Skip To Main Content

Guidelines for Public Participation at Board Meetings

Book                   Policy Manual
Section               0000 Bylaws
Title                     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS
Code                    po0167.3
Status                  Active
Adopted              July 13, 2015
Last Revised       November 16, 2021

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 public meetings of the Board and publish rules to govern such participation in Board meetings and in Board committee 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:
     A. Public participation shall be permitted as indicated on the order of business.
     B. 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 of a meeting.
     C. Attendees must register their intention to participate in the public participation portion of the meeting upon                      their arrival at the meeting.
     D. Individuals may not register others to speak during public participation.
     E. Participants must first be recognized by the presiding officer and will be requested to preface their comments by                an announcement of their name and address.
     F. Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to five (5) minutes duration.
     G. Participants shall direct all comments to the Board and not to staff or other participants.
     H. 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 behaves in a manner that is disruptive of the orderly conduct and/or orderly process of the meeting; 
  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 conduct and/or orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action;
 

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 subject to the following conditions:
     A. No obstructions are created between the Board and the audience.
     B. No interviews are conducted in the meeting room while the Board is in session.
     C. 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.


The person operating the recorder should contact the Superintendent prior to the Board meeting to review possible placement of the equipment.

Revised 12/10/18
© Neola 2021
Legal          M.C.L. 15.263(4)(5)(6), 380.1808