Certifying family members for LTC

[BlacknBlue]

Greetings,

New guy here. Should an LTC instructor certify a spouse or should the certification be performed by another LTC instructor? What are your thoughts, why/why not?

[KC5AV]

I am an LTC instructor, as well as a ham radio volunteer examiner. The guidelines for being a VE state specifically that we aren't allowed to oversee exams for family members. I see no such prohibition in the LTC guidelines.

[skeathley]

I certified my wife, but I did not fudge on it. I would not let her take the class until she passed the Proficiency. Due to health reasons, it took several months. She didn't do as well as she could have, but she passed on her own.

I agree it looks like a conflict of interest. Probably not every instructor is as strict as I am about following rules.

{;~0

[The Wall]

Wouldn't a simple phone call the TDPS be a better way to find out. I personally don't have a problem with it. Instructors risk losing their license if it's found they are not following the law. But there's always that one individual that thinks he's smarter than the law and everyone else. Also I doubt the instructor can interfere with background checks which is the most important thing.

[Charles L. Cotton]

DPS does not have a rule prohibiting it, so yes you can. I specifically asked DPS about this many years ago when my wife and sons were coming up for renewal. They had no problem with them attending my class or me signing their CHL-100s.

An honest instructor will not cheat on a family members class or form; a dishonest instructor will cheat on anyone's form. Luckily, there are very few of the latter.

Chas.

[troglodyte]

I certified my wife, son, both DIL, my SIL husband, 1 DIL father, and 1 DIL mother.

No problem. They were students just like any other.

[AF-Odin]

On the CHL/LTC side I have instructed son, D-I-L, B-I-L, wife, and S-I-L. In my other life (several years ago) gave flight instruction to daughter and signed her off for solo, cross-country, and recommendation for FAA check ride. if you are an honest instructor and keep the same standards for all students, I don't see the problem. Yes, in most things I do treat family a bit differently, I hold them to a higher standard.

[twomillenium]

I have certified my wife, sons, DIL and her parents,my in-laws and a few cousins. They took the class like anyone else and passed proficiency like anyone else. There was no special treatment given or expected. I don't know of instructors that cheat and for the few out there I hope they get caught.

[thetexan]

We as instructors do not certify anyone. We ARE CERTIFIED to teach the requisite class and to certify that it has been completed as part of the complete application process. It is the DPS who certificates the licensee upon satisfactory completion of all required application items.

And, as stated earlier, there is no prohibition against it. I guess an instructor could just pencil whip out a CHL-100 and CHL-8 saying the spouse passed the written and qualification. Those test scores and targets are not required to be kept so I guess unscrupulous types might be tempted to cheat.

God help the one who gets caught.

tex

[twomillenium]

We as instructors DO certify that a student has taken the course and passed the test and the shooting proficiency required by the State of Texas. Yes we are certified to do just that. However we do not certify that someone is eligible to receive a LTC, we can only inform them of what the criteria is. The licensing part is between them and the State, instructors only certify the educational requirements and the shooting proficiency, unless the student is eligible to use another form of proven proficiency that the State accepts.

If any instructor pencil whips a CHL100, they would get no sympathy or support from me. There is no reason that can, would or should justify an instructor to act so unscrupulously.

[Eric Lamberson]

I certified my wife. She attended one of my classes just like any other student.

[Charles L. Cotton]

. . . If any instructor pencil whips a CHL100, they would get no sympathy or support from me. There is no reason that can, would or should justify an instructor to act so unscrupulously.

DPS takes these cases very seriously and will prosecute every case when proof is available. Also, while falsifying a Texas government document is generally a misdemeanor, it becomes a felony when done for profit.

Chas.