What Types of Crimes Can Endanger My Teaching License?
You worked for years to earn your Texas teaching certificate, so how can a single mistake put it all at risk? In this quick episode of Know Your Regulator, we unpack how the Texas Education Agency (TEA) evaluates educator conduct, when districts must report arrests, and why the agency can review your behavior even if a criminal case gets dismissed. Using plain language, we map the five categories that drive most license actions: offenses involving children, crimes of moral turpitude, drug-related charges, felonies and violent crimes, and sexual misconduct or boundary violations. Along the way, we highlight what “poor moral character” means in practice and how TEA balances safety, trust, and rehabilitation.
We take you inside the process step by step: the district report that triggers a case, the TEA letter requesting your response, and the range of outcomes from probation to suspension to full revocation. You’ll hear why honesty and timely disclosure often matter more than the charge itself, and how documentation of rehabilitation (treatment, training, counseling, or even community involvement) can shift the decision. We also talk about digital boundaries, private messages, and how small misjudgments can escalate when they cross into student interactions.
To close, we share three protective moves any educator can make today: be proactive with counsel who understands educator licensing, learn the gray areas so you can anticipate review, and never hide a reportable event. If you care about safeguarding your license, your livelihood, and your peace of mind, this is a must-listen for clarity. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs this, and leave a review telling us the one takeaway you’ll act on this week!
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Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator – https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/