As clearly defined in Board Policy 610 (Bus Conduct), the school bus is an extension of school activity; therefore, students must conduct themselves on the bus in a manner consistent with the established standards for safety and classroom behavior.

Students are under the supervision and control of the bus driver while on his/her bus and all reasonable directions given by the driver will be followed. The principal of the student transported will be informed by the bus driver of any serious discipline problem and may be called upon to assist if necessary. A student may be denied the privilege of riding the bus if the principal determines that his/her behavior is such as to cause disruption on the bus, or if the student disobeys state or local rules and regulations pertaining to student transportation. The suspension of a student from the riding the school bus will follow the same general procedures as any other school suspension.

Any student wishing to ride a bus other than his/her designated bus or to get off at a non-standard location must present written parental permission AND the written approval from the student’s principal. The same rule also applies to any student who wishes to gets off at any point between the pick-up point and the school. The student’s bus driver shall be required to turn the signed note(s) over to the Transportation Director as soon as practicable after completion of the route.

Cameras or video cameras are used to monitor student behavior on school buses transporting students to and from school or extracurricular activities. Photographs and video footage shall be used only to promote the order, safety, and security of students, staff, and property.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) may submit requests to view photographs and video footage to the Director of Student Services, and a time shall be arranged for viewing. The Director of Student Services shall be present when parent(s)/guardian(s) are provided the opportunity to review photographs and video footage.

As noted in Board Policy 612 (Care of School Property), students must help maintain the school environment, preserve school property, and exercise care while using school facilities.

District employees will report all damage or loss of school property to the principal or designee immediately after such damage or loss is discovered. The principal or designee will make a full and complete investigation of any instance of damage or loss of school property. The investigation will be carried out in cooperation with law enforcement officials when appropriate.

School property is defined as buildings, buses, books, equipment, records, instructional materials, or any other item under the jurisdiction of the Sevier County Board of Education.

When the person causing the damage or loss is identified and the costs of repair or replacement have been determined, the superintendent or designee will take steps to recover these costs. If the responsible person is a minor, recovery will be sought from the minor's parent or guardian.

In addition, the system may withhold the grades, diploma, and/or transcript of the student responsible for vandalism or theft or otherwise incurring any debt to a school until the student or the student's parent/guardian has paid for the damages.

As stated in Board Policy 608 (Student Conduct), the staff is authorized to take reasonable measures to establish appropriate school behavior. Any professional employee will have the authority to control the conduct of any student while under the supervision of the school system. This authority will extend to all activities of the school, including all games and public performances of athletic teams and other school groups, trips, excursions, and all other activities under school sponsorship and direction.

Such measures may include the use of reasonable or justifiable force to restrain or correct students and maintain order. An employee may, for example, relocate a student from the student's present location to another location for the student's safety or the safety of others. The use of reasonable or justifiable force, if required to accomplish this task due to the unwillingness of the student to cooperate, is allowed. If steps beyond the use of reasonable or justifiable force are required, the student shall be allowed to remain in place until such a time as local law enforcement officers or school resource officers can be summoned to relocate the student or take the student into custody until such a time as a parent or guardian can retrieve the student. This policy shall also cover an employee’s authorization to intervene in a physical altercation between two (2) or more students, or between a student and an employee(s) using reasonable or justifiable force upon a student, if necessary to end the altercation by relocating the student to another location. If an employee has to use reasonable or justifiable force under this policy, he/she shall file a brief report with the school principal detailing the situation that required force.

A student will not use violence, force, noise, coercion, threat, intimidation, fear, passive resistance, or any other conduct which causes the disruption, interference or obstruction of any school purpose while on school property, in school vehicles or buses, or at any school-sponsored activity, function, or event, whether on or off campus. Neither will he/she urge other students to engage in such conduct.

A student found guilty of misbehavior may receive punishment ranging from verbal reprimand to suspension and/or expulsion dependent on the severity of the offense and the offender's prior record.

Board Policy 632 (Student Behavior Code) further establishes a clear and consistent hierarchy of punishment to enable the administration of the school and system to deal promptly and fully with students who violate school and system rules and regulations. It is also the purpose of this policy to establish a safe and orderly school environment in which the rights of all students are protected and the efforts of teachers to maintain order and teach students are supported. The hierarchy of punishment ranges from the less severe to the more severe, ultimately reaching the point where expulsion is recommended. The guiding principle of this and any other good system of school and classroom management is that its purpose is not to punish, but to teach and encourage students to accept responsibility for their actions and decisions, and to regard the rights of others with as much reverence as their own. While this policy is primarily for the high schools of the system, certain parts may be utilized by other schools as deemed appropriate.

Most referrals come from teachers as a result of a violation of their classroom discipline plans. In order for a student to be referred, one of two types of infractions would have occurred. Either the student would have committed a severe classroom disruption such as refusal to obey, fighting, vandalism, or any action which stops the class from functioning, or the student would have committed such violations of classroom rules that it interfered with the overall conduct of the classroom.

On the first referral, the student will be considered for loss of driving privileges (LDP), ALC placement, in-school suspension (ISS), out-of-school suspension (OSS), or recommendation for expulsion depending upon the severity and nature of the offense. Additionally, the parent is contacted either by phone, conference, or a letter sent to the parent by regular mail. If the offense is severe, a parent conference will be required. If the parent refuses to participate, the student will be suspended out-of-school until such time as the parent does participate. The student will also be referred to a school counselor.

The following are zero-tolerance offenses that will result in a calendar year expulsion:

1. Bringing to school or being in unauthorized possession of a firearm on school property;
2. Possession of drugs, including any controlled substance, controlled substance analogue, or legend drug on school grounds or at a school-sponsored event; and 
3. Committing aggravated assault or assault that results in bodily injury upon any District employee or school resource officer.

The Superintendent of Schools, pursuant to Tennessee law, has the final authority to modify the punishment for these offenses on a case-by-case basis.