COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Cobb County School Board voted to change the policy on public comments being recorded at meetings. Some parents feel the move shuts down communication, but the district says it will keep people safe.
Channel 2 Action News was there Thursday night as the school board voted to no longer broadcast or record public comments. In a split 4-3 vote along party lines, Republicans voted for the change and Democrats voted against it.
Anyone will still have the opportunity to attend the open meetings and speak during comment sessions. But they will only be heard by the board and others in attendance.
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Dr. Parin Chheda called it authoritarianism by the Republicans on the board.
“They don’t want people to hear that other people are upset, so what better way than to take it offline?” Chheda said.
When the policy change was recommended, Cobb County Schools Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said he heard from members of the public afraid of speaking at meetings because of internet ridicule, abuse or doxing.
“These changes…provide anyone who does not want to be broadcast across the Internet the opportunity to share their concerns with the board, without being subjected to abuse, harassment, and doxxing," Ragsdale said.
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But some parents say they want maximum visibility, accountability and transparency.
“It would be really good if you could keep public comment and keep these broadcasts recorded so we can make sure we are being transparent,” parent Stephanie Peterson said.
“There should be transparency over these decisions and we should be able to know as parents and community members to know what’s happening and make our voices heard,” she said.
Ragsdale said Georgia state law requires the district to have one public comment session per meeting, but they have two.
“If we were trying to do as the naysayers accuse us of and limit [public comment], we would certainly not have two separate public comment sessions. As I mentioned, we’re going above and beyond,” he said.
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