Middle and elementary school education represents a pivotal time in any child's life. While your child is going through those years in school, they're shaping their social skills, building their self-esteem, and investing in their short- and long-term goals.
This doesn't mean that middle and elementary school are idyllic times. Far from it! Magnolia State parents understand that their middle schoolers are going through a lot.
Whether your student is facing academic struggles or behavioral issues, what they're going through right now shouldn't be dismissed as just something that impacts them now while they're young. In fact, your student's disciplinary issues now can make their life in high school and beyond far more difficult than it needs to be. Giving your students the right resources and support will be vital if your student ever strays from the path to success.
And—just as importantly—if your student's school believes your student is having a challenging time or is associated with a rule violation, you need to be aware of your options and how you can support your student's most successful outcome.
The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is ready to help you and your student thrive while tackling student academic and disciplinary challenges. Call 888.535.3686 today to contact our team, or fill out this brief form to learn more about how we can support you.
Common Issues Mississippi Elementary and Middle Schoolers Face
There are several types of issues that middle schoolers and even younger students could be dealing with.
These include:
• Accommodating disabilities, even if students have IEPs with clear documentation of their needs
• Academic issues and concerns, ranging from rule-breaking activities like cheating and plagiarism to a less clearly defined failure to progress as identified by members of your school's faculty
• Behavioral issues, which may be common among middle schoolers as they start to navigate the complexities of transitioning to adolescence
• Title IX sexual misconduct, which, unfortunately, may be more common than you think, even among younger students, especially as students go through puberty
In any and all of these cases, you're going to need to support your child to ensure that they don't get slapped with undeserved sanctions that could end up having an adverse impact on the rest of their educational career. Whether your student is responsible for the allegations against them or not, your student deserves to have the bright future your entire family has worked hard to support!
Examples of Mississippi Middle and Elementary School Behavioral Misconduct Charges or Academic Progression Issues
Wondering what types of issues, specifically, your child might face accusations of in middle school and high school?
The types of challenges that Mississippi students face are often influenced or governed by specific policies in the Mississippi education code, as well as by specific school district guidelines.
For example:
• Behavioral issues can include minor infractions, like one-off classroom disruption, all the way through serious and repeated bullying, physical altercations, and possession of prohibited items. Mississippi Code § 37-11-18.1 states that schools in the state have the authority to implement disciplinary measures for behavioral misconduct that disrupts the educational process.
• Academic progression issues can include a wide range of situations in which students don't measure up to projected academic standards. Under Mississippi Code § 37-15-38, schools must assess student performance. If students don't meet expected benchmarks, schools and school districts could recommend remedies or even move to punitive, disciplinary measures.
Now that you have an idea of the issues that middle and elementary school students in Mississippi could be facing, let's look at what could happen after your school receives an allegation of misconduct.
What Happens After an Allegation of Misconduct (Or Other Issues) in Mississippi Elementary and Middle Schools?
After your school learns about something potentially problematic in association with your student, some version of the following events may happen:
1. You'll receive a notification of the allegations against your child. This could come in the form of a formal letter or could consist of a phone call from your school.
2. Your school will begin an investigation into the allegation.
3. You'll be invited to a meeting with school officials to discuss the case.
4. After that meeting, your school will come to a decision regarding your student's responsibility for the cited allegations. They will also recommend disciplinary action at this time.
5. If you do not agree with your school's assessment of the situation, you may be able to file an appeal. You'll only have a few days to file that appeal, and your school will want you to have new information to present.
After this entire process, your student could still be facing disciplinary actions like suspension or even expulsion. But even if your student isn't being dismissed from school, you need to take suspensions seriously. Suspensions and other forms of exclusionary discipline show up on your student's transcript (as very noticeable gaps) that will follow them through the rest of their academic career.
Don't delay in helping your student move through this challenging time. The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is ready to help you provide the support your student deserves.
The Lento Law Firm Team is Ready to Support You and Your Family
If your student is dealing with allegations or challenging issues at their Mississippi elementary or middle school, you need the help of the premier Lento Law Firm and its experienced Student Defense Team to ensure that your student is treated fairly under both school procedure and state law.
Retain the services of the Lento Law Firm, and we can help you:
• Evaluate the school's charges against you
• Keep you informed about your student's rights
• Help you gather evidence to counter school charges
• Guide you through negotiations and appeals
• …and more!
Retain the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team today by calling 888.535.3686 or fill out this brief form, and a member of our team will be in touch shortly.
