001[Music] Testing. One, two, three. Testing. [Music] Hey. [Music] Hey. Hey. Heat. [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] Happy birthday. [Music] Madame President, the time is 5:30 p.m. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh 1.02 call to or order order. This is a spe special board meet me meeting. Uh the date is August 8th, 2025 1.0. 03 roll call and quorum establishment. Tracy stood >> stood here. >> Trusty Krauss. >> Krauss here. >> Trusty Webster. >> Webster present. Le Trusty Le here. >> Trusty Stewart Stewart is here. Uh going on to 1.04 Pledge of Allegiance. I'm sorry. Okay. >> Please stand. Put your right hand over your heart. Ready, begin. >> 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
002justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Go. Going on to two adoption of the agenda 2.01 proposed additions, deletions and adjustments in the order of business. >> Madame President, we do not have any tonight. >> Okay. 2.02. Adoption of the agenda. Trustees, I need a motion to adop adopt >> Webster. I motion to adopt the agenda. >> I need a sec. Second. Krauss I second. >> Okay, please call for the vote. >> Trusty Sodto. >> Sodto I. >> Trusty Krauss. >> Krauss I. >> Trusty Webster. >> Webster I. >> Trusty Le French. >> Le French. I trusty Stewart. >> Stewart I. Motion passes. 50. Uh three public testimony 3.01. My dear would you read the blurb for me? Okay. The public comment period is administrated by state law and is the point in the
003meeting set aside for members of the public to share their opinions with the board. Open meeting laws do not permit the board to engage in dialogue or answer questions. Any person who wishes to address the governing board on close session agenda items only must complete and submit a AESD speaker request form 5 minutes before the meeting is called to order. Public comments will only be taken on agenda items during the discussion of those items. The board values public comment and although the board of trustees cannot take action or discuss items not on the agenda, the board of trustees listens carefully and appreciate input from the public. Additionally, a public speaker can be cut off for exceeding the allotted time or for willfully causing an actual disruption to the meeting. Before cutting a person off or
004removing someone, the board will give at least one clear warning. If you were cut off or warned last time, please consider that your warning. Individual speakers are allowed three minutes to address the board on each closed session agenda items. The board limits the total time for public input on each item to 20 minutes. With board consent, the president may increase or decrease the time allowed for public presentations depending on the topic and the number of persons wishing to be heard. The president may take a poll of speakers for or against a particular issue and may ask that additional persons speak only if they have something new to add. Thank you. Um, do we have a representative from ADTA? It's okay. Do we have a represent? >> I thought Jennifer Rder. I'm sorry. I thought I
005saw her get up, so I thought she was already Jennifer Raider. >> Thank you. Uh, good evening, members of the board, superintendent, and fellow community members. First, I would like to say I'd like to thank uh Dr. Tasha Disan for her service to AD SD all these years. We have really really appreciated your leadership. We will miss you severely and but I know understand this is an opportunity for you. So best wishes from all of us and thank you. First I want to acknowledge the strong start to this school year. Our students have returned eager to to learn. Our classrooms are full of creativity and energy and our families have shown remarkable support for our schools. The dedication of ours teachers and staff has been evident in every school, every playground, and every activity. This
006is the kind of positive momentum that gives our district its strength. However, part of maintaining that strength is ensuring that our leadership and decision-making processes reflect the best interests of students, staff, and our community. I have concerns about how some officers and leadership roles are functioning. I've observed gaps in communication, moments where transparency has been lacking, and situations that have left teachers and families feeling unheard. This concern is magnified by the fact that our teachers contract remains at an impass. Our educators are the heart of our schools and when they feel undervalued or under supported, it affects not only staff morale, but also student achievement and student success. Resolving this impass should be a top priority handled with fairness, respect, and urgency. You cannot afford to be distracted with side matters and retaliatory actions when
007both the certificated and classified contracts are at an impass. Please keep your eye on the ball. Strong leadership is about more than filling positions. It's about fostering trust, making decisions with integrity, and ensuring that every member of our community feels represented and respected. Without that, we risk losing the very momentum we've celebrated tonight. I'm raising these concerns not to divide, but to encourage open dialogue and a renewed focus on accountability, transparency, and urgency. Sorry, and unity. We have an incredible opportunity to strengthen our district if we work together with honesty and with respect. Thank you for your time, for listening, and for your service to our community. >> Thank you. Do do we have a speak speaker for CCSEA? >> Yes. The board calls on Dian Lib. >> Good evening everyone. I wasn't going to
008speak tonight, but then I decided to speak. So, thank you for allowing that. And Dr. Dwisan, I want to say thank you for the service here at Adalanto. You've always been professional, down to earth, and here for our students, and that's what we need. So, thank you, and congratulations on on your new job, and I'm sure you're going to do well, and I for one am truly going to miss you. So, thank you. Thank you, everyone. Have a great weekend. >> Thank you. Do we have any odd audience members? >> Madam President, the board calls on Angelique Jolly. Um, good evening cabinet and trustees. I just want to say good evening and Dr. Wisan, you will surely be missed as well. Um, I agree with everything Diane and Jen say and more. Since I have
009worked closely with you this last year at the Mesa Linda campus, I stand before you today not out of personal grievance, but out of a deep concern for the direction of our district and a call for res responsible leadership. It is time to address the need for new leadership at the helm of our board of trustees. First, there has been a failure to uphold the core duties of the board president, fiscal oversight, regulatory compliance, and transparent decision-making. Under the current president leadership, we've seen a lack of financial accountability that has directly contributed to impass situations with both teachers and classified staff. That is unacceptable. Second, we are witnessing a breakdown in governance and collaboration. Board meetings have become contentious and unproductive, driven by poor facilitation and a dismissive tone toward fellow trustees. Instead of policy
010focused discussions, we've seen personal disputes and efforts to silence opposing voices. This undermines the very foundation of effective governance which requires collaboration and respect for uh differing viewpoints. Third, there is a disturbing lack of transparency. The refusal to provide timely, accurate information to trustees and the public. The resistance to agendaized legal and audit matters and a pattern of closed-d dooror decision-making have all eroded community trust. Stakeholders, parents, staff, and community members deserve transparency, not secrecy. Fourth, the board president has failed to prioritize student achievement. Rather than con centering decisions around students and educational outcomes, we've seen political agendas and personal conflicts take precedent. The result, reputationable harm to our district, weakened community partnerships, and an increasingly difficult environment for recruiting and retaining qualified educators. Finally, there have been clear violations of the district's bylaws and
011ethical standards, including overstepping authority and engaging in retalatory behavior. These actions are indirect are in direct conflict with the governance handbook this board has committed to uphold. In conclusion, this is not about personalities. This is about restoring focus on our students, on transparency, on collaboration, and especially trust. Replacing the board president is necessary to bring back integrity, rebuild confidence, and ensure the Atlanta Elementary School District moves forward in a direction worthy of our children, our educators, and our community. Thank you. >> Thank you. Do we have another speak speaker? >> We do on Zoom. Uh the board calls on Lauren Benson, >> asking them to unmute now. It looks like she dropped off. The board calls on Christine Turner. >> Asking them to unmute now. >> Hello. Can you hear me? They're unmuted. >> Hello.
012Can you hear me now? [Applause] Yes, we can hear you. >> Hello. Can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> There's a slight delay, but we can hear you. >> Yes, we can hear you. Hello. Can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> There's a slight delay, but we can hear you. >> Yes, we can hear you. Do we have someone else and we'll come back? Okay, go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Okay, just >> Can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> Okay. I'm joining this meeting today because I'm deeply concerned about what's taking place. As I look at the agenda, I find it confusing. But my threaded concern is reorganization scheduled in August. Traditionally, reorganization has always happened the first or second week in December when a new president and clerk are elected
013and the superintendent take on the responsibilities of secretary to the board. I don't understand what is being done now or the reasons behind it. I believe President Stewart is doing a fantastic job. Also, looking at today's agenda, I see items that are unfamiliar compared to what I've seen in the past. But most importantly, I want to know, what does this have to do with children? We're here to serve. I've been following recent board meetings closely. Many of you say that you're here for children. Yet, I've seen decisions that removing programs essential to student learning. For example, you cut out the program to support me Linda despite acknowledging that the school need help. You eliminated valuable summer program airline kids where these services provided essential essential skills for our students that our teachers and our programs
014did not support. I'm troubled because I've been a part of this district for nearly 20 years and I am very very concerned about what's happening right now. I've never seen such level of dysfunction in all my 20 years. Even with with the few teachers uh Miss Jolly, Miss Marchelli, Miss Raider, you guys got it all wrong. You got it all wrong. Again, President Stewart, you're doing a fantastic job. And I would like you to ask, why is this reorganization being done in August? And if it's legal, I ask you to seek the council of CSBA on this. I'm sorry that this is my only time to come in and talk, but I find I find it necessary to be here tonight. I've been following the meetings and the last meeting was very disturbing also but
015I know I don't have much time but I will be at the board meeting on Tuesday. Everyone have a great evening and um Dr. Deisa good luck on your future your new adventure. I wish you all the best in the world everyone have a great night. Goodbye. >> Thank thank you. Do we have more speakers? That was it. Is um Miss Benson back online? Miss Benson is now back online. Yes. >> Okay. >> We are asking her to unmute it now. And we believe you fix the audio problems. They have not yet unmuted. They have still not unmuted. >> She's having a hard time also logging in. Would you like me to call her as well? >> I think I'm unmuted now. Hello. >> We're having technical difficulties. I'm going to put you on speakerphone.
016>> Go ahead, >> speaker. Um, I thought it said I was unmuted again, but I don't think you're hearing me. >> You are. Um, you're you're avail. Okay. Good evening, trustees, President Stewart, cabinet, and everybody in the audience and on YouTube. Uh this is Lauren Benson. I'm calling or I'm calling in uh because I'm very disturbed about what is on the agenda. I do not understand why we are doing a reorganization four months before we normally would. I've never seen this happen before. Um, I would think something like that would only be done under extreme circumstances where an emergency came about or some uh the president was having some kind of um issue or problem where they would need to step down. I at this point we've seen nothing uh unusual about the way that
017President Stewart is running the board. Um, I can't believe that anybody that cared anything about this district or our students would be doing this on our second day of school, the employees in this district. We are exhausted. We've been working very hard and there's so much more going on. We also know that Miss Dewison is Dr. Deison is leaving and we have that seat to fill. Why are you not focused on the job that you're supposed to be doing? Trustees, your job is to make sure that our district is running properly, that our children are taken care of, that our employees are taken care of. Once again, we've started a school year without a contract. Yet here we are on a Friday night, the second day of school, wasting people's time, wasting our employees time,
018wasting our cabinet's time, and I'm sure wasting many of the trustes time for something completely unnecessary and has no merit. Those of you that are behind this need to really, really consider what you're doing and think about what you're doing. And remember, the organization happens in December. If you can't make it through those four months, there are greater issues at hand. I'm sorry for those of you that had to get called in there. I hope you all have a good evening. >> Thank Thank you. That concludes tonight's speakers. >> Okay, we go on to new business. Uh 4.01 01 board re or organization, removal, election of officers. The board will consider did you this doesn't say if it's a discussion or an actionable I don't know what to do with this. Uh so the board
019will consider the remove removal of current officers of the election of new officers pursuant to board bylaws 9121 and government code 54956. I don't know what to do. >> Okay. I I can make a motion. Um that way we can uh go into discussion and that way we could address some of the questions that were brought up. So um I just I would suggest to our board president that each motion that is served that that each motion is to both remove the current officer and then to appoint the replacement in a single action. That way we don't have two individuals holding the same office at the same time and that makes it action more legally clear. Um so we can take it from the beginning with board president then board clerk board rep for each
020you can entertain a motion require a second then we can discuss then we can vote just like any other reorg if anyone has any objection to that um that's what I would suggest we do >> so uh the rem removal I believe should should have been one thing and then the electction of the Next one should have been the the other. So we need a vote to re reorganize then move to nom nominate then move to vote new officers. >> Webster motion to reorganize. >> I second. Okay. >> Call for the vote. Yes. >> Oh, yeah. Discussion. >> Um, I'd like to go ahead. I I want There were some questions and concerns that were brought up tonight that were extremely valid and I want to be able to address them and be December. I
021guess months. I believe. [Music] Testing. One, two, three. Testing. Okay, now let me see if it picks up. [Music] Okay, I believe we're good. Uh, Zoomland, you YouTube, you just want to confirm. Can some somebody give quick and then we'll start where we up. We're good. Okay, we're we're good. Okay. >> All right. So, I just uh wanted to address some of the comments, questions, concerns that were brought up as they were extremely valid. So, I want to share where I'm coming from, why I'm here, why we're here tonight. This meeting is about giving our board a reset. When I voted back for our officers in December, I did so with cautious optimism. I had concerns about that process, about that day, about that meeting, and how it went. But I chose to move forward
022with hope. Hope that we could work through challenges together, build trust, and present a united front for our community. Over the last several months, I've worked to make that happen. But I've come to see more clearly that we can't keep going the way that we have been. The division and the strain in our dynamics has grown, not improved. And I believe we owe it to staff, to our community, and most importantly to our students to take action now at the start of this school year instead of letting these challenges drag on for months. This wasn't a a snap decision. And as a matter of fact, um in the past, I had suggested to reorg until December, but the start of a school year is a defining moment. It's when we set the tone for the
023school for the year ahead. And I believe the tone right now does need to change. And out of respect and out of transparency, I did have a conversation with our board president to share my intentions. And I offered the opportunity to do a voluntary transition. That wasn't the path chosen. So, we're here to address it together tonight. I want to be very clear. This is not about personalities. It's not about punishing anyone. This is about putting our energy where it belongs on serving our students, supporting our staff, and moving this district forward. I said I end with this. Leadership can't stop because of one person, one role, or one challenge. We have a responsibility to keep moving, to keep leading, and to keep delivering for the people who elected us. No matter the outcome tonight,
024my hope is that we can come out of this more focused, more united, and ready to get the work of the people done. That's all I have. Okay. So on a August 3rd sun Sunday I met with trusty sod sodo as we had met many many times you know to touch base collaborate and ask questions and s such and such. When we we met he had me mentioned how the board was more divide divided and how for my stress and for my health that I should step down. I remember remembered in the past I had mentioned to to him how the the stress of being on the board was tri triggering my stut stutter and I feel that I am being attacked for it because in the past it has been said that it slows
025down the meat meetings and that it is a pro problem. I will not allow my fed federally pro protect protected speech disabilility to be weaponized against me. My stutter does not impair my abil ability to lead with integ integrity and purpose. This line of attack is not only unprofessional, it borders on discriminatory and the the ADA and un undermines values this board claims to uphold. I stand here as a rep representative of men who come communicate differently. Diversity in speech is not not a flaw. It's a strength. Target targeting a speech disability to discredit a fail fellow board member reflects a ser serious lack of ethical lead leadership and dam dam damages our public trust. This is not not just a p personal attack. This is a ab ableist discrim discriminatory be behave behavior that
026vi violates both our board norms and the spir spirit of inclusion we claim to uphold. Now trustee so states that it's for the good of the board because the board is divided. Um boards divide all the time. I've seen seen it in the six se seven years that I've been on the board. I can but boards can function. But what I cannot do and it is true is that I can and I will never never work um work I will not align myself with a man that create created a hostile work envi environment. Poked our employees had temp tempered tant tantrums yelled at district employees. and who is now uh accused of grooming a student student in his class. So no, I had told you in the past that I cannot be friends friends with
027him. I will work with him because I have to. But that still does not mean that I can do my my job. Thank you. I'll just say um in regards of the conversation we had, I deny uh that p you know that's not from my perspective what actually happened. Like I shared in my comment the meeting that we had was for her to transition to voluntary transition. Um so that's what the meeting was about. Um again it was to prevent having to do this um you know how we're doing it now. Uh but that's not the route that was chosen. So nothing about health uh nothing about speech and none of that was brought up. >> That's what you said. My health and my stress that's what you said and you know what yeah we
028have to be here because we are being transparent parent. So what I did say was that what is best for the board, what is best for the district, what is best for even her because I did uh this was out of respect out of courtesy to to let her know what I was uh what my intention was. So out of respect out of courtesy it was simply a conversation to let her know that that this was best for all of us and nothing about health or stress was in my view brought up or was a focal point of that discussion. I initiated that discussion for the for the purpose that I had just stated earlier and that's all I have to say. >> Okay. Can would another trustee like to to speak? >> Can I
029just make a motion? >> There's a motion on the table. >> Can I call for the vote? >> Well, no. We we still have to get let the the the other chair rusty speak. >> Okay. Okay, thank you. I had wrote out this fancy speech, right, but I'm going to go on and leave it down here. Um, I've been on this board quite some time now. And I've seen different board members. I've seen different styles. I've seen um presidents. I've seen the change in presidents. I was president for two years. It's very um strenuous. it was um what I don't understand is that when we're talking about being cohesive and supporting one another to change it today when we have four more months left or however many more months that we have left when this
030is not a normal thing that we do then the support that we're saying that we need for one another. We're not giving to one of them. So when I hear the division or um when I hear division, the division is there and you know I'm not understanding how we got here when there's no dis like is the division am I missing something? because there's I don't feel that it's anything that was done to merit taking her taking her down or I don't even know where these side conversations come from, right? I don't know that people are going to lunch, you know, they're um I don't I don't, you know, go to lunch or breakfast with anybody. I don't know where these backdoor like kind of conversations are going on. Even the conversation that uh trustee
031stood and trustee um bins had over the weekend. I don't I don't think that those things are should be going on without the transparency that we're all talking about right here. So the conversation should be had here so we all know what the conversations are. I didn't know that I was the the board meeting for today. It's like it's like conversations going on and we say, "Okay, we want everything to be transparent. We want people to work together and then there's like sidebars and there's things going on that all of us don't know about. At some point at some point in order to be able to move forward then at some point then we all have to work together. It it's not it's not it's not it's not about personalities, right? It's just about doing
032what's best for our children. And um just from the short conversation, you know, that I had um with um Miss Rder, I'm saying that I don't understand why our focus is not on our children or the teachers. Why is our focus on the board? And the board every single time we have a meeting, it's on the board. Where where is the the the children in all of this? We talk about um our constituents. We talk about the community but the support that we give one another removing removing bins does not give where's the support for her as well. She's a part of our team too. So with that being said, that's about all I have to say. I'm just not understanding how we got to this point without understanding that we want we're supposed to
033be transparent. I keep hearing the word transparent. Transparent. Transparency, but there's still communication going on even this past weekend that is not being transparent to everybody else on the board. You know, people are meeting and they're having conversations. You receive text messages. I don't know how I received a text message from Sodto saying, "Can you make it here at 5:30 tomorrow?" That was 12:00 when I was at work. And then, okay, now here's the agenda. And I'm like, well, I don't know any of this is going on. There's no transparency when it comes to all the board members. Only certain people know certain things. So anyway, and Ben, you know, I I know that being board president is not easy. It must look easy. And you know, we'll you know, you'll find out, you know,
034who's ever board president that it's not as easy as it looks. there's a lot of responsibility, a lot of things to uh learn and I feel like that, you know, I'm still learning. I just don't understand why the word transparency is just being used all the time and it's not true across the board. Period. That's all I have to say. And also I'd like to me mention that this meeting um you should have follow followed board by bylaw 931 000.82 a to rem move me there there are steps it's like like a c center censure you first had to do an inform formal resolution I've got the steps here I don't know I don't think you guys won't want me to re read this stuff can you reread this yeah it'll be because the these
035are the steps that should have been follow followed here. If read this. >> Yes. >> If you are accusing me, speaking of President Stewart, of disregarding or ignoring her obligations as board president taking actions, making statements, or otherwise engaging in conduct that violates her obligations under statute and regulations, board policy, or board direction, you must follow board bylaw 9310.8 to remove her. Action taken against a board member for alleged misconduct must follow the censure procedure in the bylaw. This bylaw requires that that she be provided the specific policies that she is accused of violating in writing and an opportunity to respond by law states that protocol for censuring of a board member. Number one, informal resolution. Number two, consideration by the board. Number three, motion for censor. And then the bylaw requires actually two steps.
036First, the consideration of the allegations by the entire board in open session under an appropriate agenda item as she must be allowed to provide additional facts and perspectives and answer to the allegations to seek resolution. If further review by the board, the board concludes that the alleged conduct constitutes a breach of her obligation under statute, regulation, board policy, or board direction. The board may take further action. The second step is a motion for censor in open session. again with an appropriate agenda item. The motion must be in writing. Must include a specific description of the statute, regulation, board policy, or board direction allegedly violated, a specific factual description of the alleged vi alleged violation, and a specific penalty to be imposed under the censor. it. She must be given a reasonable time to prepare her
037response which must be allowed before the board vote. Based on this, the action to remove her as president cannot take place today because the board has not completed step one or step two. She has not been given the required written notice with the required information and number three have not been given an opportunity to respond. Any action taken is in violation of our bylaws and the Brown Act and is illegal and uninforcable. This action also exposes the district to liability for violating the law and violating her rights. >> Thank you, >> Madam President. I did not get an opportunity to uh speak. May I speak at this time? >> Yes, please. >> The agenda item before the board tonight has nothing to do with allegations against you and accusations. So that therefore that board bylaw
038is a moot point this evening. This is a reorg and nothing more than a reorg. There's been no accusations leveled against you and therefore everything that you just read is a moot point and I challenge what was just read uh to this governing body. >> Okay. So I guess now we can call for the vote. What was the mo motion? >> What was the motion? >> The motion was to reorg first by Webster, seconded by Krauss. >> Trusty Sto. >> Sto. Yes. >> Trusty Krauss. >> Krauss. Yes. >> Trusty Webster. >> Webster. I. >> Trusty Le French. >> Le French. Nay. >> Trusty Stewart. >> Stewart. Nay. Trusty Webster. I motion to make Trusty Sodto board president. >> Trusty Krauss. I second. >> Call for the vote. >> Trusty Stoodto. >> Sodto I. >> Trusty
039Krauss. >> Krauss. I. >> Trusty Webster. >> Webster. I. >> Trusty. Le French. Le French. Nay. Trusty Stewart. >> Stewart. Nay. Motion P passes 32. >> Trusty Krauss. I'll make a motion to make Trusty Webster clerk of the board. >> Sodto, I'll second. >> Trusty Stoodto >> Sto I. >> Trusty Krauss. >> Krauss. I >> trusty Webster. >> Webster. I >> trusty Le French. >> Le French I. >> Trustee Stewart. >> Stewart. Nay. Motion passes 41. And I guess that's it. Board rep. Oh, >> trusty cross. I'll make a motion to nominate uh trusty love French as board representative. >> Sodto. I'll second. >> Uh call for the vote. >> Jesse Sto. >> So do I. Jesse Krauss. >> Krauss. I >> Jesse Webster. >> Webster. I >> Jesse Le >> French I. >> Jesse
040Stewart >> Stewart I. Motion Passes 5 Z. >> So I guess now we're done. Uh let's go to adjournment. Trustes. I need a motion to adjourn. >> Webster. I a motion to adjourn. >> I second. >> Please call for the vote. >> Trusty Sodto. >> Sodto I. >> Tussy Krauss. >> Krauss. I >> Webster I. See Le French I >> Mr. Stewart >> Stewart I mo motion P passes 5 Z the time is 6:30 p.m.