VI. Conduct During Board Meetings

1. Five members present constitute a quorum for a meeting.
2. Citizens' Conduct
   1. Board meetings are held in public to conduct the business of the district, as distinguished from public meetings. The Board shall not tolerate disruption of the Board meeting by members of the public. If, after at least one warning from the presiding officer, any person continues to disrupt the meeting by words or actions, the person shall be removed from the meeting. The presiding officer shall request that the person be escorted from the meeting by an AISD police officer.
   2. Signs or placards brought to a Board meeting shall not block the vision of those attending the meeting or the District's cameras used to televise the meeting.
3. Persons addressing the Board during Citizens' Communication
   1. The Board encourages citizens to make their comments, concerns and ideas known to the Board during the Citizens' Communication segment of the meeting.
   2. Persons may address the Board on agenda or non-agenda items.
   3. A person wishing to address the Board shall sign up prior to the beginning of the meeting. On the day of the meeting, the sign-up sheets for Citizens' Communication are available in the Superintendent's office during regular working hours and in the location on the notice of the Board meeting from 4:45 p.m. until the designated start time of the meeting, typically 7:00 PM, as posted on the agenda.
   4. Up to 30 citizens may sign up to speak at each meeting. Each speaker is limited to two minutes.
   5. No person is permitted to sign up for another person or to exchange time or to yield time to persons not signed up.
   6. The presiding officer shall recognize persons who sign up to address the Board.
   7. A device will be provided at the podium to assist speakers in keeping track of the allotted time.
   8. The presiding officer will provide two warnings after the device has sounded to signal the end of the allotted time. The microphone will be turned off after the second warning.
   9. Persons shall deliver any handouts to the secretary to the Board for distribution to the Board.
4. Board response to persons addressing the Board during Citizens' Communication
   1. The Board will not engage in dialogue with the speaker during the Board meeting. However, the Board or Superintendent may provide specific factual information or recite existing policy to clarify some inquiries or issues.
   2. The Board shall not deliberate or make decisions regarding any subject that is not on the posted agenda.
   3. The presiding officer shall recognize Board members prior to any member asking clarifying questions or making statements to the Board.
   4. Board members may direct the Superintendent to investigate item(s) and report back to the Board as appropriate.
5. Public hearings
   1. The Board may schedule public hearings to address community issues on a particular issue.
   2. During public hearings, the Board is assembled only to gather information, unless otherwise posted.
   3. A person or representative of a group or organization shall sign up prior to the beginning of the hearing. On the day of the hearing, the sign-up sheets are available in the Superintendent's office during regular working hours and, from 4:45 p.m. to the beginning of the hearing, in the location on the notice of the Board hearing as posted.
   4. There is no limit to the number of speakers who may speak during a public hearing.
   5. The Board will designate the number of minutes allowed per speaker at each public hearing.
   6. No person is permitted to sign up for another person or to exchange time or yield time to persons not signed up.
   7. The Board will not answer questions or engage in a dialogue with the public during the public hearing. The Board may provide specific factual information or recite existing policy to clarify inquires or issues raised.
6. Discussion of individual employees or students by the Board or audience
   1. Specific complaints about individual district personnel shall be processed through the District's grievance policy.
   2. The Board requests that citizens not refer to students or employees by name during Citizens' Communication or during a public hearing.
7. The Board shall observe the parliamentary procedures as outlined in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.
   1. All discussion shall be directed solely to the business currently under deliberation.
   2. The presiding officer has the responsibility to keep the discussion to the motion at hand and shall halt discussion that is not germane to the business before the Board.
   3. The presiding officer shall recognize a Board member wishing to comment.
8. For specific legal policies related to public participation at Board meetings, see District Policy BED (Legal) available on-line at http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/227901/.