Jodi Sapp, Chair of the Board for Mankato Area Public Schools, laid out strict new rules before the open forum on Oct. 18. Sapp said residents are not allowed to address individual school board members. She also required anyone desiring to speak must publicly state their home address. Starting Nov. 1, the open forum will be limited to individuals who wish to speak to an item on the board agenda. The new rules came two weeks after some community members criticized Sapp for the district’s mask mandate and policy on staff vaccination.
