Article XVI. GENERAL SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE

 

To maintain order, discipline, and the highest standards of conduct, STCFI enforces a system of sanctions and penalties for students who fail to comply with the school’s policies. This article outlines the general consequences for violations, ensuring that penalties are applied fairly, consistently, and with the goal of fostering student accountability and growth.

 

Section 1: General Guidelines on Sanctions

• Proportionality: Penalties will be proportionate to the severity of the violation, considering the nature of the offense, its impact on others, and the student’s disciplinary history.

• Progressive Discipline: Sanctions will escalate with repeat offenses. Minor violations may initially result in warnings or counseling, while repeated or severe violations will lead to harsher penalties.

• Educational Focus: Where possible, sanctions will include corrective measures aimed at helping students understand the impact of their actions and develop better decision-making skills.

• Parental Involvement: For more serious violations, parents or guardians will be involved in disciplinary actions, with mandatory meetings or written notices for severe cases.

 

Section 2: Types of Violations and Corresponding Penalties

 

1. Minor Violations

Minor violations are infractions that do not seriously endanger the safety, security, rights, or well-being of others and do not substantially disrupt the school environment, but nevertheless violate established school policies, rules, or standards.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Dress, Uniform, and Grooming

   • Failure to follow prescribed dress, uniform, or grooming standards.

   • Minor or incomplete uniform violations.

   • Unauthorized accessories or similar minor violations of the prescribed appearance standards.

2. Attendance and Punctuality

   • Tardiness.

   • Unexcused absence, when not amounting to habitual or unauthorized absence.

   • Failure to attend a required meeting, hearing, or conference without a valid reason.

3. Classroom and School Conduct

   • Minor disruptive behavior in class or during school activities.

   • Creating minor disturbances or excessive noise.

   • Loitering in corridors, hallways, or stairways during class.

   • Minor inappropriate behavior that does not seriously affect others.

   • Failure to respond to a legitimate faculty or staff summons.

   • Minor failure to comply with established school procedures.

4. Campus Movement and Facilities

   • Running in hallways, corridors, stairways, or other areas where running is prohibited.

   • Minor unauthorized use of school facilities that does not result in damage or disruption.

5. Cleanliness and Sanitation

   • Littering.

   • Improper disposal of waste.

   • Spitting on school premises.

6. Communication and Language

   • Non-compliance with the English Only Policy where applicable.

   • Minor inappropriate language or communication that does not constitute disrespect, harassment, bullying, or serious misconduct.

7. Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices

   • Unauthorized use of mobile phones or electronic devices where such use does not involve cheating, harassment, recording, distribution of prohibited material, or other serious misconduct.

8. Group Chats and Online Communication

   • Inappropriate but non-threatening group-chat messages.

   • Spam or excessive non-academic messages in official class or school group chats.

   • Minor misuse of school-related online communication platforms.

9. Smoking and Tobacco

   • Smoking or vaping on school property.

   • Possession of cigarettes, vape devices, lighters, or smoking materials on school property.

   • Smoking or use of tobacco products while wearing the school uniform, whether on or off campus.

Sanctions for Minor Violations:

• First Offense: Verbal warning and a counseling session

• Second Offense: Written warning with notification to parents/guardians

• Third Offense: Detention, temporary exclusion from non-academic school activities (e.g., sports, clubs). Detention refers to supervised time spent in school outside regular class hours for disciplinary reflection and assigned tasks.

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2. Moderate Violations

Moderate violations are acts that negatively affect the school community, disrupt the educational environment, violate the rights of others, demonstrate disregard for school authority, or cause moderate damage or disruption.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Disrespect and Defiance

   • Disrespectful or offensive communication toward faculty, staff, or fellow students.

   • Refusal to follow a reasonable and lawful instruction of a teacher, staff member, or administrator.

   • Refusal to comply with established school procedures.

   • Repeated failure to comply with school rules where the conduct has not yet reached the level of a Major Violation.

   • Conduct that obstructs routine administrative or school operations.

2. Attendance and School Participation

   • Unauthorized absence from school or major school events.

   • Repeated unauthorized attendance-related violations.

3. Property and Vandalism

   • Moderate damage to school property.

   • Graffiti on school property.

   • Writing, carving, scratching, or marking desks, chairs, walls, lockers, doors, or similar school property.

   • Unauthorized removal or tampering with school notices or posters.

   • Tampering with or removing official announcements.

   • Posting false or profane material on bulletin boards or other official school posting areas.

4. Gambling

   • Gambling for money or valuables on school premises.

   • Online gambling using school computers, devices, or internet resources.

   • Participating in games of chance involving money or valuables.

5. Social Media and Online Misconduct

   • Misuse of social media in a manner that harms the school or another person but does not rise to the level of a Major or Critical Violation.

   • Creating fake social-media accounts or online profiles for impersonation without serious harassment, threats, or fraud.

   • Impersonating school personnel or another student.

   • Unauthorized use of the school's name, logo, or official branding without prior approval.

   • Public or social-media complaints made contrary to the prescribed complaint procedure.

   • Knowingly failing to report another student's serious online misconduct.

6. Group Chats

   • Posting inappropriate or prohibited content in official school or class group chats when the conduct does not constitute bullying, harassment, threats, or other Major misconduct.

7. Campus Movement and Safety

   • Pushing another person without causing injury.

   • Blocking exits or passageways.

   • Unsafe campus movement that creates a moderate risk but does not seriously endanger others.

8. Alcohol

   • Possession of alcohol, liquor, wine, or similar alcoholic beverages on school property or during school activities, without consumption.

9. Verbal Conflict and Defamation

   • Verbal altercation without physical harm.

   • Slander or defamatory statements during a verbal dispute.

   • Defamatory statements against a student, faculty member, staff member, or the school that do not constitute serious or malicious defamation.

   • Circulation of false or harmful statements that cause moderate disruption or reputational harm.

10. Fraud and School Representation

    • Knowingly failing to report fraudulent activity.

    • Unauthorized representation that an activity, event, project, or undertaking is officially connected with the school, when no financial fraud or serious harm is involved.

Sanctions for Moderate Violations:

• First Offense: Written warning, notification to parents, and community service or restitution (e.g., repairing damage)

• Second Offense: Suspension of up to three days, mandatory counseling, and a behavior improvement plan

• Third Offense: Suspension for up to five days, loss of privileges (e.g., participation in school events)

 

3. Major Violations

Major violations are serious infractions that endanger or substantially threaten the safety, security, rights, or well-being of others, significantly disrupt the educational environment, or demonstrate serious disregard for school policies and authority.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination

   • Bullying.

   • Cyberbullying.

   • Serious harassment, whether verbal, physical, or online.

   • Discriminatory behavior.

   • Serious online harassment or cyberbullying.

2. Academic Dishonesty and Document Misconduct

   • Cheating.

   • Plagiarism.

   • Forgery.

   • Alteration or falsification of documents.

   • Alteration of academic records or grades.

   • Forgery or alteration of credentials, clearance documents, IDs, or other official school records.

   • Other serious forms of academic dishonesty.

   • Lending or borrowing another student's school ID for purposes of misrepresentation or unauthorized use.

3. Physical Violence

   • Physical assault causing minor injury.

   • Hitting, punching, kicking, or physically attacking another person.

   • Participating in a fistfight or brawl.

   • Hazing involving physical abuse, humiliation, harassment, or physical pain.

4. Gambling

   • Organizing, facilitating, or operating gambling activities.

5. Bribery

   • Offering money, gifts, favors, or other benefits to influence a grade or academic result.

   • Attempting to bribe a teacher, staff member, or administrator.

   • Offering services or favors in exchange for academic advantage.

   • Repeated bribery.

6. Serious Defamation and False Information

   • Serious defamatory statements or postings.

   • Malicious or knowingly false statements causing substantial harm to a person or the school.

   • False information intended to seriously damage the reputation or operations of the school.

7. Social Media and Digital Misconduct

   • Serious misuse of social media involving harmful, defamatory, threatening, or malicious content.

   • Online harassment or cyberbullying of a serious nature.

   • Using a fake identity to harass, threaten, defame, or seriously harm another person.

   • Unauthorized digital activity that seriously harms the school or members of the school community.

8. Sexual Misconduct

   • Indecent exposure.

   • Obscene behavior.

   • Possession or distribution of pornographic materials.

   • Sexual harassment.

   • Molestation.

   • Other serious sexually inappropriate conduct that does not amount to a Critical Violation.

9. Property Damage

   • Intentional destruction of school equipment.

   • Intentional destruction of computers, laboratory equipment, vehicles, or major infrastructure.

   • Severe vandalism or destruction of school property.

10. Alcohol and Intoxication

    • Consumption, possession, distribution, or use of alcohol, liquor, wine, or similar alcoholic beverages on school property, during school-sponsored activities, or while wearing the official school uniform, whether on or off campus.

    • Reporting to school or attending any school-sponsored activity while intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol.

    • Appearing in public places or attending any activity while wearing the official school uniform and visibly intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol, regardless of whether the activity is held on or off campus.

    • Engaging in any conduct involving alcohol, while in school uniform, that may bring the school into disrepute, compromise the dignity expected of a student, or negatively affect the reputation and good standing of the institution.

    • Possessing or carrying alcoholic beverages while wearing the official school uniform, whether on or off school premises, unless expressly authorized for a legitimate school activity and under the supervision of authorized school personnel.

11. Prescription Medication

    • Possession or use of prescription medicine not prescribed to the student.

12. Prohibited Items

    • Possession of prohibited items, including weapons or other dangerous items, when the circumstances do not amount to a Critical Violation.

    • Possession of drug-related paraphernalia, when the circumstances do not independently constitute a Critical Violation.

13. Serious Campus Safety Violations

    • Unsafe conduct that substantially endangers another person.

    • Conduct that creates a significant risk of injury or serious disruption of school operations.

14. False Financial Information and Solicitation

    • Giving false information regarding school expenses.

    • Soliciting money using the school's name under false pretenses.

    • Misrepresenting a school activity for the purpose of obtaining money or other benefits.

15. Defiance of Authority

    • Repeated or deliberate defiance of school rules or legitimate school authority.

    • Serious refusal to comply with reasonable and lawful instructions.

16. STCFI Identity and Institutional Misuse

    • Serious misuse of the STCFI identity, name, logo, records, or official credentials.

    • Academic dishonesty or other serious misconduct involving the misuse of school identity or official documents.

​Sanctions for Major Violations:

• First Offense: Suspension for up to one week, mandatory meeting with parents/guardians, and required participation in a rehabilitative or counseling program

• Second Offense: Suspension for two weeks, loss of privileges for the remainder of the school year (e.g., participation in extracurricular activities)

• Third Offense: Expulsion, depending on the severity and impact of the violation

 

4. Critical Violations

Critical violations are the most serious infractions and include criminal behavior, acts that seriously endanger the safety or well-being of others, serious acts of fraud or violence, or repeated Major Violations despite prior disciplinary measures.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Illegal Drugs

   • Possession of illegal drugs.

   • Use of illegal drugs.

   • Distribution, sale, or trafficking of illegal drugs.

   • Possession of drug paraphernalia when connected with illegal drug activity.

   • Promoting, encouraging, facilitating, or normalizing illegal drug use where the conduct involves serious or unlawful activity.

2. Theft

   • Theft of school property.

   • Theft of personal property belonging to students, faculty, or staff.

   • Theft or misappropriation involving school funds.

   • Theft involving substantial property or financial loss.

3. Serious Violence

   • Serious physical assault causing substantial injury.

   • Acts of violence that cause serious bodily harm.

   • Repeated or aggravated physical violence creating a serious threat to safety.

4. Weapons

   • Threatening another person with a deadly weapon.

   • Using or attempting to use a deadly weapon against another person.

   • Brandishing or displaying a deadly weapon for the purpose of threatening, intimidating, or harming another person.

   • Possession of a deadly weapon under circumstances that create an immediate and serious threat to safety.

5. Serious Safety Endangerment

   • Tampering with fire alarms, fire protection systems, emergency equipment, or security equipment in a manner that seriously endangers others.

   • Intentionally creating a serious safety hazard.

   • Any act that creates an immediate and substantial threat to the safety of students, faculty, staff, or visitors.

6. Unauthorized Access and Hacking

   • Hacking or unauthorized access to alter academic records, grades, credentials, or other official school records.

   • Unauthorized access to systems resulting in serious damage, fraud, or compromise of confidential information.

7. Serious Fraud

   • Fraudulent collection of substantial funds.

   • Serious financial fraud using the school's name, identity, or resources.

   • Other criminal conduct involving substantial financial loss or deception.

8. Serious Sexual Misconduct

   • Sexual assault.

   • Sexual conduct involving serious physical force, coercion, or threat.

   • Sexual misconduct that seriously endangers another person's safety or well-being.

9. Serious Criminal Threats

   • Serious threats to kill, seriously injure, or cause substantial harm to another person.

   • Criminal threats made in person, electronically, through social media, or through another person.

10. Other Critical Conduct

    • Conduct involving other serious criminal acts.

    • Any act that seriously endangers the safety or security of the school community.

    • Repeated Major Violations despite prior disciplinary measures, where the continued misconduct demonstrates serious disregard for school rules and corrective interventions.

Sanctions for Critical Violations:

• First Offense: Immediate expulsion, referral to law enforcement or appropriate legal authorities where applicable, and permanent ban from attending school events or re-enrollment at STCFI.

• No progressive first-, second-, or third-offense sanction shall be required for a Critical Violation.

 

Section 3: Appeal Process

Students or parents/guardians who believe a sanction has been unfairly applied may appeal the decision through the following process:

• Submit a written appeal to the school’s disciplinary committee within five days of receiving the penalty.

• The committee will review the appeal, taking into account the circumstances of the violation and any evidence presented.

• A decision on the appeal will be provided within 10 working days, and the committee’s decision will be final.

 

Section 4: Restorative Measures and Rehabilitation

Where appropriate, STCFI encourages restorative justice and rehabilitative measures as part of its sanctions. This includes:

• Counseling sessions aimed at addressing the root causes of behavior

• Restorative conversations between offenders and those affected by their actions

• Involvement in community service projects to rebuild trust and accountability within the school community

 

Section 5: Enforcement and Monitoring

• The implementation of sanctions and penalties will be carried out by the school administration, with oversight by the disciplinary committee.

• Regular monitoring of student behavior will ensure that violations are addressed promptly and that sanctions are applied consistently across the school.

• Students with a history of repeated violations will be closely monitored to prevent further infractions and offer support for positive behavior change.

 

By adhering to these sanctions and penalties, STCFI ensures that all students are held accountable for their actions, fostering a respectful and safe learning environment for everyone.