[1. ANNOUNCEMENTS]
[00:00:06]
>> [BACKGROUND] ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
ANY CARDS TO SPEAK ON CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS? NO. THEN WE WILL CONVENE INTO CLOSED SESSION AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
[5. CLOSED SESSION AGENDA]
[NOISE] WE'LL RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION AT[6. OPEN SESSION AGENDA]
SIX O'CLOCK AND REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION.[8. REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION]
>> REPORT OUT ON AGENDA ITEM 5.2.
IN CLOSED SESSION, THE BOARD TOOK ACTION TO APPROVE A FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND RELEASED BETWEEN PARENTS OF MR AND THE BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OAH CASE NUMBER 202-304-0201, PURSUANT TO WHICH THE DISTRICT HAS AGREED TO FUND AND PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO THE STUDENT AND THE STUDENT'S PARENTS HAVE RELEASED CLAIMS AGAINST THE DISTRICT IN EXCHANGE FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AS SPECIFIED IN THE AGREEMENT.
THE MOTION WAS MADE BY GLENN CREIMAN WITH A SECOND BY GREG PALATTO.
>> PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> APPROVAL OF AGENDA, ORDER, AND CONTENT.
[10. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ORDER AND CONTENT]
>> OPPOSED? APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING,
[11. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING]
ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 14TH, 2023 REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.>> OPPOSED? ON TO OUR FEATURED PRESENTATION,
[12. FEATURED PRESENTATIONS]
FIRST IS A REPORT ON THE 2023 LOCAL INDICATORS FOR THE CALIFORNIA ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL AND DASHBOARD.>> HERE TO PRESENT THE LOCAL INDICATORS IS KRIS BONEMAN, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S MY ANNUAL VISIT AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO SHARE WHAT'S COMING ON.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY HERE IN BONITA, WHICH GIVES ME THE PRIVILEGE OF COLLECTING INFORMATION AND PRESENTING IT OFTEN TO OTHERS IN WAYS THAT WE CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND IT, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE DOING HERE TODAY, IS TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LOCAL INDICATORS.
THE CALIFORNIA DASHBOARD IS HOW ALL INFORMATION IS REPORTED ON OUR SCHOOL SITES NOW, THROUGH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO BIG GROUPS; THE STATE INDICATORS AND THEN LOCAL INDICATORS.
STATE INDICATORS ARE THE SAME ACROSS THE STATE AND ALL SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE THE SAME WAY, AND LOCAL INTEGRATORS, THEY GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE, BUT THEN THERE'S SELF MEASURED INSIDE OF OUR OWN SYSTEM.
THESE ARE THE STATE INDICATORS THAT WE SHARE ACROSS.
WE'VE GOT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, GRADUATION RATES, AND THEN THE BOTTOM ONES REPRESENT OUR STATE TESTING.
OUR LOCAL INDICATORS ARE GROUPED INTO FIVE GROUPS, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THEY ARE NOT NUMBERED IN ORDER BECAUSE A COUPLE OF THEM IS A MYSTERY TO ME THE FIRST YEAR HOW THEY NUMBERED THEM.
BUT WE HAVE, THE FIRST PRIORITY IS ABOUT THE BASICS, THE STUFF WE PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WE GUARANTEE EVERYONE'S GOING TO HAVE.
PRIORITY 2 IS ABOUT HOW WE ARE DOING THE WORK OF SCHOOLS, HOW WE'RE BUILDING IN OUR INSTRUCTION.
PRIORITY 3 IS HOW WE ENGAGE WITH OUR FAMILIES.
PRIORITY 6 IS OUR LOCAL CLIMATE MEASUREMENTS THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE AND USE AS OUR METRICS, AND I'LL BE SHARING THOSE WITH YOU.
THEN SEVEN IS ALL ABOUT HOW WE ARE SUPPORTING THIS STUDY THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND HOW WE'RE ALSO BUILDING IT AND IMPROVING IT.
THE ASSESSMENT OF THE LOCAL INDICATORS IS DONE THROUGH A SELF-EVALUATION USING SOME GUIDING QUESTIONS THAT THE CDE PROVIDES FOR US.
THEN WE SELF-RATE EACH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE KEEP WORKING TO IMPROVE ON THEM.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE WAY THAT IT'S REPORTED AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY SIMPLISTIC.
WE HAVE MET, THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE NOT MET, AND HOW WE MEET EACH OF THESE IS BY MEASURING THEM.
[00:05:03]
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE MEASUREMENT WE GET ON SOMETHING, IT'S THE FACT THAT WE ARE MEASURING THEM, AND WE WILL MEET THAT EVERY YEAR, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEASURE THINGS.A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH OF THE ONES THAT WE'RE MEASURING, AND SOME OF THE INDICATORS WE USE FOR THAT IS, THIS WAS THE BASIC SO I TALKED ABOUT WHICH WAS JUST THE GENERAL STANCE.
I ALWAYS THINK THE VERY INTERESTING ONE IS THE THIRD ONE, AND IT'S ABOUT HOW OUR FACILITIES ARE.
I TAKE PLEASURE IN WALKING OUR FACILITIES, THEY ARE FANTASTIC PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE, LET ALONE STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE NO FACILITY COMPLAINTS ON PILE, AND SO THAT'S THE WAY WE REPORT THAT PIECE.
WHEN WE DO IMPLEMENTATION OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS, THIS IS ALWAYS A MOVING TARGET.
THIS ONE IS SOMETHING WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY MAKING OURSELVES BETTER.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR MATERIALS CONSISTENTLY, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE WAY WE DO ASSESSMENT IN OUR DISTRICTS SO THAT WE CAN PINPOINT THINGS.
DURING THE SCALE IS ANYWHERE FROM EXPLORATION TO A SUSTAINABLE PROCESS, AND WE ARE IN MANY OF THE SPECTRUMS INSIDE OF THERE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE ONE THING ABOUT IT, EVEN WHEN IT'S A SUSTAINABLE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR WHAT'S BETTER.
WE'RE ALL ABOUT THAT CONTINUING MOVEMENT FORWARD.
THE THIRD ONE IS PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.
SOME OF THE MEASUREMENTS WE USE ON THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE WESTED SURVEY.
IT'S A SURVEY THAT WE SENT OUT TO OUR PARENTS AND OUR STAFF EACH YEAR AND THEY GIVE US FEEDBACK IN GENERAL ACROSS OUR SCHOOL SITES.
YOU CAN SEE THIS YEAR, WE'RE AT 81% OF OUR PARENT RESPONDENTS, EITHER STRONGLY AGREE OR AGREE THAT PARENTS FEEL WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHOOL, 81% IS NOT 100%, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO INCLUDE ALL PARENTS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO REST ON OUR LAURELS, WE'RE CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATING AND ENGAGING WITH PARENTS SO WE CAN DO BETTER ON THAT.
OUR PRIORITY 6 IS OUR LOCAL CLIMATE.
IN THIS ONE, WE USE OUR PANORAMA EDUCATION SURVEY.
THIS IS ONE THAT WE ACTUALLY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THIS YEAR TO EXPAND A BIT.
IT'S AN OPT-IN PROCESS WHERE PARENTS CAN OPT IN THIRD THROUGH 12TH GRADERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY, AND WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING.
IF YOU LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THE NUMBERS, THEY DO APPEAR A LITTLE BIT LOW.
BUT IT'S INTERESTING THE MEASUREMENTS THEY USE ARE THE ACTUAL METRICS THAT ARE USED TO MEASURE IT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT WHEN THEY RESPOND.
MAYBE HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AREN'T FEELING TREMENDOUS ABOUT MUCH.
BUT THE NEXT LEVEL IS QUITE A BIT.
BUT THE NEXT LEVEL THAT'S NOT EVEN INCLUDED IN THIS PERCENTAGE IS SOME.
THEY'RE STILL ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OF IT.
BUT WE DO MEASURE IT EXACTLY THE WAY IT REPORTS OUT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE ON THIS.
WE HAVE A WELLNESS COMMITTEE IN PLACE AND THEY ARE WORKING WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL SITE TO GET THE SPECIFICS OF THEIR NEEDS, SO THAT WE CONTINUE AGAIN, IT'S ALL ABOUT GETTING BETTER.
IF YOU DON'T MEASURE SOMETHING, YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GETTING BETTER.
THE BROAD COURSE OF STUDY, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BEGINNING.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT IT FOCUSES ON.
IT'S THE MAIN SUBJECT AREAS THAT WE MAKE SURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO.
SOME OF THE SECONDARY COMPONENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY APPLIED.
ONE OF THEM IS CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AND WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO OFFER MORE OPPORTUNITIES ON THAT AS WELL.
AGAIN, IT'S A MOVING CYCLE OF THIS AND IT DOES GIVE US A WAY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION OUT THROUGH THOSE LOCAL INDICATORS.
OUR NEXT STEPS, WE WILL BE SUBMITTING THE RESULTS FROM THIS.
THIS ACTUALLY HAS TO ACCOMPANY THE LCAP, THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW.
WE WILL GET IT SUBMITTED BEFORE THE OCTOBER 15TH DEADLINES.
IT GETS POSTED TO THE STATE AND IT'LL APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD AS ANOTHER SELECTION THING.
IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO SEE ALL THE DETAILS OF ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS AND WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING FORWARD.
THAT IS OUR GOAL, WE ALWAYS HAVE NEW THINGS TO DO.
>> I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT, KRIS.
IN THE PAST, I KNOW WE'VE USED SOME OF THE WESTED'S SURVEY.
I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THE PANORAMA SURVEY AND THAT IT WAS
[00:10:02]
FROM SPRING 2023 TO GET RESULTS THAT ARE PERTINENT RIGHT NOW AND BACK TO OUR SITES TO ESPECIALLY AS THEY HAD CLOSED UP THE YEAR AND THEY'RE DOING THEIR OWN SCHOOL PLANS AND MAKING THEIR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR.SOMETIMES WE JUST DIDN'T SEE IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
I LIKED THAT WE'RE USING NEW SURVEYS, THAT WE'RE GETTING RESULTS QUICKLY AND WE CAN MAKE PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENTS. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A QUOTE FROM YOU AND I JUST WANTED TO READ A QUOTE FROM YOU.
[LAUGHTER] I THINK IT MATCHES OUR CORE VALUE OF FOCUS ON RESULTS.
"IF YOU DON'T MEASURE SOMETHING, YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GETTING BETTER".
I DO LOVE THAT ATTITUDE AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT QUOTE.
>> KRIS, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE FOR THE FOLKS HERE IN THE GALLERY AND THE FOLKS WATCHING AT HOME TONIGHT.
WHAT IS LCFF MEAN, AND WHAT IS [LAUGHTER] CDE MEAN?
>> WE DO HAVE A FONDNESS FOR ACRONYMS.
>> WE DO, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BECAUSE WE DO LOVE TO USE THEM.
THE CDE IS THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THEY ARE WHO PROVIDE MUCH OF THE STRUCTURE AROUND WHAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF.
THE LCFF IS THE LOCAL CONTROL FUNDING WHAT'S THE OTHER F?
>> FORMULA. YOU GOT TO HAVE A WAY TO MEASURE IT AGAIN.
>> FINALLY, THERE WAS A SLIDE IN THERE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY FOR 15 YEARS.
YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE WILLIAMS.
>> CAN YOU GIVE US JUST A SENTENCE ON WHAT THAT IS?
>> AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT MAKING SURE STUDENTS HAVE BOOKS, THEY HAVE CLEAN BATHROOMS, IT ACTUALLY COVERS A VERY LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT WE FIND TO BE PART OF OUR DAILY WORK.
I SAY, I THINK IT'S REALLY AMAZING HOW WE DON'T GET COMPLAINTS IN THOSE MEASURES.
I SAY, WE ARE ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THE GAME.
>> THE DATA SHOWED SENSE OF BELONGING AND PARTICULARLY IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THE DATA DIPS DOWN AND I WONDER, FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE DATA, IS THERE ANY EFFECT? IS THERE A COVID EFFECT OR [OVERLAPPING].
>> THERE IS A COVID EFFECT ON EVERYTHING IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED.
>> I REALLY DO BELIEVE WE ARE STRIVING TO GET PAST THAT, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RESIDUAL.
I WAS ACTUALLY JUST TALKING TO MY DAUGHTER ABOUT THAT RECENTLY ON.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE'LL TALK ABOUT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFETIME.
ON THOSE WE'LL HAVE LITTLE BUMPS THAT ARE THINGS WHERE IT'S LIKE, GOSH, I BET IT THAT IS A TIE BACK TO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY., IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DISMISS IT.
WE ARE MOVING FORWARD NO MATTER WHAT.
WE KNOW, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF CONCERNS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS ON THAT.
>> THEN LASTLY, THIS PROCESS LINKS TO OUR LCAP.
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S IN PARALLEL.
WE ARE TAKING IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET A MOMENT TO DO THE NEXT PART AS WELL.
AGAIN, THEY'RE TIED TOGETHER IN MANY WAYS, OUR GOALS AND SO FORTH.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THESE METRICS IN AS WELL.
BUT IT IS OUR PUBLIC-FACING PIECE OF IT THAT IS MEASURED AGAINST ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
>>WHICH IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN?
>> OUR NEXT FEATURE PRESENTATION IS THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS REVIEW COMMITTEE OVERVIEW.
>> THANK YOU. HERE TO SHARE THE OVERVIEW OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS REVIEW COMMITTEE IS DR. JAYMI ABUSHAM, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION.
>> THANK YOU. I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU THE INFORMATION REGARDING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS REVIEW, WHICH IS BASED ON OUR BOARD POLICY, WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR SOME TIME.
THAT SAYS THAT CONCERNS FOR MANY MATERIALS AND THESE ARE JUST SOME PIECES OUT OF THAT POLICY.
MANY MATERIALS WILL BE REVIEWED BY A STEP THROUGH THESE ESTABLISHED COMPLAINT PROCEDURES AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION.
IT GIVES THE PROCESS AND STEPS AND THAT THE REVIEW COMMITTEE SHOULD FOCUS ON DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY, PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS OF TEACHERS OF THE SUBJECT AND OTHER COMPETENT AUTHORITIES, REVIEWS OF THE MATERIALS BY REPUTABLE BODIES, THE OBJECTIVES IN USING THE MATERIALS, COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND WHEN A COMPLAINT IS BROUGHT, THE OBJECTIONS OF THAT COMPLAINANT.
THE DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE CAN BE APPEALED TO THE BOARD.
THOSE ARE THE PIECES THAT KEEP PIECES OUT OF THE BOARD POLICY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION, OF COURSE, IS RELATED TO THE STEPS FOR THAT.
BASED ON THAT, WE ESTABLISH THE MATERIALS RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE
[00:15:04]
FOR A FEW CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT.I WANT IT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW THAT COMMITTEE CAME TO BE THIS SPRING AND WHAT WAS INVOLVED IN THAT.
WE ESTABLISHED A COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF PERSPECTIVES.
THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS FROM MANAGEMENT TEAM, THERE ARE PEOPLE FROM CERTIFICATED FROM BOTH CITIES, FROM CLASSIFIED STAFF FROM BOTH CITIES, FROM COMMUNITY, PARENT REPRESENTATIVE, AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS BALANCED WITH BOTH SIDES.
THE COMMITTEE IS FACILITATED BY MYSELF AND WILL BE ALSO BY DR. KIM LAWE, LAWE WAS HER MAIDEN NAME, WHO WILL BE IN THAT ROLE AS WELL.
BUT OUR FOCUS WAS REALLY ON POSITIONED AND NOT PEOPLE AS WE SET ASIDE PART TO DO THIS WITH TWO-YEAR TERMS. SOME OF THOSE ARE TERMS THAT ARE PLACED LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, A TEACHER AT A CERTAIN GRADE LEVEL WOULD BE A ROTATING TWO-YEAR TERM WHERE OTHER POSITIONS SUCH AS A PERSON WHO WAS APPOINTED TO A COMMITTEE LIKE SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, THEY AUTOMATICALLY ROTATE BY AN ELECTION PROCESS.
WE FELT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMITTEE REFLECTED THE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT IT REALLY HAD THAT MINDSET FOR WHO WE SERVE.
TEACHERS FROM ALL GRADE LEVELS, LIBRARY, MEDIA CLERK, BALANCED REPRESENTATION, AND BEING REALLY THOUGHTFUL AND PURPOSEFUL ABOUT HOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE CHOSEN MATTERED A GREAT DEAL.
IT WAS REALLY EVIDENT AT OUR MEETINGS THAT WE HAD THAT BALANCED REPRESENTATION.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
THE PROCESS THAT'S OUTLINED IN THAT ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION SAYS, THAT WHEN THE COMMITTEE IS NOTIFIED OF A CHALLENGE OR WHEN THE SUPERINTENDENT RECEIVES A CHALLENGE, THE COMMITTEE IS THEN NOTIFIED BECAUSE WE HAVE 30 DAYS TO RESPOND TO THAT CHALLENGE OR REQUEST.
THE COMMITTEE IS NOTIFIED AND THEY'RE GIVEN A COPY OF THE MATERIALS SO THAT THEY ARE SURE TO READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND THAT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR REVIEW.
THEN THEY REVIEW EVERYTHING WITHIN LIGHT OF SOME GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS WHICH ARE I'LL SHARE WITH YOU IN A MOMENT.
THERE ARE BEST PRACTICES, GUIDING PRINCIPLES, AND THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS.
THEY ARE TASKED WITH SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONSIDERATION, WHICH ARE SEXUAL CONTENT, VIOLENCE, ILLEGAL USE OF SUBSTANCES, AND EXPLICIT LANGUAGE.
THEY'RE ALSO TASKED WITH CONSIDERING THE APPROPRIATENESS FOR A BOOK TO BE AVAILABLE, WHETHER AT OUR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, OR HIGH SCHOOLS.
THEN THEY ARE ALSO TO CONSIDER OTHER ARTIFACTS WHICH THEY CAN BRING WITH THEM AND SEARCH OUT.
BUT SUCH EXAMPLES WOULD BE LIKE LITERARY AWARDS, MEDIA RATINGS, LIKE COMMON SENSE MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE LIKE.
SO A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THOSE GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS.
IN YOUR COPY OF THE PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD, YOU HAVE THOSE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS, WHICH ARE THE SCHOOL LIBRARY GUIDING PRINCIPLES, THE LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS, AND THE COMMITTEE BEST PRACTICES.
AND I'VE HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS HERE.
I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE ON THE PUBLIC HANDOUTS, BUT THEY ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
AND UNDER EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, THERE IS A LINK THAT EXPLAINS THE MATERIALS CONSIDERATION POLICY.
AND THESE DOCUMENTS ARE LINKED THERE.
SO THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES REALLY TALKS ABOUT, WHAT A SCHOOL LIBRARY SHOULD BE, AND THAT'S IT ENRICHES AND SUPPORTS LITERACY THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION, AND THAT THOSE MATERIALS ARE INCLUSIVE.
THAT IT PROVIDES MATERIALS ON BOTH SIDES OF OPPOSINGS CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES, TO FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL REASONING AND CRITICAL THINKING AND OUR STUDENTS.
AND THAT PRINCIPLE IS ABOVE PERSONAL OPINION, AND RESIDENT REASON IS ABOUT PREJUDICE, IN THE WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT AND HAVE AN ADD BOOKS OR IN ANY OTHER KEEP BOOKS, OR NOT KEEP BOOKS FOR THAT LIBRARY.
THE LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS IS A BROADER DOCUMENT, THAT IS ABOUT LIBRARIES IN GENERAL.
AND SOME OF THE PIECES OF THAT, ARE MORE ABOUT PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS PUBLIC SPACES.
SO I DIDN'T INCLUDE THOSE HERE.
BUT THAT THERE ARE SPECIFICS THAT MATTER A GREAT DEAL TO SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND THOSE ARE THAT MATERIAL SHOULD NOT BE EXCLUDED, BECAUSE OF THE ORIGIN, BACKGROUND, OR VIEWS OF THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THOSE WORKS THAT THE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION TO PREVENT ALL POINTS OF VIEW ON CURRENT AND HISTORICAL ISSUES.
THAT MATERIALS SHOULD NOT BE PRESCRIBED OR REMOVED, BECAUSE OF A PARTISAN ISSUE OR DOCTRINAL DISAPPROVAL, AND THAT CENSORSHIP SHOULD BE CHALLENGED, IN FULFILLMENT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION.
AND THEN THE COMMITTEE BEST PRACTICES.
WE FELT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE,
[00:20:01]
THAT WE WOULD SET ASIDE PERSONAL BELIEFS, EVALUATE MATERIALS BASED ON OBJECTIVE STANDARDS, AND THAT WE WOULD READ AND CONSIDER THE MATERIAL AS A WHOLE, NOT IN EXCERPTS OR PARTS OUT OF CONTEXT.SO WHEN THE COMMITTEE MEETS, THIS IS WHAT A COMMITTEE MEETING LOOKS LIKE.
THOSE THAT ARE THERE HAVE MET AND HAVE RECEIVED THE MATERIAL WELL IN ADVANCE, AND KNOW THAT IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO THOROUGHLY EXAMINE THAT MATERIAL.
WHEN WE MEET, WE RESTART BY REVIEWING AND DISCUSSING EACH OF THOSE CONTENT AREAS OF CONSIDERATION, AND THE GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS.
SO THAT WE SET THE STAGE FOR OUR PURPOSE.
IF ANY OF THOSE AREAS, AS I SAID, WHICH WERE SEXUAL CONTENT, VIOLENCE, ILLEGAL USE OF SUBSTANCES, ETC, IF ANY ARE EXPLICIT LANGUAGE.
IF ANY OF THOSE ARE THERE, WE WOULD DISCUSS THE CONTENT AND THE CONTEXT WITHIN THE MATERIAL AS A WHOLE.
DISCUSS THE APPROPRIATENESS OF GRADE SPAN, BASED IN LIGHT OF THAT INFORMATION AND ANY ARTIFACTS, IF THEY ARE PRESENTED, AND THEN DETERMINE IF THEY'RE MATERIAL SHOULD REMAIN IN CIRCULATION, OR NOT FOR EACH GRADE SPAN.
AND THAT IS DONE EITHER BY CONSENSUS OR A VOTE.
OUR INITIAL EFFORT IS TO COME TO A CONSENSUS, SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY IS COMFORTABLE WITH.
BUT IF NOT, THEN WE WOULD GO TO VOTE.
BEYOND EXPLAINING THE PROCESS OF WHAT THE STEPS ARE, OR WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT MEETING.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO KNOW, THAT THIS GROUP REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
THESE MEETINGS WERE NOT AT ALL PROCEDURAL AND ROUTINE.
THEY WEREN'T ABOUT CHECKING OFF THESE ITEMS, LIKE THEY WERE CHECKBOXES.
THEY WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL, THEY WERE VERY LONG MEETINGS, AND THEY WERE EMOTIONALLY INTENSE MEETINGS.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL, THERE WERE RAISED VOICES, THERE WERE SOME TEARS, THERE WERE FRUSTRATIONS, BUT THERE WAS VERY DEEP, AND THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT EACH POINT VERY CAREFULLY DEBATED.
EVERYBODY'S PERSPECTIVE WAS HEARD, AND THERE WERE REALLY OPPOSING PERSPECTIVES ON SEVERAL THINGS.
BECAUSE EACH MEMBER FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT THIS DUTY, THEY SAW THIS AND THEY TREATED IT AS A VERY HIGH RESPONSIBILITY, AS A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR.
SO MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY HAVE CHILDREN WHO ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THEY THOUGHT OF THEIR OWN CHILDREN, AND THEY THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANT FOR THEIR OWN CHILD, WHETHER IN OUR SCHOOLS OR NOT, WHETHER MY KIDS ARE GROWN.
I'M THINKING ABOUT MY GRANDKIDS.
AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON, THEY'RE DEEPLY UNDERSTOOD THE GRAVITY OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, AND WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO THEM.
BECAUSE I THINK IN SOME CASES THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A PERSONAL COST FOR THAT EMOTIONAL HEALING, BUT THEY TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND IT WAS A VERY WELL RESPECTED PROCESS, WE THOUGHT OF EVERY CHILD IN OUR SCHOOLS AND VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT, SINCE YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO BE IN THE MEETINGS.
THIS SPECIFIC BOOK THAT WAS CHALLENGED, IS THE REQUEST TO APPEAL, IS THE BLUEST EYE BY TONI MORRISON, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN 1970, I BELIEVE, AND WE REVIEWED FOR EACH OF THOSE CONTENT AREAS.
AND WITHIN THOSE CONTENT AREAS, WE DID FIND THAT THE BOOK CONTAINS SEXUAL CONTENT, VIOLENT CONTENT, AND EXPLICIT LANGUAGE.
THE CONTENT REVIEW DID NOT FIND THAT THE BOOK CONTAINS ILLEGAL USE OF SUBSTANCES.
HOWEVER, THE COMMITTEE REALLY LABORED OVER EACH OF THOSE ITEMS AND FELT THAT THE CONTENT WAS GERMANE TO THE STORY'S MESSAGE AND THEME.
AND I THINK THAT THIS QUOTE FROM THE NATIONAL TEACHERS OF ENGLISH, PROBABLY SUMS IT UP BEST.
THERE ARE OTHER NOVELS THAT DISCUSS RACISM, COMING OF AGE, AND THE WORLD'S HOSTILITY FROM A YOUNG GIRL'S PERSPECTIVE.
BUT THERE IS NO OTHER NOVEL, THAT BRINGS ALL OF THESE THEMES TOGETHER AS DOES THE BLUEST EYE.
SO THE COMMITTEE, VERY SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED, AND FELT THAT THIS BOOK SHOULD REMAIN IN CIRCULATION FOR GRADES 9-12.
WE ALSO HAVE THOUGHT LONG AND HARD, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ONE BOOK, AND WE'VE REALLY BEEN THINKING ABOUT OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT AS WE GO INTO THIS.
I KNOW MY PRIMARY PURPOSE IN COMING TO YOU TODAY, WAS TO SHARE WHAT THE COMMITTEE DID.
BUT JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMITTEE IN ISOLATION, WOULD BE TO OMIT SOME REALLY OTHER IMPORTANT ONGOING WORK.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD IN EDUCATION SERVICES TO TALK ABOUT, LIKE OUR CIRCULATION DATABASE FALL IT.
THE SYSTEM YOU LOOK UP BOOKS IN.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO AFFIRM, AND ENSURE THAT BOOKS RETAIN THEIR AGE LEVELS WHEN IMPORTED IN THE SEARCH SYSTEM,
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THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME OVERRIDING OF THAT IN THE PAST.BUT WE'VE SCALED THAT UP, AND MADE SURE THAT THAT WON'T HAPPEN.
WE ALSO FOUND THIS PROCESS SO-CALLED AUTOMATIC UPDATES, THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE TO SEE TITLES THAT WERE AVAILABLE IN OTHER SCHOOLS, AND FOR OTHER AGE RANGES THAT WERE NEVER AVAILABLE FOR CHECK OUT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE BLUEST EYE MIGHT HAVE SHOWN UP IF A CHILD FROM SHELL SEARCH JUST A LITTLE ICON OF THE PICTURE, THAT DIDN'T MEAN IT WAS EVER AVAILABLE AT SHELL.
BUT THAT WAS PART OF THIS AUTOMATIC UPDATE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TURN OFF AND PROHIBIT THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
AND THEN WE KNOW THAT, WHEN A FAMILY LINKS THEIR LA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD, TO THEIR DISTRICT LIBRARY DATABASE, THEN THEY CAN ALSO SEE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES THAT ARE IN THE LA COUNTY LIBRARY THAT ARE NOT PART OF OUR LIBRARIES.
SO WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON VETTING THAT PROCESS, SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, HEY, IF YOU'VE ENABLED THIS, THAT'S WHY YOU CAN SEE THE COUNTY LIBRARY RESOURCES, EVEN THOUGH THOSE ARE NOT PART OF OUR LIBRARY.
IT'S SIMPLE AS UNLINKING THAT CARD, IF IT'S A PARENTS CARD THAT HAS THAT WIDE RANGE OF AVAILABILITY.
SO ALL OF THOSE FACETS, AND THINKING ABOUT THIS FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT ANGLES.
I THINK WE'RE COMING UP WITH SOME SOLID PROCESSES, THAT CAN AVOID SOME OF THE OTHER OUTSIDE EXTRANEOUS ISSUES.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF OTHER PROCESSES AND SAFEGUARDS WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS FOR SAFEGUARDS, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SCHOOL STAFF, AND LEGAL CONSULTANTS AND TALKING TO PARENTS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS, AND GUARDIANS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE IDEAS FOR THOSE SAFEGUARDS, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WILL BE EFFECTIVE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SUSTAINABLE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY COMPLY WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
WE ALREADY KNOW, AND IF YOU'VE EVER VISITED A CLASSROOM OR VOLUNTEERED AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT GOES TO THEIR LIBRARY, IT'S THIS VERY ACTIVE PROCESS, BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.
AND YOU'VE WOULD PROBABLY IF IN THE COURSE OF A 30 MINUTE VISIT TO THE LIBRARY HERE, MEDIA CLERK OR A TEACHER SAY SIX OR SEVEN TIMES. THAT'S A GREAT BOOK.
AND WHEN YOU'RE IN FOURTH GRADE, THAT'LL BE A GOOD ONE FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT.
LET'S GO OVER HERE, AND LOOK AT THIS ONE AT YOUR LEVEL.
THERE'S A LOT OF VERY ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT BY STAFF, DURING THAT INSTRUCTIONAL TIME TO HELP KIDS TO PICK OUT BOOKS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE.
THAT'S ALREADY BEEN HAPPENING, AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN, TO DEVELOP SAFEGUARDS THAT SUPPORT PARENTS AS EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS.
WE KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF OUR DISTRICT, AND WE WANT THOSE TO BE IN PLACE AS SUPPORT.
AND SO WE'RE CONSIDERING THEM FROM EVERY ANGLE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE, THEY'RE DOABLE, THEY'RE SUSTAINABLE, AND THAT THEY WILL WORK FOR US.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT CLOSELY, IS A HOLD ONLY CHECK OUT, WHERE AN ELEMENTARY PARENT MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO PRE-SELECT BOOKS WITH THEIR CHILD AND PUT THEM ON HOLD.
AND THEN WHEN THEY GO TO THE LIBRARY, THEY PARTICIPATE IN LIBRARY JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
BUT THEY'RE PREVIEWED AND PRE-SELECTED A BOOK, THAT THE MEDIA CLERK CAN THEN SAY, HERE'S THE BOOK YOU WANTED THIS WEEK.
IT'S A HOLDOVER FROM THE DISTANCE LEARNING MATERIALS EXCHANGE, THAT WE DID DURING COVID.
BUT MANY LIBRARIES HAVE CONTINUED TO USE IT, SO IT'S A GREAT PROCESS, THAT WE'RE HOPING WE CAN MAKE A LITTLE MORE GLOBAL AND EFFECTIVE, THAT WOULD GIVE THAT SAY IN OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
AND OF COURSE WITHIN ALL OF THIS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR POLICIES ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR STATUTES.
AND I GUESS LIKE THE MOST SIMPLISTIC EXAMPLE, LIKE WE KNOW FROM THE CALIFORNIA HEALTH YOUTH AND FAMILY.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN OPT OUT OF, AND THERE ARE THINGS IT'S ALL OR NOTHING, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN, THAT YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HEAR ABOUT A SUPREME COURT CASE IN YOUR HISTORY CLASS, THAT MIGHT BE TANGENTIALLY RELATED.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING, AND WE'VE CONSIDERED IT FROM EVERY ANGLE, AND THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY REINFORCE.
OTHER PROCESSES THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOSTERING ONGOING POSITIVE COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES.
AS ALWAYS, WE KNOW THAT THE STRENGTH COMES FROM THE BEST EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME, WHERE WE HAVE TWO WAY COMMUNICATION AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AS PARTNERS, SO WE'RE PRIORITIZING THAT AND SEEING HOW WE CAN DO THAT, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WHAT THOSE AVAILABLE SAFEGUARDS ARE AND THAT THEY CAN EXERCISE IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT YOU HAVE?
>> ACTUALLY, I GOT SOME COMMENTS FIRST.
IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING WHEN PEOPLE DO PUT IN A LOT OF EFFORT INTO SOMETHING.
BECAUSE IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DONE QUICKLY, THAT COULD SATISFY PEOPLE,
[00:30:02]
BUT THE END RESULT MIGHT NOT BE AS GOOD.SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW AND IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR GROUP HAD MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW AND YOU HAVE THOSE DELIBERATIONS AND TRYING TO FIND CONSENSUS WITH COMMON VALUES AND STILL PEOPLE ON DIFFERENT CAMPS TRYING TO CATCH THINGS OUT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR KIDS.
AS MUCH AS I WISH WE COULD FAST FORWARD AND GET THE SOLUTIONS THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING TOWARDS.
I'M VERY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR ALL OF OUR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST THE FASTEST ONE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO THIS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON.
THIS WAS LIKE A 5-10 MINUTE PRESENTATION, BUT PROBABLY MANY HOURS OF YOUR LIFE DEVOTED TO THIS ONE TOPIC.
THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT IT AND LOOKING AT IT IN A WAY TO MEET ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS.
I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE, AND ALL OF US DO. IT'S NOT JUST ME.
I'M SURE YOU DO AS WELL AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE LEFT, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE RIGHT AND ALL OF THEM LOVE THEIR KIDS, AND THEY DO AT SOME LEVEL HAVE SOME DIFFERENT VALUES.
FOR YOU TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WHERE EVERYONE'S COMFORTABLE FOR OUR SCHOOLS, THAT'S A CHALLENGE.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS IN NOT THE NECK AND THOUGHTFUL WAY.
WHATEVER HAPPENS IS PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS AND THEY SHOULD EXPRESS THEM, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN HEARING THIS PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE AT LEAST GOING THROUGH AN AUTHENTIC PROCESS SO THANK YOU.
>> JAMIE, EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE COMMITTEE AND THE MAKEUP OF THE COMMITTEE AND THEN THE LIFE OF THE COMMITTEE.
I BELIEVE YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT TWO YEARS.
[NOISE] THAT'S IF FUTURE CHALLENGES COME ALONG, IT'LL BE THIS ESTABLISHED COMMITTEE, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES. WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT IS A WAY THAT WE CAN KEEP A BALANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN COMMUNITIES.
WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, WE WOULD SAY LIKE A TEACHER LEADER.
THE PRIMARY GRADE 1 IS FROM ONE OF THE SAN DIMAS SCHOOL AND THE UPPER GRADE 1 IS FROM ONE OF THE LA VERNE SCHOOLS, AND SO AFTER TWO YEARS, THAT WOULD THEN SWITCH, SO IT WOULD BE A NEW INDIVIDUAL FILLING THAT ROLE.
>> BUT IT WILL STILL BE BALANCED IN TERMS OF AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER FROM EACH SIDE, OR THE LIBRARY MEDIA CLERK THAT WOULD THEN ROTATE TO THE NEXT PERSON NAME DRAWN OUT OF THE HAT FROM THE OTHER CITIES, SO THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE BALANCE, AND WE'D CONTINUE TO HAVE AN ONGOING COMMITTEE, BUT THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO US, SO SOME CONSISTENCY, BUT ALSO SOME.
>> THEN THERE'S SOME VALUE IN CONTINUITY AS WELL.
I GET THAT, AND I THINK FOLKS IN THE GALLERY APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
WITH THE COMMUNITY, WERE THEY, DARE I ASK BUT, PARENTS?
>> WE'RE USING THE TERM BROADLY, BUT IT WAS REALLY [OVERLAPPING].
>> YES. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT AN ANONYMOUS PROCESS BY ANY MEANS, BUT WE DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THOSE.
WERE SOME PRETTY INTENSE AND PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS, SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THAT A LITTLE BIT AND TO BE ABLE TO SAY THOUGH, THAT WE DO HAVE A PARENT REPRESENTATIVE FROM A LEADERSHIP ROLE.
>> IT WAS TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, LIBRARIANS, COMMUNITY, PARENTS?
>> WE HAD THIS PROCESS, IT INVOLVED A RUBRIC, AND ABOUT HOW MANY HOURS DID THIS PROCESS TAKE IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE?
>> IN THIS SPECIFIC BOOK, I WANT TO SAY THAT THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF WORK THAT BEFOREHAND THAT WENT INTO PREPARING TO COME TO THE MEETING, AND I WOULD SAY OUR MEETING WAS ABOUT FOUR HOURS.
>> EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER READ THE BOOK?
>> CAME WITH READY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
THEN AGAIN, BY WAY OF PROCESS, YOU TALKED ABOUT CONSENSUS AND VOTE.
THAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF THE COMMITTEE'S WORK?
I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES AND IT WAS WONDERFUL THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT I DID THINK ONE I'D LIKE TO ASK FROM THE DAIS, AND SHE'S HERE TODAY, BUT SHE ASKED LOOKING AT AND WE'RE TALKING NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE VIOLENCE ALTHOUGH, THE VIOLENCE IS RELATED TO IT.
SKIPPING THE RACIST AND EXPLICIT CONTENT IN THERE.
SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE, SPECIFICALLY HOW GRAPHICALLY THAT WAS DESCRIBED.
THE POINT I GOT WAS IF THIS IS OKAY, WHAT ISN'T? OBVIOUSLY, FROM STAFF RECOMMENDATION, IT'S SAYING IT'S NOT OKAY FOR ELEMENTARY, NOT OKAY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SOME JUDGMENTS ARE SAYING EACH PARAMETERS ARE IMPORTANT.
[00:35:02]
WE'RE SAYING THIS IS NOT OKAY FOR THESE GROUPS BECAUSE OF AGE AND DEVELOPMENT.BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HIGH SCHOOL, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION SEEMS TO BE THAT ALTHOUGH CONTROVERSIAL, THIS SHOULDN'T BE SOMETHING THAT IS, WE DID HAVE OUR LIBRARY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
MY QUESTION IS, DOES THE MAGNITUDE, THE PURPOSE LIKE WHAT WOULD NOT BE OKAY? WHERE ARE OUR PARAMETERS ON NOT JUST THOSE CATEGORIES, BUT THE DEGREE THOSE CATEGORIES ARE EXPLICITLY WORDED? IS IT JUST PICTURES OR IS IT EROTICA IS NOT OKAY? WHERE DO WE PUT THE LINES?
>> I THINK THE PRIMARY LINE IS THE DESIRE TO TITILLATE OR THE DESIRE TO AROUSE.
THAT'S WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS PORNOGRAPHY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE A LITERARY MERIT, THERE ISN'T A PURPOSE.
IN THIS BOOK THERE IS A CLEAR THEMATIC ELEMENT TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S COMFORTABLE TO READ.
THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING WITH A HAPPY ENDING OR BRING YOU JOY.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY DIFFICULT AND TRAUMATIC AS IT WAS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL KOALA IN THE BOOK.
IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE UGLIEST OF THE UGLINESS OF HUMAN NATURE, THAT SOMEONE WHO'S SEEKING BEAUTY IS ACTUALLY THE OUTCOME FOR HER, WHAT SHE'S EXPERIENCING.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT MEANT TO TITILLATE, IT'S NOT MEANT TO CAUSE SOMEONE TO BE AROUSED OR HAVE DESIRE.
THAT'S NOT THE INTENTION OF IT, AND THAT WOULD BE DEFINITELY WHAT WOULD IT BE DIFFERENT.
>> [NOISE] I GOT THE INTENTION PART.
BUT ALSO, WHEN I WAS READING THE BOOK, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A LARGE SECTION OF PAGES WHERE THAT WAS NOT THE CASE, AND THEN IT THEN WENT THAT WAY.
DO WE LOOK AT NOT JUST INTENTION? BUT ARE WE ALSO LOOKING AT FREQUENCY OF THOSE SEXUAL ACTS OR FREQUENCY OF THE VIOLENCE AS WELL? DOES FREQUENCY MATTER?
>> I DON'T THINK SPECIFICALLY FREQUENCY AS MUCH AS THE [OVERLAPPING], LITERARY PURPOSE WITHIN THE STORY.
>> PURPOSE. WHAT I'M HEARING DEFINITELY IS EROTICA.
LIKE 50 SHADES OF GREY WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDER THIS RUBRIC?
>> EXACTLY. DEFINITELY, YOU COULD LIST OUT THE THINGS THAT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR BOOKS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
FORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK YOU'D FIND THOSE BOOKS THERE BECAUSE OUR PURCHASES HAVE ALSO BEEN ALIGNED TO THOSE BEING INAPPROPRIATE FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
>> HI JAMIE. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS.
DID WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM LIBRARY AT ALL THREE LEVELS?
>> TEACHERS, WE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM THREE PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY FROM SECONDARY, TWO PEOPLE FROM ELEMENTARY, AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL TEACHER REPRESENTING BUDDHA.
>> THE COMMITTEE REPORT WHICH THE BOARD WAS ALLOWED TO READ, I DEEPLY APPRECIATE IT, THAT PAPERWORK.
THE PERSON WHO MADE THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT, I KNOW WENT THROUGH THAT PAPERWORK AS WELL.
IS THAT AVAILABLE FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO SEE?
>> I WOULD WANT TO DEFER TO ANN ON THAT ONE.
>> THAT SPECIFIC PAPERWORK ISN'T AVAILABLE, BUT CERTAINLY WE WANT THE PERSON THAT MADE THE INITIAL COMPLAINT TO COME IN, AND FOR US TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE INTENTS AND THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE TO GET THE GIST OF WHAT THE SENTIMENT FROM THE COMMITTEE REPORT OUT WAS.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GRADE LEVELS AND WE SAW THE FORMATS AND HOW YOU CONSIDERED K5 AND MIDDLE-SCHOOL AND THEN 9TH THROUGH 12TH, CAN THERE BE FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS OF BREAKING UP THOSE GRADE LEVELS INTO SMALLER AREAS? I KNOW YOU'D NEED LEGAL INPUT TO DO THAT, BUT THAT HAS COME UP IN A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TRYING TO HAVE A BOOK LIMITED TO A CERTAIN GRADE LEVEL, AND MAYBE NOT WHEN IT'S IN A LIBRARY, BUT CERTAINLY EDUCATIONALLY WHEN IT'S OFFERED.
>> WE STARTED OUT WITH ELEMENTARY DIVIDED INTO PRIMARY AND UPPER GRADE.
THEN WE THOUGHT LONG AND HARD ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD BE ENFORCED IN THE LIBRARY WITH STACKS AND COLLECTIONS.
WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS PUT OUR TEACHERS OR OUR MEDIA CLERKS IN THE POSITION OF GOING, OH NO, THOSE AREN'T FOR YOU.
WE WANTED TO TREAT THE ELEMENTARY LIBRARY AS ONE PLACE AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY AS ANOTHER PLACE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY AS ANOTHER PLACE,
[00:40:03]
SO THAT'S WHY THEY WERE COMPARTMENTALIZE THAT WAY.HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO CLASSROOM LIBRARIES AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, WE ABSOLUTELY CONSIDER THAT.
>> SO THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE WHETHER THE CHALLENGE, LIKE THIS ONE WAS FOR IN THE LIBRARY, BUT IN ANOTHER CASE, IT MAY BE AS PART OF CURRICULUM?
I MEAN, THERE'S UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN THE LIBRARY THAT STUDENTS COULD WALK AND GRAB A BOOK OFF THE SHELF AS WE WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD.
BUT THAT CREATES A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAN DOES A CLASSROOM LIBRARY.
>>I KNOW, I WORKED WITH LIBRARIANS FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAD A PROCESS FOR THE REMOVAL OF BOOKS AT THE END OF WHAT THEY WOULD SAY THEIR LIFESPAN.
I WAS HOPING THAT PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU GUYS CAN WORK ON IN THE NEXT YEAR, SO THAT WE APPROPRIATELY, OVER TIME, SOME OF THESE BOOKS ARE JUST LEAVING OUR LIBRARIES.
I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT, NOW WE NEED TO REALLY HONE IN HOW WE LOOK AT BOOKS AS WE BRING THEM INTO THE LIBRARY, BUT WE MAY WANT TO ALSO LOOK AT [INAUDIBLE].
>> NOT SOMETHING WE ARE TYPICALLY GOOD AT IN EDUCATION IS LETTING GO OF THINGS.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ON CIRCULATION DATABASES.
IT WAS VERY HARD AS BOARD MEMBERS WHEN WE'VE HAD FAMILIES APPROACH US ABOUT SOME BOOKS THAT WE KNEW WEREN'T AVAILABLE AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT THOSE BOOKS WERE AVAILABLE.
CAN YOU PLEASE CLARIFY TO THE FAMILIES IN BONITA HOW THESE PROCESSES WORK SO THAT THEY KNOW, AND WHO TO CHECK WITH, IN PRINCIPAL, THEIR OWN LIBRARIAN, THAT THINGS ARE REALLY AVAILABLE OR NOT AVAILABLE.
>> YES. IT WAS THAT AUTOMATIC IMPORT THING, AND DURING COVID WE WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE AS AVAILABLE AS POSSIBLE TO KIDS DIGITALLY SINCE THEY WEREN'T WITH US.
I THINK WE TURNED A LOT OF STUFF ON THAT WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO THINGS.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WE'RE REFINING AND RETHINKING, THIS AUTOMATIC UPLOAD THAT JUST INSTANTANEOUSLY IF WE PURCHASE SOMETHING EITHER DIGITALLY OR IF WE ENTERED IT BECAUSE WE HAD BOUGHT A HARDCOVER BOOK, IT SHOWED UP THAT IT WAS AVAILABLE SOMEWHERE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I THINK THAT BY THIS AUTOMATIC IMPORT PROCESS THAT WAS JUST POPULATING EVERYTHING INTO EVERY SCHOOL, BY TURNING THAT OFF, THEN IT'LL BE MORE CLEAR.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT JUVENILE BOOKS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THE TK-5, AND THAT CLASSIFICATION THEN GOES INTO YOUNG ADULT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ADULT FOR HIGH SCHOOL.
THOSE COME IN WITH THOSE TAGS AND WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CAPACITY TO REMOVE THOSE TAGS ISN'T SOMEWHERE ELSE.
>> LET'S ADVERTISE THAT WE'VE DONE THAT WORK, THAT'S GOOD WORK.
ALSO, I KNOW MATT HAD MENTIONED IN ANOTHER BOARD MEETING THAT PARENTS AT THE HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL CAN SEE WHAT THEIR STUDENTS HAVE CHECKED OUT.
I JUST WANTED TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADVERTISE VERY CLEARLY TO PARENTS HOW THAT PROCESS IS DONE.
>> YEAH, SO WHEN WHEN PARENTS LOGIN TO CLEVER, THEY CAN SEE WHAT THEIR STUDENTS HAVE CHECKED OUT.
THAT IS EVEN ONE OF THOSE THAT WE DID A LITTLE DIGGING, BECAUSE IT'S PART OF FERPA, THE FAIR EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT THAT SAYS THAT PARENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR STUDENTS RECORDS WHEN THEIR STUDENTS UNDER 18, SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY CAN GO IN THROUGH THEIR CHILD'S CLEVER ACCOUNT AND SEE WHAT THEY'VE CHECKED OUT.
>> TO BE BALANCED ON THAT ONE, WE DO ALSO INFORM OUR STUDENTS ABOUT THIS TRANSPARENCY THAT EXISTS AS WELL, CORRECT?
>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, I WOULD NEED TO CHECK ON THAT ONE.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT'S A HANDBOOK ISSUE, BUT I'LL DOUBLE-CHECK.
>> I KNOW [NOISE] THIS HAS BEEN A SEVERELY COMPLICATED ISSUE.
WHAT LEGAL LOOPHOLES HAVE THERE BEEN IN LOOKING AT THIS? BECAUSE I WAS READING NEWS ARTICLES AND IT JUST SEEMED RIFE WITH, IN CALIFORNIA LIKE FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA ARE VERY DIFFERENT.
ONE OF THE ONES I SAW WAS COLTON, WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING, I THINK IN 2020 BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH STUFF TO DO DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEY BANNED THE BLUEST EYE, AND THEN NOT TOO LONG AFTER THEY UNBANNED IT QUIETLY SO BECAME AN LA TIMES.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE NEWSOM SAYING THAT, THE LEGAL APPARATUS OF CALIFORNIA WILL LOOK AT ANY DISTRICT THAT BANS A BOOK, SO OBVIOUSLY THIS IS FRAUGHT WITH A LOT OF LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD MAYBE SHARE SOME THAT YOU PAID ATTENTION TO.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT I'M TAKING IT ALL IN, I'M TRYING TO HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
DEFINITELY, AS MUCH AS I JOKE THAT I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I AM QUALIFIED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION SPECIFICALLY.
I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH, THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT ONE SOLID GROUND WITH THOSE.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES TO EVERY DEGREE POSSIBLE,
[00:45:02]
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT WITHIN THE LEGAL BOUNDARIES.>> AND DEFINITELY USING ED CODE, BECAUSE WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH USING ED CODE AS PART OF OUR GUIDELINES, SO WE'VE DEFINITELY BEEN BEEN USING ED CODE AS A GUIDELINE.
>> ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC CASES OF ED CODE THAT HAVE BEEN PERTINENT TO THIS DISCUSSION?
>> ED CODE IS VERY CLEAR ON WHAT YOU CAN REQUEST TO BE REMOVED FROM, AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC AROUND HEALTH AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.
>> WHAT I'M HEARING IS, WE ARE LIMITED ON THE REASONS WHY WE CAN PULL A BOOK?
>> AS FAR AS ED CODE GOES, YES.
ED CODE IS VERY CLEAR ON THAT.
>> JAMIE, COULD YOU EXPLAIN FOR US AND THE FOLKS HERE IN THE GALLERY, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TEXTBOOK OR A BOOK ADOPTION FOR THE LIBRARY VERSUS A BOOK ADOPTION RELATED TO CURRICULUM FOR A SPECIFIC COURSE?
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY CORE MATERIALS GO THROUGH AND ADOPTION PROCESS THAT'S VERY RIGOROUS, IT HAS APPARENT REVIEW, TIMELINE AND COMPONENT.
WHEN WE GO THROUGH A CORE ADOPTION, PARENTS ARE INVITED TO COME REVIEW AND PREVIEW BOOKS.
THOSE ARE FOR LARGE-SCALE ADOPTIONS THAT HAPPEN EVERY MAYBE 8-10 YEARS IN EACH SUBJECT AREA.
WE KNOW THAT EVEN BEFORE THEY'RE RECOMMENDED AT A STATE LEVEL, THEY GO THROUGH THOSE STATES INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY COMMISSIONS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS THAT GO INTO PLACE, BEFORE WE EVEN CONSIDER THOSE.
WE TYPICALLY TAKE A RIGOROUS PROCESS OF A YEAR OR MORE BY THE TIME WE PILOT AND CONSIDER EACH OF THOSE MATERIALS.
BOOKS COME INTO OUR LIBRARY A LITTLE MORE QUICKLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE HIGH-INTEREST BOOKS THAT KIDS WANT, AND THAT IS A RAPIDLY CHANGING THING, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT SAME LEVEL LIKE AN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL WOULD.
HOWEVER, IT DOES STILL FALL UNDER THE SAME BOARD POLICIES AND THE SAME EDUCATION CODES AS FAR AS REPRESENTING MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS AND REPRESENTING ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THOUGH THERE MAY SOMETIMES BE VIEWPOINTS PRESENTED THAT NOT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH, BUT THAT ARE FAIRLY PRESENTED ON BOTH SIDES AND THAT CREATE AN INFORMED CITIZEN.
>> JAMIE, ON THAT LAST POINT, SO I SEE WE HAVE A TEACHER FROM LA VERNE AND TEACHER FROM SAN DIMAS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING DIVERSITY FOR THE PARENTS.
IS IT STILL CITY-WISE OR IS IT LIKE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT THAT MAKE SURE THERE'S DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON THAT COMMITTEE?
>> THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CHOSE BY ROLE, SO THAT WE WEREN'T AT ALL MOTIVATED OR INCLINED TO LOOK FOR A DISPOSITION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A PERSON'S ROLE WHICH AS IT ALTERNATES, IF I WAS TO SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE A PTA PRESIDENT, THAT PERSON ONE ELECTION COULD HAVE ONE LENS IN ANOTHER ELECTION HAVE IT ANOTHER.
THAT'S THE OTHER REASON WHY THE CORE AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE SO IMPORTANT TO US, BECAUSE WE REALLY KEEP REFERRING BACK TO THOSE.
AND EVEN THROUGHOUT THOSE MEETINGS, WOULD CONTINUE TO REFER BACK TO THEM LIKE, IS THAT A PERSONAL BIAS OR IS THAT PART OF A CORE DISTRICT FOUNDATIONAL PIECE AS FAR AS OUR MISSION?
>> TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, I HAVE HEARD THERE'S BEEN ROBUST DIALOGUE.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NOT GROUP THINK WHERE EVERYONE'S COMING FROM THE SAME POINT OF VIEW.
OBVIOUSLY, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF A LOT OF THE VIEWPOINTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, HAVE THOSE VERY DIVERGENT POINTS OF VIEW BEEN CONSIDERED, THOUGHTFULLY, WITHIN THIS PANEL? ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY, AND TWO THINGS I'D WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT THAT WHEN, I WAS PRINCIPAL OF [INAUDIBLE] FOR A LONG TIME, AND ONE OF THE FINEST COMPLIMENT I RECEIVED FROM A PARENT WAS, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE YOU STAND ON THIS ISSUE POLITICALLY.
I JUST KNOW THAT YOU'RE FOCUSED ON THE CARE OF OUR KIDS.
AND REALLY THAT'S THE LENS THAT I TAKE GOING INTO IT.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT ONE OF THE DELIBERATIONS OF THAT COMMITTEE, AN INDIVIDUAL EMAILED ME THE NIGHT AFTER THE MEETING AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY VOTE, DID NOT AGREE WITH THE COMMITTEE'S VOTE, BUT I VERY MUCH RESPECTED THE PROCESS AND THE INTEGRITY, AND I KNOW THAT MY CONCERNS WERE HEARD," AND THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME.
>> THANK YOU. MY QUESTION, I THINK IT'S MORE RELATES TO TEXTBOOKS LIKE THE BLUEST EYE WOULD USE IN THE AP LITERATURE CATEGORY.
BUT WE'LL CREATE A HYPOTHETICAL, THE GIANTS THROUGH THE WORLD'S GREATEST BASEBALL TEAM.
AND A TEACHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR DECIDES TO IMPLEMENT THAT BOOK AS A CURRICULUM.
IT'S THE WRONG COLOR. IT'S GOING TO BE BLUE, NOT ORANGE AND BLACK, SO I WANT TO PROTEST THAT.
BUT IN CALIFORNIA, THE ONLY THING YOU CAN OPT OUT OF IS SEX ED CLASS.
[00:50:06]
CAN WE LOOK AT HAVING A SYLLABUS OR BOOK LIST, WHATEVER THEY WANT TO CALL IT IN ANY OF THESE UPPER DIVISION CLASSES, ESPECIALLY THE AP CLASSES, AHEAD OF THE YEAR THAT THE PARENTS GET IT? AND THEY CAN [OVERLAPPING]>> MOST OF THESE ARE ALREADY PROVIDED BY OUR HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS THAT PARENTS ARE GETTING A SYLLABUS WITH ALL OF THE [OVERLAPPING]
>> DOESN'T CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR FOR SOME REASON JUST WE HAVE THAT SAFE GUARDIAN THERE THOUGH.
>> THE NOVEL THAT YOU REFERENCED IS PART OF THE AP LITERATURE EXAM AND IT HAS BEEN FOR MANY EXAMS AT LEAST FIVE YEARS THAT I CAN THINK OF.
THE OTHER PIECES THAT WE DO HAVE AN INTERNAL PROCESS FOR BRINGING, LET'S SAY IF ALL OF 10TH GRADES CAN READ THE NOVEL, WE HAVE AN INTERNAL PROCESS FOR THAT, OR IT'S VETTED AND LOOKED AT BY THAT.
>> THE BIGGEST THING IS TO ME IS THAT THEY DECIDED SOMETHING MIDYEAR TO CHANGE, AND YOU'RE IN A CLASS WHERE YOU CAN'T OPT OUT STUDENTS OUT OF THE CLASS [INAUDIBLE] STUCK.
ARE THEY SICK FOR TWO WEEKS? IT'S THE WAY CALIFORNIA WHERE SHE CAN'T DO IT.
JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS HAVE GOING INTO THE YEAR, WHATEVER THE CLASS IS SOME KIND OF [OVERLAPPING]
>> WELL, BLAME FALSE THINGS LIKE YOU'RE DESCRIBING ABOUT THE GIANTS, JUST KIDDING.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I THINK THAT WHAT ANN'S REFERRING TO, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG PROCESS IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS AS FAR AS VETTING NEW LITERATURE, THAT REALLY ASKS A LOT OF HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS ARE REPRESENTED.
AND I KNOW WE JOKE ABOUT THE GIANTS, BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROCESS ALREADY IN PLACE OUTSIDE OF THIS PROCESS THAT VERY MUCH CONSIDERS THE KEY POINTS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE VIEWPOINTS ARE THERE.
>> ANYMORE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON OPEN SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. THE PUBLIC HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON AGENDA ITEMS, THE BOARD LIMITS THE TOTAL TIME FOR EACH AGENDA ITEM TO 20 MINUTES.
ANY PERSON WISHING TO SPEAK ON OUR AGENDA ITEM AND GRANTED UP TO THREE MINUTES AT THE TIME THE ITEM APPEARS ON THE AGENDA.
IN THE CASE OF A NON-AGENDA ITEM, COMMENTS WOULD BE MADE UNDER REQUESTS TO SPEAK A NON-AGENDA ITEMS, COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.
PRIOR TO ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE FILL OUT A REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE BOARD CARD, WHICH MAY BE PICKED UP FROM MCDONALD, SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OR OUTSIDE AS THEY ARE NOW.
ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND ASSOCIATION WITH THE DISTRICT AND WE'LL MOVE TO CONSENT AGENDA.
[14. CONSENT AGENDA]
MATTERS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD TO BE ROUTINE OR SUFFICIENTLY SUPPORTED BY PRIOR OR ACCOMPANYING REFERENCE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION AS TO NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.IF ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD SERVE A QUESTION, ITEM SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THIS SECTION IN PLACE AND REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS FOLLOWING THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM WILL BE APPROVED WITH ONE MOTION WHICH IS NOT DEBATABLE, IN WHICH REQUIRES AN UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR PASSAGE.
I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM 14-2-1, THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT DOESN'T INCLUDES VMA FOR WHOM MY DAUGHTER WORKS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE REST?
>> ANY MOTION FOR ITEM 14-2-1?
BUSINESS SERVICES ADOPTING 2023-2024 BUDGET, ALL FUNDS.
I'M BLOCKED OF EL CAP, WE'RE GOING TO DO EL CAP FIRST.
[15. DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA]
>> ON JUNE 14TH, WE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE 2023-2024 EL CAP AND SO TONIGHT THE BOARD WILL FORMALLY ADOPT IT AND THEN IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I WILL SEND THAT OFF TO LA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION ALSO KNOW AS LACOE, NOT USE ANOTHER ACRONYM.
>> OPPOSED? NOW, ADOPT THE 2023-2024 BUDGET FOR ALL FUNDS.
>> SO CALIFORNIA ED CODE REQUIRES THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARDS ADOPTED EL CAP AND THE BUDGET AT THE SAME PUBLIC MEETING.
SO NOW THAT THE EL CAP HAS BEEN FORMALLY ADOPTED, THE BOARD CAN FORMALLY ADOPT THE 2023-24 BUDGET.
>> JUST TO COMMENT THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR WERE TARDY IN THEIR [LAUGHTER] BUDGET APPROVAL AND I NEED TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
WE DON'T APPRECIATE WHEN THEY'RE LATE.
[00:55:01]
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, SONIA.>> NEXT STEP, UNDER BOARD OF EDUCATION IS GOING TO BE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ACTION WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
BUT WE WILL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK BECAUSE WE HAVE A BIG STACK OF CARDS, SO WE'LL BE HERE FOR AWHILE, SO WE'LL TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK.
[BACKGROUND] WE'LL CALL A MEETING BACK TO ORDER AT 7:05.
I'LL START WITH THE INSTRUCTION MATERIALS ACTION PURSUANT TO BOARD POLICY 1312.2 THE BLUEST EYE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION?
>> BEFORE WE GET TO PUBLIC COMMENT, A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS. WE'RE GOING TO ADHERE TO THE THREE-MINUTE LIMIT PER SPEAKER.
DO ASK THAT YOU LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES, BUT WE WILL WEIGH THE 20-MINUTE PER SUBJECT.
THE COMMENT PERIOD IS ABOUT AN AGENDA ITEM ONLY.
SPECIFICALLY REMOVING OR RETAINING THE BLUEST EYE IN OUR DISTRICT LIBRARIES.
COMMENTS ABOUT OTHER BOOKS SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW, POLITICAL STATEMENTS, OR ANY COMMENTS NOT SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THIS ONE AGENDA ITEM WILL NOT BE ALLOWED, BUT MAYBE SUBMITTED DURING THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
>> SO I JUST HAVE A BRIEF COMMENT BEFORE WE BEGIN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT.
TONIGHT WE ARE, AGAIN GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY REGARDING THE ISSUE OF THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE CONTENT OF BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARIES, AND THE FREEDOM OF STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS ACROSS THE BROAD RANGE IDEAS AND CONTENT.
PUBLIC FORUM CAN BE HEALTHY AND IT'S A VITAL COMPONENT TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ASK INDIVIDUALS SPEAKING TONIGHT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF ALL THE VARIOUS VIEWPOINTS THAT WILL BE DELIVERED THIS EVENING, REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF THE VOTE ON AGENDA ITEM 15.3.1 TONIGHT, WE WILL ALL STILL BE MEMBERS OF THE SAME COMMUNITY TOMORROW.
IN ORDER FOR THE COMMUNITY TO THRIVE, THE MANNER IN WHICH WE ENGAGE THIS EVENING IS CRITICAL.
IT'S CLEAR FROM THE COUNTLESS CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH THE COMMUNITY ON THIS ISSUE, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT SPLIT.
IMPORTANTLY, THOUGH, THE SPLIT IS OVER AN ISSUE AND IT IS NOT GLOBAL, WHEN I MEET WITH INDIVIDUALS, IT ALWAYS BECOMES CLEAR TO ME THAT GROUPS IN OUR CITIES HAVE MUCH MORE IN COMMON THAN THEY HAVE DIFFERENT.
BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO PIVOT, HAVE THE WISDOM TO TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO RECOGNIZE OUR SHARED VALUES AND OUR SHARED GOALS THAT CAN UNITE BONITA UNIFIED.
IN TIMES OF CONFLICT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT VIEWS TO TURN TOWARD EACH OTHER OVER THE PAST MONTHS, BOTH SIDES HAVE TALKED TO ME.
I WELCOME THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE WANT THEM TO CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I ALSO ASK AN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERENT BELIEFS MEET WITH AND COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH EACH OTHER TO SEEK COMMON UNDERSTANDING.
AS WE BEGIN, I ASK ALL TO KEEP IN MIND THAT TO AFFIRM THE HONOR OF YOUR POSITION, YOU DO NOT NEED TO DENIGRATE THE HONOR OF THE OTHER'S POSITION.
I ASK THAT WE ALL ENGAGE THOUGHTFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY. LET'S BEGIN.
>> OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE JOETTE.
>> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU TO THIS BOARD FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE PARENTS, THE GRANDPARENTS, AND THOSE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCEDURE.
I AM NOT A MEMBER OF THIS DISTRICT, BUT I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE MATERIAL THAT IS BEING PRESENTED HERE.
THE BLUEST EYE, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY DISGUSTING.
IT IS A STORY ABOUT AN 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO GETS RAPED BY HER DRUNK FATHER.
I CANNOT TELL YOU, BEING A 12-YEAR-OLD, READING THIS, THE TYPE OF IMPACT THAT IT WOULD HAVE ON A YOUNG GIRL.
IF I CAME UP AND JUST HAPPENED TO PICK THIS BOOK OUT OF THE SHELF AND STARTED READING IT, I PROBABLY WOULD NEVER SPEAK TO MY FATHER AGAIN BECAUSE 12-YEAR-OLDS, THEY CAN BE
[01:00:05]
INFLUENCED EASILY. WE ALL KNOW THIS.HOW MANY FATHERS DO WE HAVE HERE? I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO EXPRESS TO YOU THE IMPACT THAT THIS WOULD HAVE.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER MATERIALS THAT WERE AVAILABLE.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY ON THE FLYER THAT I GOT, BUT YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO CHILDREN.
YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO YOUNG GIRLS.
YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO FATHERS.
YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO THE FAMILY UNIT.
THIS TYPE OF MATERIAL WAS DESIGNED TO TEAR APART THE FAMILY UNIT.
THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON, I DARE SAY, IN THIS ROOM THAT WANTS TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
WE ARE DISCUSSING SOMETHING THAT IS OF ULTIMATE IMPORTANCE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN JUST PUSH ASIDE AND SAY, "WELL, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL." IT IS A BIG DEAL.
IT'S A BIG DEAL TO FATHERS, IT'S A BIG DEAL TO MOTHERS, IT'S A BIG DEAL TO THE FAMILY UNIT, AND IT'S A BIG DEAL TO GRANDPARENTS TOO.
I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU, BEING RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS, BEING RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE, WOULD NEVER EVER LET THIS KIND OF TRASH END UP IN THE HANDS OF ONE OF OUR CHILDREN.
WE LOVE THEM ALL, AND YOU NEED TO LOVE THEM TOO.
>> I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE THIS SOON.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ALL OF US AND HAVING AN OPEN CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. [BACKGROUND] I HAVE FIVE CHILDREN. I HAVE FIVE GRANDCHILDREN.
ALL OF MY CHILDREN HAVE READ THIS BOOK EXCEPT FOR OUR NINE-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER.
YESTERDAY, I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO'S IN THE MIDDLE OF HER MASTER'S PROGRAM AT USC, AND I CALLED HER TO ASK HER WHAT HER OPINION WAS.
I ASKED HER, "WHEN YOU READ THIS BOOK, HOW DID YOU FEEL AFTER YOU READ THIS BOOK?" SHE SAID TO ME, "SAD, ANGRY, DISGUSTED, MOVED." AS A WOMAN OF COLOR, I COULD RELATE IN SEVERAL WAYS. I HAVE FOUR DAUGHTERS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T AWARE, WOMEN EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIFE.
ONE OUT OF FIVE WOMEN, ESPECIALLY WOMEN OF COLOR, EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIVES ALL THE TIME, AND MY DAUGHTERS ARE NO EXCEPTION.
WHEN I ASKED HER TO GIVE ME MORE FEELING ABOUT THIS BOOK, SHE SAID TO ME, "IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS WE'VE EVER READ IN MY AP ENGLISH CLASS," SHE SAID, "ALONG WITH THE GIVER, THE INVISIBLE MAN, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, AND SEVERAL OTHER BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN ON BANNED LISTS." SHE SAID TO ME, "PLEASE, UNDERSTAND THAT AS A DEVELOPING WOMAN, AND AS A PERSON WHO CONSIDERS HERSELF A WHOLE AND A COMMON SENSE KIND OF WOMAN, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE THESE BOOKS." SHE SAID, "I DON'T BELIEVE I'D BE THE PERSON THAT I AM TODAY IF I DIDN'T READ THIS BOOK, BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING AND WORLDVIEW." WHEN YOU GO TO COLLEGE, YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
WHEN YOU'RE A DEVELOPING ADULT, YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE A BIAS AGAINST THESE BOOKS HAVE SOME OF THEIR OWN BIAS, THEIR OWN TRAUMA, THEIR OWN ISSUES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
BUT PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO LIMIT WHAT WE NEED AS WHOLE HUMAN BEINGS TO DEVELOP IN OUR LIVES.
THESE BOOKS ARE VERY NECESSARY.
THEY OPEN UP A WORLD TO YOU THAT HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND BETTER, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE.
NOW THE VIOLENCE, THE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, THE INCEST ARE ALL AN ISSUE.
WHAT'S FUNNY WITH ME IS ON THE SAME SHELF AS THIS BOOK WAS MY BIBLE.
IN OUR BIBLE, WE FIND OVER 1,000 INSTANCES
[01:05:05]
OF VIOLENCE, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, INCEST, ALL KINDS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING, BIGOTRY, RACISM, A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS.>> YOU GUYS COULD PASS THESE AROUND.
I'LL TRY TO TALK REALLY FAST. GOOD EVENING, BOARD.
MY NAME IS LUKE MELKESIAN. I'M A BUSD ALUMNI.
I WANT TO THANK BUSD FOR TEACHING ME EXTREMELY WELL ON HOW TO CITE AND FIND SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FOR MY ARGUMENT.
I BROUGHT SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES AND JOURNALS WRITTEN BY TOP INSTITUTIONS FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT.
A PERSPECTIVE OF PSYCHOLOGY, WHICH I BELIEVE CANNOT BE ARGUED BY ANY SIDE, IS MY REASONING WHY STUDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THESE BOOKS.
A STUDY FROM DR. STEWART ADELSON, A TEACHING PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHIATRIST AT WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL SCHOOL, STATES THE TERM HYPERSEXUALITY TO DENOTE PATHOLOGICALLY INCREASED SEXUAL BEHAVIORS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.
MY POSITION ON THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL VIEW ON THE SUBJECT, BUT IT STEMS FROM THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THESE EXPOSURES PUT ONTO YOUNG CHILDREN.
REGARDING HYPERSEXUALITY EXPOSURE AFFECTS, DR. ADELSON CONTINUES, SOCIAL FACTORS INCLUDE SEXUAL ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, LIFE STRESS, AND IMPAIRED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.
PSYCHIATRIC FACTORS INCLUDE EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. IN GENERAL, POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND DISSOCIATIVE SYMPTOMS IN PARTICULAR, SUCH AS BIPOLAR DISORDER.
IN A WORLD DISEASED WITH SEX, WHY WOULD YOU, AS EDUCATORS, WANT TO FURTHER INCREASE A CHILD'S CHANCES IN DEVELOPING SOME OF THESE EFFECTS? WE HEARD A FLAWED REASONING FROM THE OPPOSITION THAT THESE BOOKS ARE LITERARY EXPRESSIONS AND MASTERPIECES, BUT I CAN RESPECTFULLY CALL THAT IMMORAL PERSUASION, OR IN SIMPLEST TERMS, BS.
THERE ARE PLENTY R-RATED MOVIES OF MASTERPIECE AND ARTISTRY, YET CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE THEM ALONE, AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
IN A STUDY DONE BY DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, MSE, OR MOVIES SEXUAL EXPOSURE, WAS STUDIED AND ITS EFFECTS ON CHILDREN.
THESE RESULTS SHOW EXPOSURES, QUOTE, MAY PROMOTE SEXUAL RISK, TAKING BOTH BY MODIFYING SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, AND BY ACCELERATING THE NORMAL RISE AND SENSATION SEEKING DURING ADOLESCENCE.
IF THESE EFFECTS COME FROM MOVIES WITH CLICHE SEX SCENES AND LUSTFUL BEHAVIORS, JUST IMAGINE THE EFFECTS OF DESCRIPTIVE BOOKS OF RAPE AND VIOLENT SEX THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ON OUR CHILDREN.
WHY WOULD WE OPENLY ALLOW THIS CONTENT TO CHILDREN KNOWING WE HAVE AN ENTIRE LAW DIRECTED AT PROTECTING THEM FROM THESE EXPOSURES? IN A STUDY DONE FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS, THEY HAVE SEEN, QUOTE, SUICIDES IN 10-14 YEAR-OLDS INCREASED BY OVER 275%, AND SUICIDES IN 15-17 YEAR-OLDS INCREASED BY ALMOST 200% IN 2020.
IMAGINE HOW THE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED NOW.
IN ANOTHER STUDY, YOUTH FROM 38 COUNTRIES WERE STUDIED TO FIND A CORRELATION BETWEEN SEXUAL EXPOSURE AND SUICIDE.
THE PREVALENCE, QUOTE, OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS WERE 13.2% AND 9.1% RESPECTIVELY.
A POSITIVE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SEXUAL INTERCOURSE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS WAS FOUND IN 32 OF THE 38 COUNTRIES.
SEXUAL EXPOSURES INCREASE SEXUAL INITIATION, WHICH IN YOUTH INCREASES MENTAL HEALTH SITUATIONS, AND WHEN NOT STOPPED SKYROCKETS THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUICIDE.
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THE SIMPLE DECISION TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM THE IMPACT OF THIS MATERIAL HAS ON THEIR DEVELOPING MINDS, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ON THIS BOARD.
OPPOSING PARENTS, IF YOU CAN HONESTLY STAND HERE PRIORITIZING SEXUAL FREEDOMS OVER THE IMPORTANCE FOR A MENTALLY SAFE AND SECURE CHILD, THEN I QUESTION YOUR ROLE AS A PARENT.
TEACHERS HERE IN FAVOR OF THESE BOOKS, I WOULD SAY TO FOCUS MORE ON SCHOLARLY EDUCATION OF THESE YOUNG CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING OUR COUNTRY HAS DROPPED TO 12TH ON THE WORLD EDUCATIONAL INDEX.
[OVERLAPPING] IT'S OUR JOB TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
IF YOU ACCEPT THESE BOOKS, YOU'LL SIMPLY BE DENYING PSYCHOLOGY, AND THEREFORE, BE DENYING YOUR ROLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AS A SCHOLARED EDUCATOR.
THOSE OF YOU ON THIS BOARD WHO ARE FELLOW CHRISTIANS, WE ARE NOT CALLED OF THIS WORLD.
YOU HAVE A DUTY TO SERVE OUR LORD NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCES.
DO NOT SACRIFICE YOUR FAITH FOR WORLDLY ACCEPTANCE.
[01:10:08]
>> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
I'M GOING TO JUST PAUSE AND SAY THAT THIS GENTLEMAN WHO JUST SPOKE BEFORE ME SAID IT PERFECTLY.
I'M GOING TO SAY AS A GRANDMOTHER, I HAD AN EXPERIENCE WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER WHO IS NOW JUST TURNED 31, WHEN HER MOTHER WAS STARTING TO RAISE HER AND I SAW HER MOTHER'S LANGUAGE BEING VERY HARSH AND VERY CRUDE.
I STOPPED HER MOTHER AND I TOLD HER, I SAID BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU IMPRINT INTO THIS CHILD, BECAUSE IT WILL BE THERE FOREVER, AND I USE THIS EXAMPLE, AND I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU.
MY GRANDDAUGHTER [NOISE] WAS A WHITE SHEET OF PAPER.
AND I TOLD HER MOTHER, WHATEVER YOU IMPRINT ON HER, IT'S LIKE PRINTING ON A WHITE SHEET OF PAPER WITH BLACK INK.
IT IS THERE INDELIBLY FOREVER.
AS A SCHOOL WE ARE SENDING OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL TO HAVE YOU HELP US DEVELOP THEM AS GOOD AS CITIZENS.
WE ARE NOT SENDING THEM THERE TO BE INDOCTRINATED INTO A LIFESTYLE THAT IS GOING TO TAKE THEM DOWN A DIFFICULT ROAD.
WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN AS PURE AS WE CAN POSSIBLY KEEP THEM.
THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM, THEIR IPHONE IS AN ACCESS TO ALL THIS GARBAGE.
WE DO NOT NEED OUR SCHOOLS TO ASSIST IN THIS.
I GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE, MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER WENT THROUGH THE BONITA SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH BONITA HIGH SCHOOL.
MY SON HAS NEVER HEARD OF VULGAR WORD COME OUT OF HIS FATHER'S MOUTH EVER, BUT I GOT CALLED INTO SCHOOL, BECAUSE HE WAS SMOKING ON CAMPUS.
HE NEVER SAW A CIGARETTE IN OUR HOME.
WHERE DID HE LEARN TO SMOKE? WHERE DID HE LEARN TO CUSS? AT SCHOOL, AT BONITA HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAD A PERFECT SHEET OF PAPER, BUT HE WAS DAMAGED AT BONITA HIGH SCHOOL.
I DO NOT WANT THIS HAPPENING TO ANY OTHER CHILDREN.
I WAS A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER, I HAVE SEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH OUR KIDS IN THE SCHOOL BUSES.
WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR KIDS AND KEEP THEM AS PURE AS POSSIBLE, MAKE GOOD CITIZENS OUT OF THEM.
TEACH THEM TO READ, TO WRITE, [APPLAUSE] TO WORK ON SCIENCE AND MATH, DO THE BEST THEY CAN.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND BE GOOD FATHERS, AND MOTHERS, AND PARENTS, AND GOOD CITIZENS.
PLEASE KEEP OUR STUDENTS AS PURE AS POSSIBLE, THANK YOU.
>> I PROMISED TO A STAND SCRIPT TONIGHT, SO HERE GOES.
FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK MATT FOR YOUR STATEMENT BEFORE WE BEGAN DISCUSSION.
I WAS A LITTLE LATE TO THE GAME ON THIS, I FIRST HEARD OF THIS, I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE FROM A TEXT FROM MY SON.
IT WASN'T A DISTRICT WIDE COMMUNICATION THAT BOOKS WERE BEING CHALLENGED, IT WAS A TEXT FROM MY SON AFTER HE HEARD ABOUT IT AT SCHOOL.
WITH THAT SAID, JODI PICOULT, AMERICAN WRITER WITH APPROXIMATELY 40 MILLION COPIES OF HER BOOKS IN PRINT, STATED, "THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH PARENTS DECIDING A CERTAIN BOOK IS NOT RIGHT FOR THEIR CHILD.
THERE WAS A CLAUSAL PROBLEM WITH A PARENT DECIDING THAT THEREFORE, NO CHILD SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO READ THAT BOOK." I WANT TO START BY STATING THAT I APPRECIATE ALL THE ATTENTION AND WORK THAT HAS ALREADY GONE INTO ADDRESSING THE CURRENT BOOK CHALLENGES.
I REALLY WANT TO SPECIFICALLY, ESPECIALLY AFTER TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, THANK EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE WHO ARE TASKED WITH THE IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY REVIEWING THE THREE BOOKS THAT WE HAVE SEEM CHALLENGED RECENTLY.
[01:15:02]
IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE THAT TONIGHT THE BOARD WILL VOTE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE REVIEW COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BLUEST EYE.WITH THAT SAID, AND MATT TOUCHED ON THIS IN HIS STATEMENT, I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED FOR THE CLIMATE IN OUR BELOVED DISTRICT AND YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS OF A LAST FEW MEETINGS TO KNOW WHAT I MEAN BY THAT STATEMENT.
IN MAY, MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO THIS, I RAN INTO SOMEONE THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT I DEEPLY RESPECT THAT WAS ON THE COUNTER SIDE OF THIS ARGUMENT, CHALLENGING THE BOOK, BUT HE HADN'T EVEN READ THE BOOK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN BE INFORMED PARENTS CHALLENGING A BOOK WE HAVE NOT READ FROM COVER TO COVER.
WITH THAT SAID, I PERSONALLY DON'T LIVE OR LEAD BY EXCERPTS, BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN MY BELOVED BUSD.
I PERSONALLY DON'T LIVE OR LEAD BY SOUNDBITES.
WE GET ENOUGH OF THAT FROM ELECTED AND NON-ELECTED LEADERS AND SO-CALLED INFLUENCERS.
WE CAN AND MUST DO BETTER IN BUSD.
WE MUST DEMAND THE WHOLE STORY, BECAUSE LIVING BY EXCERPTS AND SOUNDBITES, OR LIMITED SEGMENTS ON THE NEWS ONLY CREATES DISTORTED SENSES OF REALITIES AND CARICATURES OF OTHERS.
AGAIN, I HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE AN AGREEMENT, AND IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, I HAVE A FEW MORE SENTENCES TO SAY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE VOTE FALLS TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S QUESTION FROM A JULY ZOOM MEETING.
WHERE DO WE GO AFTER THIS MEETING, AFTER JUNE 28? DARE I SAY, AND YOU CAN HEAR THE STAR TREK SOUNDTRACK IN THE BACKGROUND BOLDLY GO WHERE NO BUSD BOARD OR SUPERINTENDENT HAS GONE BEFORE.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE A CONVENER OF DIFFERENCES.
TEARING DOWN THOSE WALLS PUBLICLY AND BUILDING THOSE BRIDGES PUBLICLY WITH [BACKGROUND] GROUPS OF DIFFERENCES.
>> HELLO. GOOD EVENING, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, COMMUNITY, PARENTS.
I'M BEVERLY PEACH AND I HAVE TWO STUDENTS IN THE SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL TWO GRADUATES FROM THE SAME AND WASN'T REALLY PREPARED TO SPEAK.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS AND MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME AND THE PRESENTATIONS.
I DIDN'T HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE COMMITTEE.
I DON'T EXPECT ANSWERS RIGHT NOW, BUT WHO SELECTED THE COMMITTEE AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE? I HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THE COMMUNITY REFERRED TO AS A PARENT REPRESENTATIVE, SINGULAR.
IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS POSSIBLY ONLY ONE PARENT THAT WAS ON THE COMMITTEE AND MULTIPLE EDUCATORS, LIBRARY PERSONNEL.
THAT TO ME DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S A FAIR REPRESENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARENTS.
AFTER ALL, WE'RE AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS FOR THE CHILDREN.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS FOR THE CHILDREN.
YOU'RE HERE FOR THE CHILDREN, THE EDUCATORS, EVERYONE'S HERE FOR THE CHILDREN.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILDREN? IT'S THE PARENTS.
THE PARENTS ARE LEGALLY AND MORALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
THEY SHOULD HAVE A GREATER INPUT INTO THE PROCESS.
HOW DID THIS COMMITTEE COME ABOUT? IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS A VERY THOROUGH PROCESS.
I DON'T QUITE AGREE WITH SOME OF THE GUIDELINES ON THE SEXUAL AND VIOLENT CONTENT AND WHETHER IT WAS CAUSING DELATION OR SOMETHING THAT NATURE.
BECAUSE TO ME IT IS JUST TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE,
[01:20:04]
JUST TO HEAR IT MYSELF WAS SO DISTURBING WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RAPE AND THE CHILD AND THE FATHER, EVEN FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS, I AM RELIEVED TO HEAR IT WASN'T IN OR WON'T BE IN ELEMENTARY, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE AT ALL.FOR HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL, I HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT ITS IMPORTANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMPATHY AND TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE, THEN LET IT TAKE PLACE IN COLLEGE.
THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO BECOME EMPATHETIC WITHOUT HEARING THAT VULGARITY.
I JUST HOPE THAT THE BOARD TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THERE'S MANY PARENTS THAT DON'T WANT THEIR CHILDREN EXPOSED.
I HEARD ALSO A COMMENT ABOUT A PARENT THAT'S OPPOSED THAT SHOULDN'T CAUSE ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN TO NOT HAVE IT.
WELL, VICE VERSA, IF THERE'S A PARENT THAT WANTS IT, IT SHOULDN'T CAUSE ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN TO BE EXPOSED TO IT.
I THINK PARENTS NEED INPUT AND PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE PARENTS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHILDREN AND THEIR WISHES.
>> NEXT IS, I'M GUESSING ROBIN WALKER.
>> GOOD EVENING. I DID HEAR EARLIER, Y'ALL BROUGHT UP COMMON SENSE MEDIA AND IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I ALWAYS USE THAT WEBSITE WHEN LOOKING AT MOVIES AND THINGS FOR MY KIDS, AND IT SAID 15+.
BUT IF YOU READ THE REVIEWS FROM THE PARENTS, THEY ALL SAID 17+.
I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THAT CONTRADICTS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT PARENTS WANT FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD REGARDING THE BOOK, THE BLUEST EYE AND ASK THAT YOU REMOVE IT FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
THERE ARE CERTAIN BOOKS THAT ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG DEVELOPING BRAINS.
WHEN THINKING OF A 14, 15, 16, 17-YEAR-OLD READING SOME OF THESE PAGES, I'M MORTIFIED.
WHEN I READ THE RAPE SCENE OF THE FATHER RAPING HIS 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, IT WAS GRAPHIC, I FELT LIKE WAS WATCHING PORN.
IT WAS WRITTEN FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A PEDOPHILE, NOT A VICTIM.
IN SOME SICK WAY, A LOVING PEDOPHILE.
I BELIEVE THESE PAGES MAY AROUSE INAPPROPRIATE FANTASIES IN YOUNG PEOPLE AND MAY STIMULATE PTSD FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE.
IT WAS WRITTEN IN A ROMANTICIZED FANTASY TYPE OF WAY.
IT WASN'T WRITTEN LIKE A HISTORICAL OR INFORMATIVE WAY.
IT WAS WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT I WOULD THINK WOULD GET THE READER SEXUALLY STIMULATED OR AROUSE DEPENDING ON THE READER.
WE KNOW THAT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS LIKE VIOLENT PORN, RAPE PORN, THIS SCENE IN THE BOOK IS WRITTEN SO GRAPHICALLY THAT IT MAKES A READER FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WATCHING PORN, 14, 15, 16, 17-YEAR-OLD BOYS AND GIRLS BRAINS ARE STILL DEVELOPING AND MAY BE CONFUSED BECAUSE THEIR BODY MAY REACT TO THIS LITERATURE.
THE AUTHOR IS VERY GOOD AT PUTTING YOU IN THE ROOM IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENE.
IT IS SO SAD THAT I'M ACTUALLY HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY BECAUSE MANY YEARS AGO WE WOULD HAVE ALL BEEN ON THE SAME PAGE AND SAYING, THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR MINORS, BECAUSE REMEMBER WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY DIRTY GRAPHIC SCENE.
THIS MATERIAL IS VERY GRAPHIC AND INAPPROPRIATE TO PRESENT TO YOUNG READERS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT BANNING BOOKS BUT PROTECTING OUR KIDS FROM SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL.
WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO PORNOGRAPHIC TYPE MATERIAL IN AN EARLY AGE, IT CAN BE VERY DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR SEXUAL HEALTH LATER IN LIFE.
PORNOGRAPHY HURTS ADULTS, CHILDREN, COUPLES AND FAMILIES, AND SOCIETY.
AMONG ADOLESCENTS, PORNOGRAPHY HINDERS THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY SEXUALITY IN ADULTHOOD.
IT DISTORTS SEXUAL ATTITUDES AND SOCIAL REALITIES AND WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING THESE IMAGES IN KIDS AT THIS YOUNG AGE, IT COULD BEGIN THEIR SEARCH FOR MORE SEXUAL EXPLICIT MATERIAL AND THEN THEY'RE OFF TO THE RACES.
ALL DUES LAST MEETING I READ THAT WE'RE EQUATING BANNING BOOKS TO NAZI-TYPE BEHAVIOR, SHAME ON YOU.
BECAUSE YOU MUST HAVE NEVER SAT DOWN AND SPOKE WITH A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAD, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER.
[01:25:05]
>> I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M RELATIVELY NEW TO SAN DIMAS.
I MOVED HERE FROM TEXAS TWO YEARS AGO.
IN TEXAS, I TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS AND NO ONE HAD BANNED BOOKS AT THAT TIME IN TEXAS.
IN A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO IS SMART AT ALL, CAN GO AND GET WHATEVER BOOK THEY WANT TO READ ONLINE, WHETHER THE PARENT, THE TEACHER, OR ANYONE ELSE THINKS IT'S OKAY OR NOT.
I READ THE BLUEST EYE WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT.
I HAVE READ IT SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN, I'VE READ ALL OF TONI MORRISON'S BOOKS.
I AGREE WITH A WOMAN WHO TALKS ABOUT, HOW IT HELPS PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE AND THE THINGS PEOPLE GO THROUGH.
I TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
I DO NOT KNOW A SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO DOES NOT KNOW SOMEONE WHO'S RECEIVED OR BEEN THE BRUNT OF VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, AND ALL OTHER HORRIBLE THINGS.
IT IS OUT THERE, WHETHER YOU WANT TO BELIEVE IT OR THINK IT IS OUT THERE OR NOT, YOUR OWN CHILDREN KNOW PEOPLE THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO.
EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL TOWN AND IN A NICE COMMUNITY, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THESE THINGS DO NOT HAPPEN HERE.
I DO NOT THINK BANNING BOOKS WORKS.
I AGREE THAT THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
IT IS USUALLY TAUGHT LIKE AN AP LITERATURE CLASSES, WHICH ARE MORE ADVANCED CLASSES FOR OLDER STUDENTS.
>> ROSEMARY CHRISTIENSEN, [INAUDIBLE] ISABEL ABNER.
>> GOOD EVENING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT. I'M ISABEL EBINA.
I'M A CNMS HOMEOWNER, MOTHER OF THREE YOUNG CHILDREN AND FRIENDS TO SEVERAL BUSD TEACHERS, STAFF MEMBERS, AND FAMILIES.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO REPRESENT THE VOICES OF SEVERAL BUSD TEACHERS AND STAFF, MANY OF WHOM ARE AGAINST THE REMOVAL OF BOOKS FROM OUR SCHOOLS AND YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT THEY'RE NOT FLOODING THIS ROOM.
THAT'S BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT FOR FEAR OF PUTTING THEIR JOBS ON THE LINE.
THESE ARE NOT MY WORDS, THESE ARE THE COMMENTS OF YOUR OWN BUSD STAFF AND TEACHERS.
AS BOTH A DEDICATED TEACHER AND PARENT OF THREE STUDENTS ATTENDING BONITA SCHOOLS, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN REGARDING THE BANNING OF BOOKS.
IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE TEACH OUR KIDS TO USE DISCERNMENT WHILE READING AND EQUIP THEM WITH THE CRITICAL THINKING TOOLS NEEDED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION, TO ENGAGE WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND TO FORM THEIR OWN OPINIONS.
IT TROUBLES ME THAT SOME BOOKS ARE BEING TARGETED BECAUSE THEY ADDRESS IMPORTANT TOPICS SUCH AS CIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL JUSTICE, OR CHALLENGE HOMOPHOBIA OR TRANSPHOBIA.
IT'S CRUCIAL TO RECOGNIZE THAT LITERATURE HAS THE POWER TO EDUCATE, INSPIRE, AND PROMOTE EMPATHY.
BY BANNING BOOKS THAT TACKLE THESE ISSUES, WE DENY OUR STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT AND ENGAGE WITH THE DIVERSE WORLD AROUND THEM.
LET US EMBRACE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF NURTURING WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN CRITICALLY ANALYZE DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS, FOSTER UNDERSTANDING, AND CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO OUR SOCIETY.
ANOTHER PERSON SAYS, AS AN EDUCATOR, BUSD PARENT, AND MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, I MUST ASK MYSELF, WHY ARE WE FOCUSED ON REMOVING THIS BOOK? IS IT BECAUSE THE WORK LACKS LITERARY MERIT? DOES THE WORK PORTRAY AN INACCURATE DEPICTION OF PRE-WORLD WAR II LIFE OF BLACK CULTURE? IS THE TEXT TAUGHT IN OUR PRESCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULUMS? THE ANSWER TO EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS IS NO.
FOR MANY STUDENTS, BOOKS ALLOW THEM THE ABILITY TO DIALOGUE WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT DIFFICULT TOPICS SUCH AS EXTREME POVERTY, RACE, GENDER IDENTITY, AND GENDER EXPRESSION.
WHEN THAT FORUM IS OPENED IN A CLASSROOM WITH A BOOK, STUDENTS CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND UNDERSTAND THE TRAGIC EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS.
TONI MORRISON DEPICTS THESE TRAGIC EFFECTS OF IMPOSING WHITE IDEALS OF BEAUTY IN DEVELOPING FEMALE IDENTITY OF A YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN GIRL DURING THE EARLY 1940S.
MORRISON PORTRAYS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVASTATION OF PECOLA WHO SEARCHES FOR LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE IN A WORLD THAT DENIES AND DOES NOT VALUE PEOPLE OF HER RACE.
MORRISON EVEN PROVIDES A VIVID INSIGHT INTO THE PSYCHICAL PROCESSES IN RESPONSE TO DIRECT RACIAL DISCRIMINATION BY DEPICTING THE CHARACTER OF CLAUDIA.
WE HAVE HEARD PARENTS READ EXCERPTS FROM THE BLUEST EYE THAT EMPHASIZE THE RAPE AND DEMORALIZATION OF THE PROTAGONIST.
BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE REASONS FOR BANNING A BOOK THAT EXPLAINS HOW SELF-HATRED,
[01:30:04]
ENVY, AND INSECURITY CAN LEAD TO SELF DESTRUCTION.DO WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE LIKE PECOLA AND EMBRACE THE UGLINESS INSIDE THEMSELVES AND LIVE IN FEAR? OR DO WE WANT THEM TO SEE THE WORLD FOR WHAT IT IS, BLUEST EYE AND ALL? I'M GOING TO READ ONE LAST COMMENT REALLY QUICKLY.
AS YOU PREPARE TO VOTE ON KEEPING SPECIFIC BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REFLECT ON THE MESSAGE THAT YOUR DECISION SENDS TO STAFF.
FOR THESE BOOKS TO GET IN THE LIBRARY, A STAFF MEMBER DECIDED IT WAS VALUABLE TO OUR STUDENTS EDUCATION, PURCHASED THE BOOK AND ADDED IT TO OUR COLLECTION.
FOR THESE BOOKS TO STAY ON THE SHELVES, LEADERS ON OUR STAFF MET, DISCUSSED THE BOOK AND DECIDED IT WAS VALUABLE TO OUR STUDENTS EDUCATION.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AFFIRM OUR STAFF'S KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE BY SUPPORTING THE COMMITTEE'S DECISION.
IF YOU VOTE TO REMOVE THE BOOK, YOU WILL BE SENDING A MESSAGE THAT OUR HIGHLY TRAINED AND EDUCATED STAFF DO NOT HAVE THE SKILLS TO MAKE DECISIONS ON WHAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO.
I HOPE YOU DECIDE TO AFFIRM THE AMAZING STAFF AT BUSD IN YOUR DECISION.
I'M COMING BECAUSE MY FRIEND INVITED ME, HE EXPLAINED TO ME ABOUT THE BOOK.
I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE MY KIDS FOR MANY YEARS AGO IN 1996, I COME INTO ASKING BECAUSE I'M COMING FROM MEXICO AND ASKING FOR BOOKS BECAUSE MY KIDS ONLY HAVE BLACK AND WHITE PAPERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU AND I APPRECIATE BECAUSE THOSE BOOKS MAKE MY KIDS GROWING AND DREAM BIG BECAUSE I'M VOLUNTEERING, I HAD MY MODULARIZED SECOND-GRADE TEACHER IN THAT TIME.
I REMEMBER, ALL THESE KIDS WHEN THEY RECEIVED THESE BOOK WITH COLORS, WE COLORED THEM IN BLACK AND WHITE.
IN COLOR, THEY'RE SO HAPPY, THEY'RE SMILING AND I SEE ALL THESE KIDS GROWING IN YEARS AND GRADUATE.
EVERYBODY IS DOING AMAZING THINGS AND THINK THE LIVES THEY BRING COLOR, KNOWING BLACK AND WHITE, KNOWING DARKNESS, KNOWING BAD THINGS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO DOCTRINATE OUR KIDS IN MORAL INTEGRITY AND CARING AND LOVE, NOT IN OTHER THINGS.
THERE'S SO MUCH BAD STUFF IN THE TELEVISION, IN THE TELEPHONE, AND EVERY MEDIA.
WELL SEE, THE BOOK IS FOR DREAMING, HAD THIS COMPASSION AND LOVE.
KNOWING THAT DREAM, THE INTERNET THERE ARE ALREADY SUPER SO MUCH TO SEE, THE KIDS FIGHTING IN THE SCHOOL, SO MUCH THREATS.
SO MANY KIDS SUICIDE FOR THAT.
I SEE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND IN WHEREVER I SEE THEY SAY THAT CARRYING THE BOOK, THIS IS A LIE.
THEY WILL NOT SAY THIS BOOK GOOD FOR YOU.
I GO TO THE LIBRARY WITH MY GRANDKIDS, AND THEY TAKE A BOOK AND THEY EXPLAIN, GRANDMA, WHAT IS THIS? A BOY OR A GIRL? WHAT IS THIS? AND SAY WHAT? THEY ALLOW THESE BOOKS HERE TO LEAD OUR CHILD, 3, 4 YEAR OLD? WHAT IS HAPPENING? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN MIND? WHEN THEY ALREADY HAVE THAT INNOCENCE, THE PURE, THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT LIFE.
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL IF YOU'RE USING THE COLORS.
YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE AND GROWING IN DARK COLORS.
I'M HAPPY BECAUSE MY KIDS DO AMAZING THINGS.
MY DAUGHTER THERE SAY, "YOU CAN GO TO PEPPERDINE, YOU KNOW HOW THE BOOK HAS GOOD GRADES." MY DAUGHTER SAY, "MUM, YOU SAY ALWAYS TO DREAM BIG AND YOU KNOW SHE GOT TO WORKING FOR DREAM, SHE DO AMAZING THINGS.
THEY DO AMAZING THINGS, EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO DO.
MY SON HAS 16 YEAR OLD, AND HE HAVE HIS OWN COMPANY.
BECAUSE OF THE BOOK, THEY GOT EVERYTHING.
WHEN THE PARENTS TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN OR WHEN YOU GO TO THE RESTROOM ONLY TO SEE BECAUSE SOME PARENTS LED TO CURIOS WHILE IT WAS DIRTY INSIDE THE RESTROOM.
WHAT IS PUT IN YOUR MIND? YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN AND ALL THE TIME TO SUPPORT, THE QUESTION THEY'RE ASKING, TO ASKING WITH THE TRUE BUT IN YOUR WAY, WITH YOUR COMPASSION.
ISN'T YOUR WORRY IN YOUR SPIRIT, IN YOUR SOUL? WHY YOU TEACH YOUR KIDS AND YOUR TEACHING IS COMING SO AMAZING, SEE THINGS IN AMAZING PERSON.
LOOK IN THE WORLD, WHAT IS DOING NOW? VIOLENCE EVERYWHERE.
WHAT IS COMING TO YOUR MIND? WHY YOU PUT DIRTY MINDS TO THESE KIDS? THEY NEED HAPPINESS, LED TO BE FREELY, TO BE STRONGER AND HAVE ESTEEM AND HAVE AN IDENTITY BECAUSE THESE KIDS LOST IDENTITY.
THE PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THESE THINGS, THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE [INAUDIBLE] FOR ALL KIDS.
[01:35:02]
I'M SORRY, SO EMOTIONAL TO BE HERE.I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BOOKS YOU GIVE TO MY KIDS BECAUSE THANK TO YOU MY KIDS DO AMAZING AND THEIR FRIENDS TOO.
>> NEXT IS MARIE LEE, AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO BUTCHER THE LAST NAME, SAURMAN?
>> I AM MARY LEE SORNMAN, WHO WAS PRETTY CLOSE.
I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AT LA VERNE HEIGHTS AND A DAUGHTER THAT GOES TO A SCHOOL IN SAN DIMAS.
I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT'S WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO PARENTS CONCERNS.
NO DOUBT AFTER LISTENING TO DR. ABBOTT SHAM'S PRESENTATION, IT WAS CHALLENGING TO MANEUVER THIS ISSUE AND TO GIVE REPRESENTATIONS TO BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK DONE TO DEVELOP THIS RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE AND THE PROPOSED SAFEGUARDS.
WHILE NOT EVERYONE WILL AGREE WITH THE OUTCOME, IT SEEMS TO BE A GENUINE EFFORT TO REBUILD WITH PARENTS WHOSE TRUST HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED IN RECENT YEARS.
TIME WILL TELL, NOT BY THE WORD SPOKEN TONIGHT, BUT BY THE FUTURE ACTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMITTEE AND ITS SAFEGUARDS.
I APPRECIATE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS ALSO ENCOURAGING TRANSPARENCY AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS.
I REALLY HOPE IT TRICKLES DOWN TO THE TEACHERS AS WELL, AND THAT THEY CAN PUT THEIR OPINIONS ASIDE AND PUT THE STUDENT'S ACADEMIC NEEDS FIRST.
I HOPE THE DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE TO REINFORCE TO THEIR STAFF THE IMPORTANCE TO NOT ONLY FOLLOW POLICY AND ED CODE, BUT TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS INVOLVEMENTS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS AND TRAINED, POSSIBLY AN EXPERT IN THEIR FIELD, HOWEVER, AS AN INVOLVED PARENT IN MY CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I WILL HARDLY CALL THEM AN EXPERT ON MY CHILD, IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE.
I BELIEVE THEIR JOB IS TO EDUCATE THE CHILDREN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AND NOT IN LIEU OF THE CHILDREN'S PARENTS.
MY HOPE FOR THIS DISTRICT AND ITS MEMBERS IS WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BEST OF OUR STUDENTS.
>> ANDY LY? PLEASE LEAD HIM TO THE BACK, IN CASE HE COMES BACK. FRANK GUZMAN?
>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, AND THE STAFF WITH THE PRESENTATION, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
I'M BIASED IN A WILL RECOLLECTION OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, AND MY ASK THIS EVENING IS TO UPHOLD THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION.
JUST AS I WAS SITTING HERE, I JUST GLANCED AT THE WEBSITE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AND I WANTED TO READ SOMETHING FROM YOUR MISSION.
FOR THE STUDENTS IN OUR CARE AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, WE'LL CREATE A SAFE, CHALLENGING, AND COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL SHAPE CHARACTER, NURTURE INTELLECT, AND BUILD SKILLS FOR SUCCESS IN AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD.
THEN FURTHER DOWN IN ONE OF YOUR EIGHT AREAS OF FOCUS WAS STAFFING; THE DISTRICT WILL ACTIVELY RECRUIT, RETAIN AND VALUE QUALIFIED STAFF MEMBERS WITHIN THE PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
JUST WITH THOSE THINGS, I WOULD IMPLORE YOU TO UPHOLD THE DECISION THAT YOU PUT UP ON YOUR STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY AS THEY WENT THROUGH HOURS OF THIS AS A READ THROUGH BOOK.
I WILL SHARE THAT, SEPARATE FROM THAT, I'M A PARENT, I HAVE TWO KIDS AND CERTAINLY IT IS THE JOB OF THE BOARD TO PROVIDE A QUALITY EDUCATION.
THAT'S NOT A QUESTION TONIGHT.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB, AND I SAY YOU CONTINUED TO DO THAT.
IF MY KIDS WERE IN YOUR CARE AND THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THEM, I WOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE TEACHER AND SAY, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE OFFICE FOR 30 MINUTES DURING THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR THIS OR THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PARTNERSHIP IN EDUCATION LOOKS LIKE.
I'M GOING TO WORK WITH MY CHILD'S TEACHER, AND I DID THAT, I WAS VOLUNTEER IN MY KIDS' EDUCATION THEIR WHOLE LIFE,
[01:40:01]
AND I DID SERVE ON A BOARD, AND SO I KNOW THE DECISION YOU HAVE THIS EVENING IS A TOUGH ONE, BUT I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT YOUR STAFF AND THE RECOMMENDATION THEY'VE PROVIDED ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY INPUT, AND IT CAN BE PRESENT AT THAT TABLE.I'M GOING TO SAY THAT, MATT, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS OPENING THIS UP, BECAUSE MY ORGANIZATION IS READY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ON WHATEVER BRIDGE NEEDS TO BE BUILT, AND WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH ANYONE IN THIS ROOM WHO WANTS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND WHAT WE COULD DO TO SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY.
OUR KIDS DESERVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS.
WHILE OUR WORLD IS GREAT AND EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL, THE REALITY IS RAPE HAPPENS, AND SOMETIMES IT'S IN THE HOME, AND SOMETIMES READING THAT BOOK FOR A CHILD WHO ENDURED IT AND WAS SILENT, WILL GIVE THEM THE COURAGE TO SAY TO A STAFF MEMBER, I CAN RELATE TO THIS BOOK AND I NEED SOME HELP.
AS SOMEONE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, ONE IN FIVE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCED SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR RAPE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIME, AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE TOOLS NECESSARY AND THE KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO SPEAK UP FOR THEMSELVES, AND TO PROVIDE MATERIALS SO THEY CAN BE INTELLECTUALS IN THE EVER-GROWING WORLD. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY NAME IS DENNIS RATON, AND I'VE LIVED IN SAN DIMAS FOR 48 YEARS, ALSO ON THE CITY COUNCIL OF SAN DIMAS FOR 34 YEARS.
SO I THINK I KNOW HOW THE PEOPLE OF SAN DIMAS AND LA VERNE THINK, AND WE DO NOT LIKE TO HAVE BOOKS BANNED.
WE DO NOT LIKE TO HAVE OUR GOVERNOR, WE DO NOT LIKE TO HAVE OUR LEGISLATURE, SCHOOL BOARDS, SUPERINTENDENTS TELL US WHAT WE CAN READ.
I WAS ALSO A SCHOOL TEACHER AND COUNSELOR FOR 38 YEARS AND I'VE RETIRED FROM THAT, AND I KNOW HOW SCHOOL BOARDS FEEL.
YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD HAVE A VERY POSITIVE RECOGNITION IN THE COMMUNITY, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS WELL RECEIVED, AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT THINK ABOUT BOOKS JUST BEING BEAUTIFUL AND HAVING HAPPY ENDINGS.
WE WANT THEM TO REFLECT WHAT LIFE IS, AND I THINK THIS BOOK DOES THAT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROGRESSIVE VIEWS AND HOPE THAT YOU UPHOLD WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS, AND NOT TO BAN THIS BOOK.
I THINK BANNING BOOKS IS IMPOSSIBLE, IT DOES NOT DO ANY GOOD.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND I WANT TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE OUR KIDS TO READ AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THOSE PARENTS THAT WANT TO BANNED BOOKS SHOULD TELL THE KIDS, DON'T READ THESE BOOKS, BUT DON'T INTERFERE WITH A WIDE COMMUNITY, AND THIS COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE BOOKS BANNED BY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LILY BRAINARD, I HAVE TWO KIDS COME INTO 8TH GRADE AND 11TH GRADE IN BONITA DISTRICT.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER [INAUDIBLE] ESPECIALLY FOR THIS BOOK.
I HAVE MY OPINION, HOW ABOUT HAVEN AN OPT IN AND OPT OUT OPTION? BECAUSE I INVOLVE SEX EDUCATION IN BONITA DISTRICT FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS.
EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF PARENTS DON'T LIKE SEX EDUCATION, BUT STILL AUTOMATICALLY ARE IN THAT MEANS IT'S FEW PEOPLE, ONLY 10% OF PARENTS CHOOSE THEIR KIDS OPT OUT OF SEX ED.
I WILL SAY SEX ED IS MUCH WORSE THAN THIS BOOK, BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS THE ONE OF THE BOOKS ON THE LIST RECOMMENDATION, WITH POLL TAX AND PULL OUT FIGHT WORST BOOK FOUR YEARS AGO, SO MORE COMMON, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ONE.
I HOPE WE HAVE A SMARTER SOLUTION, SO THAT MEANS WE DON'T BAN THE BOOK.
WE ONLY BAN SOMETHING WITH THING AS PORNOGRAPHY.
SO IT'S AVAILABLE FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S WILLING TO LEARN, NOT A PROBLEM.
BUT MOST OF KIDS GENERAL, THEY WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THIS HOMEWORK ASSIGNED BY THE TEACHER AS AP READING OR ANYTHING, THEY ACCIDENTALLY IS BLOW TO THE THINGS AGAINST THEIR FAMILY VALUES.
[01:45:04]
I HOPE THIS WILL BE LIKE A BETTER SOLUTION.I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS, BUT I THINK IN CALIFORNIA IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE A SAME OPINION.
JUST LIKE A PRIDE MONTHS, I DON'T LIKE TO GO TO THE PARADE, I DON'T WANT THE RAINBOW FLAG IN MY HOUSE.
MY SON WILL CALL ME HOMOPHOBIA, I SAID, I'M NOT.
I ONLY THINK AMERICAN FLAG SHOULD BE THE ONLY FLAG IN FRONT MY HOUSE.
FOR FAIR, CALIFORNIA IS A VERY SPECIAL STATE.
CONSERVATIVE PARENTS LIKE ME, WE HAVE 88 TODAY, I CHECKED IN OUR GROUP BONITA PARENTS, MOM GROUP.
WE FIGHT SO HARD TO INFORM PEOPLE THAT IS THIS THE AWFUL CHAPTER, EVERYTHING, THE BOOK, AND THE CURRICULUM, THEY LEARNED TWO WEEKS.
BUT WHY STILL ONLY 10% PARENTS CHOOSE OPT OUT? BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO SEE IT, THE DETAIL.
AS A ADULT, I WILL AUTOMATICALLY SKIP ANY CHAPTER I WOULDN'T WANT TO READ.
JUST LIKE I KNOW THERE'S JACK, I WILL NOT TASTE IT.
IF I KNOW IT'S THE POEM I ASK MY KIDS JUST CLOSE, THAT'S ME.
PLEASE GET A BETTER SOLUTION, I BELIEVE IN YOU. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS EVAN LYONS AND FOR MY BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME ALLOWED, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY INPUT ON THE UPCOMING BOOK BAN THOUGH.
GROWING UP IN THE DISTRICT, I HAVE LEARNED ONE THING FOR SURE, NEVER STOPPED PUSHING YOUR BOUNDARIES.
WELL, RIGHT NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING UP HERE, PUSHING MY BOUNDARIES.
ENGLISH LITERATURE CLASS IS A SUBJECT INTENDED TO BE HELD TO A SIMILAR REGARD.
BY THE END OF THE UNIT, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE INSIGHT ON A NEW PERSPECTIVE UNLIKE THAT OF YOUR OWN.
THAT IS THE ART AND BEAUTY OF LITERATURE, THE ABILITY TO SEE A ROAD OUTSIDE OF YOURS.
REALITY CAN BE UGLY AND IS A DISSERVICE TO THE STUDENTS OF THIS DISTRICT TO BE MISGUIDED FROM THE TRUTH THAT THESE BOOKS HOLD.
TOPICS BROUGHT UP MAY BE DIFFICULT TO READ OR VISUALIZE AT TIMES, BUT THAT IS HOW LIFE OPERATES.
AS A DISTRICT, WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR THE REAL WORLD.
NOW I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT NOT EVERY BOOK IS RIGHT FOR THE STUDENTS OF EVERY AGE, ALTHOUGH A BAN IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO THIS.
TO QUOTE MY SENIOR ENGLISH INTRODUCTION PAMPHLET, "LITERATURE DEMANDS THAT WE CHERISH OUR RIGHT TO BE DELIGHTED, ENRICHED, AND STRENGTHENED, AS WELL AS OUR RIGHT TO BE CHALLENGED, OFFENDED, AND EVEN THREATENED".
FROM THIS CONFRONTATION COMES UP BOTH STRUGGLE AND GROWTH.
CURRENTLY, THIS IS EXPECTED FROM STUDENTS AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE EXPECTED FROM ALL SCHOLARS OF BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I, AS A NOW GRADUATE OF BONITA, AM CONCERN THAT IF THESE BOOKS ARE TO BE BANNED, WHAT WILL COME NEXT? THAT IS THE QUESTION I HOPE ALL BOARD MEMBERS WILL KEEP IN MIND ONCE THE VOTE COMMENCES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M GOING TO JUST GO THROUGH SOME BULLET POINTS HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, MR. WIEN, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE STATEMENT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING.
AS SOMEBODY WHOSE FAMILY WAS BURNED OUT OF THEIR HOMES IN BELGIUM BECAUSE WE'RE CATHOLIC BY THE NAZIS, IT IS INCREDIBLY OFFENSIVE FOR ANYBODY TO CALL CONSERVATIVE PARENTS OR CONSERVATIVE'S PERIOD NAZIS.
THIS IS NOT NAZISM. YOU GUYS WANT NAZISM? I CAN PLAY YOU THE TAPES FROM MY GRANDPARENTS.
THAT WAS REAL. THIS ISN'T ANYTHING LIKE NAZISM AND THAT HAS GOT TO STOP NATIONALLY.
WE HAVE TO STOP USING THAT TERM LIKE THAT. THAT'S ONE.
TWO, I'M AN AP ENGLISH HISTORY. I DON'T KNOW.
I TOOK 15 DIFFERENT AP CLASSES WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND ALSO AN AVID READER.
I'VE READ ALL 14 BOOKS BECAUSE I READ LIKE CRAZY. THAT'S WHAT I DO.
THEN WITH THIS, I STARTED LOOKING UP.
WHY ARE THERE THESE 14 FAMOUS BOOKS? IT'S THE 14 BOOKS THAT ARE ON THE MICKEY MOUSE SIGNS THAT ARE ALL OVER TOWN NOW.
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WHAT THEY WERE BANNED FOR IS TYPICALLY DEROGATORY WORDS, AND A LOT OF IT IS HISTORICAL REFERENCES.
HUCK FINN, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, AND MICE AND MEN, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL BOOKS, WERE ACTUALLY BANNED BY THE ACLU.
IT WAS NOT THE CONSERVATIVE GROUPS THAT WERE BANNING THESE BOOKS.
11 OF THOSE 14 INFAMOUS BOOKS WERE BANNED FOR HISTORICAL REFERENCES, RACISM.
ONE FOR BEING TOO CHRISTIAN, WHICH AMAZED ME ON THAT ONE. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
AND THEN, THE USE OF THE N-WORD WAS REALLY THE BIGGEST FOCUS.
THE OTHER THREE ARE ACTUALLY ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY, AND THIS BOOK WAS ONE OF THEM,
[01:50:01]
THE ONE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.IT'S INTERESTING, THOUGH, IS THAT WHEN I TOOK AP ENGLISH IN PARTICULAR, WE STUDIED SHAKESPEARE, AND WE STUDIED CLASSICS, AND I'VE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED STATES BANNING SHAKESPEARE BECAUSE SHAKESPEARE WAS CATHOLIC.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING TO POINT OUT TOO.
I THINK WE NEED TO ADD A RATING SYSTEM, AND MAYBE THESE BOOKS HAVE LABELS ON THEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR RATING SYSTEM, KIND OF LIKE MOVIES.
AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PARENTS ARE ALLOWED TO CHECK YES OR NO, WHETHER OR NOT THEIR KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO THEM OR NOT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BOOK BY BOOK, JUST WHETHER OR NOT THE BOOK, WHICH IS THE NC17 OR RATED R, OR RATED X, OR WHATEVER THESE THINGS THAT ARE BEING RATED.
LET THE PARENT CHECK YES OR NO, AND THEN THE KIDS CAN CHECK IT OUT AS COME AND GO.
LASTLY, TO THE STAFF ABOUT PICKING THE BOOKS OUT, I'VE OFFERED FOR TWO YEARS TO PAY FOR COPIES OF THE CONSTITUTIONS, TO BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT IS IN HISTORY AND SOCIAL STUDIES.
I'D NEVER HAD ONE TEACHER OFFER IT UP AND ASK US FOR THAT REQUEST.
MAYBE THAT'S ONE OF THE BANNED BOOKS NOW. THANKS.
>> GOOD EVENING. I WASN'T PLANNING TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS JOE GAVELDON, I LIVE IN LA VERNE, CALIFORNIA.
I'VE HAD TWO CHILDREN GO THROUGH BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN THAT I SUSPECT WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SOMEDAY, AT LEAST I HOPE.
I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ITS TEACHERS, THE BOARD MEMBERS.
BUT WHAT I DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE ANYMORE IS THAT THE POLITICAL INFLUENCE INTO THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS RELIABLE.
I'M HERE TO SAY THAT I OPPOSE THE ACCESS TO THE BLUEST EYE, PLAIN SIMPLE.
I THINK THAT WE CAN'T GET BEYOND THE POLITICAL INFLUENCE THAT WAS FIRST MENTIONED THIS EVENING, LEFT VERSUS RIGHT.
I SUSPECT THAT MEANS CONSERVATIVE VERSUS LIBERAL, REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRAT. I DON'T KNOW.
I'M A PARENT, GRANDPARENT, I'M A CATHOLIC.
I GUESS I'M A CHRISTIAN IN THAT SENSE.
I BELIEVE IN GOD, I BELIEVE IN CONSERVATIVE VALUES.
I BELIEVE IN RAISING MY OWN KIDS, MY WAY UNTIL THEY'RE OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THEIR DECISION MAKING AND WHAT IT IS THAT THEY DO, HOW THEY COME ABOUT THE INFORMATION TO MAKE THAT CHOICE, AND WHAT IT IS THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING TOGETHER AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO CREATE ACCESS TO THINGS THAT ARE CONVENIENTLY NARROW-MINDED IN MY MIND, THAT SAY THAT THE BAD THINGS THAT MAY COME FROM IT.
WELL, THAT'S INCIDENTAL BECAUSE IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO GIVE THEM ACCESS. I DISAGREE.
I THINK THAT THE ACCESS TO THESE BOOKS, THE IDEAS THAT THEY PRESENT IN THE WRONG HANDS, IS MORE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR KIDS AS A WHOLE AND TO HOW IT IS THAT KIDS ACTUALLY OPERATE AMONGST EACH OTHER.
I THINK THAT MOST OF US, BEING IN THE SIMILAR AGE GROUP PERHAPS, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE TEENAGERS, THE INFORMATION THAT WE GOT, HOW WE USED IT, HOW IT WAS DISTORTED, HOW IT WAS ABUSED, AND HOW IT IS THAT WE ALL SURVIVE THOSE DAYS, AND HOW WE ARE GRATEFUL WHEN OUR KIDS SURVIVE SCHOOL AND COME OUT OKAY.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE INTRODUCING INTO THEIR MINDS AND INTO THE IDEA THAT THEY HAVE OF WHAT THIS BOOK REPRESENTS.
AS HIDEOUS AS IT IS, AS HORRIBLE AS WHAT THE STORY TALKS ABOUT, THE REALITY THAT IT PROBABLY DOES HAPPEN AND WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT OUT LOUD AS OFTEN AS PERHAPS WE SHOULD, LET'S FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO IT.
I THINK THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF YOU WANT TO PROVE TRANSPARENCY, IF YOU WANT TO PROVE COLLABORATION, IF YOU WANT TO PROVE CONTROLS, PROVE IT BY PROTECTING THE KIDS FIRST.
PROVE IT THAT YOU CAN PROTECT THEM BEFORE YOU EXPOSE THEM TO SOMETHING THAT ONCE IT'S OUT OF THE BAG, IT'S OUT OF THE BAG.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
I CAN'T READ THE LAST PART. OKAY.
>> HELLO. I PROMISE IT'S ON A JOB INTERVIEW THIS TIME.
I AM GOING TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A DISTRICT CREDENTIALED LIBRARIAN WHO DOES THE REVIEW PROCESS.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY AND THE APPROVAL PROCESS.
I DID WANT TO OFFER THAT, I DO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS AND I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT
[01:55:02]
THIS BOOK WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR AP LANGUAGE OR AP LIT, WHICH WOULD BE FOR 17 AND 18-YEAR-OLDS, MAYBE 16 IF THE KID GET INTO THE CLASS.BUT THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE'RE DOING A DISSERVICE IF WE DO NOT MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THESE BOOKS THAT YOU PERSONALLY DIDN'T CHOOSE.
I DON'T THINK THE TEACHER'S PERSONALLY CHOSE THEM.
THEY WERE CHOSEN BY THE COLLEGE BOARD, AND THE WAYS THAT WE'RE GETTING OUR STUDENTS PREPARED FOR COLLEGE.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS AND AP STUDENTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT NEED TO READ THIS TO BE COMPETITIVE.
TAKING THESE BOOKS OUT IS DOING THEM A DISSERVICE.
NONE OF THE BOOKS AS A LIBRARIAN, BECAUSE I DO THE CURATION FOR MY BOOKS, YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY PROCESS FOR YOUR LIBRARY ITSELF, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE LIBRARY AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
WHEN A STUDENT IS GETTING A BOOK, AT LEAST FROM MY KNOWLEDGE, YOU DO HAVE THE OPTION TO OPT OUT YOUR KID FROM READING A CERTAIN BOOK, YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
OFTENTIMES THERE ARE, AT LEAST IN MY DISTRICT, FORMS AND WAIVERS, AND WE DO LET OUR STUDENT PARENTS KNOW THAT THERE'S A BOOK THAT IS A CONTROVERSIAL THAT THEY KNOW ABOVE THAT, BUT THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE SYLLABUS PROCESS FOR THE AP CLASSES.
THE SYLLABUS PROVIDES THE LIST OF BOOKS THAT THEY HAVE AND THE TEACHER WHO HAS SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WAITING FOR THOSE LOANS TO BE FOR GIVEN WOULD BE ABLE TO CURATE.
BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE A PERSONAL AGENDA FOR AND THAT WE'D HOPE, BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WE TRUST THE BOARD AND THE TEACHERS TO GO TO THAT PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE SO WELL AND WHY I'M PROUD TO HAVE MY KIDS HERE.
WHAT I DO THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT YOU HAVE 2% OF YOUR POPULATION IN THE BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BLACK.
THIS IS A BLACK AUTHOR. WE HAVEN'T REALLY SAID THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO BRING UP RACE, BUT I WAS THAT KID THOUGH THAT WOULD READ THE BOOK AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY AUTHORS THAT REPRESENTED ME.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY AUTHORS TO READ.
TONI MORRISON, ALICE WALKER, COLOR PURPLE, MILDRED D. TAYLOR, ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY.
THOSE THE ONLY BOOKS THAT I GOT, AND IT REALLY SUCKS TO HAVE TO READ A BOOK WHERE YOU'RE HAVING TO SEE YOURSELF AS BEING THAT KID, AND BEING REPRESENTED IN THE SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RAPE OR LESS THAN A WHITE PERSON, AND I HAVE TO READ THAT AS A SCHOOL REQUIRED BOOK IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT REALLY SUCKS WHEN WE'RE READING TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD AND USING THE N WORD AND THEN WE JUST LOOKS AT YOU AUTOMATICALLY.
NOW I WENT TO PRIVATE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS AND THAT STILL HAPPENED.
IT'S INTERESTING NOW THAT WE'RE BEING MORE CONSERVATIVE IN OUR THOUGHT PROCESS AND RESTRICTIVE AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND IN MY ENTIRE LIFE EVEN GOING TO USC AS A PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT AS AN AUTHOR, SHE PAVED THE WAY FOR THIS NEW INTEGRATIVE STUFF, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE, AND [NOISE] YOU GUYS DOING A GREAT JOB, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE VIEWPOINTS.
I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT DIALOGUE IN DISCUSSION, AND I JUST WANT TO SEE MORE OF THIS, BECAUSE AS AN UNDERREPRESENTED PERSON IN THIS DISTRICT WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE THERE, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN ALL DO WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
>> HELLO. WOW. I'M CHRISTINA JONES, AND FIRST, I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE.
I DIDN'T ACTUALLY WRITE ANYTHING DOWN.
I WAS LISTENING FROM HOME WHEN I THOUGHT THERE WAS A NEED TO COME SPEAK ON THIS.
I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS IS EVEN A DISCUSSION.
THE SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT FORCING YOUR CHILD TO READ THIS BOOK.
THEY'RE SIMPLY PUTTING IT INTO A LIBRARY.
THE DISTRUST YOU HAVE IN YOUR KIDS, IT'S ASTONISHING.
IF YOUR KID BRINGS UP BOOK HOME AND THEY'RE TELLING YOU, HEY, I'M READING THIS BOOK AND YOU SAY THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR OWN CHILD AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROTECTING AND IMPAIRING YOUR CHILD FOR THE REAL WORLD.
THIS IS WHEN WE CROSS THE LINE INTO YOUR IMPAIRING YOUR CHILD BY NOT TELLING THEM ABOUT THE TRUTH OF THE WORLD.
I SIT IN CLASSES EVERY DAY WHERE I HEAR KIDS TALK ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO THEM.
PERSONALLY, I WAS RAISED IN PRIVATE SCHOOL, A BUBBLE THAT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT MANY THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO HUCKLEBERRY FINN OR CERTAIN BOOKS, YEAH, IT WAS BROUGHT UP, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT AND RELATIVE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOCIETY.
SITTING IN CLASS AND HEARING A GIRL TALKED ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HOW NOBODY WAS ABLE TO HELP HER IS DISHEARTENING.
IT'S LIKE YOU'RE ASKING YOUR KIDS TO BE UNPREPARED FOR THE WORLD.
YOU'RE ASKING YOUR KIDS TO NOT BE ABLE TO HELP WHEN OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES.
THIS BOOK MIGHT NOT BE FOR YOUR KID.
IT MIGHT NOT BE FOR EVERY KID OUT THERE,
[02:00:02]
BUT IT MIGHT BE FOR ONE KID.IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SAY THAT THAT ONE KID IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE KID IT WASN'T FOR, THEN YOU NEED TO LOOK IN YOURSELF AND REFLECT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I AM A KID, AND YOU MAY NOT WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT I'M SAYING, YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT HOW MANY OF YOU REALLY TALKED TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT WHAT BANNING BOOKS IS ABOUT WITHOUT YOUR OWN PERSONAL BIAS OR BELIEF? WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BANNING BOOKS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING AN OPTION AWAY FROM KIDS.
IT IS NOT A FORCE, IT IS NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO READ THIS, IT IS AN OPTION.
WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR KID HAVE EVERY OPTION POSSIBLE? YOU'RE SETTING YOUR KID UP FOR FAILURE.
WHEN IT COMES INTO AP CLASSES, [BACKGROUND] THAT IS A TYPE OF BOOK THAT IF YOU WANT YOUR KID TO BE GETTING INTO HIGH ELITE COLLEGES, THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR HIGH ELITE MATERIAL, TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE ADULT DISCUSSIONS, COLLEGE DISCUSSIONS.
THIS BOOK SHOULDN'T BE IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
IT SHOULDN'T AT BE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
BUT IN HIGH SCHOOLS, KIDS SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO READ WHAT THEY NEED TO READ.
IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO TAKE AWAY OPTIONS FROM YOUR KID WITH DEBATING THIS.
>> OKAY, MOM, FOLLOW YOUR DAUGHTER.
>> YOUR DAUGHTER DID SET A VERY HIGH BAR? I'M JUST SAYING.
>> CAN YOU PUT MINE? WE WEREN'T PLANNING ON BEING HERE.
ACTUALLY, WE WERE AT A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND WE WERE PLAYING THIS IN THE CAR AS WE'RE DRIVING HOME.
YES, SHE DID HEAR THIS AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS AS A PARENT, I THINK THAT I COULD EVER HAVE DONE IS TEACH MY KIDS, NOT JUST MY PERSPECTIVE AND MY IDEAS AND MY IDEALS.
WE OPTED FOR SCHOOL CHOICE AND BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS WENT TO A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE AND CAME ONLY INTO SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT WAS A DECISION THAT I MADE BECAUSE I WANTED THEM TO HAVE A DIFFERENT FOUNDATION NOT THAT BONITA WASN'T GOOD.
WE DIDN'T LIVE IN THE DISTRICT YET, BUT THAT'S A DECISION THAT I MADE AND WITH THAT DECISION, I'VE NEVER TOLD MY KIDS THERE'S NOTHING WE CANNOT DISCUSS.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS HELD HIGH UP THERE BECAUSE THE NATURE OF TEENAGERS, WE'VE ALL BEEN TEENAGERS.
THE NATURE OF TEENAGERS IS THERE'S SECRECY, THERE'S THINGS THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT.
THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE TALKED ABOUT.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR IN SCHOOLS.
I'M MARRIED TO A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, I HEAR HORRENDOUS THINGS AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE MOM WHO MY KIDS' FRIENDS HAVE COME TO AND I HEAR HORRENDOUS THINGS.
THINKING THAT READING THIS BOOK IT WAS TERRIBLE, EYEBALLED.
IT WAS TERRIBLE AND GUT WRENCHING TO READ IT AND TO KNOW THAT THERE IS ANYBODY IN THE WORLD WHO WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
BUT IT'S A REALITY THAT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS DO HAPPEN.
IT'S A REALITY THAT THERE ARE SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN THIS DISTRICT.
I KNOW OF GIRLS WHO HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THIS DISTRICT.
IT IS HARD TO SAY THAT WE CANNOT HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU GUYS DO AS A DISTRICT.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN THE EDUCATORS, I BELIEVE IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT MY KIDS HAVE HAD IN CLASSES.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WHEN AS OPPOSED TO TAKING AWAY THESE TYPES OF ITEMS, WE NEED TO UTILIZE THESE ITEMS TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR KIDS AT HOME.
WE NEED TO USE THEM AND CAPITALIZE ALL OF THESE TOPICS TO EITHER REINFORCE WHAT YOU BELIEVE, TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS, TO HAVE DEBATES TO SAY, HEY, BRING TO THE TABLE, WHAT'S YOUR HEARING? LET'S HAVE DINNER. LET'S HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
I DON'T THINK THAT SAYING THIS IS DISGUSTING, WHICH IT IS, IT'S DISGUSTING WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR BOOK, AND IT'S TERRIBLE.
BUT IT HAPPENS AND THINKING OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF FOSTER YOUTH IN OUR DISTRICT, LIKE HOW MANY OF THOSE KIDS DO NOT HAVE A PARENT WHO CAN STAND UP HERE AND REPRESENT FOR THEM AND SAY, MY CHILD HAS EXPERIENCED THIS TERRIBLE THING BECAUSE THEY ARE REPRESENTED BY A FOSTER SYSTEM, I GOT IT.
I'M GRATEFUL AND BLESSED, MY FAMILY HASN'T HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT AND I PRAY THAT NOBODY'S FAMILY HAS TO DEAL WITH THAT.
[02:05:03]
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT A STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT WHO HASN'T DEALT WITH THAT.WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALWAYS INCLUSIVE AND OPEN AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE KIDS ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN DEALT A BAD HAND AT HOME.
AS A DISTRICT AND AS EDUCATORS, YOU GUYS NEED TO REAFFIRM AND SAY, HEY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS AT HOME, YOUR FUTURE IS STILL THERE AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SEEN AND YOU'RE HEARD.
WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND WE ARE OPEN.
IF THERE'S NOBODY AT HOME YOU CAN TALK TO YOU, HEY, THESE REAL THINGS HAPPEN AND THE DISTRICT IS HERE TO HELP.
I PRAY THAT YOU GUYS AFFIRM YOUR TEACHER'S DECISIONS AND YOUR BOARD'S DECISIONS IN VOTING TO KEEP THIS BOOK.
>> WE'LL CIRCLE BACK THE TWO DIDN'T ANSWER EARLIER, ROSEMARY CHRISTENSEN AND ANDY LAWLEY. BOARD DISCUSSION.
>> FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SAY, HOW OLD IS YOUR DAUGHTER? IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING IT.
>> SEVEN? SHE'S NOT SEVEN, SEVENTEEN.
WE'VE HAD FORMER STUDENTS AND CURRENT STUDENTS SPEAK AND DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.
ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS THEY'RE VERY ELOQUENT.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A COMPLIMENT, YOU ARE VERY WELL SPOKEN.
I APPRECIATE THAT, I HAVE A BUNCH OF NOTES, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM, I HAVE PAGES AND IT'S SCATTERED.
I APOLOGIZE, I TAKE NOTES WHEN PEOPLE SPEAK.
FIRST, I GUESS WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT WHO'S CHOICE THIS IS, AND THIS ISN'T A BAD THING.
THIS IS WHO SHOULD YOU BLAME IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS CHOICE? I'VE SEEN PEOPLE GET MAD AT THE MILITARY.
VIETNAM, THOSE PEOPLE GOT MAD AT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE FIGHTING IN VIETNAM.
IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE VIETNAM WAR, IT WASN'T THE SOLDIERS FIGHTING, IT WAS A CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP THAT MADE THE DECISIONS YOU DON'T LIKE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO'VE GOT MAD AT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IF YOU'RE MAD AT LAW ENFORCEMENT IT IS NOT THE OFFICERS RISKING THEIR LIVES, IT IS THE CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T LIKE BECAUSE THEY PUT IN THE GUIDELINES AND EVERYTHING.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION POLICY, AS MUCH AS PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, WELL, I CHOSE THIS BOOK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT IS THE CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP THAT MAKES THOSE DECISIONS.
IF THERE IS A PERSON TO BLAME, IT MIGHT BE US ON THE DAIS.
THAT'S WEIRD ME WANTING BLAME, BUT IT ALSO COULD BE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.
WHEN WE'VE HAD PEOPLE BRING UP TEACHERS AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS I HEAR IS TRUST TEACHERS.
QUITE HONESTLY WE HAVE AMAZING TEACHERS, WE HAVE AMAZING STAFF BECAUSE THEY WORK HERE, WE DO TRUST THEM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYTHING THEY SAY SHOULD BE GRANTED QUITE LARGE, WE ALSO HAVE A ROLE JUST LIKE THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAS A ROLE.
IF TRUST TEACHER MEANS YOU LET THEM HAVE AUTONOMY, BUT YOU STILL HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. I WOULD AGREE.
IF TRUST TEACHER MEANS YOU HAVE TO APPROVE EVERY SINGLE DECISION, THEY MAKE, I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR.
I ACTUALLY THINK WHEN WE AGREE WITH STAFF AND WE DO FAR MORE OFTEN THAN WE DISAGREE.
IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOOKING AT DATA, I HAVE NOT DISAGREED WITH STAFF VERY OFTEN AND MY INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD.
THERE'S SOME DISAGREEMENTS AND THAT'S NORMAL TO ADDRESS A PROGRESSIVE POINT.
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE, YOU CAN NEVER BAN BOOKS.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS BOOK.
THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT, I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE THIS VERY MESSY PROCESS.
WE NEED TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
WE NEED TO HEAR ALL SIDES ON THIS.
THERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT SIDES.
I CAN TELL YOU I HAD PLUSES AND MINUSES ON MY NOTES.
BOTH SIDES MADE REALLY GOOD POINTS.
OUR DUTY, IS TO REPRESENT ALL OF YOU AND TRY TO HAVE SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN ALL BE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR SCHOOLS.
THAT'S VERY HARD WHEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL IMPACTS YOUR KIDS.
I GET THE EMOTIONS, BUT KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER SIDE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW CAN ALL SIDES, HOW CAN WE STITCH TOGETHER THESE TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED POINTS? MAYBE IN A CULTURE WAR, HOW CAN WE GET PEOPLE TO GET ALONG.
I HAD ONE PERSON I HEAR LIKE CHRISTIANITY BROUGHT UP.
I AM A CHRISTIAN, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DEFINE ME.
ONE OF THE THINGS AND I HAD A COUPLE VERSES BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES AND I WANT TO FLESH THIS OUT A BIT.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK PEOPLE WERE LIKE, IF THERE'S A CHRISTIAN,
[02:10:01]
YOU'RE GOING TO IMPOSE SOME CHRISTIAN, SHARIA LAW ON TO EVERYONE, I DON'T THINK THAT IS FAIR.WHEN YOU READ MATTHEW 7:12, YOU HAVE THE GOLDEN RULE,SO ON EVERYTHING DO AS OTHERS AS YOU'D LIKE THEM TO DO UNTO YOU.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR SAID IN OUR CONSTITUTION OF ALL MEN BEING CREATED EQUAL.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR SAID AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT VENUES.
THE GOAL ISN'T, ONE SIDE WINS, OTHER SIDE LOSES.
THE GOAL REALLY IS HOW CAN WE LIVE TOGETHER AND EACH BE OURSELVES? FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IT'S NOT ABOUT THIS ONE BOOK.
IT'S REALLY HOW CAN WE BUILD TRUST WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES, AND THESE ARE GOING TO HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ALL THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN GREAT.
I WAS ASKED, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK? BEFORE I READ IT, I DID READ IT.
BUT BEFORE I READ IT, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK? MY FIRST COMMENT WAS, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
WHAT MATTERS IS WE HAVE SOME PARENTS WHO BELIEVED THAT THIS BOOK IS AN AFFRONT TO THEIR VALUES, AND WE DON'T WANT TO REALLY GO AGAINST THEIR VALUES, AND THE OTHER SIDE WHO BELIEVES IF YOU TAKE AWAY THAT BOOK, IT'S AFFRONT TO THEIR VALUES NOT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT'S SEXUAL.
IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT AND THE CHARACTER IN THERE WAS VERY MORALLY REPUGNANT.
I THINK WE'RE ALL AGREE ON THAT.
BUT YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW ON HOW THIS BOOK SHOULD BE PROCESSED.
THE BEST EXAMPLE OF EQUITY, AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES AND I DO THINK WE SHOULD FLUSH THAT OUT, HOW CAN WE ARTICULATE OUR CORE VALUES INTO MORE DOMAINS? BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK IT'S SO LIMITED? BUT ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF EQUITY, AND I'D LIKE TO USE AN ANALOGY FROM THE '90S BECAUSE I'M OLD AND I WAS YOUNGER THEN.
IN THE '90S, I HAD A FRIEND NAMED OMAR.
WE HAD A PHILOSOPHY CLASS TOGETHER.
WE HAD MANY PHILOSOPHY CLASSES TOGETHER.
THEN WE WENT TO SPEECH AND DEBATE TOGETHER.
HE WAS MUSLIM, I WAS CHRISTIAN AND IF WE'RE IN A PHILOSOPHY CLASS, I CAN TELL YOU WE WERE IN THE MINORITY.
PRETTY MUCH WE'RE DISCUSSING GOD BECAUSE IT WAS A RELIGION CLASS, PHILOSOPHY RELIGION.
WE WERE MORE OFTEN NOT SAYING WE BELIEVE THERE IS A GOD, WE DISAGREE ON WHO HE IS OR SHE IS DEPENDING ON YOUR BELIEFS, BUT WE THINK THIS IS THE CASE AND RESPECTFULLY THE OTHER SIDE WOULD DISAGREE WITH US AND WE WOULD JUST ALL SHARE OUR POINTS AND NOTHING EVER CAME ABOUT TO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS A PHILOSOPHY CLASS.
SAC DID IN THE '90S THAT I THINK ARE VERY PERTINENT FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
ONE WAS MY FRIEND OMAR HAD DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS REQUIREMENTS, AND ALL OF US HAVE OUR OWN DIFFERENT VALUE SYSTEM.
MY FRIEND OMAR HAD SPECIFIC TIMES THAT HE HAD TO GO AND PRAY.
WHEN HE PRAYED, HE ACTUALLY BROUGHT A MAT, HAD TO MAKE SURE IT WAS FACING THE RIGHT WAY.
HE HAD TO MEMORIZE A CERTAIN PART OF THE QURAN SO YOU CAN SHARE THIS, AND THAT WAS PART OF HIS RELIGIOUS DUTY.
NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE CLASSES WE HAD TOGETHER WERE DURING THOSE TIMES, IT'S A FIXED TIME HE HAD TO GO AND PRAY.
HE BELIEVED HE WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF HIS BELIEF SYSTEM IF HE DIDN'T GO AND PRAY.
THERE WAS THIS ACCOMMODATION THAT ALLOWED HIM TO MISS CLASS TIME, GO INTO A SPECIFIC ROOM, IT INCONVENIENT STAFF BECAUSE HE HAD TO LEAVE CLASS, I THINK IT WAS LIKE A BROOM CLASS.
I DON T KNOW. IT WASN'T LIKE THE MOST IDEAL SITUATION FOR HIM.
BUT HE WENT OUT, DID HIS PRAYERS AND COME BACK, AND THEN ALL OF US WOULD GIVE NOTES AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE LEARNED.
HIS PRINCIPLES INCONVENIENCED HIM, BUT IT ALSO INCONVENIENCED STAFF.
BUT THE IMPORTANT THING WAS IT WASN'T MORE OF A HUMANISTIC CULTURE FORCING THEIR VALUES ONTO HIM.
HE WAS ALLOWED TO LIVE HIS VALUES JUST LIKE EACH ONE OF US WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE OUR VALUES.
I ACTUALLY THINK THOSE TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NEEDED, REGARDLESS OF THIS BOOK THOUGH.
THE OTHER ONE AND THIS IS JUST IN THE REALM OF COMMUNICATION.
I THINK COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT.
AS A PARENT, I LOVE MY KIDS VERY MUCH AND I WOULD BE FRUSTRATED IF SOMETHING WAS SPRUNG UP ON ME.
OMAR, IF THERE WAS PORK AROUND THERE AND HE COULDN'T PORK, HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT HE WAS MISSING.
BUT DAIRY, PORK PRODUCTS AND ALL OF US, NOT JUST ONE OF US.
WE SAY YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO EAT THAT AND HE WOULDN'T EAT THAT.
MY POINT IS HOWEVER, WE NAVIGATE THIS PROCESS, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE CLEAR COMMUNICATION ON THESE TOPICS WITH OUR PARENTS BECAUSE IT'S THEIR KIDS.
I DO THINK AS MUCH AS IT IS LEGALLY POSSIBLE.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, WE ARE IN CALIFORNIA, NOT FLORIDA.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT LAWS AND BOTH STATES SEEM TO VALUE ONE GROUP AND NOT THE OTHER.
[02:15:03]
WE STILL NEED TO TRY TO MAKE A PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES, REGARDLESS OF HOW WE PROCESS THIS FINAL POINT.I'M GOING TO SKIP A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF.
IF I DIDN'T ADDRESS YOUR SPECIFIC CRITICISM, FEEL FREE TO TALK TO ME.
THERE IS ALSO A HISTORY WITH THIS SPECIFIC BOOK.
I WAS INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON.
IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW CALIFORNIA WELL, SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, COUNTY IS A LITTLE MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
JUST REALIZED THIS IS SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, NOT LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT OR NOT.
IN FEBRUARY 12, 2020 THEY DECIDED TO BAN THE BLUEST EYE.
BECAUSE MASKS AND COVID, WE'RE NOT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO DEAL WITH, SO THEY DECIDED, HEY, LET'S JUST KEEP GOING.
THEN, VERY DISCREETLY, AND BY DISCRETELY, THEY TRIED TO MAKE IT DISCRETE AND IT ENDED UP IN THE LA TIMES, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT IDEAL FOR THEM.
THEY UNDID THAT. THEY REVERSE THEIR DECISIONS.
THE ARTICLE IS A LITTLE HAZY ON THAT.
BUT THE BEST I CAN GATHER WAS IT HAD TO DO WITH IT BEING ON THE AP TEST.
THERE WERE ACTUALLY SOME NUT AND BOLTS, ACADEMIC ISSUES, NOT JUST POLITICAL PRESSURE THAT INFLUENCE THEY'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE DECISION.
THEN IF WE'RE ADDING OTHER STUFF BESIDES, I THINK TEMECULA WAS ALSO IN THIS DEBATE.
BUT IN JANUARY 1ST, 2023, IT SEEMS LIKE OUR STATE GOVERNMENT IS GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION AS WELL.
NEWSOM WAS PRETTY MUCH SAYING, IF I'VE READ EVERYTHING CORRECTLY, THAT DISTRICTS THAT BAN BOOKS, PERIOD, WOULD PROBABLY GET LOOKED AT.
NOW, NONE OF THIS SEEMS IDEAL.
I WISH WE COULD CRAFT THE PERFECT POLICY IN A VACUUM.
I REALLY DO. WE'RE NOT IN A VACUUM.
THERE'S A MILLION MINEFIELDS OUT THERE.
LUCKILY, WE HAVE DR. ABUSHAM WHO'S GOING TO NAVIGATE THE MINEFIELD PERFECTLY.
I APPRECIATE HER WORK, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY.
JUST IN GENERAL, LIKE WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT WHO'S OWNERS IT IS, I'VE REALIZED WE'RE THE ONES YOU SHOULD BLAME.
IF IT'S NOT US, WE WILL BE POINTING TO WHO YOU SHOULD BLAME FOR WHATEVER DECISION YOU'RE MAD AT.
PLEASE LET'S LEAVE STAFF OUT OF IT.
WE HAVE BRILLIANT STAFF TO COMMUNICATE AMAZINGLY WELL WITH OUR KIDS.
THIS IS REALLY WHAT WE THINK IS THE BEST INTEREST FOR OUR KIDS.
FINALLY, ON ONE LAST NOTE, I KNOW I'VE TAKEN TOO MUCH TIME.
THERE IS AN ISSUE OF CHANGING MORALITY.
I DO WANT TO HIT THAT TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME ISSUES OF MORALITY I DO THINK ARE FAIR TO BRING UP.
IF YOU LOOK AT A RATED R MOVIE IN THE '80S.
NOW YOU'LL WATCH RATED PG-13 MOVIE NOW, THE PG-13 MOVIE IS GOING TO HAVE FAR MORE VIOLENCE.
IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE MORE KISSING, AND MAYBE EVEN LIKE SEXUAL INNUENDOS, LIKE THE STANDARDS AREN'T THE SAME.
I WAS READING A PSYCHOLOGY TODAY ARTICLE DEALING WITH SEX ED.
IT WAS TALKING ABOUT NOT WE NEED TO CREATE THESE STANDARDS BASED ON WHAT'S THE IDEAL DEVELOPMENT FOR KIDS.
BUT IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT A CONDITION OF KIDS HAVING CELL PHONES AND SAYING WE NEED TO EDUCATE KIDS EARLIER BECAUSE CELL PHONES ARE UBIQUITOUS AND KIDS ARE LOOKING AT THINGS THAT ARE VERY INAPPROPRIATE.
ALL I'M TRYING TO SAY AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY, I HAVE COMPETENCE ALL OF US ARE GOING TO DO WHAT WE THINK IS BEST.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THIS ONE VOTE, WE ACTUALLY DO WANT TO CATER TO EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED, I APOLOGIZE.
WE'RE TRYING, BUT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO LIKE ON AN ISSUE BY ISSUE BASIS.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO PLEASE EVERYONE.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THAT'S MY DISCLAIMER.
>> IN PREPARATION FOR TONIGHT'S VOTE ON THE REQUESTED REMOVAL OF A LIBRARY BOOK FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOLS BOOKSHELVES.
I WAS KEEN TO ENSURE THAT BONITA UNIFIED RESPONDED TO THE COMMUNITY IN A RESPECTFUL AND TIMELY MANNER.
THAT THE DISTRICT'S RESPONSE WAS CONSISTENT WITH ESTABLISHED BOARD POLICY AND THE LAW.
FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER CONTINUED LIBRARY ACCESS TO THIS PARTICULAR BOOK WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL THE STUDENTS, BONITA UNIFIED SERVES BOTH TODAY AND TOMORROW.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE WITH OUR PARENTS GROUPS OVER THE PAST WEEKS AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICTS REVIEW COMMITTEE WHO
[02:20:01]
THOUGHTFULLY PROCESS THE BOOKS REMOVAL REQUEST ACCORDING TO A RUBRIC, THEN VOTED AND THEN SUBMITTED THEIR WRITTEN RESULTS.IN CONSIDERING MY RESPONSIBILITIES AND VOTE, I RECALLED MY EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT, HAVING MULTIPLE AND OFTENTIMES UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS AND DEBATES WITH TEACHERS AND MY PARENTS OVER CONTROVERSIAL BOOKS I READ FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL'S LIBRARY, AS WELL AS THE SAME WITH MY OWN CHILDREN, LATER IN LIFE AS A BONITA UNIFIED PARENT.
I TALKED WITH AND LISTENED TO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MY NOW RETIRED YOUTH MINISTER, WHO LATER PERFORMED BOTH MY WEDDING AND THE WEDDING OF OUR DAUGHTER.
I LISTENED TO THE PASSIONATE ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, HERE IN THE GALLERY.
I TALKED WITH AND LISTEN TO OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND I READ MANY DIVERSE WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND ESSAYS ON THE SUBJECT.
ALONG THE WAY, I LEARNED SOME THINGS.
I WAS REMINDED OF OUR COUNTRY'S UNIQUE CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE OF FREE SPEECH, AS WELL AS ITS BOUNDARIES AND LIMITATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WHY NOW? THE BLUEST EYE WAS WRITTEN IN 1970.
IT'S BEEN ON HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKSHELVES SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, 50 YEARS AGO.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO HAVE AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH MUST NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, NOR ARE USED FOR INAPPROPRIATE POLITICAL OR PARTISAN ENDS.
WHAT MAKES BONITA UNIFIED SUCH A HIGH PERFORMING AND DESTINATION DISTRICTS ARE THE GREAT LENGTHS TAKEN IN HIRING AND SUPPORTING THE MOST QUALIFIED AND MOST PROFESSIONAL STAFF WHO CAN BE FOUND.
STAFF WHO COULD TAKE GREAT CARE IN ENSURING THE EDUCATION OFFERED TO ALL STUDENTS IS THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE.
BUT NO MATTER HOW I CONTEMPLATE THE REMOVAL OF THIS BOOK FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES SHELVES.
I CANNOT RECONCILE HOW IT'S BEING PUSHED ON OR ON OUR STUDENTS, OR THAT IT'S A DANGER TO OUR STUDENTS SIMPLY BY BEING ON OUR LIBRARIES BOOKSHELVES.
CONTROVERSIAL AND UNCOMFORTABLE IF PICKED UP IN RED, YES.
THEN IN THE END, FREEDOM OF SPEECH MUST INCLUDE ACCESS TO INFORMATION OF ALL KINDS.
THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS THAT ARE CONTROVERSIAL, SOME OF WHICH WILL BE OFFENSIVE.
FOR THAT IS THE HEART OF LEARNING AND THE FOUNDATION FOR CRITICAL THINKING. THANK YOU.
DURING MY 30 PLUS YEARS IN EDUCATION, I'VE ALWAYS APPROACHED PROBLEM SOLVING IN THE FOLLOWING WAY.
I ASKED MYSELF, WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS AND WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY? ADDITIONALLY, I TAKE SERIOUSLY MY DUTY AS A BOARD MEMBER TO LISTEN TO ALL PARTIES, AND REFLECT WHAT I BELIEVE ARE THE FEELINGS THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARENTS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO HAVE WEIGHED IN ON THE REQUEST TO PROHIBIT THE BLUEST EYE FROM OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
I HOPE WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND VARIED VIEWPOINTS.
I ALSO WANT TO COMPLEMENT THE COMMITTEE AND THE DISTRICT FOR THEIR PROCESS.
THERE WAS A THOROUGH REVIEW DONE DURING THEIR INVESTIGATION.
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH THAT I DID ON MY OWN, INCLUDED RESEARCHING THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION'S RECOMMENDATION, FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS INFORMATION, CURRICULUM REVIEW GUIDELINES, WHAT CONSTITUTES PORNOGRAPHY OR NOT, INFORMATION ON RATES OF PORNOGRAPHY ACCESS IN TEENAGERS, WHICH IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT IT IS VERY ALARMING, AND THE LIMITED TO DATA ABOUT ONLINE ACCESS, NOT BOOKS, CURRENT RATES OF ATTEMPTED ASSAULT AND RAPE.
I ALSO LOOKED AT TOO, IT WAS ONE IN SIX.
ANOTHER PERSON SAID ONE IN FIVE AMERICAN WOMEN WILL EXPERIENCE THIS IN THEIR LIFETIMES, AND I KNOW IT WAS LIKE THAT EVEN 40 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS GOING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND INTO COLLEGE.
I ALSO LOOKED INTO THE CURRENT LEGAL REFERENCES TO THE ISSUE OF BANNING BOOKS.
I WANT TO READ ONE QUOTE HERE THAT PROVIDES A CAUTIONARY NOTE.
IT READS, SCHOOLS WITH FINITE RESOURCES ALSO
[02:25:04]
HAVE DISCRETION TO DETERMINE WHICH BOOKS TO ADD TO THEIR LIBRARIES.HOWEVER, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT HAVE WRITTEN THAT REMOVAL IS CONSTITUTIONALLY PERMITTED ONLY IF IT IS DONE BASED ON THE EDUCATIONAL APPROPRIATENESS OF THE BOOK BUT NOT BECAUSE IT WAS INTENDED TO DENY STUDENTS ACCESS TO BOOKS WITH WHICH SCHOOL OFFICIALS DISAGREE.
SO I'VE TRIED TO THINK OF THAT AS I'VE LISTENED TO ALL THE INPUT FROM EVERYONE.
IN THIS INSTANCE, IN BUSD, THE REVIEW COMMITTEE DID FIND EDUCATIONAL APPROPRIATENESS.
I FEEL THAT THIS IS A STRONG REASON IN LOOKING AT EVEN OUR BOARD POLICY KIND OF GIVING GUIDANCE TO BOARD MEMBERS ON HOW THEY SHOULD VOTE.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, I CAN AND WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROMOTE THE CAREFUL REVIEW OF ANY NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR LIBRARIES, AND PROMOTE REFINEMENT OF OUR CHALLENGED BOOK REVIEW PROCESSES, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF CONTINUED ATTENTION TO LAWSUITS AND CLARIFICATION IN THE LAW CONCERNING THE REMOVAL OF BOOKS, WHICH WE'VE SEEN QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION COMING OUT IN JUST THE LAST FEW MONTHS. THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. I THINK I JUMPED THE GUN.
I SAID MOST OF MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOOK LAST MEETING, I WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO REALLY DIGEST IT BECAUSE THEY HAD QUESTIONS FOR ME BEFORE I CAME HERE.
BUT I DID APPRECIATE TODAY WHERE WE SAW A LOT MORE RESPECT WITHIN THIS DISCUSSION.
I KNOW MATT SAID IT BEST, AND I'M A BIG THING ADVOCATE OF YOUTH SPORTS, AND IN YOUTH SPORTS YOU ALWAYS CHEER ON YOUR TEAM BUT YOU NEVER BOO OTHER TEAM.
YOU LET THE OTHER TEAM CHEER ON THEIR TEAM.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR PEOPLE CLAPPING FOR PEOPLE AT THE SAME AGREEMENTS ON BOTH SIDES, BUT NOT REALLY OVERTALKING OR BOOING ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF NOTES BECAUSE I ASKED MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.
AS FOR THE BOOK, AND I'M REALLY NOT AN IDEOLOGICAL PERSON, THAT'S MORE PRACTICAL WHAT'S GOING ON, AND LIKE JIM SAID, "THIS BOOK'S BEEN AROUND FOR AWHILE, AND IT'S BEEN IN OUR LIBRARIES FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND BAD THINGS REALLY HAVEN'T HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THAT SENSE." AND ASKING MORE ABOUT IT, MOST HIGH SCHOOLERS DON'T GO TO THE LIBRARY TO CHECK OUT BOOKS, AND THIS BOOK, HARLEY, IS EVER CHECKED OUT.
SO REALLY FROM WHAT I HEAR IN ELEMENTARY THEY USE A LIBRARY LIKE CRAZY.
IT'S ALMOST EVERY DAY AND IT'S ALL DAY LONG.
BUT IN HIGH SCHOOLERS THEY GO MAYBE TO DO SOME WORK, AND VERY RARELY TO CHECK OUT BOOKS FROM WHAT I HEAR.
I'M GLAD THERE IS A LINE SOMEWHERE, NOT EVERYTHING WITH PAGES AND A SPINE BELONGS IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY, AND I KNOW WE HAVE PRECEDENTS FOR THAT, SO I'M GLAD WE DO HAVE THAT BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE TO BE ALIGNED SOMEWHERE.
BUT ON THE SAME TOKEN IT'S NOT, AGAIN LIKE I SAID BEFORE IT'S NOT A PLACE FOR ME OR ANY OF US TO TELL ANY PARENT WHAT THEIR VALUE IS, SO IF YOU DON'T WANT YOUR KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO A BOOK, I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON ACCOMMODATIONS TO ENSURE THAT.
YOU CAN ALSO JUST TELL YOUR KID NOT TO GET THE BOOK LIKE YOU TELL THEM NOT TO SMOKE, DRINK, AND SOMEBODY HAD HER COMMENTS I'VE HEARD.
AT THE SAME TIME THOSE FAMILIES WHO HAVE VALUES OR ALREADY WHO WANT ACCESS TO IT, THAT'S APPROPRIATE AS WELL AND THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
SO EVERYONE HAS THAT OPTION, EVERYONE HAS THE FREEDOM THAT WE FOUGHT FOR TO HAVE ACCESS. THANKS.
>> I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING FOR THE MOST PART, THIS DISCUSSION AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN IT ARE A LOT MORE PLEASANT THAN WE HAD OVER COVID.
WE HAVE OUR SHARE AND WE HAVE NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
WITH COVID THERE SOMETIMES, I THOUGHT WE NEED TO BRING THEM IN.
AND FOR EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT HAVE STOOD UP HERE AND TALK TO US AND EMAILED US, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EMAILS.
I PROBABLY TALKED TO A DOZEN PEOPLE, AND TO QUOTE ONE OF OUR EX-BOARD MEMBERS, PATTI LATOURELLE, WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS CAME UP, SHE USED TO HATE GOING TO THE STORE BECAUSE SHE'D BE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE AND SOMEBODY YOU DON'T KNOW SEES YOU AND THEY START WALKING TO YOU AND YOU SPEND 10 MINUTES TALKING OVER THAT THING.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE JOB, AND THAT'S HOW YOU FIND INFORMATION.
THE RESULTS OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED ME.
I FOUND WHAT PROBABLY WOULD BE DESCRIBED IN MY YOUTH AS THE SILENT MAJORITY.
A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE I TALKED TO AGREED AND DISAGREED WITH BOTH SIDES, WITH THOSE THAT THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE BANNED AND THOSE THAT DIDN'T.
LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT, IT'S KIND OF CONTRADICTORY.
FOR THOSE ON THE LEFT OR SOMEBODY ASKED EARLIER THAT DEMOCRATS ARE PROGRESSIVE OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY THINKS THERE SHOULD BE NO BAN ON BOOKS.
IN FACT, MOST PEOPLE AGREE, THERE SHOULD BE NO BAN ON BOOKS, BECAUSE IT'S ONCE YOU START DOWN THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE, WHERE DO WE STOP? THEY THINK IT'S UP TO THE PARENTS TO DECIDE WHAT THEIR CHILDREN READ AND WHAT THEY DON'T READ.
WHAT THEY DISAGREED IS, THEY FOUND IT EXTREMELY HYPOCRITICAL THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE ASSERTING IT'S UP TO THE PARENTS, THIS SIDE CAN'T TELL ME WHAT MY KIDS CAN
[02:30:03]
READ AND WHAT THEY CAN'T HAVE IN THEIR LIBRARY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED INTO PUSHING A POLITICAL AGENDA ASKING US TO SUPPORT CERTAIN GROUPS OR IDEAS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OPPOSED TO ON RELIGIOUS MORAL, OR WHATEVER GROUNDS.YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS WHERE YOU DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR CHILD AND YOU DECIDE WHATEVER THE OTHER CHILD IS EXPOSED TO AS WELL. IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT.
FOR THOSE ON THE RIGHT, ALMOST EVERYBODY AGREES THAT PARENTS SHOULD HAVE THE SAY IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.
PROBLEM IS WE LIVE IN CALIFORNIA, AND THEY SEVERELY LIMIT WHAT A PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION CAN BE.
NOW I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON A SYSTEM TOO WHERE CHECKING OUT BOOKS IS GOING TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PROCESS WHERE A PARENT CAN OPT YOUR CHILD OUT OR PUT A LIMIT ON NO BOOKS IF READING SYSTEM OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON. NOT DONE YET.
IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT IT'LL HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE STATE GUIDELINES AND LAWS TOO.
BUT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE DOESN'T AGREE THAT BOOKS SHOULD BE BANNED BECAUSE OF ANYONE'S PERSONAL OPINION.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE WHOLE MIDDLE, AND I USE THAT LIGHT TERM AS MIDDLE, THINKS EACH PARENT SHOULD MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION.
SO IF WE BAN THE BOOKS, THEN A WHOLE SKEW OF PARENTS AREN'T MAKING A DECISION FOR THEIR CHILD.
IF WE DON'T BAN THE BOOKS, THESE PARENTS AREN'T MAKING THE DECISION FOR THEIR CHILD.
SO ALL WE CAN DO IS LOOK AT IT WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR ALL THE CHILDREN, WHAT PROCESS IS IN PLACE THAT WILL PROTECT CHILDREN AND GIVE THE PARENTS OPTIONS, AND TRUST THAT YOU'RE RAISING YOUR CHILD RIGHT, AND OUR EDUCATORS ARE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
DO YOU HAVE MORE DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD? SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE REGARDING THE CHALLENGED MATERIAL. ALL IN FAVOR?
>> OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. CHALLENGE IT STANDS.
[APPLAUSE] FOLLOWING ONE QUICK THING IS A PROOF REVISION TO BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING SCHEDULE.
DUE TO SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE AUGUST 2ND MEETING TO AUGUST 9TH MEETING AGAIN AT 5:00 PM IN CLOSE SESSION. DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND?
>> OPPOSED? IN REPORTS, SPEAK FROM THE COMMUNITY WE HAVE ONE CARD FROM SHERRY.
>>I FORGOT, REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
[16. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT]
>> I'LL START IT TODAY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE ARE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO DO OUR QUICK REPORTS FIRST.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I JUST WANT TO SAY, ALONG WITH BEING A BOARD MEMBER, I'M A PRESIDENT OF SAN DIMAS, LA VERNE SOROPTOMIST, AND RECENTLY WE PAIRED WITH SCHOOLS WITH GOTSNEAKERS.COM TO COLLECT USED TENNIS SHOES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO THANK RONAN AND GRACE MILLER, AND CHERYL, AND LA VERNE HEIGHTS AND LONE HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO DID THIS FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH, AND CHAPARRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND BONITA HIGH SCHOOL, WHO HELPED ME PROBABLY COLLECT WELL OVER 2000 PAIR OF TENNIS SHOES.
OUR PARTICULAR CHARITY WILL GET BETWEEN 35 CENTS AND $7 PER SHOE, PROBABLY MORE ON THE 35 CENTS DEPENDING ON THE QUALITY.
BUT IT WAS JUST A REALLY NICE, GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOLS TO WORK WITH A CHARITY THAT SUPPORTS NOT ONLY BONITA'S CHILDREN BUT THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN.
SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT.
ALSO, IN SEPTEMBER, WE'LL HAVE OUR FIRST ANNUAL TWO-CITY TRIVIA CONTEST AT HILLCREST, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE HAVE LOTS OF DISTRICT AND CITY PARTICIPATION FROM BOTH OF OUR CITIES AND SEE WHICH ONE KNOWS CITY HISTORY BETTER. THANK YOU.
>> JUST TWO COMMENTS REAL QUICK, SOME THANK YOU, SONIA, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ENGINEERING OUR '23, '24 BUDGET.
THANKS ALSO, MATT ART, TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT CABINET, AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR BARGAINING UNIT LEADERSHIP AND THEIR TEAMS FOR MAKING OUR ANNUAL BUDGET ADOPTION FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ONCE AGAIN, FOCUSED ON STUDENTS AND STAFF.
[02:35:01]
IT WAS RATHER PERFUNCTORY THE WAY WE PASSED OUR BUDGET, YOU CAN'T SAY THAT IN EVERY DISTRICT.LASTLY, SPECIAL THANKS TO LA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, SAN DIMAS STATION, THEIR LEADERSHIP INCLUDING CAPTAIN ASH AND THE SHERIFF'S DETECTIVE BUREAU, LA COUNTY FIRE, LA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, AND BONITA UNIFIED DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, WHO WORKED TOGETHER TO HOST THE FENTANYL INFORMATION NIGHT AT THE BENITO CENTER FOR THE ARTS ON JUNE 15TH.
ALTHOUGH WE WERE HOPING FOR A LARGER CROWD, THE DEMONSTRATIONS AND DIALOGUE WERE EXCELLENT, AND THERE ARE PLANS TO HOST ANOTHER FORUM ONCE SCHOOLS ARE BACK IN SESSION.
THANK YOU FOR THE FREE NARCAN.
>> I WAS ALSO AT THAT PRESENTATION ON FENTANYL.
THE ABILITY FOR THAT TO KILL SOMEONE AND HOW THEY SLIP IT INTO A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS, RANDOM DRUGS TO FAKE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO DRUGS MADE THAT LOOK LEGAL BUT ARE NOT, IT'S A PRETTY BIG ISSUE.
SO I FOUND THE PRESENTATION TO BE VERY GOOD, AND IF YOU HAVE TIME, IT'S A WORTHWHILE THING TO SEE, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THOSE HIDDEN DANGERS WHERE YOU DON'T THINK YOUR KIDS ARE AT RISK UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.
ONE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HELPED US GET THE NARCAN, I DID WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO KASH, I FORGET HIS LAST NAME, BUT HE ACTUALLY WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS HAVING EQUIPMENT TO HELP KIDS WHO MIGHT OVERDOSE.
I APPRECIATE THAT AS A PARENT WHO HAS KIDS WHO COME HERE, I VERY MUCH WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES. THAT'S ALL I GOT.
>> I JUST WANT TO HEAR ABOUT SHERRY'S TRUCK, SO I'M DONE. [LAUGHTER]
[17. REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS COMMUNICATION FROM THE PUBLIC]
>> NOTHING FROM ME. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S OKAY, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY.
IT BEGAN AT THE HOSPITAL THIS MORNING AT 6:30, AND AFTER I STASHED MY HUSBAND AT HOME AFTER HIS CARDIAC PROCEDURE, I CAME HERE, SO HERE I AM.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT THE LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND TO COMMENT ON A PROJECT BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE BONITA HIGH SCHOOL AUTO SHOP STUDENTS AND OUR HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
SPECIFICALLY, THE STUDENTS TOOK ON THE TASK OF ASSISTING WITH THE RESTORATION OF A 1938 INTERNATIONAL TRUCK IN THE POSSESSION OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN WHICH WE WISH TO RESTORE TO SAFE AND FUNCTIONAL OPERATION.
THAT OUTCOME HAS BEEN REALIZED, IT'S BEEN ALMOST THREE YEARS.
OUR THANKS GO TO SUPERINTENDENT WIEN, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, BONITA HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, MR. KENNY RICHIE, SHOP TEACHER ROB ZAMBONI, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE STUDENTS IN MR. ZAMBONI'S AUTO SHOP CLASS WHO COLLABORATED IN THE VISION TO REALIZE THIS DREAM.
IT WAS A VERY LONG HAUL, BUT THE TRUCK WILL NOW PROUDLY ROLL THROUGH LA VERNE STREETS IN NEXT WEEK'S JULY 4TH PARADE, IT IS ROLLING.
THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRUCK WILL ALWAYS LOOK LIKE A WRECK, WHICH REMINDS US THAT IT PROVED ITS WORTH AND LOGGED OVER 960,000 MILES.
WE'RE ALSO REMINDED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT BEAUTY OF THIS TRUCK IS ON THE INSIDE, WHICH CONSISTS OF ALL BRAND-NEW MECHANICAL PARTS, SO FEAR NOT IT WORKS.
MOST OF ALL THE TRUCK IS A REMINDER OF AN ENDURING LEGACY OF LA VERNE AND A SYMBOL OF OUR CITY'S PRIDE.
THIS SATURDAY, JULY 1ST, THE TRUCK WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE HOME OF ME, LA VERNE SOCIETY PRESIDENT, 3949 BRADFORD STREET.
WE'LL DECORATE THE TRUCK FOR THE PARADE AND CELEBRATE A JOB WELL DONE.
MEMBERS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER PACE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WILL BE THERE TO FILM THIS CELEBRATION AND SUPPORT ANOTHER COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE SOCIETY AND THE BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE PARTY STARTS AT 11:00 AM AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND, I HAVE FLIERS FOR THIS.
THE LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AGAIN, WISHES TO THANK ALL MEMBERS OF THE BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
WE APPLAUD YOUR WILLING AND CREATIVE SUPPORT OF OUR SOCIETY, BONITA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS, AND THE HIGH SCHOOL INDUSTRIAL ARTS PROGRAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU PROBABLY CAN'T ALL SEE IT FROM HERE, THIS GOES FOR YOU TO KEEP.
[02:40:01]
THIS IS HOW THE TRUCK BEGAN A WRECK.THIS IS HOW IT ENDS, ALSO LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE A WRECK, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FUNDRAISE TO PUT A BED AND SIDES ON THE TRUCK.
AT THIS POINT, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A TADPOLE WITH A LONG TAIL, BUT IT'S GOT THE ENGINE AND THE DRIVE TRAIN, AND THE BREAKS, EVERYTHING THAT'S REALLY NECESSARY TO MAKE IT RUN.
I'M GOING TO PASS THIS AROUND. [OVERLAPPING]
>> SHERRY CAN WE HAVE A PICTURE UP HERE WITH YOU?
>> AND THAT POSTER AND THE BOARD?
AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COMING TO CELEBRATE AND SEE WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, YOU ARE WELCOME AT MY HOUSE, GO TO THE LA VERNE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITE AND LOOK UP EVENTS, THE FLIER'S THERE.
YOU CAN FIND OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED.
TAKE ONE AND PASS THEM AROUND.
>> CAN WE COME DOWN FRONT? WOULD YOU?
>> ABSOLUTELY, I'LL GO DOWN IN A SECOND.
>> ANYONE FROM PTA? BONITA UNIFIED TEACHERS? CNCA? BUMPED? NEXT REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING, AUGUST 9, 2023.
[18. FUTURE MEETING DATES]
ANY ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS? THEN WE'RE ADJOURNED AT 8:52. [NOISE]