The following topics were discussed during the Georgia Professional Standards Commission’s (GaPSC) monthly meetings Sept. 13-14, 2023.
Assistant Attorney General's Report Senior Assistant Attorney General Wylencia Monroe reviewed factors the staff considers when evaluating an ethics complaint:
Seriousness of the alleged violation
Age of the educator
Experience of the educator or lack thereof
Disciplinary history of the educator
Evidence of rehabilitation or lack thereof
How the matter was handled by a corresponding agency or jurisdiction
How the matter was handled by the school district
Prior similar cases resolved at the hearing stage
Prior similar cases resolved by Consent Order
Strength of admissible evidence
Personnel
Kevin Shumake, former assistant director of the Ethics Division, recently retired. David Pumphrey is the new assistant director of the Ethics Division.
Ethics
As a rule of thumb, it is better to disclose one’s criminal history than not disclose it. If educators disclose their criminal history, they will typically receive a reprimand. If educators do not disclose their criminal history and the GaPSC discovers it, the educators will typically receive a suspension.
Sanctions will stay on an educator’s record permanently. The GaPSC’s enabling statute does not allow it to remove final sanctions.
The Commission agreed to a suspension of three days for an educator who delayed reporting an alleged sexual assault by one student on another. In mitigation, the educator admitted to the delay and the student-victim’s hospital stay may have contributed to the delay.
Educator Preparation and Certification
Fulton County Schools: The Commission granted Developmental Approval for the Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) and the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP) Program reviewed during the Fall 2023 Developmental Approval Review.
Henry County Schools: The Commission granted Continuing Approval with Conditions for the EPP, the ESOL Endorsement, and the Gifted In-field Endorsement reviewed during the Spring 2023 Continuing Approval Review.
Truett-McConnell University: The Commission granted Developmental Approval for the Dyslexia Endorsement.
October GaPSC Meeting The next meetings will be Oct. 11-12, 2023.