The RSU 40/MSAD 40 policy committee voted unanimously to send a revised public participation policy (BEDH) to the full school board for first reading that gives priority at the public comment period to residents of RSU 40, parents or guardians of RSU 40 students, students of RSU 40 and district employees.

The action, advanced by committee motion and endorsed by a 7-0 vote, follows sustained debate over whether prioritizing district stakeholders would be legally defensible and administratively practical. Committee members discussed case law variability and enforcement burdens; one member pointed to federal- and circuit-level rulings showing mixed precedent and warned the policy could invite challenge. The motion instructs staff to forward the proposed language to the board for first read (proposed language recorded in committee minutes).

Why it matters: public comment rules determine who can speak and when at school board meetings. The change is intended to give people with a direct stake in district operations — residents, parents, students and staff — priority when time for public comment is limited.

Committee debate and context: Several members favored the change as a tool to prioritize those directly affected by district decisions and to reduce disruption. Opponents cautioned that restricting access by residency could raise First Amendment challenges and place a heavy burden on staff to determine eligibility at the sign-in table. As one board member argued, "it's better to allow crud in the name of making sure that the good stuff gets through than to be very restrictive in your outlook on speech," urging caution about narrowing access.

Process next steps: The committee advanced the draft policy to the full board for first reading; the board will consider the policy at a future meeting where it may be amended, adopted, or returned for further committee work.