Chalkbeat Colorado: Virtual public comment at Denver school board meetings may be here to stay, even as board members consider resuming in-person meetings and students head back to school buildings.

In a discussion Thursday, board members cited numerous advantages of allowing the public to weigh in on district business via Zoom and expressed support for continuing the practice. In addition to being safer during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual public comment has allowed students, parents, and teachers who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend a board meeting in a gymnasium on a weeknight to participate, board members said.

“We have heard from our communities in saying, ‘Thank you for letting us participate virtually,’” board Vice President Jennifer Bacon said. Families don’t have to find childcare, navigate traffic, or pay for parking to be able to share their thoughts with the board, she said. Board member Angela Cobián agreed, calling virtual public comment a “game changer” for some families.

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