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Senate Memorial

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A memorial to the Congress of the United States, urging

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Congress to support national standards for educator ethics

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and a national clearinghouse to strengthen state efforts

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in the reporting, screening, and sharing of critical

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information relative to educator misconduct.

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     WHEREAS, teachers are entrusted with the care and

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supervision of minor children away from the direct observation of

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parents, and

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     WHEREAS, the student-teacher relationship is necessarily

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built on a child's trust and respect for an adult in authority,

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and

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     WHEREAS, parents and the community rely upon school district

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officials and individual educators to protect the integrity of

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that relationship, and

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     WHEREAS, educators rely upon the state and school districts

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to promote respect for the teaching profession through the timely

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investigation and disposition of allegations of misconduct,

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assurance of due process, and elimination from the teaching ranks

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of those who bring discredit to the profession, NOW, THEREFORE,

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Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     That the Congress of the United States is urged to support

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the passage of laws establishing ethical standards for

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professional educators and to support a national clearinghouse to

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provide for the reporting of data concerning educator misconduct.

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A national database is necessary to promote the timely sharing of

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critical information among states and to provide for the safety

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and welfare of students.

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     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

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dispatched to the President of the United States, to the

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President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the

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United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the

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Florida delegation to the United States Congress.