Cobb County residents will no longer see or hear public comments during school board meetings online. The district will still allow in-person comments but has ended livestreaming that portion of meetings.
📢 Why It Matters: Removing public comment broadcasts limits transparency and reduces the community’s ability to monitor and respond to school board decisions in real time.
🎥 What’s Happening:
The school board voted to stop streaming public comments, citing legal risks and the need for more efficient meetings. Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said the district has faced challenges editing recordings due to legal concerns. The policy still allows people to speak in person but removes any remote access or permanent record of those remarks.
- The three Democrats on the board opposed the change but were outvoted by the Republican majority.
- The new rules ban comments that are defamatory or “tortious” about employees and allow indefinite bans on speakers who violate the policy.
⚖️ Between the Lines:
Cobb has tightened public comment rules over recent years, including limits on speaker numbers, sign-up procedures, and where speakers wait before meetings. A federal lawsuit alleges the district blocked parents from speaking based on their intended remarks.
- Georgia law requires public meetings to allow video and audio recording, but the district argues it already exceeds state standards by livestreaming at all.
- Nearby Fulton County also livestreams meetings but excludes public comments from the broadcast.
📚 The Big Picture:
School boards are public bodies funded by taxpayers and bound by the First Amendment to allow public participation. Many districts, including Cobb, have restricted transparency citing legal risks or efficiency. This reduces public oversight and limits community engagement in decisions affecting local schools.
- Transparency in public meetings is a legal requirement and a key part of democratic accountability.
- Removing public comment broadcasts narrows the public’s ability to hold officials accountable and weakens civic participation.
📜 The First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What Does it Mean: The First Amendment protects five big freedoms that everyone in the United States has.
These are the five freedoms:
- Freedom of Religion — You can believe in any religion you want, or not believe in any religion at all. The government can’t force you to believe something or punish you for your beliefs.
- Freedom of Speech — You can say what you think and share your ideas, even if others don’t agree with you.
- Freedom of the Press — Newspapers, TV, websites, and reporters can share news and opinions without the government telling them what to say.
- Freedom to Assemble — You can gather in groups to protest, march, or meet peacefully to talk about things you care about.
- Freedom to Petition the Government — You can ask the government and government representatives to fix problems or make changes by writing letters, starting petitions, or speaking out in public.
In short, the First Amendment makes sure you can have your own thoughts, share your ideas, and stand up for what you believe — as long as you do it peacefully.
ℹ️ The Sources: Cobb County School Board Meeting, U.S. Constitution, Fulton County School Board, Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
How to Read and Understand The News
When reading news, remember:
- Truth doesn’t change because we dislike it
- Facts remain facts even when they make us uncomfortable
- Events happen whether we accept them or not
- Good reporting often challenges us
- The news isn’t choosing a position — it is relaying what official, verified sources have said.
- Blaming the press for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Before dismissing news that bothers you, ask:
- What evidence supports this story?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I “shooting the messenger” because I don’t like what is happening?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not just comfort.
Do You Agree With The Board’s Decision?
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
