SCHOOL BOARD DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Maine state law charges school boards with the responsibility to “manage the schools” and direct the general course of instruction. The Board concerns itself primarily with questions of policy, and not with administrative details. This is done by selecting a superintendent and providing him/her with authority and direction.

It is not the duty of the Board to operate the schools, but rather to see that they are well operated. The application of policies is an administrative task to be performed by the superintendent and his/her staff. They will be held responsible for the effective administration and supervision of the entire school system.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: In accordance with the Freedom of Access (Right to Know) Law, meetings of the Board are public in that they are held in public. This does not mean they are public meetings in the same sense as a “town meeting”. There is no statutory requirement in Maine that the public be permitted to speak at Board meetings. However, the Board welcome comments and concerns related to the matters under consideration by the Board. An opportunity is provided on each agenda for public comment to share suggestions, thank you’s, etc. Please be aware of these ground rules:

• The speaker should be recognized by the chairperson. Name and residence of the speaker may be requested by the chairperson.

• The Board may decide to curtail the length of question or debate.

• Interference with the orderly conduct of business, defamatory or abusive remarks will not be allowed.

• At a board meeting, orally-initiated charges or complaints against individual employees or instructional materials used in schools will not be allowed. Such charges should be written, signed and presented to the superintendent using the Board’s complaint procedures.

• The Board discourages duplication or repetition of comments. The Board requests that groups or organizations be represented by designated spokespersons.

For more information, please click on this policy: BEDH: Public Participation at Board Meetings