001Call the uh the school board meeting for May the 26th, is that right? >> 27th, thank you. To order, please. And um we'll let Ms. Wagner give the the uh Pledge of Allegiance and our chaplain, Ms. Gilyard, will give the invocation. Please stand. >> Excuse me. I pledge 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. >> Let us pray. Father, in the name of your son, Jesus, God, we pause now to tell you thank you. Thank you, oh God, for your blessings. God, we thank you for the things our eyes have seen and our ears have heard. On last night, God, where one of our young people proclaimed to you to their classmates. God,
002we pray as our children are gearing up for their specific commencement exercises. God, that they too will be attentive and focused. And God, just treated as what it is, a solemn occasion. And then, God, we pray for their safety this summer. For all of the employees, the staff, the members, God, let them get rest, enjoy their families, God, and just be revived and rejuvenated to come back refreshed. Now, God, for this board meeting and all of the things that are before us, God, give us wisdom, give us knowledge and understanding, God, that we may rightly divide what is before us and make the decision we believe is in the best interest of our children and our constituents. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> Be careful. That's why I to like that, see,
003cuz it'll go from under you. >> All right, board, we have three public speakers, so we'll move to public comment and I will call um Ms. Kathleen Murray. Come forward and you state your name and address for the record. Um all speakers have 3 minutes and the board generally does not make any comments or questions during the time frame. Please be you're recognized, ma'am. >> Thank you. Kathleen Murray, 11674 Grand Creek Court North, Jacksonville, Florida 32223. Good afternoon, Chairman, board members, superintendent, and Mr. Holmes. My name is Kathleen Murray, state education director for Citizens Defending Freedom, and I come here this afternoon not as a car carpetbagger from up north in Jacksonville, but as someone with long-standing ties in Putnam County. Having home owned a home for years in Flora home to be closer to
004my mother to who to this day still lives in Grandin. Putnam County still reflects the old Florida charm where community values, transparency, and trust matter. That is why it's so concerning to see out-of-state vendors pushing curriculum materials into local schools that may not align with Florida law or Putnam County values. What is happening here is becoming a textbook example of how parental rights and public records laws can be undermined through third-party vendors and restricted access to taxpayer-funded materials. For more than 2 years, Citizens Defending Freedom has stood alongside Jack Noki in the fight for transparency regarding the ripple effects SEL curriculum. In Nassau County, after a lengthy legal battle, the court ruled in favor of parents, ordered full access to the materials, and awarded attorney's fees against the district for failing to comply with public
005records law. And we fully expect that this court will become legal precedents on a national level. That case established an important principle. Materials purchased with taxpayer dollars are public records, and parents have a right to inspect them. Yet, we are now seeing many of the same tactics here in Putnam County. Jack Nackie and Marsha Metzker spent years seeking access to these materials. Even when limited access was finally granted on April 22nd, they were restricted to handwritten notes only. No screenshots, no copies, and no meaningful opportunity to ask questions about the content, including the Educator Ally Professional Development modules purchased by this district. These restrictions raise serious concerns under Chapter 119 Florida Public Records Act, which guarantees reasonable access to inspect and copy public records, as well as Chapter 1014, the Parents Bill of Rights. Chairman
006and board members, we respectfully ask for immediate full compliance with Florida law, unrestricted access to all Ripple Effects and Educator Ally materials, and an end to any practices that obstruct lawful transparency. Citizens Defending Freedom stands ready to support Putnam County in restoring accountability, protecting parental rights, and ensuring full transparency for families. And if I have a few seconds left, I just want to say how refreshing it is to come to a school board meeting be where a board member actually leads the invocation and prayer. Up north in Duval County, we are fighting with organizations to keep the right for the children to pray before the meeting. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Next, we have um Ms. Marsha Metzker, please come forward and >> That was called Freedom Freedom Well, hello again, board. >>
007Hello. Good to see you again. Um All right. Got a couple of things to give you afterward. All right, I'll start. All right. My name is Marsha Metzker, 674 State Road 26, Melrose. And I do thank you for your strong conservative leadership. It is genuinely appreciated. Um on April 22nd, as you just heard through public record records, um I along with Jack Nackie completed the scheduled 4-hour review um with Destination Knowledge's CEO Christine Marsh. And to review the Ripple Effects curriculum. And when we were restricted to only handwritten notes only, do you remember last month when I came and we talked about sex education material? And I was able to present to you pictures and and documented information. I did not get that information during this particular review. Um that you know, Ripple Effects because
008it comes through the mental health auspices of the school, all of a sudden restriction to all of this instructional material is flat-out just um denied at first. And then I went back and forth and I mean, you've seen this I have a series of open record requests that I will send to you. The professional development modules for uh Ripple Effects are particularly of interest to me. And the reason for that is knowing what the theory is behind how social and emotional learning is used is quite important to our students, to our families, to the invasion of privacy that could happen with them. There is a lot to consider with that. Um so um I'm going to be handing out documents, two documents for the board and the pub for the public record as well today.
009A detailed chronology of the public records battle showing a clear Chapter 119 violations and a cost per pupil analysis contrasting hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on this therapeutic education model against dismal outcomes in reading, math, and even the STDs in our um community. SEL fails to deliver resiliency and any other buzzword you want to assign to it. Chairman and board members, you have both the authority and the duty to act. I am your biggest cheerleader. I want to help in any way I can, but you've got to understand the greater limits and the greater um motives behind social and emotional learning. It is very important to learn about what's going on. And in these documents, you'll see some more of that information. And I truly hope that I can be a service to you
010to explain where it comes from, how it works, and a lot of things like that. So, there's one in each of these that you can han- take and hand out, and you can keep your files because I got those from y'all. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> to recycle. >> Thanks. All right. Uh board, our last speaker is uh Mr. Jack Knock. Um please come forward and be recognized. Name and address for the record. >> Hello, my name is Jack Knocky, 2809 Ocean View Court, uh Fernandina Beach. Uh I drove here 2 hours because it is very important to me that you understand what you have in your school. Um in Nassau County, I fought the school district for 873 days to see Ripple Effects. They blocked us for 2 and 1/2 years, never let
011us see it. And eventually, they illegally destroyed the records so that I could never see it. Finally, because of Marsha's actions, I was able to see it here. The judge ruled that it was accidental that they destroyed the records. I'm telling you today, and I'm asking you, preserve the records because you've been duly notified. If this district eliminates the records, um we'll be able to come back to this meeting. Um the the problem is transparency. Why would they fight me for 2 and 1/2 years? Why would Why would you guys, along with Destination Knowledge and Ripple Effects, put more blockades from us being able to see this and present this information to you? Well, I'll tell you exactly why. Ripple Effects and social emotional learning promotes an alternative spirituality. This is not me making this
012up. This is actually from their documents. An alternate We prayed this morning to Jesus and we should act as if he is still here and that our school should be promoting Jesus and our Christian faith, not an alternative atheist faith that SEL does. Um SEL also seeks to separate parents from children. In their documents, they ask for who is your trusted adult, not your parent, because they want to have the child seek other um things. Within the system, there are tracking of the children when they respond to something in this software and it's all tracked and gathered. There's a brain journal that in their documents says the parents are not allowed to see it. That's totally illegal in the state of Florida. Um it also, we found, directs the children to Planned Parenthood to coordinate
013an abortion or a sex change. That's directly from your curriculum to a child without the parent having any type of uh influence. Um how it could be appropriate to direct a 6th to 12th grader to Planned Parenthood is totally beyond me. >> [snorts] >> Um I ask you don't bow to the state or federal because they've approved this. You are the last stand for Putnam County. Put all of this out there in the public record, let everyone see it. And if someone objects, you'll find out very soon. If staff is recommending the purchase, we need to change the staff because there's no reason this should have been uh adopted. As far as Destination Knowledge, it's very deceptive the way Destination Knowledge represented Ripple Effects in our meeting. Could I have another 30 seconds? >> Yes,
014please. >> Because Destination Knowledge's CEO said, "I'm Christine. I represent Ripple Effects." She never said she represents Destination Knowledge, but she was answering for Ripple Effects. And she actually represented to us that that Educator Ally was discontinued as a Ripple Effects representative. That's not exactly true because it's on the Destination Knowledge website, it's on the Ripple Effects website. There's deception going on. And what you'll find is the mental health organizations in the state of Florida, they're delivering this. We found it in Nassau County with Starting Point Behavioral Health Care presenting at the at the uh Pride Festival telling parents that they would not tell their children if they had a sexual identity issue. And um we find that these mental health organizations, instead of calling it a mental illness, now call it something that we
015should affirm, accept, and endorse. It is It is totally messed up. My ask is that i- you are good people on this board, take your responsibility, and don't defer decisions to the state or uh the federal government. Uh you're the last stop. Promote full public transparency. My recommendation is to put this on the website, make it all available so that there is total transparency. You You can't be faulted for that because that's your job is for public um public access. Thank you for the extra few seconds and for your time today. >> in Putnam County? >> I do not live in Putnam County. I'm from Nassau County and we fought Ripple Effect there. >> what they do in Nassau County, but we you know, we followed the the constitutionally approved method for student-led prayer and
016and a lot of options that we have in our school. If you went to one of our graduations, you'd probably think you were back in the '60s or '70s. >> But, you know, with that does come the responsibility to make sure it doesn't get out of hand, but I appreciate you coming and showing this to us, but I've seen more baptisms in the last year on school board property uh you know, it wasn't during school hours, but uh than I would have ever dreamed in in Putnam County. So, I don't know what y'all do in Nassau, but we'll [clears throat] we'll try to get the stuff you're talking about together and make sure it's transparent. >> You have the same software we have and it's it's it's happening behind your back, not in full transparency.
017>> Thank you, sir. >> All right, board. We'll move to the consent agenda um and I will start with Ms. Pickens. >> I have um talked to everyone. I don't have anything to pull. >> Okay. Mr. Buckles? >> I'm good. >> Nothing to pull, sir. >> I'll say I don't I don't have anything to pull right now. I won't say that I'm good, but >> We'll go with that. [snorts] >> Nothing on the consent agenda, correct? >> Nothing on the consent agenda. >> Okay. >> Well, I'm >> I won't say I'm good. I'll say I have nothing to pull. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. All right, and I would just for a couple comments like to um pull the where is it? To get back in the lighting uh C2. So, I chair entertain
018a motion for the balance of the consent agenda let minus C2. Ma'am? >> Ms. Wagner pulling it. >> No. >> didn't pull it. >> So, you pull in C >> C2 just for some comments. >> Okay. >> All right. >> The lighting. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah, okay. >> All right. Gerald, entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion that we accept the consent agenda minus C2. >> Second. >> All right, I have a motion second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Carries 5-0. Um on on C C2, um uh Miss uh Whitehurst sent me a really good explanation. I had also talked with Mr. Woods and and uh Mr. Odom, our CFO, and um even though I I have some reservations about it, I think we're at a point in
019time that we've got to do something. Um you know, it's it's just gone too long and uh um uh even you know, we do have the money. You know, that money, you know, was being kind of held back and and started with uh uh Miss Miss Odom under her uh tenure as CFO, um for our payback or pay down of the um Crest City Junior Senior High School, our 30%. Um and so, and and honestly, I I will tell you, you know, watching the legislative session and what's going on with this budget which just was put on the desk of the legislators yesterday and will be voted off on Friday. Um I think the days of um of cost share and uh facilities money from the state are rapidly coming to a close. Um so,
020in any rate, uh I supported I I think that, you know, it critically important for our students to have, you know, the opportunities with their athletic facilities and I and I think they'll be nine nine nine different fields. Is that right? I think it's Mr. Woods told me nine different Right, so it'll cover everything and I think that's that's important for for long term. So, just wanted to let everybody know >> Plus the tremendous savings and >> Right. We're getting a 20% discount by >> The savings on our utility bills. >> Utility bills, right. >> And there's a lot of a lot of people using them, too. >> Okay. So, [clears throat] um >> I think it's >> I would ma'am. >> No, I'm agreeing. >> Okay. >> I I did >> Um, I support
021it. So, uh Cheryl, um entertain a motion for approval or denial. >> Of C2. >> Yes, ma'am. C2. >> Second. >> Uh, did you already get a motion? No, you got to get a I I got to get a motion. >> Okay. >> All right. Okay. >> You want to make >> make the motion. >> All right. I'll make a motion we approve uh C2 the piggyback purchase of us athletic field lighting retrofit project utilizing Clay County RFP. >> Second. >> All right. Have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion carries unanimous. Um, we don't have specifically any board uh comments for the time frame, but we do have a few minutes before our workshop starts at 2:00. Um, so is there any board member that would like
022to um have us any issues or comments? I know Mr. Buckles does. >> Well, I just I would have to defer to the attorney to make sure I can speak about freely about ongoing things like down in Sarasota and Broward County and you you you I don't know what you're going to say, so I hesitate to say anything. >> [laughter] >> I think I think you stammered there for a minute, Mr. Buckles. >> Well, I I stammer a little and >> don't want to give him a stamp of approval. >> Yeah, but I mean, uh we got we got a lot going on. I'm very concerned not only uh I mean, primarily right now it it is tied to what I'm seeing going on and and that's why the chairman you're a vital part of
023this with your configuration with the school board association. We and we all are, but we we send you. I'd like to see the school board association find some way to step up and and get in with Sarasota and I mean this this voted stuff that's for children needs to needs to be protected in a manner where uh it it just it just needs to be protected. I I'm to the point now I I know that I've had some dialogue over the years with the superintendent that that I mean we've got some opportunities here if if if we get down or if this board or a future board can't complete a school they're going to need some money and we're going to have to look, you know, maybe we've got some property that we're going to
024have to go ahead and look a little closer at trying to turn over and bank the revenue to hold on to. And some of the property is property that I'm sure people in our county would want. But you know, the the options here would you know, are kind of running down. We've got property in South Putnam, we've got property I mean we could just we could put this building on the market and move to one of our schools. I mean we've got and the superintendent and I have had this conversation numerous times. The transportation compound you could ultimately move it over there toward the Jenkins campus or James A. Long. And and sell that 19 frontage you you know, we're being pushed in a direction that shouldn't have to happen. When it comes time to
025finish a school in in Interlachen or San Mateo or or East Palatka or anywhere in Putnam County that the voters of Putnam County voted specifically for this bond issue to to do this for these schools whether we liked it or not. Some of us, you know, obviously didn't like putting it out there cuz if it gets voted on then you got everybody mad because you got it done, but I just like to give the superintendents some latitude or maybe the board think about him kind of exploring options down the road. We got a acre in Interlachen at at the intersection and we declined to sell it for a variety of reasons, but if we're going to be pushed to where we have to have money because some somebody's going to twist a word like shall
026or may, I I think this school board association needs to back these districts in the state of Florida that have voted millages, whether it's this kind of millage or whether it's bond millage and and come out fighting for all school districts. >> Let Let's uh let our board attorney kind of bring us up to speed. He did send us an email today and I've been researching some legislation that was filed. So, um I did send an email and um as you know and so as not to talk around folks in the audience, um the issue has been whether or not the tax collector uh has the obligation to assess a commission on um >> We do. >> revenue that's um voter approved that's uh designated specifically for uh school district in this case. Um the
027issue arose in Sarasota County on a one mill um special assessment to their ad valorem taxes or addition one mill addition to their ad valorem taxes, which apparently has been ongoing for about 20 years. Um It about 22 apparently the tax collector uh I think it was 2022, decided to start assessing commissions. That's about the same time, I believe, our tax collector started the term to assess collection or assess commissions on the uh revenue bonds, but I may be off a little bit. In any event, they filed suit. Um at first, they alleged, they being the school district, that the uh that the law the law that was in effect did not support what was happening. Did not support the tax collector's ability to assess commissions on funds that were exclusively dedicated to schools. Um
028as litigation progressed, and it hasn't been going very long, they began to lobby for a change in the statute. Well, the fact that they're lobbying for a change in the statute tells me that they weren't all that confident that the existing statute would allow them to keep the tax collector from doing what the tax collector was doing, but update um that litigation yesterday, the judge held that litigation in abeyance and noted in its order that the school district was lobbying to have the legislature change the law. Well, the house bill I was sent copies of it to all of you, but it wasn't numbered because the copy that I got was part of a pleading in that lawsuit. It has a number, it's 70-31E. And >> I'm looking it up now. >> My computer is
029not helping me out much, but as I read, if I'm understanding what I'm what I'm getting on my um phone, it was approved for filing on 5/26 at 12:02. And it contains those clauses that would drastically change, uh in my opinion, the um law as it relates to the assessments. For one thing, um it specifically states that um commissions on the amount of taxes collected from school millages shall be paid by the Board of County Commissioners. For another, it says specifically the tax and this is specific specific language. The tax collector may waive the commission authorized in paragraph B for voted school millages as described in section 200.001 (3) close paren. So, if I'm reading this correctly and again, I'm having to do it on my phone because for whatever reason my >> I've got
030the bill pulled up now. >> You've got it pulled up. So, what are you What are you seeing on the tracking of it? Do you have it >> Uh it's Well, all all I need to know is the Speaker Pro Tem filed it. So, um I'm guessing it'll it'll come up because it's uh entitled taxation. It'll come up in the special session. So, it'll start Monday. >> Monday. So, you may have a drastic change in the uh environment when this special session is up that would favor school districts. Now, understand everything I quoted had to do with special millage. I see your face, Mr. Chair. But, and ours was not a millage, it was a bond issue, but it was collected by the tax collector and it was for special purpose funds dedicated exclusively to
031the schools. So, I'm assuming that the analogy would be one that we could could make. Um so, um things may change drastically pretty quick. Also, I'll I'll to you that uh the um um there's a couple of things that I sent to you that and I know I my email pref- my preface my email by saying I know none of you are attorneys except Ms. Wagner and those of you who aren't attorneys probably don't want to be a Ms. Wagner may not want to be all the time either. >> [laughter] >> But >> [clears throat] >> uh I sent you also an email from the Florida Department of Revenue that was apparently sent to the tax collector in their county which said in Sarasota County which basically said that in their opinion the law did
032require the agency that was benefiting from the special tax to pay the commissions. However, it said in the absence of interlocal agreement. Um which to me was a huge signal that it's possible for and then I'm I'm reading a lot and and maybe taking it further than it needs to go, but it would appear to me that the grounds may be right for us to enter into some discussions with the tax collector and the Board of County Commission to see if the burden and the entire burden of the cost associated with collecting that bond premium or bond repayment can be taken from or shared by the county and not just the school district. >> Well, and and I'm reading reading further down um the bill was um submitted to as a committee to the committee
033budget committee um and has been heard. It may already it may be in the budget bill. And and they signed it on Friday, it's law because it said it takes effect July 1st. Um but it's confusing from here to see whether it was or not. The only way to do it is go in and research that 7,000 page budget bill. But I and I can do some things, but I I can't do it, you know. >> Bill, can't you contact whoever representing you at the school board attorney's >> Yeah, David, I wanted to yeah, to to and quickly tell you about that. So, the school board's association moves like a turtle. They they work on legislation this summer at the conference that they will want to do and approve for next session. Well, there's so
034many things that happen in that time frame and other issues that come up. >> I understand. >> It's you know, and so honestly there >> They're as much help as they could be. >> There you go. I'm glad you said it. So, um at any rate uh I think that this is definitely going to it's [clears throat] going to pass. And by the way the county commission in Sarasota County voted to go ahead and pay the commissions temporarily that are associated with collection of that one mill pending outcome of that lawsuit and also legislation. So, um if this passes, my my bottom line simply is uh the law will change and there's a great probability that the the whole burden of paying commissions on that designated designated bond repayment will not fall upon the school
035district. And that's you know, that's >> Well, don't know and >> Governor could veto, lots of things could happen. So, I don't want to write it in stone right now, but it looks promising. >> And I'm not saying we need to go out and pay a lot of money to hire an attorney right now. But I would I I just would like to see the chairman and the superintendent uh maybe offer their support through the association somehow. I would think our superintendent association and our school board association would support Broward and Sarasota, but I don't know that. I I just >> Well, I'll be I'll be uh at a superintendent's meeting next week or following week and I'll I'll get with our council there and >> I'll and I'll call Joe McGee the the uh
036government affairs director for FSBA. >> Yeah, cuz you know what I'm talking about. We get We get down to a million dollars short on a school and and then you're going to and and we've over the year historically we've given stuff to the county that adds up to millions of dollars over time to try to help them and you know, we just we just want to get along and continue to function as a community. >> Don, I want to thank you for doing that research. >> That was that was very good. >> is very encouraging. >> Okay, board. We will adjourn the regular board meeting and go to our workshop for today and I will call the board workshop for May 27th to order and I will call on our Wait a minute. Oh, >>
037Mr. Helms will be >> 5 minutes. All right. >> Mr. Helms will be >> So will we >> presenting on on sales tax. >> Before and before he does that I I I