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Board urged to rewrite salary‑supplement wording amid Title IX caution
Summary
Board members urged clearer bylaw language after staff and counsel raised a risk that broadly worded salary‑supplement language ("individuals") could create legal exposure and Title IX challenges; members asked staff to revise language and consult comptroller and board attorney before action.
The Cannon County Board of Education discussed whether to revise bylaw language that would allow locally raised funds to supplement school employees’ pay, saying the current wording may be too broad and could invite legal challenge.
Chair introduced Jason Barrett to update the board on a previously tabled item about using fundraising money to provide salary support for duties beyond school-paid responsibilities. Barrett said the funds “came from the money that we raised and was in the budget” and that last year the budget approved extra payments for duties beyond what the school pays. Barrett told the board he had no additional actions to report at that time.
Several board members said the draft bylaw uses the term “individuals,” which a board member warned is “a broad word” that could expose the district to legal risk. One member summarized counsel’s advice: “Ben was just saying just be very careful,” and recommended the language explicitly reference school employees or coaches rather than a non‑specific term.
Board members discussed potential Title IX implications if the board approved pay supplements that benefited only boys’ athletics without comparable provisions for girls’ programs. One board member said approving the current wording “would fall back against us” if challenged and recommended that wording be rewritten to specify eligible recipients.
Members asked staff to consult the comptroller and the board attorney for legal guidance and to bring revised language back for consideration. Several members suggested TSBA (Tennessee School Boards Association) training or Title IX curriculum materials to clarify district obligations. The board did not adopt revised language at this meeting; members directed staff to draft clearer bylaw wording and to return with legal counsel’s recommendation.
