FCCPS STANDARDS OF STUDENT CONDUCT POLICY AND REGULATION

Policy JFC - Student Conduct

Regulation JFC-R - Standards of student conduct

Policy JFCD and Policy GBEC - Weapons in school

Falls Church City Public Schools policies apply anytime you are representing your school, including:

• when you are on school grounds

• waiting at or riding the bus, traveling to and from school

• attending school-sponsored events

• off-campus if your behavior impacts the learning environment

Students are strictly prohibited from engaging in violence, threats, hazing, or bullying, whether in person or online. Illegal items—such as weapons (including look-alikes), vapes, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs—are completely banned, meaning you cannot buy, sell, use, or be under the influence of them. Students must respect school property and academic honesty by avoiding stealing, vandalism, cheating, plagiarism, and trespassing. Finally, maintaining a respectful environment means you cannot ignore staff directions, disrupt classes, use vulgar language, or take photos or videos of anyone without their explicit permission.

Failing to follow these expectations will result in consequences that grow increasingly severe with repeat offenses. Minor violations might lead to warnings, parent meetings, detentions, or behavior contracts, while more serious misbehavior can result in the loss of privileges such as access to the school computer network, participation in sports and activities, or bus-riding privileges. For severe violations, students face suspension, placement in an alternative school, or complete expulsion from the school system, alongside potential referrals to the police or juvenile court. Furthermore, specific offenses carry mandatory penalties.

PROHIBITION AGAINST HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION

School Board Policy JFHA

At Meridian High School, everyone has the right to a safe and welcoming learning environment. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind—including behavior based on sex, gender, race, national origin, religion, or disability. If you ever feel you are being harassed, please let us know by completing the school report form. FCCPS promises to investigate every report quickly, thoroughly, and fairly. While we look into what happened, we will provide counseling and safety support to everyone involved. Anyone found guilty of harassment will face serious consequences, including suspension or expulsion for students and suspension or termination of employment for staff. Finally, getting back at someone for reporting harassment (retaliation) is strictly forbidden and will result in immediate disciplinary action.

CO-CURRICULAR AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Meridian High School recognizes the value of participation in extracurricular activities, clubs, athletics, and organizations. These activities can teach students values such as self-discipline, self-confidence, perseverance, teamwork, sacrifice, dedication, and leadership. These activities are not part of the regular school curriculum and generally take place outside of the classroom. Participation in these activities is a privilege.  Students scheduled to participate in an extracurricular activity must attend school on the day of the activity. Further information on student conduct expected of Meridian athletes is available in the Meridian Athletic Handbook. More information about athletics can be found at Meridian Athletics. 

DRESS CODE

Dress Code Link

At Meridian High School, the student dress code supports equitable educational access and is written in a manner that does not reinforce stereotypes. To ensure effective and equitable enforcement of this dress code, school staff shall enforce the dress code consistently and in a manner that does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income, or body type/size.

Our values are:

• All students should be able to dress comfortably for school and engage in the educational environment without fear of or actual unnecessary discipline or body shaming.

• All students and staff should understand that they are responsible for managing their own personal "distractions" without regulating individual students' clothing/self-expression.

• Student dress code enforcement should not result in unnecessary barriers to school attendance.

• School staff should be trained to use body-positive language when explaining the code and addressing code violations.

• Teachers should focus on teaching without the additional, often uncomfortable burden of enforcing a dress code.

• Reasons for conflict, inconsistency, and/or inequitable discipline should be minimized whenever possible. 

Our student dress code is designed to accomplish several goals:

• Maintain a safe learning environment in classes that require protective or supportive clothing, such as chemistry/biology (eye or body protection), dance (bare feet, tights/leotards), or PE (athletic attire/shoes).

• Allow students to wear comfortable clothing of their choice.

• Allow students to wear clothing that expresses their self-identified gender.

• Allow students to wear religious attire without fear of discipline or discrimination.

• Prevent students from wearing clothing or accessories with offensive images or language, including profanity, hate speech, and pornography.

• Prevent students from wearing clothing or accessories that denote, suggest, display, or reference alcohol, drugs, or related paraphernalia or other illegal conduct or activities.

• Prevent students from wearing clothing or accessories that will interfere with the operation of the school, disrupt the educational process, invade the rights of others, or create a reasonably foreseeable risk of such interference or invasion of rights.

• Prevent students from wearing clothing or accessories that reasonably can be construed as being or including content that is racist, lewd, vulgar, or obscene, or that reasonably can be construed as containing fighting words, speech that incites others to imminent lawless action, defamatory speech, or threats to others.

• Ensure that all students are treated equitably regardless of race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income, or body type/size.