The Greater Essex County District School Board is limiting in-person attendance at board meetings.
Cathy Cooke, Vice Chair of the Trustees with the GECDSB, explains that it's the board's job to ensure that everyone who attends the meetings feel safe.
She says there have been issues across the entire province with individuals being disrespectful and disruptive.
The post says effective immediately and until further notice, in-person attendance will be limited to staff and trustees.
Cooke says it can be very stressful.
"It can be frustrating because our jobs is it's a business meeting. And our job is, and our focus, is the success of all students. And when a business meeting gets interrupted, we're not able to do the things that we should be doing."
She says until a plan is in place, it will be limited access.
"I think it's good that people are in the gallery, but the process needs to be respected, protocol needs to be respected. It's a minority, a handful of people that are allowed that are disruptive. And until we get something in place, it's going to be limited access."
She adds that the process needs to be respected.
"This is a meeting held in public, it's not a public meeting. It's a business meeting. The process has to be respected. And we've heard what people have said in terms of when they come to speak and that, but just because we don't agree doesn't mean we're not listening, it just means we just don't agree and we don't feel that that's in the best interest of all student success."
Cooke says those who would like to watch their last meeting of the year, held on June 20, are able to do so by watching their live YouTube feed.
Delegates and speakers will join the meeting by telephone.