Free Custom «The Rights of a Homeless Student to Take the Regent Exams in June» Essay Paper

Initially, it has been said well that the student is homeless, and that may be the reason he had reported late to school. Additionally, the student acknowledges that he had been out of school for many days that year. Egendorf (2006) states that concerning that, it is clear the student has been having a hard time making him not be in school throughout even to sit exams with the rest. According to Hudson (2009), the school administration may be having its laws about students who have missed school for a long time or missed exams. However, the student also has his rights in reference to Commissioners’ regulation regarding Regents exams. Here are some of the rights that the student has and needs allowance to sit the exams.

Firstly, the homeless student qualifies automatically for school services. According to the law that protects the homeless students, it states that homeless students qualify automatically for any of the school services at any time without query. In line with that, a homeless student has the right of taking the Regent exams even late through special organization. Normally, a student can be homeless due to eviction from their apartment and so they had to move to their relatives in another District.

Secondly, the homeless student has a right to sit special Regents examinations. The Commissioners’ regulation of the Regents exams rules out that students with special issues have the right of sitting for special exams. Special exams are the ones that the students sit after they fail to sit the official exams. In relation to this homeless student, he falls under this category and has the right to sit the exams at the school. Nobody chooses to be homeless, but it might happen as a tragedy, thus not the fault of the student. As said above, the student’s family may have been evacuated from their apartment and opted to move to a relative in another district.

b).Principal’s Decisions after Teachers Neglecting the Student (Moral and Legal Consequences)

After the student has reported late at the school and wants to sit the Regents exams, some of the teachers have refused not to accommodate the student in their classes. The principal has to make decisions and employ them to ensure the student is accommodated. Notably, each step taken will have a moral and legal consequence.

As the principal, one must be responsible and emphasize on the rules and regulations so that the student’s accommodation and effective learning environment is viable. Oliver (2009) affirms that teachers would have to be warned for neglecting the student yet he has rights similar to other students. With issuing warnings to the teachers who are planning to neglect the student, they will most likely change their attitude towards the student and accommodate him. Morally, there are expectations that teachers need to show love to all students without discrimination. Additionally, if they go ahead with their resistance, it may lead to legal issues, and they will have to be demoted.

Secondly, teaching the rebellious teachers about the rights of the homeless students would be a vital option. Many rights govern the homeless student. According to the law, the homeless student should not be demoralized since whatever happened is not his fault. In relation to this case, educating teachers about these rights would help them understand. Taking this step would morally display the principal as a responsible head who understands how to perform his duties. Notably, one of the teacher’s morals and ethics state that the principal is the head of the school and must ensure everything runs accordingly.

2a) Decision for Residency of Homeless Students

The District Commissioners are other personnel who ought to be responsible for the homelessness of students in relation to education. According to Stader (2012) apart from the principal of the involved school, the area District Commissioner also has a role to play in the admission of the student.

Notably, as an area District commissioner it is ideal to understand that homeless students have a right of accommodation to the district that they have taken refuge. This implies that, when a student and his entire family face housing issues and move to a new district, the student has a right of accommodation to any school that he/she decides to attend and take examinations. Concerning that, the residency for the homeless is not negotiable but instead their rights. The laws states that all the homeless students have the right of accommodation to any school in the District they have moved to for refuge. Normally, they emphasize that the homeless students did not choose their situations, thus discriminating them is unlawful.

b) Moral and Legal Consequences of Admitting the Student

District Commissioning like many other professions entail ethics and morals that govern the profession as well. Basing on the homeless student’s case and the steps taken, it must have certain moral and legal consequences.

The step taken, as a District Commissioner was a positive step, thus the moral and legal consequences would be positive. The ethics and morals of the work state that the work of the District Commissioner is to accommodate the homeless students in the new district without any query. Actually, that was the step taken by the District Commissioner and means that the Commissioner’s morality would be commendable. Additionally, the Commissioner would be free from legal issues since he performed as the law expects him to do.

3) Key Elements of the School Safety Plans Strive to Support Safe Learning Environments

With the gun incident at the school, parents must have been concerned about the safety of their children while at school. Regarding that, the school administration has to take serious actions in order to enhance safe environments for students. Here are some of the key elements that the school has to use to support safe learning environment.

Firstly, the school administration needs to come up with a metal detector located at the entrance of the schools. Jackson & Terrell (2007) reiterate that a metal detector is ideal in notifying the security personnel at the gate of the school if any of the students attempt to enter the school with any metal object. Normally, the metal objects are illegal in the school compound since the students may use them to attack their friends. With a metal detector at the schools entrance, such cases like the one that happened at Mayberry Elementary School are avoidable.

Secondly, the students are supposed to be taught about the consequences of being found with illegal arms both at school and even outside. Notably, it is surprising that a student managed to sneak into school with a gun, display it and none of the students reported him. This raises questions about the schools administration if they ever take time and teach their students on the dangers of possessing firearms. The parents’ key concern was that the students may have disagreed with other students, and it could have led to firing and killing of the fellow students. According to the Commissioner’s regulations, a student found in possession of any weapon within the school faces expulsions. Regarding that, such rules are significant in promoting a safe learning environment for students since when such an incident occurs they will report with immediate effect.

4) Actions the Superintendent Should Take to Respond to the Parents’ Demands

After the gun incident reported at the Mayberry Elementary School, parents streamed the Commissioner’s office to demand for the safety of their children. One of the first demands by the parents was the installation of metal detectors at the school’s entrance. As the District commissioner, here are some of the important actions that ought to be followed.

Firstly, the District Commissioner has power over the all the school in the given district. Regarding that, he has to take action applicable to all the schools in the district. As the Commissioner, all the schools must expel any student found with any dangerous equipment within the schools compound. According to Purvis & Leewer (2008) the schools must employ this rule and make it aware to all the students. Additionally, all the students that are close to the student found with the firearm are prone to punishment for not reporting to the administration. All the schools in the area must employ this rule. Regarding that, the parent’s relief is noticeable since they would know students would not carry dangerous weapons to school for the fear of facing expulsion.

Secondly, parents had demanded for metal detectors. The metal detectors would be the second since the previous one is easier. Metal detectors are important in detecting any metal equipment when somebody tries to enter with it at any restricted area. As the Commissioner, one has the power to order all the school principals to step up and work on installing the metal detectors. The commissioner should give the school a limited period to install the detectors so that they safety is enhanced in the schools. With installation of the metal detectors, students would not manage to sneak into the school with such equipments since there would be detection at the gate.

5) Legal Requirements Regarding IEP Accommodations

There are several legal requirements regarding the IEP accommodation meant to create a better learning environment for both students and teachers. The Commissioners initiate these legal requirements and they apply to both teachers and students. Here are some of legal requirements concerning IEP.

Firstly, the IEP accommodations require that the students get enough time during their examinations. Virginia (2009) concludes that students need to have enough time while sitting their exams whether it is a short exam or not. This applies to all teachers unlike the way the Northern Middle School teacher Mr. Righteous behaves. According to the legal requirements, any teacher who goes against this rule by harassing the student during examinations faces the law.

Secondly, the IEP accommodations require that the teachers must respect each other. Respect among teachers is ideal in enhancing the student’s behavior since they copy the examples of their teachers. When a teacher misbehaves, it is not a good example to the students. According to the Commissioners regulations, such teachers face penalties. The North Middle School incidence where the Mr. Righteous disrespects other teachers is questionable and against the legal requirements of IEP. As stated before, Mr. Righteous thinks the special education teachers have to work more than the others do. Contrary to that, all the teachers are equal according to the Commissioners regulations. Moreover, any teacher who tries to overwork their colleagues is against the legal requirements regarding IEP accommodations.

In conclusion, all the regulations need tolerance and the personnel’s should not be choosy. The North Middle School teacher decides which rules to accommodate and which not to. According to the legal requirement, he is against the Commissioners regulations.

6) Steps to be Taken to Handle the Situation as the Director of Special Education

As the director of special education, the whole lot of teachers looks unto you and expect you to handle their grievances. According to the situation here, Mr. Righteous was overworking other special education teachers. The best step would be to summon Mr. Righteous and issue him a warning letter that dares him to repeat the same mistake and face serious penalties. This would be significant as Mr. Righteous will start respecting the other special education teachers and they would work equally.