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Board attorney reviews School Ethics Act, conflicts and HIB procedures
Summary
The board's attorney reviewed the School Ethics Act, conflicts-of-interest rules, social-media guidance, and the district's HIB (harassment, intimidation and bullying) investigation and board-review process; members asked how the board should apply thresholds when voting on investigator findings.
The board attorney presented a substantive review of the School Ethics Act and the district’s procedures for identifying and handling HIB (harassment, intimidation and bullying) complaints.
The presentation emphasized three core ethics points: disclose and avoid financial or contractual relationships that create a conflict of interest; err on the side of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety; and preserve confidentiality of executive-session deliberations when required. "You cannot have any direct or indirect interest in a contract or a claim," the attorney told the board, and outlined potential penalties ranging from reprimand to removal for serious violations of the School Ethics Act.
On HIB, the attorney described the statutory threshold and district practice: an incident qualifies as HIB if it (1) disrupts school operations or infringes on students’ rights and (2) meets one of the additional criteria such as creating fear for student safety, damaging property or creating a hostile educational environment. Board members asked whether the board should apply the same investigative lens as staff investigators when reviewing findings. The attorney said board members will usually receive less information than the investigator but should rely on the statutory checklist and may request additional information before voting.
The presentation also addressed social-media conduct for board members and practical guidance about a board member advocating for a child: board members should generally use ordinary parent channels for individual concerns and avoid acting in ways that could create the appearance of impropriety.
