Adult In High School

[Lgatl]

Jurisdiction

Tennessee

Since reaching the age of 18 in July, I have been notified by multiple school faculty members that I am still considered a minor while enrolled in high school. I cannot perform such activities as signing my own permission slips and checking myself out of school. My question is: what are my rights/freedoms as an 18 year old student in high school? Although not required, specific citations would be immensely helpful. Thank you.

 

[zddoodah]

what are my rights/freedoms as an 18 year old student in high school?

Trying to compile some sort of list of "rights/freedoms" would (1) be impossible without knowing whether you attend a public or private school and, more importantly, (2) serve no useful purpose.

As an adult, you're free to drop out of high school. However, if you choose to remain (as prudence dictates you should), you are expected to follow all of the rules applicable to everyone else and are not entitled to be treated differently simply because you turned 18 before graduating.

 

[adjusterjack]

Agree. You're still a student and subject to the school's rules.

You're age doesn't matter with regard to that.

However, it does matter that you are an adult and should have developed some common sense by now which should tell you to suck it up and stick it out until graduation.

 

[army judge]

My question is: what are my rights/freedoms as an 18 year old student in high school?

You are an adult.
The school will often treat you as a child, unless you request the right to assume responsibility for yourself as a legal adult.
The school will generally push back when you seek to assume such responsibilities.

However, if you dislike their rules and rude treatment, you are free to enroll in a GED program.
You'll have that GED within 30 days or less, and you'll get it without being treated like a 6 year old.
At this stage of the game, a GED is one option, another is to enroll in a community college, where you can also obtain your GED.

Investigate, deliberate, and choose wisely.

Okay, this applies to Cleveland, TN schools:

T.C.A. § 49-2-211.
Every LEA shall have a policy that allows a parent or legal guardian access to review all surveys, analyses or evaluations, prior to being administered to the parent or legal guardian's child. The policy shall enable a parent or legal guardian to opt their student out of participating in a survey, analysis, or evaluation. The policy shall require a parent, legal guardian or student,

in the case of students eighteen (18) years of age or older, to provide written consent before the collection of individual student biometric data.

The LEA shall also disclose to the parent or legal guardian of the student the purpose for the survey, analysis, or evaluation materials as well as who will have access to the results.

Here is the law and/or policies for you to read, review, and learn.

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http://tn.gov/assets/entities/education/attachments/statestatuatoryrightsofparentsandstudents.pdf
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System Forms / System Forms
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...

 

[Lgatl]

You are an adult.
The school will often treat you as a child, unless you request the right to assume responsibility for yourself as a legal adult.
The school will generally push back when you seek to assume such responsibilities.

However, if you dislike their rules and rude treatment, you are free to enroll in a GED program.
You'll have that GED within 30 days or less, and you'll get it without being treated like a 6 year old.
At this stage of the game, a GED is one option, another is to enroll in a community college, where you can also obtain your GED.

Investigate, deliberate, and choose wisely.

Okay, this applies to Cleveland, TN schools:

T.C.A. § 49-2-211.
Every LEA shall have a policy that allows a parent or legal guardian access to review all surveys, analyses or evaluations, prior to being administered to the parent or legal guardian's child. The policy shall enable a parent or legal guardian to opt their student out of participating in a survey, analysis, or evaluation. The policy shall require a parent, legal guardian or student,

in the case of students eighteen (18) years of age or older, to provide written consent before the collection of individual student biometric data.

The LEA shall also disclose to the parent or legal guardian of the student the purpose for the survey, analysis, or evaluation materials as well as who will have access to the results.

Here is the law and/or policies for you to read, review, and learn.

...
...
http://tn.gov/assets/entities/education/attachments/statestatuatoryrightsofparentsandstudents.pdf
...
...
System Forms / System Forms
...
...

It wasn't really a matter of my distaste for their actions but more of an inquiry to satisfy a curiosity I had towards it. Would signing for myself as my own legal guardian be under their jurisdiction as school policy that all students are required to do so regardless or would it be under the state as a legal matter? I appreciate your insight towards this inquiry, thank you

 

[mightymoose]

This is a matter of school policy, not law.
You can likely resolve this by discussing it with school staff.

 

[army judge]

It wasn't really a matter of my distaste for their actions but more of an inquiry to satisfy a curiosity I had towards it. Would signing for myself as my own legal guardian be under their jurisdiction as school policy that all students are required to do so regardless or would it be under the state as a legal matter? I appreciate your insight towards this inquiry, thank you

As an adult you must obey their rules.
The distinction being you can sign yourself out early, excuse your absences, receive your grade reports.
In class, however, you must do as others do.

Good luck...

 

[ElleMD]

No, even an 18 year old student can not excuse their own absences or sign themselves out for the day, unless the school allows them to do so. The rules and policies still apply regardless of age. You don't somehow become exempt because you reach a certain age. You won't find a law that says you may not/may sign your own permission slips. As the law is silent, the school is entitled to impose their own rule. You don't have a "right" to sign your own permission slips and check yourself out of school. There is a law, FERPA, which governs access to student records.