The idea of reducing the time allotted during Clark County School Board meetings for individual citizens to speak on individual agenda items was first propounded by trustee Carolyn Edwards, and then it was put on the voting block for the board’s August 9 meeting alongside four other agenda items.
It passed, without discussion, six votes to one. And so, now, instead of five minutes, members of the public must exhaust their concerns before the board in three minutes or less—on small, uncomplicated issues like Title III
(English-as-a-second-language instruction); reducing gangs and violent crime in schools; and local plan 108-446, about individuals with disabilities.
Edwards has said the purpose of the reduction is to encourage citizens to be more succinct with their concerns, and to give board members more time to address those matters.
Right on. But let’s not stop there. Let’s see just how many ways the board can discourage involvement among parents and the community at large—which is, according to the ACLU of Nevada, what the board seems intent on accomplishing.
We can:
Reduce public speaking to two minutes, which will encourage more succinctness and will thus give the board members even more time to speak.
Or:
Reduce public speaking to zero minutes, so that the invaluable thoughts and words of board members won’t be interrupted at all by rambling citizens.
Or yet:
Close board meetings in whole to the public, and post “Warning: Trespassers Will Be Shot” signs on the closed doors.