MORTON, IL-- Question: when is a discussion not a discussion?
Answer: When it takes place at a meeting of Morton District 709 School Board.
In its apparent effort to suppress public comments, the board last month changed its public comment policy to allow comments at the beginning of the meeting on agenda items only. All other comments must wait until the end of the meeting.
At the Feb.6, 2024 meeting an administrator clarified the policy to say those early comments can be on action items or discussion items only. Then he said neither types were on that night's agenda.
That turned out to be false.
After an hour of "reports" which generated discussion, the board moved to its consent agenda, which also generated discussion as well as a vote by the board, making it an "action item," even though it was not listed that way.
But what else can we expect from a board that allows a 5 minute prayer to "Jesus" at the beginning of its meetings, but doesn't turn on the meeting video until it's over. They apparently know that separation of Church and State in the Constitution bans schools from forcing a religion on those who may not share it. So they do it in secret from viewers.
The prayer and the reports (droned on and on, and would be better in a one page summary) turned the meeting into a 2 and 1/2 hour slog, which parents with young children likely could not stay for to make comments. Sad.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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