NCTE-NCTM General Code of Conduct 

This NCTE-NCTM Joint Conference Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for all attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, service providers, and volunteers (collectively, “participants”) at the NCTE-NCTM Joint Conference event.

Event Code of Conduct 
All communication at NCTE-NCTM events should be appropriate for a professional audience, including people of many different backgrounds regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, or religion. By participating in NCTE-NCTM events, you agree that you have read and will follow these rules and guidelines. 

Please take a moment to acquaint yourself with these important guidelines. In order to preserve an environment that encourages both civil and fruitful dialogue, we reserve the right to suspend or terminate attendance for anyone who violates these guidelines. 

• All participants are expected to maintain a professional and civil discourse throughout the event space. 
• Any boisterous, lewd, or offensive behavior or language, threatening, intimidation, coercion, use of sexually explicit or offensive language or conduct, profanity, obscene gestures, or racial, gendered, religious, or ethnic slurs in any form will not be tolerated. Verbal or other abuse of any participant, speaker, volunteer, staff member, exhibitor, sponsor, service provider, or other meeting guest is unacceptable.
• All participants must comply with the instructions of the presenters, moderators, and/or event staff.
• Unwarranted disruption of sessions, events, or any activity that takes place is prohibited.
• Presentations, online postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services unless preapproved by NCTE-NCTM. NCTE-NCTM reserves the right to remove any such communications that have not been preapproved.
• Participants may not record, transmit, copy, or take screenshots of material portions of any presentations, sessions, or events including but not limited to Q&A, chat rooms, or any activity that takes place at NCTM events without consent.  

Demonstrations Policy
Demonstrations and protests will be conducted in a peaceful and organized manner, will be within the policies of the venue, and will be compliant with federal, state, and local laws. Such activities are strictly forbidden in exhibition space, and protesters will not be permitted to block the entrance to traffic flow within the exhibit area. NCTE-NCTM retains the right to permit protests to occur in predetermined areas and to terminate any protests that occur on its property or property NCTE-NCTM is renting, leasing, or otherwise using for a specific time to host an event. Attendees who do not uphold these standards may jeopardize their membership and/or event participation.

Individuals and groups interested in demonstrating/protesting should contact our Convention Operations Team at [email protected] to register their plans and obtain further details.

Technology Use
Participants acknowledge that the availability, access, and use of technology during events is not guaranteed. We and our vendors and service providers will use commercially reasonable efforts to communicate with participants regarding camera use in devices and computers, mobile app capabilities, video, audio, and headset settings and use for in-person events, and use of the virtual event platform for virtual events. All chat content at virtual events is nonconfidential, and you should assume that anyone can view any chat content you submit. You agree that your chat content will comply with this Code of Conduct. In no event shall we be liable for slowness of or interruptions to Internet access, power access, video camera access, or audio capabilities, nor of any similar interruptions to virtual events for the duration of the event.

The recording or transmissions of any education sessions, presentations, demos, videos, or content in any format is strictly prohibited unless expressly authorized in writing by us. Participants should not copy or take screenshots of participants or any chat room activity that takes place in a virtual event space.

Participants may not utilize our websites or events to (i) upload or otherwise provide infringing, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, threatening, abusive, illegal, or otherwise improper content; (ii) upload viruses or harmful components to an event; (iii) upload or otherwise provide content with a commercial purpose or attempt to solicit funds or advertise goods and services, (iv) contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, or product announcements (unless expressly permitted by us); (v) engage in communications leading or related to an agreement in restraint of trade, to (vi) exchange specific information relating to your prices, profits, or costs; (vii) in any other manner to limit competition or restrain trade in violation of state and federal antitrust laws; or, (viii) to further any unlawful purpose or to violate the rights of any person or entity.

Presenter Registration
The expectation is that all presenters are to register and attend the convention in person. This request is out of respect for the attendees who will travel to the event expecting to see live presenters and to ensure a positive experience for the attendees.

No-Suitcasing Policy
We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding suitcasing. “Suitcasing” is a parasitic business practice in which unethical companies or individuals will gain access to an event by obtaining an event credential or by attending an event with a registered participant without themselves registering, and then solicit business in the aisles or other public spaces (in person or virtually) used for the Conference or otherwise conduct business at on in conjunction with the event. 

While all registered event attendees are invited to the event space designated for exhibitors, any registered attendee or non-registered person who is observed to be soliciting business in the aisles, other public spaces, or in another company’s booth will be asked to leave an event immediately without refund.

Suitcasing may also take the form of commercial activity conducted from a guest room hospitality suite, restaurant, or any other public place in proximity to or associated with an event. For the purposes of this policy, suitcasing violations that occur at venues other than the designated exhibitors’ space and at other events are prohibited. Our event team must be informed of any hospitality suites that are not reserved through us, and express consent must be received prior to the event.

Dress Code
The dress code at events is business casual. Participants are required to adhere to this dress code during events including, but not limited to, virtual conferencing.

Use of Multimedia/Likeness Release
We (and/or our representatives and contractors) may take photo stills and audio/video of events for various uses, including, but not limited to, in news and promotional material, in print, electronic and other media, including our website. By participating in an event, you hereby irrevocably and unconditionally grant us and our contractors, vendors, sponsors, and exhibitors a perpetual right and license to use, store, reproduce, publish, distribute, edit, make derivative works, perform publicly, disclose, assign, and transfer all images, photographs, videos, voice, name, likeness, and any content you submit (whether n chat sessions, uploads, email, in person, or otherwise) (collectively, “Likeness”), without limitation, without compensation. All media containing any Likeness become our property. The Likeness and media may be displayed, distributed, and used by us for any purpose. You hereby release us and our employees, volunteers, licensees, contractors, providers, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action that you may now or hereafter have against any of the foregoing arising out of or in connection with the use of your Likeness.

Please be respectful of presenters and other attendees when photographing, videoing, or sound recording any part of any Conference sessions or other content. Please request permission of presenters before photographing or recording and/or posting on social media. Live streaming out any part of the Conference on a personal device is prohibited.

Reporting Violations of this Policy
If you have a complaint or concern about harassment, discrimination, bullying, or any other conduct which may violate this Code of Conduct, we encourage you to promptly notify us at [email protected]. You may request that your report remain confidential and only be shared with those on a “need to know” basis. Please remember that notifying our staff does not constitute or replace notification to local law enforcement. This Code of Conduct does not replace any rules or guidelines that are part of our agreements with our vendors, exhibitors, and/or sponsors.

Compliance and Enforcement
We reserve the right to take any action that is reasonably necessary, in our sole judgment, for the protection of us, our participants, and our personnel. We will maintain full discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of this Code of Conduct.

Participants will be asked to stop any behavior in violation of this Code of Conduct and are expected to comply immediately. This Code of Conduct provides general guidelines and cannot cover every possible type of unacceptable behavior. We reserve the right to apply corrective action to instances other than the specific examples noted. Participants violating this Code of Conduct may be suspended, sanctioned, removed, or expelled from the event and all future events, and there will be no refund of any amounts paid, at our discretion. We expect all Conference participants to abide by this Code of Conduct at all events and social events, regardless of whether we are a sponsor or organizer of such meeting or event.

Publications and Event Programs

Publications and event programs of the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics present a variety of viewpoints. The content, affiliations, and views expressed or implied at NCTE-NCTM events, unless otherwise noted, should not be interpreted as official positions of either Council. References to particular commercial products by a speaker should not be construed as an NCTE-NCTM endorsement of said product(s). NCTE-NCTM reserves the right to change speakers, change Conference platforms or venues, or modify program content. Some speakers in our program may elect to share their email addresses as a means for individual correspondence with Conference attendees. NCTE-NCTM expressly prohibits unsolicited commercial email or unsolicited bulk email, regardless of whether that email is commercial. NCTE-NCTM does not authorize any use of email addresses beyond personal correspondence.

The NCTE-NCTM Joint Conference Website and Registration
The NCTE-NCTM Joint Conference website uses webforms for members and other users to request information, products, and services and to register online for various programs, including conferences. We collect visitors’ contact information (such as email address), financial information (such as accounts or credit card numbers), and demographic information (such as zip code, age, or income level). Contact information from order forms or surveys is used to send orders and information about NCTE and NCTM to its members and other customers and to analyze website use. Financial information that is collected is used to check the users' qualifications and bill the user for products and services. Personal Information we or our service providers collect will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy (available at www.nctm.org/privacy), which is incorporated herein by reference.

Participants who do not comply with or are in violation of any of the guidelines may be denied further access and participation at the event at the discretion of event organizers. NCTE and NCTM are not responsible for reimbursement or refund if you are denied access or participation due to violation of our Code of Conduct or our Event Health and Safety Policy.  

Contacting NCTE and NCTM
If you think you have experienced or witnessed a member or attendee violating the above, please reach out to [email protected] immediately so we can address your concern. If you have any further questions about this statement, the practices or privacy policies of NCTM nctm.org/privacy, you can contact us: 

• By email
  • NCTE: [email protected]
  • NCTM: [email protected] 
• By phone
  • NCTE: (217) 328-3870 or (877) 369-6283
  • NCTM: (800) 235-7566 or (703) 620-9840
• By mail
  • NCTE 
    PO Box 416
    Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-0416
  • NCTM Headquarters Office
    1906 Association Drive
    Reston, VA 20191-1502