1 BEFORE THE TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION i
2 OF THE STATE OF OREGON
3
4 In the Matter of the ) DEFAULT ORDER OF
5 Educator License of ) REVOCATION OF
6 ALEXANDER JOSEPH TAYLOR ) OF RIGHT TO APPLY
7
8 On December 17, 2013, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (Commission)
9 issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing t0 Alexander Joseph Taylor (Taylor) in which the
10 Commission charged him with Gross Neglect of Duty. The Notice was sent via U.S. First Class
1 l Mail and U.S. Certified Mail Receipt 7012 1010 0003 2804 2414 to the address on file with the
12 Commission. The Notice designated the Commission file as the record for purposes 0f proving a
13 prima facie case. The Notice of Opportunity of Hearing, dated December 17, 2013, and signed
14 by Victoria Chamberlain, Executive Director, stated:
15 “IF A REQUEST FOR HEARING IS NOT RECEIVED WITHIN THIS 21-DAY PERIOD,
l6 YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING SHALL BE CONSIDERED WAIVED UNLESS YOUR
17 FAILURE TO REQUEST A HEARING WAS BEYOND YOUR REASONABLE CONTROL.
18 IF YOU DO NOT REQUEST A HEARING OR IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AT A
19 HEARING, THE COMMISSION WILL ADOPT AN ORDER OF DEFAULT WHICH MAY
20 INCLUDE THE REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION OF YOUR LICENSE OR OTHER
21 DISCIPLINE.”
22
23 Taylor contacted the Commission via email and advised he “Saw no need for a hearing”. The
24 Commission, therefore, finds Taylor to be in default and enters the following findings of fact,
25 conclusions of law, and final order, based on the files and records of the Commission concerning
26 this matter.
27 FINDINGS OF FACT
28 1. Taylor been licensed as a teacher in Oregon since July 11, 2007. Taylor’s Initial I Teaching
29 License, with endorsements in Integrated Science (HS), and Chemistry (HS), was issued on
30 August 13, 2010, and expired on August 12, 2013. Taylor did not submit an application for
31 renewal. On August 1, 2013, Taylor mailed the Commission a copy of his paper license, with
32 a letter advising the Commission he wanted to “forfeit” his license. During all relevant times,
33 Taylor was employed by the Oregon City School District.
1 34 2. On May 24, 2013, the Commission received information from the Oregon City School
5 35 District indicating Taylor had committed acts of unprofessional conduct. Investigations by
i 36 the Commission, the school district, and local law enforcement identified the following
37 unprofessional conduct:
38 a. Taylor failed to maintain professional boundaries with students. Taylor shared
39 photographs with students using the digital application “Snapchat”. Snapchat is
PAGE 1-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATlON, RIGHT TO APPLY — TAYLOR, ALEXANDER JOSEPH

1 designed to automatically delete a sender’s photograph or video. Snapchat is often used
2 to send sensitive materials, including nudity or related material.
3 b. During the course of the complaint investigation, female student DB told investigators
4 that during the 2012-13 school year, she had sent Taylor 40 - 50 photographs 0f herself.
5 DB informed investigators 0f the following information regarding inappropriate
6 communications between Taylor and DB:
7 o DB indicated one night she sent Taylor a Snapchat that read, “Shower time”, and Taylor l
8 replied, “Unzip a little”. 1
‘ 9 v DB said she sent Taylor a picture of her in a zip up jacket, unzipped to show her sports
i 10 bra.
‘ 1 1 0 When DB informed Taylor the school wanted to talk to her about the Snapchats, Taylor
12 replied, “Stop now. Delete everything. Don’t contact me anymore.”
13 ~ Taylor then changed his Snapchat user name and told DB to make a separate Snapchat
l4 user name.
15 - When DB asked Taylor why, Taylor replied, “I don’t look good in orange”. When DB
16 asked Taylor what that meant, Taylor replied, “Jail colors are orange.”
17 0 DB then created a separate Snapchat user name.
18 u DB said Taylor offered to drive her home 0n two occasions, but she did not go with him.
19 - DB said Taylor asked her to come to his apartment in West Linn, and Taylor had offered
20 to give her a ride to his apartment to “make out”.
21 0 DB texted Taylor one night from her cell phone, and Taylor told her to only contact him
22 through Snapchat because texting is more traceable.
23 e DB said she sent Taylor a lot of pictures of herself in a bra and thong underwear and
24 pictures of her bare butt.
25 0 DB said she sent Taylor pictures of that nature several times a day.
26 0 DB said she received pictures from Taylor. DB said Taylor sent her face pictures, a
27 picture of himself shirtless, and a picture of Taylor’s clothed crotch while sitting at his
28 desk at school.
29 ~ DB said she was at school when she received the Snapchat of Taylor’s crotch and stated
3O the caption with the picture read, “Come sit here”. DB said she replied, “I wish”. DB said
31 her friend witnessed the picture as well.
32 e DB said Taylor told her she was his fantasy, and Taylor was obsessed with her.
33 DB said Taylor also told her he wanted t0, “Make out" with her and asked if she had
PAGE 2-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION, RIGHT TO APPLY - TAYLOR, ALEXANDER JOSEPH

1 ever had sex with her boyfriend. DB said she was a virgin, and Taylor told her, “Good,
2 save yourself for me.”
3 3. Taylor was charged by local authorities with the crime Official Misconduct, ORS 162.415, a ‘
4 class A misdemeanor, based upon the information contained in section 2 above. On August l
5 26, 2013, Taylor pled guilty to two counts of Official Misconduct in the Clackamas County
6 Circuit Court. As part 0f his plea agreement, Taylor agreed t0 surrender his teaching license,
7 which Taylor mailed to the Commission on August 1, 2013, with a letter indicating he wished
8 to forfeit his license.
9 CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
10 Taylor's conduct as described in section two (2) above constitutes gross neglect of duty in
l 1 violation of of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-020-004o(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-
12 0010(1) (Recognize the worth and dignity of all persons and respect for each individual), OAR
13 584-020-oo1o(5) (Use professional judgment); OAR 584-020-oo4o(4)(0) as it incorporates
14 OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(D) (Honoring appropriate adult boundaries with students in
15 conduct and conversations at all times); and OAR 584-020-004o(4)(f) (Any sexual conduct
16 with a student) as that term is defined by OAR 584-020-0005(5).
l7 Taylor’s conduct underlying his criminal conviction as described in section three (3)
18 above, constitutes gross neglect of duty in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584'020—
19 0040(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(5) (Use professional judgment). This conduct
20 also constitutes gross unfitness in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(c); OAR 584-020-0040(5)(c)
21 (Conviction of violating any federal, state, or local law. A conviction includes any final
22 judgment 0f conviction by a court whether as the result of guilty plea, no contest plea or any
23 other means), specifically ORS 162.415 (Oflicial Misconduct). Taylor’s conduct that resulted in
24 the criminal conviction also constitutes gross unfitness in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(c); OAR
l 25 584-o2o-oo4o(5)(e) (Admission 0f or engaging in acts constituting criminal conduct, even in
” 26 the absence of a conviction), specifically ORS 162.415 (Oflicial Misconduct).
27
28 The Commission’s authority to impose discipline in this matter is based upon ORS 342.175.
29
3 O FINAL ORDER
3 1 The Commission hereby revokes Alexander Joseph Taylor’s right to apply for a teaching
32 license.
PAGE 3-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION, RIGHT TO APPLY — TAYLOR, ALEXANDER JOSEPH

a t
1 IT IS SO ORDERED THIS Hf’ day of February, 2014.
2 TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION
3
4
5 By: _._. __ ..-_.___
6 Victoria Chamberlain, Executive Director
7
8 NOTICE OF APPEAL OR RIGHTS
9
10 YOU ARE ENTITLED TO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW MAY BE
1 1 OBTAINED BY FILING A PETITION FOR REVIEW WITHIN 60 DAYS FROM THE SERVICE OF
12 THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW IS PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ORS 183.482 TO
13 THE OREGON COURT OF APPEALS.
l
. l
PAGE 4-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION, RIGHT T0 APPLY - TAYLOR, ALEXANDER JOSEPH

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: .
Alexander Joseph Taylor j
3204 NE 31st Ave i
Portland, OR 97212-2617 f
I, I
Dated this ll I” day of February, 2014. i
By: (I 1
atty ' de v i '
i
I
PAGE 1— CERTIFICATE OF MAILING— TAYLOR, ALEXANDER JOSEPH