Public Comments for: HB253 - School boards; enrolled students present at meetings, public comment or citizen participation.
Last Name: Osborne Organization: West Point Public Schools Locality: West Point

Please vote to pass HB 686 Meals for All. The children in Virginia need your help. Every child should be able to get a hot meal and not have to worry about being hungry. Parents are struggling and children are suffering. Please vote for free meals for children.

Last Name: McClung Locality: Loudoun County

Vote in favor of: HB1039, HB732, HB686, HB603, HB498, HB497, HB482, HB386, HB253, HB224, HB215, HB134, and HB41. I would recommend including additional language in HB41 that addresses voter registrations in public schools. Being an active voter is part of our civic duty and participation in our democratic process should be taught and encouraged. Voter registration drives should be occurring in all public high schools in the Commonwealth.

Last Name: Spangenberg Locality: Harrisonburg

seconding what my family and friends have said and taught me as we examine these bills together- 134- YES 214- YES 224- YES 253- YES 386- YES 398- YES 497- YES 498- YES 603- YES 686- YES 732- YES

Last Name: Jones Locality: Richmond

134- YES to fentanyl training to save lives and decrease stigma. It is overdue 214- YES 224- YES 253- YES civic engagement encouraged 386- YES 398- YES incredible practice to prevent punishment and foster healthy development 497- YES 498- YES 603- YES 686- YES 732- YES Nalaxone critical and life saving

Last Name: Spangenberg Locality: Forest

134- YES to fentanyl training to save lives and decrease stigma 214- YES increase safety and change culture 224- YES to save lives with training 253- YES students' voices are critical and will teach power of speaking up for themselves 386- YES 398- YES restorative justice changes lives and prevents school to prison pipeline. Lynchburg has found restorative practices to be so impactful that a federal grant was just awarded almost 1M to continue 497- YES SAVE LIVES 498 YES save lives 603 YES save lives reduce stigma 686 YES 732 YES save lives

Last Name: Manning Locality: Virginia Beach

The Freedom of Information Act is the portion of law that addresses this topic. To place it under "duties of the school board" is improper and could be in conflict with FOIA. FOIA already permits school boards to allow speakers, including student speakers. It also seems that a school board would not be able to single out one group over another when permitting speakers. Would that be a First Amendment violation?

Last Name: Sprague Locality: Alexandria

Now this is more like it! I wish I was allowed to speak as a student. It is in the first amendment after all. Kids are people too!

End of Comments