The public school system is accepted as the foundational agency for building and sustaining a principled democracy. The Iowa Association of School Boards recommends every board discuss, adopt and follow a code of ethics, using it to guide their decision making. The following is a sample code of ethics.
Board Members:
- Will listen and respect the opinion of others.
- Will be motivated only by an earnest desire to serve the school district as a whole and our community’s students in the best possible way.
- Will recognize that authority rests with the board in legal session and not with individual members of the board, except where authorized by law.
- Will abide by majority decisions of the board.
- Will expect, in board meetings, to focus time on providing the best possible learning for district students.
- Will remain open-minded and objectively listen to facts presented at the board table prior to voting.
- Will recognize our responsibility is governance and not management.
- Will abide by all policies adopted by the board, including the chain of command and meeting procedures.
- Will recognize the superintendent as executive officer of the board and empower him or her to administer the educational program and student learning.
- Will provide oversight for the financial stability of the district balanced with the need for an effective educational program.
- Will respect confidentiality, when required by law
- Will be trustees of public education and do our best to protect it, conserve it, and advance it.
- Will abide by the oath of office, federal law, and state law.
Approved: 06/08/2015 Reviewed: 1/24/2022 Revised: 1/8/2018