3 Aug 2005
DALLAS—The following is a statement issued by school district attorneys in relation to a story in Saturday's The Dallas Morning News associated with Trustee Hollis Brashear and the employment of his grandson with a vendor of the district.
"The district follows the Texas Government Code with respect to its anti-nepotism policy. The state law located in Chapter 573 of the Government Code, prohibits a public official from appointing (or voting to confirm the employment of an individual if that individual is related (within the third degree of consanguinity) to the public official.
"Of course, employees of district vendors are not employees of the district. The Attorney General has rendered an opinion (ltr. Op, 95-080) indicating that even the spouse of a public official may be in the employ of a vendor and not run afoul of the Government Code.
"Therefore, the employment by a vendor of the grandson of Mr. Brashear does not violate our anti-nepotism policy or state law.
"It should also be noted that The Dallas Morning News' story Saturday, said that Mr. Brashear signed the contract with the vendor in question. The contract was approved by the board unanimously and Mr. Brashear's signature as president of the board was merely done as a matter of the normal course of business on all contracts agreed upon by the board during his tenure as president."