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2:80 - Board Member Oath and Conduct

2:80 - Board Member Oath and Conduct

Each School Board member, before taking his or her seat on the Board, shall take the following oath of office:

I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of member of the School Board of Kaneland Community Unit School District 302, in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the laws of the State of Illinois, to the best of my ability.

I further swear (or affirm) that:

I shall respect taxpayer interests by serving as a faithful protector of the School District’s assets;

I shall encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow Board members and others who seek a hearing before the Board, while respecting the privacy of students and employees;

I shall recognize that a Board member has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a majority vote at a public Board meeting; and

I shall abide by majority decisions of the Board, while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels.

The Board President will administer the oath in an open Board meeting; in the absence of the President, the Vice President will administer the oath.  If neither is available, the Board member with the longest service on the Board will administer the oath.

The Board adopts the Illinois Association of School Boards’ Code of Conduct for Members of School Boards.  A copy of the Code shall be displayed in the regular Board meeting room.

LEGAL REF.:       

  • 105 ILCS 5/10-16.5.

CROSS REF.:        

1:30 (School District Philosophy), 2:20 (Powers and Duties of the School Board), 2:50 (Board Member Term of Office), 2:100 (Board Member Conflict of Interest), 2:105 (Ethics and Gift Ban), 2:210 (Organizational School Board Meeting)

ADOPTED:           

September 30, 2013

 

Groups audience: 
Policy Committee

2:80-E - Exhibit - Board Member Code of Conduct

2:80-E - Exhibit - Board Member Code of Conduct

As a member of my local School Board, I will do my utmost to represent the public interest in education by adhering to the following standards and principles:

  1. I will represent all School District constituents honestly and equally and refuse to surrender my responsibilities to special interest or partisan political groups.
  2. I will avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance of impropriety which could result from my position, and will not use my Board membership for personal gain or publicity.
  3. I will recognize that a Board member has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a majority vote at a Board meeting.
  4. I will take no private action that might compromise the Board or administration and will respect the confidentiality of privileged information.
  5. I will abide by majority decisions of the Board, while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels.
  6. I will encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow Board members and will participate in Board discussions in an open, honest and respectful manner, honoring differences of opinion or perspective.
  7. I will prepare for, attend and actively participate in School Board meetings.
  8. I will be sufficiently informed about and prepared to act on the specific issues before the Board, and remain reasonably knowledgeable about local, State, national, and global education issues.
  9. I will respectfully listen to those who communicate with the Board, seeking to understand their views, while recognizing my responsibility to represent the interests of the entire community.
  10. I will strive for a positive working relationship with the Superintendent, respecting the Superintendent’s authority to advise the Board, implement Board policy, and administer the District.
  11. I will model continuous learning and work to ensure good governance by taking advantage of Board member development opportunities, such as those sponsored by my State and national school board associations, and encourage my fellow Board members to do the same.
  12. I will strive to keep my Board focused on its primary work of clarifying the District purpose, direction and goals, and monitoring District performance.

DATED:               

September 30, 2013

 

Groups audience: 
Policy Committee
Source URL: https://demo.schoolboard.net/policy_manual/2-80