Category
Disciplinary Due Process
Category
Disciplinary Due Process
State law provides comprehensive assurances of due process for students facing disciplinary action.
Florida Statutes 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.
(4) Discipline. — (a) Suspension of public school student. — In accordance with the provisions of s. 1006.09(1)-(4):
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A student may be suspended only as provided by rule of the district school board. A good faith effort must be made to immediately inform the parent by telephone of the student’s suspension and the reason. Each suspension and the reason must be reported in writing within 24 hours to the parent by United States mail. A good faith effort must be made to use parental assistance before suspension unless the situation requires immediate suspension.
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A student with a disability may only be recommended for suspension or expulsion in accordance with State Board of Education rules.
(b) Expulsion. — Public school students and their parents have the right to written notice of a recommendation of expulsion, including the charges against the student and a statement of the right of the student to due process, in accordance with the provisions of s. 1006.08(1).
Florida Statutes 1006.07 District school board duties relating to student discipline and school safety.
(2) CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT. --Adopt a code of student conduct for elementary schools and a code of student conduct for middle and high schools and distribute the appropriate code to all teachers, school personnel, students, and parents, at the beginning of every school year. Each code shall be organized and written in language that is understandable to students and parents and shall be discussed at the beginning of every school year in student classes, school advisory council meetings, and parent and teacher association or organization meetings. Each code shall be based on the rules governing student conduct and discipline adopted by the district school board and shall be made available in the student handbook or similar publication. Each code shall include, but is not limited to:
- (b) Procedures to be followed for acts requiring discipline, including corporal punishment.
Florida Statutes 1006.08. District school superintendent duties relating to student discipline and school safety.
(1) The district school superintendent shall recommend plans to the district school board for the proper accounting for all students of school age, for the attendance and control of students at school, and for the proper attention to health, safety, and other matters which will best promote the welfare of students. Each district school superintendent shall fully support the authority of his or her principals, teachers, and school bus drivers to remove disobedient, disrespectful, violent, abusive, uncontrollable, or disruptive students from the classroom and the school bus and, when appropriate and available, to place such students in an alternative educational setting. When the district school superintendent makes a recommendation for expulsion to the district school board, he or she shall give written notice to the student and the student’s parent of the recommendation, setting forth the charges against the student and advising the student and his or her parent of the student’s right to due process as prescribed by ss. 120.569 and 120.57(2). When district school board action on a recommendation for the expulsion of a student is pending, the district school superintendent may extend the suspension assigned by the principal beyond 10 school days if such suspension period expires before the next regular or special meeting of the district school board.