Moral turpitude
Moral turpitude is conduct for which the Professional Standards and Practices Commission (Commission) may impose discipline on a professional educator as stated in § 5(a)(11) of Act 141 of 1973 (P.L. 397). Under the power given by § 5(a)(11), the Commission adopted Chapter 237 of 22 PA Code to define terms, one of which is moral turpitude.
Moral turpitude is defined for the purposes of discipline imposed upon a professional educator by the Commission in 22 Pa Code § 237.9. It includes the following:
(1) That element and personal misconduct in the private and social duties which a person owes to his fellow human beings or to society in general, which characterizes the act done as an act of baseness, vileness or depravity, and contrary to the accepted and customary rule of right and duty between two human beings.
(2) Conduct done knowingly contrary to justice, honesty or good morals.
(3) Intentional, knowing or reckless conduct causing bodily injury to another or intentional, knowing or reckless conduct which, by physical menace, put another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.
The determination of whether a crime or misdemeanor involves moral turpitude is considered in 22 Pa Code § 237.9(b) and (c).
Regulations of the State Board of Education 22 PA Code § 237.9