503.8R1
STUDENT THREATS OF VIOLENCE AND INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE REGULATION
Effective student discipline policies serve the needs of the District in maintaining the order of the education environment while safeguarding the education interests of all students. For this reason, it is crucial to engage many perspectives in crafting sound policies related to discipline. The board, in conjunction with teachers and administrators in the District, have assigned further meaning to concepts listed in this policy.
Incident Levels Defined
Incident levels must escalate, with Level 1 being less severe than Level 3 incidents. However, the District maintains discretion in applying the level of discipline appropriate for an incident. In making this determination, the administration will consider the following definitions of incident levels. Because no definition could encompass all possible threats or incidents, the administration has discretion in determining which level to assign the incident after looking at the nature of the incident as well as the age, grade level, and maturity of the student.
Level 1 Defined:
Low reasonable likeliness of action at this threat level.
This includes indicators demonstrating a low level or lack of intent.
This includes indicators demonstrating a low level or lack of capacity.
Low results due to action at this incident level.
This includes indicators demonstrating a low level or lack of intent.
This includes indicators demonstrating a low level or lack of injury.
Level 2 Defined:
Potential reasonable likeliness of action at this threat level.
This includes indicators demonstrating valid and credible levels of intent and capacity.
This includes indicators demonstrating significant levels of intent or capacity.
Significant results due to action at this incident level.
This includes indicators demonstrating valid and credible levels of intent and injury.
This includes indicators demonstrating significant levels of intent or injury.
Level 3 Defined:
High reasonable likeliness of action at this threat level.
This includes indicators demonstrating significant levels of intent and capacity.
This includes indicators demonstrating high levels of intent or capacity.
Serious results due to action at this incident level.
This includes indicators demonstrating significant levels of intent and injury.
This includes indicators demonstrating high levels of intent or injury.
Timeframe for Determining Repeated Incidents
The District will consider all incidents occurring within the school year (or a 6 month period when spanning two academic years) as sufficiently close in proximity between incidents to establish that a repeated incident has occurred. The rationale for establishing this timeframe is the continuity of the academic year as well as consideration of on-going issues which may occur near the end of the preceding academic year. The administration will have discretion to alter this timeframe when appropriate under the circumstances, depending on the nature of the incident as well as the age, grade level and maturity of the student.
Considerations for Determining the Maturity of the Student
The District believes that gauging the maturity of a student is subject to interpretation and best left to the licensed employees who interact most closely with the student on a regular basis. Assessing a student’s maturity level is based on individual characteristics unique to each student. Therefore, in making a determination about the maturity of a student, the administration may consult with the student’s classroom teacher and other relevant licensed staff. The administration will consider the following factors in determining the maturity of the student:
-
Chronological age of the student
-
Assessment of the student’s interpersonal skills.
-
Assessment of the student’s academic responsibility.
-
Assessment of the student’s ability to communicate issues and needs.
-
Assessment of the student’s emotional responses.
Considerations for Determining Whether the Off-Campus Threat of Violence or Incident of Violence Will Directly Affect the Good Order, Efficient Management and Welfare of the School District
The District recognizes that students maintain First Amendment rights to free expression both within school and outside. However, free speech protections are not absolute and do not extend to true threats of violence toward an individual or a group of individuals. In considering whether a threat or incident of violence will directly affect the good order, efficient management and welfare of the school district necessitating the need for investigation, the administration will consider, among other things, the following factors:
-
The specificity of the threat for time, location or individual(s) targeted
-
The reasonable likelihood of the student’s ability to carry out the threat
-
The reasonable likelihood that the threat will interfere with the operation of the educational environment
In addition to the requirements in policy, the administration will apprise the parents or guardians of any student who suffered violence or a threat of violence, of the rights to file complaints under any other relevant board policies including but not limited to anti-bullying/anti-harassment and Title IX.
Approved : 1-17-24 Reviewed: Revised:
