001All right, good evening. Let's go ahead and get this meeting going. Uh, if you would join us for the flag salute, please. indivisible liberty and justice for all. >> All right, let the record show uh all board members are here except for Dr. McNeel. Next is the adoption of the agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Mr. Newman, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. Consent agenda. All of the following items, those items of a routine nature normally approved at board meetings will be approved by one vote unless any board member desires to have a separate vote on any or all of these items. The consent agenda consists of the discussion, consideration, and action on the following items A through O. >> For approval,
002second. >> Mr. NW, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. Okay. Information reports, USPA, UCTA. Okay. Hearings and correspondence. Okay. Is this agenda? All right. Consider and take action on the updated daily bell schedule for all school sites for the 2025 to 2026 school year. Dr. Federline. >> President Reyes, members of the board. Uh as you know we uh the uh governor stit signed into law house bill 1087 requiring uh either an extra day or six extra hours of instruction. Uh union has gone with six extra hours of instruction moving our instructional time with this daily bell schedule to 187.52 hours. That'll keep us in compliance with the law. Uh and it'll uh keep the integrity of our schedule that you approved back in
003March. So we're asking you to approve that. We did have a very slight change that I told you about earlier. Um, in addition to the changes that you see in your board packet, we are moving the seventh grade start time from 7 uh 45 to 7:40 a.m. This is going to help us with our bus routing. Uh, since we're combining seventh and eighth grade routes, and as you know, we had all kinds of challenges last year with transportation. This is going to greatly assist in that. >> That is reflected in the board packet. >> It is good. >> Questions, comments, >> Mr. 740, >> right? Well, yeah, that's right. Moving from 7:40 to 7:45. I apologize. That's what you see in the book is 7:40. Yes. >> So, 740 is the correct start. >> That's
004right. 74. >> 7:45 is the new correct start. 7:45. >> That is correct. >> Okay. So, that's >> because that'll give us 10 minutes between >> 8. Sorry, >> no problem. Okay. >> No, it's my mistake. >> Questions, comments? >> Move for approval. Second, >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. Thank you. >> All right. Consider and take action on approval of the 2025 to 2026 school calendar based on the 1086 hour requirement. Dr. Federline. >> Uh yes. With this change uh comes a new letter that we have to send into the accreditation standards department of the state of Oklahoma that is written that with your approval we'll sign tonight and we'll be taken care of for our calendar for next
005year. >> Move for approval. Second, >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Miss Roman? >> Yes. >> Chair votes? Yes. As well. >> All right. Consider and take action on the school partnership agreement with reading partners to provide reading tutors to students at 10 elementary sites in the amount of $100,000 from RA funds. Miss Ker. >> Yes. Uh we are so excited. Reading Partners um has come to us and will have we will be the only district in the area that actually has a partnership with Reading Partners. And so we would like to expand to 10 elementary schools this next year with the plan to add an additional three the following year. And these are paid out of reading sufficiency funds. Um and so we would like for you to approve
006that. I do have some statistics though, some stats from this past year. I will share real quick. Um over 232 students were enrolled at the six sites that we had this year. There was over 8,665 sessions delivered. There were over 228 volunteer tutors and 33 staff in Americaore tutors. The average session was 37 minutes. And they gave out over 2,950 books um for at home libraries. It's been a great partnership for Union. Um, we work well together. Um, and we're excited. We hope that you approve. >> So, which of these schools are new this year? >> Yes. Which did you ask me which >> Which ones will be new? Um, this year the new sites will be Rosa Parks, AOA, Moore, and Jefferson. >> Move for approval. >> Second, Mr. man. >> Yes. >> Miss
007Romeman, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Chair votes, yes, as well. >> Thank you. >> Consider and take action on the purchase of a 2-year renewal of the Renaissance Learning, Inc. Software subscriptions in the amount of 290,272.36 from bond funds. Dr. Nelson, >> thank you. President Rome, I'm sorry, President Reyes. I'm sorry, we had the transition there. And uh Dr. Federal line board um I recommend uh that you consider and vote to approve this two-year renewal. This is this star reading star math assessments that we use um at really all of our schools. Now this represents primarily the elementary purchase and then we use some star math at secondary as well that we include in this purchase. You see it annually because we buy two-year renewals. Um the secondary star reading renewal happened
008last year. So we're coming back for a two-year purchase now of what is usually mostly the elementary renewal. And this is a little bit bigger than the other purchase about twice as much. Um and so any questions about that? It's our screener assessment that we use three times or more per year >> question second. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Mr. Newman, >> yes. >> Mr. Roman, >> yes. >> Chair votes, yes. As well, thank you. Consider and take action on the renewal agreement with Amenum for Exact Path software in the amount of $284,57654 cents from textbook bond funds. Dr. Nelson. >> Yes, we've been using this um exact path software now and expanding its use um for the last few years. This represents a a two-year purchase from bond fund. Exact Path is a
009a um tutorial software that adapts to where the students are in order to fill in gaps particularly for students that may u be behind or lacking some some knowledge primary knowledge that um they need or it can also be used to accelerate students um who are working ahead and need some additional um enrichment or extensions. Um, this, uh, is a district-wide purchase. We, uh, looked at making a smaller purchase, um, because right now we don't use it extensively at the secondary level, but it was still actually most coste effective to go ahead and get the district level purchase and we do expect some more expansion of the use of the software over uh, the next two years as well. >> Dr. Nelson, is there an L component for this exact path software? Or is it
010only for your your typical traditional learners? >> Yeah, this would be it's it is an English software for traditional learners. We have for reading we have um imagine learning which is a a language learning software that our EL students use for literacy um and language learning in particular. So, um, well, this one doesn't, uh, provide that adaptation as strongly. It's not how it's designed. It's been very useful to us, but um, in terms of language development, we have a different software that's really designed for that. It's much more effective for language learners. >> More questions. >> Move for approval. >> Second, >> Miss McAdams. Yes, >> Mr. Nuin. >> Yes, >> M. Roman, >> yes. >> And chair votes yes as well. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Consider and take action on the 24-month
011renewal of the software license agreement for Canvas Learning Management Systems and Mastery Connect student assessment system from Instructure Inc. in the amount of $420,24425 from bond funds. Mr. Morris, >> President Reyes, Dr. Fedine, members of the board, this is our LMS for our secondary level. Um we use it with all students 6 through 12. Um and we also use it with a lot of our teachers for um professional development and um also a place to store a lot of our resources for our teachers to uh to access. Mastery Connect is our district testing software um that we use for our quarterly uh assessments and for um uh other assessments that um teachers may want within that system. Questions, comments? >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> Mr. W. >> Yes. >> Miss Roman. >> Yes.
012>> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Chair votes? Yes. As well. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Consider and take action on the purchase of egeneuity online coursework subscriptions for two years from Imagine Learning in the amount of $130,550 from bond funds. Mr. Morris. >> Uh yes. Egenuity is our software we use for our full-time virtual um students who spend uh 6 through 12 who are um completely virtual. Um they don't have uh they may have one or two onampus classes um usually an elective but uh almost all our students are full-time virtual and we also use it for remediation purposes for students need to make up credit where they have um not received credit through traditional means um and they need to make up that credit for graduation. We use this software for that as
013well. Move for approval. >> Second. >> Mr. Newman. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Miss Roman. >> Yes. >> And chair votes. Yes. As well. Thank you. >> Thank you. Consider and take action on the agreement with Power School for a master service agreement for software licenses, subscriptions to support the teacher and principal evaluation system and the district's online employment application system in the amount of $133,1.71 from bond funds and authorize the executive director of human resources to sign the agreements and initiate payment under these agreements. Mr. L. >> Thank you, President Reyes, members of the board. Um, this is a renewal of our power school agreement which covers our teacher and principal evaluations and all of our online application systems. Um, it's a great system, allows us to manage all of that
014as well as employees electronic records um for the district. It keeps us straight and makes it much more efficient to be able to handle all of the paperwork behind the scenes. So, we'd ask for your approval and I happy to answer any questions. >> Move for approval. Second, >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Mr. Sherman, >> yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. Thank you. >> Consider and take action to appoint Whitney Rayberg as fifth grade certified adjunct teacher for 2025 to 2026 school year. Mr. Lo, >> um, once again, I'm bringing an adjunct to you. This is a certified teacher. Um, unfortunately, she's not able to be emergency certified in the fifth grade area. She is certified in middle school and social studies, but uh we are asking for
015her to be um placed as an adjunct while she's working on a regular certification. That way we can have her as a fully certified teacher starting here this fall. >> Move for approval. >> Second, Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. Sherman, >> yes. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Chair, yes. as well consider and take action to appoint Jonathan Milwi as certified adjunct teacher in athletic training for the 2025 to 2026 year. Mr. Log, >> uh, Mr. Milwie has been selected to be the new lead for our new medical program. Um, we are waiting on the state department. They have been delays because they added a new certification for him. Um, and they haven't been able to get it processed quite yet. So rather than wait and try to hire him as a sub, we
016thought it was best to bring him on as an adjunct so we can get full teacher pay versus subpay while the state department gets their act together. Excuse me. >> What is the anticipated timeline? >> Should be last month, but um anticipated we're hoping um here actually before school starts. So even though we're approving him as adjunct, we actually hope that it'll be approved through the state department and he'll go on with his regular certification prior to that. He meets all the requirements and it's a new addition to the state department um for the certification areas. So >> move for approval. >> Second. >> Mr. Newman. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Miss Rome. >> Yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. consider and take action to name the assistant principal for the
017freshman academy for the 2025 to 2026 school year. Mr. Luger, >> thank you. It is my honor to recommend Miss Tamara Danzy if she would stand up, please. Um, I did ask her if she had a speech ready, but she just laughed and unfortunately that's not gone over very well. Uh, Miss Danzy did join us here in 2008 working at the eighth grade center as a science teacher. She's also been a cheer coach. Um, she was the 2015 teacher of the year. She was also the 2022 Milikin Educator Award national award winner. Um she's got her bachelor's degree in from UCO and her master's in educational administration. And it is my distinct honor to recommend Miss Tamara Danzy as the new assistant principal at the freshman academy. >> Move for approval. Second. >> Mr. Nuin,
018>> yes. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. [Applause] Consider and take action on a 2-year renewal purchase from Zonar Systems, Inc. for GPS tracking for district vehicles and buses in the amount of $117,637.35 from bond funds. Mr. Harris, >> President Reyes, Dr. Ferline, members of the board. Uh, Zonar is our software that we use not only for GPS tracking but also um our pre and post trips for inspections for the buses. Um, and then it provides uh diagnostic feedback for our fleet management system uh for our mechanics and work order system. Uh, so asking for your approval on the renewal for Zonar. >> Questions, comments? Move >> for approval. Second. Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Miss Roman? >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >>
019Chair votes yes as well. Thank you. Consider and take action on the purchase of 10 school buses from Holt Truck Centers in the amount of 1,67,926 from transportation bond funds. Mr. Harris. >> Uh yes, thank you. um as we did back in June with the purchase of our two special needs buses uh through state contract uh with Holt Truck um center that's located here in Tulsa. Um we're we're asking for approval for these 10 buses. Um an advantage for purchasing through the state contract and through Halt is their plant is here in Tulsa and their service center is here in Tulsa. um warranty items uh that we need on new buses. They send a mobile truck to our shop and work in our shop and get that done. Um Thomas Bus, they are located in
020Vanurren, Arkansas. Um and that's where we have to send our Thomas buses for repair. And then El Reno, I think, is the closest for Bluebird buses. So, it it's a pretty big advantage for everything to be here in Tulsa and be able to purchase through state contract. questions, comments. >> And these are um replacing buses completely. Are they are we going down a domino system with buses? >> So with with our aging buses uh that we can still use as subs, then we will put those buses on the subline and we'll surplus even older buses that are on our subline now at the moment. >> Okay. >> And we'll put these new ones on route. >> All right. Move for approval. >> Second, >> M. Roman. >> Yes. Mr. Nuin, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams,
021>> yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. Thank you. Consider and take action on the purchase of two Chevrolet Taho from Jim Norton Chevy in the amount of $131,256 from transportation bond funds. Mr. Harris, >> same same with the buses. Essentially, these are two two white fleet vehicles that we will replace vehicles with and repurpose those um and move aging aging vehicles out to surplus. um and then be able to use our new vehicles uh in the white fleet. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Mr. Shuin, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. Thank you. Consider and take action on the purchase of two Chevrolet Suburbans and one Chevrolet Express van from Cooper Fleet Services in the amount of $162,937 from bond funds.
022Mr. Harris, the two Suburbans are going to go into our uh activity fleet so coaches, administrators, uh sponsors can check those vehicles out and use those to transport students u when the need arises. And the uh express van is going to uh replace an older van in the warehouse distribution. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> Miss Roman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Shu. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Chair votes. Yes. As well. Thank you. >> Thank you. Consider and take action on the bids for sixth and seventh grade center renovation and award the construction contracts to Napolt Construction Corporation with GMP amendment number five in the amount of 5,890,332 from bond funds. Dr. Robinson. >> Yeah, President Reyes, Dr. Federline, members of the board, this is our um kind of next phase
023of the sixth and seventh grade center renovation. This GMP includes all of the equipment and HVAC upgrades for the center section of the classroom box, so to speak. So, this is upstairs and downstairs, new air handlers, um, new VAVs, new piping, new duct work. Um, it also includes new ceilings, new lighting, uh, new carpet, and new mill work in all of those areas as well. We seek your approval. >> Move for approval. >> Second, >> Mr. Mr. Roman, >> yes. >> Miss McAdams, >> yes. >> Mr. Newman, >> yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. >> Consider and take action on change order number one GMP number two with Napole Construction Corporation for the sixth and seventh grade center renovation in the amount of $152,136 from previously approved contingency allocation. Dr. Robson. >> Yeah, this
024is not a cost change to the GMP. This is really just a scope change. So, anytime we have these large projects, we have large sections of unforeseen condition contingency money. Um, but anytime we dip into that, we want to make sure you're aware as a board. So, this covers a myriad of different unforeseen conditions that we ran into as we were uh getting into the sixth and seventh grade center remodel and the new plant build. >> Move for approval. >> Second. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Mrman, >> yes. and chair both as well. Consider and take action on the proposal for architectural design services with Dubberry Architects, Inc. for the UMAC elevator replacement project in the amount of $19,940 from bond funds. >> Yeah, as you guys may be
025aware, the the elevator at the UMAC has given us a lot of problems over the years. Um, we've even gone so far as to replace the the hydraulic jack uh on that on that unit, but we continue to have issues with it going out of plum and eating up the the the packing kind of the sealant between the joints of the jack. And our um our architecture and mechanical firms have suggested that really the only way to make that work is to abandon a hydraulic jack system and go for a track system uh that doesn't have an underground jack that goes, you know, 100 feet into the ground. Uh and this should uh take care of all that. This is the design fee uh to get started on uh developing the construction documents for uh
026a new elevator that you make. Dr. Robinson, how long will that take >> the design >> imple? Yeah, designed to >> We are hoping that we can have the design in place, go out to bid and be ready to start construction towards the very end of this upcoming school year so that we can uh go through construction and hopefully have it done sometime in the fall of uh 26. Will that impact any of our um events like we had with the um >> potentially? Yes. But this is a permanent fix as opposed to being down, fixing it, being down again, and not knowing when those outages are. >> Okay. >> Does the elevator work right now? >> Right now, yes. >> You never know. >> Say again. >> Day is not over. >> Yeah. >>
027Move for approval. >> Second, Miss Rman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nin. >> Yes. Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> And chair votes yes as well. Thank you. >> Consider and take action on the award of snacks and beverages for the 2025 to 2026 school year with the associated blanket purchase order to Tankersley in the amount of $100,000 from child nutrition funds. Miss F. >> President Reyes, Dr. Federline, members of the board. Um so last month we talked about a lot of food items and this um particular request is for snacks and beverages. is the majority of these items are sold all cart um at secondary sites. Of course, they meet the USDA smart snack standards, so all whole grain, low sugar, low sodium, all of those good things. So, um tonight I'm seeking your approval for
028um $100,000 um to Tankers Lee. >> Move for approval. >> Second, Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nuin, >> yes. Miss Roberman, >> yes. >> Chair, yes, as well. >> Thank you. Thank you. Consider and take action on the 2025 to 2026 salary schedules negotiated compensation packages and language changes for certified personnel in the UCTA and administrative salary schedule for administrative associates as per the superintendent's recommendation. Dr. Williams. >> Good evening, President Reyes, members of the board. Dr. Federline. Uh tonight I'm bringing a recommendation based on our recent negotiations with uh UCTA back at the end of June. Uh the recommendations and we've included all of the language changes. There's a lot of details there. Uh but I just wanted to highlight the ones that are are most substantive and most important for our teachers
029based on our conversations. Uh first of all is the the salary. The salary table reflects a uh one step uh plus full teachers retirement uh paid uh going into the new year. As you all know, we've been working on this for a number of years and uh we're really excited and the teachers were very excited to be able uh to approve this. Um the other thing is a modification to the dress code policy that we discussed earlier today. Um, we added language to the dress code policy. One of the things that teachers have consistently brought year after year is the desire, the strong desire uh to wear jeans in the classroom. And uh we've talked it over and and talked talked about it each time they've brought it up. This year, um, we've decided to
030just add language to say that the administration has the right to declare a no jeans day, uh, if there are officials visiting schools or or other important events, uh, going on. Um, but, uh, as you can imagine, the teachers were really quite excited about that as well. Um, we added $300 to steps 26 through 40 and also are recommending for approval a number of changes to the extra duty schedule. Those are the changes that are recommended uh by that extra duty committee that Miss Calvin chairs uh made up of administrators and teachers. They review those each year and those recommendations then flow to the negotiations committee. Um, we've also included for you this evening um an updated administrative salary schedule uh for 2526 which reflects a 2.4% uh increase accordingly uh for all administrators across
031the board. Um I'd like to say I I really uh really appreciate the work of all the team members both the administration side and the UCTA. We had a really excellent negotiation this year and uh good discussion and I feel like we made considerable progress. Uh they took their vote and were uh the the proposals were approved by 99% of all voting teachers. So pleased to recommend that for approval for you tonight. >> Questions, comments? >> I'm uh I'm glad to see that we've made it to paying full teacher retirement. I know I know that's really been a goal for a long time and I'm I'm glad we've made it there finally. So I I do appreciate that. Move for approval. >> Second. >> Miss Roman. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr.
032New? >> Yes. And chair votes? Yes. As well. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. You got opportunity for comments from the audience. >> Dr. Feline. No. Okay. Then at this time we will take a short recess before our due process hearing. Thank you. Okay. Good evening. At this time we will return back to the meeting. Uh next is new business. All right. No new business. Next is due process hearing for students A and B. Motion discussion and vote to approve the engagement letter of the center for education law to advise the board of education as its legal council for the purpose of the student suspension hearings of student A and B. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Mr. Roberman? >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Chair votes yes as well. Student
033suspension due process appeal hearing for student A. The board president will ask the parents and students whether they wish the hearing to be an open session or an executive session. Do you wish to proceed in public or executive session? >> Okay. Uh the board will consider Okay. Then the board will consider and vote to go into executive session. We will not. She wants it public. Uh pursuant to Oklahoma statute title 25307B5 to hear evidence and discuss suspension of student in question consider time hearing or disclosure. Okay. At any time during this hearing where disclosure information would violate confidentiality requirements of state or federal law. Um opening statement by administration or his designate. Mr. Reyes. >> Yes. >> President Reyes, members of the board of education, we're here tonight for a long-term suspension hearing for student
034A, who at the time was a high school student. The evidence will show that on the morning of April 9th, 2025, the high school administration was made aware of threats against student A stemming from an offschool altercation and certain text messages between student A and another student of the intent to fight that day. The evidence will further show that that morning, student aid was specifically told by assistant principal Cooper that student A was not to go to the bathroom and fight and that the and that student A's writing that he was willing to fight was not acceptable. It was also explained to student A that he was within 10 steps of an of an adult at the high school and that student A was expected to walk away from any confrontation and go to an
035adult. Something student A understood by repeating the expectations. Later that day around lunchtime, video sh foot footage shows student A and his friends being followed by other students. Rather than walking away, student A repeatedly made statements to the other students and did not go to an adult. This eventually led to a fight breaking out in which student A attacked another student and slammed the other student into a wall, which caused a student to receive staples in his head. At the end of the school and while outside, student A ignored a directive by assistant principal Robinson not to engage with other students. Instead, student A ran and jumped into a fight involving his younger brother and another student. This fight, also captured on video, shows student A, his brother, student B, and his mother engaging in
036a physical fight with other students. During this fight, student A had a student in a headlock and refused directives to let go, instead stating something akin to he was going to put him out or put him to sleep. Student A only let go of the other student when student A's arms were forcibly removed from the neck of the other student. As a result of the events of April 9th, 2025, student A received a long-term suspension that extends through the entirety of the fall semester of the 2025 2026 school year for the following offenses in violation of board policies. 50 54 and 505 provoking a fight. Text messages show that student A received threatening texts before the incident. Student A responded with text saying that he would fight them immediately instead of waiting until a later
037time. Fighting. In the first incident inside the high school, student A was separated from all students. He saw another student and attacked him, causing the other student to crack his head open, which later required staples. Disobeying an official, assistant principal Robinson clearly told student A not to engage with other students during the second event that took place outside. Instead, student A jumped into the fight that student EG had started with another student. fighting. Student A fought a student twice. The first time, student A jumped into the fight between Miss Gordon and the other student. They then separated. Then student A continues to follow the other student, tackles him, and puts him in a choke hole. Threat to student. Officer Chris Hall and Mr. Robinson told student A to let go of the other student while
038student A had him in a choke hold. Student A's response was, "No, I'm putting him to sleep." Student A's hands had to be physically removed from the other students throats. Disruption. Student A was involved in both incidents which caused five security officers, four principles, and Tulsa Police Department to respond to the situation. In addition, several teachers came out of their classrooms into the hallways to help with crowd control and contact administration. The discipline imposed on student A was warranted by his conduct and the administration is asking that the discipline longest permitted by law that doesn't involve a gun the current semester and the next semester be upheld in its entirety. Thank you. >> Thank you. The opening statements by the parent, student, or their designates. >> Uh, yes. Good evening, members of the board. My
039name is Ashley Gordon, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak tonight. Though I come before you not as a parent seeking any special treatment, but as a mother who has spent years pleading for basic protections for my children, please, that the Union public schools have repeatedly ignored. Tonight is not just about a fight. It's about fairness. And it's about truth. And it's about accountability. For years, I have documented emails, medical letters, 504 plans, and OCR complaints how union has failed to protect my son, Aiden. See, Aiden has type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune condition that doesn't take a break at the school door. Yet, he was denied restroom access, left unaccompanied when escorts were promised, and repeatedly placed in dangerous situations, both medically and socially. I reported bullying dozens of times, including racial slurs, threats of
040violence, stalking by a known group of students only to be dismissed or told to just avoid certain places. And this has all been well documented. I've even been to the school and had in-person meetings. What message does that send to a child already fighting to stay emotionally and physically stable? Then when I filed complaints with the Office for Civil Rights, who found Union in violation rather than make these things right, that's when the retaliation began, which was years ago. My younger son, Evan, who is a strong student athlete, he just got the camp MVP award through the Bixby Oline Dline Camp, was also swept up into the storm, suspended for defending his brother from an attack by over 15 students. We have the videos, we have the screenshots, and we have the transcripts of your
041staff admitting that they did not intervene. They didn't follow policy. They didn't protect them. And even one of them said that Aiden had it coming. That's all recorded. Yet, my children were punished the most severely. One-year suspensions, no prior history, no weapons, no clear policy justification. Meanwhile, students who premeditated the attack and admitted to the threats have walked away with little to no consequence. As a matter of fact, they're all back in school. That is not just unfair. That is discriminatory. That is retaliatory. And it is devastating for kids who still believe that school was supposed to be a safe place. I've been painted as a problem parent. But the truth is, I'm a persistent parent. I show up. I document. I advocate because I will not apologize ever for trying to protect my children
042when union failed to. Tonight, I'm asking that the board do what the administration would not. Review the full context, listen to the evidence, and recognize the situation for what it truly is. A systemic failure followed by retaliation disguised as discipline. Even now, I'm not sure I want my kids to even return. But I do want the truth on record. I want their names cleared, and I want the district to stop punishing students and families who dare to speak up. Thank you. >> All right. Next time we this time we uh presentation of all the administration's evidence subject to cross-examination and questions from the board of education. >> Mr. President, as the administration's uh first witness uh we would call high school assistant principal Flora St. All right. At this time, we're going to swear you
043in. apologize. Uh if you would stand and raise your right hand. Uh do you swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? >> Miss Staer, during the 2425 school year, would you tell the board what your position was? Um, I am an assistant principal at Union High School. >> And how long have you been an assistant principal? >> I just completed year five. As an assistant principal, is it common for you to assist in the investigation of violations of the code of student conduct involving students who are both assigned to you and not? >> Yes. are you I'd like to direct your attention um the exhibits that I'll be looking at for the board. They're under tab A for student A
044who's Miss Gordon. Do you mind if I use her first name? >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Okay. It's uh for Miss Gordon's son, Aiden. So if you look at exhibit one, did you recognize this board policy? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And is it uh 5054 antiviolence? >> Yes. >> If you would read the first paragraph of this policy. >> The Union Public School District considers the safety and security of its employees, students, patrons, and other third party visitors of the district to be a priority. Therefore, threats, threatening behavior, acts of violence, and any related conduct, including but not limited to physical violence, verbal or written threats or intimidation, intimidating gestures or actions, and violence against property will not be tolerated. >> Okay. If you would skip to the third paragraph of this policy and
045if you would read the policy of the board of education. >> Students found in violation of this policy may be subjected to any and all disciplinary action that may be imposed by the district's policy regarding student behavior board policy number 5050. And the and if you would read the last paragraph of this page, which is actually the last paragraph of the policy. >> Students are responsible for notifying their principal or counselor or the executive director of human resources of any threats or violence they have witnessed or that have been made or perpetrated against them or others on district property or while at district sponsored events. Is this policy something that's reviewed by students at the beginning of each school year? >> Yes. >> If you would please turn to uh exhibit two. >> Is this
046policy 5050 student behavior? >> Yes. >> And I often refer to this as the code of student conduct. So if I say that that's what I mean. Um it lists on the first well list throughout the policy certain um certain behaviors that may result in discipline for a violation committed by a student. Correct. >> Yes. Okay. Um, this is not an exhaustive list, is it? >> Correct. It is not. >> Okay. And is that where it says in the heading violation of school rules at the bottom of that paragraph? I believe it states this list includes but is not limited to. >> Correct. >> Be kind of difficult to try to list out everything that would be a potential violation, would it not? >> Yes. Right. So, the the date of importance at this hearing
047today is the date that the disciplinary offenses were committed. And that was April 9th of 2025, was it not? >> Yes. And what was your role in investigating the events of April 9th? >> My role in investigation was to follow um the students throughout the building on camera and put together a timeline of events. I also had two students in my part of the alphabet that were also involved in the event. So it was my job to investigate and get all sides of um students what their viewpoint was of what happened during that day as well. >> Did you also review various emails between administrators and other written document that came into your possession? >> Yes. >> I'd like to turn your attention to exhibit three if you would please. And this is an email
048from James Cooper to Bo Brand. >> Who is Mr. Cooper? >> Mr. Cooper was an assistant principal at the high school in the school year 2014. >> And who is Bo Brand? >> Bo Brandon is the head principal of Indian High School. according well if you look at page two this was sent by Mr. Cooper to principal Brandon >> correct >> and it recounts a series of discussions that Mr. Cooper had that morning with various students. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. And just to go through it real quickly, in the first paragraph, she talks about a student GL and his brother who came to his office between 8:10 and 8:15 reporting a fight at the mall yesterday between 2 and 300 p.m. Is that correct? >> Correct. Did um did you learn during the course
049of your investigation that that was a fight that involved Aiden? >> Yes. >> It goes on to say that GL reported that he was receiving verbal threats from Aiden to fight. Correct. >> Correct. >> And then GL listed all the students involved and that Mr. Cooper reached out to their APS and Mr. Ducker. How are assistant principles at the high school assigned? >> We are assigned by last names of students. So, for example, I'm part of the S through C alphabet range. So, they would be my students. >> Okay. And who is Mr. Ducker? >> Mr. Ducker is the principal over at the Alternative Education Center. and uh he indicates that Mr. Ducker was in contact with GL's parent and they attempted to find the students involved but none were on campus at the time.
050>> Correct. >> Um it then goes on to to indicate that Mr. Cooper stated that he spoke with Aiden's mother and reviewed her emails. So she had been emailing the district. Correct. >> Correct. and uh she was saying that the students fought at the mall and Mr. Cooper asked her if she had filed a police report which she said yes and that she reported that there could be potential gimps involved. >> Correct. >> Then Mr. Cooper goes on to say during the first hour he got GL back to the office and then on the way to the office with GL they saw Aiden outside of his office and security searched him. No guns and weapons were in GL's possession. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Have you found any information that indicates that that was
051wrong or incorrect in any way? Not at all. >> Okay. Uh then he says that he called GL's mother and let her know that we had searched GL. She felt concerned for his safety and that GL um was working at a choir event at the south doors right next to security. Um then let's go to the second page. Now, just for everybody's benefit, how many periods are in a school day at the high school? >> There are six periods. >> Um, when is the first hour or first period? >> Um, first hour starts at 8:40 and ends about 9:40. 8:40 about full hour. >> Okay. Mr. Mr. Cooper then went on to say, "I went to make sure Aiden went to his first hour and to let him know that we were addressing the students."
052And then he goes on to say, "I got back to my office and Aiden's mom called with a different student threatening to fight Aiden and that Mr. Cooper spoke to security wingo and let him know that Mrs. form was mentioning a new fight situation in the bathroom and to have the team look out for it. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. And in the course of your investigation, did you determine that that occurred? >> Which part? >> Uh the part of Mr. Cooper uh speaking to Security Wingo and letting him know the mother's concern about the bathroom. >> Yes. >> Uh Mr. Mr. Cooper then goes on to say, "I went to Aiden's second hour and met with him regarding the new threat and that it was from initials TC." Um, and that he
053forwarded the message to Mr. Robinson. Why was that? >> Because Mr. Robinson is TC's assistant principal. It's part of his alphabet. >> Okay. He goes on to say that Aiden believed that the message was from TC to fight. Aiden said that AO, who's a female, had additional threatening messages. Is that what you understood? >> Yes. >> And it says the messages were from prior to the mall incident the day before. >> Correct. >> And it goes on to say that AO said she wasn't receiving any threats, only Aiden and that Aiden's ex wanted to see Aiden hurt. Is that what your investigation concluded? >> Yes. >> Goes on to say that Mr. Cooper explained to Aiden and AO that they're not to fight. They are not to go to the bathroom since fighting was mentioned
054in the bathroom fourth hour and that he explained to them that writing that you were willing to fight is not acceptable. During the course of your investigation, did you learn that Aiden had sent texts to another student regarding fighting? >> Yes. >> And what do you recall those texts said? >> It says something to the fact of why wait, let's fight now. >> Uh Mr. Cooper then goes on to say, "I explained it uh that I explained that they are within 10 steps of an adult in the building and they are to walk away and go to an adult." What building is he referring to? >> Um the high school, Union High School >> and then he indicates that they meaning Aiden and AO repeated the expectations. Is that common when you give an expectation
055to a student to have them repeat it? >> Yes. >> Why is that? >> Just so we make sure that they understand the directive. >> He then indicates that he walked Aiden to class and allowed AO to return to class. Then finally, uh, assistant principal Cooper states that he debriefed with Miss Alum and Mr. Robinson. Why would he debrief with them? >> Because AO is part of Miss Austin's alphabet and then TC was Mr. Robinson's alphabet. >> Now, I'd like to turn your attention to exhibit 4. And during the course of your investigation, did you review this? >> Yes. And this is a behavior detail report that was submitted by Mr. Cooper, was it not? >> Correct. >> And it talks about an event that occurred in the high school. >> Correct. Um, I'm not
056going to belabor to read this, but this is a fairly detailed explanation by um, Principal Cooper regarding his earlier conversation with Aiden as well as um, what occurred at the high school. Correct. >> Correct. We have this on video so I think it will be easier to watch it and then um this also involves a second incident does it not that occurred. >> Correct. >> And did that occur after school was out? >> No, it occurred um during the school day but after the initial Um the initial fight that occurred >> Did the initial fight that occurred happen shortly before the noon hour? >> Yes. >> And would it be fair to say that the second incident occurred uh between 2 and 3 p.m.? >> Um it actually occurred about 12:07 p.m. >> Okay. The
057incident outside >> minutes. Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> And then this also speaks to a suspension that was administered to aid. Correct. >> Correct. Now, as a result of the second incident, was Aiden given an opportunity to write a statement setting forth his version of events? >> Yes, he was. >> How do you know this happened? Um after the second event, Aiden was escorted up to my office um where I supplied him and some other students that were also involved with the the paper that you see um like two pages from where you're looking now. >> Is that the last page of the exhibit 4? >> Last Yes, last page of the exhibit for Aiden wrote his name at the top of the paper but did not after even after encouraging to do so he
058did not write me further. I now want to direct your attention to exhibit five. >> And this is a multi-page document. Uh do you know who prepared it? >> I did. >> And for the benefit of the board, um I will explain the highlighting for you. It was in an effort to redact student names but to also add some clarity. Um what's referred to as team one is Aiden and then other students that were identified with him are marked as Gordon group S2 meaning student two Gordon group S3 student three Gordon group S4. Team two is referred to as group two and there are five students designated as S1 through S5. So that's the that's the meaning behind the yellow and green highlighting. And then on the second page there's blue highlighting that talks about
059student EG. Is that Aiden's brother? >> Yes. >> And then if you go to page three of this document, you'll see under the heading high school students involved in outside event. That's the event in the parking lot. Correct. >> Correct. And it has team one which is Aiden and Gordon group student four and team two is student A and student JT. Is that correct? >> Correct. Student A and student JT were not involved at all based upon your investigation with regard to the inside event. >> That is correct. this time, Mr. President, and in conjunction with reviewing this um timeline of event that Miss Staer put together. Um, I would request that the board go into executive session because the video that we have, it is not possible to blur or otherwise redact out the
060faces of the other students involved. And I believe it's appropriate under 25os 307 B 7 confidentiality of other students. if I got the section right. >> And just so that the board knows, I had an opportunity to talk to um Miss Gordon prior to the hearing regarding the video and going into executive session for the limited purpose of reviewing it and going through this timeline. And I don't believe she has an objection. >> I do not. He explained it to me. Thank you. Is there a motion for executive session to go in to view the video? >> Second. >> Mr. Newman. >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Miss Ro. >> The chair vote yes as well. We are in executive session for the view of the video. All right. We are now back
061from executive session. Um during uh during the break um it appeared to a number of people that either Aiden or Evan might have been recording the executive session. I asked Miss Gordon to review their phones and she indicated that they had not. Is that correct, Miss Gordon? >> Yes, sir. Um, just for purposes of the record, exhibit 7 was the video. That's why there's nothing there. Um, I want to now have you stopper go to exhibit 8. And um, you've had an opportunity to review the statement of Brent Robinson. Correct. >> Yes. >> And he's the assistant principal who we saw in white. >> Correct. >> Um and does the information in this statement um mesh with your investigation? >> Yes. >> And the information you are? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, and it goes
062starts, um, during lunch, officer Hall made a radio call that AG was trying to get into the south doors with an individual who is not a Union High School student. >> Correct. >> And that was his brother. Correct. >> Correct. Um, and then officer Hall turned him away and then Principal Robinson says he responded to the radio call and walked out the south door to ensure they didn't enter the fine arts store. >> Correct. Yes. >> Okay. Because in order to be in the high school, you have to be a high school student. Correct. >> Correct. >> And the brother was an eighth grade student, >> right? >> Who attended school at a different campus. Correct. >> All right. Um, Mr. Robinson goes on, "As I was walking around the south side of the building
063toward the football stadium, I came across an adult female, and that's Mrs. Gordon." Correct. >> Correct. >> Uh, who was on the phone yelling about her son being jumped at school. >> Correct. >> So, this would have taken place when Principal Robinson was over by her car. >> Correct. Okay. And then saw AG, which was Aiden, sitting in the backseat of the car. His girlfriend AO was there. Also, EG, who's the brother, was on the opposite side of the car. >> Correct. >> Okay. And while Ao was showing me a video she took on her phone of the students following her and Aiden in the school, she pointed across the parking lot and said something to the effect of, "That's them right there." Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> The students who AO identified, >>
064did your investigation determine if they were the same students who had been following Aiden in the high school? >> No, they were not the same students. >> Mrs. Gordon started walking toward the students, indicating she wanted to get video of them so she could identify them. And then Principal Robinson asked her multiple times not to approach the students. Aiden and his brother then started running toward the students also. And that's what we saw. Correct. >> Correct. >> I called on the radio for all available administrators and security. So that's that was a second security call. Correct. Correct. >> And then the brother ran up to another student AE and they began fighting. >> Correct. >> Uh A then began fighting AE as well. >> Correct. >> And that was what you described as twoon one.
065>> Correct. >> JT, that's another student. >> Mhm. >> Um of the misidentified students. Correct. >> Correct. then jumped in and started fighting Aiden. Mrs. Gordon then also began fighting JT. How did she be? How was she fighting JT? >> So, in the video that we saw, um, you can see Miss Gordon go enter into the fight because JT was fighting one of her sons. >> And did she grab him? >> Yes. Um and then started uh principal Robinson says I started trying to break up the fight between the brother and AE. Once I got them separated, EG continued to try to get through me to go after a again. Correct. >> Correct. >> And then once they were finally separated, I tried uh to separate Aiden and JT. They were on the ground and
066Aiden had a JT in a headlock. Officer Hall and I were directing Aiden to let go of him and he refused, saying something like, "No, I'm going to put him out." Officer Hall and I had to each pull one of Aiden's arms off of JT's neck to finally separate them. Tulsa Police Department then arrived and took statements from some of the people involved and students involved in the fight, including Aiden, were taken to the nurs's office and then their respective offices. In their respective offices, you mean the offices of the assistant principles assigned to them. >> Correct. Right. So, let's go back to exhibit five here real quickly. And in particular, I want to talk about the high school students involved in the outside event. Um, and in the middle of the page, you'll see
067in yellow highlight Gordon per S4, student 4. >> Everybody see that? >> It's on page page. >> It's on the third page of exhibit five >> with the pink. >> Yes, with the paint. Okay. Okay, right below cordon group S4, there's a sentence that starts, "While he's on the ground, student EG comes over and stomps on student A." Um, and then couple lines down right after a pink student a sentence says, "Officer Ted Humphrey arrives on the scene at pardon me 120808. Aiden Gordon disobys commands from Mr. Robinson and Officer Chris Hall to let go of student AT. Aiden Gordon remarks, "No, I'm putting him to sleep." Officer Hall said he had to grab one of Aiden's hands and pry it off student at's neck. Then M. Drumson had to pry the other hand from
068AP's neck. >> And this is this is your summary of the investigation. >> Correct. >> Now, who were you able to determine started the second altercation? The one outside. >> Yes. >> Yeah. The initial start of that was Aiden's brother. >> Okay. And then Aiden engage in >> Yes. So Aiden's brother tackled a student and then Aiden jumped in on that fight. >> And these were students who weren't involved at all in the incident inside the school. >> Correct. because they were just identified by Aiden's girlfriend. >> Correct. And then uh on the next to the last line on the right side um it says officer Humphrey immediately takes Aiden to the nurse's office where he's checked for injuries and then you subsequently went to check on other students in the nurse's office. Correct. >>
069Correct. >> All right. Um, now on the following page it states the reasons for Aiden's length of suspension. Initially, it was one calendar year. Correct. >> Correct. >> And I'll have Miss Calvin talk about that was subsequently changed. >> Correct. >> All right. It goes the reasons for Aiden's length of suspension. Number one, provoking a fight. Text messages show that Aiden received threatening texts before the first incident. Aiden responded to this text saying that he would fight them immediately instead of waiting until a later time. And this was after he had the communication with Principal Cooper. Correct. >> Who said walk away, find an adult, there's one within 10 steps. Correct. >> Correct. >> The second offense, fighting. In the first incident inside the high school, Aiden was separated from all students. He sees group
070two student one and attacks him causing group two student one to crack his head open which later required staples and we saw that in the video. Correct. >> Correct. >> Number three, disobeying an official. Mr. Robinson clearly told Dayton not to engage with other students during the second event that took place outside. Instead, Aiden jumped into a fight that his brother had started with student at. >> Correct. >> The fourth fighting, Aiden fights student JT twice. The first time Aiden jumps into the fight between Miss Gordon and the student. They are separated. Then Aiden continues to follow student JT tackles him and puts him in a choke hole. And that's what we saw. Correct. >> Correct. >> Number five, threat to student. Officer Chris Hall and Mr. Robinson tell AD or I'm sorry, tell Aiden
071to let go of student JT while he was while he has him in a choke hole. Aiden's response was, "No, I'm going to put him to sleep." Aiden's hands had to be f had to physically be removed from student JT's throat. Correct. Correct. >> And number six, disruption. Aiden was involved in both incidents which caused five security officers, four principles, and the Tulsa Police Department to respond to the situation. In addition, several teachers came out of classrooms into the hallways to help with crowd control and to contact administration. And that's when we saw in the video of the teacher trying to hold back the students. >> Correct. And then all of this all of this was confirmed in all of the information that you reviewed as in assembling the investigation with regard to Aiden. Correct.
072>> Correct. >> And then the as reflected on exhibit 4, that's what led to Mr. or principal Cooper imposing discipline all of these events that we talked about. >> Correct. >> That occurred inside the school and outside in the parking lot. Correct. >> Correct. >> I have no further questions for Miss St. >> Can I ask a question? >> Yeah. Um, Miss Gordon, I'm sorry. >> Not yet. We're not there anymore. >> All right. Any more witnesses? Anything? >> Miss will have an opportunity to cross examine the witness. >> All right. Um, >> just Miss Gordon, do you have any uh questions you'd like to ask the assistant principal? Uh, not necessarily a question, but at one point you guys keep stating that at any point in time Aiden was told that he could find
073an adult within 10 steps and at two times and I know you guys don't have privy to that. I actually do have the videos. Aiden did attempt to go to one teacher >> and the door was shut. But what I was going to say >> present all your evidence. Does he have questions for her? >> The question Oh, my bad. Um the question would be at one point in time was Aiden not seen on video asking a teacher for help? >> Not that I was aware of. Um because I I don't have audio so it's it appears that he is talking but I don't not that I'm aware of. No teacher >> you can Okay. >> Right. And no teacher reported that to me when I interviewed them. >> I'm sure. Okay. >> That's it.
074What is this? >> Board questions. >> I just had a clarifying question. >> Um, if I'm if I'm reading the timeline correctly, these fights happened back to back like within about a total of 15 minutes or less. >> Yes. >> Okay. I just wanted to make sure I had that timeline correct. That was all. >> Question. >> Thank you. uh call uh Sandy, >> do you swear to affirm or affirm that the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? >> Yes, I do. Miss Cowen, just for the record, uh what's your position at Union Public Schools? >> Associate Superintendent. >> Um as the associate superintendent, were you um assigned to conduct a review hearing with regard to AD's discipline? prior to this board hearing. >>
075Yes, I am the third level appeal. >> Um, and in the course of that third level appeal, did you review the second level appeal decision? >> Yes, I did. >> If you would turn to exhibit nine, please. Is this the decision of the building level review committee? >> Yes, it is. >> Okay. >> And they conducted what's referred to as a second level appeal conference. >> Correct. So when you well the second level review committee affirmed the discipline and the length of the suspension. >> Correct. >> Okay. And that was initially for one calendar year. Correct. >> Correct. >> All right. And this indicates, this letter indicates that Miss Gordon was informed of a right to a third level appeal um which would include contacting superintendent's office within 24 hours and that occurred. Correct. >>
076Correct. And it indicates that a copy of board policy 50/50 which outlined the appeal process for each level was provided to although this is addressed to Aiden Gordon. It says Miss Gordon. Correct. >> Correct. >> So Miss Gordon availed herself of her third level appeal rights. >> Correct. And you were assigned to hear that. Correct. >> Correct. >> What did you review as part of your third level appeal? >> I reviewed all of the documents that you have already reviewed this evening and the video numerous times. >> Did you inter did you conduct any interviews of anybody? >> Yes, I did. Um, initially I met with Miss Gordon and Aiden and spoke to both of them regarding the incident and then I did interview um other individuals that were involved. >> Students or administrators? >>
077Administrators. What did Aiden have to say to you with regard to uh the incident of April 9th? >> He affirmed that it happened and that he was involved in it. >> Did he take any responsibility for his actions? He admitted that he was involved in it. Did he make a statement that this was a oneoff event and it wouldn't occur again? >> No. What did Ms. Gordon tell you >> regarding this event? >> Yes. >> Let me ask it this way. Did Miss Gorton shed any new light on the event of April 9th that you did not already know from the materials that we've reviewed? >> No. Um, did Miss Hordon bring up a a laundry list of prior events to try to excuse this? >> Yes, there were prior events discussed >> to you.
078Did those prior events have anything to cause you to believe that Aiden was not responsible for his actions on April 9th? >> No. >> And you had the opportunity to reverse the disciplinary decision. Correct. >> Correct. Did you find any reason to reverse the determination of guilt of Aiden for the offenses that were listed? >> No. >> Did you have any reason to modify the length of the out of school suspension? I did >> and explain to the board what those or what that was. >> The modification was to the length of the suspension. The original um consequence was a full calendar year which would have been April until the next April, April of 26. And a full calendar year is only held in the in the incident of a of a gun. And this
079was not a gun. So there was not a gun involved. So it is one semester plus one semester. So the suspension was amended to to allow Aiden to return the beginning of second semester in 2026. And you also um well is exhibit 10 your letter to um Mrs. Gordon explaining your decision as well as her subsequent appeal rights to the board of education. >> Yes, it is. Okay. >> And uh Miss Gordon timely appealed and that's why we're here. Correct. >> That is correct. And the second page identifies the board appeal hearing procedure including the right to have a public or private hearing. Correct. >> Correct. >> I have no further questions. >> Miss Gordon, any questions for Miss Calvin? >> Yes, sir. Miss Calvin, hi. Nice to see you again. Um, I do have
080a question if you may, ma'am. Were did you at any point in time did you ask Aiden if this was going to occur again or if this was just a one-off event? >> I don't recall asking him that. >> So, yes, ma'am. And I understand. I'm just stating the basis that he wasn't asked if this would happen again or if it was a one-off event. And secondly, at any point in time, do you recall where Aiden did indicate to you he asked Mr. Cooper to stay in the office cuz he did not want to get into a fight and he was denied that. >> I don't recall exactly. >> Thank you. >> That's all. Thank you. Any questions from the board? >> No. Okay. >> The administration has no more witnesses with regard to student
081A. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Next, we have the presentation of the parents and students evidence subject to cross-examination and questions from the board of education. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Uh again, thank you for having me. Um I'll try to make this brief because I I'm sure you guys are tired. >> I'm I'm sorry. If if Miss Horton's going to testify, then I would request that she be sworn. >> Yes, sir. I'm glad to do that. >> You don't mind? >> Please. Yes, sir. >> Uh do you swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing? >> I do, sir. Thank you. and proceed. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Um, again, I'll try to keep this brief. Essentially, we're all here because
082of an altercation that took place and I know that the school is or the attorneys are really trying to make it seem like um I was trying to make an excuses at no point in time and if any of them ever came to you that we did the levels of appeals, at no point did I ask that the suspension that the boys not be held accountable or that I not even be held accountable. I simply ask that the length of it not be held to the a matter that it was. Um so when we get into it because there is a history I have contacted the office of civil rights and this is why I feel like um I I've tried to work with union and anytime something happens I we were retaliated against um
083into the midst of when I made the first report Aiden was kicked off the track team the very next day uh as soon as it came out. So just there's there's a history of where I I there's something going on. I take it to the school. And even then when the office of civil rights said union has violated aid and civil rights on three separate occasions, do you want to pursue this? You can in a civil case. I didn't want to because I don't want to sue a school. I just wanted it to be made right. And so even now I I have a law firm that's like, "Hey, we're willing to take this." I have over 400 documents of evidence that I could have posted online. I have a website that's waiting to just
084be put online with all the documentation, evidence. I haven't because I'm still just fighting to make it right. So, in regards to what happened, I have been going to the school since the past couple of months. This was a buildup. Essentially, my son broke up with a little girl and we it didn't go well when he broke up with her. I won't list her name for her own privacy, but she started stalking Aiden. I went to Mr. Cooper. And where I believe I made the mistake is when I realized I wasn't getting help from Mr. Cooper, I should have went further. I didn't. I just thought Mr. Cooper was helping. So, I went to Mr. Cooper in emails and I have those documents and I went to Mr. Cooper in person. And I said, "Hey,
085it's escalating. She's stalking him. She's making threats. She's threatening me to get him kicked off the wrestling team, which he knows he loves. Um, she's having kids harass him." This all escalated to a point where she tried to set Aiden up on April 8th to be jumped and robbed at Woodland Hills Mall. We're there shopping for my daughter who's an AP student, honor student for prom and Aiden gets approached by them. They attack him, Aiden and his brother. They defend themselves. The next morning, I'd already emailed the school. I sent in a um police report. I'm like, Aiden goes to school. He messages me. He tells me, "Hey, mom, I'm getting threats. I don't want to fight. I don't want to get in trouble. Can you let Mr. Cooper know I'm in the building today?"
086I call Mr. Cooper. I follow it up, which I'll give you guys with a email at 10:53 a.m. that day. Mr. Cooper was aware, and I even called security and talked to them next, that he knew who was threatening Aiden. He knew where the fight was allegedly supposed to take place, and he knew what time they said at lunch. Mr. Cooper assured me, which he's no longer with you guys, that he was going to escort Aiden to class the entire day or somebody from security would cuz I asked, "Do I need to come get Aiden?" And he said, "No, that's not needed." They didn't escort Aiden to class. As a matter of fact, they just told him to avoid the restrooms. Aiden asked Mr. Cooper if he could stay in his office because he did
087not want to get into a fight. He said, "I'll stay in here all day. I don't want to get suspended and I don't want to get kicked off the wrestling team. Can I stay in here?" They told him no. They told him to find an adult. What you didn't see and you can't see, but if I post the videos online, you will see Aiden went to two different teachers. The first teacher shut and locked her door. Another teacher, Miss Collins, his girlfriend has the video of where they tried to get her help and she told them he was screaming for help at that point to stop yelling or he would get in trouble. And then at that time, this was before this happened. I'm always I'm on the PTA. Uh I do the PTA at
088all the kids school because Aiden is a type 1 diabetic. I go to the school all the time. When my daughter was in kindergarten, I went to the school the first year every day for lunch. I'm always at the school. It is not under like it's not without the realm of possibility that I'm not going to be at the school. Aiden messaged me and I brought the messages. Mama, he's blown me up. Can I get lunch money? I tried to send it to him, but because I sent him so much money, his cash app was blocked. So he said, "Can I use your card because I have it?" I told him, "Yes." Then he said, "Can you come pick us up because we don't want to walk." They were afraid that the kids were going
089to follow them. At which point, I told him, "I can't. I don't even have room for you guys. I'm in a Broncos sport." He said, "We'll sit on each other's laps." I said, "Fine, boy. I'm on my way." What you didn't see in the videos, I didn't park there initially. That's why the wrestling room I always park there. I was behind the buses. I message Aiden. Hey, I'm here. He doesn't come out. So, at that point, I'm still waiting on him and my older son me. He calls me and he's screaming, "Mom, where are you at? Get to the school." I'm at the school. What are you What are you talking about? And he said, "Adam's being jumped." I was just on the phone with him. "He's being jumped. You got to get there. You
090got to get there." I pull around and at first I'm so discombobulated because I don't know what to do. I know I can't go in the school. So, I call the school. I get a hung up on the first time. I call them back. I get student aid. I say, "You got to get security. They're second floor. My son's being jumped." The kid said, "Not my problem." And hung up. We later find out that's a friend of the friends that's done it. That at that point, I literally called 911. I called the police myself. I called the police. I'm crying. I'm screaming, "Please get to the school. I don't know if he's hurt. I don't know what's going on. Can you please get here?" A little bit later, while I'm on the phone with police,
091I'm telling them, "Oh my god, my son's walking out. I can see him." Mind you, from this point, I hang up because I have two phones and I'm recording. Now, when my son walks up to the car, he's kind of limping. I'm trying to check him over. And that's when Mr. Robinson comes out. When Mr. Robinson comes out, he does not say, "Aden, are you okay? Let's get you back inside so it doesn't continue escalating. Let me check you over." His first words were, "And it's recorded. I saw the little video from yesterday talking about the fight at Woodland Hills Mall. It looks like you had it coming. This was from a school administrator and that is absolutely recorded that I planned on posting online. Afterwards, um Alana or sorry, Aiden's girlfriend goes, "That's them
092right there." I look at Mr. Robinson and again, you guys don't hear audio and I say, "Are you going to just let the kids who attacked my son come outside?" He said, "We're not dealing with that now." Now, I admit I'm I'm at fault. I should have I I didn't hear never. In my mind, when I'm not dwelling with that now, in my mind, that meant never. That's just what I thought. And it was wrong, but that's what I thought. So, I said, "Okay, I'm going to get them on video cuz when the police get here, cuz I called the police, they're going to jail. Somebody's going to jail today." So, I started walking up at that point. That's when you see the kids approach us. And one of the kids, and they were inside
093because we have the video from inside. It was the same kids. They approach and start throwing off their backpacks indicating they're ready to fight. And that's when the fight happened with Evan. I was trying to pull kids off because at one time there was six or seven people on Evan. I was trying to break up the fight. And then my phone got broke. It still broke. My phone got broke. Um I was attacked. I had to go to the hospital. I uh had to get put on back on medication because I have a brain injury. like so this kid punched me repeatedly in my face and in my head. Um this all transpired. Again, I'm recording the entire thing. My issue and my concern was I had done my due diligence. I went to the
094school for months. I emailed for months and granted I accept full responsibility. I should have went above Mr. Cooper's head. I didn't because I trusted him. And I went for months and I said, "I need your help. can you please help me before this gets out of control? Nobody helped me. I tried and I called them and I said, "This is where it's going to happen. This is what's going to take place. This is who the people are." They promised me they were walking Aid into class. Nobody walked him to class. Nobody has I would have came and got him. I had no problem coming to get him. And then later on the next day, Mr. Cooper calls me and I recorded that 40-minute conversation. And Mr. Cooper admits he had a family emergency and
095that's why Aiden wasn't escorted to class. So, I understand our part in this. I'm not asking you to say, "Hey, these kids, what they did, there was fighting." I I can understand how terrifying that must have been to staff because nobody knows what was happening. Nobody knows if somebody showed with a weapon. I get that. I'm not saying that there shouldn't be some sort of discipline action. But Aiden has never been in trouble before. One of the kids that attacked Aiden had a knife on him. They were making messages and and threats went on the next day. They thought Aiden was stabbed because they brought a knife to kill my son. And I don't know if you saw me, but I when the video was playing, I was crying because I had to watch my
096son be chased down like by a pack of rabid dogs. And that should have never happened because I went for months. And this is not just And you guys are like, well, this was just blown out of hand. But it wasn't. It wasn't blown out of hand because this had been going on for years. I have documentation of me going to Mr. Federline in 2023 about continuous bullying. I have doctor's notes from therapist where Aiden had to be pulled out of school last year because of continued harassment, bullying, and racial slurs where his doctors had to put him on a medical leave and have him on um homebound. And Aiden, and I've documents letters from his therapist stating that Aiden was excited to come back to school this year, and he was. You have a
097kid that asked for help multiple times. And you have a kid that literally sat there and asked a principal, "Can I stay in your office?" And he was told no. And then they sent him out there like a pack of wolves. And then they said, "Find an adult within 10 ft." He did twice. And twice both adults denied helping him. And then one of the Miss Stafford who gave her her testimony, she literally said when you questioned about Miss Collins and asking she's an adult. Could she not have helped? She could have, but it was systemically a failure on Union's part because even then they had the opportunity, okay, the fight took place. Why wasn't Aiden pulled into the office? Why weren't these kids separated into the office? They allowed Aiden and his group of
098friends to come outside and they allowed those group of kids that just attacked Aiden to come outside, letting it further escalate. And about Evan trying to approach, Evan knew the security guard because Evan goes there after school for wrestling himself. He didn't the security guard didn't initially tell Evan, "Hey, leave." Evan went up to the security guard, said, "I'm looking for my brother Aiden. Can you can I go find him?" The security guard says, "No." And on camera, you'll see Evan turned around and left. When they tried to go back into the school, it was because Aiden's insulin pump had been pulled off of his body during the assault and his trans, it's called a omnipod transmitter that controls his insulin, was lost in the fight. He was trying to help his brother go back
099in there and find it. I later on emailed the school and said, "Did you guys find his transmitter?" Because we have to have it. They didn't, by the way, and and I get that it's a big school, but it was it's what you're you're not seeing the whole picture. It wasn't just, hey, he's going in trying to No, he was helping his brother find his insulin pump. And then later on, the school didn't just take Aiden in to get medical treatment. No ambulance was called for him. He was without insulin for several hours. I had to tell them, "You guys didn't even offer my son medical aid." And at that point, a staff member said, "We'll walk him to uh the nurse's office." Mind you, when they walked him to the security guard who had
100thrown Aiden into a choke hole, threw him on the ground, walked him back through the path, and Aiden asked him, "Are you seriously going to walk me back through these kids handcuffed?" And he said, "Yep, you're a tough guy. You can handle it." And he went and split them right through there. He could have been viciously attacked again. The ball was dropped all the way around. It was dropped on my end. It was dropped on their end. It was dropped on my kids' end. I get that. But it seems like the only people that are taking any accountability is me and my kids. And I know you guys said you can't say what what the students got, but the kids who viciously attacked him were all back in school within 10 days. Even the one
101that had a knife. But Aiden, who's never been in trouble, who has history of documentation. I uploaded over 400 documents to the law firm that's going to be representing us. Over 400 documents were uploaded of showing this has went on for years. It's not just a oneanddone type of thing. Aiden has had no history of ever assaulting anybody. He's never been in trouble. I only asked, "Please don't deny my kids the right to education." I don't even know if I'd want Aiden back in August. I'd like him to do online school, but the only thing that helps him, and he'll tell you with his depression and his anxiety is wrestling. He just wants to wrestle. Even if he could come back and not and do online school and just come back for his sixth period,
102that's all he was trying to do. And the same with Evan. They've already done months of and and and had a hard time, months, far more months than anybody else got a disciplinary action. And I'm I'm glad to present all this for you. I thank you guys for your time. I understand you're going to have to do what you got to do. But if you look over this and if you truly take into account all the things that you couldn't see and that you couldn't hear and the months and years of documentation, I think you'd see that there's a bigger picture to this. And I'm just asking for some fairness in this because you can dropped the ball, too. Thank you. >> Thank you. questions. >> Yeah, I have a few questions for Mrs. Gordon.
103Um, did I understand you correctly when you uh stated that you went to the school because Aiden called you saying he was afraid? >> So, no, sir. Um, what I was saying is Aiden messaged me for lunch money and I got the text here. Aiden was asking me to feed him and his group of friends. Um, so he had said, "Mama, mama, I'm hungry." And asked me to send him money. I sent back that, "Hey, I cannot cash app you." He said, "Can I use your card and can you put or can you give me $25 on it?" I said, "Sure." And then he messaged back, "I love you. Thank you. Wait. Are you still in the area? Can you just drive us?" >> Okay. I I thought you had said he texted you because
104he was afraid >> earlier that day. He had messaged um that morning and asked me to let Mr. Cooper know that he was there. >> Right. And and you did that? >> Yes, sir. >> And and I believe that's in Mr. Cooper's email that sent to the princip to principal Brandon. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Now, you were a participant in this fight as well, were you not? >> Wouldn't necessarily say I was a participant, but did I >> Let me ask you this, man. You're an adult, correct? >> I am. >> Okay. You saw the video which showed your son, not Aiden, but your other son running up and tackling the student into the car. Correct. >> I saw the video. >> Ma'am, did you see that? >> Did you Did you see
105that on the video? I saw the video where they approached Evan as well and they threw their backpacks down to fight >> and and then you as an adult >> tried to grab a student. You grabbed their hair, did you not? >> No, I grabbed them to pull them off because at this point in time there was six or seven people on top of Evan and I was trying to break up the fight. >> Okay. Well, the video will show how many people were on top of that. >> It will I have the I have the same video. I think everybody watched the video. >> Yeah, that's fine. >> Okay. >> And as a result of that, you've actually been banned from campus for assaulting your child, have you not? >> They didn't say it
106was because of that. I It was breaking up the fight. And I, like I said, I was attempting to break up the fight. And any person from IMSA to Tulsa Police Department to their attorney said that they would have done the same thing in my situation. >> Well, we're not talking about that. We're talking about what you did. So you're So okay, I'm just trying to understand. So you're you're not responsible for your actions? >> No, I'm 100% responsible. Yes, sir. >> 100%. >> I fully am. Just like Union is because if they hadn't let those students walk out and >> it wouldn't have happened. >> You said that that Evan was trying to come into the school to help Aiden look for his pump. >> His insulin pump was pulled off his body and
107he lost his transmitter. >> I understand that. Didn't you state earlier that Evan had uh contacted you because Aiden had been jumped? >> No, sir. I have an older son named Devon. My oldest son was on the phone with de with Aiden. >> Okay. But you had Evan was not at school. >> He was not. So me and Evan were headed that day to go get a restraining order against the girl who was doing all this. >> Okay. You you saw the video of Aiden walking out with his friends, correct? >> Yes. Sorry. Good. >> Okay. Did they I I'm assuming that if Aiden lost his insulin pump, that would be something that he would know about. Correct. >> He did not immediately notice it. Well, he certainly didn't not he didn't know it when
108he was walking out of the building and he certainly didn't know it when he was sitting in the front seat of your car because you made no efforts at that point in time to get it. Correct. >> Sir, I don't know if you're familiar with type 1 diabetes, but the way the omnipod insulin is, it's very it comes off all the time in wrestling. That's usually why I'm there early. So, it it slides off. It was not until we were searching him for injuries that he patted his leg and realized he does not have his pump on. Then he patted his pockets and he didn't have his transmitter >> when he was in your car. >> At one point in the car, we noticed it and as if you see in the video, he's also
109patting his leg. He's searching. >> I I also saw him run to join the fight with his brother. Correct. >> He did run over there. Yes, sir. He did. And at this point, like I said, Aiden's insulin pump had been off. >> So, let's go back to this protective order and why Evan wasn't there. >> You indicated that you and Evan were going down to get a protective order. >> Yes, sir. We were headed to We were going to go downtown that day to get a protective order. >> And that was a protective order against Aiden's exgirlfriend. Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> For you and Evan. Correct. >> For Aiden. But Evan was going with me as a witness. And at that point, they did not want none of my family wanted me to go
110alone. My dad was going to try to meet us downtown, but he hadn't been able to leave yet. >> I have no further questions. >> You going to give us evidence? >> Yes. on that exhibit that you were referring to. Are we gonna you gonna hand that over to us? >> Yes, sir. You can have it. >> You guys have questions now. >> Mr. Do you have copies of these? >> No. >> You like >> Sorry, I didn't know how many copies I was supposed to bring. >> I uh >> I looked at them before started. >> If you need me to explain to me, I can. Thank you. Okay. You see, >> May I ask who is Holly? >> Uh, I'm sorry. Jav >> Holly. H O L L. Oh, Washington. She's the school
111counselor. Okay. The kids' counselor. >> Thank you. on the messages um regarding walking in and shooting. What is that referring to? >> So sir um that was establishing a timeline of where I had sent the messages to the school as well. That's his ex-girlfriend who was asking those group of boys who jumped Aiden the day before to um bring a weapon. And that's where I told them I thought there might be a weapon involved where they she asked them to bring a gun and she was like the gun is at the absolute last resort. She uh admits to wanting to video it and that they were to rob him because he always has money. >> And to confirm this is where at the store at the mall. So that was the day before at the
112mall, but I was showing I had emailed Mr. Cooper and I was trying to show him, hey, Mr. Cooper, this is really escalating and I'm sincerely afraid of what's going to happen because this is like they're now involving gangs. These people are saying that they're part of like MS-13. I I I don't know what that gang is, but they're saying they're gang affiliated. It's a huge like they're part of the cartel. Uh very Hispanic. um 15 to 20 of them, you saw the video, chasing them down and um she had involved them. And that's where I told Mr. Cooper, I'm like, "Hey, I'm really getting scared that this this is stepping up. We we really need to do something." Um and I I understand that there's only so much the school can do during school
113hours. he can't help what happens outside of school hours, but I had went for months and I feel like if it hadn't been ignored, um it probably wouldn't have came to this or if they would have pulled anybody out of class that day and kept somebody even heck sent Aiden home or kept him in class, put him in detention for all I care, it wouldn't have happened to a fight. And what you you're not seeing, but you guys can see at a later date in time. Um that'll be posted. Uh you have Mr. Shagwa, which is on recording, stating that it wasn't a sanctioned fight, and if it was that Aiden would have lost, and then Mr. Robinson saying that Aiden had it coming. You have two separate principles on two separate times admitting those
114things that I have the audio recordings of. And I have the video recording of Aiden asking Miss Collins for help and being denied. that I uploaded to the law firm. >> Mr. Gro, may I ask a question to Aiden? Is that um Aiden, as as we had evidence, we uh I I observed that you were walking in a pattern around the second floor at any time, did you pass any of our SRO officers? >> Uh, no. That's what I was trying to look for. >> That's why I was going around trying to look for someone. And tell me, why didn't you walk into the uh assistant principal's office? >> Well, me and my friends, we meet up at those glass stairs that are directly in front of our office. And I remember multiple times my
115friend has her as um you know, last name. And he would always try and go and drop something off there at lunchtime and the door would always be locked. So, I just assumed it was locked. I just And I knew there was an officer running, so I was just trying to find him. Thank you. So I I just have a question. So you you you speak of the information that was sent prior is just what you brought today is for the specific um instance because that's that's what I'm seeing. >> Uh you when I was talking about me sending stuff to Mr. Cooper. >> Yes. or the district itself to anyone. >> Yeah. So, um I've just sent you like a brief list because there's so much I didn't want to. So, I just screenshotted
116what I've emailed, but I had let Mr. Cooper know um of the prior incidents and how I'd been escalating and leading up to that for several months. And like I said, I'm on camera going to the school and having a meeting with him over this. Um I I tried I I went to who I thought would help. Do you recall a date around that time like when that would have been >> when I went to the school? >> Yes. >> Um >> for for that for that conversation that you're saying? >> Sometime in March I think towards the end. I'm not quite sure of what day. I I had to wait. I was on camera. I would have been waiting about two hours. He was busy. I understand he's a busy man. But I had
117to wait about two hours there. I actually have so many questions and I don't even know like how to organize them or I feel like there's still like not a lot of clarity around the situation. Um I'm not really sure. Are we going to vote just to uphold the current punishment or >> you you may uphold, reverse or modify. >> Okay. So, we can we can just decide a completely different punishment if we wish. >> What are what are what are we here to do exactly? I'm either going to uphold the uh suspension as it's been determined uh reverse it entirely or modify the length of the out of school suspension increase. So So I'll just put this on here. So right here on number four it says motion and vote to affirm suspension, modify
118the suspension, increase or decrease severity of suspension or overturn the suspension. That's what of student A. >> Okay. That's what that's asking. >> So, we're What are you asking for us to do? What would you like timewise? What do you think is appropriate? >> I appreciate you asking that, man. Honestly, I understand that there hadn't been a punishment. I get that. I'm not denying that. What I would like to see is I don't even necessarily want to send Aiden back in August because the kids, to be quite fair, they're still driving by our house. They're on camera all the time. There's a group chat with over 40 of them making threats to Aiden. I don't necessarily feel that Aiden is still safe. I'd like for Aiden to the suspension to be uplifted. Um where he
119could do online school through you guys in August, but where he could come for just his sixth period, do his wrestling and go back home because the security's down there. There's like his coaches with him. He'd be with his coaches. He'd be walking out. Um, Evan, I would like to see that it uplifted again. I understand that he got into a fight. I understand that everything that happened, but I believe that he was suspended and they gave no clarity for the first month, might I add. They weren't they were told that they were going to put him in something called egeneuity. Nobody contacted us. I had to contact the school. So, Evan went a full month with getting no help. >> Mr. President, we're not we haven't even conducted hearing. >> I'm sorry. I thought
120we were with both of them. We're we're on on a right now. >> Your request for us is to end the suspension of time served. >> Yes, ma'am. >> But but you mostly just want him back on the wrestling team. >> I just want him to give it and that's if he wants to. I I want him to be an online school at least until January. And I'd contact the school. I would talk to Aiden and his counselors and see if they think it's safe for him even to come back. If it's calmed down, if not, we'll come back senior year. But I just want him to be given the option to where if he does want to come back, because if you look through his therapist notes, he's excited to go back to school.
121He really was. And this was a very hard year last year for him with his bullying and anxiety that he dealt with. So, I'd just like to him have the opportunity to come back and be online and be able to do any sports or any maybe school activities that he would like to do pending that he does what he's supposed to do. I understand if he comes back and gets in trouble that's going to be different. >> So what is um what is his school situation right now? He is in home suspension, right? What does that look like? >> So um he was like again we had to reach out. They were told he was going to be put in egeneuity. It took weeks for somebody to get back to us. Um he was online
122and he was able to turn in everything from there. And then because he's so far behind from missing almost a month of school, he ended up having to do um summer school, which he was doing. Um and you know, he's a teenager, he kind of struggles with trying to do um school without a lot of direction, without having a teacher cuz they we were told staff would reach out and try to help. Nobody did. Um so it was just left up to him. So, if we um end his suspension, your intention is to enroll him in using an online school if if you guys would let him do that because I know then there'd be teachers that could assist, you know, if he needed it. Um, and then kind of take it like day by
123day. I I don't think it'd be a good idea for him to come back the first semester. I know he really wants to, but I don't know that I think Aiden's safe. And I also don't think it's fair for the school resource officers to have to that's a lot to deal with because there's so many players involved. Um, so I just want him, like I said, to just be able to do the activities he'd like to do. C, >> can I intervene for a second? >> Yes. >> So, I appreciate what you're doing and saying and everything respectfully as a parent. Can I ask Aiden like specifically you like your thoughts on this and what is it that you want? >> Um, honestly I do want to come back. Um, because I do like I
124do take school as like a mental thing as well because I've been like bullied and stuff and I've gotten depressed. But then I I really look at it now like something I can put my like day towards and just focus on that the whole day and it keeps my mind like clear and I can just focus on cuz school and wrestling I'm really not not alone. Like I like being around people. I like to be social. I like you know I don't want to do online. I don't want to be suspended. But aren't you Well, if we could talk to him. >> Um, but are you not afraid? >> No. >> Um, no, I'm not. >> You're not worried about your safety? >> No. Like I told um Mr. Cooper, I I would stay in
125the office all day if I could. It's just something like school, I want school to be physical. I want to be there so I can put my mind really towards it because just staring at a computer all day is not something I want to do. Not something that's going to really my mind's not going to be really focused on. Um I'd rather I'd rather just be in school anyway. >> Are you going to be able to do that though if this girl and these people are still there? >> Um I I hope so. I hope I can I can they like it could be worked out where I'm not around them. Like whatever really works. I just really want to be there. Whatever works. Like I told Mr. Cooper, I just don't want to get
126suspended. That I told him he could do anything. He could sit me in the office all day, do whatever. I just didn't want to be suspended and I didn't want to be around him. I was like, if you look back on the camera, I was at my third hour cuz Mr. Cooper told me that he would come to my third hour and walk me to every class cuz he walked me to third hour but not to any other classes. I waited outside my third hour for like five minutes and you didn't come and that's whenever that happened. >> Hey, knowing what you know now, what would have you done differently? >> I really wish I really wish it didn't happen. I wish that I knew cuz I'm a sophomore. High school, Union High School starts
127a sophomore. I really wish I knew the school more so I had more places to go cuz really if you look at the map and look at my hours that I'm on the second floor, that's all I was walking by because that's that's really all I know, the second floor. I don't know anywhere else to go and I just really wish that that didn't happen. I didn't have to fight. I was trying to walk backwards because my friends were there and I I was watching my friend, but I didn't want my friends to get involved in it. And I just I just really wish it didn't happen. I wish there was like more options I could have had and just not fight. I don't like I don't like violence or anything like that. I felt
128whenever I ran, I felt like at the end whenever I was getting jumped and kicked that I was forced to fight. But in the video, whenever um my friends help me get people off of me, I stopped. >> You said in the video you stopped which which one? Which >> the inside? >> I the inside video I stopped. >> I believe that's when the kid busted his head. >> Yeah, he was um in the in the video he was >> so after that happened. Yeah, in the video he was trying to run towards my girlfriend and she already she was already getting hit by a guy. So I got up and that was the first thing I seen is someone trying to charge towards my girlfriend and I didn't mean to to hit his head
129on the wall. I meant to push him back from her. I really wish that didn't happen. >> Can I ask you a followup question? Um, did you receive a restraining order against the girl? >> I did not. Um, after it happened, so much had went down that day. I never went to the courthouse. And then I was waiting on Mr. Cooper um cuz he was like, "Hey, we're investigating everybody. Like, this is going to be a long process. Could you just give us a little bit?" And I honestly thought that um after cuz I spoke to her mother that once it all came out in play that she'd be getting in so much trouble. there was no need like there's she wasn't going to do anything. I I was wrong about that. She she still
130calls. Um so yeah, we did. >> Just as a housekeeping matter, uh Mr. Rainey, if if Aiden is is testifying, uh we'll give you the opportunity to cross-examine at some point. >> I'm fine. Thank you. I'm just going to ask one more question to Aiden if that's all right. Aiden, >> what did you mean? No, I'm going to put him out. >> You had him in a headlock. I didn't um I told them I did have him in a headlock because like like my mom says she has a brain injury and whenever I saw him hitting her head and whenever um I I tried to get into it and the second time whenever I was walking up to him it's cuz he was walking up towards my mom and he was saying respect the ones
131with my mom saying that he was going to fight my mom and that I should stay out of it. And that's when I put him in the headlock and I told the officer if he kept him away from my mom and hitting my mom's head, I'd let him go. And he said, "Okay, I will." And I let him go. They didn't then pry my arms open. What what has changed since this incident that makes you think you'll be able to go back to school and have like a functioning, safe, productive year of school? Because I'm afraid it's really we're just really borrowing the situation. But if nothing's been resolved really, I can completely respect that and that's why I gave my opinion on doing homeschool. Um, I the only my only consideration is I think
132Union is now well aware that their staff dropped the ball so big that they wouldn't do that again and perhaps maybe they would take uh known threats more seriously. Um, if they were told that, hey, this is going to happen or this is who it's going to happen with. And I do know from the bullying that happened in 8th grade when I had to contact Mr. Feder line who got an investigation open. They were able to make sure that Aiden and I know it was I feel bad for the for the um counselor cuz she worked her butt off to do that. She was able to make sure Aiden was not in a class with his bully and that they didn't even have any passing periods. Like there was no reason for them to ever
133see each other in the school. And I know it kind of makes it more difficult if Aiden were to go back to school to make sure that all the players didn't have each other like the same lunch or the same classes, but it it can be done. Um, and I know that Aiden, he's been miserable, so I know that on his behalf, he wouldn't go looking for a fight. He looked he went for help. He wouldn't go looking for a fight again. But I I hear your concerns. I can't promise you that. I wish I could, but these kids that didn't get the appropriate punishment that my kids got, they're they're still gunning for them and we know that. You have questions? >> I I had a question for Kate and this is in the
134last page of exhibit 5. Um, and it reads, um, since A was checked by the nurse and was okay to walk, Officer Humphrey and I decided it would be okay to bring him to my office. Officer Humphrey told him that we could remove the cuffs. And Aiden said, "You better keep them on because if he sees anybody in the hallway that is part of the altercation, then he would fight him." Did you say that? >> No. I told I told you >> just so that is a misrepresentation by officer Humphrey. >> Yes. >> Just like it's a misrepresentation by uh principal Robinson and the other officer who said you were trying to check him out or put him put him to sleep. That and that that was that's that's a falsification, right? You're saying that's
135a lie. >> Yeah, it's not what I said. I did try and choke them out like I said, but I >> You did try to choke him out. >> Yeah, I said that and I let him go whenever they promised me that they'd keep my mom okay. >> Okay. So, when they said that they had to pry your hands from the other students neck, they were lying. >> They did not have to pry. Good. So, two grown men are having to get you to release your hands around another student's neck. That's what they say. But you're saying that's a lie. >> Yes, >> it is all recorded. I recorded out like the whole entire thing. It >> I'm sorry. I'm going to have to object. We don't have the evidence here. We've already heard a
136laundry list of things that supposedly happened with videos and we don't have any of it to hear. It's not as though this hearing snuck up on Mrs. Gordon. She had the opportunity to provide it. It's not here. I can't crossexaminate. I can't cross-examine something I can't see or I can't hear or what supposedly somebody else said. I >> it's it's it's simply unfair. >> I completely understand that. I was not aware that I could bring videos and audios and frankly there is so much. I didn't want to do that and also I was trying to see about the fairness of it because I did know this meeting was going to be recorded because I have staff saying some very inappropriate things about my son. I was trying to give Union the benefit of the doubt
137before I posted it all online for everybody else throughout America to make their decision on how Union handled it. >> But I'm happy to post it. >> Did you show those things to Mrs. Calvin and um Mrs. Ward? >> I showed some of it. I did not show all of it. I pulled up the audio of Mr. Shagwa that was sent to me by Aiden's girlfriend cuz she recorded the conversation. I pulled up the audio from Mr. Robinson when he said that Aiden had it coming from outside. I showed snippets of it because like I said, I'd been in contact with the law firm who told me to get back with them tomorrow to let them know how tonight's meeting went. And um I submitted everything to them. So that's where we're at. >> Okay.
138I I I appreciate that, but there is some truth to that. Like if there's nothing here for us to completely understand that >> we can't keep going back and forth on something that we can't see or >> hear. Understood. I mean, you'll see it online, but yeah. >> Thank you. >> Did you have any other witnesses? >> Oh, no, sir. Mr. Ray, any more questions for you? >> Uh, no. Okay. Okay. So, let's let's move on from that. The next thing is the uh looks like it's a closing statement by the parents or student for their design needs. >> So, again, I thank you guys so much for your time tonight. I know this is not an easy process for anybody. It's a lot of he said, she said. I completely understand that. I'll respect
139whatever decision you guys have to make because I know it's not one that's going to be made lightly. It can't be. There's too many parties involved. I'm not looking for any special consideration. My kids have been punished for months. Um my my daughter, who was not involved in any of this, was uh kept from going to school for 3 days, missing an AP exam, and she was kicked out of the National Honor Society afterwards. So, a lot of lives have been affected by this. I just ask that you guys please look into everything, take it into consideration, and if you could find it upon yourself to realize that they've essentially had over two months of suspension um plus the entire summer, we would sincerely appreciate that. >> Thank you, sir. >> All right. Closing statements
140by administration or it's designated. >> I'll make it short for the board. This is a hearing about the discipline imposed for what Aiden did on April 9th. That's what this is about. Aiden had all sorts of exoggrams to keep from being in the situation that he's currently in. You can simply look at the map of the high school and look at every door that he could have opened, but he didn't want that. For whatever reason, Aiden wanted to fight. He texted, "We don't need to wait for the bathroom. We can go now." If you remember the video, it was his girlfriend who was actually pushing him down the hall. These were bad choices that Aiden made. And he had been told earlier that morning, avoid confrontation, find an adult. And there were lots and lots
141and lots of adults around. All he had to do was walk up to one and say, "Help me. I'm afraid." And it would have ended. But he didn't do that. And then we have a bit of revisionist history. It's good thing we have the video that shows us what happened because if you remember the video of the student who had his head cracked open, it was the nearest girlfriend. Aiden got up, there was nobody around, and he tackled them into the wall. That's what happened. Then we've heard all of this about the lost insulin pump, but I didn't see anything from the video as Aiden was walking out to the parking lot. Didn't seem to me to be any concern. It seemed to me that he wanted to go with his mom to eat lunch.
142That was the concern. And then when his girlfriend says there are the kids, not the same kids from the school, it didn't make any difference. Evan goes after him. And what does Aiden do? Goes after him. And I'm sorry, I don't believe Principal Robinson and the officer are lying when they said they had to pry his arms off of the student's neck. and that he was going to put them out. I also don't think that the officer was lying when he offered to take off the handcuffs and Aiden said, "Don't do it cuz I'm mad and if I see him, I'm going to fight." That's what this is about. This is about what Aiden did on April 9th. not a history of complaints, none of which can be verified here tonight, and of abuses. This
143is about what Aiden did. And the current semester, which was just April through the end of school in May and then next semester, is not excessive. It is an appropriate discipline for what occurred. Accordingly, the administration would ask that the board affirm the suspension as it currently is, which at the time it was administered was the maximum that could have pro been provided under Oklahoma law, the current semester plus the next. Otherwise, I don't believe that the message is being sent. I don't believe that that the provisions of board policy 5054 apply. That threats, threatening behaviors, acts of violence in any related conduct, including but not limited to physical violence behalf, verbal or written threats or intimidation. intimidation gestures or actions and violence against property will not be tolerated and that students found in violation
144of this policy may be subjected to any and all disciplinary action that may be imposed by the district's policy regarding student behavior. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. So, at this time, it's the deliberation of the board of education. Um, I'll just read it. If the hearing was not held in executive session, the board may vote at this time to go in executive session pursuant to Oklahoma statute title 25307B5 to discuss the suspension of student A only with the permission of the parent. >> Yes sir, you can do whatever you need to do. >> Okay. Is there a motion to go into executive session to discuss the suspension of student aid with the parents permission? >> Second. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Mr. Roman. Chair votes. Yes. As well.
145We are in executive session. Okay, we uh acknowledge that we are returning from to open session. Excuse me. >> So motion, consideration, and vote to convene an executive session is authorized. Sorry. Okay. Motion and vote to return to open session. >> So move. >> My apologies. >> During executive session, the board discussed only the suspension of the student a no decisions were made and no action was taken. Excuse me. Okay. A motion and vote to adopt the findings of of fact on the suspension of student A. I hereby move that the following findings of facts be adopted by the board of education. Each have been shown by preponderance of the credible evidence established at the student suspension hearing for student A held on July 14th, 2025. Student A was a high school student at the
146district during the 2425 school year. District policies applicable to students regarding antiviolence and student conduct code are set forth by board policies 5054 and 5050. On April 9th, 2025, student A violated board policies 50550 and 5050 in the following ways. Fighting. In the first instant inside the high school, student A was separated from all students. He sees another student attacks him, causing the other student to crack his head open, which later required staples. Disobeying officials, student A continued to fight after being told to stop. During a during a second event that took place outside, student A jumped into a fight that student eg had started with another student. Student A fights a second time. The first time student A jumped into the fight between Mrs. Gordon and the other student. They are separated. Then student
147continues to follow the other student, tackles him, and puts him in a chokeold. Threat to student. Officer Chris Hall and Mr. Robinson tell student A to let go of another student while student A has him in a chokeold. Students A response was, "No, I'm putting him to sleep." Student A's hands had to be physically removed from the other student's throne. Disruption. Student A was involved in both incidents which caused five security officers, four principles, and the Tulsa Police Department to respond to the situation. In addition, several teachers that came out to the of the classroom into the hallways to help with crowd control and to contact the administration. Okay. >> Motion and vote to affirm suspension. We just made a motion. We had a second. >> I second. >> I'll second that. >> All right.
148Uh, Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Mr. New? >> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Chair votes yes for that as well. Thank you. All right. Motion and vote to affirm suspension, modify suspension, increase or decrease severity of suspension or overturn suspension of student A. Uh I would like to make a motion to uh modify the suspension for the first nine weeks of school for this student to continue to be at home suspension and for the second nine weeks to be in school suspension. >> I'll second. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Miss Roman. >> Yes. >> Mr. New? No chair votes no as well. >> That means that that it stays as it was. >> Correct. >> Okay. So because of the two vote. >> Okay. Due to the 2 to2 vote, the motion
149to affirm the suspension is being held. Okay. At this time, it's a student suspension due process appeal hearing for student B. The board president will ask the parents and students whether they wish the hearing to be an open session or an executive session. If the parent student wish to hear wish the hearing to be an executive session, then the board will consider and vote to go into executive session pursuant Oklahoma statute 25 307 B5 to hear the evidence and discuss suspension of the student in question. Uh, let's see. Mrs. Gordon, do you wish to proceed in public or executive session? >> Public. Okay. >> Also, the board can consider and vote to go into executive session pursuant to Oklahoma statute title 25307 B7 at any time during this hearing where disclosure of information would violate
150confidentialities requirements of state or federal law. At this time, we are opening statements by the administration or its designate. >> Thank you, Mr. President. U members of the board, um we're here tonight for the long-term suspension hearing, student B, who at the time was an eighth grade student. Evidence will show that on the afternoon of April 9th, 2025, student B, the younger brother of student A, twice attempted to gain access to the high school after having been denied access to the high school while uh at his mother's car parked outside. Student B saw students that were identified as having made threats to student A. Despite being directed by administration not to engage with the student, student B initiated a fight in the parking lot by slamming another student into a parked car. Furthermore, the evidence
151will establish that while student A had a student in a choke hold, student B stomped on the other student three times until student B was separated by a district employee. While separated, student B again tried to fight another student despite having previously been told not to engage any students. The disruption caused by student B caused four security officers, four principles, and Tulsa police department to respond to the situation. Student B was suspended for the remainder of the spring semester of the 202425 school year and the fall semester of the 2526 school year. The discipline imposed on student B was warranted by his conduct and the administration is asking that it be upheld in its entirety. Thank you. Thank you. Opening statement by the parent, student, or their designate. Uh, hi. Again, we're still the same
152thing. Um, it's not really a different opening statement. We're just here to see if the suspension will be um uplifted for Evan Gordon as we feel that it's been excessive, especially given the fact that all the gang members who attacked him um and my other son were not they're all back in school. Um kind of feels redundant now to do this because you know you guys have already voted for Ev and Aiden. So I I pretty much feel like we're just wasted time, but go ahead. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Presentation of all the administration's evidence subject to cross-examination and questions from the board of education. >> Uh administration caller. M >> you just remember that you're still under oath. >> Yes. >> Mr. Strawford is slate. We've gone over some of
153these common exhibits. So let's just quickly um go through them. Um exhibit one and this is under tab D for the board. Um exhibit one, this is board policy 5054 anti violence. Correct. >> And is your testimony regarding this policy that you gave during the student suspension hearing of student A still the same? >> Yes. >> All right. Let's go to exhibit two. Um that is is that policy 50/50 student behavior? >> Yes. >> Okay. Is your testimony previously given during the testimony of student aid the same as it would be if you were to testify to it again? >> Yes. Let's go to exhibit three real quick. >> Um can you explain what this is? >> Um this is a behavior detail report um given by one of the assistant principles over at the
154eighth grade center just outlining the reason why Evan was suspended and what consequence he was given. >> Okay. And let's just go through this real quickly. Um Evan attempted to enter the high school through the south doors. >> Correct. And uh based upon the video footage that we observed from the student during executive session, how many times did that occur? >> He tried to enter on two accounts. >> Um then the first time was by himself and the second time was with um his brother Aiden's friends. >> Correct. Um then um it goes on to say uh Mr. Robinson who's an assistant principal of high school uh responded to a call from security and proceeded to the parking lot. Is that what your investigation determined? >> Yes. >> And while uh Aiden's girlfriend was showing
155Mr. Robinson a video, someone yelled, "There they are." >> Correct. >> And the there they are. There they are are uh students that were believed to have been involved in the incident with Aiden uh not too long before. >> Correct. >> That was inside the school. >> Correct. >> Okay. But your investigation determined what would go to those students. >> Um the students outside were not involved on the inside matter. Okay. >> Um goes on to say um Ed proceeded to run at a student he believed to be involved in the previous altercation with a brother and started fighting him. >> Correct. >> Is that what your investigation showed? >> Yes. >> And is that what the video showed that we watched in the executive session for the student? >> Yes. >> Um Mr. Robinson
156yelled, "Stop. Do not do that. There's no video or there's no audio with the video. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. But did you have an opportunity to talk to Mr. Robinson about what he observed that day? >> Yes. >> And did he tell you as part of your investigation that he had directed Evan to stop? >> Yes. >> It said that during the altercation, uh, Evan and the other student collided into a student's car, resulting in damage. Is that correct? >> Correct. um that damage uh how was how was the payment for that damage determined? >> Um the it was determined that both parties involved in that initial contact with the car were to be split between the cost of the damage would be split between the two parties involved. >> Um and then it
157goes on to say Mr. Robson pulled Evan away from student AE but Evan continued to try to push through Mr. Robson. Did you observe this on the video? >> Yes. >> Said seven was calm. Mr. Robertson proceeded to help security stop Aiden and Sue JT from fighting. >> Your investigation bore that out. >> Yes. said Evan then pushed through security after being told to stop him and started fighting JP and kicked him while Aiden was holding him on the ground. >> Correct. >> Um is it your understanding that Evans stomped on the student multiple times? >> Yes. >> Um was it reported to you that it occurred three times? >> Yes. security administrators were able to separate all parties. The police arrived. Um he goes on to say that the parent parent was contacted by
158Mr. Cooper and uh explain the calendar year suspension for both homes and gave the phone numbers to set up appeal appointments. Is that correct? >> Yes. Um, and then the parent um because indicates she I believe that's Mrs. Hordon stated that she was going to pursue a class action lawsuit against the district. Did you are you aware of that? >> Yes. >> Okay. Additionally, restitution is requested for damage to the car. So that's what we talked about earlier, correct? >> Yes. >> All right. Let's have you go to exhibit four real quickly. This is uh this is the same summary of the event that you prepare as part of your investigation. Correct. >> Correct. >> And it has the timelines of the recordings and the like. >> Correct. >> Um we talked about this a
159little bit. Um but um the video documentation reflects that the fight that Evan initiated was uh unprovoked. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> And did you find any information that was based on anything other than Aiden's girlfriend saying uh or I should say misidentifying the students as the one who were involved in the inside incident? >> Can you rephrase that? >> Sure. Um, did your investigation reveal that the students, the student who Aiden, I'm sorry, who Evan attacked was not part of was not one of the students involved with Aiden inside the high school. >> Correct. They were not involved inside. >> Okay. And Evan was not involved in the high school inside the high school incident because he's an eighth grade student who was not permitted to be in the high school. Correct. Correct.
160>> And you found no evidence that he was permitted to be allowed in. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Um, from the video that she observed, um, did Mrs. Does Gordon interject herself into the fight that was started by Evan? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And what did, if you recall, what did Evan do after that? >> Evan, when she interjected, Evan was in another side altercation. Um, and then Aiden had stepped in to defend his mom. She does. Um, do you page See on page three of exhibit 4 set forth the basis for the one imposed by Evan. >> Yes. Okay. >> And if we can look at those real quickly. Um the first was trespassing. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> That Evan tried to enter the high school campus and officer Chris
161Hall stopped him. >> Yes. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> And that happened twice. Correct. >> Correct. >> And those were at different doors. >> Correct. >> Mhm. >> Okay. And did your investigation reveal anything at that time that Evan knew that his brother was missing his insulin pump? >> Not at that time. No. >> Okay. Did that only occur based upon your investigation once uh Aiden was in his mother's car outside? The first I learned of the insulin pump was at least a day after the altercation happened. Okay. But were you provided any evidence to establish that Aiden had been communicating with either his mom or with Evan about the missing insulin pump when Evan attempted twice to gain access to the high school? >> No. Uh, number two of the grounds for the suspension,
162disobeying an official, Mr. Romson clearly told Evan not to engage in the students. >> That be out by your investigation? >> Yes. >> Instead, Evan initiated the fight in the parking lot by slamming student at into a parked car, which later revealed a huge dent. >> Correct. >> Um, third incident, fighting. Evan initiated the fight outside. Correct. >> Did anybody ever tell you that the student who Evan ran after and slammed into the car had said or done anything to Evan? >> No. >> Uh, how about anything to Aiden? >> No. >> Did your investigation reveal that that suit had any involvement with Aiden whatsoever? >> No. >> Next. Uh, item four, battery. that while student AG, that would be Aiden, had student JT in a chokeold, Evan stomps on student JT three times until
163Mrs. Lichfield separates him. >> Correct. >> Is that borne out by your investigation? >> Yes. >> Was it borne out by what you were able to observe from the video? >> Yes. >> Um, who's Mrs. Lichfield? >> She is also an assistant principal at the high school. >> Number five, disobeying an official. Evan had been told twice not to engage for a second time. Evan tried to fight student JT while he was on the ground JT. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> And Mrs. Lfield again had to get in front of it to keep them from fighting. >> Correct. >> So Evan engaged and then he separated and then he re-engaged. Correct. >> Correct. >> Uh was there any reason for Evan to even be on the grounds of the high school on April 9th?
164No, >> no, I should say no reason related to his education. Would that be correct? >> That would be correct. Yes. >> Okay. And then number six, um, six ground disruption, the second incident outside security officers, four principles, and the Tulsa Police Department for respond to the situation. If you would for the board, explain a little bit how this disruption affected the high school. So when we have so many officials that are called to one area, it takes away from just the safety and everyday operations of the high school. Um so it just more things can happen unsupervised during our time. >> Um let's go real quickly. Um exhibit five is the video, but um I don't know that we need to see it again. Um, exhibit six. This is a statement from Bren Robson.
165>> Correct. >> And we talked about this during um the suspension appeal for >> Aiden Gordon. Secretary. >> Yes. Yes. >> Um, if I were to ask you questions and go through this again, would your testimony change in any way? >> No. >> All right. >> Those are all the questions I have. Thank you, >> Mrs. Gordon. Any questions? >> Just a couple. So, when you first initially witnessed Evan on video approaching the school and he talked to the resource officer, I know you guys can't have audio, but it's safe to say that there was a conversation had between them. >> Yes. >> Would it also be safe to say because Evan is not a small kid that it could have been assumed that he was a student to begin with? Objection calls for speculation.
166>> Okay. My my point is is well I guess you can't answer that. Okay. And then outside when the fight occurred outside, did you witness at any point in time students walking towards Evan as well as throwing their backpacks off? >> No. in the in the video that first initial situation um Evan clearly approached him and I I can see that the other gentleman dropped his backpack but it was maybe half a second before that contact was initiated. >> So they were walking towards each other and you could tell that words were exchanged just not what they said. >> No, the other student was pretty stood in his ground while the other kid was walking towards him. >> Okay, thank you very much. >> You're welcome. Any questions from the board? Remember, you're still under
167oath. Miss Ken, let me direct you to exute seven for student B. >> And can you identify what this is? Yes, these are the notes from the second level appeal that was um conducted by the a principal at the seventh grade center, Miss Towns in the committee. >> Okay. Um does it appear from these review committee notes that um Evan was present and testified to the committee? >> Yes. >> And that's because his name's listed um under the committee members. >> Yes. Okay, I want to um go down to the last paragraph on the first page says Evan stated that he tried to enter the south entrance twice to go find Aiden's diabetic pump. He lost he was in a fight upstairs. Let me ask you this question. Evan tried to gain entry into the
168high school prior at least one time prior to his brother walking out. >> Is that correct? >> Correct. >> And um how was it? If you know that heaven could have known that when he had to talk to his brother to know that his insulin pump was missing. >> I don't know. >> Seems to be somewhat inconsistent, does it not? >> Like speculation, is it not? >> I'm asking her opinion. It's >> still >> based upon her review and her a review of the of the investigation. >> And the question is that seems inconsistent. >> Yes. >> Correct. >> And a matter of fact, Evan stated that he tried to enter the south entrance twice to go find it. Uh Aiden's pump that Aiden had lost when he was in a fight upstairs. See that?
169>> Yes. It's a lot of information for Evan to know who wasn't at the high school, isn't it? >> Correct. >> Okay. Um, they go on to say, we asked him why he didn't go to the front of the building where he were supposed to check in. He said he was familiar with the school because he goes here for athletics and he notices security guards. Is it appropriate for a student to try to gain entrance into a school to which they're not supposed to be in simply because they know the security guards? The question was again, >> sure. Is it is it proper for a student not to use a main entrance but to use a side entrance at a building site where they don't attend simply because they know the security guards. >> That
170is improper. >> He goes on to say he was he tried dinner twice and was a night and that was worn out by the tape. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. He uh and then he said he waited for his brother to come out and he said while he was waiting he was talking with Mr. Robinson. He say that the other student started walking up and yelling at him and he started yelling back and that's when the fight broke out. Do you have any reason to believe that the committee notes are inaccurate as to what Evan told them when they met? >> No reason to believe they're inaccurate. >> Okay. >> Well, you you saw the video of how the fight with Evan started. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. So Evan states that the other students
171started walking up and yelling at him and he started yelling back. Is that what's reflected in the tape? >> It is not. >> Um and then he goes on to say he was he said that he was protecting his mom because she has a brain tumor and if she could get if she gets hit she could die. Do you see that? >> I do see that. Yes. Does it seem to you to be somewhat inconsistent for Mrs. Gordon who has a brain tumor that if she's hit in the head could result in her death engaging in an altercation with students in a school parking lot? >> It does seem inconsistent. Then he goes on to say, he goes on to say, "We asked him why when Mr. Robinson, Mr. Robinson or the security guards were
172trying to get him to stop on multiple occasions that he continued and he said at the moment he was so upset that he kept fighting and felt like he needed to protect his mother." He admitted that he kicked the student multiple times while they were restrained. Evan stated once again that he was so upset he wasn't able to make himself stop. >> I guess we wouldn't know if that's true or not unless we were to talk to Evan. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> And then when and then the committee reflects that they asked Evan if he was if if he was ever faced with a similar situation again, what he would do differently. And he stated that the only thing it would do differently would not be to kick the student that was restrained.
173So it's reflected in the report. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. And you review this report as part of your level three appeal. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. And when when you had the level three appeal, did you meet with Mrs. Gordon and and Evan? >> Yes, I met with Mrs. Gordon and Evan. To >> your knowledge, do they have a copy of these notes? Not to my knowledge at the meeting. >> At the meeting with you. >> That is correct. >> Now he goes on to say, "Mom and Evan stated that they know that Evan did wrong and should have consequences that they believe that suspension to the end of the semester would be sufficient." So approximately calendar days which is approximately what would that be in school days? >> A 20 to 30 day.
174>> Yes. >> School day suspension. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Gordon stated multiple times that Evan is great at football and does not want him to miss out on the opportunity to play this year. play next year. You see that? >> Yes. >> During your conversation with Miss Gordon and Evan, did the topic of football ever? >> It did. >> In what context? >> She was concerned that he was going to miss out on an opportunity to play football. It appear to you that Miss Gordon was more concerned about having Evan missing out on playing football than for these actions that he undertook >> uninitiated on April 9th. >> Correct. It appeared the football was not. Can you go on to say that um in the next paragraph that they uh review the concerns from Miss
175Gordon and Evan? They reviewed the video, the fight and statement that Evan wrote for the police after the incident. The next day, um Miss Gordon sent additional screenshots and texts and emails mostly concerning Dayton that the committee redid those as well. Correct. >> Correct. And did you have those available to you when you when you conducted the level three appeal? >> I did. Yes. >> And the committee decided to uphold the original suspension and re recommend the suspension be reviewed by the eighth grade center at the end of the first semester of the 2526 school year. >> Correct. >> Okay. At this time, the suspension was still for a calendar year. >> Yes, it was. So they thought even though it's for a calendar year, the eighth grade center should review it in January of
17620 six. >> Correct. >> Roughly 4 months before the suspension is over. >> Correct. >> Then let me have you turn to exhibit 8 please. And this is your decision with regard to the level three appeal. >> Correct. And again, you reviewed everything that the district had and the documents that we've reviewed um in regard to the census. >> Correct. >> And uh you agreed or it was your decision to uphold the appeal, I'm sorry, to uphold the suspension for the reasons stated. Correct. >> Correct. >> Those are the six that I read off to you earlier. >> Correct. Yes. But you modified the suspension to uh the current semester and the next. >> Yes. >> So it would end at the end of the fall semester of 2025 and Evan would be able to
177attend school again in January 2026. >> Correct. And again, you provided all the information regarding appeals and um let's just go down to the board appeal hearing procedures. Um you specifically indicated in the fourth bullet point, did you not? Um on the second page that you will have the opportunity to present your own witnesses and documents subject to cross examinations. >> Yes. Okay. Do you agree that the suspension of Evan is appropriate? >> I do. Yes. >> Do you believe it should be modified? >> No. >> Is there anything about the severity of the incident that leads you to that opinion? Let me ask it this way. Was it of significance to you that Evans attack was on students that were just pointed out to him as having been involved in a fight with Aiden?
178>> It was. Yes. >> Did it mean anything to you that Evan ran after the other students to fight them? >> Yes. Did it mean anything to you that while a student was on the ground being held by his brother Aiden that Evan stomped on them three times? >> Yes. Did it does it mean anything to you that Evan told the secondary review committee that the only thing you regretted about the incident was stomping on the student? >> Yes. >> To you, did that show a disregard for the health, safety, and welfare of other students? >> It did. And did it lead you to conclude or not conclude that it was likely without a serious disciplinary consequence that this could happen again? >> I believed it could happen again. >> No further questions. >> Thank
179you. Questions, Miss Gordon? >> No questions. >> No. Okay. Board. I have a question. Why was the um disciplinary appeal set for the eighth grade center if he would no longer be there the next year? The review. Does that make sense? So the does it just stay with the school he was at the previous semester? >> Are you are you referring to the location of where it the occurred? exhibit. >> So the second level appeal occurs with a principal that is not his current principal. So he was currently a principal a student at the eighth grade. Miss Pounds is principal at the seventh grade. I get that that's the appeal process, but there's where >> the last sentence. Yeah. The last sentence says the committee decided to uphold the original suspension and recommended that the
180suspension be reviewed by the eighth grade center at the end of the first semester of the 2526 school year, but he'd be a freshman. >> That is correct. That that is correct. It would have been the freshman academy to review it. Any more questions? >> Okay, no questions here. Thank you. >> All right. Next is the presentation of the parents students evidence subject to cross-examination and questions from the board of education. So, you guys basically already heard about Aiden and what transpired and led up to there. So, >> didn't mean it. Sorry, I cut you off. Just just a reminder that you're still under oath. Sorry. >> No, you're fine. Um, so basically it it was the same thing. Evan was there with me. He was already in the car. Um, as far as approaching
181the door and why he didn't go to the front, he's still a kid at the end of the day. and he thought he could talk to somebody that he knew who happens to be he's friendly with all of the uh resource officers when he's there for wrestling. So he thought I can ask somebody that I know have you seen my brother Aiden cuz they know their brothers. So when you saw him approach the door that is who he was talking to and he immediately turned around and left. It was only after Aiden came out and Aiden was speaking with his brother that he told him, "Hey, I don't have my transmitter. I my insulin pump came off." He said, "You're not going back into the school alone." Cuz he thought, "I don't want my brother
182walking back into the school. I don't know where these kids are." And so when he tried to approach again, it was not nothing maliciously at that time. >> For the record, if I need to object that Mrs. Golden is testifying on behalf of Aiden and I just don't think it's appropriate. >> I mean, could you? >> Anyways, um as I was saying, he went um to do that and it was not with malicious intent on Evan's behalf um to try to get his brother's insulin pump back. Came back to the car. Uh conversation was had between Mr. Robinson, which again you guys will find online tomorrow. Um that went back and forth. I asked if he was going to do anything about the students who came out who are on video that attacked Aiden that
183were inside the school. They were Anyways, they came out. A conversation was had. Are you going to stop them? He said, "No, not at this time." Again, I was upset. I wasn't listening. I wanted to get them on video for the police. I approached as I approached and I meant stupidly as I approached over there and Evan was following me, words were being exchanged which cannot be heard from both parties. Me telling them they're going to jail, them yelling and laughing and mocking about Aan just getting jumped. And Evan had said in exchange, you guys are pwords for jumping my brother. Um, I bet you wouldn't try that with me. and a student threw his backpack off and approached. And when he approached again, yeah, Evan is in football. He's a protector on the field
184and off the field. And only thing he could think about is you guys just attacked my brother. Not saying it's right. It's not right. A fight happened on school grounds. It shouldn't have happened on school grounds. It shouldn't have happened period. It wouldn't have happened again had union intervened like they were told. They knew the time, the place, the when, the where, the how. They refused to. A fight happened. didn't need to happen. Evan didn't need to start the fight when they both approached yet a fight broke out um afterwards. And when you said um about me having a brain tumor and that that wasn't in action of there's been how many times have we heard just with the Texas floods of people that went in the water that doesn't know how to swim to
185try to save somebody. If it's your child, you're going to step in no matter how your health is. That's just how it is. and and Evan because I was previously hit by a Union school bus the year before and my neurologist had told me I can't take another hit to my head or it could cause permanent damage, a stroke or even death. That is where Evan was thinking. This is all very well documented when I sued Union and won the year prior. So anyways, that is where Evan was thinking. It was not again. He was just thinking my mom's hurt and somebody's hitting my mom and she could die cuz he's remembering what the neurologist said the year prior. The fight happened. It took place. He was he did what he did. I'm never not
186once said he shouldn't be in trouble. I did say he should be in trouble. I did mention football. Evan is not a mediocre player. He's an exemplary player. He got MVP here in Oklahoma multiple times. He did in Missouri as well. I let's be very clear and concise while he's mentioning football. I can take my son to play at any school in any state. They would gladly have him. They're asking for him. Evan wants to play for Union. That is what I reiterated. He for some reason loves the coaches and wants to play for Union and Union only. I can take him anywhere. Evan is a very good player. I just wanted my son to be back in school and have the opportunity in August. I didn't say bring him back now. For over a
187month, he was kept out of school and wasn't even given any sort of direction. I had to call and I actually had to contact the veteran's office and say, "Hey, Evan don't even have school work to do." So, he got it says some very far behind. He wasn't given any direction. They dropped the ball on, okay, well, Evan goes to the eighth grade center. Why was Mr. Cooper even handling his suspension to begin with? And then per your guys's own board policy, if a gun was not involved, he should have never gotten a year suspension to begin with. So that's I'm I'm not asking again that it just be lifted and oh, he shouldn't have gotten any trouble. He's already been out regardless of the fact if it was Calendar school days or not. He's
188still got more time than everybody else. He's still been out two months. He still missed Union's football camp that he'd been talking about. If you knew him, he practices every week with an NFL player. They had been talking about Union's football camp all year. If you realize the fact that that devastated him not being able to go, that was worse than being out two months because he wanted to be on the field with his coaches and with his team. He's already suffered enough in my opinion. If that's not your guys's opinion, that's not your guys's opinion. That's just where I'm at. I would like to see him go back. I know it wouldn't happen again because he goes to a completely different school. He would be at the ninth grade center where none of these
189kids go to. There would be no reason. He's not even doing wrestling this year, so he wouldn't even be at the high school. There would be no reason. And that's basically it. >> Thank you. >> I have one question. Yes, >> that's just one. >> Evan didn't go to the high school, but he still got in a fight at the high school, too, didn't he? >> Evan was at the high school. Evan was currently in football, wrestling, and track. He knows all the people. Evan was not a student at the high school. >> Evan was with his brother. >> You finish. >> Evan was not a student at the high school. Yes or no? >> You already know that answer. >> Sir, do you mind if I could answer? >> No. I'm asking your mom.
190>> No, you're you're you're being confrontational and you already >> No, you said you just told this board that he's going to be going to a separate school, the 9th grade center, so this won't happen again. Well, he was going to a separate school on April 9th, which was the eighth grade center, and it happened at the high school >> because at the time he was at the high school every day for wrestling and >> but he this was completely different. >> This incident did not occur during that with me. Aiden is not even going back to the school. I'd already asked you guys to put him in online school next year. There would be no reason. >> Just answer the question yesterday >> and I did multiple times. I >> I think the question's
191been answered. board have any questions? >> I don't understand why if I can ask you a question. >> You can, ma'am. >> I don't understand why if something um so frightening had happened to your older son at the high school that you would send your younger child, an eighth grader, into the building. >> He wasn't going into the building. Evan, when so and I I understand where you're coming from. When we >> I would have told my kid to see. >> No. When we don't move. >> Okay. So, when we pulled up, I was behind originally what you're not seeing the videos. I was par parked behind the two buses. And then my oldest son, Devon, called me. And at that point in time, I pulled up and I'm trying to call the school and
192I'm trying to get on my phone. And when they wouldn't answer, I called the police. At that time, Evan opens the door. He said, "Mom, I know the security guard. I'm going to go ask him. Has he seen Aiden?" Evan's usually cool, calm, neglected. did not think that he's going to an altercation's going to break out. My kids talked to security. If you know Aiden or Evan, they've got pictures upon days of themselves with all the police officers everywhere, police, sheriffs, everything. I thought that he truly knew the security guard and he was going to say, "Have you seen my brother?" And that's what he did. He walked up to him and said, "Have you seen my brother?" The security guard was like, "No, but if I see him, he'll come out." And Evan turned
193around and walked off and then seen his brother. that the second time he was just trying to go in and get the insulin pump. That was it because Aiden has to have it. And the reason that transmitter is so important is we he being a kid, he lost it before and it's not something we could pick up at Walgreens or a CVS pharmacy. They literally had to have from Omnipod. They had to put a personnel on the plane and they had to curry it overnight to bring it to Aiden. So we were truly trying to find just that transmitter. And at that point in time, the school wasn't helping. We didn't think anybody was helping. It's Aiden can't walk into the school alone. His brother can walk with him. You know, it it might not
194have been the smartest, but that's where we were at. Like, nobody was thinking clearly at that time. >> Um, Evan, I'm going ask you the same question. I asked your brother, too. like what what is what are you wanting from this? What what are your thoughts on where we're at right now? >> Um I mean to be honest, I kind of only I really only want to come back to Union because uh I I like how I like how the education and sports is. There's a plus because you see from a lot of schools in Tulsa, you either get sports or you get education if you don't get the other. And I like that from Union. That's the main reason why I wanted to come back and why I'm trying to fight to come back.
195But I mean, with all my actions and stuff, I mean, I get the punishment. I do, but it's just there's there is a lot of buildup that's not being seen that is making me get painted as a way I'm not I am not uh I I know there will not be another fight because I will not be around my brother. I do not act that way behind myself. I act that way behind my siblings. Uh I've always been my brother's keeper. It's just and so I I knew that would not be it. And I do I just wanted to add on whenever I went inside the school and talked to the security guard, I said, "Hey, do you mind if I go look for my brother Aiden?" He said, "No, but you can wait inside
196the building and you're cool." And he told me to wait inside the double door area, which I did. He did not tell me to get out cuz he knew me and he was cool with me. It's And whenever And then also during the fights, whenever I was fighting, there was a point where Mr. Robinson had me in the hold with my hands behind my back and he told me to chill out and I kept telling him I'm chill. I'm chill. And people kept punching me like and that's whenever and I was like I was still trying to let him disperse it. But whenever I got punched another like seven or eight times that's whenever I started pushing through him and trying to get people off of me. Uh and I was trying to stay calm
197even at the end whenever I was being detained and there's an officer with his uh all his body weight into my back. I have really bad asthma. My mom was yelling, "He can't breathe. He has asthma. He can't breathe." And uh I I couldn't breathe, but the officer, he kept telling me, "Calm down. Calm down. I'm going I'm going to cuff." And I kept telling her, I'm like, "Bro, your cool is over. Do what you have to do." I said, "Plea." And I just kept I was I just kept telling my mom to back up and that it was cool is because I was staying calm and collected. I really only acted like that behind my brother and like and I get with like the punishment uh how it go into January but I really
198just wanted to come back for the education in sports even if even if y'all wanted to keep it for four year not yet let me come back to the actual campus itself. I even online school and football would be the option I was looking for. That's kind of really all I wanted to do was online school and football. So this and uh no that's it. >> Thank you Evan. I just want to say thank you for sharing that. takes my courage. Okay. >> All right. Next is the uh presentation of rebuttal evidence and server rebuttal evidence if any with cross- examination and questions from the board of education. >> Okay. All right. Next is the uh closing statement by the parents, students, or their designates. >> Um, honestly, it's been a long night. I know
199you guys are tired. I thank you guys very much for even staying this late and seeing it through. Did not know board meetings could go this long. Um, I know everybody wants to get out of here. I appreciate you guys no matter what is decided at the end of the night. I just hope again like with Aiden, um you you look at all aspects. Uh Evan, he truly is. When I say he's his brother's keeper and I I shared some of Aiden's medical record, when I gave you those files, I don't think I got those back. when I gave you those files um of Aiden's therapist. And what I mean by that is is if you ever had to see your siblings sit there and be that depressed and be that sad because somebody was
200bullying you or somebody was doing this, um you would understand where a Evan was coming from because I think we all know as society, how many times do we have to see a hashtag of some child that's not here no more because bullying went on and everybody's like, "Well, why didn't somebody do anything? Why didn't somebody do anything?" saying, "Well, I've been coming to years saying, why isn't somebody doing something?" And so Evan was fed up and it was the straw that broke the camel's back because he did not want to see his brother be a statistic. He did not want to see his brother get harmed. Yes, I'm not making an excuse. It was disruptive. It should be punished. He absolutely should. I'm not taking away from that. I understand that. Again, I'm saying
201that the punishment should fit the crime. even per your board policy. He did not have a gun. He did not have a weapon. A year was still excessive to the people that had weapons there. They're back in school. Evan didn't. Um if you could lift it again, we're just trying to get him back into school, back into his activities. He does not he would not have a reason to even be at the high school next year due to the fact that he's not going to take wrestling or track. He never planned on going back. Um didn't like the conditioning. Um, so he he wasn't going back to begin with. He would only be at the ninth grade center. There's really not anything to make us lead up to thinking that there's going to be some
202sort of issue. And we're just asking that you guys take that into consideration. >> Thank you. Closing statement by administration or it's designated. >> I'll make it short. Aiden or Evan's suspension was based upon what Evan did. Evan's brother, Aiden, didn't tell him that those were the kids who were involved in the incident inside who Aiden's girlfriend. And that didn't stop him. He had no business getting out of the car. He created this on his own. At the time he attacked the other student, there was no risk of harm at all to Aiden nor to Mrs. Horton. With regard to football, football is an extracurricular. It is a privilege. It is not a right. And it is a privilege that can and should be lost when you don't follow the rules and you attack somebody.
203The other thing I don't understand, I don't understand this whole issue of the insulin pump. When Ev first started to come in, he'd been in the car with his mom. He didn't even know his brother had lost his insulin pump. Then we saw the video. As soon as Aiden goes out, they immediately tried to come back in. Nobody's testified, not Aiden, not Evan. Nobody has testified that that's what was occurring. Thank God Evan didn't come in because all we need to do is look at his conduct two minutes later and who knows what would have happened at the high school. Aiden's discip or Evans discipline is appropriate for Evans actions and this board needs to set the example to say this is conduct that we don't tolerate. It's not tolerated by board policy. And yes,
204I understand that there are ranges, but this was a intentional attack by Evan. It was an intentional attack to stomp on somebody three times while they're on the ground being held by their brother. This isn't a case of self-defense. This is a case of initiating an assault. And we believe that the length and term of the suspension of 1 + 1 which ends at the end of the fall semester is appropriate and ask that the board. Thank you. Deliberation by the board of education. If the hearing was not held in executive session, the board may vote at this time to go into executive session pursuant to Oklahoma statute title 25307B5 to discuss the suspension of student B only with the permission of the parent. >> Yes. >> Motion second. >> Mr. Yes. >> Mr. New?
205>> Yes. >> Miss McAdams? >> Yes. >> Chairs? Yes. Well, reowned executives back on the suspension of student B. I hereby move that the following findings of facts be adopted by the board of education, each having been shown by a prepoundonderance of the credible evidence established at the student suspension hearing for student B held on July 14th, 2025. Student B was a middle school student at the district during the 2425 school year. District policies applicable to students regarding antiviolence and student conduct code are set forth in board policy 5054 and 5050. On April 9th, 2025, student B violate board policy 5054 and 50/50 in the following ways. Trespassing. Student B tried to enter Union High School campus and officer Chris Hall stop stomped him. Displaying an official, M. Robinson colleague told student B not to
206engage with students. Instead, student B initiated the fight in the parking lot, slamming another student into a parked car, which later revealed a huge dent. Fighting. Student B initiated a fight outside battery. While student A had a student in a choke hold, student B stomped on other student three times until additional employee separated student B. This way official, student B had been told twice not to engage. For a second time, student B tried to fight another student while the other student was on the ground and additional employee again had to get in front of student B to keep him from fighting. Disruption. The second incident outside cause involving student D caused four security officers, four principles, and the Tulsa Police Department to respond to the situation. All right, we have a motion and vote to
207affirm suspension, modify suspension, increase or decrease severity of suspension. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I did that last time. Sorry. >> Thank you, Miss Roman. >> Yes, >> Mr. Wayne. Yes, >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Sorry, chair votes yes as well. Uh motion and vote to affirm suspension, modify suspension, increase or decrease severity of suspension or overturn suspension of student B. >> I move to affirm the suspension. >> Second. >> Miss McAdams. >> Yes. >> Miss Roman, >> yes. >> Mr. May, >> yes. And >> chair votes yes as well. Next is adjourning. >> I move second. >> Mr. Roman. >> Yes. Mr. Newman. Yes. Matters. Yes. Chair was just as low. Thank you.