High school and college can be among the most fun and exciting times in a young person's life, but sometimes students can find themselves in disciplinary situations with real-life consequences. Whether students are involved in incidents of alleged cheating or controversies over politics, popularity, or student government on campus, they could face serious penalties for school code violations, including suspension and expulsion.
These types of repercussions could have long-lasting effects on their future, which is why fighting the allegations and filing an appeal, if necessary, is crucial.
Of course, in the most extreme cases, students — and anyone who helped them — could even face criminal charges. Take, for example, a recent case of a homecoming queen in Cantonment, Florida.
When School Rule Violations Become Serious
Emily Grover was elected homecoming queen of Tate High School, and all seemed right in Grover's world. But soon, Grover's crown came tumbling down amidst allegations that she and her mother, Laura Carroll, an assistant principal also in the Escambia County School District, had hacked school records to cast more than 200 fake votes and rig the homecoming election in favor of Grover.
In Grover's case, she was suspended from school for 10 days, but authorities didn't let the matter just rest with the school. The mother and daughter have been charged with several crimes, including both felonies and misdemeanors: offenses against computer users, criminal use of personally identifiable information, unlawful use of a two-way communications device, and conspiracy to commit those offenses. Grover, who was 17 when charged with the crimes, was charged as an adult. The criminal case is ongoing.
Challenging Disciplinary School Sanctions
When school disciplinary sanctions could include suspension or expulsion, the time to begin defending your rights is now. All schools have their own procedures for applying discipline for student misconduct, and it is important that you know what they are and how they work from as early in the process as possible.
If you receive an adverse disciplinary decision, you may be able to appeal on several grounds, depending on what is permitted by the school code. Common appeal grounds include:
- The penalty imposed is too severe for the misconduct alleged;
- The school's finding of responsibility is not supported by the evidence;
- The school failed to follow its own procedures, violating the student's right to due process;
- New, additional evidence would show that the student was not responsible for the conduct alleged.
While there are countless ways a student could find themselves in a predicament such as Grover, one principle remains constant: If you or your student is facing school disciplinary proceedings, you should have an experienced lawyer involved in the process on your side.
National Student Discipline Defense
Whether you're just beginning the disciplinary process or need to file an appeal, attorney Joseph D. Lento has experience successfully guiding students and families across the nation through their school's appeal processes and helping them score successful appeals. Contact him today for help at 888-535-3686.
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