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!

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
This podcast is for educational purposes only, does
not constitute legal advice, anddoes not create an
attorney-client relationship.
If you need legal assistanceabout a legal problem, contact
an attorney.
You went to school for this, youhelp kids learn, you show up
every day.
But one simple mistake or even amisunderstanding could put your

(00:21):
entire career at risk.
Today on Know Your Regulator,we're talking about something
that most educators never expectto face, the types of criminal
charges that can endanger yourTexas teaching certificate, and
what really happens when theTexas Education Agency gets
involved.
When people think about teachersgetting in trouble with the
state, they usually imagine somesort of misconduct within the

(00:41):
classroom.
But a surprising number ofinvestigations actually come
from off-duty behavior, thingsthat happen outside of the
classroom on weekends or evenyears before you started
teaching.
The Texas Education Agency orTEA can suspend, revoke, or deny
your certificate if they feellike a crime shows that you have
poor moral character or thatyou're unfit to teach.

(01:04):
So it's not just what happensinside the school, it's what
happens outside of the classroomoff duty when you're not wearing
a badge.
So let's walk through the fivemain categories that get
teachers in trouble with TEA.
Number one, crimes involving anychildren.
Any offense involving abuse,exploitation, neglect of a child
is handled with zero tolerance.

(01:24):
That includes physical abuse,sexual offenses, and the failure
to report suspected abuse, whichyou are a mandated reporter as a
teacher.
So under Texas law, thosefindings can lead to permanent
revocation and a lifetime banfrom school employment.
So number two, we have crimes ofmoral turpitude.
And these are crimes likedishonesty, unethical behavior

(01:47):
like theft or fraud, even asmall misdemeanor can raise
doubts about your integrity.
And it's not about the actitself, but whether the state
can trust you with its studentsand its records.
Number three is drug-relatedoffenses.
A single possession charge canlead to mandatory reporting, and
that can lead to a potentialsuspension.

(02:10):
Even if it happened years ago,TEA can still review it during
the renewal of your license.
And something to note, they lookat rehabilitation.
So what kind of things have youdone to rebuild your life since
that offense?
They're not just looking at thetime that's passed.
Number four is felonies andviolent crimes.
So any felony assault, domesticviolence, or DUI with injury can

(02:33):
endanger your teaching license.
And even misdemeanors involvingviolence can raise concerns
about the safety of yourstudents.
So number five is sexualmisconduct and inappropriate
relations.
TEA must, they must revoke thecertification for certain sexual
offenses involving students.
And even boundary crossing likea DM or a private message can

(02:56):
start an investigation.
So that zero tolerance policy isalso protecting your boundaries
too.
So if you're arrested orcharged, what happens next?
By law, the school district isrequired to report an educator
arrest to TEA.
So once TEA has that report,they usually initiate an

(03:17):
investigation.
You'll most likely get a letterasking for your side of the
story, some supportingdocuments, maybe a response to
the alleged violation.
And from there, TEA can placeyour certificate on probation,
they can suspend it while thecase is moving, or sometimes
they can even go for fullrevocation of your license.
Now, something really big tonote is that even if your

(03:38):
criminal case is dismissed, TEAcan still take a look at that
underlying conduct.
Why were you arrested?
What was the alleged offense?
And how do they feel about thatwith you being an educator?
So that is why early legaladvice is so important.
It is not just about the courtoutcomes, it's about protecting

(04:00):
your career.
So three things that every Texaseducator should remember.
Number one, be proactive.
If you're arrested, even forsomething unrelated to teaching,
talk to an attorney whounderstands educator licensing.
Number two, understand the grayareas.
Not every crime means automaticrevocation, but every case does
get reviewed.

(04:20):
Number three, never hide it.
Don't hide it.
Don't try and lie on top of it.
Failing to disclose things canbecome a bigger issue than the
charge itself, and honesty givesyou the best chance to show
rehabilitation.
Again, this is something thatmost teachers would never expect
that they would experience intheir career.

(04:41):
They would never imagine thatsomething in their personal life
could threaten their career, butawareness is power.
When you know your regulator,you protect your profession, you
protect your livelihood, andyour peace of mind.

(05:01):
Stay informed, stay compliant,and until next time, continue
engaging with your regulatoryagency.
Know your regulator, the podcastthat inspires you to engage.