1120 Public Participation at Board of Education Meetings
1000 - Community Relations
Communication with the Public
1120 Public Participation at Board of Education Meetings
While Board of Education meetings are meetings conducted in public, not public meetings, the Board encourages the public to attend Board meetings and observe the work of the Board. Because the Board desires to hear the viewpoints of citizens throughout the District, as well as conduct its business in an orderly and efficient manner, it will schedule a maximum 60-minute period prior to Board action on items on the agenda at regular business meetings for brief comments from the public on agenda items scheduled for a Board vote at that meeting and other District related issues. The public comment portion of the meeting may be extended for up to an additional 30 minutes at the discretion of the Board President. Any further extension will require a quorum vote of the Board. There will be one maximum 15-minute public comment period at Workshop Meetings and Special Meetings where there are action items on the agenda, but only on such agenda items. The Board of Education shall limit each individual speaker to three minutes duration. Speakers may not give unused time to other speakers.
Persons wishing to address the Board shall advise the District Clerk by 2:00 P.M. of the day of the meeting. The request shall be made in writing on a form provided by the District online and at the District Office, and will include the name of the speaker, the address, their preferred contact information, and the name of the organization represented (if any). Any group or organization wishing to address the Board must identify a single spokesperson. To ensure that comments may be properly discussed in public session, the Board will request a brief description of the subject to be addressed.
District residents, parents/guardians, students, staff, employees and other stakeholders may comment on matters of public interest involving school operations and programs, but may not criticize or personally attack any person connected with the District. No District employee or student may be commented upon or identified by name or situation. Complaints concerning school personnel, students and school matters should be made in accordance with Policy 1310 and its implementing regulation.
The Board President will be responsible for recognizing all speakers, for maintaining proper order; and for adhering to any time limits set. The Board President may limit the number of repetitive comments to keep within the time limit for the public comment period. All speakers must address their comments to the Board.
All speakers and observers must conduct themselves in a respectful and courteous manner, and abide by the rules for Public Conduct on School District Property set forth in the District’s Code of Conduct. Obscene language, defamatory statements, threats of violence, statements advocating racial, religious or forms of prejudice will not be permitted. Questions asked by the public will be referred to the appropriate staff member for reply. Questions requiring investigations will be referred to the Superintendent for consideration and later response. Questions will generally not be answered at Board meetings; however, the Board may correct comments that are not accurate.
At Board meetings, all speakers and observers may not engage in behavior that disrupts the meeting, such as shouting, interrupting others, blocking the free movement of others, or obstructing the view of others. In the event of a disruption, the President will remind those in attendance of the rules, may briefly recess the meeting, or order removal of those who are a threat to the safety of others or who disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting. If appropriate, law enforcement may be called to remove disruptive individuals.
Members of the public will not be recognized by the President as the Board conducts its official business, unless the Board of Education agrees to waive this provision.