503.04E1 - Good Conduct Rule/Explanation

1. Any student who is found guilty, or admits to, or at a judicial or administrative proceeding is found by substantial evidence to have:  

Item I:                 possessed alcoholic beverages with knowledge, intent and there of;

Item II:                consumed alcoholic beverages;

Item III:               possessed controlled substances as they are defined by the Code of Iowa,  without legal prescription, and with knowledge, intent, and control thereof;             

Item IV:                 used controlled substances, as they are defined by the Code of Iowa, and without a legal prescription;

Item V:                 committed theft, vandalism, or other serious offenses, including those which would violate the Iowa Criminal Code, as to make the student unworthy to represent the ideals and standards of the Bennett Community School, is in violation of the Good Conduct Provision.

2. Due Process shall be afforded a student who is charged with violating the Good Conduct Rule
3. A student who has been found to have violated the Good Conduct Rule in Section A, Items I-IV shall be penalized as follows:

                                                     

First Offense – 30 “in season” calendar day’s suspension from all extracurricular activities within the current school year.

              Second Offense – 90 “in season” calendar day’s suspension from all extracurricular activities within the current school year.

              Third Offense – Suspension from all extracurricular activities for the remainder of

Note:  First and Second Offense suspensions must be served in season or during an extracurricular activity period.  The days before or after extracurricular seasons may not be used to complete a suspension period.  Proms, dances, athletic department field trips, and other school sponsored activities, etc. will each be counted as one day of suspension.

A student in violation of the Good Conduct Provision, Section A, Items I-IV, shall not be allowed to participate in any extracurricular activity until a meeting has been held with the Activities Director, the parents, and the coach/sponsor of the activity as well as the supervisors of all other extracurricular activities in which the student intends to participate.  The student and the parents will be informed at this meeting of the date of which eligibility is to be restored.

 

D.          Lesser Offenses:

              Item I:  If a student should skip school or be truant, the period of ineligibility shall be five calendar days for each offense.

              Item II:  If a student should be suspended from school classes, either in-school or out of school, the student shall be ineligible for a period of five calendar days for each offense.

              Item III:  The use of tobacco by students is prohibited at any school sponsored activity and on or in any school property and the student shall be ineligible for ten calendar days for each offense.

 

GOOD CONDUCT RULE EXPLANATION

Eligibility rules pertain to those students who are or desire to participate in any extracurricular activity that is school sponsored and supervised by professional school personnel.  Students in this policy shall mean all persons of school age enrolled grades seven through twelve.  All regulations contained herein shall apply uniformly to all students regardless of the fact that somemay have reached the age of majority.  School age is defined in Iowa Code  §282.1 as beingbetween the ages of five (5) and twenty-one (21).  Therefore, in order to maintain order and consistency, a nineteen-year-old (19) who participates in extracurricular activities should be required to forego “the privileges which his/her age confers”.

Extracurricular in this policy is all school sponsored activities in which the student participating does not receive academic credit and the student represents the Bennett Community School in a  game, contest, concert, production or activity that has an audience.  This policy shall not apply to the following events:

                                                     

1. Commencement Exercises
2. Band, vocal or other programs that students are required to attend that directly affect a grade or credit given for a regular school day class
3. Elected offices as in the case of  Clark v Panora-Linden Community School District, D.P.I., Admin. Doc. 408, 1977 (this would include student council and class offices) but would not mean that organizations or clubs or classes cannot censure, remove from office or discipline such officers according to the constitution or by-laws of that organization, club, class, or subject said offer to re-call;
4. Journalism or school newspaper activities.

Letters or awards may be withheld if participation in any of the above mentioned activities would count or add up “points” toward receiving them.

 

This policy shall apply to:

              1.           All activities, events, festivals, practices, meets, matches, work-outs, meetings, or contests sponsored by or endorsed by the Bennett Community Schools, or State or National Associations where such is not directly related to a grade given for credit;

              2.           Athletics, speech activities, drama productions and activities, instrumental and vocal activities, clubs and organizations, cheerleading, pom pon activities, school annual, F.F.A., German Club, National Honor Society, and any other club, organization, or activity operating under the auspices of the Bennett Community School District where such activity is not directly related to a grade given for credit;

              3.           Class trips, camps, field trips, or similar activities, game or match (such as State Basketball tournaments, State Tennis, Cross Country competition Tournaments, etc) where Bennett Community Schools would ordinarily sanction attendance through the obtaining or provision of tickets, transportation, or release of class time;

              4.           Entertainment provided by school groups to any civic, private, or non-profit organization or to other schools;

              5.           Parades, dances, proms, banquets, school parties, swim nights, bowling, roller skating, or any other such entertainment activity sponsored by the Bennett Community Schools.

Habits and conduct in this policy shall mean repetitive antisocial behavior which is action not adjudged proper and seemly by the general public such as fighting, brawling, disruptive behavior or hostile behavior or actions including those which would violate the Iowa Criminal Code.  It is not the purpose of this policy to punish individuals for isolated, single acts unless they are of such severity that a normal and prudent person would determine that such acts should be punished.

All individuals charged with any violation of the Good Conduct Rule shall be afforded appellant rights and procedures in accordance with the appeal procedures of the Bennett Community School and the Code of Iowa.

The intent of these rules is to help establish a situation whereby consideration of who the parents are, family name, prestige, position, etc., will not be factors that others could say affected establishing the student being eligible or being ineligible or for the length of time and still allow the school administration some flexibility when considering an individual student’s problem.  Boys and girls should feel that it is an honor to represent the Bennett Community School District in contests.  We want them to be willing to sacrifice to help themselves and to also help the team or group be more successful.  The choice between tobacco use, alcohol consumption/drug abuse and representing Bennett Community Schools should not be too difficult for a sincere student to make.