Protecting Our Students, Preser
by Allison Chancey, Member of the State Board of Education’s 3rd Congressio
As teachers, we have been entrusted with the high responsibility of caring for and
educating the next generation. We approach teaching with the seriousness it deserves.
We dedicate our free time, our own resources, our energy - and for many of us, our
entire lives - to serving and caring for our students.
Because of this incredible trust and responsibility, a teacher’s integrity both inside and
outside the classroom is paramount. First, because the safety of students entrusted
to our care is our utmost priority. Second, because we know the decisions we make
set a model for our students. We knew this when we entered the profession, and so
we submit to a high code of ethics for the protection of our students.
These rules and regulations protect educators when we know and understand what
is required, and when disciplinary action is clear, fair, and in the interest of student
safety. Too often in the past, teacher licensure cases landed in a gray area, making
disciplinary decisions more challenging.
This came to a head in our state in 2015 when the Davidson County Chancery
Court issued a ruling that restricted the State Board of Education’s ability to deny
reinstatement of an educator after his charge of statutory rape was expunged. The ruling
further invalidated the Board’s use of the “other good cause” category as a basis for
disciplinary action except for in a few limited circumstances, which created a loophole
for some educators to challenge
proposed licensure actions even All of this is not to infringe on the
in cases of clear misconduct.
righ
teacher, but to promote safety and s
within Tennessee’s classrooms and u
the standards of the teaching profess
The loophole threatened the
health, safety and welfare of
students and prompted the
Board to revise its educator
licensure rule. We proposed a revised educator licensure rule, which was filed with the
Secretary of State and approved by the Joint Government Operations Committee with
an effective date of July 2017. However, approximately 10 days prior to the effective
date, a rulemaking hearing was requested, which restarted the promulgation process
and delayed the effective date of the rule by at least 142 days.
The rulemaking hearing was held on September 19, 2017 and public comments and
feedback were received and taken into consideration for further revisions of what will
be the permanent educator discipline rule. The permanent rule will take effect March
5, 2018, pending approval from the Joint Government Operations Committee.