As a child development professional, one of your jobs is to guide your students – and help them understand the natural consequences of poor choices or behavior. Sometimes, however, allowing students to experience the natural consequences of a certain action can have negative consequences for you, too.
Take the recent case of a substitute elementary school bus driver. The school children on his bus were acting inappropriately while the bus was in motion. He told them to sit down repeatedly. He warned him of the consequences. When they continued to misbehave, he hit the brake pedal while the bus was traveling at approximately 9 miles per hour. Several students, who were out of their seats or in the aisle, hit their heads on the seat backs or windows – in one case, the braking resulted in an injury. The bus driver has now been charged with 29 misdemeanor counts of child abuse with no injury and one count of child abuse with bodily injuries. He was also fired from his job.
Parents and educators continue to debate whether such charges were merited. But even if you agree that this bus driver's behavior was out of line, it illustrates a growing issue in education: the way a teacher, administrator, or other educational professional disciplines or even interacts with children can often lead to trouble, including the loss of your professional license.
Protecting Your License
Becoming an education professional is a dream for many. If you are an educator, you've worked hard to get where you are, likely driven by a passion to help children reach their full potential. You've achieved a degree and a professional license to participate in the educational process, meeting the qualifications set forth by your state by the state's educational licensing board. That license should not be put at risk due to a misunderstanding, overreaction, or one-time lapse in judgment. You need an experienced professional license defense attorney to ensure you can continue to pursue the career you love.
If you find yourself facing professional jeopardy because of the way you've disciplined a student, you may be angry, confused, or even scared. Pretending the situation is no big deal, or trying to deal with it yourself, is not in your best interest. After all, that kind of mark on your professional record can have lasting effects. Retaining Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team can help you ensure that one situation does not color your entire educational career.
Retaining the Right Representation
If you have been notified that your professional license is under threat due to an interaction with a student, there's no time to waste. You need to ensure you can mount a strong defense to protect your reputation, your license, and your future in education.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Professional License Defense Team know that each professional license defense case is different – and requires an experienced eye to successfully resolve. He and his team understand the investigation, decision, and appeals process and can help you reach the best outcome if your professional license is at risk. Contact Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm to discuss your case at (888) 535-3686 today.
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