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90_HB2448 105 ILCS 5/10-22.6 from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6 Amends the School Code. Adds gender-neutral references to provisions of the School Code relating to student discipline. LRB9008685THpk LRB9008685THpk 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- LRB9008685THpk 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 board on a case by case basis. For purposes 33 of this Section, the term "weapon" means possession, use, 34 control or transfer of any object which may be used to cause -3- LRB9008685THpk 1 bodily harm, including but not limited to a weapon as defined 2 by Section 921 of Title 18, United States Code, firearm as 3 defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners Identification 4 Act, use of weapon as defined in Section 24-1 of the Criminal 5 Code, knives, guns, firearms, rifles, shotguns, brass 6 knuckles, billy clubs, or "look-alikes" thereof. Such items 7 as baseball bats, pipes, bottles, locks, sticks, pencils, and 8 pens may be considered weapons if used or attempted to be 9 used to cause bodily harm. Expulsion or suspension shall be 10 construed in a manner consistent with the Federal Individuals 11 with 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- LRB9008685THpk 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.)