A Special Workshop Offering from Ethics and Legal Expert, Prof. David Thompson
Last year, the Texas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 7 (SB7), a new law that strengthens penalties for educators found guilty of improper relationships with students, as well as strengthens guidelines and sanctions for administrators’ handling of such situations.
While most educators may have heard of SB7 and its intent, many do not realize the far-reaching effects that the more subtle points of the law will have into all cases of educator misconduct, whether educators are found liable or not.
Legal Digest and Ed311 are proud to offer Texas school districts a new in-district training on Senate Bill 7 with UTSA Professor and Ethics and Legal expert, Dr. David Thompson, during which he will cover all of the essential information needed to successfully navigate this complex and crucial new law.
During the workshop, Dr. Thompson will travel to your location and present information on the following:
- The Expansion of the Improper Educator-Student Relationship Statute and What it Means for Every Staff Member
- “Tightening the Screws” on Superintendent and Principal Reporting of Educator Inappropriate Relationships with Students
- Reporting Requirements to Parents for Alleged Educator Misconduct
- The Pre-Employment Affidavit
- “Passing the Trash” Penalties
- Investigations into Educator Misconduct, Subpoenas, and the Confidentiality of Educator Evaluations
- What Happened to My Retirement Benefits?
- Implications for Educators’ Use of Social Media
Specifically, Dr. Thompson, who testified on SB7 before the 85th Session of the Texas Legislature in front of the House and Senate Education Committees, said educators and administrators will be especially interested to know:
- Reporting requirements in improper relationship cases are much greater under SB7 than previously, and the new law essentially requires superintendents and principals to report every alleged incident of improper educator-student relationships where an educator is terminated or resigned, even if the termination or resignation is not based on a finding that the educator engaged in the improper relationship. Further, the law requires a report to parents for every alleged incident of inappropriate relationships.
- The expansion of the Texas Penal Code Sec. 21.12 to criminalize improper relationships between an educator who is certified, licensed, or whose position requires certification or licensure, and a student whom the educator knows is enrolled in any public or private, primary or secondary school.
- Retirement benefits can be forfeited under the new law for educators convicted of any one of four “qualifying felonies” involving sexual misconduct with students.
“There are many provisions of this new law that, if I were an educator, would certainly grab my attention,” Dr. Thompson said. “A lot of the educators that I speak with still don’t know much about Senate Bill 7, and we need to be talking with both teachers and administrators to ensure everyone knows and understands the far-reaching implications of the law.”
Legal Digest & Ed311 are pleased to be able to offer Texas School Districts this special one-day workshop on Senate Bill 7 from Dr. David Thompson.
To learn more, visit our Ethics Training Page.
If you are interested in bringing Dr. Thompson and this essential workshop to your campus in 2018 please contact us today for more information!
Contact: Evette Richards, evette@legaldigest.com, 512.478.2113 ext. 5
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