LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES

Our Schools Are Safe

• Submission to the conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or a condition of an individual's employment, academic status, or progress.
• Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis of employment or academic decisions affecting the individual.
• The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact upon the individual's work or academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or education environment.
• Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for any decision affecting the individual regarding benefits and services, honors, programs, or activities available at or through the education institution.

Sexual harassment may include, but is not limited to: Unwelcome:

• Verbal conduct such as the use of suggestive, derogatory, or vulgar comments (including catcalls and whistling); sexual innuendoes or slurs or making unwanted sexual advances, invitations, or comments; repeatedly asking for dates; making threats; and/or spreading rumors about or rating others as to their sexual activity or performance.
• Visual conduct such as displays of sexually suggestive objects, pictures, posters, written material, cartoons, drawings or graffiti of a sexual nature and/or use of obscene gestures, leering, or staring.
• Physical conduct such as unwanted touching, pinching, kissing, patting or hugging; the blocking of normal movement; stalking; assault; and/or interference with work or study directed at an individual because of the individual's gender.
• Threats and demands or pressure to submit to sexual requests in order to keep a job or academic standing or to avoid other loss and/or offers of benefits in return for sexual favors.
• Retaliation for opposing, reporting, threatening to report, or participating in an investigation or proceeding on a claim of sexual harassment.

• Follow the established school policy in requesting a classroom visitation
• Complete a visitor's permit upon arrival at the site
• Enter and leave the classroom as quietly as possible
• Not converse with the students, teacher and/or instructional aides during the visitation
• Do not interfere with any school activity
• Keep the length and frequency of classroom visits reasonable
• Follow the school's established procedures for meeting with the teacher and/or principal after the visit, if needed
• Return the visitor's permit to the point of origin before leaving the campus.
  
  

STUDENTS LEARN BEST IN A DISCIPLINED
AND AN ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT

1. Prohibition Against Drugs, Tobacco, & Alcohol
   Alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products (such as cigarettes, chew, or other related products) are prohibited and students found in possession, or having used such products under school jurisdiction, will receive specified consequences ranging from detention to suspension to a recommendation for participation in deterrent programs to expulsion. Possession of drugs at school may also constitute a crime and will be reported to local law enforcement officials. Any student found to have participated in the unlawful sale of drugs will be recommended for expulsion and may be subject to criminal prosecution.
   
   
2. Electronic Devices
   The use of cellular phones, pagers or electronic signaling devices by students on campus is prohibited during normal school hours, excluding the students' lunchtime and nutrition breaks. If any such device is brought to school, it shall remain "off " and stored in a locker, backpack, purse, pocket, or other place where it is not visible during school hours, and if such a device is observed by school staff, excluding during the student's lunch and nutrition breaks, it may be confiscated until redeemed by a parent or guardian. The exception to this policy may be granted by the site administrator for purposes relating to the health needs of a student. The site administrator with the school site council could enforce a stricter policy.
   
   
3. Prohibition Against Firearms, Weapons, and Other Dangerous Objects
   Dangerous Objects: The District maintains a "Zero Tolerance Policy" for any type of dangerous object. Therefore, school administrators will take immediate appropriate action against any student found in possession of a dangerous object. Dangerous objects include, but are not limited to, knives (including Swiss Army-style knives, exacto knives, utility knives), razor blades, martial arts combat equipment, clubs, brass knuckles, explosives, and any type of firearm or BB/Pellet gun (including replica guns). Any student who inadvertently brings an object onto campus that is prohibited should turn it in to a teacher or administrator immediately; doing so will avoid disciplinary consequences. Pursuant to the Federal Gun Free Schools Act, and in accordance with California law, any student found in possession of a firearm shall be recommended for expulsion. Storage of any of these items in areas such as, but not limited to, lockers, purses, backpacks, or automobiles is deemed to be "in possession."
   
   
4. D. "Drug Buy" Program
   The LAUSD cooperates with the LAPD in its undercover program to reduce the sale of drugs on school campuses. Pursuant to this program, any student who participates in the sale of drugs on campus will be recommended for expulsion and in some circumstances, may be subject to criminal prosecution.

1. Jurisdiction
   A pupil may not be suspended or expelled for any of the acts enumerated unless that act is related to school activity or school attendance occurring within a school under the jurisdiction of the superintendent or principal or occurring within any other school district. A pupil may be suspended or expelled for acts that are enumerated in this section and related to school activity or attendance that occur at any time, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
   
   • While on school grounds.
   • While going to or coming from school.
   • During the lunch period, whether on or off the campus.
   • During, or while going to, or coming from, a school-sponsored event.

   C.E.C. 48900.1 authorizes teachers to require parents or guardians of pupils suspended by a teacher for behavior described in C.E.C. Section 48900 (i) or (k) to attend a portion of the school day in his or her child's or ward's classroom. This attendance shall be limited to the class from which the pupil was suspended.

2. Grounds for Suspension/Expulsion
   • Caused, attempted to cause, or threatened to cause physical injury to another person
   • Willfully used force or violence upon the person of another, except in self-defense.
   • Possessed, sold, or otherwise furnished a firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous object unless, in the case of possession of any object of this type, the pupil had obtained written permission to possess the item from a certificated school employee, which is concurred in by the principal/designee.
   • Unlawfully possessed, used, sold, or otherwise furnished, or been under the influence of, any controlled substance listed in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11053) of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind.
   • Unlawfully offered, arranged, or negotiated to sell any controlled substance listed in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11053) of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind, and then either sold, delivered, or otherwise furnished to any person another liquid, substance, or material and represented the liquid, substance, or material as a controlled substance, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant.
   • 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 products, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, miniature cigars, clove cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, snuff, chew packets, and betel.
   • However, this section does not prohibit use or possession by a pupil of his or her own prescription products.
   • Committed an obscene act or engaged in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
   • Unlawfully possessed or unlawfully offered, arranged, or negotiated to sell any drug paraphernalia, as defined in Section 11014.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
   • Disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.
   • Knowingly received stolen school property or private property.
   • Possessed an imitation firearm. As used in this section, "imitation firearm" means a replica of a firearm that is so substantially similar in physical properties to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to conclude that the replica is a firearm.
   • Committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault as defined in Section 261, 266c, 288, 288a or 289 of the Penal Code or committed a sexual battery as defined in Section 243.4 of the Penal Code.
   • Harassed, threatened, or intimidated a pupil who is a complaining witness or a witness in a school disciplinary proceeding for the purpose of either preventing that pupil from being a witness or retaliating against that pupil for being a witness, or both.
   • Unlawfully offered, arranged to sell, negotiated to sell, or sold the prescription drug soma.
   • Engaged in, or attempted to engage in, hazing as defined in Section 32050.
   • Aided or abetted the infliction or attempted infliction of physical injury to another person (suspension only).
   • Committed sexual harassment, as defined in C.E.C. 212.5. For the purposes of this chapter, the conduct described in Section 212.5 must be considered by a reasonable person of the same gender as the victim to be sufficiently severe or pervasive to have a negative impact upon the individual's academic performance or to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment. This section shall not apply to pupils enrolled in kindergarten and grades 1 to 3, inclusive.
     Caused, attempted to cause, threatened to cause, or participated in an act of hate violence, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 233. This applies to pupils in grades 4 to 12, inclusive. Intentionally engaged in harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against school district personnel or pupils, that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the actual and reasonably expected effect of materially disrupting classwork, creating substantial disorder, and invading the rights of either school personnel or pupils by creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment. This applies to pupils in grades 4 to 12, inclusive.
     Made terrorist threats against school officials or school property, or both.
     
     
3. Mandatory Expulsion Recommendations
   Under California law, a school principal is required to recommend expulsion when he or she determines that one of the following incidents of misconduct has occurred on campus or at a school-sponsored activity off campus:
   • Possession of a firearm
   • Brandishing a knife at another person
   • Unlawfully selling a controlled substance
   • Committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault or committing a sexual battery
   • Possession of an explosive devise

STUDENTS LEARN BEST IN A DISCIPLINED
AND AN ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT

• That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the pupil at school.
• That the parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be guilty of an infraction and prosecution.
• That alternative educational programs are available in the district.
• That the parent or guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the pupil's truancy.
• That the pupil may be subject to prosecution.
• That the pupil may be subject to suspension, restriction or delay of the pupil's driving privilege.
• That it is recommended that the parent or guardian accompany the pupil to school and attend classes with the pupil for one day.

Any pupil is deemed a habitual truant who has been reported as a truant three or more times per school year after an appropriate district officer or employee has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with the parent or guardian of the pupil and the pupil himself.

Any pupil, who is deemed a habitual truant or is irregular in attendance in school or is habitually insubordinate or disorderly during attendance at school, may be referred to a School Attendance Review Board for services. The notice shall indicate that the pupil and parents or guardians of the pupil will be required to meet with the school attendance review board.

Any minor who is required to be reported as a truant may be required to attend makeup classes
conducted on one day of a weekend.

In the event that any parent, guardian or other person continually and willfully fails to respond to
directives of the school attendance review board or services provided, the attendance review board shall direct the school district to make and file in the proper court a criminal complaint against the parent, guardian, or other person charging the violation and shall see that the charge is prosecuted by the proper authority. The District is in partnership with the Los Angeles County Office of the District Attorney and the Los Angeles Office of the City Attorney to provide services to parents of truant students.

• Due to his or her illness
• Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer
• For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometric or chiropractic services rendered.
• For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California.
• For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
• Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent.
• For justifiable personal reasons including, but not limited to an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats or attendance at an employment conference when the pupil's absence has been requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative.

In addition, pupils may be excused from school, by making prior arrangement with the school principal and accepting responsibility for making up work missed, when the pupils are:

• Members of religions which observe religious holidays that falls on school days.
• Attending a religious retreat.

Pupils, in grade 3-5, with the written consent of their parent or guardian, may be excused from school in order to receive moral and religious instruction away from the school property under the following conditions:

• Each pupil so excused shall be released for no more than 40 minutes.
• No pupil shall be excused from school for such purpose on more than four days per school month.
• The school is participating in the Religious Release Time Program.

A pupil absent from school for the above excused reasons shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion, shall be given full credit. The teacher of any class from which a pupil is absent shall determine what assignments the pupil shall make up and in what period of time the pupil shall complete such assignments. The tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence. A pupil absent from school for excused reasons may make up the work by attending Saturday School.

• Each pupil so excused shall be released for no more than 40 minutes.
• No pupil shall be excused from school for such purposes on more than four days per school month.
• The school is participating in the Religious Release Time Program.
  
  

STUDENTS LEARN BEST IN A DISCIPLINED
AND AN ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT

1. Uniforms
   California Education Code section 35183 allows a governing board to adopt a dress code that authorizes schools to require pupils to wear a school uniform. The LAUSD has not adopted such a uniform policy. Some schools, in conjunction with their school-site councils, have elected to adopt their own student uniform policies. Therefore, any uniform policy implemented by schools must be voluntary and must make provision for participation by economically disadvantaged students. Parents must be advised of their right to opt out of the school's uniform policy. Students whose parents choose not to participate in a uniform program may not be disciplined, discriminated against, or otherwise denied rights and privileges available to other students.
2. Dress Codes
   All students shall be required to show proper attention to personal cleanliness, health, neatness, safety and suitability of clothing and appearance for school activities. In every case the dress and grooming of the student shall be clean and shall not:
   • Cause actual distraction from or disturbance in any school activity or actually interfere with the participation of a student in any school activity
   • Create a hazard to the safety of him/herself or others
   • Create a health hazard

1. Searches Based on Reasonable Suspicion
   If a student has engaged in conduct that causes an administrator to have reasonable suspicion that the student has
   committed, or is about to commit, a crime or has violated statutory laws or school rules, the administrator may
   conduct a search of that student. The administrator must:
   • Be able to articulate the reason for his or her suspicion and the facts and/or circumstances surrounding a specific incident.
   • Be able to reasonably connect the student to a specific incident, crime or rule or statute violation.
   • Have relied on recent, credible information from personal knowledge and/or other eyewitnesses.
   • Ensure that a search based on reasonable suspicion is not excessively intrusive in light of the student's age and gender and the nature of the offense.

   When conducting a student search based on reasonable suspicion, school officials must adhere to the following practices:

   • Conduct the search only if there are clear and specific reasons for suspicion and there are facts that
     connect the student to a specific incident of misconduct.

   Jackets, purses, pockets, back packs, bags, and containers in the student's possession may be searched to the extent reasonably necessary.
   Under no conditions may a body or strip search be conducted.
   Only school officials of the same sex as the student being searched may conduct the search
   Searches based on reasonable suspicion must be conducted in a private area where the search will not be visible to other students or staff (except for a school administrator or designee witness, also of the same sex).

2. Random Metal Detector Searches
   California courts and the California Attorney General's Office have approved the use of random metal detector
   searches for weapons. Random use of metal detectors is appropriate only if:
   • The method of selection of students to be searched is genuinely random.
   • Students selected to participate in random metal detector searches are selected without regard to personally identifiable characteristics such as race, gender, surname, group affiliation, or past history of misconduct (i.e., selection is random).
   • The searches are minimally intrusive.
   • School officials provide parents and students with advanced and detailed notice of the random metal detector search procedures

SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES