Georgia Professional Standards Commission
The Code of Ethics for
Georgia Educators-2014-2015
Professional Standards
Commission
Certification
Educator Preparation
Ethics
2
Legal Authority
of the PSC
Ethics Division
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.
Code of Ethics
Code of “Common Sense”
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.
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.
Standard 1
Legal
Compliance
Standard 1
An educator shall
abide by federal,
state, and local
laws and statutes.
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.
Standard #1 Legal Compliance
 Educator
was arrested and charged with
writing bad checks. She entered a guilty
plea, forfeited a cash bond, and paid her
fine.
 Reprimand
Standard #1 Legal Compliance
 The
Educator was arrested for
misdemeanor Theft by Shoplifting. She
was sentenced to serve 12 months
probation, complete community service,
receive counseling, and pay a fine. The
conviction occurred while the Educator
held a valid PSC certificate and it was the
3rd time she had been arrested for
shoplifting
 Suspension
Conduct with
Students
Standard 2
An educator shall
always maintain a
professional
relationship with all
students, both in and
outside the classroom.
A student is
anyone under
the age of
18.
OR, a student
enrolled in
grades Pre-K to
12 in a public or
private school.
For the purposes of the
Code of Ethics,
the
enrollment period for a
graduating student
ends on August 31 of
the year of graduation.
Sexual Abuse
of Students
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
16-6-5.1
 Jail
time for Educators who have sexual
relations with students
 Age 16-not less than one year nor more
than 25 years in jail or a fine not to exceed
$100,000 or both
 Under the age of 16-not less than 25 years
nor more than 50 years in jail
20
20-2-751.7 (a)
 The
PSC shall establish a state mandated
process for students to follow in reporting
instances of alleged inappropriate
behavior by a teacher, administrator or
any other school employee
 Shall include these processes in the
student handbook and in employee
handbook
 Any teacher, counselor, or administrator
receiving a report or sexual misconduct
shall submit a written report in 24 hours 21
Standard #2 Conduct With
Students
 An
Educator of students with disabilities,
admitted to jerking/yanking students,
dragging/dropping students,
yelling/screaming at students in her selfcontained classroom but denied ever
intentionally hurting a child.
 Suspension
Standard #2 Conduct With
Students
 The
Educator admitted he had sent photos
of himself to students and requested “fun”
photos from the students. The Educator
stated he thought the age of 16 was legal
for sex.
 Revoked
Social Networking
 Check
local school system policy
regarding use of social media
Student Relationship Guidelines
Be Friendly,
Not a Friend.
Student Relationship Guidelines
Choose
Appropriate
Settings
Standard 3
Alcohol
or
Drugs
Standard 3
An educator shall
refrain from the use of
alcohol or illegal or
unauthorized drugs
during the course of
professional practice.
Alcohol
Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to:
2.
being on school premises or
at a school-related activity
involving students while
under the influence of,
possessing, or consuming
alcoholic beverages.
Standard #3 Drugs and Alcohol
 The
Educator was reported to be using
cocaine by a member of the community.
When confronted, she admitted to using
cocaine earlier in the week but declined to
take a drug test.
 Suspension
Standard #3 Drugs and Alcohol
 During
a school day, teachers smelled
alcohol on the breath of an Educator. The
Educator admitted to drinking several
martinis the night before while he stayed
up late completing end-of-the-year
paperwork. When tested, he registered
.13 on the breathalyzer
 Suspension
Standard 4
Honesty
Standard 4
An educator shall
exemplify honesty
and integrity in the
course of professional
practice.
Honesty
Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to
falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting:
1. professional
qualifications,
criminal history, college or
staff development credit and/or
degrees, academic award, and
employment history;
Honesty
Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,
falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting:
2.
information submitted to
federal, state, local school
districts and other
governmental agencies;
Honesty
Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,
falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting:
3. information regarding the
evaluation of students and/or
personnel;
Honesty
Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,
falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting:
4.
reasons for absences or
leaves;
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
Honesty
Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to,
falsifying, misrepresenting, or omitting:
6. information submitted in the
course of professional
practice.
Standard #4 Honesty
 The
Educator held a student IEP meeting,
but the regular education teacher and
another special education teacher were
not in attendance. The initials of the two
teachers who did not attend the meeting
were placed on the document. The
Educator was unable to recall how the
initials of the co-workers were placed on
the IEP document
 Suspension
Standard #4 Honesty
 The
Educator failed to disclose his criminal
history on the PSC application.
 Reprimand
Standard 5
Public Funds
& Property
Standard 5
An educator entrusted
with public funds and
property shall honor that
trust with a high level of
honesty, accuracy, and
responsibility.
Public Funds & Property
Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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.
Standard #5 Public Funds and
Property
 The
Educator admitted to using Booster
club debit card and account number to pay
personal bills. The Educator indicated he
had used the card by mistake instead of
his own debit card
 Suspension
Standard #5 Public Funds and
Property
 The
Educator, a teacher and coach,
rented the high school baseball field to a
community team, and had the check made
out to him for the use of the field.
 Suspension
Standard 6
Remunerative
Conduct
Standard 6
An educator shall maintain
integrity with students,
colleagues, parents,
patrons, or businesses
when accepting gifts,
gratuities, favors, and
additional compensation.
Standard #6 Remunerative
Conduct
 Multiple
students stated they purchased
gift cards for the Educator, at her request,
with the understanding they would receive
a better grade
 Suspension
Standard # 6 Remunerative
Conduct
 The
Educator encouraged students in her
high school classes to help her sell vitamin
supplements and told them she would give
them a commission. She distributed
samples to some of students for them to
try.
 Revocation
Standard 7
Confidential
Information
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.
•
•
•
•
•
Confidential Information
Annual performance evaluation
records of school personnel
Health services provided to an
insured
Individual student performance
data, information and reports
School records of students with
disabilities
A student's education record
Standard # 7 Confidential
Information
 An
Educator admits she gave her
computer password to a student and
allowed the student to assist her in
completing RTI information for the
students in her class.
 Suspension
Standard # 7 Confidential
Information
 The
Educator, a teacher at the middle
school, admitted to accessing a high
school student’s IEP information through
another teacher’s log-in code because he
was dating her daughter
 Suspension
Standard 8
Abandonment
of
Contract
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.
Abandonment of Contract
The PSC expects educators to honor their
contracts.
 The PSC has identified circumstances
that warrant educators leaving their
contracted positions without a release.
 Educators are expected to make every
effort to minimize the effect on the
students experiencing the loss.

Standard #8 Abandonment of
Contract
 The
Educator signed a contract to work for
the 2013-2014 school year. In November,
the Educator submitted her resignation,
effective the same day. She stated that
the extra duties had been added to her job
and she was completely overwhelmed.
 Suspension
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 report.
O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5
‘Child abuse’ includes the following
conduct by a child’s parent or caretaker:
 Physical injury or death (by other than
accidental means)
 Neglect or exploitation of a child
 Sexual abuse - an act of apparent sexual
stimulation or gratification ...
 Sexual exploitation - allows, permits,
encourages, or requires a child to engage in
prostitution or sexually explicit conduct ….
20-2-1184
Any employee of a public or private elementary or secondary school ... who
has reasonable cause to believe that a student at that school has
committed any of the following acts upon school property or at any school
function, shall immediately report the act and the name of the student to the
principal or the principal's designee.







Aggravated assault involving a firearm;
Aggravated battery;
Sexual offenses;
Carrying a deadly weapons at public gatherings;
Carrying weapons at school;
Illegal possession of a pistol or revolver by a person under 18
Possession or any use of marijuana and controlled substances,
The principal ... shall make an oral report thereof immediately by telephone
or otherwise to the appropriate school system superintendent and to the
appropriate police authority and district attorney.
Any person who fails to make a report shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Standard # 9 Required Reports
A
teacher reported that the Counselor
refused to assist her in completing a
mandated child abuse report because it
was after hours and she was going home
 Suspension
Standard # 9 Required Reports
A
first year teacher came to the principal
and told her about a student who had
made an outcry regarding abuse by her
Father. She was not the student’s teacher
so she only knew the student’s nickname.
The principal said they would investigate
the situation in the morning.
 Revocation
Standard 10
Professional
Conduct
Standard 10
An educator shall
demonstrate conduct that
follows generally recognized
professional standards and
preserves the dignity and
integrity of the teaching
profession.
Standard #10 Professional
Conduct
 The
Educator admitted to showing an
inappropriate YouTube Video in his
classes
 Suspension
Standard #10 Professional
Conduct
 The
assistant principal harassed a female
custodian. The victim reported that the
Educator exposed himself to her.
 Suspension
Standard 11
Testing
Standard 11
An educator shall
administer state
mandated assessments
fairly and ethically.
Georgia Not Only State
With Questionable Test
Scores
72
Nationwide Problem
 196
of the largest 3,125 school systems in
the United States has suspect test score
improvement
 Odds of obtaining these reported results
by chance alone is over 1000 to 1
 In 33 of these school systems, the odds
were worse than 1,000,000 to 1
73
Testing
 United
States spends $760,000,000 a year
on testing required by NCLB
 States are left to their own in monitoring
the testing
 Most states do not have resources to
conduct investigations of this magnitude
 One graduate student, in her dissertation,
surveyed teachers in her state and found
that 50% of teachers either had cheated or
knew a colleague who had cheated
74
With a good testing program:
 Students know the skills and knowledge
they have mastered and how they compare
to others.
 Parents can evaluate whether their
children are obtaining the skills and
knowledge they need.
 Teachers can determine if students have
mastered the skills and knowledge needed
to advance to the next level.
 Community members have a measuring
stick for student performance.
Major Testing Violations
 Breach
of Test Security
 Fail to provide or attend training
 Fail to follow directions specified in the
manual
 Coach, prompt, alter or provide answers to
students during the test
 Interpret, explain, or paraphrase test items
 Copy or take notes on test items
76
Standard # 11 Testing
 The
Educator fell asleep while
administering an EOCT to students
 Suspension
Standard # 11
 The
Educator read aloud the science
portion of the CRCT to students who did
not have a read aloud accommodation
 Suspension
Teacher’s Role
 Attend
training
 Ensures security of test booklets before,
during, and after testing
 Follow directions
 Arrange seats to promote individual work
 Circulate about the classroom to prevent
cheating and other violations
 Be familiar with allowable student
accommodations
 Account for all testing materials
79
Lessons Learned
 Establish
an environment conducive to
student learning and test score
improvement
 Require training for all participants with
similar information and format at all
training sessions
 Require available staff to monitor during
testing
 Test security is paramount
80
Lessons Learned
 Investigate
all allegations and complaints
thoroughly - consider involvement of
outside investigators
 Large increases in student test scores are
a red flag
 Having knowledge of testing violations and
failing to report jeopardizes teaching
certificate
 Superintendents, Principals, and Test
Coordinators are ultimately responsible 81
Other Grounds for Disciplinary Action:

Suspension or revocation of any
professional license or certificate.

Violation of laws and rules applicable to
the profession.

Any other good and sufficient cause that
renders an educator unfit for employment
as an educator.
Enforcing Sanctions
The superintendent and the
superintendent’s designee for
certification shall be responsible for
assuring that an individual whose
certificate has been revoked, denied, or
suspended is not employed or serving
in any capacity in their district. Both
the superintendent and the
superintendent’s designee must hold
GAPSC certification.
Sanctions-June, 2013-June
2014
 Legal
compliance-46
 Conduct with Students-84
 Alcohol and Drugs-32
 Honesty-109
 Public Funds and Property-31
 Remunerative Conduct-3
 Confidential Information-7
84
Sanctions
 Abandonment
of Contract-3
 Required Reports-20
 Professional Conduct-65
 Testing-47
 Total-447
85
ADVICE
 Teachers
have two major responsibilitiesteach the students and protect them
 Take testing seriously
 Be friendly to the students-you are not
their friend but a supervisor and role
model
 Honesty and Integrity are important
 Educators are held to higher standards
 Educators are mandated reporters if they
are aware of violations of Code of Ethics 86
Contact Information
 Paul
A. Shaw
 Email-paul.shaw@gapsc.com
 Phone #-404-232-2635