Serious breaches of standards of behavior on school property or at school events may result in suspensions or expulsions from school. By law, the Board has the authority to suspend or expel beyond ten days students for violation of school rules or policies, or for insubordination or misconduct. The principals are authorized to suspend pupils for not more than ten school days and by the Superintendent of schools for not more than 90 days. The period of expulsion may extend beyond the semester in which the violation, insubordination, or misconduct occurred. Any expulsion for consumption or possession of beer or alcoholic beverages may not extend beyond 90 school days.
Suspension
There may be times when the only way to correct a disciplinary problem is by suspension. These can be of two kinds.
1. IN SCHOOL SUSPENSION consists of the child being kept apart from the rest of the children. The student will be required to do assignments and will receive no better than a 69%.
2. OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION consists of the student being prohibited from attending school because of behavior that is detrimental to the orderly operation of the school and because the presence of the student is disruptive. The student will complete the work assigned but will receive no credit.
3. In the event of a suspension or expulsion of any student SD Codified Law 24:07 will be followed.
Suspension and/or expulsion may result from the following offenses:
1. Continued and willful disobedience
2. Use, possession, distribution, or being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or tobacco on school property or in connection with any school sponsored function.
3. Open defiance, in language or action, to any teacher or person having authority in school.
4. Willfully causing or attempting to cause substantial danger to public school property
5. Conduct of such character as to constitute danger to the well-being of self or other students
6. Physical assault and/or battery upon another student or school personnel
7. Taking or attempting to take another person’s property or money by means of force or fear or by any other means.
8. Violation of attendance regulations
9. Cursing, verbally abusing, or threatening any person.
10. Willful interruption or substantial disturbance of any school activity or program
11. Violation of school board policy or regulation
12. Possessing weapons, explosives or other prohibited materials (see weapons policy)
13. Making false alarms or bomb threats.
14. Participating in or conspiring with others to engage in harassing, bullying, or hazing acts to injure, degrade, and/or disgrace other individuals.
Students who are guilty of continued serious misconduct which results in repeated suspension and who therefore interfere with the opportunity of other students to carry on their learning activities may be recommended to the Board for expulsion from school.
Most suspensions are “in school” unless the safety of others is endangered, it is a serious infraction, or the student has already had several “in school” suspensions. A student under “in school” suspension shall be given the chance to complete make up work and receive an “F” (69%) for such work for each day. The work is due at the end of the school day. A student under “out of school” suspension will automatically receive zeros.
“Out of school” suspension and expulsion is an exclusion from school and means total exclusion from participation in any and all school sponsored activities. This includes such things as dances, homecoming, prom, curricular and extra-curricular activities including all practice sessions.
Hearing procedures as established by state regulations will be followed for all students who receive long-term suspensions or expulsion.