were you all allowed to challenge the statements made by his accusers >> no, ma'am >> reporter: tuscaloosa city schools then ordered c.j. attend alternative school for 45 days. >> i mainly was mad. i cried in front of all of them, because i was hurt >> reporter: an nbc news investigation found students' ability to defend against what can be life-altering punishments largely depends on where they live. several states, including nevada, virginia, and alabama don't specify students' rights in state law, but rather, give broad authority to school districts. do you feel like you all got any due process? >> no, ma'am due process does not exist in the school system here in alabama. >> reporter: c.j.'s parents hired an attorney, but district policy prohibited her from being inside the meeting where they tried to appeal his punishment charles bell has spent more than a decade studying punishment in schools. >> we're literally pushing children out of school >> reporter: more than 2.6 million students were expelled or suspended for the most recent year federal data is available. black students were suspen

often >> you have to leave, you're guilty, and weighwe don't want from you anymore >> reporter: tuscaloosa city schools declined our request for interview, but they say their policies exceed due process requirements and when students violate, they're given notice of the violation, evidence supporting the violation and an opportunity to respond >> no one had the time to listen to him you accept what we give you. that's it. >> reporter: cj's parents refused to send him to alternative school >> i can see what i accomplished >> reporter: instead, he finished his superenior year on. >> i got to fight like hell. i'm not going to stop. >> reporter: as cj moves forward, his family continues to fight against what they see as a broken system. priscilla thompson, nbc news, tuscaloosa, alabama. >>> still to come. philly's school district is enlisting parents and they're getting paid to help >>> a new student loan repayment plan is here how you can sign up. plan is here how you can sign up. showed up? - oh, i saw it. - sorry about the vase. - can we just say vase like normal people? - fine. - i always wonde

. >> reporter: tuscaloosa city schools ordered c.j.stigation found students unable to defend against life altering punishments depends on where they live. several states including nevada, virginia and alabama don't specify students' rights in state law, but rather give broad authority to school districts. do you feel like you all got any due process? >> no, ma'am. due process does not exist in the school system here in alabama. >> reporter: as c.j.'s parents hired an attorney, but district policy prohibited her from being inside the meeting where they tried to appeal his punishment. charles bell has spent more than a decade studying punishment in schools. >> we're literally pushing children out of school. >> reporter: more than 2.6 million students were expelled or suspended for the most recent year federal data is available. black students were suspended at a rate more than double the national average. experts say black kids don't misbehave more often. >> you have to leave, you're guilty and we don't want to hear from you anymore. tha