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 DISTRICT 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 ARCHIVES. 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 ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. (SOUNDING GAVEL). Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SUE LENS FOLLOWED BY OUR DUAL LANGUAGE STUDENTS FROM BELL ANNAL I ENTRY WHO WILL RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
WE HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS HERE IN ATTENDANCE THAT WILL BE RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: PLEA SE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. (MOMENT OF SILENCE) THANK YOU.
NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IF THE STUDENTS WILL PLEASE COME UP AND I WANT TO DO A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE PRINCIPAL OF BELLAMY AND THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS: EMANUEL DIAZ. KINDERGARTENER OWEN CRAFT. FIRST GRADER CARLOS FELIX. OLIVER GARDNER. HARPER. ANGEL GARCIA. XAVIER GARDNER. FIFTH GRADER ADOLI GUARDIAN. THANK YOU.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. (SPEAKING SPANISH). THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU ALL. YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB. WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE LORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. 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 AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING.
TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO BE SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHT. AFTERWARD THE STUPES SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK INTO THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. 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. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCAST ON CABLE TELEVISION AND ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S 5:01 P.M., THAT'S PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, AND 6:00 EMPLOYEE INPUT. I WILL NOW MOVE ONTO PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELL COMMENTS 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 THE TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WE 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 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 THREE MINUTES. REMEMBER THAT YOUR THREE 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 CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. WE ONLY HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS TODAY. THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS WILL PLEASE LINE UP AGAINST THE WALL AND THE FIRST SPEAKER FOR TODAY? MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. HERE IS A BIG ARTICLE IN THE USA TODAY. STUPIDITY TAKES STAND ON PUBLIC SCHOOL AND GROUP FIGHTS FOR PARENTAL RIGHTS. CRITICS CALL IT DIVISIVE AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. THE MAURICE CUNNINGHAM, A RETIRED ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT BOSTON AND AUTHOR OF DARK MONEY AND THE POLITICS OF SCHOOL PRIVATIZATION CALLED MOM'S STUPIDLY A PREFABRICATED FRONT REPRESENTING GOP INTERESTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF DESANTIS. HOW ABOUT THAT? OH, YEAH, YOU SHOULD READ THIS ONE. IT'S A GOOD ONE.
WELL, YOUR TAX INCREASE WENT DOWN IN FLAMES. I DON'T KNOW, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THE OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY SPENT ON THE ADMINISTRATION HERE AT THE SCHOOLS. HMMM. LOOK AT THE HEADLINES. U.N. REPORTS SPELLS OUT DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. CO2 LEVEL, HIGHEST IN HUMAN HISTORY. AND REPORT SEA RISE IS CLEAR AND PRESENT RISK. HERE IS A NEW ONE. NEARLY HALF THE U.S. ENDURED THE DROUGHT IN 2022. WILL IT GET WORSE? YES, EXPERTS SAY. NOW, YOU KNOW, OH, YEAH, NEW ONE HERE. MELTING GREENLAND ICE WILL RAISE SEAS, STUDY. EMISSIONS MADE, GLACIER LOSS. INEVITABLE. THE WORD IS CORRELATION. YOU MAKE STUPID BUILDINGS, IGNORE SCIENCE. NO REASON TO RUN LIKE THIS. THIS IS A TEMPLATE. NOT WHAT YOU ARE DOING. AND I GET THESE KIND OF RESULTS. THE FUTURE IS DIM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AT LEAST THREE OF YOUR MEDIA SPECIALISTS HAVE COME TO SPEAK, AND OFTEN REFERRED TO THE AMERICAN LIBRAR ASSOCIATION THROUGHOUT THEIR TALKING POINTS.
YOUR WEBSITE ALSO REFERS TO THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION STANDARDS EVERYWHERE. YOUR BOOK CHALLENGE FORM ALMOST WITH THE WORD FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. AND THE TALKING POINTS, PAGE ON THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, I HEAR THAT ECHOED HERE VERY OFTEN. SO IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU RELY HEAVILY ON THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. AGAIN LET ME REMIND YOU THEY HAVE ELECTED AN AVOID MARXIST AS THEIR NEW PRESIDENT. THAT MEANS THEY HAVE CHOSEN EMILY DEBIN I ASK BY VOTES TO BE THEIR LEADER AND IT SEEMS WE FOLLOW THEIR GUIDELINES EVERYWHERE HERE IN THIS DISTRICT. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING MANY AMERICAN LIBRARIANS AND I THINK THE AMOUNT OF REFERENCES THAT WE HAVE MADE DURING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO THE ALA IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME TRAINING FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. SO PUT INTO AN ARTICLE I READ AND SOME RETWEETS I HAVE SEEN FROM EMILY, SHE DOES SUPPORT SECLY EXPOSING CHILDREN, SHE SUPPORTS UNION LED POLITICAL STRIFE, SHE SUPPORTS SOCIALIST POLITICIANS AND SHE SUPPORTS LIBRARIES PUSHING EXPLICIT AND FAR LEFT FERAL.
A FORMER ALA MEMBER SAID OF HER AND HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT INCLUDES CLEARING THE LANDSCAPE OF LIBRARY PUBLISHING AND SCHOLARSHIP. AGAIN CLEARING IS A TERM THAT MEANS TAKING SOMETHING QUOTE-UNQUOTE NORMAL AND LOOKING AT IT THROUGH A LENS THAT MAKES IT STRANGE AND COLORS IN THE SOME WAY. THIS IS WHAT SHE IS KNOWN FOR AND SOMETHING THAT SHE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO DO. AND THAT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING OTHER THAN AN APOLITICAL AGENDA TO ME, PRETTY POLITICIZED IF YOU ASK ME. ANOTHER THING THAT I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS IS THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING ALA SAID. BOOKS ARE CHOSEN ACCORDING TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT THESE LIBRARIES SERVE. I HEARD THAT MANY, MANY TIMES FROM THIS DAIS. ACCORDING TO SURVEYS DONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ACCORDING TO PEER REVIEWS THIS IS HOW LIBRARY BOOKS SEEM TO BE CHOSEN HERE WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE TO A DEGREE LIKE EVERY COMMUNITY WAS A FORMING COMMUNITY THEN MAYBE THEY WOULD HAVE MORE FARM BOOKS BUT WITH THE SEXUAL CONTENT, THIS SEEMS RATHER ABSURD TO ME AND ALSO TROUBLES ME THAT TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS KNOW ABOUT THE SEXUAL NEEDS OF MINORS IN A GIVEN COMMUNITY.
THAT'S TROUBLING. AS WE HAVE SEEN, THERE'S A LUDICROUS AMOUNT OF THIS IN OUR LIBRARIES. AND AGAIN I WILL MENTION LIKE WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS HAVE APPROVED THAT THIS IS IN THEIR LIBRARY, NOW? WHAT SURVEY SUPPORTS THAT? YOU HAVE BEEN DISMISSIVE AND CONDEN SENSING TO MY CONCERNS AND SO MANY OTHER PARENTS NOT REPLYING TO E-MAILS, NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, AND THE BEGINNING OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT YOU ALWAYS SAY OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. THAT -- THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. Nadia Combs: MY NAME IS KIMBERLY HENRY GUIDE, A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT HOWRY ELEMENTARY. THIS IS A BUSY NIGHT FOR ME BECAUSE NORMALLY I WOULD BE GOING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS, SO THAT'S WHY I AM HERE EARLY. BUT I SIGNED UP FOR A BIBLE STUDY AND I REALLY THINK AT THIS JUNCTURE IN MY LIFE I NEED THAT REALLY BADLY SO I AM HERE NOW.
I KNOW THAT THE UNION IS TALKING ABOUT IMPACTS RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S TOUGH, YOU KNOW? I LIVE IN PINELLAS COUNTY, AND I HAVE SEEN THAT DISTRICT -- I HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE 2005, AND THEY PASSED -- I ACTUALLY GOT TO LISTEN TO THEIR SUPERINTENDENT SPEAK AT A LISTEN AND LEARN SECTION BECAUSE ONE OF OUR FORMER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PRINCIPALS IS NOW OVER THERE. AND HE WAS SAYING HOW KINDERGARTENERS GET A SPECIAL EVERY DAY, AND I AM LIKE, WHAT? IT WAS PHENOMENAL TO HEAR THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO. SO I AM GLAD THAT WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO DO IT AGAIN, AND MAYBE IF WE TALK TO PINELLAS AND PASCO AND FIND OUT, LIKE THAT COULD BE A GOOD THING FOR US TO LOOK INTO. YOU KNOW, I AM KIND OF -- IF I WERE AT THE MEETING TONIGHT, I WOULD BE VOTING FOR IMPASSE AND NOT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS, I STARTED OUT AS A SUBSTITUTE, SO WHEN I GOT MY FIRST PAYCHECK AS A TEACHER IN 1997, I COULD HAVE DONE -- I WAS LIVING ON LOW PAY FOR FOUR YEARS SO I AM GRATEFUL.
MY FATHER HAS RAISED ME TO BE VERY FRUGAL, AND I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN OTHER THAN THE CHILDREN THAT I GET EVERY YEAR. SO I AM ABLE -- I AM ABLE TO SURVIVE, AND I CAN WAIT FOR IMPASSE. OTHER TEACHERS CAN'T. AND I JUST FEEL FOR THEM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S SO MANY TEACHERS THAT ARE SINGLE MOMS BECAUSE OF I THINK THE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS, WE PUT SO MUCH OF OUR HEART AND SOUL INTO OUR KIDS THAT SOMETIMES OUR SPOUSES ARE ON THE BACK BURNER. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TODAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO THE RECOGNITION AND PROCLAMATIONS. AO-1, ADOPTION AND PROC THE START WITH HELLO CALL TO ACTION WEEK.
MEMBER VAUGHN WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN COMBS. THE START WITH HELLO CALL TO, A WEEK IS SEPTEMBER 19 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23rd. START WITH HELLO TEACHES STUDENTS THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO REACH OUT AND INCLUDE THOSE WHO MAY BE DEALING WITH CHRONIC ISOLATION AND CREATE A CULTURE OF INCLUSION AND CONNECTEDNESS WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL OR YOUTH ORGANIZATION. START WITH HELLO NOT ONLY BENEFITS STUDENTS BUT ALSO BENEFITS EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED LEADERS AND PARENTS. THE HOPE IS THAT THROUGH START WITH HELLO WEEK, YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BUILD A MORE CONNECTED AND INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY. START WITH HELLO WEEK HAS STARTED WITH THE SANDY HOOK SHOOTING AND AS PART OF THE SANDY HOOK PROMISE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER AND TO ENCOURAGE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES TO UNITE IN ACTION TO PREVENT YOUTH VIOLENCE AND PROMOTE A STRONG SCHOOL CULTURE.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO MOVE THE START WITH HELLO WEEK. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN.
ANY DISCUSSION? Karen Perez: AS WE SEE TO TIGHTEN UP WITH SCHOOL CULTURE TO HELP WITH SUPPORT IN EACH OTHER, THE START WITH HELLO IS INCREDIBLE TO FORM A BOND WITH OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CULTURE OF BULLYING IS SO HIGH, NOT JUST IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS BUT, YOU KNOW, AROUND THE NATION. AND TRY TO ELIMINATE THE CULTURE OF BULLYING. SO THE START WITH HELLO IS JUST INCREDIBLE. AND, YOU KNOW, I HOPE ALL THE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, JOIN IN WITH THE START WITH HELLO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.