SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER AUTHORITY
1.2.1A
Authority
Because all powers of the school committee derived from state laws are granted in
terms of action as a group, members of the school committee have authority only when
acting as a committee legally in session.
The school committee will not be bound in any way by any statement or action on
the part of an individual member except when such statement or action is a result of
specific instruction of the committee.
No member of the committee, by virtue of his/her office, will exercise any
administrative responsibility with respect to the schools or command the services of
any school employee.
The school committee will function as a body and all policy decisions and other
matters, as required by law, will be settled by an official vote of the committee
sitting in formal session.
Duties
The duties and obligations of the individual committee member may be enumerated as
follows:
- To become familiar with the General Laws of the Commonwealth relating to
education and school committee operations, regulations of the Massachusetts Board
of Education, policies and procedures of this school committee and school
department.
- To keep abreast of new laws and the latest trends in. education.
- To have a general knowledge of the goals, objective, and programs of the
town's public schools.
- To work effectively with other committee members without trying either to
dominate the committee or neglect his/her share of the work.
- To respect the privileged communication that exists in executive sessions by
maintaining strict confidentiality on matters discussed in these sessions, except
that which becomes part of the public record, once it has been approved for
release.
- To vote and act in committee impartially for the good of the students.
- To accept the will of the majority vote in all cases, and to remember that
he/she is one of a team and must abide by, and carry out, all committee decisions
once they are made.
- To represent the committee and the schools to the public in a way that
promotes interest and support.
- To refer questions and complaints to the proper school authorities.
- To comply with the accepted code of ethics for school committee members.
First Reading: 9/15/98
Adoption Date: 10/6/98