WELCOME, EVERYONE. [00:00:01] THIS IS THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING FOR OCTOBER 29, 2020, AND I'M CALLING [1. Meeting Called to Order by Chair Anderson] THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 4:02 P.M. AND I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL SO WE CAN HAVE A RECORD OF WHO WAS HERE. CINDY ANDERSON PRESENT. VERONICA NOLAN. IS HERE I CAN SEE HER. THERE YOU ARE OK. MEAGAN ALDERTON. YES. RAMEE GENTRY. HERE. JACINTA GREENE. HERE. MARGARET LORBER. HERE. MICHELLE RIEF. HERE. HEATHER THORNTON. HERE. AND CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ YET. [2. Observe a Moment of Silence] OK, SO I'M SURE HE'LL JOIN US SOON AND NOW WE'LL START OFF WITH THE MOMENT OF SILENCE. OK, THANK YOU, EVERYONE. NOW, IF WE CAN MOVE AHEAD AND IF I COULD GET A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA, PLEASE. [3. Adopt the Agenda for the October 29, 2020 School Board Meeting] MADAM CHAIR I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING. OK. SECOND. MS. GENTRY SECONDS MS. LORBERS MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA, AND I SENT EVERYBODY [INAUDIBLE] SOMETHING ABOUT AN AMENDMENT TO PULL SOMETHING OFF. IT WAS TOO LATE TO PUT OFF AN AGENDA SETTING TO REMOVE THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO DO THAT? IT'S NOT. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT LATER. MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE PULL THE ACPS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR. SECOND. MS. GREENE SECONDS MS. GENTRY'S MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO REMOVE THAT ITEM. I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO THE. I'M SORRY, MISS ANDERSON. I BELIEVE I MISSPOKE. I SAID, PULL WHICH IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SINCE IT'S THE CONSENT CALENDAR. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, MY MOTION IS TO REMOVE IT FROM THE CALENDAR. OK, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE REMOVING THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THIS AGENDA. AND SO THAT WAS MS. GREENE SECONDED MS. GENTRY'S MOTION. SO I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE. CINDY ANDERSON. YES. VERONICA NOLAN. YES. MEAGAN ALDERTON. YES. RAMEE GENTRY. YES. JACINTA GREENE. YES. MARGARET LORBER. YES. MICHELLE RIEF. YES. CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ. YES. HEATHER THRONTON. YES, OK, THAT'S 9-0. AND WE ARE NOW ALL HERE. SO THAT'S GOOD. AND NOW I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE AMENDED, AMENDED AGENDA. CINDY ANDERSON. YES. VERONICA NOLAN. YES. YES. MEAGAN ALDERTON. YES. RAMEE GENTRY. YES. JACINTA GREENE. YES. MARGARET LORBER. YES. MICHELLE RIEF. YES. CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ. YES. HEATHER THRONTON. YES. SO THAT'S NINE ZERO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. AND NOW NEXT UP, WE HAVE OUR. [4. Public Hearing on the Renaming of Schools] WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE RENAMING OF SCHOOLS AND THIS AFTERNOON WE HAVE 14 SPEAKERS. AND SO IF YOU WOULD IF YOU'RE ON THE CALL TO SPEAK, IF YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HAND TO THE CLERK, THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR MS. NIELSEN TO MOVE YOU OVER WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DELIVER THE MESSAGE. THERE'S NO VISIBLE CLOCK, BUT THERE WILL BE A RINGING IF YOU GET TWO OR THREE MINUTES. IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR ON THESE ZOOM CALLS THOUGH, SO WE MIGHT HAVE TO TO TELL YOU WE WELCOME ANY AND ALL COMMENTS. IF YOU WANT TO SEND YOUR COMMENTS, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY TO US, PLEASE DO. AND THAT WAY YOU CAN ACTUALLY SUBMIT LONGER COMMENTS THAN CAN FIT INTO THE THREE MINUTES JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. THIS IS OUR TIME TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY SO WE DON'T ENGAGE WITH INDIVIDUALS IN TERMS OF THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING. SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE MS. DEARING. IF WE HAVE SUSAN, DO YOU SEE? THERE'S A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON HERE WITHOUT LIKE A REAL NAME, I SEE ONE CALLED THE SENTRY. I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS. OK, SO I'M LOOKING FOR MS. ELIZABETH DEARING. [00:05:03] ACPS STUDENT. WELL, JUST LET ME JUST CHECK ON THE SENTRY. CAN YOU TELL ME YOUR NAME, PLEASE? THE PERSON WHO'S REGISTERED IS THE SENTRY. I'M SORRY WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, SO IF YOU COULD JUST TELL ME YOUR NAME. GREG [INAUDIBLE]., OH, AWESOME. OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GOING TO PUT YOU BACK ON MUTE FOR A MOMENT. CINDY, I WOULD JUST MOVE TO THE NEXT SPEAKER, PERHAPS THEY'RE NOT ON YET. YES, I THINK SO. OK, NEXT UP, WE HAVE MR. HART. I SEE HE'S ON HERE. I'M UNMUTED NOW, AND YOU CAN YOU WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. BUT YOU CAN'T SEE ME. IS THAT OK? THAT'S FINE. WE SEE WE SEE YOUR NAME AND WE [INAUDIBLE]. I'M NOT MUCH TO SEE ANYWAY. SO THERE WE GO. OK, SHOULD I START? YES, PLEASE. MY NAME IS HARRY P BUD HART I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE RENAMING T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL TO JUDGE NOLAN V. DAWKINS HIGH SCHOOL. MY CONNECTION WITH THE SCHOOL IS SEVERAL GRANDDAUGHTERS WHO HAVE BEEN ARE NOW AND WILL BE ATTENDING. AND AS A MEMBER OF THE KIWANIS CLUB, WHICH HAS A KEY CLUB AT T.C. WILLIAMS AND OFFERED SEVERAL SCHOLARSHIPS EACH YEAR. AND I'M ON THEIR SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE. AND WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS JUDGE NOLAN B. DAWKINS IS A WONDERFUL PERSON TO NAME OUR SCHOOL AFTER HE HAS LIVED ALL OF HIS LIFE IN ALEXANDRIA, IS A PRODUCT OF THE ALEXANDRIA SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT WAS THE FIRST STUDENT TO INTEGRATE GW HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN HIS DAY. HE WENT INTO THE ARMY AFTER COLLEGE AND THEN WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AND CAME RIGHT BACK TO ALEXANDRIA. HIS FIRST JOB HERE IN THE CITY WAS IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS HE WAS SUCCESSFUL, SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE ATTORNEY. HE BECAME THE FIRST AND ONLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN JUDGE IN ALEXANDRIA. HE WAS A JUVENILE COURT JUDGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE FOR MANY MORE, ALL FOR A TOTAL OF TWENTY SIX YEARS AS A JUDGE IN OUR CITY. HE HAS AND HE HAD AND HAS A WONDERFUL REPUTATION, IS HIGH QUALITY, HAS BEEN ALL OF THE TIME. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EMBODY THE NAME OF A SINGULARLY HIGH QUALITY SYSTEM CITIZEN AND JURIST THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND THE STUDENTS OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL, INCLUDING MY GRANDDAUGHTERS, CAN BE PROUD OF IN EVERY WAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU, MR. HART. NEXT UP, WE HAVE MR. [INAUDIBLE], WHO IS SENTRY. SO I'M NOT REPRESENTING SENTRY. SOMEHOW THAT'S MY BUSINESS. SO THIS IS GREG [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M A CO PARENT FOR THREE ACPS STUDENTS, INCLUDING ONE RISING FRESHMAN. THERE WERE SOME STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO SPEAK AT THIS SESSION AND FOR SOME BUREAUCRATIC REASON, THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED OR WEREN'T ABLE TO. SO THEY SENT ME AN EMAIL. I'M JUST GOING TO READ THEIR STATEMENT FIRST. THESE ARE SOME STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL. THE DEFINITION OF SYSTEMIC OR INSTITUTIONAL RACISM IS A FORM OF RACISM THAT IS EMBEDDED INTO NORMAL PRACTICES IN SOCIETY. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING ALLOWED BY KEEPING THIS NAME. OUR STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC IS MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND THAT IS THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT T.C. WILLIAMS FOUGHT TO KEEP OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS BY ALLOWING HIS NAME TO REPRESENT US. WE ARE IGNORING THE FACT THAT BECAUSE OF HIS ACTIONS AND BELIEFS, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY WERE OPPRESSED. IT'S INCREDIBLY HARMFUL TO FAMILIES OF COLOR, AS THE NAME SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE MISTREATMENT AND TRAUMA, CAUSE BY TC WILLIAMS RACIAL INJUSTICES TOWARD THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN I'LL I'LL MOVE TO MY OWN STATEMENT. EVERY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER KNOWS AND IS KNOWN FOR A PAINFULLY LONG TIME T.C. WILLIAMS WAS KNOWN AS A RACIST. HE WAS AN ARDENT SEGREGATIONIST AND REFUSED TO INTEGRATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR YEARS. IT'S A FACT HIS MOST NOTABLE LEGACY IS THOUSANDS OF KIDS SUFFERED UNDER HIS VICIOUS LEADERSHIP. NOW, THE ACPS HAS SPENT SO MUCH TIME, DECADES, AVOIDING AND BELABORING THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE NAME FROM OUR ONE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL RECENTLY, BUNGLING THE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TREATING COMMUNITY AND STUDENT CALLS FOR CHANGE AS ANNOYANCES AND THREATS TO EVADE AND CONTROL. [00:10:05] UNLEASHING BUREAUCRATIC HOOPS IN THE MIDST OF STRESSFUL, DIFFICULT TIME AND DRAGGING ITS HEELS IN EVERY STEP IN WHICH SHOULD BE BEEN A NO-BRAINER. ISN'T IT TIME FOR THE BOARD TO FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY, JUST DO THE RIGHT THING? GENERATIONS OF BRAVE VOICES ALL HAVE CALLED FOR THE CHANGE, COMING TOGETHER IN THIS YEAR OF PAIN AND CHAOS WITH THING MESSAGE TO THE FUTURE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY, OUR NATION AND WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL. YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT AT THIS POINT, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE OTHERWISE SO STOP FIDDLING AROUND. VOTE TO REMOVE THE NAME NOW, PLEASE, AND WE'LL CELEBRATE AND COME UP WITH A NEW NAME TOGETHER. THEN, ONWARD TOGETHER TO THE MANY OTHER ISSUES WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN OUR SCHOOLS FROM INCOMPETENT LEADERSHIP TO WIDESPREAD SYSTEMIC INEQUITY. THANK YOU. >>> I THINK THE NEXT WE HAVE MR. HOPKINS. >>> CAN YOU HEAR ME. >> YES, THANK YOU. >> I WAS TRYING TO TURN ON VIDEO. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. >> WE HAVE OUR PHOTO SO THAT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT. >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M GLEN HOPKINS AND I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF HOPKINS HOUSE. AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, THIS VENABLE AND STORIED INSTITUTION WAS FOUNDED IN 1939 BY ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS. OVER THE 81 # THE HOUSE HAD A CLOSE, POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION. IN THE 1940'S, HOPKINS HOUSE, NAACP FIRST ENVISIONED AND WORKED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BUILD PARKER GRAY, WHICH OPENED IN 1950 AND WAS TORN DOWN IN 1965 AND PRECURSOR TO THE HIGH SCHOOL IS NOW INFAMOUSLY NAMED FOR THE RACIST SUPERINTENDENT TO BULLIED OVER THE SCHOOL FOR 30 YEARS. I SHARE THIS TO SHOW HOW HOPKINS HOUSE IS SO INVESTED IN RIGHTING THIS WRONG. WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN WORKING WITH ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SO MANY ISSUES, ISSUES AT THE HEART OF WHAT PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR CITY IS ALL ABOUT. WE HAD BEEN DECIDEDLY, SADLY AND FRUSTRATINGLY LESS SUCCESSFUL IN COMING TOGETHER TO RID THIS CITY AND OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ONE OF ITS MOST VISIBLE AND HEINOUS SYMBOLS OF RACISM AND BUY AS. I KNOW MANY YOU AND REGARD YOU AS A FRIEND. WE SHARE COMMON VALUES, WHICH -- OF WHICH IS A ABHORRENCE TO RACISM AND BIAS. THE LATE GREAT CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS, AND I PARAPHRASE HIM, WHEN YOU YOU SEE SOMETHING WRONG, SAY SOMETHING AND DO SOMETHING. WE SEE THE NAME OF OUR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL. WE SAY TO YOU THAT IT'S WRONG TO BE THERE BECAUSE IT'S A HATEFUL SYMBOL THAT HURTS AND DIVIDES US AND WE ASK YOU NOW TO DO SOMETHING BY REMOVING THIS EVIL NAME. NOT TO BE MISSED IS THE FACT AT SUCH SYMBOLS IS A DETRIMENTAL NOT ONLY TO THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE OF COLOR BUT TO OUR WHITE BROTHERS AND SISTERS AS WELL THAT WHITE CHILDREN SHALL BE BURDENED BY THE SIN OFS THEIR FATHERS IS A WEIGHT THEY SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO BEAR. REMOVING THESE PUBLIC SYMBOLS OF HATE AND BIAS IS NOT A MATTER OF RACE BUT A MATTER OF RIGHT. IN 1991 ON BEHALF OF HOPKINS HOUSE I CALLED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD TO CHANGE THE NAME. TODAY, 22 YEARS LATER THE NAME STILL REMAINS. THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DEBATE ON THIS FESTERING ISSUE SHOULD BE OVER FOR IT'S GONE ON FAR TOO LONG. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY IN THIS MOMENT OF HISTORY TO CHANGE THE SYMBOL OF HATE TO ONE THAT REPRESENTS GOODNESS AND HUMANITY OF OUR CITY. REMOVE HIS NAME. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. HOPKINS. NEXT WE HAVE MISS P REGNA KIN. THANK YOU. >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. [00:15:01] THANK YOU TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. I'M A PROUD ACPS GRADUATE, I'M PROUD TO BE A ACPS EMPLOYEE AND HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT GRADUATED FROM ACPS CLASS OF 16. YOU HAVE TWO AT GEORGE MASON ELEMENTARY, GOD BLESS THE TEACHERS AND TWO AT GEORGE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL. IF YOU KNOW ME YOU KNOW I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO LIVE AND WORK IN ALEXANDRIA. UNFORTUNATELY, I'M COMPLETELY ASHAMED THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR ONLY HIGH SCHOOL NAMED FOR A RACIST AND A SEGREGATIONIST. TODAY I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE AGREE TO CHANGE THE NAME. PLEASE SET UP A QUICKEN GAUGE. TO DETERMINE A NEW NAME. AND PLEASE SHOW OUR BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS THAT THEY MATTER. ACPS PRIDES ITSELF ON EQUITY AND CELEBRATING DIVERSITY. PLEASE DEMONSTRATE OUR CELEBRATION TO DIVERSITY BY CHANGING THE NAME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL. NOW DR. HUTCHINGS GRADUATED A YEAR AHEAD OF ME FROM T.C. HIS MOTHER, MRS. HUTCHINGS WAS A TEACHER AT MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HE MENTIONED IN THE "WASHINGTON POST" THIS SUMMER, I'LL PARAPHRASE, A NAME CHANGE WAS SOMETHING WE DIDN'T EVEN THINK WAS POSSIBLE IN THE 90S, PLEASE LET'S MAKE IT POSSIBLE NOW. FOR THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MISS MAR MILLER. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. >> HI, THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS TRISHA MAR-MILLER, I LIVED IN ALEXANDRIA 28 YEARS, 20 AS A PARENT. FOR THE MAJORITY I NEITHER ASKED OR WORDED WHO T.C. WILLIAMS HASN'T THIS IS ALEXANDRIA, OF COURSE HE WAS A GOOD MAN. HOW MANY ALEXANDRIA ANS ASSUMED THE SAME. A YEAR AFTER WORKING AS A TUDOR AND ACADEMIC FOR STUDENTS I STARTED RECOGNIZE A LACK OF EQUITY. AT A LOCAL LUNCH SPOT I HEARD IT SAID, A FRIEND AND ADMINISTRATOR AT THE SCHOOL TOLD ME NOT ONLY IS THERE INEQUITY AT THE SYSTEM BUT THE SCHOOL IS NAMED FOR A MAN WHO FOUGHT FOR SEGREGATION AND TRIED TO EXCLUDE THE STUDENTS YOU'RE SUPPORTING. ONE NEED NOT SPEND TIME RESEARCHING WHO HE WAS. READ ONE OR TWO ARTICLES, INTERVIEWS AND ACCOUNTS. AS EVERYONE KNOWS THERE'S A BOOK AS WELL. THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL IN OUR DIVERSE PROGRESSIVE CITY HONORS AND ARCH SEGREGATIONIST AND VOWED RACIST TO VAL VIEWED NEITHER DIVERSITY OR PROGRESS. ALLOWING HIS NAME TO REMAIN IN A PLACE OF HONOR SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE TO BLACK STUDENTS AND ASSISTS. THEY HAVE BEEN PERMITTED TO ATTEND T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL NOT BECAUSE WE VALUE THEM AS VITAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND RECOGNIZE THEIR EQUAL RIGHTS BUT BECAUSE THE MAN AFTER WHOM THEIR SCHOOL IS NAMED LOST THE BATTLE TO KEEP THEM OUT. LET ME REAP THAT. WILLIAMS LOST A HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE TO KEEP THEM OUT. YET WE HONOR HIM. MANY MAY SAY OH NO, THAT'S NOT ME. I VALUE ALL PEOPLE. HOWEVER, UNLESS YOU HAVE ACTIVELY FOUGHT WITH US TO GET HIS NAME OFF THAT SCHOOL, I'M SORRY TO LET YOU KNOW YOU ARE COMPLICIT. THE NAME OF OUR ONLY HIGH SCHOOL HONORS A MAN WHO BELIEVED AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND DISABLED CHILDREN SHOULD BE EDUCATED IN SEGREGATED ANYTHING BUT EQUAL SCHOOLS. THE NAME T.C. WILLIAMS MUST MAKE BY POCKS STUDENTS WONDER IF THEY'RE WANTED AND WELCOME IF ALL THESE DECADES OF SUPPOSED PROGRESS THE CITY IS TELLING THEM THEY WERER THEY ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. WHAT MESSAGE IS THE NAME SENDING TO EVERY STUDENT AND TO EVERY PERSON WHO KNOWS OF WILLIAMS PROLONGED, CONCERTED EFFORTS TO KEEP BLACK AND DISABLED STUDENTS FROM ATTENDING OUR SCHOOLS. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO BELIEVE CHANGING THE NAME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL IS A MISTAKE. THIS RENAMING PROCESS INCLUDES THE POSSIBILITY WILLIAMS NAME WILL REMAIN ON THE SCHOOL. OUR HISTORY HAS BEEN WRITTEN. WE CANNOT CHANGE IT. HOWEVER, THAT HISTORY SHOULD NOT ONLY DISGUST AND FORTIFY US BUT MOTIVATE US TO CHANGE [00:20:02] THE ASPECTS OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT ABIDES SYSTEMIC RACISM. WE CANNOT REWRITE HISTORY BUT IT'S TIME NOW TO REWRITE OUR FUTURE. LET IT BE MADE WE KNOW LONGER HONOR EXCLUSION AND RACISM IN ALEXANDRIA. I BEG YOU TO VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO REMOVE THE NAME OF A HATEFUL MAN FROM ALEXANDRIA'S ONLY HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE MR. HODGE. >>> I DON'T SEE MR. HODGE PRESENT. ALTHOUGH, MAYBE WE CAN GO BACK TO HIM. LET ME CHECK. SOME OF THOSE PHONE NUMBERS TO MAKE SURE. I THINK YOU'RE ON MUTE, CINDY. >> IT WOULD ARE BE HAPPY -- WE'LL GO BACK TO THE PEOPLE WE DIDN'T CAPTURE AT THE END. NEXT, I HAVE MR. WATERS THEN. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> I SUPPORT RENAMING T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL AND WILLIAM MORRIE ELEMENTARY ON THE CURRENT ACPS STANDARDS, WHICH ARE A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD. I CHOOSE NOT TO QUIBBLE ON THE GOODNESS OR IDENTITIES OF T.C. WILLIAMS OR MORRIE. ON THE CONTRARY I COME AS A VESTED STAKEHOLDER RISKING BEING MISUNDERSTOOD BUT FOCUS ON A HIGHER CALLING TO HELP YOU DECIDE WHETHER THERE ARE COMPELLING REASONS TO RENAME TWO PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNDER CURRENT RENAMING STANDARDS. IN MY VIEW THERE ARE COMPELLING REASONS. BUT I ADMIT BEING HAMPERED BY AN INCOMPLETE RECORD OF T.C. WILLIAMS JOB EXPECTATIONS, CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS OF BUDGETARY CONDITIONS AND LACK OF OBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOR OF STANDARDS. AS A RESULT I APPLIED CURRENT AND EXACT EXPECTATIONS, FUZZY CONDITIONS AND PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS BEHAVIOR STANDARDS, DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE REVEALS THE DECEASED FORMER SUPERINTENDENT FAILED TO MAKE AN EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND STUDENT SERVICES. MR. MAURY'S ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. I BELIEVE IT CAN WILLIAMS AND MATTHEW MAUER MOWERY ARE NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN YOU ARE ME BUT THEIR CHOSEN BEHAVIOR, I SAY AGAIN, THEIR CHOSEN BEHAVIOR, IS THE ISSUE THAT IS DISTURBING TO ME. MR. WILLIAMS, AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, WAS HIGHLY PARTIAL AND MR. MAURY MAINTAINED HIS ALLEGIANCE TO THE CONFEDERACY. BOTH OF THEIR FAILURE IN MY VIEW OF UPHOLDING THE ACPS STANDARDS, CURRENT STANDARDS, IS DISQUALIFYING. SO I STILL QUESTION WHAT WAS THE ACPS STANDARD TO NAME THE TWO SCHOOLS DISCUSSED. I HOPE WE CAN ALL AGREE FACTORS SUCH AS EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS ON VARIOUS CONDITIONS MATTER. WHEN THESE FACTORS ARE APPLIED AS EDUCATORS, TEACHERS AND LEADERS, I SUBMIT THEIR HUMAN BEHAVIOR ALONE IS SUFFICIENT BASIS FOR REMOVING THEIR NAME ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNLESS YOU DECIDE TO USE THE ANTIQUATED MIGHT MAKES RIGHT PHILOSOPHY. IN CLOSING THESE RENAMING PETITIONS AFFORDS THE CITY ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TURN THE PAGE ON A MIGHT MAKES RIGHT HISTORY. THERE BY PROVING ONCE AGAIN THAT PLACES LIKE PEOPLE CAN BE RENEWED WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THE PRIVILEGE OF YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE MR. MONSON, I THINK I SAW HIM. YES, HE'S ALREADY OVER -- MR. MONSON? >> IT'S DISAPPEARED. >> HELLO, MR. MONSON, CAN YOU HEAR US? >> I HEAR YOU. >> OKAY. >> WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW. >> PLEASE PROCEED. >> OKAY, CAN YOU SEE ME? >> NO, BUT THAT'S -- >> WE SEE YOUR NAME. THAT'S ALL. >> JUST AS WELL. [00:25:02] I WON'T BE HOLDING THE PHONE IN A STRANGE WAY THEN. SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M GOING TO GIVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN YOU'VE HEARD SO FAR. THE ONE THING THAT THIS COMES DOWN TO FOR ME IS THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS NAMED AFTER A MAN. BUT IT HAS BEEN REDEFINED BY OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY AS A SYMBOL OF UNITY AND DIVERSITY AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD TREASURE. DIVORCING WHAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH MR. WILLIAMS BUT RETAINING THE GOODWILL WE'VE DEVELOPED OVER SO MANY DECADES. BUT LET ME FIRST SPEAK AS A FATHER OF AN UPPER CLASS MAN AND MENTION A FEW PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCERNS I HAVE IF WE WERE TO CHANGE THE NAME. I DON'T MEAN FOR THESE TO BE CONSIDERED MINOR AND MINISCULE, BUT THEY ARE REALISTIC CONCERNS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE THINK THROUGH. FIRST OF ALL, OUR T.C. WILLIAMS NAME IS LISTED IN A NUMBER OF DATA BASIS THE STUDENTS UTILIZE. I HAVE HELPED MY DAUGHTER WORKING THROUGH THE NOVIANCE WEBSITE TO LOOK FOR COLLEGES. THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT REQUIRE YOU SEARCHING THROUGH AND FINDING YOUR HIGH SCHOOL NAME. THAT'S SOMETHING, IF THE NAME CHANGES, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO DIFFICULTIES YOU MIGHT FIND IN HAVING A DIFFERENT NAME. ALSO, AT LEAST IN THE NEAR TERM, THERE ARE A LOT OF ADMISSIONS OFFICES OR COLLEGE COACHES THAT MIGHT LOOK FOR RECRUITS THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL. A CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT NAME, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S RELATIVELY MINOR AND EASY TO OVERCOME, THE LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GREAT HIGH SCHOOL THAT WE REPRESENT, I THINK THAT IS GOING TO POSE A BIT OF A PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF. MY BROADER CONCERNS, THOUGH, ARE I THINK IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT A STUDENT'S DESTINY IS TIED TO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL NAME RATHER THAN INDIVIDUALALTY. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE MESSAGE WE'RE TRYING TO SEND. I THINK IT ALSO CONVEYS THE MESSAGE THAT A SIMPLE NAME CHANGE CAN SOLVE THE SERIOUS PROBLEMS OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY FACES. I THINK WE HAVE CHONE AS A COMMUNITY PARTICULARLY OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS THAT THE HARD WORK AND WORKING TOGETHER TO BE MORE INTEGRATED AND EMBRACE OUR DIVERSITY, THAT IS WHAT HAS CHANGED. AND SO I THINK -- A SIMPLE NAME CHANGE IS NOT GOING TO ACCOMPLISH A SOLUTION TO THE REAL CHALLENGES WE FACE IN OUR SOCIETY. LASTLY LET ME SAY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE AS AN ADULT, I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT GOODWILL OF OUR NAME. I KNOW THAT WE DON'T LIVE IN A DISNEY MOVIE, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAS MORE GOODWILL ASSOCIATED WITH ITS NAME. AND THAT IS STANDS FOR THE EXACT PROPOSITION WE CAN OVER COME SEGREGATION. WE CAN OVERCOME RACISM BY WORKING TOGETHER. AND EVERYONE I HAVE TALKED TO, WHEN I ASKED THEM WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT T.C. WILLIAMS, THEY SAY IT'S THE HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THEY OVERCAME THE RACIAL PROBLEMS. SO I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF GOODWILL IN THE NAME THAT WE HAVE REDEFINED THAT SEPARATES FROM MR. WILLIAMS. IN CONCLUSION, LET ME JUST SAY -- >> BUILD MONSON, I'M SORRY YOU HAVE USED MORE THAN THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>> YOU CAN SEND US THE REST OF YOUR COMMENTS. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR THAT, SUSAN. IT'S A LITTLE BIT SUBTLE COMPARED TO THE ONE IN OUR BOARDROOM. >> I'M GOING TO GET THE LOUD ONE NEXT TIME. >> NEXT, MR. SANDERS. >> OH. LET'S SEE. >> HE'S THERE AND -- >> HE'S THERE. I DON'T HEAR HIM SPEAKING BUT I SEE THAT -- >> HE HAS BOTH A CONNECTION ON THE COMPUTER AND ON THE PHONE, BOTH ARE ALLOWED TO TALK. HE MAY NEED TO UNMUTE. >> IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE COMPUTER, HE'S UNMUTED, RIGHT? >> CORRECT. >> MR. SANDERS? >> LET'S SEE. SO IT LOOKS LIKE HE DID CONNECT WITH THE PHONE AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S TRYING TO USE BUT IT IS MUTED. >> OKAY. MAYBE IF MR. SANDERS, YOU CAN UNMUTE YOUR PHONE. >> YEAH BECAUSE HE'S ON A PHONE, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH HIS -- >> YOU CAN'T [00:30:02] UNMUTE A PHONE. >> IT LOOKS LIKE HE IS UNMUTED. WHY DON'T WE GO TO THE NEXT PERSON AND WE'LL GO BACK TO MR. SANDERS. >> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. NEXT UP WE HAVE MS. HENDERSON, SHARON HENDERSON. >> GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT. I'M SHARON HENDERSON, DAUGHTER OF COCHAIRMAN BOON. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL THIS EVENING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU CONCERNING RENAMING T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL. AS YOU GO THROUGH YOUR VERY SERIOUS PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHETHER TO RENAME T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL, I SIMPLY WANTED TO EXPRESS THE DESIRE OF BOTH THE BOON AND YOST FAMILIES WHO HAVE OUR FATHER'S NAMES CONSIDERED AS THE NEW NAME FOR T.C. WILLIAMS SHOULD THE DECISION TO CHANGE MOVE FORWARD. NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT THE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE REMEMBER THE TITANS BUT T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL IN MANY HOUSEHOLDS AROUND THE COUNTRY. IT FOREVER CARVED OUR FATHER'S NAMES IN THE HISTORY BOOKS OF THE WORLD. I WANT IT KNOWN THREE TWO DID GREATER THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY OF ALEXANDRIA THAN PORTRAYED IN THE MOVIE. BOTH MEN SHARED A HISTORY OF BEING RELENTLESS ADVOCATES FOR STUDENTS TOWARDS SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. BECAUSE OF THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, MANY YOUNG PEOPLE BENEFITED FROM THEIR LEADERSHIP ON AND OFF THE FOOTBALL FIELD AND TODAY ARE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR OWN LIVES. WAYNE SANDERS, WHO YOU HAVE ON THE BOARD TO SPEAK, IS AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE AMONG MANY WHO BENEFITED FROM HIS MENTORING EXPERIENCE WITH THESE TWO GREAT MEN. SHOULD THE BOARD DECIDE TO RENAME THE SCHOOL AND CHOOSE BOONE YOST HIGH SCHOOL, IT WOULD BE ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS THE MEMORIES OF BOTH MEN COULD RECEIVE. I BELIEVE IT WOULD ALSO COMMUNICATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION FOR ALL OF THE EXTREMELY DIVERSE STUDENT AND COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA. AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD THIS EVENING. >> THANK YOU. I THINK MAYBE -- DID MR. SANDERS, CAN YOU SPEAK NOW IN I THINK MAYBE I HEARD SOMETHING. >> STILL NOT WORKING. >> LET ME SEE. >> I THOUGHT I SAW THE SQUARE WITH HIS NAME. >> YEAH. MAKE SOME INDICATION THAT HE WAS ABLE TO TRANSMIT. >> WE'LL KEEP GOING BACK TO HIM. >> OKAY, NOW WE HAVE NEXT UP, MS. HATO. >> YES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. >> HELLO? >> DO YOU HAVE TWO -- DO YOU HAVE SOUND COMING OUT OF ANOTHER MACHINE? >> NO, I DON'T THINK SO. IS THAT BETTER? >> IT SEEMS TO HAVE SUBSIDED. IT WAS MOMENTARY. PROCEED. >> OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS COLLEEN HATO, RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA. I'M AN ATTORNEY HERE AS IS MY HUSBAND. MY DAUGHTER ATTENDED KINDERGARTEN AT MILES CROUCH. I HAVE TO SAY I'M INCREDIBLE CREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE FAILURE TO HAVE T.C. WILLIAMS RENAMED IN A SWIFT AND CERTAIN MANNER. IT IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AS WE WATCH OUR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS RENAME SCHOOLS NAMED AFTER RACISTS, SEGREGATIONISTS AND CONFEDERATES THAT WE ARE STILL DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO ACT OR NOT. IT'S THE STALL TACTICS THAT NOT EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THIS SCHOOL BOARD HAS MADE AN EXPLICIT ENDORSEMENT THE NAME OF T.C. WILLIAMS MUST GO. THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA DON'T NEED TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT T.C. WILLIAMS AND WHO HE WAS BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO HE WAS. WE'RE NOT PROUD OF WHO HE WAS. THIS IS ONE OF MULTIPLE EFFORTS TO TRY TO CHANGE THIS NAME, YET THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WE ELECTED HAVE NOT CHOSEN TO ACT HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED. I WOULD ENDORSE THE HIGH SCHOOL TO BE CHANGED TO NOLAN DOCKENS HIGH SCHOOL. IT WOULD AN HONOR TO NAME A HIGH SCHOOL AFTER HIM, A HIGH SCHOOL ALL OF US COULD BE PROUD OF AND OUR CHILDREN PROUD TO ATTEND. [00:35:03] ME AS A PARENT WOULD BE PROUD TO HAVE MY CHILDREN GRADUATE FROM THAT HIGH SCHOOL. WE'RE NOT PROUD OF T.C. WILLIAMS AND WE SHOULDN'T BE PROUD OF T.C. WILLIAMS BUT THE SILENCE AND LACK OF ACTION HAS BEEN VERY LOUD. ALMOST DEAFING AT TIMES. I WOULD ASK THIS SCHOOL BOARD TAKE SWIFT AND CERTAIN ACTIONS TO CHANGE THE NAME OF T.C. WILLIAMS AND MATTHEW MAURY AND NO LONGER SIT IN SILENCE OR PUT US THROUGH BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS. YOUR CONSTITUENTS DESERVE BETTER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE MISS CHAPMAN. MICHELLE CHAPMAN. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> WE SURE CAN. GO AHEAD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MICHELLE CHAPMAN AND I HAVE LIVED IN THIS CITY FOR OVER -- FOR 65 YEARS. I AM AN ALUMNI OF THE ONLY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA CLASS OF 1974. I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY SISTER TONI, CLASS OF 1971 AND TWO BROTHERS, JOHN, CLASS OF 1975 AND G STANLEY, CLASS OF 1976. I ALSO SPEAK FOR THE COUNTLESS CHILDREN OF COLOR WHO ARE HELD BACK FROM ACHIEVING THEIR HIGHEST POSSIBILITIES BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF A DESPICABLE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT WAS THEN AND IS STILL INHABITING THE BUILDING AT 3330 KING STREET. I ALSO SPEAK FOR AN EMPLOYEE WHO LOST HER JOB BECAUSE SHE WANTED THE BEST FOR HER CHILDREN. THAT SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE WHO WAS FIRED BECAUSE OF THE ACTION HE TOOK AGAINST HER. BUT I'M HERE TODAY, ONE, TO THANK YOU FOR AFFORDING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR FEELINGS. TWO, TO REMIND YOU THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY SHOULD NEVER REWARD BAD BEHAVIOR. AND THREE, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO RIGHT A WRONG. SOME OF THE MANY NUMEROUS REASONS THAT THIS NAME SHOULD CHANGE, THIS SUPERINTENDENT WAS ONE OF THE CHIEF ARCHITECTS OF THE TAKING OF LAND THAT BELONGED TO BLACK FAMILIES TO BUILD A SCHOOL THAT HE DIDN'T WANT BLACK STUDENTS TO ATTEND. THEY WERE NOT COMPENSATED CORRECTLY AND IRREPARABLE HARM WAS DONE TO THEM. TWO, HE LIED ABOUT TEST SCORES AND ABILITY OF BLACK STUDENTS TO TO KEEP THEM FROM ACHIEVING AN EQUAL EDUCATION. THREE, AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, HIS PERCEPTIONS GUIDED HOW BLACK FAMILIES WERE TO BE TREATED, NOT JUST AT SCHOOL BUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE PERCEPTIONS HAVE LINGERED LONG AFTER HE'S BEEN GONE. THIS NAME INVOKES SIMILAR FEELINGS LIKE THOSE SURROUNDING CONFEDERATE STATUTES. THIS IS ALL THE MORE REASON THAT IT SHOULD BE REMOVED. THERE ARE PLENTY MORE REASONS BUT I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES. IT'S PAST TIME, PEOPLE, TO CHANGE THE NAME. IT'S COME UP PLENTY OF TIMES BEFORE, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACTED UPON BY NOW. THIS KIND OF PERSON IS NOT WHO WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO EMULATE AND OUR SCHOOL STANDARDS SHOULD BE. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME EXPIRED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. > SPEAK NOW? I THINK -- >> I'M GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK. >> MR. SANDERS -- AUDIO, BUT THAT'S -- I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF THE TWO DEVICES. BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENED THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS. THAT'S WHAT THE FEEDBACK IS FROM, IS SOMEHOW FROM MR. SANDERS CONNECTION. I DON'T KNOW, FROM SANDERS IF YOU CAN BE ON ONE OR THE OTHER. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT PERSON AND COME BACK. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >> YES, OKAY, WE CAN HEAR YOU. YAY! PLEASE GO AHEAD, THANK YOU. [00:40:04] >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NAME CHANGED TO BOONE YOST HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL. THESE TWO GENTLEMEN ARE VERY WELL-KNOWN BY MANY OF YOU FROM A ATHLETIC STANDPOINT. IF THEY WERE HERE TONIGHT TO DEFEND THEIR SELF OR SUGGEST A NAME CHANGE IN THEIR HONOR, THEY WOULD TELL YOU THAT THEIR FIRST PRIORITY WAS AS EDUCATORS. THAT'S WHAT THEY CAME TO THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA TO DO. TO TEACH. ATHLETICS, FOOTBALL COACHING WAS JUST A EXTENSION OF THEIR ACHIEVING -- TEACHING ABILITIES. WHEN THE 622 PLAN WENT INTO EFFECT IN 1971, THE COMMUNITY, THE STUDENTS, WERE VERY UPSET. THERE WAS A FOUR-PRONG ATTACK TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE AS FAR AS TRYING TO KEEP THE CITY CALM. COACH BOONE, COACH WITH YOST, COMMUNITIES LEADERS, FACULTY AND STUDENTS ALL BECAME ONE TO KEEP THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA FROM GOING UP IN FLAMES. NOW, I SAY THERE WERE THREE OUR FACTORS. YES, THERE WERE. THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, THE FACULTY AND THE STUDENTS, ALONG WITH COACH BOONE AND THEIR STAFF, STAYED ON POINT TO KEEP CALM WITHIN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA. IF YOU WERE NOT HERE DURING THAT TIME FRAME, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON WITHIN THAT SCHOOL SYSTEM AT THAT TIME. THOSE FOUR GROUPS ALONG WITH THOSE TWO COACHES MAINTAINED THE PEACE. TO THE POINT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA, YOU'RE ABLE TO -- TO SEE HISTORY AS IT IS TODAY RATHER THAN WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN. SO FROM THEIR EFFORTS, IT BROUGHT ON A COMMUNITY THAT WORKED TOGETHER, IT BROUGHT QUIET AND SAFETY TO THE CITY, AND ESTABLISHED WHAT THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA IS TO THIS DAY. SO I HEAR WHAT MANY OF YOU ARE SAYING, AND I WANT YOU TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE FOUR ELEMENTS ARE THE REASON WHY T.C. WILLIAMS IS WHAT IT IS TODAY. NOW, IF THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN ALONG WITH THE OTHER THREE ELEMENTS COULD REPRESENT T.C. WILLIAMS BACK IN THE DAY, WHY NOT GOING INTO THE FUTURE, THE SCHOOL, THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY, THE STUDENTS CANNOT REPRESENT BOONE YOST HIGH SCHOOL. THE CITY DOES NOT LOSENY IDENTITY. YOU HAVE TWO OF THE GREATEST TITANS THE SCHOOL IS NAMED AFTER. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY THIS AFTERNOON. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE OUTCOME OF THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION AND THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU MR. SANDERS. I'M GLAD WE FINALLY GOT YOU CONNECTED TO US. NEXT UP YOU HAVE MISS PATRINI. >> HI. FOR THE RECORD I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT I SUPPORT A CHANGE OF THE T.C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL NAME BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT MATTHEW MAURY TODAY. I WANTED TO SAY I'M GRATEFUL TO DR. GREGORY HUTCHINGS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR TAKING ON THIS PROJECTS AND GRATEFUL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO SIGNED THE PETITION. I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR ADOPTING A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS AND FROM MY OBSERVATIONSES. MAURY COMMUNITY STANDS BEHIND A CHANGE. I HAVE A KINDERGARTEN AROUND THIRD GRADER AND I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN MATTHEW MAURY SINCE WE MOVED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE ARE TWO THINGS I FOCUSED ON WHEN STUDYING MATTHEW MAURY, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HIS PLACE IN THE CONFEDERACY AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS NAME BEING CHONE. A PICTURE WAS PAINT BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY WITH THE ACCOMPLISH. >> A GREAT SCIENTIST AND GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION WAS A PRO SLAVERY INTERNATIONALIST AND ATTEMPTED TO NEGOTIATE A SLAVE TRADE AND CREATE A NEW VIRGINIA COLONY IN MEXICO AFTER THE CIVIL WAR WHERE SLAVE LABEL WITH CONTINUE WITH A NEW LABOR OF [00:45:02] SERVITUDE. HE CONVINCED SOCIALIZATION TO DEFECT BEFORE HIS PLAN WAS THWARTED. WHEN THE JOINED THE CONFEDERACY HIS ECONOMIC IDEAS THAT UNITED THE IDEAS ELM BOWLEDDEDDEN CONFEDERACY WITH FINANCIAL CONFIDENCE TO SECEDE. HE INVENTED A TORPEDO THAT SUNK SHIPS DURING THE CIVIL WAR. IN THE 1920, THE CULT OF THE LOST CAUSE REJECTED INTEGRATION, MATTHEW MAURY'S NAME WAS PLUCKED FROM CIVIL WAR HISTORY AT THIS TIME AND THINGS WERE NAMED AFTER HIM AS THE STATUTE WAS RAISED. ON JANUARY 16, 1929, MATTHEW MAURY ELEMENTARY WAS NAMED BY BE A AN UNELECTED SCHOOL BOARD WHO DID NOT ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY TO FIND A NAME. IN THE MINUTES FROM THE NAMING MEETING, THE NOTES READ, MOVED, SECONDED AND AGREED THE MOWS MONTHS SCHOOL BE NAMED AFTER MATTHEW MAURY, THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS EVIDENCED IN THE MINUTES. THE NAME MAURY WAS SHOWN SPECIFICALLY TO EMPHASIZE THE SOUTH'S INTENTION TO REMAIN SEGREGATED AND HONOR THE LOST CAUSE. IT SENT A MESSAGE ABOUT OUR SCHOOL, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, OUR CITY, AND ABOUT VIRGINIA. IT IS PAST TIME TO REJECT THAT MESSAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, EVERYONE. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> NOW THAT'S THE LAST SPEAKER BUT WE HAD TWO OF THEM EARLIER IN THE LIST WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CONNECT WITH, SO -- MISS ELIZABETH DEERING? THERE'S ONE PERSON STILL -- OKAY, THEN THE SECOND IS MR. GREGORY HODGE. I DON'T SEE HIM EITHER. RIGHT? OKAY. I THINK THAT -- SUSAN, DO YOU SEE ANY. >> I DO INTO THE SEE EITHER OF THOSE. >> OKAY. PERHAPS THEY WERE UNABLE TO MAKE IT. SO THAT PUBLIC HEARING ON THE NAME CHANGES. AND THERE WILL BE A -- WE FINISHED OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SO THE VOTE WILL BE ON THE 23RD OF NOVEMBER. SO THAT'S THE NEXT THING. ALSO, THERE ARE SOME WRITTEN COMMENTS ATTACHED TO THIS AGENDA. [5. Written Public Comments] AND PEOPLE CAN SUBMIT FOR REGULAR MEETINGS, PEOPLE CAN SUBMIT EITHER WRITTEN COMMENTS OR THEY CAN SIGN UP TO SPEAK. BUT I'M SORRY, MISS NEILSON, IS IT BY NOON TWO DAYS BEFORE? >> IT IS NOON ONE DAY BEFORE THE MEETING. >> ONE DAY BEFORE. ONE DAY BEFORE NOON. BECAUSE OUR TECHNOLOGY REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE NOTICE WHEN WE'RE VIRTUAL. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND NOW WE'RE OFF TO THE NEXT THING, THE REPORT BY OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES. [6. Report from Student Representatives Lorraine Johnson and Ashley Sanchez-Viafara] I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THEM. >>> HELLO, GOOD EVENING, FIRST I WANT TO SAY TO MISS PA TRINI, THAT WHOLE THING WITH MATTHEW MAURY, THAT WAS REALLY GREAT. THAT WAS WELL PUT. I'M DOING A RESEARCH PAPER ABOUT THE RENAMING SO I WAS WRITING A FEW THINGS DOWN. BUT GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. FIRST I WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING PERSONAL FROM ASHLEY AND I. WE'VE BEEN TELLING THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT EMAILING US, THE STUDENT REP EMAIL IF HE WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS OR SPEAK THEIR TRUTH AND THIS WEEK WE STARTED GETTING A FEW EMAILS FROM THE STUDENTS AND IT MADE MY ENTIRE WEEK. WE REALLY -- WHEN WE GOT THE FIRST AIM, IT WAS SUPER EXCITING TO EMAIL BACK AND CONNECT WITH MY PEERS AND I HOPE WE GET MORE EMAILS FROM STUDENTS IS IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS SOMETHING ASHLEY AND I LIVE FOR. YOUR VOICE IS CRUCIAL TO THIS PROCESS. MY SECOND REPORT IS THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN SAYING THEY WANT TO TAKE A SURVEY THAT IS MORE DIRECTED TO THEIR CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING TODAY. I TALKED WITH MISS BIRGOSS. THE PREVIOUS SURVEY SERVED IT'S PURPOSE IN REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW AND IT GAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH AND SAFETY, THE CONTINUATION OF VIRTUAL PLUS. ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF. BUT THIS SURVEY WILL CONCERN THINGS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEIR WORKLOAD. THE KNEW SCHEDULE, ACCESS TO RESOURCES, ET CETERA. WE WILL ASK THEM ABOUT WHAT THE ACADEMIC LEVEL, WHAT ACADEMIC LEVEL DESCRIBES THE MAJORITY OF CLASSES, IN THEY TAKE HONORS, AP, GENERAL. ARE ASSIGNMENTS MANAGEABLE, IF VIRTUAL LEARNING MADE A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THEIR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. [00:50:02] WE HOPE ADMINISTRATORS, COUNSELORS AND STAFF AND TEACHERS WILL LOOK AT THE SURVEY WITH AN OPEN MIND AND CONSIDER OUR NEEDS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING IN THE SECOND QUARTER. THE WAY I SEE IT, I THINK THIS SURVEY SOMEWHAT -- IT MIRRORS THE STUDENT VOICE. THIS SURVEY WOULD BE A PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTH ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH IN SCHOOL TODAY, RIGHT NOW IN THE PRESENT. BY RESERVING TIME FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE THIS SURVEY AND BY APPROVING THE SURVEY, YOU SHOULD SHOW THE STUDENTS YOU ARE LISTENING AND YOU VALUE OUR VOICE. I HOPE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS SURVEY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING MY PEERS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT. NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ASHLEY. >> ALL RIGHT. SO GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. SO LAST WEEK, OCTOBER 20TH, WAS OUR FINAL STUDENT CONVERSATION SURROUNDING THE TOPIC OF WHERE ARE WE GOING TO THAW TO ALL THE STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE DISCUSSION AND EVERYONE THAT WORKED SO HARD HELPING US ORGANIZE AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WENT ACCORDINGLY AND THANK YOU TO MISS THORNTON AND MR. SUAREZ FOR MODERATING STUDENT DISCUSSIONS. APART FROM THE STUDENT FORUMS, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PARTICIPATING AS A PANELIST FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DISCUSSION SO LAST NIGHT I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING ALONGSIDE CHRISTOPHER HARRIS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ALEXANDRIA NAACP AND CINDY BENAVITTAS. IT WAS ENLIGHTING BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION SO THANKS TO THEM FOR LEADING THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND OUR WONDERFUL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR MODERATING THOSE. AND TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT FROM THAT CONVERSATION WHICH WAS SO ENRICHING, IT WAS SOMETHING MR. HARRIS MENTIONED, ABOUT THE WHOLE RENAMING PROCESS AND HOW US CHANGING THE NAME IS JUST THE FIRST STEP OF REALLY ADDRESSING THE RACIAL INEQUITY AND SYSTEMIC ISSUES IN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE -- THE NAME CHANGE WILL OCCUR EVENTUALLY, WE STILL HAVE TO ADDRESS MANY OF THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE IN OUR SOCIETY. SO IT WAS VERY INTERESTING HEARING HIS PERSPECTIVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE NCAA ABOUT THIS -- NAACP AND HIM TALKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES AS A GRADUATE AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAD WHEN HE WAS A STUDENT AND JUST HEARING MISS BENAVITTOUS AND THE DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS THIS THOSE SPACES. IT SHOWS THE CHANGES WE HAVE YET TO MAKE. I STILL EXPERIENCE THOSE THINGS AND MANY STUDENTS OF COLOR EXPERIENCE THOSE THINGS AS IF THEY'RE THE ONLY STUDENT IN THOSE SPACES. SEEING THE 20-YEAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HER EXPERIENCES WHEN SHE WAS A STUDENT AND GRADUATED IN 2000 AND MY EXPERIENCES AND THOSE OF OTHER STUDENTS OF COLOR GOES TO SHOW HOW WE REALLY NEED TO START TAKING THIS FIRST STEP AND REALLY ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES AND GETTING DOWN TO ENSURING WE HAVE INCLUSIVE SPACES FOR ALL STUDENTS AND THEY'RE SUPPORTED ALONG THE WAY. SO THANK YOU. >> THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR ROLE IN ALL THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND FOR HELPING PLAN THAT. SO THANKS TO BOTH OF OUR STUDENT REPS. STILL VERY HAPPY THAT YOU COME TO OUR MEETINGS. NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR CONSENT CALENDAR. [Consent Calendar] IF I COULD GET A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR. >> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE WE ADOPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR. >> SECOND. >> MISS ALDERTON SECONDS MR. LORBER'S MOTION. IS THERE ANYTHING TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CANCELLED. >> CAN WE PULL ITEM 9? >> OKAY. ACTUALLY IT MAY NOW BE -- >> IT'S FIXED. >> OKAY. RIGHT, OKAY. OF COURSE. >> IF YOU COULD STATE THE ITEM BY NAME. >> RE. >> MCENEARNY. >> I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THE GIFT THAT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ALSO COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOLS SEPTEMBER REPORT. >> OKAY. WELL, WE'RE DOWN TO THE MINUTES ONLY IN THE CONSENT REPORT. SO OKAY. WE'LL DO THAT. WE HAVE THREE OF THEM OUT. ALL RIGHT, SO FOR THE REMAINING THING, WHICH IS JUST THE MINUTES FOR OCTOBER [00:55:03] 16 AND 22ND, SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETINGS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND SO I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE ON THAT ITEM. ANDERSON ANDERSON YES. VERONICA NOLAN. >> YES. >> MEAGAN ALDERTON. >> YES. >> RAMEE GENTRY. >> YES. >> JACINTA GREENE. >> YES. >> MARGARET LORBER. >> YES. >> MICHELLE REIF. >> YES. >> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ. >> YES. >> HEATHER THORNTON. >> YES. >> SO THAT'S NINE-ZERO FOR THE MINUTES. NOW WE'LL GO ON TO THE NUMBER 7 AND 8, THE COMMUNITY DONATIONS TO ACPS [7. Community Donation to ACPS] [8. Community Use of Facilities, September 2020] AND COMMUNITY USE OF FACILITIES REPORT. MISS GREENE? YOU'RE MUTED. >> I NEED MY TEE SHIRT. >> I WAS THINKING OF YOUR. >> ALL RIGHT. >> I WASN'T GOING TO MENTION IT. >> AM I -- I MAY WEAR THAT ONE MEETING. >> YOU SHOULD. IT WOULD HELP ME. >> I WILL. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO FOR THE COMMUNITY DONATION. I WANTED TO SEND OUT A HEARTFELT THAW THANK YOU TO DR. RAWLINGS, PASTOR OF KINGDOM FELLOWSHIP, EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH AND KEEPING IT MOVING MINISTRY. A WONDERFUL DONATION THAT IS SO NEEDED HERE WITHIN ACPS. WITH OUR DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES AND JUST PEOPLE THAT TRULY NEED THAT EXTRA BOOST DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES. SO JUST WE APPRECIATE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ALL THAT THEY DO FOR OUR SCHOOLS, FOUR OR FAMILIES. I WANTED TO PUBLICLY SAY THAT. IT'S SUCH A GREAT DONATION AND IT'S SO VERY MUCH NEEDED. SO THANK YOU TO THEM. MOVING ON TO THE COMMUNITY USE OF OUR SCHOOLS, DR. HEART, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN TO ME, THERE IS ONE CHARGE FOR A PARKING LOT THAT WAS USED AT GEORGE WASHINGTON MIDDLE FOR AN EVENT THAT WAS ACTUALLY FOOD GIVEN TO QUITE A FEW ACPS FAMILIES AND THEN OTHER MARGINALIZED FAMILIES HERE IN THE ALEXANDRIA AREA. I WAS WONDERING WHAT THAT $600 IS FOR AND ALSO, WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE USING OUR PARKING LOTS, WHICH I'M AFFILIATED WITH ANOTHER ONE THAT HAD AN EVENT AT MINNIE HOWARD. IS THAT THE STANDARD RATE AND IS THERE A LIST CHARGED FOR OUR FACILITIES NOT BEING USED IN THE PANDEMIC? >> SO I WILL HAVE TO VERIFY THESE $600 EXPENSE THAT IS ON THAT REPORT. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IT WAS A DONATION BUT I WANT TO VERIFY THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. FOR THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, I'M SORRY, MISS GREENE, CAN YOU REPEAT THE SECOND AND THIRD PARTS OF YOUR QUESTION AS WELL? >> YES. JUST -- YOU KNOW, BASICALLY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE USING OUR FACILITIES WHILE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ARE NOT UTILIZING THEM. IS THERE A LISTING OF JUST WHAT WE CHARGE OR, YOU KNOW, DO WE CHARGE OR -- I'M NOT SURE -- I THINK YOU'LL FIND OUT IF THAT WAS A DONATION FROM THE CHURCH OR NOT. DO WE CHARGE DURING THIS PANDEMIC PERIOD? OUR VIRTUAL PARTNERS WE DO NOT CHARGE. >> WE DO NOT CHARGE. AND WE HAVE -- WE HAVE NOT BEEN CHARGING FOR OUR -- WE JUST MENTIONED THAT, VIRTUAL PLUS PARTNERS UTILIZING OUR SCHOOLS. ALL OTHER NONESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES WHICH IS NOTED IN THE MEMO HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED FOR THE TIME BEING SO WE'RE NOT RECEIVING ANY CHARGES FOR ACTIVITIES WE WOULD TYPICALLY HOST IN THE BUILDINGS. THE ACTIVITIES WE ARE HOSTING SUCH AS DISTRIBUTIONS AND PARKING LOTS, WE'RE ALSO NOT CHARGING FOR. AND AGAIN, I WILL VERIFY THE 600 WAS A DONATION AND I CAN MAKE SURE DR. HUTCHINGS IS ABLE TO RELAY THAT BACK TO THE BOARD. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> OKAY, SO THE WAY WHEN WE PULLED THEM OFF, WE HAVE TO INDIVIDUALLY VOTE ON THEM SO MAYBE WE'LL VOTE ON THE FIRST TWO INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEN WE CAN PROCEED TO THE THIRD ONE. SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE COMMUNITY DONATION TO ACPS. SO IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> MADAM CHAIR I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE COMMUNITY DONATION OF $8,500 IN GIFT CARDS. >> SECOND. >> DR. REIF SECONDS MISS GREEN'S MOTION AND I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE. [01:00:04] ANDERSON AROUND YES, VERONICA NOLAN. >> YES. >> MEAGAN ALDERTON. >> NO AUDIO. >> RAMEE GENTRY. >> YES. >> JACINTA GREENE. >> YES. >> MARGARET LORBER. >> YES. >> MICHELLE REIF. >> YES. >> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ. >> YES. >> HEATHER THORNTON. >> YES. >> MEAGAN ALDERTON. >> SO WE'LL SAY EIGHT YES AND ONE ABSENT. >> YES, I'M SORRY. >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. 9-0. THAT'S OKAY. WE'RE MEETING A LONG TIME. PEOPLE HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR DESK FOR A SECOND SOMETIMES. SO 9-0. IF I COULD GET A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE COMMUNITY USE OF FACILITIES REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER. >> MADAM CHAIR I MOVE WE ADOPT THE COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL SEPTEMBER REPORT. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> OKAY. I HEARD TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. I'M GOING TO GIVE THAT TO MISS LORBER BECAUSE I HEARD HER LAST. MISS LORBER SECONDS MISS GREENE'S MOTION AND I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE COMMUNITY USE OF FACILITIES REPORT. ANDERSON EARNED YES. >> VERONICA NOLAN. >> YES. >> MEAGAN ALDERTON. >> YES. >> RAMEE GENTRY. >> YES. >> JACINTA GREENE. >> YES. >> MARGARET LORBER. >> YES. >> MICHELLE REIF. >> YES. >> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ. >> YES. >> HEATHER THORNTON. >> YES. SO THAT IS A 9-0 VOTE. SORRY I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FROM THE CLERK FOR SECOND. NOW, WE HAVE A MISS GENTRY. [9. Re-Appoint Sean McEnearny to the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)] >> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU SEAN FOR SIGNING UP AGAIN FOR ANOTHER YEAR WITH THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THANK ALL RETURNING MEMBERS FOR THE COMMITTEE. I WANTED TO USE THIS AS OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE TO PLEASE JOIN, YOU CAN GET INFORMATION AND THE APPLICATION ON OUR WEBSITE. I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO MAYBE DO ACTIVE RECRUITMENT. I HAVE PEOPLE, BASED ON CONVERSATIONS YOU HAVE HAD WITH THEM THAT THEY'VE SHOWN A PARTICULAR INTEREST OR ZEAL ABOUT BUDGET RELATED ISSUES, MAYBE IT HASN'T OCCURRED TO THEM THIS IS A WAY THEY COULD HELP SEVERE US SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL. MY LAST BIT OF NEWS I HOPE YOU'LL BE PLEASED TO HEAR IS WE'VE HAD THE -- I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF BAC AND ALSO WITH DOCTOR HUTCHINGS AND THE FINANCE TEAM AND CONCLUDED THE BEST USE OF BAC'S TIME THIS YEAR AND SCOPE OF WORK SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE QUESTION OF THE BUDGET CALENDAR. WE KNOW THERE WERE DEFINITELY A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THE CALENDAR, THE TIMING, THE SEQUENCING, THE PLACEMENT, BUDGET CALENDAR QUESTIONS SO THIS SEEMED LIKE A REALLY CLEAR MISSION THAT THE -- THAT BAC COULD SINK ITS TEETH INTO, ESPECIALLY AS THIS IS A YEAR WHEN SOME OF THE OTHER BUDGET THINGS ARE MORE IN FLUX AS WE ARE CONTINUING TO GET COVID RELATED UPDATES. SO THE PLAN WILL BE FOR THEM TO SUBMIT THE REPORT OF THEIR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY. AND WE EXPRESS -- WE SPECIFICALLY SET THAT TIMELINE IN COORDINATING WITH THE FINANCE TEAM SO IT WOULD ALLOW TIME TO ABSORB THE REPORT AND HAVE THAT BE PART OF THE INFORMATION THEY'RE CONSIDERING WHEN THEY COME TO US IN JUNE AS SCHEDULED WITH OPTIONS FOR BUDGET CALENDAR. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SERVES ON BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS. WITH THAT I WILL CALL FOR A MOTION TO REAPPOINT SEAN MCENEARNY TO THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE. >> SECOND. >> WHO SECONDED? MISS ALDERTON. >> YES. >> MISS ALDERTON SECONDED MISS GENTRY'S MOTION TO REAVINT SEAN MCENEARNY. CINDY ANDERSON YES. >> VERONICA NOLAN. >> YES. [11. Area of Focus Update: Policy Equity Audit Timeline] >> MEAGAN ALDERTON. >> YES. >> RAMEE GENTRY. >> YES. >> JACINTA GREENE. >> YES. [01:05:01] >> MARGARET LORBER. >> YES. >> MICHELLE REIF. >> YES. >> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ. >> YES. >> HEATHER THORNTON. >> YES. >> OKAY, 9-0 AND WE MOVE ON TO OUR OLD BUSINESS. THE FIRST THING UP IS OUR AREA OF FOCUS FOR THIS MEETING WHICH IS POLICY, EQUITY AUDIT TIMELINE AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. HUTCHINGS. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER AT THIS TIME IN REGARDS TO -- THIS IS OUR EQUITY. >> YES. >> I CAN'T HEAR YOU. >> YES, EQUITY. >> I'M GOING TO -- I'M LOOKING AT MY TEAM. WHERE IS EVERYBODY. I'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. JACKSON. I'M LIKE WHERE IS THE TEAM? TO DOCTOR JACKSON. >> WE MOVED THAT BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF ACPS JOINING AND THAT'S OUR SORT OF PRACTICE. >> THANK YOU, I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO DR. JACKSON TO INTRODUCE OUR TEAM TO BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO EQUITY AUDIT. I WANT TO SHARE THAT AS YOU ALL KNOW, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WE HAVE IN PLACE, RACIAL EQUITY BEING THE HEART OF OUR WORK AND ACPS 2025 EQUITY FOR ALL. IN ORDER FOR US TO ENSURE WE DISMANTLING SYSTEMIC RACISM AND OVERCOMING SOME OF THE INEQUITIES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION, WE NEED TO AUDIT OUR POLICIES. POLICY DRIVE OUR PRACTICE WHICH IMPACT OUR ACHIEVEMENT RESULTS. SO WE'RE HOPING THIS EQUITY AUDIT WILL AT LEAST GIVE US THE INFORMATION WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO -- AND TO DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE POLICIES THAT WILL SUPPORT THE MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES OF ACPS. BUT DR. JACKSON, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE OUR TEAM FOR TODAY SO WE CAN BEGIN OUR PRESENTATION. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT WONDERFUL OPENING AND MISS WOOD IS GOING TO LEAD US IN OUR PRESENTATION. SHE'S OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUITY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HER. >> GREETINGS. CHAIR ARNOLD, VICE CHAIR NOLAN, DR. HUTCHINGS AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP. MISS NEILSON, CAN YOU SHARE THE SLIDES, PLEASE? >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. WE'RE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE ACPS IS ON A JOURNEY. A JOURNEY TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS THAT INHIBIT STUDENTS FROM ACHIEVING THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL. GUIDED BY OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, EQUITY FOR ALL 2025, WE ARE HERE TO SHARE AN UPDATE OF A REQUEST BY OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT TO AUDIT OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES. IT'S OUR GOAL TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT PERPETUATING INEQUITIES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL AND SCHOOL DIVISION. I'M ACCOMPANIED BY MR. TERRANCE WILSON AND I HAVE GIVE MORE OF BE A INTRODUCTION LATER ON. I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT THIS IS A PROACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE JOURNEY WE ARE ON. I COMMEND AND AM IN AWE OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT FOR STARTING THIS PROCESS. IN RESEARCHING ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE WE CAN GET THIS DONE, IT'S NOT WIDELY DONE IN OTHER PLACES ACROSS THE NATION. SO IN THAT RESEARCH, THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY AND CHALLENGES THAT WERE POSED IN FINDING AND ORGANIZATION THAT CAN SUPPORT US IN THE WAY WE NEEDED TO BE SUPPORTED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. >> IN LOOKING AS ORGANIZATIONS AND RESEARCHING AREAS WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BE SUPPORTED IN THIS AREA, WE CAME UP WITH A COUPLE OF GUIDING QUESTIONS TO GUIDE OUR THOUGHTS AND PROCESSES AND THE WORK WE NEEDED TO BE DONE. THE FIRST ONE SAYS, HOW DO WE ENSURE ACPS POLICIES ARE ALIGNED TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND ACTUALIZE OUR PLAN BY STRENGTHENING OUR POLICIES. HOW DOES OUR DATA SUPPORT THE NEED FOR POLICY ALIGNMENT TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS. >> AND HOW DO WE CREATE A CROSSWALK OF OUR DATA POLICIES AND STRATEGIC PLAN TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNED IN EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN OUR DIVISION IS DONE THROUGH A LENS OF EQUITY AND AT THE HEART OF RACIAL EQUITY. IN 2017 THERE WAS AN EQUITY AUDIT BY HANOVER RESEARCH. IT WAS A COMPARISON AND OVERVIEW OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES WITH AN EQUITY LENS. AT THE TIME IT COMPARED US TO SIX OTHER DIVISIONS ACROSS THE NATION. AT THAT TIME IT WAS WHAT WE NEEDED WHERE WE WERE IN OUR JOURNEY. [01:10:10] BUT WHERE WE ARE NOW WE NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND MORE DETAILED IN ORDER TO ENSURE WE ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES AND ARE ABLE TO ACTUALIZE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IN OUR EVERY DAY WORK. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AS WE THINK ABOUT THE STEPS ALONG THE WAY WE HAVE TAKEN IN ACPS IT'S TRULY BEEN A JOURNEY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS. THIS WORK IS A JOURNEY AND EVERY DAY, WE ARE ON THAT JOURNEY. WE LOOK AT THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST WE WERE WORKING ON AND HAVE BROUGHT TO LIFE, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN 2025 EQUITY FOR ALL. WE DO EQUITY TRAINING WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD, ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF. OUR LEADERS HAVE EMBARKED ON TURN AROUND TRAINING WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS, WITHIN THE DIVISION AS WELL AS OUR SCHOOLS. WE ARE IN PARTICIPATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND OUR CITY COLLEAGUES AND GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON RACE AND EQUITY KNOWN AT DARE. WE HAVE PUT -- INSTILLED EQUITY LIAISONS IN EACH DIVISION SCHOOL. WE HAVE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION AND I'M EXCITED TO SAY TODAY WE HAD OUR FIRST CROSS DEPARTMENTAL MEETING FOR EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE GOT TOGETHER AND THIS WAS A PLACE WHERE WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS HOW EQUITY IS ACTUALIZED ACROSS OUR DIVISION WITHIN EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN OUR CENTRAL OFFICE. WE HAVE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS SLIDE I'M SURE SOME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SEEN BEFORE. FROM MR. PAGE AND HIS OFFICE. BUT THIS IS A CHART THAT -- A GRAPHIC THAT REALLY GETS HOME TO HOW OUR STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS WORKED. I WANTED TO SHOW IT SO YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE VIEW OF THIS GRAPHIC. IT GETS INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS, THE ACTUAL WORK AND FRAMEWORK THAT IT TOOK TO WRITE THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND COMPONENTS IT'S CRITTEN IN -- >> WRITTEN IN AND HOW WE MONITOR FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. NEXT SLIDE. I BROKE DOWN A LITTLE BIT JUST TO SHOW THE ALIGNMENT OF HOW AN EQUITY AUDIT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICY MEETS AND SUPPORTS WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS GUIDING US TO DO. SO YOU SEE THE BLACK WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD THERE WHO STARTED THE CREATION OF OUR MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES THAT WERE THEN VETTED AND GIVEN FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN OUR DIVISION. THE ALIGNMENT TO THE GOAL, SYSTEMIC ALIGNMENT. THAT'S WHAT THIS PROCESS WILL DO. THIS PROCESS WILL ALIGN US WITH THE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND DESIGN EQUITABLE SYSTEMS FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND ENSURE OUR POLICIES ARE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT. IT WILL CONTINUE TO PUT US IN A PLACE WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THAT GOAL. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE PROPOSED TO CONDUCT OUR EQUITY AUDIT OF SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES. THE INTERCULTURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATION KNOWN AT IDRA. THAT ORGANIZATION WAS RECOMMENDED TO US THROUGH THE WE BE THE LEAD DIRECTOR FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. LIKE I SAID, THIS WAS A PROCESS TO RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD SUPPORT US IN THIS WORK BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORK THAT IS DONE OR WIDELY KNOWN ACROSS THE NATION. THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH GOVERNOR'S COMMISSIONS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES AND SOL SO THE WORK THEY'RE DOING IN VIRGINIA PUSHED US TO ALSO WANT TO MEET WITH THIS ORGANIZATION. THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH WORKING WITH POLICY AND FOCUS ON HOW POLICIES OPERATE AND IMPACT PEOPLE AND ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS AS WE MOVE THIS FORWARD. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MR. TERRANCE WILSON FROM RDRA TO STEP ON AND COME OFF OF MUTE AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT US IN OUR EQUITY AUDIT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES. MR. WILSON? >> THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? EXCELLENT. I FIRST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND ADDRESSING EQUITY. I COMMEND YOU FOR THE VISION YOU'VE SET TO FOCUS ON EQUITY THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. [01:15:33] FROM BEING A PART OF THIS MEETING, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S VERY APPARENT YOU HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND YOU'RE ACTIVELY ENGAGED AS A SCHOOL BOARD AND STAFF TO FOCUS EQUITY SO I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I'M THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND I SERVE AS A LEAD FOR EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTER FOR THE U.S. SOUTH. I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OR ORGANIZATION AND HOW WE OPERATE THE EX OUT. WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE ENVISION PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT EQUITY. SO I'LL BEGIN WITH A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION. INTERCULTURE DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1975. WE WERE FOUNDED TO ADDRESS NUMEROUS ISSUES AROUND EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, SPECIFICALLY SCHOOL FINANCE. OVER THAT TIME WE DEVELOPED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EDUCATION EQUITY FOCUSES AND DURING THAT TIME WE ALSO HAVE BEEN GRANTED ONE OF THE CONTRACTS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO RUN ONE OF FOUR FEDERALLY FUNDED EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTERS. SO OUR CENTER, THE EX SOUTH, OPERATES IN REGION 2 WHICH INCLUDES THE U.S. SOUTH. I KNOW VIRGINIA IS GEOGRAPHICALLY NOT THE SOUTH AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN RICHMOND BUT WE INCLUDE VIRGINIA, D.C., DOWN THE COAST OF FLORIDA AND OVER TO TEXAS SO WE HAVE 11 STATES AND D.C. WITHIN OUR REGION. THE FOCUS OF THESE SERVICES IS TO REALLY TALK TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, STATE AGENCIES, LOCAL CAMPUSES ABOUT HOW TO BE BETTER AND IMPROVE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS USE USING AN EQUITY LENS. THE FOUR AREAS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ACTIVITIES THROUGH RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEX AND RELIGION. SO WE'VE WORKED -- WE OPERATED THIS CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR SOMEWHERE OVER TEN YEARS. AND WE WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STATE AGENCIES ALL OVER THE SOUTH ON HOW TO IMPROVE EQUITY IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK THROUGH THIS CONTRACT FOR, YOU KNOW, EX SOUTH FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. DRA HAS BEEN ON IT LONGER SO WE HAVE A WEALTHY OF EXPERIENCE ON OUR TEAM TO HELP SCHOOL DISTRICTS WANTING TO ADDRESS SCHOOL EQUITY IN POLICIES AN PRACTICE. THEY ARE THREE LEVELS OF INTERVENTION WE OFFER THE SCHOOLS WE WORK WITH. THEY RANGE FROM INTENSIVE SO SCHOOLS OR DISTRICTS REACH OUT AND SAY WE HAVE HAD AN INCIDENTS AROUND RACE OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. CAN YOU GIVE US TRAINING? WE DO INTENSIVE RELATIONSHIPS BUT WE ALSO DO PROJECTS THAT SPAN NUMEROUS YEARS. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE UNIVERSAL ASPECTS AND LONG TERM INVESTIGATION FOR HOW A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN MOVE FORWARD. THERE ARE A RANGE OF SERVICES WE OFFER. I'M EXCITED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IN ALEXANDRIA AT THIS POINT. YOU CAN GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE AND I'LL TALK ABOUT -- YOU CAN STAY ON THE SLIDE BEFORE. I'M SORRY. I'LL TALK FROM THE SLIDE WE WERE ON. ABOUT OUR EQUITY AUDIT PROCESS AND HOW WE DO -- HOW WE ENGAGE WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE SOUTH. FOR US, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND WE REALLY HAVE SIX GOALS OF EDUCATIONAL EQUITY THAT GUIDE OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH SCHOOLS. SO THOSE GOALS, YOU KNOW, ARE REALLY OUR VISION FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AT THE END OF AN EQUITY AUDIT PROCESS. THEY INCLUDES DATA THAT REVEALS HAYEK DEMOCRAT I CAN ACHIEVEMENT AND OTHER STUDENT OUTCOMES FOR ALL GROUPS. EQUITY ACCESS AND INCLUSION THAT AFFORDS ALL LEARNER UNOBSTRUCTED ENTRANCE AND PARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN IN AN ACADEMIC SETTING WITH HIGH STANDARDS THAT OFFERS SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT. HE CAN ABLE RESOURCES WITH FUNDINGS, STAFFING, FACILITIES, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY WHERE YOU HOLD EACH OTHER RESPONSIBLE. I'M SURE YOU HEARD A LOT THAT RESONATES WITH YOU FROM THE GOALS YOU HAVE ARTICULATED IN YOUR VISION FOR 2025 AROUND WANTING THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR ALL STUDENTS AND HAVING AN ABILITY TO FOCUS ON WHERE THE DEFICIENCIES MAY BE, WHERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH MIGHT BE. AS YOU RELATE TO SPECIFIC POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS. SO THE EQUITY AUDIT IS ONE WAY WE'VE GONE ABOUT GETTING TO THE GOALS WE'VE [01:20:05] ARTICULATED. AND REALLY, WE FOCUS IN THREE MAIN AREAS. WE CAN FOCUS ON LOOKING AT THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU ALL ARE OFFERING STUDENTS AND THE ACCESS TO THOSE PROGRAMS. LOOKING AT THE INSTRUCTION, THE TEACHERS INSTRUCTION, LOOKING AT ACHIEVEMENT AND WE LOOK AT DATA. A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU KNOW, BOTH THE CUAL TATE ACTIVE AND CANNOT TATE ACTIVE DATA. IT'S IMPORTANT AS YOU HAVE BEEN EDGE GAUGED IN THE PROCESS TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE REAL EXPERIENCE OF YOUR STUDENTS OR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITIES LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. THE WAY WE APPROACH THIS IS NOT A TOP DOWN ANALYSIS. WE HAVE A VERY COLLABORATIVE STYLE IN OUR AUDIT PROCESS AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEEDBACK ALONG THE WAY. WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EQUITY AUDIT AND THE ABILITY TO EXAMINE POLICIES, YOU WANT TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM ALL THOSE IMPACTED IN YOUR COMMUNITY. SO WE'VE -- THE AUDITS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, THEY'VE INCLUDED LISTENING SESSIONS, CAMPUS AND CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS, FOCUS GROUPS WITH PARENTS, WITH STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OBVIOUSLY REVIEWS OF PARTICULAR POLICIES AND PLANS. AND ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE DATA. LOOKING AT THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, GRADUATION, THOSE KINDS OF MEASURES THAT ARE EXAMINED. WE TRY TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS TO GET A CLEAR PICTURE OF TUNES OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH WITH EQUITY IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ENGAGED SO YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF -- YOU MADE A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS IN ASSESSING THESE THINGS SO OUR EXPERTISE IS CONTINUING TO HELP YOU PUSH THAT ENVELOPE FORWARD. ALSO, WORKING WITH YOU OVER TIME TO FIGURE OUT WAYS YOU CAN ADDRESS THESE -- THE POLICIES THAT MAY BE PRODUCING DISPARITIES IN THE SYSTEM. OFTENTIMES THE WAY THAT INEQUITY AND DISPARITY WORKS IS THERE'S NO PERSON BEHIND THE CURTAIN PULLING STRINGS BUT THERE ARE POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN EXAMINED SO PART OF OUR IDEAS IS NOT ONLY ASSESSING WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES MAY BE, BUT HELPING YOU ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH STRATEGIES YOU MAY BE ABLE TO USE TO ADDRESS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED. SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION, OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH ALONG THE WAY SO WE REALLY ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO HELP YOU BUILD, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU GET TO THAT VISION. WE THINK IT'S LAUDABLE THAT YOU'RE TAKING THESE STEPS AND Y'ALL ARE ADDRESSING THINGS THAT ARE EXTREMELY TIMELY IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT FOCUSING ON RACE, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, IT'S CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE GROWTH OF YOUR SCHOOL AND FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES YOU SERVE. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER. I KNOW WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS AT A CERTAIN POINT IN THE PRESENTATION. BUT I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER US AND JUST APPLAUD YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND HOPE WE CAN HELP YOU REACH THE VISION YOU ALL SET FOR YOURSELVES. >> THANK YOU MR. WILSON. IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO OUR PROPOSED NEXT STEPS IS IN THE FALL OF 2020 SO SOLIDIFY OR WORKINGW RELATIONSHIP WITH IDRA AND ENJOY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD. IN THE WINTER OF 2020, WE WANT TO BE PLANNING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICY EQUITY AUDIT AND THE TIMELINE IT WILL TAKE AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL GO WITHIN THAT TIMELINE. WE ALSO HOPE THE EQUITY AUDIT WILL BE IN PROGRESS DURING THE WINTER OF 2020. THE SPRING OF 2020, WE PROJECT THE AUDIT WILL BE COMPLETED WITH THE REPORT FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND NEXT STEPS WILL COME FROM THERE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS EVENING. ON BEHALF ARE OUR FEARLESS LEADER, THE DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT SERVICES AN EQUITY, DR. JULIE CRAWFORD WHO COULDN'T BE WITH US TONIGHT, BUT WE ARE WISHING HER AND HER FAMILY WELL. AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT SERVICES, WE THANK YOU AND ARE OPEN TO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. >> MISS LORBER HAS HER HAND UP SO SHE CAN START. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. BOTH OF YOU. I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING. MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS WE DID A MAJOR [01:25:04] COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF OUR SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. AND FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, CLIMATE AND EQUITY WERE BIG, BIG ISSUES. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF FINDINGS THERE. I NOTICED THAT IN THE FOCUS AREAS OF IDRA AND ALSO OUR OWN PREAMBLE TO THE DISCUSSION WE DON'T MENTION DISABILITY. THE FACT IS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE AN IDENTIFIED GAP GROUP AND A SIGNIFICANT GAP GROUP. SO ON ONE HAND I CAN UNDERSTAND WE DON'T WANT TO REPEAT, OVERAUDIT. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU ARE WE GOING TO SOMEHOW INTEGRATE THE FINDINGS FROM THAT EVALUATION TO THAT WE ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES FREQUENTLY FEEL THAT THE SYSTEM DOES NOT TREAT THEM EQUITABLABLY AT ALL. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. WILSON. I'M SURPRISED YOUR ORGANIZATION IS THAT JUST NOT AN AREA PEOPLE ASK YOU ABOUT OR WAS THAT SIMPLY FOR OUR CASE BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT WE WERE NOT ADDRESSING DISABILITY IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO FOR US, THE FOUR AREAS OF FOCUS ARE THE AREAS OF FOCUS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SO THEY HAVE A MANDATE FOR US FOR THEIR EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTERS TO FOCUS ON THOSE FOUR AREAS. THROUGH ALL OF OUR WORK WE DO, ANALYZING DISPARITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAS OVERLAP, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LOOK AT RACE AND NATIONAL ORIGIN WITH THE DISPARITY. DISABILITY IS ONE OF THE AREAS WE CONSIDER AS WE LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WHEN LOOKING AT THE DATA WE HAVE AND INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY GARNERED THROUGH PREVIOUS EFFORTS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO INCORPORATE THOSE FINDINGS INTO WHATEVER WE WOULD HAVE GOING FORWARD. I KNOW FOR US, WE'RE LOOKING AT DISABILITY AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THOSE OTHER CATEGORIES. OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DISPARITIES YOU SEE WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE OFTEN SEEN ALONG THOSE RACIAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN LINES. ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS. WE'RE LOOKING AT DISABILITY AS ONE OF THE AREAS. THOUGH IT'S NOT ONE OF OUR SOLELY STATED AREAS OF INTEREST THAT WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. >> AND I'LL ADD, WE GET THAT QUESTION A LOT BECAUSE WE -- OUR PLAN TALKS ABOUT HAVING RACIAL EQUITY AT THE HEART AND WE DO A LOT OF RACIAL EQUITY TRAINING AND THAT QUESTION COMES UP. WE'RE CLEAR WHEN HAVING OUR CONVERSATION WE'RE RACE EXPLICIT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RACE BEING AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO BUT NOT EXCLUSIVE. WE BRING INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS SO RAGE AND GENDER, RACE AND RELIGION, RACE AND DISABILITY, RACE AND INCOME. IT'S NOT THAT IT'S LEFT OUT OF IT BUT WE KNOW THAT AT THE ROOT OF MANY OF THE OTHER INTERSECTIONS, RACE IS AN ISSUE WITHIN THERE AS WELL. WITH OUR AUDIT, I WAS PART OF THAT TEAM THAT WORKED ONCE WE GOT THE FINDINGS WITH MISS WARNER. OUR DISPROPORTIONALTY RATES WENT TO BLACK MALES AND RACE. WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT AT THE FOREFRONT AS WE DO OUR TRAINING AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON. BUT NOTING THAT WE ARE NOT RACE EXPLICIT. WE ARE RACE EXPLICIT BUT NOT RACE EXCLUSIVE. >> WE CAN ADD -- >> SORRY. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY AS WE DO THE AUDIT, THE BOARD CAN ADD THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DISPARITIES IN REGARDS TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN REGARDS TO POLICIES AS WELL. THIS REALLY IS ABOUT THE EQUITY AUDIT FOR POLICIES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION. I THINK THE SCHOOL BOARD CAN INCLUDE THAT SPECIFIC AREA AS ONE OF THE AREAS OF FOCUS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT ONE OF THE AREAS OF FOCUS FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND PARTICULARLY GRANT. WE ON OUR END CAN HAVE THAT AS ONE OF OUR SPECIFIC AREAS TO ANALYZE AND REVIEW WHEN WE'RE DOING THE POLICY AUDIT. >> ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. >> CAN I ADD, I JUST WANTED TO FINALIZE THAT POINT. BECAUSE -- THIS RELATES THE INTERSECTIONTY RELATES TO THE INCLUSION. INCLUSION FOR YEARS, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OTHERS HAVE FELT THEMSELVES TO BE A GROUP APART. AND I THINK SO THEREFORE EVEN THOUGH YES, IT -- THERE IS THE INTERSECTION, ALL OF THESE GROUPS HAVE INTERSECTIONALTY BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IF WE ARE [01:30:02] THINKING ABOUT EQUITY IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, THIS IS A SPECIAL POPULATION THAT HAS ALSO FELT TREMENDOUS INEQUITY ALMOST AS THOUGH THEY WERE OF A DIFFERENT RACE. SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT, DR. HUTCHINGS, WHAT YOU JUST SAID. THAT'S TERRIFIC AND I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. >> MR. SUAREZ? >> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE TEAM, TO DR. HUTCHINGS FOR PURSUING THIS INITIATIVE. IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY LOOK THROUGH ALL OF OUR POLICIES THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS AND UNDERTAKE THIS EFFORT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BRING TO BEAR ON THIS PROJECT. I REALLY JUST HAVE A SHORT QUESTION WHICH IS AT THE VERY END, YOU NOTICE -- YOU NOTED THERE'S GOING TO BE A COMPLETED AUDIT IN THE SPRING. I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT THE COMPLETED AUDIT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF DELIVERABLE AND THEN WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD ACTION MIGHT LOOK LIKE AFTER THAT. IT MIGHT BE GOING A LITTLE MORE INTO THE WEEDS OF THE TIMELINE BUT I'M HOPEFUL AS A BOARD MEMBER WE CAN START THINK BEING THE REVISIONS OF THE POLICIES IN THE SPRING AND THEN ACT ON THAT. YOU KNOW, THIS ACADEMIC YEAR, IF WE CAN. SO I WOULD LOVE TO JUST GET A LITTLE MORE GLOSS ON THAT. >> DID YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT, MISS WOOD? >> YOU CAN START AND I'LL PICK UP. >> I THINK THAT THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK THE DETAILS OF WHEN THE DELIVERABLE WILL BE DUE AND WHAT THEY'LL LOOK LIKE, WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. BUT I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IT WILL TAKE US SOME TIME TO DO THE AUDIT IN THE WAY THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO REQUIRE TO BE ABLE TO ACT ON IT, TO HAVE SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION FOR MOVING FORWARD. WHEN WE SPOKE BEFORE, THE PLAN WAS TO REVIEW AND TO ACCESS THINGS, INFORMATION AND DATA IN THE POLICIES THEMSELVES OVER THE COURSE OF -- WHAT IS LEFT OF THE WINTER AND THE SPRING. BUT I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IT DOES TAKE TIME. WE HAVE DONE THESE AUDITS BEFORE IN OTHER PLACES AND IT'S A MULTIPLE MONTH PROCESS TYPICALLY. SO NOT TO SLOW ANYTHING DOWN, BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE TIMELINE IS GOING TO BE FLEXIBLE BUT WE HAVE TO ALLOW TIME TO DO THINGS THOROUGHLY. THAT'S A NONANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION. BUT I DEFINITELY HEAR THE CONCERN AND I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE ENERGY YOU HAVE AND THE DESIRE TO WANT TO ACT ON THIS. WE WILL RESPOND TO THAT IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN. >> RIGHT. >> JUST TO ADD TO WHAT MR.-- >> GO AHEAD, DR. HUTCHINGS. >> I WAS GOING TO ADDEN TO WHAT MR. WILSON MENTIONED IN REGARDS TO US BEING A LOT MORE GENERAL RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE IT'S GOING BEHOOVE THE ABOARD TO ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE, LIKE A BOARD COMMITTEE, MEANING BOARD REPRESENTATIVES WHO WOULD HELP LEAD THESE EFFORTS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE BOARD PERSPECTIVE IN REGARDS TO TIMELINES, IN REGARDS TO DELIVERABLES SO WE AS A STAFF ARE NOT MAKING ASSUMPTIONINGS AS TO WHAT THE BOARD NEEDS. THIS WAS A BOARD INITIATIVE AND I THINK IT IS SOMETHING -- BECAUSE THE BOARD, YOU OWN OUR POLICIES. THAT'S SOMETHING AS BOARD MEMBERS YOU ALL CHANGE. AND I THINK THAT HAVING THAT SEAT AT THE TABLE IS GOING TO BE KEY SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO FLESH OUT SPECIFIC DATES AND HAVING A SPECIFIC DELIVERABLES THAT WILL COME OUT OF THAT AUDIT. REALLY WHAT IDRA IS ALLOWING US TO DO IS THEY DO ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME INPUT IN THE PROCESS. THEY'RE PROVIDING THEIR SERVICES BUT WE DO HAVE TO KIND OF LAY OUT AND GIVE THEM GUIDANCE ON WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE NEED SO IT'S CUSTOMIZED FOR ACPS. NOT TO TRY TO REPLICATE OTHER THINGS THEY'VE DONE IN OTHER PLACES. >> JUST TO ADD, THIS IS THE FIRST STEPS, MR. SUAREZ. ON THE TIMELINE, SOLIDIFYING OUR WORK WITH THIS ORGANIZATION IS THE FIRST STEP. SECOND IS TO LOOK AT A TIMELINE AND REALLY, REALLY PLAN WHAT THAT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THE HOPE IS THAT THE BOARD WILL BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS SO THANK YOU, DR. HUTCHINGS FOR MENTIONING THE BOARD COMMITTEE TO HELP SUPPORT IN THAT WORK. WE WILL BE MEETING AND PLANNING AND MAKING SURE WE ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE BOARD AND WHAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING FOR. AND THAT YOU ARE PART OF THAT PROCESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE CAN PLAN OUT WHAT THOSE THINGS LOOK LIKE TOGETHER. >>> YEAH, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS, TOO, ONE OF THE NICE THINGS, BECAUSE OF ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE IN CHARGE OF, AND THAT IS BUDGET, IS THAT THIS [01:35:04] IS ACTUALLY GRANT FUNDED. CAN SOMEONE GIVE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE -- >> I DON'T KNOW IF I MENTIONED IT BUT YES, WE'RE -- OUR ORGANIZATION'S INVOLVEMENT IS TOTALLY GRANT FUNDED SO THERE'S NOT ANY COST TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HAVE US DO CONSULTATION, FOR US TO BE THERE AND WORK WITH YOU ALL. PART OF OUR AGREEMENT WILL BE -- EXPECTATIONINGS BUT PART OF IT IS NOT HOW MUCH IT WILL COST. OUR GRANT COVERS OUR SERVICES SO THAT'S SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED. YES, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AN OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> YOU MAY -- >> THANK YOU. THINK YOU DID MENTION IT. >> YOU DID MENTION. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE USED TO HEARING A LOT SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE NOT ONLY HEARD IT BUT ACTUALLY INTERNALIZED IT. SO NO, I THINK YOU DID. SO TONIGHT REALLY WE'RE -- IT IS ON FOR INFO BUT I THINK GENERALLY WHAT WE NEED IS A SENSE OF IS THIS A PATH WE WANT TO PURSUE BECAUSE WE WILL -- I THINK THAT THE COMMITTEE IS A GOOD IDEA FOR A MORE CONSTANT INPUT INTO THE PROCESS AND THEN REPORTS BACK. BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ALL THE DETAILS AND WE WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE ALL THE DETAILS NOW IF WE WANT TO HAVE INPUT BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER PEOPLE THINK THIS IS A GOOD PATH TO -- A GOOD RELATIONSHIP AND TO EMBARK ON IT, A PATH TO START WITH WITH IDRA, TO DO THIS WORK. SO THERE IS -- THERE ARE A COUPLE OF HANDS RAISED SO I'LL GO IN HERE. >> CAN I JUMP IN FOR ONE SECOND? JUST FOR A MOMENT TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH -- THIS IS A GRANT FUNDED ORGANIZATION. AND WE ARE PROPOSING THIS ORGANIZATION BUT I WANT TO SAY, GO BACK TO THE RESEARCH. THEY DID QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH AND REACHED OUT TO QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENT EQUITY OPTION ORGANIZATIONS AND THIS ORGANIZATION WAS RECOMMENDED TO US BY THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE BDOE. MANY OF THE OTHER ONES I LOOKED AT DID NOT REALLY HAVE WHAT IT TOOK OR HAD NEVER DONE ANY OF THIS WORK BEFORE. SO I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO A RECOMMENDING IDRA BECAUSE THEY'RE GRANT FUNDED. IT'S A BONUS, A HUGE BONUS, THAT THEY'RE GRANT FUNDED BUT THERE WERE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS I LOOKED AT AND THEY JUST DID NOT HAVE WHAT IT TOOK TO DO THE WORK OR I DID NOT FEEL CONFIDENT THEY COULD REALLY DO THE WORK BECAUSE THEY HAD NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. >>> YES, THANK YOU, MISS WOOD. I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT JUST BECAUSE THE PRICE WAS RIGHT, I THINK WE HEARD IT WAS A GOOD FIT. BUT THAT'S AN EXTRA BONUS, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR AND IN TERMS OF WITH A WE'RE LOOKING IN IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGETS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND ALSO THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE HAVE RESTRICTED DOLLARS. MORE SO THIS YEAR THAN SOME. DR. REIF, YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> YES, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MISS WOOD AND MR. WILSON. I REALLY LIKED HOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR APPROACH BEING NOT TOP DOWN BUT THAT YOU DO LISTING SESSIONS AND CAMPUS OBSERVATIONS. I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU THINK THAT THE COVID-19 AND THE FACT WE'RE IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT RIGHT NOW, HOW THAT WILL IMPACT YOUR PROCESS, AND THEN I'M ALSO INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM MISS WOOD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SINCE WE'RE ON THIS TOPIC, AN UPDATE ON EQUITY TRAINING IN GENERAL, HOW IT'S THE VIRTUAL I AM ENVIRONMENT, IMPACTING AND DO YOU SEE THIS AUDIT TYING INTO SOME OF THE EQUITY TRAINING WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN THE FUTURE, SO IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THAT. >> I'LL SAY QUICKLY THAT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS ALTERED THE WAY WE GO ABOUT THESE AUDITS BUT WE HAVE CREATED VIRTUAL VERSIONS SO WE HAVE A SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY WE USED IN THE PAST WE USED TO GIVE PHYSICALLY. NOW WE DO ONLINE SURVEYS. WE HAVE DONE FOCUS GROUPS THROUGH ZOOM WITH STAKEHOLDERS SO WE TRY TO BE MOBILE AS MUCH AS WE CAN. OR VIRTUAL AS MUCH AS WE CAN, GIVEN THE RESTRICTIONS AND THE PANDEMIC. [01:40:02] BUT FOR US, IT'S LESS IMPORTANT THE MANNER WE REACH OUT TO FOLKS BUT THAT WE FIND WHAT THE OPINIONS ARE AND GO TO THE SOURCE FOR THOSE. SO WHEREVER PEOPLE ARE GATHERING, VIRTUALLY OR SOCIAL MEDIA OR -- WE'VE HAD TO BE SOMEWHAT FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE TO GET THOSE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATORS AND EDUCATORS. BY THIS POINT, WE'RE ALL ZOOM PROS. AND SO THE OCCASIONAL NONMUTE ASIDE. I THINK FOLKS ARE COMFORTABLE USING THIS MEDIUM TO DO SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WE WOULD USUALLY HAVE AND COLLECT THAT DATA. FOR US, WE ARE ANTICIPATING DOING THINGS VIRTUALLY AS -- UNTIL THE POINT WHERE WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THINGS IN PERSON. HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO DO THINGS IN PERSON AT THAT POINT AS WELL. SO IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A CONCERN BUT WE'VE ADAPTED AND CONTINUE TO DO EQUITY PROJECTS SINCE COVID-19 HAPPENED. >> FOR THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, DR. REIF. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE DOING TRAINING IN THE VIRTUAL SETTINGS WITH THE DEMANDS WE HAVE ON OUR STAFF IN THE VIRTUAL SETTINGS AND ALL OF THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT HAD TO TAKE PLACE TO GET VIRTUAL LEARNING OFF THE GROUND AND IN MOTION. NOW WE PLANNING FOR REOPENING OF SCHOOLS AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME AS WELL. HOWEVER, WE HAVE STARTED WITH TWO MODULES SPECIFIC TO OUR -- EXCUSE ME, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN 2025, WE DID THE MODULE AS AN HOUR AND A HALF PRESENTATION IN OUR LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. WE BROKE IT UP INTO TWO PARTS THAT ARE OUR DIVISION LEADERS AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF ARE ASKED TO DELIVER AT TURN AROUND TRAINING TO THEIR STAFF. SO THOSE MODULES HAVE BEEN PUT OUT. THE SECOND ONE IS THE STAFF IS WORKING ON THAT ONE RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER THE THIRD MODULE THAT WE WILL DELIVER TO OUR LEADERS AND AGAIN THAT WILL BE TURNED AROUND. WE'LL HAVE THREE DONE BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR AND HOPEFULLY THREE TO FOUR MORE IN THE NEXT -- IN 2021, THE SPRING OF 2021. SO WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF WE PUT OUT AN RPF FOR ANTIRACISM TRAINING SO THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE WORK AS FAR AS TRAINING GOES. ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT COME ABOUT, WE'RE DEFINITELY REACHING OUT TO STAFF TO SEE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN TRAINING. WE'RE GETTING READY TO EMBARK ONIONED DIVERSITY TRAINING WITH STAFF MEMBERS WHICH IS INTENSIFY RACIAL EQUITY OVER A COURSE OF FOUR DAYS IN THE BACK END OF NEW JERSEY BUT IT WILL BE VIRTUAL. SO TRAINING IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE IN THIS VIRTUAL WORLD. WE HAVE A LOT OF PRIORITIES WE'RE WORKING ON BUT WE'RE STILL PUSHING FORWARD. >>> THANK YOU ALL. I THINK AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THIS IS INFO AND IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS IF AN ISSUE WITH MOVING FORWARD, THAT WOULD BE THE'S EASIEST. THE IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP AT THIS TIME, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS SO I WILL KNOW THAT. OTHERWISE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO FIGURING OUT HOW THE COMMITTEE SHOULD WORK AND MOVING AHEAD WITH THIS IMPORTANT WORK. >> SO SEEING NONE AND HEARING EVERYONE, I MEAN SEEING NO HANDS RAISED, I THINK WE ARE GOOD TO PURSUE THIS PATH AND WE WILL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. WILSON AND MISS WOOD. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU ALL. >>> LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL. >> YES, THANK YOU. >>> NEXT UP WE HAVE THE MOU WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. [12. Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) - Alexandria Police Department (APD) Memorandum of Understanding] HAS OUR NEXT ITEM -- THIS IS UP FOR ACTION THIS EVENING. DR. HUTCHINGS? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YES, THIS IS UP FOR ACTION THIS EVENING. OR MOU WITH THE ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TONIGHT WE'RE HOPING TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD JUST INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE PROVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN REGARDS TO OUR MOU. ALSO TO PROVIDE ANY RESPONSES FOR CLARIFYING QUESTIONS THAT BOARD MEMBERS MAY HAVE ABOUT THE MOU OR ABOUT THE PROCESS. WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND AS WELL [01:45:04] AS FROM OUR STAFF IN REGARDS TO REVISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE BUT I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO MR. CONTRERAS, DIRECT OF SAFETY AND SECURITY, WHO IS GOING TO FACILITATE OUR PRESENTATION. I WELCOME CHIEF MICHAEL BROWN. I ALWAYS SAY DR. MICHAEL BROWN, WHO IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING. AND I JUST -- I KNOW HE WILL BE AROUND FOR ME QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE AFTER THE PRESENTATION. SO MR. CONTRERAS, YOU CAN TAKE IT AWAY. >> THANK YOU, DR. HUTCHINGS. YOU DID THE INTRODUCING FOR ME. THANK YOU, CHIEF BROWN, FOR BEING HERE WITH US. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CAPTAIN SOREEANO. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT? I BELIEVE SO, OKAY. SO I MUST BE HONEST WITH YOU ALL. COMING ON TWO WEEKS AGO AFTER 10:00 WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT. I SEEMED -- AFTER IT WAS OVER I WAS THINKING DID I REALLY TALK? I THOUGHT I SPOKE REALLY FAST AND WASN'T SURE IF I GOT MY POINTS ACROSS OR THE POINTS ACROSS. SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DO IT DIFFERENT. I THINK I HAVE PERMISSION TO SHARE MY SCREEN. I'M GOING TO PULL UP THE MOU AND JUST GO THROUGH IT AND I WANT TO HAVE MORE OF A CONVERSATIONAL FEEL TO IT INSTEAD OF ME JUST TRYING TO READ A SLIDE OR SPIT OUT SOME INFORMATION. SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THIS A SHOT. I'M GOING TO COUNT -- I FORGOT TO MENTION THE SCHOOL BOARD AND CHAIR ANDERSON, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I'M GOING TO COUNT ON YOU, CHAIR ANDERSON, BECAUSE I CAN SEE SOME OF YOU WHEN I PULL UP THIS SCREEN. CAN YOU SEE THE MEMORANDUM, THE MOU? YES? >> YES. >> OKAY. SO -- BUT I CAN'T SEE ALL OF YOU SO I WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS AND -- BUT I DON'T WANT TO MISS ANYTHING. IS THIS TOO SMALL OR SHOULD I KEEP IT THAT SIZE? >> THIS IS GOOD. >> OKAY, SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ LINE BY LINE BUT THE DESIGN OF THIS FORMAT WAS TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WER SINCE THE LAST VERSION. THERE ARE AT LEAST TEN VERSIONS OF THIS MEMORANDUM AND THIS IS THE FINAL, THE LAST -- THE LATEST DRAFT. I'LL FIRST GO OVER THE PARTNERSHIP DECLARATIONS. JUST SOME -- I'LL HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM RECOGNIZING THE FIRST ONE, LETTER A, SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY IS BEST ACHIEVED WITH THE COLLABORATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND -- I NORMALLY DON'T COMMENT ON PREVIOUS PARENTATIONS BUT CA NITRAS LINE ABOUT INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION HIT HOME WITH ME BECAUSE I THINK IN ORDER TO SUCCEED WITH THIS PROGRAM, AND THIS EFFORT, IT IS GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY EFFORT. SO THAT REALLY STRUCK A CORD WITH ME. I WANT TO DROP DOWN TO LETTER D. RECOGNIZING THE COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND SAFE GUARDING THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF ALL VIRGINIANS. ALSO, LETTER E, RECOGNIZING THAT STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE RESPECTED FOR THEIR DIVERSITY, DIGNITY AND SELF WORTH. LETTER F, HAVING REGARD AND THE ACPS COMMITS TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, 2025, WHICH IDENTIFIES RACIAL EQUITY AS A STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE. SO I'M GOING TO KEEP SCROLLING. FORGIVE ME, I HOPE THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANYONE DIZZY. SO WE ADDED THE PREVIOUS VERSION DID NOT HAVE SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER NOTED IN THERE. WE ADDED THAT. I'LL GO OVER THAT LATER. SKIP THE INDEX. WE ADDED A DEFINITION IN SECTION 3, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT A CONTACT WAS. YOU HEARD THE SRO'S, YOU HEARD THEM SAY THAT STUDENTS STOP BY AND CHAT, ASK FOR ADVICE, DO THE FIST BUMP AND TALK ABOUT PAST WEEKEND SPORTS SO WE ADDED THE DEFINITION OF A CONTACT. FOR THIS MOU, THE DEFINITION OR CONTACT IS DEFINED AS QUESTIONING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES, AND THIS PERTAINS TO QUESTIONING OF A STUDENT OR STAFF, ANYONE IN THE SCHOOL, OR DEDANE. OF A STUDENT OR APPREHENSION OR ARREST OF A STUDENT. [01:50:04] ALL CONTACTS SHALL BE CONSIDERED REPORTABLE OFFENSES. IN ADDITION, THE REPORTING REQUIRED BY SCHOOL BOARD POLICY OR BY STATUTORY REQUIREMENT, I'LL TOUCH ON THAT ON PAGE 13 AS WELL. WE ALSO -- I WANT TO SPEND TIME ON THE NEXT SECTION. MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES. THIS IS A HUGE TOPIC. WE WANTED TO OUTLINE WAYS ON HOW WE WERE GOING TO EVALUATE THIS MOU AND THE PROGRAM. SO I WILL START WITH SECTION A. THIS IS THE VDOE ANNUAL REPORT FOR DISCIPLINE, CRIME AND VIOLENCE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HIGHLIGHT THE POINT THAT THIS SECTION COVERS THE ADMINISTRATIVE DISCIPLINE DATA MEASURABLE. SO HOW MANY INCIDENTS ARE REPORTED EACH SCHOOL YEAR AND HOW MANY RESULTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S ALREADY CAPTURED WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THAT SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES ANALYZE THAT INFORMATION, PROVIDE YOU THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THAT SO WE CAN DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN INCIDENTS OF ADMINISTRATIVE DISCIPLINE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THIS ANALYSIS THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DO WITH GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY. SECTION B IS THE POLITICAL -- THE POLICE -- I'M SORRY, THE POLICE STATISTICAL REPORTS. MY BRAIN IS WORKING FASTER THAN MY MOUTH. I'M SORRY. THE -- THIS YOU'LL HEAR ME REFERENCE THE FORM A LOT. BUT THERE'S A REASON WHY WE ADDED THIS MEASURABLE IN HERE. THE FORMS COLLECTED WILL BE REVIEWED FOR ACCURACY, EVENT TYPE, ADMINISTRATIVE RESULT, CRIMINAL RESULT, PARENT NOTIFICATION AND CASE NUMBER INFORMATION WILL BE ANALYZED BY SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES. WE'RE GOING TO COMPARE IT TO SECTION A AND WE WILL INCLUDE AGE, RACE, SEX, DISABILITY AND OTHER PERTINENT DATA. I'M GOING TO TRY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE SEEN. THERE WAS A BARRAGE OF QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN RECENTLY AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I TRY TO TOUCH ON THEM AS I GO THROUGH THIS IN HOPES OF ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION. THE FORM ITSELF. THE REASON THERE IS A SECTION ON THE FORM ABOUT STUDENT I.D. AND CASE NUMBER IS BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES TO ACTUALLY GO INTO POWER SCHOOL, LOOK UP THE STUDENT I.D. OF THE PERSONS THAT WERE INVOLVED, AND EXTRAPOLATE NECESSARY INFORMATION. AGE, RACE, SEX, AND ANY OTHER PERTINENT DATA IN ORDER TO GIVE US A BIG -- A FULL PICTURE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN EACH SCHOOL LOCATION. SO THAT'S -- THAT'S -- AND THE REASON WHY THERE'S A SECTION ON THE POLICE CASE NUMBER IS WE WILL HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF BROWN CAN TALK ABOUT THIS LATER. BUT WE WILL NEED -- WE WILL NEED TO RELY AND COLLABORATE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THAT. THEY -- WHEN THEY HAVE A POLICE ACTION -- I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK FOR THE POLICE BUT WITH MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN SOMEONE IS BOOKED INTO A FACILITY, THAT DATA IS CAPTURED THAT THE AGE, RACE, SEX AND OTHER INFORMATION IS CAPTURED. SO WE WILL HAVE TO RELY ON POLICE TO GIVE US THEIR INFORMATION AND WE WILL HAVE TO MERGE THAT WITH OUR INFORMATION. THE VDOE SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS ALREADY. THAT'S RUN BY THE STATE AND WE CAN EXTRAPOLATE INFORMATION FROM THERE AS WELL. THOSE SURVEYS ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS BUT THE CHALLENGE WITH THOSE SURVEYS, IT DOESN'T DRILL DOWN. SO FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS AGO WE SPOKE ABOUT THE INFORMATION ON SRO'S, IF THEY MAKE YOU FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL. THAT WAS TOWARDS THE STUDENTS. THERE'S A STUDENT SECTION AND TEACHERS SECTION. IT -- IF A FOURTH OF THE STUDENTS SAY NO, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY THEY'RE SAYING NO. SO WE'LL HAVE TO WORK ON THAT WITH THE STATE. BUT WE WILL ALSO USE THAT INFORMATION FOR OUR ANALYSIS. SECTION D, DURING OUR QUARTERLY REVIEWS, WE WILL -- ONCE WE ANALYZE THE [01:55:03] INFORMATION IN SECTION A AND B, WE WILL PROVIDE THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH OUR -- POSTED PUBLICLY AS -- WITH PERMISSION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT. SECTION E, A LOT OF THESE ACTIVITIES WITH STUDENTS DON'TS HAPPEN A LOT OF TIMES BUT WHEN THEY DO, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD -- WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE AN AFTER ACTION REPORT BE DONE WHEN THAT HAPPENS. UNDER THE SECTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES, WE ADDED A -- WHAT IS A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR. T IS SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ADDED THAT DEFINITION. A BOARD MEMBER REQUESTED THAT. ACPS WILL ENSURE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS RECEIVE RELEVANT TRAINING ON THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SRO'S. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOU, A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR IS A PRINCIPAL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OR DESIGNEE. IT COULD BE DEANS, COUNSELORS AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THAT PROFESSION STAND IN FOR ADMINISTRATORS. THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS THERE. SO WE ADDED THE SECTION E FOR THIS. THE SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER. THE REASON WE ADDED THIS IS BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME -- WE DIDN'T WANT -- WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DELINEATED THE POLICE OFFICER ROLL WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN A SECURITY OFFICER ROLE. SO BASICALLY, AN SSO, A SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER, ASSISTS ADMINISTRATORS WITH ENFORCEMENT OF STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT IN ADDITION TO PERFORMING THEIR ALREADY ASSIGNED SECURITY MONITORING DUTIES IN THEIR ASSIGNED AREAS. WE WANTED TO OUTLINE THAT HERE AND PROVIDED A -- JUST A DEFINITION OF WHAT IS SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER'S ROLE IS, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT. UNDER SECTION 5, OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES, WE ADDED A FAIR TREATMENT STATEMENT. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCHOOL BOARD POLICY JB, ANY ACTION TAKEN IN RESPONSE TO DISCIPLINARY MISCONDUCT OR CRIMINAL OFFENSE BEEN ADMINISTERED FAIRLY AND WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY, RELIGION, GENDER IDENTITY, GENDER EXPRESSION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR MARITAL OR PARENTAL STATUS. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS IN THERE. INFORMATION SHARING. THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT INFORMATION SHARING AND STUDENT RIGHTS. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHTED THE CONSENT ACCESS. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR SRO MAY HAVE ACCESS TO STUDENTS EDUCATION RECORDS WITH WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE STUDENTS, PARENT OR GUARDIAN OR IF THE STUDENT IS 18 OR OLDER. I WILL HAVE TO DEFER TO THE POLICE OFFICER PROFESSIONALS DURING THE Q AND A PERIOD BUT THE JUVENILE SYSTEM OR THE JUVENILE CRIMINAL SYSTEM, IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS CALLED, FORGIVE ME IF THAT'S WRONG, BUT ONCE A STUDENT TURNS 18, THE PARAMETERS CHANGE AS FAR AS GIVING CONSENT OR GAINING CONSENT. SO WE CAN EXPLAIN THAT LATER. BUT THAT'S WHY IT'S IN THERE LIKE THAT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE SECTION RIGHT BELOW THAT IS NOT HIGHLIGHTED, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S KNOWN THAT IN THE EVENT OF A SIGNIFICANT, ARTICULATE ABLE THREAT TO HEALTH OR SAFETY, SCHOOL OFFICIALS MAY DISCLOSE INFORMATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WHOSE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF A STUDENT OR INDIVIDUAL. I ONLY HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE SOMEONE SAID IT BEST TWO WEEKS AGO THAT A LOT OF TIMES, THE VICTIM IS A STUDENT. ONE OF OUR VERY OWN STUDENTS. SO IN ORDER TO GLEAN MORE INFORMATION OR QUICKLY PROCESS THAT INFORMATION, CERTAIN THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN. THAT'S WHY THAT'S THERE. SECTION C, INVESTIGATING QUESTIONING ON AND OFF SCHOOL PROPERTY. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR. [02:00:02] THAT SAYS THE SAME THING AS THE SECTION ABOVE AS FAR AS TIMELINESS TO PREVENT INJURY, DEATH OR EVIDENCE CONSTRUCTION DESTRUCTION. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE REQUIRED TO DO SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHTED THAT. ALSO ADDED IS THEV, WE TALKED ABOUT THE -- SRO, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FORM. ON THAT FORM IT IS NOW -- WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT PARTNERS, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT FILL THAT FORM OUT ON PAGE 18, THE POLICE OFFICER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO VERIFY THE STUDENT HAS HAD CONTACT WITH THEIR PARENT OR GUARDIAN OR LEGAL GUARDIAN BEFORE ANY INVESTIGATION OR QUESTIONING PROCEEDS. NO QUESTIONING OF A STUDENT WILL TAKE PLACE WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR. WE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH NOTICE OF RIGHTS BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL -- WERE AWARE THIS WAS IN THERE. THIS WAS A REQUEST BECAUSE THE MIRANDA WARNING -- I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE LEGALITIES BUT CASE LAW IS CASE LAW AND THE SUPREME COURT HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED CERTAIN THINGS. BUT THIS IS VERY SIMILAR. THIS WORDING IS VERY SIMILAR TO A MIRANDA WARNING FOR STUDENTS. IN THE PRESENCE OF A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR THE STUDENT WILL BE INFORMED OF THE PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION, WARNED AGAINST SELF INCRIMINATION IN A DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE MANNER AND INFORM AND ADVISE THE STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, THE STUDENT IS FREE TO LEAVE AN INTERROGATION AND HAS RIGHT TO STOP THE QUESTIONING AND REQUEST HIS OTHER HER PARENT, GARRAN OR ATTORNEY ARE PRESENT DURING THE QUESTIONING SO WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THAT'S IN THERE NOW. SEARCHES. SRO'S AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOULD OBTAIN A SEARCH WARRANT WHERE INITIAL CONSENT WAS NOT OBTAINED AND PROBABLE CAUSE EXISTS THAT A CRIME WAS COMMITTED. PROBABLE CAUSE IS ESTABLISHED GUIDANCE, LEGALLY ESTABLISHED GUIDANCE, CASE LAW, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO -- TRYING TO REWORD OR RECREATE PROBABLE CAUSE BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CASES WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CAN ACT, ESPECIALLY IF THE CRIME BEING COMMITTED IS IN THEIR PRESENCE BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS IN THERE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHEN THERE IS NOT CONSENT, THAT A SEARCH WARRANT BE OBTAINED. WE ADDED REFERENCES TO ALREADY ESTABLISHED POLICY SO WE ADDED A COUPLE OF REFERENCES IN THERE AT THE REQUEST OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. WOW, THAT WAS NOT AS PAINFUL AS I THOUGHT. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE HERE FOR HOURS, THE ONE KEEPING YOU HERE UNTIL 10:00. I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS. AGAIN, THIS IS THE LATEST VERSION BASED ON TODAY'S DISCUSSION AND ANY REQUESTS, AND IT'S UP TO YOU ALL. I CAN BRING YOU THE WORD VERSION AND MAKE CHANGES ON THE FLY OR WE CAN -- I COULD TAKE GOOD NOTES AND MAKE SURE THE LATEST, GREATEST VERSION BE SUPPLIED IF THAT'S WHAT IS NECESSARY. SO I EQUIPMENT DETAILS IN THE APPENDIX WAS ADDED ABOUT VEHICLES BEING PARKED AWAY FROM VISIBILITY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IT DISCUSSES LONG ARMS THAT THEY'RE ONLY DISPLAYED IN THE SCHOOL OR AROUND CAMPUS -- THAT THEY'RE NOT DISPLAYED UNLESS THERE'S AN EMERGENCY. BODY CAMERA VIDEO SHOULD NOT BE USED IN THE SCHOOL SETTING UNLESS THERE'S A LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE. IF USED, RECORDINGS MUST BE CONTROLLED AN PROTECTIVE OF JUVENILE INFORMATION PER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND NARCAN WAS ADDED. THAT IS A -- POLICE OFFICERS CARRY THAT ON THEIR DUTY BELTY THEIR EQUIPMENT IS AND WE WANTED THAT IN THERE. I THINK THAT'S IT. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS -- I WANTED TO CLOSE WITH THESE REMARKS WITH THE OVER ARCHING OBJECTIVE. THIS WILL HELP SOME CONTEXT, ADD CONTEXT. THE OVERAMPING OBJECTIVE OF THIS SCHOOL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP IS A POSITIVE, EQUITABLE AND SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. AND YOU'LL READ THAT COMMENT. THERE ARE LETTERS -- I GOT THIS FROM THE ACPS LETTER TO FAMILIES THAT'S ON THE [02:05:05] WEBSITE. STUDENTS SERVICES WEBSITE. IT MENTIONS THE GOALS. CULTIVATING POSITIVE BEHAVIORS THAT PROMOTE LEARNING, SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH WITH TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES. BUILDING STRONG SCHOOL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE RESTORATIVE. DELIVERING FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT ACROSS ALL STUDENT POPULATIONS, AND IT CLOSES WITH THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACPS, SECURITY SERVICES AND ACPS STUDENT SERVICES AND EQUITY -- THIS IS MY CLOSING. WILL BE NEEDED TO PROPERLY ASSESS AND ANALYZE AVAILABLE DATA. THIS WILL INFORM ON WHETHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION TAKING PLACE AT SCHOOLS PROMOTES A SAFE AND EQUITABLE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS NOTED BECAUSE OUR -- ONE OF OUR GOALS -- I'M GOING TO HOLD IT UP BECAUSE -- ONE OF OUR GOALS IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS TO -- IS TO -- ONE OF OUR MEASURES IS PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO FEEL SAFE, VALUED AND ENGAGED IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS PROVIDE A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM. ALSO TO CAPTURE DISPROPORTIONALTY RATE OF SUSPENSIONS BY A SCHOOL OR STUDENT GROUP. THOSE ARE ALSO CAPTURED SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO HAVE THIS IN MIND WHEN WE PROCEED WITH ANALYSIS EACH TIME WE MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT. WITH THAT, THAT IS MY PRESENTATION. I HOPE I ANSWERED SOME QUESTIONS AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO EVERYONE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE A COUPLE OF HANDS RAISED ALREADY. ONE IS THE FIRST, MISS LORBER. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I GUESS I'LL START RIGHT OUT. I STILL CANNOT ACCEPT THE IDEA OF GUNS AND HANDCUFFS IN SCHOOLS. AND WHILE I DO UNDERSTAND THE -- THAT OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAVE NOTHING BUT POSITIVE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE ROLE THAT THE SRO'S HAVE PLAYED AND ARE PLAYING CURRENTLY, M PERSONAL FEELING WOULD BE IF I WERE TO COME OUT 100%, LET'S RENEW THE MRU, I WOULD DO IT ON THE BASIS OF PERSONALITY, TO PRESERVE THESE INDIVIDUALS'S POSITIONS AS OPPOSED TO ON THE PRINCIPLE OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR ME TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH SRO'S IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. MY QUESTIONS ARE I COULD SEE -- I BELIEVE IT'S VERY GOOD TO PROMOTE CAREERS IN POLICING. AND I WOULD BE DELIGHTED IF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD GIVE US A COUPLE OF INSTRUCTORS AND WE COULD -- MANY STUDENTS ALSO GO INTO CRIMINOLOGY IS ONE OF THE TOP CHOICES OF ENTERING FRESHMEN IN MANY LOCAL COLLEGES. BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED SRO'S TO ENCOURAGE THAT. ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK IT WOULD BE TOTALLY APPROPRIATE TO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE POLICE FORCE IN OUR SCHOOL TO TEACH. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS. MY BIGGEST OBJECTION IS GUNS AND HANDCUFFS IN THE SCHOOL. I JUST -- MAKES ME FEEL LIKE IF WE NEED TO DO THAT, IT MEANS SOMEHOW -- IF WE HAVE THAT KIND OF VIOLENCE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, SOMEHOW WE HAVE FAILED THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN NEED OF THAT KIND OF VIOLENCE. AND IF THE PURPOSE OF THE SRO -- THE COLLABORATION IS REALLY TO PROMOTE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AND SO FORTH, I BELIEVE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM WE OUGHT TO DO MORE OURSELVES TO BE PROMOTING RESTORATIVE PRACTICES. BOTTOM LINE, I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO DATA AND I AM IN FAVOR -- IF IT WERE -- IF WE HAD DATA THAT SHOWED BEFORE WE HAD SRO'S, THE REFERRAL OF STUDENTS TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN AFTER THE SRO'S CAME IN, THAT THEY ARE ACTING AS A BARRIER AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR STUDENTS TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING DATA AND THE FACT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO INFORMATION. BUT IN PRINCIPLE I'M TROUBLED BY THE IDEA OF NEEDING PEOPLE WITH GUNS AND [02:10:03] HANDCUFFS. MY QUESTION WOULD BE, COULD WE HAVE SRO'S TO DRESS AS POLICE BUT DON'T CARRY GUNS AND DON'T USE HANDCUFFS. BUT OTHERWISE, ARE HELPFUL. YOU KNOW, HELP MEDIATE WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES. I DON'T EVEN LIKE THE THOUGHT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. BUT I THINK HELPING US RESOLVE WHEN THERE ARE MOMENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE -- THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE FROM INSIDE OR OUT, THEY COULD -- WE COULD HAVE THEIR GUNS AND HANDCUFFS STORED SOMEWHERE SO THAT IN AN EMERGENCY, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING IN 60 SECONDS, THEY COULD GET AHOLD OF THESE THINGS AND MEET THE EMERGENCY NEED. BUT I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION. COULD WE HAVE SRO'S AT A DON'T CARRY WEAPONS AND DON'T CARRY HANDCUFFS AND DON'T USE THEM. >>> CHAIR ANDERSON, I'LL RESPOND TO THAT. IT'S OUR POLICY, IF YOU HAVE AN OFFICER ON THE SCENE, THEY WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY COULD USE TO DEESCALATE AND ALSO TO TAKE CARE OF ISSUES. IT'S ALSO FOR THE OFFICER'S SAFETY AS WELL. BECAUSE FRANKLY THE OFFICERS, AS WE HAVE SEEN AS RECENTLY AS THIS WEEK, OFTEN BECOME TARGETS BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE WEARING. I WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE NOR WOULD I CONDONE PUTTING AN OFFICER IN A SITUATION IN UNIFORM, EVEN A LOW GRADE UNIFORM LIKE WE DO CURRENTLY WITH THE SRO'S WITH THE SOFT SHIRTS, WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT THEY ARE TRAINED TO USE TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY, INCLUDING THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS THEIR OWN. I DO RESPECT YOUR OPINION ON THE HANDCUFFS AND WEAPONS. BUT I FRANKLY WOULD NOT CONDONE THAT. >> OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE MISS GENTRY. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WALKING THROUGH THE REVISED MEMO, MR. CONTRERAS. I THINK SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ARE GOING TO BE ACTUALLY MAYBE MORE FOR THE FINANCE TEAM. I HAVE TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE THAT BOARD MEMBERS RECEIVED A PACKET OF INFORMATION, REALLY LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO, THAT INCLUDED A LOT OF INFORMATION. ALSO, I MUST SAY I THINK SOME OF THAT INFORMATION HAS ALSO BEEN SHARED WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY BASED ON SOME OF THE EMAILS WE'VE RECEIVED. AND MY CONCERN ABOUT IT IS THAT BASED ON WHAT I'M READING IN THIS, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE PERHAPS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE BUDGETING THAT GOES AROUND THIS. IT SEEMS THAT PEOPLE ARE SORT OF LUMPING SRO'S IN WITH STUDENT SERVICES OR WITH SECURITY OR WITH SOME OF THE GRANT MONEY WE'VE RECEIVED AND INVOLVING SECURITY SYSTEM UPGRADES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I -- MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT IS I SENSE THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE -- WHEN THEY'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO END THE MOU, THEY'RE DOING IT FROM A POSITION OF WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S THIS MONEY THAT'S BEING -- THAT'S GOING TO THE SRO'S' WENT HE WE WANT YOU TO TAKE AT A MONEY AND DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH IT. I THINK WE NEED TO CLEAR UP SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THAT. THAT THIS IS NOT AN EATERS OR PROPOSITION, THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS ALONG WITH HELPING PEOPLE DIFFERENTIATE THAT, REALLY GOOD CONTEXT FOR PEOPLE, PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT WE WANT MORE COUNSELORS OR WE WANT MORE OTHER -- YOU KNOW, STUDENT SUPPORTS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD PROVIDE CONTEXT ABOUT HOW WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN RAMPING THAT UP OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. SO DR. HUTCHINGS, WHOEVER -- WHATEVER STAFF YOU THINK MIGHT BE BEST ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS BEEN RAMPING UP THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND COUNSELORS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION. AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE ABOVE THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN REGARDS TO COUNSELORS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE VALUE THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. THAT IS AN AREA THAT'S BEEN ONE OF OUR FOCUS AREAS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. IN REGARDS TO THE TWO ACTUAL FUNDING STREAMS -- I KNOW MR. TURNER IS ON THE CALL. [02:15:03] HE CAN TALK TO SPECIFICALLY THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FUNDING THAT IS PART OF THE ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE DOLLARS. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ALLOCATED FROM THE CITY TO PROVIDE US ADDITIONAL FUNDING. BUT MR. TURNER, IF HERE, I DO SEE YOU, YOU'RE THERE. IF YOU WANT TO -- I'M SORRY, WITH SO MANY PEOPLE, I COULDN'T FIND YOU. IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THAT ONE, PLEASE. >> SO THAT IS CORRECT. THE FUNDING FOR THE SRO'S IS OUT OF THE ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE CHIEF SAID HE WOULD USE THE POLICE OFFICERS ON A DIFFERENT BEAT THROUGH THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA SO IT'S NOT AS THOUGH IF WE ENDED THE SRO PROGRAM, THAT WE WOULD HAVE THAT FUNDING TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH, LIKE, FUND OFFICIAL COUNSELORS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND TO DR. HUTCHINGS POINT, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DR. CRAWFORD'S GROUP TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM POSITIONS WE HAVE THROUGH THE ACPS AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS SET FOR US IN SEPTEMBER EACH YEAR DURING THE BUDGET SETTING SESSION. >> IF I MAY, I'LL CLOSE WITH A COMMENT ON THE SURVEILLANCE OR SECURITY EQUIPMENT AND THE GRANT RECENTLY AWARDED. I JUST WANTED TO THROW -- TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FUNDING FOR THAT OR THE REQUEST IS BECAUSE WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF EQUIPMENT. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS LET'S SAY -- AN EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO GIVE TOO MUCH AWAY. THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CAMERAS LET'S SAY. NUMBER ONE, THOSE CAMERAS, A LOT OF THEM ARE ANALOG CAMERAS. THAT MEANS I CAN SEE THEM FROM MY OFFICE AND I COULD LOG IN AND SEE THAT SCHOOL SITE FROM MY OFFICE. BUT IT'S VERY OUTDATED, VERY -- IT'S NOT VERY DEPENDABLE AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T RECORD. WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, HEY, A, B AND C HAPPENED. CAN YOU TAKE A LOOK ON THIS DATE AT THIS TIME TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN SEE AND WE OFTEN HAVE TO SAY THE CAMERA SYSTEM DID NOT CAPTURE IT. IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO -- THEY'RE TRYING TO SOLVE A SITUATION THAT OCCURRED. SOME SITUATIONS RANGE FROM CONDUCT BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE PARENT CONCERNS THAT A STUDENT GOES HOME AND HAS A CONCERN OR A REPORT AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO VERIFY WHETHER THAT INCIDENT HAPPENED. SOME OF THOSE DON'T INVOLVE POLICE, JUST ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS. OUR SYSTEMS ARE OUTDATED. ALSO I WANTED TO ADD, AND THIS IS I -- I HOPE NOBODY LAUGHS. IF YOU HAVE EVER SEEN -- SOME OF YOU ARE TOO YOUNG TO KNOW BUT A DOT MATRIX PRINTER WITH THE PAPER THAT HAS HOLES ON THE SIDE AND IT FEEDS, THE PRINTER FEEDS THE PAPER THROUGH THE RIBBON, WE STILL HAVE A SYSTEM LIKE THAT HERE AT ACPS. WE NEED TO GET RID OF THAT AND UPGRADE. IT'S JUST NOT WORKING ANYMORE. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE PHONE OR TEXT OR EMAIL VERSUS A DOT MATRIX PRINTER. WHEN WE ASK FOR FUNDING IT'S BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED IT. I'LL STOP THERE. >> IN ADDITION TO WHAT MR. CONTRERAS JUST SAID, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING THE MILLION DOLLARS PLUS BUILDINGS WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO PROTECT OUR ASSETS. HAVING SECURITY SYSTEMS AND THINGS ARE -- TO PROTECT OUR BUILDINGS. FIRE, THEFT, I MEAN THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN KIDS ARE NOT IN SCHOOL. THEY STILL NEED TO BE PROTECTED. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US. WE ALSOV TO KEEP IN MIND WITH THE SECURITY SYSTEMS THAT CAME -- SOME OF THE SOFTWARE THAT CAME OUT OF GRANTS, IT'S ALSO FOR STAFF TO HAVE ACCESS INTO OUR BUILDING SO YOU CAN USE KEY FOBS AND MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGY TO ACTUALLY GET IN AND OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS AND AN ABILITY FOR US TO RECORD WHO IS IN OUR BUILDINGS AND WHO WAS IN THE SCHOOLS WHEN THINGS ARE OCCURRING. THAT'S FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS. IF YOU HAVE A FIRE THAT OCCURS IN A BUILDING AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO KEY FOB IN AND IT HAPPENS TO BE AT A TIME, ESPECIALLY NOW, THAT WE'RE IN THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO WAS INSIDE THAT BUILDING DURING THAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT OR IF THERE WAS A A FIRE. FOR SOMEBODY WHO MAY NOT HAVE MADE IT OUT. THESE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ALLOWS OUR SCHOOL DIVISION TO BE ON TOP OF MODERN DAY SECURITY. [02:20:03] I WAS VERY SURPRISED WITH THE SECURITY SYSTEMS WE HAVE IN PLACE WHEN I ARRIVED IN 2018. I WENT TO OUR CONTROL ROOM AND IT WAS LITERALLY LIKE A TOOK A STEP BACK INTO THE LATE 80S, EARLY 90S. AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A SCHOOL DIVISION LIKE ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR 16,000 PLUS STUDENTS AND OVER 3,000 EMPLOYEES AND THE TYPE OF SOFTWARE WE HAD WAS IN A SYSTEM THAT REALLY DIDN'T RECORD ANYTHING AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS UNLESS YOU WENT INTO THAT SPACE AT MINNIE HOWARD IN THAT ROOM. THAT WAS EXTREMELY SHOCKING FOR 2018 TO HAVE A SYSTEM LIKE THAT IN OUR PROGRAM. I WANTED TO REITERATE, IT'S BEYOND THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS WITH THE SECURITY GRANT AND EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE. IT IS REALLY PROTECTING OUR ASSETS. AS A SCHOOL DIVISION, IT'S OUR OBLIGATION TO DO THAT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR LETTING ME GO ON TO MY NEXT ONE THAT I WANTED CLARIFICATION ON. I PROMISE IF I DO IT THINK WAY, WON'T GET BACK IN LINE. ANOTHER PERCEPTION THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE -- I THINK CHIEF THE CHIEF ALLUDED TO THIS THE OTHER WEEK. SOME OF THE INITIAL USES OF SRO'S IN BUILDINGS AND SOME OF THE TRENDS, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE 1990'S, WE HAD A VERY KIND OF TOUGH ON CRIME ZERO TOLERANCE SORT OF APPROACH TO THINGS. AND IT'S ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE MATERIALS THAT ARE POSTED. BUT SINCE WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT BEFORE, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VDOE HAS COME UP. THE MEMO, I HOPE I GET IT RIGHT, THE ATTACHMENT INCLUDED. THE GUIDANCE OF REPORTS OF CERTAIN ACTS TO SCHOOL AUTHORITIES. WHAT YOU'RE REALLY SEEING THERE IS A TREND TOWARDS MAKING IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS NOT AN EXPECTATION THAT EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE OFFENSE IMMEDIATELY NEEDS TO GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S NOT THE GOAL OR THE PURPOSE. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR AND ALONG WITH THAT, WHAT HAS BEEN SAID REPEATEDLY NOW, THE FACT THAT THE SRO'S ARE NOT CONNECTED WITH SUSPENSION STUFF. WE DEFINITELY -- WE AS A DIVISION HAVE BEEN QUITE TRANSPARENT AND CANDID ABOUT THE -- THAT WE STILL HAVE CHALLENGES WITH OUR SUSPENSION RATE DATA BUT THAT REALLY IS A DISTINCT THING. IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST FILL IN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE SHIFTS IN TERMS OF THE REPORTING, AS IN TERMS OF GUIDANCE FROM VDOE AND REITERATE THAT THAT DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SUSPENSIONS AND THE POLICE INVOLVEMENT. >> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, IN THE PROPOSED M-O-U, WE WERE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT. IN REGARDS TO THE ROLE OF THE SRO AND ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF. ONE THING THAT IS VERY CLEAR AND I'M PROUD OF ACPS FOR BEING AHEAD OF THE GAME IN GETTING RID OF THE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICIES THAT USED TO GO TO BE IN ALL SCHOOL DIVISIONS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, WHICH I THINK PERPETUATED SOME RACIAL DISPARITIES WE SAW ACROSS AMERICA IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. AND WE HAVE -- WE'RE WAY PAST THAT IN ACPS. BUT WE ARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, STILL SEEING SOME DISPARITIES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL DATA WORKBOOK WE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD LAST YEAR, WE WERE REVEALING THAT INFORMATION. WE WERE MAKING THAT INFORMATION PUBLIC BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY BUT OUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND AND FOR US TO START WORKING THROUGH WHY IS THIS THE REALITY FOR US STILL WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DIVISION? WHY ARE WE SEEING MORE BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS WITH REFERRALS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WHY ARE WE SEEING THEM SUSPENDED FROM OUR SCHOOLS AT HIGHER RATES THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS. THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON INTERNALLY. RESTORATIVE PRACTICE IS ONE THING. DON'T GET ME WRONG. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR SCHOOLS BUT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH BIASES PEOPLE HAVE AROUND BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS. AND THAT IS A HARD NUT TO CRACK. WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT DOING EQUITY AUDITS AND US HAVING THAT ANTIRACISM TRAINING FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF. THAT IS WHAT'S GOING TO HELP US TO TACKLE SOME OF THOSE RACIAL DISPARITIES BECAUSE [02:25:01] UNFORTUNATELY, SOCIETY HAS MADE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN GENERAL SEEM AS IF WE WERE CRIMINALS. YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE PERCEPTION PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR MINDS. SO YOU SEE A BLACK AND BROWN STUDENT IN A HALLWAY PLAYING WITH HIS OR HER FRIEND OR THEIR FRIEND, AND THEY'RE TAPPING ONE ANOTHER, NOW YOU'RE CALLING, SAYING THEY ARE FIGHTING. THEY WERE JUST PLAYING, GOOFING OFF LIKE TEENAGERS DO. BUT YOUR BIAS MAY MAKE YOU PERCEIVE THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE HAPPENING. THEN WE ACT ON THAT UNFORTUNATELY. I THINK MR. BALLAS, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND MR. MAICER AND MISS PETERS, THEY'RE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB TRYING TO CRACK DOWN ON THAT AND GETTING RID OF SOME OF THOSE UNINTENTIONAL BIASES PEOPLE HAVE AND DIGGING DEEPER WITH REFERRALS COMING TO THEIR OFFICES. BUT THAT'S AN INTERNAL ISSUE WE NEED TO RESOLVE. SRO SITUATION WILL NOT RESOLVE THAT. WE NEED TO RESOLVE THAT INTERNALLY. WE'VE BEEN TAGUE THAT THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND IT'S IDENTIFIED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. TACKING THOSE DISPARITIES. I DON'T KNOW -- WAS THERE ANY OTHER PART TO YOUR QUESTION? I WANTED TO COVER THAT. >> I THINK JUST AGAIN IF THERE WAS ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT -- THE VDOE MEMO. >> THANK YOU, YES. I WAS GOING TO SEE IF DR. WILKINS. OR MR. CONTRERAS CAN TALK TO THE VDOE MEMO. I KNOW IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THETH NEWSTY AND GENDER QUESTIONS THAT CAME ABOUT THAT WERE SHARED WITH US, THESE ARE UPDATES THAT CAME ABOUT THIS PAST JULY THAT WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE -- OF COURSE WE WANT TO BE IN COMPLIANCE AND WE WILL ENSURE DOCUMENTS ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY GATHER THAT INFORMATION. THAT'S INFORMATION THAT WE WANT INTERNALLY. SO WHETHER THE VDOE WAS ASKING FOR IT OR NOT, WE WANT TO AGGREGATE OUR DATA BY RACE, BY SCHOOLS, BY DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. ALL OF THE THINGS THE VDOE IS REQUIRING. I DON'T KNOW IF MR. CONTRERAS HAS FURTHER COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE MEMO. >> YES. THANK YOU. I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO, MISS GENTRY, THE MEMORANDUM FROM VIRGINIA DOE, OCTOBER 23, 2020, TO THE SUPERINTENDENTS. WE RECEIVED IT TODAY. I BELIEVE IT WAS FORWARDED TO US BY A SCHOOL BOARD. AND I'LL BRIEFLY STATE THAT THIS IS REGARDING THE DISCIPLINE CRIME AND VIOLENCE DATA AND THE STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSE DATA THAT'S SHARED WITH THE STATE. THAT DATA IS REQUIRED, NUMBER ONE, WE ARE -- THEY ELIMINATED THE REQUIREMENT TO REPORT MISDEMEANORS, WHICH IS A PLUS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. ALSO, IT OUTLINES EXACTLY WHAT IS REPORTABLE AND NOT. WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED AND WHAT'S NOT. SO WE WILL BE TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS. BUT JUST -- I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE EXAMPLES. I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO THIS NOW. BUT THERE ARE CODES NEXT TO IT SO THIS GUIDE, THIS TABLE, THESE TABLE IS USED TO GUIDE THE SCHOOLS AS TO WHAT -- WHEN THEY GO INTO POWER SCHOOL AND REPORT A REPORTABLE OFFENSE, WHICH IS LISTED ON THIS TABLE, THEY WILL HAVE TO -- THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THEY HAVE TO REPORT AND CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE -- THERE ARE OTHER GUIDANCE ON. THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S ADHERED TO. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE CLARIFICATIONS. I JUST TO ROUND OUT, I WANT TO SAY THAT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE -- THERE'S BEEN CONCERN THAT WE DON'T HAVE DATA. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY HEARING ALL THE DATA WE'RE GOING TO GET, BUT I WOULD ALSO ARGUE WE DO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF DATA. [02:30:29] I BELIEVE THE VICE CHAIR INDICATED IN OUR EARLIER DISCUSSION, WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN A SIGNIFICANT LOWER ARREST -- LOWER ARREST RECORD THAN SMALLER HIGH SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE SRO'S. WE HAVE THE DATA OF THE SUCCESS OF THE -- THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS THAT THE STRONG SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS THESE SRO'S HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE. THAT'S A VERY INTENTIONAL THING THAT'S DONE WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT I CONSIDER THAT ANOTHER DATA POINT TOO. WHEN I HEAR FROM ALL THREE OF OUR SECONDARY PRINCIPALS ABOUT HOW ESSENTIAL THEY CONSIDER AND VITAL THEY CONSIDER THE ROLE OF THE SRO'S THAT IS SIGNIFICANT TO ME. AND WE ALSO HEAR FROM TEACHERS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP. SOME OF THE OTHER SUPPORT STAFF. SO YOU KNOW -- AS A CLOSING NOTE FOR MISS LORBER, I TOO WISH WE COULD LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE I'M A BIG FAN OF BRITISH MYSTERY NOVELS. WERE THERE DAYS WHEN THE CONSTABLE ON THE BEAT ONLY HAD A STICK. WE'RE UNFORTUNATELY NOT IN THAT WORLD ANYMORE. EVERY SINGLE MEMBER -- WE SEE EXAMPLES OF THAT EVERY DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE WITH I WILL INTENT HAVE ACCESS TO -- ILL INTENT HAVE ACCESS TO MATERIALS THAT CAUSE HARM. I UNDERSTAND WHY CHIEF BROWN WOULD NEED -- WOULD THINK IT APPROPRIATE THAT HIS OWN TEAM HAS THAT. AGAIN, IT WOULD BE MORE OF A CONCERN FOR ME IF I WAS HEARING EXAMPLES -- FREQUENT EXAMPLES OF GUNS DRAWN ON STUDENTS IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS. BUT I'M NOT HEARING THAT. WE ACTUALLY -- YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE STUDENTS TO GO BACK TO WHAT DR. HUTCHINGS WAS SAYING, IT TRULY SEEMS THERE'S MORE FRUSTRATION AND ISSUES AROUND IDEAS OF SUSPENSION OR IDEAS OF SERIOUS WEEK WE NEED ON CULTURAL COMPETENCY BUT THAT'S OUR WORK. AND YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE -- I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE MOU AND HOPEFULLY HAVING THEM APD IN THE INNING TO PARTNER WITH US ON THAT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. >> THANK YOU, MISS GENTRY. DR. REIF? >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WALKING US THROUGH THE MOU, MR. CONTRERAS. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU ALSO TO CHIEF BROWN AND CAPTAIN SORIANO. I WANT TO THANK CHIEF BROWN. WE HAD A CALL LAST WEEK AND I GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT THE MOU SO I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO TALK TO ME. BEFORE I GET TO MY QUESTION, DR. HUTCHINGS, YOU BROUGHT UP ZERO TOLERANCE. I HAVE TO SAY WHEN I WAS READING THE SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT WE DO HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE OF ZERO TOLERANCE POLICIES. THAT WAS A LITTLE CONCERNING TO ME. SO I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR STAFF. WITH REGARDS TO FUNDING, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT THE FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IS THROUGH THE CITY'S BUDGET. BUT I WILL ADD THAT I KNOW THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN LOOKING AT WAYS TO DO MORE WORK IN THE AREA OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS. 21ST CENTURY POLICING. WE'VE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE PATROLLING. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOU. IT GOES TO THE POINT MISS GENTRY WAS BRINGING UP THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA BUT SPEAKING AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IT'S HARD TO LOCATE IT. YOU SHARED DIFFERENT THINGS WITH US LIKE WE GET THE SUSPENSION DATA REPORT EVERY YEAR. BUT THE -- YOU SHARED THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL QUALITY PROFILE WHICH HAD LIKE THE NUMBER OF OFFENSIVES ON THERE. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WITH THE DIFFERENT DATA SETS THAT WE WALKED THROUGH, THE VD OE ANNUAL REPORT AND THE POLICE STATISTICAL REPORTS, HOW IS THAT INFORMATION GOING TO BE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY? I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING THE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REVIEW MEETINGS. SO HOW IS THAT -- HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC SO IT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE? I DON'T THINK IF WE CAN PUT LINKS TO THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL QUALITY PROFILE OR THE CIVIL RIGHTS DATA COLLECTION INFORMATION OR IF WE ARE GOING TO POST THAT DATA OURSELVES ON THE SECURITIES AND SERVICES WEBSITE. IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK TO THAT QUESTION, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT, A LITTLE CLARITY AROUND THAT. >> SO I WILL SAY THAT PART OF THIS WHOLE MOU PROCESS IS WE WANT TO DO REPORTS OUT OF MAKING INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. ONE THING WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING MOVING FORWARD IS NOT ONLY HAVING THE MOU POSTED AS WELL AS UPDATES FROM MEETINGS WE HAVE POSTED FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE. I THINK THE POINT YOU MADE IN HAVING A LINK THAT GOES TO DATA PRESENTED TO -- TO [02:35:07] THE VDOE IS IMPORTANT AS WELL. WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THAT EVERY YEAR. THAT'S SOMETHING WE JUST HAVE TO DO. WE COULD ALSO HAVE A LINK TO OUR DATA WORKBOOKS. IT IS STILL HERE. ONE OF OURMETRICS IS LOOKING AT OUR DISCIPLINE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND LOOKING AT DISPARITIES. SO HAVING LINKS IN MULTIPLE PLACES -- BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE IT ON THE CNI PAGE AND ACCOUNTABILITY PAGE BUT I THINK WE COULD HAVE THEM ON THE SAFETY AND SECURITY PAGES AS WELL SO WE'RE KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE. SO ANYONE WHO WANTS ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO A FOY YAY TO DO IT. WE CAN REFER THEM TO THE WEBSITE TO GET ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION. >> IF I MAY ADD ALSO, WE ADOPTED 21 CENTURY POLICING THREE YEARS AGO IN 2017. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WITH ALL THE POLICING INITIATIVES AND THE OMNIBUS BILL IN THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WE'RE ALREADY IN COMPLIANCE WITH EVERYTHING BUT SOME MINOR REPORTING. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE DAY ONE IS TO BE AS MUCH TRANSPARENT WITH DATA AS POSSIBLE. WHAT I WOULD ENVISION IN ANYTHING WE DO THAT'S -- WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE. BECAUSE WE'RE COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY. >> GREAT. I MEAN YEAH, I THINK -- I THINK THERE IS DATA THERE BUT IT'S JUST -- IT'S HARD TO -- I THINK SUSPENSION DATA THE SCHOOL BOARD RECEIVES, THAT'S OF COURSE POSTED PUBLICLY. THAT INFORMATION IS PRESENTED REALLY WELL AND IT HAS A BREAKDOWN BY SCHOOL, BY AGE, BY -- RACE AND ETHNICITY. AS FAR AS REFERRALS AND THESE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO BE COLLECTING ON THIS NEW REPORTING FORM, I THINK THAT'S THE DATA I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING. I'M SURE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE TOO. I WANT TODAY ASK ONE MORE QUESTION BUT I APPRECIATE YOU PUT IN MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES AT THE END OF THE DATA POINTS. BUT WE GOT FEEDBACK FROM SOMEONE IN A EMAIL WHICH ARTICULATED A CONCERN I HAD WHICH IS -- THEY SAID THE EVALUATION STRATEGY IS NOT FULLY FORMED. WE HAVE A LIST OF -- SOURCES OF DATA AND QUESTIONS TO ASK AND TIMELINES FOR ASKING QUESTIONS BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED CRITERIA BY WHICH WE WOULD EVALUATE THE SRO STRATEGY AS POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. THAT'S -- WHEN I THINK OF MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES I'M THINKING WHAT IS THE DESIRED OUTCOME. WE'RE GOING TO SEE REDUCTION IN -- LIKE -- I DON'T KNOW. WHATEVER IT IS. I THINK LIKE SPELLING IT OUT AS OPPOSED TO WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT DATA. NO WE WANT A DECREASE IN X OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER -- LETTER WE GOT FROM THE LEGAL AIDE JUSTICE CENTER THAT SAID SOME OF WHAT WE'RE ASKING ON THIS LAW ENFORCEMENT OCCURRENCE REPORT FORM IS ACTUALLY, IT'S NEW STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS BUT THAT SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT INCLUDED ON HERE AND I TRUST THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THOSE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS ARE AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ADDED ON HERE. LIKE THEY TALKED ABOUT -- I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT USING MAYBE THE STUDENT I.D. NUMBER TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE RACIAL IDENTITY AND THAT KIND OF THING. BUT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THIS POINT WHERE IT SAYS THE INCIDENT IS -- WHO IT'S INITIATED BY. THE TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE CATEGORIZED TOGETHER AND WE'VE MADE A REALLY BIG POINT IN THIS MOU THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE GOING THROUGH ADMINISTRATORS AND NOT TEACHERS SO I WONDER IF IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE TO SEPARATE OUT THOSE TWO SO THAT WE CAN KNOW HOW MANY OF TEACHERS VERSUS ADMINISTRATORS ARE INITIATING THESE INCIDENTS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT. >> SO LET ME COMMENT ON THE FORM ITSELF. THANK YOU DR. REIF. I'LL START WITH THAT. SO THE RATIONAL BEHIND THE TEACHER/ADMINISTRATORS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REMEMBER OR BIG PICTURE IS THAT ALL SCHOOLS OR ANY -- THERE COULD BE A LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE TO ANY SCHOOL, NOT NECESSARILY JUST AN SRO. [02:40:01] WHEN WE THINK OF SRO'S WE CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT TEACHERS CALLING AN SRO TO HELP WITH A DISCIPLINE ACTION IN THE CLASSROOM. THAT'S -- WE DO NOT WANT THAT. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE REPORT FORM IS FOR. SO -- BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS WE DO WANT TO PROVIDE THE ABILITY FOR SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE SRO'S TO NOTEATE HOW THE OCCURRENCE STARTED. FOR EXAMPLE A STUDENT CLAIMS THEY WERE VIOLATED IN SOME WAY ILLEGALLY. SAY AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITHOUT AN SRO. THAT INITIATION IS GOING TO START WITH A TEACHER. THAT TEACHER WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR. THOSE ARE -- THAT'S WHY IT WAS WRITTEN THAT WAY. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO RECREATE THE IMAGE OR REFERENCE THAT IT A TEACHER WOULD BE CONTACTING THE SRO DIRECTLY. THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT OF THE FORM. SO I HOPE THAT MAKES SENSE. I ALSO WANT TO TOUCH ON REFERRALS BECAUSE WE RECENTLY SUBMITTED RESPONSES TO CITY COUNCIL AND HE REFERENCED REFERRALS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 2017, THAT WAS BEFORE I ARRIVED. BUT WE HAD 47 REFERRALS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT IN 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR. WE HAD 19 REFERRALS IN THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR AND WE WERE DOWN TO 12 REFERRALS IN THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR. TO ME, I KNOW YOU -- TALKING ABOUT DATA, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE DATA IS THERE BUT THE WAY ITS PACKAGED TO -- FOR ME, I CONSIDER MYSELF A CASUAL VIEWER. I'M NOT A DATA OR STATIST CITIES. BUT IN THE FUTURE, REPORTS WILL HAVE GRAPHICS. I GET JEALOUS WHEN OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE A PRESENTATION, THEY HAVE NEED GRAPHICS ON THEIR SLIDES. I KIND OF LIKE I'M NEXT BUT I ONLYV A COUPLE OF WORDS ON A SLIDE. I HAVE NO GRAPHICS TO GIVE YOU. BUT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE. THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE. SO WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, WE TAKE THE ARREST DATA, WE TAKE THE REFERRAL DATA, THE DISCIPLINE DATA AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET PIE CHARTS. THAT'S THE BEST THING I CAN COME UP WITH NOW. YOU'RE GOING TO GET PIE CHARTS THAT SHOW THE DIFFERENCES AND IT'S GOING TO BREAK IT DOWN FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE CLEARLY AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON. THAT'S WHAT WE ANTICIPATE. I DON'T HAVE AN EXAMPLE BUT THAT'S WHAT WE -- THAT'S WHAT I ENVISION AS FAR AS PROVIDING THE PIE CHART WILL SHOW THIS IS HOW MANY CONDUCT VIOLATION AND SUSPENSIONS. WE COULD BREAK IT DOWN AS DETAILED AND POSSIBLE AND WE'LL ADD REFERRALS AS TO HOW MANY OF THOSE LED TO REFERRALS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT'S THE GOAL. >> IF I COULD ADD, DR. REIF, I WAS HERE IN 2017 AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE CHANGED THE MOU. I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS WHEN I WENT AND LOOKED AT THE SROI PROGRA >> M.. THEY HAD A LOT OF REFERRALS FOR DISCIPLINE AND NOTHING FOR VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL LAW. I HAD THEM PULL THE CASES AND I LOOKED AT THEM PERSONALLY. A GOOD NUMBER OF THOSE CASES SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE IS. RO BUT HANDED TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. THAT'S WHY WE CHANGED THE VERSION OF THE MOU TO MAKE IT CLEAR AT THAT TIME -- THIS IS A BETTER DOCUMENT THAN WHAT WE DID BEFORE BUT TO MAKE A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN WHAT IS ADMINISTRATIVE SCOPE OF ACTIVITY AND WHAT IS REALLY A TRUE TRADITIONAL ROLE OR A ROLE FOR AN SRO. I THINK WHAT MR. CONTRERAS WAS TALKING ABOUT IS -- CONDUCT KIND OF CASES. >> THANK YOU. >> I'LL INTERJECT THERE, I HAVE SEEN OVER SOME PERIOD OF TIME, AND I THINK HISTORICALLY THERE HAS BEEN -- THERE HAS BEEN SOME ISSUE WITH THAT AND I WAS SO INTRIGUED, SO HAPPY WHEN I MET WITH CHIEF BROWN, WHEN I HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THAT LAST YEAR, AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE 21ST CENTURY POLICING STRATEGY AND REFERRED TO THEM AT OUR KIDS THAT -- HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK WITH THE BEST OUTCOMES [02:45:04] FOR OUR KIDS, MEANING THE ACPS, EVERYBODY IN THE CITY. SO I THINK THAT WAS -- I DO THINK THAT WHEN MY KIDS, FOR INSTANCE, WERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THINGS WERE VERY DIFFERENT. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPROVED SINCE THAT TIME. I HAVE MISS NOLAN UP NEXT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR ANDERSON. I WANT TO THANK CHIEF BROWN AND CAPTAIN SORIANO FOR BEING OTHER GUEST AND FOR THE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS. I WANT TO THANK MR. CONTRERAS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND BEING SO THOROUGH IN WALKING US THROUGH THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MOU. I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE. I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION BUT GIVEN THE VOLUME OF INTEREST WE HAVE HAD IN THIS ISSUE, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS AND WHY I'LL ARE VOTING IN SUPPORT OF THE SRO. I APOLOGIZE I DO NOT HAVE A QUESTION BUT I'M SHARING THOUGHTS. I WANT TO BEGIN THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S PHENOMENAL ABOUT ALEXANDRIA IS WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME SIDE. YOU COULDN'T ASK FOR A SCHOOL BOARD MORE COMMITTED TO WANTING TO SERVE OUR POPULATION, INCLUDING DRESSING THE SUSS PASSENGER DATA THROUGH POLICY AND BUDGET DECISIONS. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. I MEAN ALL OF US ON THE ZOOM, WE WANT SUSPENSION, PARTICULARLY COLOR TO BE REDUCED. MY CONCERN IS THE SRO'S HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A NATIONAL CONVERSATION AND WHILE I HAVE SEEN UPCLOSE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS THEY HAVE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT WITH THEIR SRO BUT WE SHOULD NOT UTILIZE A NATIONAL CONVERSATION BUT INSTEAD CELEBRATE THAT WE HAVE A PROGRAM, A STRONG PROGRAM. SO I'M REALLY BAFFLED, TO BE HONEST, BY THE ADVOCACY WE RECEIVE BECAUSE I CAN'T FATHOM TAKING AWAY RESOURCES FROM THE KIDS WE CLAIM TO CHAMPION. WE AS A BOARD HAVE TO REMEMBER WE HAVE ARMED OFFICERS AT EVERY MEETING AND IT DOESN'T CAUSE VIOLENCE OR TENSION. THANK YOU, MR. CONTRERAS, FOR REVIEWING THE DATA. IN MY RESEARCH, ON AVERAGE, 5% OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE HALF THE SIZE OF T.C. WILLIAMS IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA HAVE BOTH ARRESTED AND REFERRALS. NOT ONLY ARE WE THE LARGEST HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE, WE HAVE THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE AND VOLUME OF NUMBER OF REFORMS AND SRO'S. IT NEEDS TO BE NOTED THERE ARE SCHOOLS WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY SROS YET HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF ARRESTS AND REFERRALS THAN SCHOOLS WITH SROS. THE REASON I SHARE THAT IS THERE'S NO CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP SHOWN THROUGH DATA THAT SRO'S CAUSE ARREST OR REFERRALS. IF YOU WANT TO IMPACT THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE AND SUSPENSION IT'S NOT THE SRO'S CAUSING IT. EXPERTS DICTATE, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN ALEXANDRIA. I CAN SAY THIS HAVING BEEN A SCHOOL LIAISON. ACPS AS THE LOWEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED. IF YOU WANT TO FOCUS IN ON THE PIPELINE, IT'S TRUANCY, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. SRO'S HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. WE HAVE TO BE SUPER CAREFUL WE'RE USING DATA TO INFORM OURSELVES OF DECISIONS AND WE HAVE TO DECIDE AS A DIVISION WHAT IS THE OUTCOME WE'RE SEEKING. WHAT I HEAR FROM ALL THE ADVOCACY IS SUSPENSION RATE, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS OF COLOR WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON BUT PULLING THE WRONG LEVELS. THE MONEY IS COMING FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET WHICH ANYONE WHO PAID ATTENTION TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, THEY'VE RECEIVED BUDGET CUTS, WORKING WITH LIMITED MEANS SO IT'S A MISNOMER TO THINK IF WE GET RID OF THE SRO, WE NEED EXTRA SUPPORT STAFF. WE DON'T KEEP THE MONEY, IT BELONGS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A STRONG POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CHIEF IS WILLING TO SHARE RESOURCES WITH THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. WITH REGARDS TO STAKEHOLDER OPINION, THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THIS ISSUE. WE AS A BOARD ARE HEARING FROM FOLKS WHO FUNDAMENTALLY ARE AGAINST POLICE IN SCHOOLS DUE TO A NATIONAL NARRATIVE. I UNDERSTAND THE REASONS. WE'RE ALSO HEARING FROM FOLKS AS TO HOW ACPS IN PARTICULAR, THE SRO PROGRAM IS UNIQUE AND A SIGNIFICANT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO NOTE WE HAVE PHENOMENAL PRINCIPALS IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS WHO STATED WHAT AN INVALUABLE ROLE THEY PLAY IN THE SCHOOLS, STATED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND PRINCIPALS THAT THE SRO'S DO NOT SUSPEND OR ARREST STUDENTS. [02:50:01] THEY'RE A HUGE RESOURCE. I ASK YOU WHAT KIND OF CAN SCHOOL BOARD AND COMMUNITY WOULD WEB IF WE DID NOT SHOW FAITH OR TRUST IN SCHOOL LEADERS, WE'RE DOING THE DAY-TO-DAY LEADERSHIP. IT WOULD DEMORALIZE OUR STAFF ANDETTES NOT A SMART WAY TO RETAIN -- I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION 24 YEARS AND ONLY WORKED IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. IT DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN MR. BALLAS, MISS PETERS AND MR. MAZER SO WE NEED TO RESPECT THEIR OPINION. I HAVE HAD OTHER T.C. STAFF REACH OUT TO ME AS TO THE POSITIVE I AM TACT OF SRO, AN HOUR BEFORE THIS MEETING AN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY TEACHER REACHED OUT TO ME CONCERNED STUDENTS HAVE APPROACHED THIS TEACHER AND ASKED THE DO THE STUDENTS INTO THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY NEED TO GET INVOLVED IN A ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN. I WILL BE -- I WANT TO SHARE I'M PROUDLY VOTING TO SUPPORT THE SR OUT. MOU ON BEHALF OF THE DOZENS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS WHO LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING AS WELL AS THE 30-40 SOCCER PLAYERS WHO CONSIDER SRO'S THEIR LIFELINE. I APOLOGIZE I HAVE NO QUESTIONS BUT WANTED TO GIVE THE GUIDELINES GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE. I FELT I WANT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR AND I'M FRUSTRATED THERE'S CONVERSATION THAT COULD TAKE AWAY RESOURCES FROM MEDIA STUDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I APOLOGIZE THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU AGAIN TO CHIEF BROWN, CAPTAIN SORIANO AND THE SRO'S FOR YOUR COMMUNITY POLICING. I HOPE YOU HAVEN'T FELT DISRESPECTED THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THAT'S ALL, THANK YOU. >> NEXT UP WE HAVE MISS THORNTON. >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO OAK OWE MY COLLEAGUES AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE SRO AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT. THIS CONVERSATION ISN'T EASY FOR ANYONE. I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S -- YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT THAT IT JUST SO HAPPENED A LAW PASSED REQUIRING THE SCHOOL BOARD TO REVIEW THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OR ANY AGREEMENT WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY EVERY TWO YEARS. IT HAPPENS THAT'S THE TIME FOR US. THIS CONVERSATION MIGHT BE DIFFICULT, IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE AND I'M HAPPY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE ON THIS AS WELL. FOR ME, WHILE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT DATA THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY, BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD TO REVIEW AND POSTED FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING DEFINITIVE TO SUGGEST THAT -- HOW WE'RE MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM. EITHER WITH THE REVISIONS IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, WHICH INCLUDE IMPORTANT MEASUREMENTS AS DR. REIF MENTIONED, I'M NOT CLEAR WHAT BASELINE WE'RE USING TO INDICATE WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED SUCCESSFUL. I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT CONVERSATION THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA AT LARGE. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE MANY PEOPLE REALIZE THIS BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY HOUSED IN ALEXANDRIA. IT HOUSES -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY INMATES BUT DETENTIONS FROM DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS. I WAS AN INTERN FOR THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATION COURT TEN YEARS AGO AND ARLINGTON HOUSES JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND IT CONTINUES TO DO SO EVEN THOUGH THAT DISCUSSION IS EVOLVING. AND EVEN THEN THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS THAT THERE WERE TRENDS IN WHICH THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF JUVENILES ENTERING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WAS ON THE DECLINE. THAT WAS TEN YEARS AGO. THAT DECLINE CONTINUES TODAY. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT THERE HAVE BEEN SUCH SUCCESS WITH DIVERSION PROGRAMS. NEW MODELS OF POLICING THAT HAVE MADE IT SO THAT THERE HAVE BEEN LESS JUVENILES ENTERING THE SYSTEM AT LARGE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. SO MUCH SO DUE TO THE UNDERUTILIZATION OF OUR FACILITY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT REPURPOSING IT. SO I WOULD ARGUE THESE NATIONAL TRENDS AND THIS ACTUAL DECLINE IN JUVENILE CRIME, AT LEAST IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, SUGGESTS THAT IS THERE A NEED TO HAVE A DAILY POLICE PRESENCE, POLICING YOUNG PEOPLE. AND I INQUIRED EARLIER ABOUT IS THERE DATA SPECIFICALLY SUGGESTING THERE ARE THAT MANY IMMINENT THREATS IN OUR SCHOOL FACILITIES THAT REQUIRE A DAILY POLICE [02:55:04] PRESENCE. I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT'S THE CASE. FOR ME, I THINK UNDERSTANDING IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMIC ISSUES AND WE KEEP DISCUSSING HOW RACIAL EQUITY IS AT THE HEART OF IT. IF WE TALK ABOUT SYSTEMS, THIS IS A SYSTEM WE NEED TO DISCUSS. I APPRECIATE THE INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS OF OUR SRO'S AND THEY'RE GREAT AS INDIVIDUALS, AS A SYSTEM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DISCUSS THIS PROGRAM WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING ITS ORIGINS AND/OR WASHINGTON REDSKINS OF MANY POLICE PROGRAMS IN SCHOOL DUE TO THE FACT KIDS OF COLOR HAVE BEEN OVERPOLICED. THAT'S A FACT. AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT MOSTLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE THERE ARE MAJORITY MINORITY STUDENTS THEY HAVE A HIGHER PREVALENCE OF SRO'S. THINKING ABOUT SYSTEMS, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT. I DO WONDER, YOU KNOW, IF THAT IS THE CASE AND I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE POLICE INTERACTION WITH OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS. I ACKNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE STUDENTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY THAT HAVE FORGED BONDS WITH THE TWO SRO'S AT T.C. WILLIAMS DUE TO THE SOCCER PROGRAM AND OTHER INITIATIVES. BUT I DON'T THINK THOSE PROGRAMS NECESSARILY WOULD STOP JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A POLICE PRESENCE IN SCHOOLS. THERE'S A ROBUST PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMUNITY PROGRAM OUR APD HAS. I THINK IT COULD BE FURTHER ENHANCED IN MY OPINION. SO I DID WANT TO POSE A QUESTION AND MAYBE CHIEF BROWN COULD HELP ANSWER THIS. HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, IF WE DID NOT HAVE OFFICERS IN T.C. WILLIAMS OR MIDDLE SCHOOLS THERE EVERY DAY, WOULD IT STILL BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE LIAISONS THAT OUR OFFICERS WHO PERHAPS -- WOULD CAN HE WE CALL ON SPECIFIC OFFICERS TO HELP AND DOES THAT REQUIRE THEY BE PRESENT AND INTO SCHOOLS EVERY DAY TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH SCHOOLS. >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR ASKING IT. WE ACTUALLY HAVE LEE ASANS WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED THERE AND THEY MAKE A POINT OF GOING BY, CHECKING ON FOLKS, SEEING HOW THEY'RE DOING. IN THE CASE OF A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE CALLING FOR POLICE ASSISTANCE AND IT'S NOT AN SRO, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE OFFICER THAT IS USUALLY CLOSELY ASSIGNED AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THE OFFICER THAT'S THE LIAISON IS AVAILABLE. THEY MIGHT BE ON DAYS OFF BECAUSE OF THE SCHEDULE WE USE. THE SRO'S ARE ON A SEPARATE SCHEDULE DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OPERATING HOURS OF SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE'RE ON A 24/7 12-HOUR SHIFT ON EVERYTHING ELSE FOR THE MOST PART EXCEPT FOR DETECTIVES. SO THEY MAY NOT BE WORKING THE DAY YOU ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN A SCHOOL AND YOU ASK FOR OFFICER BROWN. YOU MAY GET OFFICER SORIANO. THAT'S NOT A BAD THING, MAYBE OFFICER SORIANO IS BETTER THAN OFFICER BROWN BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THE HAVE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS WITH A BEAT COP WILL SHOW UP AND WE TALK ABOUT ONE AT THE LAST WORK SESSION WHERE THE OFFICER DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE PROTOCOLS THAT THE SRO'S DO. WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THAT BUT WE CAN'T TRAIN EVERY OFFICER IN A MOU ARRANGEMENT, AS TO -- I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE THAT YOU BRING AND IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE AS TO WHETHER YOU WANT OFFICERS IN THE SCHOOL. THAT'S -- I MENTIONED LAST TIME. THIS IS A DECISION FOR THE BOARD. NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 21ST CENTURY POLICING IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE CAN IN TERMS OF RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS A VITAL INVESTMENT WE'VE MADE BUT WE HAVE OTHER DEMANDS IN 21ST CENTURY POLICING WHICH WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. WE PROTECTED THESE UNITS AND THESE FOLKS FOR THIS PROGRAM. SO GETTING BACK TO THE FUNNY ISSUE, BELIEVE ME, WE HAVE THE MENTAL ISSUE THAT DR. REIF TALKED ABOUT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL'S LOOKING AT. WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX OTHER DIFFERENT INITIATIVE WE'VE BEEN WAITING TO DO FOR STAFFING YET WE PROTECTED THE SRO PROGRAM FOR THAT. I THINK BECAUSE IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN THE CITY, IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN OUR YOUTH. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. [03:00:03] INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS WITH WON'T HAVE THAT DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTION. SOCCER DOESN'T TAKE PLACE EVERY DAY. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES KIDS CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN. THE OFFICER CAN PUT A NAME AND FACE WITH THE -- IDENTIFY THEM AS A PERSON. AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE -- IT'S ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN THAT 2020 STUDY I TALKED ABOUT THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE AND OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAM. IN THE 90S WITH THE '94 CRIME BILL, IT WAS A CALL FOR CRIME AND REDUCTION. AND THERE WAS CRIME IN MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME. THEY HAVE MAGNETOMETERS AT THE ENTRANTS OF SCHOOLS. I WAS AROUND LOS ANGELES AND ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL HAD A COP AND THE MAGNETOMETERS WERE THERE AND THERE WERE STOPPING AND FRISKING KIDS AT THE DOOR AND PULLING GUNS OUT OF THEIR PANTS. THAT WAS '94 AND ONE OF THE WAYS YOU COULD SPEND THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT WAS IN THE CRIME BILL SO THAT YOU COULD MAKE THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT BE SAFE. I WASN'T HERE IN THE 90S WITH ACPS. I I BELIEVE THE NATIONAL NARRATIVE IS DRIVING THIS AROUND ALSO IN OTHER AREAS OF POLICING, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME, THIS AS TOUGH DECISION FOR THE BOARD. I DON'T ENVY YOUR TASK. YOU'VE GOT SOME FOLKS THAT LIKE US BEING THERE. OUR SRO'S LOVE BEING THERE WORKING WITH THE KIDS. I THINK WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD WITH THE MOU. WE CAN COLLECT DATA AND THE BASELINE WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE THAT DATA BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS DO YOU WANT US THERE OR NOT. BELIEVE ME, MY SRO'S WOULD BE HEARTBROKEN. I WILL BE DISAPPOINTED BUT I WILL RESPECT THE DECISION BUT I CAN USE THESE ASSETS ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY ABOUT DEMANDS WHERE THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR OFFICERS. YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED SOME OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. >> OKAY. MISS LORBER HAD ANOTHER QUESTION. >> QUESTION AND A COMMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MY POSITION HERE IN ALEXANDRIA IS NOT RELATED TO THE NATIONAL NARRATIVE. I UNDERSTAND THE NATIONAL NARRATIVE BUT I WOULD FEEL GUILTY GIVING A KNEE-JERK REACTION TO BASED ON A NATIONAL NARRATIVE. IT'S MORE RELATED TO MY OWN HISTORY WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IN THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA. I KNOW THINGS ARE EVOLVING AND CHANGING. MY FAMILY AND I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE SHOWN US BIAS IN THE TREATMENT OF CHILDREN OF COLOR AND PARENTS OF COLOR BY THE POLICE FORCE. AND WHEN I STARTED WORKING IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE SRO AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, GW, IT WAS NOT A HAPPY EXPERIENCE. SO THAT'S QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO, FROM 2006 TO 2009. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S BEEN A BIG CHANGE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. BUT THERE'S A HISTORY THERE, A SENSE OF -- YOU KNOW, I THINK I APPRECIATE MISS THORNTON'S ARTICULATION, DO WE NEED POLICE IN THE SCHOOLS. I ALSO DON'T REALLY APPRECIATE BEING TOLD WELL, IN THIS DAY AND AGE, UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS CRIME AND YOU NEED TO PROTECT PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS A SCHOOL, THAT IS SCHOOL THAT WE TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT HAD STUDENTS PASS THEIR BACKPACKS THROUGH A METAL ORGANIZER. I SRO'S HAVE BEEN PLAYING. I'M NOT CONVINCED WE HAVE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED A UNIQUELY ALEXANDRIA SYSTEM OF SRO'ING. I'M CONVINCED WE HAVE A UNIQUE SET OF INDIVIDUALS IDEALLY SUITED TO THESE POSITIONS. MY QUESTION IS CAN -- I'M IN FAVOR OF FOR -- FOR ONE THING, I WANT TO GRANDFATHER THESE -- I DON'T WANT TO PULL THESE FOLKS OUT RIGHT NOW IF THEY'RE PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE AND WE DON'T HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE RESOURCES, IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT PROVIDES THESE RESOURCES. BUT I WOULD LIKE, RATHER THAN WAITING ANOTHER TWO YEARS, I WOULD ASK CAN WE IN [03:05:02] A YEAR'S TIME, LOOK AT EVERYTHING AGAIN AND -- I DID WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER POINT ABOUT THE TEACHERS. I DIDN'T SEE THIS IN THE AGREEMENT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR TEACHER ORIENTATION INCLUDE SOMETHING ABOUT HOW YOU USE OR DON'T USE THE SRO'S. WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE ROLE AND HOW DO SROS RELATE TOO TEACHERS. WHEN YOU HAVE INCREDIBLY PERSONABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SROS IS CAN BE HARD. AT THE SAME TIME I KNOW FOR A FACT, AS RECENTLY AS THREE YEARS AGO, MANY TEACHERS AT T.C. WILLIAMS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD FEAR OF CHILDREN, CERTAIN STUDENTS, MADE THEM FEARFUL. THEY DIDN'T -- THEY WERE READY TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, DO WHATEVER THEY COULD TO NOT THEV TO DEAL WITH THE STUDENTS. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS CAN WE PROLONG THIS A LITTLE BIT RATHER THAN VOTING UP OR DOWN. YES, TWO-YEAR MRO, HERE WE CAN. CAN WE PROVISIONALLY CONTINUE AND STUDY AND LOOK AT, ONCE AGAIN, THE IMPACT, THE DATA AND THEN ULTIMATELY, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO BUY US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GATHER SOME INFORMATION DATA TO DO A BETTER JOB OF SURVEYING STUDENTS AND FIND OUT IF STUDENTS -- IF IT'S CAUSING UNREST. I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE FACT WE'RE ALREADY DISCUSSING MOVING THE POLICE CARS OUT OF THE -- YOU KNOW, GETTING SOME SYMBOLIC CHANGES SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A POLICE STATE WHEN YOU ENTER THE SCHOOL. I'LL STOP TALKING BUT I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD DO INTERIM, CAN WE DO A TWO-YEAR, ONE YEAR. >> THANK YOU. I KNOW DR. HUTCHINGS, I SAW YOU GO OFF MUTE. GO AHEAD. >> IF THEY'RE PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE. OBVIOUSLY RESOURCES THAT PROVIDES THESE RESOURCES. BUT I WOULD LIKE RATHER THAN WAITING ANOTHER TWO YEARS, I WOULD ASK CAN WE IN A YEAR'S TIME LOOK AT EVERYTHING AGAIN. I DO WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU USE OR DON'T USE THE SROS. YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE ROLE. AND HOW DO SROS RELATE TO TEACHERS. WHEN YOU HAVE THESE INCREDIBLY PERSONABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SROS IT CAN BE HARD. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I KNOW FOR A FACT AS RECENTLY AS THREE YEARS AGO, ANYWAY, THAT MANY TEACHERS AT TC WILLIAMS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE FEAR OF CHILDREN, CERTAIN STUDENTS MADE THEM FEARFUL. AND THEY WERE READY TO CALL THE FIRE, DO WHATEVER THEY COULD TO NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE STUDENTS. CAN WE PROVISIONALLY CONTINUE AND STUDY AND LOOK AT ONCE AGAIN THE IMPACT DATA. AND ULTIMATELY, I GUESS I JUST WOULD LIKE TO BUY US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GATHER SOME INFORMATIONAL DATA. DO A BETTER JOB. WE'RE DISCUSSING MOVING THE POLICE CARS, GETTING SOME SYMBOLIC CHANGES THERE SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A POLICE STATE WHEN YOU ENTER THE SCHOOL. ANYWAY, I'LL STOP TALKING. DO WE HAVE TO DO A TWOYEAR? CAN WE DO A ONEYEAR? SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. >> DR. HUTCHINGS, I SAW YOU GO OFF MUTE. I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. >> I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ANALYZING AND CHECKING IN PERIODICALLY, THAT WE'RE NOT WAITING TWO YEARS LIKE WE JUST DID THIS PAST MOU. SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THROUGHOUT EVERY YEAR THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY REVISITING AND COMING BACK TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS AROUND PROGRESS. WITH SOME OF THE MEASURABLE OBJECTS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED IN THE MOU, IT IS NEW FOR US. AND THIS IS A BASELINE YEAR. I THINK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PUT OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN HAVE SOME CLEAR DATA POINTS AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS AROUND WHAT'S WORKING AND THE REVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. HERE ARE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ASKING FOR. WE WILL HAVE CONSISTENT CHECKINS AND ANALYSIS CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WAITING THE END OF THE TWO YEARS. ALL OF THOSE WILL BE PUBLIC. AND WE'RE PLANNING TO POST THAT INFORMATION FOR THE COMMUNITY THE. I'M HOPING WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE UPDATES TO THE BOARD AND IT'S NOT WAITING FOR ITS TIME FOR RENEWAL. >> THANK YOU, DR. HUTCHINGS. I WANTED TO SAY THE SAME THING. THE ANSWER IS YES, MS. LORBELL. YOU CAN REQUEST OR REVIEW AT ANYTIME. THE GOAL IS TO USE OUR QUARTERLY STATUS OR REVIEWS TO DRIVE THAT ONEYEAR REVIEW. OR THAT ONE YEAR CHECK UP SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING THE INFORMATION YOU NEED. AND ALSO, SPEAKING OF ANALYSIS OR DATA, IF YOU ALL ARE HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND THAT YOU WANT TO SEE AND HOW YOU WANT TO SEE IT, PLEASE, WE WON'T NEED TO PUT IT I DON'T THINK WE'LL NEED IT PUT IT IN THE MOU. BUT IF WE PROVIDE SOMETHING AND YOU WANT TO SEE IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, OR IF THERE'S SPECIFIC DATA, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW. >> CHAIR ANDERSON, IF I COULD. WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH REVIEWING OUR STUFF. WE REVIEW THEM ON A WEEKLY BASIS WITH SOME OF OUR PATROL ACTIVITIES. WE LOOK AT OUR PROGRAMS AND WE MOVE PEOPLE AROUND BECAUSE WHEN THERE'S A FINITE OF RESOURCES AND DEMANDS CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR. AS I MENTIONED THE LAST WORK SESSION. THE MORE I LOOK AT THINGS AND THE MORE WE EVALUATE, THE BETTER OFF WE'LL BE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NO PROBLEM WITH THOSE KIND OF ADJUSTMENTS. AND I BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE CAN BE STOPPED AT ANYTIME IN THE PARTY. [03:10:04] >> THE LOSS IS NO MORE THAN TWO YEARS PAST. SO WE CAN'T WAIT TWO YEARS TO START TALKING ABOUT IT AGAIN. WE WERE ON A BIT OF A TIGHT SCHEDULE THIS TIME BECAUSE THE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT JULYÂ 1ST. THAT WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. THE SECOND POINT IS WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. DATA MAY SOME TIME REALLY NOT BE THERE. IT WON'T BE GOOD GIVEN ALL THAT, WE'RE NOT TALKING TWO YEARS. WE'RE TALKING A YEAR AND A HALF. I WOULDN'T SUGGEST WAITING A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO DO THAT SO WE CAN BE SURE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND HAVE WORK SESSION AND FOR SOME TIME TO PASS FOR PEOPLE TO WORK ON IT. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY, AS YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO DO EVERY WEEK, TIME GOES BY SO QUICKLY BEFORE YOU HAVE TO START WORKING ON IT AGAIN. SO I WOULD JUST OFFER THAT. AND THEN I HAVE MR. SUAREZ, WHO HASN'T SPOKEN YET. MR. SUAREZ >> THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THE AGREEMENT DOES STATE WITHIN 45 DAYS THE BOARD CAN TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT AT ANY POINT IN TIME. AND OBVIOUSLY THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK REQUIRES US TO REVIEW IT EVERY TWO YEARS. BUT WE CAN REVIEW IT AS MUCH AS WE WANT. I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND SOME QUESTIONS INTERSPERSED. I WILL SAY AT THE OUTSET THAT THIS IS A VERY TOUGH ISSUE. WAS AN ISSUE I THINK ALL OF US ANSWERED QUESTIONS ON DURING THE CAMPAIGN. THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITY WITH THIS ISSUE. A LOT OF NUANCE TO THIS ISSUE. THAT'S WHY THE LAST SESSION I ASKED A LOT OF POINTED QUESTIONS. AND I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, I STILL HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WITH THE GENERAL NOTION OF SROS. YOU KNOW. AND I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE MESSAGE IT MAY SEND TO STUDENTS TO HAVE A POLICE OFFICER IN THE BUILDING. WITH THAT BEING SAID, SROS ARE, YOU KNOW, SERVE MANY PURPOSES. AND THEY'RE IN MANY DISTRICTS THAT LACK THE DIVERSITY, FRANKLY, OF ACPS AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT PURPOSES FOR SROS. I WILL SAY THAT BASED ON THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE SO FAR, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE MOU IS DIRECTIONALLY BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE. I THINK WE STILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REFINE IT OVERTIME BASED ON DATA. I WOULD AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT THE AMOUNT OF DATA I'VE SEEN ON THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN AS ROBUST AS I'D LIKE TO SEE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE SPEAKING IN TERMS OF ANECDOTAL INFORMATION. WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED 10 YEARS AGO. WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED WITH A PARTICULAR STUDENT ON A SOCCER STEAM. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. I APPRECIATE FRANKLY, THIS ITERATION OF THE MOU IS GOING TO COLLECT MORE DATA, IS GOING TO MORE ROBUSTLY GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT POLICE IN SCHOOL AND WE NEED TO UNPACK THAT AND ADDRESS THAT AS I THINK YOU ACKNOWLEDGED MR. CONTRERAS. SOME OF THE THINGS I DO APPRECIATE IS THE DEFINITION OF CONTACT WAS IMPROVED IN THIS. I DO THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE MORE TRANSPARENT DATA THAT'S BROKEN DOWN BY RACE, ETHNICITY, AND SO FORTH SO WE CAN GET TO A GRANULE LEVEL. SOME REPORTED LATINOS MAY NOT BE IN THE DATA. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S SPECIFICALLY BROKEN OUT. I DID HAVE A COMMENT EKEE ONNING SOME COMMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE CONSENT PROVISION. I DO APPRECIATE THE PARENTAL CONSENT FOR UNDER 18. I WILL SAY IN SO FAR AS WE'RE KIND OF DECOUPLING SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS FROM BEING SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, I DO THINK AN 18YEAR OLD STUDENT SHOULD STILL HAVE RIGHTS AS WELL. AND THAT THE RECORDS SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED FREELY ABSENT PROBABLE CAUSE THAT RAISES TO A HIGHER LEVEL. I DO THINK THAT IS A BIT OF A LOOPHOLE AS SOME MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE [03:15:05] EXPRESSED. I DO THINK THAT LOOPHOLE WOULD NEED TO BE PLUGGED UP. I WOULD SAY, TOO, YOU KNOW, ECHOING COMMENTS FROM CHIEF BROWN THAT WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT HAVE A SITUATION WHERE ADMINISTRATIVETYPE REFERRALS ARE DONE BY THE SROS. THAT'S JUST SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE. DURING THE CAMPAIGN, THE POSITION I RAISED, AND THE POSITION I'M GOING TO MAINTAIN TONIGHT, IS THAT YOU KNOW, I'M OKAY WITH SROS, BUT THEY REALLY HAVE TO BE IN A MINIMAL ROLE. IN A ROLE THAT IS ONLY WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. AND TEACHERS NEED TO TAKE THE PRIMARY, AND FRANKLY, NEARLY ALL INSTANCES, SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DISCIPLINING THEIR CLASSROOMS. THEY'RE THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER OF THEIR CLASSROOMS. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SET THE TONE. WE CAN'T HAVE A CULTURE AND A DIVISION WHERE TEACHERS SEE OFFICERS AS A CRUTCH. SO I WILL SAY, I HAVEN'T HEARD OF THAT BEING ACUTE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW. I'VE HEARD OF IT BEING A PROBLEM IN THE PAST. BASED ON THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M OKAY FOR THE MOMENT, FOR THE SECOND IN THIS POINT IN TIME. IT REMAINS A HUGE CONCERN. AND THERE ARE TEACHERS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, REFERRING STUDENTS TO DISCIPLINE. MAYBE NOT TO AN SRO. I'D FURTHER LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE ISSUE OF ZERO TOLERANCE WAS RAISED. THAT WAS A PROBLEM SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I WROTE AN ARTICLE IN 2011 ABOUT ZERO TOLERANCE AND HOW TERRIBLE IT IS AND HOW IT EXACERBATES THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE AND ALL THOSE THINGS. YES, ZERO TOLERANCE ISN'T CODIFIED IN OUR POLICY. BUT IF THE PRESENCE OF SROS IS RESULTING IN SORT OF ZERO TOLERANCE SITUATIONS, THAT IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER PROBLEM, RIGHT? I'M PUTTING ALL THESE THINGS OUT THERE BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE ISSUES IN SCRUTINIZING THE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, I WILL ALSO AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT I APPRECIATED THE EDITS AROUND TAKING THE POLICE CARS AND MOVING THEM INTO THE PARKING LOT. PRINCIPLE OF MINIMIZATION. YOU KNOW. THE NOTION THAT YES, THERE'S POLICE IN THE BUILDING FOR, YOU KNOW, A SITUATION SHOULD IT ARISE. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IS, AGAIN, A LAST DITCH CASE SCENARIO. ONLY RESERVED FOR THE MOST EXTREME SITUATIONS WHERE IT'S REALLY NEEDED. AND YES, MAYBE THERE'S SOME ROLE FOR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING WHERE THE POLICE ARE IN THE STUDENTS FACE. I THINK FRANKLY THAT PROBABLY LEADS TO A LOT OF CONCERNS AND ANXIETIES, AMONG SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SURVEYED. SO I WOULD SAY THAT. YOU KNOW, AND SO I WOULD ALSO SAY GOING TO ANOTHER THEME THAT HAS BEEN RAISED, I THINK A LOT OF THE COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE MOU AND IN SUPPORT OF THE SROS HAVE BEEN COMPLEMENTARY OF THESE PARTICULAR SROS. I THINK PROBABLY IS THE SAME WITH RESPECT TO THE PRINCIPALS WHO'VE EXPRESSED THEIR POSITIVE VIEW OF THAT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS AGREEMENT IS BUTTONED UP. AND I OBVIOUSLY HAVE FAITH IN YOU, CHIEF BROWN. AND I HAVE FAITH IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T THE RIGHT PEOPLE. AND WE CAN'T ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON IS GOING TO BE REVERED IN THE SAME WAY OF THESE TWO PARTICULAR SROS. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, REMAIN CRITICAL, YOU KNOW, EVEN OF THESE PARTICULAR OFFICERS AND SKRUT NIES THEM VERY VIGOROUSLY ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS. AND ONE THING I WOULD SAY, TOO, I HAVE TO MAKE A MORE GENERAL JUST SORT OF COMMENT AND OBSERVATION. I'VE BEEN REALLY TORN OVER THIS DECISION. I'VE KIND OF GONE BACK AND FORTH BECAUSE I REALLY DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS THIS RACIAL RECKONING IN AMERICA. RIGHT. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF POLICE RIGHT NOW WHO ARE NOT TREATING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR VERY WELL. AND THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. IT HAS TO BE FRONT AND CENTER. YOU KNOW. AND WE AS A DIVISION ARE TALKING ABOUT USING EQUITY AS THE LENS OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING. SO I THINK, AGAIN, THIS AGREEMENT IS MOVING US TOWARD A MORE EQUITABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROGRAM. BUT THERE ARE SORT OF MORE BROADER TRENDS NATIONALLY THAT I THINK ARE RELEVANT. AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF. I THINK IN ALEXANDRIA WE TEND TO SAY WE'RE SO DIFFERENT AND SO GREAT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. GOING BACK TO THE NAMING COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD EARLIER TODAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND HISTORIC BAGGAGE IN THIS COMMUNITY. [03:20:05] I WOULD BE REMISED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN WHAT WE'RE DOING. JUST ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT I'D ADD, TOO. THE SROS DO PLAY A ROLE ABOUT SAFETY. WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE THE LARGEST HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. JUST AS A STATISTICAL MATTER, REGARDLESS OF THE RACIAL COMPOSITION OF IT. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN IN A PANDEMIC FOR SEVEN MONTHS WHERE WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE SCHOOL SHOOTING. WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE IN STANCE OF VIOLENCE. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, YOU TURN ON THE NEWS AND EVERY WEEK OR EVERY MONTH THERE COULD BE SOME SORT OF MAJOR CATASTROPHIC EVENT IN THE SCHOOL. I REMEMBER READING THIS IS THE FIRST STRETCH OF TIME IN THE LAST 20 YEARS WHERE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS. YES, ALEXANDRIA, WE'RE A GREAT COMMUNITY, WE'RE PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY. BUT WE ARE NOT IMMUNE TO COME OF THOSE CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES IN THE FUTURE. SO I THINK FOR ME WHERE I ULTIMATELY LAND IS I REALLY HAVE RESERVATIONS, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, ABOUT POLICE IN SCHOOLS FOR MANY OF THE REASONS MY COLLEAGUES STATED. I THINK WE NEED HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. I DO, HOWEVER, THINK THAT WE ARE IN GOOD FAITH SETTING A BASELINE HERE. WE ARE GOING TO SCRUTINIZE THIS PROGRAM. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S NOT IT'S NOT THE SORT OF ZERO SUM SORT OF SITUATION I'VE MAYBE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. I WILL SAY FINALLY TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO'VE ADVOCATED. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY BECAUSE I THINK IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE. IT'S CERTAINLY PUSHED MY THINKING. I THINK IT'S PUSHED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S THINKING. IT'S REMINDED US THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CONTINUE TO SCRUTINIZE ON THIS ISSUE AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT FIT FOR ALEXANDRIA CITY SCHOOLS. BECAUSE IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE RIGHT FIT. SO MS. LORBER'S POINT, I'M NOT VOTING FOR THIS IN PERPETUITY. BUT AT ANYTIME I WOULD RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS ISN'T WORKING. WE NEED TO PULL THE PLUG ON THIS. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. I DO HOPE A COUPLE OF THE POINTS I MADE ABOUT TWEAKS COULD BE PARTICULARLY ON THE ACCESS TO RECORDS COULD BE MADE. BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD FAITH ATTEMPT BY THE STAFF OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GET TO A GOOD PLACE ON THIS. EVEN THOUGH IT'S AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT DECISION AND THERE'S NO PERFECT ANSWER ON THIS ALL AROUND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> OKAY. I HAVE DR. LIEF WITH A QUESTIONER COMMENT. >> DOES MEGAN WANT TO GO FIRST? >> NO, THAT'S OKAY. >> THANK YOU, EVERYONE, AGAIN FOR THE DISCUSSION. I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN THAT I'M GLAD THE LEGISLATION WAS PASSED REQUIRING THAT OUR MOU BE REVIEWED EVERY TWO YEARS. BECAUSE I THINK IT HAS LED TO GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND I'M GLAD THAT THE LEGISLATION REQUIRED PUBLIC INPUT. AND I, LIKE MR. SUAREZ, WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO FILLED OUT THE SURVEY AND SPOKE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND EMAILED THE SCHOOL BOARD. I ATTEST THAT I KNOW THERE ARE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN RESPONSE TO THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY. I REALLY WANT TO THANK PEOPLE FOR THAT. AND THANK MR. CONTRERAS FOR LEADING US THROUGH THIS REVIEW PROCESS AND RECOMMENDING THE CHANGES. AND I THINK THAT THERE HAVE IT HAS BEEN IMPROVED A LOT. IT GOES FARTHER IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF STUDENTS. IT ESTABLISHES MORE CLEARLY DEFINED GOALS. AND IT IDENTIFIES THE DATA THAT'S GOING TO BE USED TO EVALUATE THE PARTNERSHIP, AND IT CREATES THE NEW REPORT FORMS. SO I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REALLY GOOD CHANGES. THAT SAID, I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO STEP BACK FROM THIS MOU AND ASK OURSELVES AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT CHIEF BROWN REALLY SAID IT, IS DO WE WANT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS? DO WE NEED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS? I REALLY THINK THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THIS ISSUE IS BOILING DOWN TO HERE. [03:25:04] AND YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION IS SHAPED BY MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS I RAN A PRISON VOLUNTEER PROGRAM OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA WHERE I WORKED IN A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, A COUNTY JAIL AND A STATE PRISON. AND I WORKED WITH, YOU KNOW, MANY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS RANGING FROM JUVENILES ALL THE WAY TO PEOPLE SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE. AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT I MET FIRST BECAME INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS TEENAGERS. AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THEM DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL. ALMOST UNIVERSALLY AT THE AGE OF 15. THIS PUT THEM ON A PATH OF RECIDIVISM, A CYCLE OF IN AND OUT OF JAIL THAT WAS REALLY HARD TO BREAK. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE A NAME FOR THIS PROBLEM, IT'S THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE. AND IT'S ALSO BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED TEND TO HAVE LOWER LITERACY RATES AS WELL THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION. AND A LOT OF CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE STUDIED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT HISTORICALLY OVER THE LAST YEARS THAT THE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SCHOOLS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM. SO THAT LEADS ME TO THIS QUESTION OF WHY DID WE PUT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS IN THE FIRST PLACE? THE QUESTION THAT'S COME UP AS WELL, THE 1994 CRIME BILL THAT DIRECTED A LOT OF FEDERAL RESOURCES IN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. SO IT'S NOT SURPRISING THEN THAT THIS PROGRAM OF HAVING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SCHOOLS IN ALEXANDRIA DATES TO 1997. AND IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT IT'S 1997 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE COLUMBINE SHOOTING HAPPENED IN 1999. SO IT WASN'T THE PROGRAM WASN'T STARTED TO SEND RESPONSE TO THE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. BUT I THINK IT REALLY WAS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE CRIME BILL WHICH HAS BEEN WIDELY STUDIED AND SHOWN TO HAVE RESULTED IN CRIMINALIZATION AND OVER POLICING OF BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND MASS INCARCERATION. AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE NOW AGREE THAT THAT WAS A FAILED POLICY. AND THERE'S BEEN A CULTURE SHIFT AWAY FROM CRIMINALIZATION AND POLICING. AND CHIEF BROWN TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND HE TALKED ABOUT HOW HE'S BROUGHT AND IMPLEMENTED SOME OF THOSE CHANGES HERE IN ALEXANDRIA. COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS ARE INVESTING MORE IN COUNSELING, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES. EMPHASIZING BUILDING HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS. AND IN ACPS, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THESE ISSUES. RESTORITIVE PRACTICES. BEHAVIORS PR VENGSS AND SUPPORT. MULTITIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING THAT I KNOW THIS BOARD IS VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF. WHILE I BELIEVE THE SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IS VERY WELL INTENTIONED, I THINK WE'RE ASSOCIATING SOMETIMES SROS WITH THESE CHANGES THAT ARE REALLY THE RESULT OF A CULTURE SHIFT. AND I DO THINK THERE'S BEEN A VERY ROSIE PICTURE PAINTED AS MR. SUAREZ WAS SAYING. THERE ARE EXAMPLES, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET IN TO THEM OF EXAMPLES WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG AND HAVEN'T BEEN GREAT. SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT THE POINT HERE WHERE WE CAN BE BOLD AND WE CAN TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN REVERSING THIS FAILED POLICY. AND THAT IS WE CAN TAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT BACK OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS INSTEAD OF HOLDING ON TO THIS ARTIFACT OF THE PAST. AND TO BE CLEAR, THIS ISN'T ABOUT TAKING SECURITY OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS. BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE OVER 40 SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICERS IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS IS ABOUT TAKING LAW ENFORCEMENT BACK OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE CAN STILL ACCESS A LOT OF THOSE THINGS. I THINK IF WE END THIS MOU, LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN STILL OFFER THE AFTER SCHOOL SOCCER PROGRAM. THEY CAN COME IN AND PARTICIPATE IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN OUR SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BE CALLED ON WHEN A CRIME IS COMMITTED. I HAVE TO SAY I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS KIND OF LINE OF REASONING THAT A TYPICAL OFFICER, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET WITH A TYPICAL OFFICER. EVEN OUR SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICERS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET. SOMEHOW THESE SROS ARE, YOU KNOW, SUPER, SUPER SPECIAL. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT. BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, CHIEF BROWN, I DON'T WANT TO BREAK ANYONE'S HEART WITH THIS VOTE. [03:30:01] BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE I THINK ALL OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS IN ALEXANDRIA SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF COMING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND INTERACTING IN A VERY RESPONSIBLE WAY WITH STUDENTS AND HAVE SOME TRAINING TO KNOW HOW TO INTERACT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE. AND I THINK OUR SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICERS SHOULD BE TRAINED TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS OF YOUTH BEHAVIOR THAT EXIST. AND I AGREE WITH MS. LORBER, I'M NOT AGAINST POLICE IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THIS NATIONAL NARRATIVE. I THINK IT'S PROBLEMATIC TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SCHOOLS SPEAKING FOR MYSELF. I BELIEVE THE DAILY PRESENCE, THE DAILY PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS UNWARRANTED AND IT'S UNNECESSARY AND IT'S AN ARTIFACT OF A FAILED POLICY. AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO TAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT BACK OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND SO FOR THAT REASON I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO ON THE MOU TONIGHT. THANK YOU. >> MS. ELDERTON. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TO LISTEN TO THIS CONVERSATION. I APPRECIATE THE COMPLEXITY OF IT. AND APPRECIATE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOINED IN. MR. CONTRERAS, REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR WORK GOING IN TO MAKING THESE REVISIONS. CHIEF BROWN, I THINK YOU'RE AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR SPENDING MORE TIME WITH US. AND YOU KNOW WITH THAT SAID, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL SAY ABOUT THE PIPELINE TO PRISON IS, YOU KNOW, AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE WANT TO IN THIS PIPELINE TO PRISON, WE NEED TO TEACH OUR KIDS HOW TO READ. WE NEED TO TEACH OUR KIDS HOW TO WRITE. WE NEED TO TEACH OUR KIDS HOW TO DO MATH. WE ALREADY KNOW THE DATA ABOUT LITERACY RATES IN PRISON. BUT THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TEACH THESE KIDS. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING. SO YOU KNOW, I'LL PUT THAT IN THERE. I'LL SAY THAT WE NEED TO, AS EDUCATORS, BE BETTER ABOUT HOW WE DEAL WITH STUDENTS. THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATORS. WE ARE AS MUCH RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHOOL CLIMATE AS ANYONE ELSE. BUT THE STUDENTS AT THE END OF THE DAY, LOOK TO US. THEY COME TO US TO HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THAT'S OUR JOB. AND WHEN KIDS FEEL SAFE, THEY DO BEHAVE BETTER. AND SO YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S MY SECOND POINT. YOU KNOW. A COMBINATION OF ALL THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS THAT EVERYBODY'S TALKED ABOUT. THE ACADEMIC NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK THE ACADEMIC NEEDS ARE HARDER TO ADDRESS. I DO FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE EASY SOLUTION. LET'S DO THE HARD WORK. LET'S GET DOWN AND DIRTY AND GET THESE KIDS DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. HAVING THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO FEEL CONFIDENT AND SUCCESSFUL SO THEY DON'T END UP HAVING TO INTERACT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WITH THAT SAID, MADAM CHAIR, I GUESS I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION. OUR SUPERINTENDENT IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE THE REVISIONS. I MOVE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE THESE REVISIONS TO THE MOU AND AUTHORIZE THE MOU BETWEEN THE ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ACPS. >> SECOND. >> MS. NOLAN SECONDS MS. ALDERTON'S MOTION. I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE AS WE'VE HAD ROBUST DISCUSSION. >> CAN THERE NOT BE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? >> WELL WE'VE HAD PARDON. >> CAN I DO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? I'D LIKE TO APPROVE IT FOR ONE YEAR. IS THAT IS THERE ANY SUPPORT FOR THAT? >> DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR THE ONE YEAR? >> I WOULD ONLY SAY I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, AS CHAIR ANDERSON MENTIONED, ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO COLLECT DATA IN THIS YEAR. IF SOMEONE COULD CONFIRM FOR ME THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL I MEAN, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO END THE MOU. SO I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE WANT TO COMMIT TO A SPECIFIC DATE RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT. >> OKAY. I HAVE I THINK MR. SUAREZ. >> I JUST HAD A BRIEF COMMENT. AND ALSO A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. SO THE COMMENT IS TO MS. LORBER'S PROPOSAL. AGAIN, I WOULD REITERATE THAT NOTHING PREVENTS THE BOARD FROM ACTING TO RESCIND [03:35:05] THE MOU AT ANYTIME. SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT OPTION OPEN FOR THE FUTURE. >> I WITHDRAW. >> I DO AGREE WE NEED TO BE ON TOP OF THE SCRUTINY EVERY YEAR. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE MANDATE BECAUSE THAT'S A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT. I GUESS THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT THERE. BUT MY CLARIFICATION IS I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MOTION LANGUAGE WOULD CAPTURE THE COMMENT I MADE ABOUT THE SORT OF RELEASE OF RECORDS. I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE A LOOPHOLE WHERE ANYONE JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE 18 THE POLICE AUTOMATICALLY GET RECORDS. I'M ASSUMING THE SPIRIT OF THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING I'D BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE MOTION. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. >> DR. HUTCHINGS, DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO THAT OR WOULD THAT BE CHIEF BROWN OR BOTH OF YOU? >> THE RECORDS BELONG TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOU CAN SET UP WHATEVER RULES YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THAT. IF WE'RE DOING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, WE COULD ALWAYS GET A WARRANT. BUT I'M NOT SO SURE WE NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT ON A ROUTINE BASIS FOR AN 18YEAROLD. WE CAN GET WITH JOHN TO ADDRESS YOUR ISSUE AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE ESTABLISHED PROBABLE CAUSE. >> AND I WAS GOING TO MENTION WE DON'T JUST SAY, HERE'S THE POLICE, GIVE THEM OUR RECORDS. WE ARE VERY TIGHT WITH STUDENT RECORDS BECAUSE THERE ARE FERPA LAWS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO RELEASE RECORDS WHETHER THE STUDENT IS UNDER 18 OR 18. A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL ASK FOR A WARRANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT RELEASED. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. SO IS THAT IT, EVERYONE? SHOULD WE PROCEED WITH THE VOTE? MS. NOLAN SECONDING THE MOTION. CINDY ANDERSON, YES. VERONICA NOLAN. >> YES. >> MEGAN ALDERTON. >> YES. >> GENTRY. >> YES. >> JACINTA GREENE. >> NO. >> WEBER. >> YES. >> MICHELLE RIEF. >> NO. >> CHRISTOPHER SUAREZ. >> NO. >> HEATHER THORNTON. >> NO. >> SIX YES AND THREE NO. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SUCH A GREAT ROBUST CONVERSATION. AND I'M SURE IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST TIME WE TALK ABOUT THIS. AND THANK YOU CHIEF BROWN AND CAPTAIN SORIANO FOR JOINING US. AND NOW I THINK YOU'RE FREE. >> CHAIR ANDERSON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING US TO THE TABLE. AND FRANKLY, I ENJOYED THE CONVERSATION. I KNOW THIS IS A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR THE BOARD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY KIND OF REVIEW YOU WANT ON THIS. THE PROGRAMS THAT WE DO FOR THE CITY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW. AND THAT INCLUDES THE SRO PROGRAM. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. YES, I AGREE. >> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. >> OKAY. AND NOW WE ARE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM IS EVALUATION SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION [13. 2020-2021 Superintendent Evaluation Goal Setting] GOAL SETTING. AND I BELIEVE THAT IS IS THAT JUST DIRECTLY TO MS. NOLAN, DR. HUTCHINGS, OR ARE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? >> YES, MS. NOLAN. >> OKAY. SO MS. NOLAN. >> FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING A TRUE TEAM EFFORT AMONGST THE BOARD. I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE DOCUMENT WE'VE COLLECTIVELY COME UP TOGETHER FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMITTEE BOTH MEGAN ALDERTON AND CHRIS SUAREZ. WE'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESEARCH FOR CLINTON PAIGE ASSESSING THE DOCUMENT AS WELL AS MR. WILKINS. AND OBVIOUSLY DR. HUTCHINGS HAS BEEN AN INVITAL PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SO I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT OF WORKING TOGETHER WITH BOARD AND STAFF TO COME UP WITH A DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE. WITH REGARDS TO THE REVISIONS, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT YOU KNOW, WE HAD ALREADY CREATED A ROBUST EVALUATION AS A BOARD. UNFORTUNATELY DURING THE TIMES OF COVID, WE'VE HAD TO REVISIT IT ABOUT IN JUNE KNOWING THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN THINGS WE WRERNT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO. THE SRO DATA WAS NOT GOING TO BE ON HAND GIVEN THAT THE STATE PROVIDED A PAUSE IN THE EVALUATIONS. [03:40:01] ANOTHER EXAMPLE WAS WE WERE UNABLE TO SURVEY THE STAFF ON AN INSCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY. WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR THIS ITERATION IS WE'VE REVISITED AND WANTED TO GIVE BACK AS MUCH OF THE EVALUATION. INCLUDING HOW ARE WE EVALUATING STUDENTS ACADEMIC GIVEN THIS YEAR. AS WELL AS WHAT ARE WE DOING DURING THE TIMES OF COVID TO INSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE STILL ENGAGED AND RECEIVING A ROBUST EDUCATION. THE THIRD THING YOU'LL NOTE FROM THIS ITERATION IS WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT TO HAVE 360S FROM BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNITIES. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS I WANTED TO PROVIDE. YOU'LL NOTE THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS AS A BOARD THAT WE HAVE A MID TOUCH POINT IN DECEMBER. AND THEN WE HAVE A ROBUST EVALUATION THAT IS DONE AMONGST THE BOARD. AND DR. HUTCHINGS IN PARTNERSHIP IN THE SUMMER. WE FOLLOWED THAT PROCESS THIS PAST SUMMER. ORIGINAL DOCUMENT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS TRUE TO AS POSSIBLE. WE DID MAKE REVISIONS DURING COVID. AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET BACK TOWARDS THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT WHILE STILL UNDERSTANDING THERE'S MOMENTS OF COVID. THERE'S SEVEN I'M SORRY. IF YOU DON'T MIND GOING DOWN JUST A TINY BIT. WE ARE BOUND TO THE STATE A REQUIREMENT OF WHAT'S BEING EVALUATED. SUSAN, DO YOU MIND GOING UP TO THE TOP OF PAGE 3 PLEASE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO YOU'LL NOTE THAT THESE ARE THE SEVEN AREAS MISSION, VISION, GOALS, INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, AND SAFETY. COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS, PROFESSIONALISM, DIVISIONWIDE STUDENT ACADEMIC PROGRESS. THAT IS WHAT THE STATE HAS DICTATED NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE EVALUATION. DR. HUTCHINGS AND HIS TEAM JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE TO BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD AS TO WHERE WE STAND FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 20202021. LET ME PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND LET ME ASK MY COLLEAGUES, MR. SUAREZ AND MS. ALDERTON IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR ANYTHING I FAILED TO MENTION? OKAY. DR. HUTCHINGS, IS THERE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD IN TERMS OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS? >> I THINK YOU CAPTURED THE COLLABORATION PIECE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE GETTING A CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOU ON IT AS WELL AS YOUR TEAM. >> YES, THANK YOU, IT'S NOLAN. AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE REST OF THE SUB COMMITTEE FOR THAT. BOARD MEMBERS, WE WANTED TO BRING THIS UP TO LOOK AT IT TONIGHT. BUT WE AREN'T GOING TO DISCUSS IT. BUT IF THERE ARE FURTHER CHANGES THAT YOU WANT TO SUGGEST THEN PLEASE GET THOSE IN AS SOON AS YOU CAN. >> YUP. THANK YOU, CHAIR ANDERSON. >> OKAY. SO NOW WE ARE TO I THINK WE'RE GETTING THERE. [14. Report from Cindy M. Anderson] WE'RE GETTING THERE, EVERYBODY. WE'RE GETTING TO A REPORT THAT SAYS FROM ME. WHICH IS SUSAN HAS MS. NEILSON HAS TOLD ME I NEED TO REMIND PEOPLE ARE. NOVEMBERÂ 12TH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET. WORK SESSIONS ON THE 12TH AND 16TH. ON THE 17TH WE'RE HAVING A JOINT DISCUSSION ON BUDGET WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. AND THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 23RD ON THE BUDGET. THE CIP BUDGET. SO THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP WILL BE THE 22ND AT NOON. YOU CAN GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING PAGE TO SIGN UP. WE WILL HAVE UPDATES ON THE VIRTUAL PLUS PHASE REOPENING ON THE 12TH AND 23RD OF NOVEMBER. AND THE 3RD AND 17TH OF DECEMBER. SO THAT'S IT FOR MY UPDATES. NOW ON TO DR. HUTCHINGS REPORT. [15. Report from Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.] >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST HAVE A QUICK UPDATE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD WHAT WE PROMISED AT OUR LAST MEETING IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK UPDATES IN REGARDS TO OUR TRANSITION FROM THE BOARD'S MOTION LAST WEEK IN REGARDS TO REOPENING OUR SCHOOLS, OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A COUPLE OF KIND OF TIDBITS OF WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN WE COME BACK. AND SOME THINGS THAT WE ARE INVESTIGATING FURTHER. ONE IS THE TECHNOLOGY COMPONENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING DEEPER IN TO IN REGARDS TO HAVING CAMERAS AND THINGS IN THE SCHOOL AND DETERMINING WHAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE COULD LOOK LIKE. WE WANTED TO BRING SOME SPECIFIC DETAILS AROUND THAT. SO DR. HOOVER AND HER TEAM ARE WORKING THROUGH SOME ESTIMATES ON HOW MUCH ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL COST AND WHAT IS DOABLE WITHIN THE SCHOOL DIVISION THAT'S FEASIBLE AND ALSO FINANCIALLY POSSIBLE. [03:45:02] SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING THAT WITH THE BOARD AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT TODAY I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A SIMULATION AT JEFFERSON HOUSTON. AS YOU ALL KNOW NEXT WEEK WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING A SMALL GROUP OF OUR STUDENTS IN WHO ARE PART OF OUR CITY WIDE PROGRAM. THESE ARE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. WHO ARE PART OF CITY WIDE IN K2ND GRADE. TODAY WE BROUGHT IN SOME OF THOSE TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT. AND ALSO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO GET A FEEL OF WHAT DOES THE DAY AND LIFE OF A STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER RETURNING TO SCHOOL IN COVID19. AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY, I MEAN, WE RECORDED THIS TODAY AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A VIDEO THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY WHICH I THINK WILL BE VERY POWERFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STAFF. BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFERENT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL IN THIS COVID19 WORLD. AND I THINK THAT THE POINT OF REFERENCE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE IS PRIOR TO MARCHÂ 13TH. GOING THROUGH THE SIMULATION TODAY IT IS NOTHING LIKE PRIOR TO MARCHÂ 13TH. WE WERE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK. WE HAD TO BE SIXFEET APART. WHEN YOU GO IN TO CLASSROOMS, OF COURSE YOU KNOW THERE'S LIMITED SPACING. AND BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY BE IN THE CLASSROOM AND NOT LOOKING AT IT FROM A PICTURE LIKE WE HAD SHARED WITH YOU ALL. YOU COULD REALLY SEE HOW SIXFEET APART, IT JUST LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT YOU HAVE IN A ROOM. AND ANOTHER FEATURE, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING THROUGH. IT'S LIKE OUR YOUNGER KIDS USING THE WATER FOUNTAIN. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN HAPPEN. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE USING WATER FILLERS AND THEY HAVE WATER BOTTLES IN SCHOOL. LUNCH HAS TO BE SERVED IN THE CLASSROOM VERSUS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THEIR MASK TO EAT. BUT YOU CAN'T REMOVE YOUR MASK AND EAT AND TALK. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE YOUR SNEEZE GUARDS UP. IT WAS JUST SO MUCH DETAIL. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY HATS OFF TO OUR OPERATIONS TEAM, SCHOOL NUTRITIONAL TEAM, C & I TEAM, TERRY BURNER AND HER TEAM WITH SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION. BECAUSE IT TOOK A LOT OF HANDS ON DECK TO REALLY BRING JUST THE SIMULATION TOGETHER. I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO US SHARING OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY JUST TO GET A FEEL OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. YOU KNOW, KIDS STEPPING OFF THE BUS SIXFEET APART. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TODAY TO HAVE ONE OF OUR FAMILIES, AND MS. CINDY HART, SHE ACTUALLY ALLOWED FOR ONE OF HER CHILDREN. STEVEN, HE WAS A PART OF THE SIMULATION TODAY. AND HE WAS ABLE TO KIND OF GO THROUGH FROM OFF THE BUS TO GETTING HIS TEMPERATURE CHECKED TO GOING TO THE CLASSROOM TO HAVING A SNACK TO DOING WORK WITH THE INSTRUCTOR. AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE HOW DOES THAT WORK AND HOW DOES THAT ENGAGEMENT HAPPEN. IT WAS I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST REFRESHING TIME FOR ME TO SEE STEVEN, THE YOUNG MAN IN THERE, BECAUSE HE WAS JUST SO EXCITED TO BE IN SCHOOL. IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE. BUT IT IS VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE ARE ALL ACCUSTOMED TO. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STAFF AS WELL AS THE BOARD IS JUST PREPARED FOR THE DIFFERENCE. BECAUSE IT'S SHOCKING. EVERYBODY THAT WE TALKED TO GOING THROUGH IT, IT'S SO DIFFERENT THAT IT IS JUST EYE OPENING AND IT'S SHOCKING. I DON'T KNOW ANY WORD TO SAY. NO ONE WOULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED WE'D HAVE TO OPERATE LIKE WE DID TODAY. BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR NEW NORMAL FOR A LITTLE WHILE. AND THAT FINALIZES MY REPORT. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE HEADS UP THAT WE WILL BE SHARING OUT WITH THE BOARD SOME TECHNOLOGY UPDATES, AND ANOTHER PIECE THAT I DID WANT TO MAKE REALLY QUICKLY IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING AN INTENT TO RETURN. FORM WITH ALL OF OUR STAFF. THAT'S 100% OF OUR STAFF. JUST TO GET A FEEL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE UNABLE TO RETURN TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHY THEY ARE UNABLE TO RETURN. WE'RE WORKING THROUGH KIND OF ALL THE LOGISTICS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH OUR STAFF ABOUT THE PROCESS BEFORE RELEASING A DOCUMENT OR AN INTENT FORM. SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO FILL IN THE BLANKS. WE WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE COLLECTING THIS INFORMATION. AND WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION. AND WHY IT'S REALLY HELPING US WITH OUR PLANNING. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT WE DO NEED IN ORDER TO PLAN FOR THIS TRANSITION. BUT SOME OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR IN REGARDS TO OUR STAFF IS STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE UNABLE TO RETURN. WE WANT TO KNOW IS IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE HEALTH CONDITIONS, NOT STATING SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOUR HEALTH CONDITION IS, BUT THAT YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF HEALTH CONDITION THAT'S PREVENTING YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO RETURN. [03:50:02] OR THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD THAT HAS A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM, SO YOU ARE UNABLE TO RETURN BECAUSE YOU COULD BRING COVID INTO YOUR HOME THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD. THAT YOU'RE UNABLE TO RETURN BECAUSE OF AGE. BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE OVER 65, WHO ARE IN THE AGE BRACKET THAT YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME. OR THAT YOU HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THE CHILD CARE AT HOME BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO DON'T HAVE CHILD CARE. AND WE NEED TO KNOW IF THAT IS THEIR SITUATION OF WHY THEY CANNOT RETURN. AND THE FIFTH AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THAT YOU'RE FEARFUL OF COMING BACK. WE'VE HAD SOME DEEP DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE FEARFUL COMPONENT. WE EVEN SHARED WITH THIS DR. HERRING. FEAR LEADS TO MENTAL ISSUES FOR SOME WHO EXPERIENCE FEAR. IT DOESN'T ALLOW YOU TO BE ON TOP OF YOUR GAME AND TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE AND TEACH. WE HAVE TO REALLY DETERMINE WHICH STAFF MEMBERS ARE HAVING FEAR SO THAT WE CAN EITHER WORK WITH THEM TO PROVIDE SOME COPING MECHANISMS IN REGARDS TO THAT FEAR, OR YOU KNOW, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN INTO OUR BUILDINGS. WE CAN'T JUST TELL PEOPLE, GET OVER IT, SUCK IT UP, THIS IS THE NEW WORLD. WE CAN'T DO THAT. THE SAME WAY WE TALK ABOUT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF OUR KIDS. WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF OUR STAFF, TOO. THIS IS A CRISIS FOR EVERYBODY. AND PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE HAD ANY TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES PRIOR TO THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC ARE BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE THEM NOW BEING AT HOME, IN THEIR HOMES FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING THAT. AND THEN THE FINAL CATEGORY IS OTHER, WHERE THERE WILL BE A SPACE TO ALLOW US TO KNOW WHAT THAT OTHER THING IS. SO THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE BOARD SPECIFICALLY WHAT THESE CATEGORIES ARE AND WHAT OUR STAFF OVERALL. BECAUSE THIS WILL BE A REQUIRED DOCUMENT FOR 100% OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO COMPLETE. BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING SOME MORE INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. WE'RE AIMING FOR NOVEMBERÂ 9TH TO HAVE A DIVISIONWIDE DISCUSSION AROUND WHY THIS INTENT FORM IS NEEDED, AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT DIVISIONWIDE ZOOM SESSION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, AND IT WILL BE RECORDED, WE WILL BE ISSUING THE INTENT TO RETURN FORM. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE HEADS UP OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT THIS WEEK WITH OUR DIVISION TEAM AS WELL AS THE TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM. I KNOW IT WAS A LOT, BUT THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE FOR THIS WEEK. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. DO BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY. [17. Closed Meeting and Certification of Closed Meeting] SO THEN NEXT WE HAVE, IF VICE CHAIR NOLAN CAN READ US IN TO CLOSED SESSION. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> SORRY. CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. LET ME GET IT. >> WE'RE AT THE END. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE CLOSE TO THE END. IT JUST CAME ALL OF A SUDDEN. ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT QUITE THE END. WE HAVE TO GO TO A CLOSED SESSION AND THEN COME BACK AGAIN. >> WAS THE SCRIPT SENT BEFORE? I DON'T SEE IT. >> YEAH. LET ME SUSAN, CAN YOU QUICKLY DO IT? >> YEAH, I CAN RESEND. HOLD ON. >> I'M LOOKING. I APOLOGIZE. >> IT'S SOMEWHERE AROUND 2:30ISH. >> I APOLOGIZE. I ONLY HAVE AN EMAIL AT 2:22 AND ANOTHER ONE AT 2:35 I APOLOGIZE. I DIDN'T RECEIVE IT. >> I'M SENDING IT. >> SORRY ABOUT THAT,EVERYONE. YOU'D THINK I'D HAVE IT MEMORIZED BY NOW. >> THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THEM. IT'S HARD TO MEMORIZE. ESPECIALLY THE NUMBERS PURSUANT TO AND ALL THAT. SUSAN AND JENNIFER MAYBE SHOULD HAVE THEM MEMORIZED. DID YOU GET IT? >> NOPE. I APOLOGIZE. NOT COMING THROUGH. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I APOLOGIZE. HERE WE GO. OKAY. MADAM CHAIR I MOVE THAT THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION OF THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS. [03:55:02] WHERE IF MADE PUBLIC WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE FINANCIAL INTEREST OF THE BOARD >> SECOND. >> OKAY. MS. GREENE SECONDS MS. NOLAN'S MOTION. SO I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE. CINDY ANDERSON YES. >> GENTRY. >> YES. >> GREENE. >> YES. >> LORBER. >> YES. >> RIEF. >> YES. >> SUAREZ. >> YES. >> THORNTON. >> YES. >> SO THAT'S 90. >> YES. I DIDN'T SAY IT YES. >> MS. THORNTON, I'M SORRY. I WAS THINKING MORE ABOUT THE NEXT QUESTION WAS DO PEOPLE NEED LIKE FIVE MINUTES BETWEEN. >> YES. YES. >> OKAY. >> YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE LINK PLEASE EMAIL ME AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU. >> FIVE MINUTE BREAK AND THEN WE'LL BE 8:05. THAT'S SEVEN MINUTES. >> SUSAN, ARE YOU SENDING A LINK NOW? >> I SENT IT THIS AFTERNOON. YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED. I CAN RESEND IT TO YOU. >> PLEASE. BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY WAY DOWN ON MY LIST. I MEAN, ON MY EMAILS. >> I SENT IT AROUND 3Â O'CLOCK. >> SO I KNOW IT'S WAY DOWN. ALL RIGHT. BUT THANK YOU. I'LL SEE YOU ALL ON THE OTHER SIDE. GOOD TO SEE YOU, CHANEL. I'M LIKE, THERE'S CHANEL. LOVE THE HAIR. LOOKING GOOD. SEE YOU LATER. >> BYE. >> BYE, EVERYBODY. >> BYE. >> GOOD NIGHT. >> NICE JOB. >> BYE. >> GOODNIGHT. >> BYE. >> GOODNIGHT LORRAINE. CHANEL, LOOKS GOOD. LOOKS GREAT. LOOKS VERY PRETTY. BYE, EVERYBODY. BYE VERONICA. SUSAN. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.