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PARENT CONFERENCES

Parent Conferences

Parent Conferences

In accordance with school district policy, in any case where a teacher, principal, or other school employee is authorized to require the parent(s), tutor(s), or legal guardian(s) of a student who is under the age of eighteen and not judicially emancipated or emancipated by marriage to attend a conference or meeting regarding the student's behavior, and after notice, the parent(s), tutor(s), or legal guardian(s) willfully refused to attend, the principal, or his or her designee, shall file a complaint, in accordance with statutory provisions, with a court exercising juvenile jurisdiction.

 

  • Notice of the conference, specifying the time and date of the conference, shall be given by contacting the parent(s), tutor(s), or legal guardian(s) by telephone at the telephone number shown on the student's registration card or by sending a certified letter to the address shown on the student's registration card.
  • Prior to any suspension, the school principal, or designee, shall advise the student in question of the misconduct of which he or she is accused as well as the basis for such accusation, and the student shall be given an opportunity at that time to explain his or her version of the facts to the school principal or designee.
  • In each case of suspension or expulsion, the school principal or designee, shall contact by telephone at the telephone number shown on the student's registration card or send a certified letter at the address shown on the student's registration card to the parent, tutor, or legal guardian of the student in question giving notice of suspension or expulsion, the reasons thereof and establishing a date and time for conference with the principal or designee as a requirement for readmitting the student provided that in the case or expulsion, the contact with the parent or guardian shall include a certified letter.
  • If a parent, tutor, or legal guardian fails to attend the required conference within five (5) school days of mailing the certified letter or other contact with the parent, the truancy laws shall be effective. On not more than one occasion each school year when the parent, tutor, or legal guardian refuses to respond, the principal may determine
    whether readmitting the student is in the best interest of the student.
  • On any subsequent occasions in the same school year, the student shall not be readmitted unless the parent, tutor, or legal guardian, court, or other appointed representative responds.
  • In any case where a teacher, principal, or other school employee is authorized to require the parent, tutor, or legal guardian of a student who is under the age of eighteen and not judicially emancipated or emancipated by marriage to attend a conference or meeting regarding the student's behavior and after notice, the parent, tutor, or legal guardian willfully refuses to attend, the principal or his or her designee shall file a complaint, in accordance with statutory provisions with a court exercising juvenile jurisdiction or any other applicable ground when in his or her judgment doing so is in the best interest of the student.
  • The principal shall promptly advise the superintendent or her designee of all such suspensions, stating the reasons for the suspensions. No suspended student shall be allowed to leave the school premises during the school day until parent, guardian, or other proper authorities assume responsibility for him or her, unless immediate removal from school due to danger or threat of disruption to academic process is warranted.
  • The principal shall be required to suspend immediately a student who is found carrying or possessing a firearm, and/or weapons, or other dangerous instruments. Upon the seizure by any teacher, principal, school security guard, or other school administrator of any firearm, knife (2 and ½ inches or longer), or other dangerous instruments which could be used as a weapon or inflict injury, the principal or his or her designee shall be required to report the confiscation to appropriate law enforcement officials.
  • Additionally, the principal shall immediately recommend the student's expulsion to the Superintendent, as state law has mandated expulsion for certain violations.
  • The principal and other appropriate personnel shall be required to file written documentation of all suspensions. Said documentation shall include the circumstances surrounding any suspension, the reason for suspension, and any other pertinent facts concerning the disciplinary action.
  • The principal shall file copies of his report with the Superintendent, other appropriate personnel and the parent or guardian, and he shall retain a copy for his records.
  • The Superintendent may review any suspension given. The decision of the Superintendent of Schools on the merit of the case, as well as the term of suspension, shall be final, reserving the right of the Superintendent of Schools to remit any portion of the time of suspension. Additionally, the courts have the authority to remit or extend the amount of time a student has been suspended.
  • Any student suspended shall receive no credit for schoolwork missed while suspended. Special circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

 

NOTE: To curb violence in schools, law enforcement officials may be called at the discretion of the administrator. (If an arrest is made, an attempt will be made to contact a parent/guardian).

 

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT GUIDELINES

Every teacher is authorized to hold every student to strict accountability for any disorderly conduct in school or on the playground of the school, or on any school bus going to or returning from school, or during intermission or recess. 

 

The St. Mary Parish School Board shall allow reasonable corporal punishment of unruly students.  If such punishment is required, it shall be administered with extreme care, tact and caution, and then only by the principal, assistant principal, or the principal's designated representative in the presence of another adult school employee.  At no time shall corporal punishment be administered in the presence of another student.  All school personnel and parents shall be fully informed of these provisions at the beginning of each school year.

 

Corporal punishment means using physical force to discipline a student, with or without an object.  Corporal punishment includes hitting, paddling, striking, spanking, slapping, or any other physical force that causes pain or physical discomfort.

 

Corporal punishment does not include:

  • The use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint of a student to protect the student, or others, from bodily harm or to obtain possession of a weapon or other dangerous object from a student.
  • The use of seclusion and restraint as provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:416.21.

 

No form of corporal punishment shall be administered to a student with an exceptionality, excluding gifted and talented, as defined in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:1942 or to a student who has been determined to be eligible for services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and has an Individual Accommodation Plan.

 

  • Except for those acts of misconduct which are so anti-social or disruptive in nature as to shock the conscience, corporal punishment may never be used unless the student was informed beforehand that specific misbehavior could occasion its use; and subject to this exception, it should never be used as a first line of punishment.
    Its use should follow specific failure of other corrective measures to affect student behavior modification.
  • A teacher or principal must punish corporally in the presence of a second school official (teacher or principal), who must be informed beforehand, and in the student’s presence of the reasons for the punishment. 
  • School principals, assistant principals or appropriate designees who have adminis­tered corporal punishment shall provide the child's parents or legal guardians, upon request, a written explanation of the reasons and the name of the school employee who was present as a witness.  For each incident of corporal punishment, a Corporal Punishment Incidence Checklist shall be completed and maintained in the administrative offices of the school.
  • Subject to the above procedural due process safeguards, state statutes, and board of education policies, reasonable and proper use of corporal punishment does not violate any rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
  • Reasonable and proper application of corporal punishment should be based on such factors as ability of the student to bear it, student’s age, size, sex, and observed physical strength, and gravity of the offense.  The paddle shall be made of wood not longer than 20 inches including the handle, not less than 4 inches wide or more than 3/8 inches thick and administered on the buttocks only.
  • The punishment must not be inflicted with such force, or in such a manner as to be considered cruel and excessive.  Wanton or malicious use of corporal punishment is utterly indefensible.
  • The procedural due process safeguards mandate that, in cases where a student protests ignorance of the rule or innocence of the offense, a brief but adequate opportunity should be provided for the student to explain his/her side of the situation.  The regulation alleged to have been violated must also be a legally defensible rule.
  • A copy of the corporal punishment policy shall be distributed to parents and students and shall become a part of the discipline policy handbook.

 

Nothing contained herein shall be interpreted as prohibiting an employee from using physical force, reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances, in defending himself/herself against a physical attack by a student or to restrain a student from attacking another student or employee, or to prevent acts of misconduct which are so anti-social or disruptive in nature as to shock the conscience.

 

IMPERMISSIBLE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

 Corporal punishment administered other than as outlined hereinabove shall be deemed and defined to be impermissible corporal punishment.  Any accusations involving employees using impermissible corporal punishment shall