The provision of proper equipment and appropriately designed instructional spaces for those programs is crucial in these days of changing student needs and availability of more effective tools. Mrs. Sarhady also alleged that teachers and administrators urged parents to vote for the bond during school functions and that additional early-voting locations were established to manipulate support for the bond. Dr. Otto said he wasn't aware of employees' speaking for the bond package during school functions. The branch voting locations, he said, were legal and were provided as a convenience for voters. Bill Moss, assistant general counsel for the ethics commission, said the decision to conduct a review should not be interpreted as a comment on the merits of the complaint.
State law prohibits the commission from acknowledging or discussing specific ethics cases.
The commission tries to determine whether a violation occurred within six months after a complaint is filed, but it can take as long as 12 months, Mr. Moss said. At the end of the preliminary review, the commission can resolve the complaint, dismiss it or order an informal hearing.