This NCTM Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for all attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, service providers, customers, and volunteers (collectively, “participants”) on NCTM's online platforms (websites, online communities, message boards, social media) and at NCTM virtual or in-person events.
Online Code of Conduct
All communication on NCTM online platforms 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. NCTM reserves the right to remove online posts/comments from anyone who violates these guidelines.
- All posts or comments containing defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, offensive, or illegal language are strictly prohibited.
- This includes any lewd, or offensive behavior or language, threatening, intimidation, coercion, use of sexually explicit or offensive language or conduct, profanity, or racial, gendered, religious or ethnic slurs in any form.
- Please respect and extend the benefit of the doubt to others; there’s no such thing as a stupid question.
- Click here to view the full list of conduct expectations for the MyNCTM Online Community.
Event Code of Conduct
All communication at 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 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.
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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 NCTM. 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.
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.
At virtual events, we request that if you use a virtual background it should be tasteful and not distracting. You should mute your line when not speaking. 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.
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.
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 in 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.
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 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 Mathematics present a variety of viewpoints. The content, affiliations, and views expressed or implied at NCTM events, unless otherwise noted, should not be interpreted as official positions of the Council. References to particular commercial products by a speaker should not be construed as an NCTM endorsement of said product(s). 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 e-mail addresses as a means for individual correspondence with conference attendees. NCTM expressly prohibits unsolicited commercial e-mail or unsolicited bulk e-mail, regardless of whether that e-mail is commercial. NCTM does not authorize any use of e-mail addresses beyond personal correspondence.
NCTM Virtual Events
AT NCTM virtual events, please do not post any information or other material (including presentations and handouts) protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. By posting material, the posting party warrants and represents that he or she (or his or her organization) owns or possesses all intellectual property rights with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner to post as well as to sublicense copyright rights to others. In addition, the posting party grants NCTM and its service providers, exhibitors, and sponsors a nonexclusive and irrevocable right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, abstract, summarize, create derivative works from, and use such information or other material in any media, worldwide, with or without attribution and with or without copyright management information.
Messages should not be posted if they encourage or facilitate members to arrive at any agreement that either expressly or impliedly leads to price fixing, a boycott of another’s business, or other conduct intended to illegally restrict free trade. Messages that encourage or facilitate an agreement about the following subjects are inappropriate: prices, discounts, or terms or conditions of sale; salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares, sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers. We do not undertake editorial control of postings. However, in the event that any inappropriate posting is brought to our attention, we will take all appropriate action.
The NCTM Website and Registration
NCTM websites use 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 NCTM to our 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. NCTM is 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 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, or your dealings with NCTM Services, you can contact us:
- By email at [email protected].
- Using the online Contact Us form.
- By phone at (800) 235-7566 or (703) 620-9840.
- By fax at (703) 476-2970.
- By mail:
NCTM Headquarters Office
1906 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1502