Public commenters at Douglas County School Board meetings will be limited to one comment per meeting going forward.

On Aug. 22, school board members unanimously approved a change to the public comment policy that restricts commenters to one comment per meeting because of concerns that some would stack comment periods by speaking on behalf others and extending their time. 

The change will be in effect at the next meeting.

“We would get this daisy chaining of comments, which I thought was not affording everyone the equal opportunity to speak based on the number of speakers there,” Board President Mike Peterson said of last year's meetings.

Though the board discussed eliminating anonymous public comments as well, they ultimately decided not to and will continue to allow anonymous comments and comments on behalf of other named individuals. 

Not all members supported restricting comments to named people and public commenters asked the board to continue allowing them.

“Many staff members recall a time in this district when speaking out against the board put a target on their back,” Patty Anderson, a Douglas County parent, said. “While I have not heard of any incidents recently, in order to provide you with the most honest feedback, it is imperative we allow anonymous comments to be read.”

Peterson and Christy Williams, who initially suggested getting rid of anonymous comments, were amenable to keeping them, stating their concerns centered on people stringing comments to get a longer speaking time.

“If someone wants to deliver a comment for someone else, feel free to do so, but you’re not going to deliver a comment for you and someone else and deliver a comment for a group, just to prevent the chaining,” Peterson said. 

The board also removed language from the policy that said public commenters had to state their city or town of residence because they hadn’t been requiring speakers to do so and didn’t feel it was necessary.