MINOT — A new North Dakota law which went into effect on Aug. 1 states that "every regular meeting of a governing body of a city, county, township, school district, district park district, water resource district must include an opportunity for an individual to provide public comment."

Over the last five years or so, school board meetings have become a flashpoint for the culture wars and other political battles, both in North Dakota and nationally. How do the state's school boards feel about this new public comment requirement?

Amy De Kok, executive director of the North Dakota School Boards Association, says she doesn't see it having much impact. "Most of our school boards have little to no, you know, public attendance ... at their regular meetings," she said, adding that "a large major

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