Teaching certificate suspended for failure to make timely report of allegations of child abuse.

As an educator, Petitioner was required by Georgia law to report suspected child abuse to her supervisors “no later than 24 hours from the time there is reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused.”  However, after one of her students described an incident of possible sexual abuse to her, Petitioner did not report the student’s statements until more than seventy-two hours later because she was unable to locate one of the school’s designated reporters.  Although Petitioner’s conduct violated the Code of Ethics for Educators, the Professional Standards Commission’s recommended sanction of a one-year suspension was reduced to a ninety-day suspension after taking into account Petitioner’s good reputation, candor toward the Commission, and other mitigating factors.