ethics for educators - · pdf file1 page 1 of 5 licensure status for all staff beer before...
TRANSCRIPT
1
Page 1 of 5
BoEE News
Update
NOVEMBER 2013
A quarterly journal for
Iowa educators
IN THIS ISSUE:
Ethics Overview 1
Director Update 2
Attorney Update 2
Mandatory Reporting 2
Ethics Standards 3
Who Can File? 4
Social Networking 4
Contact us 5
You have just renewed your license, and with a sigh of relief, you file it
away without much thought for the next few years. Did you know that inside
the envelope, there was also an ethics brochure listing the Iowa Code of
Professional Conduct and Ethics? A violation of these standards may result
in action against your license. These violations are serious and can lead to
loss of employment or difficulty finding future employment.
The public search function on our website reveals the nature of violations that have occurred as well as the board action. This information will always remain visible.
BoEE Website Reminder
The new BoEE website has many convenient
features including the ability to update your
contact information.
Current email addresses are central to our
mission to communicate effectively regarding
licensure expiration dates and other important
information.
Please take a moment now to visit our
website and update your contact
information. Go to www.boee.iowa.gov and
click “update my information” in the left
column.
The “Search for a license” tool is helpful to see
your license type and expiration date.
Connect With Us:
@IOWABOEE
Ethics for Educators
www.boee.iowa.gov
It is important that school administrators verify current licensure status for all staff members and potential hires through our electronic search function, as there may have been a board action since the latest printing of the license.
A group of teachers goes out for pizza and beer before attending the high school football game. Another sells cosmetics to her students between classes. These activities may potentially lead to an ethics complaint being filed. A careful study of our ethics brochure reveals that although some behaviors may be legal, they are unethical for educators in Iowa.
2
Page 2 of 5
Most practitioners licensed by the BoEE will never be involved in an ethics complaint before the board, whether as a complainant, respondent, or person with knowledge relevant to the investigation. However, if you do find yourself in this situation it is helpful to have a basic understanding of the complaint process so that you know generally what to expect. In keeping with the ethics theme of this month’s newsletter, I will provide an overview of the steps. All incoming ethics complaints are reviewed by the executive director. If they meet certain basic jurisdictional requirements, they are then assigned to an investigator. The investigator sends notification and a copy of the complaint to the respondent, and requests any relevant documents from the respondent’s current or former employing district. Once the investigator has collected relevant documents and conducted any necessary interviews, he or she prepares a report for the board to review at its next regular meeting. During the Professional Practices portion of each board meeting, the board reviews the investigative reports and determines whether there is probable cause of a violation of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics. If the board finds there is no probable cause, the complaint is dismissed. If the board finds probable cause of an ethical violation, the matter is set for hearing before an administrative law judge. In some cases, the respondent reaches a settlement agreement with the board prior to the hearing. If the hearing takes place, the administrative law judge drafts a proposed decision that is then reviewed by the board. Iowa code states that the entire complaint resolution process (from receipt of the complaint a final board decision) is to be completed in 180 days, but does allow for the board to extend this timeline for good cause. If you have any questions regarding the ethics complaint process, feel free to contact me at 515-242-6506 or [email protected].
Attorney Update – Darcy Lane
From the Executive Director
Who may file an ethics complaint with the BoEE?
Parent of child
involved in situation
Executive Director
of BoEE
Administrator
Fellow educator or
other BoEE
licensee
School Board
Department of
Education
Department of
Revenue
Recently I attended a Professional Practices Institute conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). The NASDTEC institute covered a range of topics regarding educator conduct and ethics. The great news for Iowa is that we have laws, administrative rules, and local and state policies and practices in place that align with best practices for addressing educator conduct and ethics training and enforcement. This issue of the BoEE newsletter is focused on enhancing the knowledge that BoEE licensees and other interested stakeholders have about the BoEE’s Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics. As of today, there are 97,346 active licensees in the BoEE database. Of those active licensees, 51,346 had an assignment on the 2012 BEDS report. Each year the BoEE receives approximately 140 ethics complaints against licensees. These numbers indicate that serious conduct or ethical issues exist within a very small minority of the licensed educators in Iowa. However, the BoEE wants to remain vigilant in the area of educator conduct and ethics training as each incident of educator misconduct damages the entire profession. To this point the BoEE has convened a workgroup to discuss how ethics training is delivered to preservice teachers and licensed educators. Educators today face a challenging array of conduct and ethical issues ranging from the use of social media, challenging behaviors, high stakes testing, and increased focus on educator quality. The BoEE has set a goal to enhance efforts to provide preventative services to educators in order to continue ongoing efforts in our state to maintain the excellent track record that Iowa educators have for professional conduct and ethical behavior. Thank you to everyone who strives to be ethical and display good conduct. Please contact us at the BoEE if we can assist your efforts. Yours in service, D.T. Magee
3
Page 3 of 5
Ethics Standards
25.3 (1) Standard I. Conviction of crimes, sexual or other immoral conduct with or toward a student, and child and dependent adult abuse. 25.3 (2) Standard II. alcohol or drug abuse. 25.3 (3) Standard III. misrepresentation, falsification of information. 25.3 (4) Standard IV. misuse of public funds and property. 25.3 (5) Standard V. violations of contractual obligations. 25.3 (6) Standard VI. unethical practice toward other members of the profession, parents, students, and the community. 25.3 (7) Standard VII. compliance with state law governing obligations to state or local governments, student loan obligations, child support obligations, and board orders. 25.3 (8) Standard VIII. incompetence.
Educators may not enter any school property or be at a school-sponsored activity of any location (including trips and tournaments) having consumed alcohol or drugs – even if parent chaperones are helping with supervision.
Keep professional boundaries at all times.
Test scores, IEPs, applications, licensure renewals and other official documents must be accurate.
Computers, tablets, fundraising money, and any other school property should not be used for personal use (downloading music, shopping, etc.)
Only teach in your licensed area(s). Check with your district before
resigning a contract.
Provide a safe environment for students free of harassment and prejudice. Do not use students to benefit yourself financially. Only teach in your licensed area(s).
Honor all loan
obligations.
Be dedicated to professional development and continuous improvement.
4
Page 4 of 5
Iowa Code section 272.15
was amended in 2012 to
require reporting of any
instance of disciplinary action
for conduct in any of these
three areas:
(1) soliciting, encouraging, or
consummating a romantic or
otherwise inappropriate
relationship with a student;
(2) falsifying student grades,
test scores, or other official
information or material; and
(3) converting public property
to the personal use of the
school employee.
Disciplinary actions that
trigger the reporting
requirement include written
reprimands, written warnings,
job separation agreements,
resignations, non-renewals,
or terminations resulting from
conduct in the three listed
areas.
School officials must also
report nonrenewal,
termination, or resignation
based on conduct that, if
proven, would be a
disqualifying criminal offense
(certain forcible felonies and
sexual offenses involving
children).
When in doubt about whether
an event needs to be
reported to the BoEE, call
Darcy Lane at 515.242.6506.
Social Networking
Ethics: Mandatory Reporting Areas
Educators are facing increased scrutiny of their private lives as a result of social media, which causes the lines to blur. The following are suggested guidelines for personal social media use:
Personal accounts should be just that. Avoid confirming friend requests from students. Have your privacy settings set to the highest levels.
It is important to have a professional image. Current and future employers may be looking at posts.
Never say anything negative about a student, group of students, or your employer.
For professional accounts, start by checking with your district to see if they have a policy regarding the use of social networking to communicate with students and families. Also check with your district about the use of pictures or names of students before posting. Consider having an administrator monitor the page with you.
Texting applications such as Remind101allow educators to send texts to groups of students and parents from a computer instead of a personal cell phone. Check with your district policy.
Volleyball practice is cancelled today. Science fair is
Friday.
5
Page 5 of 5
Members of the Board
Laura A. Stevens, Chair Okoboji CSD, Teacher
Richard E. Wortmann, Vice Chair Ottumwa CSD, Teacher
Tammy S. Duehr Dubuque CSD, Teacher
Dan Dutcher Waukee, Public Member
Brenda Garcia-Van Auken Muscatine, Public Member
Dr. Brad Buck State of Iowa, Director of Education
Dr. Larry D. Hill Thompson, Administrator
Ann Lebo Grundy Center CSD, Teacher/Secondary Dean
Mary K. Overholtzer Mount Ayr CSD, Teacher
Dr. Andy R. Pattee Cedar Falls CSD, Superintendent
Dr. Jay B. Prescott Des Moines, V.P. for Student Affairs, Grand View University
Dr. Anne M. Sullivan Director of Human Resources, Des Moines Public Schools
Duane T. Magee - Executive Director 515-281-5849
Kim Cunningham - Board Secretary 515-281-5849 [email protected]
Consultants/Licensure Assignments
Mike Cavin - Special Education, Paraeducator, and General Education/Renewals
515-281-3437 [email protected]
Greg Horstmann - Principal and Superintendent Licensure/Renewals, School Business Official, Substitute Licenses/Authorizations and General Education/Renewals
515-281-3587 [email protected]
Steve Mitchell - Coaching Authorizations and General Education/Renewals
515-281-6896 [email protected]
Dr. Mary Lou Nosco - Teacher Licensure for Non-Iowa College Preparation, Non-traditional Programs and General Education/Renewals
515-725-2146 [email protected]
Joanne Tubbs - Teacher Licensure for Non-Iowa College
Preparation, Internship Programs, Teacher Prep Curriculum and General Education/Renewals
515-281-3611 [email protected]
Other Staff
Darcy Lane, J.D. - Investigator 515-242-6506 [email protected]
Jim McNellis - Investigator 515-281-3483 [email protected]
Jeff DeBruin - I.T. Specialist 515-242-6797 [email protected]
Danielle Brookes - Clerk - FBI/DCI Check 515-281-3482 [email protected]
Karen Ford - Clerk - Renewals 515-281-4839 [email protected]
Judy Humes - Clerk 515-281-5058 [email protected]
Sherry Jensen - Clerk 515-281-8323 [email protected]
Susan Wilbur - Receptionist 515-281-3245 [email protected]
Grimes State Office Building 400 E. 14
th ST.
Des Moines, IA 50319 PHONE: 515-281-3245 FAX: 515-281-7669
Duane (D.T.) Magee - Executive Director 515-281-4810 [email protected]
Kim Cunningham - Board Secretary 515-281-5849 [email protected]
Darcy Lane, J.D. BoEE Attorney and Investigator 515-242-6506 [email protected]
Mike Cavin - Special Education, Paraeducators, and General Education/Renewals
515-281-3437 [email protected]
Greg Horstmann - Principal and Superintendent Licensure/Renewals, School Business Officials, Substitute Licenses/Authorizations and General Education/Renewals
515-281-3587 [email protected]
Steve Mitchell - Coaching Authorizations and General Education/Renewals
515-281-6896 [email protected]
Dr. Mary Lou Nosco - Teacher Licensure for Non-Iowa College Preparation, Non-traditional Programs and General Education/Renewals
515-725-2146 [email protected]
Joanne Tubbs - Internship Programs, Iowa Teacher Prep Curriculum, Conditional Licensure, Extensions
515-281-3611 [email protected]
Dave Wempen - Teacher Licensure for Non-Iowa College Preparation, School Business Officials, Conditional Licensure, Career and Technical Education
515-281- [email protected]
Other Staff
Jim McNellis - Investigator 515-281-3483 [email protected]
Jeff DeBruin - I.T. Specialist 515-242-6797 [email protected]
Danielle Brookes - Clerk - FBI/DCI Check 515-281-3482 [email protected]
Karen Ford - Clerk - Renewals 515-281-4839 [email protected]
Judy Humes - Clerk 515-281-5058 [email protected]
Sherry Jensen - Clerk 515-281-8323 [email protected]
Susan Wilbur - Receptionist 515-281-3245 [email protected]