" And I am fine with some punishment. But kicking a second semester senior out of school is beyond an acceptable punishment."
The punishment came with the first strike. How would you advice administrations deal with repeat offenders without being viewed as lax by other students and families? How do schools send the message that rules are rules without increased punishment for repeat offenses? The inmates would be running the asylum.
And having wealthy well-connected parents can be helpful in giving them another chance.
The second semester senior knew the rules. He and his parents most likely had to sign something that affect. In addition, this second semester senior had already been warned once.
It may be a stupid role and it may be legal. HOWEVER, it is against the rules of this school and the student knew that. Wearing sagging blue jeans and a tank top is also legal. However, if a student continues to violate the school dress code by dressing in sagging blue jeans and a tank top rather than the school’s required uniform, the school has the right to invoke disciplinary actions. If you don’t like the rules, go to a different school.
There are a lot of variables that we do not know. Each state has it’s own guidelines/rules for schools. Some states require all schools, public and private to be certified by the state, other states do not require private schools to be state certified. Each school district sets it’s own rules according to the state guidelines/rules. The school/district can have more requirements/ be stricter than the state but cannot have less if they are state certified. How each school/district handles vaping and or vaping items depends on their board and state. Some classify vaping items as drug paraphernalia since 1. tobacco can be considered a drug 2. vaping items can be used for illegal drugs. We don’t know what the school handbook states. Some may clearing state no smoking on campus and what the punishments are. I was reading yesterday about a school district in New Jersey which confiscates the vaping item and sends it to a lab for drug testing (no comment about who pays for the testing). If it comes back positive then the illegal drugs rules come into play. If it is negative then the school resource office issues a ticket. There was no comment about the number of tickets allowed or any fine increases, before a suspension or expulsion.
The public school my children attend has a no cell phone policy. A cell phone going off in class or even the site of a cell phone gives school personal the right to confiscate the phone and an automatic Saturday school for the student. What high school student wants to get up and be at school by 8 am on a Saturday. Confiscated phones are turned into the office. A parent is then contacted. Only a parent may claim the phone. Teachers can go strictly by the rule or have some leeway. Case 1. a phone goes off in class, is confiscated and Saturday school issues. Mom (a district teacher) isn’t happy but puts the blame on her own child for failing to turn off her phone before school. Case 2. phone goes off in class and the student ignores it until the teacher tell him to answer it. Conversation consists of hello, I’m in class and phone is turned off. Teacher ask who it was (mom) and what she wanted (she wanted to know what I was doing). Teacher informs the student to tell him mom not to call while he is in school no Saturday school issued. While the no cell phone rule might seem bad, the students attention is on what is being taught in class and not on their latest text message. Oh a vibrating phone will cause your backpack to rattle so it is still heard. Three Saturday school and you get an in school suspension. Five in school suspensions and you go before the board for expulsion. Not all “crimes” are handled in that order. Drugs, alcohol and guns skip the first two steps, involve the police and may be an automatic expulsion with a review by the school board.
How each incident is handled depends on the district/school board and state policies.
I know, rules are rules. So I am sure you do the speed limit, all the time, every time. So this 18 year old kid has a big black mark on his HS/College record because he did something stupid, that isn’t even a big deal. Wonderful.
“Worst case scenario, if the college he is accepted at rescinds, he takes a gap year and reapplies to colleges in the fall.”
The gap year might be a good idea, but there will be plenty of schools accepting kids well into the spring The NACAC list of schools with space for the fall will come out about a week after May 1.
"I know, rules are rules. So I am sure you do the speed limit, all the time, every time. "
Completely irrelevant. Sure, some of us drive above the speed limit at times. We know what the rules are and the consequences. We speed and if caught, we get a ticket resulting in a fine and possibly points on our record which could affect our auto insurance. We take the risk and suffer the consequences. Oh look, I guess it is relevant. The student took the risk after being caught and punished before. He knew the rules and now he is suffering from the consequences. Sure, it sucks for both the student and his family but it isn’t unfair.
Starting at community college is also an option.
Baloney. The consequences don’t fit the “crime.” Period end.
Agree to disagree and maybe someone has suggestions to offer.
Seems like the generic suggestions are:
A. Transfer to a different high school and graduate, or do a GED if that is not possible.
B. If the current set of colleges is likely to reject or rescind admission, try to find and apply to other colleges that are likely to admit despite the student’s defect, or start at community college.
Without any more detail from the OP, that is probably as far as it is going.
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