School board bans weapons from meetings

Guns, throwing stars and other weapons are banned at Shelton School Board meetings.

The Shelton School Board on Tuesday evening gave final approval to rule revisions on meeting conduct, the order of business and language considered "uncivil." The board have preliminary approval to the rules at its July 26 meeting.

The new rules note the meeting site has changed to the Mountain View Elementary School cafeteria the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.

The new rules also state "It is unlawful for any member of the public to knowingly carry into, or to possess in, on any area of a facility being used for official school board meetings, a dangerous weapon, including but not limited to firearms, nunchaku sticks, throwing stars, air gun or pistol, or other dangerous weapons as listed in RCW 9.41.280. The board will ensure that signs providing notice of the restrictions on possession of firearms and other weapons are posted at facilities being used for official meetings of the board."

The new rules also focus on "examples of uncivil comments," such as indecency. Under the rules, examples of "uncivil comments" include comments that are libelous or slanderous under a legal standard; an unwarranted invasion of privacy; are obscene or indecent pursuant to the Federal Communications Act or any rule or regulation of the Federal Communications Commission; violate school district policy or procedure related to harassment, intimidation, bullying or discrimination; or create a material and substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the board meeting.

The new rules also address remote meetings triggered by the COVID pandemic.

They state that "in the cases of emergency, fire, flood, earthquake, or other emergency, the board chair may provide for a location other than that of the regular meeting, a remote location with no physical location, or a meeting at which physical attendance is limited. In the instances of remote or limited in-person meetings, the board will provide real-time telephonic, electronic, internet, or other readily available means of remote access that do not require an additional cost to access the meetings."

The board meets in person at Mountain View Elementary. The meetings are screened on MasonWebTV simultaneously.