Proposed restrictions on questions from the public at 91原创 School Board meetings have been softened in response to objections the new rules would violate constitutional freedom-of-speech rights.

The teachers鈥� union, support staff and 91原创 District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) all filed letters of protest against two sections of the proposed new rules, one that would forbid any 鈥渋ndividual or group鈥� from raising the same topic more than once every three months during the public question period at the end of board meetings and one that would ban questioners from referring to matters 鈥渦nder grievance.鈥�

The contentious clauses appeared to  be an attempt to prevent interested groups from rehashing old controversies at meeting after meeting.

But the presidents of the 91原创 Teachers鈥� Association (LTA), Canadian Union of Public Employees local 1260 (CUPE) and the DPAC executive said the restrictions would result in violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and peaceful association.

The LTA said the proposed changes amounted to 鈥渃ensorship鈥�, CUPE warned they would 鈥渓imit citizens鈥� fundamental freedoms鈥� and DPAC called it 鈥渂ad policy鈥� that amounted to 鈥渕uzzling debate鈥�

At their Tuesday, Sept 20 meeting, trustees voted to remove the one-topic-every-three-months limit and added language to make it clear the restriction on grievances only means union member complaints where privacy must be respected.