Teacher Ethics Bill

Teacher Ethics bill passes senate in Florida.

March 27, 2008 - Senate Bill 1712, known as “The Ethics in Education Act,” passed 38-0 in the Senate.

The bill would prohibit schools from entering confidentiality agreements with teachers who get in trouble.

The bill also provides that any public officer or public employee, whether working in schools or elsewhere in the public sector, forfeits their right to state retirement benefits if convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct or sexual battery involving minors.

The Senate earlier this month passed a resolution asking Congress to help solve that problem by passing a national ethics standard.
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TT - SB 1712 history text (html)
You can track the bill at the history link.

The bill would also classify certain teacher offenses as a breach of public trust.

The bill provides that a district school superintendent or district school board member forfeits his or her salary for a specified period following failure to report allegations of misconduct by instructional or administrative personnel.

Requires charter schools to adopt ethical standards for all employees. And prohibits confidential agreements.

Provides for the suspension the educator certificate of a person who knowingly fails to report child abuse or suspected or actual misconduct by instructional personnel.

SB 1742 urges Congress to support the passage of laws establishing ethical standards for professional educators and to support a national clearinghouse to strengthen state efforts in the reporting, screening, and sharing of critical information relative to educator misconduct, etc.

SB 1742 history text (html)
You can track the bill at the history link.