Association of American Schools in Brazil Code of Conduct

Official AASB Code of Conduct
Click here to download a printable version to sign for athelte registration.

AASB competitions, performances, tournaments, and other scholastic events and activities are open to all students of member schools.  Everyone attending has the right to participate in the activity, socialize and have fun in a secure and protected environment in the best traditions of sport and competition. To this end, AASB has created a Code of Conduct which participants and all student spectators are expected to abide by. Compliance with this Code of Conduct is also a requirement of all participants and student spectators from non member AASB schools who are invited to participate in an AASB event.  Each school is responsible for making everyone in the travelling party aware of this code prior to arriving at an AASB sponsored event. To ensure that everyone enjoys their AASB experience, we take this matter very seriously, and any breaches will be dealt with accordingly.

It is a strong belief of AASB that representing your school is an honor and a privilege.  As a part of upholding this belief, appropriate conduct and behavior expectations need to be followed at all times.  Any student who chooses to participate in an AASB extra-curricular activity of any type will be required to follow the Code of Conduct guidelines outlined below in order to participate in that activity.

It will be the responsibility of the staff and administration of all AASB member schools to fairly and consistently enforce this policy in all AASB sponsored extra-curricular activities.  The intent of this policy is to encourage positive decision-making skills and to promote and ensure the tradition and pride that all member schools have in their students and school.

The Code of Conduct must be signed before the student will be permitted to participate.  The Code of Conduct will be kept on file and will be in effect for the school year.

Students will be held accountable to the AASB Code of Conduct, as well as their particular school’s Code of Conduct policy.  Violations may lead to suspension from all or part of the AASB activity. 

MAJOR VIOLATIONS

I.              Alcohol and Drugs: Students should be aware that if they are present at a function where alcohol and/or drugs are being used, they should leave immediately and report the incident to their chaperone/coach/athletic director.

Possession and/or use of alcohol, illegal drugs, controlled substances, or possession of paraphernalia associated with the use of drugs will also constitute a major violation.

II.            Theft or Vandalism:  Students shall not vandalize property nor have in their possession any item(s) stolen from any source, including uniforms or equipment.

SEVERE VIOLATIONS

III.           Hazing:  No form of initiation or hazing will be permitted.

IV.           Tobacco:  The use of tobacco or tobacco products is prohibited. 

MINOR VIOLATIONS

V.            Behavior:  The conduct of all students involved in AASB activities will be of the highest caliber before, during, and after practices, performances, activities, and competitions. Students who do not represent their school in an appropriate manner exhibited by their habits, conduct or character shall be subject to disciplinary measures.  Responsible behavior will be demonstrated at all times and students will:

·         participate in awards ceremonies;

·         cheer appropriately;

·         pick-up after themselves and keep the host site clean and  neat;

·         refrain from using noisemakers;

·         abide by any additional established rules of the host school;

·         exercise self-control at all times;

·         respect the decisions of officials without gestures or argument;

·         win with humility, lose with dignity, and participate with respect.

VI.           Profanity:  The use of profanity (in any language) will not be tolerated.  [Note: exceptions may be permitted in forensics and drama events when very mild off-color language is an inherent and required component of an approved presentation.}

VII.         Curfew and Closed Campus Policy:  All students must respect established curfews and are not allowed to leave the premises of the sponsored event without permission from their school’s representative.  Students will not enter sleeping quarters other than their own.

CONSEQUENCES
Students who do not represent their school in an appropriate manner exhibited by their habits, conduct or character shall be subject to disciplinary measures.  This could result in suspension or dismissal from the event as determined by the sponsors, chaperones, athletic directors, host school administrator and/or his designee.

Any violation of AASB Code of Conduct will be reported to the host school event coordinator, who will then notify the host director or his/her designee.

Discipline Committee:  The host school administrator and/or his designee will convene a special discipline committee when a violation of the AASB Code of Conduct has occurred.  The committee shall consist of the following:
  • The chaperone/coach/athletic director of the student(s) involved.
  • The host school administrator or designee and either
a)    One (1) representative from each school for events that have up to eight (8) schools or
b)    50% of the number of schools participating, plus one additional school when more than eight (8) schools are participating

Process:
  • The host school administrator or designee convenes the committee, selects the members when more than eight (8) schools are participating, is the chair of the discipline committee, and is a voting member.
  •  The committee will hear all the facts regarding the violation of the AASB Code of Conduct.  The student(s) will appear before the committee to allow them to give their side of the story.
  • After all of the facts have been presented, the committee will render a decision.  Each member has one vote.
  • The committee has the authority to render the following decisions:



MAJOR VIOLATIONS:
Possession and/or use of alcohol, illegal drugs, controlled substances, or possession of paraphernalia associated with the use of drugs will result in an immediate suspension from the event and the student will be sent home as soon as reasonably possible at their parent´s expense. The student will also be suspended from all AASB sponsored events for a minimum of one full year, beginning with the conclusion of the current event.

Theft and/or vandalism will result in an immediate suspension from the event and the student will be sent home as soon as reasonably possible at their parent´s expense.  

The only exception to this policy would be in the event that a major violation of the Code of Conduct by the student occurs late enough in the event to permit sufficient time to send him/her home.  In this case he/she will be placed on immediate in-house suspension and denied any further participation in the activity or game being played until the end of the event.  

The following procedures will be followed in the event of a student being sent home:

  • The host school administrator will call the student´s home school director to notify him/her that one of the school’s students is being sent home for a major violation. The student´s home school director is responsible to make sure that one of his /her administrators or designee will accompany the student from the event site to the designated bus station or airport and thereafter throughout their trip home.
  • The host school administrator as well as the home school director will contact the student´s parents and/or legal guardians before travel begins and tell them why their child is being sent home.
  • The host school administrator or his/her designee, as possible, will inform them of all travel arrangements.  The parent and/or guardian will be responsible for making arrangements to meet the student upon his/her return to the home city.
  • The parent will be responsible for all costs associated with the student’s travel as well as all costs of the person accompanying him /her home.  This includes such costs as taxi fares, bus or plane ticket alteration or purchase, lodging in route if necessary, etc.
  • All liability for such travel by the student will be the responsibility of the parent.
  • The host school administrator will send a one-page summary of the Code of Conduct violation and meeting making sure all the facts have been listed and the action taken by the discipline committee.  The summary will be signed by the host school administrator and sent with the student who is being sent home.  A copy of the summary will be kept for future reference if needed.
  • The student being sent home is responsible to make sure his school administrator receives the letter when he/she arrives.
 

SEVERE VIOLATIONS:
Hazing or tobacco use will result in a minimum penalty of the student(s) being suspended from participating in the event for the remainder of the day and the subsequent day. 

MINOR VIOLATIONS:
Profanity, curfew or room violations, and irresponsible behavior will result in a minimum penalty of the student receiving a one game suspension in sporting events or a one-half day suspension for non-athletic events.

Please note:  The discipline committee may decide a more severe consequence depending on the severity of the violation. 

APPEAL PROCESS:
A student and his or her parent/guardian have the right to appeal a suspension from AASB activities by notifying their school’s administration in writing within five (5) business days after notification of the decision.  If written notification is not received within five (5) business days, the right to the appeal is forfeited. The final decision will be voted on by AASB directors.