Code of Student Conduct
students' rights and responsibilities
IV. Students' Rights and Responsibilities
A. Basic Student Rights
1. Each student under the age of 21
has the right to an education regardless of race, color, gender,
religion, ethnic origin,
economic status, sexual orientation
or disability and also the responsibility not to interfere with or
threaten the education of
others.
2. Bethlehem Central students are
expected to abide by the policies and regulations of the school
district.
3. Bethlehem Central students have
the right to access rules, receive an explanation of those rules and
seek changes in
district policies and regulations in
an orderly fashion through discussions with the administrative staff.
4. All policy decisions and
amendments are made by the Board of Education.
5. Bethlehem Central students will be
afforded a due process hearing where they will have the right to present
their version of
relevant events to school personnel
and to question and review any witnesses or evidence brought against
them by the school
administration before imposition of
penalty.
6. Under the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents and students who are over 18
years of age have the
right to inspect and review the
student's educational records and have the right to request the
amendment of the student's
education records believed to be
inaccurate or misleading. They also have the right to consent to
disclosure of personally
identifiable information in a
student's education record, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes
disclosure without
consent. More information regarding
FERPA rights and procedures is described on the District Web Site, in
the Board of
Education Policy 5500 and in
back-to-school mailings. Note: The Board of Education policy books may
be reviewed at the
District Offices of the Bethlehem
Central School District, the Bethlehem Town Library, and online at
http://bcsd.k12.ny.us/district_policy_manual.html.
7. As a general rule, information
received by teachers and other school officials is not privileged
(except for provisions of the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act of 1974), and may be revealed by the recipient of such knowledge
whenever he or
she feels that it is appropriate to
do so. However, some communications made in connection with drug or
alcohol abuse
prevention programs may be kept
confidential. A student who is concerned about the confidentiality of
communications
he/she makes to staff members should
ask the staff member in advance whether the information could be kept
confidential.
B. Basic Student
Responsibilities: all district students have the responsibility to:
1. Abide by the policies and
regulations of the school district.
2. Contribute to maintaining a safe
and orderly school environment that is conducive to learning.
3. Show respect to other persons and
to property.
4. Refrain from interfering with or
threatening the education or rights of others.
5. Attend school every day unless
they are legally excused and be in class, on time and prepared to learn.
6. Work to the best of their ability
in all academic and extracurricular pursuits and strive toward their
highest level of
achievement possible.
7. React to direction given by
teachers, administrators and other school personnel in a respectful,
positive manner.
8. Ask questions when they do not
understand.
9. Seek help in solving problems that
might lead to discipline.
10. Dress appropriately for school
and school functions, as defined in the Student Dress Code. (See Section
IX of this Code)
11. Accept responsibility for their
actions.
12. Conduct themselves appropriately
as representatives of the district when participating in or attending
school functions.