STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE OFFICE OF
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
COUNTY OF FORSYTH 08 EDC 3035
| |) |
|Frederick Moore |) |
|Petitioner, |) |
| |) |
|v. |) DECISION |
| |) |
|State Board of Education |) |
|Dept of Public Instruction |) |
|Respondent. |) |
| |) |
This matter came on to be heard for hearing before Administrative Law Judge J. Randall May on August 24, 2009, in High Point, North Carolina.
For the Petitioner: Frederick P. Moore
562 Caladium Court
Kernersville, NC 27284
For the Respondent: Laura E. Crumpler
Assistant Attorney General
North Carolina Department of Justice
P.O. Box 629
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602
FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Petitioner applied for a license to teach in North Carolina.
2. Petitioner indicated on his application that he had been convicted of multiple crimes. He had convictions for various drug offenses, larceny, breaking and entering, trespass, possession of a stolen vehicle, shop lifting, resisting a police officer, financial card fraud, and financial card theft.
3. Petitioner had been imprisoned twice, once for two years, 1984-86, and second time for over eight years, from October 1998 until March 2007.
4. Petitioner was called in to be interviewed by the Superintendent’s Ethics Committee in September 2008. The Superintendent’s Ethics Committee is made up of professional educators appointed by Superintendent June Atkinson to review applications for teaching license where the applicant has indicated he or she has a prior conviction. Petitioner was interviewed by members of the Committee and admitted that he had been convicted of the crimes in question and had spent several years in prison for his crimes.
5. The Ethics Committee recommended to Superintendent Atkinson that petitioner be denied a license due to the criminal history and the effect that the criminal history had upon Petitioner’s ability to be a role model for students.
6. Petitioner admitted in his Prehearing Statement that he was convicted of the crimes in question.
7. Subsequent to the filing of the Petition giving rise to this action, Petitioner was permitted a second opportunity to present his case to the Ethics Committee and to explain or justify his prior criminal conduct and to try to persuade the Committee that a license should be awarded. Thus, on March 13, 2009, the Ethics Committee met again and interviewed Petitioner. Except for one of its members, Lillian McDavid, this second Ethics Committee consisted of different individuals from those who had previously interviewed Petitioner in September 2008. This second interview, before a panel of unbiased professionals, again resulted in a recommendation to Superintendent Atkinson to deny Petitioner a teaching license.
8. The State Board of Education may revoke or deny a teaching license for conviction of a crime, including a plea of guilty to a crime, if there is a reasonable and adverse relationship between the underlying crime and the continuing ability of the person to perform any of his/her professional functions in an effective manner. 16 N.C.A.C. 6C.0312(a)(3) The State Board of Education may also revoke or deny a teaching license for any illegal, unethical or lascivious conduct if there is an adverse relationship between that conduct and the continuing ability of the person to be an effective teacher. 16 N.C.A.C. 6C.0312(a)(8)
9. There is no dispute here that Petitioner has been convicted of numerous crimes. The only issue is whether those convictions bear an adverse relationship to the continuing ability of Petitioner to be an effective teacher.
10. There is no question here that Petitioner’s criminal activities – as outlined above – render him unfit to receive a license to teach the children of this State. Teachers are required in this State, both by Rule and by case law, to maintain the highest level of ethical and moral standards, and to serve as a positive role model for children. 16 N.C.A.C. 6C.0602(b)(2); Faulkner v. New Bern-Craven Board of Education, 311 N.C. 42, 59, 316 S.E.2d 281, 291 (1984)
11. As our Supreme Court observed in Faulkner:
i. Our inquiry focuses on the intent of the legislature with specific application to teachers who are entrusted with the care of small children and adolescents. We do not hesitate to conclude that these men and women are intended by parents, citizenry, and lawmakers alike to serve as good examples for their young charges. Their character and conduct may be expected to be above those of the average individual not working in so sensitive a relationship as that of teacher to pupil. It is not inappropriate or unreasonable to hold our teachers to a higher standard of personal conduct, given the youthful ideals they are supposed to foster and elevate.
Id. (emphasis added)
12. In this case, Petitioner has applied to be a teacher and has admitted his convictions for egregious criminal activities involving dishonesty, drug “use”, and other conduct unbecoming a teacher. Teachers in this State are expected to be role models for their students. Petitioner’s past behavior simply does not demonstrate the kind of honesty and integrity expected of any employee, much less the higher standard expected of teachers. Parents are entitled to have their children entrusted to individuals of the highest moral character. Ex-inmates and persons convicted of serious crimes simply do not meet the threshold requirement demanded by communities and parents for the schoolteachers we expect to be examples for our children.
13. The conduct with which Petitioner was charged in this case, and for which he was found guilty, fails to adhere to the high standards of moral behavior demanded of teachers in this State and there is clearly an adverse relationship between Petitioner’s conduct and his ability to perform his duties in a professionally effective manner.
14. The Undersigned continues to be dismayed that the Respondent does not have the ability to independently screen an applicant’s criminal history. This should certainly be a requisite for any, if not all, applicants.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
1. The burden is on Petitioner to demonstrate, by a preponderance of the evidence that the State Board of Education erred in denying his request for a teaching license. Peace v. Employment Sec. Comm’n, 349 N.C.315, 507 S.E. 2d 272 (1988)
2. Petitioner’s conduct bears a “reasonable and adverse relationship” to the Petitioner’s ability to perform any of his professional functions in an effective manner.
3. Petitioner’s conduct is not consistent with the high standards of conduct expected of teachers in this State. See Faulkner v. Board of Education, 311 N.C. 42, 316 S.E.2d 281 (1984)
4. Respondent did not act arbitrarily or capriciously in revoking Petitioner’s license to teach in North Carolina.
5. Respondent did not and has not unlawfully deprived Petitioner of any property to which he is entitled.
6. Respondent has not prejudiced the right of Petitioner, exceeded its authority, acted erroneously, failed to use proper procedure, or failed to act lawfully.
Based on the foregoing, the undersigned makes the following:
DECISION
The Undersigned affirms the Respondent’s properly denial of Petitioner’s application for a license to teach.
ORDER
It is hereby ordered that the agency serve a copy of the final decision on the Office of Administrative Hearings, 6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-6714, in accordance with the North Carolina General Statute 150B-36(b).
NOTICE
The Agency that will make the final decision in this contested case is the North Carolina State Board of Education.
The Agency is required to give each party an opportunity to file exceptions to the decision and to present written arguments to those in the Agency who will make the final decision. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150-36(a). The Agency is required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-36(b) to serve a copy of the final decision on all parties and to furnish a copy to the parties' attorneys of record and to the Office of Administrative Hearings.
In accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-36 the Agency shall adopt each finding of fact contained in the Administrative Law Judge's decision unless the finding is clearly contrary to the preponderance of the admissible evidence. For each finding of fact not adopted by the agency, the agency shall set forth separately and in detail the reasons for not adopting the finding of fact and the evidence in the record relied upon by the agency in not adopting the finding of fact. For each new finding of fact made by the agency that is not contained in the Administrative Law Judge's decision, the agency shall set forth separately and in detail, the evidence in the record relied upon by the agency in making the finding of fact.
ORDERED this the 27th day of September 2009.
J. Randall May
Administrative Law Judge
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