Any member of the general public or group may appear in person at any regular meeting of the School Board. The School Board is very interested in citizen viewpoints and problems. The School Board strongly encourages citizens to work through problems at the building and/or administrative level before coming to the School Board.
This is a period in which citizens are to speak to the issues pertaining to public education in Montgomery County. Individual questions directed to the School Board shall not be answered at that time, but will be responded to by an appropriate person. It is recommended that persons seeking responses to a specific question provide the question in writing to the School Board.
A person who wishes to address the School Board should make his/her request prior to the beginning of the School Board meeting by contacting the clerk of the School Board for placement on the meeting agenda. Names will be taken on a first come, first served basis. All calls will be logged according to date and time of call. Members of the community are not permitted to “sign-up” for anyone else.
Upon recognition by the Chair, the speaker should clearly state his/her name, address and the subject of his/her remarks. He/she shall address remarks to the Chair. Comments about personalities will be ruled out of order as will the use of intemperate, abusive, and defamatory language.
A period of thirty (30) minutes shall be allowed at the beginning of each regular meeting for the public to address the School Board. The School Board requests that remarks be limited to three minutes and to one appearance, thus allowing a maximum number of participants in the allocated time.
Complaints Regarding Students or Employees
of the Board
The School Board shall not honor any request of the individuals or groups who desire to discuss or present complaints against students or School Board employees, either singularly or collectively, until or unless such complainants have gone through the proper channels and the division superintendent has received the complaint in writing.
The Chair shall rule such speaker to be out of order until he/she has complied with the guidelines established in the preceding paragraph.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Code
of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-78, 22.1-79, 22.1-253.13:7
(D)(4)B.4.