BEDH

The Board desires citizens of the district to attend its sessions so that they may become better acquainted with the operation and programs of the schools and that the Board may have opportunity to hear the wishes and ideas of the public. All official meetings of the Board shall be open to the press and public. However, the Board reserves the right to meet privately for reasons allowed under RSA 91-A as amended.

In order to assure that persons who wish to appear before the Board may be heard and, at the same time, conduct its meetings properly and efficiently, the Board adopts as policy the following procedures and rules pertaining to citizen’s comments at Board meetings.

1. Opportunity for citizens’ comments will be scheduled at both the beginning and end of all the School Board’s regular business meeting agendas. Otherwise, members of the public will not be recognized by the chairman as the Board conducts its official business except when the Board schedules an interim public discussion period on a particular agenda item in advance.
1. Any individual desiring to speak shall give his or her name and the group, if any, that is represented.
1. The presentation should be as brief as possible. Unless an extension of time is granted, a speaker shall be limited to three minutes.
1. Speakers may offer such objective criticisms of school operations and programs as concern them. But in public session, the Board will not hear personal complaints of school personnel nor against any person connected with the school system. Other channels provide for Board consideration and disposition of legitimate complaints involving individuals.
1. It is not the intention or purpose of the Board to engage in dialogue or debate during citizens’ comments. The Board regards citizens’ comments as a time to accept public comment only. While brief factual questions may be answered by the Board or its staff, at the Board Chair’s discretion, detailed questions directed to individual Board members or the Board as a whole will be taken under advisement.

The Board vests in its chairman or other presiding authority to terminate the remarks of any individual when they do not adhere to the rules established above. Persons appearing before the Board are reminded, as a point of information, that members of the Board are without authority to act independently as individuals in official matters..

ADOPTED: April 25, 1979

REVISED: October 8, 1996