A bill that would authorize a presiding member of any legislative body, including a local school board, to remove an individual for disrupting a public meeting is poised to become law.
SB 1100 was introduced by State Assembly Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) and was approved by both state Assembly chambers. It is now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.
“I'm of two minds having been a parent and having attended some of those school board meetings,” said Dr. Lynn Steinberg, a child psychologist in Los Angeles. “I've seen parents be removed because they're so out of line but then I also think they should have a voice and it shouldn't be as biased as it often is.”
Republican elected officials oppose the bill because it allegedly targets parents who have increasingly attended school board meetings since the pandemic emerged to protest mask and vaccine mandates.
"Regardless of this bill, a parent revolution is coming this fall,” warned Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) in a statement online. “This bill is a direct attack on parents coming to their school board meetings and voicing their passionate displeasure with how our schools have been managed."
As previously reported, a controversy erupted last year when the National School Boards Association (NSBA) sent a Sept. 29, 2021 letter to President Biden implying that parents were engaging in domestic terrorism at local school board meetings.
"SB 1100 is just another example of entrenched special interests hoping to preserve their monopoly on our public education system by removing parents and families from the equation," said Becca Williams, a mom, and current San Diego Unified school board candidate. "I strongly believe parents have a right to participate in the decisions affecting their children and should be afforded every opportunity to do so."
Cortese has argued that SB 1100 is needed to address behavior that is disruptive so that governmental meetings are not forced to end early.
The proposed legislation defines disorderly conduct as bullying, harassment, or violence.
“Because they're advocating for their children, it’s important for parents to be able to speak at school board meetings, but what are those parents like? Do they have personality disorders and just want attention,” Steinberg told the Southern California Record.