House Study Bill 670 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON ROGERS) A BILL FOR An Act establishing an educators’ bill of rights and including 1 effective date provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 6192YC (4) 87 je/rj
H.F. _____ Section 1. NEW SECTION . 279.70 Educators’ bill of rights. 1 1. For purposes of this section, “educator” means any 2 teacher, principal, or other individual, if such teacher, 3 principal, or other individual is required by law to hold a 4 valid license, certificate, authorization, or statement of 5 recognition for employment in a public school in this state and 6 provides a service to students. 7 2. An educator shall have the right to do all of the 8 following: 9 a. Act in a manner consistent with the educator’s conscience 10 provided the educator does not do any of the following: 11 (1) Attempt to proselytize to students in the school. 12 (2) Disrupt the educational process. 13 (3) Act as a potential threat to student safety. 14 b. Report any errant, offensive, or abusive behavior of 15 or content produced by students to school officials or other 16 appropriate agencies. 17 c. Provide students with a classroom and school in which 18 educators, students, the property of educators and students, 19 and members of the public are safe. 20 d. Defend oneself and students from physical violence or 21 physical harm in accordance with chapter 704. 22 e. Share information regarding a student’s educational 23 experience, health, or safety with the student’s parent or 24 legal guardian unless otherwise prohibited by the federal 25 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. §1232g. 26 f. Review all materials that a student brings into and 27 utilizes in the educator’s classroom. 28 3. An educator shall have the right to not do any of the 29 following: 30 a. Spend the educator’s personal funds to appropriately 31 equip a classroom. 32 b. Receive an evaluation by a professional who does not have 33 the same subject matter expertise as the educator. 34 c. Receive an evaluation based on the performance of 35 -1- LSB 6192YC (4) 87 je/rj 1/ 2
H.F. _____ students whom the educator has not taught. 1 d. Relocate to a different school based solely on test 2 scores from state-mandated student assessments. 3 e. Waive the right provided in subsection 2, paragraph “f” 4 for any reason. 5 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 6 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 7 EXPLANATION 8 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 9 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 10 This bill provides certain rights to educators. The rights 11 are specified in the bill and include rights to engage in 12 certain education-related activities and rights not to engage 13 in certain education-related activities. 14 The bill defines “educator” as any teacher, principal, 15 or other individual, if such teacher, principal, or other 16 individual is required by law to hold a valid license, 17 certificate, authorization, or statement of recognition for 18 employment in a public school in Iowa and provides a service 19 to students. 20 The bill takes effect upon enactment. 21 -2- LSB 6192YC (4) 87 je/rj 2/ 2