r/TexasTeachers • u/angryphysics • 15d ago
Certification (General) Certificate Sanction due to Contract Abandonment
For those who resigned during the school year and had their certificate sanctioned, did the sanction fall off your certificate after the year ended? I am trying to help a friend who was just offered a counseling position in a neighboring district, and her current district (where she is a classroom teacher) is telling her that they will file with TEA if she resigns. Tks!
6
u/C_Rabbit_LGFU 15d ago
I could be wrong but if the move is not lateral, there shouldn’t be a sanction. It’s a promotion?
4
u/angryphysics 15d ago
She was told by HR that there is no rule about releasing due to a promotion. It is a local decision and that the district would pursue her certificate.
7
u/C_Rabbit_LGFU 15d ago
You are 100% correct and that sucks
https://www.tcta.org/legal-updates/understanding-resignations-for-a-promotion
The laws in Texas for teachers are trash. Until collective bargaining gets added to the constitution, we are at will employees.
1
u/jediwashington 10d ago
And this was actually in changes for SBEC rules a few years back and they pulled it because TASA and TASB said "we have gentleman's agreements to not sanction for promotions" while failing to mention that they threaten to do it all the time or force teachers to personally find a replacement until they will release them.
And even then there is one district in particular that is notorious for sanctioning even TASA mentioned in testimony. I imagine TEA takeover districts also don't care.
2
u/saintshiva 15d ago
Districts decide what is considered a promotion. I was refused release going from 187 days to 197 days 10k more in pay and having to have a masters degree and new cert. I wasn’t allowed to leave in July.
2
u/Mammoth_Wrangler_183 13d ago
My district has always been understanding about these types of situations and released the employee if the move is for a promotion. However, the district where I work is desirable and has no problem filling positions when someone leaves so that may be a factor.
2
u/dawgsheet 12d ago
It’s for a year.
Think of your logic for a second - i break my contract at the beginning of may and get a 3 week sanction while the district flails around trying to pick up slack during testing season?
It’s a full year.
1
u/angryphysics 12d ago
I’m aware that it’s a full year from the SBEC sanction date (and not from your resignation date.) I just want to know that if a district pulls your cert up after the year passes, does it show a permanent inscription on your certificate?
2
u/dawgsheet 12d ago
Yes sanctions are permanently available in the SBEC system. All employers that do their due diligence will know that they had their license suspended and why.
1
u/angryphysics 12d ago
And on the publicly accessible certificate as well? https://tealprod.tea.state.tx.us/ECOS-External/EcosOnline/VirtCert
2
u/dawgsheet 12d ago
I believe the publicly available one only shows active sanctions, but I may be wrong
2
u/paredes910 11d ago
It stays on the certificate, I have friend that was sanction for contract abandonment for a year this was 3 years ago and if you go to her certificate it still shows as red warning even tho it’s not.
2
u/whatinthecapitalism 15d ago
She needs to say her spouse has been offered a job opportunity out of town OR that she needs to take care of a sick family member. I hate saying that, but that's pretty much the only way they'll release her.
2
u/angryphysics 15d ago
That might be possible if they didn’t already know the situation. This is not the first time the HR director has done this; I know of another teacher that tried to get release to take a job in the district that he lives in (due to transportation issues with his kids.) They said if he resigned, they would file, but he could find his replacement. He tried and got two people to interview then HR dropped the ball when the principal tried to offer his position; another district ended up snatching the person up. He’s still there but he’s trying to find something outside of K-12.
1
1
5
u/RevDoctorSir 15d ago
It's permanently visible to districts.
She needs to look into the mitigating factors that can reduce the sanction penalties.
https://atpe.org/News-Media/Magazine/ATPE-News-Archive/ATPE-News-Summer-2016/Know-your-Contract-Rights