Minn. educator licensing board adopts multiple discipline orders, suspensions and revocations

The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board on Jan. 17 held oral arguments in four contested teaching‑license matters and then, after a closed deliberation, adopted a series of findings and orders that included suspensions, a reported revocation recommendation and other sanctions.

The board, chaired in the proceeding by Angelo Suji, heard oral argument from assistant attorneys general representing the Educator Ethics Committee and from counsel for at least one licensee before moving to closed session to deliberate. Assistant Attorney General Jermel Zayed told the board in the Julie Anderson matter that the case was a default: "This is a default... the licensee did not show up to the pre hearing conference... and that means the allegations and the notice in order for hearing were deemed admitted." Assistant Attorney General Carly Rasmussen recommended revocation in the Daniel James Felton matter, saying the committee "respectfully recommends that the board issue an order adopting the judge's findings and revoking licensee's teaching license." In the Sarah Han matter, counsel for Han said, "Miss Han never provided any student with marijuana or any substance."

Why it matters: The board's actions affect the employment eligibility and licensure status of the named teachers and signal how the board and its Educator Ethics Committee are applying disciplinary standards, including how they handle defaults at the Office of Administrative Hearings and contested cases with live testimony.

What the board heard and found - Julie Anderson: The Educator Ethics Committee presented the case as a default at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), arguing the licensee failed to appear for pre‑hearing proceedings and did not respond to an order to show cause. The committee recited a series of prior district disciplinary actions and recommended…