TUSD board will keep allowing written 'call to audience' comments after all

The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to keep the option of written “call to the audience” comment submissions.

The board was considering eliminating the option and requiring that people who want to be heard at call to the audience show up and speak in person. Several audience members spoke at the meeting against that proposal.

Kirsten Cummins, a TUSD employee, said she was advocating for those with different abilities, including nonverbal members of the autistic community, those with speech impediments and members of the deaf community.

She said members of these groups and others often communicate through signing, assistive devices “and so much more.”

Cummins also noted, “There are some for who being in a large room full of people is an actual barrier.”

Board member Natalie Luna Rose said hearing Cummins’ comments influenced her opinion.

“There is a contingency that I would hate to for them to miss out. I think sometimes we’ve been a little short-sighted in not thinking that through,” she said.

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The decision was not made without debate.

Governing Board President Ravi Shah emphasized the proposed policy changes were not forms of censorship, and said the board is not required to offer a call to the audience.

He added, “We have a lot of ways for people to communicate with us.”

“They can email us at any time,” Luna Rose said.

Board member Sadie Shaw said, “This is what we were duly elected to do: To hear the public and take action off of what they see and hear around the district.”

Board member Val Romero said it’s also important that such comments from the public be entered into the public record of the meetings.