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###<span style="color: #E17521;(text-style:"underline")[''Chapter 222 - Know Your Rights'']\
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In 2012, Massachussetts passed a new law - ''Chapter 222'' - to reduce reliance on out-of-school suspensions. \
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Use our ''interactive guide'' to learn about your rights to fair discipline procedures.\
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''If you think your child has received one of the following types of discipline, click on the link to learn about your legal rights:''\
* [[<span style="color: #E17521;">In-school suspension</span>->In-school suspension]] - Removal from the regular classroom for more than half the school day\
* [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Out-of-school suspension (Short Term)</span>->Short-term suspension]] - Removal from the school for up to 10 days\
* [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Out-of-school suspension (Long Term)</span>->Long-term suspension]] - Removal from the school for more than 10 days\
* [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Expulsion</span>->Expulsion]] - Removal from the school for more than 90 days\
* [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Emergency removal</span>->Emergency removal]] - Removal from the school ahead of a suspension hearing \
Under state law, schools are not allowed to send students home for misconduct - even for a few hours - without giving you Emergency Removal rights.\
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<img src="http://i63.tinypic.com/2gx2mwx.jpg" width="580" height="150"> <a href="http://www.bostonstudentrights.org/home"><img src="http://i66.tinypic.com/1q4okk.jpg" width="180" height="150"></a>\
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''Or click here to [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Contact Us online</span>->Contact Us]].''<img src="http://i64.tinypic.com/k18fau.jpg" width="550" height="220"></a> \
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###''What are my rights?''\
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If your student was suspended once, or several times over a school year, for //more than \
10 total days// it counts as a [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Long-term suspension</span>->Long-term suspension]], and you have more rights. \
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(text-style:"underline")[''Quick check:'']\
* Did the school tell your student the reason it thought she broke the rules? \
* Did she get to tell her side of the story?\
* Did the school notify you - orally and in writing - on the day your student broke the rules? \
* In your preferred language?\
* Did the principal invite you to discuss the incident and the best ways to engage your student? \
* On the same day as the in-school suspension?\
* Was your student allowed to make up work, quizzes, or tests that she missed during the suspension?\
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If the answer to any of these questions is ''NO'', the school may not be in compliance with the new law, and you have the right to file a complaint.\
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''Click here to [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Contact Us</span>->Contact Us]]''\
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''Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.''\
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###''What are my rights?''\
<img src="http://i68.tinypic.com/21awlqp.jpg" width="550" height="510"></a> \
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If your student was suspended once, or several times over a school year, for //more than \
10 total days// it counts as a [[<span style="color: #E17521;">long-term suspension</span>->Long-term suspension]], and you have more rights. \
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''If you have been invited to a discipline hearing, click here for our [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Guidance for Hearings</span>->Guidance for Hearings]].''\
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//Click here for examples of [[<span style="color: #E17521;">consequences other than suspension</span>->Consequences other than suspension]] that you can suggest.//\
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''Quick check:''\
* Did the school tell you - orally and in writing - why it planned to suspend your student? \
* Did it tell you when it would hold a hearing? In your preferred language?\
* //Before the suspension//, did the school hold a hearing? Did it tell you why it thought your student broke the rules? \
* Were you allowed to tell your student's side of the story? Did it provide an interpreter for you?\
* If the school decided your student broke the rules, were you allowed to tell the school more about your student and suggest [[<span style="color: #E17521;">consequences other than suspension</span>->Consequences other than suspension]]? \
* Did the school consider other ways to re-engage your student in learning?\
* If suspended, was your student allowed to make up work, quizzes, or tests that she missed during the suspension?\
* Did the school send you a letter with how long the suspension lasts and the day it starts?\
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If the answer to any of these questions is ''NO'', the school may not be in compliance with the new law, and you have the right to file a complaint.\
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''Click here to [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Contact Us</span>->Contact Us]]''\
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''Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.''\
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###''What are my rights?''\
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''If you have been invited to a discipline hearing, click here for our [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Guidance for Hearings</span>->Guidance for Hearings]].''\
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//Click here for examples of [[<span style="color: #E17521;">consequences other than suspension</span>->Consequences other than suspension]] that you can suggest.//\
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''Quick check:''\
* Did the school tell you - orally and in writing - why it planned to suspend your student? \
* Were you invited to a hearing to discuss the incident before your student was suspended?\
* Before the hearing, were you allowed to review your school's evidence for why it thought your student broke the rules?\
* At the hearing, were you allowed to bring an attorney or advocate? Were you allowed to present your own evidence, bring your own witnesses, and question the school's witnesses? Did the school provide an interpreter?\
* Did the school try any [[<span style="color: #E17521;">consequences other than suspension</span>->Consequences other than suspension]] before issuing a long-term suspension? \
* If suspended, did the school send you a letter with how long the suspension lasts and the day it starts, and information on how to appeal it if you disagree?\
* Did the school let you pick an option from its Education Service Plan to ensure your student makes academic progress during the suspension?\
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If the answer to any of these questions is ''NO'', the school may not be in compliance with the new law, and you have the right to file a complaint.\
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Click here to [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Contact Us</span>->Contact Us]]\
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Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.\
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###''What are my rights?''\
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//If you have been invited to a discipline hearing, click here for our [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Guidance for Hearings</span>->Guidance for Hearings]].//\
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''Quick check:''\
* Did the school tell you why it planned to expel your student? In writing?\
* Were you invited to a hearing to discuss the incident before your student was expelled?\
* At the hearing, were you allowed to bring an attorney or advocate? Were you allowed to present your own evidence, bring your own witnesses, and question the school's witnesses?\
* If your student was expelled, did the school give you a letter that says how long the expulsion lasts, the day it starts, and information on how to appeal it if you disagree?\
* Did the school let you pick an option from its Education Service Plan to ensure your student makes academic progress during the expulsion?\
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If the answer to any of these questions is ''NO'', the school may not be in compliance with the new law, and you have the right to file a complaint.\
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Click here to [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Contact Us</span>->Contact Us]]\
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Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.\
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<img src="http://i68.tinypic.com/2f0ddgk.jpg" width="950" height="190"></a>\
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###''What are my rights?''\
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<img src="http://i64.tinypic.com/2vn06d4.jpg" width="950" height="420"></a>\
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//If you have been invited to a discipline hearing, click here for our [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Guidance for Hearings</span>->Guidance for Hearings]].//\
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''Quick check:''\
* Did your student pose a danger or substantial disruption to the school? \
* Did the school consider other options before sending your student home?\
* Did the school make sure there was a safe way for your student to get home?\
* Did the school immediately try to notify you of the removal and the reasons for it?\
* Did the school schedule a suspension hearing during the removal? \
* If your student was suspended for //10 days or fewer// during the year, did you receive your [[<span style="color: #E17521;">short-term suspension</span>->Short-term suspension]] rights? \
* If your student was suspended for //more than 10 days// during the year, did you receive your [[<span style="color: #E17521;">long-term suspension</span>->Long-term suspension]] rights? \
* On the same day as your hearing, did the school decide if your student broke the rules? Did they tell you why in writing?\
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If the answer to any of these questions is ''NO'', the school may not be in compliance with the new law, and you have the right to file a complaint.\
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Click here to [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Contact Us</span>->Contact Us]]\
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Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.\
###<span style="color: #E17521;(text-style:"underline")[''Contact Us''] \
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//''Is your school or district not following Chapter 222?''//\
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''Are students' civil rights being violated by your school's discipline practices?''\
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You can contact us by ''phone'' at ''617.482.1145'', or ''<a href="http://lawyerscom.org/contact-us/">online</a> '' \
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<img src="http://i65.tinypic.com/14avql2.jpg" width="150" height="150"><img src="http://i65.tinypic.com/2wozw4k.jpg" width="80" height="150"> <img src="http://i65.tinypic.com/14avql2.jpg" width="80" height="150"> <img src="http://i64.tinypic.com/b6eo47.jpg" width="130" height="150">\
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Or follow this link to learn more about ''<a span style="color: #E17521;" href="http://lawyerscom.org/file-a-complaint/">Filing a Complaint</a>'' with a government agency.\
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Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.###(text-style:"underline")[''Guidance for Hearings'']\
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###<span style="color:#38A6AD;">Are you going to a hearing? \
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No matter what, your school ''must'':\
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####Here are five steps you can take to safeguard your educational rights:\
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''1) Find out why''\
Before the hearing, your school must tell you why - and for how long - it plans to discipline your student. Families - find out from your student what happened. Take notes before and during the hearing. \
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''2) Consider alternatives''\
Before it can suspend, your school must use discretion and consider ways to re-engage your student in learning. Would any of the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">consequences other than suspension</span>->Consequences other than suspension]] be a better solution? Help your school understand why. \
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''3) Know your rights''\
Review these pages, and read your local code of conduct - it can give you more rights than our state law, but it cannot give you fewer. \
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''4) Don't stop learning''\
Students have the right to make academic progress during discipline. The longer the consequence, the stronger this right. If your student is suspended, do not leave the hearing without a plan for them to continue their work. \
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''5) Disagree? Appeal.''\
If you disagree with the outcome, you can appeal long-term suspensions and expulsions. \
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''The longer the suspension, the more rights you have''. To learn about your rights following each type of discipline, [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Click here</span>->Home]] \
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Click ''<a span style="color: #E17521;" href="http://lawyerscom.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Hearing-Checklist.pdf">here</a>'' for a printable checklist you can take to the hearing.\
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//If you think your student's rights are being violated, [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Contact Us</span>->Contact Us]].//\
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Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.###(text-style:"underline")[''Consequences other than suspension'']\
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As the old saying goes, "the punishment must fit the crime." The more a consequence addresses the actual harm or behavior, the better it works.\
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Chapter 222 requires schools to try ''alternatives to suspension'' before using long-term suspensions. Here are two that the new law suggests as examples:\
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''Other alternative discipline responses you can ask your school to consider:''\
* Written reflection and apology\
* Community service\
* Loss of a privilege at school and/or home\
* Caregiver and student/teacher conference\
* Schedule adjustment\
* Referral to community-based organizations for additional support\
* Meeting with school counselor/psychologist\
* Written warning\
* Mentoring program inside or outside of school\
* Daily/weekly check-ins between student and an adult mentor at school\
* Behavioral contract/plan between student and teacher\
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Click here to return to the [[<span style="color: #E17521;">Home</span>->Home]] screen.\
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