Agenda - 09-06-2022; 8-a - Minutes

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14 1 John Roberts said it was in several sample ordinances from other jurisdictions, but the 2 Board could remove that. 3 Chair Price asked if they received a permit they would be able to have a vigil. 4 John Roberts said there is no permit required, and that it would only apply on county or 5 school owned property. 6 Chair Price she was thinking of a vigil in front of the courthouse or on the courthouse 7 steps. 8 John Roberts said the courthouse steps and lawns are traditional public forum areas 9 where demonstrations would be allowed. 10 Commissioner Bedford said she noticed the ten or more people and looked at the 11 February 1s' meeting. She said that Raleigh uses ten or more but Wake County uses any 12 person. She said that one person who is yelling at children is inappropriate, and she supported 13 changing it to any person. She said after hearing from Patrick Abele, she supported changing it 14 to 1,000 feet. She said this can be reviewed in the future. 15 Commissioner Greene said she was thinking of county property not the schools. She 16 said that the Whitted building is county property and this rule would apply to Whitted. 17 John Roberts said no picketing would be allowed on Whitted property, sidewalks, or 18 parking lots. 19 Commissioner Greene said she would not be in favor of that. She said that she would 20 support the schools. She said that having demonstrators at the Whitted building is perfectly 21 appropriate and is a first amendment activity. She said that she feels that way about Whitted 22 and any other building the Board meets in as a body. 23 Commissioner Richards said a lot of what they are describing would be happening at a 24 public school board meeting. She said that she cannot think about how to word this to restrict 25 behavior, so they had a right to be there. 26 John Roberts read clause about prohibition on school property. He said that if there was 27 a controversial topic and the school board had a meeting at a gymnasium, this ordinance would 28 not apply if students were not present. 29 Commissioner Richards said she wonders how to address the specific issues that lead 30 the Board to consider the ordinance, but does not know if there is a way to address it. She said 31 that if a school board meeting is held on school property at a time when students are not 32 present, then this ordinance would not apply. 33 John Roberts said that the ordinance would not apply to the situation where students are 34 there to speak at a meeting. 35 Commissioner McKee asked why the school properties are not by definition county 36 property since they were bought with county money. 37 John Roberts said school districts are separate legal entities and that the land titles are 38 in the school board's name. He said that some properties are in the county's name for financing 39 purposes. 40 Commissioner McKee said he does not understand the difference in picketing on school 41 property and public county property. He said that he is having an issue of understanding when 42 picketing becomes obnoxious behavior or becomes behavior that is not acceptable. He said that 43 standing quietly with friends with a sign, that is picketing, He said that if he is speaking loudly, 44 that is still picketing. He said that speaking at a moderate voice is also picketing. He said that he 45 is convinced that some of the most beneficial movements regarding individuals that did not have 46 certain rights were not achieved by people standing quietly with a sign. He asked how to make a 47 distinction for someone that is advocating for personal or civil rights and someone that is 48 opposed to something. He said that he has a problem with the subject. He said he is struggling 49 to sacrifice liberty for every moment someone should feel safe. He said that he does not know 50 where the dividing line is. He said he is not comfortable saying that someone that does not 51 agree with something has to stand 1,000 feet away from the property.