Code of Discipline

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Code of Discipline

Students' Rights and Responsibilities
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Each student under the age of 21 has the right to an education regardless of race, color, gender, religion, ethnic origin, economic status, sexual orientation or disability and also the responsibility not to interfere or threaten the education of others.
Schenectady City School District students are expected to abide by the policies and regulations of the school district.
Schenectady City School District students have the right to access rules, receive an explanation of those rules and seek changes in district policies and regulations in an orderly fashion through discussions with the administrative staff. All policy decision and amendments are made by the Board of Education.
Schenectady City School District students have the right to present their version of relevant events to school personnel before imposition of penalty and will be afforded due process before removal
from an instructional program.
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents and students who are over 18 years of age have the right to inspect and review the student's educational records and have the right to request the amendment of the student's educational records believed to be inaccurate or misleading. They also have the right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information in a student's education record, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. More information regarding FERPA rights and procedures is described in Board of Education Policy 7240 and ins student/parent handbooks.
As a general rule, information received by teachers and other school officials is not privileged (except for provision of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974), and may be revealed by the recipient of such knowledge whenever he or she feels that it is appropriate to do so. However, some communications made in connection with drug or alcohol abuse prevention programs may be kept confidential. A student who is concerned about the confidentiality of communication he/she makes to staff members should ask the staff member in advance whether the information could be kept confidential.
Student lockers and desks are purchased and maintained by the school district and remain the property of the school district. However, the school district is not responsible for books, clothing or valuables left in lockers or in desks. A student shall not place, keep or maintain in a school-owned locker or desk any article or material of a non-school nature that may cause or tend to cause the disruption of the lawful mission of the school.

The following rules shall apply to the search of any student, student property or school property and tte seizure of any illegal items found therein.

School district officials have the right and responsibility to search student lockers and/or desks at any time.
In addition, the Board authorizes the superintendent, building principals and their designees to conduct searches of students, their belongings and their automobiles if the authorized school official has reasonable suspicion to believe that the search will result in evidence that the student violated the law of the code of conduct.
Items that are prohibited on school property or are used to disrupt or interfere with the educational process may be removed from student lockers, desks and/or automobile or other personal property by school authorities.
School district officials are committed to cooperating with police officials and other law enforcement authorities to maintain a safe school environment. Police officials, however, have limited authority to interview or search students in schools or at school functions or to use school facilities in connection with police work. Police officials may enter school property or a school function to question or search a student to to conduct a formal investigation involving students only if they have:
- A search or arrest warrant; or
- Probable cause to believe a crime has been committed on school property or at a school function; or
- Been invited by school district officials. Events shall be governed by all the rules and regulations of the school and are subject to the authority of the school district officials.
- The principal or designee will be present during any police questioning or search of a student on school property or at a school function. Students who are questioned by police officials on school property or at a school function will be afforded the same rights they have outside the school. Parents will be notified before any student is questioned by police.
- Students at school-sponsored off-campus events shall be governed by all the rules and regulations of the school and are subject to the authority of the school district officials.

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