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[00:00:01]

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE MONTHLY BOARD MEETING OF THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT

[1. MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

IF YOU WILL, WILL YOU PLEASE STAND AND JOIN US FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE SALUTE TO THE TEXAS FLAG.

THE FOLLOWING TRUSTEES ARE PRESENT, TRUSTEE FLORES IS HERE.

HE MIGHT HAVE STEPPED OUT FOR A MINUTE.

WE HAVE TRUSTEE MARSHALL.

TRUSTEE MICCICHE.

TRUSTEE CARREON.

TRUSTEE FOREMAN. AND TRUSTEE GARCIA IS JOINING US, VIRTUALLY, OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, DR. MICHAEL HINOJOSA JOINS US.

AND I'M JUSTIN HENRY, BOARD PRESIDENT.

THE MEETING WILL BE AVAILABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY IN SPANISH ON SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGH DALLAS ISD IN ESPANOL AND ON FACEBOOK THROUGH THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.

TRUSTEE CARREON DO YOU HAVE THIS.

I'LL READ IT. MARCH 16, 2020 GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT GRANTED A REQUEST BY ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON TEMPORARILY SUSPEND A NUMBER, A LIMITED NUMBER OF OPEN MEETINGS LAWS TO EXTEND NECESSARILY TO ALLOW TELEPHONIC AND VIDEO CONFERENCE MEETINGS AND RESPONSES COVID-19.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE SUSPENDED RULES, WE CERTIFY THE FOLLOWING.

A NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE FOR AT LEAST 72 HOURS.

B. WE HAVE A QUORUM IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS MEETING.

EITHER PHYSICALLY OR TRUSTEES ARE IN ATTENDANCE SIMULTANEOUSLY THROUGH VIDEOCONFERENCE VIA ZOOM.

C WE'RE MEETING BY THE USE OF ZOOM SOFTWARE APPLICATION, WHICH ALLOWS TWO WAY COMMUNICATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

D MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MEETING NOTICE FOR REGISTERING TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION WILL BE ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR THREE MINUTES.

E. ALL OTHER BOARD MEETING PROCEDURES WILL ADHERE TO BOARD ADOPTED PROCEDURES TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE. F, AN AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS MEETING IS BEING MADE AND WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

G WE APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR ANY UNFORESEEABLE DIFFICULTIES AND ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE NAVIGATE UNPRECEDENTED CONDITIONS.

H. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUSPENDED LAWS PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL AT 888-672-6787 OR BY EMAIL AT TOMA@OAG.TEXAS.GOV.

DO I HAVE ANY ELECTED OR PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN THE ROOM? TRUSTEES THERE ARE NOT.

[3. REPORTS]

ANY RECOGNITIONS? WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT DR.

HINOJOSA.

I WILL LIMIT MY COMMENTS TO THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

A LOT OF THE BILLS ARE STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD.

THE TIME IS GETTING SHORT TOWARDS THE END OF THE SESSION.

THE BUDGET IS BEING DEBATED TODAY.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER FINANCE ISSUES THAT ARE MOVING, BUT ALSO WANT TO BRIEFLY REPORT ON FOUR OF US, THE SUPERINTENDENTS FROM CORPUS CHRISTI, NORTH SIDE [INAUDIBLE] AND MYSELF GOT A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

WE WERE PROBABLY EXPECTING 20 TO 30 MINUTES, BUT HE ACTUALLY SPENT AN HOUR AND A HALF WITH US. WE COVERED THREE TOPICS IN DEPTH.

ONE WAS THE FUNDING FROM THE FEDS.

HE DID NOT PROMISE ANYTHING OTHER THAN HE WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSIONER AND THE OTHER PARTIES TO GET US SOMETHING BY MAY THE 1ST.

BUT THAT'S NOT WAS NOT A HARD AND FAST COMMITMENT.

BUT OTHER THAN WHAT HE WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT.

HE THINKS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR DOLLARS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HE DID INDICATE THAT HIS TEAM HAD JUST GOTTEN SOME OF THE RULES.

SO THAT'S WHAT WAS RELAYED TO US.

THE SECOND BIG ITEM WAS THE VIRTUAL.

BILLS THAT ARE MOVING FORWARD.

THE SENATE PASSED SENATE BILL 27.

THERE IS A COMPANION IN THE HOUSE.

THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE TWO, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING WILL PASS.

IT'LL PROBABLY BE SOME VERSION OF THE OF THE OF THOSE BILLS IN CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.

BUT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR PERSPECTIVE AT THIS POINT.

AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM, WHICH HE WAS NOT AS SUPPORTIVE, WAS ON THE STATE HAVING THE ABILITY TO TAKE OVER.

THEIR INTERPRETATION IS THAT THE RULING BY THE COURTS MAKE IT VERY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A TA TO TAKE OVER ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS FAILING SCHOOLS.

WE READ THAT RULING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN THAT.

BUT THERE WAS NO WIGGLE ROOM IN THEIR CONVERSATION WITH US ON THAT ONE AND EVEN LESS WIGGLE ROOM ON CHARTERS.

[00:05:01]

ONE OF THE SUP, ONE OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS TRY TO BRING UP CHARTERS AND THAT WAS THAT WAS ALMOST SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY.

SO WE DID SPEND SOME TIME AND SO WE WERE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP.

I'LL BE GLAD TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU JUST SAID, SO YOU'RE SAYING THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AGREED WITH THE COURT THAT THE TA SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER? NO, HE DISAGREED WITH THE COURT AND HE THINKS THE TA SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER DISTRICTS. OK, GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

DR. HINOJOSA BY DISTRICT, YOU MEAN ANY DISTRICT.

BEG YOUR PARDON? BY DISTRICT, YOU MEAN ANY DISTRICT? YES, WE TRY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON HAS ISSUES SHOULDN'T BE BRACKETED TO HOUSTON.

AND THEY SAY THAT, NO, IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT.

IT'S OTHER DISTRICTS.

AND THEN THEY THINK THAT THE COURT RULING GUTTED 13 82, WHICH HAS PROVISIONS ABOUT HOW YOU TAKE OVER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY READ IT THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S THE WAY THEY'RE INTERPRETING IT.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEE MACKEY.

DOC, I WONDER IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE ON THE FUND BALANCE BILL? YES, GREAT QUESTION.

RIGHT NOW NO, IT IS NOT GETTING ANY SUPPORT BY THE HOUSE PUBLIC ED HEALTH COMMITTEE.

THE FORMER CHAIRMAN DID TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND TALK ABOUT IT DURING THE SCHOOL FINANCE DEBATE ON SECOND READING.

AND THERE IS SOME INDICATION HE MAY TRY TO ATTACH IT AS AN AMENDMENT ON THIRD READING.

BUT RIGHT NOW, HE'S NOT GETTING A LOT OF SUPPORT.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT ONE.

THANKS FOR ASKING ABOUT THAT ONE.

THAT THAT'S KIND OF SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM WHAT WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT EARLIER.

THANK YOU.

TRUSTEE MARSHALL. JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR PREVIOUS COMMENT ABOUT THE TA TAKEOVER BILL, SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE GOVERNOR AND OR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ARE BACKING HOUSE BILL 3270? THEY'RE BOTH BACKING IT VERY STRONGLY.

OK. AND ARE YOU? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME. OK, THANKS.

OK, THANK YOU, DR. HINOJOSA, TRUSTEES ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS? YES. AND UNFORTUNATELY, HOLD ON.

SO I'LL START WITH ONE WHILE I FIND THE OTHER ONE.

SO THE DCAD BOARD MET, SO THAT'LL BE MY MY FIRST REPORT.

WE MET THIS MONTH AND LOOKED AT THE BUDGET AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, AND WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO CUT THE BUDGET.

AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY REDUCING THE BUDGET OF DCAD AND THE DISTRICTS AND ALL THE FOLKS, THE TAXING ENTITIES ARE ALL GOING TO BENEFIT.

DALLAS ISD IS GETTING THE LARGEST SHARE OF THAT.

SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

THEY ALSO DECIDED TO MAINTAIN ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES AND NOT CUT ANY EMPLOYEE POSITIONS.

BUT TO DO SO, THEY THE DECISION WAS MADE NOT TO GIVE ANY RAISES.

SO THERE WILL BE NO RAISES FOR DCAD.

AND THAT'S HOW WE ARE MAINTAINING OUR BUDGET.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST REPORT.

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO FIND THE AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT.

LET'S SEE.

SO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, THERE WERE SEVEN AUDITS PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL, WHICH INCLUDED A TOTAL OF 71 FINDINGS, RESULTS OF THE PHYSICAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT WERE PRESENTED IN CLOSED SESSION. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE INTERNAL CONTROLS WERE MADE IN THE AREAS OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, PROCUREMENTS OR SERVICES, HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL SERVICES AND FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES.

FINANCIAL SERVICES PRESENTED THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL UPDATE AND STATUS OF THE DISTRICT'S MAINTENANCE WORK ORDER SYSTEM, WHICH IS GOING MUCH, MUCH BETTER.

AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE HARD WORK BEING DONE BY THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.

WE WORKED WITH CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AND PROCUREMENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRMS TO REDUCE THE COST OF THE GMPS FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] PROJECTS, APPROXIMATELY ONE POINT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS SAVED THERE.

AND THEN WE HAD AUDIT FOLLOW UP, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT HOTLINE, AUDIT PLAN STATUS SUFFICIENCY OF DEPARTMENT RESOURCES AND AN UPDATE OF THE ANNUAL RISK ASSESSMENT WE'RE PRESENTING AND THAT'S THE AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT.

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE FLORES.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO TRUSTEE REPORT, STARTING WITH DISTRICT ONE THROUGH DISTRICT NINE. GREAT.

SO I'LL CONTINUE.

SO, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE PRINCIPAL POTTER FOR WALNUT HILL ELEMENTARY. UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CALL HIM MR. POTTER, OUR NEW CELEBRITY.

I WILL HAVE TO CALL HIM DR.

POTTER BECAUSE HE SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED HIS DOCTORAL DISSERTATION AT SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY. THIS IS NO SMALL FEAT.

AND I CELEBRATE HIS CONTINUOUS COMMITMENT TO PREPARE BETTER, HIMSELF BETTER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY IN DALLAS ISD AND THE VERY EXCITING K8 TRANSFORMATION SCHOOL

[00:10:04]

THAT HE WILL BE LEADING IN NORTH DALLAS.

AND THEN ALSO KUDOS TO WT WHITE'S HEAD BASEBALL COACH, MATTHEW WHATLEY, FOR ACHIEVING HIS 100TH CAREER WIN EARLIER THIS MONTH.

I LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING MANY MORE VICTORIES FOR THE LONGHORNS AND HOPEFULLY TOMORROW. AND I THINK IT'S STILL GOING TO COME TO PASS.

WE WILL HAVE A CELEBRITY FIRST PITCH FOR THE LAST BASEBALL GAME OF THE SEASON BY NONE OTHER THAN DR. [INAUDIBLE].

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIS VISIT.

THAT'S MY REPORT. THANK YOU.

I'LL GIVE THE DISTRICT TWO REPORT.

FIRST, CONGRATS TO PRESTON HOLLOW IB STUDENT AMIRA SHANKLIN ON WINNING A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR HER ORIGINAL POEM IN THE 2021 DIC POETRY SLAM CONTEST.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK UNTIED TO LEARN FOR THEIR COMMUNITY CAMPUS IMPACT DAY ON MARCH 27TH, SEVERAL SCHOOLS ALL OVER NORTH DALLAS WERE IMPACTED BY HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME OUT. I MYSELF WAS HAPPY TO SERVE WITH MY COMPANY AT BUSH ELEMENTARY AND WAS ALSO PLEASED TO SEE SEVERAL D TWO SCHOOLS, INCLUDING PRESTON HOLLOW AND DANDY ROGERS, GET SUPPORT THROUGH THE PROGRAM. SO THANKS TO UNITED TO LEARN.

ALSO, CONGRATS TO THE WOODROW WILSON GIRLS AND BOYS GOLF TEAMS THAT BOTH BECAME ELEVEN 5A DISTRICT CHAMPS. WAY TO GO.

ALSO ON APRIL 9TH, WOODROW WILSON GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER ANNABEL HUT WAS NAMED DISTRICT MVP AND JAYLA RIVERA WAS NAMED DEFENSIVE MVP WHILE COACH PEELE WAS NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR.

SO GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ALL AROUND FOR THE GIRLS SOCCER TEAM.

ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE ETHAN HALE OF WOODROW, WHO WAS NAMED TO THE THSCA ACADEMIC, ALL STATE BOYS, SOCCER ELITE TEAM.

HE IS ONE OF ONLY TWENTY FOUR SOCCER PLAYERS IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS NAMED TO THE ELITE TEAM. SO CONGRATS TO ETHAN.

I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE WOODROW WILSON VARSITY WRESTLING TEAM, WHICH BECAME THE DISTRICT SEVEN 5A CHAMPIONS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.

ALSO, A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LADIES VARSITY WRESTLING TEAM AS THEY PLACED SECOND.

CONGRATS TO WOODROW WHAT ROBOCATS WHO WERE LISTED AMONG THIS YEAR'S FIRST ROBOTICS WINNERS FOR THE ILLUSTRIOUS CHAIRMAN'S AWARD FOR D2.

CONGRATS TO ALL. AND LASTLY, CONGRATULATIONS TO HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL'S AMERICA [INAUDIBLE] AND [INAUDIBLE] WILLIS, WHO ARE GOING TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT IN WRESTLING.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT HILLCREST HAS EVER HAD ANYONE QUALIFY FOR THE STATE TOURNAMENT IN WRESTLING. AND I WANT TO THANK PRINCIPAL SOTELO FOR THE SENDOFF THAT HE GAVE THEM TODAY, CALLED THE WHOLE SCHOOL OUT FOR A PEP RALLY TO SEND THEM ON THEIR WAY TO THE STATE. SO CONGRATS TO THEM AND GOOD LUCK.

THAT CONCLUDES THE DISTRICT TWO REPORT.

OK, FOR DISTRICT THREE.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AMAZING LADY BOT'S TEAM FROM CASA VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHO WERE TEAM WORK CHAMPIONS AND WINNERS OF THE EXCELLENCE AWARD, THE TOP AWARD GIVEN IN ROBOTICS AT THE RECENT ELEMENTARY LIVE REMOTE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP, VEX ROBOTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. HERE THEY COME.

CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO LARRY SMITH AND HECTOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR MAKING IT TO THE STATE ROBOTICS CHAMPIONSHIP AND ALSO AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THREE OF THE ROBERT T HILL STEM ROBOTICS TEAMS FOR THEIR AMAZING PERFORMANCE DURING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

THE SEVENTH GRADE BOYS TEAM 505C ROBOCHAMPS WON THE INNOVATIVE AWARD.

THE EIGHTH GRADE TEAM 505 H ROBOKNIGHTS WON THE DESIGN AWARD AND THE SEVENTH GRADE GIRLS TEAM 505 B THE ROBOBEASTS WON SECOND PLACE IN ROBOT SKILLS AND THE EXCELLENCE AWARD, WHICH IS THE TOP ALL AROUND AWARD POSSIBLE IN VEX IQ ROBOTICS.

AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO SAM TASBY MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR HOLDING A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY DAY LAST SATURDAY WHERE WE CELEBRATED THE COMMUNITY AND HONORED THE LEGACY OF SAM TASBY, A PIONEER IN DALLAS CIVIL RIGHTS.

THANK YOU. TRUSTEE GARCIA.

NOW FOR THE DISTRICT FOUR REPORT.

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

HAPPY TO SHARE THAT DORSEY ELEMENTARY ANNOUNCED THEY WILL BECOME AN INNOVATIVE SCHOOL UNDER THE DALLAS ISD PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE INITIATIVE STARTING NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

NEW LEADERSHIP EDUCATION MODEL WILL CONTINUE ACADEMICS WITH A COMBINATION OF SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING, CRITICAL THINKING AND SERVICE LEARNING TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN STUDENTS.

INNOVATION SCHOOLS ARE NON APPLICATION BASED AND OFFER ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL MODELS WITHIN THE TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM TO PROVIDE MORE INNOVATIVE OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU ALSO EXTENDED TO THOSE WHO CAME OUT TO THE JOHN QUINCY ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GARDEN.

CAMPUS STAFF, STUDENTS, PARENTS AND SAMUEL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GATHERED LAST SATURDAY TO PLANT, PAINT AND HELP TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE COMMUNITY WHO SHOWED UP, THAT'S ALL MR. PRESIDENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. DISTRICT FIVE ACCOLADES, KUDOS TO MR. [INAUDIBLE] A FINALIST FOR THE DISTRICT'S TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.

HERE'S THE MATH TEACHER AND ALGEBRA AND COLLEGE TRANSITION TEACHER AT JUDGE BAREFOOT SANDERS LAW MAGNET. MR.

[00:15:01]

[INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN A PIONEER WITH MANY CAMPUS AND DISTRICT INITIATIVES, INCLUDING LEADING THE FIRST LINK CREW PROGRAM AND TEACHING THE FIRST COLLEGE TRANSITION CLASS OFFERED IN THE DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION, SIR.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SOUTH OAK CLIFF HIGH SCHOOL ENSEMBLE FOR WINNING THE DIVISION ONE REGION 20 UIL SOLO AND ENSEMBLE COMPETITION.

THE ENSEMBLE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE UIL STATE SOLO AND ENSEMBLE COMPETITION.

WAY TO GO. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE FOLLOWING DISTRICT FIVE BASKETBALL PLAYERS WHO WERE NAMED TO THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES ALL STATE TEAM.

ANTONIO PATTERSON, SOUTH OAK CLIFF BOYS CLASS 5A TO MIA AND VICTORIA FLORES, PINKSTON GIRLS CLASS 4A.

ALSO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO PRINCIPAL SHERMAN JACKSON AND COACH DWIGHT JONES AND THE OW HOLMES SIXTH GRADE BASKETBALL TEAM ON THEIR VICTORY OVER [INAUDIBLE] MIDDLE SCHOOL.

CONGRATULATIONS TO TATIANA BROWN, A GRADUATE OF THE SCHOOL FOR THE TALENTED AND GIFTED, WHO WAS RECENTLY NAMED A 2021 TRUMAN SCHOLAR.

TATIANA IS ONE OF 62 EXCEPTIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM FIFTY ONE U.S.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SELECTED FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP.

THE TRUMAN SCHOLARSHIP IS THE PREMIER GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP FOR ASPIRING PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERS IN THE U.S.. ALSO WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO GARCIA HOUSTON, FOR INSPIRING HEALTHY HABITS WITH [INAUDIBLE] GARDENS IN OW HOLMES'S COURTYARD.

ALSO OW HOLMES [INAUDIBLE] EVENT WRITERS, HAD THE PLEASURE OF INTERVIEWING AUTHOR, EDUCATOR AND CEO, DR.

LASONJA FLOWERS-IVORY.

THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION, EMPOWERMENT AND THE BOOK DONATION, ONCE A TIGER ALWAYS A TIGER. ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL FOR HIS CONTINUED COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT IN DISTRICT FIVE.

THANK YOU. THIS IS THE DISTRICT SIX REPORT, WE'RE DOING BIG THINGS IN DISTRICT SIX, AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD.

A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE KIMBALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO HAVE BEEN OFFERED A TOTAL OF TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN BAND SCHOLARSHIPS FROM LANGSTON UNIVERSITY.

THANK YOU TO PRINCIPAL SMITH AND BAND DIRECTOR JAMES GIBSON FOR NOURISHING THESE STUDENTS' TALENTS AND PUSHING THEM TO SUCCEED.

I AM SO PROUD OF BOTH THE BOYS AND GIRLS GOLF TEAMS AT CARTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR BEING WINNERS IN THE 2021 DISTRICT 4A GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP.

SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS TO [INAUDIBLE] FLORES WHO PLACE NO ONE IN THE GIRLS INDIVIDUALS AND JELANI ROGERS FIRST PLACE IN THE BOYS INDIVIDUALS, GLEN [INAUDIBLE] SECOND PLACE IN BOYS INDIVIDUALS AND [INAUDIBLE] THIRD PLACE IN BOYS INDIVIDUALS.

AND THANK YOU TO THE COACHING STAFF AND PRINCIPAL SMITH FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

BRAVO. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2021 DISTRICT SEVEN 5A GIRLS WRESTLING CHAMPIONS FROM THE KIMBALL HIGH SCHOOL.

THANKS COACH EDWARDS AND PRINCIPAL LOU SMITH.

AND A SHOUT OUT TO THE TWELVE WRESTLERS FROM DALLAS ISD SCHOOLS WHO ARE QUALIFIED FOR THE STATE MEETING MEET COMING UP.

EIGHT WRESTLERS FROM THE DISTRICT FINISHED FIRST, SECOND OR THIRD IN THE REGIONAL MEETS AND JOB WELL DONE [INAUDIBLE] KIMBALL BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM, JUNIOR GUARD WHO WAS NAMED THE 2021 ALL AREA BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.

KEEP IT UP DISTRICT SIX.

I'LL GIVE THE DISTRICT SEVEN REPORT, WE GOT A LOT OF THINGS TO CELEBRATE IN DISTRICT SEVEN. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK, ESPECIALLY DURING A YEAR THAT CHALLENGE US ALL LIKE NO OTHER.

I'D ESPECIALLY LIKE TWO SHOUT OUT TO FINALISTS WHO REPRESENT DISTRICT SEVEN, MARIA [INAUDIBLE] FROM NANCY COCHRAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND CAITLIN [INAUDIBLE] FROM STEPHENS PARK ELEMENTARY. THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR THE GREAT WORK BEING ACCOMPLISHED DAY IN AND DAY OUT HERE IN DALLAS ISD.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TRINI GARZA, MEXICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES TEACHER LUIS MACIAS, FOR SHARING HIS STORY AS A MALE LATINO TEACHER WITH THE VARIOUS NEWS STATIONS AND TO HELP SPREAD AWARENESS ON DALLAS ISD'S INITIATIVE TO RECRUIT AND PLACE MORE MALE LATINO TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MS. LIZABETH MELENDEZ AT WINNETKA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR SHARING HER VACCINATION EXPERIENCE WITH PARKLAND HOSPITAL TO CLEAR MISCONCEPTIONS AND FURTHER EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE FACTS SURROUNDING THE COVID-19 VACCINE.

AND FINALLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT NEWS COMING OUT OF ADAMSON HIGH SCHOOL.

SOME OF YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE SEEN THE NEWS ARTICLE IN DALLAS MORNING NEWS ABOUT TATIANA BELTRAN, A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR GIRL PLAYING ON THE BOY'S BASEBALL TEAM AND DOING IT UP.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO TATIANA BELTRAN FOR PLAYING BALL OUT THERE.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE NINTH GRADE STUDENT ALYSSA BENAVIDEZ FOR GOING TO THE STATE

[00:20:02]

AND WRESTLING. AND THEN FINALLY, I THINK I GAVE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT A WHILE BACK, BUT THE NUMBERS JUST KEEP GOING UP.

THERE ARE 23 COLLEGIATE ACADEMY SENIOR STUDENTS FROM ADAMSON HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND COUNTING FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES AND IBM INDUSTRY PARTNERS IN EITHER JOBS OR INTERNSHIPS. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM.

AND IT JUST SHOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COLLEGIATE ACADEMIES AND IN DALLAS ISD AS A WHOLE. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

MR. PRESIDENT, I'LL GIVE THE DISTRICT EIGHT REPORT, I WANT TO GIVE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2021 SECONDARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALIST RACHEL REESE.

MS. REESE TEACHES ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS AT ALEX SPENCE TALENTED AND GIFTED ACADEMY.

CONGRATULATIONS TO HER.

I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU AND KUDOS TO THE NINE DISTRICT EIGHT SCHOOL COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE CHOSEN THE EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR.

I DO WANT TO THANK YOU TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.

CHANGE CAN BE DIFFICULT SOMETIMES, IT CAN BE SCARY.

BUT THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE STEPPED UP FOR OUR KIDS AND I AM TRULY, TRULY GRATEFUL AND EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT TWO YEARS BRING US.

THOSE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES ARE ON THE INTERSESSION CALENDAR.

ESPERANZA HOPE MEDRANO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, STEVEN C.

FOSTER ELEMENTARY, FRANCISCO PONCHO MEDRANO MIDDLE SCHOOL, ORAN ROBERTS ELEMENTARY, GABE ALLEN ELEMENTARY, ELADIO MARTINEZ LEARNING CENTER AND MOUNT AUBURN STEM ACADEMY.

AND THEN ON THE REDESIGN CALENDAR ALSO TWO GREAT DISTRICT EIGHT COMMUNITIES HAVE CHOSEN TO ADOPT THE REDESIGN CALENDAR.

THAT'S A MAPLE LAWN ELEMENTARY AND RUSK MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND SO I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AND READY TO TAKE THIS JOURNEY WITH YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TRUSTEES I'LL GIVE THE DISTRICT NINE REPORT.

I WANT TO BEGIN WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES START OFF AND GIVE KUDOS TO ALL THE FINALISTS FOR DALLAS ISD TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

I HAVE A FEW IN DISTRICT NINE.

THE FINALISTS IN THE CHOICE MAGNET CATEGORY IS CITY LAB HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER MARY [INAUDIBLE]. AS A CAMPUS LEAD TEACHER, MS. [INAUDIBLE] ENJOYS SUPPORTING HER PEERS THROUGH COLLABORATION AND FEEDBACK.

ALTHOUGH MY FAVORITE HOUR OF THE DAY IS THE TIME SHE SPENDS IN THE CLASSROOM WITH A 12TH GRADE STATISTIC STUDENTS WHERE SHE TEACHES USING A PROJECT BASED LEARNING MODEL.

THANK YOU, MISS [INAUDIBLE] FOR ALL YOU DO TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOLARS AT CITY LAB.

THE FINALISTS IN THE 9TH TO 12TH HIGH SCHOOL CATEGORY IS SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER AARON STUART, WHO ALSO ATTENDED DAVID W.

CARTER HIGH SCHOOL IN TRUSTEE FOREMAN'S DISTRICT, WHERE HE WAS A STANDOUT FOOTBALL PLAYER AND MEMBER OF THE CHOIR IN HONOR SOCIETY.

MR. STEWART BELIEVES THAT KNOWLEDGE IS NOT JUST POWER, BUT FREEDOM.

AND HE CREDITS THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF PAST TEACHERS, COACHES AND MENTORS FOR SUCCESS AS A MAN AND EDUCATOR.

WE SALUTE YOU, MR. STEWART, FOR SERVING AS A STELLAR ROLE MODEL AND ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS AT SKYLINE AND BEYOND.

I WANT TO GIVE ACCOLADES TO ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND THEIR PRINCIPALS WHO WELCOME BACK A LOT OF THEIR SENIORS. I WANT TO GIVE A PARTICULAR SHOUT OUT TO THE GREAT JAMES MADISON HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH FROM THE STATISTICS I HAVE HAD THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF SENIORS RETURNING AS HIGH AS 95 PERCENT DURING DAYS LAST WEEK, SPEAKS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF PRINCIPAL WILLARD OVER THERE. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE REY CERVANTES ALSO KNOWN AS PRINCIPAL REY IN HENRY B GONZALEZ ELEMENTARY.

I'M GONNA READ SO I DON'T GET STUFF WRONG.

HE HAD A POST ON TWITTER THIS PAST WEEK THAT KIND OF SPEAKS TO THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CAMPUSES, HE SAYS.

IN THE LAND OF IMMIGRANTS AND POSSIBILITIES TODAY AFTER 16 YEARS.

I'M A CITIZEN OF THE USA.

THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THE UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT ALL THESE YEARS.

WITH COURAGE, I'LL KEEP BUILDING A LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE AND HOLD THIS TITLE PROUDLY.

SO I WANT TO GIVE CONGRATS PRINCIPLE CERVANTES TALK ABOUT DISD AND THIS IS HOME.

HE'S MADE HIS OWN HOME.

AND WITH THAT I CONCLUDE THE DISTRICT NINE ACCOLADES.

[4. PUBLIC FORUM]

OUR AGENDA NOW CALLS FOR THE PUBLIC FORUM SEGMENT OF OUR MEETING.

MS. GRANT WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE SPEAKERS? GOOD EVENING. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS TRUSTEE JOYCE FOREMAN.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED ITEM THAT CAME TO THE APRIL 8TH, 2021 BOARD BRIEFING.

THE ITEM IS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE [INAUDIBLE] AND WW BUCHMAN BEGINNING IN 2023 2024, WAIVING BOARD POLICIES.

IF YOU DON'T MEET THE POLICY, THEN YOU WAIVE IT.

WE DIDN'T FOLLOW THE RULES.

THIS NEW SCHOOL WILL HAVE AT LEAST 900 STUDENTS, IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THROUGH OUR TRUSTEE TRACKER REQUEST THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO OUTREACH TO THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND PARENTS AND STUDENTS IN THAT SCHOOL AND THAT THEY WERE NOT INVITED TO THE MARCH 9TH

[00:25:05]

MEETING THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY TRUSTEE MAXIE JOHNSON.

IN FACT, EVEN ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS WASN'T AWARE.

THIS CONSOLIDATION IS BEING DONE BECAUSE OF A NEW BUILDING.

OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT HAVE SUBPAR FACILITIES, BUT THE GOAL IS NOT HAVE SUBPAR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS.

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT SMALLER CLASS SIZES HELP TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

WE HAVE NEW BUILDINGS IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS LOWER THAN ANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUP IN THIS DISTRICT.

I KNOW THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS REMEMBER H.S.

THOMPSON AND JJ RHODES WHEN THEY WERE CONSOLIDATED AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOW HAVING TO CATCH THE BUS, OR WILL HAVE TO CATCH THE BUS.

THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT INFORMED AND EVENTUALLY A MEETING WAS HELD, 300 PARENTS SHOWED UP.

THEY DIDN'T WANT IT, BUT THEY WERE FORCED TO TAKE IT ANYWAY.

NOW, YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER J.W.

RAY, GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, AMELIA EARHART, CF CAR AND MARTINEZ IN 20 AND IN 2011, 11 SCHOOLS CLOSED, MOST OF THEM IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

BLACK VOICES DON'T SEEM TO MATTER IN THIS DISTRICT.

DR. HINOJOSA, YOU REMEMBER [INAUDIBLE] 1.0 AFTER THE COURT ORDER WAS LIFTED, LEARNING CENTERS IN VANGUARDS WERE GUTTED, WHICH WERE MANDATED BY THE DESEGREGATION COURT ORDER.

NOW WE ARE DISMANTLING NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND CREATING EXCUSE ME, SMALL CHOICE SCHOOLS FOR OTHERS THAT IS COMING TO THE DISTRICT, MILLIONS BEING SPENT AND BUT NOT BEING REALIZED BY PREDOMINATELY BLACK STUDENT POPULATIONS.

A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR FOR DOWNTOWN MONTESSORI LEASE WITH THREE HUNDRED STUDENTS.

WHY CAN'T THAT LEVEL OF CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO BLACK STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT? DR.

HINOJOSA WHILE A TRUSTEE MIGHT WANT SOMETHING.

ULTIMATELY, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TAKES RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE BEING TREATED EQUITABLE AND FAIR.

THE EQUITY OFFICE, THANK YOU, TRUSTEE MICCICHE, FOR SHOWING SOME COMPASSION FOR THIS ISSUE AS I RAISED IT.

AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE COMPASSION FOR ALL CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THIS DISTRICT.

THE MISEDUCATION OF THESE BLACK CHILDREN FROM TWO SCHOOLS THAT HAVE STRUGGLED IN THE HANDS OF THIS ARE IN THE HANDS OF THIS BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION.

IF YOU CAN'T SEE THE DISCREPANCIES, MAYBE FILING WITH THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS MIGHT BE THE PLACE TO SEEK A REMEDY FOR THE BEST FOR EACH OF THEM.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER DISD BOARD.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ISAAC STEAM . HELLO, MY NAME IS ISAAC STEAM, AND I [INAUDIBLE] FOR WHAT TRUSTEE FOREMAN IS TALKING ABOUT, THE CLOSING OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS PREDOMINANTLY SCHOOLS IN CERTAIN SECTORS.

AS Y'ALL KNOW, THAT IS NOT THE FIRST BATTLE THAT [INAUDIBLE].

THE SAME SITUATION IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SOUTH DALLAS AND DISTRICT NINE.

AND I THINK IT'S SO DISINGENUOUS OF THE TRUSTEE OF THIS DISTRICT NOT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A MERGER OR A CLOSING OF ONE OF THE CAMPUSES.

AND WE KNOW THAT THEY USE CLOSING SCHOOLS AS A TOOL FOR GENTRIFICATION, IT'S TIME FOR US TO STOP CLOSING OUR SCHOOLS AND GET THE KIDS IN THESE CAMPUSES, THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED TO GET THEM ON A HIGHER READING LEVEL AND A HIGHER LEVEL IN ARITHMETIC OR MATH OR WHATEVER THE COURSE IT MIGHT BE.

WE'RE TIRED OF ALWAYS LAGGING BEHIND WHILE OTHER PEERS AND OTHER STUDENTS OF THE DIFFERENT ETHNICITY ARE GIVEN THE RESOURCES WITH VERY LITTLE FIGHT.

SO IT'S TIME FOR US TO STOP CLOSING DOWN THESE CAMPUSES IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, IT JUST BRINGS A HARDSHIP ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT LOOK LIKE BLACK LIVES DOESN'T MATTER AND BLACK VOICES ARE NOT BEING HEARD, ONLY THE ONES THAT ARE BEING PAID TO CLOSE DOWN THESE SCHOOLS.

AND WE ARE TIRED OF TRUSTEES THAT LOOK LIKE US TURNING AGAINST THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET THIS TURN AROUND SO WE CAN GET PROPER RESOURCES AND GIVE EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

[00:30:02]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS [INAUDIBLE] HAWKINS.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] HAWKINS, I LIVE AT 123 EASTWOOD IN BOULEVARD, DALLAS, SEVEN FIVE TWO ONE SIX IN DISTRICT FIVE.

I'M SPEAKING IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSAL TO CONSOLIDATE ELISHA PEASE AND WW BUSHMAN. THIS IDEA IS YET ANOTHER KEY PUZZLE PIECE IN THE RENAISSANCE OF EDUCATION HAPPENING IN SOUTH OAK CLIFF, AND I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT IT.

OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES DESERVE THIS.

I STRONGLY URGE THIS BOARD TO LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ACT ON ITS NEEDS.

AS A FORMER READING TUTOR AT PEASE FOR THREE YEARS, I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THE STRUGGLES THAT EXIST AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LABOR FOR OUR STUDENTS.

IT WOULD BE A BETRAYAL TO THOSE STUDENTS THAT I'VE SERVED IF THEY ARE NOT AFFORDED THE RESOURCES THIS PROJECT SURELY IS GOING TO BRING.

GO VISIT WITH THE PARENTS AT LUKE AT TWENTY SEVEN FIFTY FIVE.

MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT AS THE OASIS.

SUNRISE VILLAGE OR STONECREST APARTMENTS AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY NEED AND THEY DESERVE.

I HAVE VISITED WITH THEM.

THEY SAID THEY WANT ACCESS TO PRE-K.

THEY WANT TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO THE BEST SCHOOLS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

WITH AN OVER 30 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT AND THE REPURPOSING OF PEASE, YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THOSE FAMILIES.

ADDITIONALLY, THE NAMING OF THE NEW CAMPUS FOR AFTER ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND GENEROUS AND IMPACTFUL DALLASITES, ALBERT BLACK MAKES PRESSING THIS PROPOSAL EVEN MORE CLEAR. ALBERT'S CHILDHOOD IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE CHILDREN ATTENDING BOTH PEASE AND BUSHMAN RIGHT NOW, HE ESCAPED POVERTY.

AND WITH THIS NEW INVESTMENT, SO CAN MY OLD STUDENTS.

ANY BELIEF THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GO IS NOT ONLY MISGUIDED, IT IS SIMPLY RIDICULOUS. THE TRUE ROOTS OF ANY DISSENSION ON THIS PROPOSAL ARE GROUNDED IN ONLY POLITICS, NOT PROGRESS.

NEITHER SCHOOL IS BEING CLOSED.

NEITHER SCHOOL IS BEING CLOSED.

NEITHER SCHOOL IS BEING CLOSED.

AND THE COMMUNITY MEETING MY TRUSTEE HAD WAS ATTENDED BY WELL OVER 30 PEOPLE.

MISS INFORMATION HAS TO STOP AND IT HAS TO STOP NOW.

IF WE AS A DISTRICT INTEND ON CORRECTING MANY OF THE LONG MENTIONING UNMENTIONED ISSUES WITH BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS IN OUR CITY, THIS IS THE NEXT APPROPRIATE STEP YOU HAVE TO TAKE AS A BOARD IN ORDER TO MAKE GOOD ON THE PROMISE TO BUILD A DISTRICT IN WHICH ALL STUDENTS ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTOPHER WILKINS.

SORRY, HELLO, EVERYONE, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER WILKINS.

I'M A TEACHER AT EB COMSTOCK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PLEASANT GROVE.

I'M A MEMBER OF ALLIANCE AFT AND I AM SPEAKING ON SUPPORT FOR A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE FOR ALL EFFECTIVENESS LEVELS FOR TEACHERS AND FIVE PERCENT INCREASE FOR ALL SUPPORT STAFF ACROSS THE BOARD. HERE'S THE REASON WHY.

WE ALL KNOW WE USE A TI EVALUATION SYSTEM.

BUT AS WE KNOW, TI WAS SUSPENDED THIS YEAR FOR GOOD REASON DUE TO COVID AND DUE TO COVID PANDEMIC. BUT DUE TO THAT, THERE IS WE WILL PROBABLY ONLY RECEIVE A TWO PERCENT COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, WHICH DOES NOT KEEP UP TO THE COST OF LIVING IN DALLAS, TEXAS, IS JUST NOT ENOUGH, NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH IT.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE IN A FIVE PERCENT SUPPORT STAFF.

AT MY SCHOOL AT EB COMSTOCK, WE'VE HAD EVERY SINGLE COACH, ALL 10 COACHES LEAVE DUE TO QUARANTINE DUE TO SOMEBODY BEING EXPOSED TO COVID.

WHEN THEY LEFT, WE HAD SUPPORT STAFF, WE HAD OTHER TEACHERS.

WE HAD VICE PRINCIPALS TAKING UP THAT LOAD, TAKEN UP THEIR JOBS, TAKING UP THEIR LOAD, WATCHING MORE KIDS.

MY CLASSROOM WENT FROM FIFTEEN ON AVERAGE STUDENTS TO TWENTY ON AVERAGE STUDENTS, TWENTY TO TWENTY FIVE SOMETIMES IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE AS TEACHERS WE'RE WE'VE HAD TO LEARN NEW.

WE'VE TO NEW, HAD TO LEARN NEW INFORMATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGY, NEW TECH PLATFORMS, WE'VE HAD TO LEARN HOW TO ENGAGE WITH HOME VISITS.

WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO SO MANY NEW THINGS THIS YEAR.

WE'VE ALL KNOW THAT COVID IS CRAZY AND WE'VE ALL HAD TO MAKE SACRIFICES.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE SACRIFICES ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE ON THE TEACHERS AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT STAFF.

SUPPORT STAFF ARE FREQUENTLY PRAISED AS HEROES, BUT SEVERAL OF THE TRUSTEES FOUGHT OUR LAST RAISE PROPOSAL IN MAY, JUNE 2020, THE PAY STILL DOESN'T MATCH THE PRAISE.

WE'VE HAD SEVERAL SUPPORT STAFF LEAVE DUE TO PAY DUE TO PAY NOT BEING ENOUGH, IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HEARING ME AND I HOPE YOU GUYS DO THE RIGHT THING WITH THE SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE FOR TEACHERS AND THE FIVE PERCENT INCREASE FOR SUPPORT

[00:35:01]

STAFF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RODNEY DITMAR.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RODNEY DITMAR, I'M THE GUITAR AND MODERN BAND DIRECTOR AT SEAGOVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M ALSO THE FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT HEAD THERE.

I'M A 22 YEAR VETERAN OF DALLAS ISD, ALL IN SEAGOVILLE, AND I'M PROUD PARENT OF [INAUDIBLE] MONTESSORI. I WANT TO LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU, THE ESTEEMED TRUSTEES, DR.

HINOJOSA, THE HONORED GUESTS REGARDING THE SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE AND PERCENT FOR SUPPORT STAFF. PROPOSED BY ALLIANCE, ALL OF OUR EDUCATORS AND STAFF NEED A RAISE.

YOU WILL HEAR THIS EVENING, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE COST OF HOUSING, THE COST OF LIVING.

I WANT TO ADDRESS THE COST OF MEDICAL AND INSURANCE.

THOSE COSTS HAVE GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE PAST YEAR, AS WE ALL KNOW.

I MYSELF AM A GOOD EXAMPLE, I HAVE TO SPEND SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET, NOT COUNTING THE DEDUCTIBLE EVERY MONTH.

I HAVE NO CHOICE AND THAT'S NOT EVEN COUNTING MY FAMILY.

A LOT OF OUR EDUCATORS ARE IN THE SAME BOAT, A LOT OF OUR SUPPORT STAFF.

WE NEED THIS RAISE TO COVER THESE RISING COSTS.

AS YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE NO TEI, PEI, APEI AND ANY OTHER MEASUREMENT.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE OUR PAY.

AS EDUCATORS AND STAFF TO MATCH THESE RISING COSTS AND MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES HAD SUFFERED THROUGH COVID THEM NOW IN SOME CASES THE ONLY INCOME IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD DUE TO COVID LAYOFFS. AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN CONCEIVE OF THIS WILL WORK.

AGAIN, WE ASKED THE BOARD TO CONSIDER SEVEN PERCENT ACROSS THE BOARD, INCREASE OUR EDUCATORS DESERVE IT, OUR STAFF, ADMIN, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU WILL DO THE RIGHT THING TO SUPPORT US AS WE SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'M PROUD TO BE IN DALLAS ISD AND GO DRAGONS.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIA ISABEL LAURENCE.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL TO DALLAS ISD TRUSTEES SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF ALLIANCE AFD BACK ON MARCH TWENTY FOURTH, 2021.

THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTED AN INCREASE OF SEVEN PERCENT IN THE SALARIES FOR ALL ISD TEACHERS WHO ARE GENERALLY EVALUATED UNDER THE TEACHER'S EXCELLENT INITIATIVE, ALSO KNOWN AS TEA, AND ALSO FIVE PERCENT FOR THE STAFF MEMBERS.

WHY SHOULD WE GET A SALARY INCREASE OF SEVEN PERCENT? IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, LET ME GIVE YOU SEVERAL REASONS WHY WE DESERVE IT AND HOW WE ALREADY EARN EVERY PERCENTAGE OF THAT.

WE ARE SUPERHEROES. BACK IN SEPTEMBER, WORKING FROM HOME WAS NO LONGER A CHOICE.

INSTEAD, WE WERE SENT OUT TO GO BACK TO WORK WITH THREE THINGS, A BIG BOTTLE OF HAND SANITIZER, A MASK MADE OF CLOTH AND SOME LYSOL WIPES SO WE COULD DISINFECT OUR OWN CLASSROOMS. REMEMBER, WE WERE CONSIDERED HEROES FOR TAKING ON THE TEST TO SAFELY TEACH STUDENTS BOTH WAYS, AT HOME AND IN PERSON.

ACCORDING TO VIRUSES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT BEING AROUND COVID OR SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE COVID REQUIRES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO WEAR PPI OR PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, WHICH INCLUDES SURGICAL GOWNS, GLOVES, RESPIRATORY PROTECTION, YOU NAME IT.

YES, WE WERE SUPERHEROES.

WITH NO PPE TO PROTECT US AND WITH NO VACCINE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME.

IMAGINE HOW TERRIFYING WAS TO WORK IN THESE CONDITIONS.

AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCE.

WE ISOLATED FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

WE TOOK ALL PRECAUTIONS, BUT WE STILL GOT INFECTED AT WORK.

MANY OF OUR STUDENTS GOT FAMILY MEMBERS SICK AND CAME TO SCHOOL AND INFECT THE OTHERS DESPITE OUR ROUTINE AND CARE.

THAT WAS NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO REASON FOR US TO GET THIS INCREASE IN PAY, TEACHERS DESERVE TO LIVE COMFORTABLY IN THIS AREA.

MANY OF US CAN'T AFFORD A HOME IN THE METROPLEX AND HAVE TO DRIVE FOR UP TO AN HOUR EVERY DAY TO WORK AND LIVE PERPETUALLY IN A RENTED APARTMENT.

AFTER ALL, SOMEHOW IT'S BEEN HISTORICALLY AND SOCIALLY ACCEPTED THAT TEACHERS ARE POOR AND THEY DO THIS JOB BECAUSE OF THEIR DEDICATION.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE FAMILIES TOO.

MANY OF US ARE SINGLE PARENTS WITH CHILDREN.

WE NEED A DIGNIFIED, DIGNIFIED SALARY THAT WILL ALLOW US TO REPAY SCHOOLS LOANS AND LIVE A DECENT LIFE. NUMBER THREE, THE DISTRICT HAS CANCELED TEI DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, LEAVING US WITH AN NO OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE OUR SALARIES.

NUMBER FOUR A [INAUDIBLE] WORKFORCE'S FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR MUST BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY SAYS WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO RETAIN OUR TALENT AND GET MORE TALENT IF WE WANT TO GET OUR

[00:40:05]

KIDS WHAT THEY NEED TO BE.

NUMBER FIVE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

WE HAVE PROVIDED STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE TO STUDENTS, MANY OF THEM ON THEIR OWN, IN ISOLATION. NUMBER SIX, EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE NOW.

GO TRY TO PUT SOME GAS OR GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN BUY THE SAME AMOUNT OF FOOD WITH ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS AS YOU DID LAST YEAR.

NO, YOU CANNOT. AND NUMBER SEVEN, FINALLY, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC OR FEAR AND SORROW FOR ALL WE HAD TO WITNESS WHILE WORKING IN SCHOOL AND WITH KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW SOMETHING, WE KNEW THAT WE ARE ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES.

SO PLEASE BE THERE FOR US AND VOTE FOR A SEVEN INCREASE FOR THE OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIA DE TREVINO.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARIA DE TREVINO, I AM A PROUD DALLAS ISD TEACHER.

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME PARTICIPATING AND I CONSIDER IT A VERY IMPORTANT TIME TO REFLECT, STAND UP AND TALK FOR ALL MY FELLOW TEACHERS.

AS WE KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH A COVID-19 PANDEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.

TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ONE ON ONE WITH THEIR STUDENTS BEING VIRTUAL OR IN CLASS JUMPING FROM ONE PLATFORM.

JUMPING FROM ONE PLATFORM TO ANOTHER, LOOKING FOR BEST WAYS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.

WHEN I RECEIVED THIS INVITATION TO SPEAK AS WHY WE AS TEACHERS DESERVE A HIGHER RAISE, THEN ONLY THE TWO PERCENT THAT IS CONSIDERED AS THE COST OF LIVING RAISE, WHY A SEVEN PERCENT OR MORE PERCENT RAISE, WHY? BECAUSE OF A FACT, A SURVEY FACT.

THE QUESTION WAS THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS A GOOD SALARY? THE SURVEY SAID IT'S A THREE DIGIT NUMBER.

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN THOUSAND IS A SALARY TO BE CONSIDERED.

YES. TO BE CONSIDERED TO BE HAPPY IN DALLAS.

THIS SURVEY WAS THE SURVEY WAS PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER 26, 2019 ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. IT WAS PUBLISHED BY [INAUDIBLE] UNIVERSITY AND GOBANKINGRATES.COM.

IT ALSO MENTIONED LOS ANGELES WITH TWO HUNDRED AND FOUR, NEW YORK WITH TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN, SAN FRANCISCO WITH THREE HUNDRED NINETEEN THOUSAND, HAVING DALLAS WITH A SALARY OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN. TO BE FAIR, WHY THE RAISE? WHY A SEVEN PERCENT RAISE? WHY WE ASK TEACHERS WHY? BECAUSE WE WORK HARD AND WE DESERVE IT.

FIRST COST OF LIVING IS HIGHER THAN TWO PERCENT.

SECOND, WORKING UNDER PANDEMIC STRESS IS FEARLESS.

THIRD AND ALMOST MOST IMPORTANT GOING ON AND BEYOND TO REACH EACH AND EVERY OF OUR STUDENTS. BECAUSE THEY CAN'T, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUCCEED WITH OUR HEALTH.

EDUCATION DID NOT STOP IN SPITE OF COVID-19.

PANDEMIC DID NOT STOP US FROM DOING THE JOB, NOT ONLY DOING THE JOB, BUT DOING WHAT WAS THE BEST AND RIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

TEACHERS HAVE COMMITMENTS, TEACHERS ARE COMMITTED, TEACHERS HAVE THE RIGHT FOR A GOOD RAISE. WE ARE THAT IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE THAT IMPORTANT PIECE IN EDUCATION.

WE GROW NOT ONLY OUR STUDENTS BUT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY.

PANDEMIC DID NOT STOP US FROM TEACHING.

PANDEMIC DID NOT THAT STOP US FROM TEACHING FROM THE HEART.

SO WE ARE ASKING FOR A SEVEN PERCENT RAISE AS FACT.

THE COST OF LIVING. FROM APRIL 2021, THIS IS CONSIDER FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR ESTIMATED MONTHLY, THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED WITHOUT RENT OR MORTGAGE, IF WE ADD THAT IN FOR A YEAR, WILL BE THIRTY EIGHT THOUSAND.

IF WE HAVE A LOW RENT OF A THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED, IT'LL MAKE IT FIFTY SIX THOUSAND.

HAVING NO LUXURY, NO FAMILY VACATION, NO STRESS, NO STRESS FREE TIME.

DALLAS TEACHERS, CLASSROOM TEACHERS ARE UNDER A RANGE OF FIFTY SIX TO FIFTY EIGHT.

WE'RE ASKING FOR A RAISE.

WHY? BECAUSE WE THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE THE VOICE OF MANY TEACHERS IN THE BOARD MEETING. THANK YOU, DALLAS PROUD.

TATUM PROUD. YES.

SEVEN PERCENT RAISE. WE COUNT ON YOU.

STUDENTS COUNT ON US STUDENTS SUCCESS.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW KIRK.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

OK. GOOD EVENING, THIS IS ANDREW KIRK, ALLIANCE AFT BUILDING LEADER CHAIR.

I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF ALLIANCE'S TWO SUBMITTED COMPENSATION PROPOSALS FOR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF.

AS COVID CASES DECLINE AND MORE AMERICANS BECOME VACCINATED.

I'D LIKE TO REMIND OUR TRUSTEES OF HOW OUR WORK HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST YEAR.

SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, ALL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES HAVE ASSUMED AN UNPRECEDENTED BURDEN, TEACHERS WHO ARE ALREADY PERFORMING CARE LABOR SAW THAT LABOR GROW IN INTENSITY AS STUDENTS EXPERIENCED INCREASING EMOTIONAL WITHDRAWAL, GRIEF AND ISOLATION.

MANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSSES OF OUR OWN, ALL WHILE WE LEARN TO DELIVER INSTRUCTION IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT ACROSS MULTIPLE LEARNING PLATFORMS. MEANWHILE, SUPPORT STAFF HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH MAINTAINING SAFE, CLEAN CAMPUSES, AND THE

[00:45:01]

STAKES FOR THAT WORK HAVE NEVER BEEN HIGHER.

OUR MONITORS ENFORCE AFT PROTOCOLS.

FOOD SERVICE WORKERS DISTRIBUTE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MEALS AND CUSTODIANS ENSURE THAT OUR CAMPUSES DO NOT BECOME SITES OF TRANSMISSION FOR THE VIRUS.

THE RESPECT WE GIVE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF SHOULD BE COMMENSURATE WITH THE IMMENSE SOCIAL VALUE THEY GENERATE.

ONE YEAR AFTER THE LIONIZATION OF ESSENTIAL SCHOOL WORKERS, THE PAY STILL DOESN'T MATCH THE PRAISE. WHEN I HEAR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION REPRESENTATIVES DESCRIBE SCHOOL WORKERS AS HEROES, I'M REMINDED OF JAMES BALDWIN'S WORDS.

I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE I SEE WHAT YOU DO.

THE LABOR OF SCHOOL WORKERS, EDUCATION WORKERS IS DEEPLY RELATIONAL AS BONDS OF COMMUNITY AND SOLIDARITY HAVE FRAYED SCHOOL WORKERS HAVE STEPPED IN TO REPAIR THEM.

AS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, TEACHERS, COACHES AND COUNSELORS HAVE STEPPED IN TO COUNSEL THEM. AS FAMILIES EXPERIENCED DISLOCATION, PRECARITY AND FOOD INSECURITY, FOOD SERVICE WORKERS STEPPED IN TO SUPPORT THEM.

I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THESE EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO HUMANIZE THE DECISION YOU ARE POSITIONED TO MAKE.

AS ALWAYS, BUDGETS ARE MORAL DOCUMENTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STUART BECKER.

GOOD EVENING, TRUSTEES.

MY NAME IS STUART BECKER AND I WORK IN THE DISD AS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER.

I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF THE UNION ALLIANCE AFT.

I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANT ISSUE OF EMPLOYEE SALARY INCREASES.

OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, UNION COMMITTEES HAVE COME UP WITH TWO SEPARATE PAY PROPOSALS, ONE FOR SUPPORT STAFF AND ONE FOR CERTIFIED.

FOR CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES WE ARE PROPOSING DISD IMPLEMENT AN INCREASE OF FIVE PERCENT ACROSS THE BOARD WITH A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR BONUS IN JANUARY OF 2022.

FOR CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES, WE ARE ASKING EMPLOYEES, WE'RE ASKING EMPLOYEES TO BE GIVEN A SEVEN PERCENT SALARY INCREASE.

AFTER SUCH A DIFFICULT YEAR, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ARE IN AGREEMENT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO PUT THIS YEAR BEHIND US AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT.

HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER JUST HOW DIFFICULT THIS YEAR WAS FOR EDUCATORS AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR HARD WORK AND SACRIFICE.

NEVER BEFORE IN OUR LIFETIMES HAVE EDUCATORS HAD TO WONDER IF THEY WOULD CONTRACT THE DEADLY VIRUS AT WORK OR IF THEY MIGHT BRING IT HOME TO A VULNERABLE FAMILY MEMBER.

ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT STRESS AT WORK ARE ADDED TO FINANCIAL PRESSURES, AS THE BOARD KNOWS, FAR TOO MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES STILL CANNOT AFFORD THE INSURANCE PREMIUMS. MANY STILL GO WITHOUT INSURANCE, WHICH IS STRESSFUL EVEN WHEN THERE ISN'T A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. IN ADDITION, TEACHERS HAD THE TEACHERS HAVE HAD TO WORK MUCH HARDER THIS YEAR TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND TO HELP THEM COMPLETE THE WORK.

THIS INCLUDES, FOR INSTANCE, MAKING ABUNDANT PARENT PHONE CALLS.

ALSO, TEACHERS HAVE BEEN INNOVATIVE AND DISCOVERED AND SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED MANY NEW ONLINE PLATFORMS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS.

WHILE MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE SUFFERING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WE ARE ON THE EXCUSE ME, WE HEAR ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE DISTRICT SOLID FINANCES AND EVEN ABOUT THE BOOMING HOUSING MARKET IN DALLAS. AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES ALONG, MORE AND MORE OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE BEING PRICED OUT OF DALLAS AND NO LONGER TEACH AND WORK IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

BY PASSING THESE PROPOSALS, THE DISD WOULD BE TAKING A STEP TO ENSURE MORE OF OUR EDUCATORS LIVE WHERE THEY TEACH.

WHICH RESEARCH SHOWS DOES INCREASE STUDENT OUTCOMES.

WHEN IT COMES TIME TO VOTE ON INCREASES.

JUST REMEMBER, WE HAD EDUCATORS PUT ON VENTILATORS.

WE EDUCATORS DIE IN ORDER TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS.

A SALARY INCREASE WILL MAKE THESE TRAGEDIES BETTER, BUT THEY WILL AT LEAST SHOW THE DISTRICT ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE OUR HEROIC EMPLOYEES MADE THIS PAST YEAR.

SO PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND VOTE FOR SIGNIFICANT SALARY INCREASES AS PROPOSED BY ALLIANCE AFT AND NOT JUST THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATRINA [INAUDIBLE].

GOOD EVENING, DR. HINOJOSA AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES, MY NAME IS KATRINA [INAUDIBLE].

I AM A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER IN DALLAS ISD AND A MEMBER OF ALLIANCE AFT.

I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON COMPENSATION FOR FACULTY AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. THIS YEAR, MORE THAN ANY OTHER, OUR LEADERS, SUPPORT STAFF AND FACULTY IN DALLAS ISD HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LEARN MORE, TO DO MORE, TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT AND TO SHOULDER HEAVIER EMOTIONAL BURDENS DUE TO THE STRESS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON OUR COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE YOUR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP AT A TIME WHEN DECISION MAKING INVOLVES HIGH STAKES CHOICES.

THERE'S NO PLAYBOOK FOR THIS, AND I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK FOR COMPASSIONATE LEADERS AT BOTH THE CAMPUS AND CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION LEVEL IN DALLAS ISD.

[00:50:05]

THANK YOU. SO MANY OF US ON THE GROUND HAVE RESPONDED TO EACH CRISIS WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS YEAR BY DOING MORE THAN WHAT IS ASKED FOR US, FOR THE GOOD OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUT OF DEDICATION TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.

OUR NURSES HAVE STOOD AT THE VERY FRONT OF THE FRONT LINES, ENSURING HEALTH PROTOCOLS ARE FOLLOWED AND RISKING THEIR OWN WELL-BEING TO DO SO.

OUR CUSTODIAL AND MAINTENANCE STAFF HAVE WORKED HARDER THAN EVER TO CREATE A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR US.

OUR FRONT OFFICE AND SUPPORT STAFF HAVE MOBILIZED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO FAMILIES AND STUDENTS. OUR COUNSELORS HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR KIDS, WHO ARE GOING THROUGH TRULY HEARTBREAKING CIRCUMSTANCES THIS YEAR.

OUR TECH DEPARTMENTS AND OUR LIBRARIANS HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY TO OUR STUDENTS FOR THEIR SUCCESS, AND OUR BUS DRIVERS AND CAFETERIA STAFF HAVE PRIORITIZED OUR STUDENTS WELL-BEING EVEN OVER THEIR OWN HEALTH.

TEACHERS HAVE TAKEN ON EXTRA DUTIES AND EMBRACED NEW PRACTICES, DEVELOPING NEW CONTENT AND INNOVATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES TO SERVE OUR KIDS THROUGH THIS CRISIS.

WE NEEDED A VILLAGE THIS YEAR AND IN DALLAS ISD, THAT VILLAGE SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT.

I AM SO PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS DISTRICT.

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH TORNADOES, CIVIL UNREST, A PANDEMIC, ECONOMIC INSTABILITY AND A SNOWSTORM THAT CRIPPLED OUR ENTIRE STATE.

THESE TRIALS HAVE STRETCHED US AND STRESSED US.

BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE HARD WORK THAT WE HAVE PUT IN THIS YEAR WILL SEE OUR DISTRICT TRIUMPH AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

WITH ALL OF THIS IN MIND, I AM ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER A GENEROUS COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR THE 2021, 2022 SCHOOL YEAR.

A SEVEN PERCENT RAISE FOR TEACHERS AND A FIVE PERCENT RAISE FOR SUPPORT STAFF WITH A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR BONUS IN JANUARY OF 2022, WE'LL CELEBRATE THE WAY THAT WE HAVE RISEN TO FACE THESE CHALLENGES TOGETHER.

THESE RAISES WOULD PROVIDE A CONCRETE BENEFIT TO ALL OF US WHO ARE PROUD TO CALL DALLAS ISD HOME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS WE PLAN FOR A SUCCESSFUL 2021, 2022 SCHOOL YEAR.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIE [INAUDIBLE] JONES.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I, TOO, AM A MEMBER OF THE ALLIANCE AND ALSO I HAVE BEEN A TEACHER WITH THIS DISTRICT SINCE 2013 AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER.

AND I TOO, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT A SALARY INCREASE FOR TEACHERS AS WELL AS STAFF.

IN MARCH 2020, WHILE THE WORLD WAS SHUTTING DOWN, DALLAS ISD EDUCATORS WERE TRANSFORMING INTO WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS FRONT LINE WORKERS.

THE PANDEMIC INSTANTLY THRUSTED EDUCATORS INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY WITHOUT A VANTAGE POINT, HANDBOOK OR GUIDE BOOK.

DESPITE THESE UNEXPECTED EVENTS, DALLAS ISD EDUCATORS AND STAFF DID NOT HESITATE NOR WAIVER, BUT NAVIGATED THEMSELVES AND STUDENTS TO ALL VIRTUAL LEARNING.

BECAUSE OF THE LOVE FOR TEACHING AND COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE ALL STUDENTS COULD AND WOULD EXPERIENCE SUCCESS IN THIS DISTRICT.

EDUCATORS PUT STUDENTS BEFORE AFT OF SELF AND IMMEDIATE FAMILY WHILE SHOWING DEDICATION, DEPENDABILITY AND PERSEVERANCE.

DURING WHAT IS NOW CALLED OUR NEW NORMAL, DISD EDUCATORS AND STAFF COULD HEAR ECHOES REVERBERATING IN THE BACKGROUND OF FOR FRONT OF NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. REWARDING, COMPENSATING AND OFFERING BONUSES STIPENDS UP TO TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS AND PROPOSED SALARY INCREASES MORE THAN TWO PERCENT.

JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, WE SEE YOUR LABOR OF LOVE BEYOND THE CALL.

AND YES, WE DO UNDERSTAND WHILE OUR DISTRICT REMAINS SILENT ON THESE ISSUES.

THE PARADIGM SHIFT TOOK PLACE SUCCESSFULLY, AND NOW DISD EDUCATORS ARE EXPOSING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO THE EVER CHANGING, COMPETITIVE TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD.

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

ONCE AGAIN, I AM SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF HOW THE PANDEMIC HAVE CHANGED LIVES.

THAT INCLUDES OUR PRESENT INCOME.

MANY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

NO SUPPLEMENTAL INCOMES, LOSS OF JOBS, LAYOFFS, REDUCED SALARY AND SADLY, LOSS OF FAMILY MEMBERS. PRICES FOR EVERYTHING ARE SKYROCKETING AS THE ECONOMY TRY TO RECOUP ITS LOSSES.

WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO NOW LET EDUCATORS AND STAFF KNOW HOW MUCH DISD VALUE THE EMPLOYEES OF OUR DISTRICT.

PAUSE AND THINK.

WHERE WOULD DISD BE TODAY IF EDUCATORS HAD NOT ANSWERED THE CALL? EDUCATORS AND STAFF OF DISD HAVE PROVEN ABOVE AND BEYOND LOYALTY AND COMMITMENT.

WE MAY NOT RECEIVE A SEVEN PERCENT RAISE, BUT SURELY WE DESERVE MORE THAN TWO PERCENT.

[00:55:01]

AFTER ALL, THERE IS LIFE AFTER THE PANDEMIC IS OVER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GEORGE WRANGELL.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HENRY, TRUSTEES, DR.

HINOJOSA, I'M GEORGE WRANGELL, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ALLIANCE AFT, 334 [INAUDIBLE] STREET DALLAS, TEXAS 75208.

I'M ADDRESSING YOU TONIGHT REGARDING COMPENSATION FOR 2021, 2022.

SURROUNDING OUR DALLAS ISD, YOU'VE GOT MESQUITE ON ONE SIDE, LANCASTER, DESOTO AND DUNCANVILLE THE OTHER SIDE. AND WE ARE GROWING, SO WE NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR DISTRICT LOOK BETTER THAN ANY OTHER DISTRICT IN THE AREA.

AND ONE WAY IS BY GIVING OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF A VERY NICE RAISE TO WHERE WE ARE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHERS.

RAISES ARE NECESSARY TO KEEP OUR DISTRICT COMPETITIVE WITH OTHERS IN THE AREA.

A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR TEACHERS AND FIVE PERCENT INCREASE FOR SUPPORT STAFF WITH A BONUS IN JANUARY IS WHAT THESE FOLKS DESERVE.

IN EL PASO, TEACHERS IN THE MIDDLE RANGE, WITH 15 TO 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE, ARE MAKING ABOUT FIFTY SEVEN THOUSAND A YEAR, TEACHERS WITH TWENTY NINE TO THIRTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE MAKING SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND.

AND THAT IS A DISTRICT HALF OF OUR SIZE HERE IN DALLAS ISD.

FURTHERMORE, THE COST OF LIVING IN EL PASO IS MUCH, MUCH LOWER THAN IN DALLAS.

AN EXPERIENCED TEACHER STATED, I'VE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND THIS WILL MAKE OR BREAK ME FINANCIALLY.

I'VE DRAWN A LINE IN THE SAND, IF A SUBSTANTIAL RAISE DOES NOT GO THROUGH, I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE DISD.

I WILL TAKE A TWO THOUSAND CUT AND PAY BY GOING TO MESQUITE, BUT I WILL NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] BULLYING AND HARASSMENT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN DISD.

ANOTHER TEACHER WHO IS A LYFT DRIVER ASKED THAT THIS BOARD HONOR AND RESPECT THE PROFESSION AND PAY US ARE WORTH.

ALLIANCE AFT ASK DISD MAKE THE BEST INVESTMENT IN THE STAFF.

AND MAKE THE DISTRICT [INAUDIBLE] EXCUSE ME, MAKE THE BEST INVESTMENT IN THE STAFF THAT MAKES THIS DISTRICT A PREMIER DISTRICT.

ALLIANCE AFT URGES YOU TO HOLD TEACHERS HARMLESS AND UNDER TEI.

NOW, LET'S HONOR OUR PROFESSION AND PARAPROFESSIONALS BY GIVING THEM A RESPECTABLE COMPENSATION INCREASE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURIE BECK.

GOOD EVENING, TRUSTEES.

MY NAME IS LAURIE BECK AND I AM A TEACHER IN THE DALLAS ISD SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE UNION OF ALLIANCE AFT.

I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANT ISSUE OF EMPLOYEE INCREASES.

WE ARE PROPOSING THAT ALL CERTIFIED TEACHERS RECEIVE A SEVEN PERCENT SALARY INCREASE AND THAT SUPPORT STAFF RECEIVE A FIVE PERCENT SALARY INCREASE FOR THE 2021 2022 SCHOOL YEAR INSTEAD OF THE TYPICAL TWO PERCENT COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

REGARDLESS OF THE TEACHER'S CURRENT EFFECTIVENESS LEVEL.

AS IT STANDS, THE ONLY WAY A TEACHER CAN EARN A RAISE IS TO MOVE UP THE LEVEL UP A LEVEL UNDER TEI. UNFORTUNATELY, TEI WAS NOT CONFIGURED TO OPERATE UNDER A PANDEMIC.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FAIRLY EVALUATE A TEACHER'S EFFECTIVENESS LEVEL WHEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF VIRTUAL LEARNING.

TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS ALONE IN CERTAIN SECTORS OF THE CITY MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPARE TEACHERS EFFECTIVENESS LEVEL TO ANOTHER IN A DIFFERENT SECTOR.

THE DISTRICT'S DECISION TO SUSPEND TEI EFFECTIVENESS BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC MAKES SENSE. IT IS ALSO WIDELY SUPPORTED BY EDUCATORS AND ALLIANCE AFT, HOWEVER, FOLLOW UP ACTION IS NEEDED.

THIS YEAR WE SHOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT ALL DALLAS ISD EMPLOYEES HAVE ACTED AS HEROES DURING THE PANDEMIC AND INSTITUTE ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASES.

THESE INCREASES NEED TO GO ABOVE A MERE COST OF LIVING INCREASE, SUCH AS THOSE WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST. OUR EDUCATORS HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE NORMAL SCOPE OF WORK IN ANY OTHER YEAR. IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE STRESS OF EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS WHILE ALSO BEING WORRIED ABOUT BRINGING HOME THE VIRUS TO A LOVED ONE.

MANY NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS HAVE DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT RAISES OR STIPENDS TO RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE ROLES EDUCATORS HAVE PERFORMED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

[01:00:02]

IT IS TIME FOR DALLAS ISD TO DO THE SAME FOR ITS EMPLOYEES.

IF EDUCATORS ARE NOT GIVEN A RAISE, THE DISTRICT IS CHOOSING TO EFFECTIVELY DECREASE PAY AS INFLATION EATS UP CURRENT SALARIES.

FURTHERMORE, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THE DISTRICT CAN DO BETTER THAN SIMPLY INSTITUTING A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT IN A PANDEMIC YEAR WHERE EDUCATORS RISK THEIR LIVES TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.

LASTLY, THE DISTRICT IS CURRENTLY IN A SOLID POSITION FINANCIALLY, AND IF THERE EVER WAS A TIME TO INVEST IN OUR WORKFORCE, IT IS NOW.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION OF OUR PROPOSAL.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS [INAUDIBLE] WASHINGTON.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT HENRY, TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT HINOJOSA.

MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] WASHINGTON AND I WORK IN DISD AS A PERSONAL ASSISTANT.

I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE UNION ALLIANCE AFT.

I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE OF EMPLOYEE SALARY INCREASES.

WE ARE PROPOSING DISD IMPLEMENT AN INCREASE OF FIVE PERCENT ACROSS THE BOARD WITH A 1000 DOLLAR BONUS IN JANUARY OF 2022 FOR ALL DISD EMPLOYEES.

MANY OF US IN DISD ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CLOSING OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REFLECT ON HOW WE'VE GONE THROUGH AS A DISTRICT.

MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FAR BEHIND ACADEMICALLY, OUR EDUCATORS STRIPPED AND MANY OF THEM ARE REELING FROM THE IMPACT THAT COVID HAS HAD ON COWORKERS, STUDENTS, LOVED ONES OR EVEN THEMSELVES. ON TOP OF ALL THIS HAS BEEN THE FINANCIAL STRESS OUR EMPLOYEES FACE EVERY DAY. SADLY, THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF COVID-19 HAS IMPACTED THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY MOST VULNERABLE. THOUSAND OF SUPPORT WORKERS IN DISD THEY GO WITHOUT INSURANCE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PREMIUMS. THE VIRUS HAS EXACERBATED THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MANY WORK SECOND AND THIRD JOBS WHICH HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED OR CUT DURING COVID.

PUT FRANKLY, WHILE THE DISTRICT ITSELF MIGHT BE ON SOLID FOOTING FINANCIALLY, OUR SUPPORT EMPLOYEES ARE SUFFERING.

AND IN FACT MANY OF OUR SUPPORT WORKERS STRUGGLING MORE LAST SUMMER THAN EVER BEFORE.

AND WE ARE WORRIED THAT WITHOUT INTERVENTION, THIS SUMMER WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT.

MANY IN THE PUBLIC MIGHT BE UNAWARE OF WHAT BUS DRIVERS AND CAFETERIA WORKERS DO NOT GET UNEMPLOYMENT OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS DUE TO [INAUDIBLE] LEGISLATION WHICH MUST BE OVERTURNED. THIS LAW DEVASTATED MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT THE DISTRICT RIGHTFULLY CLOSED BUT NOBODY ELSE WAS HIRING.

THEY WANTED TO WORK, BUT NO WORK WAS AVAILABLE.

UNABLE TO COLLECT UNEMPLOYMENT.

MANY LOST THEIR HOMES AND [INAUDIBLE].

TRAGICALLY, NUMEROUS DRIVERS WERE SLEEPING IN THEIR VEHICLE AND THEY WERE STILL DENIED BENEFITS BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THIS IS A TRAVESTY AND SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ROUTINELY CALLED HEROES WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE ON.

WHILE DISD CAN'T FIX EVERYTHING.

THEY CAN INSURE THE PAY INCREASES GOING OUT THIS YEAR, WERE SET TO INCREASE.

THE INCREDIBLE WORK OUR HEROES DID THE PAST YEAR AND [INAUDIBLE] LET US KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER THAN OUR COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

PLEASE CONSIDER ALLIANCE AFT'S PROPOSAL, WHICH WILL SHOW EMPLOYEES HOW VALUED THEIR WORK HAS BEEN THIS PAST YEAR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHLEY [INAUDIBLE].

GOOD EVENING HINOJOSA, PRESIDENT HENRY AND TRUSTEES.

MY NAME IS DR. [INAUDIBLE], I AM A SCIENCE TEACHER AT FRANKLIN D.

ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL AND A MEMBER OF ALLIANCE AFT.

FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DALLAS ISD FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE THE COVID-19 VACCINE AVAILABLE TO ALL EMPLOYEES AND FOR CONTINUING TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES.

NOW THAT VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES AGE 16 AND UP.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXPAND YOUR VACCINATION PROMOTION EFFORTS TO INCLUDE ALL STUDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 16 AND ALL PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF DISD SCHOLARS.

I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS SINCE LAST SUMMER AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS LONG AS NECESSARY.

IT IS DEEPLY DISCOURAGING THAT MASK WEARING REMAINS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CONSISTENTLY ENFORCED. THE UNION IS ASKING DISD TO STEP UP AND MAKE A DISTRICT WIDE MASK WEARING POLICY WITH REPERCUSSIONS FOR THOSE WHO KNOWINGLY AND PURPOSELY DO NOT WEAR A MASK PROPERLY. HAVING CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS HAVE REPERCUSSIONS FOR THEIR CAMPUS HAS NOT WORKED. I SERVE ON THE ALLIANCE AFT HEALTH AND AFT COMMITTEE AND CONTINUE TO HEAR STORIES

[01:05:01]

OF ANTI MASKER PRINCIPALS AND EDUCATORS AT SOME CAMPUSES.

IN ADDITION TO MY OWN EXPERIENCES.

AT MY CAMPUS, WE WERE TOLD THAT STUDENTS WHO WILL NOT WEAR A MASK WILL BE ASKED TO LEARN FROM HOME. BUT EXCUSES ARE REPEATEDLY MADE FOR WHY IT IS NOT UPHELD.

SOME STAFF MEMBERS FREQUENTLY FLAUNT MASK [INAUDIBLE], BOTH ENDANGERING THE COMMUNITY AND SETTING A POOR EXAMPLE FOR SCHOLARS.

ALLOWING STUDENTS TO SNACK THROUGHOUT THE DAY OR SUCK ON A SPOON OR STRAW AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR KEEPING THEIR MASKS OFF SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT MASK WEARING IS NOT TRULY NECESSARY. WHEN THERE WAS A PREPONDERANCE OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE THAT MASKS HELPED SPREAD CURB THE SPREAD OF SARS-COV-2 AND OTHER INFECTIOUS RESPIRATORY DISEASES.

BEING TOLD THAT IT SHOULD NOT BOTHER ME ANYMORE BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN VACCINATED IS OFFENSIVE BECAUSE IT NEGATES THE SAFETY OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE VACCINATED, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 16 FOR WHOM VACCINATION IS NOT YET AVAILABLE.

SETTING A DISTRICT WIDE POLICY WITH ACTUAL REPERCUSSIONS FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS WILL SHOW EDUCATORS AND SCHOLARS THAT THEIR SAFETY IS A PRIORITY.

WE MIGHT BE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, BUT THE UNION WILL NOT QUIT ADVOCATING FOR A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. FINALLY, THIS SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEEN ONE FULL OF CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATORS.

BUT WE CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION, ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS NEEDS ARE MET.

EDUCATORS HAVE LEARNED NEW TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS AND STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN REMOTE LEARNING. WE ARE TEACHING LIVE ON ZOOM AND PREPARING ASYNCHRONOUS LESSONS FOR STUDENTS WHO DO NOT JOIN ZOOM.

HOLLOW WORDS OF APPRECIATION ARE NOT ENOUGH TO COMPENSATE FOR OUR DEDICATION.

ALLIANCE AFT IS ASKING THAT ALL TEACHERS WHO ARE NORMALLY EVALUATED UNDER THE TEACHER EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE SHOULD BE GIVEN A SEVEN PERCENT SALARY INCREASE INSTEAD OF THE TYPICAL TWO PERCENT COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

THIS WOULD COMPENSATE FOR TEACHERS INABILITY TO EARN A RAISE IN THE USUAL MANNER DUE TO THE SUSPENSION OF TEI EFFECTIVENESS LEVELS FOR BOTH THE 2019, 2020 AND THE 2020, 2021 SCHOOL YEARS. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THAT MY EFFECTIVENESS LEVEL BE PREVENTED FROM GOING UP.

WHEN I WAS SO CLOSE TO THE SCORE CUTOFF TWO YEARS AGO.

WITHOUT THE DISTRICT GUARANTEEING US A RAISE THIS WAY, THERE'S LITERALLY NO OTHER WAY FOR A TEACHER TO EARN A RAISE THIS YEAR.

THE PAY SHOULD MATCH THE PRAISE.

THANK YOU FOR OUR ATTENTION TO THESE CONCERNS.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STACEY [INAUDIBLE].

STACEY [INAUDIBLE].

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZOE HOLDEN.

GOOD EVENING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, MY NAME IS ZOE HOLDEN, AND I AM SPEAKING TODAY SPECIFICALLY IN.

HELLO, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? STACEY WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.

OK, I APOLOGIZE.

OK, GOOD TO GO? PLEASE CONTINUE. ALL RIGHT, I'LL JUST START OVER.

GOOD EVENING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, I AM SPEAKING TODAY SPECIFICALLY IN SUPPORT OF A FIVE PERCENT RAISE AND A THOUSAND DOLLAR BONUS IN JANUARY OF 2022 FOR OUR SUPPORT STAFF.

OUR TAS, CAFETERIA WORKERS, CUSTODIAL WORKERS, OFFICE MANAGEMENT AND EVERY SUPPORT EMPLOYEE OF DALLAS ISD DESERVES A RAISE IN THE FACE OF THE ABSOLUTE MOUNTAINS OF WORK DONE TO MAKE SURE SCHOOLS ARE SAFE AND SANITARY.

MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES GET FOOD.

HELP OUR TEACHERS MANAGE THEIR CLASSES AS THEY JUGGLE IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL STUDENTS, AND KEEP SCHOOLS JUST RUNNING IN GENERAL.

OUR SUPPORT STAFF ARE OUR SUPPORT STAFF ARE JUST AS INTEGRAL TO THE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS AS TEACHERS AND DESERVE RECOGNITION FOR THEIR EFFORTS.

LAST YEAR, SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS STIPEND WAS APPROVED FOR SUPPORT STAFF AND WE'RE GRATEFUL. BUT THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL BOARD MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SUPPORT STAFF ARE OFTEN UNDERPAID, OFTEN FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, NEED MORE.

HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE RISING.

AND UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK AND HAVE NOT WATCHED THE NEWS LATELY, HOUSING COSTS IN DFW ARE ALSO RISING.

TO KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING IN THE METROPLEX AND TO ENSURE THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS DISTRICT WHO HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH UNPRECEDENTED STRESS NOT ONLY AT WORK BUT IN THEIR OWN LIVES, SUCH AS KEEPING THEIR FAMILIES SAFE, DEALING WITH JOB LOSS FROM OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, OR LOSSES DUE TO COVID-19.

THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO APPROVE A MEANINGFUL RAISES THAT ENSURES THEIR ABILITY TO KEEP WORKING IN THE DISTRICT AND POSITIVELY IMPACTING STUDENTS' LIFE.

I CHALLENGE ANY BOARD MEMBER TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR EDUCATORS, CUSTODIAL WORKERS AND FOOD WORKERS IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC AND SAY TO THEIR FACES THAT THEY ARE PAID A WAGE THAT IS FAIR.

HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING PRICES WILL NOT GO DOWN ANY TIME SOON.

REFUSING TO INCREASE I'M SORRY, REFUSING TO INCREASE PAY FOR SUPPORT STAFF IS, IN EFFECT,

[01:10:05]

A PAY CUT AND A MORAL FAILURE OF THE ADMINISTRATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STACEY [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU, APOLOGIZE FOR THAT EARLIER SNAFU.

MY NAME IS STACEY [INAUDIBLE].

I AM A PROUD DISD GRADUATE.

I AM A DISD PROUD PARENT AND I AM A CURRENT DISD EMPLOYEE.

I'D LIKE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER GRANTING TEACHERS A SEVEN PERCENT PAY INCREASE AND SUPPORT STAFF A FIVE PERCENT INCREASE FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

TWO PERCENT IS INADEQUATE IN NORMAL YEARS.

THE COST OF LIVING RATE INCREASE ALWAYS SURPASSES THE RAISE, ULTIMATELY MAKING TEACHERS MORE AND MORE POOR AS THE YEARS PROGRESS.

NOT TO MENTION THAT THE RISE IN INSURANCE PREMIUMS EASILY USURPED THE MINUSCULE INCREASE IN PAY.

THIS YEAR, THE PROPOSED TWO PERCENT IS SHAMEFULLY INADEQUATE.

THIS IS THE YEAR OF UNPRECEDENTED EVERYTHING.

THE PANDEMIC HAS FLIPPED EVERYTHING ON ITS HEAD.

IN EDUCATION, TEACHERS PRESS ONWARD IN OUR USUAL MISSION OF CARING FOR AND EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO INCUMBENT UPON US ARE NUMEROUS ADDITIONAL ROLES.

AND WE'VE WILLINGLY ACCEPTED THEM.

MANY OF US BEGAN THIS YEAR WORRIED FOR OUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF FAMILY MEMBERS.

AS THIS NOVEL VIRUS HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS FRIGHTENINGLY UNPREDICTABLE, WE BRAVED OUR CAMPUSES AND FELT OUR VULNERABILITY.

MANY OF US HAVE NO CHOICE.

WE HAVE SPOUSES, PARTNERS, PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN FURLOUGHED, HAD THEIR HOURS CUT OR LOST THEIR JOBS ENTIRELY.

TEACHERS HAVE LEARNED TO AT WARP SPEED NEW PLATFORMS AND TECHNOLOGY, COORDINATING LAPTOPS, IPADS, PHONES, ZOOM, TEAM, SEE-SAW, GOOGLE CLASSROOM, [INAUDIBLE], CLASSDOJO ETC. SO THAT NO CHILD HAD TO CHOOSE AFT OVER LEARNING.

WE'VE MULTIPLIED THE HOURS WE SPENT CONTACTING AND COACHING PARENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT VIRTUAL STUDENTS DON'T MISS OR ESCAPE ASSIGNMENTS AND ARE REACHING THE LEARNING GOALS SET WHILE AT HOME. WE DESIGN LESSONS SO THAT THEY ARE ADAPTABLE TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY AND PRACTICE. WHILE APPROPRIATE FOR FACE TO FACE LEARNERS.

WE MAINTAIN A MOST DELICATE BALANCE OF TIME AND ENERGY, WHICH MUST BE DIVIDED BETWEEN OUR FACE TO FACE AND VIRTUAL LEARNERS.

SEPARATE BUT TOGETHER HAS BEEN THE MOST ARDUOUS OF TASKS SET BEFORE US YET.

WE HAVE TAKEN UP DUTIES ONCE PERFORMED BY PARENT VOLUNTEERS OR TAS BEFORE SCHOOL, DURING SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR BUBBLE CLOSED AND THEREBY SAFER FOR OUR STUDENTS AND EACH OTHER.

IN BETWEEN PLANNING AND PREPARING MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES WE CLEAN AND SANITIZE WITH THE CONSTANT AMBITION TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF HARMFUL ANYTHING.

GOOD TRUSTEES, MY PLEA IS NOT FOR A REWARD.

I'M ASKING FOR JUSTICE.

WHILE, YES, TEI IS AN AVENUE AVAILABLE TO MANY TEACHERS IN A NORMAL YEAR TO SEEK APPROPRIATE REMUNERATION, ONLY SOME ARE INVITED TO APPLY.

AND OF THOSE WHO APPLY, ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF APPLICANTS CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE A FAVORABLE INCREASE.

THIS YEAR IS NOT NORMAL.

THAT SIMPLY IS NOT ENOUGH.

EVERY TEACHER AT EVERY LEVEL.

THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

STAFF. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS [INAUDIBLE].

YES MA'AM.

GOOD EVENING DR. HINOJOSA AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME, WON'T TAKE TOO MUCH OF YOU GUYS TIME, BUT IT IS AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND SPEAK ON MY COLLEAGUE'S BEHALF AND TELL YOU GUYS KNOW IT'S A DIFFICULT POSITION TO BE OUT HERE IN THE PUBLIC, BUT ANYWAYS.

BUT I KNOW I FEEL LIKE, OF COURSE, THAT THE TWO PERCENT ADJUSTMENT TO THE PRICE OF LIVING IS REALLY INADEQUATE.

YEAH, THAT'S YEAH.

I THINK THAT JUST DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE LAST YEAR OR SO. YES THE PRICES OF THINGS HAVE GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY.

SO THAT'S DEFINITELY INADEQUATE, REALLY.

I REALLY WANT TO SEE I SAW NEW YORK HAVE PUT TOGETHER I THINK IT WAS ABOUT TWO POINT ONE BILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS FOR, I BELIEVE, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC. AND I'M THINKING, IF YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER TWO POINT ONE BILLION DOLLARS, I KNOW THIS IS IN NEW YORK BUT FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, THEN DEFINITELY WE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR TEACHERS THAT HAVE BEEN ON OUR FRONT LINE.

I DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN A COACH MOST OF MY TIME AT DISD, AND I LOVE GIVING BACK BECAUSE I'M A DISD PRODUCT, I ATTENDED NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, [INAUDIBLE] COMSTOCK AND THE AMAZING SOUTH OAK CLIFF AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ATTEND TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY IN FORT

[01:15:02]

WORTH. BUT NOW THAT I COME BACK TO DISD AND I'M TRYING TO GIVE BACK, I DO COACH, I COACH AND YOU KNOW, I DEAL WITH A LOT OF COACHES AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEM LIKE THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY COACH JUST TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECENT LIVING.

AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF UNFAIR BECAUSE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO COACH BECAUSE YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING THE KID, NOT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO MAKE SOME MONEY.

SO I JUST DON'T LIKE SEEING GUYS, ALL MEN AND WOMEN PUT IN THIS SITUATION JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS A FORMER ATHLETE AND AS A GUY WHO WAS AFFECTED BY COACHES, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, COMING UP IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, FATHER WASN'T THERE.

SO I DEPENDED ON A LOT OF COACHES.

SO JUST HAVING A GENUINE COACH THERE VERSUS A PERSON THAT IS JUST COLLECTING A CHECK REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

SO THANK GUYS FOR THE TIME.

I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A BLESSED EVENING.

THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER IS MICHAEL GONZALEZ.

HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

OK, GREAT. HI, MY NAME IS MICHAEL GONZALES.

I'M A RESIDENT OF DALLAS COUNTY AND A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA NORTH TEXAS. I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO URGE THE DISD SCHOOL BOARD TO APPROVE TWO PROPOSALS FROM THE LOCAL AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS ALLIANCE AFT.

ONE PROPOSALS FOR TEACHERS TO RECEIVE A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE FOR PAY IN PAY FOR ALL EFFECTIVENESS LEVELS, AND THE OTHER PROPOSALS FOR ALL SUPPORT STAFF TO RECEIVE AT LEAST A FIVE PERCENT INCREASE IN PAY.

THE COST OF HOUSING EVERYWHERE, BUT PARTICULARLY WITHIN DALLAS, IS SKYROCKETING.

THE COST OF LIVING IN GENERAL IS ALSO STEADILY INCREASING EVERYWHERE.

AS TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF HAVE TAKEN ON EVEN MORE ROLES TO SERVICE OUR CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THEY ARE ALSO BEING PRICED OUT OF THEIR OWN HOMES WITHIN DISD.

I HAVE MANY FRIENDS WHO TEACH IN DALLAS, MESQUITE AND GARLAND ISDS AND THEY WERE TIRED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND THEY'RE JUST COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED NOW.

FOR MY FRIENDS IN DALLAS ISD, THEY'RE EXHAUSTED WITH THEIR INCREASED JOB DUTIES.

THEY AND THEIR COLLEAGUES ARE EXHAUSTED WITH LONGER COMMUTES AND ESPECIALLY EXHAUSTED WITH EVEN MORE SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

SO IT IS VITAL THAT OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF RECEIVE THESE WAGE INCREASES THAT HAVE RIGHTFULLY EARNED ALREADY IN SERVICE TO OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY.

IT IS VITAL THEN TO AS MANY HAVE SAID, MANY BEFORE ME HAVE SAID THAT WE NOT JUST REFER TO OUR EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS AS HEROES, AS WE OFTEN SEE PLASTERED ON THE NEWS, SOCIAL MEDIA, YARD SIGNS AND BUMPER STICKERS, BUT ALSO ACT LIKE THEY ARE HEROES BY APPROVING THESE PROPOSALS FROM ALLIANCE AFT AND CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THEM EACH AND EVERY YEAR WITH WAGE INCREASES. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THIS CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS FOR SHARING THEIR PERSPECTIVES WITH THE BOARD.

IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PHYSICAL ABSENCE, TRUSTEE GARCIA IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.

I'M GOING TO APPOINT TRUSTEE MACKEY AS A SECRETARY PRO TEM.

WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES 5.01.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

TRUSTEES THE FOLLOWING MINUTES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL [INAUDIBLE] AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 10, 2021.

BOARD MEETING MARCH 25TH, 2021.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND.

[INAUDIBLE] MOTION BY TRUSTEE MARSHALL, SECOND BY TRUSTEE FLORES.

TRUSTEES ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS? HEARING ONE, TRUSTEE, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES, TRUSTEE GARCIA WILL YOU PLEASE VOTE AUDIBLY.

GARCIA VOTES YES.

THE MOTION PASSES NINE ZERO.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEES YOU JUST APPROVED THE MINUTES, WE'RE ON THE 6.01, ANNUAL ANNOUNCEMENT

[6. STATUTORY ITEMS WHICH MAY APPROPRIATELY COME TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD]

ON A CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL BOARD MEETING.

AT THE LAST REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BEFORE AN ELECTION OF TRUSTEE, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS REQUIRED BY TASB TO ANNOUNCE THE NAME OF EACH BOARD MEMBER WHO HAS COMPLETED THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION, WHO HAS EXCEEDED. THE REQUIRED HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION, WHO WAS DEFICIENT IN MEETING THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION AT THE ANNIVERSARY DATE OF EACH BOARD MEMBERS ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD. COMPLETING THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION IS A BASIC OBLIGATION EXPECTATION OF ANY SORT SITTING BOARD MEMBER UNDER EPOE RULES.

AS OF THE DATE OF THIS MEETING, THE FOLLOWING TRUSTEES HAVE COMPLETED THE REQUIRED EDUCATION DAN MICCICHE, EDWIN FLORES, KARLA GARCIA, JOYCE FOREMAN, DUSTIN MARSHALL, BEN MACKEY, JOE CARREON, AND I HAVE COMPLETED MY TRAINING.

MAXIE JOHNSON IS DEFICIENT IN MEETING THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION.

WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 7.01 THROUGH 7.37.

[7. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

AND THERE ARE NO ITEMS PULLED FOR A SEPARATE VOTE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. MOTION BY TRUSTEE FLORES.

SECOND BY TRUSTEE MARSHALL.

TRUSTEES WILL YOU PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES.

TRUSTEE GARCIA, WILL YOU CAST YOUR VOTE AUDIBLY.

[01:20:02]

GARCIA VOTES YES. THE MOTION PASSES.

DAN MICCIHE YOU'RE ABSTAINING? OK, THE MOTION PASSES EIGHT VOTING YES AND ONE VOTED NO.

HELLO? OH, I'M VOTING YES.

YES, YES.

OK, THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

ARE WE GOOD TRUSTEES? THANK YOU TRUSTEES YOU JUST VOTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM.

IT IS 7:57 PM, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED, THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.