Mankato (MN) Area Public Schools needs leadership overhaul

Jodi Sapp is a member of the school board serving Mankato Area Public Schools. At a recent school board meeting, Ms. Sapp said "I just want to remind everybody this is a business meeting of the school board, it is not a meeting that belongs to the public. Each speaker is asked to state his or her name and address for the record. Failure to do so will result in an individual not being allowed to speak."

That's breathtakingly authoritarian. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. She also said "new guidelines that will be enforced: no calling out specific board or staff members and no applause, talking, or hollering."

There's so much wrong with what she said. First, the meeting belongs to the public because that's who the school board is supposed to serve. (Obviously, they don't serve the public at this point.) Next, the school board doesn't have the constitutional right to restrict political speech, which is what this is. If I lived in Mankato, I'd tell the gentleman in this video to contact a civil rights law firm:

This school board just implemented doxing as part of their public comment policy. If this gentleman's house or property sustains vandalism damage, which I hope doesn't happen, he should sue the school board. Their policy is reckless and puts the public at risk.

This school board's arrogance is frightening. Unfortunately, it's common within the education establishment. Terry McAuliffe admitted that at the last Virginia gubernatorial debate:

McAuliffe quote: "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach." McAuliffe is an authoritarian. Jodi Sapp is a lower-profile authoritarian than Mr. McAuliffe but she's an authoritarian nonetheless.

If I want to criticize a school board member, then Ms. Sapp won't stop me from criticizing that member. If she cut the microphone, she should expect a letter from a civil rights attorney first thing the next day. Units of government aren't allowed to put in place policies that aren't enforceable. Policies that restrict a person's First Amendment rights, which this obviously does, aren't enforceable. It's that straightforward.

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