Title IX is a federal civil rights law that promises to protect your child from sexual harassment and assault while in school. You've likely spent years investing in your child's education, so it seems fair that your school protects your child from harm. However, Title IX can also incentivize your school to move fast through complicated investigations, resulting in less protection and fewer rights for students unfairly involved in Title IX processes.
Under Title IX, your Idaho school must respond to and investigate all allegations of sexual assault immediately. Otherwise, they risk losing their funding. Unfortunately, just because your school must act quickly in a Title IX process does not mean that your school has the resources to complete these proceedings well.
If your child stands accused of unwarranted Title IX allegations, you need to be proactive about protecting your child's rights. An experienced Title IX and code of conduct advisor can help you ensure an unfair accusation does not destroy your student's high school experience.
High School Sexual Assault and Your Idaho Student
There are many actions that your school may investigate under Title IX. The law governs any incident of sexual discrimination, harassment, or assault that occurs in a federally-funded school. As a general definition, many Idaho schools consider the following items actionable under Title IX:
- Unwelcome sexual advances
- Unwelcome requests for sexual favors
- Unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature
- Unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature
You may look at your child and think they're simply too young or that their Idaho school is too small for any of these events to occur. A brief perusal of the news tells us that this sadly isn't the case. In one Idaho school, one girl alleged that an older student had sexually assaulted her, forcing her to move to a different school district. In another case, a 17-year-old boy allegedly assaulted a 13-year-old student in their Idaho school's computer lab.
A recent Idaho Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that, in high school, 15.1% of female students and 4.1% of male students were victims of forced sexual acts.
It's an unfortunate truth: Sexual misconduct happens everywhere, including in your student's school. You need to prepare yourself and your family so that an unfair allegation of sexual assault does not mar your child's bright future.
Student Discipline Procedures in Idaho
Every school district in Idaho has the responsibility to write and maintain their own policies concerning sexual misconduct. Your school will publish their updated code of conduct and discipline procedures yearly, often in the form of a student handbook. There are often similarities across different districts, but checking your specific code of conduct will help you understand what your family faces.
According to one Idaho school’s code of conduct, there is a wide variety of potential punitive measures that your student may experience after their Title IX investigation is complete. These may include:
- Detention
- In-school or out-of-school suspension
- Mandatory adherence to a behavioral contract
- Work detail
- Loss of privileges (such as bus privileges, parking spaces, or participation in extracurricular activities)
- Referral to a counselor
- Referral to outside law enforcement
- Expulsion from the school or entire school district.
The stakes are very high for your Idaho high school student. An allegation of sexual misconduct will, at the very least, disturb their reputation and their day-to-day high school experience. With some of these consequences, your child can expect the ramifications of their Title IX case to last them for years to come.
Working to ensure that your school protects your student through a Title IX investigation as much as your school protects the accuser is vital for your child's rights and future. A Title IX advisor may be able to help keep your child's Title IX investigation fair - which may make all the difference for your child.
Working to Keep Your Idaho School Accountable
The specific steps that your school will take to decide an incident of sexual misconduct are in your school's code of conduct. However, the Idaho Board of Education does have a centralized complaint and resolution process for high school students. The state also recognizes that each student has protected rights during an investigation or hearing.
There are many ways that your school can overlook these rights. Observe to see if your Idaho school is:
- Failing to provide your student with a neutral decision-maker
- Failing to provide every interested party, including the accused student, with written notice of the allegations
- Failing to provide the accused a full copy of the completed investigative report
- Failing to offer the accused a full and fair hearing
- Failing to follow your school district's documented procedures for disciplinary action
- Failing to ensure that all interested parties receive equal rights during the Title IX investigative process
- Failing to allow your child to submit written questions during the investigation
An advisor with experience analyzing codes of conduct and handling discipline cases under Title IX can hold your Idaho high school accountable to these rules. There is so much at stake for your student. Protect their high school years - and their future - with an expert advisor who will fight for your child's rights.
A High School Title IX Attorney Ready to Help Your Student
When your child stands accused of false sexual misconduct, it's easy to get overwhelmed, scared, and frustrated. Joseph D. Lento has the experience to sift through investigative reports and confusing codes of conduct while upholding your child's rights. As a seasoned code of conduct advisor, Joseph D. Lento has fundamentally handled hundreds of student discipline cases under Title IX. He has also successfully resolved cases through the investigative and hearing processes hearing. Whether your student attends an Idaho high school or one anywhere in the nation, Joseph D. Lento can assist with your case. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or contact us through the online form.
Idaho 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
- Aberdeen School District
- American Falls School District
B
- Bear Lake School District
- Blackfoot School District
- Blaine County School District
- Bliss Joint School District
- Boise School District
- Bonneville Joint School District
- Boundary County School District
- Buhl Joint School District
- Butte County Joint School District
C
- Caldwell School District
- Cascade School District
- Cassia Joint School District
- Challis Joint School District
- Coeur d'Alene Public Schools
- Cottonwood Joint School District
- Culdesac Joint School District
D
- Dietrich School District
E
- Emmett Independent School District
F
- Filer School District
- Firth School District
- Fremont County Joint School District
- Fruitland School District
G
- Garden Valley School District
- Genesee Joint School District
- Glenns Ferry School District, Idaho
- Gooding Joint School District
- Grace School District
- Grangeville Joint School District
H
- Highland School District
- Homedale Joint School District
I
- Idaho Falls School District
J
- Jefferson School District
- Jerome School District
- Joint School District
K
- Kamiah Joint School District
- Kellogg Joint School District
- Kimberly School District
- Kootenai School District
- Kuna School District
L
- Lake Pend Oreille School District
- Lakeland Joint School District
- Lewiston Independent School District
M
- Madison School District
- Marsh Valley Joint School District
- McCall-Donnelly Joint School District
- Melba School District
- Meridian School District
- Middleton School District
- Midvale School District
- Minidoka County School District
- Moscow School District
- Mountain Home School District
- Mullan School District
N
- Nampa School District
- New Plymouth School District
- North Gem School District
O
- Oneida School District
- Orofino Joint School District
P
- Parma School District
- Plummer-Worley School District
- Pocatello-Chubbuck School District
- Post Falls School District
- Potlatch School District
- Preston School District
R
- Ririe School District
- Rockland School District
M
- Maries School District
- Salmon School District
- Shelley School District
- Shoshone Joint School District
- Snake River School District
- Soda Springs Joint School District
- South Lemhi School District
- Sugar-Salem School District
T
- Teton County School District
- Troy School District
- Twin Falls School District
V
- Valley School District
- Vallivue School District
W
- Wallace School District
- Weiser School District
- Wendell School District
- West Bonner County School District
- West Jefferson School District
- West Side Joint School District
- Whitepine School District
- Wilder School District
It is critical to make certain the Title IX investigation at your child's Idaho 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, Pennsylvania, 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 Idaho 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.
Idaho 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
- Aberdeen School District
- American Falls School District
B
- Bear Lake School District
- Blackfoot School District
- Blaine County School District
- Bliss Joint School District
- Boise School District
- Bonneville Joint School District
- Boundary County School District
- Buhl Joint School District
- Butte County Joint School District
C
- Caldwell School District
- Cascade School District
- Cassia Joint School District
- Challis Joint School District
- Coeur d'Alene Public Schools
- Cottonwood Joint School District
- Culdesac Joint School District
D
- Dietrich School District
E
- Emmett Independent School District
F
- Filer School District
- Firth School District
- Fremont County Joint School District
- Fruitland School District
G
- Garden Valley School District
- Genesee Joint School District
- Glenns Ferry School District, Idaho
- Gooding Joint School District
- Grace School District
- Grangeville Joint School District
H
- Highland School District
- Homedale Joint School District
I
- Idaho Falls School District
J
- Jefferson School District
- Jerome School District
- Joint School District
K
- Kamiah Joint School District
- Kellogg Joint School District
- Kimberly School District
- Kootenai School District
- Kuna School District
L
- Lake Pend Oreille School District
- Lakeland Joint School District
- Lewiston Independent School District
M
- Madison School District
- Marsh Valley Joint School District
- McCall-Donnelly Joint School District
- Melba School District
- Meridian School District
- Middleton School District
- Midvale School District
- Minidoka County School District
- Moscow School District
- Mountain Home School District
- Mullan School District
N
- Nampa School District
- New Plymouth School District
- North Gem School District
O
- Oneida School District
- Orofino Joint School District
P
- Parma School District
- Plummer-Worley School District
- Pocatello-Chubbuck School District
- Post Falls School District
- Potlatch School District
- Preston School District
R
- Ririe School District
- Rockland School District
M
- Maries School District
- Salmon School District
- Shelley School District
- Shoshone Joint School District
- Snake River School District
- Soda Springs Joint School District
- South Lemhi School District
- Sugar-Salem School District
T
- Teton County School District
- Troy School District
- Twin Falls School District
V
- Valley School District
- Vallivue School District
W
- Wallace School District
- Weiser School District
- Wendell School District
- West Bonner County School District
- West Jefferson School District
- West Side Joint School District
- Whitepine School District
- Wilder School District
It is critical to make certain the Title IX investigation at your child's Idaho 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 Idaho 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.
