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200

BOARD CODE OF ETHICS

The Board commits itself and its members to ethical, professional, and lawful conduct, including proper use of authority and appropriate decorum when acting as Board Members.

As a member of the Board of Education of the Cedar Rapids Community School District, I will strive to improve public education. As such, I will:

  • Abide by the oath of office, federal law, and state law
  • Always remember that the greatest priority is the educational welfare of the students
  • Delegate authority for administration of District day-to-day operations to the Superintendent as the Board Executive, who will entrust the Board to set and monitor policy
  • Recognize our responsibility is governance and not management
  • Recognize my limitations as an individual member of the Board and will not attempt to exercise individual authority over the organization or staff
  • Recognize that authority rests with the Board in legal session and not with individual members of the board, except where authorized by law
  • Recognize that the Superintendent is accountable only to the Board as an organization, and not to individual Board Members. Therefore, the relationship between the Superintendent and individual members of the Board, including the Chair, is collegial, not hierarchical
  • Provide the community with a high level of Board performance and maintain standards of excellence in District operations by completing routine evaluations of the Superintendent
  • Respect the confidentiality of information that is privileged under applicable law
  • Attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings insofar as possible and become informed about the issues to be considered at those meetings
  • Recognize that I should endeavor to make policy decisions only after full discussion at publicly held Board meetings
  • Render all decisions based on the available facts and my independent judgment, and refuse to surrender that judgment to individuals or special interest groups
  • 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
  • Stay current on educational issues by individual and collaborative study, and through professional learning opportunities, such as those sponsored by state and national school board associations
  • Support the employment of a highly qualified diverse workforce to serve as school staff and insist on and expect regular and impartial evaluations of all staff
  • Avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest
  • Take no private action that will compromise the Board or administration
  • Communicate public reaction to Board policies and school programs with other Board members and the Superintendent
  • Promptly address breeches of the Board’s Code of Ethics

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 21; 68B; 69;71.1; 277.28; 279.7A. 279.8, 301.28

  • Approved:  03-24-80
  • Reviewed:  02-27-89, 08-24-92, 09-25-95,11-23-98, 04-14-03
  • Revised: 12-12-05, 02-11-08, 02-23-09
  • Reviewed: 02-28-11
  • Revised: 12-11-17
  • Reviewed: 04-11-2022
  • Documents: 200
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