Board of Education Policy Manual
Number:	BCBI cf KCA
Title:	Public Participation In Board Meetings
Status:	Active
Created:	12/20/1988
Updated:	03/21/2006
Legal:	O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1et seq.; 16-11-34; 16-11-35.
Last Reviewed:	06/08/2009

Policy Detail

Citizens may appear at regular meetings (and, if desired by the Board, at special meetings) to address public comments to the Board, subject to the following.

The public comment session shall not exceed fifteen (15) minutes and will be conducted to hear from any interested citizen and/or employee of the school district. Speakers will be given three to five minutes to speak before the Board, with the time per speaker being determined by the chairperson, depending on the number of speakers and topics listed. The time limitations imposed upon the public comment session may only be extended if approved by the Board.

Anyone wishing to speak to the Board shall inform the superintendent of their desire to do so and the topic of their remarks as early as possible, in writing, but not later than twenty-four hours prior to the Board meeting. Waiver of this notice requirement may be allowed only when approved by a majority of the Board. Any materials the speaker desires the Board to receive related to his/her remarks shall be given to the Superintendent or designee at this time for distribution to the Board.

Items which are excluded from the Open Meetings Act will not be discussed during this session. (This includes, for instance, certain issues relating to personnel, real estate, legal counsel, privacy, and individual student discipline).

In addition to the above, the following rules shall be followed when appearing before the Board:

1. The speaker shall state his/her name, address, and the group the speaker is representing, if any.

2. All remarks shall be made to the Board as a body and not to a particular board member, and the speaker must face the Board when making the comments.

3. No persons shall be allowed to make obscene, derogatory, or slanderous remarks while addressing the Board.

4. No person shall be allowed to disrupt or interfere with procedures.

5. Remarks shall end when the speaker’s allotted time has expired.

6. Speakers may offer such objective criticisms of school operations and programs that concern them. The Board shall not hear personal complaints of school personnel nor against any person connected with the school system. Other channels provide for Board consideration of legitimate complaints involving individuals.

7. Questions from the Board members and/or the Superintendent may be asked for purposes of clarification, but no person shall be permitted to enter into any discussion either directly or through any member of the Board.


The Board vests in its chairperson or other presiding officer authority to terminate the remarks of any individual when the speaker does not adhere to the rules established in this policy. Any person willfully violating these rules may be prohibited from appearing before the Board for up to sixty (60) days.

Created on 11/11/2002 at 12:19 PM by Chance Bush. Last update on 06/24/2009 by Diane May.