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Reporting Abuse and Misconduct

FLORIDA STATUTES AND RULES

Florida Statutes s. 1006.061 states all employees and agents of the district school board, charter schools and private schools that accept scholarship students, have an obligation to report misconduct by an instructional personnel member or school administrator

Florida Statutes s. 1012.33 outlines disciplinary procedures regarding district employment contracts with instructional personnel staff, supervisors and school principals

Florida Statutes s. 1012.795 provides the Education Practices Commission the authority to issue disciplinary action against an individual’s

Florida Educator certificate

Florida Statutes s. 1012.796 provides authority for the Department of Education to investigate and prosecute allegations of educator misconduct

Florida Statute s. 1012.01 defines public school instructional personnel, administrative personnel, school volunteers, education support employees and managers

State Board of Education Rule 6B-1.001 defines the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida

State Board of Education Rule 6B-1.006 defines the Principals of Professional Conduct of the Education Profession in Florida

Florida Statute 39.203- 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 law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action.

Florida Statute 768.095-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

How to Report Misconduct

WHAT SHOULD BE REPORTED?

• Report allegations or suspicion of misconduct by an employee to your school administrator, Christie Locklin, at (386) 228-2829 or via email: blakechristianacademy@gmail.com
• Report allegations or suspicion of misconduct by your school administrator to Pastor Tony Wishon or School Board Members: Cohen Ross, Robert Wright, or Alanna Erlandson at (386) 228-2829 or (386) 228-2151.
• Document the activities or details of the event.
• Secure evidence (if applicable)

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 affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted on the school bulletin board, offices, and break room.

If someone tells you about misconduct, be a LEADER:
Listen
Evaluate
Act immediately
Document
Encourage
Report

Who Should Report Misconduct?
All employees and agents of a district school board, charter school or private school have a duty to report misconduct. If you are aware of or observe misconduct REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY!

Who Should You Report?
• Classroom teachers
• Paraprofessionals
• Substitute teachers
• Librarians, guidance counselors and social workers
• Career specialists and school psychologists
• Principals, Assistant Principals and Deans

Failure to Report Misconduct
Possible penalties for instructional personnel or site administrators who fail to report misconduct may include:
• Written Reprimand
• Suspension with or without pay
• Termination of employment
• Discipline/Sanctions on an educator’s certificate

CHILD ABUSE

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 online at http://www.def.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.

Signs of Neglect

The child may have:

unattended medical needs
little or no supervision at home
poor hygiene
appear underweight

A child experiencing neglect may:

be frequently tired or hungry
steal food
appear overly needy for adult attention

Signs of Physical Abuse

The child may have unexplained:

bruises, welts, cuts, or other injuries
broken bones
burns

A child experiencing physical abuse may:

seem withdrawn or depressed
seem afraid to go home or may run away
shy away from physical contact
be aggressive
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
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
run away from home

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)

Please click on the "View More" button on Reporting Educator Misconduct

Please click on the "View More" button for Mandatory Abuse Reporting

IMPORTANT CONTACTS AND THEIR PHONE NUMBERS:
National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453)
Florida Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-96-ABUSE (800-962-2873)
FL Dept. of Children &Families website: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/

BCA's 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 of Florida)

Our school values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion of 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.
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 judgement and integrity.
Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel:

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.
Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning.
Shall not unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view.
Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a student's academic program.
Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student's legal rights.
Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, handicapping condition, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.
Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.
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. Aware of importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, of students, of parents, and of the community, employees of our school must display the highest degree of ethical conduct. This commitment requires that our employees:

Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.
Shall not on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, marital status, handicapping condition if otherwise qualified, or social and family background deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.
Shall not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities.
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 reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.
Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.

Training Requirement - All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.

BLAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY