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Illinois School Board Journal - ARCHIVES
March-April, 2006

Use different tactics for different groups

The answer to this issue's question is an excerpt from IASB's newly published meetings book, Coming to Order - A Guide to Successful School Board Meetings.

Question: We struggle at times knowing how to handle groups that come to our meeting wanting to address the board with complaints or special requests. Do you have any advice?

Answer: School boards occasionally find themselves facing a sensitive issue or confronted by some form of pressure group. The key to surviving such situations is preparedness.

First, be sure members of the board understand the situation. That is, different tactics may be appropriate for different situations:

• a few parents want to complain about bus routes that the administration has declined to change;
• a large group of angry parents wants to challenge the elimination of a program for gifted students;
• a local chapter of a national pressure group expects to use board meetings as a platform to air its views.

If the board handles the situation correctly, most people who attend the meeting will believe the district is in strong and caring hands of a competent school board. They might not like your decision, but they will leave the meeting with the comfortable belief that there are policies and procedures to allow for public input in an orderly manner.

Although different types of situations probably can be handled best by different procedures, here are some tips that might help in any situation:

1) Be sure all board members and the superintendent know in advance of a situation arising at a meeting.

2) Find out which item on the agenda the visitors would like to address. If everyone wants to speak about one item, the board by appropriate motion might move that item up on the agenda as a courtesy to all attending.

3) Every board should have a policy on how it will hear public comments, particularly at a meeting where numerous people wish to speak. Such policy might require those who would like to address the board to sign in, giving name, address, telephone number and other relevant information. Board rules might include:

a. Set a time limit for each person to speak. Assign someone on the board to keep track of the time and signal when time is up.

b. Ask the people addressing the board not to repeat the substance of what someone before them has said.

c. Make it clear that the purpose is for the board to receive input, not to engage in debate. There just isn't time to answer questions that require detailed explanations.

d. Reaffirm the board's official position on the matter, if you already have one. This will help clarify people's expectations of your position. Designate someone as the spokesman when some comment or clarification is appropriate.

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