Navarro Conflict of Interest & Students

From the MCPS Board of Education Code of Ethics:

“As a member of my local Board of education I will strive to improve public education and, to that end, I will—

• Avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest, and refrain from using my Board position for personal or partisan gain;

~~~

From the Blair High School Career Center Notes:

Subject: Career Center Notes for April 17, 2009

Career Center Notes for April 17, 2009
...
Campaign for Nancy Navarro is looking for interns to work on her campaign for the District 4 seat. Service hours would apply. For information, email jainabafye@gmail.com.
...

_________________________________

At present, Board member Navarro is engaging in partisan politics in a run for a County Council seat. The primary election is on April 21st. As shown above, an announcement for "interns" for her campaign is running today at Blair High School. Note that the item says that "service hours would apply". For MCPS students, Student Service Learning (SSL) hours must be done with pre-approved organizations. Here is what the Walter Johnson High School website says about SSL hours:

If you have an activity in mind that is not pre-approved, you have to go through the pre-approval process. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this. You must complete the pre-approval form two weeks before you complete the activity and return it to Ms. XXXXX. The form is called "Request for Student Service Learning Preapproval"

The Walter Johnson High School SSL page also directs students to check the list of Approved SSL Activities. If a volunteer opportunity does not appear on that list, there is a procedure to be followed for the activity to obtain SSL certification. Forms to be filled out, approvals must take place etc... I checked the Approved SSL Activities list and do not see a listing for the Navarro Campaign, but please check yourself and let me know what you find.

With the primary election only 3 days away, does Ms. Navarro have an expedited process for approving SSL hours for students? And what a great opportunity for a student, to be able to volunteer on a Board of Education member's partisan campaign!

Getting back to the Board of Education Ethics Oath, what about this run for partisan office is an exception to the ethics oath? If anyone can comment on this, an explanation would be greatly appreciated.