Red Lined Board Policy BCBI Public Participation in Board Meetings 1.28.2025

                                                                                                     Board Policy Manual
                                                                                             DeKalb County School District




 Board Policy BCBI: Public Participation in Board Meetings                                                Status: DRAFT - 2nd
                                                                                                                     Reading
 Original Adopted Date: 04/01/2003 | Last Revised Date: 05/06/2013 | Last Reviewed Date: 01/28/2025

Red Lined Version

The DeKalb County Board of Education encourages the public to be involved in public education. To facilitate public
input, it is the intent of this policy that the Board shall will conduct a monthly Community Input Session Meeting in
accordance with the procedures below. The purpose of the session is to Community Meeting is intended to allow
speakers to comment on issues relevant to the Board or the DeKalb County School District. address issues before
the Board or other subjects pertinent to the Board or the DeKalb County School District.

Before addressing the Board, individuals are urged to seek a satisfactory solution to their concerns by following the
proper staff and administrative channels.
Eligibility and Sign Up​
In order to assure that persons who wish to appear before the Board may be heard and, at the same time, allow the
Board to conduct its meetings in an orderly and efficient manner, the Board adopts the following guidelines for the
public comment portion of its meetings:
      Before addressing the Board, individuals are encouraged to seek solutions to their concerns by following
      proper staff and administrative channels. The opportunity to provide public comment is limited to District
      parents, students, residents, employees, businesses, and organizations, entities and individuals who either
      reside or conduct business within the geographic boundaries of the District.s.
      The opportunity to provide public comment is limited to district stakeholders, including parents, students,
      residents, employees, businesses, organizations, and individuals who either reside or conduct business within
      the district's geographic boundaries.Before addressing the Board, individuals are urged to seek a satisfactory
      solution to their concerns by following the proper staff and administrative channels.
      Individuals wishing to speak may submit a request in writing to the Board Office via letter, fax, email or
      comment card. e-mail. no later than 12:00 noon on the day of the Community Meeting. Such Rrequest
      must 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 representing. If an individual is unable to attend the
      meeting after signing up in advance, he/she the speaker may appoint a substitute speaker by calling the Board
      Office by noon of the meeting day.
      Requests to Comment cards will be available at the Board Office on the day of the meeting. Cards must be
      completely filled out, providing the information listed above.In addition, speakers may complete a Request to
      Comment card in person between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Cards must be completely
      filled out, providing the information listed in the preceding paragraph.
      If an individual is unable to attend the meeting after signing up in advance, the speaker may appoint a
      substitute speaker by calling the Board Office by 12 p.m. of the meeting day. All speaker requests must be
      submitted by 5:45 p.m. on the day of the Community Meeting.

      All speaker requests must be submitted by 5:45 p.m. on the day of the Community Meeting.An organization
      may sign up to speak by designating an duly authorized spokesperson and one alternate, who may speak only if
      the primary spokesperson is unable to attend. By signing up and addressing the Board on behalf of an
      organization, the speaker is representing that he or she has been duly authorized by that organization to make
      the comments presented.
      An organization may sign up to speak by designating an authorized spokesperson and one alternate, who may
      speak only if the primary spokesperson is unable to attend. To allow the Board to receive input from as many
      stakeholders as possible, individuals who speak during a Community Meeting one month may only speak at the
      next month's meeting if there are spaces remaining after all non-repeating speakers have signed up.
      To allow the Board to receive input from as many stakeholders as possible, individuals who speak during a
     Community Input Session one month may only speak at the next month's meeting if there are spaces
     remaining after all non-repeating speakers have signed up. Speakers shall have a maximum of three (3) minutes
     each and must stop speaking promptly when their time is up.
     To allow time for the Board's other business, the public comment period will be a maximum of one (1) hour or
     20 speakers. At the Board’s discretion, the comment period may be extended for a specified amount of time or
     a specific number of additional speakers.
     Speakers have a maximum of (3) minutes each and must stop speaking promptly when their time is up.
     Speakers are encouraged to provide the Board with a written copy of their comments and other appropriate
     supporting documentation.
     The Community Meeting 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 supporting materials provided by speakers.
     To allow the Board to receive input from as many stakeholders as possible, individuals who speak during a
     Community Meeting one month may only speak at the next month’s meeting if there are spaces remaining
     after all non-repeating speakers have signed up.
Meeting Structure
     To allow time for the Board's other business, the public comment period will be limited to one hour or 20
     speakers.
     Speakers have a maximum of three minutes each and must stop speaking promptly when their time is up.
     Speakers are encouraged to provide the Board with a written copy of their comments and other appropriate
     supporting documentation.
     The Community Input Session is designed to gather input from the public and is not intended for immediate
     responses by the Board. While the Board cannot guarantee each speaker a specific or individualized response,
     the Board will consider the public comments and any supporting materials provided by speakers.



Speaker Etiquette

     Speakers may speak critically of school operations and programs. However, the Board requests that these
     views be expressed in a civil and respectful manner. should be courteous and professional. Speakers may offer
     objective criticisms of school operations 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 consideration and resolution of legitimate complaints involving individuals.
     Speakers are specifically prohibited from:
          Discussing confidential student or personnel matters.
          Using obscene, defamatory, or threatening language.​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. Disruptive persons will be asked to leave
          the meeting room. The presiding officer may terminate public comments that are profane, vulgar,
          defamatory, or disruptive.
     Individuals with complaints involving district staff are encouraged to submit those concerns to the
     Superintendent in writing. Speakers may not address confidential student or personnel matters, but may
     submit such concerns to the Superintendent in writing.
     Also prohibited are comments, jeers, applause, or shouts from the audience.Speakers are encouraged to
     provide the Board with a written copy of their comments and other appropriate supporting documentation.
     To maintain order, disruptive individuals may be asked to leave the meeting room.The Community Meeting 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 supporting materials provided by speakers.
     Additional guidance for speakers can be found in regulation xxx.
Special Circumstances

     In its discretion and as deemed appropriate, the Board may allow for public comment during Committee of the
     Whole meetings and, in such case, shall establish procedures for public participation. In addition to any
     applicable guidelines above, comments of speakers must be germane to the topic and issues before the
     Committee of the Whole.
     At the Board's discretion, the comment period may be extended for a specified amount of time or a specific
     number of additional speakers.