What’s happening at the Halifax County School Board meeting Monday night? You know where to look…. but we’ve got a problem with public access to some of their documents and their policy. Read all the way to the end, please.
Here’s the agenda for Monday’s Halifax County School Board meeting.
HALIFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
AGENDA
June 8, 2009
7:00 P.M.
Mary Bethune Office Complex
Public Meeting Room
(2nd Floor)A. CALL TO ORDER
1. Moment of silence
2. Pledge of allegianceB. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (attachment C.)
D. CITIZEN COMMENTS
E. RECOGNITIONS
1. Retirement honorees Mr. Anderson and Mr. Clark (attachment E.1.)
2. Recognition of Mr. Dylan Lowery, Lee-Jackson Scholarship recipient
Mr. Owens and Mr. David RiddleF. REPORTS
1. Clays Mill Elementary School report Mrs. Cowan
2. VSBA School Law Conference Dr. Long and Mr. Reynolds
3. Maintenance report Mr. Roller (attachment F.3.)G. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Personnel Mr. Clark (attachment G.1.)
2. Long-term suspensions report for May 2009 Mr. Johnson (attachment G.2.)H. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Late June meeting, June 18, 7:00 p.m. Mr. Stapleton
2. AP/dual enrollment proposal Mr. Stapleton (attachment H.2.)I. NEW BUSINESS
Appointment of representative on Governor’s School of Southside Virginia
Board Mr. AndersonJ. FINANCIAL REPORT
1. Financial report Mr. Covington (attachment J.1.)
2. Payment of bills Mr. Covington (attachment J.2.)K. EXECUTIVE MEETING
Executive meeting for personnel (attachment K.)
L. ADJOURNMENT
We asked for the G1 (Consent Agenda – Personnel), G2 (Long-term suspensions report for May 2009) and the H2 (AP/dual enrollment proposal) attachments but got this reply from Robin Mahan (Clerk of the School Board)…
Agenda attachments will be available Monday night after board action on the items unless they are exempt from distribution under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
I don’t like that answer one damned bit. If the School Board is considering new business, the public should have access to those documents so that they can form their own opinions on it. I’ve sent a request to the Virginia Coalition for Open Government to see if this policy is against the FOIA. More to come…
It’s conveniently placed after F1 on the agenda, too. That means that most people who bothered to show up will either be bored to tears, asleep, or driving home after Long gets the floor to talk. I guarantee he will go on for at least 15+ minutes in his monotone voice. Even his fellow board members have trouble staying awake when he has the floor.
ZZZzzz…
Hmm, is the G1 personel matter still the Willa Smith ordeal?
I too think it is rediculous to have this information private.
Personnel issues are never disclosed. The AP/Dual enrollment portion will be very interesting for anyone who has an interest in AP at the High School. I am very pleased. Also like seeing the agenda in public forum like this. Excellent idea.