Students' Rights At School

Full Video Transcript

Parents and students who find themselves in a dispute with their school, whether with a teacher, the principal, or the administration, often wonder about their legal rights, particularly when they disagree about decisions made by school personnel. There is a comprehensive body of education laws, regulations, and court cases, both at the state and federal level, which govern the decision-making of school administrators. Students have due process rights under the Constitution just like any of us have, and they apply in school disputes. For instance, over a disciplinary action, the appropriateness of a grading or testing policy, an injury on campus, or the ability of a student to participate in athletics or special education. Depending on your state’s education laws and the situation at hand, a student may be entitled to notice of a decision, an informal hearing before the principal, or a formal hearing before the district board of directors. If the school district violates any of the student’s procedural rights or abuses its power in making a wrong decision, then the student may even have grounds for a lawsuit to protect these valuable education rights.