Steering Clear of Conflicts of Interest

Board-Savvy Superintendent

Conflict-of-interest situations, whether real or perceived, create problems at one point or another in most school districts. Some stem from hiring, evaluating, dismissing or reprimanding a board member’s spouse, sibling or child who is also a school employee or securing the services from a business or organization that is owned or operated by a school board member.

In addition, there are conflicts related to school employees directly reporting to a board member’s spouse or other family member in the school district.

Superintendents can get caught up in these predicaments. That was the case in one Indiana town when a school board member who owned an excavation company was hired by the district to install new culverts at the entrances to the school property.