Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parent and PTO speakers urge Waterloo board to restore public-question access and schedule open forums
Summary
A PTO volunteer and other parents asked the board to reconsider a policy that routes community questions through the superintendent and restricts public questioning of board members during meetings; the chair said the district plans to schedule open forums next year.
A parent and PTO volunteer urged the Waterloo Board of Education to reconsider a board policy that, the speaker said, directs community questions to the superintendent and discourages direct public questioning of elected board members. "The optics aren't great when we tell our community they cannot engage publicly with our elected board of education," the speaker said during public comment, urging the board to schedule regular open‑forum meetings.
The presiding officer acknowledged the concern and said the district is planning to schedule a couple of open forums next year to provide more public engagement opportunities. "That's something that we're planning on doing for next year," the chair said, noting the district would determine frequency and timing.
The public commenter identified herself by describing longtime attendance at meetings and involvement with the PTO and asked the board to at least consider regular open forums as a sign of transparency. The board did not change formal policy during the meeting but indicated staff will plan open‑forum dates and return with details.
No formal vote was taken on the board’s communication policy during the meeting; the chair’s response served as a board-level acknowledgement with a commitment to schedule forums. Next steps recorded: staff will plan open‑forum logistics and report dates to the board.
