Toward Better Ethics Rules, Training, Oversight, and Enforcement in a Florida School District
I've been writing a lot about the controversies surrounding a new
Broward County (FL) ethics code, but there's also been controversy in
the Broward County School District that is likely to lead to an ethics code of its own (according to <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/14/1775493/focus-on-ethics.html" target="”_blank”">a
Miami
<i>Herald</i> editorial on Saturday</a>, a former school board member pleaded guilty
to federal bribery charges this year, and another member revealed that
her husband works for a firm that frequently lobbies the school board).<br>
<br>
This led to the creation of a <a href="http://browardschoolsintegrity.org/" target="”_blank”">Commission on Education
Excellence through Integrity,
Public
Ethics and Transparency</a>, which made <a href="http://browardschoolsintegrity.org/uncategorized/commission-approves-it…; target="”_blank”">preliminary
recommendations</a> to the school board last week:<br>
<ul>
<p>Develop a separate code of ethics by January 1, 2011.</p>
<p>Create separate department-specific ethics codes pertinent to the
operations of each department.</p>
<p>Create a mandatory comprehensive ethics training course which
will contain a yearly follow-up practicum.</p>
<p>Continue to make changes to the Facilities Management
Department’s Processes and Procedures</p>
<p>Continue to make necessary changes to the Qualification Selection
Evaluation Committee (QSEC) Policy 7003</p>
<p>Develop a noninterference policy and censuring guidelines for
School Board members with respect to the day-to-day operations of the
School District. </p>
<p>Limit School Board members to 3 Terms of Office (12 years)</li>
<p>Create an <em>independent</em> Auditor’s Office which answers
directly to the School Board</p>
<p>Adopt a stricter policy on nepotism.</p>
<p>Establish policy whereby School Board members cannot serve on any
internal advisory committees where procurement of goods or services is
possible.</p>
<p>Broadcast all workshops and retreats through all media outlets
into radio, television and the internet.</p>
<p>Move on a regular basis School Board meetings to nighttime in an
attempt to increase public participation.</p>
<p>Appoint a committee of various stakeholders to reevaluate and
revise the website for changes <em>specifically</em> designed to
increase access to documentation and produce greater overall
transparency.</p>
<p>Utilize an inspector general to oversee and handle any
and all ethics violation allegations. In conjunction with this
office, a mechanism to receive allegations of any perceived ethical
lapses or defalcations anonymously should be created .</p></ul>
According to the editorial, an important change is not clear from this
list: school board members would be prohibited from serving on
the Qualifying Selection Evaluation Committee, which awards big
contracts. A principal goal of the recommended reforms is to separate
school board members from the contracting process, and to provide
better ethics rules, training, oversight, and enforcement.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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