What is the definition of malfeasance in an educational context?

In an educational context, malfeasance specifically refers to an illegal act committed by a teacher or school administrator. This means that the individual is engaging in actions that are not just negligent or inappropriate but are outright against the law. For example, if a teacher engages in an act of physical abuse towards a student, this would qualify as malfeasance because it is both wrong in the context of their professional role and illegal in a broader legal sense.

This term is critical for understanding liability issues in educational settings, as it helps delineate between actions that might lead to harm (negligence) and those that are criminal in nature. Recognizing the severity of malfeasance underscores the importance of ethical and legal standards that educators must adhere to, and it emphasizes the consequences of failing to uphold those standards.