School board member in Michigan sues board for misuse of funds
A Highland Park Board of Education member has filed a lawsuit against the president and his own board, alleging some members inappropriately used taxpayer money for personal items such as computers, BlackBerrys and home telephone calls. Board member Robert Davis, who filed the suit Friday in Wayne County Circuit Court, is asking a judge to order other board members to pay back the district about $13,000 for items such as printers and home computers. He also wants a judge to rule that Board of Education President Jamille Edwards violated her oath of office, a precursor to ousting her. “Their conduct is too egregious for me to just sit back and let it happen and not bring it to the forefront,” said Davis, the former school board president who is now frequently on the losing end of votes on the divided seven-member panel. “It is a clear violation of the person's oath of office.” The lawsuit could bring about an unusual situation since Davis is a member of the board named as a defendant in the civil suit. Kevin Smith, the attorney representing the district, said he couldn't comment on the lawsuit because he hasn't yet spoken to the board members. When he does, Davis would be excluded from the discussions, he said. “(Davis) would most likely have to recuse himself,” Smith said. Justin King, executive director for the Michigan Association of School Boards, said he doesn't know how many school boards decide to fund similar purchases, because his members generally don't share that information with the group. But it's an issue that should be decided on a local basis. “It's a budgetary issue and a question of priorities at a local level, that's the essence of local control and local decision making in the state,” King said. “It's something they have to work out among themselves as a board, and as a community—and the community ultimately decides at school board elections.”
Source: Detroit News, 2/20/08, By Steve Pardo & Karen Bouffard