SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Because all powers of the School Committee derived from the State statutes are granted in terms of action as a group, individual Committee members exercise authority over school affairs only as they vote to take action at a legal meeting of the School Committee.

When dealing with public issues outside official School Committee sessions, Committee members should strive at all times to represent the Committee to the public in a discerning and statesmanlike manner. The following suggestions are offered to help individual Committee members maintain this posture:

A. If questioned by someone about a matter on which policy has been clearly defined, an individual Committee member should answer based on policy.

B. If approached about a matter which the Committee has no established policy, individual Committee members should not commit themselves to any posit ion or promise other than to discuss the matter with the superintendent or to present it to the Committee for consideration.

C. Individual Committee members should refer all complaint s or regrets directly or indirectly related to instruction, personnel or services to the superintendent of schools who is chief executive officer and is charged with the responsibility of correcting deficiencies in these areas.

Legal Reference: TITLE 20-A MRSA, SEC. 1001-1004; 13201-13202

Adopted: 11-4-97