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GBEA Staff Ethics/Conflict of Interest

SHUTESBURY SCHOOL COMMITTEE STAFF ETHICS / CONFLICT OF INTEREST

All employees or representatives of the District shall comply with state law regarding conflict of interest, as outlined in MGL c.268A and regulations of the Commonwealth.

The School Committee expects the Superintendent, Principal and staff who supervise employees in the District to be familiar with the code of ethics and issues of conflict of interest and to adhere to it in their relationships with students, parents/guardians, coworkers, and others with whom they are regularly in contact with through their work. Similarly, professional staff should be familiar with the code of ethics that applies to their profession and to adhere to it in their school-based relationships.

No employee of the District shall, either directly or indirectly, engage in or have a financial interest in any activity that conflicts with or raises a reasonable question of conflict with the employee’s duties and responsibilities in the school system.

No employee of the District shall engage in any type of private business during school time or on school property. Employees shall not engage in work of any type where information concerning customer, client, or employer originates from any information available to them through school sources.

There shall be no conflict of interest in the supervision and evaluation of employees of the District. At no time shall any administrator responsible for the supervision and/or evaluation of an employee be directly related to that employee.

To balance the rights of the individuals while also avoiding the appearance of any possible conflict, employees or candidates for employment/promotion shall be notified of a conflict of interest or its potential by the Principal or Superintendent prior to any final decisions about hiring, firing or change of duties. Candidates for employment or promotion shall be given the opportunity to eliminate or minimize the conflict/appearance of conflict. While employees may be hired or promoted within the District, they shall not be directly supervised by someone to whom they are related in accordance with MGL. In situations where a conflict or the appearance of a conflict will result from a hiring or promotion, the administration shall develop specific written procedures to minimize conflict and to maintain a high level of ethics. Guidelines may include but are not limited to a change of supervisor and recusal from participation in decision-making regarding issues of potential conflict. In instances where the conflict involves the Superintendent, the School Committee’s judgment shall be final; in instances where the conflict involves a School Committee member the judgment of the Committee as a whole, with the exception of any member with a potential conflict, shall be final.

SOURCE: MASC

LEGAL REFS.: M.G.L. 71:52; 268A:1 et seq.

First reading : 06-20-07
Second reading, first vote : 07-11-07
Final vote : 08-15-07