This is the latest chapter in the descent into dysfunction by the Buncombe County Board of Education.

You'll recall, back in June I wrote about  how the School Board majority limited all requests for information made by board members.  Board members now must go through the Superintendent to get data on the system they were elected to oversee.  This was clearly designed to rein in Lisa Baldwin, who is usually on the losing end of 6-1 votes.

Baldwin used to make numerous requests for information directly to staffers. She would then used that information to craft multiple motions for the public meetings. These motions would often lead to arguments on the board and result in the aforementioned 6-1 votes.

At its Nov. 8 meeting, Board Chairman Bob Rhinehart unveiled a brand new way for board members to do their jobs. 

There's a part of the agenda called "Board Directives" where the members can tell staff to review specific issues and bring findings back to the Board.  This is where Baldwin runs most of her ill-fated motions.  Often, she doesn't even get a "second" for her motions, so most her proposals never get debated. 

All motions need to be:

• Proposed
• "Seconded" by another member
• Debated
• Decided

The new policy still require all motions be proposed and then seconded.  But there would be no debate.  The new rule requires a majority vote for the issue to be put on the following meeting's agenda.

Until now, Baldwin's motions would die for lack of a second and there would be no need to listen to her arguments.

However, with the election of Amy Churchill last week, it's expected that Churchill will second more of Baldwin's proposals.

And that means more debate.

So, 48 hours after Churchill's victory over incumbent Steve Sizemore, the board decided that not only do you need a seconded motion, but you ALSO need a board majority to agree to put the item on the next meeting's agenda.

Notice what's missing?  The discussion.

For a minority party, this new process short-circuits the only method in which a minority viewpoint can be aired during public meetings.  It also seems to me to be a breach of Robert's Rules of Order, which the Board of Education claims to follow.

Usually, on public bodies, the Board Chairman is in charge of crafting the agenda.  If the Board majority wants to shut down minority proposals, it could just eliminate the whole "Board Directives" part of the agenda.  But that would mean the majority would lose the ability, too. 

The result is an obvious attempt to stifle dissent and debate while preserving the majority's ability to direct staff to do things.

Baldwin's colleagues probably do not appreciate the numerous motions she makes at every meeting. And Baldwin would likely fare a lot better if she builds support behind the scenes before making proposals in a public meeting.  However, this move is transparently designed to stifle minority dissent.

Baldwin has rightly called for regular work sessions where proposals and ideas can be discussed in a less formal setting.  Holding regular sessions would also reduce the amount of work done at the public business meetings.

But the path the Board is on now should not inspire public confidence.