As we all know, there’s more to being an educator these days than reading story books and singing songs. Being a teacher is a twenty-four-seven job now and as a teacher, you’ll fulfill many roles in your student’s lives. Sometimes, you have to be more than the teacher. You have to be the nurse, the doctor, the mom, the dad, the support network, everything. For some of your students, you’re all that they have. Sometimes, all students need is a smile and a pat on the back to improve their outlook on the upcoming day.
Teachers today are required to stick to a rigid set of ethics that don’t end when they leave the classroom. Teachers are judged from the minute they walk through the doors at 7:15 and every moment thereafter. As an educator, you need to display professionalism throughout every aspect of your life, whether you are teaching in front of the class or out at dinner on a Friday night. As an educator, you’re constantly being watched by parents, students, administrators, as well as fellow teachers. Listed below I have compiled a walk through of the ethics standards of Georgia. The links provided give a more thorough explanation of certain standards. There’s also a list of handy definitions that you need to be familiar with so that you can have a full understanding of what’s expected of you as an educator.
>Helpful Definitions< (A) Certificate – refers to any teaching service or leadership certificate, license, or permit issued by authority of the Professional Standards Commission. (B) Educator – a teacher, school or school system administrator, or other education personnel who holds a certificate given by the Professional Standards Commission. This definition also applies to paraprofessionals, aides, substitute teachers, and persons who have applied for but have not received a certificate yet. (C) Student - any individual enrolled in the state's public or private schools from preschool through grade 12. The student is also under the age of eighteen and the enrollment period for a graduating student ends on August 31 of the year of their graduation. (D) Complaint - a 'complaint' will be deemed a request to investigate and occurs when a written and signed statement from a local board, the state board, or one or more individual residents of this state filed with the Professional Standards Commission that alleges that an educator has breached one or more of the standards in the Code of Ethics for Educators. (E) Revocation - occurs when a certificate held by an educator is invalidated. (F) Denial - the refusal to grant initial certification to an applicant for a certificate (G) Suspension - occurs when a certificate is temporarily invalidated for a period of time specified by the Professional Standards Commission. (H) Reprimand - admonishes the certificate holder for his or her conduct and serves as a warning that further unethical conduct will lead to a more severe consequence. (I) Warning - warns the certificate holder than his or her conduct is unethical and like a reprimand, the warning serves as a warning that further unethical conduct will lead to a more severe action. (J) Monitoring - a quarterly appraisal of the educator's conduct given by the Professional Standards Commission through contact with both the educator and their employer. (K) "No Probable Cause" - after a preliminary investigation, the Professional Standards Commission determines either no further action need be taken or no cause exists to recommend disciplinary action.
**Follow this link to get to the website for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission: http://www.gapsc.com/**
>Standards<
Standard 1: Legal Compliance - an educator must abide by federal, state, and local laws and statutes. Unethical conduct includes the commission or conviction of a felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude, sexual offenses, any criminal offense involving the making, selling, possession, or transporting of a controlled substance or marijuana. A conviction includes both finding a verdict of guilty or a plea of nolo contendre, regardless of whether an appeal of the conviction has been sought.
Guidelines of Moral Turpitude Moral Turpitude does include: 1.) Fraud or false pretenses in obtaining something of value 2.) Larceny or a misdemeanor theft by taking 3.) Larceny after trust 4.) Murder 5.) Soliciting for prostitutes 6.) Voluntary manslaughter 7.) Sale of narcotics or other illegal drugs 8.) Pattern of failure to file federal tax returns in years in which taxes are due 9.) Criminal issuance of a bad check 10.) Making a false report of a crime Moral Turpitude does not include: 1.) Public drunkenness 2.) Driving under the influence 3.) Carrying a concealed weapon 4.) Unlawful sale of liquor 5.) Fighting 6.) Simple battery 7.) Simple assault 8.) Misdemeanor criminal trespass 9.) Child abandonment 10.) Misdemeanor offense of escape 11.) Misdemeanor offense of obstructing a law enforcement officer 12.) The federal misdemeanor offense of a Conspiracy in Restraint of Interstate Trade and Commerce 13.) Possession of less than one ounce of marijuana Standard 2: Conduct with Students - An educator will always maintain a professional relationship with all students, whether they are inside the classroom or out of it. For more information about Conduct with Students, click the following link: http://www.gapsc.com/Rules/Current/Ethics/505-6-.01.pdf.
Standard 3: Alcohol or Drugs - An educator will refrain from the use of alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs during the course of professional practice. 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/unauthorized drugs or under the influence of alcohol. School-related activities include sporting events, field trips, meetings, parent-teacher organizations, etc. Standard 4: Honesty - An educator shall always be honest. They shall not falsify, misrepresent, or omit professional qualifications, criminal history, information submitted to federal state, local, school districts and other government agencies, information regarding student evaluations, reasons for absences or leaves, information submitted for investigations, and information submitted in the course of professional practice.
Standard 5: Public Funds and Property - And educator shall not misuse school-related funds, fail to account for funds collected from students or parents, co-mingling public or school-related funds with personal checking accounts, or using school property without proper authorization. Standard 6: Remunerative Conduct - An educator shall not solicit parents or students for gifts, gratuities, favors, and additional compensation. For more information on unethical conduct involving Remunerative Conduct, click the following link: http://www.gapsc.com/Rules/Current/Ethics/505-6-.01.pdf.
Standard 7: Confidential Information- An educator shall keep all records and student information private unless otherwise authorized by parents, administrators or members of the LEA. Breaking confdentiality includes but is not limited to sharing confidential information containing academic and disciplinary records, health and medical information, family status/income, or assessment/testing results. For more information on Confidential Information, click the following link: http://www.gapsc.com/Rules/Current/Ethics/505-6-.01.pdf
Standard 8: Abandonment of Contract- An educator will not abandon their contract for professional services without prior release from the contract by their employer nor will they willfully refuse to perform the services requested by their contract.
Standard 9: Required Reports- 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 reports. Unethical conduct includes failing to report any and all information about a situation that breaks one of the ethics codes practiced in the state of Georgia.
Standard 10: Professional Conduct- Educators shall portray professional conduct in both a school setting and at outside events. Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to any conduct that impairs and/or diminishes the certificate holder's ability to function professionally.
Standard 11: Testing- An educator shall administer tests fairly and without bias. For more information on testing, For more information on unethical behaviors dealing with testing, click on the following link. http://www.gapsc.com/Rules/Current/Ethics/505-6-.01.pdf
Think About It...
When making an ethical decision, ask yourself the following:
10.) Could the decision be habit forming? If so, don't do it. 9.) Is it legal? If it isn't, don't do it. 8.) Is it safe? If it isn't, don't do it. 7.) Is it the right thing to do? If it isn't, don't do it. 6.) Will this stand the test of public scrutiny? If it won't, don't do it. 5.) If something terrible were to happen, could I defend my actions? If you can't, don't do it. 4.) Is it just, balanced, and fair? If it isn't, don't do it. 3.) How will it make me feel about myself? If it's lousy, don't do it. 2.) Does this choice lead to the greatest good for the greatest number? If it doesn't, don't do it. 1.) And most importantly, would I do this in front of my mother? If you wouldn't, don't do it.
By adhering to these ethical guidelines, we can all work together to make sure that every student in Georgia receives the best education and care possible. I know that as an educator, we all share the same hope that we will make a lifelong difference in the lives of our students. To summarize these extensive ethics, I've made a helpful list of Do's and Don'ts that you may refer back to throughout the year. DO:
>Abide by the laws in your district.
>Always be honest, both in and out of the classroom.
>Ask for help when you need it.
>Always be professional. How people see you can and will affect your job.
>Never share records of students without proper authorization. Keep information confidential.
>Always report unethical activity. Covering up for someone else can cost you your job.
>Be a role model. You are always being watched by someone.
>Be honest with money, documents, and examinations.
DON'T
>Lie.
>Try to cover up for someone else's mistakes. Someone's mistakes are their responsibility, not yours
>Do not ever abuse school fund for personal use.
>Do not bring drugs, alcohol, or weapons into a school or onto school property. This also includes school functions such as PTA meetings, sporting events, and festivals or fundraisers.
>Do not place a child in danger.
>Do not post inappropriate content onto social networking sites.
>Do not share personal information of students with others.