Getting suspended and my pharmacy admissions put on hold for no reason.

[flyingpotatoes]

Name of my state: CA
State in which university of interest is located: CA
Type: private

Hello, I need help. I sure hope I'm posting in the right thread.

Essentially: I am a sophomore in an accelerated program towards a PharmD. I've gotten a strong GPA, met all the credit requirements, and passed my interviews for Pharmacy school with flying colors. But I've also been getting bullied for the past year... having had enough, toward the end of my academic year (toward mid-april this year) I decided to take all the evidence I had of bullying, well documented with dates, specific quotes, and names of individuals, to an admin. The admin promised me that the next time I'd be contacted by the school's administration, they would have done an investigation of my evidence, at minimum.

Two weeks later, and I'm contacted by the judicial department of my school. I speak to the head of judicial. She flatly tells me that no investigation had been done, that no investigation would be done, and that my evidence was complete garbage. I ask her why, she doesn't reply. I then ask if I could speak to her superior (the dean of student life) and she replies by picking up the phone and calling in the police. Mind you, up to then I was being completely and totally polite and courteous.

When the police comes in, it triggers my PTSD (I had it since a previous bullying incident) as I got legitimately scared out of my life that I would be thrown into jail. I start flipping out as a result - however, I did NOT threaten or verbally abuse her. All I did was cry, panic, and ask her why the cops were there. Ever since that incident with the police, I can't even see a cop car without having my PTSD activated - I have been, essentially, mentally scarred. Again.

Now, I've been told that I'm getting suspended and that my pharmacy admissions is being put on hold for apparently "threatening" the head of judicial. I am to have a "hearing" with the Vice President early next week - no doubt that I will be suspended, for sure. I am preparing myself for the worst - but I have a few questions...

1) Do I need an education law attorney? Or am I being dumb, and this is a case for a completely different category?
2) What other kinds of attorneys should I seek?

Thank you for your time.

 

[CTU]

Name of my state: CA
State in which university of interest is located: CA
Type: private

Hello, I need help. I sure hope I'm posting in the right thread.

Essentially: I am a sophomore in an accelerated program towards a PharmD. I've gotten a strong GPA, met all the credit requirements, and passed my interviews for Pharmacy school with flying colors. But I've also been getting bullied for the past year... having had enough, toward the end of my academic year (toward mid-april this year) I decided to take all the evidence I had of bullying, well documented with dates, specific quotes, and names of individuals, to an admin. The admin promised me that the next time I'd be contacted by the school's administration, they would have done an investigation of my evidence, at minimum.

Two weeks later, and I'm contacted by the judicial department of my school. I speak to the head of judicial. She flatly tells me that no investigation had been done, that no investigation would be done, and that my evidence was complete garbage. I ask her why, she doesn't reply. I then ask if I could speak to her superior (the dean of student life) and she replies by picking up the phone and calling in the police. Mind you, up to then I was being completely and totally polite and courteous.

When the police comes in, it triggers my PTSD (I had it since a previous bullying incident) as I got legitimately scared out of my life that I would be thrown into jail. I start flipping out as a result - however, I did NOT threaten or verbally abuse her. All I did was cry, panic, and ask her why the cops were there. Ever since that incident with the police, I can't even see a cop car without having my PTSD activated - I have been, essentially, mentally scarred. Again.

Now, I've been told that I'm getting suspended and that my pharmacy admissions is being put on hold for apparently "threatening" the head of judicial. I am to have a "hearing" with the Vice President early next week - no doubt that I will be suspended, for sure. I am preparing myself for the worst - but I have a few questions...

1) Do I need an education law attorney? Or am I being dumb, and this is a case for a completely different category?
2) What other kinds of attorneys should I seek?

Thank you for your time.

I'm asking this with as much delicacy as I can .. are you in treatment for your PTSD? I'm trying to see this from their point of view and without wanting to upset you, their perception of what happened may be quite different. They may have a valid point - you're going to be dealing with the general public and not all of us are regular folk. They may be concerned about how you may react to a stressful situation.

Is it fair? Perhaps, perhaps not. Is it legal? I don't think we have enough information to say yes or no.

Ultimately though, I just wanted to try and give you another point of view from the other side.

(I'm also a PTSD sufferer. I get it, OP. I really do get it)

 

[flyingpotatoes]

I'm asking this with as much delicacy as I can .. are you in treatment for your PTSD? I'm trying to see this from their point of view and without wanting to upset you, their perception of what happened may be quite different. They may have a valid point - you're going to be dealing with the general public and not all of us are regular folk. They may be concerned about how you may react to a stressful situation.

Is it fair? Perhaps, perhaps not. Is it legal? I don't think we have enough information to say yes or no.

Ultimately though, I just wanted to try and give you another point of view from the other side.

(I'm also a PTSD sufferer. I get it, OP. I really do get it)

Yes, I am. I've been getting treatment for a while, actually...

The point is that they are holding me liable for things I did not do, however - I did not threaten the admin AT ALL, yet this is what I am getting suspended, etc. over.

Also: are they even /allowed/ to call in the police like that for no reason?

 

[CTU]

Yes, I am. I've been getting treatment for a while, actually...

The point is that they are holding me liable for things I did not do, however - I did not threaten the admin AT ALL, yet this is what I am getting suspended, etc. over.

Also: are they even /allowed/ to call in the police like that for no reason?

I'm glad you're getting help. It's a rough thing to deal with, isn't it?

If someone perceives your actions or words as threatening, they do have the right to call the police. Sometimes what we think we're saying or doing doesn't quite reflect what we are actually saying or doing. If others feel threatened, they have a reason to call for help. See where I'm going with this?

 

[flyingpotatoes]

I'm glad you're getting help. It's a rough thing to deal with, isn't it?

If someone perceives your actions or words as threatening, they do have the right to call the police. Sometimes what we think we're saying or doing doesn't quite reflect what we are actually saying or doing. If others feel threatened, they have a reason to call for help. See where I'm going with this?

I see where you're going with this, but I fail to see how my simply, and politely, asking if I could instead work with her superior somehow justifies her calling the police.

Now, aside from that: what kind of attorney should I seek in order to combat the suspension and admissions revoke?

 

[NIV]

I see where you're going with this, but I fail to see how my simply, and politely, asking if I could instead work with her superior somehow justifies her calling the police.

Now, aside from that: what kind of attorney should I seek in order to combat the suspension and admissions revoke?

The least expensive one would be a person who had specific knowledge of college procedures in this situation. Other than that, either of the areas you mention might have enough expertise to guide you through the process.

But, there are little protections for you in such a situation. While usually concerned with sex issues on or about campus, one only need read the news to find examples of how little is required for due process to take place. I'm not sure you should get your hopes up too much.

 

[quincy]

... Now, aside from that: what kind of attorney should I seek in order to combat the suspension and admissions revoke?

You would be smart to consult with a lawyer specializing in education law. I am not, however, seeing offhand any legal action for you to pursue that will allow you to continue with your pharmacy studies at the school.