FILE:  JCDA

Cf:  JCD

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

Respect for the dignity and the worth of the individual is the basis for laws by which the United States Government was first established.  Since the public school system is created by that government for the enlightenment and the training of its youth, it becomes necessary that laws governing the appropriate conduct of the young be understood by all members of the school community -- students, faculty, administrators, and parent(s)/guardian(s) -- and that all share in the responsibility to support the rules of the school.

It is the duty of the parent to train the child to assume responsibilities in the school environment -- responsibility for learning and exhibiting conduct that does not infringe upon the rights of another.  The school has the right to expect reasonable and self-disciplined behavior from each student.  Since self-discipline cannot be imposed from without, the students must be permitted a degree of freedom of choice and action to develop their individual talents and abilities.

Conversely, the school must seek to protect the rights of all young persons to an education commensurate with their abilities, interests, values, and goals.  The school must provide safeguards for the health, safety and rights of the individual students without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status.

Whenever students feel that the best interests of the individual or of the group have been disregarded, a conference with the teacher, sponsor, coach or counselor should be arranged.  If a routine agreement cannot be effected among student(s), teacher(s) and counselor, then the student has the right to:

• arrange a meeting with the principal or the designated assistant student(s) to be detrimental,
  
  

• request a conference of parent(s)/guardian(s), student and principal if not satisfied with initial meetings,
  
  

• appeal through the appropriate chain of command if conferences are not satisfactory at the local school level; and it shall be the responsibility of the principal to inform parent(s)/guardian(s) of the appeal procedure.

The provisions of this code of behavior apply whenever students are involved, such as:

• school activities on property owned or used by the school board, travel on school buses, off-site school-sponsored activities, i.e. field trips, on- or off-site school-related problems which are the result of disruptive behavior at school.

The Superintendent may, for good cause, approve a deviation from the procedures set forth in the code of behavior in its present form, so long as the basic rights of students, parent(s)/guardian(s), the community at large and/or school personnel are not violated.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Plaquemines Parish School Board advocates that while education is a right of youth, it is not an absolute right.  It is qualified first by eligibility requirements and secondly by performance requirements.  The school must be concerned with the individual and his/her welfare, but in working with the individual, must at all times be concerned with the welfare of the group.

The following obligations should be assumed by the student:

1. To obey the rules of his/her school.
   
   

2. To apply himself/herself to the established course of study.

3. To respect the authority of his/her teachers.
   
   

4. To respect school property.
   
   

5. To respect the personal property of others.
   
   

6. To conduct oneself properly in school, on school grounds, buses, and at school functions.
   
   

7. To refrain from disruption, demonstrations, violence, and forms of incitement.
   
   

8. To leave the school grounds immediately upon being dismissed, go to and from school in an orderly manner and without delay, and refrain from interference with other students on the way to and from school.

The Plaquemines Parish School Board cannot reasonably write a code of conduct in such detail as to anticipate every type of misconduct that could possibly occur.  Generally, those rules of conduct which are considered acceptable in the home, church, and in other such places will be acceptable conduct in school.

All students of the Plaquemines Parish Public School System are charged with the responsibility to conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to good citizenship everywhere.  Student conduct shall be founded on the basic concept of respect and consideration for the rights of others.

Students shall be held strictly accountable for their conduct in accordance with state laws, School Board policies and the rules of the school they attend.

SCHOOL RULES AND REGULATIONS

Each individual school is authorized to develop specific rules and regulations which relate to the general welfare of the student body of that school.  The Plaquemines Parish School Board cannot reasonably write a code of conduct applicable to each school setting; however, the following rules should be considered appropriate to all schools.

Rule 1 - Disruption of School

A student shall not, by use of violence, force, noise, coercion, threat, intimidation, fear, passive resistance, or any other conduct, cause the substantial and material disruption or obstruction of any lawful mission, process or function of the school.  This shall also pertain to all unapproved activities conducted on School Board property while school is not in session.

1. A student shall not participate in a boycott, sit-in, stand-in or walk-out that is disruptive to the conducting of school, or that involves misconduct or that is a nonpeaceable gathering.
   
   

2. A student shall not urge other students to engage in the aforementioned conduct for the purpose of causing the substantial and material disruption or obstruction of any lawful mission, process or function of the school, if a substantial and material disruption or obstruction is reasonably certain to result from his/her urgings.

Rule 2 - Damage or Destruction of School Property

A student shall not intentionally cause or attempt to cause damage to valuable school property, or steal, or attempt to steal school property.  Even though the damage is small, or theft is not of property of substantial value, repeated offenses will be considered serious misconduct.

Rule 3 - Damage or Destruction of Private Property

A student shall not intentionally cause or attempt to cause damage to private property, or steal, or attempt to steal private property either on the school grounds, or during a school activity, function or event off school grounds.  Repeated damage or theft involving private property of small value shall be also considered serious student misconduct.

Rule 4 - Abuse of School Personnel

Neither student, parent of a student, or person acting for a student, may use any form of violence or abusive language to a teacher or school administrator or other school personnel, or cause damage to be inflicted upon the property of a teacher, school administrator or other school personnel.

Rule 5 - Physical Abuse of a Student or Other Person Not Employed By the School

A student shall not intentionally do bodily injury to any person, (1) on the school grounds during and immediately before or immediately after school hours, (2) on the school grounds at any other time when the school is being used by a school group, or (3) off the school grounds at a school activity or event.

Rule 6 - Weapons and Dangerous Instruments

A student shall not knowingly possess, handle or transmit on school premises, or off the school grounds at any school activity, function or event, knives, guns or other weapons, dangerous objects, explosive devices or any other object that can reasonably be considered a weapon.

Rule 7 - Narcotics, Stimulant Drugs and Alcoholic Beverages

1. A student shall not knowingly possess, use, transmit, or be under the influence of any narcotic drugs, hallucinogenic drugs, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, or intoxicant of any kind (1) on the school grounds, during and immediately before and immediately after school hours, (2) on the school grounds at any other time when school is being used by any school group, (3) off the school grounds at a school activity, function or event, or (4) on any school bus.
   
   

2. A student shall not knowingly possess, use, transmit, or be under the influence of any alcoholic beverage (1) on the school grounds, during and immediately before and immediately after school hours, (2) on the school grounds at other time when the school is being used by any school group, (3) off the school grounds at a school activity, function or event, or (4) on any school bus.

Rule 8 - Use of Tobacco

The possession and/or use of tobacco and/or tobacco paraphernalia in any form may be hazardous and harmful to the health of students, and is therefore not allowed in Plaquemines Parish Schools.

Rule 9 - Publications

Student participation in the publication of student newspapers, yearbooks, literary magazines and similar publications is encouraged by the Plaquemines Parish School Board as learning and educational experiences.  The primary purpose of student publications shall be the development of communication skills.  These publications have qualified faculty advisors and strive to meet high standards of journalism.

A student, however, may not produce and/or distribute petitions or other printed documents of any kind, sort or type that is disruptive to the conducting of school.  A student shall not produce and/or distribute any petitions or documents of any kind or sort on school premises during the school day without the specific approval of the principal.

Rule 10 - Student Lockers

Lockers, as provided by the school district, are purchased, furnished and maintained by the school district and remain the property of the school district.  No charges are made for their use or rental.

A student shall not place, keep or maintain any article or material in a school-owned locker which is of a non-school nature that shall cause or tend to cause a disruptive activity on any school property or at any school sponsored function.

Rule 11 - Truancy

Students are responsible for attending school regularly, and attendance is compulsory until the age of eighteen (18) with limited exceptions.  In case of absence, students must bring a written statement to school by the second day of return to school.  The written statement must give the reason for the absence and be signed by a parent or guardian.  Classwork for excused absences may be made up, but the student must meet with the teacher to obtain the assignments.

Rule 12 - Fighting

Students are responsible for settling such confrontations that may arise in a peaceable manner and without the use of violence.

This rule shall apply at all times when a student is under school supervision whether on school grounds or not.

Rule 13 - Leaving School Grounds Without Permission

No student, while under school supervision, shall leave school grounds without securing proper permission.

Rule 14 - Academic Dishonesty

No student shall take part in cheating, plagiarism, forgery.

Rule 15 - Extortion, Harassment, or Intimidation

No student shall engage in extortion, attempted extortion, harassment or intimidation against any other student or school employee.

Rule 16 - Violation of Fire Regulation

Students shall not light matches, tamper with fire alarms, file false fire reports, or light a flame not a part of classroom instruction.

Rule 17 - Inappropriate Public Behavior or Display

Students shall not possess and/or display pornographic materials.  Students shall not engage in any type of indecent exposure or vulgar behavior.  Students shall not use profane, vulgar or obscene language and/or gestures.

Rule 18 - Theft

No student shall take the property of others.

Rule 19 - Tardiness

No student shall be tardy to class.  Each unexcused tardy during a grading period shall constitute a separate offense.

Rule 20 - Profiteering

No student shall engage in private sale of goods or services on school property or at school-sponsored functions.

Rule 21 - Personal Appearance and Hygiene

Personal appearance should reflect positively on the individual and school.  The School Board requires standards of dress that are conducive to safety and orderly classroom decorum.  Students should follow the parish and school dress code.  Clothing will be excluded which:

1. Represents some form of commercialism.
   
   

2. Depicts any symbol, slogan, message, or vulgarism which would tend to disrupt the learning process.
   
   

3. Represents indecent exposure.

Personal grooming shall reflect daily attention to hygiene and cleanliness and the school may employ counseling or punitive measures to correct an individual problem of this nature.

Rule 22 - Search and Seizure

School officials have the responsibility of maintaining a safe environment for all students, for protecting and preserving school property, and for enforcing all school rules.  Toward these purposes, students or school property being used by the student may be searched under certain circumstances and any illegal or unauthorized materials or substances confiscated.

1. Student lockers are school property and may be submitted to periodic inspection for the purposes of locating overdue materials or removing unsanitary materials.
   
   

2. School officials may, with reasonable belief enter a student locker for the purpose of detecting illegal substances, contraband, weapons, or explosives.
   
   

3. Schools may require that the combination of student locks, if privately owned, be registered with the office.
   
   

4. School officials may search the individual person of a student, within standards of good taste, if there is sufficient cause to believe that the student possesses illegal substances, contraband, weapons, or explosives.

CORRECTIVE/PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

The school's primary goal of education includes self-discipline.  When, however, a student fails to exhibit self-discipline and the behavior of the individual student comes in conflict with the right of others, corrective actions are necessary for the benefit of that individual and the school as a whole.

The following are corrective/preventive measures available to Plaquemines Parish school administrators:

1. Provide counseling or issue admonition
   
   

2. Advise parents
   
   

3. Remove student from class or group temporarily
   
   

4. Conduct parent-student conference
   
   

5. Remove student from class or group permanently
   
   

6. Require tasks assigned by the administration
   
   

7. Administer corporal punishment (grades K-8)
   
   

8. Provide in-school suspension
   
   

9. Provide after-school detention to be supervised by an administrator
   
   

10. Invoke suspension from school
    
    

11. Require financial restitution and/or work equivalent
    
    

12. Conduct hearing before the School Board for possible expulsion
    
    

13. Involve law enforcement agencies if illegal activities are included in offense.
    
    

14. Refer to other social agencies
    
    

15. Initiate legal action by the School Board

NOTICE

Students must know what conduct is appropriate and what is forbidden; therefore, the rules and regulations of the School Board governing student conduct shall be distributed to the students and posted in a conspicuous place.

Adopted:  December, 2001

Adopted:  November 1, 2010

Revised:  July 12, 2021

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:223, 17:416, 17:416.1

Board minutes, 11-12-90, 12-3-01, 7-12-21

Plaquemines Parish School Board