There are a lot of variables that we do not know. Each state has it’s own guidelines/rules for schools. Some states require all schools, public and private to be certified by the state, other states do not require private schools to be state certified. Each school district sets it’s own rules according to the state guidelines/rules. The school/district can have more requirements/ be stricter than the state but cannot have less if they are state certified. How each school/district handles vaping and or vaping items depends on their board and state. Some classify vaping items as drug paraphernalia since 1. tobacco can be considered a drug 2. vaping items can be used for illegal drugs. We don’t know what the school handbook states. Some may clearing state no smoking on campus and what the punishments are. I was reading yesterday about a school district in New Jersey which confiscates the vaping item and sends it to a lab for drug testing (no comment about who pays for the testing). If it comes back positive then the illegal drugs rules come into play. If it is negative then the school resource office issues a ticket. There was no comment about the number of tickets allowed or any fine increases, before a suspension or expulsion.
The public school my children attend has a no cell phone policy. A cell phone going off in class or even the site of a cell phone gives school personal the right to confiscate the phone and an automatic Saturday school for the student. What high school student wants to get up and be at school by 8 am on a Saturday. Confiscated phones are turned into the office. A parent is then contacted. Only a parent may claim the phone. Teachers can go strictly by the rule or have some leeway. Case 1. a phone goes off in class, is confiscated and Saturday school issues. Mom (a district teacher) isn’t happy but puts the blame on her own child for failing to turn off her phone before school. Case 2. phone goes off in class and the student ignores it until the teacher tell him to answer it. Conversation consists of hello, I’m in class and phone is turned off. Teacher ask who it was (mom) and what she wanted (she wanted to know what I was doing). Teacher informs the student to tell him mom not to call while he is in school no Saturday school issued. While the no cell phone rule might seem bad, the students attention is on what is being taught in class and not on their latest text message. Oh a vibrating phone will cause your backpack to rattle so it is still heard. Three Saturday school and you get an in school suspension. Five in school suspensions and you go before the board for expulsion. Not all “crimes” are handled in that order. Drugs, alcohol and guns skip the first two steps, involve the police and may be an automatic expulsion with a review by the school board.
How each incident is handled depends on the district/school board and state policies.