PART XIII BEHAVIOUR, DISCIPLINE AND SAFETY
Provincial code of conduct
301 (1) The Minister may establish a code of conduct governing the behaviour of all persons in schools.  2000, c. 12, s. 3. Purposes (2) The following are the purposes of the code of conduct: 1. To ensure that all members of the school community, especially people in positions of authority, are treated with respect and dignity. 2. To promote responsible citizenship by encouraging appropriate participation in the civic life of the school community. 3. To maintain an environment where conflict and difference can be addressed in a manner characterized by respect and civility. 4. To encourage the use of non-violent means to resolve conflict. 5. To promote the safety of people in the schools. 6. To discourage the use of alcohol, illegal drugs and, except by a medical cannabis user, cannabis. 7. To prevent bullying in schools.  2000, c. 12, s. 3; 2012, c. 5, s. 10 (1); 2017, c. 26, Sched. 1, s. 30 (2). Notice (3) Every board shall take such steps as the Minister directs to bring the code of conduct to the attention of pupils, parents and guardians of pupils and others who may be present in schools under the jurisdiction of the board.  2000, c. 12, s. 3. Agreements with third parties re use of schools (3.1) If a board enters into an agreement with another person or entity, other than a board, respecting the use of a school operated by the board, the board shall include in the agreement a requirement that the person or entity follow standards that are consistent with the code of conduct.  2012, c. 5, s. 10 (2). Code is policy (4) The code of conduct is a policy of the Minister.  2000, c. 12, s. 3. Policies and guidelines governing conduct (5) The Minister may establish additional policies and guidelines with respect to the conduct of persons in schools.  2000, c. 12, s. 3. Same, governing delegation by principals (5.1) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines with respect to delegation by principals, under section 300.1, of their powers, duties or functions under this Part.  2009, c. 17, s. 2. Same, reporting to principals (5.2) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines requiring individuals described in subsection (5.3) who become aware that a pupil of a school of a board may have engaged in an activity described in subsection 306 (1) or 310 (1) to report to the principal of the school about the matter, as soon as reasonably possible.  2009, c. 17, s. 2. Same (5.3) The individuals referred to in subsection (5.2) are individuals who are not board employees who come into direct contact with pupils of a board on a regular basis in the normal course of, (a) providing goods or services to the board; (b) carrying out their employment functions as an employee of a person who provides goods or services to the board; or (c) providing services to a person who provides goods or services to the board.  2009, c. 17, s. 2. Same (5.4) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines with respect to reporting to principals under section 300.2 or under a policy or guideline established under subsection (5.2).  2009, c. 17, s. 2. Same, support to certain pupils (5.5) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines with respect to the support to be provided to a pupil when a principal does not notify a parent or guardian of the pupil because of the circumstances described in subsection 300.3 (3).  2009, c. 17, s. 2; 2021, c. 4, Sched. 11, s. 7 (1). Same, governing responses by board employees (5.6) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines with respect to responses under section 300.4 by employees of a board, including but not limited to policies and guidelines with respect to the kinds of responses that are appropriate.  2009, c. 17, s. 2. Same, governing discipline (6) The Minister shall establish policies and guidelines with respect to disciplining pupils, which must include policies and guidelines respecting, (a) the use of disciplinary measures within a framework that, (i) identifies pupil behaviours that are inappropriate and that, without excluding less serious behaviour, include bullying, sexual assault, gender-based violence and incidents based on homophobia, transphobia or biphobia, (ii) provides for appropriate consequences for pupils who engage in inappropriate behaviour, (iii) provides for progressively more serious consequences for repeated or more serious inappropriate behaviour, (iv) provides support for pupils who are impacted by inappropriate behaviour, and for pupils who engage in inappropriate behaviour, to assist them in developing healthy relationships, making good choices, continuing their learning and achieving success, (v) provides for prevention strategies, and (vi) provides for early and ongoing intervention strategies; (b) opportunities for all pupils, their parents and guardians, and all teachers and other staff members in a school to increase their understanding and awareness of inappropriate pupil behaviour; (c) opportunities for all teachers and other staff members in a school to increase their ability to respond to inappropriate pupil behaviour; (d) training for all teachers and other staff; (e) procedures for responding appropriately and in a timely manner to inappropriate behaviour; (f) resources to support pupils who are impacted by inappropriate behaviour; (g) resources to support pupils who have engaged in inappropriate behaviour; (h) a process that parents or guardians of pupils described in clause (f) or (g) can follow if they have concerns about the support provided to their child.  2012, c. 5, s. 10 (3). Same, procedural matters (6.1) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines with respect to, (a) appeals of a decision to suspend a pupil; (b) principals’ investigations to determine whether to recommend that a pupil be expelled; and (c) expulsion hearings.  2007, c. 14, s. 2. Same, promoting safety (7) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines to promote the safety of pupils.  2000, c. 12, s. 3. Same, bullying (7.1) The Minister shall establish policies and guidelines with respect to bullying prevention and intervention in schools, which must include policies and guidelines respecting, (a) training for all teachers and other staff; (b) resources to support pupils who have been bullied; (c) strategies to support pupils who witness incidents of bullying; (d) resources to support pupils who have engaged in bullying; (e) procedures that allow pupils to report incidents of bullying safely and in a way that minimizes the possibility of reprisal; (f) procedures that allow parents and guardians and other persons to report incidents of bullying; (g) the use of disciplinary measures within the framework described in clause (6) (a) in response to bullying; (h) procedures for responding appropriately and in a timely manner to bullying; (i) matters to be addressed in bullying prevention and intervention plans established by boards under section 303.3.  2012, c. 5, s. 10 (4). Same, collection of information (7.2) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines requiring boards to collect specified information relating to behaviour, discipline and safety in schools.  2012, c. 5, s. 10 (4). Same, s. 314.5 reports (7.3) The Minister may establish policies and guidelines with respect to the reports required under subsection 314.5 (1), including policies and guidelines respecting the form and content of the reports and the times at which they must be submitted.  2012, c. 5, s. 10 (4). Different policies, etc. (8) The Minister may establish different policies and guidelines under this section for different circumstances, for different locations and for different classes of persons.  2000, c. 12, s. 3. Duty of boards (9) The Minister may require boards to comply with policies and guidelines established under this section.  2000, c. 12, s. 3. Not regulations (10) Policies and guidelines established under this section are not regulations within the meaning of Part III (Regulations) of the
Legislation Act, 2006.  2000, c. 12, s. 3; 2006, c. 21, Sched. F, s. 136 (1). Approval and changes, board policies and guidelines (11) The Minister may require boards to submit any policy or guideline established under section 302 to the Minister and to implement changes to the policy or guideline as directed by the Minister.  2012, c. 5, s. 10 (4). Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2000, c. 12, s. 3
- 01/09/2000 2006, c. 21, Sched. F, s. 136 (1) - 25/07/2007 2007, c. 14, s. 2
- 01/02/2008 2009, c. 17, s. 2
- 01/02/2010 2011, c. 9, Sched. 10, s. 13 - no effect - see Table of Public Statute Provisions Repealed Under Section 10.1 of the Legislation Act, 2006 - 31/12/2021 2012, c. 5, s. 10 (1-4)
- 01/09/2012 2017, c. 26, Sched. 1, s. 30 (2) - 17/10/2018 2021, c. 4, Sched. 11, s. 7 (1) - 19/04/2021 Board policies and guidelines