Is it acceptable for the Chair of Governors, code of conduct

[BonnyBobbyShafto]

Please can someone in the know, give me their thoughts on my concerns.

The chair of Governors at my daughter's school is in a sexual relationship with the head teacher at her school.

I cannot think this is acceptable! If I am correct, and this is not acceptable, what should I do, given that I cannot confront the head or chair?

I too think that the Chair should step down. I expect some parents and pupils would have a field day if they were aware of this.

Also, there definitely is a conflict of interest. If a parent complained about the Head to the Chair then how would that be dealt with? Governing Bodies support the Head whatever so with this added relationship I wouldn't expect any complaint to be dealt with impartially at all.

Our CoG is not on the performance management panel.

In actual fact when I did once make a complaint about certain actions taken by the Head the Chair was extremely defensive. So much so that I was threatened that if I ever raised the issue again or spoke to anyone there would be legal action taken against me.

I think you really should raise the issue with the council so that they are aware that parents know about this and are becoming concerned.

yes chair should step down, there is a conflict of opinion as could impact on chairs ability to act for the good of the school and as oversight on the decision making of the school management.
If you have reason to believe it to be true & post on a public forum then maybe you should discuss your concerns with them both.

yes, Chair should step down as chair. I write as a former chair of governors, I did it for eight years, and yes the relationsip between the Chair and the Head is an odd one, and does involve a significant number of one to one meetings, so I can see how if a Chair were single and a Head single a relationship could develop, but if it did essential the Chair stand down, as chair, at once.

I know for a fact the head teacher and chair of Governor at a local school are related by marriage. The chairperson’s daughter is married to the head’s son. It may become necessary to complain to the governing body about the education offered to a disruptive child by the head. I don’t feel confident that the chair of governors is going to be impartial or helpful. I am related to the child, not a parent. The chair of governors is related to me through marriage but doesn’t know my interest in this matter.!!! Any views?

Yes - you're being ridiculous. Hth.

I agree with those that believe the chair should step down. How can it not be a conflict of interest?
I am squeamish about the situation at our school where the chair's husband works at the school and over the summer they stayed at the holiday home of the HT...

Clerk of 10 years here. There is nothing in the regulations which say that the Chair needs to step down. As others have said, the governing body acts as a whole, the Chair cannot make decisions on his own. Of course, there may be a conflict of interest in certain areas - the Head's performance management, a complaint etc. In that case, the Chair would declare a conflict of interest and not be involved.

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