Spotsylvania County School Board Chair Megan Jackson issued a warning to public speakers via email earlier this week, stating that the board will strictly adhere to a recently-revised policy regarding decorum at meetings.
“Due to increasing disruptive behaviors, we are reminding the community of our school board policy BDDH,” Jackson wrote in an email to parents. “This notice shall serve as an official first warning. If a second warning is warranted at a school board meeting, [the] violator will be told to leave immediately.”
Jackson added that a failure to comply with the second warning will result in law enforcement ensuring the disruptive individual leaves the school board office and is issued a no-trespassing order on school grounds.
Jackson said that while the school division values the input of citizens and encourages community engagement, “to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and the public we expect professionalism, decorum and SCPS Board policies to be adhered to at all times.”
Earlier this year, Superintendent Clint Mitchell requested the board move public comments to later in the meeting, because they hindered business from being conducted.
Policy BDDH was adopted in 2007 and revised last month. It’s been adjusted five times in the past four years as the public comment period became increasingly confrontational — with subjects ranging from the COVID-19 mask mandate to the hiring and firing of former Superintendent Mark Taylor.
The policy states that the board chair is responsible for maintaining order at the meetings. It requires the public to address the board only on matters related to the school division. Public comments are prohibited if the speech:
- Causes disruption to the meeting
- Contains lewd, profane or obscene language
- Promotes private business ventures
- Involves threats of any kind, including messages intended to intimidate others
- Involves complaints identifying individual students
- Relates to public office campaigns
The policy also requires audience members to abide by the same rules and not incite others to cause disruption.
“At the discretion of the board chair, any person violating the rules listed above may be asked to leave the board meeting,” the policy states. “The board chair may request law enforcement assistance, recess or adjourn the meeting while order is restored.”
