Board members are officials of the state. As a public official, each board member must pledge to uphold the Iowa and the United States Constitution and carry out the responsibilities of the office to the best of the board member's ability.
Each newly-elected board member will take the oath of office prior to any action taken as a school official. The oath of office is taken by each new board member elected at the annual school election at or before the organizational meeting of the board. In the event of an appointment or special election to fill a vacancy, the new board member will take the oath of office within ten days of the appointment or election.
Board members elected to offices of the board will also take the same oath of office but replacing the office of board member with the title of the office to which they were elected.
The oath of office is administered by the board secretary and does not need to be given at a board meeting. In the event the board secretary is absent, the oath is administered by another board member.
"Do you solemnly swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Iowa, and that you will faithfully and impartially to the best of your ability discharge the duties of the office of ____________(naming the office) in __________________(naming the district) as now and hereafter required by law?"
NOTE: Board members elected at the regular election do not need to take the oath of office within 10 days. Those elected at a special election or appointed to fill a vacancy, however, must take the oath of office within 10 days.
For more detailed discussion of this issue, see IASB's Policy Primer, Vol. 20 #6 - October 21, 2008.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 277.28; 279.1, .6.
Cross Reference: 200.1 Organization of the Board of Directors
201 Board of Directors' Elections
202 Board of Directors Members
204 Code of Ethics
206 Board of Directors' Officers
Approved 9-19-05 Reviewed 7-21-10, 10-19-16 9-18-19, 3/23/2022 Revised 7-21-10