< Board Operating Procedures Manual

Board members commit to interacting respectfully and civilly with each other and will not engage in personal attacks against their colleagues or any other constituency. They will honor the confidentiality of discussions in closed-session meetings, small group meetings, and President/Vice President meetings. The Board President may share topics discussed with the Superintendent and Vice President or direct the Superintendent to maintain transparent communication with the board as their liaison to comply with the Open Meeting Law.

When a Board member has concerns about another Board member’s conduct and believes that another Board member has violated Conflicts of Interest, Board policy, or State or federal law, it is the responsibility of the concerned Board member to discuss the alleged violation with the other Board member in private before taking any other action, unless the nature of the allegation requires immediate escalation to the Board President.

• If, after the concerned Board member has privately discussed the alleged violation with the other Board member, the concerned Board member remains unsatisfied that the alleged violation has not been addressed, the concerned Board Member may submit, in writing, the allegation to the Board President. If the Board President is involved in the allegation, the concerned Board member may instead submit the allegation, in writing, to the Board Vice President or the next most senior Board member not involved in the allegation, who is then obligated to serve as arbiter.

• The Board members involved will discuss the alleged violation. All parties are strongly encouraged not to allow these procedures to escalate further, and the Board President’s duty is to work to avoid or resolve such an escalation.

Information sharing between the board and the superintendent best accomplishes the work of the Board and the District.

Community members may communicate with the Board in writing after exhausting administrative avenues or address the Board in person by following Policy BEDH procedures. The superintendent will share official communications, including policies, Board concerns, and actions, with the community as appropriate.

The Board recognizes its responsibility to inform the community and actively seeks to establish a good working relationship with local news media.

To promote a positive relationship between the district and the media, the Board shall provide information to the media concerning the programs and activities of the district as well as matters pending before the Board.