Hi, I AM NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANTS TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDE STUDENTS IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH ADULTS IN OUR WORK FORCE PROGRAM. I AM HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATEOUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM AT SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. YOU ARE WELCOME TO E-MAIL OR MEET WITH ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BOARD MEETING COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM CABLE CHANNEL 635. MEETINGS ARE STREAMLINED ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGH.
SCHOOLS.COM. CLOSED CAPTION IS AVAILABLE ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS IN ARCHIVES. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE WILL HAVE TIME TO ADDRESS THAT. OUR BOARD MEMBERS CAN BE REVIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. OUR MISSION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND THIS MEANS ALL STUDENTS. EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FEATURE. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF MAY 10, 2022 IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL JOIN US WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] Henry Washington: THANK YOU.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Henry Washington: YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: MR. WASHINGTON, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT FOR TODAY. Henry Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ROOSEVELT ROCK BAND ALONG WITH THE DIRECTOR ERNESTO CHOCALATI. SHE IS -- BUT SHE IS BETTER KNOWN AS THE CHICK IS WHAT I WAS TOLD. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US TONIGHT -- THIS AFTERNOON AT OUR BOARD MEETING. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF. ARE YOU READY? READY. MY NAME IS ELI BRAND AND I AM IN FIFTH GRADE. JACKSON MYERS AND TIME IN FIFTH GRADE. I AM BIRD O'DONNELL AND I AM 5th SFRAID. SELENA AND IN THE FOURTH GRADE. GRAYSON DUNBAR AND IN FOURTH GRADE. MATT COOPER AND FIFTH GRADE. JACK CAMO AND FIRST GRADE. JACK DEGEORGE AND FOURTH GRADE.
ROCCO AND TIME IN FOURTH GRADE. MY NAME IS SOPHIA, AND I AM IN FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS ANA MALLORY AND I AM IN FOURTH GRADE. MY NAME IS MASON MYERS AND I AM FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS VINCEZO AND I AM IN FIFTH GRADE. I AM KENISHA JOHNSON AND STUDENT INTERN AND DIRECTOR OF BAND AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. I AM THEIR TEACHER ERNESTA, AND I AM FROM ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY AND DELIGHTED TO HAVE OUR STUDENTS HERE TODAY. Henry Washington: THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING A GREAT JOB. PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME PICTURES, PLEASE DO SO. YEAH, COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES. GIVING THAT BIG SMILE THERE N NOW. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: YES, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THIS IS REALLY WHAT IT IS BALL. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING ENTERTAINMENT AND I KNOW EVERYBODY INSIDE HERE WERE ABLE TO HEAR THEM ROCK OUT.
TO THEIR AMAZING TEACHER. I SAW SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS ALSO ROCKING OUT WITH THEM TODAY. THAT WAS GREAT TO SEE. SO WE HAVE ONE WITHDRAWN ITEM 7:19, PROOF OF PURCHASE FROM PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER -- SORRY, TURN THIS AROUND.
OKAY, BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. WE WILL HAVE TO TURN THIS AROUND. OKAY. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY APRIL 12, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION AND APRIL 22, 2022. I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND DECISIONS WITH UNDERSTANDING.
TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AGENDA STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTER THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING, LET ME REVIEW THE RULES. PLEASE SILENCE ALL THE ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS TO HAVE BOARD MEMBERS HEAR. THIS MEET ASKING BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTION ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING WITH THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN WHICH IS AT 6 P.M. THAT IS EMPLOYEE INPUT. PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD WELCOME COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND PROVIDES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP YOU INFORMED OF OUR RESPONSES. WE RESPECT THE RIGHT FOR YOU SPEAKING TO THE BOARD AND THAT YOU ARE HERE. WE SAY THAT THE COMMENTS SHOULD NOT BE ADDRESSED PERSONALLY TO THE BOARD MEMBER BUT JUST AT THE ISSUES. ANY ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT THE MEET ALSO NOT BE ALLOWED. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY IN THE MICROPHONE.
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. AND 30 SECONDS, A YELLOW LIGHT AND A RED LIGHT AND THEN CHIME TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR TIME IS UP. FIRST HAVE THE SPEAKERS AND LINE UP AT THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. OUR FIRST SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI THERE. KATHLEEN DANIELS. AND I AM THE MEDIA SPECIALIST AT A LOCAL PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE CURRENT STATE NOMINATED STATE NOMINATED FOR MEDIA EDUCATORS PRESIDENT-ELECT. I WANT TO GIVE THANKS TO TELL YOU HOW YOUR SUPPORT HELPS THE STUDENTS. RECOGNIZING THAT EACH SCHOOL HAS AN UNIQUE CULTURE AND DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AND NO WHEN SCHOOL SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS FOR ALL SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR MAINTAINING US HAVING A PUBLIC VIRTUAL CATALOG WHERE ANYONE CAN SEE WHAT EACH SCHOOL HAS IN THEIR COLLECTION SO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS CAN HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT BOOKS THEIR STUDENTS ARE READING AND PROMOTE PARENT AND STUDENT CHOICE OF READING.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MEDIA SPECIALISTS AND VALUING OUR TIME AND ENERGY AWAY FROM FIXING TECH AND INVENTORY AND INSTEAD TOWARD CURE ATEING AND ENGAGING IN REPRESENTATIVE MATERIALS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES TO OUR STUDENTS FOR AUTHOR EVENTS SUCH AS SLAM SHOWCASE. THROUGH OUR ARTS DEPARTMENT AND LIBRARY SUPERVISORS. I PRIDE MYSELF BEING DATA DRIVEN AND INCLUDING STUDENT INPUT. I BUY BOOKS AND CREATE PROGRAMS THAT DIRECTLY MEET THE NEEDS FOR OUR MULTIPLE QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE SERVICES. LAST MONTH, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO OPEN BACK UP FROM TESTING CLOSURES FOR WRITING AND HAD AN ANONYMOUS I LOVE MY LIBRARY BECAUSE DISPLAY FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH WHERE STUDENTS WROTE AND POSTED THEIR RESPONSES ON OUR GLASS DOOR ENTRYWAY. HERE IS ONE RESPONSE FROM THE FIRST DAY. ALSO THE STUDENT DID WRITE THERE IS A TRIGGER WARNING FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT. SO APPROPRIATE THOUGH. I LOVE MY LIBRARY BECAUSE IT HAS BOOKS WHEREIN I FIND TOPICS AND SITUATIONS THAT I CAN RELATE TO.
IT IS AMAZING TO FIND REPRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY IN HARD TOPICS SUCH AS SUICIDE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS RETREAT AND ITS ROLE IN ME STILL BEING HERE. THAT IS A LITTLE HEART TO LOVE THIS PLACE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING KIDS ALIVE BY ALLOWING STUDENTS TO BOOKS THEY RELATE TO EVEN IF WE WISH THEY DIDN'T RELATE TO THEM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, ALISON FERNANDEZ. I WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE FIRST IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC. THAT MEANS WE ARE NOT A GENERIC FORM OF A DEMOCRACY. WE ARE A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. THAT MEANS THAT ALL POWER FOR EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL EMANATES FOR THE PEOPLE. WE THE PEOPLE CONSENT TO BE GOVERNED. WE THE PEOPLE PROVIDE ALL OF THE FUNDING THAT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT SPENDS. PEOPLE PROVIDE ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT THIS DISTRICT OPERATES ON AND WE, THE PEOPLE, DESERVE TO HAVE ABSOLUTE, FULL DISCLOSURE AND TRANSPARENCY IN ALL MATTERS OF THE SCHOOL BO BOARD, NOT JUST FINANCIAL, BUT, YOU KNOW I AM PROBABLY GOING TO SAY FINANCIAL AS WELL.
BUT THE THINGS IS -- THING IS IN PAST MEETINGS, PEOPLE HAVE -- BOARD MEMBERS HAVE MADE COMMENTS THROUGHOUT THE MEE MEETING. AND WHEN THE PUBLIC COMES UP TO ADDRESS WHAT HAS BEEN SAID, THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ADDRESS BOARD MEMBERS SPECIFICALLY. HOWEVER, THAT IS -- THAT IS A DEFINITELY A VIOLATION OF MY RIGHT TO SPEAK. THAT IS, IF YOU WERE SAYING SOMETHING AT A BOARD MEETING, I HAVE A RIGHT TO ADDRESS THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND IT DOESN'T MEAN IT HAS TO HAPPEN IN A CONFRONTATIONAL AGGRESSIVE MANNER BUT I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID. AND YOU, IN YOUR ROLE AS A BOARD MEMBER, IF IT BOTHERS YOU THAT PEOPLE COME HERE AND POINT OUT WHAT IS SAID BY BOARD MEMBERS IN THE MEETING, THEN MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE ROLE FOR YOU.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT I ADDRESS ARE THAT THERE IS FINANCIAL ANALYSIS. THERE IS FINANCIAL DISCUSSION THAT GOES ON. AND MY POINTS WITH ASKING YOU ALL TO DO MORE AND BE MORE TRANSPARENT IS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GO THROUGH EVERY SPENDING LINE OF THE BUDGET WHILE YOU ARE MAKING A BUDGET. EVERY SPENDING LINE WHEN YOU ARE GOING OVER THE RESULTS. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND YET WE ARE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY AND A HIGHER MILLAGE R RATE. WHY AS A TAXPAYER SHOULD I BE TRUSTING YOU TO SPEND MORE MONEY WHEN I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU ARE SPENDING THE MONEY ENOUGH A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW PROPERTY VALUES ARE ESCALATING AT VERY HIGH RATE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE FUNDING THAT WILL BE COMING IN THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES WITH NO MILLAGE INCREASE WILL ALREADY BE HIGHER.
WELL, AS A TAXPAYER, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW HOW THAT FUNDING WILL ACTUALLY LOOK IN THE FALL. AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ESTIMATES THAT CAN BE DONE. I DID SIT AT A TEMPLE TERRACE CITY COUNCILPERSON AND USED MILLAGE RATES TO FUNDS OUR GENERAL FUND AND DID GET ESTIMATES. THAT'S ALL I AM ASKING FOR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI, KELLY CARLIN AND I AM THE MOTHER OF FOUR CHILDREN ATTENDING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS SCHOOL BOARD WASTED $9 MILLION TO SCORE CHEAP POLITICAL POINTS OVER THE DeSANTIS ADMINISTRATION. 500 PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE SIGNED A PETITION TO RECTIFY THE LOSS OF $9 MILLION FOR VIOLATING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EMERGENCY RULE. WHEN THE BOARD VOTED TO IMPOSE A MANDATORY MASK MANDATE WITHOUT A PARENTAL OPT OUT, THE DISTRICT BECAME INELIGIBLE FOR SCHOOL RECOGNITION FUNDS. THESE FUNDS REWARD HARD-WORKING TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING THEIR SCHOOL RATING.
A SCHOOL LIKE PLANT HIGH SCHOOL THAT RECEIVED $234,000 PREVIOUSLY WILL BE GETTING NOTHING. AT A TIME WHEN THE BOARD IS VIGOROUSLY ARGUING FOR A TAX HIKE TO INCREASE TEACHER SALARIES AND FILL THE THOUSANDS OF VACANCY A, I AM BAFFLE THE WHY YOU IGNORED OUR OFFER TO PARTNER WITH YOU AND WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO RECOUP THOSE LOST FUNDS. THE OP FIX ARE NOT GOOD. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO SCORE CHEAP POLITICAL POINTS WITH THE GOVERNOR RATHER THAN PUTTING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FIRST. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER AND IF THE NEXT FOUR WILL LINE UP, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JULIE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY AN EXCERPT FROM THE LAST BOARD MEETING TO GIVE A CONCEPT. 2022, NO BOOKS HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED IN THESE SCHOOLS? NO MA'AM. WHERE CAN SOMEONE CHALLENGE THAT PROCESS? IT THAT PROCESS ONLINE?
THROUGH THE CHAIR, YES, MA'AM, YOU CAN FIND THAT ON OUR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON LIBRARY MEDIA SERVICES WEB PAGE. ALTHOUGH THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN TERMS OF HOW TO CHALLENGE AND RECONSIDER ANY BOOKS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO WITHIN THAT SCHOOL, THAT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, WE HAD SO MUCH PUBLIC COMMENT AROUND THAT AND I AM CURIOUS OF THE NUMBER OF BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN CHAL CHALLENGED. OKAY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO CLEAR THE RECORD. AT THE TIME OF THE BOARD MEETING WHEN THE STATEMENTS WERE MADE THIS PROCESS YOU SPOKE OF DID NOT EXIST ANYWHERE ONLINE. I DID THE RESEARCH AND FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS, NO FORMS ON SCHOOL, WEB SITE OR DISTRICT. I SENT AN E-MAIL ON APRIL 24 AND GOT A REPLAY. MRS. DEFUSCA WILL BE ADDING THAT FORM TO THE WEB SITE SO WE CAN ACCESS IT. THIS IS A PROBLEM, EITHER SOMEONE WAS UNTRUTHFUL OR MADE A LARGE BLUNDER.
THE BOOK CHALLENGE, THE PROBLEM IS IT DIDN'T EXIST AND WHY IT HAVEN'T BEEN USED THE LAST 10 TO 11 YEARS THAT WAS DECLARED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. THE BOOK CHALLENGE INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE WEB SITE BUT THE FORM TO FILL OUT COMES WITH THE WORD SAMPLE ALL ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF IT WHICH JUST ADDS ONE MORE BUREAUCRATIC LAYER TO THIS NONSENSE FORCING THE PARENTS TO DO MORE WORK TO CHALLENGE A LOOK LIKE THIS ONE "PUSH"BY SAPPHIRE. I AM GOING TO ISSUE AN EXPLICIT SMALL CONTENT WARNING. PUSH BY SAPPHIRE WHICH I HAVE SHARED WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER THROUGH E-MAIL AND RECEIVED ONE RESPONSE WHICH WAS NOT RECEPTIVE BUT A LITTLE DEFENSIVE. TEN COPIES IN OUR SCHOOL CURRENTLY CHECKED OUT BY A CHILD IN YOUTH SERVICES WHICH IS MY UNDERSTANDING JUVENILE HALL. THREE MONTHS AFTER BABY BORN, I STILL 12 WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED.