Receiving news that your college student is facing criminal charges for drug possession can be quite heartbreaking. While you’re processing your response, it’s crucial to consider that teenage behavior isn’t always straightforward.
As their parent, your teenager is hoping that you can show up as their unwavering support system during such a trying time. They may, for example, be worried about the upcoming school disciplinary proceedings due to the possibility of suspension or expulsion from their dream facility. With the right preparation, you can help ensure that you and your teenager are ready to overcome this challenging time.
The school’s disciplinary process
Tertiary learning institutions typically have a code of conduct that guides the students through their college experience. While your teenager might have known that possessing drugs for whatever reason, they probably believed they wouldn’t get caught.
Now that they are facing criminal charges, the intersection of the juvenile justice system and their school’s disciplinary committee is likely too much pressure for them to handle alone. When you receive the notice for your teenager’s disciplinary hearing, it will probably include:
- The charges your teenager is facing
- The potential punishments they may face
- The date of the disciplinary hearing
To help ensure you provide your teenager with the support they need to overcome this hurdle, you might want to find out the potential disciplinary actions they may face. This way, you can anticipate possible outcomes and prepare a defense strategy with the appropriate legal guidance.
Preparing for disciplinary proceedings
One of the surefire ways to help ensure that you’re ready for the disciplinary proceedings is to get your teen to tell you the plain truth about the situation. The appropriate legal guidance can streamline your teenager’s interrogation to help ensure that you show up for the hearing with all relevant information about the incident. A legal team can also help with tracking down:
- Other students’ witness statements
- Any police reports
- Other documentation detailing the extent of the drug charges
A legal team can also go through the school’s code of conduct to help ensure the disciplinary committee sticks to the institution’s disciplinary policies during the hearing.
No matter how troubled your teenager may seem, remind them that they have rights and options you can explore on their behalf. With the appropriate legal guidance, you can help to better ensure that the upcoming disciplinary hearing does not spell doom for your child’s academic and employment-related future.