House Bill 1171

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-11-65, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE STUDENTS IN ANY GRADE HIGHER THAN GRADE 6 TO MAINTAIN A WEEKLY GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF 2.0 OR HIGHER ON A 4.0 SCALE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY EXTRACURRICULAR OR ATHLETIC ACTIVITY DURING THE WEEK OR THE IMMEDIATELY APPROACHING WEEKEND DURING WHICH THOSE ACTIVITIES ARE CONDUCTED; TO AUTHORIZE TEACHERS TO TEMPORARILY REVOKE THE PRIVILEGE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY EXTRACURRICULAR OR ATHLETIC ACTIVITY OF ANY DISRUPTIVE STUDENT UNTIL THE TIME THAT THE STUDENT CONFORMS HIS OR HER BEHAVIOR; TO REQUIRE THE TEACHER TO TIMELY NOTIFY THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL AND THE SPONSOR OR COACH OF THOSE ACTIVITIES OF THE STUDENT'S BEHAVIOR AND THE TEMPORARY REVOCATION OF PARTICIPATION PRIVILEGES; TO PROVIDE THAT UPON THE RECEIPT OF THE NOTICE, THE PRINCIPAL SHALL REQUIRE THE SPONSOR OR COACH TO IMMEDIATELY ENFORCE THE TEMPORARY REVOCATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 37-11-65, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-11-65. (1) A student who is enrolled in any grade higher than Grade 6 in a school district in this state * * *~~must~~ shall be suspended from participation in any extracurricular or athletic activity sponsored or sanctioned by the school district after a semester in which the student's cumulative grade point average is below a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. The suspension from participation in extracurricular or athletic activities * * *~~may~~ shall not be removed until the student's cumulative grade point average in a succeeding semester is 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. A student with a cumulative grade point average below a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale at the final semester of an academic school year shall be suspended from participation in extracurricular or athletic activities in the succeeding academic school year until the student's cumulative grade point average is 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

(2) Beginning immediately at the start of the 2012-2013 school term, in addition to meeting the semester requirements of subsection (1) of this section, students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale on a weekly basis in order to participate in any extracurricular or athletic activity during the week or the immediately approaching weekend during which those activities are conducted. Any student with a weekly grade point average below a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale shall be prohibited from participating in any form of extracurricular or athletic activity until the student's weekly grade point average is 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

(3) Teachers shall have the authority to discipline students who are disruptive to the classroom by temporarily revoking the disruptive student's privilege to participate in any extracurricular or athletic activity until the time that the student conforms his or her behavior so as not to disrupt the classroom and impede the learning process of other students. The teacher shall timely notify the school's principal and the sponsor or coach of those extracurricular or athletic activities of the student's behavior and the temporary revocation of participation privileges, and upon receipt of the notice, the principal shall require the sponsor or coach to immediately enforce the temporary revocation.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.