001I'd like to officially call this special called meeting to order and welcome our candidates, commissioners, and members of others joining us tonight. Before we dive into the interviews, I'd like to set the stage for how this evening will proceed. We have 90 minutes scheduled for tonight's conversation. Please note that no decision will be made tonight. The board will vote and make an appointment at this week's action session on Thursday, March 26th. Regarding this election process, an appointment will be made upon the affirmative vote of four commissioners. Once selected, the appointee will be sworn in and seated during the board's April agenda review session. To our candidates, we want to be this to be a natural and open conversation. While we aren't going to use our formal timer tonight, we will be mindful of the clock.
002Following your opening statements, the board will proceed with specific questions. To maintain a consistent and well-balanced process, both candidates will respond to each question. Each commissioner who asks a question will direct the question to the candidate who should respond first. With that in mind, we ask that you please try to limit your answers to 3 minutes or less. We truly value your ability to be concise as brevity is greatly appreciated and helps us to stay on schedule. We're looking forward to your insights. Comment at the conclusion of the interview portion. We value your input and ask that you please limit your comments to 3 minutes or less so that everyone has a chance to be heard. Before getting into specific questions, this is your time, candidates. In 3 minutes or less, can each of you
003explain why you are seeking appointment to the board? We'll start with Mr. Duarte, Mr. Rashid. Same question. Thank you, commissioners, for this opportunity. My name is Dr. Dorian Lwazi. I'm a product of public schools. I was an eighth and ninth grade history and English teacher in charter magnet schools, charter schools, and traditional public schools in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and San Antonio. I'm currently an assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies where I prepare aspiring principals and superintendents earning their master's or PhDs. And I research the effects of educational policies on marginalized communities. I moved to Indianapolis in 2019 and I've lived in District 2 since 2020. I'm interested in the board vacancy because I've reached a point in my career where I'm tired of writing about things that are happening in my own backyard.
004Uh and I see this as an opportunity to engage more deeply with my community and represent voice their voices on the board. Over the past year, I've engaged with my community by following state legislation and impacting my IPS. I've joined the IPS Parent Council's efforts and I've publicly advocated for IPS in Circle I L A and legislative hearings. I continue to engage with community members on a daily basis around the pressing issues facing IPS as they enter into collaboration with IPAC. Therefore, I hope to leverage my professional expertise and community-based leadership at this critical moment. Good evening. Uh first off, I'm a father of children that have attended public schools their entire lives. I am a product of public schools. I feel that my business acumen can be a great asset to the board. What
005I bring is a a different lens to the board that um would help in in many areas. I'm active in my community in District 2. Um I'm a community leader in in my district. People know me. And I'm here to finish what I started in 2024. Um for it to come full circle for me, I think that this is a a key time for me to do what I planned and set out to do, which is to further the education and and and great education for the children of IPS. That's what I'm about, that business, and I'm excited for the opportunity. Thank you both. We're going to get into the first question. Considering [clears throat] that this appointment would fill the board vacancy until the next scheduled school board election, do you plan to or
006would you consider running for election in 2026? Why or why not? Mr. Rashid. I would definitely consider running in the next election. Um you know the opportunity to help pass this referendum in the current cycle would would be a great a great part to um you know, participate in, but I would definitely look at it and you know, pass those initiatives of creating better education for for children. So, but I got to get I got to get this one knocked out first, right? Yes, we really have to get this one. Thank you, Mr. Duarte. Uh so, yes, I am absolutely considering running for election in 2026. I am committed to [clears throat] this process. Also, many of you probably heard my testimony about the importance of publicly elected school boards. So, I would, you know,
007I respect that deeply and I'm committed to democratically earning the trust of my community. Thank you. Question two. So, first and foremost, I would say I'm a former teacher. I am a licensed principal for grades K through 12. And I'm a professor of educational leadership and policy studies. So, that professional experience positions me with a profound understanding of the educational landscape um on on a larger scale in terms of how educational policy and leadership plays out in various different contexts, both in the different contexts that I've worked in. Um and I've also done research about the context right here in Indianapolis around school choice. And so, that research background provides me with both a local understanding of how we got to the current moment, but also of the various policies and practices that have been
008effective and ineffective in other places. And so, I feel that that provides me with a leverage point to uh provide and promote evidence-based policies and practices that would serve marginalized communities, students, and families specifically well. Question two. Yeah, so my years in business, as I stated earlier, I think that brings a different, you know, lens to the board. I I was boots on the ground in 2024 and and and before I decided to to hop into the commissioner race. I I know what District 2 looks like. I know what District 2 needs. I I've spoken to parents. I've spoken to community leaders. I've spoken to the the folks that will make up District 2 and understand what that need is. And I'm ready to help address that need and push forward with a with a
009great with a great plan. Um you know, um it's really about the kids at the end of the day. You know, I'm I'm I'm an educated man, but uh you know, I I think that my ability to connect in a collaborative um position is what will will help this this board and I think that my connection with the community, I was just out this past weekend and we were doing a community service project at one of the churches with some local kids from not IPS, but um a public school. And that's the kind of connection I have. So, you know, people know me. When I go to the grocery store, they know who I am. I I still get questions about, you know, "Hey, are you going to Are you going to throw your hat
010back in the ring? Are you going to run back for it?" I was like, "You know, I don't know, but hey, the opportunity has presented itself." And and here we are today and I'm ready to take advantage of that. So, I'm just ready to put my full effort into this position. I jumped the gun. Now, we're at question three. Thank you both. Okay. Mr. Achie Thinking about the relationship between the superintendent and the board, how would you explain the difference between governance and management? And what does effective governance look like to you in practice? So, just a simple analogy for me, you know, governance is, you know, setting the destination um and the rules of the road and management is driving the car to get there. That's how I see governance versus versus management. You
011know, governance is defining of roles, vision, and goals um and policies. um establishing accountability and authority um structures. Ensuring compliance, ethics and role management. Where management is allocating resources, people, budget, time. Solving operational problems. And and I'm I'm sorry, the second part of that question, what does effective governance look like? So, being able to control and and manage all that and make it make it effective and um Thank you. Question for Bobby. Totally agree with Mr. Achie on that question. Sorry. Um so, I see governance as a process of shared decision-making in terms of the board. I see governance as it as involving multiple stakeholder voices, including teachers, families, students, and community which we all members of the board bring. Um and then I see management as more of the day-to-day operations of running a
012district, which would be led by the superintendent. So, in thinking about the dynamics between the board and the superintendent I see the board as setting the parameters, the policies for which the superintendent would enact on a daily basis. Um in educational leadership, we talk about uh policy versus policy implementation, and so that's a simple kind of analogy of the governance sets the policy, the superintendent is responsible for the implementation of it. about. Um and sometimes there needs to be a closing of the circle, right? When issues of implementation might arise, which may require some revision to the policy, in which um governance would be central to that. So, I think effective governance is collaborative, it considers multiple viewpoints, negotiates the tensions that emerge among those multiple viewpoints, which sometimes are differing, right? Um and intentional
013in addressing the concerns that that members of the board bring. Um but also recognizing that governance needs to be strategic and operate within the structure that we're given. So, if we think about, for example, operating within this new iPad structure, I don't feel that it would be a time to dwell on like how we got there, but to think about strategies within which we can work [clears throat] within that structure um to meet the needs of the kids in the district. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> This question is for Mr. DeBoard. Um Please describe a time you've had a disagreement with a colleague. What did what you did in response, and ultimately how the disagreement was resolved or managed going forward in the future. Sure. Um So, it's no secret that there's a lot
014of disagreements in academia. Um so, when I think about a recent situation, it was um disagreement in how dissertation committees were run. So, I was chairing a dissertation committee in my colleague had I was actually chairing like my first two dissertation committees in my current role, and my colleague had chaired many. And so, we had a disagreement about the process um and, you know, in my experience, all chairs sort of approach it in their own unique way. Um and her understanding was more like, this is the way that we do it here, and so why are you doing that? So, I'll admit, you know, it created a tension between us and it was uncomfortable at first. Um but where we were able to overcome that discomfort was by listening to one another and just staying
015steadfast in our position, but explaining like, this is where I'm coming from, this is why I'm approaching it this way. Um asking clarifying questions about, you know, uh why do you feel it should be done this way? And at the end of the day, you know, we came away with a better understanding of where we were each coming from, a mutual respect for what we each do well. Um I came away with an understanding of what I could do better. Uh and at the end of the day, we realized that we were both there to foster conditions in which students can be successful, and so that was the bottom line most important thing. Um and so, you know, it's been collegial ever since. So, I'm in sales and um sometimes there's account changes due to
016the territories changing and and new people coming aboard. So, there was a salesman that was senior to me in in his time with the company. And uh the decision was made that I was going to get an account that he had um service for for several years. Now, the reason behind that was that there was a new product manager that was going to be pretty influential in getting that business. And I had a relationship with him. So, the salesman, he felt that he should be able to keep that account. And, you know, after looking at my account list, I had a lot of accounts, and I said, what could I do to appease him and make this account change happen? So, I gave him an account that was still a a good account. Um and
017it just wasn't as big as the account that I was going to receive. And I talked it out with him. I said, look, man, I'm here to help you in this transition. I know you feel like you should have this account. But I still think that for the greater good of the company, this is what we need to do. And obviously I had the the backing of the ownership. But um he wasn't happy about that. We worked through it. He took the lesser account. He's since grown that account to one of the top 20 accounts in the company. The account that I took is it is doing well. So, the the right decision was made. I had to give up something. I had to to make a sacrifice um and compromise, which I know that
018there'll be plenty of times to compromise, but it was for the greater good that I did that. So, uh you know, I could have just said, no, hey, I'm I want I want this account, and I'll I'll I'll keep all the other accounts that I had, but that would not have been compromise, and that would not have been working as a team. And um we were able to figure it out. And all parties uh were happy at the end of the day. And the company did what it needed to, which was thrive, just like this board would. Thank you. I said we would make we said this would be conversational, and then I I keep jumping ahead picking the wrong number and and skip. So, I'm just listening to you. Um but we are Thank
019you for those responses. It's time for our question for Bobby. Good evening. So, District 2 serves some of IPS's most vulnerable students, many of whom lack access to consistently high-quality schools and resources. What specific actions would you take within your first year on the board to ensure these students receive equitable access to strong instruction, experienced teachers, and rigorous academic opportunities? Mr. Achie, first. So, in my first year, I would uh focus on a few things that make an immediate difference. Um first, I'd push to collect clear, transparent data so we can identify which schools and student groups are being underserved and act quickly so we won't waste any more time and we can get a uh you know, when we wait years on a on a response. Uh second, I think access is critical, whether
020it's advanced coursework, um, tutoring, uh, transportation to high-quality options. We need to remove barriers uh, so students aren't limited by their zip code, right? Uh, third, I want to ensure that schools have what they need to create strong learning environments. Uh, safe buildings, consistent staffing, and the right academic supports in place. And finally, I would say that uh, directly connected to families and school leaders in District 2 to make [clears throat] sure that uh, what we're doing is actually working and what the parents and the students want and need. So, um, regarding, um, the question about most the most vulnerable students, I'll just start with a brief account of when I was a teacher working in a predominantly black school, my student said to me, "Mr. Boyd, you're a good teacher. You should You should
021be teaching at that white school up the street." And that's a comment that has always haunted me because it's like, why does a student deserve Why does a student believe that they don't deserve a good teacher? Um, and that drives the questions that I ask in my research because the system in which they've experienced has somehow subconsciously communicated to them that they are not deserving of the highest quality education. Right? So, one of the things that I would do is continue to analyze the data on NPS. I presented last week at a conference looking at whether or not uh, the Rebuilding Stronger plan is reproducing racial equities in the distribution of students across zones and then across the 10 curricular offerings that exist within the Rebuilding Stronger plan. And you should be proud to know
022that the racial disparities across um, zones, uh, or sorry, across the 10 curricular offerings are not statistically significant. Uh, which shows that there is growing equity uh, in access for students of color across all of the different curricular offerings. But what I did find is that the performance of those schools offering those 10 different curricular options like International Baccalaureate, STEM, etc., uh, they're they're not equal. >> [clears throat] >> Uh, they vary greatly. And so that's problematic when we have schools that are um, populated by students from predominantly marginalized backgrounds. So, those performance measures may reduce reproduce inequalities and they may reproduce um, outcomes that we know need improving. And And I've been doing that for quite some time. So, one of the things I would do is continue to do that analysis with publicly
023available data. Um, and you know, within my my my professional um, responsibilities, and to continue to determine where those gaps are. The second thing that I would do is talk to the community. Right? So, that's what I'm seeing in the data, but I need to know what people are experiencing, what those schools are seeing. So, um, with those various data points is where I would then advocate for increasing access, improving outcomes, and leveraging my professional experience um, and my research-based knowledge to think about uh, promoting the conditions that that are support instruction and rigor. Question 6. How would you approach decision-making as a board member when issues arise that involve both legal considerations and the need to create a safe, inclusive environment for all students? Thank you. So, safety [clears throat] and inclusivity are top
024priorities. They have to be top priorities. Um, my own positionality uh, as a child of immigrants from Puerto Rico, as a former teacher of predominantly Latinx, black um, populations, and with a large number of Somali refugees in my classroom at one point, I'm sensitive to the needs of multilingual learners and to migrant communities. But my research background and understanding of the policy context also makes me very sensitive and aware of the anti-immigrant climate and that that requires a delicate approach to addressing these issues. Uh, I am also identified as a member of the LGBTQ community. I was bullied as a child um, and I have to deal with the consequences of feeling unsafe in certain settings on a daily basis, but you know, kind of bring me back to schooling experiences I had, uh, feeling
025insecure in certain settings. Uh, and no child should have to deal with that. Um, so, I've sought to uncover in my research you know, and really in the preparation of educational leaders, how we can best support these communities amidst policy environments that are hostile towards them. Um, and you know, we see the headlines and we think, "Oh, these policies are so bad." And they are to an extent very bad, right? Um, but the headlines are often a little bit harsher than the policy indicates. And so what I've found >> [clears throat] >> is that there's actually quite a bit of agency uh, for school leaders, for teachers, um, and for the board. So, for example, I recently found out um, that school boards are not prohibited from adopting LGBTQ+ policies. So, despite recent legislation that
026might indicate otherwise, there are things uh, within our purview that that we can do to address safety and inclusivity because at the end of the day, every child, regardless of how they identify, needs to feel safe in order to learn. And I I I can say I didn't I only thrived in college I didn't have this I was a solid BC student because I was very distracted by things the kids were saying about me. Um, and so uh, you know, we need to make sure that we're providing that structure for kids to to thrive. Um, so my approach is to start obviously with the the children, um, the students and work outward. First, I would make sure that we clearly understand what the legal requirements are. And we have to get that right. Um, compliance
027alone isn't enough, but I also want to understand how decisions actually impact student safety. Um, especially those who may be most vulnerable. All the students that Mr. Boyd spoke spoke of. Um, I believe good governance is about balancing both, following the law while using uh, good judgment, um, empathy, and community input to make decisions that affect our values and and what and when there's tension, I think it's our responsibility to be transparent about it and explaining how we got to our decision. Um, at the end of the day, we got to make sure that these kids feel safe, um, that that these teachers are um, you know, loving on these kids, administrators, everyone. It shouldn't even be a question. That That should be job one. Um, these kids deal with a lot of stuff coming
028from homes that, you know, single parent homes, they're having to watch their siblings, you know, some days they can't go to school because a parent um, maybe has to has to go to work. And you know, I'm I'm a product of a single parent home. Um, you know, I grew up I was the latchkey kid. Um, you know, I had to get home, make sure my sister was together you know, my mom she might have gotten home you know, 6:00 at night sometimes. I had to prepare meals. So, um, there's a lot of kids that have to do that and a lot and a lot more than that. Um, we just got to find a way to make it make it better for them, make their make their time at school enjoyable while they're learning,
029and um, take some of the burden that they that they that they have to deal with sometimes when they go home. So, school should be a place I hate it for them, right? A safe haven. Thank you. Question 7. Good evening. Um, I'm going to start with the same for this question. Uh, District 2 is predominantly the uh, predominantly black portion of the IPS district, but a rapidly growing Latinx and uh, Haitian Creole student population. So, how have you engaged your District 2 community uh, to understand the needs of language, um, the needs of language within schools and also um, um overall community when it comes to issues or existing conditions in education overall. So, give us an example of how you've engaged the diverse community that you would represent. Yeah, so um I you
030know, I I when I started getting involved with the IPS Parent Council, I met a lot of a lot of parents um and so I started just talking to them locally about um their experiences with Rebuilding Stronger, their experiences with Enroll Indy, um some of the uh schooling decisions that they made and the experiences that they have with those. And so, it was just an an opportunity to seek a better understanding about, you know, I know where they're coming from and and what their experiences have been like. Um I also, wildly enough, started posting a lot about on social media about what was happening in ILEA and I met a lot of people um through engagement in that. And so, I started to talk to uh parents and families and teachers about uh their experiences
031and their concerns. I also currently conducting a study to better understand Latinx parents' experiences uh accessing school choice within IPS. And so, while that's a research a research study, it has exposed me to members of the community. It's also taught me a lot about what their experiences have been like. Um and so, you know, those are some of my experiences to date. Uh but, I would continue to engage with the entire District 2 community would be a top priority for me uh if I were given this opportunity. So, yeah, District 2 is uh incredibly diverse and it's incredibly large uh and I had the pleasure of meeting with um over 500 constituents in District 2 during my time in running for the commissioner position and hearing what those parents and some of those students uh
032you know, what their needs, what their wants are, what their concerns are. So, you know, at the ground level, I've I've been able to to hear that and and keep that with me and and know, okay, this is what we need to implement going forward in District 2. Um Now, in addition to, you know, being out there and uh being on the ground level, I also run um a scholarship fund in the summer where I've been able to um give scholarships to public school students the last 2 years. Uh it's a community enrichment event, very diverse. Uh we actually even had the um event currently at um >> [snorts] >> the church just east of the cathedral, All Souls Unitarian Church, which is an LGBTQ um location um but everybody is welcome. We have all
033all all kinds that come through and it's just so it's really a beautiful event and it really it shows the the totality of what you are collaborative in your approach to a community what it can look like. It's nobody's there that's concerned about anyone's, you know, makeup. They're just there for one, support the kids, uh to enjoy some good music, give some scholarships away, and um you know, increase our um our light over on the on the on the northeast side. Uh now, continuing on, um I've also built relationships through things like the um I'm sorry. Um Well, just the just the general community engagement through the schools there uh in in district um and >> [clears throat] >> um one thing I've heard consistently is the need for stronger communication in in families' homes,
034uh languages, and for the schools to be more proactive in building trust. Uh to me, engagement isn't just outreach. Um it's making sure that the voices actually shape decisions um and that's the approach that I would continue to bring to the board. Thank you. Question eight, please. Given the current mandate to serve all students within the IPS boundary across district district schools, how would you approach working collaboratively collaboratively with leaders and operators whose models or philosophies you may not fully agree with while still achieving outcomes for students for? For me? Yes, sir. Um so, students don't experience the system in silos. Uh they just need a great school that works for them. Even if I don't agree with every model or philosophy that's presented, um I can always align around outcomes for students' learning. Are
035they safe? Uh are they prepared for what's next? Uh my approach is to stay focused on the shared goals and build relationships based on respect and accountability. That means being willing to listen, but also clear about expectations, right? Um I think Indianapolis is at a moment where we have to move past uh divisions and focus on what's actually working for kids. I'm committed to being a partner in that, but um by by bringing people together to solve problems and and not deepen so, solutions. So, I uh first of all, you know, moving student outcomes for forward is so always the most important thing. Um regardless of models or philosophies, I respect all leaders in IPS. Uh I I I'm I'm committed to setting aside any differences um perceived or otherwise. Um and I respect where
036the district is at in terms of implementing a high-quality robust portfolio model. I recognize that that's where we sit in the current moment and that is um what we've committed to doing. So, with that in mind and with [clears throat] the bottom line to always work alongside the leaders of these various different models and philosophies, we work together to ensure that all schools have equal access and have positive outcomes. In my sort of analysis of the different curricular offerings, one of the shocking findings for me was that um of the of the all of the STEM schools across the district, the average uh IREAD um the average percentage of students that are proficient in IREAD across all the STEM schools is 16%. So, I do think we have to ask really difficult questions around which
037models are working and can we replicate those models? Can we expand those models? Um and which do we have to make hard decisions about or do we need to sort of um rethink our approach to because they aren't producing results, right? So, um you know, I think it's more about the outcomes and and being accountable to those than it is about school type or curriculum model. Question nine. Mr. Rashid, uh IPS is facing difficult budgeting decisions. Budget decisions are about values and directly shape student outcomes. From your perspective, how did the district get here financially and how and as we face difficult trade-offs, what specific supports or conditions for student achievement are you willing and willing to compromise on? So, being totally honest, uh I think the can has been kind of kicked down the
038the proverbial road for a long time. Uh I believe it was maybe 2010 that um Indiana's property tax caps uh were implemented. I could be wrong on that, but uh those caps significantly limited the growth of local revenue, which school districts like IPS is critical for. Um and over time, that's created a real constraint, especially as costs continue to rise. And at the same time, IPS has taken on the responsibility of serving a wide range of student needs, which, you know, uh which is in transportation, facilities, higher concentrations of students needing additional support, um which all require resources, which is then money, right? And so, um we're in a moment where tough decisions are unavoidable. So, some things that might have to be cut and we have to be clear and concise on what is
039best for the students. Um we aren't going to be able to do everything, right? >> [clears throat] >> We have to make tough decisions. But, And why they have a board of you know, capable, intelligent people to make this happen. Um for me there are a few things that I'm willing not willing to compromise on. Uh students needing having access to safe, reliable transportation to get to school. Um you know, one of my projects was the um the purple line. Uh I was able to help implement that. Um I know that there's a collaboration between IPS and um and you go with that um that service and that's been able to help some kids get to school in a safe and um timely situation. Um strong, effective teachers in every classroom. Um and ensuring that
040students, especially those who need the most support, aren't the ones who bear the burden of cuts. Everybody just says this should come back to does this improve the outcomes for students? And if it doesn't, we should be rethinking it. Um I do want to say that, you know, I see things going in a positive direction for IPS. Um you know, I think the average is 91% for the graduation rates. And I think right now IPS is at 93%. So, you know, I I know there's a lot more positivity that's happening and um to be able to collaborate and be part of that, uh I think this this ship is going in the right direction. And I would love to make my statement and helping that become more of a a reality for the future. Thank
041you. So, there's been a number of tax and legislative reforms recently at the state level that have squeezed all districts financially. Um IPS currently shares resources with other operators which they provide a variety of special service special education services and they transport a majority of students within town. And so, these are huge costs to the district. I feel that IPS has been good stewards of these tax dollars in this regard already. But I think one of the things moving forward is that we have to hold the legislature accountable for what they promised us during the ILEA and IPEK uh negotiations. And that was that they wanted to table the $24 special ed deficit to pay budget year. And so, that is something that I think needs to be a top priority in holding the state
042accountable to make sure that we can meet the needs of the special ed students of the district by increasing funding for these these services that quite frankly we cannot afford to stop providing. Um So, I think also we need to make when we make difficult decisions, we need to critically think about who they disproportionately affect. Uh we should think about access that's available in certain neighborhoods to curriculum and to high quality schools when we make difficult decisions and make sure we're not exacerbating inequalities and that we're not further disadvantaging communities that have had the most power in the decision-making in the past. So, I'm unwilling to compromise on equity and access for the communities that have been historically left out of the conversation or those that are the most marginalized. Um I'm unwilling to compromise
043on uh you know, meeting the needs of the people who have historically been left out of choice. Uh I believe that parents at the end of the day want the best education for their children that they can get, always. And so, I'm unwilling to compromise on giving them that opportunity. Thank you both for your thoughtful responses and your preparation being here this evening. Moving on to public comment, I'd like to remind our speakers that you are allowed 3 minutes to offer comments to the board. To ensure fairness and allow our voices to be heard, we ask that you adhere strictly to the 3-minute limit. The timer will begin when you start speaking. In the interest of time, please conclude your remarks promptly to allow the next speaker their opportunity to speak. Failure to do so
044may result in your microphone being muted. Comments should be directed to the board collectively and must be respectful, civil, and appropriate. The board chair may abruptly end comments of anyone that is abusive or deems to be disruptive to the orderly process of the meeting. Any individual engaging in disruptive behavior may receive a warning. Continued disruptions may result in removal from the meeting in accordance with the board policy and state law. Comments should not address a topic that might be of a confidential nature or that would compromise the board's impartiality or violate legal guidelines. While the board values and appreciates public input, we will not engage in dialogue, answer questions, or respond to comments during this time. Please state your name for the record when you provide your public comment. Who's that name? Britt Boram. Our
045first speaker, please step up to the podium. I don't like public speaking, but I'll go first. Um thank you for hosting this open forum. My name is Britt Boram and I'm a parent to IPS students from IPS 55. Um I'm here to speak in support of Dr. Duart, but also to say thank you to Dr. Caswell. Huge shoes to fill. And I think that Dr. Duart is uniquely positioned to succeed her as a former teacher and someone who's studied education policy and the educational landscape. But what I want you to know is that he's not an ivory tower academic. We've known a lot of those. Um he has been an ally, an advocate, and an active member in the IPS Parent Council. Um he comes and he actively listens to parents and their concerns. He
046offers analysis on education policy and he rolls up his sleeves and shows up at hearings and at meetings. And we need someone who has participated in education policy climate right now with ILEA and HB 1423 that brings us to this moment. The education policy landscape has changed immensely since the last district 2 election in 2024. And Brian has not just the context, but the credibility because he's shown up time and again to fight for our rights to the democratically elected board of this district today and to listen to parents. He has my respect in that. And on a personal level, I have family and friends whose children are members of the LGBT community in IPS and we wrestle often with how to ensure an inclusive and safe environment for them, which is critical to their
047outcomes. Having a member of the LGBT community on this board to bring that lens to the dialogue about inclusive policies and practices would be a great step in that aim. And on an interpersonal level, I really value his ability to see things from multiple viewpoints and to honor other viewpoints collaboratively. He's deeply committed, he's thoughtful, he's a great sounding board and an education bonafide and still a fun. So, I hope that you will consider him for this position. I think you'd really enjoy working with him and that he'd bring a lot to the board. >> [clears throat] >> Hello, good evening. I'm Monica Schaller, I'm a third grade educator at Christian Park 82. I come before you today not as a union leader, but as a teacher. Um I cannot speak on behalf of the
048union on one way or the other just because of democratic processes, I'm sure you all understand. Um The one thing that really stuck out to me today as you guys were asking questions and getting responses from both candidates is the like data piece. That's something that we dive a lot into with the education community that you guys have put together, but also as an educator in general, we are always trying to be data informed in making the best decisions based on the numbers in front of us. When you ask a question about what what was working and what what changes could be made, Dr. Duart gave a very interesting response in saying that in all of the data that he's looked at in his research that he's done on our district, that of all the
049models, there are some that are great that we need to be replicating. And he has the data tracked out. And that's I think a question that we've been asking a lot is what is working and what can we replicate further, no matter what the school type it is, what programming, what what What doing that's best for kids? And he really was able to say this is something that you have data to prove that is best for kids. How do you complicate it? What can we do as a board to then make sure that we're providing the best outcomes for students? So we think that's something very interesting to consider as you think about who is going to be best to fill this seat. Thank you. Hi, good evening. Christina Smith. Um for over a year
050I guess I've been a target for a hostile takeover. In that time organizations like Raise Indy and Stand for Children have spent time and money to be funded as anti-IPS. Mr. Rashid was endorsed by the state over $38,000 of donations from these same organizations that have sought the destruction of IPS public schools. Over that time I've seen many of the faces in this room that include Dr. Edwards have been and have been actively advocating against this harmful legislation and for the improvement of IPS. At community events, IPS parent council meetings, online and at the state house where he testified multiple times. I haven't seen Mr. Rashid since 6:00 p.m. on election day when the polls closed at Arlington. Today his answer as to how IPS got here financially left out some crucial factors. The organization
051that funded his campaign and are his supporters today has spent millions lobbying at the state house and are very restricted funds from IPS. Those tax cuts he spoke of were called my state funding for charter schools vouchers and unchecked growth of the charter schools within the IPS boundaries and now at APEC. While all of that is qualified enough, I'd like to point out that the voters of district two not only voted for Dr. Posey but against these pro-privatization organizations. They voted for a PhD level educational expert with classroom experience who can't be influenced by the deep pockets of organizations that seek to strip funds from IPS. They wanted a commissioner who has a deep understanding and commitment to improving the educational outcomes of IPS students. That's exactly who Dr. Edwards is. Thank you. >> [snorts]
052>> Good evening. This feels a little odd but thank you for um thank you for having us in this forum. I love the transparency although I'm not accustomed to sitting in one of these sitting and it is something I'll have to get used to. Um commissioners I just want to take a moment to come on the public record and affirm my support and my nomination for Dr. Brian Edwards and have that officially be part of the public record here this evening. As a professor I can personally speak to the difference between academics who stay on campus, who kind of stay in their office and those who use their profession as a way to bridge gaps and to build in otherwise vulnerable communities. Dr. Edwards focused on my name parents in IPS. I take this proof
053that he is an he is a community engaged scholar. I would further add that I have personally seen and heard Dr. Edwards as he showed up and he offered public comment at almost every single community event during the course of the IDEIA meetings, throughout the development of and leading into the formation of the APEC. His input during these meetings was measured and thoughtful and his contributions were given independently of any existing community groups or lobbies. I have not seen the other gentleman in front of you sitting before you for about 18 months since I think you know you you need to get back some [clears throat] way. You have two folks in front of you that I would prefer that one [clears throat] candidate is more politically motivated than another. The proof I believe here
054is in the fact that Dr. Brian Edwards has shown up over the course of the last year and not because there was anything politically at stake or to be gained from his doing so. He took seriously his involvement as a scholar, as a community member and he showed up as a member of community. Why? Because I feel that Dr. Brian Edwards is personally invested in in getting [clears throat] the best outcome for students. Um I recommend him knowing full well that the challenges that this board has faced and will be facing in the near future. I stand firm in my recommendation that he brings the knowledge, the face, the passion for quality education, that he's been present, that he's been a witness, that he's been an advocate and he's been consistent over this tumultuous past
055year or so that we all have experienced. Commissioners, I know that this is not an easy decision. Um I'm actually [clears throat] glad to be on this side of the podium in this moment. Uh but I know each of you. I know that you are all incredibly smart, you are all incredibly tough, brilliant leaders. I implore you to choose Dr. Edwards who can bring the levity and the clarity and a voice of educational leadership expertise, someone who understands what difference it means to be in a disenfranchised population working with them closely. He understands equity and access. Thank you. You all have a wonderful evening. I would like to say thank you to everyone who took the time out this evening to provide us with your public comment. As a reminder of our next steps, the
056board will meet this coming Thursday, March 26th to conduct a formal vote on the appointment. While the selected individual will be invited to attend our upcoming sessions, they will be officially they will officially begin their term as a voting member at our April meeting following the administration of the IPS oath of office. This concludes our public interview session. This special meeting stands adjourned.