Attorney General Opinions 
Relating to County Government

2010 Education

• An off-duty law enforcement officer may carry a firearm at a county school board meeting held on school grounds, unless otherwise prohibited by federal law, court order, or written directive of the employing agency.  If the meeting is on school grounds during regular school hours, the officer must immediately inform the school principal that the officer is in possession of a firearm.  The officer is not authorized to carry any weapon other than a firearm on school grounds.  Opinion No. 10-111 (November 3, 2010).

• Requiring students to pay a fee for a field trip violates state law.  Opinion No. 10-96 (September 9, 2010).

• A member of the county board of education holds a county office.  Vacancies on county school boards are subject to Article VII, Section 2, which provides that vacancies in county offices must be filled by the county legislative body until a successor is elected at the next election occurring after the vacancy and has qualified.  Opinion No. 10-88 (July 28, 2010).

• The commissioner of education may remove a popularly elected school board member for failure to attend required annual training.  The commissioner is also empowered to withhold state funding from an LEA for a board member’s failure to attend the training.  Opinion No. 10-87 (July 20, 2010).