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The nepotism policy also addresses “employees in dating relationships”
By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Members of the Campbell County Board of Education met on Tuesday evening, approving changes and updates to several school policies. BOE members approved to add a student representative to the BOE board, as well adopting a changed nepotism policy.
TOP PHOTO: Board member Brandon Johnson, right, proposed the nepotism policy changes last month at the policy committee meeting. These changes were approved by his fellow board members at Tuesday’s BOE meeting. Pictured left to right, CC Director of Schools Jennifer Fields, BOE member Brent Lester, BOE member Lisa Fields, and BOE member Brandon Johnson.
These policy changes were recommended out of the Policy Committee meeting that was held Dec. 10th. Other policy proposals were discussed at that Dec. 10 meeting, including the school dress code and school transfers, however, data and information is still being gathered before these policy changes will be revisited.
On Tuesday evening, the nepotism policy and the student representative policies were approved on the first reading. Both policies had been brought to the attention of the policy committee last month by board member Brandon Johnson.
According to Johnson, the nepotism policy change “strengthens” the district’s current nepotism policy. He said this policy fell more in line with Knox County and what “other major counties are doing like Nashville and Chattanooga.”
The nepotism policy also addresses “employees in dating relationships” and addresses obligations if a school teacher and a principal are in a relationship, and who is responsible for reporting the relationship.
According to the new policy, it prevents family members related to the director of schools from serving in supervisory positions. However, the policy states that anyone who is already serving in these positions currently will be “grandfathered” in.
The other policy change approved by the BOE was the addition of school representatives.
The position will be for a non-voting student representative from each high school to sit on the BOE board. They must be a current student. The student representative would be “responsible for attending all regularly scheduled board meetings, serve on committees, “report to students about the work of the board, maintain their status as a student in good standing and adhere to the school board code of ethics.”
The policy goes on to state that “the student representative to the board will not make motions, second motions, or vote; attend executive sessions, receive compensation for their service to the school board, hold board offices; participate in board discussion involving personnel matters, legal matters, individual student discipline, or other confidential matters as deemed necessary by the board.”
A third policy change was on Tuesday’s agenda to establish a policy committee meeting date as the fourth Monday of the month, “if deemed necessary.” However, this policy was “sent back to the policy committee” after some discussion by BOE members Crystal Creekmore and Ryan Cummings who said they felt like locking it in on one day, could actually cause a delay in being able to address important business should the board decide it needs to meet sooner than the fourth Monday of the month. After this discussion, BOE member Brandon Johnson made a motion to send that policy back to the policy committee to be discussed and changes made to address that concern. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-01/15/2025-6AM)