Student Defense Advisor – Syracuse, New York

Kids today face a lot of pressure in their lives, both academic and social. In the age of electronics, kids and young adults are under a constant barrage of information about the world, their communities, and their friends. With this information comes access and expectations like no generation have ever faced. At the same time, our schools also expect more from kids. With more knowledge tested and more pressure on teachers, professors, and institutions of learning from the state, school boards, and parents, the schools we send our kids to are also under pressure to be better and do more with less money.

The competing pressures placed on our children and our schools can result in unrealistic expectations for our kids' behavior, academic performance, and social performance in school. While activities and academics often leave young people with little time and room to grow socially and make mistakes. Today, often, a child isn't given a second chance, even when the mistakes they make are age appropriate and offer learning experiences. You have options if a school seeks to punish, suspend, or expel your child unfairly. That's when you need the experience and guidance of a trusted student defense attorney.

Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team are well-versed in handling student discipline defense, from small matters to large and complex ones. They've represented hundreds of students across the country, defending them from false and unwarranted accusations, suspensions, and expulsions. You don't have to let unfair charges of academic misconduct, behavioral misconduct, or sexual misconduct crush your student's hopes and dreams. Protect their education and reputations by hiring a skilled New York student discipline attorney.

The Syracuse Metropolitan Area

The Syracuse, New York, metropolitan area is the fifth largest metro area in New York, but it also includes dozens of small towns, making it a unique area. The Syracuse metropolitan area includes the counties of Oswego, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Madison and encompasses the cities of Syracuse, Auburn, Oswego, Oneida, and Fulton; the towns of Cicero, Clay, DeWitt, Manlius, Salina, Camillus, Cazenovia, Constantia, Elbridge, Geddes, Granby, Hamilton, Hastings, Lennox, Lysander, Marcellus, Mexico, Onondaga, Pompey, Richland, Schroeppel, Skaneateles, Scriba, Sullivan, and Van Buren, as well as countless nearby villages, hamlets, and unincorporated areas. Attorney Joseph D. Lento is a New York attorney specializing in defending students in school discipline matters across the state and is well-versed in protecting students' rights in Syracuse area schools.

Syracuse Metropolitan Area Schools

Attorney Joseph D. Lento is the premiere school discipline defense attorney in the Syracuse, New York, area. He and the experienced team at the Lento Law Firm can help you and your child with an effective student discipline defense for your child's elementary or secondary school, public or private junior or high school, college, university, or technical or trade school program.

Attorney Lento and his team offer assistance at the following colleges and universities, among others, in the Syracuse area:

• Syracuse University,
• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry,
• Le Moyne College,
• Cazenovia College,
• SUNY Upstate Medical University,
• Onondaga Community College,
• St. Joseph's College of Nursing,
• Crouse Hospital-School Nursing, and
• Cayuga Community College.

Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his skilled student defense team at the Lento Law Firm can also provide experienced student discipline defense representation to students in technical, professional, graduate, and specialty programs across the Syracuse metropolitan area, including:

• Syracuse University College of Law,
• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry,
• SUNY Upstate Medical University,
• S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University,
• Falk School of Social Work at Syracuse University,
• Maxwell School of Public Affairs at Syracuse University,
• Syracuse University,
• LeMoyne College,
• St. Joseph's School of Nursing,
• Onondaga Community College,
• SUNY Morrisville,
• Johnson Vocational Center,
• Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central,
• Job Corps,
• OCM BOCES Education Center,
• CNY Environmental Institute,
• Central Technical Vocational,
• Bryant and Stratton College,
• UpWone.com: Technology Knowledge,
• SUNY's Martin J. Whitman School of Management,
• IAQ School,
• Continental School of Beauty,
• Eye Studio Arts, and
• Pro Plasma Esthetic.

Attorney Lento and the team at the Lento Law Firm also offer student discipline defense at K through 12 public school districts across the Syracuse area, including, among others:

• Syracuse City School District,
• North Syracuse Central School District,
• Liverpool Central School District,
• Baldwinsville Central School District,
• West Genesee Central School District,
• Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District,
• Auburn Enlarged City School District,
• Central Square Central School District,
• East Syracuse Minoa Central School District,
• Fulton City School District,
• Jamesville-Dewitt Central School District,
• Chittenango Central School District,
• Oneida City School District,
• Westhill City School District,
• Phoenix Central School District,
• Marcellus Central School District, and
• Solvay Union Free School District.

Attorney Lento and his team don't just offer student discipline defense at public schools; they also represent students in private elementary schools, junior high, and high schools in the Syracuse area, including:

• Christian Brothers Academy,
• Bishop Grimes Junior/Senior High School,
• Manlius Pebble Hill School,
• St. Rose of Lima School,
• Holy Family School,
• Bishop Ludden Junior/Senior High School,
• Blessed Sacrament School,
• Faith Heritage School,
• Immaculate Conception School,
• Living World Academy,
• Holy Cross Elementary School,
• Mater Dei Academy,
• Montessori School of Syracuse, and
• Baldwinsville Christian Academy.

Academic Progression Issues

Schools have to have academic standards and often must meet state and federal goals for academic performance. As a result, students in K through 12 schools, colleges, universities, and trade schools are often subject to disciplinary actions if they fail to meet their school's academic or performance standards. Syracuse University's Academic Rules provide a good example. A student who fails to attend class at Syracuse can be withdrawn from the university. “Students who do not attend classes starting with the first scheduled meeting may be academically withdrawn as not making progress toward degree by failure to attend.” Moreover, students who fail to maintain a minimum GPA may find themselves suspended or on academic probation:

Any student who has a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 and for whom a more serious action is not appropriate may be placed on probation. A student may also be placed on probation if their semester GPA falls below 2.0 or if the student fails to meet other criteria for good academic standing as established by the school/college. Each school/college reviews their students' records and determines the appropriate probation actions to be applied from the categories listed below. School/college offices can provide more detailed information about academic policies. Academic probation may impact a student's financial aid.

Probation categories at Syracuse include:

• College probation,
• Probation for one-semester trial, and
• Academic suspension

While schools must have standards, they must also apply them correctly and consistently. Professors can enter grades incorrectly, calculate grades incorrectly, and make other mistakes. Moreover, sometimes struggling students are treated more harshly than they should be, or professors or administrators may fail to consider disabilities, health conditions, or life circumstances. But you have the right to appeal if your student's school puts them on probation, suspends them, or expels them for academic issues or failure to progress towards a degree. An experienced student discipline attorney like Joseph D. Lento can help.

Academic Misconduct Issues

Beyond maintaining a minimum GPA or making progress toward graduation, schools also have rules about academic integrity and a strict honor code. Academic integrity policies prohibit plagiarism, cheating on exams, falsifying lab results, and similar actions. For example, SUNY Upstate Medical University lists the following as examples, although not an exhaustive list, of academic integrity violations:

• Cheating on exams or assignments by the use of books, electronic devices, notes, or other aids when these are not permitted or by copying from another student.
• Collusion: two or more students helping one another on an exam or assignment when it is not permitted.
• Ringers: taking an exam for someone else or permitting someone else to take one's exam.
• Submitting the same paper in more than one course without permission from the instructors.
• Plagiarizing: copying someone else's writing or paraphrasing it too closely, even if it constitutes only some of your written assignment, without proper citation, even instructor notes & presentation slides.
• Falsifying documents or records related to credit, grades, status (e.g., adds and drops, P/NC grading, transcripts), or other academic matters.
• Altering an exam or paper after it has been graded in order to request a grade change.
• Stealing, concealing, destroying, or inappropriately modifying classroom or other instructional material, such as posted exams, library materials, laboratory supplies, or computer programs.
• Preventing relevant material from being subjected to academic evaluation.
• Presenting fabricated excuses for missed assignments or tests.
• Unauthorized clicker use: using someone else's clicker, falsifying attendance roster, signing in for someone.

At SUNY Upstate, students accused of academic dishonesty can be subject to the school disciplinary process, including a hearing through the University Judicial System. Students can face penalties such as failing a course, probation, suspension, expulsion and removing a degree already conferred. You shouldn't let this happen without a fight. An experienced student disciplinary attorney like Joseph D. Lento can help you fight unwarranted academic dishonesty charges or unreasonably draconian punishments.

Behavioral Misconduct Issues

Schools must also ensure the safety of their students, employees, and their campuses. As a result, most schools maintain extensive codes of conduct that cover far more than academic integrity and minimum grade standards. For example, Christian Brothers Academy Student Code of Conduct requires that students:

• Treat all students and staff members with respect
• Help maintain and preserve the building and all school equipment and materials
• Follow specific rules for each class
• Behave in a manner that is safe and healthy for yourself and others at CBA

Colleges will often have far more extensive lists of code of conduct violations. For example, Cayuga Community College's Student Code of Conduct includes:

• Academic dishonesty,
• All forms of dishonesty, including providing false information to the college,
• Failure to identify yourself or comply with staff directions,
• Violating published regulations, such as those concerning the use of the library, technology, or athletic facilities,
• Misusing the college's information technology or telecommunications systems,
• Disrupting classes,
• Damage or destruction of college property,
• Physical abuse or sexual assault,
• Harassment, stalking, or verbal abuse,
• Reckless behavior that endangers the health of another,
• Hazing,
• Sexual harassment,
• Disorderly, disruptive, or lewd behavior,
• Providing false information for financial aid or admissions, or
• Abusing the college review or disciplinary systems.

Moreover, Cayuga “reserves the right to initiate disciplinary proceedings for on and off-campus incidents involving violations of the Student Code of Conduct.”

Some private schools will also include clauses in their codes of conduct, like this one from Christian Brothers Academy:

By enrolling at Christian Brothers Academy, families understand and agree that they may not bring any civil action in any local, state, or federal court or in any administrative agency to challenge any school decision relative to academics or disciplinary matters. Decisions relating to rules, regulations, procedures, discipline, or programs made within the administrative structures of the school are final.

However, even private schools can be challenged if they violate their own standards, procedural safeguards, and contract terms. A premier student conduct attorney like Joseph D. Lento can help.

Title IX Sexual Misconduct Issues

Title IX refers to a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Education Amendments of 1974, which prohibit discrimination based on sex in school recruiting, admissions, financial aid, and other decisions. While disciplinary proceedings and rights vary widely from school to school, Title IX regulations tend to be more consistent across New York. Under federal law, any school receiving federal funds must follow the regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Education concerning Title IX investigations and disciplinary actions.

For example, the Le Moyne College Student Code of Conduct extensively addresses Title IX violations:

Acts of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, undermine the dignity of individuals and the principles of equality and respect for others and are serious violations of our community standards. These acts do not just harm the individual; they harm the College community as a whole. As used in this Policy, “Sexual Misconduct” is a term used to refer to any form of sexual or gender-based harassment, non-consensual sexual activity, dating violence or domestic violence, or stalking. Sexual Misconduct may occur between members of the community regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Le Moyne College does not condone or tolerate Sexual Misconduct.

The Title IX policy also lists procedures for investigations, hearings, and appeals of Title IX actions. As part of the emergency support offered by the college, a student accused of a Title IX violation could be removed or banned from campus, have their schedule changed, or have the police contacted before an investigation even takes place.

You'll find Title IX prohibitions from colleges and universities consistent across New York public K-12 schools as well. The Syracuse City Public Schools' Code of Conduct prohibits actions such as:

• Sexual harassment,
• Sexual assault,
• Sexual identity harassment, and
• Sexual misconduct.

The consequences of a Title IX investigation and hearing against a student can be serious. A finding of responsibility against your student could permanently and irrevocably disrupt their education, limit their ability to obtain higher education, and limit their future career opportunities. To protect their rights during a student disciplinary proceeding, you need an experienced Title IX and student discipline attorney like Joseph D. Lento.

How a School Discipline Defense Attorney Can Help

When your child is facing disciplinary action at school, it can be tempting to simply go along with the school's decision. We're often conditioned to believe that the school's decision is final, but it isn't. Your student has rights. Retaining a premier school discipline attorney like Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm's student defense team can make all the difference. They have helped hundreds of students across the country, and they can help you too. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888.535.3686 or contact them online today.