It was a long tough day today at work. I finished up, punched the clock, and took the drive home. My wife and kids, were happily there to meet me as I arrived. As soon as I walked in the door I could smell something delicious emanating from the kitchen. My stomach instantly began to growl. “Honey? Something smells delicious. What are we having for supper?”
Pork. With a large side of condescension. Look right down your nose at it doesn’t it look delicious? Shovel it in and eat it up, my love. The Keene school board is trying to spoonfeed us the same meal of condescension. Open up wide and take a big bite…
Taken from the school district’s website.
1. The primary purpose of a Board Meeting is to conduct the business of the District. It is not a Public Hearing or Town Meeting.
2. Each speaker will be given 3 minutes to speak.
3. Each speaker may only speak once during each meeting.
4. All speakers are to conduct themselves in a civil manner. Speakers may not use threats of physical violence, may not speak or conduct themselves in a way that incites violence or is disruptive, may not be vulgar or obscene, and need to speak to business related to the School Board and operations of the District. The School Board will not permit repetitive, harassing, or frivolous speech or comments that are off topic, antagonistic, obscene, or libelous as such statements will be considered out of order and will not be tolerated. The Board Chair may terminate the speaker’s privilege of address if the speaker does not follow this rule of order. Repeated refusals to comply will result in removal from the meeting.
6. Public Comment is not a question and answer period. In general, the Board will not answer questions asked or respond to comments made by members of the public. 7. Per NH RSA 91- A:2 – No person shall address a Board meeting without recognition of the Chair and all persons in the audience shall be silent unless addressed directly or called upon to address the Board. This includes applause or other reactions to public comments made by others. If after a warning from the Chair, said person persists in disorderly behavior, the Chair may order the person to withdraw from the meeting, and, if the person does not withdraw, they may be removed.
[Editors note: there is no #5 on the district’s Public Comment Conduct PDF (local copy) and points 6 and 7 are published here as they appear in the original.]
Don’t you say a word don’t you even breathe too loud. Stay completely silent. And when someone makes a great point don’t you dare clap or you will be removed! Can these people not take constructive criticism? Does it make them feel uncomfortable when someone makes a great point and parents cheer because they want the board to know the room agrees? Childish at best.
If this meal gives you heartburn right away you are not alone. Sounds just like a school district not at all willing to work with parents hand-in-hand as it should be. After all, School board officials are elected and they have no power except it be granted to them by us. The parents. The public. The people.
I wonder if this was written up because they suspect that the greater public may not be on board with the school district’s policies. Masking policies. Covid policies. Discipline policies.
Does anyone know if they teach CRT?
I wonder if they see the tea leaves and know that parents are coming for their jobs. They should be afraid because we ARE coming!
The filing period to run for school board is January 10- 28th There are a few candidates ready to go. More are likely to follow in the next few days. But more importantly, there are motivated citizens ready to back them up and support them with whatever they need.
As for me I’m not gonna allow myself to be spoonfed the garbage they try to feed us anymore. I’m spitting that crap right out.
