Legal Handbook for Teachers' Rights and Responsibilities

Introduction1

Rights and Responsibilities of Teachers2

1.Academic Freedom2

1.1) Professional Growth of the Educator2

1.2) Personal Growth for Student Learning3

2.Freedom of Association3

2.1) Requiring or Coercing Teachers to Join Groups, Clubs, Committees, or Organizations: Political Affairs.3

2.2 Educators' Right to Join or Not to Join4

2.3 Interference by the Colleagues4

3.Freedom of Expression4

3.1 Freedom in Classroom5

3.2Criticizing of School Policy5

4.Freedom of Religion6

4.1 First Amendment6

4.2 Biases in Appointments7

4.3 Religious Course Training7

4.4 Unlawful Probing into Religious Associations7

5.Employment Rights and Responsibilities7

5.1 Honoring of a Pledge by School Administration8

5.2 Teachers' Minimum Personal Leave8

5.3 Health Care of the Employees8

6.Miscellaneous8

6.1 Incentives of Early Retirement9

6.2 Right to Have Participation for any Charitable Contribution9

6.3 Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS)9

Conclusion9

References11

Legal Handbook for Teachers' Rights and Responsibilities

Introduction

Teachers are an essential part of the society who nurture and play a major role in bringing up the future of a society or nation. They educate the young minds with the proper administration and effective instructions. According to Teacher Bill Of Rights (LSA—R.S. 17:416.18), respect for teachers and their authority is vital to create an atmosphere which is conducive to learning and which compels the students to strive for better education. Teachers in the education sector do not work alone; parents, students, administration, local government and state work in unison with the teachers to develop a healthy learning environment. In order to work effectively and respect the authority, administrators, teachers, parents and students must know their responsibilities and rights. Among the horde of codes established for the Texas state teachers, this papers sheds light upon six notable ones.

Academic freedom

Freedom of association

Freedom of expression

Freedom of religion

Employment rights and responsibilities

Miscellaneous

Rights and Responsibilities of Teachers

Academic Freedom

According to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators, “The educator shall have the academic freedom to teach as a professional privilege, and no educator shall interfere with such privilege except as required by state and/or federal laws.” It is an entitlement of the people who perform their duties of educating and teaching the minds of the society to exercise their rights. Teachers should be allowed and permitted to follow their own ways and pursue ways in which they are comfortable and competent; provided that they adhere to the standard policies and practices of the respective states and administration. The first part of the standard permits the teachers to teach as a privilege and according to their areas of competence. The competence of the teacher should be assessed at the time of recruitment so that the duties and roles assigned to them are in accordance with their subject areas and competence. As stated by Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators, “The educator shall apply for, accept, offer, or assign a position or a responsibility on the basis of professional qualifications.” Besides following their own ways and practicing them, teachers should also consider and remain supportive for their colleagues, as the second part of the standard states and instructs the colleagues to remain supportive and not produce any obstructions in a way of academic freedom of other ...