In 1995 the Indiana General Assembly enacted legislation re-defining students’ rights and responsibilities.  The law requires schools to make a good faith effort to disseminate to students or parents generally the substance of any rule or standard.  This document is designed to accomplish that required good faith effort.  Complete copies of the law, its procedures and related forms are available in the principal’s office.  Students and parents who wish to review the entire text of the law should contact their respective principal.

The entire foundation and success of public school education depends on the basic concept of self-discipline; a self-discipline which will allow all individuals to exist in a world of change and with individual rights afforded them by our Federal and State Constitutions.  Certain standards of student conduct are necessary to assure that students seeking to express their own individual rights do not at the same time infringe upon the rights of others.  The responsibility for the development and maintenance of self-discipline falls to the cooperative efforts of students, parents, teachers, administrators and community.

The responsibility for the development and enforcement of regulations for the protection of the rights of individuals is delegated by the Board of School Trustees to responsible officials within the School Corporation.  The purpose of discipline controls is to help create an atmosphere that promotes the best possible learning environment for all those involved in the educational process.

An environment that provides equal opportunity for all and permits the teaching-learning process to proceed in an orderly manner is the objective of all school personnel.  School staff members will make every effort, individually, collectively, and cooperatively with appropriate available community resources, to help each student gain acceptable self-discipline standards.

Observance of the laws of good citizenship and the rules and regulations of the school shall be required of all students.

The Board of School Trustees authorizes enforcement of all rules and regulations. All such matters shall be executed in a manner which ensures due process for students and protects all members of the educational community in the exercise of their duties and responsibilities.

School employees are expected to maintain order and discipline in the schools. Observance of the laws, rules, and regulations of the Corporation shall be required of everyone. Good citizenship and self-discipline are concepts which are integral parts of the Corporation's program of regulating student conduct. Every attempt shall be made to provide positive, individualized discipline.

It is the policy of the Tippecanoe School Corporation that all students enrolled in its schools shall be in attendance every day that the schools are open for student attendance during each regular school term, unless absent in accordance with Indiana Code.

Specific attendance policies are described in student handbooks, Indiana Code, corporation guidelines, school newsletters, during school meetings, and various other forms.

Appropriate dress and grooming shall be the responsibility of students and their parents. If a manner of dress, grooming, and/or appearance is disruptive, or presents a physical hazard, school administrators shall take necessary action to correct the situation.  Students should wear appropriate attire during the regular school day and at school-sponsored activities. Students who do not wear clothing which, in the opinion of the administrative officer, reflects good judgment or who do not comply with these guidelines will be sent to the administrative office for necessary action. Parents will be contacted, should the need arise.

School facilities such as lockers and desks are school property provided for student use subject to the right of the Superintendent and his/her designee to enter the facility as needed and inspect all items in the facility searched. Lockers and desks or other facilities are available to students to store temporarily only school supplies and personal items necessary for use at school. Students shall not have an expectation of privacy in any facility provided by the school and shall not be permitted to deny entry to a Corporation administrator by the use of a lock or other device. School authorities may inspect lockers either individually for good cause or collectively to assure safety and cleanliness. In addition, school authorities may search a school locker and its contents any time that there is reason to expect that the locker contains dangerous or prohibited material.

Students are expected to behave on buses in the same manner as they behave in the classroom. Undesirable student behavior while riding the bus may result in the loss of the privilege of riding. The student's family will then become responsible for his/her transportation to and from school. Rules of conduct for bus riders are found in the bus rules document on file in the TSC Transportation Department; a copy of the bus rules are given to students each year.

In support of Tippecanoe School Corporation's mission of maintaining the highest professional standards, honesty will be expected at all levels. Cheating is unacceptable. School handbooks and course syllabi outline detailed expectations and consequences associated with honesty, plagiarism, and cheating in schools.

The Board of School Trustees declared that certain student misconduct will be grounds for suspension or expulsion of students from school. The School Board recognizes that removal from the educational programs of the Corporation, whether by suspension or expulsion, is the most severe sanction that can be imposed on a student in this Corporation and one that cannot be imposed without due process since removal deprives a child of the right to an education. 

Such misconduct is defined to include, but not limited to the following acts: 

1. Use of violence, force, noise, coercion, threat, intimidation, fear, passive resistance, or other comparable conduct, constituting an interference with school purposes, or urging other students to engage in such conduct.
2. Causing or attempting to cause damage to school property, knowingly possessing stolen property, stealing or attempting to steal school property.
3. Causing or attempting to cause damage to private property, knowingly possessing stolen property, stealing or attempting to steal valuable private property.
4. Causing or attempting to cause physical injury or behaving in such a way as could reasonably cause physical injury to any person. Self-defense or reasonable action undertaken on the reasonable belief that it was necessary to protect oneself and/or another person is not a violation of this rule.
5. Threatening, hazing, harassing, coercing, or intimidating any person for any purpose , including but not limited to, the intent to obtain money or anything of value from such student, injury to persons or damage to property, or engaging in a violent activity.
6. Possessing, handling or transmitting a knife or any object that can reasonably be considered a weapon, or represented to be a weapon, or looks like a weapon.
7. Possessing, using, transmitting, or being affected by any controlled substance, prescription drug (unless authorized by physician under use of medication policy or self-administered medication policy), narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, alcoholic beverage, intoxicant or depressant of any kind, or any paraphernalia used in connection with the listed substances; including any look alike substance. This includes such substances that contain chemicals which produce the same effect of illegal substances including but not limited to spice and K2. Low THC Extract products, such as CBD oil, as defined by state law are included in this rule and would also be considered a violation of the use of medication policy. Also, prohibited is the consumption of the stated substances immediately before attending school or a school function or event.
8. Offering to sell or agreeing to purchase any controlled substance, prescription drug, narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, alcoholic beverage, intoxicant or depressant of any kind, or any paraphernalia used in connection with the listed substances; including any look alike substance. This includes such substances that contain chemicals which produce the same effect of illegal substances including but not limited to spice and K2. Low THC Extract products, such as CBD oil, as defined by state law are included in this rule and would also be considered a violation of the use of medication policy.
9. Failing to comply with directions of teachers or administrators or other school personnel during any period of time when the student is or should be properly under their supervision, where the failure constitutes an interference with school purposes or an education function.
10. Engaging in any activity forbidden by the laws of the State of Indiana that constitutes an interference with school purposes or an educational function.
11. Insubordination to any school personnel.
12. Possessing, using, transmitting, or selling tobacco or nicotine-containing products of any kind or in any form. These products include e-cigarettes, vaping devices, any type of look-alike products or other related products or devices associated with tobacco or nicotine use of electronic nicotine delivery systems on school grounds or on school provided transportation or during school functions.
13. Possessing or using on school grounds during school hours an electronic device (e.g. cellular phone, tablet computer, pager, digital camera, electronic equipment) in a situation not related to a school purpose or an educational function or using such a device to engage in activity that violates school rules; including any manner which constitutes an interference with a school purpose or educational function, an invasion of privacy, an act of academic dishonesty, or is profane, indecent, or obscene. In addition to being disciplined, students who use an electronic device in a manner which is inconsistent with this rule may have the device confiscated by school administration. Such device will be returned to the parent. This rule is not violated when the student has been given clear permission from a school administrator or a designated staff member to possess or use one of the devices listed in this rule. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) allowing students to carry electronic devices to school, implies permission to the school to have access to any and all information on the device if confiscated for disciplinary or investigative purposes. Information contained on devices is subject to inspection.
14. Possessing, handling, or transmitting any firearm, destructive device, or deadly weapon on school property which is a violation of Federal Law.
15. Violating the school building’s network use agreement.
16. Exhibiting or participating in any behavior related to gang membership or affiliation (including graffiti), recruiting or furthering the interest of gangs, or possessing, using distributing, displaying, or selling anything deemed to be evidence of gang membership or affiliation.
17. Engaging in behavior defined as bullying under state law.

A Principal may suspend a student from school for a period not to exceed ten (10) days.  Except in emergencies, the student shall be given notice of the charges and an opportunity to present his/her side of the story before suspension.  Within twenty-four (24) hours, or such additional time as is reasonably necessary following suspension, the Principal will send a written statement to the student’s parents describing the student’s misconduct or violation of a rule or standard and the action taken.

In the event the Principal decides to recommend expulsion, the Principal must file these recommendations in writing with the Superintendent of Schools and mail a copy of the written recommendations to the student and the parent by mail.  These recommendations are referred to as the “written charge.”

If the Superintendent decides that there are reasonable grounds for investigation or that an investigation is desirable, a Hearing Examiner will be appointed who will give written notice to the student and the parent of an expulsion and date, time, and place for the meeting.

The findings and determination of the Hearing Examiner or the Superintendent shall be mailed by certified mail or personally delivered to the student, and parent, guardian, or custodian.

The student or the student’s parent may appeal the determination of the Expulsion Examiner by appeal to court in accordance with law.  The Tippecanoe School Corporation Board of School Trustees does not hear appeals of the Expulsion Examiner’s decisions.  In accordance with law, on August 9, 2006, the Tippecanoe School Corporation Board of School Trustees voted to not hear appeals of the expulsion decision.  Therefore, the only further appeal of the Expulsion Examiner’s determination is through court.