5144 - Discipline

The County Superintendent of Schools believes that one of the major functions of the public schools is the preparation of youth for responsible citizenship. The County Superintendent of Schools’ programs shall foster a learning environment which reinforces the concepts of self-discipline and the acceptance of personal responsibility. Students are expected to progress from being adult-directed to self-directed with minimal application of disciplinary measures.

In order to maintain an environment conducive to attaining the highest quality of education in the programs operated by the County Superintendent of Schools, there must exist certain disciplinary policies and procedures relating to student conduct which delineates acceptable behavior and provides the basis for sound disciplinary practices within each program. These policies and regulations will be enforced fairly and consistently without regard to race, creed color, sex, handicap or deviant/antisocial behavior.

The administration, teachers and classified staff share the mutual responsibility for student conduct and safety and the enforcement of County Superintendent of Schools policies and procedures. The County Superintendent of Schools shall give all reasonable support and assistance to all employees with respect to the student discipline.

Due to the unique circumstances of the County Superintendent of Schools’ programs, when appropriate the County Superintendent of Schools’ programs align themselves with the school site rules of the local District school in which the County Superintendent of Schools’ program resides. In other instances it is more appropriate for the County Superintendent of Schools to enforce its own rules for student discipline.

In order to ensure that school site rules for student discipline are enforced fairly and appropriately and consistently, the County Superintendent of Schools or designee, shall establish procedures for the development of such rules.

All avenues provided in policy, procedures, and law for the discipline of students may be utilized in developing site level rules. These include but are not limited to advising and counseling students, conference with parents/guardians, detention during and after school hours, alternative educational environments and, if necessary, suspension and expulsion.

When it is appropriate and necessary for the County Superintendent of Schools to adopt his/her own school rules rather than embrace the local district’s school site rules, the adoption of each school’s rules on student discipline is the responsibility of the principal and a designated teacher.

All adopted school site rules shall be subject to the County Superintendent of Schools or designee review and approval prior to implementation. School Site rules shall be reviewed and readopted every four years.

For appropriate school programs, the principal of each school shall ensure that every student and his/her parent/guardian is notified in writing of administrative regulations and individual school rules related to discipline during enrollment.

The notice shall include the fact that these rules and regulations are available on request at the principal’s or designee’s office.

Corporal punishment shall not be used as a disciplinary measure against any student. School administrators and teachers shall employ other means of disciplining students who violate school rules.

The use of reasonable and necessary force by an employee to protect oneself or others or to prevent damage to property shall not be considered corporal punishment for purposes of this policy.

Approved May 24, 1994