Teachers Are Protected from
Walk-In Parent Conferences

All parent conferences must be scheduled in advance. No parent should appear at a teacher’s door and demand a parent conference then and there.

All parental requests for parent conferences shall be honored (K-12). When a conference which is not regularly scheduled is requested by a site administrator, the Bargaining Unit member shall be notified a minimum of one (1) day in advance except in those situations when a delay in the conference will result in great personal hardship to the student and/or parent/guardian. In such cases the site administrator or the administrative designee shall notify the Bargaining Unit member with respect to the reasons for the conference. These emergency requests shall be honored within the Board Day without interrupting instruction unless the Bargaining Unit member has a prior commitment to a District related responsibility or is unable to meet due to illness. (Article IV. Section 6 page 6)

If a parent comes to your classroom for an immediate parent conference, send the parent to the office or contact the office. If an administrator brings a parent to your classroom for an immediate parent conference contact a Building Rep as soon as possible.

Here Are Some Things to Do If You or Your
Colleague Is Accused of Misconduct

Contact a Building Rep - You are entitled, by law, and should demand, Association representation in any meeting with school officials to discuss any complaint against you. You forfeit this right, however, either by failing to request Association representation before the meeting, or by attending the meeting without an Association representative. The Executive Director, Kathy Kohn will provide an attorney if the situation warrants.

Commit Your Thoughts to Writing - Begin a journal of all pertinent information concerning the allegation. Include copies of pertinent documents. Keeping a record also helps you to "make sense" of what's happening during a time which is usually difficult and often very emotional.

Here Is a List of Don’ts

Don’t Talk to Anyone (except your spouse or attorney) - A legal rule called "privilege" prevents the police or school authorities from requiring your spouse to reveal what you told him/her in the confidentiality of your marriage relationship. These "privilege" rules extend to the lawyer-client relationship as well. However, there is no "privilege" for communication with a teacher, with an Association representative, with a school official or with a representative of Child Protective Services. Remember what you say can and will be used against you. School officials, even those you trust, have a duty to investigate student/parent complaints about school employees and to follow the investigation wherever it may lead.

Don’t Make Any Decisions About Your Job Until Consulting with an Education Specialist Labor Attorney - School officials often may offer an employee charged with misconduct the option to resignation. School employees should contact a Building Rep and consult their attorney before making any deals or taking any action which could jeopardize either their employment or their credential. Making a ”deal” with the School District does not prevent a student, a parent, the prosecuting attorney, or child protective services from pursuing criminal charges, civil damages, or revocation of your credential.