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A grade dispute or a sports dispute when a child is removed from a team can be an upsetting and stressful experience. It is important that you act quickly if you feel that the grade or removal occurred inappropriately.
Education law varies from state to state and in Indiana disciplinary procedures can vary from district to district. The information below will provide you with some very basic information and help answer some frequently asked questions, but the information on this website is not legal advice and is not meant to be a substitution for seeking the advice of competent legal counsel. Your case is unique and you need legal advice that is specifically tailored to fit your needs. Our H&Z education team is here to provide you with the advice you need to make decisions that will have a lasting impact on your child’s life.
GRADE AND SPORTS DISPUTES– General Information
Disputes involving grades and sports are exclusively the jurisdiction of the School district and any disputes are handled solely with the school district. The school district has the discretion in most matters involving student grades and disciplinary actions. However, there are situations in which a teacher or coach acted inappropriately and in violation of federal or state law.
GRADE AND SPORTS DISPUTES– FAQ’s
Should I retain an attorney for a grade or sports dispute?
It depends on the circumstances. However, it may be wise to consider hiring an attorney experienced in this area even if it only to discuss the situation in a consultation. An attorney trained in education law can be very helpful in guiding parents through the minefield of statutes, regulations, and case law that surrounds this field..
My child received a C- grade on a paper that was very good. A particular teacher has targeted him and is bringing down his GPA and putting at risk all chances of him getting a scholarship to college. What can I do?
In most situations, the teacher has the discretion to give out grades to students as they deem fit. You always have the option of appealing to the school district for a transfer to another district, changing to a charter school or even looking at a private school placement. Most principals will not take action to change grades, unless clear evidence of the teacher’s behavior is evident. For instance, two students have multiple choice tests and answer the same answers and yet one is given a lower school.
My child with a learning disability was removed from her sports team after her grades fell – do we have options?
Yes. While in most high school sports there is a requirement for grades imposed on the schools who compete, many schools will allow a child with special needs to stay on the team and not compete during the interim period that the grades are below the standard. However, it is essential that you investigate why the grades are so low and take action as far as your child’s educational programming.
Our son was pictured drinking at an off-campus party and he got removed from the football team. Is this fair?
Many teams have “good conduct” contracts and if your student violates this contract, even in off-campus activities they can be removed from the team.
PARENT RESOURCES
The links below are to other websites that are not affiliated with HSSZ in any way and we cannot warranty the accuracy, legal accuracy, usefulness or anything else about anyone else's web site materials, which can be changed on a daily basis and are under the control of others. Thus, these links are offered for educational purposes only. They are not to be considered to be legal advice. If you need legal advice about your particular case, please consult the legal professional of your choice.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/
This is an organization that publishes books and documents in order to be advocates for schools, but the materials they sell are excellent. And they can give you an idea of what arguments / tactics the schools will use in your case -- and what the weaknesses are in those arguments / tactics.
http://www.lrp.com/
http://www.specialedconnection.com/
http://www.mayerslaw.com/
http://rsaffran.tripod.com/legal.html
Indiana Department of Education
http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/
The First Steps web site is a great resource for early intervention....
http://www.state.in.us/fssa/first_step
http://earlychildhoodmeetingplace.indiana.edu
With this website, you can plug in a school and find out how that school is doing by test data and other measures of performance. They also have analyzed what works and what doesn't and have tips and tutorials.
http://216.30.107.242/us/us_home.asp
Autism websites
www.aboutautismlaw.com
This website is by special education attorney David Sherman, 2740 Van Ness Ave.,San Francisco, CA 94909. He can be reached at 415-924-1300 or
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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http://www.featofmn.org/
http://www.lovaas.com/links/index
Mental retardation website: http://arcind.org/
Directory of Disabilities Organizations & Groups: http://www.fetaweb.com/help/disabilities_orgs.htm
Directory of Legal & Advocacy Resources: http://www.fetaweb.com/help/legal_advocacy.htm
Directory of State Departments of Education: http://www.fetaweb.com/help/seas.htm
Directory of Parent Training Information Centers: http://www.fetaweb.com/help/ptis.htm
Directory of Best School Websites:
http://www.fetaweb.com/best.htm
Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities:
http://www.fetaweb.com/help/states.htm |