2: Understanding Due Process

Knowing your rights begins with understanding how school systems work. That means learning about the rules, the decision-making processes, and the options available to students and parents.

Unfortunately, we also know that these policies have not been applied fairly. Across Ontario—and beyond—Black, Indigenous, racialized, and disabled students are suspended and expelled at disproportionately higher rates. This isn’t about some students being “worse behaved”—it’s about how school discipline policies are often used in racist and ableist ways that punish certain students more harshly than others.

These decisions impact students’ ability to learn, to feel safe in their schools, and to thrive in their communities. They can also leave students and families feeling powerless—especially when navigating systems with complicated processes and unequal power dynamics.

This is why it’s so important that families and students know what to expect and understand that they have rights. 

The research is clear: students who are suspended or expelled are more likely to have contact with the criminal justice system. There is a direct link between being pushed out of school and being pulled into policing and incarceration.

Why? Because schools are often one of the few places where youth SHOULD have access to:

• Food and basic needs

• Peer friendships and social support

• Trusted adults and mental health services

• Safe spaces away from surveillance and over-policing

When a student is removed from school, they are also cut off from these vital supports.

If you or your child are facing a suspension or expulsion and it feels unfair, you are not alone—and your feelings are valid.

You have the right to:

• Due process: The school must follow clear procedures before suspending or expelling a student.

• Appeal: You can challenge a suspension or request a reconsideration of the decision.

• Information: You have the right to understand why the suspension or expulsion is happening, and what steps are being taken.

• Support: You have a right to be treated fairly, to feel safe, and to be supported as you go through the process.

• Accommodations: This includes all forms of translations—which the school board must provide.

Most importantly, students have a right to education. You belong in school. You deserve safety, respect, and a learning environment that sees your full humanity.

Some of the language used in this and upcoming videos may sound institutional or carceral in nature. That’s because much of it comes directly from Ontario’s Education Act, which can often use dehumanizing, legalistic language. It’s important to be familiar with this terminology so you know what to expect when navigating processes like suspensions or expulsions. However, if what you’re going through feels unjust or invalidating, please know that your experiences are real—and your feelings are valid. Understanding this language doesn’t mean accepting unfair treatment. It’s about being equipped to challenge it. Some of the terms used in this video and the next ones might sound cold or legal. That’s because they come straight from Ontario’s Education Act. We’re sharing that language so you know how the system talks—but that doesn’t mean your experience isn’t real or valid. If something feels unfair, you’re allowed to question it and ask for support. Knowing the system’s language helps you better challenge it.

We at DJNO believe you and know that your experience is real and valid.