Have You Heard: What Parents Aren’t Tolerating This School Year w/ Monet Harris & Dawn Wilson-Clark

WEBVTT
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.479
Hey, hey, hey, hello everybody.
00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:10.480
Welcome to Have You Heard, where we are having authentic conversations and vibrant discussions here.
00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:15.919
I've got some guests in the studio that I am going to introduce to you in a minute.
00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:22.800
Some of them don't really need well, neither one of them really need introduction, but that would be rude of me not to do so.
00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:24.960
But uh let me just put this on the floor.
00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:34.960
First of all, our topic today, we're talking about dealing with things with schools, and both of my guests here today um are quite opinionated about what's happening in schools.
00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:44.079
So before we get into our subject matter, let me introduce who we have joining us in the Have You Heard studio today.
00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:46.399
We have first Monet Harris.
00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:49.920
I want to get all of her titles correct, right?
00:00:50.079 --> 00:01:02.719
So Monet Harris, she's a mom, she's an organizer, she is a spoken word artist, she's a former educator, entrepreneur, uh, basketball coach, and did I leave anything else out?
00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:03.439
I don't think so.
00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:05.280
I'm just a woman of many colors and quotes.
00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:12.159
See that see that's how you know that's a spoken artist, spoken word artist, a woman of many colors and cults.
00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:13.439
Okay, I like that.
00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:21.920
And then our next guest we have uh is Dawn Wilson Clark, also known as the Princess of Brightmore.
00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:34.239
We're gonna ask her to explain that title um in a few minutes, but uh also an organizer, a mom, an entrepreneur, uh, education vision visionary awardee.
00:01:34.400 --> 00:01:36.319
Um, and did I leave anything else out?
00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:36.640
No.
00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:38.239
Organizer, did you say that?
00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:39.439
Well, you said it.
00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:39.920
Okay.
00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:42.959
So, Princess of Brightmore, you're gonna have to explain this.
00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:52.640
I say that because too many people call me the Queen of Brightmore, and I like to extend that title to Miss Aura Williams, who is, in my opinion, the Queen.
00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:54.159
So I'll take the princess.
00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:55.840
Okay, that is honorable.
00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:57.359
Yeah, I love her to pieces.
00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:01.040
Both of them walk in authority and purpose and power, right?
00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:01.599
Yep.
00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:02.159
Okay.
00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:04.239
So I so that's that's about right.
00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:06.319
So now, so now that we got all that out of the way.
00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:09.360
And then for those of you that do not know, my name is Ar Lisa Heard.
00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:16.080
I am a mom, organizer, and all of the things, and very passionate about community and education and schools.
00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:22.879
Um, and I do a few things on the side as well: music, artistry, that kind of stuff, entertainment.
00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:23.919
Hey, you got it.
00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:30.879
But anyway, um what we noticed today, we are what, how many weeks into the school year already?
00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:32.639
Two, three, and three days.
00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:35.199
Yeah, two, three, and three days.
00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:36.080
DPS CD.
00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:37.199
Depending on what system you're in.
00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:38.560
Depending on what system you're in.
00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:41.840
So some charter schools started when did they start before DPS CD?
00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:43.919
No, some of them started this week.
00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:45.599
Okay, some started this week.
00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.560
Some started last week, and some started last week.
00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:53.280
And there have been some some, we've heard some complaints and some things that have been happening.
00:02:53.439 --> 00:03:00.479
And so we're a couple weeks into the school year, and for some, um, I think we've been hearing parents say a lot.
00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:05.280
Some of it is frustration, some of it is anger, some of it is exhaustion.
00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:13.680
Um, and some are just simply saying, listen, we are not doing this this year.
00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:26.960
So we are going to put on the floor, since it's the beginning of the school year, some of the top things that parents refuse to deal with the school year and maybe even going forward and furthermore.
00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:30.240
So we want to have a little fun with it.
00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:35.360
There's a few uh points that we can cover, but we want to have a little fun with it.
00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:40.719
So there's roughly about maybe eight, nine, or maybe even ten points we can cover.
00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:49.680
But can we um after we kind of discuss it, can we rate them and just come up with between us what the top three is at the end of our discussion?
00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:50.000
Yeah.
00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:50.560
Is that good?
00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:50.960
Okay.
00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:51.360
Okay.
00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:59.120
And so as we discuss each point, maybe after we discuss it, what how would you rate it based on uh certain criteria?
00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:01.919
And then I'll go over what the criteria would be.
00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:09.599
But I think first off, right out the gate, let's just jump right into um what some of the issues are.
00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:10.319
Y'all ready?
00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:11.039
We ready.
00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:14.240
Okay, y'all probably got your own issues too, anyway, right?
00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:14.960
Okay.
00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:23.680
So now, so so keep in mind, I do want to say this that as we go through each point and we rank them, um, just consider this in your ranking.
00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:28.160
We can do a fist of five or a one to five, one being lowest of five, being the highest.
00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:34.879
We can rank it according to how widespread the concern is, how serious it affects children.
00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:38.079
Um, can schools and districts do something about it?
00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:41.279
And um actually, how long has it been going on?
00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:45.199
And how much have we heard parents' voices complaining about it?
00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:45.920
All right.
00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:46.560
Okay.
00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:52.240
Okay, so the number one, well, we're they're not ranked in order of importance.
00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:53.519
So we're just starting at one.
00:04:53.920 --> 00:05:02.959
So, number one, I kind of titled it like why we gotta chase you, but um, I've heard parents talk about communication and customer service.
00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:16.319
And so specifically, why does a parent have to call five times to get somebody to answer a simple question or to keep asking folks the same question and no response?
00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:17.920
So why?
00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:19.680
Is that y'all feeling that?
00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:21.759
I I feel that now.
00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.519
Um, because when school starts for kids, it starts for us too.
00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:26.079
Yeah.
00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:28.160
Um, communication definitely is key.
00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:35.279
And so when you're in that phase of the first month of school, it's that whole inertia of just everything going on.
00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:41.439
And you need to have pinpointed times and dates, and if things change, need to be communicated.
00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:44.240
I live 35 minutes away from my son's school.
00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:46.800
Basketball practice was canceled.
00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:49.040
Didn't know until I got there.
00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:51.279
So that's an hour-round trip for us.
00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:52.639
And that's gas.
00:05:53.199 --> 00:05:55.120
We're not gonna talk about gas.
00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:56.160
That's gas.
00:05:56.399 --> 00:06:02.720
So, so wait, so okay, so what is so for stuff like that, what is the what is the product?
00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:03.839
Are they supposed to what?
00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:05.920
Send out a text, a phone call?
00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:06.560
Who is it?
00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:09.040
They shouldn't have a robocall, they robo call about everything else.
00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:09.519
Exactly.
00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:10.879
They robocall about everything.
00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:18.000
Sometimes I get 10 or 12 robocalls a day about the same topic over and over and over.
00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:18.879
Oh my god.
00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:22.560
And a simple, and this is the funny part.
00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.079
Sometimes the principal, he's stuttering through the whole message.
00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:26.879
Stop.
00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:31.199
And so So he said, and so, so, so I'm sorry.
00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:38.800
It's more like a just want to inform you guys that so but so with my nature, so you get the money.
00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:42.160
I'm not gonna listen through the whole message.
00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:45.680
So I hang up and I'm like So you don't get the message at all.
00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:47.759
Well, probably nobody else does.
00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.160
How long it take them to get through a message?
00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:53.600
About two to three minutes, but however, they need to have somebody else to get it.
00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:56.079
You get so many, and I just stutter.
00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:57.040
That's what I get.
00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:58.240
Lord forgive me.
00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:01.759
You you get so many of them that you begin to ignore them.
00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:02.160
Okay.
00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:04.160
That was like that was like white noise.
00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:04.639
Okay.
00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:10.240
Now it's white noise, and you just like until you get a phone call from your kid saying, hey, you need to turn around.
00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:11.839
You can't turn around on I-94.
00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:13.920
You know how how hard it is to get on 94 and get off a 94.
00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:16.480
You can't even merge on 94, but let's either, yeah.
00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:17.759
Communication is key.
00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:24.079
I feel like the beginning of the school year, and I get it, time is of essence for everybody.
00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:27.519
We should have had a week where it says, hey, come on in.
00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:30.319
Let's talk about at least the first month of school.
00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:31.120
Okay, yeah.
00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:38.959
Parents, either your parents come in, your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, send somebody for communication purposes, not just telling us this is when school starts.
00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:39.120
Right.
00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:40.639
This is what time it starts.
00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:44.480
Hey, y'all come in, we could talk about because we know it's gonna be a lot of hustle and bustle.
00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:50.879
And then you have new freshmen, you have new ninth graders coming in, you have sports starting, you got some ending, you have homecoming.
00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:53.040
I just got a message about homecoming.
00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:54.399
And when is it?
00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:59.199
It's it's the third week of September.
00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:01.839
Look, look, look, look where we uh toward the end.
00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:02.720
Well, you gotta buy the ticket.
00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:04.319
I'm sorry, we have to purchase the ticket.
00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:14.879
And so October 1st or 6th is the actual okay, but you need to put my son's feet is a nice size.
00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:20.560
So I so what you're saying is you gotta get all of the stuff to be prepared for home cut.
00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:21.920
So the last minute communication.
00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:25.439
And you have to pay for the young lady's ticket too.
00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:33.679
So so let me tell you, so this is some of the stuff that we heard when when about this, like communication custom service.
00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:50.159
We heard phones not being answered, like you saying, parents getting information at the last minute, no matter whatever the information is, conflicting information from different staff members, parents being bounced back and forth from school, maybe to central office, to a certain department, and back to the school.
00:08:50.240 --> 00:09:00.879
Uh, parents not knowing who's responsible for solving whatever the problem is or whatever problem they may be facing, and then meetings or changes being announced too late.
00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:01.840
Last minute.
00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:04.960
You know, I had a uh situation yesterday.
00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:08.399
My son's bus came at 7:50.
00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:13.440
Now, it's supposed to come between 8.15 and 8.19.
00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:14.240
Mmm.
00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:16.320
And so he missed the bus.
00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:18.480
Because they were there 20 minutes early.
00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:20.720
They were there 20 minutes early.
00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.919
And he could have been on the toilet at that 7.50.
00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:24.639
You don't know what's going on.
00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:30.480
He was he was actually ready, but he was doing something else because he's used to being from 8.
00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:31.519
Yes.
00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:40.720
And then I called the DPSCD transportation number and was on hold for like 40 minutes.
00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:41.679
Oh, wow.
00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:50.399
And then had to be transferred to the actual um bus company that services him.
00:09:50.720 --> 00:10:03.679
And because I don't have the route number in my mind, I was on my way to the doctor's appointment and they were like, the the DPS, the transportation number transferred me to ABC.
00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:06.320
ABC said, we need the route number.
00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:10.240
I said, Well, you can't call those people who transferred me.
00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:11.919
I guess they said no, we can't.
00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:12.879
No, we can't.
00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:16.240
And then I said, well, just transfer me back to them.
00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:17.759
You can't just look his address up.
00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:19.039
No, we can't do any of that.
00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:19.679
Oh no.
00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:22.559
I said, okay, so here I was.
00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:26.399
I had made it to my doctor's appointment, sitting in the lobby.
00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:34.639
The doctor called me back when finally someone answered the phone and said, they finally gave me the route number.
00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:35.120
Okay.
00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:38.320
And then I had to be transferred again and be on hold.
00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:40.720
And they did eventually send someone.
00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:43.519
But the thing about that is my son is autistic.
00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:50.320
And I don't know if you all know, but when the routine changes up, it does something to him.
00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:52.960
And so he had a rough day all day.
00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:53.919
Okay.
00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:56.879
And so those patterns really matter.
00:10:57.200 --> 00:10:59.200
You know, staying on routine.
00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:02.720
And as a result, he went to school how how much later?
00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:04.080
About an hour or two?
00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:05.440
About an hour and a half.
00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:07.360
An hour and a half late because of that.
00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:15.279
And so the deeper question for me then is this really, is it just about communication or is there an accountability problem?
00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:17.279
I think it's hand in hand.
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:18.320
Okay.
00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:25.679
So if so in this, so in terms of so let's just rate this one, okay, because we got a few more to go.
00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:29.519
So on a one-to-five scale, which what would you give this?
00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:32.879
How does this rate up in a matter of importance for you?
00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:33.519
Five.
00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:34.240
Five.
00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:39.759
Okay, but Monesse talked about something earlier off the record.
00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:46.000
I wanted you to speak to the um oh, maybe that'll come up in our next question.
00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:48.399
We'll probably get, yeah, I'm pretty sure we'll get to it.
00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:49.919
I gotta pull this off a little bit.
00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:51.039
So, okay.
00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.279
So now here's the next thing.
00:11:53.600 --> 00:12:03.600
Um the other thing that we heard people talk about is my child should not have to learn in a dirty or an unsafe building.
00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:07.919
That's something else that people parents are saying they don't want to put up with again this year.
00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:21.279
So, in times of cleanliness, facilities, and basic conditions, this one um this one has been very visible in Detroit public schools, especially uh recently, but it's not just DPSCD.
00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:25.120
There are, we have all these charter schools as well, other schools within the city of Detroit.
00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:28.639
So I'm pretty sure that that is a uh a big issue.
00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:34.639
But what has gotten some attention on the internet lately is the cleanliness of our school building.
00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:49.919
So parents have raised concerns about dirty classrooms, bathrooms, mice, pests, trash, lack of supplies, poor building condition, temperature problems, which that has really um been hot lately, uh this last week or so.
00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:59.360
I know, right, uh, right, broken equipment, cleaning schedules, and who is actually responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the building?
00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:02.559
So is this has this been your experience?
00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:04.720
I mean, just hear your thoughts about that.
00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:09.519
Who, I mean, does that impact the learning of a child?
00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:19.200
It does, but this one really, really burns me up because I I can't put the onus strictly on the facility and the people who should care for the facility.
00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:19.759
Okay.
00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:21.759
Because cleanliness starts at home.
00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:26.320
Starts at home, and it has to be a community effort.
00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:28.240
The trash can is right there.
00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:32.559
Why did you just throw the tissue on the floor in the bathroom when the trash can is right there?
00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:35.279
Like we have to be supportive in that all the way around.
00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:38.399
And I'm adamant about it because my son has acute asthma.
00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:43.120
And if people know what that is, he doesn't go from a wheezing stage of 20 to 30 minutes.
00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:46.399
He can go from zero to 10 and be an ICU.
00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.559
So he's allergic to dust.
00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:57.279
So if you're not cleaning, especially the air vents, if you're not cleaning the air vents, if you have mold, mold is what sent him to the ICU before.
00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.399
Was he in school?
00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:00.639
From school, or are you just saying just periods?
00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:01.440
It was just period.
00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:01.759
Okay.
00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:05.840
Um, the last wood he went to had mold, and I won't name the school, it's the all-boys school.
00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:06.720
Oh my.
00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:07.759
Um I can imagine.
00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:08.720
Don't finco.
00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:09.600
Yep.
00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:10.159
Okay, okay.
00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:10.879
Might as well say it.
00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:11.840
Begin with L?
00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:12.559
Yes.
00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:13.919
And it starts with oya.
00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:21.200
And but in this instance, it's like the kids have to take responsibility too for the people.
00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:23.279
That's a private school that you was paying for, right?
00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:23.840
Yes, ma'am.
00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:24.720
Oh, a private school.
00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.720
So they have to take responsibility in what they can be responsible for.
00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:30.879
And that's your paper, your trash.
00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:34.240
If you spill something, let me alert the maintenance person.
00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:34.960
You know what I'm saying?
00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.480
But how do you do that?
00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:48.320
How do you, how do you have children and families coming from all different ways of life, people are in different, how do you, how do you build that culture?
00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.559
Is that the is that the administrations?
00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:52.080
I think it's everybody.
00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:53.440
I think it's everybody.
00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:55.759
I think everybody needs to hold everybody accountable.
00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:07.039
If I see somebody, and that's just me, if I see somebody throwing something out their car and I'm re and I'm behind them, I try my best to get up next to them and say, now why you do that?
00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:08.399
I sometimes blow my horn.
00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:09.279
Has that ever worked about it?
00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:09.679
I do that.
00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:10.559
Did you get cussed out?
00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:11.840
Never.
00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:12.320
Okay.
00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:14.639
I have never gotten cussed out about it.
00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:17.120
I've had people apologize, like, I'm my bad, my bad.
00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:22.240
I'm like, I'm getting and you're riding right to the to the gas station where there's a garbage can right there.
00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:22.639
Yeah.
00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:27.440
We've had I've done it at the garbage can because I've seen people like just clean their garbage can.
00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:27.919
Yes.
00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:30.320
I mean, clean their car and open right there.
00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.440
The garbage can.
00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:32.639
I mean, at the gas station.
00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:35.279
And I'm like, what the just is wrong with you?
00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:39.279
So in our but in our schools, though, but like like when you have little ones.
00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:43.679
I mean, some of this is being, you know, I high school I get, even middle school I get.
00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:48.080
But when you're talking about elementary students who may or who are still learning and building.
00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.919
But they teach them that in kindergarten.
00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:51.360
Clean up after yourself.
00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:53.279
They teach them that sometimes in the lunch room.
00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:56.720
Hey, pick your tray up, get all your trash, walk into the trash can.
00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:59.120
So I'm sorry, I can't give any excuse for that.
00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:05.279
And I don't care how you keep your room in your house, but when you're in somebody else's house, you are responsible for the community too.
00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.039
Responsible for the people around you.
00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:09.759
Like the first week of school, how many teachers are sick?
00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:11.039
Especially the little ones.
00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:12.720
The ones over the littles.
00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:14.240
You know what I'm saying?
00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:22.399
So this, so where does this rank in terms of how you think how the importance from one to five?
00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:26.080
The cleanliness, facilities, and just basic conditions.
00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:27.200
That's five for me.
00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:28.000
It's still a five.
00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:28.559
Five.
00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:28.879
Okay.
00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:31.200
So probably all of these is gonna be top score.
00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:32.480
I see that right now.
00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:39.600
Because my thing is, is this is it just about dirty schools or like what else is going on?
00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:41.919
Like, could it be staffing shortages?
00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:42.799
You know what I'm saying?
00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:48.799
I know we want to teach culture and kids to clean up, but what if there's not enough staff to even do that?
00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:50.960
Are we talking about is this contracts?
00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:54.960
So then we need to go back to the school board and say, hey, how are you spending your money?
00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:56.000
I'm sorry, Mr.
00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:56.480
Administrator.
00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:58.240
I love you dearly.
00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:00.240
You just got a 20% raise.
00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:01.919
The facilities are horrible.
00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:07.759
Look at how we take that 20% slice in a half and throw that 10% over here in this bucket so we can have more janitors.
00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.680
You got one janitor at this one high school.
00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.759
He's actually a pastor of a church.
00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:14.240
It's one of him for this.
00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.000
He don't have a team?
00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:16.720
He worked.
00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:17.920
Oh wow.
00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:18.640
That's a problem.
00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:20.079
That's impossible to keep it.
00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:20.559
That's a problem.
00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:21.759
So guess what he's doing?
00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:23.200
He's probably doing a floor a day.
00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:24.240
Yeah.
00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:25.359
A wing a day.
00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.000
You know what I'm saying?
00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:30.079
And by the time you start back over without a team.
00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:35.440
So, so, so this is the other thing, though, that goes into that.
00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:40.799
Like, what is the communication like between the the school and the administration?
00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:43.200
Because does the district know that?
00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:45.279
Do the school administrators know that?
00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:50.240
That it's only one janitor or he can only do one floor a day or a week?
00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:52.160
They only see one person.
00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:59.680
He can't clean an entire high school.
00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.160
So okay.
00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:02.160
Or you bring in a staffing company.
00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:07.359
Like you have to make certain provisions to make things work.
00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:12.960
Like if you got, say, my alma mater, Denby High School, I think it's three floors.
00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:16.079
You have Denby High School, it's built like a maze.
00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:19.200
You need at least five people.
00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:19.839
Yeah.
00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.119
You need at least five people.
00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:21.599
Yeah.
00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:27.359
You know, and then say instead of having them work Monday through Friday, maybe they work a Tuesday through Sunday.
00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:31.839
So on the weekend when the kids are in the building, you have most of your staff there cleaning.
00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:41.119
And so that in my mind falls back on contracts, budgeting, oversight, yeah.
00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:42.640
Somebody's got to decide.
00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:52.400
And if it's not happening, is that message being communicated to whether it's the board, whether it's the administrators and central office, is it being communicated?
00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:54.240
Get the health department involved.
00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:55.920
They start giving out fines.
00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.200
It's a different scenario.
00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:01.119
But then that could be a different stab for a DPS.
00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:02.640
How does that work?
00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:04.720
Do they does the health department find?
00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:07.440
Well, I mean, if you got criminals that mold and stuff, you can come on.
00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:09.119
Well, yeah, joint, yeah.
00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:13.039
And then plus the funding is an issue when it comes to facilities and stuff.
00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:14.400
We are not that, but okay.
00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:17.200
So but you ranked this a what?
00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:18.079
You said a five?
00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:18.480
Yep.
00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:19.759
And you rented five.
00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:20.400
Okay.
00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.920
So our next one.
00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:24.480
This is a now, this is a heavy one.
00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:32.319
Um, parents have said this year, they feel like I should not have to fight for my child to get an education this year.
00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:33.759
I'm not doing that.
00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.000
Specifically in special education and IEP services.
00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:41.359
Let me tell you the things that we heard from parent frustrations.
00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:47.440
Evaluations are taking too long, IEP meetings are not happening on time, or sometimes not at all.
00:19:47.680 --> 00:20:17.839
Services written into an IEP and not consistently delivered, issues of speech therapy, um, physical therapy, occupational therapy, paraprofessional shortages, transportations, teachers not understanding the IEPs, parents not knowing their rights, having to repeatedly explain their child's disability, parents being treated like they are, quote, difficult because they're advocating, and the list goes on and on and on.
00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:33.279
And just a fun fact um between the beginning of 25-26 school year and March of 2026, uh DPS went on the record and saying that they received like 1,680 special education evaluation referrals.
00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:38.480
72 were overdue, while 728 of them were still in process.
00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:44.559
Um, and this was information that they shared at a district school board meeting.
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:48.480
And again, this is not just DPSCD.
00:20:48.880 --> 00:21:00.960
We also have probably even more outrageous issues in our charter schools because a lot of times there's like no real um way to figure out accountability and transparency.
00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:04.000
So do you agree?
00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:11.039
Definitely as a mother with a child with special needs.
00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:20.480
Okay, I've had them ignore the IAP, I've had IAPs done without my presence, and I don't play that.
00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:21.680
I'm like, who told you?
00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:24.000
What is this thing about the evaluations though?
00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:25.680
Why does it take so long?
00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:28.480
I think it's because they're short staffed.
00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:29.599
Okay.
00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:47.039
Shortages, funding, but to have an IAP without the parent, when the parent all the signatures you've seen, you know, all the IAPs you've had with my child, you've seen my signature from being there, and then you decide to have one without me?
00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:48.960
That's unacceptable.
00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:53.920
And a lot of times they will just copy and paste.
00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:54.880
Copy and paste.
00:21:54.960 --> 00:22:02.240
So I was gonna ask you so has there ever been a time with your son when he was supposed To get a particular service or didn't happen.
00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:02.799
Yes.
00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:06.799
Speech therapy for for like right after COVID.
00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:12.000
He they just stopped basically and they said, Well, he's better.
00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:13.039
No, he's not.
00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:14.720
He's like your teacher.
00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:16.640
He's like the principal.
00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:19.279
He gets it from his daddy.
00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:25.279
But anyway, he he bless his daddy.
00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:28.960
But you know, I'm like, no, he still needs his service.
00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:30.559
Does he get speech therapy now?
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:31.200
He does.
00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:31.680
Okay.
00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:33.839
But it's not as much as I would like.
00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:34.319
Okay.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:36.799
But again, it's a shortage.
00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.799
But now, so let me ask that.
00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:42.400
How much is he supposed to get in speech therapy?
00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:47.200
Well, I just I agreed to the twice uh um week.
00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.400
But you wanted more.
00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:49.440
I wanted more.
00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:51.680
And so why did you agree to less?
00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.599
Because they didn't have the folk and ain't no use in beating a dead horse.
00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:01.119
So, so, but no, my but this is this is my point.
00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:05.759
So you asked for less because well I ain't asked for less.
00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:12.559
I mean you set you and you said, okay, I'm good with that because you know because it wasn't none.
00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:13.519
There was none.
00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:16.319
So it's like, do you want zero or do you want two?
00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:16.880
Right.
00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:17.920
Okay.
00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:24.799
So but but you understand that the shortages ain't no need of you saying, well, I want five days a week if five days a week wasn't possible.
00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:25.039
Right.
00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:29.920
But it's not possible because there's not enough staff to make it happen.
00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:30.400
Right.
00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:31.599
Okay.
00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:36.880
So he's getting he's not getting the full amount of what he could be getting.
00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:37.839
What he should be getting.
00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.200
And what he should be getting.
00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:44.720
To help him get better, improve, and all of the things because there's not enough staff.
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:45.680
Not enough staff.
00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:46.240
Okay.
00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:48.319
And that's just one area.
00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:49.920
Okay.
00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:53.599
And then the evaluation process took a while.
00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:54.559
Oh my.
00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:55.279
Okay.
00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:56.640
That's what we're hearing.
00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:04.400
And then some schools, um, I've also heard, even in some charter schools, that uh some parents are just kind of pushed out altogether.
00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:05.440
Oh my goodness.
00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:11.759
One of the parents in my neighborhood, she said her charter school told her, Oh no, she grew out of that.
00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.920
She grew out of what?
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:15.359
Don't say autism.
00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.519
She grew out of it.
00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:18.720
Now, wait a minute.
00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:19.200
Yes.
00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:20.480
She's okay.
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.200
She does not need those services anymore.
00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:23.920
I'm sorry.
00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:25.440
We have seen a great improvement.
00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:26.400
Oh, we've seen it.
00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:28.640
Oh, your child is no longer autistic.
00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:29.839
Yes, it's a miracle.
00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:34.000
They've been healed since we've been working with him these last three weeks.
00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:36.319
How do you outgrow a diagnosis?
00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:38.640
I don't shame on them.
00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:39.599
Shame on them.
00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:40.000
Okay.
00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:41.039
I don't even understand.
00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:45.200
Okay, so in terms of ranking.
00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:50.559
Wait, I want I want more native to what she and I were talking about.
00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.759
Oh, what were you talking about?
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:52.480
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:53.200
Let me hear it.
00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:59.279
Um first let me say to the first part of that question, I'm kind of, I'm probably gonna ruffle some feathers.
00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:03.599
I'm a little bit on the devil advocacy side of special education.
00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:04.079
Yeah.
00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:14.640
Um however, my idea that public schools should do, because it's there's so much, it's a lot, it's a lot of distractions.
00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:17.440
It's a lot of of microwave mentality now.
00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:25.680
And I feel like because there's so much going on, especially with the negativity, the racism, all the different isms, that teachers, a, should have a mental health day.
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.200
And it should be once a week.
00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:28.880
School can be four days a week.
00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:39.920
Whether you want to add an additional hour to those four days to make up for the hours you need for the state, and then I believe that kids should have the opportunity to have that one hour where they meditate, they reflect.
00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:46.319
Some of them just want to go to sleep for another hour, you know, and you give that to them so that a behavior is under control.
00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:58.240
Um, their ability to learn and to take in information is now in an area of I'm you're you're not cursing the teacher out because you're frustrated.
00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:59.920
Now you're learning how to handle it.
00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:04.160
But then that may mean you may have to sit someone in that room with them.
00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:07.359
Yeah, because that's now that's exactly what I'm gonna ask.
00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:18.400
But to your point, like you said, your child should have had four or five days of speech therapy, but because it's not enough to go around or there's teacher shortages.
00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:20.799
So my question to you, I like all of that.
00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:22.480
I think it's necessary.
00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.640
But who's gonna staff it?
00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:26.799
How do you train for it?
00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:28.160
Who's gonna do it?
00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:32.720
And then the first thing we hear is, oh, we don't there's some money for that.
00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:48.160
I don't know how we and I it that's just those are questions that I have, but those are also questions that I that goes back to who is responsible for solving the issues that we're having.
00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:57.440
So I I think we should 42 forward has been advocating for participatory budget team.
00:26:57.759 --> 00:26:58.079
Okay.
00:26:58.319 --> 00:27:03.039
Because y'all know we as black mamas, we know how to work a budget.
00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:05.200
Black mamas know how to work a budget.
00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:07.279
Okay, I can figure it out.
00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:09.279
I got something I need to figure out right now.
00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:21.039
So I'm saying if if we were included in the budget budgetary process, then I think we could find where we could um spend the money.
00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:28.319
Now, see, that's a that's another one of the points um that was raised up about having us included in the decision making.
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:33.119
Not necessarily, because a lot of times over years, people already had an idea and the plan.
00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:37.759
They invite you to the meet and just want you to just kind of say, Oh yeah, that sounds good, so let's do that.
00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:38.160
Right.
00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:47.920
But but what you're saying is when you're really a part of the budgetary process, I mean, really, really, people are considering what you're saying, they're taking it to heart.
00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:50.880
Um and somebody actually does it.
00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:54.640
I mean, if it makes sense, and everybody kind of can agree to it.
00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:56.480
So, all right.
00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:06.480
And another thing we talked about, um do not call me if my child is acting a certain way.
00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:10.640
Oh, Lord, because of his or her disability.
00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:12.640
Yes, don't call me to come get him.
00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:17.039
Leave the IEP, figure it out, because I can't take off work again.
00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:17.920
That's another thing.
00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:19.759
Because you mean don't call me.
00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:20.799
What's happening?
00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:23.200
I'm telling you, and then you gotta leave your job.
00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:27.680
Some parents are some parents cannot leave their job.
00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:33.519
If you are on the line at Chrysler for you, you may not necessarily be able to leave.
00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:40.240
Or if you're working Wixum, you can't for the profession.
00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:42.480
And then I always figure, I always say this.
00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:45.599
You mean to mean all them people in the building with all of them degrees?
00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:46.319
Can't figure out.
00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:49.279
Y'all can't figure how to get a seven-year-old together.
00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:50.559
I don't understand.
00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:51.839
I kind of feel like this.
00:28:52.000 --> 00:29:02.799
And this might be a pie in the sky type of idea, but I feel like if you eliminate, so let me just go back.
00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:07.680
If you eliminate one day, and it's almost like one day of instruction.
00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:10.720
So instead of one day of instruction, instead of five days of instruction.
00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:11.759
They're gonna crucify.
00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:13.359
Four days of instructions.
00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:19.519
But I also feel like, too, when we talk about where the money is coming from, we come from such a position of lack.
00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:20.640
This is an abundance.
00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:22.160
You can create mentality.
00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:23.759
You can create what you want to create.
00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:24.240
That's right.
00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:28.559
If they go back to how the school system was created, it was created by Ford as an assembly line.
00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:31.839
So we want to pump our workers, not people that think for themselves.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:38.160
And I almost feel like, why can't school be eight to eight or eight to ten?
00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:38.960
Not all day.
00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:41.200
Listen to what I'm saying, not all day.
00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:45.680
You may have some kids, like some that have to watch their siblings while mama's at work.
00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:48.960
They may go to school in the evening and get the same.
00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:52.319
You may have some teachers that's like, hey, you might right.
00:29:52.400 --> 00:30:02.319
You may have some teachers that say, hey, I'll I will I will come and do that that one to eight or that, that two to eight for schooling, and those kids are there during that hour.
00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:09.359
Like we we are so used to thinking in the same box because every approach does that one approach doesn't work for every kid.
00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:14.880
My kid has severe ADHD, and when he takes his asthma medication, his heart rate increases.
00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:18.160
So now the nervousness and the movement, he has to move.
00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:22.240
But you tell him to sit sit still, almost say something else.
00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:25.759
You tell him to sit down and be quiet, and you got all this.
00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:27.599
So now he's he's like this.
00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:32.000
And then you have it where some kids are like, hey, I don't function in the morning for real, for real.
00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:32.559
Listen.
00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:33.279
So guess what?
00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:38.960
So maybe I do go to school for one to eight, and I might do my homework to ten, or I might get up by noon and do my homework.
00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:44.640
We have to start thinking differently because we as America as a whole has fallen so far behind the world.
00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:45.200
So far.
00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:46.319
So far behind the world.
00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:50.240
And then our inner city school should be able to compete with anybody in the world, and we cannot.
00:30:50.400 --> 00:31:02.240
Honey, I just found out a school in my neighborhood, they start at 7:30 in the morning, and lunch is at 9:15 a.m.
00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:03.920
That is insane.
00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:08.319
Who and no one of the children are starving by the time they get home.
00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:12.160
Again, and that's kindergarten through second grade.
00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:16.880
Those babies at least almost four times in the school period while they're there.
00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:20.720
They're not they're not eating at nine because they probably ate breakfast before they left.
00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:24.559
Because mama made sure they ate sure the little baby.
00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:25.519
Yes.
00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:26.480
You're up early.
00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:28.559
Oh, that we gotta think outside the bar.
00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:30.319
See, nobody's ever okay, okay.
00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:31.039
So listen.
00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:32.720
Nobody's taking a look at that.
00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:34.319
We can't put up with that.
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:35.519
That needs to be added to the list.
00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:36.319
Added to the list.
00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:39.279
We're not no early lunches.
00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:41.599
Lunch before 10 o'clock is a matter of.
00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:44.400
Before 10 before 11.
00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:44.960
Right.
00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:47.359
41 a.m.
00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:47.839
Okay, we'll be able to do that.
00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:48.720
He texts me, Mama.
00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:51.759
Can you pick me up with a pizza when you come get me from school today?
00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:53.359
And he's an athlete.
00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:55.839
So in my What time does he eat?
00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:56.720
It's because he eats.
00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:00.720
He gets to school by eight.
00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:02.000
I made breakfast for him.
00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:05.839
But again, the dude is so lanky, like his arms are getting really large.
00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:10.480
Like, you know, he's getting a and so he consuming.
00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:11.440
Yeah, like consuming.
00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:12.480
Yeah.
00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:14.160
I woke up at one in the morning.
00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:14.720
He was cooking.
00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:16.400
I said, you've got to be joking.
00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:18.240
I said, go ahead and put me one on too.
00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:19.359
Busy cooking.
00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:21.279
He was like salt tan.
00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:26.000
Um he had made uh uh chicken breasting with salt tan and putting the vegetables on the side.
00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:26.720
Oh, he was chef.
00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:28.720
He was being a chef, okay.
00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:29.839
I was about to take that.
00:32:30.079 --> 00:32:32.000
Both of them can cook, both my boys can cook very, very well.
00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:33.279
Did he make biscuits?
00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:35.200
We ain't had none, because you know he asked.
00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:37.119
He liked bread, so he toasted.
00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:39.119
He toasted the real little garlic and bread.
00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:43.519
He was up in, he should have recorded the video and just went straight TikTok to talk about.
00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:44.480
Let's get to it.
00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.440
Let me show you how to do that.
00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:46.880
You know, I love the man.
00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:49.119
So he's like, Mom, but I'm still hungry.
00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:52.559
But he's still hungry because eating at 11 o'clock.
00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:54.880
So no early lunches before 11.
00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:55.279
Please.
00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.799
Okay, that's our next one.
00:32:56.960 --> 00:33:01.920
Okay, I think we're out the window with this rate and stuff because I got a feeling that all of this is gonna be top five.
00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:03.119
All of that is five, two.
00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:03.839
Okay.
00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.480
All right.
00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:10.160
We talked about staff shortages and teachers and constant turnover.
00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:12.559
That was something else that came up.
00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:24.480
Um, what we heard from parents was there is a uh when there's a uh long-term substitute, uh permanent substitute, permanent substitute out there.
00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:31.759
So without they've got to get children having multiple teachers in one year, classes overcrowded, teachers leaving, multiple principals.
00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:33.759
Pair professionals disappear.
00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:34.880
I hear this all the time.
00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:37.359
595 were laid off, remember?
00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:37.759
Yeah.
00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:42.240
But then but then we got another boost of money, but we didn't rehire anyone.
00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:45.920
Well, counselors are stretched in, that's what they're saying.
00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:52.319
Administrators are constantly filling vacancies, and students are placed in classes without the appropriate specialists.
00:33:52.640 --> 00:34:02.720
And I think a lot of that has to do with the administration, because a lot of these people who get into this profession love children.
00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:03.200
Yeah.
00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:04.400
They they have good heart.
00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:05.200
Yeah, I think they do.
00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:05.839
A lot of them.
00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:06.799
They just get burned out.
00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:07.519
They get burned out.
00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:11.039
They get burned out, and that would that's that's the next question, though.
00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:17.519
Like the deeper question is because it's easy to say, well, the teachers need to do this, but what's causing people to leave?
00:34:17.599 --> 00:34:18.079
You talking about it.
00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:19.039
First of all, it was money.
00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:23.679
Like you can't, you can't pay the sanitation worker 80,000 and the teacher 25,000.
00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:26.960
Well, so in the back of their mind, they're like, how am I gonna pay my mortgage?
00:34:27.039 --> 00:34:28.559
But I've still got to teach these kids.
00:34:28.800 --> 00:34:31.199
That's a lot of stress because they are them before they were that.
00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:31.599
Yeah.
00:34:31.760 --> 00:34:33.760
Just like we were us before we were parents.
00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:36.960
Like, so it's a but now you want to boost them up to 50,000.
00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:38.639
50,000 after taxes is what?
00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:40.480
Because you're getting taxed 27 to 32 percent.
00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:41.199
Yeah, 50 is a few.
00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:42.000
You bring it home 30.
00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:43.599
You bring it home like 36.
00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:45.119
50 is to do 30.
00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:52.159
So we need to be making, well, we need to probably need to be making about 150,000 just to be straight.
00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:55.199
You need to make 109 to get an 11% tax bracket.
00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:57.679
109, the tax bracket.
00:34:57.840 --> 00:35:01.199
See, you're a woman of many, many things, many colors and coats.
00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:02.000
That's what she said.
00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:06.559
So I gotta, we gotta, we gotta work on that tax bracket, that 109.
00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:08.320
Well, I'm going for 159.
00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:08.960
What about that?
00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:10.079
I could start there.
00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:11.440
I think that's good.
00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:14.639
So, compensation, burnout, workload.
00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:15.360
We hear that.
00:35:15.599 --> 00:35:16.800
Okay, here's another one.
00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:20.159
This is we're gonna in this transition into the next point.
00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.719
Um, student behavior.
00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:23.760
Yeah.
00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:25.599
You had to take a breath behind that.
00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:28.960
No, because and I can just be completely transparent.
00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:30.239
I had one of those kids.
00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:30.559
Okay.
00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:32.800
I just be like, please just have a good day today.
00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:33.760
What was he doing?
00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:41.840
Please just, for an example, he threw a ham sandwich down the hall that was a fully loaded ham sandwich.
00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:43.360
You got tomatoes.
00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:45.519
And he for the and it wasn't rap.
00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:47.119
So I was like, why would you do that?
00:35:47.360 --> 00:35:52.159
It was things like he So they had tomatoes flying and letters.
00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:54.000
He has a lawyer mouth.
00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:55.760
So it's like, I have to debate you.
00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:58.159
You have to tell me why of the why of the why of the why.
00:35:58.239 --> 00:35:59.840
And I'm like, baby.
00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:02.239
And then if you insult him.
00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:04.559
Who did he throw the ham sandwich at?
00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:05.360
I do not know.
00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:08.480
That's exactly we still to this day, I'm looking like, how did why?
00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:10.159
Um my thing is the why.
00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:11.280
I don't care who you throw.
00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:12.079
Why?
00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:12.800
Why?
00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:15.199
Because I'm gonna hit him with a ham sandwich.
00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:16.639
Exactly.
00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:22.320
And so I was I was that parent that when I got that that that phone number showed up on that phone, my heart started racing.
00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:25.039
Because I'm like, I know he did something.
00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:31.840
The everyone knew my name, the secretaries, the the sanitation workers, the the teachers, like the even some of the people.
00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:33.280
You ham sandwich mama.
00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:34.800
Yeah, and then we look alike.
00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:37.920
So they was like, Oh, yeah, you Michael Mom, go, go, come on.
00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:38.800
Oh my god.
00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:39.840
Okay.
00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:41.199
I'm gonna say this name.
00:36:41.280 --> 00:36:42.239
My bad, scratch that.
00:36:42.320 --> 00:36:47.920
That's but heard that now he's a lot better, but yeah, I had to deal with his behavior at home, too.
00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:50.000
I was like, hey, we gotta figure this thing out.
00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:52.800
I got on the meditating, got him working out.
00:36:52.880 --> 00:36:56.480
I was like, we have to figure out, and then I took all the red dyes and stuff out of his diet.
00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:58.800
But that's a whole nother subject about what they eat at lunch.
00:36:59.119 --> 00:37:01.519
He is, but I'm a but I want to point out something though.
00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:08.000
So, and and in terms of because earlier we were talking about a little bit about accountability and who's responsible.
00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:27.280
But I what I like about that is as a parent, even though you were trying to figure it out too, you know it was a struggle or challenge for him, don't know why he was doing it, but you had to take something upon yourself to try to figure out how do I figure out what's going on with my son?
00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:36.400
How do we kind of make this so where I'm not losing my mind or going to jail for trying to trying to discipline him and get him right?
00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:41.840
But then so that he has a good experience in school and is not always labeled the one.
00:37:42.559 --> 00:37:42.800
Exactly.
00:37:43.039 --> 00:37:44.000
You don't want to yeah.
00:37:44.320 --> 00:37:47.840
I got a call one day and I said, Why is your school calling me when you're sitting in my back seat?
00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:52.719
Oh my god, what they were like, Yeah, you know, Michael just said I said, Michael's not even there.
00:37:53.360 --> 00:37:58.400
But he built the reputation and his credibility, even when he's not in the room, he's in the room.
00:37:58.480 --> 00:38:00.559
And so it was just like, and they were like, Wait, what?
00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:02.079
I said, Would you like to talk to him?
00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:03.119
He's in the back seat with me.
00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:04.960
He had a doctor's appointment today, remember?
00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:05.920
They were like, Oh.
00:38:06.239 --> 00:38:08.880
See, because because he's been the one.
00:38:09.119 --> 00:38:10.239
Because he was labeled that.
00:38:10.480 --> 00:38:14.960
But I had to take accountability because it it's not always on the teachers.
00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:16.639
And I get it, we do get tired.
00:38:16.719 --> 00:38:20.239
We like, I'm sending you here for a reason, but it's it's on us too.
00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:20.960
It is on us.
00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:26.159
But then there are some parents who are so overwhelmed, it's like we got multiples.
00:38:26.559 --> 00:38:29.360
I cannot with different personalities, I can't deal with that.
00:38:29.679 --> 00:38:39.360
I think about um one thing that does not show up in absenteeism on nobody's report is domestic violence.
00:38:39.519 --> 00:38:39.840
Yep.
00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:47.119
I think about this um my my husband who the dearly departed, Mr.
00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:47.840
Clark.
00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:48.960
Rest in peace.
00:38:49.280 --> 00:38:50.079
Yes, baby.
00:38:50.480 --> 00:38:54.639
But he had, he was a man, a man for others.
00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:59.119
And he had young boys that he mentored.
00:38:59.360 --> 00:39:03.599
And one day one of his boys called the house at 10 o'clock in the morning.
00:39:03.679 --> 00:39:05.519
I'm like, why he ain't at school?
00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:09.119
And all you heard in the background was fighting.
00:39:09.679 --> 00:39:23.840
And he was at home trying to protect his aunt, who was beat, his aunt had custody of him, who was beaten, who was who her and her boyfriend were, you know, having an altercation.
00:39:24.159 --> 00:39:40.800
And so when you are a young person and you're dealing with that, and you come into school at 7:30 in the morning, and gotta eat breakfast at nine o'clock or lunch at nine o'clock, you don't know how to process that.
00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:41.440
Right.
00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:43.119
Or you're coming in angry.
00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:45.840
Yeah, now you're fighting with other kids.
00:39:46.239 --> 00:39:49.280
It's so tight and tense, and you're fighting with other kids.
00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:50.719
And you don't know.
00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:54.159
One of my very best friends shared with me.
00:39:54.239 --> 00:40:00.880
She said, Don, what you don't know is when we were in school, I was afraid every single day.
00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:04.239
I didn't know if I was gonna come home to my mama being dead or alive.
00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:05.119
Wow.
00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:12.559
I grew up in domestic violence, and I took that level of anger because I would fight my uncle that was fighting my aunt.
00:40:12.719 --> 00:40:17.440
And so it just, in that essence, I didn't get scared, but it showed me how to be a lot more aggressive.
00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:20.000
And I knew a lot how I can be a lot more vicious.
00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:25.039
And because I'm I'm here in this environment, my mother was in the army, I'm here in this environment.
00:40:25.199 --> 00:40:26.559
I don't have my mother to go to.
00:40:26.639 --> 00:40:33.760
I'm making sure my sister, my twin sister is good, and I'm coming and I'm angry, and then teachers are saying, you need to sit down and shut up.
00:40:34.559 --> 00:40:34.960
Right.
00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:37.519
It's resonating with what I'm hearing my uncle say.
00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:47.599
And so now, and then if a kid, because I was deaf and I had a speech impediment, when they would say things, it was nothing for me to just I went to eight schools.
00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:48.559
Yes.
00:40:48.880 --> 00:40:50.239
I fought constantly.
00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:50.800
Wow.
00:40:51.039 --> 00:40:54.320
It was and and then to top.
00:40:54.480 --> 00:40:56.159
And I'm hurting people, you know what I'm saying?
00:40:56.559 --> 00:41:02.800
It wasn't until I started getting older and I was like, wait, that anger scared me when I knocked this boy out.
00:41:02.960 --> 00:41:06.159
That anger scared me because I was like, you keep going.
00:41:06.320 --> 00:41:10.159
You're gonna be in prison, so we're gonna kill, you could have killed that young man because he did not move.
00:41:10.639 --> 00:41:11.679
Let me ask you this question.
00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:14.639
Just off topic, you think you can take Clarissa Shields?
00:41:15.199 --> 00:41:15.599
You know what I mean?
00:41:15.760 --> 00:41:16.159
I thought about it.
00:41:16.559 --> 00:41:16.960
I thought about it.
00:41:17.119 --> 00:41:20.400
Somebody need to, because I thought about it, but I'm I'm feeling it.
00:41:20.639 --> 00:41:24.159
I'm older and I feel like my feet don't move that fast.
00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:25.199
Okay, okay.
00:41:26.000 --> 00:41:28.559
So her other, which I didn't say, she was a boxer, too.
00:41:28.800 --> 00:41:29.199
A boxer.
00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:30.880
We got that part.
00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:31.760
But you know what?
00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:32.719
There's a whole lot with it.
00:41:32.880 --> 00:41:36.639
But that's how I channeled my anger too, and through poetry, that's how I started channeling.
00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:37.840
And I love this.
00:41:37.920 --> 00:41:39.199
You know what I like about this?
00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:40.880
Because I know your story now.
00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:42.320
I know who you are now.
00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:47.920
And then just to hear that, I'm like, wow, you are a living proof.
00:41:48.079 --> 00:41:50.000
And you too, Don, in another another way.
00:41:50.639 --> 00:41:52.639
You are living proof that it's doable.
00:41:53.199 --> 00:41:59.119
You can that you don't have, however, you start it, is not how you have to end up.
00:41:59.679 --> 00:42:05.119
There are some decisions you have to make, there's some some things, some process you got to change, but it's doable.
00:42:05.199 --> 00:42:22.639
And so I'm I'm listening to all this, and we're talking about, you know, how kids show up in the class and teachers are burned out, and all of the things that's happening in the homes that people don't know about, and our kids processing things differently, that seriously impacts the entire school day.
00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:24.480
And you multiply that by 30 kids.
00:42:24.719 --> 00:42:25.679
I'm about 45.
00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:31.519
45 in one classroom, and it's like, no wonder everybody is completely off the hook.
00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:37.920
But then here's my question: Who is responsible for doing something about that?
00:42:38.079 --> 00:42:38.639
We all are.
00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:41.840
We just gotta be open-minded and let go of the filters.
00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:45.920
Let go of the filters of I didn't act like that, I didn't grow like that.
00:42:46.079 --> 00:42:50.880
You know, you got you still- You said let go of the filters, because that's what we often hear people say first.
00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:52.800
When we grew up, honey, it wasn't like that.
00:42:53.039 --> 00:42:53.760
Let the filters go.
00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:59.039
Okay, so you you you you grow, you know, you're not, I don't say grown because I ain't hit the grave yet.
00:42:59.119 --> 00:43:00.239
So I'm still growing.
00:43:00.400 --> 00:43:02.559
But you grew out of that, and that was your era.
00:43:02.880 --> 00:43:03.440
That was your era.
00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:04.719
We didn't have social media.
00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:07.360
We climbed trees and slid down and got scars on our knees.
00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:11.599
Yeah, I still when the light was coming on.
00:43:11.760 --> 00:43:12.480
We had to be home.
00:43:12.960 --> 00:43:14.880
Kids, now you calling them at 9 30.
00:43:15.039 --> 00:43:16.320
Hey, where you at?
00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:17.039
Where you at?
00:43:17.119 --> 00:43:17.280
Yeah.
00:43:17.760 --> 00:43:18.480
What's going on?
00:43:18.639 --> 00:43:18.880
Right.
00:43:19.039 --> 00:43:23.679
You know, and so, or you calling them from downstairs instead of walking up to their room.
00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:24.960
And I'm guilty.
00:43:25.039 --> 00:43:25.760
Let me stop doing that.
00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:29.119
Yeah, my son, yeah.
00:43:29.360 --> 00:43:31.199
He's in the next room, he can't hear me.
00:43:31.280 --> 00:43:31.920
Yeah, I don't know.
00:43:33.599 --> 00:43:34.960
But he no, but he goes deaf.
00:43:35.039 --> 00:43:36.320
But you know when you call him.
00:43:36.400 --> 00:43:37.119
You when I call him.
00:43:40.800 --> 00:43:41.119
He don't care.
00:43:43.199 --> 00:43:44.400
He comes straight to the basement.
00:43:44.719 --> 00:43:47.920
Is that you got candy down there?
00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:48.239
I don't know.
00:43:48.559 --> 00:43:48.880
But anyway.
00:43:49.039 --> 00:43:49.760
That's why I know it.
00:43:49.920 --> 00:43:50.800
You know what we need to do?
00:43:50.880 --> 00:43:54.800
I think we need to change the conversation from what's wrong with you to what happened to you.
00:43:55.360 --> 00:43:56.400
Or what's right with you.
00:43:56.480 --> 00:43:58.400
Like, what where why are we not moving in there straight?
00:43:59.440 --> 00:43:59.840
I'm a creator.
00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:06.159
And I learned how to be analytical, but my my baby son is creative all day long.
00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:08.239
So the data stuff he doesn't pick up.
00:44:08.400 --> 00:44:10.239
My oldest one, all data.
00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:12.159
He picked up creativity later.
00:44:12.320 --> 00:44:16.159
So it's just like we're teaching these kids out of this one fits all.
00:44:19.039 --> 00:44:19.840
And they're not making it.
00:44:20.079 --> 00:44:20.719
And that's it.
00:44:20.880 --> 00:44:42.400
Do you think, and do you think, and we'll get back on our points and women, do you think that some of the things like what you mentioned earlier about this rest and um having a moment to just kind of woo-sah or uh a whole hour for a mental health break and then uh exploring children's creativity and finding out what they're really good at and then just kind of building them from there?
00:44:42.719 --> 00:44:43.599
Is that too much?
00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:44.159
It's not.
00:44:44.320 --> 00:44:48.880
But think about it though, how many of us in this room feel rested on a regular basis?
00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:50.800
Well, feel rested on the regular basis.
00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:54.719
I'm gonna tell you now, I I'm learning, I'm in a state of healing, but I'm learning.
00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:55.360
Yes.
00:44:56.480 --> 00:44:59.199
And so as an adult, you're like, hey, I'm tired.
00:44:59.280 --> 00:45:03.360
That doesn't mean that that teenager, that younger dog, the adolescent, that they're not tired.
00:45:03.519 --> 00:45:03.760
Yeah.
00:45:03.920 --> 00:45:05.039
It's a it's a different level.
00:45:05.119 --> 00:45:10.239
And then when they handle stress, like I had one parent was like, you don't have no emotion, you don't know what stress is.
00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:11.440
And I had to stop her.
00:45:11.599 --> 00:45:13.119
I said, we've been friends for 18 years.
00:45:13.280 --> 00:45:14.960
I said, Don't you do that, baby, like that.
00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:15.760
What you mean?
00:45:15.920 --> 00:45:18.320
I said, because his stress is his stress.
00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:20.079
I said, it's not your stress.
00:45:20.400 --> 00:45:21.679
You're stressing on a different level.
00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:24.800
You had stress in high school when you went to refer, didn't you?
00:45:25.440 --> 00:45:26.400
I said, exactly.
00:45:26.480 --> 00:45:31.440
So he asked the exact same thing, but the difference is that he hasn't gone through it to learn how to process it.
00:45:31.679 --> 00:45:32.000
That's right.
00:45:32.159 --> 00:45:32.960
Yeah, positively.
00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:36.800
I said, so stop telling me he doesn't have emotions, and stop telling our young men to not cry.
00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:37.440
Yeah.
00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:40.159
I think we repeat a lot of the things that we hear we grew up here.
00:45:40.559 --> 00:45:41.360
I had to grow out of that.
00:45:41.440 --> 00:45:42.480
I never heard I love you.
00:45:42.559 --> 00:45:42.719
Yeah.
00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:44.639
But I made it a purpose to say I love you to my kids.
00:45:44.800 --> 00:45:45.280
You repeat that.
00:45:45.360 --> 00:45:47.039
Yeah, I have my dug my babies.
00:45:47.360 --> 00:45:50.880
My mother is in her late 80s and come on, Wonnie, do it.
00:45:51.360 --> 00:45:51.920
Yes, yes.
00:45:52.079 --> 00:45:53.360
And she is a blessing.
00:45:53.519 --> 00:45:57.199
Um, and uh just lost her brother.
00:45:57.360 --> 00:46:00.559
My mother's last sibling left, so God rest his soul.
00:46:00.800 --> 00:46:08.800
But um I grew up in that kind of don't do as I say, not as I do, don't question me.
00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:11.119
Um, you ain't got no business being tired.
00:46:11.199 --> 00:46:11.920
You a young person.
00:46:12.719 --> 00:46:13.679
So I grew up in that.
00:46:13.760 --> 00:46:16.239
And I, you know, just kind of tracing some of that back.
00:46:16.320 --> 00:46:19.679
That has all of those slavery roots attached to it.
00:46:19.920 --> 00:46:21.119
And I was labeled as bad.
00:46:21.360 --> 00:46:22.239
I was labeled as you bad.
00:46:22.400 --> 00:46:22.800
That kind of stuff.
00:46:22.880 --> 00:46:24.480
And I said I'm not bad.
00:46:24.559 --> 00:46:25.840
It's the action that I'm doing.
00:46:25.920 --> 00:46:26.400
You're bad.
00:46:26.480 --> 00:46:26.880
You bad.
00:46:26.960 --> 00:46:27.039
Yeah.
00:46:27.280 --> 00:46:28.159
I was smart as heck.
00:46:28.320 --> 00:46:32.559
I had one teacher, Miss Marsh, and I she's probably she might be dead by now.
00:46:32.639 --> 00:46:34.079
I mean I mean she is.
00:46:34.320 --> 00:46:36.079
But Oh Lord, you forgot?
00:46:36.239 --> 00:46:36.880
I don't know.
00:46:37.119 --> 00:46:39.119
Rest her soul, Miss Flash was sad.
00:46:39.440 --> 00:46:41.360
But Miss Marsh was the first teacher.
00:46:41.440 --> 00:46:42.960
She was my third grade teacher.
00:46:43.119 --> 00:46:45.199
She was the one that discovered I couldn't hear.
00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:50.559
And then she was the one that was like, she was the one that was like, she's not bad.
00:46:50.800 --> 00:46:51.920
She's not getting it.
00:46:52.079 --> 00:46:52.480
She's not getting it.
00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:53.840
She's like, we gotta figure this out.
00:46:54.000 --> 00:46:58.159
And she sat me in her room one day and she was like, let me talk to you for a minute.
00:46:58.239 --> 00:46:59.280
And I'm I'm a little.
00:46:59.440 --> 00:47:01.039
And she was like, You are great.
00:47:01.199 --> 00:47:03.599
And I'm looking at this white woman like Shirley Feeney.
00:47:03.760 --> 00:47:05.840
I'm looking at her like, white lady, what?
00:47:06.159 --> 00:47:07.840
But she was like, You're great.
00:47:08.000 --> 00:47:09.360
And I was like, okay.
00:47:09.519 --> 00:47:12.239
She was like, No, I can see the brilliance in you.
00:47:12.400 --> 00:47:16.320
Do you know from the third grade on up, I had, I won every single award they can ever give you?
00:47:16.480 --> 00:47:16.719
That is me.
00:47:16.960 --> 00:47:20.000
The ones that called me bad was like, her name being, I mean, most of them.
00:47:20.079 --> 00:47:27.679
It just took somebody to speak life and not you and then embrace you like that.
00:47:27.840 --> 00:47:30.400
So I d'un thing I want to talk about.
00:47:30.559 --> 00:47:39.840
My I never let anybody, including my children, I five, talk about each other.
00:47:39.920 --> 00:47:40.960
Oh, yeah, me neither.
00:47:41.119 --> 00:47:42.079
I think I know what you're saying.
00:47:42.239 --> 00:47:47.199
And so I've I've I've been doing this since they were itty, itty bitty.
00:47:47.440 --> 00:47:53.440
So, like if I hear them say to their sibling, you stupid, I say, What's today's date?
00:47:54.079 --> 00:47:54.880
What's today's date?
00:47:55.360 --> 00:47:56.639
Ninth, tenth, the tenth.
00:47:57.199 --> 00:47:58.960
I say, tell your sister 10 good things.
00:47:59.920 --> 00:48:03.039
Because words create things.
00:48:03.440 --> 00:48:08.400
And what you're not going to do is put whatever you got on now you got that in the back of mind.
00:48:08.480 --> 00:48:08.880
Oh, my bad.
00:48:09.519 --> 00:48:10.559
Now in the back of your mind.
00:48:10.800 --> 00:48:23.679
And so, how do you and so, because what we're talking about, all these things that we're not gonna put up with for the rest for this year or any year, and we're just talking about building a particular culture.
00:48:24.079 --> 00:48:38.159
If that culture is not built or if somebody's not showing how to build that in a home, we definitely know right now that type of culture is definitely not what's mainstream in our schools at all.
00:48:39.280 --> 00:48:42.239
How and where do you begin to build that?
00:48:42.480 --> 00:48:43.760
Is that something?
00:48:44.079 --> 00:48:46.719
Is that the responsibility of a school district?
00:48:46.960 --> 00:48:47.440
I mean, it is.
00:48:48.079 --> 00:48:48.320
It is.
00:48:48.559 --> 00:48:48.960
Should they?
00:48:49.360 --> 00:48:50.480
I coach basketball.
00:48:50.639 --> 00:48:53.920
When those boys walk in and we had a first meeting, first parent meeting.
00:48:54.079 --> 00:48:57.280
I say, hey, if your trying your son has no respect, he won't play.
00:48:57.840 --> 00:48:59.599
Your son will respect himself, he doesn't play.
00:48:59.920 --> 00:49:01.760
He disrespects the teachers, he will not play.
00:49:02.559 --> 00:49:05.360
And I have, I was like, I have zero tolerance.
00:49:05.519 --> 00:49:07.599
I don't even want to hear a joke that's derogatory.
00:49:07.679 --> 00:49:10.480
I won't hear a joke that defames the other person's character.
00:49:10.639 --> 00:49:12.559
I don't care if you can dribble better than him.
00:49:12.719 --> 00:49:15.039
You're here to help teach him, he's here to help teach you.
00:49:15.280 --> 00:49:17.440
I said, and if you cannot do that, you will not play.
00:49:17.519 --> 00:49:18.639
And I don't care how good you are.
00:49:18.800 --> 00:49:21.360
I sat the coach's son down the majority of the year.
00:49:21.599 --> 00:49:22.880
Play with me if you want to.
00:49:23.039 --> 00:49:24.880
And I looked at the coach, he's like, You ain't gonna play my son?
00:49:25.199 --> 00:49:26.320
Like, no, I'm not gonna play him.
00:49:26.480 --> 00:49:28.000
You know, I'm I'm like, no.
00:49:28.239 --> 00:49:37.760
Because at the end of the day, because he has this status and because he's a great player, he just told this player here that's really learning more of the fundamentals.
00:49:38.000 --> 00:49:39.039
Oh man, you suck.
00:49:39.119 --> 00:49:42.639
You know how you suck in this one area, cascade to every area of your life.
00:49:42.800 --> 00:49:43.199
Yep, it does.
00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:46.320
Now you're carrying around this rent-free in your head in every area.
00:49:46.400 --> 00:49:50.480
And it's so deep down and you can't figure out why you can't explode through a thing.
00:49:50.559 --> 00:49:51.199
You know what I'm saying?
00:49:51.440 --> 00:49:51.599
We have.
00:49:51.840 --> 00:49:53.039
So no, it starts with everybody.
00:49:53.119 --> 00:49:54.159
You gotta change the verbiage.
00:49:54.320 --> 00:49:55.280
I think it's the village.
00:49:55.360 --> 00:49:56.800
I don't think it's just the schools.
00:49:56.880 --> 00:49:59.599
I think it's the entire yeah, even at the corner stove.
00:49:59.679 --> 00:50:01.119
Yeah, hey, baby bruh.
00:50:01.280 --> 00:50:02.079
Hey, big bro.
00:50:02.239 --> 00:50:04.400
Like, we don't even embrace each other like that anymore.
00:50:04.559 --> 00:50:07.599
And then don't, God forbid, if you speak to somebody, hey, how you doing?
00:50:07.840 --> 00:50:08.960
One guy at a gas station.
00:50:09.039 --> 00:50:10.000
I'm walking in, he's walking out.
00:50:10.079 --> 00:50:11.119
I said, Hey, how you doing, sir?
00:50:11.199 --> 00:50:16.400
He was like, I was gonna speak, but then I ain't know because last time I spoke to a woman, she had an attitude like I wanted to get with her.
00:50:16.559 --> 00:50:20.159
And I said, Wow, I don't assume nothing until it comes out your mouth.
00:50:20.239 --> 00:50:20.480
Yeah.
00:50:20.639 --> 00:50:23.119
I mean, now I'm aware of my surroundings.
00:50:23.199 --> 00:50:23.360
Yeah.
00:50:23.519 --> 00:50:24.960
So don't be nickel slick.
00:50:25.039 --> 00:50:25.440
Yeah.
00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:29.840
However, however, I'm like, and he was like, that put a smile on my face.
00:50:30.719 --> 00:50:31.519
But that all it takes.
00:50:31.599 --> 00:50:33.519
We walk past each other, won't even look each other in the eyes.
00:50:33.599 --> 00:50:35.760
And won't do it, and it comes in the classroom.
00:50:35.840 --> 00:50:39.360
So that's and that's why when you talk about the gas station story.
00:50:40.239 --> 00:50:52.400
But I'm saying, but the community, oh Lord, I'm saying that the everything that's happening in the communities reflect and in the homes, reflect in the classrooms, and it's just the cycle that just keeps going back and forth from repeating this thing.
00:50:52.559 --> 00:50:53.199
It's a rat race.
00:50:53.280 --> 00:50:53.760
Yeah, it is.
00:50:53.920 --> 00:50:58.000
So I hate to see the young men with their pants down.
00:50:58.159 --> 00:50:58.480
Uh-oh.
00:50:58.800 --> 00:50:59.280
Oh Lord.
00:50:59.440 --> 00:51:02.719
And I'll say, oh, I see your underwear.
00:51:04.159 --> 00:51:06.159
Do you know I can see your underwear?
00:51:06.639 --> 00:51:07.599
Sounded like a real old.
00:51:08.239 --> 00:51:11.920
Listen, at every time I say it, they pull them up.
00:51:12.000 --> 00:51:13.440
Oh, my bad, my bad, auntie.
00:51:13.519 --> 00:51:13.840
I'm sorry.
00:51:14.079 --> 00:51:15.280
I mean, at least they know.
00:51:15.519 --> 00:51:17.360
I I don't want to see your underwear.
00:51:17.519 --> 00:51:19.199
Yeah, when I hit Auntie Saddis, I was so proud.
00:51:19.280 --> 00:51:20.400
He was like, Auntie, you good also?
00:51:20.960 --> 00:51:21.199
I'm good.
00:51:21.920 --> 00:51:23.119
Auntie Saddis, that's good.
00:51:23.519 --> 00:51:25.199
And then I had another gas station show.
00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:26.480
You know I have a whole lot of stories.
00:51:26.639 --> 00:51:32.639
I walked in two o'clock in the afternoon, and four boys is in there smoking a blunt.
00:51:33.840 --> 00:51:35.679
And I cussed them all out.
00:51:36.480 --> 00:51:37.519
And told them, come here.
00:51:37.760 --> 00:51:39.360
I'm glad you didn't say cannot hit it, though.
00:51:39.440 --> 00:51:40.159
That's what I thought you were saying.
00:51:40.480 --> 00:51:41.280
No, I did not say that.
00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:41.519
Okay.
00:51:41.760 --> 00:51:42.559
But I cussed them out.
00:51:42.639 --> 00:51:44.719
I said, smoke your weed at the at your house.
00:51:44.880 --> 00:51:45.920
What if I was the police?
00:51:46.239 --> 00:51:47.920
You creating obstacles for yourself.
00:51:48.079 --> 00:51:49.119
Yeah, that's yeah.
00:51:49.280 --> 00:51:49.840
What is wrong with you?
00:51:50.000 --> 00:51:50.320
That happened.
00:51:50.559 --> 00:51:51.920
And the boy was like, Well, what's wrong with you?
00:51:52.320 --> 00:51:53.360
Why are you coming on us like this?
00:51:53.440 --> 00:51:58.480
I said, because my brother is locked up right now during 30 years for stupid stuff.
00:51:58.639 --> 00:51:58.800
Yeah.
00:51:59.039 --> 00:52:00.800
And y'all can be at the crib.
00:52:01.039 --> 00:52:02.719
And so it takes a village.
00:52:02.960 --> 00:52:04.079
Were they were they young?
00:52:04.239 --> 00:52:04.880
Were they like.
00:52:05.119 --> 00:52:08.000
They were or young adults, like they were school age.
00:52:08.239 --> 00:52:08.719
Young adults.
00:52:08.960 --> 00:52:10.159
Yeah, but they shouldn't know better.
00:52:10.559 --> 00:52:11.119
But they know, but no.
00:52:11.440 --> 00:52:12.639
And then I went in the gas station.
00:52:12.719 --> 00:52:14.320
I said, I'm shutting this bitch down too.
00:52:14.400 --> 00:52:15.599
He was like, I ain't do nothing.
00:52:15.679 --> 00:52:16.320
I said, that's why.
00:52:16.480 --> 00:52:17.199
Because you didn't do it.
00:52:17.519 --> 00:52:19.599
Because he needed to take a steady, but they take the money though.
00:52:19.760 --> 00:52:21.280
But well, that's a whole nother subject.
00:52:21.440 --> 00:52:32.880
But but the reason why I asked what age they were, because a lot of our young people, especially when we're talking about different things, hanging out in the streets, crime stats, all these things that are happening, even the takeovers that was happening over the summer.
00:52:33.119 --> 00:52:36.400
A lot of our young people are not far removed from school.
00:52:36.960 --> 00:52:43.119
They were attached, they were in the school system, they were attached to something, but a lot of them are not attached at this point.
00:52:43.280 --> 00:52:43.519
Yeah.
00:52:43.760 --> 00:52:50.239
Okay, so we are probably way past our points at this point.
00:52:50.639 --> 00:52:51.920
But we got two more.
00:52:52.079 --> 00:52:52.400
Okay.
00:52:52.559 --> 00:52:52.800
Okay.
00:52:53.039 --> 00:52:55.119
We're not even, I'm about to tell y'all right now.
00:52:55.199 --> 00:52:57.360
Y'all know we done just blew whatever the ranking.
00:52:57.440 --> 00:52:58.320
Everything is a fine.
00:52:58.400 --> 00:52:58.719
Everything.
00:52:58.880 --> 00:53:00.320
It ain't no, it ain't no ranking.
00:53:00.400 --> 00:53:01.519
We ain't gonna get to no time.
00:53:01.760 --> 00:53:02.079
Okay.
00:53:02.239 --> 00:53:08.079
So these two, we we talked about it, but I want to just really hear what you got to say.
00:53:08.159 --> 00:53:10.559
This is something that I'm hearing more and more.
00:53:10.960 --> 00:53:13.679
My child has to actually learn something.
00:53:13.920 --> 00:53:21.119
So we're listening to parents talk about saying, I don't want my child just to pass.
00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:23.840
I want to know can he read?
00:53:24.400 --> 00:53:25.440
Can she write?
00:53:25.679 --> 00:53:26.639
Can she add?
00:53:27.360 --> 00:53:28.960
Can they think critically?
00:53:29.679 --> 00:53:31.440
Will they graduate prepared?
00:53:31.920 --> 00:53:33.440
I've I've heard that.
00:53:34.079 --> 00:53:48.559
And so parents are saying that even though their kids may be going through school, but there's still some question about whether or not they are academically prepared and whether they're actually learning.
00:53:48.800 --> 00:54:00.639
And so some of the proficiency scores, I think the M7 scores, they were talking about it today, um, but proficiency in reading, less than it was like 24%.
00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:05.199
Now these are 24-25 figures that the district reported, okay, on the website.
00:54:05.440 --> 00:54:17.199
24%, 23.9%, K through two math proficiency, MSTET 16.1%, ELA proficiency, 17.1% MSTET, MSET math proficiency.
00:54:17.280 --> 00:54:24.480
Now I'm I'm putting those stats out there, even though they are from the previous year stats for the district.
00:54:24.719 --> 00:54:36.800
And I also believe, though, I'm not real big on test taking because I think our children take uh tests differently, but it it does raise a question.
00:54:37.039 --> 00:54:50.159
I've heard I've heard students graduate from schools in Detroit, go to college, and almost essentially flunk out because they cannot keep up, they feel like they weren't prepared, or they had to do all this remediation.
00:54:50.559 --> 00:55:01.119
And so parents are saying, I don't want to tolerate just my child passing this year, or I find out they did all this work.
00:55:01.199 --> 00:55:05.440
I have a nephew that graduated um uh what is it, Sumakum Laudi?
00:55:05.679 --> 00:55:06.000
What is it?
00:55:06.079 --> 00:55:10.559
Sumacum Laudi uh and no, I'm sorry, Salutatorian.
00:55:10.800 --> 00:55:12.800
Summa cum laude is uh yeah.
00:55:13.119 --> 00:55:21.119
He graduated Salutatorian 3.9, went to Michigan State, and was completely baffled by the math that was on the board.
00:55:21.199 --> 00:55:31.199
And he called me and said, all the other students who were not from Detroit knew exactly what the professor had on the whiteboard, but we didn't know.
00:55:31.280 --> 00:55:33.360
He said, I feel like I've been cheated on my education.
00:55:33.440 --> 00:55:34.800
How is it that I don't know about this?
00:55:34.880 --> 00:55:36.719
And I graduated salutatory.
00:55:36.960 --> 00:55:41.679
So parents are saying, is this this is a really big deal?
00:55:42.559 --> 00:55:45.760
And it's a question they don't want to tolerate.
00:55:46.000 --> 00:55:47.599
Who is who's responsible?
00:55:47.679 --> 00:55:49.280
Are students being passed along?
00:55:49.440 --> 00:55:52.639
Yeah, how much of the responsibility belongs to the schools?
00:55:52.800 --> 00:55:54.000
How much of it is the parents?
00:55:54.159 --> 00:55:56.159
Somebody was talking about homework today.
00:55:56.320 --> 00:55:58.880
Uh, kids don't get homework, parents ain't helping them.
00:55:59.039 --> 00:56:01.280
How much of it is the parents' responsibility to make sure?
00:56:01.599 --> 00:56:07.519
Listen, some of that new math, my kids don't ask your mama because you're not gonna get a good grade.
00:56:08.159 --> 00:56:08.800
No, my mama's.
00:56:08.960 --> 00:56:10.480
I mean, but that that could be very real.
00:56:10.880 --> 00:56:21.199
Yeah, now you you know you admitted that, but sometimes it could be a literacy issue in the home for so our parents be the ones to really help?
00:56:21.360 --> 00:56:26.480
Is trauma, poverty, and all that stuff impacting whether they're learning or if they're behind?
00:56:26.800 --> 00:56:34.079
It can have an impact, but we're what I've noticed when they went from no child left behind, they changed how teaching was done.
00:56:34.159 --> 00:56:35.599
It's no longer for application.
00:56:36.800 --> 00:56:38.079
They're teaching at sight.
00:56:38.559 --> 00:56:46.400
So if I see it, I can tell you what the words say, or I can tell you what that might mean, but can I cascade that in every area?
00:56:46.559 --> 00:56:48.239
Can I use it in a sentence?
00:56:48.559 --> 00:56:50.719
Can I, do I know the context behind it?
00:56:50.880 --> 00:57:04.400
Do I we're we're not teaching for application because I went to Michigan State my freshman year in math, I said, oh, okay first the teacher was was I didn't under understand what he was saying for real.
00:57:04.480 --> 00:57:04.639
Okay.
00:57:04.800 --> 00:57:08.719
But when I'm looking at it, math is concrete, so I'm like, I didn't, we didn't learn this.
00:57:08.880 --> 00:57:19.679
So I did have a tutor, but what I understand is that after the no child left behind garbage, no, they didn't teach for application, they taught to meet a bottom line.
00:57:19.840 --> 00:57:24.880
And when you meet to teach to me the bottom line, you're leaving so much more on the table.
00:57:25.679 --> 00:57:33.519
If you see a second, third, fourth, or fifth grader, ask someone in their spelling words and then ask them to use it in a complete sentence in a story.
00:57:33.679 --> 00:57:38.480
I tell children all the time, my sons, I got a whole library at home, and I just keep getting books.
00:57:38.559 --> 00:57:49.519
It is mandatory that you read because your vocabulary sucks is down to four one syllable, four, four, four letters, and you cannot seem to cascade that into your regular conversation.
00:57:50.239 --> 00:57:53.199
And I'm like, none of this is transferable.
00:57:53.519 --> 00:57:58.719
And when I watch teachers teach, they teach for you to memorize enough to pass that test.
00:57:59.039 --> 00:57:59.360
Yes.
00:57:59.679 --> 00:58:10.400
Yeah, and so that is that is district, labor, systems, all of that, that is all of that stuff.
00:58:10.559 --> 00:58:36.880
And so just and and parents are frustrated because I want to know that my child, if they are valedictorian or salutatorian, and I'm screaming and hollering, and we're having all these dinners and appreciations, and we send them off to college somewhere in Alabama, and then find out I don't know any of the material down here that I got all these scholarships and stuff for, and I have no idea what's going on.
00:58:36.960 --> 00:58:38.800
I gotta get four tutors and stuff.
00:58:39.119 --> 00:58:41.199
And that's what happened with my daughter.
00:58:41.360 --> 00:58:45.360
She went to uh Michigan and it took her five years to graduate.
00:58:45.760 --> 00:58:51.840
But she stayed in what it the uh it was the I stayed in the career center.
00:58:51.920 --> 00:58:52.719
I had three tutors.
00:58:53.039 --> 00:58:53.119
Okay.
00:58:53.280 --> 00:58:54.719
And I said, oh, let's go, let's go to the city.
00:58:56.000 --> 00:58:57.119
Yeah, until I got it.
00:58:57.280 --> 00:59:01.840
So it's about your resilience, yeah, your ability to critically think.
00:59:02.159 --> 00:59:02.559
Yes.
00:59:02.800 --> 00:59:04.320
And then also, how bad do you want it?
00:59:04.800 --> 00:59:05.440
How bad do you want it?
00:59:06.239 --> 00:59:06.719
Where do you want to go?
00:59:07.840 --> 00:59:09.440
The way you treat it, it's their home too.
00:59:09.519 --> 00:59:10.320
It's every support.
00:59:10.639 --> 00:59:14.159
But message, you gotta go down there and talk to them people because mama can't help you.
00:59:14.400 --> 00:59:15.199
I'm sorry.
00:59:15.440 --> 00:59:17.679
And everybody doesn't have that level of support.
00:59:18.079 --> 00:59:27.599
I'm just thinking about if you didn't have if you didn't have that resilience or just you know, was able to critically think, or if you weren't supportive and y'all weren't supportive of your daughter, how where would they be with that?
00:59:27.760 --> 00:59:28.880
I don't, I don't know.
00:59:29.039 --> 00:59:32.000
All right, so here's our last point.
00:59:32.239 --> 00:59:33.360
Okay, okay.
00:59:33.599 --> 00:59:36.480
Um, and we done already, we ain't rate nothing no more.
00:59:36.639 --> 00:59:37.440
I guess that's a five.
00:59:38.400 --> 00:59:39.599
Everything is a five.
00:59:39.679 --> 00:59:40.960
We can't narrow it down.
00:59:41.519 --> 00:59:47.679
So the question is this deals with we were talking about earlier, student behavior.
00:59:48.000 --> 00:59:51.360
The question is, the parents are asking, is my child safe?
00:59:51.519 --> 00:59:56.239
And then this is in this is talking about school safety, violence, and school behavior.
00:59:56.639 --> 01:00:26.960
And so parents have expressed concern when we asked them about weapons, fighting, bullying, threats, school entrances, security, and they said security not only, not so much as whether or not they're, you know, um keeping down fights and stuff, but security is also escalating situations, maybe probably around what like older students, where high school, they're given, they're getting into it with security.
01:00:27.199 --> 01:00:29.199
Also, students leaving classrooms.
01:00:29.280 --> 01:00:30.559
I've heard about that a lot.
01:00:30.880 --> 01:00:40.400
Social media conflicts that come into the schools, unsafe routes to and from school, and um whether adults intervene quickly enough.
01:00:40.480 --> 01:00:50.239
Some people were saying, how is it that a fight can go on for, I don't know, two minutes and 30 seconds and everybody's recording and we don't see not one adult show up in the classroom and it's all they probably afraid themselves.
01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:52.239
They probably I mean, let's be realistic.
01:00:52.320 --> 01:00:54.400
Like, yeah, don't nobody want to get stabbed.
01:00:54.559 --> 01:00:54.719
Right.
01:00:54.800 --> 01:01:05.760
If if you got Miss Branch and she 70, 60, 60, something years old because she can't retire because of pay, you think she's gonna get in the middle of two young bucks getting upstairs?
01:01:07.119 --> 01:01:11.840
Miss Branch, she can't she's Miss Branch calling for help on the on a speaker like having helping.
01:01:12.159 --> 01:01:16.079
And they kind of get that and they can't run.
01:01:16.400 --> 01:01:22.320
The security is this, my kid, his school has clear backpacks, which I totally agree with.
01:01:22.480 --> 01:01:24.079
I totally agree with the clear back packs.
01:01:24.239 --> 01:01:26.159
Um, I also I agree with the incentive.
01:01:26.239 --> 01:01:33.679
They was like, hey, I'm gonna give you$100 a week, and that you're in school and you're in class on time, and your behavior, no, they they had another option to it.
01:01:33.920 --> 01:01:38.239
If your behavior is off, you you lose it for the whole month.
01:01:38.400 --> 01:01:40.559
So now you you lost$400 on the table.
01:01:40.719 --> 01:01:41.440
They can do that.
01:01:41.599 --> 01:01:47.840
Yes, and they also, Sabisan was like, you have one fight this year, you are excluded from all school activities the rest of the year.
01:01:48.079 --> 01:01:52.239
They was like, we are not tolerating that because they are getting more and more dangerous.
01:01:52.400 --> 01:01:57.119
Before you'll have a fight, somebody gets knocked down, y'all will walk away, ain't nobody beefing no more.
01:01:57.199 --> 01:02:01.199
Now they're trying to stump you out to the point where you possibly could die in that altercation.
01:02:01.440 --> 01:02:13.039
So now let me ask this because you said just to listen to this fight, because I know when the fights, especially when they're when they're recorded, it's all over social media and they're violent, the district, the schools, everybody gets to run in.
01:02:13.119 --> 01:02:16.960
And I know you know what I'm because you've got some instances too that has happened.
01:02:17.199 --> 01:02:19.360
But this is what I want to know.
01:02:20.320 --> 01:02:28.559
Isn't there a step that the that schools have to intentionally take to prevent before we get there?
01:02:29.199 --> 01:02:37.440
I seriously doubt if there may be some instances folks walk in the door and we just get the bucking because you stepped on my foot and now it's on.
01:02:37.840 --> 01:03:00.800
But a lot of this has been building up outside of the school on social media or in the classrooms, and then there has been in a lot of cases, there's been some attempt to talk to either a teacher, the administration, telling somebody, listen, this is happening, and we've seen it all the time where parents or the students get ignored or it's not taken seriously.
01:03:00.960 --> 01:03:08.400
And then the next thing we know, boom, we got a stabbing at the school because somebody got into it or somebody done knocked a teacher out.
01:03:08.719 --> 01:03:12.000
So can't they take?
01:03:12.079 --> 01:03:18.639
I what are we what are we not doing before we get to the point where you lose your$400?
01:03:19.039 --> 01:03:20.079
Which I'm I'm curious.
01:03:20.960 --> 01:03:21.599
I don't know if they can do that.
01:03:21.760 --> 01:03:22.639
Yeah, they give them a gift card.
01:03:22.800 --> 01:03:24.559
And you know where that's from, though.
01:03:24.800 --> 01:03:25.599
I know, but that's what I'm saying.
01:03:27.840 --> 01:03:29.280
That money is from the lawsuit.
01:03:29.440 --> 01:03:30.239
The lawsuit money, yeah.
01:03:30.719 --> 01:03:33.199
Yeah, because Michael was getting, he was like, oh, am I to get my money?
01:03:33.519 --> 01:03:34.800
Okay, and that kept him going.
01:03:34.880 --> 01:03:35.599
I don't know if you're not gonna be able to.
01:03:35.760 --> 01:03:42.800
I mean, it because it's a different incentive because when you when you look at it now, kids are actually, they are, they are intelligent.
01:03:42.880 --> 01:03:48.480
Now, their decision-making choices may not be the greatest, but they have access to information that we've never had before.
01:03:48.719 --> 01:03:50.000
I used to have an encyclopedia.
01:03:50.079 --> 01:03:50.639
I used to read it.
01:03:50.719 --> 01:03:51.840
I used to read a thesaurus.
01:03:52.159 --> 01:03:56.559
Listen, encyclopedia, and we didn't know that it was already outdated the minute it.
01:03:57.360 --> 01:03:59.519
Man, it was already outdated.
01:03:59.679 --> 01:04:02.639
You can push a button now and say, I want to learn how to use AI.
01:04:02.800 --> 01:04:05.280
You can push a button and you can go through a whole YouTube series.
01:04:05.440 --> 01:04:06.480
I want to learn how to do this.
01:04:06.559 --> 01:04:07.920
You can do that entire thing.
01:04:08.159 --> 01:04:14.639
So their thing is why I'm sitting here in front of your face, because by law, by Michigan law, you need to have so many hours.
01:04:14.719 --> 01:04:16.960
By 16, they can drop out if they choose to.
01:04:17.360 --> 01:04:18.480
Please don't learn how to do that.
01:04:18.639 --> 01:04:19.199
Yeah, that's it.
01:04:19.920 --> 01:04:22.159
But don't drop out, don't try, don't drop out.
01:04:22.320 --> 01:04:25.119
No, give yourself choices to every single.
01:04:25.599 --> 01:04:29.039
I tell the kids, I coach, I tell my kids, give yourself choices.
01:04:29.280 --> 01:04:31.039
Don't ever leave yourself where you're at a daddy end.
01:04:31.280 --> 01:04:32.719
Always give yourself choices.
01:04:32.960 --> 01:04:35.840
So you, you, so that's you should focus on making your decisions.
01:04:35.920 --> 01:04:42.400
But now it's like, okay, what my if my teacher teaching English, ELA is what they call it, used to call linguistics back in my day.
01:04:42.480 --> 01:04:44.639
We actually had to have academic games for it.
01:04:44.800 --> 01:04:50.159
But you're teaching me a prefix, suffix, uh, what's the what's the other stuff?
01:04:50.320 --> 01:04:51.920
Um I can't remember all of it.
01:04:52.079 --> 01:04:53.199
I can't remember all of it.
01:04:53.360 --> 01:04:56.559
Um, but you're teaching me this, but okay, so how do I use that?
01:04:56.880 --> 01:04:58.880
We have to make this more real-world.
01:04:59.280 --> 01:04:59.599
Right.
01:05:00.079 --> 01:05:00.480
Yeah.
01:05:00.719 --> 01:05:01.679
How do I see myself?
01:05:01.920 --> 01:05:02.079
Yeah.
01:05:02.559 --> 01:05:03.679
We should be teaching finance.
01:05:04.000 --> 01:05:05.199
Every kid wants a dollar.
01:05:05.280 --> 01:05:08.559
I gave my kid, I think it was like$400 to go.
01:05:08.639 --> 01:05:11.119
He was going out with mosaic, Washington, D.C.
01:05:11.280 --> 01:05:11.760
or something like that.
01:05:11.920 --> 01:05:14.079
Do you know he did a whole money spread up his arm?
01:05:14.639 --> 01:05:15.920
And I said, why?
01:05:16.239 --> 01:05:17.679
He said, I mean, I'm just saying.
01:05:17.840 --> 01:05:20.639
I said, that is so I said, Yeah.
01:05:21.199 --> 01:05:22.320
People with real wealth.
01:05:22.800 --> 01:05:23.280
Don't do it.
01:05:23.679 --> 01:05:25.679
Don't don't don't show it like that.
01:05:25.760 --> 01:05:30.000
I said, but then I asked him, I said, since you're got your money spread on your arm, tell me how you about to spend it.
01:05:30.079 --> 01:05:30.960
What you doing with it?
01:05:31.199 --> 01:05:36.400
If we're not teaching these kids how to consistently stay in a because some of them just want to be fresh.
01:05:36.639 --> 01:05:36.800
Yeah.
01:05:37.119 --> 01:05:41.599
So if I can show you how to be fresh through English, because I'm teaching you soft skills of communication.
01:05:41.760 --> 01:05:48.800
If you want to sell a product, a legal product, a legal product, a legal, not illegal product.
01:05:49.039 --> 01:05:49.360
Hello.
01:05:49.679 --> 01:05:54.719
If you want to sell a product, soft skills, because I'm buying from you, not actually your product.
01:05:54.960 --> 01:05:58.079
Now I'm teaching you, now you now you listen, now you like, oh snaps.
01:05:58.159 --> 01:05:59.599
I just made these new shoestrings for these.
01:06:00.079 --> 01:06:01.760
Shoes that don't require to be tied.
01:06:02.079 --> 01:06:06.159
How do we have to begin to start to put all these things in real-world perspective?
01:06:06.400 --> 01:06:14.079
Because me sitting, you you telling me to read uh Alan, Alan Poe and Edgar Poe and Robert Thoreau, and I'm like, okay.
01:06:15.280 --> 01:06:16.480
Everything ends with a T H.
01:06:16.639 --> 01:06:17.760
Like this and you know how we talk about it.
01:06:18.000 --> 01:06:19.199
That is that is culture.
01:06:19.360 --> 01:06:21.840
That is another way of how we build it.
01:06:21.920 --> 01:06:34.239
And how I remember when they were talking about, you know, students, it's important for students to see themselves reflected in the school, in the teachers, and even in the material in which like they're reading.
01:06:34.320 --> 01:06:40.239
And how are we helping students or helping you to see themselves in all of the things?
01:06:40.320 --> 01:06:45.119
That's why it's so important to have our history attached to everything that we're doing.
01:06:45.199 --> 01:06:52.239
And then I think behaviorally, something I want to go back to the since we're talking about like behaviors and violence.
01:06:52.480 --> 01:06:56.400
You were talking about when we were talking about this rest and the mental health.
01:06:56.800 --> 01:07:06.719
You know, that definitely speaks to toning down a lot of behavioral challenges, especially in the K through eight, especially with the babies.
01:07:06.960 --> 01:07:15.280
But I don't know if we're if our system of operating is necessarily I don't, I would love that, but I don't know if they're ready for that.
01:07:15.360 --> 01:07:18.320
I don't even think people can receive that mentally well.
01:07:18.639 --> 01:07:20.079
Take computers out of the school.
01:07:20.239 --> 01:07:22.800
Ooh, I'm saying what?
01:07:23.679 --> 01:07:24.239
Take them out.
01:07:24.719 --> 01:07:26.320
Digital, digital footprints.
01:07:26.880 --> 01:07:29.519
When you're staring at a screen all day, it's creating a dopamine.
01:07:29.760 --> 01:07:31.440
So you're constantly getting that hit over and over again.
01:07:31.519 --> 01:07:32.880
So you're not resting.
01:07:33.360 --> 01:07:36.880
If I'm telling you to do math, you're not writing anything, you're typing it in.
01:07:37.039 --> 01:07:38.800
I'm telling you to do a paper, you're typing it in.
01:07:38.960 --> 01:07:45.039
So how are we gonna find out all this information and quickly get all of our assignments and stuff done?
01:07:45.119 --> 01:07:46.320
And how are we gonna do it?
01:07:46.480 --> 01:07:48.000
You make them use their brains.
01:07:48.159 --> 01:07:51.599
Because now if I got a computer in front of me, hey, chat GBT.
01:07:52.320 --> 01:07:52.960
Hey, AI.
01:07:53.679 --> 01:07:54.400
I'm not thinking.
01:07:54.719 --> 01:07:57.039
It's a it's a dumb, it's a dumbed-down process.
01:07:57.440 --> 01:08:04.159
We have people have ran for the school board who have used ChatGBT to answer their questionnaires.
01:08:04.639 --> 01:08:07.920
There is a lot of people sending out questionnaires to school board members.
01:08:08.159 --> 01:08:09.760
School board candidates, please.
01:08:09.840 --> 01:08:11.760
You need to just stop it.
01:08:12.000 --> 01:08:12.480
Stop.
01:08:12.880 --> 01:08:14.079
Because you're not genuine in it.
01:08:14.159 --> 01:08:18.159
We gotta and now we're questioning your character and whether nothing.
01:08:18.399 --> 01:08:20.399
But that's not that's just so crazy.
01:08:20.560 --> 01:08:31.680
Listen, the irony in that you are running for a school board candidate, you're trying to with schools, but then you're using ChatGPT to I want to go back to the question: are they feeling safe?
01:08:31.840 --> 01:08:32.640
Are they feeling safe?
01:08:32.880 --> 01:08:38.800
Not just with the violence amongst themselves, but psychological safe.
01:08:39.119 --> 01:08:49.199
Yep, and some of children, some of the children I know have experienced um bullying from the adults in the building.
01:08:49.439 --> 01:08:56.720
Ooh, we um some of the teachers that don't like the way I advocate for my.
01:08:57.279 --> 01:08:58.399
So they take it out on your child.
01:08:58.560 --> 01:08:59.520
So they take it out on my child.
01:08:59.760 --> 01:09:00.720
Now that's a big one.
01:09:00.880 --> 01:09:02.399
I done seen that happen.
01:09:02.880 --> 01:09:03.920
That happened, yeah.
01:09:04.000 --> 01:09:05.039
That happened to us.
01:09:05.279 --> 01:09:05.600
Yeah.
01:09:05.840 --> 01:09:07.439
We were in Waldorf.
01:09:07.920 --> 01:09:11.520
Again, we're I get it.
01:09:11.760 --> 01:09:12.239
I get it.
01:09:12.319 --> 01:09:14.239
They're teachers, you have a profession.
01:09:14.479 --> 01:09:15.840
They're still human.
01:09:16.159 --> 01:09:16.880
Yes, they are.
01:09:17.119 --> 01:09:19.600
And if they're getting it from the top and from the bottom, I agree.
01:09:19.920 --> 01:09:20.960
It's like they're they're squeezed.
01:09:21.039 --> 01:09:25.840
But then I'm not gonna say, I'm not letting them complete it off the hook because you you have to control your emotions.
01:09:26.239 --> 01:09:28.880
You do, you have to control your emotional and take a day off, ma'am.
01:09:29.199 --> 01:09:31.039
Or either get out of the profession altogether.
01:09:31.119 --> 01:09:34.319
Some people don't realize your assignment may be up.
01:09:34.560 --> 01:09:44.640
And then I feel like too, if if I'm speaking up for kids, and I would just use my corporate America experience, I was what they call an employees' manager.
01:09:44.880 --> 01:09:47.359
So it wasn't, I wasn't the manager for the bottom line.
01:09:47.439 --> 01:09:51.199
Although I ran over$24 million worth of business, I was still an employee manager.
01:09:51.279 --> 01:09:53.119
Like I realized my employees are human.
01:09:53.199 --> 01:09:54.479
The only can do so much.
01:09:54.720 --> 01:10:00.159
So when I took care of your well-being and make sure you were good, my bottom line was excellent.
01:10:00.399 --> 01:10:04.319
So if I got administrators coming down on me, the test score is not high enough.
01:10:04.479 --> 01:10:07.119
You get your black ass in here, help me teach these kids.
01:10:07.199 --> 01:10:09.039
I didn't even mean to curse y'all.
01:10:09.359 --> 01:10:10.079
Strike that out.
01:10:10.239 --> 01:10:10.800
That's all right.
01:10:11.199 --> 01:10:21.279
But you can it's like if you're pushing me, pushing me for this bottom line, but yet you're not seeing what is actually happening in the classroom.
01:10:21.359 --> 01:10:25.199
How many principals have you seen sit in the classroom and it's not count day?
01:10:25.760 --> 01:10:31.279
They're just sitting there saying, Let me, and they're not sitting there just monitor how you're teaching, but let me look at these kids.
01:10:31.359 --> 01:10:33.199
Or how about, hey, Mr.
01:10:33.279 --> 01:10:35.359
Principal, you're the principal of Cody.
01:10:35.600 --> 01:10:43.600
Why don't you come over to Dimby and Dembi, you go over to Cody and y'all kind of kind of dress down like you just here to, and let's really evaluate what's going on.
01:10:43.760 --> 01:10:47.199
Like it's it's almost like it's like secret shopping students.
01:10:47.359 --> 01:10:50.000
And we're like, man, like we really need an outlet here.
01:10:50.319 --> 01:10:52.560
This is what I'm seeing, and we're not doing it.
01:10:52.800 --> 01:10:59.520
I think you know But if you squeezing me and I gotta hit a number, yeah, I'm gonna hit that number by any means necessary.
01:10:59.600 --> 01:11:03.279
And if it means your child is collateral damage, that's the sad part about it.
01:11:03.439 --> 01:11:06.960
That is because self-preservation is one of the first laws.
01:11:07.039 --> 01:11:10.399
You're gonna say, I still gotta eat, I still gotta maintain a job until I find something else.
01:11:10.640 --> 01:11:15.920
And I do, and and and I think folks have gotten to that point, and I think that's what it is.
01:11:16.000 --> 01:11:29.199
And I think I think with everything that we're saying in here today, that accountability, transparency, even though it's a lot of things that we that parents we're not putting up with this year.
01:11:29.439 --> 01:11:32.960
And I think right now what we're seeing too is people are more vocal.
01:11:33.119 --> 01:11:40.319
We're seeing a lot, you know, there's a lot of movement and stuff that's happening on the internet about schools, about our schools.
01:11:40.399 --> 01:11:46.479
And then people are also questioning um different districts and our school, you know, like even our charter schools.
01:11:46.640 --> 01:11:50.000
But I think there the question is is being asked.
01:11:50.239 --> 01:11:53.600
People are being pushed one way or the other.
01:11:53.680 --> 01:12:03.039
Plus, there's a whole lot that's going on, I think, in our in our nation nationally, educationally, and I think people are feeling the pinch all the way around.
01:12:03.199 --> 01:12:05.920
People are tired of looking at violence in the streets.
01:12:06.159 --> 01:12:10.000
Um, folks are saying, you know, young people need things to do.
01:12:10.239 --> 01:12:19.840
People are tired of what's happening in the school systems, things not happening or happening too much or not enough, especially if parents are feeling some kind of way.
01:12:20.000 --> 01:12:23.199
People, you know, people are doing a whole lot of things.
01:12:23.439 --> 01:12:29.439
They're driving, they live in one place and then they drive way over somewhere else to take their kids to school.
01:12:29.600 --> 01:12:41.199
All of these things that are happening, and it seems that there's not enough of progress or not enough of really good things.
01:12:41.439 --> 01:12:49.199
We still have issues and problems, and it has not, this is not something that has happened like in the last week.
01:12:49.359 --> 01:12:53.760
We're talking 20, 30 years worth of anger, frustration.
01:12:53.920 --> 01:12:54.960
We're tired.
01:12:55.199 --> 01:13:02.399
And even though we were we were trying to narrow this down to five or six or eight, they're all important, everything.
01:13:02.880 --> 01:13:05.119
Um, I think you really said it best.
01:13:05.359 --> 01:13:07.760
Talk about, you know, it takes all of us.
01:13:07.840 --> 01:13:17.439
You talked about the village, and then I'm often reminded of um, they say it's like an African proverb, but when I looked it up, I really liked it.
01:13:17.520 --> 01:13:21.760
But instead of just a regular greeting, asking, How are the children?
01:13:22.399 --> 01:13:27.119
And then instead of saying hello, the first thing I ask you is, How are the children?
01:13:27.359 --> 01:13:29.119
Or are the children well?
01:13:29.600 --> 01:13:34.720
And your response is, if the children are well, then you know everybody is good.
01:13:35.439 --> 01:13:41.279
But when the our children are not well because we aren't, we can't say that our children are well.
01:13:41.359 --> 01:13:42.560
Look at all the things we talked about.
01:13:42.640 --> 01:13:44.960
We got a whole list of stuff, and we still ain't got three of them.
01:13:45.199 --> 01:13:45.760
This is our future.
01:13:45.840 --> 01:13:46.319
This is our future.
01:13:46.560 --> 01:13:52.479
This is our future, and we can't bank it on a Castec or a Renaissance or a King.
01:13:52.560 --> 01:13:54.560
We can't bank it on that for those 800 students.
01:13:54.640 --> 01:13:57.920
You got another 2400 that had a different upbringing.
01:13:58.319 --> 01:13:59.439
That had a different upbringing.
01:13:59.760 --> 01:14:04.479
And so it's just like and that may be a 2.0 or a 1.7.
01:14:05.439 --> 01:14:16.880
Because those 1.7s, even though they may not be a star football player or get the academic scholarship to go to a college, they might just end up at the nursing home for your grandmother.
01:14:17.359 --> 01:14:24.399
Or they may be at the restaurant as you know, like a fast food manager somewhere.
01:14:25.039 --> 01:14:26.960
And this is the society.
01:14:27.359 --> 01:14:40.000
And so if their experience was chaos, turmoil, fighting, people putting me down, nobody supporting me, I'm gonna be just that angry when I say, hello, welcome to such and such.
01:14:40.720 --> 01:14:41.760
May I take your order?
01:14:42.000 --> 01:14:42.960
Because we haven't healed.
01:14:43.119 --> 01:14:43.840
We have not healed.
01:14:46.399 --> 01:14:48.479
Oh, who's opening up a healing center in Brightmore?
01:14:48.880 --> 01:14:49.119
Who is that?
01:14:50.239 --> 01:14:51.279
Is that the princess?
01:14:51.680 --> 01:14:52.000
Yes.
01:14:53.199 --> 01:14:56.640
The Princess of Brightmore is opening up a healing center.
01:14:56.880 --> 01:14:57.279
Yes.
01:14:57.520 --> 01:14:57.760
Okay.
01:14:58.079 --> 01:14:59.680
I met with some architects yesterday.
01:14:59.920 --> 01:15:00.159
Really?
01:15:00.319 --> 01:15:02.319
So when is the proposed opening day?
01:15:02.560 --> 01:15:03.039
Soon.
01:15:03.279 --> 01:15:03.840
Okay, soon.
01:15:04.159 --> 01:15:04.880
We don't have a date yet.
01:15:05.119 --> 01:15:07.680
Okay, so when you open, are you gonna come on back on?
01:15:07.920 --> 01:15:08.399
Have you heard?
01:15:08.640 --> 01:15:11.199
I am to talk about all the healing that's gonna be going on.
01:15:11.439 --> 01:15:13.119
We're just gonna call it out mid-2027.
01:15:13.199 --> 01:15:13.439
Amen.
01:15:13.840 --> 01:15:16.239
Mid-2027, all the healing in Brightmore.
01:15:16.319 --> 01:15:16.479
Yes.
01:15:16.720 --> 01:15:19.840
Because we need healing in the city now that Bright, you ain't gonna stop at Brightmore.
01:15:20.079 --> 01:15:21.359
Oh, we need it all over.
01:15:21.680 --> 01:15:24.800
Well, look, I think we I think we done ran over time.
01:15:25.279 --> 01:15:25.840
I'm pretty sure.
01:15:26.159 --> 01:15:28.239
There's one more thing I wanted you to talk about.
01:15:28.640 --> 01:15:29.279
But you what?
01:15:29.439 --> 01:15:29.840
What was that?
01:15:30.000 --> 01:15:31.760
What were we talking about in the car?
01:15:32.000 --> 01:15:33.359
What we not gonna take.
01:15:33.520 --> 01:15:38.319
Don't call me when my child is failing at the end of the semester.
01:15:38.960 --> 01:15:39.680
Oh, that yeah.
01:15:40.000 --> 01:15:41.520
Can you let me know?
01:15:42.000 --> 01:15:43.920
Don't tell me he's not passing.
01:15:44.079 --> 01:15:48.640
You have a you have an inkling when that child is going down the wrong path.
01:15:48.880 --> 01:15:50.800
And the sooner the better.
01:15:50.960 --> 01:15:55.439
Let's not wait till two weeks before grades are in to be finalized.
01:15:55.680 --> 01:15:56.079
This thing.
01:15:56.479 --> 01:15:58.079
And now you're telling them, hey, they're failing.
01:15:58.239 --> 01:16:00.640
You're gonna give them this work next to have to do the work.
01:16:00.880 --> 01:16:01.119
Okay.
01:16:01.279 --> 01:16:02.880
I got one more to add on to that.
01:16:02.960 --> 01:16:04.079
This is an asterisk.
01:16:04.319 --> 01:16:11.279
And don't tell special ed parents that your child won't be receiving a diploma when you did not inform.
01:16:11.520 --> 01:16:17.119
We didn't talk about they can be on the track to receive a diploma, but nobody told.
01:16:17.199 --> 01:16:19.279
This is what we're finding out in special education.
01:16:19.439 --> 01:16:24.479
Some parents don't even know that their child won't receive a quote diploma in special education.
01:16:24.560 --> 01:16:26.239
They'll just receive it's like a certificate.
01:16:27.359 --> 01:16:28.000
That's not fair.
01:16:28.159 --> 01:16:33.840
That's not fair because we all I'm special sometimes, a lot of the times.
01:16:34.319 --> 01:16:34.880
And I'm not sure.
01:16:35.039 --> 01:16:38.720
Well, you have to, you have to fight, you have to advocate and push.
01:16:39.039 --> 01:16:42.720
But see, if you don't know that, then you wouldn't know to do that.
01:16:42.880 --> 01:16:43.600
And then you find it.
01:16:44.079 --> 01:16:44.560
That's ridiculous.
01:16:44.720 --> 01:16:45.199
That's ridiculous.
01:16:45.359 --> 01:16:46.319
Like we don't even have ASL.
01:16:46.479 --> 01:16:46.720
What is it?
01:16:46.800 --> 01:16:47.279
ASL?
01:16:47.359 --> 01:16:48.720
We don't have ASL in school.
01:16:49.119 --> 01:16:50.960
And you get it, it's optional.
01:16:51.199 --> 01:16:56.319
But if you got hearing, yes, for me not to hear, I read lips.
01:16:56.560 --> 01:17:03.119
But sometimes that's not always palatable, especially when you're in a room of someone who doesn't really move their lips, or you're in a room with a bunch of noise.
01:17:03.359 --> 01:17:03.920
Oh, interesting.
01:17:04.079 --> 01:17:08.640
So for me to filter out what's actually happening, it can be a challenge.
01:17:08.800 --> 01:17:30.239
And so imagine some of the kids that's sitting back, like I just read it when I get home, then and then now you're still on, you're on that track to where Yeah, and then unfortunately, hopefully that child is supposed to be evaluated, but they may be backlogged in the evaluation services, and it's been a whole year and haven't been evaluated yet to determine whether or not what service is.
01:17:32.239 --> 01:17:33.039
I can't hear you.
01:17:33.359 --> 01:17:33.840
Hello.
01:17:34.079 --> 01:17:37.199
I had my hearing aids on, and they were like, um, you gotta take those off.
01:17:37.359 --> 01:17:45.600
Going through the airport, I said, ma'am, if I take them off with this amount of noise, she was like, Oh, I thought those were earpieces.
01:17:45.840 --> 01:17:47.520
See, that's why, okay.
01:17:48.239 --> 01:17:48.640
I said, Okay.
01:17:48.800 --> 01:17:50.560
Then I had one person yell at the top of their voice.
01:17:50.640 --> 01:17:51.520
I said, You're standing right here.
01:17:51.600 --> 01:17:52.880
Why are you yelling in my face?
01:17:53.039 --> 01:17:54.159
I see your hearing aids.
01:17:54.319 --> 01:17:54.880
I didn't want to.
01:17:55.039 --> 01:17:56.159
How about you ask me?
01:17:56.319 --> 01:17:59.039
Just I can hear, that's why I got the hearing aids.
01:17:59.520 --> 01:17:59.840
Okay.
01:18:00.079 --> 01:18:01.920
Well, look, we gotta go.
01:18:02.159 --> 01:18:02.640
Yes.
01:18:02.880 --> 01:18:07.920
This uh, yeah, we need to do an auntie, we need to do an auntie um conversation.
01:18:08.319 --> 01:18:09.359
It will have to be uncut.
01:18:09.680 --> 01:18:10.000
Uncut.
01:18:10.239 --> 01:18:10.319
Oh.
01:18:10.560 --> 01:18:10.960
After dark.
01:18:11.199 --> 01:18:12.720
Oh, we gotta do that in the after dark.
01:18:12.800 --> 01:18:14.640
Is there an after dark on Have You Heard?
01:18:14.880 --> 01:18:16.239
Have you heard After Dark?
01:18:16.800 --> 01:18:17.600
Okay, Auntie.
01:18:18.479 --> 01:18:19.760
Or you could pop out of a cake.
01:18:19.840 --> 01:18:20.640
You know, you just talk about it.
01:18:22.079 --> 01:18:22.880
I'm just saying.
01:18:23.119 --> 01:18:25.439
Well, you know, that's aunties after dark, right?
01:18:26.079 --> 01:18:31.199
Okay, but we need to have the after dark conversation about education and community and schools.
01:18:31.520 --> 01:18:33.840
And then I'll tell them about the lonely and horny incident.
01:18:34.000 --> 01:18:35.119
Oh my god, with a teacher?
01:18:35.279 --> 01:18:35.520
Ooh.
01:18:36.399 --> 01:18:37.359
Okay, that's after dark.
01:18:37.439 --> 01:18:38.159
We're gonna do that.
01:18:38.239 --> 01:18:43.760
That's a that's the the the things you find out in classrooms that you sneak up in there.
01:18:43.920 --> 01:18:46.319
I know, and you find out after dark.
01:18:46.640 --> 01:18:50.079
Okay, well, thank, I thank everybody.
01:18:50.319 --> 01:18:53.520
Um this was an interesting conversation.
01:18:54.159 --> 01:19:04.880
Um, Monet Harris, Don Wilson Clark, Monet, we're gonna one day, soon, you may fight Clarissa Shields and Don't Dream.
01:19:05.600 --> 01:19:07.199
You might be popping out of a cake one day.
01:19:07.439 --> 01:19:08.399
Never, but no.
01:19:08.560 --> 01:19:14.319
I wish, I wish my my poet had her poem ready and she could do that.
01:19:14.720 --> 01:19:16.720
Okay, so look, we're gonna let's vote.
01:19:16.960 --> 01:19:17.359
Yes.
01:19:17.600 --> 01:19:19.680
Well, let's let's do that one.
01:19:20.079 --> 01:19:22.560
The next when we do a next time back.
01:19:22.960 --> 01:19:23.840
I know you do.
01:19:24.319 --> 01:19:25.119
Can we do that?
01:19:25.439 --> 01:19:26.000
I don't know.
01:19:26.319 --> 01:19:27.039
Maybe not.
01:19:28.800 --> 01:19:31.039
They looking at me kind of funny across the room.
01:19:31.199 --> 01:19:32.479
Y'all can't see that.
01:19:32.960 --> 01:19:33.279
Okay.
01:19:34.000 --> 01:19:36.079
Okay, but we're gonna do aunties after dark.
01:19:36.239 --> 01:19:38.000
We're gonna do aunties after dark, though.
01:19:38.159 --> 01:19:38.880
So we'll do that.
01:19:39.119 --> 01:19:39.680
Okay, cool.
01:19:39.840 --> 01:19:42.640
Okay, and so I want you to yeah, let's leave with that.
01:19:42.960 --> 01:19:46.239
Aunties after dark, but we it's not gonna be really a dark, dark conversation.
01:19:46.560 --> 01:19:47.119
That's what I mean.
01:19:47.680 --> 01:19:49.119
We're not gonna be cussing and drinking.
01:19:49.359 --> 01:19:49.920
No, right.
01:19:50.159 --> 01:19:53.600
Well, some Angela, some some Erica Badu candles in the middle.
01:19:54.000 --> 01:19:55.600
Oh man, turn into a whole vibe.
01:19:55.920 --> 01:19:56.079
Okay.
01:19:57.039 --> 01:19:57.359
All right.
01:19:57.760 --> 01:19:58.560
Thanks for having me.
01:19:58.800 --> 01:19:59.199
This was fun.
01:19:59.439 --> 01:19:59.920
Yes, thank you.
01:20:00.800 --> 01:20:01.760
Much needed conversation.
01:20:02.000 --> 01:20:04.000
I'm telling you, I'm this is what I'm saying.
01:20:04.079 --> 01:20:04.560
Have you heard?
01:20:04.800 --> 01:20:07.119
And then I'm glad y'all could be a part of that.
01:20:07.439 --> 01:20:11.600
I pray all the ears hear it and really, really start the conversation to start the work.
01:20:12.159 --> 01:20:14.880
And not just talk about it, but really, really, really be about it.
01:20:15.359 --> 01:20:15.600
Okay.
01:20:16.560 --> 01:20:21.600
And I want to thank all of those that are still involved in education.
01:20:21.840 --> 01:20:22.000
Yes.
01:20:25.279 --> 01:20:25.520
Yeah.
01:20:25.760 --> 01:20:29.840
My daughter's favorite teacher was working in Starbucks.
01:20:30.159 --> 01:20:32.239
She was so sick and tired of the administration.
01:20:32.640 --> 01:20:33.760
And you know that's bad.
01:20:33.920 --> 01:20:37.119
When you just say, Forget it, I'll just go to a coffee shop.
01:20:37.359 --> 01:20:37.840
You know.
01:20:41.680 --> 01:20:43.840
I pray for peace for all those involved.
01:20:44.880 --> 01:20:46.319
Peace is definitely needed.