Schools are not required to presume that someone accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty. What you hear on television about the need for guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt” does not apply in schools. For a school to send a student to an alternative school for an off-campus violent felony charge, the school district only needs a “reasonable belief” that your child committed the crime. However, if the charges against your child are dismissed or non-suited, the school district must review your child’s placement at the alternative school and can only keep your child at the alternative school if the district determines that your child is a threat to others at your child’s regular campus. If the school district says that your child is a threat and decides to keep your child at the alternative school, you can appeal to the school board if you disagree with the district’s decision. An attorney who specializes in school law may be able to help.