HI. I'M NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. I'M 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 AUGUST 30th, 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: PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, JULY 26, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND AUGUST 11, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT FOR TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVES THAT 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. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK INTO THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW READ 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 LIVE WEBCASTS, ON CABLE TV AND ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS IN ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. THAT'S 6:00 P.M., 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 WILL 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 YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD THE COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.
THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR TWO MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN, A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. IF THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS WILL LINE UP AGAINST THE WALL, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M PAULA CASSIANO. DR. EMIL FRYRYKE HAD NO PATIENCE AND A VOLCANIC TEMPER. ALSO EXTREMELY DEDICATED AND BRILLIANTLY. NOBODY UNDERSTOOD HIM AND DESCRIBED HIM AS FLIPPANT. HE THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE TYPICAL PARADIGM OF THINKING. HE CAME UP WITH IDEAS THAT NO ONE AGREED WITH AND SAVED MILLIONS OF CHILDREN FROM LEUKEMIA AT A TIME WHEN CHILDREN WOULD BLEED OUT FROM THE DISEASE. THE DOCTOR WHO WAS FIRED FROM ALMOST EVERY JOB HE TOOK TO THIS DAY IS STILL CREDITED AS THE FATHER OF MODERN LEUKEMIA THERAPY.
CHAIR COMBS, VICE-CHAIR WASHINGTON, BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE BE LIKE DR. FRYRYKE. IGNORE THE PETULANT VOICES SURROUNDING YOU. FIND A WAY TO PAY TEACHERS AND ALL PERSONNEL FOR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE EARNED. MAYBE iREADY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RENEWED. MAYBE SOME CONSULTANTS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HIRED. THINK CAREFULLY WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. KEEP THINKING AHEAD TO STREAMLINE THE BUDGET AND HELP ALL EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL TO STAY IN THE FIELD. THE BATTLE FOR OUR DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE. OUR SCHOOLS ARE BEING DEFUNDED. I KNOW I SAY THAT EVERY MEETING, BUT THEY ARE. THE STATE HAS AN AGENDA. AND WITH THE GREATEST SURPLUS TO DATE, IT'S ALMOST 22 BILLION THE STATE HAS. THEY ARE STILL STARVING OUR SCHOOLS. CAN YOU THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX LIKE DR. FRYRYKE AND GET US A GAME PLAN TO SAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN IN OUR DISTRICT? I BELIEVE YOU CAN. THANK YOU.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. JAMES CASTAÑO, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL ADVOCATE. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M A DISABLED VETERAN, A REPUBLICAN, CONSERVATIVE, AND A MINORITY AND A CHRISTIAN. WE ATTEND MASS EVERY SUNDAY. I VOTED FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS, BUT I'M DISGUSTED AT WHAT SEEMS TO BE A BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO DESTROY A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE KEY PLAYERS INVOLVED ARE TRYING TO DISMANTLE OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OUR COUNTRY. TO INCLUDE THE FORMER EDUCATION COMMISSIONER MR. CORK RIN, WHO IS ALSO THE AUTHORIZER OF ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. LARRY ERIN, BETSY DeVOS, AND OTHERS ARE WAGING A POLITICAL WAR AT OUR EXPENSE, AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND USING IDEOLOGICAL BASED VERSION OF CURRICULUM INSTEAD OF CURRICULUM-BASED MODEL AS A WAY TO DEFUND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DRIVE OUR FLORIDA TEACHERS AWAY, WHICH WILL LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN THE CREATION OF SUBSTANDARD EDUCATION ALTERNATIVES.
I BELIEVE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OUR MAGNETS, IB PROGRAM, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, WHICH I ATTENDED BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND HOMESCHOOLING. I WILL NOT BE SILENT AS THEY CRIPPLE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ATTEND -- THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS I ATTENDED TO INCLUDE MAYOR CASTOR, GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND MANY PEOPLE ON THE DAIS RIGHT HERE ATTENDED OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS TRYING TO STARVE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OUR TEACHERS AT THE EXPENSE OF ALL THE KIDS IN FLORIDA, INCLUDING MY OWN TWO WHO GO TO GRADY ELEMENTARY. AND THE TAXPAYER -- AND DEFRAUD THE TAXPAYER. I SUPPORT FUNDING OUR POLICE, OUR MILITARY, WHICH I'VE SERVED IN BOTH AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT. ADDISON AND THE BOARD, PLEASE FIND THE MONEY TO PAY OUR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. I'M OUT.
THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS KIM PRESCOP. I'M INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SOUTH SHORE THROUGH MY KIWANIS CLUB IN SUN CITY CENTER. RECENTLY, I MET A FELLOW CAN I WITH ANIAN FOR THE PASSION OF PLACING THE CONSTITUTION AND THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE INTO THE HANDS OF EVERY CHILD. I FELT COMPELLED TO COME HERE TODAY AND TELL HIS STORY ESPECIALLY AFTER LEARNING THAT GOVERNOR DESANTIS RECENTLY BEGAN A CIVICS INITIATIVE FOR ALL 7th GRADERS. MY FRIEND'S NAME IS JOSEPH COFIELD, A CAREER ARMY MAN AND SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER FOR 15 YEARS IN PINELLAS COUNTY. HE EARNED EIGHT PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS FOR TEACHING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. JOSEPH ALSO EARNED A MASTER OF ARTS IN HISTORY FROM THE FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY. THIS ALLOWED HIM TO BE A MASTER TEACHER OF THE CONSTITUTION. IN THE YEARS SINCE HIS VISION IN 2007, JOSEPH NEVER GAVE UP.
HE STARTED A NONPROFIT, CONSTITUTION FOR THE PEOPLE. AND IN 2016, THE CONSTITUTION BOOK WAS PUBLISHED. IT'S A BOOKLET. INSIDE THE BOOKLET ARE COPIES OF THE CONSTITUTION, THE AMENDMENTS, THE DECLARATION, 27 FILL-IN-THE-BLANK QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS, TWO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, FAMOUS QUOTES BY OUR FAMOUS FOUNDING FATHERS AND OTHERS, A LIST OF THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION BY STATE, AND AN INDEX ALL IN JUST 46 PAGES. EVERYONE CAN TAKE IT HOME. EVERYONE IN THE HOME CAN LEARN FROM IT. HOW WONDERFUL IF NONCITIZENS WERE TO DECIDE TO BECOME U.S. CITIZENS AFTER READING IT. THE WORDS ARE CERTAINLY INSPIRATIONAL. BOARD MEMBERS, PINELLAS AND MANATEE COUNTY ALREADY HAVE THIS BOOKLET IN THEIR FIFTH GRADE CLASSES. IT'S UP TO US TO GET IT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STUDENTS' CLASSES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT ADDISON DAVIS AND SOME OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT INTENTIONALLY CHECKED UP ON ME.
I'M BLESSED AND GRATEFUL. A SAFE SPACE WAS CREATED FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK FREELY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THEIR SCHOOL SITES WITHOUT RETALIATION. READING THE COMMENTS POSTED BY YOUR EMPLOYEES SHOULD FRUSTRATE YOU. IT SHOULD ALARM YOU, AND IT SHOULD MOVE YOU TO TAKE ACTION. EACH OF YOU WAS PROVIDED A FOLDER TO READ THE RECEIPTS FOR YOURSELF. ENCLOSED ARE COMMENTS AND PICTURES OF UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS, INCLUDING PEST INFESTATIONS, HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS AND OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS THAT LACK AC, TEXTBOOKS, AND ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY. AS A SEVEN LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NATION AND THIRD LARGEST IN THE STATE, THIS DISTRICT HOLDS THE POWER TO INFLUENCE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND THE POLICIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISMANTLING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THIS DISTRICT, IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CHILDREN. OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING AND FOR WHAT?
THIS DISTRICT HAS A HISTORY OF MAKING PROMISES THAT THEY DO NOT KEEP. THIS DISTRICT HAS A HISTORY OF PUTTING THE NEEDS OF ADULTS BEFORE THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN. THIS DISTRICT SEEMS TO BE MORE CONCERNED WITH PROTECTING ITS IMAGE THAN IT IS PROTECTING ITS EMPLOYEES AND PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE. STAND UP TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND FIGHT AGAINST THE HARMFUL POLICIES AND INADEQUATE FUNDING THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DISMANTLING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE POWER BACK. IT'S TIME TO PUT STUDENTS AND STAFF FIRST. IT'S TIME TO INVEST IN THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED THE CALLING TO CULTIVATE THE FUTURE LEADERS OF OUR NATION. IT'S TIME TO FIGHT AGAINST THE WAR IN EDUCATION AND ACTUALLY BE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATING. OUR CHILDREN ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. OUR EMPLOYEES ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. PUBLIC EDUCATION IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR. PLEASE BE INTENTIONAL WITH THE POWER THAT YOU HAVE AND FIGHT BACK.
THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. IF THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS WOULD LINE UP. THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO GIVE A PARENTAL ADVISORY BEFORE I START. I'M ALYSSA WITH MOMS FOR LIBERTY. HERE ARE QUESTIONS, I HOPE TO GET SOME SORT OF ANSWERS HERE SINCE I RECEIVED FEW RESPONSES THROUGH MANY E-MAILS. ANYONE HERE RECENTLY READ THE FLORIDA STATUTES AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS' OBLIGATIONS. SECTION 1,006.28 PART 2, EACH DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF ALL THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL AND ANY OTHER MATERIAL USED IN THE CLASSROOM MADE AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND INCLUDING READING LIST. BASED ON THIS STATUTE AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS YOU ARE, IN FACT, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOOKS AND MEDIA THAT ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO THEN WHY IS IT THAT NONE OF YOU HAVE MADE ANY EFFORTS TO VET THESE VERY PORNOGRAPHIC BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS? PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY NONE OF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH BLOW JOBS, ANAL SEX, MASTURBATION, SEX TOYS, HAND JOBS AND PETO FEEL I CAN'T JUST TO NAME A -- PEDOPHILIA.
THE FACT THAT THERE IS PUSH-BACK FROM YOU WHO WE VOTED INTO POSITION TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN IS APPALLING. HAVE YOU EVER SEARCHED FOR SEX INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARY CATALOG BECAUSE I HAVE. WHAT I FOUND SHOULD BRING MAJOR CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS TO ANY PARENT. SEARCH FOR SEX INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHILDREN. CATALOG THAT POPS UP IS A GENRE THAT HAS 20 BOOKS SPREAD THROUGHOUT MANY COPIES IN OUR SCHOOLS. I'M SORRY, BUT I REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE REASON FOR THESE BOOKS TO BE AVAILABLE TO OUR CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES BECAUSE IT ACCOMMODATES THE NEED OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHO IN OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS OUR CHILDREN TO GO MAKE A SEX ACT PROFILE TO MEET UP WITH LOCAL STRANGERS FOR SEX? WHY ARE WE ACCOMMODATING THESE PEDOPHILES AS IT MAY BE THE GROOMERS WHO ARE PLACING THESE BOOKS ON OUR SHELVES OR INDOCTRINATING SYSTEM SIT ON A PODIUM THAT ALLOW THE BOOKS TO BE GIVEN TO OUR CHILDREN.
WHAT IS THE NEED YOU PEOPLE HAVE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO GIVE THE PROPER BLOW JOB WITHOUT USING YOUR TEETH OR THE TIMELESS CLASSIC, THE HANDY. WHY CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY CLEAN THEIR BUTT BEFORE PARTAKING IN ANAL SEX. WE HAVE OVER 300 SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD -- Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. [OFF MICROPHONE] Nadia Combs: NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MY NAME IS GAY JONES. A POPULAR AUTHOR AND CULTURAL CRITIC NICKNAMED JAMES LINDSAY RECENTLY CREATED A TWITTER POST THAT FEATURED PICTURES FROM A BOOK THAT MY FRIEND JULIE READ AT THE JULY THE 12th BOARD MEETING THAT WAS ENTITLED "THIS BOOK IS GAY." LINDSAY'S POST CALLING OUT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WAS CATCHLY HEADLINED, QUOTE, I TOLD YOU THEY WERE GROOMERS, END QUOTE. FOLLOWED BY, AND I QUOTE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY HAS A BOOK GEOGRAPHICALLY DETAILING HOW TO HAVE GAY SEX AND USE GAY HOOKUP ACT GRINDER.