IN THE MATTER OF MLL

ELMORE, Judge.

Respondent, a fifteen year old boy, had been having discipline problems at school. His stepfather warned him if he got "[o]ne more phone call, you [sic] getting your corn rows cut off." Two days later, the stepfather received a phone call from another teacher that respondent was "disrespecting her and her class." Accordingly, he told respondent that he would be taking him to get his hair cut. However, when he took respondent to the barber shop, respondent had failed to loosen the plaits so his hair could not be cut.

On 5 September 2003, the day of the assault, the stepfather…