Board Meeting Comments

An important question was left off the candidate questions. How are you going to a enter a community with a record of corruption, sabotage, and distrust?  EBR has never been lacking bold ideas and vision. It has been lacking consistency and follow through and strong board policy. How many times have staff from central office presented lovely presentations to the school board and not followed through?  We do not have the time to go through another new superintendent wooing the community with corrupt and negligent staff roasting marshmallows over the dumpster fire.  Mr. Smith is not perfect, but he is ready today. He knows the toxic staff and with strong board policy and a permanent position can be asked to do hard things to push EBR Schools to a better, thriving culture. Please only vote for Mr. Smith and let's get moving today.

Esteemed EBR School Board: At least two of the candidates left or are leaving the job listed at the top of their resumes. MAJOR RED FLAG Please disregard both Andrea Zayas and Krish Mohip. We have two candidates Mr. Adam Smith and Mr. Kevin George who have a lot to offer and nothing to hide.

School board: Please send Mr. Smith and Mr. Smith alone to the next round. It is perplexing how you ask job candidates about closures and consolidations when you haven't even gone to communities that may be hurt by this? Why are you so hungry to check this off your list? Weeks ago Mr. Smith told you his vision about growing theses schools and programs. Y'all beg for bold leaders and he is the first in years to try to stop EBR from the staff and student mass exodus and address the problems causing enrollment issues. At some point the school board will humble thyself and recognize school board practice and policy has more impact than a new superintendent. If your goals is go against 40 years of research and best practices on and go ahead and consolidate schools for short term cash then Adam Smith is the only candidate. He knows the community and will be able to lessen the blow so you can please your funders why you destroy communities.

I am a Special Ed teacher that worked under Mr. Smith at Mckinley Middle he was always fair then, so when we say he is fair, it is because we see the history of it. Mr. Adam Smith knows our problems and can jump in and start fixing them. I am also a parent in this district this is not just about who I have enjoyed working for as a Special Ed teacher, when he had authority, but who I trust to lead those that will teach my child. He also has good communication skills with teachers, parents, and community leaders, and he seems to want what is best for the students.

I am a teacher in the district and a parent to students in the district. I support Adam Smith as a member or our community for his reliability and consistency. Please choose him. Staff with confidence in leadership will have better morale leading to better outcomes for everyone.

There is only candidate with skin in the game. One who worked in EBR, who has kids in EBR. The teachers of this district want a leader who understands us and this district. The only one who meets that need is Adam Smith. Stop hiring people from other places. We grew this one here at home.

Please Vote for Mr. Adam Smith !!!

Do the right thing and select Adam Smith. We already have an interim Superintendent with a track record of saving the district from ruin on more than once occasion. We should not even be here tonight because he should have been chosen.

I began my career in education in EBR Schools. I have endured the instability of selecting candidates to serve as our Superintendent that use EBR as a stepping stone for future aspirations. EBR Schools should be the aspiration. We deserve a superintendent that will not dismantle our public school system and protect the future of the young lives in this city. Our future is dependent on a leader that is dedicated and willing to serve the disenfranchised and economically disadvantaged, which is the majority of the population we serve. We cannot afford to gamble on another candidate that doesn’t prioritize the needs of this community and our voices. We have expressed time and time again that we want Adam Smith as our leader. Please respect the people that elected you in these very seats. Please vote for Adam Smith.

Good evening. It is of absolute importance that our next Superintendent have a heart for our city, community and most importantly our children. Today, we write in support of Mr. Adam Smith. His professionalism, years of service and reputation as a leader gives us confidence that he is the right candidate for this position. We believe there is a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done to raise enrollment and test scores. We pledge our support for Mr. Adam Smith.

Adam Smith is the best choice. Please give our current acting Superintendent. We don’t need to look around when we have everything at home. Give our kids a chance. Thank you. .

Greetings board members: Like many have commented, I believe you should nominate Adam Smith for the next step and offer him a contract. We need consistency and stability and someone who is day one ready. Please move EBR Schools towards building trust and unity by picking Mr. Adam Smith. Then hold him accountable by writing clear and measurable performance goals. Please offer Adam Smith the contract soon, so you can focus on writing policy and addressing real issues plaguing our district like cronyism and nepotis, and paying our classroom staff real competitive wages. We don’t have time to deal with someone who isn’t day one ready and needs to get to know EBR Schools. We need to get to work yesterday.

Adam Smith is the best candidate for the EBR superintendent. He stands up for our district.

Re: Adam Smith, superintendent of EBRP Schools I stand in STRONG SUPPORT of Adam Smith as our next superintendent. As a parent of 2 children, both with IEPs, in the EBRP public school system, I want a leader that prioritizes the direct and practical wellbeing of students. Adam Smith, in his role as interim superintendent, has shown his resolve, flexibility, and above all student-centeredness.

I ask that the board take the thoughts and suggestions of the teachers, parents, and community to heart regarding this decision because those are the people who will be most impacted by this vote. Personally, I have seen Adam Smith step up twice now to fill the void in EBR schools, and while I am fully aware of the lack of distrust, dissatisfaction, and disgust among my colleagues regarding this position, I have seen hope and confidence well up in my fellow educators under Adam Smith's short leadership. I only hope that the board values its teachers and students enough not to crush that hope. The last thing we need this year is disheartened teachers and parents, and a superintendent with a shady background and shadier plans for our children. We already know Adam Smith loves our children and has their best interest at heart even when he himself has been looked over as a bandaid instead of the cure.

I worked for Baton Rouge Parish for 38 years as a teacher, Gifted program coordinator, and Magnet coordinator. I would like to endorse Adam Smith as the new superintendent for the East Baton Rouge Parish Public School System based upon his proven track record as an effective leader for our schools.

I support to become one of the three finalists for Superintendent. I feel that he should be selected as our next EBR Superintendent.

Board members, please, I beg you to listen. For too long, the people of Baton Rouge have watched as organizations masquerading as ‘Standing for Children’ or building ‘alliances’ pulled the puppet strings behind the scene for their pro-charter agendas. We are tired. We’re tired of watching you checking your phone in your lap to find out how the powers that be want you to vote. We’re tired of the grandstanding, the empty promises and no meaningful progress. Since Warren Drake left, we have become the subject of ridicule. Sito opened the floodgates for his band of friends and favors and did nothing but BLOW through Esser funds and tell lie after lie. You tasked Mr. Smith with cleaning up the mess, fixing the bleeding budget, and steadying the ship. He did that in a matter of days and weeks. IMAGINE what he could do as our superintendent! Please…listen to the people. Listen to the people whose children’s lives will be altered by your decision tonight. Not the promise of money and power.

Dear Board, We deeply appreciate the town halls and opportunity for public input. I pray that you not only attended, but listened deeply to our request for stability. We all believe Adam Smith is the man for this job. He knows this place better than anyone in this room tonight. No amount of flashy high- quality production video or smooth talkers unaware of our current realities should distract you from what the people in this district so badly want - a fresh start with a familiar face. A face we all have known and loved for decades. Adam Smith is the man to take us to the next level.i believe in him. His staff believes in him. Parents believe in him, and the children love him. It’s time we all put our faith in the most experienced hands in the city.

To the sitting board members responsible for the hire of Sito Narcisse, tonight is your night to make amends and do better for the people who put you in that seat. We wanted Adam then and we want him even more now. Maybe it’s time to trust the people who believed in you once upon a time.

Adam Smith is the best candidate and knows this district better than any other candidate.

Mr. Bellue and Mr. Gaudet, you have more experience on this board than anyone else. You have seen superintendents come and go. You know that this system is a cruise ship, not a speed boat. It will take dedication, quiet strength, and true character to create sustainable and impactful change. We have had a man who exhibits all these traits and more just waiting in the wings for his opportunity to give his experience and knowledge back to our great city. Our city has been divided and divisive for too long. We all agree we want a dynamic leader with innovative ideas. But that doesn’t mean it has to come from the outside. We just need to let Adam have the full reigns to show us what a lifetime of EBR passion and proven classroom and leadership success can look like!!! Simply, this job means more to him than it will to anyone else. Not for the resume, but for the change he can enact to better the lives of our children.

Dear Members of the School Board, both Friends and Foes, I am writing to underscore the paramount responsibility you bear to act in the best interest of our students, families, and community. I want to emphasize the critical (EMPHASIZE THE WORD CRITICAL) importance of your decisions this evening, reflecting a commitment to equity, excellence, and the overall well-being of all who you were elected (EMPHASIZE THE WORD ELECTED) to serve. As you deliberate on this decision, I urge you to prioritize the three candidates who demonstrate a clear vision for the future of our schools, a deep understanding of educational best practices, and a commitment to equity and inclusion. The superintendent sets the tone for our district’s culture and operations. It is essential to choose those who not only have the technical skills and knowledge but also embody the values and principles that align with our community's needs (EMPHASIZE THE WORD NEEDS) and aspirations. This evening, choose the candidates with proven (EMPHASIZE THE WORD PROVEN) records dedicated to fostering an environment where every student can thrive and every educator feels supported and capable of performing at their best. It is imperative that we choose candidates capable of guiding our district with integrity, vision, and a commitment to excellence. Please consider that choosing to move the wrong candidate(s) forward will insure that the right constituents push you back when election time comes.

I have heard over the last few months about Adam Smith, that he has been here a long time and has done this and that. I can't help but think, "Yes, he has been here a long time, all the while the district has fallen apart." I don't know who should be chosen, but I can't shake the thought that familiar does not always mean good.

The constituency of Districts 2-5 overwhelmingly support Mr. Adam Smith for Superintendent. The idea of putting a new Superintendent in place with only 3 weeks before students return to school is at minimum concerning and at most a disservice to the students who are in this district, not to mention the employees who are overwhelmingly in support of Mr. Adam Smith. It is disheartening to know that discussions are having to be conducted by officials who have been elected when the constituency that elected you have clearly made their preference for Superintendent known at an enormous rate. We the people of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System community ask that the board members we have elected to represent us, actually represent us and vote for the candidate that we have made known to you is our choice, Mr. Adam Smith.

I am a mother of 5 children. 3 of my children have graduated highschool and two are still enrolled in EBRP schools. It is extremely important to have someone who is really connected to the community and has the best interest of the community to lead the community. My oldest child is 22 years old and I’ve watched the decline of the EBRP school system; it has only gotten worse since 2020. Many students are being left behind, teachers are burning out rapidly, parents are frustrated, and even the brightest students have lost enthusiasm. I echo the sentiments that it is time to listen to the constituents who voted for you, the community wants Adam Smith.