LAC 28:CXXXIX.4313. Reasons for Expulsions

A. Students may be expelled for any of the following reasons: 1. Any student, after being suspended for committing any of the offenses listed in §4305 of this Chapter, may be expelled upon recommendation by the principal of the public school in which the student is enrolled. 2. Any student, after being suspended on three occasions for committing drugs or weapons offenses during the same school session, shall, on committing the fourth offense, be expelled from all the public schools of the parish or city school system wherein he or she resides until the beginning of the next regular school year, subject to the review and approval of the local educational governing authority. 3. The conviction of any student of a felony or the incarceration of any student in a juvenile institution for an act which, had it been committed by an adult, would have constituted a felony, may be cause for expulsion of the student for a period of time as determined by the board. a. Such expulsions shall require the vote of two thirds of the elected members of the local educational governing authority. b. Such expulsions shall not be for a period of time longer than the student’s period of adjudication as determined by the applicable court presiding over the student’s criminal matter, shall run concurrent to the student’s period of disposition, and may require the student to serve the time left in the expulsion period as required by the superintendent or designee if the student was serving an expulsion period when the student was incarcerated for a separate offense and the student completes the period of incarceration with time left in the expulsion period. c. Such conviction or incarceration may be sufficient cause for a superintendent to refuse admission of the student to a school except upon review and approval of a majority of the elected members of the local school board. 4. Any student in sixth grade and above found guilty of being in possession of tobacco, alcohol, or vaping products or found guilty on first occurrence of being in possession of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, or any chemical derivative thereof on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event, may be recommended for expulsion. 5. A student in sixth grade and above who is found guilty of being in possession of a firearm, a knife with a blade equal to or in excess of two and one-half inches in length, or any illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property, on a school bus, or at a school event shall be expelled from school according to the requirements of R.S. 17:416(C)(2). The school principal or designee shall, within five days of arrest, refer such student for testing or screening by a qualified medical professional for evidence of abuse of alcohol, illegal narcotics, drugs, or other controlled dangerous substances. If evidence of abuse is found, the principal or designee shall refer the student to an alcohol and drug abuse treatment professional chosen by the student’s parent or legal guardian. 6. Any student in sixth grade and above who is suspended a third time within the same school year for any offense, excluding dress code or tardiness, shall be recommended for expulsion. 7. A student in grades six through twelve found guilty of being in possession of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, or any derivative thereof shall not be subject to the provisions of Paragraph 5 of this Subsection unless the offense is the second or subsequent occurrence. B. School officials shall have total discretion and shall exercise such discretion to impose disciplinary actions authorized by this Section for possession by a student of a firearm or knife on school property when such firearm or knife is stored in a motor vehicle and there is no evidence of student intent to use the firearm or knife in a criminal manner. C. Expulsion is not mandatory for a student carrying or possessing a firearm or knife for purposes of involvement in a school class or course or school-approved co-curricular or extracurricular activity or any other activity approved by the appropriate school officials or for a student possessing any controlled dangerous substance governed by the uniform controlled dangerous substances law that has been obtained directly or pursuant to a valid prescription or order from a licensed medical provider. However, the student shall carry evidence of the prescription or medical provider order on his person at all times when in possession of any controlled dangerous substance which shall be subject to verification. Evidence of the prescription or medical provider’s order includes possession of the controlled dangerous substance in the original packaging as received from the pharmacy. D. Mandatory recommendation for expulsion shall not be applied to virtual instruction received by a student in the student home.