Orange County NC Website
18 <br /> Great Grandmother who had been left with a white man in 1829 so that she would not have to <br /> walk on the Trail of Tears. She said that part of the man's clothing included a hunting spear that <br /> deputies confiscated and held at the library door during the meeting. She said at the Board of <br /> Commissioners meeting on June 22 that Carrie Doyle and Patrick Abele presented reasons to <br /> limit protesting at schools. She said there were three situations of protest and discussed two <br /> school board meetings, with one being where the gentlemen was dressed in indigenous <br /> costume. She said that the irony of these comments is that each school board meeting starts <br /> with a moment of silence to honor those indigenous people and members of the Occoneechee <br /> Band of the Saponi Nation. She asked if the Board members did not hear the words of Mr. <br /> Zachary and if they did, were they unable to pickup on his intentions. She said there was <br /> nothing threatening about this elderly man showing up to speak. She said that the ability of <br /> citizens to disagree with government is a founding 1 st amendment issue. <br /> Kathy Arab said following that, they made the next meeting virtual. She said the next <br /> meeting was held at Stanback Middle School and this time even more people wanted to attend <br /> and speak. She said in a month's time, more concerning issues were coming to light. She said <br /> many people wanted to voice their concerns. She said that the school board spent public funds <br /> to have a law enforcement present. She said there was a deputy for every five citizens. She <br /> said that the people just wanted to be part of the meeting and they were limited to thirty-two. <br /> She said there were others who seemed to be there just to scream at those that wanted to <br /> enter the meeting. She said those who were able to enter found it strange that half of the <br /> available public seats were already filled by those who are known to support the school board. <br /> She said the school board has a policy to publish the agenda but that for this meeting, did not <br /> come out until Saturday. She said that the policy of work meetings is to limit public comment to <br /> an agenda item. She said that items seemed to change and that they were already asked to <br /> sign up online to speak on specific agenda items. She said that changing up the agenda <br /> drastically was what the school board at the time was doing. She said the Sheriff's department <br /> was also told who to throw out. She said that it undermines liberty for all citizens and this <br /> picketing ordinance is a perpetuation of this pattern. She said that those that spoke previously <br /> were followed by police officers to the podium. <br /> Kristal Clure said there is a school board policy that says members should relate in a <br /> courteous manner to the citizens they serve. She said that in spring of 2022 school board <br /> member participated in protest herself. She said that there is a video where the board member <br /> repeatedly speaks over citizens and tells parents to contact the school board for accurate <br /> information even chasing down parents. She said when a Sheriff's deputy arrived the video <br /> shows that the deputy determines that the private individual's actions were legal and that she <br /> was not sharing information to tarnish a school board member. She said that the school board <br /> member created disruption where there was none. She said if the previous board was <br /> concerned about protecting children it seems she wouldn't have engaged in this behavior. She <br /> said they have a history of wanting to silence parents and students who disagree with them and <br /> prevent sharing of documented factual data that would not reflect well on them but more <br /> accurately inform the voter base. <br /> Carol Kunkel said that September 24, 2021 a protest was organized. She said that <br /> previous school board member McKenzie described it as a tailgate protest, planned at Orange <br /> High School and billed as a protest of Covid measures. She said that the protestors were <br /> simply protesting spectator limits and mask requirements. She said that Sheriff Blackwood <br /> issued a public report afterward and said that a small group of protestors assembled outside <br /> the football game. He said another group that claimed to be part of the proud boys also <br /> gathered. He said that neither side engaged in action that constituted an illegal activity or <br /> speech that went outside the bounds of free speech that is protected. He said that despite the <br /> unpleasantness, no crimes were committed, the football game was not interrupted, and the <br />