The Rock Island/Milan School District board obviously needs a simple, easy-to-follow rule for dealing with nepotism.
So here's a handy guide for it and any other public body: If the chief administrator's spouse is recommended for a no-bid contract, the governing board should reject it. Don't ask questions; don't let anybody try to convince you that it's a good idea. Just vote it down.
Over the past few weeks, the media and the school district have gotten tied up in discussions about the Illinois Open Meetings Act, and who made a recommendation, and qualifications, and the distinction between an employee and a contractor, and blah blah blah. All of that misses the core issue.
