Student Code of Conduct

Student Code of Conduct

Marissa Johnson, Entertainment Editor

Courts continue to struggle with the issue on whether schools have the authority to sanction students or student-athletes for inappropriate, off-campus postings on social media in violation of school or athletics codes of conduct. Since 2011, six cases have been decided on the issue by U.S. Courts of Appeal and a dozen other rulings have been issued by U.S. District Courts.

Students who are under sports contract are under contract for 365 days a year. A lot of athletes sign this contract not knowing they will be under contract during the summer when they’re not officially on a Belvidere North sports team, leaving some parents confused on why their child can be punished over something that didn’t occur during the sports season or school year. Refusal to sign the code of conduct by either athlete or parent will result in athletes not being able to play for the sports team representing Belvidere North. 

Belvidere North has to be able to prove their is a connection between the event and the school due to a disruption or adverse effect on the school environment. 

IHSA (Illinois High School Association) is responsible for students eligibility and grades, IHSA requires athletes to be passing a minimum of 5 classes. IHSA has no guidelines for the punishment students receive for not abiding by the code of conduct, District 100 is responsible for the guidelines and rules set for athletes playing for a Belvidere North sports team. 

An athlete under code of conduct could get suspended or tossed off the team for events that didn’t have anything to do with grades or on-field conduct — conduct such as drinking or using drugs, or merely being present where alcohol or drugs were being consumed. The assumption behind these rules is that parents would be okay with this punishment because just as the athlete has the parents have had to sign the code of conduct.

After knowing all of the rules and regulations, I personally believe that whether a student decides to be around a substance or decides to go to a party should be entirely left up to them. Athletes know by signing the code of conduct they are agreeing to be randomly drug tested, which is what I believe to be the only thing they should have to abide by. If an athlete isn’t disrupting or causing an adverse effect on the school environment it shouldn’t be a problem, just as it isn’t for non athletes.