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PELSB revokes, suspends multiple teaching licenses after closed deliberations
Summary
The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board adopted consent orders and stipulations on March 21, 2025, revoking or suspending several teaching licenses after deliberations that followed presentations by the educator ethics committee and guidance from the advising attorney.
The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) adopted a series of disciplinary orders on March 21, 2025, revoking and suspending several teaching licenses after closed-session deliberations.
The actions announced after deliberations included adoption of a stipulation agreement and consent order revoking Amanda Aldrin's teaching licenses; adoption of findings of fact, conclusions of law and an order revoking Christina Abichi's teaching license; adoption of an amended auto-revocation order for Juliano Human's teaching license (originally adopted February 2025); and stipulation agreements and consent orders placing Jeffrey Peterson's and Carol Seberg's teaching licenses under two-year state suspensions.
The educator ethics committee presented the case facts before the board. Alex Mountain, counsel representing the committee, told the board that one case involved a licensee who held a short-call substitute license and who, the committee contends, failed to disclose a 2019 termination of parental rights on prior renewal applications and later misrepresented that information. Mountain said the administrative law judge (ALJ) issued a recommended decision upon default after the licensee failed to appear for prehearing proceedings and that the committee asked the board to incorporate the ALJ’s recommendation and revoke the license.
Advising attorney Mr. Hassam (the board's advising attorney) instructed board members that their decision must be based exclusively on the evidence in the hearing record and that they may give probative weight to evidence commonly accepted in professional practice. He emphasized that the ALJ's report is a recommendation and that if the board deviates materially from the ALJ recommendation, its written findings must explain why.
The board voted to move into closed session to deliberate. The motion to enter closed session was made by Dr. Payne and seconded by Ms. Dyer. After deliberation in closed session, the board returned and announced the disciplinary outcomes and that parties would be notified by mail of final orders. The board subsequently approved the consent agenda, the motion for which was made by Ms. Ajo and seconded by Ms. Shumaker; the approval was recorded by roll call.
The board's actions adopt stipulation agreements and consent orders and, in at least one case, incorporate the ALJ's recommended decision following a default. The advising attorney reiterated that board members who have bias or who assisted in the investigation should disqualify themselves before voting and that written decisions must include findings of fact and conclusions on material issues.
The board meeting was convened electronically and took testimony and reports in open session before moving to closed session for deliberations. Notices of final orders will be mailed to the affected parties.
Notes: The board record shows the matters were presented by the educator ethics committee and that the ALJ's recommendation played a role in at least one default decision; the board's written orders will provide formal findings, timelines and any conditions for reinstatement if applicable.
