Despite social media's ubiquity, it continues to face a barrage of criticism for being harmful and triggering. From inducing tremendous stress to undermining democracy, no one can deny its significant — albeit controversial — impact on society, namely on young people.

According to the Pew Research Center, “Many Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information, and entertain themselves.” While college-age kids post innocent dance videos on TikTok or last Friday night's collage of photos on Instagram, other social posts may invite more intrusive investigations.

What happens when a school's conduct codes are perceived to be violated based on misconduct viewed on social media? The Lento Law Firm has defended more than one thousand students across the country who are facing allegations of a college code violation. Call our reliable team today at 888-535-3686 or fill out a contact form so we can learn more about your case.

When Schools Discipline Students for Behavior Shared on Social Media

At Central Michigan University, a group of students, faculty, and staff met to discuss the issue of racist incidents on campus. What started as a dignified discussion about race relations led to reports of multiple people using racist language and engaging in inappropriate behavior.

Videos of the incident quickly went viral on social media, triggering an investigation by the university's Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity and the Office of Student Conduct. In a comment from CMU President Bob Davies, he stated, “Incidents of bias and discrimination do not represent who we are, and they do not embrace the vision of the community we aspire to be now and in the future.”

The investigation ultimately led to a student's suspension and a staff member's “separation from the university.” While the grounds for these actions may seem straightforward, not every case is the same.

Common Code Violation Sanctions

Even though codes differ based on educational institutions, students may face any number of consequences after being accused of violating them:

• Academic probation
• Disciplinary probation
• Suspension
• Expulsion
• Housing probation
• Campus residence removal
• Scholarship revocation
• Updates to student's record

The Lento Law Firm Team is among the most experienced in the United States in matters involving student discipline defense. We understand the long-term consequences for the accused student, including limited opportunities for employment, complications transferring to a new university, college, or graduate program, or the shortage of funds to continue with their education. It doesn't matter if the violations were detected in real-time on-site or online; we are here to protect your rights.

How the Lento Law Firm Family Can Help

If your college-age child has been accused of a code violation based on a social media post, it's important to contact an experienced student discipline defense attorney. Given the high stakes of the outcome, it's critical to seek legal advice from the Lento Law Firm as soon as possible.

We can help drive the outcomes you and your family deserve in a case of code of conduct or disciplinary charges. To schedule a confidential consultation today, contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team at 888-535-3686 or fill out a contact form.