PREW

Standards of Ethical Conduct

(Adapted from the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida.)

1. Prew Academy values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship.  Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.

2. Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student’s potential.  Employees will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.

3. Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel:

a. Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s mental and/or physical health and/or safety.

b. Shall not reasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning.

c. Shall not reasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view.

d. Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student’s academic program.

e.Shall not intentionally expose a student to embarrassment or disparagement.

f. Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student’s legal rights.

g. Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background.

h. Shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.

i. Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.

j. Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service,  unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.

4. Our employees must be aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, students, parents and the community and must display the highest degree of ethical conduct.  This commitment requires that our employees:

a. Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.

b. Shall not on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition if otherwise qualified, sexual orientation, or social and family background, deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.

c. Shall not interfere with a colleague’s exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities.

d. Shall not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual’s performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make a reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.

e. Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.

f. Shall not use coercive means or promise special treatment to influence professional judgment of colleagues.

g. Shall take reasonable precautions to distinguish between personal views and those of any educational institution or organization with which the individual is affiliated.

h. Shall not intentionally distort or misrepresent facts concerning an educational matter in direct or indirect public expression.

i. Shall not use institutional privileges for personal gain or advantage.

j. Shall accept no gratuity, gift or favor that might influence professional judgment.

k. Shall offer no gratuity, gift, or favor to obtain special advantages.

l. Shall not misrepresent one’s own professional qualifications.

m. Shall not submit fraudulent information on any document in connection with professional activities.

n. Shall not make any fraudulent statement or fail to disclose a material fact in one’s own or another’s application for a professional position.

o. Shall not withhold any information regarding a position from an applicant or misrepresent an assignment or conditions of employment.

p. Shall provide upon the request of the certificated individual, a written statement of specific reason for recommendations that lead to the denial of increments, significant changes in employment, or termination of employment.

q. Shall not assist entry into or continuance in the profession of any person known to be unqualified in accordance with the Principles of Professional Conduct of the Education Profession in Florida and other applicable Florida Statutes and State Board of Education Rules.

r. Shall report within 48 hours to appropriate authorities any arrests/charges involving the abuse of a child or the sale and/or possession of a controlled substance.  Such notice shall not be considered an admission of guilt nor shall such notice be admissible for any purpose in any proceeding, civil or criminal, administrative or judicial, investigatory or adjudicatory.  In addition, shall self-report any conviction, finding of guilt, withholding of adjudication, commitment to a pretrial diversion program, or entering of a plea of guilty or ‘Nolo Contrendere’ for any criminal offense other than a minor traffic violation within 48 hours after the final judgment.  When handling sealed and expunged records disclosed under this rule, school districts shall comply with the confidentiality provisions of Sections 943.0585(4)(c)  and 943.059(4)(c), Florida Statutes.

s. Shall report to appropriate authorities any known allegation of a violation of the Florida School Code or State Board of Education Rules as defined in Section 1012.795(1), Florida Statues.

t. Shall seek no reprisal against any individual who has reported any allegation of a violation of the Florida School Code or State Board of Education Rules as defined in Section 1012.795(1) Florida Statutes.

u. Shall comply with the conditions of an order of the Education Practices Commission.

v. Shall, as the supervising administrator, cooperate with the Education Practices Commission in monitoring the probation of a subordinate. 

Training Requirement

All instructional personnel and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct. 

Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators

All employees and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel and school administrators which affects the health, safety or welfare of a student.  Examples of misconduct include obscene language, drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors.  Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to Mary L. Eisenbise or Jeanné Olsen.

Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to the Department of Education.

Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services.

Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators which effects the health, safety or welfare of a student are posted in the Faculty Handbook, the office of the Principal, and on our website.

Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect

All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment or neglect.  Call 1-800-96-ABUSE or report on line at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.

Signs of Physical Abuse

The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts or other injuries; broken bones; or burns.  A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hide injuries.

Signs of Sexual Abuse

The child may have torn, stained or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease.  A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual knowledge of sex, or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed, gain or lose weight suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home.

Signs of Neglect

The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene, or appear underweight.  A child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear overly needy of adult attention.

Patterns of Abuse

Serious abuse usually involves a combination of factors.  While a single sign may not be significant, a pattern of physical or behavioral signs is a serious indicator and should be reported.

Liability Protections

Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or required by law, or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any lay enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action.  (F.S. 39.203)

An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the former or current employee protected under F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095)

Copyright © 2008 The Prew Academy, Inc.