a bad place for that discussion

a place that has, by tradition or practice, been held out for general use by the public for speech-related purposes

Public meeting often with a debate and discussion format, resulting in greater understanding of issues, recommendations, etc.

a public forum is an area traditionally open to assembly and debate by the public, such as a park, town meeting hall, or sidewalk. A regulation of speech in a public forum must pass strict scrutiny: it must be narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest while leaving open adequate alternate channels of communication. DESIGNATED PUBLIC FORUM: property that has been specifically opened by the state for expressive activity by the general public. Speech restrictions in designated fora are subject to strict scrutiny, as such restrictions are subject to strict scrutiny in traditional public forums. LIMITED PUBLIC FORUM: public property that has been opened for a limited purpose, such as use for certain subjects and by classes of speakers. Restrictions on speech in a limited public forum are upheld if they are viewpoint-neutral and reasonable in light of the purpose of the forum. NONPUBLIC FORUM: private or government-owned property that is not traditionally open to the public for expressive activity. Regulations of a nonpublic forum are subject to the most relaxed standards of review by the courts.

A public forum is a meeting where the public is invited to contribute input to a working group or advisory panel. A public forum broadens the discussion relating to a specific activity or project to include input from a wider audience and provides additional information and a broader perspective to panel or committee members. The input is an important element of the information considered in order to make a decision on an issue. (Level 4 activity)