Heyne v. Metro. Nashville Bd. of Pub. Educ.

After injuring another student, a public high school student was cited for an infraction of the student conduct rule proscribing reckless endangerment. The principal's decision to suspend the student for ten days was upheld by a hearing board and the director of schools. Thereafter, the student and his family sought judicial review of the disciplinary decision. The trial court concluded (1) the school officials had violated the student's procedural due process rights because one official had performed both prosecutorial and decision-making functions and because this official was biased against the student; and (2) the evidence did not support the conclusion that the student's conduct amounted to reckless endangerment. Accordingly, the court directed the school system to expunge the student's record and awarded the student and his family attorneys' fees and costs. The court of appeals reversed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the student received the required due process protections before he was suspended; (2) the hearing process after the student was suspended as applied did not render the proceedings fundamentally unfair; and (3) the court of appeals did not err by overturning the trial court's conclusion that the school officials acted arbitrarily and illegally.View "Heyne v. Metro. Nashville Bd. of Pub. Educ." on Justia Law