Agenda - 11-15-2022; 8-a - Minutes

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20 1 parents to gather and protest racial injustices. He said many teachers have LGBT and BLM 2 flags in their classrooms and these flags represent causes, issues, and actions that are being 3 promoted by teachers. He said that under this ordinance, they have to be taken down because 4 this will silence all speech. He said each commissioner has the right to peacefully assemble but 5 maybe they don't value it because they are now on that side of the bench. He asked them not to 6 table this ordinance but to instead put it to rest forever. 7 Patricia Randall said that article 1 of the NC Constitution gives sovereignty to the people 8 and all government originates from the people. She said that no laws were broken with the 9 protests and there is no reason to pass this ordinance to control the people of the county. 10 Lanna Spiegel said that the school board is trying to take away the voice of parents. She 11 read from several comments against the ordinance. She asked why the ordinance is a priority 12 when Grady Brown does not even have doors on all classrooms. She asked when 13 commissioners gained the right to allow rights to some and not for others. She said that 14 ordinances that control people's first amendment rights are communist. She said that there are 15 many citizens that oppose the ordinance and asked if the commissioners hear their voices. 16 Mark Stiles gave up his time. 17 Heather Redding said she is a resident of Orange County. She said her comments are 18 related to how the ordinance could impact protests at school board meetings. She said that she 19 believes that laws do not have to be broken for harm to occur. She said that when the Proud 20 Boys gathered the language that they shouted was troubling. She said when they came to a 21 school board meeting and sat in their colors, it was equally troubling. She said the school board 22 dragged its feet to ban the confederate flag from its schools and that was troubling. She said 23 that this ordinance would stop groups from gathering peacefully. She said that if school board 24 meetings were to take place in this building, it would ban all protests because there is a public 25 playground less than a block away. She said that this ordinance would prohibit the right to 26 protest and this erosion would further propaganda and disrupt progressive change. She said 27 that this is not the time to stop the right to peacefully assemble. 28 Larry Tippens said that he thinks they have lost something. He said that protesting goes 29 back to Germany, when you could post a note to challenge the school. He said that what they 30 are destroying and crippling is the ability to speak pro and con at the family level or at the 31 school. He said that if you are not talking at home, then there are problems. 32 Edward Zabolsky said he was not planning to speak until the school board decided to 33 make him a criminal. He said that he lives next to the high school and they have a 25-foot 34 easement that they maintain. He said there is then woods, parking lot, farm animals, and the 35 school. He said that the Board has now proposed that he can be a protest of one person just by 36 wearing a shirt that someone does not agree with. He said there are ordinances and laws 37 protecting schools and entrances. He said to make an ordinance for a problem that does not 38 exist seems like a waste of time. 39 40 Chair Price asked Commissioner Hamilton to restate her petition. 41 Commissioner Hamilton said she would like to table a decision on this ordinance and 42 would like for a task force of commissioners, school boards, and law enforcement to produce a 43 solution that would protect students and also take into consideration the public's comments and 44 concerns. 45 46 A motion was made by Commissioner Hamilton, seconded by Commissioner Fowler, to 47 defer consideration of this discussion. 48 49 Commissioner McKee said he thinks this issue needs more public input and asked those 50 in the room and those watching at home to step up and participate. 51 Commissioner Bedford asked for clarification on the word tabling.