Dear Stamford Board of Education members, The purpose of this letter is to introduce the Alliance for Black Achievement, its objectives, and invite you to partner with us to achieve these objectives.

The Alliance is comprised of community members who care about the academi achievement and social emotional well-being of Black students in our schools.

Historically, the academic performance of Stamford Public School's students has exhibited significant disparities between Black and non-Hispanic White students, often described as the achievement gap.

Despite the work of many, the opportunity gap still exists.

The time to act on this ongoing crisis is now.

The Stamford Board of Ed and the City of Stamford have a unique opportunity to be leaders at this moment in American history.

While Black communities have been painfully aware of the racism inherent in public school systems, others are now just starting to understand that the progress of the Civil Rights Movement did not fix the problem.

Let us use this moment and our strengths to work together to provide the education that Black students deserve.

It's the earliest I've ever seen all of you.

Oh my God.

It must be the first day of school or something.

It must be.

Okay, so first and foremost, welcome back to all of our in-person learners today.

We are thrilled to have you all back with us.

Our goal this week will be to work on reacclimating you all back to being in school full time, allowing you to get to know your classmates that were in the opposite color group, either blue or green, depending on what your assigned color group was, and also reinforcing our school protocols for health and safety.

Some of those will look just slightly different um, now that we have, um, more students in each classroom.

(Bell rings.

Hallway chatter) Guys, look for your picture on the board and then sit where, where your picture is located.

The SMART Board, the whiteboard, is to the right side.

So the folks on the column on the right are in the front row.

I tried to mix you guys up, uh, green and blue, as much as possible.

Hey, gentlemen.

How are you?

Just getting everybody settled down.

Can you hear me?

Awesome.

How about you Andreas?

You got me?

Ryan, take a look at the board.

What's up, Ryan?

Second column, back seat.

Tish, you are behind Jeremy, right here.

Me?

No.

Ella you are fourth seat right there.

All by yourself today?

Yep.

All right, um.

Welcome back everybody.

I'm excited that everybody's back here in the same place.

Right?

Um, I did have some kids earlier today that were a little bit nervous, a little bit apprehensive about being together in the same classroom.

So I just want to review what we know about Covid and how we get it, right?

Somebody raise your hand and tell me, according to the CDC, how do we get Covid?

What about touching things?

What did the CDC say about touching things?

If somebody sat at this desk that has Covid, are you going to get Covid?

Julianna.

Uh, it's not very likely.

It's not very likely.

How unlikely is it?

What are your chances?

The CDC last week published numbers and they said this is your chance.

One in and they gave us a number.

Anybody want to guess that number?

Five.

1 in 5 people that touch Covid are going to get Covid?

Thirty.

Oh, no.

One in thirty?

Nine hundred.

Nine hundred?

One hundred.

One hundred?

Ten.

Ten?

Uh, a thousand.

A thousand?

One hundred.

One hundred?

Ten thousand.

One in ten thousand is your chances.

Five was pretty close.

Five is not close.

Alright, but it was a good guess.

You had the courage to guess, and I appreciate that.

So, listen: We're not going to be afraid, but we're not going to, we're not going to take chances either.

Okay?

We're going to clean our hands before and after we touch lab equipment.

We're going to interact with each other, and we're going to try to get back to as much normalcy as we can while being safe.

Okay?

I've got the windows open, so that there's a lot of fresh air in here.

Um, but we are a little closer together than we're used to, and there's a little more of u in this room than we're used to.

Okay?

But I'm here to tell you that if we do things right, we're going to be fine.

Okay?

If anybody in here is just not feeling it, and they feel a little bit like, you know what, I can't do this, it's too much for me.

Let me know, and I'll, and you can sit over here and take a little break from the lab.

Okay?

I don't want anybody to, to feel nervous, but I'm here to assure you, and I want you to trust me, that if we do things right, we're going to be fine.

Okay?

Our chances are not zero, but we're going to make them as close to zero as we can.

Barbecue chicken today.

Mac and cheese.

Nah, it's right here.

RIght here, hon.

These?

Yep, Yep.

Do you want to roll with that?

You want a roll?

No?

Okay.

Uh, no.

You want juice?

Yeah.

What are you gunna get?

What do they got?

Barbecue.

Barbecue?

Have a nice weekend.

What are you looking at?

I want to see.

Good evening.

In some capacity, I've been affiliated with Stamford Public Schools for over 30 years.

In this time, minority teacher recruitment, the achievement of Black students and the disproportionality of discipline rates have consistently been identified as high priority goals.

In the same 30 years, outcomes have not improved.

In September 2020, the School and State Finance Project released a report examining racial disparities in Connecticut.

The report found that Connecticut's public school districts remain deeply segregated, and significant funding gaps continue to exist between districts that predominantly serve students of color and districts that serve largely White student populations.

The sad reality in the United States, including Stamford, is that injustices faced by Black students start early in life, and they usually start in our public schools.

I want to highlight that education is one of the five key areas of social determinants of health.

If you continue to ignore the disparities and not become proactive by helping set policies that are funded to help eliminate these imposed practices, we are being complicit in leaving a generation of Black students behind.

We need to adequately support all Stamford Public Schools staff members by seeing to it that 100% of those who work in the district be trained in restorative practices and cultural competency.

This targeted professional development will be critical in addressing our needs to understand and eliminate implicit bias, while creating cultural sensitivity and more positive school climates as a whole.

My children had or are having a wonderful education in Stamford Public Schools, and its prepared my two oldest children for college and the real world.

After introspection over the past year, I've come to realize that much of their success is due to their privilege and institutional racism, and it's not fair.

I don't want to just leave that acknowledgment there.

I need to be an active member in anti-racism work in our community to make a difference.

When the ask is one that everyone understands, like a language barrier or special needs, we all can identify with it and move into implementing plans around solving for it.

But racism is a little different.

It's subjective.

It doesn't land the same way for everyone.

It's uncomfortable, so we never seem to reach a common place so that we can move into developing plans of combating it.

There is a $639 million funding gap between majority Black and Brown population school districts and majority White districts in the Constitution state, causing a $2,300 spending gap per student.

It is statistics like this that made us rise up and stand for the cause.

We need equity now.

Equity involves the work of not only helping others overcome barriers, but more importantly, the courageous work of removing those barriers.

As an educator and citizen of the City of Stamford, I want to summon the courage in myself and others to do whatever it takes.

We need to exercise empathy in the true meaning of the word.

Where we don't have to understand the how or the why a person feels the way they do, we simply just need to believe that they do.

I grew up in the post-Civil Rights Era Northeast and was privileged enough to think that we had solved our nation's original sin through solutions such as bussing and integration.

I've been disappointed time and time again, however, as events prove that this has not yet happened.

And, to be honest, I've been disappointed that the diverse and integrated Stamford Public School District we chose is still struggling with an achievement gap, de facto class segregation at the middle and high school levels, and even included a high school where the two cafeterias were known by the color of the students who sat there.

This is not the experience I want for our students.

The work that we have to do is everyone's work.

If Stamford is going to b a city that works for everyone, it starts with our educational system.

The pandemic did not create the deep racial inequities of our city or state, but it can be an opportunity to address them.

We ask for your support to dismantle the components of systemic racism and move the City of Stamford closer to health equity.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you so much.

Good morning, boys and girls.

So today I'm going to read the first section of Grand Canyon.

I'm going to break it up into a few different parts and you'll hear a different part, um, each day of the week this week.

And then your work,um, follow up work, will be posted along with it.

So the video will be there and the follow up work.

When dad first explained about the quarantine, Bastian couldn't believe it.

The military authorities wanted to prevent contagious germs from contaminating Hawaiian animals.

They were worried that any animal coming into Hawaii might have a disease it could give to other animals.

That's why they had the quarantine.

It's a big coincidence; Mrs.

Dennison has read this book every year, but it just so happens that us, having been through a quarantine, uh, really for the past year, uh, Friday marked one year since we left school for the last time, I thought it would be really interesting if for your work today, if you spoke a little bit about your experience in quarantine.

So, um, your assignment to go along with this, one of the things you're going to do, and again, I'll explain it all again on the assignment, is I want you to talk about how you felt during quarantine, maybe some new traditions that you and your families now have.

Um, I know for one thing, as hard as quarantine was for my husband and myself, and we had a baby at the time.

Um.

Sorry, we'll let that bell go.

Uh, it was, it was hard for us.

My husband and I were home.

We were with the baby.

We were both working from home, but there were days and extra time that I got to spend with Matty that I never would have gotten.

So, as hard as the quarantine was, to me, that was a silver lining.

So that's what we're going to look for today.

We're going to look for silver linings linings in our own quarantine, and we'll compare it a little bit to Bastian and his dog's quarantine.

All right?

I'll finish this up, and then I'll, I'll let you get on your way to do your work.

Teachers just a reminder: tomorrow is distance learning material pick up.

If you have anything that needs to be picked up, it needs to come down to the front hallway this afternoon.

Distance learning pick up is tomorrow from 10 to 1.

(Phone picture taking sound).

Hi boys and girls.

So today in class, we talked about fractions and what a fraction is.

So I'm just going to give you a quick review of that.

So that when you're doing your work, you will have not only the PowerPoint presentation, but you'll also just have, um, a quick video to remind you.

Okay, I need one more- Who's my friend?

Who's missing?

Edwin.

Edwin is missing.

But it's okay because he's coming down in a few minutes.

Okay, my friends, the first thing you're going to do is: remove the paper clip from the paper and put it on the side.

And then you're going to put all your letters on the red tape.

Oh, here comes Edwin.

Edwin, come see me.

Oh, you get the big chair, buddy.

Come on.

You get the special chair.

What is the special one?

What is the special chair?

This one is a special chair.

That's what it is.

Now look at the first picture.

What is it?

Cat.

A cat.

A cat.

What's the first sound you hear in the word cat?

Ca.

Yes Fatima?

Which letter makes the Ca sound?

This?

Yes.

Get the letter C and put it next to the cat.

Go ahead.

I'm glue in here.

Yeah, you're going to glue it in the white box.

The letter C says ca.

You say it.

C says ca.

Good job.

I did it.

See?

Oh, buddy.

Wait.

Cat.

Ca.

What letter says ca?

Ca?

Oh my.

Uhh.

Whoa, what happened?

What happened?

My square.

You sq, look at, look at this.

You don't need that much.

Little bit goes a long way.

Less is more.

Excellent.

Now let's see if you can do the rest by yourself.

What is this a picture of?

That's scary.

Octopus.

It is an octopus.

What does octopus start with?

O. O says ah.

We really need some more support, reading wise, for our ELL students because the really biggest deficit and challenge we see with our students academically is that many of them just, they just cannot read.

And I know, like we're attending the PD now around that, but we've kind of looked at like, can we get a reading teache to teach an ELL specific course?

Because that's the big gap where you say, okay, they've been here for so long.

Right.

But if you- Why aren't they progressing?

And it's because they cannot read.

Not, it's not so much the language it's reading.

I, I'm completely convinced I just, right, I'm trying to balance my checklist of, you know, Right.

staffing and- Well so, we're putting it on your radar so you can start to think about how, what that would look if we get it approved, and, uh, umm, so I'm going to advocate for that as long as our numbers um, allow for it, which I, I, the projections that I last saw would allow us to do that.

And so you get projections based on fifth graders com, coming here.

Is there a calculation in there this year, and I haven't seen one, so I just don't know what you have been presented with, on a prediction of new EL students arriving?

No and since I've been here,though the projection has been wrong.

Like the enrollment has been much higher every single year than the projection was.

It doesn't seem like anybody across the state has a really good way to predict EL students, because I've been talking to other districts.

Sure.

So I have gone back to five years of data to try to create an estimate of how many, and I excluded the Covid year, right?

To how many And I'm sure We could expect this year and it's a large number the numbers are growing, right?

right?

Yeah.

Absolutely.

Every year probably gets a little bit bigger, right?

Especially with what's going on at the border now: How many children we know are there and they're waiting to, Right.

Yeah.

Right.

You know, So I feel like that just adds weight to our statement that better to add staff here now we know that, we know a lot of kids won't exit this year.

So that's going to increase the numbers.

Um hm.

We know that there are kids waiting a the border to come to Stamford because they've heard how great Rippowam is.

And, um, what was my third idea?

There was a, there was a third one.

Okay.

But, um, right, there's a lot of reasons that we could say preemptively, why not tackle this now?

And kids are not choosing Newcomers all the way over at Scofield because it's crazy far away and Right.

they want to be close to home.

Yeah.

Right.

Um.

So, I got it.

so I certainly agree that it's a great thing.

I just don't want to cut into somebody else.

If we're going to build in spending for, say, two years, maybe more, how do we know that the gap that everyone's, is so worried about is going to remain if we did nothing, we just said “regular budget,” that it wouldn't, what's the right word, heal itself somewhat?

I mean, I know there's no real answer, but it seems like such a dilemma, you know, to think about and to consider before we lock in.

Yeah.

Spending.

But I think that we have to think about, um, Stamford Public Schools and the diversity of our school district and the different needs tha our students are going to have.

And we need, we, we all absolutely can agree that there are going to be some needs that are there.

We have children who have been impacted very differently and we, we honestly don't know how they've been impacted, truly.

And so we've witnessed something that we have never, and I hope will never again witness in our lifetime, which is students who have not been in school, in a traditional way, for the last year, probably a year last week.

And so because of that, I think we have to address it in a different way.

And we can decide together over the next couple years If you're indeed correct.

Just like we took a leap of faith with you last year when you said, “we don't know how much money, we, how we are going to be impacted by Covid,” we went along with you all.

I don't think we have a choice, but we went along with you all.

Now, I think you have to trust us the same way to say that we are now asking for you to trust that we are putting things in place right now that we absolutely believe that we need.

And if we have to pivot later to say "up, no, that's not needed," then it would be easy to say, you know, we will reduce things after we get through the next couple years.

But we don't know just like you didn't know at this time last year what was going to happen with the city's budget and how much money you were going to bring in.

So it has to be this trust that goes back and forth.

Yeah.

A, a fair response.

Thanks.

Pretty light schedule, but ... Wipes are in.

Wipes are in.

Get masks.

Get masks.

Personally, I just hate school.

Okay.

Cause, well, before school is all right.

But really after Corona because when Corona started, one: I got a job.

So I was making mad money out of town.

So money was coming in.

And then now I'm back to school.

What is this doing?

It's not putting money in my pocket if I'm here six hours a day.

So school's out dated, like.

I'm stuck on just thinking about money, money, money.

School's not helping me with that.

It's slowing me down.

I mean, I think the counter argument is school is putting you in position to be able to be financially st, To make money.

To make money.

What are your thoughts about that?

That hey, this is an investment.

Now ti, you're investing your time now, so that you're in a position to make money.

Which you need now, though.

Yeah.

You need that now.

You need the money now.

Cause tomorrow isn't promised.

No.

I need money today.

We need money today.

Okay.

I be sitting in class some days, I be like: “what the hell are we learning?” How, like, something we learn, I'm, your teaching me stuff that's back then, I'm not making no money off of this.

Where's this actually putting me in life?

I just feel like I'm just sitting through class and I'm like, why am I here?

Yeah.

That's really what it is.

Like, why am I here?

So you find that what I'm hearing is there's a disconnect between what you're learning and what you feel like you'r going to use after high school.

Is that's what?

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's useless.

And most pe- And another thing is, when you talking about it's giving us like investing, bro, when you get out of school, you're going to have, you're going to owe money.

Yeah as far as college.

You're going to owe money bro.

Yeah.

Your about to owe $60,000.

It's not making money.

You're losing money.

Yeah.

I'm not with that.

Uh, yeah, I'm going to push back.

Right?

You're 100% right that I do have debt.

That's 100%.

But I would not be in the position where I am today, if it wasn't for college.

You could have already been in a better position.

Mmmm.

Oooh.

That, I mean, I disagree.

You could probably have been in a better position and you wouldn't be in any debt.

Oh that's, I, I disagree.

Yes there are other avenues, but I think there, the majority of those who graduate college and earn a higher degree are doing, and m, studies have shown this, research has shown this, are doing better financially.

This isn't, like, make up stuff, like, hey, I'm just saying this.

Ther, it's proven that you, if you have a degree, the, the, the higher degree you have, the higher income you will, you will have.

There is something downstairs on the first floor that says like: College isn't a goal.

College is a plan.

Insinuating like there's many Propaganda.

Just like insinuating there's many other plans that somebody can go through to reach like a different goal.

So there's many different pathways and many plans that somebody could take.

True There's other routes, but like, there's no resources for those other routes.

Like if you get out of here, you don't plan on going to another college, you just have to figure it out by yourself.

Yeah, basically.

And I understand there's other routes.

Like, let's even use the opposite, like trade school.

There's there's not really much for it or even any other things.

Like there's no way that people can help connect you with oth, those other routes.

It's only one way.

Let me tell you all why.

They paint this picture in your head be like “Oh, we got to get to a four year college, four year college.” Yeah.

Why they not teaching us how to get money without the four year college like real estate?

You don't need that.

Yeah.

We don't need college for that.

Yeah.

We can go get our real estate license.

There's other stuff out there.

Why they not teaching us things like that?

They want us to go spend bread.

But there's other things that you gotta learn, though.

It's not like schoo is not teaching you something.

Everywhere you go, you're learning something.

Ri, am I right?

Yeah.

Am I right?

Okay, you you have a job, right?

And every day at that job, you know, when you go there, are you learning something?

Mos def.

And these people are telling me, to be honest, college is a scam.

And these people are millionaires.

Yeah.

I surround myself with millionaires.

Talk that, talk that.

My son be at the Yacht Club So he know what he talkin about.

Straight millionaires there.

These people are telling me: “you do not need college.” I, I know people who own But, but did they tell you how they got their money?

Yes.

How?

Because somebody, somebody, Don't worry about that.

Somebody in their family went to school.

Somebody.

Somebody.

Bro, they started fro the bottom, they went up, man.

You do not need college Listen, I, to do that, man I mean, I think we're going to, we, we're going to dive into something a little more deep, which I don't mind, but listen.

Eh, I don't mind because I, I, if you don't mind, would you be able to tell me the, the, the race of these individuals who are telling you not to go to college.

White, Caucasian.

And, and my, my, my issue with that and this is my issue, this is my personal beef with this, is that it's okay to tell an African-American or a Latino not to go to college.

Right?

It's okay to tell them: “it's not for you.” But why don't they say that to other people who are not Brown or African-American?

It's easy for someone to tell me who's a millionaire: "Hey, college isn't for you," when they're lighter than me.

It, it's easy for them to tell me that because they have connections.

I don't have connections like that.

My family didn't have connections like that.

Go make them.

So, so, so with, uh, yes, you're right.

And I made them, but the way I was able to make them was by getting an education.

You have to understand the context of where they're coming from.

That's that's how I feel about when people are telling: “Hey man, college is, you can be a millionaire.” Well, they would, I bet you 100% they would never tell that to their kid.

100%.

Most definately cause there right there, Oh no, I disagree.

when I'm listening to their, they're talking to their kids and me a the same time.

Oh no, I disagree.

No, I disagree with that.

Listen.

No, ain't nobody gonna say that to their child.

But listen, I'm not saying, I, I want to go to college.

This is a good conversation; I want to go to college.

you guys got me sweating.

I want- Mind you, I want to go to college.

Okay.

And why do you want to go to college?

I want to go to college.

Caus, because it's going to bring me somewhere else.

Not for education wise.

It was never about education for college.

Well, see, see, now, now, you want to go to college cause, cause of sports.

Am I right?

Yes, but- Okay.

But now, think about it now, cause this is a conversatio that happens all, all the time, when you get hurt in sports, what are you going to fall back on?

My edu, on, on, Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.

You gotta say money!

You gotta say money!

Supposed to say money!

Money.

Money.

Say money.

Money.

There's gunna be money.

No,listen.

There's gonnna- You fumbled it bad!

Yeah, see there.

By the time I get to ... Hey, oh, all right, here we go.

Oh.

We're dancing again.

Ohhhhhh shit.

I'm going to be wheezing.

Oh my god; I'm gunna pass out.

And with that, we will move on for time for the public to be heard.

I believe Jen has a list.

The list of speakers.

Each will have three minutes, and I will turn it over to Jen.

Okay, so the first person is going to be Tina Devoe.

Tina, can you hear me?

Hi.

Yes I can.

Okay, go ahead.

Hi, um, so good evening everyone Um, thank you so much for hearing me out.

Um, my name is Tina Duvoe.

I'm a current resident of Stamford.

Um, lived here for about seven years.

But just have two young children ages two- and four-years-old.

So as we are becoming part of this community and learning about the public school education system, I'm not sure if any of you are aware, but there's a big narrative going on with a lot of young families living in Stamford about the test scores of Stamford and how representative they are of they are of curriculum versus ELL learners.

Um.

So I'm just trying to figure out in terms of testing, I know that there is a large population of ELL students.

Umm.

Are they able to take tests in their native language?

Are they only taking tests in English?

Um, and how much of these test scores are really just relating to these English Language Learners?

Because the people that I've met that have gone through the school system here absolutely love it.

Um, they're very successful.

They return to the community.

Umm.

But when all of these young moms who were not in the school system yet, it's almost like, how do we change this narrative of maybe false information that is out there?

I took the opportunity to review the diversity and equity policy statement, and I just had a couple of questions.

Has a civil rights attorney or a Corporation Counsel issued an opinion letter regarding the constitutionality of the policy.

Um, and if that's so, I would like that opinion letter to be made public.

And if not, has anyone summarized the legal peril of formally adopting such a policy statement?

In my opinion, the proposed amendment is, is a biased document and a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

I think the proposal instills White guilt in innocent um, children and resentment in children of color.

Uh, I want to make very clear that the issues around Black achievement in Stamford are issues that can be addressed by all stakeholders in Stamford Public Schools: parents, teachers, administrators, students, and members of the Board of Education.

One of the first things some of us need to do, including one of our previous speakers, is recognize that barriers to achievement exist within our schools.

While I would hope that any blatant racist action or comment directed to a student at one of our schools would be addressed immediately, there are multiple stumbling blocks, intentional or unintentional, that our Black student experience on a regular basis.

Current SPS data notes that there are 1260 White teachers, but only 110 Black I'd like you to take a moment now to reflect on your K-12 education.

Think back to your classrooms and imagine for a moment that in the 13 plus years of your formative education, that not one teacher or school leader looked like you or anyone related to you.

Imagine never seeing yourself in any of the instructors you spent sometimes more waking hours with than your own parents.

For most of you, this may be hard to fathom, but please, let's all reckon with the disturbing truth that for many of our Black students, this is their reality.

So I'll start.

Uh, Resolution zero three, dash 23, dash 21, colon 24.

Be it resolved that on the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, that the Board of Education approve to replace the current Equity Policy 5,000.1 with the attached Equity and Diversity Policy second read.

I so move.

Do I have a second?

Seconded by Mr.

Tarzia.

Multiple seconds.

Um, discussion.

Do we have a sub for Miss Jacobs, period four, Miss Jacobs, sub?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller.

Do we have a sub for Jacobs period four?

(Laughter).

We have two 6, one 8 and two 7. two 6, one 8 and two 7s.

Can you swing by Caitlin Yeah.

Gilbert's office?

So if we, Okay I will.

say we have an eighth grade group go to the gym and just sit in their seat with their Chromebook?

Um humm.

And then we have The two s, sixth grade will have it last, right?

Um humm.

So if we have Charlie take the sixth grade and Vinny take the seventh grade.

And they are like one, uh, SPED class and one regular.

So we're talking about less than 30 studen, around 30 students.

Per grade or?

For both class.

Yeah.

So about 30?

Um hm.

Cause it's Jacobs and Daniel, Cause we, So we could basically O'Hagen and Bivona.

And so, Vinny, Vinny's kids would have first lunch, they would be in lunch and then would go to him in, in the auditorium.

And then Charlie would Keep Vinny with the sixth grade cause he knows more of the sixth graders.

Okay.

And then he would go to, to the auditorium with the 7th graders.

Rippowam can I help you?

Let me go talk to them and see.

We're gunna run cause I've got announcements in 5 minutes.

Here's our biggest dilemma: period two.

All the kids are in core; so the only teachers who are available to cover are special teachers, but they're all on lunch duty, so this always becomes a problem.

We usually can make it happen, but because we have 20 people out it's harder.

So- Cut to the chase.

You want me to work one of those classes?

I hear the got drum roll.

No.

It's like AHHHH.

You don't?

It's a bigger ask than that.

Oh my goodness, bigger than that?

You would suprvise the sixth grade kids in the auditorium.

They are on Chromebooks.

All your basically doing is going on to your Google Classroom for whatever class you have, and you're supervising the kids.

And there's enough space in there Yeah, that's no problem.

that you Yeah, I mean, it's really not a huge thing.

Yeah.

No.

It's just that would solve the problem.

Yeah.

The 6th grade.

Morning boss.

I'm, I'm coming, coming to you.

You would take, Uh, Ricken.

Yeah.

And Jacob's class.

So it's like 30 ish kids.

Yeah.

And you would just have them on their Chromebooks doing the work.

Where am I taking them to?

Auditorium.

If that's okay?

Yeah, you got it.

Thank you, sir.

Okay.

Marion, come on in kiddo.

We have all of period two covered.

Copy.

Um, Who's that?

8th grade.

Copy, I think we are good with coverage then.

All right.

We have all other periods covered.

(Bell rings).

Gina?

Yes.

(unclear ... (unclear ... down by music).

Good morning, everybody.

Today is Friday, its April 23rd, and it is a blue day.

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Please remain standing for a moment of silence.

Amy, give me one second.

Yeah, no worries.

We had, like, 20 people out today, so.

Yeah, that's, they asked me if I wanted to sub.

I, I uh, Declined?

declined.

So I know earlier in the week.

Can I share, there was a conflict, right?

With two really good friends.

With my buddy Kyla and Denim, right?

And we we're worried because ya'll was really heated and I was shocked.

I'm like "what these two?"

Like, it just didn't make sense, right?

Did you guys work it all out?

Yeah.

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

Everybody's cool?

Can we kind of share like, kind of what happened, being mindful that we're a group and being mindful that you guys are good?

Can you share what happened that day?

Um, we was in the bathroom and I was playing with Amber.

And, like, the way I was positioned, I couldn't see anything.

So I passed my phone to somebody.

I was like: "Can somebody take my phone?"

And I didn't know I gave it to Kyla.

So then when we went back in cafeteria I was asking everybody: "Where's my phone?"

It was like: "Ask Amber."

I went to go ask Amber.

Amber was like: "I don't have it."

Carla said she don't have it; so I'm getting mad.

I don't know where my phone is at.

So then, yeah.

And then, that's when the conflict between me and Kyla happened.

She thought that I had it.

Right.

And I'm telling her: “I don't got it.” She doesn't believe me.

Um hm.

And why do you think she, because remember I, Because there was people when you guys are that were saying stuff.

Right.

And why didn't you believe it at first?

Because she was smiling.

Like, they were both smiling.

I always tell ya, It's like, I always, I smile, like I laugh at everything.

I know.

If it, and it don't even have to be funny.

Right.

Right.

I'm always laughing.

Right.

So when she's smiling an laughing, what are you thinking?

I'm thinking, like, like it's a joke.

Like, that she got, that she has the phone.

Um hm.

I was laughing because, like, she was laughing too.

And then she got mad.

Then she started having attitude; so, aight.

I'm Kyla.

I'm gunna have an attitude back.

And that's what we got to talk about, right?

Cause that's middle school.

I did it too a little bit.

But remember, when we talk, we got to talk about it as young women that are trying to make it better.

When you talk and you got attitude and in your face and you do all this stuff, nothing gets solved, right?

If I come at you, suppose suppose you and I are having an issue, but we're best friends.

But you hurt my feelings and I got all this going on.

Are you going to want to hear what I'm saying?

What are you going to do?

Go back the way, the same way your doing.

Right.

And so nothing gets fixed.

So let's just keep that in mind when we were talking.

You felt like instigation kind of happened.

Or that you like, what do you think happened?

A lot of people did instigate it a lot of, there was a lot of he said, she said.

Like how?

You don't have to give names, but how?

Because people were telling Denim stuff and people were telling me stuff.

Um humm.

Um hm.

And people were lying.

Right.

If you could rewind the tape, right, and, like, play it back, what would you two have done differently, up to this point?

I mean, I did come up as to Kyla like, told you I was aggressive.

I would have came up, I would have approached her more in like a, I would have came to her, I would have like, Kyla come here.

I wouldn't have been, like in a big group of people asking her Right?

I would- Yeah.

So what happens to you guys in middle school that kind of starts in elementary school, right?

What happens to yo in middle school do you think?

That makes friendships harder to keep?

Amber.

Drama.

Drama.

Right.

Because there's drama in elementary school too.

Why is it more in middle school, do you think though?

If you had to guess, there's no right or wrong answer.

I don't even know.

Um, in elementary school, you don't really care how you act cause like, you're a kid, but, like, when you get to that um, middle school and, like, you ... bruh how do I put this?

You, However you want.

you don't know how to act.

You start changing.

Yeah, you start changing.

Okay, okay.

What about you, Val?

So you don't know how to act.

You start changing.

Why do you think that happens?

Because you're finding yourself.

You're finding your, um, friend group.

How you s, um, bruh, I don't know how to say this.

No, perfect, let them, go ahead.

It, you're what you're saying is what I was looking for; so.

Maturing, like your style and stuff.

It's like, you can even tell because it's like when you look bad, when you first come in, then, and then you, like, start looking good.

Like you mess with people, or like you talk to people that you really never thought that you would.

Um hm, um hm.

Like, and it be the cute boys too.

Don't you think you're like, imagine we're, we're about to leave 8th grade, imagine how we're going to look when we're about to graduate high school.

Right.

So you're going to evolve even more.

You're going to change your style even more.

And you need friends that are keeping you moving in a good direction, especially going for high school Because, like, go ahead.

But like, But like, like, I feel like it's best if we make these bad decisions in middle school because To learn.

in high school, we're gunna, we're getting older.

There's no going back.

Cause that like if you, let's say you you do something illegal, God forbid.

Um hm.

Then, if you do it in high school, it could you're getting older so it could Um hm.

be on your permanent record.

Um hm.

Like you could be charged as not a minor anymore.

Right, right.

This is the time where you could really like, not, not saying it's good to make bad decisions.

Like, really, like, actually, like, make mistakes.

It's hard.

And a lot of things don't make sense, right?

Things that you kind of go through.

But it's not supposed to.

It's just you're, you're figuring stuff out.

You're livin your life.

Right.

And you're going to things that you've never gone through before.

And the goal is that by eighth grade, you kind of pull it together and you take some things we talk about and you kind of make it happen in high school, right?

Check that girl's bathroom right by the right by the (unclear).

Um, she said she brought a snack today too, so.

What time?

We're, we're in lunch until 11:50.

I, no, why, why 12:30?

I have Miss Frangione; her class is actually fun.

Can we do it, like, during, like, Miss Herman's class or something?

Yeah.

Are you going to participate today?

Is that what this is?

Yes.

I always participate.

You always participate.

I was talking to her.

I don't know, but do it during Miss Herman's class so I don't have to, I don't have to take that class.

Go.

Bye.

I'm eating.

Okay, let's add it right to the list.

What's today?

What?

You act like I'm not going to class.

I do act like that cause you're not in class.

I'm watching, I'm making sure everybody goes to class.

Hello Roberto.

What's going on?

Um, Just saw this, L.O.L.

Oh.

Go to class.

Go to class David.

You're not even in class.

I know.

How does she get to?

No, she doesn't get to nothing.

I'm special, that's why.

Get going.

No, you're not special.

Hey, how are you?

Good, good.

I am free if you want me.

Sure, let's go do some work.

Let's go.

(Unclear on the walkie ... get to class right now).

Do you hear that?

That's, that's a them problem.

That's not me.

It is a you problem because we are going to class.

Did they say Kori?

No, they're doing a, they're, Miss Tina's walking around looking for people who are not in class.

They're tightening up on not being in class.

I just had a whole conversation for an hour about people not going to class and chillin in the halls.

That seems like your fault.

You're not doing your job.

Kori, c'mon, c'mon.

(On walkie: “heading to Rickin now “No, we'll, it's a different group.)

Alexa, play music.

("Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift plays).

Hold on, let me pause it real quick.

("Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift plays).

Which one do you like?

Put on some of your own.

This one or that one?

I know Jaden is listening to some.

Boyce Avenue?

Yeah.

I think.

We should, we should really put some different artists in there so that she can make a choice.

It's good?

Mmm.

They have a playlist, I think.

("Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift plays).

("Wonderful Tonight" by Boyce Avenue plays).

Competing music for a minute.

Huh?

Competing music for a minute.

Well, Nay doesn't like your music Jay.

She likes this one.

Do you like this one?

It's soft, more soft music, man.

You more into pop and she's more into music, man.

Well, Jay, remember when she was first testing, I don't, I think was the first device, ("Wonderful Tonight" by Boyce Avenue plays).

and uh, she said your music was yucky?

Cause, fair enough.

("Wonderful Tonight" by Boyce Avenue plays).

Can I pause yours for a minute?

That music's nice.

Okay.

What's up?

You don't like it?

He doesn't like what?

He said, I asked him if I could pause the Alexa; he said "nah."

How do we even hear what's going on right now?

So how are we gunna hear these songs.

It's just a lot going on.

Yeah.

It's like a lot of music on.

You're not swallowing anything.

Oh my God.

Can you swallow?

Swallow what you have.

("Wonderful Tonight" by Boyce Avenue plays).

Yesterday I made a mess of you.

Oh shoot.

All these yesterday.

Look at this.

I gotta get another towel.

Wait.

This Alexa gonna give an early warning When Emily starts tearing.

Oh, yeah.

We'll pause.

Yeah, it's a love song.

You doing good?

Yeah.

She's okay.

You got food now.

How was your science class?

Did you have science today?

Um hm.

Yeah?

Science is tough now.

What are they learning?

Oh my God.

Atoms, compounds, atoms and all this mixing chemical things.

It's a lot of.

Sounds like stuff I don't remember.

Seriously, it's like, I was just telling Ms Mase, I'm like how are we gunna teach this to kids that we don't even know it ourselves?

Yeah.

More.

More what?

Ice cream.

Say it again.

We don't have any.

It's all gone.

He's telling.

More ice cream.

(Whistle) (Ducks quack) What do you want to be when you grow up?

Swimmer.

Huh?

A swimmer.

Complete sentence.

When I growm up, I want to be a swimmer.

Swimmer.

When I grow up, I want to be a firefighter.

A firefighter!

Good.

What?

When I grow up, I want to be a chef.

Oooh, I like that.

You want to cook?

Jesse?

Uh, when I grow up, I want to be a police man.

Yes, sir.

And a firefighter.

Oh both?

That's good.

Yeah!

Beautiful.

Now let's read the last question.

Ready?

One.

Two.

Three.

Let's read about community workers.

But no, look at what we have at the end.

Excla, Uhhh?

exclamation mark.

When do you use an exclamation mark?

To be um, um.

like como gritar.

Yes.

Excited.

So let's, you don't say: "Let's read about."

You don't say that.

Let's put it excited.

Ready?

One, two, three.

Let's read about community workers!

Okay.

We are going to read about community workers today.

Look at the first page.

Is this fiction or nonfiction book?

Fiction.

Fiction.

Fiction?

Nonfiction.

Nonfiction?

How come?

Both?

Do you think this book is a make believe book?

Or it's a true fact book, an informational book?

So they are talking about what?

Workers.

A worker.

Is a, is a worker a real jo, a real facts?

Yes.

Yes, so this is fiction or nonfiction?

Fiction.

Fiction Nonfiction.

Nonfiction.

Nonfiction.

Nonfiction.

It's nonfiction.

So let's start with the first heading.

What worker do you think it is?

Mechanic.

Could be a mechanic.

Why?

(unclear).

Uh, because it's a car?

Ma, Yeah.

It's, he's having in like, in a big, big construction.

Yes?

It's a, it's a, Yes?

it's a garbager.

It's a carpenter?

Why do you think?

No, it's a garb, ah, ah, garb, gar, garbage attender.

Ahh!

Ahh!

Ohh!

You say it's the guy who works to help us to pick up all the garbage cans?

Could be.

And, what is his job?

What is he doing?

They, they give the garbages to, they, they put it in the tractor.

They take the garbage can, and they put it in the truck.

You know what?

I was looking at this book yesterday, and I didn't figure it out.

Thank you, Jeremy.

Good.

Okay, so the introduction.

So this is a community workers, but I have another question.

The title said community.

What is a community?

Um, it's a kind of group?

It's a group of people.

Ohh, I like that.

Yeah, it's a group of people.

What else?

What is community?

A job?

It's, uhh?

(Unclear).

A job?

Uh, well co, workers is a job.

But where they work?

In the what?

I am a community worker; I give you a clue.

In the, In the school?

In the school.

And what is the school?

In the ci.

City?

In the city.

Yeah.

So community workers are people who work in the community, who work in cities.

And is that, like Jessica said, it's a group of people.

And they have different kinds of jobs that you could be, like policeman is a community worker.

Uh, a firefighter is a community worker.

So one, when you grow up, that is something that you can be: a community worker.

I, I love that when I will be very old Cuando yo estoy viejita, y yo vaya al medico, alguien me atiende usted.

You can be my, my doctor.

Ready?

Okay.

One minute left in the game.

Start throwing those fleece balls.

That's not fair that you are just making piles, alright.

I need you to share.

Play fair.

Go ahead.

Oh, nice!

Put your things over to the side if they're down.

Thank you, Kelsey.

Four, three, two, one: time!

Everybody sit.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 on the white line.

Ahh.

Oh my goodness.

Sit down, Nico.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Can you put that away please?

Put it in the, in the black crate.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, ahhhhh.

24 on this side.

Let's clap for this team.

Uh oh, now you're out.

I asked you to sit down.

Um, so you moved this, this visual up to the front?

Yes, I did.

I thought it was important for people to see what oral language was and maybe this is something that we can keep keep going back to and and use this as a teachable tool.

So.

I, I, I, what's sticking out for me is this English Learners like being a separate spoke?

Well, I think when I talk about that, Amy, I'm not just talking about the English Language Learners, especially in the earlier years.

They're all English learners.

You're teaching them all the same vocabulary when you say, you know, word bank or word wall, you're, you're going back to the studs with all of the kids with that.

That's not just an English Language Learner.

So that's what I was thinking, Many of our kids are from it's not, poor language environments.

Right.

Right.

Which is why I put in that and piece of the statistic about where kids are learning their language from.

Are in the first three years.

When I saw that, I'm like, holy moly, where is that?

I know.

I've moved everything around.

Literacy How has some powerful 86 and 90% of the words Right.

used by each child by the age of three were derived by their families, teachers and caregivers.

So I mean, that to me is a huge, huge, huge responsibility.

Yup.

And when they come not having that, this is how the oral language in school scaffolds with that and adds to that.

Right.

To me it was an aha moment.

We're not just talking about our English Learners.

Right.

And I think if we call i Our English Language Learners.

English Learners, I think most people are going to go to EL's, right?

Unless we say we're talking about children who are coming to us not having the 90%, not having the million words by kindergarten.

Not, Right.

and so this is how we, this i why oral language is so crucial, to fill it in.

Right.

I almost would rather have like a, a, like, Oral language for our learners.

Um hmm.

And that could be English or I mean, it's, we're, we're talking about, and it, it doesn't break down on race or, it, it breaks, breaks down on social, economic.

Right?

I mean, the students from poor Right.

Absolutely.

homes, that's where you see lower language.

Not, it's not, th, the research is very clear on that.

So, And so it's not even, eh, so I don't know if we But don't you think that, yes it has to do with socioeconomic, but it also has to do with opportunity.

Right?

Because if I speak Polish.

Um hm.

And my children are going to Springdale.

And when they come home, I try to read this book to them in English Um hm.

and I try to ask them questions, these questions with the best intentions, in English.

You know it's going to be choppy.

Right?

So we've given them the tools to do it.

But I think we need to go back and say even if their not English speakers, they read this and Polish, they ask questions in Polish, that's the important part.

Not that they're speaking in English, that they're speaking period.

Of course, right.

Because But I think people might kids who have.

hear it as oh, those kids don't have Well I think, you know, so this English opportunities.

I think that's a hole in this presentation, though, that then we should fill.

We are talking about language development.

Okay.

And, and we're really not talking about English language development.

No, we're not.

Right?

We're, we're really not.

We're talking about a, a Polish speaking, an Albanian, a Spanish, a whatever, Tagalog.

It, it, the importance is that you're talking and reading to your children, and it's probably better that parents do that, if they're not comfortable with English, in their, their primary language.

Right?

Because we know the kids who come to school with rich primary language learn a second language very easily, because if you have a vo, if you know what settle means in your language, you can easily learn settle in, in, because now that's just a lesson in phonology It's not a lesson in vocabulary.

Right.

Because you already know what it means.

So, where do you think we still need to work on in terms of touch ups on this one?

I'd say probably with like the blending of around here.

But at the same time, I do like, um, some of like the light coming off this hand, coming from the side, and the darkness coming here.

So, that's what I'm trying to take from here.

And then, want to try to touch up over here.

For this drawing, Hmm.

would be mainly the I don't know if this needs touch up.

I mean, I feel like it's like the, the sh, the um, shading to like the light spots cause it looks like you're looking at, like, circles.

Oh, okay, okay.

Alright; I'll buy that.

I'll work with that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So, like, here and here.

Yeah, yeah.

Those spots exactly.

Okay.

And then what about, what's going on right here?

Well, I mean, yeah.

Is this?

or is that, that is your thumb?

Yeah, it is my thumb, yeah.

The co, the pigment just stops at Yeah.

It, it could be maybe a little less harsh, but you're right.

No, you absolutely correct.

Around this area probably.

But yeah.

But that is you.

Excellent.

And then, these tips probably need a little bit more definition.

Yeah, it looks like it blends here.

Right.

Cause they, this is, did you end up putting a yellow underneath this before you you put the top of the finger or not?.

Like, do you remember if there was a yellow underpainting on this?

Cause like see how it's white here?

Yeah, I think, I think I may have like done some more of, like the f, the um, table before finishing up the fingers.

So that's probably why it's there.

Cause I want like this one sticks out and I can clearly see this one.

I can clearly see this one.

I want this to stick out more, and I want this to stick out more here.

So that it, you know, pops up.

Alright, yeah we got that.

Alright, so tomorrow when you come to class, I'll check to see if you did the work, and if you did it, I'll change your grade and I'll email downtown and I'll ask them to change your grade.

Alright.

Alright, but you got to do your part first.

Alright, Alright.

Awesome.

Awesome.

Good, good, I'm counting on you.

Who wants to do the video It looked really nice last time.

But you can do Instagram live.

Like I'll show you guys how to do that.

I can't believe I'm showin you guys how to use Instagram.

No, we know how to do it.

We just didn't choose to.

Oh, ooh (snap).

The sass.

See that's better.

What are we going to look for today?

We're going to see if they ate the Sugarwater.

Sugarwater.

So we're going to look to see if they have food or if they need food.

Okay?

We're going to look for the queen or evidence of a queen.

So what would evidence of a queen be, if we can't find the queen what- A lot of eggs.

Eggs would be evidence of a queen.

What else would be evidence?

Cause they're huddled.

Yeah, bees huddle together and then we could just blow on them and they'll kind of break apart and we'll see a queen under there.

So the bees are going to take on a personality.

If we treat them aggressively and we do things fast and we don't really do things calmly, then next time we open the hive, they're going to remember us, and they're going to be aggressive.

When you say we don't want to d things like don't swipe at them?

Don't go like this.

That's just gunna make them mad.

So we're going to move real slow.

We're going to use the smoker liberally to, to keep a little bit of a smoke cloud going to keep the bees calm.

We're going to make some smores.

Ooh, this frame's heavy.

Wow!

Woo.

What are we seeing?

One fell.

One fell?

Ooh, I see the Queen.

And we're just not going to panic.

If they start to get agitated, we're just going to slow down and we're going to relax,.

Okay?

We don't want to do things quickly because we don't want to agitate the bees.

We want them to remember us.

We want them to remember us is not a threat.

Oh, boy.

See this cell right here?

That's an emergency cell that they'll grow a new quee if they don't like this queen.

So they'll take one of her eggs and they'll put it in there and they'll grow it.

So bees usually keep one of those, uh, in the hive.

So remember, when the worker bees come back to the hive, they give their nectar to a bee waiting by the front, and then one of these bees brings it, puts in one of the cells.

Oh!

It's carrying pollen.

It's carrying pollen and it landed on you?

Look at that.

See that?

So we should try to look at the color of that pollen, and we should try to figure out what kind of plant that comes from.

And then we should look around the school and see where we can find those plants.

It's on his hind leg.

Yeah, those are pollen pouches.

They pack it onto their, onto their hind legs and bring it back to the hive.

So hold on.

So, They put that on their legs like pockets.

Yeah.

Like pockets.

They brush it off.

And, they brush it off the hairs and they pump it up onto their um, onto their eggs.

They'll either bring back pollen, nectar, or this sticky stuff called propolis, it's like glue.

It's made out of like, pine tar and a, and nectar.

Those cheapo sunglasses are going to break if you're No, I know.

twirling them.

Let me go change my hair.

Okay.

Nerreau, the only thing is, I can't see in these.

Like, they're, they kind of distort things.

When you first put them on, it's fine.

But I think if I had them on the whole show, my eyesight would give out completely.

That's my only small fear.

They're not on the whole show.

They're not?

What, when are, you're wearing them for your character.

Is it just for my solo?

Yeah.

Oh, I was under the impression it was just for, for everything.

Okay.

Cool.

Yeah, it's your little special somethin, somethin.

Sounds good.

Then that's fine.

Cool.

Okay.

You know what I mean when you take them off it's little bit, but I can wear them for one number.

It's fine.

Awesome.

Line that up with the top of face.

Okay.

Now measure it down and see how long it is.

All right.

We could do it this way, yeah.

What are your going to do with the bangs?

I was- You look a little messy.

I do?

I mean, it's not sleep hair.

It's stage hair.

Usually I, like, Yeah, usually I like leave them out when I ... Huh?

Usually I like leave them out and everything.

Alright, Well, they gotta get sprayed or something because think of like Ariana Grande or somebody on stage.

This is all pulled back tight.

You know what I mean?

Like, Yeah, I know what you mean.

We don't want to look like we just showed up today to do a show.

We want to look like we're, we're doing the Super Bowl or something.

Yeah.

Okay, go sit in your pods people.

Did you put the, the tape for everyone?

No, just remember where you sat.

All right.

That's.

Bam, bam, ba da,da, da, bam, bam, bam, bam.

ba da,bam, bam, bam, bam.

Let's look at the senior picture.

And then we have to decide, like, And then we have to decide, like, what we want the actual ad to look like.

Oh my God.

Oh, I'm going to cry.

It's really cute.

I'm going to start crying.

We're not graduating.

So it's fine.

A month and a half.

Shut up.

I just like to remind you.

Wait, we're standing right in front.

Oh, sorry.

Oh.

This one's cuter.

I like that one, yeah.

I look so short.

Am I shorter than you?

I'm wearing, I'm wearing platforms.

Cause otherwise my pants are too long, so.

Oh.

That's a cute picture.

That is very cute.

Yeah.

Cute.

All right.

Having a beautiful costume is a privilege.

There are schools who don't, for example, even think about shoes.

Then there's the schools that might decide, okay, okay, we're kind, a costume goes from your head all the way to your feet, let's get a concept for our shoes.

Alright, we'll have everybody wear white Converse, for example.

Then you have the Stamford High way where your shoes are custom painted or designed just for you, for your whole costume, for you to look your best.

Those of you out there who have gone to CDA with us before, know that when you're sitting there and here's the adjudicators, they'll make comments like: "Look at them all the way down to their shoes.

Look at their jewelry.

Look at their purses.

Everything is spot on just right."

Which is why we do so well in some of these competitions because we sweat the details.

So we'll move on to our next item, which is time for the public to be heard.

I'm speaking today to amplify my concerns, along with a growing number of parents, who are trying to play catch up regarding the Equity Policy 5000.1, which was recently approved.

Like many parents across our nation and our city, I am against Critical Race Theory in our schools.

The equity policy is radical, anti-American, and poses serious negative implications for our children.

It promotes racism and divisiveness over harmony.

It is indoctrination and not education, and it absolutely has no end goal or desired state to be achieved that benefits all students.

It shames Stamford when we should be celebrating our diversity and focusing on excellence for all students.

First, um, let me start by saying that I fully support teaching our children to respect and value one another, regardless of race, and believe that all of us here today share that common goal.

After reading through the policy, I'm deeply concerned with references to Critical Race Theory and some of the definitions that were included.

For anyone not familiar with CRT, without going too much into the weeds due to my limited amount of time, the underlying idea is that the most important thing about you is your race, the color of your skin.

That's who you are.

Not your behavior, not your values, not your environment, just your race.

Now, I certainly hope you do not agree with these statements because we are more than just our appearance.

Parents all around the country are opposing Critical Race Theory in their local school districts, and currently almost a dozen states have already banned or are in the process of banning CRT from being taught in their schools.

We put our kids into the school system to learn and excel in reading, writing, and arithmetic, among other subjects.

I didn't ask the school system to teach my kids how to feel about their background.

Instead of focusing on oppression and the scars of mistakes from our history, we should celebrate the countless achievements made by Black and Latino, Italian, and all the citizens from all ethnic groups here in the United State despite any inherent struggles.

We should learn from the injustices of America's past without feeling the need to blame anybody today for it while understanding that we are responsible for not repeating it.

First, I want to remind all of you that we live in Stamford, thankfully, a highly diverse school system that is made up of a student population that is 9% Asian, 17% Black, 42% Hispanic and Latino, 41% White, and 2% listed as other.

I ask each one of you, do we have a racism problem in Stamford Public Schools?

My three kids went through Stamford Public School, middle school and are in high school now.

They did not, nor do they see anyone for the pigmentation of their skin.

Where's the data that supports this new equity and diversity policy?

(Train horn blows) Over the past several months, I've seen statements of equity, diversity and inclusion.

These are all nice and good and well.

But as many others have expressed their concern here tonight about the broader implications of the policy, I too have concerns.

I think everyone wants all students to succeed and be sufficiently prepare for the next phase in their life when they graduate.

My concern is that these are nice words, but they do not address the root of the problem.

In fact, when I was at the end of my elementary school years at K.T.

Murphy, the city reconfigured the districting to create more socioeconomic and racially diverse schools.

It, it was lit, the same issues, just different language.

And so, instead of attending Dolan, I was bussed all the way from the east side, across town, past other schools to T.O.R.

And yet, what did it solve?

Right?

Here we are again with the same issues.

And what are we doing?

We're moving kids around.

We're renaming initiatives, and we're totally ignoring the root of the problem.

You have 30 seconds left.

Over half of the students in Stamford Public Schools cannot read or do math at grade level.

In 2019, the last year there's data, 42.8% of the students could do math at grade level, and only 47.8 could read at grade level.

If we are committed to equity and diversity inclusion, it starts with literacy and math in elementary school.

I want to know what is the reading curriculum we use?

How do we train teachers?

What intervention is provided based on these test scores to get kids up to grade level?

Because the fact that so many kids, disproportionately Black and Brown, are reading below grade level is not racist, it is criminal.

Stamford is a very diverse community, please keep that in mind.

As the biggest minority, lar, larges, largest minority in Stamford, we do need translation and interpretation services at board meetings, school meetings, or any type of educational meeting.

Okay?

You guys understand how frustrating it is when we're trying to be engaged in our children's education, but we are not able to understand what is going on.

Not, we're not just looking for translation and interpretation services, we're looking for inclusion.

We would like to be included.

The language is a big barrier.

Please recognize this.

If you want us to be involved, you have to provide translation and interpretation services.

You're not doing us a favor.

This is a right that we have.

When examining high school graduation rates, African American students are consistently the lowest.

Absenteeism: Black students are consistently the highest.

Suspension expulsion rates: Black students have had the highest rate of disciplinary action since this type of data has been collected in the district.

Lastly, when we examine current third grade reading data, this is the data that the state of North Carolina uses to project prison population, when we look at that number in Stamford, Black students, again, are the most depressed in that area.

The data shows that Black students are at risk of not being prepared for post-secondary activities.

This problem requires critical care.

Stamford schools are a family.

We must assign the diagnostic, critical, and intensive intervention required to move all of our students toward standard.

Thank you for your commitment to the families of Stamford to ensure we all receive the same return on investment for the 13 years spent in our school system.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All of my seats are six feet apart from one another, but I'm happy to wear a mask or not wear a mask.

I, I'm, I'm double shotted.

Okay.

So, exactly, Supposedly I can't give it, and I can't get it.

exactly.

Nice.

I am, I am vaccinated.

Yes.

And I'm fine.

Just as long as everyone is vaccinated, Yes.

then I'm good.

Um, not sure what you want to know about Stamford Public Schools, but the couple of things that we offer that our graduates tell us all the time when they come back to see us after they've graduated and are off to college, is that when they are out and about and go into their courses, they see a diverse group of students at, in their college courses.

And when you come from a Darien or you come from a New Canaan, they're not having that same experience.

And so their ability to interact with all types of people, which you have probably done your entire life, is very different for them.

How is it that we accentuate Um hm.

the diversity that we have Um hm.

and brag about it as something Um hm, um hm.

we have that others don't?

Um hm.

Um humm.

One.

Um humm.

And then two: Ummm, how is it that the perception of who we are Um hm.

and what we have Um hm.

can be changed?

Um hm.

I don't know that it's a negative perception that we have, it's the lack of people willing to understand what Stamford is today versus what we were ten, 20 years ago.

Okay.

Can you discuss a little bit about the Alliance with, you know, Charmaine?

This is basically, I'm quite sure you don't know about the, a, the this new pro, this new organization called the Alliance.

Um, Would you be able to speak a little bit about that?

Yeah, um, It's just a group of people have gotten together who say that um, they would like to see students of color get a better education here in Stamford.

So I don't know that it's, it's just a small group of us who have kind of joined together to have conversations about what that looks like.

If you look at the expulsion data suspension data, it's usually Black boys who are being suspended at a greater rate, expelled at a greater rate.

And we think that something should be done about that.

You know, we want to make sure that everyone has access to different types of classes both at the middle school and high school level and so that's something we want our board to start talking about.

How are we going to make sure that everyone gets what they need in Stamford Public Schools?

So yeah.

So if I had two five-year-olds and I was looking at I like that.

a home in Stamford or a home in Fairfield, how do I think about the differences in the school systems?

Well, I think that you have to ask yourself: "What kind of experience do I want my child to have?"

And then you have to look at both Fairfield, phenomenal school district, and Stamford, phenomenal school district, and you've got to decide whether or not we match what you want for your child.

What, what would be some of the the selling points, you think, about the Stamford school system?

I think that people have to be willing to do their work, to, I mean, they're your children.

Hmm!

You have work to do.

It's not for me to sell my school district, it's for you to decide where do I want my child to go to school?

And what do we have to offer here?

We have phenomenal, lower Fairfield County has phenomenal school districts.

I'm not going to argue that one's better than the other.

We all offer something very different, but Stamford offers something special.

We have true diversity in Stamford better than any other school district because we have very affluent families and we have families of need, and we have families with 75 different languages that are spoken.

And so if that's what you want your child to experience, then that's what you're going to go after.

But if you decide that that's not what you want, we're not the school district for you.

(String instruments and piano tune their notes).

Okay.

We're good.

Umm, take out your music and do a run through of the movement that you are struggling with the most.

While you do that, I am going to grab my violin.

Okay?

Go!

You can do it.

You can doodle.

(Students practice).

(They merge into song).

Beautiful.

Can we do this?

Start on, can you play your open A Give me a nice big pull.

Ready?

Yeah.

Big bow.

Yeah, so, each of those, hear that nice how it sticks, right?

Now I want.

And I'll fix that.

But that's the pull that we do.

Can you go through there?

Ready?

From the same spot.

That's exactly what I need.

Um, can I hear first seconds and violas at that same spot?

And nice big pull like you just did.

Ready?

One.

two at 1, 0, 9.

(Student chatter in the auditorium).

Verify your date of birth for me.

April 24th.

Right, what's you last name?

okay good.

And you're going to write your name and your birthday right on that card for me.

Did you check in?

Now Oh, I checked in with the lady at the front desk, yeah.

You guys checked in?

Yeah.

Okay, so just sit right here.

Once, Once he's done, then you're gunna go.

Her or this one?

No, any one.

Any one, yeah.

Any one?

Okay.

Done.

Not bad, right?

Just gunna ask you a couple of questions, if that's okay?

Yeah.

All right.

Don't be nervous.

Just relax.

I'm not going to do anything yet.

Does it, would I?

Do I feel anything?

You're, no, no, no, you're not going to feel a thing.

It's going to go in and you're going to be like, that's it?

Is that it?

That's how easy it's gunna be.

Are you a righty or a lefty?

I'm a righty.

All right, so we're gunnna use your left arm.

It's going to go way up top in the muscle.

Okay?

All righty.

Let's roll this up.

Clean off the skin.

And here we go, okay?

Ready?

Yep.

Alright, so while she's Perfect.

cause I can't That's it.

That's it?

Yeah.

Easy, right?

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you, for doing this.

All right, let me run Okay.

That's it.

Yes.

So you take those things.

You have to wait for 15 minutes on the other side.

You come back on June 7th for dose number two.

Okay.

And bring this too?

Okay?

Yes, yes.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

So we watched that program Th, The, The Social Dilemma.

Overall, what were your impressions of it?

It's like It freaked me our a little bit.

Scary.

It was information that I had an idea of, but it just went further in depth.

Yeah.

Yeah.

How so?

Yeah.

They're objective like with, um, this, the news and mainstream media is to keep you hooked.

Yeah.

So, but just the ways in which it was done and hearing from the actual experts like, hey, yeah, this is what they do.

I feel like everyone kind of, at this point, like, knows that, like, those companies do collect your data, but I don't think I understood, to like, that extent Um hm.

at which they're watch, like, I guess, watching us, like, which kind of freaked me out.

Yeah.

It kind of makes me feel like, I'm, like, to a degree, unsafe.

I mean, obviously, no disrespect to the people in the room currently, when people make a documentary, they have a, they have a thesis or they have, you know, but generally they're trying to push a message.

Do you think they were one sided in their presentation of the issue?

Yeah.

I mean, I just think all the like subjects of the actual documentary part, um, they were all the exact same, like, breed of people.

Um, like, I mean, they were all like, uh, late 2000s, uh, like tech people.

So they all kind of have the same perspective, but I mean, whatever.

Well, I mean, they're presenting social media in its current form is not good.

Is that is that a fair?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Umm, and they also talked about you know, misinformation but also they touch, you know, about political polarization.

Um, so that was the nature of the sources that you looked at.

D, do you perceive there to be a problem?

Yeah.

Like with social media?

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah.

A, a, a, and polarization?

Yeah, yeah.

Yes, Absolutely.

Do you thi, i, is this the firs time we've ever been polarized?

No.

No.

No.

No.

No.

I mean, the fact that we have two political parties would suggest that.

There was some degree of polarization.

Yeah.

Now is there?

There's political differences and then there's polariza, What do you think they mean by polarization?

Animosity towards the other side.

Okay, animosity, okay, which is, I would argue is at an increase and several of the sources talked about that.

But what also does polarization mean?

Being, uh, like Manichean, like one side is right, one side is wrong.

Okay, okay.

An, and I guess what they also mean by polarization is that there is now a further division between the two poles and increasingly there is a smaller group.

At the center.

At the center, or at least a, a group at the center who is not particularly what?

Vocal.

Vocal.

Okay.

Umm, so, okay, we've established that there is a problem.

Is social media, though, to blame for the problem?

It's not the only thing to blame.

But yeah, I don't Yeah.

It's not the the only thing Okay, so let's take social media out of the equation.

What else is to blame for the problem?

Well, The news.

I feel like it's the big tech companies that are feeding it, like, they do it.

I feel like us people in general are the problem.

Oooh.

I think that, in many ways.

I mean, over the last, like, quarter century or so, people's material conditions have, uh, gotten a lot worse.

Umm, Like, I mean, income inequality has returned to pre-Great Depression levels and so I think that's, you know, definitely a possible source of, you know, discontentment, disillusion.

Don't, like, crucify me for this.

I don't want to say, like, capitalism is the reason, but, like, the fact that the main goal of having these corporations running the media, and the umm, social media and all that jazz, is that since they are capitalizing off of it, and the main goal is to capitalize off of it, it's always going to be kind of corrupt because they, they'll make money any way they can, even if that means creating the echo chambers or spreading false information or whatever.

I mean, that's a very, very common complaint that anybody who looks at it critically would realize, or with open eyes would realize that that the news we get is often done in a way with a profit motive behind it.

Yeah.

Okay.

And, you know, I'm a capitalist, okay?

I think it's been one of the most positive forces in human history, but it does not mean it doesn't come with a host of?

Issues.

Issues and problems and pathologies.

Well, what could we do?

Stop watching cable news.

Okay, okay.

But, but the idea was more about social media.

But, okay.

You can say that.

And so you stop watching cable news.

Okay.

Then where are you going to get your news from?

Um, I don't know, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal.

I think the issue with that is like, if you talk to most people, they don't read the newspaper.

Yeah.

And like, I know many people like in my own life, Don't read.

they don't read.

They don't have time to read the newspapers or they're just, they don't have the capacity to read like a 1200 word essay.

Yeah.

So if you're going to say get rid of cable news, I think there needs to be an easier version of these newspapers to Well it's easy to read the news on your phone.

That's, that's what I'm saying.

People- Yeah.

It's not the accessibility.

It's that people don't.

Yeah?

People don't like reading.

People aren't built up like from a young age to read newspapers anymore.

People just don't have that Well, that's a larger issue.

Yeah, but I'm saying People, I mean, it's, I mean, it's now, umm, you talked about like The New York Times or oth, other, you know, more print sources.

But I think a counter to that would be is just like Fox News crafts its product for an audience.

So does The New York Times.

The New York Times or the Wall Street Journal or the New York Post.

I mean, but the fact that you would read them, you would probably, I would conc, I would agree with you.

You get more information.

Than you would by watching Yeah.

Tucker Carlson or Rachel.

I know, I had to say it so I had to see you cringe.

Or, or Rachel Maddow for 2 minutes, or 8 minutes, or whatever Yeah, I mean, no reported news can ever be like 100% like, you know, perfect.

No.

There's no real, there's no, like 100% objective view of reality.

But um, uh, you know, I think the large newspapers, uh, they, have the best, uh, they're the best source for that.

I mean, I feel like you could just educate yourself.

If you really feel like um, you're watching news that's biased, then go try to con, like consume as much news as you can, just not from one source.

Um hm.

Okay.

I feel like you shouldn' get your news and social media like, you know, try to get them from other places instead.

And if you are going to have like a stance on something, I honestly couldn't care like what kind of stance you have, of course, unless you're being like a bigot.

But like, I honestly couldn't care what like stance on things that you have.

Just be aware, like, know what you're talking about.

I feel like too many people go into arguments and discussions and debates not knowing a lick of what they're talking about, aside from some random person who tweeted about it or like, put an infographic on Instagram.

Like, re, if you actually care about an issue and you, like, if you see, if you, granted you do see something on social media, don't just take it for what it is.

Go look it up.

Go, I don't know, watch the full video.

Go read the full article.

Go, go look into what it's actually about as opposed to just taking it and like, you know, just ... Eli take it.

Ball to Cam.

Wait, now cut.

Now cut.

Ball to Cam.

Cam, wait.

Cam wait.

Take it.

Era zero.

Zero.

(Whistle blows) I got ball, I got ball.

It's okay, he's fine.

He's going to hang out and we're going to play.

The score board shows way more than your stat book.

When everybody looks at the scoreboard at the end of the game, they look at who won and who lost.

You want to win first.

And that happens as a team.

(Whistle).

Your role might not be a dodger.

Your role might not be a shooter.

Your role might not be, you know, um, a, a top leading scorer on the offense.

But whatever your role is, you need to fulfill it and you need to embrace it.

Just like in anything that you guys are doing, when you get into the the work world, the professional world, you guys are doing these things for the greater good of the group that you are a part of.

And until you realize that, we're not going to be a successful offensive unit because we have some guys that just want to score, some guys that just want to dodge.

Fulfill your role, play your role, and execute on the field.

Understood?

Coach!

whada-whadda-yippidy boom-da-boo Rama lama lama ga dinga da dinga dong.

Shoo-bop sha wadda wadda yippity boom de boom.

Chang chang changitty chang sha-bop.

Dip da-dip da-dip doo-wop a doo-bee doo.

Boogedy boogedy boogedy boogedy Shooby doo-wop sha-bop.

(Pop music plays in background).

So let me talk to you about an idea, um, really the idea that I think we do college really well, whether that is a two year or four year, but career?

To just release you out into a career, I don't think we do that well at all.

And so I would love to see, like, umm, if a student said: "I don't know that I want to go to college, you know, I want to be an entrepreneur or I want to be a umm, hairstylist or I want to be a umm, nurse practitioner” or something that does not require a four year degree.

Um, a nurse practitioner probably does.

Um, that you are able to, like, say, these are all the careers that are out there.

How do you kind of get there?

Now, this is going to take a year to put together.

This isn't something that's going to start in the fall, but I really do think it's the first step into this whole career versus I'm getting ready for college or I'm getting ready for college, but I'd really like to have this sort of background so that I'm able to do construction management while I am paying for college.

Don't just decide what my option is.

Or not.

You know, you're just saying No.

show me all of my options Right.

and um, and then at that point, they can make a decision about The can make what's best, an informed decision.

That's right.

What's best for them.

And don't just say there is alt oh, you can have an alternative cause that's where the problem is.

Oh, you know, That's exactly right.

this is the alternative.

You take the alternative, you take, you can take this or here's an alternative.

Right.

I think that were so afraid that we're going to track a kid down that road that were afraid to build that road.

And I think it's time to build that road.

Right.

Right.

But we need to be very clear with our school counselors that yours is not to decide where someone ends up or even takes a, a, a, a step down that road.

And where I do think we do it very poorly, is that you might see a kid who is super smart and just says, this is what I want to do.

This, I know in my heart that I like to work with my hands and I like to, you know, do this or that I want to, you know, and then name whatever you are and you don't necessarily need a college degree to do that.

Right.

You know were in an area where people, college is very valued.

We're in the northeast area, Right.

most educated area Right.

here in the state.

So Right.

it's hard for people to even think about you not going to college cause Right.

the kids are telling me: “Oh, Miss Wilson” over Thanksgiving break, that's all they get pressured.

Where are you going to college?

And if you have any other plan outside of that, your aunts, uncles, grandparents think that, you know, you're not going to make it, so.

Right.

Right.

Um, so I don't think it's just the school.

I just think it's generally our culture.

Yep.

(Music plays in background).

Hello, girls.

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

Ooh.

Wow!

Oh, Lord.

Oh, great.

That's beautiful on you.

Yeah.

Look.

Oh, God.

So I would love you to take a prom dress.

I would love you to take a graduation dress.

Oh, thank you I would love you to take shoes.

And don't worr that its on the football field, because you guys are going to be dressing up pre-prom.

That's true.

So, and then you get Converse, whatever.

And then I want you to take jewelry and I want you to take makeup okay?

It's really cute.

I like those better, much better on you.

How do they feel?

If it was like a, a junior prom, I definitely um, would.

But we don't, we don't have a junior prom.

Sadly, we don't.

We can't keep looking at data and saying, well, the data doesn't really say that.

Well, all across this country, we know that that's what the data says.

Now, how we got here is, is a lot of different ways, but we're a group of people that can solve, or begin to de, developing solutions to this problem for ourselves in Stamford.

It's hard for me to to focus on this while we keep segregating people.

Black and White and Brown and this.

Why can't it be more equitable for all students of color?

And just like, like Jackie Heftman said, and she took the words right out of my mouth before I said it, is the big elephant in the room is the achievement gap.

That's where we need to focus our effort on.

I don't want to focus on skin color.

And again, I'm for Black achievement, but I'd want to take the skin color out of the equation cause in the, in the policy it's written, it talks about White supremacy.

It talks about Black, it talks about White, it talks about skin color.

It talks about color of people.

We need to be colorblind Um hm.

and focus on achievement, curriculum for all students, whether it's White, Black, Brown, Yellow, whatever, all students, all students of color.

So that's where I want to see the policies written or the regulations written, the curriculum written, Um hm.

all students of color.

Whether it's Black or Brown, uh, Black and Brown, obviously the achievement gap shows the statis, the statistics of the Black and Brown students.

So that's where we should be focusing on, on the achievement gap.

So I want to try to take color out of the equation.

Can I just, can I just jump?

Yeah.

Can I just jump in um, real quick?

I guess it's, to me it's kind of an oxymoron because if you say we should focus on the achievement gap for students of color, that's still a delineation between White students and non-White students, right?

So, so clearly there is a, a, a, a difference between how k, kids who are not White are achieving.

So if we look at, so we've accepted that.

Your statement says that you've accepted that there is a differenc because we need to focus on the There is a big gap.

But their social economical, Right, okay.

social economics have a play into it too.

It's not all about skin color.

See?

You're focusing on skin color.

Right.

That's fine but the, the, Focus on the acheivement gap.

Yeah, but they do tend to go hand in hand.

But let's, let's forget about that.

I'm sorry, I guess I didn't So now, now we Nope.

I'm sorry.

Let, let's bring this back.

Let's bring this back.

Uh, Jackie Pioli, go ahead.

Thank you.

So there's a couple of things that I want to address and I know my statements are not going to be popular, but my honesty often gets me in trouble.

So I take full responsibility as a board member.

I, I mean, I hear that, yeah, we collect data, we do collect data, and I've said that, but we do nothing with the data.

We collect the data as a board, we look at it and the day moves on, and it's the same business the next day.

So, when we say that we look at data, looking at data and not coming up with a resolution or addressing it, is not fixing the problem.

And the problem exists.

I don't know how, and it's not to any one board member, but I don't know how in 2020 we sit here and we act like the problem doesn't exist.

I've dealt with it with my own children in Stamford Public Schools.

So if, if board members don't see that there is a difference in the education that Black and Brown students are getting to our White students, I implore you all, go to our high schools, go in AP classes, go in honors classes, and then go in college uh, prep classes and see the difference of the students.

So, Mr.

King, yes, we get data, but we don't do anything with the data.

So I implore you to hold our feet to the ground each and every one of the board members, because we represent all children.

Um hmm.

And to say or to even imply, I, I just I'm, I'm, I'm shocked that we don't see that there's a difference.

I've been on this board for almost three years.

Every time I bring up a difference or data that we want to look at, we don't have a discussion as a board because as nine adults, we can't have an open discussion regarding race race and education.

Um hmm.

So please A, and don't, and I, I apologize, Mr.

King.

No, no, it's okay For to say that yes, we get data, we do nothing with the data.

So yes, please, implore us, hold our feet to the ground, make us be responsible for all children.

Because if it was the other way around and a certain group of children were not achieving, their parents would be yelling at us every day at every regular board meeting on how there's an inequity in our school system.

Okay.

Okay.

Um, let's, let's hear, I'm sorry, Nadine, I had cut you off before.

So if you want to continue.

And then Jennifer Foreman.

Yeah.

Sorry.

My apologies, I, I'm new to all this.

You know, I'm, I'm used to speaking out of turn, so my apologies for that.

I, I guess I was just saying that um, for me, I. So if we look at that and, and, and we say, okay, we have a, a subset of students, students of color just in general, I think every subcategory, ther is a different reason why there is an achievement gap and we can't apply a blanket strategy to cover everything.

So I think for us, our laser focus, because we're at the bottom, works for Black students.

And, you know, just taking a look at what all the components were that kind of led to this achievement gap.

And that's what we just wanted to laser focus on.

It's like if you have cancer, you're not just going to go take a Tylenol, right?

You're going to go to a specialist that's going to address that particular ailment and, and, and, and, and, and zero in on what is causing it so that, you know, you can holistically get better.

And that's, that's what we're trying to do.

It's not like we're not interested in every other other group or whatever, but we're just trying to see what we can do, as a community, to help and uplift this group.

(Bell rings.)

Up.

Gotta get in the hall.

Walk, walk, walk, walk.

(Hallway chatter) (Beep, beep, beep).

Anybody in the 6th grade hallway?

Um (beep) is, is really, um, somebody on my list.

So, you know, today we had an interaction where, um, uh, he was in the hallway and he was running, um, and so I was like (beep, beep).

Um, and he just kind of ran past me and then went upstairs.

And I didn't think he was going to do anything wrong, per se.

I literally just wanted to tell him, you know, slow down when you're in the hallways Because they are, there's a lot of a lot of kids in the, in the, in the halls.

So I go upstairs and then I see him connect with another student.

And so it's period four.

So I know he's supposed to be in his specials class, which is Spanish.

But then he's going upstair and then he's going downstairs.

William (beep) and (beep are running around the building.

Anyone on the first floor by the front?

I'm actually not far, I'm at the corner.

So luckily Roberto catches him and, like, finally I get up to him and I start talking to him real quick, and then it goes, like, turns into pure defiance, like swearing, saying inappropriate things, putting his earbuds back in after I've asked him to take ‘em out.

Like just walking away from me.

So what's going on?

Turn around, face me.

For what?

I'm calling your name.

I have headphones in.

So give me the headphones.

If, if, if, that's what you say to me three times that you can't hear anybody because of your headphones.

So if, if that's the issue, then we can't wear them anymore.

I'm trying to be respectful of, of you wearing them, but That's three times.

Then I'll stay home.

If I can't wear my stay home.

That's fair.

Alright, bro.

Come on.

Where are you?

We sit down and we're talking and, like, I calm down, he calms down and he's, he's smart and understands the importance of school.

But his, like, in his mind he's very resigned to the fact that, look, if you guys are going to force me to be here,you have to deal with, like who I am and how I'm going to behave.

And he's like, nobody needs to talk to me.

I'm just coming here because I'm required to, and, an, and I I asked him to talk about who he cares about, and he said, my family.

And he clarified, like, his siblings and his mom.

And I guess not everybody lives in the house because I think some are older.

And I was like, what happens if somebody is in need?

And he's like, well, they can take care of themselves.

I'm like I understand that, but don't you, you said you care about them, want to help if they are struggling?

And he was like, well, not unless they ask or but, you know, they can figure it out.

And I was like, well what about you?

If you are struggling, would you want them to help me?

No, like I'll figure it out.

And I was like, what you're describing is being isolated.

And he's like, I didn't say that.

I was like, you didn't say that, but you're talking about even the family who you say you care about most, if they're having trouble, you feel like they're, they don't need you, and you feel like if you're, have trouble, they, you don't need them.

I mean, that's just a a hard place to be in.

How do you actually get a student to engage with anything meaningfully, let alone follow, like, hey, take your ear buds out, go to class, wait your turn to get called up for lunch, when their mindset is the only reason I'm here is because you called DCF and I'm, I'm I need to be here.

I don't know.

So that was a, that's a really tough one on my mind.

Grab your gloves.

You probably only need one glove for this.

It's not in plastic bags, right?

Yeah.

Oh, and this, this bucket, this bucket has, like, fishing line and stuff.

Okay, well that's slack.

Is this paper and I don't even, just put it into the cleaner paper.

Yeah.

Put it here.

This is a Kimmel essay.

The what?

Oh.

A Kimmel essay.

What the hell is that?

It looks like ... Wait.

So I was talking to Brian about our golf game.

And Brian, we were playing 9 holes, and Brian shoots like a 40, Seven.

which is crazy.

And then.

His best?

He shot a 36?

He's really good.

I heard he shot a 36.

He might have.

He said he averages 41, He said the next best people, shoot like 70's.

No way.

Who Brian?

On the front 9.

Brian?

Yeah.

He's like, I heard he's really good.

Someone told me he shot, he was shooting like 36.

Yeah.

You shoot a 36, right buddy?

Yeah.

We've got 4 school woods.

First, Where?

It's probably all mine.

Yeah.

I could shoot 36 on the first five holes.

On Monday, there is a series of questions that you will be answering full of quantitatively, based on the numbers that are appearing in there and qualitatively.

Like, what does this mean, um, and what's the difference between garbage and litter?

Cause their not the same.

Sound good?

Yeah.

Go.

Have fun tomorrow.

By Ms.

Karlson.

Show me pictures on Monday Cancel your dentist appointment.

Please.

Have a good day.

Bye Ms.

K. So long.

So, who is the oldest person you know?

The word old means what?

What is old?

What about you, Richard?

What's old?

What does that mean?

In French?

Hmmm?

In French?

Say it again.

In French?

Old?

Yeah.

Say it again?

Old.

What does it mean?

Un vieux.

Yeah, yeah.

I didn't hear the first thing you said.

Yeah.

So old means somebody who is, who has more age than you do, more years of life than you do.

For example, how old are you, um, Kenny?

14.

14 years old.

How old are you Santos?

(unclear) How old are you?

What's the number in Spanish?

How old?

Huh?

Old.

Old.

Anos.

Old.

Cuantos Anos tienes?

(A friend speaks in Spanish to provide information) Guys, go to class.

Huh?

Let's go.

Entiendo si.

Veintitrés.

Veintitrés?

23 You're 23 years old?

Veintitrés?

No, no.

How old are you?

Catorce.

Catorce is 14.

Can you say 14?

Four teen.

Can you repeat that?

Fourteen.

Thank you.

Guys, you're really late.

Okay, so Santos is 14 years old.

You are how old?

18.

18 years old.

And you're how old?

14.

14.

So Santos and Kenny are the same age.

Notebook?

Notebook and copy the prompt.

Let's go.

Need to go get your notebook.

Notebook.

Thank you.

Okay?

Samuel is older than Kenny, and Samuel is older than Santos.

Older.

Richard, the phone is away or it's mine, right?

Older.

My question for you, who is the oldest?

I am the oldest person in this class.

I am older than Samuel.

I am older than Kenny, and I am older than Santos.

So oldest is the person with the most years.

Who is the oldest person you know?

Who's the oldest person you know?

Christian, you finished eating?

Mask.

Who is the oldest person you know?

Umm, my uncle.

Your uncle.

Okay.

Who's the oldest person you know?

Angela.

(Girls converse in Spanish about understanding the question).

Who means quien.

Who is the oldest person you know?

My, Oldest person.

my father?

Your father.

Who's the oldest person you know?

My grandmother.

Your grandmother.

Kenny, who is the oldest person you know?

Uh, Mi Abuela?

Abuela is what in Spanish?

Somebody help Kenny.

What's abuela in English?

Grandmother.

Grandmother.

Grandmother.

Can you say grandmother?

Grandmother.

Grandmother.

Nice work.

Okay.

How do I answer this question?

What is the sentence I can use to answer this question?

Who is the oldest person you know?

How do we answer this question?

How do I answer it?

How do I answer this question?

In a complete sentence?

What might I say to answer the question?

When I asked you, you said mother, grandmother, grandfather.

How do I put that in a sentence?

Let's look at our question.

Let's start here.

What's the word here, Julisa?

The The oldest Um hm.

person.

I have you.

If I'm going to answer the question, do I use you or I?

U. I?

I. The oldest person I Know.

Here we go.

The oldest person I know is blank.

Please write this sentence and answer it.

Choose your word from here.

Write this sentence to answer the question.

Let's go.

Yeah.

I have another question for you.

You don't have to copy the question.

Don't worry about that.

My question is, how old are they?

How old are they?

How do you answer that question?

How old are they?

Richard?

What do you think?

How do you answer that question?

They are?

They are, right?

They are.

They are what?

You give me a number.

They are what?

How old is your person?

Sometimes you don't know.

It's okay if you don't know if they're 100, 50, 60, 90 years old.

But I want you to, uhh, guess!

Guess a number.

Guess is adivinar in Spanish, right?

Guess a number for me.

Guess a number for me.

How old are they?

Your sentence is not finished yet, Richard.

They are blank what?

75?

75 ye ... ?

Years old?

Years old.

Okay.

Richard's person is 75 years old.

How old is your person Emerson?

90?

50?

70?

How old?

I want you to give me a number.

Complete that sentence with a number.

Okay?

Julissa, how old is your person?

How old?

81.

81 years old?

How old?

70.

70 years old?

Yeah.

Years.

Can you say that?

Years?

70 years.

Old.

Old.

Old.

Thank you.

(Hallway chatter).

I've been playing around with this whole idea of, like, some sort of, um, sch, uh, a community school without classrooms.

Those kids who are just not either coming to school on a regular basis or when they come to school, they're just not, for some reason, not able to access the curriculum in a way that is making them earn their credit to graduate.

Um hm.

So do we take a building principal and offer them the opportunity to be a principal at large or a principal, You know, I keep playing around with different things in my head.

Let's say that we take 200 kids that this principal is going to be in charge of.

Using the current resource: the deans of students, the school counselors, what supports need to be in place so that that kid is either coming to school and having time in a chair and earning their credits, and then maybe having a mentor that's helping them with edgenuity and everything to earn the extra credits that they need.

Or, these are kids who aren't even getting out of bed to come to school.

Right.

And so we've got to put a plan in place for them.

So you're putting individual plans in place for the students, and that's the job of this person.

Well, I mean, I'm thinking about a whole bunch of different things, umm, that would be pieced together, right?

It would probably be a combination of working with like the Mayor's youth employment program.

Right?

Creating internships.

Umm, Right?

maybe setting up independent studies where we can.

I mean, do you see it as, it's not one or the other, like, it could be you're taking period one or whatever in school, but then you're actually spending the, you know, part of your day over here, maybe going back to school.

Right.

I just feel like it could be all of that.

But I need someone who I don't have to be completely clear what it's going to be.

That I just say, Can kind of take it and run.

Exactly.

Okay.

A lot of the kids that, you know, we're talking about are the ones who it, it's a multitude of factors that, It's all kinds of, And that's why it needs to be That are the community based, obstacle.

Right.

because sometimes it's something just as simple as this: I have a hole in my shoe.

That could keep kids out of school for weeks.

Right.

So simple.

Seems so simple.

Haircuts too.

Haircuts.

Yeah.

I, I, I don't have money to wash my clothes so every so often, I just don't come to school for Right.

a certain amount of time.

Right.

Right.

That to me is, that, so set up a mechanism so we can deal with that.

I mean, you would want to probably, create a pipeline Right.

to different things, right?

Community college, Um hmm.

umm, definitely businesses and internships.

Right.

But you're going to need to incorporate what are the skills that, that the kids need.

Right.

So like a classical workplace learning is something we might want to like boost up and actually like Yeah.

have that become a mandatory class for these kids.

Like you guys are going to need to take a workplace learning class.

Right.

This is about doing what's right for kids, not barely getting them across the finish line.

The summer school graduation that we do at the high school is the saddest moment for me, because we barely got them across and we absolutely know that they're going to fail.

Their next move is not good because we don't do anything.

So we need to grab those kids and, like, this program to me at some point will grab those kids and, Hey, Janine, can I call you in like five minutes?

All right, bye.

Um, grab those kids and say: "We're not done yet."

So a little bit of post-secondary work too?

Definitely.

Because we didn't do our jobs.

Yeah.

When you barely get them out of high school, we didn't do our jobs.

They're are students that are in my head that I've seen over the years as I go into Westhill and I go into Stamford High and I walk down Bedford Street and see hang out at McDonald's.

And it's just, it needs to happen.

Yeah, yeah.

It just is so frustrating to me that we just let some kids some kids not be successful and we don't do anything about it, and we don't even feel bad about it.

We just let them walk out the door and that's it.

Well I think our definition of success is the problem, right?

And that why Right, right.

the feelings that you're Yeah.

feeling aren't felt by other people, it's beacuse we've succeeded if they Yeah.

if they cross that line.

And it's not.

Um, That's it, right?

Yeah.

For many people that 12th grade year is the, whatever happens after that, Right.

Yeah.

you know we've done our job.

It's not us.

Right And to me it is that what we've done is the bare minimum.

And now we're in a situation that we have this student wh has barely made it over our hump and where's the return on our investment there?

We spent 13 years with that kid.

And you wouldn't let tha happen to one of your children?

No, of course not.

And so that's the, who's obligation is that?

Like, my parents were, it was not even a possibility that we were going to fail.

Right.

I, I, look I really like finding creative solutions to do things.

Right.

Right.

I, I, many of the jobs that I've had, have done or, or programs that I've been a part of the build on, Um hmm.

are right in line with this type of work.

Right.

So what, I mean, I, I think I could be an asset on a team building it.

Um hm.

Umm, for, for sure.

Uhh, and I think you're going to need multiple perspectives to, to do this right.

Um hm.

Ummm.

As far as, like, I'm, m, my interest in doing something like that?

I have an interest in doing something like that, Um hm.

but I also, I, like, hav, love this building.

Umm.

Right.

Right.

Exactly.

And a, yeah.

And please know I am talking to people not because Yeah, I know.

I want to pull them out of their buildings, but because I want their help in figuring this out.

Where's Miss Leydon?

I don't know.

She had to g so I am going to watch you guys.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Next is Gina Calabrese.

Good evening, um, I'm Gina Calabrese.

I have a son who will be starting high school in Stamford in the fall.

I'm speaking tonight in support of the district's adoption of the new equity policy.

I was moved to speak because many parents have been vocal in opposition And that's usually the case that opponents of anything new speak out.

So I would like you to know that I am among the many who support the policy.

Because of my profession as a lawyer and supervisor of a law school clinic, Critical Race Theory is a concept with which I've been acquainted for decades.

In fact, my students learn it through their lived experiences in court, where they observe that justice looks very different for people of color and for those without wealth, and those who for who English is not first language, like it was for my grandparents, than it is for better off White people.

And very different from the ideals we learn about in books.

CRT was developed by university scholars and has been introduced to university students for decades.

The definition of CRT that is used in the SPS policy is received by some as polarizing.

That is understandable, especially with the attention it's getting in the news.

The core idea is that racism is a social construct, and that it is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies.

There is no denying this truth.

Many Stamford parents wonder why neighboring towns like Darien have better educational outcome and spend more money per student on public education.

Or why some schools here are, quote unquote, better than others.

That can be directly traced to systemic racism and specifically redlining.

Most of us here learned only half truths about subjects like colonialism and westward expansion.

It was not until college that I learned, you know, of, you know, really expansively of the harms and violence that were perpetrated.

Those are just two examples.

My son, in contrast, learned of the displacement against Native Americans back in fifth grade.

He had a strong sense of the moral injustice of taking people's homes away and telling them to go live somewhere else.

Um, that was Ba, a fifth graders words and it was his own sense of injustice, not something that had been indoctrinated.

Do you remember where it is?

Yeah, I remember it has Somewhere Right here.

Is that it?

Oooh, yeah, you guys found one.

With a spider on it.

What do you believe about the students who are on the very bottom of the academic and behavioral gaps in Stamford?

What do you honestly think about the propensity for Black children to learn in this district?

If we simply let it sit at the current, yet long standing, data points, I fear the perception, regardless of how true will be that we are either complicit about certain children failing, or that we don't find it problematic enough to meet this matter with our open and honest, urgent attention.

He's under the slide.

He's under the slide.

No he's not.

Ahhhhhh!

Ahhhhhh!

Quick, think of something to tell me.

Just go!

I'm it!

I'm it!

I'm it!

And with that, that brings us to the end of our regular meeting for the school year.

Um, and And I just want to thank all of our board members for their participation and their hard work this year.

And it has been a challenge for us all.

But I think there's some things that we may have learned from this experience.

And there's some new aha moments that we take into our district looking towards next year.

Um, and I just wanted to share that with the board and with that, I will move for a motion to adjourn.

Motion to, uh, second, uh, motion to adjourn by Mr.

Tarzia, seconded by Mr.

Duplaise.

Any opposed to adjourning?

No, so we are adjourned at 9:53 and that passes one, two, three four ... 9-0-0.

Yes, you may gently wipe the screen.

Miss Wall?

Miss Wall?

Yes.

Can I get a, Mines not even that dirty.

Jo, Jo, Jo, do a little bit Great!

Did you do the inside, Jo?

Yes.

Well that's good.

You did it with clean hands and you didn't use your feet.

Okay.

Miss Wall?

Thank you.

If it's a little bit wet, that's okay.

That means it's clean and there's no germs.

Mr.

Tripp has the key.

I do.

Yeah, that's okay So you're missing the key too?

Okay, perfect.

I'm going to put yours here.

Here you go.

Thank you.

Did you get your charger wrapped?

Mr.

de Andrade?

Copy.

Location, sir?

My office.

Going to the 6th grade wing.

Okay, meet you at the 6th grade wing.

Hey Mr.

L. Good morning.

Hey guys.

Are, are a lot of kids out today?

Ah, yes.

Have you guys seen Dr.

Micik?

I haven't.

Uh, I just, I did see him.

He's in the building?

I believe, I thought I saw him.

I thought he was going to Oh, no, he's at graduation.

Is he at graduation?

Then it wasn't him that I saw, somebody else.

Okay.

He wore his last day of school bowtie yesterday.

Yeah, he wore his victory tie yesterday.

So that might have been what I was, had in my head.

All right, all right.

Sounds good.

I'll let Matt know.

Thank you.

He, he did.

What time are you going over.

I'm going to leave soon.

Just to make sure everything is set up, you know, the, the way it needs to be.

We've never done it over there so Yeah.

Nate was ready to go.

Uh, Nate's probably there right now.

I know.

(Laughter).

Hello.

What's up?

How are you?

I'm good.

You happy, last day?

Yes.

All right.

Oh, Mr.

Laskowski.

Yes.

Hi.

Oh, okay.

Uh, I talked to Frank.

Is that what you're ...?

Oh, okay.

No, no.

Yeah.

Oh.

No, I just, obviously, wanted to say thank you.

Uh, as far as cleaning up, because I was just notified yesterday.

Yeah.

Would I be able to get in?

When?

Afterwards?

Friday or?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So tomorrow I'm going to be in, uh, like a meeting all day.

Okay.

Friday, I'll be here all day.

I'm pretty flexible.

So.

Yeah, just shoot me a text.

I'll be in, okay?

And you can come and do whatever you need to do.

I know.

No, I know.

It's just.

I know.

16 years.

I get it, I totally get it.

Mr.

Roberto, come in.

Yes.

Hey, I, I don't believe Dr.

Micik is coming into the building this morning.

Okay, well, okay.

So here's, here's what we do.

I, I, I have full faith that he's got his cards and is bringing them with him directly, which is okay.

But let's print his roster and we'll get some extra cards in case we need to put those together.

Yeah, okay.

So I have a pack of cards with me.

Yeah, there's some down in the main office too if we need em.

Yeah, So What was that answer?

We'll just do that as a stand by.

So, Jay, how is Ray, are the kids coming across or they coming over here when they, like, are shaking his hand?

They're coming through.

They're going to walk this way?

Yeah.

Test, test, test.

Guy, how's that sound?

Can you hear that?