1 BEFORE THE TEACHERS STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF OREGON 2 3 In the Matter of the Administrative 4 License of: STIPULATED ORDER OF DISCIPLINE 5 JOHN SNODGRASS 6 7 On March l3, 2000, the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission 8 ("Commission") issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing to John Snodgrass. On 9 March 31, 2000, Mr. Snodgrass requested the matter be set for hearing. After further 10 review, Mr. Snodgrass and the Commission have agreed that their respective interests, 11 together with the public interest, are best served by a stipulation to certain facts and 12 discipline. This order sets forth the facts upon which the parties have agreed and the 13 sanction to be imposed. In entering into this stipulation, Mr. Snodgrass waives his right , 14 to a hearing to contest the findings of fact, conclusions of law, and orders set forth below. 15 Stipulated Facts 16 1. John Snodgrass holds a Standard Administrative License valid through ‘ 17 November 7 , 2002. He was employed by the Scio School District from September, 1996, 13 to June, 1999. His employment was terminated in a reduction in force. He is currently 19 employed as the principal of the Mohawk Junior and Senior High School in the Marcola 20 School District. 21 2. Mr. Snodgrass has been licensed since 1971, and has not been the subject of 22 any prior proceedings of the Commission. He is 54 years old, has been married 32 years, 23 and has adult children with teaching credentials. 24 3. Between February 25, 1999, and June l4, 1999, he used a school computer 25 to access introductory pages displaying nudity or text pages at "adult" Internet sites. The 26 cumulative time was approximately one hour and 15 minutes in total over these several i LUVAAS, COBB, RICHARDS, 8| FRASER, P.C. ATTORNEYS AT LAW 777 High Street, Suite 300 PD. Box 10747 Stipulated Order of Discipline - 1 ETEZFQZSZ? 1 months. The visits were relatively preliminary or tentative. Mr. Snodgrass did not . 2 subscribe to any such services and did not use a credit card. The sites did not involve 3 child pornography. All questionable use was after school hours, and no students were 4 exposed to such materials. 5 4. There is no evidence that Mr. Snodgrass accessed any inappropriate sites 6 after June l4, 1999, when he left the Scio School District. There is no evidence that he 7 engaged in any such use at the Marcola School District. 8 5. At the time, the Scio School District permitted personal use of school 9 computers for matters such as electronic mail, and its user agreement did not bar access 10 to obscene materials on the World Wide Web. Mr. Snodgrass, however, concurs that such 11 use was inappropriate. 12 6. Mr. Snodgrass was examined by Steven E. Mussack, Ph.D., a licensed 13 clinical psychologist. After 15 testing methodologies, Dr. Mussack found that Mr. ‘ l4 Snodgrass poses no risk of harm to children and that there was no information to suggest 15 parafilia or pedophilia. 16 7. Mr. Snodgrass is an administrator who enjoys favorable reviews from the 17 superintendent at the time of his employment at the Scio School District and from the 18 superintendent of his current school district. 19 Conclusions 20 Mr. Snodgrass and the Commission concur that in his prior use of a school 21 computer after hours, he failed to demonstrate a commitment to use professional judgment. 22 His conduct violated OAR 584-020-0010(5). 23 Discussion 24 The Commission gives consideration to the factors on disciplinary sanctions as 25 required by OAR 584-020-0045: 26 \\\ O P.0. Box 10747 Stipulated Order of Discipline - 2 3153743532320 1 l. Although the conduct involved a series of incidents, each was relatively brief . 2 in time, occurred after school hours, and was not a matter of current conduct; 3 2. The likelihood of recurrence of the conduct is small, insofar as Mr. 4 Snodgrass has voluntarily corrected the matter on his own initiative six months prior to this 5 investigation; 6 3. This administrator has worked in education over a period of about 19 years 7 and has not been the subject of prior disciplinary proceedings; 8 4. This administrator poses no danger to students; 9 5. The infraction was not open or notorious and had no effect upon students; 10 6. The administrator’s state of mind at the time involved an inappropriate 11 curiosity. His attitude, before the investigation commenced, has been remorseful; 12 7. The administrator will use his experience as a painful lesson which he can 13 apply in his understanding and managing of computer use at school. 14 Order ‘ 15 The Administrative License of John Snodgrass will be suspended for a period of 30 16 days from the date of his signature upon these findings, 12:00 p.m., July 28, 2000, to 17 12 :00 p.m., August 27, 2000, contingent upon the approval of the Commission thereafter. 18 During the period 0f suspension, he will not engage in any teaching activities and will not 19 be employed by any school district. Upon reinstatement, Mr. Snodgrass shall be placed 20 upon probation to the Commission for a period of two years. Conditions of probation shall 21 be as follows: (l) Mr. Snodgrass shall make no use of a school computer for the purpose 22 of viewing obscene materials; (2) Mr. Snodgrass will participate in counseling as 23 recommended by Dr. Mussack; (3) Mr. Snodgrass shall comply with all standards of 24 competent and ethical performance under OAR 584, Division 20; and (4) Mr. Snodgrass 25 shall provide such information as the Commission requests to verify that he has complied 26 with the conditions of probation, including a statement from his employing school district . M F.O. Box 10747 Stipulated Order of Discipline — 3 Eigjireng-giggo 1 that he has complied with the standards of an competent and ethical educator under OAR ' 2 584, Division 20. ~ *\"~ 3 Dated this y/U day of