Georgia Professional Standards Commission

1. Georgia Professional Standards Commission The Code of Ethics for Georgia Educators 2015-16

2. Professional Standards Commission Certification Educator Preparation Ethics

3. Legal Authority of the PSC Ethics Division

4. 20-2-984.1. Adoption of a Code of Ethics.  It shall be the duty of the commission to adoptstandards of performance and a code of ethics for educators…which are generally accepted by educators of this state.

5. Code of Ethics Code of “Common Sense”

6. 20-2-984.1. Adoption of a Code of Ethics. The standards of performance and code of ethics adopted by the commission shall be limited to professional performance and professional ethics. The PSC does not care what you do in you personal lives as long as it does not carryover into your professional lives.

7. Definition of Educator 20-2-982.1.(2)"Educator"means education personnel who hold, have applied for, or been denied certificates, permits, or other certification documents issued by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.  

8. Legal Compliance Standard 1

9. Standard 1 An educator shall abide by federal, state, and local laws and statutes.

10. Legal Compliance Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to the commission or conviction of: a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude. any criminal offense involving a controlled substance or marijuana. any sexual offense specified in Code Section 16. any laws applicable to the profession.

11. Standard #1 Legal Compliance • The Educator and her husband were arrested and charged with felony Cruelty to Children-Deprivation of Necessary Sustenance in the 1st Degree. The offense is still pending adjudication. The Educator failed to provide documentation requested by the PSC Investigator • Revoked.

12. Standard #1 Legal Compliance • The Educator was arrested for Theft by Shoplifting while holding a valid PSC paraprofessional certificate. Subsequently, the Educator was sentenced to 20 hours of community service, take a shoplifting/theft education class, and pay a fine of $300 under a pre-trial diversion program • Suspend 20 Days

13. Conduct with Students

14. Standard 2 An educator shall always maintain a professional relationship with all students, both in and outside the classroom.

15. A student isanyone under the age of 18.

16. OR, a student enrolled in grades Pre-K to 12 in a public or private school.

17. For the purposes of the Code of Ethics, the enrollment period for a graduating student ends on August 31 of the year of graduation.

18. Revocation Sexual Abuse of Students

19. Young people instinctively recognize these boundary violations and often nickname the employee engaged in such violations a “pervert,” based on their perceived sense of inappropriateness. Mary Jo McGrath

20. Standard #2 Conduct With Students • Paraprofessionals 1 and 2 stated that the Educator had a history of abusing (spanking) students. In her most recent incident, the Educator took a student behind a bookcase and spanked him with a ruler. Even though she could not be seen, the paraprofessionals could hear the screams and the sound of hitting the student. The principal saw the red marks on the student’s arms • Suspend 2 Years

21. Standard #2 Conduct With Students • The Educator admitted he developed a close relationship with a sixth grade student. He admitted to hugging her, kissing her on the forehead, and walking her to her other classes. Later, through his attorney, he denied kissing her. Letters to the Educator professing her love for him were found in the Educator’s desk drawer • Revoked

22. Student Relationship Guidelines E-mail Phone Calls Be Friendly, Not a Friend. Gossip Parties Inappropriate Jokes Photographs

23. Choose Appropriate Settings Student Relationship Guidelines Home Auto Closet Dark Room

24. Alcohol or Drugs Standard 3

25. Standard 3 An educator shall refrain from the use of alcohol or illegal or unauthorized drugs during the course of professional practice.

26. Alcohol Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: being on school premises or at a school-related activityinvolving students while under the influence of, possessing, or consuming alcoholic beverages.

27. 20-2-984.1. The … code of ethics …shall be limited toprofessional performance and professional ethics.

28. Standard #3 Drugs and Alcohol • During an end of the year program, the Educator displayed unusual behavior in front of the students. The Educator agreed to a drug screening, which revealed a positive reading for marijuana and hydrocodone. The Educator did not possess a prescription for the drug at the time of screening. • Suspend 2 Years

29. Standard #3 Drugs and Alcohol • The Educator met with her Principal and A.P. at 6:45 for her annual performance review. During the meeting the principal noticed an odor of alcohol and that the Educator seemed disorganized and unable to collect her thoughts. The Educator declined to submit to a drug screening but did admit to consuming a bottle of wine the previous evening • Suspend 1 Year

30. Question • How many Educators are guilty of going to a restaurant on a Friday evening and consuming a bottle of beer or a glass of wine with their meal, and then going to a high school football game? • What level of intoxication is acceptable when an educator is interacting with students or community members at school events?

31. Honesty Standard 4

32. Standard 4 An educator shall exemplify honesty and integrity in the course of professional practice.

33. Honesty Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting: professional qualifications, criminal history, college or staff development credit and/or degrees, academic award, and employment history;

34. Honesty Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to, falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting: information submitted to federal, state, local school districts and other governmental agencies;

35. Honesty Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to, falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting: 3. information regarding the evaluation of students and/or personnel;

36. Honesty Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting: reasons for absences or leaves;

37. Honesty Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting: 5. information submitted in the course of an official inquiry/investigation; and

38. Honesty Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting: 6. information submitted in the course of professional practice.

39. Standard #4 Honesty • The Educator failed to disclose on a 2010 application for certification renewal having two bad check offenses (2004, 2006) which occurred while she held a valid PSC certificate. The matter was not submitted for PSC to review until it was discovered by her employing school system in 2014 • Suspend 5 Days

40. Standard #4 Honesty • The Educator falsified student data used for monitoring and tracking the progress of SWD. During a review of the Educator’s student data collection binder, the principal found at least 80 data points were falsified. Data was entered for some students during holidays and during days when the Educator was absent. The Educator indicated she made some careless errors • Suspend 90 Days

41. Public Funds & Property Standard 5

42. Standard 5 An educator entrusted with public funds and property shall honor that trust with a high level of honesty, accuracy, and responsibility.

43. Public Funds & Property Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: misusing public or school-related funds; failing to account for funds collected from students or parents; submitting fraudulent requests or documentation for reimbursement of expenses or for pay; co-mingling public or school-related funds with personal funds or checking accounts; and using school property without the approval of the local board of education/governing board or authorized designee.

44. Standard #5 Public Funds and Property • The Educator’s school computer was used to access inappropriate content on multiple days from 12/15/14 thru 1/6/15. The Educator’s attorney provided the PSC with an affidavit asserting a house guest was responsible for the inappropriate use. The house guest was interviewed by the PSC. He stated that after being pressured he signed the affidavit, but the content was not true • Revoke

45. Standard #5 Public Funds and Property • The Educator admitted that she sold items donated for student use (coupons for pizza, Six Flag tickets, etc.) on eBay through her personal account. The school system’s investigator estimated the Educator made a profit of approximately $300 • Suspend 1 Year

46. Remunerative Conduct Standard 6

47. Standard 6 An educator shall maintain integrity with students, colleagues, parents, patrons, or businesses when accepting gifts, gratuities, favors, and additional compensation.

48. Standard #6 Remunerative Conduct • A parent reported the Educator was charging to tutor students after school during the last half hour of the work day. The Educator initially denied she was charging the students. The parent then provided text messages sent by the teacher telling parents not to tell the administrators. The Educator was suspended and given a letter of direction. She continued to tutor for money • Suspend 1 Year

49. Standard # 6 Remunerative Conduct • The investigation conducted by the school system established that the Educator promoted a nutritional supplement to students at school. This included providing free samples, and offering student a commission for any supplements sold. The Educator had a financial interest in the product. • Revoke

50. Confidential Information Standard 7