2021 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 70. Schools
§70-6-101.6b. Prohibiting disciplinary action against teachers for reporting violations of law.
A. For purposes of this section, "teacher" means the term as defined in paragraph 1 of Section 1-116 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
B. No school district shall prohibit or take disciplinary action against teachers for:
1. Disclosing public information to correct what the teacher reasonably believes evidences a violation of the Oklahoma Constitution or law or a rule promulgated pursuant to law;
2. Reporting a violation of the Oklahoma Constitution or state or federal law; or
3. Taking any of the above actions without giving prior notice to the teacher's supervisor or anyone else in the teacher's chain of command.
C. For the purposes of this section, "reporting" means providing a spoken or written account to a supervising teacher, administrator, school board member, representative from the State Department of Education, law enforcement official, district attorney and/or parent or legal guardian of a student directly impacted by the actions.
D. Each school district shall prominently post or publish a copy of this section of law in locations where it can reasonably be expected to come to the attention of all teachers.
E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow a teacher to violate students' or parents' rights to confidentiality and protection under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Added by Laws 2017, c. 291, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2017.
