Notes from Board of Education Virtual Work Session, 11/23/20

The Board of Education Virtual Work Session on Monday, November 23 was streamed live on ccboe.com and aired live on Comcast Channel 96 and Verizon FiOs Channel 12.  The meeting will be re-broadcast on Comcast Channel 96, Verizon FIOS Channel 12 and is available via webstream at http://www.ccboe.com/ . To view the full agenda and the various reports, please visit BoardDocs .

The below notes are my personal notes and are not intended to be all-inclusive or official minutes for the Board of Education meetings and are provided as a request from my supporters and the general public in a personal effort to be more transparent. Although I have diligently tried to make these notes as unbiased and accurate as possible, I am only human and do make mistakes. Individual names are spelled to the best of my ability.

Executive session – 5 p.m.

Public Forum – written comments to boardmail@ccboe.com

Call to Order– 6 p.m. - Pledge of Allegiance

Work session discussion - Student Board member voting rights

• Hancock - how many voting student board  members have a county government consisting of county council vs county commissioners.  Both student board members on the call indicated they were under county council.  Hancock emphasized that under county council the BOE has limited power.
• McGraw - shared input received from teachers, principals and community.  Student board members are not elected and are chosen by a small portion of students and do not have life experiences.  They are a special interest group.  
• Wilson - agrees and shared examples of student members input and bringing forth recommendations.  Voting rights not needed.  Concerned about outside influence.
• Abell - very concerned with pressure of influence, pressure and manipulation by other adults not only in the community but from other political elected officials.
• Lukas - deadline to meet?  Herd was trying to meet Charles County Commissioners legislative deadline.  Asked Schwartz to provide process.  Delegation from Annapolis can with/or without approval from commissioners could sponsor a bill.
• Schwartz - change in state law would have to go through General Assembly.  Would need to be proposed by delegation.  
• Hancock - Of the counties that have SMOBs with voting rights, how many have a council vs commissioners and explain the difference.
• Schwartz - they all have councils not commissioners
• Brown - 
• Battle-Lockhart - what meeting?; Herd's deadline and intent?  What was the hardest thing as a student board member.  Starting off.
• Wilson - learning experience.  concerned about level of responsibility, pressures and the proposal is very broad.
• Abell - onboarding for a board member takes a good 9-12 months.  Student board members are only here for a year.
• Hancock - process; if I want to get something through I have to reach out and get 3 other board members on board.  We are not beholden to one special group; we are appointed by the county as a whole.  We have commissioners not councils.  This would diminish our authority as a board.
• Lukas - Decision lies with commissioners?  True?   Delegates can put anything forward with or without commissioner approval.
• McGraw - what did you meant by "any other non staff related issues"

Motion to not support student board member voting rights by Wilson; Second by Abell

Call for the question by Abell

Yes = Abell, Brown, Hancock, Lukas, McGraw, Wilson; Abstain = Battle-Lockhart

Adjournment