More than a month after students organized walkouts to protest actions by U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement, Brevard’s school board was scheduled to discuss revisions to their policy on campus demonstrations.
The topic was set to be discussed at Brevard school board’s March 10 work session, which would take place immediately after the 9 a.m. board meeting.
As it stands, the district’s “Disorder and Demonstration” policy affirms that students shouldn’t be stopped from peacefully protesting as long as they don’t infringe on the rights of others or interfere with the operation of schools. It also says that the disruption of educational programs will not be tolerated, and that behavior that does so will be considered disorder. The board has the authority to ensure that students’ education goes uninterrupted, the policy says.
At the work session, board members planned to discuss revisions to a policy, though it was not clear exactly what those revisions would entail. Alongside the policy, they were set to review the emergency procedures for handling student disorder from Neola, a consulting firm for educational institutions.
At the meeting prior to the work session, students spoke about walkouts.
The walkouts took place in February, with students organizing walkouts at high schools throughout Brevard in response to the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both U.S. citizens who were killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis. Students protested at multiple campuses during the school day on Feb. 6, then again in Viera on Feb. 16, a school holiday.
Those who left campuses without parental permission on Feb. 6 would be disciplined with detention or suspension, BPS Chief Strategic Communications Officer Janet Murnaghan said in a statement to media.
11 a.m.: Meeting wraps up with final public comments on walkouts
Comments on walkouts continued, with Melbourne High student Maxwell Yates saying he felt the disciplinary actions came out of an effort to silence students.
“Disciplinary actions should be a tool for correcting students when they take action that could disrupt learning on some level,” he said. “When it comes to people taking action to be part of and protect their community … disciplinary action in these situations is even more damaging to a students feeling that they’re missing a protest, because it discourages students from being an active member in their community and in their expressing their beliefs.”
Sarah, another student, said she did not attend a walkout but was disciplined over her private Instagram account, where she reposted about the walkouts.
“On behalf of all these students, I say that we will not back down,” she said. “We will not stop fighting until there’s truly liberty and justice for all.”
Just before the meeting concluded, Katye Campbell asked students not to skip class for the work session but suggested they watch the work session on YouTube later.
10:50 a.m.: Comments focus on walkouts
Public comment continued, with Julia, a student, saying she was missing her classes to be at the meeting. She asked that policies be applied consistently, saying that disciplinary actions and her rights have been unclear in relation to walkouts.
“I’m asking you to clarify which message students should trust,” Julia said. “When students were hearing statements that contradict the Constitution … it creates uncertainty about what the real rules are, and uncertainty, not peaceful expression, is what leads to disorder.”
Student Haley Disch spoke next, also saying she was missing class and she had peers who wanted to be at the meeting but couldn’t afford to be absent from class.
“I’m speaking on behalf of the students and teachers who cannot attend this meeting, not just out of fear, but out of practicality,” she said. “holding meetings in the mornings that are unexcused absences where you talk about students, parents and teachers and you make policies that affect students, parents and teachers, that students, parents and teachers cannot attend is complete absurdity.”
Jack Apotsos, a Melbourne High senior, asked for clarity on student protests and their rights.
“I was personally threatened with expulsion for talking with other students on maintaining safety and upholding rights during the student walkouts,” Apotsos said, adding that he did not participate in the Feb. 6 walkout. “I ask you to create clear communication and transparency while upholding student rights.”
Layla, a sophomore at Satellite High School, questioned if protests or attending school board meetings were more disruptive to student learning.
“Many of us are actively missing classes in order to make these statements,” she said. “Expression does not require correction when done so in peaceful and educated manner.”
Ezekial Edwards, a Rockledge High student, said there were misconceptions about the walkouts.
“We students are practicing our First Amendment rights, and we’re confused,” Ezekial said. “Confused on why we are hearing threats from the school board about expelling us for civilly engaging. We are even more confused when we see inconsistent enforcement across topics.”
10:40 a.m.: Second round of public comment kicks off
Just before 10:40 a.m., the meeting resumed, with the board voting to hold a meeting on pending litigation between them and Brevard Federation of Teachers.
The non-agenda portion of public comment then kicked off, with 10 speakers scheduled to speak.
Gina Derenge was the first to speak, saying on April 6, the League of Women Voters of the Space Coast will be holding a meeting to discuss millage.
“It’s our hope that we can enlighten our citizens of just what’s involved with millage,” she said. “In talking to some people in the community, they’re just not sure they want to vote for it, which has kind of shocked me.”
She also discussed discipline rates, saying certain schools are doing a great job in not disproportionately disciplining Black and free/reduced lunch students and she wonders what the difference is at these schools.
Bernard Bryan spoke next to also address the discipline rates, particularly among Black students and those on free/reduced lunches.
“The gain has almost been nothing,” he said, speaking to the risk ratio, a measure used by the state to determine if a district is “at risk” based on the number of suspensions given to any demographic. The goal is for every demographic to be at a 1.0. A ratio of 2.5 puts the district on “alert status,” and a ratio of 3.0 is when action must be taken to solve the situation.
“We need a plan,” Bryan said. “The data has not changed that much.”
Kelly Wentworth spoke next, accusing Gene Trent of campaigning at a Roosevelt event and saying she hopes future events can be less political.
10:30 a.m.: Board discussions wrap up
The discussion regarding funding continued, with the board concluding that they would continue the discussion at the next meeting.
Board discussions wrapped up with Board Chair Matt Susin talking about several topics, including flag football.
The board took a recess just before 10:30 a.m., with non-agenda public comment set to take place afterward.
10:20 a.m.: All items approved, board discusses district happenings
No members of the public addressed the items under the public hearing portion of the agenda, and the board approved all items and moved on to board member discussions.
Among various topics, Gene Trent discussed flag football tournaments at multiple schools, Katye Campbell reminded adults that they can’t smoke or vape on district property, John Thomas read a note recognizing a literacy coach at Meadowlane Intermediate Elementary School and Megan Wright talked about senior packages for students in transition.
Board members discussed whether they could use unused funds allocated for Florida School Board Association for other purposes before Matt Susin was set to speak.
9:50 a.m.: Teacher will go on paid leave
The discussion regarding teacher Daniel Bennett’s potential suspension continued, with Board Vice Chair Megan Wright saying she had issues with the press release that was sent out and that they needed to be consistent with how they disciplined employees regarding this incident.
Board member Katye Campbell said she also expressed her frustrations about the press release to Superintendent Mark Rendell and also cautioned the board against making a decision on one employee with dependance on another employee.
Board member John Thomas said he would like to suspend Bennett with pay rather than putting him on unpaid leave, saying there’s a “big difference” between reporting a rumor versus something that actually occurred.
“Even if it was just a false rumor, he still had a duty to report, but I think it lessens the severity if it turned out to be a … false claim,” he said.
Thomas made a motion to put Bennett on paid leave, with Wright seconding the motion.
Campbell and Trent were not in favor of making it paid leave.
Wright asked that the district send training to everyone regarding mandatory reporting, and Rendell said the training happens every August.
“How many times does it take to get this message?” Campbell said.
The amendment to the motion was approved, with Campbell and Trent voting against it. Then the amended motion was approved, with all voting in favor of it.
9:40 a.m.: Thomas makes motion to postpone approval of teacher suspension
The board moved on to the consent agenda, with John Thomas making a motion to postpone approving an item regarding the suspension of Daniel Bennett, a teacher accused of incorrectly handling two students who allegedly had sex with one another.
Thomas said he “in no way condoned” the issue but wanted to make sure “how this teacher is being treated until proven guilty is consistent” with how the district has treated other teachers until they get all the facts.
Katye Campbell said the most “egregious error” was the nonreporting of the alleged sexual incident by Bennett.
“The teachers don’t get to make that decision of whether they’re going to report it or not,” Campbell said. “It’s our policy and it’s also the law.”
She asked Board Attorney Paul Gibbs if Bennet could get backpay if the board were to make a mistake in terms of incorrectly suspending him. Gibbs said yes.
Superintendent Mark Rendell said this was not the first time the district had put an employee on unpaid leave.
Board Vice Chair Megan Wright emphasized that teachers are mandatory reporters to DCF. She added that there were other adults in the room when the incident took place and she understood the concern regarding whether or not the board was being consistent in how he was being disciplined.
“The issue I have is that the investigation is not completed for all the other employees in the room,” she said, adding that the investigations have not been completed into the other employees. “There is inconsistency there, in my mind.”
9:30 a.m.: Public commenters address teacher, early learning
Public comment kicked off before 9:25 a.m., with Mark Levine, an attorney for Brevard Federation of Teachers, speaking first, sharing that the Department of Children and Families and Brevard County Sheriff’s Office had both cleared Daniel Bennett. Bennett, a Space Coast Jr./Sr. High teacher, is up for suspension for not reporting an incident involving students who engaged in oral sex, according to the district — something Levine disputed.
“To bring this up against Mr. Bennett is just another strike at the union,” Levine said. “The press release, it is inaccurate. Whoever put this out ought to be ashamed of themselves.”
Bernard Bryan, education chair of South Brevard NAACP, spoke next, addressing the administrative reorganization to thank several members of staff. He also brought up early learning classes he visited this past week.
“When I saw those kids’ faces, it was like, ‘Oh my god, Brevard Public Schools has the best early learning program,'” he said, adding that he hopes the district invests more in working to get families to enroll their kids in early learning programs.
9:20 a.m.: Superintendent clarifies reorganization
As Superintendent Mark Rendell continued his presentation on district reorganization, Board Vice Chair Megan Wright asked if this was a long-term plan of just a temporary solution to losing the district’s chief financial officer.
Rendell said that depends — they’ll have to see how the reorganization works and, if it works well, it can continue in perpetuity, he said.
“We are streamlining,” he said. “In the end, this will save money.”
Board member Katye Campbell asked Rendell to clarify the 7% layoffs taking place within the district. Rendell said those reductions were for “district-based services” and not school-based positions.
9:10 a.m.: Superintendent discusses district reorganization
At 9:10 a.m., Superintendent Mark Rendell began a presentation on restructuring taking place within the district following the resignation of Cindy Lesinski, the district’s chief financial officer. The reorganization involves modifying the roles of current staff and cabinet member positions.
“This will be a cost reduction in the end,” Rendell said.
The new job titles are on the board’s agenda. Almost all are not for new hires, but rather for the modified positions, except for the position of executive director of financial services, which will involve a new hire should the board approve the reorganization.
9 a.m.: Board meeting kicks off
Brevard’s school board meeting kicked off at 9 a.m., beginning with a proclamation recognizing Bleeding Disorder Month.
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker. Instagram: @finchwalker_.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Recap: Students address walkouts with school board
Reporting by Finch Walker, Florida Today / Florida Today
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