Every parent thinks the world of their child. You spend all your time dreaming up their future, planning for them to go to college and have a promising career. But what if one day you get a notice that your child's school is accusing them of academic misconduct? It can feel like that dream is quickly slipping away. An academic misconduct advisor can help protect it by working tirelessly to ensure your child's school gives them a fair hearing. You shouldn't have to navigate these tricky waters yourself. The Lento Law Firm can guarantee that your child's school provides them with a fair and due process.
What is Academic Misconduct?
Academic misconduct is any behavior that violates the school's code of conduct. These types of conduct are subject to disciplinary action that can range from being sent to the principal to full expulsion from the school. Either way, the stain on their permanent record lasts forever and can affect their ability to get into the college of their choice.
Most schools in Alabama consider the following to be examples of academic misconduct:
- Cheating – turning in someone else's work as your own; copying someone else's work.
- Plagiarism – passing off another's ideas or work as their own.
- Unauthorized collaboration or receiving unauthorized assistance - working with another student (or other students) on an exam or assignment without express permission or getting help that is not specifically allowed
- Classroom or school-wide disruption
Academic Misconduct by District
There are several counties in Alabama, and each has slight variations to their code of conduct and disciplinary measures they will take against a student accused of academic misconduct.
Conecuh County
Conecuh County considers cheating a violation of the honor code. The school will notify the child's parents about the infraction, and the child will receive a zero grade on the assignment or exam. For other examples of academic misconduct, disciplinary action is subject to a sliding scale. Suppose a student is accused of distracting other students and inhibiting the teacher's ability to teach properly; the student may have to sit through student conferences at one end of the spectrum or be suspended at the other.
If the school pursues suspension or expulsion, they must provide certain due process rights to the student, including a fair and just hearing where the student can present evidence or witnesses to refute the allegations. Additionally, the student can appeal the determination of the Board if the school follows through with the suspension or expulsion. Each student in Conecuh County is given a code of conduct at the beginning of the year. It is within the best interest of you and your child to familiarize yourself with their rights and repudiations in the event that the school accuses them of academic misconduct.
Russell County
On the eastern border of Alabama, Russell County School District highlights academic misconduct for its students in their student handbook. Like in Conecuh County, this handbook is given to both the parents and students to ensure they know what is expected of them during their high school career. It states that cheating, lying, or misrepresenting facts are considered academic misconduct. These behaviors are subject to a myriad of punishments, from in-school penalties to varying lengths of suspension and referral for expulsion. These allegations can also land the child in alternative learning programs.
Just like in Conecuh County, Russell County lays out specific due process rights for its students. They state that all students who will be up for disciplinary action are entitled to a hearing no matter the situation. During this hearing, the student is allowed to present facts and witnesses in favor of their innocence. Then the designated school personnel will decide on the truthfulness of the allegations. If the school personnel finds the student to have behaved in such a way, they will come up with a fair and just punishment.
Even though these two counties have different processes for the academic misconduct allegations, one thing remains the same all over Alabama – in each school district, the student is allowed to refute the allegations against them. Having a skilled attorney-advisor on their side will help mitigate these punishments from the very start.
The Consequences of Academic Misconduct
If your child's school accuses them of academic misconduct, it is hard to see past the allegation. You may not have any idea how to fight the accusations and protect your child's future. But you have to try. Every child accused of academic misconduct, whether guilty of the behavior or not, deserves fair due process. Your child's side of the story deserves to be told. Academic misconduct allegations can have long-lasting effects on their ability to get into college or graduate school. It can, and will if they are suspended or expelled, follow them around forever. Suspension and expulsions land on the student's permanent record and are very hard to have expunged after the fact. It will affect their reputations and even their self-esteem. Students wrongfully accused of academic misconduct may begin to act out the behavior in earnest because they already assume their teachers think the worst of them. Don't let your child's reputation get stained. Lento Law Firm can support you both during this time.
How an Alabama Academic Misconduct Advisor Can Help
An attorney-advisor with extensive experience will gather evidence and witnesses to speak on behalf of your child. They will ensure your child receives a fair and just investigation into the allegations. Many schools say they will abide by their own due process guarantees from the student handbook, but sometimes they are so busy with other issues, they forget, subjecting your child to unfair punishment. An attorney-advisor will guarantee this doesn't happen.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and Lento Law Firm have spent years helping thousands of students across America contest their academic misconduct allegations. They work diligently to mitigate any adverse effects of these accusations and create a solid defense to protect your child's future. Don't suffer alone. Call 888-535-3686 today to schedule a consultation.
Alabama high schools where Joseph D. Lento can help as your child's student's academic misconduct advisor during investigations, hearings and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following school districts:
A
- Alabama Department of Youth Services Schools
- Alabama School of Fine Arts
- Albertville City Schools
- Alexander City Schools
- Andalusia City Schools
- Anniston City Schools
- Arab City Schools
- Athens City Schools
- Attalla City School System
- Auburn City Schools
- Autauga County School System
B
- Baldwin County Public Schools
- Barbour County School District
- Bessemer City Schools
- Bibb County School District
- Birmingham City Schools
- Blount County School District
- Boaz City School District
- Brewton City Schools
- Bullock County School District
- Butler County Schools
C
- Calhoun County Schools
- Chambers County School District
- Cherokee County Schools
- Chilton County School District
- Choctaw County School District
- Clarke County Schools
- Clay County School District
- Cleburne County School District
- Coffee County School District
- Colbert County Schools
- Conecuh County School District
- Coosa County School District
- Covington County Board Of Education
- Crenshaw County School District
- Cullman City Schools
- Cullman County Schools
D
- Dale County School District
- Daleville City School District
- Dallas County School System
- Decatur City Schools
- DeKalb County School System
- Demopolis City School District
- Dothan City Schools
E
- Elba City Schools
- Elmore County Public Schools
- Enterprise City Schools
- Escambia County School District
- Etowah County School System
- Eufaula City Schools
F
- Fairfield City Schools
- Fayette County Schools
- Florence City Schools
- Fort Payne City Schools
- Franklin County School District
G
- Gadsden City Schools
- Geneva City School District
- Geneva County School District
- Greene County School District
- Guntersville City School District
H
- Hale County Schools
- Haleyville City Schools
- Hartselle City School District
- Henry County School District
- Homewood City School District
- Hoover City Schools
- Houston County Schools
- Huntsville City Schools
J
- Jackson County School District
- Jacksonville City Schools
- Jasper City Schools
- Jefferson County Schools
L
- Lamar County School District
- Lanett City School District
- Lauderdale County Schools
- Lawrence County Schools
- Lee County Schools
- Leeds City School District
- Limestone County School District
- Linden City Schools
- Lowndes County School District
M
- Macon County School District
- Madison City Schools
- Madison County Schools
- Marengo County School District
- Marion County Schools
- Marshall County School System
- Midfield City School District
- Mobile County Public Schools
- Monroe County School District
- Montgomery Public Schools
- Morgan County Schools
- Mountain Brook City Schools
- Muscle Shoals City School District
O
- Oneonta City School District
- Opelika City Schools
- Opp City School District
- Oxford City Schools
- Ozark City Schools
P
- Pell City School District
- Perry County School District
- Phenix City Public Schools
- Pickens County School District
- Piedmont City School District
- Pike County Schools
R
- Randolph County School District
- Roanoke City Schools
- Russell County School District
- Russellville City Schools
S
- Saint Clair County Schools
- Sarahland Board of Education
- Scottsboro City School District
- Selma City School District
- Sheffield City Schools
- Shelby County Schools
- Sumter County School District
- Sylacauga City Schools
T
- Talladega City School District
- Talladega County Schools
- Tallapoosa County Schools
- Tallassee City School District
- Tarrant City Schools
- Thomasville City Schools
- Troy City School District
- Trussville City Schools
- Tuscaloosa City Schools
- Tuscaloosa County School System
- Tuscumbia City Schools
V
- Vestavia Hills City Schools
W
- Walker County Board of Education
- Washington County School District
- Wilcox County School District
- Winfield City Schools
- Winston County School System
It is critical to make certain academic misconduct charges at your child's Alabama high school are handled properly and that the accused student's interests and rights are protected from as early as possible during the investigative and disciplinary process. One reason, among many, is because even at high schools where a finding of responsibility for academic misconduct is made at a hearing, the investigation will set the stage for what the hearing panel is provided prior to a hearing (and what the hearing panel will in large part rely on at a hearing), and at high schools where the finding of responsibility is made solely through the investigative process, what takes place during the investigation itself will determine whether the accused student is found responsible or not responsible for academic misconduct.
Unfortunately, some parents make the mistake of not taking the necessary precautions as soon as possible when their child is accused of academic misconduct. Some people will mistakenly believe that if they "just explain what happened," their school will be fair and impartial and will arrive at the truth. In a perfect world this may be the case, but in a perfect world, being called to answer for alleged academic misconduct would not exist.
Fighting passionately for the future of his clients at schools throughout the nation for many years, Joseph D. Lento knows how important it is to mount the strongest defense because he understands that an accused high school student's academic future is on the line. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as an academic misconduct advisor to high school students facing investigations and disciplinary cases in Alabama and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National High School Academic Misconduct Defense Attorney Joseph D. Lento today at 888-535-3686.
