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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=DjV9ZJrlvFs

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President Harden, before you begin today's meeting, I would like to read a few announcements. Good morning. Welcome to the reconvened August 13th, 2026 special board meeting. Before we start the meeting, I would like to share translation information, safety points, and announcements for the

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next meeting. We are pleased to offer real-time translation services for this meeting via Translate of Life. Registered speakers and attendees can listen to the meeting in over 200 languages. If you're attending in person, please visit the translation table for a headset. If you

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are joining virtually, simply scan the QR code displayed in the corner on the live YouTube stream to access your preferred language. Please note that the primary exit and entrance to the board room is the door that you used to enter this morning. If you're leaving the room, please use this door.

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The restrooms are outside the board room doors to your left. During the meeting, we ask that you keep all aisles and exits clear. If you need any assistance during the meeting, please wave to get the attention of one of our security officers. Please mark your calendars for the upcoming meeting. The next regular board

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meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 27th, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. The board meeting will be held at 42 West Madison Street Garden Level Board Room. For details on how to register to speak or observe at the meetings and to learn about the speaker lottery process,

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please visit the Chicago Board of Education website at cpsboe.org. If you have any questions about registration or public participation, please contact board office for assistance. Thank you for joining us today. President Harden, we are now ready for

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you to begin the meeting. >> Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the reconvened Chicago Board of Education special meeting. Today is August 13th, 2026. I'm President Shawn M. Harden. On behalf of my fellow board members, thank you for joining us today. We're holding today's special board

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meeting at the CPS Loop Office, 42 West Madison Street in the garden level. I would like to note that board members and senior leadership are both physically present in the board room. Registered speakers may join us in person or virtually if they've opted to do so, and registered observers are

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joining us in person. Special board meeting of Thursday, August 13th, 2026 is hereby called to order. Board secretary, please call the roll. >> Member Lozano. >> Here. >> Member Lopez.

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Member Wallace. >> Present. >> Member Custer. >> Present. >> Member Pope, who's joining us virtually via Zoom. >> Present. >> Member Brown, who's joining us virtually via Zoom. >> Yes, ma'am.

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>> Member Rios Sierra. >> Present. >> Member Bannon. >> Present. >> Vice President Velez. >> Present. >> Member Thoda Kora. >> Present. >> Member Blaze. >> Present. >> Member Zackor. >> Present. >> Member De Berry. >> Present.

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>> President Harden. >> Present. >> We have 14 members present. We have a quorum. I'd also like to recognize Dr. Maclin King, Superintendent Chief Executive Officer, and Elizabeth Barton, General Counsel. Oh, I'm sorry. Charles Mayfield, Chief Operating Officer.

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>> Thank you. >> The order of meeting will be as follows. We'll begin with the discussion and vote on public agenda items, move to public participation, go into closed session, reconvene from closed session, and then we'll adjourn. Board members, I'd like to note the following public agenda items will be

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separate votes. RS1, the resolution of the Board of Education City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools District 299, Cook County, Illinois, providing for and requiring the submission of an advisory question of public policy to the voters of Chicago public schools at the general

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election to be held on November 3rd, 2026. And RS2, resolution of the Board of Education City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools District 299, Cook County, Illinois, providing for and requiring the submission of an advisory question of public policy

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to the voters of Chicago Public Schools at the general election to be held on November 3rd, 2026. You can provide your questions and comments for those items before we proceed with each separate vote. We'll now go with the separate votes on

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the on the public agenda items. Board Secretary, please proceed. >> President Hart, I'll continue with items that do require a vote. RS1, resolution of the Board of Education City of Chicago, Chicago Chicago Public Schools District 299, Cook County, Illinois,

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providing for and requiring the submission of an advisory question of public policy to the voters of Chicago Public Schools at the general election to be held on November 3rd, 2026. This item was draft on the agenda, and the final report will be included in the

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agenda of action. This report is regarding the surcharge on millionaires to increase funding to public schools. >> Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> We'll now open this matter for

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discussion. Are there any comments before we proceed with vote? Member Custer. >> Uh thank you, Board President. Um I'm just I know we're doing these separately, but I just I'm going to make um one statement um I I understand that these are thoughtful

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resolutions, and um they are things that we've thought about for the future, but I don't see these as being actionable items. I see them as being window dressings to a larger problem. Um once these go on the ballot, it's

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advisory in nature. It's not binding. It doesn't allow us to really do anything um within our power. And given the budget that we've passed and given the financial situation that the district is in, um we need solutions today,

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um not necessarily in the future. And a lot of these are things that we can continue to work on through our legislative agenda, um and continue to fight for. But we should really be looking at actionable things that bring money to the classrooms today and now, um and not things that

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you know, are not going to help us solve the budget problem that we're in. Um you know, the North Star is pretty simple. Does it help kids today? No, I don't think that these do. Um and I want to be clear that we need to do things

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right now today to fill this budget gap. Um and I just don't know that these are the two answers. I don't think they're fully baked. I don't think that we have all the details worked out, and I think that once these become action, we do not have control over them, and I'm here to

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exercise what governing control I have right now, um to make decisions on the board as best I can. >> I'll respond to your points, member Cussler. I think a couple things. One is uh the board has been imbued with this

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um authority. Uh only to set forward a referendum for uh public voice. And so, I think we do have a responsibility to exercise that authority when we have the opportunity to do so.

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I think, as I've said before, multiple things can be true. And while this doesn't address today's concern, we do have an obligation to look into the future as well. And what is before us is a window of opportunity, pretty short in its nature,

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to activate and use a new muscle. Um and so, we should not miss the opportunity to set up what could be an opportunity for new revenue in the future. Uh, we don't have the luxury of just looking finitely at just one thing.

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We have to do and as as our task daily suggests that we have to multitask. We have to look at both today and in the future. And so most of our work unfortunately for forces us to look that right is what

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is right in front of us. I've said over and over again that one of the biggest challenges in this role is that we don't get the opportunity to plan for the future. We're constantly putting out fires. And so I invite an opportunity that actually gives us the ability to look

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into the future and posture and position ourselves in a way that potentially would bring revenue. I think it's also important to state that this is just a referendum. Um, and it presents an opportunity for the community and the public to give

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voice to this. Uh, so we shouldn't feel obligated to figure it all out. It's not for us to figure out. We need space to invite community voice. We're just setting the stage for that to occur. Uh, and that too is a unique opportunity that this

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board has. So I appreciate the the positioning on needing to focus on today's challenge, but this board also has to look at tomorrow. >> President Harden, board member Pope has her hand up as well. >> I recognize board member Pope joining us

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virtually. >> Good morning, everyone. I am very strongly in agreement with what President Harden just said. I know board member Custodio mentioned many times that your very young children are just beginning their educational career in

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CPS. Well, I want them to have the resources that they need not just in kindergarten and first grade and preschool, but throughout their career until the youngest of your children has graduated and until your children's children have graduated. I want us to

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place the responsibility for additional funding on those who can best afford it. I don't want this money to be coming from the pockets of poor people and of people who are struggling to pay for their homes. So, I want to allow the

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public to discuss and express their feelings about whether millionaires should take extra responsibility because they are in a different position. I also want us to recognize that what we're doing now by putting these referenda on the ballot, if we do, is

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not in any way contradictory to going to Springfield to lobbying for more money, to fighting to get the EBF fully funded, those kinds of things. I don't think it's a one or the other. I think it's a both and and I think that they are both

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extremely important and thank you. >> Thank you. Uh President Harden, you said most of what I wanted to say, so thank you for those comments and I just wanted to add that um the reason we are all sitting here today is thanks to putting

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referendums on the ballot for the elected representative school board and winning them overwhelmingly, which sent a message to legislators that it was time to work on this. So, I hardily encourage us to go ahead with

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these referendums. As uh Vice President Velez said in in the newspaper, uh we should leave no stone unturned. >> Yes, thank you uh Mr. President. >> I'm in total agreement with these resolutions because this gives our

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communities and our families the opportunity for us to hear their voice, for them to voice their opinion. Historically it we have used revolution I mean resolutions in a process

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to basically get consensus in a community. And therefore we're going to use it this time and I'm totally in agreement and I hope people will come out on November and voice their opinion. Thank you. >> There being no additional comments, we can move to a vote.

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>> Before we move to the vote, I do want to note for the record that Dr. Karimi Asaf, Chief Education Officer, joined the meeting at 11:25 a.m. >> Before doing so, let me recognize member Brown joining us virtually. >> Oh, I called him in roll call.

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>> I'm sorry, he wanted to speak. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Member Brown? >> I I can hold my comment. I'm ready for a vote. >> Okay. >> We will now proceed with the electronic voting. Board members, please cast your vote.

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>> Board member Pope, can you let us know what your vote is and board member Brown? >> My vote is yes. >> Mine is also yes. >> Voting is closed. >> The eyes have it. 12 eyes, one nay, zero

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abstention. This matter is adopted by the board. President Harnell, continue with RS2, resolution of the Board of Education City of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools District 299, Cook County, Illinois, providing for and requiring the submission of an advisory question of

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public policy to the voters of Chicago Public Schools at the general election to be held on November 3rd, 2026. This item was draft on agenda and the final report will be included in the agenda of action. This item is regarding the question on vacant or undeveloped commercial or

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investment properties civil penalty. >> Is there a motion? >> Motion. >> Is there a second? >> I second. >> We'll now open the matter up for discussion. Member Boyce.

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>> Um I just wanted to again underscore the things that I said yesterday at the board meeting that I really appreciate the board members who are bringing this resolution uh and also

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the billionaires tax. It's not a resolution. It's a a referendum. Um only because I think this is this demonstrates leadership. We're not just going to say we're out of money. We're not just going

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to ask for money, but we're going to try and think of thoughtful ideas and possibilities or place opportunities to discuss ways that we can generate revenue for CPS.

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And so, I really want to applaud the leadership of my fellow board members for um for bringing these referendum, but also uh for being here today. There are a number of board members that are not here that are

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I would say actively absent uh because perhaps they didn't want to vote no. Uh but what it does demonstrate to me is a lack of leadership. And so, I just want to say to

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the folks who showed up today, the folks who have worked hard on on trying to think through ideas and make it possible so that CPS could be fully funded um and our schools throughout Illinois could be fully funded. I'm I I just want to say

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thank you to you all for jumping into the conversation, and I'm happy to stand with you. >> There being no other com- a member to bury. >> Don't sound so surprised, President Harris. >> [laughter] >> I just want to say it's become more

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apparent in recent weeks that funding our children's education is becoming more expensive with every year that the commitment of the federal government and the state government is not adequate. And so,

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many of us ran last time to say that we were going to fully fund our schools. And I help I think these measures help us keep that commitment. We're still looking for other ways to make sure that our future is ensured

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because there's no doubt about it. Our children are our finest commodity. And we're open to other ideas. This is not the end. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. >> Member Bannon.

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Um for this referendum particular, I I just wanted to point out that uh it it's worth examining this uh vacancy issue because commercial properties owners have the opportunity when their property is vacant to reduce their assessment from 100% down to 10%.

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So, as a commercial property owner, they have an opportunity to uh severely cut their taxes, which makes all of us, residential property owners, pay more. I'm not trying to get into the weeds or make it a thing between commercial property owners and residential property owners, but that seems to be a very extreme opportunity

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for commercial property owners that residential property owners don't have access to, and we need to address that vacancy issue. So, I think I'm looking forward to support of this referendum and um exploring those options. >> Member Thor Corp. >> Um I appreciate the discussion that we had today and yesterday on these two

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items, and I appreciate board member Coster for being here today to share your thoughts and opinions even though I disagree with many of them. I think it's important that we show up so we can have that discussion. And so, to see so many of our colleagues absent today, I hope they're okay. I hope that you

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know, maybe there's a excuse for for their absence, but it's important that people in their districts know where they stand on this issue of securing revenue that we need for our schools. It is important. So, if your board

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member is not here today, I would encourage you to ask them where they would stand and what they would have voted on these two referenda had they been present. >> There being no additional comments, we'll move to a vote. >> We'll now proceed with the electronic voting.

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Board members, please cast your vote. Board member Brown and board member Pope, can you let us know your vote? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Voting's closed. >> Sorry, I got disconnected. Can you all hear me?

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>> Mhm. >> We did. We cast your vote for you. >> Jesus. >> The eyes have it. 12 eyes, one nay, zero abstention. This matter is adopted adopted by the board. President Harden, there are no further

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items on the public agenda. >> We'll proceed with today's public participation session in compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Public participation is the portion of the board meeting that grants district stakeholders the opportunity to address the board with their comments

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and is the time for the board and CPS senior leadership to listen and hear from you rather than a time for dialogue during or after your remarks. And while we can't discuss personnel matters, public participation is a key component of transparent governance and

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it provides us as board members as well as senior leadership an opportunity to listen to everyone who has signed to speak. This board takes equity of voice very seriously and while we may not address your comments directly during public participation, CPS leadership is always

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present at our meetings and will address concerns as follow-ups after the meeting. As a district and as a board, we also have many other spaces for authentic dialogue. For example, each and every one of our board members holds board office hours so that we may

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have a conversation. We encourage you to use our website, cpsboe.org, if you want to meet with the board member during office hours. We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with board members outside of a board meeting. We thank you for your attention and

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consideration. As a reminder, union representatives will be allotted 5 minutes to speak before public participation and any elected officials will be allotted 5 minutes to speak after the conclusion of public participation. Board secretary, please share the rules of public participation.

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>> Thank you, President Harden. Members of the public who registered to speak were given the option to attend in person or via an electronic format. For those who prefer to attend via an electronic format, they were given information to access meeting by dialing a number and using their phone. We did this so that speakers with

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limited or no access to the internet or who may have a weak internet connection could still participate using their phones. Also, members of the public may submit written comments for Board of Education meetings via the written comments form on the board's website at cpsboe.org

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or mail to 42 West Madison Street, Garden Level. Written comments received between the day the public agenda was posted and 5:00 p.m. the day after the Board of Education meeting will be submitted to the board and published within 5 business days on our website at cpsboe.org.

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Please note we do not have any registered registered speakers, but we do have one union rep who would like to address the board. Dr. Diane Castro, CTU financial secretary, who is joining us virtually, please enter star six to unmute.

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>> Good morning. Can you all hear me? >> Yes, please proceed. >> Thank you. Good morning all. My name is Dr. Diane Castro and I'm a bilingual pre-preschool teacher and financial secretary of the CPU. I want to take a moment to recognize our board members who have held fast to

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their commitment to moving forward on the promise of full funding to our district. Your presence, your leadership, and your yes vote demonstrates a refusal to bow to political theater and to the millionaires who would rather see our students and educators starved of resources than to contribute to our school communities.

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In state after state, taxing the wealthiest who can afford it has been a proven way to fund public education for everyone else in the state. There's a reason the school board has the power to put a question on the ballot. It's part of you using every lever for our students to address the emergency in

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front of us created by Springfield. This is an opportunity for those with the most resources to contribute towards Chicago's children, our children, in safe and stable schools with community safety programs. While democracy is under attack by the federal government,

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your vote upheld CPS families' ability to also put pressure on Illinois for full funding and points our elected officials in the right direction. Every opportunity to fully fund our school district must be taken. Your vote today demonstrates your commitment to securing the revenue for

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our schools. The vote against restoring positions leaves CPS families wondering what your agenda is. Voting against taxing the ultra-wealthy would leave everyone in the room wondering who you work for. Why would you not turn over every rock for our students? Why would you not follow the models of other states? Why would you leave revenue on

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the table that our schools so badly need? I'm a CPS educator, parent, and alum. I'm also the child of CPS alum. When my grandparents arrived in Chicago from Puerto Rico, they worked factory jobs, were street vendors, and sold jewelry door-to-door. This is the story of many

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of our families in our district. The path they sought for a better future was through hard work and public education for their children. I share this because Chicago families know what it means to save and persevere in the face of challenging circumstances and harsh economic conditions. As a teacher, I saw

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this daily in my classroom. As a CPS alum, I cannot recall an instance when we had a CPS board or CPS officials take a position that loved our students and would be willing to advocate for their children the way our families have had to. But 11 of you did that at the last

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meeting. 11 of you rejected balancing the budgets on our students' backs and chose to hold the governor and the General Assembly accountable for their skipped bills. And guess what? The sky hasn't fallen. The school year is being planned, and I have to commend [clears throat] the CEO for calling this moment all hands-on

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deck to secure the funding and to create a process to restore the laid-off positions. All hands means all of us. Our union is ready. Our members are ready. Our school communities are watching to see if all of you, as board members, would do your part as well.

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My family is a current CPS The families in Chicago need this board to champion our students and partner with us in ensuring that Springfield provides the funding needed to move our district forward. We have had commitments from Speaker Welch and President Harmon. We have heard from legislators that they are going to advocate for the funding so

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that we do not have to go back to cuts and austerity. This is the board's opportunity to hold Springfield accountable on the to the promise they made to this district with a fully funded EBF. I myself have experienced my position being closed. And when I did, I found myself at my new school, Lorca. As I

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walked through that building just after its construction, I was awed at the size and beauty of the library. As a child, that had not been something I had seen. Media centers, a multitude of books for circulation, workstations, and a reader's theater. The school librarian cultivated an experience for students

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that was dimensional and varied. Students learned not only about research, literacy, and the love for reading, but they also held pride in supporting a successful school library program by becoming junior librarians. However, this school with over 600 students with working families like my

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own has had their library position closed and would be lost if it if were not for the vote to reverse it at the last meeting. Position like Mr. Westfall, like every teacher, paraprofessional, FICA, and beloved educator are what make our students learning experiences exceptional.

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Voting for this budget sent a message that you're finally going to hold the county and state accountable so that our students and educators have the school year they deserve. Don't leave our families with questions. Give them the example of leadership they deserve. Lead the charge for funding in Springfield. Ensure our school year starts strong and

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that the layoffs are reversed. And give Chicagoans the opportunity to demonstrate our support for the revenue our schools need. >> 30 seconds remaining. >> with those who need you to stand for them the most. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. President Harden, this concludes public

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participation. >> We'll now move into executive session. Board member Waguespack, do you have motion MO1? >> I move for the passage of motion number 260813 MO1 and the commencement of a closed session to consider matters permitted

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under section 2C of the Open Meetings Act subsections 1 and 16 as specified in the motion. >> I second the motion, Lopez. >> It's been moved and seconded. We need to vote. >> Yeah, we'll now proceed with the electronic voting. Board members, please

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cast your vote. Board member Brown and board member Pope, can you let us know your vote? >> My vote is yes. >> My vote is yes. >> Thank you. >> Voting is closed. >> The eyes have it. 13 eyes, zero nays, zero abstentions. This motion is adopted

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by the board. >> This meeting will now go into closed session. The special board meeting of the Board of Education is reconvened. Board secretary, please proceed. >> Vice President Valenzuela, I would like to note for the record that there are no items to vote on from the executive

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session. >> Is there a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor?