Shelton School Board considers weapons ban

Guns and other weapons would be banned at Shelton School Board meetings under proposed new rules.

At its July 26 meeting, the board gave preliminary approval to rule revisions on meeting conduct, the order of business and language considered “uncivil.” The board can make the changes official with a vote at its meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Some of the proposed changes include simple logistical tweaks, such as noting the meeting site has changed to the Mountain View Elementary School cafeteria the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. Others are more substantial, such as “not bringing any kinds of weapons to board meetings,” said Superintendent Wyeth Jessee.

“There have been some incidences where board directors, in board meetings, the safety of individuals have been called into attention,” he said.

The proposed rule states “It is unlawful for any member of the public to knowingly carry into, or to possess in, on any area of a facility being used for official school board meetings, a dangerous weapon, including not limited to firearms, nunchaku sticks, throwing stars, air gun or pistol, or other dangerous weapons as listed in RCW 9.41.280. The board will ensure that signs providing notice of the restrictions on possession of firearms and other weapons are posted at facilities being used for official meetings of the board.”

The proposed rules also focus on “examples of uncivil comments,” such as indecency, the superintendent said.

“We are live and we have students here,” he said. “We want to have a professional decorum at the board meetings, while allowing public comments on things, even if they dissent.”

Under the proposed rules, examples of “uncivil comments” include comments that:

■ Are libelous or slanderous under a legal standard.

■ Are an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

■ Are obscene or indecent pursuant to the Federal Communications Act or any rule or regulation of the Federal Communications Commission.

■ Violate school district policy or procedure related to harassment, intimidation, bullying or discrimination.

■ Create a material and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the board meeting.

The proposed new rules also address remote meetings that were triggered by the COVID pandemic.

The proposed new regulation states that “in the cases of emergency, fire, flood, earthquake, or other emergency, the board chair may provide for a location other than that of the regular meeting, a remote location with no physical location, or a meeting at which physical attendance is limited. In the instances of remote or limited in-person meetings, the board will provide real-time telephonic, electronic, internet, or other readily available means of remote access that do not require an additional cost to access the meetings.”

The board meets in person at Mountain View Elementary, but simultaneously the meetings are screened on MasonWebTV.

School Board President Keri Davidson said she is glad the meetings can be seen live remotely.

“I think that does allow some access to people who can’t physically come to the meetings … More people can watch the recordings to see what’s going on in our school district,” she said.

Some of the proposed changes are designed to meet Open Public Meeting Act rules passed a couple months ago, Jessee said.

Other proposed changes include eliminating the board meetings on the second Tuesdays of each month in July and August, and on the fourth Tuesday of December. The board would hear public comments at the beginning of each meeting, but not after taking actions.