►
Description
For more information about upcoming Town Meeting Day 2023 coverage visit https://bit.ly/TownMeeting2023
https://linktr.ee/townmeetingtv
00:00:00 Introductions
00:01:24 Opening Statement
00:02:48 Budget
00:05:15 Language Access
00:06:47 Teacher Well Being and Retention
00:09:12 Racial Justice
00:11:24 Schools and School Funding
00:12:38 Educational Initiatives
00:13:37 Challenges
00:15:28 Closing Comments
This video belongs to http://www.cctv.org and published with permission under Creative Commons License CCTV Center for Media & Democracy Programming is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A
Hello,
there
welcome
to
ongoing
coverage
of
town
meeting
day
2023
on
time
meeting
television.
My
name
is
Bobby
lucier
and
I'll
be
your
host
for
the
program
tonight,
which
will
be
looking
at
a
seat
on
the
South
Burlington
School
Board.
This
program
is
one
in
a
series
of
forums
that
Tom
meeting
TV
hosts
in
advance
in
advance
of
town
meeting
day
just
coming
up
on
Tuesday
March
7th
in
our
Forum
series
town
meeting
TV
invites
candidates,
Municipal
officials
and
community
members
to
unpack
the
races
and
ballots
that
you'll
see
up
and
down
your
ballot.
A
This
year
before
we
get
started
just
a
reminder
that
you
can
call
in
at
any
time
tonight
if
you're
tuning
in
live.
We
welcome
your
questions
at
802-862-3966.
You
can
give
us
a
call
and
we'll
put
your
question
right
on
the
air
and
also
you
can
watch
town
meeting
TV
and
this
program
on
Comcast
channel
1087,
as
well
as
Burlington
Telecom,
Channel
17
at
217
and
on
youtube.com
townmeetingtv.
A
A
So,
thank
you
for
joining
us
and
we'll
start
with
just
an
opening
statement.
You
can
tell
us
a
little
bit
about
why
you're
running
and
what
will
be
different
for
South
Burlington
if
you're
elected
and
has
a
little
add-on
just
how
you're
rating
public
participation
in
school
activities
and
politics
right
now.
B
Well,
let's
see
I'm,
as
you
say,
I
was
appointed
in
August,
so
I
definitely
want
to
con
continue.
My
service
I
am
a
strong
proponent
of
democracy
and
I.
Try
to
show
up
for
it
every
day
and
there's
a
lot
of
great
work
going
on
the
South
Burlington
school
district
and
a
well-educated
populace
is
key
to
democracy.
Thriving.
So
that's
one
of
the
you
know
and
I
want
to
serve
and
participate
and
in
terms
of
what
was
the
second
part
of
the
community.
B
Right
so
I
think
I
mentioned
GB
before
the
show
I
I
gave
South
Burlington
an
A-Plus,
because
when
the
the
the
vacancy
became
available
in
July
for
this
position
that
I'm
serving
in
the
school
board,
seven
of
us
showed
up
and
I
think
that's
incredible.
That
shows
High
participation
and
then
you
know,
I
had
two
children,
the
school
district
graduate
one
in
2019
and
one
in
2017.
and
so
I
went
to
a
lot
of
events.
And
so
did
everybody
else.
So
I
would
say,
participation
is
high.
A
A
B
I
do
support
the
budget
100
and
I,
encourage
anybody
and
everybody
to
you
can
go
on
on
this
YouTube
channel
and
watch
Tim
Jarvis
who
started
the
school
district
in
November
and
violet
Nichols
our
superintendent.
They
I've
heard
the
presentation
about
eight
times.
It's
really
really
well
done,
and
I
I
can't
go
into
all
the
numbers
but
I.
My
my
takeaway
is
that
it's
a
really
fiscally
responsible
and
thoughtful
budget.
B
A
B
The
well
there's
a
there's,
a
bond
item
and
then
there's
infrastructure
in
general,
so
there's
a
bond
item
for
modular
classrooms.
We
have
very
serious
overcrowding
and
two
of
the
elementary
schools,
which
is
it's
having
it's
having
an
impact
on
instruction.
You
know
every
everybody's,
you
know
social
and
emotional
well-being
so
that
that
bond
is
on
the
ballot.
B
That's
six
million
dollars
for
for
modular
classrooms,
which
will
really
ease
the
overcrowding
and
they
should
last
the
projected
life
of
those
is
about
six
to
ten
years,
and
then
you
know,
infrastructure
of
of
the
all
five
schools
are
suffering
severely
from
deferred
maintenance.
You
know,
there's
roofs
that
need
to
be
redone,
you
know
we've
got
leaking
in
some
of
the
the
elementary
schools
you
get.
The
little
kiddie
pools
there.
You
know
so
there's
there's
a
lot
of
work,
so
this
budget
will
address
a
lot
of
those
issues,
not
all
of
them.
B
B
A
That's
that
touches
on
a
question
about
Capital,
Improvements
and
bonding
that
I
think
I
think
you
hit
on
there,
which
so
we
might
not
have
to
ask
that
one
again
as
CCTV
is
a
Community
Access
Center
and
also
has
the
houses,
the
Vermont
language
Justice
project,
where
really
big
proponents
of
language
access
in
Vermont.
So
this
next
question
is
about
language
access,
so
what
important
initiatives
are
underway
and
what
more
needs
to
be
done
to
meet
the
needs
of
students
and
families
who
are
proficient
in
languages
other
than
English?
This.
B
Think
we
I
think
the
language
is
changing
to
multi-language
teachers
and
yeah
I
think
we
need
I,
think
we
need
more
multi-language
teachers,
I
mean
I
and
again.
I
am
I,
am
woefully
ignorant
on
this,
but
but
I
do
know
that
families
who
speak
different
languages
need
interpreters.
They
need
access
to
all
the
information
that
we
all
have
in
English,
that
I
can
say
for
sure
and
knowing
the
district
as
I
do
in
superintendent,
Violet
Nichols
that
I'm
sure
that
she's
on
this
is
a
question
I'm
going
to
be
asking
her
yeah.
B
A
So
much
yeah,
so
this
next
question
is
about
teacher
well-being
and
retention.
As
a
teacher
yourself,
I'm
sure
you'll
have
some
good
thoughts
about
this.
So
what
do
you
understand
is
the
current
level
of
morale
among
South
Burlington
teachers
is
South
Burlington
doing
enough
to
retain
good
teaching
and
support
staff
yeah.
B
This
is
also
a
really
great
question,
so
as
a
school
board
member,
you
know
we're
really
policy
governance
and
we're
not
even
supposed
to
go
into
the
school,
so
I
don't
know
at
the
same
time,
I
am
a
teacher
and
I
talk
to
teachers.
In
my
own
district
and
around
the
country,
the
the
job
is
really
hard
right.
Now
it's
really
hard.
It's
always
been
hard,
and
now
it's
really
hard
and
I
think
it's
it's
love
that
keeps
us
there.
B
Love
of
children,
love
of
The,
Craft
and
you
know,
I-
think
a
lot
of
what
needs
to
happen
is
I.
Think
Community,
Support,
I
I,
do
think
that
the
district
as
a
whole
is
is
trying
it's
it's
level
best,
I,
think
Community.
You
know
we
have
a
lot
of
Highly
qualified
teachers
in
South,
Burlington
and
and
I
do
believe
that
the
community
needs
to
trust
them
to
implement
this
instruction
that
they
have
created.
You
know
in
an
age
you
know
an
age-appropriate
Manner
and
to
trust
them
to
deal
with
discipline
issues.
B
I
mean
things
happen
and
I
also
think
you
know
the
job
has
gotten
harder
and
I
do
think.
Compensation
needs
to
be
increased,
I
think
support
staff
for
sure
yeah.
We
we
need
to
pay
people
what
what
they're
worth,
because
what
we're
the
effects
of
the
pandemic
are
still
with
us
and
children
are
really
having
a
hard
time
and-
and
so
are
adults
I,
don't
you
know,
that's
the
thing,
I
think
a
lot
of
adults.
Don't
want
to
admit
that?
Oh
we
know,
I
really
have
a
good
here
in
Vermont.
B
You
know,
I
shouldn't
complain,
the
thing
is
I,
don't
think
people
are
complaining,
I
think
it's
just
being
real
like
this.
This
was
really
hard,
so
I'm
still
suffering
the
effects.
The
kids
are
suffer
suffering
the
effects
so
and
I
I
do
think
it's
I
almost
think
of
it
as
hazardous
duty
pay,
yeah.
So
I
think
that
that
would
that
would
go,
go
a
long
way
and
I
know
that
you
know
this
budget
addresses
some
of
those
concerns
and
I'm,
hoping
that
there
will
be
a
long-range
plan
to
increase
compensation.
A
This
next
question
is
about
racial
justice.
So
what
is
your
current
understanding
of
the
work
around
racial
Justice
in
South,
Burlington
schools
and
in
our
schools
in
Vermont,
and
how
would
you
support
leadership,
efforts
and
initiatives
to
meet
the
challenges
of
creating
an
equitable
and
thriving
environment
for
all
students,
yeah.
B
This
is
another
really
great
question:
I
know
at
the
South
Burlington
hired
a
director
of
equity
who's
done
a
lot
of
work
on
racial
Justice,
she's
done
training
with
different
staff.
You
know
parts
of
the
all
the
Educators
in
the
community
and
then
the
school
board-
and
there
is
you
know:
she's
she's
pulled
some
data.
We
have
data,
for
you
know
on
math,
reading
and
suspension.
Those
were
the
three
some
of
the
I
think.
B
Maybe
it's
just
math
and
reading,
and
you
know
for
our
bipoc
community
Hispanic
and
one
other
I
think
Native
Alaskan
in
Hawaii
and
Hawaiian,
and
you
know
we
we
do
have
work
to
do
because
you
know
when
you
have
equity
in
the
school.
It
means
everyone's
needs
are
being
met,
academically
socially
emotionally,
queer,
College,
ready,
I
I,
don't
I,
don't
think
we're
there
yet
and
I
would
also
like
to
see
more
data
on.
B
You
know
gender
non-binary
children
on
IEPs,
individual
education
plans,
children
on
504s
education,
support
teams,
ests
all
these
kids,
so
historically
marginalized
children
like
to
see
all
these
categories,
data
on
what
we're
doing
well
and
where
what
challenges
we
have-
and
you
know
in
the
future-
would
like
you
know.
We
have
historically
privileged
groups
and
historically
marginalized
groups.
I
don't
want
those
groups
to
exist
anymore.
It
would
you
know
that
will
be
Equity.
B
A
B
So
the
part
part
of
that
you
know
I,
think
Vermont
and
if
I
understand
correctly
we're
the
only
New
England
state
that
doesn't
have
any
construction
funding,
which
is
one
of
the
reasons
I
think
our
schools
are
all
really
suffering,
I
mean
South.
Burlington
has
five
schools,
and,
and
they
are,
they
are
really
really
suffering
so
I
would
I
would
like
to
see
you
know
the
community
Lobby,
the
legislature.
B
We
need
school
construction
funds
and
I
know
that
there
is
a
education,
Surplus
and
I
would
like
to
see
the
legislature
and
the
governor
invest
that
wisely
in
our
school
districts
that
we're
we
really.
We
really
need
it
because
it
is
I
think
it
is
a
size.
I
don't
have
the
amount
and
top
of
my
head,
but
there's
a
sizable
amount
of
money
that
could
be.
You
know,
make
a
make
a
wise
investment.
B
B
B
You
know
it's.
These.
These
inequities
have
happened
over
decades
centuries.
It's
going
to
take
a
long
time
to
to
make
it
right,
but
that's
what
I
see
as
the
most
the
most
important
goal
that
we
could
be.
We
could
be
working
on
because
you
know
we
we
need
to
invest
in
human
capital.
This
is
what's
going
to
make
us
better
and
that
that's
that's
what
I
see
as
the
most
most
important
yeah
for
for.
A
B
Know
part
of
equity
is
supporting
our
teachers
and
who
are
you
know,
teaching
accurate,
evidence-based
history,
education.
You
know
it's
hard
to
hear
about
slavery
and
its
brutality,
yet
we
have
really
highly
trained
teachers
who
know
how
to
guide
children
through
those
difficult
conversations,
and
we
need
to
trust
them
trust
them
to
do
that,
and
so
you
know
as
a
school
board
member,
that's
part
of
what
you
know.
That's
I
would
support
the
superintendent
in
supporting
all
of
our
all
of
our
teachers.
B
I
think
that
that
that
is
I
think
that
is
really
important
and
particularly
our
our
children
of
color.
You
know
they
want
to
see
their
history
represented.
It's
our
history
really
right.
It's
our
you
know,
I,
always
struggle
with
women's
history
and
black
history.
Isn't
that
our
history?
So
that's
what
that's
definitely
what
what
I,
what
I
would?
B
What
I
would
support
yeah
and
we
need
a
lot
of
social
emotional
learning
support
around
that
as
well,
because
these
are
difficult
conversations
to
have
I
do
believe
we
we
have
such
highly
qualified
teachers
who
can
guide
children
through
this
and
they
need
to
know
when
they
leave
us.
They
need
to
know
our
history,
they
need
to
know
why
racial
inequities
exists
and
why
we
have
to
actively
work
to
dismantle
them.
So
yeah
I
would
definitely
be
I
mean
we
are.
B
A
B
Yo
I
hope
everybody
goes
out
to
vote.
That's
really
the
most
most
critical
critical
thing.
You
know,
there's
I
know
people
don't
want
their
taxes
raised,
but
you
know
I'm,
a
taxpayer
I
had
children
in
the
district
and
and
now
I,
don't
I.
Just
I
I
believe
that
that
the
infrastructure
of
our
buildings
matter,
you
know
we
we
have
a
you
know.
City
council
has
got
these
great
climate
initiatives
and
I
would
love
to
partner
with
them,
because
there's
all
these
like
great
new
buildings,
you
know
popping
up.
B
There's
a
great
town
center
and
our
schools
are
just
kind
of
crumbling
and
you
know
I
would
love
to
the
school
board
partner
with
them
and
their
vision
for
like
greener.
You
know
more
climate-based
initiatives
and
like
better
and
Greener
schools.
That's
what
I
would
really
like
to
see
and
you
know
I
do
think
it
matters
it
matters
to
the
people
who
work
in
those
buildings.
It
says
that
the
community
cares
about
us.
I
mean
right
now
you
walk
in,
and
you
know,
there's
this
complicated
Dance
of
the
overcrowded
elementary
schools.
B
Long
and
I
do
think
the
community
cares
I
I,
really
my
heart
of
hearts
think
they
just
don't
know
so.
I
think
it's
really
important
that
that
they
that
they
do
know
and
that
investment
in
infrastructure
does
matter
for
the
health
of
the
community.
And
you
know
it's
a
message
to
our
kids
like
we're
investing
in
human
capital.
We
want,
you
know
the
more
we
invest,
the
better
our
community
will
will
be
and
and
more
welcoming,
I
think.
That's,
that's
really
huge
yeah!
You
know
at
this
point
yeah.
Thank
you.
A
You
very
much,
of
course,
yeah
yeah
and
thank
you
for
tuning
in
to
town
meeting
TV
and
our
ongoing
coverage
of
town
meeting
day
2023..
You
can
find
this
forum
and
many
more
on
our
website
at
ch17.tv
and,
of
course,
don't
forget
to
vote
on
March
7th
town
meeting
day.
Can
you
remind
me
Laura
if
ballots
are
being
sent
in
the
mail
to
South
Burlington
residents
or
if
you
have
to
request
you
have
to
request
them
yeah,
so
you
have
to
request
a
ballot
in
South
Burlington.