1100 - Public Participation at Board Meetings

Community Relations

1100 – Public Participation at Board Meetings

Meetings of the Board of Education (Board) are held to carry on the business of the schools and, therefore, are not meetings of the public but rather meetings of the Board, which are held in public. The Board recognizes its responsibility to conduct the business of the District in an orderly and efficient manner and will, therefore, require reasonable controls to regulate public presentation to the Board. 

The Board, as a representative of the District, wishes to provide an avenue for any member of the public, school staff or the press to express interest in and concern for our schools. The Board shall schedule time during each regular and special meeting for public comment. 

The purpose of the Board’s meetings is for the Board to conduct the business of the Windsor Locks Public Schools. In order to insure sufficient time is available at each meeting for the Board to conduct its business, it may be necessary to place reasonable individual and overall time limits on public comments. During public comment, the Chairperson shall recognize speakers, request proper identification and maintain proper order. The Board shall hear only concerns, views and opinions on topics within the jurisdiction of the Board. Public comment at special meetings shall be limited to the agenda topic(s) for such meeting. The appropriateness of the subject being presented (i.e., the relationship of the topics(s) to matters within the jurisdiction of the Board at regular meetings or to matters on the agenda at special meetings), the suitability of the time for such presentation, the number of speakers, and the time to be allowed for public comment will be determined by the Chairperson. However, the Board as a whole shall have the final authority to make such rulings. The public is advised that any discussion of specific employees will not be allowed at meetings and should be addressed to the employee’s immediate supervisor or the Superintendent. To preserve order and facilitate the conducting of Board business, the Board may remove from its meetings persons who are willfully interrupting the meeting. This authority includes the ability to clear the room and continue in session. An accredited member of the press must be permitted to remain in the cleared room unless such member was part of the disruption. The Board in its discretion may establish a procedure for readmitting to a cleared room an individual(s) not willfully disturbing the meeting. 

Persons wishing to address the Board via letter or written or electronic communication may do so. Copies of such correspondence will be forwarded to Board members and the original will become part of the meeting record. Letters generally will not be read at Board meetings. 

The Board shall give due attention to all comments and contributions from the public, but shall not be expected to respond immediately. When appropriate, inquiries requiring detailed responses shall be referred to the Superintendent who shall respond within a reasonable period of time. 

Legal References: 

Connecticut General Statutes 1-225 Meetings of government agencies to be public. Recording of votes. Schedule an agenda of certain meetings to be filed and posted on website. Notice of special meetings. Executive sessions 1-232 Conduct of Meetings 19a-342 Smoking Prohibited. Exceptions. Signs Required. Penalties 

Policy adopted: August 1980 

Revised: November 1990, March 2000, July 2002, June 2019