Columbia Board of Education hold discussion on possible public speaking policy changes
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Board of Education met Monday night to discuss updates to its public speaking policy, a proposal some are concerned may discourage the community's participation in future meetings.
The new policy changes could limit how many people and how often people are able to speak during public comments.
The new proposed public comment policy is something the board has been working on for a few months. The district said these changes are reflective of new laws passed by the state legislature last session. The district also wants its public comment process to align more with what other government agencies do, like the Columbia City Council.
The proposal limits comments to 10 people per meeting, comments must be directly related to the topic of discussion, members must pre-register through the school district, and no substitute speakers are allowed.
Under the policy, if a person comments at three meetings in a row they are not allowed to comment at the next two meetings.
While some board members feel this will make meetings more productive and student-focused, others say they have a duty to hear the community out.
"Having unlimited public comment, talking about operation issues throughout the meeting sucks up the time that we have to talk about student achievement. Making this change ensures we have that time," David Seamon, Board President said.
Some members of the board had questions.
"We are elected by the public to represent them and we do bear a responsibility to hear what they had to say," Suzette Waters, Board member said.
Waters said the policy was first brought up at a meeting that was not broadcasted, tonights meeting was not broadcast and the board did not take public comment on the policy, and this concerned her.
"We could have public comment on this issue but we're choosing not to do that and that concerns me because it doesn't matter how good the intent of the policy is or the good intentions we as board members have, and I do believe we are all here for the right reasons and I have respect for all my fellow board members." Waters said. "If we let bad the optics of the way we're going about it get in the way of the good intention all people are going to remember is the optics."
Board members had concerns with the pre-registering for public comment.
"We do need to think about the language we are using is that language appropriately reflecting the level of access we are providing," Katherine Sasser, Board member said.
Board member Suzette Waters suggested a change to hybrid method so people wouldn't have to pre-register every time.
People also brought up concerns that tonight's meeting was not live streamed so that more people could be included on such important policy discussions.
Chief Communications Officer Baumstark with Columbia Public Schools told ABC 17 News in September a vote and public comment will be taken on the proposal.
Baumstark said there are a couple of misconceptions regarding the proposed policy change:
- Public comment has always been 3 minutes. That is not new.
- Public comment has always been allowed on action items (items the board is voting on). That is not changing.
- Public comment is available in multiple ways – online, in writing at the meeting, in person at the meeting. That is not changing.
- Board members are accessible outside of the regular public business meetings via email, individual meetings with citizens, and community events.
- Regular monthly Board meetings are recorded and aired live on CPS-TV via multiple broadcast outlets. Work sessions and special sessions (including summer business session) are not televised.
- Meeting materials, agendas and minutes are all publicly available on the district’s website.
- A Board meeting is a meeting of the Board of Education to conduct its business that is held in public and governed by open meeting rules and laws of an elected body conducting public business. This differs from an interactive town hall or community meeting, which allows for discourse between all attendees. The two serve different purposes.
