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A 14-year-old in Rock Hill is sent home after a fight in the cafeteria. By dinner, his mother has a letter from the assistant principal. Under South Carolina law, that letter must give the reason for the suspension and a time to meet, and the meeting must be set within three days. Knowing that one rule changes how the next week goes.
Who has to be in school, and the federal floor on discipline
South Carolina's compulsory attendance law (the rule that says a child must go to school) starts in the school year a child turns 5 before September 1. It lasts until the 17th birthday or high school graduation. A parent whose child is not yet 6 by September 1 can sign a written form with the district to skip kindergarten.
The U.S. Supreme Court set the national floor in Goss v. Lopez (1975). It held that before a suspension of 10 days or less, a student must be told the charges and, if the student denies them, hear the evidence and get a chance to tell their side. South Carolina's statute adds more steps on top of that.
Suspension and expulsion: the limits and the timeline
A principal or other administrator can suspend a student for no more than 10 days for one offense and no more than 30 days in one school year. The parents must get written notice with the reason and a conference within three days. After that conference, they can appeal to the district board of trustees.
An expulsion (removal for the rest of the school year) needs a hearing. The written notice must tell parents they may bring a lawyer and question every witness, and it must include contact information for a legal aid provider that may offer free help. Families also have the right to see the full investigative file, including videos, at least three days before the hearing. The hearing happens within 15 days of the notice, and a decision comes within 10 days after it. The board's decision can be appealed to court.
Two harder rules exist. A student who brings a firearm to school must be expelled for at least one year, though the superintendent can change that case by case. And state law still lets each district allow corporal punishment, so check your district's handbook.
Bullying: what the Safe School Climate Act requires
South Carolina's anti-bullying law is the Safe School Climate Act. It covers harassment, intimidation, or bullying in class, on the bus, at the bus stop, and at school events, and it includes electronic messages. Staff, students, and volunteers who see bullying or have reliable information about it must report it.
Every district must have a written policy. It must allow anonymous reports, name the staff who take and investigate them, promise prompt investigation of serious complaints, and ban retaliation against the person who reported.
What to do this week
If you are suspended, go to the conference with a parent and bring your side in writing. If the school starts an expulsion, ask for the investigative file right away, and call the legal aid contact listed in the notice. You are allowed to have a lawyer there.
For bullying, report in writing to the staff member your district's policy names and keep a copy. If the school does not act, the appeal path in state law runs to your district board of trustees. We could not confirm a separate complaint process at the South Carolina Department of Education for these cases, so ask your district office which contact to use.
Lembre-se disto
- School is required from the year a child turns 5 before September 1 until age 17 or graduation.
- A suspension can last no more than 10 days per offense and 30 days per school year, with a parent conference within three days.
- Before an expulsion hearing, families may bring a lawyer, question witnesses, and see the whole file three days ahead.
- Under the Safe School Climate Act, every district must accept anonymous bullying reports and forbid retaliation.
Fontes
- South Carolina Legislature: Code of Laws, Title 59, Chapter 63 (Safe School Climate Act and discipline) (abre em uma nova aba)
- South Carolina Legislature: Code of Laws, Title 59, Chapter 65 (compulsory attendance) (abre em uma nova aba)
- Legal Information Institute: Goss v. Lopez (1975) (abre em uma nova aba)
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