09/09/2025 - Regular Meeting

001Jessica Vaughn: I'M JESSICA VAUGHN, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS INCLUDING CHILDREN STARTING WITH OUR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS AND CONTINUING WITH ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. I'M KAREN PEREZ, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4:00 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU ARE WELCOME TO MEET OR E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL

002MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL 32. MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE, AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Jessica Vaughn: THE BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 9, 2025, IS

003NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER PEREZ WILL LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF REFLECTION FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ON THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, WE WILL PAUSE TO REMEMBER AND HONOR THE LIVES LOST AND THE HISTORIC ACTIONS TAKEN. THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT THE EVENTS OF 2001 HAD ON OUR NATION. AS WE REFLECT ON THIS THURSDAY, LET US ALSO REMEMBER THE STRENGTH, RESILIENCE AND UNITY THAT EMERGED IN THE FACE OF TRAGEDY. LET US HONOR THE MEMORY OF THOSE LOST BY COMING TOGETHER IN COMPASSION, UNITY, AND UNDERSTANDING. MAY WE NEVER FORGET THE SACRIFICES MADE AND THE LESSONS LEARNED. AS WE STRIVE TO BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL. WE CAN STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE JOIN -- THANK YOU AND AT THIS TIME PLEASE STAND AS LAZARO ALAMAN DELIN

004MORALES, QUINTANA AND ASHLEY TORRES ALVAREZ FROM THE DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 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. (SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE) . Karen Perez: THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU GUYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB. MEMBER PEREZ, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL FUEGO LATINO CLUB AND PRINCIPAL DR. JEREMY KLEIN AND DIRECTOR ED NUMARTINEZ. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING. AT THIS TIME WE'D LIKE TO INVITE THE STUDENTS UP TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. HELLO. MY NAME IS RAY

005AND I'M IN 11TH GRADE. I'M IN 11TH GRADE. HELLO, MY NAME IS LORIS AND I'M IN TENTH GRADE. HELLO, MY NAME IS -- AND I'M IN 12TH GRADE. I'M IN 11TH GRADE. HELLO, VICTORIA, AND MY GRADE IS NINE. HELLO, MY NAME IS KATELYN GONZALEZ AND MY GRADE IS TENTH. MY NAME IS ELIANAS AND I'M IN TENTH GRADE. HELLO, I'M IN TENTH GRADE. I'M IN TENTH GRADE. EDNA MARTINEZ, SPANISH TEACHER FROM GAITHER HIGH. WE'RE VERY HONORED TO BE HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INVITATION. JUST ON BEHALF OF GAITHER, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INVITE. YOU GUYS ROCKED IT OUT. WONDERFUL JOB, GUYS. Jessica Vaughn: GO COWBOYS. IF PARENTS WANT TO TAKE SOME PICTURES. Jessica Vaughn: I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO CATCH YOU GUYS OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU WERE ON FIRE. ON FIRE.

006GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, AUGUST 26, 2025, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN AND

007TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AGENDA STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE 5 MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER PEREZ WILL READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCASTS, ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS IN

008THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. 5:01 P.M. WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MILLAGE RATES AND AT 6:00 P.M. WE HAVE EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO OUR RECOGNITIONS. AND WE HAVE A101, RECOGNITION OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS BEST KREWE AWARD. AND ANN MARIE COURTNEY WILL COME UP AND INTRODUCE AND LET US KNOW ABOUT OUR AWARD. GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, CABINET MEMBERS AND GUESTS. THE BUCS BEST KREE PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE BUCCANEERS CELEBRATING THEIR 50th SEASON OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. THIS MONTH'S AWARD RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING STANDOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE, OVERALL IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE BRIAN FORD,

009CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS HERE TONIGHT TO ANNOUNCE THIS MONTH'S AWARD RECIPIENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD, MADAM CHAIR, MR. SUPERINTENDENT AND THANK YOU FOR THAT WARM WELCOME. AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I KNOW IT'S A BUSY NIGHT SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME. VERY HUMBLED TO BE HERE TO KICK OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND AS WAS MENTIONED, THIS PROGRAM IS GREAT. WE HAVE OUR TRADITION AT ONE BUC WHERE WE RECOGNIZE ANYONE THAT GOES OVER AND ABOVE, SO ON BEHALF OF THE GLAZER FAMILY AND OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, I'M HERE TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF -- SOME FOLKS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND. FIRST OFF MS. CARLA NOLAN, THE PRINCIPAL AT MILES ELEMENTARY. SO MS. NOLAN, THESE COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR STAFF, YOUR PARENTS, AND YOUR PEERS. SO

010THIS IS VERY HUMBLING WHEN I HEARD YOUR STORY AND WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED AT MILES ELEMENTARY. TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP HAS PROFOUNDLY ELEMENTARY MILES ELEMENTARY. WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVED THE SCHOOL WAS GRADED A D BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. UNDER YOUR GUIDANCE YOU ROSE THAT TO A HIGH C THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, JUST 15 POINTS SHY OF A "B." CONGRATULATIONS. THIS REMARKABLE PROGRESS REFLECTS YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, STUDENT WELL-BEING AND THRIVING SCHOOL CULTURE. YOUR INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FIFTH GRADE HOUSE PROGRAM AND THE EMPOWERING GEMS PROGRAM FOR GIRLS HAS ENRICHED THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE AND BUILT STRONG COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE IS BOTH THOUGHTFUL AND INSPIRING. YOU REGULARLY, AND I'M A BIG FAN OF THIS, WRITE NOTES TO ENCOURAGE YOUR STAFF, REINFORCING THE CULTURE OF APPRECIATION AND MOTIVATION. THAT'S TREMENDOUS. SUCH A

011BUSY SCHEDULE TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT. AS A RESULT, TEACHER RETENTION AT MILES IS IMPRESSIVELY HIGH BECAUSE OF EDUCATORS WANT TO BE A PART OF YOUR TEAM. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU'RE NOT ONLY A LEADER BUT YOU'RE A CATALYST FOR LASTING CHANGE. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU. THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY. NEXT, MS. JENNIFER TURNSKY FROM LAMB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND I LIKE HER OUTFIT. I GOT TO SAY. MS. TORINSKI IS FAR MORE THAN AN ATHLETIC LEADER. SHE IS A TRUE MODEL WHO INSPIRES AND AGAIN THESE COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR PEERS, FAKE AND STUDENTS. YOU'RE A TRUE ROLE MODEL WHO INSPIRES DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK AND RESILIENCE IN EVERY STUDENT YOU COACH. YOUR DEDICATION TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IS SECOND TO NONE. THAT'S A BIG STATEMENT. JENNIFER CULTIVATES A CULTURE OF RESPECT AND

012PERSEVERANCE ENCOURAGING YOUR STUDENTS TO PUSH BEYOND THEIR LIMITS AND TO BELIEVE IN THEIR POTENTIAL. WE NEED MORE COACHES LIKE THIS. AS A WELLNESS ADVOCATE FOR THE STAFF AT THE SCHOOL, JENNIFER DESIGNS ENGAGING CHALLENGES THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLES MAKING WELLNESS FUN AND ACCESSIBLE. THAT'S THE KEY. YOU HAVE A UNIQUE GIFT FOR MAKING PEOPLE FEEL SEEN, HEARD, AND VALUED. AS ANY GREAT LEADER AND IN TURN, YOU INSPIRE OTHERS TO JOIN YOUR MISSION. YOUR ENERGY, COMPASSION AND LEADERSHIP MAKE YOU AN IRREPLACEABLE ASSET TO YOUR SCHOOL. THAT'S A BIG STATEMENT THERE. CONGRATULATIONS. TALK ABOUT GOING OVER AND ABOVE. NOW I CAN'T MESS UP. COME ON DOWN HERE. TRACY JONES. COME ON DOWN HERE. TOWN AND COUNTRY. I LOVE YOUR SHIRT AS WELL. CONGRATULATIONS. IT HAS TO BE MY FAVORITE PART OF MY WEEK. WE WON'T MESS

013UP THE BALL ON THIS ONE. ALL RIGHT. INSTRUCTURAL SUPPORT TRACY JONES FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AGAIN, THESE COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR PEERS, TEACHERS, PRINCIPAL. THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. AS AN ESE PARAPROFESSIONAL, YOU LEAD BY EXAMPLE INSPIRING THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOUR CONSISTENT ENCOURAGEMENT AND THOUGHTFUL GUIDANCE EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND TO STRIVE FOR GREATNESS. WITH A PERFECT BALANCE OF ENERGY, STRUCTURE, AND COMPASSION. I CAN SEE THAT. YOU LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON EVERYONE YOU ENCOUNTER. THAT'S TREMENDOUS. YOU WERE SOMEONE WHO NATURALLY GRAVITATED TOWARDS -- YOU HAVE EVERYBODY COMING TOWARDS YOU AND GETTING BEHIND YOU. YOUR PRESENCE RADIATES KINDNESS AND YOUR UNWAVERING CONSISTENTLY BUILDS TRUST AND COMFORT. YOUR DEDICATION MAKES YOU NOT ONLY A REMARKABLE EDUCATOR BUT ALSO A CHERISHED ROLE MODEL WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THAT'S

014UNBELIEVABLE. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ONE MORE RECOGNITION. A02, RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025, THROUGH OCTOBER 15, 2025. MEMBER PEREZ WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS RECOGNITION. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BEFORE I START, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE STUDENT GUEST. I WANT TO WELCOME GABRIEL LOPEZ IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PUBLICLY RECOGNIZES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FROM SEPTEMBER 15 TO OCTOBER 15. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS THE COLLECTIVE HERITAGE HONORING THE PAST, INSPIRING THE FUTURE. THIS IS A TIME TO CELEBRATE AND HONOR THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS HISPANIC AMERICANS MAKE TO SOCIETY. OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS HOME TO MORE THAN 80,000 HISPANIC STUDENTS WHICH IS CLOSE TO 40% OF OUR DISTRICT'S POPULATION. EACH YEAR OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND SCHOOLS

015DO A WONDERFUL JOB OF HOLDING EVENTS TO SHOWCASE HISPANIC HERITAGE. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPPORTS ITS HISPANIC FAMILIES BY PROVIDING SPANISH LANGUAGE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT THAT GUIDES STUDENTS AND SPANISH-SPEAKING FAMILIES THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALSO SUPPORTS HISPANIC FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES SUCH AS SCHOOL-BASED WELCOME CENTERS AND BILINGUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS. HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC COUNTY SCHOOLS IS COMMITTED TO CELEBRATING CULTURE AND SUPPORTING HISPANIC STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY AND CULTURALLY, BOTH DURING THE MONTH AND BEYOND. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOMES PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSES TO COMMENTS OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO

016THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT ANY ISSUE YOU'D LIKE AND YOU'LL NOT BE INTERRUPTED, HOWEVER, ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NEW NOT BE ALLOWED AND WE REQUEST THAT YOU TRY AND FOCUS ON THE ISSUES. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS TODAY AND TO ENSURE ALL VOICES ARE ABLE TO BE HEARD, AND AS ALIGNED WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD WAY OF WORK, THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT AND MANY OF YOU FEEL VERY PASSIONATELY ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES ON THE AGENDA. EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AND TO BE HEARD. WE'RE GOING TO RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT

017YOU DO NOT INTERRUPT THE SPEAKERS BY OTHERWISE INTERRUPTING AND CLAPPING AND THAT WAY EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO BE HEARD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES AND THEY START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU'LL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND YOU'LL HEAR A CHIME. A RED LIGHT AND CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. HELLO, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT. FIRST I WANT TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT AYRES FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. THE FLORIDA EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD SAID THAT THESE TWO BOOKS, IDENTICAL AND BLANKETS, HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM ALL HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THE IRONY IS THAT THE ONLY REASON THIS HAD TO BE ON THE AGENDA

018TODAY IS BECAUSE THE FIVE DEMOCRATS ON THIS BOARD VOTED TO KEEP THESE BOOKS LAST YEAR WHEN THE BOOKS WERE CHALLENGED BY PARENTS. THESE FIVE ARE NOW BEING ASKED TO REVERSE THEIR VOTES IN ORDER TO COUNTER MAN THE BAD DECISION THEY MADE LAST YEAR. I ALSO WANT TO THANK JULIE GEBHARTS WHOSE UNFLAGGING EFFORTS BROUGHT THIS ENTIRE MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMUNITY, THE STATE BOARD, AND THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE. SHE LED THE EFFORT THAT PUT THE 57 BOOKS ON THE STATE'S REMOVAL LIST. WE'LL BE REVIEWING ABOUT 600 MORE BOOKS AND TAKING THESE REVIEWS TO THE STATE IN TALLAHASSEE. WE'D FAR PREFER TO WORK WITH YOU TO IDENTIFY AND REMOVE ALL MATERIAL THAT'S HARMFUL TO MINORS. IF NOT, YOU CAN EXPECT ANOTHER SPANKING FROM THE STATE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. MY NAME IS CYNTHIA

019WEISS. I'M RESIDENT OF TAMPA AND AS YOU MIGHT GUESS MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL A LONG TIME. ONE OF MY CHILDREN HAS BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR OVER 15 YEARS. I'VE NEVER HEARD HER TALK OF A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN BOOK BANNING AND STUDENT SUCCESS. IN 1637 BEFORE THE U.S. WAS, WELL, EVEN THE U.S., A BOOK BY THOMAS MORTON WAS BANNED BECAUSE THE PURITANS BELIEVED HIM OF DANCING AND FRISKING TOGETHER WITH NATIVE AMERICANS. IN 1933, BOOK BANNING WAS PART OF THE LARGER SUPPRESSION OF DISSENTING IDEAS AND PROMOTION OF NAZI IDEOLOGY. BOOK BANNING IN THE U.S. REMAINED POPULAR THROUGH THE 1950s ERA OF McCARTHYISM AND ANTI-HOLLYWOOD WHEN THE FEAR OF COMMUNISM WAS LINKED TO MANY TITLES. DID ANY OF THESE BOOK BANS ACHIEVE ANYTHING POSITIVE FOR ANY CIVILIZED SOCIETY? I CAN'T THINK OF ONE. I DOUBT

020YOU CAN EITHER. SO WHAT'S THE POINT? BOOKS CHOSEN BY LIBRARY SCIENTISTS THAT HAVE BEEN VETTED -- WHO HAVE VETTED THE BOOKS FOR AUTHENTICITY AND TRUTH SHOULD BE THE CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION. NOT A PARENT OR GROUP OF PARENTS DISSENT. HAS THE BANNING OF BOOKS ABOUT RUBY BRIDGES AND THE EMBARRASSING VISUAL OF ANGRY WHITE PARENTS SCREAMING AT A 5-YEAR-OLD MADE BETTER CITIZENS? HAVE TEST SCORES IMPROVED? HAVE THE BANS MADE THE KIDS SMARTER OR FASTER OR ANY OTHER SYNONYM TO BETTER. WHEN YOU AGREE TO BAN A BOOK I IMPLORE YOU TO ASK IF THIS WILL RESULT IN BETTER KIDS. IF THE ANSWER IS NO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND THINK ABOUT THE PURITANS OF 1633, NAZIS, McCARTHYISM IN 1950. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CARMINE

021AND I'M A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER. LET ME BE CLEAR. WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY PLEADING WITH YOU NOT TO BAN BLANKETS AND IDENTICAL AGAINST DISTRICT AND STATE LAW BECAUSE OF ONE PERSON AND I MEAN THIS DISPARAGINGICALLY, HER NAME IS JULIE AND SHE THINKS SHE KNOWS MORE THAN ELSE MEDIA SPECIALISTS, TEACHERS, AND YOU, THE SCHOOL BOARD. BUT JULIE DOESN'T WORK ALONE. THE DANGEROUS OVER REACH BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO LOVE TO TALK ABOUT LAW AND ORDER AND OUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THEIR MOUTHS BREAK THE LAW AND PUSH THROUGH TWEET. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE JAMES, EDUCATIONER COMMISSIONER ANASTASIA AND APPOINTED AND NOT ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS WHO INCLUDE COLLINS WHO WAS HEARTILY DEFEATED FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SEAT AND YET SHE HAS MANAGED THROUGH POLITICAL MANEUVERING TO GET HERSELF APPOINTED

022TO A DOE POSITION TO INFLICT HER DEEPLY UNPOPULAR AND POLITICAL BELIEFS ON TO THIS COUNTY AND UNPOPULAR THEY ARE. BANNING BOOKS IS INCREDIBLY UNPOPULAR. A WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE IN 2023 CLAIMED 11 PEOPLE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 50% OF BOOK BANS IN THE U.S. AND THIS TREND CAN BE SEEN HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHERE ONE PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 100% OF OUR BOOK BANS. AS WE HAVE SEEN RECENTLY WITH REMOVAL OF 55 TITLES AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD GOES SO DO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WHAT HAPPENS HERE TODAY AFFECTS NOT JUST 242,000 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STUDENTS BUT MILLIONS ACROSS THE STATE. HOW YOU VOTE AND WHO YOU CHOOSE TO PROTECT WILL HAVE A BUTTERFLY EFFECT. THIS HARKENS BALDWIN'S QUOTE, THE CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS OURS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM INCLUDING TRANS KIDS, QUEER

023KIDS, BIPOC KIDS, ALL OF WHOM ARE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT. YOU'RE ALL THEIR STEWARDS. NONE OF THIS SHOULD BE SACRIFICE THE CULTURE WARS, THE DOE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ARE WAGING AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS KATE FARRIS THOMPSON. I'M BEEN A TAXPAYER AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT MOST OF MY LIVE AND BOTH OF MY CHILDREN GRADUATED HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AS I DID. MY CHILDREN ARE NOT AFRAID OF THE WORLD. I BELIEVE IT IS A PARENT'S JOB TO RAISE YOUR CHILD WITH THE TOOLS TO BE KIND, SURVIVE, AND EVENTUALLY TO THRIVE IN YOUR ABSENCE. WE WERE THANKFULLY ABLE TO PROVIDE LOVE, SHELTER AND ENVIRONMENT TO EXPLORE A VARIETY OF INTERESTS ALL AROUND. THIS I HOPE HELPS THEM BRING LOGIC AND THOUGHTFUL REVIEW INTO

024ANY DISCOURSE THEY MIGHT HAVE WITH SOMEONE OF A DIFFERENT OPINION THAN THEIR OWN. WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE CRITICAL THINKERS. I BELIEVE STRONGLY IN OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. I TOOK THEM TO THE LIBRARY EVERY MONTH UNTIL THEY COULD WALK ON RIDE ON THEIR OWN. I NEVER WORRIED THERE WOULD BE GROOMED TO ACCEPT SOMEONE ELSE'S IDEOLOGY BECAUSE I ENCOURAGED THEM TO LOOK BEYOND THEMSELVES AND THINK OUTSIDE OF THEMSELVES AND FOR THEMSELVES. WE HAD GREAT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ALL SORTS OF TOPICS IN THE BOOKS THEY CHOSE OVER THE YEARS AND DISCUSSED A VARIETY OF RELIGIONS WHEN THEY WERE INTERESTED AND WHO WROTE THEM AND WHAT TIMELINE, WHAT PART OF THE WORLD, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME IT WAS WRITTEN, CONTEXT. ERASE A PERSON'S PERSPECTIVE OR CULTURE AND IT DOESN'T STOP THAT PERSPECTIVE FROM

025EXISTING. AND THERE ARE BILLIONS OF MINDS AND VOICES ON THIS PLANET NOT LIKE OUR OWN. ALLOWING BOOKED TO BE BANNED AND REMOVED FROM SHELVES AFTER ALREADY BEING VETTED BY COMPETENT EDUCATORS AND PARENTAL REVIEW ONLY SERVES TO UNDERMINE THE WHOLE POINT OF FREE SPEECH IN OUR COUNTRY. I'M NOT RICH SO I PAY MY TAXES AND I DON'T LIKE PAYING FOR GOOD BOOKS BEING SNATCHED OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE MANY ALREADY UNDER REPRESENTED KIDS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MY CHILDREN ARE THANKFULLY GROWN AND MAKING THEIR OWN LIFE CHOICES BUT I WONDER IF YOU HAD SERVED THE CURRENT STUDENTS BETTER BY SPENDING LAST TIME AND MONEY BANNING BOOKS AND MORE ON A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW FLORIDA PUBLIC SCHOOLS -- THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: CAN I CALL UP SPEAKERS SIX THROUGH TEN PLEASE. AND NEXT SPEAKER. HELLO AND

026THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. MY NAME IS MATTHEW JOHNSON. I'M A FATHER OF TWO STUDENTS AND THE HUSBAND OF A TEACHER IN HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THAT YOU VOTE NO ON THE REQUESTED APPEAL REGARDING THE CHALLENGED MATERIALS BLANKETS AND IDENTICAL. THE BOARD HAS ALREADY FOLLOWED THE CHALLENGE PROCESS AND STOOD BY THE MEDIA SPECIALIST IN DETERMINING THAT THESE MATERIALS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THESE BOOKS HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE THIS DECISION. NOR HAS THE MAKE-UP OF THIS BOARD. WHICH CHANGED IS OUR GOVERNOR REALIZED THAT HIS LEGISLATURE NO LONGER HAS A TASTE FOR CULTURE WARS AND CENSORSHIP SO HE NEEDS TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO PUSH HIS VALUES ON COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T WANT THEM. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ONCE AND DESERVES A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT PREPARES OUR STUDENTS TO FUNCTION

027WITHIN OUR DIVERSE AND CHALLENGING WORLD. I CAN SAY THIS WITH CONFIDENCE BECAUSE AS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE, I RECEIVED ADS FROM A CANDIDATE THAT RAN THE PLATFORM OF BEING RONALD'S PUPPET. THAT CANDIDATE LOST BY 18 POINTS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF TAMPA DO NOT WANT THE SCHOOLS OF RON DESANTIS. I FOUND ALLIES IN PARENTS AND TEACHERS IN MY SCHOOL EAGER TO SUPPORT ALL OUR STUDENTS BUT THERE IS A GROWING FEAR THAT THE DISTRICT IS NO LONGER ABLE TO PROTECT THEM. THE CURRENT CLIMATE OF THREATS FROM THE STATE HAS CREATED A CHILLING EFFECT IN OUR COMMUNITY TO THE POINT WHERE TEACHERS FEAR THAT THEY TOO WILL FACE CONSEQUENCES IF THEY PUT THEIR STUDENTS WELL-BEING OVER THE GOVERNOR'S VALUES. AS EXAMPLE I HAVE A SAINT OF A TEACHER BUT SHE CAN'T AFFORD TO BEING FIRED FOR STARTING

028A GSA. SO TODAY YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO REAFFIRM YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. VOTE NO ON THIS APPEAL AND LET THE RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ALL ITS EDUCATORS REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL NOT LET THEIR VOICES BE SILENCED. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS CINDY RICHARDS AND I'M A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARENTS FOR 15 YEARS. OUR OLDEST IS A BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE AND YOUNGEST IS A FRESHMAN THIS YEAR. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BOTH PROUD FLORIDA NATIVES AND NAVY VETERANS FOR 10 YEARS EACH. I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE BANNING OF BOOKS. THE RECENT APPROACH I'VE SEEN OF ISOLATING UNCOMFORTABLE SNIPPETS WITHOUT FULL REVIEW WHILE SENSATIONAL AND ATTENTION GRABBING IS SIMPLY WRONG. LITERALLY JUDGING A BOOK BY ITS COVER OR A FEW SENTENCES INSIDE IS

029DANGEROUS AND I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO HONOR THIS BOARD'S PROCESSES ALREADY IN PLACE. A YOUNG -- AS A YOUNG INNOCENT GIRL I WAS MANIPULATED AND PRAYED UPON BY PEOPLE WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO TRUST. MY ABUSERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF MY IGNORANCE AND GROOMED ME FOR FUTURE ABUSERS. I DID NOT REALIZE I WAS ABUSED UNTIL -- IT WAS ABUSE UNTIL I WAS WELL INTO MY ADULTHOOD. THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DEEP AND LIFE LONG. BOOKS WERE A CATALYST TO MY HEALING AND HELPED ME BREAK THE CYCLE OF ABUSE AND ARM MY CHILDREN WITH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. I SHARE THIS TODAY NOT FOR SYMPATHY BUT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT ACCESS TO BOOKS EVEN THE ONES WITH DIFFICULT AND SCARY MESSAGES ARE VITAL TO KEEPING OUR YOUTH SAFE AND HEALTHY. KEEPING CHILDREN INNOCENT AND HIDING

030HARD TRUTHS KEEPS THEM IGNORANT AND MORE VULNERABLE TO THE PIT FALLS WE ALL WANT TO AVOID. HONOR YOUR ESTABLISHED BOOK REVIEW PROCESSES AND CONSIDER EACH BOOK IN ITS ENTIRETY AND ASK WHAT MESSAGE THE BOOK SENDS AND WHETHER IT COULD CHANGE A CHILD'S LIFE. BOOKS ARE A SAFE SPACE FOR UNDERSTANDING AND ENLIGHTENMENT AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO UNATTAINABLE CORNERS OF THE WORLD AND CONNECT US ALL IN OUR HUMANITY. EXPOSING CHILDREN TO DIVERSITY IN THE WORLD IS NOT INDOCK RUTRATION. LIMITING THEIR WORLD VIEW IS. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO HONOR THE CHILDREN WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. MY NAME IS CHRIS BEARD AND I'M A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I NEED TO MAKE A CORRECTION RIGHT OFF THE BAT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT BOOK

031BANNING. THIS IS ABOUT APPROPRIATE READING FOR CHILDREN. THESE BOOKS CAN BE BOUGHT AND SOLD ANYWHERE ELSE BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC -- IN THE SCHOOL PRAIRIES. BECAUSE IN -- LIBRARIES. BECAUSE INTRODUCING GRAPHIC CONTENT TOO EARLY CAN CAUSE EMOTIONAL ANXIETY AND TRAUMA IN SOME STUDENTS. CHILDREN ARE NOT EMOTIONALLY EQUIPPED TO PROCESS EXPLICIT SEXUAL SCENARIOS WHICH IS THIS IS WHAT IT IS. ESPECIALLY WHEN PRESENTED WITHOUT CONTEXT OR GUIDANCE. AND AS WE ALL KNOW MENTAL HEALTH IS ALREADY A CRISIS AMONG TEENS SO WHY ARE WE ADDING FUEL TO THAT FIRE. SO I LISTEN TO THE VIDEO OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, THE STATE BOARD MEETING, AND ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SUGGESTED FIRING ALL OF THE MEDIA SPECIALISTS. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE PROBLEM. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THE PROCESS BECAUSE

032ALL OF THE MEDIA SPECIALISTS CAN'T BE THAT WRONG. IT'S THE PROCESS. SO I'M GOING TO READ SOME OF THIS CONTENT "RUNNING WITH SCISSORS" IS A BOOK BY AUGUSTUS BURROWS, PAGE 110 AND THERE ARE FOUR COPIES IN THE LIBRARIES. "I'M LYING ON MY BACK ON NEIL'S BED. THE TOP OF MY HEAD KNOCKING AGAINST THE HEADBOARD BECAUSE HIS COCK IS DOWN MY THROAT. ALL I SEE IS A TRIANGLE OF DARK HAIR COMING AT ME. THIS, AND I FEEL AN UNPRECEDENT SENSATION OF FULLNESS IN MY THROAT. IT'S HARD TO BREATHE. THE AIR COMES INTO MY NOSE AND GASPS THAT SEEMS CONTROLLED BY THE THRUSTING OF NEIL'S HIPS. HE THRUSTS. I GET AIR. THE AIR COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH. FORCED AROUND THE SHAFT OF HIS COCK. YES, F'ING YES, JESUS -- " Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER

033PLEASE. HONORABLE BOARD. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME CONNECTIONS REALLY QUICK BEFORE I START INTO THE SPEECH. ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED THAT RUBY RIDGE AND A LOT OF THE RACISTS WHO WERE SPITTING AND SAYING A BUNCH OF STUFF, LET'S PUT INTO THE RECORD THAT THE RACISTS WERE DEMOCRATS AND IT IS THE PARTY OF SLAVERY, IT'S THE PARTY OF MORAL ROT AND IT'S THE PARTY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR NATION. I DO NOT COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH HERE OPINION. I COME WITH FACT. PRINTED BOOKS RESTING IN THE SHELVES OF THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARIES, WORDS SO VIAL AND DEGRADING THAT IF I WERE TO READ THEM ALOUD IN THE CHAMBER, EVERY HEAD IN THE ROOM WOULD BOW IN SHAME. THAT'S THE POINT THESE PASSAGES CANNOT BE SPOKEN IN PUBLIC THEN THEY HAVE NO PLACE IN

034THE HANDS OF A 13-YEAR-OLD CHILD. OR CHILDREN. LET'S BE HONEST. SCHOOLS EXIST TO TEACH READING, MATH, HISTORY AND SCIENCE. THEY DO NOT EXIST TO DRAG CHILDREN INTO THE GUTTER OF INCEST, RAPE, SUICIDAL FANTASIES AND DETAIL AND THAT'S WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK BY HELEN HOPKINS. EVEN THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CALLED IT GRAPHIC AND THE BOARD VOTED TO IT 5-2. THAT'S NOT COURAGE. THAT'S MORAL COLLAPSE OR TAKE "BLANKETS" PAGES OF NEW TEENAGERS AND SEXUAL ACTS AND PAGES THAT MOCK FAITH ITSELF LIKE, I WILL NOT REPEAT THAT LINE. ASK YOURSELVES THIS. WHAT PREPARES CHILDREN FOR ADULTHOOD. IT IS THIS WITH STRINGS COMMUNITY OR IS THIS THE SLOW POISON THAT CORRODES THE VERY SOUL OF OUR YOUTH. I WILL ASK EACH OF YOU DIRECTLY, WOULD YOU RIGHT NOW READ THESE PASSAGES OUT LOUD BEFORE THE PARENTS,

035TEACHERS AND CHILDREN. IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO THEN YOUR CONSCIOUS ALREADY KNOWS THE TRUTH. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. I'M RACHEL DOYLE AND FIRST OF ALL WHO IS WE BECAUSE A BUNCH OF OLD PEOPLE WHO I HAVE NEVER SEEN IN MY LIFE BEFORE GET UP HERE AND SAY OUR KIDS, WE, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE. I DON'T KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE. THEY DON'T SHOW UP HERE WHEN I TALK ABOUT HOW SUMMER PROGRAMMING SUCKS. THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT THE ESE PROBLEMS. IN FACT THE SAME PEOPLE I HAVE SEEN HERE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ASK YOU TO GET RID OF ESE TEACHERS. JESUS. YOU ALL KNOW THIS MEETING IS A SHAM. YOU TOO ARE GOING TO VOTE NOT TO KEEP THE BOATS AND THE REST WILL

036VOTE NO. WHY. COERCION. YOU KNOW IT'S COERCION. YOU KNOW THAT YOU -- IF YOU VOTE YES YOU'LL FACE CHARGES FROM THE FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL. THAT'S NOT -- IS THAT REALLY THE BEST YOU CAN DO. IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO FOR MY KIDS. OH, MY GOD. THIS MEETING IS A SHAM. BAN THE BOOKS OR ELSE. IS THIS MY PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION AT WORK. IS THIS IT. I FEEL SO SUPPORTED AND HEARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY DECISION BASED ON FEAR IS NOT A GOOD DECISION. IT'S NOT THE DECISION MY KIDS DESERVE. AND IN FACT IT'S LITERALLY CALLED COERCION. I KNOW THAT'S A BIG WORD FOR ELMO. ALL OF THIS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE PARENTS WHO VOTED YOU IN. YOUR FAVORITE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS PARENTS AND HER FRIENDS, JULIE, HEY, WEIRDO,

037HAS SUCCESSFULLY GOTTEN PEOPLE WHO WERE APPOINTED NOT ELECTED IN TALLAHASSEE TO PUT YOU IN A DECISION WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T GET TO MAKE A CHOICE. THERE IS NO PARENTAL RIGHTS IN HILLSBOROUGH. NOTHING SCREAMS PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION LIKE COERCION, SOMEHOW A WOMAN WHO HAS ZERO KIDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL HAS MORE RIGHTS IN THIS COUNTY TO DICTATE MY KID'S EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAN I DO. SPITTING IN MY FACE WOULD BE LESS DISRESPECTFUL THAN LYING AND SAYING THIS SOMEHOW PROTECTS MY PRESENTSAL RIGHTS. FIRE THE MEDIA SPECIALISTS AND YOU'LL LISTEN TO AN OLD LADY OVER ME. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. CAN WE HAVE THE NEXT SPEAKERS 11 THROUGH 15 PLEASE. AND IF I CAN REMIND, I KNOW EVERYONE IS PASSIONATE BUT IF WE CAN HOLD OUR CLAPPING. THANK YOU. HELL OE, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT,

038MADAM CHAIR. JULIE McGILL. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MY KIDS WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE IS PARENTS HERE THAT THINK THIS MATERIAL IS OKAY FOR THEIR OWN KIDS. IT'S SAD. AS MANY TIMES AS PEOPLE HAVE STOOD UP HERE AND READ THAT GRAPHIC CONTENT TO YOU AND IT STILL GETS PASSED IS BEYOND ME. DON'T CONFUSE THESE BOOKS WITH DEI. THIS IS NOT DEI. THIS IS A FAILURE TO PROTECT OUR KIDS. 13-YEAR-OLD KIDS SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF MATERIAL AVAILABLE TO THEM. IT'S NOT ABOUT CENSORSHIP EITHER. WE DON'T PUT GAMBLING CODES AND ODDS IN OUR MATHEMATICS CLASSES TO TEACH MATH. WE DON'T TELL PEOPLE HOW TO BUILD METH LABS TO TEACH CHEMISTRY. SO WHY DO WE HAVE PORNOGRAPHIC BOOKS IN THE LIBRARIES TO TEACH OUR KIDS. LET'S ALSO TALK ABOUT THE AUTHORS. MAYBE IT'S NOT BANNING

039THE BOOKS. MAYBE IT'S BANNING THE AUTHORS PUTTING OUT THE GARBAGE. IT'S CRAZY. IT'S DISGUSTING CONTENT. WE SHOULDN'T LET THEM PROFIT OFF OUR CHILDREN. YOU CAN'T SIT HERE AND APPROVE THESE THINGS AS EDUCATION. IT'S NOT EDUCATION. EDUCATION IS MATH, READING AND SCIENCE. WE DON'T NEED PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL IN OUR LIBRARIES. I'M URGING YOU TO PLEASE VOTE AGAINST THESE TWO LAST BOOKS. PLEASE. FIND IT IN YOUR HEARTS. FIND IT FOR OUR KIDS. VOTE NO. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS AVULA. REAL QUICK CORRECTION. STATISTICS IS USED IN GAMBLING, SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT MATHEMATIC PRINCIPLE. SO GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERINTENDENT AND MEMBERS AND SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS AVULA AND I'M THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY ORGANIZING FOR EQUALITY FLORIDA AND IN THAT ROLE I WORK CLOSELY WITH MANY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND HAVE HAD THE HONOR

040TO STAND HERE WITH FAMILIES AND PARENTS FROM THIS COUNTY TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR STUDENTS HERE AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. I CAME HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY FRUSTRATION AT THE STATE'S PRESSURE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THIS DISTRICT AND THESE ON THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEIR STUDENTS ALIENATING LOCAL LEADERS THEY'VE ELECTED TO CARRY OUT THEIR MANDATE TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, TO COLLABORATE WITH THE SHARED GOAL OF EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. I'M HERE AND JOINED ONCE AGAIN BY MANY HILLSBOROUGH PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO URGE YOU TO STAND BY THE DECISIONS YOU'VE MADE IN THE PAST, STAND BY THE RIGOROUS REVIEW PROCESS OF THE BOOKS BEING CONSIDERED FOR REMOVAL HAVE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH AND STAND WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF HILLSBOROUGH PARENTS AND FAMILIES AND STUDENTS THAT NEED YOU

041TO TAKE A STAND WITH THEM AGAINST THIS PETTY, CORRUPT STATE ADMINISTRATION. PLEASE STAND WITH US AND STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS TO PROTECT THE DISTRICT FROM THIS HEINOUS GOVERNMENT OVERREACH. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. . GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DREW VAUGHN. I'M THE PARENT OF FOUR STUDENTS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. JUST TWO WEEKENDS AGO, WE HAD SOME FRIENDS OVER, A GAY COUPLE WHO IT WAS THEIR SON'S BIRTHDAY. AND BEING SMART ONE OF THE DADS AND I LEFT TO GET PIZZA SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL SEVEN OF THE KIDS. WHEN WE WERE GOING TO PICK UP THE PIZZA, JOSH WHO IS ONE OF THE DADS TOLD ME A STORY. AND WHAT HE TOLD ME IS -- HE GREW UP ON A FARM, ON A

042DAIRY FARM, OF COURSE, IT'S FRICKIN WISCONSIN AND HE NEVER SAW HIMSELF REPRESENTED IN A BOOK UNTIL HE WAS 21. HE NEVER SAW A GAY CHARACTER IN A STORY UNTIL HE WAS 21. WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN A PROCESS TO REVIEW THESE BOOKS. I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULT POSITION THAT MANY OF YOU ARE IN. THAT THE STATE IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON YOU TO DO THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU DON'T AGREE WITH. AND WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IS TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND THE LAWS WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE IN REVIEWING THE BOOKS AND KEEPING THEM ON THE SHELVES BECAUSE NO KID IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR ANYWHERE ELSE DESERVES TO FEEL UNREPRESENTED UNTIL THEY'RE 21 YEARS OLD. PLEASE STAND BY YOUR PAST RULING. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn:

043THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI. I'M BARBARA ROUTON. I'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTY SINCE 1977. I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE STUDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THERE IS A STORY IN OUR FAMILY ABOUT AN UNCLE WHO WAS A PHYSICIAN IN RURAL SOUTHERN INDIANA. ONE DAY HE MADE A HOUSE CALL ONLY TO FIND THAT THE WOMAN WHO HAD MADE THE APPOINTMENT WASN'T SICK. SHE JUST WANTED TO ASK HIM SOMETHING IN THE PRIVACY OF HER HOME. THE QUESTION WAS, HOW DO HOMOSEXUALS DO IT. NOWADAYS ANYONE OF ANY AGE CAN FIND OUT EVERYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING ONLINE AT ANY TIME AND OUR KIDS KNOW IT. AND WE KNOW WHAT KINDS OF RESULTS CAN COME UP WHEN THEY ASK CERTAIN QUESTIONS. I'M THE GRANDMOTHER OF A YOUNG GIRL IN A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL. AND I

044WANT KIDS, MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND ALL KIDS TO HAVE ACCESS TO AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOKS VETTED AND CHOSEN BY LOCAL TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS. THE STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY COME FROM VARIED BOOKGROUNDS AND FACE MYRIAD CHALLENGES AND SITUATIONS IN THEIR LIVES. AND THEY NEED BOOKS AND OTHER MEDIA THAT REFLECT THAT RANGE. BOOKS ARE A WAY FOR THEM TO READ ABOUT OTHERS LIKE THEMSELVES OR VERY DIFFERENT FROM THEMSELVES. BOOKS CAN PROVIDE THEM NEW INSIGHTS OR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND INSTILL EMPATHY IN THEM. I URGE YOU TO KEEP WITH YOUR DECISION THAT YOU MADE ABOUT THESE BOOKS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN VETTED AND ALLOW THEM TO STAY IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS AND THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SELFLESS SERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, I'M CONSERVATIVE

045CARMINE HERE TODAY AND I WANT TO DEBUNK SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION SPOUTED HERE TODAY. I HAD A WHOLE OTHER SPEECH BUT HEARING OTHER PEOPLE SPEAK, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GETTING INFORMATION FROM. NOTHING IS ASKING YOU TO BAN BOOKS. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW FLORIDA STATE STATUTE THAT TALKS ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY IN BOOKS THAT IS GIVEN TO MINORS. THE BILL WAS PASSED IN TALLAHASSEE AND THE HOUSE BUT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE SENATE AND THEY DID A LOT OF REVIEW AND WERE GIVEN LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AND THE BOOKS NEED TO BE REVIEW BECAUSE -- REMOVED BECAUSE THEY'RE PORNOGRAPHIC IN CONTENT. ONE PERSON SAID THEY'RE OUT OF CONTEXT. THAT'S NOT TRUE. TO DO YOUR BOOK PROCESS, WE HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE ENTIRE BOOK AND IT'S A VERY ARDUOUS PROCESS. THE PROCESS YOU ALL HAVE

046HERE AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS A LONG HARD PROCESS TO GET ANY BOOK REMOVED. WE'RE NOT TAKING LITTLE SNIPPETS. WE'RE READING THE WHOLE BOOKS AND WE'RE NOT ASKING BOOKS THAT ARE GIVEN ADVICE TO GAY CHILDREN TO BE REMOVED. WE GET IT. EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE REPRESENTED. IF THERE IS BOOKS THAT HELP KIDS NAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES OF BEING GAY, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE ASKING TO BE REMOVED. WE'RE ASKING BOOKS TO BE REMOVED THAT CONTAIN PORNOGRAPHIC CONTENT AND PICTURES. NOT ABOUT KIDS TRYING TO FIND THEMSELVES IN THIS WORLD. THE OLD LADY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO HAPPENS TO BE A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. NEVER CALLED FOR MEDIA SPECIALISTS TO BY FIRED. JUST TO CLEAR THAT UP. AND PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE NOT BEING TRAMPLED. ANY PARENT CAN BUY THE BOOKS. YOU CAN GO TO THE BOOK STORE OR BUY

047THEM ON AMAZON. IF YOU WANT TO EXPOSE THE CHILDREN TO SMUT, KNOCK YOURSELF OUT BUT DON'T DO IT IN PUBLIC SCHOOL WHERE I'M TRYING TO PROTECT MY CHILD FROM THIS CRAP ON THE BOOK SHELVES. BUY IT FOR YOUR OWN KIDS. THESE BOOKS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR MINORS. AMERICAN PSYCHO IS ONE I READ HERE MULTIPLE TIMES. THAT IS DISGUSTING. THE GUY DISMEMBERS PROSTITUTES AND MADE THEM DO TERRIBLE AWFUL THINGS. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. CAN I ALSO -- I'D LIKE TO CALL UP THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, 15 THROUGH 20 BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TIME CERTAIN AT 5:00. IF WE CAN'T GET TO ALL THE SPEAKERS, YOU'LL HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND REMEMBER YOUR ORDER WHEN WE GO BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR

048PATIENCE. YOU MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JULIE HDPEB GEBHARDS. WHEN YOUR LEADERSHIP IS UNWILLING TO READ THIS AT A PUBLIC MEETING NO ONE CAN ARGUE THE BOOKS BELONG IN FRONT OF CHILDREN AND YOU HAVE TOLD ME THAT I'VE DONE DAMAGE BY READING THE BOOKS HERE OUT LOUD AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU, THESE ARE NOT MY BOOKS, THESE YOUR BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE DEFENDED AND STOOD BEHIND. SO I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER "IDENTICAL" IN ITS ENTIRETY BECAUSE I READ THE WHOLE THING. I READ BOTH AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT "IDENTICAL". IT CONVEYS UTTER HOPELESSNESS, DESPAIR. THERE IS NO REDEMPTION IN THE STORY. IT SHOULD BE RATED NC-17, X, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. JUST BY THE HERE -- FOR THE FACT THAT IT HAS 36 F BOMBS AND I'LL

049SAY SCHOOL AND DISTRICT COMMITTEES TOUTED IT AND DEFENDED IT AS A STORY OF SURVIVAL AND YET THE VICTIM OF THE INCESTTUOUS RAPE BY HER FATHER WAS COUNSELED TO FORGIVE HIM. HE DID NOT FACE ANY JUSTICE FOR HIS BEHAVIOR. SO IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT A DIVERSE BOOK, LET'S AT LEAST PUT A BOOK IN HERE THAT HAS SOME REDEMPTIVE STORY, A WAY TO SEE LIGHT AND HOPE AND LET ME ALSO TELL YOU THIS. SHE AT THE THIRD FROM THE LAST PAGE OF THEIC BOO WAS STILL CUTTING HERSELF AND TALKING ABOUT HOW GOOD IT FELT. SHE DAY DREAMED ABOUT BLEEDING OUT AND HOW IT WOULD BE A JUMP INTO ULTIMATE FREEDOM. SHE IS TALKING ABOUT KILLING HERSELF AND THIS IS WHAT THE BOOK TALKS ABOUT. SO HOW ABOUT WE FOCUS ON INSPIRING CHILDREN. STAND UP AND

050PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE ENTRUSTED TO YOUR CARE. NO ONE IS FOCUSED ON GAY BOOKS, AGAIN, LIKE CARMINE JUST SAID. THERE IS NOTHING GAY IN EITHER OF THE TWO BOOKS YOU'RE VOTING ON TODAY EXCEPT FOR THE PEDOPHILE MOLET'SING THE LITTLE BOY AND THAT'S ILLUSTRATED IN BLANKETS. I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOUR YEARS PLEADING WITH YOU TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND YOU SAID NO HUNDREDS OF TIMES. YOU SHOULDN'T FEAR THE CONSTITUENCY BUT FEAR YOUR CREATOR AND THE CREATOR OF THESE PRECIOUS CHILDREN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. ANGEL RAMOS AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES. LET ME BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT ABOUT CENSORSHIP. AND IT IS NOT ABOUT SILENCING IDEAS. IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING CHILDREN AND ENSURING THAT SCHOOLS REMAIN A

051PLACE OF LEARNING. NOT EXPOSURE TO GRAPHIC ADULT CONTENT. BOOKS LIKE IDENTICAL BY HELEN AND BLANKETS BY CRAIG THOMPSON CONTAIN MATERIAL SO EXPLICIT AND GRAPHIC THAT MOST OF THE ADULTS WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE HEARING IT READ OUT LOUD BUT THE SAME BOOKS ARE BEING AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE STUDENTS WITH NO PARENTAL NOTIFICATIONS AND THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. IF A MOVIE WITH 36 USERS OF THE F-WORD AND GRAPHIC SEXUAL ASSAULT IS RATED R OR X WHY IS THE WRITTEN EQUIVALENT SITTING ON A SCHOOL LIBRARY SHELF FOR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 13. MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES REQUIRE PARENTAL CONSENT BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT EXPLICIT CONTENT CAN HAVE ON YOUNG MINDS. WHY ARE THE SCHOOLS EXEMPT FROM THE SAME COMMON SENSE. PARENTS HAVE THE GOD GIVEN AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DIRECT THE MORAL UP BRINGING OF CHILDREN WHILE SCHOOLS

052EXIST TO SUPPORT BASIC EDUCATION, MATH, SCIENCE, HISTORY, READING. NOT TO UNDERMINE PARENTAL AUTHORITY OR EXPOSE CHILDREN TO PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL. INTRODUCING EXPLICIT SEXUAL SCENARIOS TO CHILDREN DOES NOT PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE. IT CONFUSES THEM AND DESENSITIZES THEM AND IN SOME CASES CAUSES EMOTIONAL HARM. OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS SHOULD NOT FUND BOOKS THAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN PRISONS. IF IT'S TOO OFFENSIVE TO READ THEM OUT LOUD IN THE MEETING IT'S FAR TOO OFFENSIVE TO PLACE THESE IN FRONT OF KIDS. IT'S TIME TO RESTORE COMMON SENSE AND LET CHILDREN BE CHILDREN. LET SCHOOLS BE A PLACE OF LEARNING AND GROWTH, NOT CONFUSION AND SEXUALIZATION. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS ALYSSA, I'M THE CHAPTER CHAIR FOR OUR LOCAL MOMS FOR LIBERTY CHAPTER, A MOM OF TWO AND THE SPEAKERS AHEAD OF ME, WE

053KNOW WE'RE HERE ONCE AGAIN ARGUING ABOUT THE PORNOGRAPHIC BOOKS THAT SEXUALIZE OUR CHILDREN. FUN FACT FOR ALL THE BELIEVING OF THE BOOK BANNING LIVES YOU CAN STILL CHECK THEM OUT ONLINE OR AT LIBRARIES. WE JUST DON'T WANT THEM IN FRONT OF KIDS WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT. WE BELIEVE LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID BEFORE ME WE BELIEVE THEY'RE SAFE FOR STUDENTS TO READ BUT TOO SEXUAL FOR INCARCERATED CRIMINALS. WE DON'T OFFER PLAYBOY MAGAZINES, PORN SITES ON THE COMPUTERS AT SCHOOL OR INAPPROPRIATE MUSIC. WHY DO WE ALLOW IT ON THE BOOK SHELVES. I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE MY TIME TALKING THE REST OF THE TIME ABOUT BOOKS. WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS THE MANY PARENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEARS WHO HAVE COME TO US AT MOMS FOR LIBERTY TO HELP BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT

054TO DO WHEN THEIR CHILD IS PUT IN AN UNSAFE SCENARIO AT SCHOOL. OVER EVEN EXPIRED MILK AND MOLDY CHEESE SERVED AT LUNCH. WE GUIDE THEM ON WHO TO CONTACT. THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND ADMIN AND SUPERINTENDENT. WE TEACH -- WE EDUCATE THEM ON HOW TO SHARE CONCERNS MOST RESPECTFUL AND EFFECTIVE WAYS SO THEY SEND E-MAILS AND CONTACT AND MEET WITH ADMINS WHO THEN IN RETURN DENY ANY CLAIMS AND WITHOUT THE LEAST BIT OF SIN SINCERETY APPALL APOLOGIZE FOR THE MISHAP. THE GRIEVANCES ARE NO LONGER HEARD. THE FAMILIES ARE NOW LEAVING THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT'S NOT MY OPINION ON THAT. IT'S PROVEN IN INNUMBERS. I BELIEVE IT WAS THIS YEAR WE WERE -- ENROLLMENT DROPPED BY 8,000. WE ARE NOW -- WE ARE -- BELIEVE THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY. NOT SURE WHERE WE

055ARE NOW. WE ARE ALSO NOW KNOWN AS THE HUB FOR HOME SCHOOLING. CONGRATULATIONS. WE HAVE FAMILIES FEELING OUR DISTRICT -- CURIOUS WHAT WE HAVE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. MY NAME IS RANDOLPH AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. IT'S ONLY BEEN RECENTLY THAT I'VE COME TO A FULL REALIZATION OF THE AWESOME TASK THAT YOU HAVE. AND, YOU KNOW, AS I STAND HERE TODAY AND WE TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS IN QUESTION, YOU KNOW THE CONTENT. IT'S BEEN READ TO YOU. YOU'VE GOT TO DIG INSIDE YOUR HEART WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND AS I WAS SITTING HERE LISTENING TO, OKAY, THESE BOOKS HAVE BEEN VETTED, I RECALL WHAT HAPPENED DOWN IN MIAMI WHERE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT VETTED THESE BO

056BOOKS, THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS ASKED TO READ THE FIRST PAGE OF ONE BOOK AND COULDN'T DO IT. SO WE'VE GOT A PROCESS PROBLEM. A PROCEDURAL PROBLEM. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? GROWING UP, I'VE ALWAYS HEARD, IT TAKES A VILLAGE. SO ALLOW US TO BE PART OF THAT VILLAGE TO CORRECT SOMETHING THAT WAS WRONG BUT PREVENTED IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI. MY NAME IS ASH AND I'M A QUEER MOTHER. LET ME BE VERY CLEAR. BEING QUEER IS NOT A DOWNFALL, CARMINE, SO GET OVER YOURSELF. I FIRST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEARS OF ALLYSHIP AND BEING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY APPROVING THE VERY BOOKS WE'RE HERE SPEAKING ON TODAY. WITH THAT SAID I'M HERE TO ADDRESS BOARD MEMBERS,PARENCE AND STUDENTS. HISTORY TEACHES US THAT

057WHEN THOSE IN POWER FEAR FREEDOM, THEY BAN BOOKS. NAZI GERMANY BOOKED THEM TO CONTROL THOUGHT. THE AMERICAN SOUTH OUTLAWED LITERACY FOR THE ENSLAVED BECAUSE READING MEANT LIBERATION. EVEN GAL LAYO'S WRITINGS WERE CENSORED FOR CREELINGING AUTHORITY. BANNING BOOKS DOES NOT ERASE TRUTH. IT ERASES A CHILD'S CHANCE TO DISCOVER IT. IT DENIES CURIOSITY AND WEAKENS CRITICAL THINKING. THE STRENGTH OF TRUTH AND LITERACY DEPENDS ON ACCESS BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE LOCKED AWAY IS KNOWLEDGE LOST. HONESTY BECAUSE HIDING HISTORY CREATES PROPAGANDA. DIVERSITY BECAUSE DEMOCRACY REQUIRES MANY VOICES. COURAGE BECAUSE LEARNING IS NOT ABOUT COMFORT. IT'S ABOUT GROWTH. TRUST, TRUST IN OUR TEACHES, OUR LIBRARIANS, THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. WHEN WE BAN BOOKS WE SAY WE DO NOT TRUST YOU. WE DO NOT TRUST OUR CHILDREN. WE DO NOT TRUST OUR EDUCATORS AND WE DO NOT TRUST

058OUR DEMOCRACY. EVERY BOOK REMOVED IS NOT JUST THE STORY SILENCED. IT'S A STEP BACKWARD FROM FREEDOM INTO FEAR, FROM LITERACY AND TO IGNORANCE, FROM DEMOCRACY INTO SILENCE. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS A CHOICE. FOLLOW HISTORY'S MISTAKES OR LEARN FROM THEM. LIMIT OUR CHILDREN OR EMPOWER THEM. PROTECT THE SHELVES, STORIES AND TRUTH. PLEASE CONTINUE TO STAND WITH THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS WITH THE SAME RESPECT YOU'VE SHOWN US AS A COMMUNITY IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND STAND AGAINST THE HATE THE STATE IS CONTINUING TO PUSH THROUGH AND INTO OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS IS NOT ABOUT BOOKS. THIS IS ABOUT HATE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS MELANIE MARR AND I'M A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT AND MOM. I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE OVERREACH BY THE FLORIDA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION INTO LOCAL MATTERS. WHAT WE'RE WITNESSING

059IS NOT SIMPLY A DISAGREEMENT OVER POLICY BUT IT'S AN ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY AND INTEGRITY. THIS MISUSE OF AUTHORITY OR THE SILENCING OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS THREATENS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE BUILT UPON. WHEN ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE UNDERMINED AND COMMUNITY VOICES ARE IGNORED AND EDUCATORS ARE SIDELINED FOR DOING THEIR JOB WITH CARE WE ERODE THE FOUNDATION OF FOUNDATION, TRUST, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT POLITICAL BATTLEGROUNDS. THEY'RE PLACES OF LEARNING, CRITICAL THINKING AND GROWTH YET THIS IMPOSITION OF POLITICAL MOTIVATED CENSORSHIP JEOPARDIZES THAT ENVIRONMENT AND STRIPS EDUCATORS OF THE ABILITY TO TEACH HONESTLY AND DENIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND SENDS A CHILLING MESSAGE THAT FEAR, NOT FACTS WILL GUIDE THE CLASSROOMS. THIS IS NOT ABOUT ONE BOOK OR TOPIC OR DECISION. IT'S ABOUT WHETHER WE ALLOW OUR SCHOOLS TO BECOME TOOLS OF

060POLITICAL CONTROL OR PROTECT THEM AS FREE INQUIRY. PUBLIC EDUCATION BELONGS TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACTIVELY UTILIZING IT. NOT TO POLITICIANS BUT PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS, TEACHERS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY STUDENTS SO I URGE ATHE BOARD AND EVERYONE HERE TO STAND UP NOT JUST FOR POLICIES BUT PRINCIPLES. STAND UP FOR DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND EDUCATIONAL INTEGRITY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY STAND UP FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN. AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WANT TO SAY THAT -- 30 SECONDS. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WANT TO SAY THAT IF I HAD READ MORE BOOKS THAT DISCUSSED SELF-HARM AND SUICIDAL IDEATION AS A TEENAGER, MAYBE I WOULD HAVE FELT A LOT LESS ALONE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS. WE'LL HAVE TO PAUSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE ADVERTISED OUR FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET FOR

061TIME CERTAIN AT 5:01 P.M. AND WE NEED TO CONDUCT THAT HEARING NOW. THOSE REMAINING INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD AFTER. WE'LL START 01, FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON MILLAGE RATES AND THE BUDGET FOR THE 25-26 FISCAL YEAR. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BSCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. WE PRESENT THE MILLAGE RATES AND ADOPTED BUDGET KNOWN AS THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING FOR MILLAGE RATE AND ADOPTED BUDGET. OUR BUDGET INCLUDES ALL BUDGET AND PROPRIETARY FUNDS AND PROPOSED TAX RATE. Jessica Vaughn: AT THIS TIME I'LL ADJOURN THE REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND OPEN THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MILLAGE RATES AND ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2025-26. JAMIE LEWIS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL NOW PRESENT. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT TO

062DISCUSS THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING OF THE BUDGET OPPORTUNITY AND MILLAGE RATE AND ADOPTIVE BUDGET. AS WE BEGIN TONIGHT AS WE COVERED IN OUR FIRST HEARING, WE JUST WANT TO GO OVER WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE TONIGHT AND WHAT IS THE FLORIDA STATUTE SAY ABOUT THE PURPOSE HERE FOR THE BUDGET AND THE MILLAGE RATES. TRIM LAW WAS ENACTED IN 1980 AND REQUIREMENTS ARE DETAILED IN THE FLORIDA STATUTE UNDER SECTION 200. THE STATUTE REQUIRED SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO ADVERTISE THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGETS ANNUALLY INCLUDING THESE FOLLOWING THREE ITEMS. REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT. DISCRETIONARY MILLAGE AND CAPITAL OUTLAY MILLAGE. THE TRIM PROCESS INFORMS THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE PROCESS DETERMINED TO ADD THE PROPERTY TAXES. FLORIDA STATE LAW PROVIDES FOR PUBLIC INPUT AND GOVERNING OF TAX AUTHORITIES OF STATE SPECIFIC REASONS TO PROPOSE CHANGES IN THE TAX

063AND BUDGET INCURS EVERY YEAR. THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SETS THE MILLAGE RATES LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS MUST LEVY IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FEFP PROGRAM. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS NO DISCRETION TO SET THE MILLAGE RATES DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE LAW WAS SPECIFIC IN DEFINING THE PROCESS AND TIME TABLE WHICH WE'LL COVER TONIGHT OF ADOPTING THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGET. THE NUMBERS REFLECTED IN THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING BUDGET ARE BASED ON THE SECOND CALCULATION FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WHICH WAS RELEASED JULY 18, 2025. AND THE SAME ONE USED IN THE FIRST HEARING. THE FOUR ITEMS HERE TONIGHT WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS. WE'LL MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED INDIVIDUAL MILLAGE RATES. ADOPT THE ANNUAL BUDGET. APPROVE THE

064RESOLUTIONS FOR ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGETS AND THEN -- RATES AND BUDGETS AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FINANCE STAFF TO MAKE ALL NECESSARY TASKS TO ENSURE THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROCESS UNDER CHAPTER 200 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTE. AS MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO, WE'RE FOLLOWING THE SAME TIME TABLE PRESENTED EARLIER IN THE MONTH OF JULY. WE'RE DOWN TO OUR FINAL TWO STEPS AND THAT IS HERE TONIGHT AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE OUR APPROVALS AND CAN PROCEED FORWARD TOMORROW WITH THE FOLLOWING GOVERNING BODIES AND TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, PROPERTY TAX AND TAX COLLECTOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. OUR FIRST ITEM TONIGHT IS TO DISCUSS THE MILLAGE RATES. THIS SHOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW IN THE EARLIER SESSION. WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS AS WE TALK ABOUT WHAT

065IS THE MILLAGE RATE HAPPENING THIS YEAR IN COMPARISON TO PRIOR YEARS. IN 2026, OUR MILLS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED IS 6.34 TOTAL MILLS. THE ONE AREA WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THIS INCLUDES ONE ADDITIONAL VOTED MILLAGE NEW FOR THIS YEAR THAT'S NOT OCCURRED IN PREVIOUS YEARS. THAT ADDITIONAL MILLAGE WAS APPROVED LAST -- BEFORE AND THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR AND THIS IS TWO THINGS FOR OUR DISTRICT. IT'S ALLOWING FOR EMPLOYEE SALARY ENHANCEMENTS AND TO PROCEED WITH ACADEMIC PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR AND BEEN TALKED ABOUT AT NUMEROUS MEETINGS PRIOR TO TONIGHT. AS WE CONSIDER THAT AND LOOK AT 2025, OUR TOTAL MILLS FOR 2025 WAS 5.388 SO THAT'S AN INCREASE OF RIGHT UNDER ONE MILL AT .952. THE ITEM WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT THE ONE ADDITIONAL MILL WAS NOT APPROVED,

066WE ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE SAW A DECREASE IN THE TOTAL MILLS OF NEGATIVE .048. SO JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, THE ADDITIONAL ONE MILL IS WHAT IS CAUSING THE TOTAL MILLS TO BE MORE. IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT, THE TOTAL MILLS WOULD BE LESS THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WE SEE WHAT THE ONE MILL IS ABLE TO DO FOR US, THE EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS THROUGH THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. THE OTHER THING WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS OUR TOTAL MILLS FOR 2026 IS 6.34. IF YOU NOTICE BACK IN THE HISTORY, PRIOR TO 2019, WE DID SEE A NUMBER OF YEARS WHERE THE TOTAL MILLS WAS HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THIS YEAR. WE WANT TO SEE HAD THE HISTORY OF THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND HOW THE TOTAL MILLS WERE USED AND APPROVED:

067TO FURTHER EXPLAIN WE CAN SEE HOW THE MILLS CHANGED FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR AND AGAIN, AS WE NOTED A MINUTE AGO, IT'S AN OVERALL .9520 INCREASE AS WE MOVE FROM 5.3 A 88 TO -- 5.388 TO 6.34 TOTAL MILLS. AS WE ALWAYS GO OVER, WHAT DOES THIS REALLY MEAN FOR OUR PUBLIC AND WE THINK THIS IS THE EASY WAY ESPECIALLY AS I STARTED, IT HELPED ME UNDERSTAND AND I THINK IT HELPS EVERYONE AS WE LOOK AT HOW DOES THIS IMPACT A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO IF YOUR HOME WAS ASSESSED FOR A VALUE OF $200,000 AND YOU HAVE YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION OF 25,000, YOU HAVE A TAXABLE VALUE OF 175,000 DOLLARS. IF YOU DIVIDE THAT BY A THOUSAND IT COMES TO A RATE OF 175 AND TIMES THAT BY THE ANNUAL MILLS OF

068THE DISTRICT AND THAT LEADS TO A PROPERTY TAX FOR SCHOOL FUNDING OF 1,109.50. AS WE LOOK AND COMPARE WHAT THE ACTUALS HAPPENED LAST YEAR TO WHAT IS OCCURRING FOR THIS PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR WE WANT TO START WITH THE TAXABLE VALUE ASSIGNED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IN 24-25 THE TAXABLE VALUE WAS 182.5 BILLION DOLLARS AND THE VALUE FOR 25-26 IS 191.4 BILLION. THAT REPRESENTS A 4.88% INCREASE OR ROUGHLY ABOUT 8.9 BILLION IN VALUE. THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE USE THOSE NUMBERS TO CALCULATE THE MILLS FOR EACH ONE REPRESENTED ON THE BOARD THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. IN 24-25, THE FINAL PROCEEDS ON THE BOTTOM IS 943.9 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS YEAR FOR 25-26, WE BUDGET AT A 96% COLLECTION RATE. AND THAT IS AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF 1.16 BILLION DOLLARS OR 220.9 INCREASE.

069IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE ADDITIONAL ONE MILL THAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT IS GOING TO BE 183.7 OF THE 220.9 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE. SO YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF THE INCREASE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ADDITIONAL VOTED ONE MILL FOR OUR PERSONNEL AND FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT MAKES THIS RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES AS FOLLOWS. THE STATE REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT OF 3.0920 DISCRETIONARY OPERATING OF .7480 MILLS. ADDITIONAL MILLAGE OF ONE MILL. LOCAL CAPITAL OUTLAY OF 1.5 MILL FOR A TOTAL MILLAGE PACKAGE OF 6.34. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE FISCAL YEAR 25-26 MILLAGE RATES AS PRESENTED. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO

070ADDRESS THE BOARD CONCERNING THE MILLAGE RATES OR ROLLBACK RATES? OKAY. SEEING NONE -- OH. IT'S FOR THE PUBLIC FIRST AND THEN I'LL ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS. I'M SORRY. I'M ASKING IF THERE IS ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THAT. OKAY. SEEING NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC, BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY REGARDING MILLAGE RATES OR ROLLBACK RATES AS PRESENTED AND I SEE MEMBER GRAY IN THE QUEUE. YOU MAY SPEAK. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY QUESTION IS TO MR. LEWIS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COMPARISON OF MILLAGE RATES IN 2025, WE SEE THE 6.34 BUT YET IN 2008, 2009, 10, 11, 12, THE ACTUAL MILLAGE RATE WAS HIGHER. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT THE TREND IS NOT NECESSARILY GOING HIGHER WITH THE MILLAGE. WE'RE ACTUALLY LOWER HISTORICALLY IF

071YOU AVERAGE AND TAKE THE MEAN AVERAGE OF THE MILLS FOR THOSE YEARS. WHY ARE WE NOT GETTING OR ASKING FOR A HIGHER MILLAGE RATE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO I THINK AS WE LOOK AT THIS, THERE IS A COUPLE OF FACTORS THAT DO AFFECT THAT. THE MILLS IS PART OF A LOCAL COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ALONG WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WHICH SETS THAT. AS WE SEE IN THE HISTORY SLIDE THAT WE HAD A FEW MINUTES AGO, WE SEE TO YOUR POINT BACK IN 20 NAN THE TOTAL MILLS AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO 6.34 BUT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WE WERE BELOW SIX MILLS. THE LOCAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT WHICH HAS DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS FOR OUR DISTRICT AND A LOT OF GOOD WORK FOR OUR FACILITIES, THAT HAS REMAINED CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

072THE DISCRETIONARY LOCAL WHICH IS AN ADJUSTMENT THAT'S DONE, THAT'S BEEN ALSO REMAINED CONSISTENT BUT THE LOCAL REQUIRED EFFORT HAS CHANGED. AND THERE IS A PROCESS FOR THAT BUT THAT'S REALLY THE -- THE DIFFERING FACTOR OF THAT. NOW WHEN YOU LOOK FROM A DOLLAR STANDPOINT, THIS PLAYS A ROLE BUT ALSO THE ASSESSED VALUE ALSO PLAYED A ROLE. SO DEPENDENT UPON WHAT THE VALUE OF PROPERTIES ARE ASSIGNED BY THE PROPERTY APPRAISER, THAT WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT COME INTO THE DISTRICT. AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THE VALUE INCREASED BY ALMOST 5%, 4.88, AND THAT INCREASE OR WHATEVER THE VALUE IS REALLY THE PRIMARY DRIVER THAT WILL AFFECT WHAT THE REVENUE OR INCOME WILL BE FOR THE DISTRICT. Lynn Gray: I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THIS PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS. Jessica Vaughn:

073THANK YOU. Stacy Hahn: MR. LEWIS, I WANTED TO CLARIFY AND MAKE SURE I'M LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENTS I HAVE. YOU HAD SENT US AN E-MAIL THAT HAD -- IT WAS SENT MONDAY AND IT HAD A BUDGET SUMMARY OR BUDGET UPDATE ATTACHED TO IT WHICH WAS VERY HELPFUL BY THE WAY. THANK YOU. ON THE FIRST PAGE IT LISTED FROM 2022 TO 2026 THE MILLAGE RATES AND ON THE SECOND PAGE IS WHERE I NEED CLARIFICATION. SO IF WE LOOK AT THE CHART, IT HAS FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL REVENUE. IS THE LOCAL PIECE WHAT'S REFLECTED FROM THE MILLAGE? IS THAT THE MONEY WE HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE MILLAGE EACH YEAR? YES, MA'AM. THAT'S WHERE THAT WILL BE LOCATED. Stacy Hahn: SO I GUESS WHAT I'M READING IS EVEN THOUGH WE HAD 5.48 AND THEN 5.4 AND THEN 5.3,

074WE'VE SEEN A TRAJECTORY GOING DOWN, WE'RE STILL TAKING IN MORE MONEY THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR IN PROPERTY TAXES. THAT'S CORRECT. A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON THE PROPERTIES. YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER BOTH. YOU HAVE TOTAL MILLS WHICH IS THE FACTOR WE'RE ABLE TO TIMES IT BY. BUT REALLY THAT'S GOING TO BE DRIVEN BY THE UPPER PRATY VALUES WHICH COULD GO UP OR DOWN DEPENDING ON THE YEAR. Stacy Hahn: OVER THE YEARS THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT RISE GREATLY. IT'S BEEN IN OUR FAVOR THANK GOODNESS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I WAS READING THAT CORRECTLY. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, DR. HAHN. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: YES. I WANT TO MAKE CLARIFICATION BASED UPON OUR INCOME WE GET IN FROM THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL AND MILLAGE RATE WILL ALSO DEPEND ON THAT LOOKS THAT

075VALUE AND SET RIGHT BY THE STATE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE ARE A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE STUDENT RICH, PROPERTY POOR, COMPARED TO ANOTHER COUNTY LIKE SARASOTA, SARASOTA DOES NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEIR AMOUNT OF MONEY TO MAKE US EQUITABLE TO THEIR COUNTY BECAUSE THEY BRING IN MORE LOCAL EFFORT THAN WE DO. SO BECAUSE WE DON'T BRING IN ENOUGH LOCAL EFFORT TO MATCH OUR STUDENT POPULATION WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE STATE TO RECTIFY US WITH FTE. YES, MA'AM. THAT'S WHY IT GOES THROUGH THAT PROCESS. Patti Rendon: EVEN THOUGH WE LOWERED THE LOCAL RATE, WE'RE BRINGING IN MORE MONEY BUT WE'RE SHORT IN COMPARISON TO OTHER DISTRICTS NOT COPTISING THE ONE MILL TO OUR STAFF AND OTHER THINGS THE VOTERS VOTED ON. JUST THE 5.38. THAT'S CORRECT. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Jessica Vaughn: ALL

076RIGHT. SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MR. LEWIS, PLEASE CONTINUE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ITEM FOR RECOMMENDATION IS THE 25-26 BUDGET. AND SO WE'LL BE REVIEWING A CUP COUPLE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS TONIGHT. WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS WE THINK IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL AS WE CONSIDER THIS. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO CONSIDER IS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT. SO WE JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS AND I KNOW THAT MIGHT BE COVERED IN THE OTHER BOARD AGENDA ITEM BUT IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE FUND BALANCE WE GOT TO WHICH IS A BIG REASON WE'RE ABLE TO PRESENT THE BUDGET TONIGHT. IN 2024 THE ENDING FUND

077BALANCE WAS 396.8 MILLION DOLLARS AND WE WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH SEVERAL CHALLENGES AND CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ENDING FUND BALANCE ENDED AT 200 -- 293.3 MILLION DOLLARS WHICH IS 16%. THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT SETS THE STARTING STAGE OF WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE THIS CURRENT YEAR IN THE 25-26 PRESENTATION. SO AS WE CONSIDER HERE TONIGHT THE 25-26 BUDGET IS BUILT UPON THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS. THE BEGINNING FUND BALANCE OF 293.3 MILLION DOLLARS OR 16% AND PRIMARY SOURCES OF REVENUE ARE FROM THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL. AND FY-26, THAT WILL EQUATE TO 2.3 BILLION DOLLARS AND THAT'S AN INCREASE FROM THE ACTUAL RESULTS FROM LAST YEAR. WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT BECAUSE 171.9 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE DOES INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL ONE MILL THAT WAS APPROVED WHICH IS 183.7 MILLION BUDGETED. WE

078DID NOT RECEIVE THAT ADDITIONAL ONE MILL OF REVENUE, OUR REVENUE FROM LAST YEAR ACTUAL WOULD HAVE DECREASED BY 11.7 MILLION DOLLARS IN TOTAL. OR NEGATIVE.6%. SO YOU SEE -- ONE THING TO CONSIDER BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMETHING NEW FROM A MILLAGE PACKAGE AS YOU SEE THE REVENUE INCREASE THERE IS A DRIVER CAUSING THAT TO INCREASE. IF THAT WAS REMOVED, WE ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE SAW LESS REVENUE FROM LAST YEAR. ACTUAL RESULTS TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND THAT'S RELATED TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS BUT AS WE ALL GO OUR ENROLLMENT IS A PRIMARY DRIVER FOR MANY THINGS WE DO HERE IN THE DISTRICT. FROM AN EXPENSE STANDPOINT, WE SAW AN OVERALL INCREASE FROM ACTUAL RESULTS LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR OF 143.9 MILLION OR 6.4% INCREASE IN OUR EXPENDITURES. NOW WE WANT TO CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT.

079IN OUR EXPENDITURES $32 MILLION OF THAT WILL BE RELATED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS WHICH THEY GET A PORTION OF THE REFERENDUM AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S HELPING BOTH GROUPS SO 32 MILLION DOLLARS IS THE CURRENT PROJECTION THAT WILL GO TO THEM. BUT ALSO IN THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO DO SEVERAL THINGS FOR OUR EMPLOYEE GROUPS WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE DISTRICT AND HELPING WITH THAT. WE ALSO SAW HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE BY 25 MILLION DOLLARS. AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE 48 MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND RESERVE THAT SO WE CAN NOW QUALIFY FOR SELF-FUNDING. WE THINK THAT'S A CRITICAL MOVEMENT BY THE DISTRICT THAT WILL PAY DIVIDENDS FOR YEARS TO COME BECAUSE NOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO MANAGE OUR INSURANCE A LITTLE BETTER -- SHOULD SAY A LOT MORE BETTER THAN

080IN YEARS PAST. SO YOU CONSIDER ALL THOSE. ADDITIONAL EFFORTS THAT WERE MADE AS MENTIONED IN JULY. WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE DISTRICT VACANCIES BY 250 VACANCIES WHICH WAS 12.2 MILLION DOLLARS IN DECREASES. IN DISTRICT DIVISIONS ABLE TO DECREASE THE OPERATING BUDGETS BY ALMOST 18 M$18 MILLION SO THA ALLOWED US TO MAKE SEVERAL MANEUVERS TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET AND SO THE BUDGET TONIGHT HAS AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 22.6 MILLION DOLLARS OR 10% FUND BALANCE AND THE THING THAT WE WANT TO MENTION IS SINCE 2024 TO NOW, THE FUND BALANCE HAS DECREASED BY 172 MILLION DOLLARS AND A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE DISTRICT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. SORRY. OUR RECOMMENDATION HERE TONIGHT IS FOR THE BOARD TO REVIEW AND ADOPT

081THE BUDGET OF 407 BILLION DOLLARS AS YOU SEE AS FOLLOWS AND THERE IS THE DOCUMENT SUBMITTED ON THE BOARD IN FRONT OF YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE BUDGET. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT IN THE BOARDROOM WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD CONCERNING THE 2025-2026 BUDGET? NO ONE WANTS TO SPEAK? OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE 2025-2026 BUDGET? MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND MR. LEWIS, YOU PRINTED OUT A VERY GOOD SUMMATION OF THE BUDGET UPDATE AND I'M LOOKING AT THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND MILLAGE RATES. AGAIN, THE SENTENCE SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EVEN WITH THE ADDITIONAL ONE MILL OUR DISTRICT

082RECEIVED A HIGHER MILL IN THE SCHOOL YEAR 2019. IN 2022, 2023 -- YOU HAVE SCHOOL YEAR 2099. SCHOOL YEAR 2018 AND SCHOOL YEAR '17. MY QUESTION IS A LARGER ONE. WE HAVE NOW AND THE ARTICLE WAS IN THE TAMPA BAY TIMES THE HOUSING MARKET. THE PROPERTY VALUES. THIS MIGHT NOT BE A STATEMENT FOR YOU TO EXPAND ON BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT THE VALUES, NOW HOMES ARE SELLING FOR A LOT LESS. IN YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WILL THIS AFFECT OUR OVERALL BUDGETS AS WE GO THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR AS FAR AS THE VALUES OF HOMES GOING DOWN? FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, IT WILL NOT BECAUSE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SET. MOVING FORWARD, THE DISTRICT HAS A GROWING AND DEEP CONNECTION WITH COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY IN CONNECTION WITH THOSE AREAS. FOR THIS

083EXAMPLE, THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE. OUR BUDGET TEAM KEPT IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING OR WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS HAPPENING AND WE'RE ALWAYS BEING AWARE OF THAT AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND LOOK BUT AS YOU SAID, THESE ITEMS ARE DEPENDENT UPON THE VALUES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Lynn Gray: SITS SUCH A COMPLICATED CONVERSATION AND I DON'T PRESENT TO KNOW ALL THE DETAILS. YOU MADE IT MORE CLEAR. I KNOW THERE IS SO MANY VARIABLES AND WE'RE VERY MUCH ACUTELY AWARE THE BUDGET IS GETTING LESS AND LESS PER SCHOOL YEAR. THAT'S THE RATIONALE FOR MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. DR. HAHN? Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. LEWIS. A COMMENT

084AND A QUESTION. SO ONE COMMENTING IS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND FUND BALANCE IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS AND I PUT FORTH A POLICY AROUND INCREASING THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE FUND BALANCE AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD SOONER THAN LA LATER. WE HAD A 16% FUND BALANCE WHICH DID ALLOW US TO DO A LOT TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES IN VARIOUS WAYS. AND, YOU KNOW, OVERALL HELP THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR FINANCES. IN YOUR OPINION, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A 10% FUND BALANCE IN REGARDS TO THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF OUR DISTRICT AND EMPLOYEES. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK AS WE CONSIDER WHAT -- HOW THINGS COULD IMPACT US AND HOW QUICKLY THINGS CAN IMPACT US, A FUND BALANCE ALLOWS THE DISTRICT TO MANEUVER THROUGH

085THAT AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE TIME TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS. I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE QUICK DECISIONS, MAYBE YOU DON'T ALWAYS MAKE THE BEST DECISION AT THAT MOMENT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME. A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE ALLOWS US TO UTILIZE FUNDS AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT IN TIME IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN, FOR EXAMPLE, HURRICANE OR LOSS OF STUDENT REVENUE OR WHATEVER IT COULD BE, THOSE FUNDS ALLOWS THE DISTRICTS TO BE CALM AND COME UP WITH A COLLECTIVE GOOD PLAN WORKING WITH THE BOARD AND TO ESTABLISH THAT AND MOVE FORWARD. IT DOESN'T REQUIRE US TO MAKE A RAPID DECISION. I'VE ALWAYS VIEWED THE FUND BALANCE AS THE MECHANISM TO ALLOW US THE TIME TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION POSSIBLE SO IT HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF IMPACT FOR OUR STUDENTS. Stacy

086Hahn: IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT TIME TO MAKE THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS AND PLAN, WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR WORKFORCE? WHAT IS OUR ONLY CHOICE? . I THINK IF WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS, WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEADF US AND A LOT OF HARD DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE. I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D SAY WOULD HAPPEN HERE OR THERE. BUT DEFINITELY CHANGES WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN AT A RAPID PACE. FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO DISRUPT THINGS IN A MOMENT'S TIME BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HAD OCCURRED. THE FUND BALANCE PROVIDES US TIME TO PROVIDE OUR ORGANIZATION TO TAKE THE NECESSARY MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. Stacy Hahn: YES. IT HELPS US STABILIZE OUR WORKFORCE BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE

087PROPERTY VALUES MIGHT GO DOWN LIKE MEMBER GRAY MENTIONED OR STUDENT COUNTS MIGHT GO DOWN. YES, THERE COULD BE AN OCCASIONAL HURRICANE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A BIGGER PICTURE ITEM THAT CAN REALLY IMPACT OUR FINANCES AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DECREASE OUR WORKFORCE. WITH A 10%, AT LEAST A 10% FUND BALANCE, WE CAN FIND OTHER STRATEGIES, USE OTHER STRATEGIES BEFORE WE HAVE TO TOUCH OUR WORKFORCE. SO IT PROTECTS ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHEN WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE, SO I WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. THIS IS JUST A COMMENT. NOT A QUESTION. BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THIS BUDGET YEAR AND REDUCED DOWN OUR FUND BALANCE SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE NEXT YEAR, AND AS WE MOVE NORWARD, WE

088ALREADY KNOW WE'D TAKE ANOTHER HIT TO THE FUND BALANCE BASED ON THE PROJECTION TO INCREASED BENEFITS OF THE STAFF. THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE TO THE BENEFIT TO THE STAFF BUT INCREASED COST TO THIS DISTRICT. SO I WOULD URGE OUR DISTRICT TO DO A BETTER JOB IN MAKING SURE WE GO OUT FOR BETTER RATES AND GO OUT FOR BETTER CHOICES FOR OUR DISTRICT IN ORDER FOR US NOT BOO TO BE SPENDING EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE UNNECESSARY THAT WE COULD BE USING FOR OTHER SERVICES. I WOULD ENCOURAGE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE COMPETITIVE BIDS, THAT WE HAVE COMPETITIVE CONTRACTS AND LOOK AT ALL THESE NECESSARY OPTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN ORDER FOR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY TO GO TO OUR STAFF AND NOT TO UTILIZE TO REDUCE THAT FUND BALANCE BECAUSE

089THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. IT'S GOING TO HIT THIS CURRENT FUND BALANCE FOR THE 25-26 YEAR AND 25-26 SO WE NEED TO DO BETTER AND MAKE SURE WE BRING BETTER OPTIONS TO OUR TABLE. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. SEEING THERE IS NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH MEMBER GRAY BEING AWAY FROM THE DESK. PLEASE CONTINUE. OUR NEXT IS ADOPTING THE MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGET. Jessica Vaughn: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTING THE 25-26 MILLAGE RATES. AND BUDGET AS PRESENTED. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD CONCERNING THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTING THE 2025-2026 MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGET? OKAY. IF NOT, BOARD MEMBERS,

090DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTING THE 25-26 MILLAGE RATES AND BUDGET? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH MEMBER GRAY BEING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. PLEASE CONTINUE. OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION IS TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO PERFORM ALL NECESSARY TASKS TO ENSURE THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRIM AND MILLAGE OR TRIM REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 200 FLORIDA STATUTE. THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO PERFORM ALL TASKS NECESSARY TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRUTH IN MILLAGE REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 200 FLORIDA STATUTES AS PRESENTED. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD CONCERNING THE AUTHORIZATION OF STAFF TO PERFORM ALL TASKS NECESSARY

091TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRIM REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 200 FLORIDA STATUTES. IF NOT, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AUTHORIZING STAFF TO PERFORM ALL TASKS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRIM REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 200 FLORIDA STATUTES. IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTIONS PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL NOW ADJOURN THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MILLAGE RATES AND THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 AND RECONVENE THE REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. AND WE WILL NOW GO BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IF WE CAN HAVE SPEAKERS 21 THROUGH 26, PLEASE LINE UP. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO, SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS CHRIS COONZ AND I WAS RAISED HERE IN FLORIDA AND I'M A PRODUCT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M ONE OF THE OLD PEOPLE THAT STILL WANTS TO HAVE INPUT INTO WHAT I'LL SAY IS OUR

092STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE FIVE OF MY GRANDCHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS FROM ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND INTO HIGH SCHOOL. I JUST WANT TO ASK EACH OF YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER JUDGING RIGHTLY AS YOU HAVE INPUT INTO THE BOOKS THAT ARE ON THE SHELVES AT THE LIBRARY. I'M NOT COMFORTABLE READING EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOKS BUT I WANT TO REFERENCE BLANKETS AND IDENTICAL, TWO BOOKS MENTIONED AND AS YOU HEARD, NEITHER DID THE MEMBERS OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT THE JUNE 4 MEETING WANT TO READ OUT LOUD THESE BOOKS. I WANT TO READ FLORIDA STATUTE 847.012 THAT SAYS AN ADULT MAY NOT KNOWINGLY DISTRIBUTE TO A MINOR ON SCHOOL PROPERTY ANY PICTURE OR VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF A PERSON OR A PORTION OF THE HUMAN BODY WHICH DEPICTS NUDITY OR SEXUAL CONDUCT, SEXUAL EXCITEMENT, SEXUAL BATTERY, BEASTIALITY

093OR SADEO MASOCHISTIC ABUSE THAT IS HARMFUL TO A MINOR. ANY PRINTED MATTER THAT CONTAINS EXPLICIT OR DETAILED VERBAL DESCRIPTIONS OR NARRATIVE ACCOUNTS OF SEXUAL EXCITEMENT OR SEXUAL CONDUCT THAT IS HARMFUL TO MINORS. BOTH IN IDENTICAL AND BLANKETS, THERE ARE DEPICTIONS OF CHILD GROOMING BY A FATHER, INCESTUOUS RAPE, SUICIDAL IDEATIONS AND SEX SCENES AND THERE IS MOCKING OF A DOWN SYNDROME PERSON, TEENS PERFORMING SEX ACTS, ET CETERA. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS RICK COONZ AND I'M MARRIED TO THE OLD WOMAN THAT JUST LEFT THE DAIS. IN 1961 FAMED FOOTBALL COACH VINCE LOMBARDI ON THE FIRST DAY OF TRAINING THE GREEN BAY PACKERS LIFTED UP THE FOOTBALL AND SAID, GENTLEMEN, THIS IS A FOOTBALL. AND HE STARTED WITH THE BASICS. THE ESSENTIALS. AND SO I ASK MYSELF THE SAME QUESTION.

094WHAT ARE THE BASICS AND ESSENTIALS FOR OUR CHILDREN. FOR MY CHILDREN. CHRIS AND I HAVE SIX CHILDREN, THREE BOYS, THREE GIRLS ALL GROWN AND MARRIED WITH CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN BUT WHEN THEY WERE HOME AND CHALLENGES WOULD ARISE WE'D ASK WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE CHILDREN. DON'T GET RID OF THE PROBLEM BUT HOW TO HELP THEM. HOW WILL WE HELP THEM GROW, MATURE AS A PERSON, BE ABLE TO FACE SIMILAR ISSUES IN THE FUTURE SO THEY COULD STAND ALONE. STANDING ON UNCHANGING PRINCIPLES. SO NOW AS PARENTS, GUARDIANS, WORKING WITH SCHOOLS TO ACCOMPLISH OUR BASIC GOALS, OUR ESSENTIALS, WE DECIDE TOO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN. OUR TEACHERS ARE ENTRUSTED FOR A FEW HOURS EACH DAY WITH THE CHILDREN, THE SCHOOL, THE LIBRARY DECIDES WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO BUT

095WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS. AND I'D SUGGEST THAT REACHING GRADE LEVEL AND MATH, SCIENCE, ENGLISH AND ALL THE DISCIPLINES ARE THE ESSENTIALS OF THE SCHOOL. THAT'S WHY WE SEND CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. THIS IS THE PRIMARY TASK. ALL THE WHILE THE CHILDREN ARE BEING CHALLENGED UPWARDS TO A WORTHY AND NOBLE GOAL. THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GREAT BOOKS OUT THERE TAKING AWAY TWO WON'T CHANGE ANY OF THAT. IT WILL JUST HELP IT. ARISTOTLE SAID OF EDUCATION IT'S TO DEVELOP VIRTUES, HONESTY, SELF-CONTROL, COURAGE, MANY OTHERS. REALLY LIKE WHAT APOSTLE PAUL SAID. HE SAID, HE TELLS US HOW TO THINK. WHATEVER IS TRUE, HONORABLE, JUST, PURE, WHATEVER IS LOVELY. ANY VIRTUE, ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE LET'S YOUR MIND DWELL ON THOSE THINGS. AS WAS MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S GOAL IS THAT CHILDREN

096LEARN AND EXCEL. THAT IS WHAT IS BASIC. THAT IS WHAT IS ESSENTIAL. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD. MY NAME IS MELANIE LAX. I'VE LIVED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 25 YEARS NOW. BOTH MY SONS GRADUATED FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. I WAS HERE IN APRIL OF 2024 WHEN THE BOOKS "IDENTICAL" AND "BLANKETS" MADE IT THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS TO THE BOARD AT THE REVIEW LEVEL. I SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL PARENT TO CHOOSE WHAT THEIR CHILD CAN AND CAN'T READ AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ALREADY EMPOWERS THEM TO WORK WITH MEDIA SPECIALISTS TO PUT BOUNDARIES ON WHAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO. BUT NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE FOR ALL FAMILIES. THE SCHOOL BOARD REVIEWED THE DIFFERENT DECISIONS ALONG THE WAY AND MADE THE CHOICE 5-2 TO

097IS RESPECT THE DECISION OF THE EXPERTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH THE CHILDREN EVERY DAY THAT THESE BOOKS HAD VALUE, WERE NOT PORNOGRAPHIC AND SHOULD STAY IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES. FOUR OF THE FIVE PEOPLE THAT VOTED THAT DAY TO KEEP THE BOOKS IN THE SCHOOLS WERE UP FOR ELECTION FBI FIVE MONTHS LATER AND ALL WON REELECTION BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY ENDORSES THIS PROCESS. THEY ENDORSE YOUR THOUGHTFUL, CAREFUL LAYERED CONSIDERATION OF WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CHILDREN. AND THEY CAN SEE THE RESPECT YOU HAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR CONSIDERATION OF ITS DIVERSITY AND LETTING ALL CHILDREN BE REPRESENTED IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO I ASK YOU TODAY TO UPHOLD YOUR DECISION THAT DAY. UPHOLD THE PROCESS. I KNOW YOU'RE UNDER PRESSURES FROM UNELECTED AND UNACCOUNTABLE BODIES AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE

098RESPECT THE COMMUNITIES THAT ELECTED YOU AND WANT YOU TO FOLLOW THESE PROCESSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. . GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, AND ALL ELECTIVE PEOPLE. TODAY ONCE AGAIN MY NAME IS TINA WILLIAMS BRUSTER AND I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATION BUT NOT IN THE TYPICAL WAY THAT YOU THINK. WE -- YOU'VE HEARD ME GOING ON YEAR TEN NOW TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND LAST YEAR I HAD A MEETING WITH ONE OF A VERY HIGHER DISTRICT STAFF THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN COMING HERE BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD AND I'M LIKE, WOW, SO YOU'RE AN EDUCATOR AND NOT ONCE DID YOU THINK TO ASK ME WHAT I MEAN EVEN THOUGH I'VE TOLD YOU. AND I LET THAT PONDER. SO MAYBE THERE

099IS A MISCOMMUNICATION AS I'M OFTEN TOLD IN THE MEETINGS. THERE WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION. BUT TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, THERE IS NO MISCOMMUNICATION. THERE IS A LACK OF TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION. AND I'M GOING TO READ YOU A VERSION OF -- A DEFINITION OF WHAT I THINK TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION IS, AND WHAT IS LACKING IN OUR SCHOOLS. MOVING BEYOND SIMPLY BROADCASTING INFORMATION TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK AND DIALOGUE WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS. FOSTERING ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY. SO WHEN I COME AND STANDS BEFORE YOU AND TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATION, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. THERE IS A LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS. ME AND MY HUSBAND, WE HAVE SIX CHILDREN. I'M NOW THE PROUD GRANDPARENTS OF TWO SO I'M STILL HERE. BUT I CAUTION YOU ALL TO SAY, REALLY THINK ABOUT COMMUNICATION. ARE YOU JUST REGURGITATING INFORMATION. OR ARE

100YOU REALLY EXPECTING POSITIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SEEING. WHILE I LIKE TO THINK THAT IT'S GOTTEN BETTER, THERE IS BULLYING. WE'VE GOT TO TACKLE THIS BULLYING. WE'VE GOT TO TACKLE THE ESE PROBLEMS. JUST THINK ABOUT THAT. ARE WE REALLY COMMUNICATING OR JUST REGURGITATING. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. CAN I CALL UP SPEAKERS 27 THROUGH 32 PLEASE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. ALLEN BRUSTER. I WANT TO SAY WOW. I DIDN'T GO THROUGH THAT WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL. YOU GUYS -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. I MEAN, WOW. I WILL SAY THIS. GOD CREATED FAMILY. INSTITUTE. THE FIRST AND OLDEST INSTITUTE ON THIS PLANET AND GOD PUT FAMILIES HERE TO CREATE RIGHTEOUS SOCIETIES. AND TO POLICE THOSE SOCIETIES. I'VE HEARD ALL THIS STUFF IN HERE

101BUT NOBODY NEVER TALKED ABOUT GOD'S LAW. AND WHAT GOD'S LAWS REPRESENT. MORALS. MORALS -- THEY'RE OUT THE WINDOW. THEY'RE GONE. BECAUSE SOCIETY HAS THESE SOCIAL ILLS. THE FAMILIES ARE SUPPOSED TO POLICE THE SOCIAL ILLS. YOU HAVE SOCIAL ILLS, YOU HAVE BROKEN FAMILIES. AND YOU GUYS NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE AND COME UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO BRING IT BACK TO FULL CIRCLE. THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES IN THESE SCHOOLS. A LOT OF ISSUES AND A LACK OF LEADERSHIP. AND I'M SEEING IT BECAUSE MY KIDS, MY SON PLAYS SPORTS. I SEE IT IN SPORTS. THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION. SOME ASTILTS TELL STUDENTS, THIS -- ADULTS TELL STUDENTS, THIS IS DICTATORSHIP BUT STUDENTS NEED A PLATFORM THAT HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD. I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR A WHILE NOW AND YOU HAVE PLAYERS ON THE TEAM THAT

102THEY SAY, MOM AND DAD DON'T SAY NOTHING BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO RETALIATE AGAINST US. THINK ABOUT THAT. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. I'M JOHN GREEN AND I'M BACK TO TALK ABOUT THE FREE SPACE WITH THE NAACP BEING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY BASED UPON YOUR BY-LAWS YOU'RE READING RIGHT NOW WITH A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION. YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THEY JUST DID A POLITICAL FORUM AT MIDDLETON SCHOOL. YOUR BYLAWS READ: SCHOOL FACILITIES OR EQUIPMENT MAY NOT BE USED AS A MEANS OF PRODUCING OR DISSEMINATING TO THE COMMUNITY ANY MATERIALS THAT ADVANCE OR PROMOTE A POLITICAL PARTY, A POLITICAL CAUSE OR THE CANDIDACY OF AN INDIVIDUAL FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE BOARD SHALL NOT BE USED TO DISTRIBUTE CAMPAIGN LITERATURE WITHIN THE SCHOOLS OR SCHOOL GROUNDS. THIS IS YOUR BYLAWS. A POLITICAL

103ORGANIZATION THAT'S FREE ON YOUR PROPERTY. YOU FLIP OVER TO THE NEXT PAGE, THESE ARE YOUR BYLAWS. SOMEBODY GOT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. GASLIGHTING IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY FROM THESE POWER STRUCTURES IS RIDICULOUS. AND WE'RE TIRED OF IT. YOU CAN'T PRETEND TO ACT LIKE YOU'RE HEARING FROM US AND NOT DO ANYTHING. SO THE NEXT STEP IS THIS DISTRICT OR THE SCHOOL MAIL SYSTEM. IF YOU LOOK ON THE NEXT PAGE, YOU CAN -- ANYBODY CAN GOOGLE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NAACP RIGHT NOW AND YOUR ADDRESS GOING TO POP UP ON THERE. MAIL SYSTEM IS NOT USED BY THE COMMUNITY OR STAFF FOR DISTRIBUTION ON NON-SCHOOL RELATED MATERIALS UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. WHEN ARE Y'ALL GOING TO START VIOLATING YOUR OWN POLICY. THIS IS YOUR BOUGHS. IT HAS TO STOP -- BYLAWS. IT HAS TO STOP AND STOP GASLIGHTING

104-- Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI. MY NAME IS ALEXIS. I WAS BORN HERE 42 YEARS AGO AT ST. JOSEER'S HOSPITAL. I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN THE SAME HOME I WAS RAISED IN AT 3115 WEST COR DELIA STREET. I ATTENDED TAMPA BAY ELEMENTARY. I ATTENDED ROLAND PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL AND JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. MY MOTHER ATTENDED JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. AND CURRENTLY I HAVE THREE COUSINS AT MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL. I HAVE SEVERAL COUSINS AT TAMPA BAY ELEMENTARY. AND I HAVE SEVERAL AUNTS THAT TEACH IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH "BLANKETS" AS A PERSON WHO WAS RAISED HERE AND HAS TIES TO THIS COMMUNITY. WHEN YOU HAVE A BOOK THAT TALKS AB ABOUT PEEING SOMEONE AND EXPLICIT ILLUSTRATIONS OF GENITALS AND MASTURBATION, THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE. FOR BRENDA WHO IS MY 11-YEAR-OLD COUSIN WHO

105ATTENDS MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IF SHE CAME HOME WITH BLANKETS FROM THAT LIBRARY, I'D BE UPSET. AND FOR ANY PERSON WHO WANTS TO CONTINUE TO READ THE BOOK, THEY CAN STILL GET IT THROUGH A PUBLIC LIBRARY. THEY CAN GO TO UNION AND GO TO THE WEST TAMPA LIBRARY AND PICK ONE UP. THEY CAN GO TO JAM PLAT. THEY CAN GO TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ON BARIS. THEY ALL HAVE THEM. WHAT I DON'T WANT IS FOR IT TO BE IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO. MY NAME IS SULE ARTIZ AND I USED TO LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M NOW IN MANATEE. AND I HAD A WHOLE SPEECH ABOUT A CUTE LITTLE STORY WITH MY DAUGHTER THAT ESSENTIALLY RESTORED MY FAITH IN HUMANITY, BUT AFTER LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, I'M

106NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AS THE KID UNDI UNDIAGNOSED AUTISTIC KID FROM A LOW INCOME FAMILY THAT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR AND THE ONLY LIBRARY THEY HAVE ACCESS TO IS, IN FACT, THE SCHOOL LIBRARY. A LOT OF PEOPLE KEEP SAYING, WELL, THEY CAN GET IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. THERE IS PEOPLE THAT CAN'T. AND I FIND IT VERY PROBLEMATIC THAT WE ARE MORE OFFENDED ABOUT A BOOK THAN THE FACT THAT DISABLED CHILDREN WHO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL ARE AT A RISK -- NOT AT A RISK. THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE THEIR CERTIFICATE THAT EQUALS TO A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. I FIND THAT MORE CONCERNING THAN A BOOK THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TALK TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT IT. NOW WE DON'T GIVE KIDS CREDIT ENOUGH. WE KEEP TALKING

107ABOUT THEM LIKE THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE. LIKE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THINGS. THEY UNDERSTAND AND THEY SEE MORE THINGS THAN YOU THINK OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE. AND NOT JUST IN THE BOOK AND MEDIA. JUST A THOUGHT TO PROCESS. SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE FREAKING OUT OVER A BOOK WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH MORE WORSE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH THAN JUST THESE TWO BOOKS, THEY'RE DOING SHOOT DRILLS. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. CAN I PLEASE CALL UP -- THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. CAN I PLEASE CALL UP SPEAKERS 33 TO 37. MY NAME IS LEE CARDEN. THE TWO BOOKS BEING CONSIDERED TODAY AS WELL AS MANY OTHER MATERIALS ARE ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL PATENTLY PORNOGRAPHIC IN NATURE. YOUR DISTRICT PROVISION OF THEM TO MINORS IS HARMFUL AND VIOLATIVE OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND YOUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER FLORIDA

108LAW IS ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAID TO YOU IN HIS MAY 15 LETTER. HE CITED TWO ARTICLES OF THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION AND THREE FLORIDA STATUTES, ONE OF WHICH IS CRIMINAL THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING VIOLATED. HE DESCRIBED THE MATERIALS AS UNQUESTIONABLY PORNOGRAPHIC, PATENTLY PORNOGRAPHIC, GR GRAT GRATUITOUSLY PORNOGRAPHIC BEYOND THE PALE AND SAID IT'S SHOCKING THE DISTRICT IS MAKING THE MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS. HE SAID MANY OTHER THINGS BUT BECAUSE HE SAID THAT IT IS HARMFUL TO MINORS AND HAS NO EDUCATIONAL VALUE, THOSE BOOKS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED TODAY AS WELL AS MANY OTHER MATERIALS YOU CURRENTLY HAVE SANCTIONED, IT MEANS THAT PROVIDING THEM TO MINORS IS A VIOLATION OF THE CRIMINAL STATUTE. HE WENT ON TO SAY FAILURE TO AFFIRMATIVELY REMOVE ALL MATERIALS FROM STUDENT -- CONTENT FROM STUDENT ACCESS SHIRKS A SCHOOL BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY

109TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE AND DISREGARDS YOUR STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS SO DEFENDING AND RETAINING THE TWO BOOKS AND MANY OTHERS IS NOT ONLY CONTRARY TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S DEMANDS BUT IT'S ACTING OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF YOUR OFFICIAL DUTIES WHICH IS VERY HARD TO DEFEND IN COURT SO I URGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE LAW. DON'T FALL FOR THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT BOOK BANNING AND PROCESSES BECAUSE THEY'RE IRRELEVANT. THE TWO BOOKS SHOULD BE REMOVED. AND THE ATTORNEY GENERALS REQUEST THAT ALL OTHER MATERIALS BE REVIEWED. ALL OTHER MATERIALS BE REVIEWED SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS MARY PLATS AND I'M HERE AS BOTH A PARENT OF CHILDREN IN FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADE AT ADUM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND AS A COMPLIANCE PROFESSIONAL AND ATTORNEY. IN

110REGARD TO AGENDA ITEM 1.05, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR ITS CONSISTENT DEDICATION TO A THOROUGH REVIEW PROCESS. AS SOMEONE COMMITTED TO COMPLIANCE AND THE RULE OF LAW, I HOLD A DEEP RESPECT FOR PROCESSES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO BE FAIR AND BALANCED ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY SERVE TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED. THE BOOKS IN QUESTION HAVE UNDERGONE A RIGOROUS REVIEW PROCESS BOTH AT THE SCHOOL AND DISTRICT LEVELS AND OVERRIDING THESE OUTCOMES UNDER EXTERNAL PRESSURE DEPARTS FROM THE DISTRICT'S PRINCIPLES AND COLLABORATION I EXPECT AS A PARENT. OUR PROCESS DOES NOT NEED TO BE SECOND GUESSED BY POLITICIANS OR A FEW LOUD VOICES. FURTHER CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON BOOK BANNING DIVERTS CRITICAL TIME AND ENERGY AWAY FROM THE ISSUES THAT HAVE A MORE DIRECT SUPPORT STUDENTS LEARNING IN AN

111AGE WHEN THE INTERNET OFFERS VAST ACCESS, EFFORTS TO RESTRICT BOOKS IN SCHOOLS ARE NOT ONLY MISGUIDED BUT COUNTER PRODUCTIVE. IT'S MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING TONIGHT AND HEARING HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE NOT PARENTS MAKES ME LAUGH AND I'M ROLLING MY EYES AT THESE PEOPLE, GRANDPARENTS, THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT HIGH SCHOOLERS KNOW AND READ THESE DAYS ON THESE TOPICS. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE BOARD TO STAND FIRM AND REJECT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION TO REMOVE THESE BOOKS BY VOTING NO. WE WANT TO MODEL RESPECT FOR DUE PROCESS AND CRITICAL THINKING, NOT CENSORSHIP OR CIRCUMVENTING ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES. THESE VALUES ARE ESSENTIAL TO PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A DIVERSE AND COMPLEX WORLD WHERE WE ALL WANT FREEDOM, FAIR TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS BOBBY KINGSBURY. I'VE BEEN A

112RESIDENT IN SOUTH TAMPA SINCE 2009. MY CHILDREN ARE GROWN NOW BUT THEY ATTENDED GRADEY ELEMENTARY, COLEMAN, AND HB PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN MY KIDS WERE IN SCHOOL, I WAS ONE OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES WHICH IS A CHRISTIAN CULT THAT LIKES TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS WITH EVERYBODY BY KNOCKING ON YOUR DOORS. WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE IN SCHOOL, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THEIR TEACHERS WOULD ASK THAT THEY DO BOOK REPORTS ON BOOKS THAT I PERSONALLY AS ONE OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES -- I'M NOT ANYMORE. I'VE GOTTEN OUT OF THE CULT BUT WHEN I WAS TEACHING MY CHILDREN, THEY'D ASK FOR INSTANCE MY OLDEST SON WAS ASKED TO DO A BOOK REPORT ON A CHRISTMAS CAROL. JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES DON'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. SO ALL I DID WAS ASKED THE TEACHER IS THERE ANOTHER BOOK THAT MY SON COULD READ AND DO

113A BOOK REPORT ON. SIMPLE AS THAT. IF THERE ARE BOOKS THAT PARENTS IN THIS AUDIENCE DON'T AGREE WITH, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY SHOULD TELL THEIR CHILDREN EXACTLY WHAT I TOLD MY CHILDREN WHEN I WAS RAISING THEM. THAT DIFFERENT FAMILIES HAVE DIFFERENT RULES. AND THAT THE RULES FOR OUR FAMILY DON'T NECESSARILY APPLY TO OTHER FAMILIES. THAT WE HAVE TO RESPECT OTHER FAMILIES. AND THEIR MORALS AND THEIR PROCESSES. SO I AM ASKING YOU TO HOLD UP THE PROCESS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY UPHELD AND LEAVE THE EDUCATION TO THE PARENTS. AS A PARENT, IF YOUR CHILD IS CHECKING OUT A BOOK IN A LIBRARY, WHATEVER LIBRARY IT'S AT, AND YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, THEN IT'S UP TO YOU AS THE PARENT TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN THAT WE DON'T READ THOSE BOOKS. OR

114WE DON'T LIVE THAT WAY. THAT OUR FAMILY HAS DIFFERENT RULES. SO PLEASE DON'T MAKE THIS POLITICAL. THESE PARENTS, THESE QUACKS FROM MOMS OF LIBERTY ARE TRYING TO PUSH A POLITICAL AGENDA AND IT DOESN'T BELONG IN OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND ESPECIALLY ON THIS SUBJECT AND I WISH THAT WE ALL COULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT WAS ABOUT CHRISTMAS CAROLS. UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT THE CASE AND I'M A MOTHER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND I'M NOT TO GO ON BECAUSE I NEED TO USE MY TIME WISELY. MANY HILLSBOROUGH RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU IN THIS BRIEF ALLOTMENT OF TIME BUT FOR A HANDFUL OF YOU IT MAY BE THE FIRST HEARING. IN 200022 WHILE

115-- 2022 WHILE TEACHING IN MY HCPS CLASSROOM I WAS PULLED TO THE DOOR AND TOLD BY AN EMPLOYEE I HAD INAPPROPRIATELY IDENTIFIED A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO I WAS INFORMED SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A BOY. I IMMEDIATELY WELCOMED THE YOUNG GIRL INTO MY ROOM TO HER PREPARED SEAT AND TOLD THE ADULT WHO BROUGHT HER THAT I WOULD NOT ADDRESS THE LITTLE GIRL AS A BOY. THE EMPLOYEE'S RESPONSE WAS I RAN THE RISK OF LOSING MY POSITION FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY. THOUGH EXPREMELY SHAKEN AS IF THE MOMENT WERE FLOATING IN A SURREAL SPACE I COMPLETED A LESSON AND MADE IT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY AND PROCEEDED TO LOOK INTO THE LITTLE GIRL'S SCHOOL HISTORY AND FOUND SOME VERY ALARMING DATA THAT HAD BEEN IGNORED BY THE DISTRICT. I ALSO RECEIVED E-MAILS AND ZOOM CALLS FROM

116DISTRICT PERSONNEL TRYING TO CONVINCE ME THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A VULNERABLE PLACE THIS LITTLE GIRL WAS IN AND THAT BY NOT AFFIRMING HER GENDER PREFERENCE I WAS CAUSING HER HARM. I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THAT BACK AND FORTH. WHAT TO DO THIS DAY I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS HOW THE DISTRICT WAS WILLING TO DROP EVERYTHING TO IMMEDIATELY INSIST I COMPLY WITH THEIR DISORDERED AND EVIL EDICT BUT HAD NOT LIFTED A FINGER TO ADDRESS ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT THIS CHILD HAD FACED THAT WERE IN THE DATA. THE BOOK READY PLAYER ONE BY EARNEST KLEIN HAS 44 AVAILABLE COPIES AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE THINGS WE'RE IGNORING IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. VIRTUAL SEX NO MATTER HOW REALISTIC WAS REALLY NOTHING BUT GLORIFIED MASTURBATION AT THE END OF THE

117DAY I WAS STILL A VIRGIN ALL ALONE IN A DARK ROOM HUMPING A LUBED UP ROBOT. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO. DO I PRESS SOMETHING TO START? Jessica Vaughn: PULL THE MI MICROPHONE CLOSER. MY NAME IS AMANDA AND I'M REPRESENTING AMERICA'S LARGEST FAITH COALITION, THE FAITH ADVISORY BOARD. ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COALITION THAT LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, THERE ARE SEVERAL THOUSAND MEMBERS WHO ARE ALL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND TAXPAYERS. THIS IS ULTIMATELY A RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND PARENTAL RIGHTS ISSUE. PARENTS SHOULD BE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHEN IT COMES TO DETERMINING WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE BEING TAUGHT REGARDING GENDER I'DIOLOGY. COMING OFF THE HILLS OF THE RELIGIOUS HEARING YESTERDAY HOSTED BY OUR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WE HEARD TESTIMONIES OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS WHOSE RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED. AND THE LEGAL

118CONSEQUENCES THAT WENT ALONG WITH IT. SO JUST TAKE NOTE THAT THE NATION IS WATCHING WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. BEFORE WE HAVE THE NEXT SPEAKER, IS THE MICROPHONE COMPLETELY -- THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LILY AND I'M A PARENT OF A CHILD IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. FIRSTS I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO USED THE TIME IN THE JUNE 17 MEETING TO RECOGNIZE PRIDE MONTH. THE RECOGNITION MATTERS AND I'M CERTAIN YOU'LL HEAR FROM MANY OF US NEXT MONTH TO CONTINUE TO ASK FOR RECOGNITION FOR LGBT HISTORY MONTH. I'M NOT HERE TO ASK YOU TO NOT REMOVE THE BOOKS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANY AMOUNT OF PUBLIC COMMENT WITH CHANGE THAT. THAT HOWEVER IS WHAT I WANT TO SPEAK ON. THIS

119IS THE MOST RECENT AND PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION. RECENTLY I SPOKE WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WHO SERVED IN A NEARBY SCHOOL DISTRICT 20 YEARS AGO IN A COUNTY MUCH SMALLER AND MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN HILLSBOROUGH. I'M MARRIED TO HER CHILD AND KNOW ABOUT THE STRICT RULES ABOUT WHAT SHE WAS ABLE TO READ OR WATCHED AND MOST OFTEN SHE VOTED TO KEEP THE CHALLENGED BOOKS. AFTER READING THE BOOK IN WHOLE THE COMMUNITY SAW THE VALUE. ALSO THEY UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE IN SETTING RULES FOR THEIR FAMILY AND TRYING TO IMPOSE THE RULES ON EVERY FAMILY IN THE COMMUNITY. THE REVIEW PROCESS IS A LONG-STANDING PRECEDENT AND LET'S NOT GO BACKWARDS. DISTRICT POLICY SAYS NO CHALLENGED MATERIAL MAY BE REMOVED SOLELY BECAUSE IT PRESENTS AN IDEA THAT MAY BE UNPOPULAR OR OFFENSIVE TO SOME. THEY'RE BEING FAST TRACKED TO REMOVAL

120BECAUSE SOME SPECIFICALLY THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD AND JULIE FIND THEM UNPOPULAR OR OFFENSIVE. THAT'S WHY THEY WEREN'T REMOVED LAST TIME. THAT DOES NOT PROTECT PARENTS RIGHTS AND EDUCATION. IT UNDERMINES THEM. AND THIS IS BIGGER THAN BOOKS. THE SAME SHORTCUTS AND OVERREACH CAN BE USED ON ANY SUBJECT AND ANY CLASSROOM AGAINST ANY FAMILY. TO'S TARGET IS NOVELS THAT SOME FIND OFFENSIVE. TOMORROW IS LOOKING LIKE ANYTHING A POLITICIAN FINDS INCONVENIENT. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. CAN WE HAVE THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS AFTER THIS LINE UP AS WELL. 40 AND 41. AND NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS GIANI HUNT. I'M A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARENT OF THREE AND A MEMBER OF MAGNIFY VOICES. I'M ALSO A TWO-WAR VETERAN AND A FORMER MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST. I'VE SPENT YEARS TRYING TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS AND THREATS AND I TELL YOU, CENSORSHIP

121DISGUISED AS PROTECTION IS A PATTERN WE SHOULD ALL BE WEARY OF. BOOKS MATTER. THEY TEACH US. THEY CHALLENGE US. THEY MAKE US LAUGH, CRY AND MAKE US THINK. FOR MANY ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH, BOOKS ARE LIFELINES. THEY OFFER VALIDATION, INSIGHT, AND CONNECTION FOR THOSE NAVIGATING TRAUMA, ABUSE AND EMOTIONAL HARDSHIPS. AND WHILE THEY DON'T REPLACE THERAPY, THEY OFTEN ACT AS A BRIDGE TO HEALING. TO REMOVE THEM WITHOUT DUE PROCESS IS TO SEVER THAT BRIDGE. TONIGHT I'M ASKING THIS BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT TO UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND FLORIDA'S WRITTEN POLICIES ON BOOK CHALLENGES. BOOKS LIKE IDENTICAL AND BLANKETS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CHALLENGED. THEY HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND CLEARED THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS SNCH THAT PROCESS EXISTS FOR A REASON AND THAT'S TO ENSURE THAT THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH CARE AND NOT UNDER PRESSURE. SUPERINTENDENT, THE NEXT

122TIME YOU'RE CALLED TO MIAMI OR ANY OTHER PUBLIC FORUM AND YOU'RE BAITED INTO READING SOME SALACIOUS PARAGRAPHS FROM A BOOK, DON'T FLINCH. LEAD. RECLAIM YOUR AUTHORITY. LEAN INTO THE POLICY. BE PREPARED TO READ THE WHOLE BOOK. REMIND THEM AND EVERYONE WATCHING NO BOOK CAN BE JUDGED BY A SINGLE PARAGRAPH. LET'S BE THE COUNTY THAT STANDS ON POLICY, NOT PRESSURE BECAUSE WHEN WE BYPASS OUR OWN PROCESS WE DON'T JUST COMPROMISE INTEGRITY. WE BROADCAST TO EVERY STUDENT, PARENT AND EDUCATOR THAT FEAR WINS. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. AGAIN, I KNOW WE'RE VERY PASSIONATE BUT IF WE CAN PLEASE HOLD OUR APPLAUSE SO I CAN ANOUN THE NEXT SPEAKERS. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS RACHEL HORN. I'M A CURRENT RESIDENT OF PASCO, FORMER HILLSBOROUGH AND HAVE TWO TEEN SONS. I DROVE HERE TODAY BECAUSE

123I'M PASSIONATE ON THIS TOPIC. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT TAKING STORIES AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN. AND LET'S BE CLEAR. OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING SEXUALLY ABUSED AND EXPERIENCING THIS GRAPHIC CONTENT IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. ON JULY 14, 2014, THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES IN EUROPE QUOTED READING FICTIONAL STORIES OF EMPATHY IN CHILDREN SUGGESTS THERE IS AN IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN BEING ABLE TO EMPATHIZE WITH FICTIONAL CHARACTERS AND BEING ABLE TO EMPATHIZE IN REAL LIFE PEOPLE. IF ONE OF OUR GOALS IN IJICATION IS FOR OUR CHILDREN NOT TO SEE GENDER, RACE, RELIGION OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, BUT JUST SEE ALL OF US AS A HUMAN, FICTIONAL STORIES PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE. RECENTLY MY SISTER-IN-LAW AND I WERE TALKING TO MY TWO TEEN SONS. SHE MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS RAISED THAT BLACK PEOPLE COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH AS WHITE PEOPLE.

124I MENTIONED I WAS RAISED THAT WOMEN WERE ALWAYS GOING TO BE BENEATH MEN AND MY TWO TEEN SONS LOOKED LIKE THAT'S THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING THEY HEARD IN THEIR LIVES AND I SAID, THIS IS WHY STORIES ARE IMPORTANT. BECAUSE IS IT TEACHES US TO SEE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE US AND BELIEVE LIKE US AND LIVE DIFFERENTLY THAT WE ARE ALL HUMAN ON THIS EARTH. MATTHEW 22:39 SAYS LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF WITHOUT ANY APPENDAGES, EXCEPTIONS, AND WE NEED TO DO THAT. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS MEANT TO DO THAT. I HEARD OTHER SCRIPTURE USED TO SAY WHAT, BUT REALLY THE MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE IS THAT WE LOVE ALL. NO MATTER WHAT. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. GOOD TO SEE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. I DON'T

125KNOW WHY MY VOICE IS SHAKING. WOW. THIS IS HARD. THIS IS REALLY HARD. BUT I LOVE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS WE CANNOT CENSOR. EVERYONE THAT CAME BEFORE ME THAT TALKED FOR YOU TO UPHOLD YOUR ORIGINAL DECISION, THEY SPOKE MUCH BETTER THAN I'M SPEAKING. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE ACTUAL TALKING POINTS. BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT SO MY DAUGHTER WENT TO NORTHWEST ELEMENTARY. LET'S SEE. WALKER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SICKLES SCHOOL AND SHE IS IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY. SHE MET HER FIRST GIRLFRIEND ON THE FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM. IT WAS AMAZING. SO WE JUST HAVE TO NOT CENSOR THINGS. THERE IS RUMORS THAT THE ANNE FRANK BOOK AND IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY CENSORED IN THE STATE. ONLY ONE VERSION. BUT I WENT TO AMSTERDAM THIS SUMMER AND THERE WAS THE

126HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND THE ACTUAL HOUSE WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE ANNE FRANK IS AND STUDENTS HAVE TO READ THAT. NEXT THING THEY'LL WANT TO BAN IT COMPLETELY BECAUSE ONE THOUGHT SHE HAD ON A COUPLE NIGHTS WHEN SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, HELD AS A HOSTAGE. I ALSO WENT TO GONNA THIS SUMMER ON A SEMESTER AT SEA PROGRAM. IT'S A FLOATING UNIVERSITY FOR STUDENTS. AND WE WENT TO THE CAPE COAST CASTLE AND IT WAS NOT A CASTLE. IT WAS THE HORROR OF HORRORS OF WHAT THEY DID TO SLAVES BEFORE THEY SHIPPED THEM OFF ON THE CAPE COAST. NEXT IT WILL BE, WE DON'T WANT THE KIDS LEARNING ABOUT THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. PLEASE UPHOLD YOUR DECISION. AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, EVERYBODY. MY NAME

127IS BETSY BRADEN. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. MY CHILDREN GRADUATED FROM PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. I LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT BANNING THE TWO BOOKS, IDENTICAL AND BLANKETS. I BELIEVE THESE SHOULDN'T BE BANNED. THIS DISTRICT'S BOOK REVIEW PROCESS SHOULD DETERMINE WHICH BOOKS BELONG IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I TRUST OUR MEDIA SPECIALISTS THAT ARE WELL EDUCATED IN THIS PROCESS. I DO NOT TRUST UNELECTED POLITICIANS THAT THREATEN THE LIVELYHOODS OF OUR BOARDS, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE IS TRYING TO DESTROY PUBLIC EDUCATION BY BANNING BOOKS AND DIVERTING PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS TO PRIVATE AND HOME SCHOOLERS. FOR MANY YEARS THE LEGISLATURE HAS ALSO PAID OUR TEACHERS THE LOWEST AVERAGE SALARY IN THE COUNTRY WHILE SPENDING THE LEAST PER STUDENT. DESPITE THIS INTENTIONAL DESTRUCTION OF STATE EDUCATION, 70% OF FLORIDAENS STILL SEND THEIR KIDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YOU ON

128THE SCHOOL BOARD HAVE THE PUBLIC SUPPORT. WE NEED TO STAND UP TO THESE AUTHORITARIANS. WE CANNOT CAPITULATE TO THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, TRUMP CUT FEDERAL FUNDING TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. INSTEAD OF SUING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, COLUMBIA ACQUIESCED TO THEM IN ORDER TO RESTORE THE FEDERAL FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT FORCED THEM TO CANCEL CERTAIN -- CAPITULATING IS NOT A GOOD STRATEGY BECAUSE IT NEVER ENDS AND DESTROYED WHAT YOU STAND FOR. WHEN BOOKS ARE BANNED AT SCHOOLS IT HURTS THE MARGINALIZED. THESE STUDENTS WITH MEANS CAN DRIVE TO A BOOKSTORE OR BUY THE BOOK ONLINE WHERE OTHERS CAN'T. THIS IS AN ATTACK ON MARGINALIZED. REMEMBER THE AUTHORITARIAN PLAYBOOK. FIRST THEY COME FROM THE BOOKS AND THEN THE PEOPLE. CURRENTLY FLORIDA IS FACING MANY CRISIS SUCH AS HIGH SEA LEVELS AND HIGH POWER COSTS. THE LEGISLATURE IGNORES THE PROBLEMS AND USES THE

129DISTRACTION OF BANNING BOOKS. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. LAST SPEAKER PLEASE. I'M THE LAST ONE. EVERYBODY TAKE A BIG BREATH. SO I STARTED -- I'M SORRY. I'M TRISHA LONG, THE PARENT OF TWO CURRENT PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND I STARTED FOLLOWING THE CHOICE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD BACK WHEN WE WERE THREATENED WITH STATE TAKEOVERS LIKE 10 YEARS AGO MAYBE DUE TO BUDGET SHORTAGES AND NOW THE BUDGET IS NOT IN THE RED AND WE'RE STILL BEING THREATENED BY THE STATE. BUT NOT BECAUSE WE CAN'T FUND OUR SCHOOLS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT A $4 BILLION PLUS BUDGET IS JUST BARELY ENOUGH FOR A DISTRICT OF THIS SIZE. IT'S STILL HARD TO BE A TEACHER HERE AND AFFORD A HOUSE EVEN WITH THE RAISE THAT TEACHERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AND

130THE STATE CONTINUES TO FIND NEW AND CREATIVE WAYS TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUCH AS THEIR SCHOOL CHOICE POLICIES. SO OF COURSE I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS. SORRY. BUT NOT SORRY. THE BOOKS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING REMOVING TONIGHT I THINK ARE NOT ON THE LIST OF 55 THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. HOWEVER, THERE IS A COURT RULING NOW THAT TALKS ABOUT THE 55 BOOKS THAT WERE PRESENTED THIS SUMMER AND HOW THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED PORNOGRAPHIC. HOW THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE UNDER REMOVAL FOR STATE LAW. AND I THINK WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT AS WE THINK ABOUT BOOKS BEING IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS IS A MATTER THAT IS STILL BEING CONSIDERED BY THE COURT. WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER PRESSING ISSUES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE NEWS TODAY

131ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL SCORES ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES BEING MUCH LOWER THAN THEY WERE EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO, AND I THINK THAT SHOULD CONCERN US ALL AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING, NOT ON BOOK REMOVALS ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE ABOUT TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON THIS SCHOOL -- ON THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WE STILL HAVE SO MANY PRESSING ISSUES THAT NEED FUNDING IN OUR SCHOOLS. IT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND RESOURCES PULLING BOOKS OUT OF SCHOOLS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME TO SPEAK. THE BOARD DOES WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, SO I APPRECIATE IT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT COMMENT WHICH IS TIME CERTAIN FOR 6:00 P.M. WE WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT -- THAT'S OKAY.

132WE HAVE ONE AND HE AGREED TO COME AFTERWARDS. WE WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT, EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES HARD FOR DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO ATTEND AT 4:00 P.M. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO MAKE VOICES HEARD INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATION, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS, AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE'RE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUE ON YOUR MIND. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK

133TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I'LL CALL UP THE ONE AND ONLY SPEAKER? THE FIRST SPEAKER. ROB KRIETE, PRESIDENT OF CTE AND WE'RE HAPPY TO BE FLEXIBLE. WE'RE TEACHERS AND KNOW HOW TO DO THAT EVERY DAY. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, DISTRICT BARGAINING TEAM, REACHED A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AND TEACHERS SO WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF THAT AND WANT TO GET OUR EMPLOYEES THAT MONEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO WE'LL BE RUNNING THROUGH RATIFICATION SOON AND HAVING ONLINE MEETINGS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE EMPLOYEES ABOUT THAT AGREEMENT. AND AGAIN, WE'RE CUTTING UP A PIZZA IN THIS METAPHOR AND WE GOT TO CUT IT UP INTO LITTLE SLICES BUT COLLABORATING WITH THE DISTRICT AND ON THOSE TEAMS TO FIND THE MOST

134EQUITABLE WAY TO DO THAT IN A STATE THAT'S DEFUNDING THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN FRONT OF US AND DIVERTING PUBLIC MONEY TO SCHOOLS. WE'RE GETTING A GREAT DISCOUNT. THIS DISTRICT IS GETTING A GREAT DISCOUNT FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ARE DOING EVERY DAY. I'M GOING TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS EVERY MORNING AND I CAN TELL YOU I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE IT. FEEL IT. AND YOU CAN HEAR IT IN THE STUDENTS AND THE EMPLOYEES EVERY DAY. SO WHEN YOU GUYS WERE OUT THERE, I HOPE YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE THAT AS WELL BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB FOR -- AND ALL DESERVE NOT ONLY A PIECE OF PIZZA. THEY DESERVE A WHOLE PIZZERIA FOR THE WORK THEY'RE DOING. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT

135EVERY DAY DOES MATTER AND WE LEARN THAT REALLY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC WHEN STUDENTS WERE THEN ASKED TO GO LEARN IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER SCREEN AS MANY OF THESE HOME SCHOOLING PROGRAMS ARE DOING NOW. WE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE. AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT HCTA SUPPORTS GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET THEM IN FRONT OF THOSE TEACHERS THAT ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, THE SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS MEETING THEIR NEEDS BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR AFTER TEACHING IN THE CLASSROOM FOR 25 YEARS, THERE IS A LOT OF SPINNING PLATES GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOMS BY THE WAY. I HAD BELL RINGERS, DO NOWS, OBJECTIVES, LEARNING TARGETS, SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION AND THEN I WAS ASSESSING WHILE LEARNING. I'D DO A CHUNK AND CHECK. THAT'S WHAT

136I'D ALWAYS SAY AS I'M TEACHING A LESSON. CHUNK THE PIECE AND CHECK THAT PIECE. THEN TAKING ATTENDANCE AS WELL. WE TRY TO SHOW OUR EMPLOYEES GRACE BUT WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING WHERE OUR KIDS ARE ALL THE TIME. WE SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CONTRACT. AND WE HOPE TO HAVE RATIFICATION SOON. THANKS YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI. CHRIS FROM GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL. TRYING NOT TO YELL INTO IT. SO I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF HCTA BARGAINING TEAM. LAST MEETING I CAME AND WAS REALLY FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE SEEMINGLY LACK OF TIME THAT WAS SPENT. AND I WANT TO FIRST START WITH THAT ON SEPTEMBER 3, WE MET FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. AND I APPRECIATE -- I WANT

137TO SEND MY APPRECIATION TO THE DISTRICT AND FOR THEIR BARGAINING TEAM TO SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF TIME THERE. WE WERE THERE UNTIL ALMOST 10:00 AT NIGHT. AND WE ALL WERE ZOMBIES THE NEXT DAY AT WORK. SO -- BUT WHAT THAT TOLD ME WAS THAT WE WERE REALLY, REALLY READY TO GO. WE WERE WILLING TO BARGAIN AND EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T REACH SETTLEMENT THAT NIGHT, IT WAS IMPORTANT AND SHOWED THAT WE MATTER. SO I WANTED TO FIRST SHOW MY APPRECIATION FOR THAT TO BE DONE SINCE I MENTIONED IT. SECOND THING. FOCUS TRAINING. I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO IT. I HOPE THAT IT'S DONE SOMETIME. SO AFTER I RAISED THE CONCERNS LAST TIME, I GOT A FOLLOW-UP E-MAIL FROM THE DISTRICT. I WROTE BACK WITH DETAILED FEEDBACK AND TODAY RECEIVED A REPLY. THE REPLY WAS ON

138THE TECHNICAL STUFF THAT I POSED AS EXAMPLES OF THINGS I DON'T KNOW. AND WAS TOLD TO IN THE FUTURE CONTACT THE FOCUS CONTACT TEAM. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT BUT I'M ASSUMING IT'S ON OUTLOOK OR SOMETHING. THE ISSUE IS, IS HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE TRAINED? IS IT THE DISTRICT'S INTENTION TO TRAIN ON THIS MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO STRICTLY THROUGH ANNUAL TRAINING MODULES AND A CANVAS MODULE THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO -- WE AREN'T GIVEN TIME TO DO. SO IS THAT THE PLAN, OR ARE WE DOING SOMETHING ELSE. BECAUSE I WAS TOLD IN PERSON THAT THERE WOULD BE IN-PERSON TRAINING AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN. AND THIS IS NOT A GAITHER ISSUE. SO DR. KLEIN ISN'T THE PROBLEM. THE ISSUE IS THAT THIS -- WHAT

139IS NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF. NO COMMUNICATION HAS GONE THROUGH THAT. AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME HERE AGAIN AND AGAIN TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF. SO WHERE IS THE IN-PERSON TRAINING. HOW ARE ADMINISTRATORS BEING DIRECTED TO ENSURE IT HAPPENS AT THE SCHOOL. IS IT SCHOOL-BASED OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT DISTRICT IS HAPPENING. THOSE ANSWERS ARE NOT CLEAR. WE'RE LEFT TO TROUBLESHOOT A COMPLEX SYSTEM THAT IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN SYNERGY AND I LOVE FOCUS SO MUCH, BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT GETTING AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO E-MAIL 10 MILLION TIMES OR DO WE WANT 10,000, 20,000 PEOPLE TO E-MAIL THE CONTACT TEAM ON EVERY SINGLE ONE. THANKS. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW THAT INCLUDES -- CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL MOVE TO THE CONSENT

140AGENDA. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. MEMBER GRAY? AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I WILL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. Van Ayres: THANK YOU. WE MADE IT. HERE WE ARE. SO BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAD ONE PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING. AND THAT IS OUR NEW PRINCIPAL OF BENITO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THAT'S JACK ENIS. IF YOU COULD COME ON DOWN, PLEASE. SO BOARD MEMBERS, SHE BEGAN HER TEACHING CAREER WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 211 TEACHING ESE LANGUAGE ARTS AND READING AT WEBB MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN BEGAN THE READING COACH. SHE SERVED AS THE BOY'S HEAD BASKETBALL COACH AT WEBB FROM 2004 TO

1412009. 2013 SHE WAS APPOINTED AP AT FARNELL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND TRANSFERRED TO TURNER BAR TELLS K-8 IN 2019 WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING UNTIL TONIGHT WHERE SHE IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT BENITO MIDDLE SCHOOL. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, JACKIE. WELL DESERVED. Jessica Vaughn: YOU WANT A PICTURE? Van Ayres: WE GOT TO GET A PICTURE. SHE'S BEEN WAITING. LET'S GET A PICTURE. COME ON. Jessica Vaughn: CONGRATULATIONS. I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB AT BENITO LIKE YOU'VE DONE AT TP K-8. AND YOUR COACHING. FROM THE COACH. ALL RIGHT. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD. C105, 101, 103, 402, 601, 702, 704 AND 10.01. WE'LL BEGIN WITH 1.05. APPEAL OF THE BOARD-LEVEL DECISION REGARDING CHALLENGED MATERIAL. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ADAM. Van Ayres: THANK YOU. THE BOARD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

142WITH LEGAL GUIDANCE THAT REQUIRED REMOVAL OF CERTAIN MATERIALS AND TO UNDERTAKE AN IMMEDIATE REVIEW OF OUR CURRENT COLLECTION. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND ATTORNEY GENERAL IT'S MY RECOMMENDATION THAT BLANKETS BY GREG THOMPSON AND IDENTICAL BE MADE UNAVAILABLE IN MEDIA CENTERS. Jim Porter: AND BOARD AND MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY PROVIDE FURTHER CONTEXT AS YOU CONSIDER THE ITEM. THIS BOARD WILL RECALL THAT PURSUANT TO STATE LAW THE BOARD ESTABLISHED A PROCESS TO ALLOW PEOPLE WHO HAD OBJECTIONS TO SPECIFIC MATERIAL TO CHALLENGE THOSE. AS PART OF THE PROCESS THERE IS A SCHOOL-LEVEL REVIEW AT THE FIRST LEVEL THAT MAY BE APPEALED TO A DISTRICT LEVEL COMMITTEE AND THEN FINALLY TO THE BOARD, SO THERE ARE THREE LEVELS OF REVIEW FOR CHALLENGED MATERIALS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THAT COMPLIES WITH FLORIDA STATUTES AND THE BOARD

143DID ITS STATUTORY DUTY BY NOT ONLY CREATING THE PROCESS BUT CONSIDERING THE BOOKS CHALLENGED AS PART OF THE CHALLENGE PROCESS THIS BOARD HAS VOTED TO KEEP SOME BOOKS ON THE SHELF AND TO REMOVE SOME. THESE TWO PARTICULAR BOOKS BY A VOTE OF 5-2 AFTER REVIEWING THE RECORD AND CONSIDERING BOTH THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE AND THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, YOU VOTED TO KEEP THE BOOKS ON THE SHELF. AS THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID, THERE HAS BEEN GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE THAT HE IS NOW BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU TO REMOVE THOSE BOOKS. HE DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE THOSE BOOKS ON HIS OWN BECAUSE THERE WAS A BOARD VOTE KEEPING THEM ON THE SHELF. THAT'S THE CONTEXT OF HOW THE BOARD FINDS ITSELF HERE TONIGHT, AND YOU'RE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO REACT TO HIS RECOMMENDATION. HE IS GIVING YOU

144A RECOMMENDATION AND THAT'S YOUR JOB AS BOARD MEMBERS TO CONSIDER THAT. IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF HIS RECOMMENDATION YOU WOULD VOTE YES. IF YOU ARE AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION, YOU'D VOTE NO. AND YOU WILL NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO BEGIN DEBATE. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE C1.05. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER COMBS, MEMBER RENDON AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER COMBS, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? Nadia Combs: YES. THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. FIVE YEARS AGO, I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING ELECTED AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW THAT I'M NOT MOTIVATED BY POLITICS. I'M MOTIVATED BY STUDENTS AND THE BELIEF IN PROVIDING ALL STUDENTS A QUALITY EDUCATION. THAT MEANS

145MEETING THEIR NEEDS ACADEMICALLY, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL. THE CHAOS AND ACTIVISM ON BOTH SIDES MAKES ME WONDER IF WE SPENT MORE TIME FOCUSING ON FUNDING AND HELPING OUR STUDENTS ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS, WOULDN'T WE LIVE IN A BETTER COMMUNITY? ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE LOSING STUDENTS IS BECAUSE THIS NARRATIVE THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT PROTECTED IN OUR SCHOOLS. AS A FORMER EDUCATOR AND A MOTHER WHOSE CHILDREN RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT WHAT THEY LEARNED WAS GROUNDED IN FACTS, CRITICAL THINKING, AND NOT INDOCTRINATION. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, THE WAY YOU'VE HANDLED THIS ENTIRE SITUATION HAS INCREASED THE CONFUSION AND IMPACTED THIS DISTRICT IN A NEGATIVE MANNER. FROM THE BEGINNING, I HAVE SAID THAT I DO NOT WANT OR APPROVE OF INAPPROPRIATE MATERIALS IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS MADE IT CRYSTAL

146CLEAR THEY DO NOT WANT THESE TWO BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO FOCUS ON LITERACY AND THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. THAT IS WHY I'M IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THESE TWO BOOKS AND BRINGING OUR ATTENTION BACK TO THE CLASSROOMS, AND THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS FOCUSING ON OUR STUDENTS AND THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND STOP THIS CULTURAL WARFARE THAT'S ONLY WEAKENING OUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: THANK, YOU MADAM CHAIR. ON JUNE 29, 2023, LONG BEFORE THIS BOOK CHALLENGE WAS EVER PUT INTO PLACE FOR BLANKETS AND IDENTICAL I SUBMITTED A LIST OF 200 BOOKS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS ASKING FOR THEM TO BE REVIEWED AND REMOVED FROM OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES. I BELIEVE THESE BOOKS CONTAIN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL

147THAT WAS NOT FIT FOR AGE AND APPROPRIATENESS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOLS. AT THAT TIME IT WAS IGNORED. I ALSO CAME BACK LATER DURING THE APRIL 2024 IN REVIEW OF THESE TWO BOOKS. I CONTINUED TO STAND ON THE PRINCIPLES THAT THESE TWO BOOKS ARE AGE AND DEVELOPMENTALLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR ANY OF THE STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. THE CONTENT IN BOTH OF THESE BOOKS ARE HIGHLY EXPLICIT. THEY BORDER ON PORNOGRAPHY. IF THEY WERE PUT INTO A MOTION PICTURE THEY'D BE BANNED FOR ANY STUDENT UNDER THE AGE OF 17 TO EVEN BE WATCHING THEM. I PERSONALLY READ BOTH OF THESE BOOKS AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAD TO PUT IT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE SEXUAL EXPLICIT NATURE WAS BEYOND EVEN MY CONTENT THAT I'D EVEN EVER WANT TO READ ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. THERE IS NO LITERARY

148VALUE TO A SINGLE CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 18 AND THEREFORE SHOULD NEVER BE IN OUR LIBRARIES. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN WHICH WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ANYTHING THAT WE PUT INSIDE OUR SCHOOLS, TO MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO INAPPROPRIATE AGE AND DEVELOPMENTAL CONTENT. THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR THAT AND BECAUSE OF THAT, MY OPINION HAS NEVER WAVERED AND HAS NEVER CHANGED SINCE I HAVE BEEN ELECTED INTO THIS OFFICE. AND I WILL CONSTANTLY MAKE SURE A CHILD IS SAFE. IF THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT SUICIDE OR OTHER ISSUES, THOSE CHILDREN NEED TO GET SERIOUS CONSIDERAL HELP FROM OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS. THEY SHOULD NEVER SIT ALONE AND READ THIS MATERIAL. THIS MATERIAL IS NOT AT ALL ABOUT BANNING BOOKS.

149THIS IS ABOUT SEXUALIZING A GENERATION THAT SHOULD NEVER BE EXPOSED TO THIS CONTENT. AND I'LL NOT APOLOGIZE FOR KEEPING IT OUT OF THE HANDS OF CHILDREN. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKERS WHO SHOWED THE COURAGE AND PASSION OF HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT WHAT OUR CHILDREN READ AND WHAT THEY ARE READING AND I APPRECIATE THE REMARKS AND THE CONSIDERATION OF THE POLITICAL VICE THAT EACH OF US ARE NOW EXPERIENCING. AND MOST OF YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THIS VOTE DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT MY PROFESSIONAL NOR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND. I'M A FORMER CIVICS TEACHER MOST OF MY LIFE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR AND I DO OPENLY EXPRESS THE REGRETFUL SITUATION THAT I FIND MYSELF IN AS AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.

150I DO NOT BELIEVE IN CENSORSHIP. BUT AS MEMBER COMBS ELOQUENTLY SAID, I DO BELIEVE IN LITERACY AND READING AND GETTING BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION. I WILL SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION OR SHOULD I SAY -- Jim Porter: THAT'S CORRECT. Lynn Gray: IS THAT CORRECT? BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THE REMARKS ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. DR. HAHN? Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE ALL MY BOARD MEMBERS' COMMENTS AND I RESPECT THEIR PERSPECTIVE. SINCE DAY ONE, I HAVE CHAMPIONED LITERACY IN THIS DISTRICT. AND I REALLY LIKE MEMBER COMBS SAID, I WISH WE WERE TALKING MORE ABOUT THE ACADEMIC PRIORITIES AT THIS DISTRICT BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE HERE. YOU KNOW, A YEAR AGO, I VOTED TO HAVE THESE TWO BOOKS REMOVED. I HAVEN'T CHANGED MY POSITION ON THAT AT

151ALL. BUT MY POSITION -- YOU KNOW, AS SOMEBODY WHO REALLY VALUES BOOKS AND CHILDREN'S EXPOSURE TO BOOKS AND STORIES TO GAIN EXPERIENCES AND LEARN NEW THINGS, I CERTAINLY WANT CHILDREN TO SEE THEMSELVES IN BOOKS. I WANT THEM TO READ ABOUT MAYBE DIFFICULT TOPICS THAT THEY'RE UNSURE ABOUT OR TRYING TO NAVIGATE. AND THOSE BOOKS EXIST IN OUR LIBRARIES. WHAT I CAN'T SUPPORT IS THE SEXUALLY GRAPHIC MATERIAL THAT EXISTS THROUGHOUT THESE TWO BOOKS, NOT JUST IN A PARAGRAPH OR TWO. FOR ME, IT'S MORE ABOUT THE BELIEF THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE DISTRIBUTING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL, PERIOD, NO MATTER WHAT THE TOPICS ARE. LIKE I SAID, THERE IS PLENTY OF BOOKS OUT THERE FOR STUDENTS TO READ AND CHILDREN TO READ THAT CAN EXPAND THEIR IMAGINATION OR ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS THAT AREN'T SO GRAPHIC SEXUALLY AND I THINK

152THAT WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT THE PROCESS ON HOW WE'RE ONBOARDING BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE BOOKS THAT WE'RE BRINGING INTO OUR SCHOOLS CAN ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND THE INTERESTS OF OUR STUDENTS WITHOUT EXPOSING THEM TO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL TO THIS DEGREE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT A BOY AND A GIRL KISSING ON A DATE. THIS IS GRAPHIC, SOMETIMES VIOLENT SEXUAL CONTENT. AND I DON'T WANT TO CENSOR OR BAN THINGS, BUT THIS REALLY ISN'T ABOUT THAT. THAT'S AN ARGUMENT MADE OUTSIDE OF A SCHOOLHOUSE IN A SOCIETY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MINORS AND I'M NOT COMFORTABLE DISTRIBUTING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT TO MINORS. THAT'S WHERE I COME FROM WITH MY DECISION. I WANT TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND ALLOWING US TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION TODAY. I DO

153AGREE -- I THINK YOU HANDLED THIS WELL AND I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A VOTE. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON? Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT TO DO IN SCHOOLS. I WAS JUST READING TODAY FOR CNN NEWS HOW WE'RE BEHIND IN UR -- IN OUR STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THERE ARE LOT OF BOOKS ON THE SHELVES THAT PROBABLY SHOULD NOT BE THERE. WE SHOULD BE CONCENTRATING ON ACADEMICS BECAUSE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEEDS ACADEMICS AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING A HELL OF A JOB WITH ACADEMICS AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH ACADEMICS. I JUST BELIEVE THAT CERTAIN THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE ON THE SHELF FOR KIDS. I'M AN

154OLD MAN. I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME. AND I UNDERSTAND MANY TIMES HOW BOOKS GET ON THE SHELVES. I THINK EVERYBODY TRIED TO DO THEIR VERY BEST IN THIS. WE ALL LOOKED -- WE ALL WANTED TO BE FAIR TO PEOPLE, BUT YOU CAN'T ALWAYS -- YOU CAN'T ALWAYS WIN BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING AGAINST YOU ANYWAY YOU GO IN LIFE, PEOPLE. IT'S DIFFICULT TIMES. IT'S DIFFICULT THINGS THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DO, AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO SAY. AND SUPERINTENDENT, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HARD. WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD AS A BOARD. THE CABINET HAS BEEN WORKING HARD AS A BOARD AND WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE THINK IS BEST AND WHAT WE THINK IS BEST MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST. THAT'S WHY I DON'T BELIEVE IN COMMON SENSE BECAUSE COMMON

155SENSE FOR JOE MAY NOT BE COMMON SENSE FOR SHAKE WASHINGTON. SO I'M GOING TO UPHOLD AND BE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT ON THIS. BECAUSE HE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOL. AND YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO WORK HARD AND CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AND DO THE THINGS THAT WE THINK IS RIGHT FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND SPEAKERS, EVERY SPEAKER HAD TO HAVE THEIR OWN POINT TONIGHT, THIS AFTERNOON, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION. BUT AT THIS POINT OF THE GAME, I'M GOING TO BE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REMOVE THE BOOKS ON -- OFF THE SHELF. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MADAM PEREZ? Karen Perez: SUPERINTENDENT, FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPRESENTATION. YOU KNOW,

156WHEN YOU WENT TO STAND BEFORE THE BOARD. I KNOW YOU DIDN'T GET A LOT OF KUDOS BUT YOU DID GO AND REPRESENT, AND I KNOW THAT WAS A HARD THING TO DO. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPEAKERS THAT CAME TONIGHT. BECAUSE EVERYBODY MADE THEIR POINT. EVERYBODY SAID THEIR PEACE AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL. BUT YES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO STAND AND REMOVE THIS NOISE FROM THIS SPACE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON OUR STUDENTS GOING FORWARD. ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT. IN THIS NATION. COMING BACK TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, BEING ABLE TO LIFT THEM AND WHAT THEY NEED IN THEIR EDUCATION AND LIKE IT SAYS, PREPARING FROM THE LIFE GOING FORWARD. SO HOPEFULLY SOME OF THESE SPEAKERS WILL

157COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION. HOPEFULLY THEY'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT FUNDING. HOPEFULLY THEY'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CLASSROOMS NEED. AND MORE SUPPORTS FOR OUR TEACHERS. AND THEY'LL GIVE THE SAME ENERGY TO THAT AS WELL. SO I'M ALSO GOING TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS WELL TONIGHT. BUT ALSO SUPPORT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU BRING FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY THESE PARENTS HERE WILL ALSO SUPPORT YOU WHEN YOU NEED WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE CLASSROOMS AND THESE SCHOOLS AND HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, MR. PORTER. IS IT TRUE THAT THE PENGUIN RANDOMHOUSE CASE AGAINST THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DECLARING THE STATUTE THAT'S BEEN REFERENCED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PREVAILED AND THAT THE DECISION DECLARING

158THE STATUTE UNCONSTITUTIONAL APPLIES HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY? Jim Porter: MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, THE CHAIR IS REFERENCING A CASE THAT RECENTLY LAST MONTH CAME OUT OF THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA THAT'S A FEDERAL COURT. IT WAS PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE VERSUS GIBSON. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT CASE. THE COURT -- AND THE PUBLISHERS IN THAT CASE SUED BOTH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS IN ORANGE COUNTY AND VULUGEA REGARD -- VOLUGEA REGARDING HOUSE BILL 1099. THE COURT FOUND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THAT STATUTE, NOT THE WHOLE STATUTE, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AS BEING OVER BROAD. THAT'S CERTAINLY A SIGNIFICANT CASE. THE STATE INDICATED IT WILL APPEAL. THE APPEAL PROCESS WOULD GO TO THE 11th CIRCUIT AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. SO IT'S IN FLUX. IT'S CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT CASE AND ONE THAT WE NEED

159TO CONSIDER AND IF WE WERE EVER CHALLENGED IN THE COURT OF LAW, WE'D CITE THAT CASE AS PRECEDENT. FOR PURPOSES OF TODAY'S HEARING OR AGENDA ITEM, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS BASING HIS RECOMMENDATION ON GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE, SPECIFICALLY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO IS THE STATE'S CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER. SUPERINTENDENT WAS AWARE OF THE CASE WHEN HE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION AND THE LETTER FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL REFERENCES NOT ONLY THE STATUTE THAT IS IN QUESTION BUT ALSO THE OBSCENITY STATUTE SO THERE ARE OTHER STATUTES INVOLVED IN HIS GUIDANCE. WHAT YOU'RE REACTING TO NOW IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE. SO WHILE THE CASE IS IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, YOU'RE REACTING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY A FEDERAL COURT FOUND IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND YET THIS LETTER

160FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS THREATENING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST US IF WE DON'T ABIDE BY IT. Jim Porter: I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THE RECORD. THE COURT FOUND CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE STATUTE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. NOT THE ENTIRE STATUTE. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. SO FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, I MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS MOTION UNTIL WE RECEIVE CLEAR GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE EXPLAINING HOW THE SPECIFIC BOOKS ARE ALLEGED TO VIOLATE FLORIDA STATUTES AND WHAT LEGAL AUTHORITY SUPPORTS THE REMOVAL. THIS MOTION IS NOT ABOUT AVOIDING A DECISION. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT ANY ACTION WE TAKE IS LEGALLY SOUND, CONSTITUTIONALLY DEFENSIBLE AND BASED ON CONSISTENT ENFORCEABLE STANDARDS AND AT THIS TIME I BELIEVE THAT CLARITY IS MISSING, AND HERE IS WHY. ONE, LACK OF CLEAR LEGAL GUI GUIDANCE. THE DISTRICT HAS NOT RECEIVED

161A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF HOW THESE PARTICULAR BOOKS VIOLATE LAW WHILE OTHERS DO NOT. WE HAVE NO TRANSPARENCY IN HOW THIS LIST OF 55 BOOKS WAS COMPILED. AND NO CONSISTENT FRAMEWORK TO REEVALUATE THEM. THIS LACK OF CLARITY MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO APPLY THE LAW FAIRLY AND CONSISTENTLY. UNCERTAIN AUTHORITY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO UNILATERALLY REMOVE BOOKS FROM SCHOOL LIBRARIES. ACTING WITHOUT LEGAL CLARITY RISKS OVERSTEPPING BOUNDARIES AND UNDERMINING BOARD GOVERNANCE AND EXPOSING THE DISTRICT TO LEGAL CHALLENGES. PARENTAL RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ARE UNCLEAR AND DIVIDED. THERE IS NO CLEAR LEGAL OR POLICY GUIDANCE ON HOW TO RESPECT THE DIVERSE VIEWS OF PARENTS REGARDING SCHOOL LIBRARY CONTENT WITHOUT A STRUCTURED PROCESS ANY REMOVAL RISKS ALIENATING PORTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ERODING TRUST IN THE DECISION-MAKING POLICY. PORNOGRAPHY. IT'S NOT

162LEGALLY DEFINED IN THE FLORIDA EDUCATION POLICY. THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TRAINING MATERIALS DO NOT OFFER A LEGAL DEFINITION OF PORNOGRAPHY. INSTEAD THEY REFERENCE A BROAD DICTIONARY DEFINITION THAT ARE HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE USING AN AMBIGUOUS STANDARD AND THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO FIRST AMENDMENT VIOLATIONS AND INCONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW. THE FEDERAL COURT RULING. ON AUGUST 13, 2025, A U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE CARLOS MENDOZA RULED A PART OF HB1069 UNCONSTITUTIONAL DUE TO VAGUENESS. THE RULING EMPHASIZED THE STATUTE DOES NOT CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT MATERIAL IS PROHIBITIVE LEAVING DISTRICTS WITHOUT RELIABLE LEGAL GUIDANCE AND VULNERABLE TO LITIGATION. LEGISLATION ATTEMPTS TO CLARIFY THE LAW FAILED. EFFORTS LIKE HOUSE BILL 1539 ATTEMPTED TO PROVIDE CLEARER LEGAL STANDARDS BUT FAILED DUE TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS. THIS FAILURE HIGHLIGHTS THAT EVEN LAW MAKERS HAVE NOT RESOLVED LEGAL UNCERTAINTY WE'RE BEING ASKED TO NAVIGATE. AND

163FINALLY, THESE BOOKS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED AND RETAINED. THESE TWO BOOKS WERE PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED BY THIS BOARD UNDER ESTABLISHED POLICY WITH PUBLIC INPUT AND RETAINED THROUGH A TRANSPARENT VOTE. REVERSING THAT DECISION NOW WITHOUT LEGAL CLARIFICATION UNDERMINES BOTH THE PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IN IT. THIS MOTION DOES NOT SHUT DOWN THE CONVERSATION. IT SIMPLY CALLS FOR CAUTION, PATIENCE, AND THE RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW. UNTIL WE RECEIVE CLEAR ENFORCEABLE AND CONSTITUTIONALLY SOUND DIRECTION FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. EXCUSE ME. I'M SPEAKING PLEASE. AND I'M ASKING FOR ORDER. I DIDN'T INTERRUPT YOU ANY TIME YOU WERE SPEAKING. ACTING PREMATURELY WITH CONFLICTING LEGAL OPINIONS, VAGUE STANDARDS AND UNCLEAR AUTHORITY RISKS VIOLATING STUDENT RIGHTS, ERODING PUBLIC TRUST AND COMPROMISING OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS ELECTED OFFICIALS. LET'S WAIT

164FOR THE LEGAL CLARITY WE NEED TO ACT RESPONSIBLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY AUTHORITIES. Jim Porter: BOARD MEMBERS, THE CHAIR MADE A MOTION. THAT MEANS TO CONTINUE. BEFORE YOU CAN CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONTINUANCE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A SECOND OR THE MOTION DIES. THE MOTION IS TO CONTINUE THIS TO GET FURTHER GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO SECOND. THE MOTION DIES AND YOU'RE BACK TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE MAIN MOTION WHICH IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. I HAVE COMMENTS ON THAT, BUT I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THE MATTERS WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US NOT ONLY ARE REGARDING STATUTE 1069 IN WHICH THE JUDGMENT WAS ON BUT REFLECTS STATUTE 847.012 BOTH

165REFLECTING AND DESCRIBING INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL EXPLICIT CONTENT AND PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS. THEREFORE WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INAPPROPRIATE MATERIALS THAT ARE PUT IN FRONT OF STUDENTS. IN SECTION 1006.28, SPECIFICALLY IN SECTION 2B5, ANY INAPPROPRIATE FOR GRADE LEVEL OR AGE GROUP IN WHICH THE MATERIAL IS USED. THAT IS NOT UNDER QUESTION OR AMBIGUOUS WITHIN THAT RULING. ALSO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS CLEAR THAT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REQUEST TO THIS BOARD, IT WAS NOT REGARDING THESE TWO BOOKS. IT WAS ACTUALLY REGARDING THE WAY IN WHICH WE PROCESS THE REVIEW OF THE MATERIAL THAT WAS OBJECTED TO IN OTHER DISTRICTS. WE DID NOT HAVE PROOF THAT WE HAD DONE THAT PROCEDURE PROPERLY OR AT ALL. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. THE SUPERINTENDENT IS BRINGING TO THIS BOARD MATERIALS THAT HE BELIEVES ARE

166INAPPROPRIATE FOR OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES BASED UPON AGE AND DEVELOPMENTAL APPROPRIATENESS FOR OUR CHILDREN. AND SO I THINK THAT ALONE SHOULD MAKE US CONSIDER THIS TO BE APPROPRIATE TO REMOVE THESE BOOKS. I WOULD ALSO CONSIDER THAT WE REVIEW THE PROCESS IN WHICH WE ARE REVIEWING BOOKS BECAUSE SOMEHOW THESE BOOKS ARE GETTING IN WITHOUT PROPER REVIEW OR READING BY CONTENT OR GETTING -- BECAUSE IN WHICH THIS CONTENT IN ANY OF THESE LAWS ARE, WE REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY. AT NO POINT IN TIME WHEN ANY BOOKS OR MATERIALS ARE COMING INTO OUR LIBRARIES ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS EVEN BEING ADDRESSED ABOUT THEIR APPROVAL OF THOSE BOOKS COMING IN. WE DO NOT HAVE A PROCESS THAT INVITES ANYONE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE ANY PART IN THAT AT ALL. ALSO, LET'S MAKE -- UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS OF ONE OBJECTION TOOK EIGHT

167MONTHS WHICH IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE. THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A TIME WHERE IT WOULD TAKE THAT LONG FOR BOOKS TO BE REVIEWED. SECOND OF ALL, I DO HAVE THAT I'VE TAKEN NOW BACK TO OUR DISTRICT LEVEL AN ADDITIONAL BOOKS THAT WERE SUBMITTED FOR OBJECTION IN JUNE OF 2024 WHICH WE HAD NO RECORD OF RECEIVING. I HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BROUGHT THAT TO THE DISTRICT FOR THEM TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I HAVE RECEIPT THAT IT WAS SUBMITTED THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS WE NEVER REVIEWED THAT PROCESS. SO THEREFORE, AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID, OUR PROCESS IS FLAWED AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT WE ARE STARTING IN THAT PROCESS OF BRINGING THINGS RIGHT TO THIS DISTRICT AND MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I APPRECIATE YOU REFERENCING THOSE

168STATUTES BUT NOTHING HAS CHANGED STATUTORILY SINCE WE HAD THE DISCUSSIONS AND FOLLOWED OUR PROCESS ABOUT THE REVIEW PROCESS FROM TWO YEARS AGO. THOSE STATUTES WERE IN PLAY. SO IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WE HAD DONE TO VIOLATE THE LAW THERE WERE TWO YEARS WHERE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR STATE LEGISLATION OR GOVERNOR HAD TO ADDRESS THAT. HOWEVER, I WAS HOPING TO TABLE THE MOTION BUT SINCE IT FAILED TO PASS, I HAVE COMMENTS ON THE MAIN MOTION. I WANT TO BEGIN BY CLEARLY STATING MY POSITION ON THE MOTION TO REMOVE THESE TWO BOOKS FROM OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. THIS ISSUE STRIKES AT THE CORE OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS, AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS ELECTED OFFICIAL. IF I VOTE TO REMOVE THESE BOOKS, IT'S NOT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S RIGHT BUT BECAUSE I'M UNDER DURESS AND FACING EXPLICIT THREATS OF

169LEGAL ACTIONS INCLUDING POSSIBLE ARREST OR REMOVAL FROM OFFICE. I INSIST THAT THIS COERCION BE OFFICIALLY RECORDED IN THE MINUTES OF THIS MEETING. IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THE PUBLIC AND ANY REVIEWING AUTHORITY UNDERSTAND THE TRUE CONTEXT BEHIND THIS VOTE. IN MAY ATTORNEY GENERAL JAMES UPMEYERUDE A DIRECTOR STATING -- DIRECTIVE STATING SHOULD BE REMOVED AND I'LL MONITOR YOUR ACTIONS TO DETERMINE WHETHER LEGAL ACTION BY MY OFFICE IS WARRANTED. WHILE I RESPECT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE THESE THREATS ARE NOT GROUNDED IN SOUND LEGAL PRECEDENT. FORCING ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ACT AGAINST BOTH ESTABLISHED LEGAL INTERP INTERPRETATIONS AND THE WILL OF THE PUBLIC IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. IT UNDERMINES THE PRINCIPLE OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE. THIS KIND OF COERCION IS AN ABUSE OF POWER. IT REFLECTS AUTHORITARIAN TACTICS THAT THREATEN THE FREEDOMS THAT WE'RE SWORN TO UPHELD REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION. DESPITE THIS IF

170I WERE TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE TWO BOOKS TODAY, IT'S SOLELY DUE TO THE LEGAL PRESSURE BEING APPLIED. I'VE SPOKEN WITH MANY VOTERS AND THEY HAVE URGED ME TO VOTE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWED ME TO REMAIN IN OFFICE SO I CAN CONTINUE REPRESENTING THEIR VOICES AND VALUES. THEY UNDERSTAND THE THREATS WE'RE FACING AND THE LEGAL PROCESS -- I'M SORRY. THAT WE'RE FACING AND HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY'LL FIND OTHER WAYS TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE. IN OUR PRIOR VOTE TO RETAIN THESE BOOKS WE FOLLOWED THE LAW AND HONORED THE FINDINGS OF BOTH THE LOCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND A DISTRICT-WIDE PANEL. THESE COMMITTEES RECOGNIZED THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF THEATORILYS AND AFFIRMED THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY, INCLUSION AND STUDENT ACCESS. WE SIMPLY UPPLEHELD A THOUGHTFUL, TRANSPARENT AND LEGAL PROCESS THAT REFLECTED THE VALUES OF

171THE COMMUNITY. TO THOSE THAT CAME AND SPOKE OUT TODAY, I HEAR YOU. YOUR FRUSTRATION IS JUSTIFIED BUT LET'S AIM OUR OUTRAGE WHERE IT TRULY BELONGS, AT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION WHICH FALSELY ACCUSED OUR DEDICATED MEDIA SPECIALISTS OF BEING CHILD ABUSERS. AND AT THE BROADER FAILURE TO PROVIDE CLEAR CONSISTENT AND TRANSPARENT GUIDANCE AROUND THE LAW. OUR EDUCATORS DESERVE OUR RESPECT. NOT BASELESS ATTACKS, FEAR OR CONFUSION CREATED BY SHIFTING POLITICAL DEMANDS. REGARDLESS OF WHERE ANYONE STANDS ON THESE SPECIFIC BOOKS, WE MUST AGREE ON THIS. TRANSPARENCY, DUE PROCESS, AND THE RESPECT FOR THE LAW MATTER. ABANDONING THOSE PRINCIPALS DAMAGES PUBLIC TRUST IN EDUCATION AND WEAKENS THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS WE ALL RELY ON. FINALLY, LET'S BE HONEST. THESE ONGOING POLITICAL ATTACKS ON BOOKS AND CLASSROOMS ARE HURTING OUR STUDENTS. WHEN CULTURE WARS DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY AND PIT PARENTS

172AGAINST PARENT, NO ONE WINS. ONLY OUR CHILDREN LOSE. THIS FIGHT GOES BEYOND A SINGLE SCHOOL BOARD VOTE. IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF ALL STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND EDUCATORS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM OVERREACH AND INTIMIDATEIDATION AT -- INTIMIDATION AT THE STATE LEVEL. THANK YOU. NOW SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. DO YOU WANT TO GIVE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THE VOTE IS? Jim Porter: BOARD MEMBERS, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE TWO BOOKS HE DESCRIBED EARLIER BE REMOVED BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE. IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE BOOKS, VOTE YES. IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING THE BOOKS, VOTE NO. Jessica Vaughn: AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS TO ALLOW THOSE WHO WANT TO LEAVE AN OPPORTUNITY

173TO DO SO. Jessica Vaughn: I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ALL BOARD MEMBERS BACK, BUT WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON AND HOPE THAT THEY FIND THEIR WAY BACK. BY THE TIME WE VOTE. NOW WE WILL DO 1.0, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT WITH TAMPA BAY, INC. AND 3-DE FLORIDA SCHOOLS LCC. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THE ITEMS. Superintendent Ayres: HA TOWARD BELIEVE THAT 3DE IS IN, ETC. IT IS TRANSFORMING HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION BY OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AT BLAKE, CHAMBERLAIN AND HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH A CASE METHODOLOGY APPROACH. INTEGRATES REAL-WORLD APPLICATION ACROSS SUBJECTS DELIVERING 300 INSTRUCTIONAL CONTACT HOURS PER STUDENT ANNUALLY. BRIDGING THE SKILLS GAP IN TAMPA BAY AND CREATING SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS BY ALIGNING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL BUSINESS NEEDS. DURING THE 2024-'25 SCHOOL YEAR,

174ENGAGED WITH 34 CASE PARTNERS ACROSS 137 EVENTS INTEGRATING BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS INTO THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCES. IN '26-'27 SCHOOL YEAR, NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IN THIS AGENDA ITEM, DISTRICT WILL EXPAND THE MODEL TO INCLUDE BRANDON AND PLANT HIGH SCHOOLS AND THAT IS 10.01 MOA WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF TAMPA BAY. Jessica Vaughn: I NEED A MOTION AND IS A SECOND TO ATROUGH C 1.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN. AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER COMBS PULLED THE ITEM. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND JAA, AS -- AS WE BEGAN IT YEARS AGO, VERY SUCCESSFUL. CHAMBERLAIN HAS PROVEN THEMSELVES. THANK YOU, JAKE RUSSELL. AND THANK YOU TER TEST CISCO, THERE IS, FOR BEING PART OF CHAMBERLAIN'S SUCCESS WITH ITS LEGACY ALLIANCE. AGAIN, IT WILL BE EMPHASIZED PROBABLY BY MY FELLOW

175BOARD MEMBERS, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE SEE THAT THEY DO ADVANCE OUR STUDENTS IN READING. THEY DO ADVANCE OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE ABOVE-AVERAGE ATTENDANCE WHICH, RIGHT NOW, IS CRITICAL. BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT COMING TO SCHOOL. AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO US BOARD MEMBERS, OUR GRADUATION RATES SEEM TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE JA PARTICIPATION. THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE, AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, I THINK I SHARED IT WITH YOU, WHEN WE LOOK AT -- THEY SERVE ABOUT 1625 STUDENTS. I SHOULDN'T SAY ABOUT BECAUSE I OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER THERE. COST WILL BE $1.3 MILLION. IF WE LOOK AT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, AND THIS IS WHERE MY CONCERN IS, WITH DEEPEST RESPECT, RICHARD GEORGE. ARE YOU HERE? THERE YOU ARE. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND STAYING HERE. MY CONCERN IS

176THAT WE SERVE ELL POPULATION 27,068 STUDENTS. I JUST GOT THE STATS FROM JESSICA DE LA PRIDA. WHAT HAPPENS IS IF WE ARE GETTING -- IF WE ARE SPENDING MONEY AND WE ARE ONLY SERVING SO AND SO AMOUNT OF STUDENTS WHEN IN FACT AS I BELIEVE MEMBER PEREZ SAID, 40% DURING YOUR PROCLAMATION ARE HISPANIC STUDENTS, THAT IS THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE WITH WE SPEND OUR POCKETS OF MONEY ACCORDING TO MR. LEWIS IN THIS POSITIVE THINKING DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION, WE WERE LOWERING THE -- THE REVENUE. WE WERE -- OUR REVENUE IS LOWER. SO GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW WE ARE SPENDING THE MONEY. AND I WILL SAY, I AM GOING TO SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IN JA AND JUST SUCH A FAB PLUS PROGRAM AND ALISON, THANK YOU ALSO FOR ALL THE YEARS YOU HAVE PUT

177INTO THIS. BUT I BELIEVE THIS WILL HAVE TO BE UNTIL WE GET A BETTER SENSE OF OUR ECONOMY OR OUR REVENUE SOURCES, THIS WILL PROBABLY BE LAST TIME I CAN DO THAT WHEN I HAVE THE -- WE HAVE THE ELL POPULATION EXPANDING IN MANY OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES NECESSARY TO HELP THEM PROSPER AND BECOME, YOU KNOW, THE BEST STUDENTS THAT THEY CAN BECOME. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANY REMARKS? Superintendent Ayres: YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ONE POINT WAS $3 MILLION, A THREE-YEAR RECORD WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND THIS FUNDING IS OUT OF THE CATEGORICAL PART OF THE EFP FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS. AS WE CHOOSE WHICH DOLLARS WE WILL SPEND IN OUR EAA ACCOUNT WHICH IS A CATEGORICAL, THE TYPE OF DOLLARS THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT

178ON TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES NOW. IT WILL BE SIX HIGH SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM. L Lynn Gray: THEIR GOOD WILL AND PARTNERSHIP HAS SERVED US WELL OVER THE YEARS AND MY REMARKS DO NOT INDICATE ANY OF MY LACK OF BELIEF IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING AS FORMER INSTRUCTOR, BUT IT IS A VERY MUCH CAUTIONARY NOTE OF OUR SITUATION FISCALLY AND THAT IS ONE OF THE JOB OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THOSE ARE MY REMARKS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. Nadia Combs: WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER I WAS AT HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND I LEARNED OF JA AND 3DE AND HE LOVED THE PROGRAM. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPACTFUL. FIRST THREE

179YEARS IN THIS OFFICE I WOULD TEAM TEACH OUT IN THE JA AND I WAS A ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE PROGRAM LOOKED LIKE. I WAS ACTIVE GOING TO CHAMB CHAMBERLAIN. I HAVE BEEN GOING TO EVENTS WHENEVER THEY INVITE ME. JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT IS A GREAT PROGRAM. LOOKING AT ENTREPRENEURIALSHIP AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT. SIMILAR TO MEMBER GRAY, WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS WAS COMING OUT OF GENERAL FUND, I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED. WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT -- I THINK SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO DO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS JUST LIKE LAST TIME WE DID THE TUTORS AND DIDN'T IMPACT EVERY STUDENT, EVERY SCHOOL. I UNDERSTAND THAT. MY BIGGEST -- NOT CONCERN, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE, THE ONE THING THAT I WANT TO

180GET A LITTLE FRUSTRATED WITH. IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW I AM RESTRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT EVERYTHING. THERE IS A LOT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND NOT TOO MANY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT MANY STUDENTS ARE CHOOSING -- JUST THE OTHER DAY I TALKED TO SOMEBODY WHO COMPLETED COLLEGE, CAME BACK AND DECIDED TO GO INTO WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT. YOU ARE SEEING OFTEN KIDS GRADUATING COLLEGE, THEY ARE NOT FINDING JOBS, AND REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIALSHIP. MANY PROGRAMS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALL TREATED EQUALLY THE SAME WAY. I FELT THAT CAREER SOURCE -- I AM ON THE CONSORTIUM FOR CAREER SOURCE. A GREAT PROGRAM. WHEN FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY CAME UP LAST YEAR, I FELT IT WASN'T TREATED THE SAME. QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED FROM A

181CERTAIN WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT WEREN'T ASKED FOR EVERYONE. SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW, IF THERE IS A -- WHEN FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY COMES UP FOR RENEWAL AND THERE ARE QUESTIONS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WILL TRIGGER THE SAME QUESTIONS TO BEING ASKED AT ANY OTHER WORK FORCE PARTNERS IMMEDIATELY SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE ANSWERS. SO EITHER MISS RAYBURN OR MR. BRADY, I JUST WANT TO ASK ABOUT THAT AND HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT. AND I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS. ABSOLUTELY. FULL TRANSPARENCY ON BOTH SIDES. SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED BY J.A. IN ADVANCE AND PROVIDED TO US, YOU KNOW, IN CASE THAT BECOMES A CASE DOWN THE ROAD WHEN ANY OTHER GROUP, YOU KNOW, COMES TO BE RENEWED. Nadia Combs: WHEN I HAD THE -- I RECEIVED YOUR OVERVIEW AND

182I LOOKED AT IT THE AND THINK OF THESE QUESTIONS REQUESTED FOR FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE ASKED -- CAREER SOURCES COME UP. AND THESE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED AND WE HAD TO TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY, SO FOR ME, I THINK J.A. IS A GREAT PROGRAM. I THINK FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY IS A GREAT PROGRAM. I THINK CAREER SOURCE OF TAMPA BAY IS A GREAT PROGRAM. WE HAVE ALMOST 200,000 STUDENTS. THERE IS ROOM FOR EVERYBODY TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS TREATED EQUALLY. AND I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT OUR WORKFORCE PARTNERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER. AND THAT THERE IS SO MUCH NEED FOR OUR STUDENTS. THEY MAY -- BEING IN A J.A. PROGRAM MAY TRIGGER THEM TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR. THEN GOING ON A FIELD

183TRIP WITH FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY MAY MAKE THEM LOOK AT SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY. THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE, THE BETTER. I THINK IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TREAT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS EQUALLY, ASK ALL THE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS EQU EQUALLY AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. I SUPPORT J.A. I THINK ITS AS WONDERFUL PROGRAM AND IMPACTS STUDENTS ON A VERY POSITIVE WAY. AND I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. DR. HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. I -- I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH TRANSPARENCY AROUND DATA AND FINANCIALS AS I HAVE FROM JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT. AND I ALSO AM THE SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE, SO I HAVE A RATHER BIT MORE OF AN IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING GOING ON IN THIS ORGANIZATION OTHER THAN WORK FORCE. HENCE MORE QUESTIONS FOR

184ONE THAN THE OTHER WHICH I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO. SO I WILL JUST SAY THIS. YOU KNOW THE 625 STUDENTS EXIST NOW AND WE WILL HAVE MORE STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM WHEN THE TWO HIGH SCHOOLS ARE BROUGHT ON BOARD. FIRST YEAR IS A LITTLE OVER 300,000 WHICH IS ABOUT $170 PER STUDENT. ALSO, I JUST WANT TO ADD, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY CHOOSE THE COHORT FOR 3DE, IT MIRRORS THE DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE SCHOOL. IF YOU HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, A HIGH HISPANIC DEMOGRAPHIC IN A HIGH SCHOOL OF MAYBE 40%, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE 40% OF THAT POPULATION REPRESENTED WITHIN THE COHORT. SO THIS IS SERVING ALL DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS THAT EXIST IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THE COHORTS MIRROR

185ALL THE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS THAT EXIST IN A HIGH SCHOOL. THE PRICE IS, YOU KNOW -- WE PAY 30% OF THE TOTAL COST OF WHAT IT COSTS TO RUN THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM. AND 70% -- 70% OF THE COST OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE COVERED BY PRIVATE COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS. AND MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO GO THROUGH THE -- THROUGH THE 3DE PROGRAM, SOME OF THEM MAY CHOOSE TO GO RIGHT INTO A CAREER PATH INSTEAD OF COLLEGE. SOB IT CAN -- IT CAN INSPIRE STUDENTS TO DO ALL TYPES OF THINGS. I WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF MY TIME, YOU KNOW, READING A LETTER OF SUPPORT BY CERTAIN BUSINESS LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SPECIFICALLY NELSON WAS CITY LAN KNOW, MANAGING SHAREHOLDER OF TREMAN LAW. SCOTT PRICE, CEO OF A LINE. BRIAN

186MURPHY, RHEA LAW, PRESIDENT OF USF. STEPHANIE SMITH, VP OF TAMPA ELECTRIC AND A PATRICK O'CONNOR, CEO OF RAYMOND JAMES AND ASSOCIATES WRITTEN THE FOLLOWING, J.A. HAS BEEN A TRUSTED PARTNER TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR OVER 60 YEARS DELIVERING FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING LIKE J.A. BIZ TOWN AND J.A. FINANCIAL PARK PIVOTAL FOR INSPIRATION AND PREPAREDNESS FOR HALF A MILLION STUDENTS RANGE FROM,ING FROM ALL SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. 3DE BUILDS ON THIS LEGACY FOR A APPROACH THAT BENEFITS ALL STUDENTS BY AUTHENTICALLY CONNECTING THE CLASSROOM TO THE REAL WORLD AND RELEVANCE AND BELONGING AND 3DE DEEPENS STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND FOSTER ANALYTICAL AND CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL IN TODAY'S WORK FORCE. THE VERY COMPETENCIES THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS SEEK IN FUTURE EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS CULTIVATING THROUGH REAL WORLD CASE METHODOLOGY AND CO-DELIVERED BY OVER 1,000 BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS ANNUALLY THAT

187SERVE AS ROLE MODELS TO STUDENTS IN GATEWAY AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. 3DE IS IMPLEMENTED IN 86 SCHOOLS ACROSS 13 STATES DELIVERING MEASURABLE REP POLICE KABUL OUTCOMES AT A NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL. FOR EXAMPLE, 22% DECREASE IN CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. 55% INCREASE IN COLLEGE ENROLLMENT. 38% OF STUDENTS. SEE THE RELEVANCE TO SCHOOL. AND 98% OF TEACHERS STAY THEY ARE INSPIRALED TO BE BETTER TEACHERS THROUGH 3DE. THIS PROGRAM IS NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS, 156 TEACHERS THAT PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS ACROSS OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. THEY BENEFIT FROM IT. IF YOU SEE THE DATA YOU SEE HOW INSPIRED AND ENERGIZED THEY ARE ABOUT THEIR JOB. THEY WANT TO STAY IN THE PROFESSION. SO WE ARE NOT JUST INVESTING IN STUD STUDENTS. WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR TEACHERS THROUGH THIS PROGRAMS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR BRINGING THIS, EXPANDING THE

188PROGRAM AND THANK JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND THE BOARD AND RICHARD GEORGE FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE EXISTING FOUR SCHOOLS AND THE EXPANSION INTO PLANT AND BRANDON HIGH SCHOOLS. I AM EXCITED FOR OUR STUDENTS. I THINK THEY HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM TO DEVELOP THEIR INTEREST AND LEARN ALL THE SKILLS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE. AND SO I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AGENDA ITEM. IF BUT HAVEN'T ALREADY GUESSED. Jessica Vaughn: A LOT OF PASSION IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT. THANK YOU, DR. HAHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM AND ADDING ON TO THE TWO NEW SCHOOLS. SINCE I HAVE COME ON THIS BOARD, I AM VERY HIGHLY IN FAVOR OF THE 3DE PROGRAM. NOT ONLY 3DE BUT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT ITSELF. I REMEMBER

189WHEN MY KIDS GONE THROUGH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OVER THE YEARS. ALWAYS A HIGHLIGHT IN OUR FAMILY OF THE LESSONS THEY LEARNED OF ENTREPRENEURIALSHIP. HOW OUR COMMUNITY WORKS. THINGS WE CAN DO LIFE LESSON FROM THE FIFTH GRADE TO THE EIGHTH GRADE AND NOW INTO HIGH SCHOOL. APPEAR ENTREPRENEURIALSHIP IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST LEARNING OF CREATING A BUSINESS. IT IS ABOUT EMPOWERING US TO SEE FURTHER. LOOK TO BE INNOVATIVE. LOOK TO TAKE THOSE LESSONS AND TAKE IT TO OTHER PARTS OUR LEAVES. I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU BRING INTO THIS. I MET WITH TY TODAY ABOUT YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS AND HOW THEY ARE DIRECTLY MENTORING MANY OF THE STUDENTS AND HELPING TO BUILD THOSE BUSINESSES AN SUCCESS STORIES. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND ENTREPRENEURIALSHIP PROGRAM WORKING WITH DE AND OTHER ENTREPRENEURIALSHIP PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND SON I

190AM VERY THANKFUL THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM WE ARE EXPANDING TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY. SAYING EAST OF 75 HAS GOT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL IS DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB AND THIS WILL ELEVATE THESE YOUNG LEARNERS AND SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, ME RENDON. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT IS. I HAVE SEEN IT DONE IN HILLSBOROUGH. I HAVE SEEN IT DONE IN CHAMBERLAIN. I AM ALWAYS BLOWN AWAY HOW MUCH WORK THE CAN ITS PUT INTO IT. I SEE CULMINATING PROJECT. AND I HAVE BEEN TO CHAMBERLAIN WHERE THEY SOLD THINGS. I DON'T DISAGREE ON ANY LEVEL THIS IS NOT AN IMPACTFUL, IMPORTANT PROGRAM. WHAT I DO

191HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, MR. LISS. YEAH, MR. LISS IS, I AM CONFUSED. OKAY, ORIGINALLY IT WAS TAGGED AS GENERAL FUND. THEN WE WENT BACK AND RETAGGED IT -- WHAT HE WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING OF SEA DOLLARS. SAI. Jessica Vaughn: WHICH HAVE BEEN RECATEGORIZED. 2023 WERE RECATEGORIZED AS EEA. Jessica Vaughn: EEA FOR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA WHAT THE OTHER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ARE TO CLARIFY. TUTORING PROGRAMS. ELP, SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS. JUST TO NAME AT THAT FEW, YEAH. MY QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. LEWIS. SO MUCH CONVERSATION OF EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT WE LOOK AT AND IF THERE IS MORE FLEXIBLE PER THE CHANGES IN STATE LEGISLATION WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THIS GO BACK IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IS THERE FLEXIBILITIES. WE TALK ABOUT THIS AS A BOARD AND CERTAIN BOARD

192MEMBERS URGED US TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT AND WONDER AND ASK THE QUESTIONS, IS THERE ANY ABILITY IF WE DON'T SPEND THIS MONEY SPECIFICALLY ONLY FOR THESE DOLLARS OF ENRICHMENT, ANY REASON FOR THIS TO GO TO THE GENERAL. UNDER. THE GENERAL FUND CAN TAKE ON A NUMBER OF THINGS IF THAT IS THE BEST CASE. WHAT WE TRY TO DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, UNIQUE FUNDS OR DEDICATED FUND CATEGORICALS WE TRY TO MANAGESMIZE THEIR USE IN THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS. EVERY YEAR AS THAT FUNDING CHANGES, IT PUTS A STRAIN ON IT IS STRICT ABLE TO UTILIZE AND FUNDING RECOGNITIONS COULD CHANGE, BUT REALITY IS THIS FUND AS MR. GARY SAID IS THE BEST PLACE FOR IT AND MOST APPROPRIATE PLACE. GENERAL FUND CAN TAKE IT ON BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE ON

193MANY THINGS AND AN APPROPRIATE SPACE TO MAXIMIZE ITS USE. Jessica Vaughn: SO I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT VERY ELOQUENT EXPLANATION OF THAT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY. YES, IT COULD GO BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND IF WE DIDN'T SPEND IT HERE. FROM THE WAY YOU BELIEVE IN ACADEMIC SERVICES AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION, THIS IS THE BEST USE OF FUNDS FOR IT? YES. JUST TO CLARIFY, THE EXPENSE WILL GO HERE IF INSIDE THE FUND THAT WE ARE USING, WE DON'T USE IT ALL, THAT IS A DIFFERENT STORY. EXPENSE CAN FIT INTO THIS FUND. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. THAT IS THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I HAVE, BECAUSE IT IS HARD, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK OF OUR EMPLOYEES MAKING LIVABLE WAGES. AND WE ARE TALKING OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT

194OF MONEY. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM, AND SAY, IT'S $1. MILLION WHICH IS BROKEN OVER THREE YEARS. I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. NOT ONE YEAR. BUT UNDERSTAND THE FLEXIBILITY OF THAT. IS THIS SOMETHING WE ARE PRIORITIZING OVER SOMETHING ELSE? THAT IS WHAT MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS COME DOWN TO BECAUSE, AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE FIDELITY, IMPACT OF THIS PROGRAM. I WILL SAY I HAVE -- I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT IF KIDS ARE PUT INTO IT AS AN ELECTIVE AND THEY DIDN'T CHOOSE IT HOW IMPACTFUL IT IS. I TALKED TO STUDENTS WHO HAVEN'T CHOSE IT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE AS EXCITED AS OTHER STUDENTS BUT TO IDENTIFY THE KIDS THAT REALLY

195TO BE IN OUR PROGRAMS. BUT FOR ME, EVEN WITH A PRICE TAG OF $400,000 A YEAR, IT IS A CHALLENGE WHEN WE CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT HAVING TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS IN WHAT WE WANT TO FUND. WHEN THINKING OF ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, WHETHER OR NOT THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO USE ENRICHMENT ON OUR KIDS STILL LEARNING TO READ. I DON'T SAY THAT WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT A HUGE ISSUE OR SOMETHING WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OR EVEN IF IT KEEPS KIDS IN SCHOOLS AND TALK ABOUT THE DROP OUT RATE AND HOPE FOR FUTURE, BUT WHEN WE HAVE SUCH POOR LITERACY RATE AND LOOKING AT ENRICHMENT, I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF $400,000 FOR HOW MANY STUDENTS? 600 THAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW BUT MORE TO BE ADDED TWO EN THESE TWO SCHOOLS. 1600 PLUS. Jessica Vaughn:

196I HEARD THAT WRONG. 1600. TWO SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE A SENIOR CLASS AND ADDING THE TWO ADDITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS, YES. FOR THAT AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, IF $400,000 A YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL IS THE BEST WAY AND MOST IMPACTFUL WAY TO USE OUR LIMITED RESOURCES. IF WE WERE A CASH FLUSH DISTRICT, I WOULD FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE MONEY TO PRIORITIZE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO SPEND IT ON, THIS WOULDN'T EVEN BE A QUESTION IN MY MIND. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A GREAT PROGRAM. SINCE WE ARE PUT IN THIS POSITION SO OFTEN OF HAVING TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WE HAVE TO BE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AGAIN, IT IS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO JUST ANY SPENDING THIS MONEY WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LIVABLE WAGES FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND TALK

197TO OUR EMPLOYEE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. SO I APPRECIATE ALL CONVERSATION AROUND THAT. I HAD TO TO MAKE THAT CLEAR THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE IF I DIDN'T EXPRESS THAT. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY THAT. 30 SECONDS LEFT. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. SEEING THERE IS NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES WITH ME DISSENTING, BUT PASSES OTHERWISE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT ONE WE WILL GO TO 1.03, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGREEMENT LEGENDS OF LEARNINGS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Superintendent Ayres: THANK YOU, SPEAKING OF EAA, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A STATE ALLOCATION WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON OUR STUDENTS. IT IS CATEGORICAL AND HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF LEGENDS OF LEARNING A

198SUPPLEMENTAL ONLINE PLATFORM THAT DELIVERS MULTIMODAL SCIENCE CONTENT FOR STUDENTS K-5, IN-CLASS INSTRUCTION AND INDEPENDENT LEARNING. TOURING THE 2025 SCHOOL YEAR, 8,000 TEACHERS USE THE LEGENDS OF LEARNING TO DRIVE SCIENCE AND MATH ACHIEVEMENT RESULTED IN THE COMPLETION OF 40,000 ASSIGNMENTS ARMOR THAN 219,000 HOURS OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THAT IS ITEM 103, WHICH IS LEGEND OF LEARNING AND WE HAVE SARAH GARCIA, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND YOU KNOW HER, TRACY BERGMAN IS BACK FOR CURRICULUM. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING 1.03. Jessica Vaughn: THANKS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE 1.03. A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED IN ITEM. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? Patti Rendon: I DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAYING

199SO LONG. MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT. THEY KNEW I WAS PULLING THIS. AND YOU ARE RIGHT, MEMBER VAUGHN, THERE ARE AREAS IN WHICH CATEGORICAL THAT HAVE FLEXIBILITY. IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, EVEN THOUGH CATEGORIZED IN THIS MANNER, THE WAY OF WHICH THE WORDING OF THE DEREGULATION ALLOW US TO NOT PURCHASE AS MUCH MATERIALS WHEN WE WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE LARGE AMOUNTS OF MATERIALS. I AM PULLING THIS, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE OUR DISTRICT. WE NEED TO BETTER ATTENTION WHEN WE JUST ADOPTED AN ENTIRE NEW SCIENCE CURRICULUM. EVEN THOUGH THE SCIENCE STANDARDS HAVE NOT CHANGED FOR TEN YEARS. AND AT THE TIME THAT I APPROVED THAT AT THAT TIME, I SAID IS THIS GOING TO MEET THE DEPTH AND THE BREADTH. I AM IMPROVING A NEW CURRICULUM THAT WE DIDN'T IMPROVE ANY NEW STANDARDS AND WE DIDN'T NEED

200A NEW CURRICULUM AND LAST MONTH AND THIS MONTH ADDITIONAL ITEMS REGARDING SCIENCE CURRICULUM BECAUSE ACCORDING TO OUR STAFF AREAS OF THE McGRAW CURRICULUM WE ADOPTED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY THAT DO NOT GO FURTHER NEAR THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF OUR STANDARDS. I WANT TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE WE NEED TO PAY BETTER ATTENTION ADOPTING A FULL CURRICULUM THAT MAYBE WE DON'T NEED TO ADOPT A FULL CURRICULUM AND ONLY BRING IN WHERE WE ARE SHORT THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS STANDARDS. BECAUSE THE STANDARDS DID NOT CHANGE IN TEN YEARS, BUT WE SPENT MILLIONS TO ADOPT AN ENTIRE NEW SCIENCE CURRICULUM. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO TECHNICALLY DO THAT. WE COULD HAVE DONE MORE ON THE ADDITIONAL SUPPLE MMENTAL PIECES WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE. AS WE LOOK FORWARD, THE NEXT ADOPTION IS READING AND

201WE ALREADY JUST TWO YEARS AGO -- THREE YEARS AGO I GUESS IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR, THAT WE ADOPTED AN ENTIRE IN YOU READING CURRICULUM. WE TALKED MANY TIMES THAT IN OUR DISTRICT, WE DO A LOT OF CHANGES AN A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH OUR READING CURRICULUM. BEFORE WE GO INTO A FULL-BLOWN COST AMOUNT TO ADOPT AN ENTIRELY NEW CURRICULUM. WHEN THE STANDARDS HAVEN'T CHANGED, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE SPENDING OF THAT MONEY. THAT IS WHERE I THINK MEMBER VAUGHN WAS GOING. CAN WE MAKE SURE THE MONEY GOES WHERE IT NEED TO GO? I AM NOT DOUBTING BECAUSE THE EXPERTS IN THE DEPARTMENT HAVE SAID THERE ARE CERTAIN STANDARDS THAT NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAN WHAT McGRAW PROVIDE. AND I THINK THAT VERY WELL DONE, BUT

202DID WE NEED TO SPEND THE INITIAL DOLLAR UP FRONT? SO I THINK IT IS JUST SOMETHING WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING, IN THE SPIRIT OF -- OF WHAT INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRIORITIZING AND WHAT PROGRAM IS BETTER THAN OTHER PROGRAMS. AND I SUPPOSE I CAN GO THROUGH VEND ARE CONTRACTS AND MAKE THOSE JUDGMENTS, BUT I WILL SAY IN FAVOR. AND THANK YOU TRACY BERGMAN AND YOUR WONDERFUL TEAM. I DON'T KNOW WHERE CORY MURPHY IS, SHE IS SOMEWHERE. AND SARAH GARCIA. I WILL SAY WHEN YOU HAVE OF A PROGRAM THAT WE HAD BEFORE, IT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. HAS THREE-POINT INCREASE IN GRADE FIVE SCIENCE PROFICIENCY. THERE HAS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT FOR THIS

203PARTICULAR PACKAGE. ESPECIALLY WHEN LOOKING FOR A HIGH AMOUNT OF LITERACY, SCIENCE PERFORMANCE, MATH PERFORMANCE THAT ARE BOTH INDICATIVE OF NEED TO PUT RESOURCES IN. I WILL SAY THIS IS VERY WELL RESEARCHED AND I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT. AND MISS BERGMAN, YOU SPENT ALL NIGHT TONIGHT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING IN FAVOR OF THIS PROGRAM? WELL, YOU KNOW, I NEVER TURN DOWN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO Y'ALL, COME ON. NO, HONEST LEASE, WE ARE REALLY PROUD OF THE IMPACT THAT LEGENDS OF LEARNING ON OUR ELEMENTARY SCIENCE. UP ALLUDED TO THE THREE-POINT INCREASE BECAUSE OF OUR SCIENCE SUPERVISOR AND HER TEAM IN TERMS OF RELOOKING AT OUR PROGRAMMATICS. LOOKING AT THE RESOURCES AND HOW THEY CAN BE BEST USED TO SUPPORT THE CORE INSTRUCTION AND CORE GROUP INSTRUCTION SO THE STUDENTS CAN CAPTURE SOME OF

204BENCHMARKS THEY MAY OR MAY NOT DONE WELL. WE FEEL THIS IS A NEEDED RESOURCE. WE KNOW OUR ADMINISTRATORS FEEL SAME WAY BASED ON INFORMATIONING THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM THEM. WE KNOW THE TEACHERS -- THE MORE THE TEACHERS USE IT, THE BETTER THEIR STUDENTS DO. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLD FOR SCIENCE. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND PASSION FOR LITERACY AND SCIENCE AND MATH AND PROBABLY JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER PART OF THE CURRICULUM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. SO I WAS LOOKING EVERYTHING THIS. I AM JUST CURIOUS. I SAW IN HERE THE DAY AT THAT SAYS, GAVE -- YOU GAVE A KIND OF DESCRIPTION OF THE K-5 STUDENTS ENGAGED IN OVER 220 -- I AM GOING TO ROUND UP, II 19, BUT 220 HOURS

205ON THE PLATFORM AND COMPLETED ALMOST SIX MILLION STANDARD ALIGNED PRACTICE -- PRACTICED ITEMS, RIGHT. IS THAT THE CORRECT DATA? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. Jessica Vaughn: CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY THAT TOUCHES UPON? BECAUSE IF WE HAVE THE DATA AROUND HOW MANY ITEMS THEY ARE ABLE TO COMPLETE AND HOW MANY HOURS WE SPENT, THAT WILL BE A GOOD INDICATION WE HAVE SOME DATA ON HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE UTILIZING THIS PROGRAM. YEAH. SO OVERALL, WHEN YOU THINK OF OUR DATA USAGE, 4,000 ACTIVE TEACHERS ACROSS K-5 THIS TRANSLATED TO 70,000 STUDENTS, GIVE OR TAKE, IN TERMS OF THAT. SOME IT IS QUITE A FEW. AGAIN AVAILABLE KHORN 5 AND TOUCH ON EVERY ELEMENTARY STUDENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INDIVIDUAL TEACHER BUT QUITE A BIT OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OUT

206THERE. Jessica Vaughn: 770,000 STUDENTS WILL BE ANSWER. 70,000 STUDENTS. Jessica Vaughn: SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NUMBER -- SORRY, NEXT ITEM 2.02 ARTICULATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN TERRACE COMMUNITY MIDDLE AND KIRAN C. PATEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Superintendent Ayres: THEY SERVE STUDENTS ON THE SAME CAMPUS 10739 AND 10736 ON RAULERSON RANCH ROAD. AN AGREEMENT TO ALLOW FOR PATEL'S FIFTH-GRADE STUDENTS TO ARTICULATE INTO TCMS EACH YEAR, ITEM .02. Jessica Vaughn: NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND. A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. AND SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. I PULLED THIS ITEM. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE WHO REACHED TO OUT TO ME. WHOM AM I ASKING THESE QUESTIONS TO? THERE YOU ARE, THANK YOU. I WANTED PEOPLE WHO WANTED

207TO UNDERSTAND THIS AGLEAM. EVEN THOUGH PATEL ELEMENTARY AND TCMS -- THEY ARE NOT THE SAME SCHOOL. TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, THAT'S CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. Jessica Vaughn: WE ALLOW ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS PER THE STATUE REGARDLESS IF THEY ARE THE SAME SCHOOL OR ON THE SAME CAM US. FEEDER PATTERNS. WHERE WOULD WE ALLOW ANY ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS. WE HAVE ALLOWED ARTICULATION AGREEMENT. WE HAVE AN ARTICULATION BETWEEN KIRAN C. PATEL HIGH SCHOOL. Jessica Vaughn: ANY OTHER SCHOOLS HAVE THAT THESE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS? MOST ARE WITHIN THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY. THEY ARE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS BUT MAY HAVE THE SAME MANAGEMENT COMPANY. Jessica Vaughn: THIS ONE IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT COMPANIES? YES. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. JUST TO CLARIFY. I AM NOT SURE WHO I SHOULD ASK THIS TOO AS FAR AS LEGALITY, MY ATTORNEY OR MR. GIBSON WHO LOOKS READY

208AND PREPPED FOR THIS QUESTION IS -- ARE WE STATUTORY ALLOWED TO VOTE YES. AND DO WE HAVE FLEXIBILITY. WITH CHARTER SCHOOL, WE ARE ADVISED FROM COUNCIL STATUTORILY UNLESS WE FIND SOMETHING EGREGIOUS, ARE WE REQUIRED TO VOTE YES ON THIS? WITH THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION, I WILL REFER TO MR. PORTER. I HAVE REVIEW IT FOR ITS LEGALITY WHEN IT RELATES TO THE STATUTE, AND I BELIEVE IT IS. Jessica Vaughn: YOU BELIEVE IT IS. Jim Porter: COMPLIES WITH THE STATUTE AND YOUR DEW POINTY IS TO VOTE FOR IT IF ALL THE CRITERIA HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE MET BY THE STATUTE. Jessica Vaughn: SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO PARENTS TO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE FAIRNESS OF, LIKE, A LOTTERY SYSTEM, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE SAYS THERE EQUAL ACCESS AND EQUITY TO CHARTER SCHOOLS OR OUR OWN --

209OUR OWN MAGNET SCHOOLS THROUGH A LOTTERY SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO ONE WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, AN UPPER HAND IN THIS SITUATION. PARENTS ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS KIND OF VIOLATES THAT. AND IT GIVES A PATHWAY FROM -- OR PATEL ELEMENTARY TRITE TO THCMS. AND WORRY THAT FAMILIES THAT MAY TRADITIONALLY CHOOSE OUR PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MAY GO TO PATEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO CERTIFY AND KIND OF CEMENT THE FACT THEY WILL HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO TCMS. ANY THOUGHTS IN RESPONSE? BECAUSE I SPECIFICALLY HAD SOME ADMINISTRATORS OF LOCAL SCHOOLS AND SOME PARENTS REACH OUT JUST TO ASK ABOUT THAT SPECIFICALLY. I GUESS WHAT I CAN SAY IS, THIS IS ONE OF, I THINK, SEVEN CATEGORIES OF PREFERENCES THAT ARE PERMITTED BY THE STATUTE IN THE LOTTERY SYSTEM. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY BUT

210THAT. Jim Porter: THESE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS. I DON'T THINK IT IS FAIR TO ANSWER AT THE DAIS FOR MR. GIBSON, ASK A QUESTION AND GET BACK TO AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE FOR YOUR PARENTS. THAT WAY IT IS THOROUGH. S QUESTIONS ARE WORTHWHILE. Jessica Vaughn: SOUL GET BACK TO ME ON THAT? YES, MA'AM. Jessica Vaughn: MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. PORTER. IF ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS FEELS THAT ONE COUNTY ITEMS, LIKE ONE OF THE SEVEN CRITERIA THAT WE FEEL WILL BE VIOLATED, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHOICE PATTERN, WHETHER IT IS FROM THE RANDOM LOTTERY SYSTEM, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE NO. Jim Porter: WOULD YOU HAVE TO ARTICULATE ON THE RECORD WHY YOU FELT THAT CRITERIA WASN'T MET. WHAT YOU ARE FACE SOMETHING A STAFF REVIEW THAT

211HAS REVIEWED IT AND MADE THAT DETERMINATION. SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU FEEL CRITERIA NUMBER FIVE IS NOT MET AND SAY THAT ON THE RECORD. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND THAT DECISION IF IT WAS CHALLENGED. WOULD YOU HAVE TO -- YOU CAN'T BASE IT ON OPINION. YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE HARD, SOLID EVIDENCE BECAUSE THAT IS STAFF'S JOB TO BE DO THAT SORT OF ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH AND MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION. YOU HAVE OF THAT RIGHT, BUT A HARD BURDEN FOR YOU QUITE FRANKLY AND YOU NEED TO BE CLEAR WHY THE CRITERIA REASON IS BEEN MEANT. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO THAT. YES. SHREVEPORT FOR THAT IS THE CASE, WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD MEMBERS TO DO HAVE TO CONVERSATION BEFORE THAT SO WHEN WE GET TO

212THE DAIS, WE CAN BE PREPARED TO HELP YOU VOTE IN A WAY TO VOTE NO IF YOU NEEDED TO VOTE IT. AND SORT OF ARM YOU WITH THE AMMUNITION THAT YOU WOULD NEED. BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE TO DEFENDS WHY YOUR DECISION. IF IT IS NOT DEFENSIBLE, IT PUTS THE DISTRICT AT RISK. BUT SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT AHEAD OF TIME AND WE CAN WORK THROUGH WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE AND WHY YOU THINK IT DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA AND HAVE A CONVERSATION. AND THEN DO IT ON THE RECORD. I AM NOT TRYING TO SUGGEST WE DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE SUNSHINE. YOU HAVE ABOUT I THINK IT HELPS SORT OF FRAME THE CONVERSATION AND ULTIMATELY MAKE THE DECISION A MORE DEFENSIBLE DECISION. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. ACTUALLY I WILL HAVE ONE LAST

213QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET OUT OF HERE. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. THERE THOUGHTS ABOUT LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITIES THAT MIGHT CHOOSE THESE SCHOOLS IN GENERAL AND GOING INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND FINDING OUT WHAT IS MOTIVATING PARENTS TO MAKE NOSE CHOICES AND REPLICATING THOSE IN THE AREA THAT ARE CLOSE AND PULLING FOR THESE SCHOOLS. Superintendent Ayres: ABSOLUTELY. AS ENROLLMENT BECOMES AN ISSUE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ACROSS THE STATE. THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND FAMILIES WANT TO HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR THEIR STUDENTS, ABSOLUTELY. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO 4.0 2, AUGUST 15, 2025, ECONOMIC SALARY

214PROPOSAL WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS EMPLOYEE FEDERATION FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT IN ITEM. Superintendent Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. GREAT AGENDA ITEM, THE HIGHLY NEGOTIATED ECONOMIC SALARY PROPOSALS. SO BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU UP FRONT. YOU BEGAN THIS PROCESS FOR STAFF IN ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY. SO THANK YOU, FIRST OFF FOR THE BOARD AND MAKING SURE WE PUSH THIS FORWARD AND GET THIS AGLEAM DONE. IT DISTRICT AND HSCF DID BARGAINING AND REACHED A TENTATIVE OPINION ON AUGUST 2025, RATIFY BY 96.1 VOTING MEMBERS OF MELY. THIS INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY -- WHAT IS HSCF, 4400 EMPLOYEES THAT INCLUDE OUR CUSTODIAN, STUDENT NUTRITION, BUS DRIVERS, BUS ATTEND ANTS, HATE NANCE AND SECURITY AMONG OTHER JOB TYPES. 0.2 INCREASE IN THE SUPPORT SCHEDULE WITH ALL ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES MOVING UP ALSO ONE LEVEL. EMPLOYEES AT THE TOP LEVEL

215OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PAY GRADE WILL RECEIVE A ONE-TIME STEP PAYMENT OF 2,000. CUSTODIANS CREW LADDERS, ASSISTANTS, TRANSPORTATION SPECIALISTS AND WILL BE REGRADED. COORDINATORS RECEIVE A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF $2,000. INCENTIVES INCLUDING PERFECT ATTENDANCE, SAFE DRIVER, ESC AND FOR ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH BUS PATROL FUNDS. ESTIMATE COST IS APPROXIMATELY $5.2 MILLION PLUS $3.2 MILLION FROM SOME OF OUR BUS PATROL FUNDS. ON THE RECORD, WE TALKED A LOT OF BUS PATROL. BUS PATROL THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR ONE YEAR AND GOING RIGHT BACK TO OUR EMPLOYEES IT SHALL TO OUR BUS DRIVERS. THOSE THAT WORK IN OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. I WANT A SPECIAL THANKS TO, OF COURSE, BOARD MEMBERS TO YOU, BUT THE TEAM HERE, THE BARGAINING TEAM DANIELLE -- START WITH KELLY THIS HER NEW ROLE. CONSOLATIONS GETTING THIS DONE. CONGRATULATIONS. KELLY KING. DR.

216PATENT, MR. LEWIS AND MISS SHOTWELL. MISS ANYBODY? OUR BARGAINING TEAM AND STEPHANIE McNEIL FROM THE HSCF. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THIS ONE ON IT AND GET DONE AND COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. SOME BIG THANKS TO THIS ENTIRE TEAM. THEY WORK EXTREMELY HARD ON BE THIS. TOOK A LOT OF LATE NIGHT PHONE CALLS WITH EACH OF THEM THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND THANK YOU, GUYS, PAUL THIS HARD WORK AND MISS KING, CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATS. 4.02. Jessica Vaughn: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE 4.02. A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. AND THAT WAS ME, SECOND BY MYSELF. MEMBER GRAY AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND I AM GOING TO ECHO SUPERINTENDENT SOAYRES. WHAT A GREAT TEAM. JAMIE LEWIS. DANIEL SHOTWELL, AND WE HAVE

217KELLY KING. AND THEN WE HAVE DR. PATTON. AND THEN WE HAVE -- IRAN. ALUSHA STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. STEPHANIE McNEIL. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE A POWERHOUSE. YOU REPRESENT THESE EMPLOYEES SO AS WELL IN EARNEST AND I KNOW -- SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, DID YOU SPEND A LITTLE MIDNIGHT OIL, MAYBE 10:00 AT NIGHT. AND YOU KNOW, IT TAKES SO MUCH GIVE AND TAKE THAT -- BUT IT WAS -- IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL NEXT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND ALSO KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WILL BE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT RAISE. IT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED .SOME I AM HAPPY TO SEE THESE RESULTS. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. Superintendent Ayres: I DID FORGET ONE THING. WE HAVE AN E-MAIL. IRAN AND STEPHANIE, THEY HAD AN E-MAIL. DR. PATTON IF

218YOU CAN READ FROM IRAN AND STEPHANIE. THE STATEMENT IS DEAR SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, ON BEHALF OF MELY, OUR ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN APPROVING THE NEGOTIATED CONTRACT CHANGES AND PAY INCREASES DURING THIS YEAR'S DISCUSSIONS. YOUR DECISION DEMONSTRATES A DEEP COMMITMENT TO HONORING THE DEDICATION, HARD WORK OF OUR EMPLOYEES .THESE ENHANCEMENTS WILL MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN LIFE-THREATENING OF OUR MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHILE ALSO EN FORCING OUR SHARED MISSION, FOR PROVIDE AN EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AND SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY. AS WE CELEBRATE THIS IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD, WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS MORE WORK AHEAD. WE REMAIN CONFIDENT THAT THROUGH CONTINUED COLLABORATION, WE CAN BUILD ON THIS MOMENTUM TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR SCHOOLS AND THE VITAL SYSTEMS THAT OUR STUDENTS RELY

219ON. WE DEEPLY VALUE YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED PROGRESS WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER WITH APPRECIATION. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. VERY BEAUTIFULLY READ, DR. PATTON. A QUICK MOMENT. THANK YOU TO THE BARGAINING TEAM. UNDER AN IMMENSE PART OF PRESSURE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE REPRESENTING THE TIS STRICT AND ALL THAT. I WANT TO THANK YOU TO THE UNION WHO NEGOTIATE THIS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU TO YOU ARE WHO EMPLOYEES THAT REPRESENT SOFT OF THE HARDEST-WORKING, MOST UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERPAID EMPLOYEES WHO ARE REALLY THE BACKBONES OF OUR SCHOOL. WE TALK A LOT OF TIME OF OUR EDUCATORS AND, OF COURSE, THEY EDUCATE OUR BUT THE PEOPLE THAT CLEAN OUR CLASSROOMS, DRIVE US BUSES, TREAT OUR STUDENTS AND FEED OUR KID ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE EDUCATORS. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THEM,

220YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WISH WE HE COULD DO MORE, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY DO. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL MOVE ON TO 6.01, BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JUNE 30. JAMIE LEWIS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. HAVEN'T WE HEARD ENOUGH FROM HIM? HE IS BACK AGAIN. MAKE IT QUICK. WE HAVE NO PRESENTATION TONIGHT SO WE WILL MAKE IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. WE DID HIGHLIGHT A LOT OF THIS DURING FINAL HEARINGS. AND I WILL KIND OF GO OVER A FEW THINGS. THE AMENDMENT THAT KIND OF CLOSES OUT LAST YEAR IN THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR. JUST FROM A HIGHLIGHT, AND YOU HEARD US AGAIN EARLIER

221TONIGHT. IT BEGAN THE YEAR WITH -- THIS IS TALKING ABOUT FISCAL YEAR 25, THE YEAR THAT JUST ENDED. WE BEGAN THE YEAR AT 396.8 MILLION FUND BALANCE WHICH IS ROUGHLY OVER 2%. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE HAD NUMEROUS CHALLENGES, CFO CHANGED. YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH ME. AND WE HAD CHANGES IN PERSONNEL. AND -- AND ALL THAT WAS A TRANSITION FOR US AS WE ARE STILL GOING THROUGH SOME TRANSITIONS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE AWARE THAT THE CALCULATIONS FROM THE STATE WERE DELAYED. BUDGET SEASON WAS DELAYED .APPEAR VERY UNIQUE YEAR FOR NEWS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. ONE THING THAT I AM PROUD OF OUR DISTRICT AND REPORTING THAT EVEN THOUGH THE THIRD CALCULATION WE SAW A LOSS OF FUNDING. THE DISTRICT WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT. YOU REMEMBER WE LOST ABOUT $18.3 MILLION IN

222THE THIRD CALCULATION WHICH WAS DELAYED AND THAT MEANT LESS TIME IN YEAR TO REACT TO THAT. I THINK THE DISTRICT CAME TOGETHER AND IDENTIFIED WAYS TO SAVE THAT, ESPECIALLY THE DISTRICT LEVEL MINIMIZE SPENDING, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT FILLING VACANCIES AND OPERATING COSTS. AND THAT ALLOWED USES TO EVEN OVERCOME THAT. SO THE ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO HIT THAT I THINK IS A VERY GOOD POINT IS EVEN THOUGH THE THIRD CALCULATION DID IMPACT US IN A NEGATIVE WAY, WE WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT AND EXCEED THE ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR FY 2022-2023 CAL YEAR 2025. ENDING FUND BALANCE WAS $290 -- SORRY, I LOST MY SPOT. $293.3 MILLION AT 16%. AND I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING. AND WE HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THINGS WE DID THAT. DISTRICT OPERATING COST. MOSTLY AT THE OPERATION

223LEVEL. ABLE TO REMOVE 250 DISTRICT VACANCIES. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE PEOPLE WERE NOT IN THOSE POSITIONS ABLE TO REMOVE VACANT POSITIONS AND REALIZE THE SAVINGS THAT THEN LED INTO THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET AND ALLOWED IT TO SAVE MONEY. IN ADDITION TO THAT ALTERNATIVE REVENUES THAT WE COULD BRING IN AND THE STORY GOES ON AND ON. A VERY GOOD STORY AND ALLOWED US TO DO MORE THIS YEAR IN TERM OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO ESPECIALLY AS WE IDENTIFY WHAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT. FINAL THING THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE AWARE OF IS THE FOURTH CALCULATION FROM STATE IS STILL BEING DELAYED. WE DO NOT HAVE A TIME TABLE WHEN THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO US. TYPICALLY THAT COMES OUT AROUND APRIL OR MAY. BUT WE ARE

224STILL WAITING FOR THAT FINAL. THAT COULD IMPACT THE FINAL RESULTS FOR LAST YEAR. WE WILL WAIT AND SEE. WE DO HAVE SOME THINGS THAT KIND OF ROLL INTO THAT LAST CALCULATION FROM A FTE STANDPOINT. BUT WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT BUT HAPPY TO REPORT WE FINISHED THE YEAR RESTRONG AND PROPELLED US INTO THE CURRENT YEAR THAT YOU HEARD EARLIER THIS EVENING. THAT IS OUR REPORT. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE C 6.01. MEMBER PEREZ -- I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Lynn Gray: YEAH, YOU KNOW, MR. LEWIS, YOU HAVE BROUGHT SO MUCH FISCAL STABILITY TO OUR DISTRICT AND IT IS SO APPRECIATED. I

225HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. WE DIDN'T GET THE FOURTH CALCULATION, IS THAT CORRECT YET? NO, MA'AM, STILL DELAYED. Lynn Gray: WITH THAT BEING SAID, WILL THERE BE -- OR SHOULD WE GO AHEAD AND BE EXPECTING A DROP TO THE FUND BALANCE OF -- BACK TO 10% DUE TO LACK OF THE ENROLLMENT THAT WE ARE SEEING. AND PERHAPS DUE TO THE HIGH AMOUNT OF EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIPS. WOULD YOU REP MARK ON THAT, PLEASE. POSSIBLY SEE A DECREASE. I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTION AS THE THIS POINT. LET THE PROCESS PLAY ITSELF OUT AN SEE WHAT IT IS IF IT IS A NEGATIVE IMPACT, THE DISTRICT WILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN ACCORDINGLY. AND I AM HOPING WE GET WORD THAT CALCULATION COMES OUT SOON. NOT A LOT OF MOVEMENT FROM THE FTE ON THE FOURTH CALCULATION BECAUSE

226THE YEAR KIND OF WENT THROUGH ITS PROCESS. WE WILL HAVE TO JUST MONITOR THAT AND SEE. I THINK WE JUST DON'T KNOW. SO WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. Lynn Gray: TO KEEP US POSTED AS YOU HAVE BEEN DOING AND AS YOU CAN SEE MEMBER HAHN IS ALSO VERY MUCH FIXEDED INTO -- DON'T GO BELOW 10% AND RIGHTLY SO BECAUSE WE, ONCE UPON A TIME WENT TO 3%. SO WE ARE VERY -- YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDABLY CAUSUS. MY OTHER QUESTION IS, DO YOU EXPECT WITH THE -- WITH THE INNOVATIVE TYPES OF THINKING AND YOUR VISIONARY THINKING. AND THIS IS COMPLIMENT. TWO COMPLIMENTS. DO YOU HAVE REVENUE SOURCES WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT? I KNOW MEDICAID MIGHT BE ONE. HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL. DO YOU WANT TO EXPAND ON HOPEFULLY MONEY COMING IN? I WILL EMPHASIZE THIS IS A

227CABINET INITIATIVE. NOT JUST KNEE AS A CFO OR THE FINANCE TEAM. OUR WHOLE CABINET IS INVESTED IN BUILDING THIS. HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL SCHOOLS A PERFECT EXAMPLE TOP REASON IS AN OPPORTUNITY GROW THAT. WE SEE THE STATE OTHER PART OF THAT HAS GROWN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT AND LOOKING AND EMPHASIZING HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL. MED KALE PROGRAMS THIS YEAR. LOOKING AT PROGRAMS TO -- WE HAD A WORKSHOP BACK IN SPRING AND IMPLEMENTED A LOT OF THOSE AND DEDICATING RESOURCES TO IT. OTHER THINGS LIKE BUILDING INTEREST AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN TRY TO BRING ANOTHER DOLLAR INTO THIS DISTRICT, WE ARE EXPLORING AND AN EMPHASIS AND THINGS I CALL ALTERNATIVE REVENUES .NOT OUR BASE-TYPE FUNDING AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO BRING MONEY AND ALL THOSE THINGS ADDED UP HELP THE IT IS STRICT SUCCEED. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU FOR THAT. OUR WONDERFUL

228STEPHANIE HEATON HAS STOOD -- I KEEP SAYING THE TEST OF TIME, BUT STEPHANIE, YOU HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK SO MUCH. DANIEL -- WELL, YOU ALSO IT SHALL WHAT A THRECOMPLEMENT YOU TO THE TEAM. MR. LEWIS, YOU HAVE QUITE THE COMPETENT FINANCIAL TEAM. WE HAVE A GREAT FOUR THAT WORK REALLY HARD. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. Jessica Vaughn: MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. I JUST -- LIKE MEMBER GRAY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM. ALL OF US ON THIS BOARD HAVE BEEN THROUGH A FEW CFOs. I THINK YOU HAVE REALLY STOOD OUT IN THE SHORT TIME YOU HAVE BEEN HERE. AND YOUR STRATEGIC APPROACH AND WORKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS TO ACHIEVE BIG -- BIG GOALS. I CALL THEM BUCKETS, YOU CALL THEM STONES, DID YOU SAY? I

229CALLED THEM ROCKS. Stacy Hahn: STONES, ROCKS. ROCKS ARE HARD TO MOVE. Stacy Hahn: AND YOU APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE OF OF A "TAMPA BAY TIMES" ARTICLE OUT LAST WEEK AROUND THE STUDENT NUMBERS, STUDENT LOSS NUMBERS. BECAUSE I KNOW IN A CONVERSATION WE HAD, YOU SAID THAT WE WERE ABOUT 2500. AND THE CONSCIOUS TAMPA BAY TIMES" QUOTED WE WERE DOWN 10,000 STUDENTS APPEAR HUGE DISCREPANCY. AND WAY TO LIKE SOME CLARIFICATION FOR THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE I AM GETTING PEOPLE ASKING ME ABOUT THAT WHO DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THIS STUFF, BUT THEY SAW THAT HEADLINE AND THEY WERE SURPRISED. I WILL START WITH, I HAD A -- A ZOOM MEETING TODAY WITH SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSS THE STATE AND LOSS ENROLLMENT IS ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA. THE SAME ISSUES WE TALK

230TO, WAS A TOPIC OF THE CONVERSATION AT 9 A.M. WITH OTHER SUPERINTENDENT ACROSS THE STATE. SEEING THE SAME TYPES OF DROPS IN ENROLLMENT. OUR 77, 428. 77,428. IT WAS OFF BECAUSE OF SYNERGY. WE HAD REAL CONCERNS, WONKINESS WHAT THAT NUMBER TRULY WAS. IN THE END WHEN THAT GETS TO THE STATE, THAT GETS FIGURED OUT BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE FTE PERIOD AND GETS WORKED THROUGH. AT THE VERY BEGINNING THAT IS ALL WE HAVE, THE 185 NUMBER WE CALCULATED LAST YEAR. YOU LOOK AT TWO AND THREE-YEAR TRENDS NEVER 18. YOU GO BACK FROM 2020, SAT AT 181, 182, 181 WAS A NUMBER. THIS 177, DO THE MATH, 3500 STUDENT DROP TRADITIONAL. I WANT TO NOTE THAT CHARTERS ARE SEEING THE SAME LOSS OF ENROLLMENT. TAMPA BAY TIMES OF LAST YEAR'S NUMBER 185 AND CHARTER

231SCHOOLS WITH THE TIME OF THE ARTICLE, OVER 2,000 STUDENTS AS WELL. A COMBINATION OF TAKING THE 185 MINUS THE 177, ADDING THE 2,000 FROM CHARTER TO COME UP WITH THAT AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP SO THE PUBLIC REALIZES IF WE LOOK AT THE PAST THREE YEARS, THAT NUMBER IS CONSISTENT AROUND 181 AND 182 WHICH LEADS TO BELIEVE THAT LAST YEAR'S 185 WAS A LITTLE INFLATED .THANK YOU. LITTLE INFLATED. MR. LEWIS, IF YOU WANT TO ADD. EVERY CATEGORY BEYOND FTS, SEEN LOSS OF ENROLLMENT FROM DAY 20 OF TWO YEARS AGO. Stacy Hahn: I KNOW WE ALSO SMOKE THAT YOU HAD SOME DATA FROM THE STATE OR THE COUNTY THAT SHOWS MIGRATION. SHOWING FAMILY MIGRATION. POPULATION MIGRATION LEAVING FLORIDA AND FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE MOVING TO FLORIDA FOR VARIOUS REASONS. I THINK A LOT OF

232DAY AT THAT POINTS. A LOT OF DATA POINTS THAT IMPACT THOSE STUDENT NUMBERS. NOT JUST ONE DATA POINT OR TWO DATA POINTS. BY LOOKING AT ALL OF THEM, WE HAVE THIS PICTURE OF WHAT ARE IS REALLY HAPPENING AND WE CAN FORECAST BETTER. SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU ARE DOING. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I LIKE DOUBLE-DIGIT FUND BALANCE TO PUT ON THE RECORD AGAIN. BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THROUGH YEARS WHERE WE HAD TOE LET GO LARGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES. WHETHER IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE OR OUTSIDE THE SCHOOLHOUSE, IT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY EASIER ESPECIALLY WITH THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW AND TO PUT SOMEBODY OUT OF THE JOB WOULD BREAK MY HEART. I COULDN'T HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. AND I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION SO THAT FUND BALANCE PROTECTS USES FROM POTENTIALLY HAVING TO

233DO THAT, BECAUSE WE CAN USE THAT TIME AS YOU SAID TO -- TO STRATEGIZE AND FIGURE OUT. OUR SURROUNDING FRIEND IN OTHER COUNTIES ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW WITH VERY LOW FUND BALANCES BECAUSE THEY STARTED OUT WITH A LOW FUND BALANCE AND I KNOW WE WANT TO GIVE AS MUCH MONEY TOP OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT WE NEED TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND STRIKE A BALANCE, YOU REALLY DO. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, DR. HAHN. Superintendent Ayres: ONE THINGS, MULTIPLE FACTORS. EARLY THIS AFTERNOON, BIRTH RATES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, YOU WILL SEE SIGNIFICANT DROP ''19, '20, DROPPED AND LEVELED OUT SINCE THEN AND THAT IS AFFECTING NUMBERS. AS DR. HAHN MENTIONED A VARIETY OF FACTORS LEADING TO THIS DATA POINTS ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA. BUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BIRTH

234RATES WERE DOWN 2019 AND 2020 WOULD BE THE INCOMING KINDERGARTNERS. WE SEE IT BECAUSE THE NUMBERS, 1500 DROP IN KINDERGARTEN THERE IS YOUR 500 A LOT OF FACTORS THAT LEAD TO THIS. THIS IS BEYOND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA WHERE WE ARE SEEING DROPS IN -- IN ENROLLMENT ACROSS THE STATE. AND MY LAST COMMENT. JUST THANK MR. LEWIS AND IS ENTIRE TEAM AND MISS GRAY, YOU DID YOU SO. DANIEL, STEPHANIE -- THE WORK THAT SHE DOES. AND I KNOW SHE MEETS WITH EACH OF YOU LOVE MEETING WITH HONG AND THE PERSPECTIVE SHE BRINGS. I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO JAMIE AND HAD IS TEAM. HE HAS ONLY BEEN HERE SINCE JANUARY, SO IT SEEMS LIKE HE HAS BEEN HERE LONGER THAN THAT. BUT SINCE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND

235IN THAT WE HAVE A TREMENDOUSMENT IN NUMBER OF CHALLENGES OF THE SECOND CALC. THIRD CALCULATION AND THE WORK THAT HE HAS DONE IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME HAS BEEN REMARKABLE. IF YOU THINK BACK CLOSE OUT THE REAR WITH $293 MILLION FUND BALANCE AND 16%. A LOT OF THAT WAS JAMIE AND HIS TEAM AND DON'T FORGET, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS WITH NO CFO. BOARD MEMBERS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT SEARCHING TO GET THE RIGHT PERSON IN THIS POSITION. THANK YOU, JAMIE, FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR TEAM. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. I WAS ON OUR GREAT CITY SCHOOL CALL FRIDAY TALK WITH BOARD MEMBERS ACROSS THE NATION. BUT THERE WERE SOME IN FLORIDA SPECIFICALLY, PALM BEACH AND BROWARD WHO WERE TALKING OF THIS VERY THING. ENROLLMENT

236AND WHAT -- AND THEY SAID THEIR STAFF HAD GIVEN FEEDBACK IN SOME OF OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ARE NOT ENGAGING, NOT ENROLLING WHAT THEY ARE FIND SOMETHING ENROLLMENT IS DOWN DUE TO FEAR AROUND OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, REGISTERING THEIR KIDS MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION. A WAY TO GAUGE IF THAT IS PROBLEM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Superintendent Ayres: ONE AT TO TALK OF THAT. FARKAS. IMMIGRATION IS ALSO A BIG PART OF IT. ONE THING THAT WILL PULL AWAY FROM THAT. IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE A LARGE POPULATION THAT FIT THAT CATEGORY, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE SCHOOLS DROP MORE THAN THE OTHER ONES. IF THAT IS TRUE AND WE BELIEVE IT IS ONE OF THE FACTORS, NOT ONE THAT AFFECTED DISPROPORTIONATELY MORE THAN OTHERS. IT IS AS FACTOR ARE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS AS PREDOMINANT

237FACTOR. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, THAT IS HELPFUL. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: SO SUPERINTENDENT, REMEMBER WHEN I WENT TO PUERTO RICO, THAT I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A FEW OF THE MAYOR THERE IS IN DIFFERENT TOWNSHIPS THERE IS IN PUERTO RICO. AND THEY WERE SAYING THAT THE POPULATION IN PUERTO RICO NOT ON THE ISLAND IS ALSO DECREASING. A LOT OF YOUNG COUPLES I DECIDED TO HAVE PETS INSTEAD OF CHILDREN AND I SAID I CAN'T ARGUE. I HAVE BAXTER AND RILEY. THEY DON'T TALK BACK. BUT, YEAH, BUT IT WAS A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH YOU I THINK BACK IN JUNE THAT THEY ARE NOTICING THAT DECREASE N POPULATION AS WELL. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. SEEING NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON IT

238TO 7.02, EDUCATION PLANT SPOT SURVEY 6.3 FOR THE DEMOLITION OF BUS BAY AT EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CHANGE OF USE AT BOWERS-WHITLEY. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. TSUNAMI SUPERINTENDENT THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, MR. FARKAS, ADDED TO YOUR ITEM. 7.02. A QUICK ONE. NEW SPOT SURVEY FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUS BAY BUILDING LINE ON THE EISENHOWER CAMPUS. ANYTHING ELSE? Christopher Farkas: JUST TO FOLLOW UP. YOU ALREADY APPROVED THE BOARD ITEM FOR EISENHOWER AND TALKED OF COULD THE INSTRUCTION THAT GOES WITH IT. EVEN THOUGH IT IS AN OLD BUS BAY, PICTURES ON THE ITEM THAT LOOK ROUGH, WE HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE STATE AND THAT IS WHAT THIS ITEM IS ABOUT. Jessica Vaughn: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE C 7.02. A MOTION

239BY MEMBER GRAY. AND A MEMBER BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. A QUESTION FOR A COMMENT? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY ISSUE WITH THIS ITEM. NOT JUST EISENHOWER BUS RAMP BUT BECAUSE WATERS BOWERS-WHITLEY. I DON'T THINK I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE BETWEEN 35 TO 65 STUDENTS A THIS PARTICULAR SITE. NOT VERY CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE. I HAVE GOT NO QUOTES. EISENHOWER IS NOT MY ISSUE, BUT KIND OF LIKE WE SWEEPED IN AND BROUGHT IN BOWERS-WHITLEY, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT. PARK FASHGZ WHAT PART OF THE STUDENT STATIONS ARE NOT CORRECT. WHEN I READ BOWERS-WHITLEY IN HERE. WHAT PAGE ARE WE LOOKING AT? MAJORITY OF THIS ENTIRE ITEM IS EISENHOWER, WHICH I 100% AGREE WITH AND A NECESSARY NEED FOR THAT FOR THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS. LOOK AT

240BOWERS-WHITLEY. IT IS SAYING EXISTING STUDENT STATIONS. 637. AND THEN STUDENT STATIONS ADDED FIVE. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE. WE ARE LESS LIKE 65 STUDENTS IN THE ENTIRE BUILDING. THAT'S CORRECT. BUT STUDENTS IS IN THEORY HOW CAN FIT IN THE BUILDING NOT HOW MANY THERE BE THERE. Patti Rendon: WE ARE SPENDING MONEY WHERE STUDENTS AREN'T GOING. Christopher Farkas: THE MOTION WILL BE TRANSITIONING TO ADULT EDUCATION. Patti Rendon: IT ALREADY WAS. IT WAS ADULT EDUCATION. BROUGHT IN THE CONSTRUCTION ACADEMY. WE MOVED ADULT ED OUT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT DIDN'T MEET CRITERIA BY STATE LEGISLATION TO HAVE THAT COMBINED, AND ALL YOU HAVE OF THAT IS ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT. IN 2023 IT ALLOWED BY STATUTE UNIT TO YOU HAVE BOTH SITES ON ONE CAMPUS. WE NEVER MOVE THEM BACK. SPEND MORE MONEY TO MOVE THEM BACK BEFORE WHERE THEY WERE.

241IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME P. Christopher Farkas: A CHANGE OF USE. NOT SPENDING MONEY FOR THE SITE BUT CHANGING THE USE SO IT IS FOR ADULT EDUCATION. Patti Rendon: IT WAS FOR ADULT EDUCATION BEFORE. Christopher Farkas: DESIGNATED FOR THE STATE WITH 9-12. BUT THE DISTRICT DID NOT DESIGNATE. Jessica Vaughn: IT WAS TAKEN AWAY. THE ENTIRE TIME T HAD A CAREER -- Patti Rendon: IT WAS ORIGINALLY COMPLETELY ADULT ED. Jessica Vaughn: IT WASN'T. Patti Rendon: IT WAS FULLY -- Jim Porter: BOARD MEMBERS, HERE IS THE DEAL. MISS RENDON HAS THE FLOOR. Jessica Vaughn: MY FAULT, I INTERRUPTED. Jim Porter: YOU ARE CAN'T HAVE BACK AND FORTH. YOU ARE EN TITLE -- I HAVE A QUESTION WHY THESE ITEMS ARE LINKED TOGETHER? A REASON WHY THEY ARE LINKED TOGETHER OPPOSED TO TWO SEPARATE AGENDA ITEMS? P

242Christopher Farkas: HONEST ANSWER. Jessica Vaughn: I WILL BE QUIET. Superintendent Ayres: ADULT ED, BOWERS-WHITLEY. WHAT IT WAS. GIVE THE BACKGROUND. ORIGINALLY A K-12. 9-12 SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED BACK IN THE DAY. THEY -- IT GOT A LITTLE WEIRD BECAUSE THEY STARTED DOING G.E.D.s. STARTED GETTING ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO THEN WE GOT EVERYTHING STRAIGHTENED OUT AND THEY DECIDED THEY WANT ALL THE ADULTS REMOVED. THERE WAS AN ADULT COMPONENT THERE. SHARING THE FACILITY. THEY HAVE ALMOST SINCE DAY ONE. A SHARED FACILITY. ON ALL THE STATE FORMS LISTEDK-12. 6-12 -- 7-12. WHEN OTHER SUPERINTENDENT CAME, HE WANTED ALL THE ADULTS REMOVED OFF CAMPUS. MAINTAINED THE NAME. KEPT THE NAME. ADULTS ARE GOING BACK AND WHAT THE STATE HAVE ACCURATE TO WHAT WE ARE REALLY DOING. Patti Rendon:

243WHEN I VOTE ON THIS, I AM VOTE THAT I AM AGREEING THAT THE OTHER STUDENTS IN OTHER STUDENT STATION ALSO BE REMOVED FROM THIS CAMPUS BECAUSE WE WILL NOT KEEP IT AS BOTH. LET'S CLARIFY THAT. RECORRECT. GOING FORWARD IT WILL BE JUST ADULTS. THE ADULT GROUP THAT WERE THERE ARE FROM BASICALLY DAY ONE. Patti Rendon: MORE THAN A STATE APPROVAL. WE ARE MOVING STUDENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF STUDENTS THAT WE BROUGHT IN HERE FOR CONSTRUCTION ACADEMY AND MOVING THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE. SOME WE ARE GOING TO BE SPENDING -- YOU ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO ME AND SPEND MORE MONEY TO GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL FOR THAT ACADEMY, RIGHT. IF I DO THIS AND MAKE THEM ALL ADULTS, ARE THEY LO LONGER GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO BE THERE. THE STUDENTS THAT ARE THERE -- ONLY

244ADULT STUDENTS AT BEEN,OWERS CURRENTLY. BOWERS WENT BACK TO BEING CURRENTLY THE ADULTS. CITIZENS IT WAS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ACADEMY, FOUR STUDENTS IN PLUMBING. AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE IN CONSTRUCTION. SO AS THOSE STUDENTS TRANSITION AND DIDN'T RETURN, THE ADULTS NOW ARE BACK ON CAMPUS. SO THE ADULTS -- SHALL THERE ARE MANY MORE ADULTS. WE HAVE A LARGER POPULATION OF ADULTS IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT NEED THE SUPPORT. Patti Rendon: OKAY, SO NO LONGER ANY CHILDREN IN THOSE PROGRAMING. NO, MA'AM. NO HIGH SCHOOL-AGED STUDENTS. Patti Rendon: OKAY, SO WE ARE GOING -- BUT -- IF WE DON'T REDO THIS, THERE IS NO COST HERE? CORRECT. Patti Rendon: IS THERE A COST A FACTOR. COST, JUST A DESIGNATION CHANGE. Patti Rendon: OKAY. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I APPRECIATE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS AND VERY CONFUSING WHEN YOU

245BIND IT TOGETHER. YOU WOULD APPRECIATE -- IF IT IS YOU MR. FARKAS IF YOU ARE MAKING MORE CHANGES WITH BOWERS-WHITLEY SINCE THAT IS MY SCHOOL AND LAST TIME THERE WERE MORE THAN FIVE STUDENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION. AND WE WERE BUGSING KIDS OVER FROM WHICH OTHER SCHOOL, CHAMBERLAIN OR FREEDOM TO MAKE SURE THEY COULD ATTEND. WHAT I AM HEARING THEY MATRICULATED AND NO LONGER THERE. SO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING GOING FORWARD, THIS IS ONLY GOING TO BE A PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ADULTS FOR CAREER. IS THERE GOING TO BE A D.E.D. PROGRAM THERE? YES, BUT D.E.D. IS NOT FOR HIGH SCHOOL-AGED KIDS. G.E.D. IS AN ADULT-ONLY PROGRAM AND MADE THINGS WEIRD. WE BLENDED IT. WE GOVERNMENT IN A BLENDED SPACE THAT PROBABLY WASN'T AN GOOD SPACE. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS CLEARING IT

246UP AND SAY HERE IS EXACTLY WHAT SHOULD BE HERE. I THINK MR. FARKAS, THE ITEM IS THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THIS FA SILT. WOULD HAVE OPINION MY FALL. WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF MORE CLEAR IF SOMEBODY HAD GOTTEN WITH ME OF THE PIECE THAT AFFECTED MY SCHOOL. BY UNDERSTAND IS IT GOING FORWARD. THE QUESTION IS WHERE WERE STUDENTS WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND APPRECIATED THIS CONSTRUCTION ACAD ME. LIKE I SAID I WENT IN THERE FIRST HAND. WHERE ARE THEY HAVING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES NOW? SO KIDS WOULD BE APPLYING TO TAMPA BAY TECH. TAMPA BAY TECH IS A SCHOOL. MIDDLETON IS A SCHOOL WHERE THEIR ENGINEERING PROGRAM, A LOT OF HANDS-ON KID. Jessica Vaughn: NOT CONSTRUCTION. I AM ASKING FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUILDING AND PLUMBING. NOT ANOTHER BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM IN THE COUNTY. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

247HAD ONE STUDENT. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. MEMBER RENDON HAS ANOTHER QUESTION AND WE WILL KEEP YOU HERE ALL NIGHT. HERE WE GO. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: I AM KIND OF -- SORRY, I AM WITH MEMBER VAUGHN. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS, I WAS TOLD THERE WERE MORE STUDENTS THERE WHEN I GOT THE NUMBERS THAT THERE WERE THERE. AND WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT A YEAR IN DISCUSSING THE NUMBER OF STUDENT AT BOURZ AND THE ADULTS THAT HAD TO MOVE AND LEGALLY BY STATUTE NEVER MOVED AND WE JUMPED THE GUN ON THAT BEFORE ALL THAT. NOW, AGAIN, I GET HISTORY THEY WERE ALL ADULT, BUT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THEY DID NOT HAVE TO BE IN SEPARATE CAMPUS. SO I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF EXACTLY HOW MANY

248STUDENT PARTOOK IN THAT PROGRAM AND WHAT HAPPENED. WHERE DID THEY GO? ONLY STAY A YEAR? STAY THREE YEARS? BECAUSE I THINK THAT INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND LOOK HEADQUARTER AT OTHER ITEMS IN OTHER SCHOOLS. IF WE HAD THIS PROGRAM FOR THREE YEARS AROUND WE ONLY HAD FOUR PEOPLE DO THAT PROGRAM, I AM CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO RECOMMEND IT IN ANY OTHER SCHOOL IN OUR COUNTY. IS THAT OUR FAULT FOR NOT ADVERTISING IT? I DON'T KNOW. BUT I AM NOT GOING TO -- WE ARE NOT GOING TO ADVISE YOU TO DO THAT. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO GET SOME CLARITY ON EXACTLY HOW MANY KID. IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ADULT KIDS THERE, THAT MEANS WE RAN A SCHOOL FOR TWO YEARS WITH FOUR PEOPLE. THAT WOULD BE VERY POOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. IT

249DOESN'T ADD UP. IT DOESN'T ADD UP WHETHER IT WAS 35 AND DOESN'T ADD UP WHEN YOU TELL ME IT IS FOUR. IF I AM RUNNING AN ENTIRE SCHOOL WITH FOUR STUDENTS BECAUSE YOU SAID THE ADULTS COULDN'T BE THERE, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO I WANT BE A LITTLE BIT SPECIFIC. WHEN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY ARE IN CONSTRUCTION, I MEANT WHO YOU MANY ARE TAKING THE CONSTRUCTION CLASS. THERE WERE OTHER STUDENTS THERE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS AND FALLS UNDER MR. WOODS AND -- THEY OVERSEE THAT PART OF THE BUILDING. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT -- HOW MANY KIDS WERE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE CLASS AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION CLASS AND THE PLUMBING CLASS, AND HOW MANY WERE IN AUTOMOTIVE. WHEN ASK YOU ME THESE QUESTIONS, I APOLOGIZE. HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE SPECIFICALLY IN EACH OF

250THESE COURSES. ONCE WE BUILT THAT UP AND BECAME THE CONSTRUCTION ACADEMY. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT KIDS FOR THAT. OTHER PROGRAMS THERE. WHEN YOU WALKED, WOULD YOU SEE OTHER KID. I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS WERE AND WHAT THE KIDS WERE INVOLVED WITH BECAUSE THAT WAS A DIFFERENT DIVISION AND GROUP THAT OVERSEES THAT. THEY DON'T REALLY FALL UNDER ME. SO WHEN I WAS SPEAKING, I WAS TALKING OF HOW MANY KIDS ACTUALLY CAME THERE FOR THAT MAGNET PROGRAM. Patti Rendon: OKAY, THEN SUPERINTENDENT, I AM GOING TO ASK AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THAT, CAN WE HAVE A COLLALARIFICATION ATTENDANCE AND FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND MOVING FORWARD IF WE ARE MAKING DECISION ON OTHER PROGRAMS. BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT BOWERS-WHITLEY HAS AN ESC PROGRAM

251THERE. IT IS VERY SMALL, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE MAJORITY OF KIDS ANY OF US SAW AT THAT SCHOOL. AND I KNOW OTHER MEMBERS OF -- OF YOUR CABINET GAVE ME OTHER INFORMATION. SO I THINK IT IS REAL IMPORTANT THAT WE GET CLARITY IN THAT. Superintendent Ayres: WE WILL GET INFORMATION ON BOWERS-WHITLEY, THE PROGRAM AND IF YOU TALK OF BEING FIZZY 2022-2023 CALLY FOBL, OF WHAT THAT NUMBER AND BEING MORE RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR DOLLARS WITH BOWERS-WHITLEY. SO WE WILL GET ALL THAT YOU INFORMATION OVER TO THE BOARD SOON. VAUGHN VAN OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE MOVE ON TO 7.04. AGREEMENT FOR USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR ADUM MIDDLE SCHOOL BETWEEN THE TAMPA BAY UNITED SOCCER CLUB AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF

252HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Superintendent Ayres: THIS IS FOR TAMPA UNITED SOCCER CLUB FOR THE MONROE SOCCER FIELDS. FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL SEPTEMBER 10 OF THIS YEAR AND ENDS 2030. ONE FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL. RATE IS $10,000 PER YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF $50,000 FOR THE INITIAL TERM. TAMPA BAY -- IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE TAMPA BAY UNITED SOCCER CLUB BY MOWING, FERTILIZING, SEEDING AND WATERING THE GRASS AT MONROE. 7.04. USE OF FACILITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN TAMPA BAY UNITED AND ADUM MIDDLE. Jessica Vaughn: A MOTION AND A SECOND. A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY, PULLED IN ITEM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. Lynn Gray: I HAD MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED. Jessica Vaughn: SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE ONE YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES WITH MEMBER RENDON BEING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. 10.01,

253CLASSLINK AND IDENTIFIED MANAGEMENT. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Superintendent Ayres: OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER IS HERE. DIGITAL ACCESS BY HAVING A SECURE SIGN-IN PORTAL REDUCING LOG-IN ISSUES AND MAXIMIZING TIME. AND DATA SHARING BETWEEN THE SIS AND RUN ROSTER STANDARDS, STREAMLINING AND CLASS ENROLLMENT. PROVIDES -- THIS ALSO PROVIDE FOR A SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, REDUCING ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD AND LONG-TIME SUPPORT OF DIGITAL STRATEGY. 10.01 AND OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CLASSLINK. Jessica Vaughn: MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE 10.01. MEMBER COMBS AND SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENTS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE SO LONG. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. WE SPOKE EARLIER TODAY. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IF I LOOK AT FOUR YEARS AGO, YOU

254KNOW, THIS CURRENT CONTRACT IS $587,000. FOUR YEARS AGO, INCREASE WAS $179,000. AND INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR WAS $97,000. A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE -- IN THE COST. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASKED YOU, LIKE, CAN FOCUS DO THIS. CAN ANOTHER PROGRAM DO THIS. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. IF YOU CAN ELABORATE ON YOUR ANSWER CONTINUE TO THAT. YES, MA'AM. SO THERE ARE OTHER SERVICES THAT CAN DO WHAT CLASSLINK DOES FOR US I KNOW WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF INTERRUPTING SCHOOL DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, HAVING TO GO BACK SCHOOL AND REALLY BUILD THAT OUT AND INTEGRATE. IT WOULD BE PRETTY DIFFICULT AND DISRUPTIVE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE TO CLASSLINK. AS FAR AS US BUILDING OUR OWN SYSTEM, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT PREVIOUSLY. YOU LOOK AT

255THE TO HE WILL TALL COST OF HIRING PROGRAMMERS AND YOU GO THROUGH SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE AND LEGAL, THINGS LIKE THAT. IT RUNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY $4 MILLION PLUS FOR INITIAL ESTIMATE TO GET THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST PROBABILITY IN MILLIONS BEYOND THAT. SO INDUSTRY EXPERTS RECOMMEND USING OFF-THE-SHELF ITEM OPPOSED TO BUILDING YOUR OWN DUE TO THE TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP. Nadia Combs: DOES FOCUS HAVE ANY TYPE OF INTEGRATION WHERE WE CAN UTILIZE PART OF THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW IT HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES. FOCUS USES CLASSLINK TO ROSTER. Nadia Combs: TO ROSTERS. TO CANVASS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. PROVIDES IT TO ROSTER AND GET ON TO THERE. Nadia Combs: THE OTHER QUESTION WE DISCUSSED IS SOME OF THIS IS PART OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND DO WE GET REFUNDED OR

256DO WE GET MONEY BACK FOR THAT? AND YOU SAID YOU WOULD LOOK INTO THAT. YES, I TALKED TO JAMIE AND SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD INTO. 33,000 ADDITIONAL LICENSES FOR THE CHARTER SCHOOL THAT WASN'T CAPTURED LAST YEAR. I THINK OVERALL WITH THE NEXT OF A DISCOUNT THAT WE HAVE 5%. IT IS ONLY A 7% PER LICENSE INCREASE IN COST SO NOT SIGNIFICANT THERE. IT IS REALLY CAPTURING THOSE ADDITIONAL LICENSES THAT WE SHOULD HAVE CAPTURED LAST YEAR. BUT AS FAR AS THE REIMBURSEMENT, SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH AND GET BACK TO YOU, MA'AM. Nadia Combs: I WANT CLASS LINK TO KNOW MAYBE WE WILL GO OUT FOR AN RFP. SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS EXPONENTIALLY INCREASE 30%, 40% AND BEING THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY, IF WE NEED TO, WE WILL FIND

257SOMEBODY ELSE. THAT TYPE OF INCREASE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALMOST EVERY CONTRACT I AM LOOKING AT EXPONENTIALLY AND A .78 INCREASE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. NOT SEEING INCREASE FUNDING FROM THE STATE. SO I JUST COUNTER MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST DEAL. ABSOLUTELY. SOMETHING WE WORKED WITH THEM AND TO GET THE INITIAL BID AND GOT THE DISCOUNT RECOGNIZING INCREASE. Nadia Combs: FOLLOW UP WITH THE CHARTER SCHOOL COST AND REIMBURSEMENT ON THAT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY? NO? MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION THEY HAD ON ALL OF OUR I.T. WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD. I APPRECIATE ALSO LIKE MEMBER COMBS HAD SAID, LOOKING AT EVERYTHING COLLECTIVELY, I AM IN THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES

258THAT WE HAVE TO COLLECT SOME MUCH OUR I.T., OUR CONTRACTS, ALL OF THINGS WE ARE RUNNING IN DIFFERENT AREAS. RUNNING PARALLEL HILL AND DOING DIFFERENT THING. WHEN WITH HE CAN GET IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE WORKING WITH ONE LARGE SYSTEM THAT WE ARE ALL TALKING TO EACH OTHER, AND LIKE WE WANT CANVASS TO WORK WITH FOCUS AND STAFF -- AND FAMILIES CAN GET IN ONE UNIT. UP APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING AT THIS. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE OPTION WE HAVE TO HAVE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR STUDENTS .BUT I APPRECIATE THE FACT YOU ARE LOOKING BEYOND AND BEING INNOVATIVE OF HOW WE CAN SCALE BACK ON ALL OF WHAT WE ARE PAYING. THANK YOU VERY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOCUS. IT WAS DONE VERY WELL. I -- I

259RECOGNIZE WE HE COULD HAVE SOME TRAINING ISSUES, BUT I DON'T EVERY ALL, THE IN-DEPTH THAT WENT INTO IT WAS A VERY GOOD ROLLOUT. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. MEMBER WASHINGTON? ALL RIGHT. AND THAT -- THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING. THAT IS THE LAST AGENDA ITEM AND MOVE ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT, TAKE IT AWAY. Superintendent Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'LL BE BRIEF WITH MY UPDATES. TONIGHT, JUST SOME OF THE ONES WE ALREADY MENTIONED. WE HAD A RECOGNITION AROUND NATIONAL CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. CELEBRATED FROM SEPTEMBER 157 TO OCTOBER 15, HONORING CONTRIBUTIONS AND INFLUENCE OF HISPANIC AND LATINO AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES. CELEBRATION BEGAN AS A WEEK-LONG OBSERVANCE UNDER 1968 UNDER THE JOHNSON AND EXPANDED TO

260A MONTH BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN. WE LOOK FOR MANY CELEBRATIONS AT OUR SCHOOLS ALL MONTH LONG. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, ONCE AGAIN BY VICE-CHAIR PEREZ, EVERY YEAR ON SEPTEMBER 11, PAUSES TO MARK PATRIOTS DAY FOR THE 3,000 LIFE-THREATENING LOST IN THE TERRORIST ATTACK IN 2001. FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL, RECEIVE A 9/11 FREEDOM FLAG FROM THE FREEDOM FLAG FOUNDATION TO IT BE FLOWN ANNUALLY ON BAIT DAY BELOW THE U.S. FLAG ALONG WITH A WORLD TRADE CENTER ARTIFACT RECOVERED FROM TOWER ONE IN NEW YORK CITY. I ENCOURAGE TODAY THAT FREEDOM FLAG IS OUR NATION'S ONLY CODIFIED 9/11 FLAG OF REMEMBRANCE AND FLOWN AND DISPLAYED IN 2,000 SCHOOLS, FIRE STATIONS AND IN ALL 50 STATES THAT INCLUDE FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL. I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO CHECK THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL FOR ANY EVENTS THAT COMMEMORATE THIS DAY THIS THURSDAY. ALSO, I HAD

261THE OPPORTUNITY AND DR. HAHN, MISS RENDON AND MISS COMBS, JOINED ME WITH THE CEO AND SCHOOLS EVENT AND JOINING THOSE BOARD MEMBERS AND TAMPA BAY CEOs AND EXECUTIVES FOR THE CEOs AND BOARD MEMBERS. THEY SHADOW TEACHERS AND ENGAGE WITH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. LONG-TERM RELATION WITH MENTORSHIP AND RESOURCE OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR SCHOOLS. THANKS TO HANNAH KORMAN FOR THEIR FUNDING SUPPORT OF THE PROING. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN PART OF CULTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MADE SUCH UP A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN OUR LOVES. SO THOSE OF HOW WERE THERE, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE AS WE LOOK OFF TO THE NEXT WHICH IS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7. FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7 AT OUR CEO AND SCHOOLS EVCOUPLE OF OTHERS. SEPTEMBER 12, ABBOTT EDUCATORS NATIONBIDE ARE RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICES THEY SERVE. AN BOT DAY, THE 40 YEARS OF IMPACT

262OF EDUCATORS AND SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NATION. SOME OF OUR HERE. WE TALK YOU HAVE ALL THE RESULTS WITH ACCELERATION AND TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME BUT DON'T MENTION THE ABBOTT PROGRAM AND HOW THAT HELPS OUR STUDENTS BE PREPARED WITH ACCELERATOR COURSEWORK. MAKE THAT NOTE, 86 OF OUR SITES. ABBOTT PROGRAMS IN 29 HIGH SCHOOLS, 38 MIDDLE SCHOOLS, NINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, ONE CAREER CENTER. ABBOTT IMPACTS ROUGHLY 10,000 STUDENTS AT OUR ABBOTT SECONDARY AND SECOND-GRADE LEVEL AND SIXTH-GRADE STUDENTS EXPOSED TO ABBOTT THROUGH THE SIXED-GRADE WHEEL. THIS OUR SCHOOLS WILL BE CELEBRATING ABBOTT AND ACHIEVE OUR DREAMS THROUGH EDUCATION. THIS CELEBRATION SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL. TAMPA AND CHICAGO HAVE OFFICIALLY PROCLAIMED SEPTEMBER 12 AS ABBOTT DAY. AND THANKS MAYOR CASTOR TO HONOR ABBOTT'S 40 YEARS OF IMPACT AND INCREDIBLE EDUCATORS THAT TRANSFORM STUDENTS' LIFE-THREATENING EVERY DAY. MADAM CHAIR, THOSE

263ARE OUR COMMENTS. Jessica Vaughn: BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTS. JUST A REMINDER FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. OUR FIRST MEMBER IS MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN, TO OUR BARGAINING TEAM. WE HAVE A TENTATIVE COMPENSATION AGREEMENT WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CTA. AND I THANK ALL ROB CRETE FOR HIS LEADERSHIP. I ALSO WANT TO FOCUS ON STEM AT YORK. I AM LOOKING AT PABLO. IF HE HAS THE SLIDES THAT MISS LAURA CROSS PUT TOGETHER. BUT -- BUT ONE COUNTY NEAT THINGS ABOUT YORK K-8 THAT OUR WONDERFUL PRINCIPAL DUSTIN HAS -- HOFFMAN HAS SHARED. HE WANTED US TO SEE WHAT A STEM CLASSROOM LOOKED LIKE THANKFULLY WE HAD -- NOT THANKFULLY BUT A WONDERFUL STEM STAFF THERE BETWEEN -- I BELIEVE IT WAS JERRY TURNER AND WE HAD ALSO MISS CRANE WHO IS

264THE STEM TEACHER .WHAT A STAFF THEY HAVE. MR. RIGHT ON THE FAR -- I WAS GOING TO SAY THE FAR RIGHT. MR. WRIGHT, VERY DYNAMIC INSTRUCTOR. HE HAS BEGUN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE ELEMENTARY SPANISH CLASSES AND SPENDS TIME DURING THE DAY TO GET ALL THE YOUNGSTERS EXCITED ABOUT SPANISH AND READY FOR THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH THAT BY THE WAY IS COMING UP. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, YOU HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP BETWEEN AND AMONG PRINCIPAL DUSTIN HOFFMAN. I.B. COORDINATOR, AND AP SAMANTHA LONG. AND NOT TO MENTION THE GREAT TEACHERS OF MR. WRIGHT AND MISS CRANE AND JERRY TURNER. NEXT, SPEAKING OF AVID DAY. NO, NOT YET. GO BACK TO THE IN, ONE, PABLO. MAN THAT IS NEXT ONE. THERE IT IS. I WENT OVER TO RODGERS, FORMALLY GRAY BASHUM SCHOOL AND MET PRINCIPAL DURHAM AND SHE IS REALLY THE

265BUZZ OF COMMUNITY. SHE IS STARTING JOINING WITH OWEN YOUNG, PARENT UNIVERSITY. WANTS TO START THE STUDENT UNIVERSITY. I DON'T KNOW IF I SAID PARENT UNIVERSITY OR ANNIVERSARY. BUT SHOULD BE UNIVERSITY. AND STUDENT UNIVERSITY. AND SHE ALSO WAS CELEBRATING THE DAY. AND IN THAT SPIRIT WORE -- ALL THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WORE THE 1980 TYPE DRESS. AND TO CELEBRATE THE 1980 -- BEGIN IN THE MID-1980s THE PROGRAM. I THOUGHT THAT WAS NEAT. TRANSFORMATIVE PRINCE ELSE AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, SHE IS CERTAINLY ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON. AND LAST, PABLO, THERE ARE WE GO. SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE STUDENT ONLINE SAFETY HUMAN TRAFFICKING AT YORK INNOVATION ACADEMY. SEPTEMBER 25 FROM 6 TO 7 P.M. WE HAVE A FULL PANEL OF FBI, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, NO MORE FOUNDATION, PAVING THE WAY. AND A LOT

266OF -- A LOT OF EXPERTS INCLUDING GAGGLE. SO WE ARE INVITING ALL BOARD MEMBERS, OF COURSE, IN THE COMMUNITY AND I BELIEVE DUSTIN HAS GUARANTEED US OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS. AND WEAT WILL PROVIDE PIZZA AND THANK YOU FOR HIS ENGAGEMENT. MISSY LEONARD, OF WHERE YOU ARE, YOU MUST BE VERY PROUD OF THIS PRINCIPAL, DUSTIN. HE HAS DONE ONE HECK OF A JOB NOT ONLY FOR THEIR SCHOOL BUT THAT COMMUNITY WHICH IS GROWING VERY RAPIDLY. SOME THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. AND HIS SPPANIC HERITAGE IS COMI Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE OUR STAFF. A GREAT BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE OF THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND THEIR WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH OUR STUDENTS AND IT YOU NOT

267GO UNNOTICED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE NOT BEEN QUIET ABOUT HOW I FEEL OF MAKING SURE THAT WE, AS A BOARD, ARE EDGE KEPTED AND INFORMED AS POSSIBLE. AS A BOARD WE HAVE POWER UNDER THE SECTION 1001.42 TO HIRE AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY ASKED THAT THIS SUBJECT BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD SO WE CAN GET A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATUS THAT REPORTS ONLY TO US. AND THAT IS ALLOW BY STATUTE SO WE CAN ACTUALLY KNOW THAT WE HAVE OTHER INFORMATION TO IT BE EDUCATED SO WE CAN ASK PROPER QUESTIONS. NONE OF US ARE ACCOUNTANTS AND I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT SO WICK PROPERLY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BRING AN AGENDA ITEM TO THE NEXT

268FORWARD MEETING TO SET UP A PROS IF HE IS FOR THE BOARD TO HIRE AN AUDITOR TO PERFORM A AUDIT OF FINANCIAL STATUS. Jim Porter: MISS RENDON IS MAKING A MOTION. UP CAN'T ACT ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THAT TONIGHT, BUT SHE IS ASKING THAT A MOTION BE PASSED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD BRING BACK AN ITEM ALLOWING THE BOARD TO HIRE AN AUDITOR. AS SHE SAID, THAT IS ALLOWED SPECIFICALLY UNDER FLORIDA STATUTES. YOU HAVE THE POWER ARCIA A BOARD TO HIRE THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL, AND TO HERE AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR. MOTION REQUIRES A SECOND IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER. AND THE MOTION WOULD BE TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM NEXT MEETING. Stacy Hahn: I WANT TO DISCUSS IT. Jim Porter: YOU NEED TO SECOND IT. Stacy Hahn: I DID. Jim Porter: SORRY.

269Stacy Hahn: I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. DOESN'T MEAN I SUPPORT IT. DOESN'T MEAN I AM SUPPORTING IT, BUT I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. CAN I -- Jim Porter: YES, A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. MADAM CHAR, A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. Jessica Vaughn: DR. HAHN. I AM RECOGNIZING HER TO SPEAK. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. SO CLOSE. Jessica Vaughn: SHE IS NOT SECONDING IT. Stacy Hahn: I AM, BUT DOESN'T MEAN I AM SUPPORTING IT IN THE END. IT MEANS I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SOME WHEN I CAME ON TO THE BOARD, WE HAD DONE A FINANCIAL AUDIT, GIBSON REPORT, CORRECT. SO THIS IS MY CONCERN. WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE. IT COST -- I WASN'T ON THE BOARD. IT WAS DONE I THINK THE YEAR BEFORE I BECAME A BOARD MEMBER, BUT IT BECAME, LIKE, SOMETHING WE

270ALWAYS RETCH REFERENCED BUT N -- I WANT TO SAY THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT CAME OUT OF THAT REPORT WAS NEVER IMPLEMENTED. AND LOOKING BACK, I MEAN, WE STILL WILL REFERENCE -- WELL, THE GIBSON. AND JUST -- WE REALLY DIDN'T DONE MUCH. MAYBE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND A HALF -- YEAR AND A HALF LATER WE HAD SUPERINTENDENT RETIRE. AND THEN WE HAD A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. NOW WE HAVE A THIRD SUPERINTENDENT. SO, YOU KNOW, THEIR BLUEPRINT, THOUGH, THAT WAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSAND US OF DOLLARS IF I RECALL. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT COSTS IN THIS ECONOMY, IT IS JUST MY CONCERN THAT -- I JUST -- I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT TO GAIN FROM IT OUR THAN A REPORT THIS BIG THAT SITS IN EVERYBODY'S DRAWER. BECAUSE

271WHAT IS THE GOAL WITH THAT? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM YOU WANT TO SOLVE WITH THAT? BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR FINANCES, IT -- WITH THOSE REPORTS, WHAT THEY TYPICALLY SAY IS THIS IS WHERE YOU AREF A -- WHERE YOU ARE FINANCIALLY AND THINK THAT OUR CEO HAS MADE A GOOD PICTURE. THE CUTS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND SAVE MONEY. I THINK WE ARE DOING THAT. WE NEED TO GIVE OUR CFO A CHANCE TO DO THAT. HE IS STARTING TO BE VERY STRATEGIC IN SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT HE HAS PUT TOGETHER AND PEOPLE HE HAS PUT TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND I JUST -- I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE THAT SPENDING THAT KIND OF MONEY IS REALLY GOING TO REAP THE BENEFIT THAT YOU THINK IT IS. I JUST -- GOING THROUGH

272IT ONCE, I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, PERSPECTIVES, AND THAT IS WHY I SECOND IT. BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WANT IT, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SEE, DO WE HAVE DUPLICATION OF EFFORT WITH CONTRACTS AND PROGRAMS. BUT I DON'T THINK A FINANCIAL AUDIT, THANK YOU, IS NECESSARILY GOING TO GET AT THAT AS MUCH AS -- AND MAYBE THEY WILL LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT AN EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM, BUT I KIND OF THINK THEY LOOK AT THE BOOKS, BUT, YOU KNOW -- AND THE GIBSON REPORT HAD A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THERE. AND IT JUST -- YOU KNOW, IT JUST IT WAS NOT UTILIZED -- I DON'T THINK -- WE NEVER GOT THE BENEFIT OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY -- WHAT THE INVESTMENT WAS. NO ROI. THAT IS

273MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, DR. HAHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: YES, I REMEMBER THE GIBSON REPORT. AND IT WAS TWO THICK VOLUMES. I HAD -- I STILL HAVE IT. IT WASN'T REALLY AN AUDIT AS MUCH AS WHAT WE SHOULD DO. BETTER WAY TO WORD IT, WE WANTED TO CENTRALIZE MANY OF OUR WAY OF WORK -- MANY OF OUR DIVISIONS, ETC. OUR AUDITS -- AND JUST FOR YOUR SATISFACTION, MEMBER RENDON, FROM THE COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, WE HAD INTERNAL AUDITS. WE HAD THAT AUDIT. AND -- DR. WAYLAND, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT ALPHABET AUDIT THAT WE HAD. ALL PERFECT ALL IT. NOT THE GIBSON. IT WAS -- THAT'S AT THE. YEAH. SAY IT. IT WAS WHEN WE WERE GOING OUT -- THE OPAGA ALL THOSE AUDITS WERE SOPHISTICATED AND HARDLY ANY

274ERRORS. ONE OF THE ABOVE-AVERAGE AUDITS. BACK TO THE EXPENSE. $15D,000, $16,000. Superintendent Ayres: CLOSE A MILLION DOLLARS. Jim Porter: $900,000. Lynn Gray: MILLION DOLLARS. LET'S ROUND IT UP. HOW MUCH WAS IT USED? VERY, VERY LITTLE. THE ONLY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHO USE IT AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, YOU ARE VERY KEENLY REMINDED MEMBER SNIVELY WOULD REFER TO THAT GIBSON REPORT. BUT WHEN YOU START SPENDING MONEY ON A REPORT THAT WE ALREADY HAD POSITIVE REVIEWS FROM -- AND THERE IS ANOTHER FINANCIAL REPORT THAT WE HAD. AND THEN YOU HAVE A CFO WHO IS DOING A STELLAR JOB WITH HIS TEAM. I WOULD RATHER GO AHEAD -- AND THERE ARE CLASS TOO, MEMBER RENDON THAT YOU CAN TAKE ON FINANCIAL -- THE WAY OF WORK FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION OFFER THAT. AND THAT WOULD ALSO

275HELP THE FINANCIAL LITERACY IF NEEDED. BUT I AM SATISFIED WITH THE -- WITH THE CURRENT REPORTS. AND I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. I AGREE WITH MEMBER HAHN AND MEMBER GRAY. I REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND WE FOUND A NEW AUDITOR, I WAS SO SURPRISED AT THE PROCESSES THAT WE WENT THROUGH AND HOW WHEN THEY SELECTED DIFFERENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHEN I WAS CHAIR, IT WAS AMAZING WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH TO HAVE AN INTERNAL AUDIT TO MAKE SURE THEIR IT WAS REALLY -- YOU KNOW, ANONYMOUS AND HAVING COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THE WAY THE SELECTION PROCESS WAS. I WAS VERY -- IT MADE ME FEEL VERY CONFIDENT WITH

276THE DISTRICT WHEN I SAW THE TYPE OF PROCESS THEY WENT THROUGH. WHEN WE CHOSE A NEW AUDITOR. IT WAS VERY CHALLENGING. AND THE WAY WE INTERVIEWED EVERY DIFFERENT GROUP. THE WAY WE DID THE SELECTION PROCESS. I WAS VERY, VERY IMPRESS IS. I AGREE, MR. LEWIS JUST CAME. WHEN YOU ARE BEINGED 50th IN NATION AND NOT A LOT OF THE MONEY, WE HAVE TO WATCH EVERY SINGLE PENNY. WE HAVE TOE GIVE TIME TO MR. LEWIS PLANNED PATTON LOOKING AT THAT. WE HAVE A LOT OF TALL INCIDENT HERE TAKE CARE OF THAT INTERNALLY AND MAKE SURE YOUR NEEDS ARE BEING MET AND YOUR QUESTIONS BEING ASKED. WE DON'T INCREASE BOND RATING IF WE ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THAT IS FOR SURE. OUR BOND RATE WOOING NOT BE INCREASE GOING WE WERE NOT DOING THE BEST

277THAT WE CAN. SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT I BELIEVE TERMLY. KEEP LOOKING AT THE WAY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, REALLY LOOK AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, LOOK AT REPURPOSING, KEEP LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT AND ALL THANK YOU. I BELIEVE IN THE TALENT AND THE MONEY WE SPEND ON OUR CABINET IN DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS TO WORK ON THAT. AND I BELIEVE MR. LEWIS, YOU CAN WORK ON THAT. AND IN A FEW MONTHS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN CREATE A WORKSHOP AND LOOK AT IT THE CLOSER, BUT I DO NOT THINK THIS IS THE TIME RIGHT NOW TO YOU DO THAT. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. I AM OPEN TO AN IDEA OF A FORENSIC AUDIT, BUT FOR ME I AM NOT READY TO SUPPORT MAKING A MOTION FROM THE DAIS. I

278WOULD HAVE TO HAVE MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING BEFORE I WANT AN AGENDA OF THE COST, THE TIME, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT. FOR ME NOT A NO ON JUST IDEA, WHY JUST THE WAY IT IS COMING FROM LAST-MINUTE COMMENTS AT THE ENDS OF MEET WHERE I CAN BARELY SPEAK ANYMORE BECAUSE I AM SO TIRED. AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING AND THE SUPERINTENDENT IS INTEREST IN IT, I WOULD BE HOPE TO LEAR MORE OF IT. I WOULD HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAN JUST AN ITEM COMING FORWARD ON THE ONLY AND LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS IT AS A BOARD ON SUNSHINE THAN JUST IN AGENDA REVIEW -- SHALL NOT AGENDA REVIEW, BUT AN AGENDA ITEM. SO FOR ME, I AM OPEN TO THE IDEA BUT NOT THE PLACE WHERE I AM

279GOING TO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. MEMBER RENDON. WE WILL GET THERE. ALMOST THERE. Patti Rendon: HE WANT TO ADDRESS ONE ISSUE. ONLY REASON ITS BROUGHT AT THE END OF EVENING BECAUSE THE ONLY TIME I AM ALLOWED TO BRING IT IN THE SUNSHINE. NOT TO SURPRISE ANYONE. ISSUED IT DONE BEFORE HAS BEEN DONE AND DIRECTED BY THE DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT CONTROLS HOW THE AUDIT IS DONE. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO VOTE. MEMBER GRAY, I JUST NOT GONE TO BUDGET, BUT ONLY CERTIFIED THAT THE CLASSES MEMBER GRAY. AND DON'T BE CONDESCENDING TO ME ANYMORE. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY, DID YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS, MEMBER RENDON. I ASSUME NOT. ANY MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE FOR CLOSING COMMENTS? DID YOU SPEAK MEMBER -- OH, WE DO HAVE TO VOTE. I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.

280SHOULD I HAND THE GAVEL OVER MEMBER PEREZ. Jim Porter: MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BRING AN AGENDA ITEM WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HIRING OF AN AUDITOR FOR THE BOARD. Jessica Vaughn: NO COMMENTS, MEMBER COMBS OF THIS SPECIFIC MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR ON MEMBER RENDON'S MOTION. VAUGHN VAUGHN FAILS WITH MEMBER PEREZ AND MEMBER RENDON VOTING IN FAVOR. NOW DONE WITH THAT MOTION. GOING BACK TO BOARD MEMBERS' COMMENTS. WHO ELSE WAS STILL IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER RENDON. WHO WAS AFTER MEMBER RENDON. JUST ME? NO ONE ELSE? MEMBER COMBS. NO MEMBER COMBS HAS NOT GONE. MEMBER COMBS FOR YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. Nadia Combs: OKAY, SINCE IT IS THE 50th YEAR OF THE BUCS, I CAN SAY GO BUCS. BUT TEAT THE SAME TIME, SINCE WE LIVE

281IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I CAN SAY GO BULLS. WE DO LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO I HAD TO SAY IT. I HAD TO SAY THAT. YOU KNOW. THAT WAS -- SO I HAD TO WEAR MY LAPEL TODAY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. YOU KNOW, NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS VERY EX SEASEXCITING THAT. I WILL BE SHARINGTH EVENT IN TOWN AND COUNTRY AT LETO HIGH SCHOOL. I AM VERY EXCITED BECAUSE WORK WE GO CLOSELY FOR MANY YEARS WITH THE ASIAN COMMUNITY. WE ARE VERY EXCITED. IF YOU CAN, PABLO, WE HAVE OUR FIRST EVER, OUR HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL. IT IS GOING TO BE -- WE ARE REALLY HERE TO CELEBRATE OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY. SO EXCITED. IT WILL BE HELD AT ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL. AND THE WOMAN IN CHARGE, MISS NPHIEN HAS DONE

282SO MANY THINGS FOR OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY. VIETNAMESE. AMERICAN HISTORY CONTEST. CELEBRATE OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THERE WILL BE FACE PAINTING. THE FILIPINO, BANGLEDESH, TAIWANESE, KOREAN. WE ARE VERY EXCITED. THE FOURTH YEAR THIS HAS HAPPENED AND WORKING DIRECTLY AND THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AND THANK YOU ESPECIALLY DR. WAYLAND FOR WORKING WITH US AND MEETING. AND WE HAD A MEETING THE OTHER DAY AND MAKING AND PLANNING AND BRINGING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME. VERY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATING THE CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THEN I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THIS EXCITING NEWS. FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AGO, ITS YOUNG GIRL SCOUT TROOP FROM MARY BRYANT, THEY CONTACTED ME IN MAY. TROOP 1846. AND THEY WERE WORKING ON THEIR BRONZE PROJECT. THEIR GOAL -- THEY WERE CONCERNED OF TRAFFIC IN WESTCHASE

283COMMUNITY. SO CONCERNS OF THE CARS AND THE SAFETY. THEY STARTED A LEMONADE STAND AND STARTED A TRAFFIC STUDY AND LEARNED ALL ABOUT THAT AND MET WITH ME IN MAY. THEY HAD A POWERPOINT. THEY TALKED OF THE DANGER OF THAT AREA, AND HOW THEY WANTED TO CREATE A SIDEWALK. WE MET. WE TALKED. WE STARTED BY WRITING LETTERS. EVENTUALLY. WE WENT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION. I COUNT IN THE HEART OF WESTCHASE COMMISSIONER HAGAN. AND HE WAS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT COMMISSIONER WESTCHASE. SO HE -- HE WAS SO, AND ALL THE YOUNG GIRLS PRESENTED AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION. THEY HAD SUCH GREAT SPEECHES. AND ALL SPOKE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE HEART AND GAVE REAL FACTUAL INFORMATION. SOME YESTERDAY, WE SURPRISED THEM AT FAR NOW. THEY HAD NO IDEA. THEY CAME IN AND COMMISSIONER HAGAN HAS -- HAS APPROVED THEIR

284SIDEWALK. AND HE ALSO GAVE THEM A COMMENDATION. YOU CAN SEE THESE BEAUTIFUL COMMENDATIONS. AND IT IS REALLY AMAZING TO SEE CIVICS IN ACTION AND SEEING THESE YOUNG LEADERS, THESE FUTURE LEADERS WHO ARE NOW FAR NOW. AND SO EXCITING WHEN THEY CAME IN. AND HE SPOKE. AND THEY STARTED SCREAMING. AND THEY ARE JUST A SMALL BUT MIGHTY GROUP. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THEIR TROOP LEADER MISS DAVIS. JUST SO YOU KNOW ON THE VERY FAR RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE THERE, THAT IS ADDISON DAVIS. HER NAME IS ADDISON DAVIS, YOU KNOW. I HAD MET HER FIVE YEARS AGO. AND THERE SHE IS NOW AS A FUTURE LEADER. SO THAT TROOP AND THEIR MOTHER IS CARRIE DAVIS. SO EXCITED WHEN THAT SIDEWALK IS IMPLEMENTED. THEY WILL PUT A PLAQUE THERE. TOLD THEM FOR GENERATIONS AND GENERATIONS OF SAFETY.

285I JUST LEARNED TODAY THAT THE FILIPINO CENTER WILL ALLOW EXTRA HOUR AND A TON OF TRAFFIC THERE. COULD NOT COME AT A BETTER TIME FOR THE SAFETY OF THAT COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER HAGAN AND GLORY WHO HELPED -- HIS AIDHOEE WHO DID VERY HARD WO WORKING TOGETHER ON A PROJECT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. SO I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND IT IS REALLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK. SO THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. THANK YOU FOR THAT TIP. NOW I KNOW WHICH COMMISSIONER WILL GIVE SIDEWALKS AWAY BECAUSE WE NEED THOSE. REQUEST CANNI -- QUICKLY I WANT SAY I HOPE WE ARE DOING FOCUSED TRAINING AND BOTHERS THAT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE COMING ASKING FOR TRAINING, BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE APPROVE, I SPECIFICALLY ASK OVER AND OVER

286AGAIN WHAT EMPLOYEE TRAINING IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. I AM HOPING I DON'T HEAR ANY OTHER EMPLOYEES ASK ABOUT FOCUSED TRAINING. ALL I AM GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. SECONDLY, I HAVE BEEN ALERTED THAT THERE IS A TEACHER AT LANIER ELEMENTARY WHO HAS BEEN LIVESTREAMING VERY, VERY WEIRD POLITICAL, EXTREME LIVESTREAMS AND PUBLISHING THEM ON TIK TOK ON -- FROM THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA FROM THEIR CLASSROOM. AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. AND I -- I WOULD LIKE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR STANCE IS AS A DISTRICT. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD MESSAGING OVER AND OVER. WE WANT TO CREATE A DISTRICT WHERE ALL PARENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE SENDING THEIR KID TO SCHOOL AND NO INDOCTRINATION. IF YOU HAVE A TEACH FROM THEIR CLASSROOM IF THEY SEARCH ESOL SAYING WE DON'T WANT IMMIGRANT IN OUR

287COUNTRY, I THINK ITS AN EXTREME PROBLEM AND SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE EXTREME FEEDBACK ON. OTHER THAN THOSE THINGS AND THE NIGHT THAT WE HAVE HAD, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH TONIGHT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HARD AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT SOME ISSUES THAT WE ALL FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT. LIKE I AM STILL SUPER PROUD TO WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WHEN I LOOK AT OTHER DISTRICTS, WHETHER THEY ARE ABLE TOER IN THE WITH THEIR TEACHERS OR HAVE LESS ENROLLMENT THAT WE DO, WHATEVER IT IS. I KNOW THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS BIG AND HARD AND HAS ITS PROBLEMS, BUT I AM SO PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AND STARTS WITH THE PEOPLE WE -- THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, OUR JANITORS, OUR WITH US DRIVERS AND CAFETERIA WORKERS. ALL THE WAY

288THROUGH OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF AND THIS BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE OVEN ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF THINGS. I WANT TO REREITERATE WE HAVE A HEART FOR KID AND DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR KIDS. AND I AM JUST VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS BOARD AND PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND I THINK THAT OUR DISTRICT IS THE BEST MACE FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR KID. WANT TO END WITH THAT. THANKS TO EVERYBODY. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. AND THIS MESING IS ADJOURNED.