LATINO AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
WHO HAVE BEEN HURT BY THE
PANDEMIC.
TODD: THERE YOU HAVE IT.
50 MINUTES AFTER THE HOUR.
PARENTS AT A TEXAS SCHOOL
DISTRICT FIGHTING BACK AFTER
BEING BARRED FROM ATTENDING A
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
>> PARENTS ARE NOT BEING ALLOWED
IN, THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT,
THE SCHOOL POLICE ARE NOT
ALLOWING PARENTS INSIDE THE
ROOM.
[CHANTING]
>> LET US IN!
TODD: THE BORDER THE LEVERAGE OF
CENSORING THEIR TRUSTEES, MARY
AND DANIELLE, THANKS FOR BEING
HERE, MARY, WHY ARE YOUR FELLOW
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DOING THIS
TO YOU?
>> IT COMES DOWN TO WE WANT TO
SPEND OUR RESOURCES ON EDUCATING
CHILDREN AND WE BELIEVE IN RULE
OF LAW, PARENTAL RIGHTS AND WE
BELIEVE IN OPEN GOVERNMENT, AND
FOR THOSE THINGS THEY WANT TO
CENSURE US.
>> WHAT I CAN’T WRAP MY HEAD
AROUND IS STILL THESE MEETINGS
TAKE PLACE IN A PUBLIC SETTING
SO TAXPAYERS CAN SEE WHERE THEIR
MONEY IS GOING?
>> YES, THEY DO.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON.
WE SPEAK ONLY FOR OURSELVES, WE
DON’T SPEAK FOR THE SCHOOL
BOARD, BUT WE ARE HERE TO TALK
ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES WITH OUR
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD
IN A PUBLIC FORUM, THEY ARE HELD
IN HIGH SCHOOL FACILITY WHERE MY
CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOL AND OUR
BOARD MEETINGS ACROSS THE HALL
THERE IS A GYM WHERE SOME
PARENTS WERE PROHIBITED FROM
ENTERING THE BOARD MEETING.
WE HAD 150 BAND STUDENTS CRAMMED
IN BLOWING THEIR INSTRUMENTS IN
HIGHLY PUBLIC SPACES.
TODD: WHAT ARE THE BOARD MEMBERS
SO AFRAID OF?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I CAN’T ANSWER FOR THEM.
THE ONLY THING I CAN SPECULATE
IS WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF PARENTS
LIKE YOU’VE SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE AWAKENED AND
COUNTRY THAT HAVE AWAKENED AND
WE HAVE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS
IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ARE
ORGANICALLY GROWING FROM THE
COMMUNITY THAT ARE BEING LED BY
PARENTS AND I THINK THAT IS
CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND
SCHOOL BOARDS ARE BEING WATCHED
AND THAT IS SOMETHING,
ACCOUNTABILITY.
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
IS SOMETHING THEY ARE AFRAID OF.
TODD: I AM SHOCKED BY THE THINGS
YOU’RE BEING ACCUSED OF.
AMONG OTHER THINGS DISORDERLY
CONDUCT AND RIOT.
DO YOU DO ANYTHING THAT EVEN
COMES CLOSE TO THAT?
>> NO, SIR.
I WAS SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED
TO SEE THAT.
MY BACKGROUND IS I AM A FORMER
AIR FORCE OFFICER.
I WAS ON ACTIVE-DUTY ON 9/11,
SERVED THROUGHOUT THE GLOBAL WAR
ON TERROR.
I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN ALL THAT I
HAVE DONE AND MY FAMILY HAS DONE IN SERVING OUR COUNTRY.
IN SERVING OUR COUNTRY.
VERY SURPRISED AND HURT TO SEE
THAT.
WE WERE ELECTED A YEAR AGO, WE
WERE SO EXCITED TO JOIN OUR
COLLEAGUES AND WORK TOGETHER TO
FIND COMMON GROUNDS FOR OUR
STUDENTS WHO HAVE SUFFERED FOR A
YEAR AND A HALF WITH HISTORIC
LEARNING LOSS.
THEY HAVE REAL ACADEMIC NEEDS
THAT NEED TO BE MET AND WE HAVE
BEEN SPENDING OUR TIME TRYING TO
ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AND TO SERVE
THE STUDENTS AND WE HAVE JUST
BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED THAT OUR
COLLEAGUES, WHEN WE WERE TRYING
TO SERVE STUDENTS THEY WERE OUT
THERE DRAFTING RIDICULOUS
RESOLUTIONS TO YOUR POINT SAYING
WE WERE RIOTING AND VERY BIZARRE
BUT THE GOOD THING IS OUR BOARD
MEETINGS ARE ALL RECORDED.
IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION WHAT
HAPPENED IN THESE BOARD MEETINGS
IT IS ALL ON TAPE AND NOT UP FOR
DEBATE.
TODD: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
TO THE COUNTRY, SORRY THIS IS
HAPPENING TO YOU.
FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEES
PRESIDENT AMY WE’RE SAYS WE ARE
NOT GOING TO DISCUSS THE MERITS
OF THE RESOLUTIONS ARE CURRENTLY
UP FOR LITIGATION, WE RESPECT
THE JUDGE’S ORDER AND NOT
INTERFERE WITH HER DIVISION
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
WHAT’S NEXT IN YOUR FIGHT?
>> WE SPENT 50,$000.
I’M SURE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS
SPENT THAT MUCH WHICH IS A
TEACHER’S SALARY.
WE DON’T SEE A END TO THIS.
THEY KEEP FILING PAPERWORK,
SOMEBODY GAVE US THE TERM
WELFARE AND THIS IS HOW THEY DO
THIS, THEY TRUST THINGS LIKE THIS INTO LAW FAIR AND SO WE
THIS INTO LAW FAIR AND SO WE
RESIGN OR GET KICKED OFF THE