The Journey Continues …
ethical code to not relate any stories or express any opinions about colleagues I may have worked with or on educational issues that may arise ?
What about our private lives ? Do we still have an onus to ‘ act in a manner which maintains the honour and dignity of the profession ’ ( Section 18 , Code of Professional Conduct )? Some retired teachers may feel that because we are retired we ‘ can wear purple ,’ so to speak . Certainly , as elders of our communities , we may feel that our opinions , based on education and experience , can and should be expressed . Is there a code of conduct for retired teachers ? Should there be a code of conduct ? Do we ever get to be ‘ just a citizen ’?
After pondering these questions I contacted the Member Services department of the ATA . The response was extremely helpful . First , they defined a ‘ teacher ’ as anyone who holds a valid teaching license , whether temporary or permanent . When you retire , or change professions , your license is still in effect , which makes you bound by the ATA code of professional conduct . For example , a retired teacher who criticizes publicly , or privately , another member of the profession is still liable to charges of slander and a disciplinary hearing . The same applies to a teacher who leaves the profession and pursues other vocations .
I wonder if this has been made clear to those teachers who have chosen to opt out of the profession . Is their sense of moral and legal responsibility to the profession intact ? After reading the ATA Magazine ’ s articles on “ When Teachers Get In Trouble ” I sincerely believe that , given what teachers in the profession are liable to do , teachers who opt out of the profession do not realize that they are still bound by the Code of Professional Conduct .
I would really appreciate it if retired teachers would comment on this issue , or share any information or experiences they may have that relate to it .
SAVE THE DATE ! TUESDAY JUNE 9 , 2015
Please see www . arta . net / newsandevents for the registration form and information for the Workshop on Tuesday June 9 , 2015 , at St . David ’ s United United Church in Leduc . The program includes key presenters speaking about a variety of topics of interest to retirees . The workshop is open to all and includes a lunch . Registration fee is $ 25 . Register early as space is limited . No refunds after May 27 , 2015 .
The Journey Continues …
A Wellness Conference for Retirees
Chateau Louis Conference Centre Oct . 21 , 2015
Reserve the date now and get ready to RENEW ! RECONNECT ! RE-ENERGIZE !
Watch for more information from branch representatives , in news & views , on the ARTA website or check out www . gertasecondwind . org
news & views SPRING 2015 | 21