BOE Agenda, Minimizes Parent/Taxpayer Input

Stefanie N has left a new comment on your post "Question....":

Passing the buck is appropriate when a manager gives your concerns to a lower level manager and it gets handled. Whether corrective action on a building or central administration level comes of every parental concern is another story. That can require perseverance (you can't just talk about something at one BOE meeting and expect it to get fixed) and follow up. It can take months.

What I've found very noticeable is a new phenomenon - the way BOE meetings have become marathon sessions. Lately it seems more difficult to stay awake while the real issues are on the table.

Last week's vote to take out 2 library clericals from the budget happened hours into a meeting that included a lengthy slide show presentation about repairs needed for the broken HS swimming pool. (Too bad this much detail and attention isn't given to broken curriculum like elementary ELA!) By time budget cut items were voted on, much of the audience had left to go home.

Another BOE meeting, attended by many parents and teachers specifically to hear the final results of the contract negotiations, included an unusual 15 minute intermission at 10:30 PM, prior to that information being shared publicly. That meeting included lengthy discussions of conferences attended by BOE members. While very interesting and informative, this recent approach to go into great detail about previously glossed over BOE doings seemed a bit odd. Was it a carefully orchestrated ploy to lengthen BOE meetings in hopes that audience members will leave before the meat and potatoes are served? Any as many do - through no fault of their own - we all have commitments and it's hard to give up an hour or two on a Monday evening - let alone 3 hours.

I wonder why an employer would keep their employees waiting around when they know many of them start work early in the morning? Or parents for that matter - Mondays are school nights.

The BOE sets the agenda. They can decide what to talk about first or last. It seems that high interest or potentially controversial items are ending up later and later in the evening and although it's perfectly legal, its an unfortunate approach to an open government procedure.