As Tim Bodnar stepped up to the podium during the Augusta Board of Education’s Sept. 10 meeting’s public comment period, the St. Albans resident shredded the paper containing Augusta Board of Education’s public participation policy. This is a public forum.”His comments and his letter follow nearly nine months of heated school board meetings in Augusta and elsewhere across central Maine. AdvertisementHowever, because school board meetings are considered limited public forums, the board can set its own policies to follow. The public participation policyLoud and performative comments at school board meetings have been cropping up at school board meetings. Augusta’s public participation policy specifically states a school board meeting is not a public forum.