l BEFORE THE TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION 2 OF THE STATE OF OREGON 3 4 In the Matter of the ) DEFAULT ORDER OF 5 Teaching License of ) LICENSE REVOCATION 6 SERENA TALCOTT BAUGHMAN ) 7 8 On October 4, 2011, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (Commission) 9 issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing to Serena Talcott Baughman (Talcott Baughman) in 10 which the Commission charged her with Gross Neglect of Duty pursuant to OAR 584-020- 11 0040(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(5) and OAR 584-020-0025(2)(e); OAR 584- 12 020-0040(4)(o) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0035(1)(b), OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(A), OAR 13 584-020-0035(1)(c)(B), OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(C) and OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(D); and 14 OAR 584-020-0040(4)(f). The Notice was sent via U.S. First Class Mail and U.S. Certified Mail 15 Receipt 7010 2780 0000 2187 7109 to the address on file with the Commission. The Certified 16 was signed for on October 5, 2011. The Notice of Opportunity of Hearing, dated October 4, 17 2011, and signed by Victoria Chamberlain, Executive Director, stated: 18 “IF A REQUEST FOR HEARING IS NOT RECEIVED WITHIN THIS 2l-DAY 19 PERIOD, YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING SHALL BE CONSIDERED WAIVED 20 UNLESS YOUR FAILURE TO REQUEST A HEARING WAS BEYOND YOUR 21 REASONABLE CONTROL. IF YOU DO NOT REQUEST A HEARING OR IF YOU 22 FAIL TO APPEAR AT A HEARING, THE COMMISSION WILL ADOPT AN ORDER 23 OF DEFAULT WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION OF 24 YOUR LICENSE OR OTHER DISCIPLINE.” 25 26 Talcott Baughman did not request a hearing. The Commission, therefore, finds Talcott 27 Baughman to be in default and enters the following findings of fact, conclusions of law and 28 order, based on the files and records of the Commission concerning this matter. 29 30 FINDINGS OF FACT 31 1. Talcott Baughman has been licensed as a teacher in Oregon since October 20, 2000. Talcott 32 Baughman’s current Initial I Teaching License, with endorsements in Biology (HS/ML), and PAGE 1-DEFAULT ORDER OF LICENSE REVOCATION - TALCOTT BAUGHMAN, SERENA I Multiple Subjects (MIDLVL), issued on June 30, 2009, is valid until September 13, 2012. 2 During all relevant times, Talcott Baughman was employed by Portland Public Schools. 3 2. On or about June 10, 2010, a teacher at Cleveland High School overheard students 4 conversing about a potential sexual relationship between Talcott Baughman and a male 5 student at the high school. This led the school administration to report the suspicion to 6 Portland Police. In the course of this investigation, Police and DHS uncovered allegations of 7 inappropriate behavior between Talcott Baughman and the same male student including but 8 not limited to: 9 a. Arriving together in the same car to an all night graduation party in the Spring of 2009; 10 b. Relating to the student during the party as though Talcott Baughman were on a date with 11 him, leading another staff member to warn Talcott Baughman that her behavior toward 12 the student was unhealthy because he was most likely in love with her. To which Talcott 13 Baughman responded that “I would be lying if I didn’t have the same feelings for him", 14 or words to that effect; 15 c. Spending time alone with the male student during a school field trip, and having 16 consumed a glass of wine on this same trip; 17 d. Sending overly personal text messages to the male student, including nude photos of 18 Talcott Baughman to him; 19 e. Sending overly personal letters and a CD of romantic music to the male student; 20 f. Spending time alone with the male student outside of the school environment; 21 g. Taking the male student on a dinner date in the Pearl District of Portland prior to 22 graduation; and 23 h. Having a sexual contact with the male student while he was still a student at Cleveland 24 High School. 25 26 CONCLUSIONS 0F LAW 27 Serena Talcott Baughman’s conduct constitutes gross neglect of duty in violation of ORS 28 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584'020-0040(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(5) (Use 29 professional judgment) and OAR 584-020-0025(2)(c) (Using district law/i4] and reasonable rules 3O and regulations); OAR 584-020-0040(4)(o) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0035(1)(b) (Refrain 31 from exploiting professional relationships with any student for personal gain, 0r in support 0f PAGE 2-DEFAULT ORDER OF LICENSE REVOCATION — TALCOTT BAUGHMAN, SERENA 1 persons or issues), OAR 584-020-0035(l)(c)(A) (Maintain an appropriate professional student- 2 teacher relationship by, Not demonstrating or expressing professionally inappropriate interest in 3 a student's personal life), OAR 584—020—0035(I )(c)(B) (Not accepting 0r giving or exchanging 4 romantic or overly personal gifts or notes with a student), OAR 584-020—0035(l)(c)(C) 5 (Reporting to the educator's supervisor if the educator has reason to believe a student is or may 6 be becoming romantically attached to the educator) and OAR 584-020-0035(l)(c)(D) (Honoring 7 appropriate adult boundaries with students in conduct and conversations at all times); and OAR 8 584-020-0040(4)(f) (Any sexual conduct with a student). 9 10 FINAL ORDER 11 The Commission hereby revokes the licensure of Serena Talcott Baughman. 7%. 12 IT IS SO ORDERED THIS (>20 day of January, 2012. 13 TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION 14 i . 15 B : 16 ictoria C a ' , xecutive Director 17 18 19 20 21 NOTICE OF APPEAL OR RIGHTS 22 23 YOU ARE ENTITLED TO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW MAY 24 BE OBTAINED BY FILING A PETITION FOR REVIEW WITHIN 60 DAYS FROM THE 25 SERVICE OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW IS PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 26 ORS 183.482 TO THE OREGON COURT OF APPEALS. 27 PAGE 3-DEFAULT ORDER OF LICENSE REVOCATION — TALCOTT BAUGHMAN, SERENA CERTIFICATE OF MAILING I hereby certify that I served the foregoing notice of final order, certified by me as such, by mailing U.S. First Class Mail and U.S. Certified Mail—Return Receipt Requested, addressed to: Serena Talcott Baughman 4052 NE 21st Avenue Portland, OR 97212 Dated this 81H; day of February, 2012. By: Pa Liddell Investigative Assistant PAGE 1— CERTIFICATE OF MAILING-TALCOTT BAUGHMAN, SERENA