Suspension/expulsion

I had about the same problem . Its a miracle what an email to the president of the school board can do!!!

I get zero tolerance. But if in fact, this boy was attacked from behind, what is he supposed to do? Lay down and take a beating? If it really did happen the way he said it and there were witnesses, this is a very harsh punishment. Is this his first offense? Nevermind, just saw that it is. I don't know if there is anything you can do, but as a parent, I would find out. What did the other kid get?

This seems extremely excessive for a first time offender. The district seems to want to destroy his future for making one mistake. Fight this, and fight hard.

the schools do not generally advertise this but your son is also entitled to have an attorney present during any hearings or school board hearings. You may want to look into getting one.

Perhaps a way to approach this is not by looking at the quantity of punishment, but the reasons for the punishment. The school should be able to give you good reasons (not reasons you agree with, but logical and universal reasons) for the punishment. Maybe they don't look at who started the fight when determining consequences. It is possible that an expulsion hearing is mandatory for everyone involved in fighting. Does the handbook say that the student cannot participate in extracurriculars for the rest of the year when caught fighting? Etc. It is not unreasonable to ask for a meeting with the principal to discuss the consequences (which, even as a HS teacher, do seem a little extreme to me), but I would not go in "guns a-blazing" which will just make everyone defensive. Try to be open to what the school is saying, as they have to take into consideration not only your "good kid" when they make the rules, but lots of other "not so good kids." If in the end, you don't get answers that are satisfying, I would ask to speak to the superintendent/school board about the disciplinary procedures your high school has in place. Good luck.

That is very harsh for a first time offense. Did any of the other students witness the fight? If so, could you get them to support your son's position? Just a thought. I would attend the hearing or take it to the school board. In fact, if it were me, my first call would be to an attorney to get some legal advice. This isn't fair to your son that some kid attacks him and he is the one punished for protecting himself. I would fight them on this one--big time.

Let us know what happens,

M.

That's zero tolerance for you. Although I do think the punishment is excessive, your son should have known what the punishments would be if he were to break the rules. Now that I think of about it, you should have known too.

All of the kids in our district are required to sign and turn in the last page of the student handbook, which goes into extreme detail about what is expected academically, behavior-wise and what the punishments are for transgressions. Doesn't mean they read it, I suppose, but they should.

So, I don't think you should be surprised at the punishments. What you should be surprised at is your son's behavior. He was at school and got in a fight. Doesn't matter that he defended himself or who started it - those are just excuses. He wouldn't be in this position if he had just walked away and gone to the principal's office. The other kid would have been the only one to get in trouble.

I think this a good, teachable moment for your son. He made a poor choice and now he has to pay the consequences.

Yes, you need to avocate for your child immediately. Talk with the Principal face-to-face today, and if nothing amounts, take notes on your meeting, his/her responses/suggestions/actions, and take that to the School Board's President or Superintendent -- you can call the county and get their information pretty easily (I had to once).

This way, you are avocating your son through the proper channels -- showing support of the school while disputing their protocol for this instance. The school staff might have their "hands tied" until you make it an issue with their "supervisors" -- just like when you have to "talk to the supervisor" to take off the extraneous charge:) Go Mom Go!

I work with kids in GA so the information I have might be slightly different but... 18 days seems long, is it possible that it includes spring break? Here the kids have to appear at a tribunial before the county school officials and they decide if the child goes back to school or is expelled or sent to Alternative school. Take a lawyer with you!!! The school board will have one and so should you. Also, call the chief of school police and see if charges will be filed, if they say no ask for it in writing!! Kids here are often charged by the police after the incident at school and the tribunial knows nothing about. It is your job and your communities job to keep the schools in check. You (I assume) elected a school board official, call them and inform them of the goings on. Schools report what makes them look good so the school board officials who are not in the schools may have no idea of what really goes on. As far as the punishments they are harsh but he is in 10th grade and has 2 more years of activities. It is a good learning opportunity for him. Life is not fair and sometimes we are punished for things that we have no control over. What I have always heard about 'self defense' is that you can respond with enough force to get away safely. If its more than that you will likely be charged. I hope that it all works out well. If you have a good relationship with the teachers and staff you might try to get his work so that he has something to do and does not get behind while he is out. He may not get credit for it but hopefully he can stay on track so that he doesn't fail.

First of all let me say that there is zero tolerance for fighting in schools. They are taught this from kindergarten. Yes, they are to not participate so that there is no doubt that they were not involved. He also argued so that also did not help his case.

I read that he was attacked from behind, but he did fight and as a member of a sports team, I am sure he has been told many times that he cannot participate in any kind of fighting and then be allowed to participate in school events.

The other thing is that he is fortunate this happened in school and not out on the street, because then the Police would be involved and the price for legal help and keeping his record clean would be a real pain.

This is also a time to let your son suffer the consequences so he can see how serious this is. Even "good kids" can get into trouble and have to follow the rules. Look at this as his wake up call to follow the rules at all times.. Do not concentrate on the other student or make excuses, just tell your son this is what the consequences are.

That being said...
I just read the hand book for Spaertanburg High and it says if this was his first fight,10 days is the length of suspension. This seems to be about the typical length for fighting in most school districts and yes, missing lall of the extras is a shame, but he was a participant in a fight in a public building on public land. This is just not allowed in our society.
http://spartanburg7.org/uploads/resources/handbook-final.pdf
Check out page 4 and 5.

Also note that you can appeal the length of his punishment.
I am sending you strength. This is not the end of the world for you guys, it is a chance to take a breath and regroup. Bet your son will not do this again.

I am sending you strength.

We had a neighbor son who actually brought a knife to school and was given the expulsion, punishment list, etc. The way they do it in Forsyth County is they will hold a tribunal. At that tribunal, you get neighbors, teachers, anyone else to speak on behalf of you son. At the end of the tribunal they will make a decision whether to let you son back in school. My husband attended a tribunal for our neighbor and they actually let him back in school. He had been camping the weekend before and actually just forgot to take the knife out of his backpack which he took on the camping trip when he unpacked when they returned home. He never took it out of his backpack at school, just another kid saw it and reported him.

Also, my daughter was in 10th grade and was attacked from behind. They wanted to suspend, expel her, etc. We went to bat for her as we felt she was set up and was attacked by multiple girls. All my daughter was doing was defending herself. They dropped the suspension and erased her school record of the fight.

I agree with the other moms, you definitely need to go to bat for your son and fight like hell at the tribunal and bring as many people as you can to speak on his behalf. If teachers cannot be there in person, have them type up a letter on his behalf and have it read and present it to the tribunal panel. I do believe you have a really good chance of getting him back in school. If he was really approached from behind it sounds like all he was doing was defending himself. Yes he may have had words with the boy, but words are just words. I would also get his coaches to write letters or speak on his behalf at the tribunal also. I hope this helps.

C. C.

More and more parents are working against over the top 'zero-tolerance' policies in schools. You should absolutely fight your son being expelled from school over this! Yes, he made an error in judgment, but it sounds to me like missing the school dance and his wrestling banquet are the bigger 'social' punishments. Having an expulsion on his permanent record is another matter entirely. There are rules set down to follow, and the school board and principal, etc. cannot just arbitrarily decide what to do to him.

You need to familiarize yourself with the official school and school district policy for fighting, especially since it did not involve a weapon of any kind and since your son was attacked from behind.

Also, find out what the school's history is on suspensions and expulsions- were other students punished less or more than your son for the same type of fight? Are there other factors involved? What about the other kid- does he have a history of fighting or dangerous behavior or were the boys just getting out of hand?

School boards cannot afford lawsuits- if they don't at least meet with you and give you a detailed explaination- with documentation to back up their decision- of why this was your son's exact punishment and proof that others who were involved in similar incidents were punished in EXACTLY the same way, then call a lawyer.

I am not one of those people who thinks you should sue over anything, but this is your son's future and record you are talking about! It sounds like he has been a good student other than this one incident- if that is the case, then it sounds like his punishment is way over the top to me.

I would fight for your son, this was his first time in trouble and any principle worth anything should have taken that into account and only gave him suspension.

Good Luck!!! and I hope things work out for you.

I think this is crazy. If what you said is true, that he was attacked from behind, then he had to fight to protect himself. I get the zero tolerance for fighting since things in schools are pretty bad these days but self defense to me isn’t the same thing. I don’t even think that having a verbal disagreement with the other boy should have any bearing on this. We all hear things we don’t want to and it is up to us to have restraint from hitting or attacking them. I too would fight this hard with the school board, principle, court whatever I had to re-instate my son's rights.

I think this is a bit harsh if this is the result of simply defending himself and this is a first (perhaps only) offense. What did they do to the other kid and what is his track record for being a trouble maker? I don't think anyone should have to be anyone else s punching bag and although there might be some punishment for not being able to resolve differences peacefully, I don't think defending yourself should carry the same punishment as throwing the first punch.

I don't think this is fair. The 18 day suspension should have been enough. To take away so many of his privileges over a first is definitely excessive. I sure hope the other boy got an even worse punishment. After all, he was the one who attacked your son. I would definitely speak to the principal at your son's school and demand that your son get his privileges back. The suspension is most certainly enough of a punishment for him. Especially considering he's an honor student who is respectful of the staff. (Not many teenagers these days are very respectful.) His record should count for something.

I teach high school in Texas, and at the school where I teach, in the situation you described both boys would have been sent to alternative school for 7 days and then could return to classes unless they were repeat offenders. It sounds quite excessive for your son.

This is not unusual punishment these days. I know of a boy just like yours that was not a trouble maker and an honor student that had the same thing happen to him. He is now in college and doing well, but it was a lesson well learned for him. I know it is hard for you to see him go thru this but that is the cost for fighting. I am sure it is written in the student handbook somewhere.

I think my self that it is a bitt excessive punishment, considering he has been in no other trouble and is a good student. I am 37 and I remember when I was in school fights where no big deal, but considering all the school shootings that have went on in the schools there is a zero tolerence rule. They have to take every case serious. The students at columbine were good students and made good grades. I am sure your child is a good kid and had to defend himself. The school can not pick and choose. They want to give the situation time to defuse it self or it could be exculaded. I am sorry your son has to miss out on all the things he works hard on. It just the way it has to be in this day an age.

I just read through and then scanned some of the other responses. Yeah, Zero Tolerance is a pain! BUt, that being said, the school handbook should hold a wealth of information on this issue and the consequences.
Being his first and only infraction (and a doozy) my sympathy!! My good friend just went through something similar here on our school(GA) and the parent documentation etc, didn't help at all! First offense, thrwoing something away and someone else picked it up when it missed the garbage. The assumption that the pink stuff was a drug!! It was NOT, can be proven in MANY ways and he is on a 1 YEAR alternative school with NO extra curricular anything! While he is in middle school, I feel the punishment is extrememly long! Way out of acceptance for the "crime" and beyond obvious it was NOT a drug. The school and school board did not care!!
IF he is good for the first 6 months (summer NOT included) he can be out by Christmas break next year!!! Had the parent fought any further and lost, he would not be eligible for ANY good behavior release!
Honor student and Asperger child! Since being in alternative school, he has witnessed several fights AND been offered drugs!!!!!!! By turning in the drug pusher, he was given a reward! I still shake my head as I type this.
I would at least get the witnesses in to report their side. The child involved should've gotten a bigger punishment. You don't mention that.
A small but grateful part is that he is in 10th grade! At least he isn't a Senior! It's a tough lesson to learn and one he won't forget. The hard part again is 2 more years-will the other boy be around as well?
When my own son was struck in the face in MS (he retaliated by kicking back) the person who hit him received 5 days ISS (in school suspension) and my son received 3. I was furious but glad it was only ISS and not OSS (out of school suspension) and while he had been dealing with this person for several weeks, there were other incidents that this person was already on record for. My son served his time and has been relatively good since. At least no ISS/OSS or anything else! He graduates in 2 months-better NOT be anything, now, that could mess it up.
I wish you a ton of luck! I'm sorry this has happened to your son and hope you are able to at least reduce his time.