Policy 7:190

Students

Student Discipline

Prohibited Student Conduct

Disciplinary action may be taken against any student guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, or selling tobacco materials.
2. Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, or selling alcoholic beverages. Students who are under the influence are not permitted to attend school or school functions and are treated as though they had alcohol in their possession.
3. Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, or selling:
   1. Any illegal drug, controlled substance, or cannabis (including marijuana and hashish).
   2. Any anabolic steroid unless being administered in accordance with a physician’s or licensed practitioner’s prescription.
   3. Any performance-enhancing substance on the Illinois High School Association’s most current banned substance list unless administered in accordance with a physician’s or licensed practitioner’s prescription.
   4. Any prescription drug when not prescribed for the student by a physician or licensed practitioner, or when used in a manner inconsistent with the prescription or prescribing physician’s or licensed practitioner’s instructions.
   5. Any inhalant, regardless of whether it contains an illegal drug or controlled substance: (a) that a student believes is, or represents to be capable of, causing intoxication, hallucination, excitement, or dulling of the brain or nervous system; or (b) about which the student engaged in behavior that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student intended the inhalant to cause intoxication, hallucination, excitement, or dulling of the brain or nervous system. The prohibition in this section does not apply to a student’s use of asthma or other legally prescribed inhalant medications.
   6. “Look-alike” or counterfeit drugs, including a substance not containing an illegal drug or controlled substance, but one: (a) that a student believes to be, or represents to be, an illegal drug or controlled substance; or (b) about which a student engaged in behavior that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student expressly or impliedly represented to be an illegal drug or controlled substance.
   7. Drug paraphernalia, including devices that are or can be used to: (a) ingest, inhale, or inject cannabis or controlled substances into the body; and (b) grow, process, store, or conceal cannabis or controlled substances.
   Students who are under the influence of any prohibited substance are not permitted to attend school or school functions and are treated as though they had the prohibited substance, as applicable, in their possession.
4. Using, possessing, controlling, or transferring a weapon in violation of the “weapons” section of this policy.
5. Using or possessing electronic paging device. Using a cellular telephone, video recording device, personal digital assistant (PDA), or other electronic device in any manner that disrupts the educational environment or violates the rights of others, including using the device to take photographs in locker rooms or bathrooms, cheat, or otherwise violate student conduct rules. Prohibited conduct specifically includes, without limitation, creating, sending, sharing, viewing, receiving, or possessing an indecent visual depiction of oneself or another person through the use of a computer, electronic communication device, or cellular phone. Unless otherwise banned under this policy or by the Building Principal, all electronic devices must be kept powered-off and out-of-sight during the regular school day unless: (a) the supervising teacher grants permission; (b) use of the device is provided in a student’s individualized education program (IEP); or (c) it is needed in an emergency that threatens the safety of students, staff, or other individuals.
6. Using or possessing a laser pointer unless under a staff member’s direct supervision and in the context of instruction.
7. Disobeying a reasonable directive from a staff member or school official and/or rules and regulations governing student conduct.
8. Engaging in academic dishonesty, including cheating, intentionally plagiarizing, wrongfully giving or receiving help during an academic examination, and wrongfully obtaining test copies or scores.
9. Engaging in hazing or any kind of bullying or aggressive behavior that does physical or psychological harm to a staff person or another student, or urging other students to engage in such conduct. Prohibited conduct specifically includes, without limitation, any use of violence, intimidation, force, noise, coercion, threats, stalking, harassment, sexual harassment, public humiliation, theft or destruction of property, retaliation, hazing, bullying, bullying using a school computer or a school computer network, or other comparable conduct.
10. Accessing and/or distributing at school any written or electronic material, including material from the Internet, that will cause substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation and discipline of the school or school activities.
11. Creating and/or distributing written or electronic material, including Internet material and blogs, that causes substantial disruption to school operations or interferes with the rights of other students or staff members.
12. Harassing or intimidating a student based upon a student’s sex, color, race, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or other protected group status.
13. Causing or attempting to cause damage to, or stealing or attempting to steal, school property or another person’s personal property.
14. Being absent without a recognized excuse; State law and School Board policy regarding truancy control will be used with chronic and habitual truants.
15. Being involved with any public school fraternity, sorority, or secret society, by
    1. being a member,
    2. promising to join,
    3. pledging to become a member, or
    4. soliciting any other person to join, promise to join, or be pledged to become a member.
16. Involvement in gangs or gang-related activities, including the display of gang symbols or paraphernalia.
17. Violating any criminal law, including but not limited to, assault, battery, arson, theft, gambling, eavesdropping, and hazing.
18. Engaging in any activity, on or off campus, that interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function, including but not limited to, conduct that may reasonably be considered to: (a) be a threat or an attempted intimidation of a staff member; or (b) endanger the health or safety of students, staff, or school property.

For purposes of this policy, the term “possession” includes having control, custody, or care, currently or in the past, of an object or substance, regardless of whether or not the item is (a) on the student’s person, or (b) contained in another item belonging to, or under the control of, the student, such as in the student’s clothing, backpack, automobile, or (c) in a school’s student locker, desk, or other school property, or (d) any other location on school property or at a school sponsored event.

Efforts, including the use of early intervention and progressive discipline, shall be made to deter students, while at school or a school-related event, from engaging in aggressive behavior that may reasonably produce physical or psychological harm to someone else. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the parent/guardian of a student who engages in aggressive behavior is notified of the incident. The failure to provide such notification does not limit the Board’s authority to impose discipline, including suspension or expulsion, for such behavior.

These grounds for disciplinary action apply whenever the student’s conduct is reasonably related to school or school activities, including, but not limited to:

1. On, or within sight of, school grounds before, during, or after school hours or at any other time when the school is being used by a school group;
2. off school grounds at a school-sponsored activity, or event, or any activity or event which bears a reasonable relationship to school;
3. traveling to or from school or a school activity, function or event; or
4. Anywhere, if the conduct interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function, including, but not limited to, conduct that may reasonably be considered to: (a) be a threat or an attempted intimidation of a staff member; or (b) endanger the health or safety of students, staff, or school property.

No disciplinary action shall be taken against any student that is based totally or in part on the refusal of the student’s parent/guardian to administer or consent to the administration of psychotropic or psychostimulant medication to the student.

Disciplinary Measures

Disciplinary measures may include:

1. Removal from classroom.
2. Notification of parent(s)/guardian(s).
3. Personal counseling.
4. Withholding of privileges.
5. Detention provided the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) have been notified. If transportation arrangements cannot be agreed upon, an alternative disciplinary measure must be used.
6. In-school suspension for a period not to exceed 5 school days. The Building Principal or a designee shall ensure that the student is properly supervised.
7. Suspension from school and all school-sponsored events for up to 10 days, provided that appropriate procedures are followed. A suspended student is prohibited from being on school grounds.
8. Suspension of bus riding privileges, provided that appropriate procedures are followed.
9. Expulsion from school and all school-sponsored activities and events for a definite time period not to exceed 2 calendar years, provided that the appropriate procedure is followed.
10. Notification of juvenile authorities or other law enforcement whenever the conduct involves illegal drugs (controlled substances), look-alikes, alcohol, or weapons.
11. After school study or Saturday school provided the student’s parent/guardian has been notified.

Corporal punishment shall not be used. Certificated personnel are permitted to use reasonable force as needed to maintain safety for other students, school personnel, or persons, or for the purpose of self-defense or the defense of property.

Weapons

A student who uses, possesses, controls, or transfers a weapon, or any object that can reasonably be considered, or looks like, a weapon, shall be expelled for at least one calendar year, but no more than 2 calendar years. The Superintendent may modify the expulsion period and the Board may modify the Superintendent’s determination, on a case-by-case basis. A “weapon” means (1) possession, use, control, or transfer of any gun, rifle, shotgun, a weapon as defined by Section 921 of Title 18, United States Code, firearm as defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners Identification Act, or use of a weapon as defined in Section 24-1 of the Criminal Code, (2) any other object if used or attempted or intended to be used to cause bodily harm, including but not limited to, knives, brass knuckles, billy clubs, tasers, pepper spray, or (3) “look-alikes” of any weapon as defined above. Any item such as a baseball bat, pipe, bottle, lock, stick, pencil, and pen, is considered to be a weapon if used or attempted to be used to cause bodily harm.

Required Notices

A school staff member shall immediately notify the Building Principal in the event that he or she (1) observes any person in possession of a firearm on or around school grounds, however, such action may be delayed if immediate notice would endanger students under his or her supervision, (2) observes or has reason to suspect that any person on school grounds is or was involved in a drug-related incident, or (3) observes a battery committed against any staff member. Upon receiving such a report, the Building Principal or designee shall immediately notify the local law enforcement agency, State Police, and the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s).

Delegation of Authority

Each teacher, and any other school personnel when students are under his or her charge, is authorized to impose any disciplinary measure, other than suspension, or expulsion, corporal punishment or in-school suspension, which is appropriate and in accordance with the policies and rules on student discipline. Teachers, other certificated employees, and other persons (whether or not certificated) providing a related service for or with respect to a student, may use reasonable force as needed to maintain safety for other students, school personnel or persons, or for the purpose of self-defense or defense of property. Teachers may remove students from a classroom for disruptive behavior.

The Superintendent, Building Principal or Assistant Building Principal is authorized to impose the same disciplinary measures as teachers and may suspend students guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct from school (including all school functions) and from riding the school bus, up to 10 consecutive school days, provided the appropriate procedures are followed. The School Board may suspend a student from riding the bus in excess of 10 days for safety reasons.

Student Handbook

The Superintendent or his/her designee, with input from the parent-teacher advisory committee, shall prepare disciplinary rules implementing the District’s disciplinary policies.

A student handbook, including the District disciplinary policies and rules, shall be distributed to the students’ parent(s)/guardian(s) within 15 days of the beginning of the school year on a student’s enrollment.

Adopted: March 2, 1998
Revised: February 19, 2008
Revised: January 23, 2012