There’s a reason school board meetings can feel like boring ceremonies and why so few people attend. While city hall may have hundreds of delegations per year, the school district has only a handful.
Richmond’s School Board needs more transparency and better democratic processes.
Too often, the public is only permitted to ask questions after the real decisions have already been made, leaving little opportunity for meaningful public input.
If the board likes the preamble to your question, they will permit you to speak. If not, you will be asked to jump to your question.
At committee meetings, questions are limited to representatives of special interest groups. Attendance is not visible. Other advisory committees aren’t fully open to the public either.
That needs to change.
If a committee doesn’t meet the criteria for an in-camera meeting, it should be open and accessible to the public. Parents and residents should be able to see how decisions are being discussed and have a meaningful opportunity to ask questions.
Democracy works better when people can participate.
🗳️ Please vote October 17.
Learn more about Dean Billings and Advance Richmond: advancerichmond.ca
Source: Advance Richmond Facebook community update. View original post on Facebook
