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Bonneville Joint School District No. 93
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Employees of Bonneville Joint School District No. 93 are expected to maintain high
standards of honesty, integrity, and impartiality in the conduct of District business. All
employees are expected to comply with and conform to relevant Idaho education laws,
IDAPA education rules, and the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators.
Administrators and supervisors may set forth additional lawful and reasonable rules and
regulations governing employee’s professional conduct within a particular building.
1. Annual Review
A. Administrators and supervisors shall review and discuss this policy with all
staff members under their supervision.
B. Annual notification of District policies for certified and classified staff will be
made available on the District’s webpage. It is the responsibility of all staff to
read and become informed of the contents, requirements, and expectations of
these policies. Hard copies will be made available upon request.
2. Affirmative Duty to Report
A. All District Employees have an affirmative duty to report concerns or incidents
to ensure the safety and well-being of students and other employees. Such
responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
i. Child Abuse or Neglect. Any District employee who has a reason to
believe that a child under the age of 18 has been abused, abandoned,
or neglected has a duty to report their concern to law enforcement or to
the Department of Health and Welfare. Such reports should be made
according to the provisions of Board Policy 5210 Reporting Abuse,
Abandonment, or Neglect.
ii. Sexual Harassment. Any District employee who has actual knowledge
that an employee or student has been the target of behavior that may
constitute sexual harassment as defined in Board Policy U-4085 has a
duty to make a report of that behavior to the District TItle IX
Coordinator pursuant to the provisions of Board Policy U-4085 Sexual
Harassment (TItle IX).
iii. Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation. Any District employee who has
knowledge that an employee, student, or third party has been the
target of behavior that may constitute bullying, harassment, or
intimidation as defined in Board Policy U-4301 has a responsibility to
make a report of that behavior to the school principal or District level
administrator pursuant to the provisions of Board Policy U-4301
Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation.
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iv. Job-related Accidents, Injuries, or Illnesses according to the provisions
of Board Policy 5465 Workers’ Compensation Benefits.
v. Arrests, Indictments, or Convictions for Criminal Conduct and
Protection Orders Served according to the provisions of Board Policy
5021 Duty to Report Arrests or Criminal Convictions.
vi. All other duties required in Board Policy, Idaho statute, or Idaho
Administrative Procedures.
3. Responsibilities to Notify Parents
A. District employees also have the professional responsibility to notify parents
of certain circumstances that directly involve their child. Such responsibilities
include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
i. Medical Emergencies as provided in Board Policy 3540 Emergency
Treatment.
ii. Known Changes to a Minor Student’s Physical, Emotional or Mental
Health or Well-Being as provided in Board Policy 2428 Parental Rights.
iii. Interviews by Law Enforcement Officers as provided in Board Policy
3377 Interviews and Questioning of Students by Law Enforcement.
iv. Use of Restraints or Seclusion as provided in Board Policy 3115
Physical Restraint and Seclusion.
v. All other notifications required in Board Policy, Idaho statute, or Idaho
Administrative Procedures.
4. Employee Conflicts of Interest
A. All District employees are expected to take care to avoid using, or avoid the
appearance of using, official positions or confidential information for personal
advantage or private financial gain.
B. Employees are prohibited from participating in any activity which creates a
conflict of interest with the faithful and impartial discharge of their employment
responsibilities. Employees shall not use their District privileges or positions
any of the following purposes:
i. to get private financial gain, either for themselves or others,
ii. political activities, including the promotion of political candidates, or
ballot measures,
iii. accepting gifts or benefits in excess of what is permitted by the Code
of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators,
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C. Employees may request permission from their direct supervisor to participate
in other activities that may be perceived as a possible conflict of interest,
including, engaging in outside business enterprises or employment that does
not substantially interfere with their District employment responsibilities.
D. Employees must follow all laws concerning the disposal of surplus property
including not selling or disposing of any District books, instructional supplies,
musical instruments, equipment or other supplies unless prior approval has
been obtained from the Superintendent/designee.
E. There should be no conflict of interest in the supervision and evaluation of
employees as defined in Board Policy 5825: Nepotism.
5. Confidential Information
A. Employees shall hold confidential all information deemed to be not for public
consumption as determined by law and Board policy.
B. Employees shall respect the confidentiality of people served in the course of
the employee’s duties and use information gained in a responsible manner.
C. Discretion should be used within the school system’s network of
communication.
6. Professional Interactions
A. All District staff members are expected to model appropriate professional
interactions with each other and with students and their parents / guardians.
Examples of improper conduct include, but are not limited to:
i. Using language that ridicules another individual;
ii. Using vulgar or profane language, especially if targeted toward a
student, other employee, or parent / guardian.
B. Employees are expected to comply with all work-related instructions and
directives issued by their supervisor unless a directive clearly conflicts with
adopted Board policy or applicable state or federal law.
7. Relationship with Students
A. In addition to the responsibility to report reasonable beliefs of child abuse or
neglect, employees must also take appropriate actions to avoid the
perception or possible incidence of child abuse.
B. Employees should not jeopardize students, themselves or their employment
by being alone with a student.
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C. Employees are prohibited from engaging in any c ontact with students that
disregards professional boundaries or that would otherwise reasonably be
deemed to be inappropriate. Such contact may include but is not limited to:
i. Acts of physical aggression unless such acts are taken to prevent
imminent harm to another individual,
ii. Verbal harassment or abusive language,
iii. Any act of intimacy toward or with a student, whether physical, verbal,
or virtual,
iv. Taking, possessing, or exchanging images or videos of students in
non-public settings without permission of their parents / guardians.
8. Conduct within Scope of Employment Responsibilities
A. All employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner
on school property and at school-sponsored activities as provided in Board
Policy 3286 Conduct on School Property.
B. Pursuant to Board Policy 3280, District employees are prohibited from
engaging in any form of hostile or abusive treatment, derogatory remarks, or
acts of violence against students, staff, or volunteers. If such conduct is
based on disability, race, sex, religion, national origin, or any other protected
class status, it shall be considered to constitute discrimination in violation of
State and federal law and Board Policy 3280.
C. Employees are prohibited from possessing, using, or distributing alcohol,
tobacco, or other controlled substances on school grounds or at school
activities as stated in Board Policy 3300 Drug Free School Zone and Board
Policy 5310 Use of Tobacco Products.
9. Use of District Property
A. All District school facilities, including classrooms, gymnasiums, cafeterias,
hallways, and auditoriums, are provided through public funds for the purpose
of providing a uniform and thorough education to students. All use of District
property shall be consistent with this purpose.
B. School employees are prohibited from making any physical or structural
changes to District property without authorization from their supervisor and
District level administration when necessary, including but not limited to:
i. Constructing, removing, or altering walls or other structural elements;
ii. Moving or installing infrastructure including network or installed
telecommunication cables, plumbing, or electrical wires and
receptacles.
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C. District employees shall not use school property to advance or promote their
personal beliefs on political, social, religious, or other controversial issues.
Pursuant to the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment, as well as
relevant Board policies, District employees are expected to maintain a
learning environment that is objective, balanced, and impartial, especially
related to political, social, religious, and other controversial academic issues,
as defined in Board Policy 2340: Controversial Issues and Academic
Freedom.
i. As required in Board Policy 2340: Controversial Issues and Academic
Freedom, classrooms should reflect and maintain an atmosphere of
open-mindedness and tolerance where no one idea or viewpoint
necessarily prevails.
ii. Teachers will not attempt, either directly or indirectly, to limit or control
students' judgment concerning any controversial issue through the
display of materials in their classrooms.
iii. Teachers will exercise professional judgment in determining the
appropriateness of the displays in their classrooms related to the
issues in their curriculum and to the age and grade level of the
students.
iv. In support of these expectations, the following items may be displayed
in each classroom in the District:
a. The official flag of the the United States of America, which shall be
properly displayed in every classroom, pursuant to Board Policy
2180: Flag Displays;
b. A display of the official motto of the United States of America;
c. The official Idaho state flag;
d. Objective, and impartial displays that illustrate knowledge, skills, or
concepts within the Idaho Content Standards or other curriculum as
approved by the Board of Trustees (such displays may include
temporary displays of flags or banners that present factually
accurate historic events and that are used only as part of a unit of
instruction);
e. Displays that recognize achievement by students or educators;
f. Information from student clubs, teams, or other approved
organizations as approved by the building principal or designee,
and that is consistent with Board Policy 3382 Student
Organizations and Clubs;
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g. Personal photographs of family members, friends, or students.
v. Teachers are expected to exercise professional judgment and consider
the instructional merit as well as the maturity of students in determining
the appropriateness of all other items displayed in their classroom. Any
items, including flags, posters, and banners that could reasonably be
related to a controversial issue as defined in Board Policy 2340
Controversial Issues and Academic Freedom may not be displayed in
classrooms without prior approval from the school principal.
vi. Students, parents / guardians, or patrons who have concerns related to
the appropriateness of materials should first meet with the teacher
directly to share their concerns.
a. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be reached with the teacher, then
those concerns should be submitted as a formal complaint to their
supervisor as directed in Board Policy U-4110 Public Complaints
and Grievances.
vii. The provisions in this section solely apply to use of the District’s
physical property.
viii. Nothing contained in this section shall limit any employee from
exercising lawfully recognized independent speech or association
rights, consistent with all other policy and as appropriate in a limited
public forum public school setting or engaging in instruction of subjects
consistent with the approved curriculum and Board Policy 2340
Controversial Issues and Academic Freedom.
10. Implementation and Expectations Discipline
A. The Superintendent / designee is delegated authority to develop procedures
to implement this policy.
B. The Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators shall be read
consistently with this policy.
C. Violation of this policy may subject the employee to disciplinary actions that
may include immediate suspension and/or termination of employment.
Adopted 11-02-2005 Revised 12-11-2024
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Cross Reference: Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators #5200
Professional Standards Commission Code of Ethics #5200E1
Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators #5200E2
Grounds for Revocation of a Certificate #5215
Corporal Punishment #5257
Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect #5260
Legal Reference: Idaho Code § 33-1208 Revocation, suspension, denial, or place reasonable
conditions on certificate – Grounds
Idaho Code § 33-1209 Proceedings to revoke, suspend or deny or place
reasonable conditions on a Certificate
IDAPA 08.02.02.076 Code of Ethics of the Idaho Teaching Profession