The board of education expects all students to conduct themselves in an appropriate and civil manner, with proper regard for the rights and welfare of other students, district personnel and other members of the school community, and for the care of school facilities and equipment. The best discipline is self-imposed, and students must learn to assume and accept responsibility for their own behavior, as well as the consequences of their misbehavior. District personnel who interact with students are expected to use disciplinary action when necessary and to place emphasis on the students’ ability to grow in self-discipline. The board recognizes the need to make its expectations for student conduct while on school property or engaged in a school function sufficiently specific and clear. The rules of conduct listed below are intended to do that and focus on safety and respect for the rights and property of others. These rules will function as guidelines because each building, with its different age groups, will have its own unique problems or concerns. Students who will not accept responsibility for their own behavior and who violate these school rules will be required to accept the penalties for their conduct. In addition, students may be subject to criminal prosecution and/or civil liability. Students may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension from school, when they:

A. Engage in conduct that is disorderly

Examples of disorderly conduct include, but are not limited to:

1. Running in hallways, pushing, shoving, tripping, throwing objects, and throwing snowballs.
2. Making unreasonable noise.
3. Using language or gestures that is profane, lewd, vulgar, or abusive.
4. Obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
5. Engaging in any willful act that disrupts the normal operation of the school community.
6. Trespassing. Students are not permitted in any school building, other than the one they regularly attend, without permission from the administrator in charge of the building.
7. Computer/electronic communications misuse, including any unauthorized use of computers, software, or internet/intranet account; accessing inappropriate websites; or any other violation of the district’s acceptable use policy.

B. Engage in conduct that is insubordinate

Examples of insubordinate conduct include, but are not limited to:

1. Failing to comply with the reasonable directions of teachers, school administrators, or other school employees in charge of students or otherwise demonstrating disrespect.
2. Lateness for, missing or leaving school or class without permission.
3. Skipping detention.

C. Engage in conduct that is disruptive

Examples of disruptive conduct include, but are not limited to:

1. Talking without permission.
2. Inappropriate noise or gestures, interrupting teachers or students or any other behavior that interferes with the teacher’s ability to conduct class.

D. Engage in conduct that is violent

Examples of violent conduct include, but are not limited to:

1. Committing an act of violence (such as hitting, kicking, punching, and scratching) upon a student, teacher, administrator, or other school employee or attempting to do so.
2. Causing other students to engage in violence (such as hitting, kicking, punching, and scratching) on school property.
3. Possessing a weapon. Authorized law enforcement officials are the only persons permitted to have a weapon in their possession while on school property or at a school function.
4. Displaying what appears to be a weapon.
5. Threatening to use a weapon.
6. Intentionally damaging or destroying the personal property of a student, teacher, administrator, other district employee, or any person lawfully on school property, including graffiti or arson.
7. Intentionally damaging or destroying school district property.
8. Damaging textbooks, workbooks, District-issued technology (hardware or software), or any other school property issued for coursework by teachers.

E. Engage in conduct that endangers the safety, morals, health, or welfare of others

Examples of such conduct include, but are not limited to:

1. Lying to school personnel.
2. Stealing or damaging the property of other students, school personnel or any other person lawfully on school property or attending a school function.
3. Defamation, which includes making false or unprivileged statements or representations about an individual or identifiable group of individuals that harm the reputation of the person or the identifiable group by demeaning them.
4. Discrimination, which includes the use of race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender (which includes a person’s actual or perceived sex, as well as gender identity and expression) as a basis for treating another in a negative manner.
5. Harassment, which includes a sufficiently severe action or a persistent, pervasive pattern of actions of statements directed at an individual or group which are intended to be or which a reasonable person would perceive as ridiculing or demeaning.
6. Intimidation, which includes engaging in actions or statements that put an individual in fear of bodily harm.
7. Hazing, which includes any intentional or reckless act directed against another for the purpose of initiation into, affiliating with or maintaining membership in any school sponsored activity, organization, club, or team.
8. Selling, using, or posessing obscene material.
9. Using vulgar or abusive language, cursing, or swearing.
10. Possessing, consuming, selling, distributing, sharing, or exchanging a cigarette, cigar, pipe, e-cigarette/smoking device, vaping materials and/or tobacco products.
11. (1) Possessing, consuming, selling, distributing, sharing, or exchanging alcoholic beverages, marijuana, DAB pens, and CBD. Possessing drug paraphernalia for the use of such drugs is also prohibited.
    (2) Possessing, consuming, selling, distributing, sharing, or exchanging controlled or illegal substances or being under the influence of. “Illegal substances” include, but are not limited to, inhalants, cocaine, LSD, PCP, amphetamines, heroin, steroids, look-alike drugs, and any substances commonly referred to as “designer drugs”. Controlled substances include substances that are legally possessed or used under the supervision of a licensed health care professional or used under any other provision of federal law. Possessing drug paraphernalia for the use of such drugs.
12. Sharing prescription and over the counter drugs.
13. Gambling.
14. Indecent exposure, that is, exposure to sight of the private parts of the body in a lewd or indecent manner.
15. Initiating a report warning of fire or other catastrophe without valid cause, misuse of 911, or discharging a fire extinguisher.
16. Possessing of discharging fireworks, explosives, or incendiary devices in a school building or on school property.

F. Engage in misconduct while on a school bus

It is crucial for students to behave appropriately while riding on district buses to ensure their safety and that of other passengers and to avoid distracting the bus driver. Students are required to conduct themselves on the bus in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior. Excessive noise, pushing, shoving, and fighting will not be tolerated.

G. Engage in any form of academic misconduct

Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to:

1. Plagiarism.
2. Cheating.
3. Copying
4. Altering records.
5. Assisting another student in any of the above actions.
6. Late/incomplete assignments.

H. Engage in truancy/illegal absences

I. Engage in behaviors non-compliant with established policies

J. Engage in conduct that is non-compliant with district policy pursuant to internet-enabled devices during the school day