PUBLIC COMMENT (ADDRESSING THE BOARD)
School Board Guidelines for Public Comment
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These guidelines are for individuals desiring to speak during the Public Comment portion of the School Board meeting agenda.
The School Board will strive to give citizens of the school district an opportunity to be heard and to have comments considered and evaluated, within the limits of the law and District policy subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions.
At least 15 minutes prior to each meeting, a speaker card will be available at the meeting site for citizens to sign up to provide comments regardless of whether or not a topic is on the agenda. Individuals are asked to sign up with their name and give a brief summary of the intended statement or question(s) they would like answered. Once the Public Comment has begun NO additional cards will be accepted.
In addition, citizens who wish to address the School Board on a particular subject should identify the agenda item(s) to which their comments pertain and will have an opportunity to speak during the Public Comment portion before the Business Meeting. The rules of the Public Comment are established by the Board and must be followed by participants.
Public Comment guidelines are as follows:
- Speakers shall complete a speaker card prior to speaking (found in the top right banner of this page).
- Time limits: three minutes per speaker. Longer time may be granted at the discretion of the Board Chair.
- The Board Chair (or designee) will facilitate the Public Commentand will call on speakers, in the order that people signed up.
- One person at a time will speak so everyone can hear.
- Public Comment Section will last no longer than 25-minutes total.
The School Board is interested in your comments and will listen carefully but does not respond or debate issues in this forum. Board members may ask clarifying questions or seek additional information, but they will not make decisions. School Board and/or administrative responses will be provided to you within two weeks following the meeting.
Comments and interactions between Board members and the public are expected to be respectful, courteous and professional, and civil. The Board Chair will be responsible for ensuring that interaction meets these standards and will disallow inappropriate interactions.
Attacks against individuals, programs or groups by anyone addressing the Board are unacceptable and will terminate the person’s privilege to address the Board. Due to data privacy laws referring to an individual by name will be ruled out of order. Speakers unwilling to abide by the rules or time constraints will be asked to stop.
Depending upon the number of persons in attendance seeking to be heard, the School Board reserves the right to impose such other limitations and restrictions as necessary in order to provide an orderly, efficient, and fair opportunity for those present to be heard.
Please be aware that the Public Comment must end at 7:25 PM so Board members and Superintendent can be in place for the start of the regular business meeting.
