Public Comment Guide (Talking Points)
What’s Being Decided
The School Board is moving forward with custom policies to replace NEOLA’s Policy 9130, rather than adopting NEOLA’s neutral, legally reviewed framework.
Key Questions to Raise
You don’t need to cover everything; choose one or two points that resonate with you:
- Why invest in NEOLA if we’re not using it?
NEOLA exists to prevent exactly what happened with Love Makes a Family: decisions made in committee without a full board vote or public input. Why are we not fixing that error? - How do we prevent another mass removal of books?
Open records show the removal of 33 books was directed by the Board President despite concerns from district professionals. What safeguards will stop this from happening again? - What is “trimming,” and why were AP books removed?
Should there be a clear, transparent trimming policy, especially when materials directly support student success? - Do these policies trust our educators?
We invest in highly trained teachers and librarians. Replacing NEOLA with board-written policies sends a message of distrust toward professional judgment. - Is this fiscally responsible?
The District pays for NEOLA and invests heavily in staff expertise. Ignoring both is not responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
How to Structure Your Comment (2–3 Minutes)
- Introduce yourself
“I’m a parent/community member/educator in Menomonee Falls.” - State your concern clearly
“I’m concerned about replacing NEOLA policies with custom ones.” - Name the impact
On students, educators, transparency, or public trust. - Make a clear request
Pause, revise the process, adopt NEOLA fully, or add safeguards and public input.
Tips
- Be respectful and focused.
- Speak from lived experience.
- Submit your public comment form before the meeting starts.
