Karen Perez: HI, I AM KAREN PEREZ. CHAIR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORK FORCE PROGRAMS. Jessica Vaughn: HI, I AM JESSICA VAUGHN, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. Lynn Gray: OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED.OUR BOARD MEETINGS HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. Henry "Shake" Washington: WELCOME TO MEET AND E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SKOOLS TV AND SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL 32. Stacy Hahn: MEETINGS ARE STREAMED LIVE ON OUR BE WITH WEB SITED AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG.
CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. Patti Rendon: WE ARE INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE WILL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS WITH REVIEWED ONLINE IN CHANCE SEVEN DAYS BEFORE OUR WEB SIGHT AT HILLSSCHOOLS.ORG. Nadia Combs: OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. 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 WILL SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Karen Perez: BOARD MEETING OF JULY 23, 2024 IS NOW 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. NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN -- BY MEMBER GRAY. AND SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEINGSON, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. PLEASE LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, JULY 9, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN. AND A MEMBER BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, 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 THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN, TO SUCCEED, AND OUR DECISION WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/,/OR QUESTIONS. BOARD MINUTES WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR THEIR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTER THAT, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER VAUGHN WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD'S MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL LEG TROPIC DEVICES. 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 CLOSED CAPTIONING WITH LIVE BROADCAST, CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE.
Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN, 5:01 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING AND 6 P.M., EMPLOYEE INPUT. 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 WE 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 ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR A STAFF MEMBER. BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE 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 MICROPHONE.
THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAK WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. THE REMINDER THAT THREE MINUTES STARTS WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. 30 SECONDS LEFT, A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN. A RED LIGHT AND CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST NINE SPEAKERS. PLEASE START LINING UP. THE FIRST SPEAKER, PLEASE. MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. WELL, 30-PLUS YEARS, AND YOU SAY YOU TAKE TO HEART WHAT IS SAID. THAT IS A BIG FAT LIE. OH, BOY, BIG FAT LIE. HERE IS THE HEADLINE, TROUBLING NEWS FROM THE DOOMSDAY GLACIER. THE BIG MELT IS UNDER WAY. YEAH, WE CAN GET TEN FEET OF SEA LEVEL RISE AND AFTER BERYL, HEADLINE SAYS "HURRICANE SEASON LOOKS OMINOUS." AND YOU HAVE THESE GRAPHS. YOU KNOW -- YOU KNOW WHAT THESE GRAPHS MEAN? AND ALTERED LANDSCAPE. CLIMATE CHANGE, RESHAPING ICONIC U.S. DESTINATIONS. SO THOSE -- PROJECT 2025 COMING FROM THE REPUBLIC-CONS.
AND SOMETHING THAT WILL COME WITH THAT IS LIMITING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AND ALONG WITH THAT , THE -- THE LOWEST OF LOW IN SOCIETY WILL BE HIT THE HARDEST. YEAH. TAKE AWAY THEIR -- THEIR NUTRITION BENEFITS. SO EVERYONE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT. IF THEY VOTE REPUBLIC-CON. IT IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY BAD. VERY BAD. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS JUST WON'T BE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANYMORE. YES, THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE PROJECT 2025 IS TO MAYBE GO BACK TO THOSE DAYS OF SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. YEAH. AND THE POOR FALL BY THE WAYSIDE. SAD. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, KIM HENRIQUEZ. ACTUALLY I AM SPEAKING NOW AND NOT IN THE EMPLOYEE PART, BECAUSE I AM SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT OF PINELLAS COUNTY. I LIVE IN DUNEDIN. AND WE'VE HAD THE MILLAGE EVER SINCE I LIVED THERE FOR 20 YEARS. IT IS NOT A BIT -- IT NEVER HAS BEEN A BIG DEAL.
WE HAVE REALLY NICE AMENITIES IN PINELLAS COUNTY. WE HAVE WONDERFUL BEACHES. AND IT JUST -- THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR DEMOCRACY. BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN PINELLAS COUNTY, I AM PROUD -- I AM VERY PROUD TO TEACH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND TODAY, EVEN MORE SO BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU FIGHT FOR YOU. I MEAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY SCHOOLS I DRIVE PAST EVERY DAY TO GET TO LOWRY ELEMENTARY, BUT I LOVE LOWRY, I LOVE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO FINISH OUT MY YEARS. SO THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HELLO. MY NAME IS JENNIFER STITCH. AND I AM A BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIORAL ANALYST AND THE OWNER OF ABOVE AND BEYOND BEHAVIORAL ANALYST. I AM A MEMBER OF PROJECT ABA RIGHTS.
OF THE LAST MEETING, I WORK ALONG TEACHERS AND PARENTS AS A COLLABORATIVE TEAM SUPPORTING SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. TEACHERS AND PARENTS HAVE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEY ARE NOT BEING REIMBURSED AT A FAIR RATE. ADDITIONALLY THE HIGH STAFF TURNOVER AND UNDERSTAFFING THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ULTIMATELY LEAD TO TEACHER BURNOUT. WHEN OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT SUPPORTED, OUR CHILDREN CANNOT GET ACCESS TO THE NECESSARY QUALITY EDUCATION AND SUPPORTS FOR SUCCESS. THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION IN OUR DISTRICT IS OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY, AND THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE DISTRICT IN MEET TO PROVIDE MY RECOMMENDATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE, INSTRUCTIONAL DOCUMENT TO PEST SUPPORT OUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN. YESTERDAY I WAS SENT THE UPDATED DOCUMENT AND CONTAINS CONCERNING LANGUAGE THAT WILL LIMIT MEDICALLY NECESSARY TREATMENT IN SCHOOLS. POSITIVE IN THIS AS WELL.
I READ IT OVER. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS. IT DOES INCLUDE A LOT OF THINGS ARE CONCERNING INCLUDING FURTHER LANGUAGE THAT WILL STOP SERVICES FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN BEHAVIORAL DATA. COULD THIS LEAD TO REDUCTION IN ABA THEY ARE POOH HE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND MORE STRESS ON TEACHERS FOR MAL-ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS. TEACHERS ARE PERFORMING MANY JOBS AT ONCE AND IN THESE CLASSROOMS, CHILDREN NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS ACADEMICS, BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT. I AM REQUESTING A MEETING TOP SUPPORT SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN. I URGE TO YOU LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK FROM BOTH PROVIDERS AND PARENTS TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM. I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER PARENTS AND PROVIDERS WHO WILL ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO WRITE A SPEECH WITHIN THE 24 HOURS TO MAKE IT TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS JULIE GEPHARDTS.
MY ATTENTION HAS SHIFT AID WAY FROM THE BOOKS AT THE TIME AND ADDRESS SOME VARIOUS THINGS THAT ARE TROUBLING. I NOTICED THAT FIELD TRIPS ARE ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOUR CURRENT LGBTQ+ REP SOURCE GUIDE FOR ALL OF YOUR STAFF THIS YEAR SAYS THIS. QUOTE, FOR OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIPS, TRANSGENDER STUDENT OVERNIGHT WITH SLEEPING ARRANGE ELEMENTS DICTATE OF WHICH ISSUE ALSO ADDRESS. THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE LAW. HB 1521 STATES THAT IS ILLEGAL. SIMILAR PROBLEM. THERE ARE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE LANGUAGE AROUND BATHROOM USAGE FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS. LANGUAGE AT BEST IS SEEMINGLY FUZZY LEADS MORE TO THE VIOLATION OF THE LAW. DEVELOP A PLAN AND STUDENT GUARDIANS IF APPROPRIATE THAT THE STUDENT MAY ACCESS THE REST ROOM, LOCKER ROOM AND CHANGE FACILITY TO BEST PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF THE STUDENT. AGAIN, A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
LAST, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE BOARD MEETING ON MAY 7. I WATCHED A FAIRLY NORMAL RECOMMENDATION FOR A SUPERINTENDENT FOR A BUS COMPANY. RECOMMENDED THE PURCHASE OF THOMAS BUSES. FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS -- NO, SORRY. THAT IS MATTHEWS. WITH THE RECENTLY ACQUIRED FEDERAL GRANT. HIS TEAM OF TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THOMAS BUSES ARE BETTER. AND SOME FACTS THAT I HEARD SHARED AT THE MEETING AND OTHERWISE, AS THE THOMAS BUSES WERE HELD UP FOR COMPARISON AND HERE IS WHAT I HEARD. A BETTER WARRANTY, 175,000 MILES, BUMPER TO BUMPER, PAINT CHIPS THAT THE COMPETITOR BLUE BIRD DOES NOT PROVIDE AND PREFERRED BY BUS DRIVERS. QUICKER RESPONSE TIME TO SERVICE COMPARED TO THE OTHER COMPANY THAT HAVE SEEMED TO CAUSE FRUSTRATION IN THE SYSTEM WITH THEIR LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS. YOU ALREADY TRIED THEM OUT AND YOU HAVE A BAD RESPONSE TIME. LONGER BATTERY LIFE.
COLLISION MITIGATION. BETTER SAFETY FEATURES ON AND ON THE LIST WENT. I DIDN'T HEAR ONE BOARD MEMBER TO SUGGEST THE REASON BLUE BIRD WAS SUPERIOR. ALL I HEARD WAS GIVE THEM A CHANCE. FORMER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION JIM BEAKMAN WAS FLABBERGASTED THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS WENT AWAY FROM THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING THAT IT WAS NOTICED IN THE LAST MONTH BEFORE, MONTH AND A HALF BEFORE, CAMPAIGN DONATIONS TO THE FOUR INCUMBENTS THAT WENT AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. THEY RECEIVED A CAMPAIGN DONATION, A GENEROUS ONE FROM FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, WHICH IS THE OWNER OF BLUE BIRD BUSES WHICH IS THE COMPANY THEY WENT WITH WHICH HAS LESS SAFETY FEATURES AND LESS THINGS LIKE THAT. SO ALSO OF NOTE, BEAKMAN SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A GRANT, THE DISTRICT STILL HAS TO PUT IN $1 MILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE. SO BESIDES EVEN THAT, THE PRICE COMPARISON BASS BETTER WITH THE OTHER BUS COMPANY THAN THE ONE THAT MADE CAMPAIGN DONATIONS.
THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TINA WILLIAMS BREWSTER. PARENT. ALSO A PARENT ADVOCATE. TODAY I WILL SPEAK TO YOU FROM A PARENT ADVOCATE PERSPECTIVE. YOU HEARD MY -- AS A PARENT ADVOCATE PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD, AS WELL AS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THOSE SITTING BEHIND ME TO RECOGNIZE THERE IS A -- THERE IS A DIRE NEED OF ESC. THEY ARE HUGE GAPS IN ESC. WE NEED TO IMPLORE PARENTS. A LOT OF PARENTS IN THE DISTRICT, INCLUDING MYSELF, WHO ARE NOT BEING UTILIZED. WE WANT THE BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE NEED TO TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS NOT WORKING. OUR TEACHERS ARE BURNT OUT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENTS ARE BURNT OUT. PARENTS ARE BURNT OUT. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER. I -- I TOLD YOU TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WE ARE AVAILABLE.
YOU ALL REFUSE TO TAKE THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE SOLUTION-ORIENTED. ESE HAS GOT TO CHANGE. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT GETS CUT? ESC. WHEN IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOING TO STEP UP? WHEN? WE KEEP SAYING WE ARE GOING TO DO BETTER. A GREAT TIME AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THE MINOR THINGS SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON THE MAJOR THINGS. WE HAVE GOT TO START LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO GAIN KEY PEOPLE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT ARE THOSE PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT POSITION AS SOON AS I HAVE BEEN IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR TEN YEARS. TRUST ME, I SEEN IT ALL. I HAVE SIX KIDS. WE ARE DOWN TO TWO. I HAVE SEEN ES GIFTED. 2E. YOU NAME IT. I HAVE SEEN IT. I EXPERIENCED IT. I GOT KNOWLEDGE. A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, THEY HAVE -- WE HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT?
WE HAVE ALL THIS DATA, BUT WHAT ARE WE REALLY DOING WITH IT. IF WE WANT -- OUR TEACHERS, I AGREE, THEY NEED TO BE PAID. BUT UNFORTUNATELY SOME TEACHER ARE THEY GOT TO GO. YOU WANT OUR MONEY, SHOW US WHY. WHY? I AM COMPLETELY FLABBERGASTED WHY IT WASN'T ON THE BALLOT, BUT I UNDERSTAND. THERE ARE SOME TEACHERS THAT ARE POISON. WE GOT TO ACCEPT IT. IF YOU BURNT OUT. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HERE. THERE IS THE DOOR. BUT IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE HERE, UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE. THOSE WHO CAN DO. THOSE HAD CAN'T, THEY GO. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. ADAM BREWSTER.
GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT -- OR GIVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT SOME BOARD MEMBERS ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT THE ESC LITIGATION. AND LIKE MY WIFE SAID, WE CAME HERE 2015 WITH SIX CHILDREN. WE STARTED OUT AT CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL,ED A DACHLS. A WHOLE BUNCH OF ISSUES WITH ESC. I WENT TO HENRY WASHINGTON. HE DONE NOTHING. AND IT HAS MATRICULATED UP THE LADDER. AND THEN THE SUPERINTENDENT APPOINTED A DISTRICT PERSON TO OUR CASE. I AM NOT GOING TO CALL THAT PERSON'S NAME, BUT THAT PERSON DID NOTHING EITHER. IT WAS A PERSISTENCE OF MY WIFE THAT GOT SOME OF THE ISSUES RESOLVED. AND WHAT I AM SAYING OF THE ESC LITIGATION. IT STARTS AT THE SCHOOL. IF YOU TONIGHT WANT IT TO GO TO LITIGATION, START AT THE SCHOOL. THAT IS WHERE THE WHOLE PROBLEM STARTED. IT STARTED THERE AND THEN IT LEFT THE BUILDING.