We will now move into public comment. Members of the public are welcome to address the board during public comment. Individuals wishing to address the board must register in person or raise their hand online prior to the chair announcing the closing of public comment registration today that was done in 547. For those in person, the Chair will call the names of individuals to address the board in the order received. Please remain seated until is your time to speak. For virtual public comment, virtual public comment tours will virtual public comment will be facilitated through a zoom webinar. The link and phone number for which can be accessed at Detroit K twelve.org backslash board meetings. Individuals wishing to address the Board may do so by choosing one of the two options one through your computer, select the Raise Your Hand option on the screen or to through your telephone, press star nine and that raises your hand on your telephone. The meeting administrator will select the individuals in order receive, you will remain muted until it is your time to speak. All individuals will be all comments will be limited to three minutes. The superintendent will reply to questions or concerns raised today that do not violate ethical or legal standards, confidentiality, privacy of others or require additional information to respond. If you would like a direct response to your question and our concern, please forward an email to the secretary of the board. Vanja more at Vanja dot more at Detroit K twelve.org.
Okay, two mics. Okay. So one mic if we could have ratio green. And the second mic if we could have Jacqueline Washington. So as they are making their way to the mic. We appreciate all of those who signed up for public comment. We know that we have said in the past just so that people are aware, if you have multiple comments are the same comment, you can select a representative a spokesperson for your group. And that person will get five minutes total, not the three minutes that's allocated for individuals. So we want to make sure that everyone is aware of that as we move into public comment. And we will start with Ms green.
Hi, my name is Rachel Green. I'm a social worker with the district of district a Licensed Master level social worker might I add, it was interesting to hear that you're employing social workers from outside agencies when we are short. In the social work department. Our caseload should be 40 We have social workers working up to three schools carrying 50 to 70 cases which is ridiculous and unable to manage. Also, for the last several minutes, I've discussed the blended learning, grievance and pay that have not been paid to myself and other ancillary staff. Dr. Vt responded by saying that it was never intended for us to be paid. However, I am a part of the DFT. And there's a LOA for all DFT members to receive this $2,000 bonus for providing face to face and virtual services. At the same time. We've seen we were mandated to provide the service. We've been asking for our pay. I'm not sure why the board I even wrote all board members regarding this matter. I didn't get a response from anyone other than Dr. VD saying that there's a grievance and they're working on it. Well, it's been two years now. We would like for it to be resolved. We did the work, please pay us our money. There's also an issue with equipment. I've had a non working laptop all year. I've asked my department numerous times it's fell on deaf ears. As far as the $15,000 that were allocated to ESC teachers, ESC ancillary staff also deserve their money. And we would like for the board to start representing and standing for ancillary staff as well. We don't feel included. Back to Vidya has divided us and give me one set of workers a certain amount of money and leaving the other ones out when we're doing the all the evaluations all the crisis management we're doing a whole lot with for this district averaging and wasting money through our Medicaid billing. As far as other issues going on, as far as the lay off, I do want to say that I do stand in support of not laying off any of our people, when you spoke that there's only a certain number of staff shortages. That's not correct, please speak to the ESC department, we are very short staffed across the board, from parents to social workers to sites, we have a psychologist out of state that cannot even evaluate our students in the center based programs, because our students are not going to sit there and be evaluated over a computer. So the results are not even that accurate, because they're not getting the proper response. So please consider hiring licensed social workers, master level social workers to come back into this district, we are short, and we do need to help your hiring Limited License. But we need the license wants to be able to do the Medicaid billing to continue generating.
Thank you, Miss green. So while Jacqueline Washington is at one mic, if we could have Mark Davis make his way to the other mic, please.
I just have a quick comment to me. Dr. Vt, I have all the people that you're laying off or getting rid of, I really feel like if you had done it respectfully, and in a tactful way that we wouldn't be in this position right now. Maybe if you had opened it up and said, If there's somebody that wants to go not just put them out, you should have did a survey first and try to see. And then your dean looked at your numbers to see where you are. But you didn't do that. So now a lot of people are angry and upset. I want to say to the board, I disliked the memos that Dr. VD put out, saying that is the it's the it's the unions, that's not bargaining. Well, now, I'm a product of DPS. And as far as I know, in order to bargain, there has to be two parties at the table. But the two parties aren't there. So you can't say we're not bargaining you can say you're not buying. So I want the board members to know that when you get those little notes and he'd be putting up, you want to check them out and see what's really going on because they are not true. And I want to do a public apology because when that DVD came here, I thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. And I didn't know I was dancing with the devil because your babies are supposed to come first. And those babies are going to be left out now. Those babies are going to be left out with no one. But that's okay. I've given DPS 30 plus years. And this I wanted to go out with respect. But now I have to go out with my head hung down because I'm being put out and I want the board members to know we have been offered nothing.
So we have Mark Davis at one mic and if we can have Zack Corrigan to the other mic, please.
Okay, good evening, board members, Superintendent and also the community. My name is Mark Davis teacher. Just a couple of quick items. First thing I would like for the board and the superintendent to double check the budget look and see if we can offer some type of summer services for our students. In the primary grades, I guess everything is for eighth grade on through high school for summer school. And I think a lot of our students lose something in the summer we're talking about two months of inactivity for many of our students throughout the city. And also, we know there's issues with food and hunger in our city. So please reconsider far as looking the budget and find it for the young people to have something someplace to go during the summer. So I know at our school, I look at a lot of the students Then I wonder what are they gonna do for two months of inactivity? Also, I would like for the board to look into a money for central air and some of these schools so I know that we want school to began before Labor Day. And that's an issue that many of the schools including art school at a bow, and I took a group of students there, Henry Ford, it was too hot third floor and incidents in April. I say it doesn't make sense for us not to have some type of central air and some of the schools many of the schools. Also, I would like to know, what is the district doing to recruit and retain African American males? I notice our issue in this city. You can see the problem. Many of the problems are with the guys and not see part of it. It stems from the school system and something is lacking. So I know pretty much firsthand experience. We do need a few we need to push our efforts to recruit. Thank you. I appreciate your efforts.
Thank you, Mr. Davis. Let's go. Where are you at Mr. Davis? Bow. Okay, thank you. Zach Corrigan is at one mic. And if we can have Phyllis shear, please correct the pronunciation. s ch e ir to the other mic, please. Go ahead, Miss score.
All right, thanks. I don't have anything to say to the people on the stage. I want to address myself to the parents, the teachers and community members and students who were here at this meeting. Jamari Williams, who was a, who was a kindergarten student at Marcus Garvey Academy died on April 26, after he and several other students were sickened and what's being called a cluster of flu like illnesses. Now reportedly four Garvey students are now confirmed to have been infected with H influenza, which is a bacteria that can cause a range of serious illnesses. But I want to emphasize that Jamari his cause of death has still not been identified. We called the Wayne County Health Department today before this meeting, and they said they were not even planning to have his autopsy results back until August through November. Why is this a cover up autopsies do not take that long. More than a week after his death. School officials had not even informed other parents that Garvey that a child had died. Even an official notice from the health department on May 5, which was the subject which was on the subject of the outbreak at Derby, they failed to mention Jamar his death. While President Biden officially ended the National Public Health Emergency on May 11, a few days ago, which was weeks after Jamari died. Here are a few facts COVID-19 is still spreading and mutating. Over 96% of children are estimated to have had to COVID at least once. And many scientific studies have shown that COVID can damage the immune system and leave patients more vulnerable to other viruses. So if Jamari didn't die directly from COVID, he had probably already been infected at least once and been weakened by him. And that's the case for 96% of his classmates. Under these conditions, no parent can trust that their child is safe. The Michigan educators rank and file safety committee demands that Marcus Garvey Academy be closed until a full investigation is done and rank and file teachers and parents working with trusted scientists confirmed that the school is safe. We are holding an emergency online meeting this Saturday, May 20. to rally opposition to the deadly situation in our schools and we call on all the teachers, students, parents, and others at this meeting to attend that meeting. Make sure to get a leaflet from us today and get involved across the US and internationally. Educators rank and file safety committees like ours have been built to fight against the deadly reopening of schools during the pandemic. And today, at the end of the official public health emergency these committees are needed more than ever. They've destroyed public health. And unlike the trade unions would have sent teachers back into schools during the raging pandemic resulting in over a million deaths. Our committees are fighting for a massive expansion of Public Health Resources and a scientific program to stop the COVID 19 pandemic and prevent other needless sickness and death in our schools and workplaces. We demand every school workplace be provided with high quality ventilation using HEPA filters, fire UV devices and other scientific technologies that can reduce risk. There are plenty of resources in society to make all of this and more reality but only if teachers take matters into their own hands get involved. Bill the committee at your school today contact me where the Michigan educators rank and file safety committee.
Thank you Mr. Corrigan. We have this fellas at one mic and Mother Helen more at the other mic, please.
Hello, I'm a teacher at Flix and a member of the Michigan educators safety committee. The plan layoffs of nurses pair pros and others from dpscd is an attack on workers livelihoods and attack on students right to high quality public education as well as an attack on public health and safety. We unequivocally oppose these cuts and call for the broadest mobilization of teachers workers to Listen parents to fight against them, including with strikes and other work actions. These cuts cannot be fought by begging the school board and they cannot be fighting just for it alone. The Democratic socialists of America and bam are demanding that vide simply be removed, as though his replacement would be any different. The layoffs and the cuts have generated huge opposition from teachers and other workers. But they the union is not making any effort to wage a real fight for what we need. In fact, in our meeting, we were told to come beg for mercy at the school board meeting, which is a bit like asking the devil for a glass of ice water. Well, I'm not here to address the board, or the complicit union, I just myself to teachers, workers, parents, students here tonight, who do want to wage a struggle, urging you to come to our meeting this Saturday, May 28, at one o'clock, and the fact that public education and public health are under attack all across the country and internationally as well. And under mass inflation and working conditions, which are horrific in the US and around the world. It's a global crisis of capitalism, and it's much bigger than Detroit. That's why our committee is part of a new and growing network called the International Workers Alliance of rank and file committees. The IWA RFC we started building in 2020. And we now have committees among teachers, auto workers, rail workers, health care workers, Amazon workers, and more. Crucially, we have several committees that auto plant in Detroit and Toledo auto workers, who are the parents of a large number of dpscd students are our natural allies in this fight. The auto industry is also facing massive layoffs and unacceptable health and safety conditions. contracts expire at the Big Three this September. And auto workers are going to be entering into struggle in large numbers. We're fighting to unite the struggle of teachers with their working class brothers, sisters, and yes, siblings across Detroit, across the US and across the world to fight against layoffs, against poverty, wages, unsafe, and even deadly working conditions faced by growing numbers of workers every day, get a leaflet. Join our committee today and come to the meeting on Saturday. Thank you for listening.
Thank you. Mother more, one second. A question to AV is there a way that sound can come out of these might these amplifiers speakers here from public when the mics from the floor? Yeah, yeah, this one is? Yes, you're saying yes. Okay. Do we need to wait for a moment or? Okay, so this one side, the speaker's working? Well, this one, if you could turn it up? As Mother Moore is waiting, Chris Abood. Can please make her way to the next mic. We're all set. Okay, go ahead. And furthermore,
thank you very much. all you wonderful people here. I just got one question to ask you. Ain't y'all tired? HR, tired of all the mess and nobody sitting up there can solve. And we have to come out like we're doing today to let them know that we are really in charge. They think they're in charge, but the law is on our side. And until we get it in their head, that we pay the money. That is our school. It's our students, and it's our money. That's power. I'm talking to you today about one of the issues that we've been working with. How many of you all know that you're in jeopardy of maybe getting radiation? How many of y'all know it, you've been reading the papers, you've been seeing the news? Okay, this city, this situation came to the superintendent. And as of this date, nobody is really trying to deal with what we're going through in the schools and investigate further. We've gone to the city council, we've gone to the Democratic Party, and they're on our side. I want to know from you. Are you on the side of yourself and the students? Can you help us get these people to realize that our children aren't in jeopardy because of these radiation coming off their chimneys. There's 29 schools and one school district automatic got rid of their superintendent did everything's here we are in Detroit as always, the little black folks that have considered out and wait till somebody makes a decision where they're going to do anything, don't investigate, or we die in in these schools. This is a serious situation. You all go home and pull it up on your computer. I ran out of paper and everything else. Find out what the experts are saying about Detroit Public Schools and find out what Dr. BD who does not have children in Detroit Public Schools will not stand up and help us find out if our children are at risk with radiation poisoning. Now, I'm just gonna tell you the truth. I was born in Tennessee, my grandfather was a slave. And I'll be damned if we make our children slaves and we stay on the slave plantation. We got to see about our children and make sure that they are safe. And when they go to school. I'm gonna say it again. It's our money. It's our school system. And it's our children. And that's power.
Thank you, mother more. We have Chris at one mic, and if Steve Kern can make his way to the other mic.
Go ahead, go ahead.
Okay, once again, I have come down to support fellow teachers and curriculum. I'm a retired teacher 40 years, and I've just returned myself from a Detroit teachers retirees meeting today. I think it was very nice that we honored the students that were the chess champions. And of course, you know that chess involves math thinking. Isn't it ironic that we are here today for Kay Thomas, who's also the teacher of every single one of those chess players, because music instills math skills in the brain. And so let's give a little credit to her as well. The very teacher that is on the line for being removed from Bates Academy. Now, Bates Academy is a beacon in the Detroit public schools where the Gifted and Talented Students are sought after so that they can excel at their gifted levels at high speed. When I heard the case Thomas and the music program at Bates Academy was being sabotaged. I had to step in. I know Kay Thomas, because she taught with me at Carleton for three years and the children loved her. The teachers loved her, and they wanted to they just die. They ran out of my room. When she came at the door to collect them for their music lesson I tell you, she's an excellent gifted teacher whose students have gone on to excel in the music professional world. She encourages kids to take lessons, multiple musical lessons when I was a parent, the teachers at my children's school said please get your children enrolled in musical instruments because it will increase their math scores later on. Well, I got my kids involved in Suzuki at four years old. And guess what in middle school, they had math aptitudes, not everything else. But math aptitudes up in the high 90th percentile because they had music from a very early age. Music involves the left brain the right brain and increases all of those mice. My husband graduated from a Detroit Public School 50 high school and he took guitar lessons in school and upon graduation, didn't have a lot of money but formed a band and played backup for more Motown rec records and started a business of music commercials at his commercial recording studio. He recorded Karen Newman Gene Simmons of Kiss, Diana Ross, his nephew, Jeff Daniels, and many more. They made commercials that were all over the country. But it began at Finney high school music department and if he didn't have that his parents could not have afforded to give him lessons. This is the city famous for cars and worldwide for its mode.
Thank you, thank you. Thank you for sharing your Thoughts
Okay, so next up at the microphone. Steve Kahn and Nicole Conway Steve Kohn, Nicole Conaway
so So Steve kinda co Conway okay now
about Joanna Lopez So Steve, Steve can join a low pass could I have legend a right move up to the microphone as well? Thank you Are you Are you Miss Lopez
so just quick announcement somebody left their car keys in the restroom so please just come up to the stage and grab your car keys
Sorry, I just want to confirm it's me that you want J O H and an a la p e tz. You got it? Okay. Go Okay, my name is John Allah pets. I am the CTA at Henry Ford High School. I am here strongly urging the board to reconsider the decision to eliminate the position of CTA here Today I stand with my fellow CTAs my coworkers, my union brothers, sisters and siblings. And most importantly, I stand with my students who are here today. I don't think the board fully realizes what we as CPAs do. And so much more than the like really impressive data that we produce and acceptance rates, FAFSA completion and scholarships. CTAs give our kids hope we help them realize their potential. Have you ever sat in front of a student that never believed they could attend higher education and told them it was possible? Have you ever seen the look on their face when they realize their true potential? Have you seen the your reflection in the eye of a tearing child finally for the first time realizing their worth? That is what being a CTA is about. It is so much more than the numbers which again are still like really impressive. I ask that you please look these kids in the eye and remind yourselves why you took the position on the board in the first place. Everything you do is for these kids. I know that because everything I do is for my kids. We love these kids don't let them go another minute not realizing their own potential. Right now the kids are our world but tomorrow they will be the world make the investment
Thank you Miss Lopez so one mic we have is it lesioned a legend a Italy alginate Leon Janae right thank you and the other mic Dinah rush Jennings is Miss Jennings here. Okay, next Mike, then Jonathan D Alessandra.
Okay okay, go ahead.
Hello. Hi everybody doing my name is Leah Janae. Right and I'm a senior at hearing for high school. Coming here to support my CTA Miss J. Our RCTs is extremely important to us. She is the reason why we completed our FASFA, we get in full ride some most of the colleges, and we're doing all the scholarships we can. She made us realize we were actually able to go to college if most once when most of us felt like we couldn't. Counselors don't have the time to do what she has done for us. She helps us more than just a college transition advisor. She's our mentor. She's a friend. She's a mom, a nurse and a therapist. She believes in us when we don't even believe in ourselves. And especially as a neighborhood school, we need a college advisor even more than bigger schools like Cass and Renaissance, we already feel at last in a ninth grade once we don't get accepted into those types of schools. So I feel like it carry us throughout high school year. So for us to have college transition advisors and everyone else in the building to support us and guide us. I think it is very helpful. It is unfair, these larger schools get yet another privilege that we don't most of us are first generation college students that don't have parents or a support system to help us college advisors do that. We feel lost and confused. Our CTA is helps us get through it. We are the ones that benefit from the support. Please don't take it away from us. Thanks You,
thank you, Miss Wright. Thank you. Thank you so much
we appreciate we appreciate hearing from the young people. So.
Okay, so what you probably didn't hear is Leon Janae. Right is a member of the Detroit youth. Right? Detroit executive Youth Council. So they just wanted to send their support to her for coming out to the meeting tonight. One of the things that the young people learn in that in on that committee is to advocate so they're doing a great job, Jonathan, and then mama Redman at the other mic, please.
Actually really quick to be fair, Denia is here, but she had asked if Darren over here from Henry Ford could take her time. Okay, we had a confusion. So can he still speak so
he's taken Miss Jennings space. Okay, go ahead. Tell us your name.
My name is Darren mesa. I am a senior here before standing here and support with my CTA. I was not pleased to hear about the decision to lay off CTAs I've always gotten good grades, but I've never thought college was for me. My CTA made me think about college and actually got me to fill out some college applications. I've been accepted to multiple schools already. I plan to go to school for mechanical engineering, and culinary arts. My CTA made me realize I could do more more than working in a warehouse or automotive plant. And I'll and I'll achieve more than a high school diploma. It is through my CTA that I learned what a fastball was, and was able to earn scholarships. CTAs also help first generation students like me who can't get help from their parents for this kind of stuff. If we are the future, then why are you firing the people to help the future? It makes no. It makes no sense to brag about our college acceptance rates and then not accommodate for the people that gave us the idea to do it in the first place. What is going to happen now that the people that helped us to go to college aren't there anymore. The counselors are too busy to help us. You gave us CTAs to help us in the work. But now you're taking it away. If you want to keep the increase in the acceptance rates and keep the people that are making you go up there the reason we are here
thank you Mr. Mason. Great job. So Jonathan deila Sandro at one mic mama reven. The other mic
All right, so my name is Jonathan Dalesandro. I'm also from Henry Ford High School. I'm a teacher there and you already know that Henry Ford when we come here we come strong. I'm here in defense of a lot of people, the culture facilitators, the Dean's of culture, a pair of pros building subs and you already know our CTA. Just two weeks ago, our Henry Ford CTA Ms. janela pets hosted our annual decision day ceremony to celebrate over 40 Seniors who committed to higher education, trade school military service and more. The entire student body of Henry Ford all 600 plus of us gathered in the auditorium to celebrate our senior class with art school CTA who by the way performed better than rappers skillet baby just you need to know that. You just heard from two of the seniors from Henry Ford Liana who received a full ride to Wayne State University. And Darren who was a proudly attending trade school after graduation and studied mechanical engineering and to the rest of my Henry Ford seniors who are here in the audience in solidarity corps now Jaden Denia. Do you pray? Do we are Janae Darren please stand up and give them a huge round of applause.
They are here because they care. It is their last week of school. They are seniors and they are spending their Tuesday night here because they care. They are on their way out of the district in three weeks. But they still care. These students from Henry Ford who are here to represent the entire senior class. Some of the board members unfortunately might argue that our CTA had nothing to do with their success, which is why that positions up for elimination, but they are here to tell you differently. They want the students who come after them to have the same act Access the opportunities they did with our CTA, their right to these resources should never be dependent on the numbers you spent months going back and forth with. Do the right thing. show these students you care as much as they do. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. So we have mama rAdmin at one like and Jordan Weinstein, at the other mic is Jordan Weinstein still here? Okay, he's okay. Good afternoon. Um,
I'm coming up here on behalf of my son, he asked me to replay something that he spoke about four years ago. I agree with the young man that just spoke about the Dean's the college ready students, they make a big difference in our children's lives. So he asked me to he's not able to be here today. But he asked me to replay this to remind you guys.
But there are two things I just don't understand. Hold on to Maria program will be good for children like not wasn't pictured, and we can't take them home. My teacher gives us a week to the novel. And if we're lucky, sometimes a copy of Chapter. Why can't we have those which stay at home? And the set of books that stayed in the classroom? Makes it easy. We're DBAs? Do they really know what we need? Do they care? Do they approve this no brainer program? Did they even add students like isn't your job to also protect students like me, are just supposed to look out for my teachers. I'm tired of hearing about how bad my teachers are being treated. I'm so are many of my friends and hundreds of children throughout the ICD. We didn't accomplish this on our own. We had good teachers, dpscd teachers. So if we really care about children like me, please take some advice from a child I've never spent money on the state not teachers give me and my teachers, what we would have, if we ran the suburb sets are all always appear to God's always watching every
one thing he
asked me to highlight, he said mind when I go to school, it is so many different people in that building that showed me that makes a difference in my life. When it comes to the DS when it comes to the AIS, and they have their own personal relationship, somebody's children don't have male role models in their life to show those two different things. So I will ask that you guys consider and even some of the other positions that you're trying to go away with, I think they really need to think long and hard about that. My last thing that I will say is when we went out and canvass let me just make that set the record straight for that. We didn't just knock on doors looking for one thing. We took his computer, we knocked on over 30,000 doors. We did wellness checks when people was in the house scan. And how do I know because I was out there doing those COVID months. So one thing I will say take it to the
thank you mama Redman. So we have Jordan Weinstein at one and President Wilson Lumpkins. At the other mic, please.
I am an early career teacher. I recently graduated with my Masters of Arts in Teaching. And I'm very aware as an early career teacher that people entering the profession now are entering it in spite of people like you not because of people like you. I've heard recently in yours recently that a budget is a moral document. And I constantly am telling my fifth grade students that I want to see what you mean with your actions, not with your words. So we hear a lot about the love challenge prepared index. I'm deeply moved by that concept and I work really hard and keep those three words in mind in my teaching. And the district talks a lot about the love challenge prepared index or survey. The students advisory council asked if they could see that data. Why isn't that Heat up on the hub on the district website for all of us to be able to take apart and look at. And while we're talking and projecting this idea of students being loved, challenged and prepared when I am at work just today, for example, what I'm seeing is the school to prison pipeline, we are already struggling to provide for this, the needs that these students have, we already are ill equipped to meet the behavioral needs of these students coming out of COVID-19. And that is with the unbelievably generous and dedicated school cultural facilitators and attendance agents who do more than their job description to parent the children who do not have parents at home, talking about recruiting and retaining African American men. Those positions in my building are African American men, and they are unbelievable role models. And they are worrying about not having a job next year and the children are worrying about not having those people in their lives. We cannot do restorative justice by ourselves as teachers and also be teachers, we have to have a building full of people to support that, or we are just recreating the same old, same old. The core value this month is excellence. How can we be excellent when we are cut off at the knees? You talk about AI as being a main emphasis of enrichment. They're being pulled constantly to cover other positions in the building. You talk about, you know, having the technology that we need. The technology rollout we just had was an absolute mess and a travesty and created more work for teachers. We don't have staff to support recess and the social building that kids need.
Thank you, Miss Weinstein. Is President Lumpkin still here?
And while President Lumpkins is making her way to the mic, we'll have her vice president Posey Mr. Jason Posey to the other mic.
Good afternoon to the honorable school board and to Dr. Bd. How did we get here? Let me tell you. The district has painted the narrative that we've lost 2000 students since COVID. Tonight, we heard 3000. What you aren't being told is that we have recovered at least 600 of those students, thanks to the amazing work of teachers and attendance agents, and all those staff that are calling parents and locating our students. And thankfully, every year Governor Whitmer has increased the per pupil funding, which offsets any loss the district would have experienced. The district knew they wanted to reduce numbers in certain positions. They held engagement sessions and made nice PowerPoints, yet they continue to hire as recent as this school year knowing full well they intended to reduce and attempt to eliminate positions. The problems are numerous now. There is blatant disrespect for the union leadership and for this school board. Procedures are not being follow. Just because you say a thing does not make it so the negotiating process has totally been disrespected by this district. We should have been invited by the district to bargain the effects of these proposed changes long before we were blindsided by CTA layoffs, paraprofessional layoffs, cultural facilitator layoffs, Dean of culture layoffs and changes in April. Then to add insult to injury. The union leadership received a misinformed email from Dr. Vidya about slow negotiations. What's slow the district there is no movement on outstanding Think issues because they hope we will give up. We are the union. We are the union. We are the union. We are not giving up. We will continue to work in good faith with this Labor Relations Department in order to make sure that all of our members that wish to remain employed by this district that they are able to do so. And we hope that the district will meet us at the table and bargain in good faith. Thank you.
Thank you, President Lumpkins.
So we have vice president palsy at the next mic, and afterwards, Rodney fresh. Oh, okay. He's at the mic already. Okay, great. Vice President palsy.
Good evening. I'd like to address a few items. The DFT goal as always, is twofold.
Wait, Mr. Posey, come
directly to the mic. I can't get too much closer, but I can't, I can't. Okay. DFTs goal as always is twofold advocate for what's best for our members, which in terms means we're advocating for what's best for students. The dpscd DFT relationship should be rooted in collective bargaining. And we plan to be further in negotiations of our new collective bargaining agreement. By now however, the DSP team spends vast majority of our time and energy cleaning up the district's messes. be responding to false statements, half truths, mediating petty Member Administrator issues, dealing with disputes over bargained and signed agreements, some that over a year old, in addition to attempting to save jobs, due to financial three card monte. The DFT has been is and will continue to be a good faith collective bargaining partner and we are as a school board to ensure that the district is is well, how can you do that employ the district to settle old issues, particularly once the DFT has done the district legwork on and provided solutions for the school board can also ensure should also ensure the district is providing fully developed proposals by natural proposals based on an actual budget, so our members know how to plan for their and their families futures. The board can also ensure that the district shows true movement on calendar in negotiations, families, the public and staff, it didn't know how their next school year is going to look. It makes no sense that once again, we're ending another school year with next year's calendar not finalized. And we reiterate our stance that the district guarantees its community and labor are part of the discussion and decision making or how the 94 million literacy lawsuit funds are spent. True. True good faith, collaboration and collective strive to reach common goals must significantly improve if this district is going to survive, attract more families and staff and eventually return to what's world class status. As always, the DFT is a willing and available partner. Thank you for your time.
Thank you Vice President policy. Appreciate it. So we have Rodney fresh at one Mike and Mark is Walton is Mark is on over there already? Oh, just stay over there. Marcus you Mr. Walton. I'm sorry, you can. And Gavin Buckley will be after Mr. Watson.
So good evening. It's been a whirlwind couple of months. I keep having meetings with people I've never met before in my life after these board meetings. So I told my principal we'll see what may hold. First of all, my CTA Miss Hersman Johnson when she you know, very well, madam president since her regard. She said you know what she does the question, it shouldn't be a question about the abilities of CTA when you went in and firsthand when your son was a C, CMA, everything that a CTA does, just to ditto Jason point, the 94 million, I think is trifling that we're sitting up here talking about layoffs, for peer educators, and everything of a 94 million in illiteracy fund has not been used. And last time I checked, the last meeting was the first time the district even had a plan for the money. But I was won that lawsuit. And I wasn't a part of it. Nobody from the union was part of the deal. district plan. So whereas once again the district collaboration and negotiations. Secondly, you've got these building improvements where you're building new entrances, but you're laying off people. A new entrance isn't going to attract students. My students are like, we get to new entrants, but they're laying off our CTA. It doesn't make any sense. I spoke once again, at the last meeting about performance matters. I don't know how much it costs. But I counted my juniors in one month, have taken the LSAT, the F the AC t work he and then once I had AP testing in last week, took two AP tests on top of performance matter, and they wanted to know, why does it matter? I'll say it is based on my evaluation, but it don't really matter for y'all. So they, they, they are severely over tested. And we talked about love challenge, prepare, they don't feel love when they're constantly being told, Oh, here's another tip. They got don't take an F that they were like, We got to take performance matters. We thought we were done. And also we talk about love challenge appear in these number, but it's very subjective. So how lift a fidelity in a survey that's the deck subjective based on how a student may feel that they and based on what random teacher they may get. I got marked down from kids that have any that missed 20 plus days of school. So I'm just wondering, what's the find out? How much did he spend on that alone when we're talking about laying off teachers, and I'll yield the rest of my time.
Thank you, Mr. Rodney fresh. So we have Marcus Watson at one mic and Gavin Buckley at the other.
Good afternoon. My name is Marcus Walton. I'm a proud member of the DFT. I'm here tonight in solidarity with my fellow members. I mean here solid. I mean, he was solidarity with CTAs. I'm here with solidarity with a pair of pros. The reason why I told his students in my room, I'm a teacher for students that severely multiple appeared a jury Oh, wait. I tell my students to tell me your story. When I listened to your story, I'm better able to understand who you are and better able to teach you. I attended McLean Elementary. I went to an arbitral Middle School. I graduated from tastic. I graduated from Wayne State University. This is my story. The only through line from kindergarten through college was one, the superintendent to Jefferson and to the people in his room and the union that you see. The reason why that's vital, because we know the unions are the ones that fought to keep the schools open under attack from Betsy DeVos. From an emergency find, find the actual managers who were just really that's a misnomer. They disbanded the school. They drove students out, they told parents out and we have that type of repercussion. When you look at Inkster my father graduated from Inkster is Inkster still in existence. No. You look at Pontiac, Pontiac dissolve, you go to Muskegon. The truth of the matter is the governor. I'm also a member of the Governor's Advisory Council have given the district $21 billion throughout the state additional funding for for students in the city of Detroit. In addition to that, what happened to the $94 million that was won as a result of a lawsuit. Dr. VD, you after Arthur Jefferson have been the longest serving superintendent at Detroit public schools. So the baby is yours. The attitudes that you that that's being experienced is the result of your leadership. When you talk about school closings, we talk about laying off people that decreases the morale that pushes teachers outside of outside of the district. That's why there's the Exodus instead of it's all about the morale. How you encourage people, you encourage people that where you work for an intern, they encourage the students that they have in their classroom, it's about respect. When people have respect, it generates everywhere and it causes the district to grow. You can't have this respect. We talked about closing schools, defunding education, that's what hurts the most. And I yield the rest of my time.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Walton. So we have Gavin Buckley and at the next mic submit Eero Watkins is a marijuana okay?
Good evening. My name is Gavin Buckley. I'm a social studies teacher and a proud DFT building rep at Henry Ford High School.
I teach civics. So it won't surprise you to learn that I take public meetings and local government very seriously. And I tell my students all the time, I tell them that local decisions have the greatest impact on their lives, and the least input from them and from their community. And that's just statistically true. I tell them to always ask two questions when they are looking at a policy who decided this, and who benefits? Well, the budget proposal that Dr. Vidya has cooked up seems like a very good example to prove this lesson. So this is a public decision being made in in the open with very minimal input from those that stand to be most affected. Hundreds of people that are losing their jobs, when asked if they liked this budget, my students who stand to lose more services and staff in there already under serviced and understaffed schools, they didn't get asked about this. My union family and I, as they've already said, didn't even get to the table on this before it's being voted on in public. So who decided this? Let's answer the first question. Well, that answer appears quite clear. Was anyone else in this room masks? So it's not us It must be on stage. See, we can only assume that there's a small group of administrators downtown that made this decision themselves, people that make much more money than the rest of us and stand to lose much less than the rest of us have made this decision without asking us. I guess since we weren't at the table, we're on the menu. So that's who made the decision. But let's check who benefits let's just check who benefits. So certainly my family in my workplace that are standing to lose their job, they don't they don't benefit. We can all agree on that. My students once again who will have less staff and less services in their already understaffed, underserved building, they don't stand to gain. And the parents that pick them up every day and deal with their stressed out kid that's going through that environment. They don't benefit either. So that leaves one group left. It seems like a small group of administrators downtown get all the benefit from having a budget that looks good to a consultant but lays off my co workers and sheets my students out of an education. I'll leave with one more thought see in my civics curriculum. I teach about school boards. It's right there in the citizen handbook. I teach that school boards are made to advocate and vhost vote in the best interest of their constituents. That the board this board in front of me is supposed to be an only failsafe between bad decision makers and the people of this city. So I'm talking to the board tonight. When you vote on this budget, vote no vote no on this budget go back and get it right no cuts no layoffs. We have the money if you don't vote no on the budget. I'm not voting yes for you.
Thank you Mr. Buckley.
We have some Mara Watkins and Wanda lay off some marijuana kins and lot Wanda. Layout is is Wanda still here. Okay, Wanda. Chanel staffer? is Chanel Stafford here. Okay. Mother Lea more. Okay.
Good evening board. My name is Samir whackers.
Give me one give me one second so we can make sure we have.
Okay, go ahead, Miss Walker.
Good evening board. My name is Samir Watkins. I have tried to shake the tree gently. Regarding my experience at Burton international as a parent and a former employee. Now I am exposing the roots. Yesterday I was invited to a meeting with at least 30 other parents and an employee with principal bail. That meeting was a disgrace. It was a waste of time and energy. Out of all questions and concerns. Principal bale refused to respond to my concerns. Even when the president of the PTA board asked him if he was going to address it. He stated this is not part of the talking point. However it was as individuals tried to speak nicely during that meeting, principal Dale said several times to bring it well principle bail per your request. I am bringing it tonight. Principal bail is running Burton international into the ground. Principle bail is his way or the high way. Principal bail has a lot of unhappy parents, staff and students. Some who will not return for upcoming school year 2324. I smear walk ins refuse to speak behind closed doors anymore regarding principle bail, I stand on truth I speak truth. Principle Baal has no compassion as he claims he refuse. He reminds many of us as Joe Clark. He is cocky. He is a narcissist. He is rude. He is approachable. He is not a principal or a man of his word. Principal bail. I hope you are listening tonight. I have a voice and I'm going to use my voice. First of all, bill pay me my money you owe me for breaking my daughter's phone in November of 22. Principal bail must go. You are a disgrace of a leader for Burton International and your letter grade and my book is an alpha. Thank you.
Thank you, Miss Watkins. So we have Alia Moore and Michelle George. Oh,
you call my name before?
What What's your name? Oh, sorry, Wanda, how
supportive Okay.
Yep, no. Miss more. Can we have her go first? Okay, go
ahead. And I'm neighbor of many of you there. As superintendent, I'm one of your neighbors. Okay, and some of the rest of you. So and I'm so proud of these people that have been standing up here because they are what some of my students and in some cases I toss up their parents. I've taught for 48 and a half years I think the board said 49 years. So I'm supporting the teachers 100% And I'm sure that you will give our bargaining unit that respect that they deserve. Okay.
Thank you so much.
One second Miss Moore.
So we are at the one hour mark, board and per policy 0167. At the one hour mark, the Chair will make that known to the board. There are 26 more people on the list in person not sure if everyone is here, and there are nine online.
Make a motion to extend public hearing to hear the remainder of constituent concerns is their
support. It's been properly moved by member gay diagnostico properly supported by member McClendon. Thank you go ahead, Miss Moore. Good evening board. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Miss Moore. One second. I'm sorry. I'm moving. So there's a motion on the floor has been supported. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. Thank you. I'm sorry. Go ahead.
No problem. Thank you board. I have a three Pacific questions before I go into my comment. My first question is pertaining to the renovations of pre K rooms. With the is there an increase of us having children over COVID or something? When Dr VD speaks sometimes he doesn't automatically opt being optimistic about enrollment. So where are the stats and where are we getting these stats when it comes down to renovating these pre K rooms? Because when you talk about gdi gdi can't even get basic cleaning right? How Are they going to start doing renovations? You all are discussing GDI so I'm gonna tell you this. I'm asked my second question pacifically about the cell phone towers. You know, that's a big issue. You all can play the blame game. You can blame it on emergency management, but ultimately I was Taylor was on the board. Angelique Mayberry Peterson was on the board the money lady song, your Mays was on the board. And also Misha Stallworth were so you are worthy original for you develop a contract with Dr. VTEs. What say so, so to say? So y'all need to revisit that coming up in November, but pacifically? Why what? Why are you not answering the question about the disclosure? All you had to do was let us know. That's part of your core values, transparency, and that is not so Nikolaev video need somebody to take his notes because I need eye contact for this one, sir. I'm gonna tag you don't ever email me on a Mother's Day. Don't ever email a stakeholder on a Mother's Day. You're gonna start your email by saying Happy Mother's Day. But in other words, stay in your place. I'm gonna tell you this, sir. I have told you two times via email. But I'm telling you tonight. I don't work for you. You are my employee. All of you all are our employees. Okay, they brought you up here from Florida. But we work y'all work for us. So it's not about you telling me who to direct my complaints to Nikolai Vitti. Let me let you know, our AP is gone. Her last day was made a fifth. So what Dr. Robinson got to do, which is our principle he got to do to what make up work for what she ain't did. He got to wrap up testing, you got to do a lot of stuff. So I'm not bound to look in a closet that y'all want to lock, y'all to put 20 locks on GDI closet, I'm still in there, because I want her to plants at our school. And if it's a steal, if it's anything, we don't do it. We're not going to ask the one custodian that's on deck to do it when this village can do it. But I'm gonna tell you this, sir, I don't work for you. You need a sensitivity training sir Nikolai Vitti. Because you don't do that to me. I'm a stakeholder. You should be appreciating my voice instead of trying to be condescending, and tell me where to go winning. What you got to say, Sir, I'm right here.
Thank you. Thank you.
Okay, thank you. Thank you.
He said he'll call you and email you, Miss Moore. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much. We are moving right along on the agenda for those who stay to the end of the meeting. Please know the end of this portion. Please know that comments are received. More questions will be answered. So comments are received. Questions will be answered. So thank you so much for everyone. We will do that at the very end. So we are now with Michelle George. And next to the mic is Jeffrey Kendrick still here. Is Jeffrey Kendrick still here? Okay, Jeffrey, he's gone. To terrain Ko is terrain called steel here. Is terrain called still here? Okay. Donna Stern is Donna stern still here? Okay, thank you. Okay, go ahead, Miss George. Okay, good evening. Good evening to the board. Just a moment Miss Georgia want to make sure we know that you have been respectful of everyone at the mic as you sat in the audience. So we want to make sure everyone is respectful of you and your comments as well.
Thank you. We really appreciate it. Go ahead, Miss George. Yeah, good evening to the board. But before I start, is it dark in here because it's kind of dark in here. So maybe for the next school board meetings, can you I don't know if it's the light. Is it spirits dark? And is that me?
No, I think that's all we have in the auditorium. Unfortunately, I
just wanted to not go for your eyes, but I just thought it was maybe my so I wanted to say to the board to miss Mayberry, Dr. VD um, the paraprofessionals. I'm asking you to support these paraprofessionals that are taking care of these children. It is very crucial. Now it a school board of African American women in the role of school boards to make sure children have a sustainable future. Then protect the safety and the welfare we must support these pair educators. Um, I want to say back in the time of anti slavery, anti literacy laws, it was very illegal for people to teach enslaved people. And here we come hundreds of years later that you attack the people who teach the children. So what I'm asking that this school board that has the power to make sure it's going to be interesting how this vote is going to take place. In Harlem. Last week, as I was watching our National Action Network meeting in Harlem, the controller talked about 51% of New York children are not on reading level. But he talked about Detroit, he said Detroit, 91% of Detroit children are not on reading level. So that talks about how people across the country in our civil rights groups, how they are watching the city of Detroit. When we talk about the disadvantages, the trauma that children are experiencing today with active shooter, I listened to the kids, I'm so glad at that chess team, because as nurses, we're critical thinkers. And that was the problem with slavery. They knew that enslaved black people will be critical thinkers to get out of slavery. So I'm asking you all to support these educators. Now, when we talk about these cell phone towers, I was in lancy. Today to deal with a lot the towers came up, a lot of things came up education. The disadvantage of happening without having a cell phone tower is sleep disorders, fatigue, headaches, joint pain, and cardiovascular disease when we were driving down, I 96. Those cell towers were were in the industrial area of Livonia. They should not be in the city and on schools. I'm just going to make that point. When we talk about her mindfulness, I heard the gentleman talking about how mindfulness be, we have to make sure our children six and under are vaccinated against the HIV vaccine. I gave that to children and babies for 15 years. And because we were in a pandemic, we see the vaccination rate that is low. So that is what I am asking you all to support. It's gonna be interesting to see your vote when it comes to children and black children in the city. Thank
you. Thank you, Miss George. Jeffrey, kinder. I'm sorry, who's at the mic?
Hi, my name is Kay Thomas. My my son cannot sit as long so
that's Mr. Kendricks, okay.
Yes, Moses field. Staff wants to know what's going to happen with Percival Graves with them strapping in restraining the students, the physical abuse hitting the kids. They want to know if principal grace is going to be fired. Now I'm, I'm talking as I'm a teacher and the music teacher at Bass Academy. I have 22 years with the district. I've been at Bass Academy for 15 years, and my son Kayden, he has special needs, the board approves my FMLA every single year yet, principal David Bailey and turquoise can insist the principal continuously cause me in the office to complain about my absences when I'm taking care of my son. He cannot help his his situation. I have seniority. When you decide who's getting laid off, you need to start with seniority. We have people, you have people fresh out to district, new to the district fresh out of school, how they get a place, and then I have to leave. You know what I'm saying? I have my parents for my program, because the principal is supposed to put five $6,000 in my budget every single year, but I've never gotten my parents take care of that. Just medicated and everybody's lying. And when the supporters email to defend Bates music and myself downtown, including Dr. VD will say, Oh, they're doing music a different way. But music is not going to be after school is not going to be during the school is going to be after school. And I just started I just renewed my certification. You know, I am a bad sister. And after 22 years, I still got that energy. They sabotage my schedule. I have three subjects in one class. My students deserve 50 minutes of instruction but they give 15 and then Mr. Baliem is candidate they get upset because my students are willing to perform at the drop of a dime. You do not treat K K eight like their music professionals that are adult and so what I did is day in against FMLA you are not supposed to use my absences against me. You are not supposed to change my work assignment. You are not supposed to get rid of me. I had to take off for mine. Finally, for myself and to come back and you keep telling me that we don't have anybody is not right. Somebody's stealing the money. My parents need to be reimbursed. Stop messing with my schedule. I need to stay employed. I need to stay at bay. And I need my FMLA to protect me. I'm asking y'all to protect me. My baby is right here. You don't walk or nothing.
Thank you Miss Thomas. Two reencode
so people, let me just say people were respectful when you all were speaking please less allow them to speak and be heard. Thank you so much. Is it to recall? Okay, thank you. Go ahead. Serene call at one mic and Donna stern at the other mic. Yes. Okay.
Okay. Hi. My name is terrain Coco. I work at Durfee Elementary. Shout out for Durfee, HRP. This school has been a challenging year for my students and me. But But we have made it through because it was really hard. It's beginning of the school year, half of them couldn't write their names. They couldn't even spell their names. Now, they could do that. And I have first graders, second graders, and third graders, and they're all doing well. My first graders is the one I did to date on. They are in the fourth graders, the first graders in my group are have established a lot for this school year, most of the staff, most of the students started with 50%, which indicated they had they went red. And that's low. And that was the beginning of their school year, they're testing now, at the end of their school year, they're at Green. And that's from 50, all the way up to 50. That's half and you're a green now. And that's and I am a pair educator, and I love what I'm doing. And if I wasn't there, honestly, half of them would not be reading now. And it's 13 students in the first grade that can read 13 We may record this year. And I know we did, because it has never been this high. Never been this high. But we need but you said we don't need support staff. I need. I saw a phrase on the web page. It says rise up, read more without the support staff how they're going to rise up and read more. If they're not getting the support that they need. They can't do it is impossible. So we need to support staff. And I am prayer educator, all you got to do is just bump me up to AI. I'm doing all that work anyway. So just bump me up there. Just let it be instead of the bachelor's degree, just let it be a social degree. This is much the same thing. You're doing the same thing with the students. They're learning either way goals they're learning. It doesn't matter if you have a degree or not. My degree is my heart. I have a big heart. That's my degree. So please just do the right thing. Just make it happen. Just do the right thing for the students and for us just make it happen. Dr. Bini just make it happen. Because it can't happen. If we just work together. And just if you just think about the kids to students, that's all that matters. Nothing else matters. They we brought them this far. And now you got to just drop them off. Just Just let them go. Okay, they don't need us. They don't need us, but they do they do. They really need us. So just think about it. Just think about it. Because it's all about the students. It's all about the students. Thank you.
Thank you Miss Cole. So we have Donna stern at one mic and Liana Mulholland is Liana Mulholland still here. Okay. Hi, I'm
Donna Stern. I'm the parent of a TPS graduate and a member of by any means necessary. I want to follow up on Miss Thomas's statement by reading a testimonial by Charles Newsome the fourth he's an educational coordinator from the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. And he said Miss Thomas is one of the most effective teachers I've witnessed in DPS D or any other district in my 25 years in this business. I worked with Ms. Thomas directly from 2012 to 2020 through the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation's New Jazz and fusion program, specifically at beta Academy. In my experience, she has exhibited a deep commitment to exposing her students to high level live music, often during summer after school hours as well as a steadfast passion to expand her base of knowledge through professional development. Miss Thomas epitomizes what it means to be a selfless teacher, she has shown a singular level of commitment to educating the next generation of Detroit musicians and truly taking them under her wing. I give her my highest endorsement as one of the finest educators I've worked with in my entire career. That is what Dr. VD wants to get rid of. He wants to pay consultants to tell us whether students felt loved he wants to, he wants to pay marketers, to get people to come to DPS when the things that would bring students to DPS that would get parents to bring their students to DPS is a quality education is a school that has a quality music program, because that's often the art and music are often the things that get students to come into the classroom. It's not just you know, many students struggle with reading with math, but what gets them there is the arts and that gives us the opportunity to teach them to read these things. These programs are so important, and all nobody's going to send their child if they have a choice to a school that has 40 kindergarteners in a class when nobody will. So if you want to do marketing, keep the A's keep all the Para pros keep all the support staff. That's what will make DPS you don't need you can get rid of the marketers you don't need them. You need quality education that the support staff that music teachers and art teachers like Ms. Thomas provide that is what will make this district Great.
Thank you, Miss Stern. Leanna Mulholland and Cheryl Young? Is Cheryl young still here.
Okay, she gave her spot to the Okay, Thomas because she had her disabled son. Go ahead. My name is Liana Mulholland. I'm a graduate of Cass Tech and a member of the civil rights group BAM by any means necessary. And I wanted to speak, it's honestly hard to know where to start. Because there is so much going on. We have a situation where we are honoring the achievements of the chess team at Bates and the robotics team at Flix. And then we have, you know, essentially an attempt to destroy the music program at Bates, which is one of our top magnet schools in our entire district. We noticed that though it's also the feeder schools for Cass Renaissance King DSA. I mean, this is like where parents send their kids when they're trying to make sure that they can like, get somewhere and then you want to take that away. And we've seen we're seeing the same situation with the proposed cuts. And VD kept saying, Oh, well, we just had to wait until we have enough Democrats in office to get enough money for our schools. Well, guess what, that Democrats are in both houses in the state right now. And the governorship. So this doesn't make any damn sense. It doesn't. And so we're having this situation we're trying to they're trying to cut people like Miss Thomas, and other aides who are just that we know that you cannot function in a school without them. They're trying to run the education into the ground. So they can say, Oh, look, now our students are performing badly. So therefore, we need to like close schools. And it's like, well, you created this situation, you're creating a situation where you haven't, you know, teams that are like winning chess tournaments, and winning robotics tournaments, and like all these different great programs, and destroying them, and that's how you destroy schools, districts. Another speaker spoke earlier about how you have Pontiac, and all these different districts that have just dissolved and they don't have school anymore. We're not going to be that here in Detroit, we aren't going to let that happen. So I just want to encourage everyone to, you know, really say take up the device and that Dr. Vt must go he is acting as if he is an emergency manager. He is doing the job of emergency managers to try to destroy our school district. And so I just want to say that, you know, anyways, it's a lot going on, where they are having a moment of silence for the young man who passed away a Marcus Garvey, and yet, complete sabotages a virtual education absolutely no testing, they reopen their school. After four days. They're like, Oh, we sanitize some surfaces, but you didn't test any kids for any of the various things you said it might have been. What does that do that does nothing that's just to cover up and it has been perpetrated by Dr. BD and by are a number of these board members who have refused to throw him out. So I just want to say Miss time is my stay. All the staff they're trying to lay out my stay, and VD must go. Thank you.
Thank you. We have Cheryl. Okay. So you just have to Thomas, what is it? Kashia Thomas. Okay, Miss Thomas and then we have Justin Xiang. Okay, go ahead mismatch. Okay,
well first I would like to start by saying that I'm a product of Detroit public schools as well as Grosse Pointe public schools. So I was a student at Chrysler Elementary. I'm a proud Chrysler elementary student, I love that school. And then I also graduated from Grosse Pointe South High School. So I had the best of both worlds. But what I want for my children, I want them to have a strong sense of self before going out into someone else's culture in someone else's world. So it's important for me that my children attend Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy, which they attend. And I really love the school. And I want to shout out Dr. Robinson, because he is a good principal. And I appreciate him. And he has implored me to even consider teaching. So I'm thankful to him and I want to I want to make sure that that's known. He is a good principal, and he's doing an amazing job. So I want to say that next, there's three things I want to highlight. I want to highlight budget. I want to highlight Dr. VD and I would like to highlight how I'm a part of the solution. Okay. So to start, we keep saying that we're understaffed, which I've witnessed, because I've personally volunteered in my daughter's classroom, and I've personally volunteered in the lunch room, and let me tell you, Mama rAdmin told me I was gonna be tired. I have four children. I was exhausted by 230. Okay, I was tired. They ran me out. I mama Redmond still looking for me to come and volunteer for lunch. Okay, so let me just put that out there. You need to volunteer parents. So I'm not I'm not just attacking or I don't want to say a type. But I'm not just speaking to administration or staff. I'm speaking to parents as well. Okay. Next, so budget, right. I saw something online. I saw an article that was published December 9 2020. And it was from detroit.chalkbeat.org. And it said the Detroit School Board approved a pay raise and a three year contract extension for Superintendent Dr. VD and his pay is supposed to be $312,000. And oh, okay, so I'm hearing I'm hearing some more. I'm looking at that. But my point is, is that you have a approved pay raise, and it's gonna keep going up until 2025. And it's extended. But I don't know why we're extending anything. When we keep hearing the same arguments in the Senate and once Dr. BD Can you please look at me while I'm speaking? Because you haven't really looked at anyone the other lady had some
I want to know that I have your attention
Thank you, Miss Thomas. We appreciate you and your volunteerism as well your advocacy. Thank you so much. So we have Miss Mr. Justin in the entire Woods is Tyler Woods still here? Okay. You can stay on that side Mr. Wood and Kira joiners the next. Kira Joiner. Okay. Adrian Lupo, which okay lappa which you can stay on that side as well. Donna row. Well, Davis.
Okay, Jane slaughter. Okay, you can come to the other mic, you've come to the other mic. Mr. Justin, go ahead.
My name is Jason. I'm from a civil rights immigrant rights group and by any means necessary. I just want to start by saying that in the 2020 21 school year, Detroit teachers alongside with all of Detroit, a movement has over 95 safeties strike vote and one whole year of virtuals school So we know that quality virtual school is not only possible, but it's a reality. Students can get quality education online now with extra curriculum and be safe if they have immuno covered compromised condition. And what happened to the kindergarten that did not have to happen. But that happened, because Dr. VD was the person who want who pushed so hard starting from August 2020, just a few months after the COVID 19 pandemic outbreak to push reopening, and it is his ideology to do so. We think that like right now with all the attack on public education, cutting programs, Thai radical principles, the appeals that's happening at Moses field and cutting CTA programs, and also Bates music programs. And all the attack that is sanctioned by Dr. BD or the fam LA and ADA attacks to drive out some of our best teachers is the reason why we're here today. This is fundamentally an attack on Detroit education to make us second class. It's a racist attack and he is acting like an emergency manager and a vote that happened on May 3 was clear that this board just went along with it. So we're here today to drive Dr. BD and his PT irony out of the Troy and hold this board accountable. We right now we need more support staff and reduce class sizes and not cuts. That is clear. So you listen because it's our tradition in 2015 I was part of the strike to drive out the emergency manager and the reason why it was successful because we embrace the student walkout in the community support and we know how to drive our VT
Thank you Mr. Wood
No, I'm okay
hi, my name is Tyler wood. I'm also an organizer with bam the coalition to defend affirmative action integration immigrant rights and fight free quality by any means necessary. I'm going to start with the campaign to keep Miss Thomas and stop the cut of the music program at Bates and I want to read a testimonial from one of her former students. Christy Jackson, former student of Ms. Thomas Harvard graduate and current Masters student UCLA UCLA. Quote Miss Kay Thomas is an incredible musician who shares her lifelong passion for music through her continued dedication to her students. She has a special gift for teaching that can only be described as a calling for she has a unique ability to make learning fun and teach lessons that go beyond the band. She challenged us to become the best versions of ourselves Ms. K. Thomas taught us how to show up for others hold ourselves accountable and remain resilient in the face of failure. I played violin for three years before I met Miss Kay Thomas. I didn't know how to read music and I was struggling with more difficult skills. I'd given up on the violin before I met her because I thought I wasn't talent talented enough. Under Miss Kay Thomas instruction, I switched to the viola and I soon excelled in her class. During my time in her orchestra. I learned that just because I wasn't good at something didn't mean I should give up. I went on to become one of the top violinists at Cass tech. After graduating I went on to Harvard University and now I am a master's student at UCLA. I achieved these things because of the passion, conviction and perseverance I learned from teachers like Miss Kay Thomas. I wouldn't want any student to miss out on having her as their instructor and quote now, I also have the fly are of the decisive victory that teacher Nicole Conway has won against the school district. The judge in the tenure Commission ordered this board to rehire her. They still haven't done it. The state tenure commission agrees with that decision. And I have some there's some quotes here in this flyer if anyone wants to see them and they still haven't done it. So that along with all these 300 staff cuts shows that VDS goal and plan is just to destroy public education in Detroit. And with this board, what are you doing different from VD? Nothing. So this is just like the emergency manager. Stop the cuts keep Miss Thomas. Nicole Conaway must stay VT must resign or be removed.
Thank you Kira Joyner and Adrienne lum lum co wits. Yes, thank you. It's Kira.
Hi, I'm Kira Joyner, and I am academic intervention is embraced. This is my, this is my first year as academic intervention is. But I have been in education for about three years. And I'm also a proud the PS kid go Crusaders. And I'm also a member of DFT, and full support of all of my siblings here. So just a couple things I wanted to say. I just wanted to just kind of highlight the significance of academic intervention is, so the school that I'm at, it's a lot of multicultural students with my groups that I work with the students, like barely speak English. And so my role is basically to help students to get to their reading level when they're very much behind. And so just wanting to like highlight that, and just the significance of that. And, you know, not to take away from that, or any of the other positions. And so again, no cuts and no layoffs and all of that. And then also, one of the specific things I wanted to just highlight is the, the need for planning periods for academic interventionist, I've encountered a situation where I was being demanded to set up, and I pretty much, you know, spoke up and said, No, I don't think that's right. And I found out, of course, it was not, you know, in retaliation, you know, because of that. And, you know, I used to have a planning period that was taken away, and I was told that planning periods were a luxury. But I just wanted to speak to the significance of having a planning period, because even all my academic intervention is a teacher. And so being able to plan to have time to prepare, like education materials to teach my students, the quality of education I can provide my students is diminished, because I don't have at least Nate, you know, multiple times during the week. You know, even teachers even though preps can be, you know, taken away. I don't even have one, like, see, yeah, barely. It's supposed to be used for logging and things like that, like, No, there's no time to plan I have, you know, in other academic intervention is, they also have that and just wanting to speak to that, it just for it, not to be considered a luxury, but just an importance. And just also just to speak to, if you are not investing in educators, you're really not investing in students and just children and the kids that we work with. So especially with the requirements of academic and I mentioned, this being a degree if you increase the like, if you want more, you have to give more, especially when we are giving to the students, so just asking for more support for educators, and just repeating everything that we've talked about here.
Thank you, Miss Joiner. We have Miss Adrienne at one mic and Donna row. Well, Davis
Hello, my name is Adrian Lobkowicz. I'm also with the civil rights group before by any means necessary. I also wanted to read a testimonial and half of Miss Thomas at Bates Academy. This is from her former student Joshua Cooper. He is a current PhD student at the University of Michigan. And he says removing Miss Thomas from Bates Academy and are closing the music program would be a grave disservice to the students of the school, the district and the community. I am a former student of Miss Thomas's during her first tenure at beats Academy starting when I was in fifth grade. Several of my classmates in her music program at the time are now professional musicians. Having a music program in school was vitally important. For me, I learned from Miss Thomas the discipline of practice and concentration increased by motor skills, problem solving, and pattern recognition. The opportunity for me to express myself through music and having camaraderie with the fellow members of the band and orchestra was a relief valve for the pressures of school and life outside of school. In an era where more and more students are suffering from issues of mental health and depression, they mean music integrated with their schooling as a way to channel their emotions in a constructive way. As someone who still plays piano to this day, I still use practicing music as a form of managing stress and emotion. The students of Detroit need music programs just as much as the students in suburban schools, as the adults and decision makers in our community. It is all of our responsibilities to advocate for the students of Detroit, and tried to give them the opportunities rather than take them away. And I just wanted to say, today, specifically, the board has brought up issues of student mental health, and caring about the future and the mental health of our students. But the actions that you're doing are adamantly contradicting your own words, you are harming your students by taking away any and every opportunity that they want. And, sorry, I just know you're making a big mistake, cutting people who actually care about the students. These are people that are actively taking action in their community to help their students and show them that they are loved. And they are there for them. And there are people on this board that are not doing that. And so we need to support the people that are actually going to be there for our students. And that's all I want to say.
Thank you so much.
Donna row, well, Davis and Jane slaughter. And so again, at the very end of public comment, the questions will be addressed. I know. Several have been made around the same topic. So we want to make sure that all of the supporters for Ms. K Thomas, we hear you. And so we will be addressing that at the end of public comment, just because it seems as if there may be some mistruths floating around about the process and what's happening. So I want to make sure that that gets cleared up tonight as well. So Jane slaughter is at one mic and Donna row. Well, Davis is out the other. Good evening.
I'm Donna roll. Well, Rowell Davis and I am a licensed registered professional nurse here but the district I've been with the district for over 26 years. So and I stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters and my siblings who are in danger of being laid off. In addition to that, My other concern is for other ancillary staff, mainly the nurses, the district nurses, and the fact that we have more agency nurses than we do district nurses working in the Detroit Public School System. Anytime you have a situation like that, then it contradicts what everything we're taught in nursing. You don't have continuity of care when you have agency nurses. In addition to that most 90% of the agency nurses are licensed practical nurses or LPNs. They are not registered nurses with baccalaureate degrees in order to be hired with the Detroit Public School System. You're supposed to have a baccalaureate degree from a four year university. Yes, you're supposed to be a baccalaureate degree nurse. And we have LPNs that went to uh, you know, they may or may not have gone to university, but for the most part, they're either went to a junior college or they went to a trainee program. Well, I'm just saying all that to say is they when you have agency nurses, some of them really care. And I'm not going to say that not they all don't care. But for the most part, you have LPNs and are practicing nursing in these schools by themselves. They are not supposed to practice nursing without a lot under they supposed to be under a registered nurse. Registered nurses are not at those schools that have the LPN set those schools by themselves. So and so I was told that, that they couldn't find nurses to hire that that is totally not true. I have lots of friends that want to get hired by the district, but the district is not hiring them. I have registered nurses licensed registered professional nurses that have baccalaureate degrees that are interested in working for the district. But I was told that the district is no longer hiring. But they have these Agency nurses that are that are not doing justice are our children. So I'm really concerned about that. In addition to that, the fact that we have a lot of students that have behavioral health issues, and we do not have enough social workers or other psychologists to do the testing and social workers to provide services to our students, and to our staffs. Thank you for listening.
Thank you. Thank you for your service. So Jane slaughter one Mike and Linda Gardner. is Linda Gardner still here. Okay.
All right. My name is Katrina Brown. I work at Mills, it's filled school, I gave up my time for Mrs. Thomas such that she could go home early with her son. So basically, I want to know from the board and from Dr. Vidi. After the students and Moses field, they were we have four incidents, separate incidents where the students are all nonverbal with verbal development delays and cognitive impairment. They had been physically abused over four separate incidents. Dr. Beatty said that he needed more evidence in order for the principle to be removed because he's a mandated reporter along with Tiffany cracky Ali, who also stood there and watched the students be abused and did nothing. I would like to know how much longer does the board need to investigate dpscd Police gave you videotapes and footage of the students being dragged and beaten. And how much longer is this a cover up? Because the parents have no notification. They don't even know that their students have been abused at Moses field. So we would like to know what is going to happen to the ministration at Moses field. When will they be in teacher jail?
Teacher JL
we would like to know just like the principals over at pasture last month. They were investigated for six months, we would like to know what's taking so long. Is there a cover up? When will you let the parents know what's going on at Moses field?
So we'll address it at the end of public comment. Okay, so thank you so much. Okay, thank you. Yeah, thank you.
I'm sorry, I thought she was gonna call someone. That's okay.
Yeah. Linda Gardner, their crystal Lee is crystal Lee still here. Okay, she's gone. President Jackson, is President Jackson still here? Okay.
Okay, so I've been with the district for going on 21 years. And you can count on maybe two hands, how many times I've taken off. You can count how many times I stayed after school, to stay with kids who can get to get picked up. You can talk about how many times parents have called me over the weekend, because they needed to arrive and go take the kids to the doctor, those things that you want to cut, you want to cut our jobs, you want to say that we don't matter? Well, you can look at my phone, I get 40 to 50 texts, or calls a day from a teacher, because she's having disciplinary problems in her class. Or she need me to come and monitor her class so that she can teach. And I sit there all day, I got teachers here who used to work at my school who can contest all of this. I'm at my school from 745 to sometimes six at night, because parents is not fair. I don't call and say, Oh, we're gonna take them to safety net. I sit it out. And I got kids on my own, but I sent it out. But that don't matter. That's fine. But then you want to say, Oh, well, the teachers the paint, the teachers want to pay raise, so we have to make cuts. That's fine, too. I take nobody's money away from them. But we have we have kids and families that we have to provide for two. Did you ever think about that? Do you think about when those kids look at me a student just came back after 15 years of famous gardener. I'm graduating college next year. Thank you for teaching me how to read. Thank you Thank you for spending that time with me when my mama could. When does that matter? Does it matter? It's all I want to know. I know we sound like a broken record to send the same thing over and over about it. But when I got kids coming back 20 years I had a student today came in her mama hook me thank you for saving my son life because without you take to him and picking him up from school every day. No gas money, no nothing, making 735 an hour out of my way and I did it but we don't matter. We don't matter. It comes from a place of like, you just don't hear about us about what we've done, what we do, and what are we going to continue to do. If I don't have a job, I still a volunteer. That's just me. That's the passion I have for the kids. We need you to get that same compassion.
Thank you, Miss Gardner.
So we have President Jackson at one mic. Andrea English is enjoy English still here. Lucretia Walker? Cassandra Davis. Did somebody say that's me? Okay. President Jackson, go ahead.
Hi, thank you, to the board members, Dr. VD community. Not much more I can say. I mean, we've we've said it over and over and over. It is it is so important, the need for the support staff to remain in the positions that they have. Can you imagine what the school year will look like next year, with those staff not being present, to offer the support to those students, and the support and the classrooms? Were started work on the go. To go gotta go to the to the teachers that sent there to the academic intervention standard that are in there, it makes no sense. So we're just asking that you reconsider. I'm always open for suggestions. I've even given some, as I've reached out to board members. And I will continue to please reconsider those positions. And one last thing when we're talking about bargaining, be fair. I'm always trying to be fair, be fair, let's not go back and forth with all this with bargaining. Who did what who slow why it was not happening. Let's not do that. Let's keep our focus on what we need to do and get this bargaining done so that we can be here for these kids next year.
Thank you President Jackson. So we have Cassandra Davis. That one is Han longs for dwarf here. Hans lon dwarf. Maya Ponton. Maya is gone. Sammy Lewis. sammies, okay. Okay. Go ahead, Miss Davis.
Good evening. My name is Cassandra Davis and I'm a speech language pathologist with 32 years experience. That DVD, I heard you said that they were 57 teacher vacancies and 10 pair pros. What obviously you did not take into consideration the ESC staff because the ancillary staff speech social worker, Psych psychologists were on life support, and they're about to pull the plug. Most of us service three or more schools, I have 60 or plus kids, that not only I have to provide therapy for, but also I am part of the team that has to evaluate students. Let's talk about that for a minute. When a teacher has a problem with a student or they suspect that the student is special ed, they come to us as a team. If we the team see there, there isn't sufficient evidence to support an evaluation. We have to take them and tell them they have to go back. They have to give supports put them in place. There are things that need to be done. Who does that the academic interventionists does those roles. Your teacher consultant does those roles, your paraprofessionals do those roles. They support the teacher so they won't have to be deemed special ed, which is last resort, by the way, special education systems classes in Detroit, we were sued because we had too many children that were in self contained classrooms. They had to go into special Atomy regular ed classroom with support who are those supports, again, your paraprofessionals, your academic interventionist, the people that you are laying off are the very people that support us and support the teachers so they can be held accountable if they can't learn to read, because we don't have anything else. It's either they're in or there are. There are no other support systems in place to uplift those students. So and we don't have enough paraprofessional ESC staff to support our special ed classrooms. So again, you already have a hole you're going to lay off people and you're going to create even a deeper hole. We don't happen have staff in the buildings, but we have more than enough staff downtown. When you talk about central office staff, when I came from Central Office staffs were not people who worked in the school. They were your superintendents, and all of these other designer positions that have come aboard the assistant to the assistant. Why are they want the table to be cut or laid off with their six figure salaries? That is all. Thank you.
Thank you. Miss Davis. Is Sammy Lewis?
Oh, handling store?
Yeah, just give me one second. Oh, Sammy Lewis. Okay. Go ahead.
Yeah, okay. Hi, everyone. My name is Han lengstorf. I'm a day to day sub. I was a building sub this year, too. And I really saw how important that position is. And I don't appreciate that that is being eliminated. And I would have liked a clear answer when I asked that. I feel you answered the question. Kind of, but I didn't even understand. I asked if building subs were laid off. And I would have appreciated a straighter answer. I had to email someone after. But overall, I feel like this is just being rushed. And there's all these PowerPoints and all these slides. But we know what happens in the classrooms. We are the ones in the classrooms, I don't know why you're not listening to us. I've only been here one year. But I can tell you as a sub, especially one of those day to day subs that you really want more of as a new teacher, which you guys want new teachers, people coming in. The support staff, the Para pros, folks like Miss Gardner are the people who help guide young teachers like me and retain us. I'm honestly like, I want to be a teacher eventually. But I'm really making the calculation right now. Do I want to be a teacher, where we don't value our support staff and where there is not support staff to support us because teachers can't do their jobs without support staff. We can't fight for the kids. We can't teach them how to read. We can't do anything of what we're trying to do so desperately and not people work in this district because they care. It's not the money, we can get raises for everyone. And I don't like this this talk about oh, well, if we raise if we do teacher raises, then we can't raise everyone. That's not true. You have enough money to raise this for everyone. You're getting 94 million from the state and that literacy lawsuit, you have 60 million and your rainy day fund, you have enough money. This is a choice you are making. Why are you not listening to us? I really don't I know why you're not listening to us because you're not affected next year. And I don't know if I can stick around. I wanted to stay in this district. But I don't know if I can stick around with no support staff. I'm imagining myself walking into classrooms without people like Miss Gardner. I'm serious. I don't know what I would do as a yoga teacher. And there's a certain amount of things you can learn and get better. But if we don't have people to support us, and also pay pros do the work of as they do the work of everyone. So just shout out to pair pros. i If there's one thing I've learned this year, is that para pros do everything. Para pros do everything. And CTA is how can you be talking about our statistics and then lay off all the CTA A's? Are you telling our children they don't deserve to go to college? What message is this sending our youth?
Thank you, Sammy Lewis and Ronald Foster. Is Ronald foster still here?
Can you hear me? Yes, go ahead, Miss Lewis. Hi,
my name is Sammy Lewis and I am the co chair of the Detroit CP USA but first and foremost, I am here as a supporter of the DPS students and staff. Also, Dr. VD, I think it's pretty inappropriate for you to step away as long as you did sometimes for public comment. And I think it's inappropriate the way that you look at some of these commenters or when you don't at all, I think that you think that you are above these people speaking when you're paid, maybe but you are not. In fact, you are here to put the students first. You need to be accountable and listen to every one of these people which by the way, there has not been one supporter of layoffs or budget cuts. Anyway, before I'm an organizer, I am a person, a person who had tutored DPS children so behind in reading and writing because their teachers just didn't have the resources to Focus on one child. I'm also a person who plans to have a child one day. But I can't imagine enrolling my child through a school system that doesn't care about their education or their needs. I can't imagine having a bilingual child who may be stronger in one language than the other, but not being able to really learn because you don't want to accommodate my child's needs. By the way, bilingual teachers deserve more pay when they are translating, because I don't think you can comprehend how difficult that actually is to do. I don't want to put my future child through the trauma that is the school system, and it's on the school board to better this system and our school. These layoffs are not just failing our students who have gotten attached the only people in the system that care about them. But these layoffs are failing the staff who have done the work, the work that you don't see every day, the work that you won't do. The staff you are laying off are not just fulfilling the roles of their jobs, but they are often second parents, therapists and someone that actually cares about these students and their needs. They buy resources on their own time they buy food for their hungry students. I just don't understand how you as a school board can lack such care and humanity for people and children, while the superintendent receives pay raises our children and the people of the schools are going without. If you care at all about education, you will put money into the schools not take it away. No layoffs, no budget cuts as a school board. It's your job to hear all of us and not one person has been in support of these cuts, All power to the students and all power to the workers.
Thank you, Sammy Lewis. Thank you. So to the board. We are again at the one hour mark. We have five more public comment tours in person and nine online.
Painting speakers in person and online at the finish line.
It's been properly moved by member gay technical properly supported by member Vaughn to extend public comment to hear the last 14 people. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried we have Ronald foster at one mic. Kim Hall. Is Kim Hall still here. Lauren Emmerich. Is Lauren still here. Ali? Ali Golly. Okay, June Wardell. Pristine stret. Okay, pristine, yes, pristine stret. Please make your way to one mic. And then our last one in person is Daniel Brown. Mr. Ronald Foster. Go ahead.
Good evening. My name is Ronald Foster. I'm here today to advocate for our teachers and our children and to bring awareness and light to the inaction of our superintendent. My recommendation is that he be suspended pending investigation for civil rights violations within our school system. Prior to coming up here I have forwarded emails so each one of the board members could clued in in totality conversation with Dr. VD and his inaction. In particular, my child was affected by where another child threatened to kill both my child and myself on video. And it was documented to the D. P. S. DPD took the case because Detroit Public Schools, police officers concealed it and made every effort to conceal that on an act to protect the administration. This occurred last November as of last Thursday, this child was still into school, caught another case threatening and killed another child live across the street. And we still don't have security still don't have police. So I'm here today to bring to light and make sure that each one of y'all check that email that should have been sent to you all and that you make the proper decision today to suspend Dr. Vt pin in this investigation. And also that you send a recommendation to the prosecutor's office for leniency for the teacher, Mr. Hower for your inaction and protecting these students and these teachers in schools. On a day to day basis. Our female black educators are assaulted by students. They are fear of being assaulted and more importantly, they have fear that they may be in a position that they have to assault a child. Guns are found in our schools. Knives are out in our schools and they are failed to be disclosed to the public and to the parents. Every parent has a right to us assess the own threat to a school system before they take the children and drop them off. It is not on Dr. BD or depressible to conceal any crimes including crimes of DPS personnel, also including principals and himself also want to bring some light that over the weekend a federal judge have ruled that there is no immunity for teachers and staff members that fail to protect students. It is in that Burbage counselors days superintendents are opened up to lawsuits, silver lawsuits for not acting, especially when it's aware to you I personally walked into the West Grand Boulevard took the floor to the 10th floor took another elevator to the 14th floor patiently waited several times to speak with the elected representative or superintendent. Neither one has happened and since then, my child has failed victim to violence.
Thank you Mr. Foster, what school Mr. Foster?
Mr. correspondence, I spoke up with every school and every student but in particular, but don't Elementary.
Okay, thank you so much. We see the email just came through at 730. So thank you. We have from so pristine stret prep, strike. Yes. Hey, Daniel Brown.
I'm sorry. I appreciate your if you may. I'm declaring a public emergency for mental illness in our school systems. teachers and children are affected like that you guys put in some type of study to evaluate and assess the mental capacity of our children. The fear that they work in an unsafe school environment. It's an unsafe work environment. It's unsafe to get education as something has to be done today.
Thank you Mr. Foster.
Hello, my name is Shanna Lo and I am a member of Youth Action Michigan echod high school program of the student advocacy center, and I'm also a part of the 42 former co chair board. I am speaking today about the district's approach to school discipline and asking the Board to pass a board resolution. And my friend Melania senior has the board resolution here, she can pass it to you guys. State law requires a school every school to consider seven factors before even a one day suspension. And one of those factors is called a lesser intervention or alternative to suspension. This could be something like a check in checkout system, or restorative circle or something like that. To make sure this last follow up we want to work with you in the schools. We would we like to have our our own we have our own school staff members, use administrators transfers as threats from for minor disagreements or just to secure students. As you can see in the board resolution, we are asking dpscd to revise its code of conduct and commit to holding a due process hearing by the 14th by the 10th. day out for all removals including suspensions, removals of virtual school, alternative school, administrative transfers, written notice of students right should be given to all students in the situation. Also, I want to speak about the safety of my school. There's it's not fair that the students at my school have to wear clear backpacks I were forced to go through. I forgot what they're called. But in worst metal detectors and we're wandered down while a teacher can go through the back way of our school. And he's allowed to bring a gun in our school. He dropped it and students seen it. It's not fair. It's not right. And it makes us feel unsafe. And thank you for your time.
Thank you. You gave the resolution to Kira. You haven't. Okay. Thank you. Daniel brown last public comments for
Good evening, and it's Daniela,
Daniela, I'm sorry, Daniel. I'm sorry.
That's okay. Good evening to the board, Dr. VD to our community to DFT. I'm exhausted. I don't have anything else to talk about. I go to my job every day and we've heard about CTAs and Dean's and everybody else that's being lost. I'm ready to talk about solutions. I'm ready to talk about what we can do to ensure that our students still have access to support. I'm I'm from DSA, we have a six storey building. The proposal that we watched in the meeting a couple of weeks ago said that we will be left with a principal, an AP and a counselor. That's not enough for a six storey building. When we have emergencies, For example, our last one, we had a lockdown situation. Thank God it was not and very high alert, but it was a lockdown situation nonetheless, my mother told me to lock myself in my office. As if I didn't know what to do as a 47 year old woman. I had to tell my mother, I'm sorry, Mom, I'm shaking floors too, because we only have one security guard. And she's that manning the door. So if you get rid of the dean, myself, that leaves again an AP, a principal and a counselor. That's not enough. That's not secure enough. And I know I am DPS. First of all, okay, born and raised in Detroit. I can name all the schools but Doom pasture and our betrayal, whether it be Cody is my neighborhood, but I went to went to Redford, okay. I understand we might not have the same issues, but we have the same concerns. Our students are coming from all over the county. They're coming from Oakland County. I did check ins a couple of summers ago, we were driving all the way out to Metro beach to check on our babies. So we still need support staff. I'm really concerned and it's not just about having a CTA at my school, right. So we have five CTAs that are going to be available. That's going to cause an issue because a lot of us are in different career levels. A lot of us have been here for 20 years plus, I've been here for years. So I'm fine to give up a spot if a spot was at my school because it's more about our students. So who's fighting for our students so that they have a fighting chance? I do more than FASFA. I do more than college applications. I do more than inviting schools in but I am that gateway. I am that doorway. And without that my counselor is already exhausted. He's our only counselor. So I'm ready to talk about solutions. And I thank you for your time.
Thank you. At this time, I'll turn it over to Miss Drake to facilitate the online portion.
Caller caller phone iPhone DMC. Please go ahead with your public comment.
Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you very much.
Yes. Go ahead. Hello, public comment.
Hi, my name is Tara Brown. And I am a parent of a dpscd student. And I'm here in support of just about everything that I've heard. I don't think anybody should be losing.
Can you all hear me? Yes, we can hear you miss Bri. Can you hear me? We can? Yes. Hello, can you hear?
Me? Yeah, we can hear you. Can you hear me?
Hello. Yes, ma'am. We can't hear you. Hello. Miss Brown.
We can't know if it's a delay or what but I do want to apologize. I was what I was saying was I'm a parent of a dpscd student. And I don't think any of the people that are facing losing their jobs should be losing their jobs right now. It is important that we have these, you know academic facilitators and or I'm sorry, academic interventionist, culture facilitators, college transition advisors, substitutes, and Dean's of culture, these positions are important. If they weren't important, you all wouldn't have instituted them. And if anybody needs to be taken a pay cut is Dr. Vt, because as the one parent brought up, there is something online that says he is getting increasing pay raises. And right now it says something he makes about $312,000 for the level of performance, and for all these cuts that need to be made. The first cut needs to start with him.
Thank you
Hi, Kevin, please go ahead with your public comment
Kevin, please go ahead with your public comment.
Hi, I'm Kevin says knee DSA. I'm here in solidarity with my friends and colleagues working several positions in the district and their ancillary staff being threatened with layoffs. First, I want to say that calling standardized tests your best metric for engagement and growth is absurd. Teaching kids how to fill out a scantron is not preparing them for a rich and fulfilling life, how to research new information to become interested in as they grow or even how to carry an educated conversation on complex topics in adulthood. But it's not the point I came here to make. There is no reason to lay off any staff or block raises for these heroes. We know that there's $60 million in unrestricted surplus, which alone is plenty to keep these critical people on staff to not only educate children, but help our communities raise and nurture them into empathetic and engaged adults. Every staff member is an important piece of the schooling process. Every teacher, counselor ParaPRO, security, support and ancillary staff are all necessary to build the safe, healthy and supportive environment our children need to thrive. We know that the state government is increasing funding on a per pupil basis and that in fact, enrollment is steadily going up. In order to save these jobs and foster as functional and personal and environment as possible for these students. We should at minimum be listening to the teachers about wasted funding on materials they don't need or approve. Again, we know there is money there and we know even more money is coming. There is no reason for a public institution to operate like a for profit business and there is no justice in laying off any of the staff nor is there justice in denying them a fair raise. I yield the rest of my time.
Hi, Nicole, please go ahead with your public comment.
Nicole, please go ahead with your public comment.
This is Nicole Conaway. It's it says there's someone before me, but I'm assuming it's my turn. I'm a teacher, a Detroiter, a proud DFT member of BAM organizer, and a founding member of the Detroit strike to win committee. We formed that committee in 2015 and started organizing the scouts and walkouts that shut down the district and ended the area of emergency management. And I'm saying that to remind all the teachers and DPS staff that we won that victory because we exercised our power and collective action. And we must start now to organize that power in action again, there has been a wave of strikes across the country right now Oakland, California, educators are striking and providing us an example of fighting not only for well deserved pay increases, but for more services for students, especially those with special needs English language learners and homeless students fighting for real social justice. And we must prepare to act to strike to sick out to walk out to boycott, asking politely will get nothing from this board, even speaking angrily to this board will not win our demands. The President has sat there tonight and politely thanked every speaker complimented students for how well they spoke, but then be trays those students with votes to cut the staff who served them. So we must fight for our demands, not beg not ask them. We need to fight for our demands to rescind the layoff now reject these so called personnel restructuring, which are just more layoffs and cuts.
Heat Miss Thomas and the full music program that baits offer a full virtual program for all students and teachers who need and want one to learn and work safely from home. We will not accept any condescending explanations about process to justify degrading the music program at Bates and transferring Miss Thomas. We know it was understaffing and sabotage the virtual school that drove down enrollment by pushing students and teachers out many to other districts. And laying off CTAs cultural facilitators that night and pair pros or anyone is completely unjustifiable. We need to use our anger to organize and fight together. tonight's meeting would have been shut down in the area of a takeover board or emergency management. Well this board and VD are pushing the same policies and in doing so render themselves as wholly illegitimate. We must be the leaders we need an organized sustained duress matter erect mass actions until we get commitments in writing to pay increases for all staff retaining and hiring.
Hi, Tory, please go ahead with your public comment.
Hi,
my name is Torie Anderson Lloyd. I am going to do my own. My own is my firm starting
your on Tori guy. Calm down. So I'll just wait. Sorry, go ahead.
Hi, my name is Torie Anderson loi,
I am a DF team member.
I will not restate what my DLT siblings, parents, and support staff have already stated. I would like for us to look at this from a different point of view. At the beginning of tonight's board meeting, we were serenaded with a song from students from a high school. Then some students from another school played us some sweet music. We were then we listened to the board members read off you know the achievements of students who won in a writing contest. And then we watched students from Bates walk across the stage to celebrate their also well deserved chess victory. And I couldn't help but wonder and think how many people that work downtown interacted with those students on a day to day basis. I couldn't help but wonder how many people making six figures are in direct close proximity to those students. None of those people are in close proximity to those students. And the district continues to reiterate this, this rhetoric this idea that student achievement is the most priority student achievement student achievement that is our priority. And yet we are willing to cut the people who are responsible for student achievement. Yes, teachers deserve race. We all deserve races. However, our raises should not come at the expense of cutting our support our teammates, our colleagues, Ms. Boren was being very, very humble. That woman has bent over $10 million since she's been at DSA in four years, named me one assistant superintendent, Executive Director of fluffy football position downtown that has given our students that much in money that has poured that much energy into our students.
You can't
and I know what the board is going to say we don't have the money, we don't have the money. I've sat and listened to you all tell us that we don't have the money since I returned to the district in 2018. And yet Dr. VD has over 24 members of his cabinet making over six figures. If we were to just take four cabinet members, you could pay for about seven College Transition advisors.
I'm an English teacher, I
don't know, man. But back to this idea that we don't have the money. We don't have the money. I got 36 seconds. They're the same from Friday, we're Smokies mother sends him to the store. She hands him the money. And Toby says the same enough. And she looked at him and she said make it enough. So when you all are sitting at that table, and you said we don't have enough for teacher raises, we don't have enough to keep everybody on staff. I want to tell you make it enough. I yield the rest of my time.
Hi, Mina, go ahead with your public comment.
Hi, can you hear me? Yes.
I'm gonna wait for the clock.
Yes, ma'am. Go ahead.
My name is Dina Chakor. I'm a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing at bunch. I'm a DFT building rep. And most importantly, I'm a dpscd parent. But I'm speaking today in support of my colleagues whose jobs are being cut. When they lose key positions in the district, the responsibility of those people don't just go away, they get spread throughout the remaining employees. We're seeing that now in my school as we compensate for the loss of our Dean, who took a buyout at the beginning of this month. We've been told that cutting some jobs as necessary to give teachers raises and that raises are essential for retaining teachers. But I guess I'm just offended that you think you can by our silence that easily. A modest raise for teachers doesn't amount to much when we know we'll be expected to pile on additional responsibilities. We need raises because we haven't been keeping up with the cost of living and we have yet to recover what we lost during emergency management. But taking on more work should not be factoring into our pay Unless it's being negotiated as part of our contract. Well, it's true that pay is an essential part of teacher and staff recruitment and retention. It's also about how respected we feel at work and how much stress we're under at work. And we need to pay more attention to teacher stress levels, because they directly impact students stress levels. We can't give social emotional learning the attention it deserves, if we are overloaded. As a parent, I know that my child is surrounded by loving teachers. But I'm also hearing about the impact of the stress of adult that that this that the adult stress has on my child all the time. So as a teacher, I appreciate that you're trying to make my PE more competitive, but it cannot happen on the backs of my colleagues. Thank you.
Tracy, go ahead with your public comment.
Me Evening. Evening, evening, this is Tracy trail here. And originally, I only have one thing to say but I was listening to all these people talk. So three things are heavy on my mind today. And the first thing I wanted to talk about were the cell phone towers. When I was at burner, I asked the construction workers, I said what are you constructing, and they reported that it was going to be a cell phone tower. Think T Mobile and those 10 towers that you put up, that was back in 2018. For that school, they should come down as soon as possible as soon as possible. Second thing Dr. VD you know, you continue to claim we're losing students. And that's why the layoffs are necessary. But you allow for virtual school to kick out over 1500 students, millions of dollars are probably lost. And the parents will continue to pull their kids out of DPS when children are still getting sick and dying steel pandemic and full effect you guys. So speaking of which the schools are full of are hurting children due to the pandemic. And yes, they need more support, they do not need support taken away. The parents are also going to be applauded as they watched the district destroy our schools with these layoffs and their devastating effects full. And finally, of course, I just want to know, again, why I was given virtual school work from home accommodations, only for them to be removed. When it was working out just fine. Dr. outstretch removed me from the virtual school altogether, and fill my position with a man. So and I was teaching over 200 students as I keep telling you guys 100 elementary students in one class and 100 in the second class. And so with that being said, and in fact that should have been illegal itself. But I do know what is illegal. We're moving accommodations for no cause is illegal. You guys look it up. I know you listened to him about asthma, you were wrong. Look it up. That is illegal. Well, anyway, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. No weapon formed against me. But I'm still going to say bless you all. Because only God can work on your heart hearts. And that's what we're dealing with right now. heart hurts. So I'm going to be praying that you guys do what's right for this district. You are making a lot of money Dr. BD and your staff. And we need to help these students. We do not need to take anyone away from our virtual school kick kids out so they can find the plethora of other virtual schools out there. And we need to find out what's going on with the construction of these new schools so that we can attract students. Thank you and have a blessed day.
All right, caller please go ahead with your public comment.
Good evening. Can you hear me? Yes. Hello,
hi. Yes, go ahead with your public comment.
Hello. Are you able to hear me? Yes, ma'am.
Can you hear me? Yes
ma'am, if you can hear me go ahead with your public comment.
Good evening. My name is Joyce Jennings. And I am speaking this evening to address one concern and I'd like to say way into another. My daughter attends Cass high school, and she is running track for her school. And there is no track at Cass Technical High School for the students to practice on. There is no baseball field for the students who play baseball. So when they are actually practicing and I'm referring to outdoor track, they are practicing in deficit facilities. Since track season began, I've attended every track meet for the students through the week and the weekend. And last month, when it was pouring down raining. Detroit public schools that participated in the track meet were the only schools that were competing with the school districts outside of Detroit that didn't have tents to protect the students from rain from hail and these students have to actually run in cold pouring down rain as well as hail. As I talk with other parents, and administrators and other districts. Their school districts pay for the full uniforms of their children, they have proper attire to wear as well as tin to cover them and protect them from the elements. So if there's something that we can do to investigate why Detroit Public Schools, athletic programs don't have the same resources as other school districts that we're competing with, outside of our district, and I would like to say that we are most times outperforming them but we are under resourced when it comes to competition. And lastly, I would like to say Kay Thomas, that is my cousin. As I have come to the district board meetings. On many occasions, I've acknowledged that my family represents at least six generations of educators. Our family's connection to education goes back to the 1800s Our grandmother FEMA Tompkins, passed away the first Sunday of May of last month at 96 years old. Our grandmother, which is Kay Thomas, grandmother's well was 96 years old when she passed, and she was twice retired from Detroit public schools. My grandmother taught at Pelham, Cheney and Owens and music was one of the ways in which she used to help enhance the development of reading for our students within the district. I would hope that our district would not violate federal law, especially associated with FMLA protections.
Hi, caller please go ahead with your public comment.
Hi, caller please go ahead with your public comment.
Are you good? Can you hear me?
Can you hear me? Yes, I do.
If if you're streaming the live stream.
And I'm just want to address a couple of concerns that I have as it relates to over class size and the security of educators and staff within Detroit Public Schools building. For Teacher Appreciation Week. MSNBC discuss how teachers are leaving this profession at an alarming rate. Colleges and universities are getting rid of teacher progressive preparation programs due to the lack of teachers coming on board and wanting to be a teacher. I heard Dr. Beatty say that we have about 57 Teachers matrices within our school district. And we will continue to experience that not only in this profession, but in within our school district. If things does not change in order to follow through with the demands that are being put on us, here and within our district. Teachers are overwhelmed. We need changes within our school district. We have over class size classrooms and the district feels like given us over class size PE is in resolving the matter, and that is not the case at all. We don't need oversized class pay, we need all our classrooms to have less students within them so that our students can receive quality education. The other concern that I have, and other teachers have voiced this school year is security within our buildings. We have people that are walking up and down our hallway that are not employed by our district. And they have the liberty to come in and out of our buildings, into our classrooms, whenever they feel the need to do so. Even our parents feel like they have the right to come and interrupt our classroom during instructional time, or any time of the day because they have children or in our school, which is making it difficult for teachers to teach. And it's also have caused teachers to experience anxiety within our buildings, because teachers have had to have confrontation with parents. Because of the interaction. We need to support a district as it relates to security within our school buildings. We need support from the district as it relates to over class size. So my question is, what are the district's plans as we like to over class size? We don't want over class size PE. We want less students in our classrooms so that we can provide a quality education to our students. And my other question is, what is being put in place to stop the disruption of our classrooms? The parents typically come into our classroom not just parents but us.
Madam, Madam Chair, the other two callers are no longer on the phone. So we are concluded.
Okay, thank you so much. So Dr. Vitti, as usual, you go ahead with the questions that you have. And if you omit any, I have some questions written down as well.
Sure, I'll do my best there was a lot said so let me know what I missed. For clarity, the personnel restructuring plan includes 130, central office position reduction, 80 of those are filled with individuals. Regarding Moses field, there are two pair of professionals that have been placed on administrative leave, based on allegations of child abuse. The investigation regarding that, and what individuals at the school knew or didn't know, is ongoing. That should be concluded by the end of this month. As I stated in email, I'll state here again, I have not seen any evidence on video. I have not received any evidence in writing. I have not received any evidence verbally, that the administrators at Moses field were aware of childhood abuse or directly saw child abuse, if I will, if I was aware of that. And I had seen evidence of that than the administrators that Moses field would be on administrative leave. I continue to ask but I have not received concrete evidence that this school based administrators were aware of childhood abuse or directly assault child abuse. Nicole Conway's position was offered to her in January. The students at Mumford are waiting for her arrival. Pontiac school district was not dissolved. Just want to clarify that point. Yes, we we are looking forward to receiving literacy Lawsuit Funding, it would be $94 million. We have not received that. That would be one time money. So as a district, we have been very careful with using one time money for one time costs so that we don't create a cliff with reoccurring costs. The lawsuit does state rather clearly how the funding can be used. Or we could possibly fun things that are allowable in the literacy lawsuit to create opportunities, other funds that are existing, but then we get into the one time money versus reoccurring issue. We do have an assigned reserve we talked about that at the last meeting and it was not recommended at this point has not been approved by the board to use one time money for reoccurring costs. The district especially after Oxford shooting has done everything it can to transparent rarely report threats, whether it be threats by students, threats by parents, threats by community members, threats by staff, any type of staff, any type of threat goes along with a threat assessment, will we look at the credibility of the threat if it's a threat of a weapon, police do a home visit at the home to determine if there's access to a weapon. We now do a robo call to all the families and staff if there's a threat. In fact, I almost feel as if we're over commuting threats, I don't think it's you might say, well, is that a bad thing? I think we're almost getting December, almost getting to the point where we are not reading them seriously, because we're getting so many threats at reporting. So just to better explain that. Our students often will say, I'm going to shoot up this place in the past, we didn't really take that seriously. Now we do. And that that involves a threat assessment, and we report that so in the past, a parent would never know that that threat was made. Now we report those directly to our families. We had a parent today, talk about an incident that occurred at buffoon, I was well aware of that incident, police to our police dpscd Police directly interviewed the parent regarding that issue, and follow up was provided in writing an email to the parent and those concerns. I want to clarify, there's a lot of talk continuing talk of layoffs. The the proposed, I should say the approved personnel restructuring that's associated with the budget does not lay off any hourly employees. Every hourly employees position that is not funded at a central office has an opportunity to transition into another position. Most many of those positions are at the school location where the individual is at not every single one. But all. So when we talk about being sensitive, with the hard economic decisions that we have to make, we are trying to be set sensitive, especially to our employees that make the least amount of money. school culture facilitators, for example, have the opportunity right now they make 1755, they can do, they can move into an ESC peril role, which is $16 an hour that's likely to increase, they can move into a cafeteria worker role, which is 1755 an hour, or they can move into a security guard role, which is also 1755 An hour or a day to day sub role at $20 an hour. If a school culture facilitators position is not funded at their school, we are offering a day to day sub at the school that they are at at $20 an hour. And so if you talk to our school culture facilitators, many will say they are covering classes right now, because there aren't enough subs at their individual schools, para educators. The central office funding would not be applied to para educators at the kindergarten level. Right now we have about 90, kindergarten paras with about 29 pair of vacancies. Every pair professional can move to a pre K pair a roll that the same roll just a grade down, you might ask how can we afford that it's a different funding source. The Pre K pair, the pre K program GSRP is a state categorical it requires a para. So there's a different amount of funding or different kinds of funding that funds that area. And we have plenty of vacancies and we'll have more the Para educator can go into a pre K para role and make the same hourly rate that they make now, they could go into an ESC para role, make $16 an hour that could go into a cafeteria worker role at 1755 an hour, or they could even go to the day to day sub role at $20 an hour. And then lastly, the college transition advisors. Five are funded at individual schools, the other 19 school culture facil I'm sorry, the college transition advisors could go into an AI role and academic academic interventionist role, but most likely into a pathway counselor role where they would have about two years, if not longer to get their their master's degree in counseling, and basically make the same amount that they're making now as CPAs, possibly more. There's a possibility they can stay at the school that they're at. If it's a neighborhood High School. There was lots of talk about people wanting to go and not have in that if we engage people earlier about the option of leaving, maybe with a severance or a payout they would go. I've said it multiple times and multiple public meetings. We still want to offer our college transition advisors if they're Interested school culture facilitators or paras with a severance, we cannot impose that severance. It does require bargaining. We have offered in writing a proposal for a severance. Now, to be direct and honest, we have not agreed with some unions on the amount. Other unions have not countered on that. So it's not the administration that's not willing to offer a severance, we have not agreed on the severance amount that's comparable to the amount of money that those individuals make. We are providing meals over the summer for all of our students at select sites. Our plan is to have all schools have with air conditioning and five years to the facility master plan, there may be only 10 or 12, that do not have air conditioning after that point. And that's because of the infrastructure of the building. It's just too costly to implement, or those buildings are rather old. And we have to look at what enrollment looks like in five, seven years to see if those buildings should still be used. There was a lot of comments and concerns about a beats music teacher. To clarify, dpscd ensures that every K eight as a music or art program, and that every high school has a music or art program. At Bates, the school actually has going into next year next year, the budget base will have a full time music teacher and a full time art teacher. The principal at Bates has decided not to fund the second music teacher. That is his decision based on the teacher allocation positions that he has at beats. This the survey data that is available is available to all individual teachers, I think there were questions about accessibility to the data that is accessible to teachers. After the data survey is collected by the fall by the by the summer or early fall.
There was there was talk about in the role of central office and I do want to highlight Central Offices role in expanding chess throughout the school district and robotics. So no central office staff did not Directly Instruct students during chess, and robotics. But we do have a central office administrators. Many of you know I try not to use names and I'm not going to do that. But he was certainly instrumental in expanding chest and robotics throughout the district. So central office staff do matter beyond compliance. And he and his position is certainly an example of that. DSA has 120 students based on the budget next year, it would have been a principal and assistant principal. And yes, a counselor. It is allocated security guards. If because of the number of floors at DSA. If there's a fear of not having enough adult supervision, then we can add security guards at DSA. Most schools that at about 300 400. Whether they're in the city charter schools, or in suburban school districts that small typically only have one administrator, they only have a principal or they may only have a principal and a dean, or a principal. And as an AP, it's highly unlikely that any school has a principal and assistant principal and a dean, three administrators in a school that size. So when we're looking at how do we balance the budget and deal with our budgetary issues, we're looking at reducing administrators at schools in any school that is seeing a reduction in Dean's. So these are the smaller schools assistant principals or school culture facilitator. As the year starts, if we're seeing concerns with supervision of children, then certainly we can add security guards for more security for more supervision in hallways if the need arise. And that's what I would recommend to the board. If the state budget comes in at a higher level than the governor's budget, then those extra dollars can be used to add support staff at schools that saw a reduction in overall staff. I may have forgot certain items. So Madam Chair, please let me know.
So summer school, I know there was a comment around summer school and it not being provided. So can you just address that about summer school?
Sure. So summer school is provided for students from grades eight to 12. That need course recovery to stay on path to either finish eighth grade and move into ninth or stay on path to graduate in four years from ninth to 12th grade in the core subjects of English language arts, math, science and social studies. We also are offering summer school programming for students with special needs from kindergarten through 12th grade. I'd also say that the budget for next year does have pay increases for all employees, not just teachers. And that is we've already offered our first proposal and we're looking forward to continuing to negotiate with our unions on that proposal, there was a question about Cass Tech's field, cash tech, unfortunately, the football field was built without of track. And so a couple of years ago, we did make a recommendation to the board to build a new field, which would include a new track. But concerns were that at that time, we didn't really, there were questions asked whether we should put money in a field when we had so many other outstanding facility issues throughout the district. So that proposal did that move forward to the full board. But we do have a plan to philanthropically raise money for a new field at Cass tech, which would include a new track, and then possibly partially funded with district dollars, and that proposal will go to the board in the next probably couple of months. I'd also say that part of our vision with an athletic complex, possibly at Cooley would be an indoor track, which would be unique in the city, which would give our students the advantage of training in the winter, and also possibly competing in national local track competitions at the athletic complex.
Dr. Vitti What about the data, the survey data, we talk about survey data all the time, in particular, the survey data around love challenged and prepared. Where can the community find that data?
I believe that data I know that the district wide data. Obviously he's reviewed in our metrics monthly at individual schools. I believe they're also on our strategic or strategic planning website. But let me double check on that. I believe that it's there. If it's not it should be. But I'll follow up on that particular question. I also know that there were questions about the blended learning stipend. When we negotiated that two years ago, it specifically talked about teaching, in order to gain that blended learning stipend. So that's why social workers did not receive that. We have definitely hired more social workers over the years, we still rely on on contracted social workers, not as many, but we still do in order to meet the EFC. needs based on the IEP. We do still contract with psychologists, we've talked about this at other board meetings, I've even provided the financial analysis, that not not not economically sustainable to hire a full time psych psychologist and even if we wanted to, there are enough to hire, I would say the same thing for nurses. So we have relied on contracted nurses over COVID. I do believe that at some point in next year's budget, there will be dollars for contracted nurses. There would not be reoccurring dollars for contract for full time nurses. And I do question whether there's enough nurses to hire full time.
Thank you. And then the last thing around the restriction of the 94 million for the literacy lawsuit. Can you just talk about that a bit? I know that was mentioned a lot tonight. And what those funds were those funds can and cannot be used for and the restrictions around it.
So when the the letter when the literacy lawsuit went to settlement, it was it delineated how those funds would eventually be used if we would receive them. So again, to clarify, we have not received those funds, if we did is about 94 million. They can be used specifically for literacy purposes, generally, so things like after school support. Summer School support additional academic interventionists, reducing class sizes in grades K to three, we could also use it for facility upgrades as well. At a high level, those were the specific ways that we could use those dollars. Professional Development for literacy is another area.
Okay. cell phone towers, so I know we are there's a statement. Okay. So I know that the last meeting we talked about other entities as well, and there's been researched and has begun. I'm not sure if Okay, so what we are looking to do is we are looking to partner. I know there were some comments mentioned about they are only on dpscd schools, we know that's not true. However, that's what we are governing. So there's even cell phone towers on the Fisher building, right? University of Michigan. So it's not it's like all those places. So what we are looking to do is get expert opinions. You know, we don't want to pick and choose when we follow the data, the science, it was just like with COVID We reached out to experts and we operate it from that space of the experts. So what The board and I have talked about doing is collaborating because now we know that city council, there's conversations with city council, there's been other conversations with other municipalities and entities. And so we're going to come together so that we can all hear from the experts at the same time and make decisions based on that. And so we that will be those will be public conversations, because just as we have questions, and just as we are getting information, you all have questions, and we'll be getting information as well. So I'm not sure if any, any other board member one to weigh in on that regarding that. Remember, guys, Zack, no, go ahead.
Thank you, Madam Chair. If it's just on this issue, on this issue, I would like to make a recommendation or make a motion that we support council member Mary waters resolution to call for the study of the impact of the raise from the towers that exist on our schools.
Okay. Is there any more discussion around there? Was a motion on the floor? Is there support? There's a motion on the floor. Is there a support? There's motion on the floor? Is there support
to support merit, Merit council member Mary waters resume resolution to call on the health department and or MD Q to study the impact of a cell tower.
So just for clarity, and Dr. Taylor, you may want to weigh in or not. But just for clarity, was that just what the city health department because I think that it goes far beyond that. But I don't know, if there was if that was just a city. It looked like it was just the city health department
and my communication with her today. The resolution? I think we all have it in our email. If we if we've take a look. The initial was with the city of Detroit, the conversation I had, however, was extended beyond beyond the city.
Well, I don't think that our requests creates a burden for the health department be at the city, the county and or the state in the queue or any other agency. So calling for the study, they don't they're not forced to do it. If we stand in alliance with the resolution, if it creates a burden, they can say it creates
more discussion was the second to the motion. Excel a member motion is on the floor to support the revenue resolution from City Council regard calling for a study as it relates to B cell phone tower radiation impact. I know there's been conversations on both sides of the aisle around this. And I know we have asked our legal team to also seek direction in terms of the legal ramifications and what that looks like. But more importantly, it's about the health. And so the motion on the floor. And
I just wanted to just say for the record that notwithstanding, it seems it has been emailed to us it wasn't on the agenda. So it's not something that I reviewed, and so I'm not comfortable voting on something I haven't reviewed.
Do you have it? Can you send it to us? It's all of us, all of us have it? Okay, so, okay. Okay. So can we will the owner of the motion? Can we what's the desire to get more information on it before calling the vote?
What so here's my thing. And, and, and I mean, we could vote either way. But if if we had discussions, if we had discussions about doing a study or calling on agencies to give us feedback, like what agencies are we talking about? So forget her, forget her. So we can come up with our own resolution? Right. So which agencies are we calling on to talk about the fidelity or impact of the cell towers
and should not be? Again, I'll yield to Dr. Taylor, but shouldn't that be the federal government? Right MD Q.
So so so I have to yield to Councilmember Mary waters. Resolution if if we're going to take action as we've said in a couple of meetings, we can simply call for A resolution for our own if that's the case, so if people have not read hers, and they're not comfortable with what the content of what, Councilmember Mary waters resolution, which is strictly simply saying, calling on agencies that would have the professional wherewithal to give us feedback, that's simply what I'm saying. Okay. So if we're not going to do that, we're not comfortable in supporting her resolution, then we could simply come up with our own but, but from my perspective, we've allowed time to work by saying what we're going to do, but I don't see that we are really doing anything either.
So I don't know. Nope. Okay. Okay. So if that's the case, there's a resolution on the floor right now, do you want to make an amendment to the resolution to own our own resolution? Now, it's a motion I'm sorry, it's a motion on the floor
Council, Council Member, Mary waters resolution to join with her. And I understand members not having time to have read that it's okay. But what are our next steps? Because I don't want to give our citizens the feeling that this is not important. Correct. So she's not calling for anything that we wouldn't be calling for. Right? I mean, has anybody else
noticed also, that she's joining me?
So I put a motion up. Member Vaughn supported it right.
So we can just call for the vote? The votes up or down? Roll Call.
Can we turn the mic on for us more? There we go.
Okay, so before before we end the meeting? Yes.
I'm not in a rush to vote on it. Right. But I would like us to take some type of
absolute night. And this time to do that. And so we have there are other entities that have been reaching out to us to collaborate as well. Because, you know, I think we need to get moving. But in
all fairness, I get have an opportunity to peruse it. And so I, you know, I can we can move the motion down to take care of the items, but I would like to make sure that we take some type of action Yes, at night, if it's, it's our own home, or if it's other agencies that you've highlighted. Somebody, but I think we need to take some type of action tonight.
Correct? Okay.
It's not okay.
Yeah, we didn't see.
The resolution.
No, Dr. Vidya didn't send a resolution. I think, if you have a member gay diagonal, can you send it to the rest of the board? Thank you so much. So we will table that to the end of the meeting. So we are now at the point where so if we can get that sent to us before the end of the meeting, because it's not in our emails. Item number 13 Is the consent agenda. So the chair will entertain a motion to approve items 13.07 through 13 point 16. Their support has been properly moved by member Mays properly supported by member Vaughn, any discussion on the consent agenda items which went through both subcommittees? If not all those in favor of approving the consent agenda items 13.01 through 13 point 16 signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Item number 14 is policies. So there was only one policy for adoption, post adoption, review the bylaw, 7250 commemoration, naming and renaming of school facilities. This came before us at the last meeting. And so it was sent back you saw the strikeouts and where the changes were. So that policy does get voted on tonight the first reads do not however if you have any comments or questions for first reads you can send those to committee so the chair entertain a motion to approve policy 7250 which is the commemoration naming and renaming of school facilities.
Yes, I know
so I'm okay I don't have any more issues on this and I'm
okay. Okay, so thank you Dr. Vita, you and the team for for showing the strikeouts and all have the red on the policy so that we know where to change is where sometimes it's it's grammatical sometimes it's really small we can tell, but the feedback has been received by the policy committee. Is there any other discussion? If not the chair entertain a motion to approve? Oh, is there support it's been properly moved by member Mays properly supported by member gay diagnostico any discussion? All those in favor of approving 7250 signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. So again please take a look if you haven't already with your first read policies and your new policy which is a 300 continuity of organizational operations and any questions comments or concerns you can contact any member of the policy committee we are now at the point of closed session
whereas it is an administrative action items after closed session Yeah, these we don't have to close session. Oh okay. So close session
the chair entertain a motion for closed session. 10 points are wanting some motion to enter closed session pursuant to MCL 15.268. A and H of the Michigan Open Meetings Act to consider I personnel action of employees request and I a written legal opinion. The chair entertain a motion for closed session.
Motion has been put on the floor by member Mays for closed session is the support member McClendon support. Madam secretary can we have a roll call for closed session?
Bishop color avant the truth McClendon sharegate Agnetha Dr. Iris Taylor, Sonia mais Angelique Peterson, Mayberry. Yes Madam Chair, you have a quorum for call. Thank
you. So we have three administrative items after closed session and in German.
The chair entertain a motion to come out of closed session. Oh, is there support? Is there a support? It's been properly moved by member gates eggnog all properly supported by member Mays come out of closed session.
Yeah,
I was gonna madam secretary for the roll call. Okay, go ahead. Miss Jenny Smith for
President. Board members, Sherry,
no. What is your vote to come out of closers? Yes. Board members. Board members. Board Member? Yes. Thank you. Motion carries to come out of closed session. We are now to the point of
there's a motion on the floor to tie bar items 12 01 12 02 and 12 04.
The motion was put on the floor by member Mays. Prop properly supported by Dr. Taylor, to tie bar items 12 01 12 02. And oh, and 12 04. That's the difference. Okay. Any discussion? All those in favor of Tyburn 12 01 12 02 and 12 04 signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. There's a motion on the floor to approve the tie bar support member McClendon. All those in favor of approving the tie bar signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Item 12.03. There's a motion on the floor to approve item 12.03. Is there support? It's been properly moved by member Mays properly supported by Dr. Taylor. All those in favor of approving item 12.03 So signify by saying aye. Aye.
Any opposed? Please no. There's one opposed member gay dag no go. We are now at next week
item number 11 The personnel action so we have administrative terminations and terminations for cause. I know you didn't I admire their desire to tie bar 11.01 11.02 Okay. Okay, so motions on the floor for approval of item 11.01. The motion was put on the floor by member Mays is supported by member McClendon. Any discussion? All those in favor of approving 11.01 signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? One oppose, please note member gay de novo item 11.02. terminations for cause. There was a motion put on the floor by member Mays. Is there support properly supported by Dr. Taylor any discussion? All those in favor of approving item 11.02 signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? One opposed? Member Gades Agnolo. Motion carry the chair now entertain a motion for adjournment support?
Yes.
It's been properly moved in support any any objection? If not, if not, a motion carries. Thank you everyone have a good evening rise for the benediction
