Today, July 20, there is a scheduled tour of Sandown North being given by the principal, Mrs. Georgian, for the members of Sandown’s minority committee. As I have an active interest in this issue as well as being a contributor to a working group of the committee (though not an official committee member), I asked to be included in the tour.
The school principal, Mrs. Georgian, denied my request because she needs Dr. Metzler’s permission. Dr. Metzler is out of the office until July 27.
I actually feel quite bad for the principals in our district who fear returning a call from me and who cannot give me permission to enter their school on their own authority. I’ve been previously prohibited from visiting any school during operational hours despite the fact that other school board members visit schools without permission from the superintendent. Clearly I am in Dr. Metzler’s own words, “a select individual.”
A representative of Sandown on the school board, and an active volunteer to the minority committee, has been denied a tour of a Sandown school for no other reason than political vengeance. This is quite palpably hindering Sandown’s representation and can only fuel indignation among Sandown voters against the school district.
School Board Policy BHC (in relevant part)
Visits to School
Individual Board members interested in visiting schools or classrooms will inform the Superintendent of such visits and make arrangements for visitations through the principals of the various schools. Such visits shall be regarded as informal expressions of interest in school affairs and not as “inspections” or visits for supervisory or administrative purposes. Official visits by Board members will be carried on only under Board authorization and with the full knowledge of the Superintendent and principals.
timberlaneandsandown 
So let me get this straight…. We are told, and I think you agree, school board members have no authority unless derived from a vote of the board? So as a single individual you are not acting on behalf of, or representing the school board? So in fact you are attending a properly noticed meeting of the Sandown Feasibility of Worhdrawal study committee as a citizen of Sandown? Said committee as authorized by their selectman are opening their meetings to the public as they should, and seeking input from the public, but you as a citizen of sandown are being forbidden access by the Superintendent absentia while trying to attend a posted meeting? Add this to the list and call your ACLU attorney, it sounds like we have crossed into civil rights violations are ok bizarro world.
I completely agree with your interpretation (though I’m not sure a scheduled tour was a meeting if it didn’t have a quorum which as it happened, it didn’t). This is one fight the citizens have to take up because I’ve got enough stuff going on legally right now. At some point my own Right to Know case will be heard before the NH Supreme Court.
Concerned Citizen is correct. You have every right to accompany the tour for the Minority Committee as a public citizen volunteer to the committee AND holding no authority as s SB member. You did not require permission of a School Board’s employee as the tour was already requested and approved; only full disclosure of your elected position(s) would have been appropriate.