A student may not be suspended for a period in excess of fi ve (5) school daysunless he/she and the parent/person in parental relation to him/her shall have had an opportunity for a Superintendent's  Hearing at which the student shall have the right to be represented by an attorney, the right to present witnesses and other evidence on his/her own behalf and the right to cross-examine  witnesses against him/her.The notice of the hearing should advise the student of the grounds for the charges in specific enough terms to enable  him/her  to anticipate  reasonably  the subject  content  of the proposed  hearing  and  to prepare a defense.  The  administrator  bringing  the  charges  must  furnish  the Superintendent  of Schools  with  all records and written report on the facts and charges.

The student should be allowed  to remain in school prior to the hearing unless his/her presence in school  poses  a  clear  danger  to  his/her  physical  or  emotional  safety,  to  other  students,  faculty  or institutional property, or to the continuation of the learning process.

The student may bring a parent/person in parental relation with him/her to the hearing,and both the student  and the person invoking  the hearing  procedure  may be represented  by counsel.  An interpreter should be available, if needed.

At the hearing, persons having direct knowledge of the facts should be called to testify.Hearsay evidence may be admitted but alone is not sufficient, notwithstanding the administrative nature of the proceeding. There must be some direct evidence of guilt of the charges.The burden of proving guilt rests upon  the  person  making  the  charge,  and  the  student  is  entitled  to  a  presumption  of  innocence  of wrongdoing  unless the contrary is proved. The student may testify in his/her own  behalf and isfree to cross-examine witnesses against him/her.

Both the Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education are authorized to appoint a Hearing Officer to conduct student disciplinary hearings. The Hearing Officer shall make findings of fact and recommendations   as  to  the  appropriate  measure  of  discipline.  The  report  of  the  Hearing  Officer  is advisory only, and the Superintendent  of Schools or Board may accept or reject all or any part of such report.

Where the basis for a suspension is, in whole or in part,the possession on school grounds or school property by the student of any firearm, rifle, shotgun, dagger,dangerous knife,dirk,razor,stiletto or any of the weapons, instruments or appliances specified in Penal Law Section 265.01  the Hearing Officer or Superintendent  shall  not be barred  from  considering  the admissibility  of such  weapon,  instrument  or appliance as evidence, notwithstanding  a determination by a court in a criminal or juvenile delinquency proceeding that the recovery of such weapon, instrument or appliance was the result of an unlawful search or seizure.

A record of the hearing shall be maintained,  but no stenographic  transcript shall be required and a tape recording shall be deemed a satisfactory record.

SUSPENSION  APPEALS PROCEDURES

Procedures for Board of Education on Appeals from Superintendent's Hearings

1. All  appeals  from  Superintendent's  hearings   must  be  provided   in  writing  for  the  Board's consideration.

2.The student, or the student's parent(s)  shall notify the District Clerk in writing  within thirty (30) days following  the date of the decision  reached in the Superintendent's hearing  of the desire to appeal the decision  of that hearing  to the Board of Education.   The District  Clerk will provide verification  of the receipt of the notice to the petitioner.

3.The District Clerk shall notify the Board President of the request for appeal.

4.There are essentially  two areas for appeal: the finding of guilt is not supported  by competent  and substantial   evidence  in  the  records;  and/or  the  punishment   is  inappropriate.   Occasionally, procedural  'error in the suspension hearing  notice or the conduct of the hearing  may constitute grounds for appeal.

5.The  appeal  of a suspension  decision  is based on the record  from  the suspension  hearing.   As a result,  each  Board  member   will  review   the  hearing   record  (hearing   testimony-review of recording  or  a  verbatim  transcript,   hearing  exhibits,  finding  s  and  recommendation of  the hearing officer, and the superintendent's decision).

6.The  appeal  is based on the record  from  the hearing and, therefore,  is not a new hearing  for the taking of additional or different  evidence.

7.The  Board  shall  review  all evidence  originally  considered  at the Superintendent's Hearing  in a properly convened  Executive  Session.

8.The  Board  will deliberate  in executive  session  regarding  the merits  of the appeal  and come to consensus.

9.A  vote  should  be  taken  in  public  session  to  uphold,  overturn  or  modify  the  decision  of  the Superintendent from  a hearing  under  Section  3214  of the Education  law  based on an appeal heard  before  the Board on (date).   The student  and his/her  family should  not  be identified  by name in the resolution.

 10.       The District Clerk shall send a letter to the Appellants  regarding  the Board's determination and,  if the relief sought  by the Appellants  was  not granted  informing them  of their  right  to appeal to the NYS commissioner of Education.

NOTE:       Refer also to Regulations #731OR-- Discipline

#7313R-- Guidelines For Student Suspensions