The SISD board of trustees approved several updates to the student code of conduct ahead of the 2020-21 school year, many of which are related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to an Aug. 12 district news release, the code of conduct now includes guidance for how students should behave during in-person learning, including maintaining social distancing, hand washing, wearing masks and keeping the mouth and nose covered while sneezing or coughing.
"We think it's important for everyone to know the expectations so that we can keep our school community safe," Chief Academic Officer Khechara Bradford said in a statement. "Our goal is to really emphasize how our students all have an individual responsibility to follow these protocols and that there are consequences for not doing so."
SISD students can now also face disciplinary action for refusing to adhere to social distancing standards or for removing personal protective equipment, such as a mask, with the goal of trying to harm or threaten another person with bodily fluids. Additionally, students who show up to school without a mask or who refuse to wear one during the school day may face a dress code violation, the release states.
"Our goal is to educate, coach and basically raise awareness about all of our new safety protocols," Bradford said. "These changes to our code of conduct give us a way to enforce these measures and keep everyone safe."
Bradford added that all schools will have extra masks should a student occasionally forget their own mask.
To view SISD's code of conduct for the 2020-21 school year, click here. To request one in print, email Director of Student Affairs Thomas Graham at [email protected].
