SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT - STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE
Acceptable behavior is essential to the development of responsible and self-disciplined citizens of the community and to the provision of an effective school program.
Shelby County Schools will provide each student with a safe orderly school environment. Further, Shelby County Schools shall allow students to transfer from one school to a safer school if the school is determined to be persistently dangerous as defined by Section 9532 of The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. In addition, if a student becomes the victim of a violent crime at school, as defined by T.C.A. §40-38-111, they will be allowed to transfer to another safer Shelby County School.
Shelby County Schools, where possible, shall grant transferring students enrollment to a school that is making adequate yearly progress and has not been identified as being in school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring.
Shelby County Schools shall provide written notification of transfer options to parents of students attending a persistently dangerous school.
Discipline Code (Policy 6207)
The Shelby County Board of Education accepts the responsibility for establishing and maintaining proper standards of discipline and behavior in the public schools. In order to maintain good order and insure an environment conducive to learning, the Board considers behavior or conduct occurring on school property or at any school-sponsored activity occurring off school property which interferes with the above to be offenses. Such offenses include but are not limited to the following:
Disrespect or insubordination toward teachers, principals, or other school employees;
Immoral conduct, indecent language or behavior;
Sexual, racial, ethnic, or religious harassment;
Theft;
Violence, the threat of violence and/or physical or verbal intimidation directed toward other students, teachers or Shelby County Schools' employees;
Persistent disobedience or disorder;
Habitual tardiness or unexcused absenteeism, truancy;
Vandalism;
Sale, possession, or use of alcohol, drugs, substances represented to be drugs or alcohol, substances for huffing, or drug paraphernalia;
Smoking and/or the possession of tobacco products, lighters or matches;
Possession of, access to and/or use of beeper, cellular phones or other electronic communication devices during school hours without written permission of the principal;
Gang activities;
Weapon or weapon look-alike and explosives;
Possession of mace or disabling sprays.
Inciting, advising or counseling of others to engage in any of the acts herein enumerated;
Off-campus criminal behavior resulting in felony charges; when behavior poses a danger to persons or property or disrupts the educational process; and
Inappropriate use of electronic media.
The Board delegates to the superintendent the responsibility to develop and enforce the necessary rules and regulations in accordance with Board policy and the laws of Shelby County, the state of Tennessee, and the nation to assure a proper standard of behavior.