Pinellas County Schools, Florida

The School Board recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest.

The presiding officer of each Board meeting before which public comment is permitted shall administer the rules of the Board for its conduct.

Members of the audience are invited to speak before the Board in accordance with this policy.

A. Public Comment

1. Following adjournment of regular meetings only, the Board will hear comment from members of the District community on matters not covered by items on the agenda (excluding employee discipline), but which pertain to the general business or operations of the Board or District. Speakers under this paragraph will be allotted three (3) minutes to make their comments unless granted a longer time by the Chairperson. Speakers may sign up to speak at any time during the regular meeting or until the last registered speaker has finished, whichever is later. No speaker may yield his or her time to any other person.

2. Any member of the District community may request to speak by completing and submitting the Speaker's Request Form indicating the name of the person to speak and the subject matter to be addressed. Speakers will be called in the order in which they submit their Speaker’s Request Form.

3. The Board will not act on any matter raised by a speaker prior to the next regular meeting. If a majority of the Board desires to further consider a matter raised by a speaker, they will request the Superintendent to bring a recommendation at a future workshop or meeting. It is generally the Board's practice not to respond to the issues brought forward by speakers except to correct inaccuracies.

4. To avoid repetition, speakers supporting the same issue are encouraged to designate a spokesperson and have the spokesperson request the members of the audience supporting the position to stand during the spokesperson’s comments.

B. Numbered Agenda Items

1. In addition, during regular meetings and special meetings, members of the audience shall be permitted to speak to any one or more action items, including consent or non consent agenda items, prior to Board discussion except items pertaining to employee and student discipline and any other matter listed in s. 286.0114(3), F.S. Each speaker addressing an item must submit the appropriate Speaker's Request Form and, regardless of the number of items, shall be allotted one (1) three (3) minute period to speak unless granted a longer time by the Chairperson. The Chairperson's decision may be overruled by a majority vote of the Board.

2. Early in the meeting, the Chairperson (or designee) shall announce that members of the audience wishing to speak to one or more action items may do so by submitting an appropriate Speaker’s Request Form to the Superintendent’s designee. The form shall indicate the action item number, the subject, the name of the person, and the party or parties represented by the person. All forms shall be submitted to the Superintendent’s designee prior to the conclusion of the last registered speaker.

3. Each person submitting the signed Speaker’s Request Form may address the Board, but no such person may yield his/her time to any other person. Each speaker shall be recognized to speak to any one or more action items and will be called to speak in the order that the request form is received by the Superintendent’s designee or as announced by the Chairperson (or designee).

4. If a speaker wants to supplement his or her three (3) minute presentation, the speaker should provide the Board office written materials prior to the meeting. Board members will make every effort to review these materials. Board members may not be able to review materials received less than two (2) business days prior to the Board meeting.

C. Public Hearings

In addition to other opportunities for public comment, members of the public will be given the opportunity to address the Board at public hearings before the Board, excluding those involving employee or student discipline. Each speaker will be given three (3) minutes to speak unless granted a longer time by the Chairperson. The Chairperson's decision may be overruled by a majority vote of the Board. The same procedures and restrictions that apply to public comment at regular and special meetings shall apply to public comment at public hearings, including signing up to speak and yielding of time to others.

D. Recordings are permitted under the following conditions:

1. No obstructions are created between the Board and the audience.

2. No interviews are conducted in the meeting room while the Board is in session.

3. No commentary, adjustment of equipment, or positioning of operators is made that would distract either the Board or members of the audience while the Board is in session.

E. Regulation of Disruptive Speech:

The Board recognizes that Board meetings are a limited open forum for First Amendment purposes, and the public's exercise of their First Amendment right of free speech in that context will be recognized and protected, subject to reasonable restrictions as to time, place, and manner. Applause shall be permitted only when awards are granted.

The Chairperson may:

1. Interrupt or terminate a speaker when his/her statement is not relevant, exceeds the time allotted, or is abusive, threatening, defamatory, obscene, profane, loud, interruptive, or otherwise of a disruptive or disorderly nature;

2. Order the removal, from a public meeting held by the Board, of any person interfering with the expeditious or orderly process of the meeting, provided the Chairperson has first issued a warning that continued interference with the orderly processes of the meeting will result in removal.

Nothing herein is intended, nor shall anything be construed, to limit or restrain negative, positive, or neutral comments about the manner in which Board employees, agents, the Superintendent, and Board members carry out their duties in public employment or office.^[5]