Policy 204.12
Public Participation at Board Meetings
The board recognizes the importance of citizen participation in school district matters. Citizens are encouraged to attend open public meetings of the board. In order to assure citizens are heard and board meetings are conducted efficiently and in an organized manner, the board shall set time aside for citizen participation at all regular monthly board meetings.
Members of the public shall be permitted to attend and to speak at board meetings. They will not be required to identify themselves as a condition for admission to the meeting but will be required to sign-in prior to speaking to the board. The board may allow advisors, consultants and other persons who are not Board members to appear at the meeting via telephone conferencing or other similar means.
The board reserves the right to make and enforce reasonable rules to limit the amount of time set aside for public participation. The board president for the meeting shall have the authority to establish reasonable time limits for individual speakers and for the duration of the public forum sessions. Subjects for public comment should involve areas within the board’s proper responsibility. Discussion/comment on unrelated matters is and will be discouraged. The board president shall have the authority to assure that people conduct themselves in an orderly manner at the meeting. Undue interruption or other interference with the orderly conduct of business will not be allowed. The board president may order persons who are disorderly to be removed from the meeting.
Members of the public may record any part of the meeting except for executive (closed) sessions provided that prior to the recording, the board president is informed and provided that the recording device does not obstruct the view of board members or other members of the public attending the meeting and does not otherwise interfere with the meeting.
At least one copy of all reproducible written material to be discussed at an open meeting will be made available at the meeting for examination by members of the public.
Members of the public will not be required to have their name be placed on the agenda prior to the meeting in order to speak about items on the agenda. Individuals who have a complaint about district employees are encouraged to bring their complaint to the Board only after they have followed board policy addressing citizens’ complaints. Students who have a complaint are encouraged to bring their complaint to the board after they have followed board policy addressing student’s complaints.
Any member of the public desiring to address the body shall be required to identify himself or herself, including an address and the name of any organization represented by such person, unless the address requirement is waived to protect the security of the individual.
Speakers will be permitted to address the Board consistent with free speech rights. However, offensive language, defamatory remarks, and hostile conduct will not be tolerated. Further, charges or complaints against a school employee shall not be made for the first time at a public Board meeting without having followed the school’s complaint procedure.
Legal Reference:
79-570, 79-571, Neb. Statutes 84-1411-2
Cross References:
201.07 School Board Liability
204.03 Public Hearings
204.10 Agenda
403.05 Public Complaints About Employees
Approved: February 10, 1992
Revised: February 12, 1996
Revised: February 14, 2005
Revised: August 11, 2008
Revised: September 12, 2022