Updates on the Fight for Quality Public Education in Brevard County, FL
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8:49 - Good morning and welcome to February 27, 2024
8:53 board meeting, it is now in order.
8:54 I’d like to welcome my fellow board members
8:56 and the public.
8:57 It is encouraging to see so many smiling faces
8:59 that are actively participating in local governance
9:01 at our school board meeting.
9:03 I’ll politely ask the public to help our board meetings
9:05 go a little more smoothly
9:06 by following a few simple housekeeping rules.
9:08 The public’s opportunity to address the board
9:11 is during the public comment portion of the meeting.
9:13 I’ll ask the public to refrain from speaking
9:15 loud disruptions, distractions,
9:17 or other forms of communication
9:18 that hinder the business of the board.
9:20 All right, Paul, roll call, please.
9:22 - Ms. Wright? - Here.
9:23 - Mr. Trent? - Here.
9:24 - Ms. Campbell? - Here.
9:25 - Ms. Jenkins? - Here.
9:26 - Mr. Susan? - Here.
9:28 - Thank you.
9:29 At this time, I’d like to offer the board
9:31 to hold a moment of silence,
9:32 and I welcome the audience to join in as well.
9:55 All right, we are gonna rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.
9:59 I believe we have two students from Tropical Elementary.
10:01 You guys at the podium already, wonderful.
10:03 If you will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance,
10:05 we would appreciate that.
10:09 - I pledge allegiance to the flag
10:11 of the United States of America,
10:14 and to the republic for which it stands,
10:17 one nation under God, indivisible,
10:21 with liberty and justice for all.
10:26 - Thank you so much for your help there.
10:29 All right, we are honored today.
10:31 We have a performance in store for everyone.
10:35 So the Tropical Elementary chorus is here.
10:37 We’re gonna give you guys the floor,
10:38 so whenever you’re ready.
10:45 (upbeat music)
11:25 (singing in foreign language)
11:55 ♪ Off we go again, down the stream again ♪
12:25 Off we go again, down the stream again, Off we go again, down
12:30 the stream again,
12:31 [ Music ]
12:59 [ Applause ]
13:06 [ Background Conversations ]
13:22 [ Music ]
14:56 » I know you want to dance.
14:58 [ Music ]
15:49 [ Applause ]
15:56 » That was amazing.
15:58 Thank you guys so much for performing.
16:00 That was a wonderful performance for us.
16:02 Is – I think we have someone that’s going to come up to the
16:05 podium.
16:06 I don’t know – all right, Marlow, is that you?
16:09 It’s a little hard to see you.
16:11 All right, in case any of my fellow board members would like to
16:13 ask any questions of this wonderful group.
16:16 Ms. Jenkins, do you have any questions or comments?
16:18 » Sure. I’m going to – you said Marlow?
16:21 » Yes.
16:22 » I can’t see you.
16:23 » I know. I can’t see you either.
16:25 Yeah, the TV screen.
16:26 » Marlow, what is your favorite class during the day?
16:30 [ Silence ]
16:34 » There you are.
16:36 » Reading.
16:38 » Good answer.
16:40 » But also music.
16:42 [ Laughter ]
16:44 » Awesome.
16:45 And I want to do – I just want to say shout out to this girl
16:46 right here in this black headband.
16:48 Yeah, yeah, confidently busting a move during that dance break.
16:52 I saw a little Macarena.
16:54 Well done.
16:55 I’m proud of all of you guys for standing here and being so
16:56 brave and confident and singing your little hearts out.
16:59 And thank you so much for bringing some joy this morning to us
17:01 today.
17:02 » That’s wonderful.
17:04 Ms. Campbell.
17:05 » All right.
17:06 I need you guys to turn around because I want the audience to
17:08 see what your shirts say on the back.
17:11 Treble makers.
17:13 I love that.
17:15 You guys are amazing.
17:16 Okay, now you can turn your smiling faces back to everybody.
17:18 What fun, what fun.
17:20 You guys did a fantastic job.
17:22 So let me ask of everybody, how many sixth graders in the group?
17:26 We’re training for sixth graders.
17:28 How many fifth graders?
17:30 Fourth graders?
17:32 Wow, all right.
17:34 You guys have got a – you’re going to be a huge group next year
17:36 with just a few sixth graders leaving.
17:39 Sixth graders, I hope you keep up with it because – and go into
17:41 middle school, band, chorus, orchestra, multiple groups,
17:45 because you guys have a great experience that you’ve built up,
17:48 so good job.
17:49 All right, question for Marlo.
17:51 All right, Marlo, can you tell us what the words of the first
17:56 song meant?
17:58 Kind of like hi, hello.
18:02 I love it, thank you.
18:04 I put you on the spot and you had the answer.
18:06 Good job.
18:08 Wonderful, thank you, thank you.
18:10 Mr. Susan.
18:12 Thank you.
18:14 I first wanted to say thank you for taking your time as an
18:15 instructor to work with these beautiful children
18:18 and get them to where they can be.
18:20 Thank you so much.
18:23 To have a program this successful and be asked to come up in
18:26 front of the school board
18:27 is a big honor for both us and you for your dedication to the
18:30 profession.
18:31 I really appreciate you and what you do.
18:33 And thank you, all of you who came here today and the parents.
18:37 You guys are amazing for coming and supporting them.
18:40 I know you guys have work and a million other things going on,
18:43 but this is what helps us as a school district get back to our
18:46 roots is having you guys come out here.
18:48 The one question I had is, besides these two gentlemen down here,
18:51 do you guys like tell the boys not to try out for your thing or
18:54 what’s going on?
18:56 Should we get more gentlemen to be a part of the singing group
18:59 or how do we do this, man?
19:02 No, what?
19:05 Listen, guys, guys, guys, I get you, just stay strong, all right?
19:10 You’re representing, you got to bring some more friends out next
19:12 time we see you, okay?
19:13 We got to do a better job of that.
19:15 What’s that?
19:17 I’m sorry, I didn’t see all the way through there, I apologize.
19:20 Four, all right, four.
19:22 I didn’t see all the way down there, thank you so much.
19:24 Five, we’re having more.
19:27 What in the world?
19:29 Okay, five, I apologize, I couldn’t even see them all.
19:32 So we got five kids, still we need to have some more gentlemen
19:34 that are a part of it
19:35 so that you can have some of those deep tones and stuff like
19:37 that, so thank you so much.
19:39 And I just wanted to say thank you as the person that came out
19:41 and spoke for them.
19:43 It takes a lot of courage and dedication and I really appreciate
19:45 you for doing so.
19:47 That’s it.
19:49 All right, so again.
19:54 Now I can see you guys.
19:56 It is. So you guys are awesome, thanks.
19:59 I mean there’s magic in numbers and you guys work well together.
20:04 You can really tell, you put your heart and soul in this from
20:06 the instructor,
20:08 but I want to thank the parents, the teachers, the staff for
20:12 encouraging young people like yourselves
20:15 to maybe step out of your comfort zone and try something new.
20:19 This is great, I’d like to see this.
20:22 With all those fourth graders, I expect to be double this size
20:25 next year.
20:26 There’s your challenge.
20:28 So love your energy this early in the morning.
20:31 It’s great to see that.
20:33 And now we get to say back to school and have all this energy go
20:37 back to tropical.
20:39 So unfortunately, but parents again, thank you for allowing us
20:46 to have this time to see your students in action.
20:51 So thank you very much.
20:53 Thank you, Mr. Trent.
20:55 Ms. Wright, if I may real quick.
20:57 You guys may ask one of the staff members in the back to give
20:59 you an extended tour of the ESF facility
21:01 that may prolong your going back to his class.
21:04 I don’t know, Dr. Rendell is the person that makes that call.
21:08 The other thing I just wanted to say is the three of us are part
21:13 of a tenor.
21:14 So we would love to come sing at your school.
21:16 So anytime you want to invite us to come by, we would love to
21:18 come by.
21:19 And that includes the other board members too.
21:21 Dr. Rendell really breaks it down and so does Mr. Trent.
21:25 So anytime you want us to come, let us know.
21:27 Thank you, Mr. Susan. I skipped you. I’m sorry.
21:29 Dr. Rendell, do you have anything that you would like to say
21:30 before I wrap it up?
21:33 I’m on record that we are not part of a quartet.
21:35 We do not sing.
21:37 If we came and sang, it would be a bad thing.
21:39 No, I want to thank you guys.
21:41 What a great way to start today.
21:43 Thank you so much for coming.
21:45 And maybe the bus driver will drive slow on the way back.
21:51 Thank you, Dr. Rendell.
21:53 Okay. So I have a question for you guys.
21:55 How many of you were nervous this morning when you were coming
21:56 here?
21:57 Whoa.
22:01 You were like, ah, am I TV ready? I love it.
22:05 Okay. And Marlo, I have a question for you.
22:08 Ms. Marlo.
22:10 All right. How did you get selected as the person who stands at
22:13 the podium and answers the questions?
22:16 I don’t know.
22:19 In my world, we call that being voluntold.
22:22 And so that’s what maybe happened here.
22:24 But thank you guys so much for coming this morning and spreading
22:26 cheer and the upbeat music.
22:28 It sets the tone for the rest of the day for us, so we
22:30 appreciate you.
22:31 I hope that your joyful noise is sung throughout your houses on
22:33 a regular basis so that everybody else can get to experience the
22:37 magic that you guys brought here for us this morning.
22:39 So thank you so much. We appreciate you.
22:41 We’re going to take a quick break real fast, I believe, to take
22:43 a photo.
22:44 Is that correct, Mr. Bruin? Okay.
22:46 All right. So we’re going to take a quick break, and we’re going
22:48 to take a picture with you guys if that’s okay. All right?
22:49 Thank you, guys.
23:19 [Music]
25:24 See you later.
25:27 Don’t forget to invite us to come sing.
25:30 All right. That’s a fun way to start our morning. I love that,
25:33 the energy.
25:35 All right. At this time, I’m going to offer my fellow board
25:38 members and Dr. Rendell an opportunity to recognize students,
25:40 staff, or members of the community.
25:42 Does anybody like to go first? Ms. Jenkins, push the mic. All
25:44 right.
25:45 Yes. So this week, Palm Bay Magnet High School’s Technology
25:50 Student Association chapter competed in the Florida State
25:54 Conference.
25:55 Thirty-six students competed in 40 events, placing fourth
25:59 overall in the state, winning 10 trophy spots for the top three.
26:04 This team placed in almost every single one of the semifinalist
26:08 categories, and if that wasn’t enough, Adeliez Rosa Padilla and
26:11 Zoe Blackledge also received Technology Student Association
26:14 scholarships as well.
26:16 So congratulations to Palm Bay Magnet High School, and I was
26:18 told they also have four students that attend Melbourne High
26:22 School as well on that team.
26:24 So congratulations to all of you and to Mrs. Allen for being an
26:27 incredible teacher and leader and mentor for these students.
26:31 I had an opportunity to go to Riviera Elementary with Ms.
26:34 Campbell to see the tax watch presentation that we presented
26:37 here in the boardroom to Mrs. Myers.
26:40 And Riviera was recognized for their incredible academic growth
26:42 in every single one of their subgroups.
26:45 But having an award here in the board isn’t the best part for
26:49 her, so she has an opportunity to pick a student for a two-year
26:52 college scholarship.
26:54 And so we were able to be there when she surprised fifth-grade
26:57 student Jefferson and his parents, who were sitting in the
26:59 audience, they didn’t know why they were there, with two years
27:02 of college.
27:04 It was absolutely incredible and heartwarming. Quite frankly, I
27:08 was under the weather, but I still went because it’s my favorite
27:11 thing to see.
27:12 Not only were the parents super moved and overwhelmed, but
27:15 Jefferson himself, when he went up to the microphone to say a
27:18 little speech, he couldn’t hold back the tears and he was crying
27:21 and thanking his parents and his teachers.
27:23 It was absolutely incredible to see and she couldn’t have picked
27:25 a better student to represent that school.
27:27 So congratulations to Jefferson and all of the students at Riviera
27:30 Elementary for making such incredible gains to even provide this
27:33 opportunity for one of your peers.
27:36 And last but not least, I just want to do an announcement that
27:38 the Space Coast Association of Realtors on Saturday, March 9th,
27:41 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is going to be hosting Project PROM.
27:46 It’s an opportunity for all of our students to go to Space Coast
27:51 Association of Realtors to have access to free, free, free,
27:55 gently used attire and accessories for them to attend PROM.
28:01 Thanks.
28:03 Thank you, Ms. Jenkins. Ms. Campbell?
28:05 All right. I wanted to thank the members of the board who were,
28:09 I think we’re almost there, all there, who came to the Children’s
28:13 Hunger Project fundraiser luncheon and to the members of our
28:16 staff who came.
28:18 We had a great turnout and really thankful for Ms. Ana Diaz,
28:21 principal of University Park, as well as one of her students,
28:24 and the choirs from Sable and Croton who came to entertain and
28:28 to share.
28:30 These are the schools that are impacted by the Children’s Hunger
28:33 Project, so thankful for them, and I’m thankful for our
28:35 community support of that organization, which directly impacts
28:38 students all across our county from north to south.
28:41 We’re feeding 4,000 students on the weekends in addition to the
28:44 school district being able to feed them during the week.
28:47 And so it’s a great partnership, and I’m thankful for all the
28:50 people who participated.
28:52 The last two Fridays I was able to participate at two different
28:57 schools for their African American read-ins where they brought
29:01 just tons of guests from the community.
29:05 At Columbia they had people who came from out of town and out of
29:09 state even to be a part of this read-in, and they had guests for
29:12 every classroom who came and read books, either by African
29:16 American authors or about African American history, all curated
29:19 by our media specialists, and just answer questions and talk
29:23 about the careers that they have and talk about the story.
29:26 I had some great fun books myself and had some great times, and
29:29 so I really wanted to thank the assistant principals at both of
29:31 those schools who coordinated those efforts, and that’s Ms.
29:34 Parks at Columbia Elementary and then Ms. Hamilton Brown at Suntree
29:37 Elementary.
29:39 What a great job. They’re so connected with their communities,
29:42 but it was really great to see so many people coming in and
29:45 participating so that they could have a reader in every
29:47 classroom, so great job to those two schools.
29:50 We are entering in the music world, the secondary music world,
29:54 the music performance assessment season, and just for the board
29:58 and the community, these are free.
30:01 It’s kind of like their Super Bowl game, their district
30:05 championship game, where they go, the choirs, the bands, the
30:10 orchestras go, and they compete.
30:12 They’re not really competing against one another, but they’re
30:14 sitting before judges, and if you just have a day where you want
30:17 to sit and hear some great music,
30:19 send me an email. I’ll get you the schedule. It’s free to the
30:22 public to come in and hear. You do have a lot of wait time
30:24 between as they come and set up, but they get to perform before
30:28 the judges and really are just at their best every music program,
30:31 so happy to send that information out.
30:34 Like I said, it’s free to get in at the different locations, so
30:36 I can see that information, but really excited, and then if they
30:39 do really well, they disappear if they have the opportunity to
30:43 go to the Super Bowl for music, and that is the state MPA.
30:47 So I look forward to seeing a lot of those performances myself
30:50 and congratulating those programs who are going to do a super
30:53 awesome job. Thank you.
30:56 Thank you, Ms. Campbell. Mr. Susan.
30:59 Yeah, first I wanted to say on the tail end of Ms. Campbell,
31:02 many people may just read and see some of the things that Ms.
31:06 Campbell advocates for, but you’ve done an amazing job for
31:09 advocating for the arts, the bands, the music programs, the
31:13 orchestras.
31:14 You’ve not only honored them, but advocated for their needs and
31:17 stuff like that. I just want to take a second and say thank you
31:20 for that because we do have arguably the best programs. That
31:24 does not come without your support, so I wanted to say thank you
31:26 for that.
31:27 The other thing that I wanted to do is say thank you to Harbor
31:29 City Elementary School. I went by there and spent some time on
31:32 Friday. They came up with some things. One of them I may bring
31:34 up just a little bit, put on your guys’ radar later on, but I
31:38 wanted to say thank you to Ms. Boyd and the school for having me
31:41 over there.
31:42 They’ve come up with a lot of their leadership and a lot of the
31:45 good things that we know are happening inside of our schools and
31:47 just fine-tuning in some others. I wanted to say thank you to Dr.
31:50 Rendell. On March 15th, there’s a workforce summit at NASA.
31:54 All of the major organizations are going to be a part of it,
31:56 Blue Origins, everybody else, and there’s school districts that
31:59 are coming in from across the state. Thomas Kennedy from Citrus
32:03 is bringing 100 kids.
32:05 Miami-Dade is coming. Broward is coming. There’s a bunch of
32:08 school districts that are coming, and the overall idea for the
32:11 workforce program is that we’re trying to get students across
32:15 the state of Florida in all their tech programs to come to Brevard
32:18 for work because we don’t even have enough.
32:21 We have too many jobs for the amount of kids that we even have
32:23 in front of our schools right now, so it’s become a regional
32:26 competition, whereas if we don’t fill those jobs, companies won’t
32:30 come here, and what it ends up doing is they go to Texas and
32:32 they go to Alabama and everything else.
32:34 We’re still on March 15th, and I want to say thank you to the
32:36 Astronaut Memorial Foundation for putting that together. I also
32:39 wanted to say thank you to our discipline committee.
32:42 I don’t know if some of you guys have been briefed yet, but part
32:46 of our resurgence as far as coming and redoing our discipline
32:50 was to form a committee by our peers, so it includes both
32:54 teachers, administrators, and other individuals.
32:58 We each have a representation on there, but they just made some
33:02 major recommendations, and I had the opportunity to meet with
33:05 Pam Dampier, who’s heading that up, and give her a shout out for
33:09 working so hard to diligently keep on top of all of our
33:13 discipline issues
33:15 because I think that our programs that we’re putting forward are
33:17 in really good opportunities and policies. We still have some
33:20 ironing out to do, but it’s in a good direction.
33:24 Thank you to Samantha Nazario, who’s here today, because not
33:28 only is she for the bleeding disorders and some of the other
33:32 awarenesses that she does, but she also works with our Hispanic
33:36 groups as far as culturally.
33:38 She’s been with the United Third Bridge for a long time, and she
33:42 advocated for many of the things that we do inside of our
33:47 cultural area as far as Hispanic Americans and just some of the
33:51 things that we’ve done in the past.
33:53 We appreciate you for the time that you’ve put in for us. The
33:57 other thing I wanted to do is say, Satellite Beach. So here’s
34:00 what happened at Satellite Beach. I don’t know if you guys knew
34:02 this, but there was an auto tech competition.
34:06 I’m sorry, Dr. Rendell, if I’m stealing your thunder here, but
34:09 Satellite Beach had the Universal Technical Institute Top Tech
34:12 Challenge. This is where all the programs from across the state
34:16 come in and they compete.
34:18 It’s turning motors and everything else that they used to do
34:21 back in the day, and our schools took first. So listen to this.
34:24 First place, Satellite High School, Jason White and Koa Kelly,
34:28 instructors Randy Pitts and Chris Wilson, took first in the
34:31 state of Florida.
34:32 But guess what? Who took second? Rockledge. Rockledge High
34:35 School with Owen Erickson and Shafer Cook and instructor Ed Sebekta.
34:39 So we have the top two schools in the state of Florida for the
34:42 automotive tech challenges, but don’t get – you know, it goes
34:46 on, it goes Oviedo, then it goes Heritage, Lyman, all the way
34:49 down.
34:50 But 10th place, the second satellite team came in with Bryce Giantanio
34:54 and Gage Underwood and Koa Kelly, also instructors Randy Pitts
34:58 and Chris Wilson.
35:00 So in the top 10 for the state of Florida for automotive tech
35:02 competitions, we took three of them, top one and two and then
35:05 number 10.
35:07 Oh, Mr. Heritage is right there. Look at that. Sorry. Heritage
35:12 High School took fifth, Jonathan Smith and Keegan Blount,
35:15 instructor Michael Brown.
35:17 I apologize about that. So we took four of the top 10, so thanks
35:20 for adding that in.
35:22 And then in the individual written competition, we took first
35:24 place by Satellite High School, Jason White, second place
35:27 Satellite High School by Koa Kelly, third place, Rockledge High
35:30 School, Owen Erickson, and then there was a bunch of other non-Bravard
35:34 awards after that.
35:36 But one, two and three took it. So if you’re looking at are we
35:39 number one in the trades, definitely, because you look at O’Gally
35:43 High School with the aircraft hangar, you look at the automotive
35:47 programs winning here, there is no doubt that Bravard is top
35:51 list on all CTE programs in the state.
35:54 One and two also – that’s it. That’s all I got for the rest of
35:57 my stuff. I had a couple more, but I’m looking over and you guys
35:59 are giving me the eyes, so I’m going to stop at that point.
36:02 All right. Mr. Trent.
36:07 Wow. Can we just sit back for a moment and realize what we have
36:09 going on here at BPS. It truly is amazing what’s going on
36:12 throughout our district.
36:14 I’d like to maybe take another avenue, just the feel inside the
36:21 schools right now on February 27th, it was this past week, is it
36:29 wasn’t just one school. It was every school I stepped into. You
36:36 could just tell this is when teachers and staff, administrators
36:36 know it’s go time again in the classrooms.
36:37 We’re off the Christmas break. We’re off the heels of our
36:41 science fair project, so the hangover there is done and over
36:45 with. You can just feel it from classroom to classroom, from
36:49 school to school, teachers and students alike, they’re just
36:52 getting down to work.
36:54 Many of these teachers know they have between now and spring
36:57 break to get through a lot of crucial curriculum. It’s
37:01 refreshing on my end walking through and seeing the young minds
37:06 going.
37:07 The teachers excited to be there. Pat yourselves on the back.
37:11 You got a lot more work to do. I just want to let you know out
37:15 there when we’re walking around and we see that activity,
37:18 teachers, we have your backs.
37:21 Parents, continue asking the students what’s going on because
37:24 there’s more projects and there’s a lot of work to go on. There’s
37:28 a lot to be proud of inside our schools right now.
37:31 I want to thank all of us up here, Dr. Rendell, for the vision,
37:36 but ultimately those of you out there that are seeing the
37:40 project continue. Thank you.
37:43 Thank you, Mr. Trent. I’m going to piggyback on one of the ones
37:47 that you already mentioned. One of the disadvantages of going
37:50 last is a lot of times, like I’ve said before, we are at the
37:53 same things.
37:54 I want to highlight the Children’s Hunger Project because that
37:59 event is such a special event. When you hear from a child who
38:03 relies on these meals to get through the weekend in order for
38:06 them to be able to eat, that’s a foreign concept to a lot of
38:08 individuals, but it’s not a foreign concept to a lot of children
38:11 in our school system.
38:12 It’s hard for the Children’s Hunger Project to step in and
38:15 really fill in the gap, but something really cool that happened
38:18 from the Children’s Hunger Project is that there was a table who
38:21 was sitting with their school representative in the north end,
38:24 one of the schools in the north end.
38:25 That representative from the school identified, “Hey, there’s a
38:28 huge need at our school for children to have shoes. We have kids
38:31 coming to school that have no soles on the bottom of their shoes.
38:33 Sometimes they don’t even have shoes.”
38:35 I think, “Oh my gosh, how in the world is this happening?”
38:38 Special people in the community hear a call to action like that
38:41 and they step in. I want to give a shout out to Edna Wilson
38:44 because the first thing she did is she went to social media, she
38:46 rallied the troops, and she filled the back of her SUV with a
38:49 ton of stuff to go and donate to that school, that specific site,
38:51 to put shoes on those kids’ feet.
38:54 That is what community is. If you follow our social media, you’ve
38:58 probably seen some of these announcements and recognitions that
39:01 we’re doing, but just such a special individual.
39:04 It’s one thing to hear it and it stirs something in your heart.
39:07 It’s a whole other thing to really go and do something about it.
39:09 Hats off to her. I appreciate her. Thank you. I sponsored
39:13 Children’s for the Children’s Hunger Project for the first time.
39:16 I did, so I didn’t do it last year, but I did it this year. I
39:18 thought, “No, I have seen this program work now for a full year
39:21 and I know the importance and value of it.”
39:23 If you have not sponsored a child, you should sponsor a child.
39:25 It’s not very expensive and it helps a kid get through and get
39:27 meals that they definitely need.
39:29 I also want to give a shout out to the Regional Science and Art
39:32 Fair. We’ve had awards going on, and so one of the fun things
39:34 that we get to do is go and walk, and they ask us to sometimes
39:37 participate, be on the stage, help congratulate the children.
39:40 I’ve got to tell you, some of these science fair projects,
39:43 number one, I’m thinking, “I should have probably pushed my
39:45 children a little harder,” because we didn’t do science fair
39:47 projects of this caliber.
39:49 When I see some of these projects, I am blown away that kids are
39:52 able to do these types of projects. The same is said for the art
39:56 that they do. It is absolutely amazing.
39:59 It’s outstanding. It really is. I want to thank Space Coast,
40:02 because they were, Space Coast Junior Senior hosted the North
40:06 End Science Fair and Art Fair award ceremony.
40:09 That’s a huge ceremony with a lot of schools, a lot of kids, a
40:11 lot of people. I want to thank them for making their school
40:13 accessible and giving us the time and space to be able to
40:16 recognize those students that achieved so well.
40:18 I also want to give a shout out to the Gardendale team. On
40:20 President’s Day, when a lot of the country was closed down, it
40:23 was a, I guess this would have been a teacher work day for our
40:27 teachers.
40:28 The GCR team reached out and said, “Hey, we’re going to do a
40:31 beautification project,” and invited the board to come alongside
40:34 to help them.
40:36 It was just a really cool experience to get to go into that
40:38 school and help decorate and brighten a hall.
40:41 To the GCR team who put that together and the amount of hours
40:43 that we spent squatting up and down, no shy of 300 times, I
40:46 thought, “This is a workup. That time it was all done.”
40:49 It was for a good cause. When we left that hallway, the before
40:52 and the after was just drastically different.
40:54 That’s the hallway that these kids walk into when they first
40:57 come into the school. I think it’s very important to create a
40:59 welcoming, fun environment.
41:00 Before, it didn’t look very welcoming or fun, and now there’s a
41:02 lot of color and a lot of love that was put into that.
41:05 I look forward to some future projects there. Thank you for that
41:08 team at GCR for doing all the hard work and initiating that and
41:10 inviting us to be a part of it.
41:12 It was a very amazing experience, so I appreciate that.
41:15 Dr. Rendell, I’ll stop so that we can give it to you at this
41:18 point. Do you have any recognitions that we have not hit at this
41:20 point?
41:21 We have things going on every weekend, it seems, and we’ve
41:26 talked about music concerts and science fairs and everything.
41:30 Two weeks ago, there was Odyssey of the Minds. I’ll let Mr.
41:33 Susan talk about that real quick.
41:35 The reason that I’m wearing the t-shirt is that my son actually
41:38 competed, so I was able to go to it as a teacher.
41:41 I had sponsored community problem solving and some of the other
41:44 things that went on that are similar to this.
41:47 I just wanted to say to the staff and all the participants and Viera
41:50 High School for hosting it, that was amazing.
41:53 To have the engagement that the students had with their peers
41:56 and everything else and some of the things, it was just free
42:00 thought is what it is.
42:02 It’s amazing to give a little bit of structure, let the kids
42:05 come in and just take off.
42:07 Across the board, from the building of the bridges and the
42:09 weights and everything else, all the way to the acting, to all
42:13 the other components,
42:14 all you saw was kids smiling everywhere. It doesn’t happen
42:18 without the support of those instructors, with the support of
42:20 the schools, with the support of the school district and
42:22 everything else.
42:23 To be a part of it as a parent and as a school board member was
42:25 something special.
42:27 I was wearing my t-shirt. I just wanted to say thank you for
42:30 having me both as a school board member and as a parent.
42:34 I appreciate the opportunity and way to go Odyssey of the Mind.
42:36 I look forward to many years to come.
42:38 Thank you, Mr. Susan. Dr. Rendell, do you have any other recognitions?
42:42 Yesterday was Kindness Day. It was appropriate that we had
42:45 Tropical Elementary here, chorus singing today,
42:48 because Kindness Day was actually born out of some work at
42:50 Tropical Elementary by Barbara Wilcox.
42:53 She’s a teacher there, and I think she’s actually across the
42:56 street today getting the proclamation from the County Commission
42:58 for Kindness Day.
43:00 We’re going to do a proclamation for Kindness Day at our next
43:03 meeting, but this is something that she and her students started
43:07 at Tropical several years ago,
43:09 and it’s now one of the things we do every February 26th is Kindness
43:13 Day.
43:14 It’s a way for us to stop and think and remember that we should
43:17 be kind to each other every day and make sure that we’re
43:21 treating each other the right way.
43:24 Hats off to Barbara and her team, and we’ll have her here at a
43:26 future board meeting for a proclamation. That’s it.
43:29 Thank you. Looking forward to having her here. That will bring
43:31 us to the adoption of the agenda, so we’ll turn it back over to
43:33 you, Dr. Rendell.
43:35 Thank you, Madam Chair. On this evening’s agenda, we have
43:39 administrative staff recommendations, 39 consent items, three
43:43 action items, and one information item.
43:46 Changes made to the agenda since release to the public include
43:49 the following.
43:51 Addition of F25, job descriptions to school secretary,
43:54 administrative assistant one, administrative assistant deputy
43:57 superintendent, administrative secretary confidential, and F26,
44:01 the class size compliance plan.
44:04 Do I hear a motion? Sorry guys. It’s an alert system. It’s a
44:13 drill. There’s no way to turn it off. Unfortunately even if you
44:18 silent your phone it’s still going to go.
44:18 Alright so we have a motion and a second on the floor. Is there
44:21 any discussion? Who seconded? Mr. Trent seconded. Correct? Okay.
44:26 No discussion? Alright. Paul roll call please.
44:29 Ms. Jenkins. Aye. Ms. Campbell. Aye. Ms. Wright. Aye. Mr. Trent.
44:34 Aye. Mr. Susan. Aye. Wonderful.
44:36 Alright we have one resolution on this morning’s board agenda
44:39 which is for the Bleeding Disorder Awareness Month resolution.
44:42 I’m going to give Mr. Susan the floor. I think he is going to go
44:46 ahead and read the resolution. Are you going to the podium? Yeah
44:49 hang on.
44:49 Oh okay. Wardrobe change. Hang on. So just so you guys know I’ve
44:59 been requested to wear a red shirt but one of the issues that I
45:00 had was the only red shirt that I had at the time was my Amityville
45:02 swim team from Jaws.
45:03 So just so you guys know. I’ll take it. It’s okay. Get up here.
45:12 I’m not doing this on my own. Come on up you guys. Mr. Susan you
45:18 have a special guest as well so have them up there. That’s right.
45:19 Yeah come on up you guys. Listen as I said before this is an
45:24 amazing family and we’re honored as a school board to promote
45:29 the Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month. So let me read this.
45:34 Whereas considered rare bleeding disorders that include hemophilia,
45:36 von Willebrand disease and rare bleeding disorders are
45:39 characterized by the blood not clotting normally due to the lack
45:41 of clotting proteins also known as clotting factors.
45:44 And whereas in the United States more than 20,000 individuals
45:48 live with hemophilia and rare bleeding disorders with 6,000 of
45:53 them living in the state of Florida and 1 to 2 percent of the
45:56 American population have von Willebrand disease and while
45:59 treatment can help the conditions are not yet curable.
46:02 And whereas symptoms of a bleeding disorder include unexplained
46:06 and excessive bleeding large or deep bruising nose bleeds and
46:09 bleeding into joints muscles and soft tissues and if someone has
46:13 a bleeding disorder they may have extended bleeding with incidences
46:16 such as an injury or trauma menstruation surgery or dental
46:21 procedures.
46:21 And whereas the Bleeding Disorder Foundation of Florida founded
46:25 in 1996 supports the bleeding disorder community throughout the
46:28 state and its mission to improve the quality of life for people
46:32 with the condition and their families throughout education
46:35 information and referral services advocacy support and research.
46:38 And annually the organization hosts of 5k and fun walks and
46:42 other events throughout Florida to bring awareness to the
46:45 community and needed funding for the research and supplied
46:48 services be it resolved that on February 27, 2024 that the Brevard
46:52 Public School Board, which is the only school board in the
46:55 nation that does this.
46:56 Does hereby proclaim the month of March 2024 as the bleeding
47:00 disorders Awareness Month, a time to encourage all citizens to
47:03 increase their understanding and awareness of these serious
47:06 bleeding disorders and thank the efforts of health care
47:09 professionals and the bleeding
47:10 disorders Foundation of Florida, and the National Bleeding
47:13 Disorders Foundation organizers for their dedication and for
47:16 their commitment to improve treatments, and ultimately, a cure.
47:19 Ms. Nazario, would you like to speak.
47:26 Good morning everyone. My name is Samantha Nazario I’m a proud BPS
47:31 mom and Bulldog go male Hi.
47:33 I have next to me my amazing son Tyler he is a 100% through and
47:37 through product of BPS from VPK all the way to graduation. He is
47:42 also on his second degree at Eastern Florida State College.
47:45 He’s the epitome of what we watched this morning so that brought
47:49 me so much joy because he will actually be performing in Dublin
47:53 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, with the Eastern Florida State
47:55 College community choir in June, and that came from BPS is music
47:59 program
47:59 so thank you Katie for your all your support through the years
48:03 we appreciate that.
48:04 I’d like to discuss bleeding awareness month, and I do like to
48:07 point out that you know before does lead by example. We are the
48:10 only school district in the nation that actually recognizes
48:13 bleeding disorder awareness month for the third year in a row.
48:16 So I take this beauty with me to DC and rub it in everyone’s
48:19 face.
48:19 So, today the main mission is I would like to bring a little bit
48:23 of awareness to everyone here. I am sure that everyone in this
48:26 room pays a copay, when they go to a doctor right everybody has
48:29 an out of pocket costs for the year.
48:31 Here in Florida we’re fighting for House Bill 363 and Senate
48:35 Bill 228 is the copay accumulator bill. What that means is for
48:40 example one dose of Tyler’s medication is $16,000.
48:43 I would have to pay that $16,000 or my $5,000 out of pocket for
48:48 the year. Our pharma company gives us something called pharma
48:50 assistance up to 25,000 a year.
48:52 Well, my insurance company will take my 25,000 and tell me in
48:56 April, you still owe the 5000 out of pocket.
48:59 What we consider in the bleeding disorder community as double
49:02 dipping, and it doesn’t just affect us it affects anyone who’s
49:05 sick, diabetes, asthma, COVID, chronic illnesses like HIV and
49:09 arthritis and other things of that nature so please reach out to
49:14 your local representatives.
49:15 I am we are fortunate enough to live in Brevard County, where
49:18 Senator Mayfield does support the bill. And so does Congressman
49:21 Posey on the federal level, we will be there next week in
49:24 Washington to get more signatures to get that bill to pass.
49:27 We at what we access Google research you may not know me you may
49:30 have never heard of a bleeding disorder you’d be surprised how
49:33 many people, as the proc said one, one to 2% of Americans are
49:36 affected by von Willebrand disease and go on diagnosed until a
49:40 life threatening situation.
49:42 My son Thank God is not hemophiliac he suffers from von Willebrand
49:45 disease which means prolonged bleeding, but the cost of his
49:48 medication can be upwards of 250,000 to $1 million a year
49:52 depending on the episodes we experience.
49:54 Living in Brevard we all know, no, rarely a family makes that
49:57 kind of money here. So we can get these bills passed on a
50:00 national level and here on our state level, it would be a great
50:03 progress for all of our rare diseases in the community.
50:06 I also want to thank BPS for constantly leading by example. I’m
50:10 so grateful to be a part of BPS and this community, everyone up
50:13 here has been extremely supportive of me through the years and I
50:16 appreciate that.
50:17 I’ve donated over 40,000 hours of my time for BPS over the last
50:21 18 years, and it’s been an amazing experience. Thank you so much
50:25 for supporting the bleeding disorder community, and thank you
50:28 Megan for looking fabulous in your red lipstick today I just had
50:31 to throw that out there.
50:31 But thank you so much to everyone up there for all of your
50:34 support year round and for all the hard work you do here at BPS
50:37 we really appreciate you. Thank you.
50:39 Thank you so much, I appreciate you tremendously. All right, do
50:43 we have a motion? I know we need to make a motion and approve
50:46 this motion. Move to approve.
50:47 Second. All right, wonderful. Any discussion at all? Hearing
50:52 none, Paul roll call please.
50:53 Ms. Jenkins. Aye. Ms. Campbell. Aye. Ms. Wright. Proudly say aye.
50:57 Mr. Trent. Aye. Mr. Susan. Aye. Yes, thank you, thank you.
51:02 Yeah, let’s take a quick photo.
51:32 Okay.
52:01 Thank you.
52:31 (gentle music)
52:35 - All right, wonderful.
52:36 We are now at the administrative staff recommendations.
52:40 Do I hear a motion?
52:42 - Move to approve.
52:43 - Second.
52:44 - Are there any discussion?
52:47 None, all right, call roll call please.
52:48 - Ms. Jenkins. - Aye.
52:50 - Ms. Campbell. - Aye.
52:50 - Ms. Wright. - Aye.
52:52 - Mr. Trent. - Aye.
52:53 - Mr. Susan. - Aye.
52:56 - Madam Chair, I’d like to take a few minutes
52:57 to recognize some individuals who are in attendance
52:59 with us this morning.
53:01 It’s all about the great Southwest this morning.
53:04 So first we’d like to recognize and congratulate
53:09 Sophia Ponton, she’s currently a teacher,
53:12 teacher on assignment at Southwest Middle School,
53:14 but she’s being promoted to the position
53:16 of assistant principal 10 month, effective February 28th.
53:19 So congratulations Sophia.
53:22 (audience applauding)
53:28 - Good morning everyone.
53:30 I first like to thank Dr. Rendell and the rest of the board
53:33 for giving me this wonderful opportunity
53:35 to serve our students in this new role.
53:38 To Mrs. Jasmine Delater, a true inspiration
53:41 and a phenomenal leader, thank you for your confidence
53:44 and giving me the nudge I needed
53:46 and allowing me to become a part
53:48 of the great Southwest family, I’m truly honored.
53:52 I’d also like to thank Ms. Erica Jackson-Green,
53:55 Melissa Rivera, Matt Shinoski and the admin team
53:58 for welcoming me with open arms
54:00 and all of the guidance and support you all have given me.
54:04 You guys are truly amazing.
54:06 I’m thankful for all my previous administrators,
54:09 directors and colleagues that have mentored
54:11 and supported me throughout my leadership journey.
54:14 I’d also like to thank my husband, Kenneth,
54:17 for his unwavering love and support.
54:19 I wouldn’t be here without you.
54:21 To my four beautiful children, Nicholas, Ivy, Kayden and…
54:27 Uh-oh, which one? (laughs)
54:30 - I do it all the time. - Okay, that’s never happened.
54:31 Nicholas, Ivy, Kayden, Caroline, oh my God.
54:36 - What’s up, she’s not watching this.
54:38 - I’m sorry, that has never happened before.
54:41 Yes, thank you for being my reasons why.
54:44 To my extended family in New Jersey and Alabama,
54:47 thank you for the many blessings,
54:49 prayers, love and continued support.
54:51 I’m extremely blessed and excited
54:53 to continue serving the students in Brevard Public Schools
54:56 and I look forward to continuing my journey
54:58 at the great Southwest.
55:00 Let’s go, Bronx.
55:01 - Thank you. - Thank you.
55:02 (audience applauds)
55:07 - So we’d also like to congratulate
55:08 and recognize Melissa Rivera.
55:10 She’s currently an assistant principal 10 month
55:12 at Southwest and she’s moving into the position
55:15 of assistant principal 12 months, so more responsibilities.
55:18 So congratulations, Melissa, the podium is yours.
55:21 (audience applauds)
55:26 - Good morning.
55:27 It is an honor and privilege to be selected
55:29 for this position.
55:31 I’d like to thank the school board and Dr. Rendell
55:33 for the opportunity to continue to serve the students
55:35 and teachers at Southwest Middle School.
55:37 A special thank you to my family who’s watching at home,
55:41 my mom and dad who have proudly supported me
55:48 every step of the way throughout all of my endeavors.
55:51 My brother and his wife, shout out to him
55:53 since I forgot him last time.
55:56 My other half, Chris and his son, for encouraging me
55:59 every step of the way and waiting for me
56:01 on those long work days.
56:03 My principal, Mrs. Delater, for mentoring me
56:06 and guiding me in leadership and for choosing me
56:08 to continue the journey of what we started two years ago.
56:13 And finally, to the remainder of the admin team
56:15 for being the glue that holds us together.
56:17 I am so grateful for the opportunity
56:19 to continue to be a Southwest Bronco.
56:21 Thank you.
56:23 (audience applauding)
56:26 - Are we taking?
56:30 No?
56:31 I know.
56:32 - That’s all I got.
56:33 - Okay, that’s all you have at this point.
56:34 All right, we typically pause and take a photo again.
56:35 I know this feels like a lot of photos that we’re taking,
56:37 but that’s what we normally do, so we’re taking a picture.
56:40 So if you guys will come up front,
56:41 we’re gonna take another photo.
56:48 (gentle music)
56:53 (gentle music continues)
57:52 Okay.
57:56 All right.
57:58 We are now at the public comments portion of the meeting.
58:00 Paul, how many public comments do we have?
58:02 All right, we have nine numbers of, nine speakers today.
58:05 Each will receive three minutes.
58:07 In an effort to remain unbiased to the speakers
58:09 of the podium, I’ll be asking the parliamentarian,
58:11 which is our attorney, to announce the speakers
58:13 and manage the time clock.
58:15 I’m gonna take this opportunity to remind the public
58:16 of the rules written out in board policy 0169.1.
58:20 All comments should be directed at the board
58:22 or individual board members.
58:24 Staff members or other individuals shall not be addressed
58:26 by name, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant comments
58:29 will not be permitted.
58:30 Orderly conduct is expected
58:31 from all public comment participants
58:34 and the presiding officer may interrupt, warn,
58:36 or terminate the participants’ public comment opportunity.
58:39 Mr. Gibbs, will you please call the first three speakers?
58:42 - Bernard Bryan, Julia Anton, Karen Fulton.
58:50 - Good morning, my name is Bernard Bryan
59:00 and I’m representing the South Florida branch of the NAACP
59:04 as well as the Concerned Citizens organization,
59:08 plus many schools that I’m a SAC member of,
59:12 so I’m standing for them right now.
59:16 I just want to thank Dr. Rendell and this board
59:19 for looking at improving the VPK program
59:24 and the marginalized community.
59:26 We are so grateful and so thankful for this school board
59:30 taking the time to really look at those areas.
59:33 We also would like to thank the board
59:35 for at least looking at some strategic planning
59:39 around capital expenditures in some of the old schools
59:44 that really, really need to be upgraded.
59:47 Thank you for putting that on your schedule
59:49 as well as on your radar.
59:51 So we are so elated about that, so thank you so very much.
59:57 Also want to bring up a concern
1:00:00 that the community is really a little bit nervous about.
1:00:04 We understand that math levels and educational gaps
1:00:09 in reading and math is one of our biggest concern
1:00:13 and we are aware that PM2 was just completed
1:00:18 and we did see some gains in some schools
1:00:20 but not a lot in some other schools.
1:00:23 So we hope that you will continue to put that
1:00:26 as part of your priorities
1:00:28 and really continue to focus on that.
1:00:30 One of the things that we are really concerned about though
1:00:34 is the staffing instability.
1:00:37 What we have seen in our teachers
1:00:39 and our instructional staff, we’ve seen around 42 teachers
1:00:45 that have lost, that we have lost in this county.
1:00:48 And one of the concern that we are worried about
1:00:52 is when we look at the reasons,
1:00:54 a lot of the reasons just say personal reasons
1:00:57 or other employment.
1:00:59 So to really, to help stop this bleeding,
1:01:03 we really need to understand
1:01:05 what are some of those personal reasons.
1:01:07 And I know some of those may not be shared with the public
1:01:11 but in order to drive to the root cause
1:01:13 of why teachers are leaving this county,
1:01:16 it also impact our student learning.
1:01:19 Instability in our teaching staff,
1:01:21 instability in our instructional staff is a problem.
1:01:25 So if you can really take a look at why teachers are leaving
1:01:28 what are the root cause
1:01:29 so we can really attack those root causes.
1:01:32 And then my final statement today
1:01:35 is I’m concerned about chronic absenteeism.
1:01:38 And some of our schools, we’ve seen around 15%
1:01:43 of the student population where students are not present.
1:01:46 And some of the things that we’ve seen
1:01:48 is that some of the reasons are
1:01:50 some of the students are homeless,
1:01:52 some of the students are sick.
1:01:55 So if we can look at more virtual solution
1:01:58 that will be helpful.
1:01:59 So thank you very much. - Thank you, Mr. Ryan.
1:02:01 - All right. - We have–
1:02:03 - Julia Anton, Karen Fulton and Allison Curvin.
1:02:13 - Pay attention to him.
1:02:16 Years roll by and issues change,
1:02:18 wakes on fire and driving public outcry.
1:02:21 One day is old news, the next.
1:02:25 But underneath all these temporary rallying cries,
1:02:28 there’s some fundamental issues that remain.
1:02:31 A war on woke and the content of books,
1:02:34 those are hot topics today,
1:02:35 but they’re just flag issues,
1:02:38 resurrecting a dead argument
1:02:39 that some folks just won’t let stay buried.
1:02:43 They’re part and parcel of the very same issue
1:02:46 that had George Wallace standing in the door
1:02:49 at the University of Alabama in 1964
1:02:52 to prevent black students from registering
1:02:55 and attending that segregated institution.
1:02:58 The issue is state laws versus the Constitution
1:03:01 of the United States of America.
1:03:04 In one of America’s most dramatic events
1:03:06 of the 20th century,
1:03:08 with his fist raised in defiance of federal authority,
1:03:11 Wallace made his fiery speech about so-called state’s rights
1:03:15 to have any law they desired,
1:03:17 regardless of the Supreme Court or the Constitution.
1:03:20 And then adding to the drama,
1:03:22 the National Guard moved him out of the way
1:03:27 and they enforced the Constitution
1:03:29 of the United States of America.
1:03:32 State law in violation of the Constitution
1:03:35 isn’t worth the paper that it’s printed on,
1:03:38 as this event showed us.
1:03:41 Now let’s fast forward to now.
1:03:43 The state of Florida passes thought control legislation
1:03:47 and it’s not worth the paper it’s written on.
1:03:51 Because it’s a violation of the Constitution
1:03:53 for the government to tell people
1:03:55 what they may or may not talk about
1:03:58 and what they may or may not read
1:04:00 or what they may or may not think.
1:04:03 In any contest between the Constitution versus the state law
1:04:09 the Constitution wins, always, every single time.
1:04:16 So why am I talking to you about this now?
1:04:19 Because the Supreme Court,
1:04:20 whose job it is to interpret the Constitution,
1:04:23 has given us the Miller Test
1:04:26 to determine whether words or images may be regulated.
1:04:30 As a government entity it is your job,
1:04:33 your job,
1:04:38 to apply the Miller Test regardless of any noise
1:04:41 from those who want you to ignore the Constitution
1:04:44 and regulate works that they personally find offensive.
1:04:49 The Constitution wins.
1:04:52 And for those who are offended by freedom of speech,
1:04:56 that’s the price of freedom.
1:05:01 - Thank you, Ms. Anton.
1:05:02 Who’s your next?
1:05:04 - Karen Fulton, Allison Curvin, and Kelly Curvin.
1:05:08 - Oh, goodness.
1:05:09 Good morning, board.
1:05:11 I’m here as a Moms for Liberty member
1:05:14 and I wanna give a public service announcement.
1:05:19 We are not in favor of banning books.
1:05:23 When people use the word book ban, it evokes an emotion.
1:05:28 It brings up an ugly history of a time
1:05:32 when books were banned.
1:05:35 That’s why it’s important to clarify the facts.
1:05:37 This board has control of Brevard Public Schools,
1:05:42 not the outside community or the world we live in.
1:05:48 Your responsibility is to be a steward
1:05:51 over the money spent and the students’ education
1:05:54 living in this county.
1:05:57 I know I’m preaching to the choir by saying that.
1:05:59 You all know that.
1:06:00 But I do think it is something important
1:06:01 to be said for our community.
1:06:05 There are laws put in place to guide you in your work
1:06:08 and we appreciate the work that has been done
1:06:11 to try to curate our reading material for students.
1:06:15 I’m not sure of the process of how the books
1:06:18 are submitted to the committee.
1:06:23 I know that there’s a continuum of books.
1:06:25 Some are more concerning than others.
1:06:28 I wish we could work to get the more offensive books
1:06:33 limited to our students ahead of the books
1:06:35 that are maybe a borderline book.
1:06:38 I don’t know how to do that,
1:06:39 but I think there’s other people that could figure that out.
1:06:43 I do wish that we could not spend so much time
1:06:47 talking about that, but talk about literacy.
1:06:49 Literacy is something that is important to me
1:06:52 and obviously to a lot of members of our community.
1:06:56 I appreciate the talk that this board has given
1:06:58 and the work that’s been done for early intervention.
1:07:02 I’m a big proponent of that
1:07:05 because that’s where literacy starts.
1:07:08 And I appreciate the work to build the readers
1:07:11 of our students.
1:07:14 It’s our responsibility to our students.
1:07:17 Reading is powerful.
1:07:19 It’s very powerful.
1:07:21 Think of all the words that we’ve been speaking about this.
1:07:24 Words truly have the power to change our perspective
1:07:29 and transport us to another place and time.
1:07:33 Thank you.
1:07:35 - Thank you, who’s our next speaker?
1:07:37 - Allison Curvin, Kelly Curvin, and Maribel Campos.
1:07:47 At the last board meeting, I skipped my time to talk
1:07:50 because I didn’t feel good.
1:07:51 After watching the rest of the board meeting online,
1:07:54 I realized that was a mistake.
1:07:56 Ms. Campbell said no one came out to talk specifically
1:08:00 about Court of Thorns and Roses,
1:08:02 and that was what my speech was about.
1:08:06 Mr. Susan said ACOTAR had no educational value.
1:08:13 I disagree.
1:08:15 In sixth grade, we learned how to pick out themes in a book.
1:08:18 ACOTAR may be a fantasy book with fairies,
1:08:21 but the themes are educational.
1:08:23 In fact, they share some of the same themes as the Bible.
1:08:31 ACOTAR, wait, ACOTAR teaches about the power of family,
1:08:36 the weight of duty, the differences between good and evil,
1:08:39 and the power of love and mercy.
1:08:41 Yes, it has scenes with sex in it, but that does,
1:08:45 so do many of the books that you voted to keep.
1:08:48 After attending many review meetings,
1:08:50 I have found another theme.
1:08:54 Rape is okay, but consent is not.
1:08:57 That’s a questionable lesson
1:08:58 to be teaching students at BPS, isn’t it?
1:09:03 The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reid
1:09:05 is the book you’re going to vote on today.
1:09:08 It is about rape culture in high school.
1:09:11 I’m not saying you should vote to ban it.
1:09:14 You shouldn’t have voted
1:09:15 to ban a court of thorns and roses either.
1:09:18 I’m just calling out the hypocrisy.
1:09:21 Jean Trent, you have a lot to say
1:09:23 about the students you speak on February 6th.
1:09:27 By what stood out to me was your claim
1:09:29 that we are misformed.
1:09:32 As a student, I should not have to explain to you
1:09:35 your own book-banning policy, but here goes.
1:09:39 Books are banned in two ways in BPS.
1:09:41 Informally, at the student level, at the school level,
1:09:45 and if the challenger isn’t happy with the result
1:09:48 through the formal challenge, that is,
1:09:52 that is bore, well, that this board votes on.
1:09:57 Many of the books that have been banned or weeded
1:10:01 are banned before they even came, before they even got
1:10:05 to this room, so when we talk about books of history being,
1:10:10 books of history being banned, we’re referring to books
1:10:16 like the one about Helen Keller on Mesopotamia
1:10:20 or the 16th century painter.
1:10:24 There are countless more examples.
1:10:28 BPS has a district website that explains all of this.
1:10:32 Maybe you should ask the staff for the link.
1:10:35 Thank you.
1:10:38 - Kelly Curvin, Maribel Campos, Rebecca McAllenan.
1:10:52 - Once again, I’m going to open with the word optics.
1:10:55 It was no secret that a student-led rally
1:10:57 was being organized for the last school board meeting.
1:11:00 The biggest issue these students brought forth
1:11:01 was educational censorship, yet you’ve eliminated them
1:11:04 from the conversation by holding this meeting
1:11:06 during school hours.
1:11:08 If you genuinely cared about student voices,
1:11:10 you wouldn’t be voting on any book during a meeting
1:11:12 held while students are in class.
1:11:15 But let’s delve deeper into the timing of these meetings.
1:11:17 It hasn’t escaped my notice that a slew of policy changes,
1:11:20 many of which will be contentious,
1:11:22 are conveniently slated for morning meetings.
1:11:25 In doing so, you’ve not only censored students,
1:11:27 but also teachers, staff, parents, and community members.
1:11:31 This raises serious questions about transparency
1:11:33 and inclusivity in our decision-making processes.
1:11:36 Megan, you’d held out this election process
1:11:38 for the Millage Oversight Committee.
1:11:40 You expressed a concern that a potential committee member
1:11:43 would influence other people against the school board.
1:11:45 So with that in mind,
1:11:47 why is this board allowing a non-BPS parent
1:11:50 to remain on your book reconsideration committee
1:11:53 when she is actively working to undermine the committee
1:11:55 and public trust in BPS?
1:11:57 She has now voted twice to retain a book,
1:11:59 then uses her political organization’s platform
1:12:02 to rally against the book.
1:12:03 Just to be clear, she’s Jean Trent’s committee member.
1:12:07 Matt Zusan used to be her teacher,
1:12:09 and she’s friends with Megan Wright.
1:12:11 It’s as if the actions you criticize others for
1:12:14 are the very actions that those
1:12:15 that are closest to you engage in.
1:12:17 Speaking of public trust, Jean Trent,
1:12:19 you claim that you want open dialogue,
1:12:21 but you’ve never replied to any email I’ve sent.
1:12:24 Megan Wright, you replied to my last email
1:12:26 by calling me names.
1:12:27 Matt Zusan, you recently used a prominent
1:12:30 and well-respected black leader of our community
1:12:32 as a human shield at the February 6th meeting,
1:12:35 where ironically, I called this board out on its racism.
1:12:39 The board’s problem isn’t that no one will talk to you.
1:12:42 It’s that you’ve spent the last year
1:12:43 showing this community exactly who you are,
1:12:45 and the community doesn’t trust you.
1:12:48 When the community has rallied to hold you accountable
1:12:51 for the bad decisions and policies,
1:12:53 your lies, immature reactions, and harmful rhetoric
1:12:56 has been immortalized forever.
1:12:58 As we learned from Jeremiah 1323,
1:13:01 a leopard can only change its spots
1:13:02 if they make the effort to unlearn evil and choose goodness.
1:13:06 Matt, Jean, and Megan, you’ve spent the last year
1:13:09 showing the community that you do not have the humility
1:13:11 to admit when you are wrong,
1:13:13 you do not have the maturity to treat all people
1:13:15 with dignity and respect,
1:13:17 you have allowed wasteful spending
1:13:18 in the pursuit of culture wars,
1:13:20 you lack the courage to stand up to our governor
1:13:23 when harmful legislation has passed,
1:13:24 and you have allowed your own prejudice,
1:13:26 ignorance, bias, and authoritarianism
1:13:28 to get in the way of what’s best for Brevard Public Schools.
1:13:31 And just to be clear, and I’ve said this before,
1:13:34 the community supports our schools,
1:13:37 our teachers, and our staff.
1:13:39 It is you in this board that we do not trust or like.
1:13:45 - Thank you, here’s our next speaker.
1:13:46 - Maribel Campos, Rebecca McAllenan, and Carrie Tackox.
1:14:04 - The pen is mightier than the sword.
1:14:07 These are famous words which simply mean
1:14:09 that words carry a heavy weight
1:14:11 and that words have consequences.
1:14:13 A book is indeed dangerous and words in the books
1:14:16 can lead to mental health issues and to suicide.
1:14:19 What the book review committee is lacking is common sense.
1:14:23 Unfortunately, common sense can’t be taught.
1:14:26 Pornographic books, whether they are soft porn or hard porn,
1:14:30 are not educational and they are not saving lives either.
1:14:33 In fact, they do more harm
1:14:35 to a student’s emotional wellbeing.
1:14:37 The following book, “The Nowhere Girls” by Emmy Reed
1:14:40 is neither educational nor appropriate for any minor,
1:14:43 including high school.
1:14:45 While I read the evidence from this fictional book,
1:14:48 I want you to imagine yourselves being 13, 14 years old,
1:14:52 the youngest ages in our high schools.
1:14:55 And I’m pleading to the board to make the right decision
1:14:58 and remove this book from all schools in Brevard
1:15:00 and to protect the minds of our students and children.
1:15:05 Also, I wanted to ask, I just noticed online
1:15:09 on the work session agenda
1:15:11 that this book is listed on the formal objection
1:15:14 and was stopped for language.
1:15:18 Shouldn’t this book be removed for language
1:15:21 or just sexual content?
1:15:26 No, it’s not gonna be removed for sexual language?
1:15:29 Okay.
1:15:30 So parents, if there are minor children
1:15:32 listening or watching now, now is the time to leave
1:15:36 as this book contains explicit sexual content
1:15:39 and not suitable for minors.
1:15:46 Yeah, that’s what I thought.
1:15:47 And if you’re busy and, excuse me,
1:15:50 and if you’re being currently sexually abused,
1:15:53 look for one-on-one professional help
1:15:55 for these books aren’t gonna help you.
1:16:01 A different girl closes her eyes and let’s go,
1:16:03 feels the boy’s head between her legs,
1:16:06 painting pleasure on her body with her tongue,
1:16:09 just like she taught him.
1:16:11 The annoying fact that Jesus loved
1:16:12 and accepted everyone without judgment,
1:16:15 she alluded to him being,
1:16:18 his being a brown skin socialist.
1:16:20 Fuck the victors.
1:16:22 So we can’t teach religion in our schools,
1:16:26 but it is perfectly okay to teach anti-Christian values.
1:16:29 So I ask, where are my religious freedoms?
1:16:35 You ready Enes, are you going to be a pussy?
1:16:38 Fuck Enes, it’s my turn.
1:16:40 - I’m gonna ask you to please stop reading
1:16:42 due to the content of that book.
1:16:45 The language, you can’t stand up there
1:16:47 and curse from the dias.
1:16:49 - All right, that’s what these books contain.
1:16:51 - Thank you.
1:16:55 All right, next speaker.
1:16:55 Rebecca McAllenan, Carrie Takehocks and Gina Durang.
1:17:11 - Good morning.
1:17:13 I would like to address a couple of comments made
1:17:16 at the end of the last board meeting
1:17:18 by my representative for district two.
1:17:22 My representative said facts matter
1:17:24 and his job’s not political.
1:17:25 Well, that’s good to know,
1:17:26 but I’d also like to point out some observations
1:17:28 after I’ve attended all but one of the board review committee
1:17:31 at the book review committee meetings.
1:17:33 The last meeting for the nowhere girls
1:17:35 was emotional for all members
1:17:36 except the one representing me.
1:17:39 Why?
1:17:40 Because all signs point to the fact
1:17:42 that she’s not reading these books
1:17:44 or sold or the kite runner.
1:17:46 Clearly she is a political appointee.
1:17:50 My representative says it’s never the wrong time
1:17:52 to do the right thing.
1:17:53 Well, Mr. Trent, the right thing would be to appoint
1:17:55 someone who’s at least trying to be unbiased.
1:17:58 When the men on the committee are moved
1:18:00 to suggest that nowhere girls be put
1:18:03 on a required reading list or at least an approved list
1:18:06 for high school students
1:18:08 and her comments were totally irrelevant,
1:18:10 it doesn’t take an educational major such as myself
1:18:12 to see that she did not read the book.
1:18:15 Shame on her and shame on you
1:18:17 for your performative emotion about student success
1:18:20 and calling out bias.
1:18:23 Yes, there are millions of books released annually,
1:18:25 but we both know that’s a false equivalency.
1:18:28 There aren’t, can you share any books
1:18:30 that have actually harmed a child?
1:18:33 I am hopeful, as always,
1:18:34 that those who’ve read these challenged books
1:18:36 will vote with integrity to keep it.
1:18:38 As to today’s ironic statements as well as last time made,
1:18:43 we do have more important things to talk about, absolutely.
1:18:46 And as soon as we can take away
1:18:47 our personal religious obligation,
1:18:50 our religious choices trying to put them into schools
1:18:52 and get back to reading,
1:18:54 the more you read, the better you read, that’s literacy.
1:18:57 If you are reading a difficult book
1:18:59 and it pushes you to a place that you don’t understand,
1:19:02 that makes you grow.
1:19:03 We’re not teaching social studies,
1:19:04 we’re not teaching culture, we’re not teaching diversity,
1:19:07 we’re not teaching social emotional learning.
1:19:10 These books can provide that, they’re not required reading,
1:19:13 they are not being forced on students,
1:19:15 they are not being told to read these books.
1:19:18 You can rest assured that we can multitask.
1:19:22 We will continue to question your authority
1:19:24 as your authority is the one
1:19:25 that takes away the books for everyone.
1:19:28 Please understand, the people that stand up here
1:19:30 to talk about books constantly are not talking about a book,
1:19:34 we’re talking about all the books,
1:19:36 all the books that deserve to be
1:19:37 on the student’s ability to get.
1:19:40 There is no way to describe pornography
1:19:44 because there is no definition of that.
1:19:45 And if you are reading a book like the “Nowhere Girls”
1:19:48 and finding some sexual pleasure from it,
1:19:50 then perhaps you’re the one that needs to seek mental health.
1:19:53 This book is important.
1:19:54 Every member of that committee
1:19:56 was emotionally involved, Mrs. Wright was there,
1:19:59 she saw it for herself.
1:20:01 I hope that you guys will take the recommendation
1:20:04 of your committee that you selected
1:20:05 and not waste their time and energy
1:20:07 for what they’ve done to read it and review it
1:20:09 and vote to keep the “Nowhere Girls”.
1:20:12 - Thank you, who’s our next speaker?
1:20:14 - Carrie Taycox and then Gina Durang.
1:20:20 - Carrie Taycox, thank you.
1:20:27 Clock.
1:20:28 - I’ll start.
1:20:29 - Oh, okay.
1:20:30 Not too long ago, there was a hazing incident
1:20:32 that made headlines in the school district.
1:20:35 The hazing incident was of a sexual nature.
1:20:37 There is a current school board candidate
1:20:39 who is campaigning for a seat up on that dais
1:20:42 due to this incident.
1:20:43 Their child was one of the victims of the hazing
1:20:46 and it was reportedly so heinous
1:20:47 that it moved this parent to run for office.
1:20:51 And yet here we are discussing an abhorrent book
1:20:53 filled with sexual violence, rape and other atrocities
1:20:56 on whether or not our student should have access to it.
1:21:00 It promotes the use of sexual activities
1:21:02 as a weapon of power over others.
1:21:04 This book directly contradicts the kindness proclamation
1:21:07 that was mentioned earlier.
1:21:09 The mixed messaging this district sends to students
1:21:12 by keeping this book promotes that repulsive behavior.
1:21:15 Please think hard before making your recommendation.
1:21:18 I want to personally thank my school board member,
1:21:21 Jean Trent, for the fantastic work he’s doing
1:21:24 in district two.
1:21:25 He has kept his campaign promises and I appreciate it.
1:21:27 Thank you.
1:21:32 - All right, Gina Derang.
1:21:33 - Derang.
1:21:36 - Good morning board, I’m Gina Derang.
1:21:38 I’m with the League of Women Voters
1:21:40 and I’m here to talk about the science fair
1:21:45 that was held at Space Coast Middle and High School.
1:21:48 We were judges for this.
1:21:51 We present a trophy or a little award
1:21:56 for the Indian River Lagoon, Viability and Health.
1:22:01 We looked at six projects from the students
1:22:05 and I gotta tell you, my kids were in science fair
1:22:08 and I looked at these projects and I was blown away
1:22:12 that kids from four to sixth grade would be thinking
1:22:16 on this level, it was great, it was amazing.
1:22:19 The kids came in, they came up on the stage
1:22:21 waiting to come down and talk to the judges
1:22:23 and the knees were going up and down
1:22:25 and the hands and they were bopping up and down.
1:22:28 It was like the first day of school
1:22:29 with the kids being nervous.
1:22:33 So the projects that we looked at,
1:22:35 three projects were about the mangroves
1:22:37 and their viability.
1:22:38 One was about algae growth and the other one
1:22:40 was about oysters and the positive impact
1:22:43 on cleaning the lagoon.
1:22:45 We had an amazing lunch that was provided
1:22:49 by someone, donated by someone.
1:22:53 It was a great, great lunch.
1:22:55 The staff was amazing, they were passionate.
1:22:58 The teachers were there talking to the students
1:23:00 and talking to us to see if we have any questions.
1:23:03 The next awards or next project or next science fair
1:23:07 will be at Central Middle School on March the 14th.
1:23:11 It is my understanding it is a larger group of projects
1:23:15 and we need judges, we need judges.
1:23:20 It’s so awesome to be at this event
1:23:21 and see the excitement of the students with science.
1:23:25 It was just so great to go through
1:23:28 and weave through the projects and the kids were nervous
1:23:31 ‘cause they thought that we were gonna go up
1:23:33 and talk to them and then the teachers
1:23:35 and all of us were like, ah honey, we’re just looking
1:23:37 at the lagoon project and just smiling
1:23:40 and telling them what a great job.
1:23:43 Please, if you have the time, it is March the 14th
1:23:47 at Central Middle School.
1:23:49 They provide an excellent lunch for you
1:23:51 and you do make a positive impact on these kids.
1:23:55 Again, thank you for providing the lunch.
1:23:59 Whoever provided the lunch, it was great
1:24:01 and thank you for the staff up there
1:24:03 because they were excellent.
1:24:05 (audience applauding)
1:24:06 - Thank you.
1:24:10 All right, we are now at the consent agenda.
1:24:13 Dr. Rendell.
1:24:17 - Thank you, Madam Chair.
1:24:18 There are 39 agenda items under this category.
1:24:22 - Thank you, Dr. Rendell.
1:24:23 Does any board member wish to pull any of the items?
1:24:28 No, all right.
1:24:29 I will entertain a motion to accept
1:24:32 the consent agenda for today’s, sorry.
1:24:36 I’d like to jump in there, okay.
1:24:37 So Mr. Susan. - I’m sorry.
1:24:38 Yeah, you weren’t finished, I apologize.
1:24:40 - All right, any discussion?
1:24:43 Hearing none, call roll call, please.
1:24:45 - Ms. Jenkins. - Aye.
1:24:46 - Ms. Campbell. - Aye.
1:24:48 - Ms. Wright. - Aye.
1:24:49 - Mr. Trent. - Aye.
1:24:50 - Mr. Susan. - Aye.
1:24:53 - Thank you, all right.
1:24:54 We are on to the action items.
1:24:55 Dr. Rendell.
1:24:57 - Thank you, Madam Chair.
1:24:58 The first, thank you, Madam Chair.
1:25:00 The first action item is H-51 Procurement Solicitations.
1:25:05 - Do we hear a motion?
1:25:06 - Move to approve. - Second.
1:25:08 - Any discussion?
1:25:12 Hearing none, call roll call.
1:25:14 - Ms. Jenkins. - Aye.
1:25:15 - Ms. Campbell. - Aye.
1:25:16 - Ms. Wright. - Aye.
1:25:17 - Mr. Trent. - Aye.
1:25:18 - Mr. Susan. - Aye.
1:25:21 - Thank you, Madam Chair.
1:25:21 The next action item is H-52 Book Review and Challenges,
1:25:25 the book titled Nowhere Girls.
1:25:27 - Do we hear a motion?
1:25:28 - Madam Chair, I move that we remove this book
1:25:31 from our libraries and shelves.
1:25:34 - I’ll second that.
1:25:35 Any discussion?
1:25:37 - Yes, I’ll go first since I made the motion.
1:25:40 I wanted to make sure to get this on the record
1:25:42 because I think that I anticipate that my decision,
1:25:47 decision of this board will be misinterpreted, misconstrued,
1:25:51 but at least I’m gonna have it on the record.
1:25:52 I actually am very disappointed in some of our groups
1:25:55 for putting selective parts out on social media
1:26:00 as if that was the gist of the book.
1:26:03 That tells me they didn’t read the whole thing.
1:26:05 Those parts actually are not the parts that bother me
1:26:08 because the book is about trying to defeat rape culture.
1:26:12 That I can get behind.
1:26:14 The book is about trying to get people
1:26:16 to stand up for what’s right,
1:26:17 and I absolutely can get behind that.
1:26:19 And so those parts, to me, are not the objectionable parts.
1:26:24 There are still some what I would call graphic or explicit.
1:26:28 They’re very short, they’re very brief,
1:26:31 but parts, one of them was read that bothered me.
1:26:34 This one, by the way, I know Ms. Wright,
1:26:36 you’ve committed to reading all of them.
1:26:37 I have not, but this particular ones
1:26:39 that I think are gonna be on the line,
1:26:42 I’ve decided I’m gonna read them myself
1:26:44 and I finished those the other day at 4.30 in the morning.
1:26:46 So there’s just still some things
1:26:50 that were, to me, on the border
1:26:53 are actually just crossing over the edge
1:26:55 of what state statute requires.
1:26:59 We’ve had this conversation so much as a public
1:27:01 about the Miller test and what is our job.
1:27:04 I’ll tell you what our job is.
1:27:05 Our job is not to determine what books
1:27:07 anybody in this district can read.
1:27:10 Our job is to determine what books
1:27:12 we will provide to them with taxpayer dollars.
1:27:15 And I take that responsibility very seriously.
1:27:17 I’ve said that many times.
1:27:18 But the other picture of this is we ask our committee,
1:27:22 and I very much appreciate the committee,
1:27:24 and I don’t take lightly my decision
1:27:26 to go against their recommendation,
1:27:28 ‘cause I think they’ve done a really good job
1:27:29 and they’ve been very thoughtful.
1:27:32 But in this book in particular,
1:27:33 when we’re asked to take things as a whole,
1:27:36 to me, that makes this book even more problematic,
1:27:38 because as a whole, it’s a book about teenage sex,
1:27:42 teenagers having sex.
1:27:43 And even if the book, the main message is
1:27:47 against rape culture and against those things,
1:27:50 what we’re left with on the other side
1:27:53 is not a positive message.
1:27:56 And I will tell you, this comes straight from,
1:28:01 let me read you a couple of things, board.
1:28:03 One is out of our own policy
1:28:08 on comprehensive health education,
1:28:10 we have, which is policy 2417,
1:28:14 number one, letter D says,
1:28:16 “For students in grades six through 12,
1:28:18 “an awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence
1:28:20 “as the expected standard
1:28:22 “and the consequences of teenage pregnancy.”
1:28:24 There’s not a standard of abstinence.
1:28:27 There are some people who kind of say abstinence in there,
1:28:29 but it’s not in there.
1:28:30 So as a whole, this is not the general problem,
1:28:33 ‘cause we’re not gonna go clear the shelves
1:28:35 of every single book and every library
1:28:37 that has a sexual moment.
1:28:41 Because some of them are not very described
1:28:42 and they wouldn’t break the law.
1:28:43 We’re not doing this, but this book taken as a whole,
1:28:46 you can’t get beyond it.
1:28:47 And this is from one of the reviews
1:28:51 that our media specialists can use
1:28:53 to choose whether they’re going to pick this book.
1:28:55 Here’s a review.
1:28:56 Here’s the last sentence of it says,
1:28:57 “A thoughtful literary portrayal of female sexuality
1:29:01 “in a culture that often rejects it.”
1:29:04 So that’s it.
1:29:06 That’s the summary from what we’re looking at.
1:29:11 So I can’t, this one, like I said, it’s on the line,
1:29:14 but some of them, there was a scene in “Kite Runner,”
1:29:18 it was not explicit and that was not the point of the book.
1:29:21 There was a scene in some of the other books
1:29:23 and they weren’t explicit
1:29:24 and it also wasn’t the point of the book.
1:29:26 There are some very brief scenes
1:29:28 that I actually think cross the line,
1:29:30 but also as a theme of the book,
1:29:33 I just can’t go there with that one.
1:29:36 So that’s why I made the motion for us to remove this one.
1:29:41 - Thank you, Ms. Campbell.
1:29:42 Does anybody, any further discussion?
1:29:44 Ms. Jenkins, do you have anything to say?
1:29:46 - Yeah. - Okay.
1:29:48 Respectfully, I heard a lot of me’s and I’s in something
1:29:54 that we’ve appointed people to a committee to
1:29:56 and we’re essentially wasting their time,
1:29:58 which I’ve said it over and over again.
1:30:00 If the board is going to read these books
1:30:03 and make their own determination
1:30:05 and disregard the recommendation of the committee,
1:30:08 why do we have the committee in the first place?
1:30:10 First, we went from all of these voting members
1:30:12 with people who have expertise in these areas,
1:30:15 downgraded it to appointed members of the board,
1:30:18 and now we’re not even taking their consideration seriously.
1:30:21 So if that’s what we’re going to do ultimately
1:30:23 and the power lies with the board,
1:30:25 then disband the committee and stop wasting people’s time.
1:30:29 Stop wasting our staff’s time
1:30:31 who have to oversee the committee and be here.
1:30:35 It doesn’t make sense.
1:30:37 It’s not adding anything
1:30:39 ‘cause if you’re going to read it yourself
1:30:41 and take your own interpretation,
1:30:42 then that’s the choice that you made.
1:30:44 So the committee makes no sense.
1:30:46 The other thing that frustrates me is
1:30:52 you can have your own personal beliefs about something,
1:30:56 but you cannot inflict that upon 70,000 students
1:31:00 across Brevard Public Schools.
1:31:05 Pornography is the intent to arouse.
1:31:09 If you are aroused by rape scenes,
1:31:12 that is a different problem.
1:31:14 It is not the book.
1:31:16 Books are not harming children.
1:31:18 We waste so much time on this nonsense.
1:31:21 So again, I’m with wasting less time.
1:31:25 Let’s not have a committee
1:31:27 if we’re not going to take their recommendation seriously.
1:31:30 There’s no point.
1:31:31 We’re wasting staff’s time.
1:31:33 We’re wasting our community’s time.
1:31:36 If this is what we’re going to do going forward,
1:31:38 then own it and do it.
1:31:40 There’s no point of this anymore.
1:31:44 Nevermind the fact that what has been made
1:31:47 in public comments is very clear as well.
1:31:49 We have people on this committee
1:31:50 who don’t even have students in our school system.
1:31:53 The governor just had a press conference the other day
1:31:55 stating that exact same fact.
1:31:57 If you are not a parent in the school system,
1:31:58 you shouldn’t be challenging books.
1:32:00 But yet here we are doing that.
1:32:02 It makes no sense.
1:32:04 Just own it.
1:32:05 If that’s what you feel
1:32:06 and you feel like it’s the right thing to do, great.
1:32:09 I respect that you have the guts to say that.
1:32:11 I don’t agree with it,
1:32:12 but I respect that you have the guts to say that.
1:32:14 But then let’s own that.
1:32:15 We’re wasting people’s time
1:32:16 because our staff can be doing way more important things
1:32:19 than sitting here watching a group of adults
1:32:21 discuss a book that their recommendations
1:32:23 aren’t going to be taken seriously anyway.
1:32:28 - Thank you, Mr. Susan.
1:32:30 - I’m good.
1:32:31 - You’re good, Mr. Trent.
1:32:33 - All right, committees.
1:32:36 Committees give recommendations
1:32:38 just like the discipline committee.
1:32:41 Doesn’t mean we have to abide by them.
1:32:43 They don’t make policy, we do.
1:32:46 We’re not going to disband
1:32:47 all our committees in the district.
1:32:49 I think that would be not very productive.
1:32:52 So we knew the committee was gonna give a recommendation.
1:32:56 They’re not making policy.
1:32:59 We respect their work on that committee
1:33:01 in reading of the books.
1:33:03 And if there’s something that comes out
1:33:05 and we disagree with it,
1:33:07 then that’s why we’re here.
1:33:09 We’re the ones that are gonna be responsible
1:33:10 for ultimately that decision out of the committee.
1:33:16 Do we keep it?
1:33:17 Do we not?
1:33:18 They’ve done their job
1:33:20 and I respect each and every one of them.
1:33:23 So we have an audit committee, discipline committee.
1:33:26 I’m sure we have a few more that they recommend
1:33:29 and then we take their recommendation.
1:33:34 I find it hard to sit up here
1:33:37 and to say I am just going to parent my child
1:33:40 and my morals and my values are not going to be put out
1:33:43 in what I vote on here.
1:33:44 That’s why I was elected
1:33:46 and that’s what I’ll continue to do.
1:33:49 It isn’t a free for all.
1:33:51 Ultimately, I have to go to bed at night.
1:33:53 I have to put my head on that pillow
1:33:55 knowing I’ve done the best for each and every student
1:33:57 that’s out there.
1:33:59 And if they wanna go and get books
1:34:01 outside of our taxpayers’ dollars, then so be it.
1:34:06 Do it.
1:34:07 But just not when I have a say so.
1:34:10 I think I have the responsibility
1:34:14 to say something as a parent.
1:34:16 I have a 12 year old daughter
1:34:18 and when I read this stuff and I want them to read it, no.
1:34:21 We can get that message across
1:34:23 in a lot less graphic way than seen here.
1:34:27 I have a 17 year old boy.
1:34:29 I don’t wanna put these ideas in his head.
1:34:32 I have given this material to numerous parents
1:34:35 with young children.
1:34:37 I have not had one say,
1:34:39 well, let me read the entire book
1:34:41 and get the context of it.
1:34:44 Honestly, I have, I did.
1:34:46 I don’t read all these books.
1:34:48 I read this book.
1:34:50 And thank you for being honest.
1:34:52 And you know what?
1:34:54 We can go against what the committee recommends.
1:34:56 That’s not only our option, that’s our duty.
1:35:00 I set up here a few, maybe a month ago.
1:35:03 You guys are gonna love the committee
1:35:04 when it’s in your favor but there’s an opportunity
1:35:07 or there’s a chance it may not go in what your favor is.
1:35:11 And this is possibly another case.
1:35:19 Language matters.
1:35:21 You can’t unread something.
1:35:23 I mean, the language itself is enough,
1:35:25 not even the storyline.
1:35:26 You’ll wonder why we have discipline issues in the classroom
1:35:30 when you can use the F word 50 times in a magazine
1:35:33 or in a book.
1:35:34 And you’ll wonder why you get that response back
1:35:36 from a student when you say, put your earbud down.
1:35:40 Or when you call home or when they say,
1:35:42 well, that’s just the culture.
1:35:46 Well, where are they getting this?
1:35:47 Our taxpayers are paying for this
1:35:49 and putting the manuals, the how-to manuals in our libraries.
1:35:53 And when this is all over with and our time is up here,
1:35:59 are we gonna be able to say,
1:36:02 we did what we could do to put the best material
1:36:05 in front of our children?
1:36:08 You don’t just wrap it up.
1:36:11 I don’t even wanna go there.
1:36:13 It’s not the best way to get the message across.
1:36:16 I’m all for against all the rape culture.
1:36:19 But I don’t believe this is a self-help book
1:36:22 that needs to be tucked away in our libraries.
1:36:24 This book’s not even being checked out anyway
1:36:26 if you look at the data, it’s just not.
1:36:28 But it just doesn’t need to be there
1:36:29 because this is a precedent that we’re gonna set
1:36:31 and I will not be here and set this precedent if possible.
1:36:38 - Thank you, Mr. Trent.
1:36:40 Okay, so I’ve been very open and honest
1:36:42 about the fact that I’m reading these books
1:36:43 alongside the committee because I believe
1:36:45 that there are times when the entirety
1:36:46 of the book does matter.
1:36:48 I am, this one is a little different for me
1:36:50 because let me tell you, I typically,
1:36:53 I have read at least a good portion of it
1:36:55 before the committee meets.
1:36:56 This one, I didn’t get the book in my hands
1:36:57 until the day the committee met.
1:36:59 So I saw the committee deliberate
1:37:01 and then I thought, okay, five-zero, wow, all right.
1:37:04 And then I went home and I read the book.
1:37:06 And I love the idea of what this book is trying to say.
1:37:12 I really do.
1:37:13 I wholeheartedly think it’s a great idea.
1:37:15 What I don’t agree with is the fact
1:37:18 that there are multiple foul languages,
1:37:20 Mr. Trent brought up, the fact that they talk
1:37:22 about kids that are getting together
1:37:23 and I mean, underage drinking.
1:37:25 There’s all kinds of things that are going on in this book
1:37:27 that are not acceptable.
1:37:29 And while it might be the community standard
1:37:31 or the standard for a teenager,
1:37:32 it’s not one that I support.
1:37:34 It’s not one that I would ever encourage.
1:37:36 And it’s not one that I could sit here and say,
1:37:38 yes, I would love to give this book to anybody.
1:37:41 I wouldn’t give this book to anybody, honestly,
1:37:43 based on what is written inside of it.
1:37:45 And so I’m glad, Ms. Campbell,
1:37:47 that you brought forward this motion.
1:37:48 I know it’s controversial at the end of the day.
1:37:50 The committee makes a recommendation.
1:37:51 It’s exactly why we changed the policy
1:37:54 because the very first book, if you’ll remember,
1:37:56 that they reviewed, the committee made the decision.
1:37:59 And then I thought, well, wait a minute,
1:38:00 what happens if the committee makes a decision
1:38:03 that we don’t agree with?
1:38:04 Because as board members,
1:38:05 we are supposed to be doing our research
1:38:07 and reading and understanding and asking questions.
1:38:11 And I’m willing to bet not very many of us,
1:38:13 sounds like you read the book.
1:38:14 It sounds like Mr. Trent says he read the book.
1:38:17 Not everyone’s reading the books.
1:38:18 And so it’s important, it really is.
1:38:20 And so I don’t wholeheartedly disagree with your statement,
1:38:22 Ms. Jenkins, on why I have the committee,
1:38:24 but I think the committee offers a little more welcoming
1:38:26 of a deliberation process to happen.
1:38:29 And for people to be able to spectate that and see that.
1:38:31 Because when we’re up here,
1:38:32 we don’t exactly always get to deliberate
1:38:34 on why we feel the way that we feel.
1:38:36 This book, I wish, I really, really wish
1:38:39 that this book would have come through
1:38:40 as something that I could wholeheartedly say,
1:38:43 I believe this should go in the hands of a teenager.
1:38:45 Because the message of what they’re trying to get across
1:38:49 is a very important message.
1:38:50 And so now, I will dedicate time to researching another book
1:38:54 that we can put in place of this book.
1:38:55 Because the message still needs to get across.
1:38:57 But this is not the best means to deliver the message.
1:39:00 So I appreciate you making the motion, I really do.
1:39:02 I appreciate everyone’s thought on this.
1:39:06 You would like one more turn?
1:39:07 Okay, all right, go ahead, Ms. Campbell.
1:39:09 - Just very briefly, ‘cause this was brought up.
1:39:12 Pornography is not the only standard
1:39:13 that state statute requires us to take a look at.
1:39:16 I would not actually not say that this book is pornographic
1:39:18 as the definition of state statute.
1:39:20 However, one of the other things
1:39:21 we’re supposed to be looking at is sexual conduct.
1:39:24 And there is actually a qualifier on that.
1:39:26 Ones that we would make a decision to remove
1:39:31 because of sexual conduct, it actually talks about
1:39:33 what would be underneath that appropriate
1:39:36 for a certain grade, for whatever age level we remove it.
1:39:39 It’s not an automatic out.
1:39:40 Like pornography is an automatic out.
1:39:43 So I think this is one of those
1:39:44 that falls under that category.
1:39:46 So I just wanna be really clear.
1:39:47 Pornography is not the only thing that we can use,
1:39:50 the only standard that we can use to make that decision.
1:39:53 And I think if we make the decision to remove this,
1:39:56 we will be in line with state statute and our policy.
1:40:01 - I have a follow-up as well.
1:40:02 - Thank you, go ahead, Ms. Jenkins.
1:40:05 - First, I don’t believe Mr. Trent said
1:40:06 that he read the book, and nor did his committee member.
1:40:11 There were multiple board members who made a comment,
1:40:14 and I think this is important not only to say the public,
1:40:16 but clearly the news was in here this morning for this,
1:40:19 so I’m sure they’re paying attention.
1:40:22 There was multiple statements about how
1:40:24 sometimes the entirety of book does matter.
1:40:26 No, actually it matters every single time, that’s the law.
1:40:28 That’s how the law is written.
1:40:30 The entirety of the book matters every single time.
1:40:34 And to say foul language and underage drinking
1:40:36 and all these things that you don’t feel comfortable with,
1:40:39 that’s not the law.
1:40:40 That’s not what the law says.
1:40:42 So to take those into consideration for the decision,
1:40:46 you’re not basing it off of the law
1:40:48 that you claim is driving this policy in the first place.
1:40:51 So you guys need to take a step back
1:40:53 and make a decision why.
1:40:56 If you feel like it’s the sexual conversation in there,
1:40:59 then fine, that’s part of the law.
1:41:01 That’s what you’re deciding it on.
1:41:02 But to add all of these other personal feelings,
1:41:06 that doesn’t fall in line with our own policy
1:41:08 that we drafted and why we have
1:41:10 the committee in the first place.
1:41:12 No one’s talking about disbanding all of our committees.
1:41:15 My point is, there is no point of wasting staff’s time
1:41:20 if this is what’s gonna happen every time
1:41:22 there is a non-solid 5-0 vote or 4-1 vote.
1:41:27 It’s a waste of time.
1:41:29 It doesn’t make sense.
1:41:35 - Any other follow-up?
1:41:36 No?
1:41:37 None, hearing none.
1:41:38 All right, we have a motion and a second.
1:41:40 Paul, roll call, please.
1:41:41 - Ms. Jenkins.
1:41:43 - So to clarify, the motion is to remove it.
1:41:45 So a yay means to remove it, okay.
1:41:48 - Ms. Jenkins. - Nay.
1:41:49 - Ms. Campbell. - Yes.
1:41:51 - Ms. Wright. - Yes.
1:41:52 - Mr. Trent. - Yes.
1:41:53 - Mr. Suzan. - Yes.
1:41:55 - Thank you, all right.
1:41:58 I know I said yes too, I had the same.
1:42:00 All right, just to be clear, because on the agenda,
1:42:02 we have, Mr. Gibbs, I wanna just clarify,
1:42:05 ‘cause the agenda has the book review challenge.
1:42:09 She made a different motion.
1:42:11 Do we need to go back and clean up this motion?
1:42:14 - No, the recommended motion was to approve the committees,
1:42:17 but the motion that was moved and seconded on the floor
1:42:19 was to remove from libraries.
1:42:21 - Okay, I was just making sure we didn’t need
1:42:23 to clear this one.
1:42:23 Okay, all right, Dr. Rendell.
1:42:26 - Thank you, Madam Chair.
1:42:27 The last action item is H53, Orchid Lake,
1:42:30 educational facilities impact fees deferral.
1:42:34 - Do we hear a motion?
1:42:36 - Yes, Madam Chair, I am going to move
1:42:39 that we do not offer this impact fee deferral
1:42:43 to the Orchid Lake development.
1:42:47 - Second. - Second, all right.
1:42:48 Any discussion?
1:42:49 - Yeah, I’ll go first.
1:42:51 I’m just gonna be very brief on this one.
1:42:53 I just hasn’t sat well with me,
1:42:56 and after conversations with Dr. Rendell,
1:42:59 actually had a conversation with another organization
1:43:01 that’s doing something similar that we compared this to.
1:43:05 You know, when we talk about the,
1:43:06 we did this for St. Stephen’s Way,
1:43:09 and I just clarified with them this week,
1:43:12 ‘cause I wanna make sure I’m trying to picture
1:43:14 the differences because it was presented to us
1:43:16 as this is the same thing,
1:43:18 but I believe it’s not the same thing.
1:43:20 Just for your awareness,
1:43:23 when we did that for St. Stephen’s Way,
1:43:25 they are restricting the housing they’re doing for,
1:43:29 it’s 100% for homeless families.
1:43:32 It’s, they’re restricting theirs to the two,
1:43:35 and I didn’t bring the paper I wrote it down on,
1:43:38 but specifically for the HUD definition
1:43:43 of extremely low and very low income levels,
1:43:47 and so to qualify for those,
1:43:49 there’s not, it’s not just the regular,
1:43:51 and I am all for trying to find options
1:43:53 for affordable housing,
1:43:54 but these impact fees are also fees
1:43:56 that we use to build schools
1:43:58 for the people who are moving in,
1:44:00 and so, and we need those.
1:44:02 We wanna build excellent facilities in every area,
1:44:05 and so I just don’t feel comfortable with doing that.
1:44:08 I know it wasn’t, they made clear to us
1:44:10 it wasn’t their original intent to get it,
1:44:12 but when they found out we did it for this organization,
1:44:14 then maybe they’ll do it for us,
1:44:15 so I, that’s why I said,
1:44:17 that’s why I’m making the motion,
1:44:18 because I do believe these are two different
1:44:20 type of projects,
1:44:21 and I don’t feel the same is necessary for this project
1:44:26 like we did for St. Stephen’s Way.
1:44:30 - Thank you, any other discussion?
1:44:35 Hearing none, all right.
1:44:38 So Paul, can you read the amended motion, sorry?
1:44:42 - Yep, move to reject the impact fee deferral.
1:44:45 - Okay, all right, so Paul, roll call please.
1:44:48 - Ms. Jenkins. - Nay.
1:44:50 - Ms. Campbell. - Aye.
1:44:51 - Ms. Wright. - Aye.
1:44:52 - Mr. Trent. - Aye.
1:44:54 - Mr. Susan. - Aye.
1:44:56 - All right, we are moving on to the information agenda,
1:44:59 which includes one item for board review.
1:45:01 It may be brought back for action at a subsequent meeting.
1:45:04 No action should be taken on this item today.
1:45:07 Does any board member wish to discuss these items?
1:45:11 No, all right, and we are now at board member reports.
1:45:14 Do any board members have any further things
1:45:17 to report or discuss?
1:45:18 - I just have one.
1:45:19 - Ms. Jenkins, we’ll go down the line.
1:45:21 - That’s fine.
1:45:22 - Yeah, I just want to publicly address and ask
1:45:27 that the board get updated on the pending
1:45:30 public records lawsuit at some point,
1:45:33 like we traditionally do for most of our lawsuits,
1:45:35 not right here in this moment, but I want to say it out loud.
1:45:38 Thank you.
1:45:40 - Okay, Ms. Campbell.
1:45:46 - I was gonna give, my mind just went blank.
1:45:48 I was gonna give a legislative update,
1:45:49 but I will save that for next time around
1:45:52 because there hasn’t been a whole ton of movement,
1:45:56 but I will actually, if you’re not getting
1:45:58 the FSBA legislative updates every week,
1:46:00 are you getting them?
1:46:01 ‘Cause if not, I can forward them too ‘cause it has.
1:46:03 - And Russ also sent out a–
1:46:05 - Yes, thank you.
1:46:06 Thank you, Mr. Brunsman, sending them out too.
1:46:08 So we do expect that they’re gonna be all wrapped up
1:46:10 by the end of next week with the budget, so.
1:46:13 - Keep our fingers crossed.
1:46:14 - Wonderful, thank you, Mr. Susan.
1:46:15 - Yeah, there’s two things I wanted to say.
1:46:17 The first one is that we had a spousal insurability form
1:46:21 that many of our individuals,
1:46:23 what they do is they fill it out.
1:46:24 And if you fill it out properly,
1:46:27 you say that your spouse does or does not have insurance,
1:46:30 and if they do have insurance at another location
1:46:32 that they work at, then we charge them $250
1:46:36 to our healthcare plan, and if they don’t have it,
1:46:38 then they don’t have to pay that.
1:46:41 We had 37 individuals, I’m not sure if you guys
1:46:44 were CC’d on the email that came out from staff,
1:46:47 but we had 37 individuals who had not paid that fee of,
1:46:52 or had not filled out that form and had been impacted
1:46:55 with that fee.
1:46:56 The fee totals out at $3,900 during the year.
1:47:00 So what I did was I asked staff, I said hey,
1:47:04 I truly believe that we should no longer be impacting
1:47:06 our people on this because they may have made a mistake.
1:47:09 We had one individual that had reached out
1:47:11 that kind of signaled it to me, and she had said
1:47:13 that she had filled out the form previous years,
1:47:16 and then all of a sudden she got to a situation
1:47:18 where she didn’t fill it out this year
1:47:19 because she thought that it would just roll,
1:47:21 and now she was being impacted.
1:47:22 So it not being anything in claims or anything like that,
1:47:26 and we have the ability to stop that from happening
1:47:30 so that we can not have our people who decide
1:47:32 to fill out the form not impacted $3,900.
1:47:36 Staff came back and said that they’re going to resend out
1:47:39 to the 37 individuals that had not filled it out,
1:47:42 the form, and if they properly fill it out,
1:47:44 then they will no longer deduct it from their paychecks,
1:47:47 and then they can move forward.
1:47:48 So I just wanted to give you guys an update on that.
1:47:50 - Can I clarify that really quick?
1:47:52 Is this the smoking?
1:47:55 - No.
1:47:56 - Because when you go into the insurance,
1:47:57 I just want to clarify, you talk about it being a form,
1:47:59 but when you go in, you have to go in every year.
1:48:01 We tell employees every year, don’t assume
1:48:04 that you’re gonna get whatever last year.
1:48:05 They have to go in.
1:48:06 It’s actually a pop-up that you can’t get past.
1:48:09 I know ‘cause I have to do this myself,
1:48:11 that says with your spouse, do they have coverage
1:48:15 with another employer, and it asks you have to do that.
1:48:19 There’s not an extra form, it’s my understanding,
1:48:21 ‘cause I did it even just this last open enrollment period.
1:48:24 So you actually can’t get past that.
1:48:26 So I’d rather have that clarified,
1:48:29 because the purpose of that is that
1:48:33 if someone has the opportunity to get insurance
1:48:35 with their own employer, we shouldn’t be footing the bill.
1:48:40 If they want to have our insurance
1:48:41 ‘cause they think it’s better or whatever,
1:48:42 but they have opportunity to get insurance
1:48:44 through their employer, then it’s not the same.
1:48:46 We offer lower for someone who doesn’t have,
1:48:49 ‘cause we want to do that.
1:48:49 If your spouse can’t get insurance,
1:48:51 ‘cause they’re, let’s say, a stay-at-home mom,
1:48:52 or they work for themselves, or whatever,
1:48:54 wanna offer that, and I’m all for that.
1:48:56 But if they have the opportunity through their employer
1:48:58 to get those benefits, then that’s why
1:49:00 that extra charge is there, because our primary focus
1:49:04 in this is to make sure we’re taking care of our employees.
1:49:08 - Yeah, I think where you’re, so there were 37 people
1:49:13 out of 900 that filled out the form or did not,
1:49:15 like they chose one way or the other.
1:49:18 There were 3,700 people that did not fill out the form.
1:49:21 There was 37 of them, right?
1:49:23 Nine, 37 individuals, 900 did or didn’t.
1:49:26 So however that form looks on your site,
1:49:31 you know what I mean, they did not fill it out.
1:49:33 And what the problem that we had was
1:49:35 is that you’re 100% right.
1:49:37 That is a truly good program to be able to charge
1:49:40 if people have insurance in other places,
1:49:42 because they’re impacting our healthcare.
1:49:44 That’s not the intent of this.
1:49:46 The intent was we have teachers
1:49:48 and as this started happening, it started snowballing
1:49:50 to where we have a principal that has the same thing,
1:49:53 just people that just did not fill out the form
1:49:55 that are now gonna be charged up to $3,900.
1:49:58 And they asked, may we be able to fill out the form again?
1:50:02 So that’s all.
1:50:03 So it’s not that you’re sitting.
1:50:04 So what the staff is doing is just allowing them
1:50:06 to fill it out properly.
1:50:07 If they come back and they say, yes,
1:50:10 my spouse does not have insurance the correct way,
1:50:13 then they will be taken off the deduction.
1:50:14 But if they do come back and they say,
1:50:16 my spouse does have insurance, they get charged.
1:50:20 Or if they sit there and don’t fill out the form
1:50:23 after the second one, well, they’re just gonna get charged.
1:50:25 But it gives them the opportunity to not impact our teachers
1:50:28 in a way that, you know what I mean,
1:50:31 may hurt them financially over just not being able
1:50:33 to fill out the form.
1:50:34 And there was only 37 of them.
1:50:35 And I didn’t know that you guys weren’t CC’d on that email,
1:50:37 so I’ll just forward it.
1:50:38 But staff’s already said that they’re okay.
1:50:40 They’ll send it out and then identify the people
1:50:42 who may not have had the opportunity to fill it out before
1:50:45 and then re-correct the situation, okay?
1:50:47 All right, I had one other thing.
1:50:50 So I went to, I just wanted to give you guys a quick update.
1:50:52 I went to Harbor City and when I was speaking
1:50:55 to many of the leaders there,
1:50:57 both the SAC and some of the other people,
1:50:59 something that keeps coming up routinely
1:51:01 over and over again is this MTSS process of,
1:51:05 you know what I mean, evaluations and stuff like that.
1:51:08 It happened when I was at Quest.
1:51:09 It happened in a lot of different places.
1:51:11 I just wanted to say, I wanted to give a lot of credit
1:51:14 to Ms. Pam Dampier because yesterday
1:51:16 when we had a conversation during my one-on-one,
1:51:18 we had sat down with Dr. Rendell.
1:51:20 She had said that her staff is evaluating that process
1:51:23 to try to look at best practices and look at how
1:51:26 we may be able to reduce that amount of time
1:51:28 or effectively, you know what I mean, have that piece.
1:51:31 So I just wanted to give you a quick update
1:51:33 and a big shout out to Ms. Pam Dampier for her work
1:51:36 on that discipline and stuff like that.
1:51:37 And all the people that don’t know what the MTSS is,
1:51:39 it’s the evaluation of students who have extreme issues
1:51:43 as far as inside of our schools.
1:51:45 All right.
1:51:46 - All right, thank you, Mr. Trapp.
1:51:47 - That’s it. - Any discussion or updates?
1:51:49 Okay, I have one quick thing I just want to bring up
1:51:51 ‘cause it was, a couple things were said
1:51:52 and I just want to clarify.
1:51:53 Mr. Bryan, I believe you brought up the asking the question
1:51:56 of why someone leaves the district.
1:51:59 And I wanted to just, I asked the same question
1:52:01 because recently I saw job fatigue was listed
1:52:04 as one of the options.
1:52:05 It was not previously.
1:52:06 So the categories that an employee can select
1:52:08 is compensation, personal relocation, new job opportunity,
1:52:11 job fatigue, career development and advancement.
1:52:14 There’s not a whole lot that we can do
1:52:15 to necessarily make them pick one.
1:52:18 But those are the categories that are there
1:52:20 so that we can track the data a little closer.
1:52:22 The second clarifying thing that I just want to bring up
1:52:24 is that the board meeting’s being moved.
1:52:27 This conversation happened in December.
1:52:29 The board, was it October?
1:52:33 Okay, all right.
1:52:34 I thought it was December.
1:52:34 But anyways, okay.
1:52:35 So we had the conversation about
1:52:36 because we are statutorily required
1:52:38 to have one school board meeting a month,
1:52:40 but our district has two.
1:52:41 A lot of months we have a lot more than two.
1:52:43 In order to be fair to everyone,
1:52:46 we made an effort to have one in the morning
1:52:48 and one in the afternoon.
1:52:49 This was not created because of the social media thing
1:52:52 that people are putting out there.
1:52:53 This was done before that ever even existed,
1:52:57 the social media campaign that’s going on out there.
1:52:59 And again, not everyone works nine to five.
1:53:01 So this gives people the ability
1:53:04 to come to our school board meetings
1:53:04 that maybe work nighttime jobs as well.
1:53:07 So that was why that took place.
1:53:10 The other thing, the special meetings.
1:53:12 Historically speaking, special meetings
1:53:14 are always held at 9.30 in the morning.
1:53:16 So the policy reviews that we’ve done,
1:53:18 and you can go on the school board’s website
1:53:20 at brevardschools.org.
1:53:21 You can look up the school board meetings
1:53:23 that we have had for years past.
1:53:25 And you will see every time there is a special meeting
1:53:27 such as policy review meeting that we’re having,
1:53:30 those are always held at 9.30,
1:53:32 long before this board was ever up here.
1:53:33 So just to set some records clear,
1:53:35 that that is not a stunt to silence anyone’s voice.
1:53:38 It is the way it has always been done.
1:53:40 These are conversations that have been had out in the open.
1:53:42 This is not some political stunt
1:53:44 as some people are liking to spin it.
1:53:46 I would like to just clarify and correct that
1:53:47 for the public so that they’re aware.
1:53:49 All right, and Dr. Rendell,
1:53:52 do you have anything further to report to us?
1:53:53 - I do not at this time.
1:53:55 - Okay, all right.
1:53:56 We are gonna take a short recess
1:53:57 to move into the superintendent’s conference room
1:53:59 for the consideration of a student expulsion.
1:54:02 We’ll return to the boardroom to adjourn the meeting
1:54:04 at the end of the confidential meeting.
1:54:06 So I’m just gonna go ahead and let you know
1:54:07 we’re gonna recess at this time.
1:54:08 Thank you.
1:54:16 (upbeat music)
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2:21:04 (indistinct)
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2:21:19 - All right, thank you.
2:21:20 We are back from our recess.
2:21:21 This is a very peculiar process that we’re going through
2:21:22 but we are now able to adjourn the meeting.
2:21:24 There’s no further business on the agenda.
2:21:26 So we will adjourn.
2:21:27 Thank you.
2:21:28 (gavel bangs)
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