Public Participation in Board Meetings
Procedures for Public Participation in Board Meetings
1. Any person concerned with an administrative question or issue should exhaust all administrative channels before presenting it to the superintendent and/or the Board. This may include meeting with teachers, assistant principals, principals and central office staff.
2. A copy of the board’s policy which details the guidelines for participation in Board meetings should be given to the approved speaker.
3. In addressing the board, the speaker should use the lectern and microphone (if provided) and should give his/her name, address, and the group, if any, that he/she represents. He/she should speak to the Board, not to the audience.
4. The presentation should be as brief as possible, yet include all pertinent information. Unless an extension is granted, each speaker will be limited to three minutes.
5. Multiple speakers from a group or organization must appoint a single spokesperson to address the board. Others speaking on the same subject will be limited to one minute each.
6. Questions, suggestions, proposals or criticisms which are presented verbally should also be submitted in writing prior to the meeting or at the meeting prior to speaking, signed by the individual or the spokesperson of the group appearing before the Board.
7. Speakers should be reminded as a point of information that members of the Board have no authority to act as individuals in official matters.
8. Personnel issues involving individual employees, issues involving individual students and pending litigation are not subjects for public comment.
9. No profane or vulgar language or personal abuse against any person by a speaker will be permitted.
10. The board may not respond to comments or questions by citizens in their presentations, but may, at their discretion, direct the superintendent to respond on behalf of the board after all comments, questions and presentations have been taken under advisement, within five working days. Any member of the Board of Education shall be free to respond and make public comments at any meeting of the Board of Education if he/she elects to do so.
11. The public comments portion of the board meeting will be limited to thirty (30) minutes. Citizens wishing to address the board will be called in the order received by the superintendent's office. The board, at their discretion, may call a special meeting to hear additional comments, or may ask that citizens speak at a future regular monthly meeting. The Board Chairperson or other presiding officer has authority to terminate the remarks of any individual when he does not adhere to the rules established above.