Educational Ethics Violations

Ethics Violations

Question 1

The way that I am going to state the situations have happened in real life but names and places have been omitted to protect the rights of individuals and school districts.

(1) 1.2 The educator shall not knowingly misappropriate, divert, or use monies, personnel, property, or equipment committed to his or her charge for personal gain or advantage. Example: There was an employee who defrauded the district by submitting overtime time cards for personnel that were not employed by the district. This employee had an accomplice (time cards submitted in their name). The accomplice would deposit the checks and transfer the funds to the employee’s personnel bank account. The employee managed to do this because they were the only one that had to sign off on the payroll since they were the immediate supervisor.

 

(2) 1.3 The educator shall not submit fraudulent requests for reimbursement, expenses, or pay. Example: Two employees of the district were approved to travel to the same conference. Ironically, the employees are husband and wife. Everyone attending the conference received advanced travel. When receipts were submitted for reimbursement, a Board Member noticed that they both received advance monies for mileage but only one person submitted receipts for parking. They sort of new that any where you went in this particular city, you had to pay for parking whether it was at the hotel or at a restaurant. This matter is still under investigation.

 

(3) 1.6 The educator shall not falsify records or direct or coerce others to do so.

Example: I choose this one but really did not have an actual example but here is an example that would fall under this category: There is a district that offers a full day Pre-K 4 program at several elementary campuses. In order to qualify for the program, the parents must meet certain requirements such as low income without government assistance, receiving  government assistance such as SNAP or Medicaid, Parents are in the military, or there is a language barrier. One parent that applies can only qualify on the basis of income

So the employee certifying the income falsifies the document by not reporting all of the income so that they can qualify for the program. They knew the parents had two incomes, but only took the side job documentation.

 

(4) 2.7 The educator shall not retaliate against any individual who has filed a complaint with SBEC or who provides information for a disciplinary investigation or proceeding under this chapter. Example: An employee at a district career center was allegedly asked to install equipment at a District Level Administrator’s residence. When the employee refused, the employee was let go. The employee filed a lawsuit stating they were retaliated against because they refused to install the equipment.

 

(5) 2.5 The educator shall not discriminate against or coerce a colleague on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, disability, family status, or sexual orientation. Example: A teacher alledges that a principal requested that she not allow a student to attend an adult night course due to the student’s sexual orientation and the principal not wanting others of the same orientation coming to the campus. The teacher states that when she did not do as asked of her, the next day a notice was posted stating that the course could no longer be offered due to lack of funding. She felt that she had been teaching this course for years and why all of a sudden the course was closed. She believed it was due to the principal’s insensitivity to the adult student’s sexual orientation.

 

Question 2 (Short and Long Range Consequences)

 

(1) 1.2 Short Range Consequences: The employee looses his/her job and faces indictment and prosecution for theft of public funds. Long Rang Consequences: Events such as this affects everyone. I don’t know why people attempt to steal what is not theirs. Eventually you will get caught. Districts tend to be more reactive. Since the employee was the only one to sign off on time cards. The district now wants there to be a better checks and balances of employees. All employees including maintenance, warehouse employees must have a background check and at least two people have to approve overtime pay for all employees.

 

(2) 1.3 Short Range Consequences: If the employee’s knowingly submits fraudulent claims for reimbursement, the district can ask the employee to reimburse the funds or face criminal charges and possibly loose certifications or be placed on probation. Long Range Consequences: The Board of Trustees may choose not to approve any more out of state conferences or may be asked to pay out of pocket for expenses to travel to conferences and then have to submit receipts to get reimbursed.

 

(3) 2.7 Short Range Consequences: The employees may face immediate termination for working off campus on district’s time and may be asked to reimburse the district wages for time not worked. Long Range Consequences: The reputation of the district leader is at stake due to the fact that the leader asked an employee to perform job duties at the employee’s residence during district’s time.

 

Question 3

Preventive Action Plan for 1.2

(A) Model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles, and integrity in decision making, actions, and behavior. The Superintendent should always consider the consequences of employee someone that has a history of not making good decisions. As much as someone may need a job, it is not always in the district’s best interest to give them that opportunity to redeem themselves. Make sure that the personnel director does thorough background checks on all employees. In the past, background checks were just conducted on teachers or persons in immediate contact with students. Now it is important to do a background check on everyone.

 

(B) Exhibit understanding and implement policies and procedures that promote district personnel compliance with The Code of Ethics and Standards Practices for Texas Administrators. All employees should have refresher training on The Code of Ethics, what they are and the consequences that can happen if you fail to follow them. We train our employees each year on proper testing procedures and what can happen if you fail to follow appropriate testing procedures and the same should be done with The Code of Ethics.

 

Preventive Action Plan for 1.3

(A) Again Model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles, and integrity in decision making, actions, and behavior. The Superintendent as for standard 1.2 inform employees of the consequences they will face if they file documents in order to receive funds that do not belong to them. When you falsify documents for reimbursement this is the same as stealing. Informational sessions and training must be held in order to inform staff members of proper procedures when failing documents for reimbursement. What can or can’t you be reimbursed for.

 

(B) Exhibit understanding and implement policies and procedures that promote district personnel compliance with The Code of Ethics and Standards Practices for Texas Administrators. The same method used in Preventive plan for standard 1.2 applies here.

 

Preventive Action Plan for 2.7

(A) Along with the competencies applied in the last two examples I would also include the following: The Superintendent must interact with district staff, students, school board, and community in a professional and ethical manner. Interacting in a professional and ethical manner does not include asking employee’s to perform work at your residence while they are on the district’s time. District employee’s should keep professional and personal business separate from each other.