2023-02-07 - School Board Work Session

0:00 Thank you.

1:24:57 I’ll say something and then Tammy’s like yeah and then she makes

1:24:55 it happen in this regard a lot of this came from Tammy saying

1:24:58 hey we need to come over the process and we owe this to you

1:25:02 Tammy so thank you so much I really appreciate your work all

1:25:05 right so with that we move to board policy 5136 Dr. Schiller has

1:25:12 been very anxious down there Dr. Schiller can you please address

1:25:16 the board

1:25:16 good afternoon board members members of the public and staff

1:25:21 thank you for going through so much in such a record time you

1:25:25 might hit your four thirty five one thirty six wireless

1:25:33 communication devices begins our full review of the critical

1:25:38 area affecting student discipline

1:25:41 and many of the things that we’ve been talking about this is the

1:25:44 first of a number that we’ll be presenting to you over the next

1:25:48 several board meetings of student conduct and whatever and this

1:25:52 is one that was kind of hanging fire for a little while

1:25:55 it originates in the division of ESC and student support

1:26:01 services and Dr. Webley now has replaced Chris Moore and so that’s

1:26:06 why she’s there but it has involved everyone our interim deputy

1:26:11 superintendent

1:26:11 Anna Maria Cody Miss Klein Dr. Sullivan and we’ve also had a lot

1:26:17 of input that I’ve had from Mr. Wilson and Major Neal and Paul

1:26:23 so what I’ve tried to capture for you here is a consideration of

1:26:28 a working draft for the board to respond to and to add its edits

1:26:34 or questions or is or issues

1:26:36 if you recall there are a couple things I would like to

1:26:40 highlight and turn it back to you Mr. Susan if possible if you

1:26:45 look at number five

1:26:47 the way it works at number five the way it works at number five

1:26:50 the way it works at this point this is one discussion point is

1:26:52 that

1:26:52 it the entire administration of the policy and administrative

1:26:58 regs devolves to

1:27:00 the site principal and its leadership team which in turn they

1:27:07 may devolve to basically the teachers

1:27:11 and the point being is that we have great diversity different

1:27:18 kinds of schools and situations and we believe in I believe that’s

1:27:24 the direction of the board to allow

1:27:24 us maximum flexibility from school to school obviously if we

1:27:24 hear of inconsistencies it’s because there’s inconsistent

1:27:24 application from one school to the other and that’s perfectly

1:27:24 fine but that’s just a

1:27:24 policy point that if the board wishes to reconsider that second

1:27:40 policy point would be that we will find we have found that

1:27:40 because it devolves from principal to the teachers

1:27:40 you can have different teachers offering up time for students to

1:27:47 make use of their wireless device so you can have and will be

1:27:53 reported inconsistencies

1:27:55 another part that I’d like to bring to your attention is that

1:28:10 there was some consideration of the fact that there are

1:28:10 incidents that are being recorded and then posted online and if

1:28:10 you recall there was a scan of from Polk County’s policy

1:28:10 and we found in there where that such incidents and we want to

1:28:29 talk about that word incidents because there’s a bit of a

1:28:29 clarification that staff members brought up this morning

1:28:29 particularly led by Stephanie Sullivan

1:28:29 And we want to talk about that word “incidence” because there’s

1:28:33 a bit of a clarification that staff members brought up this

1:28:36 morning, particularly led by Stephanie Sullivan, is that this

1:28:40 addresses fights or those physical altercations being recorded

1:28:45 of which there’s value, but it’s the posting online for which is

1:28:50 not necessarily of value.

1:28:52 And we wonder, one thing for your consideration would be to what

1:28:57 extent you want that language or you want to broaden a little

1:29:01 bit about not just fights but to incidents, including fights.

1:29:06 So let me stop here and ask if staff have any other clarifications.

1:29:13 If not, let me just share a bit of data that was given to me a

1:29:20 while ago.

1:29:21 Just so you know, to date, school year, there have been 233 what

1:29:31 was called major considerations of misuse, electronic device misuse.

1:29:37 Percentage-wise, it’s quite low.

1:29:40 In fact, almost all of them are high school and middle school.

1:29:46 I count maybe two or three elementary or major.

1:29:50 And I think we have to put this in perspective.

1:29:52 And resulting in 66 suspensions out of school, one to three days.

1:29:59 45 conferences, okay, with students, 32 with parents.

1:30:06 Administrative detention, one day, 15.

1:30:09 Suspension in school, 15.

1:30:11 Okay, one day.

1:30:12 Re-teaching, teaching student expectations.

1:30:17 Very appropriate if you want to correct the behavior.

1:30:22 Phone conferences, reflective assignment, increased supervision,

1:30:28 short-term bus suspension.

1:30:31 Three stay away contracts.

1:30:34 That’s a good piece of data to guide our thinking.

1:30:39 Whereas there are minor 2,392 reported.

1:30:46 Some high school, majority, well, I won’t characterize what the

1:30:53 majority are.

1:30:54 But put that in perspective, resulting in 771 detentions for one

1:31:01 day.

1:31:01 Conferences with students, 476.

1:31:06 I’m sorry?

1:31:09 Minor incidents.

1:31:11 Sorry.

1:31:12 2,392, Ms. Jenkins.

1:31:13 I’m sorry if I was not clear.

1:31:14 No, that’s okay.

1:31:15 I didn’t hear what it was.

1:31:16 Right.

1:31:17 2,392.

1:31:18 Minor.

1:31:19 And, you know, I can go through the litany here, but the

1:31:23 conference is 476.

1:31:25 Teach, re-teach student expectations.

1:31:28 Somewhere in the neighborhood of 252.

1:31:30 In school suspension, 244.

1:31:33 Confiscation of items, 125.

1:31:35 Conferences with parents.

1:31:37 No.

1:31:38 Not a lot of heavy duty things here, but they are reported.

1:31:46 So we’ve gotten the data.

1:31:47 I want to thank staff very, very much for that.

1:31:50 Just to put in context.

1:31:51 So how about if I leave that at this point and turn it back to

1:31:55 the board?

1:31:55 Thank you.

1:31:56 Anybody wish to speak to this policy?

1:32:00 Yeah, I think it’s important when we’re talking about the

1:32:13 difficulty of a student for misusing

1:32:15 a wireless communication device to record.

1:32:17 Number one, you’re not supposed to be reporting images.

1:32:22 I think it’s important to make it clear as an expectation to our

1:32:26 students that we use

1:32:27 to intimidate, harass, bully, and post-consuming.

1:32:30 Again, that’s also a reference.

1:32:32 I believe in practice, we do that.

1:32:34 I believe that when you read this.

1:32:36 That comes from it.

1:32:38 There’s an addition in here on number six.

1:32:45 I don’t have to open that.

1:32:47 It’s 15.

1:32:49 Sorry.

1:32:50 I didn’t open that.

1:32:52 Yeah.

1:32:54 Okay.

1:32:55 The use of a wireless communication device for non-educational

1:33:00 purposes, including but

1:33:00 not limited to the reporting staff with students without

1:33:02 permission of knowledge or reporting

1:33:05 by a system that we have in it.

1:33:07 It sounds ridiculous that I would argue that statement, but the

1:33:11 reason I’m going to argue

1:33:12 it is I think we need to make it clear of the intent of the

1:33:16 posting on social media.

1:33:17 Because to be perfectly fair and honest, it is our society’s

1:33:22 reaction to what a cell phone

1:33:24 incident is happening.

1:33:25 Not necessarily for a negative reason.

1:33:26 It has benefited our staff to resolve some really terrible

1:33:30 issues that have happened to

1:33:30 some of our students.

1:33:31 I can speak as one that I know of.

1:33:33 That was a harassment of a student in a bathroom.

1:33:37 That said, a student maybe would not have been able to

1:33:40 communicate what was happening.

1:33:42 But a peer was reporting it not to harass the student, but

1:33:45 brought it forward to a teacher

1:33:46 or a staff member.

1:33:47 And if someone was taking this too literally, that student could

1:33:50 kind of get in trouble for

1:33:51 doing the right thing.

1:33:52 So we need to be a little bit careful about the language we use

1:33:55 here.

1:33:55 I think it’s really important that wherever we do speak like

1:33:58 that, that we add the caveat

1:33:59 of for the intent to bully, harass, or whatever the right one

1:34:04 would be, or post on social media.

1:34:05 Because there’s no benefit of posting it to social media other

1:34:10 than to spread it unnecessarily.

1:34:12 And that kind of goes through all the rest of this policy.

1:34:15 It happens a couple of different times.

1:34:16 I’m not going to highlight all of them, but I just want us all

1:34:20 to be aware of that.

1:34:20 Because our first instinct is to say, don’t report that that’s

1:34:24 so bad.

1:34:24 Yeah, we literally just had it just a couple of days ago.

1:34:27 And probably too.

1:34:29 Yeah.

1:34:30 I think our goal is probably the same way.

1:34:33 I mean, we had a discussion beforehand about this.

1:34:36 Do you want to weigh in or do you want to have this development

1:34:39 a little bit?

1:34:39 Like, I like watching her come all the way from the back.

1:34:41 You know, she loves to come up here and talk, I guess.

1:34:44 She likes to be the voice of BPS.

1:34:47 Yeah, yeah.

1:34:48 .

1:34:53 Yeah.

1:34:54 I think many of your sentiments are agreeable.

1:34:56 I think that Dr.

1:34:58 I agree with whatever everybody just said.

1:35:04 I think when we write the language in the recommended thing that

1:35:05 we’re putting in that when students are posting it online, I

1:35:05 think it’s really the key.

1:35:05 I think that was the recommendation we heard from our law

1:35:10 enforcement representatives and I think it’s really good

1:35:13 feedback.

1:35:13 And so my recommendation was to accept it not necessarily say if

1:35:18 they record something, there’s automatically that they record it

1:35:20 and post it.

1:35:20 Online.

1:35:21 That that that is a different situation.

1:35:21 That that is a different situation.

1:35:21 Just as a reminder, everything really desirable.

1:35:22 Is in our bullying policy.

1:35:23 Is in our bullying policy as well.

1:35:24 And we have cyber bullying.

1:35:25 Discipline.

1:35:26 We have cyber bullying discipline.

1:35:27 So oftentimes when we have cyber bullying, we have cyber

1:35:27 bullying.

1:35:27 We have cyber bullying.

1:35:28 Discipline.

1:35:29 So oftentimes when we have cyber bullying, we have cyber

1:35:30 bullying.

1:35:30 We have cyber bullying.

1:35:32 Discipline.

1:35:33 So oftentimes we may charge a student with an incident of cell

1:35:35 phone misuse.

1:35:35 And I think it’s really good feedback.

1:35:36 And so my recommendation was to accept it not necessarily say if

1:35:40 they record something, there’s automatically

1:35:41 that they’ve recorded or posted online.

1:35:44 That that is a different situation.

1:35:47 Just as a reminder, everything related to cyber bullying is in

1:35:51 our bullying policy as well.

1:35:52 And we have cyber bullying.

1:35:54 Discipline.

1:35:55 So oftentimes we may charge a student with an incident of cell

1:36:00 phone misuse.

1:36:01 But it’s really the other related incidents that exacerbate the

1:36:05 outcome.

1:36:06 So for example, if a student has their phone confiscated, it

1:36:10 might be a misuse.

1:36:11 And the action may be confiscated.

1:36:14 But then that student perhaps exhibits more difficult behavior.

1:36:18 And it’s actually the other offense that’s getting them the more

1:36:22 difficult outcome.

1:36:23 Local disobedience.

1:36:24 Out of the signed area.

1:36:25 Cyber bullying.

1:36:26 So there are often multiple incidents if the student is not

1:36:33 cooperative from the beginning.

1:36:37 When a student is cooperative, it may end at the electronic misuse.

1:36:39 After that, it may be wrapped up in willful disobedience and

1:36:44 other type of higher level incidents.

1:36:47 So if a student is exhibiting those other behaviors, it doesn’t

1:36:51 end just at electronic misuse.

1:36:53 It goes into potentially cyber bullying, cyber issues, and like

1:36:59 I said, probably most often willful disobedience in my space on

1:37:03 how the student handled the correction.

1:37:06 I don’t know if that makes sense.

1:37:07 It’s perfect.

1:37:07 So you had to have a conversation wrapped around internal

1:37:08 fighting.

1:37:08 You guys are going to have words to come back with it.

1:37:09 I think incidents is a better choice of words just because kids

1:37:20 come up with things that are problematic for them to video and

1:37:27 post that are things we have not considered.

1:37:27 So it’s just my recommendation to land at something like related

1:37:34 to the word incidents instead to give more flexibility as new

1:37:41 tick-top challenges and new things like that happen doing that.

1:37:46 And so those are just some primary discussions we had to try to

1:37:50 support Dr. Webley and some draft language.

1:37:52 Thank you, Dr. Sullivan.

1:37:53 Thank you.

1:37:54 Yes.

1:37:55 Okay.

1:37:56 So I understand what you’re saying, Ms. Jenkins, when you’re

1:37:58 referring – oh, my mic is not on there.

1:38:00 Okay.

1:38:01 What you’re saying when you’re referring to sometimes the phone

1:38:05 being useful in those very rare instances.

1:38:08 But here’s what I will say to that.

1:38:11 Where are we as society when the first thing a kid thinks to do

1:38:15 when two kids are pounding on each other is to pull a phone out

1:38:18 and start recording?

1:38:19 So for me, I am 100% in favor of no cell phone.

1:38:24 Nothing good comes there.

1:38:26 Our kids need to be able to speak to each other, look each other

1:38:29 in the eye.

1:38:29 They are struggling with that right now because they’re so inundated

1:38:32 with that technology.

1:38:33 So for me, I understand what you’re saying, but I just have to

1:38:37 go back to I don’t think that cell phones are appropriate during

1:38:40 instruction time period.

1:38:42 If you need to have them, if you need to have them on silent

1:38:45 mode or whatever because of getting home, getting to and from

1:38:48 school and you need to make sure you’re checking in with parents,

1:38:51 so be it.

1:38:51 But I just feel like it’s a distraction.

1:38:54 Kids know when it’s going off and it’s in their backpack even if

1:38:58 it’s on silent mode.

1:38:59 They see that little light flash or they see the little blinking

1:39:02 whatever.

1:39:02 And so for me, I’m just saying no cell phones.

1:39:04 That’s what I would like to see our district do, but I don’t

1:39:08 know where everyone else is.

1:39:12 I think no cell phones during instruction time, meaning when

1:39:20 they’re on our school campus, no cell phones.

1:39:26 Because again, a lot of times things are happening.

1:39:29 I got, you know, there’s there’s bus fights.

1:39:31 There’s there’s fights that are happening in between classes

1:39:34 changing.

1:39:34 Granted, they’re not being instructed at that time, but they

1:39:36 still are on our campus.

1:39:37 And so to me, I would love to see our kids first response not be

1:39:41 to pull a phone out and start recording, but to actually step in

1:39:44 and try to help in this situation and defuse it.

1:39:46 And so I think we have to do a better job at teaching them those

1:39:50 skills.

1:39:50 And if we keep on allowing for cell phones and distractions,

1:39:53 then we’re never going to get there.

1:39:55 So, thank you for your comments, Ms. Campbell, you have

1:40:02 something to say.

1:40:02 Yeah, I, I’m, I’m not in complete agreement with Ms. Wright.

1:40:03 And I think we need to be careful.

1:40:04 Because when you say it’s right, it’s right.

1:40:05 We need to be careful.

1:40:07 I need to be careful.

1:40:08 links to the videos from cameras and it had all of that on the

1:40:13 orbit. So in many cases, having somebody record it in the event

1:40:17 that we can use it for something, we’re already, we have a lot

1:40:20 of digitalized and a lot of places to record it also. So thank

1:40:23 you for your comments. Ms. Campbell, you had something to say.

1:40:25 Yeah, I’m not in complete agreement with Ms. Wright. I think we

1:40:31 need to be careful with these issues because when you say

1:40:33 structural time, my mind goes to, you’re in class, and

1:40:35 structural time is not a classic area, it’s not much time, it’s

1:40:38 not a format. So if you’re saying during the school day, I think

1:40:42 it would have to define it as during the school day.

1:40:44 I do know that we have, in expulsion hearings, in other major

1:40:48 discipline issues, had the advantage of, you know, we do have

1:40:53 cameras in law place, and we’ve had the advantage of students

1:40:57 who turned over footage. And I agree with you, I actually had a

1:41:00 conversation with my own child about, you know, there was a

1:41:04 fight, and the first thing, Steve was running, what are you

1:41:07 doing? You know, we gang around the fight, so people can’t get

1:41:10 to there to break them up.

1:41:11 But again, it’s a pretty big expectation to put on every student,

1:41:17 to be the one to step in, sometimes in a very dangerous

1:41:20 situation. And I think that we need to, I know this is a hard

1:41:28 one, because I agree, I don’t, I agree with you, I think I want

1:41:31 people to have conversations, they need to, you know, self-fund

1:41:34 our distractions, but at the same time, self-fund our tools, and

1:41:37 the tools can be used in a good way and a bad way.

1:41:39 I think we have the opportunity in our policy to make careful

1:41:42 delineation of when it can be used in a good way, when it can be

1:41:45 used in a bad way.

1:41:46 So, you know, and again, because of, you know, I, when they’re

1:41:46 in those times, the way the policy is worded, as is, on number

1:41:47 five, when authorized by the site principal, site leadership

1:41:47 teams, those are those lunch breaks, before school, after school,

1:41:47 during, you know, after school activity, that the site principal,

1:41:47 site leadership teams, those are those lunch breaks, before

1:41:47 school, after school, between classes, during, you know, after

1:41:47 school activity, that the site principal,

1:41:48 site leadership team can decide.

1:41:51 So, you know, and again, when they’re in those times, when they’re

1:41:55 in those times, when they’re in those times, when they’re in

1:41:56 those times, when they’re in those times, when they’re in those

1:41:56 times, when they’re in those times, when they’re in those times,

1:41:56 when they’re in those times, when they’re in those times, when

1:41:56 they’re in those times, when they’re in those times, when they’re

1:41:57 in those times, when they’re in those times, when they’re in

1:41:57 those times, when they’re in those times, when they’re in those

1:41:57 times, when they’re in those times, the way the policy is worded,

1:41:58 as is, on number five,

1:42:01 been authorized by the site principal, site leadership teams,

1:42:05 those are those lunch breaks, before school, after school, in

1:42:10 June classes, during, you know, after school activity, that the

1:42:14 site principal, site leadership can decide.

1:42:17 I’m, I’m fine with that, because that doesn’t, that doesn’t

1:42:22 include instructional time.

1:42:23 Number six talks about instructional time, if it’s specific, but

1:42:28 I think we can kind of get away from some of that on number six,

1:42:31 because now we are one-to-one, for the most part, even though we

1:42:35 did,

1:42:35 over the last couple years, we have kids trying to Google Classroom

1:42:39 on the phone, which is very difficult.

1:42:41 But, now we’re a little bit more able to get away from that,

1:42:45 because we have one-to-one technology in our classroom.

1:42:49 I, I do think we need to make that language change about, um,

1:42:54 incidents, and, but make a distinction between, the consequence

1:43:03 for recording,

1:43:03 and the consequence for using it appropriately, by testing it

1:43:08 online. Um, and I don’t see, you know, even in the, even in the

1:43:15 world,

1:43:15 law enforcement frequently uses recordings of those kinds to

1:43:19 help with their investigations.

1:43:21 Um, so, you need to get every angle to get, you know, so that we

1:43:28 can, we can get down to the bottom of it, and I just don’t think

1:43:30 we have enough,

1:43:30 we can put enough cameras in enough places. Um, you know, I don’t

1:43:35 want to, I don’t want, I don’t want to teach our kids,

1:43:36 hey, we see something happening, they don’t want to record. We

1:43:40 don’t do anything, but sometimes it, it has been useful.

1:43:42 And I, I, to Ms. Jenkins’ point, I was waiting for us to find

1:43:46 out, because we had an incident not very long ago, I think it

1:43:50 was last school year,

1:43:50 maybe beginning this school year, where a child attacked another

1:43:54 child, that was in the middle school, and I said something to Dr.

1:43:57 Sloan, what’s happening to the kid who did the recording?

1:44:00 Because it’s like, they would, they knew that was happening,

1:44:03 right? What’s happening to the record with the, like, in the

1:44:05 submissive time, I think.

1:44:06 And our school made the point that that student actually turned

1:44:09 the recording over, and it was very helpful in the investigation.

1:44:12 And so, maybe didn’t know exactly what was going to happen. Um,

1:44:16 so in, under what we might, if we make this change,

1:44:20 then we’re actually going to punish the child returns of, we

1:44:22 would have to punish the child returns of recording over.

1:44:26 So I’m, I don’t know that there’s a perfect solution to this,

1:44:29 but I’m not ready to completely cut all of that out. Um, as far

1:44:36 as any other thing,

1:44:37 if, I mean, I don’t want to jump and hit the next thing, but I

1:44:39 did, on number 14, since we talked about it briefly,

1:44:42 there’s that red word, fighting in there, and just grammatically,

1:44:45 I’m not sure exactly what the point of sending that in there was,

1:44:48 because it says, um, students may not use the WC in any way they

1:44:53 might recently create,

1:44:54 in the mind of another person, an impression of being threatened,

1:44:57 fighting, humiliated. Can we take that?

1:45:02 I think Dr. Sullivan said she will be worse than that.

1:45:05 Okay. Okay. That was a weird thing for me. And then, just one

1:45:10 other thing, because I was looking at the Polk County policy,

1:45:13 and they mentioned, oh, on page 20, and I don’t know, is it our

1:45:21 page 20 or our page 21?

1:45:22 Okay. On page 20 of the packet, so if you’re looking online, it’s

1:45:27 the first page of the Polk Related Polk County Verbiage.

1:45:32 They have, there’s somebody circled and started, but underneath

1:45:36 that says,

1:45:36 “No students may have in him or her possession any wireless

1:45:39 communication device or any other items that records or transmit

1:45:42 data during any standardized testing or UOC.”

1:45:46 And when I read that, I immediately thought of these things,

1:45:49 smart watches.

1:45:51 And I know when you go to the SAT, ACT, you can’t have your

1:45:55 phone, you can’t, you also can have a smart watch.

1:45:57 Nobody can be texting you answers or whatever. So, do we need to

1:46:01 have during those times, I’m not saying we take away kids smart

1:46:04 watches,

1:46:04 because it’s also, like, this is also in my watch. So, and for

1:46:08 some it’s their health monitor and things like that.

1:46:11 But we need to have specific language somewhere, or do we have

1:46:15 something else that takes care of it, so that during those

1:46:17 standardized testing times,

1:46:18 we say even the watch, just like ACT and SAT administration data

1:46:24 is with. Do we have that ready?

1:46:27 As a former testing coordinator, that’s included in all the

1:46:32 scripts and the language when we talk.

1:46:34 Okay. So, we don’t have anything in the policy at all about

1:46:44 smart watches.

1:46:45 It’s wireless, WCD is anything.

1:46:49 It’s just, we’ve always been talking about it.

1:46:53 Well, okay. So, then I would say, do we need to make adjustments?

1:46:57 Because when it’s all good last time, everybody didn’t have

1:47:01 smart watch.

1:47:01 And I don’t think we’re about to say, you can’t have your smart

1:47:05 watch under this.

1:47:06 During the classroom. I mean.

1:47:09 Because it changed the whole time, yeah.

1:47:13 Well, I guess, I’ll speak on the phones.

1:47:17 Everyone else.

1:47:19 Well, it seemed like, I guessed that one, right?

1:47:21 You were good.

1:47:23 Since maybe I’m the last one that has been in a classroom around

1:47:27 kids, it, I would love the world that we could say,

1:47:31 zero phones or cellular devices on a campus.

1:47:35 That, to me, would be like when we talk about dress code, that

1:47:40 we immediately go to uniforms.

1:47:43 I don’t know if that’s possible.

1:47:46 I think that is.

1:47:47 Instructional time, to me, still is classroom when you’re

1:47:50 teaching.

1:47:50 And I still think it’s a classroom decision.

1:47:56 And it shouldn’t, I don’t want to say it shouldn’t be that

1:47:58 difficult.

1:47:58 But that teacher should have the backup.

1:48:00 I mean, we’re recording this, so teachers, please do what you

1:48:03 need to do there.

1:48:04 We expect the backup from deans and principal, building

1:48:08 principals, that you’re allowed to control your classroom with

1:48:13 this policy.

1:48:13 Saying nothing is out during that time.

1:48:16 Including, I mean, seven years ago, I’ve had kids take off their

1:48:21 watch.

1:48:21 Because you obviously lost that ability to have that.

1:48:25 You put your phone away and now you’re looking at your watch

1:48:28 when I’m teaching.

1:48:29 We should still be able to do that.

1:48:31 The posting to social media after recording absolutely should be

1:48:39 an issue.

1:48:40 But I don’t want to limit it to social media because, you know,

1:48:45 having lunchroom duty, many of that,

1:48:47 much of the damage can be done that you see 15 kids around a kid

1:48:51 showing it.

1:48:52 So if they disperse that video in a harmful, hateful way, it’s

1:48:57 the same as posting it.

1:48:58 And we should be able to grab that kid and, you know, I don’t

1:49:02 want him to say,

1:49:02 or somebody else to be able to say, well, he didn’t post it.

1:49:05 You know, so I don’t know where that discussion wants to come in.

1:49:09 But that’s harmful and hateful and that happens in classrooms.

1:49:12 But I do want to return or continue principals being able to

1:49:16 control their building.

1:49:20 I believe it should be heavily emphasized that if teachers don’t

1:49:27 already do that,

1:49:27 to take back their classrooms and have no phones out while there’s

1:49:33 instruction time going on.

1:49:34 How do we get that across?

1:49:36 How did we miss it?

1:49:38 But it currently, it is, it’s out of control across the board.

1:49:46 We’ve been in classrooms now for a couple months.

1:49:50 And, you know, we still have kids.

1:49:52 Some of us still have kids in the district.

1:49:53 And it is from perfectly ran in a classroom to absolute chaos in

1:50:01 a classroom on cell phones.

1:50:03 So I don’t think putting it in a policy is the end all end all

1:50:07 answer.

1:50:07 We need to figure out how we get to teachers and staff and say

1:50:12 this is just a way we have to do it.

1:50:15 Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

1:50:17 I would like to weigh in before we go to the second.

1:50:21 I have a, I’m trying to give my three minutes here.

1:50:25 Currently, let’s face the culture of our parents.

1:50:28 Let’s face the culture of our schools.

1:50:30 And what we have is if you sit down and you watch and eat your

1:50:34 lunch, eat your dinner in a restaurant,

1:50:36 all you see is the parents are not talking to their kids anymore.

1:50:39 They’re all on phones, right?

1:50:41 We go to our schools.

1:50:42 Kids in the common areas are not engaging with each other.

1:50:45 They’re talking on their phones.

1:50:47 We go, it has become such a pandemic.

1:50:51 And now, research paper after research paper comes out.

1:50:55 Let me explain this one to you.

1:50:57 This one came out from the American Academy of Pediatrics,

1:51:01 I’m going to have to do it discouraging, saying that obesity,

1:51:04 irregular sleep, behavioral problems,

1:51:06 impaired academic performance, violence, less time for play.

1:51:10 All of those things are attributed to the cell phone.

1:51:13 Also, you have Harvard University just came out with one,

1:51:16 where they talk about the Clinic for Interactive Media and Disorders

1:51:20 treats young people who have excessive gaming, social media, and

1:51:23 other online activities

1:51:23 affecting their health and daily lives at home and school.

1:51:26 We are about to – we are embarking right now on what is the

1:51:31 back end of what we – of the cell phones.

1:51:35 And I have a feeling that if we don’t just say enough is enough

1:51:39 with the cell phones,

1:51:39 that we’re going to run into a situation where we will be doing

1:51:42 it a later day.

1:51:43 I currently have a very strict policy inside my household with

1:51:47 my son and my daughters

1:51:49 that they’re not allowed to have screen time.

1:51:51 And there is a lot different interaction.

1:51:53 And you can tell the difference in the kids that have too much

1:51:56 screen time in my kids.

1:51:57 It just is.

1:51:58 And I personally believe that if we come forward with a policy

1:52:03 that says,

1:52:03 well, you can’t overhear, you can’t overhear, you can’t overhear.

1:52:07 Well, you can record it, but you got to turn it in, that we just

1:52:11 end up in a place.

1:52:11 Somehow, 20 years ago, we were a darn good school district and

1:52:15 we were able to do it without cell phones.

1:52:17 And so I feel that a lot of what is going on and pieces moving

1:52:22 forward are only inhibiting the development of our children.

1:52:25 So I would support Ms. Wright’s idea of just no cell phones.

1:52:29 You can have it on you.

1:52:30 You can have it in case there’s an emergency.

1:52:32 You can have it there inside of your backpack, but you just don’t

1:52:35 bring it out.

1:52:35 And there’s, and I’ll be honest with you, there’s another thing

1:52:38 that happens.

1:52:38 Many teachers will allow, you have multiple teachers.

1:52:43 So I’ve had veteran teachers say, we have new teachers that come

1:52:46 in and halfway through the end of the year and the end of the

1:52:49 day,

1:52:49 they’ll just allow their kids to play on their cell phones

1:52:51 because they’re not teaching to the end of the class, right?

1:52:54 So what ends up happening is they then enforce the cell phone

1:52:58 policy.

1:52:58 So then what will happen is they’ll say, well, we’re going to do

1:53:01 this educational thing.

1:53:02 It becomes a literal disaster.

1:53:04 But if you just say no cell phones, the kids might actually

1:53:08 start interacting during lunch.

1:53:09 The kids might actually start interacting ahead of time.

1:53:11 The kids may actually start interacting like you do.

1:53:14 And I’ll be honest with you, there are literal studies from

1:53:18 Harvard to so many organizations that prove this.

1:53:22 And we’re sitting here on the teeter of saying, well, we’ll go

1:53:26 halfway.

1:53:26 But I feel eventually we’ll go full away.

1:53:28 So I’m willing to go there with you now.

1:53:30 That’s all.

1:53:31 So now we can go back through.

1:53:32 I just want to remind everybody it’s 3:41.

1:53:34 We do have a volunteer policy.

1:53:36 So I got mine right at three minutes, but then I had to explain

1:53:39 the portion.

1:53:39 So if we can kind of start getting to the three minutes, it

1:53:42 seems like Ms. Jenkins is ready to go.

1:53:45 Go ahead, Ms. Jenkins.

1:53:46 Yeah, so I got a lot to say.

1:53:48 And I will say it in three minutes.

1:53:50 We have been spending so much time on this policy, months on

1:53:54 this policy.

1:53:55 And now we’re talking about something that I got through a

1:53:58 public records request.

1:53:59 I don’t understand, like, how it even ended up here.

1:54:03 At the beginning of this conversation, Dr. Schiller made it very

1:54:06 clear.

1:54:06 Less than 1%, 0.003% to be precise, are major infractions with

1:54:13 cell phones.

1:54:13 And if you total it with all of them, it’s only 3%.

1:54:17 The amount of time you’re spending on this policy is absurd.

1:54:22 We keep speaking in these broad terms as if we are sitting in

1:54:26 the classroom every single day

1:54:28 about how bad it is, how bad it is, how bad it is, when it’s 3%

1:54:33 of the issues.

1:54:35 We should be talking about the ones that are way more

1:54:38 significant.

1:54:38 20 years ago, we didn’t have cell phones, we were doing fine.

1:54:42 20 years ago, we weren’t thinking we were going to go to Mars

1:54:45 one day.

1:54:45 I mean, it’s 2023.

1:54:46 You’re not going to get rid of cell phones.

1:54:48 It’s just an insane thing to talk about.

1:54:50 This policy makes it very clear.

1:54:52 They are not to be used in the classroom if the teacher says it’s

1:54:56 not supposed to be used in the classroom

1:54:56 or the principal decides it’s not supposed to be used in the

1:54:59 classroom.

1:54:59 Our teachers have lost classroom autonomy across the board.

1:55:03 How to manage your classroom now we’re going to start attacking,

1:55:06 that makes no sense to me.

1:55:08 Our teachers, you have a right.

1:55:09 You need to feel empowered.

1:55:10 If you choose to not have it in your classroom but your

1:55:13 principal says it’s okay

1:55:14 and you don’t feel like they’re backing you up, then please

1:55:17 document it because no one can help you.

1:55:18 Just complaining about it isn’t going to make it any better.

1:55:21 You have the right to choose to not have it in your classroom if

1:55:23 you feel so strongly about that.

1:55:25 So please feel empowered to do that.

1:55:27 I understand that there’s studies about technology use and

1:55:32 excessive use and how it’s impacting our kids.

1:55:34 We’re all aware of that.

1:55:35 Our entire society is aware of that.

1:55:37 But as a speech language pathologist, I will tell you,

1:55:42 technology is very, very helpful and useful in our school system.

1:55:46 It has to be used appropriately.

1:55:48 And we should trust our educators and the professionals that

1:55:51 they are to be able to manage their classrooms

1:55:53 and make smart decisions for their students that they’re

1:55:56 teaching at every single grade level.

1:55:58 They’re professionals.

1:55:59 They know what they’re doing.

1:56:01 The real issue here when you talk to a teacher who complains

1:56:04 about cell phone use is if you ask them,

1:56:06 do you write referrals anymore?

1:56:08 No, I don’t write them anymore because my administrator doesn’t

1:56:10 do anything.

1:56:10 Okay.

1:56:11 Well, if that’s true, or maybe you feel that way, maybe you’re

1:56:15 not getting the feedback.

1:56:16 But if it’s true, then what did you do about it after that?

1:56:19 Because not writing the referral doesn’t help you either.

1:56:21 So we need to empower our teachers to say, here in this policy,

1:56:25 you have the right to say no.

1:56:26 And please document it if you feel like you’re not being backed

1:56:29 up.

1:56:29 That’s how we solve this problem.

1:56:31 We can’t stop 70,000 kids from using cell phones and technology.

1:56:34 We’re just not going to.

1:56:36 And absolutely, you use it to, Mr. Trent, I agree with you.

1:56:40 I’m glad you caught that.

1:56:41 If you’re distributing it, you’re disseminating it, you’re

1:56:45 sharing it with each other, texting it.

1:56:46 Absolutely.

1:56:47 All forms of sharing communication of that incident is a big no-no.

1:56:51 And that absolutely needs to be very, very, very clear to our

1:56:55 students.

1:56:55 Thank you, Ms. Jenkins.

1:56:57 That was three minutes.

1:56:58 It was great.

1:56:59 Ms. Campbell.

1:57:00 Thank you so much.

1:57:01 So, to just really quickly to your point of, you know, maybe a

1:57:08 new teacher who’s, you know, giving in too soon, right?

1:57:11 And they’re allowed, they’re not teaching to the end of the

1:57:14 period and allowing kids to be on their phone.

1:57:15 That is not allowed in this policy.

1:57:17 Because it says clearly, number six, those kinds of things will

1:57:22 be permitted, technology will be permitted as approved by the

1:57:24 teacher or the principal.

1:57:25 It has in not, it says, to engage in non-education-related

1:57:29 communications is expressly prohibited.

1:57:32 So, that, if you’re using it to play Kahoot or whatever, even

1:57:36 before, that was, it was, it was never allowed it not to get out.

1:57:39 You know, I, I would just say, to the point that everyone’s

1:57:43 saying, there is a carrot way of doing things and there’s a

1:57:46 stick way of doing things.

1:57:47 And I believe that the carrot way is generally better when you’re

1:57:51 trying to get cooperation on something like this.

1:57:54 And when we have students who aren’t communicating, listen, I’ve

1:57:59 got three teenagers, so I understand the communication issues.

1:58:03 But I also know that we’re talking about students sitting around,

1:58:07 we can say, we can make them communicate.

1:58:09 But what we can do, and what is already happening, is we

1:58:13 challenge our principals to create better cultures in their

1:58:17 schools.

1:58:17 And the principals can get creative and their staff of how do we

1:58:23 engage students even in things like before school, after school,

1:58:26 lunchtime, so that they are, so that there is a culture created

1:58:30 where people, where students communicate with each other,

1:58:33 communicate with staff, build those relationships.

1:58:36 That’s the carrot way of getting it done, rather than the stick

1:58:39 by saying, we’re going to take away, you know, every opportunity

1:58:42 you have to be in.

1:58:43 And listen, I, I am thinking along the lines of Mr. Trump right

1:58:48 now.

1:58:48 There’s, that is not a battle that I am willing to fight.

1:58:53 Because I don’t think, I think the biggest problem is in the

1:58:56 classroom.

1:58:57 I want us to take focus on what’s happening in the classroom.

1:59:00 And, and honestly, encouraging and making it clear to all staff,

1:59:05 including the teachers, no, you’re not to allow them.

1:59:08 Oh, you can have the last, if you get this done, and you can

1:59:11 have the last 30 minutes, listen to music, I get them.

1:59:13 No, sorry.

1:59:14 This is, it has to be for instructional purposes.

1:59:17 So let’s hold to that.

1:59:18 Um, but I’m not ready to go whole hog and say, we’re just going

1:59:24 to say, you can have them in your backpack all day, but you can’t

1:59:26 make this.

1:59:27 Certainly, some of our schools do.

1:59:29 I mean, the middle school’s gender attack had this conversation

1:59:32 last time.

1:59:32 They need to allow, they need to be allowed to do that.

1:59:34 At my, my child’s middle school, no.

1:59:37 They had it, you, it disappeared from the time the bell, first

1:59:41 bell rang, and it couldn’t come out to the last bell rang, and

1:59:43 they need to continue to have that freedom to do that.

1:59:45 And even some of our high schools.

1:59:47 But I want to continue to have the schools to have autonomy, the

1:59:50 leadership of each school to make those decisions.

1:59:52 Um, and again, just try to do it in the, the carrot way rather

1:59:57 than the stick way.

1:59:58 Did you, were you looking at the clock?

2:00:01 You nailed it right on three minutes.

2:00:03 That’s good.

2:00:04 Good job.

2:00:05 All right.

2:00:06 Okay.

2:00:07 Mr. Trent, or, uh, no, it’s Ms. Wright.

2:00:08 Okay.

2:00:09 All right.

2:00:10 Um, so I, I appreciate the fact that I’m, I’m probably a little

2:00:13 more extreme when it comes to self-defense.

2:00:14 And honestly, that’s my parenting style just to make sure that

2:00:16 our kids are safe and protected.

2:00:17 And so maybe that’s not where everyone lands on this policy.

2:00:20 Um, here’s the other thing.

2:00:22 We’re not following the current policy we have.

2:00:24 Um, so I, I had the opportunity to sit in on, on the meeting

2:00:27 that Dr. Schiller held, uh, with the 1010 and teachers union, a

2:00:32 few other people.

2:00:33 Um, and the union provided a cell phone policy, kind of a phased

2:00:37 enforcement, which I just passed down to everyone for them to

2:00:41 see.

2:00:41 Uh, and this would be just adhering to the current policy that’s

2:00:44 in place.

2:00:44 So if we were just following what’s currently in place, no cell

2:00:47 phones during instruction time.

2:00:48 Okay.

2:00:49 Um, and I get it that we have to phase this out because this is

2:00:52 a completely different, different thing.

2:00:53 We’re not, we’re coming in now and saying we’re changing

2:00:56 everything.

2:00:56 I think our district needs to give guidance to our staff on what

2:01:01 to do because it is all over the place.

2:01:03 It’s different from classroom to classroom.

2:01:05 And that’s very confusing for a kid who’s changing seven class

2:01:09 periods for them to know.

2:01:10 Oh, it’s okay here.

2:01:11 It’s not okay there.

2:01:12 It’s that’s hard.

2:01:13 I mean, how are they going to be able to do that?

2:01:15 Um, I, if we’re going to say, Hey, not during instructional time,

2:01:19 and that’s the route we want to go.

2:01:21 Fine.

2:01:22 Um, that’s a compromise that, that, you know, you know where I

2:01:25 stand, but I understand and appreciate that may not be where the

2:01:28 majority stands.

2:01:28 Um, but I still think we have to enforce the current policy and

2:01:32 we’re not doing that.

2:01:33 So how do we get there?

2:01:35 How do we get to where we’re enforcing what we currently have?

2:01:38 I think the cell phone policy enrollment map is a great starting

2:01:42 point, um, that this district could give out, you know, guidance

2:01:45 and say, Hey, this is the timeline we’re looking at.

2:01:47 Obviously these dates are going to have to be moved because this

2:01:49 was done for a meeting that happened, I think at the end of

2:01:52 January.

2:01:52 Um, so I think this is a good visual just to give them to say,

2:01:55 Hey, this is what we’re looking for.

2:01:57 I will tell you, I walk into classrooms and I see cell phones

2:02:01 and I talk to teachers.

2:02:02 What are you doing about that?

2:02:03 It’s not worth the referral.

2:02:04 So while Ms. Jenkins brings up the fact that it’s only 3% of our

2:02:07 students, I would beg to differ that it’s actually significantly

2:02:10 higher.

2:02:10 They’re just not willing to take on that battle.

2:02:13 So they’re, they’re just letting it go.

2:02:15 And that creates a culture that is just not productive at all.

2:02:18 Um, so that’s, that’s my take on cell phones.

2:02:22 I just find myself in between a lot of this and that’s great.

2:02:34 Uh, first off, I want to make it clear that, um, you know, that

2:02:38 our community knows, I mean, we’re with you on that.

2:02:41 You know that cell phones are is an issue in our schools and a

2:02:45 big issue.

2:02:45 I’m not going to rely on data.

2:02:47 Um, I love data.

2:02:49 So I don’t want any emails on that, but, um, it isn’t minor

2:02:54 based on the data.

2:02:55 We, we, it would be if that’s all we were going on and, and that

2:03:00 data was realistic.

2:03:02 Like we said, we were in that classroom.

2:03:04 Uh, so, you know, our community knows better.

2:03:07 And I just wanted to make sure on record community, I, I hear

2:03:11 you.

2:03:11 I understand.

2:03:12 We’re going to do whatever we can.

2:03:13 It is an emphasis, uh, uh, to get the, get your classrooms back

2:03:18 from bell to bell.

2:03:19 Um, I’m not opposed to not having cell phones on a, on a campus.

2:03:24 That kind of, to me, makes more sense for the new superintendent’s

2:03:30 vision.

2:03:30 If they agree with this also, I think it could be something that

2:03:34 we bring up during our interview process.

2:03:35 Um, because there are campuses across the country that this has

2:03:40 worked.

2:03:40 I’m not against it.

2:03:41 Um, I just believe at this point, let’s get our classrooms back

2:03:45 and then let’s move, move on.

2:03:47 We have lots of other things to talk about and, and, and, and to

2:03:51 be productive on.

2:03:52 So again, vision of the new superintendent.

2:03:55 I, you know, just because it’s a not now doesn’t mean it’s not

2:03:58 going to be talked about in the future.

2:03:59 I’m sure it’s going to be talked about in the future.

2:04:01 Thank you.

2:04:03 Thank you, Mr. President.

2:04:06 Yes.

2:04:07 Thank you.

2:04:08 I’ve really been anxious to hear this conversation.

2:04:10 We need this clarification.

2:04:12 So we get a direction.

2:04:13 Yes.

2:04:14 Our biggest problem is the implementation.

2:04:18 But now we have the direction, I believe from the board of what

2:04:23 it is.

2:04:24 Then I can proceed with the communications.

2:04:27 I couldn’t act first and then come back and say, oh, by the way.

2:04:31 So, um, if I get the correct direction from the board as I hear

2:04:36 it, that then I will then exercise putting into effect the

2:04:43 communications, the, um, meetings with both of teaching staff

2:04:49 and administration.

2:04:50 Because what came out of that meeting a week or two ago was the

2:04:55 issue of, we’re not putting referrals in because we’re not

2:04:58 getting a response.

2:04:58 Or we can’t respond unless, administratively, unless we get

2:05:02 referrals.

2:05:03 We can work that through.

2:05:04 But now that I have direction, as I understand it, Mr. Chairman,

2:05:08 we will come back to you with some wordsmithing.

2:05:12 But it seems to me that the direction of the board is such that

2:05:16 the current policy, where it’s involved to the schools, who in

2:05:21 turn determine from, through the teacher, classroom by classroom,

2:05:24 the use of it within the framework of the policy.

2:05:27 And so we will go forward and then I will work with the

2:05:30 implementation if that is the direction of the board.

2:05:33 And that’s why I think we just want to have clarification, like

2:05:36 you said, in the previous matter.

2:05:37 Thank you.

2:05:40 And what I would say in my three minutes here is that, um, we

2:05:43 came together in early December that we said we wanted cell

2:05:47 phone policy to be enforced.

2:05:48 And we went ahead and gave direction to do that.

2:05:51 And then somehow we’re now back at the same table saying we want

2:05:55 the cell phone policy to be enforced and we’re amending it to

2:05:58 include some of those other things.

2:05:59 So from my perspective, Dr. Schiller, what I would like to see

2:06:03 is an immediate move towards doing this.

2:06:05 Because I think that we, um, we as a school district have a

2:06:10 policy that has not been being enforced.

2:06:12 So although there’s a couple other pieces that are inside there

2:06:15 that we’re amending, it shouldn’t take months to get this thing

2:06:19 out.

2:06:19 This should be something quick.

2:06:20 And I think that you’re on it.

2:06:22 I think that your practice is currently showing that you’re

2:06:25 pretty much pushing pretty fast.

2:06:26 So I look forward to an agenda that moves it very fast in

2:06:29 implementation and gives our teachers the right to grab their

2:06:33 classrooms back.

2:06:34 Um, does anybody else have any to turn?

2:06:36 All of them?

2:06:37 I do.

2:06:39 Hang on, hang on.

2:06:40 I think I’m just going to ask if we get clarity on the recording

2:06:44 of the fights and the sharing.

2:06:45 I mean, we have –

2:06:46 I think they got, they got direction on that.

2:06:48 They kind of reached in the direction of the board.

2:06:50 So I’d like to show it if you’re pretty good.

2:06:53 Yes, thank you very much for the clarifications, folks.

2:06:56 And we’ll bring that back to you at the next board meeting.

2:06:59 And so that – make sure that the language reflects your

2:07:03 thinking.

2:07:04 Thank you.

2:07:05 Um, Ms. Jenkins, do you want to follow up?

2:07:08 I – I need to make this very clear.

2:07:11 You often use the word “we” and it’s frustrating.

2:07:14 Because we did not bring this up on December 8 two months ago,

2:07:17 talking about enforcement.

2:07:19 There was a lot of things said on December 8, and it wasn’t just

2:07:23 that.

2:07:23 And it’s frustrating to me because we have not made changes to

2:07:27 the policy.

2:07:28 What you actually said back on December 8 was that we needed a

2:07:32 new policy.

2:07:33 And they’re not doing that.

2:07:34 Because what we’ve discovered is there’s nothing wrong with the

2:07:38 policy.

2:07:38 And the data is important.

2:07:41 And if you say it’s not accurate, then where are you placing the

2:07:45 blank?

2:07:45 Because it’s not the policy’s fault if the data is inaccurate.

2:07:49 It’s not the district’s fault if the data is inaccurate.

2:07:52 Whose fault is it?

2:07:54 Sure, it’s always great to readdress expectations, inform people,

2:07:59 put that out there.

2:08:00 Absolutely.

2:08:01 We’ve been running a circus for two months about a policy that

2:08:05 we literally have done nothing to.

2:08:06 We’re just going to make it clear that you shouldn’t be disseminating

2:08:09 a video of something to other students.

2:08:11 I think we need to be very honest with the public.

2:08:14 It’s not that it wasn’t being enforced.

2:08:16 It absolutely was being enforced.

2:08:18 But clearly there’s a miscommunication through some of our staff

2:08:22 members of what their autonomy is and how much control they have

2:08:26 over their classrooms.

2:08:27 And for them to communicate to other people if those things aren’t

2:08:30 happening.

2:08:31 And the cell phone policy-based enforcement, sure, it’s great.

2:08:34 There’s nothing wrong with it.

2:08:35 This is literally just re-explaining the expectations that are

2:08:39 already in this policy.

2:08:40 It’s no changes to this policy.

2:08:42 And that needs to be clearly stated.

2:08:44 But what is right here in the beginning?

2:08:46 Teacher will refer students for cell phone violation to

2:08:49 administration.

2:08:50 That is step one.

2:08:52 And I’m not saying that it doesn’t happen where sometimes they

2:08:55 can refer it and it doesn’t go anywhere.

2:08:56 I get it.

2:08:57 Trust me.

2:08:58 I worked here.

2:08:59 I get it.

2:09:00 But that’s step one.

2:09:01 Because we have so many teachers who are complaining about this

2:09:04 daily who don’t do that.

2:09:06 Who just don’t do that.

2:09:07 That is the real issue here.

2:09:09 It’s not the policy.

2:09:10 And I think we need to be clear about it before we speak to

2:09:15 people.

2:09:15 Okay.

2:09:16 Thank you, Ms. Jenkins.

2:09:18 I would disagree with the fact that this policy is being

2:09:22 enforced and I would also refer to the minutes from that meeting

2:09:26 where we did give directions if it was possible.

2:09:28 You said you needed to revile the policy.

2:09:30 Mr. Susan, please stop restating what I say and/or rebuttaling

2:09:35 what I say and acting as if someone cannot respond.

2:09:36 You do not have that authority that is not your authority as

2:09:39 chairman.

2:09:39 You always get the final word.

2:09:41 It is not okay, Mr. Susan.

2:09:42 I’m allowed to have a different opinion than you and you’re

2:09:45 allowed to accept it and move on.

2:09:46 But I don’t have to accept this communication misstatement.

2:09:49 It is not a misstatement, Mr. Susan.

2:09:51 It is reported.

2:09:52 All right.

2:09:53 Just like everything else.

2:09:54 So next up we have, next topic is volunteer qualification

2:10:00 guidelines.

2:10:01 Dr. Schiller, if you wish to…

2:10:03 Yes, thank you.

2:10:04 This is another matter of administrative regulation or guideline

2:10:08 that has been hanging fire somewhat that we want.

2:10:11 We’ve studied this.

2:10:13 I asked Mr. Wilson and Major Neal and Mr. Gibbs and I, whacked

2:10:21 through a number of different meetings and looking at different

2:10:25 options.

2:10:25 And an attempt to bring to you some clear cut choices as to what

2:10:31 may solve the major concerns.

2:10:34 If I might summarize, there’s an inconsistency at work right now

2:10:40 with the current one in place.

2:10:42 It is important.

2:10:43 It is important in that an individual can be employed as a

2:10:48 substitute who has something in one’s background, but cannot

2:10:58 similarly work as a volunteer.

2:11:01 Go figure.

2:11:02 That’s what we’re trying to get at as well as a couple of other

2:11:07 cleanups.

2:11:08 So let me now please thank you very much for being here, Mr.

2:11:12 Wilson and Major.

2:11:13 Please.

2:11:14 Good afternoon.

2:11:15 Board Chair Susan, board members, and Superintendents.

2:11:17 As previously mentioned by Dr. Schiller, there has been plenty

2:11:24 of conversation in regards to the administrative procedures for

2:11:31 Bavard County Public Schools volunteer qualification guidelines.

2:11:35 Can you hear me?

2:11:36 And with the direction of Superintendent Schiller, as he

2:11:42 previously mentioned, Major Neal, Attorney

2:11:45 Gibbs, and myself, we deliberated about this topic and created a

2:11:53 few options for your review.

2:11:56 As you are aware, as it stands, our volunteer guidelines, if one

2:12:03 is arrested, he or she is not allowed to volunteer.

2:12:09 He or she is automatically ineligible to be a volunteer

2:12:13 participant.

2:12:14 But at the same time, he or she can and will be able to be

2:12:19 employed with the arrest record only.

2:12:23 In your packet, you have four documents.

2:12:27 The first document being the one that we’re currently using.

2:12:32 And this option, again, speaks to automatically disqualifying a

2:12:37 person from volunteering in our schools due to an arrest.

2:12:42 The option number one, which is the employment qualification

2:12:47 guidelines.

2:12:48 This was the original option.

2:12:50 A person is ineligible to volunteer in BPS if the person has

2:12:56 been convicted of any felony offense prohibited under any of the

2:13:01 following statutes.

2:13:03 Option number two of the volunteer qualification guidelines.

2:13:06 The option that the option district insecure, this option,

2:13:13 district and school security, will consider and carefully review

2:13:17 eligibility if the arrest is older than 10 years with no

2:13:22 subsequent arrest.

2:13:24 Option three of the volunteer qualification guidelines reads.

2:13:29 This option states, arrest of any offense listed below other

2:13:35 than those highlighted in red will be considered if arrest was

2:13:40 more than five years prior to date of application.

2:13:44 Any arrest highlighted in red will not be considered.

2:13:48 And if you have any questions, we want to get these options in

2:13:54 front of you for your review.

2:13:57 And we are, Major Neal and I, and with the assistance of

2:14:01 Attorney Gibbs, we’ll be glad to answer any questions you may

2:14:04 have regarding these guidelines.

2:14:06 Thank you.

2:14:09 So this has been something that I have been concerned about for

2:14:16 some time, honestly, because I’ve had a parent reach out to me

2:14:20 that was arrested 20 years ago for something that was stupid.

2:14:22 And she couldn’t volunteer at her school.

2:14:24 She was volunteer of the year multiple years in a row prior to.

2:14:27 So this policy needs to be looked at.

2:14:29 And this is one of those things I, you know, where it’s, it’s

2:14:32 difficult, which, what’s the perfect option?

2:14:34 Unfortunately, there’s not one.

2:14:36 So, really, I understand the thought process behind the arrested

2:14:42 or convicted.

2:14:43 But like the parent that we had at the last board meeting who

2:14:46 was arrested and never convicted, she was wrongfully arrested,

2:14:49 but can no longer go in her child’s school, that’s problematic.

2:14:53 So how many parents are we disqualifying because of an arrest?

2:14:56 One of the things that our website says is that there is an

2:15:00 appeal process.

2:15:01 But yet, I can’t seem to find that anywhere.

2:15:03 And that seems to be not something that’s on a regular basis

2:15:06 done.

2:15:06 So is there a way to talk about adding the appeal process to

2:15:13 this volunteer qualification so that we were able to look at

2:15:17 these a little more frequently?

2:15:18 Because there are certain cases where I think it warrants us

2:15:21 looking at them and saying, hey, that looks good or that doesn’t

2:15:24 look good.

2:15:24 What are your thoughts on that board?

2:15:25 I think we can do this because it’s now 403.

2:15:27 Oh, okay.

2:15:28 I think the appeal process is part of the original intent.

2:15:29 So I would give a thumbs up if anybody else wish to give her a

2:15:30 thumbs up on it.

2:15:30 Can Major Neal speak about the appeal process?

2:15:31 It’s in your current policy right now, the appeal process.

2:15:38 But I think what you’ll find…

2:15:39 You guys hear me okay?

2:15:40 Mm-hmm.

2:15:41 I think what you’re going to find is because of that arrest

2:15:44 language, it is a iron-tight guideline.

2:15:45 So the only way you could appeal that is if you came in and said

2:15:48 something and had the proof that wasn’t me.

2:15:50 Right.

2:15:51 You see what I’m saying?

2:15:52 That arrest language is just so, so hard.

2:15:52 The appeal process may need to include more than just you.

2:15:53 Okay.

2:15:54 So the appeal process, but I think what you’ll find, you guys

2:15:55 hear me okay?

2:15:55 I think what you’re going to find is because of that arrest

2:15:56 language, it is an iron-tight guideline.

2:15:57 So the only way you could appeal that is if you came in and said

2:16:01 something and had the proof that wasn’t me.

2:16:03 Right.

2:16:04 You see what I’m saying?

2:16:05 That arrest language is just so, so hard.

2:16:08 Yeah, I think that giving the ability for the board to review

2:16:19 appeal processes would help.

2:16:23 Because there are circumstances, like I said, the 20-year-old

2:16:25 arrest.

2:16:25 I mean, and you’ve had an upstanding citizen who owns a business,

2:16:29 who’s very productive and nothing else.

2:16:31 It was something that they were 18 and dumb and young and that’s,

2:16:34 you know, everyone was at one point.

2:16:35 So I think that those cases need to be looked at and not

2:16:38 necessarily just disqualified right off the rip.

2:16:41 If I can add to what Mr. Wilson provided to each of the board

2:16:46 members is that when you’re looking at option one,

2:16:49 and I’m sure everybody knows this by now, that is how the

2:16:52 guidelines used to exist prior to the change.

2:16:56 Okay.

2:16:57 And I don’t think it’s in your packet, but quite simply you have

2:17:00 the disqualification from employment.

2:17:02 These are guidelines we use in the office.

2:17:04 Mm-hmm.

2:17:05 You will find, with the exception of volunteer and employee or

2:17:08 whatever, they’re identical.

2:17:09 Okay.

2:17:10 So just know that that original was derived from the employment

2:17:14 guidelines, which is statute-driven.

2:17:15 There are some things added in there that the district can,

2:17:18 because you as a board, you never would do this.

2:17:21 But you get to make up the rules, as Mr. Gibbs will tell you.

2:17:23 There’s no property right to be involved here.

2:17:25 You can say no more volunteers ever until the next changes their

2:17:29 mind.

2:17:29 I’m not saying you would do that.

2:17:30 But I’m saying you have that ability to form this to meet the

2:17:35 needs of this current board.

2:17:38 So, thank you.

2:17:39 So this is identical to our employment eligibility.

2:17:39 It’s kind of weird to me that it would be stricter than that.

2:17:39 Also, let’s be clear.

2:17:39 Before I was on the board, but this policy was changed

2:17:39 specifically to target one individual in our community.

2:17:39 That’s why it happened.

2:17:40 Again, unintended consequences.

2:17:41 So, I think it’s a good question.

2:17:42 I think it’s a good question.

2:18:01 But this policy was changed specifically to target one

2:18:05 individual in our community.

2:18:06 That’s why it happened.

2:18:07 Again, unintended consequences came out of that.

2:18:10 Now we have parents who can’t come onto the campus.

2:18:13 So, I’m all for option one.

2:18:15 Because, number one, I think it’s the same exact kind of one for

2:18:18 the staff members.

2:18:19 I don’t believe we should have anything to do with the field

2:18:22 process.

2:18:22 We are not judging jury.

2:18:23 I have no basis of waiting whether someone’s arrested more valid

2:18:27 or less valid than somebody else’s.

2:18:28 But it’s still not our business.

2:18:31 If they’re not convicted of it, someone already decided whether

2:18:34 or not they did something.

2:18:35 So, I think that’s fair enough.

2:18:38 This is slightly off of this, but just throwing it out there to

2:18:43 Dr. Schiller and the staff.

2:18:44 In a weird way, it kind of streamlines there.

2:18:47 We have an incident where someone was a substitute who was just

2:18:53 fired because they admitted to schools

2:18:56 a juvenile incident.

2:18:59 And I would like us to have a conversation about that.

2:19:02 Because when you have a grown adult applying to do something.

2:19:05 A professional coming to just substitute additionally to your

2:19:09 job.

2:19:09 An adult fiscal is something that happened when they were a

2:19:12 juvenile.

2:19:12 I would assume it’s because that’s kind of way past you in life.

2:19:16 If it wasn’t something outrageous like murder or anything to do

2:19:20 with harming a child.

2:19:21 I understand.

2:19:22 But you know, something way less serious than that.

2:19:25 I think we need to have a conversation about that.

2:19:27 We’re not going to talk about that right now because that’s not

2:19:29 what we’re talking about.

2:19:29 But I have a feeling the conversation kind of needs to

2:19:33 streamline from here.

2:19:34 Anybody else?

2:19:35 I’ll just note if you can go over option two and three again.

2:19:44 Yeah, as Mr. Wilson provided to you, option two is simply if you

2:19:48 take this.

2:19:49 The really only change between this and what currently you’re

2:19:52 looking at is there would be a 10-year rule.

2:19:54 Meaning if you haven’t done anything in the past 10 years, then

2:19:58 you’d be considered to be a volunteer.

2:20:00 That’s really the only difference.

2:20:01 So just think of it as the 10-year rule to the current guideline.

2:20:05 Does that make sense?

2:20:07 Okay.

2:20:08 And then if you go to option three, it just, and again, these

2:20:13 are just talking points for the board.

2:20:15 Remember, this can be anything that you guys decide.

2:20:18 And if you look at option three, now that becomes a five-year

2:20:22 rule, except for those highlighted in red.

2:20:24 So again, it’s just, it’s just to spark the conversation.

2:20:27 So, so you guys can really tailor this however you guys feel you

2:20:33 need to take it.

2:20:34 Okay.

2:20:35 Does anybody, do you guys feel, seems like you guys feel

2:20:42 comfortable with giving direction to that?

2:20:43 Or did you guys, do you guys feel better?

2:20:45 Do you mean, Dr. Shorty on the way in?

2:20:47 No, no.

2:20:48 Okay.

2:20:49 It seems to me that there’s, if you guys are comfortable, we can

2:20:53 give direction.

2:20:53 But I, you know, one of the things that we, has been discussed

2:21:06 before, I know that we talked with our former superintendent

2:21:13 about, you know, when we talked about the change, you know, that

2:21:16 there’s no right to be a volunteer.

2:21:18 It’s, it’s, it’s the right granted.

2:21:20 Um, there are laws specifically about employment and they, you

2:21:24 know, you have to follow those.

2:21:26 Um, one of the things that we discussed was, you know, what if

2:21:30 someone got off on a technically, there needs to be a response

2:21:33 if someone got off on technicality, right?

2:21:34 So it doesn’t count as a conviction, but it was, um, but then

2:21:38 there are others.

2:21:39 And if the new concept is, again, keeps coming back up of, you

2:21:42 know, people who were falsely arrested and things like that.

2:21:45 So I, I am not satisfied with leaving it the way that it is.

2:21:48 So I definitely think we need to get away from the one we’re

2:21:51 currently in use.

2:21:52 Um, you know, between, you know, I, like I said, I’m not, um, I’m

2:22:04 not heavily drawn to either one, two, or three flexible.

2:22:07 I have to be, I think, many things we need to make change.

2:22:10 Um, okay.

2:22:12 Thank you, Ms. Campbell.

2:22:13 Let me, if I could just kind of give a quick summation.

2:22:15 Um, option two says that if you are arrested for any of those

2:22:19 that are there, including the red ones that are in there, then

2:22:24 it moves to the, um, you’re cannot do.

2:22:26 Option three, you mean, with the red highlighter, right?

2:22:29 Option three says, if you’ve never been arrested for these, you’re

2:22:32 disqualified.

2:22:33 But in the event that you’ve been arrested for something else

2:22:37 that’s, um, above five years or 10 years,

2:22:39 that’s correct.

2:22:41 Anything not highlighted would suggest that if you haven’t been

2:22:44 arrested in five years, then you’re potentially eligible to be a

2:22:48 volunteer.

2:22:48 Okay.

2:22:49 So that says that basically everything in there, if you’ve ever

2:22:53 been arrested for, you can no longer be a volunteer inside of

2:22:55 our school.

2:22:55 But in the event that you, um, you know what I mean, five and 10

2:23:00 years, based on your conviction.

2:23:02 And I’ll just add this chair and back to that caveat.

2:23:06 Um, I think Dr. Schiller started out with this.

2:23:09 It’s just, don’t forget you can still employ them.

2:23:12 So you’re, you’re always going to be stuck back in that place,

2:23:15 you know, with any, well, with option two or three.

2:23:19 Can I jump in really quick because I think, um, just so everyone’s

2:23:23 paying attention to this.

2:23:25 The first part for option two and three is talking about the

2:23:31 felony thesis.

2:23:33 So if you continue on, there’s the five and 10 year for other

2:23:38 offenses, just making that clear to everybody.

2:23:40 So we’ve been in option one.

2:23:41 It’s, it’s not like a, everybody gets a green light or anything

2:23:45 like that.

2:23:45 Um, there are very specific qualifications.

2:23:48 There are.

2:23:49 And to your point, Ms. Jenkins, those that’s okay.

2:24:01 The last page, those are district added items that are not statutorily

2:24:05 driven.

2:24:05 Just so the board understands.

2:24:07 Okay.

2:24:08 I just wanted to clarify.

2:24:09 I, like, I’m not going to touch the building.

2:24:11 Well, I just, here’s, here’s the other inconsistency.

2:24:14 At the bottom of this page, these are people who’ve actually

2:24:17 been convicted of these things.

2:24:18 But then after a certain amount of time, then they can come back

2:24:22 in.

2:24:22 And what we have at the top, you’ve just been arrested.

2:24:25 So you’ll never get to do it.

2:24:27 Yeah.

2:24:28 So that’s a problem.

2:24:30 Because we’re actually saying people who’ve been strived and

2:24:33 convicted can come back in after a time.

2:24:35 But if you’ve just been arrested, you can’t.

2:24:37 But that doesn’t mean to happen anymore, either.

2:24:40 And just.

2:24:41 Yeah.

2:24:42 Because all of that talk about conviction is not arrest.

2:24:43 Right.

2:24:44 And for clarification on those particular items on the back that

2:24:48 are, that are, were basically created by this district way

2:24:53 before me.

2:24:53 Because those are not statutorily driven.

2:24:56 Versus what you see on the front page and such.

2:24:59 So that’s all from statute.

2:25:03 Yeah, I don’t necessarily have a problem.

2:25:04 But it does not run on our employment.

2:25:06 Those are just one volunteer.

2:25:08 Yeah.

2:25:09 So here are your employment guidelines.

2:25:11 They are there.

2:25:13 Yes, ma’am.

2:25:14 Okay.

2:25:15 And we legally can have those there.

2:25:16 I think we need to be just right there.

2:25:18 And there’s other things like you’ll see on there.

2:25:21 Like if you have any pending charges, that’s a non starter as

2:25:24 well.

2:25:24 So if, if they come in, we know there’s a recent arrest.

2:25:28 Well, we don’t know where that case is going.

2:25:30 So you as a district have said, no, that’s pending.

2:25:33 We’re not doing.

2:25:34 It’s on hold.

2:25:35 Right.

2:25:39 So I think we, even if we don’t go all the way to make it the

2:25:43 same as employment, which

2:25:44 is option one, we, you know, we definitely don’t need to have

2:25:47 people who have been convicted

2:25:49 having more privileges to come back than people who have just

2:25:53 been arrested.

2:25:54 So, I mean, it kind of sounds like then that would be going back

2:25:58 to option one, which is

2:26:05 the way that it used to be.

2:26:08 You guys want to take, we can bring this policy back up tonight.

2:26:11 If you guys want to take a second and take a look at it, ask

2:26:14 your conversations and do

2:26:16 that.

2:26:17 Does that make sense to you?

2:26:18 No, I think none of you want to finish this.

2:26:21 But my idea is, I think I know where I want to go.

2:26:25 Okay.

2:26:26 But I think looking at you guys, it’s kind of, people are flopping

2:26:29 back and forth, taking

2:26:29 a look.

2:26:30 There’s a lot there.

2:26:31 Well, maybe we take the time off and review it and then come

2:26:35 back tonight and just kind

2:26:35 of give the direction.

2:26:36 Well, the thing is, is we’re responsible for this.

2:26:38 And if we say, yes, option three sounds great.

2:26:41 And then somebody says, do you know, you just, here’s the loophole

2:26:45 in that one.

2:26:46 And now we’re stopping.

2:26:48 So yeah, I would, I would like to take a look.

2:26:51 We’ll just take a look.

2:26:52 Yeah.

2:26:53 I have questions about the review process.

2:26:54 Because I know you said with what we have currently in place,

2:26:58 because it is still very clear,

2:26:59 there’s really not a lot of .

2:27:01 And then there’s not really .

2:27:06 And then option three.

2:27:07 I really wish you’d take that discretion away from me.

2:27:11 So that’s my question.

2:27:12 Yes.

2:27:13 Who’s making the calls?

2:27:14 And then option three.

2:27:16 I really wish you’d take that discretion away from me.

2:27:18 So that’s my question.

2:27:19 Yes.

2:27:19 Who’s making the calls?

2:27:20 Because I think it’s fair.

2:27:21 And then option three.

2:27:23 And option three, it says, will be considered.

2:27:25 And then option three.

2:27:27 And then option three, it says, will be considered, will be

2:27:29 considered.

2:27:29 And then option three.

2:27:31 And then option three, it says, will be considered.

2:27:32 And then option three.

2:27:34 And then option three, it says, will be considered.

2:27:38 It doesn’t explain.

2:27:38 Yeah.

2:27:39 In all fairness, with the appeal process, the way it was written

2:27:42 is actually that decision

2:27:56 will be made outside the office.

2:27:57 I’ll keep in the side.

2:27:58 And then it goes back to Mr. Wilson’s office.

2:28:02 If it’s, if there’s an appeal process, we were trying to

2:28:05 separate the two.

2:28:06 Because again, you know, it would be nice if there was no gray

2:28:11 area.

2:28:11 And that’s why I made the joke.

2:28:12 You know, it’s, you know, it’s, this is a tough one for you guys.

2:28:16 Because you want to get it right.

2:28:18 And, you know, I can tell you there’s, there’s a lot of

2:28:21 differences out there.

2:28:22 But relatively all the districts are using employment guidelines.

2:28:26 They may have some differences and different.

2:28:28 If some of you may remember, you used to have an A and A plus

2:28:30 and all that different levels.

2:28:32 We got rid of that years ago prior to me.

2:28:34 Now everybody’s background check.

2:28:36 You may have other districts that make, let’s just say they call

2:28:39 it volunteer level one, level two.

2:28:41 Level one is background check.

2:28:42 Level two, they can come in and volunteer, but have to be

2:28:45 supervised at all times.

2:28:45 What you would think as a visitor, right?

2:28:47 So it’s very robust that you’re actually background checking

2:28:51 everybody.

2:28:51 You may be doing that more than other districts.

2:28:54 So you got an edge there, but it’s all in how it’s written.

2:28:58 And what that outcome is, because there’ll be outcome no matter

2:29:01 what you do.

2:29:01 But it all goes back to how, how do you avoid that?

2:29:05 You know, I’ll use the example, you know, you recently had a

2:29:09 teacher, unfortunately, that was arrested.

2:29:10 And satellite beach.

2:29:13 He went through the whole process.

2:29:15 All those things happen.

2:29:16 The district did what they should have done.

2:29:18 Right.

2:29:19 You background checking, you vetted them, you did all those

2:29:22 things.

2:29:22 And then this allegedly he did what he did.

2:29:25 Right.

2:29:26 So you’re doing the same here with the volunteers.

2:29:28 You’re vetting them.

2:29:29 You’re doing all these things.

2:29:30 Unfortunately, sometimes people do evil things.

2:29:33 But, you know, you just got to make that decision on how you can

2:29:37 best protect our students.

2:29:39 Like, I feel confident where I am on this.

2:29:46 But it sounds very clear that no one else does.

2:29:48 I don’t know why we’re bringing this back tonight.

2:29:49 I don’t think I’m saying that.

2:29:50 You’re not going to change around the camera in 15 minutes.

2:29:52 You’re telling them all this right now.

2:29:53 You’re telling them what you’re doing.

2:29:54 And then in an hour, 15 minutes, we’re going to make a decision

2:29:56 on that.

2:29:56 I don’t think that’s perfect.

2:29:58 I would argue to maybe, if even possible, to have a conversation

2:30:04 with that information.

2:30:05 Maybe how many people have been denied all things remaining and

2:30:10 stuff?

2:30:10 How many people have been denied all things in this process?

2:30:12 Or, and obviously we can’t, we can’t tolerate people who haven’t

2:30:16 done it.

2:30:16 We’re going to do the process, right?

2:30:18 Yeah.

2:30:19 And more, how many potential issues you might have when the

2:30:25 whole policy was in place?

2:30:25 Because again, being honest, this policy was revised to attack

2:30:29 an individual.

2:30:30 Not because something happened here.

2:30:32 So, I mean, before we make these decisions, that should be clear

2:30:38 for us as a board so we feel comfortable making that choice.

2:30:40 So that we do feel like we’re making the safest choice for our

2:30:44 kids.

2:30:44 I think that’s important.

2:30:45 So your point, Ms. Jenkins, we don’t necessarily track denials

2:30:49 currently.

2:30:50 We’re just not set up to do that.

2:30:52 I don’t know if I can give you that actual number.

2:30:55 And certainly you made the point and you are correct.

2:30:57 Those that, because as opposed to what the guidelines are, never

2:31:01 come in.

2:31:01 Because they know they’ll never get past the process, right?

2:31:03 So there’s no way we can know that.

2:31:06 Can I ask, I just want to add something to this though.

2:31:09 There’s nothing stopping those individuals for coming in as a

2:31:13 visitor, is there?

2:31:14 To our schools?

2:31:15 No.

2:31:17 So, right.

2:31:18 They have to be invited and supervised.

2:31:20 So this policy being rewritten the way that it was, it was a

2:31:24 false sense of security in some ways.

2:31:26 And it made zero sense because it ended up impacting a bunch of

2:31:29 parents that are really good.

2:31:30 That are…

2:31:31 It did.

2:31:32 And then it disqualified far more people.

2:31:35 And the overall objective was to keep an individual out of the

2:31:39 school, which is still…

2:31:41 That’s…

2:31:42 I mean, it never was really there.

2:31:43 Because they can come in as a visitor anytime they want.

2:31:46 And that is the reality of the situation.

2:31:49 So, for me, as much as, you know, I know that this is…

2:31:53 Well, you know, I know what this could potentially cause, but…

2:31:57 It makes zero sense to have stricter guidelines for a volunteer

2:32:01 than it does for somebody we can hire.

2:32:03 That, to me, makes no sense.

2:32:04 I cannot understand why we would say to them, you cannot come in

2:32:08 here and donate your time,

2:32:10 but you can come in here and we’ll pay you for your time, and

2:32:13 that’s okay, and have the exact same background.

2:32:14 I can’t wrap my head around that.

2:32:15 So, I know where I’m at on this.

2:32:17 I don’t know if…

2:32:19 If everyone knows where they’re at, I know where I’m at on this.

2:32:22 I have to clarify.

2:32:23 I’m actually…

2:32:24 You just made a statement.

2:32:25 I’m not involved with you, but I can just…

2:32:26 There’s a part of me that says, well, not necessarily.

2:32:28 So, I just want this to be clarified.

2:32:30 Like our visitors, clearly, somebody’s convicted of child abuse,

2:32:35 you know, child pornography, stuff like that.

2:32:37 They’re not on our campus, correct?

2:32:39 So, if they are a registered sex offender, the whole Raptor

2:32:42 management system exactly does that.

2:32:44 They cross-reference them through the national database.

2:32:46 Right, and the application and the reason for this was that.

2:32:49 So, yes, the things that we really want to protect our kids from,

2:32:53 they take it.

2:32:54 That…

2:32:55 I know.

2:32:56 No, I’m not protecting you.

2:32:57 I just wanted to…

2:32:58 I was talking about the specific individual that we were…

2:33:00 Yeah, I just wanted to make sure we were not assuming.

2:33:03 Yeah.

2:33:04 So, what I’m hearing everybody say is there’s a majority going

2:33:08 to, that we’d like to go back to the first one.

2:33:13 I would ask to wait until tonight to roll it to it, just so that

2:33:17 we can get there.

2:33:18 But if there’s a majority, then we have a majority.

2:33:20 So, Mr. Trent, they had something to say.

2:33:22 So, just to be clear, Mr. Neal, thank you for putting this

2:33:26 together.

2:33:26 Both of you guys said that.

2:33:27 Yeah.

2:33:28 Option one, I mean, that’s my biggest issue is I just don’t want

2:33:32 to volunteer to be in that situation that we’re talking about.

2:33:35 You can work here, but you can’t volunteer here.

2:33:37 That’s right.

2:33:38 Is option one that option?

2:33:39 Yeah.

2:33:40 No.

2:33:42 No, it takes care of that.

2:33:43 Right.

2:33:45 It does.

2:33:46 It aligns them.

2:33:47 That was my only concern is, and that’s the concern I’m getting

2:33:51 from, you know, the public is situation after situation is, I

2:33:57 can go apply and get a job there, but I can’t volunteer there.

2:33:59 So, if we can take care of that situation, I’m completely okay

2:34:02 whenever, Mr. Chair, you want to…

2:34:04 Dr. Schilling, do you have a question?

2:34:07 Yes, essentially, we feel going back to the original addresses

2:34:12 the issues that also overlays on that the most extreme offenders

2:34:17 that we have other laws and statutes.

2:34:18 But if you go back to the original one, not the one currently in

2:34:23 place, it satisfies all that we’re talking about.

2:34:27 That’s how we live with it.

2:34:28 And that is what I would recommend to the board, because I’m

2:34:33 hearing the conversation that addresses the inconsistency, shall

2:34:38 we say.

2:34:39 But it also, to Ms. Jenkins’ point, which is absolutely on

2:34:44 target, as Major Neal said, there are other safeguards and

2:34:48 precautions that wrap around to make sure that the most extreme

2:34:53 offenders are not in our schools.

2:34:57 Okay, well, there’s a majority of the board.

2:35:00 If you guys feel like moving forward now, you can always give a

2:35:04 thumbs up.

2:35:04 I would appreciate the opportunity to wait and ask a couple

2:35:07 questions with Officer Neal.

2:35:08 But if you guys want to do it, it’s totally fine.

2:35:10 It’s 4.5.

2:35:11 So, if you guys want to go, that’s fine.

2:35:12 I’m not here with giving you more time to make you feel

2:35:17 comfortable and have the opportunity to speak with Officer Neal.

2:35:22 That’s fine with me.

2:35:23 I don’t know if we’re not asking you right now.

2:35:25 I don’t.

2:35:26 If that’s not it, I have to go back, read the policies, make

2:35:29 sure there’s something in there, and ask any other questions to

2:35:32 Officer Neal and Rashawn and everybody else.

2:35:34 So, if I can do that, that’s great.

2:35:35 If not, then you guys are totally fine.

2:35:37 We can move forward and stuff like that.

2:35:39 We have a clear report.

2:35:40 It’s not that I’m not in favor of it, I just wanted to reveal it,

2:35:43 because as soon as we do it, I want to make sure that we feel

2:35:45 solid behind it.

2:35:46 If we’re bringing this up tonight, but doesn’t it have to be

2:35:50 posted?

2:35:50 Like, we’re power voting on something.

2:35:52 This is an administrative procedure.

2:35:54 It should be a basic pass for directions to see if we’re in.

2:35:58 So, I’m sorry.

2:35:59 So, when were we bringing it up tonight?

2:36:01 What do you mean for discussion?

2:36:02 No, I would just say that if we brought it back up, that we

2:36:05 would give the additional direction.

2:36:06 But it’s 4.5.

2:36:07 So, I’m okay with giving the direction, and if there’s anything

2:36:10 that pops up, you guys, it’s an administrative procedure.

2:36:12 We can bring it back in two weeks and readjust it.

2:36:14 So, I just want to clarify.

2:36:15 I misunderstood.

2:36:16 That’s why I said it doesn’t make sense to me why I’m bringing

2:36:19 this up in an hour, because we’re not reporting on it.

2:36:20 I understand that.

2:36:21 We’re just discussing it.

2:36:22 The individual we’re talking about has nothing to do with the

2:36:26 decision that I’m making right now.

2:36:28 There’s three other individuals, and I need to make sure that

2:36:31 those individuals are going to be clear.

2:36:33 And I just wanted to make sure.

2:36:34 But you guys, listen.

2:36:35 If I have an issue, then we’ll work out.

2:36:37 You guys get the direction.

2:36:38 Okay?

2:36:39 Do you feel confident in what you heard of Dr. Schoen?

2:36:42 Dr. Schoen?

2:36:43 Yes, sir.

2:36:44 I believe that what I hear is that there may be some clarifications

2:36:47 that some of you want,

2:36:49 and that I’ll bring back this for the board.

2:36:53 If the board wishes to then take formal action, it can do that.

2:36:58 If not under the current board policy, then I have the authority

2:37:03 to go forward to communicate and implement.

2:37:05 And basically, that’s how we would go if I read this board

2:37:09 intention correctly.

2:37:11 Okay.

2:37:12 The other thing that – so we have five minutes, right?

2:37:15 And one of the things that I was going to mention to you is that

2:37:20 here, let me read this thing real quick.

2:37:22 I have a feeling that we start getting into the board

2:37:26 responsibilities, guidance, and stuff like that, right?

2:37:30 One of the things that I would like to just kind of throw out

2:37:34 there.

2:37:34 I truly wanted to end at 4:30 when Dr. Schoen was like, we can

2:37:38 roll these to discussion tonight.

2:37:39 It’s not a big deal.

2:37:40 We do need some time.

2:37:41 The people have the appropriate time to do that.

2:37:44 But these – when you talk about responsibilities and authority,

2:37:47 board powers, member powers, all of that,

2:37:49 they can be one policy that all of them came to.

2:37:52 It doesn’t have to be separate policies.

2:37:54 And on top of that, you have – they’re all defined by state

2:37:58 statute.

2:37:58 So I think that if you bring this back, there will be a pretty

2:38:01 quick discussion.

2:38:01 I don’t think that we’re going to end up, but it is going to

2:38:03 take a look at five minutes.

2:38:04 So if you guys are okay with that, I had one thing at the end

2:38:09 that I wanted to talk about.

2:38:10 But, you know, I would like to shift the board powers, member

2:38:17 powers, legislative policy making,

2:38:18 responsibilities of authority to the board tonight because I

2:38:22 think that it’s defined in statute.

2:38:23 It’s not like, you know what I mean?

2:38:25 We can’t give ourselves more power than it is defined.

2:38:27 So there’s that.

2:38:28 But I wanted to give Dr. Schoen, if you feel like you can do

2:38:30 yours in four minutes, then we can do that.

2:38:33 If not, we can roll that.

2:38:34 These are yours.

2:38:35 Right.

2:38:36 And if you notice that many of them have been in place for some

2:38:42 years, if the board wishes to say,

2:38:44 yes, that is, we understand the statute, Article 4, then you

2:38:50 have completed your review and then it would go through the

2:38:53 process.

2:38:53 If indeed you find something at variance here, then of course

2:38:58 you can defer.

2:38:59 In terms of putting them all in one.

2:39:02 They don’t have to.

2:39:03 The bylaws that you have right now have them segmented.

2:39:08 And each one of them has a different section.

2:39:11 That’s right.

2:39:12 And so that’s why I would suggest that we don’t change the board.

2:39:16 Your board policy book is set up very nicely.

2:39:19 Neola is doing it.

2:39:20 But I just think that this newly constituted board, and again,

2:39:25 gives you the opportunity also for us to be able to get some

2:39:30 clarification as part of an in-service opportunity.

2:39:32 And then what I did want to mention to you guys is that we’re

2:39:47 seeing like this today and some other stuff.

2:39:53 I’d like to move forward with having our workshops.

2:39:57 I have two options here.

2:39:58 Workshops starting at 9 o’clock so that we can work through the

2:40:01 day and then come back and go to the school board meeting.

2:40:03 It would allow us to get through a lot of what we’re dealing

2:40:06 with right now.

2:40:06 We came up short tonight.

2:40:08 But I wanted to do that or we could open up another workshop day

2:40:14 where we discuss them all on a Thursday.

2:40:18 And just so everybody knows, prior to, like when I first came on

2:40:22 the board, we did start our workshops at 9 o’clock.

2:40:24 The fact that some of us have full-time jobs doing it all in one

2:40:28 day works out.

2:40:29 But I’m willing to listen to any kind of conversation.

2:40:32 I’d like to move to having a starting at 9 o’clock on our days

2:40:35 that we have school board meetings.

2:40:37 So that if somebody wanted to come speak or they needed to take

2:40:39 time off, they could do that for both of them.

2:40:41 But I would be willing to listen to somebody if they wanted to

2:40:44 open up two Thursdays a month to having all their workshops on.

2:40:47 So with that, I was going to offer it up to you guys.

2:40:50 Any conversations?

2:40:51 Ms. Campbell, you can have some conversations.

2:40:54 Yeah, or I’m sorry.

2:40:57 I think the long days, and I know that people do it, but the

2:41:04 long days are really hard for that much decision-making.

2:41:09 It’s a lot of content.

2:41:10 I don’t actually think it would be a good idea for us to

2:41:13 schedule ourselves so much into that we are going to have to

2:41:16 make decisions from 9 to 4 and then again from 5:30 to whenever

2:41:20 we’re done.

2:41:20 Because sometimes we’re going to go to 8:30, 9, 9, and then we’re

2:41:23 going to be 10 o’clock.

2:41:24 And we start at 9 o’clock in the morning, we’re getting fresh,

2:41:28 we’re toast.

2:41:29 So, you know, if we wanted – there have been times where we

2:41:33 knew we had several on the docket and we would start the meeting

2:41:36 at 1:00.

2:41:36 Honestly, we could have done that today except for lunch, which

2:41:39 by the meeting offered is coming.

2:41:40 But, you know, let’s start an hour earlier or whatever, but I’m

2:41:46 not fond of the idea of the all-day marathon meeting because I

2:41:51 think it’s going to be a lot of content for us to get through

2:41:54 and to be prepared for and to do it with excellence that I think

2:41:59 would have caused problems.

2:42:00 I think, just so everybody knows, if we were scheduled at 9:00

2:42:04 and we were able to get through it quicker, like it was a

2:42:07 smaller amount, then we would finish and we would have the rest

2:42:11 of the day.

2:42:12 I think one of the issues I had, if I could speak directly to

2:42:16 that, was that we have it to where, like, if we don’t put it on

2:42:19 there at 9:00, then we have all these other engagements that we

2:42:23 end up filling into the calendar and then all of a sudden we

2:42:25 have board members that aren’t present and stuff like that.

2:42:27 I understand what you’re saying about coming down an hour, but

2:42:31 we literally have a large amount of policies and stuff like that

2:42:34 that we need to review.

2:42:35 We came up short today, so I would say that we’re going to see

2:42:38 more of this and we need to inch your time.

2:42:40 So I’d like to figure out if either we move to 9:00 in the

2:42:45 morning or we can go to two separate days in the first one.

2:42:50 So I –

2:42:51 That’s my comment back.

2:42:52 That doesn’t mean that that’s .

2:42:54 So I don’t see the point at all.

2:42:59 I’ve been on this board for two years.

2:43:00 If there was a heavy day, we moved in an hour before and then

2:43:03 everything got done.

2:43:04 Even today, heavy load, the only thing that got left over was a

2:43:08 bunch of individual policies that would probably be discussed in

2:43:11 10 minutes.

2:43:11 We’re only stopping because we want to have the gap between the

2:43:14 board meeting.

2:43:14 I don’t think it’s necessary at all.

2:43:16 If we start them at 9:00 in the morning, we’re taking staff away

2:43:19 from their day jobs.

2:43:20 Additionally, again, for really no purpose.

2:43:22 We’re eating the daytime.

2:43:25 Quite often, I’ll do something before a workshop at a school.

2:43:29 So you’re just eating my entire Tuesday then.

2:43:32 I think it’s absolutely necessary.

2:43:35 We can adjust like we did over the past few years.

2:43:38 But there’s literally zero reason for us to have a 9-to-1

2:43:41 workshop every single time we’re meeting.

2:43:43 Some of these things, yeah, they need to get reviewed.

2:43:45 But there’s no emergency to be reviewed.

2:43:47 They don’t have to get done right away.

2:43:49 I don’t know.

2:43:51 I don’t see the point enough.

2:43:54 My concern always is our staffs mind being used appropriately

2:44:03 and efficiently.

2:44:05 And I don’t think that’s how we are going to be doing that.

2:44:10 If we feel like the old schedule isn’t working for us for some

2:44:14 reason, then I think we can have that conversation.

2:44:16 But we haven’t even done the old schedule yet except for today

2:44:19 and we really didn’t have a problem with it.

2:44:21 So I think we’re extending our day for no reason.

2:44:23 It needs to warm conversations for no reason.

2:44:25 I think we need to just stay on track and see how it looks out.

2:44:28 Thank you, Ms. Jenkins.

2:44:30 I would, I would, I would make the comment that our load amount

2:44:35 is going to increase.

2:44:36 I would also say that.

2:44:37 Mr. Susan, why do you always get to comment additional times

2:44:41 compared to everybody else?

2:44:42 Please.

2:44:43 I just because I brought this pool.

2:44:44 No, no, Mr. Susan, no.

2:44:45 Ask Mr. Trent.

2:44:46 I’m just right.

2:44:47 You speak about wrong distribution of order very often.

2:44:49 I’m going to throw them back at you, Mr. Susan.

2:44:51 Thank you, Ms. Jenkins.

2:44:52 We heard you.

2:44:53 You restated yourself twice.

2:44:54 So.

2:44:55 It’s someone else’s turn.

2:44:56 So anyways.

2:45:01 You also don’t have authority to shut them off.

2:45:03 I absolutely do.

2:45:04 No, you do not.

2:45:05 Mr. Gibbs.

2:45:06 Here we go.

2:45:07 Does Mr. Susan not be afraid to shut another board member off?

2:45:10 It’s past 4:30.

2:45:11 Point of order.

2:45:22 It’s not your turn.

2:45:23 Jenkins.

2:45:24 No.

2:45:25 Jenkins, please.

2:45:26 No, sir.

2:45:27 Well, we’re talking about the amount of work that we need to get

2:45:30 done.

2:45:30 Obviously, we’re going to give that decision honestly between

2:45:34 you three.

2:45:35 We’re going to weigh in on it because you’ve been here for two

2:45:37 years, four years, six years,

2:45:39 whatever it is.

2:45:40 We got through quite a bit.

2:45:43 So, I think it would be, it wouldn’t be good for me to sit here

2:45:47 and say, no, we need to

2:45:47 be here from nine to four.

2:45:48 No, we need to be here from two to four.

2:45:50 Because this is our first time through this workload.

2:45:53 But we will, you know, we’re going to maybe play this by ear.

2:45:58 Again, in between.

2:45:59 Is it a 12 to four?

2:46:00 If we really think we need and have a whole lot of work to do,

2:46:04 and if we get through that

2:46:05 and we have time to spare, then we then say, hey, maybe 12 to

2:46:09 four was too much time.

2:46:10 You know?

2:46:11 I do appreciate the morning time to get things done as well.

2:46:15 But again, you’ve been through this and I am going to say I’m a

2:46:19 junior board member on this.

2:46:21 One of the issues that you go into is,

2:46:26 We have a large workload, which we have for the next probably

2:46:34 ten or four weeks.

2:46:35 We are going to need as much time.

2:46:37 It’s not a question of how much time we have.

2:46:39 The question is, we’re going to need it.

2:46:42 It’s just whether you move it from one day or to a Thursday.

2:46:46 And for the first thing, hang on, for some of us, it would be

2:46:50 smarter to go ahead and do it on the same day so that we’re not

2:46:53 impacting another day.

2:46:54 But I mean, we ask some of our teachers to do the same.

2:46:57 They go to work at 7:30 and they’re working at night every day.

2:47:01 So that’s my thought process.

2:47:03 So what I would say is that it is the same amount of time

2:47:07 whether you do it over two days or one day.

2:47:09 The workload is not going to change based on us starting at 9:00

2:47:14 a.m. or 2:00 p.m.

2:47:15 When I’m looking at scheduling out my days personally because I

2:47:19 and Katie, you’re in the same boat.

2:47:20 You’re in the north or south end.

2:47:21 I’m in the north end.

2:47:22 So we have travel time back and forth.

2:47:24 So whenever.

2:47:25 Huh?

2:47:26 Yeah.

2:47:27 So I mean, yeah, so we’re kind of we are here.

2:47:30 Well, it just depends on it depends on how long we go for.

2:47:34 For me, I would rather I would rather condense it into a day and

2:47:39 then commit that day to my board in house.

2:47:41 This is what we’re doing.

2:47:42 And that way I have the other rest of the days to go to my

2:47:45 schools and attend the committee meetings that we’re on and all

2:47:48 the other things.

2:47:48 But that’s my personal preference.

2:47:50 I don’t.

2:47:51 Again, that’s the majority that rules in this one.

2:47:54 But that’s my personal preference.

2:47:55 I’ll be honest with you guys.

2:47:57 Nine o’clock would be the suggested time for the next board

2:48:00 meeting because we have a lot.

2:48:02 Okay.

2:48:03 Maybe what the idea is is that we schedule it for nine.

2:48:06 And then we think about it moving forward.

2:48:08 I don’t think there’s a consensus on it.

2:48:10 I just wanted to.

2:48:11 I just want to remind you that the reason why we have a lot into

2:48:14 the next several board meetings is because we chose to do it

2:48:17 that way.

2:48:17 Because we chose to go ahead and plow through, you know, dozens

2:48:21 of policies every month.

2:48:22 Yeah.

2:48:23 So we can slow that down at any point.

2:48:26 You know, we could even say, instead of talking these nine to

2:48:30 tonight, we could say, you know, let’s, let’s commit to going

2:48:33 through 30 minutes of these.

2:48:34 And if we don’t get done, we push them off to the next time.

2:48:37 There’s no rush except for our own rush on the, on the ball-off.

2:48:41 So, um, but I, if we wanted to talk about this some more tonight,

2:48:46 but I would suggest that you go ahead and stop and talk about it

2:48:49 as much as you want.

2:48:50 Let’s go ahead and talk about it.

2:48:51 Let’s go.

2:49:03 Thank you.