Georgia Professional Standards Commission

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

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

3. 20-2-984.1. Adoption of a Code of Ethics. The standards of performance and code of ethics adopted by the commissionshall be limited toprofessional performance and professional ethics.

4. 20-2-984.3. …the commission shall be authorized to investigate: • Alleged violations by an educator of any law of this state pertaining to educators or the profession of education; • Alleged violations by an educator of the code of ethics of the commission; • Alleged violations by an educator of rules, regulations, or policies of the state board or the commission; • Complaints alleging a failure by an educator to meet or comply with standards of performance of the commission or the state board; or • Complaints alleging that an educator has been convicted of any felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude…

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

6. Legal Compliance Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to the commission or conviction of: • a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude.

7. Legal Compliance Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to the commission or conviction of: • any criminal offense involving a controlled substance or marijuana.

8. Legal Compliance Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to the commission or conviction of: • any sexual offense specified in Code Section 16.

9. Legal Compliance Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to the commission or conviction of: • any laws applicable to the profession.

10. Conviction includes: • a finding or verdict of guilty;

11. Conviction includes: • a plea of nolo contendere;

12. Conviction includes: • a situation where first offender treatment was granted; and

13. Conviction includes: • a situation where an adjudication of guilt or sentence was otherwise withheld or not entered on the charge or the charge was otherwise disposed of in a similar manner in any jurisdiction.

14. Simple Definition of “Not Guilty” • The District Attorney dismissed the case, or • The judge ruled “Not Guilty!” with no qualifiers. Every other ruling is “Guilty!”

15. Reporting the CONVICTION of a Criminal Offense

16. Reporting the COMMISSION of a Criminal Offense

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

18. A STUDENT is anyone: • enrolled in a Georgia public or private school from preschool through grade 12, or • anyone under the age of 18.

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

20. Unethical Conduct with Students Includes: • committing any act of child abuse, including physical and verbal abuse; • committing any act of cruelty to children or any act of child endangerment;

21. Unethical Conduct with Students Includes: • committing any sexual act with a student or soliciting such from a student; • engaging in or permitting harassment of or misconduct toward a student that would violate a state or federal law;

22. Unethical Conduct with Students Includes: • soliciting, encouraging, or consummating an inappropriate written, verbal, electronic, or physical relationship with a student; • furnishing tobacco, alcohol, or drugs to any student, or

23. Unethical Conduct with Students Includes: • failing to prevent the use of alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs by students who are under the educator’s supervision (including but not limited to the educator’s residence or any other private setting).

24. Standard 3 Alcohol or Drugs

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

26. Drugs Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • being on school premises or at a school-related activity while under the influence of, possessing, using, or consuming illegal or unauthorized drugs;

27. Illegal and Unauthorized Drugsare Always Illegal and Unauthorized.

28. 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.

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

30. 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;

31. 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; • information regarding the evaluation of students and/or personnel;

32. Honesty Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting: • reasons for absences or leaves; • information submitted in the course of an official inquiry/investigation;and

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

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

35. 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

36. Public Funds & Property Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • 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.; and • using school system property for personal gain.

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

38. Remunerative Conduct Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • soliciting students or parents of students to purchase equipment, supplies, or services from the educator or to participate in activities that financially benefit the educator unless approved by the local board of education/governing board or authorized designee;

39. Remunerative Conduct Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • accepting gifts from vendors or potential vendors for personal use or gain where there may be the appearance of a conflict of interest;

40. Remunerative Conduct Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • tutoring students assigned to the educator for remuneration unless approved by the local board of education/governing board or superintendent or authorized designee; and

41. Remunerative Conduct Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • coaching, instructing, promoting athletic camps, summer leagues, etc. that involves students in an educator’s school system and from whom the educator receives remuneration unless approved by the local board of education/governing board or the superintendent authorized designee. These types of activities must be in compliance with all rules and regulations of the Georgia High School Association.

42. Standard 7 An educator shall comply with state and federal laws and state school board policies relating to the confidentiality of student and personnel records, standardized test material and other information.

43. Confidential Information Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • sharing of confidential information concerning student academic and disciplinary records, personal confidences, health and medical information, family status and/or income, and assessment/testing results unless disclosure is required or permitted by law; • sharing of confidential information restricted by state or federal law;

44. Confidential Information Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • violation of confidentiality agreements related to standardized testing including copying or teaching identified test items, publishing or distributing test items or answers, discussing test items, violating local school system or state directions for the use of tests or test items, etc.; and • violation of other confidentiality agreements required by state or local policy.

45. Confidential Information • Annual performance evaluation records of school personnel • Health services provided to an insured • Identifiable individual student performance data, information and reports • School records of students with disabilities • A student's education record

46. Standard 8 An educator shall fulfill all of the terms and obligations detailed in the contract with the local board of education or education agency for the duration of the contract.

47. Abandonment of Contract Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • abandoning the contract for professional services without prior release from the contract by the employer, and • willfully refusing to perform the services required by a contract.

48. Standard 9 An educator shall file reports of a breach of one or more of the standards in the Code of Ethics for Educators, child abuse, or any other required report.

49. Required Reports Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • failure to report all requested information on documents required by the Commission when applying for or renewing any certificate with the Commission; • failure to make a required report of a violation of one or more standards of the Code of Ethics for educators of which they have personal knowledge as soon as possible but no later than ninety (90) days from the date the educator became aware of an alleged breach unless the law or local procedures require reporting sooner; and

50. Required Reports Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: • failure to make a required report of any violation of state or federal law soon as possible but no later than ninety (90) days from the date the educator became aware of an alleged breach unless the law or local procedures require reporting sooner.These reports include but are not limited to: murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, kidnapping, any sexual offense, any sexual exploitation of a minor, any offense involving a controlled substance and any abuse of a child if an educator has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused.