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Hello from the OPS school board meeting. The board is meeting in person for the first time since March. Masks are required and chairs are spaced out.
A packed house tonight. Several people in the back are holding signs demanding that OPS fully open schools in August.
Superintendent Cheryl Logan said district officials continue to receive a steady stream of feedback from parents about the district's school reopening plan. Reminder of what that is: https://www.omaha.com/news/education/questions-about-opss-plan-for-school-heres-what-officials-are-saying/article_4d18b56e-5ed5-5e16-9cdb-4b6695bf6a29.html
Logan reminds families of the district's drive-thru enrollment fair for new students. https://www.omaha.com/news/education/ops-to-offer-drive-thru-enrollment-fair-for-new-students/article_5c536f24-3dbd-543b-84fe-6d28c0bd5afa.html
24 people signed up for public comment tonight. Those signed up for public comment include several OPS students.
Perlman makes a motion to suspend board policy to allow everyone to speak during public comment tonight. Normally there's a one hour limit.
Perlman makes a motion to suspend board policy to allow everyone to speak during public comment tonight. Normally there's a one hour limit.
That's approved with a 9-0 vote. All school board members are present tonight.
The first person signed up for public comment tonight is a school board regular. He called Black Lives Matter a Marxist organization. He is responding to this rally. https://www.omaha.com/news/education/at-central-high-rally-youths-urge-ops-to-cancel-contract-with-omaha-police/article_774e284f-803c-55a4-bab1-8d00e6637655.html#1
The second person signed up for public comment is the father of an OPS special education student. He said his son will not get to go to school five days a week under the district's plan. He said his son is going to fall behind.
He said his experience with OPS has been disappointing. He said his child is going to fall behind because certain people want to be tyrants.
People clapped after he spoke. Board President Marque Snow asked people to refrain from clapping which prompted grumbling from people in the back of a room. One woman just stormed out and said "OPS is a joke."
The third person is also speaking against the district's plan. The former teacher said it will be impossible for elementary students to properly learn basic concepts.
"You need to have them in class five days a week so there is someone there to help them."
"You need to have them in class five days a week so there is someone there to help them."
She said the older children need to be in class as well.
"I am so afraid of what will happen to children under this plan," she said.
"I am so afraid of what will happen to children under this plan," she said.
The board took a 5-minute break. It appears several people have been asked to leave. They are being escorted out by OPS security. They had signs. I’ve asked the district for more information.
“All lives don’t matter?” they asked while being escorted out.
“All lives don’t matter?” they asked while being escorted out.
OPS security is now removing another person who just spoke to the board. It appears she spoke over her alloted five minutes and then wouldn’t leave the podium. Snow asked for her removal.
Snow is asking people to wear their masks properly. Again directed at people in the back of the room. Several people had lowered them.
Several Central High School students are now speaking to the OPS board about racial inequality at the high school. Being a person of color in AP and honors classes is often an isolating experience for OPS students, they said.
Ruby Martinez, graduating senior at Central, is speaking to the board now. She said the district needs more emphatic educators. She also said students need access to psychological help in schools from people who look like them.
Another student is asking district officials and board members to listen to them when they ask for the removal of school resource officers from schools.
Candice Price, an OPS parent, said OPS has failed its mission. She said her daughter was often the only minority in honors and AP courses.
The next parent is speaking to the board. She asks why OPS is forcing students to wear masks to protect against a pandemic that doesn't exist in Omaha. She said children will be conditioned to fear each other. She asks the board to look at the risks of wearing masks.
Kassia Ulffers, an OPS parent, said she works in healthcare and takes care of COVID-19 patients. She said the media skews everything. She asks the district to fully reopen schools. She said we need to not let fear take away from children.
The next speaker is an OPS parent who also doesn't want students to wear masks at school. She said she has an issue with the government and schools telling people what they should do with their bodies.
The next speaker is an OPS parent. She said she's frankly appalled that she had to put on a mask before entering TAC tonight. She said it's an example of tyranny.
District officials had not been reminding speakers to spell their first and last names before speaking. In case you were wondering why names are missing from some tweets tonight.
Scout Black will be a new OPS parent this fall. They said they're here to support, elevate and champion the demands the students are making about school resource officers and mental health resources.
Black was the last person signed up for public comment tonight.
Black was the last person signed up for public comment tonight.
Moving on to changes to the OPS student code of conduct. Reminder of what was originally proposed: https://www.omaha.com/news/education/proposed-changes-to-drug-portion-of-ops-student-code-of-conduct-spark-debate/article_7591a401-7e0b-5cc6-9e5e-e623bf9248b0.html
Since that time, officials have deleted "drugs" from the code and now it reads "alcoholic beverages or a controlled/imitation controlled substances." The response would now be to "contact law enforcement."
Anne MacFarland, student and community services coordinator, said if a student is caught with Advil that would be a teaching moment. If a student is caught with heroin then law enforcement would be called.
I have to slow down on the tweets. I have a deadline to meet. I'll tweet when I can.
Update: OPS Board President Marque Snow said the first woman removed from tonight's meeting was removed because she did a Nazi salute when students raised their fists to support Black Lives Matter.
The second woman refused to wear a mask and continued to speak at the microphone
The second woman refused to wear a mask and continued to speak at the microphone
The meeting is still going at 10:30 p.m. Smaller crowd. Mainly just district officials and candidates for the OPS school board left.
Board members are getting an update on how the district will handle athletics this fall.
Snow: Is it safe to have contact sports this fall?
Steve Eubanks, OPS supervisor of athletics: Mr. Snow, I think that's the million dollar question that keeps us up at night.
Snow: Is it safe to have contact sports this fall?
Steve Eubanks, OPS supervisor of athletics: Mr. Snow, I think that's the million dollar question that keeps us up at night.
Eubanks said there's great benefit to extracurricular activities but OPS will never sacrifice the safety of students or staff. He said the district will have more information on athletics on August 3.
Board member Tracy Casady asks Eubanks if OPS is considering how other districts are handling athletics. Eubanks said OPS is intertwined with other school districts but the primary focus is on OPS students.
Board member Lou Ann Goding asked if teachers can teach in-person lessons and virtual lessons at the same time if they want and are willing to do that.
Logan said would get back to Goding with an answer to that question.
Logan said would get back to Goding with an answer to that question.
Goding asks if there's a place for parents to get more information on the remote learning option for the upcoming school year.
District officials said parents can email [email protected]
District officials said parents can email [email protected]
As of this afternoon, officials said 1,400 students have applied for the remote learning option this school year.
"I don't believe we're going to please everyone so we're going to have to go with what's safe and responsible," Logan said of the upcoming year.
"I don't believe we're going to please everyone so we're going to have to go with what's safe and responsible," Logan said of the upcoming year.
Board member Ricky Smith asks how the district will keep confirmed cases of COVID-19 anonymous. Officials said the names of students or teachers who test positive will not be shared. Instead, OPS officials with work with local health authorities to make proper notifications.
"We're still here. 11:18. Might as well get all the questions out," said Tracy Casady.
OPS meeting still going strong.
OPS meeting still going strong.
Logan: Circumstances of contact with COVID-19 make a huge difference in if students will need to quarantine for 14 days.
Logan gave this example. A classroom of kids. Teacher has COVID-19. One student isn’t wearing a mask but everyone else is wearing one. The student without a mask would likely have to go home for 14 days. Other students might not.
Board member Ben Perlman asks for the probability that school will start in August under the Family 3/2 Model.
"I don't know," Logan said. She said if things get remarkably better then students might go five days a week but no one knows what will happen.
"I don't know," Logan said. She said if things get remarkably better then students might go five days a week but no one knows what will happen.
The board is headed into closed session. Still left on the agenda is a $935,000 settlement with girl assaulted by former teacher Gregory Sedlacek. https://www.omaha.com/news/education/ops-board-to-vote-on-935-000-settlement-with-girl-assaulted-by-former-teacher/article_c5e6e7b0-67f7-586d-abeb-e7862ea97cfc.html
A look at the signs encouraging social distancing and masks at TAC.
Back from closed session at 11:58 p.m.
Last item is the settlement. And with an 8-0 vote, the settlement is approved.
That's it folks. It's over right before midnight. Thanks for following along.
That's it folks. It's over right before midnight. Thanks for following along.
