Board Involvement in Personnel Complaints

[chapparell]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Is it against Calif. Ed. Code, or any other law for Individual School Board Members to initiate, or participate in the initiation of complaints against an administrator.

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Is it against Calif. Ed. Code, or any other law for Individual School Board Members to initiate, or participate in the initiation of complaints against an administrator.

It likely depends on the circumstances.

 

[Humusluvr]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Is it against Calif. Ed. Code, or any other law for Individual School Board Members to initiate, or participate in the initiation of complaints against an administrator.

What kinds of complaints? For example, if the school board member knew of sexual or physical abuse by the administrator, they would be compelled to initiate the complaint. It would also depend where the complaint was coming from.

So, more info is needed.

 

[chapparell]

A Principal has been suspended and reinstated, a week later, there was a report to be given which has not been completed at this time. There have been a couple of closed session hearings, but the Principal has still not been notified of the charges against her. Scuttlebutt is that it is about her changing a student's grades, but there has been no official announcement to her or anyone else about the charges. Apparently there was a Boardmember who was involved in researching the allegation with an employee who was disgruntled with the Principal prior to the issue being brought to the Board.

My question is about whether it is appropriate for the Boardmember to be involved at this level of the investigation. There are no allegations of sexual impropriety and the Principal was re-instated the next week. Was it improper for the Boardmember to be involved? This Boardmember has been after this Principal for some time. He has gone after other District employees and hounded them out of the district.

Thank you for your attention to this!

 

[CdwJava]

From what you say, it appears that you cannot be certain what is happening. Do you KNOW that the boardmember is actively involved in the investigation?

Depending on the nature of the involvement, why would it be improper for the boardmember to look into the allegation? In fact, it may very well be appropriate for that person to gather information depending on the circumstances.

There may be some other issues if the principal was placed on administrative leave without proper notice or cause, but that's a different matter from the one that you ask. If the principal is concerned enough to seek legal action against the district, then he or she should consult an attorney.

 

[Humusluvr]

A Principal has been suspended and reinstated, a week later, there was a report to be given which has not been completed at this time. There have been a couple of closed session hearings, but the Principal has still not been notified of the charges against her. Scuttlebutt is that it is about her changing a student's grades, but there has been no official announcement to her or anyone else about the charges. Apparently there was a Boardmember who was involved in researching the allegation with an employee who was disgruntled with the Principal prior to the issue being brought to the Board.

My question is about whether it is appropriate for the Boardmember to be involved at this level of the investigation. There are no allegations of sexual impropriety and the Principal was re-instated the next week. Was it improper for the Boardmember to be involved? This Boardmember has been after this Principal for some time. He has gone after other District employees and hounded them out of the district.

Thank you for your attention to this!

It does not sound inappropriate. There was an allegation, serious enough to warrant an investigation, and the principal was reinstated after the completion of the investigation. If the board member was involved, so what?

It doesn't sound like it has reached a level of harassment - yet. It could eventually, and that might warrant the principal consulting an attorney. But for now, it doesn't sound inappropriate.