Tonight, i would like to open this meeting in owner of carmichael, who said our grandfathers had to run, run, run. My generation is out of breath. We aint running no more. Section a, general information, number one, information for the public. Number one, teleconference information for there is none tonight. Number one approval of board minutes. The approval of minutes for the meeting for august 27, 2019. Can i have a motion to second . So moved. Speaker cards for the regular agenda, roll call. [roll call] speaker cards for the regular agenda and closed session unnecessary if you wish to address the board of education. Members of the public are reminded that individual to complete a speaker card, prior to the item being called. Presented to our executive assistant, members of the public have two minutes to address the board, as set by the president. Speaker cards will now be accepted for an item already before the board. The superintendents report. Doctor matthews . Good evening everyone. Beginning this thursday evening, september 12, any member who goes to our district website will experience something new and different. I am excited to announce our new website goes live this thursday evening. It is accessible, and mobile friendly, and translations are available for every page, it has a modern design with content organized by topic and user. This will eventually be our home for all school, public and employee information, and it has more features. You need to check out the School Search if you are exploring what our schools have to offer. I also want to acknowledge that a new website is still a work in progress. A lot of important content is not yet built on our new website. Many links on our website will take viewers to content on other websites while we continue to build this website out. We appreciate your patience, with this transition, and your feedback is always welcome. You can find the link to give feedback on the top of every page. It goes live this thursday evening. I would like to congratulate and thank everyone who played a part in the 20th annual historically black colleges and universities fair yesterday. Over 30 historically black colleges and universities attended to meet with students. This is the first time that the event was held in city hall, and it was a great success. Our thanks go out to mayor and breed for attending the event, and for speaking to our students commissioners cook, collins and thank you to the africanamerican achievement and leadership team, the San Francisco alliance a black school educators, blacks for the future, the San Francisco human rights commission, opportunities for all, and to anyone and everyone who played a part in this event. Hundreds of students came and met with recruiters from nearly all of our high schools. Many students were accepted on the spot and they received scholarships on the spot. Congratulations. [applause] i would like to remind families and caregivers over the next few weeks, our district is having our back this week, the week of september 9, is Elementary School backtoschool week. Next week, the week of septembes back backtoschool week, and that week of september 23 is a backtoschool for our high schools. If you would like to attend a backtoschool event and meet your students teachers and see what they are doing this year, please contact your school. President cook that ends my announcements for this evening. Thank you, doctor matthews. Number three, student delegates report. Our first item, we had the Student Leadership opportunities to serve. We would like to promote leadership and engagement the Student Voice representation, as well as the funding specifically in arts, physical education, last night, it was clear that a lot of our representatives werent really interested in being a part, on monday we will deliberate, on who art interested, and would nominate for representatives in the next cabinet meeting. On student delegates, we will elect to members each. Thank you. It would like to thank mr. Diaz, who camped came to us yesterday and presented. Thank you. Thank you, betsy. On our second item which is our sec cabinet elections. Our last meeting representatives were nominated, they campaigned and were elected to serve as cabinet officers for this year. The cabinet team, and to student delegates, president kevins zell, thurgood marshall, Vice President jessica chen, secretary hanan from galileo, kenny from thurgood marshall. Treasurer megan law from burton, and ethan, congratulations. [applause] thank you. Our third item is our committee up mission. During our our retreat we discussed as a whole, companies that we would like to form, and these communities were what students were interested in, programs and ideas that they want to commit fully to pursuing this year. Our goal is to have communities that will effectively support and encourage our Community Led projects. We will continue to work on any ongoing projects, but also research and develop new ideas and our perspective communities. That is all. Our fourth item which is the Student Leadership and engagement retreat this Labor Day Weekend we hosted our annual Student Leadership retreat during which we were able to structure and help our team team build. This teambuilding retreat was held at the bohemian reservation in sonoma. Besides developing our leadership skills, we had a great time taking we would like to think mr. True attend the Outward Bound team for supporting student leaders, providing us a pathway to being better advocates. Our next meeting will be september 23, at 5 00 p. M. In the board of education room. Thank you. Thank you for your report. Number four, recognitions and resolutions of commendation. Proposal brought before this board by the superintendent, its resolution 19910 sp1, honoring the 40th anniversary of peer resources. [applause] this evening im proud to introduce this resolution to honor peer resources in 40th anniversary in advance of their celebration on september 28. Peer resources trained youth as leaders of systemic change and service as peer and mediators to 16,000 piers each year. I will now be this resolution of accommodation into record. Honoring the 40th anniversary of peer resources. Whereas in 1979, after a violent incident School District high school, peer resources was founded to give students the tools, resources and training to be first responders, advocates, and allies for young people, and whereas peer resources is committed to just change institutional change, Restorative Practices and putting love into action. And, whereas the goals of peer resources are that students are empowered as agents of change, and schools are transformed institutions. And, whereas a peer resources trains you to see themselves as leaders of systemic change by working with 700 middle and High School Youth across 14 severed cisco Public Schools as peer mentors, serving 16,000 piers each year. And, whereas peer resources is a Founding Member and lead agency for the San Francisco educator Pathway Coalition who in partnership with the District YouthDevelopment Organizations expanded learning and youth worker employers, k19 educational institutions and Community Nonprofits are committed to growing educated leaders of and for San Francisco that reflect the student population of the district and, whereas peer resources celebrates its 40th anniversary on september 28, 2019, and whereas peer resources honors 40 changemakers for their socially just and pack for our Community Engaging in advocating for their peers and acting as champions of youth leaders, making our world a safer for young people to grow, and find their purpose. Therefore be it resolved that the superintendent of schools recognizes september 28, 2019 as peer worse resources changemakers day at the San Francisco unified School District in celebration of its 40th anniversary. [applause] i need a motion to second on the proposal. Second. So moved. Thank you both. We do have people signed up for Public Comment. You will have two minutes. Whenever youre ready. All right. Good evening, my name is gabrielle de la cruz, im a coordinator. First i want to thank you say thank you for recognizing peer resources and honoring us for the 40 years of work that teachers, coordinators, behind the current staff, and young people have been doing for 40 years. Peer resources has allowed me to be the teacher ive always wanted to be. A teacher that helps young people to understand and have knowledge of themselves, and to apply to address systemic oppression. Lastly, peer resources has allowed me to elevate young peoples voices, in places that i would not be able to as a sfusd teacher. In that spirit come i would like to say a few things that young people have said about peer resources. Peer resources has given me a sense of community. We are a community was never there before me. Peer resources has allowed me to become who i am today. As a reader for my people, my school. Peer resources has affected me positively by helping me improve that my public skills and help me with both sides of arguments and concepts. Peer resources has been positive for me, and helpful, because it shows me that justice looks and sounds like. Peer resources has given me the space and opportunity to not only learn about our community, but make an impact on the struggles that we face. I also get to bond with my peers in ways that other classes do not allow me to. Peer resources has helped me realize the Bigger Picture of everything that comes my way. It affects everything in my life, it makes me want to change the world. Once again, board members, thank you for this recommendation and it has been an honor to serve. [applause] good evening. I am samantha sherman. Nice to meet you all. I first encountered peer resources, in the seventh grade at 13 years old. There was a program at my middle school. Dot provided the opportunity to hang out with my friends i will never forget how incredibly safe i felt. As i transitioned into high school, i had love, support, and coaches. In high school, i got the chance to represent Youth Council. For context, peer resources, the previous class i took was the only class in my High School Career that i discussed street violence, mental health, selflove which are all topics that should be after my father was shot and paralyzed. After high school, i got the chance to work as an intern. And then after college i was also given the chance to join the advisory board. I feel like peer resources has always given me chances to engage in our community and the most meaningful ways. In fact, i know that to be true. Thousands of young people get to engage in the topics and issues that they feel passionate about each year. Now, 27, i teach at the same high school i went to still engaging my community. [applause] so, i feel safety, belonging, social justice and empowerment. Peer resources provided that me. If you asked me what my hopes were for peer resources, i hope this program will ignite the passion, activism, and advocacy of each student in the San Francisco unified School District. I hope students can find refuge, joy, and hope and know that i and thousands of others have. In short, im here to celebrate thank you. What high school do teach at . I have been a part of peer resources since seventh grade. Im 17 now. Peer resources has been such a big impact in my life. Ive had so many multiple peer educators that have helped me become who i am today. Its something i cant say a lot about the regular teachers i had in the past we had peer resources has taught me the harsh realities of how it is in life and taught me social justice upbringing i didnt have growing up. I feel like that was big for me, because i did not know what i was missing overall. Peer resources has given me a lot of opportunities overall. I am part of the student advisory council. That was a very big issue, because we always all school. We are a school for social justice. When i joined peer resources i was a young girl, but now i see myself as a grown young adult, trying to find her way through this harsh world. They changed me to be a leader, not just in my school but as a they see i am the representative, and they see i am the leader they want to go to which is Something Big to me. I feel like peer resources have been a very big help for me. I truly dont understand where i would without it. I feel like it makes me very emotional, because its a space where people come to have their voice heard. [applause] i feel like thats a very big thing to me. Thank you. [applause] whats up, folks. My name is mario. Im a graduate of sfusd. I am mexican and filipino and i am non binary queer. I was in peer resources in Balboa High School my senior year. Peer resources allowed me the opportunity to examine my life as a person, as a non binary person. To see how i can change the world. That led me to a 20 year career in the Youth Developmental fields. Im working with young people so they can advocate to change policy on a statewide level, a city level. Helping change food policy across the bay area. I want to thank you all, that you know that peer resources has an impact and has young people who are now old people working in the Youth Development field, changing the world, changing San Francisco. Our mayor was in peer resources. There is somebody who used to do parent organizing here, i want you all to know the impact it has. Ive also had the opportunity with my niece, who came to me in third grade, and she would not have been able to graduate high School Without the support of gabe here, who is one of the teachers who supported her, pushed her through, helped her examine what it meant to be a woman of color and help push her to apply and get into San Francisco state when that was never an option for her. Peer resources has a large impact. There are popular people changing the world, their people like me who have been doing this for a long time trying to impact young people. And now i have the opportunity to be the director of programs here at peer resources to continue to support this work. Thank you for this accommodation. I am sarah brandt, i just want to say, mario, i think youre very popular. I also want to appreciate the young people who have come out to lend their voices, their passions. Some of them are doing homework right now, as they speak out on things they really care about. When i described the transformative work of peer resources to other people, they almost always tell me how different their lives would have been if they had had such a classic program. As a San Francisco unified students i feel like my life would have had a different trajectory, had i been in the program, had there been a peer resources in my school at this time. This is my 21st school year with San Francisco peer resources and sfusd. Even though i only joined as an adult, it still and continues to shake me for it to my core. I have an honored and i have been humbled to be beside the voices on the creativity of young people as i imagine a world that centers the voices and the experiences of black, brown and native youth. Pushing us to shift our systems, our decisions and our actions to be more aligned with the volumes that we say in outer core. Thanking you for recognizing peer resources and create the power of young people, not as the future, but as the president to lead us towards more equitable worlds in which we can all give free together. [applause] thank you, that concludes the comment. Any comments from the board . My name is betsy, i have been with peer resources for almost two years now. I was serving on the Youth Council last year. Peer resources makes me so emotional. It is a safe space for people of color, especially youth, immigrants, lowincome students, students do not have twoparent, or just the people who struggle in their everyday lives, and peer resources is not just a class, its a community where students can feel safe and they dont feel judged. Adults always make sure that we are the center, we have a voice. Im so thankful to be a part of peer resources today. [applause] i am really thankful that peer resources is a program for students of color. Thank you. Vice president sanchez . I also wanted to say how much i appreciate peer resources, thats the 40th anniversary celebration, that gray area at 265 mission street, there are still Tickets Available . Go online and get them. 7 00 oclock, saturday september 28, 7 00 p. M. 10 00 p. M. I also want to commend i really appreciate the leadership you provide for peer resources. I also want to say, when i spoke at your event last year, i made a promise and i hope to keep it which is that sfusd though we support, continue to support, we have made it part of one of the anchors of our peace spending print i dont think sites should have to pay any and their own money for peer resources. I think all of our middle schools and our high schools have peer resources and can use peer resources which is pretty much all of them should have that fully funded centrally. That is a commitment that i really want to keep. There are some schools that have wanted it. But because they could not avoie cannot have it. These are schools are predominantly have students of color and low income. Congratulations on your 40th year. Heres to 40 more. Thank you very much. [applause] commissioner collins . I want to say how happy i am that peer resources is getting accommodation. When i first moved to San Francisco, over 20 years ago and i wanted to make a difference in the world, i listen to a radio show, and i heard somebody talking about the Peer Resource Program and peer education programs, and that i knew that is what i wanted to do. I became a peer resource coordinator, and i became an educator. It has informed my work as i became a parent organizer, as i have become a parent, now on the board. The work that i did with youth, i know the impact they are having, it has been big on me in my life, but i know it is having an impact in our entire district in our city at large. I would agree with commissioner sanchez, i mean, i was actually saddened, by the time my daughters went to middle school, the schools that they attended had to cut the program because of funding. It is a program that i feel like was really valued. I heard a lot about it when i was touring the school. Students should not have to make that decision, especially when you consider the services. Its not just good for peer resource students, its good for the entire school. We talked about safe climate, students are talking with other students about language, and culture, and how we make that visible, and how we value one. It went students leave that, that is the most powerful work. I want to express my admiration and support. If theres anything i can do to support more peer resources, i think it is exactly the work we should be doing. It is student centered, its fearless, it unified. It is a very diverse community. Thank you again to the superintendent for taking the time to recognize the organization. Thank you again for folks involved in peer resources and keeping it going all of our schools. [applause] i want to appreciate all of the work that has been done and everything peer resources has done to create a safe space. I think i really need to emphasize how little i feel i will tolerate, the reactions to things that are against everything we are fighting for, especially in this boardroom, and having that happen in this moment is something im having a pretty strong reaction to. I feel like as a board we need to ensure that we are calling it out, if we are saying this is a safe space, we cannot allow people to be laughing while others are sharing their experiences and the import of this work. Thank you. I want to take a brief second to also recognize elaine for your tremendous leadership and really leading peer resources so that transition. Taking a lot of commitment and support. Thank you for that. Thank you for engaging around your use conferences which are always inspiring. I dont think we have touched on much today, but i think the true great value of seeing our young people organize for themselves and other students across the city, this incredible work that i hope can be done around the country. It really is awesome. The final thing, it is about the pathway. I know that you will notice from over several decades is that peer resources students become educators. Now we are doing it in a more intentional way. Im hoping that we can continue that cycle of graduates of the district coming back to do what tupac said and, raise roses. Thank you all. [applause] roll call vote. [roll call] congratulations area. [applause] Public Comment on non agenda items area Public Comment as an opportunity for the board to hear from the community on matters within the boards jurisdiction. We actually refrain from using employee and student names. If you have a complaint about a district employee, you may submit it to the employee supervisor in accordance with district policy. As a reminder board rules in California Law do not allow for us to respond to comments or attempt to answer questions during the Public Comment time. If appropriate the superintendent will ask staff and follow with speakers. I have a large amount of cards for Public Comment. If you hear your name, please make your way to the podium. You have two minutes. I know a little bit about as an elder queer mother. The first rule of eldership is to listen. Folks here, in this audience, please do that now. The school board did that. I want to be here to talk about the work this board is doing. I support that work, our students and our teachers we had not because some folks cannot accept this boards decision about the washington mural, so much they took to to the today to let us know that they would be here. They showed up at the school and violated the boundaries of our students. This board is not pressured, they didnt cave, they listen thoughtfully, and acted accordingly. As a queer mom come of a certain age, who raise my Public School students 2030 years ago, i know what it is like not to be heard. I know it is like to not be the majority, trying to protect my children, and my continuing children of choice right now from drama. This board made a decision they have work to do. [inaudible] while folks are doing right now is bullying. Let this board do their important work. For crying out loud, come back and Pay Attention to what other great work they are doing. If you really care about our schools and students show up for more than this. Show up and participate, theres plenty for us to do. Next speaker, please. Hi there. My name is tiana. I know the mural is not on the agenda tonight. Thank you for hearing me today. Those demanding that he be kept up, put out a call for comments. I am heeding that call with a rebuttal. I have not previously spoken up, as i mostly homebound. This is important enough to me that i am here, thanks to some friends. This mural is controversial. Many are arguing that the intent of the mural sorry, im a little uncomfortable today, depicting the brutality of George Washington, and this country i do believe this was the artists and tents, and i appreciated. It does not, however, exist in a vacuum. Nor does it belong in the california high school. Intention does not mitigate impact. I am pretty sure some, possibly many, who are fighting to keep this mural argue that point in other situations on a very regular basis. I am a product of public education, in california. Very recently changed curriculum about the mission system. Which creates missionaries completely it creates the best time they caused. I was like enhanced by the heavy embellished tales of women alone in the challenge i channel islands. It taught me to forget all of the tribes on entrenched mystical Indian Tribes as well as a white savior narrative. I had no idea the vast cultural richness that was, and remains here. I am also a generation away from forced adoption. I am someone whose heritage, history, family, and tribe were stolen away when my father was adopted off rose. Im out of time. Thank you. Good evening ladies and gentlemen. God bless america. Victims, heroes, and their descendents of 9 11. Sometimes that abuse is rape or incest, but those expectant mothers should have prenatal care so all of them can give birth thank you San Francisco board of education. My name is julie roberts, i heard on the tv that there would be a discussion we had i looked at the agenda, theres nothing on the agenda. Im hoping next tuesday, that im coming to speak at general Public Comment. I think, you know, there is a lot of important things happening at the district that is an important and things covered. Im not going to speak about the important issues, in terms of pinning down the George Washington mural. Weve now got instruments out to students students which is super exciting. We are here tonight to add vote on studies. One of the things im concerned about is that one of our most amazing schools, Martin Luther king Junior Middle School is in danger of losing 300,000. This is one of our pitch schools, a Poor Community school that is doing amazing work supporting africanamerican students in all the students in the school. As a parent, at of school, who has suffered the destabilizing cuts year after year, having this conversation has taken the focus away, and families for the first to full weeks of school they should be able to focus on what students need and how to make sure they have the best possible year. I want to remind the board that we passed a resolution, while i understand the resolution focuses on three schools, the intent of the resolution is to make sure none of our schools are destabilized after the ten day count. I want to ask the board to find their ad where that would protect mlks students, and community to be able to do the important work that they are doing. Good evening. I am aleta fisher. Youve heard my comments before about the mural. I echo previous comments. We need to get back to the work of educating our students. The reason im here to talk tonight is to refocus us on transportation, for example. We are in in the midst of a transportation crisis right now for many of our families. Weve heard anecdotally their families and students, as well as some janet families, there were between 2025 routes uncovered in the last two weeks. We just found out today, we are hearing from families via email. We have links on our website we are asking people to fill out. Im getting a lot of emails. Weve got parents who are desperate to get their kids to school, and they cannot right now. We just found out monday, Transportation Department got 20 to 35 calls from families about unmet needs, about routes uncovered. This is the kind of work we need to be doing right now. Weve got kids who cannot get to school, i would have no way, i have a car, so i can request reimbursement at. 56 cents per mile. What about the families who do not have cars . What about the families that show up two hours late, theyre going to lose their jobs. We have families who are desperate, we need solutions now please help us fix this. Lets deal with the immediate needs right now. Thank you. [applause] i am a parent. Im not going to be talking about the mural today. We arty know the decision. Were taking a break right, and you will talk about that again sometime in the future, but not right now. I do want to talk about childcare. Childcare at the school meeting, i have a teenager, i used to come to these meetings. I remember in the back, i used to have childcare,. [inaudible] its a very, very frustrating, especially but for poor families from black families, low income families, we need childcare. Another thing i want to urge you all, also, by the way,. [inaudible] providing the district every childcare person to come. The second thing is i want to talk about representation of poor families in our district. They dont have any right now. There is no representation, there is no representation for. [inaudible] it forces people to pick their gender label. I think that is wrong. They include people of all genders. I really want to urge you to change those forms, be open to creating a family pack. Thank you so much for your time. Im glad i live in San Francisco and i get to attend a school board like this area this. Think you all for coming. I have a number of people signed up to talk about mlks budget. We also have students listed. [applause] we want to prioritize them, let them get home. When you hear your name, make your way to the podium. [reading notes] hello, my name is diane. My name is kylie. We are in the eighth grade at doctor Martin Luther king middle school. One of our Great Teachers out of the fact that our budgets are getting cut by the Superintendents Office because of the absence of students. Right here, right now, we are taking a stand and we are here to fight for the fact that the schoolmates, my peers, the people that make up our community are going because of the choices of the people above us. Most apparently, the relationships that we build throughout our middle school years are getting taken away from us, too. To the students, teachers, and everyone who comes to school every day, five days a week, mlk is an important place. Its where we go to learn, see our friends, but most and partly where we gain experiences. Middle school is supposed to be the place where you figure out who you are and what you are about, to find yourself. It is a place to build relationships with the people around you. To experience something you never thought you would. When you taking 300,000 from our budget, how are we supposed to have we were supposed to have when we came here . Our school has our own issues just like every other school. How do you expect us to deal with those things if you take away the people to help with that. 300,000 is a lot of money. If on so many important staff, and things that are supposed to be for the students. If this is implemented, there is a possibility that many important staff, in our school will have to leave. Members of the community that we have are so hard to build are gone. Which is why we are here to stand against this and fight for our school, staff, heres and many others. I hope you take into account what this budget cut could potentially do to mlk students, environment, staff, and school has a whole. Thank you. Hello. Im a student at mlk middle school. I just wanted to say black history class is a good education for me, and fellow students at my school. We go to learn about what we had been through back in the day, and what we are going through now. It is good for us now, and in the future for our kids, for us, and our parents and stuff. [applause] good evening to everyone. My name is nadine boyd, i am the aunt of shot low. I want to talk about how the resources that Martin Luther king i went there as well, back in the early 90s. [laughter] im just amazed at the trajectory of where theyre going, and i hope we continue to push forward in the right direction for the youth. I want to thank all of the use for coming and speaking out, it is very, very important, and im proud of all of you guys. Im proud of you, too, sean. I heard someone talk about transportation, you know, sometimes, you know, we come from from a low income family, you know, its hard, you know, for kids getting to school. Its good for my nephew to get to school and he has a counselor, and he, as well, to talk to, you know, kids need different people. It takes a village, you know. We need the resources on the funds to have the village and support to raise our kids, shape our future. Thank you to all of the teachers for the work you have done, with the students. We appreciate you. Thank you so much. [applause] hello. My name is celeste. I go to Martin Luther king middle school. I cant believe you guys are trying to cut the budget. It is not right. Because, you guys, we need the teachers and we cant learn without the teachers. Sorry. All of the kids get squeezed into classrooms without the teachers, in one classroom. But, we need that budget, because we need the field trip, and the school supplies, and the pe equipment, and the food for the kids. I have been helping mlk for a long time, and i like helping the teachers. It is not right to take away the budget from mlk. Thank you. [applause] my name is demarcus gray. I am a seventh grade students at Martin Luther king Junior Middle School. In students announcements, in homeroom, when i first heard they were taking away the school budget, or they may be the first thing i did, i yelled what . In the middle of class. I had so many questions about why it was happening. I also wanted to know how we can stop it . In class, we had papers that we could sign, and give to the school board. I felt like it was enough. So, i asked a few teachers if i could come here and actually speak to the school board, and actually prevent 300,000 of ours from being lost. A lot today we talked about peer resources, and at our school we have peer resources, too. But, if we lose all of our money, like us of our budget, then how will we be able to keep up with peer resources and keep on doing that . So, in class, i went around asking teachers, how can i stop this . When i got my feedback, i was like yes. So by the end of this meeting , i hope that the school board, and everybody that knows about this can figure out a way to stop this. I know there is not enough enrollment. But, just because there is not enough enrollment doesnt mean you can take away from the school budget. [applause] [speaking native language] my name is susan, and im a parent at mlk. I am here tonight to ask that the board of education help keep the 300,000dollar funding that will be taken away from mlks budget due to an decrease enrollment at the site. Our school site site should not have suffered from tran want poor planning. It is due to the unnecessary increase of enrollment and other high demand school sites. The School District should be trying to help balance out enrollment at each school and not create imbalance. They should have increased enrollment at certain cool sites each year, not wait until the start of the school year so that the affected site would have the time and opportunities to plan for the shortage of funding. Sfusd has again made changes without thorough planning and is now asking a school, like mlk, to suffer the consequences of their poor planning. Thank you. [speaking native language] hello, i am a parent at mlk middle school. Im here to ask the board of education to help keep the 300,000 funding that will be taken away at mlk. Our schools site should not have to suffer the consequences of sfusds poor planning. The School District should have informed all parent of enrollment increase at certain high school sites. I tried to enroll my child in one of the school sites that increased enrollment, but was rejected. There were parents whose children got accepted into the school site that i got rejected from at the start of the school year. Sfusd has again made changes without thorough planning, and is now asking a school site like mlk to suffer the consequences of their poor planning. Thank you. [speaking native language] i am also a parent to from mlk middle school. I pledge the board to consider to keep 300,000, remaining in our school site. Thank you. Good evening, my name is rex ridgway, i am a grandfather i have a fan base, too. I am the grandfather of a seventh grader at mlk. Her name is joe celine, ive been in a volunteer since she has started kindergarten. I am the pta president , and im on the site committee. We are asking you to reconsider the budget cut of 3,000. She was accepted to a private school, going into this year. After talking to the teachers commenting what is going on, and her ability to get to Laurel High School through mlk, we chose to keep her at mlk. With the budget cuts, i dont know if we made the wrong decision, or not. We really need you guys to keep that money there. As they say, i have a puppy in this site. She not only wants to go to laurel high, but she wants to go to cambridge. I said massachusetts five she said no, cambridge in england grade she has high expectations. I told her she needs to speak. She couldnt come because she had to finish her homework. She said to me, are you going to give them one of those. [laughter] i said no, ill just say what i always say to you, opportunity doesnt not come on the ops opens when you knock where they are here knocking to keep this money on the table and for mlk. I will close this by saying, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, will go to its whole life thinking it is stupid. Therefore, dont squeeze us to climb a tree, keep this money available for these kids, please. Before you get started, going to read some more names. [reading names]