Should You Attend School Board or Read Draft Minutes?

My local school district, the West Hempstead Union Free School District, recently decided to post “DRAFT” Board of Education meeting minutes a few days after the meetings are held. I think this is a really great idea…but I think it may have an unforeseen consequence. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each option.

Attend the Board meetings: If you are one of the six to eight residents who attend the Board meetings regularly, you know it is somewhat of a mini-social event. (No joke here folks…I’m sorry to say that so few West Hempstead residents actually show up, the residents are regularly outnumbered by the non-residents.) The school principals are all there, some current or retired teachers, along with the occasional award recipient, retiring or new employee, student reps, the Patch and other local media. More people come out during budget workshop meetings, but in general, I think my number of six to eight residents holds true.

Some of us attendees see district staff and people we don’t normally see every day and we can briefly talk to each other prior to the meeting. In addition, attendees can look through the “book in the back” to get specific details of the evening’s dockets to be discussed. By attending, you can also speak during the “allowable periods” and comment, agree or disagree, on issues and the Board. The only “not so good thing” with attending that I could think of was sitting there for the nearly two to three hours that each meeting usually goes for.

Reading the DRAFT minutes: Compared to attending the meeting, you do have to wait one to three days after a board meeting to read about what occurred, but I can now read the draft minutes from the comfort of my house. The minutes are detailed, to the point, and take less than 10 minutes to read if there are no presentations or other documents attached. By not attending, one would certainly miss out on the interaction with the principals, teachers and friends, and you would not be able to comment on issues that interest you.

So…which option to take? Like I said, putting draft minutes up on the district Web site is a great idea but some residents may now decide not to attend the meetings anymore. For me, I think I will take a middle of the road approach. I will attend the board meetings when I can, BUT leave after the first period for residents to address the board. That way I can still interact with the principals, teachers and friends; check out the “book in the back”; hear the Superintendent's Report; comment if I choose, then split. I'll then check the district Web site (www.whufsd.com) a few days later and read the draft minutes about the latter part of the meeting.

So…What will you do now that the draft board minutes are available so quickly?

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and my opinions. I hope to encourage further thoughts, and ideas so please feel free to post a comment below. If this topic interests you, be sure to click "Follow this Blog Post" to receive updates about when others comment or when I publish my next post. Also, please consider "Recommending" this blog post so that other interested individuals may check it out as well.

Take care and see you around town.

Manny

P.S. - The picture attached to this blog is an actual DRAFT page of the 7/12/11 minutes.