GAPSC PRE‐SERVICE CERTIFICATE APPLICATION

GAPSCPRE‐SERVICECERTIFICATEAPPLICATION–PERSONALAFFIRMATIONQUESTIONS



WhatdoIneedtoreportwhenIapplyforcertification?

Applicationsforcertificationrequirethataneducatoranswerpersonalaffirmationquestionswitha"yes"or"no"

response,including:

1.Haveyoueverhadanadverseaction(i.e.warning,reprimand,suspension,revocation,denial,voluntarysurrender,

disbarment)takenagainstaprofessionalcertificate,licenseorpermitissuedbyanagencyOTHERTHANtheGeorgia

ProfessionalStandardsCommission?

2.Areyoucurrentlythesubjectofaninvestigationinvolvingaviolationofaprofession’slaws,rules,standardsorCode

ofEthicsbyanagencyOTHERTHANtheGeorgiaProfessionalStandardsCommission?

3.Haveyoueverreceivedalessthanhonorabledischargefromanybranchofthearmedservices?(If“yes”,providea

copyofformDD214.)

4.Whileunderinvestigation,haveyoueverleftanemploymentposition(retired,resigned,beendismissed,terminated,

non‐renewedorotherwise)?

5.Areyoucurrentlythesubjectofaninvestigationinvolvingsexualmisconductorphysicalharmtoachild?

6.Areyouthesubjectofapendinginvestigationinvolvingacriminalact?

7.Foranyfelonyoranycrimeinvolvingmoralturpitude(seebelowfordefinition),haveyouever:

♦Pledguilty;

♦Enteredapleaofnolocontendere;

♦Beenfoundguilty;

♦Pledguiltytoalesseroffense;

♦Participatedinapre‐trialdiversionprogram;

♦Beengrantedfirstoffendertreatmentwithoutadjudicationofguilt;

♦Beenfoundnotguiltybyreasonofinsanity;or

♦Beenplacedunderacourtorderwherebyanadjudicationorsentencewaswithheld?



8.Haveyoueverbeenconvicted,orpledtoalesseroffenseforanysexualoffense?



9.Haveyoubeenconvictedofadrugoffense(felonyormisdemeanor)?



Educatorsmustanswerthesequestionshonestly.Ifaneducatorhaspreviouslyreportedcriminalorunethicalbehavior

andtheGeorgiaProfessionalStandardsCommissionfound"noprobablecause"totakeanyactionagainsttheeducator's

certificateforthatspecificbehavior,itdoesnotneedtobereportedonsubsequentapplicationsforcertification.Minor

trafficviolations(speeding,followingtooclosely,improperlanechange,etc.)andbehavioroccurringbeforeage17for

whichyouwerechargedasajuveniledoesnotneedtobereported.Exceptformisdemeanordrugoffenses,any

misdemeanoroffensethatisnotacrimeofmoralturpitudedoesnothavetobereported.



WhenshouldIanswer“yes”tothecriminalhistoryquestionontheGaPSCapplicationforcertification?

Youmustanswer“yes”tothecriminalhistoryquestion(s)ifyouhaveeverpledguilty,beenfoundguilty,enteredaplea

ofnolocontendere,beengrantedfirstoffendertreatmentwithoutadjudicationofguilt,participatedinapre‐trial

diversionprogramorbeenplacedunderacourtorderwherebyanadjudicationorsentencewaswithheldforanydrug

offense,foranyfelony,orforanymisdemeanoroffenseinvolvingmoralturpitude.Aneducatorthatfalsifiesinformation

ontheapplicationwillbesubjecttoaninvestigationanddisciplinaryactionbytheGeorgiaProfessionalStandards

Commission.



IfIanswer“yes”toacriminalhistoryquestion,whatdocumentsmustIincludeformyinvestigation?

 Detailedwrittenexplanation

 Courtdocumentsordestructionletter(ifdocumentshavebeendestroyedbycourt)

(Uponreceiptofyourapplication,GaPSCwillemailrequestsforadditionaldocumentationsuchasanFBI(fingerprinting)

criminalhistoryreport)



WhenshouldIbegincollectingthesedocuments?

Ifyouknowyouwillhavetoanswer“yes”toacriminalhistoryquestion,youshouldbegincollectingcourtdocuments

now.Thisallowstimetogatherdocuments,seekapardon,orreduceprobationbypayingfines/takingclasses,etc.,prior

tosubmittingthePre‐ServiceCertificateApplication.Oncesubmitted,itcantakeaminimumof4to6monthsfrom

investigationtoresolution.PleasenotethatyoucannotreceiveaPre‐ServiceCertificateifyouareonprobation.



‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

MoralTurpitude

Ithasbeenstatedthattheterm“moralturpitude”issoclearthatthereisnodutyonthetrialjudgetodefineitinthe

absenceofarequest.ThetermhasbeendefinedinGeorgiaasfollows:

“Turpitudeinitsordinarysenseinvolvestheideaofinherentbasenessorvileness,shamefulwickedness,depravitywith

respecttoaperson’sdutytoanotherortosocietyingeneral.Initslegalsenseitincludeseverythingcontrarytojustice,

honesty,modestyorgoodmorals.”“Allcrimesoffalsehoodorcrimesofdeceitinvolveturpitude;butitisnotsafeto

declarethatsuchcrimesaretheonlyonesinvolvingturpitude.InRamseyv.State,thecourtsaidthatacrimeinvolving

moralturpitudeisonethatiswronginitselfratherthanwrongbecauseitisprohibitedbylaw.InGeorgia,thetestfor

whetherafelonyisoneinvolvingmoralturpitudeis“doesthe[crime],disregardingitsfelonypunishment,meetthetest

asbeingcontrarytojustice,honesty,modesty,goodmoralsorman’sdutytoman?”



Ithasbeenheldthatthefollowingoffensesarecrimesinvolvingmoralturpitude:

 Fraudorfalsepretensesinobtainingsomethingofvalue

 Larcenyortheftofanytype(misdemeanoroffelony)

 Larcenyaftertrust

 Murder

 Solicitingforprostitutes

 Voluntarymanslaughter

 Saleofnarcoticsorotherillegaldrugs

 Patternoffailuretofilefederaltaxreturnsinyearsthattaxesaredue

 CriminalIssuanceofabadcheck

 Makingafalsereportofacrime



Thefollowinghavebeenheldtobeoffensesthatarenotcrimesinvolvingmoralturpitude:

 Publicdrunkenness

 Drivingundertheinfluenceofalcohol

 Carryingaconcealedweapon

 Unlawfulsaleofliquor

 Fighting

 SimpleBattery

 SimpleAssault

 Misdemeanorcriminaltrespass

 Childabandonment

 Misdemeanoroffenseofescape

 Misdemeanoroffenseofobstructingalawenforcementofficer

 ThefederalmisdemeanoroffenseofConspiracyinRestraintofInterstateTradeandCommerce

[ThisistakenfromHandbookofCriminalEvidencebyDavis,2000edition].



ForspecificquestionsregardingPersonalAffirmationquestions,pleasecontact:

 MargaretC.Elliott,AssistantGeneralCounsel,ProfessionalAssociationofGeorgiaEducators–770‐216‐8555

 GaPSCEthicsDivision‐[email protected]m