Thank.
Good evening.
I like to call the May 10th, 2021 meeting of the Derry Township School District
Board of Directors to order and announce that this meeting is being livestreamed.
And audio recording of this meeting is being conducted both in-person
and virtually limiting our in-person attendance
to ensure the ability for social distance during the COVID 19 pandemic.
I'd like to request the board members to please
state your name when speaking
rollcall, please.
Mr. Able.
Here.
Dr. CRONIN. Here.
Mr. Trump.
Mr. Drew, here this is have a district here.
This is many here.
Aftershock here.
Mr. Speaker, here.
Mr. Singer.
Dear Mr.
Signer. Here.
My presence, your absence.
Thank you.
Please rise if you are able, and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.
I pledge to find
America.
And she.
Says.
One nation under God. Indivisible.
With liberty.
And justice for all.
That brings us to item one,
the approval of the Board of directors agenda.
I would like to make a motion to amend
the agenda to add under new business.
Five I the following notion
The Board directs the administration to discontinue
building shutdowns for the remainder of the 2021 school year
and reiterates the approval for the continuation
of all extracurricular and or sporting events to proceed as planned,
including our senior activities and graduation.
This approval is contingent upon the continuation of COVID mitigation
efforts and adherence to the universal mask mandate.
May I have a second to amend the agenda as proposed?
Lyndsey Drew.
Thank you.
Is there any discussion on the motion to amend the agenda?
Mr. Chairman, could you read it one more time?
Yes, I will. Thank you, Mr. Singer.
This will be item five I that will be added under new business this evening.
Under a motion,
the board directs the administration to discontinue building shutdowns
for the remainder of the 2021 school year
and reiterates the approval for the continuation
of all extracurricular and or sporting events to proceed as planned,
including all senior activities and graduation.
This approval is contingent upon the continued action
of COVID mitigation efforts and adherence to the universal mask mandate.
Thank you.
Is there any discussion on the motion
to amend the agenda to add this item?
Donna Cronan I do say I appreciate that, John.
Thank you.
Let's do this by way of although I have a question.
Oh, God, I'm sorry.
Is this
something the administration feels comfortable with?
Thank you, Mr. Singer.
Yes. This helps provide clarity in a very uncertain time.
Okay. Thank you.
Any other discussion?
I'd like to do this by way of a roll call vote.
ZG Mr.
Abel? Yes,
Dr. Preston. Yes,
Mr.. Yes.
Have a sec. Yes,
This is Manny. Yes,
Dr. Shaw. Yes.
This is ticker. Yes,
Mr. Singer. Yes,
Mrs. Steiner? Yes.
Nine. Yes, Your Honor.
So the motion to amend the agenda passes.
So now me.
I have a motion to approve the May 20, 2021
Board of Directors agenda as amended.
So move Lindsay to second. Maria, Miami.
Thank you.
Is there any discussion
we can do this by way of a standard voice vote?
All those in favor signify by saying I only want opposed.
That motion carries item to a presentation.
General fund budget presentation.
Mr. French.
Thank you, Mr.
Abel.
Attached to the agenda this evening is information
concerning the revenues, expenses and fund balance
for our 2122 budget.
Pleased to present the 2122 budget is balanced
and does not include the need to increase real estate taxes.
The budget also continues all the financial support
for all educational and co-curricular programs
currently being operated by the school district.
This budget year we're looking into the next budget year
produced yet another challenge in one of many as we've been dealing
with with COVID 19 and how it will affect our school year next year.
From a budget standpoint, COVID 19
has had the largest impact for our district on our local economy,
and that being because the economy
is just dependent on entertainment and industries of the like.
As such.
The Finance Committee, as well as the full board, recommended some things
that are reflected in this year's budget, the first being an increase
from 4% to 7% in the distribution from a milton
Hershey Trust fund
as of the end of April.
There's currently over $51 million in that trust,
the largest amount that has ever been in that trust
since it's been under the guise of the school district.
This is a one time revenue item where
we're pulling an additional $1.2 million from that trust fund.
Normally, we would pull a total of 4%.
We're looking at a total of seven.
That will increase the revenue.
And we'll talk a little bit why that was needed in a minute.
The second thing that the district did was refinance and restructure
some of our debt.
The process of that
freed up about $900,000 per year
over a six year period to allow for
the payment of that debt on a current schedule,
but also lighten the load on a yearly basis.
The the revenue altogether
from a local and state standpoint has been fairly static.
We're used to our local revenue growing by at least 1 to 2% per year
and it really stayed flat as we look to 2122,
and that was a direct result of not received or not
receiving a pilot payment or a payment in lieu of taxes from the giant center
of about $500,000.
In addition, we continue to see downturns in the actual amusement tax collected,
obviously as Hershey Entertainment Resort
begins to resume their activities.
Because of that, that revenue was flat.
There was the need of, as I noted before,
to pull additional money from our Milton Hershey Trust fund.
In addition, we'll be using about $2.2 million of Esser two funds,
where all of our Esser two funds to balance the 2122 budget
are on the expense side.
There are some ups and downs in the budget item.
The largest increase in our expense is due
to enrollment of students in cyber charter schools.
This year, the district saw of more than double
the amount of students that are normally enrolled in that program, Enrolled
in the current year and the current budget are looking forward to 21.
22 assumes about half of those students will return to us,
but still is about a $440,000 increase
in our expenses for that line item.
In addition to all the necessary expenditures to operate
the educational programs, we also bringing back
the million dollar transfer from our general fund to our Capital Reserve fund,
and that will ensure that we continue
our capital projects and take care of our capital needs on an ongoing basis.
Just as a procedural item,
we'll be obviously presenting the budget here.
It will be on the agenda for the May 24th for approval.
And in that approval, the school board is just approving
that budget to be displayed for public observance
and then final approval of the budget would come at the June 28,
2021 meeting.
If I forgot to mention this has been
this budget has been reviewed several times in the Finance Committee.
The Finance Committee did provide approval
of that at our last meeting
and to provide a review here for the school board.
Are there any questions, concerns or comments
concerning the budget for 2122?
Any questions from Mr.
French?
Mike, this is Kathy Seger.
I appreciate you referring to the Finance Committee.
And just to let any one know who's listening.
The Finance Committee meets
monthly all year long at 4:00 and all the meetings are audio recorded.
So if you do want to go back and listen to the details of everything
he just talked about, we have been reviewing the budget
this entire time to get to this point.
So there's much more detail included in those subcommittee meetings.
Anything else from Mr.
French? Thank you.
Thank you very much for that report
that moves us on to Adam to be President Communications.
I would like to announce that the board in an executive session prior
to this meeting to discuss purchase or lease of real estate
and consultation with attorney or other professional advisors.
Agency business which are conducted in public would violate a lawful privilege
or lead to disclosure of confidential information.
The board will be meeting in person exact
to discuss matters of personnel consultation with attorney
or other professional advisors and agency business
which are conducted in public but violate a lawful privilege.
Early disclosure of confidential information
that leads us down to item to see recognition of citizens.
This is an opportunity for the residents and taxpayers
to address the board on matters related to the agenda.
Those who speak, if present or are asked to come to the microphone
and state your name and address.
For the record,
those who are attending virtually are asked to raise your virtual hand.
In order to be recognized, you must have your first
and last name typed into the livestream registration.
Once recognized and unmuted, please state your name and address
for the record to provide other residents with an opportunity to speak.
Each speaker during the public comment portion is limited to 5 minutes
of speaking time.
Once recognized and limited to one opportunity to address the board
during each of the public comment periods.
If necessary, the board may set a maximum time
for the public comment portion of any meeting.
This portion of the board meeting
is for comments to the board and is not a question and answer period.
Those wishing to present prior to concerns or questions needing
follow up outside of the board meeting may go to the district
website and submit a community correspondence.
And as we have in the past couple meetings, will be doing a limit
on 45 minutes on this portion and 45 minutes on the second portion.
Are there any residents or taxpayers who would like to comment at this time?
And I'll start with the folks that are in the room.
I see a hand raised.
Please approach the podium.
Hello, everybody.
It's John Miller from 329 Cocoa Avenue.
So I have
a little bit of a abstract
presentation, hopefully to convey
some optimism for the future and
it goes like this.
So orange and blue.
If we have blue
right here, so what we're going to refer
to the same things, blue.
And then here's orange.
So you can see it might fall down.
But the idea being.
That.
It's the same thing is that it's the school.
That's what we're looking at.
The admin, the admin offices.
It's the same thing, but only with orange.
You're looking at it with a sense of optimism,
a sense of inspiration.
And that's what I want.
So much for our kids here.
So if there's three.
This is like a little Mother's Day thing.
So you guys take it home to your wives.
But so the idea being that you need the right balance of orange and blue
to get from opposite colors on the color wheel.
They are uniquely balance.
They oppose each other like no other colors
do because blue has structure.
Blue has its stuff that we can rely on.
Orange is the wild side that is looking to the future,
and particularly
if there is any way and this is this kind of a comment to the
the line item on the budget of the charter school.
As a graduate of Derry Township myself
and somebody who had an IEP, I say hi to Mrs.
Cronin.
I'm really concerned
that there's going to be kids next year
in the future, five years from now, developmentally.
We don't know what the issues
are going to be, and I don't know if the school district,
with its blue structure, so to speak,
and has that's a good thing in some aspects.
But does it have the ability to react dynamically,
to jump on these challenges really quickly?
And I don't know if it can.
So this might sound like a crazy idea, but the building
next door, I don't know if this is possible.
I'm not in education.
I'm in utility construction.
But if there is any way that we could turn that into a charter school
not to
compete with Derry Township, but to supplement it for the future
and to potentially be a model for what's possible.
I see the medical center, I see other industry and in my mind
I would love to see students from Dauphin County Tech come back to Hershey
and partner with the engineering
minded students that are currently here.
Because I can tell you from over
ten years in engineering and construction myself
that it's one thing to see it on paper,
but the people that put it together with their own hands,
it's a really symbiotic relationship that can develop
and so I don't want to take too much time, but that's,
that's, that's where I'm coming from.
I want
the same or same objective.
We see things differently so we can
as was balanced properly in the right proportions.
We'll get that beautiful shade of cocoa brown that our legacy
and and our institutions build upon.
So thank you. Thank you, sir. Could you tell us your address again?
I think I'm sure 329 Cocoa Avenue.
Thank you.
Okay. Anyone else? Publicly.
I've give Mr.
Miller a minute to.
And I see I see a hand out back in the back.
So. Yes, sir.
Please feel free to approach the podium.
Give us your name and address.
That's.
Hello.
My name is Daniel Voight.
I live at 2444 Raleigh Road, Hummelstown
and I'm currently finishing up my junior year.
And today I would like to talk to you about my expectations for next year.
I don't think it needs to be said
that this school year was a mess and thoroughly disappointing.
I know that a handful of quote unquote
a handful of people quote unquote thrived with the virtual and hybrid model.
But please don't take those limited numbers to justify the hell.
You put the majority of students and parents through this past year.
Do you have any idea how frustrating it's been to see family
and friends from other states and nearby districts move on this year,
or worse yet, never had restrictions in the first place,
and yet you guys did nothing as the school year progressed.
You're lame excuses, you're stubborn political stances,
and your laziness ends today as a member of the high school student body.
I am here to tell you we will not put up with it any more.
You say, Well, we will be given the opportunity
of a full return or all virtual next year and that's great.
But I don't trust the decisions you're going to make about
what a full return will look like.
So I propose you stay out of it.
You let us decide your job right now to tell your constituents
COVID is here to stay.
The curve was flattened a long time ago.
You've all had the chance for vaccines.
For those of you who wish to not get the vaccine, you understand the risks.
But we all will move on.
We we will give you the choice to stay home
if that's what works for your child or go back full time masks are optional.
It's as simple as that.
That's all you need to say in the email to send the parents this summer.
No B.S.
about what ifs or any nonsense about school clothes.
If the numbers get too high, none of that.
We return in August to normal school,
no painter's tape pretending to do something on our lunch tables.
No more fake contact tracing that takes students out of the classroom
and away from learning
full fledged theater productions with an actual audience packed house and all.
No more desks six feet apart.
When I see these kids outside of school in the same car, no masks
and no more punishing our students for living life outside of the building.
For our student athletes, this year has been extremely disappointing,
especially for our seniors that had so much to prove.
Both our football and cross-country teams
go there.
Their chances of a district title taken away from them by us, the school board.
There's obviously nothing you can do now to fix that
except make this coming school year one for our athletes to remember.
That being said,
I'll be incredibly disappointed if on the first football game of the season
we do not have a packed student section with masks being optional with kids
living their high school experience the way you all had the opportunity to.
The country is moving on.
Don't leave the kids behind just because you have a political agenda
or just because you personally wouldn't want your child to be in school unmasked.
That's not your decision to make a especially with the high school.
I mean, do you really think that we go out, we go to school and come home?
We have jobs, we play sports, we go to the gym, we hang out with friends.
So stop trying to keep us social distance.
Stop with the seating arrangements in the cafeteria.
I would also like to bring up our iPads.
At the moment we're doing online school in-person, and that's unacceptable.
What happened to paper and pencils?
We take our tests online, we take our notes online.
We never use paper and pencils anymore.
In fact, the first paper piece of paper I got all year
was this Friday, and it was so good to have it back.
But we need more.
There's a reason many tech giants such as Elon Musk and Bill Gates
send their kids to school
without without constant technology being forced upon them.
It's been proven that we learn better on paper and pencil,
but we seem to follow the trend of not listening to the facts.
Don't get me wrong, they can be useful, but we need a much better balance.
I can't tell you the times,
the number of times I've heard the words Trojan pride never dies.
And while that's still the case, there's a lot of disappointed alumni.
Class of 2020 was disappointed.
Class of 21 soon to be alumni are disappointed.
My grandmother, Class of 68, is disappointed
and my mother Class of 98 is disappointed.
They've all seen what Hershey as a whole is capable of overcoming,
but this past year has made them question the Trojan pride more than ever.
I hope that you will
no longer will disappoint our alumni and bring Hershey back to what it once was.
No matter your political view,
I'm going to be honest.
This is the last ditch effort to return to normal school offerings.
If there's no action come August, don't expect students
to comply with your stupid demands one way or another.
I will be walking into school my senior year maskless no matter if it's allowed or
it may make me seem entitled
to it, make me make me seem entitled.
But I like to think of it taking action when my leaders have failed to do so.
Thank you.
Next,
Go ahead, sir.
Hi, my name is Daniel.
Abby Voight and I live at 2444 Raleigh Road in Hummelstown.
I would like
to thank you for affording me the time to talk today
and to thank you for serving as members of our school board.
I'm sure this past year was more stressful
and rife with emotional anguish than you could have ever anticipated.
I believe that each of you
has taken your responsibility seriously,
that you've approached
each meeting and decision with the best interest of our kids at heart,
and that you want to provide them with the best educational experience
possible while protecting them from unnecessary risk.
That is a true and noble aim.
My fear is that some of you have forgotten
that your commitment is to that principle
that we provide the best possible education while reducing excessive risk
and not the very specific rules and criteria that you established in months past.
A meaningful mark of
intelligence is to have the willingness to surrender a once valid position
when the facts have changed in a manner that now renders it unsound.
You were right to shut down our schools and shift to all virtual
when the risks were significant and the unknowns abundant.
You should be proud that you protected our children.
Thank you for having the courage to do so.
You will be right now when you make the decision
to restore normalcy to our district for the 2122 school year.
You can be proud that you followed the facts and didn't
put our kids quality of education and emotional well-being at risk
when science had eviscerated the threat of physical harm.
So let's talk facts.
Here's how our world has changed during the last 14 months.
As of this morning, the CDC reports
that over a quarter of a billion vaccine doses have been administered in the U.S.
44% of the U.S.
adult population is fully vaccinated and 58% have received at least one dose.
More than
71% of our senior citizens are most vulnerable.
Population have been fully vaccinated.
The risk from this disease is already significantly muted,
and we have ample reason to believe that things will be much better by August.
There are 112 days
between now and the start of school
at the current average rate of 2.5 million doses per day.
That's another 225 million potential shots distributed
before our students walk the halls again.
Earlier today, the FDA authorized Pfizer's
COVID 19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 15,
meaning nearly all of our middle school and high school students
will have the opportunity to be vaccinated by the start of this coming school year.
And Pfizer expects to submit for an emergency
use authorization to vaccinate children aged two through 11 by September.
The most likely
scenario we face come the start of the next school year
is one where our adult population is nearly fully vaccinated.
Most of our older kids have been vaccinated and our youngest
children will be approaching eligibility for the shot.
We know now that the mortality risk of COVID
is heavily concentrated in our aging senior population
and that young children are a low risk cohort.
We don't just know this anecdotally.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has shared the data.
More than 3.78 million children have been infected
from COVID 19 from that population.
303 have died.
That's a mortality rate of 0.008%,
eight thousandths of a percent.
Children aged 14 and younger
have a mortality rate of 0.01% for the flu.
The reason we kept our kids at home at first
was because we did not know the risk they faced.
The reason we sent them back
with masks and social distancing was because we knew the risk was low,
But limiting the spread among children protected more at risk population.
When we send them back in the fall,
the collateral risk will be negligible.
We will have succeeded in protecting our elderly and infirm.
Continuing to enforce significant restrictions will largely be theatrical.
At that point
I am here today to remind you.
30 seconds.
Changing your mind is not admitting defeat.
To the contrary, in this case, it is ensuring victory.
You are not weak because you accept that your strategy should change
as your circumstances adjust.
Changing your mind in that instance is both smart and strong.
The way to show commitment to your core principles is to be malleable
in your tactical approach.
You have permission to adapt.
Don't box yourself into a position that is no longer justified.
Thank you.
Is there anyone else here
physically present that would like to address the board?
Yes. Not all areas required to see
who virtually would like to speak to the board. Mr.
President, we have several hands raised.
We'll start at the top of the list.
We'll start with Anita mansour.
Okay.
Good evening.
My name is Anita mansour, 1181 Wicklow Court.
I have two grandchildren in Derry Township
schools and I am a retired public school teacher.
Tonight, I would like to address the board about the resolution for fair funding
and the item on the agenda.
While I was still in the classroom, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
conducted a nonpartizan costing out study of public education.
They have a benchmark in state law for calculating
how much funding each school district needs in order to provide
resources necessary for students to meet state academic standards.
And then
the legislature ignored the findings.
According to our own state law, Pennsylvania schools
are woefully underfunded by $4.4 billion.
Schools in rural, urban and suburban communities
do not have the funding they need from the state.
Pennsylvania ranks 46th
in education funding across the nation.
Over the years, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has significantly reduced
how much they're willing to fund K-12 education
to a measly 38% of the cost,
providing themselves and holding the line on taxes.
However, while local school districts are then left to come up
with a whopping 57% of the bill
by raising property taxes at the local level.
I would encourage the Derry Township School Board to pass the resolution
before you tonight in support of the school funding lawsuit,
which seeks a statewide solution to the Pennsylvania General Assembly's
failure to meet its constitutional mandate
to ensure quality public education.
Thank you. Thank you.
Next.
Mr. Scheuer. Next, we have Laurie Peterson.
Okay. Hi.
Am I on?
Yes, you are.
Okay.
This is Laurie Peterson, 190 Jacobs Creek Drive in Hershey.
Thank you.
And a sincere congratulations
on the exceptional decision to reinstate extracurricular activities.
For those not actually affected by the latest
COVID cases at the high school.
And the new agenda
item of no more shutdowns this year.
We could grieve the broad stroke, extra
curricular closures experienced throughout this year,
including for my family, a middle school track invitational and Carlisle,
of course, concert reporting and so much more.
But at this point, as Tony Stark said, it's not about how much we lost.
It's about how much we have left.
So as our school year comes to a close and we look ahead to the 2122 school
year, let's work together on solutions to keep the schools open.
We probably have to get creative.
After all, even Albert Einstein said we cannot solve our problems
with the same level of thinking that created them.
Which brings me to the attestation.
Did you know that there is an asterisk by the closure days that leads to
if case investigations, contact tracing and cleaning
and disinfecting can be accomplished in a faster
timeframe.
The length of closure time may be shortened.
It also states, depending on numbers of positive COVID cases, that
the deep cleaning should just be in areas where the where those cases spent time.
So let's clean those areas every weekend.
So each Monday we start fresh when positive cases roll in one at a time.
School related contact tracing can be done within 24 hours.
Shutting down over the rolling 14 day total makes no sense.
A student at the middle school who tests positive on March 1st
could literally be back to school by the time the school
shuts down on March 13th for three additional cases.
But still, counting hurts.
Inconceivable.
I realize you don't write the rules,
but surely we can do better than a blanket shutdown.
The Departments of Education and Health have built a barrier
that seems impassable.
George Lucas said, You have to find something
that you love enough to jump over hurdles and break through the brick walls.
I love my children.
I love all of these children.
Let's break some walls.
Thank you.
Next.
At this time, I see no.
Other hands raised
right.
That takes an item to the Standing committee report.
The curriculum Council and the policy committees met today.
Do we have a curriculum report?
Yes, Mr..
President.
Kip Shaw from the Curriculum Council meeting.
We met today at 4 p.m., and we
addressed our goals
for the 2122 school year.
They're substantially the same as as current
because there is a lot to accomplish and most of them are long range.
They'll be finalized at the June meeting.
The only other business we conducted was the initial approval
of three textbooks for for first read, and they are the catch up readers.
The Myers of psychology for the AP Course
and the Strong Kids textbook and program.
Our next meeting will be June 14th and the public is invited.
Thank you.
Any questions for Dr. Shaw?
The Curriculum council meeting
and Dr. Shaw.
I think you all have a policy report.
Also have the report of the Policy Committee language which met Mr.
President at 5 p.m.
today.
The Policy Committee
re reviewed
our our unfinished business policy
on discipline of student for convicted
or adjudicated of sexual assault.
We were prepared to revise
if there was an update from PSB, as there has been no interim update.
That policy was not revised.
We did revise a policy,
our volunteer policy that will be coming to the board for approval.
We also approved a new policy of electronic signatures
for electronic and electronic records that will also be coming to the board.
The Policy Committee also established its area of focus and goals
for the upcoming 2122 academic year, and they will be as follows.
To continue to focus on policies related to social, emotional learning, school
climate and equity in the context of safe and supportive schools to review policies
with corresponding board operating guidelines for consistency, to work
for a systematic policy review cycle.
Prioritizing policies that dictate regular review
or which have not been reviewed in more than five years,
and to continue to review and revise policies as issues arrive as arise
or as recommended by this board and or the PSB and often the Policy Committee.
Any questions for the Policy Committee meeting today?
Okay. Thank you, Dr. Shaw.
Community Correspondence Report.
Mr. Frank. Do we have a report?
Yes, Mr. President.
Thank you. We do.
For the month of April, the District receives a total of ten
submissions to the are online committee correspondence mechanism.
They included an enrollment inquiry,
a question about the school calendar, a request for I.T.
assistance.
We also had a message for our regarding student services.
There was a question about the distribution of non-school materials,
and the remaining sessions were all related to COVID 19 mitigation efforts.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair. Tonight,
Student Representatives Report. Ms..
Lewis, do you have a report?
Yes, I do.
We wanted to shout out Hershey's successful
run at the recent Science Olympiad competition.
Sam Cota was named one of three grand champions,
Lisa Wang, one of three finalists, and both Alison Weller and Alexandra
Petula were recognized for creating
top projects in both chemical science and physical science, respectively.
We wanted to congratulate the orchestra on a successful concert
which occurred Wednesday, May 5th, and the talent show
is now available on Hershey Community Youth Alliance's YouTube page.
Super Fun and the Boys Tennis Advance to the second round of districts.
And we also wanted to shout out the District All-Stars,
which this year we have Jackson Muscogee for Boys, Basketball
and Culture for Girls basketball, and Ethan Cotner for wrestling.
And we wanted to end this month's report with mentioning that this past Friday,
the senior class successfully held our first end of year in-person event,
which in which we awarded the senior superlatives with a very high turnout.
It was super fun and we're looking forward to senior prom this week
as well as senior awards next week and graduation on May 26.
Thank you.
Moving on, item to the listed items are on the anticipated
May 24, 2021 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
Unfinished Business District Operating Schedule During the COVID Pandemic.
We have a report there. Mr. McFarland.
We have no report.
Consent agenda Items.
The consent agenda contains routinely adopted items and items
that normally do not require public deliberations on the part of the board.
A board member may pool items which will then be discussed and voted on separately.
May have a motion to approve the consent
agenda items as listed so moved.
Maria May 2nd.
Cathy Secker Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I only want a opposed motion carries.
That takes us over to item five a new business.
The approval of the affiliation agreement.
Mr. McFarland.
Thank you.
The administration recommends the board
approve the affiliation agreement with Derry Township School District
and Lehigh University effective May 10th, 2021.
May I have a motion to approve the affiliation with Lehigh University?
So moved Capshaw.
Maria. Mimi. Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I anyone oppose Motion carries
approval of the SEIU agreement for school age Special Education Services.
Mr. McFarland.
Thank you.
The administration recommends the approval of the CEO agreement for School Age
Special Education Services from July one of 2021 through June 30th of 2022.
Is there a is there an they have a motion to approve the CAA
New School Special Education Services agreement.
So moved. Maria Mimi Thank you.
Is there any?
Donna Cronan. Thank you. Is there any discussion?
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify.
All those in favor signify by saying I, I Anyone opposed.
Motion carries Next is addendum to extend agreement.
Mr. McFarland.
The administration recommends the approval of the addendum to extend the agreement
with East Northeast LLC, July one,
2021 through June 30th of 2025.
May I have a motion to approve the addendum to extend the agreement with SS?
So move Lindsey to second.
Maria. Mimi Thank you.
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I i anyone opposed.
Motion carries auditor approval.
Mr. MACFARLANE.
Thank you, Mr. President.
The administration recommends the board approved Boyer and Ritter LLC
as district auditors for the 2021 or 20 2021,
2021, 2022 and 2022, 2023.
Fiscal years at a cost of $23,500,
$24,000 and $24,500 respectively.
Thank you.
Now I have a motion for audit or approval.
So move Nancy Drew.
Second, Maria. Mimi, is there any discussion?
Does the state of voice vote
all those in favor signify by saying I
anyone opposed motion carries
five e special education and Settlement agreement.
Mr. McFarland.
The administration recommends
the district accept and execute an agreement to amicable resolve
amicably resolve a special education matter in accordance
with a confidential agreement between the district and the minor child parents.
And a motion to approve the Special Education Settlement.
Agreement so moves Kathy Secker second.
Maria Mimi. Is there any discussion?
There's a state of voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I.
I opposed motion carries item five F Resolution
in support of the school funding litigation for fair funding.
I'd like to announce to getting my employment
with the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
I will abstain on this matter
just to avoid the appearance of impropriety or conflict.
And I'll ask Maria Nandy
as vice chair to conduct this portion of business on the agenda.
May I have a motion to approve the resolution
in support of the school funding litigation for fair funding?
So move.
Tricia Steiner Secondly, Happy sticker.
Is there any discussion show? Sure, sure.
And there's no one discussion.
Is there any discussion?
I don't think there's any discussion.
All those in favor say i i an in person and he knows.
And one abstention.
Thank you, Miss Mary.
You're welcome.
Personnel resignation.
No. When our corrupt two personnel receive resignations
now the motion to approve the listed personnel resignations.
So moved Maria Mimi Second.
Lindsay. Drew.
Is there any discussion?
The standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying ii1
opposed.
This brings us to
item five.
Just motion carriage. Thank you.
Let's move to
personnel, General.
Thank you, Mr. McFarland.
Thank you.
The administration recommends
the approval of listed personnel and recognition of any listed transfers.
We have a motion
to approve a list of personnel on recognition of any list of transfers.
So move to Maria. Mamie Second Cathy ticker.
Is running discussion.
This is a standard voice vote.
All those in favor signify by saying I oppose motion carries.
This brings us to item five.
I That was added to the agenda at the outset of the meeting.
I would like to make a motion
that the board directs
the administration to discontinue building shut downs for the remainder of the 2021
school year
and reiterates the approval for the continuation of all extracurricular labor
and or sporting events to proceed as planned,
including all senior activities and graduation.
This approval was contingent upon the continuation of COVID mitigation
efforts and adheres to the universal mask mandate.
Now you're the second.
Suspect in Lindsay, Drew.
Is there any discussion?
This is Cathy Seger.
I would just
I'm very pleased that this motion has been brought forward this evening.
And I would just like to comment on where we are right now
with fully vaccinated people in Dauphin County.
I was able to pull the numbers off today
for those
65, and over 68% are fully vaccinated
for those 18 and over 38% are.
And of the entire population, 30% is
it's mirrors.
Generally the national fully vaccinated people.
So, you know, every week of this pandemic,
we've learned more things have gotten better.
So we're on our way to achieving the magic 70% of herd immunity.
So I think this motion sets us in the right direction
for the school district to finish out the school year.
And the other discussion.
Mr. President, this is Lyndsey Drew.
I just want to echo my support of this motion.
I know that I was a board member that was not in favor
previously of returning certain buildings to full time
in-person instruction because we could not achieve the mitigation
distancing requirements
for students to be able to take off their mask
based on local zip code data for the school district.
The recently announced lifting of restrictions by the governor
as of May 31st.
The ability for the large majority
of our staff to be vaccinated if they so chose,
and in an effort to provide continuity for the remainder of the school year
for the social, emotional and academic well-being of our students
under the current instructional models, I support this.
I think it's also a step in the right direction towards the commitment
that we have made to reopen to full time
in person instruction for the fall.
And I'm happy to see us continuing to move forward.
Thank you. Any other comments or discussion?
Yes, Mr.
President, this Judy Harris.
Dick, I just want to thank Kip and Donna for a few months ago,
even bringing this up to try and get our students back.
I'm thankful they are back a little bit more than what they have been.
And I agree this is a step in the right direction.
I wish this could have all happened sooner,
but I'm just thankful that it's happening now and just thanks to Kip and Donna
for fighting this fight and trying to get this all accomplished.
Thank you, Mr. Average.
Any other comments? Yes.
I just want to really take a second just to thank the community for providing
not only their their heartfelt opinions, but also facts.
Daniel, as a student, I wish more students would have the
you know what would have come forward.
But we love hearing from you and you spoke so passionately and from your heart.
And I really appreciate it.
And I hope we can do right by you and all the other students.
But all the families that have been all so supportive over the past few months.
Thank you for your perseverance and and trust in us.
And hopefully this is a big, huge step in the right direction.
So thank you.
And the other discussion
from anyone on the board,
I'd like to make this a roll call.
Vote, please.
Mrs. A.G..
After Corona.
Yes, that's true. Yes,
this is. Yes,
this is Nanny. Yes.
Arkansas. Yes.
This is Singer.
Yes, Mr.
Singer. Yes.
Mr. Steiner?
Yes, Mr.
Abell? Yes.
Nine. Yes.
Zero of those motion carries.
Thank you.
We are now up to eight and six delegate reports.
The PSB report is attached.
Dr. Cronan, do you have anything to add? No, thank you.
Thank you.
The Harrisburg Area Community College report is attached.
Dr. Shaw, do you have anything?
Nothing to add.
Are there any board members that would like to give a report?
Mr. McFarland, do you have a superintendent's report?
Just one thing very briefly.
We were recently informed that the Derry Township School
District will be receiving the EPI
ax 2021 Environmental Excellence Award
at their annual award luncheon on June 22nd of 2021.
The Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation gives this award
to a stakeholder that exemplifies vision and environmental
environmental stewardship and has been a supporter of the EAP, A.C.T.
and the alternative fuel vehicles technologies.
I just want to give a huge thank you to Mr.
Bell for initially bringing the propane bus concept to our district
and to the board for supporting a move in the alternate fuel direction.
Thank you. That's my report.
Thank you. Board President Ford.
I have known recognition of citizens.
This is an opportunity for residents and taxpayers to address the board
matters related to the agenda or matters of district governance, not on the agenda.
Those who speak are asked to follow the same guidelines outlined
at the initial public comment portion of our meeting.
Are there any residents and or taxpayers who would like to comment at this time?
Anyone in the room?
I see a handsome gentleman over here on the right.
Brian Good.
850 staffers, Church Road.
Good evening.
I'd like to first take a moment to recognize our teachers and support
staff for the amazing work that most of you do every year,
and that we understand your stress in this difficult time as well.
Many of the people standing outside and others who have been in opposition
of the board's actions often speak fondly of the passion of our teachers
and the talent and creativity, our specialist teachers.
We understand that you were given the impossible task of transporting
your classrooms into our living rooms, knowing full well that our living rooms
are not classrooms.
They're not music rooms, art rooms, libraries or gymnasiums.
This district's decline is not on you.
Members of the board do not be offended by what I have to say.
I will not call you names.
I will not be disrespectful.
But you need to truly understand how poorly you have handled this past year.
If my boss
came to me and told me that I did a poor job as an adult,
I have to own that responsibility, accept criticism and strive to do better.
And we haven't seen that from you.
I do want to thank you for addressing
some of the concerns of the citizens,
but I can't help but feel like elementary families
and UCC families are still being left in the dust.
Like many parents, I've done two full time jobs for the past 14 months.
I've done it all while protecting my nine year old daughter
from being crushed under the emotional weight
of living in a world that is a dark, scary and the furthest thing possible
from normal.
With the exception of occasional help from loving family to catch up on work,
I have had to do it all by myself in the form of 16 hour days that consist
only of alternating between school and work, including weekends.
I also have to care for my wife, who had been ill for some time
and had gotten worse at the beginning of the pandemic.
She was not in a place to do what we, the parents have had to do.
She couldn't be alone with our daughter.
For the past year,
my wife continue to deteriorate and our daughter sold out daily.
Still, she persevered like a little trouper, put a smile on
and never complained.
We got every single assignment done,
even if it meant that we were doing work until 10:00 at night.
I buried my own stress and fatigue to match her toughness.
In February, my wife passed away.
Our daughter lost her mom.
And naturally, it all became too much for her.
When I would ask her what she what she needed, she would say, Daddy,
I just want something in my life to be normal.
Nothing is normal.
She had seen things no child should ever have to see, and her
only focus was to get back to school, hoping that would be her something normal.
But it wasn't.
In fact, she was realizing that it was the most abnormal thing in her life.
It was something that had meant stability and structure for three years.
But those were gone.
Gone was her safe place,
and she started to push back against time consuming busywork work.
I'm referring to the confusing, grant funded, nonsensical busywork
that takes away from good, good teachers, natural abilities and strengths,
and instead confines them to a rail system that leads to standardized testing.
Then she stopped completely.
She wasn't struggling academically, but she was blank, tired and broken.
I couldn't even recognize my little girl.
Thank God for her amazing teacher.
A year of therapy and a saintly guidance counselor
who were there to immediately rally to her and do everything that they could
to pull her through these miserable last six weeks,
six weeks that she could have been in school experiencing something normal.
If there had been any level of preparedness from the district,
you took that from her and you left it to me,
the guidance counselor and the teacher of the decade to pick up the pieces.
I don't blame you for what we went through,
but I do blame you for not recognizing the far reaching effects that your
decisions have had on so many families and most importantly, children.
Do I think you're all evil and wanted punish kids from the beginning?
Not at all.
But your inability to recognize what was happening to those kids and not
doing everything in your power to change it is the very definition of negligence.
We were all told to follow the science, and we did.
When the science changed, we stopped following the science. Why?
What secret information did you have that we didn't?
We would like to thank you for one thing, and that is for giving us
the chance to really see the curriculum in our schools
and the parts that are void of true educational value.
Now we are poised at the ready for any proposed curriculum changes
or indoctrination that will be a detriment to our children in the future.
As for this year, what's done is done, and I don't have the right to say out loud
what I what I think about you, but I reserve every right.
This board needs to be held accountable for the irreparable damage
that they have caused to our our most valuable assets.
You were elected to be a bridge between the community and the administration.
Instead, you were a wall built brick by brick by the people on one side,
while the other side is simply talking to a wall.
Before you say, do we have to listen to this?
Please remember that actively listening requires more than hearing our words.
And make no mistake, we are actively listening to you.
We've gotten your message. And by God.
Am I done or can I finish concerns?
Okay,
We've gotten your message of us versus them.
And by God, we are going to tear down the wall.
And we were going to build a bridge if you can't do it yourselves.
Thank you.
That's just next.
Hi, this is John Miller, 329 Cocoa Avenue.
You can follow along with me.
Anybody listening or folks in the room?
Reopen, Dee Dee Dee, don't us.
I have some graphics on there.
It shows the imagery of what I showed you earlier, but it also
it touches on some other things that I think is important,
although we are going to
be looking to the future and we're going to be working together,
we have to realize some of the things that I think need to be addressed.
Number one,
the words that were just spoken.
It's exactly what I was talking about with being prepared for the future.
And we don't know what we're going to be getting into,
what damages we're going to have to to fix.
But but there's some other things that and I understand that that COVID
has been hard for everybody.
But honestly, I'm a visual person and I look outside.
The grounds don't look like they used to.
The overall perception
of the school district is tarnished,
and I think we need to focus on a couple of things here.
Number one, I think I caught in in the last minute
meeting and listening is
Derry Township School District elementary students that need to go
full time virtual are not going to be going to Derry Township.
I know this is in question and answer, but that's my understanding.
I think they're going to capital area.
That's unfortunate that we don't have the availability,
the ability
that we're sending out some kids.
So we're
we're not poised for success in the future if that's
where we're losing kids to charter and then we're actually actively
telling kids, if you elect to go virtual, you're gone.
So, you know,
and I believe it is also and I've heard this right, 10% cuts
across all other departments or some cuts across the departments.
And that shows, again, visually, when you look outside,
I, I it's not acceptable
and touch on the health curriculum
over young daughter I understand advocates for youth
is not going to be taught in and
Dr. Windsor thank you for for sending me that information very quickly.
Appreciate that.
My concern is that advocates for youth.
Honestly, if you look at the people that bankroll
the organization, it's a political it's an activist group.
Okay.
That concerns me.
That concerns me when I see the same names funding this,
that are funding some of the COVID initiatives, some of the big
the vaccine pushes.
There's some parallel narratives there that concern me.
So I would just say any time we have
health care curriculum or any curriculum
that's political, that's a that's a problem.
So people just be aware of it.
I think it's wrong for students, parents and teachers.
I think it puts teachers in a very bad position.
It's unfortunate.
And finally, again, I talked about the opportunity
for us to think differently, to look into a charter
for for us to manage and have it right next door or have the community manage.
I don't know.
It's I don't see why we couldn't do it.
And then we control those losses.
We see right now the funding for charter schools as a
a threat or a risk, but it could really be an opportunity.
Then finally,
if we don't have any action moving where
personally I think we need to get rid of any emergency
declaration that we have in place, I think we have enough information.
We saw a big teachers union
colluding with CDC,
aligning their agendas.
That's unacceptable. We're better than that.
Come on. We can we can look at all the information.
We can look at all the data points and see where the trend is.
We're okay to get back to it.
I mean, we've got my daughter every single day.
Her and her friends come around
that corner, a rip their mask off, and they go barreling down the hill.
They're kids.
They need to do that.
So an alternative.
And I was doing some reading.
You can check it out.
Reopen to us.
This concept of learning pods that people are using charter schools
collectively going to different charter schools,
online, meeting in a in a in one spot.
It could be an office space that's in town here since there's
a lot of vacant office space.
And then so what they're doing is they're learning together
and some, you know, background check adults would supervise them
some time ago.
So there's there's other options you can read about it.
But let's let's let's think creatively.
Please. Thank you. Thank you.
Anyone else here physically present?
I would like to address the board at this time,
Mr. Slaughter.
Anyone? Virtually. Mr.
President, we have several hands raised, so I'll start at the top of the list.
First, we'll start with Angela Wieder.
Ms.. Wieder.
Heather. Angela Wieder, 1778.
I wrote I just want to say I'm incredibly pleased with the vote tonight
that the board did to allow this school year to continue uninterrupted.
I just want to make sure that it's very clear
that most of the gratitude and Thanksgiving for that vote
goes to the community and the students who've been speaking up since February.
This vote has nothing to do with new data or the lifting of restrictions
at the end of the month by the governor, but simply because of the push
and the community and how the community
came together to provide information and without
certainly with a lot of effort
and determination, continue to make their voices heard
and to speak on behalf of the kids.
Because prior to February, when this all really,
really started, that was not that was not being done.
So I just want to say on behalf of the many families that are out there
that have spoken words that I wish I could have found and the many students
who spoke up with courage that I wish I would have had when I was their age,
I'm grateful because I know my kids have benefited from it.
And I think the community as a whole has benefited in many ways, finding out that
people who want to put the students first were not alone.
And and I think, you know, if we can finish this school year strong
and remain as vigilant and committed to that, we're going to have a great 2122.
Thank you. Thank you,
Mr. Snyder.
Next, we have Jennifer Schrader.
Okay.
Hi there.
Good evening.
It's Jennifer Schrader at 1125 Stone Gate Road.
Hummelstown.
Like those before me.
Thank you for tonight's vote and kudos
to the kids and parents who have spoken out
in support of suspending
any further closures for the school year.
I am still really concerned and I have reached out to Mr.
McFarland.
He did return an email to me,
but it was still very unclear as to what
plan is different for the file
regarding the attestation agreement
and is the current safety plan
and how will that be different going into the fall?
Has the COVID task force reconvened to make amendment to this?
Has the
district reached out to the Health Department to make amendments to this?
It's still very mysterious to many of us.
Why how this will be different come the fall.
So if that could be discussed, if there could be any communications,
if there could be some transparency, if there could be
really just just
communications to those of us in the district,
because there is a level of of distrust about what will be different
come the fall if everything is status
quo based on what is in place right now.
And it's I hear left and right that people are leaving the district
because they can't bear to think
about starting another school year here.
If if everything is still in place as it is.
So I just would implore you guys, if you could please communicate
with us, the parents within the remaining 3
to 3 weeks of the school year, what will be different about this call
concerning the student safety plan and the attestation form?
We would really greatly appreciate it.
Thank you.
Next, we have Corey Schafer.
Please proceed.
Evening. Yep.
Yep. Good evening.
Corey Schafer, 1778 Abernathy Road.
I'd like to thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.
I'd like to start by saying the young man that spoke at the beginning
of the meeting, Daniel, did an excellent job conveying
a lot of the community's feelings, thoughts and wants
for the remainder of this year and especially next year.
Um, and I do have two big concerns
that are still left on my mind for the remainder of this school year.
Just within the past, I have two sons in the district.
Just within the past week, my older son in ninth grade
in three different classes, received an email notification through canvas
that there would be no notes in classes because the teacher was not in school.
So that's three different classes that he missed out on the opportunity
of a day of learning.
Thankfully, he's back for days, but it's still the teacher's not going to be there,
so we're not going to have a Zoom class.
Here's some extra work for you to do.
Between everything else that's happened this year,
how many times does that happen
throughout the course of this year where we're just missing opportunities
because we don't have the proper substitutes to teach classes
when when when there's things in teachers lives that are going to happen.
And we know that.
The second is my younger son plays in the band.
He has loved.
He's been loves music, has been musically inclined for most of his life.
And he last week was
told that he was Contact Trace and had to be out of school for two weeks.
This Thursday is the Middle School Band concert.
His only opportunity to perform for me this year was taken away from him
because he had to stay home for two weeks in quarantine
when the school district knows and contact tracing him in January
that he had COVID, he was sick for an hour and recovered.
So he is no threat to anybody for at least the next
6 to 8 months based off of research that, he has the antibodies.
I would ask that
we also end the contact tracing and the random quarantining of students
that are no danger to anybody in the school building or the community.
Thank you.
Next, next, we.
Have Jamie Smith.
Hello, Jamie Smith.
404 Cedar Avenue.
I'm the parent of a third grader.
The second grader and a preschooler.
I'm aware that this year has not been ideal.
I applaud the teachers, faculty and staff for working their tails off.
I know the plan is for full reopening under the same mitigation
strategies and with masks.
However, my main concern is that next year is going to be more of the same,
which I personally do not feel that my family can handle again.
So I would like to be a part of the solution.
I'll be speaking about a plan for the elementary and CC alone.
These classroom models are different than high school
and middle school in the sense that they remain inclusive.
The same group of students stays together the entire day and all year long.
I feel that the following would be the most effective.
Full size classrooms should be in school all day, with desks spaced out.
Masks can be removed when students are stationary or sitting at their desks.
Similar to how restaurants
and other school districts have been operating this entire time.
Of course, students can always choose to leave their masks on
if they feel more comfortable and student iPads should continue to be issued.
If a student isn't feeling well, then they can zoom in to class for the day
or say somebody in the classroom tests positive,
then maybe that classroom can go virtual, but not the entire building.
Additionally, the virtual model should again be offered by a district teacher.
I would think that there would be enough students for one classroom grade level.
This next year is going to be vital to so many students online or in-person,
that the district should be prioritizing,
that all students will be taught by Derry Township teachers.
Speaking as a teacher, not enough importance is placed on the connections
made between student teachers and the entire classroom community.
So being able to see facial expressions
and appreciating smiles are vital to these young learners.
Bonds are simply not the same with masks and half covering faces everywhere
they look.
Speaking as a mom, I find that my children are missing
the ability to read facial cues, read lips and mimic sounds.
All three of my children have IEPs for speech and language.
They need to be able to see mouth movements and clearly hear speech sounds.
All children do, but especially my children.
And even as an adult,
I find it difficult at times to understand someone speaking behind a mask.
I cannot imagine being a child that has struggling
while learning to reproduce words and phonemes that
they can't visually see and may even hear muffled.
We've expected so much resilience from our youngest learners
for over a year that I honestly feel that we can do better by them.
So please take my suggestions into consideration.
Thank you. Thank you.
Next, we have Laura Pavone.
Okay.
You hear me?
Yes, we can.
Okay.
Laura Pavone.
524 Stouffer's Church Road.
I also appreciate the vote that closed the school, so I'm hoping that
my first prepared remarks doesn't even have to be taken into consideration.
However, it has to do with the closing of the schools because of COVID cases.
I've been trying to find the logic behind announcing closing of schools
for two days,
but keeping the kids and staff in the school for the remainder of the day.
If there was a genuine concern for the health and safety of,
the students and staff, why not immediately close the school?
The answer can not be
because it would inconvenience the parents because.
That has never been a factor in decision making before.
Secondly,
I did learn one thing over this past year.
It was that all students definitely are not treated equally.
I heard that firsthand on some Zoom classes.
It was not uncommon for a student to share a fact based statement,
but because a portion of the students felt differently,
the original student would receive harsh backlash
in at least one case that I personally know of.
It also came from the teacher.
This is absolutely inappropriate, appalling, and honestly
despicable behavior.
A teacher should never be the bully in a classroom
and should never allow such behavior behavior to take place in their presence.
This leads me to the suggestion of a Citizens Advisory board.
This should be researched and implemented at Derry Township.
There needs to be accountability and that will assure parents that valid
complaints against teachers or staff are addressed
and not just swept under the rug.
North Carolina.
The lieutenant governor is establishing a task force that is fairness
and accountability in the classroom for teachers and students.
It appears to be a resource for not only parents and their children,
but also for teachers who feel pressured into thinking or teaching one way
and one way only.
I believe this to be a great starting point for model,
for a model or
for a similar program in Derry Township.
Lastly, I am concerned about the curriculum.
It was brought to my attention that anything taught in
Derry Township schools is available to be viewed by parents.
It would be helpful if the board, the administration,
would provide the public some guidance on the actual process.
How does a parent get that information?
Who do they need to approach
to get a full view of the curriculum for specific classes?
If the school board truly believes in transparency and prove it, help parents
easily get the information they and need
to best support and guide their children.
And I would also like to recognize Daniel in closing, because he was amazing.
Thank you.
Next, next, we have Alison Brooks.
Okay.
Go ahead.
Oops. Hi.
Alison Brooks.
1740 East Caracas Avenue.
Perhaps it will come as a relief that I'm not here to talk about the way
you've interpreted guidelines for reopening.
Instead, I would like to talk about a different set of state guidelines.
The Public School code of 1949.
Having read the state guidelines, I have genuine concerns
about the appropriateness and even lawfulness of this district's
anti-racist resolution and equity and diversity training.
The public School Code of 1949
requires that, quote, Any course of instruction designed
to educate in civic values, character traits and community outreach,
including professional education for educators and, quote, remain
free from propaganda under the heading, quote, prohibited instruction.
It states that a board of directors is not authorized
to, and I quote, establish and implement
a program that instructs, proselytize or indoctrinate students
in a specific religious or political belief, end quote.
In of these
guidelines, in September 2019, the school board noted
that they used curriculum for nine equity and diversity study groups
from an organization called Building Anti-Racist White Educators.
This organization exists, quote, to emphasize
that it is the responsibility of white people, those who benefit
from white supremacy every day to undertake substantive anti-racist work,
to continuously address their unconscious bias
and, fight white supremacy in our schools, and quote,
clearly the curriculum selected for these subgroups
came from a source proselytizing, highly contentious political beliefs,
according to my understanding of the government guidelines.
This appears to be prohibited.
In August 2020, this board itself
an anti-racist resolution which insists that the families and Derry Township,
quote, must understand that racism is systemic
and is unconsciously and consciously rooted in our institutions,
policies and practices.
And, quote, You insist that we must revise our schools, policies,
practices and curriculums to, accommodate an anti-racist and equity lens,
and better educate ourselves and our community to recognize
our role in perpetuating racism, discrimination and inequity.
Yet the state
guidelines clearly communicate that all instruction
concerned with American history must, quote, have for its
the presentation of the principles
and ideals of the American form of government as portrayed
in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights,
and be such as will emphasize the good, worthwhile
and best features of America's social, economic and cultural development.
Showing, and I'm still quoting, that the privileges enjoyed
by American citizens are derivations
of our principles and quote,
ignoring this, it appears you are resolved to encourage our children,
our citizens and our teachers to conclude that they derive unconscious
and conscious advantages from the color
of their skin and a bias towards racism and inequity
based on their citizens citizenship and skin color.
I am horrified by these ideas,
and I'm left quite simply
what that heroic dream of children not judged by the color of their skin,
but by the contents of their characters ringing in my ears.
If it's true, as you say, that there are, quote, traces
of racism and inequity that still exist within our school community,
then you have the serious obligation to cite in
what specific curriculum, policy, procedure or practice.
There are ongoing open violation of the 14th Amendment of the Bill
of Rights and the Civil Rights Act of 1964
and rectify those violations immediately
if none can be found.
Then I urge you to realize that the tenets
of critical race theory are highly contested
political and divisive and amount
to an attempt to rectify historic discrimination with discrimination.
These ideas have no place in public schools.
Thank you.
Okay. Next, Mr. Swiger.
At this time, I see no other hands raised.
All right.
Is there anything else?
For the good of the order?
Adjournment.
The next public Board of Directors meeting will be held on May 24,
2021, starting at 7:00 pm.
Please refer to the district website for the location.
As the meeting draws closer.
May I have a motion to adjourn the meeting?
So move to Maria Mumy.
Is there a second?
Second? Donna Cronin.
All those in favor signify by saying I didn't want to oppose motion carries.
Meeting adjourned. 824.