Nov 09, 2023 Board Meetings

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GOOD EVENING. ARE WE READY? YEAH. GOOD EVENING.

[CALL TO ORDER]

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE SILENCE ALL CELL PHONES.

A QUORUM OF THE BOARD MEMBERS IS PRESENT IN THE BOARD AUDITORIUM.

THEY ARE FROM MY RIGHT ON THE PLATFORM.

ANGELA LAMONT-FLOWERS, MYSELF, AUDREY MOMANAEE, RIC CAMPO, ROLANDO MARTINEZ, PAULA MENDOZA.

BOARD MEMBER JEANETTE GARZA LINDER IS JOINING US VIA ZOOM.

I SEE AT LEAST TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH US THIS EVENING.

PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TONIGHT.

WE WILL NOW BE JOINED BY A MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS TO LEAD OUR PLEDGES.

I WOULD ASK THAT BOARD MEMBER ANGELA FLOWERS PLEASE INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S PLEDGE LEADER.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT MOMANAEE, CADET SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BRITTANY ROBLES HAS DISTINGUISHED HERSELF IN ACADEMICS, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGHOUT HER HIGH SCHOOL YEARS.

CADET ROBLES IS THE BATTALION EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE 20TH ARMY JUNIOR ROTC BATTALION AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE SHE SERVES AS THE SCHOOL'S CARDINAL LEADERSHIP CREW AND HAS WON NUMEROUS RIBBONS AND AWARDS.

SHE EXCELS ACADEMICALLY, EARNING A MEDAL FOR HER VARSITY FROM HER VARSITY DANCE COACHES FOR MAINTAINING ALL A'S DURING HER TIME IN JROTC.

SHE HAS VOLUNTEERED HUNDREDS OF HOURS SERVING HER SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY IN EVENTS SUCH AS HELPING TO PLAN A FIELD DAY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, BEING MRS. CLAUS IN THE YEARLY PROJECT SANTA CHARITY EVENT AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, USHERING IN MANY SCHOOL EVENTS AND PERFORMING PLEDGE LEADER DUTIES DURING DAILY ANNOUNCEMENTS.

CADET ROBLES IS THE COMMANDER OF THE UNARMED DRILL TEAM, MEMBER OF THE ARCHERY TEAM, AND A MEMBER OF THE RAIDER TEAM THAT RECENTLY COMPETED IN THE NATIONAL RAIDER COMPETITION IN FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY.

AFTER GRADUATION, CADET ROBLES WILL ATTEND OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE WILL MAJOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND JOIN THE AIR FORCE ROTC PROGRAM TO RECEIVE HER COMMISSION AS AN AIR FORCE OFFICER AFTER COLLEGE.

CADET ROBLES, THANK YOU.

PLEASE RISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT MEDITATION.

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PLEDGE TO THE TEXAS FLAG.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOARD MEMBER ROLANDO MARTINEZ TO READ OUR RECOGNITION REGARDING VETERAN'S DAY.

[RECOGNITIONS]

WHEREAS MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN AMERICA'S SECURITY SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR NATION AND DESERVE OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION AND RESPECT.

AND WHEREAS CITIZENS HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE IN THE ARMED FORCES IN TIMES OF BOTH WAR AND PEACE, SERVING WITH HONOR UNDER THE MOST DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND WHEREAS VETERANS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR DEVOTION TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND DEDICATION TO ADVANCING FREEDOM THROUGH THEIR SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES VIA ACTIVE DUTY, RESERVE OR NATIONAL GUARD, AND WHEREAS, VETERANS HAVE CONTINUED TO SERVE THE NATION AS CIVILIANS, VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, MENTORS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.

AND WHEREAS, THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT APPLAUDS ITS MANY EMPLOYEES AND FORMER STUDENTS WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY AND LOYALLY SERVED OUR COUNTRY IN THE ARMED FORCES.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNIZED NOVEMBER 11TH, 2023, AS VETERANS DAY AND URGE ALL HOUSTONIANS TO PAY TRIBUTE TO AND SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION OF OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURE PEACE AND FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD IN WITNESS THEREOF, ON THIS NINTH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2023.

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR FROM ALL AGENDA SPEAKERS.

[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS (Part 1 of 2)]

WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE HERE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

PUBLIC COMMENT DURING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK PRIOR TO THE MEETING.

PER CURRENT PROTOCOL, VERBAL AND OTHER DISRUPTIONS BY PERSONS DURING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE, AS THEY INHIBIT THE BOARD'S ABILITY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AND

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PERSONS WHO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH BEHAVIOR WILL BE GIVEN ONE WARNING, AND IF THE BEHAVIOR IS REPEATED, THEY WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.

WE HAVE 74 REGISTERED SPEAKERS WHO WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE EACH PER BOARD POLICY, AS WE HAVE MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD TONIGHT, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC AND REFRAIN FROM NAMING INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS, AS THEIR IDENTITY IS PROTECTED UNDER THE LAW.

BUT YOU MAY NAME YOUR OWN CHILD.

I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RESPECT OUR PROCEDURES AND THE OTHER SPEAKERS AND END YOUR COMMENTS PROMPTLY.

WHEN YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED AND THE TIMER RINGS.

IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIA ZOOM, WE MUST SEE YOU LIVE WITH YOUR CAMERA ON AS YOU SPEAK.

OUR FIRST ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM FOUR.

APPROVAL TO WAIVE BOARD POLICY, BF LOCAL BOARD POLICIES AND APPROVAL OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY A LOCAL EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY.

ON FIRST READING, WE'LL BEGIN WITH BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEES KATHY BLUEFORD-DANIELS AND MYRNA GUIDRY.

PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE.

WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE TRUSTEES BLUEFORD-DANIELS AND GUIDRY FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

AND WELCOME.

SO, WE HAVE MY POINTS READY TO STAY ON POINT.

IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME THE DISRESPECT THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE FOR THE PEOPLE SPEAKING BEFORE THIS BODY.

THE BOARD DISCUSSION BETWEEN BOARD AND MANAGER CAMPOS AND MR. MILES ON THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS ON 11 TO 23 IS, IT WAS DISGUSTING.

IT WAS DISHEARTENING BECAUSE THIS IS OUR BUILDING.

THIS IS OUR BUILDING THAT WE PAY OUR TAXES ON.

WHETHER YOU'RE VESTED OR NOT, WE ARE.

AND SO, TO BE DISRESPECTFUL TO US, THE PUBLIC AND THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS IS JUST INCOMPREHENSIBLE.

YOU'RE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MAN.

WHY DID YOU SIGN UP FOR THIS? IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE A LITTLE TIME OR ALLOW A LITTLE TIME FOR PEOPLE TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK AND AIR THEIR OPINIONS, YOU ARE HERE.

LET'S CONCENTRATE ON THE NEED FOR EARLY LEARNING CENTERS.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON, NOT HOW MUCH TIME WE'RE GOING TO TAKE, HOW MANY SPEAKERS WE HAVE.

CONCENTRATE ON THE NEED FOR EARLY LEARNING CENTERS THAT ARE NEEDED IN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, SO THAT THE CHILDREN IN THESE AREAS GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP START THEIR EDUCATION. IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, TEACHERS VOICES ARE SUPPRESSED, HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED, AND ARE AIRING THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS BECAUSE YOU CHANGED THE MANDATORY MEETING TIME FROM WEDNESDAY TO THURSDAY AT 5:00. THAT'S NOT RIGHT, GUYS.

COME ON. YOU KNOW, REALLY, IT'S NOT RIGHT.

TEACHERS ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND WILL BE LEAVING THE DISTRICT BY THE DOZENS LEAVING OUR STUDENTS.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT, MISS AUDREY, BUT OUR STUDENTS NEED A STABLE ENVIRONMENT.

THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE LEFT.

A LOT OF TIMES IN SOME OF THESE, THESE DISTRICTS AND IN THEIR HOMES.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MRS. GUIDRY. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. AND YES, GOOD EVENING.

I AM MYRNA GUIDRY. I AM THE PROUD ELECTED TRUSTEE OF WHAT SHOULD STILL BE CONSIDERED DISTRICT NINE, WHERE EXCELLENCE RESIDES.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN PRETTY QUIET THROUGHOUT THIS NON-DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, JUST TRYING TO KEEP MY COMMUNITY INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

BUT WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT, I WAS LITERALLY OUTRAGED.

YOU ALL CREATED A DISTRICT OF CHAOS IN ORDER FOR STUDENT OUTCOME.

YET IN YOUR STUDENT OUTCOME, YOU'RE ASKING FOR 1% OF INCREASE FROM OUR CHILDREN.

AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN ASKING FOR IT FROM THE ASIAN AND THE WHITE STUDENTS.

Y'ALL ARE SAYING Y'ALL ARE OKAY.

STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE.

WE HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS OF OUR ASIAN AND OUR WHITE STUDENTS.

IN READING FOR THE FIRST YEAR, DID YOU ALL RECOGNIZE THAT? DID YOU SEE THAT? AND 1%.

AND TO SAY IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IS TRULY DISINGENUOUS.

BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH A FLOOD, WE WENT THROUGH COVID, BUT NOT ONE TIME DID WE REDUCE OUR EXPECTATIONS OF OUR CHILDREN, NOT ONE TIME.

AND ALSO, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE SPENDING? YOU KNOW, AS A BOARD OF MANAGERS, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO REVIEW THE SPENDING AND TO SEE $22,000 UNCHECKED DOLLARS SPENT BY MR. MILES IS MIND BLOWING TO ME.

$500,000 TO MOVE EMPLOYEES.

WHO ARE WE MOVING? MR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TAKE A LOOK.

AT WHAT? THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANITA WADHWA.

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AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP COMMENTS TO A MINUTE, BECAUSE WE HAVE 74 SPEAKERS TONIGHT.

AND I KNOW EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD AND HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO BE HEARD.

PLEASE GO AHEAD, MA'AM.

I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE BOARD'S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY LANGUAGE IN THE PACKET, SO I COULDN'T RESPOND.

HOWEVER, I CAN SPEAK TO THE VALUES COMMUNICATED THUS FAR.

MIKE MILES HAS SAID THIS IS A MEETING OF THE BOARD IN PUBLIC.

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC BOARD MEETING OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS.

HE HAS SAID. MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT EDUCATORS.

THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOLS.

IT'S NO WONDER THAT IN A RECENT SURVEY OF 955 EDUCATORS, ONLY 14.6% WILL RETURN NEXT YEAR.

LAST WEEK, ANGIE ASKED HOW THE BOARD COULD ENSURE THAT STUDENT AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS WERE BEING PRIORITIZED.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS.

DON'T MAKE NURSES WORK ON THE WEEKENDS.

DON'T WRITE TEACHERS UP FOR USING THEIR DAYS OR MAKE THEM KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN WITH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS ON THE RISE.

DON'T DEMEAN THE PUBLIC.

DON'T COMPLAIN IN PUBLIC ABOUT HOW MANY SPEAKERS THERE ARE.

INSTEAD, BE GRATEFUL TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL WHO SHOWS UP BECAUSE WE ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE SURE PUBLIC EDUCATION IS NOT COMPLETELY DISMANTLED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUHANI DEIGAARD, FOLLOWED BY DIANA CANDIDA AND LACEY WOLFF.

IS SUHANI DEIGAARD.

HERE. I'M SHARING WITH YOU WHAT I VALUE AS YOU DECIDE ON YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE AWAY LIBRARIES.

IF YOU TOOK MY LIBRARY AWAY, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY SOMETHING FROM MY ENTIRE SCHOOL.

ESPECIALLY STUDENTS WHO LIVE FAR AWAY FROM A LIBRARY OR DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THERE.

KIDS WHO HAVE TROUBLE READING COULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING LOTS OF BOOKS TO READ, BUT YOU'RE TAKING THOSE AWAY INSTEAD.

THAT SPACE WOULD BE USED FOR PUNISHMENT, WHICH THEY MAY NOT EVEN NEED BECAUSE OF ONE SINGLE SCHOOL AND AN ENTIRE GROUP OF 274.

OUR DISTRICT GOT TAKEN OVER AFTER I GRADUATE FROM ELEMENTARY.

I WANT THE KIDS IN PRE-K AND KINDER TO HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE I HAD FOR MY SIX YEARS IN MY CURRENT SCHOOL, BUT THAT EXPERIENCE MAY CHANGE BECAUSE OF THIS TAKEOVER.

YOU'RE TAKING AWAY THE RIGHTS OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WHO WANT, NEED, AND DESERVE TO HAVE OR TEACH THE EDUCATION THEY WANT.

[INAUDIBLE] ELEMENTARY.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

THANK YOU.

DEANNA CANDIDA, FOLLOWED BY LACEY WOLF.

PATRICE. RIGHT.

AND THEN GABRIELA ESTRADA.

MISS CANDIDA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

MY NAME IS DEANNA CANDIDA.

I'M A CONCERNED PARENT HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY FAILURES.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

THE TEA TAKEOVER HAS RESULTED IN GREATER INEQUALITY IN TERMS OF ACCESS TO AN EFFECTIVE AND PERSONALIZED EDUCATION.

OVEREMPHASIS ON TEST PREP INSTEAD OF FOSTERING CURIOSITY, CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING.

HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.

THIS HAS FAR REACHING EFFECTS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.

A UNIVERSITY EDUCATOR SHARED THAT TRAINEE TEACHERS WHO HAD FIELD PLACEMENTS IN VARIOUS SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAME TO CLASS WITH HORROR STORIES ABOUT HISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SHE SAID THE CLASS COLLECTIVELY, TO MY DEEP SORROW, CAME AWAY WITH NOT WANTING TO ENTER THE HISD TEACHING WORKFORCE.

MY HEART SANK AS OUR COMMUNITY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THEIR KNOWLEDGE IF THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

BOARD MEMBERS, IT'S TIME TO CHANGE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

LISTEN TO US.

LISTEN. WE WILL KEEP FIGHTING UNTIL YOU FIRE MIKE MILES.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LACEY WOLF.

MS. WOLF. HERE.

MS. WOLF.

NO. PATRICE.

RIGHT. FOLLOWED BY GABRIELA ESTRADA AND THEN SARAH TERRELL.

PATRICE. RIGHT. IS SHE HERE? NO. MS. ESTRADA. GABRIELA ESTRADA.

ARE YOU, MRS. ESTRADA? YES.

OKAY. FOLLOWED BY SARAH TERRELL AND THEN JAY ALLISON CHAPIN, AND THEN MELINDA GLEGHORN.

EXCUSE ME, MS. ESTRADA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

MY NAME IS GABY ESTRADA, AND MY SISTER, CRISTINA SALDIVAR IS THE LIBRARIAN AT EASTWOOD ACADEMY WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IN LIBRARY SCIENCE.

SHE IS ALSO THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY SPONSOR, YEARBOOK ADVISOR, AND A CREATIVE WRITING AND AP TEACHER.

FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS, SHE'S BEEN AN ELITE AWARD-WINNING EDUCATOR, INCLUDING BEING NAMED 2009 HOUSTON AREA AND HISD ESL TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND A SEMIFINALIST AT THE STATE LEVEL.

SHE'S ALSO BEEN NAMED AMONG THE TOP 25 EMERGING LEADERS IN HOUSTON BY A NATIONAL PUBLICATION, AND WOMAN OF THE YEAR FOR EDUCATION BY A COMMUNITY-BASED MAGAZINE.

SHE'S A BELOVED COMMUNITY LEADER WHOSE STUDENTS HAVE GONE TO THE IVY LEAGUE WITH HER GUIDANCE.

SHE'S REGISTERED HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS TO VOTE AND WAS RECOGNIZED BY HARRIS COUNTY AS A DEPUTY VOTER REGISTRAR OF THE MONTH.

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THIS IS MY SISTER, THE EASTWOOD ACADEMY LIBRARIAN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

IT'S MS. TERRELL HERE.

MS. TERRELL FOLLOWED BY ALLISON CHAMPION.

EXCUSE ME. AND MELINDA GLEGHORN.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS WOULD GIVE ITS NEW CEO A BLANK CHECK.

AND ALLOW HIM TO FILL IT OUT FOR $250 MILLION.

WHO WOULD ALLOW THE INTERNAL AUDIT SECTION THAT ANSWERS THE FRAUD HOTLINE AND CONDUCTS THE INVESTIGATIONS TO REPORT TO THE CEO AND NOT TO THE BOARD? WHO WOULD ALLOW THE NEW CEO TO SET HIS OWN IMPROVEMENT GOALS AT A MEASLY 1%? WHAT BOARD OF A COMPANY OR A PROFIT WOULD DO ANY OF THIS? THEY ARE ALL THE OPPOSITE OF NORMAL BUSINESS PRACTICES.

NOT BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES, JUST NORMAL ONES.

WHEN ASKED WHY HE WILL BARELY IMPACT THE EDUCATION GAP IN EVEN FIVE YEARS, MILES WHINED THAT HE SHOULD BE GRADED ON A CURVE.

IF WE DO NOT ACHIEVE EVEN 15 POINTS IMPROVEMENT IN THAT TIME, WE WILL HAVE.

IF WE DO IMPROVE 15 POINTS IN THAT TIME, WE WILL HAVE DONE WHAT NO ONE ELSE HAS DONE.

BIG, BIG TALK ABOUT THE CULTURE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND YOU ONLY DEMAND 1% FROM YOURSELVES.

THAT'S NOT A GOAL.

THAT IS JUST STATISTICAL NOISE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAY ALLISON CHAPIN.

IS MR. CHAPIN HERE? NO. OUR NEXT SPEAKER REGISTERED IS MELINDA GLEGHORN.

IS SHE HERE? GOOD EVENING, MS. GLEGHORN. YES, MY NAME IS MELINDA GLEGHORN AND I'M A CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBER.

AND I'M HERE TONIGHT WITH A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TAKE ON THIS, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE AROUND EDUCATORS, AROUND LEADERS IN THEIR FIELD, AROUND PEOPLE LIKE MY UNCLE, DR.

BILL R REEVES, WHO IMPACTED THE STATE.

MY MOTHER, DR.

SUE REEVES GLEGHORN, WHO HAS A LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS BEHIND HER NAME IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION THAT IS LONGER THAN WE HAVE TIME FOR HERE. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD IN THIS ROOM AND COME OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT DESERVE TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH THOSE PEOPLE, IS APPALLING TO ME.

THE LACK OF RESPECT IS STUNNING.

AND WHEN I HEAR THINGS LIKE WHAT DOES A TEACHER? ANYONE CAN TEACH IF THEY? GO INTO A RESTAURANT.

[INAUDIBLE] RESTAURANT AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

[INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

AH, THANK YOU MA'AM, THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ON THIS TOPIC ARE REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD VIA ZOOM.

MS. SMITH, PLEASE IDENTIFY AND ADMIT OUR SPEAKERS.

MISS BENSON, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON AND YOU MAY BEGIN.

HI, MY NAME IS DR.

MARIA BENSON AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR.

THE NEW VISION STATES, QUOTE, EMPOWER STUDENTS TO BECOME CRITICAL THINKERS, VISIONARY LEADERS, AND ACTIVE CONTRIBUTORS IN THEIR COMMUNITY, FOSTERING A PATHWAY TO SUCCESS FOR LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES IN A COMPETITIVE GLOBAL LANDSCAPE.

YES, CRITICAL THINKERS.

KIDS SHOULD DO PROJECTS, RESEARCH TOPICS, COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS, AND DEBATE THEIR IDEAS.

YES, VISIONARY LEADERS.

STUDENTS LOOK TO TEACHERS AS LEADERS WHO SHAPE UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD THROUGH LESSONS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES AND SHOW THEM POSSIBILITIES.

STUDENTS LOOK TO COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO SEE INJUSTICES AND ADVOCATE FOR CHANGES AND, YES, ACTIVE CONTRIBUTORS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES LIKE AT EASTWOOD ACADEMY.

AND LIKE MANY STUDENTS SPEAKING TONIGHT, WHAT A BOLD STATEMENT, A BOLD VISION.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT SEEMS DELUSIONAL AT A TIME WHEN TEACHERS ARE BEING REASSIGNED AND TERMINATED WEEKLY.

IT NEEDS TO FEEL EMPOWERED WHEN THEIR TEACHERS CHANGE ABRUPTLY.

I URGE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY.

WOULD YOU PUT ANITA SAGE BITTNER ON, PLEASE? OUR TEACHERS AND PARENTS? THANK YOU, MA'AM.

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HI, MY NAME IS ANITA BITTNER, AND I AM A FOURTH GRADER AT CONDIT ELEMENTARY.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT KIDS ARE MORE THAN A TEST SCORE.

AT MY SCHOOL, WE DO FUN THINGS LIKE CHORUS, ODYSSEY OF THE MIND, AND YOU WILL ON MONDAY MORNINGS BEFORE SCHOOL.

KIDS CAN PLAY AN INSTRUMENT IN THE CAFETERIA OR THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM.

MANY OF MY FRIENDS TAKE PRIVATE LESSONS IN PIANO, CELLO, AND VIOLIN.

I AM FORTUNATE TO GO TO A SCHOOL WITH PARENTS WHO HAVE THE TIME AND MONEY TO INVEST IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

HOWEVER, NOT ALL KIDS ARE AS FORTUNATE.

I THINK AT MY SCHOOL WE HAVE A LOT OF ADVANTAGES.

ADVANTAGES WHICH CAN TRANSLATE TO HIGHER TEST SCORES.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT OTHER KIDS CAN'T IMPROVE.

I JUST THINK IT'S WAY HARDER SOMETIMES.

THE SMARTEST KIDS DON'T SHINE ON STANDARD TESTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE STANDARD MINDS.

YES, KIDS ARE MORE THAN THEIR TEST SCORES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

IF SOMEONE ASKED, WOULD YOU LIKE THEM TO? MS. WILLIAMS, YOU MAY BEGIN.

MICHELLE WILLIAMS, HOUSTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

I'M SPEAKING ON DOI.

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE SUPERINTENDENTS THAT THE PLAN TALKS ABOUT DR.

GOFFNEY, DR.

MAYS, DR. HINOJOSA ARE ALL CAREER EDUCATORS WITH STELLAR TRACK RECORDS WHO DOES HAVE AT THE HELM MR. MILES, WHO BELIEVES THAT COPYRIGHTING STRATEGIES ARE THE KEY TO OUTCOMES.

HE WANTS TO CHANGE.

HOWEVER, NONE OF THE SYSTEMS THAT HE HAS PUT IN PLACE ARE RESEARCH BASED OR ANYTHING.

THEY ARE WHAT HE BELIEVED.

SO HOW CAN WE TRUST HIM? WE NEED TESTS TO OVERSEE MR. MILES AND ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT HE HAS PUT IN PLACE, BECAUSE THAT IS RESEARCH BASED AND BACKED BY LOWELL MILKEN AND THE MILKEN FOUNDATION, WHO HAS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MS. ALLEN, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

YOU MAY BEGIN. MS. LUCRETIA ALLEN. YOU MAY BEGIN.

NO.

MA'AM, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

MS. ALLEN, CAN YOU HEAR US? PLEASE GO AHEAD.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PLAN.

IT'S DISHEARTENING TO WITNESS THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS APPROACH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WELL-BEING OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IS AT STAKE.

AS THE DISTRICT PLAN IS EXPLORING THE SAME STRATEGIES FOR NEIGHBORING STATES LIKE LOUISIANA, WHICH IS 46TH IN THE NATION FOR EDUCATION, IT COULD SHED LIGHT ON THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE STRATEGY.

THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE DISTRICT'S STATED PRIORITY AND THE PROPOSED ACTIONS, SUCH AS HIRING UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS AND ELIMINATING BASIC TOOLS LIKE LIBRARY AND CRAYONS, RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRUE INTENTION BEHIND THESE DECISIONS.

TWO PARENTS ADVOCATING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS CRUCIAL FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. LACEY.

LACEY. WOLF HAS LACEY.

WOLF HAS JOINED IN PERSON FOR THIS ITEM.

WHO IS IT? WOLF.

OH, LACEY WOLF FROM EARLIER.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. WOLF. OPPORTUNITY. SORRY.

THAT TRAFFIC WAS HORRIBLE.

I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE GULF COAST AREA LABOR FEDERATION.

WE REPRESENT 95 LABOR UNIONS, INCLUDING THE HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS.

I'M A FATHER AND A GRANDFATHER, A FORMER COACH AND TEACHER, AS WELL AS A MECHANICAL INSULATOR.

EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY LABOR, BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

MANY OF US HAVE CHILDREN IN HOUSTON ISD.

MY CHILDREN HAVE ALL ACHIEVED GREAT JOBS THEIR BACHELOR'S AND A MASTER'S DEGREE AS A RESULT OF AN HISD EDUCATION.

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WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE CRITERIA? THIS BOARD OF MANAGERS IS TERMINATING TEACHERS FOR TAKING SICK DAYS THAT THEY ARE LEGALLY ENTITLED TO COME TRY TO DO THAT ON A CONSTRUCTION JOB AND SEE WHERE THAT GETS YOU. ON BEHALF OF ALL THE LABOR UNIONS, WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS BAD FOR THE KIDS, BAD FOR TEACHERS AND FOR OUR CITY.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT A FORM OF GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, NOR WERE YOU CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE.

AND YOU DEFINITELY ARE NOT OF THE PEOPLE.

EMILY, IS ESTEBAN REYES HERE? ESTEBAN REYES HERE IS.

NO? OKAY. OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM NINE.

APPROVAL OF PROPOSED DELETION OF BOARD POLICY.

SEEK LOCAL SAFETY PROGRAM, RISK MANAGEMENT, SECURITY PERSONNEL AND A PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF BOARD POLICY.

SEEK A LOCAL SECURITY PERSONNEL COMMISSION.

PEACE OFFICERS FOR FIRST READING.

WILL IVETA GASPAROV PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? MA'AM, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

HELLO, MY NAME IS EVE AND I'M A CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBER AS WELL AS A POLICE AND PRISON ABOLITIONIST.

I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM NINE BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST MIKE MILES, WHO ACTS WITH TOTAL IMPUNITY TOWARDS THE LAW, TO BE ABLE TO WIELD STATE SANCTIONED VIOLENCE AS ANOTHER MEANS TO TERRORIZE THOSE UNDER HIS TYRANNICAL CONTROL.

BEFORE YOU VOTE, PLEASE LISTEN TO A TEACHER WHO IS AT A NON-SCHOOL AND IS FEARFUL OF SPEAKING OUT.

A TEACHER FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT CAME TO WORK AT OUR SCHOOL AND SAYS, WORKING UNDER MILES FEELS LIKE WALKING ON EGGSHELLS.

I FIND MYSELF IN A HIGH STATE OF ANXIETY.

THERE IS MUCH UNCERTAINTY AND THINGS LIKE RULES AND PROCEDURES CHANGE CONSTANTLY.

I BELIEVE THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION IS DOING MANY THINGS THAT ARE ILLEGAL, SUCH AS PENALTIES FOR USING THE TIME OFF THAT WE'RE ENTITLED TO.

IN A NUTSHELL, IT FEELS LIKE WORKING UNDER A TYRANT.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ITEM IS ALSO REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 14 APPROVAL OF CONTRACT RENEWAL BETWEEN WESTBURY HIGH SCHOOL AND HARRIS COUNTY PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS FOR THE COMMUNITY YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAM, WILL KELLY ALEXANDER PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

THE SPEAKER IS ALSO REGISTERED FOR ITEM 16.

IS KELLY ALEXANDER HERE? MS. ALEXANDER, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS KELLY ALEXANDER.

I AM A PARENT AND A PRODUCT OF HISD.

I CAME FROM AN AGE, I CAME FROM AN AREA WHERE MY MOTHER HAD TO USE ANOTHER ADDRESS TO GET ME INTO HISD.

AND HOW IRONIC IT IS NOW THAT MANY PARENTS ARE USING ADDRESSES TO GET THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF HISD.

THE TEACHERS AT MY CHILD'S SCHOOL ARE OVERWORKED, STRESSED OUT.

THE CURRICULUM THAT YOU SEND HOME IS INSULTING FOR THE TEACHERS TO TEACH AND IS INSULTING TO MY CHILD.

WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN DOING READING THIS AND TRYING TO DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MINE DOING IT? YOU SEEM LIKE A TYRANT.

AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS.

PLEASE JUST LET US BE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 15, APPROVAL OF FALL 2023 CLASS SIZE WAIVER REQUEST.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH SPEAKERS REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AND THE AUDITORIUM.

WILL DANIEL SANTOS PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? MR. SANTOS. MADAM PRESIDENT, AFTER MR. SANTOS, CAN WE GO BACK TO VRINDA WADHWA FROM THE FIRST ITEM? SOMEONE'S ARRIVED.

OKAY. YES, SIR.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING.

I'M DANIEL SANTOS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AND I RISE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 15.

CLASS SIZE WAIVERS HARM KIDS.

THERE IS LITTLE EMPIRICAL BASIS TO JUSTIFY THEM.

RESEARCH FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO IN 2016 CONCLUDES CONVINCINGLY THAT DECREASING THE STUDENT TEACHER RATIO IMPROVES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

INSTEAD OF HELPING KIDS, HISD IS RUSHING TO NOT ONLY REQUEST CLASS SIZE WAIVERS THIS YEAR.

BUT TO EMBED THEM LONG TERM AS PART OF A POISONOUS DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PLAN, A PLAN CRAFTED BY A COMMITTEE WITH ZERO TEACHERS AND BY AMATEURS WITH ZERO EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION POLICY.

IT IS VERY CLEAR TONIGHT THE STATE TAKEOVER OF HISD HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT HELPING KIDS.

[00:30:05]

EMILY. MS. WADHWANI DID SPEAK.

YES, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF MANAGERS AND SUPERINTENDENT MILLS.

I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR DISCUSSION OF EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY.

AS A GRANDMOTHER OF TWO STUDENTS AND AS AN EDUCATOR MYSELF.

WE'RE A FAMILY OF TEACHERS SITTING RIGHT THERE.

MY DAUGHTER, ANITA WADHWA, AND A HUSBAND WHO HAS BEEN A PROFESSOR FOR FOUR DECADES.

WE CHOSE TEACHING BECAUSE IT'S A NOBLE PROFESSION, YET LEAST RESPECTED AND VERY CHALLENGING.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TEACHERS ARE BEING RESTRICTED FROM TAKING THE PAID TIME OFF THEY HAVE RIGHTFULLY EARNED.

A DISTRICT SPOKESPERSON SAID WE NEED EVERY TEACHER TO BE PRESENT EVERY DAY OR THEY LOSE JOBS.

HOWEVER, IF YOU REPLACE THESE TEACHERS WITH UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS, THEY WILL STRUGGLE TO TEACH AND THE VICIOUS CYCLE WILL CONTINUE, RESULTING IN NEGATIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS LEARNING AND SCHOOL'S FUTURE.

I HOPE YOU'LL FOCUS IN YOUR EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY TO HONOR TEACHERS BY WAYS OF RETAINING THEM AND ENTICING THEM WITH LOVE, NOT FEAR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LINDA MURRAY.

IS LINDA MURRAY HERE? I UNDERSTAND MS. CASADA IS VIA ZOOM.

IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY.

YES. OKAY. SO, MS. MURRAY? IS MS. MURRAY HERE? OH, YES, MA'AM.

OKAY. CLASSROOM SIZE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WADED THROUGH OR EVADED ALL OF THE RESEARCH ON KEEPING IT SMALL, PARTICULARLY AS LITTLE AS THEY ARE. KEEP IT LITTLE.

BUT I REMEMBER SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME EVERY YEAR IN PUBLIC SCHOOL.

I'M GETTING MARRIED, THEY SAY.

AND I SAY, REALLY? YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A MAMA.

I'VE BEEN. I WAS A TEENAGE PARENT.

I'M TIRED OF BEING A MAMA.

BUT YOU HAVE TWO TEENAGE DAUGHTERS.

THIS MAN HAS JUST COME OUT OF JAIL.

HE IS NOT SOMEBODY THAT YOU WANT TO PUT WITH YOUR 14- AND 15-YEAR-OLD, HONEY.

BUT I'M IN LOVE, AND THAT'S OKAY.

THEY'RE OKAY WITH IT AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE OKAY WITH IT.

YOU'RE NOT THE DEVASTATION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

NOBODY NEEDS A DIRTY MIND.

IT'S HAPPENING. AND IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY TO OUR CHILDREN.

JUST LIKE I'M GOING TO TAKE OVER A DISTRICT.

WHAT ARE YOU TAKING OVER DISTRICT FOUR? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE? LEAVE THEM ALONE.

YOU NEED TO BE FIRED.

ALL RIGHT. IS MS. CASADA BY ZOOM, OR NO? NO. OKAY. OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 16.

CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS.

WILL SMITH, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE, FOLLOWED BY MICAH GABAY, MARIA MENDEZ, MELANIE CANTU, DRIBBON ALLEN IS MR. OR MRS. SMITH HERE? REMY SMITH.

NO. OKAY.

IS MICAH GABAY.

HERE. NO.

MARIA MENDEZ.

MS. MENDEZ? NOPE. MELANIE CANTU? MS. CANTU? [INAUDIBLE] ALLEN? NO. THERESA CARR? MRS. CARR? HERE. MS. CARR WILL BE FOLLOWED BY AMY KERSHAN AND THEN DR.

ANNE MCCOY, FOLLOWED BY RUTH KRAVITZ.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, THREE WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, I WAS REMOVED FROM MY CLASSROOM AT PROJECT CHRYSALIS MIDDLE SCHOOL AS THE SIXTH-GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER.

THIS WAS MY SECOND YEAR AT CHRYSALIS, MY FOURTH YEAR WITH HISD, MY SEVENTH YEAR AS A TRADITIONAL EDUCATOR AND MY 14TH YEAR AS AN EDUCATION SERVICE MEMBER.

STARTING AT 13.

MY ENTIRE CAREER HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON EDUCATIONAL CHILDCARE.

I HAVE TAUGHT CHILDREN, MY PEERS AND ADULTS IN A VARIETY OF CONTENTS AND SETTINGS.

I HAVE A BA IN SCIENCE EDUCATION, AN MA IN ENGLISH EDUCATION AND AM PURSUING A DA IN EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGY.

I HAVE NEARLY 100 HOURS OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION CREDITS IN ADDITION TO DISTRICT REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

THESE HOURS INCLUDE TEACHING LITERACY INFUSED SCIENCE AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS THROUGH TEXAS A&M AND RICE UNIVERSITY, RESPECTIVELY.

I HAVE DEDICATED MY HEART, MY MIND, AND MY FREE TIME TO BECOMING THE BEST EDUCATOR I CAN BE FOR THE SAKE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.

[00:35:04]

YOU HAVE MADE AN EGREGIOUS MISTAKE.

THANK YOU. MA'AM. MA'AM.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMY.

IS MS. KERSHAN HERE? MADAM. AMY KERSHAN.

YES, MA'AM. MADAM PRESIDENT, FOLLOWED BY ARNOLD HAS JOINED.

OKAY. JUST NOTING THAT MICHELLE ARNOLD IS HERE VIA ZOOM.

THANK YOU, MISS CARSON.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. YES.

HI. KINDERGARTEN.

IT IS DERIVED FROM GERMAN, A WORD THAT MEANS LITERALLY CHILDREN OF THE GUARDIAN OF CHILDREN.

I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE PRE-K STUDENTS THAT I USED TO TEACH TWO YEARS AGO.

NOW. THEY MOVED ME UP TO FIRST AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO TEACH THEM TO LEARN HOW TO READ.

HOWEVER, IN THE CURRICULUM THAT WAS DESIGNED WITH TWO GRADE LEVELS ABOVE OUR GRADE LEVEL, AND WE'VE HAD TO EXPERIENCE THIS TRIAL OF ERROR.

I'VE ASKED TO REMOVE SOME OF THE SECTIONS.

I WAS TOLD FROM OUR PRINCIPAL THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DISSECT THE CURRICULUM OR CUSTOMIZE IT TO OUR STUDENT NEED, AND THEREFORE I'M NOT ABLE TO TEACH MY CHILDREN TO READ.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THEIR BEST INTEREST IS READING BEFORE ANY OTHER THING SO THAT THEY CAN ACQUIRE LIFE SKILLS, OTHERWISE THEY'LL BECOME ILLITERATE IN THIS NON-EDUCATED STUDENT SYSTEM THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN.

WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND REMEMBER THE DEFINITION OF KINDERGARTEN OR GUARDIANS, BECAUSE WE ARE THEIR CAMPUS GUARDIANS.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DR.

ANN MCCOY. DR.

MCCOY. NO, RUTH KRAVITZ.

WOO WOO HOO! WOO! YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

GOOD EVENING. EDUCATION REFORM SHOULD BEGIN BY IMAGINING SCHOOLS THAT STUDENTS WANT TO ATTEND AND TEACHERS WANT TO TEACH IN.

BUT YOUR REFORM IDEAS ARE MORE SUITED FOR A DYSTOPIAN NOVEL THAN REAL LIFE.

AND BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

GOOD REASON. HOUSTON IS PULLING THE STRINGS, CHOOSING THE DAC MEMBERS AND THEIR PAID CONSULTANTS ARE DRIVING THE TAKEOVER AFTER THEIR $3 MILLION IN-KIND DONATION IN JUNE. SO WHERE WAS GOOD REASON HOUSTON BEFORE THE TAKEOVER.

THEIR MOST RECENTLY AVAILABLE 990 SHOWS THAT GOOD REASON.

HOUSTON DECLARED ABOUT 10 MILLION IN REVENUE AND 13 MILLION IN GROSS ASSETS IN 2020.

THEY SPENT 4 MILLION ON STAFF COMPENSATION AND ONLY 1.6 MILLION IN GRANTS TO HELP HOUSTON SCHOOLCHILDREN.

900,000 TO AREA CHARTERS, 650 TO SUPPORT SEVEN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT ONLY 28,000 TO HELP HOUSTON ISD SCHOOL CHILDREN.

THAT'S 1% OF THEIR REVENUE TO HELP OUR CHILDREN.

SO, THE REAL QUESTION IS, SINCE THIS TAKEOVER IS NOT HELPING OUR KIDS.

WHO IS IT? HELPING. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

FOR OUR LAST ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS CLOSED SESSION.

CONSIDER AND APPROVE PROPOSED APPOINTMENTS, REASSIGNMENTS, PROPOSED TERMINATIONS, SUSPENSIONS.

CONTRACT LENGTHS PROPOSED NON-RENEWALS, RENEWALS AND RESIGNATIONS.

RETIREMENTS OF PERSONNEL INCLUDING TEACHERS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, PRINCIPALS, CHIEF OFFICERS, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATORS, AND, IF NECESSARY, APPROVE WAIVER AND RELEASE AND COMPROMISE AGREEMENTS.

WILL LANE HARPER PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? OUR NEXT SPEAKER ON THIS TOPIC IS MELISSA YARBOROUGH, WHO I BELIEVE IS VIA ZOOM.

IS LANE HARPER HERE? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. GO AHEAD.

HELLO. MY NAME IS LANE, AND I'M A SENIOR AT EASTWOOD ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL.

I AM RANKED SEVENTH IN MY CLASS OF 98.

MY SCHOOL RANKED SIXTH IN HOUSTON.

THOUGH ME AND MY PEERS SHARE A CULTURE OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AS MANY OTHER HISD STUDENTS DO.

YOUR RIDICULOUS CHANGES DO ANYTHING BUT PROMOTE THAT? HOW DOES IT HELP US TO ALWAYS HAVE THE LIGHTS ON, EVEN WHEN WE CAN'T SEE THE BOARD? HOW DOES IT HELP US TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS ON EDGE, AFRAID FOR THEIR JOBS, AND HOW DOES IT HELP US TO FIRE SLEWS OF STAFF WITH NO PLAN TO IMMEDIATELY FILL THEIR ROLES? HOW CAN YOU EXPECT HIGHER PERFORMANCE AFTER BETRAYING AN ENTIRE SCHOOL? I WANT YOU TO HEAR THIS FROM A STUDENT, JUST ONE OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN YOU IMPACT WITH THESE POLICIES.

I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF MY TEACHERS AND ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS IN HISD WHO ARE AT HOME DOING HOMEWORK, INSTEAD OF TELLING YOU HOW BADLY YOU'RE FAILING THEM, I SUGGEST A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO START RESTORING THE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED BOARD CHOSEN BY THIS COMMUNITY TO REPRESENT US.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND US OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT.

MS. YARBOROUGH VIA ZOOM.

THANK YOU.

[00:40:03]

TONIGHT, YOU'RE DECIDING WHETHER TO TERMINATE A TEACHER FROM PUGH, WHO HAS BEEN THERE FOR 26 YEARS AND HAS BEEN TEACHER OF THE YEAR, MISS JANE.

THE PEW COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT YOU TO TERMINATE HER.

CORE VALUE NUMBER TWO IS THAT OF EFFECTIVE TEACHERS MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE IN STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE BUT BELIEVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT IS INTERPRETING THIS BACKWARDS BECAUSE EFFECTIVE DOESN'T MEAN NOT HUMAN.

WE ARE ALL HUMAN, AND WE ARE ALL EITHER GOING TO BE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION AS MS. JANE, WHO JUST HAD TO TAKE CARE OF A SICK FAMILY MEMBER AND IS NOW BEING TERMINATED FOR IT.

EITHER WE'VE BEEN IN THAT SITUATION, OR WE WILL BE ONE DAY.

AND THE THING IS, MISS JANE IS EFFECTIVE.

MISS JANE DOES MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE FOR HER STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

AND IF YOU TAKE HER AWAY, THE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO SUFFER.

IF YOU TAKE HER AWAY, YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT THE PERSON WHO REPLACES HER DOESN'T ALSO NEED AN EMERGENCY TIME OFF.

AT SOME POINT LAST WEEK, I TOLD YOU THAT LAST WEEK I TOLD YOU THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF REPLACEMENTS.

BUT LET ME THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. EFFECTIVE REPLACEMENT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM SPEAKERS WHO REGISTERED FOR HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY.

[HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY]

ASHLYN MORTON.

YES, MA'AM. BEFORE I START, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO DID NOT MAKE A COMMENT TO CHECK ON THE STUDENTS AFTER THE SCHOOL SHOOTING, AFTER THE BOMB THREAT TODAY.

MY NAME IS ASHLYN NORTON, THE CAMPUS ORGANIZER FOR DEEDS NOT WORDS, AND I'M HERE TO SHARE MY SHARED DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.

I'M USING MY VOICE TO ADVOCATE FOR MY TEACHERS, SOMETHING THEY COULD DO FOR THEMSELVES IF YOU WERE NOT SILENCING THEM.

THE PEOPLE WHO I'M SUPPOSED TO LOOK UP TO, AND THOSE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO EDUCATE ME ARE SCARED TO COME TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.

OUR EDUCATORS STRESS LEVELS ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH SINCE THE HISD TAKEOVER.

THEY HAVE LITTLE TO NO CONTROL OVER HOW THEY TEACH THEIR CLASSES.

THEY ARE BEING MICROMANAGED AT EVERY WAKING MOMENT OF THE DAY.

MY ONCE LIVELY AND ENJOYABLE CLASSROOM HAS BECOME A BATTLEGROUND FOR THESE NEW POLICIES, WITH THE BOARD FIRING TEACHERS ALONG WITH ADMIN ON CAMPUS.

YOU SHOULD TRUST YOUR TEACHERS ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM THE AUTONOMY OVER THEIR OWN CLASSROOMS. IF YOU WANT TO IMPLEMENT THESE RULES, THEY MUST APPLY TO ALL HIGHER UPS AND AUTHORITIES, NOT JUST TEACHERS.

IT IS ESSENTIAL THE FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

TEACHERS SHOULD NOT BEAR THE BURDEN ALONE.

EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS SHOULD SHARE THIS RESPONSIBILITY EQUALLY.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SOPHIE GRACE ROJAS? SOPHIE GRACE ROJAS HERE.

SHE'S A CHILD, RIGHT? STUDENT. OKAY.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIDGET MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY LAURA PADILLA, RAYMOND LEONHARDT, ROSALINDA RODRIGUEZ.

WELL, MS. MURRAY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

AND THEN IF THE OTHER FOLKS WHOSE NAMES I JUST READ OFF.

MS. PADILLA, MR. LEONARD AND MRS. RODRIGUEZ, IF YOU DON'T MIND KIND OF QUEUING UP.

THAT WOULD HELP US.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MS. MURRAY, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

HELLO. I'M HERE ON AN OFF-AGENDA ITEM.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS MATTER TO YOUR ATTENTION.

I'M REQUESTING ASSISTANCE TO EXPEDITE THE SIGNING AND FILING OF DOCUMENTS IN THIS MATTER SO THAT TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY CAN PROCEED WITH A PROJECT TO INSTALL A FEDERAL REGULATED MONITOR AT PLEASANTVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LOCATED AT 1431 GAIL HORN STREET.

MY INTEREST IS IN THIS MATTER.

I'M REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY AND OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATION ACHIEVING COMMUNITY TASK SUCCESSFULLY.

X HAS BEEN AIR MONITORING IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 2019.

TECQ RECOMMENDED PLACING A FEDERAL REGULATED MONITOR IN THE COMMUNITY BACK IN 2021, EPA APPROVED IT.

WE ARE A LANDLOCKED COMMUNITY AND OPTIONS FOR PLACEMENT OF THE MONITOR WAS LIMITED.

HISD PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION APPROVED THE INSTALLATION PRIOR TO THE TAKEOVER.

BASED ON THIS HISD APPROVAL, TCU SELECTED A CONTRACTOR THROUGH THEIR RFP PROCESS.

THE WORK NOW HAS BEEN STOPPED WAITING FOR CITY OF HOUSTON PERMITTING FORM TO BE SIGNED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. YES, WE KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET A MONITOR TO MONITOR.

AND WE'RE ALSO BENEFITING FROM BEING THAT WE EVEN GOT SUPPORT FROM THE PORT.

SO. THANK YOU, MR. CAMPO. THANK YOU.

[00:45:01]

MISS PADILLA, IS MS. PADILLA HERE? NO. RAYMOND LEONARD? MR. LEONARD HERE.

ROSA-LINDA RODRIGUEZ.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

HI, I AM ROSA-LINDA RODRIGUEZ, PARENT TO A SENIOR AT EASTWOOD ACADEMY.

I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE TALKED TO EDUCATORS ABOUT HOW PRINCIPALS AND STAFF ARE BEING REMOVED IN HISD.

THESE CHANGES AFFECT OUR CHILDREN IN DRASTIC WAYS AND LEAVE PARENTS CONFUSED AND FRUSTRATED.

AT EASTWOOD ACADEMY, THE STUDENTS NO LONGER HAVE THEIR PRINCIPAL, LIBRARIAN, HISTORY TEACHER AND COUNSELOR.

THE PERSON SERVING AS A COUNSELOR IS LIMITED TO HELPING OUR STUDENTS ONLY ONCE A WEEK.

ARE OUR STUDENTS WORTH A FIFTH OF A COUNSELOR? WHO IS LIMITING THE RESOURCES FOR OUR KIDS AT EASTWOOD? AND PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE IN THE DARK.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HISD ENCOURAGE MORE INVOLVEMENT AND INPUT FROM PARENTS BEFORE CHANGES OCCUR.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HISD LISTEN TO OUR CONCERNS BEFORE OR EVEN AFTER DECISIONS ARE MADE.

PARENTS WANT TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN AND THE SCHOOL.

HOW CAN WE DO THAT WHEN WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING? PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN.

THEY DO NOT NEED THIS TAKEOVER.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WESLEY TAFF.

WESLEY TAFF, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE BLACKWELL, SHAUNA CHEN, MOLLY COOK.

IS WESLEY TAFF HERE? YES, SIR. GO AHEAD.

THIS IS SHOWING WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, TO A BLATANT DISRESPECT OF TEACHERS AND TREATING THEM LIKE THEY ARE DISPOSABLE PIECES OF TRASH, ALONG WITH THE TEACHERS BEING IN CONSTANT FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOBS.

THE LOSS OF LIBRARIES WHERE KIDS WOULD COME TO STUDY AND BE BY THEMSELVES, READ BOOKS, AND WAS FURTHERMORE A SAFE HAVEN FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE.

QUESTION. ARE YOU AWARE THAT THESE TEACHERS HAVE LIVES TOO? AND IT'S MORE STRESSFUL FOR THEM TO TEACH THE NEW GENERATION OF KIDS AND KEEP THEM ON TRACK? HELL, THEY DON'T EVEN GET PAID GOOD ENOUGH MONEY FOR THEIR JOB.

WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE THEY TEACH CHILDREN WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG AND HOW TO GO ABOUT IT IN THIS WORLD AS AN ADULT.

BUT THEY COME EVERY SINGLE DAY TO TEACH.

WHY? BECAUSE THEY LOVE THEIR JOB OF TEACHING, BUT THEY CAN'T FULLY EMBRACE THEIR JOB AND HAVE TO LOOK OVER THEIR SHOULDER BECAUSE OF FEAR OF BEING UNFAIRLY FIRED.

THESE TEACHERS ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT KEEPING THEIR JOBS AND TEACHING AND DOING WHAT THEY LOVE TO ADD ON FIRING TEACHERS.

WHY? BECAUSE OUR PHONE IS DISGRACEFUL.

LET'S BE HONEST, TRYING TO STOP KIDS FROM GETTING ON THEIR PHONE IS WISHFUL THINKING BECAUSE WE ARE IN AN AGE OF DIGITAL AND.

ARE GLUED TO YOUR PHONE? BUT GETTING A TEACHER FIBER IS INSANE AND SUSPENDING KIDS, WHICH IS KEEPING THEM OUT OF SCHOOL EVEN MORE, IS JUST PLAIN EXERCISING YOUR POWER BECAUSE YOU CAN.

AS A GRADUATING SENIOR, I AM THANKFUL FOR MYSELF.

YOU WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS NEW SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE NO KID SHOULD BE UNDER THIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. TAFF. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MICHELLE BLACKWELL.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE BLACKWELL, FOLLOWED BY SHAUNA CHEN AND MOLLY COOK.

IS MICHELLE BLACKWELL HERE? MS. BLACKWELL, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS M.

BLACKWELL, AND I COME HERE THIS EVENING TO TALK ABOUT.

I NOTICED THAT SOME OF THE HISD SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIENCING LOW STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND EXPERIENCING ALSO LOW PARENT INVOLVEMENT. AND I'M COME HERE TONIGHT TO OFFER A SOLUTION.

THE SOLUTION I HAVE FOR THAT IS I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A RECRUITER, NOT JUST A RECRUITER, BUT AN APPOINTED RECRUITER, A PAID RECRUITER.

TRY TO GET IN THERE AND TRY TO HELP TURN AROUND THE LOW STUDENT ENROLLMENT, TRYING TO TURN AROUND, GETTING PARENTS INVOLVED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TRYING TO GET IN THERE AND HELP. I DO HAVE FAITH IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I VOLUNTEERED IN A LOT OF SCHOOLS.

SO, AT THIS TIME, JUST LETTING YOU KNOW I'M OUT LOOKING FOR WORK AND I JUST FEEL LIKE MY TALENT COULD BE AN ASSET TO.

IT'D BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO TRY TO GET IN THERE AND TRY TO HELP THESE SCHOOLS.

SO, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHAUNA CHEN.

WE HAVE A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE ARRIVED FOR THE AGENDA.

SPEAKER ITEM.

OH, STARTING WITH REMY SMITH.

WHO? HOLD ON. REMY SMITH, NUMBER 16.

OKAY. ONE SECOND, ONE SECOND.

SHAWNA CHEN, I THINK I CALLED OUT, ARE YOU SHAWNA CHEN? OKAY, LET'S LET HER GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

AND THEN I'LL SWAP BACK.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, BOARD.

I AM NOT A MA'AM.

MY NAME IS THUNDER. BUT YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE THE INSTITUTION THAT YOU ALLEGEDLY REPRESENT WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY CHOSEN NAME.

[00:50:06]

I'M HERE TO REPRESENT AN HISD TEACHER WHO IS AFRAID TO SPEAK HERE.

DUE TO YOUR FEAR MONGERING AND YOUR EVIDENCE RETALIATION.

I AM OBSERVED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR EVERY DAY.

WHILE OBSERVATIONS ARE ONLY AS USEFUL AS THE REFLECTION AND PIVOTS THAT FOLLOW.

I DO NOT WORRY THAT I'M A BAD TEACHER, BUT I WORRY FOR NEW TEACHERS WHO ARE BEING TOLD THROUGH LOW SCORING OBSERVATIONS THAT THEY ARE BAD.

TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ACTUALLY TEACH BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS ANTICIPATING VISITS.

WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON WHAT KIDS NEED TO LEARN.

IN ADDITION, WE'RE GETTING POINTS TAKEN OFF EVEN IF ONE STUDENT HAS A PHONE OUT.

HOWEVER, I CANNOT FIND INDIVIDUAL STUDENT OVER A PHONE WHEN THERE ARE 30 OTHER STUDENTS IN THE ROOM COMPLYING AND WAITING FOR INSTRUCTION.

PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR COACHING CYCLE TO HAVE MORE DEPTH AND LESS MICROMANAGEMENT.

THANK YOU. I YIELD MY TIME.

OKAY, I THINK WE GOT.

REMY, IS THAT RIGHT? WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK.

REMY SMITH.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

GO AHEAD PLEASE. HELLO.

MY NAME IS REMY SMITH. I'M ONE OF THE I'M ONE OF THE PHD STUDENTS I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS TIME TO SHINE LIGHT ON THE UNFAIR TREATMENT OF OUR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING STUDENTS.

I HAVE OBSERVED MANY SPANISH SPEAKING STUDENTS FAILING AND ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN CLASS.

MANY TEACHERS IGNORE THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AND FACTOR IT DOWN TO THEY AREN'T DOING THE WORK OR THEY'RE NOT LISTENING.

SIMPLY, THE KIDS DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON, AND INSTEAD OF PUTTING IN A BIT OF EFFORT TO FIND A TRANSLATOR, MANY TEACHERS FAIL THEM WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.

ANOTHER TOPIC I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP REALLY QUICKLY IS THE TREATMENT OF OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS.

I HAVE OBSERVED MANY SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AT OUR SCHOOL'S YELL AND MISHANDLE THESE CHILDREN, LIKE THE RAG DOLLS AND SPECIAL NEEDS ARE NOT.

ALL OF US SHOULD BE TREATED HUMAN, AND THESE SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS HAVE NO PATIENCE AND TALK TO THESE CHILDREN LIKE THEY'RE LESS THAN.

AND I BELIEVE WE CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM BY HAVING MORE ACCESS TO TRANSLATORS AND HIGHER PATIENCE.

SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

MISS SMITH.

MISS SMITH, ARE WE GOING ON THIS SLIDE? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICAH GABAY.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY.

HI. I'M MAKING A BASE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HIS STUDENTS.

AND TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PHONE POLICY WE HAVE AT OUR SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY TREAT THE STUDENTS DUE TO THIS POLICY.

FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION ABOUT THIS POLICY IS THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT TO HAVE THEIR PHONES OUT DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, WHICH MOST STUDENTS DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH. THE MAIN PROBLEM STUDENTS HAVE IS THAT TEACHERS HAVE TAKEN THIS POLICY AND CORRUPTED IT BY HARSHLY ENFORCING IT.

THIS RULE IS SOMEHOW ALSO BEING ENFORCED IN THE HALLWAYS, BUT WE ARE NOT UNDER ANY KIND OF INSTRUCTION DURING THAT WALKING PERIOD, SO I'M NOT SURE HOW PHONES WILL BE A PROBLEM.

AND NOW OUR PRINCIPAL HAS ADDED ON TO THIS CORRUPTION BY IMPLEMENTING A RULE THAT IS THAT IF A TEACHER SEES A STUDENT ON THEIR PHONE AT ANY TIME OTHER THAN LUNCH, THEY ARE TO SNATCH ON SIGHT.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR WHEN I SAY THAT THE PROGRAM BEING IMPLEMENTED IS A VIOLATION OF OUR RIGHTS, WE SHOULD BE.

WE SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS INMATES WHEN WE ARE CHILDREN.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIA MENDEZ.

MISS MENDEZ HERE? YES. OKAY.

AND THEN MELANIE CANTU AND DRIP ALLEN.

THEY'RE HERE.

MISS MENDEZ, GO AHEAD.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARIA MENDEZ.

I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS IN HISD.

I CAME TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CAMERAS AND TURNING OUR LIBRARIES INTO DETENTION CENTERS.

THE CAMERAS ARE VERY INVASIVE AND INTERFERING.

I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE NO PRIVACY.

HALF OF US STUDENTS DISLIKE THE USE OF A CAMERA IN CLASS, AND I QUOTE ITS USE FOR US.

IF WE MISS A LESSON, THEN WHY IS THE CAMERA ON US AND NOT THE TEACHER OR THE WHITEBOARD? OUR LIBRARY SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE WE CAN READ AND EDUCATE OURSELVES MORE, BUT INSTEAD THEY WANT TO PUT THE BAD AND TROUBLED KIDS IN THERE AS A PUNISHMENT.

YOU'RE BASICALLY TELLING US THAT WE ARE IN PRISON.

WE'RE KIDS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE SHOULDN'T FEEL LIKE WE COMMITTED A CRIME.

I BELIEVE WE CAN BE TRUSTED TO COMPLETE OUR WORK WITHOUT THE USE OF A CAMERA THAT OUR MONITORING, OUR EVERY MOVE, MAKING US FEEL UNSAFE.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU. MELANIE CANTU, SPELL IT.

MELANIE CANTU HERE AND THEN IS MR. ALLEN HERE.

OKAY. GREAT. GO AHEAD.

HI, MY NAME IS MELANIE, AND I AM A STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM.

I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE BATHROOM POLICY THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO PLACE, WHERE STUDENTS HAVE NINE BATHROOM PASSES A SEMESTER.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO GIVE US A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PASSES FOR THE BATHROOM, AND IT'S ALSO A VIOLATION OF OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.

MANY OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE MEDICAL CONDITIONS OF WHICH THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.

NOT TO MENTION YOUNG WOMEN WHO MENSTRUATE ONCE A MONTH.

THERE IS ALSO A 1515 RULE WHERE STUDENTS ARE UNABLE TO USE THE BATHROOM FOR THE FIRST AND LAST 15 MINUTES OF CLASS.

[00:55:04]

IT'S GETTING TO A POINT WHERE STUDENTS HAVE TO WALK OUT OF THE CLASSROOM DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THEIR EMERGENCY.

ANOTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION ARE THE CODES WE HAVE TO TAKE WITH US TO USE THE RESTROOM.

THIS IS A HEALTH HAZARD AND ALSO A VERY UNSANITARY AND DEHUMANIZING THING TO DO TO OUR STUDENTS.

MANY VIRUSES AND DIFFERENT DISEASES ARE SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, AND HAVING CODES THAT WE PHYSICALLY HAVE TO TAKE WITH US INTO THE RESTROOM IS NOT THE BEST OPTION. NOT TO MENTION, STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CONES AROUND OTHERS STEAL THEM, WHILE SOME PLACE THE CONES ON THEIR HEADS WHILE WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY.

I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WE SHOULD NOT BE ASKING FOR THE BARE MINIMUM.

THANK YOU. MR. ALLEN. MR. ALLEN FOLLOWED BY LANE HARPER, ASHLYN MORTON AND SOPHIE GRACE ROJAS.

IF SHE HAS.

IF SHE'S HERE, MR. ALLEN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] ALLEN.

I'M A STUDENT ZONED TO A NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM IN HIGH SCHOOL.

EVER SINCE THE TEA TAKEOVER, OTHER STUDENTS HAVE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE IN OUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT UNDER IMPOSED NEW RULES AND UNNECESSARY POLICIES.

TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TAKE ELECTRONIC DEVICES.

NOT TO MENTION, I CAN'T HAVE EARBUDS DURING PASSING PERIOD, WHICH I USED TO CALL MY ANXIETY.

MY PEERS AND CLASSMATES HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE THEY'VE GOTTEN THEIR PHONE TAKEN AWAY DURING TIMES THEY HAD AN EMERGENCY, SO THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH CONSEQUENCES OF.

OF THAT, THEY WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING DISTRACTING.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, WE HAVE HAD.

WE HAVE HAD STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS.

PUT IN PLACE THAT WE ARE UNFAMILIAR.

THE WAY THAT WE DON'T SEEM INTERESTED IN FOSTERING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH US IS A CHANGE THAT AFFECTS US MORE THAN YOU THINK.

WE HAVE HAD CIRCUMSTANCES.

WE HAD THE CARRIER CONE WITH NINE BACKING PASSES FOR THE SEMESTER.

I CAN'T MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE, BUT I WANT MIKE MILES TO DISCONTINUE THESE RIDICULOUS POLICIES.

GROW A PAIR OF FACE AND ASSES AND TELLING US.

OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR.

ASHLYN LANE.

LANE. HARPER.

MADAM PRESIDENT. MADAM.

LANE. LANE. HARPER.

ASHLYN MORTON ALREADY SPOKE EARLIER.

DR. ANNE MCCOY HAS JOINED US FOR ITEM 16 AS WELL.

DOCTOR ANNE MCCOY.

AGENDA TAKER FOR 16.

WHERE IS DR. ANNE MCCOY? IS SHE HERE? YES, MA'AM.

YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

I'M SPEAKING TO YOU ON ITEM 16.

PLEASE LISTEN TO A NURSE WHO IS AFRAID OF SPEAKING FOR FEAR OF REPRISALS.

I HAVE OVER 1000 STUDENTS AT MY SCHOOL.

I HAVE DIABETIC AND ASTHMATIC STUDENTS WHO NEED MEDICATION REGULARLY AND OTHERS WHO NEED MEDICATION THROUGH G TUBES.

FURTHERMORE, I SEE AT LEAST 35 STUDENTS DAILY FOR STOMACHACHES, FEVERS, AND INJURIES ON CAMPUS.

I HAVE A PRINCIPAL WHO HAS NEVER RESPONDED TO MY EMAILS.

HE DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ME, MUCH LESS VALUE THE WORK THAT I DO TO KEEP STUDENTS HEALTHY AND SAFE.

SINCE AUGUST, I HAVE NEVER TAKEN AN OFFICIAL LUNCH BREAK NOR LEFT WORK BEFORE 6 P.M.

IN ORDER TO FOLLOW UP ON CHILDREN'S NEEDS AND REQUIRED PAPERWORK.

MANY NIGHTS THE WORK IS SO MUCH.

THAT I AM COMPELLED TO KEEP WORKING WHEN I GET HOME.

I ASK THAT YOU STOP TAKING ADVANTAGE OF NURSES.

SUPPORT US.

TREAT US WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

WE'RE BACK TO HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY.

OKAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MOLLY COOK, FOLLOWED BY RAJA SANDER AND THEN CHRISTY BREWSTER.

MARINA RODRIGUEZ.

MISS COOK, ARE YOU HERE? YOU OKAY? RAJA SANDOR? NO. CHRISTIE BREWSTER.

YES. CHRISTIE BREWSTER RIGHT HERE.

OH. YES, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

I'M CHRISTIE MICHELLE BREWSTER, RETIRED SCHOOL NURSE, CERTIFIED.

I'M THE I'M A WITNESS FOR THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.

AND PREVIOUS COMMENTS HAVE ALREADY DIPPED INTO MY STATEMENT.

WORDS THAT ARE LACK OF TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND EVEN SOME PARENTS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE CLIMATE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.

DISRESPECTFUL. APPARENTLY, YOU HAVE A MASTER OVERSEER CLASSROOM OBSERVATION CONCEPT WHERE THEY'RE DEMEANING THE TEACHERS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE CHILDREN.

STRESSFUL. ALREADY MENTIONED PEOPLE EARN THEIR PTO, BUT THEY GOT TO GET PRIOR APPROVAL TO TAKE TIME OFF TO EVEN HAVE CHEMO TREATMENTS OR SEE ABOUT A SICK FAMILY MEMBER.

CHAOS WHERE TEACHERS ARE GIVING INAPPROPRIATE LESSONS, ERRONEOUS LESSONS, INCOMPLETE LESSONS.

[01:00:02]

THESE PEOPLE ARE HUMANS.

THEY'RE NOT SKINNER RATS.

THEY'RE NOT PAVLOV'S DOGS.

WE NEED RESPECTFUL, SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR OPTIMAL LEARNING.

SINCE YOU SAID YOU WANT TO INCREASE STUDENT OUTCOMES.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARINA.

MARINA RODRIGUEZ? MARINA RODRIGUEZ.

MS. RODRIGUEZ.

AND SHE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ALMA VASQUEZ, STACY HUNTER, DEBBIE JANE, AND ELIZABETH BAZAN.

MS. RODRIGUEZ? YES. YES. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

I SAW A SIGN OUTSIDE WHEN I FIRST WALKED INTO THE BUILDING THAT SAYS LEARNING HAS NO LIMITS IN HISD.

BUT HOWEVER, WITH THE RECENT MICROMANAGING AND EVERYTHING GOING ON, I FEEL THAT THE PRINCIPAL'S ACTIONS AT THIS AT OUR SCHOOL SPEAK OTHERWISE.

I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT OUR PRINCIPAL'S ACTIONS DURING A RECENT EVENT THAT WHERE SHE INSTRUCTED CHILDREN TO THROW AWAY ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN PURCHASED BY STUDENTS AND BY PARENTS, AS WELL AS BY VOLUNTEERS, AND SHE'S BEEN SINGLING OUT THE CLASSROOM.

WHEN QUESTIONED, SHE SHIFTED THE BLAME TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT THAT SPONSORED THE EVENT.

ADDITIONALLY, MY CHILD AND OTHERS IN THE CLASSROOM FEEL INTIMIDATED BY HER STRICT POLICIES AND HER FREQUENT CLASSROOM PRESENCE, PARTICULARLY REGARDING BATHROOM USAGE.

MY CHILD IS HOLDING IN THEIR BATHROOM NEEDS OUT OF FEAR AND POTENTIALLY LEADING TO HEALTH ISSUES.

SHE HAS ALSO MADE DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT MY CHILD'S TEACHER, CLAIMING SHE KNOWS HOW TO RUN THE CLASSROOM BETTER BY FLAUNTING HER MORE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE.

I BELIEVE THESE CONCERNS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE STUDENTS AND THE SCHOOLS AND FACULTIES.

REPUTATION. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALMA VASQUEZ.

MISS VASQUEZ, IS SHE HERE? MS. VASQUEZ? NO. STACY HUNTER.

MS. HUNTER? MS. HUNTER? SORRY ABOUT THAT. HELLO.

I'M SPEAKING IN PLACE OF A NURSE WHO DECIDED NOT TO SPEAK FOR FEAR OF SO MANY, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, WOULD BE FIRED FOR COMING HERE TALKING.

NURSES ARE A CRITICAL PART OF HAVING A SAFE SCHOOL.

NURSES WERE REQUIRED TO ATTEND SEVEN-HOUR IMMUNIZATION CLINICS ON SATURDAYS, NOVEMBER 4TH AND 11TH, FOR 14 HOURS OF WORK.

NURSES WOULD NOT BE PAID.

MANY EMAILS STATED THAT ATTENDANCE WAS A DISTRICT MANDATE, WORDING CHANGE TO NURSES BEING VOLUNTEERS, BUT ATTENDANCE WAS MANDATORY IF PRINCIPALS REQUIRED IT AND STILL WAS NOT PAID.

I'M ASKING THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO PLEASE STOP THE MISTREATMENT OF NURSES, OTHERWISE THEY WILL LEAVE THE DISTRICT.

WE NEED LEADERS WHO ARE ABLE TO LEAD WITHOUT DAILY THREATS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEBBIE JANE, FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH BAZAN, FOLLOWED BY TONY MARTINEZ.

IS DEBBIE JANE HERE? DEBBIE JANE? NO.

ELIZABETH BAZAN.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ELIZABETH BAZAN.

I'M A TEACHER FROM BARNUM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR 42 YEARS, 37 OF THEM RIGHT HERE IN HISD.

I'VE BEEN NOMINATED TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOUR TIMES AND WAS VIPS COORDINATOR AT TWO SCHOOLS.

I WAS ALSO CHOSEN AS THE VIPS COORDINATOR OF THE YEAR IN 1989.

OVER A SPAN OF 20 YEARS, I HAVE BEEN AN ESL TEACHER FOR PRE-K, KINDER, FIRST AND FIFTH GRADE.

DURING THIS TIME, I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH OUR REFUGEE STUDENTS FROM AFRICA, AFGHANISTAN AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL.

I HAVE BEEN A TEACHER, A PE TEACHER FOR 15 YEARS FOR OVER 21 YEARS.

MANY HISD STUDENTS HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY MY COACHING TRACK AND FIELD IN HISD AND IN CITY CLUBS AS WELL.

TAKING THEM AS FAR AS THE JUNIOR OLYMPICS.

I HAVE ALSO INSPIRED ATHLETES IN THE SPORTS OF SOCCER, WHERE I HAVE BEEN TEACHING AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

THIS IS MY FINAL YEAR IN HISD.

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT I AND OTHER TEACHERS WHO HAVE GIVEN OUR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS TO THIS DISTRICT WHILE EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS AND PREPARING THEM FOR LIFE.

I HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MANY LIVES.

I AM A CERTIFIED TEACHER.

MY NAME IS ELIZABETH BAZAN.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TONY MARTINEZ.

MR. MARTINEZ? TONY MARTINEZ, FOLLOWED BY BRANDI DAUDA, SELENA MANZANO.

SAVANT MOORE. AND THEN CHRISTINE MCDANIEL.

IS MR. MARTINEZ HERE? YES, SIR. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

HELLO. MY NAME IS ELIDORO MARTINEZ.

I'M FROM EASTWOOD ACADEMY, AND I AM ONE OF THE MEMBERS WHO LED THE WALKOUT AT EASTWOOD ACADEMY.

YOU HAVE HEARD OUR GRIEVANCES AND YOU HAVE HEARD OUR PROPOSED SOLUTIONS.

AND FRANKLY, NONE OF YOU SEEM ENTHUSED.

LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND TELL ME THAT YOU ARE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR STUDENTS.

ALL OF YOU. NOT JUST YOU, MR.

[01:05:02]

LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND TELL ME YOU ARE TRULY TAKING CARE OF OUR STUDENTS.

BECAUSE I PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE.

YOU ARE NO LONGER DOING YOUR JOB.

I REQUEST THAT YOU ALL PAY ATTENTION TO US.

WE KNOW WHAT WE WANT.

WE ARE ASKING YOU TO SIMPLY BE THERE FOR US TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

PUBLIC EDUCATION IS THE BACKBONE, THE BACKBONE OF HOUSTON.

THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. WE NEED PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AND YOU ARE DESTRUCTIVE.

YOU'RE DESTROYING IT. ALL OF YOU.

SO PLEASE, PLEASE, ALL OF YOU, JUST DO WHAT? YEAH. THANK YOU.

IS BRANDY DAUDA HERE? BRANDY DAUDA.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

FOLLOWED BY SELENA MANZANO, SAVANT MOORE, KRISTINE MCDANIEL, AND THEN JESSICA CAMPOS.

MISS DAUDA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

DID YOU RECEIVE THE HANDOUTS I SUBMITTED? NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT, I CAN CONTINUE.

I AM BRANDY DAUDA, A TEACHER, LIBRARIAN AND A THIRD-GENERATION EDUCATOR.

I HAD SENT AHEAD TWO DOCUMENTS.

ONE IS A POVERTY MAP OF HISD OVERLAID WITH THE SCHOOLS THAT LOST THEIR LIBRARY PROGRAMS. THE OTHER IS THE CIRCULATION STATS FOR BOOK CHECKOUTS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

YOU REPEATEDLY STATE THAT STUDENTS IN THE NESA SCHOOLS CAN STILL BORROW BOOKS AND HAVE ACCESS TO LIBRARIES.

HOWEVER, SCHOOL PATRONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACCESS HOW OUR SCHOOL PATRONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACCESSING AND BEING SUPPORTED IN THE USE OF THESE RESOURCES. NUMBERS DON'T LIE.

THE GRAPH PROVIDED, COMBINED WITH THE POVERTY MAP, TELLS THE STORY OF TWO DIFFERENT HISD'S COUNTLESS STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF COMPLETE SCHOOL LIBRARY PROGRAMS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, INCLUDING TEST SCORES.

THIS IMPACT IS EVEN HIGHER IN IMPOVERISHED SCHOOLS THAT SERVE MINORITY STUDENTS.

SEPARATE IS NOT EQUAL.

THANK YOU. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SELENA MANZANO.

MISS MANZANO.

[SPANISH]. MY NAME IS SELENA MANZANO.

YES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. [SPANISH].

I WANT TO SPEAK TO ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE.

I HOPE THAT THEY HAVE A HEART.

[SPANISH]. I'M COMING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A TEACHER IN MY SCHOOL.

PUGH ELEMENTARY.

[SPANISH]. MRS. JAMES. [SPANISH].

26 YEARS SHE'S BEEN A TEACHER.

[SPANISH].

AND ONLY BECAUSE SHE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF A FAMILY MEMBER.

HER CAREER IS IN LIMBO.

[SPANISH].

MS. AMARIO HAS TOLD US THAT SHE'S A PERSON THAT DOES NOT TOLERATE BULLYING. [SPANISH] AND SHE HAS FOLLOWED UP WITH OUR TEACHERS.

[SPANISH].

THERE'S BEEN PREPARING THEIR CLASSES THE LESSONS FOR MANY, MANY HOURS.

[SPANISH]. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY SAY NO WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH THE TOPIC.

[SPANISH] THIS IS TRAUMATIZING FOR THEM AND FOR OUR CHILDREN.

[SPANISH].

PLEASE, I WANT TO APPEAL TO YOUR HEARTS.

[SPANISH]. PLEASE TRY TO KEEP TEACHERS THAT HAVE A VOCATIONAL DESIRE.

[SPANISH]. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE THESE TYPES OF TEACHERS.

[SPANISH].

TEACHERS THAT WANT TO COME EVERY MORNING TO TEACH.

[SPANISH].

THANK YOU. GRACIAS.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAVANT MOORE.

MR. MOORE. GOOD EVENING.

[01:10:02]

I'M A TRUCK DRIVER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTIN, BUT I TOOK THE TIME.

I RESPECT THE INDIVIDUAL TO TAKE A SHOWER, GET DRESSED UP BECAUSE I RESPECT THEM AS THEIR ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR DISTRICT TWO.

AS A VETERAN, I'VE BEEN TO WAR AND NOW I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A WAR ZONE, LIKE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING PTSD.

MR. MILES, IN MY FEDERAL VETERAN, LOOKED ME IN THE EYE AS A SIGN OF RESPECT.

THAT I RESPECT YOU.

I HAVE A GOAL. BY FALL OF 2024, THAT 1 OR 2 OF THOSE SEATS ARE FILLED WITH THE PUBLIC ELECTED OFFICIAL.

LET'S MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

LET'S PARTNER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

I COMMEND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, FOR WHAT YOU VOLUNTEERED.

I NEED EVERYONE TO REMEMBER I LIVE IN FIFTH WARD, THE SO-CALLED HOOD, BUT MY SON IS GRADUATING THIS YEAR.

HE WILL GO TO ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THIS NATION.

HE WILL BE IN AN ROTC PROGRAM, BE AN OFFICER, JUST LIKE MR. MILES WAS. AND SO DON'T YOU EVER FORGET THAT.

WHERE YOU FROM? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THESE PEOPLE THINK OF YOU.

THE PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING IS A QUALITY EDUCATION, AND YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO.

SO, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE I ONCE WAS, YOU CONTINUE TO SPEAK UP, BE THAT ADULT THAT YOU WOULD NEED.

WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD.

THANK YOU, MR. MOORE. THINK.

THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINE MCDANIEL, FOLLOWED BY JESSICA CAMPOS AND EVELYN ROBLES.

MS. MCDANIEL? MS. MCDANIEL? NO.

MS. CAMPOS.

JESSICA CAMPOS? NO. YVETTE ROBLES? MS. ROBLES? NO, THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY.

MS. AMBER MYRNA ROBLES? MA'AM, ARE YOU OKAY? ARE YOU? DO YOU KNOW IF AMBER MYRNA ROBLES? ARE YOU OKAY? OKAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY.

YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

I'M A PARENT FROM ELEMENTARY.

NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF YOU ALL, BUT THIS IS A DEAL.

WHAT'S. WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THIS SCHOOL? WHY ARE CONCERNED PARENTS TERRIFIED OF PRINCIPAL'S, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, TEACHERS.

WHY ARE YOU ALL BREATHING ON THEIR NECKS? WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS LEARNING ENVIRONMENT? BEING SAFE. IS IT SAFE? WHY DO SCHOOL STAFF FEELS THREATENED BY PARENTS ASKING QUESTIONS, AND YET THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO REQUEST SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS DUE TO COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL? THIS IS UPSETTING.

WHY ARE TEACHERS SAYING DIFFERENT THINGS FROM WHAT THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE SAYING ABOUT BEING A HIGH-LEVEL EDUCATION? WHY THE LIES? WHY THE THREATENING? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH? WHY CAN'T TEACHERS TELL US HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM? LAST WEEK, A NURSE CALLED ME BECAUSE ONE OF MY KIDS HAD A HIGH HEART RATE.

143. EIGHT MINUTES LATER, A PRINCIPAL CALLS ME THAT THERE'S AN AMBULANCE FOR MY CHILD.

MY HEART DROPPED AND THEN MY SURPRISE IT WAS A PANIC ATTACK.

KEEP IN MIND, MY CHILD IS A HEALTHY CHILD.

NOW I NEED TO LOOK MORE INTO THIS SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IS CAUSING FOR MY CHILD FOR THE SYMPTOMS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THIS AMBER. AND AMBER MYRNA ROBLES.

HI, SWEETIE. GO AHEAD.

HI. I AM A STUDENT FROM PUGH ELEMENTARY.

MY NAME IS AMBER.

I TOO HAVE A DREAM LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING.

COME ON NOW. I WANT TO VOICE.

I AM SAD FOR THE NEWS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

THIS HAS TO BE EASY FOR ME AS THE OLDEST CHILD, I WANT TO SET UP AN EXAMPLE FOR MY BROTHERS.

I WANT TO BE BRAVE FOR MY SIBLINGS. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY.

JUST LIKE.

DO YOU EVEN SEE TEACHERS SMILE ANYMORE? DO YOU? I CAN SEE THEM INSIDE CRYING FROM THE INSIDE.

TIME. THANK YOU, SWEETIE.

OKAY. OUR NEXT OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VERONICA COATERO, FOLLOWED BY DYLAN MAPLES, FOLLOWED BY JESSE HEINER.

MS. COATERO, IS SHE HERE? NO?

[01:15:01]

DYLAN. MAPLES.

YES, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING.

I'M DYLAN MAPLES, COMMUNITY MEMBER, A FORMER HISTORY TEACHER OF THE YEAR, PARENT AND ACTIVE PTO MEMBER.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE EXODUS OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS THAT WILL COME AT BOTH SEMESTER AND END OF SCHOOL YEAR? SURVEYS HAVE SHOWN IT WILL BE CLOSE TO 50% OR HIGHER.

WITH MY MASTER'S IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION WITH EMPHASIS IN TRAUMA AND RESILIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM, I LOOK AT THE CURRENT STATE OF OUR DISTRICT THROUGH THIS RESEARCH LENS.

I KNOW ALL CHILDREN NEED TO FEEL SAFE BEFORE THEY CAN LEARN, AND ALL TEACHERS NEED TO FEEL SAFE BEFORE THEY CAN TEACH.

NEITHER IS HAPPENING.

CLARIFY MIXED MESSAGES ON ATTENDANCE POLICIES FOR TEACHERS.

STOP USING SPOT FORMS. THEY ARE NOT TESTS ALIGNED.

START PROVIDING QUALITY CURRICULUM TO ALL STUDENTS.

WHAT IS BEING DONE IS MALPRACTICE AND HARMING ALL FAMILIES IN HOUSTON AS A COMMUNITY.

STOP TRAUMA INFLICTING STRATEGIES.

FEAR NEVER MOTIVATES EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE HEINER.

JESSE HEINER, FOLLOWED BY EVELYN BARRON AND THEN TARA BOWERS AND THEN TINA LEWIS.

MS. HEINER? YES, MA'AM.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. BEFORE I GET STARTED, YOU TURNING OFF THE MICS OF THE STUDENTS THAT COME HERE IS JUST.

IT'S NEVER HAPPENED IN THE PAST, AND IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

HELLO. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN EDUCATOR WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY DUE TO FEAR OF RETALIATION.

THIS PERSON STATES.

AS AN EDUCATOR AND PARENT OF HISD, UNFORTUNATELY, I CANNOT BE PRESENT TO GIVE THIS SPEECH IN PERSON, AS IT IS WELL KNOWN BY NOW THAT FEAR MONGERING, BULLYING AND THE THREAT OF EMPLOYMENT TERMINATION IS THE NEW NORM OF OUR NEW REGIME.

THIS MESSAGE IS FOR THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS OF HISD, WE HOPE.

ARE WE? THE TEACHERS ARE STILL HERE HOLDING OUT ON THE SMALL HOPE THAT YOUR BETTER SENSE, COMMITMENT AND UNDERSTANDING WILL FIRE THE REVOLUTION THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IN ORDER TO TAKE BACK OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

EDUCATION IS THE STAPLE OF A FLOURISHING CIVILIZATION.

WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING NOW IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EDUCATION IS CENSORED.

WHILE MR. MILES IS IN THE ACT OF DISMANTLING OUR GREAT SCHOOLS, FIRING OUR BEST PRINCIPALS AND OUR BEST EDUCATORS ALL IN THE NAME OF HIS PERFECT VISION, WE TEACHERS ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. MY DEAREST COMMUNITY, MY DEAR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WILL YOU HELP US? WE HELP US FIGHT.

SINCERELY, A VERY.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EVELYN BARRON.

EVELYN BARRON, FOLLOWED BY TARA BOWERS AND THEN TINA LEWIS.

HELLO. MY NAME IS EVELYN BARRON.

I AM, THE REACTION FOR YOU AS A YOUTH ADVOCATE AND GRADUATE OF WORTHING HIGH SCHOOL? MY BIGGEST FEAR IS THAT OUR SCHOOLS WILL NO LONGER BE A SAFE HAVEN FOR STUDENTS, NOR A PLACE THAT VALUES YOUTH VOICE. THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS TAKEN PLACE DUE TO THE STATE TAKEOVER, ENCOURAGES A PUNITIVE CULTURE WHERE LIBRARIES ARE STRIPPED AWAY AND REPLACED WITH DISCIPLINARY CENTERS.

THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS ON DECENT HUMAN RIGHTS, SUCH AS HOW MANY TIMES AND WHEN STUDENTS CAN USE THE BATHROOM.

UNDER THE STATE TAKEOVER, MOSTLY SCHOOLS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE BEING TRANSFORMED FROM AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS POSITIVE STUDENT OUTCOMES AND CREATIVE LEARNING TO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT LEAVES STUDENTS FEELING NEGATIVELY TARGETED, VOICELESS AND CONSTANTLY EXPOSED TO PUNITIVE ACTIONS.

SCHOOLS ARE MADE FOR EDUCATION, NOT TO PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR INCARCERATION.

WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WILL OUR SCHOOLS BE A PLACE OF COMMUNITY AND LEARNING? AGAIN? THANK YOU.

TARYN BOWERS.

MS. BOWERS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY TINA LEWIS.

PAUL KWABENA, KARTHIK SORA AND PLACIDO GOMEZ.

MS. BOWERS.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TARA BOWERS.

I AM A RETIRED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF 30 PLUS YEARS.

I WAS AN ACP INTERN, CYCLE NINE AND THAT WAS 1989.

SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I RECEIVED MY CERTIFICATION.

I SPENT MY FIRST 11 YEARS OF TEACHING IN HISD.

I WORKED AMONGST SOME OF THE BEST EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS I'VE EVER MET.

I CARE ABOUT THE LEARNING COMMUNITY IN HISD, WHICH INCLUDES FACULTY, STAFF, CHILDREN AND PARENTS.

LAST MARCH, OH, EXCUSE ME, I AM PRESENT TODAY TO SHARE MY CONCERN REGARDING SCHOOL REFORM.

LAST MARCH I WENT TO ON A LEARNING TOUR TO HAVANA, CUBA, TO EXAMINE THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEPARTMENT AND FAMILY HEALTH CARE.

CUBA WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE OF THEIR LITERACY RANKING IN THE WORLD, WHICH IS FIFTH OR SIXTH.

FAMILIES ARE VERY POOR IN CUBA.

TEXAS HAS UNDERSERVED AND POOR COMMUNITIES.

[01:20:03]

IF THE MOTHER IS INCLINED TO ACCEPT THAT ASSIGNMENT.

CUBA SPENDS 15 TO $17,000 PER CHILD IN EDUCATION IN 82 TAXES. THE RATIO IN KINDERGARTEN IS 22 TO 1.

THE REASON WHY KIDS ARE NOT IMPROVING.

IT IS NOT THE TEACHERS.

THANK POLITICIANS.

THAT'S THE REASON. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THANK YOU.

MS. TINA? OUR NEXT OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TINA LEWIS.

MS. LEWIS? ARE YOU TINA LEWIS? PLEASE GO AHEAD, MA'AM.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING.

I'M A FORMER STUDENT.

I COME ON BEHALF OF MY LITTLE SISTER, WHO IS A FIRST GRADE FIRST GRADER AT LYONS ELEMENTARY, BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MY HOW MY SISTER IS SCARED TO ANSWER A SIMPLE QUESTION.

JUST BECAUSE THE PRINCIPAL.

IT'S ALWAYS IN THE ROOM CHECKING AND EYEING THEM.

SHE. SHE IMITATES.

SHE SCARES THESE KIDS.

THEY'RE LITERALLY JUST KIDS.

THEY JUST LEARNED THEIR ABCS.

BEING IN A CLASSROOM WHERE YOU'RE OUTSIDE ALL DAY WILL IMITATE EVERY KID.

MY COUSIN HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE SHE WAS SCARED TO ASK.

AND IF A STUDENT IS SCARED, HOW DO YOU WANT THEM TO ANSWER? AND YOU'RE BLAMING THESE TEACHERS BECAUSE THE STUDENT IS SCARED TO ANSWER WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ROOM.

IF YOU'RE JUST STARING AT A STUDENT, SHE'S A LITTLE GIRL.

SHE'S JUST A KID.

WHY ARE YOU STARING AT HER? SHE MADE A KID CRY OVER A PIECE OF CANDY.

THEY HAD A TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT.

MY MOTHER PAID FOR MY LITTLE SISTER TO EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD.

DO SOMETHING THAT I NEVER WENT.

DON'T WANT HER TO GO THROUGH THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ARE A STUDENT THERE.

THANK YOU. THINK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. LEWIS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAULA COBINA.

MS. COBINA? MS. COBINA? MA'AM, IS THAT YOU? YES. MS. COBINA, FOLLOWED BY KARTHIK SOORA AND THEN PLACIDO GOMES.

MS. COBINA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

OKAY. THIS EVENING, THE BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY MEMBER, WHO IS ALSO A BLACK HOUSTON BLACK RETIRED POLICE OFFICER AND VIETNAM WAR VETERAN, DID ACCOMPANY ME.

AS YOU APPOINTED MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT ARE ATTEMPTING TO LOOK AS THOUGH YOU ARE EARNING YOUR PAY.

ANY AND NESA SCHOOLS ARE OVERWORKING ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS AND UNDERUTILIZING THEIR SCHOOL CAMPUSES SUPPORT SERVICE BUILDING PARKING LOTS ARE EMPTY, GYMNASIUMS AND LIBRARIES ARE DORMANT, AND STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS ARE BETWEEN THEIR GUINEA PIGS TO ROBOTICS STATE IN THE MISEDUCATION OF THE YOUTH OF TEXAS, TO THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, BECAUSE YOU ARE LAX IN YOUR ATTEMPT TO HELP STUDENTS, BUT YOU ARE GUNG HO ABOUT EARNING YOUR KEEP THE PUBLICIZING OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CORRESPONDENCE TO YOU FROM THE CEO OF THE MAIL AND ASSOCIATES IS FORTHCOMING, AND OUR CITY'S LOCAL NEWSPAPER, FOX 26 NEWS AND DIGITALLY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KARTHIK SOORA, FOLLOWED BY PLACIDO GOMES.

KARTHIK SOORA. YES, SIR.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS KARTHIK SOORA.

I'M A FORMER EASTWOOD ACADEMY TEACHER.

ON ELECTION DAY, I WAS POLL GREETING AND I MENTIONED TO SOMEONE THAT WAS COMING TO THE POLLS THAT I WAS A FORMER TEACHER.

THIS WOMAN BROKE DOWN FOR 30 MINUTES AND TALKED TO ME ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE, AND SHE ASKED ME TO SHARE THIS TESTIMONY TODAY.

ANONYMOUS. AND I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHICH POLLING LOCATION OR WHERE IT CROSSED HISD.

THE BEHAVIOR AND ACTIONS OF THE DISTRICT AND MANY BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS, HAS CREATED A WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT THAT EXISTS IN A DEMORALIZED STATE OF CONTINUED FEAR, FEAR OF FAILURE TO PLEASE, FAILURE TO KNOW ABOUT THE METHOD OF THE DAY, FAILURE TO MEET THE UNCLEAR EXPECTATIONS OF CONSTANT CHANGE FROM PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OR CONTENT EXPERTISE IT HAS CAUSED NOTHING BUT CONTINUED AND UNHEALTHY ANXIETY AND FIGHT FOR SELF-PRESERVATION.

NOTHING BUT FEAR MONGERING, GOTCHA TACTICS WITH A DOSE OF UNCONTROLLABLE ANXIETY, AND THIS WITCH HUNT ON ANYONE THAT MISSES FOUR DAYS OF SCHOOL AND HAS TO SIGN A NOTE THAT THEY DID, IS JUST THAT A TOTAL WITCH HUNT WITH NO JUSTIFICATION OR EXPLANATION.

WHY JURY DUTY, FIELD TRIPS, HOSPITALS, SICKNESSES, COVID, FLU, ALL OF THESE JUSTIFIED REASONS AND PEOPLE HAVE THE DAYS AND ARE HAVING TO BE REPRIMANDED.

I CAN BE ABSENT THE REST OF THE YEAR WITH ANOTHER 35 DAYS LEFT OVER.

[01:25:03]

THANK YOU, SIR. THAT SPEAKS FOR US.

THE TREE IN EACH OF THE WOODS.

YOU ALL NEED TO LISTEN.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU, SIR.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PLACIDO GOMEZ.

MR. GOMEZ? IN JANUARY, I'LL OFFICIALLY BE ON THE ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD.

AND AS THE NEW TRUSTEE ELECT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE MY ROLE COULD BE.

WHILE THE TAKEOVER IS IN PLACE, ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO GATHER FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW POLICIES HAVE AFFECTED THEM AND THEIR KIDS, AND BRING THAT FEEDBACK TO YOU, BOARD OF MANAGERS AND TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.

SO, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND AN OPEN INVITATION TO PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE TO MEET WITH ME.

I'M EXTREMELY EASY TO FIND, WILLING TO LISTEN TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO DO RIGHT BY OUR STUDENTS.

THIS INCLUDES VOCAL OPPONENTS OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, WHO HAVE EXAMPLES OF HOW POLICIES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOME POLICIES HAVE HAD NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THEM AND THEIR STUDENTS. IT'S ALSO INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, WHO ARE RIGHTFULLY OUTRAGED OVER THE DISTRICT'S HISTORIC FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SERVE BLACK AND LATINO STUDENTS.

YOU'LL FIND THAT I'M OPEN MINDED, EXTREMELY RESPECTFUL, AND READY TO LISTEN TO ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS A REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD VIA ZOOM.

MS. SMITH, PLEASE IDENTIFY AND ADMIT OUR SPEAKERS.

WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY JESSICA CAMPOS IN PERSON.

OH, MS. CAMPOS.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SARAH RIVLIN IN PERSON.

WAS SHE A SPEAKER, TOO? AN ITEM? SHE WAS GOING TO BE ZOOM SPEAKER.

OH, OKAY, I SEE.

YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

THIS IS NICE. IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO ME.

SO, I KNOW YOU GUYS HEARD THESE KIDS CRYING BECAUSE I KNOW I HEARD THEM.

MS. BARONE'S CRIES THAT IT REALLY HURTS.

OKAY, SO BECAUSE I HEAR, I HEAR THEM AND IT HURTS, I CAN'T ASK YOU FOR EQUAL EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN.

BECAUSE THE CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE FACED WITH CHALLENGES THAT MOST OF YOU UP HERE WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE IN A LIFETIME.

FOR OUR FOR THE CHILDREN IN MY COMMUNITY SCHOOL IS A SAFE HAVEN AND A SECOND HOME.

IN SOME CASES, THE ONLY POSITIVE INTERACTION THEY'LL HAVE IN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE.

THE CHILDREN IN MY COMMUNITY FORMED DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE TEACHERS AND ADULTS WHO INSPIRE THEM AND GIVE THEM HOPE TO LEARN AND GROW AND GET OUT OF THE HOOD. AND SOME DAYS HELP THERE AND SOMEDAY HELP THEIR FAMILIES GET AHEAD.

YOU CAN'T PROVIDE EQUALITY FOR THESE CHILDREN, BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE TO EXPERIENCE OUR LIVES TO EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

MS. RIVLIN ? YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY, 14% OF TEACHERS DEFINITELY PLAN TO RETURN NEXT YEAR AS A SOLUTION TONIGHT.

MILES WANTS YOU TO FUND A PROGRAM TO MASS RECRUIT UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS FROM OVERSEAS.

HOW IRONIC THAT HAROLD DUTTON'S MOTIVATION FOR THE TAKEOVER LAW WAS UNCERTIFIED.

TEACHERS AT WHEATLEY.

DUTTON WAS RIGHT.

UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS READING SCRIPTS WON'T SAVE WHEATLEY OR ANY HISD SCHOOL.

WHO STANDS TO BENEFIT IF OUR SCHOOLS FAIL? YES. PREP CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS ARE UP 500%.

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS GET ACCESS TO VALUABLE PROPERTIES WHEN SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED.

THE FOXES ARE GUARDING THE HENHOUSE.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, HOW DID RICK CAMPO BECOME YOUR DE FACTO THOUGHT LEADER? IF YOUR GOAL IS TO ACTUALLY SAVE HISD.

PLEASE WAKE UP.

PLEASE. THANK YOU.

I BELIEVE THE REST OF OUR SPEAKERS ARE VIA ZOOM.

LEO LUNA. PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

YOU MAY BEGIN.

LEO. LUNA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

THERE YOU GO. WE CAN SEE YOU.

YOU MAY BEGIN. HELLO.

I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT IS DEFERRING MY VOICE IN FAVOR FOR A PARENT THAT'S QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DIM FUTURE.

YOU'RE BEING ON THIS BOARD AND ENABLING MILES, AND THIS IS A STORY SHE'S AFRAID TO SHARE HERSELF IN FEAR OF RETALIATION.

THIS IS IN SPANISH, SO I DO REQUEST FOR THIS TO BE TRANSLATED AS WELL.

I DID SEND INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE TRANSLATION ITSELF, BUT TO CONTINUE.

[SPANISH]

[01:30:06]

I WOULD REQUEST IT.

IF NOT, I DO HAVE IT TRANSLATED.

I'VE ALSO SENT IT OVER TO YOU.

YOU DO HAVE IT TRANSLATED.

DO WE HAVE A TRANSLATOR? IS SHE STILL HERE? HOLD ON. JUST, IF YOU COULD START OVER THEN AND PAUSE A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED BECAUSE YOU'RE ON ZOOM.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO WORK IT OUT. WHERE'S THE TRANSLATOR? OF COURSE. OKAY, YOU'VE GOT IT.

CAN YOU TRANSLATE FOR US? LET HER COME UP TO THE PODIUM.

OH, OKAY.

THANK YOU. SIR, IF YOU COULD JUST PAUSE EVERY COUPLE OF SENTENCES, THEN SHE CAN CATCH UP.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S START OVER.

GO AHEAD, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

HELLO. I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT IS DEFERRING MY VOICE IN FAVOR OF A PARENT THAT'S QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DIM FUTURE YOU'RE BRINGING ON THIS BOARD AND ENABLING MILES.

AND THIS IS A STORY THAT SHE'S AFRAID TO SHARE HERSELF IN FEAR OF RETALIATION.

WHEN I STARTED THIS. SO, YOU KNOW, [SPANISH].

GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M A MOTHER WHO HAS A STUDENT IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

[SPANISH]. AND I'M VERY SAD THAT THE, THE SCHOOL THEY'RE KICKING OUT OR LETTING GO GOOD TEACHERS AND STUFF.

[SPANISH]. EXAMPLE OF THIS IS MS. JANE. [SPANISH].

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT EDUCATOR, AND IT'S TOTALLY UNFAIR THAT SHE WOULD BE KICKED OUT.

[SPANISH]. WHEN MY DAUGHTER LEARNED THAT MS. JANE WAS GOING TO BE LET GO, SHE GOT REALLY SAD.

AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO EAT.

[SPANISH]. THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS AFFECTING THE CHILDREN GRAVELY.

[SPANISH]. WHEN A TEACHER THAT HAS MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN MY DAUGHTER'S DEVELOPMENT.

[SPANISH].

THAT HAS MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MY DAUGHTER.

AND THE PEERS.

DO YOU MIND REPEATING THE LAST PART, PLEASE? NOT AT ALL.

[SPANISH]. SHE'S BEING LET GO LIKE HERSELF AND MANY OTHERS.

[SPANISH]. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD.

[SPANISH]. IF THE EDUCATION OF THE CHILDREN IS IMPORTANT, PLEASE DON'T LET THIS FALL ON DEAF EARS.

[SPANISH].

MS. JANE, IF YOU'RE LISTENING TO THIS, WE'RE WITH YOU.

[SPANISH]. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AND HAVE A GOOD DAY. OKAY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

MS. SMITH, YOU CAN ADMIT THE NEXT SPEAKER.

JAIRO JAIME.

THANK YOU. PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

YOU MAY BEGIN. HELLO.

TRYING TO USE A MICROPHONE.

I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME. GOOD EVENING.

I'M HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP AND ASSISTANCE TO RESOLVE AN ISSUE.

SIR, I'M SORRY TO STOP YOU, BUT CAN YOU PUT THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH OR HOLD IT UP A LITTLE STIPEND? HOWEVER, I DID NOT RECEIVE THAT STIPEND DUE TO ABSENCES.

THESE ABSENCES. THREE ABSENCES OCCURRED DURING A HURRICANE NATURAL DISASTER WHICH PREVENTED ME FROM RETURNING TO WORK.

I DID SUBMIT AN APPEAL.

THE APPEAL WAS APPROVED.

I RECEIVED A STIPEND.

HOWEVER, THE APPROVAL WAS RESCINDED.

ONE EXPLANATION GIVEN TO ME.

WAS THAT THE APPROVAL WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO SOMEONE WITH A SIMILAR NAME AS MINE.

A SECOND EXPLANATION TO ME WAS THAT A NATURAL DISASTER DID NOT FIT UNDER THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVED ABSENCES.

[01:35:09]

I'VE FOUND THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT.

NOW I'M HERE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.

HI. THANK YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OKAY. NATALIE REINA IS NOT IN ZOOM.

LAQUITA BARNES IS NOT IN ZOOM.

THIS IS DR. PAMELA.

DR. BOB, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

YOU MAY BEGIN. OKAY.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS PAMELA OBERLIN, AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN OF COLOR WHO ARE BEING BRAINWASHED TO BELIEVE THEY MUST HAVE BADLY SCRIPTED CURRICULUM IN LARGE, OVERSIZE CLASSROOMS TO LEARN FOR THEM.

SPIN BIKES ARE BETTER THAN LIBRARIANS.

HUMILIATING THEIR TEACHERS WITH TEDIOUS COACHING IS JUSTIFIED TO RECEIVE QUALITY INSTRUCTION.

ONLY UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS CAN PROVIDE HIGH PERFORMANCE CULTURE THAT THEY DO NOT DESERVE.

MY CHILDREN DON'T DESERVE ENRICHED PROGRAMING LIKE OTHER CHILDREN IN IN MORE AFFLUENT AREAS.

DO NOT BE FOOLED, DO NOT.

THE CHANGING OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS TO CREATE MORE FAILING SCHOOLS TO ENRICH PRIVATE SCHOOL COFFERS.

LISTEN TO THE VOICES.

KNOW THAT YOUR NECKS ARE ON THE LINE GOING TO FOLLOW YOU.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. SISTER MAMA SONJA, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

YOU MAY BEGIN.

MS. LUCAS ROBERTS.

IS SHE IN THE ZOOM ROOM? SHE'S JUST NOT COMING ON.

HELLO. THERE WE ARE.

MA'AM, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA.

SISTER MAMA SONJA. I'VE TURNED IT ON.

WE CAN SEE YOU NOW. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY.

MISUSE US, DISRESPECT US.

Y'ALL DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT US.

IN THE PAST, STUDENTS HAVE NEVER HAD THEIR MICS TURNED OFF.

THIS IS VERY RUDE.

PLEASE DON'T DO IT AGAIN.

FOREIGN TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS AND SAYING, WELL, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU CAN LEAVE.

RUDE. ANOTHER INCIDENT OF THIS COMPLETE RUDENESS.

MY CHILDREN OF COLOR ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SUFFERING.

YOU BORDER MANAGERS. YOU ARE SO AFRAID OF MY MOUTH.

YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

GROW SOME BALLS, GROW UP AND DO SOMETHING AND QUIT HURTING OUR CHILDREN.

FEED US, ABUSE US, DISRESPECT US.

YOU GOTTA REALLY CARE ABOUT US.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU MA'AM.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS.

ANYBODY WHO HAS ARRIVED THAT WASN'T HERE HAVE AN AGENDA.

[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS (Part 2 of 2)]

MS. QUEZADA, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

KARINA QUEZADA, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

YOU MAY BEGIN.

HELLO. PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON SO WE CAN SEE YOU.

PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA SO THAT WE CAN SEE YOU, AND THEN YOU MAY BEGIN.

THANK YOU. MA'AM. CAN YOU SEE ME? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

EVERY YEAR THIS DISTRICT ASKS FOR CLASS WAIVERS, GETS THEM AND NOTIFIES PARENTS.

THIS YEAR YOU'RE ASKING FOR LOTS MORE BECAUSE OF TOXIC WORK, CULTURE WILL MAKE TEACHERS LEAVE.

DISTRICTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO GET CLASS SIZE EXEMPTIONS, SO WHY USE DOI INSTEAD OF IMPROVING EDUCATION BY WORKING TO PROVIDE SMALL CLASS SIZES YOU'RE USING TO BE DECEITFUL AND NOT FOLLOW THE LAW REQUIRING PARENTAL NOTIFICATION.

YOU ALL WANT ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

[01:40:02]

I'M SURE DR. TERESA TRAN HAD CERTIFIED QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND SMALL CLASS SIZES, BUT WHY DOES SHE THINK OUR KIDS ARE UNDESERVING OF THAT? DR. TRAN NEEDS TO STICK TO MEDICINE.

YOU DON'T SEE TEACHERS TELLING DOCTORS HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS YET.

YET SHE AND THE REST OF YOU THINK SO LITTLE OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION THAT YOU BELIEVE JUST ANY JOE OFF THE STREET COULD DO IT, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY YOUR PLAN.

ALLOW JUST ANYONE OFF THE STREET TO TEACH OUR KIDS AND NOT TELL US ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS.

SUPERINTENDENT MILES, YOU HAVE SOME DATA THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO US ABOUT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

[SUPERINTENDENT'S PRESENTATION]

MADAM PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME SOME TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE NBA SCORES.

BEFORE I GET TO THAT, JUST WANTED TO THANK THE STAFF THERE.

A LOT OF THEM ARE HERE TONIGHT.

ON YOUR RIGHT.

THANK YOU, STAFF MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE.

AND YOU'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD.

STAY THE COURSE.

DOING A GREAT JOB.

ALSO, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OR LAST THREE MONTHS, I'VE BEEN IN ABOUT 50 SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR COMING ALONG TO SEVERAL OF THEM.

I THANK THE DAC MEMBERS FOR COMING ON SEVERAL OF THE VISITS.

I THANK THE LEGISLATORS WHO HAVE COME ON SEVERAL VISITS AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS HAVE COME TO THE ON VISITS.

MOST RECENTLY BENAVIDEZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BRUCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HENDERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SHADY DALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FOREST BROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL, HOLLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THAT WAS JUST THIS WEEK.

LET'S SEE PLEASANTVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL, NORTH FOREST HIGH SCHOOL.

LOTS OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

MOST OF THEM, YES, HAVE BEEN IN THE NES AND NESA.

BUT I THINK THE REASON WHY MANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE GETTING A GOOD FEEL FOR HOW THE SCHOOLS ARE WORKING, AND MY STAFF AND I, AND YOU CAN GET A GOOD FEEL BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOLS.

WE SEE HOW IT'S WORKING.

TEACHERS ARE WORKING HARD.

NO QUESTION.

PRINCIPALS ARE WORKING HARD, AND THE STUDENTS ARE THRIVING.

YES, WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN THOSE 50 SCHOOLS AND IN THE IN THE SCHOOLS WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN, I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO FIND SOME CHALLENGES AND SOME DISTANCE TO TRAVEL.

SO, THE REFORMS ARE WORKING, AND THE KIDS ARE DOING WELL, AND THE TEACHERS ARE DOING WELL.

AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOLS.

SO THAT'S AND THERE'S AN OPEN INVITATION FOR THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY THE DETRACTORS OR NAYSAYERS TO COME ON A VISIT WITH ME AND LOOK IN THE SCHOOLS RATHER THAN JUST TAKING HEARSAY INFORMATION.

LET ME GO OVER THE NWA SCORES.

I HAVE SAID, AND WE FORGET SOMETIMES THAT.

THERE'S A THERE'S A REASON WHY WE NEED A CHANGE.

THIS IS THE LAST GENERATION OF KIDS IN SCHOOL BEFORE THE SKILLS GAP IS LOCKED IN.

AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE OUR DATA SUGGESTS THE SAME THING.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER.

THESE SITES HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT I WANT TO GO OVER THE NWEA.

WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NAEP DATA WHICH I PRESENTED BEFORE, OR THE STAR SCORES, WHICH I'VE ALSO PRESENTED BEFORE.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

IT IS A TALE OF TWO DISTRICTS.

ONE DISTRICT THAT WHERE WE HAVE A ONE SET OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING REALLY WELL.

[01:45:03]

AND THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACHIEVEMENT IS RAISED STARKLY IN THE ACHIEVEMENT DATA.

NO MATTER WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO NOW WE'RE I WANT TO LOOK AT THE NEWA MAP ASSESSMENTS.

WE STARTED ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND WE TESTED THE STUDENTS IN SEPTEMBER ON THE NWA MAP.

WE'LL DO MIDDLE OF THE YEAR IN JANUARY, AND THEN WE'LL DO END OF THE YEAR IN MAY.

AND FOR SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, THESE SCORES MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR.

SO, I WANTED TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS AND WHERE WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ON OUR NEWA MAP ASSESSMENTS.

NEWA IS ASSESSMENT TAKEN BY ABOUT 6 MILLION STUDENTS ACROSS AMERICA A GOOD SAMPLE SIZE? A LOT OF DISTRICTS USE THEM AND SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE USED THEM IN THE PAST, AND NOW ALL OF THEM WILL USE THEM SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE SCHOOLS AND WE CAN COMPARE THIS TO THE STAR EXAM AS WELL.

NWEA IS BASED ON WHAT'S CALLED RIT SCORES, SO THEY'RE JUST A METRIC TO DESCRIBE HOW STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE AT GRADE LEVEL OR NOT.

SO, YOU SEE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE THERE YOU HAVE THE US BEGINNING OF YEAR SCORES.

THAT'S THE AVERAGE RIT POINTS.

AND THEN YOU SEE THE END OF THE YEAR SCORES ON A TYPICAL YEAR FOR THE US.

AND IF YOU SUBTRACT THE TWO NUMBERS, YOU GET WHAT IS THE EXPECTED GROWTH FOR THE AVERAGE STUDENT IN THE UNITED STATES? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIRD GRADE, THE AVERAGE GROWTH IS TEN AND A HALF.

RIC POINTS.

SO, WE CAN COMPARE OURSELVES.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE HOUSTON SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST OR THE TEXAS SCHOOLS.

WE'RE ALSO COMPETING AGAINST OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE NATION AND ACTUALLY GLOBALLY.

SO, YOU SEE, THIS YEAR, HIGHEST SCORE IS 182 RIT POINTS FOR THIRD GRADE.

THAT IS CLOSE TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AS FAR AS BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

BUT IT'S ABOUT.

FOR ALMOST FIVE POINTS BEHIND, WHICH MEANS THAT OUR STUDENTS ON THE WHOLE.

ARE ABOUT HALF A YEAR BEHIND OTHER THIRD GRADE STUDENTS.

FOR OUR BLACK STUDENTS.

YOU SEE, ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT.

WE'RE AT 180 BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

WHICH IS ABOUT 6.6, ALMOST SEVEN POINTS BEHIND.

WHICH IS ABOUT TWO THIRDS BEHIND THE AVERAGE THIRD GRADE STUDENT.

IF YOU GO DOWN TO EIGHTH GRADE, FOR EXAMPLE.

THE AVERAGE GROWTH IS ABOUT FOUR POINTS IN THE YEAR.

THE AVERAGE KID IN AMERICA STARTS AT 218.

WE'RE BEHIND IN OUR OVERALL SCORE.

IF YOU LOOK AT 212.

THAT'S SIX POINTS BEHIND THE AVERAGE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT.

AND THEN DEMOGRAPHICALLY, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR WHITE STUDENTS ARE DOING BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS.

AND OUR BLACK STUDENTS ARE DOING ABOUT SEVEN POINTS BEHIND.

THE AVERAGE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT, WHICH TRANSLATES TO ALMOST TWICE AS MANY YEARS.

AS THE AVERAGE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT.

THAT'S HOW YOU READ THIS GRAPH.

YOU HAVE IT IN A DOCUMENT.

SO, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF IT.

I JUST WANT YOU TO SEE HOW WE ARE RELATIVE TO OUR, OUR, OUR OTHER STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THIS IS READING AND IN MATH.

WE'RE ALSO BEHIND.

SO, IF YOU LOOK AT AGAIN HISD IS BEHIND THE US.

AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BLACK STUDENTS, WE'RE EVEN FURTHER BEHIND.

AND OUR HISPANIC STUDENTS AS WELL.

AND IN EIGHTH GRADE OUR BLACK STUDENTS ARE SCORING.

215 ARE HISPANICS SCORING TO 16.

WE ARE ABOUT ALMOST TEN POINTS BEHIND, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO TWO YEARS.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

THAT'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE NAEP AND NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE STAR SCORE.

AGAIN, NO MATTER HOW WE CUT IT, WE HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE ARE BEHIND.

AND WE'VE BEEN BEHIND FOR, YOU KNOW, TWO DECADES.

[01:50:01]

SO, THERE IS A NEED TO DO TRANSFORMATIVE WORK.

LET ME LET ME SHOW YOU A COUPLE OTHER SLIDES AND THEN I'LL BE DONE BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOTS OF SLIDES IN YOUR PACKET.

BUT LET ME GO TO THE PERCENTILE.

THIS IS WHAT'S MEANT BY PERCENTILE, RIGHT? IN A NORMAL DISTRIBUTION OF 6 MILLION KIDS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BELL CURVE.

THE MORE KIDS YOU HAVE, THE MORE DEFINED OR CLOSER TO THAT BELL CURVE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE.

AND THERE'S REGRESSION TOWARDS THE MEAN.

SO THAT 50% IS AVERAGE.

SO, THE 50TH PERCENTILE IS WHERE THAT THE MIDDLE OF THAT BLUE CURVE IS.

THAT DOTTED LINE IS SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 65TH PERCENTILE, WHICH IS WHERE THE AVERAGE WHITE STUDENT IS IN AMERICA ON THESE EXAMS. SO, IF WE LOOK AT OUR PERCENTILE.

SO OBVIOUSLY IN THE US AGAIN, THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK, THE AVERAGE IS 50TH PERCENTILE.

HISD'S PERCENTILE AVERAGE IS THE THIRD COLUMN THERE.

AND THEN AGAIN YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR WHITE STUDENTS, WHEREAS THE PERCENTILE FOR THEM IT'S WELL ABOVE AVERAGE.

THAT'S GREAT. LET'S KEEP THAT GOING.

LET'S KEEP THAT HIGH. LET'S NOT DIMINISH THAT AT ALL.

OUR HISPANIC STUDENTS AND OUR BLACK STUDENTS ARE WELL BEHIND IN THE PERCENTILE RANKING.

WE ARE AT THE 43RD PERCENTILE.

A LITTLE BIT LESS IN FOR OUR HISPANIC STUDENTS.

OUR GOAL IS TO PUSH THAT TO THE 60TH PERCENTILE OVER TIME.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH BECAUSE THIS IS THE PERCENTILE RATING THAT WAS THE SAME PERCENTILE AS 1998 IN THE COUNTRY.

SO, THIS IS READING.

AND THIS IS MATH.

YOU CAN SEE THAT MATH WERE LOWER.

AGAIN. I'LL GO BACK.

THIS IS READING.

AND THIS IS MATH. SO, PERCENTILE WISE WE'RE FURTHER BEHIND.

THEN THE AVERAGE KID IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, JUST LIKE AN AP, JUST LIKE STAAR.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR WHITE AND HISPANIC STUDENTS AND OUR WHITE AND BLACK STUDENTS, THAT IS TOO GREAT A GAP.

THAT IS TOO GREAT A GAP.

THAT HAS BEEN THE WAY IT HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO DO REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE WORK.

THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS TOUGH, BUT I'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOLS, AND I WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE, AND WE'RE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT'S RESPECTFUL. ASK THE KIDS.

LET'S HAVE SOME PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR, PLEASE.

WE HAVE SOME ORDER, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOLS.

THEY NEED TO BE IN THE SCHOOLS AS MUCH AS I HAVE, AND AS MUCH AS YOU HAVE TO SEE OUR KIDS THRIVING AND HAVING FUN AT THEIR DYADS, HAVING FUN, LEARNING IN CLASS.

NOT ALL THE INSTRUCTION IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, BUT IT'S IMPROVING.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPALS WORKING HARD TO DO THAT, DESPITE SOME OF THE DETRACTORS THAT THAT TRY TO DIMINISH THEIR WORK.

ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS ON THE NAEP DATA.

ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? YES. JUST WANT TO, AT SOME POINT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE KIND OF I GUESS WE WILL THE BREAKDOWN SPECIAL ED I KNOW THAT'S A POPULATION THAT'S PART OF THE RECOMMENDED CONSTRAINT.

SO, I ASSUME AT SOME POINT WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.

YES. AND WE CAN BREAK IT DOWN EVEN MORE.

YOU SEE I DIDN'T COVER THE NES AND THE NESA, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.

LIKE I SAID, I THINK YOU HAVE LIKE 30 OR 40 CHARTS IN YOUR DOCUMENT.

BUT YES, WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU, MR. CAMPBELL, JUST A SUGGESTION ON THE FIRST SET OF DATA.

I GET THE PERCENTILES.

REALLY EASY TO UNDERSTAND, BUT THAT FIRST SET WHERE YOU HAVE TO THE RIC POINTS, YOU HAVE TO TRANSLATE FOR US WHAT A 218 VERSUS A 228 IS.

AND THAT'S TWO GRADE LEVELS.

IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL RATHER THAN SHOWING THAT HARD DATA SHOW THE DATA, BUT THEN PUT A PUT THE REALITY OF WHAT IT MEANS ON THE SCHEDULE SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND IT.

THANK YOU. GOOD.

GOOD SUGGESTION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. CAN WE GO BACK TO THE EARLIER SLIDE WITH THE DATA ABOUT THE SCORING, THE POINTS, NOT THE PERCENTILE.

YEAH. THE POINTS.

AND I'M, JUST A GENERAL QUESTION.

DOES THE? YOU CAN LOOK AT ANY OF THEM. IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.

I'M SEEING BETWEEN THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE THE END OF YEAR FROM THIRD DIMINISHES TO BEGINNING OF YEAR.

[01:55:02]

IT'S NOT A LINEAR GRAPH.

SO, IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE LOGARITHMIC.

SO, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN RIT POINTS BETWEEN GRADE CHANGES.

OKAY. IT'S NOT CONSTANT I SEE OKAY.

NO OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT, VERY MUCH.

OKAY. NEXT, THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

[CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEMS]

WE HAVE TWO ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION.

THEY ARE APPROVAL TO WAIVE BOARD POLICY, BF LOCAL BOARD POLICIES AND APPROVAL OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY.

A LOCAL EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY ON FIRST READING.

THAT'S ITEM FOUR AND THE OTHER ITEM IS.

ITEM FIVE APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2023.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR APPROVAL OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY A LOCAL EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY.

[4. Approval To Waive Board Policy BF(LOCAL), Board Policies, And Approval Of Proposed Revisions To Board Policy AE(LOCAL), Educational Philosophy, On First Reading]

I THINK WE'VE GOT THE WRONG SCREEN UP SYSTEM IS OUT ON OUR SYSTEM IS NOT THE VOTING SYSTEM.

I CAN TAKE AN ORAL MOTION THAT MIGHT DRIVE EMILY CRAZY.

WHO? MY COMPUTER.

OH, ON THE RIGHT.

ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MICROPHONE.

DEAL. THAT'S A NEW ONE.

ALL RIGHT. IS EVERYBODY THERE? YEAH. GOT IT.

OKAY. I'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE BY MR. CAMPO. IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR BY RIC CAMPO AND A SECOND BY MS. MENDOZA. ARE THERE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THIS.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL TO GUIDE THE DISTRICT IN WHAT WORK IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE, WHO DID WORK TO ENSURE THAT WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IN PREPARATION FOR OUR DELIBERATIONS ON A LOCAL. I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT THROUGH MANY MEETINGS AND SURVEYS THAT WERE CONDUCTED AND RECEIVED BY THE BOARD AND THOUGHTFULLY PUT TOGETHER BY OUR COACH. ALSO NOTE THE TWO WORKSHOPS AND GOOD CONVERSATIONS BY BOARD MEMBERS.

APPRECIATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE PREPARATION AND PROVISION BY BOARD MEMBERS OF LANGUAGE FOR USE AND CONSIDERATION OVER THESE TWO WORKSHOPS, AND ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR STAFF FOR PROVIDING US WITH INFORMATION RELATED TO THE GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS.

OTHER THAN THAT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? MR. MARTINEZ? THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND I ECHO THAT STATEMENT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND YOUR TEAM.

SUPERINTENDENT, I KNOW WE REQUESTED A LOT OF DATA, AND YOUR TEAM WAS GREAT.

DR. MATNEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS AS WELL.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION WITH REGARD TO GO NUMBER THREE AND THAT'S THE CCMR GO.

I KNOW WE SPENT PLENTY OF TIME DISCUSSING WHICH ONE TO DO, AND I KNOW WE GOT CLOSER TO WHERE WE WANTED TO BE AS BEST AS WE CAN.

CAN YOU? DR.

MATNEY OR SUPERINTENDENT, WHICHEVER ONE, TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO OTHER STATES, DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OR AT LEAST ACROSS THE STATE, WHICH PERCENTAGE OF DISTRICTS USE THIS PARTICULAR GO? BECAUSE I THINK I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT FROM A BOARD PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE LOOKING AT GREATER OUTCOMES WHEN IT COMES TO CMR. SO, I THINK THAT'S A MEASURE WE SHOULD SPEAK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT TO SAY THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST.

BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, SUPERINTENDENT AND DR.

MATNEY, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM AND PROVIDE INFORMATION IF YOU HAVE SOME.

I DON'T HAVE ANY DIRECT INFORMATION OR COMPARISON ON OTHER DISTRICTS WITH REGARD TO THE EXACT PERCENTAGE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS THAT MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES, MOST

[02:00:01]

SO, I KNOW THERE'S A, IT'S PART OF THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.

I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DATA FOR YOU, THOUGH.

I HAVE WORKED WITH COLLEAGUES FROM AROUND THE NATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, ATLANTA WAS WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON A SIMILAR CMR GOAL.

IT'S DEFINITELY A NATIONAL CONCERN TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE READY, NOT JUST WHEN THEY'RE IN OUR BUILDINGS, BUT ONCE THEY LEAVE AS WELL.

SO, I DO HAVE ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT I'VE WORKED WITH AROUND THE NATION.

AND THEN I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

I KNOW PART OF THE ORIGINAL ASK WAS ABOUT MATRICULATION IN COLLEGES.

CAN YOU DISCUSS LIKE WHAT CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH OBTAINING THAT INFORMATION? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE ASKS THAT WE HAVE.

SO, WE DO HAVE TWO WAYS THAT WE DO GATHER THAT INFORMATION.

ONE IS AROUND JUST STUDENTS THAT ENROLL IN TEXAS POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS.

SO WE DO GET THAT DATA FROM TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD.

BUT WE ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO NATIONAL STUDENT CLEARINGHOUSE, AND IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH AROUND 98% OF POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND WE SUBMIT OUR STUDENT FILE.

AND THEN THEY TELL US WHERE THEY ARE, AND THEN WE FOLLOW THEM THROUGH SIX YEARS POST OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

SO, WE ARE ABLE TO SEE WHERE OUR STUDENTS GO, PUBLIC PRIVATE, TWO-YEAR, FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS.

AND THEN WE GET REPORTS ON DID THEY STAY THEIR SPRING SEMESTER OF THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR? DID THEY RETURN AFTER FRESHMAN YEAR FOR THEIR SECOND YEAR? SO, WE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE TRENDS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND BY OUR HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS.

DO WE DO WE TRACK THAT? I MEAN, AS A DISTRICT, I DON'T I DON'T I DON'T RECALL IT BEING A PROGRESS MEASURE, BUT WILL WE TRACK IT IN SOME OTHER WAY, SUPERINTENDENT.

YES. DR.

MATNEY, IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN HOW WE TRACK IT, THAT'D BE GREAT.

ABSOLUTELY. SO THAT'S A KEY PIECE OF DATA IN OUR CCMR DEPARTMENT.

THEY'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THAT TO IDENTIFY TRENDS SPECIFICALLY.

SO, ONE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE IS HOW MANY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WE DEEM COLLEGE READY ARE NOT ENROLLED AT HCC RIGHT AWAY.

AND HOW CAN WE GO AND REACH OUT TO OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE GRADUATED AND HELP SUPPORT THEM IN IN GETTING ENROLLED? WE KNOW THEY'RE READY. WE KNOW THAT THEY ACTUALLY APPLIED AND GOT ACCEPTED, BUT WHY ARE THEY NOT THERE? SO, WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH THERE.

AND THEN ALSO JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT LIKE THAT YEAR, TOO.

SO, DOING OUTREACH, WHY ARE OUR STUDENTS LEAVING AFTER THE FIRST YEAR? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THEN INTERACTING WITH OUR COLLEGE PARTNERS TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING WITH OUR STUDENTS.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD DISCUSSION? NO. OKAY, THEN PLEASE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE.

ITEM FOUR. APPROVAL OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY A LOCAL EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY.

SECOND READING.

MADAM PRESIDENT, IF YOU COULD READ THE ITEM AS WRITTEN HERE.

OH, GOODNESS. SORRY.

OKAY. COMPUTER. IT'S ON YOUR COMPUTER OR ON YOUR SCREEN UP HERE.

THAT WOULD BE A LOT EASIER.

OKAY. READ THE MOTION.

OH, I THOUGHT I JUST DID.

OKAY. APPROVAL TO WAIVE BOARD POLICY BF LOCAL BOARD POLICIES AND APPROVAL OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY A LOCAL EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY ON FIRST READING A.

WE'VE GOT A MOTION PENDING.

OKAY. VERY GOOD.

PLEASE VOTE.

HE HAS TO RECORD. HE HAS TO RECORD THEIRS THERE.

YOU GOT IT ALL DONE.

OKAY. OKAY.

SEVEN IN FAVOR.

TWO ABSENT.

THE MOTION PASSES.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?

[5. Approval Of The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report For The Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2023]

THERE IS A MOTION BY MR. MARTINEZ AND A SECOND BY MS. FLOWERS. MR. CAMPO, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COMMENT FROM THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ON THIS MATTER.

YES, I DO. SO, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TO START WITH BEFORE INTRODUCING THE EXACT ITEM THOUGH, IS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.

OUR AUDIT CHAIR IS ON ZOOM RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS WHICH? SHE HAD ASKED ME TO DO THIS.

JEANNETTE GARZA LINDER.

[02:05:01]

I JUST WANTED TO START OUT AND TALK ABOUT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE PROCESS.

SO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MET, AND THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF ADAM, RAVEN, JEANETTE AND MYSELF.

AND WE MET ON OCTOBER 30TH.

AND WE LOOKED AT OUR COMMITTEE CHARTER AND WE'RE REVISING THE COMMITTEE.

THE COMMITTEE CHARTER PROBABLY WILL BE DONE BY THE NEXT TIME.

WE ALSO REVIEWED THE 2023 FINANCIAL AUDIT UPDATE BY WEAVER.

WE HAD ALSO A MEETING WITH OUR OUTSOURCED INTERNAL AUDITOR.

THE INTERNAL AUDITORS WHERE AUDIT PROCESS WAS OUTSOURCED BY THE PREVIOUS BOARD TO US LLP.

THEY WENT THROUGH THEIR FISCAL YEAR 2024 INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AUDITING.

WE ALSO REVIEWED AUDIT REPORTS THAT WERE ISSUED SINCE THE LAST AUDIT COMMITTEE, A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF REPORTS.

AND WE ALSO REVIEWED THE ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE UPDATE.

AND I KNOW THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.

SO, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE REVIEWS ALL THE ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE ISSUES, WHETHER THEY AND ULTIMATELY, IT'S THE AUDIT COMMITTEE'S RESPONSIBLE RESPONSIBILITY TO REVIEW THOSE AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE HANDLED PROPERLY.

WITH THAT, WE HAVE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

AND LET ME JUST PREFACE IT WITH THIS.

WITHIN 150 DAYS OF THE CLOSE OF EACH FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE ROUGHLY THE END OF THIS MONTH.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS MUST FURNISH THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY WITH A COPY OF THE DISTRICT'S ANNUAL AUDIT.

TO THAT END, ON OCTOBER 30TH, WE MET THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, MET WITH AUDITORS FROM WEAVER AND THE DISTRICT STAFF AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.

THE AUDIT REPORT ISSUED THE DISTRICT OR THE AUDITORS.

THE AUDIT REPORT ISSUED THE DISTRICT A CLEAN, UNMODIFIED OPINION WITH NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES.

THERE WAS ONE SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY REPORTED AND THAT SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY RELATED TO INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING AND OF THE ACCRUAL OF TWO INVOICES, THERE WERE TWO INVOICES TOTALING $1.3 MILLION FOR SERVICES PERFORMED PRIOR TO JUNE 30TH, 2023, THAT WERE NOT PROPERLY RECORDED IN THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE EXPENDITURES.

THE DISTRICT'S SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL CONTROL DID NOT PROPERLY ACCRUE FOR THESE INVOICES IN THE APPROPRIATE PERIOD, DISTRICT STAFF REPORTED TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE THAT THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW PROCEDURES AND OR PRACTICES WERE ALREADY IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THIS DEFICIENCY, AND THE DEFICIENCY WAS NOT MATERIAL TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, THEREFORE, RECOMMENDS ACCEPTANCE OF THE DISTRICT ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.

I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THAT I THINK WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THE REMIND ME IF IT'S THE 44TH YEAR WHERE WE'VE RUN WHERE WE HAVE HISD HAS WON THE EXCELLENCE FOR REPORTING.

WE ARE LIKELY TO GET THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.

SO, ALL THE INFORMATION IS, IS IN THAT DOCUMENT.

IT'S A COUPLE HUNDRED PAGES FOR YOUR LATE-NIGHT READING.

THANK YOU, MR. CAMPO.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE AUDIT REPORT OR THE FINANCIAL REPORT? OKAY. THEN WHEN IT POPS UP, LET'S VOTE.

AND THIS IS A VOTE ON THAT.

THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30TH, 2023, EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 10TH, 2023.

[INAUDIBLE] . HOW LONG DO YOU WANT THE LAST THING? BEFORE WE. AFTER YOU ANNOUNCE THE VOTE.

NO ANSWER. VOTE. OKAY.

BEFORE YOU SIGN THEM.

OKAY. THE VOTE PASSES.

SEVEN IN FAVOR, TWO ABSENT.

MR. CAMPBELL, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

ONE LAST THING. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE FINANCE TEAM AND ALL THE TEAM THAT WAS INVOLVED IN ACCOUNTING AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT PUT TOGETHER THAT COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, BECAUSE IT IS COMPREHENSIVE. AND IF YOU EVER WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, YOU GO TO THAT REPORT.

IT'S VERY GOOD, DETAILED INFORMATION.

AND I KNOW OUR TEAM WORKED LATE, LATE HOURS WITH WEAVER TO GET THAT DONE.

SO, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

WE ARE NOW READY TO CONSIDER THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

OKAY. SEVEN IN FAVOR, TWO ABSENT.

[02:10:02]

WE ARE NOW READY TO HEAR ANY REPORTS AND COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.

ARE THERE ANY REPORTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS THIS EVENING? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? NO, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL RECESS TO CLOSES SESSION UNDER CHAPTER 551 OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, SUBSECTIONS 551.004 THROUGH

[CLOSED SESSION]

SUCH FINAL ACTION, VOTE OR DECISION SHALL BE TAKEN AT THE OPEN MEETING COVERED BY THIS NOTICE.

UPON THE RECONVENING OF THIS PUBLIC MEETING, OR AT A SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD.

UPON NOTICE THEREOF, THE BOARD HAS RECESSED TO CLOSED SESSION AT 7:28 P.M.

ON NOVEMBER 9TH, 2023.

THIS MEETING IS RECONVENED AT 8:53 P.M.

WE ARE NOW READY TO CONSIDER ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSE SESSION.

ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS? MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE THREE MOTIONS.

I HAVE THREE MOTIONS.

YES. PLEASE GO AHEAD WITH MOTION ONE.

WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO TAKE THEM SEPARATELY? YES, YES.

ALL RIGHT. YES, PLEASE.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVES THE CLOSED SESSION PERSONNEL AGENDA, INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY THAT THE BOARD APPROVES PROPOSED TERMINATIONS OF CONTINUING TERM AND PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAME, THAT THE BOARD APPROVES SUSPENSIONS WITHOUT PAY FOR CONTINUING TERM AND PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS, AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAME, THAT THE BOARD APPROVES WITHDRAWALS OF CONTRACT RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THAT THE BOARD APPROVES ISSUANCE OF FINAL ORDERS ON CONTRACT TERMINATIONS AND NON-RENEWALS AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 10TH, 2023.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MENDOZA AND A SECOND BY RIC CAMPO.

PLEASE VOTE. WE HAVE A YES FROM MS. CRUZ-ARNOLD. I DON'T THINK SO.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR, THREE ABSENT.

THE MOTION PASSES.

MS. MENDOZA, YOU HAD A SECOND MOTION.

A MOTION I MOVE THAT THE BOARD GRANT THE SUPERINTENDENT THE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE, EXECUTE AND AMEND ALL DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO AN EASEMENT WITH CENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP., DBA CENTERPOINT ENERGY.

TEXAS GAS OPERATIONS FOR UPGRADES TO AN EXISTING GAS LINE AT NQ HENDERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

IS THERE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. MENDOZA AND A SECOND BY MR. CAMPO. PLEASE VOTE.

MRS. CRUZ IS A YES.

VOTING IS COMPLETE.

SIX IN FAVOR, THREE ABSENT.

THE MOTION PASSES.

DO YOU HAVE A THIRD MOTION, MS. MENDOZA? YES.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD GRANT THE SUPERINTENDENT THE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE, EXECUTE AND AMEND ALL DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO A JOINT USE AGREEMENT BETWEEN HISD AND THE CITY OF BELLAIRE FOR THE USE OF THE PARKING LOT AND PLAYGROUND SPACE AT CONDIT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

IS THERE A SECOND? A MOTION BY M.

MENDOZA AND A SECOND BY MR. MARTINEZ. PLEASE VOTE.

YES FOR MS. CRUZ-ARNOLD.

THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR, THREE ABSENT.

THE MOTION PASSES.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER MOTIONS FOLLOWING CLOSED SESSION? YES, I HAVE A MOTION.

YES, SIR. OKAY.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AS PRESENTED IN CLOSED SESSION, INCLUDING THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENT TO BE USED TO MEASURE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PERFORMANCE AND THE AND THE PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PAY PLAN, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ATTACHED TO AND INCORPORATED IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT, EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER THE 9TH, 2023.

THE MOTION BY MR. CAMPO AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.

[02:15:07]

YES FROM MS. CRUZ-ARNOLD.

THANK YOU. THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR.

THREE ABSENT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER MOTIONS FOLLOWING CLOSED SESSION? I DON'T BELIEVE SO. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I RECEIVED A COPY OF REMARKS FROM OUR COLLEAGUE JEANETTE GARZA LINDER, RELATED TO THE DISTRICT OF INNOVATION COMMITTEE.

SHE WANTED TO MAKE A REPORT.

THANK YOU, EMILY, FOR GIVING THIS TO ME AS A MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT INNOVATION COMMITTEE.

THIS IS THE WORDS OF JEANETTE.

SHE WANTED TO REPORT THAT WE PRESENTED THE COMMITTEE'S WORK TO THE DISTRICT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND ENGAGED IN A THOUGHTFUL, PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED EXEMPTIONS.

IS OVERDUE TO BE A DISTRICT OF INNOVATION, AND THE COMMITTEE BELIEVED THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN DRAFTED WITH THE FEEDBACK WILL SUPPORT IMPROVED STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

THE COMMITTEE MET AGAIN TODAY TO ANALYZE AND INCORPORATE THE FEEDBACK INTO THE FINAL VERSION OF THE PLAN.

THE COMMITTEE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE PLAN BEING POSTED TOMORROW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD IN THE DECEMBER MEETING.

THE NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING WILL BE ON DECEMBER 14TH, 2023.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED AT 8:58 P.M.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.