Pastor of Saluda church blocked from commenting

Freedom of speech is a basic right that all Americans are supposed to share.

There are limits such as incitement, defamation, fraud, obscenity, child pornography, fight-ing words and threats are all types of speech that are not protected.

The Middlesex County School Board’s policy passed on June 8, 2014 that prevents speakers who live outside of Middlesex County from being able to speak during the board’s public comment period raised some eyebrows at the school board meeting on Monday, Nov. 13.

A group from Immanuel Baptist Church in Saluda came in support of a Middlesex County Public Schools student who is a member of the church who was recently suspended for a 43-day discipline suspension.

When the pastor of Immanuel, the Rev. Dr. John Calvin Wright Jr., came up on the signup sheet, Clerk Kim Bagby, after seeing his name and address, announced at the start of the public comment period the board’s policy. Dr. Wright lives in James City County.

When Dr. Wright asked if he could speak because he was pastor of the Saluda church, school board chairman Elliott Reed said that the board’s policy prevents him from speaking.

The obscure policy was further confusing because the written agenda policy outlining requirements of speakers does not speak to out-of-the-county speakers.

School Superintendent Dr. Tracy Seitz said in a telephone interview on Friday the agenda needs to be addressed to make the policy more clear to the public that out-of-the-county speakers are not allowed to speak.

Diane Scott Harris asked the board if Dr. Wright could give a written request to the board to reconsider the suspension decision. Reed said that was acceptable…