Friday, September 17, 2010

Chester Upland school district public comment policy angers some

...participants are limited to three minutes of public comment at each of the comment sessions. 
For any question in which the participants seek an immediate answer, the board requires them to submit their questions in writing to both the secretary of the board and the superintendent at least two days in advance.
President Wanda Mann said the policy was not meant to create a sense of secrecy, but instead to bring order and flow to the meetings.
...the board will also limit public comment to taxpayers and residents of the school district...
Click HERE for more.
Personally, I think the changes are good. I believe the board meetings should be designed for the board to talk to us about what they are doing, deciding, spending on, etc. When the entire meeting is dominated with question and answer, it just becomes a great big bitch session.
I recommend the district create a pubic facility for questions to be submitted and responded to on an ongoing basis...a school board 'help desk for the public' kinda thing. There are so many web based solutions that could accomplish this and all it would take is a single employee to manage, chase down responses, and reply for all of us to view. 


(Hummmm. Looks like Chester Community Charter heard me. Click HERE.)

3 comments:

  1. I've always assumed that we had only 3 minutes to speak and inquire at the meetings. The only thing strange is the idea that only residents and taxpayers are allowed to speak.

    One: If the person speaking is not a resident but works for the district are they not allowed to speak or inquire/

    Two: If a person lives in the city shouldn't we assume that they are a taxpayer?

    Three: Students live in the city and are not taxpayers, are they not allowed to speak or inquire at the board meetings?

    These are the questions that people should have next school board meeting.

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  2. Ah ha...good points.

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  3. How can they create system like this when lots of teachers board members don't even live in Chester. My children lives and go to school in Chester I live outside of City but will be at meetings speaking up!

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