Document type | other |
---|---|
Date | 2018-08-01 |
Source URL | https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/msdwa/Board.nsf/files/D5SQHU69488C/$file/WSSDA%204500.pdf |
Entity | meridian_school_district (Whatcom Co., WA) |
Entity URL | https://www.meridian.wednet.edu |
Raw filename | WSSDA%204500.pdf |
Stored filename | 2018-08-01-wssda-other.txt |
Parent document: Regular Meeting and Budget Presentation-06-12-2024.pdf
finesse. Policy may prohibit “fighting words” any time during a board meeting. Fighting words are words that include a call to violence. Additionally, if the board reasonably perceives that speech will disrupt the orderly and fair progress of the discussion or if speech reaches the level of obscenity, board policy can prohibit it. However, it is not yet clear whether policy may forbid simple profanity during the public comment period of board meetings in the interest of preserving meeting decorum. Remember, the board has much more authority to adopt policies that place restrictions on public speech during the agenda portion of the meeting. During the agenda portion of the meeting, the board is justified in limiting its meeting to discussion of specified agenda items and imposing reasonable restrictions to preserve the civil- ity and decorum necessary for a school board to conduct its business. The OPMA provides authority for boards to limit the time of speakers to a uniform amount (such as three minutes), but what time restrictions pass the constitutional tests? Finally, some good news for boards: the courts have widely viewed time limits on speech to be constitutional restrictions on the time, place, and manner of speech. Courts have upheld time limits as short as two minutes, noting that time limits allow boards to conserve time and give the maximum number of individuals an opportunity to speak. « ... if the board reasonably perceives that speech will disrupt the orderly and fair progress of the discussion or if speech reaches the level of obscenity, board policy can prohibit it.” Importantly, the right to petition government does not create in the government a corresponding duty to act. Nothing in the First Amendment suggests that the rights to speak, associate, and petition require government policymakers to listen or respond to individuals’ communication on public issues. Instead, boards will do well to provide permissive public comment within the time limits without comment. Ifa speaker's comments become questionable, the chair should briefly interrupt the speaker with a reminder or request for decorum, while reserving the act of terminating a speaker's remarks to only those narrow reasons discussed above. WSSDA has revised Model Policy and Procedure 1400 - Meeting Conduct, Order of Business, and Model Policyand | Quorum with the overall goal of providing Procedure districts with more clarity about the opera- Mecing oomuct tion of their board meetings and including Order or Business , more language addressing constitutional and Quorum considerations. AUGUST 2018 the buzz ABOUT DRONES AND SCHOOLS Model Policy 4500 Unmanned Aircraft System and Model Aircraft After receiving several requests, WSSDA has developed a new policy for drones. Drones are small robotic aircraft that individuals fly via remote control. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which governs the use of drones, also uses the term unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Initially used by the military, drones have captured the world’s attention, be it in education, for entertainment, or for commercial use. Across the state and the nation, personal drones have become increasingly popular and students and educators are eager to get drones into extracurricular activities and into the classroom. According to enthusiasts, drones make new technology accessible, encouraging students to study subjects they might otherwise not consider. Academic uses of drones include programming, software coding, and 3-D printing. According to a recent New York Times article, not only are colleges offering drone classes, several colleges are also offering degrees in drones. Whether or not your district is incorporating drones into the classroom, for policy purposes, boards need a policy governing unauthorized use of drones on district property or at district events, such as athletic competitions. WSSDA's new Model Policy 4500 - Unmanned Aircraft System and Model Aircraft provides a clear statement, prohibiting unauthorized use of drones and reserving all the district’s rights to remove or refuse entry to anyone engaged in unauthorized drone use. The model policy also includes the necessary definitions, sets out the approval process, and reflects the laws set forth by the FAA. ‘For other examples see Wolpert-Gawron, Heather, “Drones Can Be Fun—and Educational.” Edutopia, https://www.edutopia.org/blog/7-ways-use-drones -classroom-heather-wolpert-gawron 2https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/05/education/learning/schools-drone- programs.html POLICY AND LEGAL NEWS = WSSDA_ 15