Prohibited Conduct
The School Corporation prohibits criminal organization activity and similar destructive or illegal group behavior on school property, school buses, and at school-sponsored functions.
The Corporation prohibits reprisal or retaliation against individuals who report suspected criminal organization activity and similar destructive or illegal group behavior or who are victims, witnesses, bystanders, or others with reliable information about criminal organization activity and similar destructive or illegal group behavior.
Definitions
“Criminal Organization": a formal or informal group with at least three members that specifically either:
(1) promotes, sponsors, or assists in; or participates in;
(2) requires as a condition of membership or continued membership; or
(3) has as one of its goals;
the commission of a felony or an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult or a battery offense included in IC 35-42-2.
“Criminal Organization activity”: a student who knowingly or intentionally actively participates in a criminal organization, or a student who knowingly or intentionally solicits, recruits, entices, or intimidates another individual to join a criminal organization.
Procedures for Reporting and Investigating
Corporation employees are required by law to report any incidence of suspected criminal organization activity, criminal organization intimidation, or criminal organization recruitment to the principal and school safety specialist.
The principal or designee shall conduct a thorough and complete investigation for each report of suspected criminal organization activity.
Each school within the Corporation shall record the number of investigations disposed of internally and the number of cases referred to local law enforcement, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, age, and gender. Each school shall report this information to the Superintendent or his or her designee, who shall submit a written report to the Indiana Department of Education by June 1 of each year.
Consequences
A confirmed incident of criminal organization activity is a violation of the Corporation’s code of conduct. The principal or the principal’s designee shall respond to criminal organization activity, according to the parameters described in the Corporation’s code of student conduct and policy.
The Superintendent or his or her designee shall ensure that notice of this policy appears in the student handbooks and on the Corporation’s website.
I.C. § 20-19-3-12
I.C. § 20-26-18 et. seq.
I.C. § 20-33-9-10.5
I.C. § 35-45-9-1
Delaware Community School Corporation
Adopted: 3/07/2022
Revised: 8/07/2023