Controversial BoE Comment Policy Approved In WeHa, Divisions Remain

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A controvoversial policy change regarding public comments at West Hartford Board of Education meetings was approved last week, but not without some calling it "confusing" and "convoluted."

In a 5-2 vote along party lines, school board Democrats approved a new policy on what can be discussed during the school board's two monthly meetings.

The two dissenting GOP members on the school board — Gayle Harris and Ethan Goldman, however, had strong words against the new policy, claiming it is so new, it required further review and another reading.

According to what was approved June 6, public comment on non-agenda items "shall only be permitted at the first regular meeting of the month."

The school board meets twice a month on the first and third Tuesdays, with each meeting having two separate comment periods for folks to speak before the board.

One period is at the beginning of the meeting and the other is at the end of the meeting.

According to the approved policy decided June 6, public comment on non-agenda items is permitted at the first regular meeting of the month during both periods.

Prior policy included no such limits, with non-agenda comments allowed at both meetings.

School board members May 16 conducted a first reading of the policy, with a decision on the policy change coming June 6.

Supporters admitted the policy did differ in language from the first reading, but said the language changes did not change the overall intent of the public comments to justify a new policy reading.

West Hartford Board of Education Chairperson Lorna Thomas-Farquarson, a Democrat, said school officials had received legal assurances that what was voted on last week was allowed and not against procedure.

Going into the May 16 meeting, Republicans in West Hartford claimed the policy change was an attempt by school board Democrats to limit public comments so as to avoid possible criticism.

School board GOP opposition last week, however, was tied to allegations Democrats were trying to ramrod a new, revised policy from the first reading without proper review.

Republicans also said the new policy drafted for the second reading was different from the first reading and confusion over just what it meant during the June 6 school board meeting was proof it needed more review.

"We are trying to pass a policy here that not a single person has written an email in support of, not a single person has spoken in support of," said Harris.

"We have, now, this convoluted situation where it is not clear what this policy is saying. For some reason, I get the feeling that you want to force this thing through without doing due dilegence."

Harris' GOP colleague on the school board agreed, saying repeatedly during deliberations this second policy reading was far different from the first in language and, at worst, confusing.

"I just think it's very confusing," Goldman said.

Later in the meeting, just prior to the vote, Goldman offered a harsher assessment.

"I think we are in a contradiction when we say the board welcomes public comment. I don't think we do. Just my opinion," he said.

Harris said she was concerned the confusion about the procedure to approve the policy could lead to litigation on the matter, which can be costly to the school board.

She even motioned to table the item altogether for further policy subcommittee review, a motion, voted on just after the policy change was approved. As expected, the moot motion failed along party lines.

"We can agree to disagree about the policy, but we can, at least, be clear on what the language is. I really think the back and forth here is making it very clear that the language is very confusing," Harris said.

Democrats on the board defended the policy, saying the intent of what was approved as part of the first reading had not changed, just some of the language, which they said made it, even, clearer.

"Some language will change, but the intent has not changed based on what was passed at the last meeting," said school board secretary Jason O. Chang, a Demcocrat who also is on the policy subcommittee with Harris and Thomas-Farquarson. "So you may not agree with the policy, but we have followed procedure."

Harris disagreed in her motion to table, saying "this is poorly worded, it is poorly understood and poorly written."

For the full text of the revised policy, click on this link.

From May 30: 'Dems, GOP At Odds Over West Hartford School Board Public Participation'