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Violation, Offenses & Consequences

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VIOLATIONS OF STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

Each classroom teacher will deal with disruptions by taking in-class disciplinary actions, by making a personal telephone call to the parent(s) or guardian(s) when feasible, and/or by scheduling conferences with the parent(s) or guardian(s) and other school staff.  Only when the action taken by the teacher or other staff is ineffective, or the student’s behavior substantially disrupts the class, should the student be referred to the principal or his/her designee.

Failure to bring notebook, writing instruments, books or required materials and equipment to class is not cause for disciplinary referrals; however, defiance of a teacher in regard to those areas is cause for disciplinary referral. The teacher of students who consistently exhibit poor work habits should notify parents and guardians.

The policy of the Emanuel County Board of Education is each school within this school district shall develop and implement age-appropriate student codes of conduct designed to improve the student learning environment and which will comply with the state law and State Board of Education Rule 160-4-8-15.  Violations of the Student Code of Conduct are grouped into three classes.  Before determining the classification of a violation, the principal or his/her designee will consult with the involved student(s) and school personnel.  Once the classification of the violation is determined by the principal the principal or his/her designee in his/her discretion, the disciplinary procedures will be implemented.  ECS will follow State Board of Education Rule 160-4-8-16 to determine unsafe school option status.

NOTE: Student violations of the code of conduct outside of school time related to school activities will be subject to consequences, and if student is transitioning schools, the consequences will follow the student to the next school.

ELEMENTARY CONSEQUENCES

CLASS I OFFENSES ● DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

First Offense - In-school conference and parent contact when warranted; correction and/or replacement of defaced/damaged personal and/or public property; other appropriate consequences.

Special circumstances may warrant disciplinary action as outlined under Subsequent Offenses below.

Subsequent Offenses - In-school disciplinary action such as probation, detention, after school detention, discipline contract, time-out, extended time-out, corporal punishment, suspension at the discretion of the principal or his/her designee, or suspension from bus transportation for up to ten school days for bus related offenses. 

CLASS II OFFENSES ● DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

First Offense and Subsequent Offenses - Extended time-out, detention before or after school, suspension - up to 10 days, other appropriate consequences, and/or suspension from the bus for ten days or longer for bus related offenses.  

CLASS III OFFENSES ● DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS 

The disciplinary actions for these offenses will be out-of-school suspension and/or recommendation for expulsion by the principal as authorized in the procedures previously stated and/or suspension from bus transportation for up to the remainder of the semester or year for bus related offenses.  The third offense of bullying in a school year, at a minimum shall result in the student being assigned to an alternative school or other alternative education program.

The principal shall suspend the student whose expulsion is recommended during the interim between the time the recommendation is made and the date of the disciplinary hearing, but such interim suspension shall not be for a period exceeding ten (10) days.

At the hearing, the Tribunal panel will determine whether or not a violation of the policy has occurred and whether or not the student should be expelled or some other appropriate punishment be imposed.  If, after the hearing, the Tribunal panel determines not to expel the student or impose some other punishment, which includes the interim suspension, the interim suspension shall be considered void.

 

A.  The student shall be shown as present and the days absent will not show on the record.

B.  The student will be allowed to make up all work missed.

MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CONSEQUENCES

CLASS I OFFENSES ● DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

First Offense - In-school conference and parent contact when warranted.  Special circumstances in the discretion of the principal may warrant disciplinary action as outlined under Subsequent Offenses below.

Subsequent Offenses - In-school disciplinary action such as probation, detention, corporal punishment, in-school suspension, suspension at the discretion of the principal or his/her designee, or suspension from bus transportation for up to ten school days for bus related offenses–Special circumstances may warrant a recommendation for an alternative educational program apart from the normal school setting.

CLASS II OFFENSES ● DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

First Offense - In-school suspension and/or suspension and/or suspension from the bus for ten days or longer for bus related offenses.  Special circumstances in the discretion of the principal may warrant disciplinary action as outlined under Subsequent Offenses below.

Subsequent Offenses - May include long-term suspension and/or recommendation for an alternative educational program.  The third offense of bullying in a school year, at a minimum shall result in the student being allowed to apply to the Alternative school.

CLASS III OFFENSES ● DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

The disciplinary actions for these offenses will be out-of-school suspension, application to Alternative school, suspension for 10+ days, and/or recommendation for expulsion by the principal as authorized in the procedures previously stated and/or suspension from bus transportation for the remainder of the semester or year for bus related offenses.  The third offense of bullying in a school year by a student in grades 6 - 12, at a minimum shall result in the student being allowed to apply to the Alternative school

For students who violated any of the drug or alcohol offenses, the principal shall recommend expulsion for the remainder of the semester. 

A student who is expelled for violation of the drug and alcohol policy may not receive credit for the semester.  An expulsion for a violation of the drug and alcohol policy shall not be effective until action by the Emanuel County School System Disciplinary Tribunal panel.  The principal shall suspend the student whose expulsion is recommended during the interim between the time the recommendation is made and the date of the disciplinary hearing, but such interim suspension shall not be for a period exceeding ten (10) days.

At the hearing, the Disciplinary Tribunal panel will determine whether or not a violation of the policy has occurred and whether or not the student should be expelled or some other appropriate punishment be imposed.  If, after the hearing, the Disciplinary Tribunal panel determines not to expel the student or impose some other punishment that includes the interim suspension, the interim suspension shall be considered void.

  1. The student shall be shown as present and the days absent will not show on the record.
  2. The student will be allowed to make up all work missed.

 

DISCIPLINARY EXPULSION PROTOCOL FOR GRADES 6-12

The Emanuel County School System is committed to providing a quality education to all students in a safe and positive learning environment.  Our mission is to ensure the best possible educational environment for all learners.

The Student Handbook states for Class III offenses, the disciplinary action taken can include expulsion from the school system.  A student committing a violation of the following Class III offenses may result in expulsion from the Emanuel County School System for a minimum of one hundred and eighty (180) school days without an option to apply to the alternative school program:

  1. Terroristic threats against students and/or personnel of the Emanuel County School System.
  2. Violation of the drug and alcohol policy as defined in the Code of Conduct.
  3. Fighting that results in substantial injury and/or requires medical attention.
  4. Possession and/or use of any type of weapon, or the use of other objects as a weapon, with the intent to do harm.
  5. Committing a sexual offense as defined in the Code of Conduct.
  6. Assaults against any staff member and/or the intended misuse of electronic devices such as inappropriate internet use which defames the reputation of a staff member, uses racist remarks and/or sexually provocative language interfering with the safe operation of a class, a school and/or a school system.

The previous list of offenses will be enforced with a standard of “No Tolerance.”  A substantiated violation of any of the items listed above, based on the severity of the incident, could result in permanent expulsion.  Based on the severity of the violation, other offenses not listed above, may also be subject to punishment up to and including permanent expulsion from the Emanuel County School System.

WEAPONS AND DANGEROUS ITEMS          

It is the policy of the Board of Education that a student shall not possess, use, handle or transmit any object that reasonably can be considered a weapon on property or in a building owned or leased by a school district, at a school function, or on a bus or other transportation provided by the school district.  Weapons may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Any handgun, firearm, rifle, shotgun or similar weapon; any explosive compound or incendiary device; or, any other dangerous weapon as defined in O.C.G.A. § 16-11-121, including a rocket launcher, bazooka, recoilless rifle, mortar, or hand grenade.
  2. Any hazardous object, including any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, any other knife, straight-edge razor, razor blade, spring stick, knuckles, whether made from metal, thermoplastic, wood, or other similar material, blackjack, any bat, club, or other bludgeon-type weapon, or any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku or fighting chain, or any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart, or any instrument of like kind, any nonlethal air gun, and any stun gun or Taser.  Such term shall not include any of these instruments used for classroom work authorized by the teacher.

Students who possess any weapon described in paragraph 1 in violation of this policy will be subject to a minimum of a one calendar year expulsion.  Either the Superintendent shall have the authority before or after the student is referred for a tribunal hearing to reduce the mandated one-year expulsion under circumstances where the one-year expulsion appears excessive to the superintendent. The tribunal shall also have the authority to modify such expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis in determining the appropriate punishment. Finally, in any tribunal decision appealed to the board of education, the board may reduce the mandated punishment but shall consider whether the superintendent and/or tribunal considered a reduction and any rationale in denying such a reduction.

Students who possess other weapons or hazardous objects as described in paragraph 2 will be subject to discipline as specified in the student code of conduct.

Reporting Requirements

Any employee who has reasonable cause to believe that a student possesses a weapon as defined in paragraph 1, is involved in an assault using a weapon as defined in paragraph   2, or is involved in a second offense with a weapon on campus must report such violations to the principal or assistant principal of the school.  If the principal has reasonable cause to believe that such report is valid, he/she must immediately make an oral report to the Superintendent and to the appropriate law enforcement authority and district attorney.

The student’s parents or guardian will be notified immediately of his/her child’s involvement in any activity involving weapons.

Students will be given a copy of the Code of Conduct, which includes a statement of prohibited conduct with regard to weapons and possible disciplinary actions.

POSSESSION

“Possession” shall be strictly defined as having a substance or object on one’s person including, but not limited to, holding a substance or object in one’s hand for any length of time, including even a few seconds.  “Possession” shall also mean having a substance or object under one’s control, for example, in one’s pocket, book bag, purse, auto, locker, etc.

VAPES/ELECTRONIC SMOKING DEVICE

The Emanuel County School District is committed to the health, safety, and welfare of its students. The District has determined that the use of vapes, vaporizers, e-cigarettes, or other devices used to inhale vapor by means of an electronic device (“vaping”) is harmful to the health of students and the good order of the School District. Vaping requires the use of a purpose-made or homemade device that vaporizes oil that may contain flavoring, nicotine, Cannabidiol (“CBD”) oil of varying concentrations, tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) oil of varying concentrations, or other substances that may or may not be legal to possess (“vape”). A vaping device is generally composed of a vaporizer, battery, reservoir for smoking oil, and a battery charger. By way of example and not as a limitation, vaping devices may be called vapes, Juuls, e-cigarettes, e-cigs, dab pens or other brand names. It will be a violation of the Emanuel County Discipline Code to possess, use or transfer a vape as provided below.

 For purposes of this section, the following definitions will apply:

  • Cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two primary cannabinoids that occur naturally in the cannabis sativa plant.
  • CBD Oil. CBD oil is derived from a cannabis plant called hemp. Hemp contains a very high concentration of CBD and less than .3% by volume of THC.
  • Low-THC Oil. Low-THC oil is derived from the cannabis plant that produces marijuana. Low-THC oil contains no more than 5% by volume of THC and may only be possessed or used under a doctor’s supervision with a prescription. Possession of Low-THC oil without a valid prescription is a felony.
  • THC Oil. THC oil is derived from the cannabis plant and contains more than 5% by volume of THC. Some THC oil may contain up to 98% by volume of THC (3 - 5 times stronger than typical marijuana). Possession of THC oil is a felony.
  • Vape. A vape is a purpose-made or homemade device that electronically vaporizes liquid to allow a user to inhale the vapor created in the lungs (i.e. vapes, juuls, e-cigarette, e-cig, dab pen, vape sticks, etc.) Vape will include individually or together vape battery(ies), reservoir(s), vaporizer(s), and/or vape charger(s).
  • Vape Juice. Vape juice is a slang term for the liquid used by the vaporizer to create
  • vapor. Vape juice may contain flavored juice, CBD oil, Low THC oil or THC oil.

 

Students in possession of vapes or other electronic smoking devices (42) will be addressed using the matrix below. When such device contains CBD products with or without any form of THC, as outlined above, the discipline will be classified as a drug offense (07) and appropriate discipline will be administered following the matrix below.