The School Committee decided during its Zoom-only meeting on Monday to hold a community forum on Thursday that will be run by its members, rather than going forward with the League of Women Voters’ suggestions to wait and hold a joint forum later in March.
The forum, which Committee Chair Sarah Fox labeled a “conversation with the committee,” will take place on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. inside of the High School Library, as well as via Zoom.
At the committee’s last meeting, Marblehead League of Women Voters member Nancy Powell offered for the committee to hold a joint forum with the league, allowing residents to ask questions and have a conversation with School Committee members regarding some of the decisions that have been made in the last eight months.
The Marblehead branch of the league holds multiple forums every year throughout town, focused on educating and informing voters on town government and its officials. League member Mimi Hollister provided a statement on what the league could offer the School Committee.
“What we do best is public-education forums, such as candidates night and warrant night,” Hollister said. “This is our vision of a forum that gives the School Committee a voice for the public to hear your understanding of the issues you face.”
Hollister provided examples of those challenges, including hiring a superintendent, fiscal responsibility, and decision processes.
“Given the public outcry for more transparency from the School Committee, we think we can be a helpful part of your response,” Hollister added.
There appeared to be confusion between committee members and the league on whether a Feb. 29 date for the joint forum had been finalized. Committee members thought that date had been set, however, Hollister provided alternate dates after March 5, when the state league moderator would be available.
“This is the first I’ve heard of an alternative date,” Committee Chair Sarah Fox said.
Hollister later said that holding a forum on Thursday would feel rushed for members of the public “because they haven’t really known about it.”
“When we initially offered the 29th, it was almost a month ago, when it seemed like there was time to prepare,” Hollister added.
Committee members Alison Taylor and Jenn Schaeffner retorted that their last meeting was a week and a half ago.
“Do we need to give the public time or does the public already have a bullace of questions?” Taylor said.
Fox said that canceling the meeting “feels disingenuous” and that the committee would consider holding additional forums, including one with the League of Women Voters.
“I think we’re being very short-sighted on worrying about whether we should have this this day or this day,” Fox said. “This isn’t just one opportunity. It really should be multiple opportunities.”
Despite Hollister already noting that they would be able to bring in a state league leader to moderate the future joint forum, Committee Chair Sarah Fox emphasized that she did not want any Marblehead members moderating the forum, as many signed a letter to the editor giving the committee a failing grade.
“I will say I’m not comfortable with having any members of the league from Marblehead moderate simply because so many of the members of the league signed the letter,” Fox said. “Therefore, I think that voids any concept of possible neutrality.”
School Committee Counsel Elizabeth Valerio warned the committee that without a moderator for Thursday’s forum, it needs to be very clear in the posted agenda for the forum what will be discussed as well as the structure of the forum, citing a Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling last year that states speakers cannot be shut down during public comment based on the opinion or subject of their remarks.
“If this is not public comment, if this is conversation with the School Committee about… you need to list what it’s about. That’s a different thing, and having public comment on your meeting is something separate,” Valerio said. “You need to be incredibly careful about this because otherwise you will violate that very clear court decision that says we cannot stop someone from speaking because of their viewpoint.”
The agenda was posted to the town’s website on Tuesday.