1 month ago
222
Emma Epperly, Idaho Ed News
Envato stock image
BOISE (Idaho Ed News) — The Professional Standards Commission (PSC) revoked six teaching certificates Thursday for ethics violations that included sexual assault, drug abuse and watching pornography in class.
The commission is a volunteer board that seats 18 teachers, school administrators and higher education officials. The board enforces the state’s code of ethics and has the authority to approve, suspend and revoke teaching and administrative certificates in Idaho.
On Thursday, the board sailed through six certificate revocations, six suspensions and seven letters of reprimand in just under two hours.
Chair Angela Gillman said she thinks the 19 disciplinary actions were a record number for one meeting in the time she has been on the commission.
Revocations
Matthew Felshaw, Bonneville School District
Ethics violations: Violations of state and/or federal laws
Disciplinary action: Certificate permanently revoked
Felshaw, a former Hillcrest High School teacher, received a suspended sentence in April after he was convicted of felony injury to a child for sexually assaulting a 5 to 6-year old, East Idaho News reported. Bonneville School District Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme told East Idaho News the district had no reason to believe the charges were related to his employment as a teacher.
Kammeron Mangun, Mountain View School District
Ethics violations: Violations of state and/or federal laws
Disciplinary action: Certificate permanently revoked
Mangun, a teacher at Clearwater Valley High School, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in April for felony exploitation of a minor, according to the Lewiston Tribune. Mangun reportedly had an inappropriate relationship with a former student, including making available sexually explicit images of himself to the 16-year-old.
Vestal D. Cook, Soda Springs School District
Ethics violations: Violations of state and/or federal laws and abuse of drugs or alcohol during professional practice
Disciplinary action: Certificate revoked
Cook pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after she was arrested in August 2023 with methamphetamine in her possession, according to the Idaho State Journal. At the time, she was a teacher at Tigard Middle School.
Adam N. Foster, Ririe School District
Ethics violations: Unprofessional relationship with students, dishonesty
Disciplinary action: Certificate revoked
Foster was accused of viewing pornography on an electronic device while students were in his classroom, according to a PSC complaint. At least one student saw the pornography. He also spent significant time browsing social media and sports websites during class, the complaint says.
Cory Kapahulehua, None
Ethics violations: Violations of state/federal laws, unprofessional relationship with students
Disciplinary action: Certificate Revoked
Kapahulehua voluntarily surrendered his Arizona teaching certificate after allegations he had sexual contact with a minor student. The PSC revoked his Idaho teaching certificate as a result.
Kristine A. Campbell, Coeur d’Alene School District
Ethics violations: Dishonesty
Disciplinary action: Certificate revoked
Campbell is accused of falsifying documents or a score report related to her teacher certification and submitting it to the Idaho Department of Education. Prior to application for reinstatement, Campbell is required to complete an ethics course.
Suspensions
Theresa L. Cotner, Boise School District
Ethics violations: Unprofessional relationship with students
Disciplinary action: Certificate suspended
Cotner was accused of not properly deescalating an emotional or potentially dangerous situation and using inappropriate, excessive or inconsistent physical force against a student. Cotner received a written warning about her use of force in 2022. She is required to complete an approved behavior management court, functional behavior assessment course, and behavior intervention plan course.
Phillip Hiller, Boise School District
Ethics violations: Unprofessional conduct with a colleague
Disciplinary action: Certificate suspended
Hiller stipulated to a certificate suspension until he competes courses in sexual harassment and boundaries. Hiller was accused of sexually harassing a colleague and describing prior sexual conduct to coworkers, according to his PSC stipulation. He received a previous letter of warning in the fall 2022.
Alan C. Larsen, Lake Pend Oreille School District
Ethics violations: Not maintaining a professional relationship with students
Disciplinary action: Certificate suspended through June 1, 2026
Larsen stipulated to a certificate suspension, despite not agreeing with the allegations, and agreed to take courses in classroom management and boundaries. He was accused of putting his hands on a students head, including his finger making contact with a student’s eye or face, in a PSC complaint. He’s also accused of throwing objects like markers and snacks at students. In an attempt to get students to stop dragging classroom tables across the rug, Larsen jokingly told students he was going to drag their faces across the floor, the complaint says.
Adam J. Mitchell, Glenns Ferry School District
Ethics violations: Unprofessional relationship with students
Disciplinary action: Certificate suspended
Mitchell is accused of throwing a recorder at the ground during a first-grade music class, which then bounced up and hit a student in the face, according to a PSC administrative complaint. Mitchell must attend a classroom management course and at least six anger management counseling sessions.
Cory E. Nilson, Post Falls School District
Ethics violations: Alcohol abuse during course of professional practice
Disciplinary action: Certificate suspended
A principal observed Nilson having irregular speech and smelling of alcohol at school, according to a PSC complaint. He must complete at least three counseling sessions and provide proof that the grounds for suspension no longer exist. The suspension will last at least one year.
Ty K. Axtman, Boise School District
Ethics violations: Unprofessional relationship with students
Disciplinary action: Certificate suspended
Axtman used physical force with a student that was inappropriate or excessive which resulted in some measure of physical or mental/emotional harm to the student, the PSC complaint says. Axtman stipulated to completing courses in behavior management, functional behavior assessment, and a behavior intervention plan course.
Letters of Reprimand
Patrick B. Goff, Garden Valley School District
Ethics violations: Not following federal, state, and local education laws and statutes, dishonesty, violating laws and/or policies related to confidentiality of student records
Disciplinary action: Letter of reprimand
Goff stipulated to a letter of reprimand despite not agreeing with the allegations. Goff was the superintendent of Garden Valley when last spring he emailed a parent confidential student information, the PSC stipulation document says. He asked the parent not to communicate who she received the information from.
An Idaho Department of Education investigation last year found that Garden Valley largely failed to provide appropriate special education services for students. He no longer works in Garden Valley.
Oscar Arteaga, Boise School District
Ethics violations: Unprofessional conduct with a colleague
Disciplinary action: Letter of reprimand
Arteaga made inappropriate physical contact with a colleague during a work event, PSC documents allege. He stipulated to the allegations and agreed to complete a sexual harassment and boundaries course.
Helen A. Delbert, Post Falls School District
Ethics violations: Abandonment of contract
Disciplinary action: Letter of reprimand
Delbert agreed to have a letter of reprimand placed in her certification file after she resigned from her contract and the district declined to accept the resignation. Delbert did not fulfill the terms of her contract for the 2023-24 school year, according to an administrative complaint by the PSC.
Sheri M. Fisher, Vallivue School District
Ethics violations: Abandonment of contract
Disciplinary action: Letter of reprimand
Fisher agreed to have a letter of reprimand placed in her certification file after she resigned from her contract and the district declined to accept the resignation. Fisher did not fulfill the terms of her contract for the 2023-24 school year, according to an administrative complaint by the PSC.
Sydnee J. Patterson, Vallivue School District
Ethics violations: Abandonment of contract
Disciplinary action: Letter of reprimand
Patterson agreed to have a letter of reprimand placed in her certification file after she resigned from her contract and the district declined to accept the resignation. Patterson did not fulfill the terms of her contract for the 2023-24 school year, according to an administrative complaint by the PSC.
Kristen D. Pavelka, Kuna School District
Ethics violations: Abandonment of contract
Disciplinary action: Letter of reprimand
Pavelka did not agree with the allegations but stipulated to have a letter of reprimand placed in her certification file after she resigned from her contract and the district declined to accept the resignation. Pavelka did not fulfill the terms of her contract for the 2023-24 school year, according to an administrative complaint by the PSC.
Keegan R. Peterson, Caldwell School District
Ethics violations: Abandonment of contract
Disciplinary action: Letter of reprimand
Peterson agreed to have a letter of reprimand placed in his certification file after he resigned from his contract and the district declined to accept the resignation. Peterson did not fulfill the terms of his contract for the 2023-24 school year, according to an administrative complaint by the PSC.
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on February 6, 2025
English (United States)