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IT'S ON, IS THIS WORKING? OKAY.
[1A. Call to Order - Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence - School Board Vice-Chair]
I CALL IT TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST THE FOURTH, 2021.PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[1B. Accept or Modify the Agenda - School Board]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS TO ACCEPT OR MODIFY THE AGENDA.IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[1C. Community Participation]
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS A TIME INTENDED FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE INPUT ON RELEVANT SCHOOL ISSUES AND NOT INTENDED TO BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD IS THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME THE BOARD HAS HEARD THIS INFORMATION.
PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE OR ANY COMMENT BY THE BOARD OF THIS TIME, BUT BE ASSURED THAT ANY CONCERNS WILL BE REVIEWED.
PLEASE PRINT YOUR NAME ON THE SHEET AT THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES, MR. BALLANTINE, WHO'S FIRST.
AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY SIGNED UP, YOU DON'T NEED TO PRINT YOUR NAME AGAIN.
AND I WILL SAY, I APOLOGIZE IF I MISPRONOUNCE ANYBODY'S NAME, IT'S CERTAINLY UNINTENTIONAL AND NOT MEANT AS A SIGN OF DISRESPECT TO YOU.
THE FIRST SPEAKER, THE SIGNED UP IS JEAN MCGURK, UM, SCHOOL BOARD, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO GET OUR POINTS OF VIEW INTO THIS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MAIN ISSUE OF WHAT MANY OF US ARE HERE FOR CONCERNS, SPECIAL RIGHTS FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS.
UM, THE CONSTITUTION TALKS ABOUT, UM, THE MAJORITY RULING FROM THE BOARD OF A LAW FROM THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE FOR THE PRESIDENT.
IT VERY CLEARLY SPECIFIES MAJORITY RULE.
SO HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO THE SITUATION? IF WE TAKE IT UP THE SCHOOL LEVEL, LET'S TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, A GIRL'S LOCKER ROOM, UM, WHERE TRADITIONALLY YOU'VE HAD GENETICALLY FEMALE STUDENTS.
YOU'VE HAD PHYSICALLY FEMALE STUDENTS, USUALLY EMOTIONALLY FEMALE STUDENTS IN THE LOCKER ROOM.
IF A BOY COMES BY AND CLAIMS TO BE A GIRL ON THIS TRANSGENDER IDEA, UM, HE STILL HAS GENETIC X, Y CHROMOSOMES.
HE STILL HAS THE BODY, THE PHENOM OF A MALE.
AND HE MAY SAY, WELL, I'LL BE UPSET.
I'LL BE HURT IF I CAN'T USE THE GIRL'S LOCKER ROOM BECAUSE I FEEL I'M A GIRL, BUT THE 20 OR 30 GIRLS THAT ARE REAL GIRLS IN THE LOCKER ROOM MAY FEEL UPSET TO HAVE THAT BOY IN THERE, EVEN THOUGH HE FEELS LIKE A GIRL.
AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THE GIRLS IN THE SCHOOL, THE GIRLS IN THE LOCKER ROOM, THE GIRLS IN THE RESTROOM SHOULD NOT BE PUT ASIDE FOR THE FEELINGS OF THE ONE OR TWO THAT ARE NOT THE MAJORITY, YOU KNOW, 20 OR 30 TO ONE OR TWO IS A LOSING VOTE.
SO TO SPEAK FOR THE ONE OR TWO, AND TRADITIONALLY IN OUR SOCIETY, WE'VE HAD LAWS ABOUT MEN GOING INTO LADIES ROOMS. THEY COULD BE ARRESTED, ET CETERA.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME WHERE THE PLACE TO START CHANGING ALL OF THAT AND, AND UPSETTING THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY FOR, TO GIVE SPECIAL RIGHTS TO PEOPLE WITH MAYBE A SPECIAL CLAIM TO THAT.
BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO BE IN THE SPACE OF THE MAJORITY THAT ARE NATURAL GIRLS OR NATURAL BOYS IN THE REVERSE SITUATION.
AND, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, OUR SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE FACILITIES FOR THE TRANSGENDER STUDENTS, UM, AND THAT THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY VOTED THAT THAT WAS SUFFICIENT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
SO IF THAT'S MY, IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS CORRECT, I'M ASSUMING THAT THE BOARD WILL AGAIN VOTE FOR THE STATUS QUO BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY DOING WHAT'S SUFFICIENT.
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UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING ME.MY NAME IS BENJAMIN RANIERI AND TO FOLLOW ON A REFERENCE, I'M KIND OF REFERRING BACK TO MR.
I APOLOGIZE FROM READING FROM MY PHONE, UH, AS A BRIEF BACKGROUND, MY ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS BENJAMIN ORNERY.
I'M A TOWN RESIDENT HUSBAND OF NEARLY EIGHT YEARS, FATHER OF THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, TWO OF WHICH HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN REFERENCE TO THE MODEL POLICIES.
HOWEVER, HERE ARE MY COMMENTS.
THERE REMAINS INDISPUTABLE TRUTHS IN THIS WORLD THAT THERE IS A REALITY, REALITY HAS TRUTH, NOT DEFINED BY SUBJECTIVE OPINION AND THAT WITHIN THOSE TRUTHS OF REALITY, THERE ARE TWO GENDERS, MALE, AND FEMALE, FEMALE, AND ALSO THAT WISE RATIONAL DECISIONS ARE NOT MADE WITH FEELINGS.
MANY OF THE ARGUMENTS YOU WILL HEAR TODAY WILL BE BASED OFF OF FEELINGS AND THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE VERY FEW WE WHO HAVE CHILDREN AS HUMAN TO MAKE YOUR DECISION BASED ON THE REALITY OF ONLY TWO GENDERS, AS ANYTHING ELSE AS A REJECTION OF TRUTH, WHICH OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM SHOULD MOST CERTAINLY CHAMPION DO NOT CONFIRM THESE MODEL POLICIES AS THEY ARE A REJECTION OF TRUTH, DANGEROUS TO OUR CHILDREN AND A THREAT TO THE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY WE HAVE HERE.
MAYBE ONE OF THE FEW TRULY WONDERFUL COMMUNITIES LEFT SO FAR.
IF YOU ALL COULD HOLD IT, YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL MR. BALLANTINE HAS READ ALL THE NAMES.
THAT WAY WE CAN HEAR WHO HE'S CALLING UP NEXT.
UM, I W WHAT I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THIS EVENING IS THAT THE, UM, THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEING PROMOTED BY THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO POSE A GRAVE THREAT TO PARENTAL RIGHTS AND TO BASIC RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE.
UM, AND HERE I SPEAK OF THE RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATION, UM, AND REALIZE THIS ISSUE OF COURSE, AROUSES MANY EMOTIONS, UM, AND IT REFLECTS THE DEEP PHILOSOPHICAL DIVIDE.
THE SPEAKER BEFORE ME SPOKE, UM, ABOUT A PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEF SYSTEM ON ONE SIDE OF THAT DIVIDE.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF ONE PHILOSOPHY VERSUS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT A PHILOSOPHY OR AN IDEOLOGY.
IT IS TO BELIEVE TO STATE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO HAVE ONE BIOLOGICAL SEX, BUT DEEP DOWN INSIDE YOU ARE ANOTHER SEX PRESUPPOSES, A NON-PHYSICAL REALITY.
IT IS AN IDEOLOGICAL POSITION.
SO THE VIRGINIA SCHOOLS ARE BEING ASKED TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE THE DECISIVE CHOICE OF A GOVERNMENTAL BODY TO PROMOTE AN IDEOLOGY AND WOULD HAVE THE FORESEEABLE RESULT OF PENALIZING OTHER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
UM, WHEREAS MY HOPE IS THAT THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE IMPOSITION OF THIS BELIEF SYSTEM AND MAKE POLICIES THAT ARE BASED ON SCIENCE.
AND THAT RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS WHO ARE RAISING THEIR CHILDREN IN A JUDEO-CHRISTIAN BELIEF SYSTEM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF NOTES, TWO MAIN OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THAT BELIEF SYSTEM, UM, BECAUSE THE FIRST VERY IMPORTANT ONE IS THAT THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
UM, ONE OF WHOM, UM, ARE PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND THE OTHER OF WHOM ARE PEOPLE WHO HATE, UH, THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN BELIEF SYSTEM AFFIRMS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THAT SYSTEM TO AFFIRM THAT ALL PERSONS, REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, SEXUAL IDENTITY, OR EXPRESSION, ARE PERSONS OF DIGNITY INFINITELY LOVED BY AN ALL GOOD GOD DESTINED FOR GREATNESS BEYOND NATURAL COMPREHENSION, AND ANYONE WHO SAYS ANYTHING ELSE IS NOT A CHRISTIAN, BUT IT ALSO AFFIRMS THAT CHILDREN HAVE A RIGHT, NOT TO BE PLEASED IN A SITUATION WHERE THEIR BODIES ARE VULNERABLE TO EXPOSURE TO MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITE BIOLOGICAL SEX.
IT AFFIRMS THAT PARENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO FORM THE CONSCIENCE OF THEIR CHILDREN, AND TO TEACH THEM TO EMBRACE AN UNWAVERING AFFIRMATION OF THE GENDER THAT THEY WERE GIVEN BY THEIR CREATOR, AND
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TO BE ABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH THIS, THE WORDING OF, OF, OF THIS POLICY IS, IS LADEN WITH DANGEROUS IMPLICATIONS FOR PARENTS.AND OF COURSE, FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AS WELL, WHO SUBSCRIBED TO THIS BELIEF SYSTEM.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE JUST CONSIDER, CONSIDER THE CONSCIENCE RIGHTS OF THOSE PEOPLE.
AND I, AND I THINK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR THE WORK THAT YOU, THAT YOU HAVE DONE ON OUR BEHALF, THANK YOU, JOHN T. ENGLISH AUDI.
SO I GUESS, FIRST OF ALL, MY, I AM JOHN ENGLISH AND THE I'M BOTH A PHYSICIAN AND, UH, UH, AN HAVE A DEGREE IN PHILOSOPHY AS WELL.
UM, AND SOME THINGS I WANTED TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, AND FOREMOST, I THINK THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM WHO DOESN'T CARE DEEPLY FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND WANTS THE BEST FOR THEM.
RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LEADS US TO KNOW IS THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADULT AND A CHILD.
A CHILD IS OFTEN GOVERNED BY EMOTION AS WE CAN WITNESS OFTEN IN THE TANTRUMS OF A TWO YEAR OLD, OR EVEN IN THE STRUGGLES OF TEENAGERS.
AND WE CONTINUE THAT STRUGGLE OUR ENTIRE LIFE, RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, AS WE BECOME MORE ADULTS AND AS WE BECOME MORE GOVERNED BY REASON, AS OPPOSED TO PASSION, THEN WE'D BECOME MORE ADULTS AND MORE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD JUDGEMENTS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO REALIZE IS THAT THE REASON A CHILD IS IN SCHOOL IS PRECISELY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW, RIGHT.
THEY ARE NOT YET AT THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN MAKE GOOD JUDGEMENTS, RIGHT? AND SO IT IS A VERY INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT TO SUSPECT THAT THE FEELINGS OF A CHILD, SO SUBJUGATE THE STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR LIVES LEARNING TO THEIR FEELINGS, RIGHT.
TO THE EMOTIONS OR TO THE WHIMS OF A CHILD.
UM, AND BECAUSE PRECISELY THERE FOR, IN SCHOOL FOR, TO DO ONE THING TO LEARN AND TO SEEK THE TRUTH, RIGHT.
AND IT WOULD BE ODD FOR THOSE WHO ARE TO BE THE EDUCATORS TO BE SUBJECTED TO THE EDUCATED.
THE OTHER THING I MENTIONED IS THAT THE INTERNAL COHERENCE OF LOGIC IN THE POLICIES IS QUITE LACKING, RIGHT? AND AGAIN, IN A SITUATION WHERE A CHILD IS IN SCHOOL, TRYING TO LEARN, YOU KNOW, THE OBJECTIVE TRUTHS THAT ARE PRESENT IN GRAMMAR, MATH, SCIENCE, ENGLISH, RIGHT.
THESE TRUTHS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO TEACH A CHILD, RIGHT.
UM, WE REALIZED THEY'RE NOT SUBJECT TO FEELINGS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE WORDING OF THE MODEL POLICIES PRESENTED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THEY QUOTE SPECIFICALLY THAT THEY ARE TO DO THESE THINGS IN THE ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE FOR THE CHILD, RIGHT.
IF A CHILD DESIRES SOMETHING WE ARE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT, EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY EVIDENCE.
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE VERY OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE SCHOOL IS FOR.
AND SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I WOULD, UM, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER, RIGHT? IT IS NOT TO SAY THAT A CHILD IS NOT STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT A CHILD SHOULD NOT, SHOULD BE BULLIED OR HARASSED, OR NONE OF US, NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM, ONCE A CHILD BE SUBJECTED TO HARASSMENT, BULLYING, YOU KNOW, OR DISCRIMINATION BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING THROUGH, BECAUSE ALL OF US, EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM HAS STRUGGLED WITH SOMETHING, RIGHT? WHETHER IT IS THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OF TRANSGENDERISM, WHETHER IT'S WITH HOW THEY RELATED WITH THEIR FAMILY, WHETHER IT'S, HOW THEY'RE RELATED WITH FEELINGS OF SUICIDE OR DEPRESSION, RIGHT? NO CHILD, NO PERSON.
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE IS JUST THAT A PERSON.
AND NONE OF THEM SHOULD BE SUBJECTED THAT EXPERIENCE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE CHILDREN AND IS THE JOB OF A SYSTEMS AND THE STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY TO BRING THEM ABOUT TO ADULTHOOD.
IT IS NOT TO SUBJUGATE THE STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY TO THE FEELINGS OR WHIMS OF A CHILD.
NO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, AS MY WIFE MENTIONED JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, UM, IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT A DIVIDE BETWEEN TWO SIDES THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE SIDE IS HATE.
UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE THE JUDAEO CHRISTIAN TRADITION BELIEVE THAT GOD LOVES EVERYONE AND EVERYONE HAS A HUMAN DIGNITY.
UH, AND THAT SHOULD BE, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST SAID, AND, AND RECOGNIZED.
UM, HOWEVER, WHEN YOU DO LOVE, YOU, YOU, YOU TELL THEM, YOU ACT ACCORDING TO TRUTH, UH, BECAUSE YOU WANT PEOPLE TO LIVE BY TRUTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, NONE OF US WHO ARE PARENTS TELL THEIR CHILD THAT IT'S OKAY TO GO PLAY WITH FIRE OR, YOU KNOW, TO, TO TOUCH A BOILING POT OF WATER WITH THEIR BARE HAND.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU TRY TO DISCOURAGE, UM, AND, AND TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TRUTH, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE A HAPPY LIFE.
UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS TWO THINGS TO CONSIDER, I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING THIS DECISION,
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IS THAT, UM, ONE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IF I IDENTIFIED AS, UM, A 75 YEAR OLD BLACK MAN, UM, SEVEN FEET TALL, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M NOT, WOULD THE GOVERNMENT THEREFORE HAVE TO SEE ME IN THAT WAY, JUST BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT, UM, COULD I START COLLECTING SOCIAL SECURITY OR, UH, MEDIC MEDICARE FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THESE ARE, THESE ARE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER, OR EVEN WHAT IF I SAID, WHAT I'VE IDENTIFIED AS SOMEONE WHO'S A MEMBER OF THE BOARD ON YOUR BOARD.UM, COULD I THEN VOTE, YOU KNOW, UH, ON THIS DECISION, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE IS A TRUTH OUT THERE AND, UH, I THINK, I THINK WE ALL NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE BELIEVES SOMETHING ABOUT THEMSELVES, DOESN'T MAKE IT TRUE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO I NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE THAT SIGN AND GOD, WE TRUST, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, IN MAKING YOUR DECISION, GOD HAS PUT YOU IN THIS PLACE AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND HE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO JUDGE, ACCORDING TO HOW YOU THINK THE ALMIGHTY GOD WOULD, WOULD HAVE YOU, AS OPPOSED TO YOUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.
SO
MY NAME IS ANTHONY MCDONALD AND I AM A TOWN RESIDENT.
UM, I AM OPPOSED TO THE ADOPTION OF THE VIRGINIA MODEL SCHOOL POLICIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS AND THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, FOR THE REASONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN STATED VERY ELOQUENTLY BY THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN UP HERE.
BUT I THINK, UM, WHEN CONSIDERING THIS, OF COURSE, THE THING THAT SHOULD BE PRIMARILY IN FOCUS IS WHAT IS BEST FOR THE KIDS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED IS THE ENTRAPMENT OF A RADICAL, PROGRESSIVE IDEOLOGY THAT IS HARMFUL FOR CHILDREN.
UM, IT ISN'T IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS, NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM, UM, THIS, THIS MENTAL CONDITION, CERTAINLY NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THOSE, UM, WHO MIGHT BE, UM, LURED INTO IT BY, UM, BY SWIMMING IN THE, IN THE WATERS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP TO PROMOTE IT.
AND CERTAINLY NOT FOR THE, THE TEACHERS, THE STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE OPPOSED TO THIS WHO WOULD FALL UNDER THE CONDEMNATION OF THESE POLICIES SIMPLY BY REFERRING TO A BIOLOGICAL MALE AS HE OR HIM, UM, THIS COMMUNITY DOES NOT NEED THIS.
IT IS, IT IS NOT TO THE BENEFIT OF, OF REALLY ANYONE.
SO I, I ASK YOU TO PLEASE PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM, FROM THESE POLICIES TO THE GREATEST DEGREE THAT YOU'RE ABLE.
ARE SHE AND HER LAST MEETING WHILE YOU ARE WE'RE HOSTING A VITRIOLIC HATE-FILLED DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER TRANSGENDER CHILDREN, LITERAL CHILDREN WHO WERE CALLED AN ABOMINATION BY SOME MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND YES, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO COME HERE AND SPEAK FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUT THEY ARE CONVERSATIONS SEEM TO HAVE DISTRACTED THE BOARD FROM, FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AT ALL, WHICH IS HOW WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CAN FULFILL ITS CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED JOB TO ENACT THE LAWS OF VIRGINIA, EVEN SITTING TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER, GARY GILLESPIE URGE THE BOARD TO FLOUT THIS DUTY AND APPARENT DEFIANCE OF HIS OWN OATH.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, THE LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE NEW MODEL POLICIES TO PROTECT TRANSGENDER CHILDREN WAS DISMISSED.
AND SINCE THEN, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH I'VE GOT HERE.
AND I'LL HAND OUT WHEN I'M DONE WRITING UP THE MODEL POLICIES EXTEND BEYOND JUST COMPLIANCE WITH NON-DISCRIMINATION LAWS TO COVER MATTERS RELATED TO STUDENT RECORDS, STUDENT PRIVACY, BULLYING,
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AND HARASSMENT, DRESS CODES AND PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.THEREFORE NONDISCRIMINATION POLICIES ALONE MAY BE INSUFFICIENT TO MEET THE FULL SCOPE OF THIS LEGAL MANDATE, FURTHER LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS THAT ELECT NOT TO ADOPT THESE POLICIES ASSUME ALL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY NON-COMPLIANCE MAY BE COSTLY FOR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS DUE TO CIVIL LITIGATION OR OTHER ASSOCIATED LIABILITIES.
LET'S NOT FORGET 1958 WHEN WARREN COUNTY WAS ONE OF JUST A FEW LOCALITIES IN THE STATE COMMITTED TO MASSIVE RESISTANCE.
IN A NUTSHELL, THE COUNTY WAS SO INTENT UPON KEEPING SCHOOL SEGREGATED THAT IT WOULD RATHER SHUT DOWN ITS SCHOOLS ENTIRELY THAN ALLOW BLACK STUDENTS TO MINGLE WITH WHITE.
AND HERE WE ARE, AGAIN, WARREN COUNTY, SO COMMITTED TO ANTIQUATED, OPPRESSIVE IDEALS THAT IT WOULD RATHER RISK LEGAL ACTION THAN USHER AT SCHOOLS INTO A SAFER AND MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE.
IMAGINE IF WE FOSTERED LOVE, COMPASSION AND ACCEPTANCE IN OUR MOST FORMATIVE YEARS INSIDE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, WOULD WE HAVE REACHED 200 TRANS MURDERS SINCE 2013 IN OUR COUNTRY.
ALTHOUGH WARREN COUNTY SEEMS CONTENT TO PERPETUATE THE STATUS QUO OF ANTI-TRANS VIOLENCE.
FORTUNATELY, JUST LIKE IN 1958, THE REST OF VIRGINIA WILL KEEP DRAGGING US ALONG AS IT LEAVES THIS HATE-FILLED ERA AND THE DUST.
AND I'M GOING TO HAND OUT A FEW PAPERS THAT REMIND YOU OF YOUR DUTY.
SEE NUMBER EIGHT ON THE CODE OF CONDUCT THAT ALL OF THE ELECTED MEMBERS UP HERE SIGNED TO FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE STATE.
AND I'M ALSO COPYING SOME OF THE POLICIES FROM THE NEW DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE DRESS CODES, USING PRONOUNS BATHROOMS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT MUST BE INCORPORATED INTO OUR COUNTY'S POLICIES.
I'M CURRENTLY WORKING IN MIAMI, FLORIDA FOR THE GOVERNMENT, BUT I DO LIVE IN FRONT ROYAL HAMMOND TOWN RESIDENT.
MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE INTEGRITY, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT BEING DEPENDABLE AND FOLLOWING THROUGH ON COMMITMENTS ARE TWO PROFOUND QUALITIES OF A PERSON WITH INTEGRITY ON JANUARY 6TH, 2021, YOU ALL SIGNED THE U V S B A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
THE FIRST CODE REFERENCES INTEGRITY.
THE FOURTH CODE TALKS ABOUT MAKING POLICY DECISIONS BASED ON FACTS AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC INPUT.
I THINK THE KEY WORDS THERE ARE FACTS INAPPROPRIATE.
THE EIGHTH CODE SAYS, AND I QUOTE, I WILL BRING ABOUT DESIRE, CHANGES THROUGH LEGAL AND ETHICAL PROCEDURES, UPLOADING AND ENFORCING ALL LAWS, STATE REGULATIONS, AND COURT ORDERS, AS IT PERTAINS TO STUDENTS.
LET'S READ THAT ONE ONE MORE TIME.
I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
NUMBER EIGHT, THE CODE THAT YOU ALL SIGNED YOU FOR, NOT YOU MS. SALINAS TALKS ABOUT.
I WILL BRING ABOUT DESIRE, CHANGES THROUGH LEGAL AND ETHICAL PROCEDURES, UPHOLDING AND ENFORCING ALL LAWS, STATE REGULATIONS, AND COURT ORDERS AS IT PERTAINS TO STUDENTS.
SO I KNOW A FEW THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LACK INTEGRITY, PEOPLE WHO LACK INTEGRITY MAKES THE MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON HOW THAT DECISION MAKES THEM LOOK NOT HOW THE DECISION MAY BENEFIT SOMEBODY ELSE TO ADD PEOPLE WHO LACK INTEGRITY, SEE THEIR ACTIONS AS PERFORMANCE TO BE MEASURED, AS OPPOSED TO DOING THE RIGHT THING AND MOVING A COMMUNITY FORWARD.
FORTUNATELY, TRANS KIDS HAVE RIGHTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SCHOOL BOARD JUST NEEDS TO APPLY THEM.
I THINK I ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION ON, DO YOU HAVE INTEGRITY? YOU SIGNED THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
HAVE NOT ADHERED TO IT IN SOME, DO YOU HAVE INTEGRITY BASED ON YOUR INACTION? I'D SAY NO.
SINCERELY, MR. PORTER, AND THAT'S HE? HIM AND HIS
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AT CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH.I REMEMBER WHEN MY SCHOOL WAS DESEGREGATED IN 19 68, 14 YEARS AFTER BROWN V BOARD OF EDUCATION ORDERED SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TO BE DESEGREGATED.
I REMEMBER HEARING PARENTS SAY THAT THEIR RIGHT TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO ALL WHITE SCHOOLS WAS BEING VIOLATED.
I REMEMBER MANY WHITE FOLKS SAYING THAT THEY WERE AFRAID OF BEING ATTACKED BY BLACK FOLKS.
AND I HEARD SOME PEOPLE USE THE BIBLE TO JUSTIFY SEGREGATION.
AND I'M HEARING SOME OF THESE SAME ARGUMENTS TODAY, AS WE TALK ABOUT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.
NOW NO ONE WAKES UP ONE MORNING AND SAYS, I THINK I'LL BE A DIFFERENT GENDER TODAY TO EXPERIENCE YOURSELF AS A GENDER THAT DOESN'T MATCH YOUR BODY IS NOT A CHOICE.
AND COMING TO TERMS WITH THAT IS MADE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BY REJECTION FROM FAMILIES, FROM CHURCHES, FROM SCHOOLS, TRANSGENDER STUDENTS, USING BATHROOMS THAT THE GENDER WITH, WHICH THEY IDENTIFY IS NOT A RISK TO OTHER STUDENTS IS THE TRANSGENDER STUDENTS THEMSELVES WHO ARE AT RISK OF BEING BULLIED, DEMEANED, OSTRACIZED, MAYBE EVEN PHYSICALLY ATTACKED.
IF OUR COMMITMENT IS TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, THEN WE NEED TO DEAL IN FACTS.
AND WHEN I READ THE GOSPEL, I SEE JESUS HANGING OUT WITH PEOPLE ON THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY.
WHY? BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT ALL OF THEM WERE BELOVED.
CHILDREN OF GOD, ALL OF US HERE TODAY, YOU ME, ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, TRANSGENDER OR NOT ARE BELOVED CHILDREN OF GOD.
AND AS YOU GO FORTH, MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD KEEP THAT IN THE FRONT OF YOUR MINDS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU.
AS A SIMPSON, I HAVE TAUGHT GENERAL EDUCATION AS WELL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UM, I'VE WORKED WITH VERY DIVERSE STUDENTS AND I TEACH ALL OF MY STUDENTS IN AN INCLUSION SETTING TO ACCEPT AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
IN SPITE OF THEIR DIFFERENCES, ALL STUDENTS DESERVE FAKE A FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION.
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE IDA AT MOST STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM IN A GENERAL ED SETTING.
I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY BECAUSE I ASK OF YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THE SAME EMPATHY THAT WAS PROVIDED DURING THE IDE AT WHEN IT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
ALL STUDENTS DESERVE TO BE ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE AND HOW THEY FEEL.
I TRY TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND NURTURE ALL OF MY STUDENTS IN SPITE OF THEIR DIFFERENCES.
AND IT IS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL A STUDENT THAT THEY CAN OR CANNOT GO INSIDE OF A CERTAIN BATHROOM BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THEY FEEL OR THE WAY THAT THEY'RE BEING REARED AND RAISED AT HOME.
THAT IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN EDUCATOR.
THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A PARENT.
I TAKE ON A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHEN I WALK INSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, BEING A NURSE, AN EDUCATOR, A NURTURE, A COUNSELOR, BUT THIS ONE IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
WHEN YOU CAST STONES AND YOU PLAY GOD.
NOW I AM A CHRISTIAN, BUT MY BELIEFS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT GOES ON INSIDE OF MY CLASSROOM.
SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND I ASK OF YOU ALL TO CONSIDER, HAVE SOME EMPATHY.
AND WE CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT BATHROOM A CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO INSIDE OF.
AND I'LL TELL YOU ONE MORE THING.
WHENEVER MY STUDENTS, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR DISABILITIES ARE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE AN IEP OR NOT.
IF A STUDENT COMES INTO A CLASSROOM AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE WHO
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THEY ARE, MOST OF MY STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM, EXCEPT THEM FOR WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE WITHOUT JUDGMENT.SO IF A STUDENT SAYS THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING INSIDE OF A CERTAIN BATHROOM, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT 100% OF MY STUDENTS ARE NOT GOING TO SHAME THAT STUDENT.
THEY'RE GOING TO RALLY AROUND THAT STUDENT AND BUILD CONFIDENCE AND CELEBRATE THAT STUDENT FOR WHO THEY SAY THAT THEY ARE.
GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU THAT I'M A RESIDENT OF FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA.
I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE OFF AND ON WAY BACK IN, I WAS BORN IN ACTUALLY IN 1951.
I LIVED THROUGH THE SUBJECT SEGREGATION ERA.
MY FATHER WAS ACTUALLY PUSHING FOR INTEGRATION OF THE SCHOOLS.
I'M NOT GOING TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT THE ISSUE THAT YOU HAVE IN DETAIL TONIGHT, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A PREPARED SPEECH, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, MY EXPERIENCE.
I, UM, WORKED FOR DC PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 12 YEARS.
UH, SIX OF THOSE YEARS, I WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER.
SIX OF THOSE YEARS, I WAS DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AND WE'VE RAN INTO MANY TOUGH DECISIONS.
NUMBER ONE, THE SCHOOLS WERE 125 YEARS OLD ON AN AVERAGE, UH, AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT CAME THROUGH AND SAID THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ALL OF ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE STUDENTS.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY, WELL, OKAY, IF YOU TELL US WE WILL DO THAT, BUT THEY DIDN'T GIVE US ALL THE FUNDING NECESSARY TO.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE COULDN'T GET ALL OF THE SCHOOLS READY, JUST LIKE THAT.
ANYWAY, I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY OF ONE PARTICULAR SITUATION.
WE HAD A LITTLE GIRL THAT WANTED TO GO TO DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF THE PERFORMING ARTS.
AND I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, DUKE ELLINGTON IS PRETTY OLD.
IT'S LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.
AND IT IS DEFINITELY NOT ADA COMPLIANT.
THE LITTLE GIRL'S PARENTS SAID, SHE WANTS TO GO TO DUKE ELLINGTON AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT READY FOR HER.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WE WENT TO COURT, WE LOST, I WENT TO THE JUDGE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THIS TO DO, DO A FEW THINGS TO GET IT READY FOR THIS LITTLE GIRL.
SO WHEN ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FEDERAL COURT, I WALKED IN THE FEDERAL COURT WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE JUDGE SAID, YOU GET THAT SCHOOL READY FOR THIS LITTLE GIRL.
OR THERE MIGHT BE SOME JAIL TIME ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
IF YOU COULD WRAP IT UP IN A FEW.
THE ONLY THING THAT I'M SAYING IS IS THAT AT TIMES WHEN THERE'S LAWS IN EFFECT, YOU HAVE TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THESE STUDENTS.
SUSAN LEWIS, SUSAN LEWIS, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND
[00:35:01]
FELLOW CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY.I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR IN VIRGINIA FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
I'VE TAUGHT NUMEROUS SUBJECTS AND EVERY AGE FROM KINDERGARTEN TO UNIVERSITY TO ADULT, THAT'S A LONG TIME IN EDUCATION, SECONDARY AND IMPORTANCE TO MY SUBJECT MATTER IS A NECESSITY TO KEEP MY STUDENTS SAFE FOR SEVEN HOURS A DAY AND SEND THEM HOME TO YOU.
THEIR FAMILY, HEALTHY WHOLE AND WANTING TO RETURN THE NEXT DAY.
EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT I'VE INTERRUPTED MY LESSONS FOR FIRE DRILLS, EARTHQUAKE DRILLS, TORNADO DRILLS, AND ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS.
I'VE TAKEN FIRST AID COURSES, INCLUDING CPR, TRAINED TO ADMINISTER EPI PENS AND TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE CONCUSSIONS.
I'VE RESPONDED TO COUNTLESS EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS AND MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.
I'VE WORKED WITH FELLOW TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, NURSES, GUIDANCE, COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, COMMUNITY HELPERS, AND MOST IMPORTANT WITH PARENTS TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE AND PREVENT ACCIDENTS.
I'VE SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS GETTING STUDENTS ON AND OFF BUSES AND SUPERVISING RECESS A TIME WHEN STUDENTS ARE MOST AT RISK FOR ACCIDENTS, BULLYING, AND INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS, I'VE CALLED NINE ONE.
ONE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES PULLED A FIRE ALARM AND ESCORTED STUDENTS OUT OF A BUILDING TWICE WITH AN ACTIVE FIRE SMOKE SITUATION.
I'VE GOTTEN THE STUDENTS QUICKLY OFF A PLAYGROUND WHEN A RABBIT SKUNK CAME TO CLOSE.
YES, REALLY I'VE GOTTEN STUDENTS QUICKLY OFF A PLAYGROUND WHEN A LARGE VENOMOUS SNAKE WANTED TO JOIN THE FUN I'VE CLEANED AND BANDAGED HUNDREDS OF BOO-BOOS AND TIED HUNDREDS OF SHOELACES.
I CAN DO THOSE THINGS WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT IN MY LESSON.
THOUSANDS OF TIMES, MULTIPLE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS ARE AT A MUCH HIGHER RISK FOR ASSAULT, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE BULLYING, SELF HARM, AND SUICIDE.
THE REASONS FOR THIS ARE COMPLEX, BUT MOSTLY STEM FROM FEAR, REPLACING FACTS AS PARENTS AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERS.
LET US SUMMON OUR HUMANITY, COMPASSION, EMPATHY, RESPECT, AND KINDNESS, AND PROVIDE THESE VULNERABLE STUDENTS.
A SIMPLE POLICY OF PROTECTION.
LET US KEEP ALL OF OUR STUDENTS SAFE FOR LEARNING.
THE REVEREND VALERIE HAYES, MADAM CHAIRMAN, WE CAN'T SEE YOU.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE SIT DOWN OR IF YOU WANT TO STAND, YOU CAN STAND IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM IF, IF YOU'D LIKE TO STAY IN, THAT'S FINE.
BUT IF YOU COULD STAND IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM SO OTHERS COULD SEE, THAT WOULD BE NICE.
MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR VISITORS.
I'M THE RECTOR OF CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH HERE IN FRONT ROYAL, ALONG WITH BEING AN EPISCOPAL PRIEST.
I'M A MOTHER OF TWO SONS WHO WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.
I'M A FORMER MILITARY WIFE WHO LIVED IN MANY DIFFERENT.
I'M A FORMER PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN WITH EXPERIENCE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND THE CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER AT NIH IN THESE ROLES AS A MOM, A CHAPLAIN AND A PASTOR, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW, TO SERVE AND TO MINISTER, TO CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES OF ALL KINDS OF ALL RELIGIONS, INCLUDING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ AND TRAN.
I AM AWARE THAT THIS TOPIC AND THESE CONVERSATIONS AROUND OUR CHAN'S DRENT, OUR TRANSGENDER YOUTH ARE COMPLEX AND THEY ARE EMOTIONAL.
AND SO THESE CONVERSATIONS REQUIRE ADULTS WITH THE COMMITMENT TO READ AND TO LEARN INCLUDING THE TRANSGENDER STUDENTS AND SCHOOL BATHROOMS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION GUIDE HELPFULLY PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.
ALSO THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
NONE OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE NEW.
[00:40:02]
NEEDS TO ENGAGE THIS QUESTION WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT UNTIL LISTEN DEEPLY.WE CAN DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITHOUT VILIFYING AND DEMEANING AND DIMINISHING OUR CHILDREN.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY LIVED THROUGH A DIFFICULT, AND I WILL CALL IT A TRAUMATIC TIME DURING WHICH OTHERS WERE DEMEANED AND VILIFIED BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN.
AND I HOPE WE HAVE LEARNED MORE SINCE THEN.
WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN OR THE DEPTHS OF SPACE.
AND WE IN TRUTH, DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS HUMAN BODY.
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND OUR BRAINS.
WE DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND HUMAN SEXUALITY EXCEPT TO UNDERSTAND NOW THAT IT IS ON A SPECTRUM.
THERE ARE THINGS WE DO NOT KNOW AS A PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT DOCTORS FREQUENTLY SAY, WE DON'T KNOW TONIGHT.
I ASK WHETHER THE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR COMMUNITY, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE PUT THE SAME ENERGY AND INTENTION INTO ADDRESSING THE DISPARITY AMONG OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR, CAN WE GIVE AS MUCH ENERGY AND ATTENTION TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALITY AND DEDICATED TEACHERS CAN THIS COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND BUILD AND PROVIDE A SUPPLY OF QUALITY HOUSING THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR NURSES AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN YOUR TIME IS UP.
IF YOU COULD WRAP IT UP, PLEASE, WHILE WE WILL AND DO DISAGREE ON THESE ISSUES, WE ARE NOT JUST A DEMOCRACY.
AND THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY.
JESUS HUNG OUT WITH THOSE WHO WERE MINORITIES AND OTHER AND VILIFIED.
FOR THOSE OF US WHO SAY WE'RE CHRISTIAN, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING AND ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME.
CAMERON HUBBARD, 1169 I'M STREET.
TODAY I COME HERE, VOICING MY OPINION AS A KID, NOT ONE WHO IS GAY OR TRANS, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO SEES THE EVERYDAY STRUGGLES OF MY PEERS, I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE AS YOUR JOB, IT IS TO PROTECT US AND ENDURE SAFETY AND PEACE IN OUR HALLS.
BUT INSTEAD YOU ARE RETALIATING AGAINST A BILL AND TARGETING SPECIFIC GROUPS OF CHILDREN WHO JUST WANT TO EXIST AND BE TREATED LIKE OTHERS.
NOT ONLY DID YOU BETRAY THE RIGHTS OF THESE SELECT KIDS, YOU APPOINTED A WOMAN WHO HAS NO CLUE WHAT GOES ON IN THE HALLS FROM THE TIME WE ENTER IN THE TIME WE LEAVE, AS SHE DOES NOT HAVE A KID WHO ATTENDS, PLEASE LET THE SPEAKER SPEAK WHEN YET, AGAIN, SHE HAS NO ABSOLUTE IDEA.
THE STRUGGLES OF THE KIDS OUTSIDE OF THIS TOWN, SOCIETAL STANDARDS ARE WHEN I FOR I WAS HERE FOUR YEARS AGO, BECAUSE WHEN I WALKED INTO YOUR SCHOOLS, I SAT DOWN IN MY DESK.
NEXT TO ME, IT WAS WRITTEN ON THE WALLS, RACIAL SLURS AND RACIAL ORGANIZATIONS.
I CAME TO YOU AS A SEVENTH GRADER WITH HOPE, HOPE THAT YOU WOULD SERVE US JUSTICE.
INSTEAD, THAT HOPE WAS QUICKLY TAKEN AWAY FROM ME.
NEITHER WERE THOSE WHO WERE TARGETED TODAY.
I COME HERE TO YOU WITH NEW HOPE, HOPE THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU MISSED THE MARK LAST TIME, YOU WILL PLEASE CONSIDER AND REEVALUATE YOUR DECISIONS FROM LAST MEETING AND GET IT RIGHT.
PLEASE PROVE TO US THAT YOU CARE, HOW WE FEEL THAT YOU CARE ABOUT HOW WE ARE TREATED.
IF YOU NEED HELP, PUT YOURSELF IN THESE KIDS' SHOES.
I ASKED HIM, MR. WELLS, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE USING THE WOMEN'S RESTROOM WHEN YOU IDENTIFY AS A MAN? AND I ASSUME ASSAILANTS, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL USING THE MEN'S RESTROOM WHEN YOU IDENTIFY AS A WOMAN? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU WERE ASKING HIM FOR THESE KIDS.
COULD YOU READ THAT NAME AGAIN? I THINK THEY WERE APPLAUDING.
[00:45:01]
OKAY, THANK YOU.THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A FORUM TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, I AM A MEMBER OF THE FRONT ROW COMMUNITY.
UM, I HAVE A BACKGROUND, UH, UM, BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND A MASTER OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT WITH A SPECIALIZATION AND CHILDREN.
I WORKED WITH CHILDREN AND SPENT MY ENTIRE WORKING CAREER, UH, WORKING FOR THEIR WELFARE, UM, FOR THEM TO THRIVE FOR THEIR WELLBEING AND FOR THEIR SAFETY.
AND THINKING ABOUT THE ISSUES AT HAND TODAY, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE POLITICS OF ADULTS AND THE RELIGION OF ADULTS.
WE HAVE THIS YOUNG WOMAN WHO GAVE US A PERSPECTIVE FROM INSIDE THE SCHOOL, BUT FRANKLY, I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN THE POLITICS AND RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHIES AT HAND.
I'M INTERESTED IN THE EXPERIENCE, THE WELLBEING, THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ABLE TO THRIVE.
AND WHAT COMES TO MIND FOR ME, WHAT KEEPS COMING TO MIND IS RUBY BRIDGES CROSSING THE LINE OF PROTESTORS INTO HER SCHOOL IN 1960.
AND WHAT DID SHE SAY OF HER EXPERIENCE? SHE SAID, I'LL PRAY FOR THEM.
SHE PRAYED FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HATED HER FOR BEING A LITTLE BROWN, BLACK GIRL, GOING INTO A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SO THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COMMUNITY, I THINK THE HIGHEST ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT WE CAN MAKE AS A COMMUNITY IS TO SAY ABOUT OUR CHILDREN, THAT THEY ARE SAFE, THAT THEIR WELLBEING IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, BUT THEY ARE GIVEN AN EDUCATION IN WHICH THEY CAN THRIVE, LIVE GOODBYE LIVES AND TAKE CARE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WE FAILED AS A COMMUNITY WHEN WE FOUGHT DESEGREGATION AND WE WERE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY.
AND TODAY WE'RE FAILING AGAIN, CHILDREN WHO ARE TRANSGENDER, NOT ONLY RECEIVING A HOSTILE TREATMENT IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, UM, ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, THAT RESULTS, THERE ARE 200 TO 2018 STUDY, AND MORE THAN 50% OF TRANS MALE CHILDREN, CHILDREN ATTEMPTING SUICIDE, ATTEMPTING SUICIDE, BECAUSE THEY'RE PUT IN SUCH HOSTILE SITUATIONS AS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NOT BEING ALLOWED TO EXPRESS THEIR SEXUAL IDENTITY OR GENDER IDENTITY, NOT BEING ALLOWED TO WEAR THE CLOTHING THEY IDENTIFY WITH NOT BEING ALLOWED TO GO INTO THE BATHROOMS, OFTEN BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEIR FAMILIES DON'T ACCEPT THEM OFTEN FOUR TIMES, AS LIKELY AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN, UH, ACCORDING TO UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW WILLIAMS INSTITUTE, FOUR TIMES AS LIKELY TO HAVE VIOLENCE COMMITTED UPON THEIR BODY.
THAT IS THE HOSTILITY THAT WE'RE FURTHERING, BUT NOT ALLOWING THEM TO JUST SIMPLY BE CHILDREN SIMPLY WITH THE CLOTHES THAT THEY IDENTIFY WITH.
SIMPLY ALLOWED TO OBTAIN THE EDUCATION THAT THEY DESERVE.
JUST AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TREATING.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING US TONIGHT.
[00:50:01]
BETSY GUARINO SOUTH WARREN COUNTY RESIDENT FOR OVER 20 YEARS.UM, RAISE MY SIX KIDS HERE IN WARREN COUNTY AND I ENJOY EIGHT OF MY GRANDKIDS LIVING IN WARREN COUNTY.
I HAVE VOLUNTEERED THE LAST SEVEN OR SO YEARS, UH, IN AN AFTERSCHOOL CLUB OVER AT HILDA J BARBARA ELEMENTARY.
I WANT TO SEE ALL OF OUR WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS SERVED AN EDUCATED WITH RESPECT, ALL OF THEM.
I WANT TO SEE OUR TEACHERS RECEIVING WAGES THAT ARE COMPETITIVE WITH THE COUNTIES SURROUNDING US.
SO HE STOPPED THE DRAIN OF TALENT.
AND THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT STRONGLY A THOROUGH, COMPREHENSIVE RESTROOM STUDY TO BE COMPLETED THAT WILL ADDRESS THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THE CONSTRUCTION ASPECT AND THE SECURITY ASPECT.
BEFORE WE CHANGE OUR POLICY, OUR LOCAL POLICY TO ALLOW A MINORITY OF STUDENTS THAT IDENTIFY AS TRANSGENDER TO UTILIZE THE SAME RESTROOMS AND LOCKER ROOMS. AS THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WHO DO NOT IDENTIFY AS SUCH THE MINORITY GROUP MUST BE CONSIDERED AND RESPECTED AND CARED FOR AND BE SAFE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THE SAME MUST BE DONE FOR THE MAJORITY AS WELL AND RUSHING INTO POLICY CHANGES WITHOUT DUE DILIGENCE.
THE RESEARCH WE NEED WILL NOT SERVE ANYONE WELL IN THE LONG RUN, WE MUSTN'T LET THE THREAT OF LEGAL ACTION SWAY US TO SHIRK OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL OF OUR KIDS.
I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT TO DO SO TO BE SWAYED INTO QUICK ACTION WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASE OF LAWSUITS, NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LAWSUITS, THE COST OF LEAD OF LITIGATION.
I ASSURE YOU, THERE ARE LEGAL DEFENSE GROUPS WHO WOULD LOVE TO LOCK ARMS WITH US, HAPPY TO DEFEND THE DECISIONS OF OUR MUNICIPALITY.
AND I NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT MENTION FROM WHERE THEY ARE TONIGHT, BUT I LIVE HERE.
MY FAMILIES ARE GROWING HERE, AND I KNOW THAT THE DICTATES OF THE COMMONWEALTH DO NOT TRUMP, THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY.
THE WELL OF WE, THE PEOPLE, WE, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, WE WORK HERE.
WE VOTE, WE PAY TAX X'S RIGHT.
WE NEED TO STAND FOR THIS AND I IMPLORE YOU TO DO SO.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
JENNIFER MAYBERRY, JENNIFER MAYBERRY, JENNIFER MAYBERRY.
HELLO MEMBERS OF THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DISCUSS.
I'M NOT ONLY SPEAKING AS A FOURTH-GENERATION LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THIS TOWN, BUT ALSO AS A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE CODE THAT THIS DISCUSSION IS BASED ON NOTES, THAT THERE ARE TWO MAJOR REQUIREMENTS INCLUDED IN EACH SCHOOL BOARDS MODEL POLICY.
ONE IS ADHERENCE TO ALREADY EXISTING NON-DISCRIMINATION LAWS WHILE THE OTHERS TO KEEP SENSITIVE STUDENT INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SECOND PART OF THIS CODE IS WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PARENTS HAVE AN ISSUE WITH.
HOWEVER, THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS WILL TURN YOUR CHILDREN AGAINST YOU IS NOT A VIABLE ONE UNDER EXAMINATION IN THE REPORT, ON THE STREETS, THE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO GAIN TRANSGENDER, HOMELESS YOUTH.
THE STATISTICS REGARDING THE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES OF LGBT PLUS INDIVIDUALS ARE PROOF OF THIS.
60% OF YOUTH THAT HAVE BEEN ATTACKED IN SCHOOL SAY THAT THEY DID NOT REPORT THE INCIDENTS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT NO ONE WOULD CARE WHILE 20 TO 40% OF THE HOMELESS YOUTH POPULATION IS LGBT PLUS.
THIS IS BECAUSE THESE STUDENTS ARE OUTCAST, EXCUSE ME, ARE CAST OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND THEY'RE OSTRACIZED FOR EXPRESSING THEMSELVES AND THEIR INDIVIDUALITY PARENTS THAT HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN RISING UP AGAINST THEM, HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.
IF THEY HAVE A TRUSTING AND SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
[00:55:01]
ANOTHER POPULAR POINT OF CONTENTION IS THE RESTROOM POLICIES THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED PERSONALLY, AS A MOTHER OF SOMEONE THAT WAS PHYSICALLY AND VERBALLY THREATENED IN A SHARED PUBLIC RESTROOM AT SCHOOL, I HAVE LONG THOUGHT THAT THE INCLUSION OF COMMUNAL RESTROOMS SHOULD CHANGE THIS, JUST AMPLIFIES THIS CONCERN INSTEAD OF JUST SEPARATING THE TRANSGENDER STUDENTS AND GIVING THEM A TRANSGENDER BATHROOM, AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED, IMPLEMENT A FEW PRIVATE STALLS WITH A DOOR THAT LOCKS FOR INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY.THIS CAN NOT ONLY HELP EASE THIS DISCOURSE, BUT ALSO HELP STUDENTS THAT MAY NOT BE LGBT PLUS WITH THEIR ANXIETY ABOUT NOT HAVING PRIVACY IN THE BATHROOM.
I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS ARE NOT THERE TO PREY ON YOUR CHILDREN.
EXCUSE ME, I HAVE A HORRIBLE TIME WITH PUBLIC SPEAKING.
THEY WANT TO EXIST AND BE THEMSELVES WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM THOSE WISHING THEM HARM.
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PREDATORS THAN IT IS WITH SEXUAL ASSAULTERS AND ABUSERS, INSTEAD OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS THEMSELVES, BELIEVE ME, ALL OF MY SEXUAL ABUSERS AND ASSAULTERS WERE ALL WHITE MALES.
AND LASTLY, TO ALL WOMEN IN THE AUDIENCE AND ON THE BOARD, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ONLY A LITTLE MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO.
WE, AS WELL AS PEOPLE OF COLOR WERE THE ONES BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND NOT ALLOWED TO PARTAKE IN IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POLICY CHANGES SUCH AS THIS.
IF YOU DO NOT SUPPORT THAT KIND OF DISCRIMINATION, THEN WHAT MAKES THIS ANY DIFFERENT? PLEASE OPEN YOUR MINDS AND THINK WITH COMPASSION, LOVE, AND INCLUSION INSTEAD OF HATE AND ACCUSATIONS.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LISTENING TO MY CONTRIBUTION TONIGHT, STEVIE HUBBARD, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE CB HUBBARD, 1169 ELM STREET.
MY CHILD'S A STUDENT AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
I DO HAVE A STUDENT IN SCHOOL WHICH MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN HERE TONIGHT TO NIGHT DO NOT.
SO LET'S JUST MAKE THAT CLEAR.
UM, I HAVE SOMETHING PREPARED AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT AS BRIEF AS I POSSIBLY CAN, BUT WE HAVE ONE ISSUE HERE.
THAT'S BROKEN IN TWO POINTS AND THAT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD FOLLOWING THE LAW, THAT'S IT.
DOESN'T HAVE TO GET THIS COMPLICATED AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD BOARD ATTORNEY, RODNEY YOUNG SAID, AND I'LL QUOTE, IF THE BOARD DOES NOT PASS THE POLICY, THEY WILL BE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
THAT MEANS THEY COULD FACE POTENTIAL LAWSUITS AND HIGHLIGHTED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD SEE A LOSS OF FUNDING.
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE PREEMINENT AUTHORITY IN REGARD TO THE SUPERVISION OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION THAT DOES NOT GIVE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, THE AUTHORITY TO VIOLATE CLEAR EXISTING LAW AND A LETTER DATED JULY 30TH FROM V O V DOE TO THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS.
IT SAYS IN A PARAGRAPH SINCE THE GUIDANCE WAS FINALIZED IN THE RULINGS MADE IN THE U S DISTRICT OF APPEALS COURTS ON GRIM PURSES, GLOUCESTER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS RELATED TO TITLE FOUR AND SEX DISCRIMINATION WERE UPHELD.
ADDITIONALLY, BUT CIRCUIT COURT IN LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA HAS RULED THAT THE RECENT COMPLAINT AGAINST VIDEO E'S MODELS, GUIDANCE, LACKS, STANDING, AND THEREFORE HAS BEEN DISMISSED.
THE MANDATE TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISION OF HB 1 45 SLASH SB 1 61 REMAINS.
AND IN FACT, LIKE ALL OTHER MANDATES ON THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS RESULTING FROM GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTION, LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS MUST FULFILL THIS DIRECTIVE IN ORDER TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW, LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS THAT ELECT NOT TO ADOPT POLICIES, ASSUME ALL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.
THAT MEANS YOU WILL NOT HAVE YOUR LIABILITY INSURANCE TO PROTECT OUR SCHOOLS.
IF YOU ARE SUED FOR NOT FOLLOWING THIS POLICY, YOU ARE PUTTING OUR WHOLE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN DANGER WITH THE LIMITED FUNDS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE TO WORK WITH.
IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THESE POLICIES BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT HAVE YOUR INSURANCE TO BACK YOU UP, IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THE LAW, SOMETHING THAT YOU AGREED TO DO, AND THIS CODE OF CONDUCT, THAT ALL OF YOU SIGNED, YOU SIGNED THIS NUMBER EIGHT.
I WILL BRING ABOUT DESIRE, CHANGES THROUGH LEGAL AND ETHICAL PROCEDURES,
[01:00:01]
UPHOLDING AND ENFORCING ALL LAWS, STATE REGULATIONS AND COURT ORDERS, ORDERS PERTAINING TO SCHOOLS.THAT IS WHAT YOU AGREED TO DO.
WHEN YOU TOOK THIS POSITION, THIS IS THE LAW AND YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU PROMISED TO DO.
THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO THIS POLITICAL NATIONAL BRAND SANDING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN OUR COUNTY IS INSANE.
I NEED SO MUCH MORE TIME, BUT I'LL TRY TO WRAP IT UP.
UM, WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT HERE IS POLITICIZING OUR SCHOOLS.
WE'RE DOING THIS EVERYWHERE WE GO.
WE DO NOT WANT TO START DOING THIS WITH OUR CHILDREN.
IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS LAW, THEY HAVE OTHER REMEDIES FOR THIS LAW.
DON'T LET THEM TAKE OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND HOLD THEM UP AS BODY SHIELDS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY PROPOSE TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT THEY PROPOSE TO DO.
THEY WANT YOU TO GO AGAINST THIS LAW.
SO MELANIE AND HER FRIENDS CAN HAVE THEIR FIGHT IN RICHMOND THAT THEY WANT.
AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT FIGHT IN RICHMOND.
YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE FIGHTING HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE SECOND POINT OF CONTENTION THAT I HAD IS HER APPOINTMENT WAS ILLEGAL.
YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO HER BEING APPOINTED THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.
IF YOU DID, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT ALL.
I KNOW BECAUSE WE WERE FRIENDS UNTIL HER TREE AND GENDER RANT THAT HAPPENED IN HERE THE OTHER DAY.
SHE DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SHE IS IN HERE LIKE A LITTLE INSIDE BOMB WAITING FOR THAT LAW SUIT TO COME SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE VOUCHERS INSTEAD OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME RUN OVER.
I APPRECIATE YOU, BUT DON'T LET HIM MAKE IT HARD FOR YOU.
I KNOW IT'S HARD TO STARE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN THE FACE, JUST FOLLOW THE LAW AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT THEIR OWN WAY.
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GET INVOLVED.
AND I LIVE IN THE SOUTH DISTRICT.
I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THIS BOARD FOR NOT SURRENDERING TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S TRANS MODEL POLICY THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY'S VALUES.
YOUR ALLEGIANCE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU RATHER THAN A BUREAUCRACY INFECTED WITH WOKENESS.
WHEN AUTHORITIES ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE ABSURD MANDATES ON THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY PRESENT A DANGER TO CHILDREN, THEN IT'S NOT ONLY THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT, BUT THEIR DUTY TO OPPOSE THOSE ACTIONS AND FOLLOW SCIENTIFICALLY SUPPORTED FACTS, REGARDLESS OF CONSEQUENCES.
AMERICA IS EXCEPTIONAL BECAUSE OF ITS CORE FOUNDING PRINCIPLE OF INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM AND RULE OF LAW.
EACH OF US HAS THE RIGHT TO BELIEVE WHAT WE WANT.
A MALE CAN THINK THEY ARE FEMALE OR VICE VERSA.
EVEN IF BIOLOGY DOESN'T AFFIRM IT, BUT ONE INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHTS AND WHERE OTHER PEOPLES BEGIN AND TRANS PERSONS SHOULD NOT EXPECT THAT EVERYONE WILL EMBRACE OR ENABLE THEIR FEELINGS IN CONTRAST TO BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.
HOWEVER, SUCH PERSONS SHOULD NOT RECEIVE CRITICISM, DISCRIMINATION, OR RIDICULE.
THEY SHOULD RECEIVE SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH IMPOSSIBLE WITH POSSIBLE FEELINGS OF DISTRESS THAT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH BELIEVING.
THEY ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEIR PHYSICAL GENDER, WHICH IS KNOWN IN THE FIELD OF PSYCHIATRY AS GENDER DYSPHORIA.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN NORMAL CONDITION THAT WARRANTS TREATMENT, THE LOW PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS IN SOCIETY WITH THIS MENTAL ANOMALY SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE WHO, WHO ACTUALLY ACCEPT THEIR BIRTH GENDER, AN INDIVIDUAL'S FEELINGS CAN BE TEMPORARY AND AFFECTED BY MANY FACTORS WHERE BIOLOGY IS A CONSTANT.
THAT IS CERTAINLY TRUE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF MAJORITY, ESPECIALLY TEENAGERS WHO MAY BE INFLUENCED BY HORMONAL CHANGES DURING PUBERTY, AS WELL AS BY SOCIAL MEDIA.
WHY SHOULD THE FEELINGS INSECURITY OF TRANS STUDENTS IN THE MINORITY BE PRIORITIZED OVER THOSE OF THE MAJORITY NON-TRANS STUDENTS.
IF YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE SAYS
[01:05:01]
YOU'RE A MALE, THEN YOU NEED TO STAY THE HELL OUT OF RESTROOM AND LOCKER FACILITIES DESIGNATED FOR FEMALES AND THE REVERSE AND THE REVERSE IS APPLICABLE TO THOSE WITH A FEMALE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.PLUS THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NEEDS TO BE JUDICIALLY CHALLENGED.
FINALLY, TOO MUCH ATTENTION IS BEING PAID TO THIS WOKE ISSUE.
WHEN WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING EFFORTS ON ENSURING THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO A QUALITY EDUCATION ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH, AND COMPUTER SCIENCE.
I AM A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY AND I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT EVERYONE WHO HAS SPOKEN BEFORE ME IN SUPPORT OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IS A WARREN COUNTY RESIDENT LIKE CAN'T PROMISE FOR AFTER ME, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN EVERYONE ELSE ON THE UP, BUT EVERYONE LEADING UP TO THIS POINT IS I AM ALSO A MOTHER AND I'M A GRANDMOTHER.
AND I CAME HERE BECAUSE OF MY GRANDSON, UM, TO WARREN COUNTY SPECIFICALLY.
UM, I'M ALSO A 20 YEAR MILITARY VETERAN AND I SWORE ENOUGH TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND USE PUBLIC SERVANTS ALSO TOOK AN OATH.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO APPEAL TO YOU.
I KNOW AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND AT THIS BOARD MEETING, AND I'M SURE AFTER ME, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF VITRIOL AND MORAL JUDGMENT AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
AND IS THIS RIGHT? AND IS THIS WRONG? I'M MERELY HERE TO APPEAL TO YOU TO UPHOLD YOUR OATH, TO DO YOUR DUTY.
SO SPECIFICALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THE LAW THAT GRANTS YOU YOUR AUTHORITY TO SIT HERE TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT ON.
AND THAT IS THE VIRGINIA CODE 22.1, WHICH STATES THAT A SCHOOL BOARD SHALL SEE THAT THE LAWS ARE PROPERLY EXPLAINED IN FORCED AND OBSERVED.
IT ALSO GOES ON TO SAY IN SO FAR AS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH STATE STATUTES REGULATIONS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD OPERATE AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
NOW, A FEW PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY POINTED OUT THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU ELECTED MEMBERS TO THE BOARD DID SIGN THE DOCUMENT, THE CODE OF CONDUCT, YOU PUT YOUR NAME AND SAID, I WILL UPHOLD THE LAW.
AND YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT.
SO I WON'T READ IT AGAIN, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TOLD YOU TAKE THE FIGHT TO RICHMOND OR, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, UM, MAKE OUR OWN RULES.
WE DON'T NEED THE STATE TELLING US WHAT TO DO.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DO THAT.
I'M ASKING YOU TO DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO WHAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO ON THAT DOCUMENT.
AND WHEN YOU VOLUNTARILY TOOK THE OATH, JUST LIKE I DID FOR THE, I HAD TO SAY WITHOUT MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION, AND I'M SURE YOUR WORDING IS NOT EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT IT IS THAT YOU VOLUNTARILY TOOK THAT.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY, ESPECIALLY NOW AS SOMEONE WHO SERVED DURING WAR TIME, I KNOW IT PROBABLY FEELS LIKE YOU'RE IN MORE TIME RIGHT NOW AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU FEEL LIKE FIGURATIVELY, AT LEAST YOU'RE UNDER FIRE.
AND SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR US OUT.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT NO MATTER WHAT EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY YOU'LL HEAR, AND I KNOW THAT EVERYONE FEELS VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THEIR CONVICTIONS, NO MATTER EVEN WHAT YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS ARE, BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE PERSONAL BELIEFS, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO IS YOU SERVE YOUR OWN AUTHORITY BY DENYING WHAT THOSE RULES ARE.
AND SO THE FINAL THING THAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY IS THAT ANOTHER THING IN THAT CODE OF CONDUCT, THAT SOMEONE ELSE DIDN'T BRING UP.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IS NUMBER FIVE, WHERE YOU SAY THAT YOU WILL ESTABLISH AN OPEN TWO WAY COMMUNICATION PROGRESS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO HONOR THAT TONIGHT.
AND I THINK PROBABLY EVERYONE WOULD AGREE WITH ME THAT THIS IS NOT A NEW SUBJECT.
SO I KNOW YOU SAID ORIGINALLY, YOU WOULDN'T REPLY TO US.
I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULDN'T REPLY TO US NORMALLY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING NEW AND THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE HEARING IT, WELL, WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT NEW, BUT THIS IS BANG COMING DOWN THE PIKE AND IT'S BEEN ALREADY LITIGATED HERE.
AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN YOU VOTE AFTER, BEFORE, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT.
BUT I WOULD ASK TONIGHT THAT EACH ONE OF YOU JUST AS THE TOWN COUNCIL DOES GIVE US YOUR RATIONALE.
LET US KNOW AS THE PEOPLE WHO VOTE FOR THE BOARD, WHY YOU CHOSE TO VOTE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT TO TWO-WAY DIALOGUE.
[01:10:01]
AND LIKE I SAID, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS SERVED, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I AM A RESIDENT OF WARREN COUNTY, I'M IN THE FORK DISTRICT AND HAVE BEEN A TAX-PAYING CITIZEN HERE FOR OVER 17 YEARS.
I HAVE EIGHT CHILDREN SCHOOL AGE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO MATTER WHERE OUR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL, THIS ISSUE AFFECTS ALL OF US BECAUSE THIS IS A SCHOOL THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO ATTEND AT ANY TIME.
AND I SUPPORT MELANIE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A WIDE VARIETY ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, REPRESENTING OUR COUNTY AND BETTER THAN SOMEONE WHO HAS BOTH CONSIDERED PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR OUR OWN CHILDREN AND SCHOOL THEM IN OTHER WAYS AS WELL.
SO I'M GLAD THAT SHE'S HERE ON THE ISSUE OF MASKS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
I WOULD ASK THE SCHOOL BOARD TO CONSIDER ALLOWING THIS TO BE A MATTER OF PARENTAL CHOICE, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY ISSUES INVOLVED WITH MASKS.
THERE ARE MANY HEALTH ISSUES INVOLVED WITH MASKS FOR CHILDREN.
UM, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF HARM FROM MASKS IN THE PAST YEAR.
WE'VE SEEN CHILDREN WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, CHILDREN WHO ARE ON ANXIETY MEDICATIONS BECAUSE OF THE MASK ISSUE.
WE HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT HAVING PROPER AND NORMAL SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND THEIR PEERS BECAUSE OF MASKS ACROSS THEIR FACES AND THOSE OF THEIR PEERS AND THEIR TEACHERS.
AND THIS IS NOT A SMALL ISSUE.
SO WITHOUT TOO MUCH TIME ON THE MASKS, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU ALLOW THIS TO BE A PARENTAL ISSUE.
PARENTS CAN WEIGH THEIR OWN CHILD'S HEALTH RISKS AND MAKE THAT DECISION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY HERD IMMUNITY AT THIS POINT, THERE'S PERSONAL IMMUNITY.
PARENTS KNOW IF THEIR CHILD'S HAD IT.
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IMMUNITY IS LASTING A DECADE.
SO ON THE MASKS, PLEASE ALLOW THE PARENTS TO MAKE THAT CHOICE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, NO MATTER WHAT THE NEWS MEDIA IS SAYING, OR THE NUMBERS IN OTHER AREAS ON THE ISSUE OF THE TRANS MODEL POLICY, THAT'S BEING HANDED DOWN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED LAW AND YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF YOU NOT LIVE UP TO WHERE WE RESPECT ALL OF YOU HERE ON THIS SCHOOL BOARD.
IF IT'S NOT A LAW, WHAT IS IT? AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO EXPLORE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT THESE, UM, ISSUES AS THEY, AS THEY'VE COME DOWN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ONLY HAD THIS 168 PAGE DOCUMENT FOR 12 HOURS.
HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY VOTE ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES TONIGHT? WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND OR HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER IS PUTTING OFF THIS VOTE UNTIL EVERYONE HAS HAD TIME TO SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL PERSONALLY, AND AS A SCHOOL BOARD, EVERYONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE, UM, DISMISSAL THAT THE JUDGE DISMISSED THIS LAWSUIT BY THE CHRISTIAN ACTION NETWORK IN DISMISSING IT.
HE SIMPLY SAID THAT ON A TECHNICALITY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE GROUNDS.
WHAT HE DID SAY IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS CAN AND DO, AND SHOULD BE BRINGING THIS TO THE LAWSUIT IF THERE AS A PREEMPTIVE OR IF THEY'RE BEING, UM, IN ANY WAY PUNISHED, BECAUSE CLEARLY THEY ACTUALLY VIOLATED THEIR OWN STATUTES IN ENACTING THESE RULES.
MANY THINGS WERE NOT FOLLOWED CORRECTLY, AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THE FORCE OF LAW.
UM, YOU, YOU ARE ON THE LIST, SIR.
I ASSURE YOU, BUT IT'S A LITTLE WAYS DOWN YET SARAH, SORRY.
I'M A RESIDENT OF, UH, WARREN COUNTY.
AND, UH, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING ELSE, NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM BEARS ANY MALICE TO ANY CHILD.
UH, THIS IS NOT ABOUT MALICE TOWARDS CHILDREN.
UH, NOW I ATTENDED THE LAST MEETING OF THIS BOARD AND, UH, OVER A DOZEN TYPICAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ALL CAME
[01:15:01]
IN AND SPOKE AND SPOKE RATIONALLY.AND THE BOARD MADE A UNANIMOUS DECISION, WHICH WAS A RATIONAL DECISION.
NOW, TONIGHT WE'VE HEARD SOME SOMEWHAT IRRATIONAL ARGUMENTS, UH, APPEALS TO VARIOUS EMOTIONS, BUT I WANT TO JUST STICK TO, TO A RATIONALE.
IF YOU KNOW, THIS IS AMERICA IS A NATION THAT WAS FOUNDED ON THE IDEA OF DIVINELY ENDOWED RIGHTS, SUCH AS LIFE, LIBERTY, PROPERTY, PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND JUSTICE.
AND IT PRESUMED THAT THERE WAS A CREATOR WHO ENDOWED US WITH THESE RIGHTS.
UH, NOW FOR CERTAINLY 5,000 YEARS, MAYBE 10,000 YEARS, MAYBE MORE THE MO MONOTHEISTIC RIGID RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD HAVE ALL AGREED THAT, UH, ON THE PROPOSITION FOUND IN GENESIS MAN AND WOMAN, HE CREATED THEM.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN GENERALLY TAKEN AS A SCIENTIFIC FACT FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
UH, IT, IT, IT, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT RARE CASES, ONE IN A FEW MILLION OF SOME SEXUAL MISDIAGNOSIS AND DYSFUNCTION AT BIRTH TIME, I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE NORMAL PEOPLE THAT IS, THEY HAVE A SEX MALE OR A FEMALE.
UH, IT'S JUST LIKE, UH, TO SAY THAT SOMEONE HAS A SCIENTIFICALLY VERIFIABLE SEX IS A MALE, BUT IT'S A FEMALE BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE A FEMALE IS ABOUT THIS RATIONALIST SAYING THAT A HELIUM ATOM IS A, HE HAS A HYDROGEN ATOM BECAUSE YOU WANT IT TO BE IT'S UNSCIENTIFIC.
THAT'S ALL, THIS IS, THIS TRANSSEXUAL STUFF IS A FAD.
IT'S, UH, ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD.
IT WILL BE LAUGHED AT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND DURING MY LIFETIME, EVERY SCIENTIST IN RUSSIA PROFESS TO BELIEVE THAT INHERITED CHARACTERISTICS COULD BE QUIET.
CHARACTERISTICS COULD BE INHERITED.
WE LAUGH AT THAT NOW, BUT YOU KNOW, SCIENCE IS SCIENCE AND THE SCIENCE OF THE SOVIET UNION WAS NOT SCIENCE.
UH, THIS FAD WILL GO AWAY, UH, BUT THE MOD SHOULD STICK WITH ITS REASON TO DECISION AND NOT FALL INTO THESE BIZARRE COMPARISONS, UH, BETWEEN, UH, UH, MALE AND FEMALE BATHROOMS AND SCHOOL SEGREGATION.
UH, AND SO, UH, UH, I WOULD ASK YOU TO STAND BY YOUR DECISION BY THE WILL OF THE COMMUNITY EXPRESSED AT THE LAST MEETING OF THIS BOARD AND NOT TAMPER ANYMORE WITH THIS THING AND TO NOT ADOPT THE STATEWIDE, UM, MANDATE.
I AM IN THE SHANNON DOOR DISTRICT, MR. VAN ALDI'S DISTRICT.
MY MOTHER GREW UP IN THIS TOWN AND HER MOTHER AND HER MOTHER AND HER MOTHER IN 1958.
MY MOTHER WAS THE MIDDLE CHILD AND I ARE THE YOUNGEST CHILD IN A LARGE FAMILY OF EIGHT.
WHEN THE MASS RESISTANCE MOVEMENT HAPPENED, SHE WAS TAKEN FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND RAISED IN A SERIES OF COBBLED TOGETHER.
SCHOOLS CALLED THE JOHN NOAH'S B A ACADEMY.
I CAN DEMONSTRATE WITH MY FAMILY THE DIFFERENCE IN THE OUTLOOKS OF THOSE EIGHT CHILDREN ON RACE, BY THE ONES WHO WERE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHEN MASS RESISTANCE HAPPENED AND THE ONES WHO WERE OLDER OR YOUNGER, THIS IS A REALLY TROUBLING TIME.
AND I DON'T ENVY ANY OF YOU, THE DECISIONS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT BY POLITICIZING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN, YOU'RE REALLY FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BIGOTED TOWARDS OTHER PEOPLE.
MY MOTHER IS A BIGOT AND THE SIBLINGS THAT ARE CLOSEST TO HER IN AGE ARE BIGOTS, BUT THE ONES WHO WERE AROUND BEFORE THIS BECAME A NATIONAL ISSUE, AND THE ONES THAT CAME AFTER ARE STILL A LITTLE BIT BIGOTED, BUT THEY DON'T FEEL IT AS VEHEMENTLY.
SO THERE ARE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BY POLITICIZING THESE ISSUES.
AND I JUST HOPE YOU'LL ALL CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE IT MATTERS.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION FROM THE
[01:20:01]
ABOUT CHILDREN'S PSYCHOLOGY OR SAFETY FOR TRANS CHILDREN.AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE TONIGHT ARE VOICING THEIR OPINIONS FROM A PLACE OF FEELING OR PERSONAL CONVICTION, PERSONAL RELIGIOUS POINT OF VIEW.
I RESPECT THAT, BUT YOU CAN'T REPLACE THE VALUE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE TRULY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND TO SUGGEST THAT IT'S SOME SORT OF AGENDA.
AND ALSO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO SUGGEST THAT, UM, TRANS KIDS ARE NOT NORMAL.
KIDS REALLY RESONATES WITH ME.
AS I, AS A GAY MAN, THESE SAME ARGUMENTS WERE MADE TO MAKE ME FEEL LIKE AN OTHER IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND I CAN TELL YOU AS A KID WHO HID IN THE BATHROOMS, EVERY LUNCH PERIOD, BECAUSE I WAS BULLIED IN THE LUNCH ROOM, THE BATHROOMS ARE NOT COMFORTABLE.
NO ONE WANTS TO BE IN THE BATHROOMS AND THE BATHROOMS AND THE JUNIOR HIGH.
IT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE DIVIDERS AND DOORS BETWEEN THE STALLS.
I DON'T THINK CHILDREN SHOULD HONESTLY HAVE TO SHARE BATHROOMS REGARDLESS OF THEIR GENDER.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE INDIVIDUAL SPACES, AND THEN WE CAN SUBVERT THIS WHOLE DEBATE.
BUT THE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT WERE IN THAT ADVICE HAVE TO DO WITH PRIVACY FOR STUDENTS.
THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION IN THERE THAT DEALS WITH, HOW DO YOU KEEP INFORMATION OF TRANS KIDS PRIVATE SO THAT THEY DON'T GET BULLIED BY OTHER PEOPLE OR AN INSTANCES WHERE THEY MIGHT BE KICKED OUT OF THEIR FAMILY HOME.
HOW DO YOU ALLOW A CHILD TO HAVE THE COMFORT, TO SAY TO A TRUSTED TEACHER, THAT THIS IS A TRUE THING ABOUT THEM, BUT THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED BACK TO THEIR PARENTS WHO MIGHT JUDGE THEM, HARM THEM, KICK THEM OUT, BEAT THEM UP.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYONE'S FAMILY SITUATION IS, BUT THAT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE KIDS.
I THINK YOU GUYS GOT RUSHED INTO A DECISION LAST TIME BY A VERY ANGRY MOP.
BUT IF YOU DON'T FEEL THAT YOU HAVE TIME TO MAKE THIS DECISION WITH THOUGHT COMPASSION AND THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK YOU NEED, AND THE STUDY, THE, THE EXPERTS STUDY OF THE COST AND CONSEQUENCES, THEN YOU SHOULD NOT FEEL PRESSURED BY ME OR PEOPLE WHO SEE THINGS MY WAY OR PEOPLE THAT SEE IT THE OTHER WAY YOU HAVE.
I THINK THE ABILITY TO TAKE SOME TIME, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO RISK LAWSUITS BY NOT ACTING ON IT, BUT YOU CAN TAKE THE RISK TO RUN THEM BY TAKING SOME TIME TO STUDY IT MORE THOUGHTFULLY, PLEASE DO NOT RUSH INTO A DECISION BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT LED TO THE MASS RESISTANCE ATTITUDES AND THE RACIST BEHAVIOR OF MY FAMILY AND PEOPLE OF THAT GENERATION IN 1958, PLEASE CONSIDER THAT.
I COME FROM PAUL'S BIGOTED FAMILY.
UM, MY NAME IS AMBER MORRIS, AND I'M APPROACHING YOU TONIGHT WITH A MUCH DIFFERENT STORY.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF, FEAR-MONGERING A LOT OF EMPTY THREATS AND A LOT OF OPINIONS VERSUS FACTS.
AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF HEAVY THINGS TONIGHT, AND I'M COMING TO YOU WITH SOMETHING EVEN HEAVIER.
THIS TRANSGENDER BILL, THAT'S A PART OF THIS CODE, CANNOT SQUASH THE ME TOO MOVEMENT THAT IS SO EASILY BEEN FORGOTTEN.
A SYSTEM OF GENDER SELF IDENTIFICATION WOULD PUT WOMEN AT RISK.
AND I WILL SHARE BRIEFLY WITH YOU, MY ME TOO MOVEMENT THAT WAS POLITICIZED BECAUSE OUR TAX DOLLARS AND OUR POLITICIANS CONTROL OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
DEMOCRATS WELCOMED THE ME TOO AND ELECTION CYCLES IN YEARS PRIOR UNTIL THE MAJORITY OF NOT THE PROFESSIONALS AND EXPERTS AT DOE, BUT THE ELITISTS AND PEDOPHILES WERE EXPOSED AS SEXUAL PREDATORS THEMSELVES AS SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL WAS BEING BUILT.
THERE WERE MANY CONCERNS, EXPRESS, EXCUSE ME, THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
I HAVE FACTUAL INFORMATION TO PRESENT TO YOU.
AS SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL WAS BEING BUILT.
THERE WERE MANY CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT EIGHTH GRADE PRETEEN STUDENTS MINGLING WITH 12TH GRADE ADULTS.
WELL, AS MY STORY WILL HAVE IT, I CAME TO SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL IN EIGHTH GRADE FROM A PRIVATE EDUCATION, NOT LONG INTO MY WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
AND I SHARE WITH THIS BECAUSE I WAS TOLD YOU GUYS, WE'RE HERE TO PROTECT AND YOU'VE HEARD OTHER STUDENTS SPEAK.
I WAS A STUDENT FOR FOUR YEARS AND I HAVE THREE STUDENTS NOW BEHIND ME, BUT NOT LONG INTO MY WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
I WENT TO USE THE RESTROOM DURING HISTORY CLASS.
ONE DAY I WAS THE ONLY STUDENT IN THE HALLWAY BECAUSE CLASSES WERE IN SESSION.
THE RESTROOM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 10 FEET FROM THE CLASSROOM THAT I LEFT.
IT WAS UPSTAIRS ON THE LIBRARY OVERVIEW SIDE OF SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL MOMENTS.
AFTER I ENTERED INTO THE STALL AND HAD PARTIALLY UNDRESSED, I NOTICED A NOISE TO WHICH I HAPPENED TO LOOK DOWN FOR FEET INSTINCTIVELY AND I SAW NONE.
THEN I LOOKED UP AND SAW A MAN HOVERING OVER THE STALL AND SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL WATCHING ME URINATE.
YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT? WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXPOSED
[01:25:01]
ME TO A PREDATOR WITH A KNOWN CRIMINAL HISTORY WHO IDENTIFIED AS A STUDENT THERE AND WAS OVER THE AGE OF 18 MICHAEL SMITH, WHO WAS A PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION AT THAT TIME WAS SOMEONE THAT I HAD A PROFOUND RESPECT FOR.AND I OFTEN SOUGHT GUIDANCE FROM HIM AFTER THE DETAILS AND GETTING OUT OF THE BATHROOM TOOK PLACE.
SO IT WAS A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION.
SO IT WAS AN ASSAULT, NOT A VERBAL ONE.
MIGHT I ADD, I WENT BACK TO CLASS AND I ASKED TO BE DISMISSED TO MR. SMITH'S OFFICE.
I WENT IN THERE AND TEARS AND DESCRIBED WHAT HAD HAPPENED INSTEAD.
I WAS MORTIFIED AND I WAS THE ONE EMBARRASSED, AND I DID NOT WANT TO MAKE A SCENE OF THIS.
THANKFULLY, DUE TO LEGISLATION IN PLACE AT THAT TIME AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY, HE WAS REQUIRED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT VIRGINIA NO LONGER REQUIRED.
THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, IN FACT, FACT PICKED UP THIS CASE.
NOT ONLY WAS HE CHARGED, BUT HE WAS CONVICTED.
SO IF YOU COULD WRAP IT UP, PLEASE, NOT ONLY WAS HE CHARGED, HE WAS CONVICTED IN WARREN COUNTY COURTHOUSE OF BEING A PEEPING.
TOM, WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU LAST TIME, I NEVER MADE MENTION OF THIS CASE OR THE INCIDENT BECAUSE I HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT EVER HAVE A VICTIM MENTALITY.
I CAME TO YOU OBJECTIVE ONLY WITH FACTS TO EXPLAIN THAT WARREN COUNTY ALREADY HAS IN PLACE PROVISIONS TO PROTECT IDENTIFIED TRANSGENDER CHILDREN.
I'M NOT HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT NOR MY DISK SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND THEIR RIGHTS I CAME TO SHARE WITH YOU.
THE DANGERS THAT YOU'RE WELCOMING IN, WHEN YOU GIVE PREDATORS AN OPEN WINDOW AND AN EXCUSE TO IDENTIFY AS SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT
I'LL JUST ADD THE, WE CAN HOLD THE APPLAUSE, PLEASE.
THE GRIM VERSUS GLOSS FESTER THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED UP HERE MULTIPLE TIMES, THE JUDGE RULED INCITED.
THIS RECOGNIZING THAT AN INDIVIDUAL HAS A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED PRIVATE INTEREST AND HIS OR HER PARTIALLY CLOTHED BODY.
AND THAT IS A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY THAT EXISTS PARTICULARLY WHILE IN THE PRESENCE OF MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX.
THIS INCLUDES THE RIGHT TO SHIELD ONE BODY FROM EXPOSURE TO VIEWING THE OPPOSITE SEX.
YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS TO WRAP IT UP.
I'LL JUST ADD, EVEN THOUGH THAT I'VE BEEN INTERRUPTED MULTIPLE TIMES AND AN ATTEMPTED INTIMIDATION, YOU CAN SEE THE UNITED STATES VERSUS VIRGINIA COURT CASE, RECOGNIZING THE PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES AS WELL.
WHEN YOU'RE A PRISONER INMATE, YOU GIVE UP ALMOST ALL OF YOUR RIGHTS, HOWEVER, PRISONERS REMAIN, BUT THE RIGHT TO NOT URINATE OR USE THE BATHROOM OR EXPOSE THEIR BODY TO ANY OFFICERS OF THE OPPOSITE GENDER.
SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE LESS RIGHT THAN PRISONERS.
MY NAME IS LAURA CLARK AND I LIVE IN WARREN COUNTY.
UM, MY NAME IS LAURA CLARK AND I LIVE IN WARREN COUNTY AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND I'VE RAISED MY FAMILY HERE.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS, BROTHER AND SISTER.
UM, I'M MORE ON THE SISTER'S SIDE, BUT I THOUGHT HER BROTHER HAD REALLY GREAT THINGS TO SAY.
AND, UM, THAT IS MY THOUGHT EXACTLY.
LET'S JUST GET A DOOR AND THINK AND TWILIGHT AND JUST PUT STALLS IN AND YOU KNOW, SMALL ENOUGH THAT JUST ONE PERSON GOES AT A TIME AND NUMEROUS ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE AREN'T HOLDING FOREVER.
UM, THE WORD THAT KEEPS COMING TO MY MIND TONIGHT IS VULNERABILITY.
EVERY LAST ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM, NO MATTER WHAT SIDE WE'RE ON ARE CONCERNED ABOUT VULNERABLE VULNERABILITY.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE NOT BEING BULLIED.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE NOT BEING AFRAID FOR PEOP WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE FEELING SAFE AND LET'S FACE IT WHEN WE'RE IN THE BATHROOM.
UM, I KNOW GUYS DON'T CARE OFTEN AS MUCH, BUT GROSSMONT PRIVACY.
THAT'S BEEN WHAT I JUST HEARD TONIGHT, A GUY NEEDED PRIVACY, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK THE BOARD TO REALLY CONSIDER, ESPECIALLY IF IT COMES DOWN TO THE FRONT OF LAWSUITS.
UM, I DO THINK THE APPEAL TO LAW IS INTERESTING BECAUSE SEGREGATION WAS THE LAW OF THIS LAND AS WELL.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF BAD LAWS IN THIS LAND FOR A LONG TIME, UH, DRED SCOTT
[01:30:01]
SUPREME COURT.SO, UM, THE OTHER THING, THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS, AND I REALLY WASN'T GOING TO DO THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO JUST SAY THAT GOD MADE A VERY CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.
HE NEVER TALKED ABOUT RACES BECAUSE RACES, IT'S A VERY ACCIDENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE.
IF YOU HAVE A DAD, MAN, AND A DAD, WOMAN, NO IDEA WHAT THEIR SKIN COLOR WAS, BECAUSE IT REALLY ISN'T SUPPOSED TO MATTER THAT MUCH.
I REALIZE IT DOES TO SOME PEOPLE, AND THAT IS A GRAVE TRAGEDY, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL A DUG MAN AND A DEAD WOMAN.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HEARD OF WARREN COUNTY OFFICIAL SARAH NAME CORRECTLY.
WE ARE A WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS AND THE PROUD PARENTS OF A SKY 25 YEARS.
UM, AND WE'RE THE PROUD PARENTS OF A SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.
AND OUR CHILDREN HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE, UM, WARREN COUNTY SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAMS. IN MANY WAYS.
OUR SON HAS, UH, BENEFITED FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, THERE'S ONLY TWO SEXES, MALE, AND FEMALE, AND TO ENGAGE IN, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST SCIENTIFIC FACT.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH, UH, IDEOLOGY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S JUST SCIENTIFIC FACT AND NAMED INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, PRETEND OTHERWISE TO, JUST TO ENGAGE IN SOME KIND OF, UM, UH, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL MADNESS.
AND ALSO I SIDE WITH THE SPEAKERS BEFORE SHE URGED A STUDY WHO URGED FOR TAKING THIS SLOWLY AND NOT RUSHING INTO THINGS.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT WILL BEST BENEFIT THE CHILDREN OF WARREN COUNTY.
AND I THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY I REALLY MUCH APPRECIATED THE BRINGING UP OF THE ME TOO MOVEMENT.
IT SEEMS SO OFTEN OUR DAUGHTERS ARE ASKED TO DEAL WITH SO MUCH OF OUR SOCIAL EXPERIMENTATION.
REVEREND INGRID CHENOWITH, THE REVEREND INGRID CHENOWITH, DAVID NORRIS.
ALL MY LIFE PRETTY MUCH WAS OVERSEAS FOR A BIT.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF EMOTIONAL ARGUMENTS.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE PULLING UP GOD AND THINGS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, UH, CHRIST SPENT HIS TIME WITH THE CENTERS.
HE NEVER BECAME A CENTER HIMSELF, BUT HELP THOSE WHO WERE SINNERS CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE APPARENT.
THERE WAS, UM, AN IDLE THREAT BROUGHT UP EARLIER.
AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT.
SOMEONE BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE LAW.
IT'S LIKE NO MANY PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW THE LAWS BACK IN 1939, GERMANY DID HORRIBLE CRIMES, BUT THEY WERE ALL LEGAL.
SO JUST SAYING THERE'S A LAW OUT THERE THAT WE'RE NOT FIGHTING AGAINST TO FIND THE BEST PORTION OF IT AND THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW LAW IS WRONG.
WE SHOULD TRY TO FIND THE BEST OPTION OF LAW THAT THERE IS SCIENTIFICALLY.
THERE'S ONLY TWO SEXES, MALE AND FEMALE WITH EVERY ATOM IN YOUR BODY, NOT JUST CUTTING OFF A PART OF YOUR POTTY PORTION OF UTIL ANY A PERSON'S BODY.
IT JUST MAKES THEM A UNIC OR MUTILATED PERSON.
WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? AND FORCE THAT UPON OUR CHILDREN.
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH GENDER DYSPHORIA AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP THEM.
WE SHOULD HAVE THINGS AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULD LOVE THEM.
WE SHOULD TRY TO GET THAT FOR THEM SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THEIR DECIDE THAT THEY'RE A BOY OR A GIRL, BECAUSE THEY SAID SO THEY'RE KIDS.
[01:35:01]
THEY'LL GET OLD ENOUGH WHEN THEY'RE ADULTS, THEY CAN MAKE THEIR CHOICES, DO WHAT THEY WANT.BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO PUT IN THIS, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THESE MUTILATIONS DONE TO THEM AND THEN REALIZED, OH SHOOT, I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE.
WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE? WHY ARE WE, WHY ARE WE OPENING UP THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA ALLOW CHILDREN TO MUTILATE THEIR BODIES AS CHILDREN? AT LEAST THE DOGS, THEY HAVE A TOY.
THEY CAN FIND THE RESULTS OF IT.
WHY IS IT SOLD TO THE BANK AFTER HE FINISHED THIS? I'M GOING TO JUST LIKE SEGREGATION IS, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO FIND THE RIGHT LAWS OF THE COUNTRY.
THERE IS ALWAYS AN OBJECTIVE TRUTH AND WE SHOULD TRY AND STRIVE TO FIND THE OBJECTIVE TRUTH FOR THIS.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALL LOOK AND TRY TO FIND WHAT THE RIGHT DECISION IS BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE.
I'M SORRY THAT YOU'VE BEEN THREATENED AND TOLD YOU'RE NOT A GOOD CHRISTIAN.
IF THIS IT'S LIKE, NO, YOU CAN LOOK AND FIND ALL THE TRUTH THAT YOU WANT.
PLEASE WRAP IT UP IN THE PAST.
WE'VE MADE MANY MISTAKES IN AMERICA.
I HOPE WITH A LOT OF PRAYER, A LOT OF RESEARCH, WE DO THE RIGHT THING.
BEAUTY OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY SHERIFF AS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THIS MEETING IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AND TO LIMIT DISCUSSIONS, TO TOPICS RELEVANT TO THE ISSUES BEFORE THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION PERSONS ADDRESSING THE SCHOOL BOARD ARE ADVISED TO LIMIT THE REMARKS TO THOSE RELEVANT, TO THE PENDING ITEMS. NO PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE SHALL BE ALLOWED TO VOICE REMARKS, EXCEPT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIRPERSON OR THE CLERK OF THE BOARD AFTER AUDIBLY STATING THEIR NAME AND WHOM THEY REPRESENTATIVE APPLICABLE, NO PERSON SHALL BRING INTO THE BOARD ROOM AND HE SIGNED BANNER OR OTHER SUCH ITEMS THAT WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND SEEING HEARING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING PROVIDED THAT MODELS, PHOTOS, MAPS, CHARTS, DRAWINGS, AND OTHER SUCH DEMONSTRATED MATERIALS INTENDED FOR USE IN A PRESENTATION BY A SPECIFIC PERSON SHALL BE PERMITTED GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE, CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE DETRIMENTAL TO THE DISTURBING OF THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING.
WE'LL BE ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT ONCE ANY ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCE AFTER THE WARNING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
AND I WILL ASK THE COUNTY SHERIFF TO CLEAR THE ROOM SO THE BOARD CAN CONDUCT A BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL.
SO ORDERLY FROM NOW ON, OR WE WILL BE ARE RECESSING NEXT, ANGELA KELLER, ANGELA KELLER.
UM, I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND LISTEN TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A FEW THINGS.
I HAVE TWO STUDENTS IN TWO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE'VE ONLY LIVED HERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW EXPERIENCES IN THAT TIME.
UM, UH, NO CHILD FOR ANY REASON SHOULD BE MISTREATED, NEVER, ESPECIALLY NOT IN SCHOOLS.
AND WITH THAT SAID, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANYONE SHOULD BE FREE TO MAKE OTHERS ACQUIESCED TO ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE.
UM, IN SCHOOLS NOW ADULTS AND STUDENTS ALIKE ARE LOBBYING FOR PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT, BUT OFTEN THEIR GOALS OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FELL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVERY STUDENT DESERVES EQUAL TREATMENT POLICIES THAT ALLOW TRANSGENDER STUDENTS TO USE OPPOSITE SEX BATHROOMS, STILL INFRINGE ON THE PRIVACY RIGHTS OF NON TRANSGENDER STUDENTS.
IF EQUALITY IS TRULY THE GOAL THAN ALLOWING A TRANSGENDER STUDENT TO USE THE BATHROOM WITH MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX CAN NOT BE THE ANSWER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TREAT, TREAT BOTH PARTIES EQUALLY.
OFTEN THE GOAL DOESN'T SEEM TO ALLOW FOR EQUAL RIGHTS, BUT TO MONOPOLIZE THE RIGHTS, IF SOMEONE DEMANDS SPECIAL TREATMENTS, ESPECIALLY IF THAT TREATMENT IMPOSES ON OTHERS, PEOPLE'S BASIC RIGHTS.
SCHOOLS SEEM TO BE CHARGING FULL SPEED AHEAD, CHAR CHANGING THEIR POLICIES TO ALIGN WITH MANY DEMANDS ON VARIOUS FRONTS.
IT OFTEN MEANS THAT SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, THOSE WITH MALLEABLE MINDS AND THOSE NOT YET WITH BRAINS FORMED UNTIL THEY'RE IN THEIR EARLY TO MID TWENTIES ARE MAKING OR BEING EXPOSED TO IN MAKING CHOICES WITHOUT BEING FULLY DEVELOPED.
UM, AND SO WE'RE CREATING, UH, A SLIPPERY SLOPE OR A STATE MANDATED, UM, EVEN CURRICULUM STATE SCIENCE CURRICULUM NOW DOES NOT EVEN
[01:40:01]
ESPOUSE NON-BINARY SEXUAL IDENTITY IDEAS.IT STILL TEACHES X, X IS FEMALE X, Y IS MALE.
WHEN WE TEACH ONE THING THAT CREATES POLICIES, PROMOTING CRI POLICIES, PROMOTING ANOTHER ONE.
WHAT ARE WE TEACHING? HOW CAN OUR CHILDREN LEARN WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW SOMETIMES EVEN WHO PEOPLE ARE THAT ARE TEACHING THEM? UM, I WILL SHARE A COUPLE OF EXPERIENCES.
UM, KIDS HAVE EVERYTHING AT THEIR FINGERTIPS NOW, AND WE'RE SEEING THIS EVEN AT ELEMENTARY LEVELS.
UM, WE'VE ONLY BEEN HERE TWO, TWO, LIKE SEASONS OF SCHOOL, RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO, UM, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES OF SEXUAL IMMATURITY AND A HYPER-SEXUALIZED SEXUALIZATION OF KIDS IN THIS, IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED ONLY IN A FEW MONTHS, ONE TEACHER ANNOUNCED THEIR SEXUAL PREFERENCE ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS TO THE ENTIRE GROUP OF STUDENTS IS THIS PERTINENT TO THEIR EDUCATION.
I WENT TO THE SCHOOL ABOUT THIS AND IT WAS ADDRESSED A YOUNG MAN ALSO EXPOSED HIMSELF TO SEVERAL GIRLS FROM OUTSIDE THAT FROM, I'M NOT SAYING THIS ARE TRANSGENDER STUDENTS, I'M JUST SPEAKING OF HYPER-SEXUALIZATION OF MALLEABLE MINDS OF STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT YET ABLE TO MAKE GREAT INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN YOU MAN, UM, WE KNOW HOW TO ANOTHER BOY GRABBED HIS PRIDE.
ELEMENTARY BOY AT A TABLE WITH, WITH SOME OTHER GIRLS EXPLAIN THE SEXUAL ABUSE THAT HE WAS RECEIVING FROM HIS OWN BROTHER.
WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.
ALSO THERE WAS ANOTHER STUDENT THERE'S WAS ANOTHER TEACHER THAT IS MALE.
AND THE STUDENTS THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS, HE WAS FEMALE THE ENTIRE YEAR AND WERE EXTREMELY SURPRISED WHEN, WHEN THEY WERE TOLD THEY WERE NOT, THERE IS A CONFUSION, A LEVEL THAT THESE KIDS NEED TRUTH.
THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND THEY NEED SIMPLICITY.
HI, MY NAME IS MELISSA NICHOLSON OF 92 ROBIN LANE, FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA.
I SPOKE TO YOU GUYS LAST TIME.
UM, I'M THE MOTHER OF A NON-VERBAL CHILD.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO APPLAUD OUR SCHOOL BOARD FOR HAVING POLICIES ALREADY IN PLACE FOR THE PROTECTION OF ALL STUDENTS IN WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, THE SHORT NOTICE TO THE AGENDA AND QUESTION MAKES ME QUESTION THE SCHOOL BOARDS TRANSPARENCY.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL BOARD IN CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF RESTROOM ACCESS TO INCREASE PRIVACY AND THE POTENTIAL COST TO THE DIVISION.
AS WE HAVE SEEN, THIS IS LONG OVERDUE WITH PEOPLE LIKE MR. JOHN SIMMONS, WORKING IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS EVERYWHERE CHILDREN NEED STALLS, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING PHOTOGRAPHED OR RECORDED OR BULLIED, OR WHILE THEY'RE USING THE RESTROOM.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT I FEEL EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM CARES ABOUT THE RIGHTS, PRIVACY AND SAFETY OF ALL THE CHILDREN.
IN QUESTION ON THIS TOPIC WERE GARDE LISTS OF THE MONSTERS.
SOME TRY TO MAKE US OUT TO BE JUST FOR DISPLAYING A DIFFERENT OPINION THAN THEM.
DON'T JUST STEP ON THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS BEING INFORMED OF THEIR CHILDREN.
THEY ALSO STEP ON THE RIGHTS OF SCHOOL TO ENSURE THE BEST SAFETY MEASURES POSSIBLE.
THESE NEW POLICIES STATE THAT OFFICIALS CANNOT QUESTION A STUDENT ENTERING A RESTROOM OR CHANGING ROOM OF THE CHILD'S GENDER IDENTITY, WHICH MEANS YOU CANNOT QUESTION RATHER THAT CHILD ACTUALLY IDENTIFIES AS A TRANSGENDER OR NOT, NOR DOES THE CHILD HAVE TO BE WITH GENDER DIS DISABILITY OR DYSPHORIA.
I'M SORRY, WHICH MEANS THAT NO MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL IS INVOLVED IN MAKING A DIAGNOSIS WITH THAT CHILD.
THEY ARE JUST ASSUMING THAT THEY ARE SOMETHING OR MAYBE JUST FOLLOWING A TREND THAT THEY SEE POPULAR, CONSIDERING THE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE RATE AND ACTUAL SUICIDE RATE AMONG THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUED TO RISE.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST FOR TRANSGENDER CHILDREN TO HAVE THEIR PARENTS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND DOCTORS INVOLVED.
A LITTLE HELP GOES A LONG WAY.
AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHICH CATEGORY YOU MAY FIND THAT TRUSTED FRIEND IN.
I FEEL THAT THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT ALL CHILDREN INVOLVED RIGHTS, PRIVACY AND SAFETY IS TO CREATE MORE ACCESSIBLE UNISEX BATHROOMS FOR TRANSGENDER.
CHILDREN'S ALONG WITH POSSIBILITY, A CHANGING ROOM.
NOW I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GOING TO CREATE FLORIDA WALL STALLS WITHOUT
[01:45:01]
PUTTING IN INDIVIDUAL HAND STATIONS.BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU CREATE SEPARATE STALLS AND YOU HAVE HAND STATIONS OUTSIDE IN THE OTHER AREA, YOU STILL RISK BEING BULLIED OR, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY EXPOSING THEMSELVES TO YOU, UM, DO A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON RESTROOM ACCESS TO INCREASE PRIVACY, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT MORE PRIVATE STALLS DON'T FIX THE CONCERNS I HAVE AS A PARENT OF A CHILD THAT ATTENDS WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHEN IT COMES TO MIXING BOYS AND GIRLS IN THE RESTROOMS AND CHANGING AREAS, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
IF WE ARE CONSIDERING MIXING GENDERS IN RESTROOMS AND CHANGING ROOMS, BECAUSE NOT ALL CHILDREN WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE USING THESE FACILITIES FACILITIES WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX AND NOT ALL CHILDREN HAVE WORDS TO EXPRESS THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE OR UNCOMFORTABLE.
IF YOU COULD WRAP IT UP, PLEASE.
YES, MA'AM I, AS A PARENT WILL NOT ALLOW IT.
HOPEFULLY WHEN MY CHILD IS MUCH OLDER, SHE WILL GET TO DECIDE WHEN SHE SEES A MALE PRIVATE PARTS.
THE SCHOOL WILL NOT HAVE A HAND IN SEXUALIZATION IN MY CHILD.
MY WIFE HAD EMAILED Y'ALL THIS AFTERNOON.
SHE BLIND ME ON IT AT 2:30 PM.
READING HER COMMENTS AT THE END.
I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS IN THE FRONT END.
NOW ON TO MY PREPARED STATEMENT.
BOARD AND FELLOW LILLY, COMMONERS OF WARREN COUNTY, MIKE MAYER, 1 0 8 PEBBLE LANE, FRONT ROW, VIRGINIA T2 6 3 0.
ARE HE HIM? HIS OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE I'M A DUDE AND EXIST IN A STATE OF REALITY REAL QUICK.
BEFORE I GET THE FORGETTING TO GIVE THEM THEIR PROPER RESPECT, I'D LIKE TO SEND A VERY WARM WELCOME TO ALL THE FINE FOLKS HERE TONIGHT WHO HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN FROM OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENING'S PITY PARTY SLASH TEMPER TANTRUM, ESPECIALLY ALL YOU DAMN HANDSOME WOMEN IN THE CROWD.
YOU GALS ARE FINER THAN FROG HAIR.
NOW, HOPEFULLY THAT PUBLIC AND ON THE RECORD STATEMENT WILL ABSOLVE ME OF BEING LABELED TRANSPHOBIC IN PERPETUITY.
WE SHALL SEE, Y'ALL BE SURE TO THANK YOUR MOMS ON BEHALF OF ME LETTING YOU BORROW THE CAR AND GIVING YOU GAS MONEY TO MAKE THE TRIP AND JOIN YOUR LOCAL COMRADES IN THIS GLORIOUS FIGHT AGAINST US ASS BACKWARDS, HILLBILLY REDNECKS, AND ELLEN RAISING INTOLERANCE.
[2. Consent Agenda]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[3A. Superintendent]
REPORTS SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.UH, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER, MS. SULLENS, AS SHE WAS APPOINTED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD TO THE VACANT NORTH RIVER SEAT.
UM, THE APPOINTMENT IS UNTIL THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER AND WANTED TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE DEADLINE TO HAVE SIGNATURES IS AUGUST THE 30TH, 2021.
ALL SIGNATURES MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE COUNTY REGISTER BY FIVE O'CLOCK IF ANYBODY WANTS TO RUN FOR THE SEA.
UM, BECAUSE THEN THAT WILL BE HELD AT THAT POINT IN TIME THROUGH THE ELECTION.
UH, WE HAD OUR NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION STARTED ON TUESDAY.
I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT CAME TO WELCOME OUR NEW TEACHERS TO WARREN COUNTY.
UH, TODAY WE HAD OUR FRONT ROYAL WORLD FRONT ROYAL WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, THEREFORE, AND THEY PROVIDED THE NEW TEACHER LUNCHEON.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR PROVIDING DOOR PRIZES AND GIFTS TO WELCOME ALL OF OUR NEW TEACHERS, ALL OTHER STAFF.
UM, SO OUR NEW TEACHERS ARRIVED ON TUESDAY.
ALL OTHER STAFF ARRIVE ON THE 11TH FALL, SPORTS AND BAND STARTED THIS WEEK.
[01:50:01]
SO WE DO HAVE, UH, ATHLETICS GOING ON.SO IF YOU'RE DRIVING AROUND ANY EVENINGS, YOU'LL SEE THE LIGHTS ON MAYBE OR TEAMS OUT THERE PARTICIPATING.
UM, THEN WE HAVE, OUR CONVOCATION WILL BE HELD AT SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL ON THE 11TH FROM ONE 30 TO THREE 30, ALL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN INVITATION FROM MR. BUCK SMITH, UH, CONCERNING THE CONVOCATION.
UM, OUR BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT WILL BE, WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 13TH, 2021 FROM THREE TO SEVEN.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND OUT A PRESS RELEASE, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THIS WEEK, MAYBE AT THE BEGINNING OF ON MONDAY, BUT WE NEED TO GET THAT PRESS RELEASE OUT.
WE'RE GOING TO HOLD ALL BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS AT THE SAME TIME, UH, FROM, FROM THREE O'CLOCK TO SEVEN O'CLOCK.
AND, UH, WE JUST THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF FITTING THAT SCHOOL ENDED ON MARCH 13TH WHEN IT WAS SHUT DOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND WE'RE HAVING A BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT ON AUGUST THE 13TH, FRIDAY THE 13TH.
SO FRIDAY THE 13TH, THE FRIDAY, THE 13TH.
SO LET'S HOPEFULLY THIS FRIDAY, THE 13TH BRINGS US A LITTLE MORE, A LITTLE BETTER LUCK THAN WHAT WE GOT FROM THE LAST FRIDAY, THE 13TH.
UM, SO WE ALSO WILL HAVE OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR CEREMONY.
THEY WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2021.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ALSO RECEIVED, UM, INVITATIONS FROM MR. BUCK SMITH FOR THIS AS WELL.
SCHOOL STARTS ON THE 17TH, UM, AS ALWAYS V DOT CONTINUES TO BE AN AMAZING PARTNER WITH WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EARLY ON, WE RECOGNIZED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PROJECT DELAYS REGARDING HAPPY CREEK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE INITIALIZE THE PLAN, UH, TO ACCOMMODATE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEEDS WITHOUT UTILIZING THE PROPOSED DETOUR V DOT AND ITS SUBCONTRACTORS ARE IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS BASED ON OUR DETAILED ROUTE TIMES TO ESCORT WCPN SCHOOL BUSES THROUGH THE NEARLY COMPLETED PROJECT WITH MINIMAL DELAY.
THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF OUR SUCCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS SIMPLY BY HAVING GREAT RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SO YES, THE PROJECT IS STILL GOING ON, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUR, OUR BUSES THROUGH AND MR. MR. SMITH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT, UH, MR. MITCHELL STATED THAT MAY BE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE FIVE MINUTE DELAYS INSTEAD OF 15 TO 30 MINUTE DELAYS.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT MUCH MORE OF A DELAY, UH, AS FAR AS WITH WORKING THROUGH THIS.
AND SO, UH, THAT WOULD IN MY REPORT.
[3B. School Board]
BOARD REPORTS, DR.UM, WELL, I GUESS IT'S A SHAME THAT, UH, EVERYONE HAD TO CLEAR THE ROOM BEFORE THEY HEARD THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION THIS WEEK.
UM, WELCOME MELANIE TO THE BOARD.
AND, UM, I LIKE HEARING ALL THE, THE WELCOMING ORIENTATION WEEK OF THE NEW TEACHERS, AND I KNOW ALL THE KIDS ARE GETTING EXCITED TO GET BACK TO SCHOOL.
I KNOW MY LITTLE KINDERGARTENER IS READY TO GO TO RESI, UM, MOUNTAIN VISTA, GOVERNOR.
SCHOOL'S GOING TO BE STARTING BACK ON AUGUST 9TH, GOING FULL-TIME SO THEY HAVE ALL OF THEIR STRATEGIES IN PLACE AND THEY'RE READY TO WELCOME THOSE STUDENTS BACK.
UH, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ATTEND THE, UM, NEW TEACHER WELCOME THE OTHER DAY AND, UH, TOLD MR. FOX MY, MY STANDARD THING THAT I SAY EVERY YEAR, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THEY ALLOWED TEENAGERS TO TEACH SCHOOL AND STATE TROOPERS, BUT, UM, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE A REALLY GOOD GROUP.
I THINK WHEN YOU ASKED THE, THE TEACHERS TO STAND UP, HOW MANY WERE WORN COUNTY GRADUATES? I WOULD SAY IT WAS CLOSE TO HALF OF THE GROUP, UM, WHICH WAS VERY, VERY GOOD THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BEGIN TO RETAIN SOME OF OUR, OUR STUDENTS.
UM, I WANT TO WELCOME MS. SILENCE TO THE BOARD AND, UM, I JUST PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE I NEED TO SAY THAT THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE EARLIER ABOUT HER APPOINTMENT BEING INAPPROPRIATE OR ILLEGAL.
AND, UH, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT WE FOLLOWED LEGAL ADVICE AND WE FOLLOWED EVERY STATUTE THAT, THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS FOLLOWED AN APPOINTMENT AND, UM, THE SELECTION WAS MADE AND I THINK SHE'LL BE A VERY ACTIVE BOARD MEMBER.
WE LIKE TO TAG IN ON WHAT MR. WELLS SAID.
UM, WELCOME TO MELODY AND YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR MEETINGS ARE KIND OF DULL AND MUNDANE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BUT, UM, UH, SERIOUSLY ON A SERIOUS NOTE.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO FINE.
[01:55:01]
I FAILED AT A BUNCH OF PHONE, UH, PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS AS I'M SURE EVERYONE HAS.AND, UM, UH, OUR DECISION THAT'S IN FRONT OF US AS, UH, A TOUGH DECISION.
AND, UM, SO WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FIRST.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR, FOR BEING SO WELCOMING TO ME.
UM, AND, UH, I HAD MY ORIENTATION ON FRIDAY.
AND, UH, IT WAS GREAT TO GET TO MEET WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
EVERYBODY WAS SO NICE AND INFORMATIVE OF, OF ALL THE WONDERFUL PROGRAMS THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN, UM, I GOT TO ATTEND THE ORIENTATION FOR THE NEW STUDENT OR NEW TEACHERS YESTERDAY.
AND, UH, THAT ALSO WAS, UH, WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR ACCEPTING ME INTO BEING ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THIS.
AND I JUST WOULD ALSO WELCOME TO SILENCE.
UM, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD YEAR.
UH, I ALSO ATTENDED THE NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION YESTERDAY MORNING AT SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND IT WAS NICE TO SEE SUCH ENTHUSIASTIC AND EXCITED TEACHERS.
AND ALSO THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT DID GRADUATE FROM WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ACTION AGENDA, COMPREHENSIVE
[4A. Comprehensive Restroom Facilities Study - Mr. Smith]
RESTROOM FACILITY STUDY MR. SMITH, GOOD EVENING.THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES, ALONG WITH THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF ADMINISTRATION WOULD CON UM, WE CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY TO ACCESS THE FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PRIVACY AND SCHOOL RESTROOM FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE FEASIBILITY OF PROVIDING STALLS ON ALL URINALS AND TO IDENTIFY A SINGLE USER OR GENDER INCLUSIVE FACILITIES OR OTHER REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR ANY STUDENT WHO SEEKS PRIVACY.
I ASKED FOR THIS ITEM TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
UM, THESE PAST TWO MONTHS, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION, PUBLIC COMMENTS, EMAILS, AND PHONE CALLS RELATING TO TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN SCHOOL RESTROOMS. WE HAVE HAD TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS FOR MANY YEARS IN THE PAST.
IF A TRANSGENDER STUDENT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE USING THE RESTROOM THAT ALIGNED WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX, THEY WERE OFFERED THE USE OF THE SINGLE-STALL RESTROOM IN EITHER THE NURSE'S OFFICE OR THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE.
THERE HAD NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE, VIRGINIA LAW.
NOW STATES THAT A TRANSGENDER STUDENT CAN USE THE RESTROOM OF THEIR CHOICE.
WE WILL ABSOLUTELY ABIDE BY THE LAW.
SO IF THE BELL RINGS AND A STUDENT FINDS IT INCONVENIENT TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCHOOL, TO USE A SINGLE-STALL RESTROOM, THEY MAY CHOOSE TO RUSE OR USE A RESTROOM THAT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX.
AS MANY PARENTS HAVE SPOKEN THESE PAST TWO MEETINGS, THIS MAY NOT BE ACCEPTABLE TO ALL STUDENTS.
THE ONLY SOLUTION I SEE THAT WILL BE EQUITABLE FOR ALL AND NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE IS TO REMODEL OUR RESTROOMS INTO SINGLE STALL OR UNISEX RESTROOMS. I THINK THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IS NEEDED TO ASSESS THE RESTROOM NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS SO THAT EVERYONE FEELS COMFORTABLE, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
MR. LIVESAY HAS ALREADY BEGUN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THE NUMBER OF SINGLE-STALL RESTROOMS WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE ALSO NEED TO EVALUATE AND REMODEL IN THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY ARE ACCEPTABLE.
SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT I FEEL NEED TO BE WOULD INCLUDE, DO WE NEED TO REMODEL ALL OF OUR RESTROOMS OR JUST A FEW, WHICH AREAS OF EACH SCHOOL ARE THE UNISEX RESTROOMS MOST NEEDED? WHAT IS THE COST REMODEL, EACH SCHOOL AND THE WHOLE PROJECT? UH, THIS IS A STATE LAW THAT WE'RE ADHERING TO.
I DOUBT IF THE STATE'S GOING TO FUND THIS WOULD BE NICE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WHERE WILL WE GET THE MONEY FOR THE REMODEL? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THIS REMODEL AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO HAVE A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE? I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THAT THE STUDY TEAM INCLUDED ADMINISTRATOR OR TWO FROM OUR SCHOOLS, A TEACHER TO A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND A COMMUNITY MEMBER, OUR SCHOOLS ARE ALSO USED BY THE COMMUNITY FOR BAND AND CHORAL CONCERTS, THEATER, PRODUCTION, BASKETBALL GAMES, AND WRESTLING MATCHES AND OTHER FUNCTIONS.
SO I FEEL WE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT WITH REGARD TO WHAT HAPPENED RECENTLY AND STRAUSBERG, I THINK IT, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR REASONS BEYOND EVEN THE TRANSGENDER ISSUES WERE LIVING IN A DAY AND AGE WHERE IT'S TIME THAT CHILDREN HAVE APPROPRIATE PRIVACY.
[02:00:01]
AND I MEAN, THE HONEST TRUTH FROM THE BEGINNING OF A COMMUNAL BATHROOMS, THERE HAS BEEN BULLYING.THERE'VE BEEN MISBEHAVIORS, UH, AND YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT TOO LIGHTLY, OR, BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT ANY MOVIE THAT SHOWS THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY WENT TO SMOKE.
THAT'S WHERE EVERYBODY WENT TO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
AND, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO, UM, CONTINUE TO DO WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR POLICIES THAT WILL BE COMING UP IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE, EQUITABLE, AND, YOU KNOW, FREE FACILITIES FOR OUR FIRST STUDENTS.
AND SO IF YOU'RE READY FOR EMOTION, I'LL BE GLAD TO MAKE THE MOST.
I HAVE, I HAVE ONE QUESTION BEFORE WE DO THAT.
UM, MR. SMITH, UH, THIS QUESTION MAYBE ADDRESSED TO YOU AND ACTUALLY TO DR.
SO EITHER OF YOU FEEL FREE TO, UM, TO, UH, RESPOND IN THIS TEMPORARY STAGE THAT WE WOULD BE IN WHILE THE STUDY IS GOING ON, IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR A LITTLE EXTRA SECURITY BETWEEN CLASS CHANGES AND THAT FOR THESE, UH, RESTROOMS THAT ARE BURNED TO BE TEMPORARILY MODIFIED? UM, WELL, UH, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE TIME OUR ADMINISTRATORS IN THE BUILDINGS WOULD, WOULD CONTINUE TO MODIFY OR MONITOR, UM, HALLWAYS AND RESTROOMS AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE.
AND, UM, UH, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATIONS, BUT, UM, WHAT ABOUT CLASSROOM TEACHERS THAT ARE NEAR THE RESTROOM? WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE SOME GUIDANCE ON MONITORING THESE RESTROOMS AND, UM, EITHER BY LISTENING OR ACTUALLY MAYBE EVEN RUNNING IN THERE AND CHECKING THEM OUT, UM, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THESE KIDS ARE BEING MONITORED IN THERE.
THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, UH, TEACHING PE AND THESE LOCKER ROOMS, AS SOON AS YOU TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THOSE KIDS, THAT'S WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.
AND THAT, THAT THAT'S MY CONCERN IS OKAY.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE, UM, OUR TEACHERS WAIT OUTSIDE IN THE HALLWAY IN BETWEEN CLASSES.
AND SO THEY ARE GREETING STUDENTS AT THE DOOR AS THEY'RE COMING IN.
SO YOUR, YOUR STAFF IS, IS WAITING OUT IN THE HALLWAY AND MOST, IF NOT ALL OF YOUR BUILDINGS.
AND SO THEY, THEY ARE RIGHT THERE.
AND SO IF THAT TEACHER'S MATH CLASSROOM IS ACROSS THE HALLWAY FROM THE BATHROOM, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A TEACHER STANDING OUTSIDE IN THE HALLWAY, BECAUSE THAT IS JUST ONE THING THAT WE DO IS WE EXPECT OUR TEACHERS TO BE OUTSIDE, TO GREET THEIR STUDENTS AS THEY ENTER THE, INTO THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO THEREFORE ALL OF OUR TEACHERS ARE ALWAYS IN THE HALLWAYS, UM, AT TIMES, YEAH.
CAN WE GET THE PRINCIPALS TO PUT A LITTLE EXTRA EMPHASIS ON THAT BECAUSE OF OUR SITUATION RIGHT NOW? YEAH, MOST DEFINITELY.
BALLENGER WAS MENTIONING OUR APPROACH IS STILL TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE SAFE, WE'LL CONTINUE OUR PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO SECURE THEIR SAFETY.
WILL STILL BE THERE ANY SITUATION THAT OCCURS THAT WE FEEL MIGHT INSTIGATE, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, MAY CAUSE AN ISSUE THEN YES, OBVIOUSLY YES, WE WOULD, UH, JUST MAKE PEOPLE AWARE ALSO, JUST IN GENERAL, UM, AS PART OF SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT, UH, THAT PERHAPS WE'LL HAVE HERE IS JUST THE, UH, CONTINUATION OF JUST EDUCATION, UM, IN GENERAL.
UM, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO AS WE HAVE DONE.
AND, UM, JUST TO CONTINUE JUST TO, TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY TYPE OF, UH, UH, ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE ANY TYPE OF HARASSMENT OR BULLYING OR ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WOULD AFFECT THE CHILD THAT WE WOULD ADDRESS NORMALLY AS WELL.
WELL, AND, AND I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE US TOO FAR A FIELD, UM, BUT IT, BUT I THINK IT IS RELEVANT NOW THAT YOU BRING IT UP AS TO WHEN ALL THE, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME STUDENTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN INSIDE A SCHOOL INSIDE A CLASSROOM.
REGIMENTATION THAT TYPE OF THING FOR, UM, A YEAR AND A HALF, MAYBE TWO YEARS IN SOME.
BUT, UM, SO I, I, I DO REQUEST THAT WE, WE MAKE OUR, FROM OUR ADMINISTRATION ON DOWN THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO GET THESE FOLKS BACK INTO PROPER CONDUCT AND, AND MAKE SURE THE HALLS AREN'T BECAUSE EVERYBODY
[02:05:01]
WANTS TO TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS NOW THAT THEY'RE BACK.UM, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND IT, IT GETS, IT GOES WAY BEYOND BATHROOMS, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AS WELL.
BUT, UM, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I ECHO WHAT YOU SAID AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.
UH, THE BOARD DID APPROVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, TRANSITION TYPE REMEDIATION TYPE SUPPORT, AND THE, UH, STUDENT SUPPORT COACHES, AS WELL AS THE ASSISTANCE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND A LARGE PART OF THEIR ROLES WILL BE TO HELP IN THAT TRANSITION IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE REMEDIATION AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, WE'RE ALL AWARE, OBVIOUSLY THAT THAT TRANSITION BACK FOR SOME WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN FOR OTHERS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE THOSE, THOSE MEASURES IN PLACE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO MONITOR, UM, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS, THIS TIME PERIOD, UNTIL WE CAN COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY AND SOME RESULTS FOR YOU, MR. SMITH, ARE YOU LOOKING AT LOCKER ROOMS AS WELL FOR JUST INCREASED PRIVACY FOR ALL STUDENTS? WE WOULD LOOK AT INCREASING PRIVACY, UH, FOR, FOR ALL STUDENTS LOOKING AT, UH, THE FACILITIES IN GENERAL, AND WE'RE CHANGING SOME OF OUR, OUR PROCEDURES.
SO AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A, A COVERED SOUL OR A COVERED TOE, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO END AS LONG AS THE BELT BUCKLE OR SOMETHING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE REQUIRED THEM TO, TO, TO CHANGE OUT IN, IN, IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
SO, UM, BUT THOSE THAT, THAT ARE IN OPEN-TOED SHOES OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, AND THEY NEED TO CHANGE OUT, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WILL WORK WITH STUDENTS AND, AND WORK THROUGH EVERYTHING TO, TO PROVIDE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR ALL STUDENTS.
AND SO NOW, MR. FOX, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION AS FAR AS WHAT THE, AS DR.
BALLENGER MENTIONED, IT'S THE EXPECTATION THAT EVERY TEACHER DURING SCIENCE EXCHANGE, WE ADD SIGN IN THEIR DOORWAY SO THAT THEY CAN MONITOR BOTH THE HALLWAY AND THEIR CLASSROOM AND THEIR DEGREE, EACH PERSON AT THE DOOR, IF YOU DON'T HAVE STUDENTS COMING INTO YOUR CLASSROOM, THEN THE PRINCIPALS WILL AND HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED SOMEONE TO MONITOR EACH OF THE RESTROOMS. AND THE MONITOR IS SOMEONE TO BUILD A SOUND, SOME OF MONITOR THE STAIRWELLS IN DIFFERENT PLACES THAT WE KNOW TO BE ISSUES WHERE SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN.
SO THE IDEA OF SOMEONE BEING AT THAT RESTROOM IN CASE AN ISSUE ARISES, THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, MR. FOX.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
UM, BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAY, THE STAIRWELLS CAN BE A PROBLEM TOO.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, I KNOW THAT YOU, UM, HAD MENTIONED THAT A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THAT, ON THIS COMMITTEE AND, AND ONE BEING A, A BOARD MEMBER.
DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, OR, OR JUST BRING THAT UP LATER? MEANING AS FAR AS A BOARD MEMBER TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE, DOES ANYONE HAVE THE DESIRE TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE? HAPPY TO DO IT, NOT ENOUGH TO RUN ALL DAY WILL BE THE BOARD MEMBER ON THE, NOT TO NOT TO START DUMPING DUTIES, BUT SINCE I WON'T BE HERE BEYOND DECEMBER, THIS MAY BE WELL INTO THE NEXT YEAR BEFORE WE GET OKAY.
UM, MADAM CHAIRMAN, IF WE'RE READY, I WOULD MOVE THAT THE WARREN COUNTY BOARD AUTHORIZES THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AND ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR ADMINISTRATION TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF RESTROOM, ACCESS, TO INCREASE PRIVACY AND POTENTIAL AND TO INCREASE PRIVACY AND ADVISE OF POTENTIAL COSTS TO THE DIVISION.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[4B. Approval of May 2021 VSBA School Board Policy Updates - Mr. Smith]
OF MAY 2ND, 2021 VSBA SCHOOL BOARD POLICY UPDATES.IN MAY, 2021, VSBA SUBMITTED 45 POLICIES FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, A CHART SHOWING ALL THE UPDATED POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY STAFF MEMBERS, NOTING THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND ADDITIONAL THREE POLICIES ARE PRESENTED FOR REVIEW, BUT HAVE NO, UM, BUT HAVE NO RECOMMENDED REVISIONS.
THE FIRST READING OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES WAS ON, UH, JUNE 2ND, 2021 AT THE JUNE 16TH, 2021 WORK SESSION.
THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE POLICY CHANGES AT THE 2000, UH, AT THE JULY 7TH, 2021 MEETING THE POLICIES WERE VOTED NOT TO BE APPROVED AT THAT TIME.
[02:10:01]
APPROVE THE UPDATES AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF AT THE AUGUST 4TH, 2021, MEETING AN UPDATE, UM, ON ONE OF THE POLICIES AT THIS TIME, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL HAS ADVISED TO PULL POLICY GAA, WHICH IS STAFF TIME SCHEDULES AS THERE IS A PENDING LEGISLATION, BUDGET AMENDMENT BILL, TRYING TO REMY THE NEW LAW.UH, SIMPLY THE FOCUS OF THE CHANGE IS ON THE ABILITY TO ALLOW, UH, COMP TIME FOR NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES.
THE LAW ITSELF SAID, OR THE POLICY ITSELF STATED THAT COMP TIME WOULD BE ELIMINATED, UH, WHERE IT WAS ALLOWED IN THE PAST.
AND, UM, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL HAS ADVISED ON THAT ONE, THAT IT SHOULD BE PROBABLY, UH, WITHIN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME FOR US TO, UH, FIND OUT IF THAT POLICY WILL HAVE ANOTHER POLICY THAT WILL ASSIST IT, OR IF THAT POLICY WOULD STAY ON ITS OWN.
SO I JUST ASKED THAT THAT POLICY BE REMOVED AT THIS TIME, ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION ON OUR POLICIES? UM, YEAH, IT, IT WAS SUGGESTED AND PROBABLY APPROPRIATELY BY SOMEONE WHO SPOKE EARLIER THAT WE EACH EXPLAIN OUR BOAT.
UM, AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL I'LL LEAD OFF.
UM, I, I WELCOME THE DISCUSSION THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
UM, AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS.
I THINK, UH, ONE OF OUR MINISTERS SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE LOCAL MAYBE TOWN HALLS OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
AND I, AND I THINK WE DO, I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO COME ACROSS THIS DIVIDE AND, AND WORK WITH OURSELVES AND WORK AS A COMMUNITY.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, EVERYTHING SORT OF GOT REALLY BIZARRELY OUT OF WHACK.
UM, THE, THE V D O E GUIDELINES BECAME THE, THE TOUCHSTONE AND THESE POLICY UPDATES DO NOT ADDRESS THAT V D O E GOTTEN IT'S.
WE, WE NEVER, AT LEAST I NEVER HAD ANY INTENTION OF ADOPTING THOSE VLE GUIDELINES, MODEL GUIDELINES, AS THEY WERE WRITTEN.
I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW THEM ALL.
AND I AGREE THAT EVERY THING THAT IS QUOTED IN THERE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
HOWEVER, OUR POLICIES HAVE ALWAYS ASSURED AN EQUAL, SAFE, WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS.
UM, WE'RE EVEN CHANGING OUR MISSION STATEMENT TO EVERY STUDENT EVERY DAY.
AND WE, WE DON'T HAVE SEPARATE POLICIES FOR SEPARATE STUDENTS.
WE, WE HAVE POLICIES THAT COVER EVERY STUDENT, EVERY STUDENT DESERVES THE RIGHT TO BE RESPECTED.
EVERY STUDENT DESERVES THE RIGHT TO HAVE A GOOD EDUCATION AND TO BE LISTENED TO, AND TO HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND TO HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THE EDUCATIONAL THINGS THAT WE CAN CAN DO.
UM, A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS MENTIONED THAT OUR KIDS ARE NOT FOR SALE.
AND OUR KIDS BEYOND THAT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR KIDS ARE NOT CHESS PIECES IN SOME TYPE OF A POLITICAL GAME.
YOU CAN ASK ANYBODY WHO WAS IN THE WARREN COUNTY, AND THERE ARE STILL QUITE A FEW AROUND WHO WERE IN THE LAST CLASS IN 1959.
WHAT, WHAT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOES TO THEM.
UM, AND I'M, I'M ALWAYS STRUCK BY ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE FOLKS WHO I'M NOT A NATIVE I WASN'T HERE AT THE TIME WHO, WHO TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE WENT INTO SCHOOL, WE WERE GETTING READY FOR FOOTBALL SEASON.
WE HAD AN ASSEMBLY AND THEY SAID, YOU GOT TO GO HOME.
AND YOU KNOW, HER, HER, HER STATEMENT IS WE JUST WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK EVERY STUDENT THAT WE'VE GOT WANTS TO DO, THEY WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL.
AND, UM, JUST A PARENT THAT ETHICAL THING, I GUESS, FROM MY VERY EARLY PREDECESSORS,
[02:15:01]
THE, UM, THE 1958 SHUTDOWN IN WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS WAS NOT DONE BY THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.IT WAS DONE BY GOVERNOR LINDSAY ALMOND AND THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA AND WARREN COUNTY HAD AGREED TO INTEGRATE.
AND THEY, THEIR SCHOOLS WERE SHUT DOWN THE DAY THAT THEY TRIED TO DO THAT.
SO IT, IT WAS NOT THIS SCHOOL BOARDS, THE FOLKS WHOSE SHOULDERS WE STAND ON, I GUESS WE'RE NOT THE ONES WHO SHUT THE SCHOOLS DOWN, BUT BASED ON THAT, I PLAN TO VOTE YES.
TO ACCEPT THESE POLICIES, BECAUSE MOST OF THESE, AND AS I SAY, IT'S A SHAME THAT THEY HAVE GOTTEN MISCONSTRUED MOST WELL, ALL OF THESE POLICIES EXCEPT GAA, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO PULL ARE JUST UPDATES TO POLICIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND I'VE REVIEWED OUR POLICIES SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE, WITH THE VIDEO HE GUIDELINES.
AND, UM, I FEEL, I FEEL QUITE COMFORTABLE THAT WE, OUR CURRENT POLICIES ADDRESS WHAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED FROM THOSE MODEL GUIDELINES.
UM, LET'S SEE, THE LAW REQUIRES SCHOOL WARDS TO ADOPT POLICIES ON THE TREATMENT OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH, BUT MAYBE MORE COMPREHENSIVE ARE, I FEEL LIKE OUR PA I GUESS THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME.
I FEEL LIKE OUR CURRENT POLICIES ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE V DOE GOD.
UM, SO FOR ME, IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO MAKING SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT IN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS COVERED, UM, THAT THEY ALL HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, THAT THEY ARE ALL TREATED EQUALLY, THAT THEY ALL COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THE FACILITIES STUDY THAT'S UNDERWAY.
I DO BELIEVE WE'RE LIVING IN 2021.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHERE TALKING ABOUT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS, ANY STUDENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY DO ALL DESERVE A RIGHT TO PRIVACY.
AND, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD AS A SCHOOL DIVISION MOVE TO TRY TO SUPPORT THEM AND TRY TO FIND THE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE CAN, UM, TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT, UM, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, DOESN'T SUFFER ANY SORT OF BULLYING OR DISCRIMINATION ANYWHERE IN OUR SCHOOLS, BATHROOMS OR OTHERWISE.
UH, BUT I DO PLAN TO VOTE YES, THIS EVENING FOR THESE POLICY UPDATES.
UM, I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE MODEL POLICIES ARE WONDERFUL.
OF COURSE, WE NEED ANTI-BULLYING POLICIES AND PROTECTIONS FOR TRANS CHILDREN, TRANSGENDER CHILDREN IN PLACE, WARREN COUNTY, THANKFULLY, ALREADY HAS THOSE IN PLACE.
WE ALSO NEED TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE IN PLACE.
AND THAT IS A MAJOR STICKING POINT FOR ME IN THE VIDEO, WE MODEL POLICIES.
I WORRY THAT THESE POLICIES INFRINGE ON THE PARENTAL RIGHTS, A PARENT DESERVES TO KNOW IF THEIR CHILD IS LIVING A TRANSGENDER IDENTITY AT SCHOOL, AS POINTED OUT BY A LOT OF SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
UM, THE INCREASE IN SUICIDE FOR ONE THING IS, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND AS A SCHOOL, IF, IF WE DENY THE PARENT THE RIGHT TO KNOW THAT THEIR CHILD IS STRUGGLING WITH THIS, AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THAT CHILD AND THAT CHILD, GOD FORBID COMMIT SUICIDE.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT A LAWSUIT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR LAWSUIT ON OUR HANDS FOR THAT.
UM, I, IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT THE PARENTS WOULD BEAT OR KICK OUT THE CHILD, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY UNFAIR TO ASSUME THAT ALL PARENTS ARE POTENTIAL CHILD ABUSERS AND THE SCHOOL MUST PROTECT THE STUDENT FROM THEIR OWN PARENT.
UM, WE ALREADY HAVE LAWS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON AND THE SCHOOL AWARE OF IT, THEN THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IN AND OF ITSELF.
UM, BUT TO, TO DEPRIVE A PARENT OF THE RIGHT TO KNOW, OR HAVE A SAY IN SOMETHING AS BASIC AS THEIR CHILD'S NAME ON LEGAL DOCUMENTS, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME.
UH, THE STATE IS NOT THE PARENT PARENTS ARE THE PARENTS.
AND SO FOR THIS REASON, I BELIEVE CERTAIN VERBIAGE NEEDS CHANGING FOR, FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING FOR THESE POLICIES AS FOR THE BATHROOMS. THIS IS
[02:20:01]
NOT AN ISSUE OF JUST BATHROOMS, BUT ALSO LOCKER ROOMS. AND THEN AS MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO E POLICIES, HOTEL ROOMS FOR OVERNIGHT SCHOOL TRIPS, OF COURSE IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE A TRANSGENDER CHILD LATE TO CLASS BECAUSE OF HAVING TO WALK UNFAIRLY FAR DISTANCES TO A SPECIAL BATHROOM.THAT WAS THE TOPIC OF THE, OF THE GRIM COURT CASE.
UM, SO WE NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION.
WE NEED PROTECTIONS FOR ALL CHILDREN IN PLACE.
WE CAN'T SACRIFICE THE PRIVACY AND MODESTY OF CIS-GENDER CHILDREN, EITHER TO QUOTE FROM THE GRIM RULING.
AN INDIVIDUAL HAS A LEGITIMATE AND IMPORTANT INTEREST IN BODILY PRIVACY THAT IS IMP IMPLICATED WHEN HIS OR HER NUDE OR PARTIALLY NUDE BODY IS EXPOSED TO OTHERS.
AND THIS PRIVACY INTEREST IS SIGNIFICANTLY HEIGHTENED WHEN PERSONS OF THE OPPOSITE BIOLOGICAL SEX ARE PRESENT AS COURTS HAVE LONG RECOGNIZED, AND THEN THEY CITE THE COURT PRECEDENT THAT BACKS THAT UP, RECOGNIZING THAT AN INDIVIDUAL HAS A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED PRIVACY INTEREST IN HIS OR HER PARTIALLY CLOTHED BODY IS ANOTHER TERM THAT STOOD OUT TO ME IN THE GRIM RULING, BECAUSE WE DID TAKE AN OATH TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND CHILDREN DO HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO PRIVACY.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THE BATHROOM PRIVACY STUDY, WHICH IS NOW VOTED ON AND IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO ADOPT POLICIES THAT WORK BEST FOR OUR LOCALITY AND THE STARTING POINT FOR THAT IS TO DO THIS STUDY.
FIRST, WE HAVE TO FIRST DO OUR RESEARCH, THEN HAVE A MEETING WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL SO WE CAN ADOPT PROPER APPROPRIATE POLICIES AND THEN VOTE ON THEM.
TO ME, THAT'S THE SENSIBLE ORDER OF THINGS TO JUMP AHEAD AND RUSH TO A VOTE BECAUSE THE VIDEO THAT VIDEO IS RUSHING US IS IN MY OPINION, NOT DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
I ALSO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE WRITING OF THE VIDEO III MODEL POLICIES AS WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE LYNCHBURG CASE.
THERE, THERE ARE MODEL POLICIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY CONTRARY TO VARIOUS STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, THEY ARE WRITTEN AS REGULATION INSTEAD OF GUIDANCE.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE PA PROCESS REQUIREMENTS WERE ALSO CALLED INTO QUESTION ALSO NOTABLE IS THAT THE VIDEO HE DELAYED THE RE THE RELEASE OF THESE MODEL POLICIES BY 30 DAYS TO ALLOW THOROUGH REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION.
THEY BELIEVED IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOROUGH REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION.
SO I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE ARE OWED AT THE VERY LEAST THIS SAME ACCOMMODATION, I'M BRAND NEW TO THE SPORT.
AND I DIDN'T GET TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY OF THE WORK SESSIONS ON THIS TOPIC, NOR HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO CONSULT WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL.
WE ALSO ARE LEARNING NEW INFORMATION AS THESE NEW COURT CASES HAVE COME ABOUT SINCE YOU GUYS HAVE GOTTEN HALF A WORK SESSION ON IT.
FOR INSTANCE, WE NOW KNOW PER THE COURT THAT OUR FUNDING IS NOT TIED TO ADOPTING THESE POLICIES.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE AS A SCHOOL BOARD DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO TAKE THE VIDEO AT COURT.
FOR INSTANCE, IF WE FIND OUT THAT THE STUDY FOR THESE RENOVATIONS ARE GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE BEYOND OUR MEANS IN THIS COUNTY, BECAUSE OUR, OUR LOCAL SITUATION HERE IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IN FAIRFAX COUNTY.
SO WE COULD POTENTIALLY ASK THE COURTS TO HAVE THE STATE HELP US FUND TO BRING OUR SCHOOLS UP TO UP TO STANDARDS FOR PRIVACY PROTECTION.
UM, I ALSO, I JUST, I, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT ALL UP.
THIS, THIS ISN'T ANYTHING AGAINST TRANSGENDER CHILDREN AT ALL.
I JUST THINK THAT WHEN YOU DO THINGS IN A CORRECT ORDER, YOU GET YOUR RESEARCH FIRST AND YOU REALLY PUT THOUGHT AND TIME INTO THIS.
I THINK THIS IS A DECISION THAT'S WORTHY OF PUTTING SOME TRUE TIME AND ATTENTION INTO IT.
AND SINCE OUR TRANSGENDER CHILDREN ARE ALREADY BEING PROTECTED BY THE POLICIES THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO PLACE LONG AGO, I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO RUSH IT.
SO I WOULD BE OF THE STANDING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO AS REQUESTED BY ONE OF THE SPEAKERS TO, TO TABLE IT AND DISCUSS IT FURTHER.
AND IF NOT, THEN I WOULD JUST HAVE TO VOTE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, UM, THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT SOME OF THE SPEAKERS SAID THAT I TOOK OFFENSE TO.
UM, AND I WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE BEFORE I HAVE A STATEMENT TO,
[02:25:01]
UH, TO DO, UM, I WILL NOT IDENTIFY THE SPEAKER OUT OF, UH, UM, BECAUSE I'M A POLITE PERSON.UM, NUMBER ONE, MAY PERSONALLY, I AM NOT A RACIST PERSON.
I GREW UP WHEN SCHOOLS WERE SEGREGATED AND IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, WE WERE BASICALLY DESEGREGATED BEFORE A LOT OF OTHER COUNTIES WERE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.
UM, WHEN I WAS IN, UH, WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD A GROUP OF BLACK KIDS IN OUR SCHOOL.
THEY WERE OFFERED EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WERE OFFERED.
MY FATHER INSTILLED THAT IN US, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY BALL WITH A GUY WHO'S DIFFERENT COLOR ON MY EIGHTH GRADE BASKETBALL TEAM WITH THE CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION AT BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL IN ALEXANDRIA, WE PRACTICED ALL SUMMER LONG ON AN OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURT.
WE HAD TWO BLACK KIDS ON THAT.
SO YOU TALK ABOUT THE WAY THIS AFFECTS KIDS IN THE LONG RUN.
THIS AFFECTED ME ABOUT THE LAST WEEK OF PRACTICE BEFORE OUR GAMES AND INDOOR PRACTICES STARTED, ARLINGTON COUNTY WAS SEGREGATED.
THAT COACH HAD TO GO UP TO THOSE TWO BLACK KIDS AND TELL THEM THEY COULDN'T BE ON THAT TEAM.
I WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE, MAN, MAN, SOME OTHER PLAYERS.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT I'M 75 YEARS OLD.
AND I REMEMBER THAT TO THE TEE.
SO YOU TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
I AM NOT A RACIST PERSON, WHICH I WAS GROUPED BY ONE OF THOSE SPEAKERS.
SO I'M NOT A BIGOT BY ANY MEANS.
UM, NOW I'LL GO BACK TO MY LITTLE STATEMENT HERE.
I WANTED TO THANK ALL THE WARREN COUNTY RESIDENTS FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S MEETING.
I WANT ALL TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT SWAYED OR INTIMIDATED BY ANY OUTSIDE INFLUENCE HERE TONIGHT.
YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE HAVE PULLED ON MY EMOTIONAL SIDE.
WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE ISSUE, THERE ARE MANY PERSONAL AND POLITICAL STANCES.
ONE COULD TAKE MY PERSONAL AND POLITICAL OPINION ON THIS ISSUE IS NOT THE DRIVING FORCE.
MY CONCERN IS OF A LEGAL STATURE.
I DO NOT WISH FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BECOME BOGGED DOWN IN A LEGAL SITUATION.
OUR SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY HAS STATED THE LAW IS CLEAR UNTIL THE LAWS CHANGED.
I WOULD SUPPORT AND ACCEPT THE LAW.
IF CHANGED FOR THIS REASON I WILL VOTE.
I, A FEW PEOPLE SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATING AGAINST TRANSGENDER STUDENTS, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS FAR AS THIS BOARD GOES, THAT COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS TREATED FAIRLY.
I HAVE READ THROUGH OUR POLICIES MULTIPLE TIMES AND I HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE GOOD.
HOWEVER, AS I JUST TALKED ABOUT AND THE NEED TO REMODEL OUR RESTROOMS, TO ACCOMMODATE ALL STUDENTS, TO AVOID DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ANYONE, I CANNOT APPROVE OUR POLICIES UNTIL I SEE THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY AND OUR RESTROOM FACILITIES IN LINE WITH THE NEEDS OF BOTH TRANSGENDER AND CISGENDER STUDENTS.
IS THERE A MOTION MADAM CHAIRMAN? I WOULD MOVE THE MAY, 2021 VSBA POLICY UPDATES BE APPROVED FOR INCLUSION IN THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, POLICY MANUAL, AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF WITH THE EXCLUSION OF POLICY.
MR. BALLANTINE, COULD YOU CALL ROLL PLEASE? MADAM VICE CHAIR.
[4C. Authorization to Allow Superintendent to Sign MOU with LFCC for Career Coach Position - Mr. Smith]
AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW SUPERINTENDENT TO SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH LAUREL RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.WITH LFCC FOR CAREER COACH POSITION,
[02:30:01]
MR. SMITH.UM, WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS ESTABLISHED MANY LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS WITH, UH, LORD FAIRFAX, COMMUNITY COLLEGE, ONE SUCH PARTNERSHIP AS A PART-TIME CAREER COACH SERVING BOTH SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL IN WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT'D BE A CPS AND LFCC SPLIT THE COST OF THIS POSITION.
THE POSITION PROVIDES CAREER EXPLORATION SERVICES, CAREER ASSESSMENTS, ASSIST STUDENTS AND CREATING A WRITTEN DEVELOPMENTAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, ASSIST STUDENTS IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND, AND PLANNING.
AND, UM, THE, UM, UH, LAURA OR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THERE HAS OVER THE YEARS HAS SENT TO US, UH, MOU.
AND, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO START TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING OUR MOU AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, UH, TO THE BOARD SO THAT YOU ARE AWARE AND ALSO TO GIVE THE, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT AUTHORIZATION TO, TO SIGN ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION.
AND MADAM CHAIR, I JUST DO WANT TO MENTION, AS MR. SMITH SAID IN THE PAST, A LOT OF
AND THEREFORE THAT NEEDS TO FALL ON THE BOARD AND ENTERING ANY AGREEMENT.
UH, I'LL JUST COMMENT THAT HAVING LIVED WITH THE GUIDANCE COUNSELOR FOR 30, 40 YEARS, UH, THIS POSITION HAS BEEN INVALUABLE TO OUR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, OUR GUIDANCE STAFF IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS OVER THE YEARS.
AND, UH, UH, LORD FAIRFAX IS WITH SO MANY THINGS IS A GOOD PARTNER.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY HELP OUR STUDENTS MOVE ON WHETHER IT'S IN THE, IN THE TECHNICAL WORLD OR, OR IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD.
SO I WOULD MOVE THAT THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD PROVIDES THE SUPERINTENDENT AUTHORIZATION TO SIGN THE CAREER COACH MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH LORD FAIRFAX, COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
NO MOTION CARRIES 20 21, 20 22
[4D. 2021-2022 Reopening Plan - Dr. Ballenger]
REOPENING PLAN.AND AS USUAL WITH, UH, A LOT OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE DO, IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, A TEAM EFFORT.
SO IT TAKES A TEAM, UM, TO DO, AND I HAVE REALLY A GREAT TEAM.
UM, AND SO NOT JUST DOES IT EXTEND FROM THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
IT GOES OUT TO OUR PRINCIPALS, TO OUR TEACHERS, TO WCEA, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND WE WILL START WITH LEADING THE REBOUND INTO 2122 SCHOOL YEAR WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR, ALRIGHT, SO REALLY THE GOALS FOR THIS, FOR THIS NEXT YEAR ARE THERE'S REALLY TWO GOALS.
AND ONE IS TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION BECAUSE ONE, WE ARE REQUIRED BY SENATE BILL 1,303 TO HAVE SCHOOL, NO MATTER WHAT, UM, WE WANT TO SUPPORT STUDENTS' ACADEMIC NEEDS AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS.
AND SO WHAT HELPED US TO DRY OR WHAT DROVE US THROUGH OUR PLANNING? AGAIN, WE HAD THE GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC TO VDH THE VIDEO, WE, AND THERE COULD BE OTHER GUIDANCE THAT COMES ON DOWN THE PIPE LATER ON THAT WE'RE JUST NOT AWARE OF AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, LEGISLATION, I MENTIONED 1303, UH, WHICH AGAIN REQUIRES US TO HAVE SCHOOL, NO MATTER WHAT IN-PERSON SCHOOLING, THE ONLY WAY THAT SCHOOLS CAN TRANSITION FROM IN-PERSON TO REMOTE IS IF IT IS DIRECTED BY THE LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION IN HAVING WITH DR.
GREEN, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, THAT AS FAR AS IF THERE'S AN OUTBREAK OR IF THERE WAS, UM, JUST HIGH NUMBERS AND ONLY UP ON HIS RECOMMENDATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH HIM, CAN WE CLOSE SCHOOLS TO MOVE TO FULL VIRTUAL? NOW AGAIN, THE OTHER TIME WOULD BE IF A SNOW DAY THAT'S INCLEMENT WEATHER, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THAT DECISION, BUT AS FAR AS A COVID DECISION, THAT IS NO LONGER AT THE SCHOOL THAT THAT HAS TO BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AS FAR AS WHEN WE WITH, WITH WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
[02:35:01]
YEAR, LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR DATA, WE NEEDED TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION.WE KNOW THAT CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION IS WHAT'S GOING TO WORK BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS IN WARREN COUNTY.
AND SO THIS WHOLE MODEL IS BUILT ABOUT AROUND TRYING TO KEEP STAFF IN THE CLASSROOMS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE OUR STUDENTS IN THE BUILDINGS.
AND SO THAT WE ARE THERE TO GIVE THEM THE BEST INSTRUCTION POSSIBLE.
UM, I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME, SOME MITIGATION STRATEGIES AS YOU KNOW, THE LAST 18 MONTHS WE'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY, UM, THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND, AND DOING A VARIETY OF THINGS TO KEEP KIDS SAFE AND KEEP STAFF SAFE AND, AND THE FAMILIES AND THE PARENTS HAVE DONE SUCH A MAGNIFICENT JOB.
UM, JUST TAKING ONE SIMPLE FACT AND KEEPING YOUR CHILD HOME WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE SICK IN, IN LIMITING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, UM, THAT GOT SICK LAST YEAR, AND YOU CAN CHECK ON OUR COVID DASHBOARD.
UM, THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE THAT TALKS ABOUT, UM, AND WE HAVE IT DELINEATED INTO LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND STAFF THAT HAVE, UM, CONTRACTED, UM, COVID-19 AND HOW MANY STUDENTS HAD THE QUARANTINED DUE TO BE BEING IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSE CONTACT.
SO THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING ALL ALONG WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE USED TO IT.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, WE'RE GOOD AT IT.
I HATE TO BE GOOD AT ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE USED TO IT, UM, ATTACHED TO YOUR, TO YOUR PLAN AND YOUR BOARD AND YOUR BOARD PACKET IS THE MITIGATION PLAN.
UM, THAT TALKS ABOUT LEADING THE REBOUND.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THAT PLAN, UNLESS, UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO, I MEAN, I CAN GO OVER IT IN DETAIL, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE MITIGATION STRATEGIES ARE IN THE POWERPOINT YOU GUYS CAN READ JUST AS WELL AS I CAN.
UM, AND ALL OF THE POINTS IN THE MITIGATION PLAN ARE COVERED, RIGHT? YEAH, IT IS.
IT IS ALL INCLUSIVE IN OUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO WE WERE CONTINUALLY WITH THE LORD HARE LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT, AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
WE COMMUNICATE THE EPIDEMIOLOGISTS.
THERE WAS ONE, AND NOW THERE'S TWO.
UM, EVERY DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE COMMUNICATE WITH THEM NOT ONLY VERBALLY VIA THE TELEPHONE, WHICH I DO, BUT IN WRITING.
AND WHAT WE DO IS BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT OUR DATA DAILY, WHICH WE GET FROM THE SCHOOLS DAILY.
WE GET A REPORT BY ONE O'CLOCK, ONE 30, EVERY SINGLE DAY FROM EVERY SCHOOL THAT TALKS ABOUT, UM, THE CONTACT TRACING THAT WENT ON THROUGHOUT THE BUILDINGS TO WHO'S IDENTIFIED AS POSSIBLY NEEDING TO QUARANTINE.
WE TAKE THAT DATA AND WE GIVE IT TO THE LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT, NOT NAMES, NOT, NOT IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, BUT NUMBERS CAUSE THEY TRACK AND THEY GIVE US FEEDBACK IN HELPING US CREATE STRATEGIES TO KEEP KIDS SAFE.
UM, WE ALSO LOOK AT, UM, VACCINATION RATES, UM, AND NOT WAY I SAID, MOSTLY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH LOOKS AT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEY ALSO CONSIDER THE LEVEL OF IMPACT TO THE SCHOOL.
HAS OUR SCHOOL BEEN IMPACTED AND IS IT BEING IMPACTED BY COVID 19? WE LOOK AT OUR DASHBOARDS TODAY.
UM, THERE ARE TWO, UM, IT'S VERY AT 5,000 STUDENTS.
COVID IS NOT RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SEVERELY IMPACTING THE OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE NEED UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN DID THE TERMAN AND IMPLEMENT A LAYERED APPROACH? SO WHEN LOOKING AT THIS DATA, UM, I WAS COMMUNICATING RIGHT BEFORE WE GOT OFF WORK.
UM, THE NEW UPDATES ON THE, THERE ARE NO NEW UPDATES ON THE VDH WEBSITE, CONCERNING TRANSMISSION DATA.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE METRICS THAT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS USE.
SO, UM, WE ARE HOVERING BETWEEN THE MODERATE AND THEN SUBSTANTIAL TRANSMISSION RATE AT 8.17% OF POSITIVITY RATE IN THE, IN THE COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUR STAFF, UM, THAT PROTECTS THEMSELVES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
WE USE A VARIETY OF MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO INCLUDE VACCINATION AND THAT'S WELL OVER 70 PRESENT.
SO ALL THAT'S HAPPENING ARE AREAS YEAH.
STRENGTH AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO CONTROL.
AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WE WANT TO RECOMMEND TO YOU IS THAT WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT A LAYERED APPROACH.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY MITIGATION STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT WE PLAN TO DO TO HELP KEEP OUR STAFF SAFE.
AS SIMPLE AS TURNING OFF THE WATER FOUNTAINS, REPLACING THOSE WATER PATTERNS WITH BOTTLE FILLERS AND DOING THINGS THAT KIND OF MAKES SENSE TO MITIGATE, TO STOPPING THE SPREADING OF CHARMS, EDUCATING
[02:40:01]
STUDENTS IN HOW TO USE SNEEZE.ETIQUETTE, YOU'D BE SURPRISED.
KINDERGARTEN IS NOT MEANT HOW TO, THEY'RE NOT TAUGHT SOMETIMES TO PUT THEIR, YOU KNOW, TO COVER THEIR, THEIR MOUTH WITH THEIR ELBOW.
SO WE'RE TEACHING SNEEZE, WE'RE TEACHING HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS AND WE'RE TEACHING THOSE THINGS TO DEVELOPMENTALLY, UM, STUDENTS THAT ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY MENTALLY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO LEARN THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ON THEIR OWN.
SO WE'RE DOING ALL THOSE MITIGATION STRATEGIES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE MONITORING COVID RELATED ILLNESSES, AND WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND, AND THE OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE SHERIFF DAILY, UM, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DELI OFFICE SERVES OFFICE, UM, AND OUR OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE JUST HAD A, UH, UH, A MEETING OF OUR DIVISION LEVEL COVID TEAM, UM, WHICH COMPRISED OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, EMERGENCY SERVICES AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OUR EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, AND ALL THE PRINCIPALS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR RESPONSE IS.
AND A LOT OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS COME FROM THAT MEETING.
WE UPDATE OUR COVID-19 DASHBOARD DAILY, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE TEACH SNEEZE ETIQUETTE.
WE REALLY DEEP CLEAN OUR BUILDINGS.
UM, GREG AND HIS STAFF WORK WITH SEDEXO TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NOT ONLY ROUTINE CLEANING, BUT DEEP CLEANING AND ALL COMMON AREAS TO ENSURE WE HAVE A VERY HEALTHY AND SANITIZED BUILDING.
WE HAVE HAND SANITIZE STATIONS.
WE HAVE PORTABLE STATIONS, WHICH WE PURCHASED THAT ARE, THAT ARE PUT THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.
UM, EXSALT OR DUPONT, UM, DONATED WELL OVER 500 GALLONS OF HAND SANITIZER, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN USING TO REFILL THOSE.
AND THEY ARE STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED.
WE STILL HAVE PLENTY MORE TO ENSURE STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WASH THEIR HANDS.
WE ENCOURAGE FAMILIES AND STAFF TO SELF MONITOR AND STAY HOME.
WHEN SICK, WE ENCOURAGE SOCIAL DISTANCING, WE'VE MAXIMIZED OUR SPACE IN OUR CLASSROOMS. UM, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT, OUR, OUR DESKS ARE SPREAD.
OUR TABLES ARE SPREAD AS MUCH AS THEY CAN.
SO STUDENTS ARE SOCIALLY DISTANCE.
WE'VE REPLACED SOME HVAC SYSTEMS, AND WE'VE MADE SURE THAT OUR VENTILATING SYSTEMS ARE IN TOP-NOTCH ORDER IN SOME AREAS AND SOME COMMON AREAS.
FOR INSTANCE, IN, IN, IN THE OFFICE THAT I WORK IN, THERE'S A PLEXIGLASS BARRIER, UM, THAT SEPARATES THE PUBLIC FROM, FROM OUR RECEPTIONIST.
SO THERE'S PLEXIGLASS BARRIERS, UM, OR PROTECTIVE DEVICES OR THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION AS WELL.
WE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO, WE KEEP VISITORS TO A MINIMUM.
WE DO REQUIRE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW, THAT STUDENTS WEAR FACE COVERINGS ON BUSES AND OTHER SCHOOL VEHICLES.
WE HAVE VEHICLES GOING EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA AREA, SUPPORTING KIDS THAT LEARN DIFFERENTLY.
UM, IN MORE RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENTS, WE RE WE REQUIRE THEM TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SCANNERS SET UP.
UM, WHEN WE STARTED THIS 18 MONTHS AGO, WE WERE DOING SOME INDIVIDUAL TEMPERATURE CHECKING.
WE'RE ENCOURAGING FAMILIES TO TAKE TEMPERATURES AT HOME.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, UM, TAKE INDIVIDUAL TEMPERATURES.
THE STUDENTS WALK INTO THE BUILDING THAT THE THERMOMETERS ARE GREAT.
UM, HOWEVER, WE FEEL LIKE WITH PARENTS SCREENING, UM, THEIR STUDENTS BEFORE THEY GET THE SCHOOL AND HAVING THESE SENSORS, THAT KIND OF SCAN AS YOU GO IN, WE CAN IDENTIFY KIDS THAT ARE SICK.
SO WE'RE NOT REQUIRING TO DO INDIVIDUAL TEMPERATURE MONITORING AS KIDS COME OFF THE BUS AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO WHAT THERE'S, THERE'S SOME OF THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO STOP AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES NOW, OR I CAN GO INTO ANOTHER STRATEGY, WHICH IS OUR PROTOCOL TO HAVE KIDS, UM, QUARANTINE.
SO WHEN A STUDENT IS SICK, UM, AND IDENTIFIED AS A STUDENT HAS CONTRACTED COVID-19, WE'RE FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDANCE.
THERE ARE TWO STAY HOME, PRETEND DAYS.
NOW, IF THEY GET A, A TEST AFTER THE FIFTH DAY OF ISOLATION, AND IT'S A NEGATIVE TEST, THEY CAN COME BACK AFTER SEVEN DAYS.
IF A STUDENT IS IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSE CONTACT.
NOW, IF A STUDENT IS VACCINATED AND THEY'RE EXPOSED TO SOMEONE WITH COVID-19, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO QUARANTINE.
IF A STAFF MEMBER IS EXPOSED WITH DIRECT CONTACT WITH, AND LET ME, LET ME DEFINE DIRECT CONTACT.
IT'S WITHIN SIX FEET FOR A CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES, OVER A 24 HOUR PERIOD OF TIME WITH HER WITHOUT A MASK.
SO IF YOU'RE IDENTIFIED AS A CLOSE CONTACT AND YOU ARE VACCINATED, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO QUARANTINE.
NOW THERE'S A NEW WRINKLE NEW CHANGE TO THIS POLICY THAT SAYS THAT OR NEW CHANGE TO CDC GUIDANCE,
[02:45:01]
NOT POLICY CDC GUIDANCE SAYS IF THERE ARE TWO STUDENTS OR TWO STAFF MEMBERS, UM, THAT BOTH ARE WEARING FACE COVERINGS, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO QUARANTINE.SO I MENTIONED WHAT THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE COVID 19, THEY HAVE TO ISOLATE.
NOW, IF A STUDENT IS IDENTIFIED AS A DIRECT CONTACT, A CLOSE CONTACT, THEN THAT STUDENT WILL HAVE TO QUARANTINE FOR 10 DAYS, UNLESS THEY GET A NEGATIVE TEST AFTER DAY FIVE, AND THEY CAN COME BACK.
AT SEVEN DAYS, WE HAVE BEEN TRAINED THROUGH JOHNS HOPKINS, UM, OUR NURSES AND SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO DO CONTACT TRACING.
AND WE'VE BEEN CONTACT TRACING FOR 18 MONTHS, AND WE CONTINUE TO CONTACT TRAYS AS RECENT AS LAST NIGHT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS, UM, REMAIN SAFE, BUT THAT WE'RE NOT ALSO OVER-IDENTIFYING STUDENTS, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL.
WE DON'T WANT TO IDENTIFY KIDS AS CLOSE CONTACTS, JUST IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO QUARANTINE A WHOLE CLASS.
SO WE LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT VIDEO.
WE LOOK AT VIDEO FEED ON BUSES.
WE LOOK AT VIDEO ON SPORTS GAMES, UM, TO ENSURE STUDENTS, UM, MEET THAT DEFINITION OF A CLOSE CONTACT BEFORE WE RECOMMEND THAT THEIR QUARANTINE.
THE DEFINITION IS A LITTLE MORE STRINGENT WITH HOUSEHOLD CONTACTS, UM, UH, HOUSEHOLD CONTACT.
I'LL JUST USE ME AS AN EXAMPLE IF I WERE TO CONTRACT COVID-19, UM, AND MY SON, UM, HE'S NOT IN SCHOOL ANYMORE, BUT IF HE WAS IN SCHOOL, UM, HE WOULD HAVE TO ISOLATE, OR HE WOULD HAVE TO QUARANTINE, UM, 10 DAYS AFTER MY LAST DAY OF QUARANTINE.
SO THAT WHOLE PROCESS, I WOULD BE OUT 10 DAYS, THEN HE WOULD HAVE TO ISOLATE FOR 10 DAYS OR A NEGATIVE TEST AFTER FIVE DAYS.
UM, AFTER I GOT DONE MY ISOLATION, IT'S KIND OF CONVOLUTED AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE OFFICE NOW, UM, TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP UP.
WE HAVE MANY, MANY SPREADSHEETS, UM, THAT ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS AND KEEP KIDS, KIDS SAFE.
SO THAT'S THE QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION PROTOCOL.
THAT PROTOCOL IS ANOTHER MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO WE TALK ABOUT, I'M NOT HERE, I'M OUT HERE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT FACE COVERINGS, BUT WHAT I, WHEN I AM HERE TO RECOMMEND TO YOU, UM, IS TO TAKE A PHASED APPROACH IN TRYING TO GIVE US A TOOL TO HELP KEEP KIDS AND STAFF SAFE.
AND WITH PHASE ONE, UH, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I'LL GO BY MEMORY FOR DR.
VALGIANO, CORRECT ME OR SOMEBODY WILL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, IN PHASE ONE, STUDENTS AND STAFF WILL BE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS, UH, IN SCHOOL, BUT THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED IN PHASE TWO.
STUDENTS AND STAFF WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS INSIDE THE BUILDING, NOT OUTSIDE.
AND IN PHASE THREE, IT'S A LITTLE MORE RESTRICTIVE WHERE STUDENTS AND STAFF WEAR FACE COVERINGS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
I AM NOT RECOMMENDING WHETHER WE WEAR FACE COVERINGS OR NOT.
WHAT I AM RECOMMENDING IS THAT WE HAVE A TOOL TO USE WITH OUR OTHER MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT PRETTY MUCH, UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT, I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS SO I CAN TRY TO CLARIFY SOME OF THIS.
HOW DO YOU DETERMINE PHASE ONE PHASE TWO, PHASE THREE? WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES THERE? OKAY.
THEN THE METRICS ARE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
AND IF YOU GO TO PHASE ONE, UM, PAGE ONE OF THAT DOCUMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE TRANSMISSION RATE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE LOOK AT THAT COVID DASHBOARD AND UPDATE THE COVID DASHBOARD, BUT STUDY THE COVID DASHBOARD DAILY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHERE, UH, STUDENTS ARE SICK.
IF WE HAVE MAYBE 10 STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SICK WITH COVID-19 AND IT'S SPREAD OUT OVER 10 SCHOOLS.
UH, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY 10 STUDENTS ARE SICK, BUT YOU CAN, YOU DON'T SEE A PATTERN, BUT IF YOU SEE, UM, SOME OTHER PATTERNS, MAYBE LIKE 20 STUDENTS AT, UM, ONE SCHOOL, MAYBE ONE SCHOOL WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO PHASE TWO OR MAYBE, UM, A DIVISION WOULD HAVE TO BE, IT DEPENDS.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL, NOT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
WE WANT TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL.
I HATE TO USE IT LIKE, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR A LONG TIME.
AND I LOOK AT THINGS SOMETIMES THROUGH THE LENS, ALWAYS OF DISABILITY.
SO I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS, AND
[02:50:01]
IT'S PROBABLY A BAD ANALOGY, BUT I'M HIDING AND I PROMISED MYSELF, I WOULDN'T SAY IT, BUT I KNOW MYSELF AND I'M GOING TO SAY IT ANYWAY.I LOOK AT LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT A FACE COVERING, BEING A MORE RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, OUR GOAL WAS TO HAVE KIDS IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH MEANS NO FACE COVERING.
AND THERE IS A GRADE, A LEVEL OF ALTERNATIVES THAT WE CAN USE TO DEPLOY, TO EMPLOY, UM, TO KEEP KIDS SAFE.
SO IF, IF ASMR ROADS WERE, UM, IN PHASE TWO AND THE REST OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION WAS IN PHASE ONE, BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT OUR METRICS.
WE LOOKED AT OUR TRANS TRANSMISSION, UH, NUMBERS THAT THE COUNTY, THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GIVES US.
WE LOOKED AT OUR DASHBOARD AND WE LOOKED AT SOME OTHER METRICS.
WE WOULD MAKE A DECISION AND IT WOULD BE LESS RESTRICTIVE, HAD JUST ASMR ROADS AND PHASE ONE THAN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL OR IN PHASE TWO, THEN THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DIVISION ON PHASE TWO.
SO I LIKED, I THINK THE LRE MIGHT BE A GOOD ANALOGY.
WE WANT TO KEEP KIDS IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO USE OUR REGIONALS REGIONAL DATA, OUR COUNTY DATA, OUR SCHOOL DATA, UM, TO HELP GUIDE US.
WE KNOW THAT NOT ALL DATA IS, YOU KNOW, W WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW MOST OF OUR DATA IS GOING TO BE B CONFIRMED CASES.
UM, AND, AND IT COMES FROM THE BEST MEASUREMENT THAT, THAT THEY HAVE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN TALKING TO DR. GREEN, WHICH I TALK A LOT TOO, UM, AT TIMES, YOU KNOW, THAT WE KNOW THAT CASES ARE THEY, THEY COME FROM, FROM THE, THE ASSESSMENTS THAT MEDICAL PROVIDERS USE.
AND, AND, AND HE EVEN STATES THAT NOT ALL MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS ARE 100% ACCURATE.
UM, BUT IT IS THE BEST MEASUREMENT THAT WE HAVE AND USING OUR DATA THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS IS AGAIN, THE BEST MEASUREMENT THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND SO LOOKING AT THAT DATA, AND YES, WE COULD DRILL IT DOWN TO SCHOOL, BUT THAT COULD ALSO BE TRANSPORTATION ZONE.
SO IT COULD BE THE SKYLINE TRANSPORTATION ZONE, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW A LOT OF TIMES THOSE, THOSE, UH, THOSE CHILDREN ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAVE SIBLINGS.
AND IF IT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENED AT HOME, THEN THAT COULD AFFECT THREE SCHOOLS THAT COULD AFFECT THREE OTHER CLASSROOMS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE GOING FROM THERE.
UM, SO REALLY WHEN LOOKING AT OUR METRICS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE FLEXIBLE.
OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO HELP US IN MAINTAINING OUR SCHOOLS AND BEING OPEN.
UH, IT'S ONE OF OUR METRICS NOW, ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, I HAVE AN AFFINITY GROUP MEETING WITH, UM, DR.
GREEN EVERY MONDAY WITH OTHER REGION, UH, SUPERINTENDENTS IN OUR AREA.
AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT AND WE TALK ABOUT CASE COUNTS, AND THEY GIVE ME THE INFORMATION THAT, AND IT HAPPENED TO US TWO OR THREE TIMES LAST YEAR THAT WE SAW THE NUMBERS IN WARREN COUNTY, JUST SPIKE.
AND IN THOSE MEETINGS, THEY ACTUALLY GAVE ME THE INFORMATION SAID, IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS, IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS AND THAT IT'S NOT TRUE COMMUNITY SPREAD.
SO FOR INSTANCE, THEY MAY SAY, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE AN OUTBREAK AT THE REGIONAL JAIL.
WELL, OUR NUMBERS ARE GOING TO GO UP, BUT ALL THE CASES ARE CONFINED IN THAT ONE LOCATION.
SO THAT ALLOWS ME TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WE KNOW ARE CASES THAT ARE SHOWING MORE COUNTY GOING UP ARE LOCATED AT THIS ONE ISOLATION, YOU REMOVE THOSE CASES, THE REST OF THE COUNTIES.
AND SO HAVING THAT DATA AND GETTING THAT, THAT, THAT TIME WITH DR.
FIGHT AND, AND OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS IN OUR AREA ALLOWS US TO REALLY GET DEEP INFORMATION FROM WHERE CASES ARE ACTUALLY COMING FROM.
SO WE WANT TO HAVE A FLUID MOTION BACK AND FORTH.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE REALLY JUST NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, LOOK AT OUR DATA AND, AND MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR, FOR US AS A, AS A SYSTEM.
AGAIN, WE HAVE TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION, AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING I WANT TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION, AND WE NEED TO, TO GET OUR STUDENTS BACK.
WE KNOW WE NEED TO REMEDIATE, AND I KNOW I DON'T WANT TO STEAL MR. FOX'S THUNDER BECAUSE HE'S GOT FOUR SLIDES READY TO TALK TO YOU, AND HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
SO, UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON, AS FAR AS OUR MITIGATION PLAN OR OUR COUNTS, AS FAR AS WITH WHAT MR. HIRSCH HAS MENTIONED, HOW ABOUT OUR NEW TEACHERS? ARE WE, UM, MAKING, MAKING VACCINE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, MR. WELLS.
[02:55:01]
UH, ORGANIZING CLINICS, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.UM, AS WE SPEAK, THERE'S TWO CLINICS, UH, BEING PLANNED FOR NEXT WEEK AND THE TEACHERS WILL BE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE IF THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
UM, AND THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, ARE WE, ARE WE PLANNING ON PERHAPS HAVING ANOTHER ONE OR TWO STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES? UH, YES.
UM, JUST LIKE, AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS OF A VARIETY OF AGE GROUPS, WE WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO MAKE THE CHOICE, TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO HAVE THEIR STUDENTS VACCINATED.
AND WE WOULD DEFINITELY DO THAT.
UM, I MEAN, NOW IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE AND GET IT.
SO A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE MADE THAT CHOICE, BUT WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO, TO HAVE, UM, HAVE VACCINATION OPPORTUNITIES, NOT ONLY WITH COVID VACCINE, BUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NEW MANAGER, CARGO VACCINATION, THAT'S REQUIRED FOR RISING SEVENTH GRADERS AND RISING 12TH GRADERS, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER VACCINES, UM, THAT, THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REQUIRES.
UM, I THINK WHAT A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES ARE WANTING TO HEAR.
SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE IT WHEN WE REOPEN THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE A MASK MANDATE UNLESS THE PARENT WANTS THEIR CHILD TO WEAR A MASK.
SO RIGHT NOW WE WOULD BE IN PHASE ONE IS WHERE WE WOULD BE.
NOW, OF COURSE, IF WE SEE A SPIKE, A SPIKE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S THREE TO 500, YOU KNOW, THE CASES IN WARREN COUNTY.
AND WE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS MR HIRSCH MENTIONED, WE HAVE OUR FIRST TWO CASES.
WE, WE SENT OUT LETTERS YESTERDAY AND WE ALSO QUARANTINE OUR 18 OTHER INDIVIDUALS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE JUST NOW INTO THAT PROCESS.
IF WE SEE THOSE NUMBER TICK, TICK UP INTO THE 150 OR A HUNDRED, AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE, UH, A HARD NUMBER BECAUSE WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE DOING IN THE COUNTY, RIGHT.
BUT IF WE SEE THAT BEFORE SCHOOL, THERE MAY BE A DECISION THAT THAT HAS TO BE MADE.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO OPEN SCHOOL WITHOUT FACE COVERINGS.
WE WANT TO GIVE TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY, STUDENTS, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE, OR PARENTS, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE DECISIONS, WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR.
AND, AND, AND WE WANT TO STAY IN PHASE ONE, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEIR SUPPORT.
WE ASK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT LAST YEAR, AND WE DID GET A LOT OF SUPPORT WITH PARENTS, KEEPING THEIR CHILDREN, HOME, REPORTING THINGS TO US.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED THEM TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US.
AND I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS COVID FATIGUE.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, I THINK THEY'RE GONNA PROBABLY ADD IT TO THE DSM-V.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT THEY'RE, IT'S, IT'S THERE, BUT WE STILL NEED TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE ONE OF OUR METRICS IS OUR COMMUNITY DATA, AND WE NEED TO RELY UPON OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US.
AND, AND WE KNOW WE HAVE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THERE.
UM, SO ARE WE BASING THE IDEA OF A POSITIVE COVID CASE OFF OF STRICTLY A PCR POSITIVE OR RAPID TEST POSITIVE RATE, OR ALSO THE SYMPTOMS? IS IT JUSTIFIED? YOU'RE NOT BASING A POSITIVE CASE ON SYMPTOMS WHERE RIGHT.
IT COULD STRICTLY JUST BE A PCR TEST.
CAUSE MY, MY CONCERN IS THAT THE CDC HAS STATED THAT THE PCR TEST IS, IS FAULTY AND CANNOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE FLU AND COVID AND IT'S BEING PULLED OFF OF THE MARKET.
SO WHEN YOU SAY PCR, YOU MEAN THE RAPID TEST? NO.
I MEAN THE PC LAB TEST, WE ARE BASING OUR DECISION ON, BUT THE RAPID TEST HAS ALSO BEEN PULLED OFF OF, WE ARE NOT BASING IT ON THE RAPID TEST, BUT THE PCR TEST HAS ALSO BEEN PULLED OFF THE MARKET.
SO WHAT THEY WERE RECOMMENDING WAS THAT TRUE POSITIVES ARE, UM, NOT ONLY JUST TEST POSITIVES, BUT ALSO, UH, ACCOMPANYING SYMPTOMS. SO, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE JUST STRICTLY GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE TEST POSITIVES.
SO, UM, AND, AND TALKING TO DR.
GREEN, UM, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED THAT WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT NO TEST IN MEDICINE IS PERFECT AND FOR INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS MUST BE COMBINED WITH CLINICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT SAID THE PCR TEST IS ONE OF THE BETTER ONES.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DR.
GREEN INFORMED ME, AND HE IS OUR DIRECTOR FOR THE LORD FAIRFAX HEALTH DISTRICT.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT THEY UTILIZE THE PCR TESTS AND, AND I, AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY ALSO UTILIZE THAT SAY, IT'S A HOUSEHOLD THAT THE FIRST, THE FIRST ONE DID TEST POSITIVE, AND THEN THE SPOUSE STARTED HAVING THE SYMPTOMS. THEN THEY DO COUNT THAT BECAUSE EVEN WITHOUT A TEST,
[03:00:01]
BECAUSE THE HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF THAT BEING COVID.SO THAT IS ONE OTHER THING THAT THEY ADD INTO THEIR NUMBERS.
UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE THE BEST, THESE, THIS, THESE ARE THE BEST DATA THAT WE HAVE TO UTILIZE, AND THAT WHOLE HOUSEHOLD WOULD JUST BE QUARANTINE ANYWAY, THOUGH, THEY WOULDN'T BE BACK.
ACTUALLY, THE QUARANTINE PERIOD WOULD BE LESS IF THE STUDENT OR THE FAMILY MEMBER IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE COVID THAN IF THEY WERE A HOUSEHOLD CONTACT, BECAUSE IF THEY WERE A HOUSEHOLD CONTACT, THEY WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE 10 DAYS AFTER THAT FAMILY MEMBER THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH COVID 10 DAYS FOR THEIR CLOCK TO START.
IF THEY'RE IDENTIFIED AS A PERSON HAVING COVID 19, THEIR ISOLATION WOULD JUST BE THE 10 DAYS OR A NEGATIVE TEST AFTER THE FIFTH DAY.
AND DURING THAT QUARANTINE PERIOD, THE CHILD WOULD STILL HAVE ACTS, WOULD BE GIVEN ACCESS TO DOING VIRTUAL OR, OR SOME MEANS OF OH, EDUCATION.
OUR STAFF IS DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO KEEP THE, THE STUDENTS THAT ARE QUARANTINED.
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO FALL BEHIND.
SO ABSOLUTELY THE TEACHERS WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T FALL BEHIND.
AND THEN, UM, SO I SEE WITH, WITH PHASE TWO, WE IMMEDIATELY JUMPED TO MASKING MANDATORY MASKING WHEN INDOORS, UM, THAT IS THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO.
BUT I, I GUESS I HAVE TO WONDER WHAT A MORE STAGED APPROACH BE IF WE'RE SEPARATING THE DESKS FARTHER.
I MEAN, THESE, THESE SAME STUDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AT A RESTAURANT AT A TABLE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE WITH, WITH NO MASK ON, UM, WOULD THEY NOT, THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THEIR MASK OFF SITTING AT THEIR DESK WHILE THEY ARE SOCIALLY DISTANCED.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL, WE DO HAVE THAT THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN OUR CLASSROOM.
SO LAST YEAR WE MOVED CLASSES AROUND.
UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, WE MOVE OUR FIFTH GRADE FROM THE, FROM LSK AND HILDA BARBER.
WE MOVED THEM TO WARREN COUNTY, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE MOVED OUR FIFTH GRADE FROM E WILSON MORRISON TO, UM, SKYLINE MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE WE HAD TO SPLIT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO CREATE SIX FEET.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS NOW WE'RE GOING BACK.
SO WE BROUGHT ALL THOSE, THOSE, THOSE FIFTH GRADE CLASSES BACK INTO THE ELEMENTARY AND WE, WHERE WE HAD THE SPLIT CLASSES.
SO IF WE HAD A CLASS OF 20 LAST YEAR, THOSE CLASSES TOOK UP TWO ROOMS TO GET THAT SIX FEET.
NOW YOU'RE BRINGING BOTH OF THOSE THAT ARE, I GUESS, THAT ONE CLASS THAT WE'RE IN TWO ROOMS NOW YOU'RE BRINGING THEM BACK INTO ONE.
SO NOW YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY GOING BACK DOWN TO THAT, THAT THREE FEET OR THAT MINIMUM DISTANCE THAT YOU HAVE, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE SPACE BOUND, THEY REDUCE THE SOCIALLY DISTANCING TO ONLY THREE FEET AS BEING NECESSARY.
SO, SO THEY'RE ALREADY IN THAT SOCIAL DISTANCE.
SO WE ARE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A LOT OF THOSE AREAS.
NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME, I WILL TELL YOU WE'RE WATCHING OUR NUMBERS PRETTY TIGHT.
UM, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ONE OF THE ACTION ITEMS ON, ON THE AGENDA LATER ON, TOO.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS FOR A SECOND OR A THIRD, I GUESS A THIRD, UH, TEACHER, UH, UM, ASMR ROADS, UH, BECAUSE OUR NUMBERS AND THOSE IN SOME CLASSES ARE GOING VERY HIGH AND PRINCIPALS ARE WORKING.
SO, SO WE'RE SEEING HIGH NUMBERS IN THE ELEMENTARY RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY HAVING TO LOOK AT WHAT OF OUR NUMBERS GOING TO BE.
WHAT'S OUR SPACE LIMITATIONS GOING TO BE, HOW MUCH MORE SPACE DO THEY HAVE AND AT E WILSON MORRISON, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SPACE WHATSOEVER PERIOD.
SO ALL OF OUR SUPPORT COACHES AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS THAT WE HIRED, THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING THEM IN THE, ON THE STAGE.
THEY COULD BE DOWN IN THE FRONT, THEY COULD SHARING ROOMS WITH TEACHERS.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE, UM, TRYING TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE THAT THEY CAN BECAUSE WE ARE VERY SPACE LIMITED AT HE WILSON MORRISON.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS WHEN WE, WE LOOK AT, AT, AT OUR PHASES NOW, YES, AT THE HIGH SCHOOLS WE MAY HAVE, OR AT SOME, AT OUR TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WE MAY HAVE SPACED WHERE CLASSROOMS CAN SPREAD OUT A LITTLE MORE, BUT AT OUR ELEMENTARY, THESE WERE GOING TO BE VERY TOUGH TO GET THAT THAT IN, BECAUSE NOW WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT WE, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE EXTRACURRICULAR OR THOSE OTHER CLASSES SUCH AS THE PE IT WAS MODIFIED LAST YEAR.
NOW IT'S NOT MODIFIED THE MUSIC.
THOSE ARE ALL ROLLING BACK IN BECAUSE THEY WERE DONE A DIFFERENT WAY LAST YEAR, BECAUSE ALL OF THE, THE, THE GUIDANCE FROM OUR, I GUESS, FROM THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, WHICH GAVE THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF ALLOWANCES TO REMOVE SOME OF THE STANDARDS
[03:05:01]
OF QUALITIES FROM THE SCHOOL AND GUIDANCE THAT WE HAD TO FOLLOW, THEY LOOSENED SOME OF THAT LAST YEAR, THAT'S ALL BACK ON FULL FORCE.SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE'RE FACING WITH COVID THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR SOQ CUES TO THE T.
AND THAT IS GOING TO CHALLENGE US QUITE A BIT IN SOME AREAS I FEEL BECAUSE OF STAFF LIMITATIONS, SIZE LIMITATIONS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST ONE MITIGATION STRATEGY THAT, THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
AND LAST YEAR WE EVEN SAID, WELL, GIVE THOSE STUDENTS A MASS BREAK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UM, WHILE WE WERE WEARING MASK.
UM, AND SO YES, WE COULD, IF IT'S AVAILABLE, LOOK AT ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES, BUT MASKING AS DR.
GREEN, UM, POINTED OUT, UH, IN OUR LAST MEETING, MASKING DOES WORK IN CLOSE CONTACT AREAS AS THEY EXHIBITED THROUGH WHAT SCHOOLS WERE ABLE TO DO LAST YEAR WITH KEEPING THE SPREAD DOWN, BUT ALSO WHAT HAPPENED AT, WITHIN OUR HOSPITALS, UM, WITH MASKING BEFORE PEOPLE STARTED GETTING A LITTLE LAXED WITH EVERYTHING, BUT I DO, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IS THERE ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE TO, AS A MITIGATION STRATEGY BEFORE WE BRING ON MASK, AND WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH ENVIRONMENT, ONE THING, FOR INSTANCE, LSK THAT THING IS THAT BUILDING IS SLATED FOR AN HVHC RENOVATION RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU GO IN THAT POD, YOU MAY HAVE FIVE CLASSROOMS WITH NO WALLS AND A BUNCH OF STUDENTS IN THERE.
IT'S JUST A PARTITION THAT'S FREE TO OPEN.
AND THAT, THAT CIRCULATION SYSTEM IS ROLLING THINGS BACK INTO THAT ROOM.
AND SO WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE AT IN THE SCHOOL THAT WE'RE AT TO DETERMINE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THAT SCHOOL.
AND EACH SCHOOL DOES HAVE A COVID TEAM COVID RESPONSE TEAM OF THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN THEIR SCHOOL, AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATION, POSSIBLY SOME TEACHERS.
AND THEY'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO US.
WE'RE NOT MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TOP DOWN.
WE'RE GETTING THE WAY WE HAVE IT SET UP IS THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL TEAM AT EACH SCHOOL THAT ADVISES THE DIVISION LEVEL TEAM AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CABINET, UM, TO HELP GUIDE, TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.
AND THAT'S WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM.
IT'LL DEFINITELY BE DECIDED BASED ON THE SCHOOL, NOT COUNTY-WIDE FOR EVERYONE.
WE DEFINITELY LOOK AT EVERY SCHOOL INDIVIDUALLY.
AND ARE WE, UM, ONE OF THE INTERESTING STUDIES THAT I WAS READING WAS, UM, FROM MIT AND THEY ACTUALLY FOUND THAT BY SIMPLY JUST OPENING A WINDOW IS, IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MASKING FOR, UH, COVID MITIGATION.
UM, WELL, THERE ARE STILL BEING MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS FOR MASKING FOR THE STUDENTS, IF A STUDENT.
AND AS WELL AS YOUNG STUDENTS UNDER THE, WE HAVE PRESCHOOLS IN ALMOST EVERY BUILDING.
NOW, A MATTER OF FACT, I'M COMING BACK UP TO THE PODIUM TO TALK ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL PRESCHOOL TEACHER IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND FOR STUDENTS UNDER, UNDER TWO OR STUDENTS THAT HAVE SENSORY ISSUES OR MEDICAL ISSUES, UM, TO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MASS STUDENTS WHO ARE, THEY ARE NOT, THEY'RE NOT STUDENTS UNDER THAT ARE TWO YEARS AND BELOW SHOULD NOT BE MASKED PERIOD.
HOWEVER, WE DO LOOK AT KIDS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS BASED ON THEIR SENSORY NEEDS, BASED ON THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS.
A LOT OF OUR PRESCHOOL SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THAT CANNOT WEAR MASKS.
SO WE LOOK AT KIDS ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL WITH THAT WAY AT THAT, AT THAT TIME.
AND I GUESS ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT I DID WANT TO BRING UP WITH THE MASKING IS, UM, THE USE OF, UM, PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS IN STUDENTS IS NOW UP OVER 16.5%, 16.5%.
PLUS I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY 16.7% NOW, UM, HAVE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 STUDENTS ARE, ARE TAKING MEDICATION AND A LARGE JUMP OF THAT CAME DURING COVID BECAUSE PARENTS WERE HAVING TO PUT THEIR CHILDREN ON BENZODIAZEPINES SO THAT THEY WEREN'T HAVING PANIC ATTACKS WHILE WEARING THE MASK.
UM, WE SAW A LOT OF THAT IN SOME OF THE LOCAL MOMMY GROUPS POSTING ABOUT CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS SIX BEING PUT ON BENZODIAZEPINES SO THAT THEY COULD WEAR A MASK ALL DAY AT SCHOOL WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE DRUG EPIDEMIC IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE LONG LASTING ADDICTION SIDE OF THINGS FOR GIVING STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG ONES OR FOR THAT MATTER, EVEN HIGH SCHOOLERS ACCESS TO XANAX, JUST SO THAT THEY CAN TOLERATE WEARING A MASK ALL DAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CONSIDER.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, THE MANDATORY MASKING, NOT INSTITUTED.
I THINK IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE APPEARANCE CHOICE, BUT, UM, I WOULD URGE MAYBE SWITCHING THAT TO A PHASE THREE TYPE PLAN AND TRYING TO KEEP PHASE TWO AS MAYBE JUST OPEN A WINDOW.
[03:10:01]
OKAY.ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION? I THINK WE HAVE A FEW MORE SPEAKERS.
WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS.
UH, THE NEXT THREE SLIDES, UH, SORTA ACTUALLY JUST FEED OFF TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN REGARDS TO OPENING A WINDOW AND FRESH AIR AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND THAT THAT'S LOOKING AT THE H VAC SYSTEMS AND SO FORTH TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE VENTILATION BY BRINGING OUTSIDE AIR, ALSO LOOKING AT SOME PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON THE SYSTEMS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, UM, AND JUST DOING SOME OF YOUR BASIC, UH, CLEANING OF THE SYSTEMS AND ALLOWING AIR TO, TO, UH, TO, TO INCREASE, UM, AND OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, MR. LEVISON, I WILL BRING TO YOU THE, UH, INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE A AND FOR LMK, UH, AND BLUE RIDGE, UH, TECH AS WELL.
SO ALSO FROM A FACILITY STANDPOINT, OUR FACILITY TO APARTMENT, UH, LAST YEAR, UM, AND SO FORTH, HAD ALL THE SNEEZE GUARDS PUT IN ALL THE PLEXIGLASS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE SO MUCH PLEXIGLASS.
UM, AND, UH, AT THIS TIME WE, WE STILL HAVE THE PLEXIGLASS AND SO FORTH, UH, IN PLACE, UM, GOING INTO THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW WHICH PHASE THAT WE WILL ALWAYS BE IN, UH, THE NEXUS, THE CUSTODIAL SERVICES.
UM, AND I'LL GO IN, IN THIS JUST, UH, JUST BRIEFLY THAT DURING, UH, LAST YEAR WE DID START OUR ROUTINE CLEANING AND OUR SANITATION AND THE DEEP SANITATIONS AND THOSE PROTOCOLS THAT WE USE LAST YEAR, WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS YEAR, UH, ROUTINE CLEANING, UM, INCLUDES DAILY CLEANING OF THE ENTIRE BUILDING WITH CONTINUOUS DISINFECTING OF HIGH, UH, TOUCH SURFACES.
AND THOSE THINGS WILL BE LIKE DOOR HANDLES.
UH, THEY WOULD BE FALSE AT HANDLES SINKS, WATER, FOUNTAINS, AND SO FORTH.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR DEEP SANITATION OF OUR DAILY, UM, COMPREHENSIVE DISINFECTING.
WE HAVE THE LITTLE, UH, HANDHELD AND THE LITTLE BACKPACK SPRAYERS, LIKE EVERYBODY SAYS, OR LIKE THE GHOST BUSTER THING FROM YEARS AGO WITH A MOVIE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND THAT, UM, AS MR, UH, UH, HERSH HAD MENTIONED, UH, AS WELL AS THAT THIS CLEANING CONTINUES INTO THE EVENING AND TO THE, UH, INTO THE EVENING WITH OUR, UM, DEEP SANITATION, UM, AND OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF IS CONTINUING TO BE, UH, TRAINED ON THE, UH, CUSTODIAL, UH, THE PROPER DISINFECTING, UH, METHODS AND PROCEDURES.
WE DO HAVE HAND SANITIZERS AND THOSE THINGS ON THE BUSES, AS WELL AS, UH, THROUGHOUT, UM, THE SCHOOLS, UH, TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
I SPOKE WITH MR. MITCHELL THIS AFTERNOON.
HE JUST ASKED FOR HIM TO PROVIDE FOR ME A FEW BULLET POINTS THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO GET ACROSS IN REGARDS TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND THAT HE MENTIONED AS YOU STEP ON THE BUS, THEY HAVE THERMAL TEMPERATURE CHECKS ON THE BUSES, UH, THAT THE EMPLOYEES AND SO FORTH, UH, THEIR TEMPERATURES ARE ASSESSED PRIOR TO DRIVING THERE'S HAND SANITIZERS ON THE BUS, UM, ON THE BUSES.
UM, IF A STUDENT IS, UM, UNABLE, UH, THEY DO NOT HAVE A MASS.
WE PROVIDE A MASS FOR THEM AS THEY COME ONTO THE BUS.
UM, MR. MITCHELL HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE IS AN UPGRADE ON OUR CAMERA SYSTEM ON ALL THE BUSES AND WHERE THIS FALLS INTO A MITIGATION STRATEGY.
AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IS WHEN WE CONTRACT CONTACT TRACE, UM, AS FAR AS, UH, ON THE BUS, THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR VIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, AND WE CAN IDENTIFY WHICH STUDENTS WERE IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, AND FOR HOW LONG, AT LEAST ON THE BUS THAT THEY WERE.
UM, THE BUSES ARE DISINFECTED BETWEEN EACH, UH, EACH, UH, ROUTE RUNS.
AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT THE EMPLOYEE, UH, TEMPERATURES AS WELL AS STUDENTS, UH, ARE CHECKED AS THEY ARRIVE ON THE BUS.
SO OUR FACILITIES AND OUR CUSTODIAL AND OUR, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UH, WILL STILL KEEP IT AFFECT THE THINGS THAT WE HAD, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, THEY WERE, THEY WERE EFFECTIVE AND, UM, AND THAT WE WERE ABLE FACILITIES AND SO FORTH.
WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, AS WELL AS MR. HIRSCH'S OFFICE, UH, TO, TO BUY SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT CAN LEAD US INTO THIS YEAR.
GOOD EVENING, SEPTEMBER OF 1972, UH, WALKED INTO E WILSON MORRISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND I MET MRS. COWEN AND MRS. CALLEN LOVED ME, AND SHE LOVED EVERYBODY IN THAT CLASSROOM.
AND SHE TAUGHT ME AND I MET MY BEST FRIEND.
[03:15:02]
AND THEN, BECAUSE I MET MY BEST FRIEND, I MET HIS BROTHER WHO WAS MY OTHER BEST FRIEND.AND THEN IN 1978, SEPTEMBER, I MET MY OTHER BEST FRIEND AT WARREN COUNTY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER OF 1981, I WALKED INTO WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I MET THIS GUY WEARING CORDUROY AND A QUARTER ROY BEANIE.
AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, BUT HE BECAME MY BEST FRIEND TOO.
SO THE CONTINUE ON SEPTEMBER OF 1994, I MET ONE OF THE BEST STUDENTS THAT I EVER HAD DR.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN FEEL WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO UNLEASH IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS, BUT WE'RE ABOUT CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
WE ARE ABOUT TO BRING SOME KIND OF EXCITEMENT BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT HASN'T BEEN HERE FOR 18 MONTHS, WE'VE GOT FULL, FULL CLASSROOMS, CLASSROOM EXPERIENCES, SPORTS HAVE ALREADY STARTED.
I SAW THEM AT THERE ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT PICTURE, THE DOCTOR FOUND YOU TOOK OFF.
I MEAN, THAT'S LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT FINALLY PUTS A SMILE ON SOMEBODY'S FACE, BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL NEED IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN PUSHING TOWARDS.
AND THAT'S, WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COUNTY.
SO MOVING ON, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE ACADEMICALLY.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT THAT.
UM, UNIVERSAL SCREENERS ARE USED TO SHOW TEACHERS WHERE STUDENTS ARE DOING OKAY.
AND ALSO WHICH STUDENTS NEED AN ACADEMIC INTERVENTION.
UH, THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS GIVEN US SOMETHING CALLED GROWTH ASSESSMENTS.
UH, THEY'RE CALLING THEM THROUGH ASSESSMENTS AND THESE ASSESSMENTS ARE ALIGNED WITH THE STANDARDS OF LEARNING AND BOTH READING AND MATHEMATICS IN GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT THIS YEAR, UH, AS, AS THIS IS JUST ROLLING OUT, THESE ASSESSMENTS WILL BE GIVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ASSESSMENTS WE'LL PROVIDE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE A GROWTH SCORE.
BUT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WILL GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHERE THESE STUDENTS ARE RIGHT AWAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS TO INTERPRET WHAT, WHAT WE'RE LEARNING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WE'RE BEHIND, UH, WE, WE KNOW, WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME GAPS, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO USE THESE ASSESSMENTS TO IMPROVE READING AND MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION IN GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT.
NOW, IN THE OTHER GRADES, WE HAVE TEACHER MADE FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS AND PRETESTS THAT WILL ALSO HELP GUIDE OUR INSTRUCTION.
THE LET US KNOW WHICH INFORMATION IS ALREADY KNOWN BY OUR STUDENTS AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME, BECAUSE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME AREAS WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SPEND SOME MORE TIME.
UM, WE NEED TO STOP ADVERTISING THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TWO OR THREE YEARS TO GET OUR STUDENTS BACK ON TRACK.
SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO LOTS OF PRE-ASSESSMENTS SO THAT WE AREN'T TEACHING THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS ALREADY KNOW ASSESSING IS GOING TO HELP US DETERMINE LEARNING NEEDS.
AND IT WILL ALSO HELP US DETERMINE THE STUDENTS WITH THE GREATEST LEARNING GAPS, BECAUSE THESE CAN BE ADDRESSED MOST EFFICIENTLY IN SMALL GROUPS.
STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE THE TARGET INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION.
WE'RE ALSO, WE WE'VE HIRED TONS OF NOT TONS.
WE'VE HIRED STUDENTS, SUPPORT COACHES AND INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS TO CREATE MORE SMALL GROUPS SO WE CAN REACH MORE STUDENTS.
AND, UH, GOING BACK FOR JUST A SECOND, I'M NOT SURE I KNEW WHAT I KNOW.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SEL WAS IN 1972 OR 1984, EVEN, BUT WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE FOR THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING OF OUR STUDENTS, BOTH JUST BY BEING IN SCHOOL.
AND THROUGH THESE STUDENTS, SUPPORT COACHES, WE'LL USE THEM.
UM, STUDENT COACHES AND ASSISTANTS WILL BE IN CLASSES.
THEY'RE GOING TO HELP STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY.
THEY'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO STUDENT CONCERNS AND OUR STUDENT SUPPORT COACHES HAVE VERY BACKGROUNDS.
SO THEY ARE ALL TRAINED AS TEACHERS, BUT AS ADULTS, THEY CAN ALL SIT AND LISTEN TO SOMEONE AND JUST HAVING AN EXTRA ADULT EAR IS GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL.
AS WE MOVE BACK, WE HAVE EVIDENCE WE'VE PURCHASED EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAMS TO SPEED UP REMEDIATION AND TO EVEN ACCELERATE OUR STUDENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DR BALLENGER BROUGHT TO US WAS FOUNTAS AND PINELL.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE FIDELITY AT ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE USED.
UH WE'VE WE PURCHASED OTHER INTERVENTION PROGRAMS THAT ARE EVIDENCE-BASED, UM, EDUCATION GALAXY.
WE HAVE REFLEX MATH, WHICH IS PROVEN TO HELP STUDENTS WITH THEIR MATH FACTS.
SO AGAIN, WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WE'VE BROUGHT ON STUDENT SUPPORT COACHES TO HELP US WITH
[03:20:01]
THE SMALL GROUPS.AND WE'VE BROUGHT IN EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. WE TALK ABOUT SEL.
WE ARE GOING TO DEMAND THAT WE FIRST LOOK AT STUDENTS' STRENGTHS AND FOCUS ON THEM.
INSTEAD OF DWELLING ON THEIR WEAKNESSES.
UH, WE'VE GOT TO BUILD, WE'VE GOT TO BUILD ON WHAT THESE KIDS CAN DO.
DWELLING ON THE DWELLING ON ONLY THE WEAKNESS OF THE CHILD IS GOING TO MINIMIZE THEIR SELF-CONFIDENCE, THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND THEIR OVERALL PERFORMANCE.
STUDENTS ARE GONNA NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR TEACHER.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS SOL, OUR TEACHERS NEED TO BE, THEY NEED TO BE MUCH MORE THAN CHEERLEADERS, BUT THEY NEED TO BE CHEERLEADERS, TOO.
THEY NEED TO ENCOURAGE THESE KIDS TO COME AND COME EVERY DAY.
WE'LL HAVE OUR STUDENTS SUPPORT TEACHERS THERE TO CHECK IN WITH STUDENTS, CHECK IN, IN THE MORNING, SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING, CHECK IN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
IF THEY NEED TO CHECK IN BEFORE THEY LEAVE, HOW WAS YOUR DAY? DID YOU MEET YOUR GOALS FOR THE DAY? WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF STUDENTS CHECKING IN.
WE HAVE LOTS OF TEACHERS OUT IN THE HALLWAY, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE KIDS ARE BEHAVING THEMSELVES.
MR. MENOTTI, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF TEACHERS OUT EVERYWHERE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE NEED TO KNOW STUDENTS BY FIRST NAME.
WE NEED TO CREATE AND ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BECAUSE I REMEMBER THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WORK FOR SOMEBODY, YOU DON'T LIKE KIDS, DON'T KIDS.
DON'T WE, WE NEED, WE NEED TO PUT A SMILING FACE OUT THERE FOR THESE KIDS TO LIKE, AND TO WORK FOR.
UM, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO HELP THEM WORK MORE INTENSIVELY WITH STUDENTS, WITH THEIR ACADEMICS, WITH THEIR ATTENDANCE AND WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ATTACK ATTACK ATTENDANCE PRETTY, PRETTY HEAVILY AT THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT STUDENTS THAT AREN'T USED TO, WHAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO, WHICH IS COME TO SCHOOL REALLY 95% OF THE TIME, UH, YOU KNOW, 100% I DON'T COME.
I DON'T COME TO WORK A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME, BUT 95%, WE NEED TO GET THEM THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, THINGS THAT WE LEARNED, STRATEGIES THAT WE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS, WE LEARNED THAT THESE TOOLS, THESE LEARNING MANAGEMENTS, CANVAS, AND SCHOOLOGY, THEY'RE REALLY GREAT TOOLS FOR COMMUNICATION AND, AND PARENTS LIKE THEM.
WE, UH, WE LEARNED THAT ON THESE PLATFORMS, WE CAN EMBED PRACTICE PROBLEMS. WE CAN, UH, IF WE HAVE A VIDEO, WE CAN LET STUDENTS SEE IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UH, I LIKE TO THINK I WAS A WONDERFUL TEACHER.
PEZ FELT WAS OR NOT, BUT, BUT YOU ONLY GOT TO SEE IT ONE TIME BACK IN THE DAY, MR. RENAULT, YOU ONLY GOT TO SEE IT ONE TIME WITH THESE LEARNING PLATFORMS. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S SPECIFIC THAT THAT KIDS NEED TO LEARN, THEY CAN DO IT OVER AND OVER.
THEY CAN DO IT ON THEIR OWN TIME.
SO THESE LEARNING PLATFORMS HAVE THAT.
THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO HAVE PRACTICE PROBLEMS EMBEDDED.
WE HAVE, UM, WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS THAT BLENDED LEARNING CAN BE USED TO ENHANCE LEARNING, UM, EXAMPLES WITH THE ONE-TO-ONE SITUATION WE HAVE WITH OUR CHROMEBOOKS.
YOU CAN HAVE A TEACHER WORKING WITH A SMALL GROUP, OR YOU CAN HAVE A STUDENT SUPPORT TEACHER WORKING WITH ANOTHER GROUP.
YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER GROUP WORKING ON SOMETHING ON THEIR COMPUTER.
THEY CAN DO INDEPENDENT RESEARCH.
THEY CAN, UM, THEY COULD BE WATCHING A VIDEO.
THEY COULD BE DOING PRACTICE PROBLEMS. SO WE'RE GOING TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO USE ALL HANDS ON DECK TO HELP THESE KIDS AND BRING IT INTO SMALL GROUPS.
UH, THE, UH, THE IDEA OF THE FLIP CLASSROOM, I WISH MR.
WE WANT TO GIVE THEM A REASON TO LEARN WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING AND GIVE THEM SOMETHING.
SO THAT'S THE IDEA OF A FLIPPED CLASSROOM.
YOU HAVE SOME BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE BEFORE YOU'RE EVER, UH, BEFORE THE INSTRUCTOR EVER COMES TO YOU.
SO I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT I'M EXCITED AND I HOPE ANYBODY AT WARREN COUNTY IS EXCITED BECAUSE WE'RE BACK TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND I THANK YOU GUYS FOR, UH, FOR BEING HERE AND HELPING US WITH THAT GOAL.
SO THEN WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
AND MIKE SAVED ME A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, SO THANK YOU, SIR.
I STAND BEFORE YOU IN A NEW POSITION.
AND I BRING THE SAME UNDERSTANDING AND BELIEF THAT PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
SO I WANT TO TALK TO YOU JUST A FEW MINUTES ABOUT PEOPLE LAST YEAR, YOU CAN REFLECT ON OUR NUMBERS FOR THE YEAR.
OUR STUDENTS HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES.
THEY HAD TO BE HOME, BUT SO DID OUR STAFF.
IF YOU ADD UP OUR STAFF NUMBERS THERE, YOU HAVE ABOUT 220 STAFF MEMBERS THAT EITHER TESTED POSITIVE OR WERE QUARANTINED.
EACH ONE OF THOSE WERE 14 DAYS.
WE EVEN HAD TWO TEACHERS AT LEAST LAST YEAR, THAT QUARANTINED THREE TIMES,
[03:25:01]
THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 42 DAYS.EVERY ONE OF THOSE REPRESENTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT BE IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN THAT QUALIFIED, LICENSED, EXCELLENT TEACHER IS NOT IN FRONT OF THOSE STUDENTS, THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON LEARNING.
THAT'S WHY OUR GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS OPEN AND TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND OUR KIDS THERE.
I'D LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU JUST A MOMENT ABOUT THE, UM, IF YOU CAN CHANGE THIS SLIDE, THANK YOU.
THE MASKING AND LEAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR STAFF MEMBERS.
SO PHASE ONE, TWO AND THREE, YOU'LL SEE THEY MIRROR EACH OTHER.
SO FOR VACCINATED EMPLOYEES, MASTERS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED AGAIN.
MR. HIRSCH MENTIONED THAT OVER 70% LAST YEAR OF OUR EMPLOYEES WERE VACCINATED.
WHAT YOU WILL FIND THIS YEAR IS THAT ALMOST EVERY NEW EMPLOYEE THAT WE HIRE AS A TEACHER IS COMING OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY THAT HAD VACCINE REQUIREMENTS.
SO A LARGE PORTION OF OUR NEW TEACHERS ARE VACCINATED AS WELL.
MASKS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED IN PHASE ONE FOR THOSE FOLKS, BUT THEY WILL HAVE A CHOICE TO WEAR A MASK OR NOT WEAR A MASK.
EMPLOYEES WHO ARE UNVACCINATED.
WE'RE STRONGLY ENCOURAGING MASKS.
BUT IF AN EMPLOYEE IS NOT WEARING A MASK AND IS UNVACCINATED, THEN THEY HAVE TO QUARANTINE AFTER AN EXPOSURE.
IF AN EMPLOYEE IS VACCINATED WEARING A MASK AND NOT SHOWING SYMPTOMS AFTER AN EXPOSURE OF QUARANTINE IS NOT REQUIRED, THAT'S FOR A VACCINATED PERSON, WE WILL NOT OFFER REMOTE TEACHING THIS YEAR, AS WE DID LAST YEAR, OR WORK FROM HOME OPPORTUNITIES.
IF AN EMPLOYEE IS REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE, THEY'LL HAVE TO HAVE A SUBSTITUTE, AND THAT WILL BE REQUIRED.
IF AN EMPLOYEE NEEDS TO QUARANTINE, THEY'LL HAVE TO USE THEIR SICK LEAVE.
THAT WAS DIFFERENT LAST YEAR, AS WE WORKED THROUGH THOSE PIECES.
SO THAT'S DIFFERENT IN THIS PLAN.
THE DIFFERENCE THERE IS MASK WILL BE REQUIRED IF WE MOVE TO THAT FOR CHILDREN AND FOR ADULTS, THERE'LL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL STAFF INDOORS MASKING COME OFF OUTSIDE AGAIN IN THE SAME.
AND PHASE TWO WILL NOT OFFER A MOAT TEACHING OR WORK FROM HOME OPPORTUNITIES.
IF AN EMPLOYEE IS REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE AND A SUBSTITUTE IS STILL REQUIRED.
AND IF AN EMPLOYEE NEEDS A QUARANTINE, THEY'LL HAVE TO USE THEIR SICK LEAVE.
AND WE DO GIVE THAT EACH YEAR.
AND THEN PHASE THREE IS FULL MITIGATION.
EVERYONE WEARS A MASK INSIDE AND OUTSIDE STUDENTS INCLUDED AND ADULTS.
WE WILL NOT OFFER A MOAT TEACHING THE SAME HERE FOR WORK FOR HOME OPPORTUNITIES.
IF AN EMPLOYEE IS REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE, A SUBSTITUTE WOULD BE NEEDED.
AND IF EMPLOYEE NEEDS A QUARANTINE IN PHASE THREE, THEY'D ALSO HAVE TO USE THEIR OWN SICK LEAVE.
AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION FOR OUR STUDENTS, BY KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS OPEN.
SO OUR PLAN IS ALL ABOUT KEEPING OUR TEACHERS IN SCHOOL, A GREAT PERSON IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS SO THAT THIS YEAR LEARNING CAN TAKE PLACE AND IN DOING SO, WE KNOW THAT WE'LL SEE ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HOPE FOR STUDENTS THIS YEAR TO BLOSSOM, AND THIS'LL BE A GREAT YEAR.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S THE CONCLUSION OF OUR PRESENTATION.
BALLENGER MAY WANT TO ASK IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, MR. GOODWIN, MR. HERSCH, MR. FOX AND MR. SMITH, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR PRESENTING TONIGHT.
AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT GOING INTO THIS REOPENING PLAN, UH, YOU KNOW, AND WITH OUR MITIGATION, BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION AT ALL COSTS.
WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A GOOD QUALITY TEACHER IN FRONT OF THIS, UH, IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, SO IF THE BOARD DOES HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY, ANY OF THOSE, THEN WE HAVE OUR STAFF TO HERE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE SICK LEAVE, UH, FOR, FOR THE TEACHERS THAT DO A TEST POSITIVE AND HAVE TO QUARANTINE AT HOME, WE'RE REQUIRING THEM TO USE THEIR SICK LEAVE FOR THAT.
WHAT WAS THE THOUGHT BEHIND THAT? AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THERE'S BEEN AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR VACCINATION AND, UH, EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REQUIRING THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR, WE WENT PRETTY MUCH THERE, THE EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE THAT WE COULD TO HAVE FOLKS IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT IN ORDER TO PROTECT INSTRUCTION, THIS HAS TO BE WHAT OUR POLICY IS OR OTHERWISE WE CAN'T HAVE THAT TAKE PLACE.
AND A LOT OF THAT, MR. RONALD IS SO, SO ONE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REQUIRING THE VACCINATION, SO I, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE LAST YEAR IN DECEMBER, THE, THE REQUIREMENT FOR SCHOOLS TO OFFER THE EXTENDED SICK LEAVE WENT AWAY.
THAT WENT AWAY IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
WE KEPT IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE WERE ONE OF THE ONLY SCHOOLS THAT KIND OF KEPT THAT GOING.
AND SO REALLY WE'RE FOLLOWING SUIT WITH, WITH OTHER SCHOOL DIVISIONS AROUND US, WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND REALLY WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LABOR IS SAYING, THAT YOU CAN REQUIRE YOUR PEOPLE TO COME TO WORK.
THEY HAVE TO COME TO WORK, THEY CAN USE THEIR SICK LEAVE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A PART OF THAT.
SO WE, WE JUST BACKED OFF OF THAT
[03:30:01]
AS WELL.MR. AND ALDI, I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, THAT WE'RE IN REGION FOUR AND MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES I'VE TALKED WITH ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE A VERY SIMILAR OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
W I HAD A QUESTION, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
OH, VACCINATED OR UNVACCINATED.
I MEAN, THE VACCINATED, IF THEY GET A BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION AND, OR SICK, THEY ALSO HAVE TO RE USE HER SICK LEAVE.
CORRECT? ANY EMPLOYEE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT TO BE, COULD WE BRING THAT SLIDE BACK UP WHERE YOU SAYING THAT? SO IF THEY'RE VACCINATED AND THEY WERE SIMPLY AROUND SOMEBODY, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO QUARANTINE, BUT THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED WOULD HAVE TO QUARANTINE, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND PLEASE, MR. HARRIS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OR DR.
BUT IF YOU ARE VACCINATED AND YOU HAVE NO SYMPTOMS, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO QUARANTINE AND AS PER CDC GUIDANCE, BUT PER THE CDC GUIDANCE ON BACK, OR I'M SORRY, PER CDC, THE VACCINATED WHO ARE ASYMPTOMATIC ACTUALLY CARRY A VIRAL LOAD.
THAT'S HIGHER THAN ONE THAT IS UNVACCINATED AND NOT SHOWING SYMPTOMS. SO HOW HAS, HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? UM, TO, FOR US, WE'RE JUST FOLLOWING THE GUIDANCE.
SO WHATEVER THAT GUIDANCE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT THE EXPERTS, UM, IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, AS FAR AS UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL WE KNOW IS WE HAVE A DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF US, AND IT IS THE, THE DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE TO USE ACCORDING TO ONE SENATE BILL 1303 SAID THAT WE WILL USE THAT, THAT DOCUMENT, UM, IN ORDER TO GUIDE US THROUGH OUR PHASES.
AND SO ALONG WITH THE VDH, THAT IS ANOTHER DOCUMENT.
WE, WE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT THE EXPERTS.
WE JUST HAVE TO IMPLEMENT USING THE BEST GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE AND RELYING UPON THE EXPERTS IN THEIR OPINIONS.
BUT ISN'T THE CDC CONSIDERED AN EXPERT ON THIS.
SO I WOULD GUESS YOU WOULD SAY THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER THEM TO BE EXPERTS ON IT BECAUSE WE'RE FOLLOWING THEIR GUIDANCE.
SO I CAN'T ANSWER FOR THE CDC.
I KNOW WE HAVE THE DOCUMENT AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
CDC HAS SAID THAT THAT VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ASYMPTOMATIC CARRY A HIGHER VIRAL LOAD THAN AN UNVACCINATED PERSON WHO IS ASYMPTOMATIC.
SO IT'S, IT'S CONTRA INDICATED.
AND, UM, NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE VACCINE BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS REASONS.
SO HOW IS THIS POLICY NOT DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST TEACHERS AND THEIR RELIGIOUS RIGHTS? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY TEACHERS THAT HAVE SHARED THAT WITH ME.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REQUIRING ANYBODY TO GET THE VACCINE OR IN PHASE ONE, ANYBODY'S WHERE MASS MO, WHAT WE'RE TELLING EVERYBODY IS THAT IF YOU'RE SICK OR YOU'RE OUT, OR YOU'RE QUARANTINED, YOU HAVE TO USE THE SICK LEAVE.
SO THAT'S NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ANYBODY, AS FAR AS THE GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, THAT IS JUST THE GUIDANCE.
THEY COULD CHANGE THAT GUIDANCE TOMORROW.
AND TELL US THAT RIGHT NOW, ANYBODY WHO EVEN IS VACCINATED IN YOUR EXPOSURE, YOU NEED TO QUARANTINE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, THE GUIDANCE CAN CHANGE ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE JUST GO OFF OF THE GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE.
WE KNOW THAT WE'RE SET, WE SETTING OUR BAR HERE, AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO FROM THERE.
I GUESS I WOULD CONSIDER IT A PUNITIVE BECAUSE THE, THE UNVACCINATED WHO HAVE RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS OR EVEN MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS FOR THAT MATTER ARE BEING HELD TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAN THE OTHERS.
SO THAT ABSOLUTELY PER WHAT WE LISTENED TO EARLIER THAT IS THAT'S DISCRIMINATORY, AND IT SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY THE POLICIES THAT WERE JUST VOTED IN.
I'M UNFAMILIAR WITH ANY PERSON THAT HAS A RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION OR MEDICAL EXEMPTION, THE VACCINE THAT'S AN EMPLOYEE.
SO IF THEY BROUGHT YOU ONE, THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE HELD TO THOSE SAME STANDARDS.
MAY ONE, WE'D HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.
AND I'M A CONVERSATION WITH DR.
BALLENGER AND OTHERS, BUT WE DO HAVE POLICIES.
AND WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT IS THE PLAN FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED.
AND, AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SAYS, YEAH, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND, AND FOLLOW THEIR GUIDANCE.
AND SO LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT, UM, YEAH, IT WAS JUST, WE, WE, WE WERE ONE OF THE FEW DIVISIONS THAT CONTINUED TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE LAST YEAR WITH, WITH OUR STAFF.
UM, AND, AND OUR GOAL IS TO GET BACK AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO WHATEVER TYPE OF NORMAL ENVIRONMENT WE CAN GET.
AND I KNOW EARLY ON LAST YEAR, MR. WELLS SAID HE DOESN'T LIKE HEARING THE NEW NORMAL, SO I'M TRYING NOT TO USE THAT WORD.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME SENSE OF NORMALICY AS WE GO INTO THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND, AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE, WE WOULD JUST, AND LAST YEAR WE TOOK A LOT OF THINGS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
I KNOW WHEN WE INITIATED LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE
[03:35:01]
MR. SMITH, YOU HAD ALMOST 185 INDIVIDUAL, OKAY.OVER 150 INDIVIDUAL CASES THAT MR. SMITH WORKED ON LAST YEAR, ONE-ON-ONE WORKING THROUGH THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST SOLUTION.
SO WE HAVE GONE AND WE'VE ALWAYS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE WILL TAKE SITUATIONS ONE AT A TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE DO HAVE TO STILL FOLLOW OUR POLICIES AND IMPLEMENT THOSE, THOSE SICK LEAVE POLICIES.
UM, AND WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT WHATEVER WAS PRESENTED TO US, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT DOLLY AND SEE THE, SEE IF THE REQUIREMENTS, IF ANY OF THE REQUIREMENTS HAVE CHANGED.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY UPDATES FROM DOLEY.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW MR. SMITH, DID YOU SEE ANY, BEFORE YOU CHANGED OVER WITH, UH, AND MOVED INTO YOUR NEW ROLE? UM, SO LOOKING AT THAT AND THOSE REQUIREMENTS NOW, OF COURSE, IF THE BOARD WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT AND, AND, AND EXTEND THOSE THAT I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS UP TO THAT, THAT IS UP TO THE BOARD'S DECISION, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR, IT WAS KIND OF TAKEN OUT OF THE BOARD'S HAND BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND BY FEDERAL GUIDANCE GUIDANCE THAT YOU HAD TO GIVE COVID LEAVE.
THAT WAS PART OF THE FEDERAL GUIDANCE.
NOW COVID LEAVE IS NOT THERE ANYMORE.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE A SCHOOL BOARD'S DECISION, NOT A SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION, HOW MUCH SICK LEAVE DOES EACH GET, UH, 10 DAYS OF SICK LEAVE AND FIVE DAYS OF PERSONAL LEAVE WHEN THEY ARE NEW.
AND THEN THAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THOSE DAYS ROLL INTO SICK DAYS, WHATEVER IS NOT USED.
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR THEY'RE ISSUED THAT SAME NUMBER, AGAIN, 10 SICK DAYS AND FIVE PERSONAL DAYS.
SO THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY ACCRUE ACCRUE THEM OVER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN POTENTIALLY WITH, UH, WITH ONE 14 DAY QUARANTINE THAT TAKES OUT EVERY SICK DAY AND PERSONAL DAY THAT A NEW TEACHER HAS? WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY'RE EXPOSED AGAIN, WEED? SO THAT WOULD, WE WOULD WANT TO TAKE THAT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
THERE'S SOME ALSO, I KNOW WE HAVE THE SICK LEAVE BANK THAT IS AVAILABLE TO WHERE TEACHERS DONATE, DONATE, SICK LEAVE, AND THEN OTHER TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO USE SOME OF THAT SICK LEAVE.
SO, I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK ON THOSE CASE BY CASE BASIS.
I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT A FIRST YEAR TEACHER TO BE PUT IN A BIND.
I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, EVERYBODY IN HERE KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING A FIRST YEAR TEACHER.
THAT'S BEEN AN EDUCATION AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE.
I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT WE'LL WORK WITH THEM.
WE'LL FIND SOLUTIONS FOR THEM.
BUT AGAIN, IF IT'S, IF IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD CAN, CAN DIRECT US IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, IF THAT IS THE, THE WAY THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO GO.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME THINGS IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO UTILIZE OTHER BANKS OF SICK LEAVE.
THEY WOULD NOT BE FIRED IF THEY IX.
THAT WOULD NOT BE SOME GROUNDS FOR THAT.
WE'LL TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT REMEMBER OUR MISSION AS KIDS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND WE DON'T WANT THOSE EMPLOYEES SHOWING UP SICK EITHER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY FEEL THAT IF I GO, AND TYPICALLY YOU JUST ASK, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE? IF THEY RUN OUT OF LEAVE A LOT OF TIME RUNNING OUT OF THAT LEAVE MEANS YOU'RE DOCKED PAY FOR THAT DAY.
NOW WE WOULD NOT WANT TO DO THAT EITHER.
SO WE WOULD HAVE THOSE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
AND, AND, AND LOOK AT THAT, THAT INDIVIDUAL I'VE DONATED A LOT OF MY SICK LEAVE AND A LOT OF MY OVER YEARS TO A LOT OF TEACHERS FOR VARIOUS DIFFERENT REASONS, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUT THERE, WE WORK TOGETHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE'RE KIDS ON THE PLAYGROUND.
WE PLAY TOGETHER, WE'RE GOING TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOLUTIONS AND WE WOULD NOT WANT A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER, EITHER TAKING A PAY CUT EITHER.
SO WE WOULD DO WHATEVER WE HAD TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HOLD THAT TEACHER WHOLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT MAY BE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE LATER ON.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS, I WOULD SAY COMING FROM THE SCHOOL LEVEL LAST YEAR, I'VE BEEN A PRINCIPAL HERE AND I DID NOT KNOW A SINGLE PRINCIPAL THAT DIDN'T DO WHATEVER THEY NEEDED TO DO TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
I KNOW THAT, AND I'LL DO THE SAME AND WE'LL DO THE SAME, BUT WE WERE 15 PEOPLE ON A NUMBER OF DAYS LAST WEEK ABOUT HAVING TO COVER.
SO EVEN FOLKS THAT WERE WORKING IN OUR FRONT OFFICE HAD TO COVER CLASSROOMS. WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO THAT PLACE AGAIN, BUT I DON'T THINK WE WILL, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THESE IN PLACE TO KEEP KIDS AT THE CENTER OF WHAT WE DO IN INSTRUCTION PRIMARY.
ANY OF QUESTIONS? OH, I THINK WE HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF
[03:40:01]
SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS THROUGH THICK AND THIN.I KNOW LAST YEAR BUCK REALLY STEPPED UP.
UM, I KNOW OF ONE TEACHER WHOSE WIFE HAD SOME SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES AND THAT TEACHER WAS ALLOWED TO WORK FROM HOME ON THAT AND DID NOT LOSE A DAY'S PAY.
SO, AND THAT'S OUR EMO, THAT'S OUR TRACK RECORD.
AND THEN AS YOU GUYS ARE SO, UM, AND, AND I SEE NO REASON THAT THAT WOULD CHANGE, SO, OKAY.
UM, I MEAN, I, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UM, I TRUST THAT WE HAD A REALLY GOOD OUTCOME LAST YEAR WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAD TO WORK WITH.
AND I KNOW THE SAME DUE DILIGENCE WENT INTO THIS PLAN.
I REALLY HOPE WE GET TO OPEN IN PHASE ONE AND HOPEFULLY WE GET TO STAY IN PHASE ONE AND EVERYONE HAS A FANTASTIC SCHOOL YEAR, BUT I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE REALLY RESEARCHED IT ALL OUT AND HOPEFULLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE.
IF THINGS AREN'T GOING QUITE AS PLANNED, BECAUSE AS EVERYONE UP HERE AND IN THIS ROOM HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR MAIN GOAL IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE, TO HAVE EVERY STUDENT IN THE CLASSROOM EVERY DAY, ALL YEAR LONG.
IT WAS JUST HAPPY AND HEALTHY.
SO, AND WITH THAT, I MOVED TO THE WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 20 21, 20 22, LEADING THE REBOUND COVID-19 MITIGATION HEALTH PLAN TO BE APPROVED AS PRESENT PRESENTED.
SORRY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[4E. Additional VPI/PK Position - Mr. Hirsch]
ADDITIONAL VPN PK POSITION.BALLENGER AND ADDITIONAL PRESCHOOL, UH, AS, AS ADDITIONAL PRESCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ENROLLING, OUR NUMBERS ARE GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY, PARTICULARLY, UM, AS WE REACH OUT AND WORK WITH, UH, PRESCHOOLS AND, AND, AND WORK WITH FAMILIES AND TRY TO PROVIDE, UH, ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
UM, THE FOUR YEAR OLD PROGRAM, UH, HAS INCREASED.
THE STATE HAS GIVEN US, UM, 145 SLOTS AND INCREASE OF 30 SLOTS FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, VPI OR VIRGINIA PRESCHOOL INITIATIVE IS NOT THE ONLY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM WE HAVE THAT EXISTS WITH OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE CLASSROOMS ARE BLENDED WITH VPI SO WE CAN EDUCATE MORE STUDENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO OF COURSE HAVE HEADSTART IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WITH THOSE ADDITIONAL SLOTS COME SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, AND WE'D LIKE TO HIRE ANOTHER, UH, VPI TEACHER, UM, AT THE COST OF $70,000.
IT'S ALL THROUGH THE VPI GRANT.
UM, AND THAT'LL GIVE US ANOTHER PRESCHOOL SO WE CAN OPEN UP ANOTHER PRESCHOOL AT SCOTLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT CLASS WILL BE BLENDED WITH SUMMER, WHICH OUT OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES.
SO THERE ARE BUILT IN ROLE MODELS TO SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS, UM, PARTICULARLY IN LANGUAGE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
I MOVE THAT THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE A VPI TEACHER FOR SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
[4F. Approval of Skyline CAP Head Start Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding - Mr. Hirsch]
APPROVAL OF SKYLINE CAP, HEADSTART, UH, AGREEMENTS AND MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.AS I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, UM, VPI OR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION IS NOT OUR ONLY, UM, PROJECT.
WE ALSO PARTNER WITH SKYLINE CAP HEADSTART.
UM, IT WAS BASED IN MADISON COUNTY AND WE'RE IN THAT KIND OF SERVICE AREA.
UM, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND REFERRING STUDENTS, UM, HAVING STUDENTS IN THE SKYLINE CAP HEADSTART PROGRAM REFERRED BY TEACHERS AND PARENTS FOR EVALUATIONS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, AS WELL AS OTHER TYPES OF RESOURCES.
THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OUTLINES THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS SCOTLAND HEADSTART.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME IN-KIND THINGS THAT WE DO.
WE ALLOW THEM TO BE ON OUR LAND.
UM, UH, YOU ALLOW THEM TO BE ON HEARTLAND AT LF K.
THERE ARE TWO MODULAR UNITS THERE WHERE THE HEADSTART CLASSROOMS ARE AND WE DO PROVIDE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, GREG, WE DO PROVIDE A CLEANING.
WE DO HELP SUPPORT THEM WITH CLEANING THOSE CLASSROOMS. AND THIS IS THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT OUTLINES THAT.
AND AS DR BOUNDER SAID EARLIER, WE WANT TO BRING THOSE MOU TO YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND WHO OUR PARTNERS ARE WITH.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, I MOVED THAT THE, UM, I MOVED THAT THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED
[03:45:01]
THE CONTRACT AGREEMENT, SPECIAL EDUCATION MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND PRESCHOOL COLLABORATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE SKYLINE COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP.CAAP HEADSTART SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[4G. Solid Waste Removal / Dumpster Container Service - Mr. Livesay]
SOLID WASTE REMOVAL, DUMPSTER CONTAINER SERVICE, MR. LIVESAY.THIS IS GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE MEETINGS.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONS TONIGHT.
UM, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE DO OUTSOURCE QUITE A FEW OF OUR, UH, VARIOUS SERVICE CONTRACTS, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR THE CONTINUOUS OPERATION OF OUR SCHOOL FACILITIES.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I'LL LET THIS ONE GET BY ME.
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU GUYS IN MAY A LITTLE LATE GETTING IT TO YOU.
BUT WE TYPICALLY, I THINK I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE WE DO A CONTRACT WITH INITIAL PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE OF ONE YEAR, AND THEN WE HAVE FOUR, ONE YEAR RENEWALS BEHIND THAT.
EVERY, IF THE PRICING WAS AGREED TO BY BOTH PARTIES, SO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, AND THEY'VE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH, WE SLOWED DOWN ON THE SUMMER.
ANYWAY, BASICALLY WE CUT OUR SERVICE IN HALF WHERE THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN WE'RE NOT IN SCHOOL, NO KIDS IN SCHOOL WHEN I GENERATING, YOU KNOW, WASTE.
SO, UM, SO THEY WERE OKAY WITH IT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE LAST RENEWAL PERIOD FOR THIS CONTRACT.
IT WILL HAVE TO BE RECOMPLETED NEXT YEAR.
SO, UH, THE CURRENT CONTRACT PERIOD, AGAIN EXPIRED ON JUNE 30, UH, WITH ONE YEAR REMAINING, UH, THEY HAVE REQUESTED A 3.5% INCREASE, UH, FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR.
LAST YEAR'S RATE, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH THE CPI INDEX, YOU KNOW, FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES.
SO LITTLE LESS THAN $3,000 A YEAR INCREASE.
WE'VE, YOU'VE HEARD IT, WHETHER YOU WERE AT THE STORE BUYING LUMBER OR WHATEVER IT WAS, THE SUPPLY CHAIN HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE BOARD THIS YEAR, THE PAST YEAR.
HOPEFULLY WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT LEVEL OUT AGAIN.
SO MAYBE NEXT YEAR'S INCREASES.
I DON'T THINK THREE AND A HALF IS HORRIBLE.
WHAT I'M HOPING NEXT YEAR IS, WILL BE A LITTLE BIT LESS.
SO, OH, DID WE UTILIZE THEM A LOT DURING OUR COVID YEAR? OKAY.
WE DID, WE DID BACK OFF ABOUT THE THIRD MONTH INTO THE COVID WITH THE REDUCED, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WEREN'T GENERATING THE WASTE.
WE WERE NOT CHARGED IF WE DON'T KNOW THAT'S RIGHT.
WE'RE BASED ON NUMBER OF PICKUPS, NUMBER OF CONTAINERS THAT WE HAVE.
THERE'S THE FREQUENCY OF THE PICKUPS.
AND THAT'S AGAIN, THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO EVERY SUMMER ANYWAY.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST ONE WAY TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP OUR COSTS IN LINE A LITTLE BETTER.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVED THROUGH THE RENEWAL CONTRACT FOR REPUBLIC SERVICES FOR THE SOLID WASTE AND DUMPED DUMPSTER CONTAINER SERVICES BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED FOR THE 20 21, 20 22 SCHOOL YEAR.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
[4H. Approval of new kindergarten teacher at A. S. Rhodes Elementary School due to class size- Mr. Goodwin]
APPROVAL OF NEW KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT ASLD REDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DUE TO CLASS SIZE, MR. GOODMAN.AGAIN, RHODES KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT IS EXCEEDING MAXIMUM CAPACITY FOR LEARNING LEVELS AS A FORMER ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND KINDERGARTEN TEACHER MYSELF.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SHARE THAT KINDERGARTEN IS THAT ENTRY POINT INTO THE LEARNING PROCESS.
AND WE REALLY DO DESIGN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN.
WHO'VE HAD PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE NOT HAD PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCES.
CURRENTLY WITH TWO TEACHERS, THERE ARE 26 STUDENTS IN ONE CLASS AT AS ROADS KINDERGARTEN AND ALSO 27 STUDENTS IN ANOTHER.
AND WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO COME.
SO COST OF THIS POSITION WILL BE BASED ON AN APPLICANT WITH FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, PLUS A MASTER'S DEGREE PLUS BENEFITS.
AND WE MAY FIND SOMEONE WHO OF COURSE IS NOT THERE, BUT THE COST I'VE PRESENTED TO YOU IS BASED ON THOSE QUALIFICATIONS.
AND IT'S PAID FOR BY TEACHER TURNOVER, THE CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, WHERE WILL THIS CLASS BE? I KNOW WE'RE SORT OF LIMITED TODAY IS ROADS.
AS FAR AS STUCK, THE PRINCIPAL HAS ASSURED ME THAT THEY WILL FIND THE PLACE FOR THIS CLASSROOM.
AND SHE ASKED FOR THE TEACHER.
BALLENGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THERE'S A GREAT JOB WITH PLANNING AND MAKING ROOM FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN AT HER SCHOOL.
SO MS. LAYMAN DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OUT THERE, SO, OKAY.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.
MAY I HAVE EMOTION? ARE YOU MAD? UH, MADAM CHAIRMAN, I MOVED AT, UH, THE WARREN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES AN ADDITIONAL KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT A CROSSROADS ELEMENTARY FOR THE 2021 THROUGH
[03:50:01]
THE 2022 SCHOOL YEAR DUE TO CLASS SIZE INCREASES.[4I. Change of .5 to 1.0 FTE: Criminal Justice Position - Mr. Fox]
CHANGE OF 0.5 TO ONE FTE FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POSITION.AGAIN, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE WAS SLATED TO BE INTRODUCED THIS YEAR AS A HALF-TIME POSITION.
AND WE HAD, UM, WE HAD INCREDIBLE ENROLLMENT, INCREDIBLE INTEREST IN THIS CAREER PATHWAY.
AND SO, UH, IT'S RE WE'RE REQUESTING TO MOVE THE POSITION FROM A HALF-TIME TO A FULL-TIME POSITION AND THIS CHANGE CAN OCCUR WITHOUT ANY CHANGE TO THE CURRENT BUDGET WE HAD PLANNED IN THE FUTURE.
WE HAD PLANNED FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POSITION TO BE A FULL-TIME POSITION.
UH, AGAIN, THE CLASS RECEIVED A LOT OF STUDENT INTEREST AND WE'LL MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
UM, SOME OF OUR TECHNICAL CENTER CLASSES WERE WE'RE.
IT'S NOT THE BEST WORD BECAUSE OF THE SCHEDULE THAT WE USE LAST YEAR, WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME, UH, TRANSPORTING STUDENTS THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ONLY IN SCHOOL ONE DAY A WEEK.
SO THE BIOMEDICAL PROGRAM IS UNDER ENROLLED THIS YEAR.
WE, WE, THIS BEING A ONE-YEAR DROP, BUT BECAUSE OF, UM, THE UNDER ENROLLMENT, THIS FREES, THAT PERSON UP TO GO TO WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE WARREN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IS IN NEED OF A BIOLOGY TEACHER.
SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS TRANSFER HER THERE FOR ONE YEAR, UH, TO FILL THAT NEED.
THEN THE NEXT YEAR, WE, AGAIN, WE ANTICIPATE BY A MEDICAL TO BE BACK TO FULL STRENGTH.
UM, SO WELL THAT, THAT'S THE REQUEST.
AND WE'RE ASKING TO, UH, TO APPROVE IT, TO GO TO A FULL-TIME POSITION THIS YEAR, UH, KNOWING THAT, UH, NEXT YEAR WE'LL NEED TO, UM, IF, IF THE PROGRAM BEARS OUT, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE WILL NEED TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND BIOMEDICAL WE'LL MOVE BACK TO FULL-TIME AT, UH, THE BLUE RIDGE TECHNICAL CENTER.
AND WE HAVE AN INSTRUCTOR FOR THIS TEACHER FOR THIS.
I'M SORRY, FOR, FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARE, UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF APPLICANTS, NUMBER OF APPLICANTS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ELECTIVE BE THIS POPULAR THIS EARLY ON.
UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF, LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR OUR CHILDREN.
ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? OKAY, I'M READY.
ADAM CHAIR, AND MOVE THAT THE CHANGE FROM THE 0.5 CRIMINAL JUSTICE POSITION TO A FULL-TIME POSITION BE TAKEN SECOND.
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS MEETING ADJOURN.