New York School Discipline Laws & Regulations: Scope

New York School Discipline Laws & Regulations: Scope

Category: Codes of Conduct
Subcategory: Scope
State: New York

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New York

LAWS

11. Definitions.

For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

1. "School property" shall mean in or within any building, structure, athletic playing field, playground, parking lot, or land contained within the real property boundary line of a public elementary or secondary school; or in or on a school bus, as defined in section one hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law.

2. "School function" shall mean a school-sponsored extra-curricular event or activity. [...]

7. "Harassment" and "bullying" shall mean the creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by threats, intimidation or abuse, including cyberbullying, that (a) has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student's educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional or physical well-being; or (b) reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his or her physical safety;or (c) reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or emotional harm to a student; or (d) occurs off school property and creates or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the school environment, where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats, intimidation or abuse might reach school property. Acts of harassment and bullying shall include, but not be limited to, those acts based on a person's actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex. For the purposes of this definition the term "threats, intimidation or abuse" shall include verbal and non-verbal actions.

12. Discrimination and harassment prohibited.

1. No student shall be subjected to harassment or bullying by employees or students on school property or at a school function; nor shall any student be subjected to discrimination based on a person's actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or sex by school employees or students on school property or at a school function. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit a denial of admission into, or exclusion from, a course of instruction based on a person's gender that would be permissible under section thirty-two hundred one-a or paragraph (a) of subdivision two of section twenty-eight hundred fifty-four of this chapter and title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. section 1681, et. seq.), or to prohibit, as discrimination based on disability, actions that would be permissible under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

14. Commissioner's responsibilities.

The commissioner shall:

4. Provide guidance and educational materials to school districts related to best practices in addressing cyberbullying and helping families and communities work cooperatively with schools in addressing cyberbullying, whether on or off school property or at or away from a school function.

2801. Codes of conduct on school property.

1. For purposes of this section, school property means in or within any building, structure, athletic playing field, playground, parking lot or land contained within the real property boundary line of a public elementary or secondary school; or in or on a school bus, as defined in section one hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law; and a school function shall mean a school-sponsored or school-authorized extra-curricular event or activity regardless of where such event or activity takes place, including any event or activity that may take place in another state.

2. The board of education or the trustees, as defined in section two of this chapter, of every school district within the state, however created, and every board of cooperative educational services and county vocational extension board, shall adopt and amend, as appropriate, a code of conduct for the maintenance of order on school property, including a school function, which shall govern the conduct of students, teachers and other school personnel as well as visitors and shall provide for the enforcement thereof. Such policy may be adopted by the school board or trustees only after at least one public hearing that provides for the participation of school personnel, parents, students and any other interested parties.

REGULATIONS

100.2 (l)(1). Policy on school conduct and discipline.

(i) On or before January 1, 1986 each school district shall adopt and implement a written policy on school conduct and discipline designed to promote responsible behavior, which policy, and any amendments thereto, shall remain in effect until the adoption of a code of conduct pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subdivision, at which time it shall be deemed to be superseded by such code of conduct. The City School District of the City of New York shall adopt and implement a separate written policy for each community school district and for Central Board-administered programs. Such a policy shall be developed locally in consultation with teachers, administrators, other school service professionals, students and parents and shall include:

(c) strategies and procedures for the maintenance and enforcement of public order on school property which shall govern the conduct of all persons on school premises, in accordance with section 2801 of the Education Law and accepted principles of due process of law.

100.2 (l)(2). Code of conduct.

(i) On or before July 1, 2001, each board of education and board of cooperative educational services shall adopt and provide for the enforcement of a written code of conduct for the maintenance of order on school property and at school functions, as defined in Education Law sections 11(1) and (2) and 2801(1), which shall govern the conduct of students, teachers, other school personnel, and visitors. Such a code shall be developed in collaboration with student, teacher, administrator, and parent organizations, school safety personnel and other school personnel and shall be approved by the board of education, or other governing body, or by the chancellor of the City School District in the case of the City School District of the City of New York. The City School District of the City of New York shall adopt a district-wide code of conduct and each community school district may, upon approval of the chancellor, adopt and implement additional policies, which are consistent with the city school district's district-wide code of conduct, to reflect the individual needs of each community school district. A school district or board of cooperative educational services shall adopt its code of conduct only after at least one public hearing that provides for the participation of school personnel, parents, students, and any other interested parties.

(ii) The code of conduct shall include, but is not limited to:

(b) provisions prohibiting harassment, bullying, and/or discrimination against any student, by employees or students that creates a hostile school environment by conduct or by threats, intimidation or abuse, including cyberbullying as defined in Education Law section 11(8), that either:

(3) Such conduct shall include acts of harassment and/or bullying that occur:

(i) on school property, as defined in section 100.2(kk)(1)(i) of this Part; and/or

(ii) at a school function, as defined in section 100.2(kk)(1) of this Part; or

(iii) off school property where such acts create or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the school environment, where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats, intimidation or abuse might reach school property.