Nadia Combs: 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. Henry "Shake" Washington: I'M HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA. AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. Lynn Gray: OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR AUDITORIUM SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4:00 P.M. THE BEST WAY 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. Karen Perez: 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 JULY 11, 2023, 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. THANK YOU.
NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. (PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE) YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? 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 VAUGHN. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED IN 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 FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN SPED. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK INTO THE CUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW REVIEW THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON MEETING LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OUR 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. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTION ON LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S 5:01 PUBLIC HEARING AND 6:00 EMPLOYEE INPUT. FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE FOR 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'S REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR TO INTERRUPT 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.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT YOU'LL SEE A RED LIGHT, YELLOW LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. IF THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS WILL COME UP AGAINST THE WALL AND THE FIRST SPEAKER, IF YOU'LL COME UP. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ANTONIO ANICI. A FEW WEEKS AGO THE CHAIR QUESTIONED WHY PARENTS AND RESIDENTS ARE RAISING QUESTION ABOUT THINGS THAT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE PAST. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WE KEEP SHINING THE LIGHT ON THE TRUE COLORS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND BRINGING TO THE SURFACE THE UNDERMINING MOVES SOME MEMBERS ARE PULLING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOARD VOTED 4-3 TO REMOVE THIS BOOK IS GAY FROM ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS DUE TO ITS OBSCENE AND GROTESQUE MATERIAL FOR MINORS, MORE SPECIFICALLY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. WHERE DID THE BOOKS GO THAT WERE REMOVED?
THEY WERE MOVED TO TWO NEW HIGH SCHOOLS TO BE SEEN BY EVEN MORE MINORS BUT JUST ANOTHER GRADE. HOW IS IT MORE APPROPRIATE TO TEACH 10TH GRADERS HOW TO HAVE GAY SEX THAN IT IS TO TEACH 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS. THEY'RE BOTH UNDERAGE. HOSTING THE MEETINGS DURING NORMAL HOURS WHEN MOST PARENTS ARE WORKING EXCLUDE THE PARENTS THAT WANT TO SHINE THE LIGHT ON YOUR WRONG DOINGS IN PERSON. RESIDENTS THAT ATTEND AND SPEAK ON ISSUES THAT DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS MIGHT HAVE GRAND CHIRP OR OTHER RELATIVES. THEY ARE ADVOCATING FOR THEM. PRACTICE BEING INCLUSIVE TO ALL RESIDENTS LIKE SOME OF YOU LIKE TO PREACH AND ACCOMMODATE THOSE THAT CAN'T VOICE OPINIONS IN PERSON. AS A TIP FOR THOSE SEEKING REELECTION IN ABOUT A YEAR, THINK HARD ABOUT HOW YOU PLAY YOUR CARDS ON ISSUES LIKE THIS. IT'S QUITE A PARENT YOU THINK -- APPARENT YOU THINK VERY LITTLE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT OF THE E-MAILS YOU RECEIVED THAT CAN'T ATTEND SINCE I PERSONALLY NEVER HEARD ANY E-MAIL SUBMISSION DISCUSSED ON ANY MEETING I ATTENDED IN PERSON ONLINE.
THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. DEBBIE HUNT, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITIZENS DEFENDING FREEDOM. I HAVE A COUPLE OF ISSUES TO REFERENCE TONIGHT. THE FIRST BEING THE PROCLAMATION ON THE MINORITY MENTAL AWARENESS MONTH. IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS MINORITY. AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR OWN INFORMATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN CHANGING OVER THE YEARS AND ACTUALLY, THE PERCENTAGES ARE 38% HISPANIC. 31% WHITE AND 20% BLACK. SO I THINK THAT IF YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS PROCLAMATION, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT FOR ALL CHILDREN, NOT JUST MINORITIES. ON AGENDA ITEM 1.09, THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM TO SELECT A COUPLE OF CIVICS LITERACY CURRICULUM. THE FIRST ONE LISTED ON THE INVOICE THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY FLORIDA TRANSFORMATION EDUCATION IS SPECIFICALLY -- THIS CURRICULUM IS SPECIFICALLY ON THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S NOT APPROVED LIST.
SO I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT YOU'D BE MOVING FORWARD WITH ACTUALLY PURCHASING IT. ON AGENDA ITEM 1.10, WHERE YOU'RE PURCHASING USING FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE TEACHER'S CURRICULUM INSTITUTE, YOU ALSO HAVE AN ITEM THAT'S ON THERE. IT'S THE GOVERNMENT ALIVE POWER POLITICS AND YOU. AND THAT ALSO IS SPECIFICALLY ON THE FDOE'S NOT APPROVED LIST. THE -- ON THE MATH CURRICULUM, THE 1.11 AGENDA ITEM, I'M SURPRISED THAT YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM. YES, YOU HAD A PUBLIC HEARING LAST MONTH -- LAST MEETING ON THIS ONE, AND IN THAT PUBLIC HEARING, YOU HAD ONE OF YOUR OWN TEACHERS TELL YOU IT WAS NOT TO THE STANDARDS, AND I HAVE ALSO CHECKED THE FDOE MATH CURRICULUM APPROVAL LIST, AND THIS IS NOT ON THAT LIST. THE FINAL ITEM, EXCUSE ME, THE FINAL ITEM 9.06 WHICH IS A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE CHILDREN'S BOARD FOR THE CARE, CHILD-ADULT RELATIONSHIP ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ONE BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING INFORMATION DATA ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT'S BEEN GATHERED THROUGH THE PANORAMA PROGRAM AND PROVIDING IT TO ANOTHER OUTSIDE SOURCE TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DISTRICT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AND WELCOME TO THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS JULIE GABHEARTS AND I'M HERE AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS AND YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY I KEEP COMING BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE VIRTUALLY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THE BOOKS IN BOARD MEETINGS BUT I COME IN AND SAY SOME OF THE MOST GRAPHIC EXPLICIT THINGS AND VERY FEW TIMES HAVE THERE BEEN EVEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT. AND THEN THE WORKSHOP HAS BEEN PUT OFF LIKE THREE TIMES I THINK SINCE DECEMBER. NOT EVEN A WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS THE WAY THAT ALL OF THESE HORRIFIC BOOKS HAVE MADE IT INTO THE LIBRARIES. THAT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING AS A PARENT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ISSUE AN EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING IF THERE IS ANY MINORS IN HERE. WELL, THE REASON I KEEP COMING IS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE NEEDS TO SHINE A LIGHT INTO THE DEEP, DEEP DARKNESS THAT'S IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND TO HELP PEOPLE AND PARENTS UNDERSTAND THEY'VE GOT TO BE AWARE OF THIS AND MOVE TOWARD THE LIGHT AND GET OUT OF THAT DARK PIT.
INSEXUALIZATION OF CHILDREN IS A DEEP, DARK PIT THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED. CHILDREN NEED TO BE PROTECTED AND PARENTS NEED TO RETAIN THEIR RIGHT TO PROTECT THEIR OWN CHILDREN FROM THESE LIBRARY LAND MINES OF PORNOGRAPHY. WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BOOK, YOU CAN'T SAY PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM BOOKS. THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY CHECK A BOOK OUT FROM THE LIBRARY, IT DIDN'T SAY EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING. IT SHOULD BUT IT DOESN'T. SO THESE BOOKS SHOULD NOT BE IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THEY SHOULD REMAIN AVAILABLE TO ANY ADULTS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE LIVE IN AMERICA. IT'S A FREE COUNTRY. BUT NOT IN SCHOOLS. SO MY CONCERN IS FOR THE EXCESSIVE SEXUALIZATION OF CHILDREN BECAUSE IT DISMANTLES THEIR NATURAL DEFENSES AND DESENSITIZES THEM FROM PREDATORY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AND PUTS THEM AT GREAT RISK. THEIR DEFENSES COME DOWN AND THEY HAVE THE RISK OF BEING ATTACKED BY PREDATORS SEXUALLY.
SO LET'S DO A LITTLE REVIEW OF SOME OF THE BOOKS IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES THAT I HAVE. THIS IS REALLY SHAMEFUL AND EMBARRASSING TO DO THIS TO SHOW YOU THIS AGAIN. THIS BOOK IS CALLED "BLANKETS". I ACTUALLY PRINTED PICTURES OF THESE PAGES. THIS IS A BOY AND A GIRL ENGAGING IN SEX. YOU CAN SEE HER NUDE AND HIS MOUTH OVER HER BREAST. AMONG OTHER THINGS AND THIS -- THIS BOOK ALSO ATTACKS CHRIS CHRISTIANITY. BRUTALLY ATTACKS CHRISTIAN ANTE. THEN OF COURSE LIKE "THIS BOOK IS GAY" WHICH IS FIVE STEPS HOW TO USE A SEX APP AND MULTIPLE OTHER THINGS LIKE GROUP SEXES, ORGIES, SEX SAUNAS, THINGS LIKE THAT. BURNED. FIRST ENCOUNTER OF SEX SHE WAS DRUNK WITH HER BOYFRIEND. AND THAT'S BESIDE THE REST OF IT WHICH SHE PLANS HER MURDER SPREE AT THE END WHICH I SHOWED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND I'M OUT OF TIME.
THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. IF THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS WILL PLEASE LINE UP. HELLO. MY NAME IS NICK SCATINI. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS AT 6:00 SO THIS WAY PARENTS LIKE THE LADY WHO WAS JUST BEFORE ME CAN ATTEND AND IF THIS BOARD TRULY BELIEVES THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE INVOLVED, THEN GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW UP. IF THEY'RE WORKING DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY AND CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE THE TIME OFF, TO SEE YOU PEOPLE, THEN YOU SHOULD AFFORD THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AND TO DO THAT AT 6:00 P.M. I ALSO WANT TO -- WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON TOP OF WHAT DEBBIE JUST SAID. YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU VOTING ON INCLUDING IN THE CURRICULUM SOMETHING THAT'S NOT APPROVED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION? IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THE BOARD IS GOING BEYOND ITS AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
TAKE FROM WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT AND NOT HAVE THESE -- THESE VOTES, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT APPROVED BY, YOU KNOW, THE CURRICULUM IS NOT APPROVED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. SO WHY ARE YOU GUYS VOTING ON IT TO GET IT IN? ALSO ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH. THERE IS SO MANY THINGS THAT DO NOT -- WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SEPARATE PEOPLE OUT. WHY CAN'T WE TALK IN ISSUES OF PEOPLE AS AMERICAN CITIZENS AS A WHOLE INSTEAD OF DIVIDING THEM UP INTO THIS GROUP, THAT GROUP, THIS OTHER GROUP. YOU KNOW, BLACKS, HISPANICS, WHITES, JEWS, ISLAMICS. WE'RE ALL AMERICANS HERE. SO WHY CAN'T WE APPROACH AN ISSUE AND INCLUDE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND DO THAT TO INCLUDE EVERYBODY AS ONE. BECAUSE WE ARE ALL JUST AMERICANS HERE. OKAY? AND THESE ISSUES ARE SO DIVISIVE. WHEN YOU DIVIDE PEOPLE UP INTO GROUPS, IT MAKES THOSE GROUPS AND I'M -- AND -- HAVING ISSUES WITH EACH OTHER.
LET'S NOT DO THAT ANYMORE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS AREL HILL. I'M A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD TO CHANGE THEIR MEETING HOURS FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON THAT MY PREVIOUS ASSOCIATE STATED TO ALLOW PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR A LIVING TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND 6:00 START TIME WOULD AFFORD THEM TO DO THAT. NEXT, THIS IS DIRECTED TO THE COMMUNIST MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE, NONE, NIL, ZIP, IN YOUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN WHEN SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING OUT HERE FOR MONTHS TELLING YOU AND READING EXCERPTS OF THESE BOOKS THAT YOU ARE ALLOWING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IT'S APPALLING. IT'S DISGUSTING. AND I'M HERE TO PUT YOU ALL IN NOTICE.
REFERRING TO THOSE COMMUNIST MEMBERS OF THE PARTY. THAT YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE COME THE NEXT ELECTION FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KEN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONS BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL OR THIRD PARTIES ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY MAY NOT OCCUR IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE THREE. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT MY CONCERNS REGARDING BOOKS AND EDUCATION MATERIALS IN OUR SCHOOL AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE CHILDREN'S SHORT AND LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT. AND HOW THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE IN CONFORMING WITH FLORIDA STATE LAWS. THE CHILDREN I'M SPEAKING OF HAVE NOT YET FULLY REACHED THE AGE OF REASON. THAT AGE IS DEFINED AS THE AGE AS WHICH A PERSON IS CONSIDERED CAPABLE OF DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. THE GOVERNMENT PASSED VARIOUS LAWS TO PROTECT THESE INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING LABOR LAWS, ONLINE PRIVACY, PROHIBITIONS OF PURCHASING OR POSSESSING MANY DIFFERENT ITEMS.
THERE ARE BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY WHICH IN MY VIEW HAVE POTENTIALLY HARMFUL IMPACT ON SOMEONE THAT IS NOT YET REACHED THE AGE OF REASON AND IS OFTEN IN CONFLICT WITH THE VALUES OF THAT CHILD'S FAMILY. ONE OF THE BOOKS I'M REFERRING TO IS "IT FEELS GOOD TO BE YOURSELF, A BOOK ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY". THE STORY PURPORTS REPRESENT IDEAS THAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO CHILDREN WHO ARE THE STUDENTS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. THE IDEA OF THE CURRICULUM IS TO GUIDE AND SUPPORT THE CHILDREN, LEARNING AND ENGAGE THEM IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. THE RECOMMENDED STUDY GUIDE FOR THE 6-YEAR-OLD AND 7-YEAR-OLDS ASKS THEM TO DISCUSS HOW THE SUBJECT OF THE STORY IS FEELING. WHY DID THE CHILDREN FEEL THIS WAY? THE TEACHER IS GOING TO BE ASKING THESE CHILDREN WHY ARE THEY FEELING THIS WAY AND WHAT DOES A GENDER IDENTITY MEAN TO A 6-YEAR-OLD. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK IS TO HELP THE CHILD LEARN ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY OF THEMSELVES, THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
THE BOOK ALSO INCLUDES ADDITIONAL TERMS THAT A 6-YEAR-OLD HAS TO LEARN SUCH AS SIDE GENDER AND NON-BINARY. IN THINKING OF THIS WE NEED TO REFLECT ON THE THREE GROUPS THAT ARE MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR CHILDREN. THE PARENTS, THE SCHOOLS, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD MOST OF ALL. A PARENT'S ROLE IN THE CHILDREN'S LEARNING EVOLVES AS A CHILD GROWS. HOWEVER, ONE THING DOES REMAIN CONSTANT. THE PARENTS ARE THEIR CHILD'S LEARNING MODEL. IT IS THE PARENTS' ATTITUDES ON EDUCATION THAT INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE THE CHILDREN TO LEARN. PARENTS ARE THE ROLE MODELS FOR THEIR LEARNING IN THE EARLY YEARS AND THEY -- THEY'RE THE CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER. I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY TODAY FOR LETTING ME BE HERE AND REALLY ASK YOU AGAIN TO CONSIDER WHETHER THESE INSTRUCTIONS -- THE BOOKS I MENTIONED MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE LAW. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU.