Board Meeting Comments

It seems unwise to wrap McKinley high project up with this proposed park school in South Baton Rouge, as we don’t know what will happen with the vote in May.Is there a way to separate these two issues? Maybe approve the cost rise for McKinley high, only because that’s program had been neglected for so many years even if it’s disappointing, the contractor didn’t anticipate changes to labor and construction costs. Perhaps it’s time to talk about hiring another contractor in this district struggling with enrollment, so we can move a little faster, especially now there are more swing spaces? EBR should prioritize programs with real students over the unnamed elementary school and the unnamed high school. WHAM and Glasgow should be swapped out as priorities just as McKinley high was put to the top of the list for various reasons.

Vote no to wasteful spending. None of this is proven to prevent school shootings. It’s just part of the industry that profits off of fear. What about the psychological cost of seeing something like this attached to your classroom door and knowing what it’s supposed to protect? What are we doing to prevent school shootings? What are we doing to massively improve school climates in schools? Everybody wants a buck from this district from the friends-and —family job factory in central office to construction and consultants dollars? Who is looking out for all the kids? We already have our kids wear clear backpacks, go through metal detectors (when they aren’t broken) and other superficial things that make adults feel good, but don’t help kids. Please vote no, and instead fund so every single school can at least have at least one full-time school nurse who only serves one school and two full-time social workers for every school. It’s time to put kids over contracts!

Who will fill this high school? Staff and students especially? Where will they come from? Is there some secret stash of students that are hiding out from us or a source for highly qualified teachers? If they build it, they will come seems risky and dated. Furthermore what happened to the rest of the schools on the tax plan? What about WHAM? Glasgow? Schools that are actually serving students and there seem to be more swing spaces than there were a year ago? Are these communities expected to sit in silence obediently and just wait? Historically, EBR schools doesn’t include more than superficial stakeholder feedback during design, leading to design and usability issues. Please ensure the chosen firm seeks REAL stakeholder feedback, even if the student and staff population is unclear. It’s also very hard not to talk about these in the context of the St. George vote coming up in May. Maybe all this should just be postponed instead of turning it into political whatever?

Building a new high school in that part of the city isn't a wise choice at the moment. With the possibility of St. George becoming their own district it would be a waste of money. Is there not a need for a real middle school in North Baton? Didn't we just close schools? Can we use the money on an additional Montessori School? Let's be wise, put this off until after the St. George vote.

Please vote no. We have already lived through a very similar situation in this parish when the Central Community School System separated from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System in 2007. At that time, tax revenues had been collected parishwide for school improvements and construction, including a planned middle school in Central. When Central broke away, there were disputes over funds that had already been collected for projects in that area. Litigation followed, and eventually a settlement was reached that included a cash payment and property transfer. The lesson from that experience is not about taking sides — it is about process, transparency, and fairness to taxpayers and students on both sides of a potential split. We should not repeat confusion or conflict. Instead, we should proactively establish clear guidelines for how assets, obligations and planned projects will be handled if the new system is approved.

We hope you settle. We don’t talk about ESS enough.Too often, exceptional student services take advantage fact that most aren’t going take it to this level and they willfully deprive students of their basic civil rights and right to free and fair education. It isn’t fair that IDEA was never fully funded. The lack of follow-through from the federal and state governments doesn’t justify the aggression with which real adults, treat students and families of disabled students. it’s time for positive change. In the season, many of us look at the words of Jesus who said, “when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at resurrection.” Jesus implores us to to serve the disabled. Who is willing to take leadership and restore the humanity to Exceptional Student Service and shift the culture towards serving? Who will answer the call?