l BEFORE THE TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION 2 OF THE STATE OF OREGON 3 4 In the Matter of the Educator ) DEFAULT ORDER OF 5 License of ) REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO 6 SARAH SWAN SON-SUHRSTEDT ) APPLY FOR AN EDUCATOR LICENSE 7 8 9 On December 13, 2013, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission 10 (Commission) issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing to Sarah Louise Swanson- 11 Suhrstedt (Swanson-Suhrstedt) in which the Commission charged her with Gross Neglect of 12 Duty. The Notice was sent via U.S. First Class Mail and U.S. Certified Mail Receipt 7012 13 1010 0003 2804 2384 to the address on file with the Commission. The Notice designated l4 the Commission file as the record for purposes of proving a prima facie case. The Certified 15 Mail receipt was returned, signed to the Commission on December 18, 2013. The regular 16 mail was not returned to the Commission‘ The Notice 0f Opportunity of Hearing, dated 17 December 13, 2013, and signed by Victoria Chamberlain, Executive Director, stated: 18 l9 “IF A REQUEST FOR HEARING IS NOT RECEIVED WITHIN THIS 21-DAY 20 PERIOD, YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING SHALL BE CONSIDERED WAIVED 21 UNLESS YOUR FAILURE TO REQUEST A HEARING WAS BEYOND YOUR 22 REASONABLE CONTROL. IF YOU DO NOT REQUEST A HEARING OR IF YOU 23 FAIL TO APPEAR AT A HEARING, THE COMMISSION WILL ADOPT AN ORDER 24 OF DEFAULT WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION OF 25 YOUR LICENSE OR OTHER DISCIPLINE.” 26 ' 27 On January 2, 2014, the Commission received Swanson-Suhrstedt ‘s request for a hearing. 28 On January 8, 2014, Swanson-Suhrstedt withdrew her request a hearing and elected to ‘ 29 default. The Commission, therefore, finds Swanson-Suhrstedt to be in default and enters the i 30 following findings of fact, conclusions of law, and final order, based on the files and records 31 of the Commission concerning this matter. 32 33 FINDINGS OF FACT 34 1. Swanson-Suhrstedt has been licensed by the Commission since July 10, 2007. Swanson- 35 Suhrstedt previously held an Initial I Teaching License, issued September 10, 2010, with 36 endorsements in Multiple Subjects (Middle Level), Biology (HS,ML), and Chemistry PAGE 1-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO APPLY FOR LICENSURE- SWANSON- SUHRSTEDT, SARAH LOUISE | l (HS,ML), which expired on September 9, 2013. During all relevant times, Swanson- ; 2 Suhrstedt was employed by the Central Point School District. 3 I I 4 2. On or about February of 2012, Swanson-Suhrstedt engaged in sexual relations with an 1 5 eighteen year old student CB while CB was house-sitting at his grandparents’ residence. 6 Swanson-Suhrstedt’s sexual encounters with CB included sexual intercourse, Swanson- 7 Suhrstedt performing oral sex on CB, and other physical sexual conduct. Swanson- 8 Suhrstedt was not the teacher for any of student CB’s classes. 9 10 3. During the 2011-2012 school year, Swanson-Suhrstedt engaged in inappropriate 1 1 conversations with an 18 year old male student MC via text messages and the cell phone 12 application “Voxer”. The conversations included sexually explicit subjects. On one l3 occasion, Swanson-Suhrstedt sent MC a text message asking MC to come over to her 14 residence. MC replied, “What would we do?" and Swanson-Suhrstedt responded, 15 “Chemistry”. MC replied to Swanson-Suhrstedt’s text, “Sexual chemistry?” and Swanson- 16 Suhrstedt answered, “Are you game?” In February of 2012, Swanson-Suhrstedt met with 17 MC and discussed with him Swanson-Suhrstedt’s sexual relations with another 18 year 18 old male student, CB. Swanson-Suhrstedt told MC that she had sexual intercourse with 19 CB, describing the act as “horrible” and being like a “jackhammer”. 2O 21 4. On or about February-March of 2012, Swanson-Suhrstedt engaged in inappropriate 22 conversations with student JP. The conversations included sexually explicit subjects. 23 On one occasion, Swanson-Suhrstedt discussed with JP her sexual relations with 24 student, CB. Swanson-Suhrstedt told JP that she had sexual intercourse with CB at 25 CB’s grandparent’s home. Swanson-Suhrstedt told JP that she cared about CB and 26 wanted t0 have sex with him again. Swanson-Suhrstedt also told JP that she had 27 taken a blood test and believed she might be pregnant and experiencing morning 28 sickness. 29 / / / 30 / / / 31 / / / PAGE 2-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO APPLY FOR LlCENSURE- SWANSON- SUHRSTEDT, SARAH LOUISE 1 CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 2 Swanson-Suhrstedt’s conduct described in section two above, constitutes gross 3 neglect of duty in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-020-0040(4)(n) as it 4 incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(1) (Recognize the worth and dignity of all persons and 5 respect for each individual), OAR 584-020-001o(5) (Use professional judgment) ; OAR 6 584-020-0040(4)(o) as it incorporates OAR 584—020-0035(1)(c)(D) (Honoring 7 appropriate adult boundaries with students in conduct and conversations at all times); 8 and OAR 584—020-0040(4)(t) (Any sexual conduct with a student) as that term is defined 9 by OAR 584-o2o-ooo5(5). 10 1 1 Swanson-Suhrstedt’s conduct described in section three above, constitutes gross 12 neglect of duty in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-020-oo4o(4)(n) as it 13 incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(1) (Recognize the worth and dignity of all persons and 14 respect for each individual), OAR 584-020-0010(5) (Use professional judgment); OAR 15 584-020-0040(4)(0) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(B) (Not accepting 0r 16 giving 0r exchanging romantic or overly personal gifts or notes with a student), OAR 584- 17 020-0035(1)(c)(D) (Honoring appropriate adult boundaries with students in conduct and l 18 conversations at all times); and OAR 584-020-004o(4)(t) (Any sexual conduct with a ‘ 19 student) as that term is defined by OAR 584-020-0005(5). 20 21 Swanson-Suhrstedt’s conduct described in section four above, constitutes gross 22 neglect of duty in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-020-oo4o(4)(n) as it 23 incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(1) (Recognize the worth and dignity 0f all persons and l 24 respect for each individual), OAR 584-020-001o(5) (Use professional judgment) ; OAR 25 584-020-0040(4)(o) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(D) (Honoring 26 appropriate adult boundaries with students in conduct and conversations at all times); 27 and OAR 584-020-0040(4)(f) (Any sexual conduct with a student) as that term is defined 28 by OAR 584-020-ooo5(5). I 29 3O The Commission’s authority to impose discipline in this matter is based upon ORS 31 342.175. i PAGE 3-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO APPLY FOR LICENSURE- SWANSON- SUHRSTEDT, SARAH LOUISE l FINAL ORDER 2 The Commission hereby revokes Sarah Louise Swanson-Suhrstedt’s Right to Apply 3 for an Educator license. 4 IT IS SO ORDERED THIS [(2% day of January, 2014. 5 TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION 1 6 By: 1 i 7 Victoria Chamberlain, Executive Director ‘ 8 3 9 NOTICE OF APPEAL OR RIGHTS 10 l l YOU ARE ENTITLED TO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW 12 MAY BE OBTAINED BY FILING A PETITION FOR REVIEW WITHIN 60 DAYS FROM l3 THE SERVICE OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW IS PURSUANT TO THE l4 PROVISIONS OF ORS 183.482 TO THE OREGON COURT OF APPEALS. PAGE 4-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO APPLY FOR LICENSURE- SWANSON- SUHRSTEDT, SARAH LOUISE 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: Sarah Louise Swanson-Suhrstedt 5485 SW 149th Ave Beaverton, OR 97007-7727 +1. Dated this [Q day of January, 2014. By: “Lg/ Patty dell Investigative Assistant PAGE 1- CERTIFICATE OF MAILING— SWANSON-SUHRSTEDT, SARAH LOUISE