Rights, Rules and Responsibilities

School should be a pleasant, well-maintained environment where students learn in a setting that is safe, caring, and cooperative. Teachers have the right to teach, and students have the right to learn. In such a setting, everyone respects all people and all property. Students are disciplined when necessary to maintain order and to protect other students, school employees, and property. It is the policy of the Davis Joint Unified School District to promote standards of good citizenship and self-discipline among all of the school community by recognizing the rights and responsibilities of self and others. All rules apply while at school, while traveling to and from school, and while attending any school activities.

The NEVER Bring-to-School List:  The following items are illegal to possess on any school campus:

  • Firearms, knives of any kind (including pocket knives), or anything that could be used as a weapon. (Zero tolerance for these items at school and/or school sponsored events.) (ED Code 48900 b)
  • Alcohol, tobacco, or drugs of any kind (prescription medicine, as well as over-the-counter medication, must be stored in the Nurse's Office). (ED Code 48900 c,h,j)
  • Matches, lighters, firecrackers, or other explosives.
  • Other disruptive, illegal, or dangerous objects.
  • Electronic communication devices - cell phones, pagers, etc (ED Code 48901.5)

The Following Are Not To be Possessed on Campus:

  • iPods, MP3 Players, squirt guns or toy guns, aerosol cans, large sums of money, valuables of any kind, unsafe or disruptive wearing apparel.

All Students Are Expected To:

  • Act in all instances so as not to infringe upon the rights of others or to endanger their own or another's private property or person. (No physical violence or threat of physical violence is tolerated on campus.)
  • Be considerate in their relationships with students, teachers, and staff.
  • Keep their language, clothing, and gestures respectful and free of profanities and obscenities.
  • Follow all rules and procedures given in the Parent and Student Code of Behavior and Handbook.
  • Keep hands, feet, and objects to themselves. (This includes rough-housing and "playing around".)
  • Follow classroom procedures established by each teacher. Be in the right place at the right time.
  • Interact appropriately. (This includes no excessive displays of affection.)

Students will be referred to the Administrative Team for disciplinary action for the following:

  • Habitual classroom disruption and/or failure to comply with the assigned consequence
  • Cutting a class
  • Repeatedly being late to class
  • Serious misbehavior: fighting, theft, obscenities, direct defiance, drugs, alcohol, vandalism, etc.
  • Dress code violation
  • Leaving campus without permission

Consequences are defined by school rules, District Policy and the California Education Code and will vary depending on the circumstances.

  • Campus beautification (litter duty)
  • Conference with student, parent, teacher, counselor, and/or administrator
  • Detention
  • On-campus suspension
  • Off-campus suspension
  • Expulsion

Detention

  • Detention can be assigned by staff members for classroom tardies, cutting class, or classroom or campus misbehavior that is disruptive, etc.
  • Students must notify their parents of the detention.
  • Students are expected to work quietly on schoolwork while in detention.
  • Students serve their detention with the person who assigned the detention.
  • Students must serve detentions on their assigned day.
  • If you do not serve your assigned detention, you may be referred to the vice principal.
  • A staff member supervises detention which is held outside of the regular school day.
  • Students who fail to serve their detention in a timely fashion may be detained by their seventh period teacher, or removed from their last class, and escorted to the detention room.
  • Students who fail to serve detention will not be allowed to attend dances, games, or participate in extra-curricular activities, and may be subject to more severe disciplinary action.
  • Students who fail to serve their detention voluntarily, and who have to be escorted to the detention room by a staff member, may not arrive at home at their usual time. Parents are welcome to call 757-5455 to check whether or not a particular student had to be detained.

California Education Code 48900

  • The Educational Code identifies student behaviors which are grossly inappropriate, dangerous, and/or illegal. In these matters, administrators have little or no discretion about suspension and/or expulsion. In addition, school officials may be responsible for notifying police and/or making an arrest. A detailed chart appears in this handbook.
  • A student may be suspended from school for up to 5 days if the principal or vice principal determines that the student while at school, or on the way to and/or from school or a school activity, has committed one of the suspendable offenses listed below:
    • Caused, or attempted to cause, or threatened to cause physical injury to another person.
    • Possessed, sold, or otherwise furnished any firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous object.
    • Unlawfully possessed, used, sold, or otherwise furnished, or been under the influence of any controlled substance, or an alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant of any kind.
    • Offered or arranged or negotiated to sell any controlled substance, or an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind, and then sold, delivered, or otherwise furnished to any person an in-lieu substance.
    • Committed or attempted to commit robbery or extortion.
    • Caused or attempted to cause damage to school property or private property.
    • Stole or attempted to steal school property or private property.
    • Possessed or used tobacco, or any products containing tobacco or nicotine, on school property.
    • Committed an obscene or vulgar act, or engaged in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
    • Possessed, used, or offered, arranged, or negotiated to sell any drug paraphernalia.
    • Disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.
    • Knowingly received stolen school property or private property.
    • Possessed an imitation firearm.
    • Committed sexual harassment which is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
    • Caused, attempted to cause, threatened to cause, or participated in an act of hate violence or intimidation which is based on an individual's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.
    • Created a hostile educational environment by engaging in harassment, threats, or intimidation that disrupt class work, create substantial disorder, and invade the rights of other pupils.

Suspension

  • Suspension is a consequence for more serious misbehavior. Students are excluded from school for a period of 1-5 days. Parents are notified as soon as possible by telephone. Notification is sent to the parent. The student may not be on or near any school grounds (within 600 feet in any direction) while he/she is suspended from school. The student may not participate in extra-curricular activities for a period of 1 week. Absence from school due to suspension is unexcused, and class work is made up at the discretion of each teacher.
  • A teacher may suspend any student from his or her class for the day of, and the day following, any of acts enumerated above.
  • The principal or vice principal may recommend a pupil's expulsion for any of the acts enumerated above. Expulsion requires action by the school board.
  • A student who is expelled from the Davis Joint Unified School District must attend school in another district (typically in another city) usually for the rest of the semester during which the student is expelled plus the next semester.
  • Recent legislation (Education Code 48915) requires that the principal or superintendent shall immediately suspend and shall recommend expulsion for the following three offenses:
    1. Possessing, selling, or otherwise furnishing a firearm.
    2. Brandishing a knife at another person.
    3. Unlawfully selling a controlled substance.
  • In addition, the following four offenses will result in expulsion unless the principal or superintendent finds that expulsion is inappropriate, due to the particular circumstance:
    1. Causing serious physical injury to another person, except in self-defense.
    2. Possession of any knife, explosive, or other dangerous object of no reasonable use to the pupil.
    3. Unlawful possession of any controlled substance.
    4. Robbery or extortion.