Free speech zones

Pioneer Press 06/03/2008 04:16:33 AM GMT
Board forum a soapbox for anyone but us, teachers say

At each of its monthly meetings, the St. Paul school board stops whatever it's doing, usually at 6:30 p.m., and opens the floor to the public. It's an opportunity for people to take concerns directly to the district's ultimate decision-makers, without administrative filtering. ... "It's a public forum for anyone who wants to come to speak to the board of education," she said. The latest incident was at the May Advertisement 20 board meeting. Four employees were scheduled to speak on health and physical education programming. Three dropped out. Word came from chief academic officer Valeria Silva that it wasn't the right forum, according to Liz Parr-Smestad, PE facilitator for the district and one of the four employees. "Valeria Silva has raised concern that the public comment period of the board meeting is not an appropriate avenue for addressing the board and the administration about concerns and advocacy for the physical education and health programs," read an e-mail sent by John Olson, program manager for science, health and physical education, to Parr-Smestad and another staff member. He also was set to speak. "The public comment period is designed for citizens to address the board directly since they normally do not have avenues of input that staff members have," Olson continued. "In your role as a citizen of St. Paul, you have a right to participate in the public comment period. In my role, I am going to decline to participate." Parr-Smestad sees the episode as "our First Amendment rights being squelched."

[[keywords: Schools;Officials;Metro;]]