Last winter, the School Board Ad-Hoc Discipline Committee conducted surveys of teachers and staff at a variety of schools throughout the district. Attached are the qualitative results from those surveys. School Board Legal council has reviewed and redacted appropriate portions of the document for personnel/privacy reasons. Prior to COVID, I made the decision to run for re-election. The primary reason is because I wanted to continue to be a voice for employees and students related to student discipline problems that I believe strongly relate to safety. Elementary Level Discipline Survey Results Middle School Survey Results High School Survey Results The new policies being discussed on 8/25 and then most likely up for a vote at the following school board meeting are detailed below. If you would like to provide feedback, you may sign up to speak at 263-1016 or e-mail the full board at vbcpsschoolboard@googlegroups.com The policies include: Policy Review Committee Recommendations: 1. Equity Policy (brand new 5 1/2 page policy) 2. Bylaw Appendix B / School Board Standing Rules (changes public comment time from 4 minutes to 3 minutes) 3. Bylaw 1-18/ Officers: Elections and Terms of Office (no significant changes to current practice) 4. Bylaw 1-39/ Agenda Preparations (no significant changes) 5. Bylaw 1-47/ Public Comments at School Board Meetings (changes public comment time from 4 minutes to 3 minutes, also reduces amount of time to be able to sign up to speak) 6. Policy 3-32/ Emergency/Small/Sole Source Purchases (exempts certain items such as instructional software and digital resources from competitive bidding) 7. Policy 3-89/ General Contract Execution (increases purchasing authority without approval of business services office) When I was advocating for in-person learning (at a reduced capacity and with proper social distancing and mitigation measures), many of my colleagues and the VBEA union were adamantly opposed because they said that it wouldn't be safe. Union members were saying that we wanted teachers and students to be "canaries in a coal mine". My opponent and board colleague said those of us advocating for in person learning were "playing russian roulette with a gun". I was advocating for parents and teachers to have a choice regarding whether or not students/staff went back to school for in-person learning. The Board voted 8-3 to have only virtual school until the metrics show that it is safe. Now, VBCPS is going to provide childcare in our elementary schools BEFORE their metrics show that it is safe. Are these same Board members and VBEA Union going to speak out against having these children in school because of the dangers? I don't believe so. One of the Board members, who is also a Union member and was calling for "First 9 online" has already praised the childcare plan. How is it all of a sudden safe when the metrics they voted to approve have not yet been met? I guess the COVID virus only infects people if schools are being used for school and not childcare. See attached document for details. |
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