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Lyme
School Board
Policy Manual
Policy: BEDH
Public Participation At School Board Meetings
The School Board recognizes that community participation in
the operation of the schools is essential for school and community
collaboration toward improving the quality of education for
students. Accordingly, the Board encourages the public to
attend its sessions, to become better acquainted with the
schools, and to provide the Board an opportunity to hear their
ideas.
The Board supports the following guidelines for persons wishing
to speak before the Board:
1) At each regular meeting of the Board, an open
forum for community input will be listed on the agenda. Within
time limitations, members of the public may speak on matters appropriate
for public session.
2) Prior to the Board's final deliberation of topics listed for
discussion, the public may speak to the issue at hand.
3) At the discretion of the Chair, comments may be entertained
at other times.
The School Board recognizes that the Board must
have uninterrupted time to deliberate and vote on school business.
Accordingly, the following guidelines will also apply:
1)Individual viewpoints will be subject to reasonable
control over the length of presentation and particular time when
comment is heard.
2) If there are multiple speakers on one topic, speakers may be
given time limitations or may be limited to points of view not
yet expressed.
3) While requests for information will be heard, challenges to
or polling of individual Board members will not be considered
appropriate business for the Board as a whole.
4) Speakers may offer comments on school operations and programs
as concern them. In public session, however, the Board will not
hear personal complaints of or about school personnel nor complaints
against any person connected with the school system. Other channels
are available for Board consideration and disposition of legitimate
complaints involving individuals, which should be referred to
the Superintendent for appropriate action.
In order to ensure the business of the Board
is conducted in an expeditious manner, the Chair will have
the authority to regulate public participation within the
provisions of this policy.
ADOPTED: 14 September 1972
REVISED: 9 December 1993
12 November 1998
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