The Kinnikinnick Board of Education has announced a special Feb. 14 board meeting at 7:00 p.m. with four agenda items:
I. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance
II. Roll Call/ Recognition of Guests/Public Comment
III. Discussion and Approval of Kinnikinnick Covid-19 Mitigation Plan
IV. Adjourn
At the Feb. 8 board meeting, which also included Superintendent Keli Freedlund, Business Administrator Brett Hruby, and a dozen concerned parents, the board listened to comments from the public, praising Kinnikinnick schools but condemning the mask requirement. After the public comment session, the board talked about whether they could change their mask policy. Nevertheless, they could not vote on anything since it was a Committee of the Whole meeting and not a regular board meeting.
Like most public bodies, Kinnikinnick Board of Education has a rule that doesn't allow them to respond during the public comment portion of the meeting. As a result, Kinnikinnick and Rockton school board members had to listen silently even if parents asked, "Don't you care about our children?" Then when the public comment time is over, board members are allowed to speak - but community members aren't. Roscoe Township is perhaps the only local exception to that rule, where elected officials can often politely talk back and forth with constituents about their concerns. But without good will all around, meetings can easily get out of hand.
