9260 — Legal Protection (BB)
The official document
What the district published
This is the source material — exactly as released by RUSD. The plain English translation below is this site's version, written for community members who shouldn't need a budget degree to understand where their school dollars go.
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What this document actually says
Last Updated: June 3, 2025
This bylaw protects school board members from personal liability when they're doing their jobs. The district must provide liability insurance for board members. Board members cannot be held personally responsible for harm caused by negligent acts or decisions made within their official duties, including disciplinary actions or classroom management decisions. However, this protection has important limits: it does NOT apply if a board member acts with willful misconduct, gross negligence, criminal behavior, operates a vehicle negligently, violates civil rights laws, acts under the influence of drugs/alcohol, commits violent crimes or terrorism, or commits sexual offenses. Board members can still face consequences for violating laws like the Brown Act (open meeting law) or conflicts of interest, and they must reimburse the district in certain situations specified by law.
What this means for your family
This policy doesn't directly affect your child's daily education. It explains when board members have legal protection for their decisions and when they don't. The district uses your tax dollars to buy insurance protecting board members from lawsuits when they're acting in good faith. Board members can still be held accountable for serious misconduct, criminal acts, or civil rights violations.
Summaries are AI-assisted and based on the original district document shown above. Nothing has been editorialized — interpretations are clearly labeled. This site is maintained by Lina Godfrey's campaign as a community resource.