Faith's Law
Faith's LawEmployee Code of Professional Conduct
All District employees are expected to maintain high standards in their school relationships, to demonstrate integrity and honesty, to be considerate and cooperative, and to maintain professional and appropriate relationships with students, parents, staff members, and others. In addition, the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators, adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education, is incorporated into this Code of Conduct. Any employee who sexually harasses a student, willfully or negligently fails to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/), engages in grooming as defined in 720 ILCS 5/11-25, engages in grooming behaviors, violates boundaries for appropriate school employee-student conduct, engages in sexual misconduct as defined in 105 ILCS 5/22-85.5, or otherwise violates an employee conduct standard will be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal.
Standards related to school employee-student conduct shall, at a minimum:
1. Comply with the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators, adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education;
2. Prohibited grooming behaviors and sexual misconduct include, but are not limited to (i) any act, including but not limited to, any verbal, nonverbal, written, or electronic communication or physical activity, (ii) by an employee with direct contact with a student, (iii) that is directed toward or with a student to establish a romantic or sexual relationship with the student. Examples include, but are not limited to:
a. A sexual or romantic invitation
b. Dating or soliciting a date
c. Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialog
d. Making sexually suggestive comments that are directed toward or with a student
e. Self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature
f. A sexual, indecent, romantic, or erotic contact with the student
3. Employees are expected to maintain professional relationships with students.
a. Employees are strictly prohibited from using any form of communication with students (e-mails, letters, notes, text messages, phone calls, conversations) that includes any subject matter that would be deemed unprofessional and inappropriate between an employee and student. This District has a “zero tolerance” for any conduct that crosses over that professional line.
a. Employees are not permitted to transport District students in the employee’s privately owned vehicle, unless the employee has obtained the prior permission of the Building Principal and/or Superintendent to do so.
b. Employees are not permitted to take or possess a photo or video of a student on their private devices. Student pictures for school sponsored activities used in furtherance of the District’s educational mission are permitted.
c. Employees are not permitted to meet with a student or contact a student outside the employee’s professional role. Employees are expected to avoid crossing a line that results in an actual or perceived inappropriate relationship
4. District employees are mandated reported and required to comply with all reporting requirements of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq.), and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 7926);
5. Employees, students, parents, and any third party can report prohibited behaviors and/or boundary violations pursuant to Board policies 2:260, Uniform Grievance Procedure; 2:265, Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure; and 5:90, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting, to a District Complaint Manager, Nondiscrimination Coordinator, Title IX Coordinator, or any other District administrator or staff member the person feels comfortable reporting to; and
6. Employees are required to complete training related to educator ethics, child abuse, grooming behaviors, and boundary violations as required by law and policies 2:265, Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure; 4:165, Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Grooming Behaviors; 5:90, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting; and 5:100, Staff Development Program.
All District employees are expected to maintain high standards in their school relationships, to demonstrate integrity and honesty, to be considerate and cooperative, and to maintain professional and appropriate relationships with students, parents, staff members, and others. In addition, the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators, adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education, is incorporated into this Code of Conduct. Any employee who sexually harasses a student, willfully or negligently fails to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/), engages in grooming as defined in 720 ILCS 5/11-25, engages in grooming behaviors, violates boundaries for appropriate school employee-student conduct, engages in sexual misconduct as defined in 105 ILCS 5/22-85.5, or otherwise violates an employee conduct standard will be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal.
Standards related to school employee-student conduct shall, at a minimum:
1. Comply with the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators, adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education;
2. Prohibited grooming behaviors and sexual misconduct include, but are not limited to (i) any act, including but not limited to, any verbal, nonverbal, written, or electronic communication or physical activity, (ii) by an employee with direct contact with a student, (iii) that is directed toward or with a student to establish a romantic or sexual relationship with the student. Examples include, but are not limited to:
a. A sexual or romantic invitation
b. Dating or soliciting a date
c. Engaging in sexualized or romantic dialog
d. Making sexually suggestive comments that are directed toward or with a student
e. Self-disclosure or physical exposure of a sexual, romantic, or erotic nature
f. A sexual, indecent, romantic, or erotic contact with the student
3. Employees are expected to maintain professional relationships with students.
a. Employees are strictly prohibited from using any form of communication with students (e-mails, letters, notes, text messages, phone calls, conversations) that includes any subject matter that would be deemed unprofessional and inappropriate between an employee and student. This District has a “zero tolerance” for any conduct that crosses over that professional line.
a. Employees are not permitted to transport District students in the employee’s privately owned vehicle, unless the employee has obtained the prior permission of the Building Principal and/or Superintendent to do so.
b. Employees are not permitted to take or possess a photo or video of a student on their private devices. Student pictures for school sponsored activities used in furtherance of the District’s educational mission are permitted.
c. Employees are not permitted to meet with a student or contact a student outside the employee’s professional role. Employees are expected to avoid crossing a line that results in an actual or perceived inappropriate relationship
4. District employees are mandated reported and required to comply with all reporting requirements of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (325 ILCS 5/), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq.), and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 7926);
5. Employees, students, parents, and any third party can report prohibited behaviors and/or boundary violations pursuant to Board policies 2:260, Uniform Grievance Procedure; 2:265, Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure; and 5:90, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting, to a District Complaint Manager, Nondiscrimination Coordinator, Title IX Coordinator, or any other District administrator or staff member the person feels comfortable reporting to; and
6. Employees are required to complete training related to educator ethics, child abuse, grooming behaviors, and boundary violations as required by law and policies 2:265, Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure; 4:165, Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Grooming Behaviors; 5:90, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting; and 5:100, Staff Development Program.