Code of conduct in New Jersey district that punished off-campus behavior is struck down

July 25, 2012
Appeals court says Ramapo Indian Hills district exceeded its authority

From The Philadelphia Inquirer: An appeals court has struck down a New Jersey school district's code of conduct that extended to off-campus behavior. A three-judge panel says the Ramapo Indian Hills School District policy exceeded the authority given to local districts by the state. The case stemmed from a district policy instituted in 2009 that sought to ban students from extracurricular activities if they were charged with illegal activities regardless of whether the alleged behavior occurred on school grounds. The three-judge appeals panel said that although districts have the authority to ban students who test positive for drugs from extracurricular activities, for instance, the school still has to show "a nexus between the student's conduct and the orderly administration of the school" to justify regulating off-campus behavior.

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