State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB0878

 
                                               LRB9104956NTsb

 1        AN ACT to amend  the  School  Code  by  changing  Section
 2    10-22.6.

 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section 5.   The  School  Code  is  amended  by  changing
 6    Section 10-22.6 as follows:

 7        (105 ILCS 5/10-22.6) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6)
 8        Sec.  10-22.6.  Suspension or expulsion of pupils; school
 9    searches.
10        (a)  To expel pupils  guilty  of  gross  disobedience  or
11    misconduct,  and  no  action  shall lie against them for such
12    expulsion. Expulsion shall take place only after the  parents
13    have  been  requested to appear at a meeting of the board, or
14    with a hearing officer appointed  by  it,  to  discuss  their
15    child's behavior. Such request shall be made by registered or
16    certified mail and shall state the time, place and purpose of
17    the meeting. The board, or a hearing officer appointed by it,
18    at such meeting shall state the reasons for dismissal and the
19    date  on  which  the  expulsion  is to become effective. If a
20    hearing officer is appointed by the board  he  or  she  shall
21    report  to  the board a written summary of the evidence heard
22    at the meeting and the board may take such action thereon  as
23    it finds appropriate.
24        (b)  To   suspend  or  by  regulation  to  authorize  the
25    superintendent of the district or  the  principal,  assistant
26    principal,  or  dean  of  students  of  any school to suspend
27    pupils guilty of gross  disobedience  or  misconduct,  or  to
28    suspend  pupils guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct on
29    the school bus from riding the  school  bus,  and  no  action
30    shall  lie against them for such suspension. The board may by
31    regulation authorize the superintendent of  the  district  or
 
                            -2-                LRB9104956NTsb
 1    the  principal,  assistant  principal, or dean of students of
 2    any school to suspend pupils guilty of such acts for a period
 3    not to exceed 10 school days. If a pupil is suspended due  to
 4    gross  disobedience  or misconduct on a school bus, the board
 5    may suspend the pupil in excess of 10 school days for  safety
 6    reasons.  Any suspension shall be reported immediately to the
 7    parents or guardian of such pupil along with a full statement
 8    of  the  reasons  for  such  suspension and a notice of their
 9    right to a review, a copy of which  shall  be  given  to  the
10    school  board.  Upon  request  of the parents or guardian the
11    school board or a  hearing  officer  appointed  by  it  shall
12    review  such  action  of  the  superintendent  or  principal,
13    assistant principal, or dean of students.  At such review the
14    parents  or  guardian of the pupil may appear and discuss the
15    suspension with the  board  or  its  hearing  officer.  If  a
16    hearing  officer  is  appointed  by the board he or she shall
17    report to the board a written summary of the  evidence  heard
18    at  the  meeting.  After  its  hearing or upon receipt of the
19    written report of its hearing officer,  the  board  may  take
20    such action as it finds appropriate.
21        (c)  The Department of Human Services shall be invited to
22    send  a  representative  to  consult  with  the board at such
23    meeting whenever there is evidence that mental illness may be
24    the cause for expulsion or suspension.
25        (d)  The board may expel a student for a definite  period
26    of  time  not  to exceed 2 calendar years, as determined on a
27    case by case basis.  A student  who  is  determined  to  have
28    brought  a weapon to school, any school-sponsored activity or
29    event, or any activity or  event  which  bears  a  reasonable
30    relationship  to school shall be expelled for a period of not
31    less than one year, except that the expulsion period  may  be
32    modified  by  the  superintendent,  and  the superintendent's
33    determination may be modified by the board on a case by  case
34    basis.  For  the  purpose  of this Section, the term "weapon"
 
                            -3-                LRB9104956NTsb
 1    means (1) possession, use, control, or transfer of  any  gun,
 2    rifle, shotgun, weapon as defined by Section 921 of Title 18,
 3    United  States Code, firearm as defined in Section 1.1 of the
 4    Firearm Owners Identification Act, or  use  of  a  weapon  as
 5    defined  in  Section 24-1 of the Criminal Code, (2) any other
 6    object if used or attempted to be used to cause bodily  harm,
 7    including  but  not  limited  to,  knives, brass knuckles, or
 8    billy clubs, or (3) "look alikes" of any weapon as defined in
 9    this Section. Expulsion or suspension shall be construed in a
10    manner  consistent  with   the   Federal   Individuals   with
11    Disabilities  Education  Act.  A  student  who  is subject to
12    suspension or expulsion as provided in this  Section  may  be
13    eligible  for  a transfer to an alternative school program in
14    accordance  with  Article  13A  of  the  School  Code.    The
15    provisions  of  this  subsection  (d)  apply  in  all  school
16    districts,  including special charter districts and districts
17    organized under Article 34.
18        (e)  To maintain  order  and  security  in  the  schools,
19    school  authorities  may  inspect and search places and areas
20    such as  lockers,  desks,  parking  lots,  and  other  school
21    property  and equipment owned or controlled by the school, as
22    well as personal effects left in those places  and  areas  by
23    students,  without  notice  to or the consent of the student,
24    and without a search warrant.  As a matter of public  policy,
25    the  General  Assembly finds that students have no reasonable
26    expectation of privacy in these places and areas or in  their
27    personal  effects  left  in  these  places and areas.  School
28    authorities may request the  assistance  of  law  enforcement
29    officials  for  the  purpose  of  conducting  inspections and
30    searches of lockers, desks, parking lots,  and  other  school
31    property  and equipment owned or controlled by the school for
32    illegal  drugs,  weapons,  or  other  illegal  or   dangerous
33    substances or materials, including searches conducted through
34    the  use of specially trained dogs.  If a search conducted in
 
                            -4-                LRB9104956NTsb
 1    accordance with  this  Section  produces  evidence  that  the
 2    student  has  violated  or is violating either the law, local
 3    ordinance, or the school's policies or rules,  such  evidence
 4    may  be seized by school authorities, and disciplinary action
 5    may be taken.  School authorities may  also  turn  over  such
 6    evidence  to  law enforcement authorities.  The provisions of
 7    this subsection (e) apply in all school districts,  including
 8    special  charter  districts  and  districts  organized  under
 9    Article 34.
10        (f)  Suspension  or  expulsion  may include suspension or
11    expulsion  from  school  and  all  school  activities  and  a
12    prohibition from being present on school grounds.
13    (Source: P.A.  89-371,  eff.  1-1-96;  89-507,  eff.  7-1-97;
14    89-610,  eff.  8-6-96;  P.A. 90-14, eff. 7-1-97; 90-548, eff.
15    1-1-98; 90-757, eff. 8-14-98.)

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