What is inappropriate for a teacher or teacher aide to do?

Answer 1

Most of the things that would be illegal for teachers to do are the same things that are illegal for everyone to do, including:

• physical assault without provocation (i.e. not self defense)

• sexual molestation of a child / teen
• sexual assault or rape of a child / teen / adult
• physical or sexual assault of any disabled person

• bringing a firearm only school property
• bringing drugs into the "no drug zone" around schools
• giving drugs to students (any prescription or non-prescription medication not ordered by a physician with documentation for the school; any illegal drug)
• selling drugs to students
• bringing alcohol to school
• giving alcohol to students

• any act deemed to "contribute to the delinquency of a minor" which covers a broad list of forbidden activities / actions

• bringing bomb making materials to school
• encouraging, showing how, or teaching students to make a bomb

• making threatening phone calls to a student or parent
• making threats of physical harm
• "terroristic threats" (with a weapon)
• bullying
• not protecting students from harm (example: standing by watching as a group of students beats another student)
• unlawful restraint (example: to tie an unpleasant student to a chair to make the child behave)
• abusive acts (example: applying Duct Tape to the mouth of a student who is mouthing off or won't be quiet / follow rules)
• using corporal punishment without parent's permission
• using extreme corporal punishment (example: a paddling that leaves welts, bruises, or breaks the skin -- which is also abuse if a parent does it)
• attacking any student, parent, or other adult

This is not an all-inclusive list.

As well, teachers have a code of conduct under their license to teach or teaching certificate. These may not be illegal acts, but rather, unethical acts.

Answer 2

Official policy for the conduct of teachers and teacher's aides is determined by each school district.

Here are some opinions of what is inappropriate behavior for teachers and teacher's aides:

• Putting a student down in front of other students (or at all).
• Touching a student inappropriately, such as sexually or in anger.
• Giving a student a better or worse grade than what the student actually earned.
• Gossiping about students or their families.
• Getting involved in a relationship with a student.
• Using the classroom to proselytize their own beliefs (religious or otherwise)
• Showing outward favoritism to one student over another.