0167.3 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS

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

To permit fair and orderly public expression, 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 rules shall be administered and enforced by the presiding officer of the meeting.

The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules:

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

2.  Anyone with concerns related to the operation of the schools or to matters within the authority of the Board may participate during the designated public participation portion(s) of a meeting.

3. Attendees may be required to register their intention to participate in the public participation portion of the meeting upon their arrival at the meeting.

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

5. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to three (3) minutes duration.

6. During the portion of the meeting designated for public participation, no participant may speak more than once.

7. Participants shall direct all comments to the Board and not to staff or other participants.

8. The presiding officer may:

   1. interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant's session when they make comments that are repetitive, obscene, and/or comments that constitute a true threat (i.e., statements meant to frighten or intimidate one (1) or more specified persons into believing that they will be seriously harmed by the speaker or someone acting at the speaker's behest)

   2. request any individual to stop speaking and/or leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum;

   3. request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting;

   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.

The Board may permit individuals to attend meetings remotely through live broadcast; however, public participation will be limited to those who are in attendance at the meeting site only. The Board is not responsible for any technology failures that prevent or disrupt any individual from attending remotely.

Audio or video recordings are permitted. The person operating the recorder should contact the Superintendent prior to the Board meeting to review possible placement of the equipment, and agrees to abide by the following conditions:

1. No obstructions are created between the Board and the audience.

2. No interviews are conducted in the meeting room while the Board is in session.

3. No commentary, adjustment of equipment, or positioning of operators is made that would distract either the Board or members of the audience while the Board is in session.

Revised 2/13/17
Revised 12/10/18

© Neola 2021