If your student's in high school, you likely have a few expectations about their time in secondary education. You probably hope they make friends, have good grades, complete a few good extracurriculars, and that they stay safe. After all, you've entrusted your New Hampshire high school with your student's care.
If your student stands accused of sexual misconduct at your New Hampshire high school, you may find your school's response jarring. Once your student stands accused of wrongdoing, it can be easy for your school to treat your student poorly. Your school may even infringe upon your student's rights.
When you're making your way through a code of conduct or Title IX procedure, you must be proactive about protecting your student. Unfortunately, you may be the only one with the motivation to do so. Hiring a competent, experienced high school code of conduct and Title IX advisor may be the best way to make that happen.
Title IX and Your NH Student: Do These Cases Really Happen?
While no parent necessarily wants to believe that their child may be in harm's way, the news tells a different story. Sexual misconduct happens in New Hampshire high schools. It's unfortunate, but it's also true.
One New Hampshire student faced accusations that he raped, assaulted, and threatened female classmates while attending his high school. However, these allegations are not always accurate. In a different case, one male New Hampshire student was at the center of a series of Snapchat rumors insisting that he had sexually assaulted “a dozen female students.” After investigators examined his case, they found no evidence that the suspect had done anything illicit.
The New Hampshire Commission to Study Sexual Abuse Prevention in Education found that 41% of female assault victims and 69% of male assault victims were less than eighteen years old. This indicates that high school students are at high risk of being victims of sexual assault and can create an atmosphere that lends itself to suspicion of their peers.
An unwarranted allegation of sexual assault may follow your student for their entire life. It can immediately make your student's high school experience much more complicated than it needs to be, and it could even make it hard for your child to get into the college of their dreams.
Don't let an unfair accusation destroy your child's bright future. If you and your family are facing Title IX or sexual misconduct charges through your child's New Hampshire high school, consider securing legal representation. A hard-working advisor may make all the difference in your child's case.
What Happens After High School Sexual Assault?
After the accusing student has filed an allegation against your student, your New Hampshire school may move quickly. Federal regulations, such as Title IX, require your school's timely investigation. Your school will publish a specific grievance procedure in your code of conduct or student handbook.
Generally speaking, as this New Hampshire school's handbook indicates, you can expect your school to form an investigative team to look into your student's case. After that team has analyzed all available evidence, your school may or may not invite your student to a disciplinary hearing. After your school has meted out punishment, you will have a short period of time in which you can appeal the decision.
If you're wondering what precisely is at stake for your student, the answer varies from school district to school district. This New Hampshire school's code of conduct makes it clear that any of a wide range of consequences are likely, including:
- A verbal warning
- Parent contact
- Detention
- Loss of privileges (for example, extracurricular activities, dance privileges, parking privileges, or bus privileges)
- In-school or out-of-school suspension
- Referral to counseling services
- Mandatory adherence to a behavioral contract
- Referral to an alternative form of education
- Expulsion from your school or school district
- Referral to external law enforcement.
Generally speaking, the severity of the consequence should match the apparent severity of the alleged crime. Some of these measures may just make your student's day-to-day high school experience less fun, but others could seriously mar your child's bright future.
Work with an experienced Title IX and code of conduct lawyer today to help protect your child's future from an unfair sexual misconduct accusation.
How to Keep Your NH High School Accountable
When you and your family are facing student misconduct charges, the most important thing you can do is work to protect your student's rights. Your student has the right to notifications, written questions, appeals, and more. In the interest of saving time, your school may strip your student of those rights.
A knowledgeable Title IX or code of conduct advisor will help you maintain those rights. Your advisor may also be able to guide you through the investigation and adjudicative hearing to a more favorable outcome.
You may be wondering what the specific benefits of hiring an experienced legal advisor may be. When you're facing due process at your New Hampshire high school, your legal professional may be able to help you with any of the following:
- Preparation for any hearing that your school may offer
- Reading, filing, and drafting of any statements that your school may require
- Analysis of any evidence and interviewing of any witnesses
- Examining your New Hampshire's posted grievance procedures
- Keeping your information confidential
Joseph D. Lento is Ready to Fight for Your Student's Rights
When your family faces sexual misconduct charges, you need the best in the business on your side. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm have a history of winning high school sexual misconduct cases. Whether you're in New Hampshire or anywhere else in the United States of America, Joseph D. Lento has the experience to help you and your student fight through your case. For years, Joseph D. Lento has successfully dealt with high school code of conduct cases through both the investigative and adjudicative processes. If you need reliable assistance during your student's case, call 888-535-3686 to contact the Lento Law Firm today. Alternatively, complete our brief online form to learn more.
New Hampshire high schools where Joseph D. Lento can help as your child's student's Title IX advisor during investigations, hearings and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following school districts:
A
- Allenstown School District
- Alton School District
- Amherst School District
- Andover School District
- Ashland School District
B
- Barnstead School District
- Barrington School District
- Bartlett School District
- Bath School District
- Bedford School District
- Berlin School District
- Bethehem School District
- Bow School District
- Brentwood School District
- Brookline School District
C
- Campton School District
- Candia School District
- Chester School District
- Chesterfield School District
- Chichester School District
- Claremont School District
- Cocherco Arts and Technology Charter Academy
- Coe Brown Academy School District
- Colebrook School District
- Concord School District
- Contoocook Valley School District
- Conway School District
- Coos County School District
- Cornish School District
- Croydon School District
D
- Deerfield School District
- Derry School District
- Dover School District
- Dresden School District
- Dunbarton School District
E
- East Kingston School District
- Epping School District
- Epsom School District
- Errol School District
- Exeter Region Cooperative School District
- Exeter School District
F
- Fall Mountain Regional School District
- Farmington School District
- Franklin School District
- Freedom School District
- Fremont School District
G
- Gilford School District
- Gilmaton School District
- Goffstown School District
- Gorham School District
- Goshen-Lempster Cooperative School District
- Governor Wentworth Regional School District
- Grantham School District
- Greenland School District
H
- Hampstead School District
- Hampton School District
- Hanover School District
- Harrisville School District
- Haverhill Cooperative School District
- Henniker School District
- Hill School District
- Hillsboro Deering Cooperative School District
- Hinsdale School District
- Holderness School District
- Hollis School District
- Hollis Brookline Cooperative School District
- Hooksett School District
- Hopkinton School District
- Hudson School District
I
- Inter-Lakes School District
J
- Jackson School District
- Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District
- John Stark Regional School District
K
- Kearsarge Regional School District
- Keene School District
- Kensington School District
L
- Laconia School District
- Lafayette Regional School District
- Landaff School District
- Laurent Clerc School District
- Lebanon School District
- Lincoln-Woodstock School District
- Lisbon Regional School District
- Litchfield School District
- Littleton School District
- Londonderry School District
- Lyme School District
- Lyndeborough School District
M
- Madison School District
- Manchester School District
- Marlborough School District
- Marlow School District
- Mascenic Regional School District
- Mascoma Valley Regional School District
- Merrimack School District
- Merrimack Valley School District
- Milan School District
- Milford School District
- Milton School District
- Monadnock Regional School District
- Monroe School District
- Mont Vernon School District
- Moultonborough School District
N
- Nashua School District
- Nelson School District
- New Boston School District
- New Castle School District
- Newfields School District
- Newfound Area School District
- Newington School District
- Newmarket School District
- Newport School District
- North Hampton School District
- Northumberland School District
- Northwood School District
- Notthingham School District
O
- Oyster River Cooperative School District
P
- Pelham School District
- Pembroke School District
- Pemi-Baker School District
- Piermont School District
- Pinkerton Academy School District
- Pittsburg School District
- Pittsfield School District
- Plainfield School District
- Plymouth School District
- Portsmouth School District
- Profile School District
- Prospect Mountain School District
R
- Raymond School District
- Rivendell Interstate School District
- Rochester School District
- Rollinsford School District
- Rumney School District
- Rye School District
S
- Salem School District
- Sanborn Regional School District
- Seabrook School District
- Seacost Charter School District
- Shaker Regional School District
- Somersworth School District
- Souhegan Cooperative School District
- South Hampton School District
- Stark School District
- Stewartstown School District
- Stoddard School District
- Strafford School District
- Stratford School District
- Stratham School District
- Sunapee School District
T
- Tamworth School District
- Thornton School District
- Timberlane School District
U
- Unity School District
W
- Wakefield School District
- Warren School District
- Washington School District
- Waterville Valley School District
- Weare School District
- Wentworth School District
- Westmoreland School District
- White Mountain Regional School District
- Wilton School District
- Wilton-Lyndeboro School District
- Winchester School District
- Windham School District
- Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
- Winnisquam Regional School District
It is critical to make certain the Title IX investigation at your child's New Hampshire high school is handled properly and that the accused student's interests and rights are protected from as early as possible during the sexual misconduct investigative process. One major reason is because even at high schools where a finding of responsibility for sexual misconduct charges is made at a hearing, the investigation will set the stage for what the hearing panel is provided prior to a hearing (and what the hearing panel will in large part rely on at a hearing), and at high schools where the finding of responsibility is made solely through the investigative process, what takes place during the investigation itself will determine whether the accused student is found responsible or not responsible for Title IX charges.
Unfortunately, some parents make the mistake of not taking the necessary precautions as soon as possible when accused of sexual misconduct. Some people will mistakenly believe that if they "just explain what happened," their school will be fair and impartial and will arrive at the truth. In a perfect world this may be the case, but in a perfect world, sexual misconduct allegations and Title IX charges would not exist.
Fighting passionately for the future of his clients at schools throughout the nation for many years, Joseph D. Lento knows how important it is to mount the strongest defense because he understands that an accused high school student's academic future is on the line. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as a Title IX attorney advisor to high school students facing sexual misconduct investigations and disciplinary cases in New Hampshire and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National High School Title IX Attorney Joseph D. Lento today at 888-535-3686.
