0169.1 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS

The Board of Education recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest.

Any person or group wishing to place an item on the agenda shall register their intent with the Superintendent no later than five (5) days prior to the meeting and include:

1. name and address of the participant;

2. group affiliation, if and when appropriate;

3. topic to be addressed.

Such requests shall be subject to the approval of the Superintendent and the Board President.

In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comment, the Board shall provide a period for public participation at every regular meeting of the Board and publish rules to govern such participation in Board meetings.

The presiding officer of each Board meeting at which public participation is permitted shall administer the rules of the Board for its conduct.

The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules:

1. Public participation shall be permitted as indicated at the discretion of the presiding officer.

2. Anyone having a legitimate interest in the actions of the Board may participate during the public portion of a meeting if they have registered their intent with the Treasurer.

3. Attendees must register their intention to participate in the public portion of the meeting if they have registered with the Treasurer.

4. Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and will be requested to preface their comments by an announcement of their name and group affiliation, if and when appropriate.

5. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to five (5) minutes duration, unless extended by the presiding officer.

6. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.

7. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no person may address or question Board members individually.

8. The presiding officer may:

   1. prohibit public comments that are frivolous, repetitive, and/or harassing;

   2. interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant's statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, off-topic, antagonistic, obscene, or irrelevant;

   3. request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum;

   4. call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action;

   5. waive these rules with the approval of the Board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the administration of the Board's business.

9. The portion of the meeting during which the participation of the public is invited shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes, unless extended by a vote of the Board.

Revised 7/01/03

© Neola 2016