Madison Metropolitan School District
Board of Education Policies and Procedures

POLICY	ETHICS	1540 Board of Education

School Board Ethics

The following is the manner in which the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education is expected to conduct itself.

WASB PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

As a representative of all the citizens in my District, I am responsible for serving the best interests of the community and its students, utilizing all available resources toward that end. My oath of office requires me to uphold the laws and Constitutions of the United States and State of Wisconsin; but, in addition to that, I shall keep in mind that:

1. I can act only when in official Board session; except, as an officer, I may take actions necessary to fulfill my duties.
2. I should attend all meetings and be prepared at those meetings to act on issues before the Board. I should be prepared to contribute to the discussion, while keeping an open mind during the deliberations. Once the decision is made, I should be willing to support and promote its implementation.
3. I must avoid all conflicts of interest, both pecuniary and nonpecuniary.
4. I must remember that responsibilities for overall management and control of the property and affairs, including the development of policies, belong to the School Board while the responsibilities for the day-to-day operation of the school belong to the administration. Together, the School Board and the administration must work to continually identify the needs, goals, and priorities of the District.
5. I must be responsive to the public, maintaining open communication lines with my fellow citizens in the community, informing them on the educational needs of the District, as well as on actions of the Board and accomplishments of the District's educational program.
6. I am a local legislator, but I must work under state and federal laws. I should communicate with state and federal legislators concerning the problems and needs involved in providing a quality education.
7. I must consider the School Board's role as the District's employer, making sure the District has able and well-qualified employees who will serve in the best interest of the students. (This includes providing for staff development and evaluation.)

AS A MEMBER OF MY LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION, I WILL STRIVE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND TO THAT END, I WILL:

1. Attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings insofar as possible, and become informed concerning the issues to be considered at those meetings;
2. Recognize that I should endeavor to make policy decisions only after full discussion at publicly held Board meetings;
3. Render all decisions based on the available facts and my independent judgment, and refuse to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups;
4. Encourage the free expression of opinion by all Board members, and seek systematic communications between the Board and students, staff, and all elements of the community;
5. Work with other Board members to establish effective Board Policies and to delegate authority for the administration of the schools to the Superintendent;
6. Communicate to other Board members and the Superintendent expressions of public reaction to Board Policies and school programs;
7. Inform myself about current educational issues by individual study and through participation in programs providing needed information, such as those sponsored by my state and national school boards associations;
8. Support the employment of those persons best qualified to serve as school staff, and insist on a regular and impartial evaluation of all staff;
9. Avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest, and refrain from using my Board position for personal or partisan gain;
10. Take no private action that will compromise the Board or administration, and respect the confidentiality of information that is privileged under applicable law; and
11. Remember always that my first and greatest concern must be the educational welfare of the students attending the public schools.

11/5/79

[From the National School Boards Association Code of Ethics for School Board Members, as furnished by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Madison office.]

MADISON SCHOOL BOARD ETHICS

1. The Board hereby acknowledges the legal rights of individuals elected to the school board (1) to accept campaign contributions in accordance with the law; and (2) to publicly express their opinions regarding the merits and fitness of an individual campaigning to serve as a school board member.
2. However, the Board believes in promoting for itself a high ethical standard without infringing on the legal rights of individual Board members. Consistent with that belief, the Board feels that individual Board members should avoid real or perceived conflicts of interests in regard to the two beliefs statements enumerated below which are related to an individual Board member's acceptance of campaign contributions from Political Action Committees and endorsement/denouncement of candidates campaigning to be a member of the school board.
   1. Board members should avoid taking campaign contributions from political action committees or any other groups that are likely to benefit from action that might be taken by a Board member; and
   2. Board members should avoid publicly endorsing or denouncing the candidacy of a person who is campaigning to be elected to the school board.

12/07/92

Last Updated: Tue Oct 4 08:25:34 2005
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