HI. I'M NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME TO YOU HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. I AM HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA. AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND 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 MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV, ON SPECTRUM CABLE CHANNEL 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32.
MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE, AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF JUNE 21st, 2022, IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MR. WASHINGTON. WE HAVE FIVE WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. A 01, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION, NATIONAL CHILDREN'S AWARENESS MONTH. A 02, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION OF NATIONAL INTERNET SAFETY MONTH. 6.04, PURCHASE OF IMAGINE LEARNING AND LITERACY FROM IMAGINE LEARNING INCORPORATED FOR 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. 6.06, PURCHASE OF ELEVATION PLATFORM FOR ELEVATION INCORPORATED FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR. AND 6.11, HEALTH INSURANCE RENEWAL FOR 2023. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER -- JUST ONE MOMENT. OKAY. I'M SORRY. THIS ISN'T WORKING UP HERE.
A MOTION AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MEMBER HAHN AND MEMBER SNIVELY WHO WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING.
TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW LEAD US IN THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THE MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV, AND ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN, AND THAT'S 6 P.M. THAT'S EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE SPEAK YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.
THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO SECONDS. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YELLOW RIGHT ON THE LECTERN, RED LIGHT AND CHIME TO INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS, FIRST, THE FIRST SPEAKER, IF THEY'LL COME UP. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT. TAMARA SHAMBURGER. I'M HERE TODAY TODAY TO TALK ABOUT MASCOTS. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER MASCOTS ARE CONTROVERSIAL OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE CHANGED BUT SIMPLY ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION TODAY. YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 2900 I BELIEVE PREVENTS YOU FROM MAKING THAT DECISION TODAY. TODAY, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST SOME HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND INTENT BEHIND THAT POLICY BECAUSE I PERSONALLY BROUGHT FORTH SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 2900 WHEN I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD IN 2019.
I GAVE YOU A HANDOUT OF THE POLICY. IF YOU LOOK AT PARAGRAPH A, SENTENCE ONE THAT ESTABLISHES A PROCESS FOR CREATING BRAND-NEW MASCOTS THAT ARE CREATED ON OR AFTER 10/15/19. SENTENCE TWO ESTABLISHES A PROCESS FOR CHANGING THOSE MASCOTS PURSUANT TO SENTENCE ONE, THOSE CREATED AFTER 10/15/2019. PARAGRAPH B LAYS OUT THE CRITERIA TO WHICH MASCOTS SHOULD BE CREATED, INCLUDING THEY SHALL RESPECT ALL CULTURAL DIFFERENCES. THE INTENT BEHIND THAT WAS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES IN THE SITUATION YOU FIND YOURSELVES IN TODAY. AND LASTLY, PARAGRAPH C REFERS -- STATES THAT THIS POLICY SHALL NOT BE RETROACTIVE. MEANING THAT THE MASCOT CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE FOR ANY MASCOT ESTABLISHED ON OR AFTER 10/15/19. WE SPECIFICALLY PUT THAT IN THERE. IT WAS TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF CHAMBERLAIN AND EAST BAY. NOT HAPHAZARDLY. BUT AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE TITLE IX GROUP, LEGACY DONORS, ALUMNI, STAFF, UNDER CHIEF OF SCHOOLS HARRISON PETERS.
IF IT IS YOUR PREROGATIVE TO CHANGE THE MASCOT, YOU CAN DO SO BUT I RECOMMEND YOU CHANGE THIS POLICY FIRST. I KNOW YOUR SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY MAY CARRY A DIFFERENT OPINION. AT THE VERY MINIMUM I DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE'S AMBIGUITY IN THE POLICY I BROUGHT FORTH TO THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT STILL STANDS TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. I HOPE ALL IS WELL. MY NAME IS SUSAN McGILL TRAINA. I AM AN EMPLOYEE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I AM A COMMUNITY EDUCATOR FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE EDUCATION FOR THE ADULT ED AND FOR THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES. I'M ALSO IN CHARGE OF PUTTING EVENTS TOGETHER SO THAT OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS CAN UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS TO OFFER. WITH THAT BEING SAID, ON APRIL 9th, WE HAD AN EVENT FOR A LOT OF OUR MIGRANTS AND A LOT OF THE FAMILIES THAT DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR STUDENTS ONCE THEY GOT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, ONCE THEY NEEDED IN ORDER TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL IF THEY WERE NOT RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
SO WE BROUGHT OUT LAWYERS AND WE BROUGHT OUT DOCTORS, AND WE BROUGHT OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE SERVE 275 PEOPLE THAT DAY, AND SO WITH THE BACKING OF SCOTT BROOKS, MY LEADER, AND MY BOARD MEMBERS, I WANT TO TODAY GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT, A TOKEN OF MY APPRECIATION FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS EVENT. SO THIS ONE GOES TO MS. NADIA COMBS. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US IN THE WEST AREA. AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBER THAT I ALWAYS WORKED WITH DEARLY IS MS. KAREN PEREZ. I THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR TIRELESSLY WORKING WITH ME AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE WEST SIDE AREA AND, WELL, ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE WE PUT EVENTS ALL OVER THE PLACE. BUT THIS ONE WAS VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MEMBERS OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, I'M CINDA HUNTLEY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON NOT REMOVING THE CHIEF FROM CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS A GRADUATE FROM THE CLASS OF 1965. I WAS 17 WHEN I RECEIVED MY DIPLOMA AND REMEMBER HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN MY FUTURE. I REMEMBER STANDING IN FRONT OF THE CHIEF'S HEAD ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WITH MY CLASSMATES AND SINGING THE ALMA MATER FOR THE LAST TIME. I WAS TOO YOUNG TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE YEARS AT CHAMBERLAIN WOULD BECOME IN MY FUTURE. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE 120-PIECE BAND OF THE FIGHTING CHIEFS UNDER THE DRINKS OF BOB PRICE. -- DIRECTION OF BOB PRICE. I WAS SECRETARY OF THE BAND MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR. LITTLE DID I KNOW AT THE TIME THAT THE EXPERIENCES LEARNED THERE WOULD FOLLOW ME IN MY CAREER AND MY LIFE.
I LEARNED ABOUT WORKING AS A TEAM, STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE, PRIDE IN DOING A GOOD JOB AND UPHOLDING TRADITIONS OF THE PAST BECAUSE I WAS A CHEER, A LEADER. PERHAPS WE ARE NOT TEACHING THE STUDENTS OF TODAY HOW IMPORTANT LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PAST AFFECTS THEIR FUTURE. THE CHIEF SYMBOL IS NOT JUST A PICTURE; IT IS WHAT REPRESENTS PRIDE, EXCELLENCE, LEADERSHIP, AND TRADITIONS. IN LOOKING AT MY ANCESTRY, I FOUND A MOHEGAN INDIAN CHIEF WAS MY FIFTH GREAT GRANDFATHER. I CANNOT IMAGINE HE WOULD NOT BE UPSET WITH US BEING -- REFLECTING HIS PART. FOR ALL MY CLASSMATES FROM '56 THAT GRADUATED BEFORE ME AND THOSE THAT GRADUATED SINCE, WE ALL NEED TO CHERISH THE SCHOOL THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING US WHO WE ARE AND TO PROTECT ITS FUTURE. AS SUNG IN THE LAST LINE OF THE ALMA MATER, O CHAMBERLAIN EVER TRUE TO THEE. THANK YOU.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. MY NAME IS VIVIAN HARNETT LANGSTON. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. I ATTENDED THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM FIRST GRADE ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. LAKE MAGDALENE, FOREST HILLS, ADAMS JUNIOR HIGH, AND I GRADUATED IN 1969 FROM CHAMBERLAIN. I WAS IN THE ANCHOR CLUB, THE CHORUS UNDER JIM COPELAND, AND I ALSO WAS THE HEAD CHIEFETTE THAT YEAR. I HAVE TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 40 YEARS. I AM GIVING YOU THIS INFORMATION SO YOU WILL KNOW. I'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND I'VE BEEN IN IT FOR MANY YEARS AT DIFFERENT SITES. I'VE NEVER HEARD OR SEEN ANY DISRESPECT OF THE CHAMBERLAIN MASCOT. ONLY A TRUE REVERENCE FOR WHAT HE REPRESENTS: LEADERSHIP, HONOR, PERSEVERANCE, AND ALSO A GREAT MODEL AND TEACHER FOR HIS PEOPLE.
ON BEHALF OF MANY OF THE ALUMNI, I'M ASKING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD NOT VOTE TODAY ON REMOVING THIS MASCOT FROM CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NO LONGER STUDENTS OF CHAMBERLAIN, THE ALUMNI SUPPORTS THE SCHOOL AND THE STUDENTS WITH FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AND SUPPLIES FOR VARIOUS FUNCTIONS. THEY HAVE ALSO VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME TO HELP WITH STUDENT AND STAFF EVENTS. ALL BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND WANT TO HELP THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN DO DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. THE ALUMNI WERE NEVER CONTACTED FOR ANY INPUT INTO THIS DECISION AND DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE VOTE UNTIL THE VOTE TO CHANGE IT LAST WEEK. THIS HAS CREATED A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT. WE WOULD LIKE TO FORM A COMMITTEE, STUDENTS, FACULTY, INDIGENOUS ALLIANCE GROUP AND ALUMNI TO DISCUSS THE MASCOT CHANGE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT WOULD SATISFY ALL GROUPS.
THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. KYLE MILLWE. PROUD MEMBER OF THE LABORIST INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA AND PRESIDENT OF THE WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA FUTURE LABOR LEADERS. I'M HERE TODAY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR POLICY CHANGE REQUIRING THE USE OF STATE REGISTERED APPRENTICES ON COUNTY SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS. THAT'S REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS ARE THE PREMIER WAY TO CONTINUE SOMEONE'S EDUCATION AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, TEACHING THEM A SKILLED TRADE AND ALLOWING THEM TO TURN EQUITABLE WAGES AND FAMILY-SUPPORTING BENEFITS ALL WHILE SUPPORTING THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH CONSTRUCTION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARILYN PIERCE FROM THE CHAMBERLAIN CLASS OF 1965. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1894 WHEN THEY SETTLED THE LAKE MAGDALENE AREA. THREE GENERATIONS OF MY FAMILY HAVE GRADUATED FROM CHAMBERLAIN STARTING WITH MY SISTER IN THE CLASS OF 1962, THE FOURTH GENERATION WILL START THERE IN ANOTHER FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.
I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THAT A SMALL PERCENT OF THE CURRENT STUDENTS CAN MAKE THE DECISION TO CHANGE FROM CHAMBERLAIN CHIEFS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ONLY ONE-THIRD OF THE CURRENT STUDENTS WERE POLLED WITH 64% WANTING TO CHANGE. SUCH A SMALL PERCENT OF THOSE HAVE AN INTEREST IN RETAINING OUR HONORED CHIEF. THE EARLY CLASSES OF CHAMBERLAIN CHOSE THE CHIEF AND THE STUDENTS HAVE WORKED WITH NATIVE AMERICANS TO HONOR THE HERITAGE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. THE TOWN HALL MEETING THAT WAS SCHEDULED AND POSTPONED WAS NEVER HELD. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF THEM TO STATE THEIR PREFERENCE BUT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED. SUPPOSED THERE WAS A SURVEY, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RESULTS OF THAT OR AN INDICATION OF WHO WAS SURVEYED. NO ONE I KNOW OF WAS SURVEYED AND I'M ROUTINELY IN CONTACT WITH OTHER CLASSMATES. I HAVE SEEN A PETITION TO KEEP THE CHIEF MASCOT AT CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL THAT AS OF JUNE 19 HAD BEEN SIGNED BY CLOSE TO 6500 PEOPLE.
THERE ARE MANY ALUMNI WHO ALSO HAVE MORE THAN ONE GENERATION OF CHAMBERLAIN CHIEFS. THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN ANY DECISION. RATHER THAN SPEND UNTOLD FUNDS CHANGING FROM THE CHAMBERLAIN CHIEFS, I FEEL THOSE SHUNNED SHOULD BE DIRECTED -- -- THANK THE CHAMBERLAIN WORK AND STUDENTS AND STAFF OF CHAMBERLAIN. WE ASK THAT THIS ITEM BE TABLED UNTIL THE ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE SURVEYS OR POLLS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MARGE FIGIANO. JOURNEYMAN PIPE FITTER OUT OF LOCAL 123, TAMPA, FLORIDA. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TOWARDS THE POLICY CHANGE THAT WAS PUT FORTH RECENTLY. APPRENTICESHIP CHANGED MY LIFE ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO, I WENT THROUGH TO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OUT OF 123. GAVE ME A SKILL SET. ALLOWED ME TO BUY A HOUSE, HAVE HEALTH CARE. RETIREMENT. YOU KNOW, I HAVE A CAREER.
THAT POLICY CHANGE THAT YOU GUYS PUT FORTH WILL ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN TO MANY OTHER PEOPLE AND MAKE A STORY LIKE MINE NOT BE THE EXCEPTION BUT A MORE COMMON OCCURRENCE. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS PAMELA GALL. CHAMBERLAIN GRADUATE, CLASS OF '65. MY FAMILY HAS HAD THREE GENERATIONS GRACE THE HALLS OF CHAMBERLAIN, ALL PROUDLY AS CHIEFS. SUPPOSEDLY THE ALUMNI AND THE COMMUNITY WERE A PART OF THIS DECISION. WE WERE NOT. WE WERE CANCELED AND BURIED. THE DISTRICT HAD SET UP TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN THE AUDITORIUM AND SUDDENLY GOT CANCELED DUE TO COVID. THERE WAS ALSO AN ONLINE SURVEY THAT PUT OUT SUDDENLY -- THAT PUT OUT SUDDENLY GOT SHUT DOWN AND THE RESULTS NEVER SAW THE LIGHT OF THE DAY. THIS IS NOT A CONSPIRACY. THESE ARE FACTS. INSTEAD, THE SCHOOL BOARD ALLOWED A GROUP OF CURRENT STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO ADVISORS WHO'S FRESH OUT OF COLLEGE WHO IS LEADING THIS CHARGE HAVE DECIDED THAT OUR MASCOT, THE CHIEF, IS OFFENSIVE.