At the Sept. 19 school board meeting, new open forum procedures were presented. I commend the board for taking the time to develop procedures. I believe procedures ensure that everyone is treated the same. I’m also a rule follower by nature, so I like to know the rules.

Unfortunately, one of the new procedures limits speakers to topics on the agenda of the current night’s meeting. The new procedures were voted down, but will be voted on again. I urge the board members to change the language to allow speakers to talk about any topic pertaining to the school district during open forum.

I feel that limiting topics to the current agenda does not meet the needs of the community, and frankly it is unfair. I understand that there are other ways to communicate with board members. I have contacted board members via e-mail and have gotten my questions and concerns addressed. However, there are times when a community member feels the need to publicly address the members of the board as a whole. It takes courage to publicly speak before the board. If a community member wants to summon that courage, it should be honored.

During open forum at the Sept. 19 meeting, representatives from Freeborn County Public Health recognized Albert Lea High School as a breastfeeding-friendly worksite. If the proposed public forum procedures had been in effect, they wouldn’t have been allowed to speak because breastfeeding was not on the agenda. I think sharing the positives should be encouraged, not discouraged.

Open forum is at the beginning of the meeting. Since the community does not receive a board packet and the agenda is broad, the public may not know they have a concern until partway through the board meeting. If the item is not on the agenda of another meeting, the community will never be allowed to publicly address the board as a whole regarding that topic. Let me use the example of the open forum procedures. On the agenda, open forum procedures was listed as an action item. I had no idea at the start of the meeting what the procedures entailed or the discussion the board members would have. I could not have spoken about my concerns about the procedures during the open forum because I did not know I even had concerns at the time. Luckily for me, the policy is not in effect, and I will be allowed to speak about my concerns at the next regular board meeting regardless of what is on the agenda.

I believe that every voice matters, and the district needs to improve its relationship and trust with the community. Limiting the community’s voice is moving in the opposite direction.

Angie Hanson

Albert Lea