ESPRIT DE CORPS CENTER FOR LEARNING
Employee Standards of Ethical Conduct
As required by Policies and Procedures established by Section 1002.01(2) and (3) of Florida Statutes the faculty and administrators of Esprit de Corps Center for Learning adopts and communicates the following Standards of Ethical Conduct:
- Esprit de Corps center for Learning will conduct background screening for all employees as set forth by Florida Statues.
- Esprit de Corps Center for Learning shall deny or terminate employment for any persons, having direct contact with students if they have ever been convicted of a felony as defined in Florida Status 1012.315, or fail background screening.
- Esprit de Corps will not employ any person guilty of committing a misdemeanor that pertains to battery of a minor.
- Teacher and administrators will not use language or actions that belittle, embarrass, or show prejudice against students.
- Teachers and administrators shall not deny any student full access to all educational opportunities offered by the school.
- Teachers and Administrators shall report any pattern or sign of physical or signs of abuse immediately to designated contact.
- All teachers and administrators shall report misconduct of other teachers and administrators.
- No teacher or administrator shall be terminated or reprimanded in any way for reporting misconduct of students, teachers, or administrators.
- The administrator will not hold in confidence violation of ethical conduct of a terminated employee.
- Teachers and administrators will not use forceful or unnecessary physical contact with students.
- Teachers and administrators will not accept gifts or favors in exchange for favorable treatment.
- Teachers and administrators shall be honest in dealings with other teachers, administrators, students, and parents.
Adopted by the staff and administrators of Esprit de Corps Center for Learning on 8/26/09.
Training Requirement: All instructional personnel and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.
Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administrators: All employees, educational support employees, and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel and school administrators that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Examples of misconduct include obscene language, drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors. Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to Mr. Larry Gresham, phone: 904/924-2000; email: larry@edccenterforlearning.com. Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida-certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services. Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators that affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted in the school’s breakroom, front office, and on our school’s (Esprit de Corps Center for Learning) website at www.edccenterforlearning.com.
Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect: All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Call 1-800-96-ABUSE or report online at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.
Signs of Physical Abuse: The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, or other injuries; broken bones; or burns. A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home or may run away, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hide injuries.
Signs of Sexual Abuse: The child may have torn, stained or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease. A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual knowledge of sex or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed, gain or lose weight suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home.
Signs of Neglect: The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene, or appear underweight. A child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear overly needy for adult attention.
Patterns of Abuse: Serious abuse usually involves a combination of factors. While a single sign may not be significant, a pattern of physical or behavioral signs is a serious indicator and should be reported.
Liability Protections: Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or required by law or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action. (F.S. 39.203).
An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the former or current employee protected under F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095)