District Athletic Disciplinary Procedures 2431.2R

A student athlete may be dismissed from an interscholastic athletic program because of conduct which violates Board policy and Regulation relating to attendance and conduct.  The Board has certain consequences for the use of alcohol and drugs while participating in the interscholastic athletic program under Policy 5534, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Dismissal from an interscholastic athletic program for the above-referenced violation(s) are permitted for any act occurring on school grounds, which specifically includes, but is not limited to, school sponsored transportation, as well as during school sponsored or supported events, or for any act occurring away from school grounds when such conduct away from school grounds constitutes a reasonable threat to the physical or emotional safety, security, and well-being of that pupil, other pupils, staff or school grounds, and when such conduct materially and substantially interferes with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school.

I.  DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

If the Board receives information that a student athlete, participating in an interscholastic athletic program has violated Board policy in the manner detailed above, the Building Principal and/or head coach may recommend dismissal of the student from the interscholastic athletic program. 

Each building shall have an Athletic Advisory Council which shall consist of the Building Principal and at least three other head coaches other than the head coach of the interscholastic program in which the student is presently involved.  This Council shall be responsible for reviewing the dismissal recommendation pursuant to the procedures below.  The student athlete shall be suspended from the program pending the review procedures below. 

1. If facing dismissal, a student athlete is entitled to an informal hearing with the Council before dismissal, but may elect to waive such hearing at his/her request.
2. If the student elects to have the informal hearing, the Council shall meet no later than five school days from the date of the student athlete’s suspension from the interscholastic athletic program.
3. If the student elects to have the informal hearing, the student athlete must be present at the hearing. If he/she wishes, his parents may also be present.  In all cases, parents must be informed of the pending meeting and procedures.  The hearing shall be informal.
4. Based on discussion at the informal hearing, the Building Principal has the authority and responsibility to decide the matter at issue. The Principal may suspend the student from participation in an interscholastic program up to five days, for part of a school day, or dismiss the student from further participation.  The decisions to dismiss the student from the interscholastic program are discretionary and based on upon the severity of the behavior and any surrounding circumstances.
5. The Superintendent shall be notified in writing of the action and disposition of any case heard by the Council.

II.  ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

1. If an athlete is absent because of illness, he/she may not participate in practice or in a game that day.
2. If an athlete is absent an entire school day, he/she may not participate in practice or a game on that day unless prior arrangements have been made with the coach.
3. In order to participate in practice or a game, an athlete signing in late must report to his/her individual school building for the last four hours of the school day. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Athletic Director when prior arrangements have been made.  Head coaches should confer with the AD in such cases.

III.  COACH’S PREROGATIVES IN REGARD TO DISMISSAL AND SUSPENSIONS

1. The head coach is to establish his own criteria for determining individual abilities and talents
2. The head coach may establish reasonable rules beyond the general school district regulations to conduct the sport in which he is in charge. Such rules shall be provided to student athletes during the individual sport season.  Example: conduct for dress on trips, curfew, practice time, room maintenance, etc.
3. The head coach may suspend a student athlete from participation in the interscholastic program for violations of Board policies and/or individual coaching regulations proscribed in paragraph IV (B) above; however, the following limits are to be observed:

1. A suspension from the interscholastic athletic program cannot exceed five school days, unless the head coach is seeking or recommending dismissal from the interscholastic program, in which case the procedures in paragraph II shall be observed.
2. The Council is to be consulted in the suspension of any athlete if it is the student athlete’s second suspension.
3. The head coach may recommend dismissal from the interscholastic athletic program, but the Building Principal must make the final decision regarding dismissal from the interscholastic athletic program pursuant to the procedures in paragraph II above.