Sportsmanship
It is the clear obligation of contestants and coaches in all interscholastic competitions to practice the highest principles of sportsmanship and ethics of competition. The governing organization shall have authority to penalize any contestant or coach in violation of this obligation.
Spectator Conduct
Public Conduct on School Premises for high school and junior high competition.
This Policy Primer from the Iowa Association of School Boards is devoted to the topic of the behavior of individuals at school district activities. The Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union asked the Iowa Association of School Boards, Iowa Department of Education and School Administrators of Iowa to assist them in developing a sample spectator policy.
The following is taken from IASB Policy Primer, Volume 12, Number 3, June 15, 1999:
School District Authority
Pursuant to Iowa Code § 279.8, boards have the authority to adopt rules for the school district. Included in this general authority is the right to develop rules to protect students, employees, visitors and school property. Iowa trespass law is used to criminally prosecute individuals whose presence or behavior is prohibited. Trespass is defined as follows in Iowa Code § 716.7:
- Entering upon or in property without the express permission of the owner, lessee, or person in lawful possession with the intent to commit a public offense, to use, remove therefrom, alter, damage, harass, or place thereon or therein anything animate or inanimate, or to hunt, fish or trap on or in the property. This paragraph does not prohibit the unarmed pursuit of game or furbearing animals lawfully injured or killed which come to rest on or escape to the property of another.
- Entering or remaining upon or in property without justification after being notified or requested to abstain from entering or to remove or vacate therefrom by the owner, lessee, or person in lawful possession, or the agent or employee of the owner, lessee, or person in lawful possession, or by any peace officer, magistrate, or public employee whose duty it is to supervise the use or maintenance of the property.
- Entering upon or in property for the purpose or with the effect of unduly interfering with the lawful use of the property by others.
- Being upon or in property and wrongfully using, removing therefrom, altering, damaging, harassing, or placing thereon or therein anything animate or inanimate, without the implied or actual permission of the owner, lessee, or person in lawful possession.
School officials have the legal authority to ask people to leave when their behavior is interfering with the ability of others to participate in or watch a school activity pursuant to Iowa Code § 716.7.
Misbehavior Defined
- Abusive, verbal or physical conduct of spectators directed at participants, officials or sponsors of activities or at other spectators will not be tolerated.
- Verbal or physical conduct of spectators that interferes with the performance of students, officials or sponsors of activities will not be tolerated.
- The use of vulgar, obscene or demeaning expression directed at students, officials or sponsors participating in an extracurricular activity or at other spectators will not be tolerated.
“Activities” includes all school-sponsored or approved activities and co- and extra-curricular activities.
Removal Procedure
There is no specific procedure for invoking school authority pursuant to § 716.7, and depending upon the severity of the behavior, the procedure followed by school officials may differ. For most incidents, the appropriate procedure would be to give the offending individual a warning to allow him or her to correct the misbehavior. Upon continued misbehavior, either at the same or future event, the school official could either repeat the first step or ask the individual to leave. Following the removal, the school official should follow-up with a letter. The letter should come from an individual with authority, such as the board president, superintendent, principal or school attorney. A number of issues should be addressed in the letter, such as:
- Behavioral expectations of spectators.
- Whether the individual is banned from future activities.
- Whether and when the individual will be allowed back into future activities.
- Whether the ban on attendance will be enforced outside the school district (the issue of reciprocity is discussed below); and, if the individual is a parent, to what extent, if any, does this impact the parent’s ability to participate in his or her child’s education program.
If the individual either ignores prior warnings or the offense is so egregious to warrant immediate removal, school officials have the authority to remove an individual without giving prior warning. School officials also have the authority to get an order from an Iowa district court to prohibit an individual from entering school grounds. While the court order is uncommon, it has been done successfully and should be done when necessary to protect students and others.
Reciprocity
A concern raised by school officials is their ability to control the behavior of an offending individual off school grounds, or at another school district. In discussions, there is some belief that a school district may have the authority to ban an individual from all school activities no matter the location. In the absence of clear authority one way or another, school officials may want to ban an individual’s presence at all activities. If a court order is sought, the court order should also include a ban on all activities outside the school district.
NOTE: This policy reflects the Iowa trespass law and outlines a school district’s authority to enforce the law. This policy is not a mandatory policy. Boards can amend the language as needed to fit their individual needs.
Urbandale Board Policy 510
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 716.7 (1999).
Cross Reference: 205–Board Member Liability
504–Student Activities
802.6–Vandalism
903–Public Participation in the School District