DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — The Douglas County School District is reminding the public of policies in place to "maintain decorum and create a non-threatening environment" at school board meetings, a district spokesperson said Tuesday.
The Board of Education Safety and Security protocols were sent to all those who signed up for public comment at Tuesday night's board of education meeting for the Douglas County School District (DCSD).
Under the protocols, the following actions are banned:
- Any conduct that obstructs, disrupts or interferes with or threatens to obstruct, disrupt or interfere with any activity sponsored or approved by the district.
- Coarse and obviously offensive utterances, gestures.
- Physical abuse of or threats of harm.
Masking in schools has been a hot-button topic, and people on both sides of the issue have packed school board meetings. That's particularly true in Douglas County, where the district and county commissioners have been at odds about whether to require masks as part of an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. At times, meetings have been less than civil.
Tents and tailgating are banned on school district property while board meetings are taking place. It's also against policy to place fliers on vehicles in the parking lot.
Signs, placards, banners, flags and noisemakers are not permitted in the Board of Education meeting room, according to the protocols.
Increased security
According to the document, at each meeting, there will be at least two DCSD armed security officers on site. In addition, there will be a minimum of two armed deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) on site.
Guest removal
Any person found to be in violation of the policies will be denied entry or asked to leave. If they fail to comply, a DCSO deputy will be asked to escort them off the property.
They could also be subject to "district, criminal or civil penalties," according to the protocols.
The protocols, which can be viewed in full below, were sent out along with the following statement from the district:
"In an effort to maintain decorum and create a non-threatening environment for all of our guests, DCSD is implementing the attached Board of Education Safety and Security protocols.
Thank you for your efforts to uphold these expectations so that a peaceful and productive environment for everyone present for Board of Education meetings can be maintained."
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS
