Finding the right school for your children can be tricky, particularly if they have special educational requirements. Fortunately, there are several schools out there that provide excellent facilities and staff.
However, some schools don’t perform as advertised, and they may implement problematic disciplinary procedures. It is not uncommon for children to be unfairly expelled from school. As a parent, how can you address this?
Listen to Your Child’s Point of View
There can be a tendency to listen to an adult’s point of view over a child. Nonetheless, adults, even professional teachers, do not always get it right. That’s why it’s important to hear your child out before taking any further steps.
Simply listening to your child will help you to build a fuller picture of events, and you may identify shortcomings in the school.
Talk to Your Child’s Teacher and Principal
After you’ve listened to your child’s version of events, you may want to arrange an appointment with your child’s teacher and the principal of the school. You may actually find that the teacher is on your child’s side, but has had their hands tied by unfair school policies.
Read the Code of Conduct
It is a legal requirement for all schools to have a written code of conduct. This should be readily available to both students and their parents. Once you have access to the code of conduct, you can check to see whether or not expulsion is in line with the conduct that your child has been accused of. You can also check to see whether or not the school has followed its own disciplinary procedures properly and whether or not you have a right of appeal.
If you cannot resolve an unfair expulsion internally with the school, then it may be time to start considering your legal options. Educational law can be nuanced, so it’s important to have experienced guidance behind you.