ASSIGNMENT | Student Discipline and Due Process

Review the school board policy and student handbook of a local public elementary or secondary school 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.
Based on the information that you gather, 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 that site. 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.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Short-term Suspension
According to Dearborn Public schools ‘approved policies and guidelines, all students must be treated the same when administering short-term suspensions. The institution provides that before a student is suspended, there should be an informal discussion regarding the wrongs committed. The details of the suspension must be communicated including the duration and what the student is expected to do during and after the suspension. In addition, the parents must be informed of the suspension by the school administration. In case the student or parent is dissatisfied with the decision, he/she has the right to seek further clarification from the institution (Skiba et al., 2014).
Long-term Suspensions
Before a long-term suspension or expulsion is issued, the school must deliver a written notice to the special student and parent. The notice can only be delivered by an authorized person or certified mail and it must meet a number of requirements. One, it must be presented in a language that is familiar to both the student and the parent/guardian. Secondly, it must specify the offence that the student has been charged…