Asked & Answered Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director A recent question was, "We want to do business with a local company that employs the spouse of a school board member. Do we have to get DESE approval?" This is another of those questions in which more information is needed before an answer can be given. Even though the laws on ethical guidelines and prohibitions for administrators, employees, and board members have been around for over a decade, they still generate questions on a regular basis. The requirements for disclosure, board approval, and DESE approval are different depending on the details of the transaction. So, back to the original question. The answer would depend upon several factors. • Does the spouse have a financial interest in the local company? “Financial interest” is defined as (a) ownership or more that 5%, (b) holding a position as officer, director, trustee, partner, or other top-level management, or (c) the spouse’s compensation is based in whole or in part on transactions with the school district. Financial interest does NOT include ownership of stock in any publicly held company or hourly compensated employees. • If there is a financial interest, what’s the anticipated amount of the business transaction(s) during the fiscal year? • Are there any unusual and limited circumstances regarding the business transaction? In general, if the spouse does have a financial interest and the transaction exceeds $10,000 then, yes, ADE approval would be required.
If you have questions for Mike, email him at m.mertens@theaaea.org.
A Breath of Fresh Air Consider School Air Quality in Absentee Rates By Virginia Mott, Education Week, Submitted by Ashley Creviston, Protect Ed The Environmental Protection Agency states: "Studies show that one-half of our nation's 115,000 schools have problems linked to indoor air quality. Students are at greater risk because of the hours spent in school facilities and because children are especially susceptible to pollutants." A 2002 review of studies related to school facility condition, commissioned by the 21st Century School Fund, found links to student absenteeism, achievement, and behavior. School buildings can affect student health in many ways. A Government Accountability Office report from 1995 lists irritated eye, nose, and throat; upper respiratory infections; nausea; dizziness; headaches; and fatigue or sleepiness as some of the impacts of poor indoor environmental quality. The health problems resulting from unhealthy school conditions impact students' educations in a variety of ways: absenteeism due to building-related health problems; "presenteeism," when children are present, 9
but not able to do their best because they don't feel well; and use of substitute teachers because classroom teachers are absent for the same reasons as their students. As the EPA notes in "Tools for Schools": "The price for neglect is high, but the investment in maintenance need not be." Although some indoor-environmental-quality issues may stem from problems requiring costly repairs, others can be resolved with cost-neutral measures, such as switching to environmentally preferable cleaning products and practices. Our investment in our children's health and academic performance is essential. There is ample evidence that buildings affect people. We need to ensure that school facilities -- our children's compulsory workplaces-are safe, healthful places. Until all schools are safe and healthful, we should include the impact school facilities are having on students in our discussions about absenteeism.
