By Emily Dubinsky
Social Media Editor
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees held a 90 minute workshop on Sept. 29 regarding the Brown Act.
The workshop was an effective training session for board members about the Brown Act and how that impacts board activities. Since this was a workshop rather than a formal board meeting, there was no voting or other actions taken. However, the board members listened, learned and asked questions.
The intent of the Brown Act is to encourage open and public deliberations and meaningful public access to deliberations such as School District Open Meeting Laws education code 35140-35149. According to MBUSD Board President Ellen Rosenberg, there are some constraints; specifically, a majority of the members cannot discuss school district business among themselves at non-meetings, and the board can only discuss and take action on matters on the agenda.
According to Rosenberg, another aspect of the Brown Act addresses items allowed to be discussed in Closed Session and the confidentiality of items discussed in closed session. Items that may be placed on a closed session agenda include personnel, litigation, student matters, negotiations/collective bargaining with credentialed and classified unions, security matters, and real property negotiations.
“Our workshop was spent on who polices the Brown Act, potential actions for violations of the Brown Act, rules surrounding Public Comment at board meetings and board responses with regard to agenda and non-agenda items that may arise during a board meeting,” Rosenberg said. “Overall the three concepts of the Brown Act are transparency, public involvement and access, and conducting lawful, efficient and organized meetings.”
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