School misconduct cases are rising nationwide, concerning parents and law enforcement officials alike. The main culprit? Pandemic stress – affecting students weary of restrictions and causing them to lash out as a result. Although students are still figuring out right and wrong during this stage of their lives, when the behavior makes it on a permanent transcript, the student's future is on the line.

Concerning Behavior Challenging Students and School Officials

According to one Business Insider report, the rise in misbehavior attributed to pandemic stress negatively impacts school officials and students. Michigan-based Saline high school changed its attendance protocol after Black students reported racist remarks during a school sporting event. In response, Saline now requires legal guardians to attend these events with their children to deter such comments.

The incident at Saline is just one example of how the behavior manifests. One Connecticut high school switched to remote learning despite resuming in-person classes due to increased student misbehavior. The decision left parents scrambling to arrange the logistics after finding out that their children would return home.

Concerned parents and officials are pressing for solutions. However, addressing the real issue behind the misbehavior yields better results than punishment.

Why Are Students Acting Out?

Although it's easy to blame the “bad” kids and demand repercussions, there's a reason why students are acting up. It's mainly tied to the seemingly endless pandemic, and students have few tools to cope with ever-changing restrictions. School psychologist Peter Faustino mentioned that students react abnormally to abnormal situations. Misbehavior is one symptom of an underlying problem rooted in frustration.

According to the report, a similar uptick in misbehavior happened after 9/11. Significant events set people on edge, even when not immediately apparent. These students have few outlets to release stress and fewer spaces to freely talk about the pandemic's impact on their lives.

Compassion Vs. Punishment

If adults have trouble keeping up with the ever-changing restrictions, their children are doubly affected. That's why it's infinitely more beneficial to address the root cause of the uptick instead of punishing students for a normal reaction.

When school officials approve of harsher punishments and impose additional restrictions on students, they exacerbate an already-volatile situation. After the pandemic ends, the student still has a misconduct charge on their transcript, affecting their college acceptance prospects.

It's not that school administrations and parents shouldn't punish misbehavior. But they also should try to understand why students cannot express themselves differently and remedy the issue.

Contacting an Attorney-Advisor

If you are the parent or guardian of a student accused of misconduct, don't underestimate the impact of these allegations on a transcript and disciplinary records.

In some instances, a misbehavior charge could have long-term consequences that adversely impact your child's college prospects. You need an attorney-advisor who understands what's at stake and helps you avoid a negative outcome, and attorney Joseph D. Lento and his team have countless students and families across the United States overcome the concerns associated with school misconduct allegations.

Don't let pandemic stress and a misbehavior charge ruin your child's academic future. Call the Lento Law Firm now at 888-535-3686 to discuss your options.