Student life is among the most challenging and exciting phases of life for most people. As a school, college, or university student, you learn and experience new things every day, but this phase of life also brings with it a bunch of challenges and difficulties to conquer.
Many students may find it difficult to cope with the pressure of studying and performing well in class, having to develop and maintain friendly relationships with fellow students and instructors, and being responsible for their own chores and expenses. Behavioral issues can get exacerbated, and new issues can spring up.
In addition, school and college authorities aren't the most understanding and often charge students with misconduct, sometimes unfairly. These charges and the subsequent disciplinary consequences can hurt your student's academic record and set them back academically and professionally.
But you can prevent that by retaining an experienced education lawyer who will step in at the right moment and ensure you or your student is treated fairly by their educational institution. National education lawyer Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can represent and defend your student across the Palm Bay metropolitan area. Consider getting in touch to discuss your or your student's education law concern with the Lento Law Firm today.
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Area
With a population of 616,602, the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro area, or the Palm Bay metro area, is spread over 1,015 square miles and encompasses the cities of Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville. It is located on Florida's Atlantic coast and is home to many fine high schools and universities for higher education. Not every lawyer is comfortable practicing across such a vast metropolitan area, but attorney-advisor Joseph Lento knows the area very well, and has many years of experience in education law. He and the Lento Law Firm can provide experienced student defense services to you or your student in any school or university in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro area.
Student Concerns in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metro Area
Students in every city, state, and country have numerous and recurring concerns. For some, contending with a new environment and culture may be tricky – while for others, making friends and maintaining healthy relationships with other students might feel challenging. Academic pressures to perform well on assignments, projects and exams are a common concern for most students, and for many – the stress of holding down a part-time job and managing their expenses may be too much.
Students in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro area face these concerns and more. They may also find living in a large metro area daunting, or might face issues in finding adequate and affordable housing off-campus. These stressors may cause some students to lash out and behave in unexpected ways – leading to disciplinary issues. But it isn't always the student's fault. School, college, and university authorities are sometimes overzealous in punishing undesirable behavior, and may treat your student too harshly. Or they may overlook any mitigating circumstances that explain your or your student's behavior. This is exactly why you need a special education lawyer. An experienced professional who understands student law and is well-versed with school discipline and education law cases, can defend you or your student and help you defeat any unfair charges. The Lento Law Firm has years of experience providing representation to students in the Palm Bay metro area.
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metro Area Schools
The Palm Bay metro area is home to some of Florida's finest educational institutions, from nursing academies, medical schools, aviation academies, aeronautical and engineering universities, to premier K-12 schools and academies. Attorney-advisor Joseph Lento and the Lento Law Firm can provide aggressive student defense services to you or your student in any college or university across the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro area, including the following:
- Eastern Florida State College,
- Jay College of Health Sciences,
- Keiser University,
- Brevard Nursing Academy,
- Barry University,
- Florida Institute of Technology,
- US Aviation Training Solutions Inc,
- Everglades University Orlando,
- University of Florida Surgeons,
- Jersey College,
- College Internship Program – Brevard,
- Brevard Academy for Individual Excellence,
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,
- Webster University,
- Franklin University,
- University of Central Florida,
- Florida Tech Commons,
- Everest University,
- Eastern Florida State College – Cocoa Campus,
- Keiser University Patrick Space Force Bus,
- Applied Physics Laboratory – The John Hopkins University,
- Melbourne Online University Education by Everest,
- Fit Aviation,
- Eastern Florida State College – Patrick Air Force Base,
- Reformation International College and Theological Seminary.
Special education advisor Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can also represent you or your student studying in any of the Palm Bay metro area's primary, middle or high schools, including the following:
- West Melbourne Christian Academy,
- Ascension Catholic School,
- Wade Christian Academy,
- Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy,
- Parkhurst Academy,
- Florida Preparatory Academy,
- Lifeline Academy,
- St. Joseph Catholic School,
- RFM Christian Academy,
- Astronaut High School,
- Brevard Private Academy,
- Titusville High School,
- Educators Inc Private Christian Schools,
- Temple Christian Daycare,
- Children's Montessori Academy,
- Fieldston Preparatory School,
- Lake Fern Montessori Academy,
- Park Avenue Christian Academy,
- St. Teresa Catholic School,
- Bethany Christian School,
- Palm Bay Academy – Middle School Campus,
- Bayside High School,
- Calvary Chapel Academy,
- West Melbourne Christian Academy,
- Great Leaps Academy,
- Wellington Academy,
- Palm Bay Academy Charter School.
Education Law and Student Defense in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metro Area
Students in any school, college, or university in the Palm Bay metro area may find themselves accused of misconduct, or involved in a different issue involving education law. But often, this can happen without the student being fully at fault. Educational institutions take their rules and policies very seriously, and can sometimes be too strict in doling out punishment for what they see as undesirable behavior. They may even overlook the context of the student's behavior and any reasons that may explain their behavior or put a different spin on the entire situation. Any form of misconduct may be punished by a warning, suspension, or even expulsion, severely affecting the student's career record and future.
Students or their guardians are not always well-placed to contest these charges, because they don't know education law and school guidelines in and out. In these situations, you need a premier education attorney-advisor who is experienced in representing students in cases involving misconduct or education law. National education attorney-advisor Joseph Lento, who has over 20 years of experience defending students, provides student defense services across the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro area and can help your student avoid damaging disciplinary consequences.
Academic Progression Issues
Schools, colleges, and universities expect and require students to perform reasonably well on assignments, projects, and exams, and complete all required coursework. Many educational institutions have policies that do not allow school instructors to pass or promote students if they do not meet the minimum performance requirements.
Also, all educational institutions that are federally funded have additional requirements to meet. They have to ensure and prove that their students meet SAP (satisfactory academic progression) standards, or risk losing their funding.
Students who fail to meet these standards may be issued an academic warning, a failing grade, temporary suspension, or even dismissal. But these standards aren't always applied uniformly and fairly to all students. Sometimes, an instructor may make a mistake while assessing or calculating grades, or may even display unfair bias towards a student. Other times there may be mitigating circumstances, like a family or health emergency, that excuse a student's poor performance and entitle them to a re-examination.
If you or your student is facing academic progression issues, an attorney-advisor experienced in education law will be able to help you take the right steps to ensure your rights are upheld. Attorney-advisor Lento has helped many students appeal and contest unfair academic dismissals, and knows exactly what to do to help your student.
Academic Misconduct Issues
Getting good grades is important, but just as important is fairness and honesty in academic performance. Schools, colleges, and universities place a high value on academic integrity and take any instances of cheating or plagiarism very seriously.
The Student Handbook at Keiser University is a good example of educational institutions' academic integrity policies in the Palm Bay area.
Students found to be resorting to unfair means of scoring well, including cheating, plagiarism, or unauthorized collaboration on an assignment or test, are punished strictly. Punishment may include suspension, expulsion, or worse.
But once again, school authorities can get things wrong. They rely on plagiarism detection software to prevent students from copying assignments, but these programs can issue false positive matches or may wrongly identify plagiarism where there is none.
Having an attorney-advisor by your side is critical in these cases. Education lawyer Lento can help you or your student contest these charges and help you present the strongest case possible. Having professional legal representation also ensures school authorities do not get away with treating your student unfairly.
Behavioral Misconduct Issues
Educational institutions also prohibit and prevent all forms of disruptive and violent behavior, including but not limited to vandalism, bullying, fighting, assault, drug use, weapon use, computer misuse, and more.
Students found fighting, bullying, destroying school property, disrupting classes, using drugs or alcohol, and issuing threats, may be faced with temporary suspension or dismissal. These policies and guidelines are spelled out in student conduct codes such as the Palm Bay Schools Student Code of Conduct and Handbook and the Eastern Florida State College Student Code of Conduct Standards and Procedure.
If you or your student are being unfairly charged with behavioral misconduct, or are being treated unfairly by your educational institution, get Attorney-advisor Lento on your team right away. With over 20 years of experience, the Lento Law Firm and education lawyer Joseph Lento have helped many students defeat student discipline charges against them and avoid or minimize negative consequences. He can help your student, too – reach out today.
Title IX Sexual Misconduct Issues
All educational institutions have rules and policies prohibiting sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct includes behaviors such as sexual abuse, assault, bullying, sexual discrimination, intimate partner violence, coercion, and more. Punishment for students charged with and found responsible for sexual misconduct can be very severe, often resulting in suspension or expulsion.
In addition, schools, colleges, and universities that are federally funded are also required to uphold federal sexual misconduct guidelines, known as Title IX guidelines. These guidelines also prohibit many behaviors that are classified as sexual misconduct and require schools to punish students found responsible for these behaviors.
But sometimes, students are wrongfully accused or may be judged and punished unfairly in proportion to their actions. Any punishment can create an indelible black mark on a student's academic record and harm their future. This is where an experienced special education lawyer can help. Attorney-advisor Lento knows Title IX guidelines and local school rules very well, and can help your student contest unfair charges and minimize negative consequences. You can reach the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team here.
Nationwide Education Attorney Advisor Value
Being a student is challenging, and many students find themselves involved in issues or concerns involving education law. This can include charges of misconduct, other disciplinary charges, issues with assessment, trouble with an instructor, and more. Tackling these issues single-handedly can be extremely difficult without a thorough understanding of school, college, and university rules and guidelines. Rather than taking a chance with your or your student's future, reach out to Attorney-advisor Lento, who has many years of experience in varied cases involving education law and can defend your student successfully. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888.535.3686 or reach us online.
