View Policies and Procedures

Public Forum Procedures
Type: Administrative Procedure
Section: 200 SCHOOL BOARD
Code: 206.1
Adopted Date: 9/27/2021
Revised Date(s): 09/29/2022
Reviewed Date(s): 09/28/2021
Attachments:

 I. PURPOSE 

The purpose of a public comment period is to allow community members an opportunity to provide input directly to the MAPS School Board about issues that fall within the School Board’s authority. To fulfill this purpose, comments must be directed to the School Board. Comments must be directed to the School Board.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT 

The MAPS School Board welcomes input from community members, including letters, emails, and phone calls. The School Board would like to provide the community with general information about public comment sessions, including the purpose of a public comment session, the procedures that apply, and prohibited conduct.

For those who prefer to address the School Board directly, the School Board will set aside up to thirty minutes for public comment on an agenda item at School Board meetings to ensure that the School Board can conduct its business in an orderly, efficient, and timely fashion.  Public comment sessions will not be recorded or live-streamed. Public Comments will not be allowed during Work Sessions, Special Meetings, or Board Retreats.

III. REQUEST TO SPEAK

Public Comments at the School Board Meeting will be limited to an agenda item. The School Board reserves the right to limit or prohibit discussion on any item.

Speakers must reside in the District, be a guardian of a student(s) in the District, be a student in the District, or be employed by the District. If more than ten individuals submit a written request to speak during the public comment session, the School Board Chair will determine the ten individuals by the time-stamp submission.      

Individuals who want to speak during a public comment session at the school board meeting must submit the online request form provided on the district's website (isd152.org) or a written request to speak before 1:00 p.m. on the day of the School Board meeting.

Community members can submit a written request by email to the following email address:  publiccomment@moorheadschools.org or by phone at 218-284-3330.

The written request must state:

(1) the individual’s name,
(2) the individual’s home address,
(3) contact information,
(4) whether the individual is a guardian of a student(s) or is a student in the District,
(5) whether the District employs the individual, and
(6) the agenda item that the individual wishes to discuss during the public comment period.
(7) meeting date. (Administrative Procedure 206.2 Sign-up form for Visitors/Public Input).

If a group or organization wishes to address the School Board on a topic, the School Board reserves the right to require the designation of one or more representatives or spokespersons to speak on behalf of the group or organization.

IV. TIME LIMITS:  

The public comment period will be open for up to thirty (30) minutes. This time limit is necessary to ensure that the School Board can conduct its business during the meeting in an orderly, efficient, and timely fashion. Each speaker is permitted to speak for up to three (3) minutes. One speaker may not give time to another speaker. Any person who does not get a chance to speak is encouraged to submit written comments to the School Board. Email addresses for School Board members are listed on the District’s website (isd152.org).

V. SPEAKERS MUST BE RECOGNIZED:

The School Board Chair will call speakers to the microphone and recognize one speaker at a time. Speakers must be in person to be recognized. Only those recognized by the School Board Chair will be allowed to speak during the public forum. The School Board Chair will rule out of-order individuals who have yet to be recognized. 

VI. CUMULATIVE PRESENTATIONS: 

Speakers are encouraged to avoid repeating comments that other speakers have made. Redundant presentations are not helpful and can deprive other individuals of the opportunity to speak during the public comment session. The School Board will allow up to ten (10) minutes per topic. 

VII. PROHIBITED CONDUCT

The following conduct is prohibited during a School Board meeting, including during the public comment period:

1. Speakers may not discuss or disclose any private educational data on any current or former student as defined in Minnesota Statutes section 13.32. As a result, speakers may not identify any current or former student during public comment. The only exception is that a parent who is speaking may choose to discuss private educational data on his or her child.

2. Speakers may not make allegations, charges, or complaints against any student or employee. If a person wishes to make an allegation or to file a charge or complaint against a student or employee, the person should make the allegation, charge, or complaint to the Superintendent in writing or a private meeting, or to the individual designated in District policy to receive the allegation, charge, or complaint.

3. Speakers may not make comments or gestures that are threatening, profane, lewd, vulgar, obscene, harassing, or abusive.

4. Speakers may not make comments that would violate federal or state law, including laws protecting the privacy rights of an individual.

5. Speakers may not make comments related to pending contract negotiations or to pending litigation to which the District is a party, including grievance proceedings. 

6. Speakers may not campaign for or against a political candidate during any part of a public school board meeting.

7. Speakers may not promote or advertise products that are for sale or purchase unless the Board has invited the speaker to present the product as an agenda item. 

8. Members of the public may not engage in conduct that materially and substantially disrupts any part of a School Board meeting, or that otherwise impedes the School Board’s ability to conduct its business in an orderly and efficient fashion. The following are examples of conduct that are materially and substantially disruptive or that otherwise impedes the School Board’s ability to conduct its business in an orderly and efficient fashion:

a. Making comments that incite violence;

b. Making comments that reasonably instill fear;

c. Interrupting a speaker who has been recognized by the School Board Chair;

d. Making comments from the audience when the person making comments has not been recognized by the School Board Chair;

e. Interrupting the School Board Chair or any other School Board member or school official who is speaking;

f. Holding up a sign or displaying a banner, regardless of the content of the sign or banner;

g. Clapping, cheering, booing, vocalizing approval, or vocalizing disapproval for a speaker during the speaker’s presentation, unless a School Board member or school official is presenting an award to a person or is describing an honor or award that a person received;

h. Addressing the audience rather than the School Board;

i. Bringing a weapon into the meeting room or onto school property, except as allowed under Minnesota law;

j. Violating room capacity requirements; and

k. Violating any law or District policy. 

VIII. VIOLATIONS:

If a speaker violates any of the established procedures or engages in any prohibited conduct, the Board Chair will rule the speaker out of order.

1. If the speaker is presenting to the School Board, the Board Chair may require the speaker to immediately end his or her presentation.

2. If the speaker persists in violating any procedure or rule, the speaker will be directed to leave the premises and not to return. A no-trespass order may be issued, and a referral may be made to law enforcement.

3. If repeated disruptions occur during the public comment period, the School Board Chair may call a recess and order that the room be cleared until the meeting resumes.

4. Any School Board member may make a motion to immediately end the public comment period if repeated disruptions occur. If the motion passes, citizens may use alternative avenues of communication to share views with the School Board, including written communications.

5. If repeated disruptions occur during multiple meetings, the School Board may vote to suspend public comment at meetings and to require that all public comments be in writing. 

IX. DISORDERLY CONDUCT:

The District will refer potential incidents of disorderly conduct to law enforcement. Minnesota Statutes section 609.72 states:

1. Whoever does any of the following in a public or private place, knowing, or having reasonable grounds to know that it will, or will tend to alarm, anger, or disturb others or provoke an assault or breach of peace, is guilty of disorderly conduct, which is a misdemeanor.

a. engages in brawling or fighting; or
b. disturbs an assembly or meeting, not unlawful in its character; or 
c. engages in offensive, obscene, abusive, boisterous, or noisy conduct or in offensive, obscene, or abusive language tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger, or resentment in others.

X. USE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY:

All property of the District, including District parking lots and other grounds, are considered to be school property. Individuals or groups may not use school property for any purpose that has not been authorized by the District. Any use of school property must comply with District Policy 904 and all administrative procedures related to that policy.