, _ O O

1 BEFORE THE TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION

2 OF THE STATE OF OREGON

3 In the Matter of the ) STIPULATION OF FACTS AND

4 ) FINAL ORDER OF

5 Educator License of ) REVOCATION AND REVOCATION OF

6 DENISE RUTH KEESEE ) RIGHT TO APPLY

g

9 On or about November 2012, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission
1 O (Commission) received a report from the Sherwood School District, indicating that licensed
1 1 educator Denise Keesee (Keesee) had violated professional standards. Also in November 2012,
12 the Commission received information from the Washington County Sheriffs Ofﬁce alleging
13 inappropriate sexual conduct between Keesee and students. On April 21, 2014, Keesee pled
14 guilty to two counts of sex abuse in the second degree, ORS 163.425, a class C Felony.
15 After review of the matters alleged, Keesee and the Commission agree that their i
16 respective interests, together with the public interest, are best served by a stipulation to certain i
17 facts, revocation of Keesee’s Oregon Teaching License, and revocation of Keesee’s right to apply
18 for licensure, as mandated by ORS 342.175(3); ORS 342.143(3); and OAR 584-020-oo4o(1)(m).
1 9 This document sets forth the facts upon which the parties have agreed and the stipulated
20 sanction to be imposed. Keesee stipulates that there is sufficient evidence in the Commission’s
21 ﬁles and records to support the ﬁndings of fact, conclusions of law, and order set forth below.
22 By signing below, Keesee acknowledges, understands, stipulates, and agrees to the
23 following: (i) she has been fully advised of her rights to notice and a hearing to contest the
24 ﬁndings of fact, conclusions of law, and order set forth below, and fully and ﬁnally waives all
25 such rights and any rights t0 appeal or otherwise challenge this Stipulation of Facts and Final
26 Order of Revocation and Revocation of Right to Apply (Stipulation and Final Order); (ii) this
27 Stipulation and Final Order is a public document and disclosed to the public upon request by the
28 Commission; (iii) this Stipulation and Final Order is contingent upon and subject to approval
29 and adoption by the Commission. If the Commission does not approve and adopt this

Page 1 STIPUlATlON OF FACTS, ORDER OF REVOCATION — DENISE RUTH KEESEE

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1 Stipulation and Final Order, then neither Keesee nor the Commission are bound by the terms
2 herein; (iv) she has fully read this Stipulation and Final Order, and understands it completely;
3 (v) she voluntarily, without any force or duress, enters into this Stipulation and Final Order and
4 consents to issuance and entry of the Stipulated Final Order below; (vi) she states that no
5 promises or representation has been made to induce her to sign this Stipulation and Final
6 Order; and (vii) she has consulted with an attorney regarding this Stipulation and Final Order
7 and has been fully advised with regard t0 her rights thereto, 0r waives any and all rights to
8 consult with an attorney prior to entering into this Stipulation and Final Order and issuance and
9 entry of the Stipulated Final Order below. This Order sets forth the facts upon which the parties
1O have agreed and the sanction to be imposed. Keesee stipulates that there are sufﬁcient facts
1 1 contained in the Commission’s ﬁles and records to support the ﬁndings of fact and conclusions
12 of law set forth below. In entering into this stipulation, Keesee waives the right t0 a hearing to 3
13 contest the ﬁndings of fact, conclusions of law and order set forth below.
14 STIPULATION OF FACT S
1 5 1. The Commission has licensed Keesee since May 12, 1999. Keesee currently holds a
16 Continuing Teaching License with endorsements in Basic Mathematics (ML/ HS),
17 Multiple Subjects (MIDLVL), and Special Education (ML/ HS, ECE/ELE), which was
18 issued on August 4, 2010, and expires on August 3, 2015. During all relevant times,
19 Keesee was employed by the Sherwood School District.
2O 2. On April 21, 2014, Keesee pled guilty to and was convicted of two counts of Sexual Abuse
21 in the second degree (ORS 163.425). Keesee was sentenced to thirty (30) days in jail,
22 followed by a period of probation, required to register as a sex offender, and ordered to
23 surrender her teaching license.
24 3. The above cited convictions arose from allegations that Keesee, on or about 2008 - 2009,
25 engaged in sexual contact with PF, a 16 year old male student at Sherwood High School.
26 Keesee’s sexual contact with student PF included engaging in sexual intercourse. In
Page 2 STIPULATION OF FACTSI ORDER OF REVOCATION — DENISE RUTH KEESEE

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1 addition to Keesee’s conduct that led to her criminal convictions, investigation
2 determined Keesee engaged in sexual conduct with another student. On or about 2011 -
3 2012, Keesee kissed AG, an 18 year old male student at Sherwood High School and sent
4 student AG nude photographs of herself electronically.
5 / / /
6 IT IS 2 0 STIPULA i D: //7 ' ’
7 .Inﬂ Jpn/104:-‘ _ _ Mast/[:7 —
8 Dem/7W" . Date __/
9 . A)!” .ww/ .21/0 "/5
10 '1ctoria Ch - - a - , Executive Director Date i
1 1 Teacher Standards and Practices Commission
12
13 CONCLUSION OF LAW
14 Denise Ruth Keesee subjected a student, under the age of 18, to sexual contact. Keesee
15 was subsequently convicted of two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree (ORS 163.425),
16 a class C Felony listed in ORS 342.143. Keesee’s criminal conviction constitutes gross neglect of
17 duty in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-020-oo4o(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-
18 020-0010(5) (Use professional judgment); and OAR 584-020-oo4o(1)(n) (ORS 163.425 —
19 Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree). This conduct also constitutes gross unﬁtness in violation of
20 ORS 342.175(1)(c); OAR 584-020-0040(5)(d) (Commission of an act listed in OAR 584-020-
21 0040(1)), and OAR 584-020-oo4o(5)(e) (Admission of or engaging in acts constituting
22 criminal conduct, even in the absence of a conviction).
23 Pursuant to ORS 342.175(3) and OAR 584-020-oo4o(1) the Teacher Standards and
24 Practices Commission must revoke Keesee’s license and her right to apply for a license based on
25 Keesee’s conviction of any of the crimes listed in ORS 342.143(3)(a).
26 Keesee’s conduct underlying her indictments and convictions, and her conduct with
27 student AG described above, constitutes gross neglect of duty in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b);
Page 3 STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF REVOCATION — DENISE RUTH KEESEE

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1 OAR 584-020-oo40(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(5) (Use professional
2 judgment); OAR 584-020-0040(4)(k) (knowing violation of any order or rule of the
3 Commission); OAR 584-020-oo4o(4)(0) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(D)
4 (Honoring appropriate adult boundaries with students in conduct and conversations at all
5 times), OAR 584-020-0035(3)(a) (Maintain the dignity of the profession by respecting and
6 obeying the law, exemplifying personal integrity and honesty); and OAR 584-020-oo4o(4)(f)
7 (Any sexual conduct with a student). Additionally, Keesee’s convictions and conduct constitute
8 “gross unﬁtness” in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(c), OAR 584-020-0040(3)(a) and (d) as deﬁned
9 by OAR 584-020-0040 (5) (“Gross unﬁtness is any conduct which renders an educator ‘
1O unqualiﬁed to perform his or her professional responsibilities”). l
1 1 The Commission’s authority to impose discipline in this matter is based upon ORS
1 2 342.175.
13 / / /
14 ORDER
15 The Commission adopts the above Stipulation of Facts, permanently revokes Denise
16 Ruth Keesee’s educator license, and permanently revokes Denise Ruth Keesee’s right to apply
17 for an educator license. Y1
18 IT rs so ORDERED this 1L day of April, 2015.
19 TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION
20 ‘ (
21 By:\ éﬁz 2% @ﬂ'ﬁﬂ/L/
22 oria Chamber ain, Executive Director
Page 4 STIPULATION OF FACTS, ORDER OF REVOCATION — DENISE RUTH KEESEE

CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
I HEREBY CERTIFY that I served the foregoing Stipulation of Facts and Final Order of Revocation
and Revocation 0f Right to Apply, certiﬁed by me as such, by mailing US. First Class Mail and U.S.
‘ Certiﬁed Mail — Return Receipt Requested, addressed to:
i Denise Ruth Keesee
23566 SW Voss Place
Sherwood, OR 97140-8767
DATED this /,§’% day oprril, 2015.
“n I r n‘ r7“
By: ﬁ/Z % ‘:5: QéQpCit/i
I Pa y iddell
Investigative Assistant ‘
Certiﬁcate of Mailing ~ Keesee, Denise Ruth
Data Classiﬁcation Level: 3 — Conﬁdential
DO: Liddell