What Types of Crimes Can Endanger My Teaching License?

You worked for years to earn your Texas teaching certificate, so how can a single mistake put it all at risk? In this quick episode of Know Your Regulator, we unpack how the Texas Education Agency (TEA) evaluates educator conduct, when districts must report arrests, and why the agency can review your behavior even if a criminal case gets dismissed. Using plain language, we map the five categories that drive most license actions: offenses involving children, crimes of moral turpitude, drug-related charges, felonies and violent crimes, and sexual misconduct or boundary violations. Along the way, we highlight what “poor moral character” means in practice and how TEA balances safety, trust, and rehabilitation.

We take you inside the process step by step: the district report that triggers a case, the TEA letter requesting your response, and the range of outcomes from probation to suspension to full revocation. You’ll hear why honesty and timely disclosure often matter more than the charge itself, and how documentation of rehabilitation (treatment, training, counseling, or even community involvement) can shift the decision. We also talk about digital boundaries, private messages, and how small misjudgments can escalate when they cross into student interactions.

To close, we share three protective moves any educator can make today: be proactive with counsel who understands educator licensing, learn the gray areas so you can anticipate review, and never hide a reportable event. If you care about safeguarding your license, your livelihood, and your peace of mind, this is a must-listen for clarity. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs this, and leave a review telling us the one takeaway you’ll act on this week!

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator

Chapters

• 0:00 Legal Disclaimer And Scope
• 0:22 TEA’s Authority And Off-Duty Conduct
• 1:10 Five Categories Of Risk
• 2:04 Investigation And Outcomes
• 3:01 Three Rules To Protect Your License
• 4:41 Closing Reminders And Mindset

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

This podcast is for educational purposes only, does not constitute legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal assistance about a legal problem, contact an attorney. You went to school for this, you help kids learn, you show up every day. But one simple mistake or even a misunderstanding could put your entire career at risk. Today on Know Your Regulator, we're talking about something that most educators never expect to face, the types of criminal charges that can endanger your Texas teaching certificate, and what really happens when the Texas Education Agency gets involved. When people think about teachers getting in trouble with the state, they usually imagine some sort of misconduct within the classroom. But a surprising number of investigations actually come from off-duty behavior, things that happen outside of the classroom on weekends or even years before you started teaching. The Texas Education Agency or TEA can suspend, revoke, or deny your certificate if they feel like a crime shows that you have poor moral character or that you're unfit to teach. So it's not just what happens inside the school, it's what happens outside of the classroom off duty when you're not wearing a badge. So let's walk through the five main categories that get teachers in trouble with TEA. Number one, crimes involving any children. Any offense involving abuse, exploitation, neglect of a child is handled with zero tolerance. That includes physical abuse, sexual offenses, and the failure to report suspected abuse, which you are a mandated reporter as a teacher. So under Texas law, those findings can lead to permanent revocation and a lifetime ban from school employment. So number two, we have crimes of moral turpitude. And these are crimes like dishonesty, unethical behavior like theft or fraud, even a small misdemeanor can raise doubts about your integrity. And it's not about the act itself, but whether the state can trust you with its students and its records. Number three is drug-related offenses. A single possession charge can lead to mandatory reporting, and that can lead to a potential suspension. Even if it happened years ago, TEA can still review it during the renewal of your license. And something to note, they look at rehabilitation. So what kind of things have you done to rebuild your life since that offense? They're not just looking at the time that's passed. Number four is felonies and violent crimes. So any felony assault, domestic violence, or DUI with injury can endanger your teaching license. And even misdemeanors involving violence can raise concerns about the safety of your students. So number five is sexual misconduct and inappropriate relations. TEA must, they must revoke the certification for certain sexual offenses involving students. And even boundary crossing like a DM or a private message can start an investigation. So that zero tolerance policy is also protecting your boundaries too. So if you're arrested or charged, what happens next? By law, the school district is required to report an educator arrest to TEA. So once TEA has that report, they usually initiate an investigation. You'll most likely get a letter asking for your side of the story, some supporting documents, maybe a response to the alleged violation. And from there, TEA can place your certificate on probation, they can suspend it while the case is moving, or sometimes they can even go for full revocation of your license. Now, something really big to note is that even if your criminal case is dismissed, TEA can still take a look at that underlying conduct. Why were you arrested? What was the alleged offense? And how do they feel about that with you being an educator? So that is why early legal advice is so important. It is not just about the court outcomes, it's about protecting your career. So three things that every Texas educator should remember. Number one, be proactive. If you're arrested, even for something unrelated to teaching, talk to an attorney who understands educator licensing. Number two, understand the gray areas. Not every crime means automatic revocation, but every case does get reviewed. Number three, never hide it. Don't hide it. Don't try and lie on top of it. Failing to disclose things can become a bigger issue than the charge itself, and honesty gives you the best chance to show rehabilitation. Again, this is something that most teachers would never expect that they would experience in their career. They would never imagine that something in their personal life could threaten their career, but awareness is power. When you know your regulator, you protect your profession, you protect your livelihood, and your peace of mind. Stay informed, stay compliant, and until next time, continue engaging with your regulatory agency. Know your regulator, the podcast that inspires you to engage.