Regulation BCBI-R(1): Public Participation in Board Meetings - Regulation

The purpose of this regulation is to preserve order of the business of the DeKalb County School Board of Eduction ("Board") and to provide proper opportunities for legitimate and objective discussion and analysis of matters presented by citizens. This regulation is not meant to restrict the scheduled appearance of individuals who have regular business with the Board and whose presentations are provided for in the agenda.

Each speaker will be limited to three minutes. The public comment portion of the meeting will be a maximum of one hour or twenty (20) speakers and is limited to topics concerning the management and operations of the school district. For public comment, an employee does not include the Superintendent or members of the DeKalb County Board of Education.

Based on the Board's interpretation of the Open Meetings Act, the Board is here to listen to input; this is not the forum for the Board to respond to those comments given, as they are not on the agenda as required by the Open Meetings Act.

When a speaker has requested a follow-up to their public comments, the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designees will make their best efforts to provide a response within a reasonable amount of time following the Board meeting. The Superintendent and the Superintendent's designees will respond no later than the next Community Input Session via e-mail.

The following conduct is prohibited:

• Obscene gestures, obscene or profane comments.
• Racist and hate-filled epithets or physically threatening remarks.
• Loud and boisterous comments or conduct from the floor that cause an actual disturbance. 

If a speaker violates the rules of public comment:

• The Board Chair will give a verbal warning.
• If the disruptive behavior continues, the speaker's microphone will be muted.
• If the disruptive behavior continues, then the meeting will be called to recess, and the speaker may be escorted from the meeting.