WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Schools said a hearing to determine a student's future in the district should take place in the next few weeks.
The student is accused of slapping a teacher at Parkland High School on Monday. Deputies have already charged the student as a juvenile with two counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of communicating threats in the matter.
But what could happen in terms of how the school moves forward with disciplinary action?
WFMY News 2 learned students have a Constitutional Right to Due Process when facing a recommendation of long-term suspension or expulsion.
"The process involves an investigation of relevant facts and evidence in the case, an informal Principal meeting, a final recommendation or decision, and in the case of a suspension of 10 or more days or referral to an alternative school, the right to a hearing in front of a Student Hearing Officer," the WS/FCS Code of Conduct policy said.
According to the school district's Code Of Conduct, there are six levels of consequences and interventions based on the offense.
Level one is for minor classroom behaviors like tardiness and using your phone.
Level six is the highest, and it's for behavior that presents a clear threat to safety.
As far as what this student is accused of, the district's code of conduct says a physical assault on a school employee, as well as communicating threats, is a level-five offense.
The policy states an assault on a teacher is, "an intentional offer or attempt by force or violence to do injury to a school official, employee, or volunteer that causes reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm while the school official, employee, or volunteer is discharging or attempting to discharge his/her duties."
For a level-five offense, one possible consequence is suspension.
However, Superintendent Tricia McManus said after seeing the video of the assault, she recommended the offense be increased to level six.
For a level-six offense, possible consequences are long-term suspension or expulsion.
Superintendent McManus said, "We have to deal with that the same way that we would deal with it in any school, and the matrix gives you that kind of clarity. It says it is a level-five offense to assault an employee. You can mitigate that up and make it a level six based on the severity of that, the child in that case, when you watch the video, walked up and deliberately smacked the teacher twice in the face, that is very different than, 'I’m trying to get past you, and I brushed up against you.' That’s two different things; we must look at every situation individually. That’s what the behavioral matrix does for us but it’s very clear on what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.”
The code of conduct policy states, "upon the recommendation of the superintendent, the board may expel a student who is 14 years of age or older for misbehavior as provided in Policy 5131 and AR 5131. The Principal follows the procedures for an out-of-school suspension for more than 10 days. During the initial out of school suspension process, the student is provided an opportunity to make up assignments and school work in order to continue academic progress. If a student is expelled, the district will partner with the family to identify alternative options for the student, and the student may have the opportunity to receive alternative education services, if feasible and appropriate."
The process involves an investigation and a hearing.