Board meeting starting at 7: web.cobbk12.org/page/8993/watc…
@Watching_CCSD, it would be interesting to know how much the district spends on the shiny promo spot and the music.
Scamihorn opens by stating the wrong date of the meeting. Twice.
Scamihorn recognizes a community member, a Holocaust survivor and veteran. Butchers his name. I /think/ it is Herschel Greenblatt. Someone please correct me on that one as I'm sure I'm wrong. Gentleman is elderly and masked, multiple board and chair don't mask up to greet him.
Correction---I meant board and super, not board and chair.
Reason for recognition was not stated.
Inventor Prize Competition winners recognized.
GA Science Teachers Association Level winners recognized.
District Procurement Services department recognized. No comment.
All Public Safety personnel recognized. Also no comment on my part.
Recognitions concluded.
Scamihorn now telling a story about a WWII veteran he met.
Scamihorn than reads his warning statement before public comment.
Scamihorn speaks on his potential resolution, butchering Rabbi Sernovitz's name. Not ready yet. Will "state our values".
1st speaker is a Wheeler student calling on board to engage with the students and community in dialog on the issue.
A Lassiter student is now speaking. States that her parents were worried she'd experience a hate crime for speaking. States Jewish students at Lassiter do not feel safe at school. Comments are growing, but have been happening for years.
Lassiter student calls for immediate change. Calls Jewish community "canary in the coal mine". Teach Holocaust education in ALL schools every year.
Current speaker thanks super and certain board for "tremendous leadership". Uses "wrong side of history" phrase, probably being unaware of the origins of phrase.
Current speaker is met by laughter, not the applause the anti-maskers usually get.
Current speaker, last name Judge, speaking on @ADL curriculum No Place for Hate. Calls what happened what it is: antisemitism. Calls to end the silence, teach real history and cultural understanding and sensitivity. Reinstate No Place for Hate
Current speaker, last name Pumbly (probably spelled wrong), speaking on leadership. Thanks the current leadership. Makes light of masks. Demeans the @CogniaOrg review.
As far as I can tell, the lawsuit by @splcenter and two firms has not been mentioned by anyone, district, board, or otherwise.
Current Speaker, Sellinger (I apologize for likely misspelling), expresses solidarity with the Jewish community. Says students do not feel safe in schools. Asks board and district to (1) listen, (2) name the evil, (3) act.
Reminds board that actions speak louder than words.
Current speaker, Ringland, speaks about Special Education and discipline. "More work must be done" Calls for students needs to be met and staff to be better trained and supported.
Current speaker, McKennel (sorry if misspelled), represents No Left Turn in Education. States "non partisan" and "diverse". Praises district. Mocks comparisons with MCS. "We must embrace our differences" Calls the attendees of meeting "different". Not sure that is heard as meant
Current speaker, could not catch name, asked any Rabbis in attendance to stand with her. Says she has students who should attend Cobb schools. Struggles with idea of sending them, when the district seems unsafe and unsupportive for students, including Jewish ones
She asks what Cobb will do to make the schools safe and accepting?
She presents the petition.
Interim Board Attorney Wilcox appeared to roll her eyes at least twice at speakers, including at the last stating she asked Rabbis in attendance to stand with her.
Current speaker is a Wheeler student re:name change and lack of response or action by board. Only 3 board members have acknowledged their efforts.
Calls out the board inaction and explicitly points out that the inaction demonstrates a lack of meaning behind any statements against hate.
Now, another Wheeler student speaking. Calls out the inaction and obfuscation by the board and district. Asks for the naming policy to be changed to allow community input. Points out lack of response demonstrates the weakness in your claim to support the community.
States that lack of board response demonstrates a lack of respect for Cobb students.
Current speaker, Susko (spelled wrong, I'm sure). Calls out board member and chair racist statements including Ragsdale telling student athletes they will be benched if they protest by kneeling during anthem during games.
Calls out silencing of counselors and removal of No Place of Hate curriculum. Is admonished for calling out specific people---NEVER stated a name. Takes back her time.
"One Team, One Goal, White Christian Success"
Wheeler HS student now also speaking re:Wheeler HS name, discussing the board and district's lack of concern for the impact of the name of the school on the students who attend it.
(As an aside, Wheeler community, have you considered some guerilla activism? Rename the school yourself by tearing down any and all mention of Wheeler)
Per my sources, board member Wheeler is not connected to Wheeler HS. However, should be noted that he moved to GA from NY...which is where the Confederate Wheeler settled. Just, so you know.
A parent and SLP is now speaking. Sorry, missed name. Praises mask-optional citing issues for speech development. No comment from myself.
Also calls out Second Step curriculum. Wants it "fully transparent" and clearly wants it removed from schools. "We say no to SEL and Second Steps"
Public comment done.
Scamihorn thanks all speakers "passionate" "sincere" "we hear you" "we take it to heart"
Ragsdale announces items requiring action following executive session.
Move and second to accept personnel report. Vote. Passes 7-0.
Wheeler moves to uphold the decision in student discipline matter. Banks seconds. Votes 6-1. No abstain.
Ragsdale recognizes the Holocaust survivor recognized at beginning. Repeats his statement in regards to the antisemitic graffiti. "will not tolerate hate in any form" Why, then, @CobbSchools, is at least 1 school named for a Confederate who didn't even live in Cobb?
Ragsdale reads the statement. Same statement as read earlier in day.
Per Ragsdale, a lunchroom monitor at Birney ES has died. No details as to cause of death. Last name Newberry (perhaps Newbury)
Ragsdale pontificating on 9/11 now.
Ragsdale bringing an update re:COVID. Says he is changing the process. Started process last week. States numbers were dropping dramatically.
"witnessed some organizations to make decisions based on emotions or politics" States he and district uses data. @CDPHga, he is implying you are not telling whole truth and are not being honest. That he is using data, you aren't.
States that "false information is picked up faster than accurate information"
Criticizes @GaDPH statement that 60% of outbreaks are in schools. Claims it is false. @CDPHga, @CNN, @ajc, he is openly stating you lied or put out misinformation.
Reiterates the cases fallen by 90%. Claims most students and staff are fine and that data is being presented by others is being misused to lie to people about the truth. He claims Cobb Board of Health knew this when they held the emergency meeting.
Claims all districts are falling to same rate. Does not acknowledge that MCS and APS have testing programs, so their data is likely higher than for districts without. Also misrepresents comparability, since Cobb is much bigger than all included. 
Conveniently, his slide excludes Gwinnett. Gwinnett is the only district large enough for comparison.
Now claims mask mandate would have no impact. Again excludes Gwinnett. Also, interestingly, Dekalb.
He now is claiming Cobb is doing better. Conveniently excludes Gwinnett and seems to not understand what the MCS data shows. It actually proves their mask mandate worked.
Claims this graph isn't based on data, just a prediction. Clearly implies masking last year didn't reduce cases.
Now shows what he claims is the real data. Does not explain that no district on graph is comparable in size to Cobb.
I used to think Ragsdale just didn't understand. But, these graphs? They seem to be deliberately misleading. We saw that with the graph last week. We are seeing it again and again with these.
Just stated masks mandates have no impact on cases.
Cites a pre-Delta variant study. Claims @CDCgov and @CDCDirector have shown masks to not be effective for schools. @ajc @mdjonline @RebeccaGaunt @CNN @jaketapper @MSNBC @nytimes @washingtonpost @wsbtv @ChrisJoseWSB
Ragsdale has decided to go whole hog on the RWNJ anti-mask stance.
Does not appear to understand that a "first of its kind" study doesn't equal most current research
Cites a statement by a MPDH from Boston University. I believe this statement has been debunked by multiple experts.
@CarlosdelRio7 @WHO @CDCgov @CDCDirector @teachcardona @POTUS---The superintendent of Cobb County Schools, one of the largest suburban districts in the nation has decided to present misleading graphs, old research, and debunked quotes to support having no mask mandate.
States learning loss is dramatically understated. Interestingly, the actual district data does not agree. Including the ACT and SAT scores they just lauded earlier this week.
Claims public health has not told district how to prepare for the future. Says district needs to now what is happening, why it is happening, and what next
States district is not anti-mask and anti-vaccine.
Clearly, from his statement, Cobb has no plan as of yet to do anything different than they are doing.
Reiterates that masks will continue to be optional.
Now is denigrating quarantine for exposed students. Gives kudos to Cherokee County.
@splcenter, you all definitely need to watch the meeting in full. web.cobbk12.org/page/8993/watc…
Ragsdale ends his COVID 19 update. Says he will continue communicate, but does imply he may stop these updates.
Now moves onto praising the ACT and SAT scores. Despite his claim that learning loss was soooooooooooo bad.
Claims district has best teachers in the world. Teachers he just denigrating by stating learning loss was sooooooooo bad.
I speak to more teachers than I'd like to count who are seriously considering leaving Cobb. Some before the year is over. They are looking to go to districts like Decatur City that are protecting teachers and students.
Claims Cobb has highest sub pay in metro.
"Best Place to Teach, Lead, and Learn" and wishes a wonderful Fall Break. Declaring that all employees who would report that week will have a wellness week instead, so they don't have to work.
Again, doing nothing for teachers. And no info as to bus drivers and food service being paid during that wellness break.
Notes some employees will be still working (so he lied). And that Fall Learning Quest will be unaffected by Wellness Week (again, he lied).
Says it is tough to be a teacher and he appreciates them. Note, again, Cobb is the only metro district to not do a pandemic bonus of its own for teachers. Many that did, also raised pay.
Dr. Howard asks if a Q&A can be done re:COVID. Ragsdale clarifies that he "may" "not a given" do a presentation like this again. Would be "more than happy" to have a conversation 1-on-1 with board members. i.e. not in front of the public
Scamihorn doesn't acknowledge the question and moves on. Someone in audience heckles, calling it "classy". Scamihorn responds by claiming Howard is out of order
Scamihorn now makes a statement reminding people that there are excellent corridors and that, if people leaving wanted to make a statement, they could have used them. He's now being heckled more. Gavels and moves on.
Board feed is poorly designed so you cannot see what audience is doing.
Board moves onto action items
Wheeler HS theater to robotics lab. 4 bids, bid goes to Bond Builder Services of Conyers. SPLOST-IV No comment from myself. Scamihorn has Chastain to motion.
Board feed also does not show whole board. Appears deliberate
Wheeler motions to approve, Banks seconds. Contract approved.
Hutchinson, Howard, and Davis walked out of meeting. I'm uncertain why. I assume that is what was heckled as "classy"
Scamihorn says he will remain after for anyone who wants to speak to him. Adjourns to applause
So, summary: multiple speakers call out board and district lack of action, board does kind of sort of acknowledge antisemitism, Ragsdale goes whole hog on anti-mask stance, board approves Wheeler Robotics lab. Acknowledged a Holocaust survivor, public safety, some kids & teachers
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