Bingo. @doschicos is absolutely correct. The OP has stated the the kid is in boarding school and that this is the second strike. The school’s rules for behavior are often more strict than the letter off the law, but they are also completely detailed in the student/parent handbook, so there should be no surprises. Some schools actually have a one-strike rule. So the OP’s recourse with the school hovers somewhere between slim and none, and it seems s/he knows that, and is asking for next steps outside of the current school. They OP can certainly try to talk to the current school, but should not be surprised when the disciplinary action stands.
I think the young man in question is in the best position to schedule a meeting with the headmaster, offer up a scenario of “I’ll prepare and teach a class on substances/rules/rule-breaking using myself as an example and talk to the Freshmen about what I have learned”.
Parental involvement at this point seems like a waste of time. Either the student can show genuine remorse and a willingness to use himself to teach others in the community- which might get some leniency-- or not. But parents arguing that he’s got his whole future on the line, blah blah blah- nothing they haven’t heard a thousand times before.
OP-- tell your kid to quickly figure out an option which is neither dismissal or withdrawal. And agree 100% that AP exams at this point are the least of your problems.
I have a friend who got into trouble (much more serious than this ) during a spring break trip. He was at a public school however. He was ultimately allowed to finish up courses via homeschooling and tutoring and took the AP exams at the school. He ended up at UVM and has since graduated. He’s a good kid, but sometimes kids just don’t think ahead. Their frontal lobes really aren’t fully developed.
Not sure a private school would consider the son’s offer to be an example and teach others as a very appealing option. Especially since it will send the message that they will make exceptions to the rules - son not being expelled would be a very visible exception and the last thing they want to convey to other students.
Is there any chance he can transfer to a less exalted private school and still graduate? A few years ago a young man I know was put in this situation by a boarding school for very different reasons. Parents are quite wealthy, I admit, and maybe that made a difference. Mom got on the phone and called every other boarding school in the area. I think two said yes–they’d let him transfer to them. He withdrew, transferred, graduated on time from HS and went to college. Maybe things are tougher now, but it might be worth a try. I think his offense is one that some schools wouldn’t be too upset about.
If that doesn’t work, try some of the better “online” high schools.
Public schools usually have bizarre requirements for graduation which it can be hard to meet as a senior and sometimes they won’t give credit for private school courses which aren’t offered at the public school.
I would be more concerned that he didn’t learn his lesson the first time he broke the rules. He obviously knew it was against the rules the second time he did it. Put him in public school, they won’t put up with that either.
Public schools aren’t allowed to expel students without offering a free alternative. Another vote for finding a private alternative or online or homeschool. And put an application in to your state flagship or other safety college which may not care about smoking violations.
The district’s continuation or reform school is the usual alternative for those expelled from regular public schools.
If he is unable to graduate from high school (due to mismatching requirements that cannot be met in the last semester), there is always the option of taking the GED and starting at a community college, later to transfer to a university. Some universities do not even require a high school diploma or GED for junior level transfers.
Not true. Many high schools have an “alternative”high school…usually run after school hours. Students who have been suspended for one reason or another can attend this.
I would suggest this parent contact the parochial high schools in her area, as well as some private ones.
Not boarding schools…schools wher this kid can live at home.
And there are some colleges that don’t require a HS diploma for enrollment…a GED will suffice.
I suspect there are bigger picture issues to be concerned about. I do not know one single kid who is vaping that isn’t involved in something more serious, of course that is anecdotal and just my experience with our local public school population.
Public schools don’t expel for this. They really don’t. They have more important issues. Suspension, yes, but not expulsion. But it isn’t worth it to jump thru the public school hoops for one semester. Finish the program online ( maybe even a free public option) and move on. In my state, no public university would be concerned about this, so that would be a good option. And yes, I do know kids who vape only tobacco or even flavored vapor-I think it is crazy, but sone parents, including doctors, bmhave no objection
@thumper1 maybe where you live. Here if your suspended you do in school suspension aka supervised (one of the hs deans/vp’s) study hall where you do your school work. Expulsion is alternative school (basically juvie school) which runs the same hours as regular school. There is a big difference between suspension and expulsion.
And this kid was never suspended. So there should have been another step, but too late for that now. Once prep schools ask for withdrawal, one really must withdraw. The school might do a decent letter to the LAC explaining the situation.
“I am assuming that would cause his college acceptance to be revoked”
Not necessarily. He will have to update the college that accepted him and tell them the news. Not every school will rescind in this situation. It’s slightly better to withdraw than to be dismissed, but the big issue is what he does next and how to talk about it, rather than the label on his departure from school.
There’s no such thing as an American high school that “you can’t get into college” from. Maybe they don’t send many kids to college, but this student is already on a college trajectory. If he gets a GED or graduates from any accredited high school, he can go to college.
I work with many private school kids in this exact situation every year. Thanks to everyone who thought of me.