PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT GOVERNING BOARD MEETINGS
The Governing Board 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.
In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comment, the
Governing Board shall provide a period for public participation at those
public meetings of the Governing Board during which action may be taken
and shall publish rules to govern such participation in Governing Board
meetings.
The presiding officer of each Governing Board meeting at which public
participation is permitted shall administer the rules of the Board for its
conduct. Where his/her ruling is disputed, it may be overruled by a
majority of those present and voting.
The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules:
1. Public participation shall be permitted only as indicated on the order
of business in the bylaws of this Governing Board.
2. The Governing Board requires that public participants be residents of
the Educational Service Center or any representative of a firm eligible to
bid on materials or services solicited by the Governing Board; also any
employee or student of the Educational Service Center, except when the
issue addressed by the participant is subject to remediation under
policies and procedures of the Governing Board.
3. Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and must
preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address and group
affiliation if appropriate.
4. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to 10 minutes
duration.
5. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic unless all
others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.
6. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no
participant may address or question Governing Board members or staff
individually.
7. The presiding officer may interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant’s
statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive,
obscene, or irrelevant; request any individual to leave the meeting when
that person does not observe reasonable decorum; 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; 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.
8. The presiding officer may waive these rules with the approval of the
Governing Board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the
efficient administration of the Governing Board's business
[Adoption date: June 21, 2001]
LEGAL REFS: ORC 121.22
3313.20
CROSS REFS: BD, School Board Meetings
BDDB, Agenda Format
BDDC, Agenda Preparation and Dissemination
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