[00:00:02]
>> TODAY'S MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 12:13 P.M.
[1. CALL TO ORDER IN PUBLIC SESSION]
IN AN OPEN SESSION.TODAY, WE HAVE REQUESTS ADDRESSING CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS.
[1.1. PUBLIC COMMENTS – AGENDA ITEMS]
SO WHILE THE MEETINGS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD ARE NOT PUBLIC MEETINGS, THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON EACH AGENDA ITEM.
THE BOARD WILL LIMIT THE TOTAL TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON EACH ITEM TO 21 MINUTES, AS PER BOARD BY LINE 9322.2.
WILL LINDA ATKINS (NAME) APPROACH THE PODIUM AND WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON! MY NAME IS LINDA ATKINS (NAME) I'M PRESIDENT OF THE BELLFLOWER TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, SPEAKING FOR THE ASSOCIATION.
THIS WAS THE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT THESE MEETINGS WERE A LITTLE CONFUSING, BECAUSE THE ITEM SAYS APPOINTMENT.
AND SO, WHEN IT SAYS APPOINTMENT, WE ARE READY DID AN APPOINTMENT OF AN INTERIM -- THE PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME IF YOU ARE HIRING, IT'S NOT AN APPOINTMENT ANYMORE, IT'S EMPLOYMENT OF A PERSON.
SO BY SAYING APPOINTMENT, IT'S CONFUSE THE MEMBERSHIP.
BECAUSE THEY ARE THINKING YOU WERE PULLING DOCTOR KIMBERLY, WHO YOU JUST APPOINTED, AND APPOINTING SOMEONE ELSE.
AND YOU KNOW, THE RUMOR MILL STARTS FLYING BECAUSE (INDISCERNIBLE).
SITTING AROUND HERE, I'M GETTING -- PART OF WHAT I AM GETTING IS THIS IS A NORMAL PART OF THE PROCESS.
FROM THE COMPANY, HY, IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU THE CANDIDATES FOR YOU TO INTERVIEW.
BUT AGAIN, THE COMMUNICATION OF ANY OF THAT WAS NOT GIVEN OUT IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
WHEN SOMEONE IS SAYING WELL, THERE'S NOT PEOPLE HERE BECAUSE IT'S A SATURDAY.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOUR INTENT.
IT'S PROBABLY EASIEST FOR YOU GUYS TO GET THIS DONE, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF TIME.
BUT I THINK IT ISN'T VERY CLEAR.
IT'S CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF ANXIETY AND STRESS.
WHOA, WHAT'S HAPPENING? I MET WITH THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT ONCE, AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET WITH HIM AGAIN BECAUSE I HAD BEEN MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT EVERY THURSDAY -- FOREVER.
AND THEN I MET WITH THE CABINET A FEW TIMES.
BUT THEN, WHEN I SHOWED UP THIS LAST THURSDAY, HE WASN'T HERE.
I WAS INFORMED (INDISCERNIBLE) FOR THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK, EITHER.
SO YEAH, HE MAY HAVE SOMETHING SCHEDULED, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO TRANSPARENCY.
ON THURSDAYS I STILL GET UP OR GO TO THE OFFICE OR WORK AT HOME OR WHATEVER.
BUT IT'S ODD TO SHOW UP EXPECTING A MEETING WITH A LIST OF THINGS AND FIND OUT IT WASN'T EVEN ON THE AGENDA.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SPEAKS TO THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING.
I'M JUST HEARING YOU TALK BETWEEN YOURSELVES.
I'M GETTING THAT YOU ARE INTERVIEWING PEOPLE TODAY.
NO CLUE FROM THE WAY IT'S BEEN PUBLICIZED.
IS THAT A SECRET? THINGS THAT ARE NOT SECRET -- IT'S THE SECRECY PARTS.
IT'S THE PART -- I KNOW FROM THE COMPANY YOU HIRED, FROM THE GIST OF HIS EXPLANATIONS -- THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT INCLUDED.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
BUT I DO MY BEST TO INFORM MY MEMBERS.
AND LET THEM NO, NO, DON'T WORRY.
BECAUSE THEY ARE RIGHTFULLY CONCERNED.
AGAIN, MY READING OF WORDS -- I KNOW WORDS MATTER.
I MET STATE COUNSEL FOR CTA THIS WEEKEND.
FINALLY, I GOT SO MANY TEXT MESSAGES, I LEFT THE FLOOR.
I'LL BE DRIVING BACK AS SOON AS YOU LEAVE OPEN SESSION.
BUT (SIGHING) IF I KNEW YOU WERE JUST INTERVIEWING PEOPLE, I WOULDN'T THINK YOU WOULD TELL US ANSWER TODAY ANYWAY, AND I WOULD PROBABLY (INDISCERNIBLE) CITY COUNCIL.
I BEG YOU TO BE DILIGENT AND FIND SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO BE OPEN TO WORKING WITH ALL GROUPS.
AGAIN, THE PROBLEMS WITH HIRING PEOPLE INSTEAD, CONTINUES.
[00:05:03]
WE HAVE SO MANY AGENCIES PROVIDING SUPPORT.BUT SOMETIMES, THE AGENCIES, THE PEOPLE THEY ARE SENDING ARE NOT THAT GREAT.
I'M SUBBING AT SCHOOLS WERE AGENCY PEOPLE COME DRESSED IN WHAT LOOKED LIKE SLIPPERS.
WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY WITH HOODIES AND THEIR PHONES ON THE WHOLE TIME.
THAT'S NOT THE QUALITY OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE HELPING.
WE'VE LOST A COUPLE OF VERY GOOD SUBS BECAUSE OF IT.
AND BECAUSE THEY FEEL THIS PARTICULAR AGENCY THAT I'M SPEAKING OF -- THEY TO CHANGING ON STUDENTS, AND THE TEACHERS ARE, FRANKLY, LITTLE AFRAID OF PUSHING THEM.
AND SAYING GET OFF YOUR PHONES.
(INDISCERNIBLE) IT'S A SERIOUS SITUATION.
I KNOW WE JUST HIRED ONE PERSON.
EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY -- DID THE BOW GO OFF AND I MISSED IT? I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN CHATTERING! I DIDN'T HEAR IT! I'LL STOP!
>> MS. LINDA, THANK YOU THOUGH.
(INDISCERNIBLE) (AWAY FROM MICROPHONE).
>> OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.
WILL DR. KIRSTEN ROBINSON APPROACHED THE PODIUM.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON, ESTEEM PRESIDENT AND BOARD.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME, AND AGAIN, SHOW UP, STAND UP, STEP UP AND SPEAK UP.
I KNOW THIS IS IN A DIALOGUE, IT'S A MONOLOGUE.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING WHAT WE SAY HERE.
I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MRS. (NAME) SHARED.
BECAUSE THE DISTRICT HIRED A VERY EXPENSIVE FIRM.
A FIRM THAT COULD PUT AIDS IN OUR CLASSROOMS WHEN WE HAVE KIDS THROWING CHAIRS AND SCREAMING AND RUNNING OUT AND TEACHERS ARE GIVING (INDISCERNIBLE) PACKETS FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HANDLE KIDS THAT ARE PREPARED OR PROVIDED TO THEM TO HANDLE.
SO THE COST OF THE MONEY GOING INTO A FIRM TO REPRESENT THIS DISTRICT'S VISUALS, THE OPTICS ON THINGS? THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD GO FOR A TEACHER OR FOR SUPPORT.
THE BEST OPTICS IS TO DO A GOOD JOB.
SO WE CHANGE WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE, I'M NOT SURE WE NEED A PR FIRM.
BUT A LOT OF MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO REALLY JUST CAUTION THE DISTRICT ABOUT, CAUTION THE BOARD ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE DISTRICT IS WHEN YOU ARE MAKING THE DECISION FOR THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT? I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER HOW THIS DISTRICT DRIVES.
WE DRIVE WITH OUR FOOT ON THE GAS WHEN MAKING DECISIONS.
HOW QUICKLY PUT THESE IN PLACE AND CHANGES IN CHANGE THAT.
THEN THEY PUT THEIR FOOT ON THE BREAK FOR THE MONEY.
BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO IS FIND SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO TOGGLE BETWEEN THE TWO THINGS AND DRIVE.
BECAUSE THERE IS A PRINCIPAL GRAVITY.
SO AT THE TOP, WHATEVER HAPPENS AT THE TOP COMES ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM.
WHAT YOU HAVE IS YOU'VE GOT A DISTRICT FULL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OPERATING IN AN ECONOMY OF SCARCITY.
BECAUSE HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD THINGS.
[2. CLOSED SESSION]
[00:10:26]
SO WHEN WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THINGS, WE IMMEDIATELY THINK THEY ARE NOT TELLING US STUFF.AND IT CREATES THIS OPPOSITION.
AND THERE'S A CHASM GREATER THAN THE SPACE BETWEEN US THAT LIVES BETWEEN YOUR DISTRICT AND YOU.
SO WHAT I WANT IT ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER IS THIS: PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND TRANSPARENCY.
THOSE ARE REALLY BYPRODUCTS OF LEADERSHIP.
I LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THREE THINGS WHEN LOOKING AT THE NEXT PERSON.
I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT SEBEE WITH INTEGRITY.
I DON'T JUST MEAN PERSONAL INTEGRITY.
-- -- IT HAS TO BE A MARRIAGE OF SOMEBODY WHO HAS INTEGRITY WHO CAN MAKE DECISIONS WITH INTEGRITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY THAT NEEDS TO BE SPENT ON THE CHILDREN THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE WE ARE FAILING THEM.
I WANT US TO LOOK AT THE CHILDREN.
THEY NEVER SIT IN THIS ROOM, SO THEY GET LOST.
DISTRICT OFFICES FULL OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND THEIR CHILDREN SO THEY CLIMBED INTO THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
MOST OF US WHO WANT TO BE WITH CHILDREN ARE STILL WITH THEM.
BUT WE WANT TO BE EMPOWERED TO DO OUR JOBS.
WITH THE PEOPLE ABOVE US HELP US DO THAT.
THE SECOND THING ON WHAT YOU LOOK AT IS I WANT TO LOOK AT SEBEE WHO CAN UNIFY US.
BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ALL WE HAVE HAD IS DISUNITY FROM LEADER AFTER LEADER AFTER LEADER.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE BAD PEOPLE.
IT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE GOOD LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
WE NEED A LEADER, NOT A MANAGER.
THE LEADER CAN BE OVER THE MANAGERS.
BUT WE NEED A LEADER WHO CAN GUIDE THEM.
FINALLY, I WENT TO LOOK TO SOMEBODY WHO WAS A SERVANT LEADER.
LET'S LOOK FOR SOMEBODY WHO WAS SERVICE ORIENTED.
FINDS BUT HE WAS JUST LIKE YOU WHO CAN LEAD US.
>> DR. ROBINSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH! AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION AT 12:23 P.M.. THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN IN OPEN SESSION.
ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION'S PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENTS SUPERINTENDENT.
OKAY?
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.