Clean Copy BCBI Public Participation in Board Meetings

                                                                                   Board Policy Manual
                                                                           DeKalb County School District

Board Policy BCBI: Public Par cipa on in Board Mee ngs                                        Status: DRAFT

Original Adopted Date: 04/01/2003 | Last Revised Date: 09-26-2024 | Last Reviewed Date: 09-
26-24




The DeKalb County Board of Educa on encourages the public to be involved in public educa on.
To facilitate public input, the Board will conduct a monthly Community Mee ng in accordance with
the procedures below. The Community Mee ng is intended to allow speakers to address issues
before the Board or other subjects per nent to the Board or the DeKalb County School District.

Before addressing the Board, individuals are urged to seek a sa sfactory solu on to their concerns
by following the proper staff and administra ve channels.

Eligibility and Sign Up

       The opportunity to provide public comment is limited to District parents, students,
        residents, employees, businesses, organiza ons, en es and individuals who either reside or
        conduct business within the geographic boundaries of the District.

       Individuals wishing to speak may submit a request in wri ng to the Board Office via le er,
        fax, or e-mail. Such request shall include the individual’s name, address, topic to be
        addressed, previous steps taken to resolve the concern, and the group (if any) that the
        individual is represen ng. If an individual is unable to a end the mee ng a er signing up in
        advance, the speaker may appoint a subs tute speaker by calling the Board Office by noon
        of the mee ng day.

       In addi on, speakers may complete a Request to Comment card in person on the day of the
        mee ng. Cards must be completely filled out, providing the informa on listed in the
        preceding paragraph.

       All speaker requests must be submi ed by 5:45 p.m. on the day of the Community Mee ng.

       An organiza on may sign up to speak by designa ng an authorized spokesperson and one
        alternate, who may speak only if the primary spokesperson is unable to a end.

       To allow the Board to receive input from as many stakeholders as possible, individuals who
        speak during a Community Mee ng one month may only speak at the next month’s mee ng
        if there are spaces remaining a er all non-repea ng speakers have signed up.

        To allow me for the Board's other business, the public comment period will be a maximum
        of one (1) hour or 20 speakers.

       Speakers have a maximum of (3) minutes each and must stop speaking promptly when their
         me is up.
       Speakers are encouraged to provide the Board with a wri en copy of their comments and
        other appropriate suppor ng documenta on.

       The Community Mee ng is designed to gain input from the public and not for immediate
        responses by the Board. While the Board cannot assure each speaker of a specific or
        individualized response, the Board will consider the public comments and any suppor ng
        materials provided by speakers.

        Speaker E que e

       Speakers should be courteous and professional. Speakers may offer objec ve cri cisms of
        school opera ons and programs, but the Board will not hear complaints about specific
        personnel or individuals connected with the District in a public session. Other channels
        provide a more appropriate forum for considera on and resolu on of legi mate complaints
        involving individuals.

       Individuals will not be denied the opportunity to address the Board on the basis of their
        viewpoint. However, the Board will not allow abusive language, threats, comments, jeers,
        applause, or shouts from the floor. Disrup ve persons will be asked to leave the mee ng
        room. The presiding officer may terminate public comments that are profane, vulgar,
        defamatory, or disrup ve.

       Speakers may not address confiden al student or personnel ma ers, but may submit such
        concerns to the Superintendent in wri ng.


        Special Circumstances

        At the Board’s discre on, the comment period may be extended for a specified amount of
          me or a specific number of addi onal speakers.




Policy Reference Disclaimer:
 These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority
for the board to enact this policy. Instead, they are provided as addi onal resources for those interested in the
subject ma er of the policy.

Note: To access the policy references, CLICK HERE: State of Georgia Terms and Condi ons and close the
LexisNexis tab, which will return you to the policy. Click on the links below to be taken to each specific
code. You should only have to do this one me per session.




State                                          Descrip on
O.C.G.A. 16-11-0034   Preven ng or disrup ng a mee ng of General Assembly
                      or other mee ngs of members

O.C.G.A. 16-11-0035   Removal from campus or facility of unit of university
                      system or school; failure to leave

O.C.G.A. 20-02-0058   Regular monthly mee ng of local boards; adjournment;
                      temporary presiding officer; no ce of date; template for
                      financial review; open mee ngs

O.C.G.A. 50-14-0001   Open Mee ngs Act; no ce; minutes; telecommunica on
                      conferences

Federal               Descrip on
USC 1st Amendment     First Amendment, U.S. Cons tu on