D70 Nixes Email Comments For School Board Meetings

Libertyville IL

12 August, 2021

4:04 PM

Description

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — A school board that got slammed with "hateful" and "disgusting" emails from angry parents over initiatives put in place during COVID-19 will switch to allowing only voicemail and in-person comments moving forward. The District 70 school board voted 6-0 to nix email comments—a change that was made during COVID to promote social distancing. Prior to COVID, the school board heard in-person comments and that resumed when the school board switched form Zoom to in-person meetings. Many parents angered by policies put in place by District 70 used the email public comments to "shelter" themselves "behind a computer screen," making "horrendous comments" that created division, school board members acknowledged during Monday's meeting. "It's my hope that we put an end to that and that we come back to what we are here to do, which is to educate our children," Schilling said. Initially, the board was set to vote to allow only in-person comments moving but that measure was voted down in favor of a motion to include voicemail comments as well. School board member Travis McGhee voiced his preference for having an option for those who didn't feel comfortable coming to meetings in person. "Being in a position to keep those comments respectful I guess is a challenge for the community and a concern," McGhee said. "If we are going to stream these (meetings) virtually then we should also afford people the perpetuity to make public comment virtually." Only comments that include a person's name, civil comments and stay within the three-minute limit would be allowed. "I think there's something to be said about putting your voice to it than just an email," school board member Amie Krummick said. " The changes will take effect starting with the next meeting on Aug. 23.