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[Community Input Meeting]
WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH COMMUNITY INPUT NIGHT IF EVERYONE CAN PLEASE TAKE THEIR SEATS.CAN I ASK EVERYONE TO TAKE THEIR SEATS, PLEASE, SO WE CAN GET STARTED? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US FOR COMMUNITY.
AND TONIGHT IT IS 7:23 AND WE WILL GO TO OUR ONLY ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
COMMUNICATION TO AND FROM THE BOARD, INCLUDING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MS. GILLESPIE? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS REGARDING ANY ITEM RELATED TO DISTRICT, BUSINESS OR GOVERNANCE FROM CITIZENS WHO HAVE COMPLETED PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS THIS EVENING, WHICH ARE ACCEPTED UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE TO OTHER SPEAKERS.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE INFORMATION IS SHARED AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THE INFORMATION SHARED BY THE PRESENTER AND SOLELY PROVIDES THE OPINION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER, NOT THE DISTRICT.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN ORDER IN WHICH THEY HAVE INDIVIDUALLY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC CONCERN RELATED TO ANY EMPLOYEE OF THE DISTRICT OR SPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUE, YOU SHOULD UTILIZE THE DISTRICT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES PROVIDED IN BOARD POLICIES, DGBA LOCAL F AND G, LOCAL AND GF LOCAL.
EACH GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE ALLOWS FOR INDIVIDUAL TO REDRESS GRIEVANCE WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
THANK YOU. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS AMY BAKER, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL ELMER AND THEN VICKI COSTA.
I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BRING AWARENESS TO AN ENCOUNTER THAT OCCURRED AT THE TACITUS, A CONFERENCE LAST SEPTEMBER BETWEEN A CHILD PARENT AND MARVIN LOWE, WHO WAS THERE REPRESENTING US AND OUR DISTRICT.
THE BEHAVIOR OF MR. LOWE DURING THAT INTERACTION REPRESENTS A FLAGRANT ABUSE OF POWER, AN INTENTIONAL VIOLATION OF PERSONAL BOUNDARIES AND DEPLORABLE CONDUCT UNBECOMING OF ANY FRISCO ISD REPRESENTATIVE THAT WARRANTS A PUNITIVE AND CONSEQUENTIAL RESPONSE.
I KNOW THE FAMILY WHOSE CHILD SPOKE AT THE CONFERENCE.
THE 16 YEAR OLD, WHO IS NOT FROM FRISCO, WAS INVITED TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE AS A TEXAS TRANSGENDER STUDENT, INCLUDING DISCRIMINATION THEY'VE EXPERIENCED TO SCHOOL REGARDING RESTROOM AND LOCKER ROOM USAGE POLICIES WITH PARENT PERMISSION.
I'LL NOW READ EXCERPTS FROM AN ACCOUNT OF THE INCIDENT WRITTEN BY THE STUDENT.
THE FAMILY HAS REQUESTED THAT I LEAVE THEIR NAMES OUT FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION BY MR. LOWE. AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, MR. LOWE APPROACHED US AND THE CONVERSATION BEGAN VERY NEUTRAL AND RESPECTFUL.
HE THEN STARTED TO BRING UP THE LOCKER ROOM ENVIRONMENT DURING THE CONVERSATION.
QUOTE, MEN LIKE TO WALK AROUND NAKED WITH THEIR JUNK HANGING AROUND, END QUOTE.
HE SAID THAT HAVING A PERSON WITH DIFFERING EXTERNAL EXTERNAL GENITALIA WALKING AROUND NAKED WOULDN'T BE OKAY BECAUSE, QUOTE, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT TURNS PEOPLE ON, END QUOTE. I BECAME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND I VOICED THIS TO MR. LOWE SAYING, THIS CONVERSATION IS MAKING ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
I'M GOING TO BE LEAVING THIS CONVERSATION NOW.
MY MOM REPEATEDLY TOLD HIM THIS CONVERSATION IS VERY INAPPROPRIATE.
MR. LOWE STARTED RAISING HIS VOICE AT MY MOTHER AND SAID, NO, YOU NEED TO LISTEN.
AND THIS WAS THE CADENCE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES UNTIL ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS STEPPED IN AND PHYSICALLY PLACED HIMSELF BETWEEN MR. LOWE AND MY MOTHER.
IT TOOK THE INVOLVEMENT OF SEVERAL PEOPLE TO FINALLY GET MR. LOWE TO LEAVE THE ROOM.
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HIS WORDS HAVE CAUSED ME PAIN.HE MADE ME FEEL DEHUMANIZED, VIOLATED, AND UNSAFE.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THE THINGS THAT SHE SAID WAS NOT THE TRUTH.
DANIEL ELMER, FOLLOWED BY VICKY COSTA.
MY NAME IS DAN. I MOVED TO FRISCO IN 2019 AS A PART OF A JOB RELOCATION.
WE SPECIFICALLY MOVED TO FRISCO BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, I'M IN FINANCE BY DAY.
MY WIFE IS A FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.
AND MY WIFE AND I HAVE SPENT THE LAST DECADE OF OUR LIVES MENTORING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE CLASSROOM AND HER CAPACITY AS A TEACHER OR OUR CAPACITY IN MINISTRY MANAGING MINISTRIES THAT ARE MORE THAN 300 STUDENTS.
HERE'S THE REALITY. THERE'S TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
THERE'S IDEOLOGUES ON ONE SIDE OF THE AISLE.
THERE'S IDEOLOGUES ON THE OTHER.
HERE'S THE REALITY. THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHY ARE YOU HERE? AS A PARENT WHO HAS CHILDREN, ONE WHO'S FOUR, ALMOST FOUR, ABOUT TO START SCHOOL AND FRISCO ISD IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS A CHILD OF A ONE AND A HALF YEAR OLD WHO WE WANTED TO GO TO FRISCO ISD.
I THINK SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR TOO LONG.
I SPENT MY DAY MANAGING CHANGE.
I SPEND MY DAY LEADING PEOPLE.
AND HERE'S SOME THOUGHTS THAT I WROTE DOWN.
THERE'S A SAYING WE HAVE WE WANT TO BUILD AN ORGANIZATION THAT OUR KIDS WOULD BE PROUD TO WORK FOR.
DO YOU MEASURE UP TO THAT STANDARD? LEADERS KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE CRITICIZED.
LEADERS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A TARGET ON THEIR BACKS.
LEADERS DO NOT ENGAGE IN PERSONAL POLITICAL BATTLES WITH INDIVIDUALS.
THEY DO NOT USE LIKENESS AND NAMES AND WORDS OF PEOPLE WHO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT TO POST CAMPAIGN STYLE VIDEOS USING DISTRICT RESOURCES AND TIME IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO AN ELECTION.
AND THE REALITY IS THIS POLITICIANS GASLIGHT.
POLITICIANS ARGUE POLITICIANS ATTACK ONE ANOTHER.
LEADERS. LEADERS ALLOW CRITICISM TO LIE WHERE IT BELONGS.
OFF THE FLOOR. THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO CRITICIZE YOU.
LEADERS DO NOT JUMP ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND COORDINATE VOICES IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY DON'T USE DISTRICT RESOURCES LIKE THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PAGE TO INVITE THEIR FRIENDS AND THEIR POLITICAL SUPPORTERS TO JUMP ON AND ATTACK PERSONAL TO MAKE PERSONAL ATTACKS TO TWO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD LIKE HAPPENED IN THE LAST WEEK.
THE REALITY IS THIS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SKIRT CAMPAIGN LAWS.
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SKIRT ETHICS RULES, BUT THE CONDUCT OF SOME OF YOU ON THIS BOARD IS APPALLING.
I'M JUST A SIMPLE FARM BOY FROM WISCONSIN.
AND WE SAY THIS THE FISH ROTS FROM THE HEAD, THE TOXICITY AND THE HEAT.
THE HEAT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RESEARCH AND BOUGHT IN THESE PUBLIC FORUMS. IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO STEP UP AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IN THE INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS.
THANK YOU. BECKY COSTA, FOLLOWED BY MONICA RUSSO AND THEN SHANNON AYERS.
GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MARVIN LOWE, NOT AT HIS REQUEST, BUT BECAUSE I KNOW MARVIN AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SHOCK REGARDING THE ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST MARVIN IN AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY SUSAN MCFARLAND OF THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS AND POSTED ONLINE BY THE DENTON RECORD CHRONICLE.
WHEN I SAW THE ARTICLE, I WAS IN TOTAL DISBELIEF.
I WAS SHOCKED THAT ANYBODY WOULD SAY SUCH ABSURD THINGS LIKE THAT ABOUT HIM.
I IMMEDIATELY DID SOME RESEARCH AND SENT TEXT MESSAGES TO SOME PEOPLE ABOUT THIS.
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TIME FOR ME TO LET MY VOICE BE HEARD.TO TAKE THESE ACCUSATIONS ABOUT MARVIN AND USE THEM TO DISMISS AND OR DISHONOR THIS WONDERFUL MAN WOULD BE A HUGE INJUSTICE TO NOT ONLY MARVIN, BUT TO HIS WIFE AND HIS FOUR CHILDREN WHO ARE STUDENTS IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE, I CONSIDER THIS HEARSAY AND SLANDER.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I WANT TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
FIRST, I WANT TO BRING UP A SAFETY CONCERN THAT I'VE RECENTLY SEEN REGARDING OUR BUSSES.
THIS INTERSECTION HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THE SITE OF NUMEROUS TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT ALL YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT, BUT I WOULD ASK IF IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS BUS STOP AND JUST SEE IF IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST TO BE STOPPING RIGHT THERE.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF THE STAFF IN CREATING THIS CLINIC.
IT'S A BIG WIN FOR THE FRISCO STAFF.
IN LINE WITH THIS, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER OTHER AREAS.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE DON'T IGNORE GOOD TEACHERS THAT ARE STREAMING OUT OF THE DOOR AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND INSTEAD DO MORE TO GAIN FEEDBACK, MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES THAT LET OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF KNOW THEIR CONCERNS ARE BEING HEARD AND ADDRESSED AND THAT THEY'RE APPRECIATED.
SHANNON AYERS, FOLLOWED BY DEBRA NELSON AND THEN MEG READ.
THANK YOU. SO I JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE BECAUSE MY SPEECH EARLIER WAS LONGER THAN A MINUTE.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT I'D LIKE IT TO BE NOTED THAT ONLY TRUSTEES, ELAD AND LOWE PUT FORTH PROPOSALS TONIGHT THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE INPUT FROM PARENTS, WHETHER IT BE MORE TIME TO SPEAK, ALLOWING FOR TOPICS THAT PARENTS WANT TO TALK ABOUT RATHER THAN LIMITING ONLY TO WHAT YOU DEEM WORTHY.
YOUR WORDS EXACTLY OFF PUTTING ON THE AGENDA OR EVEN JUST MAKING IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR BUSY PARENTS TO PARTICIPATE BY MOVING PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. ALL OF THOSE WERE VOTED AGAINST VOTED DOWN TONIGHT BY THIS BOARD.
SO FOR THOSE PLANNING TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION, I'M NOT TALKING TO THE BOARD NOW.
TRUSTEE DAVIS VOTED AGAINST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
THANK YOU. DEBRA NELSON, FOLLOWED BY MEG REED AND THEN AMANDA REED AND PAUL GESSEN.
THANK YOU. BOARD. I'VE LIVED IN FRISCO SINCE 1996 AND I'VE BEEN A LIFETIME EDUCATOR, SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONNECTIONS STILL IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ON SCHOOL BOARDS IN THE NORTH TEXAS AREA.
WELL, ACTUALLY ALL OVER THE STATE, BECAUSE I'M OLD AND BEEN AROUND A WHILE.
SO I WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED WHEN MY PHONE STARTED BLOWING UP LAST NIGHT WITH TEXT AND COMMENTS AND TALKING ABOUT WHEN I PICKED UP MY PAPER THIS MORNING, THIS IS WHAT IT WAS.
AND SO THEY ASKED WHAT IN THE HECK IS GOING ON IN FRISCO? I JUST SAID, I DON'T KNOW, TALK TONIGHT.
REACHED IN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SAID, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON? WHAT DO YOU THINK? I SAID, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
I DO KNOW AS AN ADULT, I CAN NEVER IMAGINE A TIME THAT I WOULD VERBALLY ATTACK A STUDENT.
I CAN'T THINK OF A TIME AS AN EDUCATOR.
I CERTAINLY CAN'T THINK OF A TIME AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT SOMEONE WOULD DO THAT.
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NOW, I WASN'T THERE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.MR. LOWE WAS THERE. I WAS NOT.
BUT I DO KNOW MR. LOWE, IF IT HAPPENED AS IT'S ALLEGED, I ASK YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND RESIGN YOUR POSITION.
MEG REED, FOLLOWED BY AMANDA REED AND THEN PAUL JESSON.
MS. GILLARD AND MR. LOWE AND YOU ALL SUPPORTERS.
WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? THAT A TRANS CHILD MIGHT ASSAULT A CISGENDER STUDENT IN A RESTROOM.
STATISTICS DO NOT BEAR THAT OUT.
THAT OUR KIDS WILL READ ABOUT AN LGBTQ PERSON AND TURN GAY.
IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE, WE'D ALL BE GAY.
THAT OUR KIDS ARE SUCH SNOWFLAKES THAT THEY COULDN'T HANDLE THE UGLY PARTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
I THINK OUR KIDS ARE TOUGHER THAN THAT.
AS FOR CRT, IT'S JUST RED MEAT THAT YOU THROW TO YOUR BASE WHO REACTS PREDICTABLY APOPLECTIC.
CRT HAS NEVER BEEN TAUGHT IN ELEMENTARY OR HIGH SCHOOLS.
ALL YOUR IDEAS ARE BASED ON FEAR AND WE NEED TO CALL YOU OUT WHEN YOU RESORT TO THOSE TACTICS.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONTROL WHAT IDEAS YOUR CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO.
YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS IN THAT WAY.
I WANT OUR KIDS TO LEARN ABOUT THE WONDERFUL DIVERSITY THAT EXISTS, NOT THAT DIFFERING IDEAS OR DIFFERING PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY SCARY OR BAD.
LGBTQ FOLKS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER.
YOU CANNOT LEGISLATE THEM OUT OF EXISTENCE, MUCH AS YOU MIGHT WISH TO.
DO WE HAVE ISSUES TO ADDRESS? YES. AGE APPROPRIATE TREATMENT OF DIFFICULT TOPICS IS ESSENTIAL.
WE HAVE ALL SHARED BATHROOMS WITH TRANSGENDER PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES, AND WE GOT THROUGH IT JUST FINE.
PRIVATE CHANGING AREAS AND LOCKER ROOMS WOULD BE A VERY EASY SOLUTION.
FISD SHOULD NOT TOLERATE A BOARD MEMBER WHO CONDUCTS HIMSELF THAT WAY.
THE HONORABLE THING FOR HIM TO DO IS TO RESIGN, AND IF HE WON'T, WE MUST DEMAND IT.
FRISCO ISD. HIS REPUTATION AND OUR DIVERSE STUDENT BODY DESERVE NOTHING LESS.
AMANDA READ, FOLLOWED BY PAUL JESSON AND THEN MEGAN SUMMERALL.
I DON'T KNOW. NOT WHAT I EXPECT FROM A PROFESSIONAL TYPE OF MEETING.
I'VE THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT TURNING ON BOARD MEETINGS WHEN MY SON IS IN THE ROOM, WHICH MAKES ME SAD.
SO THIS FEELS A BIT LIKE A CRISIS POINT, AND I HOPE WE SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT GOING FORWARD.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT MAY 6TH IS A VOTING DAY, AND APRIL 6TH IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER AND EARLY VOTING WILL BE FROM APRIL 24TH TO MAY 2ND.
SO I HOPE EVERYBODY GETS OUT TO VOTE, ALL YOU PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING.
WE GOT TO GO. I THINK IT WAS THE FUN WEEK.
WE GOT TO GO TO LAKELAND AND SEE ALL SORTS OF COOL THINGS AND I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED SEEING THE ATHLETIC AND ARTS TEACHERS AND HOW MUCH THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS AND HOW DEEPLY THEY THINK ABOUT THIS FUN CURRICULUM.
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AND SO I WAS JUST REALLY IMPRESSED.PAUL JESSON, FOLLOWED BY MEGAN SUMMERALL AND THEN MELANIE JONES.
I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE.
THIS HAS BEEN VERY EDUCATIONAL.
IT'S VERY PRACTICAL AND I BET I MIGHT MAYBE GET A 7-0 VOTE JUST JUST HOPING.
SHALL I BRING THAT UP? AND I WANT TO COME BACK AND SEE IF WE GET ACTION.
THAT'S MY FAVORITE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT'S EVER HAPPENED.
ON OUR NAMETAGS, WE WILL HAVE THAT.
WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT, SIR.
I'M GLAD TO FOLLOW THAT LEVITY.
WALDRIP AND FRISCO ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
I HAVE BEEN TEACHING FOR 21 YEARS.
15 OF THOSE IN FRISCO ISD MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY JOB AND MY STUDENTS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
ONE OF THE TENETS OF TEACHING GIFTED STUDENTS IS OFFERING CHOICES.
IF I DIDN'T LEAVE MY ASSESSMENTS OPEN ENDED, MY STUDENTS WOULD LITERALLY STICK RIGIDLY TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE RUBRIC I USE TO ASSESS THEIR WORK. YOU WANT TWO SOURCES AND FOUR PIECES OF EVIDENCE.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.
EXACTLY. BUT BECAUSE MY ASSESSMENTS ARE OPEN ENDED, MY STUDENTS REGULARLY BLOW ME AWAY WITH WHAT THEY CREATE, ALL BECAUSE THEY WERE GIVEN A CHOICE.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK LATELY AMONG TEACHERS ABOUT HOW UNHAPPY WE ARE THAT OUR DESKTOP COMPUTER MONITORS HAVE BEEN OR ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY, OR HOW OUR TEACHER POPULATION IS DIVIDED IN OUR OPINIONS ON WHAT WE NEED.
THE ISSUE AT HAND IS THAT WE TEACHERS FEEL THAT WE ARE NOT BEING GIVEN A VOICE AND ARE NOT BEING GIVEN THE RESOURCES AND TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO EFFECTIVELY DO OUR JOBS AND THEREFORE WE ARE NOT FEELING SUPPORTED.
WHY NOT DO WHAT I DO IN MY CLASSROOM? OFFER US A CHOICE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE'D LIKE TO KEEP OUR DESKTOP MONITOR AND DESK.
MELANIE JONES, FOLLOWED BY KEN CHISEL AND THEN CHRIS STEWART.
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WE CAN HANG MEAT IN HERE.EVERYONE THAT KNOWS ME KNOWS I LOVE THIS DISTRICT WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL.
THAT RATHER THAN LISTEN TO OR EMBRACE THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY WHEN THEY COME TO SPEAK TO YOU.
YOU DECIDE TO DISPARAGE THEM WITH PROPAGANDA VIDEOS THAT YOU CLAIM ARE CORRECTING THE NARRATIVE WHEN IN FACT IT IS A BLATANT DISPLAY OF ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THAT VERY NARRATIVE. EVERY TIME YOU PUT ONE OF THESE VIDEOS OUT, YOU ARE SHOWING EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND THOSE WATCHING ONLINE WHO YOU ARE.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IS GOOD POLICY.
SO WHERE IS THE PLAN TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS? WHERE IS THE PLAN TO RESTORE DISCIPLINE AND STRUCTURE TO THE CLASSROOM? WHERE IS THE PLAN TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TEACHERS AND SIMPLY SAYING WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME BOAT? IT'S NOT A STRATEGY.
WHERE IS THE PLAN TO UP LEVEL OUR STUDENTS REAL LEARNING? WHERE IS THE PLAN TO INCLUDE OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY WITH THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE? BECAUSE I'VE SEEN NOTHING IN THE SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
WHERE IS THE PLAN TO GET BACK TO READING, WRITING, ARITHMETIC AND TEACHING HISTORY AS IT HAPPENED? WHERE IS THE PLAN TO ALLOW PARENTS BACK ON CAMPUS INSTEAD OF THIS MAKE AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM THAT LIMITS VISITORS? THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON THIS BOARD YEAR OVER YEAR OVER YEAR HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO OVER FAILED POLICIES.
THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN YOU WERE ELECTED TO SERVE ARE WATCHING WHAT YOU DO.
DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND EXPECTING RESULTS.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU SHOULD THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT CENSURE, BECAUSE HERE'S HOW LIFE WORKS.
THE VERY SWORD YOU THINK YOU'RE WILLING TO WIELD AGAINST ONE OF YOUR CO BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE JUST AS SWIFTLY USED ON YOU THE SECOND YOU DISAGREE OR REFUSE TO GO ALONG TO GET ALONG WITH THE POWERS THAT BE.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KEN TYSON.
WE'VE GOT TWO GREAT KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL HERE IN THE DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT TO SPEAK.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK, LIKE MANY OTHERS ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR OF MARVIN LOW.
MARVIN BECAME ARGUMENTATIVE WITH THE STUDENT STATING, QUOTE, MEN LIKE TO WALK AROUND NAKED WITH THEIR JUNK HANGING AROUND, AMONG OTHER INAPPROPRIATE AND LEWD COMMENTS.
NOW, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT OTHERS, BUT WHEN MARVIN WAS ELECTED, I PERHAPS NAIVELY EXPECTED HIM TO FOCUS ON BEING A LEADER IN REPRESENTING ALL OUR COMMUNITY AND INTERACTING WITH EVERYONE IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER.
INSTEAD, WE HAVE A GROWN MAN ANGRILY BERATING A 16 YEAR OLD.
AND TALKING ABOUT MALE GENITALIA AND SEXUALIZING THEIR BODY PARTS.
MARLENE'S BEHAVIOR IS APPALLING.
AND IRONIC WHILE MARVIN AND OTHER CULTURE CONSERVATIVES ON THE BOARD AND YES STEPHANIE I AM TALKING ABOUT YOU ARE TRYING TO BAN BOOKS BASED ON WHAT THEY SAY IS INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT. IT'S MARVIN MARVIN WHO'S TALKING WITH 16 YEAR OLDS ABOUT HIS GENITALIA AND SEXUALIZING THEM.
SO AS A REMEDY, I PROPOSE TWO ITEMS. NUMBER ONE. MARVIN, PLEASE ENROLL IN COUNSELING.
NUMBER TWO, MARVIN, YOU NEED TO IMMEDIATELY RESIGN.
WE NEED ADULTS ON THE BOARD, NOT UNHINGED CULTURE WARRIORS MORE FOCUSED ON BERATING AND DENIGRATING CERTAIN STUDENTS THAN ON DOING THE HARD WORK OF EDUCATING AND RESPECTING ALL OF THEM.
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GREAT ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.AND THEY ACCOMPLISH AND ALL THEY ACCOMPLISH IN DOING THIS IS TO REVEAL THEIR OWN SEETHING CONTEMPT FOR ANYONE WHO IS DIFFERENT FROM THEM AND HURTING KIDS IN THE PROCESS AND CREATING A CIRCUS SIDESHOW.
CHRIS STEWART, FOLLOWED BY MITCHELL TILLERSON AND THEN PHILIP RAY.
HI. LET'S CHANGE THE PACE A LITTLE BIT, SHALL WE? I'M HERE TO REQUEST ONE CAMPING TRIP FOR 111 YEAR OLD AUTISTIC CHILD.
I'M A SINGLE FATHER OF FOUR GIRLS AND.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT IN FIFTH GRADE, ALL CHILDREN GO ON A CAMPING TRIP.
I'M GOING SWIMMING, FOLLOWED BY BOATING AND THEN ZIP LINING.
I THINK LAST YEAR WAS WE'RE GOING TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT AND DO GO STORIES.
NOW IT'S TIME TO GO ON THIS CAMPING TRIP.
AND WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT WE AGREED TO.
SO I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT YOU SEND ONE AUTISTIC CHILD CAMPING.
MILLER. CAN YOU FOLLOW UP WITH.
OUR PARENTS WITH MR. STEWART ON THIS POTENTIAL OF HIS DAUGHTER GOING ON THIS CAMPING TRIP.
THANK YOU. SOMEBODY EARLIER THIS EVENING SAID THAT THEY WERE TIRED OF IT.
THEY WERE TIRED OF THE IDENTITY POLITICS.
AND I WOULD 100% AGREE WITH THEM.
THAT'S BECAUSE THE HARM OF RHETORIC FROM MEN LIKE MR. LOWE AND HIS REPEATED CULTURE WAR, ASSAULT ON FAMILIES LIKE MINE CREATES IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS FOR US.
AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE A JOYFUL CELEBRATION FOR US DURING SIXTH GRADE.
IN DECEMBER, MY EIGHTH GRADE SON TOLD TWO OF HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS HE'D BEEN CONSIDERING SUICIDE, THANKS TO THE FOCUS ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND TO CONTINUE HIS SUICIDE PREVENTION LESSONS THAT THEY GET FROM SCHOOL.
THEY BELIEVED MY SON TOLD THEIR PARENTS, AND THOSE PARENTS CONTACTED US.
BUT EVEN WITH OUR HEIGHTENED AWARENESS, HE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN JANUARY.
HAVING LEAVING, WHO KNOWS, IN CHARGE OF THE FIELD.
AND THEN THEY CONTINUED TO CALL MY WIFE UNTIL SHE FINALLY SAW HER PHONE BUZZING ON HER DESK.
AND IN THE WAKE OF THAT, THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN ONCE AGAIN EXTRAORDINARY IN WORKING WITH ONE OF OUR KIDS, THIS TIME TO HELP MY SON RETURN TO BEING THAT STRAIGHT, A FOOTBALL PLAYING STUDENT.
HE STILL DESPERATELY WANTS TO BE.
WHEN MEN LIKE MARVIN LOW KEEP THROWING CULTURE WAR GRENADES INTO THESE MEETINGS, USING RHETORIC THAT STRIPS A MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY OF KIDS LIKE OUR DAUGHTER OF HER DIGNITY AS A WHOLE PERSON. HE ACTS AS YET ANOTHER FORCE THAT PUSHES US CLOSE TO AN IMPOSSIBLE DECISION, ONE WHOSE PERMUTATIONS INCLUDE DIFFICULT BUT MANAGEABLE DECISIONS LIKE MOVING MY DAUGHTER TO MY SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHERE I CAN ENSURE HER PROTECTION AND SAFETY, BUT REMOVE HER FROM HER FRIENDS AND HER SCHOOLS WHERE SHE KNOWS SHE'S KNOWN AND LOVED.
OR MORE EXTREME MEASURES, HEARTBREAKING ONES WHERE TO KEEP BOTH OF OUR KIDS ALIVE.
WE MAY HAVE TO SPLIT APART ONE OF US TAKING OUR DAUGHTER TO A SANCTUARY STATE, AND THE OTHER ONE STAYING HERE WHERE MY SON'S THERAPIST, PSYCHIATRIST AND FRIENDS WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING HIM.
WHY SHOULD ANYONE IN A STATE THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON LIBERTY AND FREEDOM EVER HAVE TO CONTEMPLATE WHICH OF THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES HAVE MORE VALUE? THIS IS THE VERY REAL DANGER OF RHETORIC, SUCH AS THAT USED BY MARVIN LOW, A MAN WHO COMMUNITY MEMBERS LOOK TO AS A
[00:35:09]
LEADER, AND WHO HAS THE POWER TO COOL THIS CULTURE WAR AND PROVIDE RELIEF TO THE ANXIETIES OF FAMILIES LIKE MINE BY BACKING OFF.PHILIP RAY, FOLLOWED BY WHITNEY FAULKNER AND THEN SUSIE GRAHAM.
SPEAKING IN PUBLIC, BY ITS VERY NATURE MAKES YOUR COMMENTS PUBLIC.
THE FIRST AMENDMENT WAS FIRST FOR A REASON.
AND THIS IS NOT A BULLY PULPIT.
THAT'S IRONIC. I'M A FATHER OF TWO.
ALEXANDRA WITH TEN STALEY AND OLIVIA ATTENDS ROGERS.
I'M A FORMER CUB MASTER, A SOCCER COACH FOR MY DAUGHTER'S TEAM, ASSISTANT COACH FOR MY SON'S TEAM.
AND BOTH MY KIDS AND MY BELOVED AND BEAUTIFUL WIFE ATTEND TIGER ROC MARTIAL ARTS.
SO WE'RE A LITTLE INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY, HAVE BEEN FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
MY DAUGHTER'S ART IS HANGING ON THE WALL OUTSIDE REPRESENTING ROGER'S.
AS A BOARD CERTIFIED IN CRIMINAL LAW ATTORNEY IN THE FRISCO AREA, I'VE REPRESENTED YOUNG STUDENTS WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAVE COLLIDED WITH THEIR EDUCATION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO WHAT I'VE SEEN AS GOOD MOMENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
NOTE SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO CALL OUT A FEW TEACHERS.
PREVIOUSLY, MS.. SCOTT. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MELISSA BARKER.
PRINCIPAL BECKY, REBECCA, PENNY, ALL AT ROGERS DESERVE PRAISE.
STALEY, BAND DIRECTOR CHAD WOOD AND HONOR BAND DIRECTOR MISS WEBB AND STALEY DESERVE PRAISE.
I ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU, PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.
LASTLY, I'M HERE WITH ONE OF MY FRIENDS, MR. MITCH TILLERSON. WHOM YOU HEARD FROM JUST NOW.
MAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS AND PLAYING MERRY HOB WITH PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS AND PLACING TEACHERS AND ADMIN AND FEAR, SUGGESTING PASSING NONSENSE RULES THAT TARGET KIDS WHO ARE ALREADY BEING BULLIED FOR THEIR EXTERNALLY VISIBLE STRUGGLES IS A WASTE OF RESOURCES.
MORE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE KIDS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE IN A WORLD WHERE THEIR INTERNAL EMOTIONS ARE ON DISPLAY AND BATTED ABOUT IN AUSTIN LIKE A PICKLEBALL ON A COURT POPULATED BY LEGISLATORS AND OCTOGENARIANS AND THE WOO CROWD HERE WHO HAVE LONG OUTGROWN.
THEIR INVESTED INTEREST IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN ARE GONE AND GROWN.
WHITNEY WAGNER, FOLLOWED BY SUSIE GRAHAM AND THEN ADT.
HELLO. I'M THE MOTHER OF TWO FEISTY GRADUATES IN ONE CURRENT FISD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR THE IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION OF BOARD MEMBER MARVIN LOWE.
WHILE AT A CONFERENCE, MR. LOWE THOUGHT APPROACHING A CHILD AND DISCUSSING GENITALS AND AROUSAL WAS APPROPRIATE.
THIS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES YOUR LACK OF DECORUM WHEN YOU WERE ASKED TO END THE DISCUSSION.
THERE IS NO SITUATION IN WHICH A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SHOULD RAISE HIS VOICE AND REFUSE TO STOP AFTER A MINOR, AND HIS PARENT REPEATEDLY TELLS HIM THAT HE IS BEING INAPPROPRIATE AND NEEDS TO STOP.
EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO BE RESPECTED AND FEEL SAFE.
MR. LOW, I DO NOT TRUST YOU OR YOUR ABILITY TO CONTROL YOURSELF AROUND MINOR CHILDREN.
[00:40:02]
I DO NOT TRUST YOU TO MAKE FAIR AND EQUITABLE DECISIONS FOR THE CHILDREN OF FISD.I DO NOT TRUST YOU TO CONTROL YOUR TEMPER, ESPECIALLY AROUND WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
CLEARLY YOU ARE UNFIT AND UNWELL.
I AGAIN ASK THAT YOU RESIGN IMMEDIATELY.
THANK YOU. SUSIE GRAHAM, FOLLOWED BY A REVANCHE AND THEN MELINDA PRESTON.
I WANT TO SAY THAT THOSE ACCUSATIONS ARE TOTALLY UNTRUE AND UNFOUNDED.
WALDRIP AND OUR ESTY FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
REGARDLESS OF THE BANTER IN THE BOARDROOM, IT DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.
I'VE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE AND FRISCO ISD FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.
I AM PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THIS DISTRICT TO MAKE IT WHAT IT IS TODAY.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT BE DIVIDED REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICAL AGENDAS SOME HAVE.
HERE'S WHAT I'M PROUD OF AND SOME OF WHAT MY TEACHERS ARE PROUD OF.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
I'M PROUD OF THE WAY FRISCO ISD CONTINUES TO SET THE BAR FOR STUDENTS ABILITIES AND SUCCESS, AS WELL AS SETTING THE BAR FOR TEACHERS AND PROVIDING A PLACE FOR US TO LEARN AND SHARPEN OUR EDUCATIONAL SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE HAVE A VERY INCLUSIVE NATURE IN FRISCO ISD, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.
BUT THERE IS NO PLACE FOR PERSONAL POLITICAL AGENDAS ON THE BOARD.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD TO SAY I WORK IN FRISCO ISD AND I KNOW I SPEAK FOR MANY WHEN I SAY WE WILL WORK TO ENSURE AND REMAIN PROUD AND UNDIVIDED.
AFTER A MELINDA PRESTON AND THEN KATHY.
BUT. GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD MEMBERS OF FRISCO ISD.
MY NAME IS ADITI BHAVESH AND I'M A MEMBER OF EMERSON INAUGURAL DEBATE TEAM.
THROUGHOUT THESE SPEECHES, WE WILL ILLUSTRATE WHY SPEECH AND DEBATE IS IMPORTANT.
WHEN I WAS ONLY EIGHT, I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO BE A PART OF A SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM.
WHEN TALKING TO MY PARENTS ABOUT FUTURE EXTRACURRICULARS, I TOLD THEM THAT I COULD, IN FACT DEBATE.
AND THE SENSE THAT I WAS MADE FOR THIS ACTIVITY NEVER WENT AWAY.
BUT NOW THAT I'M ON EMERSON'S DEBATE TEAM, IT FEELS LIKE THIS ACTIVITY WASN'T MADE FOR ME.
THE ENTRY FEES AND THE JUDGING FEES ADDED UP SO QUICK WHEN JUDGING FEES ALONE COSTS 200 OR $300.
PLANO ISD SPENDS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FUNDING THEIR SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAMS. THAT LEAVES US IN THE DUST.
NOT ONLY DOES IT ALLOW THEM ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT CAN GET THEM TO THE STATE AND NATIONALS, BUT IT ALSO GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND WHEN THEY DO QUALIFY. ADDITIONALLY, THE FUNDS THAT PLANO AND OTHER HIGH BUDGET DISTRICTS HAVE CAN SEND THEIR TEAMS TO PRESTIGIOUS TOURNAMENTS AT COLLEGES SUCH AS HARVARD AND YALE, WHICH PROVIDE LARGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS.
IN TURN, AS A NEW SCHOOL, EMERSON HAS HAD NO FOUNDATION TO BUILD OFF OF, BUT WE'VE STILL QUALIFIED.
TWO STUDENTS FOR STATE HOSTED A QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT FOR NATIONALS AND WILL SOON BE THE ONLY SCHOOL IN FRISCO ISD TO HOLD A DEBATE, BANQUET AND INDUCTION CEREMONY. IF WE DID ALL OF THIS WITH THE LITTLE FUNDING WE WERE PROVIDED, IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO WITH MORE SPEECH AND TO PROVIDE STUDENTS ACCESS TO SCHOLARSHIPS INCREASES THEIR CHANCES OF GETTING INTO THE IVY LEAGUE AND OTHER COMPETITIVE COLLEGES AND TEACHES US LIFELONG SKILLS.
[00:45:06]
BUT IT CAN DO NONE OF THAT IF WE AREN'T ADEQUATELY SUPPORTED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.BUT WE ARE SEVERELY LAGGING BEHIND IN AN AREA THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING THE LEAD IN.
HOW DO YOU COME AFTER THAT? THAT WAS AN AMAZING JOB.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE MONEY. WE'LL TALK.
SO MY NAME IS MELINDA PRESTON.
A RESIDENT AND FRISCO TONIGHT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MONITORS.
YOU GUYS DID A PROPAGANDA VIDEO, THE VERY FIRST ONE YOU DID.
AND YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE NOT TAKING MONITORS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO A NEW VIDEO AND TELL EVERYBODY THAT YOU LIED BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT VIDEO.
MY QUESTION FOR THE DISTRICT IS, WHY ARE WE PUSHING A SEXUAL AGENDA? WE SHOULD BE TEACHING MATH, ENGLISH, SCIENCE, HISTORY, WRITING AND SKILLS.
STUDENTS NEED TO MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD.
AND I WANT TO ADD TO THAT SPEECH THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDING SPEECH THAT VERY GOOD JOB.
THE AGENDA OF PUSHING SEXUALITY MUST STOP.
MOST OF THE TAXPAYERS DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS AGENDA.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE ALL THESE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN THIS SESSION IN AUSTIN.
BANNED GENDER MODIFICATION FOR CHILDREN.
STOP SEXUAL SEXUALIZING TEXAS KIDS.
SB 163, SB 391, SB 393 AND SB 437.
OUR LEGISLATIVE BODY IS GOING TO PASS A BILL ON BANNING GENDER MODIFICATION AND AND STOP SEXUALIZING OUR KIDS WILL BECOME THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS ARE DEMANDING THEM TO STOP THE MADNESS.
NO ONE NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT SEXUALITY AT THIS IN SCHOOL.
THE AGENDA THAT YOU'RE PUSHING IS HURTING OUR STUDENTS.
THIS IS A DECISION THAT EACH PERSON NEEDS TO MAKE ON THEIR OWN.
OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS.
IT'S TO IS TO BRING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TEACHING THEM ACADEMIA, NOT SEXUALITY.
IT IS TIME THAT WE GET BACK TO INSTRUCTING THE STUDENTS AND SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS THAT YOU EVEN HAD A STUDENT SPEAK AT A MEETING ON WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE TRANSGENDER. IT'S JUST APPALLING.
AGAIN, WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SEXUALITY? LEAVE THAT TO THE PARENTS.
THANK YOU. CATHY CLASSIC, FOLLOWED BY MARVIN WILSON AND THEN HANNAH CLARKSON. HELLO.
I AM A MOTHER OF FRISCO ISD STUDENTS.
A RESIDENT OF FRISCO AND A FRISCO ISD STAFF MEMBER.
MY WORDS TONIGHT WERE INSPIRED BY A SPEECH GIVEN BY MR. FRED ROGERS OF MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I AM SO GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO BE PART OF A TEAM THAT FOCUSES ON HELPING STUDENTS MEET THEIR GOALS.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HELPED ME REACH THE GOALS IN MY LIFE.
SOME OF THEM ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM, SOME FAR AWAY.
SOME ARE NO LONGER HERE WITH US ON EARTH.
ALL OF US HAVE SPECIAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED US IN OUR LIVES.
5 SECONDS TO THINK ABOUT AND REMEMBER SPECIAL HELPERS IN OUR LIVES.
THE PEOPLE WE REMEMBERED MUST BE PLEASED TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE WE FEEL THAT THEY MADE IN OUR LIVES.
[00:50:01]
YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE.IT IS TIME FOR ALL OF THE FRISCO ISD STAKEHOLDERS TO CONTINUE THE DISTRICT'S MISSION AND THE GOOD WORK OF KNOWING EACH CHILD BY NAME AND NEED AND HELPING EACH CHILD REACH THEIR GOALS.
STUDENT GOALS ARE OUR GUIDING COMPASS.
THANK YOU BOARD FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO HANNAH CLARKSON.
HI, MY NAME IS HANNAH CLARKSON AND I AM A FIRST GRADE TEACHER HERE IN FRISCO ISD.
TONIGHT I RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE ASKING ME THE QUESTION.
TELL ME ONE THING YOU ARE PROUD ABOUT IN FRISCO ISD.
AND THEN I RESPONDED AFTER MY RESPONSE, THE PERSON HAD SAID, YOU NEED TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR IMPACT.
SO HERE I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT.
THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE WAY FRISCO MOLDS STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.
THE PERSON WHO TEXTED ME AND ASKED ME WAS MY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
INSTEAD OF TAKING MY WORDS AND SHARING THEM ON MY BEHALF.
SHE TOLD ME TO SHARE MY TRUTH AND SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPACT FRISCO ISD HAS MADE ON ME.
FRISCO ISD MOLDS STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS TO BE GO GETTERS, TO NOT SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR WHAT YOU WANT, BUT TO GRAB IT AND TO RUN FRISCO ISD ROOTS FOR YOU AND CHEERS FOR YOU AND YOUR SUCCESSES.
I AM A PROUD K THROUGH 12 FRISCO ISD ALUMNI.
I'M BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BACK IN THE SYSTEM, BUT NOW IN A DIFFERENT ROLE.
I STILL HAVE MANY RELATIONSHIPS WITH PAST TEACHERS, AND I THINK THAT THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES IS AN AND IS A TRUE REFLECTION OF THE IMPACT MADE IN THIS DISTRICT. IT GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND INSTILLS A DESIRE AND PASSION FOR LIFE AND FOR RELATIONSHIPS.
FRISCO ISD IS MORE THAN A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
FRISCO ISD IS A COMMUNITY AND A FAMILY THAT WILL NEVER STOP GROWING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANANYA SINGH, FOLLOWED BY SURIA SINGH.
RAMA SINGH AND THEN ISHAN SIKE.
GOOD EVENING. OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
AND I'VE BEEN PART OF IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE ONE OF THE TOP TEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS, A FACT THAT I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF.
BUT STILL, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO FACE UNDER-RESOURCED FROM OUR SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAMS, TEAMS THAT MANY OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE TO FACE ON NEARLY THE SAME BASES AS WE DO. FRISCO ISD HAS MANAGED TO STAY ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND DEBATE PROGRAMS IN THE NORTH TEXAS DEBATE CIRCUIT.
STAYING ON TOP OF MOST OF THE TOURNAMENTS WE HOLD ON THE STATE AND AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE BUDGET CUTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON SINCE BEFORE COVID 19 STARTED, THESE TOURNAMENTS ARE BECOMING LESS OF A REALITY AND MORE OF AN IMPOSSIBLE GRAB FOR OUR STUDENTS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT TOO, IS RUNNING OUT RIGHT NOW.
AS JUST LAST YEAR WE LOST TWO COACHES TO THE NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS OF COPPELL AND PLANO, NOT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SEE A POTENTIAL IN US, BUT BECAUSE THEY SAW A POTENTIAL IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE FUNDS, RESOURCES AND VALUES THAT THEY NEEDED TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL DEBATE PROGRAM ALLOWING FRISCO ISD CHILDREN THE ABILITY TO STAND ON THE NATIONAL STAGE AND GIVE A SPEECH, GIVE A SPEECH WITH CONFIDENCE IS A SKILL THAT THE BOARD HAS THE ABILITY TO IMBUE IN OUR KIDS, BUT ONLY IF THEY CHOOSE TO RESOURCE OUR UNDER-RESOURCED DEBATE TEAM.
BUDGET CUTS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE COVID 19, ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.
[00:55:03]
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, FRISCO ISD HAS BEEN ABLE TO SEND LESS AND LESS KIDS OF STATE AND NATIONALS EVERY YEAR SINCE 2019, REDUCING OUR IMPACT ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND THEREFORE REDUCING THE IMPACT THAT KIDS HAVE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND TO LEARN THESE SKILLS.GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD.
AND WHEN STUDENTS COMPETE, DEPENDING ON THEIR RANKINGS, THEY GET FOR STATE AND NCAA NATIONAL POINTS.
IF STUDENTS ACCUMULATE ENOUGH TO FACE STATE POINTS BY COMPETING, THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE IN THE NATIONAL QUALIFYING DISTRICT TOURNAMENT, WHERE IF THEY RANK IN TOP SPOTS, THEY QUALIFY TO NATIONALS.
SO FAR, THE ONLY SCHOOLS THAT CONSISTENTLY COMPETE IN SGA AND TFA LEVEL TOURNAMENTS, WHICH TEND TO HAVE FAR MORE OPPORTUNITIES, ARE CENTENNIAL EMERSON AND WAKELAND HIGH SCHOOL AT CENTENNIAL.
THE LACK OF FUNDING TO OUR SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAMS HAS DECREASED THE NUMBER OF LOCAL TOURNAMENTS THAT WE GO TO, MAKING IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS TO GET FOR STATE IN NCAA NATIONAL POINTS.
THIS DECISION IS DETRIMENTAL BECAUSE, TO PUT IT SIMPLY, OUR TEAM IS GOOD.
WE ARE RANKED AS ONE OF THE TOP 64 PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE TEAMS INTERNATIONALLY IN 2021.
COMPETITION WITH SCHOOLS IN PLANO, COPPELL AND PROSPER WITH MORE FUNDING AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
JUST THINK OF HOW MUCH MORE OUR STUDENTS CAN ACCOMPLISH.
BY DOING SO, YOU WILL NOT ONLY BE INVESTING IN THE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS THAT SPEECH AND DEBATE PROGRAMS HAVE TO OFFER, BUT ALSO THE FUTURE OF OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING A REQUEST.
MY DAD. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
I'M A TAXPAYER FROM FRISCO AND I'M A MOM OF TWO KIDS.
BUT TONIGHT AND ACTUALLY, I AGREE WITH ALL THE PARENTS, WHATEVER THEY TALKED ABOUT HERE, BUT BECAUSE THE DEBATE KIDS WANTED ME TO COME HERE AND I HAVE SEEN THEM, I HAVE SEEN THEM COMPLAINING, CRYING, THEY WORK SO HARD, YOU KNOW, AND AFTERWARDS THEY DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND COMPETE IN THE COMPETITIONS.
THEY ARE LOSING THEIR COACHES TO THE COMPETITIVE OTHER ISDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I FEEL SOMETIMES BAD DID I TOOK THE RIGHT DECISION BY COMING IN THIS CITY.
MY 11TH GRADER WILL PASS OUT SOON.
I HAVE A SECOND GRADER, AS I MENTIONED.
IS IT A TIME FOR ME AND MY OTHER FRIENDS AND OTHER FAMILIES TO THINK ABOUT RELOCATING SO THAT WE CAN GET BETTER OPPORTUNITIES THERE? THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH I'M THINKING AND I'M SERIOUSLY THINKING ABOUT IT.
IF THEY CAN LOOK INTO IT, WHY THE BUDGET WAS CUT OFF SO DRASTICALLY.
[01:00:04]
WE HAVE SUCH GREAT POTENTIAL.YOU HAVE SEEN THESE THREE OR FOUR KIDS WHO HAVE SPOKE TONIGHT.
THEY JUST PREPARED THEMSELVES AND THEY ARE HERE.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHY THIS DEBATE AND SPEECH IS IMPORTANT.
SO I WOULD JUST REQUEST THE BOARD MEMBERS TO REVISIT AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO.
MY KIDS OR THESE KIDS HAVE MISSED OPPORTUNITY, BUT LET THE OTHER POTENTIAL PEOPLE OR THE KIDS WHO WHO WHO CAN GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO BETTER IN THEIR LIVES THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
AFTER. ISHAN, OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS STEPHEN KIRSHNER.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I'M SEAN SHAKE, A JUNIOR AT EMERSON HIGH SCHOOL AND A MEMBER OF THE SPEECH AND DEBATE PROGRAM.
WE'VE GIVEN YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION REGARDING OUR STRUGGLES AND THE PROBLEMS OF OUR PROGRAMS, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BREAK FROM THAT AND SAID I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR GREATER AMOUNTS OF FUNDING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BEFORE I DO THAT, I'LL GIVE THEM A STORY OF MY OWN.
AND JUST LIKE SHREYA DANIEL, WHO SPOKE RIGHT BEFORE ME, DEBATE HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED WHO I AM.
AND THAT'S BY NO MEANS AN EXAGGERATION.
DURING MY EARLY YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD STAGE FRIGHT, A STUTTER, LACK OF CONFIDENCE.
AND IF YOU TOLD ME BACK THEN I WOULD BE STANDING HERE SPEAKING TO SUCH A LARGE AND INFLUENTIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE, MY LEGS PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING ME RIGHT NOW TO FIX THIS ISSUE.
I JOIN SPEECH AND DEBATE, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS I COULD HAVE EVER MADE.
THIS PROGRAM'S BENEFITS SHOULDN'T SHOULD ALSO BE ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE LACK OF FUNDING, IT ISN'T POSSIBLE AT THE MOMENT.
BUT LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY SPEECH AND DEBATE ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE STUDENTS NOWADAYS.
TEENAGERS ARE INFLUENCED BY SOCIAL MEDIA, WHETHER IT BE FOR THE NEWEST TREND OR FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOCIAL MEDIA ISN'T THE BEST INFLUENCE WITH CREATORS SUCH AS ANNOTATE AND AIDAN ROSS PROMOTING MISOGYNISTIC, ANTI LGBTQ AND TRANSPHOBIC CONTENT ON THE INTERNET TO THEIR TEENAGE AUDIENCES WHO ARE THEN USING THOSE IDEOLOGIES AND HARASSING PEOPLE.
STUDENTS NOW MORE THAN EVER, HAVE TO BE INFORMED ABOUT CURRENT ISSUES, TAUGHT HOW TO RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS AND UTILIZE THE CREATIVE ABILITY THEY HAVE TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE IN SOCIETY.
SPEECH AND DEBATE DOESN'T JUST PROVIDE PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS AND GIVE PEOPLE CONFIDENCE, BUT ALSO PROVIDE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME BETTER PEOPLE AND BECOME THE FUTURE LEADERS IN THAT OUR WORLD NEEDS.
I KNOW WE'VE GIVEN YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO LET ME QUICKLY RECAP WHAT WE COVERED.
IF I FISD NEW SPEECH AND DEBATE, THESE FEW SPEECH AND DEBATE PROGRAMS ARE DYING OUT.
THESE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING CLOSED OFF EVEN WITH ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
IT'S PREVENTING PRACTICAL SKILLS FROM BEING TAUGHT FROM ALL OVER OUR DISTRICT.
MY TEAM AND I URGE YOU STUDENT BOARD TO PROTECT AND PROVIDE THE DISTRICT FOR FUTURE STUDENTS, FOR PROVIDE PROVIDING GREATER FUNDING TO THE SPEECH AND DEBATE PROGRAMS. AND MOST OF ALL, WE URGE YOU TO GIVE STUDENTS ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT A CHANCE TO STRENGTHEN THEIR VOICE, NOT TAKE IT AWAY.
HELLO. MY NAME IS STEVE KIRSHNER.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE IN FRISCO FOR 19 YEARS, AND AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT, A FORMER COACH, HE KNOWS HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO CONNECT WITH A CHILD AND HOW A COACH CAN CHANGE A CHILD'S.
ALTITUDE AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO STRIVE.
A GOOD COACH IS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF WINS.
A GREAT COACH IS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF LIVES HE'S TOUCHED AND CHANGED.
I HAVE THREE YOUNG BOYS AS A SINGLE DAD AND A SENIOR CITIZEN THAT'S DISABLED IN FRISCO ISD.
I'VE GOT A FIFTH GRADER THAT IS READING ON THE FIRST GRADE LEVEL AND BASICALLY IT'S PLAYED KICKED THE CAN BETWEEN STUDENT SERVICES, SPECIAL ED AND BOTTOM LINE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS DO NO HARM TO THE CHILD.
[01:05:01]
OK. AND MY ONE BOY HAS BEEN AT FIVE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND FRISCO ISD I'VE BEEN PROMISED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MEET HIS NEEDS IF THEY CAN'T MEET HIS NEEDS TO PAY FOR HIM TO GET EDUCATED SOMEWHERE ELSE IN A PROPER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.THE OTHER THING IS THAT I AM HERE TO BE AN ALLY, NOT AN ADVERSARY.
PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULDN'T THROW STONES.
I'M A LITTLE BIT DISMAYED OF WHAT I'VE SEEN TONIGHT, ATTACKING ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO, FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN WITNESS FOR OVER 12 YEARS, HE'S GOT A SON THAT'S NEVER MADE A B IN HIS LIFE.
AND HE'S A GOOD CHRISTIAN MAN WITH A GREAT FAMILY THAT WHEN I WAS DOWN AND OUT IN THE HOSPITAL BY MYSELF AND NO ONE ELSE TO COME, HE TOOK CARE OF MY KIDS. AND THE GREATEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE SOMEBODY IS TO GIVE UP YOURSELF.
THE OTHER GENTLEMAN SPOKE ABOUT CAMP, MY BOYS IN FIFTH GRADE.
HE HAD TO DO EVERYTHING TO BE ABLE TO GO ON A TRIP TO SKY RANCH.
EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY CHILD.
YOU HAVE TO TEACH THE WAY THAT CHILD LEARNS AND YOU NEED TO ADAPT.
AND ALSO, WHAT WERE YOU TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND BUILD A BRIDGE, NOT BE DECISIVE.
YOU SHOULD FORGIVE AND MOVE FORWARD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
THAT WAS OUR FINAL SPEAKER FOR THE EVENING.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL AND WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.