. BEFORE THE TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF OREGON In the Matter of the ) Teaching License of ) DEFAULT ORDER JONATHAN NORMAN PARISH ) REVOKING LICENSE ) On or about February 5, 1996, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission received issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing to Mr. Parish. Mr. Parish requested a hearing on February 9. 1996. On March 1, 1996, the Commission served an Amended Notice of Opportunity for Hearing to Mr. Parish, and a hearing date was set for April 24, 1996, in the Public Service Building in Salem, Oregon. On April 19, 1996, Mr. Parish’s wife, Diane Parish. sent a letter to the Commission stating that Mr. Parish would not be attending the hearing on the date scheduled. Mr. Parish did not appear for the hearing. The Commission finds Mr. Parish to be in default and enters this order based on the hearing record which consists of the Commission’s files concerning this case. FINDINGS OF FACT l. On June 13, 1993, Mr. Parish applied for an Oregon Teaching License, and the Commission issued a Basic Teaching License with endorsements in Drama and Language Arts on June 23, 1993. 2. Mr. Parish was employed as a high school English and drama teacher from 1980 to 1984 at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, California. He was employed as an English and drama teacher at El Molino High School in Forestville, California from August 1984 until approximately the summer of I994 when he resigned his position. At the time of his resignation, the i California Commission on Teacher Credentialing had already issued a I recommendation that Mr. Parish’s California Teaching License be revoked based on preliminary findings that Mr. Parish engaged in inappropriate ‘ conduct with female high school students and based on complaints the California Commission had received from the students’ parents. 3. On February 8, 1995, Mr. Parish knowingly made false statements on an application to the Phoenix-Talent School District when he answered "No" to the questions: "Has any complaint been filed against you with the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission or similar agency or Commission in another state that is still pending?" and "Have you ever resigned from an educational position while under investigation for misconduct?" 4. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is a state agency of the State of California charged with licensing teachers in that state. In September 1994, Mr. Parish filed a Notice of Defense and requested a hearing through his legal counsel before the California Commission. The Commission scheduled a ' ' PAGE 1--DEFAULT ORDER-JONATHAN NORMAN PARISH hearing for July 31, 1995. On July 21, 1995, Mr. Parish withdrew his Notice of . Defense with the understanding that the California Commission would enter a ‘ default order. On August 31, 1995, the California Commission issued a I Decision and Order to revoke Mr. Parish's California license. 5. Mr. Parish had a full opportunity to contest the issues against him in the proceeding before the California Commission. The issues contained in paragraphs l through 5 of the Amended Notice of Hearing are the same as the issues that were before the California Commission. The Commission adopts the findings of the California Commission as set forth below: 6. During the 1984-85 school year, while employed as a teacher in Santa Rosa, California, Parish acted inappropriately toward M..,H a 17 year-old female student at Parish’s school in the following respects: a. Parish kissed the student both while on and off the school premises and told the student that he loved her and planned to leave his wife for the student. Parish told another student that he loved M.H. and planned to marry her when she turned 18. b. Parish visited the student in his classroom while the classroom door was locked. c. Parish took the student on drives to the beach, country and mountains and took the student out to dirmer. . d. Parish gave the student gifts which included a gold pendant and a diamond ring. During one week, Parish gave the student a different semiprecious stone ring each day for seven days. e. Parish wrote personal poems and stories to the student. f. Parish took the student to his home and showed her a closed that contained drying marijuana plants. g. Parish gave the student an "A" in a class for which the student had not completed assignments. 7. During the 1985-86 school year, when Parish was a teacher in Forestville, California, he acted inappropriately towards W.F., a female student in the following respects: a. Parish hugged and petted the student in a manner that made the student feel uncomfortable. b. Parish told the student she was sexy when she wore skirts and tight clothing and asked her to dress that way more often. . PAGE 2--DEFAULT ORDER-JONATHAN NORMAN PARISH 8. During the 1985-86 school year, Parish acted inappropriately towards C.H., a . female student in the following respects: a. Parish talked about sex or made inappropriate sexual innuendos to students, including C.H., on a regular basis. b. Parish hugged C.H. on several occasions. c. Parish told C.H. that he had a fight with his wife, got drunk and slept on the couch. d. During the 1988-89 school year, when Parish was a teacher in Forestville, California, Parish told C.H. that she should "try putting ice on her boyfriends back during orgasms because it drives men crazy." e. Parish wrapped his body around C.H.’s back and encircled his arms around her. f. Parish attempted to intimidate C.H. by threatening C.H. and her family if C.H. reported Parish's inappropriate behavior. 9. During the 1985-86 school year, Parish acted inappropriately towards J .R., a female student in the following respects: a. Parish discussed personal and sexual topics with the student. ’ b. Parish touched the student inappropriately. c. Parish told the student that he loved her and told the student that he thought of the student when he slept with his wife. 10. During the 1988-89 school year, Parish acted inappropriately towards M.W., a female student in the following respects: a. Parish requested the student to wear skirts more often because they "showed off her legs." b. Parish requested M.W. t0 stop J .R. from complaining to school oflicials about Parish's inappropriate behavior. ULTIMATE FINDINGS OF FACT 1. Mr. Parish made a false statement on his employment application to the Phoenix-Talent School District. 2. Mr. Parish engaged in sexual conduct of a verbal and physical nature towards high school students. . PAGE 3-—DEFAULT ORDER--JONATHAN NORMAN PARISH CONCLUSIONS OF LAW . The conduct described above constitutes gross neglect of duty in violation of OAR 584-20-040(4)(c) and (f). ORDER The misconduct is directly related to Mr. Parish’s responsibilities as a teacher. The Oregon Basic Teaching License of Jonathan Norman Parish is hereby revoked. . /// Dated this 4 J day of " /fl'f , 1996. TEACHER STAND S AND PRACTICES COMMISSION By: Db’ (49/1/45 -~ .. David V. Myton, Executive Secretary NOTICE OF APPEAL OR RIGHTS YOU ARE ENTITLED TO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW MAY BE OBTAINED BY FILING A PETITION FOR REVIEW WIIHIN 60 DAYS FROM ’ THE SERVICE OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW IS PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ORS 183.482 TO THE OREGON COURT OF APPEALS. DVM/ cs ' PAGE 4——DEFAULT ORDER——JONATHAN NORMAN PARISH . CERTIFICATE OF MAILING I hereby certify that I served the foregoing order by mailing a true copy thereof certified by me as such by regular U.S. mail and by U.S. Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested to: JONATHAN NORMAN PARISH 3278 MADRONA LANE MEDFORD OR 97501 22%’4“ ' , , Dated this day of , 1996. ‘ Charlene A. Smith 3 Secretary to the Commission . . PAGE 5——DEFAULT ORDER--JONATHAN NORMAN PARISH