FILE: JDF
VIRTUAL DISCIPLINE
Standards of conduct are just as important in our virtual (online) learning program as they are in our traditional schools and classrooms. Appropriate, respectful, and responsible behavior is expected by all. This policy is meant to supplement the traditional Catahoula Parish School Board Code of Conduct for students and is not intended to replace it, but simply assist students and families to understand their additional expectations in a virtual environment. Behavioral expectations for on campus learning are still in effect for online learning.
The Catahoula Parish School System is a drug-free, alcohol-free, and tobacco-free environment (including vaping); thus these items should not be used and/or be visible during any online instructional activity or interaction with school staff. The Catahoula Parish School System is also a weapons free zone which means that guns and/or other items that could be considered weapons should not be used and/or be visible during any online instructional activity or interaction with school staff.
The following expectations apply to all online learning activities or programs:
Students are expected to use respectful language when speaking and communicating through text, email, or other mediums. Students are not to use obscene, profane, threatening, and/or disrespectful language, pictures, or images in any communication with school staff or other students. Employees of Edgenuity, K12, and all other contracted online vendors are considered to be school staff as they are contracted by the school system to work with students.
All communication with other students must be course-related in nature and must be polite, courteous, and respectful. The sending of unsolicited emails and/or messages to classmates using school system equipment is prohibited.
Students are expected to be dressed appropriately for all online learning activities; the clothes should be appropriate for school wear, i.e., no profanity, no images that promote drug, alcohol, or tobacco use, no political images, or images that promote violence or illegal activity. Clothing should appropriately cover the student's body and not be excessively tight, loose, or revealing.
A student's learning area for virtual learning should be free from profanity, images that promote violence or illegal activity, images that promote alcohol, drug, or tobacco use, and guns or weapons. These items should not be visible on the learner's screen during online instruction.
During online learning, students are encouraged to find a quiet place where they will not be distracted from learning. Items revealing personal information such as social security numbers, addresses, credit card numbers, or checking account information should be removed from view and out of camera range.
Students are prohibited from sharing or posting videos of online learning activities without their instructor's express permission.
Students are prohibited from accessing other students' online learning accounts or other classes to which they are not assigned.
Students are prohibited from engaging in unauthorized activities that may result in a cost to the school or school system.
Students are prohibited from viewing pornography or obscene materials on school provided equipment and/or MiFi data plans.
All student work turned in should be his/her own and the Catahoula Parish School System takes the academic integrity and authenticity of student work seriously. Academic integrity is an ethical code, whereby the student guarantees that all work submitted is the student's own work. Students are not to cut, copy, paste, or plagiarize internet content or work of their classmates and submit it as their own. Copying, knowingly allowing others to copy from you, and/or misusing internet content is unacceptable. Teachers do utilize technologies to check for plagiarism and students found guilty of it will have their grades adversely affected and disciplinary action imposed.
Bullying, cyber-bullying, harassing, and/or hazing directed toward any member of the school community is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.
DISCIPLINE
All students enrolled in the Catahoula Parish Virtual Learning Program are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the rules of their school and the parish school system. Parents are expected to be aware of the school system's expectations for student behavior and academic product, and work with the school staff to ensure that school rules and policies are followed.
There are several levels of discipline that will be used with students at the discretion of the school administrator:
Student conference with teacher
Student conference with school administrator
Conference with school administrator, student, and parent
Student suspension
Student expulsion
All applicable due process steps in accordance with School Board policy and state law will affect all students in a virtual setting just as though they were in an on-campus learning situation.
New policy: December 1, 2020
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยง17:416
Board minutes, 12-1-20
Catahoula Parish School Board