School Policy
A primary responsibility of the Metropolitan Public Schools and its professional staff shall be the development of an understanding and
appreciation of our representative form of government, the rights and responsibilities of the individual, and the legal processes whereby
necessary changes are brought about.
The school is a community, and the rules and regulations of a school are the laws of that community. All those enjoying the rights of
citizenship in the school community must also accept the responsibilities of citizenship. A basic responsibility of those who enjoy the
rights of citizenship is to respect the laws of the community. The school may take disciplinary action for violations of the rules of the
school community regardless of whether criminal or civil charges result.
Recent court decisions have indicated clearly that young people in the United States have the right to receive a free public education;
and the deprivation of that right may occur only for just cause and in accordance with due process of the law.
Note that bus transportation is a privilege and not a right. Students who do not adhere to the rules may have this privilege revoked.
The courts have also stated that students have the rights of citizenship as delineated in the United States Constitution and its amendments,
and that these rights may not be abridged, obstructed, or in other ways altered except in accordance with due process of the law.
The First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States prohibit states from unduly infringing upon the rights of
speech and expression. In the school setting this restriction on state action limits the manner and extent to which schools may limit the
speech and expression of students. In order to regulate effectively First Amendment rights, school authorities must show that the failure
to regulate would create a material and substantial disruption of school work and discipline.
Administrators and teachers also have rights and duties. Administrators and teachers are required by law to maintain a suitable environment
for learning; and administrators have the responsibility for maintaining and facilitating the education program. Therefore, students
are expected to conform to the rules and regulations of the school system and apply themselves to the learning process.
The initial judgment that certain conduct violates one of these rules is made by the principal. The principal is authorized by statute to
suspend students for cause up to ten days. The teacher has the authority to dismiss students from a class for cause by referring the
pupil to the principal or the principal’s designee. The following rules, regulations, and due process procedures are designed to protect
all members of the educational community in the exercise of their rights, duties and responsibilities. A student found to be in violation of
one of these rules is subject to long-term suspension.
Pursuant to TCA §49-6-3401, the Metropolitan Public Schools shall not be required to enroll a student who is under suspension for the
remainder of the year and/or expelled from another school system. If a student who is suspended from another school system requests
enrollment in the Metropolitan Public Schools, the Metropolitan Director of Schools or his/her Designee shall make a recommendation
to the Board to approve or deny the request. Such recommendation shall occur only after investigation of the facts surrounding the
suspension from the former school system. If the Metropolitan Public Schools accepts enrollment of a student from another school
system and it is subsequently determined that the student has been suspended or expelled by the other school system, then the
Metropolitan Public Schools may dismiss such student.