DATE: Wednesday, May 14, 1997               TAG: 9705140498

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LOUIS HANSEN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   55 lines

STUDENT FOUND GUILTY OF CHEATING SUES HIS SUFFOLK SCHOOL THE JUNIOR WANTS HIS NAME CLEARED BEFORE APPLYING TO COLLEGE, HIS ATTORNEY SAYS.

A 17-year-old Nansemond-Suffolk Academy honors student has sued the school, claiming that he was unfairly convicted by its honor council of cheating on a chemistry homework assignment in October.

The junior from Portsmouth, who had been a member of the council, is left anonymous in court papers. He wants his good name restored before his college applications go out, his attorney said.

``He's not saying `Give me a million dollars,' '' said family attorney Christopher A. Abel. ``Just, `Clear my name.' ''

The suit, filed Friday, claims that the student ``will suffer permanent damage to his reputation, standing and future business, educational and social opportunities and will be greatly and irreparably harmed.''

School president Douglas C. Naismith said the case had been forwarded to the school's attorney. He would not comment further. The legal papers do not include the school's response.

Nansemond-Suffolk is a private school on Pruden Boulevard, with about 950 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Abel said his client had no history of misbehavior or cheating at the school, where he has been a student since September 1992.

He served for two years as a member of the honor council, which consists of students and faculty members. The council acts on infractions of the school's honor code.

``He was expecting to be president of the honor council next year,'' Abel said. ``Everything was coming up aces.''

Until Oct. 15, when, according to the lawsuit, the young man's chemistry teacher accused him and another student of sharing results on a homework assignment.

Both students were brought before the honor council the next day.

``They both denied collaborating on it, or cheating in any way,'' Abel said. ``There was no evidence.''

One student was cleared of the charge, and the student who has filed the lawsuit was convicted. The headmaster upheld the conviction.

As a result, the student will not be allowed to graduate with honors, even though Abel said he is an ``A'' student. He was removed from his position on the honor council and is prohibited from serving as an officer in any school club or student government.

He will not be considered for the National Honor Society.

When the student's parents asked to speak with the chemistry teacher and counselor who were involved in the incident, Abel said, the school requested that the parents waive any claims to sue before they could meet with the teachers.

Abel maintains that his client was convicted by a flawed honor code.

``He's not interested in suing the school,'' Abel said. ``We've got a mountain where a mole hill should be.'' KEYWORDS: LAWSUIT NANSEMOND-SUFFOLK ACADEMY

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