K-12 Title IX Lawyer for Student Victims

If your elementary, middle, or high school student is the victim of sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment, or sexual assault, you may not know where to turn. The school may not have the experience necessary to protect your child, to take the issue seriously, and give your child all the rights they are entitled to under the law. A K-12 Title IX lawyer for student victims can help guide you through the complexities of the process with the best chances of success.

What Is Title IX?

Title IX makes sex-based discrimination at any federally funded educational institution or program unlawful. Almost all public and private schools receive some form of federal funding and are required to follow the Title IX process whenever a sexual misconduct claim is made. If a violation is alleged, every school must have a plan ready to help with conducting an investigation that provides a fair process.

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About Us

The Title IX Law Team serves as a resource for parents and students involved in Title IX claims in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as at colleges nationwide. If your child has experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex-based discrimination at their school, contact the Title IX Law Team to connect with an attorney who can help.

Too often, K-12 schools are ill-equipped to handle the complexities of a Title IX complaint. Whether through inexperience or incompetence, K-12 school administrators often do not understand all the rights they need to provide and the steps they need to go through after a Title IX complaint is filed. This can be compounded if your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, or any kind of special need or learning difference. Children who fall into these categories are often targeted as victims of sexual misconduct in schools.

Whether your child is in kindergarten or a senior in high school, having someone who can advocate for your student and their rights throughout the process can make all the difference between a frustrating and traumatizing experience or a just outcome.

Title IX Violations at K-12 Schools Nationwide

Schools don’t always understand how to help student victims. Not every school or every Title IX investigator takes a trauma-informed, or even an age-appropriate, approach. Some Title IX personnel don’t understand or work with kids on a regular basis. The stakes are even higher when the allegation involves sexual touching or assault.

Unfortunately, someone is sexually assaulted in the United States every 74 seconds, and if that’s your student, you need someone in your corner right from the start. Reach out to the Title IX Law Team for help connecting with a lawyer who understands Title IX in the K-12 setting, who knows how to take a compassionate and trauma-informed approach, and who can take the burden and stress off you and your family while you focus on the well-being of your child.

K-12 Infractions

For K-12 students, Title IX allegations often involve:

• Inappropriate touching between students or between staff and students
• Date rape and other forms of sexual assault among teens and preteens
• Social media bullying and harassment
• Spreading rumors about sexual behavior
• Sexting
• Sextortion
• Stalking
• Overly sexual behaviors, jokes, and comments
• Gender-based discrimination at school and in school activities

Title IX Case Steps

While every case is different, there are some common steps required by schools handling Title IX complaints. The person who suffered the Title IX discrimination, harassment, or abuse is called the “complainant” in a Title IX case. If someone files a complaint, then the school must:

• Inform the complainant (and their parents if minors) of their rights under Title IX and of the options of a formal investigation or informal process
• Undertake a formal investigation if the complainant requests it or if the school decides it is required
• Issue a formal notice of allegations to the accused person (called the “respondent”)
• Assign a neutral and unbiased investigator to interview the parties and witnesses, collect evidence, and produce a written report
• Provide the written report to both parties to review and respond to prior to the investigation being provided to the final decision-maker
• Send the final investigation report to the decision-maker, who cannot be the same person as the investigator
• Hold a live hearing if required by the school’s policies, although most K-12 schools do not hold Title IX hearings
• Reach a decision and issue a written outcome determination
• Review any appeals submitted by either party

Having a K-12 Title IX attorney for student victims is important right from the start of a case. A Title IX attorney in your child’s corner can present his or her side of the story and ensure Title IX’s requirements are followed. Title IX is designed to ensure that complaints don’t get swept under the rug without a fair and thorough investigative process.

Hire a Title IX Lawyer for Student Victims

A knowledgeable attorney can provide reliable legal support if your student has been the victim of a Title IX violation. The Title IX Law Team can connect you with an attorney who can help. Contact us to connect with an attorney today.