Forum Music Teachers Association

Guidelines for Teachers, Chairs, and Volunteers

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This information establishes suggested guidelines of professional behavior to provide support for chairs, teachers, and volunteers at Forum events, covering three areas: Guidelines for Professional Behavior, Guidelines for Event Responsibilities, and Guidelines for Safety of Minor Participants.

Professional Behavior

All chairs and volunteers should treat others with civility, understanding, and encouragement when asking questions and expressing concerns. All comments and questions should be handled in a quiet, professional manner. No chair, volunteer, or teacher may treat another with disrespect.

Event Responsibilities

Chairs, teachers, and volunteers should:

  • Adhere to the guidelines of the Forum event at which they are working, and any additional directions provided by the chair of the event.
  • Adhere to the required timelines of the event, arrive on time, and do not leave early.
  • Respond to email or other correspondence in a timely manner.
  • Value your professional intuition, if any situation makes you uncomfortable, ask or report to the chair and/or the chair’s mentor.
  • Follow the leadership chain for the event, teachers and volunteers report to the chair, whose decisions are final.
  • Report immediately any safety incidents, including anything involving Texas Family Code, Section 261.101.
  • Provide a written follow-up after the event to the chair and president for any incident.


Chairs should additionally provide written instructions to volunteers and judges at least two weeks prior to the event, and should contact their Chair Mentor or the President if unsure how to handle a situation.

Safety of Minor Participants

Safety of minor participants is a priority. Forum follows Section 261.101 of the Texas Family Code, which mandates that anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect must report it immediately, either to any local or state law enforcement agency, or the Department of Family and Protective Services.

All persons are required to make the report immediately, and individuals who are licensed or certified by the state, or who work for an agency or facility licensed or certified by the state and have contact with children as part of their normal duties, such as teachers, must report abuse or neglect within 48 hours.

Important

A person acting in good faith who reports or assists in the investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect is immune from civil or criminal liability. Failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect is a Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine of up to $4,000. Merely reporting the incident to your supervisor or manager is not sufficient.

Forum’s procedure for reporting is as follows:

  1. Record the name of the minor child.
  2. Remove the child from the situation, if necessary.
  3. Inform a surrounding monitor to handle your incoming students.
  4. Contact the chair immediately, and contact police.
  5. Remove the adult addressed in the complaint. This responsibility is at the direction of the chair.
  6. The chair and monitor return to the event to reorganize event flow.
  7. Contact the president.
  8. Ask the president to be on site, if necessary.
  9. Do not discuss the incident with any other person.