Editorial: Some adult behavior at Board of Ed meetings wouldn't be tolerated in schools
Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022 -- Threats and intimidation won't end the pandemic any quicker, make schools safer or learning any more effective. This isn't about anyone's right to be heard. There's lots of noise - unfortunately much of it petty bickering, intimidation and threats. Whether from politicians or parents, it needs to stop.
Posted — UpdatedThe passionate concern and participation of citizens in their government is fundamental in our democracy. It must be welcomed and embraced.
Berating, belittling, cursing and threatening. Seeing and hearing it from audiences has become all-too-common at local government meetings – particularly at local school boards.
It is the kind of behavior we’re sure -- if any of those speakers saw it on a visit to a public school among students or teachers – would ignite justifiable shock and concern for decorum and safety.
Open and transparent government – especially critical on the most local levels – is essential. Even amid a public health crisis, it must be maintained or even expanded. While pandemic-related health and safety concerns may necessitate reasonable limits on public meeting room attendance capacity it should not be an excuse or a pretext to curtail citizens’ access or participation in the public’s business.
Looking in on a variety of local public meetings lately, particularly local boards of education, the people who serve on these boards are listening respectfully and are exercising considerable patience as parades of citizens express themselves.
There’s been plenty of disagreement – some justified and some not –over the policies and procedures being followed to deal with the pandemic as well as other matters. The tone and actions of critics on display in Wake County and around the state do little promote constructive dialogue. To the contrary, they are having the undesired result of damaging the sincerity and credibility of the critics.
Whether expressing opinions on policies concerning health and controlling the spread of disease, the content of books in school libraries or how our nation’s history is taught – many who speak at public meetings are belligerent and threatening toward the elected to local board and commission members as well as to the professional administrators and even classroom teachers.
There’s certainly no abridgement of free speech on display. Does this behavior get anyone to listen?
Wake County is not alone. In Iredell County, a glass door was shattered by those seeking entry into a local school board meeting room already filled to the permissible capacity. In Buncombe County, the school board has been forced to recess a meeting because of audience disruptions. In Johnston County, where those attending school board meetings have been scanned to detect weapons, some board members received threats after a vote to mandate students and staff wear protective masks.
Threats and intimidation won’t end the pandemic any quicker, make schools safer or learning any more effective.
This isn’t about anyone’s right to be heard. There’s lots of noise – unfortunately much of it petty bickering, intimidation and threats. Whether from politicians or parents, it needs to stop.
There’s plenty of room for differences of opinion – but there must be unity of purpose. What students, teachers and school administrators MUST GET now is agreement to assure there are the resources, staffing and funding so every student is safe and has access to a quality education.
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