[1.0 Call to Order]
[00:00:04]
I HEREBY CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CROWLEY ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEE CERTIFY THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 551.041 [INAUDIBLE] GOVERNMENT CODE AS AMENDED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE LATER.
PROBABLY MOST OF THIS MEETING AND A QUORUM WAS PRESENT, OUR REQUEST [INAUDIBLE].
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. TRUSTEE PLACE ONE, NEDRA ROBINSON? PRESENT. TRUSTEE, PLACE TWO, DR.
LA TONYA WOODSON-MAYFIELD? PRESENT. TRUSTEE PLACE THREE, DR.
MIA HALL BENTON? PRESENT. TRUSTEE PLACE FOUR, JUNE W DAVIS? PRESENT. TRUSTEE PLACE FIVE, RYAN RAY? PRESENT. TRUSTEE PLACE SIX, GARY GRASSIA? PRESENT.
I EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO EVERYONE PRESENT FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
THE MONTHLY MEETING OF THE BOARD ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE ARE PLEASED THEY HAVE JOINED US AS WE CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENT, REVIEW INFORMATION AND MAKE POLICY DECISIONS RELATED TO THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF CROWLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE WILL BE CONFINED TO THE TIME DESIGNATED FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS [INAUDIBLE] ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CELL PHONE OR COMMUNICATION DEVICES BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR FEEDBACK.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN CROWLEY ISD.
WE BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEMS WHICH ARE OPEN FORUM.
[2.0 Board President Review Open-Forum Regulations - Open Forum]
THE BOARD SHALL ALLOT 30 MINUTES IF IT'S YOUR PERSONAL DESIRE TO MAKE COMMENTS TO THE BOARD.IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE BEFORE YOU MUST SIGN UP IN ADVANCE BY COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING A PAPER CARD ONE HOUR BEFORE WE BEGIN AND INDICATE THE TOPIC YOU WILL ADDRESS.
THE SPEAKER CARD IS AVAILABLE AT [INAUDIBLE].
WHEN CALLED, SPEAKERS SHALL STATE THEIR NAME AND FULL ADDRESS.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN ORDER THEY REGISTER TO SPEAK.
COPIES OF ANY DOCUMENTS FOR THE BOARD SHALL BE EMAILED TO THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION TO SPEAK.
RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WERE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ARE ALLOTTED THREE MINUTES.
THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER WILL SIGNAL THE REMAINING TIME AND UPON EXPIRATION OF THE TIME LIMIT, YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO STOP SPEAKING AND CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENT.
GROUPS CONSISTING OF TWO OR MORE PEOPLE SHALL POINT ONE PERSON TO REPRESENT THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE BOARD. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING ANY SPECIFIC NAMES WHILE MAKING YOUR COMMENTS . THE BOARD SHALL NOT TOLERATE DISRUPTION OF THE MEETING BY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
IF AFTER AT LEAST ONE WARNING FROM THE PRESIDING OFFICER, ANY INDIVIDUAL CONTINUES TO DISRUPT THE MEETING BY HIS OR HER WORD OR ACTIONS, THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL REMOVED FROM THE MEETING. THANK YOU.
AND THE PERSON WHO IS OUR FIRST SPEAKER FOR TONIGHT.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS MS. ANGIE HUNT.
YOU HAS IMPACTED YOU IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE REVEALING A LEGAL CHALLENGE YOU WERE FACING BROUGHT FORTH BY PARENTS. I HAVE SKIMMED THERE'S A LOT OF PAGES.
I SKIMMED IT AND THERE'S ONE SPECIFIC PART THAT IS WHY I'M HERE.
AND IT SAID THAT OUR CHILDREN DO NOT SHED THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS WHEN THEY ENTER SCHOOL. THAT IS WHY I'M HERE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE THAT WILL SAY IT'S JUST A MASK, JUST WEAR IT, IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
THOSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NUANCE OF THE SITUATION AND THAT IT IS MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT. YOU ALL HAVE BROKEN THE LAW BY DEFYING OUR EXECUTIVE ORDER, GA 38.
YOU BROKE IT. I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A LAWSUIT PENDING, BUT THE POINT IS, RIGHT NOW YOU ARE, YOU'VE BROKEN IT AND YOU'VE GIVEN PARENTS NO OTHER RECOURSE OTHER THAN TO SUE.
WHAT ELSE CAN THEY DO IF WE DON'T AGREE WITH YOUR DECISION? WE CAN SAY IT. WE'VE COME.
YOU GUYS KEEP EXTENDING THE MASK MANDATE.
THE LAST TIME, YOU DIDN'T EVEN GIVE US A REASON.
YOU'RE JUST LIKE, IT'S JUST EXTENDED NUMBERS GOING DOWN NOTHING.
YOU HAVEN'T EVEN GIVEN US AN UPDATE ON YOUR LAWSUIT.
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I UNDERSTAND YOU FILED JOINTLY WITH OTHER ISDS.YOU JUST YOU DON'T EVEN RESPECT THAT'S ENOUGH TO GIVE US ANY REASONING BECAUSE THERE IS NO REASON. ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS SAID ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THIS LAWSUIT WAS DESIGNED TO IMPOSE ANTI-SCIENCE AGENDA ON EVERYONE.
I PROMISE YOU, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
USING THE TERM ANTI-SCIENCE IS MEANT TO DEGRADE MY ARGUMENT.
MY DATA, THE DATA THAT I PRESENTED TO YOU IS SCIENCE THAT IS NOT ANTI-SCIENCE.
I'M NOT SAYING IT DOESN'T EXIST.
I'M NOT SAYING MASKS DON'T WORK.
I'M ASKING, DOES YOUR MASK WORK? IN HOUR ONE HE SAME AS IT DOES IN HOUR EIGHT? THAT'S A REAL QUESTION, THAT'S A SCIENTIFIC QUESTION.
THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE FIGHTING FOR MY KIDS, ALL OF OUR KIDS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT MASKS, IT'S ABOUT YOU ALL BREAKING THE LAW AND GIVING PARENTS NO OTHER POINT TO GO TO.
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? THIS TIME WE SPOKE.
WE'VE BEEN OVER HALF OF THE MEETING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU WANT OTHER THAN FOR US TO TRY AND COME BACK IN A WAY THAT YOU GOT HERE BECAUSE YOU AREN'T HEARING OUR VOICES.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME TOGETHER THROUGH THIS AND FIND MUTUAL RESPECT AND.
ALL OF THAT, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH IT.
OUR NEXT COMMENTS TONIGHT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE IN WRITING BY MS. JOANNA LOEB. THEY READ PLEASE READ ONLY THESE WORDS.
SHAME ON YOU ALL. HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? OUR NEXT COMMENTS WERE SUBMITTED BY MR. ROBERT BUEKER, AND THOSE ARE SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE IN WRITING.
MY NAME IS ROBERT BUECKER, AND I'M NOT ABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON, BUT I WOULD LIKE MY STATEMENT TO BE READ, PLEASE HAVE THIS READ AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
THANK YOU. FOCUSING ON THIS LAWSUIT IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT COULD BE SPENT ON BETTER FURTHERING THE CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.
WHETHER YOU ARE A PARENT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD OR NOT, DOES NOT DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF INFLUENCE YOU HAVE ON FORCING KIDS TO WEAR THE MASKS.
USING YOUR INFLUENCE LIKE THAT BY STATING I WILL REMOVE MY KID AND PUT MY KID IN THE CHARTER SCHOOL. IF WE DO NOT KEEP CONTINUING TO ENFORCE THIS MASK, NOT ONLY THE SOUNDS LIKE ABUSE OF POWER, BUT TO BE HONEST IT IS A PIECE OF POWER.
AND THIS IS DONE IN A POST BY A CERTAIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER [INAUDIBLE].
THAT IS THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE PARENTS CHOICE.
IF THEY WANT TO TAKE THEIR KIDS AND CHARTER, MAKE THEIR KIDS WEAR THE MASK OR NOT MAKE THEIR KIDS WEAR THE MASK.
IT'S ALL ABOUT CHOICE THAT US PARENTS, PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE OF TARRANT COUNTY, PEOPLE OF CROWLEY ISD CAN MAKE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS ON OUR HEALTH CARE FOR OUR KIDS, NOT CROWLEY ISD.
IT'S NOT THE WHO AND NOT THE CDC.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS MS. NATALIA DE LA CRUZ DE LA CRUZ.
MY NAME IS NATALIA DE LA CRUZ, AND I LIVE ON SUMMER STREET LANE, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SPEAK UP BECAUSE MY AUDIENCE CANNOT HEAR ME SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A WE CAN'T AFFORD A MICROPHONE. I SHOULD BE AT HOME TODAY SPENDING TIME WITH MY CHILDREN.
BUT HERE I AM AGAIN, ASKING HER BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR MY CHILD. HOW RIDICULOUS DOES THAT SOUND? YOU COULD BE SPENDING THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON TUTORS, SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES AND STIPENDS FOR OUR TEACHERS.
BUT HERE YOU ARE, FORCING AN ILLEGAL MANDATE.
WHY CAN'T YOU BE LIKE OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, FOR EXAMPLE, BURLESON ISD, THOSE MEMBERS WERE WISE.
THEY OPENED ONE CAMPUS FOR THOSE WHO WANTED THEIR CHILDREN MASKED, AND THE REST OF THE CHILDREN CAN ATTEND SCHOOL WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT A MASK.
[INAUDIBLE] SAYS THAT TEACHERS ARE HAPPY, PARENTS ARE HAPPY AND CHILDREN ARE LEARNING.
UNLIKE CROWLEY ISD, WHERE TEACHERS ARE MORTIFIED, THEY'RE MISERABLE PARENTS ARE NOT RESPECTED AND OUR CHILDREN ARE ACADEMICALLY BEHIND.
THOSE BOARD MEMBERS ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
THOSE BOARD MEMBERS CAN TRULY SAY THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.
NOT ONLY THAT, HOW IS IT THAT A DISTRICT NOT MANDATING MASKS HAS LOWERED CASES THAN US?
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IS THAT YOUR SCIENCE THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING? WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE US OUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN? WHY IS CROWLEY ISD STILL ILLEGALLY MANDATING MASKS AND WASTING OUR MONEY ON LITIGATION? WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOU'RE WASTING MORE MONEY TRYING TO HIRE YET ANOTHER ATTORNEY.WE'RE WATCHING EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF HOW YOU'RE MISUSING OUR FUNDS.
IN CASE YOU FORGOT, I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU WORK FOR US.
I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE ELECTED MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT WE ARE AWAKE AND I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR GROUP OF PARENTS ADVOCATING FOR OUR CHILDREN IS GROWING.
AND I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY.
I COULD STATE STATISTICS NUMBERS SHOWING THE MASKS ARE NOT THE ANSWER, BUT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT.
YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN STUDIES, RESEARCH, EVEN STATEMENTS.
HAVE YOU READ THEM? I DOUBT IT.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST ADMIT THAT YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT CERTAIN CHILDREN.
ASK MY FRIENDS MENTIONED CERTAIN BOARD MEMBERS SAYING THAT THE ONLY REASON OUR SUPERINTENDENT MANDATED A MASK WAS BECAUSE HE THREATENED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REMOVE HIS CHILD. IS HIS CHILD MORE IMPORTANT THAN OURS? OUR COMMUNITY IS FINALLY AWARE OF THE HORRIBLE LEADERSHIP AND DECISIONS ARE BOARD CONTINUES TO MAKE.
DROP THE MASK MANDATE AND DO YOUR JOB.
SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. JARED JACOBS.
MR. JACOBS ? GOOD EVENING, THIS IS JARED JACOBS AND I LIVE AT 16656 HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK AS A FATHER AND AS A HUSBAND OF A TEACHER IN CROWLEY ISD.
I'M HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU, MY WIFE, ON MY WIFE'S BEHALF, THE EMOTIONAL STRAIN THAT THE LAST YEAR HAS BROUGHT UP.
MY WIFE STARTED TEACHING 17 YEARS AGO.
SHE'S TALKED TO GRADES PRE-K THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE'S INVESTED A LARGE PART OF HER TEACHING CAREER IN TITLE ONE SCHOOLS.
SHE'S DRAWN TO INVESTING INTO THE BILINGUAL COMMUNITY.
SHE IS THE TEACHER WHO GETS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PARTICIPATION FROM HER PARENTS.
SHE'S THE TEACHER WHO SETS UP SAFARIS IN THE HALLWAYS OF HER SCHOOL.
WHO'S ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH THE CAFETERIA WORKERS AND SUPPORT STAFF IN HER SCHOOL.
MANY OF THOSE WILL RECOGNIZE HER STUDENTS AND KNOW THEM BY NAME BECAUSE OF THE [INAUDIBLE], BECAUSE THE PROJECTS THAT SHE INVOLVES HER STUDENTS IN WITH THEM.
YEAH. SHE INVESTS INTO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AND IT'S A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT SHE INCORPORATES IN HER.
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT SHE CAN'T TEACH SOMEONE WHO ISN'T WILLING TO LEARN.
SO SHE INVESTS HEAVILY INTO A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, EXCUSE ME, THAT ENVIRONMENT OF EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM TOWARDS LEARNING.
THE LAST YEAR, MY WIFE HAS DONE HOME TROUBLED.
SHE'S COME HOME, SADDENED BY THE LOOKS IN HER STUDENTS EYES.
WHEN SHE WALKS DOWN THE HALLWAYS, THE EYE CONTACT THAT SHE DOESN'T RECEIVE WHEN THE KIDS ARE MASKED IS WHAT REALLY CONCERNS HER.
WHEN SHE WALKS DOWN THE HALLWAY WITH HER, WITH THEIR FACE UNCOVERED.
SHE SEES AN ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE FROM EVEN STUDENTS THAT HAVE HAVEN'T BEEN HER FORMER STUDENTS. TRULY, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT STATISTICS, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT OBESITY RATES THAT THE LOCKDOWNS AND COVID HAS BROUGHT ONTO OUR CHILDREN.
STATISTICS OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA THIS LAST MONTH SHOW THAT 90 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED DUE TO COVID WERE OBESE.
I DO THINK THIS IS A PRESSING THING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT MASKS WITHOUT A MINIMUM MICRON RATING OF AT LEAST THREE I DON'T THINK ARE EFFECTIVE. I DO BELIEVE THEY AREN'T BECAUSE OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT THAT WE HAVE ON OUR KIDS THAT THAT THEY ARE HAVING ON OUR CHILDREN.
AGAIN, THE LACK OF ABILITY TO HAVE A FACIAL RESPONSE WHEN YOU'RE TEACHING A STUDENT OR WHEN THE STUDENTS RESPONDING TO A QUESTION BY A TEACHER NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE FACIAL FEEDBACK IS CRUCIAL TO A CHILD.
AM I ON THE RIGHT TRACK? AM I HEARING THIS CORRECTLY? HAVING THAT FACE COVERED IS DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR LEARNING, AND THAT'S TRULY MY CONCERN HERE TODAY. TWO OF MY CHILDREN HAVE MISSED MORE DAYS THIS YEAR THAN ALL OF THEIR PREVIOUS SCHOOL DAYS BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO HAVE A JOY LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT HOME AND HAVE SOME FEEDBACK. MY WIFE HAS REPEATEDLY REQUESTED FROM CROWLEY ISD HR, TO WHICH THEY HAVE NOT
[00:15:02]
RESPONDED. PLEASE ALLOW HER TO RESIGN FROM THIS DISTRICT WITH HER TEACHING CERTIFICATION.THAT RESPONSE HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED AND WE ASK THAT THEY RESPOND TO HER AND ALLOW HER TO GO TEACH IN HER TEACHING CAREER IN A PLACE WHERE SHE CAN STILL PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILY.
MS. DIANA ACOSTA? BOARD MEMBERS, I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK AGAIN.
MY CONCERN IS NOT SO MUCH AS THE MASKS AS WHAT I'VE BASICALLY BEEN HEARING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, EVEN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SECRETARY.
MY CONCERN AND FEARS FOR ALL PARENTS.
I'M NO LONGER CONCERNED ABOUT THE VACCINES AND THE MANDATE.
THE SENATE HAD A HEARING LAST MONTH ON THE 30TH, AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED BEFORE EVERYONE WAS.
SHOULD PARENTS BE THE PRIMARY STAKEHOLDER IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION? WHEN I HEARD THE RESPONSE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SECRETARY.
REFUSING TO SAY IF THE PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE THE PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS IN THEIR EDUCATION, IN THEIR HEALTH.
I LIVED IN CALIFORNIA FOR 29 YEARS, AND WE DEALT WITH MANY BOARD MEMBERS IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND OTHER THINGS FOR MY CHILDREN.
OUR FAMILY COME FROM CUBA, SO ONE OF THE PICTURES THEY HAVE IN THE SIDE OF EVERYTHING.
THEY'RE UNDER A COMMUNIST REGIME WHERE THEY TOLD YOU WHAT EDUCATION YOU COULD HAVE, WHAT UNIFORM YOU COULD HAVE, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU CAN SEE WHEN YOU CAN THINK.
AND IF YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH, YOU GO TO JAIL.
THERE'S NO RECORD WHERE YOU CAN DO.
BUT HEARING THIS AND NOW THE MANDATES IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE THEY SAID THEY WERE VACCINATIONS KIDS WITHOUT THEIR PARENT'S AUTHORITY.
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, I'VE ALWAYS RESPECTED EDUCATION.
MANY UNIVERSITIES IN CALIFORNIA ALSO GO TO SCHOOL IN NEW YORK AND HAVE GONE TO SCHOOL IN FLORIDA. BUT TO HEAR THE PERSON WHO'S IN CHARGE OF EDUCATING THE UNITED STATES, I'M JUST REALLY, REALLY PRAYING AND HOPING THAT OUR BOARD WOULD NEVER POSSIBLY ACCEPT SOMETHING LIKE THIS OF TAKING AWAY A PARENT'S RIGHT TO EDUCATING THEIR HEALTH CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN FOLLOWING THE DIRECTION OF SOMEONE.
I LOVE THESE CHILDREN. I GO EVERY DAY AND I SMILE AT THESE CHILDREN AND TRY TO BE AS ENCOURAGING AS THEY CAN WITH CHILDREN.
THE OTHER DAY, I GOT PRETTY SAD.
WE JUST HAD A KID THAT TOLD ME 10 YEARS OLD.
HE TRIED TO TAKE HIS LIFE OVER THE SUMMER.
THEY CAME AND ASKED ME FOR A HUG.
I KNOW THAT THE. THAT I THINK CONCERNS ME OUT OF EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE FACED BEING HERE FOR ALMOST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
JUST HOW MUCH LONGER DO I HAVE TO WEAR THIS THING ON MY FACE? IT'S MAKING ME SO SAD.
I WENT HOME AND I CRIED THINKING ABOUT THIS KID ALL NIGHT LONG.
PLEASE CONSIDER THIS HURTING OF THE CHILDREN, I'M WATCHING THEM, THEY'RE HAPPY IN THE CAFETERIA WITH NOTHING ON THEIR FACES [INAUDIBLE].
PLEASE THINK OF THIS BECAUSE WE'RE HERE FOR THIS.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE HERE FOR. WE'RE REALLY HERE FOR THESE CHILDREN.
THANK YOU. OUR FINAL SPEAKER THIS EVENING IS MISS INDIA [INAUDIBLE].
I AM A COMMITTEE MEMBER, AND I DON'T HAVE A KID IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WILL START BY SAYING THAT WHEN I BOUGHT MY HOME IN THIS COMMUNITY, I WAS MUCH YOUNGER THAN I AM NOW, AND I WAS ACUTELY UNAWARE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE.
I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT MY HOME WAS LIKE AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING TO LIVE NEXT TO ME. BUT AS I HAVE GROWN AND BEEN A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST A DECADE NOW, I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE AND I'M NOT VERY HAPPY.
I FEEL LIKE MOST OF THE PEOPLE BACK HERE THAT ARE HERE, WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE LAST YEAR ON YOUR SIDE, THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR BEFORE THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR, BUT CHANGE THEIR POSITION AND ARE NOW UPSET WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU GUYS GAVE THEM THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE.
[00:20:02]
YOU GUYS DID NOT START OFF BY TELLING THEM THAT THIS IS A POSSIBILITY.A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT WHEN THEY CAME TO THE SCHOOL, THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE WHAT THEIR KIDS GOT TO DO, AND YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM THEM.
SO WHEN YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM THEM, THEY GOT ANGRY.
THE REASON I DON'T IS BECAUSE I LIKE TO HAVE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.
I KNOW WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE LIKE BECAUSE I WAS A TEACHER.
I UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF THE SITUATION YOU GUYS ARE DEALING WITH.
I KNOW YOU'RE IN A TOUGH POSITION.
THIS IS NOT A RICH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY YOU'RE WORKING WITH HERE, BUT YOU'RE SPENDING IT ON THE WRONG STUFF. YOU REALLY ARE.
AND I FEEL BAD FOR THE PARENTS HERE WHO ARE IN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT WHEN THEY WERE TELLING THEIR KIDS WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED, THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS, AND THEN THOSE THINGS WERE TAKEN FROM THEM RIGHT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED.
IF WE AVOIDED THIS AND TOLD THEM UPFRONT, THERE MAY BE A POSSIBILITY THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I REALLY BELIEVE THESE ARE INTELLIGENT PEOPLE YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
IT'S A SHAME YOU HAVE TEACHERS WHO, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO PAY THEM. YOU'RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN TO GIVE THEM MONEY.
THEY'RE LEAVING. THE GOOD ONES ARE LEAVING.
I HAVE A LOT OF TEACHER FRIENDS, A LOT OF THEM ALL OVER THE DISTRICT, LOTS OF OTHER DISTRICTS, AND THEY TELL ME THEY WANT TO BE HERE.
I AM FRIENDS WITH ALUMNI WHO'VE BEEN AT THIS AREA SINCE 1990 PLUS, AND THEY TELL ME THAT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS ROARING AT THE TOP.
IT'S VERY PROUD TO BE ALUMNI AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS WANED AND GONE DOWN AND I FIND THAT TO BE VERY UNFORTUNATE.
I UNDERSTAND YOU ALL ARE BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, BUT YOUR LINE IN THE SAND AND YOU'RE TRYING TO STICK BY IT.
BUT I THINK YOU GUYS ARE FALLING ON THE WRONG FORK.
I REALLY DO. AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, BUT THIS AIN'T WORKING. I DON'T LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BREED WELL FOR MY OWN, MY OWN BUSINESS, FOR MY OWN FRIENDS, FOR MY OWN FAMILY AND FOR MY COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO DO BETTER.
I SEE THE FINE PEOPLE THAT YOU HIRED TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS STAND BEHIND THEM.
BOARD WILL OBSERVE THE EXECUTIVE SESSION,
[3.0 Executive Session]
THE BOARD WILL RETURN THE FOLLOWING SESSION DURING SESSION AT 6PM.BACK IN SESSION AT 7:35 P.M., WE ARE IN OUR CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM PORTION
[4.0 Consideration and Possible Action Item(s)]
OF OUR AGENDA. AGENDA ITEM 4.1, DISCUSS AND TAKE FORCEFUL ACTION ON EITHER SECTION.IS THERE? YES, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RETAIN JASON SMITH AS CO-COUNSEL AND CAUSE NUMBER 067-329194-21 CLAIBORNE ETAL VS. CROWLEY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALL CURRENTLY PENDING IN DISTRICT COURT IN TARRANT COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR MOTION, SECOND BY TRUSTEE ROBINSON.
PLEASE VOTE BY A SHOW OF HANDS. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? ALL RIGHT, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO BRING FOR THE BOARD ARE AT 7:36.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.