Parental Involvement My Butt

Folks,
I had high hopes for this new board, but after last night they have proven they are the same old board. Mr. Rowland you are not keeping your campaign promises of open meeting. Not allowing the public to speak freely in an open session is NOT an open meeting. I thought you were all about open meetings? The new if you have nothing nice to say statement proves my point that you illegally use executive session. Here is the new blurb:

a. Public Participation
The Board of Education has established a practice that permits citizens to address the board on a variety of topics of general concern to the operation of our schools. We welcome visitors to board meetings and are interested in hearing from the taxpayers and patrons of our school system. We have a few simple rules for public comment; each person wishing to address the board must sign this roster; each person is limited to five (5) minutes; we request that a citizen refrain from attacking personally any employee of the school system; any citizen who has a specific complaint involving an employee must first address the issue with the superintendent and, if not resolved; then may speak with the board. However, certain matters involving personnel and students must be heard in closed session; the superintendent will inform you whether your complaint is one that should be referred to an executive session with the board. By signing the roster, participants are agreeing to abide by these rules.

You can not take people back into executive session to hear evidence against a school employee. That must be done in public. YOU WILL BE SUED OF THIS. You must first hear what the person has to say in public then you can go into executive session. I do agree that people should not attack anyone personally, but a complaint against an employees job performance is not attacking them personally.