Stafford School Board 7 16 2019

001like it's not on me sorry dr. chase here mr. Kator yeah miss Egan here miss hazard yeah miss Healy here mr. McCosker here admission I'm sure you have a quorum all right thank you do we have a motion for approval madam chair I move to approve the agenda but I also ask that we amend the agenda to remove items 9.01 and 9.02 from the action agenda until such time as the legal opinion requested by school board members on December 11th 2018 and June 25th 2019 has been completed has been completed by an attorney selected by the School Board and that all members of the school board not a select few members are provided with the opinion and the advice of legal counsel second yes sorry so I guess my concern is sort of the open-ended

002date here that we're talking about and you know back in November of last year we had a lockdown drill that left a student thinking that she didn't really have a great place to go for cover and this board asked at that time that the superintendent bring a policy to us by the end of the school year and we all as a board said this was important to us and it was something we cared about and so my concern is you know we've been talking about this for two years now and so and so I'm wondering if we would be willing to amend the amendment to specify that that this will be brought to action no later than the anniversary date of when this student all right anyone who is disrupting the meeting will be asked

003to leave we cannot continue this meeting with shouts from the audience so okay I where let's let's just sit here until we're going to have quiet in the audience [Applause] chairman guys I'm just gonna really respectfully ask that we're gonna do our job I promise you that this is this is part of our job and if we can't have a conversation with each other so I'm gonna ask you so respectfully let us have a conversation with each other so that we can get this figured out and so the part of my discussion is I would just say I'm a little concerned about the motion that you know some versus all you know it seems like a little jab if I'm being quite honest please please please it seems like a little jab if I'm being

004honest because I was a sponsor of this any of these recommendations and as I understand it and perhaps I'm wrong but as I understand it that when you bring a policy let's let's say it's just a policy about whether or not we have school on hot days if I'm a sponsor of that policy and I request information in order to do my best job of bringing that to the board and I ask for information I'm not required to give you any of that information and unless you ask for it and I recognize that some things have been asked for but I say it over and over again we're a team up here so you know I would just ask us to work together in a kind manner so I can promise you that if there

005was anything that I left out from you know that you wanted it was not intentional it was because I was just trying to do my job so I guess I don't I that threw me off I maybe I'd have had a little something smarter to say if I hadn't known that that was coming but miss young yes have a question oh no no no I was fixing my mic I don't know dr. chase was done with her comment were you finished because I thought maybe I was just asking if the board could agree on a date that we would bring this back for action so that it doesn't just get lost for another year and so I don't know what the pleasure of the board is my comment is that there needs to be training

006in every school and the principal needs to get the information and the teachers need to get the information so if we don't have a date went to bring it back we're going to go on next year the same way we went the last year I feel that the majority of the people have a wrong conception of what the policy is and and and if you really read the new policy you may not even be here because it includes race okay and there was a time that brown and black people even with a policy could not be in schools and were also bullied subjected and so to have a policy means that we will respect the policy that doesn't matter necessarily mean that you're not gonna bully that child the lbgtq or any child disabled or

007not black or brown this is about equality folks okay when you look back 10 15 years from now you want to be on the right side of justice okay and you know what use me this is not a dialogue back and forth it's not a back and forth this is just a comment this is not a dialogue this is a conversation as mr. Gator said among the board members this is a board meeting you are invited to attend as members of the public there will be a time when the public is given an opportunity to come and speak to the board but that is not during this time and I would ask you to respect that right and if you do not we will ask you to leave and I will ask the deputy to

008help someone find their way out if they are going to shout out again while we are trying to conduct this meeting you will have an opportunity to come forward in the public comments period and make any point that you wish to raise but please let us continue with our meeting because this is going to be you know a an extended discussion it's going to be a long meeting and we need to get on with the business and so thank you so much thank you so much chairman Healey so with that said I lost my train of thought and maybe it was best that I did but I agree with dr. chase if you and I remember clearly back when I can't remember the date I did not want to put any more pressure on miss

009Hall but I stated that we needed to have a meeting with the lawyers if we really had questions or concerns then which is last year and we didn't because it was going to cost money well here we have it again it's going to cost money or even more so I am willing to allow board members I don't know how many two or three to get the information that they need if they're going to vote the same or not vote you know at all or but at least the information will be there for them but there needs to be a date there needs to be a date and time that dr. kisna could do his job and have the teachers and staff trained to be able to provide a students to these children any other comments

010seekin i think miss hazards motion basically said it once the information is brought to us we can reconsider it we have no information right she's got no information we have no information when people ask have you done your homework do you know what the consequences are do you know what the benefits are do you know what this is you know what's gonna happen if this happens this is all we asked for and I still don't have it I don't want a justification I want a good the bad and ugly that's all we have a fiduciary responsibility and we have to abide by that that's all I'm gonna say mr. McCosker sure well thanks for everyone for coming tonight and the emails as well it's very informative and as members of the public we both have

011a responsibility to be here on these tough decisions and and as a board were elected to make these tough decisions so for the way I understand it and I have the motion on the floor and I'll supplement it with a date supplementary motion we need to as a board to get the opine the questions of opine that we actually want to do so if you want the good the bad the ugly we need to say board members let's go down you know go down there go down and maybe not in this for maybe this week sometime we say what is your one question chairman hazard for to in order to make you understand this policy or their or whatever and go down there for the opine get the legal opine by question and then come

012back at the September 10th date for a vote for an action vote that will entail two meetings I don't Val the what's your question that's unanswered that's number one number two is let's talk about we find who's the lawyer that we're gonna go to let's all agree on that get that get that done and number three what are their questions now that the lawyer came back with the opine and then once everything's on the table and then we make a vote and we and you don't go you vote yes you vote no September 10th so that's that's that's my so the whole month of August we have the whole month of August why September 10th why not the first meeting in August or the last meeting in August which is what we have one so

013so I understand it unless I'm missing something we have the 13th of August which is a quick is it which is a really quick turn for the what I just discussed and that's the only reason I say September 10th I understand that school has already started and I understand the concerns of making sure that we take care of policy so so that's nice man as a question and in terms of the question you have your questions right now so it's not going to take you long to bring your questions to the lawyer right and turn around of the question and a work session and we could still make it on a thirteen it's not a matter of a question it's it's a legal analysis it's looking at if this happens X happens if this doesn't

014happen this is what X happens it's not about me just asking a synchro actor correct but if it if that legal opinion already exists otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation right now the legal opinion exists I am assuming that we would have it so a question may be what are the what are the repercussions if we approve this policy in terms of but having but a mumbler wing and that the lawyer will answer that question I think you shouldn't do it because of this this and this I think you should do it I think it doesn't matter and so what I'm trying to do here is just trying to get all of us so we're not coming back to the next meeting going I didn't get my question answered and I've got three let's

015have a meeting and then when you have a meeting in the final public forum you have a meeting what are your questions you get the questions answered and just the process that I just mentioned I think that's right now that's the way we need to move forward that's so that's my in a supplementary motion is that we come back with this issue for action 10 September barring barring I don't know just 10 September we come back for action one way or the other I don't think that we can anticipate what the schedule is of the attorney that we choose I mean I've already thrown a name out there but nobody seems to listen to it how are we gonna how are we going to anticipate what their schedule is are they going to be able

016to do this and turn it around in three weeks for us to digest it and I guess I guess the frustration that I'm experiencing is I have felt like we've had on a number of occasions like we tried to have a work session and then the work session ran out of time and then we said well let's have a discussion during the meeting but then there was a lot of time that the meeting had a lot of issues so nobody wanted to talk about it in the meeting then we said well let's schedule another work session but then people didn't want to schedule that work session because of of whatever the reason is and and I'll respectfully say that that simply I'm talking about my feelings I'm not talking about what people are actually trying

017to do but I feel like if something is a priority then I make time for it and the safety of Stafford County public children should be our priority and we should make time for several of us asked specific questions at the last meeting and asked for a legal opinion to address those questions the problem is we did not get a legal opinion that address those questions in order to make an informed decision I think we need the answers I don't think that's unreasonable and I would suggest at this point that this board appoint one or two of our members to deal directly with the attorney to present the questions and to get the opinion to bring it back to this board there it's it's it's something that's important and it's going to make a difference

018because in order to move forward if this were to move forward there is going to have to be information we don't have that now and you mentioned what happened last fall my understanding was that our superintendent was going to address that immediately with the staff that has nothing to do it to correct that particular situation that you would have to have a policy for that should have been taken it hasn't been taken care of by now then shame on us because that was my understanding that that the staff was going to be trained given advice how to handle these things that all the administrators would know this independent of a policy we didn't have to wait a couple months to have a presentation made to us to address that issue and I'm perhaps we need

019a report on that but I can't believe that nothing has been done to make sure that that never happens again because that's what we were told that will never happen again in Stafford County Public Schools that's that's another issue I don't want to get off topic all right is there I mean is there any desire on the board to handle this as a board directly with an attorney I'd suggest that every board member should have the opportunity to draft and I don't want to say one because it might be very long and multi-part but up to two questions up to two questions that could be presented and and we will make sure that we get an answer to those questions whatever they may be and perhaps mr. McCosker would be you know we'll we could

020do that he's why is it always mr. McCarthy well I mean I would be willing to do it I don't know I'm the last on the oh it's elected to the school board we're all the guys that anyway so so what uh whom I got to work relax Who am I gonna work with Jamie all right Jamie so I work with mr. Kator if that was that okay with you well I think it would be helpful perhaps if miss hazard were there because she is an attorney and vice chair and then they worked with directly with dr. Kuzma all right that's fine but but that we will present these questions now in the order of efficiency I'd say that we should have the questions today's Tuesday by next Monday so can i and put them

021together we're not going to edit the question no can I kind of propose mr makovski agenda with if you miss the McCosker Last Man Standing and if you want to do it fine or mr. micawber and Jamie since you sponsor it like why does it have to be I don't know what that meant we're all board members here and we all care about all the children what does this mean unsent mean on second thought the two sponsors of this are mr. Kator and miss chase and that's the only reason I said mr. Kator or miss chase if that's because I don't really want to get blamed for having information that other people didn't receive again okay okay well what if you guys that's fine with me you guys want to do that I'm willing to

022do it with dr. chase okay with that all right okay with that you're not okay with that okay with it only 721 and we haven't even gotten the agenda approved yet well well since and then there's the the second part of that a date to bring this back and I think I think we do need to put a date on the wall and all fairness it's can we excuse me can we just wait until we they have a conversation with the attorney to find out exactly you know when she's might be available no because this won't be voted on if we don't have the information I want to date well if we set a date we're gonna have an informant date if we set a date and we have the information we can go forward

023if we set a date and we don't have the information then it'll be up to the board but this is I think what did we find information that they don't have an answer to or they still have to go try to find it and then that time elapses this is just like pushing it out and out and out like so so so ten so madam sheriff oh you know and I understand but 10:10 December 10 December 10 September is I think is a fair date too it'll give us the month of August to receive the the opine and to move forward with action on 10 September barring any you know stuff always happens and we can we have control of the agenda at that time on either the August agenda or we have controlling the

024September of genda but I think a date on the wall is something that we want to do can I suggest that we have our lawyer in these conversations too we have a lawyer don't we have a lawyer we're going to outside counsel that's what I understand but I'm saying in addition to that we just have somebody I think at this point the board wants to have an opinion from an outside counsel without any involvement from it was not involvement it was just for third party just in case I would my comment to that would be is when we see what is in the opinion if there are edits or language that we may modify change whatever that I believe is when we would potentially bring in our lawyer but until we see what that is

025I think we need to get see this is where I go again where we're saying we're going to do it after the fact why not have somebody there that could translate for you if you have a question because sometimes lawyers throw information at you then you're gonna look at it oh I don't understand that let's go find out what it means that's time-consuming at that point I think I think we have some translators on this board that you can make it better did you ask for an amendment I'm asking for a friendly amendment to the original motion that will talk about the opine questions for the board members and in the September 10th or the September 10th out date for in between we will have as needed as needed work sessions in order to get

026there okay that's my I would agree I would accept the friendly amendment you're all friends right alright alright who made the second that was miss Egan is that acceptable to you alright now we have a motion to approve a revised agenda finally miss Hall you have that revision you're clear with the date all right no further discussion all in favor please say aye fair question alright I'll give you the Cliff Notes version it is to remove items 9.01 and 9.02 from the agenda and to acquire dr. chase and and the chairman will take up to two questions from each board member consolidate them into a request to an outside attorney and secure the responses to those questions in the form of a legal opinion not a justification or anything like that but a opinion on

027questions and you can ask whatever you want as long as it's related to these two policies okay that we will take them to an attorney get the information back to the board members and then bring it back to the board for action bring both of these agenda items to the board for action on the September 10th meeting okay that's bring the gist of it I'm sorry bring those two things for action what are we bring for action on September the 10th because I thought these two items they were okay 9.01 and 9.02 okay moving that we're removing them from the agenda this evening yeah we're going to approve them or not approve them and policy 24:20 they will be brought to the board for action for approval just as they are here okay just as

028they are here and one more addition I wanted to know who is going to select the lawyer how are we doing the selection of the lawyer do we have a suggestion I think miss Egan suggested an attorney who's done work article borscht she worked with us as a board not the school division Jennifer Parish out of Fredericksburg we've used her on several occasions for special assignments so I think she'd be perfect for this one isn't she this Spotsylvania County school board attorney as well her she's familiar with school boards absolutely local attorney yep is there any objection to miss parish seeking the legal opinion from her and it will be shared with all board members with no revisions no Reid Vance review as it comes to us it will be shared that any questions or

029concerns about the all right all right so we're all clear on what we're voting on the revised agenda no more discussion no mr. McCosker you know all right all in favor please say aye all opposed motion carries unanimously all right well that brings us to the superintendent's comments oh no oh yes that's right thank you all right before I um so I just want to collect my thoughts a little bit anyway I want to recognize a department before I recognize some people I want to recognize I'm not sure if they're in the room I didn't ask them to come but I do want to recognize our operation maintenance department they have been doing an absolutely amazing job this summer addressing multiple buildings multiple projects helping to in a sense save some projects resolve some projects

030and I've gotten inside view of their decision-making and their commitment and recognize that many of the staff in our OEM department are coming in on weekends and visiting the sites and I just want you to know as a school board we are very fortunate to have these people as part of our system so I want to make sure I recognize are any of those members here to see me and dr. Kistner fix an air connection stand so we could recognize you right now I'm not sure if all these individuals are here tonight but I will we are going to recognize some new assistant principals miss Aaron Barker she here with this to help expedite a little bit time she's gonna be this system principal at Hampton Oaks she goes shouting else we could do she's

031right now she began her she teaching career as a fifth grade teacher at winding creek in 2011 she twittered winding creek as a fifth grade teacher then as a special ed teacher in 2014 anyway welcome congratulations we're looking for your success with ferry okay is lindsay cash in here yes was he good okay lindsay has assumed the position of assistant principal at Dixon Smith middle school miss cash and has served in a division for the past three years as the coordinator for Stafford public day school prior to assuming this position miss Cashion was coordinator in Spotsylvania County Schools she began her career in education Prince count Prince William County which he served as a special education teacher literacy coach and transition employment special welcome is Miss Corey a the Rodriguez here oh good Vegas has

032assumed the position of assistant principal at Stanford high school prior to assuming this role she served as the administrative intern and teacher on administrative assignment in Prince William County she has experience both in English and as a esal teacher welcome is mr. mark Jennings here mr. Jennings has assumed the position of assistant principal at drew middle school prior to assuming this role mr. Jennings was an instructional coach in Prince William County he taught at English at Ronnie Thomas middle school and was the literacy coach at Colonial Forge high school from 2008 to 2016 he began his teaching career in Spotsylvania County Schools his miss Rose a bird here has a student physician of assistant principal at rodney thompson middle school prior to assuming this role mr. Miss Avett has served as the mayor specialist at

033Ronnie Thomas middle school since 2010 she began her career with Stafford County in 2004 as a middle school teacher thanks miss Sara row here yes Sara row Wilson's position of assistant principal staff at middle school miss row served as the principal Clifton middle school in Allegheny County prior to assuming this position she has also served as a high school principal director of career technical education title one specialist Middle School assistant principal in sixth grade science H I will just say one thing I know miss row and when you walk in a very small school system you get to have a lot of titles so she worked in a how many did bath have 200 kids so when you hear all these titles everything just understand you do like everything and I know you also fed

034the children okay I don't know if it's definitely leaves here yeah no but let me just really quickly read better miss Stephanie Lee has assumed the position of assistant principal at Anthony burns elementary school miss Lee has served in a division for the last ten years as a fifth grade teacher at Stafford elementary school so everybody welcome thank you dr. kisna we're all getting questions about the status of Moncure and North Star can you give us a quick update on that yes I'd be glad to so we are still believing and planning that we are going to open for the students on was it to 12th of all this you know August 12th whatever the first day school is just no well the August 12 there's no question the schools have been delayed but they're

035working and I will start by thanking the staff now because they are not going to have a great amount of time getting their classrooms ready but I think everybody hopefully is thinking about the end in mind which is going to be two really nice schools but we are working very closely with the county staff and again unless I tell you otherwise we're planning to open for the students on August 12th but we are monitoring extremely close I believe we want to thank the the county the supervisor is the County Administrator and particularly the inspection staff code compliance that are out there almost every day in our schools helping us to try to you know move this along so we can start on time so thank you dr. Kissinger all right that brings us to citizen

036comments dr. chase is going to read the rules we have when she finishes we have 42 people who have signed up which will be a little more than two hours if you take your time which is fine with us but we will need to keep rolling individuals wishing to comment at this time may do so by responding to the general invitation by the board speaker shall identify themselves by name address and organizational affiliation if the spokesperson represents an organization speakers shall also announce the purpose or topic of their comments three minutes shall be allotted to speakers the chairwoman reserves the right to restrict the total citizen comment received at any particular meeting to a predetermined maximum number of minutes with the approval of the board citizen comment which is profane abusive or which threatens imminent

037physical harm shall be ruled out of order by the chairwoman although the board provides the opportunity for citizen comment individuals desiring to register complaints against division employees or division programs services or activities may also utilize the procedures outlined in Stafford County Public Schools policy 1113 public complaints all right I'm gonna read five names at a time and I'd like you to line up on either side of the room so you can follow the person before you because as I said we have 42 speakers who've signed up the first speaker is father DiMartino the second is James Ben ASEC the third is Jen Stearns fourth is Anna Farrell and fifth is Maddie Frye it's father DiMartino here oh you're first well good evening my name is Jim Bettis sack and I'm a deacon in the Catholic

038Church what that is is a married Catholic clergy and I'm a resident of Stafford County since 1997 I think all of us here you know want the same thing want what's best for kids and want what's best for kids but sometimes rushing a policy through that isn't well thought out where we don't know all the implications that isn't the best thing to do what are some of the implications it has implications in employment well what are you speaking of suppose you have a transgendered who wants to teach a kindergartner a kindergarten class now some people think that's fine but a lot of people do not a lot of people do not and here's the point adults are free to teach their children what they want to teach but you're not free to put your agenda

039on to other people's children that's not why they're in a public school science you're not there to be indoctrinated into the latest fad if anyone speaks out I'm gonna ask the deputy who is in the back of the room to escort them out of here we cannot show respect to the speaker and continue with this meeting if we are going to have outbursts from the audience it's deputy got that thank you we won't count that time for the interruption against you I apologize thank you and I just want to thank you all for standing up and coming in here and running for office and public service you know it's hard I was a drug enforcement agent for 27 years and in the military before that so I know and I wish everyone the best I

040read the article on the students who was not protected during a lockdown drill and you'd have to have a hardest stone not to feel sympathy but it's a training issue it's not a policy issue okay the first thing the teacher has to be trained to do what they've got to do if you have a shooter alert if you if you don't know what to do it's not the time to find out when that happens you know the training has to take place beforehand but this can all be done it can be taken care of without changing an entire policy the best policies I think individually crafted policies why because they're flexible they're flexible you see each student then we're talking probably a relatively small number of students important students students that we love but we

041want to make sure that they have a program that protects their rights and everyone else's rights it is dropping a policy from above it doesn't work all the time and I want to thank you all again and that's all I have to say James been ASEC that was oh I'm sorry whose father DiMartino oh okay okay all right gents turns followed by Anna Farrell hello my name is Jen Stearns I've lived in Stafford County for 27 years I've been a teacher for 27 years I currently work in Stafford County my child went through Suffolk County Public Schools many of you were up here when he spoke at the school board meeting in October and he cried in front of you and I'm not afraid I'm gonna do the same my childhood winding creeks my childhood

042Dixon Smith and my child went to Stafford high school it wasn't until he got to Stafford that he discovered that he was transgender and needed support and I see Joe lives in the back there he was standing back there before the principal and I would like him to know that the drama teachers and the art teachers at Stafford High School saved my child's life the suffering and the pain the chinder shooting on a daily basis cannot explain I am also Catholic a practicing Catholic I've had to come to terms with worlds colliding and understanding above all else wins I don't know you all have been doing since dr. Kessler presented his proposal in November but I know what my child's been doing and I know what that child that was left in the hallway it

043was doing we've been suffering why didn't you ask for lawyer's advice in October this is unacceptable my preschool class of children with autism is better than this I discussed it I came in and I'm not going to get it and all these children aren't going to get it just so you know my son is now employed in Stafford County and for the person who doesn't want a transgender kindergarten teacher it's too late he couldn't be here tonight so I told him I would speak in this place I asked him what do you want them to know he said I stood there in November and said I don't want to hurt anyone I just want to pee he asked me tonight to tell you now he's an employee his students and his call his co-workers know

044him as a man he is a man what's in his pants is no one's business he is a man he cannot go to the bathroom in his workplace now where should he go to the bathroom now he thought when he left high school it was over it's not open for him it's an ax barrel here followed by Maddy fry and you can just follow the next person you don't have to wait for me to call your name I apologize for the iPad I have some notes I want to make sure I don't forget anything my name is Anna Farrell I live in the Park Bridge School District I'm a teacher with Sanford County I teach special ed I judge the room - no one else once because multiple disabilities yeah nobody wants that room I

045signed up for it willingly I'm Catholic my family's been Catholic literally as long as Catholicism's been in Europe I'm also LGBT and my wife is transgender she's a veteran this isn't the country that she wrote a blank check to the set up to and including her very life to deprive her of rights and protections to deprive our students of rights and protections let me tell you something about teachers we have signed up to be human shields for our students that is how much we love them that is how much we love all of these students and we need to fight to make sure that this doesn't happen again and without this policy it will happen again what these kids have suffered will happen again if we don't have a policy in place I can be

046fired for the fact that I married to a woman instead of the man that's how wrong this is this is how much is hanging on these policies our students are suffering because of these policies this is from the CDC of LGBT students ten were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property 34% worse bullied on school property 28% were bullied electronically 23% of LGBT students who dated or went out with someone in the 12 months before the survey and experienced sexual dating violence 18% that was physical dating violence 18% of LGBT students had been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point in their lives and there are things that we could do to make schools safe that's what this policy does is it makes us safe it protects the students the teachers are

047literally willing to give their lives for this policy has a 91 percent staff approval rate I don't know when the last time you guys were all in a bun with a bunch of teachers was but 91 percent agreement on anything that's not higher pay or lower classroom sizes is a miracle we want this policy we are asking you for this policy if we are willing to give our lives to protect these children if it comes to that then please give us a policy that will help us protect the most vulnerable among us please help us protect these students if you really love them as you say you do to do this because it will happen again how many students have to suffer on a daily basis when we could be doing everything we can to

048protect them without this policy we're not doing that my name is Madison fry and I'm a senior at Colonia Forge high school and I'm drawing attention to the lack of support students and staff who are part of the LGBTQ community receive receive so speaking back last year when the student was locked out during the long term lockdown drill because the student or the staff did not understand the proper action to take whether they should place her in the boys or girls locker room the LGBTQ non-discrimination laws in the u.s. left let alone the school system should not even be up to debate their safety should be required if someone has seen racial slurs to the school the school board would not question the punishment of the student or staff it should be the same way

049if someone is treating a person of the LGBTQ community differently the same action and protection needs to be made imagine waking up afraid to go to school because you have no promise safety although it sounds cliche most of us were raised to treat others the way you want to be treated so why is it so difficult to promise everyone that actions need to be done and you have the power to do something do not waste your ability to change the school system for the better there are students and stuff out there afraid to be themselves do the unsafe atmosphere thank you [Applause] the next five speakers are Kayla Yeltsin Jeff trigger Karen Jackson Keaney scarlet pons and Christian Peabody is K little Yas in here no all right mr. treeger hello my name is Jeffrey

050trigger and I live in the George Washington district tonight we were supposed to vote on it on two action items that expand anti-discrimination protections to students and staff tonight I want to try to leave a motion out of it and I'm going to try to give you some fact which fact-based reasons why this has to get passed according to the Williams Institute of UCLA Virginia's lbgtq population is now 5 percent which is slightly above the national average Washington DC which is only 50 miles north has the highest percentage of lbgtq people on the East Coast as we know a lot of people moved to Stanford from this area for our lower cost of living statistically lbgtq numbers are only going to increase in our area according to stopbullying.gov both campus and cyber-bullying are worse for

051lbgtq students than their heterosexual peers the rates in Virginia are 33% of students reporting on campus bullying and 27 percent reporting cyberbullying these rates are over 10 percent higher than the heterosexual peers this has led to 10% of lbgtq students reporting that they refuse to attend school regularly that becomes a problem for me because you all confessed me when my a so all scores aren't right has an educator do usability prevention program in this county but I have to ask how seriously is the board taking this program lastly according to mark herring our Attorney General the Delaware does not prevent school boards from amending their anti-discrimination policies to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity you as a board absolutely have the rights and make changes to our policy to reflect

052inclusion of all students and staff we have to put aside our personal feelings on this issue and look at the facts lbgtq populations are in our schools and they will continue to be in our schools schools are only as strong as our weakest link it is time to replace the kink in the chain and pass an all-encompassing anti-discrimination policy and Stafford County Public Schools [Applause] good evening I'm Karen Keaney of Rockaway Drive in Stafford Virginia I am a parent I am an RN and I'm a former school nurse for several years in Prince William County Schools when I started this journey it was as an ally to my neighbors I wanted to support my LGBTQ neighbors in the last year my 14 year old daughter who was fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of

053God came out to me and now I'm here as an ally to my neighbors and I'm a parent and I've seen firsthand the detrimental effects of a child not feeling safe in school to be teased and bullied relentlessly one of the first things I was taught as a school nurse is that children need to feel safe in order to learn this is a position statement from the National Association of school nurses the NEA believes that a great public school is the right of every child free from intimidation harassment and safe for all students including those that identify as gay lesbian bisexual and transgender the American Academy of Pediatrics tells us that the suicide risk for LGBTQ students is as high as 42% and possibly higher due to unreported what can you do to decrease that

054risk you can implement evidence-based policies and procedures that promote a healthy environment for students you can amend the non-discrimination policy to include gender identity and sexual orientation you have the ability to do that don't choose making your selfies don't choose making yourself feel safe / making our kids safe - those of you that are supporting us I see you and I hear you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart [Applause] his scarlet ponds here mr. Peabody Europe next good evening hello school board members hello mr. Kasner thank you for giving us the opportunity for giving me the opportunity to come up here tonight and voice my opinion on the two policies that are up for discussion my name is scarlet pons I live in heartwood my children attend heartwood schools we've been

055in a novice area since 1985 so we've seen a lot of amazing change happen in art in our beautiful County stereotypes and homophobia still exist in our country and in our public school system with regards to my kids friends and classmates that are LGBTQ the ignorance of this existing mentality negatively affects our children whether it's violence or thoughts of suicide against in amongst our LGBTQ children or depression when students witness harmful actions against their LGBTQ friends and classmates you need to protect all the children in our public school system it is time that all my children's friends and classmates are recognized as equals and you need to write this anti-discrimination protection for sexual orientation and gender identity into the policy we are seeking true action here I came here tonight thinking there was going to

056be a vote I I have to say that I'm very surprised there isn't a vote happening I rearranged my work schedule I have babysitters it took a lot for many of us to get here tonight I think you have the information I'm not convinced after the discussion I heard here tonight that you don't have the information I think you know what to do I don't understand why this can keeps getting kicked down the road my question is so what has been happening I'm new to this topic but from what I hear this has been going on for a long time what's been going on I'm kind of floored tonight doing nothing postponing your decision it only in dangers our students and our teachers this policy is about this policy is not about someone's religious views

057it's not asking someone to change their viewpoint it's about equality thank you [Applause] good afternoon members of the board good afternoon doctor kizza my name is Cristian Peabody I'm the president of the Stafford Education Association I'm also speaking tonight on the two policies that were supposed to bend up to a vote and it's simple it's time it's time to protect every single student in every single educator in this division remember that 91% of your educators want this to happen now based on what are the policies are that have been drafted in place remember this isn't a new issue this is a mess that dr. kisna inherited that he's trying to solve and his educators stand behind him with these policies that are in place remember these policies are taken from other divisions that are much

058larger and much more successful than us these are literally copy and paste best practiced documents remember that lawyers have been consulted I've had personal discussions about this as well VA legal has also consulted this they're fine with this the author of these policies has a legal background and remember that the professionals of this division the educators you employ to advance this missions division who implement best practices for meeting the greatest needs believes that these are living documents that will need to evolve and be financed and they're ready to meet that challenge immediately in delivering that need for every child and remember that not every one of these children who are being discriminated against have an advocate at home or at school some do but now they're not in school many of them have nothing and

059remember that almost over 60% of children who discriminate against seriously committed consider committing suicide that this delay does nothing for these students it does nothing for my educators and it just perpetuates that danger that they face daily this additional they could very well cause the county to lose tonight a child or an educators life because they just lost their last chance of hope to begin a new school year free of discrimination has just been terminated your division wants what is recommended now so they can protect all the students now and the last time I brought you a division this unified it the budget that no one thought was possible we did that together remember what the previous year was like and look how far we came that's what they're primed and ready to do dr.

060chase stated that student safety is a priority then that priority needs to be now not another full month into the school year it needs to be now and this divisions continued unity convinced the Board of Supervisors to revote on a tax rate in order to meet the divisions fundings this divisions unity should be enough to reconvince this board to reconsider the vote it just took tonight so that way every one of your educators including myself has exactly what we need as a foundation to get the discussion started and hit the ground running I just came off really quickly from a state level training every division the school is looking at staff for tonight and they were excited [Applause] the next speakers are Matthew lens Sarah McLellan va2 Gearin and Sarah Brad good evening my name

061is Matthew Wentz 14 Marshall place two to four or five George Washington district I like couple of my colleagues came from Richmond specifically Phyllis I'm speaking on behalf of all of our children and when I say all of our children I mean all of our children I am an LGBTQ Ally and I am proud of it I have quite some experience with this too not only have I been a safe place all the years I've been a teacher but I've been the GSA sponsor also my son is gay thankfully thankfully I have to deal with this creation in high school because he was closeted he shouldn't have to be but as a teacher I have hoped to save more LGBT students that I could count on my hands from suicide you know of discrimination students

062face on a daily basis is unfathomable to most people they deserve to be protected children who are solely protection and some the same could be said for Stafford it seems that same want to build a wall to prevent our children from being protected [Applause] hi my name is Sarah McLellan I'm in the George Washington district I have three children one at Dixon - I can't believe it going at Stafford high school rising ninth grader she's at summer camp right now otherwise she'd be here speaking to you herself um I gotta say I'm very disappointed that we're not moving forward I I've been coming here to talk about this issue now for a year and a half and that's a short amount of time because people other people have been coming here to talk to you

063about this issue much longer than that probably twice as long or maybe longer so the fact that I'm hearing just now after a year and a half of coming and speaking that you don't have enough information and you you need more stuff that steps that you haven't taken I'm very disappointed in that I do appreciate the efforts to get a date on the agenda or whatever the correct terminology is I think that's very important I really just wonder if the tactic is just to continue to delay forever so that you don't have to decide I mean not deciding is a decision in and of itself isn't that true you know I got teenagers at home they like to procrastinate they don't like to do things that they don't want to do they don't like to

064do the dishes more than anything else in the world that boy will postpone doing the dishes no matter the consequence I feel that you are doing the same thing I mean I don't I don't want to come up here and talk with statistics and and consequences because you sat there and listened to all of these statistics every single time I've come in here and I know you've heard it more than I have you've been receiving the emails you know all this data you know the implication that if what's gonna happen if you don't pass this policy I'll leave you with this I specialize in trauma and suffering I hear a lot I hear the word suffering I specialized and I have a master's degree in suffering I'm a clinical social worker and I do i

065do crisis work okay I had a boy in my emergency room who had not transitioned in anyway stabbed himself in the genitals because he did not want to be a transgendered individual that's how upset he was that that is who he was he didn't try to kill himself he tried to kill the thing that was making him suffer and that was making him so unhappy if I had a parent it's like some of the people up here on this board voting against this policy I would not be able to send that child home with you I would not feel that child was safe the analogy is very similar there are some of you that are very supportive of this and I appreciate that and there's some of you it's very obvious you're gonna vote no

066we all know who you're gonna vote no we know who's gonna vote now I want you to think about the boy stabbing himself with a knife 13 years old in the genitals thank when you make your vote he God is suffering [Applause] my name is mieta i am 10 years old and i am here to talk about the non-discrimination policy the sport has been working on I have grown up in rooms and in support of LGBTQ plus friendly family and I believe that no one especially children should be discriminated against based on race nationality religion gender sexuality or disability the fact better child was kept out of a locker room during a distressful situation that could prevent her safety simply because she was transgender completely disgusts me she identifies as female therefore she should have

067been able to access the female bathrooms or locker rooms no matter not what they identify as no one should be discriminated against I don't think they should have a separate bathroom or that they should be banned from them I think they should be treated equally and be able to access what they need to especially when considering the safety if anyone opposing this perspective tries to differentiate from resolving this issue we should create a separate bathroom just for them hi my name is Sarah brat I live in the Falmouth district I taught in the district I've subbed in the district and I have his best friend his name is Jesus Christ and when I found out that there's religious faith based organizations that are telling you that this should not pass my best friend he told

068me I needed to come here and I needed to talk to you because guess what those are all his children he doesn't care he expects you to protect them if you have any belief in any higher power whatsoever that faith will tell you that your job is to protect children and you are especially responsible for that considering your position and I know when I was hired as a teacher no one asked what my genitals were no one asked who I is married to so it certainly shouldn't matter that what anybody else that just shouldn't be a question you need teachers in this district you need good teachers that should not that should not be in play kids don't care I taught second grade no one ever asked me if I had a vagina no second

069graders never came up you are being watched not only there are other districts watching you you don't want to be known for not passing this guys it's gonna look real bad you know who else is watching you all the kids in this district are watching you not just the LGBTQ ones the boys are watching you to see if you're gonna tell them that what they're doing is not okay that's this so these children they're worth it because you know who else use religion to justify their hateful thoughts the KKK these things Jesus they use religion to back up the hate that they spill Jesus loves that's it period the end he loves everybody end of sentence hard stop past us [Applause] the next speaker is Jen Robinson O'Brien followed by Jen Coolidge Dave gent and

070Constance Gordon good evening I'm John Robinson O'Brien and I wear many hats I am first infamous mom to Emma a rising ninth grader who'll be attending where I wear my second hat nor Stafford High School where I'm a teacher I am also a youth choir director at my church and a Girl Scout leader I work with a lot of kids I'm speaking tonight in favor of policy 24 20 because frankly I cannot fathom why a board that is supposed to seek the best interest of a school system would vote against it last meeting I listened to the board discuss it and one of the comments was build a constitution a statement before you build the bylaws this is an a non-discrimination statement I've heard commentary focusing on the lgbtq+ portion of the wording about Family

071Values let me share my experience as a high school teacher the majority of my students have been taught by their parents if someone picks on them if they hit them you hit back as hard as possible you finish what someone else starts that's their family value it is not the value of a safe school and then the religious aspect as a Christian I love my god and I know Jesus loves all his children but that has nothing to do with school say we teach respect to all religions tonight you speak about lawyers this policy was written by a lawyer has been brought before lawyers how many are enough right now we have no policy for non discrimination against students all students this policy seeks to make a powerful statement one that thirteen other countries the

072state have already made and then they've even gone farther to build in those regulations to address the policy it seeks to save our schools are a safe place to learn shouldn't you aspire to have our schools a safe place to learn the board is committed to providing for an equitable safe and inclusive learning environment for our students our students Stafford County is not a county that is only white or Christian or rich or sis we have a diverse population that spans many ethnic backgrounds religious practices and yes sexual and gender orientations our students safe and inclusive you are here abstence ibly to help meet our schools and provide the best for our system's students staff and community when neither one said the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in a moment

073of comfort and convenience but where he stands at a tone of controversy challenge sir Brian and Joe hi my name is Jen Coolidge and I am a former resident of staff can now proudly in Spotsylvania and I say proudly because I am horrified by what my experience has been in Stafford County for the longest time and Pam I love what you said about race cuz we're gonna go there oh yes we are students in Stafford County are looking to you all to draw the line in the sand you all know how you're gonna vote you already know you didn't account on this many people showing up to give you a piece of their mind well I'm here to get part of the piece of the mind and call out the elephant in the room that

074is here and no one wants to talk about we have someone in the White House who is using this this issue to divide us and let me tell you as a mother of someone who is gay who thought of herself for the longest time is less then it breaks my heart to stand before you and to see you and look you in the eye and to say that I had to go home even though she's 34 and say you know what the kids in Stafford there's still less than because the Board of Supervisors refused to take the stand tonight to do what they were supposed to do you all have known for the longest time you've had access to lawyers that list of that you have the policy all you have to do is approve

075it every student deserves equal protection under the law it's that simple and I got the biggest ticket out of that guy that came up here first and you know it's it's up to we don't need a policy we can we can just you know play it by ear we can we can do this we do that and that's in a lawsuit to start and you know this because this is the third time this happened to this poor girl where she was set aside separate and unequal outside that bathroom which they didn't know where to put her and you were gonna do something about the last time I came here to speak and nothing has been done and I'm outraged and I'm saddened that a school says a school year is about to start again and

076you all still can't figure out what the heck you're supposed to be doing shame on you shame on you I think that Stafford students deserve better and coming election cycle if you all vote against this and you know who you are you will be taken to cat task at the polls god help [Applause] my name is Dave Ghent I'm a teacher at I can wait that's fine thank you my name is Dave Jen I'm a teacher at AG right I've spoken here a couple of times I'd like to have speeches prepared I had a pretty solid one tonight had some repetition in there it was funny I might have cried not giving in that speech that speech was very different turn of events I have made some changes a lot of people mentioned being disappointed

077I am not disappointed I am livid what you have done tonight was cowardly and I want to be clear it's not cowardly to oppose the bill I don't begrudge people their wrong opinions it's not cowardly to stand up for your own beliefs that's fine what was cowardly was doing this out of nowhere with no chance for citizen comment to bring in a new amendment to delay something we've been working at for years with no input from us at the minimum that vote should have happened after you announced it and we had a chance to comment on it it was disgusting to watch you come up here sit down and just ransack the night's plan with no warning or plan for us that was the Cowardly part we've heard people talk up here but their religious

078beliefs and we all know that religion is not supposed to play a role in politics I think it is naive to believe that that is the case whether or not that happens though I want you to listen to those who came up here with a religious perspective that was different from yours because I can't help but notice those words on the wall behind you hopefully they weren't just a group of letters thrown up there in a couple words stuck they were put there for a reason to inspire to empower to excel how a school board can put those on their wall and fail so spectacularly to do them is amazing because we've seen this behavior before people here have already said it you know the answers to your questions you just don't like the answers

079to your questions so you want a second opinion and I wish I could say I was surprised but I'm not because I spent all day today doing research into this School Boards history and it does this all the time going back decades I don't even mean you guys 1962 the first five black kids graduated from a high school in the school board voted not to renew that principal's contract this school board has a legendary history of making terrible calls we can't change the call you made tonight it's done I hope this is the last time you do something so monumentally hateful [Applause] this constant Gordon here and Donna Gordon no alright the next speaker after the Gordon's is Anna Smith and Steve Wasilewski followed by Alison Sullivan good evening my name is Anne Smith I

080live on Lake Court here in Stafford two two five five four I am speaking from my heart as a retired staff accounting school nurse I object to your considering adding sexual orientation and gender identity to your anti-discrimination policies 4107 and twenty four twenty this policies could endanger the safety and bodily privacy of all students Stafford County Public Schools have always been safe inviting and caring for all students staff and faculty as educators you can't say that you do not know what would and could happen if you add these policies to your existing student and human resource services regarding non-discrimination anti-retaliation equal employment and educational opportunity policies I wasn't empowered to have been an employee caring for ill injured and special needs student don't open this can of worms staffer County Schools will not recover and

081will lose everything it has been it's anyone who's already signed up doesn't have to design their Steve Wasilewski here all right well that brings us to half of the speakers so we're at the halfway point of course there were a number that weren't here so we'll see the next speaker well we can ten people yes all right listen up Allyson Sullivan Kay Crawford Pat Brown Sarah Taylor Paul Miller and Adams and Josh Hetzler Bill Johnson miles and Nikolas the truth oh is it Oh Ohio okay sorry Ohio all right so Alison Sullivan she's gone all right cake okay Crawford well then Pat Brown oh okay sorry so Pat Brown son here's Sarah Taylor all right Paul Miller well the second HAP's gonna go well wait a minute and Adams in Adams coming up I think

082we have miss Adams coming up we're gonna go in order where'd this miss Adams is that you is Miss Anne Adams here she's what good evening my name is Katherine Crawford or a former resident of Stafford I lived in the garrison Felton district this is my first time at a school board meeting I worked as a teacher a little bit nervous I worked as a teacher and in this area for four years it's been a little while since I shot it's easy talking in front of a bunch of you know is sometimes teaching in front of a bunch of adults but I this this might sound out of place I work in the country I don't mean to disappoint anyone because I'm not really going to talk about the bill that was proposed in but

083all I do want to say is that I think that the fact that there's a forum where people can talk about things hopefully in a respectful manner is a privilege and I imagine that everyone in this room probably knows that I'm sure that you've experienced that in your lives and I've had the great experience of working with people and meeting people that have that ability that that can't come up and and talk about that because their system of government doesn't allow that and all I want to say is that my hope is that that all of us in this room people are going to have different obviously opinions leaving the doors about what it's transpired this evening but I'd like you I don't know to remember the fact that you have a platform whatever your

084opinions might be you have the opportunity to talk about them and I guess that's that's really all I have to say but and the last thing is that the I I'm good [Applause] I'm an atom's I live in the George Washington district I've been a teacher here in Stafford County for 26 years I've been resident of Stafford County for 21 years I've taught thousands of children in that time I've been very blessed to have spent my career here in Stafford County I don't know if I've inspired them but I know I've been inspired by them by all of them whether they were straight LGBTQ whatever no one should be afraid to come to school whether they were a child or a teacher or any adult no one should be bullied a child or an adult

085as a resident and an educator in this county I am beyond disappointed what happened this evening with the delay of this vote when you start school August 12th we have thousands of children in this County we have thousands of adults in this county who look to you to make decisions on our behalf and it couldn't do that I'm supportive but all of our might cut my students and my colleagues why aren't you [Applause] good evening I'm Paul Miller from garrison Ville thank you for the opportunity to present this evening I appreciate your time I really feel for you all because nobody should be bullied no matter what and I think the reactions of the audience this evening is bullying the school board so I really feel for y'all you're in quite a spot here hopefully

086folks will also consider some of the basic facts that factored into this and everybody has a set of chromosomes and you can't change those there there are and just like some people might have a heart condition or a brain tumor or whatever so depending on a person's condition sometimes they may need to seek psychological assistance maybe for post-traumatic stress or for a medical condition so you would want to seek professional help for those types of things I would hope that the school board focuses on education for all of our children and try and leave some of these other things for others to decide there comes a greater issue I think at stake here of inclusion and you know just trying to think that through it looks like you'd probably need for locker rooms because you

087would have to have the two you have now and then a boy who identifies as a girl you probably need a separate locker room for them and vice versa so that everybody can have their inclusive space to go a little bit of a challenge for y'all I I don't know that your policy addresses that but it seems like at some point if you're gonna make a policy it has to come down to well how are you going to include it's just it's not just a matter of saying one or the other because if you give preferential treatment to the one who identifies utterly well then the folks that are in that group are going to feel excluded because now you brought somebody with other chromosomes into their group and you're just gonna be a tension

088there so I really feel for you and how you're gonna proceed on this issue and I wish you the best of luck because like everybody else we really want the best for our children who we want to have a safe and encouraging educational experience for them so I wish you well thank you I will remind the audience that we want to show respect to every speaker and outburst talking while someone is speaking is not going to be acceptable here bill johnson miles followed by nicholas ohio Chris Hernandez and Melissa cook good evening my name is Bill Johnson I live in the Griffith supplied water district I'm a retired 20 year Navy veteran I'm the secretary of the Stafford Democratic Committee the second vice president of the Stafford n-double-a-cp animam member of the board of churches

089trustees in my church however I'm only speaking on behalf of myself not on behalf of any of those organizations first and foremost there is not enough love in this world okay so to discriminate against those who just want to love is wrong and it's not you know I respect differences of opinion but there are some things are just wrong and right and the painting doesn't matter and discriminating again against anybody in the LGBTQ community or against anybody for anything is just wrong it's not in a matter of opinion all right so the only other thing I'm going to say is this November 5th there's an election all right there are three districts up for election Rock Hill Griffis whitewater and George Washington so everybody here's watching that so what you do what you do reflects

090and people will be voting based on what own on your decisions all right I see that what you did tonight is just another way of pushing something away that you don't want to handle all right it's just another delaying tactic you've had this issue in front of you for what seven months I think now since since the the superintendent brought it to you seven months to me if you don't know what's going on with but you know now you haven't done your job you haven't done your research you should have already asked your questions you should already know what it is you need to place your vote and to let the students go unprotected it's just wrong thank you good evening my name is nicolas and i'm a resident of stafford you guys are gonna

091hear a little different accent tonight so i'm gonna start with a quote from reverend dr. Barbara brown Taylor and she says beware of those who claim to know the will of God and are prepared to use force if necessary to make others confirm beware of those who cannot tell God's will God's will from their own world so I'm gonna put a question maybe something everybody has to think about and if we look at the population of LGBTQ it's not declining it's growing and what does that tell me and my fellow may be religious people who believe in God is that if God if this if God wants this to stop he will have stopped a long time ago but he keeps creating these same people which we add discrimination against isn't it time for us

092to stop and look at their brain rather than looking down below look at what they can do for us in the future the sciences the doctors the lawyers we are about to break this is the time to lift them up and make them who they are and bring the best out of them thank you Chris Hernandez Melissa cook Chris O'Brien and Emma Robinson are any of those persons here I see someone coming down okay if we've called your name please line up so we know you're here well I'm Chris O'Brien I'm a resident of Stafford County since 2010 down in the George Washington district playful and Republican currently bipartisanly curious Stafford County would like to express our commitment to provide a welcoming inclusive and safe community for our residents and visitors we value an environment

093of unity trust and understanding we honor our history and respect and protect the right to live free from discrimination that's the first thing people see when they log on the Stafford County website it's right there Google or Bing it if you don't believe me we open this meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance which ended with the phrase for liberty and justice for all for all ladies over the scoreboard take a good look behind me look at the parents look at the children look at the educators look at the current and future voters sitting right there this is the future of Stafford County we talked about money and transportation England run that frickin aquire Harbor thing this is the future and someday you're gonna have to explain to these citizens how you voted or why you

094abstained in deferred until it was too late you're gonna have to look them in the eye and tell them the thought process that led to your decision a decision that might be to it someone getting hurt or worse causing you to call out on the carpet they're not going away our parents and grandparents would tell you about the 60s and the of all political change to swept the country behind me is the beginning of another such ups well you're gonna ride the wave or you get swept aside look I'm straight I'm white a male all the way down to the penis if you ask me to explain transgender or pansexual I'd be completely lost heck I didn't know until today they added a freakin plus sign to lb gbq what do I know these are

095kids their education safety is your first priority someone met you at the beginning of the meeting that the school board is a team well right now that team is the Washington Redskins and I can't believe I'm gonna say this at this moment I really wish you guys were like the Dallas Cowboys at least they get done [Applause] good evening I'm my name is Emma Robinson and I am a freshman at North Stafford high school and I would really like to speak about the lgbtq+ policy that is being discussed tonight to be completely honest with you I wasn't gonna come here tonight I've never spoken in front of a board of any kind before and I'm not very experienced with this kind of speaking so please excuse any sort of mess ups and stutters not speaking

096was the way to go but that all changed I was coming home today and I got a call from my mom Jenn Robinson O'Brien who spoke earlier when she called me her voice was shaking and she told me that the school board was debating on his policy and she desperately needed me to speak she never makes me do things I don't want to do but this time I could tell she really needed my help let me introduce myself again hello I'm Emma Robinson and I'm a Methodist pansexual I love people for who they are and not for their gender or sexuality and my church loves me for that and trust me when I say I look at the big picture and I mean what I say mom's words were all at a blur except for

097one part that struck a fire in me bathrooms why bathrooms why are these the places of discussion recently I'm growing ninth grade in August and things are supposed to change I'm supposed to figure out who I am and what I want to do for a living how can I think about that why I know people are getting threatened and not emotionally but physically hurt for being who they are why are kids kids younger than 18 wanting to kill themselves because they aren't accepted that is just absurd we shouldn't be putting children in danger because of who they are that's not their choice to think that way it's the utter fear and anxiety that they might get her to kill the next day so they might as well do it themselves I know a lot about

098this because I have gone through that I've hurt myself because I wasn't accepted my sister she's a sweet person and she would never think that way but she 100% have friends who do and I feel sorry for her those friends aren't happy and how can she be happy if she wants to become he and doesn't have the freedom to do so so bathrooms this step is one of the most important steps in the life of transgender person going to the bathrooms the gender they are or want to be and don't getting odd and don't get odd or disapproving looks for it how can this be possible if everyone is not equal if you had or have a friend who is transgender gay or any type of sexuality wouldn't you want them to be happy I

099mean I want to be happy I'm being joyful going to school becomes more and more difficult every day wouldn't you let them be accepted for who they are don't let bathrooms be the reason someone comes home crying every day don't let someone Spears be the reason they don't they come and crying every day don't let someone come home crying because they aren't accepted sure we can't magically make ever in the world except to another but we can at least try to make those who are accepted feel a bit better about being who they are no matter what gender or sexuality they are it's 2019 the world is changing so why can't we let's rise up and make people like me and my sister not be treated like freaks but let us be treated like people

100thank you the next speakers are Abe Jacob Diane luff rot Jeff Crocker and Megan Oh Oh Dhin already goes here see mine good evening I'm Jeff Crocker I am a Stafford resident since 2004 my wife and I have four children who have been the fortunate beneficiaries of going to the Stafford County public school system in whitewater elementary school and Shirley hime my wife and to a lesser extent I have been active with the schools with various organizations we've been exceptionally grateful for the quality of the teachers there it's clearly not a job it's not a profession it's a calling for them and for that we're grateful I hear terrible stories of suffering from children that are wrong and unjust with no caveats to that unfortunately these are based on objectively untrue statements the very fact

101that we have girls and boys bathrooms are irrefutable statements of the government that girls and boys are different no one's better or no one's worse than each other based on their gender these arguments can't salt can't withstand logical question for example something that matters the most to us all our children if one of them was kidnapped what would we tell the Sheriff's Office is my little boy or my little girl kidnapped what would logically obviously get the most response from a concerned citizen Rehua looking for our child if my little boy was kidnapped but he said he was a girl would I tell that deputy that he was a girl no I'd say he's a boy because I wanted to be found and I know that the vast majority the public would say that's a

102boy that's a girl someone said something about a second grader not asking about her genitalia that's to be expected I would hope that children wouldn't be asking such things because it's not in their nature they're innocent at that age your love and inclusion and tolerance is disgusting would you want your children to excuse me would you please address you can would you please address your the baby a deputy the next person that interrupts please ma'am with your respect you've said that six times now well I'm I'm asking him specifically at this point no one wants to talk about what this looks like when this policy is implemented does my six-year-old little boy in the boys room and when a girl comes in who says she's a boy and he gets alarmed and thinks that he's

103gonna get in trouble or she's getting in trouble does he get penalized as he punished because he didn't call the other student he she or any invented manufacturer pronoun a school should be teaching objective academic topics not subjective social issues likewise it should stay within its authority of fire departments no authority carry out Parks and Recreation matters this policy much less a law will not make these children safe and there are legitimate physical and emotional concerns if laws don't stop human beings from sexually torturing and murdering each other as those of us in the law enforcement profession are aware a policy will certainly not have children stop the cruelty and meanness to each other I've had people up here use profanity in front of my child [Applause] all right we called Diane Liffe right Megan

104Odin and after that is Patrick and Alison health Robin Gardner Deb Stephens and Deborah tricky good evening school board members chairman healing and dr. kesner the esier offices located at 11:27 International Parkway and I am discussing the non-discrimination policies tonight my name is Robyn Gardner and I am the lucky lady that gets to serve the members as a CA as their director in March 2018 SCA hosted a training to learn more about LGBTQ issues what I learned that day was shocking to me some of my members did not feel welcome because they could not be themselves because there was no policy in Stafford that protected them it is my job to make their jobs better so I knew we had to start working on a plan unfortunately it is still late to help some of

105my members that have left they are now teaching in Prince William spots E and Fredericksburg the reason they leave is not always about money it's about how they feel in their environments 91 percent of the educators that took se a survey overwhelmingly asked for this policy honestly when have I ever asked you for something that 91 percent of the educators agree on why are we delaying on this policy you are in a national teacher retention crisis why oh why would you limit anyone being welcomed in Stafford you will never be fully staffed again and you can argue and say you are welcoming everybody but your actions of dragging your feet and not passing this non-discrimination policy is telling a different story I am completely baffled of what is holding this policy from being passed the

106background information on policy 4107 the proposed revisions to policy 4107 human resources services non-discrimination equal employee Employment Opportunity anti-retaliation expand the protections under the non-discrimination section and increase it increases the scope of the Equal Opportunity statement and it states as required by law why aren't you passing this policy you are absolutely opening yourself up to allowing me to come in and follow EEOC claims on you over and over in closing asked us to come together for your students and your employees they're watching every move you make as you can tell with these two policies do the right thing and welcome everyone regardless of their color color nationality and sexuality I leave you with John 13 verse 34 I give you a new commandment love each other just as I have loved you and you must

107also love each other thank you is there anyone else whose name I called it which is to address the board Deb Stevens live on 30 Lakeside Drive and Stafford retired teacher from Berkeley County West Virginia the issue came up where we had children who wanted to you girls who wanted to use the boys restroom legally they decided in Berkeley County that if you were a boy gender boy used the boys bathroom girls used the girls bathroom a lot of it was just practical as an instructor I was a blos obliged to monitor the restroom to go into the ladies room not into the boys room into the ladies room men and women we went in all the time if we would have to deal with it again as a woman with a boy in the

108bathroom you're raising all kinds of legal issues as well as ethical issues the other problem is I'm also a devout Catholic I don't like to lie if this child is a little girl or a little boy and I mean high school I still think the most children I'm lying if I call you a girl when you're a boy you're still a child you're still a male or a female I don't want to be obliged to lie I'm very concerned because there are moral issues and it feels like again there's no consideration for the practical the idea of modesty for these boys modesty for these girls that's my biggest concern thank you [Applause] hello my name is Alison Kelly I've been a resident of Stafford County since 2001 I used to live in the garrison Ville

109District and now I live in the heartwood district lot Ola just talk and I don't refute it oppose it it's interesting it's like okay we're not supposed to be religious in a public area of it than we are I'm I want to speak to the intellect tonight I have not taught in a school or been in a school probably since the 80s I have a master's degree in English and when I see words flying about we're gonna play with pronouns and say X X is X Y and X Y is X X I'm confused and I think I I don't have the answer and I'm not blaming anybody but it I'm just watching and I'm listening in it just seems like this generation is being raised with and again I know crap happens my dad

110died and left my mom with six kids but it just seems like this generations being raised with a lot of a lot more drama than they can handle and I'm not sure what the answer is that I to feel for you guys please remember this is a scroll and your first job is to educate and yes they must be safe I've been bullied I was bullied as a little girl I didn't like it at all I don't want to see anyone bully anybody gets bullied they got to kind of mean I'll you know I'll go after I'm saying you don't believe anybody vote for intelligence please thank you [Applause] good evening my name is Debra tricky I reside ent de loop in the acquired district I'm against policy for 107 and policy to four to

111zero I speak now because I fear my right to speak if this policy is implemented will be terminated when my child's female teacher comes to class the next day pretending to be a male and demands to be called by her new male pronoun I will be able to do nothing except remove my child from the school I will not allow my child to be taught to lie I have and always teach my children to tell the truth even off the cost of their education which is such a sad thought to me why would any policy be implemented that encourages a child to lie when an anorexic individual looks in the mirror she might see someone who is obese even though she weighs much less than everyone else her age we don't tell that girl that's

112right you are overweight we will help you lose more weight so you can die instead we say what you perceive yourself to be well that isn't you in reality you are dangerously underweight and because we love you we aren't going to help you harm yourself that is the loving response this is also true for those who are transgender we should not encourage them to use the opposite sex bathrooms blockers sports teams or overnight accommodations on class trips we should help them to find out why they can't love the person that they biologically are why would a policy be implemented that affirms what a person believes in their imagination I asked you again why a policy would be implement that encourages children to lie and affirmance what a person believes in their imagination to the detriment

113of all involved it makes no sense to me so please vote against policy for 107 and policy 20 for 20 thank you [Applause] is there anyone else whose name has been called that has not come forward all right then we will open this up Oh was your name called all right well we're going to open this up two speakers from the floor and I would ask if you wish to speak to please line up on both sides we'll start with this side and take someone from the next side and go forward there are plenty of seats for those of you standing if you're not standing up to speak invite you to take a seat right now for for the speakers from this point forward we don't have your name and address if you can sign

114the paper on the podium after after you speak because then the next peak person can be speaking while you're signing otherwise we will be here till midnight perhaps we will anyway but those of you who speak have the option to go home if you wish so please come forward the next speaker will come from over on this side okay all right hi my name is Devan hey I would like to remind everyone you are addressing the board and not oh hey I'm Devin I'm from Stafford County been here my whole life had its ups and downs we all know this one thing I want to say is regardless of what you believe in regardless of how you feel about this understand these are children we all get that like it's children literally they just want

115to be loved they want an education god I remember going to school and I hated it if I could only imagine what it's like for a child that's trans I could only imagine what it's like you see the stories y'all have heard the stories you all have seen the tears that people have like falling you know what I'm saying you've heard the stories y'all know you know like everyone else is saying y'all already have your decisions there is no when you talk about y'all are pushing it off at this point take care of the children take care of this community don't leave us like this be better than this cuz I understand well what was the district setup for boating who is it anyone what's which one's coming up you are okay you are who's

116up on that one okay awesome do your job because the voters are in here and will come for yours that is it thank you anyone on the right who wishes to address the board then we'll come back to the left thank you I think we had Phyllis Palazzo acquire district I've been a resident of Stafford since 1987 I've had two children go through schools here and now they are parents and having children of their own go through schools here I hadn't planned on speaking tonight but after hearing a number of comments I think it's important for what I need to say I have not only been a parent but I have been a teacher of middle school in high school children bully you have an anti-bullying policy in Stafford County I was involved with the

117school board a number of years ago when the bullying policy first came into effect they bully middle school for our four eyes metal mouth you're fat you're skinny you don't have the right clothes kids bully for a number of reasons trying to legislate about gender is social engineering and my opinion I believe the schools need to enforce the anti-bullying policy for whatever reason that a child is being bullied it is wrong however I also think that teachers need training there's a policy in place obviously the teacher who left the kids sitting out in the hallway number-one priority or his was the safety of that child common-sense approaches on how to deal with this please do not go down this road for social engineering because next month it's going to be the fat kids or it's

118going to be the kids with classes or it's going to be the kids with not the right clothes whatever group comes before you has a legitimate issue about this it's bullying and whatever manner it is it's wrong it needs to be stopped thank you did you sign in please thank you madam clerk good evening my name is Leslie tigner I'm a Stafford County resident in the aquire district I've lived here since 1990 I have three children grown now they've all been through Stafford County Schools two of them graduated from Stafford County Schools I want to say first of all that I think the most disappointing aspect of although I agree with it of your decision to postpone a vote tonight with the fact that a large number of people left thinking that the comment purity

119there wasn't going to happen or that it was a moot point at that juncture in any case I think I speak for a large number of them some lot of them were friends of mine when I say no student should ever be subjected to any kind of bullying that all schools must ensure that all students including LGBTQ students are able to learn and thrive in a safe environment however I think that I speak for them also when I say that we are opposed to changing the non-discrimination policy because imposing a new gender ideology on schools is not necessary to keep students safe virtually all people have a biological sex identifiable at Birth an immutable through life which makes them either male or female I'm not referring to individuals who are intersect have Klinefelter's or other

120genetic this Genesis okay the beliefs that one is or has the desire to be of a different gender identity from their biological sex that has long been recognized as a mental disorder changing non-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation and gender identity makes possible situations in which students of one biological sex will be permitted to enter intimate spaces designed for those of the opposite biological sex and this is a violation of bodily privacy and can be dangerous I think you'll find if you have a legal analysis done that no federal law requires public schools to allow boys into girls restrooms or vice versa title 9 does not require schools to eliminate distinct facilities for boys and girls in fact it allows schools to provide separate facilities without committing sex discrimination I'm running out of time but

121I want to say also that forcing students to use a restroom with members of the opposite sex are not just restrooms but other facilities with members of the opposite sex harms all students by violating their right to privacy and making them participate in situations that most adults would object to if they were imposed upon them accommodating students struggling with gender confusion by providing them a single stall restroom changing room or similar alternative gives them a private location and avoids violating other students rights thank you please consider that is there anyone on this side of the room which is this week yeah she's signing now okay then since everyone seems to line up over here we'll just keep taking them from the right I don't think there's anyone waiting good evening my name is Benjamin Litchfield

122I'm chairman of the Stafford County Democratic Committee I live in Falmouth district represented by the wonderful dr. chase quick PSA there is a November election coming up with three school board seats for anybody who did not know that for the folks at home remember remember the fifth of November but I'm not here to talk about that you know I can't really condone the outbursts that we've heard for the past two hours it's not very civil but I can't condemn it either because folks here educators and students you know the matter that you should have been talking about tonight is nothing short than their human dignity the human dignity is at stake with these two policies and it is a shame that you kick the can down the road and make it more of a political

123issue for me and my friends I'm an attorney by trade so you have a lawyer here you have a couple on the board too but look the law doesn't require this federal law doesn't require it but it doesn't prohibit it either neither does state law the Family Foundation came in last time and they talked about Dillon rule well in 2015 Attorney General Mark herring in a letter to Senator Adam evan said that the dillon rule argument advanced by the Family Foundation is to quote Justice Scalia pure applesauce the First Amendment argument raised by none other than the Honorable Susan Stimson it was likely was also pure applesauce so there's two legal questions right out of the way done thank you dr. chase as a copy of the 2015 letter I sent it to her with

124some other comments you know Frederick County out and out in deep Virginia that's deep Trump country they have an LGBTQ policy that they passed for the Board of Supervisors for their County staff Loudoun County passed one did we ask Loudoun what they thought about the legality of it Northern Virginia has amazing lawyers and they have opined on this and they've passed acceptance policies yet no one's turned out reached another in Virginia either you know I was gonna have so many different points but I do want to talk about something you know people talk about science immutable characteristics there was a time in our history where we thought the size of a human skull did into their genetic superiority where eugenics where someone's mental mental illness or mental handicap determined their worth science changes and the

125science on this is changing it is teaching us that biological sex and gender identity are two different things that one is rooted in your DNA and one is rooted in your psyche but you're born the way you're born you're born transgender you're born gay you're born lesbian and you know I all stand up you all speak on behalf of the Democratic Party bill didn't but I will I stand by every LGBTQ student faculty and staff I'm here for you I will fight for you my party will fight for you and I'll see you all in November did you sign in sir okay thank you good evening my name is Jeff a 3ch I'm a resident of apply Harbor and I want to do commend you for your bravery I think obviously there are a lot

126of people they're very disappointed at the action that you took but I think it's appropriate a policy this divisive and you can see that it clearly is he's be well thought out and you need to have all the facts before you make a decision I just like to share with you because we're all interested in protecting children but it's clear there's a division on what protecting children means so I'd like to share with you from Michelle critera dr. Michelle Rotella she is the executive director of the American College of Pediatrics the National Organization of pediatricians and other health care professionals dedicated to the health and well-being of children and this is what she writes to indoctrinate all children from preschool forward with the law that they could be trapped in the wrong body disrupts the

127very foundation of a child's reality testing if they can't trust the reality of their physical bodies who or what can they trust transgender ideology in schools it's a psychological abuse that often leads to chemical castration sterilization and surgical mutilation if I were to say as a woman doc I am suicidal because I am an amputee trapped in a normal body please cut off my leg I would would be diagnosed with body identity integrity disorder but as a woman I walk into that doctor's office and say I'm a man sign me up for double double mastectomy my physician will see if you want to cut off a leg or an arm you're mentally ill but if you want to cut off healthy breasts you are transgender cheerleaders in the medical and educational community have gravitated to

128this issue causing a negative impact on children that can only be regarded as abuse so I would stand opposed to this policy but we're all want to protect children and we all are against bullying but we have to look after the rights of all the children and we don't want to help children go in a path that can actually be destructive to them thank you for your time hi my name is Julian Keaney and I live on Rockaway Drive I wasn't planning on speaking tonight but considering how many people did I thought that my voice would be helpful I just want to bring up the topic of what are we supposed to do with students who are intersexed who are born with who are born not either/or what are we supposed to do with them

129we can't it's with intersex students are we supposed to just throw them in there and say here good luck no they say what they identify as and then that's what restroom they go in it's not a matter of fact of what's in their pants because they were born as either/or and sorry I'm a little shaky another topic I wanted to bring up was we don't the chromazone thing I heard somebody talk about that and it's not usually a subject you bring up in a conversation I'm just saying you don't usually go up to a person in a and ask hey what your chromosomes it's not a topic you bring up and there's a reason for that it's inappropriate and that's really all I have to say on this matter thank you for your time did

130you sign in I want to remind everyone we sign in because that is part of our record thank you good evening my name is Catherine face Meier I am a Stafford County resident I'm a 17-year veteran of the classroom I'm a parent of a Stafford County middle schooler and the spouse of Stafford County teacher I did not plan to speak tonight I did come to the meeting not expecting a vote I expected you to do exactly what you did because I am familiar with your cowardly track record I commend mr. dent I believe it was for calling you out on exactly what it was it is cowardly I came to speak actually because the five I believe of I think thirty at this point people who have spoken to this evening against this policy have

131presented fundamental misunderstanding of what transgender actually is the gentleman who just quoted the doctor it took me ten seconds to find ten peer-reviewed studies to discount what he said transgender is not a mental disorder it hasn't been for a number of years it was removed from the DSM for transgender has nothing to do with chromosomes that is biological sex gender expression is based on societal norms a baby has a sex a baby does not have a gender no one looks at a swaddled child and says my goodness that's a masculine baby no one is asking you past policy that speaks to bathrooms we're asking for a statement that says your lives matter we're asking for a statement that says you will be treated equally I heard the phrase referential earlier no one is asking for

132preferential treatment we are demanding equal treatment sure dismiss it as bullying if you have the experience that I do as a 17 year veteran in a performing arts classroom you know that it is not bullying it is torture our LGBTQ children are being essentially demonized daily our LGBTQ staff are terrified to openly express their identities it is your job to protect your children and your staff and hiding behind it pushing this off you said earlier you should be ashamed of yourself you should and trying to pass that off as dr. kissers fault that was weak and completely expected good evening board doctor Kisner my name is michael Sneed I'm a resident of Stafford County and a 15-year veteran of Stafford County Public Schools I've been at Colonial forge that entire time the last couple of

133years just because it seems relevant tonight I've also been the sponsor or advisor whatever term you want to use for Sage which is the essentially the GSA at Colonial forge High School I'm here to talk about a couple of things I think several things I wanted to say I think I've been said better than I could offer off-the-cuff at this point by other people one thing that came up a couple of times from various people including a few board members was the idea that we don't need a policy we need training and I can tell you from having done just a little bit of that at the school I think it was about two years ago might have been yeah I don't know they all blend together a little bit we were asked myself and

134another teacher and one of the guidance counselors were asked to give just a little bit of training to the staff during back-to-school week on some of these issues and I can tell you that everything that we were able to provide them with here's here's what the deal is with pronouns here's what the deal is with with preferred names here's what the deals were all these kinds of things the immediate question that we got in that meeting and then I got a ton of in my email was what is the policy teachers want to know what am i protected in doing and it is the board's responsibility to say this is what we will do to back you we have decided as a county that we will not allow discrimination period is the idea of these

135proposed things and the teachers want to know that if they do what they believe needs to be done if they recognize that child's preferred pronouns or preferred name etc that they will not be called on the carpet for having done that thing they won't know the county backs them you cannot put training ahead of policy because the teachers will wonder whether they will be punished for having followed the training I also want to point out that because it's come up a time this policy is not about bathrooms this policy is about we will not allow you to discriminate against anyone for any of the variety of listed reasons bathrooms will inevitably I should be a part of what needs to be figured out at the school level and I'll tell you again as the the

136sage sponsor and having dealt with a ton of lgbtq+ kids and a ton of transgender kids and friends in my life the answer is very simple go to the bathroom and stop worrying about what the other people in the bathroom with you have between their legs let them pee and then go on about their day it really is that simple you will hear straw man arguments presented about how men are gonna come into the bathroom and they're gonna assault people and there's gonna be like I'm a woman and they're gonna walk in there that is I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that's happened zero times in human history I hear about all the time doesn't really happen the other thing that I want to say and this is this is part

137of that please to the members of the board and to the members of the public that have been speaking against these policies please educate yourself I am hearing an awful lot of misinformation about this important topic please protect my children and protect my peers thank you [Applause] good evening board I've never done this before so I'm a little nervous I'm Susan young and I am a resident of the heartwood district my daughter went K through 12 through through the Stafford public schools just graduated from Drexel summa laude and is starting her teaching career in Manassas Park middle school you missed your opportunity sorry I I'm here because I'm thoroughly disappointed in all of you I'm not part of the LGBT community but I am in a high of it however and however I have this

138wacky idea that all capital a capital L capital L people young and old should have equal rights everywhere it's time to step up against this bias all you need to do the right thing and say yes to this policy because no vote shows you don't care for all the students in Stafford County Public Schools and teachers and should be and if you say no you should be voted off this board to the religious groups who are opposed to this and have your ear this is public education and and if they don't like it they can leave and go to their religious schools they need to you need to explain to them what public education is thank you [Applause] hi I'm Savannah I've lived here for about two years now when I first moved here it

139was halfway through my seventh grade year I remember coming out as pansexual and I remember holding hands with one of my friends who is female and one of my male classmates this was on the track by the way I do right said are you gay and to me I kind of just brushed it off but earlier this year during eighth grade I was waiting for my for my mom to pick me up and another male classmate said being gay is a disease and I looked at him in awe because I denim because now that I would change what I identify as which people do I I realized that you know people in general shouldn't be discriminated for what they identify as sexually for gender they should they shouldn't even be discriminated at all because 99%

140of our DNA is shared with everyone that 1% makes us different that 1% can be how you identify as that 1% can be how you look we are all human we don't need to be labeled we don't need separate bathrooms for people that don't identify or something what we need is a policy that protects us because I'm going into ninth grade next year and I am terrified of the people that could hurt me because this policy is something that we need and I am honestly mad that you put this off for another meeting because it should have been solved earlier this has been going on for at least two years from what I've heard I am shocked and honestly kind of disgusted because the fact that I know a lot of people who are in

141the LGBT community and there is no protection policy against discrimination and I pray that the next time this is brought up in a meeting it will be solved and the policy will be in place because I don't want to be discriminated in high school and all throughout high school because I want to be a teacher and God knows that this policy or these two policies are in place I will not be teaching here because I don't want to be discriminated for who I'm married to in the future if I ever decide to work here thank you [Applause] hi my name is Heather Fitz and I tell you the first meeting that I came to was the meeting where my friend's daughter was and unceremoniously left out in the hallway and then I've come to meeting

142Simpson that right there watching y'all listening and I'm gonna tell you what have you been doing it took you guys 20 25 minutes up here to get it come up with an action plan about okay this is what we need to do we need to these are the questions that we need to have answered this is how we're gonna do it who's gonna take responsibility for it I'm really confused why that didn't happen months ago if we could do that right here and see your behind closed door business why that couldn't have happened and then you guys come to this meeting with those answers and then to have the audacity to sit here and smile a nod at the parents who are coming up here and the students who are coming up here as though

143you really understand your pain you don't their pain you don't you have kicked this can and it's not cans let's be clear it's not cans we're kicking it's kids its LGBTQ kids this it's it just I am just beyond but I do have a question August 14th 2015 did any of you experience anything earth-shattering traumatic something that brings you to your knees because that's the day I married my wife after the Supreme Court decision and to hear it told when that was made legal the world was going to end so if you can't tell me that your life was impacted by the my marriage to the woman had been with for 15 years have a six-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter I'm here to tell you passing this legislation or passing this bill it will

144be just as anticlimactic for you but not for the kids that protects okay it won't you'll go bond about your lives and you won't know the difference but they will they will I'm Christian I'll tell you that I'm happy to stand before God with the heart that he gave me and told me I did with it what he wanted me to I loved and I am kind and if I saw any of you in need of something I would help you and I instruct my kids to help you and I can't tell you how many times somebody has come up to me and said I'm having a real cognitive dissonance right now because I have met you and I have met your wife April and I have met your kids and wow you are not

145what I have been taught to believe come have dinner with me come see how scary we are we're not we take the trash out we love we have arguments we fight April doesn't do enough at home oh my god if she doesn't figure out how to brush my daughter's hair I'm gonna lose control we have those arguments okay that's what we argue about I hear I don't lie I don't want to encourage my kids to lie but you're asking these LGBTQ kids to lie and kids are killing themselves because you won't allow them to live authentically I prayed I didn't want to be gay but here we are [Applause] hello I am Rachel O'Meara paddock and I live at 113 basalt Drive and that's where I was five minutes ago maybe ten depending upon you

146know if anybody was around me I'm watching this tonight on TV and I like most people here am appalled I waited all afternoon to come here expecting a vote for something that I hold dear to my heart I hold it dear to my heart because I have a special-needs child and I don't think that anybody regardless of who they are or where they come from should be discriminated against in any way shape or form and that's all we're asking for I also am listening to people talk about bullying and bullying the school board and bullying students and so on and so forth and I listened to a man stand up here and bully my fellow friends in the back and I just want to say I am so proud of them for being here to

147stand up to everybody else in the world to be televised to be listened to to say who they are and what they're about and we're going to continue to discriminate against them this is not okay this is not okay in the county that I work for and I am ashamed to work in a county that will not take control of this situation right now not in a week not in a month right now we have children and I'm gonna say this and people may not agree with me the adults yes adults are tough and adults can handle them these are children children you were elected to stand up and fight for and you're not fighting for them you're fighting for your own beliefs your own thoughts and you're not fighting for the kids who won't

148and can't stand up for themselves and it is ridiculous so there I sat at home listening to people talk about children using specific bathrooms children being bullied and I'm watching everybody else in this County come forward and tell you how important it is and we're still doing nothing about it it's a travesty that we are not taking care of the people in this community we are desperate for teachers in this county desperate for teachers in this County and we're just stepping on them not accepting them you can't tell me that one of you on this board hasn't been accepted somewhere in your life take that memory and make a change today excuse me could you please sign in thank you good evening Elaine calendars of Falmouth district and I wasn't planning to speak as you've

149heard a number of people say but I did come in my purple in support of the anti-discrimination policy and I wanted to say I'm I'm sorry at the outbursts and the lack of respect and some of the language that's been used here tonight because I think if there's civil discourse if we're all listening to each other keeping an open mind I think you will have a unanimous vote on this board for an anti-discrimination Posse that deals with LBGT I wanted to remind you I did come to one of these meetings and I spoke about an old high school friend who was probably the brightest girl in her class valedictorian on the debate team editor of the school newspaper she went to MIT and years later I caught up with her via Facebook and she was

150executive director of an LBGT organization we need to come to an understanding that everybody is born differently and we need to accept who they are appreciate their gifts and have love for everyone and let them reach their fullest potential thank you all right are you standing there to speak if so please come forward we haven't started our business part of the meeting yet but hi I'm Maya guy and I live in a quiet Harbor Dewayne I like your haircut I hadn't seen that before like that I out first did I'm sorry I laughed some of the religious zealots are kind of funny to me and I do laugh out loud and I'm sorry I apologize I also want to thank you guys for being here doing a job for still being nice to me even

151though you know I hate your votes sometimes but I appreciate it last time I was here and spoke about this policy I had a bunch of friends mostly conservative white Republicans contact me they were confused as crap I'm confused too this whole LGTBQ plus maybe there might be something it's confusing as heck I can only imagine what it is to actually live through it not just listen to it and then try to make a decision at the end of the day though it's children the story about that little boy who stabbed himself in the genitals I'm for him I'm teen little boy I don't care what we need to do to protect him let's just do it it doesn't matter I was raised in a very anti-gay home and I'm doing my darndest to not

152raise my children in that home all my kids are cisgender this does not affect me I don't have really that many gay friends I don't and I'm not in the community I don't call myself an ally I don't need to I love people and most importantly I love children and if your kid has an issue you people are the ones to fix it I don't care if you're Christian or if you're Buddhist or whatever just be decent kids are being tortured emotionally these kids are killing themselves they're dropping like flies not because they're confused and their chromosomes are messed up it's because they're treated like crap at school their parents aren't even here the number of kids who are affected by this we're the heavier their parents they're not here because they're ashamed there's so

153much fear and shame and no one is standing up for these kids you guys have lived your lives if you're afraid to do this vote just vote and quit move and get on go do something else you've all have all these other talents and possibilities you can do but protect these children I beg you if that's the last thing you do here that's fine make it be something great please protect these kids [Applause] hi my name is Yasmine guy and I go to Brooke point I'm a cisgender female and I have never feared for myself if transgender students come into a female bathroom because that's their decision that's who they are none of my classmates have ever feared transgender kids hate is something that's taught you don't grow up with that type of fear and

154hate not voting tonight was cowardly everybody who opposes this bill you disgust me and all of the transgender kids who are willing to come out as children to their parents who might not accept them and to their peers they are the bravest people in this room and in this country you all need to support them because that's your job you have inspired nothing but fear and empowered no children tonight that's all [Applause] so I just okay alright hi my name is Khalil I'm a senior from North Stafford and um I just kind of want to share with you guys like basically my struggle with coming out and you know how hard it could be well basically growing up I went to Rodney how was there from middle school and it was it's a good school

155let me like nothing's wrong with like staff or anything it's just like there's so much pressure on you like whether you don't know if you're gay or not they're still gonna be pressure I wasn't sure if I was gay and I got pressured into coming out so I wasn't even ready when I did so not only is it just pressure but like also multiple things happened to gay people like once you know that you're gay for real you're gonna like if your family doesn't accept you you're gonna think that I need to stop being gay stai type things like my sister she's a she she has tried to commit suicide because she felt as she wasn't accepted at home nor was she accepted at school and I haven't been through that personally but like I

156have been bullied because like I'm a stepper I love to stuff and you know when once you're gay and everybody knows it goes all around so I can't even enjoy the things that I like doing at school anymore because I always get looked at funny or judge because I'm a male stepper on the male dancer and you know all I want to say is that like you guys just had to think on the side of the kids like not what all these people are saying they don't even go to school anymore like it's for people who actually still go to school that's what you need to listen to and I just want to say I mean I wouldn't just I want to say it disgusts me that you guys pushed it back I'm just saying

157I hope that you guys pushed it back for a good reason and then it comes with a good outcome that everybody can just be happy with and there would be rights for straight people gay people whatever you are transgender people and Dane right now the LGBTQ we need our rights in school because we can't just be normal you know like you can't feel like some times you just feel like you just can't do everything straight people do because you're gay now and gate comes with judgment judgment and all this extra things and it's just yeah just think on the side of the kids not people who just are here just to talk about it because of their beliefs cuz they're not the ones in school anymore so yes let's say thank you no one else

158wishes to address the board we'll close the public comment part of the meeting and start with the business part board reports and comments and the board committee reports madam madam chair I request a five minute point point point of privilege five that sounds very good to me I haven't had a break in the best part three hours so thank you five min let's make that seven minutes you guys came back to order all right do we have any committee reports yes III have the report from the large CIP meeting that we had and I gave all of you a summary of it in our work session but just very quickly this is just a first pass draft that we will be talking about at our retreat and we need to approve something to go across

159the street to the Board of Supervisors by September 13 to 10 10th 10th oh it's going to be a big day on September 10th so what we had first was high school number six then additional early childhood special education capacity then elementary school 18 heartwood elementary school renovation drew middle school renovation additional early childhood special education capacity and the North Star furred Stafford High School Fine Arts wing renovation and we did not specify locations for any of these things because the county is changing and this much of this is is quite a ways off and so where things need to go Bay so it's just a preliminary thing and we'll discuss it in a later meeting thank you thank you dr. chase any other committee reports thank you Thank You chairman Healey so yesterday this

160is the continuation of the Finance and Budget Committee we met yesterday for an organizational meeting I was voted in as the new chairwoman and mr. Kator graciously agreed to serve as vice chairwoman we discussed making changes to policy 1502 superintendents purchasing Authority this will be brought to the August retreat we also began working on the budget development calendar and discussed the FY 21 budget priorities this will also be brought to the retreat in August discussions surrounded on energy tractor and their energy performance Elise we discussed committee meeting scheduled for the remainder of FY 20 which is August twenty nineteen through June 2020 and began discussions of the development of the budget calendar budget priorities that will be flushed out during our school board retreat and reviewed and talked a bit about the large capital project

161that dr. chase just discussed that's all alright any other committee report just just a quick um just wanted to make the board aware I know dr. Kissinger has was made aware there was a reach out from the legislative committee about strategy about cost to compete and how the data that they would like to supplement I did indicate that in the superintendent's budget presentation there was a lot about where teachers were going north and so and dr. Kaiser and I had a quick conversation saying the best data we can get so that we can help our legislators burley get on this because the more if it could be in the governor's budget is the hope but that's gonna require some so that's something that the legislative committee when we meet but I didn't want to overstep

162but also we needed to get that that information going because that to me is a huge budget priority for us is that cost to compete so and dr. kids are have spoken but I don't know if I made it available to the board so I just went to come committee reports that brings us the board member comments you see again I'll defer thank you I'll defer I actually do have something I just wanted to say that I've been sort of doing my annual meetings with principals in the Falmouth district and I just wanted to share with my fellow board members and any supervisors who might be watching how much appreciation our principals expressed for themselves and all the staff in their buildings for this year's salary increase and I noted that this was very much

163a team effort involving the Stafford Education Association superintendent the school board the county administrator and the Board of Supervisors but I just wanted to share that expression of appreciation because sometimes we don't hear that and it's nice to get a thank you on occasion okay the school board had a work session on discipline coupled with test scores from disadvantaged black and brown poor and disabled students we received an awesome update on research by dr. rebecca terry i'm inspired and hopeful that it went well i thank my fellow board members for bringing an open mind and an open heart for the dialogue and the problem that is facing us about our implicit bias low test scores in our school to Prison Pipeline needing a different approach restorative justice it is our duty to do right by

164these children given them equal treatment benefits us all in the long run I look forward in the next session where we will be working towards standardizing discipline tools providing training to our staff with the goal to increase our educational standards among all students whom are eager to learn well I think I don't know if I've talked about the parks and recs last time but I attended that on June 28th there were presentations of the realty company that wanted staff with schools to know first about the lots that they have at Leland station and I don't know if it's for parks only but there's land there so they wanted us to know about that I have a lot to say it's late so I'll spare you all until the next meeting thank you no comments the

165first I have no comments this evening either so we can move right along to item number seven discussion potential rescheduling of the August school board meeting I think miss Hall you did a poll in mr. McCosker were you not available yeah I mean I I had planned a I plan to work trip around that I know the you know I would much appreciate being at the meeting so I of course I'm not in favor of this although I do know the pros and the cons of it and you know I do appreciate it I'm just so that's my comment for now mr. McCree I don't know if you saw my email today I wasn't saying we had to have one on the 20th I'm more worried about us having them before the 13th was really

166more my concern we also seem to have that week of the 20th we will be having our board retreat which maybe not having the meeting allows us to be focused on on the retreat is the retreat date still good for you mr makovski the 24 okay I mean just I mean I I'm actually more I think that's gonna be a wonderful session I was really more worried about the intervening four weeks from today until the 13th that if we do have and maybe we don't I just I put it out as it was more my concern if we needed to meet before I know the week before is back-to-school week and Oh National Night Out sorry it was trying to think I'm like the thing we we didn't want to ever meet on like I

167said if it is the pleasure of the board it just seemed to me that the one or two years I think was only one that we had to meet on the person it just felt like we divided staff between those duties of being with our kids and so that was really the impetus I am NOT pushing either way we can have it but I just would hate for us to sit here have like a hour meeting to do very few things and then adjourn when maybe our staffs we thought the kids know how to doctor yeah I mean that's was my response there's going to be I'm just yeah if doctor kizza thinks we don't you know it's okay to move it right yeah because I have my schedule so no I I was I

168mean the question I think that MS my response to that was gonna be I'd like to hear what dr. Kissinger know the reason why I asked that the kids are is because miss hazard mentioned it like the kids know miss hazard mentioned to staff and so I'm thinking the staff belongs to dr. Kistner do you have a problem with the staff being here an hour yeah so this real quickly yes so the 13th I think I mean my recommendation would be to stay with your schedule okay maybe that's okay I appreciate the suggestion that miss Howser be exactly we probably need to consider or whoever's on this board in January needs to consider when you approve the calendar for next year you know take a look at that and when school starts and you know

169if there's since there's only one meeting in August you might want to look at one that's gonna be held all right that brings us to the consent agenda do we have a motion I move that we approve the consent agenda second by dr. chase second by miss young any discussion all in favor please say aye aye all opposed motion carries unanimously all right yeah is it now 901 is the old 903 okay all right 903 approval of proposed regulation revisions to regulation 4803 authorize leaves for VRS hybrid plant employees to increase the sick leave accrual cap move to second any discussion no all right in favor please say aye opposed motion carries unanimously 9.04 award the delivery order to sonny Merriman inc in the amount of nine hundred fifty-seven thousand two hundred fifty eight dollars

170from budgeted FY 2018 for the purchase of nine mainstream school buses most approver motion by miss young second by miss hazard any discussion about this one so are we saying that there are only nine buses that are over 15 years old in our fleet because I am just becoming concerned that I know we are only replacing and it says in here the 15 years we don't have to have that tonight but that would be something if I were on the FEHB I would ask can we make sure because if we placing nine buses and we have like 30 that are over 15 I just think we need to really understand that if that that's just and you don't have it's up to you but just beginning of the school year probably time to talk about

171transportation and think so maybe indicates well I wouldn't and ask him to come on that second day of school good no please don't bring in that day's actually dealing with issues at least the first two weeks of school because I know I always ask people to please give us patience that's right please give us you know some you know time to work out the issues that the first two weeks is goal are just a nightmare members and complaints the first few weeks so I think it's to your advantage to hear what we're doing madam chair I would like to note that there you know for the $10,000 extra per bus is in there for the air conditioning so it is nine buses with air conditioning units just to make sure that the public knows exit

172you know it'll be hot mm-hm all right so does the board want the transportation director to come to the meeting if we do I suggest we put in early so he can so he can just you know not have to stay seriously work session so he can get back home probably be driving a bus that day other duties all right nine point that was my comment all right or any other comments no all in favor please say aye Jim Perry he knows 9.0 5 approval to purchase a Chromebooks for elementary middle and high school classrooms and libraries using budgeted FY 20s a technology grant funds in the amount not to exceed 1.1 million dollars and Chromebooks for teachers and staff including charging and storage carts using budgeted FY 2018 fines in an amount not to

173exceed $450,000 so we have a motion second by mrs. Egan any discussion o favor please say aye aye opposed motion carries unanimously information items all right we have several information items on this agenda that we are being asked to move to action please note that this is because it was beyond the control of staff to have put these on our agenda at an earlier meeting they had they either get outside information or some kind of approval from someone outside the school system and part of this also has to do with their early start date this year so you know we would request that you consider these requests from staff to move these things to action first information item and this is requested to be moved to action is approval of an increase to the cost

174of lunch and breakfast 10 cents each at all school levels elementary middle and high for the 2019 2020 school year I move that we move this to action dr. chase second my miss hazard all in favor please say aye opposed that motion to move it to action carried unanimously now we have the same item on for action do we have a motion move to approve motion by dr. chase second by mrs. hazard yeah my question is simple so when you raise that is somebody here to talk to it or okay it's real quick if when you raise that ten cents that there are students that would have been free and reduced and because of that rays are no longer free reduced but they're close to so now we're asking them to pay and it's the

175payment is not ten cents it will be the full breakfast or lunch like whatever the amount is because it just went over right the qualification for if you don't qualify for free and reduced lunch depends on your family income it's not on the price of the line no there's besides the frame reduce there's another category that has to have reduced where they do pay something so my question is that that whatever the okay okay this is not a money-making business for us this is this is because I'm just asking the question and I actually in these kids and apologize Berkeley had to leave had some family responsibilities but I believe actually that this is not going to impact the reduced but I'd have to confirm that if it might even affect it slightly but I

176believe I want to talk to Berkeley it's not going to impact their reduce kids okay all right thank you Healy if I could just ask a question again not for tonight mister former as you close out this year with with mister dunbroch I have been asked by so many people what were the remaining lunch balances I mean with something we have talked about and I had gotten a quick understanding having seen him in the parking lot as we were walking over that there has been some changes with the law that it probably is our going up if that could just be either presented as information to the board I think it's something we do have a lot of community partners who I think may want to be involved in that but the only way they

177would get involved is if they know so if that's something we could eat your report on it or like I said there's sometimes people who want to write us a check and I turning them away so like I said just for a future but I think that's helpful so thank you sure thing all right all in favor of the motion to approve please say aye aye opposed motion carries unanimously ten-point o2 this is another item that we've been asked to move to action because of the start of school in August approval of a contract Rider agreement with soly and health to adjust job vacancies in the department of student services through temporary employee services move to move it to action dr. chase McCosker got his in there he's moving on all right uh any discussion

178all in favor of moving into action please say aye aye all opposed motion carries unanimously do we have a motion for approval move to a proof okay dr. chase second by mr. McCosker wasn't quite as quick like you got in there yeah I let him have it I mean he delayed thank you all right any discussion all in favor please say aye aye all opposed motion carries unanimously all right we got one more here approval 10-point o3 approval for purchase in the amount of eighty seven thousand three hundred ninety two dollars and two cents from budgeted FY 2018 funds of the Naviance program for use at all middle and high schools to be if a motion to I move to move to the agenda to action all right all in favor of moving this to

179action please say aye opposed motion carries unanimously do we have a motion for approval move to approve dr. chase okay second my miss Egan thank you bingo discussion yeah any parent of a rising senior will be very unhappy if this is not there all right thank you doctor yes good program I remember when this first came in back in ancient days in just a comment and dr. Kaiser do I understand that this is being our I guess gen moving down into middle school so that it can become kind of like a more used tool I think before you get to senior year so anyway I just hope we get to training at the middle school level as well this is the move down to middle school for the Naviance program so that yep okay all

180in favor please say aye aye opposed motion carries unanimously okay no more requests to move these to action we're gonna talk about gizmos 10.04 approval of a purchase in the amount of ninety two thousand two hundred sixty seven dollars and fifty cents from budgeted FY 2018 funds of explore learning gizmos for science earth science biology chemistry and physics in grades 3 to 8 this will come back to us for approval at the next meeting any questions about this item no all right ten point oh five approval of an annual contract with two additional option years with blackboard Inc in the amount of one hundred fifty three thousand two hundred eighteen dollars and sixty cents for year one using budgeted FY 2018 funds for website and communication tools any questions about this item we're using you

181come up with any later send them to dr. Kissinger please you can get us the information because we need that Sheree right our blackboard is very important to our families out there kids this isn't good effective when we start school ten point oh six approval of the renewal of the power school subscription for the 2019 2020 school year at a cost of one hundred and nine thousand seven hundred sixty $4.99 don't you love all these two cents ninety nine from budget satellite twenty operating funds what's the power school subscription how much power does a doctor strike thought you'd never get a chance power school is what we use for our common formative assessments and we have had math and English and power school is now coming out with performance matters and we have the power

182with performance matters to actually get data at the teachers fingertips so this is something we've been using for several years but with this new subscription and the new performance matters we can expand it to all four subjects so I just looked at usage reports and through our PLC work our tiered intervention instruction work we're using more and more common informant assessments so this is the database and the data bank that holds common formative assessments and other assessments from teachers and educators throughout Virginia so it's a shared database subscription the alumina side-eye that case now how do you measure this like are there any KPI is involved is just assessment you go into the tool and you you look at the assessment how does it work I just inquiry obvious as succinct as possible so when

183you have a PLC of teachers let's say that they're teaching a fifth grade math and it's a grade level math meeting and they align and look at the standards that they have to teach and they look at our curriculum and they decide what they're going to teach those standards they agree to a common formative assessment which is not a summative the formative assessment tells them which kids have mastered it in which kids need extra help with a tiered intervention they can actually upload that common form an assessment or they can go in and see what others sixth grade math teachers in the school division used for that standard on that assessment so it's a sharing database but the power of it is it gives reports and it aggregates that data collection over time okay so

184and they can also create their audit okay so it's really for the teachers and not necessary tool under the new the new suite the Pearson's come out with it it can actually be used as like a teacher data warehouse that's the reason why I was asking about key performance indicator all right that brings us to the last information item ten point oh seven appointment of a school board member to serve as liaison to the Head Start Policy Council for the September 2019 through August 2020 Council term this hazard you are still eligible so if you're interested we can certainly I mean I have served for three years it is a wonderful wonderful program so I mean if there is someone else who would like to do that work I am willing to their training involved

185I'm just kidding there can be so they do meet during the week usually the third Wednesday but that can change um during the week usually starting at 11 or 11:30 so like I said my term is not up but I am willing to share the wealth because um it is a wonderful program and for every it's a great experience for everybody on the board so like I said if somebody would like to do that but are you willing to serve if there's no other volunteer I believe you need help that your ribbons yeah many of them as long as you're legal [Laughter] brings us to our upcoming meeting announcements the next meeting the school board is August 13th at 7 p.m. Wow we get to end I love it and that for the end tonight

186okay you ripped out a little bit louder let me