My son got a 10-day suspension because he’s being accused of assaulting a staff member. The incident happened after school and off school grounds, and the guy who confronted him wasn’t even identified. Apparently, it was a dean, but my son didn’t know that. The man just walked up and stuck a phone in my son’s face. My son, not recognizing him, swatted the phone away and kept walking. Now, I’ve received a letter saying there’s going to be a hearing for possible expulsion. It’s this Monday, 9/16. I’m not sure what to do to prepare. Any advice?
Yikes, that sounds really stressful. First thing you need is to get everything in writing—any letters from the school, the suspension details, and the hearing notice. If there were any witnesses, definitely reach out to them. You want to have all the facts lined up.
@Jules
Yeah, exactly. I had to do the same thing when my niece got into trouble at school. It really helped having everything organized.
Ari said:
@Jules
Yeah, exactly. I had to do the same thing when my niece got into trouble at school. It really helped having everything organized.
Definitely. You want to cover all your bases. And don’t forget to ask the school for any video footage from that day, if it’s available.
Were there any other students around when this happened? If so, their stories could be key in showing what really went down.
Eden said:
Were there any other students around when this happened? If so, their stories could be key in showing what really went down.
I think a couple of students might have seen it, but I’ll need to check with my son. It’s definitely worth looking into.
It’s really important to review the school’s disciplinary policies too. They should have specific rules for how these hearings go, and knowing them will help you be prepared.
Arlen said:
It’s really important to review the school’s disciplinary policies too. They should have specific rules for how these hearings go, and knowing them will help you be prepared.
Good point! I’ll read up on that so I know exactly what to expect. It’ll help make sure the hearing is fair.
Arlen said:
It’s really important to review the school’s disciplinary policies too. They should have specific rules for how these hearings go, and knowing them will help you be prepared.
Exactly! The more you know about the rules, the better you can handle any surprises that might come up.
One thing to emphasize is that this happened off-campus and after school hours. That could really affect how they view the situation.
Reagan said:
One thing to emphasize is that this happened off-campus and after school hours. That could really affect how they view the situation.
I didn’t think about that. If it was off school grounds, that could definitely make the whole thing less about the school’s control.
Also, don’t forget to mention that the man didn’t identify himself. That’s a big part of why your son reacted the way he did. He probably felt unsafe not knowing who this person was.
Lex said:
Also, don’t forget to mention that the man didn’t identify himself. That’s a big part of why your son reacted the way he did. He probably felt unsafe not knowing who this person was.
You’re right. If my son had known it was a school official, he probably wouldn’t have reacted the way he did. I’ll make sure to bring that up.