When your child starts high school, all you see is them growing up, leaving the house one day, and starting a life of their own. You have imagined this day since they were little kids. What you can't imagine is what might happen if they are accused of hazing another student or teacher at their school. Suddenly, you are forced to contend with a future that isn't so bright, which can be overwhelming.
Students accused of hazing by their high schools need a strong defense. If they try to defend themselves or show up to their disciplinary hearing unprepared, they run a very strong risk of being punished by the school. Punishments for hazing can vary from school to school, but they usually include suspension or expulsion. These punishments have long-lasting consequences on the student and profoundly impact their future.
Working with a skilled student defense attorney is the best way to ensure your high school student is not subjected to such an unfortunate outcome. The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm has spent years helping students defend themselves from similar accusations. They will work diligently to gather evidence and witness testimony, creating a solid defense on your child's behalf. Call 888-535-3686 today or schedule a consultation online.
What is Hazing in Missouri?
Disciplinary action for hazing at your Missouri high school is not the same as a criminal charge of hazing by Missouri law enforcement. However, it is important to familiarize yourself with the state legislature on hazing to see how it impacts the school's disciplinary procedures. By knowing where the state is coming from, you can better mitigate any unnecessary suffering your child may experience when accused of hazing by their high school. Moreover, many schools utilize the wording of the state legislature to inform their own definitions.
In Missouri, the legislature defines hazing as:
- knowingly partaking in or triggering a particular action,
- that is directed against a student or potential member of a school organization,
- that recklessly jeopardizes the physical or mental health or safety of the student or potential new member,
- to initiate or admit them into, or continue their membership in, the school organization,
- to the degree that they knowingly put that other person in a position that would likely cause bodily injury or psychological harm or risked the loss of their life.
It goes on to state that hazing may include:
- activities that recklessly endanger the physical health or safety of the student or potential member, such as beating, branding, exposure to the elements, forced consumption of food, liquor, liquids, drugs, or other substances, whipping, or physical brutality;
- activities that recklessly endanger the mental health of the student or potential member, like sleep deprivation, extreme stress-inducing activities, or physical confinement; and
- activities that require the student or potential new member to do something that violates criminal law.
Furthermore, in Missouri, hazing is considered a class A misdemeanor. However, if the student's actions create a substantial risk to the life of the student or potential new member, they can be charged with a class D felony.
Hazing in Missouri Schools
While other states use their legislation to create an obligation for high schools to adopt an anti-hazing policy, Missouri only places that obligation on their colleges and universities. However, most Missouri high schools have taken it upon themselves to create an anti-hazing policy or clarify their prohibition of hazing in their student handbooks. For instance, Ladue Horton Watkins High School in the Ladue School District has officially prohibited hazing and defines it as any action that is:
- intimidating,
- demeaning,
- humiliating
- endangers the safety of another student.
If a student is found responsible for hazing at Ladue Horton Watkins High School, they can be punished with up to 10 days of suspension. To implement such a punishment, the school must first receive an allegation that the student was involved in a hazing incident. They will notify the student of the allegation and give them a chance to defend themselves. After hearing both arguments, they will determine whether the student is responsible for hazing. If they determine that they are, they will also notify the student of the intended punishment.
For the most part, students accused of hazing at Ladue Horton Watkins High School will receive a suspension punishment. However, there are times when the superintendent or the Board of Education will implement their own punishment, which may be much harsher than the one the school hearing committee outlines. As such, working with an experienced student defense attorney is crucial to ensure your child is not being overly punished.
Like Missouri public schools, private schools in Missouri are not obligated to create hazing policies, so most do not have any in place. However, if violated, they have other conduct rules that can invoke disciplinary action for hazing. For example, at John Burroughs School in St. Louis, Missouri, students are prohibited from dishonesty in any form, possessing or distributing alcohol or other controlled substances, gambling, interfering with the learning of others, and behavior inside or out of school that brings discredit upon themselves, the school, or their peers.
All of these prohibitions can be found in conjunction with hazing activities. Thus, when a student at John Burroughs School is accused of one of these activities or of another violation of a “Major School Rule” while trying to onboard a new potential member to a school organization, they could be disciplined for hazing.
Unlike other schools in Missouri, students at John Burroughs School are not afforded a disciplinary hearing until after the allegation is brought and the principal determines that the offense could warrant a suspension or expulsion. Only after such an investigation might a disciplinary committee be called. This also means that in some cases, disciplinary committees are not called, and students are simply punished without having a chance to really defend themselves.
Thus, it is incredibly important to reach out to a student defense attorney the moment you learn of the accusations against your child. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team will work diligently to ensure your child has every chance to defend themselves.
The Appeals Process for Hazing in Missouri
As explained above, students have the right to appeal the hearing committee's decision. However, understanding how and when to appeal these decisions can be tricky as many schools do not have the appeals process posted. Instead, students usually must wait to receive the committee's decision letter before learning about the appeals process at their school.
Unfortunately, the window for appeals is very narrow, and because of the lack of information on the process ahead of the letter, school districts have made it difficult for students to enter a comprehensive appeal that might be successful. The best thing to do is to start inquiring about the appeals process the moment your child has finished presenting their defense.
For example, at Parkway West High School, the appeals process is buried in the student handbook under “Due Process Protections.” This title does not suggest an explanation of an appeals process unless you have some working knowledge of the law, which most parents do not. Still, the school has decided to nestle the steps to an appeal here, laying out the rules based on whether the student was punished with a Principal Suspension or Superintended Suspension, Expulsion, or the Discipline Review Committee.
Under this policy, if a student is suspended or expelled, they can only appeal the decision to the building principal. The building principal will review the decision, investigate the accusations, and make their ruling within two school days. However, if the student was punished with a Superintendent Suspension of more than 10 days, their parent or guardian must notify the School Board of their intention to appeal the suspension.
Generally, whatever these committees or individuals decide on an appeal, it is final and cannot be appealed further. It is incredibly important to fully prepare for the appeal, as it is your last chance to prove your child's innocence. And if the idea of pursuing the appeal feels overwhelming, your student defense attorney will be able to shoulder the burden for you.
Consequences for Hazing Disciplinary Actions
The consequences of a hazing disciplinary action can be ghastly and long-lasting. For instance, students who are found responsible for hazing and punished with a suspension or dismissal will have those punishments noted on their final transcripts. Thus, when they apply to college or another school, they will have to explain the punishments and circumstances surrounding the incident to every admissions committee they meet. This will severely limit their ability to get into college, finish their education at another traditional high school, and even get accepted into the profession of their choice.
Additionally, students who are punished by their schools for hazing have a significant dip in their mental health. Suddenly, their school is their enemy, and the students may not trust them for fear of being put at risk in another hazing scheme, and their teachers are wary of their behavior. Experiences like this can make even the most even-keeled student feel isolated, overwhelmed, and anxious. When their mental health suffers, so do their grades, self-esteem, and social skills, which could turn them to committing further conduct violations at their school.
To prevent your child from experiencing this distressing cycle of emotions and consequences, it is important to reach out to an experienced student defense attorney. Not only is the Student Defense Team at Lento Law Firm knowledgeable about these types of disciplinary cases, but they also understand how important your child's future is and will do everything within their power to protect it.
Where Can the Lento Law Firm Help
The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law has helped students throughout Missouri and nationwide, including:
- Kansas City
- St. Louis
- Springfield
- Columbia
- Independence
- Lee's Summit
- O'Fallon
- St. Peters
- Blue Springs
- Joplin
- Cape Girardeau
- Ozark
- Branson
- St. Robert
- Grain Valley
- Maryville
- Maplewood
- Valley Park
- Greenwood
- Platte City
- Salem
- Macon
- Caruthersville
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has also defended students in all types of schools, including public, private, and charter schools, such as:
- Ladue Horton Watkins High School
- Clayton High School
- Lafayette High School
- Parkway West High School
- Kirkwood Senior High School
- Parkway Central High School
- Marquette Senior High School
- John Burroughs School
- Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School
- Thomas Jefferson School
- Pembroke Hill School
- The Barstow School
- Columbia Independent School
- Crossroads College Preparatory School
- Visitation Academy
- Rockhurst High School
- Greenwood Laboratory School
- Whitefield Academy
- Allen Village High School
- Frontier Stem High School
- Confluence Preparatory Academy
- Yeshivat Kadimah High School
- Esther Miller Bais Yaakov
- Missouri Torah Institute
- Islamic School of Greater Kansas City
- Al-Salam Day School
No matter what school your child goes to or where they reside in Missouri, they need a strong defense if they are accused of hazing. Call our offices today for help.
How the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team Can Help
Any kind of disciplinary matter requires the experience of a skilled and competent student defense attorney. However, many families choose to pursue their child's defense on their own. For the most part, such defenses are rarely successful and end up forcing the student to suffer through punishments that could have been avoided.
The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm understands how confusing these proceedings can be for parents and students. Their goal is to help prepare you and your child while gathering evidence and witness testimony that will bolster your defense, guaranteeing the best possible outcome for your case.
You do not have to suffer through this alone. Call 888-535-3686 today or schedule a consultation online.
