Draft Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education Code of Ethics

1 Make the education and well-being of students the basis for all decision making;
2 Understand that the legal authority of the board is derived from New Mexico Statutes and Administrative Code, which determine the degree of power delegated to the board for local decisions;
3 Speak on behalf of the board only when the board by official action provides authorization to do so; and respect the confidentiality of information that is privileged under applicable law;
4 Establish an open, two-way communication process with students, staff, families and all segments of the community;
5 Become informed of issues brought before the board and participate in discussions and debates, while respecting the rights of other board members to have opinions and ideas that differ;
6 Accept responsibility and accountability for one's own actions and behaviors;
7 Avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof and refrain from using the board position for personal or partisan gain;
8 Recognize that board members have no legal authority outside board meetings, and that all decisions of the board will be made at public meetings where a quorum of the board is present and only after a thorough review of all the available information;
9 Delegate authority for the administration of the schools to the superintendent and establish a process for accountability of administrators;
10 Support persons best qualified to serve as school staff and make every effort to ascertain that all employees are properly remunerated for services, and that they are dealt with fairly in the performance of their duties;
11 Study educational issues and participate in professional development to enhance individual ability to serve as a board member; and
12 Attend all scheduled board meetings insofar as possible.

This is not a code of ethics.

This is why there will be no discussion of the code before it is voted upon.