610 or 611 and we're gonna get the meeting started Today on our agenda, we are gonna be having some policy discussions and decisions Primarily and Before we get started. I need a board member to do And you have one already perfect, okay So we are gonna start as as usual with public comment Again for the public's information when we have public comment The board is not going to be responding to your comments. That's the way public comment is set up We would appreciate if someone has already made the comment that you would like to make It's important for us to know that you agree with that comment So you can stand and say I agree with what so-and-so said And then sit back down that way We're just for timing purposes because we do have work that we need to accomplish And As I mentioned at the last meeting we do have a complaint procedure that is on our website So if you do have some issues that you are concerned about Look at that Paul that procedure if you have questions with it Please contact me if you if you don't understand what you're supposed to do and We can help you Maneuver in in the system that we've set up. So at this point, I'm going to open up for public comment You're going to get Approximately three minutes to speak And my co-chair is going to try and keep me On task to make sure that I I I cut people off I will try and do a time signal so that You know that your time is is coming toward the end I will give you that time signal a little bit before we hit that three-minute mark so We have some folks so Kara Hi, my name is Kara Merrill and I've been one of the school counselors at RU for the last 15 years First I want to thank this community for always making me feel like a part of the Randolph brain tree in Brookfield communities I can't express the gratitude that I experience every day when I come to work feeling a sense of joy and love for my job This is a direct correlation to the students and families with which I work So it is not for me that I necessarily stand in front of you today It is in solidarity with 15 years of students who have whom I have come to know and love Part of the work of a school counselor is to help students with their college applications Which includes the writing of personal essays in six years of doing post-secondary planning with students? Quite literally every student of color has written about their experiences of race within the Randolph school system I'm using the words from one of these college essays now Some of my teammates even told me you're not black You can't say anything when I was told this it made me feel broken It made me think back to the question of am I black or am I white? This time it was an even harder question. My skin is clearly not white, but I am clearly not brown Now as a senior I want to do more I want to help my school value the little diversity we have so I've joined the racial justice PBL We are currently trying to raise a black lives matter flag We want to show the support of all people including the black lives of Randolph Vermont Furthermore, I am sharing my own experiences with my class in the wider Randolph community school community in hopes of creating change Clearly this essay was written before the BLM flag was raised However, I want to speak to one specific point this person made The student says we the racial justice PBL wants to show the support of all people including the black lives of Randolph Over the last seven weeks I have been co-teaching in the English 9 class about consent using an evidence-based curriculum developed by prevent child abuse Vermont as Instructed by the Vermont legislature as part of Act 1 This curriculum focuses on several preventative measures one being how do we show support? The curriculum boils it down to three really basic things that we should acknowledge for people who are struggling One I believe you To it's not your fault and three you are not alone It is my belief that the BLM flag shows these basic tenets of support to our past present and future students Who have felt marginalized and are in need of our support? I ask you to consider how hard our students work to be engaged citizens of a democracy and raise a flag that Continues to this day to show support I ask you to consider the second option for flags on flagpole that our student motivated Initiated and followed with a procedure. Thanks. I got to get to a soccer game I want to talk about flag policy I think the policy should adopt the one that only allows us in Vermont flag And this is why and it may not seem like it people will listen to me talk But my argument is protectionist for minority students in fact for all students When you look at sure left versus Boston the US Supreme Court decision they came out Once you allow one flag other than those governmental flags to fly you have to allow all other flags to fly Otherwise, we face serious litigation here at the Southwest School District So when you take that case into account And somebody comes along with what we would all consider an offensive flag You're not going to be able to pick and choose what's offensive You're just gonna have to let it fly if you leave the BLM flag up So it really doesn't matter about the emotions of the BLM flag anymore Whether you like it or whether you're against it. It just doesn't matter when you read that decision You have to let other flags fly and they may be flags You don't want here that I don't want here and then when you take into account state of Vermont versus shank Which said that hate speech was free speech And I just want to describe that case. That was a man going around putting KKK Pamphlets on minority women's doors in Burlington horrible But the state of Vermont the Supreme Court said that's free speech So when you take those two cases and you put them together If the board doesn't pass a policy that only allows the US and Vermont flag I don't know what flag you're gonna end up with up there And I hear what Kara said That's not what the US Supreme Court said You can't just say it's you know with student input and and and all that it just won't work US Supreme Court nine zero nine zero. It's unheard of Said free speech is free speech you fly one flag you got to fly any flag So I really think the board needs to go with the policy of a Vermont US flag only I'll dive in real quick to one other thing. I Think this takes a step further and when you look at speech at the open forum We were talking about the let's go brand-in phrase and how students were disciplined for that I think this same argument is gonna apply there in the future. I think it's coming the courts have really opened up on free speech And I think the school has to be really careful to pick winners and losers on speech paraphernalia on shirts flags You either got to open it all the way up or shut it all the way down And I just I think opening it all the way up is a really bad idea in the school district Thank you Have a good night everybody Okay, sure identify yourself John Clark, right? I'll sit there sure So I spoke at the last hearing and I emphasize the Constitutionality of it not understanding the sentiments of others in a democracy both sides need to be heard by government All sides are none especially in schools, and I actually agree Schools have a special difficulty, and I don't know that your job is trying to find that balance and historically Schools are a little different the rule still applies that the government can't favor one form of speech over another The BLM flag is a very obviously Liberal Democratic Flag that represents a rather far-left liberalism in fact it's not even traditional liberalism And it's being embraced as if it's enlightened, but it is not BLM also proposes to have hormone therapy for minor children behind their parents back to support a whole litany of very political Policies, okay, it's not just a sentiment that we want to help black people if you would put in the end of Martin Luther King flag up at this school You would not have had the conflict that has resulted am I right Because we who are called racists are supporting Martin Luther King are embracing the liberalism of the 60s and 70s It was also the Supreme Court laws that established that people actually have the right to fly a swastika or burn an American flag Or yes, even have a Confederate flag So what disturbs me as a free speech attorney who's worked in this for a long time And I won't go to my credentials will go perhaps we'll be talking about this some more I've brought a case the United States Supreme Court. I know what free speech cases are it doesn't seem they're being discussed very much But let's talk about some other children's experiences because anecdotally I've been hearing a lot about one side I talked to a student from Randolph recently who told me how horrified she was When somebody came up and draped a cloak over their mascot and said this is racist because she never saw it that way She didn't come in as a white supremacist. I'm sure she doesn't support white supremacy And I don't think anybody here does so when people are called racists simply for opposing blatantly political simple What's interesting to me is when I came here two weeks ago or whatever it was It was already illegal six years ago was illegal the Supreme Court now I said nine to zero really clear this never should happen There's no discussion about all my sentiments override the Constitution and democracy the center is free speech for all You get to listen to people you don't like or nobody and to pick out We don't like let's go Brandon because it's profane while making a reference to Donald Trump in a speech That's supposed to be a truce discussion last week, right? That's the parents got lambasted last week I watched the superintendent blame the community for the division that's been caused by violating the first amendment These kids know what their rights are their rights have been violated Okay, and the government is not to determine what everything means. Oh that confederate flag isn't what you says it means It's what we say it means. Oh that says there are only two genders We're going to actually override that science with our social justice program You don't get to pick both sides in a political dispute and that's what's been happening far beyond the flag I'm now seeing it's in the curricula overtly partisan content So at any rate, there are a lot of students that don't approve of this their voices haven't been heard And who's responsible for what the BLM that's well Quite over who's responsible for the BLM that's all I'm saying. It's a great message and now shouldn't be in a school. Thank you Thank you for listening Okay, do we have another person Dana I took notes from John and I wrote all my thoughts I sent a lot of Dana I'm not parent at RES and I work here as an educator I sent a letter to the board at the end of April expressing my concern of taking down the BLM flag I'm here today to ask that you please consider a second option for flags on flag pulls that Our student motivated initiated and followed with a procedure I read what superintendent millington stated about the supreme court case and I will have to disagree with the decision In the comparison there is a difference in that case compared to the flag flying at our school That difference is the protocol and procedure used to fly that flag The procedures that our students Completed took a lot of time now. We have a case that could dictate what we can or can't fly I think it is important to consult other districts We need to slow down not make a decision too fast. We should consult with the vpa VSPA AOE and other organizations Then we can move forward in solidarity After talking with john lacy who works over at rtcc We discuss this for many hours After school and before school The case in boston was about flag pulls out front and whether or not the message they carried was government speech or private speech You see government Speech can have restrictions more so than private speech The u.s supreme court ruled that the way the flag pull situation was run in boston Basically was one person in an office who said yes or no To the flags so therefore it was not government speech but rather private speech and because of that they really couldn't say no We have certain rules and policies that protect our school There are multiple supreme court cases that state that schools have the right to To disagree or limit expressions that is disruptive to the education or the mission of the school I do believe that the flag being taken down May be solely on the grounds of the board and or superintendent feeling like its devices If that is the case, I think you need to clearly state that this is the reason That is setting our students up with reasoning that comes from truth and truth is power Like I noted in my email to you I'm requesting that we have time to meet and or go over this process before you make any final decisions around Removing the flag. I'm asking you to slow down I'm also asking you to follow through with emily therian's request to come into our school and discuss with our Students their experiences before any decisions are made. I invite you to start in my racial justice class We meet four days a week. Lastly, mr. Millington You have said several times that this passion of this anti-racism work could be just as divisive as the right opposition In this community. I'm here tonight to tell you that in fact my passion is not divisive This passion comes from love This passion comes from openness. This passion comes from change and change is hard Thank you Do we have someone else who'd like to speak? Just a quick how when did the flag? Can you uh, first identify yourself? brain tree When did the flag go up? Two or three years probably right?  I'm here for the chick filet, but haven't we seen enough division over it I think there's more work to do and I think that flag brings Congress. Yeah, I don't think we're allowed to have Okay All right, guys I'm not following my own rules. I can't have conversation back and forth. Sorry. I forgot that Get involved and then I and then I forget the protocol. So If you if you want to speak outside, you you may But we can't have discussion during public comment So do we have anyone else who would like to speak? Uh, Jamaica Kelly and I just would like to echo I've been working with kids for the last 20 years and Kids of all races and uh as Kara, thank you Kara and Dana have said, um It's I guess I'll just say that I I agree with them and that I have seen how hard it is and I also want to make sure that You know that There are no kids that are feeling like they can't speak out as well, you know, if they're I don't want any child to feel like they are being You know if they can't say speak their own beliefs or they feel like their beloved mascot is You know, I think that there's ways to work together so that nobody has to feel single out isolated Or Or or uncomfortable Thank you. Okay, Kristen. I'm Kristen Taylor. I'm a parent of an alumni from this school and a parent of a current student And I just want to say I support Keeping the black lives matter flag flying And support the students efforts That initially raising it in 2019 Kathleen my name is Kathleen Mason. I have three children at the middle and high school And I just wanted to say I concur with data And that slowing down and seeking advice from Agency of Education and other school districts to see how this policy does in fact impact schools Versus a government institution. I think would be wise That's rushing through these decisions can have an incredible impact that we don't understand What it could mean if you rush through these decisions at this point. So slowing down would be a great idea Okay, thank you Do we have another comment? Why do we have folks online? Anyone online with hands up? Okay, just one moment. No hands up. Okay Please state your name, please. I'm a senior at the high school I've heard Sheridan beat Boston uses a reason to take the flag down multiple times this meeting and I'd like to talk about it Your arguments for the flag being taken down have been tenuous at best and most of what you say or write is entirely incorrect In the most recent flag policy you write the supreme court has made its findings in the boston flag case and in 90 vote They have unequivocally stated that flying a non-governmental flag establishes the poll on which it is flown as a public forum for free speech This sentiment, however, nor anything adjacent to it has ever been stated by any supreme court justice It has actually been quite the opposite Justice Breyer states the parties dispute whether on these facts Boston reserved the poll to fly flags that communicate governmental messages or instead open the flag bull for citizens to express their own views If the former boston is free to choose the flags that flies without the constraints of the first amendment's free speech clause And then he later goes on to say the first and basic question We must answer is whether boston's flag raising program constitutes government speech If so, uh, boston may refuse flags based on viewpoint The first amendment's free speech clause does not prevent the government from declining to express a view Based on these two pieces of information We can conclude that flying a non-governmental flag constitutes either government speech or opens the flag pole for citizens to express their own views If the former then a public forum is not created despite the flying of a non-governmental flag Additionally, you say further any policy that through any means or process allows the district to accept some flags And not others causes the same problem I'd like to talk about flag policies on this the supreme court also agrees with me with justice breyer stating Boston could easily have done more to make it clear it wish to speak for itself by raising flags other cities fly Flag flying policies support our conclusion The city of san jose california for example provides in writing that its flag polls are not intended to serve as a forum for free Expression by the public and lists approved flags that may be flown as an expression of the city's official sentiments And this flag policy of san was a there was a section about ceremonial flags Which for all intents and purposes is the most similar to our situation the flag policy states that these flags may be flown Flags of governments recognized by the united states flags of sister cities flags displayed in conjunction with official ceremonial items Other flags may be displayed in conjunction with official action ceremonial items or proclamations of the city council and for flags of Professional sports teams Despite these being non-governmental flags san jose is still able to fly them due to the restrictions placed on which flags can and cannot Can and cannot fly Additionally justice breyer states that nothing prevents Boston from changing its policies going forward Based on the opinion of the supreme court then one could easily create a new flag policy either similar in nature to the one Used by san jose or similar to the one danis suggested whereby to hang a flag a student led Procedure must be enacted the same as the process used to hang the black lives matter flag And it's writing breyer also states the city employee who handled applications Testified by deposition that he had previously never requested to review a flag or requested changes to a flag in connection with approval Nor did he Okay, i'll i just wanted to quickly end by saying this Based on all the information stated so far It seems one can conclude that not only is the flag pull as it stands permanently not a public forum But if the school cared both about the flag itself and we're truly worried about the legal aspect They could easily create a new flag policy that addresses all issues previously stated All right Sorry, i gotta catch you there Okay, uh excuse us We're not going to be talking amongst ourselves if you need to have a conversation You can ask someone if they'll speak with you outside Government can't fly a swastika. I'm just saying government speaks I have not acknowledged you I'm sorry Okay, if you can't follow the rules, i'm gonna have to ask you I'm sorry Okay Dana same same day. We've got to keep it civil here Um, so do we have any other comments? Are we are we having trouble with the online? Are they able to hear us? Okay. Oh, yeah They can see you too. Okay not seeing not seeing any other comments Um, I'm gonna move on to the next Agenda item, uh, which is uh, about our training. So, um, remember board members that is going to be, um, Wednesday, june 1st From 5 30 to 8 And I have been in touch with our trainer. That's, um Jackie Wilson, I believe it's Wilson got Jackie And uh, we need to have, um The our board self-evaluation Done she had she had sent it out to everyone. I think there's only two board members that need to Do that so and new board members. So the new new board members We're not having you do that Because you haven't had enough time on the board yet. So don't worry if you haven't seen that we you are left off. So No worries, but if you've got that email from Jackie, please, um, make sure you you, um, You do that board self-evaluation and then, uh, the time frame that we have is From 5 30 to 8 Um And I'm just checking. Yeah, I wanted to check in with folks to see We can work with rtcc to have some food Um, would people appreciate that? At that time frame at that time frame i'm figuring like Snacks or maybe even something a little bit more substantial like, you know, it may just be sandwiched Might be hot might be warm and it would be great. Would that be during the time frame of the 5 30 to 8? Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll we'll be learning and having some food at the same time and it looks like we will be doing that um That training we are looking at doing it over at the tech center in the In the pbio In the fishbowl room over in the tech center um Just because it'll be it'll be easier or we'll it might also be in that pbl room I think we were talking about most of us, but Anyway, any questions about that? Well, you just sent an email where that is. Where is it? Yeah, I'm not really familiar. Okay. Yeah. Okay, so I'll I'll just make sure that we send send board the directions Okay All right any other questions about the training um She hasn't mentioned if she's going to have us reading anything ahead of time. I don't think she will um but it's more sort of um That self reflection of how things have been going and for new board members She was at least been here for a couple of meetings. So he kind of Have a sense of how how things have been going um Okay Uh, so next up, uh, we um Every year the district gets audited And we we pick an auditor But there's a little bit of an issue because we are going to have our auditor This year everything has been delayed because of cobit and they're behind But the other thing that's going to come up is The number of auditors who do School auditing has dropped off. So lane, do you want to? Yeah, um just give us a little more information At least my my time here, um Folks have always used the frother gill sagali in valley as the auditor. It's required under state law They come in usually in the fall um, september october they go through all the financials And this is one of your kind of direct observation reports that you get That's kind of above and beyond And the problem being They're experiencing the same thing that that most employers are at this point in time. They're having a Large number of people turning over Um And so this will be the last year that they will be able to do school audits A lot of it we talked with them for a while It's hard to hire. They're not sure if they can and then once they do School audits are highly specialized. It takes years of training to be able to do one And so they are getting out of the the business You know still doing audits but not for schools So robin has been researching who else is out there To be able to present to the board so that you can make a choice There are not many because all of them are going through the same thing right now So the choice is maybe limited but once we have that narrowed down we'll present that to the board so Our current company has been great. They're going to try to help us out make sure we get through the next year And then after that the board is probably going to have to make some decisions Part of being a little bit behind being understaffed the two go hand in hand So they plan on being here on june 8th To provide the audit report to the board so I don't know if there's more questions or So for this coming year We can we we will be able to appoint them in august or september as our our auditor You've already appointed them for next year Okay, but we'll have to when we do that appointment process next year You'll have to choose somebody for the following year. Okay All right So next on the agenda is uh the first reading of the Executive limitations policy 2.7 That's compensation and benefits monitoring For the superintendent Lane do you have anything you want to Yeah, it's um, there was one note that I wanted to point out on careful reading that it might be important for the board to recognize And whether they want to give a superintendent that kind of control But before we get to that basically the compensations and benefits executive limitation It controls the contracts and agreements that we enter into with non unionized Employees and also contractors from the outside And a lot of it is is set up so that it's making sure that we're paying competitive but not excessive You know costs in terms of the services that we get so I do report compliance But I think the one thing that's important to note Is that this executive limitation gives the superintendent the authority to change pension benefits without board approval For non unionized employees I I think it's a lot of power to give one person without oversight And so I'll bring that up and that might be well wait a second here But it says establish or change pension benefits So as to cause unpredictable or unequitable situations But I'm but it puts the power in my hands without But in this monitoring report if you're making any changes, I still I should be complaining We should be given in getting a rationale for why you're doing that So I I'm not even sure if I would have to respond if I changed it as long as I All I would have to say is that you know, I'm in compliance with Right, so we might want to if anything we might want to Be more specific about that, but that might be something that we talk with jackie about as well. Yeah You mean we could hem you in a little bit more with by specifying a little bit more I would be comfortable if you did Okay So as we read over this one for the second reading we might want to pay attention to that particular part And also look at his interpretation and his rationale for his interpretation for that section So that we're clear on And and whether or not we want to we feel like we need to be more Perscriptive about what we want. All right, so So Okay Next up or are there any questions regarding that monitoring report From the board members. No, okay The COVID operating plan again the reason this is in here is so that we are aware of any changes And also so that we know that what's in place we're comfortable with in terms of Um the overarching Need for lane to keep everybody safe in the district So lane anything new in that COVID? There there have been been no changes. Um since the last time we met It's still um the guidance that we're expected to follow is the general guidance that's provided by the Vermont department of health And the board members have questions or concerns Okay, so we'll move on Uh The monthly financial report again, this is our monitoring of the financial conditions of the district Lane you want to give us an update. Yeah, this is actually it's in the in the board packet Fourth page in first page deals with revenues Money that we have coming in and you're going to see some negative numbers there On the revenue side of a ledger if you see negative numbers It means that we are in our case that we are still awaiting reimbursements So we have reimbursements from grants that we're awaiting We are also awaiting the final tax payments from the three towns And so all this is covered in more once those Once those do come in so that shouldn't be concerning to see those there at this this point in time of the year At this point in the year, we would expect to have Have spent about 84 of the overall budget. We've spent 68 so far So we were very much in the black and we'll have a surplus at year's end Not as big as previous years Larger larger than pre-covid because we're still a little bit flush with Grant money that is coming in But but we will have a significant surplus at the end of this year The technology expense line looks like it's it's way down. It's not overspent But again, that's another area where they purchased a whole lot up front. A lot of this was Internet infrastructure wireless infrastructure for the buildings and we will be getting a reimbursement from the e-rate grant on that Which will cover all of it So that will be back back in line where we expect it to be but other than that it the financials look really good And robin was in concurrence with that when I spoke with her Any questions Board members How about the legislature there in there last week Yeah, there was um, I I included quite a bit in superintendents report But I think the one that i'll talk about um, that's related to this is what hit the vermont digger Um, and that had to do with uh results of a study that was put out Taking a look at the state of vermont schools taking a look at the state of facilities The study was really designed to inform the legislature as they began Kind of looking at securing funding for school buildings and renovation projects It's something that they haven't done for a long time has provided some some funding to help districts out The ossd kind of in relation to this study was reported in the vermont digger as one of the supervisory unions with the worst school building conditions With its buildings having 90.5 of their useful life having been expended based on the study And this was a misrepresentation of what that study was designed to kind of look at The study did not consider maintenance and upgrades and generating these statistics And to try to correct for the misperceptions that their ranking system caused the study clearly states It is routine to see well maintained systems performing longer than their useful lives The ossd buildings just a moment here Had been extremely well maintained Failed or failing systems have been upgraded and replaced immediately as needed They are safe clean and conducive environments for learning that set To ensure equity with other vermont districts It would be highly appropriate for the state to provide assistance so that we can modernize both rtcc and ruhs And so it is hope that uh, you know the results of that study that they're going to provide some significant funding It's actually to our benefit that we were stated this way um in the press Because it should put us to the top of the list if we decide that we want to renovate or replace this high school And I think it's a good thing so I don't know if there's other questions on that I lain the s162 um Your concern that it could potentially Make it hard for us to respond to timely cash in that these Decisions come to the board Um But that would be like a special meeting kind of case, right? I mean we're we're talking about suspension and dismissal Yeah, we wouldn't just wait for the next Monthly meeting, right? So I understand the concern I kind of We'd make sure we we would respond in a time to cash Are there any any bills coming up where you're like, oh, no, this is going to impact the district The district financing in a in a The only thing that they were scrambling around with today that i'm in the loop on is I was kind of looking at things um Was it wasn't just that they're changing the The funding formula for special education students, which had you know it In the formulas that they gave us at the beginning of the year to kind of plan out our budget Um it negatively impacted us by about 200 000 dollars. They did put some language in to try to hold folks Harmless, um, they're gonna they have another little formula in there where they'll use our average of our last three years You know in terms of the money that they were providing us to hopefully compensate a little bit about that But along with the act 173 budgetary changes there were changes to how Students are found eligible for services under individual education plans The concern that's out there Right now there was a big flurry of activity to try to get people to delay those change in rules For another year was that folks within The state districts and schools were supposed to have received a fair amount of training from the agency of education On how to manage these changes how to best incorporate them for the in service of students and the training has not happened Um, and so there was a big push today The legislature a lot of letters a lot of phone calls trying to get people to delay that action And I think it's going to be delayed 100% sure And will that impact will that is that something you've already taken into consideration or is it Something the delay or the the changes the the delay in that In that how uh, no, we've been geared up. Um, I give kala a tremendous amount of credit The the manual on what the changes are is about you thick And she has been making a good study of that ever since she started in this position and working on it off With different pockets of the special educators in and around the district to try to get prepared for that But it it is pretty substantial in terms of what the changes are facilities report So this is a reserve fund request and What they are looking for is we started a process Um of building out your classroom spaces. Um, you guys had already approved one I think it was for r e jet r e s a little while ago This is for brookfield. Um, they had to revise it a little bit from I think what you initially saw because The supply line issues have caused the cost to go up. I think the price jumped either three or four thousand dollars And so we're just looking to make sure that we've got access from Reserve funds to be able to cover cover that additional cost and get that work completed. It's already started up at brookfield I think they're putting the roof on the day last I saw Isn't there already a pavilion up there? For some sort of enclosed space outside They have the dugout Up at brookfield, but i'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing or you're seeing the new one that's being built right now There's a pavilion past the playground. Yeah We used to meet there this little club I'm trying. Oh, yeah, they yep. They have a uh where the picnic tables are I was thinking more on the athletic fields. It's a little off to more towards the road So is that used? Uh, they do um, they're using Been kind of directed to use it a lot this week if they can Um, because we've kind of had a surge of covid cases And so we're figuring if we can keep a third of the kids out of the building doing outdoor activities At any given time that hopefully in three or four days the surge will settle So now they'll have those two spaces to use. Yeah They have a very strong outdoor curriculum Our preschool teacher who is working now over at brain tree is an expert So they will be revamping the curriculum for all the elementary schools to use to be able to use those spaces effectively So do all of the schools now have An outdoor Yeah, brain shoes is pretty cool If you go up behind the building, it's um, the little ways up the hill. They've got the fire bed They've got the flaps on a tent that's that's kind of over a tent sort of flap So you can drop down to be able to use it in the winter There's some grading and there's some some other kind of Excavation work that has to be done there to kind of complete it But they've been using it for two years now. I think a lot of it came from a donation A good chunk of it at the start of covid At that time and so we're trying to preserve the equity by making sure that each of the other elementary schools has the same sort of space So I make a motion to Honor this request for $20,500 from the reserve fund We second that Seconded by sarah Any just any further discussion all those in favor say aye Aye That passes Great Next up We have the suggested changes on the Executive limitation 2.6 asset protection and that was a change in the amount That needs to go out to bid Moving that up to the state required amount, which was 40,000 And we are Needing to have a Well any discussion and then we need to vote to make that change if we'd like to So any discussion regarding that do we have a Motion And I believe linda the the wording for that policy p. H. O. Um He put that together it was in our packet from last time so if you need that for the note Oh, it's in there today too. Okay Our last meeting So Did we have we had a second from hannah? Any further discussion on that? Okay, all those in favor of amending our policy to Okay, so that passes Okay, so next up we have Discussion regarding the flag policy And just for those of you who are here in in the audience The board will have some time to discuss but we also before any vote is taken We can open the floor up again for public comment if you'd like to say something So Board members we We have the flag policy that again this was a request from lane after Consulting with the lawyer and also After our own consultation with the lawyer The policy that was drawn up i'm curious Have some further discussion or if Board members have concerns regarding it No, no, this is public public discussion. Um, we will be Voting on this Today Go ahead hannah. Thanks I have spent a lot of this policy. Um, I have Done reading and research and I don't speak lawyer But I what is your name again? I'm sorry joseph I have my understanding of the decisions Mirror yours In in what the justices were actually saying and that it differs on school policy, but ultimately That is not the reason that I cannot vote for this policy I can't I I I cannot in good conscience Vote for a policy that will lower that flag I fear it will cause irreparable damage to an already damaged culture in the school I In thinking I'm gonna battle a little bit. No, that's fine. Absolutely. No, we've got plenty of time Let's we need to hash this through. That's so we'll get In in coming to that conclusion, I found myself having A parallel thought process to What I thought in What I'll call the chick-fil-a? conversations in that There's this This kind of concept being thrown around that If something is political it shouldn't be touched at school Putting value on lives That have historically Systemically and are currently being devalued in Everywhere, but also specifically in this school Is not political. I liken it to the chick-fil-a controversy because My existence My wife's existence And the existence of the children that we share together Is not political and so school making a decision to not Entertain a fundraiser. I know I'm getting off topic, but they were really parallel thoughts That would financially benefit A corporation that actively works and funds Efforts to deny basic human rights Is not political It is It is taking the responsibility of the safety And education and the Making a safe education accessible for it Um But I'll get off the chick-fil-a thing and I'll go back to the flag policy and just end Um By saying I it's not necessarily Slowing down. I I think because it's so Current uh and clearly Here that uh, we we need to be talking about it now, but I I can't vote for this policy I I am interested in continuing to talk about it. Um, seeing if there are other Other avenues to take But but but the fear of litigation can't can't get me to to vote for pimples. That's it. Thank you for listening Anyone else having having thoughts That they'd like to share or or concerns or It would be important to wait and do a little more research Instead of pulling the trigger and voting on this So, um, are there Um, because we we have moved Fairly rapidly. Yeah, and we've heard from Lane and his his reasoning for why he wanted us to create the policy. Yeah, and we've heard from Our district lawyer In terms of the two options that we could take However, we have It sounds like you're hoping that maybe we Slow down maybe get some more information or are you just or are you feeling like Maybe we Have the information that or that there's no way We can have a flag policy. Are you ready to do you want to relook at the flag policy? Is that what you're thinking it's impossible to have a flag policy and i've been reading a lot of flag policies And some of them have really good nuggets And I don't think it's impossible I do I would prefer to postpone the vote So I do have a couple of comments just because you're you're potentially putting me in an area of conflict with your own policies To start just a matter of clarification the boston flag case Didn't start out about free speech. It started out about a fight between a christian organization wanting to fly a christian flag in boston and the issue was Not about is the flagpole a forum for free speech, but is the State by flying that flag espousing a religion which is prohibited under the constitution And the supreme court justices three months ago looked at that and in their comments said you have a bigger problem here the bigger problem here is that You are if if a private organization has put a flag up you have established it as a forum for free speech And you will have to accept all other flags So they brought it up on their own because that was not the the tenor of the case that that that where things started Um, and then like I said and like people have said tonight. It was a nine zero vote. They were pretty unequivocally clear. So let me finish. Um The two pieces where you are potentially putting me in conflict with your own policy I have a policy um that I have to follow that says I will protect the district from liability Right now that supreme court ruling has already happened a month earlier than it was supposed to Right now. We are in a state of liability If anyone comes in and wants to put up the flag I can say no and we can get sued and have to go down that path and lose at the end I'm also charged under the executive limitations of protecting the district's image And the last thing that I want to do Is be put in a position where I have to put up a flag That is morally repugnant to the majority of the community And given the state of divisiveness not just here but across the country It is highly likely that a group out there that opposes the bml flag will purposely choose something that is morally repugnant to make a statement against BLM That is the position I am in So I don't it is the board's prerogative. I'm not trying to to change minds at all But what I am saying is that you will need to help me out if you delay by Considering changing those executive limitations so that I am not in violation of This was the reason that I brought this flag policy up in 2019 Was because it was putting me in conflict And it is putting me in conflict again But rest assured Given the divisiveness that is out there We may be forced to put up a flag that will counteract any good works that were done in terms of Raising beyond and it's not about BLM. It would have been true if it was the the jolly roger It would have been true if it was the rainbow flag we would be in the same boat In any process in talking with the the lawyers and talking with the legal team This was not pulled out of out of a hat people have discussed and the board has actually considered this for four meetings now It is not a process that determines whether or not That is a form for free speech It is the simple allowance of the hanging of a non-governmental flag So whatever process you go through as as well intentioned as they are In the end we could potentially be placed in a position to have to fly a flag that that Either doesn't support our ends or our mission or or is is morally and socially repugnant So just I want to throw that out there because this is a weighty decision And I'll support the board and whatever it does But the one piece that will need to happen is some at least some consideration not put me in a conflict I have a question So What are other area schools doing? Uh other superintendents and I can share some emails have reached out to me going yet We're in the same boat. We need to make these considerations too Okay And are there policies? I'm sorry I can shoot you a couple emails at the end. I've got them in a file. Okay. Um And are there policies the same as what? This policy is There are a few schools out there that have the original policy that that uh folks considered which was Here is a process that can allow the board to say yay or nay But I think the crux of it especially after the finalization of this vote And you know that might be worthy of further discussion discuss that again with phro Is if we go with the the the weaker policy Does that still put us in the same boat once we fly a flag? I believe it does from my understandings and the folks that I have spoken to But that would be a worthy question of phro. I think the reason that phro gave you the second policy Was because he recognized that the first one wasn't going to protect the district as much as it could May I ask a question? Sure The the free speech argument there are restrictions when it comes to schools, right? If it's disruptive to learning or disruptive to the safety of and if it's obscene and if So if the process has to do with identifying whether or not it meets that criteria for this district Then and it's found that something repugnant is by Doesn't violate free speech because it fits into one of those categories Then wouldn't we be protected? I think it's a little bit different And again, this is a good question to ask the lawyer That flagpole is not necessarily a representation of the of the school. It is a representation of our government You alter that when you place a private flag on there When you place a private flag that regardless of the process that's been gone through to put it up there It is now open for anyone to use just like a bulletin board, you know standing on the corner That people post things on it But again, it's a worthy question of asking. That's my understanding But it those are the questions that I would ask I'm also interested in asking peter about the I think this is what it's called qualified immunity for you If you were to make the decision to say no, I've already had to make the decision to say yes, right Yeah Yes, but so but that you making a decision based on your belief that The the raising of a certain flag would meets the policy means that meets the policy and Yeah, my belief though is is based on your policies My belief in how I act is based on your policies That's the reason I went to the board, you know four years ago or whenever whenever it was was because there was no policy that really addressed this clearly Because with items of controversy I could argue both sides and and be reasonable Right, and so that was why the policy was so important. So I have no guidance now So the best I can do is follow up on the two that I have that seem to most apply and that's no liability Protecting the image When the board finishes their discussion, I have a one more question so If it's If we're honoring our government's flags out front And we're voting on that Is it possible to You know compromise and allow students to fly their flag somewhere else Besides out front. Well, like I said, it's a little bit different if a student comes in wearing a black lives matter t-shirt That's an expression of free speech And the only time within a school district that I can interfere with that is if it's disruptive or if it's profane So they would still have the ability to do that I'm not sure if I answered the question. I apologize. I'm trying to put the pieces together I guess what I'm asking is if so I understand the policy Holds that we just fly the government flags out front But could we compromise and allow These groups and these students to have another place to put their flags if they wanted to possibly Yeah, because I think Making a compromise Yeah, I'm not disagreement with that at all. So what if helpful, but that would be that's a question for Any other space than be subject to What free speech? I'm just Trying to understand it becomes problematic. I would think if it's if it's flown in the classroom on the wall I'm not a hundred percent sure Again a flagpole is a is a different kind of animal because With those government flags up there. It is an extension of the government Right and the government is not allowed to espouse one thing over another So as long as you're reserving it for governmental communication We don't run into this issue But the second we put up a flagpole and allow people to post on it that governmental piece goes away It is now a private bullet. It's not a bulletin board So you can put up like a clothing like a clothesline and that would not be considered those are questions for the lawyers. Yeah I can give you my opinion, but I maybe maybe everyone will be wrong. So But like I said if the student came in wearing You know wearing a shirt or wearing a hat Again, as long as it's not disrupting the school process and as long as it's not profane Then that's their free speech rights to do so And who makes the decision about whether or not it's disrupting It's usually pretty cut and clear and what if what if there's a riot going on in the school about it That's pretty disruptive and and what if it is um something that Is Offensive to another student or almost in some ways threatening. So just like the let's go brandon chant That's when I go and I talk to the lawyer I did talk with the legal team before I made any decision about let's go brandon I did talk with the legal team before I made any decision about Chick-fil-A Most of them are pretty obvious. Um the the let's go brandon was pretty obvious, but I still check So I just want to make sure i'm clear so it sounds like we Still want to have those conversations with the lawyer before we vote on this or did I miss the vote here? Sounds like you have some good questions. Somebody would have to move on how to proceed what you want Yeah, we have a motion and then you'd have to have a people agree But recognizing the interim we might get that request And i'm gonna have to honor it if somebody comes in wants a flag So I have a couple questions The black lives matter flag Where is it? Because I was just out there looking around at the flags and all I could see was the american flag and the Vermont flag kind of smushed on one flag ball. It's in the green like in that green like right when you pull in It's right. I had a separate flag pole put into Oh portray the flag So would it make sense to? Create a space somewhere that is dedicated to flag poles and there's the Vermont flag and the united states flag and then there is the Free speech flag where the black lives matter flag can fly with a policy And then people can apply for it with a time limit on it like now i'm getting into the details in the weeds a little bit but I mean I feel like this group has put so much work into it in the social racial justice class you know It might be worth some of the school board members going and sitting in on that class and listening You know none of us have done that or at least I haven't have any has anyone else I mean out of respect for the process and the work that's been put into that it seems like it would be a good idea Given the huge sort of outcry and all of the um Different perspectives that come to the table Doing the easiest thing might not necessarily be the best thing but spending some time and some effort and some money on creating a space where students can Have free speech for Very important topics such as this Is necessary somewhere in the learning process for all students I think so I mean I could make a motion to put it off or Not I hear lane. I hear the The legal sort of ramifications For not following the leaving yourself open for whatever. What did you just say? For litigation litigation So I hear that that could be a problem, but it seems like there could be A little bit more thought put into it out of respect for the people who have put so much into Creating the space to be heard I think something that I just want to recognize from our previous meeting and and hearing from students is that We currently fly the BLM flag and yet we heard from a number of students In minority last time we're still facing Racial slurs hearing it in the hallways having That Encountering that still in a space so I think outside of the idea of flying this flag. We have to be very mindful That we can't just fly a flag as a symbol. We have to be still maintaining that that is this You can't call something a safe space without making sure it's an actual safe space for students And I think that we heard that last time that there are students here Do not feel safe who are having words thrown at them who are having actions towards them And so Regardless in my mind of what happens here today with this flag We just we really have to and I know the work is being done But just recognize that there are students who don't feel safe in the school Who have who are still hearing words even with a flag flying? And What are we going to do as a school community to to really make sure those students? I know I guess we're not experiencing that my question is is there Spaces in the school where These conversations can happen in a very sort of open and safe way I mean, I don't know who to address this To maybe to Katie or Dana. You're here Yeah, yeah, I mean, I I would say that our advisory holds a lot of those tough conversations And we do a lot of work, you know establishing norms at the start of the year We have classroom norms that are in our curriculum handbook that all teachers use And we do that also through, you know, our socratic seminars in English and social studies classrooms So through a variety of ways We try to you know We try to create that space in that structure that's so necessary To allow students to see, you know, civil and respectful discourse model for them And to engage in that work and practice it In safe ways and then we scaffold toward more difficult conversations and I would say that You know, the racial justice student alliance group has been doing a lot of that work too. We've also had Another project-based learning challenge in other years focused on restorative practice and justice And that's also where we've done a lot of facilitation work. So, you know, it's definitely been a professional development And it's a process of ours too to focus in on equity work through the work that Emily has led through her role in foundation work As well as, you know, professional development that's just focused on facilitation and, you know, for teachers to gain Confidence and for students to gain confidence in You know, leading meetings and then scaffolding more toward leading discussions that are more controversial or You know, more more difficult to have So I'm wondering if the flag policy passes as it's written If there is another space in the school where this sort of like Black Lives Matter theme or You know Visual to all students sort of In a front and center kind of place That's not a flagpole that could be an alternative space For this kind of expression You know, actually Chelsea may be making a good point And I didn't mean to I didn't mean to say that like it sounded like it was a surprise because you make very many good points Things change when it's not the flagpole If it's if we check with the legal team if something is done within the school It's kind of like the student wearing the flag, right? You know, if you open up a space within the school for free speech, you know You're potentially looking at, you know, the same problem as the flagpole But I might then have the ability to say no that is profane No, um that one is going to be disruptive because it's of the way that it's going to make people feel It's going to make them feel anxious and if they're anxious they can't engage in the work that they need to at the school So do you see the difference because it's not a flagpole because it's a part of the school where this happens It might I don't want to call it a loophole But again, it would have to be a discussion with the lawyers to be able to say Oh, does this now fall under the stricter definition of free speech that schools can put on couldn't put on students If we do this in a different locale, I don't know the answer to it, but am I making sense? Um, that might be a possibility Um, I mean how would the racial justice class feel about that? Like you defeated? I know it's not I don't think it's time to talk but I think it's really important to continue these discussions And these are the discussions I was begging for in my letter to you. Um I think we just need to slow down and like figure it out before we do something that That shouldn't be done. Um, I invite you to come in and discuss this With the class and they are they're brilliant. They have so many ideas They have so many experiences to share I come in and talk about all of this everything that has was mentioned tonight And and let's just get together and figure it out together and let's not just bring racial justice Let's like have a community outside A circle with other kids that are opposed to the flag like let's listen let's listen to to all of the kids and All of the um Thoughts that are out there before we come to a decision is what I'm asking I think it's really it's a good idea I want to I want the board to sort of think back because we did this we have been talking about this for a while and we we We didn't really look at a modified Flag policy We sort of chose to go with a more strict one With this new case having been decided with other districts that are I'm I'm assuming may have the flags up lane. Is that correct? um, I hadn't really thought about Just sort of and I'm assuming lane that you've been sort of the vpa has been Or the the other responses talk talk with your legal Their responses just so yeah, and I know the state I know the legislature was looking at whether or not they would just pass a law But I don't think that passed at this point just saying I don't think it's Yeah, but I thought it I thought it didn't make it Didn't make it out of committee. I think it was wrapped into that mascot I read today that the national school board is needing to Come up with some kind of policy too. So maybe that's something that you could wait for They're gonna come out with guidance around this Because I'm sure I mean across the country. There are probably other schools grappling with this so how do you how do you How do you manage this? And again due to what's been happening in the courts and given the courts But it did seem like pho had a second possibility whether or not we want to maybe now that we've Come to the point of having to actually make a decision. Do we want to Do we want to compare policies? Okay, this is this one Here's one that maybe Tries to figure out a way to have government speech They're having the same discussion But they I have not kept up with them. I don't meet with them until The first friday in june They were sending they were asking questions about what we were talking about and whatnot because it sounds like they were Getting prepared to have some of the same discussions Which sister I think something that that is a concern for for me in the current climate of how things are Are happening right now Is that whatever happens? I'm just concerned that it's going to be seen as like a winner loss for And I don't know what that would What the outcome of that would be um So that that is a that is something that's giving me a little bit of a pause in the sense of I don't want to either add any I want to add fuel to either side I don't want to say side either because I don't I don't want to make it seem like sides, but unfortunately I think this has become a It has taken that form in some ways um So it is just help it is just making me pause a bit on How to do this in a mindful way So I guess it seems I mean what I'm hearing is that no one's ready to pull the trigger and be like this is I believe in this wholeheartedly. I think this is going to be great I think we need To put it off a little bit you should form a subcommittee You'd have to make a motion and then you should form a subcommittee if that's the intent to do that study So I I was going to say I moved to create a subcommittee to further the conversation on the flag policy On establishing a flag policy They second that No discussion on that I will volunteer myself Since I moved to make that motion To be part of that committee I'm happy to be part of that as well To as well, but I think we have to like deal with the motion. Oh, yeah, sorry. Sorry. Yeah, I jumped ahead Do you want to just hold on before you make the motion? Do you want to Include names in your motion just to make it easier And you have to outline what the charge is. Yeah, I we have to do that. Secondly. Okay, sure Okay, so are we ready to to uh Take a vote on the motion to create a subcommittee to Sort of investigate a little bit further flag policy before we make A full board decision All those in favor say I All those opposed I would ask you to make a motion to hold me harmless Because again executed limitations Um compel me to act At least until a decision is made So in other words, I I leave things alone. Um until the board makes its decision I'm going to be held harmless for whatever comes because of that Because again, I right now I'm in a con I'm in a state of conflict between what the board is Put down and writing that I must follow and The decision that's being made. I'm not in I'm not Negative about your decision. I think it's a good one, but I am in a odd place If that makes sense Would it be Helpful and to be mindful about a timeline For this committee to I may have somebody in my office tomorrow saying I want to put up the Whatever the only flag that I can prevent being put up that there's any statute for is the confederate flag That's the only flag that there's a statute that the supreme court's made decision on that I would be allowed to refuse I will always check the pho before making the decision right, but Before the black lives matter flag went up The board had given given The administration the ability to to Create its own sort of procedure for doing it some of that started before my time Because we're going back four years The reason for asking for the policy was because it was unclear And I kind of mentioned this when we started this discussion about about four months ago The other thing that I'm charged with is reasonably interpreting This was an issue of controversy With good points on both sides. So I could have reasonably interpreted it both ways. We're back to This is a little bit more cut and dry There's been a supreme court case that says there's going to be Potentially negative outcomes depending upon the decisions that I make So I have to fall back on your other policies Which are protect the district from liability protect the district's image So it's a it's also a required or harassment policy. I mean But if you allowed somebody to put some Horrific flag there's a there's a student. I would go and complain and say I feel harassed. I feel unsafe You've allowed this it's against the school's harassment policy. No Wouldn't that there is but I'm not sure how that applies to this You on the one hand or I I am being charged with protecting the district from liability Which means I would have to accept a negative derogatory flag to put up there And if I did that I would now be in violation of the policy to require me to protect the district's image You have a contradiction here for me One could Parts of our policy that stopped flags to go up on on the flagpole because Of liability against harassment and bullying in the school But the the the court has made clear. This is a free speech issue and free speech can be derogatory and Again, so I get the harassment harassment piece But again the flagpole is is a completely separate issue in terms of what goes up and whatnot If I make it I'm having a hard time making it clear. I know what I mean to say I think that we should But I think the school board needs to talk to pho because I'm last time we checked If someone wanted to put we weren't allowed to just go and put that flag on the flagpole There was a lot of work through a process and through a protocol To get that up there and it started in 20 At the end of 2018. So you were actually Our superintendent and and with the administration it took Almost a year to get that flag up through the okay of Everybody on the admin. So it it wasn't just thrown up there. I was I was pulled in about halfway through Um, I remember coming in and I remember sitting down For the first time, but did you guys talk with legal counsel? Yes Did elijah talk with legal counsel? Because I can I can tell you that the legal legal advice that I got when it first landed on mine was do not do it Okay, because for these very reasons I actually have a timeline written out and I will send it to all of you But it's still the board's made a decision, which I think is a good one I'm still stuck in a state of contradiction I cannot enforce both of those and follow both of those policies because they directly contradict each other If I don't put up a derogatory flag, the district can be sued. So I'm violating a policy If I refuse to put it up or if I so then if I have to put it up Then I'm violating the policy about protecting the district's public image The thing is you don't have to put it up. You could say no because of the harassment policy Again, you get I understand your passion This isn't about passion right now. This is about that But I I'm get You need to sit in my role for a while and manage these things And things will become a little bit and you need to come and sit in my classroom and listen to Every time that folks have asked me to be there. I have been there. You've only invited me once um So lane, I'm a little we're we're in the policy I see the liability part in our policies One of the ones that we we just did I think it was about a month ago There's there's a responsibility for me to protect the district Can we make a motion would it be protective if we said like nothing at this time? Like nothing is allowed to go up or come down off that flagpole until a decision is made on the flag policy Would that be a protective? Yeah, I I'm just asking for until you guys figure this out Leave me from the burden of those two On this specific issue, but I'm not on all issues. No, no I'm saying if if if a motion like that is made is that protective Like if we say You know the board makes a motion that nothing goes either onto the flagpole or comes off of the flagpole The supreme court has Decided you already have a flag on the flagpole that opens it up to be So that would be we would be someone would be that's indicated somebody can still challenge it and it's it's a liability So all I'm asking is that for this specific issue? Abolish those those two limitations for me. So I'm not in a state of conflict So the dear that's under asset protection number four unnecessarily exposed the organization It's board or its staff to claims of liability. So that's the first But it's the image one is in an odd place Um, but it was in one of the ones that we cover I actually contracted the district center Somebody comes in and says I want to put up, uh, I want to put up the KKKK flag Yeah, so if I tell them no We're now in a state of liability If I put it up, I don't have violated protecting the district center. So what do I do? But I think that's I mean in my mind that's that's that's what we're risking right now But again, you have to separate your decisions from the charges through policy that you have laid on me If I do not follow those policies Anyone who gets upset at me can then say millington goes into support because he didn't follow our policies I do not want to get in that You've seen to me through your policies Yeah Okay, so So the policy is under asset protection and we've got He's limited in that he can't unnecessarily expose the organization. It's board or its staff to claims of liability. That's number four Number nine is endanger the organization's public image. It's credibility or its ability to accomplish ends so Those are the two under asset protection that we sort of We've and he's interpreting it and if I remember correctly, so Your interpretation of this is that if you have this flag flying or you You don't allow you don't allow a flag to fly then then you would be opening up the district to liability So in your rationale Or your interpretation is that means I need to fly any flag So Well, yeah, I'm maybe I don't know. I'm not a lawyer. So I don't know But I I've found where you're what your what your concern is and and where you're at And I do not want to be in a position that anyone now or forever in the future can come back and say I wonder if I could give patreon a call now. Maybe we can go into a second. Well, we can't do that It's not on agenda, right? Or can we Yeah Because that's another option as we could Because it's it's I'm not a lawyer I you know hearing a lot of people throwing around legal stuff, but um, and we did hear from Pedro and You know, we all And But we sort of Decided we would do one type of policy or another we didn't actually have Right up to different options and what I'm hearing now is several board members are feeling a little uncomfortable We just Moving quickly through To just go with that one more straightforward policy Right, right And especially since there are headed in a court court case That was decided before we moved forward. So perhaps There's an emergency Right, we kind of need to move fairly quickly, but we also And I and I'm hearing your concern and it is in our policies and it's your interpretation and again Who knows given sort of the climate and what what will happen? So Committee to do some research To come up with this I'm wondering if Again given lanes concerns. Do we want to Rather than do that. Do we want to have a special board meeting? Be able to go in executive session with our council and come up with some Really kind of hash it out with someone with the legal expertise Right so if we move forward with creating the subcommittee then the subcommittee Okay Emergency meeting under an emergency meeting. Would we fall under the allowance for us to call our emergency meeting? Yeah, because you're potentially face line with the damage. I'm just trying to make sure we're following up with the meeting well appropriately. Right. I should have everything in my mind. That's crazy. Is it right in your mind? It should be. I have it in a different way than I have it in here. There were the requirements. So we're still sitting here with that motion to create a subcommittee, seconded but not voted on, I believe. And I underdeveloped it. We did vote. We did vote on it. Yeah. OK. Oh, so we did just create it. Yeah, I'll say the same thing. But I made another motion that we hold harmless lane-reviewed policy. OK. 06. Litigation. Asset protection. Litigation and emission. Number four. Just on the top. The image one is if you say yes to something potentially lit. Yeah, so if they come up with a K-flag again, we can they can sue us because I don't put it up. That's the liability. That's the liability. The 9 to 0 is pretty clear. We're working to land to go to support. OK. We're not. If I say no, they can sue us. And if I put it up, I'm violating the nature of the policy. So that's what I'm saying. There's no, your policies are putting me in a contradiction. Right. So if we hold harmless the policy about liability, that allows you to say yes or no. No, that allows me to say yes. Because if I say no, we have liability. Well, what if we hold you harmless? You get to sue us, which one you want to protect the image. Right. If you feel it would be harmless to do school visitors. I guess I get what you're saying. OK.  So your motion is? It would be harmless from the policy number that Anna will help with. 2.6 asset protection, number four and number nine. Only. Only for a change to the flat hole that now is placed. The flat hole is still in place until the policy is in place. Were you able to get all of that, Linda? I will second. And that was seconded by Megan. Do you want to read it out to us, Linda, to make sure? I'll figure it out. OK. OK. So any discussion on this? So the motion is to hold harmless in the executive limitations 2.6 asset protection, number four and nine. Only pertaining to flying flags on the flat hole until we get a flag policy in place. So I feel like we would qualify for the policy. OK. Do you get all of that? Perfect. So we're ready to vote on holding him harmless on the motion from Hannah. All those in favor? OK. So that passes. We have created a subcommittee to start researching this. Katya has figured out that we can hold an emergency meeting. I do think. I'm not going to say that. You do think. I do think. Read it out. OK. OK. I'm going to read it out. So there's a emergency meeting, maybe, how the only one necessary to respond to enforcing an act for condition requiring immediate attention by the public body. It sounds like if we were in a position where it becomes certain that the basic face of the lawsuit, it would be requiring immediate attention. Yeah. Do we have to wait for just the time we have to be a suggestion for a flag that Blaine says no to? All right for that urgent meeting. I think because of right now in this situation, we can potentially face litigation. Yeah. That's a good opportunity. Yeah, but since that Supreme Court case was decided here, that's a serious statement. And it may be held out public announcement without posting them notices without the power that's to be provided to the public. But there are other things that's possible for us. Do you guys want to decide when you're doing it? I think we have to connect with Pietro. I can call a recess, a five minute recess, and I can call him and see when he's available. And then this. OK, so I'm going to call a five minute recess. So I can call Pietro and see if he might be available or the soonest that he might be available for an emergency meeting. Is that everybody good with that? And the other pieces, I can be there or not be there. I don't know if my being there would be available. But I'm happy to do whatever the subcommittee decides. OK. OK. All right, so five minute recess. You can use the bathroom. So we're back from our recess. I don't know if it was actually five minutes or not. I didn't time you, don't I? Good. Felt like five minutes to me. So Pietro was not available. There was my phone going off at all. No. So we'll sort of, I've left him a message to get in touch with me. We know we can do an emergency meeting. We have this subcommittee, which might not be created, but it may not necessarily be an emergency meeting, if we can do an emergency meeting. Are folks fairly open? Can folks be fairly open tomorrow evening? If we can't get early morning, maybe do the work day. You're out of town tomorrow night. Board, the whole board, if we're doing an emergency meeting. Is it a quorum? It has to be a quorum. You could call on him if you might not be here in an hour. When we're going, there is no light fight or electricity, it's nothing. I don't know where you're going. It's fantastic. Would you feel horribly if we did an emergency meeting if we had a quorum? It would be fine. Are folks OK with that? Are you OK with what we have a quorum? One, two, three, four, five, six. We'd still be OK. Yeah, these are five. They're set two out. Five is the quorum. Five is the quorum. Five is the quorum. Yeah. Are you OK with that? That's OK with me. Yeah. Yeah, if he's not available. Oh, I bet he'll. I think he'll make some time. Well, I think it sounds like now we just need to wait for Pietro to decide the next steps. But do we need to still name a subcommittee, or are we just going to jump to an emergency meeting at the board over this topic? I feel like if we have a subcommittee, then that's a meeting. Then we have another meeting with the board. Right. Right. If you're all there, you can vote right then and there if you make a decision. Yeah, I feel like the next rational step is just to get Pietro and have us meet as soon as we can with him. OK. Do I ever send my subcommittee motion? I don't know. Like what if? To overall it. Right. So do we do somebody want to make that motion? I make a motion. OK. You're going to disregard the subcommittee until further notice or after we have held our 24-hour emergency meeting regarding the fight policy. Do we have a second on that? Seconded by Chelsea. Any discussion? OK. So all those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. OK. So our big thing is going to be I will try and be in touch with Pietro and as soon as possible, we'll set up an emergency meeting. Hopefully we can do it tomorrow. Otherwise, I'll see the earliest that he's available and I'll let you all know. And hopefully we can make this happen. It might be easy if he can come in through Google. Are people OK with him connecting with us through a Google version call? So if it's during the day, I can make it. I do have a webinar. I'm just realizing for the school board. Those get recorded. Is it a required one or? It's for new board members, and it's the second part. I just I did the first part last week. It's from five to seven. But I mean, it's an emergent meeting, right? Right, I mean, right. You could ask them to. You might need to get a recording of it. OK. Yeah, I would just ask Carrie Lam, who loves all of that. She does the logistics for the BSVM. OK, thanks. And she might be able to just get you a recording. OK. I just have one thought. I've had a lot of thoughts, actually. But policies can be amended. And we have a policy that we've worked on for four months with our attorney based on choices that we've made and guidance that he's given us already. And I worry about leaving here without a policy in place to protect our schools and our community. And do you see the one that has been proposed as the only option? The only option for it right now to have a policy in place right now, I do see it as the only option. Because I think to craft a different policy we need more guidance from our local council. And I worry about that as well given the chatter that if we do not have something in play, we're going to be faced up with. Flying the Chick-fil-A flag. But if we made a decision tonight, there would be far more than just chatter of us holding off could be pretty detrimental if this flat decision was made tonight. We agree on that without having some questions answered. Do you want to potentially bankrupt the decision? Unfortunately, any decision, I think. Yeah, we're between a rock and a hard place. And this is not a new topic for us. This is something that we've discussed and considered several times. So to get this far in policy making and have a lot of second thoughts, I don't think it's wrong. I think it's important that we've considered things carefully. So I've heard from some folks hearing it is difficult. We could have an emergency meeting. Our emergency meeting could be, OK, we went with this policy, can we amend it? Or what would an amendment to this look like and look at the legal ramifications of that? Actually, I would love to hear if you're comfortable from our administrators about what I think some of our concern is what would the ramifications be either side, right? So I'm just curious what you're hearing or seeing or what's happening on the school level regarding amongst the students regarding this issue. I trust that. It's challenging, I think, our students. Most of the students who are aware that this is happening are students who either have parents who are really passionate and involved on social media or were students who are involved with the racial justice class. And so they're invested because they went through the process to raise the Black Lives Matter flag. And this is a really, I think, hard lesson in the ways that the world can work for them. So that feels hard. And then the whole Chick-fil-A piece felt hard for a number of students. But in general, most of them are doing school. Yeah, I don't know if that's a fair characterization. You work more with older students who I think are more involved. I'm usually more immersed with middle schoolers who we have a dance coming up on the 20th. And that is the big news right now. Yeah, I would say that the students in the older grades are closer to the work of raising the flag. And so we hear from alums and we hear from seniors and juniors who are involved and still are involved in what the process was in that long, hard year. And we have heard a lot of what's been discussed already today about why the process couldn't be a little slower and take into account some of what I think a lot of them are anticipating, which would be maybe national policy that we could then draw upon to inform decision making here. And so I have heard some students talk about, well, what are some of the other districts doing who are in a similar position? And shouldn't we be collaborating with them? And wouldn't we be safe in that solidarity and collaboration to make a decision that wasn't solely and unilaterally coming from the district, but coming from a collaboration and in solidarity with others who are working on the same thing? So I've heard that. And I've also heard, and I think we heard in the last forum, some of the arguments about what this means in terms of implication and implementation in the different school buildings. And I don't really know how to answer those questions. I think it's hard to fully understand the ramifications and the implications right now, because I think this decision was just handed down. And so I think there are a lot of schools grappling with, what does this mean? And what are those kind of invisible ramifications that we can't really forecast or predict right now? So there's just unease and a lot of questions and not many answers. Thank you. So at this point, we have on the table that we're going to hold off for an emergency meeting. We've got Lane held harmless for the asset protection numbers four and nine, just in regard to the flag. We no longer have a subcommittee, but we're going to try and quickly get the board together to meet with Pietro and get some guidance in terms of what the ramifications are of the current Supreme Court case. And perhaps we can reach out to some other school districts, maybe. I don't know if that's something that the board would like to do. There are only a handful of districts that fly the Black Lives Matter flag. I don't know who all of them are. The Montpelier was the first school to have it go up. Burlington, Winnowsky, that's it. Can only students and staff request flags or can parents and or community members or just like, who can ask for a flag to go up? The board left that to the administration to decide. So I don't know if there is anything left from Elijah, from the initial sort of flag protocols that he put forth. I don't know. Do you have anything to work from? He left us files we can look through there if you're interested in knowing what we have. Did Brent have anything left? No, no, regarding sort of his protocols. Because Brent was gone by the time the flag went up. Did you put any protocols down for sort of why you? I have no policy to base them on. I have to base them on a policy. So you didn't even sort of, because if I remember correctly, you had said you were fine with it as long as it didn't, it wasn't disruptive at the time. Part of the calculus was that it wasn't, to be honest, that it wasn't well known, that it was establishing it as a form for republic speech by having it up. But the Supreme Court changed that, because it's now all over the national news. And we are in a time of divisiveness of people that are fighting it out on both sides of the Black Lives Matter fly, which means they're going to be more motivated to act out against it now that there's been a real lack, which is why I felt it was important to kind of bring this back up at this point in time. Right. OK, so and then we did hear from Rachel just sort of expressing her concern that maybe we just send everything, just come back to the flag policy, and knowing that we could have an emergency meeting and amend it if we got word from legal counsel. Is that sort of what I'm repeating here? Yeah, and I think at that point with a policy in place, it wouldn't have to be an emergency meeting. Right. We have this one, which would mean the flag would come down at least temporarily. I'm curious sort of what people's thoughts are in that regard. Because we also did pass a motion to hold Lane harmless. So in some ways, we're covering that, but we could stir things up in terms of tomorrow morning. Because I'm sure people will be looking to see what happened. Well, when we first started discussing this back when, I don't even remember when Brian and Ashley were still here. I was on board with two flags moving forward. We had multiple meetings where we then created this. We read it. And I think it's important that everyone gets to speak their opinion. And the first reading, I don't think anybody was here to speak about it. And then after that, I can't remember. Now I'm combining all these meetings together with all of the people that we've had join us. But it's like we've gone through the two readings, and no one has said anything until now, as far as the school board about changing this policy. So it's hard, because yes, I understand what all of these people are coming to us and saying, regardless of which side they're on. And again, here goes the side situation. But then it's like, we're looking at this policy. And we've talked as a school board about which side is, which way we should go with this. And as we've developed this with legal counsel, we're now kind of thinking about, oh, OK, well, we've made one exception. If we make one exception, we have to make multiple exceptions. And then if we have edits to this and we create another policy with certain guidelines or whatever we want to call it, we then have to have this conversation every time somebody wants to request a flag go up. So I don't even know what time it is. We've been here for hours. And it's like, we have this policy. We've talked about it multiple times. Do we move forward with this? Do we move forward with the emergency meeting? But again, I think either way, people are going to be upset as most policies would be. I'm torn. Well, I just don't know which way to go, you know? You bring up a very valid point. But we have this, and this is the reason why we're discussing this, is because we don't want to take up time to have to say, yeah, or nay. And we shouldn't leave it up to Lane to be the one to say, yes, this one can go up.  So the administrators as well, like if we left it up to Lane and administrators, then what? Then they all have to say yes or no. And then again, it comes back to us. So it's like, here's the policy. We've read it twice. Yes, let's vote on it. Or no, and continue this debate every time we have a request. Part of the discussion, too, is if other administrators want to pipe in on this because they may be experiencing something different than me, I spent all my time managing these things, which was one of the reasons for trying to get the assistance superintendent because I can't get to the actual work of curriculum and academics. And so there's that aspect of it, too. If you go back to your mission statement and your ends and what you're asking me to achieve, you have to enable me to be able to achieve them. And again, I'm not opposed to the Black Lives Matter movement at all. This has nothing to do with the Black Lives Matter flag. It could have been a different flag that was up there. But it's an issue of controversy. You're going to have to accept the fact that with this is a controversy, whatever you decide, all that's going to change is the group of people that are here on that. Exactly, exactly. That's what makes them tough. And they are difficult. I don't envy them. So I have another question. If we were to vote on this and we decided to implement this policy, is there a statement that the board can make publicly, like why we're doing this? And saying, yes, we support or we want to support all of these flags that are being requested to go up at some point. But this is why we're doing this. Because I think that would be really important for our community to hear, like we don't want to take sides. We don't want it to feel one way or the other. We don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. However, putting us, the administrators laying in this position multiple times over and over again is not going to help anybody, because we're going to just have to keep going back to this. I think that would be important if we were to vote on this and it was to be put in place. And that's something P.H. would be correct. Yes. Well, and I think it's hard to come back to with going back a fourth of this, is that I think when we originally approached this, it was from, and maybe this was just my interpretation, from a protective realm, of we didn't want, because things were becoming divisive, we didn't want to see the potential opening up of what could potentially else go up or what could be damaging or anything like that. I feel like it came from this point of being protective, but it's hard because I feel like it's switched to being a punitive. If we vote for this flag policy, I think, again, fundamentally, it comes down to, yes, this lousy little flagpole is now an article of free speech, a First Amendment free speech. But the act of taking that flag down feels punitive. And the thing that I'm struggling with is, on the one hand, it seems like I just don't feel whether or not, and again, I'm not a lawyer. I don't know the specifics. But on the one hand, it feels like it's pretty black and white freedom of speech. But then on the other hand, I'm hearing from other folks who have some legal background saying, well, no, not exactly. And again, when we got our counsel, it was prior to this decision being made. So that's where I'm sort of beginning to feel a little bit like, let's not go too fast. Let's see what folks are saying in regard to that. And it may be moving us more toward, it's a little bit more black and white. But most of the time, when I talk with the lawyers, one of the frustrating things is a lot of times, there's this gray, and it's not necessarily totally this way or that way. There's gray always. And that's the piece that I would feel very comfortable if it was agreed upon that that flagpole is definitely considered a public forum, and everyone deserves the right to be heard and to state their views, whether I like them or not. If that's the case, then it makes it a lot easier for me. But the thing that I'm questioning is I've heard now from several people that it may not be that clear that we have definitely opened up a public forum. And are other people picking that up as well, or am I just misunderstanding things? And again, I am not a lawyer, so I don't understand it. Lane, your interpretation seems pretty clear. We have definitely done that. What was PHO's discussion with? Well, I remember him saying we could do a second thing where we map out sort of a process. You could create a process, and then it would be government speech. And then if somebody just. When you guys got into the discussion about, is this what we want to be spending? Our time doing, right? Because then it's, then it's, and then that would mean you would be, then when people are running for the school board, it's not going to be what's best for our children and moving our district forward and producing the best education possible for our students. It's going to be which flag do you want on the flag pole, which is sort of getting us all sidetracked into those sort of push button issues that are in, unfortunately, out there now. So that, I mean, for, because I. I don't understand why we would have to be the ones making the decision about which flags would fly. Like, wouldn't that be at the administrative level? No. But I think it could in a policy. We could say that. It could, but they're just going to appeal it to you anyway. That then it would appeal to us, and then we would be having, we'd have complaints. And they would follow the complaint procedure, and, oh my god, a lot of complaints. So, I mean. Sorry, I'm just thinking. No, no, I look. You guys are having a good discussion. It's getting my brain moving, which is good. It's a good thing. All right. So what are people thinking? Should we stay where we are? We've held lane harmless. We're trying to hold an emergency meeting. There has been talk. No one has made a motion. I think we just need to be prepared for what could potentially happen tomorrow. That's just my. Let's just. I mean, that's my job. OK. So I do think it needs more time and out of respect for the people who have put so much effort into that procedure the first time around and the unknowns that are coming from other school districts and on a national level and on a state level, I think those things will sort themselves out. Lane on the state level? Because I had thought. I talked to a legislator, and he told me that it never made it out of committee. I don't think it did. And one of the reasons. I can't say for sure. But one of the reasons I think it didn't make it out of committee was because the focus ended up being on the mascot, and that's all I heard about. At the beginning, I heard about both. And I think they were kind of attached to the same discussion. But after a while, as it evolved, all I heard about was the mascot. So they've left it back up to Boston. I mean, I'll offer that. I think what I understood is that some of them were waiting to see what this decision was before reintroducing related legislation. When you say this decision, the Supreme Court, OK, OK. Maybe because that's going to set precedent. Would make sense. OK. All right. So what's the board's, what do we want to do here? It's 8.30 almost. Like I said, I will manage. You don't have to worry about that. We've made some motions and decisions. Are we happy with what we've decided? And I'll work with PHO and try and get an emergency meeting as quickly as I can to get this moving and hopefully a decision made. Although, again, it may be a rush-rush. I could also, you could direct me or we as a board could direct Lane to get in touch with Burlington, Manuski, and Montpelier to see what they're doing for additional information. Remember, we are, we can direct Lane to do those things if we want to just have that as additional information when we do meet. Do we have? I think it would be a good idea to get that information from those other schools just to see, I mean, maybe they're in the same situation.  I mean, maybe there's different scenarios that have played out that could possibly play out here. What I can do tomorrow is I'll reach out to the superintendent's association and they'll send out a broadband request for information and see who we have. And then forward that to us as soon as you get it, in case we're meeting with Pietro. So usually, again, at least these two people will respond to the sound play. OK. We probably, for public record, do we have a motion to direct Lane to reach out to the other districts in Vermont that he's aware of that are flying a Black Lives Matter flag into the superintendent's association to get some guidance on what's happening with flag policies? And we have a motion for that. So moved. So moved. From Megan, do we have a second? A second. Seconded by Chelsea. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. OK. All right. So I'm getting the sense from the board that we're OK with our plan emergency meeting. We're holding Lane harmless. We're directing him to get a little bit more information from the other districts in Vermont with the BLM flags and from the superintendent's association, just guidance in terms of what they're recommending if they have any guidance. And hopefully we can meet up with Pietro soon. OK. Are we good? All right. Moving forward, we are on the first reading of the required state and federal policies that Lane is responsible to making sure the district has updated. There were only two. I emailed a whole bunch of them. Right. Right. No, there were only two that I had questions about. And this is just first reading, so you want to just kind of read through and get familiar with his changes. But one of the two policies regarding the board. Those aren't required. Those are not required. Same board prerogative you guys just said. And I would encourage board members to look at our own policies, because we already have policies that cover those things. So it seems redundant for us to have him have us adopt those from the state. So that's just my opinion. Take a look at it. We'll be looking at them again. And for a second reading, remember first reading, you're just looking through and making sure they make sense. You understand them. And again, this is if you look at our overarching policy of making sure that the district is run legally. Lane has to make sure that he has all of the state and federal policies that are required for school districts in Vermont to have. So that's what he's doing. He's going through and making sure they're all updated. And then he has all of those required policies. And he may be recommending some that may not be. Are you recommending any that are not required? Oh. I can't remember when I just glanced at it. It looked like not. No, the ones that weren't required, but that they made changes to, I just said board prerogative. Right. OK. If I'm saying should adopt, that's because it's required. OK. And then you're going to send us another batch after this batch, right? Because this is only the first batch. Or are these the only? We have all the ones. So those are all of the ones. The only one that was a little bit quirky. So how these work is the VSBA actually hires out. Usually have their in-patron to craft policies statewide. So they've already been vetted at that level. The only one that wasn't is the condom policy that's required under law. Because the VSBA did not have one. That was one that we ran through PHO to take a look at, to make sure that it met all the requirements and wasn't put in this anywhere jeopardy. So that one wasn't vetted as well, just so folks are aware. So the equity policy that, so VSBA was recommending that? Did you take a look at that one? That's not a new change.  So we already have that one? Six months ago, and no, the board did not want to move on it. Board rejected it. That equity one? The board suggested that the students go back and have some community discussions about it. That was a while back. I think it was the beginning of this year. There was another policy that was associated with it for the teacher handbook as well. But no, the board rejected them. I shouldn't say rejected, but asked for the students to have more of a process about it. Not even though it was the VSBA policy. I don't recall that, but it's late, and my brain is, might be misfiring. So all right, so. I can put that back in if folks would like to see it. Well, I don't know. In light of our flag issue and the ultimate concern of students. It's a very generic policy. It's not as strong. It's not as super controversial, but it makes some good points. So it's worth definitely worth considering if the board's wrong. Didn't you just say that the policies that you just put forward that I read through them, and I'm not sure where they are right now, but they are already covered in our policies? No, no, no. That was just the two that are in regard to the board. So these policies that we're looking at, so these are our board policies. These are what we function under. The required state and federal policies have a lot to do with what he has to do operationally. And in terms of just running the district, there's state and federal legal requirements. And we monitor him in making sure that he's got those and that he's following those under our global executive constraint. He can't run the district immediately. And if he didn't have those policies and follow those policies, he would be in non-compliance to this main policy. And that's what that list is. Yes. Those are all the state and federal required policies. They're board policies, but it's my job to make sure that you're informed of what's changed and what's not, and make recommendations to you on what you should adopt. And then he's got to follow them. And make sure everyone below him is following them. The other component that's got to be a big focus for next year, again, if we have the time to do it, is a lot of the policies is a board purview. The implementation of policy is what's called protocols. There are a lot of policies that are out there that the district has historically not had full protocols for, and those need to be developed. And I need the time to get the team to do that. And that's probably a three-year process. So it's good that these are getting updated, but I've also, again, we talk about time and where time should be spent. That's something that's a critical need to be done. We have some, but there's a substantial number of protocols that are missing. So again, these policies, you're just, we're sort of, it's almost, they almost could go in consent agenda in some ways. But we should just be looking over them and making sure they make sense to us or if we have any questions, because we need to, and again, in this, in the monitoring report that has to do with his, the global executive constraints, that's where we check and monitor, you know? Do you have, are these policies all there? And so when he writes his monitoring report for 2.0, he's gonna say all of the required state and federal policies are all up to date. They're all on our website. They're all, they all have protocols or they're all close to having protocols or something. They're all working for the workings. So that's kind of, you know, these are our policies. Those, they are our policies, because by state law, we have to approve all of these policies, but he is sort of responsible for those. And we are checking on with this policy. You follow that? You got it? I got it. Cool. All right. So, and this is our first reading, so you can just take a look. And that took more than five minutes. Next up, we have the tentative staff MOU agreement. So that actually I got an email from Nora not too long ago that said that they did have their meeting. They finally approved the support staff one, the board had approved, I think it was at the last board meeting. And then they have tentatively, well, they have approved on their side, the MOU that was agreed to with the subcommittee, which is very similar to what the support staff one. Most of 90% of what's in there are things that we were already providing anyway. At this point in time, I don't think there's anything that's gonna have any significant impact on anything. Okay, so for this item, we are, are we hearing from the subcommittee that met with the professional staff and deciding if we wanna take their recommendation to approve it or if what is the recommendation of the subcommittee. Who was on that committee? Me? Are we talking about the subcommittee staff? No, the professional staff. The professional staff, so that was. Okay, so this is the most recent. Yeah. Okay. Who was on that committee? It's hard, right? When we just met the other night? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Just the two? There's a third one, right? No, Chelsea, Hannah and me. Oh, you? Yeah. That would be the same. Oh my god. I don't know if I'm gonna take it or not. I'm so tired. So, so you met, do you feel like we should move forward in the subcommittee? Yes, yes, that is my opinion. Okay. Any questions about the MOU from other board members? I will say it ends in, when does it end? To the end of June 30th. So, it's quick. It's quick. It's a quick MOU. Yeah. Okay. So is there any discussion about the MOU? I moved to approve the professional staff MOU was presented by the subcommittee. I'll second. We got a second from Megan. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Okay. So that is done. Consent agenda, we have the, so again, consent agenda, this is just stuff that by law we have to approve. So there are the minutes in there, administrative contracts, professional contracts, and then we're also authorizing Lane to sign new hire contracts so that he can move along in that process and not be held up by us having to approve it. That's for after, is that? I would say for now, because there's a competition over staff, they have to wait for a month. Right, to get our approval, yeah. And you guys, it's always on the consent agenda anyway, it's not something that people usually. Right. Yeah. Oh, we got a question. I'm just concerned that the administrative contracts to be approved aren't in here. And I don't remember seeing that one. They're on this form on the table. Thank you. Because one of them was like recent as of, right, yesterday morning or last, I'm sorry about that. I think I got that one. And it's all administrators in there, the ones that have been here, but the ones that are. Yeah, this is the new one. Because it's for entry process. Okay. Thank you. And a new one. Okay. All right, so do I have a motion to accept it to approve or the consent agenda? Second. Seconded by Megan. Any discussion? Any questions? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Okay. Superintendent's report. Most of that was the legislative piece when we talked about that. Okay. We talked about that. And we have all the, anybody have any concerns or issues, need more information about what's going on from the reports? Good to go. Cacha, the update on the teacher appreciation, that all went out, right? It all went out last week and I think it was really successful. Great, super. So, action recap, oh my God. So we are going to be, hopefully I'll be getting in touch with Pietro. We'll be pulling together an emergency meeting to get some more counsel on the flag policy. Lane will be getting us some additional information from the other districts with the BLM flags and any words of wisdom from the Superintendent's Association. And I believe June 1st, yes, that will be before our next meeting. We will be having our policy governance training. So for new board members, that'll be a good review of sort of how our policies work. I don't know if I've sent you out the same information that Scott, I'll have to, I'll check.  I'll check it, sorry. If I forgot, I apologize. And so that will be happening. I'll be in touch with you all in terms of where that will be and we will have food for you. So hopefully that will make it. I think it's gonna be a really great, we're gonna do a really good self-assessment of sort of how we're operating and then look at where we need, remember part of what we wanted was clarification on sort of working with our policies and figuring out if we need to update things and how to go about doing that. So I think it'll be a really great training and we may be doing a little bit more beyond just the June 1st. So that's an action recap, meeting eval. It was, the agenda was well planned to focus on the work of the board, so I give us a four. The board followed its agenda and did not allow itself to get sidetracked, I think to the best of its abilities, I give it a four. The meeting was well attended, I give it a five. The board was prepared for the meeting, I give us a four. The meeting proceeded without interruptions or distractions, there were a few little squabbles, so I give us a three. The board's decision-making processes were understood and were implemented appropriately, I gave us a four. Diversity of viewpoints were sought out, a five, participation, a five, listening, a five, respect and courtesy, I gave us a five. There was some, maybe that should be a three because there were some people who were super respectful of each other or of the institution work was accomplished in an atmosphere of trust and openness, I gave us a five. Yeah. Any other feedback? Timeliness was not so great, but timeliness is tough. No, timeliness is tough. I mean, we make guesstimates of how long it's gonna take to do things. So any suggestions on timeliness or how to do that? Gotcha, and I, when we do the agenda, we try to anticipate, but it's always hard to kind of anticipate exactly how much discussion is gonna take place. I think we did a good job. I personally think the board did a good job tonight really talking things through and the hearing from everybody. So I know that's kind of hard, but I, and it does take time. So anyway, I move to exit regular meeting and enter executive session at 8.9 on a student appeal on personnel issue. So the student appeal is gonna have to be rescheduled, but the personnel issue is what will be entering and under. Thank you for coming. Thank you. Thank you. This is not easy work. So we need to vote on the motion. We do. Oh, I. You moved. And you seconded. You seconded. All in favor? Yeah, I. Okay, now we're off.