Code of Ethics

J.M.G.C. Academy's Code of Ethics

J. M. G. C. Academy

I. Our school values the worth and 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 the guarantee of equal opportunity for all.

II. Our primary concern is the student and the development of the student’s
potential. Employees will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to
exercise the best professional judgment and integrity.

III. Concern for the student requires that our instructional personnel:

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 unreasonably deny a student access to diverse points of view.

d. Shall not intentionally suppress or distort subject matter relevant to a
student’s academic program.

e. Shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or
disparagement.

f. Shall not intentionally violate or deny a student’s legal rights.

g. Shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race,
color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital
status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family
background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student
is protected from harassment or discrimination.

h. Shall not exploit a relationship with a student for personal gain or
advantage.

i. Shall keep in confidence personally identifiable information obtained in the
course of professional service, unless disclosure serves professional
purposes or is required by law.

IV. 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. Shall maintain honesty in all professional dealings.

b. Shall not on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic
origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition if otherwise
qualified, or social and family background deny to a colleague professional
benefits or advantages or participation in any professional organization.

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
create 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.

Training Requirements

All instructional personnel, educational support employees, and administrators are required as a condition of employment to complete training on these standards of ethical conduct.

Reporting Misconduct by Instructional Personnel and Administration
All employees, educational support employees, and administrators have an obligation to report misconduct by
instructional personnel 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

Pastor, Joyce Elliott – Assistant School Director.

Reports of misconduct committed by administrators should be made to

Pastor Phuong Hepburn – School Director.

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 effects the health, safety, or welfare of a student are posted in the classroom, where all students meet in the morning before each school day begins, and on our website at www.jmgcacademy.org.

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:

www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report/.

Signs of Physical Abuse

The child may have unexplained bruises, welts, cuts, or other such 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 in order to hide injuries.

Signs of Sexual Abuse

The child may have torn, stained, or bloody underwear, have 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 disclose 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)