BOISE, ID – The Professional Standards Commission (PSC) disciplined two teachers last week for failing to maintain appropriate relationships with students and/or colleagues.
A former Homedale teacher’s certificates were revoked, and a former West Ada teacher’s certificates were suspended. More details on both cases are below.
The PSC is a volunteer board of 18 teachers, school administrators and higher education officials. The board enforces the state’s code of ethics and has the authority to approve, suspend and revoke teaching and administrative certificates in Idaho.
Revocation
Nicole Gerlock, Homedale Joint School District
Ethics violation: Failure to maintain a professional relationship with all students.
Disciplinary action: Certificates revoked.
Because the PSC redacted part of Gerlock’s stipulation document, it is unclear what she did to merit this punishment. The redacted portion revealed only that Gerlock sprayed something.
Gerlock did not agree with the allegations, but admitted there was “sufficient evidence” that laws and rules were violated.
Gerlock held a K-8 teaching certificate, and a K-12 special education endorsement.
Suspension
Ryan “Pete” Kinnaman, West Ada School District
Ethics violations: Failure to maintain appropriate relationships with students, failure to ensure just and equitable treatment for all members of the profession.
Disciplinary action: Certificates suspended from July 1, 2024, until June 30, 2025, and until completion of two approved courses on ethics and boundaries. If Kinnaman secures another education job, he must provide the PSC with a letter from an administrator at his school before the end of the second year indicating there have not been any credible reports about inappropriate comments or actions between him and any students or colleagues.
The PSC alleges that Kinnaman did the following:
- Left his students unattended in his classroom.
- Made inappropriate and/or vulgar gestures and comments to student(s).
- Used euphemisms instead of anatomically correct names for body parts.
- Used inappropriate body language and/or invaded the personal space of student(s).
- Failed to maintain proper teacher-student professional boundaries.
- Made inappropriate and/or vulgar comments to colleagues.
Kinnaman received a written reprimand in 2020 from the school where he was employed related to the above conduct, and was placed on probation in 2022 for similar behavior. At the end of the 2023-24 school year, the school investigated Kinnaman’s behavior and he resigned.
Kinnaman did not agree with the allegations, but admitted there was “sufficient evidence” that laws and rules were violated.
Kinnaman held an administrator certificate and a 6-12 social studies teaching certificate.
This story first appeared on on IdahoEdNews.org. Idaho Education News data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report.