State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB2782

 
                                               LRB9105394NTks

 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.  The  Such  request  shall  be   made   by
16    registered  or certified mail and shall state the time, place
17    and purpose of the meeting. The board, or a  hearing  officer
18    appointed  by it, at such meeting shall state the reasons for
19    dismissal and the date on which the expulsion  is  to  become
20    effective.  If a hearing officer is appointed by the board he
21    shall report to the board a written summary of  the  evidence
22    heard  at  the  meeting  and  the  board may take such action
23    thereon as 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-                LRB9105394NTks
 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 shall report  to
17    the  board  a  written  summary  of the evidence heard at the
18    meeting. After its hearing or upon  receipt  of  the  written
19    report of its hearing officer, the board may take such action
20    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-                LRB9105394NTks
 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-                LRB9105394NTks
 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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