H. B. 4474
(By Delegate Staton)
[Introduced
February 9, 2000; referred to the
Committee on Education.]
A BILL to amend article five, chapter eighteen of the code of
West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section
forty-four, relating to requiring county boards of education
to compel certain students to exhibit appropriate conduct;
establishing appropriate conduct; requiring county boards of
education to include appropriate conduct requirements in
existing discipline policies; establishing and restricting
disciplinary actions for the infringement of appropriate
conduct requirements; and expanding the student population
to which the appropriate conduct requirements apply.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article five, chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section
forty-four, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
§18-5-44. Requiring the exhibition of appropriate conduct.
(a) Beginning in the school year two thousand, each county
board shall require each student in each public school in
kindergarten through fifth grade under the jurisdiction of the
county board to exhibit appropriate conduct as required in
subsection (b) of this section.
(b) When any public school student is speaking with any
public school system employee while on school property or at a
school sponsored event, he or she shall address and respond to
the public school system employee by using the respectful terms
"Yes, ma'am" and "No, ma'am" or "Yes, sir" and "No, sir", as
appropriate, or "Yes, Miss, Mrs., or Ms. (Surname)" and "No,
Miss, Mrs., or Ms. (Surname)" or "Yes, Mr. (Surname)" and "No,
Mr. (Surname)", as appropriate, each such title to be followed by
the appropriate surname.
(c) Each county board shall provide for incorporation of
the requirements of this section into any existing discipline
policy or policies or any code of conduct of the school system or of each school within its jurisdiction.
(d) Each county board shall take or provide for any
appropriate actions necessary to discipline any student who fails
to comply with the requirements of subsection (b) of this
section: Provided, That no county board may provide suspension
nor expulsion from school as an appropriate punishment for
violation of this section.
(e) Beginning in the school year two thousand and one, the
provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to
public school students in grade six.
(f) Beginning in the school year two thousand and two, the
provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to
public school students in grade seven.
(g) Beginning in the school year two thousand and three,
the provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to
public school students in grade eight.
(h) Beginning in the school year two thousand and four, the
provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to
public school students in grade nine.
(i) Beginning in the school year two thousand and five, the
provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to
public school students in grade ten.
(j) Beginning in the school year two thousand and six, the
provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to
public school students in grade eleven.
(h) Beginning in the school year two thousand and seven,
the provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to
public school students in grade twelve.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the phasing in
of the policy of requiring public school students to refer to
school employees respectfully by responding "Yes, ma'am/sir" or
"No, ma'am/sir", etc.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underlining have been omitted.