Legal & Ethical Responsibilities of Teachers

1. Child Abuse in TN

1.1. TCA 37.1.403- Everyone must report alleged abuse or neglect of child.

1.2. TN Dept of Child Services screens all reports to determine need to investigate, assess or provide resources.

1.3. TN DCS conducts investigations or assessments of child abuse and neglect.

1.4. TN DCS makes the decisions to keep children safe in the least restrictive settings.

1.5. The law makes no distinction between professionals and non-professionals on the issue of reporting child abuse/neglect.

2. Copyrights

2.1. A copyright is protection for authors of original works.

2.2. Examples include literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.

2.3. Minors may claim copyright.

2.4. Not copyright protected: unfixed/intangible forms of expression( unrecorded choreography for example),titles, names, short phrases, and slogans, familiar symbols or designs, and works consisting entirely of common information.

3. ADA, Section 504

3.1. Students with disabilities must receive comparable benefits and services as their nondisabled peers.

3.2. Law bans discriminatory criteria and methods of administration.

3.3. Schools must make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

3.4. Disabled students must be educated with maximum feasible integration..

3.5. Curriculum, courses, Instructional strategies set to standards for all students (educational reform standards.)

4. Race to the Top

4.1. Teachers and Principals evaluations partly based on student growth,improve teacher preparation institutions, and create high-quality licensure paths for new teacher-recruitment.

4.2. TVAAS data used to modify and improve classroom instruction.

4.3. Adoption of Common Core State Standards and aligned assessments

4.4. Introducing online applications to charter schools and reducing high-priority schools.

4.5. TN STEM Innovation Network,a public-private collaboration to expand teaching/learning of science, technology, engineering and math education in K-12.

5. The Bible

5.1. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

5.2. Must not do to other people what you would not like them to do to you.

5.3. Not a religious rule but an ethical one.

5.4. Christians must be active and do good things.

5.5. Christians should act with generous love towards other people.