Board rejects proposed restriction to community comment; public speakers and parents pressed to retain monthly access

The Poudre School District Board of Education voted 5–2 on Aug. 26 to reject a proposed revision to GP‑3.13 that would have removed a monthly community comment session from work meetings, preserving the current cadence of public comment.

The motion to approve revisions to GP‑3.13 was made by Director Connor Duffy and seconded by Director Jessica Zamora; after discussion and public testimony the board recorded a 2–5 vote against the policy change, which the clerk announced as “Motion fails 2 5.” (The board later clarified that a “yes” vote would have adopted the policy change; the majority voted no.)

Public testimony at the meeting included parents, teachers, students and disability‑rights advocates who urged the board not to reduce access to community comment and to add remote options. Speakers argued that public comment is an important channel for raising concerns, particularly for parents of students with special needs and those who cannot attend in person. Specific speakers who addressed the board included: - Tori Pappas, a parent of two and Beatty Elementary parent, who urged the board to maintain community comment and to add remote participation options; - Sabrina Herrick and Danny Lawrence, who raised concerns about how the district and board have handled recent staff arrests and alleged retaliation connected to protected advocacy; - Sawyer Green, a Rocky Mountain High School senior, who said school choice and program access remain unequal and also opposed limiting public comment.

Board discussion ranged from arguments for two‑way “communication sessions” that permit dialogue, to concerns that limiting public comment would be perceived as curbing democratic participation. Several board members said they supported keeping multiple avenues for public input, including listening sessions at schools and regular community comment at meetings. Director Connor Duffy said he would not support the revision, citing the need for more time and broader discussion about work‑session structure.

Why it matters: Board policy GP‑3.13 governs public comment at board meetings. Speakers and several board members said community comment provides a formal, public record and a protected forum for parents and others to raise federal‑protected concerns, including matters related to disability rights enforced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

Process and next steps: The board did not adopt the GP‑3.13 amendment at second reading, and no alternative revision was adopted that night. Multiple board members said they remain open to changes that increase two‑way dialogue (for example, student and parent listening sessions), but emphasized that any policy change requires further discussion and possible amendment at future meetings.

Ending: The vote preserves the board’s existing community comment schedule. Several board members asked staff to continue holding listening sessions at multiple schools and to explore options for remote comment to broaden access.