UNIFORM DISCIPLINE PLAN
The Uniform Discipline Plan establishes a framework for developing, refining, and implementing a culture of discipline conducive to learning at every school in the San Diego Unified School District.
This framework is built on school-wide positive behavior support, a culture of positive discipline techniques, and the systemic development of carefully identified rules with the necessary structure for their firm, fair, and consistent implementation.
The importance of a school-wide positive behavior support and discipline plan is consistent with the principles of safety, responsibility, respectfulness, appreciation of differences, honesty, and life-long learning.
Grounds for Suspension
A student shall not be suspended from school or recommended for expulsion unless the superintendent or principal of the school in which the student is enrolled determines that the student has committed any of the following acts:
- Assault / Battery: caused, attempted to cause physical injury, or threatened to cause physical injury to another person (including school employees); willfully used force or violence upon the person of another, except in self-defense; also includes attempted sexual assault, sexual assault, and sexual battery.
- Weapons: possessed, sold, or otherwise furnished any firearm, replica firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous object or used any object in a threatening manner.
- Alcohol / Intoxicants / Controlled Substances: unlawfully possessed, used, sold, or furnished or under the influence of alcohol intoxicants, or controlled substances.
- Substance in Lieu of Alcohol / Intoxicants / Controlled Substances: delivered, furnished, and/or sold items that were claimed to be alcohol, intoxicants, or controlled substances, but were not such items.
- Robbery / Extortion: committed or attempted to commit robbery or extortion.
- Damage to Property: caused or attempted to cause damage to school property or private property.
- Theft of Property: stole or attempted to steal school property or private property, or received stolen property.
- Tobacco or Nicotine Products: possessed, furnished, or used tobacco, or any item containing tobacco or nicotine products. A fourth offense requires an expulsion referral.
- Obscenity / Profanity / Vulgarity: committed an obscene act or engaged in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
- Controlled Substance Paraphernalia: possessed, offered, arranged or negotiated to sell any drug paraphernalia.
- Disruption/Defiance: disrupted school activities or willfully defied the authority of school personnel.
- Sexual Harassment (Grades 4 to 12): made unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favor, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature sufficiently severe or pervasive to have a negative impact upon the inpidual's academic performance or to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.
- Hate Violence (Grades 4 to 12): caused, threatened to cause, attempted to cause, or participated in acts of hate against persons or property.
- Threats and Intimidation: harassed, intimidated, or threatened a student who is a witness in a disciplinary proceeding to prevent the student from being a witness or as retaliation against the student for being a witness; written or verbal threat against school official; or threats to cause major property damage; bullying (including electronic acts).
- Harassment (Grades 4 to 12): harassed, intimidated, or threatened a student or group of students or school personnel with the actual or expected effect of disrupting class work, or creating substantial disorder or creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment.
- Hazing: engaged in, or attempted to engage in hazing.