My son just got a 10-day suspension because he’s being accused of assaulting a staff member. The thing is, this happened after school hours, off school grounds, and my son didn’t even know the guy. A man (later identified as a dean) approached him out of nowhere, sticking a phone in his face. My son, not knowing who this person was, swatted the phone away and kept walking. Now I just got a letter saying there’s a hearing for expulsion. It’s this Monday, 9/16. Anyone know what I should be doing to prepare for the hearing?
Wow, that’s a tough situation. First thing I’d say is make sure you gather everything—any documentation you have from the suspension, the expulsion hearing letter, and maybe even talk to any witnesses who might’ve seen the whole thing. This is gonna be important for your son’s side of the story.
@Oak
Yeah, that makes sense. I had a similar situation before, and having all the paperwork ready was a lifesaver.
Lux said:
@Oak
Yeah, that makes sense. I had a similar situation before, and having all the paperwork ready was a lifesaver.
Exactly. It helps to have everything in order. Make sure to ask the school for any security footage if it’s available.
Do you know if there were any witnesses around? If other students saw the incident, their testimonies might really help your case. It could show that your son didn’t just lash out for no reason.
Wynn said:
Do you know if there were any witnesses around? If other students saw the incident, their testimonies might really help your case. It could show that your son didn’t just lash out for no reason.
I think there were some students around, but I’m not sure if any of them noticed. I’ll check with my son to see if anyone was around to back him up.
It could help if you also review the school’s code of conduct. If they have a clear procedure for things like this, you’ll be in a stronger position at the hearing.
Oli said:
It could help if you also review the school’s code of conduct. If they have a clear procedure for things like this, you’ll be in a stronger position at the hearing.
Good idea. I’ll make sure to look over that. I’m guessing I’ll need to make sure everything is in line with their rules for how hearings should go?
Oli said:
It could help if you also review the school’s code of conduct. If they have a clear procedure for things like this, you’ll be in a stronger position at the hearing.
Exactly! You want to be sure that they’re following the process correctly so nothing gets overlooked.
Make sure to mention that this happened off school grounds and after school hours. That might make a difference in how they handle the situation.
Zyan said:
Make sure to mention that this happened off school grounds and after school hours. That might make a difference in how they handle the situation.
Oh yeah, I didn’t even think of that. The fact that it was off-campus could help show that it wasn’t the school’s responsibility at that point.
Also, make sure to explain that the dean didn’t identify himself. That could be a big factor in showing your son’s reaction was out of concern for his safety.
Jalen said:
Also, make sure to explain that the dean didn’t identify himself. That could be a big factor in showing your son’s reaction was out of concern for his safety.
Definitely. My son didn’t know who this guy was, so he probably just felt threatened. I’ll bring that up at the hearing.