HCS Board adopts teacher ethics policy

    HARLAN – Negligible trinkets and small gifts at Christmas time are okay, but gratuities amounting to anything of significant value such as high dollar gift cards or hundreds of dollars in cash provided to staff should be avoided in the future in the Harlan Community Schools.
    Not that anything like that has taken place in the past, said Justin Wagner, HCS Superintendent of Schools, but going forward the school district is being proactive and has opted to adopt a code of professional conduct and ethics policy that spells out standards for staff.
    The policy mirrors a directive by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE) that outlines eight teacher standards on everything from convictions of crimes and alcohol and drug abuse, to misuse of public funds and property, unethical practice in the profession, and violations of contractual obligations.  And it includes specific examples, such as showing up to a school function under the influence, not paying back student loans, student abuse, or accepting gifts from restricted donors as clear violations.