R.J. Fisher Discipline Code

• Parent/guardian notification
• Parent/guardian conference
• Warning
• Loss of cafeteria privileges
• Loss of school privileges (eligibility for sports, Fun Nights, dances, etc. )
• Litter Duty
• Saturday School
• Detention
• In-house suspension
• Suspension
• Expulsion
• Criminal charges

Detentions may be assigned during:

• Loss of school privileges may be earned back by completing 5-20 hours of School/Community Service hours.
• School/Community Service hours may be assigned by the administration in charge of detention.
• In order to make this code more understandable, infractions and their consequences are organized into the following categories:

Click below on the following links to see each category:

Socially Unacceptable Acts

Disruption of School Activities Inappropriate Attire Inappropriate Behavior Insubordination Littering Misbehavior for a substitute Misbehavior in food service lines Profanity

Socially Unacceptable Acts are "just not okay." They are offensive to others. They are also disrespectful, both to people and the educational environment. They invite incorrect perceptions of you.

Definitions and Consequences:

Disruption of school activities-All students are expected to contribute to an environment conductive to learning. Disruptive activities are those which interfere with teaching, learning, and/or another's personal rights. Consequences are assigned progressively depending upon how often behaviors are repeated, or how severe the disruption.

Inappropriate attire- Each student has the right to dressin ways which represent his/her individuality. However, some attire is notappropriate at school. Students may not wear attire which interferes with an environment conductive to learning. Examples of inappropriate attire, which apply equally to boys and girls, include the following: cutoff tops, halter tops, short shorts, clothing with disruptive or unhealthy logos or words (including but not limited to promotion of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, bigotry, gangs, or sex.) In addition: 1) Footwear must be worn at all times. 2) Hats are not to be worn inside the classrooms or other buildings. 3) Underwear and midriffs shall not be visible.

Inappropriate Behavior- All students are expected to follow school rules, respect the rights of students and staff, and to resolve conflicts in a positive way. Inappropriate behaviors occur when students violate a school rule, or when a student's actions interfere with teaching, learning, and/or another's personal rights.

Insubordination- All students are expected to respond in a timely and respectful manner to all reasonable directives from an adult. Insubordination, or willful defiance, is defined as the refusal to follow the reasonable directives of any staff members.

Littering- All students are expected to clean up after themselves.

Misbehavior for a Substitute- All students are expected to be well behaved in classes being taught by a substitute teacher. Substitute teachers are an important part of the educational community, and students must give them the proper respect for the difficulty of their jobs. Misbehavior for a substitute teacher interrupts your own learning and the learning of your classmates.

Misbehavior in Food Service Areas- All students are expected to be well behaved in food service areas. A large number of students need to be served in a short amount of time; accomplishing this requires the cooperation of everyone. Students may not cut in line, engage in horseplay, buy food for other people, or engage in any other behaviors which unfairly delay service.

Profanity-All students are expected to use language which is appropriate to school. Profanity is defined as the use of language which is inappropriate to school. This language is inappropriate because it deprives the individual of more accurate self-expression and interferes with student and staff rights to function in a non threatening environment which is conductive to learning. Use of profane language varies in degree of severity and consequences will be applied accordingly.

Self-defeating Acts

Class cut Failure to show for assigned detention Forgery Tardiness to class Truancy

Self-defeating acts only hurt you. They interfere with the number one focus of your day- education. Ultimately, they come back to bite you, and only you. Their effect can be magnified drastically by their cumulative effect, or if they become a habit.

Class cut-We expect each student to follow his/her assigned schedule. A class cut is defined as an unexcused absence or an unexcused tardiness of more than 20 minutes from any class period in the school day. During Period 1 only, an unexcused tardiness of longer than 20 minutes may be treated as a tardy, if verified by a parent or guardian

Failure to show for assigned detention-All students are expected to attend assigned detentions, and to arrive at their scheduled start time.

Forgery-All students are expected to submit notes, excuses, and passes which are properly authorized by a parent or staff member as deemed appropriate. Forgery is defined as the submission of an unauthorized request or signature. Forgery also occurs when a pass or note is altered without proper authorization.

Tardiness to class-We expected all students to arrive on time for all classes. Tardiness is defined as the failure to be in the room and sitting in your seat or prepared to begin when the second bell stops ringing. Individual exceptions for readiness may be set by physical education teachers.

Truancy-All students are expected to attend school on all scheduled days unless legally excused. A student will be considered truant when absent for a school day without a legal excuse presented to the school attendance office. A student may be legally excused for: 1) personal illness, 2) illness or death in the family, 3) impassable roads or severe weather conditions, 4) religious observations, 5) attendance at a health clinic or doctor's office, or 6) a required court appearance. Legal absences must be documented either by a telephone call or in writing by a parent/guardian and submitted to the attendance office prior to or within three days of the student's return to school.

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Unsafe Acts

Endangering the welfare of self or others Loitering Presence in areas designated off limits Riding bike, scooter, skateboard on campus Endangering the welfare of self or others-Each student is expected to maintain the safe environment of our school. One's welfare is endangered when their physical or emotional safety is threatened. Some behaviors, which do not fall under any other heading, place oneself or others in jeopardy. Consequences increase depending upon the actual or potential for harm to others, and/or how frequently the behaviors are repeated.

Violation of Academic Ethics

Cheating Plagiarism

Ethics are behaviors which are gudied by moral jugdement and standards of conduct. Your Academic Ethics are essential to gaining the maximum advantages foom school. Violations of Academic Ethics are a special type of Self-Defeating Act, which negate learning and the habits of mind which result from a sound education.

Cheating-Each student is expected to produce his/her own work in and out of the classroom. Exceptions occur when a teacher assigns cooperative exercises, projects, and/or assignments, Cheating is defined as the intention to decieve staff and students by: 1) acquiring another individual's written or cognitive property for personal gain, and/or 2) assisting another student by providing written or cognitive property.

Plagiarism-Each student is expected to acknowlege the supporting work of other authors in his/her written work. Palgiarism i sdefined as presenting or submitting published material without clear documentation and offering the inforamtion as a product of your own work.

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Illegal Acts

Caused, attempted, or threatened to cause physical injury Use of force or violence Damage to public or private property Possession of dangerous objects Harassment, making threats, intimidation Stealing Possession or selling of controlled substances Robbery or extortion Obscene acts Possession of drug paraphernalia Receiving stolen property Possession of an imitation firearm Sexual assault Harassment of a witness Sexual harassment Participation in hate violence Our system of law defines illegal activities very clearly, and they occur infrequently in our schools. Student need to be aware, however, of the behaviors which will fall under this heading on even minor occurrences. The final section under this heading uses the legal definitions of behaviors as found on the Los Gatos Union School District's official disciplinary documents and from other illegal sources. Caused, attempted, or threatened to cause physical injury- All students are expected to refrain from harming other individuals. All students are expected to respect the rights of others and use those means available within the school to achieve positive resolutions to conflicts. Injury to another, even when caused accidentally, is a serious situation. When injury to another student is intended, the situation is much graver. Fighting is defined as a physical alteration between two or more students with intent to injure. Assault is defined as initiating aggressive physical contact to another student who does not respond in defense. Verbal and/or written threats of physical injury will be treated as a form of assault. Consequences increase depending upon the actual or potential for harm to others, and/or how frequently the behaviors are repeated.

Damage to public or private property-All students are expected to respect school property and the property of other students, staff, and visitors. Students are also expected to respect the property of organizations and persons when participating in RJ Fisher Middle School activities at other schools and organizations (for example, athletic competition and field trips). Consequences increase depending upon the actual or potential for damage, and/or how frequently the behaviors are repeated.

Possession of dangerous objects- Students are expected to contribute to the safe environment of school by not bring dangerous objects onto campus which could cause harm to oneself or others. A dangerous object is any knife with a non-locking blade less than 2.5 inches, and explosive, or any chemicals or non-weapons which are used or could be used to harm another person. Knives with locking blades or with non-locking blades longer than 2.5 inches are considered weapons; see Possession of a Weapon, below, for consequences. Consequences increase depending upon the actual potential for harm to others, and/or how frequently the behaviors are repeated.

Harassment, making threats, intimidation- All students are expected to respect the rights of others. Student may not intentionally engaged in harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against a pupil or group of pupils, that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the actual or reasonably expected effect of materially disrupting class work, creating substantial disorder, and invading the rights of that pupil or group of pupils by creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment. Consequences increase depending upon the actual or potential effect on others, and/or how frequently the behaviors are repeated.

Stealing-All students are expected to respect school property and the property of other students, staff, and visitors. Students are also expected to respect the property of organizations and persons when participating in RJ Fisher Middle School activities at other schools and organizations (for example, athletic competitions and field trips). Under no circumstances are students to claim the property of others as their own. Stealing is defined as having in your possession property belonging to others without the prior permission of the owner's agent.

All students are expected to act in a lawful manner at all times. Use of force or violence- A student may not committed battery (the willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another), assault with a deadly weapon (the commission of an assault with a deadly weapon, instrument, or by any means of force likely to produce great bodily injury), or homicide. Possession of a weapon- A student may not posses, sell, or other wise furnish any firearm, knife with a blade longer than 2.5 inches, locking-blade knife regardless of blade length, or other dangerous object with by design is considered a weapon. Knives with non-locking blades less than 2.5 inches are considered dangerous objects; see Possession of Dangerous Object, above, for consequences. Possession of selling of controlled substances- A student may not unlawfully possess, use, sell, or otherwise furnish, or be under the influence of, any controlled substance listed in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 110530 of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code, and alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind. A student may also not unlawfully offer, arrange, or negotiate to sell any controlled substance listed in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11053) of Division 10 of Health and Safely Code, an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind and then either sell, deliver or otherwise furnish to another person another liquid, substance, alcoholic beverage or intoxicant. Robbery or extortion- A student may not take property by violence, force, or by threat.

Possession of tobacco- A student may not possess or use tobacco, or any products containing tobacco or nicotine products, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, miniature cigars, cove cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, snuff, chew packets, and betel.

Obscene acts- Students may not commit obscene acts or engage in habitual profanity or vulgarity. Possession of drug paraphernalia- Students may not unlawfully possess or unlawfully offer, arrange, or negotiate to sell any drug paraphernalia, as defined in Section 11014.5 of the Health and Safety Code. Receiving stolen property- Students may not knowingly receive stolen school property or private property. Possession of an imitation firearm- Students may not possess an imitation firearm. An imitation firearm means a replica of a firearm that is so substantially similar in physical properties to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to conclude that the replica is a firearm. Sexual assault- A student may not commit or attempt to commit a sexual assault as defined in Section 261, 266c, 286, 288a, or 289 of the Penal Code. Harassment of a witness- A student may not harass, threaten, or intimidated a pupil who is a complaining witness or witness in a school disciplinary proceeding for the purpose of either preventing that pupil from being a witness or retaliating against that pupil for being a witness or both. Sexual harassment-A student may not commit sexual harassment, as defined in Section 212.5 Sexual harassment is behavior which is 1) repeated, 2) unwelcome, and 3) sexual in nature.

Participation in hate violence-A student may not cause, attempt to cause, threaten to cause, or participate in an act of hate violence as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 33032.5.

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