Student Behavior

• Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, selling or offering for sale tobacco or nicotine materials, including electronic or e-cigarettes.
• Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, or selling alcoholic beverages. Students who are under the influence of an alcoholic beverage are not permitted to attend school or school functions and are treated as though they had alcohol in their possession.
• Using, possessing, distributing, purchasing, selling or offering for sale:
  • Any illegal drug, controlled substance, or cannabis (including marijuana, hashish, and medical cannabis unless the student is authorized to be administered a medical cannabis-infused product under Ashley’s Law).
  • Any anabolic steroid unless it is being administered in accordance with a physician’s or licensed practitioner’s prescription.
  • Any performance-enhancing substance on the Illinois High School Association’s most current banned substance list unless administered in accordance with a physician’s or licensed practitioner’s prescription.
  • Any prescription drug when not prescribed for the student by a physician or licensed practitioner, or when used in a manner inconsistent with the prescription or prescribing physician’s or licensed practitioner's instructions. The use or possession of medical cannabis, even by a student for whom medical cannabis has been prescribed, is prohibited unless the student is authorized to be administered a medical cannabis-infused product under Ashley’s Law.
  • Any inhalant, regardless of whether it contains an illegal drug or controlled substance: (a) that a student believes is, or represents to be capable of, causing intoxication, hallucination, excitement, or dulling of the brain or nervous system; or (b) about which the student engaged in behavior that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student intended the inhalant to cause intoxication, hallucination, excitement, or dulling of the brain or nervous system.
  • The prohibition in this section does not apply to a student’s use of asthma or other legally prescribed inhalant medications.
  • “Look-alike” or counterfeit drugs, including a substance that is not prohibited by this policy, but one: (a) that a student believes to be, or represents to be an illegal drug, controlled substance, or other substance that is prohibited by this policy; or (b) about which a student engaged in behavior that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student expressly or impliedly represented to be an illegal drug, controlled substance or other substance that is prohibited by this policy.
  • Drug paraphernalia, including devices that are or can be used to: (a) ingest, inhale, or inject cannabis or controlled substances into the body; and (b) grow, process, store, or conceal cannabis or controlled substances.
  • Any substance inhaled, injected, smoked, consumed, or otherwise ingested or absorbed with the intention of causing a physiological or psychological change in the body, including without limitation, pure caffeine in a tablet or powdered form.

• Using, possessing, controlling, or transferring a ”weapon” or violating the procedures listed below under the Weapons Prohibition section of this handbook procedure.
• Disobeying rules of student conduct or directives from staff members or school officials. Examples of disobeying staff directives include refusing a staff member’s request to stop, present school identification or submit to a search.
• Using or possessing a laser pointer unless under a staff member’s direct supervision and in the context of instruction. Using or possessing an electronic paging device.
• Using a cellular telephone, smartphone, video recording device, personal digital assistant (PDA), or similar electronic device in any manner that disrupts the educational environment or violates the rights of others, including using the device to take photographs in locker rooms or bathrooms, cheat, or otherwise violate student conduct rules. Prohibited conduct specifically includes, without limitation, creating and sending, sharing viewing, receiving, or possessing an indecent visual depiction of oneself or another person through the use of a computer, electronic communication device, or cellular telephone, commonly known as “sexting.” Unless otherwise banned under this policy or by the building principal, all cellular phones, smart phones, and similar electronic devices must be kept powered-off and in lockers during the regular school day unless: (a) the supervising teacher grants permission; (b) use of the device is provided in a student’s individualized education program (IEP); (c) it is used during the student’s lunch period; or (d) it is needed in an emergency that threatens the safety of students, staff, or other individuals.
• Engaging in academic dishonesty, including cheating, intentionally plagiarizing, wrongfully giving or receiving help during an academic examination, altering report cards, and wrongfully obtaining test copies or scores.
• Causing or attempting to cause damage to, stealing, or attempting to steal, school property or another person’s personal property.
• Being absent without a recognized excuse.
• Being involved with any public school fraternity, sorority, or secret society.
• Engaging in bullying, hazing or any kind of aggressive behavior that does physical or psychological harm to a staff person or another student or encouraging other students to engage in such behavior. Prohibited conduct specifically includes, without limitation, any use of violence, intimidation, force, noise, coercion, threats, stalking, harassment, sexual harassment, public humiliation, theft or destruction of property, retaliation, hazing, bullying, bullying using a school computer or a school computer network or other comparable conduct.
• Engaging in any sexual activity, including without limitation, offensive touching, sexual harassment, indecent exposure (including mooning) and sexual assault.
• Engaging in teen dating violence. (See Board Policy 7:185 for policies and procedures regarding incidents of teen dating violence.)
• Entering school property or a school facility without proper authorization.
• In the absence of a reasonable belief that an emergency exists, calling emergency responders (calling 9-1-1); signaling or setting off alarms or signals indicating the presence of an emergency; or indicating the presence of a bomb or explosive device on school grounds, school bus, or at any school activity.
• Being involved in a gang or engaging in gang-like activities, including displaying gang symbols or paraphernalia.
• Violating any criminal law, including but not limited to, assault, battery, arson, theft, gambling, eavesdropping, vandalism and hazing.
• Engaging in any activity, on or off-campus, that interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function, including but not limited to, conduct that may reasonably be considered to: (a) be a threat or attempted intimidation of a staff member; or (b) endanger the health or safety of students, staff, or school property.
• Operating an unarmed aircraft system (AUS) or drone for any purpose on school grounds or at any school event unless granted permission by the building principal.
• Making an explicit threat on an Internet website against a school employee, a student, or any school-related personnel if the Internet website through which the threat was made is a site that was accessible within the school at the time the threat was made or was available to third parties who worked or studied within the school grounds at the time the threat was made, and the threat could be reasonably interpreted as threatening to the safety and security of the threatened individual because of his or her duties or employment status or status as a student inside the school.
• Students who are under the influence of any prohibited substance are not permitted to attend school or school functions and are treated as though they have the prohibited substance, as applicable, in their possession.

• On, or within sight of, school grounds before, during, or after school hours or at any time.
• Off school grounds at a school-sponsored activity or event, or any activity or event that bears a reasonable relationship to school.
• Traveling to or from school or a school activity, function, or event.
• Anywhere, if the conduct interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function, including but not limited to, conduct that may reasonably be considered to
  • (a) Be a threat or attempted intimidation of a staff member.
  • (b) Endanger the health or safety of students, staff, or school property.

• Notifying guardians.
• Disciplinary conference.
• Withholding of privileges.
• Temporary removal from the classroom.
• Return of property or restitution for lost, stolen or damaged goods.
• In-school suspension.
• After-school study or Saturday study provided the student’s guardian has been notified. (If transportation arrangements cannot be made in advance, an alternative disciplinary measure will be assigned to the student.)
• Community service.
• Seizure of contraband; confiscation and temporary retention of the personal property that was used to violate school rules.
• Suspension of bus riding privileges.
• Suspension from school and all school activities for up to 10 days. A suspended student is prohibited from being on school grounds.
• Expulsion from school and all school activities for a definite time period not to exceed two calendar years. An expelled student is prohibited from being on school grounds.
• Transfer to an alternative program if the student is expelled or otherwise qualifies for transfer under State law.
• Notifying juvenile authorities or other law enforcement whenever the conduct involves criminal activity such as illegal drugs (controlled substances), “look-alikes,” alcohol or weapons, or in other circumstances as authorized by the reciprocal reporting agreement between the District and local law enforcement agencies.

The above list of disciplinary measures is a range of options that will not always be applicable in every case. In some circumstances, it may not be possible to avoid suspending or expelling a student because behavioral interventions, other than a suspension or expulsion, will not be appropriate and available, and the only reasonable and practical way to resolve the threat and/or address the disruption is a suspension or expulsion.

Corporal punishment is illegal and will not be used. Corporal punishment is defined as slapping, paddling, or prolonged maintenance of students in physically painful positions, or intentional infliction of bodily harm. Corporal punishment does not include reasonable force as needed to maintain safety for students, staff, or other persons, or for the purpose of self-defense or defense of property.

• A firearm, meaning any gun, rifle, shotgun, weapon as defined by Section 921 of Title 18 of the United States Code, firearm as defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act, or firearm as defined in Section 24-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961. The expulsion period may be modified by the superintendent, and the superintendent’s determination may be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
• A knife, brass knuckles, or other knuckle weapons regardless of its composition, a billy club, or any other object if used or attempted to be used to cause bodily harm, including “look-alikes” of any firearm as defined above. The expulsion requirement may be modified by the superintendent, and the superintendent’s determination may be modified by the Board on a case-by-case basis.

• Wear, possess, use, distribute, display, or sell any clothing, jewelry, paraphernalia, or other items which reasonably could be regarded as gang symbols; commit any act or omission, or use either verbal or non-verbal gestures, or handshakes showing membership or affiliation in a gang.
• Use any speech or commit any act or omission in furtherance of the interest of any gang or gang activity, including, but not limited to, soliciting others for membership in any gangs.
• Request any person to pay protection or otherwise intimidate, harass or threaten any person.
• Commit any other illegal act or other violation of district policies.
• Incite other students to act with physical violence upon any other person.