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The San Ramon Valley Unified School District is set Tuesday to look at its protocols and the way it accepts public comments at board meetings, an effort district staff say will allow the sessions to run more effectively.
Specifically taking aim at the public comment section held at each meeting, district officials have proposed bylaw changes which would clarify that any board member or the superintendent may interrupt a public commenter if they are going off topic or discussing something outside of the district’s jurisdiction.
“In recent board meetings, public comments have at times strayed from the subjects of the agenda or have addressed subject matter outside the jurisdiction of the board. Additionally, some public comments have included subject matter that may particularly be poorly suited for minors,” Superintendent John Malloy said in a report to the board. “This is of particular concern to the board because district students often attend, view and participate in board meetings.”
Additionally, to promote an inclusive environment that still allows for a free exchange during meetings, district staff say board members will consider issuing a new statement prior to the start of public comment, encouraging commenters to exercise their time in a respectful manner.
The new introduction encourages commenters to share their opinions and any concerns, while also asking residents to refrain from using profanity and to show respect and tolerance for others.
According to the new statement, repeated “disturbances” and “willful interruptions” by any individual or group may constitute as grounds for the board president to “terminate the privilege of addressing the board.”
“The proposed changes to the bylaws seek to protect these free speech rights while also addressing the desire to have the board’s meetings be inclusive and the discussion age appropriate,” Malloy added.
Touching on other protocols for board meetings, during Tuesday’s meeting board members also plan to discuss revising sections of its bylaws in order to help meetings run more smoothly and effectively. Those proposed changes include the number of motions allowed on a topic, deciding when debate of a motion is appropriate, the role of amendments and the protocol for counting votes among other issues.
The SRVUSD Board of Education’s regular meeting is set to be begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (March 9). Interested residents can view the meeting live on the SRVUSD’s YouTube channel.
Residents can provide public comment live at meetings by logging in or dialing into the district’s Zoom meeting, which can be accessed on the district’s Quicklinks on the SRVUSD homepage.
Learn more about public comment online at www.srvusd.net/virtualpubliccomment.
In other business
* The board plans to issue a series of proclamations recognizing March as Women’s History Month, Arts Education Month and Prescription Drug Awareness Month.
* Touching on the district’s financial situation, board members are set to receive its annual second interim financial report for the 2020-2021 fiscal year as well as the 2020 Parcel Tax Oversight Committee report.
* The board is also set to respond to a resident-submitted petition calling into question the district’s efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students in the district, a claim district staff say they will review and may consider taking action to rectify.
The petition — which has gained 1,536 signatures as of Monday — says that on June 29, 2020 after the board approved a resolution titled “Denouncing Racism, and Supporting Equity, Safety and Well-Being of Black People,” little effort has been made to put these words into action.
“The board and district staff must not use the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to avoid dealing with the crisis of American racism. To fulfill its own commitments, we call on the Board to devote extra time, resources, and personnel to address both crises in tandem. The district must also support and listen to students, especially students of color, as the drivers and agents of change,” petitioners said.
District staff say they will dedicate a portion of Tuesday’s meeting discussing how they have been working to support inclusivity while also considering taking additional measures in the future. If additional action is desired by the board, district staff will bring the item back during the next general board meeting on March 30.
* Expressing a desire to effectively keep students involved in board activities, board members will review the approval process for selecting student board members.
* In recognition of its frontline educators, the board also plans to discuss its upcoming Teacher of the Year Award.
* The board is also set to convene for a closed session held prior to the start of its regular meeting, where district officials will discuss anticipated and ongoing litigation — the specifics of which have not yet been released to the public — and the ongoing status of negotiations with its various workers’ unions. That meeting is set to start at 5:30 p.m.
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