School board members anticipating being sued for damages are advised to "keep cool, collected, quiet and inconspicuous." Publicly, a school board facing suit should employ an attorney for procedural matters, and announce intentions to fully investigate the problem. Privately, school board members must avoid making any statements that reflect bias, opinion, prejudice, or knowledge, since, during court proceedings, witnesses are often questioned to discover any prior orientations toward the case. The responsibility of school board membership requires one to take steps for self-protection. (Author/DW)