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Caught with Alcohol at School? Education Lawyer Advice.

On Behalf of | Jan 12, 2017

Bringing alcohol onto the campus of a middle school or high school can have severe consequences. Students may face suspension or expulsion if caught. Many schools consider bringing alcohol to school a Level IV offense. These offenses can leave a mark on a student’s permanent record. This may require students to disclose this to colleges when applying and even licensing boards in the future. This can impact acceptance into college and even the issuance of a professional license.

So what should you do if caught with alcohol on a middle school or high school campus?

  1. Do not talk to any friends or school staff about the incident – The student may have been taught that honesty is the best policy and then admit to all accusations. A student may try to make excuses or even lie about the circumstances. Don’t immediately talk. Talking to the principal or campus police may make your situation worse depending on the facts. If you are a minor, you should at least request to speak to your parents before making any statements.
  2. Hire an Education Law Attorney Immediately – The quicker an attorney is involved, the better the chance of avoiding the most severe penalties like expulsion, and the greater your chance at protecting your educational future.

What if the alcohol was not mine and I did not bring the alcohol to school?

I have had several cases where a student’s friend brought alcohol to school. Another student was dared to take a sip or even tricked into drinking the alcohol. Those students who were dared or tricked can still face the most severe penalties, even if they were not the ones to bring the alcohol on campus.

What should the students who did not bring the alcohol to school do?

  1. Do not talk to any friends or school staff about the incident – The student may try to explain the situation to administration, stating that it was a friend to brought it. They may try to place blame onto their friend and explain that they were dared or tricked. Many times, school administration views the situation no different than the student who brought the alcohol on campus. They then use the statements of each student to strengthen their case for suspension or expulsion.
  2. Hire an Education Law Attorney Immediately – The quicker an attorney is involved, the better the chance of avoiding the most severe penalties like expulsion and the greater your chance at protecting your educational future.

Click here to read my blog post on Level IV offenses and click here to read about school suspensions and expulsions. Richard Asselta is an award-winning student defense attorney with experience defending students facing discipline in K-12 grades. Call today for a free consultation. (855-338-5299

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