On Board Online • June 29, 2009

By Barry Entwistle
Director of Leadership Development

As my NYSSBA colleagues and I travel throughout the state to work with local school boards, one issue seems to find its way into almost every discussion: the public comment portion of board meetings. While some board members value community input, many come to dread this portion of the meeting. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Like a family dinner, the public comment portion of your school board meeting can be chaos or calm depending on the culture that is established. Often, the effectiveness of the public comment portion depends on three factors:

• Protocols. For instance, requiring individuals to state their name and speak from a designated spot is more orderly than having people stand and ask questions from the peanut gallery.
• Leadership by the board president. The president must be politely assertive in enforcing whatever ground rules apply, such as time limits or limits on subject matter.
• Board member behavior. Board members are expected to be attentive and should watch their body language and facial expressions. While we’ve heard reports of board members using mobile devices during meetings, they should refrain from e-mail and texting, and give their undivided attention to the person who has the floor.

The first thing that both school board members and the public should understand is that a school board meeting is not a public meeting, but a meeting held in public. There is no legal obligation to take public comments, although almost all boards see the value in doing so.

The board’s formal agenda serves as the blueprint for the meeting, and the board president plays a vital role in presiding over the meeting. As the principle facilitator, the board chair is responsible for the orderly conduct of the meeting. On high-performing boards, the board president and superintendent work as a team and can often communicate with a glance as the drama of the meeting unfolds.

The tone and decorum set by board members in their discussions at the board table set the example that the public will follow in the public comment portion of the meeting. If board members do not demonstrate respect for each other, it is unlikely the public will be respectful toward the board.

People interested enough to attend a school board meeting are not casual observers. They will draw quick conclusions about your board’s behavior and attentiveness. The board should strive for an atmosphere that welcomes public participation but should not surrender control of the meeting to the unelected.

Meetings can become difficult to manage and quickly disintegrate when there are no clear instructions on how an individual should address the board. Below are some guidelines that can help make public comment sessions run smoothly.

Setting ground rules

• The board president should review the protocol to be followed, such as time limits, at each meeting prior to public comment. The protocol can also be printed on the reverse of the agenda.
• Limit each speaker’s comments to three minutes or a time agreed to by the board.
• Do not permit discussion involving individual personnel or students. Direct these matters to the superintendent during school business hours.
• Require all remarks be directed to the board president; do not permit community members to poll individual board members or debate other community members in attendance.
• Request that citizens refrain from repetitious comments so that time can be allocated to hear other views or perspectives.
• Consider having a designated platform or podium in your meeting room where citizens rise and approach the board to deliver comments; formality encourages civility.
• Obtain the name and address of each speaker. This can be done in various ways, including having speakers register before the meeting or hand in a card with this information.

Encouraging civility with civility

• The board president should open both the general meeting and the public comment portion by welcoming visitors.
• The president should recognize those who wish to speak and thank each individual for their contribution.
• Watch your body language and refrain from rolling eyes, sighing or crossing your arms.
• Never argue or raise your voice with someone you might disagree with.

Handling remarks

• Listen. It is not necessary or desirable to respond to most comments.
• Ask clarifying questions and summarize speaker comments when necessary.
• Questions for non-related agenda items can be taken into consideration and referred to the superintendent for follow-up.
• Understand that controversial issues raised at your meeting will likely draw the attention of local media. Be certain that the district’s designated spokesperson is prepared to handle media inquiries.
• Exercise your privilege to limit or end public comment when necessary. Some board presidents routinely suspend the session after 30 minutes.

A well-managed public comment session can be an asset to your school board. It can give your community a place to be heard, assist in identifying problems and finding solutions, generate new ideas, and keep the leadership team focused on student achievement.