001us what's going on oh no we got to say the Pledge sure do I'm sorry I was trying to get this done go right to it Dr would you lead us pled to the flag of the United States of America and to Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with and Justice slightly off um everyone take a moment to look at your agenda we have one item is there anyone who wishes don't take my good pen Claire who wishes to change anything or add to our agenda at this [Music] point if not I will entertain a motion to approve the agenda move to approve thank you do I have a second second all in favor say I I all opposed no anyone wishing to abstain our agenda is approved we do not
002have any public comment tonight so we will go directly into our agenda miss Monica yes thank you we have one policy change which is policy 4.43 Library materials and we are requesting that this policy uh be approved on one reading as it is necessary to take effect before the start of the 24 25 school year and you all may remember two weeks ago we were here and uh battled through a very long meeting and just needed to change a few things that we did not get right on the last um on the last one so just to let everyone know had a few versions last time and um Ben Torres with tsba helped us work through this one to make sure that it met the um requirements of the new law there was a lot
003in the new law and then still address what we had going on in our district so um before you you will see the proposed changes and again this merges um what Mr Torres helped us with and then um some other things that we we addressed along with our current policy to make sure that it was compliance with the new law all right uh I do want to point out I think most of you know this but after we worked on that on that Monday night a group went to the tsba law conference and at the law conference there was quite a presentation on this evidently other districts are looking at this also and so it was at that time that we realized that perhaps we were going to have to go back and as my
004mother used to say relick our calf meaning we're going to to do this again so we came back and Monica checked with Ben so that we could make sure that we had this compliant to the new law so this language is compliant to the new law I will now open the floor oh wait is there somebody coming in okay that's what I thought I think somebody was coming in all right um I will now open the floor for discussion do we have discussion on this I know Dr s you've asked for to speak so go ahead so we held a principal's meeting today at 3:30 to discuss this cuz I don't want princi principles to be blindsided by it and I apologize to them because this is the last thing that principles need on their
005mind um as we start school with our teachers tomorrow a couple things that I I feel like are important to point out is that this does put the onus of review starting at the principal level um that is yet another thing that principles are going to have on them and so if they're doing this after school understand there very well could be phone calls emails we we constantly hear from parent complaints of this person wasn't responsive to me this person didn't email or text me back I have to protect them and say there's always so much they can do in the time that they're allocated to work and so I think that needs to be noted for our principles I'm sorry to add yet one other thing the only other part I think that is
006um needed to be discussed or at least I would like to be discussed for clarification for me because I have to enforce policy is that we still have the I'm looking on page one um as defined in TCA 391 1791 so this is the obscene materials that requires immediate removal um of course we will continue to comply with that but I would like to add or suggested to add that once we immediately remove something that it then goes through the review process as well um because that way it ultimately comes before the board and it's not just me or three people on my staff looking to decide is this offensive or is it not offensive that way it gets to the board through the normal review process I don't know how we need to word
007that but that was something that we got stuck with last year did it go through the review process did it go through obscene materials think it needs to be clean okay and that complies with the the new public chapter which says that all those decisions are made by the board so Dr suin you'll need to make a motion to add that that end of line 23 on page one me just a second shall be immediately removed from all libraries within the school district that's that's probably the place to put it is I'm just trying to think of how I want to word it okay okay Jeff you got any ideas on that and follow the procedures as outlined in this policy can I ask yeah I'm sorry so if you if we immediately remove it
008due to the obscene materials law and then we put it through the review process and let's just say the board then votes majority to leave it then where does that leave us because if it was pulled then according to the definition set forth by the law it should be pulled I'm just worried that then if we put it through another process at that point if that process deems in Conflict I'm curious legally like where that puts the district yeah I think ultimately right now it's I get a complaint and it's me and four other people who are reviewing it and the way the law is written it falls to the board I feel better at honestly that's where the law goes um I'm not disagreeing with that I'm just saying like and I don't know
009if that's a question for Mr Reed or Monica in terms of like where that leaves us legally in that situation because I I know they've added some more definition into right that portion of it I just if that were to come up I'm just curious where that leaves us that a book does not fall Within These categories that will be the bo decision that over decision yeah SCH M Bron yes ma'am I understood when um Ben was refering was um presenting that that basically the board was the one who had the ultimate final say so so even if there was an intermediate person it had to come before the board and make the final decis decision whether it was removed or not removed so it could be a recommendation to remove the book but ultimately
010the whole purpose of changing that is that it had to ultimately fall in the hands of the board that's what I came away to understand that that's what I understood it to be when Ben presented is that the interpretation Monica that you understood that it was to come before the board regardless of what intermediate decision was made ultimately the final decision was based on the will of the war that's my understanding yes so that was still fall in line of us having to bring it before the the board at that step with Dr Sullivan so it falls in line with what Dr suan is saying there's two different things they're talking about though because he's talking about the obsc according to the obscene portion of the law and then there's the age appropriate which is
011where they were discussing that no longer has to go through committee that is the board's decision but the way the state law reads if I'm correct in my understanding is that when it comes to the explicit obscenity law that can be done I mean ultimately anything can be done by the board according to Mr Reid but I think that's also at the director of schools discretion corre okay yes ma'am let me pull it up that which is in yellow is what's been added am I correct MH okay while she's pulling that up um I requested to add that because otherwise um as we talked about last time we could have complaint saying any picture photograph drawing sculpture and people trying to to go after the art books with Michelangelo's David statue or something so we
012wanted it clear in policy at least I did of what we were looking for for obscene materials had to be defined in gotcha okay I've got 3917 901 up on the screen these are the definitions let me know when you need me to move it down and I'll point out number six is normally where we have the most conversation around number what number six six and 10 sorry they copy each other yeah one's harmful to minors and one's Oban move it down f what public chapter 782 says is that any material that meets these definitions in 3917 901 is not appropriate for the age or maturity level of a student in any of the grades kindergarten through 12 and must not be m maintained in the school's library collection or is patently offensive and then
013goes into those definitions appeals to the perant interest is not appropriate for the age or matur level in any student grades kindergarten through 12 no matter what we do the buck stops with the board it doesn't doesn't matter the buck stops with the board whether or not it's an appeel through the the principal to the ad hoc committee to the recommendation to the director back to the board so um there's nothing wrong with adding a sentence that says that even though it's removed at that time that somebody is not going to need to look at it because I don't think you need to take an art book out of the Li liary because it has things in it and that's what this is probably that's what we're referring to now if the board thinks you've
014got to take art books out then I guess you can vote to do that so do you have wording for your motion my motion would be to add in line 23 immediately removed from all libraries when this school district and then follow the review process as outlined in this policy you can add that that works too either way I was thinking it would go to the school so let's say we had a yeah that's why that's the reason I wanted this brought up because I needed Clarity on it because right now I get a list and it's looked upon me to remove the books and that puts me in an uncomfortable position especially in a legal standing when we're looking at the board having that do you want it to say uh removed from all
015libraries within the school district and reviewed for final decision by the board that'd be great yeah that'd be awesome say that again Katie thank you that'd be awesome uh within the school district and then reviewed for final decision by the board or final decision by the board we need to add that to um lines 30 as well it's lines 19 through 23 talk about right so shall be immediately removed from all libraries within the school district and reviewed for final decision by the board do I have a second second yes yes bless you for final decision let me jot this down thank you Mr harvy we will need to vote on that Amendment all in favor say I I all oppose no anyone wishing to abstain we will add those two lines to 23 and
01630 and reviewed for final decision by the board okay anyone else have something that they would like to Caleb M Bron um I would just want some clarity and I think we he Mr greasy just asked this but if it's if Dr Sullivan makes a decision then are we sending it back to the schools no you're sending it to the board straight to the board okay I just want to make sure on that yeah KD motion s if it was or addition obene materials but if it was a book challenge to the school it will go through the school what age appropriate material yep yeah okay anyone else have a question about anything on do for a clarifying yes sir for board agendas um I guess I'm just asking the board Mr Reed do we
017just want to add a section that says library book review because I imagine we need to have a standing probably portion I think I think that'll be fine I have an objection to that because we're going to have to have something but we don't have to put in the policy you can just add it on the agendas okay what yeah M Derby oh I'm sorry Miss you're fine I'm was writing this down okay I'm just curious um and this is probably a question for Monica um under complaints on number six I know the way that this is written says the principal shall request and I'm only asking because I think and I might be remembering wrong uh Mr Tidwell was there when I when uh Mr Torres was speaking about it with us after his
018presentation I think didn't he say that was optional that it could come directly to the board yes the recommendation that he had made was May yeah so I'm wondering in light of Dr Sullivan's point of it being extra and additional on our principles if we if legally we can change the wording to May then if the principal wants to have that committee they can and if they're slammed and they want to just kick it to the board they have either option I don't know how everybody feels but is that correct legally Monica is it correct that the principal doesn't have to make a decision is our question is that right Katie it is the ad hoc Review Committee is optional so the so the principal May request a review of The Challenge materials sir if
019they don't does that mean the principal's making a recommendation because they don't have to read books there's no way in the world they can read the books I think there should be a Review Committee I think it means that they can just say here's the form board have at it I don't think it's them making I might be misunderstanding but I think the ultimate goal was for it to end for the board to be the ones making the decision but that if we wanted some kind of a committee you could choose to have one but they didn't actually have like our previous committee had the authority to make the decision a committee now wouldn't have that Authority it would just be recommendation I don't think you want to take away that option for a principal
020that's not what you're talking about say change the language so that the principal has the option of whether they would like to call that committee to review it or whether they would just like to send it to the board for review it doesn't matter to me one way or the other I just to Dr Sullivan's point I'm sure depending on the time of year they there may be times when the last thing they have time for is to try and get a committee together to look at that I don't know if we do option to do it not do it we're all looking at you buddy how do you feel do you think that is a good idea have a have a m that's what I was saying I think that we should allow them
021to take a STA and give us their recommendation and reviewing it and then and whatever their review is that's what's presented to the board and the board can make the decision whether they accept it reject it or whatever but I think it'll be good to hear from the Educators first what their opinion is have option but I think the question is do we want the principal to make that decision every single time so if there's like 30 like if they have five requests and they're the one the only ones who can make a decision um are they're going to have time to make decisions for five bucks at want time Mr Brad yes sir uh I think the recommendation of why Mr Torres had recommended May instead of sha is simply just to allow the
022principal to decide whether they want to pursue that Avenue or not it doesn't take away the right I mean he could he or she the principal could form a committee every single time or they may have a recommendation perhaps the principal's already read the book because the principal is actually the one making the recommendation perhaps they've already reviewed and read the book when it gets brought up and they have a recommendation ready to move forward but it is just a step of recommendations in the end the board will have the final say so I think leaving that up to the principal decide whether or not they should or they must uh is just an extra tool in their back yes sir we discuss shall or may I like sh because it gave the same district
023or the entire District the same operating procedure um I can Envision different principles doing different things and that puts me in a a weird position to where half of my principles are doing this half are not I would either say yes they do or no they don't well there's no no so I think sh is where we should leave it but if somebody makes a motion we'll vote on it um can I real quick yes sir there can be a a none because the procedure for the local Board of Education or Public Charter School Governor body to receive and evaluate feedback it doesn't say it has to be a principal it just says there has to be a procedure I don't think that's a good idea whatsoever to go straight complaint board but but if
024that's the Avenue the board wanted to do they absolutely could so Dr Sullivan for consist consistency and uniformity across the board and that's something that we've discussed is about having consist consistency in our schools in everyone following through the same processes then you don't see this as being cumbersome to the principles rather and keeping the language as sh I think it's going to be cumbersome no I absolutely do but I I yes I do but it was it be uniform I think it should be required or they're not doing it one of the two because I could very well say well we're busy on Friday night I'm just going to kick this one for at this time of the year we're not going to kick this one one school kicks it one school doesn't that's
025okay okay so was that a motion or just a question just just just a discussion okay so you're not making a motion okay okay thank you anyone else me too I just want it decided and want to know what I'm doing anyone else have a question on Mr BR yes sir on page three uh where it talks about line 22 actually it's a little bit deeper than that I think it's 25 the board shall review the findings and issue a decision within 60 calendar days which the feedback was received when it says feedback received is that the beginning of the process the first submitt what is the starting point of feedback received feedback recommendation when the recommendation came to the board then 60 days from that because that's your feedback that's that's what I'm trying
026to figure out I I can see why you would say that I mean that's the way I read it yeah no I think yes sir it's it's basically the complaint okay should it say complaint maybe we should change that word to make it more clear cuz the board only has six days calendar days from the beginning to the end of the process and then because then it goes to if the if no action is taken by the board in 60 days it goes to the state okay so that should not say feedback it should say complaint are you are we right about that I think that would add Clarity would you like to make a motion on that Mr Tidwell yes I would like to make a motion that we change the word feedback to
027complaint do I have a second all in favor say I I I'll oppose no the day you get it yep okay um any we didn't finish any anyone wishing to abstain the motion passes now now we can ask a question goad uh Monica where is it on the policy where it states that that if after 60 days there's been no movement it goes to the state it's not in the policy it's in the law it's in the law do we want it we're not going to include it here in the policy just for clarity sake whatever the committee and the board wants didn't we go back and put that I thought we put in the last one okay Ben must have taken it out I think we should put that I my recommendation is that
028we include that because the clock because once the clock starts and there's and no movement is happening within those 60 days I don't it it is supposed to be going to the state and it actually um I think we're supposed to be giving the form too right I thought it was as part of it yeah and we're responsible for giving them the the form for the uh for the complaint to the state so are you making a motion yes and what is your motion I make a motion that we include the language um that after 60 days there's been no desision of the complaint that the complaint be moved to the state for appeal or the proc no for the process and um and for the for us and for the district to um uh
029give the form the the form to the complaint can you help us complaint I've got the language from ask for the language what's the here's the language from the public chapter if a local board of education does not make a determination within 60 days from the date on which the feedback was received actually says feedback in the in the law then the student students parent or guardian or School employee who submitted feedback on the material May request the state textbook and instructional materials quality commission to evaluate the material pursuant to TCA 49622 that's what we need to put in there with the exact language don't you think there's no need for okay so why don't you just make the motion that we include the exact language from the law yeah yeah do I hear a
030second all in favor say I I I'll oppose no anyone wishing to abstain the exact language will be added to the end of the decision of the board is final exact language on 60 days you get that Monica yes ma'am okay anybody else on the last line it says a notation will be made in the library database regarding any books do we have a comprehensive database we do M everyone access to that same updating right now so what it's gone through so we're not sure what the new version looks like I mean we have to download it to make sure everything stays and is accurate but we also post them on our website so any books that have been removed posted on our um reconsideration of Library materials website anyone else have a question Mr
031Tidwell on page two uh line two says each School library shall periodically review the library materials contained in their school library to ensure the school library collection is in line with the established standards and any materials found to be out of alignment with the standard shall be removed and this action shall be documented I was just curious what that looks like in action oh we got a hand raised yeah Caitlyn you want to let us know how that's done I know it's done just give us a little breef so we have an annual collection review procedure that is multi-tiered so annually every school librarian is responsible for a full inventory of their books in which they are placing hands on every book in their collection and scanning it into their inventory they are also uploading
032their inventory into our Software System and doing something called a collection analysis um it takes the data from from our library Collections and it segregates it by age recommendation and content area um so they're able to take a closer look at these books um because we all know that a librarian cannot read 15,000 books in its entirety and still do an excellent job um so this software allows us to take a really closer look to make sure that these books align with the age recommendations of the publisher and our academic Journal reviews after that we have some tools within our destiny Library software um to take a deeper look into those age recommendations to um really find the root cause of why this book has been recommended for this age group um so every year
033our Librarians will um do all three tiers of this annual review and then they will sign their end ofe checklist and submit it to me by May thorough and anyone else okay sir do want to point out that we are struggling to find Librarians and media Specialists um because of potential liability they're just not interested in doing it and so that's something that I continue as I continue to be a trend do we have all filled right now um but we have a large number of waivered librarians in our district um who are not yet endorsed um but are making a progression towards their endorsement yeah which they're working on their Library endorsement which adds another problem because they're not fully endorsed yet yeah so they're working on their line continuous Trend yeah two three
034years what's the program is it two to three so there's two Pathways to enter it um now typically you need a master's degree in library Sciences if you're already a licensed teacher there is a one-year and add-on endorsement program for which they can um be a licensed librarian as well that one year would equal a master's yeah one year of endorsement would would equal the the number of hours required for a masters anyone else are we ready any comments or questions we'll now entertain a motion second all in favor say I I all oppose no anyone wishing to abstain our new library policy passes you okay almost made it 30 beginning of the year we're just beginning of the year tired right Mr G yeah yeah thank you so much appreciate it meting a journ