001Welcome to the board of education's April 10th, 2025 regular session meeting. Please stand as we observe a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance led by Dr. Butler. Aliance 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. We just have a few announcements. As a reminder for our families, Knox County schools will be closed for the holiday on Friday, April 18th. And also students will have an additional holiday on Monday, April 21st for a systemwide inservice day. I believe that this is the last break of any kind for our students to have before their last half day on May 22nd. So hopefully it will allow them to recharge for all of their awesome end
002of year activities. I can't believe we're already at the end of the year. As Superintendent Risewick announced at Monday's work session, we are fully in the midst of forming our fiscal year 26 budgets. So, please join us for a community budget meeting on Tuesday, April 15th at 5:00 pm in this boardroom. Hopefully, that date and time works for most, but if you're unable to attend in person, the meeting will be livereamed on the KCS website. Also, board members, just one more reminder that the called meeting for consideration of our fiscal year 2026 budgets will be held on Tuesday, April 29th at 5:00 pm in this boardroom. And board members, you received an email today from Superintendent Risewick explaining that explaining that USI consulting group has reached out to our KCS team and proposed a solution,
003a possible solution related to concerns voiced regarding the contract we are considering tonight as agenda item 8E. Miss him, would you like to share a little bit more information about that? Madam Chair, members of the board, yes. Uh, USI Consulting did reach out to our team after Monday um and has proposed a a somewhat of a compromise. I believe some of the board members had asked about this previously and it's not a condition that the district um could require or the board could require because of the language of the RFP RFQ. Uh but USI as the successful bidder um after conversations with law department um and procurement as well um we think we may be able to work something out but USI has proposed taking new business and letting current clients stay where they currently
004are um through the end of their employment. So, we would recommend request a deferral of that item to next month to allow us time um to finalize contract terms that that that encompass that proposal. Awesome. Mr. Dupler, did you have some additional clarification? Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh and I I just want to clarify what we talked about on Monday. U really the board again only had two choices on Monday. You still have those choices tonight. Uh but you also have the choice to defer this until next month. Uh and the only reason you have that choice is because USI the successful bidder is willing to uh look at a proposal uh for something different. I mean that that's the only reason because otherwise KCS the county I mean cannot cannot change this. So that's
005what's going on. Yeah. Thank you Mr. Dubler. Does anybody else have anything else about that item? All right. Are there other requested changes to the agenda? Move to approve the agenda with item 8E deferred till next month. All right. Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Christie. All those in favor say I. I. I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. I want clarification, please. Okay. So, oh, you got a question or you I just need wanted clarification so that uh I can understand what we're voting on. So, if we do this deferment of that agenda item, wouldn't it be the same agenda item next month that we have to vote either up and down? I'm just asking. That's a question. Yeah, Mr. Dler. No, thank you, Madam Chair. Reverend Butler. No, it's a great question. What'll
006happen in the meantime, Reverend Butler, is that USI would have the ability to come back with a proposal that looks different from what from the proposal on the agenda right now. Now, there would still be a vote as to whether or not this board wants USI as the administrator and vendor, but but that that will look different based upon what USI has said that they that they're willing to to look at and propose. So, I'm hearing that the current item is to vote on a contract with USI doesn't necessarily mean this particular contract. So when we come back, we're still voting on the contract for USI. That's correct. Okay. Thank you. And then my question is I think we have public forum speakers. Yeah, she's Yes, she she said she would go at the end.
007So, but yeah, thanks for bringing that up. Yeah. Yeah. I know tonight's a little a little different. We're starting a little different tonight. Yes. All right. So, now that everybody has that clarification, we have a motion by Mr. triplet, a second by Miss Christie. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. All right. I believe we have a presentation this evening. Dr. Wilson, I should say an award presentation. I always love starting off with celebrations. Madam Chair, members of the board, thank you. Um, yes, we are very excited tonight to uh be part of recognizing one of our middle school communities. Uh, and this school is particularly special to me because it's a place I got my start back in 2001 as a brand new teacher. So, always happy to be able
008to reflect back on that and see the great work that they're doing. I'd like to call our team because we got a few people from Northwest Middle School here tonight. So, I'd like to call them to come up and join us. Um, as you mentioned, Northwest Middle School was recently uh given an award. They were uh recently named as an AVID National Demonstration School. and this is the first middle school in the state of Tennessee to receive this honor. Um, AVID stands for advancement via individual determination and it's a nationally recognized academic support program that works to close opportunity gaps by preparing all students for college eligibility and success. It does that by providing them with academic support, skills training, and motivational guidance. and AVID national demonstration schools are centers of teaching and learning that
009also serve as models for those that are interested in learning more about the AVID college readiness system. Northwest has implemented the AVID program for nearly 20 years and we're particularly excited about this recognition because it aligns so well with the priorities that we have for our students. As you all know well, you get to hear Dr. Raswick talk about it all the time. uh that KCS is committed to college and career empowerment and students success for every student and the AVID program is a tremendous asset for Northwest and other schools as they pursue those goals. As we look ahead toward the work of more effectively defining what excellence means for our middle schools, I'm very excited to see one of our middle schools receive this outside affirmation of success and achievement. Obviously, as I said,
010this has been a team effort over many years, but I want to specifically thank our guests that are here tonight. First is Principal Joanne Gardner. Um, KCS AVID facilitator Michelle Stall and I just want to say about her, she has been somebody that's been engaged in this work for a long time, has been a really big support and resource for this for Knox County for a long time. And Northwest AVID teacher Megan Harvey, I want to thank them for their work and in in receiving this recognition. And with that, I'll give them a chance if they'd like to say anything or if anybody wants to ask them any questions. I don't think Miss Gardner came with a prepared speech. It doesn't appear. So, talk. Okay. So, do we have We don't do a photo. Okay.
011Great. Congratulations again and welld deserved. Welld deserved. All right, Miss Cotney. We'll get into our regular agenda items. Thank you, Madam Chair. Item six, consent agenda. So moved. A motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7A. Approve grant agreement with Lawson Family Foundation for the term of February 11, 2025 through February 10th, 2026 and receipt of grant funding in the amount of $30,000 for Knox County School's Project Search Transition to Work Program. A motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7B. Approve Tennessee Department of Education Title Three immigrant grant in the
012amount of 47,977.54. A motion by Miss Christie, second by Mr. Triplet. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7 C. approved Tennessee State Parks Conservancy Education Program Grant in the amount of $600 for Carter Elementary School. A motion by Mr. Wright, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion on this item? Seeing there's none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7D. Approve Knoxville Museum of Art grant in the amount of $260 for Gibbs Middle School. A motion by Mr. Right. A second by Miss Spike. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there's none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 7E. Approve Oakidge Associated University's extreme classroom makeover grant in the amount
013of $25,000 for Halls High School. A motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Mr. Wright. Do we have any discussion on this item? Sophia, Miss Elkins, I just wanted to congratulate Halls High School on this. I watched their video. They remade a the um intro to a Bill Nye series to get our science labs redone. So, congratulation to Halls and um yeah, I'm really excited for this grant. It is really neat. It is really neat. I'm excited. Any more discussion on this item? All right, seeing there's none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8A, approve owner contractor agreement with Merit Construction, Inc. Incorporated for construction of the new Farragate Area Elementary School in the amount of 43,770,000 777,000. A motion by Miss Morgan, a second by Miss Bite. Do we
014have any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8B. Approve contracts with BOE Tel ETN company LLC and Digital Group LLC for provision of cable networking up to $650,000 annually for the term of May 1, 2025 through April 30th, 2026, which may be extended for four additional years. So move a motion by Mr. Chimplet, a second by Miss Christie. Any discussion? Seeing there is none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8C. Approve contracts with Escola LLC, Henley Roofing Company, and Skilled Services Quality Construction LLC for provision of roofing services up to $3 million annually for the term of July 1, 2025 through June 30th, 2026, which may be extended for four additional years. Second. A motion by Miss Christie, a second
015by Mr. Triplet. Any discussion? Seeing there is none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 8D. Approve amplifications, terms, and conditions with Buckhead Construction Company for construction of an addition to the Farragut High School football fieldhouse at a cost of $261,383 using donated funds from the Farragut High School football booster club. A motion by Miss Morgan, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion? Seeing there is none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Item 8E was deferred. 9A, approve fund balance designation in the amount of $625,000 for replacement of portable at Rocky Hill Elementary School. A motion by Miss, a second by Miss Morgan. Any discussion? Seeing there is none, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. 9B. Approve replacement
016of existing playgrounds at Bonnie Kate, Chrysenberry, and Copper Ridge elementary schools at a total cost of $859,94247 using up to $89,946.87 87 of donated funds from Knox Education Foundation and $49,99560 of KCS general purpose funds. A motion by Miss Christie, second by Miss Any discussion? Miss Christie. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to uh take a minute and thank Mr. Taylor and Knox Ed Foundation. And I know playgrounds is something we've struggled with for a while. And um of course Dr. Brown for the accessibility piece um and work on that. And also recognize our fabulous Bonnie K principal, Mr. Riley, who is here with us tonight. He's a great leader. Any more discussion on this item? Seeing there is none, we'll go ahead and vote. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed?
017Motion carries. Item 9 C, consideration of nomination of Morgan Wallen for naming of Gibbs High School baseball field. A motion by Mr. Wright, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion? Miss F. Yes. Um, I will say that this is something where like this is not my district, not my area. So, I really wanted to um I'd try to not get involved in that, but I will say that I had several emails um that were listing concerning things about this and being concerned about any sort of PR issues and Knox County Schools being associated with that stuff. And I just wanted to make sure to list that. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Pike. Does anybody else have anything right, Miss Templeton? Um, also in the same just in the same vein of um
018just expressing what has been said to me um from several constituents um and conversations, there was a question about um naming things after people who are alive as opposed to posthumously. And I didn't know if that was um something that Knox County has ever considered or I just wanted that question answered. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Dr. Raswick. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh yeah, there there is Miss Temple a policy on that. Um and it it does not mean you don't have to have passed for that to happen. And there's even I think some and Gary correct me if I'm wrong. There's some pieces to it even on if someone has been an active employee u that was updated I don't know four or five years ago around that to where how long they had to
019be retired or not working. So there there is a policy that drives all that but I haven't looked at a little while. That's correct. Dr. Risewick, Mr. Ableton, the the policy is more centered around school employees because because the concern was that a school employee would be named while they were employed. So the policy says that they're not to be named while they're employed. And I believe it's actually five years after they're after they're done. So that's what it said because we did have the cafeteria. Was it the cafeteria named a couple years ago after she's still still with us, Miss Christie? And then I'll go to you, Miss B. Yeah. Um I just want to weigh in just from the perspective of the nomination committee. We did have the month of public notice and
020we did not get any negative feedback. Uh we did have a lot of positive feedback. Um as well as letters of recommendation and I know the um Gibbs High staff's been here and again I I know Mr. Wright had mentioned the letters that were attached to the packet um when we considered the nomination. Thank you for adding that, Miss Bike. Thank you. Yeah, like I mentioned, I hadn't received anything until after Monday. Um, do we have any other examples where we have named something after someone who has not been an employee or affiliate or specifically like that? Are there Oh, goodness. other examples of of those who were living that are not employees. Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe this is probably who you're referring to, Miss Dr. Butler. The Austin East uh basketball court
021was recently named after someone who was not an employee, but uh someone in the community who had had great success and contributed back to the community. That's the first one that comes to mind, most recent. That may have been one you were thinking as well. Okay. Yep. Any others? Do we know? Okay, yeah, just curious. Mr. Wright, thank you, Madam Chair. I will say the current name of the field is Steve Unleyfield and he was a very generous benefactor in the community and also a former school board member. Thanks, Anyone else? What's that? [Laughter] Oh, yeah. I feel like we need a history lesson now on all the things that we're all right. Well, seeing there's no more discussion, we'll go ahead and vote. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries.
022Item 9D, approve resolution affirming intention to participate in section four of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 relative to bonuses for teachers. So move. Motion by Mr. Triplet, a second by Miss Christie. Do we have any discussion on this item? Miss Morgan. Thank you, Madam Chair. I I think well I don't want to speak for everybody but I know I'm excited to be able to vote for this to give our educators a $2,000 bonus this year and I would love to encourage um our governor and our general assembly to make this an annual occurrence um to in order to go along with and support the Education Freedom Act and School Choice for our families. All right, anybody else? Awesome. Thank you, Miss Morgan. Right. Seeing there's no more discussion, we'll go ahead and vote. All
023those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Item 9E, approve resolution supporting students. And we do have all right. Motion by Reverend Butler, a second by Miss Fonta Ridley. And we do have some public forum speakers. Thank you, Madam Chair. On this item, Alan Flores. Alan, if you'll state your name and county residents, you'll have three minutes. Thank you, members of the Knox County School Board. My name is Alan Mirs Flores and I'm a member of Knox County. Uh my uh good evening, members. Uh my name is Alan Monttos Flores and I'm a good Oh, I'm a proud Tennessee and resident in Knox County and I'm here to express my personal support of the supporting student resolution by my school board member Katherine Bike. Uh this is a very important step towards establishing
024our school board's commitment to all to support all students. In the spirit of that of this resolution, I also wanted to share with this board that I am a former undocumented immigrant KCS student. I am also here to urge you to reject any attempt to implement HBO793 and SB836 at this local school board should this proposal become a law in the Tennessee General Assembly. This morning, SBO36 uh passed the state senate, and I personally believe this proposed legislation will become state law. That's why I'm here today, because the decisions made at the local level matter more matter more than ever. As introduced, these bills would authorize local education agencies and public charter schools to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States. This proposal targets vulnerable children and undermines the purpose
025of public education. It also contradicts the US Supreme Court decision implier veto which affirmed that every child regardless of their immigration status has a constitutional right to a public K12 education. I graduated from Bearden High School here in Knox County. I earned my bachelor's degree from Marble College and followed by a masters of education from Lincoln Memorial University. As a former undocumented student, I still didn't qualify for state or federal aid. Um and private colleges were my only option. Still, I persevered. I am now a United States citizen and now serve my community as an educator. HBO 793 and SPO836 would not have changed my personal determination to continue my education, but might have prevented myself and others to even get the chance. These bills will close doors to children who are simply trying to
026learn, grow, and give back to the only place they've ever known as home. When this proposed legislation does eventually become law, I respectfully ask this board to take a stand and reject its implementation at this local level. Knox County School should be a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for all students. Education is not a privilege for the few. It is a right and it is our responsibility to protect it. Thank you for your time, your leadership and commitment to all the future uh the future of our students in our district. Thank you so much. Thank you, Laura Allen. Laura Allen. Okay. And Cristiana Anton. Hi. Uh, Cristian Anton Knox County. I'm speaking tonight as a member of public school strong Knox County. Um, also Knox County Education Coalition. As I've stated in previous comments to
027you all, I am horrified to say the least, and I'm not going to cry, um, at the assaults on public education that are trickling down from our state and federal governments. I think we can all agree, however, that our communities are made stronger when we fully commit to supporting and uplifting our public schools as central to our community life. That's why I'm hopeful to see a resolution on the agenda that reaffirms your commitment as a board and our commitment as a community to serve all students in public schools. I believe in strong public schools for all children regardless of race, class, or ability. Every kid kid that resides in the bounds of Knox County schools deserves a free public education, no matter where they are from, how they got here, or their background. I see
028this resolution as an opportunity for us to move past the division. Together, we can focus on a vision and a mission where every kid receives an honest, equitable, safe, fully funded, and quality education in Knox County. I really hope that's what y'all want. I sincerely, sincerely hope that you vote yes and support your students. Thanks. One more time, Laura Allen. Is Laura Allen here? Very good. That concludes public form on this topic. Thank you, Mr. Triplet. Miss Pike, maybe. There you go. There we go. We're on. Um, where do I start? Um, I mean, honestly, so often I can never say it better than our public forum speakers. I'm so grateful to our community who shows up and contacts all of us and is just engaged. I really love the engagement and that has been
029a joy in my almost three years as a board member is the community engagement and the what I get to experience and hear from all the individuals and that's essentially what this came from as my community engagement in talking to people. And I never want to make this about me, but I will share that some of the heart of my work comes from being a student that took the bus every day because I lived in a rural location and had a single mom as a mother um who was determined uh for her children to be educated and achieve higher things than she and her family were able to or could dream of. And days when I missed the bus and had to wait for hours and didn't have the supports and when charter schools came
030into Central Florida when I was a child, I didn't have the opportunity to attend them because there were not buses for me to go to them. And my mom, who was working multiple jobs and doing the best that she could, could not drive us there. Um, and I remember all of those t times. I remember my mom and her heartache and how hard she tried. And I see that in other people. I see that in our community members. And I want to do the best I can to support them. And I feel like the only shortcoming that I might have had in this document is that I did not mention a free public education for every child in Tennessee. But I hope that that is implied because it's in our state constitution. Thank you. Thank
031you, Miss Vik. Anybody else? All right. Seeing there is no more discussion, we'll go ahead and vote on this item. All those Oh, okay. You looked like you were Okay. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. All right, Mr. Triplet. Hopefully we have some more public forum speakers. We do. Thank you, Madam Chair. Brandy Gerald. Brandy, if you'll state your name and county of residence, you'll have three minutes. Gerald, Knox County. I will keep it brief tonight. I know you've heard me for a while. Um, I wasn't sure the order of what the events were going to be happening in tonight. So, I wrote this in the perspective that I would be speaking before the deferral. So, forgive me if that language is towards that. But, I'm going to go with
032what I had prepared. During the Monday meeting, it is my understanding that a shared platform with both value teachers and USI investment options would provide Knox County teachers the best options to meet their retirement needs. USI would be named the plan administrator. This upholds choice in the 403 option be options, excuse me, ensuring that everyone both now in the future has a product and a company that is a fit for them. It is my understanding based off the conversations this one I can skip through that sentence because we've deferred it. We are excited about the opportunity to work together on a plan that will establish a contract and provide the investment and provide the protection, excuse me, and benefits that this board is seeking while keeping a contract. My goodness, guys, I've marked off on
033here too because I wasn't. So, forgive me. All right. We're excited about the opportunity to work together on a plan that will establish a contract and provide the protection and benefits that this board is seeking while keeping diversity and choice of investments in Knox County for Knox County teachers and allowing them to choose what is their best financial future in their 403b. Working together on this contract, we will be able to provide choice and joint solutions where we can meet all employees needs as they decide what is best for their financial future. This will prevent freezing accounts, disrupting long-term savings plan, yet expanding the plan's oper uh current offerings. We're looking forward to the opportunity to work with USI in this and continuing to serve current and future clients as well as all staff members
034on a diverse platform of offerings and companies. I want to thank you uh for your heart and care for this district, for our clients, for all employees and in especially in the 403b platform as a whole. That has been very evident in this and I'm I'm very appreciative. So, thank you very much and we'll see you next month. Thank you. Candace Bannister. Candace, you'll state your name and county resident. You'll have three minutes. Candace Bannister, Knox County resident. I remember the first year I returned to teaching after becoming a mom. Brooks was in second grade. At my school, we were having our beginning of the year conferences with our parents. One mom rushed into the room almost breathless, introduced herself, identified her student, and said, "It is so nice to meet you, but you won't
035see me here again unless it's after hours because I teach just down the road at another elementary school with the same hours you have, doing the same job you're doing for another group of students. I can't volunteer for parties or go on field trips, but if you need anything, any supply of any kind for class or a party, I'll do my best to get it for you. Don't hesitate to reach out to me. If there's something regarding my daughter, phone calls work best. Leave a message and I'll get back to you. We went on with our conference, but I thought to myself, so this is how it works. When you teach and have children, I take care of the kiddos in front of me and can trust that the teachers in my child's school will
036look out for my children because we are literally locked in for the day once we arrive at school. There is no break in the day. We roll from one lesson to the next with smooth transitions. Continue rolling until all students are on the bus and in the car and rolling on home. Sometimes without even time for a restroom break. That's just the truth of it. So from that year until the last year I taught in Knox County schools, I told Brooks and Wills teachers the very same thing. I won't be here. You won't see me. I'll be taking care of a group of children at my school and you'll be taking care of my child and I'll shop for you on a minute's notice as long as it's before 11 p.m. And even at 11
037p.m. I'll still make that trip to Walmart. It's like a contract or an agreement teachers have with other teachers. We know we can count on one another. We understand the pressures and demands of this job. And I continued to uphold my end of the promise right up to April 17th, 2017, the very last day I taught in room 22 at West Hill School. I was in my classroom taking care of and meeting the needs of my students. I came to school each day with energy, joy in my heart, strength enough to move and contain the oceans of the the waters of the oceans. I gave my students my best every day. We started every day with the pledge of allegiance and our school affirmation. Today, I will do my best to be my best. What
038I do today will make a difference. I will listen. I will follow directions. I will respect the rights of others. I can learn. I will learn. I meant every single word every single day. You did not hold up your end of the bargain. You did not provide a safe environment for Will. You failed Will. And in so you failed our family. You allowed a bully to be moved to his school as his administrator. This admin already had a poor track record and you just kept passing him along instead of actually addressing his issues. Even later, with 43 written complaints about him from members of my community and staff from that school, six suicide deaths and you still failed to do anything of substance. Everyone in our community knew why he was moved on the Friday
039before students returned, but you failed to initiate anything official. Here we are almost exactly eight years since our son took his life and you're still failing Will and our family and still protecting the bully. You are still not holding up your end of the bargain and our lives will never be the same. Thank you, Candace. Megan Barlet Fogarti. Megan, if you'll state your name and county residents, you'll have three minutes. Good evening. My name is Megan Barlay Fogerty. I'm a resident of Knox County and a parent of a student at Knox County Schools. I'm also employed as the director of youth and family engagement at Centro Espano where I have the privilege of working with amazing colleagues to support local families through afterchool program, summer camp, parent education, early literacy, and post-secondary access. We work
040closely with many wonderful educators and administrators at KCS who value our partnership and expertise in working primarily with immigrant and Latino families. I'm here today to ask this board of education and KCS administration to closely consider the local imple implications of SB0836 and HB0793 bills which are working their way through the Tennessee General Assembly. Just this morning, the Senate voted to pass this bill into law. The proposed law would require districts to collect proof of immigration status for every child enrolled and would allow districts to decide whether to charge tuition or deny enrollment to students who cannot prove that they are US citizens in the process of obtaining citizenship or visa holders. This proposed law is immoral and is unconstitutional. I understand that this body does not have the authority to vote on these proposed
041laws, but it is crucial that state lawmakers hear directly from districts about their opposition to the harmful impact of this legislation, not only on the children and families themselves, but also on overworked and underfunded districts who do not want to be burdened with the bureaucratic nightmare of implementing this law. We are not talking about just collecting birth certificates here. Immigration status in this country is immensely complicated. While many of the children that we serve at Centro Espano are US citizens, the vast majority of those who are not are in the process of adjusting their immigration status. This process can take many years. Is the district prepared to hire an immigration attorney to review the paperwork of each child to determine who is eligible and who is not? And we will and will we as a
042district deny enrollment to a kindergartenner and ask them to sit at home for years while their immigration status is still being processed. The impact of this proposed legislation on the academic and social emotional health of children and youth cannot be overstated. I will share the words of one mother. How do we tell our children that they can't go to school anymore? They will cry and ask, "Mama, why don't they want me? Did I do something wrong? What could I possibly answer? They're just children. They love this country. It's the only home they clearly remember. They do not understand borders or legal status, nor should they have to at this age." Imagine the message it sends to a child when an authority figure says, "You cannot come to school because you don't have the right papers."
043It tells that child, "You are not wanted. You don't belong." I fear that such a blow would crush their spirit. They will feel humiliate humiliated and ashamed over something they have no power to change. The trauma of that rejection at the age of five, six, seven, or eight could haunt them the rest of their lives. Every day we see children that have experienced ad immense adversity in their lives thrive in school and in out of school programs where they feel safe and celebrated for who they are. Children are resilient when they know that the caring adults are willing to protect them. This legislation and the decision that school districts will need to make threatens children's ability to see school as a safe place where they can find trusted adults and learn to value education as
044they pursue their dreams for the future. Thank you. Thank you, Megan. Gabriella Sanchez Bonitz. Gabriella, if you'll state your name and county residents, you'll have three minutes. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Gabriella Sanchez Bonitez of Knox County and a proud graduate of our region 5 schools. I'm here tonight to urge you to publicly renounce uh Senate Bill 0836 and House Bill 0793, a bill that would deny access to public education for students who cannot prove legal residency unless they pay tuition. Just last year, I was honored in a statewide resolution recognizing students for academic excellence. It described me as a tremendous source of pride for her family, her school, her community, deserving of respect and admiration for my dedication. But had I been born under different circumstances, without legal documentation and
045just a few months later, I would not have received that recognition. I would have been seen not as a source of pride or a student but with uh promise but as a financial burden to our state's public education system that by design should be accessible to all. This bill suggests that students could simply pay tuition or find education elsewhere. This imitates the dangerous logic of the separate but equal framing of the Jim Crow era. A logic we know led to generational harm and inequality. Some might argue that denying access will encourage undocumented families to leave, reducing a financial strain. But that argument lacks compassion and more importantly, it lacks a vision. I urge you to be realistic and empathetic in your response. As public servants, you're tasked with protecting all students. This bill targets some
046of our most vulnerable and it undermines the inclusive forwardthinking vision that our district committed to its strategic plan. developing lifelong learners, effective communicators, creative problem solvers, and community-minded citizens. How can a student become any of those things if as young as 5 years old they are told they're lesser because of paperwork? How will their peers grow into empathetic, globally conscious adults if they're told that worth is uh conditional? If passed, this bill won't just harm undocumented students. It will teach all students that documentation status justifies exclusion. It will shape how all students view one another. It will teach them that legal status or economic background determines worth and access. That exclusion is justified. It will tell them that differences in background or access to resources means differences in worth and that it's the opposite of
047what we claim to value in education. The United Nation declares access to education as a fundamental human right. We should not be in the business of deciding which student is worthy of that right based on paperwork. I urge you to speak out against this bill, not just as board members, but as people who believe in equity, community, and the power of education. If we fail to act, we send a message that our values are conditional, that belonging, dignity, and opportunity are not for everybody. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. That concludes public. All right. Well, with that, we are adjourned and I hope everybody has a good rest of the month.