Suspended for going to prom?
That’s right. In Ohio, 17-year-old Tyler Frost went to his girlfriend’s prom in May, 2009, at her public high school. However, the rules of Tyler’s private Christian school prohibited dancing, rock music and hand-holding. Tyler is a senior and may also be kept from attending his graduation ceremony.
If Tyler went to a public high school, he may have a strong case against the school’s discipline. Federal and state laws protect teens and adults from discrimination by public entities such as school districts.
Photo by Christina Welsh
However, private schools, where parents freely choose to send their teens, set their own rules. Consequences for violating the rules are up to the school. Any challenge to Tyler’s suspension is not likely to succeed.
This post was written by Tom Jacobs. Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including the recently published 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing). When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom can be found hiking, traveling and reading.
