Introduction
Improper Personal or Financial Gain
Teachers interact with students and the school community at large in a variety of capacities. For example, they may serve as class or club advisors or as an officer of the teachers association. In many of these roles, teachers will be entrusted with the collection and distribution of funds and/or fees. In addition, some teachers may tutor or instruct outside of the school day with students internal and external to their school or district. It is expected that teachers will function in these varying capacities with professional integrity. In this module, we will examine several factual scenarios where a teacher’s judgment was called into question for want of professional integrity.
From the News
In the video on this page is a news report from Middletown, PA, a teacher (Ms. H) claimed to have an inoperable brain tumor and collected money from colleagues, students and the community to help pay for medical expenses. Later, she was arrested after it was discovered that the teacher had faked the ailment and had used the money for personal purposes.
Discussion Questions
- The teacher in this story was nominated three times for Teacher of the Year award in her district. Do these accolades matter in how this situation would be handled in a criminal court? Should it matter in how the case would be adjudicated by the Professional Standards and Practices Commission?
- Ms. H was a talented teacher who must have known that her deception would be discovered. How do you believe situations like this evolve?
- Consider all of the ways that Ms. H's personal and professional life was impacted by her deceit.
Video Example