Please turn off your electronic devices
Morgan Hill Unified School District staff introduced a proposal Tuesday for a new bylaw (BB 9323.3) forbidding the use of electronic devices by Board of Education trustees during school board meetings.
The first draft reads: “Board members will not communicate electronically during meetings with members of the public, other board members, or school district staff regarding official school board business, agenda items, or other board matters that are properly discussed publicly during board meetings.”
During Tuesday’s discussion, trustee Amy Porter Jensen asked why the bylaw was being introduced and if any trustees were being accused of doing such things. President Don Moody, without singling out any trustees, said, in fact, that it was happening.
“There’s board members that have done it,” Moody said. “There’s board members that have texted people in the audience (and) had conversations back and forth. I don’t feel it’s appropriate. It’s a violation of the Brown Act.”
The Brown Act, passed in 1953 that covers all local agencies, legislative bodies, standing committees and governing bodies of nonprofit corporations formed by a public agency, outlines that public bodies must be “open and public,” actions may not be secret, and action taken in violation of open meetings law may be voided.
Trustee Rick Badillo wanted to be clear the passing of notes between Board members was just as much in violation of the Brown Act as electronic communications. Moody explained that any communications not made open and public on agenda items, whether written notes or private side conversations among trustees, were a violation of the Brown Act.
“You can share chocolate. You can’t share messages,” Moody said.
Badillo also asked what the ramifications were if a Board member was caught breaking the proposed bylaw. The district said they would check on the punishment and get back to the Board before the final draft was voted on at an upcoming meeting.
Trustee Ron Woolf said he knew of one school district – although he couldn’t remember which one – that confiscated the phones of all the Board members “because they were accused of communicating with another board member on an agenda item and it’s a violation of the Brown Act.”
The policy does allow for Board members to use “computers or similar devices during a meeting, provided such use is limited to the purpose of the meeting.” Additionally, the proposal recognizes that Board members may “occasionally” need to communicate with family members.
“While we cannot prevent citizen electronic communication, we should make clear that receiving electronic communications from the public during the meeting presents special concerns,” the policy draft reads. “Also, when the board deliberates, it should be the elected officials who deliberate, not the elected official simply reading the comments of an unknown electronic message commenter.”
The next scheduled school board meeting is Jan. 14 inside the district office (15600 Concord Circle) with closed session at 5 p.m. and the public session at 6 p.m.
Trustees maintain officer posts
Trustees Don Moody and Shelle Thomas were both given unanimous support by their fellow trustees to remain in their posts as Board President and Board Vice President, respectively, through the next calendar year.
Thomas was also voted in as the Board’s representative to the Santa Clara Committee on School District Organization, with trustee Bob Benevento voted as an alternate for the same spot.
All four votes were 6-0 with the elected trustee abstaining.
Later on in Tuesday’s meeting, Benevento was unanimously nominated by the Board as a candidate to California School Boards Association Delegate Assembly. If elected, Benevento would serve a two-year term from 2014 to 2016 in that capacity. Benevento is one of five candidates for the position. The Delegate Assembly is the primary policy-making body of the California School Boards Association, according to the agenda item.
Board approves pair of facility-related contracts
The Board approved an estimated $23,938 emergency contract with Waterproofing and Associates to repair a leaky roof on Room 1 at Britton Middle School.
The agenda item explains that the “leaks within the classroom are excessive” and the repairs were needed to be done immediately “to prevent additional damage and unsafe conditions.” Students were relocated to another classroom on campus until the repairs are completed.
In a separate unanimous vote, the Board approved a $661,633 contract with Alpha Tech for the structured cabling installation at Martin Murphy Middle School. The project is part of the $22 million technology infrastructure plan previously approved by the Board. Those funds are drawn from the $198 million Measure G capital improvements bond passed by voters in Nov. 2012.
The installation cost includes the procurement and installation of the structured cables, uninterrupted power supply and MDF/IDF cabinets along with the installation of the network switches, wireless access points, VoIP phonoes, and clocks/speakers, according to the agenda item.
MHUSD to host Charter Information Night Dec. 18
The Morgan Hill Unified School District has sent out a special invitation to all parents for a Dec. 18 Charter Information Night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at El Toro Elementary School (455 East Main Ave.).
The district’s press release, posted on its website, explains that the information night will help answer questions for parents such as, “Would you like know what is a Charter?” and “Would you like to know more about the Charter petition process?”
Sessions will be held in English and Spanish, and babysitting will be provided for attendees with young children.
The meeting was planned as a follow-up to the Nov. 21 District English Language Advisory Committee meeting.
