. BEFORE THE TEACHERS STANDARDS AND PRACTICE COMMISSION
OF THE STATE OF OREGON
In the Matter of the STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF
Teaching License of SUSPENSION AND PROBATION
ELISE K. REEL

On 0r about April 26, 2000, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission
(Commission) received a report from David Voves the Superintendent for Dallas School District
No. 2. The report indicated that Elise K. Reel visited Valentino’s Adult Shop in Salem, Oregon,
on April l, 2000, in the company of two of her students; both students were eighteen years of
age or older. The Commission conducted an investigation. Ms. Reel fully cooperated with the
Commission’s investigation. The investigation confirmed that Ms. Reel accompanied three of

' her students (two current and one former), all over the age of eighteen, to Valentino’s Adult Shop
in Salem, Oregon, on April l, 2000. The investigation further confirmed that during the 1996-
1997 school year Ms. Reel communicated with a male student about the appropriateness of
pursuing a romantic relationship with her while the male was still a student.

After review of the matters alleged, Ms. Reel and the Commission have agreed that their
respective interests, together with the public interest, are best served by a stipulation to certain
facts and the imposition of a six (6) month suspension of Ms. Reel‘s Teaching License in
accordance with OAR 584-05 0-0027. This Order sets forth the facts upon which the parties have
agreed and the sanction to be imposed. In entering into this stipulation, Ms. Reel waives her
right to a hearing to contest the findings of fact, conclusion of law and order set forth below.
Page l - STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF SUSPENSION AND PROBATION —

. ELISE K. REEL

FINDINGS OF FACTS
. 1. Ms. Reel holds a Standard Oregon Teaching License with an endorsement in
Standard Music.

2. Ms. Reel graduated from St. Mary’s of the Valley School in Beaverton in 1988;
received her Bachelor’s degree in Music and Music Education from Oregon State University in
1992: and received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Oregon State University in 1993.

3. Ms. Reel was employed by the Dallas School District No. 2 as a high school
choral music teacher from August 31, I993 until she resigned on April 19, 2000. At the time Ms.
Reel resigned pursuant to the allegations which led to the district’s report to the Commission, she
directed six (6) choirs in the district and provided voice lessons to many individual singers
involved in her choral music programs and activities. Her choirs included, among others, a

. seventy-five (75) member school choir and a sixteen (16) member jazz choir called the
Dragonaires. She had very high expectations for the program and the level of commitment and
competence of the students who were part of it.

4. During the 1996-97 school year Ms. Reel developed a close student-teacher
relationship with MW, one of the senior male students in the school choir who was also active in
the Dragonaircs. MW took private voice lessons from Ms. Reel, competed in district and State
solo vocal competitions, and was active in producing district musical programs.

5. In the spring of 1997 MW spoke with Ms. Reel about their relationship. They
agreed that it would not be appropriate to pursue a romantic relationship until after MW
graduated. Ms. Reel and MW attest that they did not have a romantic or physical relationship

' Page 2 - STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF SUSPENSION AND PROBATION —
ELISE K. REEL

. while MW was a high school student. However, during the late summer of I997, Ms. Reel and
MW began dating and are now friends. Ms. Reel did not report this conversation to her
supervisor as required by OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(C).

6. On April l, 2000, Ms. Reel attended a performance of Cabaret, a musical review
performed by district choral students. After the performance, Ms. Reel and Jeffrey Witt, another
educator, went to dinner with two of her students and a former student, all over the age of
eighteen. Sometime later in the evening, the students and the former student, persuaded Ms.
Reel and the others to visit Valentino’s Adult Shop in Salem, Oregon. They entered Valentino’s,
arriving at approximately midnight, and remained in the shop between five (5) and fifteen (15)
minutes according to statements made by those in the group. No one in the group watched any
videos or made any purchases at the adult shop.

. 7. Ms. Reel is very sorry for her actions in regard to the above matters. She very
much wishes t0 resume her teaching career, t0 which she is committed. Since her resignation
from the district she has engaged in a program of “boundaries” counseling concerning issues
underlying her misconduct from a trained counselor who specializes in gender and boundary
counseling, Nancy Huppertz. Ms. Reel has also engaged in a course of psychotherapy
concerning issues underlying her misconduct from a Board Certified Psychiatrist, Robert Gross,
M.D. Ms. Reel has authorized these professionals to submit confidential reports to the
Commission.

8. Ms. Reel has acknowledges that her errors in judgment and conduct are grounds
for discipline and enters into this stipulation with the knowledge that the Commission will
suspend her Oregon Teaching License for a period of six (6) months beginning November 1,
. Page 3 - STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF SUSPENSION AND PROBATION —
ELISE K. REEL

. 2000 and impose a two-year probation upon reinstatement 0f her Teaching License.
ULTIMATE FINDINGS OF FACT i
Ms. Reel made errors in judgment and conduct in speaking with the male student about l
not pursuing a romantic relationship until after the student graduated and in accompanying the
students to Valentino’s Adult Shop in Salem, Oregon.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
9. Ms. Reel’s failure to use professional judgment in accompanying the students t0
an adult book store as set forth in OAR 584-020-0010(5); failure to report to her supervisor the
content of the conversation she had with MW regarding their relationship as required by OAR
584-020-0035(l)(c)(C); failure to refrain from exploiting her professional relationship with MW
OAR 584-020-0035, constitutes Gross Neglect of Duty within the meaning of OAR 584-020-
. 0040(4)(n) and OAR 584-020-0040(4)(o).
This stipulation is contingent upon approval and adoption of the Order by the
Commission. If the Commission does not adopt this order, neither Ms. Reel nor the Commission
are bound by these Stipulations and Ms. Reel retains all rights to a hearing on the allegations.
It is so stipulated:
@444 ‘QZQBQQ . A7014. l, 03
Elise K. Reel Date
Ago: i @41“ Utfltoo
David V. Myton, Executive Date
Director
O
Page 4 - STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF SUSPENSION AND PROBATION —
ELISE K. REEL

. ORDER
Based on the foregoing the Commission suspends the Oregon Teaching License of Elise
K. Reel for a period of six (6) months beginning November l, 2000 and a two-year probation to ‘
commence upon the reinstatement of her Teaching License.
The terms of probation are as follows:
I. Ms. Reel shall comply with all Standards for Competent and Ethical Performance
of Oregon Educators under OAR 584, Division 20;
2. Ms. Reel shall provide to the Commission such information as the Commission
requests to verify that she has complied with the conditions of probation, including a statement
from her employing district verifying that she has complied with all the Standards for Competent
and Ethical Performance 0f Oregon Educators under OAR 584, Division 20;
. 3. Violation of the tenns of this probation may constitute an independent basis for
the Commission to impose discipline, up to and including revocation of Ms. Reel’s Teaching
License and subject to Ms. Reel’s right t0 a hearing on the issue of whether she violated
probation. _
_ 17?» .1 . Wk‘,
IT IS so ORDERED IlllS __"_ day of g W“? 4/3000.
( j
By, m- /
David V. Myton, Execu ve Director
Teacher Standards and Practices Commission
. Page 5 - STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF SUSPENSION AND PROBATION —
ELISE K. REEL