SCHOOL TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH MAJOR CONSTRUCTION.
WE WANNA TRY TO GROUP THINGS TOGETHER SO THAT WE, WE MAJOR THINGS ONE YEAR AND MAYBE WE DON'T TOUCH 'EM FOR TWO MORE YEARS.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT A SCHOOL DURING THE SUMMER? SO THERE'S A WHOLE SUMMER COORDINATION MEETING THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN OPERATION STAFF, UM, INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.
'CAUSE WE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR SUMMER SCHOOLS AFTER CARE, WHAT CAMPS ARE COMING IN, AND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND HOW, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS SUMMER CAMP HAPPENS AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL IF WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THIS DOWN.
SO THAT IS, AGAIN, PART OF THAT PROCESS AND DECISION MAKING AS WE GO THROUGH WHEN AND HOW THINGS GET ON THE LIST.
SO AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO PRESENT THE WHOLE PROCESS TO YOU, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SIMPLE PROCESS, AND I THINK PEOPLE THINK IT IS, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT.
AND IT TAKES LONGER THAN PEOPLE REALIZE.
SO WE, WE PUT
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IF YOU'VE EVER PLAYED THE GAME OF LIFE AND YOU KNOW, YOU GET THROWN A CURVE IN THE GAME OF LIFE, YOU DROVE THAT CARD, NOW YOU GOTTA GO DOWN THIS PATH, THINGS HAPPEN AND THEN SHOOTS AND LADDERS.
SO FOR US, WE FEEL LIKE THE PROCESS IS KIND OF LIKE THE GAME OF LIFE AND SHOOTS AND LADDERS.
YOU KNOW, YOU START OUT HERE, YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING THERE, SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WHOOP, YOU'RE GOING DOWN A CHUTE AND NOW YOU'RE OVER HERE AND THEN YOU REGROUP AND YOU, YOU DO ANOTHER THING.
SO TRYING TO MAKE THAT VISUAL FOR A PROCESS GETS US TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THAT'S WHY ROBERT'S UP HERE TO HELP ME TALK THROUGH THIS AND MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT.
AGAIN, IT'S HARD TO START WITH WHERE IS THE BEGINNING OF THE CYCLE, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS A CYCLE.
BUT I DECIDED TO START IN JANUARY.
'CAUSE THAT'S USUALLY WHEN WE START TALKING TO PRINCIPALS, ASKING THEM, WHAT ARE YOUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON THE LIST? AND SO AT THAT POINT, THEY'RE USUALLY REVIEWED WITH THE, UM, PROJECT MANAGERS AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S ALREADY ON THE LIST, WHAT THEY NEED TO GET IT ON THE LIST.
[03:15:01]
REFINING WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF WHAT THEY'RE REALLY ASKING FOR, PLUS THE OTHER NEEDS THAT ARE COMING IN FROM THOSE OTHER SOURCES.AND LOOKING AT WHAT POTENTIAL PRICING MAY BE FOR THAT.
THEN MARCH FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE BOARD DEFINE, UM, WHAT'S OUR 8% BORROWING CAPACITY? HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE THINK WE WERE GONNA NEED? YOU KNOW, IN PAST YEARS IT WAS AROUND 25 MILLION CREPT UP TO 30 MILLION.
PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS GONNA BE THE CASE.
SO, UM, THEN WE START WITH OPERATIONS COMMITTEE USUALLY IN APRIL THAT MIGHT TAKE ONE OR TWO MEETINGS, AND IN MAY IT MAY AGAIN TAKE ONE OR TWO MEETINGS WHERE IN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE BEFORE THEY MAKE A RE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE ON TO THE FULL BOARD.
AND THEN THE FULL BOARD WOULD MAKE AN APPROVAL, USUALLY END OF MAY, 1ST OF JUNE, JUNE 1ST, I MEAN JUNE, THE MONTH OF JUNE, THE 8% LIST IS APPROVED AND BONDS CAN BE ISSUED.
YEAH, THE BOARD APPROVED CAROL CORRECT US.
I MEAN, UH, TANYA CORRECTED US ON THIS.
THE BOARD APPROVES THE BONDS, WHICH ARE ISSUED LATER, BUT WE, WE NEED THAT FOR JULY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY KIND OF THE DROP DEAD DATE.
UM, WHEN THE MILLAGE RATE HAS TO BE SET WITH THE COUNTY AUDITORS, YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT'S BEEN APPROVED SO THAT MILLAGE RATE CAN BE SET.
AND THEN JULY, AUGUST, WE SORT OF START THE RFP PROCESS FOR ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS FOR THOSE PROJECTS FOR THAT YEAR'S APPROVED LIST.
SO AUGUST, THE FUNDS USUALLY BECOME AVAILABLE SO THAT WE CAN START SPENDING MONEY ON THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, SEPTEMBER PROJECT MANAGERS ARE ASSIGNED TO THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THEN DESIGN AND BUDGET START, AND THEN WE, WE JUMP INTO SORT OF THAT CYCLE.
IF YOU THINK OF A SPIRAL, NOW WE'RE, WE'RE GOING INTO THE SPIRAL BECAUSE AGAIN, IN JANUARY WE'RE GONNA START OVER AGAIN WITH THIS WHOLE PROCESS FOR ANOTHER YEAR OF 8% FUNDING.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE SORT OF DROPS US INTO THE PURPLE LOOP.
SO OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, ARCHITECTURES, ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS ARE ON AND GIVING US PROJECT TIMELINE.
SO WE'LL KNOW WHETHER, IS THIS A ONE YEAR PROJECT, A TWO YEAR PROJECT, HOW IS THIS, IS IT GONNA BE PHASED? HOW IS THIS GONNA WORK? UM, NOVEMBER PMS, UH, REVIEW APPROVED PROJECT LIST WITH THE PRINCIPAL.
SO AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO THE PRINCIPALS AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WHAT GOT APPROVED, HERE'S WHAT OUR TIMELINE IS.
AND LOOKING AT THAT PROJECT ITSELF.
THEN MAY, DECEMBER THROUGH MAY, YOU ALL APPROVED GMPS FOR BIG PROJECTS.
AND WE BEGAN ORDERING EQUIPMENT FOR THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED.
UM, SOME, THIS IS WHERE I SORT OF HAVE THE OFF ARROW, YEAR ROUND WORK TRACK.
SOME THINGS CAN'T JUST HAPPEN OVER A SUMMER.
SOME THINGS WE HAVE TO PHASE AND SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THAT GO INTO THAT YEAR-ROUND WORK TRACK AND SOME PROJECTS STAY IN THE LOOP TO TRY TO GET COMPLETED WITHIN CLOSE TO A YEAR.
SO THEN JANUARY AGAIN, WE BEGIN SUMMER COORDINATION MEETINGS.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING TO PRINCIPALS AGAIN FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SO YOU'RE IN, YOU'RE, WE'RE IN THIS SPIRALING THING HERE, MARCH FOR THIS FIRST SET OF PROJECTS.
UM, WE'RE DOING SUMMER COORDINATION AGAIN, UM, ON A BID SETS ARE COMING IN FOR THOSE PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME.
APRIL, WE MIGHT BID THAT PROJECT MAY, WE WOULD HAVE A FINAL SUMMER COORDINATION.
THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN YOUR SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
UM, MAY, JUNE SUMMER PROJECTS WOULD BEGIN AUGUST.
SOME PROJECTS ARE GONNA BE COMPLETE IF THEY DIDN'T GO OUT TO THAT YEAR ROUND, YEAR ROUND TRACK.
AND THEN ONCE THOSE ARE COMPLETE, THEY WOULD GO INTO ANOTHER LOOP, WHICH I DID NOT REALLY DETAIL, BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN PART OF OUR ANY CLOCK DISCUSSIONS, YOU KNOW, CLOSEOUTS CAN KIND OF BECOME ITS OWN PROCESS FOR CLOSING A PROJECT OUT, GETTING EVERYONE PAID AND SAYING WE'RE DONE.
AND SO FOR ONGOING PROJECTS, THEN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER, WE ARE CONTINUING WITH THOSE PROJECTS.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE SORT OF IS A VISUAL OF ALL OF THAT
SO YOU CAN SEE KIND OF WHAT OPERATIONS AND FINANCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 'CAUSE THEY CERTAINLY HAVE PROJECTS WITH US.
[03:20:01]
ON.SO I THINK SOMETIMES THERE'S A PERCEPTION THAT IT'S A ONE YEAR PROCESS AND WE WANTED YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT REALLY, IT COULD BE, BUT NOT ALL PROJECTS ARE ONE YEAR CYCLE PROJECTS.
AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE GONNA TAKE QUESTIONS FROM YOU ALL ON THE PROCESS.
UM, FIRST I'LL SAY I THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THIS IS BROUGHT, UH, WHY WAS THIS PRESENTATION PARTICULARLY BROUGHT FORWARD, FORWARD? SORT OF TWO THINGS.
YOU ALL, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A REQUEST AT SOME TIME.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHO MADE IT, BUT THERE WAS A REQUEST AND IT WAS EITHER PART OF FUTURE TOPICS OR, UH, I THINK YOU MADE THE REQUEST ACTUALLY ABOUT 8%.
I'M ALSO, UM, I I, I GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, BUT ALSO, UH, NOT JUST ABOUT 8%, BUT WHAT I'M, I'M GONNA STICK TO 8%.
UM, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I WILL SAY IS, AND AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THIS PROCESS IS THAT I, I, I, I CLEARLY PRETTY MUCH UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, BUT I'M, I'M GLAD NOW THAT WE'RE BEING ABLE TO PUT SOME TECHNOLOGY TO IT AND, AND, AND HOW WE'RE TRACKING IT.
BUT THERE ARE SOME STEPS IN HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, BECAUSE REALLY WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THESE PRO THESE, UM, PROJECTS FOR YEARS.
IN FACT, COLONEL GUY AND I WAS IN A MEETING, UH, LAST NIGHT ALONG WITH MR. UM, PASTOR, UH, PASTOR GORDON.
AND THEN, AND THEN THAT BOOK THAT HE HELD UP IS THE 8% PROJECTS.
AND THE 8% PROJECTS HAS BEEN IN THAT BOOK FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN THIS PROCESS.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE, WE HAVE THIS PROCESS, THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ONE OF THESE SITUATIONS ARE IS THAT WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE ATTEMPT, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE RUNNING INTO, IS THAT SOME OF THESE, THE PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT ON THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE 8% PROJECTS ARE ISSUES THAT, THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THE DISTRICT.
SO, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH BRINGS CONCERN IN TERMS OF, AND I THINK I WANT TO KNOW IN TERMS OF, UH, HOW WE, HOW, HOW ARE WE ALIGNING, UH, HOW I THINK MY QUESTIONS WAS TO WAS ALSO REALLY MORE IN TERMS OF HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW ARE WE MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE 8% PROJECTS AND HOW ARE WE ALIGNING THE GOALPOSTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE HANDLE WHAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED FIRST IN THE, IN THE, IN, IN THE DISTRICT AND NOT JUST THE 8% PROJECTS.
BECAUSE, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK I, I STARTED, I GOT THIS BECAUSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN THE PAPER FOR CONDITIONING UNITS ISSUES.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING.
AND TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND NOT EVEN JUST CLOSING DOWN SCHOOL, I, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT MY QUESTION WAS, I SAID, I BELIEVE I, I SAID, STARTED THE PROCESS WAS WHEN I, WHEN, WHEN I, WHEN I WAS ASKED THAT IT TO GIVE MORE, I SAID THE PROCESS.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A POSITIVE PROCESS, BUT HOW MY QUESTION WOULD BE BETTER YET, I, I, AND, AND, AND I DIGRESS.
HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN RUNNING THE SAME PROCESS? AND MY QUESTION IS, WHAT HAVE THIS PROCESS GIVEN TO US AND WHAT HAS THIS PROCESS SHOWN HAVE SHOWN TO US? SO I I, I, I'LL, I'LL ASK, I'LL START WITH THOSE THREE QUESTIONS.
WELL, I, I, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER HOW LONG WE HAD THIS SAME PROCESS.
WE'VE HAD THIS PROCESS, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, 14 YEARS, UM, THAT WE REFINE IT AND TWEAK IT EVERY YEAR AND IMPROVE ON IT EVERY YEAR AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION AND NEW, UH, PEOPLE INVOLVED.
LIKE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THE REFERENDUM HAS BROUGHT OBVIOUSLY IS WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF TURNER, TOWNSEND ERIE.
SO WE HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER REALM OF STAFF AND PEOPLE THAT WE CAN USE TO BENEFIT US WHEN WE DO THESE LISTS.
A LOT OF THE 8% LISTS NOW ARE DONE THROUGH TURNER TOWNSEND HUIE, UH, AS FAR AS MANAGING THE DATABASE, THEY HAVE, UH, CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATORS.
SO A, WE CAN GATHER A WHOLE LOT MORE INFORMATION 'CAUSE WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES NOW, BUT THE ACTUAL WAY THAT WE DO IT HAS NOT REALLY CHANGED FROM YEAR TO YEAR FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS THAT I, AND YOU'VE BEEN HERE A LITTLE LONGER THAN
[03:25:01]
ME, SO, YEAH, I MEAN, YEAH.I'LL LET, I'LL LET ZIG ASK A QUESTION.
SO THE ONE THING I'M TROTTING, IS IT FAIR TO SAY, EXCUSE ME, IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THE LIST AND THE PROJECTS ARE INITIALLY GENERATED BASED ON THE NEEDS IDENTIFIED NEEDS? THEN IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT FROM TIME TO TIME SOMETHING LEAPFROG SOMETHING ELSE IN TERMS OF BEING A, A, A NECESSITY IMMEDIATELY? UH, I WOULD SAY ALL THE TIME, NOT TIME TO TIME, ALL THE TIME.
SO, SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
FROM WHAT I, FROM THE QUESTION I HEARD WAS, WAS THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS I SAID, FIRST OFF, A REFERENDUM MONEY CAN ONLY FIX THINGS THAT ARE MENTIONED IN THE REFERENDUM.
YOU CANNOT USE THE MONEY FOR ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT.
AND SO HE SAID, THEN I GO BACK TO MY BASIC POINT.
WELL, WHY NOT ASK FOR THOSE THINGS TO GET FIXED? AND SO ONCE AGAIN, AND THEN THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO, TO THE, THE POINT OF WHEN I SAID THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, THE PROCESS.
HOW ARE WE INVENTORY, HOW ARE, HOW ARE WE AS I, AS, AS, AS I WOULD GO AND SAY IN THAT, IN THE, IN THE, UM, IN ACADEMICS COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF INVENTORY OR ON OUR MENU, HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE INVENTORY? ARE WE INVENTORYING OUR MENU AND OUT OTHER WORDS, HOW, HOW ARE WE MONITORING THE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE AND, AND, AND WHAT WE HAVE? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND ION COULD BROKE OR, OR, OR, OR, OR, OR IT COULD HAVE ISSUES, BUT MOST OF THE TIMES IT JUST DON'T HAVE A, A, A ISSUE LIKE THAT O OVERNIGHT, NOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF 'EM AT THE SAME TIME AS MIRACULOUSLY THAT DON'T HAPPEN.
SO I I, I, I'VE DONE SOME, SOME MANAGEMENT AND, AND, AND IN SOME BUILDINGS AND, AND, AND I, I'VE NEVER, IN MY YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING IT, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT MIRACULOUSLY HAPPEN.
SO I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO SOME OF THE MANAGEMENT OF LOOKING AT THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND SAYING, HEY, OKAY, HEY, THIS IS, I, I'VE DONE FREE ON THIS ONE HERE A COUPLE TIMES, OR THIS ONE HASN'T BEEN SHUTTING OFF, SO THEREFORE IMMEDIATELY BING THAT, THAT SETS PRESENCE BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THAT.
AND I MEAN, SO I, AND THERE'S, UH, CERTAIN TIMES WHERE YOU, YOU, YOU MAY CHECK THOSE UNITS OR YOU MAY CHECK THOSE THINGS OUT, UH, UH, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT'S TIME TO BE UP ON, ON, ON FOUR GAUGES RUNNING, THAT THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE, UH, ARE, ARE RUNNING PROPERLY AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, TO, TO UTILIZE THOSE THINGS.
AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO SEE, OR, OR THAT'S THE UNDERSTANDING THAT I WANT.
BECAUSE LAST, THIS LAST NIGHT I CAME ON MY ONE, THE PEOPLE ASKED ME THAT I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT.
YEAH, CAN, CAN I, AND DEFINITELY NOT CONFIDENTLY.
SO LET ME, I'LL, I CAN TACKLE SOME OF IT AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TACKLE STUFF IT, OKAY.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE REFERENDUM, RIGHT? RIGHT, RIGHT.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT WHAT YOU SAID, RIGHT? RIGHT.
THE MONEY IS SPENT ON WHAT IS ON THAT REFERENDUM, RIGHT? SO WHEN THEY GO BACK TO THE BASIC QUESTION, OKAY, SO REMEMBER, HOW DO WE GET TO THE PROJECTS ON THE REFERENDUM, RIGHT? ONE, YOU HAVE COMMUNITY PRO, WELL, YOU HAVE A FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT, OKAY? THEN YOU HAVE COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEES THAT REVIEW FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENTS, REVIEW, UH, SOME NEEDS.
THEY VISIT SCHOOLS, THEY IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL NEEDS.
REMEMBER, COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEE CAME BACK WITH $900 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T GO TO THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, WELL, WE NEED $900 MILLION, RIGHT? SO YOU SAY THOSE WERE IDENTIFIED THINGS, BUT YOU GO BACK TO WHAT CAN YOU DO IN THIS CASE? WHAT CAN WE DO WITHOUT RAISING MILLAGE? THAT WAS ONE OF THE GOALS.
ONE OF THE TARGETS THAT LANDED AT 439 MILLION, WELL, BETWEEN 900,000,430
[03:30:02]
9 MILLION, THAT'S SCARCITY.AND THE 439 MILLION IS THE LIMITED RESOURCES WE'VE SAID WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GO WITH AND NOT RAISE MILLAGE.
SO NOW YOU GOTTA MAKE DECISIONS.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT COME AND GO, RIGHT? WHAT'S SO, COMMUNITY PROJECT RE REVIEW COMMITTEE ALSO PRIORITIZED AS PART OF THAT, SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT THEY SAW WITHIN THAT, THAT COMPONENT, OUR TEAM WAS A PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND ASSESSMENTS.
SO THAT'S HOW YOU LAND ON REFERENDUM PROJECT.
OKAY? AND THERE ARE HVAC UNITS ON REFERENDUM PROJECTS.
IT'S JUST NOT ALL THE HVAC UNITS, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE ARE PART OF 8% PROJECTS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
IN ADDITION, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION APPARENTLY THAT IT'S ONLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS AIR CONDITION ISSUES.
I WAS TALKING TO, WELL, I WAS AT, JUST LAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS AT A WALMART, HAD ALL THEIR ACS DOWN, ALL OF 'EM WERE DOWN, AND THEY, AND, AND THEY, AND THEY WERE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, BUT THEY WERE WORKING ON THEIR PROCESS OF FIXING THEIR, THEIR ACS.
UM, IN ADDITION, I'M SPEAKING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE IN HOSPITALS, OKAY? THEY'RE BATTLING AC ISSUES CONSTANTLY, RIGHT? WORSE IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND THEN IN APRIL, MAY AND JUNE IN JULY, RIGHT? THEN, UM, WHO'S THE OTHER PERSONNEL? OH, A COUPLE OF OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS.
'CAUSE I SAID, ARE YOU GUYS DEALING WITH AC ISSUES? AM I THE ONLY ONE I NEED TO KNOW?
ALL OF THEM ARE DEALING WITH THAT BECAUSE YOU GOT LARGE ORGANIZATIONS WITH NOT JUST TWO OR THREE AC UNITS, OVER 2000 AC UNITS, RIGHT? SO, SO WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE LAST YEAR, RIGHT? AND THAT'S HOW IT ENDED UP IN THE MEDIA BECAUSE SOMEBODY WAS UNHAPPY OBVIOUSLY WITH IT AND CONTACTED THEM.
SO WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK A YEAR LATER.
THEY, THEY PROBABLY GOT IT ON A TICKLER FILE.
HEY, LET'S CHECK EVERY AUGUST, SEE HOW WE'RE DOING, RIGHT? BUT IT IS AN ONGOING THING.
THEY RESPOND, THEY FIX THINGS, THEN MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS, RIGHT? AND SO, SO IT IS AN ONGOING THING NOW, YOU KNOW, I THINK PART OF WHAT THE TEAM HAS SAID IN THE PAST IS THAT THEY, THERE ARE, UH, UNITS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT IN GOOD, NOT IN GOOD SHAPE.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE OVERALL PROCESS IS.
I, I MEAN, FILL IN THE BLANKS NOW.
'CAUSE NOW I'M GONNA DELVE INTO YOUR REALM.
I DON'T WANNA LIVE IN THAT WAY.
WELL, IF I, IF I CAN AS FAR AS ON THE HVAC DISCUSSION THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AND WE'RE DEVELOPING A DEEP DIVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AT THE NEXT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
SO JUST TO KNOW, THAT'S GONNA BE OUR DISCUSSION AT OUR NEXT MEETING OR ONE OF OUR MAIN DISCUSSIONS.
UM, BUT, UH, WHAT, AND I, I KIND OF CHUCKLED WHEN YOU SAID TALKING TO SUPERINTENDENTS.
'CAUSE I TALKED TO ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT LAST WEEK AND WE WERE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL AND MANAGING OF THOSE, ACTUALLY IT WAS MOSTLY CUSTODIAL.
AND I WAS LIKE, AND HE'S LIKE, SO IS EVERYTHING GOING WELL? I SAID, EVERYTHING BUT HVAC.
AND HE IS LIKE, MAN, TELL ME ABOUT IT.
LIKE, WHAT ABOUT THESE NEW HVC UNITS THAT WON'T EVEN WORK WHEN THEY SHOW UP? I'M LIKE, THANK GOODNESS SOMEONE ELSE IS HAVING THAT PROBLEM.
BUT YEAH, SO IT'S NOT JUST US.
AND WHEN I TALK TO MY COLLEAGUES, THAT'S THEIR NUMBER ONE ISSUE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT NEXT WEEK AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO REAL QUICK IS HOW WE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE, I THINK GOING INTO, UH, WHEN WE COME TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IN APRIL, I BELIEVE OUR LIST RIGHT NOW IS AT ABOUT 180 MILLION.
NO, IT'S, IT'S MORE LIKE JUST FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO WE HAVE, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, 35 MILLION.
RIGHT? WELL, WHERE WE'RE GONNA START, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN GONE AND ADDED TO THE LIST YET BY TALKING TO PRINCIPALS OR ANYBODY ELSE.
WE ARE STARTING WITH A LIST OF 180 MILLION, RIGHT? AND WE, WE WHITTLE THAT DOWN BEFORE WE BRING IT TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THE FIRST TIME.
NOW, HOW DO WE WHITTLE THAT DOWN? OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS, IS LIFE SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL YOU KNOW, FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, ALARM SYSTEMS, THOSE, THAT'S WHEN YOU TALK FIRE, UM, LIFE SAFETY, THAT'S YOUR MAIN ITEMS.
[03:35:01]
NEXT IS AS ASSET PROTECTION.IT'S GONNA BE HVAC AND ROOFS WHEN YOU GET, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'LL WHITTLE IT DOWN TO, BUT JUST THOSE ITEMS ALONE WILL PROBABLY BE IN THE 40 TO 50 MILLION.
RIGHT? SO WE'RE EVEN WITH THOSE, IF WE JUST DID ALL THE HVAC ROOFS AND LIFE SAFETY, WE STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
SO OUR NEXT THING IS WE START LOOKING AT WHICH ONES WE KNOW ARE IN THE WORST SHAPE.
WE ALSO LOOK AT THOSE RECURRING PROJECTS WE'RE GONNA HAVE, AND ACTUALLY, WHEN I SAID 40 TO 60 MILLION, IT WOULD INCLUDE THE RECURRING PROJECTS, WHICH IS PAINTING, WHICH IS TRACK RESURFACING.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THOSE ON A SCHEDULE TO DO ON A REGULAR TIME PERIOD.
MARK'S GOT GOT HIS FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT GOES IN THERE, AND THAT'S USUALLY A SIZABLE NUMBER AS WELL.
SO WHAT WE DO IS LOOK AT ALL THOSE, AND THEN AS CAROL WAS KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE TALK ABOUT, OKAY, WHERE CAN WE DO THE MOST BENEFIT? WHERE DO WE GET THE MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK? YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GO INTO A SCHOOL IF WE'RE GONNA CLOSE IT.
LIKE IF WE'RE KNOW THAT WE'RE PAINTING THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, WHICH WE USUALLY CLOSE ANYWAY, AND IT'S GOT THESE HVAC AND ROOF PROJECTS, WELL THAT BECOMES A PRIORITY BECAUSE IT'S A NEED.
WE KNOW WE'RE CLOSING THE SCHOOL.
LET'S GET AS MUCH DONE AS WE CAN.
AND THAT'S KIND OF, WE GO THROUGH THE LIST AND WE WHITTLE IT DOWN BASED ON THAT.
AND YOU, WE USUALLY WE'RE STILL A LITTLE HIGH OF THAT 35, 40 MILLION OR EVEN 30 MILLION.
SO THEN YOU START ASKING, OKAY, WHICH ONE OF THESE HVAC SYSTEM IS IN THE WORST SHAPE? YOU KNOW, WHICH ONE, ONE IS PROBABLY GONNA DIE TOMORROW? OKAY, WELL, THAT GOES TO THE TOP OF THE LIST.
AND WE HAVE TO TALK, AS CAROL WAS SAYING, TO ISD, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO YOU HAVE, WHERE ARE A MAJOR, YOU KNOW, CAN WE CLOSE DOWN? WE CAN'T CLOSE DOWN ALL OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? WE GOTTA HAVE, SO IF ALL THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE HIGH PRIORITY, SAY, YOU KNOW, ALL THE NORTH ABROAD MIDDLE SCHOOL IS LIKE, WELL, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
WE'VE GOTTA PICK TWO OF THEM OR ONE OF THEM SO THAT THE OTHER ONE CAN BE OPEN FOR SUMMER SCHOOL.
SO THAT'S THE PROCESS WE GO THROUGH TO, AND THEN THAT'S WHAT WE BRING TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT WE'VE WHITTLED DOWN AND KIND OF SAY, HERE'S OUR LIST AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.
UM, AND USUALLY WHEN WE BRING IT THE FIRST TIME, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL IN THE 40 TO 50 MILLION RANGE SO THAT THE OPERATION COMMITTEE CAN HAVE SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY'VE HEARD AND WHAT THEY KNOW.
SO THAT'S KINDA JUST, JUST TO RESPOND TO WHAT YOU AND DR. RODRIGUEZ HAS SAID.
I'VE, I, I, I, I HEAR WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL ARE SAYING, BUT I REMEMBER ONE TIME, UH, WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AND I DID THE, UH, STUDENT ASSISTANT AD OVER AT ELVER COLLEGE, AND PRESIDENT CALLED ME IN AND HE WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT SOME THINGS, AND HE SAID, I'M NOT A BASKETBALL COACH, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW ABOUT IS LS AND WS.
WE GOT MORE LS THAN WHAT WE GOT WS.
AND BY SAYING THAT IS, I UNDERSTAND ABOUT WALMART AND THE HOSPITAL AND OTHER PEOPLE, BUT IN TERMS OF THE, MY CONSTITUENTS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT, THAT THAT KIDS IS, UH, DOING, THAT KIDS IS GETTING THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
JUST ON YESTERDAY, I WAS OUTTA SCHOOL YESTERDAY AND, AND, AND IT WAS, IT WAS IN A SPED CLASS, AND THE, THE SPED CLASS WAS SO HOT, I BROKE OUT IN SWEAT.
SO IT'S THE PREPARING, EVEN IF WE HAVE THESE SYSTEMS DOWN, IT'S THE TIME AND PREPARATION, PREPARING SO THAT EVEN WHEN THESE BABIES DO COME THERE, THAT WE HAVE THESE KIDS IN A, IN, IN, IN A SETTING THAT'S CONDUCIVE FOR, FOR NOT JUST LEARNING, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR MENTAL CAPACITY.
SO WITH THAT BEING, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE WORLD HAPPENED, THINGS HAPPENED.
THIS O OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA AND BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THAT'S MY DUTY HERE TO MY CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT TODAY, BECAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY THE THING WHEN THINGS HAPPEN OVER AND OVER, IT'S INSANITY.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BETTER PREPARE AND FIGURE OUT NOW, NOW IT'S TIME TO THE RESULTS SECTION.
NOW IT'S ABOUT HOW, HOW ARE WE NOT GONNA LET THIS SITUATION HAPPEN AS MUCH AS AS MUCH, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S SO MUCH AS IT IS JUST HAPPENING AND PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT IT, ABOUT IT HAPPENING AT SOME PLACES.
BUT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF IT HAPPENING IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE MAJORITY OF THE BUILDINGS IS WHAT'S BRINGING ATTENTION AND WHAT'S BRINGING PEOPLE TO ASK US AND QUESTION US.
QUESTION ME AS A BOARD MEMBER, WELL, HOW ARE YOU DOING IT? AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING? AND WHAT SYSTEMS DO Y'ALL HAVE IN PLACE? AND HOW ARE Y'ALL HANDLING THESE? AND 8% IS JUST, IS JUST, IT IS ONE COMPONENT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT SCREAM
[03:40:01]
TO ME ABOUT THE REOCCURRING OF THESE THINGS AND THE 8%, UH, LIST AND, AND, AND HOW, AND HOW WE DO THAT.AND THAT'S WHY I ASK HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WAY AND WHAT'S THE PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND? IS THERE MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE COULD DO? OR WAS THERE MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE THAT, THAT, THAT WE DIDN'T DO THAT WE MAY START BEING INNOVATIVE AND LOOKING, WE TALKED ABOUT AI EARLIER.
MAYBE THERE, MAYBE, UH, WE, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING A CONSULTANT IN, UH, IN, IN, I THINK IN THE, UM, TECH, TECH IN TECH TECHNOLOGY.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SPEND NO, NO CONSULTANT MONEY BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD, WITH THE RIGHT TEAM, THAT THIS COULD BE HANDLED RIGHT HERE IN, IN HOUSE.
BUT MY POINT IS, WE HAVE TO GET A, A KNEE, A HANDLE ON OUR KNEES VERSUS WANTS, IN TERMS OF MAKING IT CONDUCIVE FOR OUR KIDS TO LEARN IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE ALL OUR, OUR BUILDINGS TO BE FUNCTIONING SO THAT THE LEARNING PROCESS CAN HELP.
BECAUSE KIDS BEING HOT IN THAT CLASS YESTERDAY, THEY, THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE VERY ANTSY.
THE STAFF WAS, THE STAFF WAS CATCHING HELL BECAUSE IT WAS HOT IN THERE.
AND THE, AND, AND THE, AND THE KIDS COULD, IT WAS HARD FOR THEM.
SO WE CAN'T CONTINUE GOING OUT AND SEEING THAT.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, I CAN'T TELL A PARENT DON'T WANT ME TO.
REALISTICALLY, A PARENT DON'T WANNA HEAR MR. SMITH TELLING THEM, WELL, WALMART IS DEALING WITH THAT.
MR. SMITH, I DON'T CARE ABOUT WALMART.
I CARE ABOUT MY CHILD IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND I'M A TAXPAYER.
THAT'S WHAT THE PARENT IS TELLING ME.
ONE CLASSROOM DOWN IS ONE CLASSROOM TOO MANY.
BUT ALL THIS CONVERSATION IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, NEXT TIME.
SO I INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE NEXT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTING ON HVAC AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
GIVE INGRID, UH, YES, MISS BOB WRIGHT.
OH, HEY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? HEY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UH, BASICALLY WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS, UM, THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF, WE HAVE DONE IT DIFFERENTLY.
WHEN I WAS THE CHAIR WAS THE YEAR THE F THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT CAME OUT.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GETTING THAT MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT I KIND OF WOULD THINK A DISTRICT OUR SIZE WOULD DO THESE 40 PAGES EXCEL SPREADSHEETS WITH $10,000 TO REPAIR A CURTAIN AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND, YOU KNOW, $7,000 FOR BENCHES AT THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I DON'T NEED THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
AND TRUTHFULLY, I DON'T WANT THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
WHAT I HAVE LOOKED AT AT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND WHAT WE TRIED TO IMPLEMENT WHEN I WAS CHAIR AND THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT CAME OUT WAS MORE OF A HIGHER LEVEL, RIGHT.
POLICY DRIVEN, UH, APPROACH TO THIS PROCESS.
AND EVERYBODY PRETTY MUCH SEEMED HAPPY WITH THAT.
BUT THEN NEXT TIME AROUND, WE WENT RIGHT BACK TO THIS OLD WAY OF DOING THINGS.
SO MY SUGGESTIONS ARE, WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT IS, I LOVE THE NEW DISCIPLINES AND SUB-DISCIPLINES.
'CAUSE WE CAN ACTUALLY START TRACKING THAT, UH, BETTER, THAT SHOULD MAP TO OUR FACILITIES ASSESSMENT.
SO RIGHT NOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE TOP.
I KNOW THERE'S LIKE MECHANICAL AND CASING, THERE'S DIFFERENT CATEGORIES IN THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT.
AND WE SHOULD BE GETTING UPDATES TO THE FACILITY ASSESSMENT BECAUSE THAT WHOLE DOCUMENT, THE WHOLE POINT OF THAT WAS TO CREATE A DATABASE OVER TIME THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS SCHOOL HAS THESE MANY HVAC UNITS OR FURNITURE OR ROOFING, UM, THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED THIS YEAR, WE ANTICIPATE ARE REPLACING THIS NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS WHAT I SEE OTHER LARGE DISTRICTS LIKE OURS DOING, IS BASING THIS ALL ON THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT, HAVING SORT OF A 10 YEAR OUT PLAN, KNOWING THAT YOU CAN ADJUST, UH, AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND IT'S MORE, I DON'T WANNA SEE ALL THE BROKEN DOWN INTO EVERY LITTLE PIECE.
AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO DOING THAT.
AND YOU'VE GOT 11 PEOPLE LOOKING AT ALL THESE LINE ITEMS. AND AM I STILL CONNECTED? YES.
BECAUSE I WAS JUST TALKING, I HEARD THINGS FALLING OFF AND I THOUGHT, I'M JUST TALKING TO NOBODY.
UM, I THINK IT TAKES UP A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY.
AND REALLY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IS THAT ROBERT AND CAROL COME TO THE BOARD AND SAY, WE'RE GONNA NEED, YOU KNOW, 1.5 MILLION FOR ROOFING.
WE'RE GONNA NEED, YOU KNOW, $700,000 FOR CASINGS LIKE YOU GUYS FIGURED OUT.
AND WE VOTE ON THAT, AND WE CAN MAYBE MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, LIKE, OKAY, WE NEED TO PUT MORE, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON ROOFING THIS TIME AROUND, OR MORE EMPHASIS ON HVAC.
SO THE OTHER THING I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE THESE HUGE SPREADSHEETS IS YOU GUYS HAVE EVERYTHING UNDER LIKE, ACADEMIC SUPPORT.
SO IT WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, $15,000
[03:45:01]
FOR A CONCRETE PAD FOR ACADEMIC SUPPORT.LIKE THE DATA HAS TO MEAN SOMETHING, OR IT'S JUST A WASTE OF EVERYONE'S TIME.
IF EVERYTHING'S ACADEMIC SUPPORT, THEN YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE ALSO HAD DIGITAL MARQUEE SIGNS UNDER EQUITY, AND THERE'S JUST NO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER SYSTEM OF ACTUALLY LABELING THE DATA.
UM, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT EACH YEAR WHAT THE F THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT HAS LINED UP, AND YOU ADJUST.
YOU START FROM THERE AND THEN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND ONCE YOU GUYS HAVE FIXED THINGS, YOU GO IN AND, UH, ADJUST THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENT.
AND THAT COMES BACK TO THE BOARD IN SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF MY COMPLAINT, IS I THOUGHT WE WERE MOVING MORE TOWARDS A MODERN, UH, CONTEMPORARY DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE BACK TO THIS OVERWHELMING MICROMANAGEMENT SPREADSHEET.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THE REST OF THE BOARD FEELS ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT WAS SORT OF WHY I WANTED TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I NEED TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON SOME OF THE, UH, EFFORTS THAT I'VE SEEN YOU EXPEND TO REALLY BRING THE MAINTENANCE AND, UM, SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR BUILDINGS FORWARD.
I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE ADVANCES AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'VE ALSO EXECUTED.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THAT YOU CAN START AT A HIGH LEVEL, AS YOU'VE SHOWN IN ONE OF YOUR FORMS THERE, IT'S PRETTY HIGH LEVEL, BUT PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GONNA ASK FOR MORE SPECIFIC DETAIL.
SO THAT'S THE CONUNDRUM, UH, THAT YOU'RE FACED WITH.
SO MAYBE YOU KEEP BOTH, BUT YOU START OUT AND TALK TO THE HIGH LEVEL ONE.
DON'T SHOW THAT OTHER ONE MORE DETAILED ONE.
SEE HOW MANY OF US BOARD MEMBERS RAISE OUR HANDS AND SAY, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE DETAIL.
THEN YOU'LL KNOW THAT THAT'S PREDOMINANT WILL OF THE BOARD, BUT YOU AT LEAST START OUT AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS LEARN FROM YOU.
SO THAT'S, UM, THAT'S ONE THING.
AND THEN THE OTHER POINT I'D LIKE TO SHARE VERY BRIEFLY IS I WAS AT THE SIC MEETING YESTERDAY, AND IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT A NEW, UM, STREAM OF WATER AT DEVELOPING THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL THAT WAS COMING FROM THE CEILING AND THE FLOOR WAS BUBBLING UP.
AND THAT HAD JUST HAPPENED OVER TWO DAYS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU COULD NOT HAVE PLANNED FOR.
NO ONE KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT RISES TO THE TOP BECAUSE THEY CAN'T USE THE GYM.
SO I THINK TO KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME OF THOSE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES OCCUR, BUT I'LL START AT A HIGH LEVEL TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN KEEP THE CONVERSATION AT THAT HIGH LEVEL.
AND THEN IF BOARD MEMBERS OR SUPERINTENDENT OR WHOMEVER SAYS, I NEED TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE, THEN THE, THEN, THEN DRILL DOWN.
THAT MAY MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT FOR YOU AS WELL.
UH, I, I, IT'S, I, TO ME, I I LIKEN IT TO TRAFFIC.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET FROM HILTON HEAD TO BEAUFORT AND YOU GET TIRED OF, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVING ACCIDENTS.
YOU CAN'T GO TO THE SHERIFF AND SAY, I NEED YOU TO HAVE LAST ACCIDENTS BECAUSE, UH, I NEED TO GET TO WORK.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO THAT THINGS, THINGS BREAK.
AND I, I, I BELIEVE THEIR BEST IS REALLY GOOD.
I, I, I REALLY, UH, THE, THE EFFORT IS THERE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REASON THINGS BREAK, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.
WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, THINGS BREAK.
AND WE'RE NOT A, WE'RE NOT A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE THE, WE'RE THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT, OR THE ONLY CORPORATION THAT IS DEALING WITH H-H-V-A-C, I GET IT.
BUT I AGREE, YOU KNOW, ONE CLASSROOM IS TOO MANY.
BUT IF WE WERE AT FAULT, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T DOING PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IF WE WERE AT FAULT BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, LACK OF PLANNING, UH, WHICH WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT, UH, IS IT UNFORTUNATE? ABSOLUTELY.
ARE WE REACTING TO IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN? I THINK WE ARE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE WE CAN, UH, MAKE THAT PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, BUT WE WE'RE REACTING TO THESE PROBLEMS AS THEY HAPPEN.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO DECIDING, UH, WHERE WE SPEND THE MONEY, UM, THE, UH, I, I THINK THE, THE, THE LIFE IN CHUTES AND LADDERS IS VERY, VERY APPLICABLE.
YOU KNOW, LIFE THROWS US CURVE BALLS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WHICH I JUST DISCUSSED, BUT THE CHUTES AND LADDERS COMES WHEN, UH, WE COMPILE THESE LISTS AND WE DECIDE, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW.
THE FACILITIES ASSESSMENTS, WE ASK THESE PEOPLE.
WE'RE ASKING WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD.
WE'RE ASKING THE, THE PRINCIPALS, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.
WE'RE GATHERING ALL THIS INPUT.
AND THEN, QUITE FRANKLY, AND I DON'T MEAN TO OFFEND ANYBODY, THEN THE SCHOOL BOARD GETS INVOLVED.
WELL, I WANT THIS, I WANT THIS.
I THINK WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY HERE.
I THINK WE, AND THERE'S WHERE THE CHUTES AND LADDER STARTS.
OKAY, WELL, WE HAD THIS PLAN, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TAKE THREE STEPS BACK.
[03:50:01]
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SAYS, WE NEED TO DO THIS INSTEAD.THERE WAS A PROCESS, UH, THAT SHOULD START AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
WE TRUST THE PEOPLE THAT WE HIRE TO DO THE JOB, UH, AND SAY, OKAY, AFTER EVERYTHING, AFTER ALL THE, ALL THE DATA'S COLLECTED, IT'S ALL COMPUTED, IT'S ALL CRUNCHED.
UM, THEN WE START, UH, THERE THAT INSTEAD OF, UH, AND, AND WE TRUST THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, WE HIRED TO DO THE JOB AND SAY, OKAY, IF YOU SAY WE NEED TO REPLACE ROOFS, WE NEED TO REPLACE ROOFS.
YOU SAY, WE NEED TO REPLACE THIS A, UH, YOU KNOW, H-V-V-A-C, THEN WE REPLACE THAT ONE.
UH, AND THEN THERE IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS GONNA BE MORE NEED THAN MONEY.
AND WE, UH, THAT'S WE IS, AND, AND I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORKAROUND OF THAT IS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ONE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE, OTHER THAN THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE NOW.
AND THE PROCESS ALWAYS BECOMES FRICTION WHEN WE HAVE OPINIONS GET INTO LINE ITEMS, ALWAYS.
UH, WHICH IS WHERE ALL THE ISSUE COMES FROM THAT, I THINK.
BUT I, I, I THINK OPERATIONS IS DOING A BANG UP JOB.
UH, I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE PLANNING TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.
WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, AND WHEN THINGS HAPPEN, THEY'RE REACTING AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
UM, THEY ARE, OPERATIONS IS DOING A HECK OF A JOB.
I, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE 36 SCHOOLS AND THIS DISTRICT BUILDING, AND GOD KNOWS WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.
UH, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LINE ITEMS, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 8% MONEY IN DOLLARS AND CENTS, HOW MUCH MONEY IS THAT APPROXIMATELY? WELL, LIKE I WAS JUST SAYING, I KNOW THAT, UM, WE TRACK IT OVER FIVE YEARS.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE FIVE YEAR NUMBER.
DO YOU KNOW IT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? UH OH.
THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE, BLESS YOU, THIS, THIS PAST YEAR MM-HMM
WE JUST APPROVED RIGHT? UN JUST UNDER $35 MILLION IN THE YEAR LAST, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, WE APPROVED RIGHT? AT $43 MILLION.
HOW MUCH ARE WE TRACKING? HOW MUCH ARE WE TRACKING GOING FORWARD? TOTAL, THAT BIG, BIG CIRCLE BUBBLE, BIG LIST OF PROJECTS IS ABOUT $380 MILLION RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT DOESN'T HAVE ALL THAT ACCOUNTS FOR SOME NEW SCHOOLS THAT WE FORESEE IN THE FUTURE.
SOME THAT WE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT, BUT NOT ALL OF IT.
IT, IT'S A BIG, THAT'S, THAT'S I TALKING ABOUT THAT BIG LIST OF PROJECTS.
AND LIKE DR. RODRIGUEZ SAID, $980 MILLION WAS IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMUNITY COMMITTEE.
WE ONLY DID $437 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS.
SO THAT NEED IS STILL OUT THERE, WHICH MEANS WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $400 MILLION WORTH OF, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF.
UH, MY KUDOS TO YOU GUYS, REALLY.
UH, WHEN YOU DO LOOK AT THE, UH, THE SPREADSHEETS AND THE CIRCLES AND THE, UH, ALL OF THE TABLES AND CHAIRS AND ROOFS AND HVACS, UH, THAT IS A LOT.
UH, THAT, UH, A TRACKING AND NUMBERS.
AND LIKE HE SAID, UM, WE'RE DEPENDING ON YOU GUYS TO TELL US WHAT WE NEED, HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST TO GET IT THERE, AND THAT IT GETS DONE.
BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHILDREN THAT WILL SAID HE VISITED AND, UH, THAT CLASSROOM AND IT WAS HOT.
HE DIDN'T IDENTIFY THE SCHOOL.
BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT, LIKE YOU SAID, ONE SCHOOL IS TOO MANY.
SO IF WE HAVE A SCHOOL THAT OUR KIDS ARE ENTERING IN EVERY DAY, I MEAN, IT'S FREEZING IN HERE, GUYS.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT I'M FREEZING AND THEY'RE ENTERING A CLASSROOM FOR EIGHT, SEVEN AND A HALF, EIGHT HOURS A DAY, AND THEY HAVE A HVAC PROBLEM, AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIX EVERYTHING, BUT WE CAN FIX SOMETHING.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR HIM TO TELL YOU GUYS, EVEN AFTER THIS MEETING, WHICH SCHOOL HE ATTENDED, UH, WHERE THE HVAC WASN'T WORKING.
THE OTHER THING IS, I KNOW YOU CAN'T FIX EVERYTHING, BUT YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB OF TRYING TO FIX EVERYTHING, OR AT LEAST CATCHING THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU CAN.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPERATIONS MEETING NEXT WEEK WHERE WE CAN TALK MORE IN DEPTH WEEK AFTER NEXT.
I THINK IT IS, IT'S TWO WEEKS.
UH, UH, SO MAYBE THAT WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THEN.
BUT, UM, I THINK, UH, VOTE RIGHT IS CORRECT.
WHEN I, MY VISION ISN'T LIKE IT.
[03:55:01]
THE MONITORED THERE, AND I JUST SEE LINES OF BLUE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING WRITTEN IN THEM, BUT I CAN'T READ ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.AND I FEEL REMISS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I SHOULD BE ABLE TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID, AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED CARE OF, BUT KNOWING THAT, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND I THINK OF OUR PRINCIPALS, THAT THEY KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF, THAT THEY CAN CONVEY THAT TO THE PARENTS.
UH, AND I KNOW PARENTS DON'T WANNA HEAR ACS NOT WORK.
WE DON'T HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THERE YET FOR THAT PROJECT.
BUT AT LEAST WE CAN SUPPORT YOU IN KNOWING THAT THESE THINGS ARE COMING CARE.
AND I CAN'T, LIKE I SAID, I CAN'T READ WHAT'S UP THERE, BUT, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO TWO WEEKS.
YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO THANK YOU,
UM, LET ME START OFF BY SAYING, UM, WE, WE, THIS CURRENT, UH, THIS CURRENT PROCESS, MRS. BOATWRIGHT TALKED ABOUT, WE WERE, UH, WE, WE, WE, AT ONE POINT WE DID THAT, AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT GOOD.
THAT'S WHY WE REVERTED BACK TO THIS.
AND I, AND, AND I REMEMBER HER TELLING, UH, THE, UH, TELLING, UM, MR. UH, VICTOR NAY ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S THE PROCESS SHE WANTED HIM TO DO, UH, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THIS PROCESS.
AND AT THAT POINT, HE DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT.
AND HE SAID THAT, UH, FROM HIS UNDERSTANDING WAS A REASON WHY WE, UH, WHY WE, WHY, WHY WE KEPT THIS PROCESS.
SO I JUST WANNA, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE FORGET THINGS THAT WE GET, YOU KNOW, I WON'T SAY AMNESIA, BUT SOMETIMES WE DON'T UNDER DON'T, DON'T REMEMBER THINGS.
BUT I JUST WANNA BRING THAT, BRING THAT BACK TO, TO, TO OUR REMEMBRANCE.
AND WITH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, IN TERMS OF WHEN I, WHEN I, WHEN I READ, WHEN I READ THE, THE, UH, THE, UH, THE, THE HANDOUT, WHEN IT SAYS, WHEN IT, WHEN IT, WHEN IT SPEAKS ABOUT, UH, THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, TRANS, THE, THE PUBLIC, UH, THE, UH, PROCESS OF TRANS TRANSPARENCY, MORE TRANSPARENCY, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY CREATE THAT BIG BOOK THAT COLONEL GUYERS SHOWED IS BECAUSE THAT SHOWS EVERY SINGLE NEED.
AND SOME OF THIS INF THIS INFORMATION RIGHT HERE, WELL, NOT SOME OF IT, ALL THIS INFORMATION HERE RIGHT HERE, THAT, THAT'S ONLY A LISC IS IN THE BOOK.
SO IT SHOWS THE COMMUNITY, NOT A SNAPSHOT, BUT A REALISTIC SHOT OF WHAT WE, I WOULD SAY DISTRICT NEED.
SEE, SOME PEOPLE TAKE IT PERSONAL.
IT'S NOT ABOUT TAKING IT PERSONAL, IT'S ABOUT HAVING, IT'S ABOUT FACTS.
IT, THE MEAT FROM HERE ON OUT, I'M TELLING YOU HOW YOU'RE GONNA FIND ME IN THE RESULTS SECTION OF EVERYTHING, I'M GONNA BE IN THE RESULTS SECTION.
SO WHAT THAT DID WAS THAT GAVE THE, THAT GIVES RESULTS.
SO WE CAN'T SAY ON ONE HAND, OH, WE WANT THE RESULTS.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, WE DON'T WANNA HELP MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS WHEN, WHEN, WHEN IT, WHEN IT'S TIME.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR.
WE SIGNED UP TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS AND DECISIONS WHERE LOOK AT IF WE NEED MORE MONEY, THEN, THEN, THEN THIS BOARD LOOK AT, THAT'S OUR JOB TO FIGURE OUT TO SOME DEGREE HOW WE CREATE AND WHAT METHOD WE TAKE AND WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE TO GET THE MONEY IF WE NEED, IF WE, IF WE NEED IT.
NOW, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA BE THERE.
I'M, I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT RIGHT THERE WHERE IT'S AT.
SECONDLY, UM, WITHIN THE LAST, WITHIN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND I REMEMBER, UH, DAVID SCHRIER, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE SAID, OH, YEAH, WELL, WE HAVE THESE NEEDS, OR 8% MONEY, 8% MONEY.
THE, THE GOALPOSTS HAVE MOVED FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO, SO, SO, SO LET'S, LET'S NOT, LET'S NOT, UM, FORGET THAT.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE INCREASED BECAUSE WE, SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES WE'VE SEEN THAT, HEY, WE MAY NEED MORE MONEY TO GET SOME MORE THINGS DONE, BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT WE ARE REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR NEEDS VERSUS OUR WANTS.
THAT'S JUST, THAT'S, THAT'S FACTS.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE MOVED THE GOLD POST.
AND MY QUESTION IS BY SAYING THAT WHAT YOU SAYING, WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL AND CAREFUL UPON HOW WE KEEP MOVING THE GOLD POST, BECAUSE A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THEY SAID, WE, WE BUILT THE WHOLE SCHOOL OUTTA 8%, UH, ROUGH OUR OUT 8% MONEY, AND NOW WE'RE CATCHING HELL BEHIND THINGS THAT HAPPENED WITH THAT SCHOOL.
OKAY? SO HERE, HERE I'M ASKING AGAIN.
SO IF WE MOVE THE GOALPOST TO DO MORE ON OUR FACILITY, 90% MONEY, THEN THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT SPELLS OUT TO ME WHAT WAS DONE THE 10 YEARS PRIOR TO WHEN THE, WHEN THE GOAL POST WASN'T MOVE, THEN THAT'S WHAT'S NOT BE DOING RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT, POINT BLANK PERIOD.
[04:00:03]
NOW, NOW LEAVE THAT RIGHT THERE.LA LASTLY, I HAD SOME COLLEAGUES SAYING, YOU KNOW, I HEARD MY COLLEAGUES SAYING, WELL, THEY'RE DONE.
THEY, THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
AND THEN, AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, I APPRECIATE THEM DOING A GOOD JOB.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, I'M LOOKING FOR THE FACTS IN THE MEAT BECAUSE IN, IN, BECAUSE TODAY I WAS NOT GIVEN MEAT TO GO BACK OUT THERE AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS, THIS IS, UM, THE, UH, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE DOING IT.
THIS IS HOW, AND THIS IS HOW, HOW WE'RE DOING, UH, THE, THE BUILDING NECESSITIES.
AND THIS IS HOW WE ARE MONITORING.
THIS IS THE MONITORING TOOL THAT WE'RE USING AND WE'RE DOING, AND WE'RE DOING IT MONTH TO MONTH, OR WE'RE DOING IT SIX MONTHS OR AT A TIME.
AND TODAY, I, I'M GONNA BE TRUTHFUL,
YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING? THIS AIN'T, HEY, I WON'T SAY A TASK ANALYSIS, BUT HEY, THIS IS THE PROCESS AND THIS IS HOW WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE CURRENTLY TO NOW.
AND THIS IS HOW WE'VE GOTTEN WHERE WE ARE.
WHEN I GO OUT THERE AND SPEAK TO PEOPLE, IF I HAVE THE FACTS AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH DOING IT, THEN I CAN, I CAN TELL THEM WHEN THEY BRING THOSE ISSUES AS, AS, AS WHAT I'M, AS WHAT I'M PRESENTING.
AND I MEAN, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT BE HITTING ME.
I MAY NOT BE HAPPY, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR THE FACTS THAT IS THE DRIVING FORCE TO SAY, THIS IS HOW WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, AND THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT, WHAT WE ARE DOING BASED UPON THAT BOOK, BASED UPON STAYING FOCUSED, BASED UPON, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE ON, ON THAT LIST.
AND THIS IS HOW WE SPILL, SPEND OUR, OUR FUNDING IN TERMS OF THIS IS HOW WE ARE HERE, WHERE WE ARE HERE.
THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
I THINK, UH,
WE GOT SOME GOOD INFORMATION FROM YOU.
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE 20 25, 26 ANNUAL WORK PLAN.
IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE, UM, THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN THAT, UH, BOARD APPROVES EVERY YEAR IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, THERE'S, UH, UH, ANOTHER, AT LEAST ONE ADJUSTMENT ON THE TIMING.
UH, THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS, AS WE ALWAYS SAY, THAT REMAIN AT CERTAIN TIMES BECAUSE IT'S WHEN INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT CERTAIN TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IT'S IN THE CYCLE OF WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE, UM, UH, OH, E 18 WAS MOVED TO FEBRUARY, UH, AND, AND THAT JUST WAS ABLE TO HAPPEN AND SPACE OUT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE WORK.
BUT THAT'S THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN ON WHEN WE'RE GONNA WORK TO GET INFORMATION TO THE BOARD.
SO WE WOULD NEED A, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN, UH, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN A BOARD VOTE ON IT.
OKAY, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 DASH 2026 ANNUAL WORK PLAN WITH THE EDIT THAT HAS BEEN NOTED FOR OE 18 FOOD AND NUTRITION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
SHE'S ON THERE, BUT SHE'S STILL MUTED.
THE LETTER TO CHAIR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BOARD OF EDUCATION RESPONSE TO THE LETTER THAT THEY SENT TO US, YOU ALL HAVE HAD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO READ THE LETTER AS IT'S DRAFTED AND ASK ANSWER OR QUESTIONS OR THINGS YOU WANT TO CHANGE AND, AND IN COME IN AND AS, AS CORRECTED OR AS EDITED, WE CAN GET THAT THING OUT, GET EM AND MEET OUR SUSPENSION STATE.
I READ IT MOSTLY FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC THEY UNDERSTAND, OR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
DEAR CHAIRPERSON, ALLISON, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING DIALOGUE REGARDING REVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN RELATION TO THE APPEALS STEMMING FROM OUR COMMITTEE REVIEW PROCESS UNDERTAKEN FROM 2022 THROUGH 2023.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR ACCEPTING OUR REQUEST AND REVIEWING 15 MATERIALS SUBMITTED TO US AS APPEALS TO THOSE ORIGINAL
[04:05:01]
DECISIONS MADE BY OUR BOARD TO RETURN THE ITEMS TO SCHOOL APPROPRIATE CIRCULATION.AS YOU MENTIONED, THESE ARE COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE ISSUES SURROUNDING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, AND IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO COME TO CONSENSUS IN A BOARD SETTING.
THAT SAID, WE RECOGNIZE YOUR RIGHT.
YOU RECEIVED THESE SUBMISSIONS AND YOUR SUBSEQUENT CHOICE BASED ON LANGUAGE AND THE REGULATION TO SEND THEM BACK TO US AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
WE CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF 96 BOOKS IN AN 18 MONTH PERIOD BASED ON THE STATE PROCESS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL REVIEW AT THE TIME.
IN FACT, WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL MEMBER TO THE REVIEW BOARD, A RANDOMLY SELECTED VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY MEMBER.
THE DISTRICT PURCHASED A COPY OF THE REVIEWED BOOK AND PRESENTED IT TO EACH COMMUNITY MEMBER.
THE MEMBERS WERE GIVEN MORE THAN TWO WEEKS TO COMPLETELY READ THE BOOK AND TO BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE MERITS OF THE BOOK AND THEIR ASSIGNED GROUP IN A BOOK REVIEW PROCESS.
AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION, A GROUP WAS PRESENTED WITH AN EVALUATION RUBRIC, AND EACH MEMBER'S VOTE WAS TALLIED.
EACH RECOMMENDATION WAS A RESULT OF A COMMITTEE OF A COMMITTEE'S A MAJORITY VOTE.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS PROCESS WAS A RECOMMENDED 91 BOOK REPLACEMENT AND APPROPRIATE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND A FIVE BOOK DISTRICT-WIDE BANISHMENT.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION OF EACH OF THE 96 BOOKS WAS PRESENTED TO THE FULL BOARD IN OPEN SESSION.
IN ALL CASES, THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS WERE ACCEPTED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD IN PUBLIC SESSION.
BY MAJORITY VOTE, THE TWO PARTIES WHO INITIATED THE 96 BOOK REVIEWS CHALLENGED EACH OF THE 91 BOOKS THAT WERE RETAINED BY THE COMMITTEES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND THOSE CHALLENGES WERE DISAPPROVED.
THIS WAS AN EXPENSIVE LABOR INTENSIVE PROCESS FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, ADMINISTRATORS, STAFF, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THE DECISIONS OF THE COMMITTEES AND THE BOARD'S UPHOLDING OF THOSE DECISIONS TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE MATERIALS OVERALL LITERARY VALUE, NOT JUST ISOLATED PASSAGES LIKE THE CRITERIA IN THE CURRENT STATE BOARD REGULATION.
BOARD'S DECISIONS WERE MADE AFTER DOZENS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS AT NUMEROUS BOARD MEETINGS.
THE COMPLAINANT MADE A NUMBER OF APPEARANCES, BUT HER REQUEST TO BAN THESE BOOKS WERE OVERWHELMED BY ATISA 10 TO ONE RATIO BY THOSE WHO SPOKE OUT AGAINST BOOK BANS.
ALL THESE INPUTS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OF BOARD MEETINGS ARE, WE BELIEVE CONSISTENT WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION OF 43 DASH ONE 70.
HOWEVER, ON AUGUST 22ND, THE BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD CONDUCTED ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.
AT THAT HEARING, EACH BOARD MEMBER WAS GIVING A COPY OF THE RESULTS FROM THE 2223 BUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEES RESULTS FOR EACH BOOK BOARD MEMBERS WERE ALSO PROVIDED WITH A COPY OF THE OBJECTION TO EACH BOOK THAT MRS. SAI PROVIDED TO THE SCHOOL.
THE STATE BOARD MRS. SAI WAS THEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON HER OBJECTION TO EACH BOOK.
WHEN SHE FINISHED HER COMMENTS AFTER THE FIRST BOOK ON THE LIST, CITIZENS WHO WISH TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOOK WERE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO DO SO.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, THREE MINUTES WERE GIVEN TO A CITIZEN WHO SUPPORTED MS. ALI SOLACES ALIS VIEWS AND THREE MINUTES WERE GIVEN TO A CITIZEN WHO OPPOSED HER VIEWS.
AFTER THESE THREE PEOPLE SPOKE TO THE BOARD, BOARD MEMBERS WERE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE THEIR VIEWS ABOUT THE BOOK.
THE PROCESS WAS CONTINUED FOR EACH OF THE REMAINING EIGHT BOOKS AFTER ALL THE BOOKS WERE REVIEWED.
UNDER THIS PROCESS, THE BOARD VOTED ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE BOOKS WITH THE FOLLOWING INTENT.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MADE THE MOTION TO PLACE ALL NINE BOOKS PRESENTED TODAY IN THE RESTRICTED CATEGORY, WHICH HONORS THE PER PARENTAL AUTHORITY AND CONSENT TO GOVERN THEIR CHILDREN.
THIS COMES WITH A CAVEAT AND HOPEFULLY THE AGREEABLE OPTION FOR ALL PARTIES.
THAT THESE NINE TITLES WILL BE PLACED IN A RESTRICTED SECTION OF THE LIBRARY.
[04:10:01]
WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO A LIBRARIAN A SIGNED PARENTAL PERMISSION FORM BEFORE THESE BOOKS CAN BE CHECKED OUT.SIX OF THE 15 TITLES WERE ALREADY REMOVED FROM CIRCULATION DUE TO A PREVIOUS POLICY OF BOOKS BEING REMOVED FROM CIRCULATION DUE TO AGE AND LOW CIRCULATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS IN NAVIGATING THESE ISSUES AS WE TRY TO COLLECTIVELY SERVE STUDENTS.
AND THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SIGNED OH COMMENTS, PAGE TWO.
UM, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PARAGRAPH, ELI, ELIMINATE THE WORD OF AFTER, UH, THE BOARD'S DECISION WERE MADE AFTER OF DOZENS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, THE WORD OF DOZEN AFTER THESE INPUTS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC.
THE LAST SENTENCE, LAST SENTENCE, FIRST PARAGRAPH, LAST SENTENCE.
PR THE BOARD'S DECISIONS WAS MADE AFTER DOZEN.
ANYBODY ELSE? 'CAUSE I GOT A BUNCH.
UM, NUMBER ONE, UH, AS I MENTIONED IN THE PAST IN PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BAN ANYTHING TO BAN SOMETHING MAKES IT ILLEGAL TO POSSESS OWNER DISTRIBUTE.
SO I, UH, REQUEST THAT WE, ANYTHING THAT REM OR, OR SAYS BANISHMENT OR BAN, WE RE WE, UH, UH, CHANGE TO REMOVAL.
UH, AND THEN ALSO IN THE, THAT'S FINE.
FOURTH PARAGRAPH, UH, SECOND TO LAST SENTENCE IN APPROPRIATE SCHOOL, LIBRARY OF FIVE, DISTRICT WIDE BANISHMENT REMOVAL, REMOVAL, DISTRICT WIDE, DISTRICT WIDE REMOVAL.
COMPLAINANT MADE A NUMBER OF, UH, APPEARANCES IN HER REQUEST TO REMOVE BROKE UP AGAINST, SORRY.
SECOND PARAGRAPH, SECOND PARAGRAPH, SECOND PARAGRAPH.
COMPLAINANT MADE A, A NUMBER OF APPEARANCES, BUT HER QUEST TO REMOVE THESE BOOKS WERE OVERWHELMED, REMOVED, NOT BANNED.
AND THEN THE LAST SENTENCE OR THE LAST, UH, WORD OF THAT SENTENCE.
ALSO IN THE PARAGRAPH THAT BEGINS, HOWEVER, ON AUGUST 22ND.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE SHOULD REMOVE ANY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL'S NAME.
I THINK IT'S PETTY, UH, UM, TO INCLUDE HER NAME AND SINGLE HER OUT.
UH, I, SHE, I BELIEVE THAT SHE REPRESENTS, IT MAY BE A SMALL MINORITY, BUT SHE DID, UH, SHE RE REPRESENTS A, A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S NOT JUST HER MAKING THESE COMPLAINTS.
I THINK SHE'S MAKING THESE, UH, BRINGING THESE THINGS FORWARD ON BEHALF OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT THINK LIKE HER.
UH, AND I THINK THE, HER REFERENCE, UH, REFERENCE TO HER SPECIFICALLY NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OUT, UH, OF THE VERBIAGE AT ALL.
UM, IT SHOULD WE REFER TO A COMPLAINANT WAS MADE A COMPLAINANT.
I, IT ALSO IN, IN MY, IN MY OPINION, IT ALSO, UH, MAKES IT APPEAR LIKE WE AGREE WITH, UH, THE, UH, THE OPPOSITION, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE TRYING TO VILIFY HER.
AND I, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT.
AND THEN, UM, SO SOMETHING I, WELL, I MEAN, WE MIGHT HAVE TO RE REWORD SOME OF THOSE SENTENCES.
EVEN SUPPORTED THE COMPLAINANTS TO YOU.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE ABOVE THAT AS WELL.
WHENEVER YOU'RE DONE WITH THAT SENTENCE.
THIS, THE COMPLAINANT WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA PUT IN PARENTHESES AND S BECAUSE I RECALL IN THE BEGINNING OF ALL OF THIS, THERE WERE MULTIPLES COMING TO MEETINGS.
[04:15:01]
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, CORRECT.SO, S OR TAKE THE S OUT, UH, COMPLAINANT.
AND THEN, UH, THE, MY FINAL COMMENT IS THERE'S NOTHING IN THE LETTER ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE FUTURE CHALLENGES.
THIS IS ONLY WHAT WE'VE DONE TO, FOR THIS GROUP OF CHALLENGES.
ARE WE GONNA FOLLOW THE SAME PATTERN? 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET MORE BOOKS CHALLENGED, I GUARANTEE IT.
OR DO WE SAY THAT WE FOLLOW AND IF FOLLOW AND BACK TO THE, THE, YEAH.
IF WE'RE GONNA WRITE BACK TO THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD AND SAY, YOU, YOU CHALLENGED US TO DO THIS, HERE'S HOW WE'RE HANDLING IT NOW, AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA HANDLE IT IN THE FUTURE, I THINK WOULD BE PRUDENT.
OR UNTIL WE HEAR OTHERWISE BY YOUR GUIDANCE.
UH, THAT, THAT SHOULD BE PROBABLY, UH, THE LAST, LAST SENTENCE OF THAT PARAGRAPH HERE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR COLLABORATIVE.
AFTER 16, I'VE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED A PREVIOUS POLICY IN LOW CIRCULATION AND ADD THAT SENTENCE AFTER THE END OF THAT SENTENCE.
COULD YOU SAY THE SENTENCE AGAIN, AGAIN, PLEASE? WE, UH, MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL, UH, HANDLE MOVING, MOVING FORWARD.
WE'LL HANDLE FUTURE CHALLENGES IN A SIMILAR MANNER.
WE WILL HANDLE FUTURE CHALLENGES AND IN SIMILAR MANNER.
OH, UNTIL, AND UNLESS THERE'S A UNLESS THERE'S OTHER GUIDANCE, ANY SIMILAR I'D ADD, UNLESS INSTRUCTED OTHERWISE WITH VERBIAGE ABOUT FROM THE STATE, UNLESS
DO YOU WANNA ADD BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ALREADY GOING TO THEM? IT'S, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT WE, MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL HANDLE FUTURE CHALLENGES IN A SIMILAR FASHION.
HEATHER? HEY, NOW YOU'LL CAPTURE ALL THIS.
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET IT ALL DONE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT IT BEFORE WE GET THE, THE MOTION TO APPROVE IT.
SHE SAYS SHE CAN'T READ MY WRITING, SO WE'LL HAVE THE TRANSLATED, UH, I ABOUT THAT REQUEST TO REMOVE THESE FOLKS RIGHT HERE.
REMOVAL OR REMOVE THOSE WITH THE S THAT'S THERE, THAT'S CLEAR.
WHEN THE COMPLAIN FINISHED, THEIR COMMENTS.
WHEN THE COMPLAINANT FINISHED THEIR COMMENTS.
WHEN THE, WHEN COMPLAINTS WHEN THE COMPLAINANT FINISHED THEIR COMMENTS NOT PUTTING IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
THAT'S, SHE'S GOT THE RESPONSE WHEN, WHEN THE COMPLAINANT, THEIR COMMENTS ABOUT THE FIRST WITNESS.
CITIZEN TEAM SAID, WISH TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT COMPLAINANTS THERE.
[04:20:10]
THEY OPPOSED TO OPPOSED THEIR VIEWS, THEIR ABUSE.UM, UH, WHERE YOU COULD, THERE YOU GO TO THE LEFT THERE.
DRAFT THEIR ABUSE, THEIR VIEWS.
I THINK WE'RE READY FOR MOTION FIRST.
SO ARE WE RE VOTING? THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE.
UH, MOTION READY, RIGHT? THE MOTION.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE THE AUGUST 22ND, 2025 LETTER TO THE CHAIR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONCERNING INSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
ANY DISCUSSION? WE MADE SOME CHANGE.
WE NO CHANGES HERE IN THE MOTION.
DOCUMENT G POSTED ON NOW YOU WANT US TO READ THE WHOLE LETTER AGAIN? NO, JUST FOR YOU MAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TAKE FIVE BY SAYING AYE.
LEAH, MR. SMITH WAS ON MR. SMITH.
WE HAVE COMPLETED THE AGENDA UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION.
YOU ARE WATCHING BC TV LIVE, WORK PLAY.
THE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
EARLY SETTLERS FROM ENGLAND BROUGHT THE TRADITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO AMERICA.
TODAY, MORE THAN 3000 COUNTY GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES THAT AFFECT ALMOST EVERY CITIZEN'S LIFE.
SOUTH CAROLINA'S 46 COUNTIES ARE VERY REPRESENTATIVE OF HOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS EVOLVED NATIONALLY.
THE COUNTY UNIT IN SOUTH CAROLINA WAS REGARDED AS THE LOCAL EXTENSION OF STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY 1970S LED TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, PASSING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW, ALSO KNOWN AS THE HOME RULE ACT.
IN 1975, THE HOME RULE ACT GREATLY EXPANDED COUNTY AUTHORITY AND CHANGED THE NATURE OF COUNTY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY.
BEAUFORT COUNTY WENT FROM HAVING A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO A COUNTY COUNCIL.
MEMBERS OF THE 1975 COUNCIL INCLUDED CHAIRMAN ARTHUR HORN, VICE CHAIRMAN, GRADY THAMES, LEROY BROWN, GARY FORDHAM, WILLIAM GRANT, HARRIET KEISLING, DAVID JONES, BILL MCBRIDE, AND BOOKER WASHINGTON.
AS THE NEW COUNCIL SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF, COUNCIL
[04:25:01]
MEMBERS DESIRED AN OFFICIAL SYMBOL THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE JURISDICTION'S IDENTITY AND UNIQUE CHARACTER COUNCIL APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE THE TASK AND CARRY OUT A CONTEST FOR THE BEST COUNTY SEAL DESIGN.HARRIET KLIN WAS A MEMBER OF COUNTY COUNCIL, AND IT WAS HER IDEA BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IDENTIFY OUR BEAUTIFUL BEAUFORD COUNTY.
WE MET THEN UP AT A, I THINK IT WAS A CAROLINA BANK, AND SOME YEARS AGO, BACK THERE ON WEST STREET, AND THEN WE PUT 'EM IN PILES.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOOD, BAD MAYBE UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN TO THE ONE THAT WE NOW USE.
COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SEAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH REFLECTED THE COUNTY'S HISTORY, TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL BEAUTY.
THE SEAL'S COLORS OF BLUE AND GREEN REPRESENT THE COLORS OF THE COUNTY'S OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH ITS MANY WATERWAYS, MARSHLANDS, AND MARITIME FOREST.
THE FIVE IMAGES WITHIN THE SEAL DEPICTED SOME OF THE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHING FEATURES.
ANCIENT LIVE OAK TREES, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, RICH NATURAL RESOURCES, AND A RARE MARINE ECOLOGY, LOW COUNTRY ARCHITECTURE, AND MILES OF RIVERS, CREEKS, AND INLETS.
I THOUGHT IT ENCOMPASSED WHAT THE, WHAT WE AS A BODY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEAL THAT WOULD, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT AND JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, IT REALLY COVERS THE ASPECTS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY.
SO HE DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, WHOLE SO DARE.
AND WHAT WE REALLY LIKE ABOUT BEAUFORT COUNTY.
COUNCILMAN BILL MCBRIDE WAS IN OFFICE WHEN THE CONTEST WAS HELD AND WAS PRESENT WHEN THE COMMITTEE REVEALED THE WINNING DESIGN.
I THINK COUNCIL WAS ECSTATIC ABOUT IT.
UH, WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE SIMS ON THE SEAL REPRESENTED, UM, ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ORIGINAL, UM, DRAFT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WHERE YOU HAVE THE SHRIMP BOAT TODAY.
INITIALLY, THAT WAS A PLEASURE CRAFT, A SAILBOAT YACHT TYPE BOAT.
AND, UH, IT WAS CHANGED BY COUNTY COUNCIL BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THE SHRIMP BOAT WAS A BETTER REPRESENTATION, UM, OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, ASPECT OF, BUT COUNTY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER THINGS ON THE SEAL THAT REPRESENT THE PLEASURE AND RECREATION, THE FISHING AND THE BEACH.
SO THEY THOUGHT THE SHRIMP BOAT, WHICH WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF BEFORD COUNTY CULTURE, SHRIMPING, ESPECIALLY AT THAT TIME, WOULD BE REFLECTED ON THE SEAL.
THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST WAS AN ARTIST FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, THE LATE LEE PAYNE, WHOSE DESIGN WAS SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 126 CENTURIES SUBMITTED FROM AS FAR AWAY AS INDIANA AND TENNESSEE.
HE WAS AWARDED $250 FOR HIS DESIGN.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE CAPTURED THE LEGACY OF OUTDOOR BEAUTY, CULTURE, AND HISTORY THAT HELPED TO DEFINE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY.
TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.