[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:08]
OKAY. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR MEETING TO ORDER.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FERNDALE SCHOOL BOARD.
WE'RE GOING TO START OUT TONIGHT WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[2. COMMUNICATIONS]
AND SO IF YOU'LL ALL PLEASE JOIN ME.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE HONOR THEIR ANCESTORS AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
LUMMI PEOPLE AS THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS LAND.
[3. GENERAL]
APPLICATIONS FOR THE FERNDALE SCHOOL DIRECTOR POSITION NUMBER THREE.AS WE GO INTO THAT, I WANTED TO KIND OF START OUT WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, AND THEN LEAD THAT DISCUSSION AS WE GO THROUGH THINGS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO APOLOGIZE TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'M SORRY, CAN I PLEASE INTERJECT? SHOULD WE ADOPT THE AGENDA? I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE TO DO THIS FOR A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT JUST TO BE SURE, WE CERTAINLY CAN.
I MEAN, WE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NECESSARILY HAVE TO, BUT WE CAN.
JUST TO BE SAFE, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
OKAY. SO IT'S BEEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.
OKAY, SO THE AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
OKAY. SO BACK TO OUR REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND THE APPLICANTS FOR THE MURKINESS OF THIS PROCESS AND JUST HOW IT'S KIND OF WENT FROM ONE DIRECTION TO ANOTHER.
AND ORIGINALLY OUR TIME FRAME AND OUR PLAN WAS TO BE DOING INTERVIEWS THIS EVENING.
BUT WE HAD TO TAKE A STEP BACK AS THE PRESIDENT AND SENIOR BOARD MEMBER OR THE MOST LONG TERM BOARD MEMBER, I GUESS I'LL SAY I APOLOGIZE THAT WE THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCEDURES ASSOCIATED WITH FILLING THE VACANCY OF THE ON THE BOARD.
BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS A FEW TIMES, BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN THE ONE LEADING IT AND SO KNEW THE POLICY WAS IN PLACE BUT FOUND OUT ABOUT A FEW OTHER THINGS LATER ON AS FAR AS THE PROCEDURES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO THIS WHOLE PROCESS STARTED BACK IN ON NOVEMBER 20TH, 2022, WHEN DIRECTOR DEARDORFF RESIGNED.
IF THE BOARD FAILS TO FILL THE VACANCY WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD, THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DISTRICT, THE ESD BOARD WILL TAKE ON THAT ROLE AND FILL THE VACANCY FOR US.
SO FIRST PART OF THE PROCESS WE OPENED THE DIRECTOR, THE OPEN DIRECTOR POSITION WAS ANNOUNCED AND APPLICATIONS WERE CALLED FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER TIME FRAME THAN WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO WITH THIS, BECAUSE THE WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE TIMING, IT CAME RIGHT AT THE CHRISTMAS BREAK OR THE HOLIDAY WINTER BREAK. AND SO APPLICATIONS WERE CALLED FOR AND DUE ON JANUARY 6TH.
[00:05:08]
AT THE BOARD MEETINGS THAT WE HAD PRIOR TO RECEIVING ALL THOSE APPLICATIONS, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY APPLICANTS WE HAD.SO WE DIDN'T SET ANY SPECIFIC PARAMETERS IN THE PROCESS OF SCREENING OR LOOKING AT THOSE.
WHEN THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD THOSE APPLICATIONS AND THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PUT FORTH BY THE CANDIDATES PUT FORTH TO US, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS KIND OF A NATURAL BREAK IN THINGS AND WE WERE LOOKING TO POTENTIALLY MAKE THAT AS OUR MARK IN THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS.
BUT THEN IT BECAME AWARE TO US THAT WE HAD A PROCEDURE IN PLACE THAT OUTLINED AS FAR AS HOW WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF NARROWING THAT DOWN.
AND I'LL COME TO THAT IN A SECOND.
AS A REMINDER, YOU KNOW, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO APPLY ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY ARE REQUIRED TO BE US CITIZENS, QUALIFIED VOTERS, RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT, AND ALSO RESIDENTS OF DIRECTOR AREA THREE, WHICH IS BASICALLY OUT TOWARDS LUMMI ISLAND AND SUCH.
I DON'T HAVE ALL THE THE SPECIFICS OF THAT ARE WITHIN THE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.
THEY ALSO ARE NOT CANNOT BE EMPLOYED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE TERMS THAT WOULD BE PUT FORTH FOR THIS PERSON, THE PERSON WHO IS SELECTED WILL SERVE UNTIL THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION, WHICH WILL BE IN NOVEMBER 2023, MEANING THAT THIS PERSON WOULD THEN HAVE TO FILE A CANDIDACY IN MAY DURING THE TIME THE AUDITOR HAS THAT OPEN AND AT THAT THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER 2023.
IN THIS CASE, SINCE THIS THE DIRECTOR AREA 3'S POSITION WOULD BE EXPIRING IN NOVEMBER ANYWAY, THAT PERSON WHO WOULD RUN WOULD BE UP FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM.
SO WITH THE THE PROCESS IN POLICY OR IN PROCEDURE AND THOSE THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH POLICIES, WE HAVE POLICIES AND THEN THERE ARE ACCOMPANYING PROCEDURES AND THERE IS A PROCEDURE THAT GOES ALONG WITH POLICY 1114 WHICH IS PROCEDURE 1114P AND THAT PROCEDURE IS OUTLINES THE PARAMETERS THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH.
IN WE THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION AND ABOUT THE NUMBER BECAUSE IT STATES THAT WE WILL SELECT IF THERE ARE MORE THAN FIVE CANDIDATES, WE WILL SELECT FIVE TO INTERVIEW.
THE PROCEDURE DOES SAY THAT WE HAVE FIVE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HELD TO AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE THOSE BOUNDARIES.
SO HOPEFULLY IN THE PROCESS TONIGHT WE CAN COME TO A CONCLUSION AND SELECT THE FIVE PEOPLE FROM THIS POOL OF SEVEN THAT WE WANT TO INTERVIEW. SO I WANTED TO START OUT WITH A PROCESS A LITTLE BIT, KIND OF A TWOFOLD.
MY THOUGHT PROCESS FOR THE MEETING TONIGHT WAS TO HAVE TWOFOLD PROCESS.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE READ THE THAT PROCEDURE, THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES AND SUCH THAT THEY PUT FORTH.
I THINK THAT IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL STATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS DURING OUR DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR IS WHAT FITS AND MAKES US A BETTER BOARD AS FAR AS OF THOSE APPLICANTS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AS TO GET INPUT FROM MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ON HOW THEY FEEL BEST TO GO ABOUT SELECTING THE TOP FIVE APPLICANTS AND IF THERE'S ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR THOUGHTS ON THE PROCESS FOR DOING THAT.
KEVIN, I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN THIS PROCEDURE 1114P IT MENTIONS THAT CANDIDATES MAY REQUEST AN ORIENTATION AND RECEIVE IT.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, ONLY ONE PERSON WAS AWARE OF THAT WHO APPLIED AND I THINK THE OTHER SIX OUGHT TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT IF BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THE APPLICATION MATERIALS.
AND SO PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEWS, I THINK THAT THE OTHERS OUGHT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
[00:10:08]
I AM CERTAIN THAT THAT CAN BE ARRANGED.ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE ARRANGED BEFORE WE PICK THE FIVE TONIGHT? OR BEFORE WE DO INTERVIEWS? I THINK BEFORE WE DO INTERVIEWS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT PICKING THE FIVE TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, DID THAT AFFECT THE APPLICATION PROCESS? I GUESS WOULD BE MY QUESTION.
IF PEOPLE HAD THAT INFORMATION PRIOR TO FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION, WOULD THAT GIVE THEM AN ADVANTAGE OVER SOMEBODY WHO DID NOT HAVE THAT OR DID THEY HAVE TO APPLY FIRST AND THEN RECEIVE THAT? I THINK IF.
THAT IF AT A LATER DATE SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, SO WE NEED TO POSTPONE THIS.
I THINK THAT OPENS A BIG CAN OF WORMS THAT THIS COULD BE POSTPONED FOREVER.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO AVOID THAT.
CANDIDATES WOULD BE RUNNING FOR ELECTION.
THIS IS AN APPOINTMENT IF IT DOES SAY CANDIDATE.
AND THERE WE SHOULD PROBABLY CHANGE THAT.
BUT THAT'S MY THOUGHT ON THAT.
I MEAN, TO ME THAT MAKES SENSE JUST IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, AND IT OCCURS TO ME THAT MAYBE IT WOULD BE AT THE TIME THAT THEY COME TO APPLY, THAT THEY WOULD THEN REQUEST THE ORIENTATION. SO I THINK IT WOULD NATURALLY FOLLOW AFTER THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO CAN I COMMENT? SO YOU SAY ONE CANDIDATE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO AN ORIENTATION.
AT WHAT POINT WAS THAT ADMINISTERED BECAUSE.
WHY WOULDN'T WE ADMINISTER IT IN THE SAME PROCESS AT THE SAME POINT TO ALL THE CANDIDATES? AND THAT LEVELS THE FIELD.
YEAH. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
AND THAT'S WHY I ASK THAT QUESTION.
IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT AND WE OFFER IT TO THE OTHER CANDIDATES, WHOEVER WE SELECT THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME.
OH, GO AHEAD. I WOULD SAY I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHAT EXACTLY WAS DONE IN THE ORIENTATION? I MEAN, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ASPECTS OF ORIENTATION AS FAR AS BECOMING A BOARD MEMBER AND DIFFERENT THINGS ONCE YOU'RE ON THE BOARD THAT YOU GET.
SO I GUESS CERTAINLY IF THAT PROCESS GAVE THEM ANY KIND OF A.
EDGE FOR THE INTERVIEW, THEN I WOULD SAY THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S HAD THAT.
BUT IF IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF THIS IS HOW THE BOARD WORKS AND BASIC STRUCTURE.
SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO COMMENT MORE SPECIFICALLY ON IT.
I BELIEVE IT WAS THE FIRST APPLICANT WHO REQUESTED IT.
AND I BELIEVE MELINDA MAY HAVE GIVEN, YOU KNOW.
OH, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
NO, THAT WAS LIKE JUST ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC THAT SAID, WHAT IS BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER LIKE? AND THAT WAS PUT OUT TO ALL OF US AND WE ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
AND I DID RESPOND TO THAT PERSON.
ANY PERSON COULD ASK ANY PERSON IN THE PUBLIC COULD ASK, OH, I KNOW THAT, MELINDA.
I'M JUST SAYING I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AN AWARENESS THAT THEY COULD ASK OR NOT.
THAT WAS MY QUESTION BECAUSE, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN THE POLICY.
AND SO I THINK ONE PERSON TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT THE WAY THAT YOU WERE.
YOU PRESENTED IT. IT REALLY SOUNDED LIKE THIS PERSON CAME IN TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND SOMEBODY SAID, OH, HERE, LET US TAKE YOU AROUND AND SHOW WHAT EVERYTHING IS AND GAVE AN ORIENTATION. THIS WAS SOMEBODY THAT SAID, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE WORKLOAD IS LIKE? AND IS IT A PAID POSITION? OKAY. NO, SEE, I DIDN'T MEAN TO PRESENT IT THAT WAY AT ALL.
[00:15:03]
BASICALLY WHAT IT WAS WAS KRISTEN ASKED US AND SAID THAT THIS PERSON WAS INTERESTED IN APPLYING AND SHE WANTED TO KNOW IF SOMEBODY COULD, YOU KNOW, TELL HER WHAT THE ROPES WERE LIKE AND I WAS GOING TO OFFER TO YOU, BUT YOU ALREADY HAD SO.OH, YEAH, I THINK WE ALL SHOULD HAVE.
WELL, I MEAN, I WAS TOLD, WELL, SOMEBODY HAS ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF THAT, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
I'VE GOT AN EMAIL ALREADY I CAN SEND OUT OR AND TO THE REST OF US.
I MEAN, THIS IS KIND OF THAT PERSON DID NOT GET ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT.
WHAT THEY DID WAS ASK A QUESTION OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, PART OF OUR THING IS TO TALK WITH THE PUBLIC, WHOEVER THEY ARE, AND ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
THEY DIDN'T GET ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT.
AS I SAID, IT SEEMED AS THOUGH ONE PERSON KNEW THAT THERE WAS AN ORIENTATION PROCESS.
AND SO IT'S LIKE, OKAY, THEY GOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
BUT BECAUSE IT SAYS SO IN OUR IF IT HADN'T SAID THAT ANYWHERE HERE, THEN, YOU KNOW, NO BIG WHOOP.
BUT SINCE IT SAYS THAT THEY CAN REQUEST IT, I FIGURED PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WOULD HAVE REALLY.
SAYING THAT AN APPLICANT ASKED A QUESTION AND SO THE OTHER PEOPLE DIDN'T ASK A QUESTION AND WERE NOT FOLLOWING POLICY IS TAKING THIS TO THE EXTREME. THAT'S, THEY ASKED A QUESTION.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT SOMEBODY KNEW THAT THEY COULD DO THAT AND THEY DID IT.
AND WHETHER THEY GOT THAT FROM HERE OR WHETHER THEY JUST DID IT, I DON'T KNOW.
WELL, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK JUST ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS, I MEAN, I'VE HAD PEOPLE IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, AT RANDOM TIMES, NOT WHEN THERE'S BEEN AN APPOINTMENT, BUT WHEN AND NOT EVEN NECESSARILY AT THE BEGINNING OF ELECTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS BASICALLY JUST A MATTER OF TELLING THEM.
THIS IS WHAT WE DO. THIS IS HOW IT WORKS, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO REALISTICALLY, MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON AN ORIENTATION IS MUCH MORE INVOLVED AS FAR AS THE PARTICULARS OF WHAT'S GOING ON, WHICH ANY NEW MEMBER IS GOING TO NEED.
I MEAN, IT'S PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS.
PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEWS, ANYHOW, JUST SO THAT THEY CAN BE MORE PREPARED FOR THE INTERVIEWS.
CERTAINLY. I MEAN, I DON'T, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR ALL OF US, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OF US AS BOARD MEMBERS THAT IF ONE OF THE PEOPLE CALLED US AND SAID, WHAT'S IT LIKE SERVING ON THE BOARD THAT WE WOULD YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
WOULD IT BE A GOOD IDEA GOING FORWARD TO POSSIBLY AT SOME POINT DISCUSS HAVING A FORMAL ORIENTATION THAT ANYBODY COULD ACCESS JUST A FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS KIND OF THING OR SOMETHING SO THAT IF SOMEBODY'S CONTEMPLATING RUNNING DOWN THE ROAD THAT IT WOULD BE THERE AND THEY COULD LOOK AT THAT PRIOR TO IT IF THEY WANTED TO.
THERE IS SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION WEBSITE.
IT'S A VIDEO THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID SEND TO THIS PERSON.
AND THEN WHEN THEY CAME BACK AND THEY ASKED SPECIFIC QUESTIONS LIKE.
I DON'T KNOW, COMPENSATION, TIME COMMITMENT, WHAT'S REQUIRED, WHAT'S OPTIONAL, THAT SORT OF STUFF.
THEN WE GOT INTO ANSWERING THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
BUT AS FAR AS LIKE HAVING A SPECIFIC FORMAL, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR? I THINK THAT VIDEO FROM WASDA IS THE BEST THING TO DO BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE MINUTIA.
WELL, ACTUALLY, I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
AND THEN IF THEY HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, THEY CAN CONTACT ANY BOARD MEMBER.
WHAT WE WILL DO IS SEND YOU ALL THAT VIDEO AHEAD OF TIME.
[00:20:01]
SO YOU VIEWED IT.AND THEN IF SOMEONE HAS QUESTIONS, WELL, WE'LL TELL THEM HOW TO GET A HOLD SO WE CAN ADD THAT IN.
CHRIS? OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS AND AS FAR AS THAT SELECTION PROCESS ? I WOULD SUGGEST, SINCE WE HAVE SEVEN APPLICANTS THAT WE VOTE ON EACH ONE OF THEM, WELL, NOT VOTE, BUT WE GIVE OUR YAY OR NAY TO INTERVIEW OPINION ON EACH OF THEM.
IF WE DON'T HAVE FIVE, THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
OKAY. SO THAT'S A WAY THAT'S PUT FORTH THE OTHER SUGGESTION OR THE OTHER THOUGHT THAT I HAD JUST FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES IS WE COULD EACH NAME OUR FIVE AND SEE HOW THAT TURNS OUT, YOU KNOW? AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF THE BIG POINT IS WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN COME TO CONSENSUS ON FIVE PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW.
AND THAT'S THE HOPE AND GOAL OF TONIGHT.
YES, DEFINITELY SEVEN BEING LEAST.
LEAST LIKELY, AND THEN WEIGHTING THOSE VOTES FOR EVERYBODY.
EXACTLY THAT. THAT IS THE OTHER WAY OF DOING IT IS A WEIGHTED VOTE.
I DO THINK THAT. I'M JUST THINKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD HERE, IF WE WERE TO DO A WEIGHTED VOTE, THOUGH, BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING, YOU DO A WEIGHTED VOTE IF THE SAME PERSON IS NUMBER FOUR OR THE SAME PERSON AS NUMBER FIVE, THEY WOULD GO, THEY WOULD MOVE FORWARD.
BUT THEN GOING INTO THE INTERVIEW, THEY WOULD KNOW THEIR NUMBER FIVE.
AND I THINK THAT IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT UNFAIR ADVANTAGE FOR SOMEBODY COMING INTO THE INTERVIEW.
IF WE CAN SELECT THE FIVE ON A NAY AS OPPOSED TO RANKING, THAT WOULD WOULD BE WOULD PUT EVERYONE INTO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS IN A MORE A FAIR LIGHT, AT LEAST IN MY MIND. OKAY.
WELL, THAT'S KIND OF HOW A COURT OF LAW WORKS.
THEY AUDIT. WHERE EVERYBODY STANDS AND THEN YOU NEGOTIATE FROM THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WHAT I'M HEARING, IT SOUNDS LIKE PROBABLY OUR BEST BET IS TO VOTE YEA OR NAY ON ALL SEVEN CANDIDATES AND SEE WHERE THAT PUTS US.
AND IF WE HAVE IF WE NARROW IT DOWN TO FIVE ON THAT, GREAT.
IF NOT, THEN WE DETERMINE FROM WHO.
FROM THE SELECTION POINT, THOSE THAT RECEIVE THREE OR MORE VOTES GO FORWARD AND THOSE THAT.
PROVIDED THAT LESS OR FIVE OR LESS.
CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE GO FORWARD? SO EMAIL HAS BEEN REALLY BUSY TODAY FROM ABOUT LUNCH TIME.
I THINK WE'VE HAD TEN EMAILS, SO MAYBE IF WE COULD HAVE LIKE A FIVE MINUTE.
AND THEN ALSO WE DID HAVE SOME SOME WRITTEN.
INFORMATION HERE IN OUR PACKETS AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO I THINK MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE UNLESS THERE'S AN OBJECTION, WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE OR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN A BOARD MEMBER FIRST JUST TO KIND OF HELP SOLIDIFY TO SEE WHAT EVERYBODY'S THINKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT HELPS.
I KNOW THAT THAT AS I REFLECTED BACK AND WAS LOOKING AND PLANNING FOR THIS MEETING, I KNOW WHEN WE HAD THE CONVERSATION ABOUT SUPERINTENDENT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN THAT PROCESS.
WE KIND OF VOCALIZED WITH EACH OTHER WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR.
WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
IT WASN'T AS BROAD SPECTRUM IS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT PROCESS BROUGHT US TOGETHER IN WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR AS FAR AS FINDING A SUPERINTENDENT.
[00:25:03]
AND PERSONALLY I THINK WE CAME UP WITH A PRETTY GOOD ONE.SO THAT PROCESS SEEMS TO HAVE A GOOD TRACK RECORD.
SO IF THAT IF THE BOARD WOULD AGREES TO THAT, DOES THAT SOUND REASONABLE? AND ONE THING THAT I WANTED TO PUT FORTH WITH THAT IS IT WAS INTERESTING.
I WAS LOOKING HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES PROBABLY MORE THAN I HAVE OR MORE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAN I HAVE PROBABLY IN A LONG TIME. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT CAME TO MIND WITH THIS IS ACCORDING TO DISTRICT POLICY 1000, WHICH IS KIND OF THE FIRST ONE, IT SAYS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE BOARD IS PROVIDING EACH CHILD WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND ATTITUDES COMMENSURATE WITH HIS OR HER ABILITY TO BECOME EFFECTIVE STUDENTS.
AND THE BOARD IS THE SUM OF ITS MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY.
AND SO WHAT IS THE CURRENT BOARD LACKING THAT HINDERS IT FROM BEST SERVING OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOLS? AND THAT COULD BE GAINED BY A NEW MEMBER.
WHAT FACTORS SKILLS EXPERIENCE WILL STRENGTHEN THE BOARD? SO WITH THAT, COMMENTS, INPUT, ANY THOUGHTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE? I THINK WE CAN ALWAYS BENEFIT FROM DIVERSITY OF OPINION AND DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE.
AND IN THAT I THINK SOMEBODY'S COMING TO THE TABLE WITH THE GOAL OF BRINGING US TOGETHER.
SO WE JUST LIKE KRISTI HAS SO SUCCESSFULLY INSTITUTED THE YOU BELONG SOMEBODY WHO.
WE CAN MOVE THAT VISION FORWARD.
SO YOU'RE WANTING TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, WHAT QUALITIES SHOULD BE BROUGHT THAT WOULD BE.
I THINK EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD HAS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN IMPROVING ACADEMICS.
AT THE LAST MEETING, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE'D REALLY LIKE TO GET ALL THIS CRAP BEHIND US INVOLVING PUBLIC COMMENT AND ALL THIS AND GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF DOING WHAT THE SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO DO, WHICH IS FUNDAMENTALLY, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE A GOOD EDUCATION TO OUR STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK I WOULD ECHO WHAT PEGGY SAYING.
SOMEBODY IS WILLING TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THE BUREAUCRACY, THE POLITICS.
AND GET DOWN TO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE, WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH MOST.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN WORK WITHIN THE PARAMETERS THAT THIS BOARD OPERATES AT.
OBVIOUSLY SOMEBODY THAT HAS SOME FORETHOUGHT AND AN INSIGHT AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IS A LEVELER THAT COMES IN, CAN WORK WITH OTHERS, REACH CONSENSUSES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE TO COME TO CONSENSUS IN A LOT OF CASES, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO COME TO CONSENSUS, SO WE NEED A REASONABLE PERSON.
SET FORTH TO SUPPORT THIS DISTRICT, SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS.
STEVE, I LIKE WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY, BUT JUST SO EVERYBODY ELSE CAN HEAR.
CAN YOU BRING YOUR MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER? THANKS. DON'T ASK ME.
REPEAT IT, THOUGH. OH, NOW I CAN HEAR IT SO MUCH BETTER.
SO IN THE LAST SWAY, CHRISTIE HAD SENT OUT AN ARTICLE ON EIGHT QUALITIES OF BOARDS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL.
AND I WILL ADMIT I WAS A LITTLE NARROW MINDED AND GOING, HMM, WHEN I SAW IT.
BUT I OPENED IT AND I READ IT AND I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH IT.
[00:30:01]
MOST OF THE POINTS THAT WERE MADE IN THAT PARTICULAR ARTICLE I FOUND VERY COMPELLING, SPECIFICALLY THAT WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS.WE DON'T BLAME ENVIRONMENT, WE DON'T BLAME POVERTY.
WE DON'T BLAME ANYTHING FOR OUR LACK OF SUCCESS IN EDUCATING CHILDREN.
AND THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME.
AND THAT IS THE VISION THAT I HOPE THAT THE PERSON THAT WE BRING ON BOARD SHARES.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOU GUYS OPINION AS WELL.
SEES THE STUDENTS MORE THAN JUST A STATISTIC AS WELL, NOT JUST TRYING TO IMPROVE SOME STATISTIC AND SEES US AS PEOPLE AND. HOW DO I WORD THIS? YOU HAD A SAYING. WHEN YOU TEACH TO THE HEART, YOU TEACH TO THE MIND.
THE MIND WILL FOLLOW THAT ONE.
I THINK SOMEONE WHO TRULY BELIEVES THAT AND.
PUT ALL PERSONAL BIASES ASSIZE ASIDE.
AND. TRULY THINK ABOUT THE STUDENTS.
AND BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE IS BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT THE STUDENTS.
JUST. YEAH. I THINK AN IMPORTANT QUALITY FOR WHOEVER WE APPOINT IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT EVERY STUDENT IS DIFFERENT. AND I THINK THAT.
WE STILL HAVE KIND OF A NARROW MINDED VIEWPOINT OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE DIFFERENT.
IT DOESN'T. IT CAN BE LITERALLY ANYTHING.
AND I THINK WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO.
IN EXIST OF THE EXISTENCE OF STUDENTS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHO WERE WHO OR WHO THEY ARE.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT RESONATES WITH ME THE MOST, IS THAT.
LET ME THINK. DIRECTOR DISTRICT THREE IS A VERY DIVERSE DISTRICT, I THINK.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THE PERSPECTIVE THAT CAN COME FROM THAT DISTRICT IS INVALUABLE TO THIS BOARD.
I KNOW. I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT.
I THINK ALL I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, I ALWAYS GET NERVOUS WHEN I SAY THINGS LIKE ALL BUT HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE CANDIDATES MOST HAD TIES TO THE DISTRICT AND OR STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS.
SO THAT ADDS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
YOU KNOW, THERE WERE LOTS OF THINGS THAT I HEARD HERE, AND THEN I'D LISTEN TO MY KIDS AND GO, HMM.
HOW DOES THAT MATCH UP? SO THAT WAS ALWAYS INTERESTING.
I'M SURE YOU PROBABLY HAD THE SAME, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK LOOKING AT WHAT DO WE WHAT DO WE LACK? WHAT DO WE HAVE AS WE MAKE THAT NOT ONLY OUR DECISION FOR THE INTERVIEWEES, BUT ALSO FOR THE FINAL APPOINTEE, I THINK BECOMES IMPORTANT BECAUSE HAVING THAT BROAD AMOUNT OF OPINION DIFFERENT, AS I'VE BEEN TOLD MANY A TIME ON VARIOUS BOARDS I'VE BEEN ON, IF EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME OPINION, ONE OF THEM IS USELESS, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THAT ANYBODY HERE IS USELESS, BUT IT IS KIND OF A TYPE OF THING THAT GETTING DIFFERENT OPINION TO TO SPARK CONVERSATION, TO SPARK THOUGHT AND TO TO TALK ABOUT THINGS, YOU KNOW, HELPS TO SHARPEN US AND MAKE US BETTER AND HOPEFULLY MAKE THE DISTRICT BETTER.
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANY OTHER THOUGHTS IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR? WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS MORALS AND INTEGRITY.
WE NEED WE NEED PEOPLE WITH GOOD MORALS AND GOOD INTEGRITY.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A PERSON THAT HAS THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE A VISION, TO TREAT ALL EVERYBODY THE SAME AND BRING MORALITY.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
SOMEBODY IS NOT WILLING TO COMPROMISE, BUT.
[00:35:01]
TRY TO DO THE RIGHT THING.IF I COULD ADD, I THINK THAT SOMETHING STOOD OUT TO ME WHEN YOU SAID TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME.
BUT GOING BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING, EVERY STUDENT IS DIFFERENT.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN'T TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME BECAUSE OF THAT FACT.
WHEN I SEE STRAIGHT PEOPLE THE SAME.
I MEAN, TREAT THEM WHO THEY ARE.
OKAY. SO I HOPE YOU DIDN'T MISINTERPRET WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY, BUT.
THAT EXACTLY MEANS TREAT THEM AS THE PERSON THEY ARE, MAYBE TREATING THEM WITH DIGNITY OR.
OKAY. OTHER THOUGHTS, PEGGY, I SEE YOUR FINGER BY THE BUTTONS.
I WASN'T SURE IF YOU. WELL, NO, I WAS JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF TREATING PEOPLE EQUALLY.
I THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT OUR POLICIES DON'T DISCRIMINATE.
AND I THINK WE DO OUR BEST TO TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FOR EVERYBODY, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE APPLY RULES CONSISTENTLY AND FAIRLY TO EVERYBODY.
YOU KNOW, NO SPECIAL TREATMENT, NOTHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE, YOU KNOW, DISCRIMINATORY.
AND AND I THINK THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO.
BUT I DON'T KNOW, HONESTLY, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULD FIND A PERSON WHO WOULD ACTUALLY WANT TO TO DO THAT, HONESTLY.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS APPLICANTS GO, YOU KNOW, I, I DIDN'T OBVIOUSLY, I KIND OF JUST I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY HERE OTHER THAN I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK FAIRNESS IS.
I TEND TO BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE HAVE HAVE A DESIRE TO DO THAT.
SOMEONE WHO CAN'T WALK NEEDS A RAMP TO GET UP THE STAIRS.
AND THAT APPLIES TO PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT IDENTITIES THAT APPLIES TO SO MUCH IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND I. THAT NOT ONLY APPLIES TO PEOPLE'S IDENTITIES, BUT THAT APPLIES TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
THE MORE DIVERSITY OF OUR STUDENTS.
ON THAT VERY SMALL LEVEL THAT APPLIES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERLOOK.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TREATING EVERYONE THE SAME.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PEOPLE.
YES, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT NOT EVERYONE NEEDS THE SAME NEEDS.
I THINK WHEN WE TRY TO TALK ABOUT LIKE, DO WE TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME, MAKING IT VERY FAIR.
I UNDERSTAND THE POSITIVE INTENT THAT'S THERE.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE WE NEED TO REACH.
WE NEED EVERYBODY TO REACH MASTER THEIR MATH SKILLS.
I UNDERSTAND THE POSITIVE INTENT THERE.
BUT JUST AS KWABENA IS SAYING, EVERY STUDENT IS DIFFERENT.
AND IF THERE'S A STUDENT WHO COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THEIR MATH, BUT THEY ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT ART.
ARE WE GOING TO TELL THEM? STUDY YOUR MATH AND ART DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE WE'VE DECIDED THAT ART DOESN'T MATTER FOR ANYBODY.
THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES THAT SUCCESS FOR EACH STUDENT.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD AIM FOR, FOR EVERY STUDENT IS SUCCESS ON THEIR TERMS, FOR EVERY STUDENT.
AND IN DOING SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE.
GREAT SUPERINTENDENTS, GREAT TEACHERS, GREAT ADMINISTRATORS WHO PUT IN THE EFFORT TO KNOW WHAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT NEEDS TO GET THAT SUCCESS ON THEIR TERMS. WE AS FIVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO DON'T HAVE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW OR WHO HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE EXACTLY LIKE MY TWO KIDS, BUT I DON'T HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE LIKE JAZZIE. WE CAN'T KNOW WHAT EVERY STUDENT NEEDS.
BUT IF WE HAVE GREAT TEACHERS AND WE HAVE A GREAT DISTRICT, THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT AND WE CAN GET SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT ON THEIR TERMS. OKAY. I MEAN, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE WE WENT DOWN A SIDE ALLEY HERE SOMEHOW.
[00:40:01]
POLICIES THAT ARE BROAD ENOUGH TO ENCOMPASS THE DIVERSITY OF NEEDS THAT WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO MEET.WELL, AGAIN, I THINK IT TAKES US BACK.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE WE DO WORK UNDER COHERENT GOVERNANCE.
WE SET THE POLICY THAT DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TAKE CARE OF THESE STUFF.
AND THEN IT GOES INTO THIS WHOLE LIST, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF DANCING AROUND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THE SAME THING. BUT IT COMES DOWN TO THAT PRIMARY GOAL, WHICH, AS I STATED BEFORE, THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE BOARD IS PROVIDING EACH STUDENT WITH THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND ATTITUDES COMMENSURATE WITH HIS OR HER ABILITIES TO BECOME EFFECTIVE STUDENTS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERY STUDENT HAS DIFFERENT ABILITIES, EVERY STUDENT HAS DIFFERENT INTERESTS.
AND HOW IS THE BOARD? DO WE SUPPORT THOSE THROUGH OUR POLICIES AND THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION? AND AGAIN, AS WE LOOK AT THAT IN THE SENSE OF A SELECTION OF A FIFTH BOARD MEMBER, WHAT SKILLS AND SET ARE WE LACKING? YOU KNOW, IS MY THOUGHT PROCESS OR WHAT ARE WE LACKING THAT THAT FIFTH MEMBER IS GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE THAT'S GOING TO MAKE US BETTER ABLE TO DO THIS JOB? SO. OKAY.
I THINK WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
I THINK MELINDA HAS A GOOD SUGGESTION IN THAT WE DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS IN YOUR PACKET ARE SOME EMAILS THAT CAME IN TODAY IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE.
I KNOW I WAS AT WORK AND I HAD LEFT A LITTLE BIT EARLY, SO I HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT EMAILS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THAT HAVE CAME IN.
I'M NOT SURE IF HOW PEOPLE ARE SET UP.
I THINK IF YOU NEED TO GET ONTO YOUR EMAILS, WE CAN GET A COMPUTER.
I'M SURE WELCOME TO HAVE YOU LOG IN ON MINE TO LOOK AT THOSE.
BUT I WOULD I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT.
EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? YEP. SEE? NO OBJECTION. WE ARE RECESSED UNTIL FIVE.
OKAY. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET BACK INTO SESSION.
JUST TO CLARIFY NOW THAT WE ARE BACK IN SESSION.
AND SO WE WERE JUST REVIEWING THE THE WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR THE PURPOSES OR THE WHAT HAPPENS IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION VERSUS OPEN AND.
WHEN WE DO HAVE THE ACTUAL BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, THERE WILL BE SOME EXECUTIVE AND EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE AND AFTER WHERE WE'LL DISCUSS THE CANDIDATES MORE THOROUGHLY.
WE CAN'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL THOSE NEED TO BE DONE IN PUBLIC.
AND SO IN THAT SENSE, DOESN'T QUALIFY TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO. WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO AND I WILL ENTERTAIN THE COURT'S PLEASURE AS FAR AS IF THERE ARE COMMENTS OR THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE MADE.
WE'VE SEEN AND TALKED ABOUT OUR.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, SOME VOTE.
OKAY. I WAS WATCHING PEOPLE'S FINGERS HEADING TOWARDS THE BUTTONS AND MICROPHONES.
SO, UM, SO BASED ON WHAT I HEARD BEFORE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE LIST OF CANDIDATES.
[00:45:03]
AND WE'LL START OUT WITH A YAY OR NAY.I'LL JUST GO AROUND. CIRCLE STUDENTS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.
AND IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO VOTE.
UM, BUT, UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND THEN BASED ON WHAT WE GET AS FAR AS THE A'S AND NAMES, THEN WE WILL DETERMINE WHO THE. WE'LL SEE IF WE COME UP WITH FIVE IN THE FIRST ROUND OR IF WE HAVE TO GO FROM THERE.
SO WE'LL START WITH, UM, WE'LL START WITH THE FIRST IS LEGACY.
AND I WILL SAY AS WELL, I APOLOGIZE.
THANK YOU. AND I WILL ALSO VOTE FOR MY SON. AND WE'LL START OVER ON THIS SIDE OF JUST.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO START EVERY TIME.
YEAH. PATRICIA DUNN, THANK YOU.
AND FOR CINDY GRANT, SYNDICATED.
OKAY, SO BY MY CALCULATIONS HERE, AMIGOS, WE HAVE FOUR THAT WE AGREED UPON, AND WE HAVE WE ALL VOTED YES ON.
WE HAVE ONE THAT EVERYONE VOTED NAY ON.
AND SO THAT GIVES US WELL, I WILL OPEN IT TO DISCUSSION. I LOOK AND SEE THE FLOOR AND THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO DECIDE ON BETWEEN THE TWO OTHERS OR WE NEED TO DETERMINE THE DIFFERENT WAY TO VOTE ON EVERYBODY TO DETERMINE WHO WILL BE OUR FIFTH CANDIDATE.
SO. I'M I'M LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW OR HOW WE BEST TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS DECISION.
ANY THOUGHTS? UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE I SAID, WE NEED TO THE THE PROCEDURES AS WE NEED TO SELECT.
[00:50:04]
SOME WAY OF GETTING THAT.SO WE NEED TO HAVE FIVE IF WE ADHERE TO THE POLICY.
SO ONE CHOICE IS TO SAY, OKAY, WE HAVE THE FOUR AND THEN TO DISCUSS THOSE OTHER THREE.
BUT ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY, AND UNLESS I DON'T KNOW IF I DON'T, CAN WE VOTE TO? SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR CHANGE THE POLICY, BUT FOR THIS ONE TIME SUSPEND.
THANK YOU. DO WE VOTE TO SUSPEND THE POLICY FOR THIS AND TAKE IT FOR.
OR DO WE WANT TO DISCUSS WHO THE FIFTH VOTING? AND DID ASK ABOUT THAT TODAY JUST IN CASE.
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL I HAVE TODAY ARE INFORMATION AND YOU CAN TAKE A VOTE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FOUR INSTEAD OF FIVE.
THE BOARD CAN DO THAT FOR THIS.
SO THEN THINKING THAT, AS KEVIN SAID, THERE ARE FOUR OF US AND WE HAVE FOUR CANDIDATES THAT WE'VE AGREED TO INTERVIEW, THE PERSON THAT WE APPOINT ALSO, ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY, HAS TO HAVE THREE OF OUR FOUR VOTES.
SO I GUESS KIND OF FOR TO DIVIDE FOUR VOTES BETWEEN MAYBE WE WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO GET THREE VOTES FOR ONE PERSON, I'M NOT SURE ANYWAY.
SO LONG STORY SHORT, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SUSPEND THE POLICY OF REQUIRING FIVE INTERVIEWS AND ACCEPT THE FOUR THAT WE HAVE ALL VOTED ON.
OKAY, SO A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO SUSPEND OUR PROCEDURE AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FOUR CANDIDATES TO INTERVIEW. JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE, AND ACCORDING TO POLICY 1320, WHICH IS THE SUSPENSION OF THE POLICY POLICY, THE BOARD WILL BE SUBJECT TO SUSPENSION BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE MEMBERS PRESIDENT PROVIDED ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED NOTICE OF THE MEETING AND NOTICE INCLUDED, AND THE NOTICE INCLUDED A PROPOSAL TO SUSPEND THE POLICY AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE PURPOSE IF SUCH PROPOSAL IS NOT MADE AND WRITTEN IN WRITING IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING, THE POLICY MAY BE SUSPENDED ONLY BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF ALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT.
SO THAT MEANS IF YOU DO THIS, WE CAN, BASED ON MY INTERPRETATION OF THAT, WE CAN SUSPEND THE POLICY WITHOUT ANY WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING THAT AS LONG AS WE HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
I MEAN, ALL FOUR OF US AGREE WITH THAT.
SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO THE MOTION TO SUSPEND OUR POLICY AND MOVE FORWARD FOR CANDIDATES? WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A VOTE ON THIS.
WE WOULD WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE BECAUSE AND I GUESS JUST TO KEEP THINGS CLEANER, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE SEPARATE THOSE TWO OUT AND THEN WE.
WE VOTE TO AT THIS POINT TEMPORARILY, TO SUSPEND OUR THE REQUIREMENT OF HAVING FIVE EDITORS FOR THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS AND AND BEFORE THAT.
SO IT ONLY BE THE ONE VOTE BECAUSE THERE WE VOTE ON SUSPENDING THE POLICY.
WE JUST NEED CONSENSUS ON WHO ARE.
BUT WE DO NEED TO VOTE ON IT BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING A DECISION, PROBABLY MAKE A VOTE.
YOU KNOW, WE ESSENTIALLY VOTED YES.
SO JUST BECAUSE THAT WAY I CAN MAKE SURE I'M NOT HEARING OR NOT HEARING SOMETHING.
SO, SEE, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF SUSPENDING A POLICY MOVING FORWARD WITH FORMER.
[00:55:12]
I DIDN'T SAY YES.SO THEN THE POLICY IS NOT SUSPENDED AND WE ARE THEN BACK TO WITHOUT SUSPENDING THE POLICY, THEN WE NEED TO DETERMINE THE METHOD THAT WE CAN COME FORTH WITH, WITH OR IF WE FEEL THAT WE ARE AN IN-HOUSE.
THEN THAT PUTS US FORTH TO TURN THIS OVER TO THE ESD TO ASSIST US IN IN SELECTING A THIRD FLOW POINT. SO I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW WE CAN HOW WE BEST USE.
THIS IS PART OF THE DISCUSSION AND PROCESS AS FAR AS MAKING, YOU KNOW, AND I GUESS IT'S AS GOOD A PLACE NAME BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE DO WHEN WE CAN MAKE ANYWHERE ELSE.
OKAY. I AM GOING TO ARGUE THAT NANCY HAS COME TO ALL OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS, EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE BOARD.
SHE'S DEMONSTRATED AN INTEREST.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYBODY THAT'S DEMONSTRATING MORE OF AN INTEREST.
I'VE SEEN SOME THINGS THAT I KNOW I DISAGREE WITH AND I HAVE WAYS TO ANSWER.
SHE'S DEVELOPED A BACKGROUND IN TEACHING, SIMILAR TO WHAT KATIE DOR DOES.
AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT THE APPLICATIONS FOR BOTH OF THOSE APPLICANTS, THEY WORKED IN THE DISTRICT.
YOU HAVE EXPRESSED A CONCERN, PEOPLE BEING UP TO SPEED AND BEING ABLE TO FUNCTION IN THIS ROLE WHEN THEY ACCEPT THE POSITION, BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, THAT THERE'S A LOT WITH THIS WORK.
ADDITIONALLY, SHE'S WORKED WITH STUDENTS, DIVERSE GROUPS OF STUDENTS.
AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HER THAT.
INDICATE TO ME THAT SHE VALUES ANY STUDENT LESS THAN ANOTHER.
I REALIZE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT OFFENSE, BUT I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THIS IS CONFUSED WITH SOLUTIONS.
WHEN THERE IS DISCUSSION OF HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM.
YOU MAY AGREE THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS AND PEOPLE CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE VIEW OF HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. AND AND I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN, IS PEOPLE DECIDE THAT IN YOUR ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM IS NOT CORRECT.
SHE HAS A DIVERSE BACKGROUND IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, SHE TAUGHT IN THE PHILIPPINES.
SHE'S BEEN EXPOSED TO I MEAN, SHE HAS ALL THIS EXPERIENCE.
AND WHEN YOU COMPARE TO THE OTHER CANDIDATES, THE LEVEL OF DETAIL FILLED OUT IN THE IN THE APPLICATION, THE FACT THAT SHE WROTE A LETTER THAT THE OTHER APPLICANT DID NOT THE LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE AND INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION AND THE PHILOSOPHY THAT ALIGNS WITH OURS IN TERMS OF ACADEMICS, SUCCESS AND WANTING CHILDREN TO SUCCEED.
I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
[01:00:02]
THAT'S MY REASON FOR DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN THESE TWO REMAINING CANDIDATES IS THE LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE BELOW ALREADY DEMONSTRATED INVOLVEMENT.EVEN THOUGH HER VIEWS MAY DIFFER WITH OTHERS ON THE BOARD, MY ASSERTION IS THAT HER QUALIFICATIONS ARE STRONGER THAN THE OTHER CANDIDATES AND I WILL REST MY CASE FOR.
AND I WOULD LIKE ANSWERS TO SOME OF THOSE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S SAYING THAT SHE DIDN'T WRITE THE LETTER.
BUT THAT IS, YOUR HONOR, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DID WRITE A LETTER.
IT WAS WHEN THE APPLICANTS BECAME PUBLIC ON THE WEBSITE.
WHO WAS APPLYING? IN THE TIME SINCE 10:30 P.M.
LAST NIGHT. WE HAVE HAD I HAVE RECEIVED 16 EMAILS.
THAT'S MORE THAN I RECEIVED IN SEVERAL MONTHS FROM FROM CONSTITUENTS OR ANYBODY IN THE DISTRICT.
ALL OF THEM HAD TO DO WITH THE DISTRICT FOR YOUR POSITION.
FINALLY, MOST OF THEM NAMED NANCY BUTTON BY NAME.
FIVE OF THOSE WERE FORMER COWORKERS OF HERS AT CENTRAL.
THEY SAID A LOT OF THEM SAID HOW SHE WAS NOT TOLERANT OF LGBTQ STUDENTS.
SOME OF THEM GAVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF RACIST COMMENTS.
THEY DID SAY THE REASON THAT SHE RESIGNED WAS BECAUSE OF A STUDENT THAT WAS TRANSITIONING THAT SHE DID NOT WANT TO USE THEIR CHOSEN NAME FOR. SHE ALSO KNEW THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO GAVE US A QUOTE OUT OF WHAT NANCY BUTTON HAD POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS IS WHY I RESIGNED FROM TEACHING AT FSD LAST YEAR.
I CANNOT BE A PART OF THIS MISGUIDED AGENDA TO FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM OUR COUNTRY.
AS FAR AS SOMEBODY COMING TO TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS SHOWING THAT BEING WHAT SHOWS AN INTEREST AND WHY THEY SHOULD BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, MANY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DON'T COME TO A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING PHYSICALLY BEFORE THEY SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
WE ALSO HAVE NOW WHERE WE BROADCAST.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WATCHING WHO MIGHT BE VERY INTERESTED OR WATCH JUST DAYS AFTER IN SCHOOL BOARD POSITIONS TO SAY THAT SOMEBODY HAS COME AND GIVEN A PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THAT'S THE INTEREST THAT THEY SHOWED IN BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
WHEN WE HAVE 15, 16 EMAILS FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH HER, THIS INCLUDES PARENTS, IT INCLUDES TEACHERS AND INCLUDES PARENT EDUCATORS, AND IT INCLUDES STUDENTS SAYING THAT SHE IS NOT FIT FOR OUR DISTRICT WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS.
I REST MY CASE ON THAT AND ALL FAIRNESS.
SO THAT IS ALL RHETORIC UNTIL IT'S PROVEN.
DID YOU RECEIVE A SINGLE EMAIL SAYING NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT ANY OF THE OTHER SEVEN, THE OTHER SEVEN OR THE OTHER SIX APPLICANTS? NO, AND I'M NOT HERE TO JUDGE.
I'M NOT. YOU ARE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
AND YOU'RE SAYING YOU ARE FOR TO INTERVIEW? YES. YOU ARE HERE TO MAKE A DECISION, STEVE.
YOU DO HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS.
I HAVE KNOWN NANCY SINCE MY SON WAS IN PRESCHOOL, AND I HAVE NOT OBSERVED THAT SHE IS RACIST OR HOMOPHOBIC OR TRANSPHOBIC.
AND THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE.
DID YOU READ THE EMAILS FROM HER COWORKERS? YES, I DID.
[01:05:01]
GOOD QUESTION. ALL RIGHT.IF INDEED SHE IS GUILTY OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SAID, SHOULD THIS NOT HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO THE HR DEPARTMENT OR SOMEBODY WITHIN THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE THAT DEMONSTRATES IMPROPER BEHAVIOR, THAT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOR AND IT SHOULD BE REPORTED? ARE THERE ANY INCIDENCES OF THAT HAPPENING IN HER BACKGROUND? STEVE SAID PROOF.
AND I GUESS IN THAT REGARD, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS SEEMS LIKE THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE PROOF.
I THINK IT IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE WASN'T MUCH COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE OTHERS.
AND I RECEIVED IN MY EMAIL, I GUESS I LOOK AT IT IN THE SENSE OF WHAT WE'VE GOT IN OURS IS NOT THE JOB TO DECIDE A PERSON'S VALUES AND OR OPINIONS AND WHETHER OR NOT AN EMAIL THAT YOU RECEIVE IS RIGHT OR WRONG.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AT IT, LOOKING AT THE BROADER SPECTRUM OF THE CANDIDATES THAT WE HAVE, WHO ARE THE BEST CANDIDATES? AND THE CHALLENGE THAT I GUESS I HAVE IS WHEN I LOOK AT THESE CANDIDATES AND LOOK INTO WHAT THE BOARD NEEDS AND POTENTIALLY THE DIVERSITY OF HAVING ON IT, I GET A LITTLE, UM, I STRUGGLE WITH ACTIVISTS HITTING AN IMPASSE WHEN WE'VE GOT OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE GOTTEN ALL OF US FOLKS AND MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO BE CANDIDATES THAT ARE GOING TO FIT THE BOARD PROBABLY THE BEST.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE CHALLENGE WE'VE GOT TO TONIGHT IS SELECTING THOSE ARE INTERVIEW.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNFORTUNATE IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH CHRISTIE AND HER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ATTORNEYS WHEN WE TRIED TO MUDDLE OUR WAY THROUGH THIS. OURS IS A VERY INTERESTING POLICY THAT SPECIFIES FIVE MANY OTHER POLICIES DO NOT SPECIFY A NUMBER, AND I WOULD RATHER HAVE US AS A BOARD DECIDE WHO IS BEST FOR US AS OPPOSED TO HAVING FSD.
I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO A DECISION AS FAR AS TO WHO TO PICK OUT.
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE ON OTHER BOARDS, WHEN IT HASN'T BEEN THAT THAT REQUIREMENT, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A DELINEATION, YOU KIND OF PICK THE DELINEATION.
SO. IT WOULD BE HOPEFUL THAT WE WERE A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SUSPEND OUR OUR POLICY TO COME BACK TO THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF WE HAD DONE BEFORE, THEN WE WOULD REACH THE IMPASSE WE WOULD BE EVALUATING.
BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT AT THIS POINT.
I SUGGEST YOU GO TO THE FORUM.
I APOLOGIZE FOR PULLING OUT OF THAT, BUT I FELT LIKE WE WERE THROWING OUT A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE WHO, IN MY OPINION, HAD BEEN UNFAIRLY MALIGNED.
SO CAN WE REINTRODUCE A MOTION TO TO MOVE IT TO THE FLOOR? SO IT'S NOT AWESOME.
UM, THE OTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT ON THAT AS FAR AS WHO IS QUALIFIED FOR THE BOARD OR NOT, THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE CITIZEN AND LIVES IN THE DISTRICT AND THERE IS AN ELECTION THIS YEAR.
SO ANYBODY WHO HAS THOSE TWO THINGS, IF THEY LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, THEY CAN FILE IN MAY AND THEY CAN RUN FOR OFFICE AND THE PERSON CAN WIN THE ELECTION AND SERVE ON THE BOARD BECAUSE THEY WERE ELECTED BY THE VOTING SET OF.
[01:10:11]
WE'RE THROWING UP. AND ONCE THAT'S DONE, WE ARE CHOOSING YOU KNOW, WE'RE CHOOSING FROM A GOOD GROUP OF CANDIDATES.IT'S A MATTER OF WHICH ARE WHO IS THE BEST.
ALL ANY OF THEM CAN PUT THEIR NAME ON THE BALLOT IN MAY AND RUN FOR THAT POSITION? YOU KNOW, IT'S I CAN REMEMBER I WAS TALKING TO ONE OF YOU.
IT'S KIND OF AN UNFORTUNATE TYPE POSITION AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THIS PERSON IS JUST GOING TO GET IN, BARELY GET A TASTE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, AND THEN EITHER THEY CHOOSE TO RUN AND GET REELECTED OR THEY ARE OUT AND BARELY HAVE TIME TO EVEN GET TO WORK IN SUPPORT. OF THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN ON IT KNOW IT TAKES A FEW MONTHS TO EVEN START TO GET OUT TO SEE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I SUGGESTED INCLUDING THAT CANDIDATE, BECAUSE SHE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE DISTRICT AND ITS OPERATIONS, BECAUSE SHE'S WORKED HERE FOR, I GUESS, YEARS NOT. FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES HAVING INSIDE A PLACE IS GREAT.
SOMETIMES GUIDED OUTSIDE VOICES, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SOME DIVERSITY, TOO.
SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT CAN BE LEARNED, TOO.
I THINK IF WE ALL DEDICATE OURSELVES TO THE TRAINING THAT'S REQUIRED AND WE ALL LEARN AND WE ASK QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE THAT CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS, WE IT'S IT'S DOABLE.
YES. IT'S IT'S DRINKING FROM HIGH FIRE, FOR SURE, BUT IT'S DOABLE.
SO I DON'T HAVE A HARDLY A PARLIAMENTARIAN TO TELL ME FOR CERTAIN, BUT I THINK SO ONLY THE PERSON ON THE PREVAILING SIDE WAS ABLE TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
THANK YOU, JOHN. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE GOOD PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND YOU.
AND THEN I WILL REINTRODUCE THE MOTION TO SUSPEND THE PROCEDURES.
OKAY. AND THEN IT DOES REQUIRE A SECOND.
OKAY. SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE SUSPEND THE PROCEDURES AND MOVE FORWARD WITH INTERVIEWING THE TOP FOUR CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTOR AREA THREE POSITION.
AND I. SO WITHOUT THAT MOTION PASSES.
AND THEN THAT TAKES US TO MOVING FORWARD TO INTERVIEW CINDY COLLETTI, KATIE DORR, PATRICIA DUNN AND TONY JEFFERSON.
AND THAT DATE WILL BE DETERMINED AND SET FORTH ONCE WE EVALUATE BOARD AND INTERVIEW SCHEDULES.
SO WITH THAT, THAT TAKES US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
AND SO I WILL DECLARE OUR MEETING ADJOURNED.
SO DO WE HAVE A DATE THAT WE WILL WEAR WHERE WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT ONE? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET IN FIGURING OUT SOME.
OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.