The major duties and responsibilities of teachers shall include doing the following:
1. Teach students to the best of their ability under the supervision of the principal, in accordance with the provisions of the Education Code, State Board of Education rules, the policies of the Board, the adopted course of study, and such other regulations as may be approved by the Superintendent.
2. Provide individual and small group instruction based upon objective and subjective student data in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of students with varying intellectual abilities, attitudes and cultural backgrounds.
3. Guide student development in the skills and other general elements of the course of study, as specified in the Education Code and policies of the District.
4. Encourage students to take independent action in the pursuit of learning and provide access to varying points of view.
5. Evaluate students' academic and social growth, keep appropriate records, prepare progress reports, and communicate with parents/guardians on the individual student's progress.
6. Develop in students an understanding of American minority (racial, ethnic and religious) cultures and their roles in our present day world and region.
7. Identify student needs and cooperate with other professional staff members in assessing and helping students solve health, attitude, and learning problems.
8. Establish and maintain standards of student behavior needed to provide an orderly, productive classroom environment.
9. Create an environment conducive to learning within the physical limitations. Create, where useful, interest centers and displays with materials to enhance learning.
10. Maintain professional competence through participation in staff development activities provided by the district and self-selected professional growth activities.
11. Develop a balanced instructional program involving background material, material on current events, discussion time, and other appropriate activities designed to encourage students to develop creativity, skills and attitudes, to draw conclusions, to achieve improved interpersonal relationships, and to make value judgments based on scientific methods of inquiry.
12. Participate cooperatively with the principal or designee to develop mutually the system by which he/she will be evaluated in conformance with the district's guidelines for evaluation and assessment.
13. Evaluate, select, and request the acquisition of books, supplies, equipment, and other instructional aids needed to implement the assigned curriculum. Utilize and make available to students media appropriate to the subject area for the purpose of enhancing learning.
14. Prepare lesson plans on a regular basis which identify objectives and provide instructional and evaluative strategies for the development of the student's knowledge and skills in the subject area taught.
15. Share in responsibility for supervising students outside the classroom.
16. Participate in curriculum development within the school and the district.
17. Attend teachers' meetings and other appropriate sessions called by the superintendent, the principal or others vested with this authority.
18. Have the authority to make and enforce, with suitable penalties, all rules necessary for the proper management of their classes and the appropriate behavior of their students. Teachers shall utilize every resource to give appropriate guidance to their students. They shall refer extreme cases of discipline to the appropriate administrator. They shall inflict corporal punishment only in accordance with district policy, regulations and State law.
19. Be responsible for the care of all furniture, textbooks, reference books, courses of study, manuals, rules, apparatus, bulletins, etc., sent to their respective rooms. They shall keep, as required by the principal, systematic and complete records of the books and permanent supplies furnished each student and give proper credit when these are returned. Teachers shall, at least once each half year, make a careful inspection of the textbooks and permanent supplies in use by the students. They shall impose fines for all damages resulting from carelessness or unwarranted usage by students, such fines to be in conformity with district directives.
20. Be responsible for the conduct of students going to and from school, as well as when on the school premises. Teachers shall exert their influence to prevent quarreling, rude and noisy behavior in the streets, vulgar and profane language, improper games, and disrespect of citizens.
21. All athletic, dramatic, or social activities, whenever held, when conducted under the name or auspices of any public school, or of any class organization thereof, shall be under the general supervision of the school authorities and teachers assigned to duty.
22. In the case of necessary absence, teachers shall notify the district the day prior to their absence, if possible, or one hour before start time.
23. Shall be present in the classroom all of each assigned period.
24. Shall perform other professional duties related to instruction.
Code of Ethics of the Teaching Profession
Preamble
The educator believes in the worth and dignity of man. He recognizes the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. He regards as essential to these goals the protection of freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal educational opportunity for all. The educator accepts his responsibility to practice his profession according to the highest ethical standards.
The educator recognizes the magnitude of the responsibility he has accepted in choosing a career in education, and engages himself, individually and collectively with other educators, to judge his colleagues, and to be judged by them, in accordance with the provisions of this code.
Principle I
Commitment to the Student
The educator measures his success by the progress of each student toward realization of his potential as a worthy and effective citizen. The educator therefore works to stimulate the spirit of inquiry, the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and the thoughtful formulation of worthy goals. In fulfilling these goals:
(a) He encourages the student to independent action in the pursuit of learning and provides access to varying points of view.
(b) He prepares his subject carefully, presents it to his students without distortion and -- within the limits of time and curriculum -- gives all points of view a fair hearing.
(c) He protects the health and safety of his students.
(d) He honors the integrity of his students and influences them through constructive criticism rather than by ridicule and harassment.
(e) He provides for participation in educational programs without regard to race, color, creed, or national origin - both in which he teaches and how he teaches it.
(f) His professional relationships with students shall not be used for private advantage; the educator neither solicits nor involves them or their parents in schemes for commercial gain.
(g) He shall keep in confidence information that has been obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
Principle II
Commitment to the Public
The educator believes that democratic citizenship in its highest form requires dedication to the principles of our democratic heritage. He shares with all other citizens the responsibility for the development of sound public policy and assumes full political and citizenship responsibilities. The educator bears particular responsibility for the development of policy relating to the extension of educational opportunities for all and for interpreting educational programs and policies to the public. In fulfilling these goals:
(a) He has an obligation to support his profession and institution and not to misrepresent them in public discussion. When he criticizes it in public, he has an obligation not to distort the facts. When he speaks or writes about policies, he takes adequate precautions to distinguish his private views from the official position of the institution.
(b) He does not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political and citizenship rights and responsibilities.
(c) His institutional privileges shall not be used for private gain. He does not exploit his pupils, their parents, his colleagues, not the school system itself, for this private advantage. He does not accept gifts or favors that might impair or appear to impair professional judgment, not offer any favor, service, or thing of value to obtain special advantage.
Principle III
Commitment to the Profession
The educator believes that the quality of the services of the education profession directly influences the nation and its citizens. He therefore exerts every effort to raise professional standards, to improve his service, to promote a climate in which the exercise of professional judgment is encouraged, and to achieve conditions which attract persons worthy of trust to careers in education. In fulfilling these goals:
(a) He accords just and equitable treatment to all members of the profession in the exercise of their professional rights and responsibilities.
(b) He does not use coercive means or promise special treatment in order to influence professional decisions of colleagues.
(c) He does not misrepresent his own professional qualifications.
(d) He does not misrepresent the professional qualifications of his colleagues, and will discuss these qualifications fairly and accurately when discussion serves professional purposes.
(e) He applies for, accepts, offers, and assigns positions or responsibility on the basis of professional preparation and legal qualifications.
(f) He uses honest and effective methods of administering his educational responsibility. He conducts professional business through proper channels. He does not assign unauthorized persons to educational tasks. He uses time granted for its intended purposes. He does not misrepresent conditions of employment. He lives up to the letter and spirit of his contract.
Unprofessional Conduct
This code is a set of ideals which the teaching profession expects its members to honor and follow. Any violation is unprofessional. However, to constitute unprofessional conduct and cause for suspension, revocation or denial of a certification document, or renewal thereof, such violations shall be only those which either involve jeopardy to students welfare; evidence malice, serious incompetency, or bad judgment; or show a consistent pattern of misconduct.
This code of ethics is not an exhaustive enumeration of acts or conduct which constitute unprofessional conduct.
RULES OF CONDUCT FOR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS
Title 5, Article 3. Rules of Conduct for Professional Educators.
General Provisions.
80331 (a) These rules are binding upon every person holding a credential or any license to perform educational services under the jurisdiction of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and the consequences of any willful breach may be revocation or suspension of the credential, or license, or private admonition of the holder.
(b) Nothing in these rules is intended to limit or supersede any provision of law relating to the duties and obligations of certificated persons or to the consequences of the violation of such duties and obligations. The prohibition of certain conduct in these rules is not to be interpreted as approval of conduct not specifically cited.
(c) These rules may be cited and referred to as "Rules of Conduct for Professional Educators".
(d) The Commission shall complete a study of the effect of these rules and present its findings to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education no later than September 1, 1989.
(e) As used in these rules:
(1) "Certificated person" means any person who holds a certificate, permit, credential, or other license authorizing the performance of teaching or education-related service in grades K through 12 in California public schools.
(2) "Professional employment" means the performance for compensation of teaching or other education-related employment in a position for which certification requirements are set by law.
(3) "Confidential information" means information made confidential by Education Code 35301; or, information which was provided to the certificated person solely for the purpose of facilitating his/her performance of professional services for or on behalf of the person or employer providing such information.
Professional Candor and Honesty in Letters or Memoranda of Employment Recommendation.
80332 (a) A certificated person shall not write or sign any letter or memorandum which intentionally omits significant facts, or which states as facts matters which the writer does not know of his/her own knowledge to be true relating to the professional qualifications or personal fitness to perform certificated services of any person whom the writer knows will use the letter or memorandum to obtain professional employment nor shall he/she agree to provide a positive letter of recommendation which misrepresents facts as a condition of resignation or for withdrawing action against the employing agency.
(b) This rule has no application to statements identified in the letter or memorandum as personal opinions of the writer but does apply to unqualified statements as fact that which the writer does not know to be true or to statements as fact that which the writer knows to be untrue.
Withdrawal from Professional Employment.
80333 (a) A certificated person shall not abandon professional employment without good cause.
(b) "Good cause" includes, but is not necessarily limited to, circumstances not caused by or under the voluntary control of the certificated person.
Unauthorized Private Gain or Advantage.
80334 A certificated person shall not:
(a) Use for his/her own private gain or advantage or to prejudice the rights or benefits of another person any confidential information relating to students or fellow professionals;
(b) Use for his/her own private gain or advantage the time, facilities, equipment, or supplies which are the property of his/her employer without the express or clearly implied permission of his/her employer;
(c) Accept any compensation or benefit or thing of value other than his/her regular compensation for the performance of any service which he/she is required to render in the course and scope of his/her certificated employment. This rule shall not restrict performance of any overtime or supplemental services at the request of the school employer; nor shall it apply to or restrict the acceptance of gifts or tokens of minimal value offered and accepted openly from students, parents or other persons in recognition or appreciation of service.
Performance of Unauthorized Professional Services.
80335 A certificated person shall not, after July 1,1989:
(a) Knowingly, accept an assignment to perform professional services if he or she does not possess a credential authorizing the service to be performed; unless he or she has first exhausted any existing local remedies to correct the situation, has then notified the county superintendent of schools in writing of the incorrect assignment, and the county superintendent of schools has made a determination, within 45 days of receipt of the notification, that the assignment was caused by extraordinary circumstances which make correction impossible, pursuant to the procedures referred to in Education Code 44258.9 (g) (2) and (3).
(b) Knowingly and willfully assign or require a subordinate certificated person to perform any professional service which the subordinate is not authorized to perform by his or her credential or which is not approved by appropriate governing board authorization, unless he or she has made reasonable attempts to correct the situation but has been unsuccessful, and has notified the county superintendent of schools of those attempts, and the county superintendent of schools has determined, within 45 days of being notified of the assignment, that the assignment was caused by extraordinary circumstances which make correction impossible.
(c) Neither (a) nor (b) shall be applicable in a situation where extraordinary circumstances make the correction of the misassignment impossible.
(d) There shall be no adverse action taken against a certificated person under this rule for actions attributable to circumstances beyond his or her control.
Performance with Impaired Faculties.
80336 (a) A certificated person shall not:
(1) Perform or attempt to perform any duties or services authorized by his or her credential during any period in which he or she knows or is in possession of facts showing that his or her mental or intellectual faculties are substantially impaired for any reason, including but not limited to use of alcohol or any controlled substance.
(2) Assign or require or permit a subordinate certificated person to perform any duties authorized by his or her credential during any period in which the superior certificated person knows of his or her own knowledge or is in possession of facts showing that the subordinate certificated person's mental or intellectual faculties are substantially impaired for any reason, including but not limited to use of alcohol or any controlled substance.
(b) For the purpose of this rule, substantial impairment means a visible inability to perform the usual and customary duties of the position in a manner that does not represent a danger to pupils, employees, or school property. It does not include or mean inability attributable to lack of, or inadequate, professional preparation or education.
Harassment and Retaliation Prohibited.
80337 No certificated person shall directly or indirectly use or threaten to use any official authority or influence in any manner whatsoever which tends to discourage, restrain, interfere with, coerce, or discriminate against any subordinate or any certificated person who in good faith reports, discloses, divulges, or otherwise brings to the attention of the governing board of a school district, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing or any other public agency authorized to take remedial action, any facts or information relative to actual or suspected violation of any law regulating the duties of persons serving in the public school system, including but not limited to these rules of professional conduct.
Discrimination Prohibited.
80338 A certificated person shall not, without good cause, in the course and scope of his or her certificated employment and solely because of race, color, creed, gender, national origin, handicapping condition or sexual orientation, refuse or fail to perform certificated services for any person.
Regulation ALHAMBRA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved: September 9, 1997 Alhambra, California