FILE:  BE

Cf:  ABC

SCHOOL BOARD ETHICS

Recognizing that as a member of a public School Board and that each Lafayette Parish School Board member is filling a position of public trust, responsibility, and authority endowed by the State of Louisiana, the Lafayette Parish School Board, individually and collectively, shall subscribe to the principles of the Louisiana School Boards Association, by which a School Board member should be guided.

In addition, certain actions of elected officials and public employees may be considered improper, and in some circumstances, illegal.  Actions which may present a conflict of interest, acceptance of gifts, or solicitations, or gratuities, abuse of authority of office or position, and decisions regarding the employment of a family member of an official are all subject to statutory restrictions.  The ethical conduct of School Board members, and employees, shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Code of Ethics for Public Servants, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§42:1101 et seq.

ETHICS EDUCATION AND TRAINING

All School Board members and employees shall be required to receive a minimum of one (1) hour of education and training on the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics annually.  Education and training shall be provided by employees of the Louisiana Board of Ethics or others authorized to provide such training by the Louisiana Board of Ethics, and shall be administered through seminars or via the Internet.

FEDERAL GUIDELINES:  CONFLICT OF INTEREST

In addition to other ethics provisions, and, based on receipt of federal funds the School Board shall ensure compliance with federal guidelines covering conflict of interest and governing the actions of officers and employees engaged in the selection, award and administration of contracts.  No employee, officer, or agent shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by federal funds if a real or apparent conflict of interest would be involved.  Such a conflict may arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in, or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract.  The officers, employees, and agents of the School Board shall neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to contracts.

Employees and volunteers shall be required to report any actual, possible, or perceived conflict of interest which they or others have, or may have, to their immediate supervisor as soon as they become aware of the conflict.  A School Board member shall report the perceived conflict of interest to the Superintendent and School Board attorney.

Anyone who engages in activities that violate these provisions, including failure to disclose a conflict of interest, may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment, and/or other appropriate sanctions.

Revised:  November 2, 2016

Revised:  November 3, 2021

Revised:  August 10, 2022

Ref:    2 CFR 200.318 (General Procurement Standards)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:428, 42:62, 42:1101, 42:1102, 42:1112, 42:1115, 42:1115.1, 42:1116, 42:1119, 42:1120, 42:1121, 42:1123, 42:1170

Board minutes, 7-18-12, 11-2-16, 11-3-21, 8-10-22

Lafayette Parish School Board