The Impact of Off-Campus Accusations on School Life in Iowa
Students in Des Moines District Schools, Davenport Community Schools, Sioux City Schools, and other Iowa school districts face an increasingly rigid discipline scheme. During the pandemic, the Iowa Legislature passed laws relating to school discipline, mainly where threats of violence or fighting were at issue.
Iowa House Bill 610 requires that administrators notify the parents of a student who has threatened violence within 24 hours and inform the parents of any student who was threatened or hurt. It requires school districts to adopt discipline policies to correct a student's behavior and to escalate disciplinary actions for repeated incidents. This bill allows schools to suspend, remove, expel, or transfer a student to an alternative school.
Following the January 2024 shooting at Perry High School, officials, students, and parents are understandably concerned with any threat of violent behavior, including online or off-campus. But sometimes, these policies target kids who do not instigate violence or intend harm.
Parents are concerned with privacy considerations when schools seek to discipline students for behavior that occurs off-campus. But the fact is that school districts are increasingly looking at what students do off-campus, including on social media, and are increasingly taking action to discipline students. Parents may be blindsided by allegations that their child engaged in misconduct. Parents often are motivated to advocate for their students and to hold the school district accountable for its process. However, they do not know how to develop an effective strategy.
The Lento Law Firm can help parents develop a strategy to defend their child. The Lento Law Firm is experienced in representing middle and high school students accused of misconduct. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team defends students from the consequences of isolated bad decisions. The Lento Law Firm has experience representing students and has seen how even modest discipline can have unintended and life-altering consequences. Discipline, particularly at the middle school level, demoralizes and penalizes the student for years. Contact the Lento Law Firm by calling 888.535.3686 or leaving your details online so we can contact you. The Lento Law Firm is nationwide—we can represent your student in Iowa or any other state.
The degree of connection between the alleged misconduct and school interests or activities will determine whether off-campus misconduct becomes a school issue and leads to discipline. For example, your student may have been charged with possession of a controlled substance or underage drinking away from the school or other students. This is not typically an issue for the school and will not result in disciplinary action. If your teen is charged with possession of a controlled substance or underage drinking with another student away from school during break, the school may or may not take disciplinary action against your student. If, however, they are arrested after a party of a school sports team at a member's house and are charged with several members of the team, the school will almost certainly take action. The school's response will depend on the relation between the alleged misconduct and school activities or interests.
Off-Campus Misconduct and School Responses in Iowa Schools
Alleged misbehavior is unrelated to school activities or policies.
School districts are reluctant to become involved when student behavior is unrelated to school and cause little or no disruption to school activities. In these instances, the school will likely see the misconduct as a parental issue and may view involvement as inappropriate or unwarranted.
Alleged misbehavior is tangentially related to the school.
Where a student's off-campus behavior indirectly connects with school activities, the school may or may not take action against the student. The student may have made a racist remark on social media or posted an inappropriate picture. Where a post relates to critical or acute issues, such as racism or suicide, the school may feel compelled to become involved. If discussions on social media take on a tone of bullying or hazing, the school is more likely to become involved. Even without a clear connection between a student's behavior and the school district, the school may feel compelled to take action because of community or parental pressure. It can become critical in these instances to have experienced counsel and keep communication lines open with the school.
Alleged misbehavior related to school policy or interest.
Sometimes, there is a clear connection between allegations of misconduct made against a student and the interests of the school. If other students are involved or serious health or safety issues are present, the school is more likely to act. In Iowa recently, numerous cases of discipline have centered around threats of school shootings or violence. This trend was in place before the Perry High School shooting but is even more acute after. If a parent learns the school is taking action against their child for threats or other violence issues, it is vital that the parent contact counsel immediately. Your child may not have been the instigator of a fight but chose to fight back and is now facing expulsion or severe discipline. Call the Lento Law Firm and take action quickly.
Decisions on Adjudication of Off-Campus Conduct in Iowa
The school's response to off-campus misconduct will vary greatly depending on the strength of the connection between the alleged misconduct and the school. The weaker the connection, the more likely the student or parent will be to challenge the discipline successfully.
- Informal Resolution: If the misbehavior is not connected to the school, the school will be more likely to discuss the situation with the parent, but otherwise, handle the issue with education and prevention.
- Mid-level Discipline: If the alleged misconduct is tangentially related to the school, the school will likely be more assertive and more likely to seek formal discipline.The closer the connection is between the alleged misconduct and the school, the more likely the school district will seek harsher discipline.
- Suspension or Expulsion: If the alleged misconduct directly involves the school or involves a health or safety issue, the school may seek to enforce stricter discipline, including suspension. Call the Lento Law Firm immediately if you or your child face expulsion or severe disciplinary action.
Posts on Social Media Likely to Lead to School Action
Recently, the media has covered numerous instances of Iowa teens accused of making threats of violence on social media.
- In 2023, Cedar Rapids School District canceled classes because of “threats” on social media and noted that “students determined to have made such threats (will) face consequences.”
- In 2023, a Sidney High School student was arrested after Snapchatting a “hit list.”
- In 2024, police found a reported threat by a Sioux City middle school student “not credible.”
The school will be more likely to take action against a student for social media posts if they relate to:
- Illegal drug or alcohol use, trafficking, obscene or lewd speech.
- Threats of Violence.
- Bullying or harassment.
The Consequences of School Discipline in Iowa
While the current political climate in Iowa emphasizes a punitive scheme for dealing with school misconduct, there is little evidence that this is effective. Further, school discipline can have disastrous consequences for youngsters as young as middle school age. The unfortunate fact is that school discipline has a way of resurfacing years after the fact to prevent a student from reaching their goals. It is vital that no parent or guardian ever treat any school discipline as routine, inevitable, or unimportant.
Immediate Effects: In Iowa, parents must be notified of significant discipline within 24 hours and meet with the principal. If there is an issue of threats, bullying, or other dangerous activity, you will have little time to prepare and may feel blindsided by the process. Contact legal counsel as quickly as you can and try to remain calm.
Short-term Effects: During a suspension, a student will miss valuable instruction and classroom time and may even miss tests. While a highly motivated student can try to keep up with assignments at home, it is challenging. A short suspension can lead to a “domino effect” of falling grades, lost motivation, lower standardized scores, and lower achievement. If your student is taking challenging or AP courses, a suspension may lead to an inability to pass the testing for college credit.
Short-Term Effects on Middle Schoolers
Middle school students are most at risk for the negative consequences of discipline. An American Institute of Research study found that middle school students were more likely to misbehave in the future after a suspension. The longer the suspension, the more likely the student was to engage in future misconduct. Any discipline against middle school-age students should be chosen carefully and undertaken with caution and care.
Long-term Consequences: The most concerning effect of school discipline is its long-term effect on college admissions. The Center for Community Alternatives found that 73 percent of American colleges collect disciplinary data on applicants, and 89 percent of those use it in admissions. In the hypercompetitive atmosphere of college admissions, minimal differences in applications become critical. Colleges and universities are looking for ways to evaluate the many applications they receive. While colleges were most concerned with academic dishonesty and cheating, most colleges collected other data on secondary school discipline.
If your student has been accused of misconduct, you must be proactive in “cleaning up” records before the college application process. The Lento Law Firm can assist parents in preventing the consequences of discipline from damaging their child's future. Call the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team and discuss your concerns on how a disciplinary record might affect your student long-term. They can advise you on preventing a disciplinary record from harming your student's long-term education opportunities.
Navigating the School Disciplinary Process in Iowa
Each school district determines the disciplinary process in Iowa, and it may seem to you that the process moves quickly and feels overwhelming. You may feel like you are against an entire room or school system without an attorney. With an experienced attorney, you will have confidence and peace of mind that you are doing all you can to protect your child's future.
The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm will be able to:
- Guide and advise you as to the type of discipline proposed.
- Advise you as to issues with the school investigation of the misconduct.
- Conduct further investigation as to underlying behavior and issues.
- Advise you on how other issues, such as disability, might affect your case.
Establish communication with the school to make informal resolution more likely.
- Allow your student to tell their side of the story.
- Hold the school accountable for its processes and policies and provide the student and parents with a thorough understanding of its policies and regulations.
- Negotiate with the school.
As soon as you know of any allegations of misconduct against your child, you should gather evidence and begin documenting any conversations with school personnel. Make sure you understand the school's position and what that position is based on. Always be prepared for meetings with the principal or other administrators.
Our team can help you with these tasks. In addition, we can help you:
- Investigate and document your child's behavior.
- Document all interactions with the school.
- Negotiate with the school to end the process as quickly as possible with minimal disruption to your family.
- Advise and assist with the appeals process, if necessary.
- Advise you on how to protect your child's interests and achieve the best possible outcome.
The Lento Law Firm is Here to Ensure Your Child's Future.
The Lento Law Firm has successfully represented hundreds of students nationwide for all types of misconduct allegations. Wherever you are in Iowa, you can have the counsel of an experienced, tough team dedicated to securing the best outcome possible. Don't face this process alone. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team will represent your students' best interests and protect their prospects for the future. Call 888.535.3686 or provide your details online, and we will contact you.
