Jim Thorpe School District has officially adopted a policymaking it harder to hire relatives of board members and supervisors.

“The employees that work in this school district, everyone needs a fair opportunity to succeed. Nepotism puts a halt to that opportunity,” said school board President Scott Pompa.

The policy passed by a 6-3 vote Wednesday night. Board members who support the policy say it is part of a broader effort to ensure they hire the most qualified employees, but others said it is unnecessary.

Its stated purpose is to discourage favoritism of applicants who are related to board members and administrators.

Under the policy, anyone on the school board or in a supervisor position would be prohibited from advocating for the hiring of a relative for any full-time position in the district.

In addition, job applicants have to inform the district if they are related to a board member or another full-time employee.

The policy doesn’t completely ban someone from being hired if they’re related to a board member or supervisor. If at least six board members vote in favor of the applicant, the policy can be overridden.

School board members must already abstain from a vote to hire anyone in their immediate family as well as grandchildren, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, first cousins, sisters-in-law or brothers-in-law, according to state law.

Pompa said the policy will eliminate the practice of current employees calling board members asking for them to hire their favored candidates. He said those conversations are unethical and unprofessional.

“Anyone who even fields those phone calls is not a true professional and probably shouldn’t be sitting on this board,” he said.

Cindy Lesisko Henning said she’s gotten calls from applicants asking for her help in getting them a job. She said she tells them the only way they’ll get the job is if they’re the most qualified applicant with the best interview.

“That should be what we all answer, not, ‘I’ll see what I can do,’?” she said.

Glenn Confer, Dennis McGinley and Jerry Strubinger voted against the policy.

Confer said the district has a bigger problem with hiring friends of board members than it does family members. He said there are only four out of 200-plus employees in the district who are related to board members. His daughter has more than 30 years experience with the district.

Confer said that only a few districts statewide have anti-nepotism policies, which Pompa disputed.

“If nepotism is so bad in this state, why is it that not all the districts have one?” Confer said.

Confer recalled that his former employer, Mack Trucks, embraced having members of the same family work for them.

Strubinger said he’s concerned that the policy would excluded qualified candidates from taking jobs with the district.

Pompa said he feels that nepotism can lead to discrimination claims, alienate employees, and ultimately hurt their ability to keep talented workers.

“The winners are going to be the students who come through the halls of JTASD. They’ll be very well-educated. It’s a win-win for everyone,” he said.