The board believes inappropriate student conduct causes material and substantial disruption to the school environment, interferes with the rights of others, or presents a threat to the health and safety of students, employees, and visitors on school premises. Appropriate classroom behavior allows teachers to communicate more effectively with students.
Students will conduct themselves in a manner fitting to their age level and maturity and with respect and consideration for the rights of others while on school district property or on property within the jurisdiction of the school district; while on school owned and/or operated school or chartered vehicles; while attending or engaged in school activities; and while away from school grounds if misconduct will directly affect the good order, efficient management and welfare of the school district. Consequences for the misconduct will be fair and developmentally appropriate in light of the circumstances.
Students who fail to abide by this policy, and the administrative regulations supporting it, may be disciplined for conduct which disrupts or interferes with the education program; conduct which disrupts the orderly and efficient operation of the school district or school activity; conduct which disrupts the rights of other students to participate in or obtain their education; conduct that is violent or destructive; or conduct which interrupts the maintenance of a disciplined atmosphere. Disciplinary measures include, but are not limited to, removal from the classroom, detention, suspension, probation, and expulsion.
A student who commits an assault against an employee on school district property or on property within the jurisdiction of the school district; while on school-owned or school-operated chartered vehicles; or while attending or engaged in school district activities will be suspended by the principal. Notice of the suspension is sent to the board president. The board will review the suspension and decide whether to hold a disciplinary hearing to determine whether to impose further sanctions against the student which may include expulsion. In making its decision, the board shall consider the best interests of the school district, which shall include what is best to protect and ensure the safety of the school employees and students from the student committing the assault. Assault for purposes of this section of this policy is defined as, when, without justification, a student does any of the following:
- an act which is intended to cause pain or injury to, or which is intended to result in physical contact which will be insulting or offensive to another, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act; or
- any act which is intended to place another in fear of immediate physical contact which will be painful, injurious, insulting or offensive, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act; or
- intentionally points any firearm toward another or displays in a threatening manner any dangerous weapon toward another.
The act is not an assault when the person doing any of the above and the other person are voluntary participants in a sport, social or other activity, not in itself criminal, when the act is a reasonably foreseeable incident of such sport or activity, and does not create an unreasonable risk of serious injury or breach of the peace.
Removal from the classroom means a student is sent to the building principal's office. It is within the discretion of the person in charge of the classroom to remove the student. This policy is not intended to address the use of therapeutic classrooms or seclusion rooms for students.
Detention means the student's presence is required during non-school hours for disciplinary purposes. The student can be required to appear prior to the beginning of the school day, after school has been dismissed for the day, or on a non-school day. Whether a student will serve detention, and the length of the detention, is within the discretion of the licensed employee or the building principal, disciplining the student.
Suspension means; either an in-school suspension, an out-of-school suspension, a restriction from activities or loss of eligibility. An in-school suspension means the student will attend school but will be temporarily isolated from one or more classes while under supervision. An in-school suspension will not exceed ten consecutive school days. An out-of-school suspension means the student is removed from the school environment, which includes school classes and activities. An out-of-school suspension will not exceed ten consecutive school days. A restriction from school activities means a student will attend school and classes and practice but will not participate in school activities.
Probation means a student is given a conditional suspension of a penalty for a definite period of time in addition to being reprimanded. The conditional suspension will mean the student must meet the conditions and terms for the suspension of the penalty. Failure of the student to meet these conditions and terms will result in immediate reinstatement of the penalty.
Expulsion means an action by the board to remove a student from the school environment, which includes, but is not limited to, classes and activities, for a period of time set by the board.
Discipline of special education students, including suspensions and expulsions, will comply with the provisions of applicable federal and state laws.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.
NOTE: This is a mandatory policy and outlines the school district's basic student conduct. Details of how this policy will be implemented should be included in the student handbook. The paragraph regarding assault of school district employees is Iowa law. For more detailed discussion of this issue, see IASB's Policy Primer, October 10, 2002.
Legal Reference: Goss v. Lopez, 419 U.S. 565 (1975).
Brands v. Sheldon Community School District, 671 F. Supp. 627 (N.D. Iowa 1987).
Sims v. Colfax Comm. School Dist., 307 F. Supp. 485 (Iowa 1970).
Bunger v. Iowa High School Athletic Assn., 197 N.W.2d 555 (Iowa 1972).
Board of Directors of Ind. School Dist. of Waterloo v. Green, 259 Iowa 1260, 147
N.W.2d 854 (1967).
Iowa Code §§ 279.8;282.3, 282.4, 282.5; 708.1.
281 I.A.C. 12.3(6)
Cross Reference: 501 Student Attendance
502 Student Rights and Responsibilities
503.6 Physical Restraint and Seclusion of Students
504 Student Activities
603.3 Special Education
903.5 Distribution of Materials
Approved 2-16-04 Reviewed 3-12-18 2-21-19 1/21/21 Revised 1/21/21