Bend-La Pine Schools Education Center
Rights and Responsibilities Handbook
Respecting student rights and requiring students to respect the rights of others.
Introduction
The Board of Directors has adopted Board Policies, Administrative Policies, and Regulations to ensure the fair treatment of students, families and the general public, and the orderly operation of schools. The superintendent is responsible for implementing these policies and regulations, which are summarized in our District’s Student Code of Conduct, available at bls.fyi/codeofconduct.
This following section summarizes the rights and responsibilities of students, parents/guardians and staff at Bend-La Pine Schools as reflected in the policies and regulations.
Individual schools within the district have authority to adopt school rules to assist them in implementing Board Policies, Administrative Policies, and Administrative Regulations. Students and their families are encouraged to become familiar with their home school’s rules. Please contact your school for more information.
Student Rights
Respecting student rights and requiring students to respect the rights of others.
Age of Majority
Every student 18 years of age or older is considered an adult and shall have the same rights and responsibilities as an adult. Adult students, like all other students, shall comply with Board Policies, Administrative Policies, and Administrative Regulations and established rules, pursue a prescribed course of study, and respect the authority of district staff members and the administration.
When a student turns 18, or if the student is emancipated, all Board Policies, Administrative Policies, and Administrative Regulations that refer to parents/guardians will be interpreted to refer to the student. Please see JFD-AR: Students of Legal Age for more information.
Dress and Grooming
The Board of Directors believe that appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. The Board expects students to dress in a manner that is safe for all school activities, that promotes inclusion and respect for all, and that allows for an uninterrupted focus on teaching and learning. Students have the right to make individual choices from a wide range of clothing and grooming styles, but they must not present a safety hazard, disruption, or violation of policies such as those that ensure inclusion and belonging in the school environment.
Check with your neighborhood school for dress code expectations. Please see JFCA-AR: Student Code of Dress for more information.
Electronic Devices
In Bend-La Pine Schools, personal electronic devices (including cell phones, earbuds and other non-district approved electronics) are to be silent and away during class times. Students will also be instructed to ensure these devices are silent and away during approved breaks from class.
We believe the best way for our students to engage in their learning is to reduce distractions in the classroom. By keeping their personal electronic devices silent and away, our students will be practicing a valuable skill that can help prepare them for life beyond school.
Please see JFCEB-AP: Personal Communication Devices for more information.
Freedom of Expression on School Premises
Freedom of expression is a constitutional right. It is guaranteed at school but may not interfere with other basic rights of individual students, including the right to pursue their education without the disruption of others. The opportunity for students to exercise freedom of expression within the law is an important element in the learning process.
Students may not distribute or display materials that are libelous, obscene, dangerous, disruptive, or that violate the law or regulations.
Students shall not distribute or display material of a commercial nature. Administrative approval is required for the distribution of materials on school premises.
This policy shall be applied in a non-discriminatory manner, allowing the dissemination of diverse viewpoints on political and social issues. The policy shall also be applied in a manner that encourages respect for individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, age or disability. This includes being free of bias incidents and symbols of hate. Peaceful demonstrations or protests are permissible when they do not interfere with the school program or the rights of others. Students who engage in disruptive demonstrations will be instructed by school administration to desist and disperse immediately. Failure to comply with such orders may result in discipline, including suspension and expulsion.
Please see KJA-AP: and KJA-AR: Materials Distribution, and ACB-BP: Every Student Belongs.
Neighborhood Rights
Community residents have a right to privacy and freedom from abusive behavior. Students must not loiter, litter, trespass or create nuisance conditions for residents of the community.
Off Campus Solicitation of Funds
Students are not authorized to conduct door-to-door promotion or solicitation for a school or a school group without being accompanied by a parent/guardian. Please see IGDF-AR: Student Fund-Raising Activities for more information.
Physical Restraint
The use of physical restraint and/or seclusion is only permitted when a student’s behavior poses a reasonable threat of imminent, serious bodily injury to themselves or others and less restrictive interventions would not be effective. Physical restraint or seclusion may not be used for discipline, punishment or for the convenience of district staff.
Except in the case of an emergency, only staff current in the required training in accordance with the district-designated physical restraint and seclusion training program may use physical restraint or seclusion with a student. In an emergency, other personnel may use physical restraint and/or seclusion when such trained personnel are not immediately available due to the unforeseeable nature of the emergency and there is continuous monitoring.
For further information, please see JGAB-AP and JGAB-AR: Use of Restraint or Seclusion.
Student Searches, Seizure and Questioning
Bend-La Pine Schools seeks to ensure a learning environment which protects the health and safety of students and staff. To assist in attaining these goals, Bend-La Pine Schools officials may search a student's person and property, including property assigned by the district for the student's use. District officials may seize an item which is evidence of a violation of law, Bend-La Pine Schools policies or rules, or which the possession or use of is prohibited by law, policies, regulations or rules.
A search may be conducted when there is reasonable suspicion to believe that evidence of a prohibited item is present in a particular place and/or a particular student has possession of a prohibited item at school. Bend-La Pine Schools officials may seize prohibited items and evidence.
A search of district property assigned to students, including but not limited to lockers or desks may occur from time to time if Bend-La Pine Schools officials have reason to believe that the property contains items which may be hazardous to the safety or health of students or contains items which may belong to someone else.
Bend-La Pine Schools may monitor district issued electronic devices, including iPads. Bend-La Pine Schools does not assure the privacy of electronic communications or practices if district equipment or network services are employed.
Students’ vehicles may be parked on district property on the condition that students and their parent/guardian allow the vehicle and its contents, upon reasonable suspicion, to be searched.
School officials are not authorized to conduct strip searches. The use of dogs trained to search for drugs may be utilized for generalized, exploratory searches on an unannounced basis. Law enforcement or representatives from the Department of Human Services may interview students at the school site. Please see JFG-AR: Student Searches for more information.
Student Organizations
Organized student groups are an integral part of the school system and make important contributions to the life of the school and the student. School regulations require all organizations that carry out activities within the school to obtain approval of the principal or principal’s designee. Please see IGDA-AR: Student Organizations for more information.
Surveys
Federal law affords parents/guardians certain rights regarding our conducting surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes and certain physical exams. Parents/guardians may opt their student out of participation in any protected information survey. Parents/guardians also have the right to review, upon written request, any instructional materials used in connection with any protected information survey or as part of the educational curriculum. Bend-La Pine Schools has developed and adopted KAB-AP and KAB-AR: Parental Rights (Survey of Students), consistent with federal law, regarding these rights. The Oregon Healthy Teens Survey is administered to select students in the spring. YouthTruth survey is given to students in grades 6-12 annually.
Accident Insurance
It is important to know that Bend-La Pine Schools does not carry accident insurance for students. This means that parents/guardians are responsible for any medical bills if their child is hurt during school activities. Bend-La Pine Schools does provide access to insurance plans offered through Myers-Stevens & Toohey and Company, Inc. to help pay for those bills. Information on this coverage is available on our Insurance page as well as provided to all parents/ guardians at the beginning of the school year, or can be picked up at your child’s school at any time during the year.