[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM]
[00:00:04]
ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
[2. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM IS EXECUTIVE SESSION.THEREFORE, WE'LL ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.071551.072551.074 AND 551.0821 AT 5P.M.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER AT 6 P.M.
OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE OPENING PRAYER, PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
[3. OPENING PRAYER AND PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE/MOMENT OF SILENCE]
WILL YOU ALL PLEASE RISE? DEAR LORD, WE GATHER HERE TODAY WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS, SEEKING YOUR GUIDANCE AND WISDOM AS WE COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS IMPORTANT MATTERS FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.WE ASK FOR YOUR PRESENCE TO BE FELT AMONG US.
LORD, WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS ON THIS MEETING AS WE PREPARE TO NAME A LONE FINALIST FOR OUR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT, GRANT US CLARITY OF MIND AND UNITY OF SPIRIT AS WE MAKE THIS SIGNIFICANT DECISION.
MAY THE INDIVIDUAL WE CHOOSE LEAD WITH INTEGRITY, VISION, AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING AND SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. LORD, WE PRAY FOR THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF AND FAMILIES AS WE BEGIN A NEW SCHOOL YEAR.
SURROUND THEM WITH YOUR PROTECTION, INSPIRE THEM WITH YOUR LOVE, AND EMPOWER THEM WITH YOUR WISDOM.
MAY THE DECISIONS WE MAKE TONIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL AND LORD, WE PRAY FOR THE FAMILY OF OUR BELOVED OLD UNION ART TEACHER, NICOLE MERTENS.
HELP US TO LISTEN WITH OPEN HEARTS AND GRANT US THE WISDOM TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WILL.
IT'S IN JESUS CHRIST'S NAME THAT WE PRAY.
AMEN. NOW, WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
. AND NOW FOR THE TEXAS PLEDGE.
PLEASE JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
THANK YOU AND YOU MAY BE SEATED.
ALRIGHT. OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MS. SHELTON, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
[5. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ANY MATTERS ADDRESSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ANY MATTERS ADDRESSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0.
CONSIDER AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION ON HIRING RECOMMENDATION FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ACTION AT THIS TIME ON THAT ITEM, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ACTION 5.2.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0.
CONGRATULATIONS, DOCTOR GLENN.
OKAY, WE HAVE NO FURTHER ACTION, SO WE WILL TAKE RECESS AT THIS TIME FOR 30 MINUTES.
WE'RE IN RECESS AS OF RIGHT NOW.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER AT 6:39 P.M..
[6. PRESIDENT'S REPORT]
WE ARE ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.I HAVE A FEW UPDATES I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
FIRST, OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.
[00:05:01]
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO DECLARE DOCTOR JEREMY GLENN AS OUR LONE FINALIST FOR THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF CARROLL ISD.THIS ACTION BEGINS A REQUIRED 21 DAY WAITING PERIOD BEFORE HIRING CAN BECOME FINALIZED.
AT SUCH TIME, WE WILL NAME DOCTOR LEDBETTER, A SUPERINTENDENT EMERITUS, UNTIL HE SERVES THE REMAINDER OF HIS SERVICE TO CARROLL ISD AND OFFICIALLY RETIRES ON DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS DOCTOR GLENN.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO UPDATE YOU ON THE TITLE NINE LAWSUIT AS REPORTED TO YOU A FEW WEEKS AGO.
JUDGE O'CONNOR ISSUED A RULING IN OUR FAVOR AND GRANTED A TEMPORARY INJUNCTION FOR CARROLL ISD.
A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN PRESERVING THE INTEGRITY OF TITLE NINE.
WE ALSO REQUESTED THE JUDGE IMPOSE A NATIONWIDE INJUNCTION ON THESE CHANGES TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS WHEN TRAVELING TO OTHER STATES FOR SCHOOL RELATED ACTIVITIES FROM IMMINENT HARM.
THE JUDGE DENIED OUR REQUEST FOR A NATIONWIDE INJUNCTION BECAUSE, AS HE WROTE, A STAY OF THE FINAL RULE RESULTS IN NO EFFECT ON STATE POLICIES PRIORITIZING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS AT THE EXPENSE OF NON-TRANSGENDER STUDENTS.
HOWEVER, THE JUDGE DID ORDER AN EXPEDITED LITIGATION IN THIS MATTER BECAUSE CISD HAS PROVED THAT IT IS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, SUBSTANTIALLY CERTAIN TO SUCCEED ON THE MERITS OF THIS MATTER AND IF CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE IN THE INTERIM, CISD CAN RENEW ITS REQUEST FOR AN INJUNCTION.
IF CISD PREVAILS ON THE MERITS OF THIS CASE, IT WILL.
IT WILL RESULT IN STRIKING THE PROPOSED CHANGES ENTIRELY.
WE BELIEVE THAT ANY ALTERATIONS TO TITLE NINE MUST BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND SHOULD NOT COMPROMISE THE SAFETY, THE PRIVACY OR OPPORTUNITIES OF ANY STUDENT.
LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINTS.
AS REPORTED PREVIOUSLY, THE DISTRICT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM OCR ON MAY 6TH, 2024 THAT INCLUDED A PROPOSED RESOLUTION OF ACTION ITEMS RELATING TO THE FOUR COMPLAINTS.
OCR GAVE THE DISTRICT 90 DAYS TO SIGN THE PROPOSAL.
SO, AS REPORTED TO YOU, WE HAVE REQUESTED THE FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS WITH SUPPORTING EVIDENCE AND FACT FROM OCR ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND OCR HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE US THOSE IN EVERY INSTANCE.
IT'S ONLY FAIR FOR THEM TO DO THE SAME FOR US.
TODAY WE RESPONDED TO OCR AND HAVE PROVIDED A COPY OF SUCH RESPONSE TO OUR COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH A GENERAL SYNOPSIS OF THE FOUR COMPLAINTS.
NEVERTHELESS, CARROLL ISD HAS NO OTHER CHOICE GIVEN THE FACTORS I JUST STATED.
IF OCR IS NOT WILLING TO PROVIDE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WITH THE INFORMATION IT NEEDS TO NEGOTIATE A RESOLUTION AGREEMENT, THE DISTRICT WILL AWAIT OCR LETTER OF IMPENDING ENFORCEMENT ACTION SO THAT IT HAS THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FAIR AND TRANSPARENT NEGOTIATIONS. OKAY, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DISCUSSION AND IN ACTION PORTION OF OUR AGENDA 7.1 CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE
[7. DISCUSSION / ACTION]
2024 2025 STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND STUDENT HANDBOOK.[00:10:04]
PRESIDENT BRYAN AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES.THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND HANDBOOK HAVE BEEN UPDATED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF TEA.
AND BOTH OF THESE DOCUMENTS WE UTILIZE FOR THE 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR.
MR. NICHOL, JUST REAL QUICK, I WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT CHANGED IN THIS VERSION OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT? THERE WAS A PORTION WHERE WE TALK ABOUT CELL PHONES IN THE 4TH, 7TH, AND 8TH GRADE THAT WAS CHANGED.
THERE'S A STATEMENT ABOUT FOR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE THAT CELL PHONES CAN BE USED FOR SPECIFIC ACADEMIC TASKS, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL RELATED STRUCTURED TASKS AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE DEVICES THAT WE ISSUE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE ABLE TO SUFFICE FOR THOSE.
AND SO WE FELT LIKE WE COULD TAKE THAT STATEMENT OUT.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU, MR. NICHOL. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CELL PHONE DISCUSSION IN THE MEDIA.
OTHER DISTRICTS OR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS HAVE PASSED POLICIES IN THAT THAT REGARD AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE COMMUNITY THAT WE THIS BOARD, ACTUALLY PASSED OUR CELL PHONE POLICY THIS TIME LAST YEAR AND THAT POLICY IS THERE IS NO CELL PHONES OR PERSONAL DEVICES ALLOWED IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE PERIOD BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL, OR DURING AND IN GRADES SEVEN AND EIGHT IN MR. NICOL, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT LANGUAGE.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES CAN ONLY BE USED PRIOR TO SCHOOL IN AFTER SCHOOL, NOT IN ANY CLASSROOM, NOT IN PASSING PERIODS, AND NOT AT LUNCH AND THEN GRADES 9 THROUGH 12. PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES CAN BE ACCESSED NOT IN CLASS, BUT AT PASSING PERIODS, LUNCH BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL.
SO WE HAVE PASSED A RESTRICTIVE CELL PHONE POLICY IN THIS DISTRICT AND I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE SOME ENFORCEMENT ISSUES THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, BUT THAT'S GROWING PAINS WITH THE FIRST PASSAGE OF SUCH A POLICY.
SO, DOCTOR LEDBETTER, WE ASK YOU TO REMIND OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS OF OUR POLICY FOR CELL PHONE USE AND THIS BOARD IS 1,000% BEHIND ANY TEACHER ENFORCING THIS CELL PHONE POLICY.
SO THANK YOU, MR. NICHOL, FOR THAT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE THE BOARD OFFICERS MEET WITH ALL THE, ALL 11 PRINCIPALS, ONCE A MONTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE PRINCIPLES BROUGHT UP IS IT WOULD REALLY BE GREAT IF WE WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF PARAMETERS BEHIND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS WITHIN OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD A WHOLE SPREADSHEET IN GRID ON EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAD TO USE AND THEN WITH THE NEW STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT THAT WAS ISSUED A YEAR OR SO AGO WE TOOK THAT OUT AND WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND KIND OF MEET HALFWAY WITH THAT AND SO WHEN OUR NEW POLICY COMMITTEE MEETS FOR THE FIRST TIME, THAT'S GOING TO BE THEIR FIRST TASK OF ORDERS TO COME UP WITH THOSE PARAMETERS TO BUILD IN AND AMEND THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT.
SO, MR. NICHOL, I KNOW YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF THAT.
YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT THAT COMMITTEE PRESENTS US A RECOMMENDATION IN THE FUTURE.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THAT WITHIN THE FIRST SEMESTER OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FOR MR. NICHOL? I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THE POLICY RIGHT NOW.
SAYS NO PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE MAY BE ACCESSED IN CLASS EXCEPT FOR LIMITED INSTRUCTIONAL USE.
SO I KNOW, I THINK, DOCTOR LEDBETTER, YOU WERE GOING TO TALK TO THE PRINCIPALS.
WHAT IS THE NEED FOR THE CELL PHONES IN CLASS IN THE UPPER GRADES? SO I THINK IN VISITING OF COURSE, THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST 2 OR 3 DAYS.
BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS DO UTILIZE DEVICES, SOME IN CLASS, THE STUDENTS CAN ALSO ACCESS IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR LAPTOP HANDY, THEY CAN ACCESS THEIR CANVAS AND SO I THINK THEY WERE THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT TRYING TO REMOVE THAT COMPLETELY RIGHT NOW.
PLUS THERE'S SO MANY COURSES WHERE THEY'RE UNIQUE SITUATIONS LIKE THEY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN CROSS COUNTRY, IF THEY'RE IN THE GYM, THEY'RE LOGGING THEIR RESULTS AND SO THEY DIDN'T WANT TO LIMIT OUR KIDS AND PUT THEM IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE THEIR DEVICE OUT.
BUT WE'RE BEING SO RESTRICTIVE THAT THEY CAN'T UTILIZE IT FOR THEIR THE PURPOSE OF THE CLASS.
SO I THINK THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION.
I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY PROBABLY SOME WAYS TO GO ABOUT IT, BUT THE WAY I LEFT IT WITH THEM IS THAT WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK TO IT AND REALLY DIG DEEPER ON THAT BEFORE WE JUST TAKE THAT OUT, BECAUSE WE MIGHT IT MIGHT IMPACT TEACHERS IN A WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED FULLY IF WE JUST TAKE THAT OUT INSTEAD.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE POLICY IS LIKE IF YOUR PHONE'S OUT, YOU YOU GET A WARNING.
[00:15:04]
IF IT'S A SECOND TIME, THEN YOU PAY LIKE A $15 FEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THE QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WAS TEXTING AND THE TEACHER SAID, I SAW YOU TEXTING AND THE CHILD SAID, NO, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T TEXTING.DOES THE TEACHER HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPEN UP THAT PHONE OR TO MAKE THEM OPEN THEIR PHONE AND SEE THINGS IN THEIR PHONE, LIKE THERE WAS SOME THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT PRIVACY AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING ALLOWING TEACHERS TO BE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ACCESS TO STUDENTS, BUT MAYBE THEY WERE TALKING TO A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT IS THE POLICY ON THAT SPECIFICALLY? THAT PROBABLY FALLS INTO OUR SEARCHES.
I MEAN, MR. NICOL, YOU PROBABLY MORE RECENTLY ADDRESSED THAT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO. SURE, THAT WOULD REALLY GO CASE BY CASE INTO WHAT WE WERE DOING.
WE REALLY WOULDN'T WANT TEACHERS GETTING INTO PHONES.
YOU HAVE TIMES WHERE A STUDENT MIGHT GO LOOK AND SEE, BUT I HESITATE TO PUT A TEACHER IN A POSITION WHERE WE GO, HEY, LOOK IN THEIR PHONE, AND WE WOULD WANT THAT TO BE DONE MORE BY AN ADMINISTRATOR.
BUT I DON'T THINK I WOULD PUT A TEACHER IN A POSITION TO DO THAT.
OKAY. I THINK THEY'RE JUST THERE WAS CONCERN AND THEY WANTED SOME SAFEGUARDS THAT THAT WASN'T GOING TO BE LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AND REALLY I THINK AGAIN, IF THE TEACHERS ARE COMMUNICATING REAL CLEARLY ABOUT THEIR EXPECTATIONS FOR HOW THEY'RE TO BE USED IN CLASS, IF A STUDENT HAS THEIR PHONE OUT, THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW WHETHER THAT'S A TIME THEY COULD OR COULD NOT HAVE THAT AND REALLY, UNDER WHAT WE'VE WRITTEN, THERE WOULDN'T BE MANY INSTANCES UNLESS AT THE NINE THROUGH 12 IT WAS SPECIFIC TO, SOMETHING THEY WERE DOING IN CLASS.
ALL RIGHT. IS THAT IT? TRUSTEE. OKAY.
MR. NICHOL WOULD YOU LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THERE ARE CURRENT DISCIPLINE THAT'S CLEARLY STATED TO THE STUDENTS, TO THE TEACHERS, TO THE ADMIN FOR STUDENTS THAT DO VIOLATE THE CELL PHONE POLICY, WOULD I GO OVER WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES THAT WE WERE ASKING? SURE AND THAT SO THAT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT.
STUDENTS ARE TOLD THIS AND AGAIN, YOU CAN LET US KNOW.
BUT I WOULD MAKE AN ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S AT THE START OF THE YEAR.
SURE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, PRINCIPALS COVER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STUDENTS ARE AWARE OF WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FROM TARDIES TO TO DRESS CODE TO CELL PHONES AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR CELL PHONES IN PARTICULAR.
AGAIN, YOU WOULD HAVE NORMAL CLASSROOM WARNINGS THAT TEACHERS DECIDE TO ISSUE HOWEVER THEY ISSUE.
IF THEY DECIDE TO GO AHEAD AND CONFISCATE THE PHONE, IT WOULD BE A PHONE HAS TAKEN UP.
STUDENT CAN GET IT AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR A $15 FINE.
IF THEY HAVE A SECOND OFFENSE, THEY WOULD GET THE PHONE, TAKE IT UP $15, FINE.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMENT, MISS BONHAM.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A VERY GOOD ONE AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. NICOL? OKAY. CAN I GET A MOTION? YES. I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE 2024-2025 STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND STUDENT HANDBOOK WITH REDLINE AMENDMENTS AS PROPOSED. SECOND.
OKAY, I'VE GOT A MOTION AND SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? MOTION CARRIES 7 TO 0.
IF NO OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT THIS TIME AT 6:53 P.M.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.