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Board, fed up with rudeness, sets rules
By BARBARA BEHRENDT © St. Petersburg Times, published April 26, 2001 INVERNESS -- People addressing the School Board in the future had better watch their mouth, and their message. The board settled on a new set of rules Tuesday on how people can comment. One change is that anyone insulting a board member or the audience or using profanity faces being removed from the meeting room. The rules have been debated at several recent board meetings with the issue coming to a head last month when community activist Charles Schrader challenged board Chairwoman Patience Nave for regularly changing the rules for public comment. He had asked for time on the board's agenda beyond the standard three minutes the public is granted at various times during the meeting. In the past, such requests for additional time, if given in advance, were routinely granted. Since the divisive issue of School Board prayer surfaced late last year and debates at the board meetings have become heated, Nave has not always followed that procedure. Schrader, a pagan who has interrupted the board's Christian opening prayer several times, has challenged Nave on several occasions. Once he spoke to her about how she was trying to gain favor with her fellow Christians by setting up a massive public meeting. But his language was crude, according to several board members at the time. On Tuesday, board member Pat Deutschman said the group has been more lenient than it needs to be in allowing people to say what they want. She suggested language to tell people they could not be insulting or profane and to warn them that they could be asked to sit down or leave the meeting room if they violate those standards. "There's a line folks that you do not want to cross," said School Board attorney Richard "Spike" Fitzpatrick. Board member Carol Snyder said she wanted to be sure that the warning wouldn't stop people from saying they disagreed with the board or disagreed with ideas being presented. She said she didn't even mind being called stupid. "I'm not insulted. It's their opinion," Snyder said. Nave said the new provision would target insulting language. She noted that the board had heard enough of that lately and it was time to end such comments. "The kind of language we've been submitted to has been inappropriate," she said. Deutschman noted that the policy would not just protect the board from insults, since as public officials they should have thick skins. It should also protect the board audiences, which frequently include children, from listening to inappropriate comments. The board approved a policy which will allow the public to speak about items on the agenda near the start of the 4 p.m. regular meeting and on any topic at 5:30 p.m. and also at the end of the meeting. Comments in each case would be limited to three minutes and those seeking more time could seek permission in advance. That permission would be left to the discretion of the chairman. The board began its meeting Tuesday with a prayer lead by Nave. She prayed "in Jesus' name" seeking guidance and the opportunity to serve students.
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