Standards of Ethical Conduct
Rafiki Classical Academy Standards of Ethical Conduct
1. Our school values the dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal access for all.
2. Our primary concern is the student and their intellectual, moral, and spiritual virtue. Employees will therefore carefully attend to their own intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.
3. All members of the board, administration, and employees (as well as delegated representatives of the school) must conform to biblical ethical standards at all times. This is required in order that the school may: 1) care for our students, employees, and all peoples involved 2) maintain a Christian witness, 3) fulfill the school’s mission, and 4) glorify God.
4. Care for the student requires that faculty and staff:
a. Shall make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student's mental and/or physical health and/or safety.
b. Shall not unreasonably restrain a student from independent action in pursuit of learning.
c. Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.
d. Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student's legal rights.
e. Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or advantage.
f. Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or is required by law.
g. Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination.
5. Aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of colleagues, of students, of parents, and of the community, employees of our school must display the highest degree of ethical conduct. This commitment requires that our employees:
a. Conform to biblical ethical standards at all times.
b. Shall maintain honesty and integrity in all professional dealings.
c. Shall not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political or civil rights and responsibilities.
d. Shall not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual's performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make reasonable effort to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination.
e. Shall not make malicious or intentionally false statements about a colleague.
f. Shall not on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin deny to a colleague professional benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.
Training Requirement
All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on standards of ethical conduct.
Reporting Misconduct
All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by instructional personnel, educational support employees, and school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student. Examples of misconduct include obscene language, drug and alcohol use, disparaging comments, prejudice or bigotry, sexual innuendo, cheating or testing violations, physical aggression, and accepting or offering favors.
· Reports of misconduct of employees should be made to the Head of School, Kelly Fore KFore@RafikiClassical.org (352) 483-9984.
· Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to Rafiki Education Foundation President, Karen Elliott KarenE@RafikiFoundation.org (352)483-963.
· Legally sufficient allegations of misconduct by Florida certified educators will be reported to the Office of Professional Practices Services.
Policies and procedures for reporting misconduct by instructional personnel or school administrators which affects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted on the teacher notice board in the mailbox room and on our website at https://www.rafikiclassicalacademy.org/ethics.
Reporting Child Abuse, Abandonment or Neglect*
All employees and agents have an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Call 1-800- 96-ABUSE or report online at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.
Signs of Physical Abuse
The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, or other injuries; broken bones; or burns. A child experiencing physical abuse may seem withdrawn or depressed, seem afraid to go home or may run away, shy away from physical contact, be aggressive, or wear inappropriate clothing to hide injuries.
Signs of Sexual Abuse
The child may have torn, stained or bloody underwear, trouble walking or sitting, pain or itching in genital area, or a sexually transmitted disease. A child experiencing sexual abuse may have unusual knowledge of sex or act seductively, fear a particular person, seem withdrawn or depressed, gain or lose weight suddenly, shy away from physical contact, or run away from home.
Signs of Neglect
The child may have unattended medical needs, little or no supervision at home, poor hygiene, or appear underweight. A child experiencing neglect may be frequently tired or hungry, steal food, or appear overly needy for adult attention.
Patterns of Abuse
Serious abuse usually involves a combination of factors. While a single sign may not be significant, a pattern of physical or behavioral signs is a serious indicator and should be reported.
Liability Protections
Any person, official, or institution participating in good faith in any act authorized or required by law, or reporting in good faith any instance of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the department or any law enforcement agency, shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such action. (F.S. 39.203)
An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer of the former or current employee upon request of the prospective employer or of the former or current employee is immune from civil liability for such disclosure or its consequences unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the former or current employer was knowingly false or violated any civil right of the former or current employee protected under F.S. Chapter 760. (F.S. 768.095)
(Adapted from the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida and Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida)
The Rafiki Classical Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at Rafiki Classical Academy. It doesn’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
