FILE: JDG
Cf: JCDA, JCDAF, JD
Cf: JDE, JDF
VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION
A nurturing, disciplined environment is essential for learning and student
achievement. Therefore, the Tangipahoa Parish Public Schools strongly
emphasize positive discipline. While individual schools have their own proactive
approach to discipline, the school district has adopted a Violence Prevention
Program to ensure that schools are safe, healthy learning environments.
Generally, the methods used to deal with students who violate school rules or
disrupt learning may include measures such as detention, parental conferences,
suspension (in and out of school), or placement in an alternative school
environment. Fair and firm discipline policies governing good behavior and
citizenship are in effect in all schools and at school sponsored events. This
program has been designed to maintain an optimal atmosphere for study and to
prevent individuals from interfering with the educational opportunities of others.
Principals shall have the discretion to use their professional judgment to
determine if local law enforcement officials should be called to a school campus
to assist with maintaining a positive learning environment. Parents are invited to
contact each school for site discipline procedures.
RATIONALE FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM
Fighting, bullying, harassment, intimidation, is disruptive to the school climate
and causes students to feel physically and psychologically threatened. Studies
show that the majority of students who bring weapons to school do so to defend
themselves. School administrators believe students who feel safe are less likely
to bring weapons to school. Guns, knives, and other weapons are obviously
hazardous to a safe learning environment and the possibility that such items will
be brought to school must be significantly reduced.
1. Communication Between Law Enforcement Officials and the Schools Will
Be Strengthened.
At the discretion of the administrator, a local law enforcement official may
be called to the school and charges filed on the student who fights, bullies,
harasses or intimidates another student at the schools within his/her
municipality. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Department will be called to
arrest students at schools outside the various municipalities.
A designated law enforcement official will contact the principals of the
schools in the various areas of the parish when a community disturbance
involves the students. Principals shall contact the parents of the students
involved and schedule a meeting prior to allowing the student to return to
class. The importance of a safe learning environment as well as the
consequences of the unsafe and inappropriate behavior shall be discussed
at the meeting.
The principal or assistant principal of the school may contact the
appropriate law enforcement officials in his/her area when a school
disturbance involves physical fighting, bullying, harassment and/or
intimidation. (See below under Enforcement)
Law enforcement officials will be encouraged to randomly visit the schools
in their area at various times to demonstrate support of school personnel
and students in their effort to maintain a safe learning environment.
2. An Incident Involving a Fight, Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation on
Campus, at Extracurricular Activities, on School Buses, Summer School,
Summer Feeding Programs, Extended School Year and Summer
Enrichment Programs, and at School Bus Stops May Result in a Report to
Criminal Authorities.
Students will be instructed that they must avoid fighting, bullying,
harassment, and intimidation and that the correct procedure is to report
bullying, hostile behavior, or conveyance of a threat against them to
teachers or administrators. If there is a discovery of bullying, hostile
behavior, or conveyance of a threat, it will be handled through the Student
Code of Conduct in the Tangipahoa Parish School System Assertive
Discipline Procedure. Furthermore, the same procedure will be followed for
reports from teachers and staff members. Once a physical fight takes
place as determined by the principal (or designee), appropriate law
enforcement officials may be called. Each participant in the incident may
be arrested and taken into custody, unless it is established by the
principal/designee/resource officer, that one or more students were the sole
aggressor(s) and that the other involved student(s) acted only in selfdefense. Students reasonably concluded to be acting in self-defense may
not be disciplined. Thereafter, attempts will immediately be made to
contact the parents.
The law enforcement officials will be called to break up a fight only if the
principal or designee feels the incident is out of control. In the event of an
arrest, all procedures of the appropriate law enforcement agency will be
followed inside the building. The administrator(s) shall conduct an
investigation; school and parish rules and regulations regarding
suspensions and expulsions will be enforced. For the safety of students
and staff, fighters will be detained in an area where they can be observed
by an administrator at all times until the investigation is completed. Student
dispensation shall be handled in accordance with the procedures identified
in the Student Code of Conduct. A copy of the paperwork completed by
law enforcement officials shall be attached to the student disciplinary form.
All procedural forms shall be filed for one (1) calendar year from the date of
the incident.
If there is a disagreement among the students involved, the law
enforcement officials and school administrators will conduct an
investigation including taking statements from witnesses.
In addition, alternatively, students may be offered the opportunity to attend
conflict resolution/anger management sessions. Each of the student
aggressors will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of
Conduct as follows: after the first offense the student and at least one
parent must meet with the school counselor or behavior interventionist to
discuss conflict resolution strategies. Should a second offense occur, the
student and at least one of his/her parents must attend conflict
resolution/anger management classes, prior to returning to school. The
principals within each high school district will decide the day, time, and
place of the classes for students in grades 5-12.
PROCEDURAL FLOW CHART FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF VIOLENCE
PREVENTION PROGRAM
1. Administrators will conduct a thorough investigation, in accordance with
policy JCDAF, Bullying, Cyberbullying, Intimidation, Harassment, and
Hazing, to determine if a student has been the victim of a fight,
harassment, bullying, or intimidation, and which student(s) were involved
in the incident.…………………………………………………………………..
2. When the administrator has completed his/her investigation, local law
enforcement officials will be called if it is deemed necessary. A written
report must be completed and presented to officers upon their arrival at
the school. Student(s) will be arrested and referred to the court system for
adjudication. A copy of the police report should be attached to the student
disciplinary form. Records must be maintained for a calendar year from
the incident.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION TAKEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH STUDENT CODE
OF CONDUCT
1. Student will be referred to local school counselor or behavior
interventionist, for monitoring and possible placement in a conflict
resolution/anger management support group or class.………………………
2. All students who choose to fight, bully, harass or intimidate a second time
shall be scheduled for a Step VI expulsion hearing in accordance with
policy JCDA, Student Code of Conduct. If the hearing officer, decides the
student may return to school, conflict management/anger management
classes must be completed at a school site or outside agency before readmission will be allowed. Parental participation in the classes will be
required. The child and the parents shall be referred to the Families in
Need of Services (F.I.N.S.) program through the 21st Judicial District Court
or City Court of Hammond depending on their place of residency.
Revised: December, 1999
Recoded from JD-R and Revised: July, 2010
Ref:
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:223 17:416, 17:416.1
Board minutes, 8-5-97, 9-21-99, 7-20-10