1230 Public Participation at Board Meetings

The Board of Education encourages public participation by District residents on school related matters at Board meetings. 

The purpose of the Public Participation and Comment portion of the Board meeting is to allow the Board to hear the views, questions, or advice of interested Community members. The Board and the Superintendent will consider such views, questions, or advice of interested Community members and, if necessary, may respond at a later time (e.g., at a future Board meeting; contacting the Community member; etc.).

To allow for public participation, fifteen (15) minutes shall be set aside during the first part of each regular business meeting of the Board (if necessary, as determined by the Board President or presiding officer), to allow for questions or comments from Community members regarding items on the current Board agenda. Questions or comments must be sent via email or submitted on a form to the District Clerk prior to the start of the Board meeting, by the designated deadline for submissions. All questions or comments submitted to the District Clerk must include the individual’s name and address. Similar questions or comments will be grouped together and addressed accordingly by the Board.

At the end of each regular business meeting of the Board, (thirty) 30 minutes shall be set aside (if necessary, as determined by the Board President or presiding officer) for questions or comments related to District business concerning any item on the agenda or item not on the agenda. Individuals shall address their remarks to the Board President.

Prior to speaking at in-person Board meetings, each individual must write their name and address on a form provided by the District Clerk. Each individual shall be allotted three (3) minutes to address the Board.  Individuals may not cede their time to other speakers. 

During remote/virtual Board meetings, each individual must submit their question(s) or comment(s), along with their name and address, to the District Clerk via email by the designated deadline for submissions.

Board meetings being broadcast via the internet or electronic means, may permit questions to be entered electronically.

In the event that in-person Board meetings are restricted due to a public safety emergency (as determined by the Board) or a Federal, State, or local order, law, regulation, Board meetings may proceed via video or telephone conference and the procedures outlined in this policy regarding public participation may be modified, upon Board approval.

The Board will not permit, in public session, discussion involving individual District personnel or students. Individuals wishing to discuss matters involving individual District personnel or students shall present their comments and/or concerns to the Superintendent during regular business hours.

All speakers shall conduct themselves in a civil manner and refrain from any personal attacks. Obscene language, libelous statements, threats of violence, statements advocating racial, religious or other forms of prejudice shall not be tolerated and may be cause for removal.

The Board President shall be responsible for the orderly conduct of the meeting and shall rule on such matters as the time to be allowed for public discussion and the appropriateness of the subject being presented. The Board President shall have the right to discontinue any presentation that violates this policy.

The Board reserves the right to suspend or modify this policy for any particular Board meeting, upon majority vote of the Board.

Ref: Matter of Martin, 32 EDR 381 (1992) Appeal of Wittenben, 31 EDR 375 (1992) Matter of Kramer, 72 EDR 114 (1951) NYS Department of State, Committee on Open Government, OML-AO-#2696 (Jan. 8, 1997) and OML-AO-#2717 (Feb. 27, 1997)

 

Approved by the Board of Education:                                            07/13/06

Approved by the Board of Education:                                            05/20/08

Revision approved by the Board of Education:                             08/21/08

Revision approved by the Board of Education:                             02/13/13

Revision approved by the Board of Education:                             03/15/18

Revision approved by the Board of Education:                             04/22/21

Revision approved by the Board of Education:                             06/20/24

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