NHCS Board of Education Regular Meeting | August 5, 2025

001I >> call the August regular meeting to order. >> Much better. >> Miss Buoie, will you call the role? >> Good afternoon. Melissa Mason, >> here. >> Josie Barnhart, >> here. >> Pat Bradford, >> I am here. >> Judy Justice, >> here. >> Dr. Tim Merrick, >> present. >> David Perry, >> here. >> And Pete Wittleore, >> also present. >> All right. So, we're going to start out with I'm just going to give you kind of what's what's going on. So, we're going to start out with God Bless America. Then, we're going to have the invocation um given by Pastor William Urenina of Global River Church. Um the national anthem with uh Bryce Dorrettto. I hope I did not but butcher his name from Hogard. Um and then Miss Justice will lead the pledge. So,

002um if you will join us for God Bless America. That's America. I love you. Yeah. Heat. Oh, heat, heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Five words you pronounce wrong. Two years before your brain starts shutting down. Dementia. >> That's not my phone. PSA. Do we do the Okay. Oh, we're good. >> Sorry. I didn't know that I was supposed to just come up. >> Oh, praise the Lord. I first of all want to say from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much for your service. I understand that is a hard work, a lot of timing. But I want you to know that as a pastor, our church has been praying for you and we are with you. So we encourage you. So I I don't know if we're allowed to applaud or not, but I

003really want to applaud you guys for what you do. Can we give you your hands of applause just an appreciation of what you guys do? Thank you so much. Really really thank you for what you guys are. I know there is we on this side sometimes we don't know what you go through. Maybe like some people don't know what the pastors have to go through. So we thank you. We really do. Um I will read a few verses if if I be able to. I just have u first I mean Romans 13 verse one that many of you know every one must submit to himself submit himself to to the governing authorities for there is no authority except that which God has established. Okay. The now God has established the authorities that exist has been

004established by God. So I want you to know that the position that you are in God have put you there and we honor you and we want to be submitted to authority and what you do. God sees what you do because God put you in that place. And I and I just want to say thank you. Thank you again for what you guys doing. I want to read in 1 Corinthians 1:10. It says, "I appeal to you brothers. I appeal to you as brothers and sisters in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought for your decisions is the future of many young ones. your decisions is is

005going to either either push them forward or pray or or push them backwards. And I I pray that your decisions that you make according to your convictions, but that that convictions is according to what God is telling you to do, not what you think or what we think. And um why do I say this? And uh Luke 11:17 says, "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined and a house divided against itself will fall." So we need to be united. We need to work together for the best of the future that we have behind us to lead them in the right direction. So, Father God, I pray in the name of Jesus, that the people that you have chosen here tonight, the decision that they make, Father God, will impact the life of many young

006people. And Father God, that that decision that they make is first of all, Lord, that they be led by you. That you lead them there the right decision, not for what we want, but what you command us to do. So I pray that you bless this group of people in the name of Jesus. Amen. And amen. >> And our national anthem. >> National anthem. There we go. Heat. Heat. You ever say that strangle way? Heat. Heat. I pledge algiance to the flag 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. Is it >> possible to have a show manager? >> Yes, it would be. >> Miss F. >> We want the student. >> We just lost him. He's putting

007his violent away. >> Is that Rain? >> Come on up. >> I said your name, but I might have brutalized it. So, we'll let you introduce yourself. >> Uh, my name is Bryce Laredto. Um, I go to Hogard High School. I'm a rising freshman. All right. Um, I will entertain a motion to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion, Miss Bradford? >> I have two amendments. First one, JC Row was left off, so we need to add that back on. I don't know where it goes, though. Is it under old business? >> Um, >> I think it need to I think it need to be under information, >> I believe. So, yes. And I will second that for JC Row. >> So do you want the second one now or do you want

008to vote on that? >> Vote on that one. >> Time on that one. Um so adding JC Row to information. Um any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? That passes seven to zero. Your second. >> Yes ma'am. I would like to add 10 minutes for discussing board member code of ethics and professional standards. I second that. >> All right. Um any discussion, Mr. Perry? >> This is new. And um yeah, >> considering that we've had no notice and as to what what we're going to be talking about professional standards, considering that uh maybe we should wait and discuss this in our agenda review before we simply have a discussion on DIS about something that most board members have not prepared for. >> Point of inquiry, Madam

009Chair. >> Uh Dr. Merrick, >> where are we uh motioning to put this on the agenda? That doesn't make a difference. >> New business. New new business. >> I would like to amend it to put it under information. >> I move to amend to to place it under >> I don't know if you could amend an amendment. >> Oh yeah, >> that's true. Yeah, >> Good point. Discussion. >> This is part of the discussion. >> Okay. So share your thoughts. >> I think in in uh first of all to uh to agree with my colleague on the far right, it isn't something that we've had a chance to to think about and look at. Um so I would like it to be under information because I don't think it would be appropriate to take a

010vote on something tonight that we haven't heard about. Um I would like to have a conversation about it. >> Okay. >> Point of inquiry. >> Mr. Can we ask the attorneys uh if we can because I think we allowed to because that would be an amendment. I think we're allowed to amend it one time I believe. >> Can we amend an amendment? >> No, we have not amend an amendment. >> You cannot. Okay. All right. Fair enough. Try to help me. I try. >> That's that's what I figured, Miss Bradford. And I would um just comment that if we don't know our code of ethics and what our professional standards are before we came in tonight, then that would be challenging. You should know those things. >> Yeah, >> Miss Justice. >> Oh, yeah. And

011this is something that we've gone over in policy. We've gone over as a group. Um, we signed an ethics code. This is some of the first stuff we're trained on when we come on to the board. Even if you've been on the board before, you're retrained on it. So, at this point, I don't know what further discussion if you don't know how the code of ethics uh is carried out by board members. If you don't understand it and know it in detail, then you're not doing your job as a board member responsible to the public. >> Second time. >> Um, that is yes, this will be your second time. Dr. >> I I agree that we have a very clear set of standards and ethics and it does break my heart that they are not

012always followed by any of us all the time. Um, however, I think the devil in the details is we don't know what is coming in terms of what might be done about it, what might be recommended, what might be voted upon, and those are the things I think we need to have some level of preparation for. Miss Barnhartt. Madam Chair, I want to um agree with my colleague to the left of saying that to have a conversation under information would be a no action item taken, but to open a dialogue of m ensuring that we're maintaining that. And so I would agree with this sentiment to say to put it on under information so we can have an honest dialogue about it. Thank you. >> Point of order. >> Uh Mr. Perry. >> Um just

013uh or inquiry should I say um if we were to uh um we reject uh Miss Bradford's current amendment motion uh then Mr. Merrick would be then allowed to make his motion to put it on information. >> That is correct. Miss Bradford >> Mr. Wilderbore just got some information from this >> attorney and we should share it. >> An amendment. Amendment. I was correct. can amend an amendment >> one time. >> Once. Is that correct? >> That's correct. >> Oh my god. >> Amendment. >> Okay. So, the amendment was Dr. Merrick said we put it under information rather than new business. >> A 10-minute discussion. All right. Um, so we're going to vote on Dr. Merik's amendment, which would >> under information >> would only cover the where it's located. It doesn't cover that. We're

014putting it on yet. >> Correct. >> So, um, Miss Buie, will you call the role? This is to put this under information. This is the amended amendment. >> Miss Bradford. >> Um, yes. >> Dr. Merrick. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wabore. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Miss Mason, >> yes. >> Miss Barner, >> yes. >> Miss Justice, >> yes. >> And Mr. Perry, >> yes. All right, I guess I didn't need to do that. That passes seven to zero. So, back to the original um voting to add that item to the agenda. Miss Bradford, can you restate what it was? It was code of ethics and >> board member code of ethics and professional standards. >> Okay. So, this is to add it to the agenda. Um, Miss Buoie, will you call the role? >> Miss Bradford?

015>> Yes. >> Dr. Merrick? >> Yes. >> Mr. Verbore. >> Yes. >> Miss Mason, >> yes. >> Miss Barnhard, >> yes. >> Miss Justice, >> yes. >> And Mr. Perry, >> yes. >> All right. That passes 7 to zero. Um, I will entertain a motion to approve the amended agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by >> Wait, >> did you not say that we needed to pull title one? >> We'll do that after consensus. Okay. >> All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? That passes seven to zero. Um I will entertain a motion to approve the minutes. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Any

016opposed? That passes seven to zero. Next up, Miss Baggie with recognitions. >> Good evening, everyone. Sorry, we're having technical difficulties. Just trying to make sure that everyone can hear us. I would also like to remind our board to make sure that your microphones are in front of you and not to the side and make sure they're turned on, please. Sorry, I play technical roles, too. So, all right. Um, tonight we're here to recognize one of our very own. I would like you all to join us in congratulating Mr. Robert Roth, who is a science teacher at Murray Middle School for earning the 2025 Corning STEM Educator of the Year Award. >> Come on down board. Come on down. right up there, sir. Yes, sir. >> All right. So, this award honors one middle school and

017one high school teacher who sparked students interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics both in the classroom and in the community. As a recipient, Mr. Mr. Roth received a monetary award as well as recognition at the Corning Optical Fiber Plant in Wilmington and the STEM Education Conference at UNCW. Since 2006, Mr. Roth has been teaching the students to explore the world of science at Murray, he is constantly seeking innovative ways to keep his students engaged and learning. From examining real micro fossils to thermal mapping the school campus, Mr. Roth designs inquirybased lessons that address realworld problems. Thank you, Mr. Roth, for your outstanding creativity, dedication, and passion. This award is welld deserved. All right, don't go anywhere. For this next one, we have Chloe Lee, North Carolina STEM Challenge winner from Isaac Bear Early College.

018Okay, so Chloe was one of just eight students from North Carolina public high schools invited to Nagoya University, forgive me if I say that wrong, in Japan. Yes. So, she was able to present her scientific research. She was selected to be part of the 11-day trip after being named the winner of the North Carolina International Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Challenge. That's amazing. Woo. So just so you guys know her research enhancing drug delivery systems, conjugation of nanobodies to solid lipid nano particles. Okay. Focus on how to improve drug delivery for the 3.4 billion people worldwide living with neurological disorders and brain diseases. Guys, I'm just saying. So now on the trip, she was able to meet the president of Nagoya University, build connections with students from the Super Science High School, and attend the

019World's Fair called Expo 2025. That's a huge event. Like, holy. All right. Congratulations, Chloe. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you. That's it. Seven minutes. It's good. >> Uh, tonight we get to thank some new new employees for choosing New Hover County Schools as well as well as being able to continue to thank some employees that are staying with us and that continue to choose us every day here. So, first I'd like to introduce Miss Kelly Crowley. >> Sorry, >> Miss Crowley. I'm gonna ask you to come on up here. Miss Crowley is a daughter of a 30 plus year educator. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from UNCC Chapel Hill and her master's in curriculum and instruction and school administration from UNCW. She brings experience teaching grades three through five,

020serving as an instructional coach at Pine Valley and working as an assistant principal at Rachel Freeman and Snipes Academy. Kelly is excited to join the New Hover High School team as the assistant principal for the 2025 2026 school year. So, welcome. Congratulations. I just want to say thank you to New Hanover County Schools for offering this opportunity for me to grow and um spread my wings in the high school arena. And I want to thank Mr. Sutton for welcoming welcoming me so warmly this week. Thank you. >> Great. >> Next, I'd like to ask Dr. Amy Callahan Hayes to come up, please. Dr. Callahan Hayes brings over 25 years of educational experience to the administrative team at Ha Ashley High School this year. Most recently, she served as assistant principal at Laney High School after

021beginning her career with Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia and Brunswick County Schools. Her background spans roles as a special education teacher, instructional coach, and administrator at both elementary and high school levels. She holds a bachelor's in elementary education with a special education and minor education minor, master's in educational leadership, and doctorate in educational leadership. Welcome. Very good. I'm excited to be a screaming eagle at Ashley High School. I'm excited excited to focus on instruction in addition to all my other assistant um principal opportunities. So, thank you New Hver County Schools and School Board for letting me continue to grow in my educational experience. Thank you. All right. And speaking of Screaming Eagles, Miss Alicia Sheasley Also joining the administrative team at Ashley High School this year, Miss Sheesley brings experience as an assistant principal

022at Williston Middle School, and as a special education teacher and language arts teacher at Myrtle Grove Middle School. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University, special education license from UNCC Wilmington, and a master's degree in exe in executive leadership with a school administration add-on from Gardener Web. Thank you so much for the opportunity to work at Ashley. I'm so excited to be a screaming eagle and to dive into the high school world, which I've never done before. So, thank you. Looking forward to it. All right. Miss Hannibburgg. >> Miss Hannibburgg is a new Hannover County Schools graduate and former NHCS Board of Education scholar. Yay. She earned a bachelor's in elementary education from East Carolina University and a master's degree in school administration from UNCW. She began her career as a fourth grade

023teacher at Alderman Elementary where she was recently recognized as the 2025 teacher of the year. Miss Berg joins the administrative team at John T. Hogard High School for the 2025 2026 school year. Um, I just want to say I'm so thankful for all of you. I'm excited to be a Viking. It may not be where I started, but I'm excited to be there. Um, and I'm grateful to continue to work for the county that raised me. Thank you all. Dr. Donna Thomas has a strong background in education and instructional leadership, having served as a high school science teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal across elementary, high school, and early college levels. Dr. Thomas earned her doctorate of educational leadership at UNCW, and she is joining the Laney High School administrative team as the assistant principal

024for the 2025 2026 school year. Welcome, Good evening. Thank you so much for allowing me to be here today. I'm looking forward to being a buck, guys. Thank you. >> All right. And last, but certainly not least, Carla Padet. Miss Carla Padet began her career teaching elementary grades before transitioning to the role of school counselor. Miss Padet earned her bachelor of arts and elementary education from UNCW, a master's degree in school counseling from Liberty University, and a master's degree in educational leadership from Gardener Webb University. Miss Padet will serve as the assistant principal at JC Row for the upcoming school year. Congratulations. I also just want to say thank you as a graduate of New Hover County Schools from Laney in 1997. I'm really excited to be able to bring everything I've learned over the

025last 21 years in education back home to my community at JC Row. So, thank you. >> Good fashion sense, too. >> I'm just saying. >> All right. Next up is the superintendence report. >> Right. Couple of things. There was a lot of administrators, APS, and principles we saw tonight. Miss Geller, how many vacancies do we have for AP and principal? >> Zero. Wow. >> Also want to say that last time I checked, there were 38 schools that had either zero teacher vacancies or one teacher vacancy. So, congratulations to the HR team. Also, I'm going to call all of us out for just a second. We all heard about that amazing student from Isaac Bear a few minutes ago and you all were nodding your head like you knew exactly what she was talking about and

026you had no more idea than I did about what was going on. But that is amazing that a that a student from our district is in Japan presenting to the world. That's amazing work. So congratulations again. All right. Speaking of which, Isaac Bear opened its doors today for the 2526 school year. Want to remind you folks that Snipes and Freeman both return this Thursday, August 7th, and our traditional calendar schools will resume resume classes on Monday, August 26th. Families and staff, you're encouraged to visit your school's website and social media pages for openhouse dates and important back to school information. I've been reinventing my listening tour that I completed last year and feedback from the staff, families, and community members. We've categorized them into four district goals and plans for me as superintendent and for

027the district. One is focusing on academic excellence, specifically things like third grade reading, math one, and our graduation rate, attendance, and building intellect in intellectual that that's helpful, intellectual curiosity with our students. Goal number two is creating a safe and supportive learning environment with behavior support, technology use, classroom norms, and specialized environments for students. Goal three is safe and supportive working environments, which involves staff morale, well-being, trust, and transparency, and a professional climate. And the last goal is family and community engagement. Transparency and communication with our public is essential. parent and community involvement and celebrating the successes that we see every day in our public school system. So, thank you. That concludes my report. >> That was short. >> It was. >> Mine is not very long either. So, um last week during a conversation

028with a staff member ahead of the town hall. Um the staff member mentioned that many people in the public may not fully understand the roles that we as board members play beyond our time sitting up here on the DAS. and she suggested that I share some of the ways that I'm personally involved in the schools. And so I wanted to offer that example because it's just been such a delight for me to be able to do. Uh before moving here with my family 10 years ago, I spent 13 years as a speech therapist at a school for the deaf. A significant part of my heart belongs to the deaf community and I have a deep love for their language and their culture. And after settling here in North Carolina, I looked for opportunities to continue

029using American Sign Language and found a way to teach it at the college level. Approximately two years ago, a former senior staff member shared a district volunteer opportunity to serve as a reading buddy. Knowing that there's a self-contained classroom for deaf students, I reached out to see if I could volunteer there. After all, how many people are going to be able to read to the deaf kids? The simple inquir in inquiry grew into a meaningful weekly commitment. And for the past couple of years, I've had the privilege of reading and signing with a wonderful group of students and dedicated staff. And this experience has since expanded into a summer reading program uh for deaf students in our district. For the past two summers, I've participated in this program as well and have witnessed remarkable growth

030in our students language expression and communication. And we've had a lot of fun, too. Making lemonade, planting seeds, making ice cream, creating bracelets, flying kites, and painting art projects. I'm deeply grateful to the staff who welcomed me into the space. And to the students who continue to inspire me each week, they remind me of why I serve in this role. Their impact on me has been profound, and although they may never fully realize it, they've strengthened my resolve to continue pushing forward with ideas to make our district the best it can be for them and for all of our other students. And that concludes my report. I'm going to turn it over to Miss Barnhart for the call to audience. Thank you, Madam Chair. First up, we have Loretta Stack House. my first twominut speech

031to the board in April 2021. I told the board I cried when I heard some of the things that were happening to four, five, six, and seven year olds at school. I'm still crying. Karen Clark comes monthly praying for God's guidance for you as you make decisions that affect the operations of schools. You're not listening. I'm still crying and you are not listening. Peter Witch Maryland's state statute on suspensions and expulsions prohibits any preK through 2 grade student from being suspended or expelled. There is an exception for each. A student may be expelled if it's required by federal law, such as carrying a firearm on school property. A student may be suspended for up to 5 days if the school administration in consultation with a school psychologist or other mental health professional determines that there

032is an imminent threat of serious harm to other students or staff that cannot be reduced or eliminated through interventions and support. An imminent threat of serious harm is a likely and immediate danger of significant physical injury. It goes on to say that the school shall provide interventions and support to address the students behavior. They include positive behavior interventions or a referral to a school or community support team. It also says the school system shall remedy the impact of a student's behavior through appropriate intervention models that may include restorative practices. If any of this is already happening in the new Hanover County schools, put it in the shortterm suspension policy 4351. And if it's not, please add something similar to it in the policy so that our youngest learners can get the help and support they

033need in our schools. Thank you. >> Thank you, Veronica McMoran Brown. I assume members of the board have seen the recent K2 suspension data for this past school year. There were a total of 93 out of school suspensions for students aged five, six, and seven. That represents 57 children with serious behavior concerns. 29 of those children received suspensions during the first half of the school year. Another and different 28 received suspensions during the second half. While those numbers are small compared to the estimated 3,000 K12 suspensions we expect to see reported by the Department of Public Instruction in 2026, each one represents a missed opportunity to teach and heal a child. The disparity of suspensions continues. 61% of the K2 suspensions are for African-American children, even though they represent only 16% of the student population.

034We need to ask ourselves what mental models are driving these outcomes. And of note, since the policy change to end K2 suspensions for minor offenses went into effect in 2020, the number of K2 suspensions has actually increased each year. The good news is that Dr. Barnes reviewed each K2 suspension to ensure it was for a serious infraction of the rules. and most of the suspensions were for only one day or less. We recognize the conditions in which our educators are working underfunded, understaffed, and underresourced. We we so we offer our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Barnes, Mrs. Barnum, and all the elementary teachers, principles, and staff who have worked wholeheartedly to implement alternatives to out of school suspensions for our youngest learners. And I end by saying, may God bless our children, keep them, let them

035stay in school, let them learn, let them heal, and let them thrive. Again, may God bless that that happens. Alicia Unendeli Alicia Ugandelli in New Hano County. The total number of K through 12 out of school suspensions in 2023 to 24 increased by 615 suspension from two years ago. And the number of days students were kept out of school jumped from 8,000 in 2021 to 22 to about 10,000 in 2023 24. That means suspensions for third through 12th grade students are getting much longer. Aaron Copchic from University of Delaware wrote in his article, Rethinking School Suspensions. Quote, "Too often schools see students as threats or problems to be contained rather than children to be nurtured. In response, school staff often remove students from school through suspension, even though this is ineffective as a strategy to

036reduce misbehavior a and long-term harms to students, their families, and entire schools communities. Suspended students are heightened risk of several dire future outcomes: academic failure, dropping out of school, arrest, and incarceration. This is the schoolto prison pipeline. End quote. Our tax paid for both schools and prisons. The cost to educate one student during 2023 24 school year was about 13,000. Compare that to the average cost of housing one inmate in North Carolina at more than 35,000. If you help five through six, seven year olds with dangerous behaviors now while they're in school, you'll be invested in a brighter and less expensive future for us all. Thank you. Good evening. What has been taken off of teachers plates lat recently? Are there fewer meetings? Are there no new additions to curriculum? Are there fewer required professional

037development trainings? Are there fewer tests? Is there less test preparation? Are there fewer extra responsibilities during lunch or planning times? Are there fewer announcements or interruptions while they're trying to teach? Our teachers are overworked and underpaid. Everything that takes them away from their planning and teaching the students must be stopped. Adults have to be regulated before we can expect children to be regulated. When someone is regulated, uh, excuse me, when teachers have to be regulated before the students can be regulated. When someone is regulated, they can think before acting, consider the feelings of others, think about the consequences, listen to reasoning, and make decisions. Many behaviors are stress related. When teachers are stressed about losing their planning time, working through lunch, or rushing off to a second job, it impacts their work environment. And a

038teacher's work environment is the students learning environment. It is great that every district employee now has access to the reframing behavior program. It will help reduce out of school suspensions, but if reframing behavior is just another add-on or uncompensated professional development, then it will add one more thing to our teachers plates. support our teachers, take something away before you add something new. And further, I would ask you to think and and and make a resolution as a uh in a in a bipartisan way to the legislature of the state of North Carolina where we are the 11th wealthiest state and we are 42nd in teacher pay. That needs to change. I think we left a hat. >> All right. Sorry. Don't take that away from my two minutes. All right. Hi. Good evening, everyone. My

039name is Amanda Rissmeer. I'm a former public education teacher, community- based disability service director, and clinical director. Currently, I'm a board-certified behavior analyst, North Carolina licensed behavior analyst, and I'm a doctoral student in psychology. Every month, you hear us asking the same questions. Were there any students secluded in the past year? If so, how many? And if not, in a designated seclusion room, where were they being secluded? Today, I add another essential question. What steps were taken to reestablish rapport with that student afterward? Was the doc was documentation of the incident completed? And was there a plan made to implement a more proactive supportive intervention? Seclusion is defined as the involuntary confinement of a child alone in a room they are not allowed to leave. It's not an evidence-based or trauma-informed intervention. In fact, when

040used at all, it should be under the direction of a highly trained professional and as a last resort after all prevention and skill-based efforts have been exhausted. This practice is not a solution and it's coming at a really high cost. It's traumatizing. Children are being subjected to seclusion and they're experiencing fear, humiliation, anxiety, reoccurring nightmares, and symptoms similar to PTSD. Many are physically restrained on the way to being placed in seclusion, experiencing both trauma and force. There is no evidence from the US Department of Education or leading mental health organizations that are supporting the fact that seclusion reduces challenging behavior. It often is making it worse. Seclusion rooms were banned two years ago. To today, I call this board to go further. Please ban the traumatic practice of seclusion entirely. We have to lead with

041compassion, science, and accountability, not fear for your time. >> Robert, is an out of school suspension a pause in a child's learning or is it a punishment? Let's look at the language in your policy 4351. It states, "School administrators will use positive behavior support alternatives to suspensions and only use school suspensions as a last resort." This suggests that a suspension is not one of positive behavior support alternatives. It is a negative consequence. It also says the principal has the authority to determine when to impose a suspension. Impose seems like a negative verb as used impose a suspension seems to mean to establish or apply a penalty. You don't hear administrators saying I'm going to impose recess on you or I'm going to impose extra time to talk with your talking with your friends. If an

042out of school suspension is meant to be a pause in a child's learning, policy might say something like once a student has co-regulated with an adult, there will be a conversation to identify the root causes of their dangerous behavior. The student may have a pause in their learning and may need to stay away from school for up to five days while a team of educators and specialists develop a positive alternative plan to support the students learning in school. If you're not punishing but rather helping five, six, and seveny olds when there's an assault or threat, then please say it explicitly in policy 4351. Thank you. Good evening. The K through2 out of school suspension data shows that nine elementary schools had zero suspensions. Dr. Barnes, bravo. And of course, there are many, many other classrooms

043that did not have to send anyone home for their behavior. So, how did they do it? Our teachers work with little kids all day who run from their school bus and knock someone's show and tell to the ground, or they throw their jacket to the floor, or they hug their best friend just a little too tight. little kids who kick a sneaker off while they're walking in line in the hallway or stop walking so the kid behind them bumps into them and then they turn around and push them back. Little kids who cannot take turns when they're playing a math game or who build a tower of books when they're tired of reading and then knock them down. Every class has at least one or two kids like this and in a blink of an

044eye, their actions can escalate into big trouble. Elementary teachers already know or they are learning how to keep minor problems from becoming serious problems. They are on the front lines in keeping our children in school where they can learn and thrive. Every single one of them is a hero. So now let's pay them a living wage. Thank you. Carllets Getti Katie Gates Thank you, Dr. Barnes and board for hosting last week's listening tour. It was encouraging to hear about the progress and to see strong community engagement. That said, there were concerns that remained. Chronic truency, lack of volunteers, and teacher burnout. When teachers are overwhelmed, students can't thrive. So, I'd like to offer a few ideas. First, how can we make teaching and learning fun again? As a kid, I didn't always love school, but

045I loved it enough to play school with my friends. Maybe by teaching through storytelling and historical biography, we can learn and bring learning life. Again, uh when students are excited about what and how they're learning, when classrooms foster character and creativity, students become your best ambassadors. and their energy ripples through the community and encourages enrollment. To build that character, I suggest revising strategic plan goal number four to focus on citizenship, a powerful and unifying concept. Teach students to value education, understand freedom, and know that their rights come from God. Teach e- plurabus unum from many one. Encourage peer-led service, kindness, and patriotism through art and song. reinforce etiquette, moral law, and social standards, which may also ease behavioral challenges. One way to roll this out is by highlighting a citizenship virtue each month across all

046grades and staff. Make it meaningful and fun and not overly regulated. And let's remember, for over 250 years, American education built virtue and literacy using the Bible, the New England Primmer, and McGuffy readers. They shape generations through storytelling, teaching character and about the laws of nature and nature's God, which is the foundation of civil society. The early focus on moral character and academic strength helped build a nation united in purpose. >> I miss you, >> Janice Johnson. >> Good evening. My name is Janice Johnson. I grew up in the 50s to the 70s when a lot of things were going on in America. I've lived in many places in the US from the east coast to the west coast, the north to the south and also a foreign socialist country. It was interesting to see

047some of the changes that were happening in schools when my children were in school. Times change, but there are many things that don't change and for good reasons such as a solid rooting. Children, whether in a single family home or with two parents or with good or bad foster care, can be experiencing drugs, alcohol, physical, emotional, sexual um abuse, hunger. Where do we think good and bad behavior comes out from? Most all behavior comes through the family generational lines. We cannot necessarily help the parents. But we can help the seek the children with good teachers, good wholesome historical and people books, American history books, including objective racial history. There are plenty of uplifting and righteous books with folks coming against the evil in our country and our world. What about a flag flying outside every

048school? every child in class standing together in class with their hands over their hearts and reciting the pledge of allegiance and letting those who would like to pray pray. How about every morning speaking a truthful or encouraging word from one of America's leaders or beginning each morning and afternoon with something positive and uplifting? Teaching the children good manners, character behaviors, time-tested ethics, self-control, respect for elders, and more can last a lifetime for them, especially in work and in family. Teach the children how to rise up in difficult situations and seek what is good for them and others. There needs to be support and it needs to begin in the classroom where the teacher is leading. Thank you. First off, I'm glad that y'all got that secondary amendment thing squared away because I was literally freaking

049out looking at my phone on the way here. Not not listening to my phone. Anyways, uh so show of hands. How many board members reached out to the attorneys asking if there was a breach of confidentiality to tell me when my appeal hearing date and time was? No hands, right? Because no one no one even asked them. That's that's kind of ridiculous. Um so story time. I'm going to go ahead and go to something that's more gerine tonight. Um, story time. Uh, beginning of 2021, we moved to remove Holiday Stadium name. And during that meeting, a board member was allowed to speak and then made a motion to remove it. And immediately an attorney was brought onto the screen. And the attorney said that no vote could occur because it was an information item only.

050Some board members knew that it was an information item only, but they hid it from other board members. So certain board members including and you know including uh members of the community we got together and we tried to formulate a plan to change policy to make sure that didn't happen. So we actually in October 2020 we were or 20 2022 we were successful in putting in questions raised by members of the board and the attorney's replies will be reported to all board members to stop the blind side. Unfortunately we didn't give a timeline. So under this, I just wanted to bring that story up so people understand it's not an attack on our current attorneys. This is this is about accountability. This is about making sure that we don't have the past reproduce itself, which

051unfortunately we've already had uh for instance, we had questions asked of our attorney about censure, not dealing with Mr. Perry, but a previous incident um with our current chair um that board members were left in the dark. They never found out that questions were asked specifically about censure and everything and they should have been known prior to a board meeting occurring. I actually asked those board members, they said that they had never heard it. So this is what I'm saying. We need to protect and realistically I would love to see more protections with public records request because right now attorneys have the latitude to do it in whatever order they want. They don't have to be concise. Something can be your time is up. >> Thank you Leslie Posie. Good evening. Later tonight, you are

052scheduled to discuss the contract with the sheriff's department for SRO services. I would suggest that you seriously consider how many officers we really need in our schools. There are huge amounts of research showing that having officers in schools does not lead to safer schools. It leads to more children being arrested, often for minor offenses, which would be better handled by a counselor. In fact, most situations that currently involve the police, would not happen if we had more counselors and social workers. Why are our limited funds not going to the type of staff that research shows helps students? I have also heard the argument that having officers in schools helps give the students positive contact with the police. I sincerely doubt that since in most schools where I taught, officers were not actively engaging with the

053students. They were sitting in an office only leaving it if they were called or for traffic control. On a similar note, I'm curious about the need for seven to nine officers at every board meeting. Are members of the public so dangerous? Have you noticed that after the call to audience, there are often more officers than attendees? I realize you don't like the educational justice group because we tell the truth that many of you choose to ignore and we giggle occasionally, but is a group of ladies sitting together really worth being guarded by an officer full time? The chairs were even moved a couple of months ago so that the officer could sit behind us listening for conspiracy. Do you really consider us that dangerous? Believe me, we would rather be home with our husbands, wives,

054and dogs. But we know it's important that the community be consistently represented and informed. I hope you will seriously consider whether our schools need a heavy military presence or if research should be believed and use those funds for more staff that really make a positive difference for our students. Thank you, Bryce McDonald. My name is Bryce McDonald. Um, I was at the forum last week and I noticed there were laminate lamentations about the exodus of students to private schools, charter schools, magnet schools. And in business, when your customers leave, you have to take a serious look at your products and your services. Your customers are the parents and children who are leaving. I was asked by Dr. Barnes last week uh about why what he asked why what people are looking for when they interview

055and there are four categories that I think we have to bring into the schools every day. One is intellectual curiosity. If kids don't want to learn, they're not going to succeed in industry. Number two, critical thinking. Do not teach people what to think. Teach them how to think. Number three, communication. I found as I got close to my retirement that there was less and less ability in young people to communicate and difficulty looking you in the eye or accepting even the slightest criticism. Another one or the last one is perspective. I think students today and yes I'm ancient but my my daughter graduated from high school here when I was 73 years old. So I have recent memory. These people, these young students today do not have perspective about our history and how far we've

056come and how much progress we have made. And recently at the NEA convention, they actually rejected a statement about the pursuit of increased student learning. That sounds antithetical to the purpose of the schools. I would get rid of negative theories like critical thinking and I would use MEK merit excellence and knowledge. Thank you. >> Christina Mercier. >> Good evening. I want you all to imagine, if you will, our schools with teacher assistance in all classes K through three, shared assistance in four, grades four and five, as well as multiple assistants in EC classrooms. I want you to imagine classes with no more than 20 students, no matter the grade level. I want you to imagine new schools with all supplies waiting for teachers and students, new buses, shorter bus routes, money for field trips. I

057could go on. Funding our schools has been an issue for a number of years. However, New Hover County Schools has two sources that can make our schools the best in the state. One is Leandro and the other is the endowment. I'm heartened to hear you will be considering a resolution tonight to ask the state to release the Leandro funds that should rightfully go to each school system. Court after court have agreed that the state needs to give the counties the money. Yet, our elected officials refuse, saying they need a ready day fund. What is more of an emergency than funding education? Please stand together on tonight's resolution. New Hoverver County Schools gets a lot of its funding from the county commissioners. It was disheartening this year to have the commissioners pass a leaner budget, yet

058a number of you on the board praised it publicly. How can you advocate for students but like the budget? It makes you look inauthentic. But New Hover County Schools has the endowment. The sale of the hospital was touted as a way to fully fund the schools. Yet in practice, the schools have gotten very little. The state of the schools reflects on the county. Why are any of you content with overcrowded and subpar buildings? How can all students shine in these conditions? Please continue to build relationships with county commissioners and advocate for our schools. Our students are worth it. >> Sandy is Pat, last week you made an impassion plea about the public, asking the public to put pressure on elected leaders to fund our schools. You could look at me. It was interest It was

059an interesting plea considering you support the very people, policies, and politics that have caused our current funding crisis. You've also said we want more champions to emerge from public education. Well, I'm here as that champion because you've failed to be one. The public understands you're not actually here to advocate for our schools. You've demonstrated that your role on this board is to carry out the Republican platform and actively participate in the decimation of our public schools. Example, last year, so hang on. Can you just make sure you lower your tone, please? Your not your tone, your volume. I understand you're very passionate, but if you could keep the >> example, last year you spent more time advocating for the Hill School than you did for the needs of our own EC department. At the April

060board meeting, you communicated a threat that the county would not approve the district's budget because the board voted against Michael Lee's AI grant. >> Please, >> it's true. >> Madam Chair, point of order. Speakers are not allowed to attack board members. >> I'm not attacking you. speak in truth and and make these kind of accusations. They're not allowed to raise their voice. They're supposed to be courteous. These are courteous in tone and not interject a person's note. >> You're just mad that I'm calling out what you've done. Ma'am, >> please pause. >> I would request that the speaker refrain from these comments. >> I'm speaking truth. I'm not talking about your personality. I'm talking about your actions. Big difference. >> Could you direct it to the whole board then? >> Sure. >> Thank you. >>

061At the April at the April board meeting, well, okay. Recently, you, Josie, and Pete publicly expressed support for the county's revenue neutral budget. How can any of you sit here and support a budget that resulted in the loss of funding for over 100 preschool students/school nurses and rejected 42 staff positions of capital needs requests. You also continue to support the Trump administration even though he froze 1.6 million from North Carolina schools. And you support sending back money to the states despite North Carolina proving that they will not adequately fund public education. So, as a champion for public schools, I'm here to demand that you stand up for our kids and stop playing these partisan games. We demand that you publicly hold GOP commissioners Scaliz Pearson Ryvenbark accountable for his inhumane county budget. We demand you

062publicly pressure Republicans, Republican senators Michael Lee and Phil Burgerer to drop the Leandro case and release courtmandated funds. Now, we demand you stand up against your own party and champion for our public schools versus being an active participant in the decimation of public education. >> I'm okay. Okay. Hi, my name is Rebecca Traml and I'm the lead advocate for community conversations. And earlier this year, in 2024 actually, we launched the I am Leandro campaign to make sure that the 5.54 billion dollars that are owed our public schools are released and the Leandro comprehensive remedial plan is fully funded and implemented with integrity. Earlier this year, we released resolutions to make sure that every school board member and every commissioner across the state had access to this information so that they could advocate for their communities.

063The Leandro plan is clear is a clear research-based roadmap to deliver on our constitutional promise of a sound basic education for every child in North Carolina. It focuses on seven key areas. High quality teachers in every classroom. Competitive pay, professional development to attract and retain strong educators. Strong leadership in every school. Investments in principal development, mentoring, and fair compensation. Adequate funding. A finance system that ensures that all students, especially those most at risk, have the resources they need to thrive. Support for low performing schools. Targeted assistance and turnaround strategies to improve outcomes. High quality educa early childhood education. expanded access to preK and early learning opportunities to those close to uh to close opportunity gaps that hold all children back from progress. Accountability aligned to growth systems that measure meaningful student progress and uphold high

064standards. Seventh, career and postsecary readiness. It aligns K through2 education with career paths and secondary opportunities. Who wouldn't want that? Right now there are people in our community who have spoken up and I have their quotes with me and unfortunately I will not have time to read them but I will send them all to you. I would like everyone in this room to look up I am leandro.org download these resolutions and just know this social workers, teachers, moms, dads, single women with no children care about this. Thank you. Renegade Cherokee Renegade. >> And um can I ask that anybody who is standing that is not currently speaking would find a seat, please, >> greetings and salutations. I am a man in deed, form, and word. And I come to you with words designed to abolish

065this notion that the so-called LGBT community is good for the students of county schools. It is anything but good and it is a lifestyle of confusion and derision. >> On point of order, >> can you pause the time? Yes, ma'am. >> This is hate speech. Absolutely no doubt about it. And if anybody thinks otherwise, you got a problem. You, sir, are embarrassed to human misjustice. chair, please. >> With a face like yours on what we're talking about in Paris. >> Um, hang on, Mr. Perry. >> You or I may m Miss Justice may disagree with this is not this is not a discussion to the left. The point I am trying to make, we can disagree with the speaker before before us if we so choose, but simply uh trying to get him off the

066call audience because you dis because people disagree with his opinion is not constitutional. >> This is speech. >> I'm going to allow you to continue. Just maintain >> decorum and address the whole board. Um, >> it is anything but good and is a lifestyle of confusion and derision. So-called LGBT community is the worst sort of bullies. People lead shameful, sinful lives and want >> Okay, >> ma'am. I've already ruled. >> This is hate speech. >> Ma'am, I've already ruled. Can you please continue? >> Thanks. People who lead shameful, sinful lives and wanting to force their vulgar lifestyle on children and crying foul when normal human beings speak against such periphy and calling us homophobic and wanting to cancel us straits into silence. Anyone who doesn't agree with the so-called LGBT community is deemed persona and

067faced with economic hardships. I despise the LGBT community because they are trying their best to force a curriculum. Point of order, Madam Chair. >> This is this is aimed at an entire group of people. It is not factually based. It is hateful and it is inciting based on his rhetoric and his tone. It's inciting violence and it is not permissible under the law of the United States. >> You're sending a message. >> Do not allow this. Ma'am, I need you to refrain. You're out of order. >> I'm gonna actually ask the attorneys for their counsel on this. Obviously, you're allowed to encourage to maintain some level of decorum, but I I mean I I speech about a group is a little bit different than singling some individual person out and and ridiculing them. I I

068I think for example, we've just heard speech about Republicans, about Democrats, about the GOP, about leftists, about rightists. I mean, you know, you you do have a difficult time when you uh decide to silence somebody based on content. It has to be popularity is not the test of it. Um you know that there has to be some type of real disruption and I don't know a threat to someone or some good reason for doing it. you know, it goes back to the the Supreme Court cases as they say the the remedy for bad thoughts is, you know, or for bad speech is better speech. But I I I can't see a a a good basis for closing the guy down simply because all of us or part of us may disagree with the with the

069uh with the content of the speech absent some direct attack on, you know, an individual or or something like that. I I don't I'm not encouraging it. I'm just saying that I don't I I think we'd have a problem defending it. If you want my honest opinion, I think we'd have a problem defending it, >> defending stopping it, >> right? In in in a in a in a lawsuit, we you'd have a problem defending it. I mean, defending silencing someone is is what I meant to say. Um, >> what >> I I categorically agree with Mr. Blanchard. We cannot shut this man down because we disagree with the content of his speech. He has not made any uh vitriolic attacks on anyone. You can disagree with them. You can disagree. You can disagree with them,

070but free speech is free speech. Peris. >> Okay. Please continue, sir. >> Guys, go. >> They're not natural in the least bit and it's anathema to intelligent human beings who know that there's nothing more beautiful than a man and woman marrying and having children together to continue the species. Therefore, in the strongest possible terms, I implore this Augusta assembly to ban all references the so-called LGBT community to move all remove all books pertaining to this vile subject from all New York County schools libraries to make it against the law for biological born males to compete against biological born females and competing sports events to deny so-called LGBT teachers and staff to ever be allowed employment in Brown County schools and remove all students who openly practice. Point of order. >> Despile lifestyle dung in filth

071of normal children. >> 10 seconds. >> In closing, >> whom by the bi boy who not promote the nasty dead, >> Mr. Chair, Mr. Chairman, >> Miss Justice, >> that was an attack on our students and our staff. How can that not be an attack on individuals? Can you weigh in? Madam >> Chair, I I don't believe this is Germaine to the called audience. We're trying to get through this. If my colleague wants to add a discussion item on the agenda, but right now it's my opinion that this woman has the floor. >> Okay. >> Good evening everybody. I come before you respectfully um based off what we witnessed yesterday in the special meeting. We don't get to pick and choose what rules we follow and what laws we can break or or abide by.

072Um we came before you a few years ago, four of you currently serving on the board. We're we're there now. Um when the last superintendent had broken the law by releasing and retaliating against people who had sent him emails and the board chose to do nothing. Um, what we are witnessing now, in my opinion, is nothing more than a witch hunt against David Perry. There is no legal basis. The media has asked for it several times for you guys to give a legal basis for why he has just been put through this and none is able to be given. The irony of this is that all of you are breaking policy by not following Robert's rules and what it recommends you do in a situation like what you felt you had with David Perry. You

073were mandated to form a committee and to have it investigated and to provide him with written notice of very specific things that he violated and give him an opportunity to defend himself. That didn't happen. And by not doing that, which you were mandated to do through Robert's rules, you in effect, all of you broke policy. So the irony is you're accusing him of breaking policy and you in turn are doing it as well. Instead, you called a meeting which basically the only item on the agenda was the lynching of David Perry. We ran on and on and on with vagies as to why he was sitting there without anything specific ever being mentioned. None of this was legal. in as much as the attorneys could not even advise you on how to do the motion

074properly because the whole process in my opinion was not legal and they in fact should have known that if they did not. We all need to bone up on our Robert's rules. Okay, I've brought Robert's rules for dummies. I'm happy to leave it here if any of you want to read this. But what we witnessed yesterday in this kangaroo report was awful. Jim Nesbbit. >> Good evening, chair and members of the board. My name is Jim Nesbet. I come by for you tonight as a retired teacher and principal with over 30 years in public education from Alaska to Wilmington. As a teacher, I taught three Rs. Not just reading, writing, and arithmetic, but respect for self and others, responsibility for everything you do and say, and reputation, how others judge you on the base based

075on your actions. Those values apply just as much to leadership as they do to students. That's why I urge you to support the Leandro resolution and fully fund our schools. The Lando plan gives us path forward based on research grounded in equity and aimed at real results for New Hor County. This means fair school funding, expanded early childhood education, support for teachers and at risk students. This is not a luxury. It's the bare minimum required by our constitution and our conscience. We are fortunate to be building a foundation that may one day help solve some of these challenges. But until then, cutting funding to schools and nonprofits is like putting the cart before the horse. Let me close with a story. One of my former students, who I once called hell on roller skates, respectfully

076told me, "I taught my ch my kids and my grandkids what you taught me." I hesitated, wondering what he's going to say. Respect for yourself and others and be responsible for everything you do and say. That moment reminded me that what we teach and what we fund matters for generations. Your reputation will be defined by the choices you make now. Please adopt the Leando resolution and restore funding for our children and the community. Thank you. >> Sparrow Picachos. Sparrow Picatos. Am I saying that correctly? evening. My name is Major Spirro Picados, retired, 36 years in the army. Um, I enjoyed all the patriotic uh bits we had here in the beginning of meeting remind me being back in the army. But but I'm here to tell you in 36 years in the military and three

077combat tours as well, I will tell you the military does a an amazing job of taking young men and women from all over this country of all races, of all backgrounds, of all social levels and make them into the best fighting force in this world. And to add to that, they become great citizens of this fantastic country. Let me tell you, it doesn't come cheap. Doesn't come cheap. The Army spends ample resources, time, schools, training, emphasis constantly. And I'm here to tell you, our youngsters who we want to also become great citizens of this great country down the road are only going to do it if we spend ample resources today on their education and their development. And it can only happen with those resources. So if there's money out there through Leandro, if there's

078money other places, I encourage you to go out and look for it. I know we're in fiscal hard times. I know we're in the mood to save money. I'm all about that. Cut my pension a little bit if you need to. I'm all right with that. But the education is something we cannot take money from and we've got to build. It's the future of this great country and without it, we're just going to go downhill. Thank you very much, >> Carllet Garrett. Good evening. Good evening. In 2017, Maryland enacted a law that prohibited all out of all out of school suspension for students aged four to seven. According to their 2023 24 report on suspension, expulsion, and health rellated exclusion, Maryland has not yet achieved zero suspensions for prek through 2 grade. However, their suspension

079rates are significantly lower than those in North Carolina. In Maryland, 4.6% student population received short-term suspension, while in North Carolina, the percentage was significantly higher at 16%. Maryland issued short-term suspension to 831 students in preK through 2 grade compared to North Carolina which imposes suspension on 24,360 students in the same grade. Although North Carolina has over 460,000 more students than Maryland, this difference alone does not fully account for the disparity in suspension numbers. One contributing factor may be Maryland because Maryland banned all suspension for prek through 2 grade. As Maryland enters its eighth year of implementing this law, it continues to strive for improvement. So why can't New Hanover County take similar actions? It is time to revise policy 4351, implement a ban on all suspensions for grades K through 2. New Hano County should

080focus on ensuring that our youngest learners stay in school where they can receive support and assistance they need. Thank you. >> That concludes our call to audience, Madam Chair. All right. Um I am going to suggest a five seven minute recess. Um so board members back on the dis by 6:28 please. I I can appreciate that you think you can apologize about this. >> I do. >> That was pure hate. >> We have a presentation. I'm going to be making a motion here >> two to amend the agenda. All right, board members are all back. Um, if the community could take a seat, please. We're going to get back into the meeting itself. >> All right. I don't want to We're back in order. Um there was a request, Mr. Perry. >> Uh thank you,

081Madam Chair. Uh I believe in the free speech rights of the and the constitution and the first amendment and but we also as a board have a right to free speech and to express our opinion. So I would like to make a motion to amend the agenda so that we can discuss briefly and make and then vote on a uh shared statement that we affirm the dignity and rights of the entire LGBT community here in New Hanover County. and of course people in our schools >> and I will second that. >> Um discussion m Dr. Mayor >> no I'm still trying I I don't understand the motion yet hear enough of it to understand it and I just hope that you would repeat it. >> Oh do you need me to >> Mr. Perry if

082you could repeat it. I'm making a motion to amend the agenda so that uh we can add a a section so that we can exercise our free speech by making a statement uh that we affirm the the dignity and the rights of the LGBT community within our schools and within our community or something along those lines. >> And I seconded that. So, um, Miss Justice. >> Yeah. I just wanted to bring up about the sound in here and it I'm not sure if it's me, but I've been having trouble hearing all all afternoon. Is anybody else having it? >> Okay. Cuz when you were asking him to repeat it. Okay. Just something down there when somebody talks down there. It might be me. I just brought that up. >> Uh, Miss Bradford. >> No, I

083would just somebody sent me a message after yesterday, I think it was, and said, "I couldn't hear you." And I said, "Well, then text in and say, "I can't hear you." If the audience can't hear us, they need to say, "Hey, can't hear you." And if you can't hear us, then say, "Hey, I can't hear you." So that we don't say after the meeting, I couldn't hear you all night. It >> seems to be coming and going because I can hear you fine now, but earlier in the meeting, I couldn't hear about three of you down there. >> Yeah, >> I moved my mic closer to see if that did. But I can hear the echo and it really bothers me. >> There is a motion. Um, Mr. Perry, where did you want to add

084that? >> Um, >> new business or information? Uh uh since we'll be voting on it, I don't think it would be information. >> Not. Okay. So, new business. >> I would say new business. >> Okay. Can you repeat it one more time, please? >> Verbatim. >> No. Yes. But just go ahead. >> If we vote on it, we have to know what it is verbatim. >> Yes. I mean, we are we are we would be adding something to our uh our current agenda, which would of course take a supermajority vote at this point. uh that that we act that we consider using our free speech to to make a shared statement that would be that would affirm the dignity and the rights of the entire LGBT community in New Hover County and especially within our

085schools. >> Okay. Is there any other commentary on that? >> Well, >> so this requires a super majority, Miss Justice. >> Yeah, I think that's a great idea. I wish we didn't have to do that. That it would be a given. Um, is there, and I'm asking the lawyers now, uh, the attorneys, is there some way that you can do research on this topic of hate speech. This is, I don't know if this is the right place to ask you this because I think you came into here without enough knowledge because I am sure that was hate speech. >> Well, we're going to focus on his motion. I think the concern you've got is that you you're stuck with always airing on the side of allowing more speech rather than shutting it down because you

086can get sued for one and you can't generally speaking get sued for the other. And I think that Mr. Perry's suggestion, you know, is is a great way to try to address >> the offensive nature of the speech we just saw. I, you know, allowing it is not the same as agreeing with it. and and I I you know um I think the board has an obligation to allow even ideas that they find offensive. Um we you know we do live in a a society that sometimes is not very civil. Um but you know we're constrained in shutting down people's speech merely because we find it subjectively offensive. Um but as Mr. Barry pointed out, board members have their own First Amendment rights, and one of those is to say, "I just found this offensive."

087>> I hope that answers your question. >> No, I was asking if you do more research because I'm sure you're going to be hearing a lot from other attorneys outside of this today because there's a lot of people in here and on on online that are very concerned about what they just heard. So, can you possibly do this? Is the right time to ask? >> Okay. Uh Dr. Merrick. Yeah, I am particularly concerned that I don't know I'm not a lawyer and I don't know the the limits of what is free speech and what is hate speech. What I do know >> it's hate >> is that that message can fuel children who already have some questions, some biases, perhaps some hatred that they have taken from other areas of society that they have learned.

088And when they are given speech like that, sir, it emboldens them to endanger our children. >> Please don't address. >> All right. So, there is a motion on the table to add um commentary regarding um our free speech and the our perspective of >> um and support of the community. So, uh, this requires a supermajority. So, um, Miss Buoie, will you call the role? >> Mr. Perry, >> hi. >> Miss Justice, >> yes. >> Miss Barnhard, >> yes. >> Miss Mason, >> yes. >> Mr. Wbore, >> yes. >> Dr. Merrick, >> yes. >> And Miss Bradford, >> yes. All right, that passes 720 to zero and we will address that. >> Will that be D? >> That will be D under new business. >> Um, so next up is a discussion not discussion information regarding

089MTAC and that is Miss Branson. Thank you. Um I've been asked to bring some information about the media technology advisory committee. Uh policy 3200 which cons the selection of instructional materials states that the selection decision for media collections will be made with the involvement of the school media technology advisory committee. Each school has one of these committees. The committee is made up is appointed by the principal and is made up of teachers representing every grade level and subject, instructional support personnel, parents, community representatives, the media coordinator if they have one on staff, a technology facilitator if they have one on staff, students um to be involved when feasible, and an administrator. There also is a district level media technology advisory committee which is assigned by the superintendent. Um for our purposes it's been the assistant

090superintendent for technology and digital learning, the director of curriculum instruction, lead media specialist, language arts curriculum specialist of the appropriate level, principal of the year and teachers of the year. Okay. The role of the MTAC is to is couple of areas. One is they're supposed to meet regularly to review potential purchases of instructional materials for the media center. They also will review instructional materials, determine if the any items in the media center are obsolete, outdated, irrelevant or otherwise um contravenes board policy. The other option that they do or the other um role that they have is to hear and review school level objections to instructional materials that are brought on by parents or students. And then the last item that they do is to review school requests to purchase software. Um the process for requesting

091for reconsideration is if a parent has a issue with a instructional material they speak with the teacher or the media specialist regarding their concern. If it's not resolved then the parent will then go to the principal and try to resolve the concern there. If it is not resolved then the principal can provide the parent with the request for reconsideration form. The parent completes the form, submits it to the principal, and then the principal informs the lead of the MTAC at that school that a reconsideration was submitted so that at the next MTAC meeting, it can be scheduled for review. The school MTAC convenes and they follow the process that's in our procedures. If either party is dissatisfied with a decision, they have 15 days to re to file a request for review of a building

092level decision formed with the superintendent and then that brings the process up to the district level MTAC which goes through the same process as the school level as well as they also review the materials from the school level. After the district process goes through, if either party is dissatisfied with the decision there, they have 15 days to file a request for review of a district level decision form and which petitions the school board for a hearing and then the board determines whether they want to hold a hearing or not. And whatever determination the board makes is final. We've put this in place due to the um North Carolina State Board of Educate State Board of Education's policy for parental inspection and objection of instructional materials which requires us to have this policy. We have added

093and we'll be adding to our website the very last item that I mentioned where it talks about review school requests to purchase software. So, we do have a process in place that if a teacher at a school wants to purchase some software, they have to bring it to the school level MTAC, they review it to see if it's appropriate for the content area. Once they determine yes, they want to pursue it. They then actually turn in some paperwork and then it gets reviewed by my office for whether, you know, safety, security, technical standards, we can support it. it get gets reviewed by curriculum instruction and the appropriate person there as far as following content or if it's EC software it'll go to the EC department if it's student support goes to student support goes to

094the appropriate level there then once they review it and convene they determine whether the software is approved or not approved and then the school is informed of that and then they can concede with the purchase any software that is either purchased or has a students have to log in or there's a student account has to go through this process Now, if it's just a website that the kids go to, that they don't have to go through the process. It's only when kids are logging in. So, we're making sure the goal is to keep kids information safe and we want to make sure that we are sharing as little information we can with vendors. So, that is the the function and the role of the MTA committee. So, any questions? >> Wow. Mr. >> Miss Barnhart,

095did you >> Thank you. Um, I just want to reiterate something. You said we've created this process because of laws that were passed in regards to parents bill of rights. And so the process of that, can you speak a little bit to >> um the request for reconsideration is simply a parent or a student brings the concern to district decision makers to um see if indeed the content is aligned with the law. I I know because we have revamped that process as a board looked over policies and a lot of what the law says were not in our policies. So over the past year, we added those in so that everybody is aware of >> the different areas that are not allowed in our school system. It's not censorship. It is making sure that we

096have appropriate age content for our schools. And so can you speak whenever a when a parent or a student um asks for request consideration what is the process involved and what information is shared with those committees that you said the schoolbased or the district committees? >> So at the school level committee when the paperwork is filled out the principal shares that with the the chair of the MTAC which in most of our cases because we have media centers would be the media specialist. they then um are to pull together some of that information as far as what is the I've actually got it on here. What the concerns are of the parent. Hold on, let me pull it real quick. So, um at that school level, basically the chairperson communicates the estimated timeline for the

097MTAC to review. They convene the MTAC, share the procedure for the materials u for the review, organize and keep track of all the documentation. Um that committee then is supposed to review policy 3210, examine, read, listen to or review or view the challenge material in the complaint. So they are to read the whole material. So if it's a book, they can't just read parts and pieces. They're to read the entire entire book. They're supposed to weigh the merits against alleged faults to form opinions based on the material as a whole and not on the passages isolated from context. Um they survey the reviews of material from professional reviewing sources which are provided usually by the media specialist or people go find additional ones. They evaluate the challenge material according to North Carolina General Statute 115C-98B1

098to determine whether it is educationally unsuitable, pervasively vulgar or inappropriate to the age, maturity or grade level of the student, which I think I think is what you were getting at. So those are the things that are not allowed. Um they reach a simple majority decision with the chairperson abstaining from the vote and in case of a tide then the chairperson will cast the deciding vote. Um there are four outcomes. Take no action. Remove the material from the instruction or circulation. Place the material on another school at another school level or regulate the material's availability. Um the chairperson then writes a response that goes to the complainant within five days. So then if that solves it, that solves it. But if there's issues on either side, then that's when it goes up to the district

099level. So when um I can't speak to when the schools share their information, but when it comes to the district level, we do um black out basically the the parents names and redact it so that way that is not shared with the committee. So no one knows who is the one who is bringing forth the the request for consideration. >> I believe um there were questions all the way down here and over there. So u Mr. Will Deborore. >> Okay. I just had three quick questions. Um, one is miss my colleague to the right said students can a student bring a challenge or is it just parent? >> No, students can too. >> Okay. Students can too. And you keep you said several times either. So say like the uh the school level MTAC says

100uh we're going to keep it going or say say they said you know whatever they say. Can they also challenge the district level? >> Yes. So, let's say that the at the school-based decision, the school decides to pull the book because, you know, which is what the parent may have wanted and they pull the book. It could be somebody at the school level then who's not happy with that decision and he wants to bring it back. Same thing is once it goes up to the district level, if the school does not like the district level decision, they then also can bring it up to take it to the board. That doesn't happen very often, but that that option is there. >> It's possible. And my final question is how do the books is there is

101every single book that is brought into a library say you know lany's library is that all been reviewed by the MTAC or somebody or just a librarian or you know >> there's different ways books are added and you got to understand over the years they build that collection and you've have different media specialists that are as a matter of fact the Laney one is brand new starting Friday so different media specialists who aren't aware of what's in the collection so when they do order books if it's a brand new library coming. There is a selection um your vendors basically kind of give lists based on um age range, grade level, interest level, and then there's a recommendation list of titles. And so the media specialist will look through those, look through the titles, find make

102sure that majority of the ones in the list are ones that kids are interested in or already been checked out. And then they will then put their order together. When they're adding to their collection, they take recommendations from students, from parents, from teachers. um they replace books that you know maybe have been checked out so many times that they're worn and ripped or if they have a book that they only have a couple of copies of they may then add additional copies. Have they read every single book in their collection? No, >> I seriously doubt that. >> Of course not. All right. Well, thank you. >> I believe next up was Miss Bradford and then we'll work our way. >> Um take them in the order I wrote them down. Um, does the district have

103or has it ever considered a rating system like what you have for the movies? The movies have G for general, PG, um, 13, R, NC17. Um, we talk about age appropriate, but do we have I know you and I just recently saw, you know, a rating. Um, and some of that's with this rated books report. Have we ever explored that option? >> We do not have one currently as as you all know. There's not one in place currently. I as far as I'm aware, it has not been discussed. It's just it's something we definitely can look into. >> Okay. Um, and the endowment just funded a nonprofit $900,000 to allow materials and resources into 10 schools coming through the nonprofit. How will those resources and materials be reviewed before they get into the classroom? Will

104they go through the MTAC process? What are the steps there? >> I am not aware of that endowment. I have to look something I have to look into. I don't know if anybody else is aware of that. >> Was announced Thursday. I think >> I I would have to look into it. I don't I'm not aware of it, but I will definitely look into Yes, ma'am. Um, and then this one's a little bit prickly, but can we protect adequately the names of the parents that have the courage to want to look at and review a book? Because we know we have a pretty high profile example of a parent's name being given out. We've never identified who did that. But when there's a book challenge on those rare times that it happens, how do we

105better protect the parent from having their name and therefore exposing their children in the in the school district to whatever might come their way? >> I think most of that would be like education. I mean, if we can put in the procedures that we're going to redact because the procedures don't have that where we're going to redact parent names. So, the fact that we've done that at the district level, which is something we chose to do, but that's not in our procedures. So we could amend our procedures to say that we would redact the parent name. You're still going to have the principal who has to email the you know the person back. You're still going to have somebody at the district level who has to email the parent back who are going to know

106who the parent is. But if you redact it and say that we don't want it shared then we can actually put that in our procedures. >> So when the intact committee meets is now currently is the parents name on the paperwork >> at the school level. I don't know. I know at the district level they are not. >> Thank you. Um, I'm just going to kind of go because I don't remember. Dr. Merrick, >> sort of piggyback on what my colleague has just said. Um, I do think that parents when they choose what they want for their children, uh, have a certain right to to privacy. But I think the stickliness or whatever you called it there came up when that parent wanted no children to be able to read a book. And at that

107point that's now public information. That person is advocating against my child and your child and your child. So at that point I believe it would be highly inappropriate to redact a name. That's something that no parent should be protected against trying to take the rights of other parents away >> Justice. >> Uh yes, you said that in this group of professionals and most of them are probably got bachelors or master's degrees and are making these decisions and they're also educators. um they are the ones that determine whether or not from professional training and professional experience which what what is age appropriate is that how that goes about during the process. >> So that they actually look at the reviews. So they are professional reviews that we look at that actually address you know different age

108levels and we look at multiple ones because >> not one book is going to have the same age level for every review. So we look at multiple reviews to look to see at the age appropriateness um in those reviews. So that way we are looking at something outside of our personal perspective and our thoughts and we're actually going out to professionals. Yes. >> Yeah. Because that broadens the ability to get information. Um also I mean there is nothing stopping a parent from taking having saying no my child can't read this book. Correct. >> That is correct. We are able to in the um in the system Destiny, we're able to put notes in if there's specifically, you know, a parent will sometimes come up there and specifically say, I don't want my kid to read

109anything in this series. And so they'll put that note in. So that way when a kid goes check out a book, it'll stop them from checking it out. >> So, so in so in essence, if you don't want your child to read a book, you can stop them. >> Um but then you go, you would go to the parents right to be able to the other parents right make that decision themselves. Correct. That should at this time It's left to unless it goes through the process of banning a book for the whole school or district. Correct. >> Not sure exactly understand the question. >> Okay. So, right now if a parent doesn't want a child to read a book, >> that's fine. Uh they have to go through this process to have it I guess

110the words stopped from being distributed in the individual schools in the district. Right. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right, Mr. Perry. I just had one quick question because I think we've had the rest of this debate before. Um >> I can't hear you. >> Can can I please uh just can confirm that uh you know once the districtwide um um decision has been made or the appeal from the school then then the any the losing party still has a right to come to the superintendent or the board. Is that correct? Sorry, I said that one more time. >> I'm asking you whether there's a right of appeal from the district level. Thank you for the audio. Thank you. Um, is there a right of appeal to uh the superintendent and or the

111board? If the party doesn't like the determination of the district level MTAC, >> if the party does not like determin district level MTAC, then it actually the appeal is directly to the board. The superintendent is actually in charge of the district level one. So it goes to the board after that. >> Thank you. >> And Miss Bradford, >> you had mentioned or listed the um we we talked about educ educationally unsuitable, pervasively vulgar vulgar, inappropriate for the age, but you had listed the options. Can you list those again? So you're you're basically evaluating the challenge material um according to general statute 115 C-98B1 and you're determining whether if it's educationally unsuitable, pervasively vulgar or inappropriate to the age, maturity or grade level of the students. >> The next thing that you said your your options

112for dealing with it. >> Okay. So the options are take no action, remove the material from instruction/irculation depending on where it was, place the material at another school level or regulate the materials availability within that school because the challenges are basically for that school not necessarily for the district. >> Okay. So my question based on that um I have two parts to that question but um last year we dealt with a book and um we we did a hybrid of those four things that you just >> u mentioned and we did that in on an official capacity. So when the MTAC meets and they look at those four are they allowed to do a hybrid of those four would be my question. >> Yes. >> Okay. Good. And again, this one's a little prickly, but

113can you tell me the number, the quantity of books that we have banned in this school district? >> I would have to look that up. It's not been I know using the word banned, but challenge the number has not been high. >> I've been using the word banned. I'm asking you specifically for the word ban. >> And so define banned for me, Lyn, so I can make sure I'm using the same definition you are. What is your definition of banned? >> I just want to make sure I'm using the same thing you are because I know different people say different things. not out there a mis mis um misinformation that we're the book banning board and so on and you're the official representative in this area. >> Um we we we dealt with one book

114but >> um in my opinion the answer is is none but you know there's just constant dialogue about that and I try to you know I try to get the truth out there whenever I can. We have not removed a book from entire availability of every student in New Ha County schools as far as I am aware. >> Thank you. >> Um Miss Barnhart and then Miss Justice. >> Thank you. Um I have a question in regards to um what triggers a district and let me let me go through my thought process is I know that we have a district-wide curriculum and so we have adopted and the board has approved curriculum for the entire district to use. Um and I also know that teachers will choose which books in the in that curriculum that

115we can use. Okay. So my question is we I know that we have a lot of similar content in our schools, okay? And just curriculum is one example, but when we are purchasing for the library, you see copies at all elementary schools or most elementary schools. And so if you have a school that has a heavy parent presence who've expressed concerns and content from that school happens to stop circulation. tell me the process of how the district is notified so that that in turn creates a district trigger to re-evaluate that content because what I don't want to happen I had this exact conversation with the previous academic uh chief academic officer when we were going through this process is tell me what happens when at one school something becomes an issue and is addressed at

116that school and then eight months later at another school a same parent finds out that a year ago this was addressed at another school. Why was it not then addressed for the whole district to reconsider? Because this is something um that I think that we should be prepared for. >> So, you're getting into talking about the the curriculum piece of it and that is not what I I focus on the media side and not the curriculum side. >> Well, you can speak to the media side is what I'm saying because when we're purchasing media content, um you're going to see similar media content in every single middle school, every single elementary school, every single high school. So in the event of a media content being an issue at one school and it is addressed at

117the school level like you said >> um but we're looking at the same criteria. >> So how do we address it as a district when a school takes issue with content? How do we get notified as a district to re-evaluate that content >> through the process that we have? It's only addressed at the school where the challenge is because of the fact that you've got different groups of students. The the needs of the kids at the different schools are different as you go from school to school. So you may very well may see one school that has more books that are in a higher level reading than another school might another school might have more picture books. It just depends on that the student population and the needs of those kids as far as what

118books that they would have in their collection. So we don't just because one school has decided that that book doesn't need to be there, we don't necessarily take it across the whole district. >> And I'm I'm just going to reiterate the reasons why books are not allowed is because they're educationally unsuitable, pervasively vulgar, or inappropriate to the age, maturity, or grade level of the student. So, what I'm concerned with as a as a district decision maker here is if a school has identified content that meets one of those standards and the district does not have a process in place to re-evaluate, I would like for us to think through that process so we can appropriately address that. Because if we're finding people removing from pervasively vulgar, inappropriate to the age, maturity, or grade level of

119students or educationally insuitable, we need to be able to address it as a district. So that's where my concern is. And if it sounds like we don't have that in place and so I'd like to bring to attention for us to think through that. >> Okay. Can um Miss Jess? Well, I'm going to real quick um we are I think way past our time on this. So, I'm going to make a motion to extend for 3 minutes. >> Second. >> All right. Uh, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Nope. >> That passes. Um, >> six to one. Um, Miss Justice, just keeping in mind. And I do have a question. Um so when you get done I will >> I'm not even sure and each one is

120so very seriously I think personally as a professional educator I think the process is meeting its needs now which is what Miss Barart was referring to like that would be adding more work to the different staff members right now that's good that's my personal opinion So as far as also the word banning that's is a harsh word and it's a catched but there have been school books removed from certain classrooms and certain schools in the district. Correct. >> I can't speak to individual classrooms because those don't come up to the lot to the district level. Um, they're probably books that are, you know, for a specific student, you know, it's not appropriate and they may have that conversation. The parent may say, "I don't want this checked out." But as far as removed from a

121classroom completely, those don't come up to my level, so I don't know. As far as from a school, those do. There haven't been that many um requests for reconsiderations done in the district. um up until literally when we did um stamped before that I only know of maybe two in the 20some years that I've been in this department >> that was removed class >> that was removed that one was removed from the AP um lit class from using and it's allowed in any other class at the high school it's allowed to be in the library for um circulation at the high school level only >> so it was removed from that particular class room on class curriculum except in that curriculum. Yes. The kids can still read it for their unenjoyment in the library. Yes.

122>> And just really quickly, I had um a board member ask me to ask um could you explain real quick what a media specialist is? >> Media specialist old school. Your librarian. We just call a media specialist now because it's more than just books. There's all kinds of media. So they do, you know, print, digital, they do a lot of training on digital tools with our students. So that's why we we the term has changed. Um, Dr. Barnes, super fast. >> Just a couple of couple of things for those folks who follow this who maybe don't have lives of our own. Um, House Bill 805 has been uh ratified on July 29th. That may take care of some of the concerns and questions from folks. that law, that general statute does require that schools will

123provide public access through a searchable web-based catalog of books that are in our libraries and in our classrooms. Parents will have the option to request that their students not have those books available. So, that may take care of some of those concerns. Another thing that Don um I don't know if you mentioned or not, there are periodic things where librarians will go through and cull a book that hasn't been read in 10 years, that hasn't been checked out in years, and those may or may not be books like of which we're of which we're speaking of. I would also encourage parents who are concerned about the material or content their child is accessing. We are pushing a promotion through our middle schools called wait till 8th where you will restrict your child from having one

124of these until 8th grade. >> If you are concerned about the content of your children has access to I want you to be aware that their phones have much more access than our libraries do. Thank you. Okay. Add one real quick thing. So, um, with the House Bill 805, just kind of want to, we already have the searchable index. It's already on our website. There will be links added to all the schools front pages because that is required. Um, we do have to add school libraries information, materials. So, we'll work on getting that done, but that will take some time to add all those books. So, we will to get that done. >> Thank you. >> It's time. Somebody sent me an email last week and they said, you know, you have four traditional high

125schools. Are all the other schools that are non-traditional, are they in included in all of this that you've just talked about? >> They are, but they don't have libraries. >> So, non-traditional schools do not have libraries. >> Your um your early colleges don't because they can use Kate and UNCWs. >> Makes sense. >> Your prek centers don't. They have their materials in their classroom that they use. Mosley does not. They have a space, but they don't typically have the books. They have some books in there, but they don't have a media specialist. >> All right. Thank you. Neither does JC Red. That's the only one. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next up, renaming of JC Row Center. That is you, sir. >> Like to highlight some of our folks from JC Row that are

126here tonight. Give me a big old wave. Point order. Didn't This was added if you refresh your it. This was one that we added earlier. >> Oh, okay. So, the next the other one that we're talking about will be the next one after this on information >> board code of ethics. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're good. Um, so thank you guys for all coming and spending so much time with us this evening. uh wanted to make sure I highlighted these folks as well because they have brought a proposal forth and a request to um shift the name of JC Row from center to academy. I brought this up during the agenda review. Uh if you'll reference policy 9300, it does reference uh the renaming of the school. It's a little vague because we're

127not actually renaming the whole thing. We're just renaming the end part from center to academy. And I wanted to offer Michelle or any of her folks that are here tonight to reference why this is a significant change for your school. Or I can do it or you can do it either way. >> Come on up, Michelle. >> I think you're being volunteered. Miss Cornnegie, everybody, principal Jay-Z. >> Hi. Um, so we would like to alter our name so that it more closely aligns with the work that we do. Um, currently we feel like center has a negative stigma. um it represents or sounds like we are a um correctional center or a substance abuse center. Um that's not what we are. We are a school. We are um a place of um academics. We strive

128for academic excellence and support our students. Um so we would like the name to reflect that so the students can be proud of where they attend. Um and it will reflect the culture that we are trying to represent. Miss Bradford, um I want to thank you for bringing this forward. We're excited to have you there and I will support it. There's this weird long process that we have to go through to support it, but know that I'm I'm in your corner. >> Thank you, >> uh Miss Barnhart, and then Dr. Merrick. >> Thank you. I wanted to share a story that just reflects your guys's culture and the hard work. Um, but I had stopped in randomly one day and was talking to the previous principal and was talking about that reconciliation process of really

129understanding that this is an opportunity to for you guys to grow our students and to really focus um focus them back on track to be academics. And and I'm not going to cry telling the story. Maybe I will. But um it was so great to hear cuz I said, "Well, tell me about that reintroduction back into the high school cuz that's ultimately your guys's goal, too, is to send them back to their traditional high schools and say, how are they going to do that successfully?" and um the story to hear about the principles and the counselors that you guys bring from our traditional high schools into JC Row to make sure that that child is supported, is encouraged, is valued when we're sending them back to their high school to hopefully be successful and continue

130that success. Um brought tears I'm bringing tears to my eyes right now telling it. So, you're already doing the work and I'm happy to help support this effort to rechange the name. But just to hear that and understand and let our public know that that's already happening in our schools with you guys in our community and I'm so grateful for it because we know that we have kids that have tough times. Um, we need those people who are willing and able uh to provide the tough love and support and the accountability because that's really where kids are going to thrive at. But then to hear that you guys are already taking that time and that initiative to make sure they they remain successful going back in. I just want to share that and just take

131a moment to lift that up because I really appreciate and value that and I'm so happy to share that story in our community and I will continue to. So thank you. >> Thank you >> Dr. Merrick. >> Thank you. Um, every single one of our kids are important and I think what you guys are doing is the embodiment of saying every single child needs our love, our attention, and everything we can do to lift them up. Um, I couldn't be prouder of the work you're doing. And I and I also want to say, you know, step two here that I do understand that there are board policies about how we can name things, but policy 2450 says the operation of any section or sections of board policy not established by law or contract may be

132suspended temporarily by a majority vote of board members present at a board meeting held in compliance with law and board policy. Um, now at one point I did uh ask this board to consider making that a supermajority and not just a majority but it's for times like this that we do have that policy and I think it's a good use of that policy. >> Um, can I go >> ahead first ladies first? >> Can I can I um as my colleague to the right of me has mentioned JC Row is just a phenomenal school. Um, I had the opportunity to visit it last year and I was so impressed and one of the coolest things about it was that the kids, they just don't want to leave. They want to stay. They just want to

133stay. And one student that was there when I visited um was a senior and and was was had requested to stay there. And I just loved that that student was allowed to do so. And just it was such an environment for um that individual to be able to succeed. And so you guys are doing some amazing work and we absolutely appreciate all that you do because it's a hard job but um y'all are there and you love it. I saw so many passionate teachers and um the kids the kids could feel it too. So thank you guys for what you're doing. U Mr. Wilbur. Well, first off, I was fortunate enough to be at an alternative school in a different county, but you know, Row is really the betterment of, you know, exactly how it's

134supposed to be, exactly how, you know, uh, you know, and it was interesting. I I've heard students not wanting to leave. But I've also heard staff say, "Don't move me. Don't I don't care what you do. Just don't move me. I love this school. I want to be here." And I did want to mention that in our policy, and I I I do apologize. I can see out of one eye tonight, but um, our policy Yeah. Close that one down for me. Uh 9300 says any attempt to name or rename a facility without following this policy is void. It will not be honored unless approved by the board uh after waving the requirements of this policy. So we can do that you know and I mean it's not a big change but I think we

135you know definitely uh need to do that and you know if you guys are behind it we're behind you in doing it. So 100%. >> Thank you Dr. >> Barnes. Close this out. >> Can you go through the steps? >> So um Yeah, >> I love hearing that and I I would love to do it as well. The problem matter is we put it under information and so because it's under information, we can't vote on anything. >> No, we can't do it tonight. >> Tonight, but we can do it at some point. >> We we could alter the agenda now and put it under new information, >> but we want >> All right, I'm going to let Dr. Barnes speak. >> Couple things. One, to make it simpler, if we're going to make an exemption

136of policy, you probably need to do as little of that as you can. We did say that there's a two-month waiting period for the ability for people to have public comment if they want to. We can put this back in in October and then you're only kind of violating part of it rather than all a little bit. >> You know what I mean? >> But I think that um I know that you guys have plans and things like that that you're working on. I obviously you see the support of the board, support for you and support for you folks. Um, there's a story about a shepherd who when you have a hundred sheep and you lose one of them, you go and leave it to find the one and you guys are finding the one.

137So, we appreciate the work you guys do. So, I I don't know as if the two months is really going to make a difference in your vote. >> No, but they might want to order merch. >> A difference in our vote. No, I don't. >> I think you can go ahead and order your merch. We we obviously are going to, you know, have a new sign made and it's important for our printing of our points books and our handbook and stuff like that, but we are appreciative of of your approval whenever it comes. >> Could we do it? Gracious. >> Okay. So, um I'm going to let Mr. Perry go and then I'll let you go. >> Um I am fine with the name change. My my only concern my only concern here with um

138is that um we so often uh make a lot of decisions without leaving that public comment period and I don't like that. So, um I would probably end up voting for it, but and I probably would think that most community members wouldn't say anything negative about it, but I think we should probably uh leave the process as it is just simply so so the community has an opportunity to uh give their input. I doubt it's going to change anything, but >> Miss Justice, you close us out. But I'm a very practical person and I heard exactly what you said here. School started be all ready sooner you get things done. I I heard what you said too but I don't really see anybody. That would shock me if anybody would object to this change. Oh,

139I am so sorry guys. Here I was complaining about the mic not working and I'm not using it right. Okay. Uh, so I hope everybody heard what I just said, so I have to repeat it again. Okay. Um, so I would like to go ahead and make a motion to use what was the one you just can move it. Can I move >> 5050? >> Pardon? That again? >> 2450. >> To use 2450 at this point and have a vote on the renaming or the change of the name for row second. uh point of border uh we can't vote on that now and and because it's in information we would first have to change the agenda and then we could vote on that. >> So so you'd have to withdraw your motion and somebody have

140to make another motion. >> Okay, I'll withdraw my motion and we can do it that way then. >> Go for it. >> Dr. Merrick, >> I move to uh add to the agenda the uh the vote for renaming the the uh JC Row Academy. Uh, and we would put it under >> new business. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? That passes seven to zero. So, it'll come back up later. >> But thank you so much. >> Move. It's there. >> I don't think you're going to be surprised at the result. >> Sorry. You're good. >> All right. Next up, um was the um item that Miss Bradford added, >> ethics and standards. >> Yeah. Board code of ethics and professionalism.

141So, um because Miss Bradford brought it forward, I'm going to let her take the reigns on this. Um, I have a very strong concern that we don't pay enough attention to policy 2120, which is simply our code of ethics. It's got a section A and a section B and it talks about all the things that violate the code of ethics. Handed it out yesterday. It's on the attachments from yesterday, but we don't pay enough attention to that and our professional standards and we don't pay enough attention and under that comes I mean decorum comes self-control. We heard tonight two phrases I'd never heard before. Refring behavior and regulate behavior. I don't know exactly what they mean yet, but I'm going to look them up. But the behavior of the board sets the example for the

142staff and for the students. And we have to do a better job in you know our our are abiding by the code of ethics that we have. It got so out of hand year before that we they created a similar overlapping document called board norms that passed. Then when Superintendent Barnes became our superintendent, he had us all sign it. Then he laminated it and we signed it again. And it's just simply all the things that we've been discussing that we won't do. And yet they're being done and nobody wants to give consequences, but everyone wants to change behavior. And we talk about discipline in the schools, but is there discipline on this board? It needs to be addressed. It needs to be studied. It needs to be talked about. Everybody needs to study that code

143of ethics and check off in their mind, am I doing all of these things to the best of my ability. No one is perfect and we all can certainly, you know, use grace and more redemption. But I am concerned that we have strayed so far off our code of ethics that we're setting oursel up for disaster. The staff look at us and they say, "Do you have a double standard? we have to follow what the superintendent tells us, but you don't have to follow what your your your board chair, your duly elected board chair tells you to do. And so I'm very concerned about it. Um and and in specifically, you know, some things were said after the meeting yesterday that expose me to personal risk, expose all of us to personal risk when we

144go sharing what's protected close session information. Um, it it puts us at risk and I'm very very concerned. I'm not upset about how the vote went yesterday, but I'm upset that we are not taking seriously our code of ethics and professional standards. Every business in the world has those, whether they're written or not, and we have to be able to have a professional standard that we all follow. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Um, and Miss Barnhart had her hand up and then Mr. Thank you. Um, I don't really want to keep having this conversation. I think all of us have had uncomfortable conversations with one another about a lot of different things. The reality is we have worked together to do a lot of good things. Year after year, we have been increasing the

145budget to in order for us to be responsive to the needs. Is there more work to do? Yes, we are coming together to ask this community for a bond to put on the ballot in 26. This is not helpful, nor is it productive when we have to continuously come around and emphasize what should be standard practice. Now, I do understand that sometimes things happen and we say things in the heat of a moment that maybe we should have done differently, but to have it repeatedly happen, it's going to negatively impact this district. It's going to negatively impact the people who want to enroll their kids in this district. And truth be told, we have an awesome district. You look at the scores, we're outperforming the state in a lot of areas. This was the lowest

146turnover rate for staff that we've had in years and those are things to be proud of and I commend the leadership and continue in this path. Um, so this is an uncomfortable h conversation especially we just had a meeting yesterday addressing issues that we don't want to see repeated. So, I respect and I see my chairwoman pulled out the code of ethics and if she would be so kind to read it off us to remind us, but I will do my best to continue to have conversations with each one of you and I hope you do the same with me when we can do better because we should be doing better. >> Mr. Perry, >> um, thank you. Um the uh I don't have an issue with any of the things in uh the items

147and commitments that we have in 2120, but they're guidelines for the most part. There are some things that just it's not a specific uh thing that you can always delineate uh you know right from wrong. For instance, like I've I said yesterday, you know, we're supposed to be we we we part of 2120 is that that we we have to conduct our affairs as an open and public manner uh as we can because transparency is important. And and and another one that uh you know that I want to point out is under uh B specific board commitments uh you know model civility and integrity of students, parents, employees, vendors and all elements of the community by encouraging the free expression of opinion by all board members. free expression. That means they can differ with you

148and maybe you're not liking what they say, but but we're supposed to be doing that and uh and we're supposed to be respecting the fact that you know what what you might find offensive. I'm trying to make a point or vice versa. And finally, and and I just, you know, I think uh my colleague to the very far left said something to the effect that um you know, it's our duly uh elected chair that somehow she's my boss. She's supposed to be our leader, not our boss. You know who's my boss? The voters of this county who elected me and elected you. She's supposed to be our leader. This is She's not our our boss who gets to simply in uh enforce things unilaterally. Excuse me. I'm not finished yet. >> Ethics and professional. >>

149May I finish? >> I'm going to I'm going to allow him to finish. >> I So, the only thing I'm I want this stuff to work, too. I want to be able to get along with people, but you know, I don't want to be micromanaged either or made to conform. I don't think the voters want us to do that either, but you know, I've made mistakes and I will continue to mistakes make mistakes and but I try to do my best not to repeat them. But at the very least, you know, if we look at number 15, we all swear to represent the entire county without fear or bias. And that also means fear of without fear of the disapproval of some other board member on the other side of me. Um, I'm gonna go

150this time um because I keep getting brought up so I'm going to address it. Um, so according to policy duties of the chairperson, the chairperson has the following duties. Preside at all meetings of the board. I'm sorry, this is policy 2210. Um, for anybody watching from home who really loves policy. Um, duties of the chairperson. And the chairperson has the following duties. Preside at all meetings of the board. Preserve order at all times. Appoint board standing committee members and chairpersons. Serve as exofficial member of all board standing committees. Appoint board representatives to board advisory committees and outside commissions, committees and boards. Call special meetings and sign official system documents. The chairperson will perform all duties required of the office by law and execute all documents on behalf of the board. In order to address the

151board, a member must be recognized by the chairperson. The chairperson has the following powers. To rule motions in or out of order, including the right to rule out of order any motions patently offered for obstructive or deleatory purposes. To determine whether a speaker has gone beyond reasonable standards of courtesy in his or her remarks. To entertain and rule on questions of parliamentary procedure. To call a brief recess at any time to adjourn an emergency. And number three, the chairperson will have the same right as other board members to offer resolutions, to offer motions, to discuss questions, and to vote on all matters for which a motion is made. The chairperson will serve as spokesperson of the board for communicating the board's position to the public. So, just so we're clear on what we have in

152current policy, I know that there is discussion about adjusting some of those things. Um, I am one member. My vote counts the same as everybody else's. However, I've been charged by this board to ensure that these meetings are orderly, that we get business done, um, and to address concerns that our staff have. Um, and when those concerns continue to come up, um, there are there are things that are expected of the chair. um that there there is action that is expected of the chair to make sure that order is preserved at all times. So, I'm just going to read real quick the board norms that we all signed. Um as members of the new Hannover County Schools Board of Education, we acknowledge that all decisions made for the district are to ensure the safety and

153highquality education of the students that reside within its boundaries. To this end, we therefore agree to adhere to all established policies in regard to how we conduct the business of the new Hannover County School District. We agree to adhere specifically to the language found in the following policies. Policy 2010, board and superintendent relations, policy 2120, code of ethics for schoolboard members, and policy 2122, role of board members in handling complaints. And I'm going to pause real quick because we did we did spend a lot of time going through figuring out which board norms we thought would best summarize all of the things that are expected of us. So, uh, general expectations include, but are not limited to, one, treat other board members, students, staff, parents, and vendors respectfully and professionally at all times. Two, return

154phone calls, texts, and emails. Three, the chair of the board and the chairs of each committee will include all members in key discussions prior to meetings. Four, in the event of agenda changes, notify the board chair and each other as soon as possible. Five, be prepared with questions for clarity for fellow board members, superintendent, or senior staff prior to the agenda review. Six, always clarify when making public statements that is your personal opinion/stance and not that of the board unless you've been given permission to do so. Seven, respect the position of the superintendent and board chair and funnel requests for information through them. And eight, board members will put the betterment of staff and students first in decision-making and respect decisions that have been established by a majority vote of the board. I know that

155none not one of us up here uh can walk on water. Not one of us up here is perfect and so we will all make mistakes and we all have made mistakes. Um it is our job as the role models of this district to perform our job to the best of our ability. And when though criticism is hard and I have sat and experienced that um on this dis and in other meetings um it is difficult when you are being told that you are wrong um to receive that well. But when you take it and you make adjustments, it does help um with the functioning of this board. And that's our our purpose and our goal should not be to have to deal with board disagreements, with board posts, with board things. Our focus should

156be on what I got to talk about today, which was the kids that I get to hang out with, the deaf kids that I get to read with, that I get to see grow. Every single one of us should have that experience and it shouldn't be hindered and the decisions and the discussions that we have shouldn't be hindered by the behaviors that we've exhibited outside of this room. >> So, um, Dr. Merrick, >> thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I'm so glad we have educators in the audience because one thing I I do know that yes, we have our standards, we have we have our policies, and we need to hold them up. But I don't think that you can punish your way to good behavior. And I think every good educator knows that that the

157fact that we're bringing in um you know uh reframing behavior in our schools, it seems like we need to consider some of this on the level of the board that we need to work together. We need to find ways of regulating ourselves. We need to find ways of working together. And I don't think that we can keep censoring each and every one of us. I don't think I think all of us have done things that would that would you know be worthy of a censure. But we can't punish our way to to being human and being collaborative and I think holding ourselves up to a standard each one of us and discussing it with each other when we need to. uh one to one or two to one as necessary. Uh if we have to

158do it out here in front of the public, well, good God, let's bring it out. But remember that our overall goal is to work together for the betterment of our kids and our teachers and all of this is a colossal waste of time if we can find other ways of doing it. Thank you. >> U Mr. Wabore and then Miss Justice >> book. We talked about books just a m moment ago in a book that I read quite a lot. U talks about iron sharpening iron and that is what we need to do. I think in the document I brought forth yesterday and again I have no problem with it being uh thumb down and all that kind of thing. Absolutely not. But one of the things I put in there and it wasn't to,

159you know, muzzle anybody or cens not censor but to to bring anybody down but I mean just you know if if you have an idea and it's it's a controversial idea instead of just saying well I'm going to throw it out there and you know whatever else you know talk to somebody else you know call somebody on the phone and just say communicate what do you think what do you think of this idea the other person may say that's a great idea go forth with it. The other person also may say, you know, as you think about it, is that the best thing for our kids? H and that's and as I said the other day, that's I think what our focal point needs to be. What's number one the best thing for our students?

160Number two, what's the best thing for our staff, our our teachers, our teacher assistants, our bus drivers. And if we can say yes, that whatever this is, that's a great idea. If you, you know, you sit there and say, well, especially if you in your own mind say, you know, is this the best thing? That doesn't mean if it's something not related to the board, go for it. But if it's something about, you know, about that that could impact us, could impact our relationship with the county commissioners possibly as we want to try to get uh, you know, our funding back where it needs to be 100%. Um, you know, we we need to think about that and not just say, well, I'm going to say it because I want to say it. You everybody

161has free speech. Absolutely. as I said yesterday in that document, but at the end of the day, you know, just ask somebody, you know, we have a elected chairwoman, uh, you know, call her and say, "What do you think about this vice chair, another board member, talk to somebody else thinking, you know, you know, you think about a principal when I was a principal? Most of my decisions I made, I bounced off of somebody. I bounced off the assistant principal typically." And so, what do you think about this? Sometimes they that still was my decision as principal but that person may say hey you know have you thought of this no I haven't I do that now with my wife all the time but um you know so that's you know that's just just a

162thought as she agree with you >> then not very often and she's usually right I'll be honest thank you >> good source >> yes Kirstston is right yes always um Miss >> again I'm very practical right >> uh yesterday's meeting was very painful Um, >> and what followed was even almost more painful in a way. And this is the crux of why we're even talking right now. Social media and med and the media in general, u journalists, local news stations, uh, they they're going to amplify what you say and the public's going to hear it. Yesterday after our meeting, one of the people in this group went out and actually made a I think a spectacle of what we had done and focused on the wrong thing. Nobody was shutting down speech. We were trying

163to make sure that all of us because that's an example. We always should be using example better that somebody else makes a mistake and I learn from it than I have to be the one doing it. Um, so that person should have been able to see that they made a mistake and then they just sat on it and reflected on it instead of going out and saying they're going to do it again. They had a right to do it because breaking policy and procedure. Doing the staff's job is not free speech. That's overstepping boundaries that makes it very hard for our schools to function properly. And and that's why we're talking about this right now. That's not free speech. Yesterday, the attorneys were quite clear when they said releasing the uh count of a vote

164and who voted on what. That was outside of our purview. And that was illegal. That's even above and beyond just policies and procedures. And yet that person ignored that fact. And I heard even some of his supporters going out and saying that the attorney said it was okay to do what they did. I don't know why people are saying things that aren't facts. They didn't listen yesterday, I guess. Hopefully, they're listening now and we'll cut it out because we do need to work together. I've been on this board some really bad times. But one thing I tried to do, even though some people didn't think so, was tried really hard to do the right thing for what was best for all of us together to do what was best for our kids. And one of

165the things in order to do that is we have to do what's best for our staff because they're the ones right with those kids. And what's happened in the last couple weeks is overstepped boundaries and not followed the staff and our superintendent, not supporting his decisions, not just other staff members. We got to do better as a group. And everybody knows what happened, learn from it, do better. I don't want to censor people. I've seen the sensors used and abused. We need to stop that. But the every one of us individually needs to take responsibility for our actions and learn from them. Please learn from them. >> Thank you. Um I'm um we didn't actually have a time frame for this one. >> Thought we had 10 minutes. >> No, we didn't have a time

166frame listed on that. >> I would say I do recall a 10-minute time frame being stated. >> There was a 10 10-minute time frame. Okay. Um so um I saw one two people with their hands up. Do we want to extend for three minutes max as we do two minutes? Two minutes. So that would mean that both individuals get one minute each. Um I will >> make a motion to add two minutes to the discussion. You did it. Okay. Second. All right. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? All right. Um I'm going to go Mr. Perry then Miss Bradford. One minute please. >> Um obviously um the um my belief was that uh yesterday's proceedings didn't follow our policy or Robert's rules of order. In my opinion, it was a

167kangaroo court. But you got your pound of flesh, but now you want to come back for a few more ounces. Um the uh I've admitted to making mistakes. I want to work together with this board, but I I I am tired of people trying to get me to, you know, conform or to micromanage my free speech simply because I somehow I'm wrong for pointing out that we violated policy yesterday and told the uh during our proceedings, which we did. Um, but you know, that's just my opinion. So, I got one minute. I got little over one last minute. I really don't want to have to continue to defend myself here. I again, I want to I want to try to live up to to all these standards, but I don't want somebody else micromanaging me.

168We need to just work together. Thank you. >> Miss Bradford, could you finish up? You have a little less than a minute. >> Okay. Um, for me, one of the things that's left unresolved, the biggest issue going forward is from things that were said after the meeting yesterday, a and online in an interview, the biggest issue is how do we go forward? How does our assistant superintendent of student services, our staff and our attorneys, how do they conduct our appeal hearings going forward? not knowing if a board member thinks it's okay to share the information with a parent, what's said in the run-up to the meeting or in the hearing itself and how the vote broke down because that was disclosed this last week, how the vote broke down and take a minute and grasp

169the very negative implication of that. If a board member is giving out the time and the date or how the vote broke down, now parents can then come and attack a board member for their vote in a confidential student hearing that puts board members at physical risk, financial risk, and it's a very grave concern. How does the staff go forward from where we were yesterday? And I think it does need to be addressed. Maybe it goes to policy committee, I don't know. Um there was some some misinformation given yesterday and some statements made after the meeting that really concerned me. So with that, Madam Chair, I yield back. >> All right. Um next on the agenda is consensus items. I am going to um pull a um because I know Miss Sutton had something that

170she wanted to explain, but I will make a motion to approve items B, C, D, E, F, and G. >> Second. >> Okay, I can't have that many seconds. >> Any discussion? >> Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? That passes seven to zero. Miss Sutton, if you could share the additions that were made and the different things on the title one application there. >> So the information I shared at agenda review as far as the things that we are covering in the title one application has not changed. However, we did update the application to provide additional information. Um, and I have um uploaded the new application in assembly so the public has information. I printed for you guys a copy of the revised application and um I've

171highlighted in the application online and um that was provided to you the areas where we had changes. Um for the most part we were just um providing additional detail. So, we went into more depth on um what we're doing as part of the prek program. Um we provided additional information for the um parent involvement funds, how that's being spent. So, we as you go through, you can see that we've expanded on the comment sections in the different areas. Um we did have some number changes um as a result of um the final carryover numbers we received. And then also on page um >> hold on let me find it. >> I thought it was in the back. Hold on just a second. Yes, sorry about that. The last flag um in your handout is page

17218. We had not broken down for each school the amount um that would be provided for the parent and family engagement. And so we had a total number there, but we didn't have it broken down by school. So now we've added that information so you can see for each school what that dollar amount would be. I'd be glad to expand on any questions that you have related to those changes. >> Um I would move that we accept this title one application. >> Second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. You. Oh, sorry. Dr. Merrick had something. Sorry. I >> There you go. >> First of all, thank you. I I looked at this before uh we received an email asking questions about it and I I kind of looked at

173it and said, I am just not qualified. And so luckily we have such a great relationship with you and a great respect for your expertise. Uh not just because we think so but because outside auditors have told us. Um so I I appreciate very much the fact that you would even come and and highlight it for us so we could begin to try to understand it. Um, the only thing I I got by talking to a third party uh that had knowledge of this is they said, "Well, you really can't do it wrong. Uh, as long as you get it in by the end of August, uh, DPI will work with you. But it doesn't seem like you've done anything wrong here. You've done a great lot of work, and I I appreciate it very

174much. >> Thank you. >> Now, there was a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I." >> I. Any opposed? That passes seven to zero. Next up, policy. I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Wible. >> Which one do I use this time? >> The working one. I'll use the working one this time. Okay. We have four uh four policies in front of us to discuss. Um and the fourth one we want to use a little bit more time. We have our attorneys here to kind of really go through that. Uh prior to that, I did have a question for the board. Um, it's been brought to my attention that uh that the legislation has legislators have added the word biological back in. We've just discussed that. Do we want

175to bring that sentence? Do you want the policy committee to review that next week so we can bring it back to you for recommendation? >> I would say yes. >> Okay. >> I would ask the will of the board though. >> I I would agree with that. >> I would agree. >> Okay. that we'll have some that'll be a four five and a half hour meeting, but we'll we'll be >> Do you have those policy numbers off the top of your head? >> Uh why not? I'm sure I do. >> I will send it to everybody though. Um so we'll go ahead and Dr. Merrick had mentioned that he would like to discuss um so we'll start with um 9120. There we go. We got it. Uh the uh chain the old uh wording is

176in red. The proposed new wording is now in blue. Dr. Merrick, what you got? >> All right. Um, >> hey, you took >> for the audience that is still still awake and for those at home uh streaming if they're still awake. >> Um, I want to just kind of center us again on what this policy is about. Uh, um, it's about uh whether or not we would uh how we would award contracts. And before the anti-dei wave in the federal government, uh we had this policy saying that we would encourage uh seeking out minority owned businesses because it helped create more equity in our community. Um the pro the policy was brought to us to remove any mention of minority businesses uh under the reasoning that we didn't want to risk losing federal funds if

177we were, you know, out of DEI compliance. So we removed that language. Um, but we also removed language about local contractors because it also said that we would try to encourage uh using local contractors and we were afraid that that was also maybe going to be uh uh illegal or or you know uh anti-Dei or whatever. So, we took that out and then we found out that we could put local contractors back in if we simply said we will reach out and encourage local contractors to to bid on these projects. And so my question was, if we can get around the law that way, why don't we also get around the law by saying we could reach out and encourage minority contractors to to bid on these projects. If we don't put it in, the

178only way I can really understand that is we just really don't want minority contractors to bid on our projects. >> And that to me really feels hurtful. I I'd like to be able to put that language it back in. >> Um, okay. So, I know we have >> I don't say anything. I just didn't know if you were going to call on people if you want to go. I am. Okay, you got it. >> I am. >> All right. >> But they start at one end and work. >> That's what I was going to do, Mr. Perry. >> Um, >> this was something that we that I worked on in the policy committee uh with uh the rest of the group. >> I can't hear you. >> Can't hear you. >> Excuse me. Okay. the

179um this is something that I that that I also worked on and and if if I recall our discussions uh from our last policy committee correctly um gi given the new legal advice we were handed to by our board attorneys, we are actually not only allowed to just you know um not only allowed just to give notice to local businesses that they have preference. can actually give them extra points in consideration. So that there was a distinct difference in that. Um and I think you know and that wasn't in there. Um the other uh and so I think you know we we we we serve New H. I think favoring local businesses is a good thing and because we owe it to our community. So uh I like it the way it is. Uh I

180still think that there is a from my understanding uh Miss Sutton would still be reaching out to other minority businesses as they usually would do. It's just that uh you know there's no quotas involved or we're not going to give them any extra points, but apparently there never was. So >> Miss Justice, >> yeah, it sounds like we've got a couple things we need to look at. Um, you said they can get extra points if we reward this a little bit and it wasn't put in there. >> Yeah, it was put in. >> Can we get that explained? >> The the school of government had a blog about a long explanation. I think it seems like we handed out the the >> a print out of that discussion and there were >> at least at

181the policy meeting is that or did we send it? >> We did. And I think the the way the uh the school boards association had written our policy to begin with kind of reflected their view of it. The the I guess the layman's view of it is that you can put your thumb on the scale a little bit for the local businesses. There's some, you know, restriction. You can't put your whole foot on the scale, >> right? But but you can give them some um benefits because it's considered a legitimate um goal of government to you know to foster local economic development. So you you've got a little bit to work with there. And the way the policy had been written in the model policies I I think took that into account and was very

182closely modeled after the language that we saw in the school of government's you know long explanation of it. um >> remember that >> um you know like you couldn't have and I'll I'll give you we've all heard of the privileges and immunities clause in the US constitution one of the big ideas behind it is that you can't discriminate against out of state businesses so that for example is why you know and this is a weird example but a um a North Carolina resident and all the other states do this too a hunting and fishing license for for um recreational people you can charge an out of state person 10 times what you charge a North Carolina person. But if you had um commercial fishing licenses, for example, you can't do that. You can't charge out

183of state folks more because it's a business and and that type of interstate commerce, you know, is subject to privileges and immunities that comes into play in government contracting. So, you can't say we're going to give all of this stuff to North Carolina residents, but tell people from Connecticut that they can't apply. Um, you can show as Mr. Perry some types of preferences for it. And again, the policy that we had written um was was modeled and was designed to allow us to do pretty much the most that we could do um without it starting to get a little bit iffy. And I I apologize for the long explanation, but >> So it's already in the body. >> It it was embodied in our in our prior version of that. Yes. >> Can we add

184So So it's it would be we could reput that that part back in there. >> I mean, I'm sure you can you can you can modify the language a little bit, but that I just wanted people to know that that was what we had been trying to do all along. >> Okay. So we I mean it would be logical then to send it back to policy and look at that and possibly what Dr. I believe we've modeled it exactly as he's saying what's here. >> I think that may have been included. I'm and I'm I'm going >> I was taking I'm sorry. I'm not trying to order. >> Thank God. Point of information. The language that's in red that struck whose was that and the language that's in blue. Is this your >> or is

185this schoolboard associated before? >> The language that struck is what was there before? Yes. And the blue is the new language that the attorney is saying. >> Yes. >> Meets what he's just saying. >> The language does >> the blue language is >> blue language is clearly permissible. You know, because we're not putting our thumb on the scale that much. We're just as Mr. F pointed out. We're going out and justice going out listening. >> Couldn't you also put do the same verbiage for a minority contractor? the old minority contract language that we had. You know, there was North Carol again, it was taken from the North Carolina statute. Now, I'll be honest with you. I don't know what impact that House Bill 805 is going to have. I don't know. It was just passed

186um you know ago, >> but but it may impact that. But >> we can come back later. I remember that was our pulling it out because staff pointed out, hey, this comes straight out of the the, you know, the state statutes, oddly enough, passed by the legislature in the past, been modified just past. >> Um, hang on, Miss Barnard has a question, too. >> My my question comes down to the practicality of how this policy gets implemented. >> Dr. Dr. Barnes, could you please speak to if we are saying local, if we would insert minority and try to go around the DEI and lose federal funding, tell me how this gets in practicality when we are submitting a bid. If we said local contractors, tell me how that process looks that we're advertising to the

187community so that we collect bids. >> Well, Ashley, do you want to jump in here if if you want to? >> Because if we're at How are we advertising it? Is it going to only one entity of hearing it like the the I just want to know the practicality of it because we could argue about the mechanics of what sounds better but tell me when we're talking about getting a bid >> if we said local or we said minority or we said womanowned or we said tell me how you would implement that. >> Right. So, think about when we put out the bid for um looking for proposals for the attorneys. Let's use that as an example because that's familiar, right? So, we would put out the RFP just like we would um and then

188um after RFP's gone out, we know we we have vendors that we work with locally and we they do a good job. We also have vendors that are or would be considered minority vendors and we have a file of those individuals. So if we sub send out requesting for proposals and we know we have folks in these categories that do this work, we send them a copy of the request for proposals. So we post it. So we publish it in the newspaper, we have it on our website. So we have different ways that we post advertisement. But for those those vendors, we actually send the proposal to them to make sure that they get it and and they know it's out there. So then the next thing would be once those proposals come back in,

189the committee who's evaluating those proposals, when they're coming up with their rubric, trying to determine what are we looking for in these proposals? Well, first it has to address everything that was included in the request for proposals or the request for quotes, right? And then that committee could also say, but um let's put um in this matrix, this rubric, let's give extra points if it's a local vendor or let's give extra points if it's a minority, you know, if it falls under that underutilized business's category. So the committee would work on that. So in my mind, that's how it work. That's normally how the process works. I'll be glad to answer any other questions, >> but it would restrict it to that wouldn't take into effect until after the the main bits of the proposal.

190So like if it >> Right. >> you couldn't win your way into points into something that didn't fit the RFP originally. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. Really, it would everyone has to answer all the qu they have to be responsive to all the questions that were um included in the request for propo proposals. But then maybe all things being equal, if it's a local vendor, maybe that's a way that they say, "Well, we're going to go with this vendor because we've worked with them before. They do a good job." If all else is equal. So the committee really once they make sure all the questions have been answered, then they're and they're they've narrowed it down to however many, then those will be the kind of things that they look at as trying to

191make that final determination. I guess that's what I was getting at is there's there's crossover between local I'm sorry there's crossover between local and minority owned businesses and so there's a list of people who we have worked with in the past that in addition to the blanket RFP that you would >> directly send hey here's an application to consider >> correct >> so if there's a minorityowned local business they would still get a direct y >> application even under this current >> writing We did that. Yeah, we've always done that. >> Great. >> Um, and I I just want to let board members know looking at the agenda right now as it stands, we have about 55 minutes worth of things remaining. So, we need to be very cognizant of the time. Um, >> can

192I have just a quick question? >> Sure thing, Miss Justice. >> Okay. So what you're saying is this policy says what it says, then you get the bids and then you and you if you have all things being equal, then you make the final decision based on a matrix that obviously is going to look at local people you've worked out with for maybe minority. The point is that is not something that would be stated necessarily in this policy. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> No, I understand the board. I'll make a motion that we accept this policy as because we said we're going to talk to about a minute. So, I I'll accept I'll make a motion we accept uh 9120 as uh rewritten. >> Second. >> Okay. Um Dr.

193Merrick, keep it super quick, please. >> No. And I'm going to address it back to you, Miss Sutton, if I can. >> Maybe not. I'm trying. Sorry, Miss Sutton. Yeah, I I wanted to address this to you. So, I get it that I appreciate that you are still using the rubrics of a local contractor, one that you might know, but to support our local economy, you're also looking at minority uh contractors because this is just part of how you do things. What I'm concerned about is, God forbid you should ever leave us. this policy no longer would direct the person taking over for you to do that for us. >> And so that's why we have policies is to direct our staff on on things like this. So, I would like to see it have

194something in there that says when possible and when uh uh that that we would also, you know, try to give preference when all things are equal to local businesses and minority owned businesses. >> I I would like to just add that um if I'm not here, general statute does require that we reach out to those minorities, those underutilized businesses. So that is a state requirement. So whether it's in the policy or not, we would still be required to do that. >> So I just want to say that. >> Right. So if there is a motion to approve policy 9120, Miss Bradford, >> I thought I would want to get in and talk. First of all, like to point out that for 30 years I've been a minority business in this county >> and you know,

195I was discriminated against because I was a woman business owner. So I understand that. And so when I read this from that perspective, I support this. I like it that we invite underutilized businesses and we invite local because again, we're trying to build the sales tax base in New Hampshire County, still have more money to spend on schools. And so we want them to do business with locals. So I'm going to support this and I don't find this offensive any way having been a minority business in a man's world fighting really hard for three decades. >> All right, >> M. Okay, Mr. Perry, >> I'll try to make it very quickly. Thank you. I I just want to reiterate too, however, while state law would provide us um you know, still to notify my own

196businesses um if we continue or or we were to try to put something back into it that that gave an extra preference based off uh minority status, I think we're going to run a foul of the dear colleague letter and we could again open ourselves up to potentially losing funding. We don't want to go there. All right, there is a motion to approve policy 9120. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Opposed. >> That passes 6 to one. >> Carrying on. We have 2330 board meeting agenda. Um, Miss Justice and I were both on when we added the the portion that is being crossed out or or being proposed to be crossed out, which is uh adding the the um items to the next board meetings. And in place

197of that, the agenda, a full board meeting, regular agenda reviews, and specially called within the next two calendar months. If the chair determines that the item should be I'm starting to struggle here uh reviewed by a board member first a board committee first that committee is scheduled to meet within the next two calendar months the chair may assign the item to the agenda of to the agenda of the board committee in lie of adding it to the agenda of the full board meeting. If the sponsor or second of the agenda item is not assigned to that committee, uh they shall nevertheless be invited to address the committee on the item. And then later later on it's uh the next paragraph it says certainformational items may be provided to the board directly through established communication means

198that's uh you know from uh the you typically one of the uh um examples of that would be the newsletter we get for or the uh weekly >> yeah Barnes bulletin that's what we call it now. Okay. >> Is that what we call it now? >> We call it the Barnes Bullet. We just named it. So >> yeah BB >> Anyway, I'll make a motion we accept 2330 as rewritten. And >> um Dr. Merrick, >> I think Pat had her hand up first. >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Bradford. >> Who wrote the red language? >> Me. >> Okay. Um the the first paragraph with red in it, the agenda of a full board meeting, regular agenda review, special called blah blah blah. And come down to the last two sentences. Um starting with dot dot

199dot. The chair may assign the item to the agenda of the board committee in lie of adding it to the agenda of a full board meeting. I'm cool with that. But this next thing sort of really scares me a little bit. If the sponsor or the second of the agenda item is not assigned to the committee, the sponsor or the second of the agenda item is not on that committee, they shall nonetheless be invited to address the committee on the agenda item. That is a whole departure from what we've ever done before. And I don't remember any conversation about this this one particular sentence. So, um I'm going to have a hard time voting for that with that in there. I would be interested in amending it to take that one sentence out. Um I'm

200fine with everything else in it. But I mean, okay, so I want to propose like 20 different things for the policy committee to consider and now I get to come to the policy committee and speak on them because I'm not on the policy committee. That I think requires more study than just passing this tonight with that sentence in there >> personally. >> Okay. So I would move to amend that motion to strike that sentence. If the sponsor or second of the agenda item is not assigned to the committee, they shall nonetheless be invited to address the committee on the agenda item. I would strike that. So that's my motion there. >> Miss Barnhart seconded that. >> Your mic isn't on. >> Second. >> Dr. Merrick, you had your hand up. >> I did. Thank you

201so much, Madam Chair. Um, what I talked about the last time we brought this up is that there's a very well-known tactic on boards where we send something to committee to die and you see it uh you see how many bills uh in fact the bill that we're going to discuss later on's law is in committee and it's all you can do to all the teeth you can pull to try to get it out of committee. and we're not a big uh general assembly here. We're seven people and >> he he's the honorary atheist. >> But when we have committees, like for instance, we have the curriculum committee. There's not a single Democrat on that committee. There's three Republicans. I don't know how that happened, but it did. And so if I wanted to send

202something, I wanted to bring something to the board that I thought was important that needed to be discussed and then the board chair said, "Well, we'll send it to curriculum committee, it will die in curriculum committee and will never be brought to the full board and generally speaking never be brought before the public because the public doesn't watch the committees. It it seems like it's giving too much power to subdue and suppress speech. Now, we just had a long talk about freedom of speech. >> And I think that as a small board, seven people, we ought to be able to have that free speech. You know, if the board full board doesn't want to vote for it, they won't. >> But we ought to be able to bring it to the public and bring it

203before the before the board. So, I I can't support the changes here because it just seems like a way of power management that that that wrangles me the wrong way. >> Um, so we had hands down here and I don't know who is first. So, I'm going to start with Miss Justice this time and go to Mr. Perry. >> So, we just had a >> microphone. Oh, >> we just had a motion to strike that last sentence. Is that what this is we're talking about right now? Okay. U what what Dr. Merrick brought up is so so true. I've been on this board since 2018. I've seen some all kinds of things go on and one of the main ways is by having items disappear into the ether, send them someplace and never have them

204appear again. We had to fight to make sure that the chair would bring items to to the board within two meet within two meetings. I mean, it it was hard. And so that to me just seems like and it may not always be used this way, but it can easily be used as a tactic to slow something down or have it disappeared. So that's why we added that. We just want as you know, the whole board can vote. They can say no. It doesn't have to go to a committee. it should go to a committee, but if they're going to be hanging on to it and not making decisions or making a decision that doesn't necessarily agree with, say, possibly the majority of the board members, um, it may never show up here in front

205of the board. We just don't need to have it sent to a committee to have it die. We need to have sent to a committee to have information, but it should be within the two meetings presented the way we fought really, really hard to have it done because some really important stuff disappeared. >> Okay, Mr. Perry, >> is there a point of order? Could we restrict the comments to the amendment for now rather than to the whole? >> She was Yeah, she was talking about the Yeah, >> this is just this is this is allowing other board members to come into the committee to plead their case for whatever they have added to the agenda. That's all that we're discussing right this moment. >> Amendment, >> I'm the one who wrote the language here in

206question. I wrote it specifically to safeguard about what Dr. America's talking about so that it could somebody could have a go to committee and and never be heard of again. Um but I also wanted to give the flexibility to the chair because sometimes there you know it really should start off in a committee and so best of both worlds. I think protecting our individual board members to get things through and to have them duly considered is important even if you're in the minority. And so I want to give the chair some more flexibility, but I will not do I will not vote for this. I won't vote for this myself if if we end up adopting Miss Bradford's motion because I I don't think that leaves enough protection for uh the minority. >> I'm actually

207going to speak to that amendment. Um, I have to say I'm going to have to disagree with my um colleague to the far left of me um when it comes to inviting individuals to address committees because um when I was not on policy and there was a policy that I was super supportive of, I was invited to speak um at that meeting. um when it comes to things that other members have brought forward, there may be um nuances, there may be different specific details that they're asking of the committee to give more information on. Um I I could see, let's be honest, it there is always a way for a policy to get abused in some way, shape, or form. Um, and so we cannot legislate ourselves out of that. But I think that this,

208um, I have to agree that this is a a good compromise when it comes to that because um, it does allow for any board member that isn't a part of it. One, they can attend, I believe, anyways. Um, but to be able to if there's if there's nuances or if there's more information that they're asking from the committee that that can be shared um, as well. So that's that's why I would I would lean toward leaving it in. But uh Miss Bradford, >> speaking to the amendment, the second sentence, they shall nonetheless be invited. Would you be more willing to support if it said they may be invited? Because this says they will nonetheless. So, you know, like I said, um if I propose five policies and I get a second on them, then I

209get to come and speak to all five of those policies. It says shall nonetheless be invited. Um I I I I could I could go to modify to may be invited because now you're allowing the chair some discretion on how his meeting is going to go, his or her. Um but as it is, if this has to stay in, then I'm probably going to vote against it. >> Are you making that adjustment in your motion? >> I can um to Well, >> it's up to you. Um, so then it would read in the sp if if the sponsor of the or the second to the of the amendment item is not assigned to that committee, they may be invited to address the committee on the agenda item. So yes, strike shall nonetheless and change it

210with may. >> Okay. Um doc well uh I'm just going to just give you the caveat that right now we are at 8:17. We still have about 55 minutes of business left to do not including the other two policies. So if we can keep it very brief that would be excellent. Dr. Merrick and then Miss Justice >> extremely brief. Um the same thing that I argued about uh giving too much power when we say that the committee chair might invite them then then they just say nope not going to invite you and it's dead. It's I agree I understand with my colleague in the very far right and what he said about you know trying to create some level that uh ranking file members would have at least some say. Uh this would just take

211it away. Uh, Miss Justice closes out. >> Okay. I've had chairs that the word may means no. That's not you. I'll be honest. I mean, truly, Mr. Wer, I watched you. You did a very good job. But you can't tell what's going to happen. And I've seen it abused. And so, by leaving the language the way it is now, we don't have to worry about electing a chair that's going to abuse the system. Let's just try to keep the power in the whole board if it's possible, which is something I think we all want. >> Okay. Um, so there is a motion to amend this to to amend to Can you restate your emotion? I'm sorry. It's >> okay. The very last line strike shall nonetheless and insert may. >> Okay. So, are you making

212the motion to approve this >> amended policy with that language? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. And there was a second. Um, Miss Buoie, will you call the role on this one? >> Can point of inquiry. I hate >> Yes, sir. Go for it. >> I think we need to vote on the >> amendment first. Amendment >> first. You're correct because >> Okay. You You don't need to explain. You're correct. All right. So, the amendment to remove to change shall nonetheless to may in the first paragraph of the second page at the bottom. Um, Miss Buoie, will you call the role on that one? Miss Bradford, >> yes. >> Dr. Merrick, >> no. >> Mr. Vivore, >> yes. >> Miss Mason, >> yes. >> Miss Barnhard, >> yes. >> Miss Justice, >> no. >> And Mr.

213Perry, >> no. >> Okay, that passes four to three. Um, there was a motion. Was there a motion to approve? >> Next, we vote on the motion to approve. So, I'm going to make a motion to approve the amended policy, which is policy 23. Yes, >> I can't see all the numbers. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Uh, >> super quick, Dr. Merrick. >> Just a reminder, there might be a C change next year. That's all I'm saying. >> That is that is entirely possible. You are correct, sir. All right. Um, Miss Buie, will you call the role on the uh approval of policy 2330 as amended? >> Mr. Wborn, >> no. >> Dr. Merrick, >> no. >> Miss Bradford, >> yes. >> Miss Mason, >> yes. >> Miss Barnhard, >> yes. >>

214Miss Justice, >> no. >> And Mr. Perry, >> no. Okay, that motion fails. So, we have policy 2330. What are we doing with it? >> It's it's it stays as it was. >> So, it we leave it as as it was. Okay. >> Okay. >> Carrying on down the road. >> Down the road. All right. Next, we have the operation of the uh nut school. Thank you. Help me. >> One eye just really happened. Trouble here, D. >> All right. And the only change in this is at the end under legal references. So >> the motion >> not a whole bunch there. I make a motion we uh talk about it for four hours. No, I mean uh sorry I'm there. Uh I make a motion we accept uh 6220 as rewritten. >> Second >>

215super fast Dr. Merrick and then Mr. Perry. So uh this is about um the change is in a is it is talking about that we will not discriminate based on race, sex, color, national origin, disability, age, eligibility status uh for free and reduced priced meals. What we did is take out the phrases including pregnancy, child birth, sexual orientation or gender identity. And I don't know why this board feels that it keeps needing to take out gender identity. Legally, legally, we can do it because the word sex includes sexual identity. Okay? So, legally speaking, it means the same thing. But the fact that we're doing this sends a message to our LGBTQ community that somehow we don't think that we need to worry about them being discriminated against. And gosh darn it, if you've been in

216the schools, if you've been around people of of that are LGBTQ or their allies, you know that they need all the support they can get. I just don't know why we would take it out. That's it. >> Mr. I'd like to make a substitute motion that we uh send this back to policy committee, especially given the just recent passing of HP 805. Uh that that now defines that as biological sex. What you said before may not may no longer be true. Um so I think it just needs to go back to policy for having a look at. >> Is that an amendment? >> Yes. >> Or a second to >> Yeah. And there is a second to send policy 6220 back to policy committee. Um so that Mr. W the board can have a 5,000

217hour meeting. >> I mean seven and a half hours. >> Seven and a half work for me. >> Excellent. >> All right. >> Excellent. All right. So um Miss Buoie, will you call the role? This is to send policy 6220 back to policy. >> Mr. Perry. >> Hi. >> Miss Justice. >> No. Miss Barnhart, >> no. >> Miss Mason, >> no. >> Mr. Wbbor, >> absolutely not. >> Dr. Merrick, >> point of inquiry. Madam Chair, I'm sorry. I'm I'm a little confused. >> This is to send this back to policy. >> Send it back to policy because of ATO5. >> Yes. >> And the idea that we might put biological sex back into it. >> Yes. Uh uh. >> Nay. Okay. Thank you. and Miss Bradford. >> No. >> All right, that motion fails. Um,

218we have a motion to pass this as written. Um, okay. Um, Miss Buoy, will you call the role on this one? Sorry, >> Mr. Wore. Yes, >> Dr. Merrick. >> No, >> Miss Bradford. >> Yes, >> Miss Mason. >> Yes, >> Mr. Perry. >> Yes, >> Miss Justice. >> No. >> And Miss Barnhart? >> Yes. >> All right, that passes 5 to two. Last policy, which was supposed to take the longest? Uh, 2610. Correct. >> That is correct. Um, so there's >> make a motion to postpone this policy to next meeting so we can save for >> second. >> Didn't hear you. Sorry. >> Make a motion to postpone this policy to the next meeting to so we can finish our meeting in the 4hour time frame. >> Timely matter. Yeah. Thank you. >> Um

219U could miss Barnhart would you entertain substitute motion to send it back to policy committee? >> I'll second Miss Barnhart. Sorry. Sorry, I wouldn't >> speak to that motion. The the attorneys ask us to speak about it as a board. So to send it back to policy at this point, okay, is being hit against the wall. >> Never mind. >> All right. So there's a motion to postpone this until next month. >> That that I will get with. >> Okay. So all those in favor, >> any further discussion? >> You're bringing stakes. >> Okay. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? That passes seven to zero. Let's continue on. Um Dr. Barnes, how quickly can you speak? Wireless communication. >> Well, no. Budget first. Sorry. Budget first. >> You take all

220the time you want on budget. >> Well, it's going to really depend on the questions. How about that? >> All right. So, I wanted to give you guys a brief update about funding and where we're sitting right now. Obviously, we did get word that the federal funding is going to be releasing uh title two, three, and four. The state has that money at this point. We are still waiting for our aotment to come through, but we have been told that that should come through this week. Now, that if you remember back to what we've talked about before, that's the $1.6 million of federal funding. >> Y >> that we are hoping to be restored in full. Currently the state has passed what they call a mini budget and that has provided for what is called

221a step increase for teachers which is generally with the way our salary schedule is structured a 1% increase for our certified staff which we will then also pass on to our classified staff as well. So that does not mean that they can't come back in their budget when they approve it and change that number to be a higher number. But what we have to go on right now is that 1%. And then of course the county commissioners, and this was something that's been kind of cycling around a lot. I want to make it clear that the county commissioners did increase our operating budget by $4 million. that was due specifically to our request to handle raises and benefits for all of our employees as well as a million dollars to focus on uh improvements to

222our physical safety at our high schools and our safe and civil schools plan with all of our schools. Originally, I was planning on coming to you guys tonight to ask for the latitude to go back to our commissioners to talk about the prek funding that was cut >> that of course we didn't really expect to come out of the budget of 9 $960,000 as well as the school nurses. So, however, my concern is we have we are looking at several things to help make preK more financially viable on its own. So, there's three or four things that we're doing. One is we have the latitude to increase to 20 in a class rather than 18. And that will bring in obviously more funding. It does mean minimizing the number of three-year-olds that we bring in

223because NC PreK only allows us to bill for fouryear-old students. And so if we can maximize our four-year-old students, we can hopefully bill as many of those as we can to hopefully increase the funding stream. And then the last is to try to get Blair and Murrayville are two of our prek sites that are not NC preK certified. So we cannot bill NC prek for any of the kids in that program. So we're going to ask for the latitude to try to get those accelerated and approved earlier so that we can then bill those for NC preK. So with those things in the mix, it's hard to determine with all those things I just said about where our budget really sits because we did plan for a 3% raise for all of our employees. If

224it stays at a 1%, that gives us a little bit of running room. >> If we get the federal funding back, we get the federal funding back. So, >> we don't know. >> I don't have the the the money in my hand yet. >> Can't spend it yet. >> Yeah. The state has said they have received it. They are going to start sending out dispersements this week. But I have learned um going back to to Gorbachev, they're trust but verify. you know, I want to make sure I see the money in my >> um with the things that we're trying to do with the fact that my belief is that that we talked about using our title one carryover to help make sure prek stayed viable. My belief is though that every dollar of our

225title one money belongs in title one schools as well. But I think the right thing to do is to ask you guys for the latitude to wait before going back to our county commissioners or the endowment. You know, my daddy taught me that it's important to mow your lawn before you start judging somebody else's lawn being mowed. I don't want to go back to the county commissioner to ask for funding that we then figure out a way to handle on our own. I don't think that's good fiscal responsibility. So, what I would like to do is wait until we see we have minimized our cuts to our schools uh this summer. The only cuts that we did were to central office or due to enrollment shifting. Um our enrollment is coming in looking fairly good

226right now, but as you guys know, we don't know until the 10th day. >> Don't know if you know. >> I think that originally I was I was high tide going in saying, "Let's go to the end. Let's go to the the county commissioners and plead our case. give us a step down program so that we can request maybe six classrooms this year, then four, then two, then one. However, I think that with so many other things in flux, I would want you guys to let me sort of see how everything plays out first before we make any final decisions. So, that was sort of the update I wanted to give you guys. >> I saw Mr. Wor's hand first. First off, I want to point out that I was in heir uh before and

227I was it was pointed out to me by one of our uh attendees here. Thank you, Mr. Isles. Uh you know, I I'm not happy about I'm going to say Pete Wore is not happy about losing nurses. Pete Wore is not happy about losing preK folks. So, if I made that air, I apologize. I thank you for pointing that out to me. Um I think you're I think you know I was going to say, "Hey, let me let me drive you over there." So, you know, but we'll we if you want to wait on on doing it, but I think we do need to go back to the county commissioners. I mean, as I shared, I was on the phone with a county commissioner and I said, you know, you can't say on one hand,

228you know, hey, if you need something else, come on back to us and then say, oh, no, you know, we can't do that. So, and uh so, you know, if if you if you need a ride over there or I'll I'll come with you or you have your finance folks come with you or your chair come with you. Uh but I think we do need at some point to go back. I I definitely will respect your your advice on waiting on it till we see exactly where we're at, but I think we definitely need to go back and say we need some more. >> Miss Justice, >> this is breaking my heart. I'm an educator first and foremost. Three-year-olds need this almost more than four-year-olds. You've got to get in there early because of what

229their needs are. Um, as far as Murrayville goes, is it mainly to the physical structure in order to be approved? No, they they have prek centers there, but because NC PreK hasn't certified them, I can't build those kids into NC preK. So that those sites are shortly counted. >> So they have to come out and approve it. But everything else should be able to measure so that they will be. >> The problem is they said they won't come out till like 2026 or 2027. So I'm asking them to to move that along a little quicker. >> Okay. Um and what was the third thing that you were talking about? um three-y old increased to 20 in class. >> Same thing. These are little kids. They need those small numbers. >> Okay. So, I know that

230you're doing it because we need it so bad. >> Yes. >> But my heart as an educator says this is not the best way to do it because once more we're harming our kids because of the financial situation. So, my concern, Mr. Willow, please go with him. Is go talk to the county commissioners again. Uh, if you want me to go, I don't know if they'll listen to me, but I know some of them will. But the point is that to me, I I think we need to go to them. That's my professional judgment because I care about every one of those kids. >> Uh, Dr. Merrick, >> um, help me out. I I thought I remembered in in the meeting that we had that that the licensing uh for NC preK for Blair and

231Murrayville that only happens every three years. >> Correct. >> So that's not a short-term solution in any way. >> We are trying to explore whether they would sort of jump the line >> expedite >> if they could. I don't I don't know. I don't know that that >> it's a very confusing if if anything is confusing in this district. >> I'm telling you it's prek. >> The rules on prek are very very complex. So, we're all swimming in waters that we're just trying to win our way through. So, >> the other the other point is that >> nurses, I mean, good gracious and and the public is it that what I hear from the public is, oh my god, my son has, you know, a peanut allergy >> and peanut >> and I'm in a

232school and and the nurse is four miles away. You know, I that that just can't be. And so, you know, if it comes to I don't know how you feel about going back to the county once and then going back to the county again or or going and saying, you know, we've got to deal with the nurse situation, but as soon as I can get the prek stuff, I'll be back, but I'll try to we'll try to handle internally if we can, but but I I I really think I really think we have to go and I'll if he won't drive you, I will. And I'll be there with you. I have a car. You got a nice Jeep. I I want to go with you for Mr. Perry. >> Um, actually, I'd rather drive

233you to the endowment committee. That cost was sold on the basis that it was supposed to help our schools. And now we're talking about nurses not being at our schools. You would think this be right down their alley as far as something they should be funding. Let's go there. >> All the other money we know about, >> Miss Bradford. >> Okay. >> I'm happy to go, sir. Um, and I'm happy to trust you on the timing. So, if you say you want to wait a little while, I'm going to go for that. And here's why. Let's say this beautiful lady on the second row, she has piles of money, right? >> Which one? I'll give you my >> The one who has hair my color, of course, she's uber uber uber wealthy and she's doing

234out money, right? So, but she's in the middle of firing 50 employees and I'm out there in social media and media land and I am saying that lady is horrible. She hates me. She hates my kids. She's just the worst thing since whatever. Do you think she's going to give me any money? Probably not. So, I'm not going to criticize the funding sources that I'm then on my knees with my hand out begging to give me money. I'm not going to do it no matter how many of people speak about it in the call to audience. Um, I think that we can't criticize them and I don't think we can go back like real quick and say pause in the firing of your people and give us more money. Even though you gave us $4

235million more and then another million dollars more, it doesn't compute to me right now. Yes. Do I want us to go back and ask him? When we're sure, when you're ready, sir, I will support your decision. Can I make a proposal or am I not supposed to do that? >> Um, >> I don't know. Miss Miss Barnhart hasn't spoken. I don't know if she had anything she wanted to add. Um, and so I want to make sure everybody has a chance. >> I think it's really important that we go through the appropriate channels. Um, this board adopted a legislative agenda. PreK has been on it. I've taken multiple trips up to Raleigh advocating, talking about the interventions that prek and the benefits that they add. Every single child that we serve is labeled at risk

236by the criteria that are set that our state sets out. And so I am going to continue to advocate. I was also had the ability to serve on the NCSBA legislative agenda. PreK is also on that agenda that we've been going to our legislators to advocate for change and funding. I I locally the requirement of our county commissioners is for facilities if you're looking up the general statute of what they're required to do. And so where I've had conversations, county commissioners are frustrated with members of our board for openly berating them when they did indeed give us $4 million more dollars. This is the feedback that I've received and I'm going to say this out loud is when we had the choice to consolidate two partially used prek facilities and we made the choice to

237keep it open that roughly translated to a couple hundred,000 and in school land that means positions. So in turn, it was more important to half operate two facilities and put the stress back on our staff now by increasing staff sizes by potentially not being able to serve three-year-olds because we don't our finances from previous administrating administration spending down our fund balance. So we don't have a buffer while we're waiting back for these funds to come to us. I am frustrated. I have been asking. I'm not going to stop asking. But the reality is when we have an option to do something and this board chooses to say, "Well, in theory, let's let's just keep maintaining what we're doing." Now, it's back on us. In order to serve the kids that we have, we got to

238increase class sizes. So, I'm fine with giving the flexibility to say, "Hey, go and ask." But I'm saying the knowing that we want to bond in 26 and the increased capacity that we've been given for facilities over the last few years from our county commissioners. The due diligence for their part is to pay down the debt so we can get all the money that we want to get from this bond. >> True. >> Because we cannot take out money without the debt ratio that our county is allowed to take out. And so I it's at a frustrating process. I'm not going to stop. The state has not landed with their budget of that. But talking about the ADMs and the difference of what private site prek get and what NC prek get is very different.

239It's almost half when you're looking at the students. So to close that gap, to talk about expanding to three-year-olds from the state level, like these are things that are major changes that I've had multiple conversations and will continue to advocate for because our students deserve it. And I'm so grateful for our prek staff because we want to maintain that excellence. And so I hear you. If you say if you are saying that we are at a financial I'm looking at the finance lady over here financial spot that we can put pause on this until we need to then I'm going to wait until we need to but I'm just saying the frustrations that have been expressed I don't want to come back and bite us and I'm just saying this out loud because the county

240commissioners this is these are the conversations that they've had with me when I've asked about it. I'm I'm going to ask Dr. Barnes simply because we are at 8:42 and we have almost an hour of things that we have to cover and I know that this is very important so I don't want to cut anybody off but I want to make sure that he has the opportunity to make what say what he wants to say. >> Okay. So, first thing I've I've said to everybody that my job and what you're paying me for is to relentlessly and passionately pursue the benefits of public education. I have people to answer to as well, most namely the people we met last week during our town hall and the teachers who are just drowning in need. >> Yes.

241>> Now, I want that money to go to teacher assistance. I want that money to go to increased staffing in schools. But I also know that this is a complex issue. Okay? We do have some ability to make some of these changes on our own. We do have a bond that we're talking about in another year. But I also know that every I'm going to say this wrong, Ashley. Every eight kids we bring back is a teacher position. Did I say it right? Okay. And if we bring a hundred kids back from the charter school, from private school, that makes up this difference without even needing to do anything. I think it's premature before I know what our enrollment is at the 10th day. before I know what the state budget looks like and I

242know where the fed money comes in. I'm not opposed to it and it's at the will of the board and I already spoke with the county manager to let him know that I'd be speaking of this tonight. However, I want to make sure that I've got the school staff. I've got the kids in the right places before we make sort of a a rapid judgment. Now, I know that this is a a big deal and I know that there's questions about well where did that money go? I think we've been very clear about where we got to where we are. We gave the the county managers and the county commissioners our budget in April and we've had three revisions that happened since that date. One from the state, one from the feds, and one from

243our county. But so much of this is in flux. I want to make sure my numbers are right before I I you know, I want to go through all my pockets in the laundry before I go asking for money. All right. Know when >> is there any information? >> Are we still on this topic? >> We're still on budget. >> Yeah. So, I have nothing else to say. >> Okay. >> Do we need a motion or a resolution or something? >> Um, so it is under old business. So, we can make a motion, but it's not required. >> Can I give you an update every month until we >> No, but that is a reasonable request. Sure. I I would make a motion to to hold >> hold and and get an update from the

244superintendent next month. >> And I'll second that. >> Well, do we need a vote? >> I don't know if we really need that. >> Do it anyway. Probably. >> I mean, how I feel. >> So, um, looking at what time it is and what we have left on our agenda, um, >> what can we move? >> We are going to probably have to remove some things and postpone them till next month. Um, I know that the wireless communication was um a pretty recent change. >> We're bringing it to policy, >> so that could go to policy and we can have that discussion after the 12-hour meeting at policy. Dr. Eric, >> I just want to make note that we have two people in the audience that have been advocating and they have sat through a

245lot of meeting tonight and I would not want to put off their resolutions. >> Which one? >> That's the the Sally's law B and C the Leandro comprehensive remedial plan. As long as the board knows I'm bringing some changes to our wireless communication current policy to the policy committee to make sure we align with the new general statute, I'm good. That >> um I saw two hands. I saw Miss Barnhart and Mr. Perry. So go Miss Barnhart. Mr. Perry. >> Um it comes down to me to have a good discussion with this. My understanding um from the research that you sent to us is Sally's law is not up for debate on the state level. that's currently in committee did not meet crossover. So, this is not something that is coming for this um session

246in the budget cycle. So, while I do want to have a a good discussion about it, I don't think it's imperative for a vote tonight. Um and then similar concept of conversation with the it's not a something that is being voted on right now. So, I do not believe that either one of those are timesensitive and I respect the fact that people are here for that to support that. Um that that's my thought of that. >> Um Mr. Perry and then Miss Justice. >> Um I would like to make the proposal or maybe a motion. Uh if it takes a motion to do >> um is to um can we it seems like we have a number of things and there was new business added on top of this uh and uh when we that

247we added as far as the resolution concerning our our codian speech earlier. Um, so, um, can we I would like to motion that we we instruct the chair to have a special meeting, maybe a short one, uh, a midmon meeting so that we can take care of this extra business because it's already 9:45. I mean, excuse me, 8:45. >> 8:47 currently. So, there is a motion to schedule a specially called meeting to address the remaining >> hear you. There is a motion to um schedule a specially called meeting to address the remaining items on is that correct? The remaining items on the agenda. Wireless Sally's law leandro rights >> wireless communication Sally's law resolution Leandro comprehensive remedial plan apology uh slash I'm sorry that was the shared statement and JC row um >> I would

248>> so there's a motion is there a second hearing none I need some feedback from the board >> chair I would move that wireless communication I think is already off the table right it's going to policy We should officially probably >> Okay. So, I would move that everything under new business be moved to the next meeting um with a going to policy. I know that seems like it's a double up, but we can't it it's quarter to 9 and we've got an hour of close session. So, it just >> we don't have an hour of close session. We have about 10 minutes. >> So, that's my motion. >> Okay. So, there's a motion for all of the new business to go to the next meeting. Is there a second? >> Okay. >> A second. Second.

249Okay. Um, so I'm going to just say I would I would because we did move the JC row and they did stay, I want to be able to vote on that. So I would have to >> I didn't see that. >> Definitely because Okay. And because the um the statement is pertinent to this evening, I want to make sure we address that um in a pretty timely manner. So that would be my only my only So you're withdrawing. Okay. >> All right. >> I didn't have it on there. >> Okay. Dr. Merrick, >> wait. Sorry. So we've taken wireless communication. We >> not We've not done any I move that we take wireless communication and send it to policy. >> Okay. Second. >> Second. >> All right. All in favor. >> All right. All those

250in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Yes. I'm >> kidding. Kidding. Kidding. Kidding. I said yes. You're killing me. All right. So, now we still have B, C, D, and E. Right. >> Um, Dr. Merrick, >> so frankly, um, I may imagine that one of these has a little bit more conversation than the other, but of all the stuff I've sent on Sally's Law, I'm I'm having a really hard time thinking that anyone is going to vote against that. So, just go ahead. >> Um, and you know, I I think we could do that in in one minute. >> One minute. Okay, let's do that. Um, >> I would have concern with that because I do have some questions that I wanted to ask too. Um, just to kind of get

251some clarification. So, I I I don't I don't want to short change. I think that's really the point. I don't want to short change any of these because I think that the conversation is necessary. The ones that I think won't take very long are D and E. Um, and I I I definitely don't want to short change the conversation on Sally's Law or Leandro because I think it's important for us to have those conversations for sure. Um, and I think that they're definitely more than five, one to five minutes. Um, that would be my concern. Miss Bradford, >> I would move that we elevate, move forward the JCO vote to next and have that now. And I would move that >> we do the things that have already been proposed. >> You also have support

252for LGBTQ on new business. >> Correct. This is one motion for one item. I don't know if it's D or E. >> It's E. >> Okay. So I would move that we bring E4 the JC row. >> So that we talk about JC row right now >> that we we we have that vote. >> Second. All right. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? Passes seven to zero. All right. >> Motion that we suspend the rules so that we can change the name of JC Row to JC Row Academy. >> Second. >> All right. Any discussion? >> Only discussion is what I said before. I we just need to be careful not to make it a habit. to not let the public have their chance

253for input, but whatever. So, >> all right. Um, all those in favor of suspending the rule, uh, signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? >> That passes seven to zero. >> I make a motion that we change the name. >> Second to from JC Row Center to JC Row Academy. >> All right. >> Hang on. We haven't voted yet. Hang on. We haven't voted yet. >> They know how the votes go. Any discussion, >> Mr. Burnhart? >> I do want to speak to my I do want to speak to my colleague's point to allow some public impact. So, if it was a temporary change until after hearing from public, I would be amendable to that. That way, the literature can be drawn up and set and we can get feedback and in the event that

254there was in my opinion extreme outliers, then we would stop it. But I would like to have an opportunity to for the public to put weigh in. All right. Uh, Miss Justice, >> I think that's a great idea except for the fact that once you start printing stuff up and start making signs, you know, I don't think it's going to happen. So, let's just go. Okay, that's my opinion. I I love public input, but I also believe expediency and this great group over here and the kids academy would be really good for them as opposed to center. >> We all want t-shirts. All right. >> Yeah, t-shirts. >> We are We have seven minutes left, y'all. So, um, there is a motion to change the name of JC Row Center to JC Row Academy. Um,

255all those in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? >> That passes seven to zero. You can celebrate. >> Yay, guys. >> Yeah, we we want t-shirts. >> Now, you please please go home. >> Yes. >> All right. We still have these other things remaining on the table. Um, in the interest of time, I'm going to make a motion to uh postpone the Sally's law and the Leandro until um I'm going to try and do it as soon as we possibly can. So, is agenda review amendable? Okay. So, I'm going to say postpone Sally's Law and Leandra to the agenda review at the end of this month. >> Second. >> All right. Any discussion? >> It is getting late. >> Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I >> I opposed. That

256passes 72. >> Make a comment >> zero. Very quickly, sir, because we are at >> I want to apologize >> for uh Miss Zorn for coming and sitting through a 4-hour meeting when you thought it would be voted on tonight and we will uh see it next time. Thank you for staying and I apologize. >> Thank you so much for coming. I'm so sorry. Um the last item before close session is that um statement and in the process of all of this. Um >> what about Leandra? >> Landra was part of that. >> I was part of that. Then I also want please to thank uh Rebecca Traml for coming and all the work that you're doing. I know I'm not supposed to, but I want to thank her for showing up tonight and for

257all the advocacy she's done uh over over years to to try to bring this forward. And I apologize that we have not gotten to it tonight. >> Um, >> yes. >> Never, is it? >> So, um, I want to keep this next one as brief as possible. We're going to have to extend time anyways because we do have five minutes left in the meeting and about a 10-minute close session. Um, in all of this, I have been trying to to multitask. And so, um, what I have typed up in regards to, um, the concerns from call to audience, um, I I wanted to read for the board and, you know, um, see if this is something that we can agree to. Can I read it first and then you can? All right. So, New Hmer

258County Schools Board of Education would like to reaffirm our commitment to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students and staff. The commentary made by one speaker during the call to audience this evening does not reflect the opinions or beliefs of the board and the district. We believe every child and every teacher has value and dignity. Um, that is what I have typed up. >> Is that a motion? >> I will make a motion that that is our statement. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed. That passes seven to zero. I will entertain a motion to go into close session pursuant to what is on the screen. >> All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? >> We are

259in closed. All right, we are back in open. Quickest closed ever. >> We have We have >> All right, so I will entertain a motion to approve the personnel report. >> Second. >> Uh, any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Any opposed? Passes seven to zero. Is there any correspondence? >> I move to adjourn. Second. >> Nope. We still got to do announcements. I'm sorry. >> I know. All right. So, finance, >> which is not listed on there. So, policy committee meets Tuesday, August 12th, uh 1 p.m. Board of Ed Center, general public, >> board of education center. The general public will have the option to review remotely. um agenda review meeting on Monday, August 25th at 2 um here at the BOE. The general public will have

260the option to view remotely on YouTube. Uh board of education will hold the September regular board meeting on Tuesday, September 2nd uh at 5 here at the BOE. General public will have the option to view remotely. Um, and there is a finance, bond, and capital meeting on Thursday at >> 12 noon. >> Gotcha. >> What is the date on that again? >> That's Thursday. >> This Thursday. This Thursday. I >> think I'm sorry on my calendar. I don't even This my Gracious. Yes. >> Said Tuesday. >> This says Monday. >> If it wasn't for my phone and my calendar, I'd be lost. >> That might be all right. I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Gracious. Took y'all long enough. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.

261Any opposed? We are ajourned.