(a) The education profession is vested by the public with a trust and responsibility requiring the highest ideals of professional service. In the belief that the quality of the services of the education profession directly influences the nation and its citizens, the educator shall exert every effort to raise professional standards, to promote a climate that encourages the exercise of professional judgment, to achieve conditions which attract persons worthy of the trust to careers in education, and to assist in preventing the practice of the profession by unqualified persons.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 49-5-1004

  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) In fulfillment of this obligation to the profession, an educator shall not:

(1) Deliberately make a false statement or fail to disclose a material fact related to competency and qualifications in an application for a professional position;
(2) Misrepresent the educator’s professional qualifications;
(3) Assist entry into the profession of a person known to be unqualified in respect to character, education, or other relevant attribute;
(4) Knowingly make a false statement concerning the qualifications of a candidate for a professional position;
(5) Assist a noneducator in the unauthorized practice of teaching;
(6) Disclose information about colleagues obtained in the course of professional service unless the disclosure serves a compelling professional purpose or is required by law;
(7) Knowingly make false or malicious statements about a colleague;
(8) Accept any gratuity, gift, or favor that might impair or appear to influence professional decisions or actions; and
(9) Use illegal or unauthorized drugs.
(c) In fulfillment of this obligation to the profession, educators shall:

(1) Administer state-mandated assessments fairly and ethically; and
(2) Conduct themselves in a manner that preserves the dignity and integrity of the education profession.
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