School Board Member Attacks the Community

The Oley School Board is under fire for considering a policy change that will inhibit, intimidate, and prevent public participation at board meetings.
The policy puts extraordinary speech limitations and expense on citizens speaking at board meetings.
The author of this anti-First Amendment and anti-Sunshine Law revision is the policy committee. The committee is comprised of Chairman, Robert J. Cappa, Scarlette Z. Gotwals, and Christopher M. Hannum.
At the May 17, 2006 meeting, Mr. Cappa expressed complete contempt for the community when he had his son read a prepared statement. Mr. Cappa did not attend the meeting.
Free speech does not mean you can force others to listen, the statement said. A demonstration of this freedom is when some long-winded person calls you on the phone and you can just hang up. It is why in a closed environment like a school board meeting, the length of repetitious diatribes can be limited.
In other words, get lost Oley Valley citizens.
Mr. Cappa is also the board member who brought a camera to a meeting and filmed speakers. He was asked to cease his intimidating behavior, but he refused.
The meeting agenda called for a first reading and discussion of the policy. There was no reading or discussion.
Perhaps, Mr. Cappa's statment reflects the attitude of the entire board. They have remained silent.