(A) Purpose and Introduction
Students at Mason Anthony School, as members of the school community, are responsible for conducting themselves in a manner that is both lawful and in accordance with school policies and procedures.
The school has established this student code of conduct (“Code”) to advance the mission of the school while maintaining a culture of success and excellence by:
(1) Promoting a school culture of safety, respect, accountability, and belonging.
(2) Sustaining a safe living and learning environment.
(3) Protecting the rights, privileges, and opportunities of all students, employees, and members of the school community.
(4) Encouraging students to act with integrity and engage in behavior that brings pride to themselves and the school.
(5) Promoting a positive relationship between the school and the surrounding community.
(6) Ensuring that students leave the school after graduation ready to contribute and provide a positive and ethical impact on society.
Students are responsible for reviewing, understanding, and complying with this Code. This Code includes the standards of conduct as applied to students and the jurisdiction for enforcement of all standards of conduct.
The chief executive officer, operations coordinator, and compliance officer together maintain responsibility and authority for this code of conduct and all related processes. Any of these parties may designate authority and responsibility related to the Code to other school administration at their discretion.
Allegations of violations of the standards of conduct are investigated and resolved through the grievance policy and disciplinary actions policy of whether reported behavior violates a standard of conduct, a school staff member may engage students in conversation to promote development and decision-making.
(B) Jurisdiction
(1) School-owned property: This Code applies to the conduct of a student that occurs on school-owned property, including online spaces, and internet servers. This includes all campuses and property owned or controlled by the school.
(2) Non-school-owned property: The school has the discretion to discipline a student for conduct in violation of this Code if the student’s conduct adversely impacts the interests of the school, including but not limited to, when the conduct:
(i) Occurs during or in connection with a school sponsored or affiliated activity: or
(ii) Is prohibited by local, state, or federal law; or
(iii) Involves another member of the school community, or a school client; or
(iv) Threatens or may pose a threat to the health or safety of another person or a person’s property, including without limitation to, arson, battery, assault, fraud, hazing, sexual assault or misconduct, stalking, or theft.
(3) Responsibility for conduct:
(a) Each student is responsible for their conduct, and held accountable under this Code, from the time of application for admission through the awarding of a certificate of completion, even if the conduct occurs before classes begin or after classes end, as well as during the academic year and periods between terms of actual enrollment. This also includes when conduct occurs during this period but is not discovered until after a student has received their certificate of completion.
(b) If a student voluntarily withdraws from the school during the pendency of the student conduct process, the school retains the right to investigate and resolve the allegations made against the student. A school hold may be placed on the student after their withdrawal.
(C) Relationship Between This Code and Laws/Other School Policies
(1) This Code and criminal law:
(i) Alleged violations of the standards of conduct may be instituted against a student whose conduct potentially violates both the standards of this Conduct and the criminal law. The alleged violations of this Code shall be investigated and resolved with regard to the pending status of criminal charges or civil litigation. At the discretion of the school administration, the investigation and resolution of the alleged conduct matter may be carried out prior to, simultaneously with, or following criminal proceedings. Students may not challenge any aspect of the Code or conduct process on the grounds that criminal charges or civil litigation are pending, have been terminated, dismissed, reduced, or have not yet been adjudicated.
(ii) The school will cooperate with law enforcement and other government agencies in the enforcement of criminal law on school owned or controlled property and with the conditions imposed by courts for students who have violated criminal law.
(2) Other school policies: Conflicts related to student discipline between this Code and other school policies shall be controlled by this Code unless otherwise stated. Examples include, but are not limited to, specific school and/or State Board Professional Standards or Codes of Ethics.
(D) Standards of Conduct
The commission of or attempting to commit a violation of a standard of conduct or being an accessory to the commission of an act or attempted act shall be considered a violation of the standard of conduct.
(1) Disruption: Interrupting or disrupting an authorized school function or activity that impedes the normal continuation of that activity; or interfering with the freedom of movement of any member of the school community, client, guest, or visitor of the school or impeding or interfering with the rights of any person to enter, use or leave any school facility, or authorized school function or impeding or interfering with the ability of any school staff or faculty member to perform normal functions and duties.
(2) Harm to others: Causing physical harm to any person; endangering the health, safety, or welfare of any person; engaging in conduct that causes a reasonable person to fear harm to their health, safety, or welfare; or making an oral or written statement that an objectively reasonable person hearing or reading the statement would interpret as a serious expression or threat of an intent to commit an act of violence to a particular individual or group of individuals.
(3) Discrimination: Conduct that is based upon an individual’s status within a protected class under federal, local, or state law, that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s employment, educational access or educational performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, offensive, or abusive environment for that individual’s employment, education, living environment, or participation in a school activity.
(4) Harassment: Unwelcome verbal, non-verbal, graphic, physical, electronic or other conduct that subjects an individual to an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational or employment environment, is based on one or more of the characteristics listed above, and which:
(i) Denigrates, insults, ridicules, disparages or stereotypes an individual or an individual’s conduct, family, friends, habits or lifestyle; and
(ii) Is sufficiently severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies the individual’s equal access to the school’s resources and opportunities.
(5) Racial harassment, sexual misconduct or harassment, or other allegations of serious misconduct are reported, investigated, and adjudicated under the compliance officer, chief executive officer and operations coordinator, and relevant policies and procedures.
(6) Hazing: Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly, for the purposes of initiating, admitting, or affiliating a student into or with the school, or school-related function, or for the purpose of continuing or enhancing a student’s membership or status in any school-related group or function, causing, coercing or forcing a student to do any of the following, regardless of whether such conduct occurs on or off campus:
(i) Violate federal or state criminal law.
(ii) Consume any food, liquid, alcoholic liquid, drug or other substance, which subjects the student to a risk of emotional or physical harm.
(iii) Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics or exposure to the elements.
(iv) Endure brutality of a mental nature, including actively adversely affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact or conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment.
(v) Endure brutality of a sexual nature.
(vi) Endure any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the student. It shall not be a defense to a charge of hazing that the student consented to the conduct in question.
Refer to the Anti-Hazing policy for additional information.
(7) Unauthorized Use
(i) Buildings: Unauthorized entry with or without force into any school building or school facility or failure to vacate school facilities at the closing hours or at the request of a school faculty or staff member, unless prior approval is obtained to remain on the premises.
(ii) Records: Gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to school records, including but not limited to, paper records, computer files or systems.
(iii) Computers: Gaining use or attempting to gain use of school computers without proper authorization, including but not limited to, unauthorized: (1) Use of computer and/or data processing equipment; (2) Access to computer systems; (3) Possession of computer software or data; (4) Copying or use of computer software or data; (5) Use of computer accounts; or (6) Use of computer-related equipment.
(iv) Name or logo: Use of the school’s name without the express authorization of the school except to identify institutional affiliation in the authorized manner. School approval or disapproval of any political or social issue may not be stated or implied by any organization; or use of official letterhead stationery, envelopes, logo or seal as part of any publication, correspondence or other printed material without prior submission of the material to, and written permission received from, the appropriate school official(s).
(8) Safety hazard
(i) Fire: Any act of arson; falsely reporting a fire, the presence of an explosive or incendiary device, or other emergency; setting off a false fire alarm; or tampering with, removing, or damaging fire alarms, fire extinguishers or any other safety or emergency equipment from its proper location except when removed in a situation in which there is a reasonable belief of the need for such equipment.
(ii) Other: Any act that creates a safety hazard to others on campus or school-owned property.
(9) False information: Providing false information to a school faculty or staff member, spreading of false information about the school, staff, students, or clients, or the false reporting of an emergency or violation of this Code; or without proper authorization, reproducing, copying, forging, tampering, altering, falsifying, misusing, or attempting to do the foregoing to any record, document, or identification.
(10) Drugs and paraphernalia: Using, manufacturing, possessing, distributing, selling, dispensing, or being under the influence of drugs; using, manufacturing, possessing, distributing, or selling drug paraphernalia; using or possessing a prescription drug if the prescription was not issued to the student; or distributing or selling a prescription drug to a person to whom the prescription was not originally issued.
(11) Alcohol: Knowingly possessing, keeping, consuming, allowing to consume, serving, purchasing, selling, making available to another person or directly providing funding for alcoholic beverages in violation of state or local statutes, ordinances, laws, rules and regulations and/or school rules and regulations.
(12) Weapons: Unauthorized possession or use of any type of firearm, explosive, taser or stun gun, switch blade, knife or sword longer than 2” (besides kitchen knives), or other weapon, or firework. “Weapon” refers to any and all items as defined in the definitions section of the Code procedures.
(13) Misuse
(i) Keys/access cards: Possessing, using, or duplicating school keys, school access cards, or school identification cards without authorization from the school.
(ii) Identification: Refusing to present identification when requested by a local or city police officer or any school staff or faculty member who identifies themselves; using or attempting to use any means of identification or other document or card not rightfully issued to the individual; or altering, tampering with or misusing a school identification card or other school-issued means of identification.
(14) Privacy: Invasion of another person’s privacy when that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy including, without limitation, using electronic or other means to make a video or photographic record of any person in a location in which the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without the person’s knowledge or consent. This includes, but is not limited to, making a video or photographic record of a person in locker rooms or restrooms. The storing, sharing, and/or distributing of such nonconsensual recordings by any means is also prohibited. Discussing details or the existence of a student grievance against against another student is prohibited under this policy.
(15) Failure to respond or comply: Failing to respond to a request to report to the school administrative office; failing to comply with a lawful directive of a school employee or other public official acting within the scope of their duties.
(16) Policy or procedure: Violating a school policy or procedure including, without limitation to, school policies or procedures relating to facilities’ use, smoking, the acceptable use of information technology resources, research misconduct, finder’s fees relating to access to school data or materials, school parking, posting or distribution of materials, and school identification card use.
(17) Indecent conduct: Engaging in lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct, including, without limitation to, public exposure of one’s sexual organs, public urinating, and public sexual acts.
(18) Unprofessional Conduct: Engaging in conduct unbecoming of a professional in the beauty industry, or detrimental to the reputation of a student, school, or industry. Includes but is not limited to rude or impolite behavior towards school staff, other students, or clients, failing to maintain conduct standards while on internship, insubordination, or any other behaviors or actions deemed by the school to be unprofessional.
(19) Violation of interim actions or disciplinary sanctions: Violating the terms of a no-contact directive, an interim restriction, a disciplinary sanction, or a condition of re-enrollment imposed by the school.
(20) Violation of law: Committing an act that is prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
(21) Retaliation: The school encourages reporting any activity constituting a violation of policy, law, rules, or regulations, or mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority or a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety without fear of retaliation. In compliance with federal and state law this protects individuals from interference when making protected disclosures, and for refusing to take part in any activity that is illegal or in violation of any school policies. This also protects individuals against retaliation for filing or encouraging another to file a complaint or report of violations or for participating in an investigation into such reported behavior and activity. Retaliation includes disciplinary or adverse action taken against an individual because they have made a protected disclosure or has participated in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing involving a protected disclosure. Individuals are protected from disciplinary action or other retaliation as a result of disclosing wrongful conduct. Individuals who self-report their own misconduct are not afforded protection by this policy.
(E) Medical Amnesty
Good Samaritan policy: students who seek medical assistance for themselves (medical amnesty) or another student (Good Samaritan) due to intoxication of alcohol and/or other drugs will not typically be referred to the school student code of conduct review process related to alcohol and other drugs. However, this policy does not exempt students from referral to the school student code of conduct when reports of other policy violations accompany the alcohol and other drug report. For example, if it is reported a student engaged in destruction of property, fire safety violation, or physical harm to another person, etc.
(F) Maintenance and Expungement of Student Disciplinary Records
The school maintains student disciplinary records separately from academic records.
(1) Enrolled student: Disciplinary records of an enrolled student will only be disclosed to school officials with a legitimate need to know or students who request to inspect their disciplinary records. Otherwise, disciplinary records will only be disclosed in accordance with state or federal law.
(2) Enrolled or no longer enrolled student applying for post-graduate employment or additional education: While a student is still enrolled but applying for employment or additional education, the school will only disclose disciplinary records to individuals outside of the school with the student’s consent and if one of the following sanctions was imposed on the student while the student was enrolled:
(i) suspension; or
(ii) (b) expulsion; or
(iii) (c) withholding of a certificate;
otherwise, disciplinary records will only be disclosed in accordance with state or federal law.
(3) Expungement of student records: The school permanently maintains disciplinary records for students if one or more of the following sanctions was imposed on the student while the student was enrolled:
(i) suspension; and/or
(ii) expulsion: and/or
(iii) withholding of a certificate.
The disciplinary records for all other students are expunged seven years after graduation or last known enrollment, or if prohibited by law.
(G) Sanctions
(1) Reprimand/Verbal Warning: a written notice to a student that informs them they have violated a standard of conduct. The warning informs the student that the misconduct must cease and/or not reoccur, and that further misconduct will likely result in more severe sanctions.
(2) Suspension: Suspension is an official separation of a student from the school for a designated period of time and/or until certain conditions are met. A suspension may be imposed for serious misconduct, or repeated misconduct. Suspension may include conditions that must be satisfied prior to a student being allowed to return and/or conditions that will be in place if the student is allowed to return. The effective date of a suspension may be imposed retroactively to the date that the misconduct occurred. While suspended, the student loses all school rights and privileges (e.g., enrollment privileges), shall not represent the school in any official manner, and shall not be present on school-owned property without the prior approval of the school.
(3) Withdrawal/Termination: Termination is a sanction that immediately ends a student’s enrollment as a student at the school. This sanction generally is imposed when the student’s misconduct is deemed so serious as to warrant total disassociation from the school community, by the student’s repeated misconduct, a student has exhibited a blatant disregard for the health, safety, or welfare of other members of the school community or the school’s right to establish rules of conduct, and/or any governing boards or agencies rules require such sanction. The effective date of a termination may be imposed retroactively to the date that the misconduct occurred, but their last date of attendance shall remain the withdrawal date for Title IV purposes. A person who has been terminated shall not be present on school-owned property without the prior approval of the school.
(4) Loss or restriction of privileges: Specified student privileges are lost or restricted. Such privileges include, without limitation, representing the school in any official manner, the use of or access to school-owned property, school parking privileges, or participation in school-affiliated activities.
(5) Withholding of certificate: The school may withhold a certificate as a disciplinary sanction for a designated period of time or until the student’s completion of all other sanctions imposed, whichever occurs later.
(6) Restitution: Restitution is compensation for loss, damage, and/or injury incurred as a result of the student’s conduct. Compensation may take the form of money, service, and/or material replacement. Restitution may be required to be made to the school, a specific individual, or a specific organization.
(H) Disciplinary Holds
The respondent’s academic record (including, without limitation, the release of the respondent’s official or unofficial transcript), certificate, ability to register for classes, and/or ability to re-enroll may be placed on disciplinary hold by the school to require the respondent to participate in the student conduct process or to require the respondent to satisfy the terms and conditions of disciplinary sanctions received (the hold shall be released after the terms and conditions have been satisfied). A student who, at the time of graduation, is subject to a continuing disciplinary penalty or an unresolved disciplinary charge shall not be awarded a certificate before the resolution of all disciplinary charges and/or the satisfaction of all sanctions.
Policy Name: Student Code of Conduct
Policy Number: 002-00-00
Approved: 03/20/2023
Effective: 03/20/2023
Revised: 11/17/2023
Replaces: N/A
Prior effective dates: N/A