Responsibility for Professional Competence

Principle I:  Responsibility to the Profession

The  professional educator  is aware that trust in the profession depends upon a level of professional conduct and responsibility that may be higher than required by law.  This entails holding one and other educators to the same ethical standards.
A. The professional educator demonstrates responsibility to oneself as an ethical professional by: 
1. Acknowledging that lack of awareness, knowledge, or understanding of the Code is not, in itself, a defense to a charge of unethical conduct;

1. Knowing and upholding the procedures, policies, laws and regulations relevant to professional practice regardless of personal views;

1. Holding oneself responsible for ethical conduct;

1. Monitoring and maintaining sound mental, physical, and emotional health necessary to perform duties and services of any professional assignment; and taking appropriate measures when personal or health-related issues may interfere with work-related duties;

5. Refraining from professional or personal activity that may lead to reducing one’s effectiveness within the school community;
6. Avoiding the use of one’s position for personal gain and avoiding the appearance of impropriety;and

7. Taking responsibility and credit only for work actually performed or produced, and acknowledging the work and contributions made by others.

B.  The professional educator fulfills the obligation to address and attempt to resolve ethical issues by:

1. Confronting and taking reasonable steps to resolve conflicts between the Code and the implicit or explicit demands of a person or organization;

1. Maintaining fidelity to the Code by taking proactive steps when having reason to believe that another educator may be approaching or involved in an ethically compromising situation;
2. Neither discriminating nor retaliating against a person on the basis of having made an ethical complaint;
3. Neither filing nor encouraging frivolous ethical complaints solely to harm or retaliate; and

5. Cooperating fully during ethics investigations and proceedings

C. The professional educator promotes and advances the profession within and beyond the school community by:

1. Influencing and supporting decisions and actions that positively impact teaching and learning, educational leadership and student services;

1. Engaging in respectful discourse regarding issues that impact the profession;
2. Enhancing one’s professional effectiveness by staying current with ethical principles and decisions from relevant sources including professional organizations;
3. Actively participating in educational and professional organizations and associations; and
4. Advocating for adequate resources and facilities to ensure equitable opportunities for all students. (TOP)

Principle II:  Responsibility for Professional Competence

The professional educator is committed to the highest levels of professional and ethical practice, including demonstration of the knowledge, skills and dispositions required for professional competence.

A. The professional educator demonstrates commitment to high standards of practice through:

1. Incorporating into one’s practice state and national standards, including those specific to one’s discipline;

1. Using the Model Code of Educator Ethics and other ethics codes unique to one’s discipline to guide and frame educational decision-making;

1. Advocating for equitable educational opportunities for all students;

1. Accepting the responsibilities, performing duties and providing services corresponding to the area of certification, licensure, and training of one’s position;

1. Reflecting upon and assessing one’s professional skills, content knowledge, and competency on an ongoing basis; and

6. Committing to ongoing professional learning.

B. The professional educator demonstrates responsible use of data, materials, research and assessment by:

1. Appropriately recognizing others’ work by citing data or materials from published, unpublished, or electronic sources when disseminating information;

1. Using developmentally appropriate assessments for the purposes for which they are intended and for which they have been validated to guide educational decisions;

1. Conducting research in an ethical and responsible manner with appropriate permission and supervision;

1. Seeking and using evidence, instructional data, research, and professional knowledge to inform practice;

5. Creating, maintaining, disseminating, storing, retaining and disposing of records and data relating to one’s research and practice, in accordance with district policy, state and federal laws; and

1. Using data, data sources, or findings accurately and reliably.