Indiana school board meetings that made headlines in 2021

Members of Indiana communities who've never set foot in a school board meeting are lining up to attend this year to speak about hot-button issues and ask board members to hear their voices.

With COVID-19 spread still a concern, mask guidelines in schools and at the meetings can cause tension, and misunderstandings about topics such as Social Emotional Learning and Critical Race Theory have led to disruptive audience members. School boards are not required by law to hear public comments, but most do.

School boards have resorted to limiting or suspending public comment and implementing other security members. As schools continue to look at ways to keep meetings safe, here's a look at some unusual meetings we've covered this year.

July 26, Carmel: Man arrested after gun falls from pocket

Recent concerns led to changes in the Carmel Clay School Board's meetings, including the addition of metal detectors after a handgun fell from one man's pocket. He was arrested on a felony charge of possession of a firearm on school property. Police don't believe there was a threat to anyone.

The incident came after several disruptions, including shouting during meetings and reactions to public comment.

"It is clear there are people who are upset and angry in this community," Carmel superintendent Michael Beresford said. "It is our practice to be available to discuss concerns and meet with individuals to listen and problem-solve issues. But what cannot continue is the divisive anger and personal attacks that the board, teachers and administrators are receiving via email, phone calls, social media and during public comment."

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Public comment was suspended at the meetings, and when the board was discussing a policy to bring it back, they were interrupted by a member of the audience. The meeting recessed after 10 minutes because of outbursts from the crowd.

Beresford said the audience members' behavior at that meeting "makes us take pause and determine whether we can do our business meetings in a way that is productive and isn't disruptive.” He told the crowd that the board needed to get through its agenda items, which included the teachers' contract with pay raises.

“If we can’t ratify the teacher contract, then the teachers won’t get paid their raise in a timely manner,” he said.

“Oh well,” one audience member replied.

After the incidents, Carmel Clay opted to host all of its meetings virtually, and that continued for two months. At a Nov. 22 board meeting, the board said in-person attendance would return for the Dec. 13 meeting. About 65 people attended the meeting, which was largely quiet and routine.

July 28, Hamilton Southeastern: Parents shout about books

The appointment of a trustee to the local library board turned into a tense episode at a Hamilton Southeastern board meeting. Audience members attempted to read from and criticize books including those with transgender characters.

Earlier that same week at nearby Carmel Clay Schools, speakers there also criticized books during public comment. They criticized and read from books with transgender characters as well as books that had sexually explicit scenes. And months before, speakers criticized books with transgender characters at Westfield Washington Schools.

A board member cut off one speaker who was reading from a book, saying specific book content was not on the agenda, and the audience fought back. Chanting and yelling ensued, and the board left the room for a recess. After several members tried reasoning with the crowd, the board returned to their meeting and suspended public comment for the night.

Aug. 9, Penn-Harris-Madison: Board decides against mask mandate

In Mishawaka, the Penn-Harris-Madison school district voted on a mask-optional policy for the new school year. St. Joseph County's health department had recommended all K-12 students, faculty and staff wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

"I decline to impose a mandate when the national, state and local governments themselves have not done so," School Board President Chris Riley said.

More: Penn-Harris-Madison parents criticize optional mask policy

Parents' opinions are mixed, with some speaking in favor and some against universal masking.

"There is hardly anything worse than seeing a child suffer while you attempt to do what you can do to make them feel better and seeing the look in the parents' eyes as they look hopeless," a local family physician said.

Aug. 9, Lafayette: Meeting ends when audience members won't wear masks

After members of an audience at a Lafayette School Board meeting refused to wear masks, the board abruptly adjourned.

Impassioned community members also aired their opinions nearby at a disruptive Tippecanoe County School Corp. meeting in September. The meeting was delayed when audience members began voicing opinions before public participation had officially begun.

Aug. 15, Mt. Vernon: A doctor's false claims

A doctor named Dan Stock spoke to some Indiana school boards, including Mt. Vernon Community Schools, encouraging them not to adopt mask mandates. In a video that went viral, he addressed the board with largely false claims about the usefulness of masks and potential dangers of vaccination.

Aug. 16, Brownsburg: Parent says he'll encourage child to defy mandate

It only took 10 minutes for the first outburst at a Brownsburg Community Schools meeting to consider a mask mandate. The district had been operating with a mask-optional policy, but cases in schools were increasing.

The board eventually approved the mask mandate, but parents spoke out against it. One said he'd give his daughter permission to "resist," even if it meant she was expelled.

Brownsburg's board voted to require masks indoors for all students and staff.

Aug. 19, Center Grove: Parents 'just say no' to masks

At a Center Grove Community Schools board meeting, one parent called COVID-19 safety mandates "medical apartheid." He called on the board to "just say no" to mask mandates, critical race theory and social emotional learning, comparing the fight to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s fight for racial equality.

“Stand up for liberty,” he said. “Be resolute. This is the time. This is our Martin Luther King moment to say no.”

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Aug. 24, Monroe County: Speaker refuses to wear mask, asked to leave

In August, a Monroe County Community School Corp. meeting turned tense when a speaker took her mask off, saying she couldn't breathe and "masks are stupid." Board members asked her to follow the rules or leave.

The woman, who also had publicly spoken out against Indiana University's vaccination policy, refused to comply, leading to shouting and arguing in the audience. The online meeting live stream cut out, and a school resource officer motioned for board members to leave the room.

At the same meeting, one speaker who opposed masks in schools said there "needs to be more strong men standing up."

“I look around here and I count 20 women in here and I count nine men," he said. "That lets me know of a weak society."

Oct. 12, Warrick County: Man arrested after mask dispute

At an October Warrick County School Board meeting, a man refused to wear a mask while seated in the audience. After he was asked to leave, he refused, leading to his arrest on a trespass charge.

The school board's mask mandate, which was adopted for schools in the district, also applies to school board meetings.

CONTRIBUTING: MJ Slaby, IndyStar; Arika Herron, IndyStar; Emily Cox, The Herald-Times; John T. Martin, Evansville Courier & Press; Margaret Christopherson, Lafayette Courier & Journal

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Tense school board meetings becoming more common for Indiana districts