Positive Steps

To the Editor:

On December 4, the Board of Education had some preliminary discussion on the topic of public participation at their meetings and the present policy which prohibits the public from addressing the board on nonagenda items.

The five members present (chairperson was out of town) offered their views on this issue and it appears that they are all in favor of changing this policy to one that would allow public comments or questions on school-related issues even if they are not on the agenda for that particular meeting.

It was decided to table further discussion on the matter until sometime in January so that the new superintendent could take part in the deliberations. Unfortunately, this topic of the December 4 meeting did not appear in the reportage of last week’s edition of The Bee, but I am pleased to share this information of the new BOE taking positive steps to improve communications with the public. I look forward to the school board approving a change in the present policy soon.

George Caracciolo

Schoolhouse Hill Road, Newtown                         December 10, 2007