If your student stands accused of academic misconduct allegations at their Indiana high school, you might feel very alone. You might feel like you suddenly have mountains of paperwork to deal with on your own. You might see the support systems you have built for years collapsing; you might feel immense shame; you might wonder if there's anything you can do to ensure that your child's future remains bright - and their high school experience remains untarnished.
First of all, you shouldn't feel alone. Academic misconduct is more common than you may believe. When faced with the prospect of failing or having difficulty with an assignment, when struggling with the constant stressors of teenage life and high school pressures, many students decide to cut corners or act out.
Unfortunately, even if your student's alleged infractions seem trivial, they could have lifelong ramifications. As your Indiana school has a responsibility to prepare your child for long-term success and provide your student with an excellent education, it will look critically upon cheating, plagiarism, classroom disruption, or other forms of academic misconduct.
There are steps you can take to protect your child's rights during an investigation, but you need to be proactive. Start today to ensure that your child's future remains bright, despite any missteps they may have made in their past.
What Constitutes Academic Misconduct in Indiana High Schools?
The best place to find the specific actions that your school may find problematic is in your student's handbook or your school's code of conduct. As a general rule, your school will likely flag any action that disrupts your student's learning experience, their peers, or gives your student an unfair advantage in an academic capacity.
As such, the following actions will likely net your student a punishment from your IN high school:
- Cheating: If your student uses unauthorized materials, takes more time than given on a test, or helps another student in any way designed to help alter their grade, your student may be guilty of cheating.
- Plagiarism: In any case where your student uses another person's ideas or words as their own without proper citation, your student plagiarizes. Most schools will still punish plagiarism even if it's accidental.
- Unauthorized Collaboration: Unless your teacher specifically allows it, it's important to remember that your student needs to complete most academic work on their own merits.
- Classroom Disruption: If your student's classroom behavior causes a distraction or scene that directly conflicts with a peaceful academic setting, your student's teacher may report them for being disruptive.
- Unauthorized Assistance: Receiving help or using resources for an assignment or exam without express permission.
While there are many other actions that your Indiana high school could label as ‘misconduct,' these are among the most common. However, since the range of illicit activities your school could punish may be extensive, it's wise to consult with a legal team with experience dealing with a wide range of student defense issues.
What Happens in an Indiana High School Academic Misconduct Investigation
Once your student's teacher or another member of your high school academic community makes an allegation of academic misconduct against your student, your school's administration will investigate and adjudicate as it sees fit.
The specific response to your child's alleged activities will depend on their severity, your child's history of misconduct, and the policies your school has regarding due process. If your school takes a more lenient approach to misconduct or if your student's offense was minimal, your student may simply receive a failing grade for the project in question, a detention, or a conversation with the school administration.
On the other hand, if your student's offense was more severe or if your student has a history of recurring incidents, your child may face much more serious punishment. According to one Indiana high school's code of conduct, these punishments may include:
- Probation
- A failing grade for the course
- Suspension
- A parent-teacher conference
- Expulsion, in extremely severe cases
As the immediate repercussions of academic misconduct can be unpleasant, it's a good idea to start working towards a strong case for your student as soon as you know your student is in this situation. You need to be mindful of the entirety of what's at stake, as well. If your student has academic misconduct on their permanent record, that could make their future much more difficult than it needs to be. Future schools and at times employers might think twice before admitting or employing your child once they learn this information.
With a good legal team, you won't have to let your student's past dictate their future. Team up with an experienced student defense advisor today to enjoy reasoned representation, expertise to guide you through due process, and the confidence you need to support your student through this difficult time.
Joseph D. Lento is Ready to Help Keep Your IN School Accountable to Your Child's Rights
Your student has several rights throughout their academic misconduct investigative process. Among them are the right to timely notification, the right to a fair hearing, the right to appeal unjust decisions, and the right to have aggressive representation to assist their case.
If you're looking for smart, empathetic professional advice and top-tier representation, you're in the right place. At the Lento Law Firm, you'll experience the expertise you need to get your family through this difficult time. Whether your student's Indiana high school chooses to adjudicate their case through a hearing, investigation, or otherwise, Joseph D. Lento will be able to help your student work towards a favorable outcome.
Don't go through this alone! Instead, work with a law firm that has years of experience defending students, protecting their rights, and ensuring that they still have the bright future you've worked so hard for. Joseph D. Lento can assist with strategizing for intense meetings, drafting documents, analyzing evidence, and anything else that comes up with your case.
To learn more about student defense in Indiana, contact the Lento Law Firm online or call 888-535-3686 today.
Indiana high schools where Joseph D. Lento can help as your child's student's academic misconduct advisor during investigations, hearings and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following school districts:
A
- Adams Central Community Schools
- Alexandria Community School Corporation
- Anderson Community School Corporation
- Argos Community Schools
- Attica Consolidated School Corporation
- Avon Community School Corporation
B
- Barr-Reeve Community Schools
- Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation
- Batesville Community School Corporation
- Baugo Community Schools
- Beech Grove City Schools
- Benton Community School Corporation
- Blackford County Schools
- Bloomfield School District
- Blue River Valley Schools
- Bremen Public Schools
- Brown County School Corporation
- Brownsburg Community School Corporation
- Brownstown Central Community School Corporation
C
- Cannelton City Schools
- Carmel Clay Schools
- Carroll Consolidated School Corporation
- Cass Township Schools
- Caston School Corporation
- Center Grove Community School Corporation
- Centerville-Abington Community Schools
- Central Noble Community School Corporation
- Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation
- Clarksville Community School Corporation
- Clay Community Schools
- Clinton Central School Corporation
- Clinton Prairie School Corporation
- Cloverdale Community Schools
- Community Schools of Frankfort
- Concord Community Schools
- Covington Community School Corporation
- Cowan Community School Corporation
- Crawford County Community Schools
- Crawfordsville Community Schools
- Crothersville Community Schools
- Crown Point Community School Corporation
- Culver Community Schools Corporation
D
- Daleville Community Schools
- Danville Community School Corporation
- Decatur County Community Schools
- Decatur Township Metropolitan School District
- DeKalb County Central United School District
- DeKalb County Eastern Community School District
- Delaware Community School Corporation
- Delphi Community School Corporation
- Duneland School Corporation
E
- East Allen County Schools
- East Gibson School Corporation
- East Noble School Corporation
- East Porter County School Corporation
- East Washington School Corporation
- Eastbrook Community School Corporation
- Eastern Greene Schools
- Eastern Hancock County Community School Corporation
- Eastern Howard School Corporation
- Eastern Pulaski Community School Corporation
- Edinburgh Community School Corporation
- Elkhart Community Schools
- Elwood Community School Corporation
- Eminence Community School Corporation
- Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation
F
- Fairfield Community Schools
- Fayette County School Corporation
- Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation
- Fort Wayne Community Schools
- Franklin Community School Corporation
- Franklin County Community School Corporation
- Franklin Township Community School Corporation
- Frankton-Lapel Community Schools
- Fremont Community Schools
- Frontier School Corporation
G
- Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School District
- Gary Community School Corporation
- Goshen Community Schools
- Greater Clark County Schools
- Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools
- Greencastle Community School Corporation
- Greenfield-Central Community Schools
- Greensburg Community Schools
- Greenwood Community School Corporation
- Griffith Public Schools
H
- Hamilton Community Schools
- Hamilton Heights School Corporation
- Hamilton Southeastern Schools
- Hanover Community School Corporation
- Huntington County Community School Corporation
I
- Indianapolis Public Schools
J
- Jac-Cen-Del Community School Corporation
- Jay School Corporation
- Jennings County Schools
- John Glenn School Corporation
K
- Kankakee Valley School Corporation
- Knox Community School Corporation
- Kokomo-Center Township Consolidated School Corporation
L
- Lafayette School Corporation
- Lake Central School Corporation
- Lake Ridge Schools Corporation
- Lake Station Community Schools
- Lakeland School Corporation
- Lanesville Community School Corporation
- LaPorte Community School Corporation
- Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation
- Lebanon Community School Corporation
- Liberty-Perry Community School Corporation
- Linton-Stockton School Corporation
- Logansport Community School Corporation
- Loogootee Community School Corporation
M
- Maconaquah School Corporation
- Madison Consolidated Schools
- Madison-Grant United School Corporation
- Manchester Community Schools
- Marion Community Schools
- Marion-Adams Schools
- Medora Community School Corporation
- Merrillville Community School Corporation
- Metropolitan School District of Bluffton-Harrison
- Metropolitan School District of Boone Township
- Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township
- Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township
- Metropolitan School District of Martinsville
- Metropolitan School District of Mount Vernon
- Metropolitan School District of New Durham Township
- Metropolitan School District of North Posey County Schools
- Metropolitan School District of Perry Township
- Metropolitan School District of Pike Township
- Metropolitan School District of Shakamak Schools
- Metropolitan School District of Steuben County
- Metropolitan School District of Wabash County Schools
- Metropolitan School District of Warren County
- Metropolitan School District of Warren Township
- Metropolitan School District of Washington Township
- Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township
- Michigan City Area Schools
- Middlebury Community Schools
- Milan Community Schools
- Mill Creek Community School Corporation
- Mississinewa Community School Corporation
- Mitchell Community Schools
- Monroe Central School Corporation
- Monroe County Community School Corporation
- Monroe-Gregg School District
- Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation
- Pleasant Township Community School Corporation
- Vernon Community School Corporation
- Muncie Community Schools
N
- Nettle Creek School Corporation
- New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation
- New Castle Community School Corporation
- New Harmony Town & Township Consolidated School Corporation
- New Prairie United School Corporation
- Noblesville Schools
- North Adams Community Schools
- North Daviess Community Schools
- North Gibson School Corporation
- North Harrison Community School Corporation
- North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation
- North Knox School Corporation
- North Lawrence Community Schools
- North Miami Community Schools
- North Montgomery Community School Corporation
- North Newton School Corporation
- North Putnam Community Schools
- North Spencer County School Corporation
- North Vermillion Community School Corporation
- North West Hendricks Schools
- North White School Corporation
- Northeast Dubois County School Corporation
- Northeast School Corporation of Sullivan County
- Northeastern Wayne Schools
- Northern Community Schools of Tipton County
- Northern Wells Community Schools
- Northwest Allen County Schools
- Northwestern Consolidated School Corporation
- Northwestern School Corporation
O
- Oak Hill United School Corporation
- Oregon-Davis School Corporation
- Orleans Community Schools
P
- Paoli Community School Corporation
- Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
- Perry Central Community Schools Corporation
- Peru Community Schools
- Pike County School Corporation
- Pioneer Regional School Corporation
- Plainfield Community School Corporation
- Plymouth Community School Corporation
- Portage Township Schools
- Porter Township School Corporation
- Prairie Heights Community School Corporation
- Prairie Township Schools
R
- Randolph Central School Corporation
- Randolph Eastern School Corporation
- Randolph Southern School Corporation
- Rensselaer Central School Corporation
- Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation
- Richmond Community Schools
- Rising Sun-Ohio County Community School Corporation
- River Forest Community School Corporation
- Rochester Community School Corporation
- Rockville Community School Corporation
- Rossville Consolidated School District
- Rush County Schools
S
- Salem Community Schools
- School City of East Chicago
- School City of Hammond
- School City of Hobart
- School City of Mishawaka
- School City of Whiting
- School Town of Highland
- School Town of Munster
- School Town of Speedway
- Scott County School District 1
- Scott County School District 2
- Seymour Community Schools
- Shelby Eastern Schools
- Shelbyville Central Schools
- Shenandoah School Corporation
- Shoals Community School Corporation
- Smith-Green Community Schools
- South Adams Schools
- South Bend Community School Corporation
- South Central Community School Corporation
- South Dearborn Community School Corporation
- South Gibson School Corporation
- South Harrison Community Schools
- South Henry School Corporation
- South Knox School Corporation
- South Madison Community School Corporation
- South Montgomery Community School Corporation
- South Newton School Corporation
- South Putnam Community Schools
- South Ripley Community School Corporation
- South Spencer County School Corporation
- South Vermillion Community School Corporation
- Southeast Dubois County School Corporation
- Southeast Fountain School Corporation
- Southeastern School Corporation
- Southern Hancock County Community School Corporation
- Southern Wells Community Schools
- Southwest Allen County Schools
- Southwest Dubois County School Corporation
- Southwest Parke Community School Corporation
- Southwest School Corporation of Sullivan County
- Southwestern Consolidated School District of Shelby County
- Southwestern Jefferson County Consolidated Schools
- Spencer-Owen Community Schools
- Springs Valley Community School Corporation
- Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation
- Switzerland County School Corporation
T
- Taylor Community School Corporation
- Tell City-Troy Township School Corporation
- Tippecanoe School Corporation
- Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation
- Tipton Community School Corporation
- Tri-County School Corporation
- Tri-Creek School Corporation
- Triton School Corporation
- Turkey Run Community School Corporation
- Twin Lakes School Corporation
U
- Union County/College Corner Joint School District
- Union School Corporation (Modoc)
- Union Township School Corporation
- Union-North United Schools
V
- Valparaiso Community Schools
- Vigo County School Corporation
- Vincennes Community School Corporation
W
- Wabash City Schools
- Wa-Nee Community Schools
- Warrick County School Corporation
- Warsaw Community Schools
- Washington Community Schools
- Wawasee Community School Corporation
- Wes-Del Community Schools
- West Central School Corporation
- West Clark Community Schools
- West Lafayette Community School Corporation
- West Noble School Corporation
- West Washington School Corporation
- Western Boone County Community School District
- Western School Corporation
- Western Wayne Schools
- Westfield Washington Schools
- Westview School Corporation
- White River Valley School District
- Whitko Community School Corporation
- Whitko Community School Corporation
- Whitley County Consolidated Schools
Z
- Zionsville Community Schools
It is critical to make certain academic misconduct charges at your child's Indiana high school are handled properly and that the accused student's interests and rights are protected from as early as possible during the investigative and disciplinary process. One reason, among many, is because even at high schools where a finding of responsibility for academic misconduct is made at a hearing, the investigation will set the stage for what the hearing panel is provided prior to a hearing (and what the hearing panel will in large part rely on at a hearing), and at high schools where the finding of responsibility is made solely through the investigative process, what takes place during the investigation itself will determine whether the accused student is found responsible or not responsible for academic misconduct.
Unfortunately, some parents make the mistake of not taking the necessary precautions as soon as possible when their child is accused of academic misconduct. Some people will mistakenly believe that if they "just explain what happened," their school will be fair and impartial and will arrive at the truth. In a perfect world this may be the case, but in a perfect world, being called to answer for alleged academic misconduct would not exist.
Fighting passionately for the future of his clients at schools throughout the nation for many years, Joseph D. Lento knows how important it is to mount the strongest defense because he understands that an accused high school student's academic future is on the line. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as an academic misconduct advisor to high school students facing investigations and disciplinary cases in Indiana and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National High School Academic Misconduct Defense Attorney Joseph D. Lento today at 888-535-3686.
