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IT IS 6:43 P.M.. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? OKAY.
AWESOME. WE HAVE ALL SEVEN TRUSTEES PRESENT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE ONE AND ONLY AGENDA ITEM, AND THAT IS THE COMMUNICATION TO AND FROM THE BOARD.
BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO LONE STAR HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO HAVE A COMMUNITY INPUT NIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE AUDITORIUM, WHICH IS UNUSUAL FOR US. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF TRIAL AND ERROR, BUT WE WANTED TO KIND OF GET EVERYBODY INTO ONE OF OUR CAMPUSES.
I SEE SOME I SEE A STUDENT ACTUALLY OF LONE STAR HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. THERE YOU GO. AND JUST TO KIND OF SEE SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES GET US OFF THE DAIS, GET US HERE IN FRONT OF YOU, AND WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GOES.
AND SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT ONE AGENDA ITEM COMMUNICATION TO AND FROM THE BOARD.
WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OFF TO TRUSTEE MADDOX.
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HILL. 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 ANOTHER SPEAKER. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE INFORMATION SHARED IN 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.
EACH SPEAKER SHOULD HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD REGARDING ITEMS RELATED TO DISTRICT BUSINESS OF GOVERNANCE. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLING ORDER, WHICH EACH INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC CONCERN RELATED TO AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DISTRICT OR A SPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUE, YOU SHOULD UTILIZE THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE PROVIDED IN BOARD POLICY DBA LOCAL F AND G LOCAL AND GF LOCAL HE'S GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE ALLOWS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO REDRESS GRIEVANCE WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
ADDITIONALLY, IF THERE ARE FIVE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SAME TOPIC, YOU MAY CHOOSE TO APPOINT AN INDIVIDUAL TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP. MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU, TRUSTEE MADDOX, WE HAVE.
LET'S SEE. CURRENTLY ABOUT 18 PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
COME ON UP FOLLOWED BY. [INAUDIBLE] KARTHIK. SO JUST KIND OF GET READY AFTER MR. JESSON IS DONE.
GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M ON TARGET.
THE TOPIC IS COMMUNITY INPUT NIGHT. SO IT'S YOUR TOPIC.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS HAS BECOME AN ISSUE, AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE THE THE BIBLE HAS BEEN.
WELL, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SAYS THAT'S CHRISTIAN STUFF.
WELL, YEAH, BUT IT'S ALSO JUDAIC. BUT IN YOU GO TO THE ROOM WHERE THE SUPREME COURT MEETS, THERE'S THIS BIG DEPICTION OF MOSES HOLDING THE TWO TABLETS OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
THE US CONGRESS IS THE FIRST PUBLISHER OF BIBLES IN AMERICA.
THE BIBLE IS THE FIRST BOOK CHOSEN FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO TEACH A READING.
SO TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A NORMAL THING TO HAVE.
AND WHEN I GREW UP IN THE LAST CENTURY IT WAS TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE ON EVERY SCHOOL ROOM WALL.
WHAT HAS CHANGED? DON'T KNOW. SO TO ME, IT'S KIND OF A NICE THING.
AND THE SECOND THING ABOUT IT IS ONE OF THE WHEN I GREW UP, IT WAS VERY, VERY COMMON FOR US TO RELATE WITH THE SCHOOLS IN LOCO PARENTIS, WHICH IS LATIN FOR IN PLACE OF PARENTS.
SO MY MOM WAS UP TO SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE WORKING FOR HER.
THEY ARE THE MOST PRECIOUS THING WE HAVE AS PARENTS, IS OUR KIDS.
SO WE HAND THEM OFF TO THE SCHOOLS AND EXPECT THE SCHOOLS TO TAKE WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR VALUES AND TEACH THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO TEACH, PRIMARILY READING, WRITING, AND ARITHMETIC. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF AN EMPHASIS ON THOSE.
AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T HAVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS THAT CAN BE IN THE SUPREME COURT ROOM.
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YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE JEWISH, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE CHRISTIAN FOR THOSE VALUES.BUT THAT IS WHAT MOST PARENTS KIND OF WANT FOR THEIR KIDS AND TO BE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
SO WE HOPE THAT THEY GOT [INAUDIBLE]. I KNOW THERE'S SOME PEOPLE TRYING TO TAKE IT DOWN.
MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, IS THE SCHOOL BOARD FULLY ON BOARD NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REST OF THE STATE? YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE THEM UP BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO HAVE THEM UP AND UP.
BECAUSE IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE SUPREME COURT, SHOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR US.
[APPLAUSE] CAN I MAKE MY. THANK YOU, MR. JESSON.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB. JUST WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING, SPEAK INTO THE MIC LIKE MR. JESSON DID. AND IF I CAN'T HEAR YOU FOR WHATEVER REASON, I'LL TRY TO CATCH IT.
NEXT UP. [INAUDIBLE] KARTHIK. FOLLOWED BY SARAH HAVERLY. HELLO. HEY EVERYONE, MY NAME IS KARTHIK VUNNAVA AND I'M A SENIOR AT INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND BEFORE I STARTED, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW I LOVE THIS NEW FORMAT.
AND WHAT ZIGSAW IS, IS THAT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A TUTOR BASED, PEER BASED TUTORING PLATFORM WHERE IT ENABLES JUNIORS AND SENIORS TO BE ABLE TO TUTOR VARIOUS AMOUNT OF SKILLS OF THEIR OWN SKILL SET TO YOUNGER STUDENTS WHO NEED THE HELP ONLY IN FISD.
WHAT I CAME HERE WAS THAT I WANTED TO KNOW HOW WE CAN MAKE ZIGSAW APPROVED BY FISD, OR IT CAN BE PUT IN STUDENT PORTALS, AND TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO PROMOTE THE PLATFORM FOR FURTHER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE APP.
I ALREADY REACHED OUT TO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MY PRINCIPAL AS WELL AS LEADERS AT FRISCOISD.ORG, BUT I'M STILL STUCK ON HOW TO FURTHER MOVE WITH THIS PROCESS AND BE ABLE TO MAKE ZIGSAW MORE ACCESSIBLE TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND GETTING PEOPLE TO BE ONE WITH THE MOVEMENT.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE A COUPLE OF SECONDS IF I'M ALLOWED TO.
COULD I SHOW THE PLATFORM AROUND WITH YOU IF THAT'S POSSIBLE? YOU'RE WELCOME TOSPEAK TO IT TO US. AND IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE TO US, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT.
AND I'M ALSO GOING TO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH A FEW FOLKS TO DIRECTLY COMMUNICATE WITH.
ALL RIGHT. SO BASICALLY I CAN'T PRESENT, BUT I COULD SEND YOU THE PLATFORM OR.
BUT YEAH, IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW I CAN MAKE IT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
OKAY. CERTAINLY WILL. AND, DOCTOR CUNNINGHAM IS THIS SOMETHING YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH HIM ABOUT? THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING UP.
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] OKAY. SARAH HAVERLY, FOLLOWED BY MELANIE JONES. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I AM STANDING HERE TODAY BECAUSE A BOND DID NOT PASS. AT LEAST THAT'S THE LENS THROUGH WHICH SCHOOL BOARD ADVISERS HAVE DISCUSSED THE FUTURE OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THIS IS THE ONLY TITLE ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT.
ITS POPULATION IS UNIQUE AND SO ARE ITS CHALLENGES, AND CLOSING IT WOULD TAKE AWAY CRITICAL SUPPORT FROM SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS. THE VERY ONES WHO NEED STABILITY, RESOURCES AND A SENSE OF BELONGING IN THEIR EDUCATION.
WHAT CONCERNS ME FURTHER IS THE WAY FUNDING HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
THERE ARE FUNDS THAT WERE SET ASIDE FROM PRIOR YEARS, SPECIFICALLY FOR WORK TO BE DONE ON STALEY TO FRAME THIS AS IF THOSE RESOURCES CANNOT BE USED OR ARE COMPLETELY INSUFFICIENT, IS MISLEADING, AND SHIFTS THE FOCUS AWAY FROM THE REAL ISSUE THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS.
SO YOUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO KNOW EVERY CHILD BY NAME AND NEED.
I ASK YOU TO REFLECT HONESTLY ON HOW THIS DECISION ALIGNS WITH THAT MISSION? WHEN THE FOCUS TURNS PRIMARILY TO FINANCIAL MANEUVERING INSTEAD OF ON THE STUDENT'S EDUCATION AND WELL-BEING,
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WE LOSE SIGHT OF WHY WE ARE HERE. THIS SCHOOL IS NOT JUST A BUILDING.AND I THINK I HAVE TIME TO SAY THAT AGAIN. THIS SCHOOL IS NOT A BUILDING.
IT IS A COMMUNITY, A FAMILY, A FOUNDATION OF OPPORTUNITY FOR CHILDREN WHO SO OFTEN HAVE FEWER DOORS OPEN TO THEM. ELIMINATING IT WOULD CAUSE REAL HARM, AND IT WOULD SEND THE MESSAGE THAT MONEY MATTERS MORE THAN PEOPLE.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS COURSE OF ACTION TO CLOSE STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL TO STOP LOOKING AT THIS SITUATION THROUGH THE NARROW LENS OF BUDGET LINE ITEMS. THESE ARE REAL LIVES AND FUTURES OF STUDENTS THAT YOU ARE ENTRUSTED TO SERVE.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MISS HAVERLY.
MISS MELANIE JONES. HI, THERE. FOLLOWED BY OKAY, FOLLOWED BY MR. KYLE ROLFS. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. HI, FRIENDS.
THIS DECISION IS NOT ONLY ABOUT PRESERVING A VALUED INSTITUTION, BUT ALSO ABOUT ENSURING THAT OUR DISTRICT MAKES RESPONSIBLE, DATA DRIVEN CHOICES FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL STUDENTS AND THE BROADER FRISCO COMMUNITY.
ALL THREE SCHOOLS SERVE SIMILAR NUMBERS OF STUDENTS, SUGGESTING THAT STALEY CONTINUES TO BE A VITAL ROLE IN BALANCING DISTRICT CAPACITY AND MAINTAINING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EDUCATION. MORE IMPORTANTLY, STALEY IS OUR DISTRICT'S ONLY TITLE ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH MEANS IT SERVES A PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE POPULATION OF STUDENTS WHO RELY ON ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS AND RESOURCES.
RECENT MINOR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS AT STALEY HAVE BEEN BOTH EFFECTIVE AND IMPACTFUL.
THESE REFRESHES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A MARKED ENHANCEMENT IN THE SCHOOL'S PHYSICAL CONDITION, ADDRESSING PREVIOUS CONCERNS AND CREATING A MORE CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING.
MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WALK TO SCHOOL AND ATHLETIC PRACTICES.
REZONING THESE STUDENTS TO OTHER CAMPUSES WILL NOT ONLY FORCE LONGER COMMUTES, BUT WOULD CAUSE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF CUTTING OFF ACCESS, NOT CREATING OPPORTUNITY. LOSING THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND ATHLETICS DUE TO TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS.
FURTHER DISADVANTAGES AN ALREADY VULNERABLE GROUP.
RATHER THAN CONSIDERING CLOSURE, I URGE THE BOARD TO EXPLORE REZONING OPTIONS FOR SCHOOLS EXPERIENCING GENUINE OVERCROWDING, SPECIFICALLY TRENT AND WESTERN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BY REZONING AND REDIRECTING THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE OVER CAPACITY.
WE CAN RELIEVE PRESSURE, OPTIMIZE FACILITY USAGE, AND MAINTAIN BALANCED ENROLLMENT ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AS SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS FROM TRENT AND WOOSTER CAN BE REZONED TO STALEY.
HOWEVER, THE DELAY IN DEPLOYING THESE FUNDS HAS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY COST.
ITS LOCATION ALLOWS MOST STUDENTS TO WALK TO SCHOOL AND ACCESS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD BE LOST THROUGH REZONING. ADDRESSING OVERCROWDING THROUGH TARGETED REZONING AND ENSURING RESPONSIBLE USE OF BOND FUNDS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS THAN CLOSURE. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE BOARD TO KEEP STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL OPEN.
UPHOLD OUR COMMITMENTS AND PRIORITIZE THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL FRISCO STUDENTS.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MISS JONES.
MR. KYLE ROLFS, FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE BRONCANO.
GOOD EVENING GUYS. SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
LET ME BEGIN WITH BOLD TRUTH THAT ALL GREAT CIVILIZATIONS ARE FOUNDED ON A MORAL FOUNDATION.
AND FOR AMERICA, THAT FOUNDATION IS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
THESE ARE NOT JUST RELIGIOUS SAYINGS THAT HAVE BEEN CARVED INTO STONE THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE LAW, THE BEDROCK OF MORALITY AND THE COMPASS THAT HAS GUIDED OUR FREE PEOPLE FOREVER. TO REMOVE THEM OR TO NOT POST THEM FOR OUR SCHOOLS, WOULD DENY OUR CHILDREN THE VERY PRINCIPLES THAT MADE OUR NATION STRONG. FROM THE VERY BIRTH OF AMERICAN EDUCATION THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE IN THE NEW ENGLAND PRIMER,
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THE EVERY. SORRY. THE FIRST TEXTBOOK WAS THE NEW ENGLAND PRIMER TAUGHT CHILDREN THAT NOT ONLY THE ALPHABET BUT THE COMMANDMENTS, BECAUSE OUR FOREFATHERS KNEW THAT THE KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT VIRTUE IS DANGEROUS.FOR NEARLY TWO CENTURIES MORALITY AND EDUCATION WALKED HAND IN HAND.
THE VERY LAWS OF OUR LAND REFLECT THE COMMANDMENTS.
DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS.
THESE ARE NOT JUST MAN MADE INVENTIONS. THEY ARE ETERNAL TRUTHS.
GEORGE WASHINGTON HIMSELF DECLARED REASONS AND EXPERIENCE BOTH FORBID US TO EXPECT THE NATIONAL MORALITY CAN PREVAIL IN EXCLUSION OF RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLE. AND JOHN ADAMS WARNED, US PLAINLY THAT OUR CONSTITUTION WAS MADE ONLY, WAS MADE ONLY FOR MORAL AND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE.
IT IS WHOLLY INADEQUATE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ANY OTHER.
IF WE WANT LIBERTY TO SURVIVE, WE MUST RETURN TO THE MORAL ROOTS THAT SUSTAIN IT.
POSTING THESE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN SCHOOLS IS NOT ABOUT FORCING RELIGION.
IT'S ABOUT RESTORING CLARITY. IT IS ABOUT REMINDING YOUNG PEOPLE THAT RIGHT AND THE RIGHT AND WRONG ARE REAL, THAT INTEGRITY MATTERS, AND FREEDOM CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY.
AMERICA DOES NOT. AMERICA DOES NOT JUST NEED ANOTHER NEED SMARTER STUDENTS.
IT NEEDS WISER, STRONGER, AND MORE MORAL CITIZENS.
AND THAT BEGINS BY PLACING ETERNAL TRUTHS WHERE THEY WERE YOUNG EYES CAN SEE THEM EVERY DAY.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT RELICS OF THE PAST.
THEY ARE THE ROADMAP TO A JUST AND FREE FUTURE.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MR. ROLFS. NEXT UP IS MISS STEPHANIE BRONCANO, FOLLOWED BY MR. JACQUEZ JONES. HELLO. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE FRISCO ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS BY PLACING THEM IN DISTRICT CLASSROOMS. A LOT OF WHAT I WANT TO SAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID ELOQUENTLY, SO FORGIVE ME IF I REPEAT SOME THINGS, BUT KIDS TODAY WOULD NO DOUBT BENEFIT FROM REMINDERS OF THE BASIC LAWS THAT CREATE A CIVIL SOCIETY.
THE IDEA THAT MURDER IS NOT OKAY, THAT SPOUSES SHOULD STAY FAITHFUL TO ONE ANOTHER, THAT CHILDREN SHOULD RESPECT AND HONOR THEIR PARENTS, THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT LIE BUT TELL THE TRUTH, THESE AREN'T JUST GOOD IDEAS THAT SOMEBODY CAME UP WITH.
THESE ARE BASED IN SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN US.
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A DIVERSE NATION. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A GENERAL RESPECT IN PREVIOUS GENERATIONS FOR OUR LEGAL FOUNDATION, WHICH IS BASED IN BIBLICAL WISDOM, INCLUDING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
AND I WANT TO ADD THAT THE WHOLE IDEA OF A GOVERNMENT WHERE IT'S BY THE PEOPLE, OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE. THAT CAN ONLY HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO GOVERN THEMSELVES.
AND SOMEBODY'S GOT TO SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE THE WAY.
WE ARE SIMPLY ASKING FOR THEM TO REMAIN DISPLAYED.
KNOWLEDGE OF THESE FOUNDATIONAL LAWS OF A CIVIL SOCIETY IS CRITICAL FOR A NATION WHOSE GOVERNMENT, AGAIN, IS OF AND BY THE PEOPLE. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS MUST BE RETURNED TO AND REMAIN IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE SEE A VERY CLEAR UPTICK IN VIOLENCE AND DISRESPECT FOR FELLOW CITIZENS.
WE ARE LIVING IN WESTERN SOCIETY, AND THESE ARE THE BASIC TENETS OF OUR WESTERN CIVILIZATION, AND THEY MUST BE UPHELD. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THE IDEA OF THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IS SOMETHING USED AGAINST ANY
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SEMBLANCE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. JEFFERSON WAS NOT TRYING TO REMOVE GOD FROM THE PUBLIC SQUARE, BUT TELL GOVERNMENT NOT TO TELL PEOPLE THEY COULDN'T WORSHIP THEIR GOD.THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. BRONCANO. THANK YOU.
MR. JACQUEZ JONES, FOLLOWED BY SETH ROSSER. HELLO.
AND I WELCOME YOU GUYS TO LONE STAR HIGH SCHOOL.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE. MISS DAVIS, I APPRECIATE YOU FOR COMING OUT TO THE HERITAGE VERSUS LONE STAR GAME TO DO THE COIN TOSS WHERE WE WON 50 TO 7. [LAUGHTER] BUT I COME UP HERE TO ONE.
BUT I FIRST COME UP HERE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR EXPRESSING YOUR INTEREST IN HAVING THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE THEY'RE AVAILABLE AND READY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO COME HERE. I ACTUALLY WAS AT WALGREENS RIGHT BEFORE I CAME TO THIS MEETING, AND MELANIE JONES SAID, HEY, WE'RE HAVING A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AT LONE STAR.
BUT I WANT YOU GUYS TO TURN OUT AND LOOK OUT THAT HALLWAY RIGHT THERE.
AND I WANT YOU TO JUST THINK ABOUT 12 TO 1300 STUDENTS WALKING THROUGH THAT HALLWAY EVERY MORNING.
THAT IS THE ONLY HALLWAY THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH C AND D HALL.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LET YOU GUYS KNOW AND KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS A CHOKE POINT FOR OUR SCHOOL IN REGARDS TO SAFETY AND AS WELL AS THIS HALLWAY TRAFFIC IN THE MORNING. AND SO WHEN I GET EMAILS OR TEXT MESSAGES FROM MY MOM ASKING WHY I'M LATE, I ALWAYS SEND HER A PICTURE OF OUR HALLWAYS AND SAY, WELL, THERE'S A FEW REASONS WHY I'M LATE. BUT ME AND MR. TOLSON, OUR PRINCIPAL HERE AT LONE STAR, ARE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. WE ACTUALLY HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT POTENTIALLY ADDING ANOTHER SKYWALK ABOVE THE LIBRARY TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC. AND SO JUST PUTTING SOME IDEAS OUT BEFORE THE BOARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MR. JONES.
AND WE DO INDEED INTEND TO GO VISIT ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS FOR THE NEXT COMMUNITY INPUT NIGHT.
NEXT UP IS SETH ROSSER, FOLLOWED BY MISS EVELYN, AND IT'S A BLANK ON THE LAST NAME.
SO JUST IF THERE'S AN EVELYN OUT THERE, YOU'RE UP NEXT.
SO I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS WELL. I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR ATTEMPTING TO ALLOW OUR NATION'S UNDENIABLE MORAL CODE, THAT BEING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, TO BE DISPLAYED ON CLASSROOM WALLS. THE POSITION YOU'VE TAKEN UP IS NOT THE MOST POPULAR ONE.
BUT I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR TAKING IT UP ANYWAYS.
BUT ALAS, HERE WE ARE. I WANT TO CONTINUE BY SAYING THAT THE POSITION I'M ABOUT TO EXPRESS IS NOT EXEMPLIFIED BASED SOLELY ON MY UNSHAKABLE FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS, NOR MY POLITICAL LEANINGS, BUT BASED ON OUR NATION'S MORAL AND LEGAL FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE UNDENIABLY INFLUENCED BY BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES, AND SPECIFICALLY THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I WANT TO START OFF BY TALKING ABOUT 1799, WHEN GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS SPEAKING TO THE DELAWARE NATIVE AMERICAN NATION.
AND WASHINGTON IS QUOTED SAYING, YOU DO WELL TO WISH TO LEARN OUR ARTS AND WAYS IN LIFE AND ABOVE ALL, THE RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST. THESE WILL MAKE YOU A GREATER AND HAPPIER PEOPLE THAN YOU ARE.
NEXT, I WANT TO BRING UP THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787.
THE CONFEDERATION CONGRESS KNEW THAT THE FOUNDATION OF EDUCATION WAS TO BUILD CITIZENS WHO WOULD GO AND THEN BUILD GOOD, GOOD GOVERNMENT. THAT IS WHY ARTICLE THREE OF THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE READS RELIGION, MORALITY, AND KNOWLEDGE BEING NECESSARY TO GOOD GOVERNMENT AND THE HAPPINESS OF MANKIND, SCHOOLS AND THE MEANS OF EDUCATION SHALL FOREVER BE ENCOURAGED.
THE THIRD EXAMPLE I WANT TO POINT OUT, WHICH I KNOW HAS ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP, IS THE NEW ENGLAND PRIMER, A TEXTBOOK THAT WAS USED UNTIL THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. THE NEW ENGLAND PRIMER USED DIRECT BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES AS ITS ALPHABET, FOR EXAMPLE, IN WHICH A AND B ARE IN ADAM'S FALL WE SEND ALL AND THY LIFE TO MEND THIS BOOK ATTEND, AS WELL AS THE LORD'S PRAYER AND A CATECHISM WITH QUESTIONS SUCH AS WHAT SPECIAL ACT OF PROVIDENCE DID GOD EXERCISE TOWARDS MAN IN THE STATE WHEREIN HIS HE WAS CREATED? OH, AND THAT WAS AN ELEMENTARY LEVEL QUESTION.
SO IF THAT DOESN'T TELL YOU HOW FAR OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS FALLEN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES.
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OUR KIDS USED TO PONDER THEOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES.NOW THEY WONDER WHAT GENDER THEY ARE. WHY DO I BRING ALL THIS UP? NOT BECAUSE OUR FOREFATHERS MERELY PRIORITIZED RELIGION IN EDUCATION, BUT BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD A TRUTH WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FORGET.
A NATION CANNOT REMAIN STRONG WITHOUT MORAL GROUNDING.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT JUST RELIGIOUS TEXTS, BUT THEY'RE THE TIMELESS MORAL CODE THAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS UNDERSTOOD TEACHES RESPECT FOR LIFE, FAMILY, HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. THESE ARE NOT CONTROVERSIAL VALUES.
IN A TIME WHEN OUR YOUNGEST ARE BOMBARDED WITH CONFUSION AND CHAOS WE OWE IT TO THEM TO GIVE CLARITY, NOT JUST IN READING AND MATH, BUT IN RIGHT AND WRONG.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS PROVIDE THAT CLARITY. THEY'RE NOT ABOUT COERCION, BUT THEY ARE ABOUT CHARACTER.
THEY'RE NOT ABOUT PREACHING, BUT THEY'RE ABOUT PRINCIPLES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ROSSER. NEXT UP IS MISS EVELYN BROOKS. I SEE NOW, FOLLOWED BY MR. ROD VILLHAUER. MISS BROOKS. THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
I KNOW REALLY FIRSTHAND HOW SACRIFICIAL THIS SERVICE IS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS EVELYN BROOKS, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOR OF LIVING HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M HERE BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL FRISCO ISD NOT TO CAVE IN TO PRESSURE.
THIS WAS A LAW THAT WAS PASSED. AND NOT ONLY THAT, I JUST WANT TO BRING TO YOUR MEMORY OR NOT EVEN MEMORY, BUT THERE'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THERE'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT'S HAYS CONSOLIDATED ISD.
AND THERE WAS A DONATION THERE. THERE WERE THREE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE DONATED TO ALL OF THEIR CLASSROOMS. ONE WAS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE OTHER WAS THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
TEACHERS WERE ASKED IN AN INTERVIEW WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS BEING POSTED, AND THE FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS WAS SIMPLY IT'S WE'RE NOT HERE TO TEACH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
WE'RE HERE BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS IT LEGALLY PASSED LAWFUL, BUT ALSO THEY WERE DONATED.
AND I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS BEING NEXT TO THEM.
THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE US TO REMEMBER THAT NOT ONLY IS THIS FROM A HISTORICAL POINT OF VIEW, THESE ARE FUNDAMENTAL SOCIETAL VALUES.
THESE ARE THINGS THIS IS INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD TELL OUR STUDENTS. IT'S PROHIBITED TO TELL A LIE, ESPECIALLY IN THE COURT OF LAW. YOU'RE PROHIBITED TO TAKE ANOTHER PERSON'S LIFE.
SO THESE THIS DOCUMENT IS A SOURCE OF PROTECTION OF LIFE, OF PROPERTY.
AND IT GOES BEYOND JUST THE DEBATE THAT WE HEAR GOING ON ABOUT A RELIGION IDEA.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR RECOLLECTION THIS EVERY NATION RECOGNIZES A RELIGION, AND THE UNITED STATES IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM THAT.
BUT WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE AND SPECIAL IS THE FIRST BILL OF RIGHTS, THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
YOU CAN PRACTICE ANY RELIGION OF YOUR CHOICE IN THIS NATION, WHICH MAKES IT REALLY GREAT.
IF I WERE TO PULL UP, WHAT RELIGION DO THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES PRACTICE, CHRISTIANITY COMES UP. SO TO ERASE THAT WOULD BE ERASING A PART OF OUR FUNDAMENTAL HISTORICAL FOUNDATION AND IDENTITY. SO AGAIN, TEACHERS ARE NOT TEACHING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
IT'S SIMPLY ON THE WALL. AND WHEN IT'S PLACED BESIDE THE TEN AMENDMENTS OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS, THE FIRST TEN AMENDMENTS. I THINK THAT BRINGS CLARITY FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO CAVE IN. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU, MISS BROOKS. [APPLAUSE]. MR. ROD VILLHAUER, FOLLOWED BY MISS ELIZABETH COLLIER. YES, SIR. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE TIME AND THE ENERGY THAT YOU SPEND TAKING CARE OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR TEACHERS, AND MOVING THIS SHIP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IT'S HUGE. I MOVED HERE IN 1984 ACTUALLY, 86.
AND THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THIS CITY, GEORGE PUREFOY, BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN.
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DOCTOR, RICK REEDY, BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN MACK BORCHARDT, FIRE CHIEF, BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN.GO DOWN THE LINE. MAYOR BOB WARREN, BORN AGAIN BELIEVER, CONFESSED COMPLETELY.
THIS CITY WAS FOUNDED ON PRINCIPLES AND LAWS OF GOD.
EACH ONE OF THEM. THEY PRAYED FOR WISDOM EVERY DAY.
SO WE HAVE ENJOYED THE BLESSING OF A GREAT CITY, GREAT SCHOOLS.
SO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS TO ME ARE A SIMPLE, YOU KNOW, DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 28.
READ IT. GOD SAID, IF YOU OBEY HIM, YOU'RE BLESSED. IF YOU DON'T, YOU'RE CURSED.
IT'S THAT SIMPLE. AND IF WE CAN HELP OUR KIDS UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST, HOW WONDERFULLY, FEARFULLY THEY'RE CREATED, AND YOU GUYS HELP THEM GET THE EDUCATION THEY NEED, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE.
THANK YOU. AND I DO SUPPORT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. VILLHAUER. MISS COLLIER, FOLLOWED BY MISS LOIS MCDOUGALL.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING OUR COMMENTS.
I APPRECIATE BEING HERE, AND I JUST WOULD ALSO LIKE TO STATE MY SUPPORT FOR THE DISPLAY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND TO HONOR THE VITAL PART OF THE FOUNDATION OF OUR LEGAL AND OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
THE MOSES AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE FRONT AND CENTER ON THE BUILDING OF THE SUPREME COURT, ALSO ON THE INSIDE. AND MOSES IS ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE CHAMBER WHERE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEETS.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT THESE ARE PRINCIPLES AND CORE VALUES THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF CIVILIZATION FOR YEARS, AND I JUST SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MISS COLLIER.
AND NOW IT'S MISS LOIS MCDOUGALL, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIE PATTON.
I LIVE IN LITTLE ELM, SO WHY DO I CARE ABOUT FRISCO SCHOOLS AND TEXAS SCHOOLS IN GENERAL.
WELL, IT'S BECAUSE I AM A REPUBLICAN PRECINCT CHAIR THAT COVERS FRISCO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I ALSO HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN ATTENDING TEXAS SCHOOLS.
I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD THING TO HAVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS DISPLAYED IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE VIRTUE AND BECOME GOOD CITIZENS.
SO I WANT TO READ TO YOU A QUOTE FROM THE SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. THE LAW GIVEN FROM SINAI, THAT'S THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WAS A CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL AS WELL AS A MORAL AND RELIGIOUS CODE. IT CONTAINED MANY STATUES OF UNIVERSAL APPLICATION LAWS ESSENTIAL TO THE EXISTENCE OF MEN IN SOCIETY, AND MOST OF WHICH HAVE BEEN ENACTED BY EVERY NATION, WHICHEVER PROFESSED ANY CODE OF LAWS. NOW, I WANT TO SUBMIT TO YOU AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM THAT IF CHILDREN SEE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THEN MAYBE THEY WILL ABSORB THEM.
AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, THEY WILL OBEY THEM, INTERNALIZE THEM, AND BECOME BETTER CITIZENS.
CHARLES CARROLL, ANOTHER SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, SAID, AND I QUOTE, WITHOUT MORALS, A REPUBLIC CANNOT SUBSIST ANY LENGTH OF TIME.
NOW, WHY DID HE SAY THAT? BECAUSE IF THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE MORAL STANDARD, THEN ONE CANNOT SAY IN A FINAL SENSE, A FINAL SENSE THAT ANYTHING IS RIGHT OR WRONG.
THERE EVENTUALLY EVOLVES CHAOS. IF THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE BEYOND MAN'S IDEAS, THEN THERE IS NO FINAL APPEAL, NO FINAL APPEAL TO JUDGE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WHOSE MORAL JUDGMENTS CONFLICT.
WE ARE MERELY LEFT WITH CONFLICTING OPINIONS.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SAID, ONLY A VIRTUOUS PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF FREEDOM.
AS NATIONS BECOME CORRUPT AND VICIOUS, THEY HAVE MORE NEED OF MASTERS.
[00:35:10]
SCRIPTURES. IS THAT THE END OF MY TIME? IT IS.MISS MCDOUGALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MISS MCDOUGALL. NOW IT'S MISS CHRISTIE PATTON, FOLLOWED BY MR. MIKE NORIEGA. HI, I'M CHRISTIE PATTON. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE MANY HOURS THAT YOU SPEND RUNNING THE SHIP, LIKE YOU SAID, RUNNING THE SHIP AND CARING FOR OUR KIDS. AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT IT'S NOT REALLY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT.
I WAS DRIVING HOME THE OTHER DAY AND SAW ALL THESE KIDS WALKING HOME TOWARDS MAIN STREET.
THE KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO GET TO SCHOOL.
I UNDERSTAND THEY'LL BE BUSSED. BUT AS IT'S AS WE'VE SAID AND AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED TONIGHT, THE ONLY REASON THEY GET TO PARTICIPATE IN AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES IS BECAUSE THEY CAN WALK, BECAUSE THEY CAN GET FROM SCHOOL, FROM HOME TO SCHOOL, BEFORE SCHOOL, FOR PRACTICE, AFTER SCHOOL, FOR PRACTICE, WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WALK.
AND THEIR PARENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO TAKE THEM TO AND FROM MANY OF THEM THEIR PARENTS ARE AT SCHOOL OR ALREADY AT WORK BEFORE THEY LEAVE FOR SCHOOL IN THE MORNING. THEY'RE STILL AT WORK WHEN THEY GET HOME FROM SCHOOL IN THE AFTERNOON.
SO THIS IS KEY TO THEIR SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. THESE ARE MANY OF THE SAME STUDENTS THAT, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, STALEY BEING THE ONLY TITLE ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED, AND THAT WHEN YOU BREAK THEM UP, THOSE TITLE ONE FUNDS, IF IT'S NOT A TITLE ONE SCHOOL, THOSE TITLE ONE FUNDS ARE DISPERSED OR GO AWAY BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS TO MAKE IT A TITLE ONE SCHOOL.
SO IT JUST IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE ARE HARMING THE STUDENTS THAT ARE LEAST ABLE TO REACT TO THAT AND RESPOND TO THAT. THERE'S PLENTY OF AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND AFFLUENT SCHOOLS IN FRISCO WHERE IF THEIR NEIGHBOR, THEIR SCHOOL CLOSED AND THEY HAD TO GO TO A SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, FOUR MILES AWAY, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT. BUT THE SCHOOLS IN OUR STATE OR THE KIDS IN OUR STALEY POPULATION ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THAT.
AND IF WE ARE WANTING TO KNOW EACH STUDENT BY NAME AND NEED.
THIS IS A BIG NEED. AND I JUST WOULD REQUEST ASK THAT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MISS PATTON.
NOW MR. MIKE NORIEGA, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW EARHART.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO NOT CELEBRATE SOMETHING NEW, NOT TO PROMOTE THE LAUNCH OF SOME RADICAL EXPERIMENT, BUT TO STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH FRISCO ISD FOR DOING SOMETHING PROFOUNDLY AMERICAN, SOMETHING ROOTED IN THE VERY SOUL OF OUR REPUBLIC'S HISTORY.
FRISCO ISD IS PLACING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS BACK INTO OUR CLASSROOMS. THIS INITIATIVE IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS. IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT RELIGION.
THIS IS ABOUT A TRUTH OLDER THAN OUR NATION, OLDER THAN THE PARCHMENT OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, OR OLDER THAN THE CONSTITUTION ITSELF. YOU SEE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE THE MORAL BEDROCK OF OUR CIVILIZATION, RESPECTED BY THOSE WHO HOLD IT AS PART OF THE RELIGION, BUT ALSO BY THOSE WHO CLAIM NO FAITH AT ALL, BECAUSE THEY DRAW A LINE BETWEEN CHAOS AND ORDER, BETWEEN A SOCIETY REJECTING THE VALUES OF INDIVIDUALS AND A SOCIETY WORTHY OF FREEDOM.
DO NOT STEAL. DO NOT MURDER. DO NOT LIE. HONOR YOUR PARENTS.
BE FAITHFUL. THESE ARE NOT RELIGIOUS DOGMAS. THEY ARE THE UNIVERSAL TRUTHS THAT ALLOW US TO LIVE TOGETHER, TO TRUST ONE ANOTHER, AND TO BUILD COMMUNITIES AND TO WORK, TO CONTINUE TO GROW A BETTER TOMORROW.
THEY REMIND US THAT IS RIGHT. BUT IT ALSO REMINDS US THERE IS WRONG.
AND OUR FOUNDING FATHERS UNDERSTOOD THIS. AS ALREADY MENTIONED, IN 1797, THE NORTHWEST ORDINANCE DECLARED RELIGION, MORALITY AND KNOWLEDGE BEING NECESSARY TO GOOD GOVERNMENT AND THE HAPPINESS OF MANKIND.
[00:40:02]
SCHOOLS AND THE MEANS OF EDUCATION SHALL FOREVER BE ENCOURAGED.FOREVER. NOT A DECADE, NOT UNTIL THE CULTURE SHIFTS, FOREVER.
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT STATED, ONE OF THE WORLD'S FOREMOST LEADERS ON CHARACTER, TO EDUCATE A MAN IN MIND AND NOT IN MORALS IS TO EDUCATE A MENACE TO SOCIETY AND LOOK AROUND. WHAT DO WE SEE TODAY? BRILLIANT MINDS WITHOUT MORAL ANCHORS. TECHNOLOGY USED WITHOUT VIRTUE.
INTELLIGENCE WITHOUT WISDOM, AND EDUCATION DIVORCED FROM A FIXED MORALITY.
THIS IS NOT BRINGING US CLOSER TO EACH OTHER, BUT RATHER IT'S TEARING US APART AS COMMUNITIES.
POSTING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS IS NOT A RELIGIOUS INITIATIVE, AS I MENTIONED, OR A POLITICAL STUNT. IT'S REMINDER ETCHED ON THE WALLS OF THE CLASSROOMS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ETCHED ON THE HEARTS OF THE NEXT GENERATION THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG.
IT'S A CALL TO NOT JUST SMART CHILDREN, BUT GOOD CHILDREN, MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL LEAD WITH CHARACTER, WHO WILL PRESERVE LIBERTY BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT LIBERTY WITHOUT VIRTUE IS NOT LIBERTY AT ALL.
AND FOR THAT I SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU, FRISCO ISD, FOR STANDING WITH TRUTH.
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION OVER TREND, TRADITION OVER POLITICS, AND TRUTH OVER COMPROMISE. MAY THIS BE THE BEGINNING OF A RESTORATION OF VIRTUE AND A FIXED TRUTH IN CLASSROOMS AND ACROSS AMERICA.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MR. NORIEGA. WE NOW HAVE MR. ANDREW EARHART, FOLLOWED BY OUR LAST SPEAKER, ALLISON REDDICK.
AND THAT'S THE TOPIC I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS TONIGHT. I HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE, AND I DO HAVE NEW COMMENTS, BUT WHY NOT START WITH AN OLD ONE? THE OPTION TO REBUILD STALEY DESIGNED FOR A THOUSAND KIDS.
I MENTIONED THIS AGAIN IN A MORE GENERAL SENSE.
THE BOND PROPOSITION WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT. LAST MARCH, THERE WAS ALSO TALK OF AN ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION BEING AVAILABLE FROM THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE 2018 BOND BEING ON HOLD. THAT WAS NOT MENTIONED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING.
IN FACT, STAFF DIDN'T KNOW AND COULDN'T FIND THE BOND STATUS QUICK ENOUGH WHEN ASKED.
BUT WITHIN TWO MINUTES MENTIONED IT WAS ONLINE.
BUT I NOW QUESTION WHAT THAT $40 MILLION IS NOW PLANNED FOR.
SURELY THERE'S $5 MILLION TO ALLOCATE TO THE OPTION OF A FULL REFRESH OF STALEY.
ALONG THOSE LINES, THOUGH, IF YOU CHOOSE TO RETIRE STALEY, I ASK WHAT THE CURRENT $20 MILLION RESERVE FOR STALEY WOULD BE SPENT ON THE OPTION TO REDO PLUMBING IS A GOOD ONE. LAST SPRING IT WAS PRESENTED AT 7 TO $10 MILLION, MAKING IT LESS ATTRACTIVE.
AT THE MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO, IT WAS NOTED AT 3.5 MILLION.
MUCH MORE REASONABLE THAN IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS EXACT ISSUE.
THE TIME FRAME WAS STILL LONG, BUT WHAT CHANGED ON THE COST? WHY WERE WE WRONG BEFORE ON THE TOPIC OF BEING WRONG BEFORE, THE DEMOGRAPHIC NUMBERS JUST PRESENTED AREN'T AS BAD AS THEY WERE PRESENTED LAST MARCH.
WHAT IF WE'RE STILL WRONG AND YOU CLOSE STALEY, BUT THEN HAVE CAPACITY ISSUES AT THE OTHER SCHOOLS? THE PROJECTIONS PRESENTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
IF STALEY IS CLOSED, ARE ALREADY TIGHT. WOULD WE NEED A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL ELSEWHERE? THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS PRESENTED ALSO SHOW STALEY ISN'T THE ISSUE.
SO IF YOU CLOSE STALEY, IT'S THE RESULT OF OTHER SCHOOLS AND ZONES DECLINING.
AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THE KIDS AND FAMILIES.
MY WIFE IS ONE OF THOSE AT ROGERS. WE'LL LOSE THAT IF STALEY IS CLOSED.
AND TO KEEP THIS INSTRUCTION WOULD MEAN ADDITIONAL BUDGET AT MULTIPLE SCHOOLS.
OR YOU'RE GOING TO DENY THOSE AT RISK KIDS THE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION.
FINALLY, YOU NEED TO ANSWER WHAT WOULD BE DONE WITH THIS STALEY BUILDING IF RETIRED? WOULD IT BE DEMOLISHED, FIXED AND REPURPOSED? YOU NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AS A BOARD BEFORE VOTING.
TO DO SO OTHERWISE WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING ITS LOCATION WITHIN DISTRICT LAND.
[00:45:05]
AND ESPECIALLY THE KIDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. EARHART. [APPLAUSE] LAST UP, MISS ALLISON REDDICK.GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALLISON REDDICK, AND I HAVE A SEVENTH GRADER AT STALEY MIDDLE SCHOOL. I SPOKE LAST YEAR TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR DEVOTED TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATION, AND STAFF WHEN THEY WERE BLINDSIDED BY THE DISTRICT'S PROPOSAL TO CLOSE STALEY AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
GIVEN THE PROFOUNDLY NEGATIVE IMPACT SUCH A DECISION WILL HAVE ON MY DAUGHTER AND THE OTHER STALEY STUDENTS, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISTRICT'S FINDING THAT ATTENDANCE IS DECREASING AND IT IS INEFFICIENT NOT TO CLOSE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE STALEY? GEOGRAPHICALLY, IT SIMPLY DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.
STALEY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS THE LONE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE HEART OF FRISCO.
WOULD IT NOT MAKE MORE SENSE TO CONSIDER ANOTHER SCHOOL LIKE GRIFFIN FOR CLOSURE, GIVEN ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND ITS DECLINING STUDENT POPULATION? THE DRIVING DISTANCE BETWEEN GRIFFIN AND TRENT IS TWO MILES, WHILE COBB IS 1.9 MILES.
STALEY, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS 3.7 MILES FROM GRIFFIN, 5.5 MILES FROM MOSS, AND 7.2 MILES FROM HUNT.
WHILE GRIFFIN AND STALEY HAVE SIMILAR PROJECTED STUDENT POPULATIONS FOR 2026, BOTH HOVERING AROUND 550, GRIFFIN'S PROJECTED ATTENDANCE THROUGH 2028 IS ON STEADY DECLINE, WHILE STALEY IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AND SURPASS GRIFFIN BY 2028.
THE DISTRICT HAS THE MONEY TO FIX STALEY, SO WHY NOT ADDRESS THE FACILITIES ISSUES AT STALEY INSTEAD OF LOADING UP OUR 535 STUDENTS ONTO BUSSES EVERY MORNING AND AFTERNOON, AND DRIVE THEM ACROSS THE TOLLWAY THROUGH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC TO GET TO SCHOOL.
THESE TRANSPORTATION COSTS WILL BE INDEFINITE, AND NO AMOUNT OF CREATIVE REZONING WILL ELIMINATE THE COST BECAUSE THE DECISION TO CLOSE STALEY IS A DECISION TO TAKE AWAY THE ONLY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN FRISCO CENTER.
I'M NOT ASKING FOR A NEW BUILDING. I'M SIMPLY ASKING THAT THE DISTRICT USE THE BOND MONEY VOTERS APPROVED TO UPDATE AND IMPROVE STALEY TO ACTUALLY UPDATE AND IMPROVE STALEY. I FEEL DECEIVED BY THE DISTRICT'S DECISION TO UTILIZE THAT MONEY FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
THIS WAS A PRIMARY CONSIDERATION WHEN I WAS ASKED TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF RECENT BOND PROPOSALS.
THIS IS A MATTER OF TRUST AND INTEGRITY. YOU EACH WANTED THE SEAT THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY OCCUPYING, AND MANY OF YOU FOUGHT HARD FOR THAT SEAT TO WIN IT.
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT AND VIEW THIS ISSUE ONLY THROUGH A BANKER'S LENS.
PLEASE DON'T LET COST CUTTING DEFINE YOUR LEGACY.
LET YOUR LEGACY BE THAT WHEN THE CHOICE WAS HARD, YOU STOOD UP FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL TOLLESON, FOR HOSTING US.
I HAVE TO GIVE ONE OTHER THANK YOU TO CHERYL.
I HOPE IT'S A ROADMAP FOR WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE FUTURE.
AND WITH THAT, IT IS NOW 7:32 P.M. AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.