Members of the Board of Directors, as public officials, should strive to perform all the duties of office in an ethical manner.
In general, the Board members should operate within the code of ethics established by the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB). The IASB Code of Ethics states:
Board members’ actions, verbal and nonverbal, reflect the attitude and the beliefs of the school district. Therefore, board members must conduct themselves professionally and in a manner fitting to their position.
Each board member shall follow the code of ethics stated in this policy.
AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER:
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1. I will listen. 2. I will respect the opinion of others. 3. I will recognize the integrity of my predecessors and associates and the merit of their work. 4. I will be motivated only by an earnest desire to serve my school district and the children of my school district community in the best possible way. 5. I will not use the school district or any part of the school district program for my own personal advantage or for the advantage of my friends or supporters. 6. I will vote for a closed session of the board if the situation requires it, but I will consider “star chamber” or “secret” sessions of board members unethical. 7. I will recognize that to promise in advance of a meeting how I will vote on any proposition which is to be considered is to close my mind and agree not to think through other facts and points of view which may be presented in the meeting. 8. I will expect, in board meetings, to spend more time on education programs and procedures than on business details. 9. I will recognize that authority rests with the board in legal session and not with individual members of the board, except as authorized by law. 10. I will make no disparaging remarks, in or out of the board meeting, about other members of the board or their opinions. 11. I will express my honest and most thoughtful opinions frankly in board meetings in an effort to have decisions made for the best interests of the children and the education program. 12. I will insist that the members of the board participate fully in board action and recommend that when special committees are appointed, they serve only in an investigative and advisory capacity. 13. I will abide by majority decisions of the board. 14. I will carefully consider petitions, resolutions and complaints and will act in the best interests of the school district. 15. I will not discuss the confidential business of the board in my home, on the street or in my office; the place for such discussion is the board meeting. 16. I will endeavor to keep informed on local, state and national educational developments of significance so I may become a better board member.
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IN MEETING MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MY SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMUNITY
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1. I will consider myself a trustee of public education and will do my best to protect it, conserve it, and advance it, giving to the children of my school district community the educational facilities that are as complete and adequate as it is possible to provide. 2. I will consider it an important responsibility of the board to interpret the aims, methods and attitudes of the school district to the community. 3. I will earnestly try to interpret the needs and attitudes of the school district community and do my best to translate them into the education program of the school district. 4. I will attempt to procure adequate financial support for the school district. 5. I will represent the entire school district rather than individual electors, patrons or groups. 6. I will not regard the school district facilities as my own private property but as the property of the people.
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IN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH SUPERINTENDENT AND EMPLOYEES
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1. I will function, in meeting the legal responsibility that is mine, as a part of a legislative, policy-forming body, not as an administrative officer. 2. I will recognize that it is my responsibility, together with that of my fellow board members, to see the school district is properly run and not to run them myself. 3. I will expect the school district to be administered by the best-trained technical and professional people it is possible to procure within the financial resources of the school district. 4. I will recognize the superintendent as executive officer of the board. 5. I will work through the administrative employees of the board, not over or around them. 6. I will expect the superintendent to keep the board adequately informed through oral and written reports. 7. I will vote to employ employees only after the recommendation of the superintendent has been received. 8. I will insist that contracts be equally binding on teachers and the board. 9. I will give the superintendent power commensurate with the superintendent’s responsibility and will not in any way interfere with, or seek to undermine, the superintendent’s authority. 10. I will give the superintendent friendly counsel and advice. 11. I will present any personal criticism of employees to the superintendent. 12. I will refer complaints to the proper administrative officer. |
TO COOPERATE WITH OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS
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1. I will not employ a superintendent, principal or teacher who is already under contract with another school district without first securing assurance from the proper authority that the person can be released from contract. 2. I will consider it unethical to pursue any procedure calculated to embarrass a neighboring board or its representatives. 3. I will not recommend an employee for a position in another school district unless I would employ the employee under similar circumstances. 4. I will answer all inquiries about the standing and ability of an employee to the best of my knowledge and judgment, with complete frankness. 5. I will associate myself with board members of other school districts for the purpose of discussing school district issues and cooperating in the improvement of the education program.
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Approved: 11/14/67 |
Reviewed: 1/14/19 |
Revised: 8/13/12; 2/11/13 |
Board members must be able to make decisions objectively. It is a conflict of interest for a board member to receive direct compensation from the school district, unless exempted in law or policy, for anything other than reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses, including travel, incurred in the performance of official duties. A board member will not act as an agent for school textbooks or school supplies including sports apparel or equipment, in any transaction with a director, officer, or other staff member of the school district during the board member’s term of office. It will not be a conflict of interest for board members to receive compensation from the school district for contracts for the purchase of goods or services which benefits a board member, or to compensation for part-time or temporary employment which benefits a board member, if the benefit to the board member does not exceed $20,000 in a fiscal year or if the contracts are made by the board, upon competitive bid in writing, publicly invited and opened.
The conflict of interest provisions do not apply to a con–tract that is a bond, note or other obligation of a school corporation if the contract is not acquired directly from the school corporation, but is acquired in a transaction with a third party, who may or may not be the original underwriter, purchaser, or obligee of the contract, or to a contract in which a director has an interest solely by reason of employment if the contract was made by competitive bid, in writing, publicly invited and opened, or if the remuneration for employment will not be directly affected as a result of the contract and duties of employment do not involve any of the preparation or procurement of any part of the contract. The competitive bid section of the conflict of interest provision does not apply to a contract for professional services not customarily awarded by competitive bid.
It will also be a conflict of interest for a board member to engage in any outside employment or activity which is in conflict with the board member’s official duties and responsibilities. In determining whether outside employment or activity of a board member creates a conflict of interest, situations in which an unacceptable conflict of interest is deemed to exist includes, but are not limited to, any of the following:
The outside employment or activity involves the use of the school district’s time, facilities, equipment and supplies or the use of the school district badge, uniform, business card or other evidence of office to give the board member or member of the board member’s immediate family an advantage or pecuniary benefit that is not available to other similarly situated members or classes of members of the general public. For purposes of this section, a person is not “similarly situated” merely by being related to a board member.
The outside employment or activity involves the receipt of, promise of, or acceptance of money or other consideration by the board member or a member of the board member’s immediate family from anyone other than the state or the school district for the performance of any act that the board member would be required or expected to perform as part of the board member’s regular duties or during the hours in which the board member performs service or work for the school district.
The outside employment or activity is subject to the official control, inspection, review, audit, or enforcement authority of the board member, during the performance of the board member’s duties of office or employment.
If the outside employment or activity is employment or activity in (1) or (2) above, the board member must cease the employment of or activity. If the activity or employment falls under (3), then the board member must:
Cease the outside employment or activity; or;
Publicly disclose the existence of the conflict and refrain from taking any official action or performing any official duty that would detrimentally affect or create a benefit for the outside employment or activity. Official action or official duty includes, but is not limited to, participating in any vote, taking affirmative action to influence any vote, determining the facts or law in a contested case or rulemaking proceeding, conducting any inspection, or providing any other official service or thing that is not available generally to members of the public in order to further the interests of the outside employment or activity.
When procurement is supported by Federal Child Nutrition funds, board members will not participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract if there is a real or apparent conflict of interest in the contract. Contract, for purposes of this paragraph, includes a contract where the board member, board member’s immediate family, partner, or a non-school district employer of these individuals is a party to the contract.
It is the responsibility of each board member to be aware of and take the action necessary to eliminate a potential conflict of interest should it arise.
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Approved: 11/14/67 |
Reviewed: 2/11/13; 1/14/19 |
Revised: 8/13/12; 8/10/20; 8/8/22; 12/9/24 |
Board members will not be held personally liable for actions taken in the performance of their duties and responsibilities vested in them by the laws of Iowa and the members of the school district community. In carrying out the duties and responsibilities of their office, board members will act in good faith.
The school district will defend, save harmless and indemnify board members against tort claims or demands, whether groundless or otherwise, arising out of an alleged act or omission occurring within the scope of their official duties, unless the act constitutes a willful or wanton act or omission. The school district, however, cannot save harmless or indemnify board members for punitive damages.
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Approved: 12/9/24 Reviewed: Revised: