Board policy 6.317 establishes a Disciplinary Hearing Authority to conduct appeals for students who have been suspended or placed in an alternative setting for more than ten (10) school days. Upon receiving notification of the request to appeal the suspension decision, the DHA shall provide written notification to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student, the student, and any other appropriate person of the time, place, and date of the hearing. The hearing shall be held no later than ten (10) days after the beginning of the suspension. The DHA may uphold or amend the terms of the recommended period of suspension or alternative placement as it deems appropriate. If a parent wishes to appeal the decision of the DHA, within five (5) days of the DHA rendering a decision, the student, principal, principal-teacher, or assistant principal may request a review by the Board, and the Board shall review the record. Following the review, the Board may either approve or deny a request for a further hearing. In either instance, the Board may affirm, overturn, or modify the decision of the DHA, but it may not impose a stricter penalty without opting to conduct a hearing.  

The Sevier County School System provides alternative instructional settings which are available as the result of a recommendation by the building level administrator through a placement hearing with the Sevier County Board of Education’s Disciplinary Hearing Officer.

Board policy 6.314 prohibits the use of corporal punishments as a means of discipline within the Sevier County School System.

Board policy 6.315 states that students may be detained before or after the school day as a means of disciplinary action utilizing the following guidelines:

• The student shall be given at least one (1) day of notice before detention;
• Parent(s)/guardian(s) shall be informed before detention takes place;
• Students in detention shall be under the supervision of school personnel;
• Detention shall not exceed one (1) hour after the of?cial closing of the school day but may be administered several days in succession;
• Detention shall not be used if the parent or guardian is not able to provide transportation home after the detention; and
• Teachers shall have the approval of the principal before detaining a student.

Board Policy 6.316 indicates that a principal may suspend a student from class, school-related activity, or from daily attendance to school for as long as ten days if the conduct of the student warrants such action after examination under due process. The principal is required to report any such suspension to both the parent(s)/ guardian(s) of the student and to the district office. In-school suspension with academic services may be provided as an alternative to out-of-school suspension at the discretion of the principal. If the suspension is for more than five (5) days, the principal shall develop and implement a plan of behavior which shall be made available for the Superintendent or his/her designee upon request. Parents of students for whom the principal has assigned a suspension of greater than 10 days have the right to appeal the suspension to the district’s Disciplinary Hearing Authority with 5 days of notice of the suspension.