School Board Members Meet but Deny Public Participation
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, January 21, 2015: A Reynoldsburg parent and the president of Raider Strong was turned away Tuesday, Jan. 20, when she arrived at the regular monthly board meeting asking to speak.
In the past, anyone wishing to address school board members during the group’s Public Participation portion of the monthly agenda, could either contact one of the board members in order to express interest in speaking, or fill out a comment card just prior to the meeting.
But at the Jan. 20th regular monthly meeting, Margaret Mary Luzny was told the option to fill out a comment card prior to the meeting was no longer available.
According to the board policy, adopted in March of 2012, “It is suggested, although not required, that persons or delegates desiring to be heard before the Board regarding topics not on the prepared agenda notify the Superintendent and/or Board President of the topic no later than seven calendar days in advance of the meeting.” In the past, forms were available at the meeting for parents or participants wishing to address the board.
A formal change in policy has not been adopted since 2012. The public was not informed of the abrupt change in procedure which appears to be a violation of policy.
“It was my intent to address the district’s Open Enrollment Policy which was up for discussion last night,” said Luzny. “My notes indicated as much. But I was denied a voice. This has never been done in the past. The only time community members were denied a voice was during a recent month when the number of participants were clearly going to overextend the comment time allowed by the board.” [“At every regular Board meeting, the agenda may include a total of 30 minutes for public concerns where individuals may address Board members.”-- BDDH (Also KD)]
Luzny feels this is a very conscious move by the board’s new president, Elaine Tornero, to control who speaks during the monthly meetings. What was common practice in the past was blatantly thrown aside, she said, with Tornero’s new role.
Raider Strong is a non-profit Political Action Group that was created to support excellence and high quality education in the Reynoldsburg City School District. Our vision is to foster an open relationship between the community, teachers, the administration, and the Board of Education in Reynoldsburg in support of our mission in the hopes of creating a high quality educational system in which all children achieve their educational goals.
Raider Strong meets on the last Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., at Messiah Lutheran Church in Reynoldsburg.
For more information, contact Debbie Dunlap, Communications Chair, at (614) 581-2870, or Luzny at (614) 5703173.
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, January 21, 2015: A Reynoldsburg parent and the president of Raider Strong was turned away Tuesday, Jan. 20, when she arrived at the regular monthly board meeting asking to speak.
In the past, anyone wishing to address school board members during the group’s Public Participation portion of the monthly agenda, could either contact one of the board members in order to express interest in speaking, or fill out a comment card just prior to the meeting.
But at the Jan. 20th regular monthly meeting, Margaret Mary Luzny was told the option to fill out a comment card prior to the meeting was no longer available.
According to the board policy, adopted in March of 2012, “It is suggested, although not required, that persons or delegates desiring to be heard before the Board regarding topics not on the prepared agenda notify the Superintendent and/or Board President of the topic no later than seven calendar days in advance of the meeting.” In the past, forms were available at the meeting for parents or participants wishing to address the board.
A formal change in policy has not been adopted since 2012. The public was not informed of the abrupt change in procedure which appears to be a violation of policy.
“It was my intent to address the district’s Open Enrollment Policy which was up for discussion last night,” said Luzny. “My notes indicated as much. But I was denied a voice. This has never been done in the past. The only time community members were denied a voice was during a recent month when the number of participants were clearly going to overextend the comment time allowed by the board.” [“At every regular Board meeting, the agenda may include a total of 30 minutes for public concerns where individuals may address Board members.”-- BDDH (Also KD)]
Luzny feels this is a very conscious move by the board’s new president, Elaine Tornero, to control who speaks during the monthly meetings. What was common practice in the past was blatantly thrown aside, she said, with Tornero’s new role.
Raider Strong is a non-profit Political Action Group that was created to support excellence and high quality education in the Reynoldsburg City School District. Our vision is to foster an open relationship between the community, teachers, the administration, and the Board of Education in Reynoldsburg in support of our mission in the hopes of creating a high quality educational system in which all children achieve their educational goals.
Raider Strong meets on the last Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., at Messiah Lutheran Church in Reynoldsburg.
For more information, contact Debbie Dunlap, Communications Chair, at (614) 581-2870, or Luzny at (614) 5703173.