District Policy
Book:	District Policy
Section:	B - School Board Operations
Title:	Public Comment
Number:	BCBI
Status:	Active
Legal:
Adopted:	02/11/1988
Last Revised:	03/10/2005
Last Reviewed:

Policy Detail

The Board welcomes and encourages citizens to attend its meetings to become better acquainted with the programs of the Fulton County School System and operations of the Board, and to provide input. The Board thus reserves time at each of its regularly-scheduled monthly meetings to allow Fulton County residents, businesses or organizations, or school system employees to address the Board, subject to the following procedures:

Up to five speakers per meeting may sign up in advance through the Superintendent's Office, no earlier than two weeks in advance and no later than noon of the meeting day. The remaining slots may be filled by speakers who place their names on a sign-up sheet at the meeting site before the meeting starts.

If an individual is unable to attend the meeting after signing up in advance, he/she may appoint a substitute speaker by calling the Superintendent’s office by noon of the meeting day.

Speakers will be heard in the order in which they signed up.

Speakers have four minutes each and must stop speaking promptly when signaled.

To allow time for the Board's other business, the public comment period will end after thirty (30) minutes, or when all speakers signing up to speak have been heard, whichever occurs first.

Individuals may split a time slot between multiple speakers only if all such speakers have signed up to speak and are announced at the beginning of the remarks.

An organization may sign up to speak by designating a duly authorized spokesperson and one alternate, who may speak only if the primary spokesperson is unable to attend. By signing up and by addressing the Board on behalf of an organization, a speaker is representing that he or she has been duly authorized by that organization to make the comments presented.

The public comment period is intended to allow speakers to address issues before the Board, or other subjects pertinent to the Board or the Fulton County School System. Speakers will not be denied the opportunity to speak on the basis of their viewpoint. Where appropriate, the public is urged to follow the School System's Issues Resolution Process before presenting issues or concerns to the Board through public comment.

To allow the Board to receive input from as many stakeholders as possible, individuals who speak during Public Comment at the pre-Board meeting may only speak at the same month’s Board meeting if they address a different topic and if there are spaces remaining after all non-repeating speakers have signed up.

Public comments are recorded, and thus speakers should begin their comments by stating their name, address, connection or interest in the Fulton County School System, and if so authorized, the organization they represent.

Speakers should be courteous and professional. The presiding Board officer may terminate public comments that are profane, vulgar or defamatory.

Speakers may not address confidential student or personnel matters, but may submit such concerns to the Board in writing.

Speakers are encouraged to provide the Board with a written copy of their comments and other appropriate supporting documentation.

The Public Comment period is designed to gain input from the public and not for immediate responses by the Board to public comments. 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. Where appropriate, the Board will post on the school system web site any follow up action or response to public comments that the Board deems appropriate.