BEDH - Public Participation at School Committee Meetings

File:  BEDH

Public Participation at School Committee Meetings

All regular and special meetings of the Franklin School Committee shall be open to the public.  Executive sessions will be held only as prescribed by the Massachusetts General Laws.

The Franklin School Committee welcomes the public to attend its meetings so that they may become better acquainted with the operations and the programs of our local public schools.  In addition, the Franklin School Committee would like the opportunity to hear the wishes, concerns,  and ideas of the public.

The Franklin School Committee will hold a public participation segment (also called Citizen’s Comments) about matters not related to an agenda item during each regular School Committee meeting.

The Chair may reorganize the placement of Citizen’s Comments within the agenda. 

Citizen’s Comments is not a discussion, debate, or dialogue between individuals and the School Committee. It is an individual's opportunity to express an opinion on issues within the School Committee’s purview, such as the budget for the Franklin Public Schools, the performance of the Superintendent, and the educational goals and policies of the Franklin Public Schools. Should the Chair believe that an issue or question falls outside the purview of the School Committee, the Chair may request that individuals direct it to the appropriate person or body so that the matter is given proper consideration. The Franklin School Committee will listen, but not respond, to any comment made.  

The School Committee will take all Citizen’s Comments under advisement. 

A Committee member may add an agenda item to a future meeting as a result of Citizen’s Comments. If the Committee believes that an issue requires a dialogue within the Franklin community, the Committee may schedule a separate public hearing on such an issue. 

If a member of the public wants to have an issue addressed at a Committee meeting, the individual must notify the Chair in writing no later than five (5) business days in advance of the meeting. Such a request should contain background statements explaining the scope and intent of the issue.  The Chair reserves the right to place the issue on the agenda, send the issue to subcommittee, direct the issue to appropriate school personnel, or reject the request.

In order that all citizens who wish to be heard before the Committee have the opportunity to do so and to ensure the ability of the Committee to conduct the District’s business in an orderly manner, the following rules and procedures are adopted:
 

1. Citizen’s Comments section will not exceed 30 minutes; however, the Chair may extend Citizen’s Comments by an additional 15 minutes at their discretion. 
2. Speakers will be allotted an amount not more than three (3) minutes to share their comments.
3. Speakers who require reasonable accommodations on the basis of a speech-related disability or who require language interpretation services may be allotted a total of five (5) minutes to present their material. Speakers must notify the Chair by telephone or email at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting if they wish to request an extension of time for one of these reasons.
4. Speakers may not assign their time to another speaker.
5. Speakers shall begin their remarks by stating their name and address.
6. All remarks will be addressed through the Chair of the meeting. 
7. Improper conduct will not be allowed.  Defamatory, improper, or abusive remarks are always out of order.  If a speaker persists in improper conduct or defamatory, improper, or abusive remarks, the Chair may terminate that individual’s privilege of address.  Defamatory remarks shall mean remarks that have been adjudicated defamatory.  Improper and/or abusive remarks shall mean obscenities, vulgarities, threats, and fighting words or remarks likely to provoke a violent reaction.
8. Speakers may offer such comments and criticisms of the school operations and programs as concern them and which are within the School Committee’s scope of responsibility, but in public session the Committee will not hear personal complaints of school personnel nor against any member of the school community which are outside the scope of the School Committee’s responsibility.  Under most circumstances, administrative channels are the proper means for disposition of legitimate complaints involving staff members. Please refer to the School Committee policies KE – Public Complaints and KE-E – School Department Communication Procedure for more information.

The Chair may temporarily revise these rules and procedures at their discretion.

LEGAL REFS.:           M.G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25; MASC July 2016