Fayette

athletes and other students involved in

extracurricular activities now have more

incentive to behave themselves.

The

Board of Education Monday approved a new code of

conduct designed "to provide high

expectations regarding behavior and minimum

consistent consequences when violations

occur," said secondary operations director

Wayne Robinson.

Robinson

said inconsistencies in punishment, particularly

in athletic programs, led him to propose the new

minimum guidelines adopted Monday.

The

code states that "participation in school

athletic and extracurricular activities is a

privilege and not a property right." It also

gives coaches and sponsors the right to establish

consequences that are more stringent than the

stated code.

According

to the code, students enrolled in the alternative

school, or who have a long-term suspension, are

ineligible to attend or participate in any

athletic or extracurricular activity.

student who is arrested for a felony, regardless

of the location or time of the alleged act, in or

out of school, will be immediately suspended from

all participation pending investigation by school

officials.

For

violations involving alcohol and drugs, tobacco

use in-season or violation of school rules that

result in in-school suspension and out-of-school

suspension, a school administrator must have

valid evidence and/or written or verbal admission

to the offense by the student or athlete. This

covers offenses occurring on school property at

any time, off the school grounds, at a

school-sponsored event, and on the way to and

from school.

student will be suspended from any athletic

activity for 25 percent of the season for the

first offense involving an alcohol or drug

violation, and suspension from athletic

activities for one calendar year for a second

offense. Coaches are first required to meet with

the student athlete and his/her parents.

Tobacco

offenses committed in season call for a minimum

of a one-game suspension for the first offense,

suspension from the athletic activity for 25

percent of the season for a second offense, and

dismissal from the team for the third offense.

The students would be allowed to try out for

other athletic activities after the season ends

for the sport they were involved in.

Violations

that result in in-school suspension allow

students to resume participation when all

assignments are completed and they are released

from the ISS. If a student completes out of

school suspension, he/she may resume

participation upon return to school.

An

out of school suspension for two or more days

requires suspension from one game for the first

offense, suspension from athletic activity for 25

percent of the season for the second offense, and

dismissal from the team for the third offense,

with an opportunity to try out for other

activities when the sport has completed its

season.

In

other school business, North Fayette Elementary

School is $10,000 ahead on plans to upgrade its

playground and replace old equipment thanks to an

Emergency Fund grant approved by Gov. Roy Barnes.

But

Fred Oliver, assistant superintendent for Fayette

County schools, said the grant "is just a

drop in the bucket" based on today's cost of

purchasing top-quality equipment.

The

school also has accrued between $7,000 and

$10,000 from the sale of timber removed from the

property to make room for a new septic system.

Parents

from North Fayette Elementary School have long

been concerned about the safety of the school's

aging playground and have addressed the issue

before the board on several occasions.

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