Mark GriffithA Marion County (Tenn.) High School senior accused of taking upskirt cellphone photos of a teacher last week will finish out the school year in alternative school.
The 17-year-old’s parents this week asked for an appeal hearing Thursday before Marion County Director of Schools Mark Griffith.
“I did amend the [Disciplinary Hearing Authority] recommendation to put the young man back in the Marion County school system at the alternative school,” Griffith said after Thursday’s hearing.
Griffith initially expelled the boy for 365 days, and that punishment was upheld by the authority in a hearing Tuesday. But in an appeal, Griffith said, the director has the discretion under system policy to modify punishment.
Alternative school officials intend to “put him on a good plan and get him graduated and moving on with his life,” Griffith said of the boy’s education plan going forward. But he won’t be allowed to attend graduation ceremonies or participate in school activities for the rest of the year, Griffith said.