Why can’t restorative justice replace suspension or expulsion all the time in schools? When is it just not enough? What if the student victims want more punishment? When Restorative Justice Definitely is NOT Enough? There are times when restorative justice is ill-advised, and just plain wrong. It could even be
California schools have started implementing “restorative justice” to reduce out of school punishments, such as suspension and expulsion. What is restorative justice, and is it better than a school suspension? What is Restorative Justice? Restorative justice is a newer concept in California schools. Instead of forcing students out of the
In PR (public relations), one old adage is “know your audience.” Just WHO are you trying to sell something to or convince? With students facing expulsion, the people they need to sell their innocence to are the school expulsion panel members. Unfortunately, membership is exclusive and controlled by the entity
Terminology in schools can be very confusing. Schools always presume parents know what terms like “504” and “Section 504” mean, when most don’t. Why would we? What is the definition of “504” and what is “Section 504?” Why is knowing about Section 504 critical for some disabled students? Let’s clear
Parents often wonder who has to attend a student IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting. Can a parent make a certain teacher, psychologist, or other school staff member attend an IEP meeting? Maybe, but generally, not so much. Okay, so how can parents get certain school staff to a student’s IEP?
When a student in elementary, middle or high school faces removal from their school and school district (aka a school expulsion), they need to know their enemies. One of these enemies could be a group the family least expects: the school expulsion hearing panel. What is a School Expulsion Hearing
The California Interscholastic Federation, aka CIF, is a tough organization with confusing rules harshly imposed on unsuspecting high school athletes. Insight is important for parents approaching CIF and their mysterious state appeals office. So, what happens at a CIF State Appeal Hearing, if a student is fortunate enough to have
California charter schools are unique. Some laws that apply in typical public schools don’t apply to charter schools. One example includes the California laws on student expulsions. Charter schools have different minimum standards to expel a student, which parents of charter school students should be aware of. Charter School Mandates
When a student is facing a public school expulsion, the process is quick, intense and confusing. Suddenly a calm school life turns into a fast paced nightmare. Often schools push parents to sign a “stipulated expulsion” quickly to avoid the hassle of a hearing. What is a stipulated expulsion and
Gaslighting is bad, and especially bad when it involves kids and students. Unfortunately, gaslighting is incredibly common in student discipline and school investigations. Gaslighting in Student Discipline Here are some examples of gaslighting I have seen in California schools involving student discipline. A student who is communicating serious threats, diverts
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