Sarasota School Board Looking to Restrict Public Comments at Meetings

Sarasota School Board Looking to Restrict Public Comments at Meetings

If you want to share your opinions with the Sarasota County School Board, you may have less of an opportunity to do so, in future meetings.

A new policy looking to restrict speech at school board meetings, was approved to be put on the agenda with a 3-2 vote.

Board members Shirley Brown, Tom Edwards and Jane Goodwin voting in support

Board members Karen Rose and Bridget Ziegler opposed.

So, What happens next?

The new policy, needs to be being advertised for 30 days, before the board will take a final vote on it.

If approved, these changes would make significant changes to how people can address the Sarasota County School Board, with public comments in terms of their questions and concerns.

Under the proposed new policy:

·The amount of time each person gets to speak is shortened from three to two minutes.

·Public comment regarding items on the agenda will be limited to one hour. If people want to speak about general items, they must wait until the end of the meeting, when there will be a second public comment period.

·he board chair can interrupt a speaker if their comments are “personally directed, abusive, threatening, defamatory, obscene, or irrelevant.”

·The new policy states that the board chair can “Request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person,” which is an authority granted to the board chairperson by state law.

If you would like to reach out to any member of the Sarasota County School Board, here is that contact info: https://www.sarasotacountyschools.net/Page/2474

And...

if you would like to run for public office and become a member of the Sarasota County School Board.. here is that info: https://www.sarasotavotes.gov/Election-Information/Offices-up-for-Election

Sarasota County School Board, Districts 1, 4, and 5... are up for Election in November 2022.