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Discipline Policies Offenses Unacceptable Behavior Policy JFC-R

OFFENSES / UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR
(Policy JFC-R)

The following behaviors and activities are subject to disciplinary action. The prohibitions apply as appropriate on school property, on school buses and at bus stops, to and from school, and at school sponsored events at any location.

  1. Absenteeism—(See Truancy).
  2. Arson—starting or attempting to start a fire or causing or attempting to cause an explosion.
  3. Assault, collateral—unintentionally or indiscriminately inflicting physical force and/or injury upon a person other than the primary person or persons against whom an assault is directed.
  4. Assaulting a student—intentionally hitting, striking and/or attempting to cause injury to another student where injured party does not retaliate; placing a student in fear of imminent physical injury; physically injuring another student.
  5. Assaulting a staff member/adult—intentionally hitting, striking and/or attempting to cause injury to a staff member; placing a staff member in fear of imminent physical injury; physically injuring a staff member.
  6. Bomb and terrorist threats/false alarms—originating a bomb or terrorist (574.150 RSMO) threat or false alarm of danger in any manner.
  7. Bullying—In accordance with state law, bullying is defined as intimidation, unwanted aggressive behavior, or harassment that is repetitive or is substantially likely to be repeated and causes a reasonable student to fear for his or her physical safety or property; that substantially interferes with the educational performance, opportunities or benefits of any student without exception; or that substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school. Bullying includes, but is not limited to: physical actions, including violence, gestures, theft, or property damage; oral, written, or electronic communication, including name-calling, put-downs, extortion, or threats; or threats of reprisal or retaliation for reporting such acts.
  8. Bus misbehavior—discipline code provisions and requirements apply to students while on the bus or at a bus stop; refer to the appropriate category.
  9. Cheating—plagiarism, using, submitting or attempting to obtain data or answers dishonestly, by deceit or by means other than those allowed by parties in authority.
  10. Controlled substances, possession or consumption—possession or consumption of a controlled substance which includes alcoholic beverages, drugs or other controlled substances and imitation controlled substances, as well as drug paraphernalia.
  11. Controlled substances, sale or distribution—sale or distribution of a controlled substance which includes alcoholic beverages, drugs or other controlled substances or imitation controlled substances, as well as drug paraphernalia.
  12. Cyber-bullying/threats—A form of bullying committed by transmission of a communication including, but not limited to, a message, text, sound or image by means of an electronic device including, but not limited to, a telephone, wireless telephone or other wireless communication device, computer or pager. The district has jurisdiction over cyberbullying that uses the district's technology resources or that originates on district property, at a district activity or on district transportation. Even when cyberbullying does not involve district property, activities or technology resources, the district will impose consequences and discipline for those who engage in cyberbullying if there is a sufficient nexus to the educational environment, the behavior materially and substantially disrupts the educational environment, the communication involves a threat as defined by law, or the district is otherwise allowed by law to address the behavior.
  13. Defiance of authority—refusal to obey reasonable verbal and/or written requests/directions of teachers, principals, bus drivers and other school personnel, including failure to report for detention.
  14. Destruction of property—damaging or destroying real or personal property which belongs to the district, or property belonging to others which is located on and has reason to be located on school premises; tampering or interfering with property such as bicycles, cars, fire and emergency equipment.
  15. Disruptive behavior—misbehavior that interrupts the school setting and is not defined by any other category.
  16. Dress code violations—improper dress/dress code violations—Students’ dress and appearance should not draw undue attention to the individual student, and must not disrupt or distract from the instructional process. Examples which are unlikely to meet these requirements, unless authorized by the principal on an exception basis for reasons such as spirit and color days and heating/ ventilation considerations, are:
    • Not wearing shoes
    • Wearing clothing or accessories that are profane, obscene, disruptive or sexually suggestive, that promote violence or hate groups, or depict alcoholic beverages, guns or other lethal weapons; and sunglasses and dark glasses, unless prescription
    • Wearing hair rollers, hairnets, picks, combs and plastic hair coverings • Wearing head gear in the building (hats and coats must be placed in lockers or other areas designated for this purpose during the school day)
    • Wearing clothing in an incorrect manner (e.g., pants are to be worn at the waist—not sagging, etc.)
    • Chains used with wallets, keys, etc. or as a belt or decoration • Clothing, coloring, insignia or other symbol or combinations of symbols on school grounds or at school-sponsored activities which indicate membership in, affiliation with, or support for any gang or similar organization associated with violence, drugs, intimidation or other criminal activity.
  17. Fighting—mutual physical combat in which all parties have contributed to the conflict by physical action.
  18. Fireworks/explosive devices—possession of and/or setting off fireworks or explosive devices.
  19. Forgery—writing the name of or impersonating another person in order to falsify school-related information.
  20. Gambling—using any medium of chance to wager money or other items of value.
  21. Gang activity or association—“gang” is defined as a group of people who engage in or promote acts of disruption, violence, criminal acts, extortion, intimidation and/or distribution or use of illegal drugs, and who seek to establish a group identity through common dress or mannerisms such as signs, speech, graffiti, colors and the like. Wearing, carrying or displaying gang paraphernalia, or exhibiting behavior or gestures which symbolize gang membership, or any other attribute which indicates or implies membership in or support of such a group.
  22. Harassment—unwelcomed words, gestures, or actions directed to an individual or group, which have the purpose or effect of demeaning, annoying, bothering or failing to respect another’s dignity. Harassment also includes, but is not limited to, making disparaging references about another person’s age, sex, race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. (also see Cyberbullying/Threats)
  23. Hazing—For purposes of this policy, hazing is defined as any activity, on or off school grounds, that a reasonable person believes would negatively impact the mental or physical health or safety of a student or put the student in a ridiculous, humiliating, stressful or disconcerting position for the purposes of initiation, affiliation, admission, membership or maintenance of membership in any group, class, organization, club or athletic team including, but not limited to, a grade level, student organization or district-sponsored activity.
  24. Inappropriate physical contact—Aggressive behavior toward others; Inadvertent physical contact of a sexual nature; or Horseplay with physical contact.
  25. Identification violations—refusal to identify oneself, repeated loss of or failure to display one’s identification badge, false identification, misuse or defacing of an identification badge.
  26. Inappropriate display of affection—inappropriate display of physical affection in the school setting.
  27. Internet/electronic media misuse—
    1. violation of the provisions of the school’s acceptable use agreement governing use of the district’s electronic media properties and capacity (Also see Policy EHB)
    2. use of electronic music devices, i-pods, electronic games, cameras, toys, skateboards, cell phones, pagers and laser pointers at any time, other than before or after school, unless specifically authorized by an administrator or specified in an IEP; inappropriate use of these items at any time.
  28. Intimidation—making verbal, physical, written or electronically generated threats against; bullying that causes a reasonable student to fear for his/her physical safety or property, taunting or gesturing menacingly toward a person; threatening damage to one’s property; using threats or deceit to extort property; threatening to expose or exposing information in order to exert influence over another person; defaming one’s race, religion, gender, ethnic origin or other personal characteristics; and any threat of retaliation for reporting of such acts.
  29. Language, improper—use of profane, disparaging, demeaning, rude, vulgar, abusive or disruptive, words, gestures, or actions, verbal, written, pictorial or symbolic, which offend or injure another person or persons, or disrupt classroom work, school activities and functions, or other school settings.
  30. Sexual harassment or misconduct—unwelcomed inappropriate expressions or gestures of a sexual nature directed at or about another person with an offending or intimidating purpose or result; retaliation against a person for making a complaint of sexual harassment when the complainant believes sexual harassment has occurred or is occurring; possession and/or distribution of pornographic or sexually explicit materials/objects at school (also see Policy JBA). A student shall not use a camera, camera cell phone, or other imaging device to take pictures or record any image of students or others in locations or under circumstances:
    • where such persons are or may be partially clothed, including but not limited to, rest rooms and other changing areas,
    • when such image otherwise violates commonly held standards of privacy, including but not limited to taking or attempting to take pictures underneath the clothing of another person,
    • where students or others have some other reasonable expectation of privacy with respect to their person.
  31. Sexual abuse, molestation or assault—touching of private areas of any person, with or without permission; illicit sexual behavior and acts inflicted upon another person.
  32. Sexual misconduct—deliberate physical, sexual conduct which can include indecent, immodest, or unacceptable exposure or touching of one’s body
  33. Smoking/tobacco/electronic cigarettes—use or possession of any tobacco, e-cigarette, or smoking device, product or paraphernalia at any school setting.
  34. Theft—taking property belonging to another, or possessing property belonging to another without permission.
  35. Trespassing—unauthorized presence on school property or refusal to leave when directed to do so by a person in authority.
  36. Truancy—skipping class; excessive unexcused tardiness and absences.
  37. Unauthorized objects—intentionally or unintentionally bringing unauthorized objects to school with no intent to cause harm or to disrupt.
  38. Vandalism—defacing personal property which belongs to the district, or property belonging to others which is located on and has reason to be located on school premises; tampering or interfering with property such as bicycles, cars, fire and emergency equipment.
  39. Weapons—use, threatened use, possession, provision or display of any weapon or weapon look-alike (including a toy), including firearms as defined in policy JFCJ or 18 U.S.C. 921, or any component of a weapon; ammunition; any instrument or device used to threaten or inflict physical injury upon another person, or to damage property.