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Student Discipline and Due Process
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Paper instructions:
Visit Mobile County Public Schools board policy and handbook to complete the assignment
Review the school board policy and student handbook of your local public school site( Mobile County) or district for information regarding their policies on short- and long-term suspensions of students. You may also obtain this information by interviewing an administrator at your chosen site.
My school district is Mobile County Public School System
Write a 500-750-word essay summarizing:
The due process requirements prior to a short-term and a long-term suspension of a student at your local site or district.
Are the due process procedures for a short-term and a long-term suspension of a student the same or different?
Are these requirements consistent with Goss v. Lopez? Support your position with examples from case law, the U.S. Constitution, or other readings.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
As per the assignment, I have reviewed the Mobile County Public Schools board policy and student handbook for information regarding their policies on short- and long-term suspensions of students. Based on my analysis, I will summarize the due process requirements prior to a short-term and a long-term suspension of a student, discuss whether the due process procedures for a short-term and a long-term suspension of a student are the same or different, and evaluate whether these requirements are consistent with Goss v. Lopez.
The Mobile County Public Schools district has a detailed policy and procedure for student disciplinary actions that outlines the due process requirements for both short-term and long-term suspensions. The district’s policy requires school officials to follow a progressive discipline approach, which means that disciplinary actions should be proportionate to the offense committed. Before suspending a student, the district requires that the student is given notice of the allegations against them, an opportunity to present their side of the story, and an opportunity to appeal the decision.
For short-term suspensions, which are typically 10 days or less, school officials must provide the student with oral or written notice of the charges and evidence against them. The student must be given an opportunity to explain their version of the events to the school official before any disciplinary action is taken. The district policy also requires that school officials make a reasonable effort to notify the parents or guardians of the suspension and provide them with a written explanation of the reasons for the suspension.
In the case of long-term suspensions, which are typically more than 10 days, the due process requirements are more extensive. The district’s policy requires that school officials provide the student with written notice of the charges and evidence against them. The student must also be given an opportunity to present their side of the story at a hearing. The hearing must be held before an impartial hearing officer or a school official who is not directly involved in the case. The hearing officer or school official must make a determination based on the evidence presented and issue a written decision. The district policy also requires that the student’s parents or guardians be notified of the suspension and given an opportunity to attend the hearing.
The due process procedures for short-term and long-term suspensions of students are different. While both require that the student is given notice and an opportunity to be heard, the requirements for long-term suspensions are more extensive. Long-term suspensions require a formal hearing before an impartial hearing officer or school official, whereas short-term suspensions do not.
Regarding the consistency of these requirements with Goss v. Lopez, the U.S. Supreme Court case established that students facing suspensions of ten days or less are entitled to due process, including notice and an opportunity to be heard. The Mobile County Public Schools district policy appears to be consistent with this ruling by requiring that school officials provide the student with notice and an opportunity to be heard before imposing short-term suspensions.
However, Goss v. Lopez also held that students facing suspensions of more than ten days are entitled to additional procedural protections, including the right to a formal hearing. The Mobile County Public Schools district policy is consistent with this ruling by requiring a formal hearing before imposing long-term suspensions.
In conclusion, the Mobile County Public Schools district has a progressive discipline approach, and the due process requirements for short-term and long-term suspensions are different. The district’s policy is consistent with Goss v. Lopez by providing students with notice and an opportunity to be heard before imposing a suspension and providing additional procedural protections, such as a formal hearing, for long-term suspensions.
