Scranton School Board to vote on nepotism policy change in June

The Scranton School Board now plans to vote next month on a proposed update to the district’s nepotism policy after it was inadvertently left off the board’s Monday meeting agenda.

School directors voted 6-2 last week, with Directors Catherine Fox and Carol Cleary opposed and Director Robert J. Casey absent, to introduce for first reading proposed policy changes that board President Tom Borthwick said strengthen the district’s anti-nepotism rules. Fox, who worries the changes could weaken the policy, sought to table the matter April 29 pending further discussion at a policy committee meeting, but her motion failed.

While officials had planned a second reading and final vote on the changes Monday, district spokeswoman Sydney Toy confirmed the item was mistakenly left off the meeting agenda. Superintendent Erin Keating, Ed.D., attributed its absence to a “clerical error” and said the policy will be approved in June.

Where the current policy says the district “prohibits nepotism in the selection, hiring and assignment process,” the new version would read: “The district is committed to fair and transparent hiring practices. This policy establishes safeguards against nepotism in the selection, hiring and assignment process” consistent with Pennsylvania Public School Code requirements.

The updated version would also change the policy’s definition of nepotism to read: “Nepotism means the preferential hiring or favorable treatment of relatives of the Board or Superintendent in the employment process.”

That’s different from the current policy’s definition, which simply says nepotism “means the hiring of relatives of the Board or Superintendent.”

Moreover, where the current policy requires the superintendent to alert the board when a relative of the superintendent or a board member is a finalist for a “full-time” position, the proposed update would extend that responsibility to any position. It would also add language explicitly requiring the notification occur “prior to Board action on the hiring recommendation,” among other changes.

With the proposed changes still pending given the lack of board action, Fox asked during Monday’s work session that the board add a policy committee meeting May 26 to discuss the nepotism policy matter. It would complement education and fair funding committee meetings scheduled for that day.

Borthwick asked Fox to email him about her request.