HI. I'M KAREN PEREZ, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. HI. I'M JESSICA VAUGHN, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA, AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 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 MEET OR E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER 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 ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Karen Perez: THE BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 2nd, 2024, IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU.
NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT? Jessica Vaughn: YES. THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA, ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL KRISTA LUAFF AND MUSIC DIRECTOR PORSCHE BRADLEY. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF THE BOARD MEETING. AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE STUDENTS UP TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. MY NAME IS RONA McAULEY. I AM A SENIOR AND I PLAY DOUBLE BASS. HELLO. MY NAME IS MATTHEW HANSON. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLA. MY NAME IS EVAN FARNEN. A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. MY NAME IS GAUGE WOLF. I'M IN THE 11th GRADE AND I PLAY THE BASS. I'M EMILIO, I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY VIOLIN. I'M MERRILL, I'M IN THE 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLA.
MY NAME IS SARAH. I'M IN 9th GRADE AND PLAY THE CELLO. MY NAME IS CASSIDY. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE CELLO. I'M CAMILLA. I'M IN 12th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. I'M EDISON LOU. I PLAY THE VIOLIN AND I'M A JUNIOR. MY NAME IS LEO PATTERSON. A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE CELLO. ELIZABETH. 11th, DOUBLE BASS. MY NAME IS LAURA. I'M IN 10th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. DIANA GOMEZ. 10th GRADER AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS EMMA CURLY. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I'M SOPHIA MYERS. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. MY NAME IS SABRINA. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE CELLO. MY NAME IS ISABELLA. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. I'M IN 12th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. IN 10th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. HAILEY. IN 11th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN.
I'M AVA. I'M IN 12th GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS VALERA. 9th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. SIREE. 12th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS FEENA. 12th GRADE, PLAY THE VIOLIN. ALLIE. I'M IN 10th GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. I'M EMILY WHITE. I'M IN 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE CELLO. I'M LANA. I'M A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE CELLO. I'M CRYSTAL. 11th GRADE AND PLAY THE CELLO. JASMINE. 11th GRADE, PLAY THE VIOLIN. AMBER, A SENIOR AND PLAY THE VIOLA. MY NAME IS PORSCHE. I HAVE THE HONOR AND PLEASURE OF BEING THE ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR AT SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORTING MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS. Jessica Vaughn: PARENTS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE QUICKLY, YOU CAN COME UP TO THE FRONT AND TAKE A PICTURE. THANK YOU. AMAZING JOB. Karen Perez: WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS FOR TODAY.
I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, MARCH 19, 2024, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MARCH 19 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. 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 ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN AND SUCCEED. OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE A 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 RESPOND IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS. YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO 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. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV AND ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. Karen Perez: WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. THAT'S 6 P.M. FOR EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE HAVE RECOGNITIONS, A 01, RECOGNITION FOR FLORIDA SCHOOL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION MONTH, APRIL 2024.
MEMBER RENDON WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS RECOGNITION. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FLORIDA SCHOOL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION MONTH, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS MORE THAN 60,000 VOLUNTEERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND MENTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE NEARLY 400,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS EVERY YEAR. OUR VOLUNTEERS ASSIST TEACHERS AND STAFF HELPING THE MEDIA CENTERS AND CAFETERIAS AND HELP ORGANIZE AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. VOLUNTEERS GIVE OF THEIR TIME TO HELP OUR SCHOOLS BECOME EVEN BETTER PLACES TO LEARN. THIS MONTH IS DEDICATED TO HONORING ALL THE VOLUNTEERS IN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING VOLUNTEERISM, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE SHOWN OUTSTANDING DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE QUALITY EDUCATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? 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 COMMENTS NOT BE DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. THE CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MIKE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR TWO MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND A RED LIGHT WILL CHIME, WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
I WILL NOW CALL THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. HELLO. MY NAME IS SUSAN VIRGINIA DAVIS. AND I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO TRY TO CUT OUT THE WASTE IN THE DISTRICT TO SAVE MONEY. I DO LIKE THE IDEA THAT YOU GAVE TEACHERS A RAISE LAST YEAR AND YOU'RE CONSIDERING GIVING THEM A RAISE THIS YEAR, BUT I'D PREFER YOU NOT RAISE THE MILLAGE RATE. AND I DO HAVE GOOD NEWS. YOU SHOULD HAVE INCREASED REVENUE BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING 4,000 HOUSES AND CONDOS IN THIS COUNTY EVERY YEAR. SO THAT WILL RAISE YOUR REVENUE QUITE A FEW THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, MAYBE MILLIONS. BUT I SURE WOULD LIKE YOU TO TRY TO CUT OUT THE WASTE. HILLSBOROUGH HAS GOT A BIG REPUTATION OF BEING EXTREMELY TOP HEAVY. AND YOU'VE GOT AN AWFUL LOT OF POSITIONS AT THE TOP AND YOU REALLY DO NEED TO HELP THE TEACHERS OUT. THERE'S PLENTY OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, AREA DIRECTORS, DIRECTORS OF DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND EVEN DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY, DIRECTOR OF HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE HIERARCHY PEOPLE AND THAT COULD SAVE YOU MONEY IF YOU LOWER THAT. ALSO, YOU HAVE READING COACHES PROBABLY STILL, AN ESE SPECIALIST AND SOME HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE SIX ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. THAT'S PRETTY TOP HEAVY. ONE WAY TO HELP WITH HAVING ENOUGH TEACHERS IS TO HIRE EARLY. DON'T WAIT UNTIL AUGUST TO START THE INTERVIEWS. FILL ALL TEACHER VACANCIES AND BEFORE THEY GO ON VACATION. A LOT OF PRINCIPALS TAKE OFF ON VACATION THE FIRST WEEK THEY ARE OUT OF SCHOOL. THE KIDS ARE GONE SO THEY LEAVE. IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HIRE PEOPLE EARLY IN THE SUMMER AND FILL YOUR VACANCIES BEFORE YOU LEAVE. ANOTHER STRONG SUGGESTION IS LESS POLICE ON CAMPUS AND REPLACE THEM WITH SECURITY GUARDS. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS WANDA TORRES. I AM A PARENT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN DISTRICT 5. I WILL BE READING AN EXCERPT FROM A BOOK CALLED "THIS IS KIND OF AN EPIC LOVE STORY." THIS IS FOUND IN 13 HIGH SCHOOLS AND ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HE BURIES FACE INTO MY NECK. HIS FINGERS MOVE AROUND AND I CAN TELL HE'S TRYING TO BE GENTLE BUT THE MORE HE MOVES AROUND THE MORE I GET USED TO IT AND THE MORE I START -- IT STARTS TO FEEL GOOD. HIS MOUTH MOVES AGAINST MY EARS. HE'S BREATHING AGAINST MY NECK AND HE ASKS IF IT FEELS OKAY. I KNOW HE'S TRYING TO BE GENTLE BUT I DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO SAY IT. I NOD. OLLIE PULLS AWAY AND SEEMS TO SWIPE A CONDOM FROM MIDAIR AND ROLLS IT ON. A WAVE OF NERVES WASH OVER ME. HE PUSHES IN SLOWLY AND GREAT PAIN SURGES THROUGH MY BODY. I ALMOST PUSH HIM AWAY. HE PULLS BACK AND HE SAYS, DOES IT FEEL GOOD? I TRY MY BEST TO SMILE AND NOD, BUT I CAN TELL THAT I'M GRIMACING. I WON'T BOTHER TO READ MORE OF THIS, BUT WHAT BAFFLES ME IS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD DEFEND HAVING BOOKS LIKE THIS IN THE SCHOOLS WHEN YOU GUYS CAN'T EVEN LOWER THE AMOUNT OF "F" GRADE SCHOOLS WE HAVE.
THERE'S TRULY NO ROOM FOR CONTENT LIKE THIS UNTIL WE FIX THAT. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HELLO. MY NAME IS ANT. I USE THEY/THEM PRONOUNS. I AM THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR EQUALITY FLORIDA. LAST YEAR WE LED A CAMPAIGN URGING OUR COMMUNITIES TO FALL INTO ACTION, CALLING ON ADVOCATES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY TO COME HERE AND DEMAND THAT THEIR DISTRICTS PROTECT EVERY STUDENT AND RESPECT EVERY FAMILY. I'M SO PLEASED THAT I GET TO COME HERE TO THANK THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, AND HIS STAFF FOR DOING JUST THAT. FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND COMMITMENT FOR THAT. THIS SPRING WE ARE ASKING OUR ADVOCATES TO URGE DISTRICTS TO BRING BACK BOOKS. RESEARCH FROM FIRST BOOK SHOWS THE INCREASING ACCESS TO DIVERSE BOOKS IMPROVES STUDENTS' READING SCORES AND INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF TIME STUDENTS SPEND READING. WE NEED YOU TO ADOPT PROLITERACY POLICIES. TO INCREASE OUTCOMES AND TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT EVERY FAMILY AND PROTECT EVERY STUDENT AND RESPECT EVERY FAMILY.
AS YOU'VE SEEN ALREADY TONIGHT, THERE ARE PEOPLE WORKING TO REMOVE BOOKS FROM STUDENTS ACCESS AND WE KNOW THAT HAVING ACCESS TO THESE BOOKS ALLOW STUDENT OUTCOMES TO INCREASE. WE KNOW THAT SEEING REPRESENTATION IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOM LIBRARIES IS DESPERATELY IMPORTANT. AND WE KNOW THE CLASSROOM LIBRARIES CAN BE DIVERSE NOW THAT WE HAVE A SETTLEMENT THAT CLARIFIES EXACTLY HOW THE PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION ACT IS INTENDED. SO I'M ASKING THIS DISTRICT TO CONSIDER PROLITERACY POLICIES AS I KNOW IT IS COMMITTED TO DOING. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MAY I GET SPEAKERS 6 THROUGH 10 TO LINE UP, PLEASE? NEXT SPEAKER. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TONYA REUBIN. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 32 YEARS. A BUSINESS OWNER AND I'VE ALSO HAD BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS GO THROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR HARD WORK AND THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
THANK YOU. I HAVEN'T MET YOU YET, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SO, SO I LOVE IT THAT WE CAN HAVE SYNERGY AND WORK AS A TEAM. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MILLAGE AND ABOUT THE BOOKS. I WANT ALL OF YOU TO TRY TO PUSH ASIDE YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS AND THE MILLAGE VOTE FOR THE EXTRA TAX TO BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. WE LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY, AND I THINK ALL OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON THAT. IF YOU LOOK AT PINELLAS AND PASCO COUNTIES, THEY HAVE HAD BETTER PAY FOR THEIR TEACHERS. LET'S SAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STARTING SALARY FOR NEW TEACHER IS 45,000. WELL, PINELLAS IT'S 55,000. SO WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO TO TEACH? WE NEED GOOD TEACHERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND THEY SHOULD BE PAID AT LEAST 55,000 TO START OUT. I'M SURE ALL OF YOU WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
THAT WAY WE CAN GET BETTER TALENT. SO WITH THIS MILLAGE THAT WILL ALLOW HIGHER TEACHER PAY, MORE THAN ONE-YEAR CONTRACTS, HOPEFULLY FOR BUS DRIVERS IF THAT'S INCLUDED, AND EXTRA RESOURCES. I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT AND WHY IS PINELLAS COUNTY ABLE TO DO THIS? BECAUSE EVERY FOUR YEARS THEY GET TO PASS IT OR THEY DO PASS IT. I THINK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER. IF YOU HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL, MY KIDS ARE IN COLLEGE NOW, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT. AND THEN ON THE BOOKS, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE THE PROCESS TO LET BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN BANNED BE REVIEWED TO BE BACK IN. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. OUR KIDS ARE HERE TO LEARN, AND IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN'T LET OUR KIDS AND THE LIBRARIES -- WE'RE NOT LIVING IN RUSSIA. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER.
MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. WELL, I SEE THE WORTHLESS CLOWN PRESS IS WELL REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. THIS INCREASE IN TAXES, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, 30-PLUS YEARS I'VE BEEN BRINGING THE SCIENCE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE, PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE. THE PRESS CAN'T SEEM TO NOTICE. THAT'S WHY I SAY THEY ARE WORTHLESS. SO HERE WE HAVE THE HEADLINE IN THIS BIG ARTICLE. CAN WE ENGINEER OUR WAY OUT OF A CLIMATE CRISIS? OH, YEAH. SO INSTEAD OF YOU MAKING THE HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING, THE FOOLS THINK WE'RE GOING TO ENGINEER OUR WAY OUT OF IT. WON'T HAPPEN. IT WON'T HAPPEN. HERE'S WHAT ONE SCIENTIST SAYS. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, AND SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SOLUTION IN THE SHORT-TERM OR IN THE LONG-TERM. BUT MAKING THE HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING WOULD BE SAVING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND SAVING THE PLANET WITH THE CHILDREN IN BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
OH, WHY CAN'T YOU REPORT? Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SO SAD. Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. MY NAME IS ALEXA CAR MONTTI. CITIZEN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MY ENTIRE LIFE, 41 YEARS OLD. HERE TO READ AN EXCERPT FROM MEN-OF-WAR BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH A MOM TO ACTUALLY READ SCHOOL BOOKS TO ME. THERE WAS A PROGRAM WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND I HAD READ OVER 200 BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY, AND MY MOTHER READ THEM TO ME OUT LOUD. I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE MY 34-YEAR-OLD MOTHER AT THE TIME READING THIS TO HER 14-YEAR-OLD CHILD. MY HANDS BRUSH EVERY INCH OF HER, PALMS OPEN ON HER NIPPLES THAT WERE SO SENSITIVE HER SOUNDS GREW WILD AND HER KNEES CLAMPED ON MY HIPS. WE SWITCHED POSITIONS AND I SANK BETWEEN HER LEGS. INDY TOSSED HERSELF BACKWARD ON THE BED AND I TUGGED AWAY FOR HER UNDERWEAR.