Board of Education Meeting - April 1, 2024

001I think that was successful. Yes, can you hear me? Yeah, thank you. Okay. All the meeting to learn. We welcome everyone here tonight. There's some of you on your break. So some of you wish you were on your break. The other man leads. 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. Thank you. Second. Second by Mr. Long, second by Mr. Ray. All those in favor, stand by to say aye. Aye. Okay. Good evening, Dr. Schooley, President Murphy, members of our board. Tonight we want to celebrate the successes BCS saw during the winter season of athletics. As a reminder, our music and art students will be recognized at the May 6th meeting and we'll see plenty of achievements during

002that presentation as well. We begin tonight with swimming. We had several swimmers earn their way to the podium. Pictured here are Muscleman Sawyer Wright and Merritt Ergens. Sawyer placed sixth individually in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 free. Merritt placed fifth in the 500 free and sixth in the 100 back. The 200 medley relay for Spring Mills of Sam DiGiovanni, Lucas Miller, Liam Cradle, and Atticus Slosher placed sixth. The same group placed 11th in the 400 free relay. In the 100 back, DiGiovanni placed 11th, and Musselman's Logan Stewart was 12th. In the 100 fly, Cradle placed 11th, and Hedgesville's Andrew Butcher placed 12th. In the 50 free, Martinsburg Sophia Greer placed 7th. She also placed 10th in the 100 free. In the 200 free relay of Spring Mills, Emily Perot, Abby Voss, Ella

003Hutzler, and Elle Hiller placed 10th. We also had a number of wrestlers make their way to the podium, including a fourth place finish as a team by the Cardinals. Spring Mills sent five wrestlers to the finals, the most in the entire state to reach that round. Pictured here, we have our Cardinals team who saw second place finishes from Dallas Owens at 106, Jacob Perry at 132. Landon Herndon at 150, Ross Smeltzer at 157, and Anthony Williams at 285. Nathan Graham also earned a third place finish. Other BCS place winners were Martinsburg's Caleb Deeds, who was fifth at 165 pounds, Martinsburg's Terrell Cofield placed fourth at 175, and Musselman's Xavier Pollard placed third at 285. Next, we congratulate the Musselman girls basketball team for winning the regional co-championship and earning a spot in the state tournament.

004The Applemen went 17-9 this season, earning the eighth seed at states. They lost in the first round to number one George Washington. All state honorable mention honors went to Martinsburg's Cadence Bradley. Hedgesville's Gracie Brown, Spring Mills' Bree King, and Musselman's Jasmine Morris. And last but not least, we have the Spring Mills boys basketball team, who reached the Class 4A state championship game. The Cardinals had quite the remarkable season, finishing as second in the state with a record of 25-2. The Cardinals had the number one seat at States and beat Woodrow Wilson and South Charleston to reach the finals, where they lost to number two Morgantown. It's notable that the Cardinals' only losses this season came to teams that were eventually crowned state champions, Morgantown at States and Frederick, which won a state title in Maryland.

005The All-State recognitions went to first team Spring Mills' Caleb Thomas. On the second team, we had Spring Mills' Akwesi Opoku Achampong. He was the captain of the second team. And Martinsburg's Keyshawn Cheek. Honorable mention were Spring Mills' Max Anderson and Xavier Anderson. That concludes our winter sports wrap-up for this season. We look forward to our spring sports and, like I said, our arts and music later on this year. Questions? Did we have many transfers this year? We had a bunch of transfers, probably about as many as we normally have. I don't know how many of those were for athletics. We keep track of the transfers in general, but I would. I looked through most of those and I don't recall any saying that they were transferring for athletics. Yes. So we have the resident transfer

006forms, which would be students transferring from a school in Berkeley County to another school in Berkeley County. And then there's a separate form for non-residents, you know, if they were transferring from outside of the district. And so their form is different, but it's the same as the one they filled out in the past. Anybody else? The small schools can stay in the one center. that well out scores of 90 to 20 or something like that. It's one of the following state newspapers, but because of our schools being so large, I guess they have the depth in the schools to handle it. Well, that certainly helps. That certainly helps when you have larger numbers to draw from. Okay. Thanks, sir. Yes, sir. All right. At this point, Heather, Deanna, Ms. Deanna, before you begin, I have

007to read the statement. I'm anticipating it. Board of Trustees, the Florida Central Alley System. I'm going to read it for a minute. I'll be done with you in two minutes. Okay. I'm going to take two minutes here, but your body is soft, so I don't want to rush you. uh just make sure that uh of course i don't think you've been using for that in your children very appropriate comments we don't allow us mentioning specific employees or other students and your family uh you keep other people because of the public So first and foremost, I wanted to say thank you. Based off the March 18th board meeting, it became clear to me that the right hand definitely doesn't always know what the left hand is doing. While I appreciate the advocacy of the right hand,

008the board members, and appreciate you continuing to question what is being presented by the superintendent principals to share with their staff, I am still concerned that the left hand, our superintendent is working with the left foot and the right foot and the spleen and the intestines and the board while working with the heart of education, our school-based staff in mind, is only able to do so much when the rest of the body is working in a different direction. The March 18th meeting made it clear to me and many of my colleagues that our superintendent does not value an open dialogue between staff and himself. Turning to the chairman of the board, throwing his hands into the air, and asking how much longer he has to be questioned by the people that are directly impacted by

009the device refresh plan that was created by him and his stakeholders gives an air of King George speaking to the lowly peasants. I took the time to Google the advanced threat protection for cyber threats and attacks, which does state that all computers must have all operating system updates and patches installed. I am still unsure about why that will require them to factory reset my MacBook and confiscate it for the summer. I am sincerely hoping that part of this device refresh plan includes alternate modes of communication for us to know our rooms are ready and when we even need to report back to our buildings. because a work-life balance and self-care has been preached at us so much that I no longer have my county email on my personal devices and won't be adding it back

010in an effort to bridge the gap created by this technology removal. As someone who has dedicated countless hours to honing their own craft and mentoring others, I'd welcome any of you to step foot into a classroom for the day and see what we face, the mountains we are trying to overcome, and the quicksand we hope to avoid. This lowly peasant feels that speaking truth to power is a necessity, despite the possible repercussions. And I can only model that advocacy for my co-workers, students, and my own children by continuing to plead for transparency and open, respectful dialogue between all of the involved parties, not just the closest friends who tell you what you want to hear. Thank you. Thank you, Matt. We are now here to the consent agenda. The motion to approve the consent agenda.

011okay okay anything except for 6.10 do we have any questions i i have a question and uh I have a letter from a parent, I'm not going to mention the name, but the parent's child was in the science school. And they just want me to read this letter. Yes. My question. I'm hearing impaired, so I didn't come prepared to be able to hear you. Okay, what up? No, it's the tone, like... I just, I can hear the sound, but I can't differentiate your words. Okay, how may I help you do it better? Maybe speak a little louder. Okay. That should be fine. Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, what the topic is? Well, the topic is we're under transportation. How do we transport students? Is that why the trip's listed? No, it's not. So then we probably

012can't. Okay, well, here's my question, and on the rest, it's so. I have a question. It is about the trips listed here. And we have some that the students are going 148 miles with the other school bus. Others are on charter buses. Can you hear me? Yes, I can. Some are on charter buses. Some are going to the same place. One by a school bus and another by... a yellow school bus and another by a charter. I'm just wondering, how are these decisions made? And I will point out that there are a couple of academic things, and they are on the charter bus. But I was just wondering, how do we, does anyone know here, and I didn't compare to the transportation department's son here, but I'm just kind of concerned. because of the letter

013I received, how we differentiate between academics and athletics in the assignment process. Now, speaking up, and I'm not yelling at anyone here. Fred, can you work with Trip Tracker a little bit? Yes. He could be able to tell you what's reversed by the county to the schools and that kind of thing. Can you? You want me to take you through the whole process? Yes, please. Okay, so we have a system called Travel Tracker. Schools enter their trips into this system. One of the main question is, is this for academics or is this for athletics? That's how it's differentiated. These trips then go through an approval process and end up on a bid sheet for the drivers. We then have a monthly bid meeting. The drivers bid on those trips. And of course, if the drivers

014bid on every trip, then they go out via yellow bus. The trips that are not filled, we will then go to a charter company and request that the charter company transport the students. Now, there are some situations where trips don't make the bid sheet because of the times in which the students have to leave school. So if drivers have to miss their morning run or afternoon run, it cannot go via yellow bus. It has to go via charter bus. So that often drives whether or not it's going to be a yellow bus trip or a charter bus trip. And now, in the bus assignment process, When do you determine whether you're going to go down the night before? That's not part of your process? That's often when the school enters the trip into the system.

015They indicate whether or not this is going to be an overnight trip or a trip that leaves that day and returns the same day. Now, there's a cost that's associated with that. That travel tracker system tracks the cost of the driver. And whenever that trip is completed. Transportation there's a number of hours into the system and then bills that trip to the individual school within reimburses the county office. Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. Any further questions about consent agenda? Those before us is the approval of the consent agenda. All those in favor seem to probably say aye. Aye. Opposed nay. Okay, the motion carries. Before I go any further, Ms. Power is... You need to do 6.10 a second. Okay, well, before I do that, I want to explain

016that Ms. Power is with us remotely. That's the vacant seat over here. And I'm sorry for being tardy there. Okay, Mr. Knight, just sit beside. He has a relative on the list. Okay, on 6.10, do I have a motion to approve? Okay, motions move and second. All those in favor say goodbye by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

017Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye Good evening. I've been asked to come here this evening and give you an update on student and staff devices. I'm going to start on student devices. On March 4th, the board approved the purchase of 13,900 Apple iPads, 4,315 Chromebooks. We anticipate the delivery of these devices in May of 2024. Our goal is to have all these devices ready for student deployment by the start of the FY25 school year. So what I want to do now is pause and see if the board has any questions on student devices, the process, or the timeline. Questions from members of the board. In the beginning of the year. Usually, and I know this because a family member that's

018employed in this job, but she helps the tech person in the school distribute the devices to the students. And they make sure each device is handled, is in working order, and so that when it comes to that, it's noted if it's not. But that takes quite a while. Yes, it does. To do it. Because we say something's going to be ready at the first of school year, the distribution will impede that process depending on how the school does it. Correct. And it's within the school's administration to find the people to find a way to get them distributed as quickly as possible. Yes. We anticipate them coming in in May. They will come into our warehouse where we have to inventory and touch every single device, make sure that security is in place. How many Chromebooks?

0194,315 is what was approved. Okay, and $13,900 will be iPad. $13,900 is what was approved for iPads. Okay, now what happens to the existing devices? Our plan is to collect all of the existing devices. We will wipe every single one of them, and we will send them out for resale. We will be using the salvage value of those devices to make a down payment on what we anticipate to be a lease for new devices. Okay, I don't expect you to have this number, but I know somewhere somehow this is being yeah, the number of devices. What did the replacement of those devices? So that you know, if somebody damages the piece, where are we? We're not collecting dollar for dollar. We have a schedule that shows what each repair costs, and we do bill for

020the full cost of those repairs. The issue we have is collecting from parents when a device is broken. We make every attempt to collect, but we are not always successful. I have a question. What age group did you say, again, was Chromebooks and iPads? iPads will be K-8, and Chromebooks will be 9-12. And a little caveat to that is we do have one high school that is in a pilot program currently with iPads. Next year will be the last year of their pilot program. So that one high school will remain iPad for next school year. And then depending on the results of their program. We will determine whether or not they will remain iPad or whether they will go back to Chromebook. Chromebook is 9 through 12. And they're currently using Chromebook. Three of the

021high schools are currently using Chromebook. One is currently using iPad. I did not ask this when we purchased the when we made the purchase. But I don't know if you know the answer. Why is it just high schools for the Chromebooks? Why then six through 12? had at the middle school level as well instead of iPads. Was there a committee involved? Yes, well, we had a very large committee meeting, and that was one of the main topics is what grade levels should have what devices. And after receiving a tremendous amount of input, the committee ultimately reached the decision that they felt iPads would be a better option for K-8. And then when you get to high school, with the keyboards being on the Chromebooks, Chromebooks are the better devices for 9 through 12. But that

022was a committee decision, yes. Do you have any key figures on that committee? We had a number of technology integration specialists on that committee. And we had multiple meetings and it wasn't always the same technology integration specialists. So how many rotated in and out? Maybe five or six rotated in and out. Then we had members of the technology department, finance, and instruction. Were there any classroom teachers or just testers? We just had testers, yeah. Was there any... So weren't any classroom teachers. Were there any surveys or anything like pulling the staff as to what? The statistics communicated with their staff and brought back their staff's recommendations to us. Early questions on the screen for shooting. Okay, let's talk about staff devices. We are currently in the process of gathering user input on the most effective

023devices for staff instruction. The device survey is scheduled to go out to the various stakeholder groups tomorrow. Over the next two weeks, we will assess the results and return to the staff device plan in the next board meeting scheduled for April 16th. So I want to pause and give the board an opportunity to ask any questions about the staff devices process and the timelines. Sir, well, do we have anyone from technology here? I did not write the survey, but it's generally what device do you feel is best for instruction for the staff within your building? That's the main question that we're wanting to answer, yes. And one of the concerns is that the MacBook is more efficient in getting the information for you. i.e. things transferring the speed, what's the thing with the grid, schoology.

024Schoology. and doing lesson plans and everything else as opposed to the iPad. Yes, we have received that same information, yes. Yeah. If we continue to receive that same feedback, there is a high probability we will be back with a plan for MacBooks on the 16th. Well, this may be technical. Peter, I gathered, did it make a monkey? Like a survey monkey? It was actually just an email. It wasn't a form to fill out. Just sharing some of the details and asking for their input. So based on their input, that comes back. And that was from the, went to the teacher advisory board and also members of that technology steering committee as well. So this was a paper form that's it was an email. Yeah, I Leah and her department will gather all the feedback that

025comes from that. Brad Melissa has a bunch of chance. Okay, go ahead. Sorry, Melissa. Nope, that's okay. I just wanted to know if we would be able to, the board members would be able to review those results as far as the survey is concerned. I believe we probably could. Yeah, that's something we could do. And again, unless something has changed, I don't want to speak for Leah because she's not here, but it is not in fact a survey. It was an email asking for feedback on what was recommended. So it won't be like something that can be tallied up. It will be just open feedback that comes back. But you could still garner information that would give you an idea of what the staff is providing to you as far as opinion. This many, you

026know, faculty members, you know, are looking for this type of use with, you know, the feedback that you guys have received. I mean, there's a way to, I mean, review that and then provide us the ability to. see what those results are to allow us to understand why you're making the decisions that you're making. I mean, is that correct? Yes. What we will do is, you know, once we receive all the feedback, obviously we're going to narrow down what is the device that the staff want the most. And we can let you know, is it 90% want MacBooks and 10% want the laptop? or some other device. So we can compile a percentage from the results and provide that to you. The only other question I had in amongst all that is, does the staff...

027No, because there are some staff that are not going to have as familiar of an idea as far as the screens that are going to be going up in the classrooms across the county, how that would then integrate with their MacBooks or vice versa, any laptops that are available. Is there the ability to provide that information to them so that they understand what that looks like? going into their classroom next year. I don't want them to base it on something that they're currently utilizing when we recently also, you know, irrespective of whether a teacher or school wants it or doesn't want it, they're getting new screens. So. Yes, any device that we recommend or purchase will work with the new line boards. And we will have a team of technology integration specialists trained to go

028into each classroom and work with the teachers to show them how their devices integrate with the new line boards. And I guess along with that line, they would need to understand that prior to giving you feedback. Well, I mean, unless they include it in the survey, just saying that any device that we... you know, recommend will work with the new line boards. I mean, certainly we wouldn't make a huge investment in new line boards without, you know, the devices. Well, working with and how they work are going to be two totally separate ways of, of that, of that, the way you look at that picture. I can certainly utilize any, any screen in my house, but that doesn't necessarily mean that each one has a capability that I'm used to. So that's why I'm trying

029to make sure that they have all the information that they need. and how that would work and function in their classroom in order to best answer the questions that you might pose in that email that you're looking to get answers from them. I don't want them going in blind or with a certain assumption that might not absolutely be true or needs to be tweaked in some capacity. I'm not sure else. I'm just, I'm just, well, it's not, we'll work with the new lawn board. Okay. New Line boards advertise all the different devices that integrate with them. If they wanted to look in advance, we could tell them the model of the New Line board. You could go online and look and see exactly what the board's going to look like and what devices, you know,

030compare with it. What are the different options and features of that board? I think that would be good, in my opinion, just so that they have an idea of what feedback they're going to be giving to you guys. Yes, I agree. We can do a follow-up and be sure that's included. Perfect. Thank you. Well, again, the survey is going out to the teacher advisory group and to the technology integration steering committee. So their role is to collect the information and provide us a summary report. So it's not going out to only teachers? No. That's my understanding, correct? Teacher advisory board and the technology team. When you say teacher advisory board, does that include? Faculty senate individuals like what is that who does that encompass. How many are in that group Tina do you know. The

031teacher's badge right. Maybe 15 representatives. I don't know what you're calling the teacher. Superintendent's teacher. Oh yes. There's about 15 teachers on that yes. Okay so from all programmatic levels. So I have a question sort of. I'm trying to type up my questions so don't forget. So I guess it's a couple questions. Number one, why wasn't there a survey similar to like a climate survey sent to everyone? Because in my thinking, a survey would have been better because that way you get brief answers from everybody. You do a little pie chart saying, okay, we sent it out to 700 teachers, only 500 responded. And of those 500, rather than... 15 teachers advisory just contests because then yes, that's supposed to tabulate. But what we'll always hear is I didn't I would I didn't know I

032wasn't able to get my input and that way no one has to hear that because it goes to all the teachers. They get a chance to respond. We get all the percent just figure out what's going on. And just like on the climate survey, just like when we have LSICs and they come and they show us all their statistics. It's right there. And then if anybody says, well, I couldn't take part, well, we sent you an email. If you didn't take the opportunity to respond, of course, we can't do anything about that. But if people have the opportunity to respond, number one, as an administration, then the teachers and the staff feel like they're part of the solution rather than somebody else making decisions for them. Even if it's a decision that... Like if I

033vote and everybody else outvotes me just like on this board, then well, I have my opportunity. I got outvoted at least, but at least I had the opportunity to take part. So I think if it's, if you delay the, whatever you're going to send out to maybe do a survey of the staff, I think that would be better. Right now they're on break. Some of them may be uptown and they're not checking email, just like the young lady that spoke earlier. They're disconnecting, which is good. You need that balance. But when they come back, they'd have a whole week or just to take a couple of minutes, do a survey, done, put it to the board, and we'd go from there. I can definitely work with Leah and get a survey out that would, you

034know, we can turn that around in a week so that we could stay on track for the April 16th meeting, which would keep us in line with ordering devices and then receiving them. The timeline that is um, thank you. So if it keeps the light in there, they tabulate everything. It's just the computer that everything is done and it does. Yeah. Okay. Um, 900 people, um, targeting results and We sent out the 1,500 and let them be involved with the answer. And here are the results of both. I mean, you got it right in front of you. So there's no questions concerning that the advisory board didn't get because that's what's going to happen. Well, nobody asked me that. Yeah, just have it sent out there. Just know that you're pulling them. Okay, so we

035will make that change adjustment, correct? Okay. Yes, you need to. you need to have people identify themselves by grade. Because you don't want to have elementary people who are in the secondary who learn by . You had the question earlier of six, seven, and eight. Why was the difference ? This is for the . Yeah. I'm saying if there's The difference is that at the hearing, I remember the heat that we got was everybody was upset with the MacBooks being... Yeah, and that was so ongoing. Yeah, that was across the board. And the other thing is that the employees need to understand that they need to back up everything when they leave the summit. We need to realize that if we have MacBooks tied up... over the summer, kept in the buildings, we're going to

036lose a lot of volunteer labor that teachers do over the summer preparing for the fall. It's because they're off the payroll in the summer. It doesn't mean they're not working. They work extra hard during the summer. I know your wife needs to come in over the summer and work, I think, in St. Tom's, if I'm not mistaken. And there are a lot of teachers who are in the schools. all summer long and you're doing that not every day but i knew they needed a lot of them donated the labels that they're not donating to us they're donating to their children in the next year so we need to make sure that if we're going to be pulling back books uh existing things we're going to be pulling the plug on a lot of good preparation

037that teachers do And let's see, like I said, make sure they understand the do the backup in cases devices are gathered up. And it's my understanding that that communication has gone from the principles to the staff to make sure that all files on those devices are backed up. Well, and that part of the communications plan hasn't really been sent out yet because they other devices haven't been ordered. So once once that has been approved, presented and approved by the board, then we did state that there would be epic use going out to explain the process for how devices were going to be collected. I just want to emphasize less time that they're without whatever device they decided you all this They need to have the devices in hand in order to turn it. And we

038need to back up in case their device is lost in this place. I don't know what that they they will lose all that invested time. We have any other questions? No. Thank you. Okay. The next item is when I have based on the agenda and that is the mission statement. Got a copy of that. I have heard that we need to put some of this in accountability. We have a lot of things here about students, how we work with them in any different angles and with their social, emotional, physical, but there needs to be something in our mission statement that says they have a responsibility to behave. to be accountable for their actions, accountable for their graves. We can modify. We have IEPs and everything else. But if they're going to sit there and just

039refuse to work, one, I don't think they should be promoted. Two, I think it's a middle school who should not have been promoted who are eligible for this course in next year. I'll explain that to you because you have to have a C rule to be able to play. But I think, and I'm asking for the board members here, they want two of you. Melissa, can you help me? Yes, sir. Okay, thank you. I'm asking for two board members. It's only a half a page here, but we need to put in there, students need to be held accountable. It's not a one-way street. We have accountability on staff. We need to make sure the children under the suits understand they're here to work and learn. We're here to teach and support. And we need to

040make sure that we do that. And I was brought up with Mr. Penalvo and Damage to Credit. And I just heard it. For a couple years now, and I thought let's look at the mission statement started there. Do I have two volunteers? We like to act with this issue. It wouldn't be even a couple sentences that much. I mean these are put together with stakeholders that were internal and external Berkeley County Schools community parents. So you'd probably need a full committee of school administrators, teachers, parents, judges, board, people who are going to redo the mission and vision of the entire school system. I'm going to ask two board members to sit down and come up with who the players should be, subject to suggestions by staff. The board sets the mission. the policy. And I'm

041going to, instead of being the tail end of this process, I want two board members to all work at the right. Anybody else? I can do it. Okay. Ms. Power and Ms. Wright will be, and you all will then hear from there how big, how much, but I want it to be board led and not board reactive. So they're going to be working with community and parents, teachers, administrators. Yeah, this was probably the last two times at least 25 to 30 individuals working on this. It wasn't just. Okay, well, I, Melissa, do you understand? Yes. Yes. Okay. Thank you both. Okay. There's no action on that. Update on the refresh plan. It's on there twice. Okay. Okay. And I've already sent you the second one. Self-appraisal. Okay. Dr. Stewart. Yes, Ms. Manuel has emailed the

042board members the self-appraisal link. You can try to get that done within the next month. We greatly appreciate it. I think some of you have already started that process. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Ms. Manuel and she'll assist you through that process. Ms. Manuel, hi. I know you've got a new one in and Damon told me his and then there is a third one submitted and I don't know whose that is. So you may have no one else. They're all anonymous. So I just marked your guys' name off the list. So I know they're completed. I'll go through and see if they're the same answers. I, on the second time, I wrote down every answer. I tried to run it off. I said you could run it off and

043it's something that's, I don't, I don't think it's really worth it to have every question and every answer. Okay, I'll go through and just make sure there's not a duplicate. Oh, yes. And I can bring in my second copy if we do have a sixth. Okay, that'll be good. Yeah, because I got the second down. Okay, Dr. Spooley. Okay. Good evening, members of the board. Your personnel actions dated for Monday, April the 1st, 2024 are as follows. We can begin with three new coaching appointments, one paid, two unpaid, one coaching resignation. We have one new extra new one resignation of an extra duty contract, excuse me, 13 new health care appointments. And then continuing on page three. We have one resignation of healthcare appointments, two new unpaid leave of absence for approval, two unpaid leave

044of absence to revise the ending dates. On the professional side, we have eight new professional appointments. And then on pages four through eight, we have 13 mutual agreements based upon the transfer list and some budgetary items and supertents looking at. We have seven policy 5000 to go along with the same matters. 10 resignation of professional personnel, one retirement of professional personnel. On the service side, we have nine new appointments of service personnel, one new midday appointment, correction to a previous board action for the effective date. Three new change of assignments. One mutual agreement for next school year. And then we have one ratification of an unpaid suspension termination, and that is Daniel Rinker. We have five resignation of service personnel. We have one retirement of service personnel. One correction of a transfer with an effective

045date. One rescinding their transfer for next school year. three upgrades of service personnel. Looking at the substitutes, we have nine new service substitutes to add to the list, one individual to remove from the substitute list, four new substitute teacher appointments, and one resignation of substitute teacher. For a total of 104 professional service substitute and coaching personnel actions dated Monday, April 1, 2024, with the superintendent's recommendation. Questions by members of the board. I did have a question. What's the difference between a technology coordinator and a technology coordinator slash technology system specialist? This was a request for the Department of Technology to be able to add this to a class title to be able to move positions within some funding formulas. So there's no change in pay or anything. It's just adding to the title. No change

046in pay, same duties? Same duties. Do you know why there would be, I mean, if nothing changes? If it comes down to a funding formula, they'd be able to include them on one side of the funding formula versus another. Okay. So what I was thinking was maybe it's also maybe future promotion if they're in the differences or just funding funds. Yep. Okay. These are 261. It's the current society. Nothing changed in their terms. They were just adding to their title. So Facebook, whatever they currently have. Now, line 32. Can you say something? You go ahead. Line 32. Correct. You did not create this one, filling a vacant position. Questions for Dr. Stewart? There are two teachers. There's a primary P2 group, and then there's an intermediate three to five grades in each one. And I

047think there's three aides, one in each classroom, and then one that goes between many breaks and stuff. So there's three aides. How big of a, I guess, maybe how many, or do you, I've seen a lot of interventionists going from interventions to classroom positions. Is a lot of that due to the funding? Yes. So are you all foreseeing that moving them back to the classroom and not having those positions? I'm seeing the positives, yes, they're going to the classroom, but the negatives, we won't have those interventionists that help with that. We're looking at various different ways to look at the interventions that are provided with the Third Grade Success Act. We now have aides in first and next year second grade to meet that, so we're providing those interventions that way in primary schools. If

048you get into that code section a little more, it talks about intermediate schools. So the superintendent's proposed budget that he's still working through. Prior to the pandemic, intermediate schools did have an interventionist at those levels. So we're looking at trying to maintain at least in the intermediate schools where they drop out of having those aides during that time. So there are some things that some will remain in different levels, but it's just there won't be one assigned to every school because of the funding. Did we have any administrators added because of the expert funding? No, not at the school levels, I don't believe so. What about central? There was some programs that expanded, but I'm not sure what. And is that position going to evaporate because of money running out? No. Talk about that really

049in the news tonight. I want to point out, we're losing an employee who has been with us 41 years and 10 months. After 41 years, I don't know if I can still be John. That's another two percent on retirement. And his name is Wade Widmeyer, and he's at Mountain Ridge. Excellent. Yeah, very, very caring individual. Will David or Daniel Renker be able to appeal whatever's happening to his boy? He did not request anything for this. Okay. But because of the latest action, he could change his mind and appeal. No, he would need to do that before a certain date. Okay, so you gave me a request. The, you know, we were asking for positions. And I was sitting there thinking, well, we've done people before, right? There was a problem. I don't know what it

050is. It's not public. It just says what it says there in the thing. And you're supposed to remain unbiased and unobstructed and not influenced by a possible hearing. And I saw this vacancy going. I thought, what's the difference here? Is it final until we do it? Yeah, it's not final until you vote one way or the other. Okay, now why isn't the 10-day issue starting right now? The due process is the superintendent makes a recommendation to that individual, and they have an opportunity to come before you to be heard. If they don't ask for that, then you put it forward that way. If they'd ask for it, then we would schedule a certain time, which we have somebody else coming up later in April for that information. But there was not a request. So we

051have an active owner person in April. No. So we don't know who it is. Correct. i was just trying to find another set from the stance that we keep going through here trying to do that good answer i appreciate it okay other action other questions okay nothing on the uh action eclipse assembly mr wright lives and i have a second second okay mr martin seconds Anywhere in the area is for tonight. This earlier discussion limits all those in favor of the motion by Mr. Wright, say you're going to say no. Thank you, Melissa. All right. We have board announcements, and then we do have a instructional matters issue. So we'll go through the board announcements. Do we have any announcements from members of the board? Superintendents' announcements. Yep, superintendents away on spring break this week,

052and we want to congratulate all of our student-athletes and hope our staff is enjoying their spring break. Great, thank you. Okay, we are now going on to reconsideration of instructional materials. We have went through a process that's been adopted or procedures for reconsideration of instructional materials. This is the first time the board has had this opportunity. And Spurcard is providing you with some materials related to this process. And the very first page is the actual process. So what this is going to do is go through the notebook, explain the materials that you have before you as the third round and the final round of a reconsideration process. At that point, is the hearing here this evening? I believe so, yes. Okay. And then she'll be able to state her case. and information for you and

053it will have mid branch present you with the virtual school instruction materials of where it's located. At that point, then we have become a you become a delivered to body. We will discuss questions and before you this evening to make a determination on this. So in your packet, the superintendent looked at this material and made a recommendation based upon the committee. It's work that has done this before, and he is recommending that the process have been followed that the information stay the same. It's in. We have this in here somewhere. Just recommendation. Yes, we know it was there. We'll put on a cover sheet. I guess it did not. So it is not written down here. That's why we have to wait for a bit. You don't need to rate for it. All right. Okay.

054Good evening, Dr. Schooley, members of the board. So what I have presented to you this evening is the reconsideration information. And I would just like to very quickly go through each tab. And then you'll have some time to review it. And the parent will have some time to speak to you. And then our director will actually pull up the actual curriculum and show you exactly what a child would go through and what they would say. Okay. And we're joining us in the open because it's not in the executive session. Correct. Okay. Absolutely. So the first tab basically is the procedures that the county has in place. The parents were sent these procedures immediately when the appeal was made. And we went through every one of these steps. The second Tab is the request. If you

055look where it says request, that is the actual request that the parent made for reconsideration. During that request, the actual website was also sent, the website in question. And we'll also be bringing that up for you to review. when we look at it. We also included the sixth grade curriculum maps because we based those on our West Virginia college and career standards. And that is part of our curriculum from the State Department actually. And then the county creates curriculum maps. There's also the sixth grade virtual school social studies curriculum. That is the framework for the unit. And it is also based on the West Virginia College and Career Readiness Standards for Social Studies in sixth grade. And then behind that, you actually see what we will be bringing up and showing you. It actually includes

056the Berkeley County Virtual School content. and how it's embedded into the learning management system. Schoology, which Mrs. Branch will be showing you, and each course is set up in weekly folders, and that helps to keep the students on pace. Also part of the content in the courses is the open educational resources. They're free and they're publicly available for the teaching, learning and resources that students can use, which is additional information that they have. The questionable content was being questioned is the section on the Viner Holocats library collection, teaching the Holocaust and what is the Holocaust. And we will go through that with you when we bring that up. But you have a hard copy of that as well. We're still under curriculum, sixth grade virtual school curriculum. Is it toward the back or middle? It's

057purple. It's toward the middle. It's labeled sixth grade virtual school social studies curriculum. I don't know what page. It would be this brown page behind it. This is the list of the curriculum here. The first part of our review committee was the school committee. And Mrs. Branch developed that committee. And you'll see the findings of the school committee. That is the first brown tab. And you'll also see their opinions that were written. And at that point, the parents or requester had the right to appeal that. And that was appealed. So we then went to the county committee. I facilitated the county committee and we went through the curriculum and the reconsideration committee from the county wrote down their rationale as well. And each bullet that you see is representative of a committee member's feedback. Some

058of it is long and very complex. And we'll give you some opportunity to read that and ask questions as well. We also invited committee members through emails, and we just offered that and put that in a book as well. And we also had an email thread with the parent, and all of those email threads, the communication that we had with the parent is also involved. This is very thorough. Very well done. Thank you. Yeah, we're ready for the parents. I'm sorry. We're ready for you to express. Oh, yeah. Thank you. And you can come up, please. Do you want to? Oh, go ahead. Absolutely. He's okay. Thank you for the opportunity. to come. My biggest concern isn't the orientation of anyone or anyone's preference in life or how they choose to live it. My husband

059and I are pretty hardworking people. I work at Amazon and he works at a car dealership. Our son is in virtual school. And the reason specifically why is because there was a child who was transitioning during his fourth and fifth grade year. His friends were, ah, that's your girlfriend. So my husband and I wondered, you know, how would he react if someday he figured out what that meant without understanding the full scope of things. And we thought it might be a good time because, you know, he's immature in a lot of ways and a lot of kids his age. He's not even 12 yet. He's only 11. So we decided to try virtual school for a year and, you know, because he's emotional and, and, you know, he has crying outbursts, he gets stressed out

060and stuff like that. So we thought that a virtual school year would be great for him. And. One day we were sitting in the office printing out his assignments and I was reading it through and he was sitting next to me and we were trying to figure out what to do and I click a link. And some would say that that assignment isn't exactly, you know, in relationship to the small tabs that go along with it that include the pre-work homosexual life. But it invited the student to continue down because it was. listing all of the things that were in relationship to the tabs below to continue reading. It wasn't just about reading about early Jewish life. It was about exploring the page and reading the contents of the page to learn the lesson. And

061when we got to it, as you can see, I don't exactly remember now where we found it, but it was the thing where the content in question. Do you remember where it is? The web and review, website and review. If you go to that page, it's the third tab or the fourth tab, third tab, that's website and review. And keep in mind that my son is 11, and all other children who read it are newly 11 as well. It says, and please forgive me if I'm upsetting anyone, it's not my intention, but it says in Berlin, there was a large number of openly homosexual, transvestite, and lesbian bars where people met and socialized. The gay community was so well known it even appeared in some tourist guides at the time. Now, as an adult, I

062don't have a problem with this content, but my husband and I enjoy the fact that our son is an innocent human being and he's exploring life in a natural capacity to the best of his ability. We want for him to be modest. We don't want to open up doors and... make things confusing for him because he's 11. He's already confused. He doesn't have foundation. He's never had a relationship where he's been in love with someone. He's never gotten a love letter. He's never kissed a girl. He's never shaken anybody's hand or hugged anybody. You know, we're just concerned. More in the capacity in my complaint where I related it to pornography through the emails. It was more that I felt that it was immoral, that it was saying something that I didn't feel my 11

063year old was ready for. Now, if you put that in the context of a high school child, that's different. And I would have a different feeling about it because he's got a little bit more awareness of life. But he's 11. He still kisses his mom goodnight. You know, that's how I feel. And I don't just feel that about my child. I feel that about every child. You know, I think that all children should have some consideration, not just as in the consideration comments where these are middle school kids. Hey, you know, let's teach them that people are different. Well, I agree we should. But I think this level is indecent. And I think that that kind of content is unfair to say, you know, here, this is adult, you know, this is okay. And I

064don't want my child to go into a bar. I don't want him to think that, you know, that's how life is going to be, you know. That's all we were trying to say. I'm not against anybody for anything. Everyone has their own choice and to live the life that they see. That's the beauty of our country. Our country has us all underneath the same umbrella, the same civil rights, the same constitution, my right to freedom and religion and my husband's right to free speech, yours. But I don't think it's anybody's right to decide. how to teach my child that level of morality. I think it's mine. And I'm asking for consideration for this because I felt strongly enough, not just for myself, but for everyone's child. That's where I'm at. That's why I'm here. So.

065I don't mean to hurt anybody's feelings. That wasn't my intention ever. Would you mind if the board ask you some questions? I don't mind at all. Yeah, no, please. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. He's in virtual school. I see this. Because it was done from a British website from the UK. And all the rest of our assignments are done with the United States Holocaust War Memorial Museum. This man in this thing that we just read from didn't even die at the hands of Nazis. He was not even a part of the Holocaust in its atrocity in its entirety. He died of a stroke in France, you know. I don't know how that even pertains. I don't know why it was even included in a children's curriculum. I'm just, I'm floored. I started school in 1975.

066We had a book in the school system. I mean, it was an optional book. I don't know a number of the stars, I think. And I bought a poster when I was at the Holocaust Museum in the camps. And I thought, I'm not talking about the material you're presenting here, but I remember in a number of stories by, I think the name was one hour in, we, these people were trying to hide a Jewish family from the Nazis. And so I got a poster and I remember different groups had different patches and not all of them were the Star of David. And I remember in homosexuality, I think it was a purple triangle if I'm not mistaken. But I remember showing it to my students how the power and so different people's superior. My husband's

067parents, their country in Greece, they were invaded. They were children during World War Two. We got to hear the stories. I do remember we tried to go. I didn't show movies and everything. Thanks, but I remember discussing. Well, now I have this branch. Before you leave, my mother has passed away. I wish I'd kissed her more. Yeah, you should have. You'll kiss her again someday. No. That's not so much. Why don't you keep it? Thank you. Okay. Okay, so I was asked to show you that I did provide part of your notebook was hard copy of it, but it is embedded in Schoology. So the way virtual school is designed is there's no hard copy. It's all electronic. And so just some background information that's also mentioned in one of the tabs is that this

068is the curriculum that we bought from Kanawha County written by Kanawha County teachers. And upon inspection, you know, all of these courses are being written out of open educational resources. And what that means is that it's copyright. You're allowed to use this. So schools and teachers and websites are allowed to cite this and use that information to share that information. And so that's how. All of this curriculum that we bought from Pinal County was designed by using open educational resources. And the Viner Institute is the one that she mentioned that's out of London, and it's a Holocaust archive. And she also mentioned the United States archive also has an archive as well. And those are both open educational resources. So basically what it looks like, so... Tana wanted me to show you how the week

069looks. So week 18, when that week starts, they go and they navigate into the folders and they click into it. And this information that is provided that the teacher has given is from an open educational resource. So this is not the only one in this entire unit. This is Unit 5. And so that was in one of your tabs as well. You know, going with the content standards and objectives. And this Unit 5 was about World War II. And so it goes through, and I think I put in there, weeks 18 through 25. Yes, the test is in week 25. So I think the week that she is talking about is not that one. Oh, that's the famous picture. If you click the folder for week 24, I think it's in there above. There's a

070folder. Yep. Yeah. Okay. Oh, wait. It's 5.4, I think. So I'm in the wrong week. Sorry. Folder for week 23, bring it up. There we go. 5.4. 5.4 is the Holocaust. And so this is the information, the one she is referring to. And if you go into each of these and this whole unit of World War II, this teacher that created this information, this isn't the only website. This is one of the many, many websites or resources that were used, YouTube videos, all those kinds of resources. So this one specifically was in Section 5.4.1. And you have her copy of this. And this is what she's talking about. So when you go into and read about what is the Holocaust and you click on any of these hyperlinks, all of this is coming from the

071Biner Holocaust Library collection. So that's also where this picture is from. So this is the open educational resource. And if you click on any of these blue hyperlinks, sorry, I'm a mouse person. Here's what she's talking about is that life before the Holocaust when you clicked on Jews like before the Holocaust on the left-hand side Her concern was pre-war homosexual life and so with pre-war homosexual life This is the expert we didn't see that from the side. We scrolled down to read the text and it was at the bottom I'm sorry. I don't know you're in the road there Yeah, when you click the link The new link. Yep. Okay. That's what this, that's what pops up. Go back to the first link. We didn't access it from the side. Click that one more time.

072And then instead of clicking to the left, scroll down because that's how we saw the left. And those tags were continuation for what we were reading. Right. Okay. Yeah. Those, yeah, they're the same thing. So you can click on the left or you can scroll down and find the topic at the bottom. So that'll take you to the part she's mentioning about the gentleman she's mentioning about. And, you know, that has mentions homosexual here. It defines. So if you hover over that, it'll define the word, you know, it defines paragraph 175. So it has, you know, information that it lists out. I will, but I'll wait. So, okay. Okay. Did you want to say anything else? That's basically how you get to the curriculum. Is it required for them to flip other lights to answer

073the assignment? No. So this is, so like I said, if you go through all of any unit, you'll see hyperlinks like this all the time. You'll see videos. So if I click next and I go to the next assignment, you see an assignment and then they've linked to YouTube videos where they're interviewing a survivor, talking about steps or phases of the Holocaust. So those are a different resource. That's not the BINER. And so it goes on to ask questions and create an assignment. So really this first page was just an introduction of the Holocaust. So that's where they use that open educational resource to introduce the Holocaust. And then when you get into, it goes more into the objectives, you know, so that was a basic intro and this one gets more into the phases

074of the Holocaust is the title of this. And then that's where the assignment, they do a personal interview. So really. it's not part of the assignment. It's an introduction. It's part of the unit, but it's not part of any assignment to address homosexuality at that picture. Well, how would you know that you don't have to go through that to complete the assignment? Exactly. It's there. I would think I have to answer all of those subject matters to complete my assignment. At least review them. There's no, there's no quite, like this isn't like a... If you read the assignment here, it goes through what the links are on the website that you click the first one. It doesn't take you to the same place as that first one does. If you click that second link, other

075places, the other on the bottom part under the picture. If you click on any of those links, it takes you somewhere else. It takes you to a different tab of the topic. So all the Viner Institute. So if I go. So it's all one archive. So that whole thing. So Life Before the Holocaust. So if I just go straight to the Biner Institute, then there's the Life Before the Holocaust. But then it, you know, all those other hyperlinks will take you to one of those other tabs on that website. It's a resource. It's an open educational resource. It's not part of the assignment. That's the page that introduces the Holocaust. And this is an archive of the Holocaust. I have not. It's organized. It's organized so that there are places that are, you want to

076protect a shorter person, they have concrete. Columns around it that you have to look you have to be tall enough to look down and see what's going on and they protect people Children that you know that you don't want to see something these columns do that but you don't have columns around these these sites here and I'm just I'm just thinking that the way it's organized down there It is organized, but age appropriate or at least height appropriate. Do any school systems, when a parent has a concern about material, I know in a high school level, the student is given an alternative. This was in a science. It's like the first page of a book. So like, it's like the preface to a book. So it's the preface to the, it's the preface of what

077is the Holocaust. So then the first assignment goes into the stages, 5.4.2 goes into the phases of the Holocaust. So there are four phases to the Holocaust. And then you go to the next assignment and, you know, they continue to walk through, like they're talking about Auschwitz and... So I think the Holocaust, I think people, when people suffer, you know, that's what. Yeah, they're listed as, so just some information, and I know you haven't had a chance to read all of that. That's what we had people investigate. So as soon as she brought it up to me, you know, it's been a very amicable process. You know, this couldn't have gone any better. Respect has been amazing. So I appreciate that. And, you know, listening to each other's concerns back and forth. And in this

078process, basically, you know, we asked multiple people to objectively. you know, review this. So, you know, we started out with our conversation and then we followed the review process that we have to include, you know, providing them all the information we provided you guys with the content standards and objectives, the framework for the unit being written, the list of the assignments. They had access to this just like you guys do, like I am now, to show you the assignments. And then they, you know, took a couple days to look at it and gave us their information. And then the meeting that she had with her group, her second group, I think they did it in a day. They actually decided that, you know, day when we ran those two committees, but they were, you know,

079parents. We had, you know, Musselman Middle School is the school this is from. So we had a Musselman LSIC member, just like it suggests. We had the librarian, faculty senate member. uh for virtual school so we had the committee members on there and a curriculum specialist for the county and they were all given this information to help us decide if this is uh appropriate and whether it should stay or not and the decision was um and then the first in the first committee that i went with um they they thought it should stay and then so she appealed it and then she started the second committee and it was it was the same yeah So I guess one question I had. So one of the suggestions, I think the parent suggested that use the United

080Holocaust Museum. But even there, they talk about. They do. They do. They do. But you have to search for it. It doesn't just bring it up in front. You have to search it. So if you go to the, so that was one of the first things I did was to see if I just should be switching the resource. And the investigation that I did is that any archival resource that I've used is going to list all the groups that were prosecuted. I'm just asking because I can't read the assignment. But in the assignment, when it talks about what happened to the Jewish people, does it even say how they died in any way? Or does it say they died? No, they don't. I mean, they talk about Auschwitz. They don't talk about any particular person

081in this assignment. Like, I don't think they don't get that. No, I'm talking about being graphic. I don't mean being graphic, but some people have to go in the gas chamber. People are experimenting on any. Do they mention largely without going into specifically? Yeah, they do. In a later part. In the same unit, but not in this direct one. But still a sixth grade. So they talk to basically about violence against people. So, yeah. I think if we can handle that. I mean, that's just one. That's a heavy topic. Yeah, it is a heavy topic. I'm glad I don't have a sixth grade. Did they talk about the mentally disabled and all? Did they talk about the mentally disabled? I know they. They didn't discriminate. Well, they did discriminate, but... Right. Children with epilepsy would...

082Anybody with a weakness. So here's a list, yeah. So another one said other groups. So Jews was the first one, and then if you could keep reading through it, other groups were almost disabled people, political prisoners. Yeah, if you scroll down even farther, it does speak about people who are gay who were targeted. I have no problem with any of that. It's just that section that discusses adult stuff that I don't think children should be reading or subjected to. Yeah, sorry about that. I have to unmute myself. I can. What I will say is I can certainly sympathize with the idea of not necessarily having to necessarily talk about certain topics at too young of an age. I almost feel that the information provided in this lesson actually sparks an open door for parents to...

083come in and have conversations with their children, especially around things like homosexuality or anything else, whether it's Jewish culture or whether it is Jehovah's Witness or those who are mentally disabled or whatever that might have been that the Nazis were so bent on eliminating. A lot of this stuff is hard to... comprehend, especially in a day and age when we're trying to respect one another for all of our differences. At the same time, I think that what is, whether we talk about Dr. Magnus Hirschfield or another individual, I think that this is that there are maybe some sentences that shouldn't necessarily have to be in here, but that's not to say that it's not relevant to what they're learning. So I, there's, there's, there's a hard line here at when, when is the right time

084to then introduce this. Is it now? Is it seventh grade? Is it eighth grade? Is it ninth grade? And each child individually is intellectually and emotionally capable of handling some things earlier and some things later. It's not always a cut and dry situation. And so I sympathize with parents who have concerns, but at the same time, I'm not entirely sure where that line... is in in in a matter where we're not actually talking about graphic there really isn't i'm not seeing the graphicness i guess um with which is being uh i guess seen at the moment is that maybe that's a question is that what what graphicness are we is seen here that that is so is controversial or being questioned. I guess the question I have is, I think it's part of the whole

085test, and it needs to be presented. And I guess the thing that talks at my heart, what grade level do you start that? Right. That's the hard determination, because like Melissa said, some kids are more mature than others, maybe too mature. other children can't take that at all so but they see foreign on tick tock and whatever i guess the issue is is that we're presenting that to them and on the school base let me ask dr scooley a question here dr scooley the parent has raised questions that i think would be involved with an iep and And I know this hearing doesn't follow under in general terms the next act of session. But if you saw us had questions about an IEP, with the patent and the program stand, could we intervene with you?

086I definitely want you as acting superintendent to do that. Would we be appropriate to go into a limited executive session discussion about an IEP for one individual? You could do that for the one individual, but we're talking about a link that affects the entire curriculum of all students, whether they're having an individual education plan or if it's a general ed student. So we've got to kind of look at that, keep it very narrow to whether or not this is appropriate. resource within the instructional program. Just for your previous... I have some questions, but I don't want to ask them now. The superintendent's recommendation was to recommend the county-level review committee's decision denying the request to remove the hyperlink for HolocaustExplained.org from the list of optional readings available to the students in the virtual school program.

087All right. I'd like to make a motion that I know I'm present, if this is allowable for small boards, to go into executive session to discuss matters about the particular student with the That's the motion, but it has to be narrow. We can't digress into generalities, but we can. And this program might be in discussion. Do I have a second? Melissa, did you hear the motion? I heard it, but I'm keeping my mouth shut. Motion fails. Okay. So what do you know about puberty or early childhood education? I think I remember it was fifth grade. Yeah, that's one of the first things I investigated as well was when did they start talking about puberty? It was fifth grade. Yeah. Yeah, I think we all do. My honor is that it started in the late 80s.

088So that has to be in the 80s. When you're, if something's brought up about an individual student, we're sensitive about it. If you saw something that I did, do you all review IEPs? Because I know the virtual school is a big alternative. For many reasons, but one of the reasons is having trouble being in a social setting of the schools. So do you see, what do you see in the parents' favor? Okay, you don't want to see the curriculum eliminated, but what about the individual parent and child? Do you see any justification for their consent? Me, personally? Yes. I think everybody has the right. I mean, my goal with virtual school, now coming out of the in-person classroom for 20 years, was I was always passionate that school was a place where teachers wanted to

089teach and students wanted to learn. And once I became involved with virtual school. I added an element and that I added that the caregiver wants to be involved. So nothing about this process has upset me. I think it's been a very diplomatic process, a very democratic process and a very, like I said, amicable conversation. And, you know, that's why we put into place the procedures that we had to try to get, you know, professional opinions and family and community opinions, including hers. you know, as to how this should be handled. And so I think, I think the process was done correctly. And, you know, I have my own beliefs. And, you know, no matter what, what my beliefs are, I also believe in the separation of church and state. And I believe that, you know,

090we need to make sure that we're respecting, you know, the curriculum. I had I had a student witnesses mother being shot and and and I was sensitive to things about guns around that student while I thought that I was downplayed and didn't didn't bring up during that year's instruction and some things that I I did otherwise during other years I remember the book Hatchet and I just remember some stories that I avoided because I was sensitive to that one student in my class. And so I agree with what you're saying. You're in a committee that said it. But I think that IEPs have ever shown them that it's not as black and white. And that we have to... I don't understand how this is an IEP. No, I'm just saying we've heard some Brazilian things

091by the parent that I think that the parent has legitimate concern for that child. Not for all animals, but for that child that we should be sensitive to. and and and to see how they come along like we have here and and that's that's my concern is there an option um to opt out of something like there is for a text for a library yeah yeah anytime that um I've had not on this particular subject, but I had somebody in the seventh grade who their seventh day Adventist and they didn't want their child to read a Christmas carol. So because it had spirits in it. So we had to provide alternate assignments for this student. So yeah, we do consider that. Virtual or general ed? Are any parents allowed to opt out of learning about

092slavery? I don't want my child to lie about slavery. Could I opt my child out of that? I've never had that. I would not. I would probably not. We, if it's content standard and objective, you know, that's state to me, that's state law and state policy. So I, you know, I respect a parent's, you know, decision, but I'm not going to say you don't have to do that. I figured you could not. Yeah. I was asking that because to me, it's, it would be this, there's nothing. graphic in there just stating a fact that this is and it doesn't go in graphic detail just it's so to me it's it's like if I don't want folk for slavery I don't want them to learn any of the bad parts let's just learn about all the

093hard work they did like but not why or anything that bad happened to them so if I'm not going to protect my child from that there are things I can do to I can lie to them I can soften I can do all anytime kinds of massage you and things I want to do to try to lessen the impact depending on the age. But what I'm seeing, this is not, it isn't to any level of we should get rid of a hyperlink based on that. Now, if there was something graphical, of course, but just mentioning that, whether you agree or don't agree with whatever it is, it shouldn't have stopped. there's a separation of church and state but morality is both well my morality wouldn't be your morality so right but that's where i'm coming

094i'm not coming from you know an uber religious place my husband and i we are who we are and we don't expect other people to follow who we do or what we do but at the same time you don't show pornography to your children. So there's got to be some kind of baseline for morality or innocence, the protection of. Someone in my comments in one of the evaluations mentioned that, yes, we should protect elementary school children. They're young and they're innocent. But so was my 11-year-old in sixth grade. I totally agree. I'm glad Mr. Martin asked about the sexual education because that starts at fifth, which is even before this. So even in fifth grade, they at least would know what certain terms mean. They don't have to go into detail. But by sixth grade,

095just hearing the word homosexual and knowing what happened to them without any details as to what happened to them as they are. whether I'm pro or against or however I feel religiously or even morally or anything like that, then that's my opportunity at home to help my child work through that. I'm a 36-year-old. My oldest child will be 36. So what I'm trying to say... is I understand, but there has to be some observance of innocence because we're pushing our kids too hard. I think we've taken television away. We don't watch regular TV. We have a Roku. We let our son watch what we watch that isn't language and over-sexualizing children. We fear that because he doesn't know anything. Yes, maybe we're trying to protect him a little more. Maybe some children don't get that

096same protection. And that's sad because I think they should all be loved and protected. But the morality should be considered, I think. not just for our son, but for everyone, for your son. Yeah, I'm not trying to be that. I just think that, and I think you're doing a wonderful job of trying to show the child, but at the same time, we have to think about all the children. And also, like I said, I don't think this has gone to the stage of... anything explicit. It's just stating something they learned the year before and this is what happens to people. So it's not really a moral issue. other than the immorality of the Nazis, mainly. Now, if the other morality- That's a whole different separate issue that we discuss quite frequently. Right. Now, the social

097morality issue, that's something that can be discussed amongst families in terms of how various families feel about those things. The way my family feels about it may be different than as long as yours, et cetera. Mine feels probably very close to the same, but maybe not. I don't know. But it's not for me to then- push that on you like i got when i ran i said i'm a christian but i'm not going to then try to push that on the whole community i have to push that by how i act and you're doing that through how you raise your children like any church and whatever else that you do in the community but so that's it is there any more questions very interesting mr martin you keep mentioning pornography and The definition of pornography

098is not in these five paragraphs. I don't think that's on the record. If you keep saying it, it's going to leave. It was in the heat of the moment, but it was just in relationship to a moment of morality. And I'm sorry I didn't, I wasn't clear because I didn't have the right words at the moment. I was very emotional when I wrote that. And my intention was. to focus on this is something in my eyes, you know, with the words and the life of this man who wasn't even killed by Nazis. I think myself that it was just a moment to maybe expose children to something that in moments were more adult than maybe a child was ready to handle. Well, I guess in my view. It's just the sexualization of children in my

099mind. And I considered this moment where for myself that it did. that it was just a moment where an innocent child might have seen it and, you know. If you go to that next link, it'll tell you how many people were. I'm not disputing homosexuality in adults, but what my interest is, is 11-year-olds, 12-year-olds, 13-year-olds, they don't even know who they are yet. And I think that we should give them time. I don't think that, I don't think for myself that we should throw so much at them because the world's already doing it anyway. Is it? Okay, do we have any more questions from this branch? Well, I just had a suggestion. My suggestion was that a parent of one play that they did not want their child to be that long-term learning that they're

100not good on. I mean, that's not an answer to everybody's... solution a solution to everybody's problem but i think just as everyone has said uh i don't think we can limit what we've done this curriculum by what a couple well there might even be much many more than a couple feel that was appropriate or a better children's frame up. Just like we would do with any matter that would come before you as a board, to think about it and to deliberate, we'll go ahead and get both sides wrapped up here and then give you an opportunity to discuss here amongst yourselves and the board if there are no final questions for the presenters. Melissa, do you have any questions for the frame? I don't have any questions. At this time, Mr. Murphy, it's up to

101you and the rest of the board to make a discussion and determination. A discussion. Well, let's have a motion first. Let's let the lady summarize what you're requesting for us. My request is that we stop that link from going anywhere because it doesn't do anything to teach a child. I think the subsequent link that goes through the longer list, which includes gays, should be more focused on because I think that gives more information. I think the first link where it takes you to the opportunity to click the one link that's in dispute is just not even informative. I don't even know that it relates as much to the Holocaust itself. You've heard our guest summary of the request. Is there a motion to grant the request or a motion to deny the request? The superintendent's

102recommendation is to uphold the recommendation of the county level review committee's decision denying the request to remove the hyperlink theholocaustexplained.org from the list of optional reading available to students in the virtual school platform. Okay, we've heard of super test by condition. Do I have a motion stating the same? So, second. Okay, the motion before you is to deny the request to allow the link to be removed. Discussion on the motion. The request. Go ahead. My only statement is this. If you read the paragraphs that are in that hyperlink when it relates to the homosexual life prior to the Holocaust, it sets the stage for how severe the society is able to shift from acceptance to... one of outrage or hostility. And I think that is where we can draw a similarity to what might have

103happened with the Jews, where they were held in such high regard, and then in very quick time, it shifted and changed. So I don't see anything that was graphic in nature. And I certainly sympathize with a parent, but in regard to drawing similarities and utilizing the information that is there, we're able to do that with what they have provided on that Lincoln. So that's all I wanted to make a comment about. I've been oscillating here because the virtual school, as I understand it, was set up to shelter some children who cannot function comfortably in the virtual school environment. And I mean, that's probably the thing. I do not support the idea of precluding. the lessons that are here under discussion that would be included. But I do see a parent's concern when you look at

104the one child that's being discussed and some of the background that was provided. I'm sensitive to the desire to protect children, and I think, and that's why I wanted to discuss the IEP. And we're not going to do that. But I just think that we have to be sensitive to the children before us and what they're going through. And we have to, sometimes we have to just make exceptions. And I was searching for, you know, an alternative. But to preclude this. like some of the other discussions here, it was not just Jews that were ran rascally. I mean, I had children in my classroom who were Jehovah's Witnesses, and they understood why they were not saying the flesh. It wasn't a vapor of spirit. They were sitting there and looking upon it as worshiping a

105false idol. And I always made sure that the other students in the class understood. They were not unpatriotic. They were doing what came up in the discussion, our recognition of different religions and stuff. But if we played this lesson for other children who may be able to handle it, I think that would be my only part of the board here. I just sympathize because of some of the things she said about the neuro-extension. And I know that virtual schools are set up to protect some children from the means that's in our public schools. We talk about ideas and everything. I've talked to students at the interviews for the 11th graders mock interviews. They told me about voting in our schools when we have all these programs. But we can't have a staff of one-on-one on

106every student in this school system. And things happen to our children. And parents are white and one is a separate group. And that's what I see an effort here to do. I can't support you in that effort. Thank you. But I see the sensitivity that I'm hearing from. And we have children in our schools who, we tell kids, we're trying to be ready for a career in the middle school. I still have a problem with doing my program. I mean, I joke around about that, but I sometimes what was said here, we push the kids. What are you going to do when you grow up and you're sitting here in middle school trying to get a career or you might be doing it. So I understand what you're trying to do, but what you did

107is accomplished. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. The parent has to ask what their child can do and what they cannot. But as Ms. Minochi said, we are living off this from the new students. And I think that we have to think what's appropriate for all kids. So we, my wife and I, didn't learn about the power posts. until we were married in our early 20s and we read the book, Accidents. We never studied it. Yeah, heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. It was just not taught. I'm a Berkham County student, but I don't remember learning about it. I've never seen pictures of World War II, but I didn't understand the connection. Yeah. Okay, we have a motion before us. All those in favor of the motion of this, according to the superintendent's recommendation, say aye. Aye. May the

108ayes have it unanimously. Mr. Mayor, if I may, I want to say thank you to the parent, thank you to the two committees and the board for the first time going through this exercise to review any type of instructional materials and reading materials. I congratulate everybody on. doing a great job of presenting your sides and coming forward to discussing this thank you thank you okay let's take a two-minute break and then we're going to go into the executive session to discuss the superintendent's contract there will not be any action taken um we will let the staff and everybody's welcome to stay we're going to return to another room and we will have this long in this panel thanking the motion to adjourn and uh mr dr sui will notify the staff at what time have

109that occurred and that's everybody in the agreement that we will do it that fashion with no action okay Thank you everyone. Let's take a minute break. Okay. Second. Second. Second by Ms. Fowler. All in favor of going into executive session? Aye. Thank you all for coming. okay