Gilbert school district's decision to limit public comment draws protests

• Some protested against changes to the time allowed for public comment
• Board approved changes to its records management policy
• Board appointed new athletic director%2C four new elementary-school principals

Sign-wielding demonstrators stood outside the Gilbert Public Schools headquarters Tuesday, April 22, to protest an administrative decision to limit public comment during board meetings to 30 minutes.

The protest took place ahead of a school-board meeting.

For months, the school-board meetings have been marked by a steady stream of constituents eager to voice their concerns. On especially controversial agenda items, the time for public comment sometimes stretched on for an hour or more.

Interim Superintendent Jim Rice restricted the public comment portion of the meetings at the board meeting on April 8. .

Speakers have up to three minutes to address the board. Preference is given to speakers wishing to talk about items on the meeting agenda, Rice said.

School-board contender Thomas Jones was among about two-dozen residents who protested outside the administration building. He held a sign which read, "We speak 4 many."

"Regardless of which side of the fence you're on, freedom of speech is just a fundamental part of this," Jones said.

Former board member E.J. Anderson, who frequently speaks during board meetings, said she was "really frustrated and upset" with the change.

Anderson said as a board member she once listened to public comments for two-and-a-half hours about implementing a controversial curriculum.

"Board members need to hear from the public," Anderson said. "(The public) adds to the conversation."

GPS parent Dawn Marthini held a sign that read, "We Have Voices."

"I protest anyone who wants to change the rules in the middle of the game," Marthini said. She said she worried the change could allow the board to prevent people from speaking.

Although some protesters blamed the board for the change, Rice said he had made the "tough decision."

The interim leader said that while "we want to hear from the community," numerous public comments "prolong doing board business."

In other matters, the board:

• Tabled changes to the teacher pay-for-performance policy for the 2014-15 school year. A s

tate statute stipulates that beginning next school year, a third of the Proposition 301 tax money that in part rewards high-performing teachers, has to be tied to teacher performance evaluations. The policy describes how the money will be distributed. According to the policy, the maximum payout a teacher can receive based on his or her evaluation is $776.

• Approved changes to the records management policy. Although board clerk Daryl Colvin asked that the item be tabled in board president Staci Burk's absence, the board ultimately approved the policy 4-0. Changes to the policy include language which states that anyone who "destroys, mutilates, defaces, alters, falsifies, removes or secretes all or part of any record, or permits any other person to do so, is guilty of a class four felony." The change includes records retention training for staff.

• Approved 4-0 changes to the staff reduction of force policy. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Jeff Filloon said the current policy was "vague" about how to handle staff reductions, and rehiring staff who had been laid off. The new policy offers guidelines for how to determine which employees to let go first, based on factors such as years of service and job performance.

• Approved some educator appointments for next school year. Steve McDowell will replace out-going athletic director Mark Cisterna. The following elementary school principals were appointed: Justin Sremba, Gilbert Elementary; Mary Trafficante, Greenfield Elementary; Jim Leeper, Meridian; and Dale Lunt, Oak Tree.