After Clearing Out Taxpayers, School Board Unanimously Votes to Limit Public Comment Time
One hour after county taxpayers were cleared from board chambers at the September 15th School Board meeting, the Prince William County School Board voted unanimously, 8-0, to limit public comment time at School Board meetings.
In an unprecedented move in Prince William County, the School Board voted unanimously to limit public comment time at school board meetings in the following ways:
- Public comment time limited to one hour meaning only 20 residents can speak for the maximum three-minute time allotment
- Signs brought into chambers must be approved in advance by the partisan elected body
- All comments must be tied “directly” to school policy or operations
The last bullet point has become a topic of subjective as some school officials have denied the teaching of things like Critical Race Theory, while School Board Chair, Dr. Babur Lateef, confirmed in texts that the schools are in fact teaching the theory.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, several parents expressed frustration at the limitations being placed on their speech and ability to address their elected officials for a redress of grievances.