The Los Angeles County Board of Education (County Board) recognizes the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of information acquired as part of its official duties. Confidential/privileged information shall be released only to the extent authorized by law.
(cf. 9000 - Role of the Board)
(cf. 9005 - Governance Standards)
(cf. 9006 - County Board Member's Code of Ethics)
(cf. 9010 - Public Statements)
Disclosure of Closed Session Information
A County Board member shall not disclose confidential information acquired during a closed session to a person not entitled to receive such information, unless a majority of the County Board has authorized its disclosure.
Confidential information means a communication made in a closed session that is specifically related to the basis for the County Board to meet lawfully in closed session.
(cf. 4119.23/4219.23/4319.23 - Unauthorized Release of Confidential/Privileged Information)
(cf. 9321 - Closed Session Purposes and Agendas)
(cf. 9321.1 - Closed Session Actions and Reports)
The County Board shall not take any action against any person for disclosing confidential information, nor shall the disclosure be considered a violation of the law or Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) policy, when the person is:
1. Making a confidential inquiry or complaint to a district attorney or grand jury concerning a perceived violation of law, including disclosing facts necessary to establish the illegality or potential illegality of a County Board action that has been the subject of deliberation during a closed session
2. Expressing an opinion concerning the propriety or legality of a County Board action in closed session, including disclosure of the nature and extent of the illegal or potentially illegal action
3. Disclosing information that is not confidential
Other Disclosures
A County Board member shall not disclose, for pecuniary gain, confidential information acquired in the course of his/her official duties. Confidential information includes information that is not a public record subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act, information that by law may not be disclosed, or information that may have a material financial effect on the County Board member. (Government Code 1098)
(cf. 4112.6/4212.6/4312.6 - Personnel Files)
(cf. 5125 - Student Records)
Disclosures excepted from this prohibition are those made to law enforcement officials or to the joint legislative audit committee when reporting on improper governmental activities.
Legal References:
EDUCATION CODE
35010 Power of governing board to adopt rules for its own governance
35146 Closed session
EVIDENCE CODE
1040 Privilege for official information
GOVERNMENT CODE
1098 Public officials and employees re confidential information
3549.1 Meeting and negotiating in public educational employment
6250-6270 Inspection of public records
54950-54963 Brown Act, especially:
54956.8 Open meeting laws
54956.9 Closed meeting for pending litigation
54957 Closed session; "employee" defined; exclusion of witnesses
54957.1 Subsequent public report and rollcall vote; employee matters in closed session
54957.5 Public records
54957.6 Closed session; representatives with employee organization
54957.7 Reasons for closed session
54963 Confidential information in closed session
ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS
80 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 231 (1997)
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Professional Governance Standards, November 2000
Maximizing School Board Leadership, 1996
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
Bylaw LOS ANGELES COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
adopted: May 10, 2011 Downey, California