The educational and social foundation that your child builds while they're in kindergarten, elementary, and middle school will stay with them for the rest of their life. That makes it all the more important that your child is equipped to navigate the myriad challenges that can accompany these formative years.
Although it's easy to dismiss K-12 issues and challenges as simple school-related problems, the obstacles that happen in these early years matter. If your child is dealing with tough problems in school, that could extend to their life at home. And if your student experiences disciplinary challenges now, the repercussions of those challenges could last long after their suspension, detention, or other punishment ends.
This can paint a picture of your child's K-12 education as a stressful, fraught time. It shouldn't have to be. After all, your student has rights, and your school has due process surrounding any disciplinary necessities. Unfortunately, achieving fair outcomes for your child isn't as simple as expecting your school to uphold your student's rights and follow its own documented processes. If you and your school are suddenly in an adversarial position, you need to even the playing field immediately by reaching out to the experienced Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.
The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm helps students and families nationwide protect their rights, their reputation, and their future. If your student is experiencing academic issues and challenges, facing misconduct allegations, or could otherwise be slapped with a sanction that could impact their future, it's our goal to help you shield your child and pursue an ideal outcome. Call our team today at 888.535.3686 or fill out this brief form to tell us more about your case.
The Challenges Your Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, or High School Student May Be Facing in School
When you take a hard look at the various obstacles that may present themselves to your student, you could be shocked at just how difficult getting to senior year can really be!
For example, your student may encounter the following challenges while in elementary, middle, and high school:
- Racial and socioeconomic disparities
- Unattainable learning standards
- Unhelpful competition from peers
- Illness leading to being absent from school or behind on coursework
- Lack of required accommodations
- Mental health concerns
- Difficulty navigating virtual learning
- Dress code equity
- Inappropriately steep types of discipline
- …and more.
During your student's K-12 years, they're rapidly changing and growing. They need support to help them reach their goals, but school is often full of pressure instead of the help your child deserves. While your child does have specific rights that your school should respect, all too often, it's going to be your job to make sure that your school actually abides by these conventions.
What Are Typical K-12 Student Rights You Should Know About?
If your student is facing difficulties within your school's disciplinary system, you need to know that your student does have a range of rights that should be protected.
These rights may include:
- The right to be free from discrimination based on color, national origin, gender, race, sex, or disability
- The ability to conform to a dress code that isn't discriminatory based on gender
- The right to express themselves as long as doing so doesn't disrupt school activities
- The right to a certain amount of student privacy, especially surrounding confidential, personal information, as detailed under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Actually, enforcing your child's right to these and other protections, such as your school's documented process for determining who deserves disciplinary action after a nebulous rule violation, can be stressful, confusing, and scary. That's where the Lento Law Firm comes in. After your student is accused of breaking a rule, or if you suspect that one of their fundamental rights has been violated, our team can help you understand your situation and your rights. We'll also be ready to assist you as you protect those rights and pursue the most favorable outcome possible for your family.
What Types of Academic Misconduct Might Affect a K-12 Student's Future?
Has your child been accused of academic misconduct?
Academic misconduct can refer to a wide range of potential infractions. Checking out your school's code of conduct, a reference material that should be freely available on your school's website should make it easier to understand what your school does and does not believe is punishable.
Typically, schools will frown on the following actions:
- Cheating
- Plagiarism
- Fabrication
- Unauthorized Collaboration
Since one of the primary purposes of K-12 education is to provide a stellar (and fair) academic experience, any actions that undermine that aim are usually met with a stringent disciplinary response. If your school believes that your student has engaged in plagiarism or cheating, it's time to jump into action.
Of course, educating your student isn't the sole purpose of your K-12 school.
Does Sexual Misconduct Happen in Elementary, Middle, or High Schools?
Sexual misconduct in K-12 schools is a critical issue.
There are a range of behaviors that could result in an allegation of sexual misconduct in your K-12 academic community. These can include unwelcome physical touching, verbal harassment, sexual assault, and sharing lewd or explicit images without proper consent.
When this happens, everyone involved—including victims and those accused, especially those accused wrongly—suffers. Your school has a legal obligation to address all instances of sexual misconduct, but that doesn't mean that your student's case will be handled correctly. If your student is facing an allegation of sexual misconduct, they have the right to representation and a fair process as your school figures out what happened.
Which is, as it turns out, incredibly important. Suppose your student is associated with sexual misconduct and has related discipline on their K-12 student record; that can make their future a lot harder than necessary. For example, the admissions counselors at your student's dream school are trained to uncover discrepancies in student records that could point to potential infractions. By taking action now to mitigate the damage associated with the allegations against your student, you'll be doing the best thing possible to support your child's future.
Are There Other Academic Issues and Concerns that Could Harm Your K-12 Student's Reputation?
Discrepancies related to misconduct aren't the only types of issues that could result in problems for your child.
Think about this: Your child's journey through their studies or academic progression may not be linear. They may experience ups and downs in their GPA as they handle more advanced subjects, more complex social challenges, and anything else that may be going on while they're in their K-12 years.
This is completely normal.
Your school may not agree. Your school may have expectations of your student that are unclear or unimaginably high. And, if your student fails to meet those expectations—even if your student's doing so is extremely explainable—your school may decide to take action against your student to provide motivation, make an example of your student, ensure its own statistics remain laudable, or for other reasons.
When this happens, your child deserves early intervention to resolve any struggles they're experiencing, more support, tailored education plans, and collaborative efforts from school staff to keep them on track. They don't deserve exclusionary discipline that will make it harder for them to keep up with their studies. If you feel that your student's K-12 academic challenges are being connected to discipline in an unfair and harmful way, retain the Lento Law Firm at once to fight for your child's right to education.
Do Students With IEPs and Special Education Experience Challenges in K-12 Schools?
Having special needs and going to school with an IEP, or an Individual Education Plan, only increases the chances that your student will experience at least some obstacles in school. While IEPs are intended to help ensure that your student has the resources and support needed to thrive, often, schools make implementing them more complicated than necessary. The onus of ensuring that your student's IEP is followed and that your student is doing well will often fall to you, their parent.
If you don't feel like an IEP expert and you were hoping that your school would be more of a reliable IEP implementation resource, this can feel like a letdown. Fortunately, you're not on your own. The experienced professionals at the Lento Law Firm have helped parents nationwide work toward protection and educational fulfillment for their students. Retain the premier services of the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm today, and you can experience the same outcome.
What Other Key Issues in K-12 Education Should Parents Be Aware Of?
When you send your student to school, you're hoping they gain a great education. You're also planning on their being safe while they are in school. Bullying and harassment are prevalent issues that can make realizing those goals for your students very difficult.
While schools should, in theory, address all harassment and bullying incidents promptly, sometimes, they fail to do so. You may need to be your child's primary advocate. You'll be the one being proactive about making sure your school is accountable to its own regulations. If you've ever looked at your school's documentation, you might realize an issue with this: Just reading your school's lengthy, jargon-filled documentation can seem like a Herculean task by itself, let alone being the one responsible for enforcing it!
The Lento Law Firm can help you go through your school's regulations, understand what your child's rights are and what your school should be doing, and help you support your child in the best way possible.
How Can I Support My Child Through Elementary, Middle, or High School Disciplinary Hearings and Appeals?
If your child is the subject of disciplinary processes through your K-12 school, they're likely going to be scared and stressed. You might feel the same way!
There are steps you can take, with the support and guidance of the Lento Law Firm, to help your child feel better and work toward a successful outcome. Once you have retained the services of the Lento Law Firm, you'll be poised to:
- Completely understand what type of process you're facing and which of your school's disciplinary policies and procedures are relevant
- Prepare effectively for the weeks of delicate negotiations and stressful hearings that are ahead of you
- Gather the relevant documentation you truly need and know how to present them well to make a real difference in the way you present your case
- Communicate helpfully with the officials at your school, whether you're in a position where deft negotiation or forceful, direct statements will suit you better
- Prepare your child for what's coming with helpful information and facts about their situation
Your timely involvement is critical if you're hoping for the best possible outcome for your child. Good news: If you retain the professionals at the Lento Law Firm, providing that involvement will be far simpler than it may seem.
The Role the Student Defense Team Can Play in Your K-12 Disciplinary Experience
As the parent of a student in kindergarten, elementary, middle, or high school, you want the best for your child. That's why you've invested so much into their education. When your child encounters issues in school that are out of their control, that can feel like a betrayal—and it can be hard to know where to start to help your child's academic experience get back to normal.
Here's where you start: Call the Lento Law Team and get the Student Defense Team on your side. When you have advocates on your side, especially in scenarios where you might feel overwhelmed by the bureaucratic nature of your educational institution, that can level the playing field significantly.
Call 888.535.3686 today to speak with one of our representatives and schedule a consultation. Alternatively, fill out this brief form to tell us about your case, and our team will be in contact with you shortly.
