Waiting Until 10:00 Totally Unacceptable! By Marti O'Meara

Recently the president of the Newport Mesa School Board enforced a new policy allowing the community to speak on non-agenda items only at the end of school board meetings. At the last board meeting, I waited four hours to speak for three minutes regarding changing this policy.

Before this new policy, oral comments from the public for non-agenda items had been in place at the beginning of NM board meetings for over 25 years. Twice I have requested that the new policy be discussed and reversed. My request was denied by Dr. Navarro and President Metoyer. However Metoyer fought the Orange County Board of Education’s system of speaking at the end of their meetings.

President Metoyer’s reason for putting the community’s comments at the end of the meeting was that the board needs to focus on the agenda items during the meeting. However she has continued to allow the PTA and five high school representatives to speak on any item they choose at the beginning of meetings.

The school districts of Tustin, Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach, Placentia-Yorba Linda, Santa Ana, Ocean view, Irvine School districts, and the city councils of Newport Beach and costa Mesa all have communication at the beginning of the meeting.

You cannot expect young families to spend $50-60 on babysitting and wait three to four hours to speak.

Since the new policy took effect, there have been 2/3 fewer speakers probably due to the long wait.

Waiting to speak is very nerve racking for most and particularly stressful for second language speakers.

Teachers who wish to speak often have school issues to complete in the evening and cannot wait until ten o’clock to speak.

Because of the late hour at the end of meetings (often 9-10 and later), students are discouraged from speaking and the board needs to hear students.

Newport Mesa School Board bylaws state:

People are our most important resource and should be treated with respect and dignity.

Trustees, follow your own bylaws. Return public comments to the beginning of the board agenda so you can listen to and better partner with the families you represent.

Martie OMeara

Retired teacher

Costa Mesa