Who is required to attend In-Camera School Board Meetings?

[Guest Tricia Smith]

I was hoping to get further clarification in addition to what is noted in the Board's Governance Policy on who is required to attend in-camera school board meetings, other than the Board Trustees, Director of Education (as Secretary of the Board) and Administrative staff (i.e. delegated as recording secretary).  I was unable to locate any further clarification under the Education Act or pertaining legislation.  Thank you for your input!

[George Mervosh]

Robert's Rules do not require anyone attend a meeting or a portion of a meeting held in executive session.

We cannot offer any input regarding any Education Act or applicable legislation. 

[Guest Puzzling]

1 hour ago, George Mervosh said:

Robert's Rules do not require anyone attend a meeting or a portion of a meeting held in executive session.

We cannot offer any input regarding any Education Act or applicable legislation. 

While RONR (Robert's rules of order newly revised, 12th edition ) do not require any specific boardmember  to attend RONR does require a quorum so if to many boardmembers leave before the in-camera meeting  (executive session in RONR parlance) and there is no quorum left the meeting can not conduct business.

Also do check your local open meeting or sunshine laws.

 

[Richard Brown]

9 minutes ago, Guest Puzzling said:

While RONR (Robert's rules of order newly revised, 12th edition ) do not require any specific boardmember  to attend RONR does require a quorum so if to many boardmembers leave before the in-camera meeting  (executive session in RONR parlance) and there is no quorum left the meeting can not conduct business.

Also do check your local open meeting or sunshine laws.

 

While I agree with Guest puzzling‘s comments regarding the provisions in RONR and about the necessity of having a quorum, I believe the original poster’s questions were about what persons, in addition to board members, are required to attend board meetings held in executive session.

It is customary for organizations to have rules permitting or even requiring certain other people, such as an executive director or board attorney or the superintendent of schools to attend board meetings, but all of those provisions are outside the realm of RONR and would not affect the quorum unless there is a bylaw provision  specifically requiring their presence for a quorum or permitting them to be counted for quorum purposes. Such a provision would be very unusual. 

The bottom line, as stated by Mr. Mervosh, is that it is outside the scope of RONR and of this forum for us to opine on who  might be required to attend board meetings of a particular organization.
 

[Atul Kapur]

Guest Tricia Smith, from the terminology that you used, are you by chance referring to a school board in Ontario?

[Josh Martin]

6 hours ago, Guest Tricia Smith said:

I was hoping to get further clarification in addition to what is noted in the Board's Governance Policy on who is required to attend in-camera school board meetings, other than the Board Trustees, Director of Education (as Secretary of the Board) and Administrative staff (i.e. delegated as recording secretary).  I was unable to locate any further clarification under the Education Act or pertaining legislation.  Thank you for your input!

The members of the Board of Trustees have a right to attend. What other persons are permitted (or required) to attend meetings in executive session (which is the term RONR uses rather than "in camera") is at the board's discretion. 

"Whenever a meeting is being held in executive session, only members of the body that is meeting, special invitees, and such employees or staff members as the body or its rules may determine to be necessary are allowed to remain in the hall. Thus, in the case of a board or committee meeting being held in executive session, all persons—whether or not they are members of the organization—who are not members of the board or committee (and who are not otherwise specifically invited or entitled to attend) are excluded from the meeting." RONR (12th ed.) 9:25

As others have noted, it may well be that the board's rules or applicable law provide otherwise on this matter, and those rules will take precedence over RONR.