Muzzling the Speaker.

I wonder what’s going on within the leadership of the Clinton Township Board of Education.  At first glance, what is reported to have happened at Monday night’s meeting doesn’t pass the smell test. 

The Red Mill, Clinton, NJ (Infrared Photo Courtesy
Peter Falke/Google Images)

In an article by staff writer Mark Spivey which appeared in today’s print edition of the Courier News, former Clinton Mayor Nick Corcodilos is reported to have been escorted out of a Board of Education meeting by local police.  That occurred after he continued to speak after exceeding the three minutes allocated to persons wishing to address the Board.

Three minutes?  Jeeeesh!!!

According to the Courier News write-up, Jim Dincuff, President of Clinton’s Board of Education called law enforcement to have Corcodilos ejected from the meeting.  Kevin J. Carroll, Clinton Superintendent of Schools supported Dincuff’s action, yet Carroll explained that he tried to have the time for Corcodilos’ comments extended.


Continuing with his report, Spivey writes that Board Member Marc Freda also called for an extension of time.  Corcodilos had asked for that privilege in advance.

Here’s my take on Jim Dincuff’s decision:  Baloney!

If the events reported in the Courier News are correct (and there is no reason to believe that they are not), Dincuff was completely out-of-line. 

No board of education president should be so rule-bound and thin-skinned that he or she feels compelled to call in the police department to eject an involved citizen, merely because that person wants some more time.

I’ve chaired many school board meetings where speakers were allowed to go over the time limit.  I’ve also attended plenty of other public meetings presided over by public officials who permitted concerned citizens to speak a bit longer. 

People often come up to the microphone with passion and conviction.  An elected official needs to listen, whether he likes it or not.  It can and does get steamy.  But that’s no reason to arbitrarily shut people down.

A good meeting presider uses sound judgment – it’s called situational savvy.  Mr. Dincuff appears to have failed that test Monday evening. 

I hope that this is not an ominous sign of how citizens will be discouraged from civic participation at meetings, now that people no longer get a chance to vote on the school budget.

(Click on the image for an enhanced view.)