Minnesota school board forces parents to dox themselves before they can speak, bans criticism of specific board members (state, Tennessee)
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The school board in Mankato, Minnesota, announced strict new rules that effectively prevent parents from criticizing board members.
The new restrictions were announced at a meeting held Oct. 18. “Effective tonight, open forum participants are prohibited from calling out or addressing any individual school board or school district staff member. If this occurs, open forum will be closed,” said School Board Chair Jodi Sapp. “Beginning at the Nov. 1 school board meeting, open forum will be limited to those individuals who wish to speak to an item on the board agenda.”
The effect of these two rules is that parents are not able to discuss anything but topics approved by the board in its agenda and all board members and schools administrators are protected from direct criticism.
During that same meeting, Sapp upheld another rule that forces commenters to state where they live. This rule was apparently not enforced or did not exist before this month. The Sept. 20 meeting featured no requirement that parents dox themselves in order to make a statement. https://tennesseestar.com/2021/10/27...board-members/
I get not doxxing board members because it's supposed to be about policy not a person but it works both ways. The parents should not have to reveal that information either.
Honestly if they can’t take the heat and defend their policies, then they don’t need to be on the school board. I can understand putting out rules to be civil, but it’s not disrespectful to criticize or questions why they do or not do what’s best for all students.
it appears he provided his address ("you have that"), and if so this is insane. I think it's perfectly reasonable to require a speaker to be a resident of the relevant municipal, or be accompanied by same for their speaking time (ie, if I chose to bring an "expert" to comment, they could be from elsewhere, but it had to go under my time).
I thought these were meetings and not court proceedings.
Never mind they've always wanted to enforce policy like a judge without debate
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