The School Committee will not be extending the public participation portion of their meetings any time soon.

Members of the committee expressed a desire at an earlier date to allow for increased public participation throughout the meetings and not just at the beginning of meetings. The committee then asked the separate “policy subcommittee” to look into the possibility of opening up discussion with the public throughout the meetings.

According to School Committee member Geoff Swett, who serves on the policy subcommittee along with fellow committee member Melvin Lazarus, parents, staff, and administration within Wareham Public Schools, the subcommittee voted against altering the current policy.

“Basically, it was felt that since we publish the agenda, and that gives people the opportunity to speak during public participation on anything related to the agenda, that that was enough to make sure that we heard what people cared about,” said Swett at Wednesday’s School Committee meeting. “A number of different concepts were presented and rejected by the parents and the staff that were there.”

Committee member Rhonda Veugen, who was one of those in support of the idea of extending public participation, asked if a member of the committee had the right to request that specific agenda items be opened up for public participation.

“I think that that goes against the spirit of the policy,” said School Committee Chair Cliff Sylvia.

Ultimately, the committee voted 4-1-0 in favor of the subcommittee’s decision to keep protocol the same. Committee Vice Chair Michael Flaherty, who initially proposed changes to the current policy, was the only one to vote against the motion.