Public Participation at School Committee Meetings
NEPN/NSBA Code: BEDH
The primary purpose of School Committee meetings is to conduct the business of the School Committee related to Committee policies, programs, and operations. All regular, special and emergency meetings of the School Committee are open to the public. The public is cordially invited to attend and participate in School Committee meetings as provided in this policy.
The School Committee encourages residents and taxpayers of Yarmouth to attend School Committee meetings so that they may become acquainted with the operations and programs of the schools.
An agenda with supporting documentation shall be published in advance of each meeting in accordance with School Committee policy. Copies will be posted and/or available prior to regular meetings, at the Superintendent’s Office and on the School Department’s website. Anyone desiring additional information about an agenda item should direct such inquiries to the Office of the Superintendent.
This policy applies only to meetings of the full School Committee, not to meetings of School Committee subcommittees. Opportunity for public participation at School Committee subcommittee meetings is not required but may be permitted in accordance with the School Committee’s policy and/or rules pertaining to the operations of subcommittees.
Although School Committee meetings are not public forums, the School Committee recognizes the value of public comments on school and educational matters.
At special, emergency, or workshop meetings, public comments will be limited to the topic(s) of the particular meeting.
In addition to speaking during the designated public comment portion of the agenda at regular School Committee meetings, members of the public are welcome to submit written comments on school and educational matters, whether on the agenda or not, to the School Committee and Superintendent.
To permit fair, orderly, and inclusive expression of public comments at business meetings while still allowing the Committee to conduct its business efficiently, the Committee has established the following procedure for regular business meetings.
1. The School Committee will include a public comment period on the agenda of its regular business meetings. Individuals may speak once and are limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes at each meeting. Individuals may not relinquish a portion of their allotted time to another speaker. The length of the public comment period and the time limits in this paragraph may be modified at a particular meeting at the discretion of the Chair.
2. The School Committee will hear public comments from residents and taxpayers of Yarmouth, as well as parents/guardians, students, and employees of the Yarmouth Schools first. If there is time remaining in the public comment period once all residents and taxpayers of Yarmouth as well as parents/guardians, students, and employees of the Yarmouth Schools have had the opportunity to speak, the Chair will permit comments from others. Individuals who wish to speak may be required to fill out a sign-in form. Each individual will be required to state their name and town/city of residence before beginning their remarks.
3.The Committee Chair is responsible for ensuring the orderly conduct of School Committee meetings and for ensuring compliance with this policy, including the following rules of order:
a. Speakers will be recognized by the Committee Chair, and comments should be addressed to the Committee Chair. Requests for information or concerns that require further research may be referred to the superintendent for further action, if necessary;
b. Speakers are expected to follow rules of common etiquette and decorum, including refraining from using vulgar and/or obscene language, yelling, threatening others using words or by other actions, making defamatory comments, or otherwise engaging in any activity that disrupts orderly meeting progress. Examples of disruptive conduct include, but are not limited to, exceeding the allotted time limits, talking over or interrupting others, offering repetitive comments, and offering comment on matters unrelated to the school unit’s programs, policies, or operations.
c. Discussion of personnel matters is not permitted during the public comment period due to the privacy, confidentiality, and due process rights of school unit employees. For purposes of this policy, “discussion of a personnel matter” means any discussion of job performance or conduct of a school unit employee, including complaints or positive/complimentary comments about them.
d. Discussion of matters involving individual students is also not permitted during the public comment period due to the privacy, confidentiality, and due process rights of the school unit’s students.
e. Any concerns about personnel matters and/or student matters should be directed to the Superintendent or another appropriate administrator outside of School Committee meetings so that they can be addressed through an alternative channel and in a manner consistent with privacy, confidentiality, and due process rights of the individuals involved.
f. The Committee Chair will stop any public comment that is contrary to these rules.
g. Individuals who disrupt a School Committee meeting may be asked to leave to allow the School Committee to conduct its business in an orderly manner. The Committee Chair may request the assistance of law enforcement if necessary to address disruptions or safety concerns.
Legal Reference:
20-A MRSA § 1001(20)
20-A MRSA § 6101
1 MRSA § 405
Cross Reference:
BE – School Board Meetings
BEC – Executive Session
BEDA – Notification of School Committee Meetings
BEDB – Agenda
BEDB-R – Agenda Format
BEDD – Rules of Order
KE – Public Concerns and Complaints
Adopted: Prior to 1982
Revised: May 11, 1992, June 8, 1992, December 13, 1993, February 27, 2001, January 13, 2005, November 1, 2011, December 8, 2011, April 9, 2020, January 12, 2023, November 9, 2023