Heartbroken

I have a student in my 7th period Biology class who has made such an improvement over the course of the school year. In the beginning, he stole the PowerAide drink off my desk, wrote on my desks, caused a classroom disruption almost every day, and had an F in my class. Then... soccer season started.

The Head of Security is also the Varsity soccer coach. He is a wonderful man and truly cares about the students at our school. I have been working very closely with this soccer student over his grades, attitude, everything. This kid made All-State in soccer and he is only a sophomore. Through parent meetings, my own interventions, going to his soccer games, and working with the head of security, this kid has really turned around. He has a D in my class right now which is descent considering the work load I have been giving him. Soccer season is over, but this kid has really turned around.

He brought such a warmth to my heart when he came in to my room before school one day. He had been coming in before school, after school and on his lunch to bring his grade up so he could play soccer. He made it and on day our soccer team went to semi-finals for state, he showed up in my classroom before the bell rang in his dress shirt, tie, vest, slacks, and dress shoes. I was so proud of him. I took his picture, printed it out and put it up on my bulletin board.

Last week, when 7th period came, I pulled up the attendance online and saw he had "IHS" written on his photo. This means he would not be coming to my class and would be sitting in In School Suspension. I was so disappointed - but walked down to the IHS classroom with his work for the day. When I walked in to the room, he told me he was "PDP" (Pending Due Process - meaning he was going through the process of being expelled from the district). My jaw fell to the floor.

Pending Due Process is such a serious issue I had to look it up! Below is a copy from our district manual regarding PDP:

Ÿ Step 4. The following guidelines shall be observed at the formal hearing:

		§ The hearing will be closed to the public, unless the student's parent requests an open hearing, in writing by letter, addressed to the principal.

		§ The student may be represented by counsel. However, the principal must be given written notice at least twenty-four (24) hours before the hearing if the student or the student's parent(s) will have an attorney present. If such written notice is not given, or if such written notice is given fewer than twenty-four (24) hours before the hearing, and an attorney for the student or the student's parents(s) is present for such hearing, the administrator conducting the hearing may, in his or her discretion, conduct the hearing with such attorney present, but without the attorney being permitted to participate actively in the hearing, or the administrator may reschedule the hearing. If the date for such rescheduled hearing falls outside the short-term suspension period, the student and/or the student's parents(s) must agree that the student will remain out of school until the formal hearing is completed. If the student and/or the student's parent(s) do not agree that the student will remain out of school until the formal hearing is completed, the administrator may conduct the hearing as originally scheduled and shall allow the attorney for the student and/or the student's parent(s) to remain at the hearing, but the attorney will not be permitted to participate actively in the hearing.

		§ The person who imposed the short-term suspension, or his or her representative, shall be allowed to submit evidence, present witnesses, and testify against the student.

		§ All witnesses presented by either party shall be placed under oath before testifying.

		§ The student, or the student's representative, has the right to question all the witnesses.

		§ The student, or student's representative, shall be allowed to submit testimony and other evidence and present witnesses.

		§ The person who imposed the short-term suspension shall be allowed to question the student and all witnesses.

		§ The student, or student's representative, may contact the person imposing the short-term suspension in advance of the hearing, to secure nonprivileged information concerning the evidence to be presented against the student.

		§ The hearing will be recorded. Copies of the record of the hearing shall be furnished upon request to the student's parent at the parent's expense.

		§ The hearing officer is not required to enforce the formal rules of evidence at the hearing.