Children with autism are generally not the ones starting trouble at school. However, they can be easily frustrated, and that frustration can boil over sometimes, leading to a response that your child may not be able to control. Documenting these issues, and putting plans in place like quiet rooms, should be part of the IEP process. When these blowups do occur, the school district may respond with a suspension, even where much of the problem arose from their own failure to follow the IEP.

I have experience arguing against suspensions and other punishment that “does not fit the crime,” and am happy to help defend against punishments that will not help correct your child’s behavior, but only hurt his or her education. Likewise, we can represent you at a Manifestation Determination hearing to limit any suspensions and, if necessary, represent you in a due process hearing to challenge a school district’s finding of “no manifestation.”