School District safety rules vary from district to district, but here we'll take a look at some of the most common rules.
School District Safety Rules: The Mission Statement
Most schools begin their district safety rules with a mission statement. Mission statements are an important piece of literature that serves to set the tone and policy of a school and its inhabitants.
Generally, a mission statement is composed of both goals for the school, as well as for each individual student. A good example of this is a mission statement from a California school district. It reads:
The mission of the Pleasanton Unified School District, a vital component of a historic, yet forward-looking community, is to educate each of its student's in an individually appropriate manner within an environment of personal safety and mutual respect, to become well-informed, productive and socially responsible citizens.
The Rules
Many of the school district safety rules are just common sense. For example:
- Respect the rights and properties of others.
- Refrain from using vulgar language.
- Shouting is inappropriate.
Along with these standard rules that we are all familiar with, are the less familiar transportation rules.
Schools, because they are responsible for the welfare and well being of the students within their care, take their transportation rules very seriously. Here are a few such rules:
- Students should cooperate with the transportation staff at all times.
- Be on time.
- Wait in an orderly line.
- Cooperate if assigned a seat
- Do not carry harmful or dangerous articles. Explosives, fireworks, kn9ves, weapons, mace, tear gas, etc., are prohibited.
- Do not use tobacco.
- Do not write upon, disfigure or destroy school property.
Consequences
If rules are broken, there are, of course, consequences. Consequences, like the school district safety rules themselves, vary from district to district. There are, however, some generalities that can be made.
- First Offense: Verbal Warning
Usually, if a student breaks one of the school's rules, a verbal reprimand is given. A teacher, faculty member or student aid can verbally warn the student that if the barred action continues, more severe consequences could result.
- Second Offense: A Written Notice
This second offense can be handled in many ways. The teacher or staff member can elect to send a note home with the student with the instruction that the note be returned, signed, by a parent. If not a note, then a phone call home is usually issued.
- Third Offense: Removal
Removal can also mean many things. If in a classroom, a student can be asked to sit alone, either in the back of the classroom or towards the front with the teacher. Removal can also mean standing in the hallway for a certain amount of time, until the teacher comes out to talk with the student.
Further still, and for the most egregious of offenses, the student may be asked to go to the principals' office. Another student usually accompanies the first student, with a note explaining the circumstances. A teacher can also elect to phone the principals' office, explain the circumstances and then have the student "walk down".
- Suspensions
Suspensions are usually reserved for the most serious offenses, like brings a weapon to school, or drinking on school property. A suspension can be rendered in two ways:
Student Goes Home: If the situation is a serious one, and the principal is the one to make that call, then a student will be asked to remain at home. This can be anywhere from one week to a month. At the end of that time, the student and a parent return to school to discuss the situation.
In-house: In-house suspension is where the student is allowed to attend school, but cannot rejoin their regular classes and classmates. Instead, in-house suspended students are kept together in the same room with a teacher all day long. Once there, they are to complete their usual assignments and think about why they should follow the school district safety rules.
