Question
How can I get records of all students suspended or expelled from the local high school? I feel like my son has had offenses fabricated against him.
Answer
Generally speaking, student records are private and you cannot get access to them without the permission of the parent. This privacy is governed by the Education Code section 49076. Also, unless the parents request otherwise, any hearing on a proposed expulsion is conducted in closed session, i.e. is not public. See Education Code section 48918.
However, once a final decision has been made to expel a student, the fact of the expulsion and the reason for the decision must be disclosed in a public document. See Education Code section 48918(j) and (k). I have attached the text of this section below. You may make a Public Records Act request for these documents, following the procedures set forth on the CFAC website. I would specifically refer in your request to all records concerning “final actions” on expulsions under Education Code section 48918(j) and (k).
Asked & Answered posts should not be relied on as legal advice, and FAC makes no guarantees about their completeness or accuracy. All posts carry a date of publication that readers should take note of in assessing their usefulness, given that laws and interpretations of them may change over time. Posts predating Jan. 1, 2023, that discuss the California Public Records Act may contain statute numbers no longer in use. Please see this page for a table showing how the California Public Records Act has been renumbered.