Tweets from reporter Dan Sokil from the North Penn School Board meeting held Oct. 21, 2021.
.@NPSD board meeting just getting underway, board president announces that there is a mask mandate in effect and anyone who does not wear a mask will be considered disturbing a public meeting and trespassing
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
Before meeting started, several dozen @NPSD residents gathered outside high school entrance to pledge allegiance, sing "God Bless America" and speak out against current board and their policies – we'll see how many are on list to speak during public comment pic.twitter.com/lfH0t8luoY
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
.@NPSD board getting started on public comment now, board president says 22 residents have signed up beforehand and will get 3 minutes each, they'll use alternating podiums with names on monitors to avoid lines, first comment is raising Qs abt district special education dept
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
Public comments to @NPSD board so far are focusing on reported "Critical Race Theory" teaching in classrooms and one cited incident mentioned last month and in debate Monday, another from "Moms for Liberty" group ends her comment with "Let's Go Brandon" to applause from crowd
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
One @NPSD parent thanks board for "thinking of the health of the whole community, rather than individuals," another says "Moms for Liberty" are "a group of paid agitators, supported by billionaires and the Koch Brothers" + "should not have any place in these conversations"
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
.@NPSD parents: "to call parents domestic terrorists is disgraceful, b/c we don't agree w/your agenda + indoctrination you are pushing on our children," another on "medical tyranny" says "when people fear the gov't we have tyranny, when the gov't fears the people we have freedom"
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
One of the 4 R candidates for @NPSD board just spoke, complimenting @NPKnightCrier students for hosting debate Monday + describes how he teaches HS students abt 9/11 and how "I just hope that we can figure out as a community how to get back to Sept. 12" feeling of unity
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
More @NPSD parents: one shares story of son w/learning needs who has been virtual for 2 yrs: "you failed him, you all have failed him," another says R board candidate who couldn't find special education budget info from March finance cmte "is unfit to hold such public office"
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 21, 2021
Reminder to anyone interested in watching, @NPTV is streaming tonight's @NPSD school board meeting here: https://t.co/gcF5yivNpU
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
.@NPSD public comments now wrapping up, 1 parent warns "the time is now to stand up to this tyrannical machine, starting right here in our backyard," another gives parental warning before reading graphic excerpts from book she says was taken from an elementary school library
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
Worth noting – almost 90 people watching @NPTV stream of tonight's meeting plus about 70 more here in person, committee reports being made now and second public comment will be after, watch here: https://t.co/gcF5yivNpU pic.twitter.com/5EFeHc2aSb
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
.@NPSD board into action items now including list of personnel items, a contract extension for current HR director, a transfer of $3.5 million from general fund surplus into capital reserves for that project to-do list + change orders for Knapp renovations + fire alarm repairs
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
.@NPSD finance updates, district has now issued just over $79K in rebates to 297 residents who qualify for district tax rebate program, average rebate is $266 and one recipient sent board a letter thanking them for the program, details here: https://t.co/fwiooEmH0N
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
Second @NPSD public comment now underway, first speaker says "there is much more support in the community" for board than "what you hear from loud agitators," next asks if board plans to keep mask mandates once kids 5-11 become eligible for vaccines + require testing for them
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
.@NPSD public comment: one speaks out abt "privilege walk," asks "is my son supposed to feel guilty because he's ahead and they're not? They all just want to be friends," another now reading more graphic excerpts from books they claim are in HS library
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
.@NPSD comment: one resident asks abt 9-0 board votes, "there's no diversity of thought, you vote unanimously…maybe you should all unanimously resign," another says she feels masks are "conditioning (kids) not to speak out"
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
More @NPSD comments: one Lansdale council candidate says "when I went to NP, it was a great school, nobody cared abt the color of their skin, I don't know why you're trying to turn back the clock"…"the community is waking up, they will turn out on Nov. 2…voting you out"
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
Several residents them shout at board charging that they had approved it, one shouts they're "grooming children" + another "don't worry, you'll be out of those chairs soon," and leave escorted by security before board adjourns meeting
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
After public comment, @NPSD assistant superintendent addresses one of the books read by parents, says was "equally surprised" to learn of content, book "is no longer on the shelves + has never been signed out," adds "I do believe it was purchased with the best of intentions"…
— dan sokil (@dansokil) October 22, 2021
More on this coming Monday.
