Throughout the country, students, whether they are elementary-aged or in college, are expected to follow certain guidelines while in school. These guidelines are intended to enable them to progress from one grade to the next and learn key social skills to help them integrate into society as productive members. So, at the beginning of each year, students are given a handbook that describes these guidelines and the corresponding punishments for not following them.
If your student has been accused of violating these guidelines or is having difficulty progressing through their classes, Attorney Joseph D. Lento can help. Attorney Lento has spent a large portion of his career helping students navigate such situations as requesting disability accommodations, defending themselves during a disciplinary hearing, and making sure their voices are heard if they fall victim to bullying or sexual assault. Call today.
Akron Metropolitan Area
Ohio is home to both bobcats and Buckeyes, white-tail deer, and one of the tallest rollercoasters in the United States. Within Northeast Ohio lies the Akron Metro Area, which consists of two counties, Summit and Portage, and a population of over 700,000. Making up those counties are numerous townships and unincorporated places, including the following communities:
- Akron
- Cuyahoga Falls
- Stow
- Kent
- Green
- Barberton
- Aurora
- Brimfield Township
- Copley Township
- Coventry Township
- Hudson
- Macedonia
- New Franklin
- Norton
- Portage Lakes
- Sagamore Hills Township
- Streetsboro
- Tallmadge
- Twinsburg
- Bath Township
- Fairlawn
- Franklin Township
- Montrose-Ghent
- Munroe Falls
- Northfield Center Township
- Clinton
- Garrettsville
- Reminderville
- Brady Lake
- Diamond
- Hammond's Corners
Typically, academic attorney advisors make sure to focus their practices in a specific area or town because it makes getting clients a bit easier. Attorney Lento, on the other hand, believes that all students should have access to a skilled academic attorney-advisor, so his practice focuses on a countrywide effort to help. Thankfully, this approach has not only increased his understanding of how best to help students with their myriad needs but has also provided him with the experience necessary to approach every student issue with fresh eyes and a strong technique. Whether your child is in middle school or a freshman in college, Attorney Lento can help.
Akron Metro Area Student Concerns
All students will face challenges throughout their education. Usually, these issues center around them figuring out who they are. No matter what age they are, they will always be focusing on making new friends, navigating new responsibilities, and trying to discover what they want to be when they grow up. Students in the Akron metro area also must deal with bigger issues, like homelessness and racial inequality.
If a student is suffering from one of these experiences and lashing out, their school should see that behavior as a cry for help. Instead, some schools end up punishing their students for having such stressors. For example, if a student in the Akron Metro Area was a part of the refugee resettlement program and is now being called racial slurs by their classmates or struggling to pass their classes because they don't understand the language well, they are more likely to be suspended, rather than offered real help.
Academic attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento will negotiate with the school on your child's behalf, working to ensure they are given the tools they need to succeed rather than being unnecessarily punished.
Akron Metro Area Schools
No matter what age your child is, if they are in high school or college, or even if they are a public school student or attend a private school, Attorney Lento can help.
There are several undergraduate and graduate programs in the Akron metro area, and Attorney Lento can aid students in all of them, including:
- The University of Akron
- Herzing University – Akron
- Kent State University
- Hiram College
Attorney Lento can also work with students who attend elementary and secondary public school in the Akron metro area districts, including:
- Aurora High School
- Hudson High School
- Revere High School
- Twinsburg High School
- Forest Hill CLC
- Leggett Elementary School
- King Community Learning Center
- McEbright Elementary School
- John R Buchtel CLC
Additionally, academic attorney-advisor Lento is also able to help students in private schools, such as:
- Arlington Christian Academy
- Our Lady of the Elms School
- The Lippman School
- Immaculate Heart of Mary School
- Spring Garden Waldorf School
- Fairlawn-Heights Discovery Montessori School
- Old Trail School
Attorney Lento is also available to aid students in such miscellaneous programs as:
- Akron Career Tech high School
- Akron CNC Training Center
- Akron Area Electrical JATC
- Fortis College
- Akron Polymer Training Center
- Akron Beauty School
- American Winds College of Aeronautics
Disciplinary Defense in the Akron Metropolitan Area
It is totally normal for students to get into trouble from time to time at school. Maybe they start playing pranks on their classmates or get into an argument with a teacher over their tardiness. Whatever the case, the school will usually notify the student of a detention of send a note home to the parents.
There are other instances, though, where the student's behavior has escalated and they are accused of a much larger disciplinary issue, like bullying or bringing a weapon to school. When this happens, the school is supposed to organize a conference or hearing to allow the student to tell their side of the story, presenting witnesses and evidence to help bolster that story.
There are also cases where the school decides to adjudicate an underage student's behavior without notifying parents, subjecting them to unfair punishments without the aid of their parents or an attorney-advisor. If your child has been punished without you being notified, no matter the punishment, the school owes you some sort of recourse. Attorney Lento will negotiate for such recourse with the school and work diligently to ensure your child does not have to fulfill the proscribed sanctions before having a proper disciplinary hearing.
Academic Progression Issues
Akron metro area schools have laid out specific paces and grades that students must maintain in order to graduate on time. Sometimes, though, a student is unable to pass their classes or progress accordingly, and instead of being given the opportunity to work through this problem, they are removed from school.
Unfortunately, society is not too kind to students who have been expelled, especially when it prevents them from receiving their high school diplomas. Sure, they can pursue a GED, but the responsibility of studying, signing up for the test and passing it will be entirely their own, and they will receive zero support. Further, for students who are already struggling in school, having to study for a GED on their own can just heighten those difficulties.
At Aurora High School, graduating students are expected to have acquired 21 credits in the areas of English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Health, Physical Education, Financial Literacy, and other electives, pass all state-mandated tests and maintain a minimum grade point average. If a student is unable to meet these requirements, they will not be able to graduate.
College students are also expected to meet specific guidelines about their academic progression. For instance, at Herzing University, undergraduate students must maintain a minimum program grade point average of 2.00 and reach the pacing threshold for that program. So, if you are pursuing a Bachelor of Science program at Herzing, you must not only maintain a 2.00 GPA, but complete 25% of the program by the time you reach 15 credit hours attempted. If a student falls behind, either in their pace or their GPA, they will be referred for disciplinary action.
Academic Misconduct Issues
All schools require that students follow set academic integrity standards, including that they may not cheat, plagiarize, or fabricate information on an exam, assignment, lab report, or paper. They also cannot help another attempt to do this.
At the University of Akron, students must abide by the code of conduct, which asks them to avoid academic misconduct. Academic misconduct includes:
- Using or attempting to use materials during an exam, on a paper, or on other assignments without permission.
- Presenting someone else's words, ideas, or representations on a paper or exam as if it were their own.
- Fabricating information in a lab report, on a paper, or other assignment or examination.
- Working with another student on an assignment without permission.
- Falsely representing oneself or their abilities in an academic assignment.
- Gaining an unfair advantage.
- Engaging in behavior that is prohibited by the instructor during an assignment.
- Attempting to participate in any of the acts described above.
When a student is found responsible for academic misconduct, the school will seek to punish them for it and hopefully deter others from attempting such behavior. The sanction imposed is supposed to match the level of severity of the misconduct. As such, an elementary student should not be expelled for talking during an exam, and a college student should not be suspended for accidentally forgetting to use quotation marks around a quote on a research paper. If you believe your school has punished you more harshly than necessary, Attorney Lento can help.
Behavioral Misconduct Issues
At the beginning of the school year, when students receive a copy of their student handbook, they are usually supposed to review the handbook and turn in a signed copy of the front page. For students in elementary or secondary school, their parents are also supposed to sign this acknowledgment page. The contents of the student handbook vary from school to school, so it is important for both parents and students to become familiar with its guidelines and requests.
For example, at The Lippman School, students are punished for the following behaviors:
- Persistent defiance of school authority
- Bullying
- Habitual profanity
- Using or possessing tobacco or alcohol on school grounds
- Stealing
- Skipping school
- Damaging or defacing school property
- Possession of a weapon on school grounds
Whereas, at Hudson High School, students can be punished for the following conduct:
- Sexual activity
- Chronic misconduct
- Illegal occupation of school property
- Stealing or destroying school property
- Attempted arson
- Failing to accept a punishment
- False alarms
- Assault
- Gambling
- Littering
- Fighting
- Possessing a knife on campus
- Violating the policy on electronic communication devices
- Violating the school dress code
At Hudson High School, if a student is accused of one of the above behaviors, they will be referred for disciplinary action. Initially, the school will review the complaint and interview the accused student to determine if there is enough evidence to pursue a disciplinary hearing. If they decide there is enough evidence, they will notify the student and their parents of an upcoming disciplinary hearing.
During this hearing, the student will have an opportunity to present witnesses and evidence to support their side of the story. Most schools follow a similar disciplinary proceeding template but being familiar with your school's specific rules will ensure you and your child are fully prepared to defend them. Once the school has made its decision on whether the student is responsible for the misconduct, it will also decide which sanctions to impose. Sanctions tend to include anything from a written warning and academic probation to suspension and expulsion. Additionally, at the college or university level, other sanctions might include having to change residence halls, reorganizing your class schedule, or specific community service hours you must fulfill.
Title IX Sexual Misconduct Issues
The United States has a specific federal regulation that compels schools that receive federal funding to follow certain steps when investigating and settling allegations of gender-based discrimination. This regulation is called Title IX and includes all acts of gender-based discrimination, like sexual misconduct, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, and intimate partner or domestic violence.
Individuals who are accused of disciplinary action under Title IX, must reach out to an attorney-advisor for guidance on how best to approach these proceedings. Without the help of an experienced academic attorney-advisor, the student may face harsh sanctions, like suspension or expulsion, which could cause future issues for the student.
How an Academic Attorney-Advisor Can Help
When students are suspected of committing some form of misconduct, or they are having a hard time maintaining their grades, it is important they reach out to Attorney Joseph D. Lento. Attorney Lento has a unique understanding of the issues that plague students across the country and works very hard to prevent students from suffering without reason. Call 888-535-3686 today or schedule a consultation online.
