The News & Observer reports the Wake County school board is considering a new ethics policy for board members. Certain behaviors would be punished by the board.
If the review determined that a violation had occurred, the issue would be referred to the full board. If two-thirds of board members present agreed in open session, actions could include:
• A verbal or written reprimand.
• Censure.
• A request for resignation.
• Referral to the Wake County District Attorney for criminal charges and/or possible removal from office.
Democratic school board chairman Keith Sutton said board members need to be held accountable, while his fellow Democratic board member Jim Martin said the board needs a mechanism to enforce its code of ethics. Consideration of a new code was prompted by former board chairman Ron Margiottia’s public statements about the hiring of Jim Merrill as superintendent — before it was announced.
So if this new code is adopted, would Sutton and Martin vote to punish a board member who yanks a microphone from a fellow board member who is talking? That’s exactly what school board member Susan Evans did to fellow board member Debra Prickett last November.
During one heated exchange after the hearing, Republican school board member Deborah Prickett started to ask the crowd whether they were satisfied with the controlled-choice plan that’s being phased out for next school year. Democratic school board member Susan Evans, however, yanked the microphone from Prickett’s hand, saying it was an inappropriate question.
Video of Evans’ behavior can be found here.
