Recent talks of vague advertising policies and frustration at how the public can address the school board made their way to the other side of the table, as board members openly discussed possible policy changes.

Bret McGill, chairman of the Limestone County Board of Education, asked the other board members for their opinions on two changes during the Nov. 7 work session, which is a time for discussion of but not voting on various district-related topics.

The first change would affect how the public can bring issues before the board. McGill said it was first suggested by board member Earl Glaze, who was not at the work session.

“When people come to this board to address a situation, they do it in a formal board meeting and there’s not really a dialogue,” he said. “They stand up here, they talk, we watch them talk, then they leave and nothing else really happens in that meeting.”

He proposed a new policy that would allow the public to address the board during a work session, which would allow board members to ask questions or provide commentary after being addressed. He also suggested giving more time for people to talk, saying the three or four minutes currently allotted isn’t always enough.

McGill said he and Glaze thought 10 minutes might be better, with an option to stop the person if they start to ramble or become repetitive. Board member Ed Winter, however, thought three or four minutes would be plenty if that didn’t include the dialogue that followed.

“Three minutes is plenty of time for them to make their point on what they want to discuss,” he said. “They can get to the point. They’re not trying to win us over or lobby, which is what 10 minutes is going to be.”

Board member Charles Shoulders requested that whatever board members decided to do, they avoid creating a situation that is argumentative or leaves those addressing the board feeling attacked for their concerns during the ensuing dialogue. He also suggested there may be more effort to follow up with those who address the board.

“Their issues are taken by the superintendent and discussed among his team, and if there is an action to be taken, it’s brought before the board,” Shoulders said. “But, I don’t think that portion of it is really followed through. I think people are coming and addressing the board, and once they leave here, that’s the end of it. Whereas maybe the superintendent needs to take that information, decipher it to determine the worthiness of it, discuss that with the board and get back with that person.”

The next sign

McGill also brought up the board’s current advertising policy, asking for board members’ thoughts on creating a new policy that would have a clearer stance against political speech on school property.

“We’ve heard from folks about the sign at East Limestone (High School),” he said. “What I’m about to say does not involve the sign at East Limestone. It involves the next sign or the next five or 10 signs. I talked to a lot of people, including our attorneys, and I’ve got some direction that I think we should consider.”

The first step would leave the sign at East up until its current expiration date. The sign, purchased by Skip Van Pamel to advertise his company, Veep Electric Service Inc., features the words “GO TRUMP” and “#MAGA” above the company’s contact information. It hangs next to the scoreboard on the football field, and while it does not violate current advertising policy, many have wondered if it could lead to legal issues down the road.

“We’re about to end up in a political piñata,” McGill said. “We’re fixing to have groups on one side or the other spending money in our county, and we’re going to have to approve some things we don’t agree with. … What the attorney has said is as soon as we tell a group ‘no,’ we violate the First Amendment right to free speech because we allowed this one to do it.”

So, he suggested the board consider developing a policy with clear direction on what’s OK to include in an advertisement on district property.

“Anybody with common sense can look at this sign and say, ‘Yeah, that’s political,'” McGill said. “That’s what I’m trying to stay away from. Next it’s going it be abortion, LGBTQ, immigration, something else, and we may say, ‘Nah, we don’t like that,’ and that’s where we’re going to mess up. Let’s just do what’s best for our system.”

While members could discuss the proposal, no action was taken on any item during the work session. A board meeting, during which members could take action on an issue, was held Tuesday, though no mention of either policy was on the agenda prior to the public meeting.

LCBOE’s next work session is scheduled for Dec. 3.