Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion (as Shakespeare put it), but what about Arlington School Board members and the school system’s top leadership and staff?
A proposed minor, but not necessarily insubstantial, change to the school system’s conflict-of-interest policy may make one wonder.
See if you can spot the difference in one part of the policy:
• Current wording: “The School Board, the superintendent and all Arlington Public Schools employees shall avoid even the appearance of impropriety.”
• Staff proposal: “The School Board, the superintendent and all Arlington Public Schools employees shall avoid acts of impropriety.”
Gone, at least in the staff draft, is “the appearance of” wrongdoing.
Whether School Board members will accept the change will be decided in April. The measure is slated to be presented for information to the full board on April 11, with approval expected after that.
The School Board typically updates policies on a five-year cycle, and is in the midst of revamping several.
Another policy coming up for revision after a public-comment period relates to School Board members’ compensation and benefits. There are only several minor editing changes, with no substantive changes recommended.
