Old Bridge Board of Education Meeting February 20, 2024_2.mp4

Speaker 1 [00:00:00] Yes. Motion, resolution one, for board Secretary and board business passes.

Speaker 3 [00:00:09] Mr. Sylla Koski, can I say something before you open up the floor?

Chris [00:00:14] Okay.

Marchetti [00:00:15] So I'm just going to reiterate Mr. Sidadino's comments from before. I know better than anybody that that microphone right there is a powerful weapon. A few years ago. I got up there many times and I probably said some things that I probably shouldn't have said. Use your time up there, to say what you mean, mean what you say, but say it nice. You have children in the room. You have students in the room. Okay. Be respectful of each other. It's what we're going to discuss here. You're going to hear both sides, right? One side's going to get up. One side's going to cheer. The other side's going to get up. The other side's going to cheer. But do it in a manner where you're still respectful of each other, right? We're still adults, and we still have to be the role models for these children in the room. We have Old Bridge police here. Like Mr. Sidadino said, we probably shouldn't have to have them. But again, in years past, things happened. We learn from the past, so learn more from other people's mistakes than you do from your own. Go up there. Be respectful of each other. Say what you have to say and step down. You're not addressing the audience. You're addressing us. Okay, if we can't do that? If we can't be, adults will shut the meeting down. I'm sure we're allowed to do that, Chris. Are we allowed?

Chris [00:01:38] Yes.

Speaker 4 [00:01:39] And actually, just to clarify, Mr. Marchetti, you're quite right. But the board president also can stop this meeting. Limit public portion. We're required to have public comment, but the length can be determined by the board. That's true at every public meeting. And the board president can also ask for somebody to leave the microphone or a system with leaving the microphone. If a statement becomes unnecessarily, vulgar, abusive, obscene or irrelevant to what is being said. Lastly. This is not a public debate against other members of the public. So again, what Lenny said is, is very much correct. When you're at the microphone, please give your name and please address Mr. Sola Koski. He's the person president of the board. That's what your comment is to. And everyone will have five minutes. No one will have four, but no one will have six.

Chris [00:02:33] Thank you.

Marchetti [00:02:34] There are children in the room, right? Protect the children. That's it. Period. Stop. You're an opportunist, and you want to get up on the microphone and you want to. What's the word? If you want to go up there, you. And you're looking for glory and you're looking for your five minutes of fame and YouTube, this is not the place for it. Grandstand. Thank you sir. As they roared. Thank you. Grandstand. If you look in the grandstand, that's not the place. Thank you.

Chris [00:03:03] Thank you, Mr. Marchetti.

Gary Musha [00:03:04] Yep. Sorry, I just have a question. So since I believe you're the super. Yeah, yeah. Gary Musha from Old Bridge. So you said before that we should be speaking to people like we would in a classroom. Sort of. Can we agree that there should be no talk of religion?

Chris [00:03:35] Yes. Okay, I'm going to open it up then. Hearing of residents on any agenda item, including policy. Thank you. Please line up though. You have to line up because what's going to happen is probably within an hour and a half. I'm going to say this is it. We had enough was vote on it. Thank you. State your name, please.

Alena Sicario [00:04:11] Good evening. My name is Alena Sicario. I'm an old bridge resident and parent of two children attending our wonderful public schools. I'm very happy to see so many of my two daughters teachers in this room. I'm very proud of all of you and of this community. We are a community. We need to stay that way.

Alena Sicario [00:04:30] Now on to my letter that I wrote to every single one of these board members earlier today, including Mr. Sidadino. I had two replies, so maybe they didn't hear it. So I'm going to repeat it now. I am here to implore you to uphold policy 5756. Our town is being inundated by outside forces trying to influence the way we live, think and interact with each other. It is embarrassing to think that these outside forces could actually interfere with our way of life and Old Bridge. That you might actually allow them to manipulate you and sway your vote. Our community and our children, all of our children deserve better than this incessant rage forming we seem to be inundated with lately.

Alena Sicario [00:05:14] We have fanatic church leaders speaking at these meetings who homeschool their children or their homeschool children themselves coming and speaking about Scripture and God's love. But none of them attend our schools. Their opinions and their indignant orations should be kept to their homes and their houses of worship, not in our schools and not influencing our school policies. To quote the cinematic masterpiece, Mean Girls, she doesn't even go here.

Alena Sicario [00:05:43] Repealing this policy will not magically grant parents more parental rights. It will only serve to threaten the already threadbare faith our children have in the safety of their educational relationships with their educators and the community's faith in this board, and your interest in the well-being of our students and our children.

Alena Sicario [00:06:03] If children fear safer speaking, if children feel safer speaking to their teachers about some sensitive topics more than their own adults at home, then there is obviously a problem at home to begin with, and these children need our collective support more than ever. This burden should not be on the teachers to bear, but on parents to be cognizant and aware of being present and engaging with their own children. Our administrators should not be held accountable for the failures of home. A strong message needs to be sent to all of these outside .... agitators that we in Old Bridge make our own decisions. That outside influence is not necessary or welcome. Settle this nonsense once and for all and vote to keep this policy in place. It hurts no one. Send these agitators home to their own districts, towns and states. Please do not let religious fanatics continue to influence how our public schools operate and are run. An extremist pastor from North Carolina is expected to need to speak here tonight at tonight's meeting, and he has been removed from other board meetings for refusing to stop when his time was up. Our meetings are becoming a laughing stock and this is not how we want to be portrayed. This podium is not a pulpit. Old Bridge children deserve better. Please put an end to this tonight and uphold policy 5756 which again, is harming literally no one. Thank you.

Benjamin De Delica [00:07:36] Good evening. This is on right here. Okay. My name is Benjamin De Delica. I'm a resident of Matawan. I am a proud member of the LGBT community and also, a, proud educator, at Carl Sandburg Middle School, as I have been for the past 11 years. And I hope to continue to be a proud member of this, educational community. Following tonight.

Benjamin De Delica [00:08:00] I would like everyone on the board and everyone in the audience to think about a time that you left your house wearing an outfit that just wasn't working. Maybe you're having a bad hair day. Maybe your shoes were uncomfortable and didn't quite fit right. And I want you to think about how you felt throughout that day. Perhaps avoiding mirrors. You know, being uncomfortable all day. But knowing that as soon as you got home, you can take off those clothes and, you know, put on some sweats or some jammies and take off those uncomfortable shoes. And in your home, find comfort. This is the best comparison that I can make for non transgender people to understand what it's like to be transgender. With exception to the fact that the transgender people often cannot find that comfort in their home growing up.

Benjamin De Delica [00:08:55] From what I've seen around signs around town. That this is about parents rights to know what's going on with their children. I am also myself a parent. And I would never put my comfort, my rights in front of that of my child to feel safe and comfortable in my home, the home that I provided for them. I would never want my child to be humiliated. By having a secret or something that is, that they are not ready to share with me by someone else that is not part of my family. We all have things that we don't want others to know, either ever or at the moment. And it is no one's business but our own to share that with the people that we trust. And if you as a parent are supporting this because you want to know what your child doesn't want to tell you, then that's an issue that you have at home. And if your child can find safety and comfort at schools, how dare you try to take that away from your child or anyone's else's child? Thank you very much.

Joseph Kelly [00:10:15] Good evening. My name is Joseph Kelly, an old bridge resident for, 36 years. I, raised two children here and have two grandchildren that I'm helping to raise.

Benjamin De Delica [00:10:24] Could you hold on, please? That person with the light under camera, whatever it is, would you please, shut that off? Thank you. Go ahead, sir.

Joseph Kelly [00:10:33] And helping to raise two grandchildren here who will be going to Old Bridge schools in the near future? I'm here to support the retention of the policy, on transgender. And, I was dismayed to see it quietly inserted into the agenda at the last minute between yesterday and today. Somehow, seemingly to keep people from knowing. But in any case, we're here, and we're not going to let it go passed unnoticed. This this board. And just in the last few months met a number of times, I believe, and I believe a number of times at policy meetings to discuss and understand what this policy really was and how it really operates. And I've not been here myself. I've been told by very reliable source that one person who initially spoke against it changed their view upon hearing what it actually did and what it does, and it provides guidance to our teachers in how to deal with these issues under the laws that already exist, regardless of whether you repeal this policy or not. So in abolishing this policy, what you'll be doing is taking away guidance for the teachers and putting them all at risk of making decisions on their own individually. I mean, at least if you're going to you're going to do this, you would have a policy ready to replace it to provide these teachers with the guidance they need. It's, you know, asides what this does to the children, it's also not good for the educational environment. I support what other people have already said. You know, the residents deserve to decide what goes on here. Not some, you know, political baloney. And people trying to put forward positions just to engender themselves, you know, and, and anyway, that's all I really have to say. Thank you very much. Thank.

Benjamin De Delica [00:12:16] State your name, please.

Don Fabula [00:12:18] Oh, yes. Oh my God. Okay. My name Don Fabula. Neptune resident. And, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak here. Mr. Stokowski.

Don Fabula [00:12:36] I'm going to keep it simple. My thoughts. And, if there's one thing I want. My hope is for each one of you board members tonight. That I could, communicate. Is that policy 5756 is wrong. It's wrong for new Jersey students. It's wrong for new Jersey families. It's wrong for parents. It's wrong for the school district. I'm a parent of a 15 year old daughter. Ninth grader.

Don Fabula [00:13:08] And, I'm greatly concerned about the negative outcome of this policy, that will have on our students and our families and those of you that are parents. You need to listen. You need to understand this. Okay. The most alarming thing that I for for for me as a parent about this policy is the district opening its door to the practice of keeping. Critical personal health information from of a minor child. From their parents. There is nothing I don't. You know, you talk about safety and this and that. There is nothing, no situation, none where a parent. where personal health information. Where parents should not be involved. And informed. Informed.

Don Fabula [00:14:05] We're talking about involvement and informing, regarding their minor child. Now, this is a minor child. How? You know, you guys said, are you folks here that are parents? You should know this. This is fundamental. You know, so that alone should be enough. That, you know, should to abolish this horrendous policy. You know, there's there's just so much wrong about this, about this controversy. And it's I hear people say, oh, it's political. It's only one side of it. But no, but there's a reason it's controversial. Because you know, in your hearts that this there's there's something wrong here.

Don Fabula [00:14:48] You know, to undermine a parent's right. This is what this policy ultimately is going to. It's doing it's undermining a parent's right and ultimate authority to guide and influence the direction of their minor, the minor their minor children take in life. Isn't that a fundamental right? Don't you want to influence your children on a direction they should take in life? Or do you want someone else to take that from you and say, nope, you're not involved. None of it's us. Okay. My hope tonight.

Benjamin De Delica [00:15:21] Is please keep your comments to yourself. Okay.

Don Fabula [00:15:25] Here. Okay. I want to be respectful. I respect all of you folks on the board. I hope that you vote. To preserve the sanctity of parents God-Given rights regarding their minor children and put 5076 where it belongs in the trash. Thank you.

Benjamin De Delica [00:15:49] Thank you. State your name, please.

Ron Farrell [00:15:53] Ron Farrell, old bridge resident. Product of old bridge schools. I actually was planning to come here tonight and talk like Mr. Slade asked us to talk about the positives that are happening in our schools. I talked to my son, who's a middle schooler.

Ron Farrell [00:16:09] Well, we've seen the transformation from him as a sixth grader who has gotten involved in extracurricular activities to the point that he's doing the newspaper, the theater, the he wants to try for the courchorus. He wants to think about trying out for baseball. He is so involved in FBLa. The offerings that we have for our students are phenomenal. And I want to call that out tonight, because one of the conversations that we've had to have with him is, dude, you're out of time. You're doing so many different things that you're running yourself ragged. You're not being able to give the proper attention to any of those single things, but this is a good time to do it because you're exploring. You're getting to know yourself. You're getting to know different classmates. He's now got so many different social circles, so many different support structures in place within the schools that it just feels like such a natural connection to come here tonight and talk to you. Talk to you, Miss Saul Koski. Talk to you, Mister Slade. As council members. There's only so many things that you can focus on at a given time. And this has become. Such an overwhelming issue. For months now I've come here. I've watched on YouTube. I've sat in the back, I've listened, and I've been extremely. I've had my eyes opened to what the what the policy really is versus what I've heard at this podium.

Speaker [00:17:34] I've heard Mr. Dino explain. I've heard. Our attorney explained. That what's actually going to be involved. And I would ust. Ask each one of you think about focusing on the things that are going to make art the. The education and the experience of our students stronger. A little personal connection. Just this week, I've got, family out of state, and I am constantly trying to sell. Come to new Jersey. Come with. Buy us tonight, Old Bridge. Come be in our schools. And I just this week found out that one of our Family members is Really trying to understand what's happening from a personal. And, I don't even know. I'm confused about it, so it's hard for me to even speak to it. But but they are trying. They're in a process of self-exploration themselves. And all of a sudden I'm at home saying. I've been selling us. I've been saying we're a diverse, loving community where I could think back to, you know, my experience of student, my experiences as a Parent, and all of a sudden I'm like, this doesn't feel like the same Old Bridge I've known for all this time. And, you know, I want to come up here and just say, you know, as an ally to people who's going through things that I can't understand.

Marchetti [00:18:59] I can try to. I just ask everybody up on that stage, keep an open mind whether it's, you know, it's. There's a there's a lot, I think, happening behind the scenes with a lot of people that we don't really know about. And I just hope that, at the end of the day, you'll think about the student body as a whole. And yeah, I don't really I don't really want to get into particulars because we've heard it and you'll hear it all night. But it's a ton of people here. But let's talk about the good things in the schools. Let's get back to that and hopefully. We could well, you know, put this to an end tonight. And, I appreciate your time.

Benjamin De Delica [00:19:38] Thank you.

Addario Moore [00:19:47] Good evening, school board. My name is Addario Moore, and I'm not a particular resident in Old Bridge, although I've done educational work in Old Bridge. So I thank you for the opportunity for that. And I also want to tip my hat off to you, the superintendent, as well, for doing just a great job in this district. I am a transgender educator. I've been educating for 24 years. I take my job very seriously, and I know from being an educator, we wear the hat of a parent, a counselor, a nurse, a teacher, a big brother, a big sister. It's a lot. We're with the majority of the day, and there are students who do need to be protected.

Addario Moore [00:20:25] Just to clarify. So I'm not going off of my head. I want to actually state what the policy is. Parents and families in support of Safe School advocate for the continued input and implementation of policy 5756 and all its measures that support the entire student population and educators in our schools suggested talking points. So here we go.

Addario Moore [00:20:48] We believe parents should know if the child is LGBTQ plus. That's why it is important for parents to create safe and affirming environments at home, so their child feels comfortable coming out to them. Nothing in the existing policy 5756 prohibits school personnel from disclosing a student's transgender non-binary identity from a parent if the student permits it. So it's not that we're keeping it a secret. I'll tell you a little story. Two of them just recently at a school I was just working at, there was a young lady. She came in very depressed into the class. This is a sixth grade class. She's only 11 years old.

Addario Moore [00:21:31] Once she understood and knew that I was transgender and I opened up about it, she came to me and she asked me what I please call her by day. Them. Every since that day, this student has excelled with A's and B's, mostly A's since that day, and she still is succeeding and striving. What would have happened if I was not there for her? I wasn't keeping it a secret from my parent. I was just trying to be an advocate for her and listen to her. It was nothing. I was trying to hide me just calling her. That was no big deal. Me personally, if it wasn't for educators when I was coming up as a black gay boy in a school, there were teachers that I was able to rely on. My mother beat me because I didn't want to play football, that I was an A B student.

Addario Moore [00:22:13] So a student choosing, excuse me, a child, a person I don't even want to use the word choose because it's like. I was just having this conversation with an educator yesterday. What person in their right mind chooses something where they're going to be ridiculed? They're going to be chastised. They're going to be abused. They're going to be bullied. They're going to contemplate suicide. Who in their right mind chooses that? And it's not about propaganda. It's not about government. It's not about any of that. Who a person is is who they are. We cannot change that.

Addario Moore [00:22:47] And if we just can see it from that perspective and maybe try to walk in those shoes, we can kind of understand it a little bit better. If we even think about the race situation. We're black and white. What was the big deal? How can we all just get along? We're just we just look different. It's the same thing. It's just different. Why do we fear what's different? It's no reason to do that. And why put a child's life in jeopardy? Is it really worth us going back and forth about a policy that really doesn't take the rights away from a parent? I just want us to think about that as you all vote and decide and just consider that child and consider that educator that can serve as an advocate or ally for that child. Not keeping it a secret, but just being there for that child in that moment, because they might not have a safe haven at home in that moment, just like with that young lady, can be the determining factor of her wanting to take her life versus changing it around to get A's and B's from an F student. So please consider that as you vote.

Benjamin De Delica [00:23:48] Thank you. Thank you. Still on.

Janine [00:24:05] All right. So, a point was made. Oh, yes. Janine. Old bridge or bridge? Proud. Point was made at a recent meeting. About not understanding why the topic of transgenderism is so particularly hot button in terms of the Implications of Discourse, of what a student Feels to be sensitive information.

Janine [00:24:28] I've been thinking about this, too. So suppose a student who identified as Christian but lived in a household that abhorred Christianity wanted it. Excuse me, but that of Christianity wanted it kept from their parents for Fear of retribution that while in school they wear a cross around their neck. Who in this room would say that the school board should have to disclose that?

Janine [00:24:58] I don't know, Mr. Chair. When you and I were both running for a seat on this board a few years. Ago, back when school board meetings used to be fairly boring, we talked to each other about how much we believed in the importance of real world education. Looking at the K through 12 school system as a preparation tool, not just for higher education, but also for how to get along in our American society.

Janine [00:25:21] And as an American, as a lifelong resident in this town and as a younger person anxious about what my life is going to be like for the decades to come. I can't comprehend how hung up We've gotten on things like this policy. Our society's greatness, our freedoms, and my generation's future is inseparably tied to how we can Compete in the global marketplace and the global marketplace of ideas.

Janine [00:25:51] Yet of the people who are Coming from outside of the district and even out of the state to attend this meeting, none of them are here to get us fired up about how we can invest in the future of American innovation. They're not here to ask how they can help provide Opportunities to our students to become the next great leaders and improvers of our nation. They are here to fanned the flames Of an unnecessary culture war that distracts us From what matters most. I have to warn you that this is going to get pretty morbid pretty quickly. But when I look at kids today, I'm not looking at what gender they are or aren't.

Janine [00:26:34] I see in the faces of Any kid today. The face of my grandparents. My grandparents, who I loved but spent years of my childhood visiting just down the road from here at their nursing home where I watched them suffer horrendously from Alzheimer's and dementia. I see in kids faces, the faces of those I've known who have died of cancer, of heart disease, and those who have Suffered from heart wrenching disabilities. I see that because I know that among all Of us here in this room and watching at home or watching not at home and Whoever we Are. There are shared tragic. Inevitabilities that concern us all. This war regarding biology shouldn't be about esthetic projections. It should be about and needs to Be about our shared human condition And what we can do together to create better Outcomes for us all.

Janine [00:27:36] How are we preparing our Kids to help rid the world of disease and suffering? To expand the Number of great raduates of our school system who have made real Lasting change for the next generation? That's what really matters. Thank you.

Benjamin De Delica [00:27:56] Thank you.

Gary Musha [00:28:01] Hello everyone. Gary Mucho, an old bridge resident. Welcome to the new members. I didn't get a chance to say that yet. Thanks for having me. So just a little background. Born and raised in new Jersey, product of public schools, you know, went to public schools. Little bit of a different time when I came out. You know, there were trans people in the school as well, and my wrestling team had no problem with it in the locker room, anything like that. So I think if a wrestling team ten years ago could handle it. I think anyone is capable of doing that. So I'll read what I wrote now.

Gary Musha [00:28:35] Thank you for affording me the opportunity to address the critical issue of maintaining the policy on transgender students within our schools. It's both ironic and concerning that despite the absence of issues with our current policy there, there's an immense there's an immense amount of attention surrounding this matter in today's societal climate.

Gary Musha [00:28:52] Yet this decision is not merely administrative. It profoundly impacts the lives of the students we are here to serve and support. Our current policy on transgender students has been a beacon of inclusivity and respect, ensuring that every student, regardless of their gender identity, feels safe, supported and valued in their learning environment. It aligns perfectly with the new Jersey Law Against Discrimination and Title nine, which unequivocally prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and expression. These are federal and state laws that I'm talking about. These policies are not just legal requirements. They are moral imperatives that reflect our commitment to fostering an educational atmosphere where all students can thrive.

Gary Musha [00:29:36] So the way I think about things is very logical and it's fact based. I have a science education, so that's what I'm going to stick to. I don't care what you believe in this or that, I stay away from that. That's just how I get by.

Gary Musha [00:29:51] So there's actually a quote from an attorney, David Rubin. Some of you might know him out of Metuchen, represents about 80 different school districts. So in regards to this specific policy, he does provide some guidance, which I welcome any of the board members to take a look at. He's written numerous very good articles about that. But he said leaving individual staff members, you know, hundreds of them in these schools to figure out the legal rights of transgender students and parents and how to navigate that whole border is an extremely risky proposition.

Gary Musha [00:30:25] So. Recent statistics shed light on the urgency of upholding these protections. Overall, 1.8% of youth identify as transgender, marking a prevalence rate more than double the previously available estimate of 0.7%. This data indicates a significant increase, particularly among younger cohorts, emphasizing the need for policies that support transgender students. Transgender youth face disproportionate rates of depression, suicidality, and victimization compared to their cisgender's peers, so all the street peers.

Gary Musha [00:30:57] Shockingly, in the past year alone, 1 in 3 transgender youth reported attempting suicide. 1 in 3. That's 1 in 3 people in this room. If we were all kids wants to kill themselves. Almost one third reported being a victim of sexual violence. The same thing 1 in 3 and more than half, reported a two week period of depression. These statistics underscored the critical importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of transgender students within our schools. One of the main areas of contention, particularly regarding the activities and facilities sections of this policy, ensures that transgender students have the right to participate in sports and activities consistent with their gender identity, and have access to appropriate facilities.

Gary Musha [00:31:46] This is not about preference. It's about providing a supportive environment that acknowledges and respects identity and dignity of every student. An individual school district is not the forum to address personal issues with state and federal legislation. While some may express discomfort or disagreement with these provisions, it's essential to recognize that the foundation of the educational system is built on principles of equity and inclusion. The discomfort of a few cannot outweigh the rights and well-being of transgender students, who are often most vulnerable to discrimination, bullying, and exclusion. Retracting this policy would not only jeopardize the physical, the psychological, and emotional well-being of our students, but also expose us to legal and financial repercussions for failing to comply with state and federal anti-discrimination laws. There has been no shared professional analysis in any regard to address the potential implications of rescinding this policy.

Gary Musha [00:32:40] Nor a plan.

Gary Musha [00:32:41] Moreover, it would send a message of exclusion and intolerance, starkly contrasting the educational values that public school system strive to uphold. So while people are bullying people and they want to talk politics in this and that, you know, I just remind everyone, go back to parenting. Be nice to people. That's something that's always worked historically and will continue to work. That's how we have a community. That's how, you know, people get along. So I'm done. Thank you.

Chris [00:33:23] There's a separation of religion and education. Hopefully we won't talk about religion here.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:33:32] There.

Chris [00:33:33] But this is a public meeting, okay?

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:33:35] And hear me, hear me.

Speaker 4 [00:33:37] Can you state your name first, please, sir?

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:33:40] What? He started talking.

Speaker 4 [00:33:41] First. I know, but we just. For the record, I'm not. I'm not timing you yet. Just state your name.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:33:45] I can state my name.

Speaker 4 [00:33:50] Please, Everyone Gets the same chance to talk. Let the mental.

Chris [00:33:53] Go ahead, sir.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:33:55] My name is John. Cornejo. Cheuk. Wu. Which means I will keep trusting and pleading in God. Last name Almond Chu quote. Which means I know God senior and I'm from North Carolina. I'm the pastor preacher that everyone has been talking about for the last 30 to 45 minutes. And I'm not ashamed to walk up here tonight with my Bible. And fulfill. My name. My name has meaning and purpose. And I have a right to speak.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:34:34] Now. I didn't grow up. Let me go off script for a moment. I didn't grow up. In the 50s and the 60s in this country. I didn't grow up in that era. A time frame where people who look like me couldn't get behind this election and speak to a group of individuals that look like you. No, I dress what I want to dress. You keep your mouth shut.

Chris [00:35:01] No comments from the public, please. I didn't grow up horses.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:35:04] I didn't grow up. You have to. You have to address the boy. I didn't grow up in that era. The 40s, the 50s, the 60s, when black people in this country were hung, emasculated for doing simple things like voting. And if a black man went down to a booth to vote, they'll tell him that you can't vote in. And or he'll find himself hung from a noose with the sign on his shirt that said, this [Censored] voted. Now, let me be the first to tell you something though. The responses here, maybe there is the responses.

Board Speaker [00:35:42] I'm sorry I didn't.

Board Speaker [00:35:43] Get that link.

Board Speaker [00:35:44] Point of order.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:35:45] No, no. The response is

Board Speaker [00:35:47] Point of order.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:35:48] All of the above. I have an I have a right.

Board Speaker [00:35:52] I know you have a right, but I have to cut this real short because you are upsetting.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:35:56] No, I am not.

Board Speaker [00:35:58] I do not language.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:35:59] Yes you are. Yes you are. Because you are being racist. Because at the end of the day, I can't get up here to speak. You're allowing me to make noise while I'm talking. And I'm making a simple statement. And you are not allowing me to share my words and my comment.

Board Speaker [00:36:14] That is not a word I use in a school.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:36:16] I have, I have freedom of speech. You've already tried to defraud me and tell me that I can't reference this book.

Speaker 9 [00:36:22] You are in a school.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:36:24] And die by. You're in a public school, a public school, but I. But Christians go to this school. There are Christians on this board.

Board Speaker [00:36:31] Hold on to.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:36:32] Pride themselves of their ability to be a Christian, to be on that board.

Board Speaker [00:36:36] Okay. That's it. Sir. Sir. That's it. I have to cut you short.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:36:40] You're cutting me?

Board Speaker [00:36:41] Yes I am. You're because of the offensive language using those words?

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:36:46] No, I did not call anyone a name. I stated the facts. And the facts is there was a time in this country where a person like me could not get behind this lectern and speak. Why? Because they would be heckled. They will be shouted down. And people who did not want to hear their side of the truth, they would be defrauded. But in this day of diversity, equity and inclusion, the only people who get to speak are the people who agree with the big lie in the fairy tale of transgenderism. But for people who disagree with that, we are shouted down and we are told to shut off. We are told to be a point of order. We will cut you off.

Board Speaker [00:37:29] Point your.

Board Speaker [00:37:29] Lawn. Okay. Okay. You cut it off and say we have to know everything.

Board Speaker [00:37:36] No, you.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:37:37] Please hold on. That's not.

Board Speaker [00:37:38] No, I don't care.

Board Speaker [00:37:39] I.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:37:40] That's not right. That's not that's that's not right.

Board Speaker [00:37:43] It's not a language I allow students in the school to use. You cannot do that.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:37:48] We. You all will face the biggest lawsuit that you ever faced in your life.

Board Speaker [00:37:54] So thank you very much. Very well put. But that's it. It's finished. You can't do that.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:38:00] You can't do That. Ever. Because I've already told. Everybody else can mention what they want to mention, but I can't.

Board Speaker [00:38:11] Officer, officer, we have to have them removed. Thank you.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:38:14] I'm not, I'm. Not, I'm not. Look at all that I. Have right to read from my Bible. I have a right to give my speech.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:38:23] So going to say so. Sir. Sir. Sir. I'm having my Rosa Parks moment. Where the only way. This is.

Board Speaker [00:38:33] Embarrassing.

Board Speaker [00:38:41] Sir, sir. Sir, sir. Look, I'm going to give you two more minutes, but watch your watch what you say. Okay.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:38:49] Sir.

Board Speaker [00:38:50] Point to a fact. No.

Board Speaker [00:38:53] Sir.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:04] Whenever a black conservative gets off this Base, to share his message? He's shut down.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:10] Sir.

Board Speaker [00:39:12] Sir, that is a 12.

Board Speaker [00:39:14] You say?

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:14] Mr.. Mr..

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:15] Person who has that law enforcement approach.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:18] Mr.. Silica.

Board Speaker [00:39:19] I gave him ten minutes. Let me only pass, sir. So you're using up your two minutes?

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:26] You've got two minutes. Use it now, please.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:30] And I support the law. I support not law enforcement services.

Board Speaker [00:39:36] Don't waste your time on that. No, I want to give you two minutes.

Board Speaker [00:39:41] What is it?

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:45] Listen, when I.

Board Speaker [00:39:45] Say you've.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:39:46] Got. It's less than two now. But this is great. He. If he would just get back on this message, he could say his piece.

Board Speaker [00:40:15] No one else has done this.

Board Speaker [00:40:19] Three.

Board Speaker [00:40:22] Minute and 30 to go. Please use your time.

Board Speaker [00:40:24] To my job. Yeah. You did.

Board Speaker [00:40:27] We're not here to, are you? That you got a minute.

Board Speaker [00:40:29] And a half an it. That's it. 2017.

Board Speaker [00:40:35] Yes. Please let everybody speak. He's got a minute and a half. Go.

Board Speaker [00:40:43] Okay. You're on. You're on.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:40:47] Since 2017, when Governor Chris Christie signed into law many of the guidances that are in place today on the policy agenda. New Jersey has been swept up in a never ending. Home. Stupefying fairy tale fairy tale that supports the thought. Fellowship become law and a person's imagination should grant them the. To defraud those who are mentally. You hear the voice of. There are only two. That we should take into consideration when assessing policy 5756. These two groups go beyond race, color, sex, and. That's the new nationality. And this one is the mentally stable. To. There's the mentally unstable. And if you like, if you are in the latter, I admonish you from the bottom of my heart to get the necessary help and support that you be. But help never comes. And that's what. Just because you think of things. Does it mean that it's reality? There must be. Substance to the claims of one second. The Bible says in Jeremiah 13.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:01] Oh, please.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:03] No.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:04] Sir.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:05] No, sir. We don't talk about religion.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:09] Give us your message.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:11] No, my message is this message.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:13] Now we separate the church and state.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:15] Give me my message.

Speaker 10 [00:42:17] I, I. Now he's being a threat. Now he's being a threat.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:20] That he's. Please.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:22] Have you.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:23] Learned? This is my message. Thank you sir. Thank you. Thank you. Your time is up.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:39] Showed me.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:45] Take it. Take him out, take him out! Sir, sir, you're taking.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:48] The time away.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:49] From other people. Thank you. Your time.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:52] The life you were given. You were given extra time.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:42:56] No one wants to speak to you.

Pastor John K. Amanchukwu Sr [00:43:00] Sir. Would you please leave the podium? Thank you. Take them away.

Board Speaker [00:43:05] If any other public was asked to stop, they would not be given their extra two minutes. Thank you. He was out next.

Board Speaker [00:43:17] Please. Everyone, please. Please, please. It's hard.

Board Speaker [00:43:20] Enough a second to.

Speaker 11 [00:43:21] Keep order in this room. I don't need everyone else chiming in. Yeah, we talked about this.

Board Speaker [00:43:27] No more help from the audience, please. Everybody gets to speak. And please keep it under control, sir.

Board Speaker [00:43:34] Guy name?

Minister John [00:43:37] Good evening, Mr. President. Happy belated presidents day. I am Minister John. I live about one six, seven hour drive. I have a fun thought experiment about how people who push Christian nationalist ideology onto others are actually doing. The devil's work. God's plan includes humanity stepping away from God. How is Jesus second coming ever going to happen if everyone is living a godly life?

Board Speaker [00:44:14] Please don't preach to the public.

Minister John [00:44:16] I'm not preaching. This is about Christian nationalism. And how it is separate from religion and why it doesn't belong.

Minister John [00:44:23] Satan is the ultimate deceiver and with deception comes a level of knowledge and wisdom. Satan's not stupid. He knows you're talking about this stuff.

Board Speaker [00:44:34] Ridiculous. I don't want to talk about this over here. We're talking about the policy, okay? Okay. Not religion. You're talking religion.

Minister John [00:44:40] And then I Digress.

Minister John [00:44:43] I digress. I gotta look back a little bit because apparently no one likes religion. Okay. Thank you. Praise everyone.

Board Speaker [00:45:03] Thanks. Next. Thank you.

Nina J [00:45:06] Good evening. I thought it was really nice. He started off with. Happy president's day. Belated. Nina. Jack. I live in Old Bridge, and, hopefully I'll get this in. In. I don't know how many minutes it is. New Jersey has a policy. Policy 5756. And it's in place to protect all students in the public schools, including the small community of transgender students who attend the schools right here in Old Bridge. The policy is known as transgender student guidance for school districts. It provides guidance to the school on how to create a safe and inclusive environment for all transgender students. Of course, we know all of the key points I don't need to progress. Point them all out. But of course, it's about respecting these children, providing a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for the transgender students, providing them a safe equal opportunities.

Nina J [00:46:02] The policy is an important step towards ensuring the safety and well-being of transgender students in new Jersey schools, as it seems to try to address the disparities in the trans against the trans community and what they have always had to contend with. Today in Old Bridge, we're in a unique position because it can respond to the fact that a conservative far right, the pastor, had been invited to speak at our school board. This was a problematic decision. This man is not a Christian. I hate to use religion right. The second.

Nina J [00:46:33] He's using people and destroying lives to make himself rich, which the board must acknowledge is ultimately his modus operandi. While topics such as a historical narrative of racist ideology and critical race theory may be imperative, and he does engage in these, the pastor will impart harm upon the community with his hateful expressions, as we have seen of inequality, and he continues to justify it on a morality basis.

Board Speaker [00:46:58] can you address the board about your position on this place instead of about attacking somebody else's?

Nina J [00:47:05] Okay. Okay the year 2024, I apologize. It took me a second to get to that part. Okay. Can I come too soon for the trans community? Visibility, especially the positive energies of trans people in the media and society, continue to make a critical difference for the protection of these rights. Addressing the person prior addressing the school board will harm the visibility of this community and the efforts for our community to uphold these children and protect them in the marginalized communities we had. Our community had this 24 hours after we found out he was coming, by the way.

Nina J [00:47:45] I'm not even going to go into to the last little bit other than if knowledge, pride and unity is the motto of our school district. And I know it is because my son went through K through 12 here. This community would not pay. And I mean the people in this community, some of which they should stand up, who paid for him would not pay $15,000 for that man to have come here to speak. Anyway, please uphold policy 5756 I've come here so many times, I'd like to say I was coming here to joke about pasta gate. Everybody remember that day? Well, anyway, I wasn't, but thank you very much and I hope you continue to uphold and support the. Thank you. The gentleman forgot his hat. 5756. Thank you again.

Board Speaker [00:48:32] Chairman. Thank you.

Jennifer Woodruff [00:48:41] Hello, my name is Jennifer Woodruff and I am a resident of Morgan Ville, and I thank the board for all they do. It is appreciated. Why am I here? I hear that, from out of town. I shouldn't be here. Well, I have nothing to do with this place. What are we doing here? I'm a business owner. I work all day. I go to school board meetings at night. Why would I do that? I have other things to do with my life. Believe me. I'm here because I care for all children. I care for innocent children. I care for adolescents who are confused. I care for teenagers that don't know which side up. I don't want to look back someday. And. Know that I was silent and didn't speak up for the children.