Guidelines for Student Suspension
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The Board of Education of the
Schenectady City School District
authorizes the Superintendent and
building principals with the primary
responsibility for the suspension of
students. The following procedures
will be followed:
- Keep accurate records of all
violations and consequences
resulting from student actions.
- Utilize support personnel to
find ways of helping the student.
- Utilize school and community
agencies
when appropriate.
- When a student is violent or
disruptive, as defined in
accordance with law and
Commissioner’s Regulations, the
matter should be referred to the
Superintendent of Schools.
- When the building principal
has exhausted all available
alternatives and resources and
feels that the student’s continued
presence in school would
constitute a threat or danger to
himself/herself or other students
or that the student is "violent
and/or disruptive" as defined in
accordance with law and
Commissioner’s Regulations, the
matter should also be referred to
the Superintendent of Schools.
a. A "violent student" is defined in
Education Law as an elementary or
secondary student under 21 years of
age who:
- Commits an act of violence
upon a teacher, administrator or
other school employee;
- Commits, while on school
district property or at a school
function, an act of violence
upon another student or any
other person lawfully upon said
property or attempts to do so
- Possesses, while on school
district property or at a school
function, a gun, knife,
explosive or incendiary bomb, or
other dangerous instrument
capable of causing physical
injury or death;
- While on school district
property or at a school
function, threatens to use any
instrument that appears capable
of causing physical injury or
death;
- Knowingly and intentionally
damages or destroys school
district property, the personal
property of a teacher,
administrator, other school
district employee or any person
lawfully upon school district
property or at a school
function.
Teachers are required to
immediately report and refer violent
students to the building principal
or superintendent. The administrator
will impose a minimum suspension
period pursuant to Education Law
Section 2801. The suspending
authority may reduce such period on
a case-by-case basis to be
consistent with any other state and
federal law.
b. A "disruptive student" is
defined in Education Law as an
elementary or secondary student
under 21 years of age who is
substantially disruptive of the
educational process or substantially
interferes with the teacher’s
authority over the classroom.
Commissioner’s Regulations
states, a student repeatedly is
"substantially disruptive of the
educational process or substantially
interferes with the teacher’s
authority over the classroom" shall
mean engaging in conduct which
results in the removal of the
student from the classroom by the
teacher(s) pursuant to Education Law
and the provisions set forth in the
code of conduct on four (4) or more
occasions during a semester, or
three (3) or more occasions during a
trimester, as applicable.
Pursuant to the code of conduct,
a minimum suspension period shall be
established for students who
repeatedly are substantially
disruptive of the educational
process or substantially interfere
with the teacher’s authority over
the classroom.
However, the suspending authority
may reduce such period on a
case-by-case basis to be consistent
with any other state and federal
law.
When a student is removed from
class by a teacher or has been
suspended and is of compulsory
attendance age, steps shall be taken
to provide alternative instruction
