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Public commenter urges more transparency in RISD policy-making and praises district fine arts
Summary
During public comment April 17, Ewan Blackman told trustees he wants more open government and transparency in policy committees while praising the district's fine arts programs and expressing concerns about recent policy language changes.
Ewan Blackman addressed the Richardson ISD Board of Trustees during the public comment period on April 17 with remarks urging greater transparency in district policy-making and praising the district's fine-arts and athletics programs.
Blackman criticized what he described as closed-door policy work on items before the board, saying, "Open government, the disinfectant power of sunlight. That's what we're missing," and asked why changes to asset and policy language had been made without more public explanation. He questioned wording differences in a sample policy about firearms, and raised concerns about a proposed prohibition on nicotine use, asking how the policy would treat nicotine replacement patches or chewing gum.
Blackman also offered praise for the district's arts and athletics programming, noting long-standing awards and community support, and commended Superintendent Branham and staff for work on pay adjustments for staff.
Board staff acknowledged the public comment and moved on to the agenda. The board took no formal action in response during the meeting.
