>> GOOD EVENING. LET US PLEASE
[1. Call to Order]
[00:00:03]
COME TO ORDER FOR THE CALLED MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT ALL ARE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MS. DESERET THOMAS.
[3. Closed Session]
WE WILL NOW RECESS IN A CLOSED SESSION.WE WILL RECONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION IN APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU. [MUSIC] GOOD EVENING.
[4. Reconvene]
WE WILL NOW RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION AT 7:17 PM.[5. Meeting Opening]
I'LL ASK THAT EVERYONE PLEASE RISE AS WE'RE LED IN PRAYER BY TRUSTEE KEZIAH FARRAR, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY OUR PLEDGES BY TRUSTEE WARREN DAVIS.[6. Public Comments]
>> THIS TAKES US TO ITEM 6 OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
DUE TO THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, EVERYBODY IS GOING TO SPEAK.
BUT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CORRESPONDENCE HERE.
THE CORRECT PROCEDURE FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS IS AS FOLLOWS.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THE RECORDS WERE RECEIVED.
SHE DROPPED HIM ON LOGOS. I'LL DO MY BEST TO GET THROUGH THEM.
WE WILL CALL THREE SPEAKERS AT A TIME TO FORM A QUEUE.
WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE COME TO THE RESERVE SEATING AREA ADJACENT TO THE PODIUM.
ONE SPEAKER AT A TIME WILL THEN BE CALLED TO THE PODIUM TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FROM THE PODIUM MICROPHONE AND STATE HIS OR HER NAME BEFORE SPEAKING.
DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH BED LOCAL, ALL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES TO MAKE COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
WHILE SPEAKING, INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE TWO-MINUTE TIME IN FRONT OF THEM.
WHEN THE TIMER REACHES 30 SECONDS, THE LIGHT WILL CHANGE TO YELLOW.
WHEN THE TIMER REACHES ZERO, THE LIGHT WILL BLINK RED, AND THE TIMER WILL BEAM.
COPIES OF PRESENTATION SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL TRUSTEES AND THE SUPERINTENDENT.
BOARD POLICY PROHIBITS A DISCUSSION OR COMPLIANCE AGAINST DISTRICT EMPLOYEES DURING AN OPEN FORUM.
WE WILL START OUT WITH DANIEL BENNETT.
THEN BEHIND DANIEL, IS HE HERE? OKAY. MAYBE HE'S WAITING OUTSIDE.
MODU. AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? I'M SO SORRY.
I'M NOT A GOOD DOCTOR, I GUESS BECAUSE I CAN'T READ IT.
[LAUGHTER] THEN RIGHT BEHIND IS JANE DALE CRUTCHFIELD.
>> HI, MY NAME IS VD BERGEN [INAUDIBLE] .
GOAL OF MISD IS TO ALLOW KIDS TO BE COLLEGE READY, CAREER-READY, LIFE READY.
GROWING UP IN THIS DISTRICT, I WENT TO MARTHA AND MARY ORALLY.
NOW I'M ABOUT TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT A CORE PART OF MY EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY WAS BEING EXPOSED TO ALL PEOPLE.
PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, RACES, BELIEFS, AND BACKGROUNDS ALL LED ME TO BE THE WOMAN I AM TODAY.
DIVERSITY AND EXPOSURE CREATES ROW AROUND AND CHILDREN AND EVENTUAL ADULTS.
I BELIEVE THIS POLICY UPDATE IS ACTIVELY WORKING AGAINST THE BELIEFS OF THIS DISTRICT AND ALL THE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN IT.
YOU'RE PUNISHING AND SHELTERING THE SAME KIDS THAT YOU SWORE TO PREPARE FOR OUR RULE.
REMOVING THESE BOOKS FROM LIBRARIES IS REMOVING SOMEONE'S STORY.
IT'S REMOVING THE ABILITY OF A STUDENT TO GO IN THERE AND READ A STORY OF SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THEM, SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW THEY FEEL,
[00:05:01]
AND ARGUABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU'RE REMOVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE THEM.THUS, REMOVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TOLERANCE AND EMPATHY, SOMETHING CRUCIAL AND PREPARING KIDS FOR THEIR COLLEGE CAREERS IN LIFE.
HEY, GUYS, I KNOW WE'RE LITERALLY GOING TO BE HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
I'M GOING TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.
MS. SCOTTSDALE AND BEHIND MS. SCOTTSDALE IS HANNAH GABO AND THEN CYNTHIA DANIEL'S.
>> OKAY. GOOD EVENING TO THE TEAM OF EIGHT.
THE LAST TIME I SPOKE AT THE BOARD MEETING WAS IN SUPPORTIVE NURSES AND HEALTH IN MISD.
TODAY I'M URGING THE BOARD TO SUPPORT AND TRUST IN OUR LIBRARY STAFF AND THEIR WORK.
I THINK THE BOARD RISKS INTERFERING WITH LIBRARIANS ROLES AND THE PART OF THIS POLICY ON ACQUISITION OF NEW MATERIALS.
OUR LIBRARIANS CURRENTLY SPENT HOURS RESEARCHING NEW SELECTIONS, INCLUDING READING SCHOLARLY ARTICLES ON EACH BOOK, DETERMINING IF OTHER SIMILAR SCHOOLS ALSO USE THOSE BOOKS.
ONE LIBRARIAN CALENDAR TIME INSTEAD, IT WAS UP TO 35 HOURS SPENT ON IMPROVING JUST ONE NEW BOOK.
WITH ALL THAT TIME AND THEIR EXPERTISE, THEY CAN CERTAINLY HANDLE ADOPTING NEW LIBRARY MATERIALS.
CHANGING THE POLICY TO REQUIRE ALL NEW LIBRARY MATERIALS BE APPROVED THROUGH THE BOARD, SEEMS UNNECESSARY.
THIS PROPOSED POLICY WOULD ALSO TAKE AWAY PRECIOUS TIME AND EFFORT NEEDED TO MEET DISTRICT GOALS.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR DR. CANTU, BUT WITH THE GROWING DISTRICT THAT HAS INCREASING NEEDS, THE LAST THING SHE PROBABLY NEEDS IS A CALL FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT A BOOK.
THAT PART OF THE POLICY IS ALSO UNNECESSARY.
I THINK IT CAN BE TEMPTING TO BE A BOARD MEMBER AND FEEL LIKE YOUR ROLE GRANTS YOU NEW-FOUND EXPERTISE IN POWER ON CERTAIN ISSUES.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT A TRAINED LIBRARIAN IN THIS CASE, IT REALLY DOESN'T.
IF YOU THINK THAT'S HARSH, I ACTUALLY APPLY THIS PRINCIPLE TO MYSELF.
I'M ON THE MANSFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD, BUT I'M NOT A LIBRARIAN.
I'M NOT ON THAT BOARD TO APPROVE THE WORK OF LIBRARIANS.
THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR DOES THAT.
I'M THERE TO SUPPORT THE DIRECTOR AND HER TEAM OF LIBRARIANS AND THE WORK THEY DO.
YES, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS OVERSIGHT OF LIBRARY MATERIALS, BUT WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE? IT LOOKS LIKE THE BOARD SUPPORTING THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HER TEAM AS THEY SUPERVISE THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK OF LIBRARY STAFF.
YES, ASKING QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION MAKES SENSE, BUT THE DAY-TO-DAY DETAILS SHOULD BE ENTRUSTED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, HER STAFF, AND THE LIBRARIANS THEMSELVES.
I THINK INSTEAD OF THE PROPOSED POLICY ON ADOPTING NEW MATERIALS THAT WE TRUST OUR LIBRARIANS TO ADAPT AS THEY CURRENTLY DO, THEY SAY IF IT IS BROKE, THEY DON'T FIX IT.
I SAY IF IT ISN'T BROKE THEY DON'T BREAK IT.[APPLAUSE]
>> I LIKE THE SNAPS AT FRONT. THANK YOU.
IF WE COULD JUST HELP THE PROCESS.
LIKE I SAID, I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE HEARD.
I PROMISE EVERYBODY IS GOING TO GET AN APPLAUSE BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS HERE TO SUPPORT EVERYBODY.
LET'S START WITH NOW, MS. HANNAH.
I'LL BE READING OFF FROM MY PHONE THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING AT IT.
I'M A STUDENT AT LAKE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.
GREAT IRISH POET AND AUTHOR OSCAR WILDE ONCE SAID THAT THE WORLD CALLS A MORAL ARE THE BOOKS THAT SHOW THE WORLD ITS OWN SHAME.
CENSORSHIP IS NOT PROTECTING THEIR CHILDREN.
IT IS DISCOURAGING THEM FROM THINKING FOR THEMSELVES IN A SOCIETY THAT PUSHING AN AGENDA IS CONSTANTLY DISCUSSED.
TRANS AND GAY PEOPLE HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME.
NO AMOUNT OF BOOKS THAT ARE BANNED OR CURRICULUMS THAT ARE CHANGED WILL EVER MAKE LESS LGBT PEOPLE.
IT WILL ONLY MAKE MORE LGBT PEOPLE WHO ARE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR BEING THE WAY THEY WERE BORN.
I KNOW A LOT OF CONSERVATIVES ARE BIG ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WHICH MAKES THIS EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING.
THESE BOOKS THAT ARE IN LIBRARIES NOW ARE IN THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE RELEVANT TO TODAY'S YOUTH.
BECAUSE THE LIBRARIANS AND OTHER STUFF DECIDED THAT THEY HELD SOME VALUE TO THE STUDENTS OF THE SCHOOL.
THESE PEOPLE ARE LIBRARIANS AND EDUCATORS.
WHY DO THEY NOT GET A FINAL SAY IN WHAT THE CHILDREN INTO THEIR SCHOOLS SHOULD BE LEARNING ABOUT.
STUDENTS ARE NOW LEFT TO THEIR OWN DEVICES INSTEAD OF BEING OFFERED A FACTUAL INFORMATION WRITTEN BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD, THEY ARE LEFT TO LISTEN TO GOSSIP AND RUMORS AND MISINFORMATION FROM THEIR FRIENDS AND ONLINE.
I DON'T SPEAK FOR ALL STUDENTS.
I KNOW THAT, BUT I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT A GOOD BOOK CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING WHAT YOU FEEL IS OKAY AND FEELING COMPLETELY ALONE.
THE LAST THING WE NEED IS MORE STUDENTS FEELING COMPLETELY ALONE. [APPLAUSE]
>> I NEVER KNOW WHEN THAT THINGS ON.
REVEREND DR. KATIE HAYES IS NEXT AND THEN BEHIND HER IS MANDY MARTIN.
>> MY NAME IS CYNTHIA DANIEL'S, AND I AM ABSOLUTELY APPALLED WITH THIS NEW POLICY YOU WANT TO PUT IN PLACE.
YOU ARE SENDING CLEAR MESSAGE TO OUR WONDERFUL LIBRARIANS THAT YOU DON'T VALUE THEIR EXPERTISE OR TRUST THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS.
OUR LIBRARIANS HAVE MASTER'S DEGREES AND ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED.
THEY CHOOSE BOOKS FOR THEIR LIBRARIES BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AND PEER REVIEWS.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT IN THIS DISTRICT,
[00:10:03]
SUCH AS THE AMOUNT OF TEACHERS LEAVING THEIR PROFESSION, MIC WRITING, GOING FROM AN A TO B, MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, SAFETY, AND IMPROVING OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT BUT NOW YOU WANT TO AGAIN FOCUS ON BOOKS.I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN AVID READER AND I ALWAYS READ ABOVE MY GRADE LEVEL HENCE, READING BOOKS THAT OFTENTIMES HAD MORE MATURE CONTENT.
I READ EVERYTHING I COULD GET MY HANDS ON FROM STEPHEN KING TO FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, TO MURDER MYSTERIES.
I COULD SPEND HOURS AND GET LOST IN A GOOD AGATHA CHRISTIE NOVEL.
IT WAS MY WAY OF FEELING ACCEPTED AND BELONGING.
MY BOOKS WERE MY FRIENDS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN I WAS BEING BULLIED BY KIDS.
THEY OPENED UP A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR ME.
IN LOOKING AT THE GUIDELINES YOU'RE WANTING TO PUT IN PLACE FOR CHALLENGE BOOKS, IT IS BLATANT THAT YOU ARE PROMOTING CENSORSHIP AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE SILENCING VICTIMS OF BULLYING AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AND TAKING AWAY ACCESS TO ANY BOOK THAT MIGHT CAUSE FEAR, SHOCK ORDISGUST.
THE HORROR OF THE HOLOCAUST, THE KILLING FIELDS IN CAMBODIA SLAVERY, GENOCIDE IN RWANDA, AND CURRENT GENOCIDE OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE GOING ON RIGHT NOW WOULD BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK IF A BOOK CONTAINING THAT WERE TO BE CHALLENGED.
OUR KIDS NEED TO LEARN ABOUT THESE THINGS SO THEY DO BETTER IN GENERATIONS TO COME.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, BUT MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE AFRAID OF.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS DISTRICT SINCE 2010 AND UP UNTIL NOW, WE HAVE LOVED OUR TIME HERE.
TWO OF MY THREE KIDS ARE PART OF THIS LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AND I LOVE THEM DEARLY AND WILL FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHT TO EXIST AND HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS ALL OF THEIR PEERS.
THE MESSAGE YOU ARE SENDING THEM IS THAT THEY ARE NOT WANTED IN THIS DISTRICT. SHAME ON YOU.
I AM A TAX-PAYING VOTING CITIZEN OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT THIS IS NOT OKAY.
LGBTQ+ STUDENTS EXIST HERE AND THEY ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO BE IN THEIR EXISTENCE.
THEY DESERVE TO BE ACCEPTED BY THIS DISTRICT AND REPRESENTED IN THE BOOKS THAT THEY READ.
YOUR JOB IS IMPROVING AND ENHANCING THE EDUCATION AND LIVES OF EVERY CHILD IN THIS DISTRICT AND I IMPLORE YOU TO DO BETTER AND BE BETTER.
>> REVEREND DR. HAYES, MANDY MARTIN BEHIND HER, AND THEN GRACE SHITSY, AM I SAYING IT RIGHT? I KNOW THE NAME BUT I OFTEN MISS IT OUT.
>> HEY, NEIGHBORS. I'M REVEREND DR. KATIE HAYES IS MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER AND I RESIDE IN THE MANSFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT AS I HAVE FOR A BUNCH OF YEARS WHEN BOTH MY KIDS WENT THROUGH MANSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THE SIBLINGHOOD OF LIBRARIANS.
I GOT MY MLS AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUSTIN AND WORKED AS A LAW LIBRARIAN FOR THE TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION FOR SOME YEARS.
LIBRARIANS BELIEVE IN EMPOWERMENT FOR HUMAN FLOURISHING.
IT'S A SACRED COMMITMENT TO THEM TO MAKE INFORMATION FREE FOR PEOPLE.
I WOULDN'T MESS WITH THAT IT'S AN AMAZING THING AND A COMMITMENT THAT I HOLD DEAR.
I'M ALSO HERE AS A TAXPAYER IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND I JUST WANT TO INJECT A LITTLE BIT OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY INTO THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
MANY OF YOU WERE PRESENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD LEARN HOW VERY COSTLY IT IS TO TRY AND DISAPPEAR PEOPLE, TO JUST TRY TO MAKE ENTIRE CLASSES AND GROUPS OF PEOPLE, IDENTITIES OF PEOPLE GO AWAY.
JUST, I IMPLORE YOU TO ENGAGE THAT INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY AND KNOW HOW COSTLY THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN FOR THE TAXPAYERS THAT'S MY MONEY.
THAT'S OUR MONEY THAT GOES TO PAY ATTORNEYS TO DEFEND AGAINST LAWSUITS WHEN THE SCHOOL BOARD TRIES TO MAKE PEOPLE GO AWAY.
BUT I'M HERE MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS A CHRISTIAN PERSON AND PASTOR, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT SO MANY OF MY OWN BELOVEDS ARE UNDER ASSAULT BY GOVERNMENT AND BUREAUCRACY.
IS IT PRETTY MUCH EVERY LEVEL THAT ARE SEEKING TO MAKE THEM DISAPPEAR? THE PARTICULAR PART OF THE BOOK BANNING POLICY THAT HAS TO DO WITH GENDER FLUIDITY IS AN ABSURDITY AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AS A CHRISTIAN TO QUOTE FROM THE POLICY ITSELF AS ITS PROPOSED, I ACTUALLY ESPOUSE THE VIEW THAT GENDER IS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT AS A CHRISTIAN I ESPOUSE THE VIEW THAT'S POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO BE ANY GENDER OR NONE BASED SOLELY ON THAT PERSON'S FEELINGS.
I, AS A CHRISTIAN SUPPORT, HORMONE THERAPY, AND OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENTS AND PROCEDURES TO TEMPORARILY ALTER A PERSON'S BODY OR GENETIC MAKEUP SO THAT IT MATCHES WHO THEY TELL US THEY ARE.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO AGREE WITH ME, BUT I EXPECT TO COMPLICATE YOUR OWN SENSE THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING SOMEHOW HERE IS SUPPORTIVE OF CHRISTIAN VALUES IT'S NOT.
THEN MS. GRACE AND FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER REIKI?
>> FIRST, MANDY. I AM MANDY MARTIN AND I TEACH AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL AND I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE REAL PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL TODAY.
MENTAL HEALTH, CRUEL TIKTOK TRENDS, DICTION TO PHONES, BULLYING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR ON OUR CAMPUSES, FIGHTING, MARGINALIZED STUDENTS FEELING THAT THEY DON'T MATTER TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHARGE, AND SUICIDE.
THIS IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING OUR ENERGY TO HELP STUDENTS AND STAFF.
DIVERSE LITERATURE PROVIDES STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF RETREAT FROM THE STRESSES OF LIFE IT BUILDS IMAGINATION AND FORGES CONNECTIONS.
[00:15:01]
IT HELPS KIDS REALIZE THAT THEY'RE NOT ALONE.EXPOSING OUR STUDENTS TO DIVERSE LITERATURE IS ESSENTIAL FOR DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING, TEACHING EMPATHY, AND FOSTERING CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS.
IN TODAY'S TECH-DRIVEN WORLD, WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO SET DOWN THEIR PHONES AND PICK UP A BOOK.
WE SHOULD INVEST IN OUR LIBRARIES AND TRUST OUR LIBRARIANS TO DO THEIR JOB.
OUR DISTRICT'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS A LIBRARIAN.
OUR DISTRICT'S HEARTBEAT WINNER, ONE OF THEM IS A LIBRARIAN.
HOW CAN YOU HAVE TRUSTED LIBRARIANS TO BE THE BEST REPRESENTATION OF OUR DISTRICT AND YET NOW TURN AROUND AND SAY, BUT WE DON'T TRUST YOU TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS? WELL, I APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S INTEREST IN OUR SCHOOLS LIBRARIES.
I IMPLORE YOU TO LET LIBRARIANS BE IN CHARGE OF LIBRARY POLICIES.
THEY HAVE YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND MASTER'S DEGREES.
THEY ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS.
THEY KNOW OUR KIDS. OUR LIBRARIANS, SPEND TIME TALKING ABOUT BOOKS AND LIFE WITH THEM.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY ARE READING WHAT OUR KIDS ARE READING.
PLUS, THEY WORK HARD TO MAKE OUR LIBRARY SPACES THAT OUR KIDS ENJOY AND ACTUALLY WANT TO COME TO.
ALL WE'RE ASKING IS THAT YOU TRUST LIBRARIANS TO DO THE JOB THAT THEY'RE TRAINED TO DO, THE JOB THEY LOVE TO DO, AND WE'LL TRUST YOU TO DO YOURS. THANK YOU.
>> HI THERE. MY NAME IS GRACE SHITSY.
I HAVE LIVED IN MANSFIELD ALMOST ALL MY LIFE.
I GREW UP HERE AND RECEIVED MY ENTIRE K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION THIS DISTRICT AND NOW I TEACH AT MY ALMA MATER, MANSFIELD HIGH.
I DISCOVERED MY LOVE OF TEACHING IN MISD.
I WAS ENCOURAGED TO HAVE A VOICE BY TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT, SEVERAL OF WHOM ARE HERE TONIGHT.
I ALSO HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS HERE TONIGHT WHO I'M VERY PROUD OF.
I ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO GO INTO TEACHING BECAUSE OF MY GREAT FOUNDATION AND PART OF WHAT I AM MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT IS ENCOURAGING A LIFELONG LOVE OF READING AND MY STUDENTS.
I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD DO MY MISD EDUCATION A DISSERVICE IF I SAT IDLY BY ONE QUALITY BOOKS ARE BEING QUESTIONED, PULLED OFF THE SHELVES, AND KEPT FROM OUR STUDENTS.
THE PROPOSED BOOK ACQUISITION PLAN WILL ADD WEEKS AT BEST, MONTHS REALISTICALLY AND IF WE STAY IN THE CURRENT KELLER MODEL, IT WILL TAKE AN ENTIRE YEAR TO ACQUIRE NEW BOOKS.
NO LONGER WILL KIDS BE ABLE TO CHECK OUT A CURRENT FAVORITE OR THE NEWEST SEQUEL IN A SERIES THAT THEY LOVE.
THIS PROPOSAL WILL RESULT IN BOOKS NOT BEING PURCHASED OR GIVEN TO KIDS TO READ AT ALL, WHICH WILL FURTHER KILL THE LOVE OF READING IN OUR YOUTH A CRUCIAL SKILL THAT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYTHING.
THE MISD THAT I KNOW ENCOURAGED RIGOR, INQUIRY, AND EXPLORATION AND I WILL FIGHT FOR MY STUDENTS TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATION THAT I WAS GIVEN.
I WILL FIGHT FOR TEACHING TO BECOME WHAT IT SHOULD BE AGAIN.
I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SIT BACK WHEN POTENTIAL BOARD POLICIES ARE PUTTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS AT RISK WHEN MY QUALITY MISD EDUCATION TAUGHT ME TO SPEAK UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
HERE I AM STANDING UP FOR MY STUDENTS AND FOR THEIR FREEDOM TO READ.
BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE ALLOW TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS TO PARTNER WITH PARENTS.
WE ARE TRAINED AT WHAT WE DO AND ARE GOOD AT OUR JOBS AND WE ARE QUALIFIED TO PARTNER WITH PARENTS TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN SELECT BOOKS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEM.
PLEASE LET US PARTNER WITH YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN TO KEEP MISD THE GREAT DISTRICT THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN.
>> JENNIFER FOLLOWED BY MARTY DEVARENS.
THEN AMY TOMBS AND MATT HERZBERG. GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY.
>> JENNIFER REIKI. THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
LAST TIME I SPOKE OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN MISD VALUE OF STUDENTS FIRST AND HOW REMOVING OR LIMITING BOOKS DUE TO A FEW VOCAL PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS IS IN CONFLICT.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT FOR THEIR PERSONAL CHILD.
BUT AT WHAT POINT DOES ONE PERSON'S VIEW SUPERSEDE ANOTHER'S? OR OUR STUDENTS NEED TO BE ABLE TO READ A BOOK.
LITERATURE ALLOWS READERS TO EXPLORE THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
AFTER ALL, A BOOK ALLOWS A READER IN A CHALLENGING SITUATION TO SEE HOW IT CAN BE OVERCOME AND SURVIVED.
THESE ARE THE VERY BOOKS SOME WANT TO DENY OUR STUDENTS ACCESS TO.
IF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING IS TRULY VALUED BY OUR DISTRICT, THEN GIVE OUR STUDENTS ROOM TO LEARN VIA LITERATURE.
LIMITING STUDENT'S PERSONAL SELF-SELECTED READING LIMITS THEIR EXPLORATION OF THE CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL WORLD AROUND THEM.
IT DENIES THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN EMPATHY.
IT DENIES THEM A CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT LOOK OR LIVE LIKE THEM.
IT DENIES OTHER STUDENTS A CHANCE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN LITERATURE.
LAST TIME I SHARED THE TEA STANDARDS OF CERTIFICATION OF A SCHOOL LIBRARIAN.
I HOPE YOU'VE TAKEN TIME TO EXPLORE IT.
IF THE FINAL DECISION ON BOOK SELECTION IS TAKEN INTO THE HANDS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHAT STANDARDS WILL YOU IMPOSE ON YOURSELF? WHAT TRAINING OR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT WILL YOU UNDERTAKE LIKE YOUR CERTIFIED SCHOOL LIBRARIANS? KEEP IN MIND YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS WHO SELECT FOR YOUR CAMPUS, YOU WILL BE MAKING A GLOBAL DECISION FOR 35,000 STUDENTS WHO ARE CULTURALLY,
[00:20:03]
SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY, AND ACADEMICALLY DIVERSE.WHO WILL YOU DISENFRANCHISE OR DISENGAGE BASED ON A FEW LOUD VOICES.
WHO IS THE STUDENT YOU SEE IN THE MISD VALUE STATEMENT OF STUDENTS FIRST?
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] AMY TOMBS FOLLOWED BY MATT HERZBERG, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY SHANE TROTTER.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT A MANSFIELD RESIDENT, THE MOTHER OF AN MISD STUDENT AND A PROUD LIBRARIAN IN OUR DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON PROPOSED POLICY CHANGES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
OUR MISD LIBRARIES ARE A CORNERSTONE OF THE COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO SERVING THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF EVERYONE.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF USERS.
IF YOU ARE A PARENT OR GUARDIAN, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT MATERIALS ARE SUITABLE FOR YOUR OWN FAMILY.
NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO MAKE RULES RESTRICTING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE USE OR TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR OTHER FAMILIES.
THE CURRENT POLICY FOR ANY PARENT TO RESTRICT ACCESS TO MATERIALS FOR THEIR CHILD EXISTS.
THE PROPOSED POLICY WILL RESTRICT ACCESS TO MATERIALS FOR EVERYONE'S CHILDREN.
THIS WILL DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT LGBTQ STUDENTS.
IT IS IN SHORT CENSORSHIP AND DISCRIMINATION.
IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED SPEECH CANNOT BE SUPPRESSED.
FOR THE SAKE OF PARENTS RIGHTS AND MISD VOTE NO ON THE CHANGES TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS POLICY.
>> OKAY MATT THEN SHANE TROTTER.
IS HE NOT HERE? SHEILA FAVOR AND THEN MEGAN FANNING.
>> GOOD EVENING MISD TRUSTEES.
MY NAME IS DR. MATT HERZBERG AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT IN REFERENCE TO AGENDA ITEM 8.4, SPECIFICALLY THE POLICY REWRITE OF EFB LOCAL.
I'M SPEAKING MY OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED POLICY CHANGE THAT TAKES THE CHOOSING AND PURCHASING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS AWAY FROM PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS AND EDUCATORS AND PUTS IT IN THE HANDS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS ACTING IN A PARTISAN MANNER.
FOR YEARS, I HAVE SEEN HOW LIBRARIANS PAINSTAKINGLY CURATE THEIR COLLECTIONS TO FIT THE INTERESTS OF THEIR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES.
OUR LIBRARIANS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE AND ARE TRAINED FOR YEARS ON HOW TO CREATE A COLLECTION THAT MAKES KIDS WANT TO READ.
I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW A LIBRARIAN HAS TURNED A RELUCTANT READER INTO A VORACIOUS READER.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO REALIZE YOUR FIRST GUIDING STATEMENT THEN BY HELPING KIDS LEARN TO LOVE OF READING.
I'M IN OPPOSITION TO THIS POLICY BECAUSE IT TREATS MISD LIBRARIANS AS LESS THAN PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN A BOOK.
I'M IN OPPOSITION TO THIS POLICY BECAUSE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING AWAY MY RIGHTS AS A PARENT.
RIGHT NOW, I CAN CALL MY CHILD'S LIBRARIAN AND ASK HER TO NOT ALLOW MY CHILDREN TO CHECK OUT A BOOK BY A CERTAIN AUTHOR.
I CAN LIMIT WHAT THEY CHECK OUT BY RESTRICTING THEMES AND CONTENT.
I CAN GO SO FAR AS TO NOT ALLOW THEM TO CHECK OUT ANYTHING WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT.
THE POLICY, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS IS ENOUGH TO NOT INFRINGE ON THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS.
I CAN CHOOSE WHAT IS BEST FOR MY KIDS.
THIS IS A DISASTROUS POLICY THAT UNDERMINES LIBRARIANS, UNDERMINES THE CURRENT POLICY THAT IS WORKING AND UNDERMINES MY RIGHTS AS A PARENT.
I URGE YOU TO WORK WITH YOUR LIBRARIANS, LEARN FROM THEM, LEARN HOW THEY MAKE DECISIONS, LEARN HOW MUCH HEART THEY PUT INTO THIS.
I URGE YOU TO WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNITY.
ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS.
LISTEN TO WHAT THEY THINK, MAKES THE DISTRICT GREAT AND WHERE THERE ARE CHALLENGES.
MAYBE YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO FOCUS ON THAN BANNING BOOKS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SHANE TROTTER, SHEILA FAVOR, MEGAN FANNING AND ALLISON BARNETT.
[NOISE] OH, WE WERE ON SHANE TROTTER.
DID WE GET MIXED UP? SHANE TROTTER.
[BACKGROUND]. IT'S SHANE THEN SHEILA, MEGAN, AND ALLISON.
>> YOU CALLED MY NAME. I DON'T KNOW.
>> YES, IT WAS THE FIRST ONE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DIDN'T KNOW [OVERLAPPING] IT WAS GOING SO FAST. I COULDN'T TELL.
>> GO AHEAD. I KEPT IT OUT FOR THAT REASON.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR MY CONCERNS TODAY.
MY NAME IS MARTY DEVARENS AND I HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE NEW LIBRARY ACQUISITION POLICY, AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED FORMAL CHALLENGE POLICIES.
AS AN MISD PARENT, I WANT EXPERTS MANAGING AND IN CHARGE OF THE EDUCATION AND THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE.
[00:25:09]
LIBRARIANS ARE LITERACY AND INFORMATION EXPERTS AND THEY SHOULD HAVE THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF SELECTING LIBRARY BOOKS AND MATERIALS FOR THEIR CAMPUSES.I THINK THAT THERE ARE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS ARE NOT PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS.
THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING THAT FIRST LIST.
I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I'M A LIBRARIAN MYSELF IN ANOTHER DISTRICT.
WE VALUE EXPERTS IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.
YOU EXPECT TO BUY A HOUSE FROM A REALTOR NOT A DENTIST.
SCHOOL LIBRARIANS ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS.
WE POSSESS MASTER'S DEGREES AND WE'RE REQUIRED BY TEA TO HAVE CLASSROOM TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT LEAST TWO YEARS.
I KNOW AS A LIBRARIAN, I SPEND A COUPLE OF MONTHS BUILDING A LIST OF BOOKS THAT I WANT TO ORDER FOR MY CAMPUS.
I READ REVIEWS, I'M IMMERSED IN THE LITERATURE WORLD AND FRANKLY, THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE THAT EXPERTISE AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE MAKING THESE CHOICES OR THEY SHOULD NOT BE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT.
THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION POLICY TAKES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELECTION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS OUT OF THE HANDS OF EXPERTS AND PUTS IT IN THE HANDS OF WELL-MEANING BUT UNTRAINED AMATEURS.
YOU MAY HAVE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, BUT MOST OF YOU ARE NOT EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS.
PLEASE VOTE NO FOR THIS POLICY.
>> SHANE TROTTER. [APPLAUSE] SHANE TROTTER WILL BE FOLLOWED BY SHEILA FAVOR, MEGAN FANNING AND ALLISON BARNETT.
>> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS SHANE TROTTER AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW PHONE POLICY.
ALSO, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF LIBRARIANS HERE I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO PICK UP MY BOOK SITTING IN THE BAR FOR YOUR LIBRARY.
[LAUGHTER]. TO BE FRANK, THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE PHONE POLICY AS IT IS NOW, IS THAT IT HAS TAKEN THIS LONG TO COME ABOUT.
SINCE 2010, THERE'S BEEN AN OVER 150% INCREASE IN MAJOR TEEN DEPRESSION.
THERE'S BEEN OVER 120% INCREASE IN SUICIDES FOR ADOLESCENTS BETWEEN 10 AND 14.
THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS CLAIMING TO BE LONELY WHILE AT SCHOOL HAS MORE THAN TRIPLED.
STEP INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND THE CULPRIT IS OBVIOUS.
IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, OUR STUDENTS WALK THROUGH THE HALLS STARING AT THEIR PHONES.
THEY COME INTO CLASS STARING AT THEIR PHONES AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY SNEAKING PEEKS AT THEIR PHONE THROUGHOUT INSTRUCTION, SCANNING THEIR PHONE INTERMITTENTLY AS THEY WORK AND RUSHING THROUGH ASSIGNMENTS SO THAT THEY CAN GET BACK TO THEIR PHONES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
STUDENTS EXPECT TO BE ON THEIR PHONES FOR HOURS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY.
WHEN THEY'RE ASKED TO PUT THEIR PHONE AWAY, MANY RESPOND WITH CLEAR INDIGNATION.
NEARLY ALL THESE STUDENTS WILL RESUME TRYING TO USE THEIR PHONES ONCE THEY THINK THAT TEACHER'S ATTENTION IS ELSEWHERE.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO BLAME THE STUDENTS.
ADOLESCENTS ARE AT THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE WHERE THEY ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THEIR PHONE'S BRAIN HACKING, AND THEY'D BEEN ALLOWED TO BELIEVE THEIR BEHAVIORS ARE NORMAL.
THEY'VE BEEN HANDED AN IMPOSSIBLY ADDICTIVE TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED BY THE WORLD'S MOST BRILLIANT MINDS WITH THE EXPLICIT GOAL OF KEEPING US SCROLLING AND CHECKING EACH APP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
BUT OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT CURRENTLY ONLY MAKES MATTERS WORSE.
WE'VE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS EXPECT TO BE ON THEIR PHONES ALL DAY.
BECAUSE OF OUR CURRENT SCHOOL NORMS, OUR STUDENTS FEEL VERY REAL PRESSURE TO CONSTANTLY ENGAGE WITH CHAT GROUPS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE GAMES.
STUDENTS' MINDS ARE ALWAYS PULLED AWAY, ALWAYS PROCESSING THE LAST MESSAGE THEY RECEIVED, THINKING THROUGH THEIR NEXT CLEVER RESPONSE, ANTICIPATING ANOTHER RESPONSE, WORRYING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS, WORRYING ABOUT WHETHER THEIR POSTS ARE RECEIVING LIKES OR FOR BOYS, ESPECIALLY, THEY'RE ALWAYS CLAMORING TO GET BACK TO GROUP ONLINE GAMES.
EVEN WHEN STUDENTS AREN'T ON THEIR PHONES, THEY ARE DISTRACTED BY THE KNOWLEDGE THAT AT ALL TIMES MANY OF THEIR FRIENDS WILL BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN SMARTPHONE BASED ACTIVITIES.
AS TEACHERS QUICKLY FOUND IN THOSE FIRST YEARS OF THE IPAD INITIATIVE, THERE'S NO BLACKLIST THAT CAN STOP THIS.
>> MR. TROTTER. I HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF.
>> I'M SORRY. [APPLAUSE] MS. FAVOR.
>> I'M SHEILA FAVOR AND I DO SUPPORT THE POLICY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO SUPPORT THIS POLICY.
I'M ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE HAVE READ IT, I PRINTED OFF ALL THE PERTINENT PARTS, I READ IT.
ALSO PRINTED OFF THE PENAL CODES, WHICH I THINK YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS WRONG, BUT YOU ALL CAN GO BACK AND CHECK THAT.
BUT WE STARTED WITH PRAYER TONIGHT, THAT WAS ON THE TOP OF THE AGENDA.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE BELIEVERS BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF YOU PERSONALLY, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PRAY FULLY WHEN YOU'RE CONSIDERING THESE POLICY CHANGES BECAUSE THEY AFFECT THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS.
[00:30:02]
I DO SUPPORT, I THINK THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE GRAY AREAS ON HERE, BUT AS A WHOLE, I LOVE THE POLICY, I'M SORRY IF YOU DON'T.I RETIRED FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SO DON'T SAY THAT, "OH, WELL, YOU KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT." YES, I'VE WORKED IN MANY OF THESE LIBRARIES AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU PERSONALLY.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ON IT.
WHO WILL BE THE STATE SUPERINTENDENTS DESIGNEE FOR THE COMMITTEE? HOW WILL THAT BE FORMED? WHO WILL THEY APPOINT I OFFERED LAST TIME, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE AND I'M RETIRED, I HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE MY VOTE BOAT, BUT TRUST ME, I WILL DO THE RESEARCH ON IT.
WERE THE BOOKS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE LIBRARIES THAT DON'T MEET THESE CRITERIA OR DON'T MEET THESE PENAL CODES, WILL THEY BE PULLED OR WILL THEY ALL HAVE TO BE CHALLENGED INDIVIDUALLY AGAIN? THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYTHING THAT ADDRESSES THAT THAT I'M SEEING THAT ON THERE.
UNDER THE PARENT CONSIDERATION, WHAT LIBRARY MATERIAL WILL BE POSTED ONLINE? I DON'T REALLY SEE THAT, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO POST ALL THESE BOOKS, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW PARENTS ARE GOING TO KNOW UNLESS THEY WALK THROUGH YOUR LIBRARY AND START PULLING BOOKS OFF THE SHELF [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. MEGAN FANNING, FOLLOWED BY ALICE BARNETT AND SAMUEL SULLIVAN.
>> MY NAME IS MEGAN FANNING AND I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN MANSFIELD.
KELLER, SOUTHLAKE CARROL, AND GRAPEVINE-COLLEYVILLE ISDS HAVE ALL INSTITUTED STRICT BOOK BANNING POLICIES.
THE ONLY THING THAT MANSFIELD HAS IN COMMON WITH THESE OTHER DISTRICTS IS PATRIOT MOBILE ACTION.
WHY ARE WE CONCERNING OURSELVES WITH BOOK BANNING INSTEAD OF HOW TO KEEP GUNS OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR CHILDREN SAFE AS WE WERE PROMISED [APPLAUSE].
THIS BOOK-BANNING POLICY YOU ARE PROPOSING IS THE EPITOME OF DISCRIMINATION.
IF YOU ARE HOMOPHOBIC, TRANSPHOBIC, RACIST, OR MISOGYNISTIC.
I COULD SEE HOW BOOKS CONTAINING WOMEN'S RIGHTS, BLACK AMERICAN HISTORY, AND LGBTQ+ RIGHTS MIGHT MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
THE [NOISE] ALA STATES THAT EFFORTS TO CENSOR ENTIRE CATEGORIES OF BOOKS REFLECTING CERTAIN VOICES AND VIEWS SHOWS THAT THE MORAL PANIC ISN'T ABOUT KIDS IT'S ABOUT POLITICS.
ORGANIZATIONS WITH A POLITICAL AGENDA ARE SPREADING LISTS OF BOOKS THEY DON'T LIKE.
THIS POLICY WOULD STRIP EDUCATORS AND LIBRARIANS OF THEIR ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOBS, AND WE'VE HAD A 64% INCREASE IN MISD TEACHER RESIGNATIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
TO THOSE TRUSTEES WHO'S CAMPAIGNS WERE FUNDED WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM PATRIOT MOBILE, MUDDLED AND HARASSMENT, HATE, RACISM AND BIGOTRY WE STILL SEE YOU FOR, WE KNOW THAT NO MONEY IS EVER FREE AND THAT SOME OF YOU ARE STILL STRONGLY AFFILIATED WITH THEM.
TO THOSE OF YOU WHO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF MANSFIELD AND STAY TRUE TO MISD MORALS AND VALUES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
BECAUSE RACISM, HATRED, HOMOPHOBIA, HARASSMENT, AND BULLYING ARE NOT WELCOME HERE IN MANSFIELD.
IF BOOKS SCARE YOU MORE THAN GUNS IN OUR SCHOOLS, IT TRULY MAKES ME WONDER IF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS RUNNING OUR DISTRICT OR IF PATRIOT MOBILE IS [APPLAUSE].
>> ALLISON BARNETT, FOLLOWED BY SAMUEL SULLIVAN, FOLLOWED BY SOFIA DRACO.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALLISON BARNETT.
I'M 19 AND JUST FINISHED MY FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE.
I ATTENDED MANSFIELD SCHOOLS FROM KINDERGARTEN UNTIL 12TH GRADE AND GRADUATED FROM MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL LAST YEAR.
MY LOVE FOR READING STEM FROM MY EDUCATION WHERE MY WONDERFUL TEACHERS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED ME TO READ AND THEY NEVER STOPPED.
I HAVE LOVED READING EVER SINCE KINDERGARTEN WHEN OUR LIBRARY AND MS. GALLAGHER PULLED ME THE LIBRARY ONE DAY, I SAID, "HEY, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO READ TODAY?" I PLAN ON BECOMING A HISTORY TEACHER, AND I DECIDED THIS WHEN I READ THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK.
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A GIRL WHO WENT THROUGH THE HOLOCAUST AND SHE WAS MY AGE WHEN I READ IT BECAUSE I READ IT IN 8TH GRADE.
KNOWING THAT KAYLA TRIED TO BAN THIS BOOK IS TERRIFYING BECAUSE IT IS CENSORING HISTORY AND THE PAST IS IMPORTANT, THE PAST IS WHERE WE COME FROM.
THE PAST TEACHERS ESSENTIALIZATION BOOKS TEACH ESSENTIAL LESSONS.
TAKING BOOKS OFF THE SHELF TAKES AWAY THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN THAT KNOWLEDGE.
THE PROPOSED BOOK ACQUISITION PLAN WILL CAUSE MANY BOOKS NOT TO BE BOUGHT IN A TIMELY MANNER, STRIPPING STUDENTS FROM THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ.
WHY SHOULD I BECOME A TEACHER WHEN SCHOOL BOARDS ARE CARRYING MORE ABOUT POLITICS THAN STUDENT'S EDUCATION.
PLEASE LEAVE BOOKS ON THE SHELVES AND ALLOW TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS WHO ARE TRAINED AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE READING THE APPROPRIATE MATERIALS.
[00:35:05]
THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]>> DANIEL SULLIVAN, SOFIA DRACO, AND SHAWN FANNING.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SAM SULLIVAN AND I GRADUATED FROM MHS LAST YEAR.
I ONLY GOT TO STAY AT MHS FOR A YEAR BECAUSE WE ONLY IMMIGRATED TO THE US TWO YEARS AGO.
I WAS SCARED AT FIRST, AM I AND MY SIBLINGS WELCOME HERE.
WHAT HELPED ME EASE IN RESIGNED, SURROUNDED CAMPUS SAYING, EVERY STORY MATTERS.
I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND KEPT THAT FOR MYSELF.
HOWEVER, WITH WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM MY SISTER, SOPHOMORE AND TEACHERS STILL AN MSD AND TO PROPOSE BOOK ACQUISITION PLAN, I'M AFRAID THESE WORDS NO LONGER READING, TRUE.
WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO TEXAS IS BANNED BOOKS MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN 2022 WITH TITLE CENTERING AND RACE, RACISM, LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION OF ISSUES TARGETED MORE, PEN AMERICA REPORTS, I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN HERE IN A DISTRICT THAT IN ITS WEBSITE PROMISES TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, TO LEARN AND TEACH, BUT TELL US, WILL YOU LET IT? HOW CAN ONE LIVE FREELY WHEN ONE STORY IS TAKEN OFF THE SHELVES? HOW CAN ONE LEARN WHEN CENSORSHIP AND WARM BLANKETS COME BEFORE KNOWLEDGE? HOW CAN ONE TEACH WHEN ONE HAS TO FOLD AND TWIST INTO NAME OF INCONSIDERATE DISTRICT DICTATES.
MAYBE BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE AND ONLY DON'T WANT THEM ON THE LIBRARY SHELVES, BUT THE MERE ACT OF CHALLENGING STORIES IS DISPIRITING EVEN FOR NON-READERS.
IF I WERE A STUDENT, I WOULD THINK IF EVERY STORY MATTERS, THEN WHY DOES MINE BOTHER YOU? WHY IS MY TRUE SO CONTROVERSIAL? IT HAS TO BE DISGUSTED BY BOARDS FOR MONTHS AND KEPT FROM MY PEERS EYES.
HOW DO YOU TELL SOMEONE THAT THEIR LIFE THEIR LIVING IS SOMETHING THAT THEIR FRIENDS SHOULDN'T READ.
I CALL AND BOARD MEMBERS NOT TO TURN BACK TIME, I CALL ON YOU TO TRUST OUR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STORY STAY IN OUR LIBRARIES.
OUR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS KNOW THEIR STUDENTS NEEDS WELL AFTER ALL, THEY SHOW UP DAY AFTER DAY FOR THEM.
BECAUSE FOR YOU IT MIGHT BE JUST BOOKS, BUT FOR SOME, THEY ARE A LIFELINE, A HAND TO HOLD.
I KNOW THEY WERE FOR ME LAST YEAR, I WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE, I HAVE LEARNED AS MUCH WITHOUT THEM.
HANDS OFF OUR BOOKS, HENCE OFFERS STORIES.
>> SOFIA DRACO, SHAWN FANNING AND JASMINE WARD.
I AM A STUDENT OF MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL.
I AM A WRITER, A LOVER OF LITERATURE, GENDER FLUID, AND ON THE LGBTQ SPECTRUM.
AFTER I CAME OUT TO MY PEERS IN SEVENTH GRADE, I GOT BULLIED AND GETTING CALLED THE EPSILON AND GETTING PUT IN GROUP CHATS WHERE I COULDN'T LEAVE JUST SO THEY COULD MAKE FUN OF ME, SO MUCH SO THAT I GOT EXTREMELY DEPRESSED AND EVEN CONSIDERED SUICIDE.
HOWEVER, ONE MAIN THING THAT HELPED ME GET OUT OF THIS DEPRESSIVE STATE WAS LGBTQ WRITING.
SEEING STORIES OF PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO EXPRESSED WHO THEY WERE AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL ALLOWED ME TO FULLY EMBRACE WHO I AM TODAY AND DO THINGS SUCH AS SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU ALL.
WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THAT OLIVE BRANCH THAT ONCE EXTENDED TO CHILDREN WHO COULD WIDEN THEIR WORLDVIEWS BY LEARNING ABOUT THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, I TRULY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REACT.
BUT NOW I'M MORE IN THE LOSS OF THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OPPORTUNITY TO NOT JUST LEARN BUT APPRECIATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT SEX, THIS IS NOT ABOUT PORN.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT PEDOPHILIA, THIS IS ABOUT TRYING TO ERASE THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY FROM YOUR WORLDS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HANDLE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT.
LET'S MAKE THIS CLEAR AND DEFINED BOOK BANNING, WHEN YOU ERASE THE HISTORY OR EXPERIENCE OF ONE KID TO PROTECT ANOTHER ALSO SAYING THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE TYPE OF KID WORTH PROTECTING.
READING BOOKS ABOUT STRAIGHT CHARACTERS DID NOT MAKE ME STRAIGHT, AND TAKING AWAY BOOKS THAT REPRESENT THE GAY COMMUNITY IN AN AGE APPROPRIATE WAY WON'T CHANGE A CHILD'S SEXUALITY.
IT DOES, HOWEVER, NARROW THE WORLD'S VIEW OF A POPULATION OF CHILDREN NOW UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE TAUGHT BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS ABANDONED THE ONCE VIBRANT AND DIVERSE LIBRARIES THAT I WAS ABLE TO READ IN.
OVERALL EDUCATION NEEDS DIVERSITY BECAUSE LEARNING CRAVES IT [APPLAUSE]
>> SHAWN FANNING, JASMINE WARD AND CAMPBELL GROVE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SHAWN FANNING.
I AM A RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNER AND TAXPAYER IN MANSFIELD.
I'VE ALSO BEEN A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER SINCE 2009.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF AMAZING STORIES.
IN EDUCATION WE MAKE DECISIONS ON DATA, AND SO I BROUGHT YOU SOME ACCORDING TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS, DEGREES CONVERT AND EDUCATION NATIONWIDE HAVE BEEN DECREASING VERY STEEPLY SINCE 2013.
WONDER WHY? CURRENTLY, AT ITS LOWEST RATE, SINCE IT ACTUALLY BEGAN RECORDING IN 1970, THAT'S SINKING.
THE AVAILABLE LABOR POOL OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS THAT DO THIS JOB IS DRYING UP.
[00:40:06]
YOU'RE SCARING AWAY QUALIFIED TEACHERS WITH POLICIES LIKE THIS.NOT ONLY THAT, THIS PROOF, TEACHER RESIGNATION RATES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS POST-COVID IN 2021 WENT UP ON AVERAGE 18%, THAT'S NEARLY A FIFTH.
IN MANSFIELD, THEN THERE WAS 66%.
NOW IF YOU COMPARE 2021S NUMBERS TO THIS YEAR'S CURRENT PROJECTED NUMBERS, AND THIS IS AS OF APRIL, WE'RE UP 161% COMPARED TO 2021.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TEACHERS? WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WE HAVE TO LIST APS AND PRINCIPLES AS THE TEACHERS OF RECORD FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO WILL BE IN CLASSROOMS WITH SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS AND I'M NOT INSULTING SUBSTITUTES, WE NEED THEM, WE REALLY DO.
BUT IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE EDUCATION LIKE A CLASSROOM TEACHER IS, IN TERMS OF THE EXPERTISE THEY BRING TO THAT SUBJECT MATTER.
STOP SCARING AWAY TEACHERS WITH THESE RIDICULOUS POLICIES, BRING THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST STUDENTS SO WE CAN RECLAIM THAT A RATING AND THAT WE CAN DO THE BEST SERVICE TO OUR KIDS THAT WE CAN.
>> CAMPBELL GROVE AND THOMAS SMITH.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS CAMPBELL GROVE.
I'M A SENIOR AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE BEEN ATTENDING MISD SCHOOLS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF MY EDUCATION THUS FAR.
AS WELL AS THAT I AM AN AVID READER AND A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY.
TO BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO ASK IF ANY OF THE PEOPLE BEFORE ME HAVE EVER BEEN PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY HARMED IN ANY WAY BY THE ADDITION OF A QUEER OR TRANS CHARACTER IN ANY NOVEL THEY MAY HAVE READ.
PERSONALLY, I KNOW THAT NOTEBOOK I HAVE EVER READ WITH LGBTQ CHARACTERS INCLUDED IN IT HAS HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ME, NOR HAVE I EVER MET SOMEONE WITHOUT EXPERIENCE.
AS QUEER INDIVIDUAL, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS SO GROTESQUE OR DISTURBING ABOUT THE WAY THAT I FEEL LOVE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOMETHING THAT I POSSESS COULD BE SUCH A RIVETING AND CONTROVERSIAL DEBATE, BUT YET THE CONVERSATION PERSIST.
TO CLARIFY, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE IS SUGGESTING THE INCLUSION OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL AT ANY LEVEL, THIS BEING STRAIGHT, GAY, LESBIAN, TRANSGENDER, OR ANY OTHER SEXUALITY OR GROUP.
NO ONE IS SUGGESTING OR HAS SUGGESTED THAT THAT'D BE DEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR A CHILD.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING A VIEW IS SIMPLY TO ALLOW LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS TO DO A JOB THAT THEY ARE MORE THAN CAPABLE OF DOING, AS WELL AS NOT FURTHER OPPRESSING A COMMUNITY IN WHICH NO ONE HAS EVER MADE THE CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO BE A PART OF.
TEACHERS DID NOT GO THROUGH YEARS OF EDUCATION TO BE TREATED LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ A BOOK AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION AND THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY HAS NOT GONE THROUGH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OPPRESSION AND PAIN TO HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED AND DEBATED UPON ONCE AGAIN.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO SIMPLY UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THE BELIEF THAT IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO CONTROL THE READINGS OF OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR CHILDREN, AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING THAT NO BOOK AFFECTS THE TRAJECTORY OF ONE'S SEXUALITY.
LAST, I'M NOT NAIVE ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT EACH OF YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE YOUR MIND MADE UP AND THEREFORE YOUR POCKETS ARE NOT DEEPER BECAUSE OF IT.
I GET IT, IT'S EASY THING TO DO, BUT YOU KNOW IS NOT EASY BEING GAY OR TRANS IN ANY MISD SCHOOL.
>> IS JASMINE GROVE HERE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THEY GOT TO HEAR THEIR NAME SEVERAL TIMES? THAT WAS CAMPBELL'S, SO THOMAS SMITH, MARYANNE. IS IT CHAIRS?
>> GOOD EVENING. IT'S WITH NO GREAT PLEASURE THAT I RISE TONIGHT.
LIKE MANY OF YOU, I'D RATHER BE EATING DINNER AND JOIN MY CHILDREN WHO ARE WATCHING THE GAME.
YET EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TOOK THE TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO COME HERE TONIGHT, AND THAT MAKES TONIGHT IMPORTANT.
WE'RE HERE TOGETHER TO RISE FOR AND AGAINST A POSITION WE AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH.
EACH OF US IS INFORMED BY THEIR OWN BELIEFS, FAITH, MORALS, AND CHARACTER, AND HOW HAS THAT CHARACTER FORMED? ARE WE TOLD WHO WE MUST BE MOLDED INTO THE PERSONS THAT WE CHOOSE TO BE BY THE WHIMS OF OTHERS? NO, NOT IN THIS GREAT NATION.
EACH OF US MAY CHOOSE WHO, HOW, AND WHAT WE BECOME.
WE MAY LISTEN, OBSERVE, LEARN, AND READ WHAT WE WANT.
WE FORM OUR OWN OPINIONS, WE RESOLVE OURSELVES AGAINST THE TIDE OF POPULISM, FAT AND CHANCE.
WE MAY RESOLVE OURSELVES TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF OURSELVES, FIND INSPIRATION, PEACE AND COMFORT AND THE WISDOM OF OTHERS.
[00:45:01]
WE MAY FIND INSPIRATION, PEACE AND COMFORT IN THE THOUGHTS AND WISDOM TOWARDS OTHERS.THEIR STORIES FREE US, INSPIRE US, AND ENABLE US.
NOT TONIGHT, NOT TOMORROW, NOT NEXT MONTH, NEXT YEAR OR EVER WILL WE ALLOW ANYONE TO TAKE OUR BIRTHRIGHT.
THE RIGHT TO THINK IS THE BEGINNING OF FREEDOM, AND SPEECH MUST BE PROTECTED FROM THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE SPEECH IS THE BEGINNING OF THOUGHT.
THAT WAS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTHONY M. KENNEDY.
HOW MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO THINK INTELLIGENTLY WITHOUT THE FREEDOM TO READ, LISTEN, AND LEARN FROM IDEAS WE AGREE AND DISAGREE WITH? I DON'T PRETEND TO BE PRESCIENT ARE ALL KNOWING, JUST A KID FROM OAKLAND AND MOVE TO TEXAS FOR A BETTER LIFE.
I DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU OR YOUR CHILDREN AND I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO.
BUT THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD TELL YOU WHAT YOU THINK AND WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T THINK CAN AND CAN'T BELIEVE AND CAN AND CAN'T ASPIRE TO.
>> THANK YOU, MR. KRISTEN [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WILL RISE AGAINST THIS POSITION AND ASK YOU TO VOTE AGAINST IT [APPLAUSE]
>> MARYANNE, FOLLOWED BY KRISTEN HENDRIX AND KENDALL RICK'S.
I'M CURRENTLY AT PRE-K TEACHER JEANETTE PERRY.
I HAD THE HONOR OF GOING THROUGH MY Z MYSELF FROM PRE-K TO GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
NOW AS A TEACHER IN THE DISTRICT, I REALLY NEED TO SPEAK OUT REGARDING THE VOTE THAT'S BEING CONDUCTED THIS EVENING.
THIS POLICY IF PASSED WOULD BAN BOOKS, NON-BINARY CHARACTERS AND I'VE BEEN TEACHING FOR FIVE YEARS NOW.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH OF MULTIPLE STUDENTS.
MORE RECENTLY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, I'VE RUN A BOOK CLUB FOR THIRD AND FOURTH GRADERS IN WHICH I'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS THEIR LOVE FOR READING GROW.
I KNOW FROM WATCHING THESE STUDENTS AS WELL AS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT BEING ABLE TO SEE YOURSELF IN WRITING AND RELATING TO CHARACTERS IN BOOKS THAT AREN'T TYPICALLY ASSIGNED FOR CLASSWORK IS WHAT GROWS A LIFELONG LOVE FOR READING.
I KNOW AS A DISTRICT WE'RE FOCUSED ON STRIPING ON OUR 2030 VISION WHERE ALL OF OUR THIRD GRADERS WILL BE READING ON GRADE LEVEL IF THIS POLICY IS PASSED, I FEEL THAT IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO THAT GOAL.
THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO KNOW HOW ALL OF OUR STUDENTS FEEL, WHAT THEY THINK, AND MUCH LESS HOW THEY IDENTIFY.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR THEM TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
A SAFE FORM OF ESCAPE FOR ME HAS ALWAYS BEEN READING.
MINIMIZING THE BOOKS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS MINIMIZES THE SAFETY THAT THEY CAN FEEL.
NOT MAKING SOMETHING AVAILABLE AND NOT SPEAKING ABOUT SOMETHING DOES NOT STOP IT FROM EXISTING.
I WAS AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING WHERE BOOK BANDS WERE DISCUSSED AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HEAR FROM VARIOUS LIBRARIANS AND THE DISTRICT.
MY PARENTS WORKED HARD TO BE WHERE THEY ARE NOW AND WHO ARE TRAINED FOR THEIR JOB.
MULTIPLE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED HOW PARENTS CAN PUT A BLOCK ON THEIR OWN CHILD'S ACCOUNT FOR SPECIFIC CONTENT, AND I KNOW OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED THAT TONIGHT.
A SOLUTION TO THIS CONCERN FROM THE COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO US.
PARENTS CAN DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEIR OWN CHILD.
HOWEVER, A DISTRICT WIDE BOOK BAND DRIVEN BY THE WHIMS AND DESIRES WAS LIKE YOUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE A LONG-LASTING IMPACT.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A DISTRICT, TAKE A LOOK AT OURSELVES AND THINK ABOUT THE LEGACY WE WANT TO LEAVE.
THE LEGACY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AS LAST DISTRICT IN TEXAS TO DESEGREGATE.
WHAT COULD PASSING A POLICY LIKE THIS EVENTUALLY SNOWBALL INTO? IF WE START LIMITING WHAT OUR STUDENTS CAN COLLECTIVELY SEE AN EXPERIENCE JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT WHERE DOES IT STOP? RIGHT NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING NON-BINARY CHARACTERS, BUT WHAT'S NEXT? LGBT CHARACTERS, CHARACTERS WITH DIFFERENT RACIAL BACKGROUNDS, CHARACTERS WITH DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES TO WHAT SOME TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND EVEN BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE.
WHO WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE WHAT KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE AVAILABLE AND WHAT IS TOO MUCH.
>> KRISTEN HENDRIX, KENDALL RICK'S AND RICHARD BEN.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS KRISTEN HENDRIX.
I AM NOT HERE TODAY SHARING FACTS OR STATISTICS, I'M HERE TO SHARE MY HEART.
I CHOSE TO SPEAK TODAY ON BEHALF OF MY LOVE FOR MANSFIELD ISD.
IF I WAS NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR DISTRICT, I WOULD NOT BE HERE.
THERE ARE MANY CONCERNS THAT I HAVE REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE POLICIES REGARDING LIBRARIES.
I ONLY HAVE THREE, NOW TWO MINUTES TO OPEN UP MY HEART SO I HAVE ONE AREA OF FOCUS.
THE REMOVAL AND FUTURE BAND OF BOOKS THAT INCLUDE GENDER FLUID CHARACTERS.
THAT'S THE ONLY WORD I CAN USE TO DESCRIBE IT, IT'S CRUEL.
NON-BINARY STUDENTS EXIST IN EVERY MANSFIELD ISD SCHOOL, I HAVE TAUGHT HERE FOR 18 YEARS, I HAVE SEEN IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, I HAVE BEEN HERE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL YOU NAME IT.
THEY DESERVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF LOVE THAT ALL OF OUR PRECIOUS KIDS GET.
REMOVING LITERATURE THAT REPRESENTS OUR STUDENTS IS NOT PROTECTING ANYONE, IN FACT IS BULLYING AND IT'S TARGETING AND IT'S DISCRIMINATION AND FACTORS LIKE THIS IS WHAT CAUSES KIDS TO SELF-HARM OR WORSE TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
ALL KINDS OF STUDENTS EXIST AND IT IS OUR JOB TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
INCLUSIVE BOOKS DO NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS, INCLUSIVE BOOKS SOLVE PROBLEMS, REPRESENTATION MATTERS.
THE ACLU HAS ALREADY GOTTEN INVOLVED AND WE'LL TAKE LEGAL ACTION PER LETTER THAT WAS SENT TODAY.
I DO NOT WANT TO SEE MANSFIELD ISD IN THE SPOTLIGHT FOR NEGATIVE PUBLICITY.
[00:50:03]
PLEASE NOT AGAIN, NO MORE.I AM PROUD OF MY DISTRICT, I ONLY WANT TO HEAR GREAT THINGS.
AS YOU KNOW, LAST NIGHT I RECEIVED THE HUGE HONOR OF BEING NAMED MANSFIELD ISD IS ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR [APPLAUSE] THE MAJORITY OF MY DISTRICT TEACHER THAT YOUR APPLICATION WAS ABOUT MY PASSION FOR INCLUSIVE BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY, SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THIS AND SEE THE VALUE OF IT AND THE IMPORTANCE IN OUR LIBRARIES.
LAST NIGHT THE BOTTOM OF THE BEAUTIFUL PLAQUE THAT I WAS AWARDED SAID, WE DEEPLY VALUE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS.
I AM DEDICATED TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN MANSFIELD ISD.
>> KENDALL RICK'S, RICHARD FINN, AND AIDEN TIMS. AIDEN TIMS, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GOT TO HEAR YOUR NAME FEATURED.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS KENDALL RICKS.
I'M 17 YEARS OLD AND I'M A SENIOR AT LAKE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO SCHOOL IN MANSFIELD ISD SINCE I WAS IN SECOND GRADE AND THIS YEAR I WILL BE GRADUATING IN THE TOP 10% OF MY CLASS, AND I WILL BE ATTENDING BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.
[APPLAUSE] I ATTRIBUTE MUCH OF MY ACADEMIC SUCCESS TO THE EDUCATORS AND LIBRARIANS WHO PUSHED ME TO REACH MY FULL POTENTIAL.
IN THE THIRD GRADE WHEN MY TEACHER REALIZED THAT I WAS FINISHING BOOKS IN A MATTER OF DAYS, SHE WOULD RECOMMEND ME NEW ONES AND EVEN LET ME KEEP SOME OF HER PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
EVEN TODAY IN MY SENIOR YEAR, MY ENGLISH TEACHER PROVIDES US WITH NEW BOOKS AND WORKS OF LITERATURE THAT CHALLENGE OUR WORLDVIEW AND ENCOURAGE US TO QUESTION OUR PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS.
I, LIKE MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, I'M WELL AWARE OF THE POLITICAL TREND OF BOOKBANNING AND EXTREME GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT TAKING OVER THIS COUNTRY.
FOR ME AND MANY OF MY PEERS, RESOLUTIONS LIKE THIS ONE AREN'T JUST UPSETTING, THEY'RE AN ATTACK ON OUR EXISTENCE.
IN A WORLD THAT SHOWS TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT IT DOESN'T BELIEVE TRANS AND GENDER NONCONFORMING PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST, IT DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY.
IT DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT EQUITY AND PROGRESS ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH DEMOCRACY.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO WALK THROUGH THE HALLS OF MY HIGH SCHOOL AND SEE PEOPLE OF ALL IDENTITIES AND RACES AND BACKGROUNDS NOT JUST CO-EXIST, BUT STRIVE TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT EACH OTHER.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH BOARDS LIKE THIS ONE TRY TO TAKE THAT PRIVILEGE AWAY, YOU CANNOT.
I IMAGINE HOW TEMPTING IT MUST BE TO USE YOUR POWER TO CRAFT THE WORLD IN YOUR OWN IDEAL IMAGE, BUT I IMPLORE YOU TO REFLECT ON THE DANGEROUS IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
IF THAT IS NOT ENOUGH, I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE KIDS THEMSELVES.
THE KIDS WHO WILL FEEL SHUNNED BY THE ELIMINATION OF THEIR STORIES.
THE KIDS WHO SHUT DOWN BROAD STREET TO PROTEST AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY.
THE KIDS WHO CAN START A MOVEMENT FROM THEIR IPHONES.
I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELF IF THOSE ARE THE KIDS, IF THIS IS THE GENERATION YOU WANT TO MESS WITH.
[APPLAUSE] I KNOW MY TIME IS RUNNING OUT, BUT I'VE SPENT 10 YEARS IN THIS DISTRICT SO Y'ALL COULD SPEND 10 SECONDS LISTENING TO THE REST OF WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
IF YOU LISTEN TO ANYONE TODAY, LET IT BE THE STUDENTS.
IN THE UNITED STATES, EDUCATION IS NOT A PRIVILEGE, IT IS A RIGHT.
I'M SURE IF PARENTS ALWAYS HAVE THEIR WAY, EDUCATION AS WE KNOW IT TODAY WILL LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT AND THE PROSPECTS OF STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF, WOULD BE MUCH DIMMER.
I ASK THAT YOU VOTE NO ON THIS RESOLUTION AND KEEP YOUR GOD OUT OF MY EDUCATION. THANK YOU.
>> [APPLAUSE] RICHARD FINN, AIDEN TIMS, LAUREN MCCRACKEN.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RICHARD FINN.
I'M A PARENT AND RESIDENT MANSFIELD FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS.
MY SON HERE GOES TO MCKENZIE AND I HAVE DAUGHTERS MARTINEZ OR MONASH, AND ESPECIALLY HIS DAUGHTER WHO'S HOME CAMPUS IS ELIZABETH SMITH.
MY WIFE IS ALSO A DISTRICT TEACHER AND WE LOVE THE AMAZING PROGRESS MANSFIELD ISD HAS MADE OVER THE YEARS UNTIL NOW.
EVEN THOUGH MY WIFE AND I MOVED HERE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BEFORE WE EVEN HAD CHILDREN AND BECAUSE OF ITS INCREASING DIVERSITY THAT WE SAW BACK IN 2007, I HAVE READ THE POLICY AND I SEE CODED LANGUAGE.
I ECHO THE CONCERNS AGAINST THE PROPOSED RULE.
I'M TRUSTED TO DO MY JOB AT A STARTUP AND AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT A LOCAL CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, WHICH INCLUDES LEADING MY STUDENTS IN A DEVOTIONAL EACH CLASS AND TEACHING THEM CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, I TRUST LIBRARIANS TO DO THEIR JOB AS WELL.
GROWING UP, WE COULD READ ANY BOOK WE WANTED, MY WIFE AND I AND OUR FAMILIES, AND WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN TO DO THE SAME.
THIS OFTEN LEADS TO DISCUSSIONS.
I'LL SAY THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL IDEAS COME FROM READING THE MOST POPULAR BOOK IN OUR HOUSE, THE BIBLE.
IT HAS SEX AND WAR ABUSE AND GRUESOME HUMAN BEHAVIOR, BUT IT'S MOST IMPORTANT LESSON IS LOVE AND GROWTH.
THE PROPOSED POLICY REDUCES FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THOUGHT AND BOGS DOWN THE DISTRICT WITH UNNECESSARY BUREAUCRACY, UNNECESSARY COSTS THAT I HAVE TO PAY AS A TAXPAYER.
THE PROPOSED POLICY RESULTS IN MINORITY RULE AND THE MOST BANNED BOOKS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND IDEAS THEY MAY NOT AGREE WITH, BUT ALSO HELP US UNDERSTAND HISTORY.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE HYPERBOLIC BUT BANNING BOOKS IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS TO LOSING A DEMOCRACY OF EDUCATED POPULACE AND THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS.
IT'S THE FIRST STEP TO AN UNEDUCATED AND COMPLIANT MOB OF PEOPLE RULED BY AUTOCRACY.
I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSED POLICY. THANK YOU.
[00:55:06]
>> [APPLAUSE] AIDEN TIMS, LAUREN MCCRACKEN AND ANDREA LEVINE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AIDEN AND I'M AN MISD STUDENT ATTENDING LAKE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.
AS A STUDENT WITHIN MISD AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A VOTER, I WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO EXPRESS MY EXTREME DISSATISFACTION WITH THE PROPOSED POLICY UNDER CODE EFB.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MANY OF THE DISTRICT CHOIR STUDENTS CURRENTLY ATTENDING THEIR LAST EVENT OF THE YEAR WHICH YOU HAVE SLIPPED THIS SO-CALLED MEETING RATHER THAN YOUR TYPICAL SCHEDULED MEETINGS, I WANT TO KNOW UNDERNEATH, AND THE OTHER STUDENTS WHO ARE PREPARING FOR THEIR FINALS NEXT WEEK WHO CAN'T TAKE THE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO ATTEND THIS AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR BELIEFS.
AS ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS HERE AT MISD, I FEEL THE UPDATED POLICY COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY FAILS TO REPRESENT MY PERSONAL ACADEMIC INTERESTS, AS WELL AS THE DESIRES OF OUR COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND THE AVAILABILITY OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CULTURES, PERSPECTIVES, AND AUTHORS.
WHILE YOUR SPECIFICATION UNDER PARENTAL CONSIDERATION CLAIMS THAT, "IN GENERAL, A STUDENT IS AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELF-SELECT LIBRARY MATERIALS AS PART OF LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND THE LIBRARY PROGRAM, THE PASSAGE OF THE PROCEDURES AND CONTENT GUIDELINES ON OUR POLICY EFB WOULD DIRECTLY INTERFERE WITH OUR ABILITY AS STUDENTS TO SELF-SELECT THE LIBRARY MATERIAL WHICH WE CHOOSE [LAUGHTER] AND WISH TO ENGAGE WITH." WHILE I SUPPORT OTHERS RIGHTS TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES, THE CONTENT WHICH THEY CONSUMED AND ARE EXPOSED TO, PARENTS AND STUDENTS' RIGHTS TO NOT BE EXPOSED TO PARTICULAR MATERIALS SHOULD ONLY EXTEND AS FAR AS THEIR PERSONAL RIGHTS WITHOUT INFRINGING UPON MY OWN RIGHT TO SELECT WHAT LIBRARY MATERIALS I MYSELF WISH TO ENGAGE WITH.
THE ATTEMPTED REGULATION OF MATERIALS SEEKS TO ENSURE STUDENTS ARE CRAMMED FULL OF NON-COMBUSTIBLE DATA, CHOKED SO FULL FACTS WE FEEL STUFFED.
WE GET A SENSE OF MOTION WITHOUT MOVING.
>> [APPLAUSE] LAUREN MCCRACKEN, ANDREA LEVINE, AND THEN ERICA GARUSO.
>> MY NAME IS LAUREN MCCRACKEN.
I COME HERE TONIGHT AS A PARENT OF THREE YOUNG CHILDREN WHOM WERE RESCUED BY MY HUSBAND OR WE WERE RESCUED FROM THEM, I'M NOT SURE WHICH.
BUT WHAT DREW US TO MANSFIELD SIX YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE WAS THE EXCELLENT REPUTATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HAVING MOVED FROM A RURAL COMMUNITY WITHOUT MUCH DIVERSITY, MANSFIELD APPEALED TO US AS A PLACE TO RAISE OUR FAMILY SO THAT OUR CHILDREN WOULD BE EXPOSED TO PEOPLE, IDEAS, CULTURES, LANGUAGES OTHER THAN OUR OWN.
I'M TROUBLED BY THIS AGENDA ITEM REGARDING THE BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
OUR LIBRARIANS HAVE GONE THROUGH EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO VET BOOKS THAT WOULD BE AGE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SCHOOL POPULATION THEY SERVE.
THE SYSTEM AS IT STANDS NOW ALLOWS FOR PARENTS TO SPEAK WITH A LIBRARIAN AT THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL AND MAKE NOTE OF ANY BOOKS THEY WOULD PREFER THEIR CHILD TO NOT CHECK OUT.
THIS NEW PROPOSED POLICY UNDERMINES THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE LIBRARIANS AND WORSE YET, IT'S DISCRIMINATORY TO STUDENTS WHO DESERVE TO ALSO SEE THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, OR THEIR EXPERIENCES REPRESENTED IN LITERATURE.
THE PROPOSED PLAN REGARDING BOOK APPROVALS IS CUMBERSOME AND INEFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES AND CHOCK-FULL OF BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE THAT SERVES NEITHER THE HIGHLY COMPETENT LIBRARIANS NOR THE DIVERSE STUDENT BODY OF MISD.
AFTER HEARING THESE AMAZING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SPEAK, I'M PROUD THAT MY KIDS GO THERE AND WILL GRADUATE FROM HERE.
PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS AGENDA TOPIC ON BANNING THESE BOOKS.
OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER. THANK YOU.
>> [APPLAUSE] ANDREA, ERICA GARUSO AND THEN MORGAN PETERSON.
I'M A RESIDENT OF MANSFIELD AND THE MOTHER OF TWO MISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.
MY FAMILY'S DECISION TO MOVE TO MANSFIELD WAS BASED ALMOST ENTIRELY ON THE RATING OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE MADE A THOUGHTFUL CHOICE TO ENROLL OUR CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL RATHER THAN PRIVATE OR HOMESCHOOLING THEM.
THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN SECTION EFB HAVE LEFT ME ANGRY, FRUSTRATED, AND SAD FOR OUR STUDENTS.
TO SAY THAT I'M AGAINST THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
THE LISTED CRITERIA MENTIONED TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION STUDENTS VARIED INTERESTS, DEVELOPING A BALANCED COLLECTION, PRESENTING MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS RELATED TO CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES AND REPRESENTING MANY ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS, AND CULTURAL GROUPS.
IT ALSO LISTS ACCURATE AND AUTHENTIC FACTUAL CONTENT AS A CONSIDERATION.
[01:00:01]
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE HAVE EXISTED THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND ACROSS CULTURES SINCE ANCIENT TIMES.BANNING BOOKS THAT MENTION GENDER FLUIDITY IS NOT ONLY ANTITHETICAL TO THE CRITERIA YOU HAVE SET FORTH, BUT IT SENDS THE MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR TO OUR LGBTQ STUDENTS, THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES, THAT OUR SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT THINK THEY DESERVE TO EXIST AND THAT THEIR STORIES DO NOT DESERVE TO BE TOLD.
YOU ARE CODIFYING DISCRIMINATION AND CENSORSHIP IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IT HURTS THE STUDENTS WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, THE STUDENTS MOST LIKELY TO BE BULLIED, TO FEEL DEPRESSED AND OSTRACIZED, AND MOST LIKELY TO ATTEMPT SUICIDE.
THIS WILL CAUSE DIRECT HARM TO THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR WELL-BEING.
A GLARING OMISSION FROM ALL OF THE NEW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN EFB IS THE ACTUAL READING OF ANY OF THESE BOOKS.
[LAUGHTER] IF THESE CHANGES WEREN'T SUCH AN EGREGIOUS ABUSE OF POWER, IT WOULD BE ALMOST LAUGHABLE HOW WOEFULLY INADEQUATE IT IS TO HAVE A REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO READ THE BOOKS THEY ARE REVIEWING.
[APPLAUSE] IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT WHAT THE INTENT OF THESE CHANGES ACTUALLY ARE.
THE EXISTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE EFFECTIVE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AND PUT POWER IN THE HANDS OF PARENTS TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE RIGHT FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
IT ALLOWS US TO DO THAT AND KEEPS OUR LIBRARY'S FREE FROM PERSONAL BIASES AND POLITICAL AGENDAS.
>> ERICA GARUSO FOLLOWED BY MORGAN PETERSON AND THEN ELEANOR GARRETT GRIMSLEY.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M ALSO A FORMER ADMINISTRATOR AT MANSFIELD ISD, ONE OF YOUR STATISTICS YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
IGNORANCE IS DEFINED AS THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, OR AWARENESS.
IGNORANCE LEADS TO FEAR, FEAR LEADS TO SHAME.
THIS BOARD POLICY REVISION IS MADE OUT OF IGNORANCE.
A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, OR AWARENESS OF WHAT ALL STUDENTS REALLY NEED WILL LEAD TO STUDENTS HAVING LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, AND AWARENESS OF OTHERS.
STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO READING MATERIALS THAT ADEQUATELY REFLECTS ALL STUDENTS NOT JUST CERTAIN COLORS, SHAPES, SIZES, BELIEVES, SEXUALITY, ETC.
VISION 2020, ONE OF THE GUIDING STATEMENTS WAS OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS WILL HAVE CHOICES WITH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS REVISION OF THE POLICY TAKES CHOICES AWAY FROM BOTH PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
AS A FULLY CAPABLE PARENT, I DO NOT NEED YOU INTERFERING WITH MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO MY STUDENTS.
I TRUST THEM TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT WHAT THEY READ AND COME TO ME WITH QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, OR CONNECTIONS THEY'VE MADE WITH THE CONTENT OF THE BOOKS THEY READ.
THAT'S EFFECTIVE PARENTING, NOT SITTING AT HOME HOPING SOMEONE KEEPS A BOOK OFF THE SHELF SO THEY DON'T READ IT.
SOMETIMES BOOKS ARE THE ONLY ESCAPE OR WAY TO FORM A CONNECTION FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO WITH WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OR FEELING.
AS A HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER, I HEARD MANY TIMES, MISS THIS BOOK, FOLLOWED BY A PROFOUND IMPACTFUL CONNECTION.
IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT SUICIDE AND DRUG USE CAN BE PREVALENT ACCORDING TO YOUR CHART, WHICH ARE HUGE ISSUES NEGATIVELY IMPACTING STUDENTS TODAY, BUT THERE CAN BE NO MENTION OF GENDER FLUIDITY.
THIS FURTHER ISOLATES STUDENTS WHO NEED SUPPORT AND CONNECTION.
BOOKS CAN HAVE INFLUENCE, BUT THEY DO NOT MAKE A PERSON DO THINGS OR BECOME SOMETHING.
[NOISE] BRENE BROWN, RESEARCHER AND AUTHOR SAID, WE DESPERATELY NEED MORE LEADERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO COURAGEOUS, WHOLEHEARTED LEADERSHIP AND WHO ARE SELF-AWARE ENOUGH TO LEAD FROM THEIR HEARTS RATHER THAN UNEVOLVED LEADERS WHO LEAD FROM HURT AND FEAR.
SCHOOL BOARD, YOU CAN HAVE COURAGE.
YOU DIDN'T NOT HAVE TO BE LIKE KELLER OR DO WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING.
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ALL MISD STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] MORGAN, ELEANOR, AND THEN ALLISON HAMPTON.
>> MY NAME IS MORGAN PETERSON.
I AM A CITIZEN OF MANSFIELD, TEXAS AND A JUNIOR AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL.
IN PAGE 35 OF THE MISD POLICY UPDATE, DISCUSSION AND DEPICTION OF GENDER FLUIDITY IS PROHIBITED UP UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, AND EVEN THEN, DISCUSSION IS HEAVILY LIMITED.
UNDER THE DEFINITIONS PROVIDED ON PAGE 36, IT IS ASSUMED THAT ALL DISCUSSION OF GENDER IDENTITY MUST ADHERE TO THE IDEA THAT GENDER ASSIGNED AT BIRTH IS ABSOLUTE AND UNCHANGEABLE.
HOWEVER, THE LIMITATIONS POSED AGAINST GENDER-BASED DISCUSSIONS IS CONTRADICTORY TO THE PRIOR STATEMENT IN PAGE 30 THAT STATES THAT, SELECTED LIBRARY MATERIALS WILL "REPRESENT DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS AND CULTURES IN THEIR SELECTIONS".
YOU CANNOT HAVE TWO CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS IN THE SAME PROPOSED DOCUMENT.
YOU CANNOT PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND CENSOR THE IDEAS OF QUEER YOUTH AT THE SAME TIME.
THESE POLICIES ARE CLEARLY INTENDED TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST GENDER QUEER YOUTH WHEN PROVIDING THESE MATERIALS TO QUEER CHILDREN COULD BE LIFE-CHANGING FOR THEM.
IN INTERMEDIATE AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, CHILDREN START TO FORM THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND IDENTITY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SEEING RESOURCES THAT DEPICT THE STRUGGLES THEY ARE GOING THROUGH ONLY STANDS TO HELP THEM GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHO THEY ARE IN A REFERENCE ON WHAT THEY'RE FEELING AND WHAT THEY COULD DO TO ACT ON IT.
READING A BOOK THAT PROMOTES GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERIES IS NOT GOING TO CONVINCE THE CHILD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THEIR SEX WITHOUT REASON.
IT IS GOING TO PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SEEK
[01:05:02]
THESE FORMS OF TREATMENT AND TO PROVIDE A POTENTIAL PATH FOR THEM TO TAKE IN THE FUTURE.AFTER ALL, GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE HAS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF SUCCESS AND SATISFACTION AND IT HAS THE BENEFIT OF PREVENTING SUICIDE.
THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF SUCH IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES IS A LITTLE TO NO CONSEQUENCE.
SUICIDE IN QUEER YOUTH IS HEAVILY PREVALENT, NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR IDENTITIES ALONE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SCRUTINY AND MISTREATMENT AGAINST THEM.
TREVOR PROJECT ESTIMATES THAT AT LEAST ONE QUEER YOUTH ATTEMPTS SUICIDE EVERY 45 SECONDS.
THIS IS BECAUSE OF ACTIONS SUCH AS THESE.
THE DEEMING OF GENDERQUEER IDEOLOGIES IS SOMETHING MORALLY REPUGNANT, SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE, SOMETHING THAT MUST BE HIDDEN AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN SO AS NOT TO CORRUPT THEIR MINDS, CONSIDERING THEY'RE DEVELOPING IDENTITY AS A SIN.
PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, I KNOW SO MANY INCOMING FRESHMEN THAT HOPE FOR A HIGH-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE OF ACCEPTANCE AND TOLERATION.
THEY ARE CHILDREN, THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN IDENTITIES AND THOUGHTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ELEANOR, ALLISON, AND DAMIAN GREY.
>> GOOD EVENING, DR. CANTU AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS ELEANOR GARRETT GRIMSLEY AND I'M A MANSFIELD ISD TAXPAYER VOTER.
I ALSO HAVE MANY FRIENDS WHO WORK FOR OR HAVE CHILDREN WHO ATTEND SCHOOL HERE.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REJECT THE PROPOSED BOARD POLICY EFB REGARDING LIBRARY MATERIALS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU-ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE BRAZILIAN SOCIOLOGIST, PAULO FREIRE.
HE IS A FAVORITE OF MINE BECAUSE HIS WORK WAS ALL ABOUT INSPIRING THAT EVERY CHILD IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM AND HIS ENTIRE COUNTRY WAS ILLITERATE.
HE KNEW THAT READING IS A BIG DEAL.
TO READ IS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF ONE'S EDUCATION.
IT CERTAINLY TAUGHT ME A LOT AND I HATED READING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I READ TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD IN HIGH SCHOOL, ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY BANNED BOOKS IN AMERICA, THOUGH IT IS A BOOK I TAUGHT WHEN I WAS AN ENGLISH TEACHER.
I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT HUMANITY, BOTH GOOD AND BAD.
I KNOW WHY HARPER LEE INCLUDED EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, MURDER, AND RAPE.
IT'S NOT JUST A NOVEL, IT'S A HISTORY LESSON.
BUT SOME MIGHT CLAIM IT'S NOT FIT FOR EDUCATION BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT RACIAL AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, OR GOD FORBID, IT WAS WRITTEN BY A LESBIAN.
BUT CONSIDER VARIOUS THOUGHTS ON SENSORY IN THE LEARNING PROCESS.
ANY SITUATION IN WHICH SOME INDIVIDUALS PREVENT OTHERS FROM ENGAGING IN THE PROCESS OF INQUIRY IS ONE OF VIOLENCE.
THE MEANS USED ARE NOT IMPORTANT.
TO ALIENATE HUMAN BEINGS FROM THEIR OWN DECISION-MAKING IS TO CHANGE THEM INTO OBJECTS.
I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO TURN THE STUDENTS IN MSD INTO OBJECTS.
BETTER TO ADOPT THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CODE OF ETHICS.
THEY UPHOLD THE PRINCIPLES OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND RESIST ALL EFFORTS TO CENSOR LIBRARY RESOURCES.
BY THE WAY, PAULO FREIRE WROTE MANY BOOKS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THEM.
>> ALLISON HAMPTON. ALLISON THEN DAMIAN GREY AND THEN KAYLA BEER.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALLISON HAMPTON AND I TEACH AP AND DUAL CREDIT ENGLISH COURSES AT FRONTIER STEM ACADEMY.
I'VE BEEN AN ENGLISH TEACHER FOR FIVE YEARS AND I HAVE TAUGHT ENGLISH 1, 2, 3, AND ENGLISH AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL.
I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN LITERATURE.
THERE'S A FOCUS ON YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE, MANY OF THOSE INCLUDE LGBTQIA FOCUSES.
TO SAY THAT I'M QUALIFIED TO VET AND DECIDE WHICH BOOKS ALIGN WITH STATE AND COLLEGE BOARD OBJECTIVES TO TEACH IN MY CLASS WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
I ENGLISH 3, WE'D READ A VARIETY OF DIVERSE WORKS THAT INCLUDE THE TEACHING OF ARISTOTLE, THE SATIRE OF JONATHAN SWIFT, THE GREAT GATSBY, THE CRUCIBLE, AND WORKS FROM THE TRANSCENDENTALISM ERA.
ALONGSIDE THESE WORK STUDIES, WE ALSO READ WORKS BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY, LANGSTON HUGHES, ZORA NEALE HURSTON, AMY TAN, AND SHAKESPEARE WHO WOULD BE BANNED; UNDER THIS LAW.
SOME OF THESE TITLES MIGHT SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU.
YOU PROBABLY READ THEM IN SCHOOL, YOU'VE DEFINITELY SEEN THEM IN A LIBRARY.
IT'S ON THEIR UPCOMING SYLLABUS.
EACH AND EVERY WORK TAUGHT AT THE ENGLISH 3 LEVEL WOULD BE DEEMED AS INAPPROPRIATE AND UNSUITABLE FOR THE CLASSROOM ACCORDING TO THE VAGUE AND HARMFUL GUIDELINES PROVIDED IN YOUR RUBRIC.
CENSORING THESE WORKS BY PROLIFIC AND CHALLENGING AUTHOR SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT FOR CENSORSHIP WITHIN EDUCATION AND AGAINST TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
THERE'S A NARRATIVE THAT SURROUNDS GENERATION Z AS A GENERATION WHO ONLY WANTS TO WATCH TIKTOKS AND PLAY VIDEO GAMES.
I'VE TAUGHT THEM FOR FIVE YEARS.
I'M HERE TO SAY IT'S NOT TRUE.
MY STUDENTS READ AND LOVED THE GREAT GATSBY AND THEY SPOKE CANDIDLY ABOUT THE JAY AND DAISY'S TUMULTUOUS RELATIONSHIPS.
THEY PERFORMED THE CRUCIBLE AND LOOKS FORWARD TO OUR READINGS EVERY SINGLE CLASS PERIOD.
THEY KEPT NATURE JOURNALS AND SPENT TIME OUTSIDE WITHOUT THEIR PHONES REFLECTING ON TRANSCENDENTALISM.
THEY CHECK OUT BOOKS FROM OUR LIBRARIES AND WE TALK ABOUT THEIR TO-BE-READ PILE.
THE GEN Z STUDENTS I TEACH LIKE TO READ, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY LIKE TO BE CHALLENGED, LEARN THE HISTORY THAT ACCOMPANIES THE WORKS WE READ AND QUESTION THE WORLD WE LIVE IN AS AN ENGLISH CLASS IS INTENDED TO DO.
MANSFIELD ISD IS SUPPOSE TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, LEARN, AND TEACH, BUT IF EVERY BOOK THAT CHALLENGES OUR STUDENTS IS CHALLENGED AND THEN BANNED, WHAT ARE THEY LEARNING?
>> LITERATURE CONNECTS DEEPLY WITH HISTORY, AND WE ARE NOT AWARE OF OUR HISTORY, WE ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT.
OUR STUDENTS AT MISD DESERVE TO READ, LET THEM READ.
>> KAYLA BEER. [APPLAUSE] KAYLA?
[01:10:05]
THEN EDWARD COM AND BRANDY GARRETT GRIMSLEY.I ATTEND LA GRANGE HIGH SCHOOL.
PARENTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT CURRICULUM IS BEING TAUGHT TO THEIR CHILD, BUT WHEN IS IT CROSSING THE LINE? IF WE CONTINUE TO BAN MORE AND MORE BOOKS, STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO REFER TO OUTSIDE UNSAFE SOURCES FOR INFORMATION.
IT IS SAFER FOR OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN THIS CONCEPT IN A PROTECTED LIBRARY WITH THE GUIDANCE OF TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS RATHER THAN THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, OTHER INFLUENCES, OR WEBSITES.
JUST BECAUSE ONE PARENT DOES NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR CHILD READING A CERTAIN CONTENT DOES NOT MEAN IT NEEDS TO BE RESTRICTED FROM ALL STUDENTS.
BOOK BANNING VIOLATES FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND OR ORGANIZATIONS WHO REMOVE BOOKS FROM PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND SCHOOL READING LISTS BECAUSE THEY OBJECT TO THEIR CERTAIN CONTENT, IDEAS, OR THEMES.
JUST BECAUSE A CERTAIN BOOK DOES NOT SUIT ONE PERSON OR GROUPS LIKINGS DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULD BE UP TO DISCUSSION FOR A BAN.
BOOK BANNING CLEARLY VIOLATES THE RIGHTS TO RECEIVE AND EXPRESS IDEAS.
ALONGSIDE VIOLATING RIGHTS, BANNING BOOKS CAN DAMAGE A PERSON'S EGO AND SELF-ESTEEM.
ADOLESCENTS TODAY ALREADY STRUGGLED WITH FITTING IN AND FEELING LIKE OUTSIDERS, ESPECIALLY ADOLESCENTS WITH DIFFERENT SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS THAN THE NORM.
WHILE BOOKS ARE MAINLY BEING BANNED? LGBTQ AND RELIGIOUS RELATED MATERIAL.
BY TAKING AWAY LITERATURE THAT INCLUDES THESE TOPICS, STUDENTS MAY FEEL LIKE THEY DO NOT BELONG, ULTIMATELY TAKING A TOLL ON MENTAL HEALTH, LEADING TO DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND MANY OTHER ISSUES.
SCHOOL BOARDS ARE GIVING PARENTS TOO MUCH CONTROL.
A PARENT COMPLAINS ABOUT A BOOK, THEN IT GETS ADDED TO A LIST.
FROM THAT LIST, IT'S DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT THE BOOK SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO THE PUBLIC.
THESE LISTS COME FROM CONSERVATIVE GROUPS THAT DON'T SUPPORT THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND DON'T AGREE WITH SOME RELIGIOUS PRACTICES.
LITERATURE SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED BECAUSE A CONTENT DOES NOT AGREE WITH PERSONAL BELIEFS.
EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON WHAT TYPE OF READING MATERIAL THEY'RE FOND OF.
IN CONCLUSION, THE CONCEPT OF BOOK BANNING IS UNNECESSARY BECAUSE IT VIOLATES RIGHTS, FREEDOM IN EDUCATION, AND DAMAGES MENTAL HEALTH.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS EDWARD COMBE AND I'M A CURRENT STUDENT AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL.
WHY I DO LOVE MY SCHOOL THIS EVENING, I'M HERE TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING AND PERVASIVE ISSUE OF BUGS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS OF MIC PARTICULARLY IN HIGH SCHOOL, THAT MAY LEAD TO THE DEMISE OF EVERY STORY BEING TOLD.
ACCORDING TO THE ORGANIZATION PEN AMERICA, 41% OF ALL BAND BUGS CURRENTLY ADDRESSED THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY IN 2022.
EVOLVING BACKWARDS STEPS LIKE THESE EXEMPLIFY MOMENTS AND LIVELIHOODS LIVED IN REPRESSION, RATHER THAN EXPRESSION AND ACCEPTANCE, EVERY YOUNG PERSON MUST AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO FEEL.
THE ABILITY TO READ A BOOK AND FEEL REPRESENTED AND FEEL YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOUR SITUATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE THAT EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT BACKGROUND THEY COME FROM, SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY CITY DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPERATIVE NATURE SURROUNDING THIS AND BELIEVES THAT BOARD MEMBERS IS BY THEIR LACK OF LITERATURE DEGREES, OR UNDERSTANDING THE VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS THEY OVERSEE SERVING ON THE BOARD.
IT HAD THE POWER AND ABILITY TO DO SO IN THE NAME OF PROTECTING CHILDREN.
DIVERSITY HAS MADE ME STRONGER, MORE EMPATHETIC, AND HAS ALLOWED ME TO LIVE A LIFE WITH THE VIRTUES OF COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY IN MY EVERYDAY LIFE.
AUTHOR AND ACTIVIST CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE ONCE SAID THAT A CONSEQUENCE OF THE SINGLE STORY IS THIS.
IT MAKES OUR RECOGNITION FOR EQUAL HUMANITY DIFFICULT.
IT EMPHASIZES HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT RATHER THAN HOW WE ARE SIMILAR.
IF OUR GOAL AS A DISTRICT IS TO CREATE A WORLD AND AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY CHILD FEELS SAFE AND HEARD, DECISIONS LIKE THESE ARE JUST FATEFUL STEP BACKWARDS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[APPLAUSE] BRANDON GARRETT GRAMS FOLLOWED, BUT GWEN BOLLINGER AND KIM ROGUE I BELIEVE. GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DR. CANTU.
MY NAME IS BRANDON GARRETT GRAMS. I'M A MANSFIELD TAXPAYER, VOTER, AND EDUCATOR.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT IN OPPOSITION TO THE NEWLY PROPOSED POLICY CONCERNING LIBRARY BOOKS SELECTION AND REVIEW.
CURRENT POLICY ALLOWS PARENTS COMPLETE CONTROL OVER BOOKS THEIR CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED TO CHECK OUT.
THE PROPOSED POLICY ASSERTS CONTROL OVER WHAT OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN CAN CHECK OUT.
CURRENT POLICY WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY LIBRARIANS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, WAS WRITTEN BY THE EXPERTS ARE MISD LIBRARIANS AND MISD STAKEHOLDERS.
THEIR PROPOSED POLICY SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN DRAFTED WITHOUT THE INPUT OF OUR MISD LIBRARIANS.
THE PROPOSED POLICY SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CRAFTED BY AN OVERREACHING POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE WHO USED OUTSIDE INFLUENCERS TO CRAFT THEIR PROPOSAL.
MISD LIBRARIANS ARE THE EXPERTS.
LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS, LET THEM OPERATE UNDER THE POLICY THEY HELPED SHAPE TWO YEARS AGO, VOTE AGAINST THE PROPOSED POLICY CHANGE.
>> GWEN BOLLINGER AND THEN AFTER GWEN IS KIM ROGUE,
[01:15:04]
THEN ALICIA HUNTER AND MARILYN WHITNEY.>> GOOD EVENING. I'M GWEN BOLLINGER, MANSFIELD, HOMEOWNER, AND MISD PARENTS.
PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS RIGHTFULLY EXPECT TO HEAR SPECIFIC QUANTIFIABLE STEPS BEING TAKEN TO TURN OUR DECLINING EDUCATIONAL RATINGS AND GROWING SAFETY CONCERNS AROUND.
BUT INSTEAD, NON-FACTUAL RHETORIC AGAINST BOOKS HAS BEEN INDULGED.
SOME BOOKS AUTHORED BY NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS REFERENCE NATIONALLY, EVEN ON THE AP EXAM, WHICH IN ITSELF IS SO TELLING.
LIMITING INFORMATION INEVITABLY CREATES GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE, LEAVING MISD LEARNERS BEHIND THEIR PEERS GLOBALLY.
THERE ARE ZERO REPUTABLE STUDIES LINKING LIMITING INFORMATION WITH ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
PROPOSED CENSORSHIP EFFORTS WILL REQUIRE THOUSANDS OF HOURS TO REVIEW BOOKS AT A TIME WHEN OUR RESOURCES ARE ALREADY STRETCHED THIN AND VOTERS WANT EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS INSTEAD.
BANDS LEAVE MISD VULNERABLE TO LITIGATION WITH DIRECT CONFLICTS WITH FIRST AND 14TH AMENDMENTS PLUS TITLE IX RIGHTS OF ALL STUDENTS THAT EXIST IN THIS AWFUL OF POLICY.
I ENCOURAGE THIS BOARD TO RESEARCH THE US SUPREME COURT'S DECISION IN BOARD OF EDUCATION ISLAND TREES UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT VERSUS PICO.
I'M A TYPICAL AVERAGE WHITE, HETEROSEXUAL PARENT PRIVILEGED WITH AN INVITATION TO JOIN THE DAR AND EVEN I NOTICE THE GROSSLY DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF BOOKS QUESTIONED ARE AUTHORED BY LGBTQIA AND OR MINORITY AUTHORS, WHY? THE CONCRETE MATH OF THIS SCREAMS DISCRIMINATION.
THIS UNACCEPTABLE POLICY BETRAYS DIVERSE GROWING MANSFIELD POPULATION WHOSE IDENTITIES AND VOICES WILL BE HEARD.
HOW WILL OUR SCHOOL BOARD JUSTIFY DRAINING EDUCATIONAL FUNDS FOR THE AVOIDABLE, INCREASED LEGAL EXPENSES COMING FOR THIS? A FEW FEARFUL EXTREMISTS CLASHING PROVERBIAL PASTE PEARLS HAVE FULL AUTONOMY TODAY ALREADY.
>> NO, I'M SORRY, EVERYBODY. [APPLAUSE]
>> I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY VERY OWN ORGANIZED SPEECH, BUT THIS WAS VERY LAST-MINUTE BOARD MEETING THAT WAS SWEPT UNDER THE RUG FOR MY KNOWLEDGE.
I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY NEED OF KNOWLEDGE IN THIS TOWN.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT MANSFIELD IS KNOWN FOR ITS NOTABLE REPUTATION OF BEING, HAVING STUDENTS COME OUT AS COLLEGE CAREER AND LIFE READY, BUT LIMITING THE POWER OF ANATOMY AND EDUCATIONAL USES IS PROHIBITING THIS.
AS YOU SEE, YOUR VISION SAYS LIVE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.
BUT INSTEAD, IT JUST SAYS CONFORM TO WHITE SUPREMACY, BASICALLY.
[APPLAUSE] INSTEAD OF MANTLE MOVING FORWARD, IT SEEMS WE'RE JUST MOVING BACKWARDS IN TIME ELIMINATING MY RELIGIOUS LEARNING ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST, LEARNING ABOUT GAY RIGHTS AND THE MOVEMENTS, CIVIL RIGHTS.
MANSFIELD IS KNOWN FOR ITS BEN BARBER INNOVATION ACADEMY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEIR BRILLIANT HEALTH SCIENCE FIELDS.
WITH NO SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO FILL THESE LEARNING GAPS OF ONE OF THEM, BARBARA'S BIGGEST ENDORSEMENTS, YOU'RE DOOMED TO FALL.
I SPEAKING AS WANTING TO BECOME A MEDICAL STUDENT, TAKING THESE CLASSES I'VE MAKE IT FIND IT EASIER TO CONNECT WITH OTHER HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONS AND MAKING THE NETWORK PROCESS EASIER.
BUT REMOVING THE LEARNING OF ANATOMY EDUCATION DISADVANTAGES STUDENTS INSPIRING TO ENTER THE MEDICAL MAJORS.
STRESSES STUDENTS TO FIND NEW CURRICULUMS IN AS MY TEACHER, SHE CAME OUT HER TO SPEAK, BUT I WOULD NOT BLAME THE TEACHERS IF THEY HAD LEFT.
THEY CANNOT TEACH IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO LEARN IF YOU ARE ELIMINATING OUR EDUCATION? THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> MARILYN WHITNEY, CALA BODA, AND THEN LANDRY RIGBY.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALICIA HUNTER.
I'M A STUDENT ON FRONTIER STEM ACADEMY.
AS A STUDENT OF COLOR, I WORRY THAT THESE POLICIES WOULD ERASE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF HISTORY AND BOOKS THAT SPREAD AWARENESS OF NOT ONLY MY HISTORY, BUT THE HISTORY OF ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS.
EXAMPLES BEING THE BOOKS THE HATE U GIVE, AND BOOKS LIKE TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD THAT SHOW THE FLAWS OF HISTORY.
THINGS SUCH AS RACISM TO PEOPLE OF COLOR AND PEOPLE LIKE ME, PARALLELS TO THE EMMETT TILL LYNCHING.
HIS ACCUSER JUST PASSED AWAY A FEW WEEKS AGO, WHICH MAKES THESE ISSUES VERY IRRELEVANT AND THINGS SO WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
I WORRIED THAT AT THE NEXT CULTURE FAIR OR ABOUT ME PROJECT, A TEACHER MAY BE FORCED TO TELL THE CHILD THAT THEIR PROJECT IS NOT
[01:20:02]
APPROPRIATE AND THAT THEIR HISTORY CANNOT BE READ IN THE CLASSROOM.THESE BOOKS CHALLENGE DIVERSITY AND ADDRESS ONGOING PROBLEMS IN A WAY THAT MAKES US FEEL HURT AND CONFIDENT AS WE FIND OUT WAYS TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS IN A WAY TO MAKE THE FUTURE A BETTER PLACE.
THE RESTRICTIONS IN MISD NEW POLICIES ARE VERY VAGUE.
THE RUBRIC HAS NO SET PARAMETERS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE ON THE BOARD.
HOW ARE THE BUGS GOING TO BE CHOSEN? WHO IS GOING TO BE ON THERE? WILL IT BE ADULT? WILL IT BE STUDENTS? WILL IT BE A DIVERSE CAST OF PEOPLE TO VOTE? HOW DO WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE BIAS? IT ALSO ALLOWS ROOMS FOR IGNORANCE AND LACK OF AWARENESS FOR NEW-GENERATION FLIRTING WITH THESE POLICIES IMPLEMENTED.
IT GIVES ROOMS FOR ENJOYABLE LEISURE BOOKS SUCH AS COMICS, MANGA, AND EVEN MORE WELL-KNOWN TITLES LIKE [INAUDIBLE] WOULD BE KIDS TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM CHILDREN THAT FOUND LOVE IN THESE NOVELS.
PEOPLE LIKE US THAT HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, THAT HAVE HAD FUN GOING TO LIBRARIES AND CHOOSING THESE BOOKS.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES WILL NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE TO FUTURE STUDENTS.
THERE'S EVEN A CHANCE THAT HISTORY CAN BE ERASED, THAT MY HISTORY CAN BE ERASED.
THERE'S AN EVEN HIGHER CHANCE THAT WE ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. MARILYN WHITNEY, KATE LANDRY, AND THEN MARK HAYES. GO AHEAD.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MARILYN WHITNEY.
I'M A TEACHER AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL.
WHEN I WAS A KID AND WATCHED THE WIZARD OF OZ, BEFORE DOROTHY AND TOTO ROAD THE TORNADO INTO A COLORFUL FANTASTICAL LAND, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT AS A LITTLE KID, THEIR ACTUAL WORLD IN KANSAS WAS BLACK AND WHITE BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WAS PORTRAYED ON TV.
FOR THE LONGEST TIME, ANYTIME ANYONE MENTIONED KANSAS, ALL I SAW WAS BLACK AND WHITE IN MY BRAIN.
I SAW IT AS A BLACK AND WHITE STATE.
WHAT IF MY PARENTS ONLY THOUGHT I SHOULD SEE TV IN BLACK AND WHITE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT WAS WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG? WHAT IF MY LITTLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BELIEVED THAT BOOKS INCLUDING ILLUSTRATION SHOULD ONLY BE IN BLACK AND WHITE? I WOULD GROW UP BELIEVING THAT LIBRARY BOOKS ARE ONLY IN THOSE SHAPES.
IF I ONLY BELIEVE BOOKS AND TV SHOWS WERE BLACK AND WHITE, MY WORLD WOULD BE VERY LIMITED.
THE MISD POLICY UPDATE ON LIBRARY PURCHASE AND ACQUISITION IS LIMITING STUDENTS TO SEEN ONLY IN BLACK AND WHITE.
THE POLICY IS WRITTEN WORDS LIKE WIDE VARIETY OF LIBRARY MATERIALS, DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS, VARIETY POINTS OF VIEW, AUTHENTICITY, GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, DEVELOP A BALANCED COLLECTION PRESENTING A MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS RELATED TO CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES TO FOSTER CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.
THOSE WORDS SOUND LIKE THE MULTICOLORED, FANTASTICAL WORLD OF OURS.
BUT THE CHART ON PAGE 35 THAT LIMITS THE MATTER CONTRADICTS EVERY SINGLE NICE SOUNDING PHRASE ON THOSE PREVIOUS PAGES.
[APPLAUSE] THIS POLICY IS NOTHING BUT CENSORSHIP VEILED IN NICETIES.
WE HAVE TO RAISE CRITICAL THINKERS AND WRITERS WHO CAN THINK FOR THEMSELVES.
BECAUSE THE WORLD WE ARE PREPARING THEM FOR IN THE FUTURE IS NOT THE WORLD THAT EXISTS NOW.
IF YOU CANNOT READ FREELY ABOUT A VARIETY OF TOPICS, HOW CAN YOU THINK FREELY ABOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD? THEREFORE, I STRONGLY AND VEHEMENTLY DISAPPROVE OF THE LIBRARIES ACQUISITION UPDATES.
BY THE WAY, KANSAS IS MULTICOLORED.
>> I'M SORRY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE EVERYBODY.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS KATE CALAVODA.
I'M ALSO A SOCIAL WORKER, A PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT, AND A FUTURE LPC.
I CAME TONIGHT WITH A LOT OF FACTS TO PRESENT TO YOU, BUT NONE OF THE FACTS THAT I CAN PRESENT TO YOU RIGHT NOW ARE NEARLY AS POWERFUL AS WHAT EVERYONE HAS SHARED HERE TONIGHT.
THE STUDENTS, THE FACULTY, THE LIBRARIANS, I CAN TALK ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF A TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUAL WHO MIGHT COMMIT SUICIDE.
A PERSON, A STUDENT, WHO HAS A GENDER IDENTITY THAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEIR PHYSIOLOGICAL ANATOMY MIGHT BE.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
AFTER LISTENING TO THESE POWERFUL STORIES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, THAT'S NOT WHAT ANY OF US NEED TO HEAR, INSTEAD WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT LIVES, NOT STATISTICS.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE PRESERVE MENTAL HEALTH.
IT IS NOT BY BANNING BOOKS, IT IS NOT BY RESTRICTING ACCESS TO STORIES THAT HELPS STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG.
THEY HAVE A STORY THAT MATTERS, THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS A SIMILAR STORY, THAT SOMEONE GETS THEM, THAT THEY ARE OKAY, THAT THEY ARE NOT REPREHENSIBLE OR DEPLORABLE.
[01:25:03]
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL BE TAKEN AWAY IF THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA OR THIS PARTICULAR POLICY IS PASSED.THEREFORE, I IMPLORE YOU, PLEASE DO NOT PASS HIS POLICY AS WRITTEN.
IT IS CONTRADICTORY AS WRITTEN.
IN FACT, I WOULD SAY EVEN HYPOCRITICAL AS WRITTEN, AND THEREFORE IT CANNOT PASS.
PLEASE, FOR THE SAKE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT, DO NOT PASS THIS POLICY AS WRITTEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
LANDRY? FINISH YOUR MARK AND THEN ADAM SHELBURNE.
>> MAYBE OPPOSITE. GO AHEAD LANDRY.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LANDRY RIGBY.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER AND I'M A STUDENT AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS A RESIDENT OF MANSFIELD, TEXAS.
IS RECENTLY BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD PLANS TO PASS A MOTION THAT WILL CENSOR CERTAIN TOPICS FROM BEING IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY.
UNDER THESE REGULATIONS, THE TOPIC OF GENDER FLUIDITY IS STATIONED AT SECOND-TO-LAST IN THE ORDER OF MOST SENSOR TOPICS IN OUR LIBRARY MATERIALS.
UPON READING THE DISTRICT'S GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, I NOTICED THAT STATES THAT OUR LIBRARY MATERIAL MAY NOT INCLUDE AND I QUOTE, "HARMFUL, OR OBSCENE CONCEPTS AS DEFINED BY THE TEXAS PENAL CODE IN CHAPTER 43, SECTIONS 21 AND 24." NOW I'VE READ THE TEXAS PENAL CODE AND IT SAYS THAT THE TERM HARMFUL IS DEFINED AS MATERIAL THAT IS A DOMINANT THEME OF SEXUAL ACTIVITIES, IS OFFENSIVE TO ADULTS OF THE COMMUNITY OR IS DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE FOR MINORS.
SIMILARLY, THE WORD OBSCENE IS DEFINED BY WHAT THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD DETERMINE AS AN APPEAL TO INTERESTS IN SEX.
I DO NOT SEE HOW GENDER FLUIDITY COULD BE DESCRIBED AS HARMFUL OR OBSCENE.
MORE ON THAT, THE GRAPH THAT IS PROVIDED IN YOUR POLICIES VERY CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE TOPICS OF SEXUAL AND ROMANTIC SCENES, DEPICTIONS OF NUDE INTIMATE BODY PARTS, SELF-HARM, AND TOBACCO USE BY MINORS ARE ALL DECIDEDLY SUPPOSED TO BE LESS CENSORED THAN GENDER FLUIDITY.
WITH THE LIBRARY'S MAIN PURPOSE BEING TO PROMOTE LITERARY INTERESTS AND TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A BROAD PERSPECTIVE OF MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEWS, IT IS SEEMINGLY AGAINST THE INTEGRITY OF THE LIBRARY TO NOT DISPLAY ALL BELIEFS IN ORDER TO BEST REPRESENT ITS STUDENT BODY.
WE ARE A DIVERSE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS AS TEENAGERS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND YET EACH ONE OF US DESERVES TO BE REPRESENTED.
WE ALL HOPE TO SEE OURSELVES AND WHAT WE ARE SURROUNDED BY, SO NO HIGH-SCHOOLER SHOULD BE OSTRACIZED FOR SIMPLY BEING THEMSELVES.
THEREFORE, THE MISD BOARD MEMBERS WILL RECONSIDER THEIR MOTION TO ADOPT THIS LIBRARY ACQUISITION POLICY.
>> MARK HEIZ, ADAM SHELBURNE AND QUINN WILLIFORD.
AS WE ALL CAN TELL THROUGH THE MANY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN UP HERE SPEAKING TONIGHT, TIMES ARE CHANGING.
AS I SPOKE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND A FEW WEEKS AGO, THAT THE POPULATION CHANGE IN TEXAS IS UPON US.
CALIFORNIA'S THE ONLY MORE POPULOUS STATE THAN TEXAS AT THIS POINT WITH JUST OVER 40 MILLION.
TEXAS HAS JUST OVER 30 MILLION, AND WE'RE ON TARGET TO BE THE MOST POPULOUS STATE IN THE COUNTRY BY 2030.
THAT'S JUST SEVEN YEARS AWAY, SO THINGS ARE CHANGING.
WHAT 35 MILLION STUDENTS, 5,000 STAFF, APPROXIMATELY, A GRADUATION RATE OF 94 PERCENT, 49 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
THE THING THAT IS CHANGING THE MOST IN THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS, PARENT INVOLVEMENT IS DOWN.
IT'S DOWN TO UNDER THE SINGLE DIGITS.
IT'S DOWN IN THE NINE AND 10 PERCENT FROM WHERE IT USED TO BE.
WHICH MAKES DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP ACTUALLY IMPORTANT.
THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, THE SAFETY OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
STUDENTS' SAFETY FIRST SHOULD BE THE KEY THAT'S ON EVERYBODY'S MIND AS THEY'RE VOTING TODAY, A POLICY THAT LOOKS AT SOCIAL MEDIA, A POLICY LOOKS AT THE CONTRACT POLICY AND THEN NOTIFICATION POLICY WITHIN OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE ALL KNOW THE ISSUES THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 3-5 YEARS.
THE RANSOMWARE THAT HANDSOME LAST YEAR, THE DATA BREACHES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, THE SPRING BREAK BASH THAT WENT OUT AND OVERWHELMED ROSE PARK JUST RECENTLY DURING SPRING BREAK.
THOSE ARE ALL SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVEN TYPE THINGS.
AS WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE TONIGHT ABOUT THE BOOK BANNING AND THE DIFFERENT BOOKS, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AS WE ADDRESS POLICIES, WHAT'S APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATIONS, AND HOW IS THAT COMMUNICATED TO OUR STUDENTS? IF YOU'RE FOR OR AGAINST? I AM VOTING AND URGE YOU TO VOTE IN THE PASSING AS THE STATE DID ENHANCEMENT SAFETY PROTOCOL THAT KEEPS OUR STUDENTS IN THE FOREFRONT, AS OUR THEME SAYS, AND SOME OF THE OTHER POLICIES, STUDENTS FIRST. THANK YOU.
>> ADAM SHELTER, AND THEN QUINN WILLIFORD AND THEN PRESTON HORN.
[01:30:04]
>> MY NAME IS ADAM SHELBURNE AND I'M A 17-YEAR-OLD JUNIOR AT LAKERS HIGH SCHOOL.
I WAS DIFFERENT SINCE I WAS 12 AND THE KIDS ON THE PLAYGROUND WERE TALKING ABOUT CELEBRITY CRUSHES AND PLAYING OREO, A GAME WHERE THE LOSER HAD TO ASK SOMEONE OF THE WINNERS CHOOSING OUT.
I NEVER HAD A CELEBRITY CRUSH OR CRUSH IN GENERAL.
LATER BECAME THE AGE THAT ALL THE GIRLS BEGAN TO WEAR MAKEUP AND DRESSED UP JUST FOR FUN.
I NEVER HAD THAT URGE AND ONCE AGAIN, AT THE AGE OF 12, FELT LOST AND ALONE.
AT 13, I FIGURED OUT WHO I WAS BECAUSE OF BOOKS, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO PUT A NAME TO SOMETHING I HAD BEEN FEELING.
THIS WAS ALSO THE YEAR I BECAME EXTREMELY DEPRESSED, EVEN THOUGH I HAD A NAME FOR WHO I WAS, I WAS STILL UNABLE TO EXPRESS MYSELF.
MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS ADMITTED TO A MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR SUICIDAL IDEATION.
I WAS 14 WHEN I CAME OUT TO MY MOM AS TRANSGENDER, A ROMANTIC, ASEXUAL, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO BREATHE.
FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, I WANTED TO LIVE, BUT OTHERS DIDN'T WANT ME TO.
IT WAS BOOKS THAT HELPED ME GET THROUGH THIS.
THE STORIES I READ HAD CHARACTERS THAT I COULD RELATE TO AND ENDED WITH A HAPPY ENDING, WHILE MANY OTHERS IN REAL LIFE DON'T.
IF VOTING, YES, IS COMING FROM A CHRISTIAN CONCERN, THE BIBLE STATES LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.
WHY CAN'T YOU LOVE ME AND MY FRIENDS? IF IT WASN'T FOR BOOKS, I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY REPRESENTATION.
I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CALL MYSELF A BROTHER OR A SON BECAUSE I WOULDN'T EXIST.
IF YOUR GOAL HERE TONIGHT IS TO KILL EVERY STUDENT THAT IS DIFFERENT CONGRATULATIONS.
BY VOTING YES, YOU ARE SUCCEEDING. THANK YOU.
>> [APPLAUSE] DAN CARLIN, BOSTON.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS QUINN MILFORD AND I'M A STUDENT AT MANSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'VE LIVED IN MANSFIELD ALL MY LIFE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO VOTE NO TO THE TASB 120 MISD POLICY UPDATE, SPECIFICALLY ON PAGES 29-30, SUB-CLAUSES 2,3,4,5,12 AND 15 DISCUSS INCLUSIVITY AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION PRESENTING DIVERSE VIEWPOINTS AND BACKGROUNDS.
HOWEVER, ON PAGE 35, THE AFB EXHIBIT AMENDMENTS WHICH COVER CATEGORIES FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL DO NOT INCLUDE THE DIVERSITY AND OPENNESS TO OTHER POINTS AND CLAUSES HAVE STATED THAT WILL BE INCLUDED.
ON ANOTHER NOTE, AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, I STRUGGLED TO SEE AND SEE MY CLOSEST FRIENDS STRUGGLE TO FIND THE RIGHT PATHS, AND FIND THE ANSWERS AND PAGES OF BOOKS.
I WOULD'VE LOST MY OLDEST FRIENDS IF THEY HADN'T BEEN REASSURED, THEIR FEELINGS ARE VALID THROUGH THE LIVES AND CHARACTERS IN BOOKS.
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN LEARN THROUGH READING RATHER THAN INSTRUCTION IS ENDLESS.
HOWEVER, RESTRICTING ACCESS TO CERTAIN BOOKS FOR EVERYONE RESTRICTS VITAL LESSONS STUDENTS WANT TO KNOW.
HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE AT THE AGE AND MATURITY TO PAVE THEIR OWN PATHS IN LIFE.
WE TRUST THEM TO DECIDE THEIR FUTURES, AND WE CAN TRUST THEM TO READ BOOKS THAT PERTAIN TO THEIR INTERESTS.
IF A BOOK MENTIONS A TOPIC THE STUDENTS DISAGREE WITH, THEY CAN CHOOSE NOT TO READ SUCH CONTENT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT AND FOR OUR STUDENTS' FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION.
THANK YOU, AND I YIELD MY TIME TO THE NEXT.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] PRESTON, THEN TAILAN, THEN MYRA MILLER CASTLES.
>> HI, MY NAME IS PRESTON HORN.
I'VE LIVED IN MANSFIELD FOR 13 YEARS.
I HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS IN MISD, TWO IN ELEMENTARY, ONE IN INTERMEDIATE.
TONIGHT I'M BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY WEARING MY DAD HAT [LAUGHTER] AND GIVING VOICE TO OPPOSITION OF THIS PROPOSED BOOK POLICY UPDATE.
THIS POLICY IS A SOLUTION STILL IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE THE EXISTING POLICY WORKS.
IT ALREADY ALLOWS FOR ANY PARENT TO RESTRICT ACCESS FOR THEIR CHILD TO ANY BOOK AT ANYTIME.
WHY ARE WE MAKING IT HARDER TO EDUCATE OUR KIDS? THE EXISTING POLICY WORKS.
A BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEE TO APPROVE BOOKS.
DO WE REALLY DISTRUST OUR TEACHERS SO MUCH THAT WE NEED TO MICROMANAGE THEIR SELECTIONS? THE EXISTING POLICY WORKS.
BUT COME ON, WE'RE NOT FOOLED BY THIS POLICY'S CODED LANGUAGE AND POLITE SOCIETY TALKING POINTS.
WE SEE THROUGH IT AND KNOW THAT OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WILL BEAR ITS BURDEN.
MAN, OUR TEACHERS, THOSE ALREADY UNDER-RESOURCED, UNDERPAID, UNDERAPPRECIATED, WE SHOULD BE PROPOSING WAYS TO BETTER SERVE THEM, NOT ADDING MORE ARBITRARY ROADBLOCKS TO THEIR DIFFICULT JOBS.
I FIND IT DEEPLY OFFENSIVE TO EVERY INTELLIGENT HUMAN IN THIS ROOM
[01:35:05]
TO PRETEND LIKE THIS POLICY IS ANYTHING MORE THAN A POLITICAL DOG WHISTLE.ON ITS FACE SEEMING BENIGN OR EVEN GOOD, BUT IN REALITY, IT WILL DEHUMANIZE AND OSTRACIZE THE ALREADY MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN OUR DISTRICT.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS AN ACTIVE DECISION TO BULLY AND DISENFRANCHISE THE QUEER COMMUNITY.
MANSFIELD HAS ALREADY MADE HISTORY.
THE MANSFIELD SCHOOL DESEGREGATION INCIDENT, AND IT'S GOT ITS OWN WIKIPEDIA PAGE.
YOU CAN LOOK IT UP. DO WE JUST LOVE BEING IN THE NEWS? THE EXISTING POLICY WORKS.
>> HI TAILAN BOSTON, MYRA AND THEN TAMMY HARLAN.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS TAILAN BOSTON.
I AM A FIRST WELL NOT A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER, BUT IT'S MY FIRST YEAR IN MANSFIELD AND I'M VERY JAZZED.
IN COLLEGE MANSFIELD WAS ALWAYS THE SCHOOL THAT ALL THE TEACHERS WANTED TO GET INTO AND I FINALLY GOT IN.
I AM A TIRED HISTORY TEACHER WHO SPENT ALL DAY HELPING MY STUDENTS RESEARCH CIVIL RIGHTS SUPREME COURT CASES.
I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK. DOES ANYONE KNOW THE COMMON THEME FOUND IN NORTH AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS? ANYONE? WHAT WAS THEIR PROBLEM?
>> REALLY NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
GOSH, WE NEED MORE HISTORY TEACHERS, NO TAXATION [LAUGHTER] WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
THE COMMON THEME AMONG MEXICAN OR MEXICO'S REVOLUTION, THE US REVOLUTION AND THEN OF COURSE, TEXAS' REVOLUTION WAS THEIR FRUSTRATION WITH OUR GOVERNMENT TO TAKE AWAY THEIR ABILITY TO HAVE CHOICE.
THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION ARE FOUNDED ON SEVEN PRINCIPLES TO ALL MY PERSONAL FAVORITES ARE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY.
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS ALLOWS FOR RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES.
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY TAKES THE POWER TO GOVERN AWAY FROM JUST PURELY ONE SECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT AND GIVE IT BACK TO THE PEOPLE.
I SPENT AN ENTIRE YEAR TRYING TO TELL APATHETIC STUDENTS THAT THEIR VOICE IN THEIR GOVERNMENT MATTERS ONLY FOR THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO COME AND FOR THEM TO BE PRESENTED WITH A POSSIBLE RESOLUTION THAT TAKES AWAY ONE OF THEIR FEW CHOICES.
AS STUDENTS AND AS AMERICAN CITIZENS, I ASK THAT YOU DO ONE OR TWO THINGS.
EITHER YOU VOTE NO TO THE RESOLUTION, AND WE CAN ALL GO HOME.
THAT WOULD BE DOPE OR COME TO MY CLASSROOM AND EXPLAIN TO MY STUDENTS PERSONALLY WHY YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY THEIR ABILITY TO CHOOSE.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, 15 SECONDS LEFT.
>> MARIE MILLER CASTLES, FOLLOWED BY TAMMY HARLAN AND THEN JULIE SHORT.
I KNOW THAT SEVERAL YOU ALL HAS SAID THAT THERE'S THE LIST OF BANNED BOOKS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN A LIST, SO I'M STILL WAITING FOR THAT.
I KNOW MANY ARE SAYING THAT THE BOARD IS WANTING TO BAN BOOKS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS FOUGHT THIS BATTLE SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2021, I CAN SAY NO ONE HAS EVER ASKED YOU TO BAN BOOKS AND I DON T FEEL THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER HAS SAID THEY WANT TO BAN BOOKS.
PARENTS LIKE MYSELF HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS FOR YOU TO HAVE BOOK BOUNDARIES.
WE HAVE ASKED FOR OUR CHILDREN'S MINDS TO BE PROTECTED AS STATED AS THE MISD'S VERY OWN SHACK RECOMMENDATIONS THAT OUR CHILDREN'S MINDS ARE NOT FULLY DEVELOPED UNTIL THE AGE OF 25.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE A RED OR BLUE ISSUE AS I CONTINUING TO HEAR.
THIS IS AN US VERSUS THEM ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY PARENTS WHO WANT TO SUBJECT THEIR CHILDREN TO VIOLENCE, DRUGS, RAPE, MOLESTATION, OR SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT KNOWINGLY.
I'VE HEARD MANY TIMES THAT WE SHOULD RESPECT LIBRARIANS.
WELL, I HAVE A PARENTING DEGREE.
I'VE BIRTHED ALL MY CHILDREN AND THE ONES I DIDN'T BIRTH, I ADOPTED.
[APPLAUSE] JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE EDUCATED, DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU SHARE THE SAME VALUES AS ME AND MY FAMILY DO.
WHEN YOU WALK INTO A RESTAURANT AND ASKED, THE CHEF DOESN'T COME OUT, WHO'S THE TRAINED PROFESSIONAL AND TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU, THEY ASK YOU WHAT YOU WANT.
I CAN SAY LIBRARIANS SHOULD RESPECT PARENTS WHO HAVE DIFFERENT VALUES THAN THEM.
MANY HERE HAVE SAID TONIGHT THAT THAT SHOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN TO READ SOME OF THESE BOOKS.
NO ONE HAS TALKED ABOUT THE TOPICS IN THIS BOOK, AND PARENTS ONLY KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW.
FOR ALL THOSE PARENTS WHO ARE WATCHING AND DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN SOME OF THESE BOOKS, I WON'T SHARE THE EXPLICIT CONTENT WITH YOU TONIGHT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE'S SUCH THINGS AS FATHERS-ON-DAUGHTER SEX.
THERE'S BOYS GIVING PEOPLE HEAD.
>> THERE'S OTHER TOPICS LIKE THAT.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND] TAMMY HARLAN, JULIE SHORT, AND THEN STONY SHORT.
HEY GUYS, EVERYBODY HAS GOTTEN TO BE HEARD.
[01:40:04]
LET'S CONTINUE WITH THAT.>> MY NAME IS TAMMY HARLAN AND I'VE SPOKEN AT THE BOARD BEFORE.
THE ONE THING THAT'S SHOCKING TO ME TONIGHT IS WHERE HAVE YOU ALL BEEN.
I GO TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, ALL OF THEM.
WHERE HAVE ALL OF YOU BEEN? IF YOU FEEL SO STRONGLY, COME TO THOSE MEETINGS, THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, YOU CAN SPEAK TO THEM IN THE I GUESS WHAT THEY SPEAK BACK.
SHOW UP. PARENTS AREN'T INVOLVED.
YOU'RE NOT. I TALKED TO MY SON.
I SAID YOU GO TO THE LIBRARY BECAUSE NOW WHEN I GO TO THE LIBRARY, IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT A PLACE HE WANTS TO BE BECAUSE HE HAS A LOVE OF READING, BUT HE DIDN'T GET THAT AT SCHOOL.
HE GOT IT FROM ME. I PROBABLY READ MORE BOOKS ON ANY GIVEN WEEK.
I HAVE STACKS. I MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
LET ME OPT HIM IN, LET ME OPT HIM OUT, LET ME OPT IN AND OUT OF SEL, THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO CHOOSE TO TEACH MY CHILD.
HE'S A VERY INTELLIGENT YOUNG MAN.
MY DAUGHTER IS A JUNIOR, GOING INTO HER JUNIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE.
BUT AS A PARENT, SHOW UP, I DON'T SEE ANY OF YOU SHOWING UP AT MEETINGS. I GO TO ALL OF THEM.
WE DO THE AWARDS AND EVERYBODY WALKS OUT AND IT LEAVES FIVE PEOPLE.
FIVE PEOPLE, REMEMBER THAT? COME TO THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, COME TOMORROW NIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY MEETING.
YOU CAN TALK TO THEM AND THEY'LL TALK BACK.
DON'T JUST PRETEND IT'S NOT REAL.
IT'S REAL FOLKS SHOW UP [APPLAUSE]
>> JULIE SHORT, STONY SHORT, AND THEN KYLE BURN.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS JULIE SHORT, I'VE BEEN A MANSFIELD FOR RESIDENT FOR WELL OVER 20 YEARS.
MY KIDS WENT THROUGH THE MANSFIELD SCHOOLS NOW I'VE GRANDCHILDREN AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOW BASICALLY WANTED TO COME TO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TONIGHT.
I'VE SAID ON THAT SIDE WHEN IT'S CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE AND WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN IS WHEN SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL ARGUMENT, THEY GO TO THE EXTREMES.
PEOPLE ACCUSING YOU AND MISREPRESENTING THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT KIDS AND ALL KIDS.
IT'S BEEN UNFAIR FOR YOU TONIGHT AND I WANT TO LET OUR COMMUNITY, KNOW AS MOST OF THEM DO.
HOW MUCH YOU DO CARE FOR KIDS? YOU DON'T DO THIS FOR ANY OTHER BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE'S NO GREAT POLITICAL GAIN BY BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S MORE TORTURE THAN PLEASURE AND I KNOW THAT FROM WATCHING YOU GUYS GO THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS YOU GO THROUGH.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STANDING STRONG, FOR STANDING UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, FOR STANDING UP FOR PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN.
WE DO IT OUT IN THE PUBLIC REALM.
WE PROTECT THEM FROM SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL.
THE MAGAZINES THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO READ ARE PUT AWAY AND THEY DON'T GET TO BUY THOSE, THE MOVIES THEY SHOULDN'T BE WATCHING.
THEY CAN'T GET INTO WITHOUT AN ADULT.
THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING THEM AT SCHOOL WHERE WE THINK IT'S SAFE TO SEND THEM.
>> THANK YOU. STONY SHORT AND THEN KYLE BURN
>> I'M STONY SHORT AND OBVIOUSLY, THAT WAS MY WIFE.
WE'VE LIVED IN MANSFIELD FOR 21 YEARS.
I PROBABLY THOUGHT ABOUT ONE MILLION DIFFERENT THINGS I WANTED TO SAY TONIGHT.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT I DID WANT TO DO IS NOT COME UP HERE AND MAKE MYSELF ONE WAY AND NOT SIT OVER THERE AND LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYONE HAD TO SAY.
SITTING HERE LISTENING, I HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MASTER'S DEGREES AND EDUCATIONS.
I HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS.
BANNING THIS BOOK OR BANNING THAT BOOK OR LGBTQ OR HETEROSEXUAL OR ALL THESE THINGS AND I THINK FROM JUST LISTENING AND TRYING TO USE WISDOM THAT I'VE GAINED OVER 58 YEARS AND RAISING SEVEN KIDS AND 12 GRANDKIDS, THAT IF WE'RE DIRECTED BY ANY ONE THING, BEING AN EDUCATION AND A MASTER'S DEGREE AND THAT'S OUR SOLE SOURCE, WHICH IT NEVER CAN BE.
OR IF WE'RE DIRECTED TOTALLY BY OUR FEELINGS, AND WE DON'T TAKE EDUCATION AND A HIGHER POWER INTO CONSIDERATION, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO MAKE A WRONG DECISION.
I CAN'T JUST BE MOTIVATED BY MY FEELINGS OR I'LL MAKE SOME WRONG DECISIONS.
I CAN'T MAKE ALL OF MY DECISIONS BASED ON WISDOM OR KNOWLEDGE THAT I'VE GAINED IN ONE AREA.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE KIDS AND YOU RAISE KIDS, YOU'RE DIRECTED BY YOUR EMOTIONS AND YOUR FEELINGS FOR YOUR KIDS AND SOMETIMES THEY OVERSHADOW YOUR WISDOM.
[01:45:01]
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO USE ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS THAT PUT A TARGET ON YOUR BACK EVERY DAY TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND FOR YOURSELF AND ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND USE YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR FEELINGS, AND YOUR EDUCATION AND YOUR FAITH [NOISE] AND ALL THOSE THINGS TO HELP YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS.IN THE ONES OF US THAT WILL SUPPORT YOU AND THE ONES THAT WON'T BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH IT
>> THANK YOU, MR. SHORT [APPLAUSE] KYLE BURN
I'M A FATHER, A HOMEOWNER, AND A VOTER. I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE ACCOMPLISHING WITH THIS REGULATION? DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE PROTECTING THE MINDS OF IMPRESSIONABLE YOUNG CHILDREN FROM DANGEROUS IDEAS? BECAUSE IF YOU THINK THAT, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO SOMETHING CALLED THE INTERNET [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] YOUTUBE, CABLE TV PODCASTS, HECK, EVEN BROADCAST TV.
THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.
ONE THING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH IS YOU'RE GOING TO ROB SOME POOR CHILD OF SEEING A FAMILIAR FACE OR SITUATION IN A BOOK.
A FEW KIDS WON'T BE ABLE TO RELATE TO ANY OF THE CHARACTERS THAT THEY SEE ON THE PAGES.
YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME KIDS FEEL EVEN MORE DIFFERENT, ALONE, AND DEPRESSED.
SECOND. WE HAVE DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES WHOSE JOB IT IS TO SELECT APPROPRIATE MATERIALS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THEY AND THEIR PARENTS SHOULD BE EMPOWERED TO DO THEIR JOBS WITHOUT YOUR MEDDLING.
THIRD, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, THIS CITY, THIS STATE, THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, AND THIS NATION LOOK LIKE A BUNCH OF CLOSED-MINDED, INTOLERANT BULLIES [APPLAUSE] WE WILL BE PORTRAYED AS A BUNCH OF BOOK BANNING SMALL [NOISE] MINDED BIGOTS.
IS THAT WHO WE ARE? [APPLAUSE] IS THAT WHO WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO GROW UP TO BE? THESE RULES WILL NOT DO ANYBODY ANY GOOD.
THEY WILL ONLY CAUSE HARM AND DAMAGE AND PAIN AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS [NOISE] I'M AN ADULT.
I KNOW POLITICS WHEN I SEE IT.
OUR KIDS ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR YOU TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS.
>> I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A VERY QUICK RECESS.
WHEN I SAY A VERY QUICK ONE, I MEAN LITERALLY LIKE A MINUTE OR TWO.
I ALSO ASK THAT THOSE OF YOU ALL THAT CAN STAY, PLEASE DO BECAUSE I WILL THANK MS. DR. REED FOR THE PATIENCE, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW ONE THING SHE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS EVENING.
RECESS. IT'S 9:05 FOR THOSE DOING THE MINUTES.
[BACKGROUND] WE ARE BACK FROM A VERY QUICK RECESS, AND IT IS NOW 9:10.
WE ARE RECONVENING ONCE AGAIN.
[7. Canvass the Votes of the May 6, 2023, Board of Trustees General Election for Place 6 and Place 7 Attachments]
LET'S TAKE US TO ITEM 7, JUST THE CANVASSING OF THE VOTES FROM THE RECENT ELECTION ON MAY 6.THIS WAS OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES GENERAL ELECTION.
FOR PLACE 6, WE HAD BENITO REED WITH 5,754 VOTES [APPLAUSE] AT 76.86%.
[NOISE] YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR GOOD NEWS, YOU GOT TO LET ME FINISH.
HER OPPONENT, I GUESS, WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY, QUINTIN V. JACOBI AT 1,732 AT 23.14%.
THE TOTAL VOTES CAST WERE 7,486 FOR 100% OF THE VOTES.
THE WINNER IN PLACE 6 IS DR. BENITO REED.
[APPLAUSE] I HAVE TO READ THIS PART ON MYSELF, SO IT'S AWKWARD.
BUT PLACE 7, COURTNEY LUCKY WILSON.
>> [LAUGHTER] THANKS, DYLAN. WITH 6,029 VOTES CAST AND 100%, AND SINCE IT WAS UNCONTESTED, I WAS A WINNER FOR THAT.
THOSE OF YOU ALL THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE EITHER OR SWORN IN,
[01:50:01]
THAT IS NEXT WEEK AT OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING. THAT'S WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN.[8. Business Items Requiring Board Action]
OUR BUSINESS ITEMS REQUIRING BOARD ACTION.8.1 IS CONSIDERATION, APPROVAL OF UPDATES TO BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.>> A MOTION MADE TO APPROVE, I'M ASSUMING, MR. TIPPING?
>> BY MR. TIPPING. CAN I HAVE A SECOND?
>> A SECOND MADE BY MS. NEWSOM.
WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE UPDATE TO THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES? MS. NEWSOM.
>> DO WE WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE CHANGES OR DO YOU WANT TO?
>> I DON'T THINK THAT WAS HERE.
>> THE COMMITTEE MET AND REVIEWED THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
WE HAD IT REVIEWED WITH THE ATTORNEY FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD.
>> WITH THAT, I'LL ASK ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE UPDATES TO THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, MAY I PLEASE SEE A SHOW OF HANDS? MR. DAVIS. NO? OKAY. THERE'S 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, MAY I PLEASE SEE A SHOW OF HANDS TO THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES? FIVE TO ONE. GOT IT.
ITEM 8.2, CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT EXTENSION WITH GENERAL LAND OFFICE FOR PURCHASING C&G.
MAY I PLEASE RECEIVE A MOTION.
>> A MOTION MADE BY MS. FARRAR. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> A SECOND MADE BY MR. TIPPING. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE STAFF ON THIS ONE OR ANY DISCUSSIONS ON ITEM 8.2? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, MAY I PLEASE SEE A SHOW OF HANDS? ONE, TWO. [NOISE] WE'RE SO STRAIGHT LINE TONIGHT.
IT'S HARD TO SEE EVERYBODY. THE MOTION PASSES 6-0.
8.3, CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 23-14, AUTHORIZING THE CASTING OF THE MANSFIELD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ALLOCATED VOTES FOR A CANDIDATE FOR THE TARRANT APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO REPLACE A RECALLED MEMBER.
MAY I PLEASE RECEIVE A MOTION.
>> MOTION MADE BY MS. ANDERSON.
>> A SECOND MADE BY MS. FARRAR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR CONCERNS ON THIS TOPIC? MR. TIPPING.
>> YES. THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT COMMITTEE MET THIS PAST WEEK TO DISCUSS THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE RECALLED MEMBER AND SO FORTH.
JUST A FEW THINGS THAT I WANT TO MENTION PRIOR TO GETTING TO THAT.
THE PROCESS THROUGH THIS HAS BEEN LESS THAN STELLAR.
LET ME TRY TO BE NICE WITH THAT WITH THE WAY THAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
THERE'S BEEN POOR COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT, WHICH HAS PUT US BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
WE ARE ONE OF THE ENTITIES THAT WAS ABLE TO VOTE IN THIS RECALL, YET WE WEREN'T INFORMED IN A TIMELY MANNER OF THE PROCESS AND SO FORTH.
I'M HOPING THAT THAT CAN BE STRAIGHTENED OUT IN THE FUTURE AND THE PLAN IS TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS IN THE FUTURE WITH THE TARRANT APPRAISAL DISTRICT IN REGARDS TO THAT.
BUT WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, WE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR THE REPLACEMENT.
THERE'S TWO CANDIDATES THAT WE WERE GIVEN.
I THINK ALL OF YOU RECEIVED THAT AND SO FORTH.
BASED ON DISCUSSION AND RESEARCH AND SO FORTH ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FOR MR. POINTE JUNIOR TO BE THE CANDIDATE THAT WE SUPPORT IN THAT.
NOW, WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, THE NUMBER OF VOTES THAT WE HAVE CANNOT SUPERSEDE OTHER VOTES THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE AND WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN CAST, BUT YET I FEEL IT'S OUR DUTY AND OUR RIGHT AS ONE OF THE TAXING ENTITIES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
ANYWAYS, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION IN THAT.
[OVERLAPPING] I'M SORRY. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK HIM REAL QUICK.
DOES THIS MOTION NEED TO ENTAIL THE PERSON'S NAME IN THIS APPROVAL? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND TOO, BECAUSE IT'S [OVERLAPPING]
>> FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, YES, THE MOTION DOES NEED TO BE ENTERED WITH THE CANDIDATE THAT WE ARE VOTING.
[01:55:04]
>> DEPENDING ON HOW WE GO, WE'LL COME BACK TO MS. ANDERSON IN A MOMENT. MR. DAVIS.
>> YES. MR. TIPPING HAS BEEN VERY NICE, BUT FOR OUR PUBLIC, LIKE I SAID, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED WITH TIMELY, NOT JUST IN THIS ELECTION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF ELECTIONS, WHERE THINGS HAVE BEEN POSTED AT LATE, AND WE GET THEM THE DAY THEY'RE DUE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO, IN MANY CASES, AT LEAST TWICE CONSECUTIVELY, THE TIME TO RESEARCH CANDIDATES, TO EXPLORE, TO HAVE ANY CONVERSATION ON IT.
FRANKLY, I'M IN FAVOR OF MR. POINTE. I'M SORRY, I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT OUT LOUD.
IT'S NOT THE TIME FOR THE VOTE. I'M IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF LANGUAGE INCLUDED IN OUR RESPONSE THAT REMIND FOLKS THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND AND WE ARE PART OF THAT PROCESS, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO SO IN A TIMELY MANNER.
>> IN OUR RESPONSE BACK TO THE TAD, IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN? YES. JUST TO CONFIRM THAT.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW THAT WE DID TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE VOICES FROM HERE WERE HEARD AS FAR AS WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE OUR VOTE ON IT WHEN THEY RECALL THE PERSON.
WITH THAT, I'LL ASK MS. ANDERSON OR CRAIG TIPPING TO ADJUST YOUR MOTION SO THAT WE HAVE A FULL MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ENTER IN A CHANGE OF MOTION AND PUT IN MR. FUENTES IS OUR CHOICE FOR TED.
>> WE HAVE MS. ANDERSON HAS [OVERLAPPING]
>> UPDATED HER MOTION FOR MR. FUENTES, AS OUR ELECTED PERSON AND THEN MS. FLORES SECONDED AGAIN.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THE REQUESTS THAT MR. DAVIS POINTED OUT THAT HE WOULD LIKE FOR THAT TO BE NOTED.
GOING BACK TO TAB THAT WE'RE NOT EVER GIVEN APPROPRIATE TIME TO RESPOND TO MOST EVERYTHING.
WITH THAT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION, MAY I PLEASE SEE A SHOW OF HANDS? THE MOTION PASSES 6-0.
THAT TAKES US THE ITEM 4, CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE FIRST READING OF THE TASB 120 UPDATE AND MISD POLICY UPDATE.
BEFORE WE MAKE THE MOTION AND GOING WITH THAT, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE MUCH MORE POLICIES HERE AS IT IS, AS IT SAYS, THAT WE DID HAVE A TASB 120 UPDATE THAT IS STATEWIDE.
WE ALSO HAVE, AS YOU'VE SEEN, A COUPLE OF OTHER POLICIES, AS WE'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT.
IT IS A FIRST RATING, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.
IT JUST GIVES EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT.
MOVE ON BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, THE BOARD RAISE EVERYTHING LIKE YOU GUYS DO OUT IN THE OPEN.
NOT EVERYBODY HAS HAD THE TIME TO STUDY EVERYTHING.
HOWEVER, TO DO ANYTHING WE'VE GOT TO CARRY ON.
I WILL ASK IF THERE IS A MOTION FOR 8.4 AND THAT IS A CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE FIRST READING OF THE TASB 120 UPDATE AND MISD POLICY UPDATE? IS THERE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR?
>> MOTION MADE BY MS. FLORES. WHO SECOND?
>> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR CONCERNS? I DO KNOW THAT MR. WRIGHT WORKS MOSTLY ON OUR POLICIES.
MR. WRIGHT, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUICK SUMMARY?
I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE THAT THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT THE POLICY REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS WORKED ON.
POLICY CKC MERELY TALKS ABOUT TRAINED, WE ALL KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE IN YOUR EOP.
THAT'S ALREADY IN OUR EOP OR EMERGENCY OPERATION PLAN.
FNG, THE MAIN THING ABOUT THERE IS IT'S ADDING THE CAFETERIA MEALS TO THE COMPLAINTS THAT DON'T GO THROUGH FNG AS
[02:00:02]
A PARENT COMPLAINT PROCESS POLICY FO.THIS IS REALLY A PHYSICAL RESTRAINT POLICY.
THE PART THAT CHANGED WAS A PHYSICAL RESTRAINT POLICY IN SPECIAL ED.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO TAKE OUT THE CONTROLLING OF A IRRATIONAL STUDENT.
I TALKED TO OUR SPECIAL ED DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS ONE.
THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY FINE.
THIS WAS NOT CHANGED IN ANY FASHION WHAT THEY DO IN SPECIAL ED.
WE RECOMMEND THAT CHANGE AS WELL.
DEC LOCAL, REALLY THIS POLICY TALKS ABOUT TEACHER LEAVE.
RIGHT NOW, THE DISCRETIONARY LEAVE OF A STAFF MEMBER.
THEY GET DOCKED IF THEY ARE TAKING OFF BEFORE OR AFTER A HOLIDAY, AND WE FEEL LIKE THAT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS LIKE WHEN IT'S A STUDENT HOLIDAY BUT A TEACHER WORKDAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEFORE OR AFTER A HOLIDAY, THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE STUDENTS THERE.
OUR PRINCIPALS AREN'T WORRIED ABOUT HAVING TO GET SUBS.
THAT THERE'S NO REASON THAT WE COULDN'T LET TEACHERS TAKE OFF ON THOSE DAYS.
THAT IT'S A STUDENT HOLIDAY AND A TEACHER WORKDAY.
IT'D BE DIFFERENT IF IT WAS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY.
THEN EF LOCAL, THIS IS THE MAIN TOPIC THAT'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
IF IT WENT THROUGH, EF LOCAL WOULD BE TAKEN OUT AND IN ITS PLACE WOULD BE EFA LOCAL AND EFB.
EFA IS INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND THEN EFB AND EFB EXHIBIT ARE THE LIBRARY MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT EXTENSIVELY ALL THROUGHOUT TONIGHT.
THEN ALSO TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT IS FE AND CE ABOUT PERSONAL ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES.
IT FURTHER DEFINES WHAT A PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICE IS.
IT DEFINES THAT THE EMPLOYEE MAY CONFISCATE THE DEVICE, THAT THE PARENT CAN PICK UP THE DEVICE, AND ACCORDING TO WHAT'S REALLY LAW, IT'S JUST REDEFINING THAT THE DISTRICT CAN CHARGE A ADMINISTRATIVE FEE OF $15 WHEN A STUDENT HAS TO PICK IT UP.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE DONE IN ALL CASES, BUT THEY CAN DO THAT.
THAT'S ALL THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE TONIGHT.
>> DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS ANYTHING TO SHARE OR SAY OR CONCERNS AT THIS TIME? MR. NEWSOM?
>> I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL HERE THAT WE WANT TO DISCUSS AND WHETHER OR NOT WHAT'S ON HERE IS THE WAY WE'D LIKE IT TO BE.
ON PERSONAL DEVICES I THINK THAT THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT TEACHERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT FEEL ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE FROM THE DISTRICT CAN SHARE?
>> THERE WAS A GROUP THAT GOT TOGETHER, I THINK BACK IN THE FALL AT THE END OF FALL SEMESTER BEFORE WINTER BREAK.
THAT CAN DO. [OVERLAPPING] IT WAS COMMITTEE OF TEACHERS OR WAS IT A SURVEY?
>> THAT WENT OVER THE DEVICES?
>> OVER THE DEVICES, THAT WAS IN NOVEMBER.
[02:05:04]
SHANTE, CAN YOU MAYBE SPEAK TO THAT? I KNOW YOU WERE THE HEAD OF THAT COMMITTEE.>> WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE CLEFTS OVER HERE [BACKGROUND] IN THE FALL WE DID HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT CONSISTED OF ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS AND DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS TO DISCUSS CELL PHONE USE IN THE CLASSROOMS. DURING THAT TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS WHAT APPROPRIATE USE LOOKED LIKE, AND THEN IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES THAT WERE PROPOSED TO BE MADE TO THAT USE.
THERE WERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM THAT CAME UP AND REALLY GAVE SOME FEEDBACK, INCLUDING GARY GATES FROM STUDENT SERVICES WHO GAVE US AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISCIPLINE PIECE AND WHAT THOSE DISCIPLINE RECORDS LOOK LIKE.
WE ALSO HAD MR. DAVID WRIGHT COME UP AND TALK TO US ABOUT THE EXISTING POLICY.
THAT TEAM ALSO CAME TOGETHER AND WE RESEARCHED OTHER DISTRICT POLICIES AND COMPARED THOSE POLICIES TO OUR OWN JUST TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.
AT THE VERY END OF THAT MEETING, WE WERE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT THE TEAM AS A WHOLE DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES TO BE MADE.
WE REALLY WORK THROUGH THAT WHOLE PIECE OF IT AND CAME UP WITH A FEW SUGGESTIONS.
>> DO WE HAVE SOME OTHER ITEMS.
THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOK POLICY.
BEING THAT MOST OF US ON THE COMMITTEE ARE NOT ON THE POLICY COMMITTEE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEW FOR US.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE EXPLANATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED TO GET TO TO FEEL LIKE WE CAN REALLY GET BEHIND IT IN ENTIRETY.
IS THERE SOME CONSIDERATION TO RE-EVALUATE, MAKE CHANGES, HAVE BETTER UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN REALLY GET BEHIND SOMETHING.
>> I WOULD SAY ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S WHY THERE'S A FIRST READING.
>> MEANING THERE'S INTENTION TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS OR CHANGE?
>> I GIVE EVERYONE TIME HAS TO REVIEW, IF THERE NEEDS TO BE ANYTHING OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S ALL FOR ALL THE POLICIES ON HERE TONIGHT.
>> IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT?
>> IS SET IN STONE AS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
THAT GOES FOR, LIKE I SAID, ALL THE MANY POLICIES THAT HE MENTIONED.
>> OKAY. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT ABOUT WHAT OUR QUESTIONS ARE, WHERE THE DISCUSSION LIES? BECAUSE OTHERWISE, IT GOES BACK TO POLICY COMMITTEE AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN HEARD.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS READY? [LAUGHTER]
>> I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT [LAUGHTER] MY LIST OF QUESTIONS IS EXTENSIVE.
>> YOU WANT ME TO START DOWN HERE? [LAUGHTER].
>> I'LL START DOWN HERE WITH THE GUYS THAT ARE USUALLY NICE AND QUIET.
THEY DON'T HAVE IT. YOU DON'T WANT TO START IT OFF.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANTED TO ASK ABOUT ANY OF THE POLICIES ACTUALLY? [NOISE]
>> YEAH. I LIKE TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITH REGARDS TO THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE EXISTING LIBRARIANS, AND HOW WOULD THEY QUERIED AND HEARD AS PART OF THIS PROCESS? I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY HEAR THAT AS WELL.
FOR THIS TO BE KNOWN TO BE EVIDENCED THAT THAT WAS THE CASE.
I'M NOT DOUBTING THAT IT DID OCCUR.
IT HAS TO BE NOTED HOW THAT WAS DONE AND WOULD THAT TAKE IN CONSIDERATION? I DO THINK THERE IS STILL SOME BIG ELEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH WHERE THE LINES ARE DRAWN, FRANKLY.
I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS LEFT INTO THE EYE OF THE READER THAT MAY NOT GIVE US THE UNIFORMITY THAT WE THINK WE MAY BE GETTING AS CURRENT READING.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
I RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS A HUGE LEAP FROM WHERE WE WERE.
I WILL BE REMISS IN NOT SAYING THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY A HUGE MOVE FORWARD IN THAT WAY TO ADDRESS THE PREVIOUS VAGUE NATURE THAT WAS THERE.
I BELIEVE THAT DERRICK POTENTIALLY BE A CONSTRAINT ASSOCIATED WITH IT,
[02:10:01]
NOT AS A BYPRODUCT THAT COULD IMPACT THE TIMING OF BOOKS BEING ORDERED.I THINK THOSE ARE JUST A FEW THINGS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT COME IN.
AGAIN, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THEY WEREN'T DISCUSSED WITHIN THE COMMITTEE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I SEE THEM ADDRESSED HERE TO UNDERSTAND IS HOW SO.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH SOME OF THOSE, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WANTED?
>> SURE. IN RESPONSE TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT CONVERSATION WITH THE LIBRARIANS, THERE HAS BEEN SOME ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH OUR LEAD LIBRARIAN.
I KNOW JENNIFER YOUNG CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT, BUT WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO AS WE'VE BEEN MOVING THROUGH THIS.
I WENT AND SPOKE WITH THE LIBRARIANS ON MAY 5TH AT THEIR LIBRARIAN MEETING, AND AT THAT POINT ASKED IF THEY HAD ANY POLICE CONSIDERS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE AND THOSE WERE SHARED DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY.
NOW, I REALIZED THAT THE POLICY CAME FORWARD PRIOR TO THAT.
THERE'S NOT BEEN A FOLLOW BACK UP WITH THE GROUP OF LIBRARIANS AS A WHOLE RELATED TO THIS POLICY AS IT'S PRESENTED AFTER IT WAS POSTED.
WE DID HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATION BACK WITH OUR LEAD LIBRARIAN RELATED TO WHAT WAS POSTED.
RELATED TO THAT. BUT THAT'S BEEN THE EXTENT OF THAT CONVERSATION.
>> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL YOUR QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED?
>> I BELIEVE I'VE HEARD WHAT I NEED TO HEAR.
>> MR. KEVIN, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP?
>> LET ME GO FIRST TO THE PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES POLICY VERSED AND SO FORTH.
I JUST HAD A FEW QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THIS.
BUT AS FAR AS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM, HOW THAT'LL BE IMPLEMENTED, HOW THAT WILL BE CARRIED OUT.
I'M SURE THERE'S A PLAN FOR THAT AND I KNOW THAT'S I'M SURE THAT'S IN THE WORKS AND OBVIOUSLY NOT SPELLED OUT HERE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THIS OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IF THIS PASSES, THAT WE DO MAKE SURE IT'S ROLLED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN PLENTY OF TIME BECAUSE I REALIZED THERE ARE CHANGES THAT COME WITH THIS EXPECTATIONS AND SO FORTH OF STUDENTS GOING BACK FOR THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR AND THAT NICE PLANS NEED TO BE MADE AND SO FORTH.
I WILL SAY IN GETTING THIS AND LOOKING AT IT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AND JUST IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE FOUND FROM OTHER DISTRICTS, THEY'VE BEEN VERY POSITIVE AS FAR AS GAINING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN PERSONAL DEVICES ARE NOT BEING UTILIZED, AS WELL AS DECREASES INDISCIPLINARY TYPE OF ACTION, AND AS FAR AS DECREASING THE ESCALATION OF DISCIPLINARY TYPE ISSUES.
I THINK BY THIS POLICY, IT SOUNDS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS A FEW CONCERNS THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING, NOT ONLY IN OUR DISTRICT BUT EVERYWHERE RIGHT NOW.
BUT MY OTHER QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE LIBRARY BOOK POLICY, IS MORE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT AS FAR AS TIME FRAMES AND SO FORTH OF BOOKS THAT ARE BEING ORDERED.
OBVIOUSLY, EVERYTHING RUNS ON A SCHEDULE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP A GOOD FLOW OF THAT SCHEDULE AND TIMELINES AND SO FORTH.
JUST WANTING TO UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BETTER AS WE GO ALONG AGAIN, THIS IS NEW MATERIAL THAT WE'RE GETTING, SO STILL DIGESTING EVERYTHING OF IT, BUT JUST WANTING TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT, THOSE TIME FRAMES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF IT AND SO FORTH.
>> YEAH. I DIDN'T HAVE JENNIFER.
MICHELLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE TIMELINES AND THE IMPACT OF THAT?
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THE TIME THAT IT WOULD TAKE LIBRARIANS TO PLACE AN ORDER AND THEN EVENTUALLY RECEIVE THE BOOK.
CURRENT PRACTICES, THEY CURATE THEIR LIST.
THEY DO THE PO ON THEIR CAMPUS, AND HOPEFULLY WITHIN 8-12 WEEKS, THOSE BOOKS COME IN DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY FROM VENDORS.
[NOISE] WITH THE PROPOSED POLICY, OUR LIBRARIANS WOULD HAVE TO CURATE THEIR LIST, GET THAT TO DISTRICT LEVEL PERSON WHO WOULD THEN COMBINE ALL THE LIST FROM ALL OF THE CAMPUSES,
[02:15:04]
GET THAT LIST TO DR. CANTU, AND GET IT PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR A BOARD MEETING.LET'S SAY THAT NEXT WEEK WOULD BE THE 23RD.
LET'S SAY WE HAVE 600 BOOKS THAT GO ON THE LIST AT THAT BOARD MEETING, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE FIRST READ.
AT THAT TIME, WE WOULD ALSO OPEN UP BASED ON THIS PROPOSED POLICY, A 10 DAY PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WOULD WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT BOARD MEETING AT THE END OF JUNE TO THEN GET THOSE BOOKS APPROVED.
FROM THE TIME THE LIBRARIAN CREATES THE LIST, GETS IT TO THE DISTRICT, TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO THE ACTUAL BOARD AGENDA, AND THEN THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY 40-45 DAYS FROM WHEN THEY GENERATE THEIR LIST TILL WE CAN GET THE ORDER PLACED.
>> TO FINISH WITH MR. TIMMONS'S QUESTION, THAT WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS DISCUSSED AS FAR AS THAT DR. CANTU TOUCHED ON WHAT AGO THAT SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE ALSO DO THAT [LAUGHTER] LITERALLY.
THAT'S AGAIN WHY WE SAID THAT ABOUT IT BEING A FIRST READING.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT MOST OF THE BOARD HAS NOT EVEN SEEN YET, BECAUSE WE READ IT PUBLICLY.
BUT THANK YOU THOUGH, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON ALL OF THAT AND STAYING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE OTHER LIBRARIANS.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING, MS. ANDERSON?
>> I GUESS I HAD THE SAME COUPLE OF THINGS, I MEAN, WITH THE CELL PHONE, I THINK WE DISCUSSED THAT A LITTLE BIT OF -
>> CAN YOU TOOK A LITTLE INTO THAT. YOU KNOW MY HEARING.
WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY PER SE OR TECHNOLOGY, JUST REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF IT AND THE TOLERANCE, I THINK THAT WE WORKED THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS AS FAR AS PEOPLE THAT HAVE HEALTH RESTRAINTS.
ON THE BOOK POLICY, I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST CONCERN WAS HOW WE CAN GET IT IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER TO THE LIBRARIANS.
THEN SECONDLY, THAT LIBRARIANS HAD A VOICE IN WHICH WE DISCUSSED AND WE LOOK AT HOPEFULLY MAKING SOME OF THOSE BEFORE THE SECOND READING. I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
>> REAL QUICK, JUST SO THE ITEM THAT SHE TOUCHED ON WAS RUNNING WITH THE TRUSTEES AS WELL, WAS CONCERNING THE HEALTH ISSUES FOR SOME STUDENTS THAT USE THEIR PHONES FOR THAT.
THAT WOULD BE WRITTEN INTO THEIR PLAN ALREADY FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT.
I KNOW THE STAFF NOD THEIR HEADS BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THEY WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF.
LET ME START BACK ON THIS SIDE, MS. FLORA.
>> YES. THANK YOU. AS WE SIT HERE TONIGHT AND GET THE PUBLIC'S INPUT, I THINK THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT AS ADULTS WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
I RESPECT EVERYONE'S OPINION AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE ON THINGS, BUT WE'VE BEEN CALLED BOOK BURNERS, WE'VE BEEN CALLED HOMOPHOBIC, I'VE BEEN CALLED TRANSPHOBIC, ME AND ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES SITTING UP HERE.
IF YOU GUYS REACHED OUT TO ANY SINGLE ONE OF US AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH US, I THINK THAT THOSE COMMENTS AND THAT NAME-CALLING WOULDN'T EVEN BE COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
I HAVE HEARD FROM A HANDFUL OF YOU GUYS PERSONALLY, MY PHONE NUMBER IS ON THE WEBSITE, I HAVE EMAIL ADDRESS.
I HAVE NEVER TURNED DOWN A MEETING WITH ANYBODY THAT HAS ASKED TO MEET WITH ME IN PERSON. JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.
WE EXPECT OUR KIDS TO BE KIND TO EACH OTHER AND SO WHEN WE START CALLING EACH OTHER NAMES BECAUSE WE DON'T AGREE WITH THE CONTENT OF THE DISCUSSION, WE EXPECT SO MUCH MORE OUT OF OUR STUDENTS AND SO I JUST HOPE MOVING FORWARD, EVEN IF WE DON'T AGREE ON SOMETHING, WE CAN AGREE THAT WE ALL WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR KIDS.
ESPECIALLY EVERYONE IN HERE, I BELIEVE THAT AND I BELIEVE EVERYONE SITTING UP HERE AT THIS DICE, THINKS THE SAME THING.
I DO HAVE A FEW THINGS TO TALK ABOUT OR DISCUSS.
I THINK WE WERE LOSING SIGHT OF WE'RE DISCUSSING BOOKS THAT CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18, MINORS HAVE ACCESS TO.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BOOKS THAT YOU AND I WANT TO GO READ.
AS AN ADULT I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY READS.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SO MANY DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT INTEREST YOU AND DON'T INTEREST ME, AND THAT'S FINE I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MINOR CHILDREN THAT WE ARE INTERESTED TO PROTECT.
I THINK WE'RE LOSING SIGHT OF THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T AGREE ON THE CONTENT IN A BOOK.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE BOOK.
I CARE ABOUT WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT WHILE THEY'RE SITTING IN SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE ALL RESPONSIBLE.
WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHILE THEY'RE ON OUR CAMPUSES.
THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR KIDS.
I'VE HEARD THEY CAN ACCESS STUFF ON THEIR PHONES AND THE INTERNETS.
[02:20:03]
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, DOES OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRENTLY HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON TECHNOLOGY IN OUR DISTRICT? IF A STUDENT HAS A SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICE AND THEY SEARCH A TOPIC, DO WE HAVE BOUNDARIES AND LIMITATIONS ON WHAT THEY CAN SEARCH ON SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICES?THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED CIPA, WHICH IS THE CHILDREN'S INTERNET PROTECTION ACT.
WITH THAT LAW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO USE CONTENT FILTERS.
WE HAVE VARIOUS TYPES OF CONTENT FILTERS THAT WE USE ON OUR DISTRICT.
THAT PRETTY MUCH WILL, WHAT WE CALL WHITELIST THE GOOD AND BLACKLIST THE BAD.
USUALLY THAT TYPE OF CONTENT WOULD BE OBSCENE CONTENT, PORNOGRAPHY, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. YES, WE DO.
>> YES. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER TRUSTEES, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ISSUES WITH US HAVING BOUNDARIES ON THE TECHNOLOGY IN OUR DISTRICT? I MEAN, I'M TRULY CURIOUS IF ANYONE UP HERE HAS A PROBLEM WITH OUR DISTRICT.
>> DID ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? AS FAR AS YOU'RE STILL ASKING OUT OF CONVERSATION OVER THIS TOPIC?
>> I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL BE RESPECTFUL TO THOSE OF US THAT ARE UP HERE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE DONE THE SAME FOR YOU THIS EVENING SO I ASK THAT YOU DO THAT FOR US.
WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
WE WANT TO TALK THROUGH THESE THINGS AS MATURE ADULTS.
I ASK THAT YOU GIVE US THAT SAME RESPECT THAT WE GAVE YOU.
>> DO YOU WANT TO START ON SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS? I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME.
>> I DO. I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS TO YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO, BUT YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE PROTECTION, THE CIPA FILTERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT ON SCHOOL DEVICES.
I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT THING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE ANY KIND OF FILTER ON PEOPLE'S PERSONAL DEVICES, BUT I THINK THIS IS A FEDERAL ACT, CORRECT? THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
THIS IS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TELLING US THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD CHOOSE REGARDLESS.
IS AS IF YOU WOULD BE OKAY WITH HAVING BOUNDARIES ON WHAT OUR CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO ACCESS ONLINE, ON A SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICE.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A PERSONAL CELL PHONE, OR PERSONAL LAPTOP.
REGARDLESS IF IT WAS A FEDERAL MANDATE, MY EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT WHILE STUDENTS ARE ON OUR CAMPUSES AND ARE USING OUR DEVICES, THAT WE LIMIT ACCESS TO CERTAIN CONTENT.
I KNOW DR. CANTU, YOU HAD MENTIONED MEETING WITH THE LIBRARIES AND WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SHARE THE GENERAL CONSENSUS OF HOW THAT MEETING WENT OR WHERE THE LIBRARY AND STOOD ON THE POLICIES AND WHAT CONCERNS WERE BROUGHT FORWARD FROM THAT MEETING?
>> I HAVE SOME THINGS HERE, BUT I THINK REALLY THE BEST PERSON PROBABLY.
I CAN TELL YOU IN THE CONVERSATIONS THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT WERE EXPRESSED.
AT THE TIME THIS POLICY WHEN I WENT AND SPOKE, THE POLICY WASN'T FULLY WRITTEN AND THE POLICY WASN'T OUT THERE FOR ANYONE TO VIEW YET.
THEY WERE JUST SPEAKING FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT MIGHT BE.
I THINK THE CONCERNS, NOT THAT THOSE CONCERNS STILL AREN'T VALID, THEIR CONCERNS ARE ALWAYS VALID.
BUT NOW THAT ONCE THE POLICY WAS WRITTEN, THAT'S WHEN WE WENT BACK AND HAD A VISIT WITH THE LEAD LIBRARIAN AND HAVE SOME MORE SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
MICHELLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS THOSE?
>> YES. I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE LIBRARIANS AS A GROUP.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE TWO OR THREE TIMES THIS YEAR. I CAN'T REMEMBER.
IT ALL RUNS TOGETHER, BUT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I'VE HAD LOTS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE LEAD LIBRARIAN THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS, EVEN DATING BACK TO LAST SUMMER WHEN WE ADOPTED THE NEW EF LOCAL POLICY.
WHEN THAT NEW EF, LOCAL POLICY WAS ADOPTED, EITHER IN JUNE OR JULY, OUR LIBRARIANS REWROTE THEIR HANDBOOK TO ALIGN TO THE POLICY.
BASED ON THAT WORK IN JUNE, ACTUALLY, APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY, TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.
I FEEL LIKE THE LIBRARIANS HAVE PUT IN A LOT OF TIME AND BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL IN CREATING GUIDELINES FOR THE SELECTION OF BOOKS.
THE CONCERN THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM LIBRARIANS IS WE HAVE STANDARDS IN PLACE NOW.
[02:25:03]
THEY'RE NOT AS SPECIFIC AS WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN THE EFB EXHIBIT, BUT WE HAVE ELEMENTARY GUIDELINES, WE HAVE MIDDLE GUIDELINES, WE HAVE HIGH-SCHOOL GUIDELINES, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE BEEN USING OVER THE LAST YEAR BASED ON THE POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED IN JULY TO CURATE OUR LIBRARY LIST.A CONCERN WOULD BE MOVING TO A MORE RESTRICTIVE TYPE OF GUIDELINE.
NUMBER ONE, THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF ELIMINATING SOME OF THE CONTENT THAT WAS DISCUSSED TONIGHT AND JUST THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS BASED ON DISCRIMINATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS FROM THE LIBRARIANS ABOUT THAT ASPECT.
ALSO JUST THE SECOND GUESSING OF EVERY BOOK THAT THEY SELECT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO COME UNDER FIRE FOR THAT BOOK.
I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLICY AS A WHOLE, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE POLICY ITSELF THAT IS SCARY OR WORRISOME.
BUT WHEN YOU THROW THE EXHIBIT IN AND YOU HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE IT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BALANCED SELECTION A BALANCED LIBRARY, A BALANCED COLLECTION.
BUT THEN YOU PUT IN THE INHIBITORS THAT CAUSES HEARTBURN.
I ALSO MENTIONED THE TIMELINE CONCERN THAT THEY HAD JUST KIDS TEAR UP BOOKS AND PETE THE CAT IS VERY POPULAR.
WHEN PETE THE CAT GETS TORN UP, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO REPLENISH THOSE BOOKS AND MAKE SURE THAT BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE KIDS, AND SO THE TIMELINE IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR THAT.
BUT JUST THE OVERARCHING SENSE THAT I GET FROM THE LIBRARIANS IS THEY LOVE WHAT THEY DO, THEY'RE PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO.
THEY CARE ABOUT KIDS, AND THEY WANT TO PROVIDE GREAT BOOKS FOR KIDS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO PROVIDE PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL, ETC.
I THINK THEIR CONCERN IS AS A LIBRARIAN NOW IS EVERYTHING I ASKED TO BE APPROVED GOING TO BE CALLED INTO QUESTION AND AS MY JUDGMENT GOING TO BE CALLED INTO QUESTION THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
>> TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT, DID YOU HAVE ANY POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING IN THIS POLICY THAT THE LIBRARIANS DID LIKE?
>> YES, THERE WERE ACTUALLY SEVERAL THINGS THAT I KNOW ORIGINALLY WE HAD LOOKED AT.
IF A BOOK WAS CHALLENGED, THAT IT WOULD GO TO THE LIBRARIAN IN THE CAMPUS ADMINISTRATOR THAT WAS REMOVED AND IT WOULD NOW JUST GO TO THE CAMPUS ADMINISTRATOR BECAUSE WE DID NOT WANT TO PUT THE LIBRARIANS IN THAT POSITION, SO THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
IN THE POLICY, IT'S ALSO WRITTEN THAT PARENTS AT ANYTIME CAN CONTACT THE LIBRARIAN.
THEY WANT THAT AND THEY ENCOURAGE THAT, AND SO THEY WERE THANKFUL THAT THAT IS STILL IN THE POLICY THAT IS PROPOSED TONIGHT.
DR. CANTU, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT THEY WERE THANKFUL FOR OR APPRECIATED THAT ARE PART OF THE PROPOSED POLICY?
>> YES, DURING THE CHALLENGE PROCESS, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT THE BOOK WOULD BE PULLED BACK AND NOT BE AVAILABLE DURING THAT RECONSIDERATION PERIOD.
THEY'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THAT BOOK IS NOT PULLED BACK, THAT IT WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE DURING THAT RECONSIDERATION PERIOD.
I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD HER SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON.
>> DR. CANTU, THERE WAS ALSO THERE'S A CAVEAT ON THE EXHIBIT WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT MAYBE BOOKS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY COLLEGE BOARD THAT MAY NOT MEET THE EXHIBIT GUIDELINES.
THAT THOSE BOOKS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE OF THE COLLEGE BOARD AP REQUIREMENTS, AND THAT THOSE WOULD NOT BE PUT IN A SEPARATE SECTION OF THE LIBRARY, BUT WOULD BE OUT IN THE LIBRARY WITH ALL THE OTHER BOOKS AND GOT GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THAT, THAT THEY DID NOT WANT THOSE SEPARATED OUT.
THEY WERE THANKFUL THAT THOSE WERE TO BE STILL INCLUDED WITH THE OTHER TECH OR OTHER BOOKS.
>> MS. YANG, I WAS GOING TO ADD TO THAT FROM WHAT I REMEMBER THAT IT WAS COLLEGE BOARD BOOKS AS WELL AS THE NON-FICTION HISTORY, AND WE HAD A HISTORY TEACHER HERE THAT WAS DISCUSSING IT, AND AS WELL AS ALL RELIGIOUS BOOKS.
THAT EVEN IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE RELIGION, THAT ALL RELIGIOUS BOOKS AS WELL AS NON-FICTION HISTORY AS WELL AS COLLEGE BOARD.
THERE WAS ONE OTHER OR MAYBE TWO OTHER BOOKS THAT WERE GROUP OF BOOKS THAT WOULD BE COVERED. THAT'S CORRECT.
>> I THINK IT'S TEXAS VIRTUAL SCHOOL NETWORK TESTED THROUGH COLLEGE BOARD.
>> ANY RECOMMENDED BY UNIVERSITIES OR TEXAS VSN.
>> I'M SORRY, I CAN'T PULL IT BACK UP OR WI-FI HAS MADE BLOCKED OUT [LAUGHTER],
[02:30:02]
SO I'M JUST GOING OFF MEMORY HERE.LET'S SEE. MS. [INAUDIBLE] I KNOW YOU HAD SOME MORE QUESTIONS.
>> MS. [INAUDIBLE] ARE YOU DONE?
>> WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH IN CASE YOU HAVE THIS ONE.
>> I APPRECIATE MS. YANG AND DR. CANTU WITH GIVING THE LIBRARY AND FEEDBACK.
WE REALLY VALUE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY IN THEIR FEEDBACK AS WE NAVIGATE THESE WATERS? I DID HEAR SOME THINGS THAT MAKE ME FEEL GOOD.
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOME LINES TO BE DRAWN, RIGHT, TO HELP GUIDE THEM TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
I THINK THAT WHEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BOOK CHALLENGE BEFORE, WE'VE HAD SOME STRONG HESITATION ABOUT WHAT THE STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOME STRUCTURE.
WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK IT'S MUCH NEEDED, WE CAN ALL ATTEST TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE TIME-FRAME IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE ABOUT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW THAT WOULD BE.
THIS TALKS ABOUT BOOKS GOING FORWARD, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BOOKS THAT ARE SITTING IN THE LIBRARY RIGHT NOW? WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT ALL THOSE DETAILS BECAUSE I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, THERE'S ALL THESE BOOKS THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHALLENGED OR IT COULD BE REMOVED, AND THESE ARE BOOKS LIKE TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
THINGS THAT WE KNOW OF THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE ARE STILL IN OUR LIBRARIES, THE BIBLE, THERE'S THINGS LIKE THIS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS THERE, IT DOESN'T GIVE US A LOT OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
IF YOU GUYS CAN TALK TO WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE FOR THE BOOKS THAT ARE SITTING ON THE SHELVES RIGHT NOW.
>> FOR THE BOOKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SITTING ON THE SHELVES THAT EXIST IN THE LIBRARY, THE ONLY REAL WAY FOR THOSE TO BE REMOVED IS THROUGH A CHALLENGE? CORRECT BECAUSE OF PICO, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE.
BUT WITH REGARD TO WHEN YOU THINK OF TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD AND GREAT GATSBY AND MANY OF THOSE NOVELS THAT WERE MENTIONED TONIGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED, OF COURSE, A LOT OF THOSE ARE GOING TO FALL UNDER SOME OF THIS API.
THE COLLEGE BOARD WITH REGARD TO THAT, IF ONE DOESN'T, ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE RUBRIC OR AS SOMETHING THAT IN MANSFIELD ISD WE FELT WAS IMPORTANT TO PUT IN IS THAT DID NOT EXIST IN SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS TO CONSIDER INTENT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT SAY, DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE WITHIN WITHIN A BOOK AND YOU LOOK AT IT CONTEXTUALLY, IS THE INTENT TO GLORIFY IT AND SAY, HEY, LET'S PARTY OR IS THE INTENT TO SAY, THIS PERSON WENT DOWN THIS ROAD, IT DIDN'T GO WELL, BE MINDFUL, BE COGNISANT OF THAT.
THAT'S WHY HAVING INTENT TO BE A PART OF THIS RUBRIC AT THE END WAS REALLY SUPER IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS ADDED IN.
>> HOW DO WE HELP ANYONE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTENT IS? I JUST THINK THAT SOME OF THOSE ARE REALLY HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS THAT MAKE THIS CHALLENGING.
I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE THE WAY THE POLICY READS IS THAT EVERYTHING COMES TO THE BOARD.
WHAT WOULD BE THE EXPECTATION OF A BOARD MEMBER? IS THIS IS IT TRULY AN EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO READ AND UNDERSTAND OR WE'RE SIGNING OFF ON AN ORDER.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE THE WAY IT READS WOULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF.
>> BASED ON THE READING IS IT COMES TO THE BOARD AND YOU'RE PROVING THE BOOKS.
YOU'RE SIGNING OFF ON YES I APPROVE OF THESE 412 BOOKS THAT WERE ORDERING TONIGHT.
>> IS THAT THE ORDER OR THE CONTENT OR HOW IT RELATES TO THE RUBRIC?
>> I THINK IF YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE ORDERING THEM, THEN YOU APPROVE OF THE CONTENT.
>> AS A BOARD MEMBER, I GUESS, I KNOW THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE REVIEW AND I DON'T REVIEW EVERY LINE OF CURRICULUM.
I APPROVE IT. I DON'T INSPECT EVERY BUS YET WE BUY BUSES.
BUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING?
>> THIS MAY JUST BE THE THOUGHTS THAT ARE IN MY HEAD AT THIS POINT,
[02:35:01]
BUT I THINK THAT'S THE CONFUSION, IS IF OUR LIBRARIANS ARE THE ONES TRAINED TO REVIEW AND CURATE THESE LISTS, IF WE'RE TRUSTING THEM TO DO THAT, THEN WHY IS THIS EXTRA STEP NEEDED? I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE CONFUSION OF THE POLICY AND THE REASON THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED WITH.WE HAVE A POLICY THAT SEEMS TO BE WORKING, WHY ARE WE ADDING THIS EXTRA LAYER? BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, MS. NEWSOM, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO READ EVERY BOOK, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ EVERY BOOK, AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE INTENT OF THIS POLICY IS TO ADD THAT EXTRA LAYER OF APPROVAL AND YOU'RE SIGNING OFF ON BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF.
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY REAL QUICK THAT, WELL, FIRST, WE WERE ASKED TO FIX IT.
THE IMPRESSION WE WERE GIVEN FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS, FROM EVEN SOME LIBRARIANS, STAFF MEMBERS WAS PLEASE DO SOMETHING BECAUSE NO ONE FELT PROTECTED IN IT, WHETHER IT BE A COMMUNITY PERSON, WHETHER IT BE A LIBRARIAN, WHATEVER.
THAT WAS NOT WHAT WE WERE FEED, [LAUGHTER] I'M JUST BEING HONEST.
BUT THE OTHER THING TO THAT IS THE WAY I'M UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS IS THAT IT IS THE LIBRARIANS THAT MADE THE LIST, AND THEN IT ACTUALLY SEES A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTAND IT, I COULD BE TOTALLY WRONG, BUT IT ACTUALLY SEES A COUPLE OF PEOPLE BEFORE IT EVEN GETS HERE WHERE IT'S JUST BEEN, HONESTLY IN CONSENT AGENDA, JUST LIKE A LOT OF ITEMS, LIKE OUR MINUTES AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GO INTO CONSENT.
WHY, BECAUSE DOESN'T DR. CANTU APPOINT SOMEBODY? AM I BELIEVING THAT WRONG?
>> [OVERLAPPING] CORRECT ME IF I'M SAYING THIS IS WRONG AS I'M SITTING HERE LOOKING AT THIS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THE LIST IS CURATED, AND THEN IT DOES GO UP AND THERE'S THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENT AND COMMUNITY FOR THEM TO LOOK AT THE LIST, THERE'S THAT PERIOD.
ANY OF THAT FEEDBACK IS ALSO PROVIDED TO YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE NOT ONLY WHAT THE LIBRARIANS ARE RECOMMENDING.
THEN IF YOU WANT FURTHER INFORMATION AFTER YOU'VE SEEN DURING THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PERIOD, IF YOU DECIDE AS BOARD MEMBERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE INFORMATION, THEN THAT IS WHERE I GATHER I, MYSELF OR [INAUDIBLE] GATHER AND CONTACT THE DISTRICT LEVEL LIBRARY SUPERVISOR TO GET ALL THE PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS SO THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT THOSE AS WELL AND CURATE ALL OF THAT TOGETHER AS YOU MAKE A DECISION.
>> I GUESS I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN THERE JUST BECAUSE WE WERE TRUSTING PEOPLE TO BRING BOOKS TO CHALLENGE THAT WEREN'T ACCEPTABLE.
AT THAT POINT, WE WERE OFFERING UP THE COMMUNITY TO SAY THAT THEY SAW SOMETHING WRONG THAT'S NOT THERE.
TO ME, IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THAT IN MY CHARGE, THEN I BELIEVE I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AT THAT POINT TO DO THOSE THINGS.
WHILE I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ON LOTS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND THE WEIGHT THAT GOES WITH THIS POSITION AND WHAT WE DO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING CHOICES THAT ARE REALISTIC AND UNDERSTANDABLE, THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND NOT JUST BOUNCING IT BACK AND FORTH, CAUSING SOME TIME LIMITS.
>> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WE DO HAVE A CURRENT POLICY IN PLACE, THE POLICY IS EXTREMELY VAGUE.
I HAD COMMITTEE MEMBERS REACH OUT TO ME AFTER THE BOOK WAS CHALLENGED, THEY SAID THIS HAS TO CHANGE.
THESE ARE NOT PEOPLE THAT I'M FRIENDS WITH, I KNOW THERE IS SOME CONVERSATION OR CONFUSION THAT THESE ARE ALL MY FRIENDS, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT I DO NOT KNOW THAT REACHED OUT AND SAID THIS POLICY DOES NOT WORK.
I KNEW IT DIDN'T WORK AND THAT'S WHY I CHALLENGED THE BOOK.
MY QUESTION WOULD BE HOW WITH THE CONTENT OF THE BOOK THAT I CHALLENGED ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE.
THERE IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT DETAILED MATERIAL IN THAT BOOK.
WE HAD A POLICY THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT TO STAY IN OUR LIBRARIES BECAUSE IT WAS SO VAGUE.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THAT POLICY.
IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO POLICE EVERY SINGLE THING THAT'S IN OUR LIBRARIES AND THAT I DON'T TRUST OUR LIBRARIANS, I DO, BUT SOMEHOW THAT BOOK GOT IN OUR LIBRARY.
HOW DID THAT BOOK GET IN OUR LIBRARY? HOW DO WE NOT HAVE A POLICY THAT PROTECTS OUR KIDS FROM HAVING ACCESS TO A BOOK LIKE THAT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME SPECIFICITY IN WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE IN OUR DISTRICT AND WHAT WE DEEM AS APPROPRIATE AND NOT APPROPRIATE BECAUSE THE POLICY THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE SAYS PERVASIVELY VULGAR.
I CAN GO THROUGH THIS ENTIRE ROOM AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON
[02:40:01]
IN HERE WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF WHAT PERVASIVELY VULGAR IS.THEY WOULD, AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE AND EXPECTED.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A POLICY.
WE ARE TASKED WITH FORMING POLICIES AND APPROVING POLICIES, THAT'S OUR JOB.
WHEN WE GET PUSHED BACK ON CREATING AN ADDITIONAL POLICY THAT PROTECTS OUR CHILDREN, THAT'S WHAT OUR JOB IS.
WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY THAT WORKS BECAUSE IT DOES NOT SPECIFY ANYTHING.
THAT'S WHY, IN MY OPINION, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO GET THIS RIGHT.
I TRUST OUR LIBRARIANS, I ABSOLUTELY DO, BUT SOMEHOW THAT BOOK GOT IN OUR LIBRARY AND THERE'S OTHER BOOKS IN THERE, IT'S NOT JUST THAT ONE, GUYS.
>> I GUESS I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ON ONE ISSUE.
I COULD'VE SWORN THAT THE LIBRARIANS THOUGHT OF THAT POLICY, WHICH WAS BUILT AND WE JUST SAW LITERALLY THAT THEY LIKED PIECES OF IT.
I THOUGHT WHEN WE TALKED, THEY SAID THEY LIKE TO HAVE THE PARAMETERS IN THERE.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS, THE LAST LINE AND THEN ONE OF THE CHANGES THEY WANTED TO MAKE WHICH WE WERE ALL IN FOR.
YEAH, WE WANT TO DO THAT FOR THEM.
I DON'T SEE THIS POLICY AS THAT WE HAVE TO READ 600, 400, READ 20 BOOKS.
WHEN MR. BROGDEN SAYS HE HAS 10 BUSES THAT NEED TO BE PURCHASED OR THIS LAND THAT NEEDS TO BE BUILT AT AND GO INTO THE CITY WITH IT, WE TRUST THOSE.
WE FIRMLY TRUST THEIR ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOBS, WHETHER IT'S ADMINISTRATOR, WHETHER IT'S A LIBRARIAN, ETC.
I DID NOT FEEL LIKE, AGAIN, WELL, I'M ON THE POLICY BOARD, BUT I DID NOT FEEL LIKE THIS IS OR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ANYTHING BUT PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN, THAT'S IT.
IF THAT MEANS WE NEED TO KEEP GOING BACK TO LIBRARIANS AND TALK TO THEM, WHICH I THOUGHT WE DID, THAT'S HOW WE APPROVED THE LAST ONE WAS, WE WERE TRYING TO COME TO A MEDIATOR.
THEY WERE TAKING A LOT OF NOTES DOWN, THEY WERE DOING A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T THINK THEY HAD TIME TO DO HONESTLY.
IT IS PERPLEXING THAT WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT OF MINUTE DETAILS AND PEOPLE CHANGING VERBIAGE OR JUST COMING OUT OF IT THAT NEVER WAS THERE TO BEGIN WITH, IT NEVER WAS.
THERE WAS NOT ONE TIME, I DON'T THINK ANY OF MY PEERS UP HERE HAVE YOU EVER QUESTIONED A LIBRARIAN.
I HAVE THREE KIDS IN THE SYSTEM, I HAD FOUR, AND THE SOLE REASON I'M HERE IS TO PROTECT THESE KIDS AND OUR STAFF.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT MY PEERS ARE TO DO THE SAME.
I THOUGHT WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT, THEY WERE HAPPY WITH MORE PARAMETERS SO THEY COULD, IT'S NEVER TO, OH, I'M GOING TO SCRATCH OFF THIS BOOK OR I'M GOING TO GO TO THIS PERSON.
IF WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO THAT, OH MY GOODNESS, [LAUGHTER] COULD YOU IMAGINE IF WE DID THAT TO YOU WITH YOUR CURRICULUM?
>> TO YOUR QUESTION OR, I GUESS, YOUR WONDERING, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXHIBIT, I THINK THE EXHIBIT HAS SOME NICE PARAMETERS IN THERE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE LIBRARIANS COULD LIVE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE EXHIBIT.
THE PROBLEMATIC PIECE IS THE LAST PART BECAUSE OF DISCRIMINATION AND THEIR FEAR OF JUST LAWSUIT.
THE FEAR OF, IF I HAVE THIS BOOK AND SOMEBODY SAYS IT DOESN'T MEET THIS PIECE OF THE EXHIBIT, AM I NOW LIABLE FOR THAT? I THINK IF YOU TOLD LIBRARIANS THAT IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY DON'T NEED TO HAVE A BOOK WITH DRUG USE, THEY'RE ALL GOING TO SAY YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
WE DON'T THINK DRUG USE IS APPROPRIATE FOR AN ELEMENTARY KID.
I THINK A LOT OF THE CONTENT ON THE EXHIBIT, THEY WOULD SAY, I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK THE OVERARCHING ISSUE AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WAS HEARD TONIGHT WAS THE FACT THAT THEY FEEL THE GENDER FLUIDITY PIECE OF THE EXHIBIT IS DISCRIMINATORY.
>> I THOUGHT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE SAID WE NEED TO GO BACK AND REVISIT ALONG WITH ONE OTHER LITTLE MINUTE CHANGE WHICH WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED WE HAVE CHANGED.
CORRECT? I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS.
>> THIS IS THE FIRST READ WHICH NOTHING GETS APPROVED TONIGHT, AND BETWEEN NOW AND THE SECOND READ, IT COULD COME BACK WITH CHANGES, TWEAKS, EDITS, AND SO THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE DISCUSSION HERE TONIGHT IS TO TALK ABOUT, WE'VE HEARD FEEDBACK,
[02:45:01]
WHAT EDITS DO WE NEED TO MAKE, WHAT TWEAKS DO WE NEED TO MAKE, AND THEN THAT COMES BACK AGAIN TO A PUBLIC MEETING.>> THIS IS LIKE A FIRST DRAFT.
>> IS ANYONE ELSE DONE HERE GUYS?
>> JUST TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, SO IF WE KNOW WE MAY HAVE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE AND CLARIFICATIONS AND ALL OF THE FUN STUFF ALONG WITH THAT.
IS THIS WHERE WE SAY THAT WE COULD APPROVE WITH CHANGES, IS THERE SOME CONSIDERATION? DOES THE MOTION NEED TO READ SOMETHING LIKE THAT? OR WE'RE APPROVING IT SO THAT IT CAN GO TO CHANGES.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I KNOW I'M [OVERLAPPING].
>> MS. FOWARD JUST SAYS WE HAD MS. ANDERSON REITERATE WHAT HER MOTION MEANT.
I WOULD SAY THAT MS. FOWARD WE DO HER EMOTION, NOT REDO IT, BUT ADD THE WORD LIKE FOR POTENTIAL CHANGES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF POLICIES IN HERE.
I KNOW THIS ONE SEEMS TO BE THE BIG ONE EVERYBODY IS FOCUSING ON, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT MAY MEAN SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS WELL.
>> AGREED. I DON'T WANT THAT [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD DO. THEN YES, BY THE SECOND READING, IF THERE WERE ANY CHANGES OR CHANGES, WHATEVER THAT MEANS, THAT WOULD BE ON THERE BY THEN.
>> THANK YOU. THEN I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD AS FAR AS THE CELL PHONE POLICY UPDATE.
I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT THAT.
I THINK IT'S BEEN NEEDED IN THE DISTRICT FOR A LONG TIME.
I JUST ASKED MOVING FORWARD THAT WE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER EITHER IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK OR IN THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, LIMITING ACCESS TO THEIR CELL PHONES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THEM HAVING THEM ON THEM LIKE PUT AWAY IN THEIR BACKPACK.
BUT IN MY OPINION, THERE'S NO REASON FOR A STUDENT TO HAVE THEIR CELL PHONE OUT IN CLASS.
IT TAKES AWAY FROM LEARNING, THEY'RE DISTRACTED.
EVERY STUDENT IN OUR DISTRICT HAS A SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICE, SO IN MY OPINION, THERE'S REALLY NOT A NEED FOR CELL PHONES UNLESS THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.
I BET KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE IN JUNIOR HIGH.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE A PHONE YET, BUT MY HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS, [NOISE] THEY'RE ON THEIR PHONES ALL THE TIME.
HE TEXTS ME FROM CLASS ALL THE TIME AND AS MANY TIMES AS I TELL HIM, HEY PUT AWAY YOUR PHONE, YOUR SHOULD BE IN CLASS.
I'M NOT THERE AND SO IT JUST CONCERNS ME THE ACCESSIBILITY THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE TO THEIR CELL PHONES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DOING CLASSWORK ON THEIR CELL PHONES.
THEY'RE TEXTING THEIR PARENTS, THEY'RE TEXTING THEIR FRIENDS TO GO MEET IN THE BATHROOM.
THEY ARE VIDEOTAPING IN CLASS, THEY'RE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THEY'RE DOING ANYTHING BUT LEARNING, AND IF WE WANT TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES IN OUR DISTRICT, WE NEED TO GET THE PHONES OUT OF THEIR HANDS AND THEY NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THE TEACHER IS SAYING IN CLASS.
I'M JUST ASKING IF THIS POLICY MOVES FORWARD THAT WE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER LIMITING ACCESS TO PHONES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
>> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT?
>> JUST A QUICK POINT OF ORDER.
I BELIEVE THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT HAS TO BE HURT FIRST BEFORE IT CAN BE AMENDED.
WE CAN BOIL IT DOWN TO BE AMENDED.
>> SIMILAR TO THE OTHER, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE HER AMEND HER MOTION.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] BUT WE NEED TO ASK THAT OF THE PERSON WHO MADE THEM [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT WAS BECAUSE HE HAD IT MAYBE.
>> JUST TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, ANYTIME WE HAVE A FIRST READING THAT DOES NOT EXCLUDE CHANGES TO BE MADE IN-BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND READING, SO IN MY OPINION, THERE'S NO NEED TO END THE MOTION [OVERLAPPING].
>> THERE'S GOING TO BE CHANGE IN VERB IS WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
>> ADJUSTMENTS COULD TO BE MADE.
>> IT ALSO GIVES, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ANY OF THE TRUSTEES HAVE IN THE MEANTIME, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO EMAIL MR. DAVID RIGHT.
WITH ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS, CHANGES, CONCERNS, WHATEVER THOSE ARE, AND LET HIM HANDLE IT AS HE HAS. IS THAT GOOD? EVERYBODY FELT LIKE THEY GOT THERE.
WITH THAT, WE WILL TAKE IT TO A VOTE, WE HAVE A MOTION MADE BY MS. FARRAR AND THEN A SECOND MADE BY MR. TIPPING, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PROCEEDING WITH THIS MOTION MAY I PLEASE SEE A SHOW OF HANDS? NOBODY WANTS TO GO TO SECOND READING.
THIS IS JUST TO GO TO SECOND READING.
[02:50:02]
IT DOESN'T MEAN THIS IS IN STONE. THAT'S ALL THAT MEANS.THE MOTION PASSES FIVE TO ONE.
THEN THIS TAKES US NOW TO 8.5, THE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT.
MAY IT PLEASE RECEIVE A MOTION?
>> MOTION MADE BY MR. DAVIS, AND A SECOND MADE BY MS. NEWSOM, DR. CANTON, IS THERE ANYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW BEFORE PROCEEDING THAT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA?
>> JUST THOSE TWO NAMES AS PRESENTED. THANK YOU.
>> I GOT YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING BEFORE WE MAKE A VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION MAY I PLEASE SEE A SHOW OF HANDS.
THE MOTION PASSES SIX TO ZERO.
WITH THAT, WE WILL ADJOURN AT 10:12 PM. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.