Adults being rude and creating disruptions at school board meetings got a much-needed lesson in personal responsibility when the Bartholomew County School Corp. board announced it would take its most recent public meeting virtual.
Good.
We don’t say that lightly. As a news organization that champions the public’s right to know what its government is doing, we always want government representatives to do the people’s business in public.
But the ongoing “debate” over masks in school during a pandemic has gone beyond theater of the absurd to a much darker place. The board said as much in a statement announcing this past Monday’s meeting would be livestreamed rather than live and in person:
“This change to a virtual format is driven by episodes of threatening behavior, profanities used during meetings, personal attacks directed toward various individuals, noncompliance to meeting protocols that include maintaining appropriate physical distancing, wearing masks, and following public comment guidelines, and a substantial interference with the ability to conduct necessary business.”
In other words, grown-ups were acting more like children who weren’t getting their way and were not expressing their feelings in a constructive manner.
This sort of behavior is indefensible, no matter where you stand on masks. And make no mistake, this isn’t about masks at all. It’s about a few people who, not getting their way, chose to act up.
Surely many of these trouble-makers have instructed their own children about personal responsibility. Surely they have told their kids that actions have consequences.
The bad behavior of a few people hell-bent on making some theatrical sort of point grew intolerable, so the board took a reasonable step. In doing so, the board gave those who opt to misbehave a timeout.
Good.
The board is still required under law to conduct its meetings so that they can be seen in real time by the public, and they did so. Anyone who wanted to watch the board meeting could view the livestream. It’s permissible for the board to meet this way because Gov. Eric Holcomb’s emergency COVID orders say they can.
Under the circumstances, BCSC was wise to exercise its discretion to meet virtually rather than have to deal with people who, for whatever reason, want to disrupt the public business of a school board.
The irony is, it’s only by the board’s indulgence that these folks are allowed to speak at public meetings to begin with. There is no explicit right under Indiana law for a member of the public to speak at government meetings.
Much like driving, speaking at public meetings is a privilege. Most government bodies grant this privilege. It’s generally understood that the speaker will have something useful to say and will say it in a civil tone.
But if you drive dangerously, your privilege to drive can be revoked. Act irresponsibly in a public meeting, and, well … consequences. Patrons who disrupted BCSC meetings, acted in threatening ways and insisted on throwing tantrums cannot blame the board for pulling the car over.
Besides, if someone has to cause disruptions, hurl profanities and attack public servants to make their points, we’re all better off not hearing from them anyway.
Send comments to [email protected].
