STUDENT DISCIPLINE RIGHTS AND PROCEDURES

STUDENT DISCIPLINE RIGHTS AND PROCEDURES:

A GUIDE FOR ADVOCATES

SECOND EDITION

EDUCATION LAW CENTER

60 PARK PLACE, SUITE 300

NEWARK, NJ 07102

(973) 624-1815

TDD: (973) 624-4618

FAX: (973) 624-7339



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This manual was originally written by Ellen Boylan, Esq., former senior attorney

at Education Law Center ("ELC"), with contributions by Elizabeth Athos, Esq., ELC

senior attorney, Jennifer Weiser, Esq., former ELC Skadden Fellow, and Diana MTK

Autin, co-executive director of the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network. This manual

was revised in 2009 by Ms. Athos, incorporating updates on special education discipline

prepared in 2008 by ELC senior attorney Ruth Deale Lowenkron, Esq. and former ELC

senior attorney David Giles, Esq. Further revisions to the manual were made in 2012

under the supervision of Ms. Athos, with the generous assistance of Boston University

School of Law students Jeffrey Cravens, class of 2012, and Sarah Rubin, class of 2013,

and City University of New York School of Law student Hannah Kaplan, class of 2014.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided in this guide helps explain the laws affecting the rights

of students in school discipline cases in New Jersey, but should not be construed as legal

advice. This manual is provided for educational and informational purposes only, and

contains general information that may not reflect current or complete legal developments.

Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate legal advice from a licensed attorney on the

particular facts and circumstances at issue for students undergoing school discipline.

? 2012 Education Law Center

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.7

PART I: GENERAL EDUCATION LAWS AND

PROCEDURES¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...8

SOURCES OF STUDENT DISCIPLINE LAW¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.8

CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.9

A SCHOOL¡¯S DUTY TO PREVENT SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­10

GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.11

DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..14

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUSPENSION OF 10 DAYS OR LESS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...15

PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LONG-TERM SUSPENSION & EXPULSION...17

DISCIPLINE RULES FOR ASSAULT AGAINST SCHOOL PERSONNEL, ASSAULT

WITH A WEAPON, GUN POSSESSION AT SCHOOL AND GUN CONVICTION¡­¡­...21

DISCIPLINE FOR BEHAVIOR OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..23

REMOVAL FROM SCHOOL DUE TO SUSPECTED SUBSTANCE ABUSE¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.24

Local Board Discipline Policies¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.24

Removal from School and Medical Examination¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..26

SEARCH AND SEIZURE¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.29

Search Based on Reasonable Suspicion¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.29

Suspicionless Searches¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...31

REFERRAL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­32

LOSS OF PRIVILEGES AND COMMUNITY SERVICE¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..35

WHAT TO DO AT A BOARD OF EDUCATION DISCIPLINE HEARING¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.36

DEFENSES TO STUDENT DISCIPLINE¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...40

The Constitutional Right to a Public Education¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­41

The Constitutional Right to Equal Protection of the Law¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..44

The Right to Non-Arbitrary School Board Action¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.45

The Right to Procedural Due Process¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­46

Defending Against Zero Tolerance¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­46

The Constitutional Right to Free Speech¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...48

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION AND HOME INSTRUCTION DURING LONG-TERM

SUSPENSION, EXPULSION AND REMOVAL¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.50

The Right to Alternative Education for Students Removed from School¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..51

Home Instruction¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...54

APPEALING A STUDENT DISCIPLINE DETERMINATION¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.56

Steps for Appeal¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.58

Relief Available in Appeal to Commissioner¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­59

Moving for Emergent Relief¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..61

Filing an Appeal with the Commissioner¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..62

GRADES AND ACADEMIC CREDIT¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­64

RECORDS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.64

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...65

LIABILITY FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTION¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.66

PART II: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAWS AND

PROCEDURES¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..66

THE RIGHT TO POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND

STRATEGIES AND SPECIAL PROTECTIONS IN SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND

BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­68

PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES MAY NOT BE SUSPENDED¡­¡­¡­...68

SCHOOL DISTRICTS' OBLIGATION TO USE POSITIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS

CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­69

FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT AND BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION

PLAN¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.70

CHANGES IN PLACEMENT IN RESPONSE TO CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS¡­¡­¡­71

SCHOOL DISTRICT AUTHORITY TO EXERCISE DISCRETION WHEN DISCIPLINING

CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.73

NOTIFICATION OF SUSPENSIONS TO PARENTS AND CASE MANAGERS¡­¡­¡­¡­73

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH CHILDREN'S IEPS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­74

PROCEDURES AND SERVICES FOR SHORT-TERM SUSPENSIONS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.74

PROCEDURES AND SERVICES FOR LONG-TERM SUSPENSIONS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...75

SCHOOL DISTRICT AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE 45-DAY INVOLUNTARY

PLACEMENTS IN INTERIM ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­78

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE 45-DAY INVOLUNTARY

PLACEMENTS IN INTERIM ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­79

PROCEDURES AND SERVICES FOR SHORT-TERM SUSPENSIONS THAT

CONSTITUTE CHANGES IN PLACEMENT¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.79

PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION...80

PARENTAL APPEALS OF MANIFESTATION DETERMINATIONS AND

DISCIPLINARY CHANGES IN PLACEMENT¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..81

NO "STAY PUT" PENDING DISCIPLINARY APPEALS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.82

THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN IN OUT-OF-DISTRICT PLACEMENTS¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..83

CHALLENGING SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTION¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­...83

Expedited Due Process Hearing¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.84

Requesting a Hearing¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.85

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