This professional development session educated teachers about improper student-teacher relationships. Teachers were instructed to sign in, take a pre-test on appropriate boundaries, and learn about ethical codes of conduct. Examples of inappropriate behaviors like romantic relationships, alone time with students, and excessive contact through social media were covered. Teachers then practiced identifying proper responses to hypothetical situations and asked any remaining questions before taking a post-test. The goal was for teachers to understand relationship boundaries and how to prevent improper interactions.

1. Please sign in and put on your name tag. There are
refreshments and snacks available in the back.

2. Why are you here?
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/teacher-student-
relationships-15843582
 Because you don’t want to end up a teacher turned
infamous criminal!

3. How much do you know?
TRUE OR FALSE?
1. It is appropriate to be friends with your students on
Facebook.
2. It is appropriate to e-mail student about school work
through the school e-mail system.
3. It is not appropriate to be alone in the classroom with a
student.
4. It is not appropriate to post information about student
anonymously in a blog.
5. It is appropriate to tutor a student privately

4. How much do you know?
6. It is appropriate, if you lead an extracurricular group, to text a
student about meeting times for practice.
7. It is appropriate to follow a student on Twitter.
8. It is not appropriate to drive a student somewhere, even with
parental permission.
9. It is appropriate to be friends with students, both in and out of the
classroom.
10. It is not appropriate to talk about students to other students, even if
what you say is positive.

5. Improper Student/Teacher
Relationships
 The goal of this professional development is for you to
be able to understand what is considered an improper
relationship and have the skills and knowledge to
prevent improper relationships from forming.

6. Learning Objectives
 Properly define and identify what is an improper
relationship
 Distinguish between improper and proper
relationships
 Comprehend and comply to the necessary actions that
must be taken if one is in danger of crossing the
boundary of proper and improper relationships
 Comprehends the consequences of having an
improper relationship
 Identify ways to avoid getting into improper
relationships

7. What is an improper relationship
with a student?
 Discuss with your group…
 An inappropriate relationship is when a teacher
solicits and/or engages in sexual conduct or romantic
relationship, inappropriate communication and/or the
furnishing of alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs
with/to a student

8. If you are here it is because you are an
educator. Educators must abide by
Association of American Educators and
Texas Educators Code of Ethics.
Are you familiar with these codes of
ethics? Lets see…

9. Association of American Educators Code of Ethics for Educators
PRINCIPLE II: Ethical Conduct toward Practices and Performance
The professional educator assumes responsibility and accountability for his or
her performance and continually strives to demonstrate competence. The
professional educator endeavors to maintain the dignity of the profession by
respecting and obeying the law, and by demonstrating personal integrity.
1. The professional educator applies for, accepts, or assigns a position or a
responsibility on the basis of professional qualifications, and adheres to the
terms of a contract or appointment.
2. The professional educator maintains sound mental health, physical
stamina, and social prudence necessary to perform the duties of any
professional assignment.
3. The professional educator continues professional growth.
4. The professional educator complies with written local school policies and
applicable laws and regulations that are not in conflict with this code of
ethics.
5. The professional educator does not intentionally misrepresent official
policies of the school or educational organizations, and clearly distinguishes
those views from his or her own personal opinions.
6. The professional educator honestly accounts for all funds committed to his
or her charge.
7. The professional educator does not use institutional or professional
privileges for personal or partisan advantage.

10. Texas Educator Code of Ethics
 Standard 3.6. The educator shall not solicit or engage in
sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student or
minor.
 Standard 3.7. The educator shall not furnish alcohol or
illegal/unauthorized drugs to any person under 21 years of
age unless the educator is a parent or guardian of that child
or knowingly allow any person under 21 years of age unless
the educator is a parent or guardian of that child to
consume alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs in the
presence of the educator.
 Standard 3.8. The educator shall maintain appropriate
professional educator-student relationships and
boundaries based on a reasonably prudent educator
standard.

11. Standard 3.9. The educator shall refrain from inappropriate communication with
a student or minor, including, but not limited to, electronic communication
such as cell phone, text messaging, email, instant messaging, blogging, or other
social network communication. Factors that may be considered in assessing
whether the communication is inappropriate include, but are not limited to:
(i) the nature, purpose, timing, and amount of the communication;
(ii) the subject matter of the communication;
(iii) whether the communication was made openly or the educator attempted
to conceal the communication;
(iv) whether the communication could be reasonably interpreted as soliciting
sexual contact or a romantic relationship;
(v) whether the communication was sexually explicit; and
(vi) whether the communication involved discussion(s) of the physical or
sexual attractiveness or the sexual history, activities, preferences, or fantasies of
either the educator or the student.

12. As an educator you are prohibited
from…
 Embarking on a romantic relationship with a student
 Making sexual comments to a student or commenting
about a student’s body in an unprofessional manner
 Talking about a student’s sexual history
 Improper hugging, kissing, or excessive touching
 Planning a romantic relationship with a student after
he/she graduates
 Providing a student or students with drugs and/or
alcohol

13. Now that we know what not to do
how to we avoid it?
 The following are tips for new teachers from TCTA
(Texas Classroom Teachers Association)
 Find a mentor teacher if one hasn’t been assigned to
you. Your mentor can help give you guidance and
support in your new profession.
 Always seek out additional training to enhance your
skills as a teacher and to keep on the professional track.

14. Keep it Professional
 Always remember that YOU are the teacher and the
professional!
 You are not a peer to your students
 Do NOT invite student to your home
 Avoid sharing too much personal information. Also, don’t
share inside jokes or inappropriate remarks. Do NOT flirt
with students.
 Keep a professional and modest appearance.
 Don’t “hang out” with students outside of school and/or
school activities. Remember, you are not their best friend!
 Do not provide any alcohol or drugs to students or condone
consumption.

15. Keep it Professional
 Even if your intentions are innocent, putting yourself
into a situation (ex. Having students at your home,
contacting them on social networks, being with
student outside of school/school activities, etc.) can
give the impression that the relationship is
inappropriate to others

16. What happens if you don’t keep it
professional?
 You can possibly lose your job and get your teaching
certificate revoked!
 Depending on the situation you can even obtain felony
charges.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=9121922&pid=9122
012

17. What would you do?
 Think about what you would do and write your
answers on the paper provided.
1. A student who struggles in your class and rarely speaks
approaches you at the end of class and tells you that
they would like to tell you something privately. They
ask if they can meet you after school at a local coffee
shop near their house. You feel that this student is
calling out to you for help. What is the appropriate
course of action to take:

18. What would you do?
2. A student of the opposite sex seems to have developed
a crush on you; they linger in your classroom after the
bell rings and look for excuses to try to touch you. You
have spoken to them about how this behavior is
inappropriate, and while the student no longer
touches you, you still feel uncomfortable around them.
You believe that the student still has an unhealthy
attraction to you. What is your next step?

19. What would you do?
3. You help out your school by coaching the girls’
volleyball team in a small district. After an evening
away game, all of your students get picked up by their
parents until only one is left. After trying to reach the
child’s parents with no success, the child asks if you
can drive them home. What should you do?

20. What would you do?
4. In your English class, one of your students suggests
creating a Facebook group for the class, so that
assignments can be posted there and any questions
about the reading can be discussed. Quickly, all of the
students jump on board with the idea. Your school
does not have a rule against being friends with
students on Facebook, but you know that it is
discouraged. What do you do to find a compromise?

21. Are there any
questions, comments, and/or
concerns?

22. How much did you learn?
TRUE OR FALSE?
1. It is appropriate to be friends with your students on
Facebook.
2. It is appropriate to e-mail student about school work
through the school e-mail system.
3. It is not appropriate to be alone in the classroom with a
student.
4. It is not appropriate to post information about student
anonymously in a blog.
5. It is appropriate to tutor a student privately

23. How much do you know?
6. It is appropriate, if you lead an extracurricular group, to text a
student about meeting times for practice.
7. It is appropriate to follow a student on Twitter.
8. It is not appropriate to drive a student somewhere, even with
parental permission.
9. It is appropriate to be friends with students, both in and out of the
classroom.
10. It is not appropriate to talk about students to other students, even
if what you say is positive.

24. Resources
 Texas Education Agency (2011, June 23). Educators'
Code of Ethics. Retrieved June 17,2013, from
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147501244
&menu_id=771&menu_id2=794
 Texas Classroom Teachers Association. (2013).
Improper Relationships with Students. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.tcta.org/node/12941
 Association of American Educators (n.d.). Code of
Ethics for Educators. Retrieved from
http://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/about-us

25. That is all! Thank you for
participating in the novice teacher
professional development:
improper student/teacher
relationships.