Other Information Page
Standards of
Ethical Conduct
AEF Schools
(Adapted from the Code of
Ethics of the Education Profession in
1. Our school values the worth
and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence,
acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential
to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and
the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.
2. Our primary concern is the
student and the development of the student's potential. Employees will therefore
strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional
judgment and integrity.
3. Concern for the student
requires that our instructional personnel:
a. Shall make reasonable
effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the
student's mental and/or physical health and/or safety.
b. Shall not unreasonably restrain a
student from independent action in pursuit of learning.
c. Shall not unreasonably deny a student
access to diverse points of view.
d. Shall not intentionally suppress or
distort subject matter relevant to a student's academic program.
e. Shall not intentionally expose a
student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
f. Shall not intentionally violate or
deny a student's legal rights.
g. Shall not harass or discriminate
against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or
ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual
orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to
assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.
h. Shall not exploit a relationship with
a student for personal gain or advantage.
i. Shall keep in confidence
personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional
service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
4. Aware of the importance of
maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, of students, of parents,
and of the community, employees of our school must display the highest degree of
ethical conduct. This commitment requires that our employees:
a. Shall maintain honesty in all
professional dealings.
b. Shall not on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital
status, handicapping condition if otherwise qualified, or social and family
background deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or
participation in any professional organization.
c. Shall not interfere with a colleague's
exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities. d. Shall not engage
in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an
individual's performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the
orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating,
abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make
reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such
harassment or discrimination.
e. Shall not make malicious or
intentionally false statements about a colleague.
Reporting Misconduct by
Instructional Personnel and Administrators
All employees and administrators have an
obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel and school
administrators which 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 Administration.
Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to Florida
Department of Children and Family Services. 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 which affects the
health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted in all staff common areas,
reception areas, and near bathrooms and on our website at
http://aefschools.com/home/about-aef/other-information.
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)