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 Educator License of ) REVOCATION AND REVOCATION 6 ) OF RIGHT 7 DANNY LEE CEIPLIS ) TO APPLY FOR LICENSURE 8 9 On September 13, 2017, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission 10 (Commission) issued a Notice 0f Opportunity for Hearing t0 Danny Lee Ceiplis (Ceiplis) 1 1 in which the Commission charged him with Gross Neglect of Duty and Gross Unfitness. 12 The Notice was sent via U.S. First Class Mail and U.S. Certified Mail Receipt 7016 1370 13 0000 0901 8962 to the address on file with the Commission. The Notice designated the 14 Commission file as the record for purposes 0f proving a prima facie case. The Certified 15 Mail was not returned to the Commission. The regular first class mail was not returned 16 to the Commission, and assumed delivered. The Notice of Opportunity for Hearing, 17 dated September 13, 2017, and signed by Trent Danowski, Co-Interirn Executive 18 Director, stated: 19 “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 D0 NOT REQUEST A HEARING OR IF 23 YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AT A HEARING, THE COMMISSION WILL ADOPT AN 24 ORDER OF DEFAULT WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE REVOCATION OR 25 SUSPENSION OF YOUR LICENSE OR OTHER DISCIPLINE.” 26 27 Ceiplis did not request a hearing. The Commission, therefore, finds Ceiplis to be in 28 default and enters the following findings of fact, conclusions 0f law, and final order, 29 based on the files and records of the Commission concerning this matter. 30 FINDINGS OF FACT 31 1. Danny Lee Ceiplis has been licensed by the Commission since April 7, 2005. Ceiplis 32 held an Initial II Teaching License, with an endorsement in Multiple Subjects Self- 33 Contained (ECE, ELE), that was valid from May 22, 2014, through May 21, 2017. 34 During all relevant times, Ceiplis was employed by the Salem-Keizer School District. 35 2. On July 22, 2016, the Commission received a report from the Salem Keizer School 36 District indicating Ceiplis was the subject of an investigation related to allegations 0f 37 misconduct, including sexual conduct with a student. Subsequent school district, law PAGE 1-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION AND REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO APPLY - DANNY LEE CEIPLIS 1 enforcement, and Commission investigations determined that between 2004 and 2 2010, for a period of approximately six years, Ceiplis engaged in sexual conduct with 3 a minor child. Ceiplis’ conduct continued after the child reached the age of 18, for 4 another three years, 2010 through 2013. 5 3. Investigation determined that beginning in the summer of 2004, Ceiplis began 6 engaging in mutual / group masturbation with a then 12 year 01d male. Ceiplis and 7 the child would regularly undress and masturbate together. Ceiplis’ conduct 8 continued monthly for approximately nine years (six years when the victim was a 9 minor, and another three years after he became an adult). Sometimes Ceiplis would 10 touch the child’s penis to get him started or show him how. Ceiplis built several 1 1 homemade masturbation devices and occasionally used them together with the child 12 when they masturbated. During Ceiplis’ interviews with law enforcement, Ceiplis 13 admitted he had a sexual attraction to pubescent boys age 12 to 18. 14 4. On July 14, 2016, Ceiplis was charged in the Marion County Circuit Court with two 15 (2) counts of Attempt to commit a Class A Felony (Using a Child in a Display of 16 Sexually Explicit Conduct, ORS 163.670), four counts of Using a Child in a Display of 17 Sexually Explicit Conduct, ORS 163.670, and one count of Sexual Abuse in the Third 18 Degree, ORS 163.415. On March 15, 2017, as part of a plea agreement, Ceiplis was 19 convicted of two counts of Attempt t0 Commit a Class A Felony (Using a Child in a 20 Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct, ORS 163.670), and one count of Sexual Abuse 21 in the Third Degree, ORS 163.415. Ceiplis was sentenced in part, to a total of 180 22 days in jail, 60 months of probation supervision, and required to register as a sex 23 offender. 24 CONCLUSIONS 0F LAW 25 Danny Lee Ceiplis’ criminal convictions constitute gross neglect of duty in 26 violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-02o-oo4o(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584- 27 o2o-001o(5) (Use professional judgment); and OAR 584-020-oo4o(1) (The 28 Commission will deny, revoke or deny the right to apply for a license or charter school 29 registration to any applicant or educator who, has been convicted of any of the crimes 30 listed in ORS 342.143, 0r the substantial equivalent of any of those crimes if convicted 31 in another jurisdiction), including ORS 163.670 — Using a Child in a Display of PAGE 2-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION AND REVOCATION 0F RIGHT TO APPLY - DANNY LEE CEIPLIS 1 Sexually Explicit Conduct, and ORS 163.415 -Sex Abuse in the Third Degree. This 2 conduct also constitutes gross unfitness in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(c); OAR 584- 3 o20-0040(5)(c) (Conviction of violating any federal, state, or local law. A conviction 4 includes any final judgment of conviction by a court whether as the result of guilty 5 plea, no contest plea or any other means); OAR 584-020-oo4o(5)(d) (Commission of 6 an act listed in OAR 584-02o-oo4o(1)); and OAR 584-02o-oo4o(5)(e) (Admission of or 7 engaging in acts constituting criminal conduct, even in the absence of a conviction). 8 9 Pursuant to ORS 342.175(3) and OAR 584-020-oo4o(1) the Teacher Standards 10 and Practices Commission must revoke Ceiplis’ license and Ceiplis’ right t0 apply for a 11 license based on conviction of any of the crimes listed in ORS 342.143(3)(a), or the 12 substantial equivalent 0f any 0f those crimes. l3 14 Furthermore, the conduct underlying Ceiplis’ indictments and convictions 15 constitutes gross neglect of duty in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(b); OAR 584-020- 16 oo40(4)(n) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0010(5) (Use professional judgment); OAR 17 584-020-oo4o(4)(k)( Violation of any rule or order of the Commission); OAR 584- 18 020-oo4o(4)(f) (Any sexual conduct with a student) as defined by OAR 584-020- 19 0005(5); OAR 584-o2o-oo4o(4)(o) as it incorporates OAR 584-020-0035(1)(c)(D) 20 (Honoring appropriate adult boundaries with students in conduct and conversations 21 at all times); and OAR 584-020-0035(3)(a)(Maintain the dignity of the profession by 22 respecting and obeying the law, exemplifying personal integrity and honesty). 23 Additionally, Ceiplis’ criminal convictions and conduct related t0 Ceiplis’ convictions 24 constitute “gross unfitness” in violation of ORS 342.175(1)(c); OAR 584-020-oo4o(3)(c) 25 and (d) as defined by OAR 584-020-0040 (5) (Gross unfitness is any conduct which 26 renders an educator unqualified to perform his or her professional responsibilities). 27 28 The C0mmission’s authority t0 impose discipline in this matter is based upon ORS 29 342.175. 30 //// 31 //// 32 //// PAGE 3-DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION AND REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO APPLY - DANNY LEE CEIPLIS l FINAL ORDER 2 The Commission hereby revokes Danny Lee Ceiplis’ teaching license and his right 3 to apply for licensure. ‘(LL 4 IT IS SO ORDERED THIS Qé “day of October, 2017. 5 TEACHER STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION 6 7 8 By: 9 Trent Danowski, Co-Interim Executive Director 10 1 1 12 13 NOTICE OF APPEAL OR RIGHTS 14 15 YOU ARE ENTITLED TO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW MAY 16 BE OBTAINED BY FILING A PETITION FOR REVIEW WITHIN 60 DAYS FROM THE 17 SERVICE OF THIS ORDER. JUDICIAL REVIEW IS PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 18 ORS 183.482 TO THE OREGON COURT OF APPEALS. PAGE 4—DEFAULT ORDER OF REVOCATION AND REVOCATION OF RIGHT TO APPLY - DANNY LEE CElPLIS