The Board of Education considers the presentation of gifts to professional staff members by students and their parents an undesirable practice because it tends to embarrass students with limited means and gives the appearance of currying favor.

Based on the foregoing premise, it is the policy of the Board that professional staff members may accept gifts of nominal value from students or parents.

The Superintendent may approve acts of generosity to individual staff members in unusual situations. However, at no time may a staff member accept compensation from any other source, other than the Board, for the performance of his/her official duties, any other act or service in his/her public capacity, for the general performance of the duties of his/her public employment, or as a supplement to his/her public compensation.

[Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board shall consider, as appropriate, the presentation of token gifts to retiring members of the staff who have rendered service for a period of time.

Professional staff members shall not accept any form of compensation from vendors that might influence their recommendations on the eventual purchase of equipment, supplies, or services. Furthermore, professional staff members shall not accept any compensation from a vendor after a decision has been made to purchase equipment, supplies, or services from said vendor. In addition, professional staff members who recommend purchases shall not enter into a contractual arrangement with a vendor seeking to do business with the District, or a vendor with whom the District is doing business, whereby an individual professional staff member receives compensation in any form for services rendered.

Such compensation includes, but is not limited to, cash, checks, stocks, or any other form of securities, and gifts such as televisions, microwave ovens, computers, discount certificates, travel vouchers, tickets, passes, and other such things of value. In the event that a professional staff member receives such compensation, albeit unsolicited, from a vendor, the professional staff member shall notify the Treasurer, in writing, that s/he received such compensation and shall thereafter promptly transmit said compensation to the Treasurer.

Auditor of State Bulletin 2000-006, Ohio Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion 2008-01