If your child faces allegations of sexual assault, you might be scrambling to teach yourself about your school's code of conduct. You might be wondering how serious your child's disciplinary proceedings may be. You may also be wondering just how much trouble your child is really in - and how this incident will impact your family's future.
Sexual misconduct is a weighty charge. While experiencing sexual assault is devastating, facing an unwarranted allegation of sexual misconduct can also harm your child. Title IX investigations can be complex and charged with confusion, emotion, and fear. When you and your family are working through these proceedings, it's a good idea to make sure a seasoned Title IX advisor is at your side.
Sexual Assault in KS Public High Schools
While it's easy to hope that sexual violence is not a problem you and your family will encounter, data says otherwise. According to a report by the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, in just one week, 670 sexual assault victims called for help. This number includes high school children, as abundant news stories painfully illustrate.
Just recently, a female student alleged that a male peer assaulted her in study hall while both attended a small Kansas high school. In another Kansas high school, a male student faced accusations of rape and other sex crimes. Clearly, these events do happen. No parent wants their child to experience these traumatizing incidents.
However, no parent wants a false accusation of sexual assault to needlessly ruin their child's future. If your child stands accused of sexual assault, you must act as quickly as possible. Hiring an experienced Title IX and code of conduct advisor may help protect your child's rights.
What is Title IX?
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX"), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq. Under Title IX, all public schools must investigate allegations of sexual assault or discrimination immediately. Title IX applies to all federally-funded K-12 schools, as well as colleges and universities. If your school does not investigate with haste, it risks losing its funding.
Unfortunately, this can incentivize your school to rush your child's investigation. Just because your school must investigate all allegations of sexual misconduct does not mean your school has the resources to do so well. It may be up to you to ensure that your student receives a fair chance.
Title IX promises to protect your child from sexual discrimination and assault. Your school's code of conduct should detail the specific actions punishable under this law. A few examples, gleaned from this Kansas high school's posted code of conduct, may include:
- Actual or simulated sexual misconduct
- Inappropriate touching
- Indecent exposure
- Engagement in any sexual activity without consent
- Photographing or videotaping sexual activity
- Distributing recordings relating to sexual activity
- Sexual assault and battery
As you can see, the range of definitions is wide. There's also a lot at stake: Your child could face a similarly wide range of punishments for their alleged actions.
Potential Punishments from Your KS School
Sexual misconduct is serious. Your high school should treat it that way. However, the list of punishments you child may face is daunting, especially if your child is innocent.
Your school will provide a list of the specific consequences possible in your school's code of conduct. Some possible ramifications, according to this Kansas high school's guidelines, may include:
- Reduced or lost credit
- Student conference
- Parent contact
- Referral to administrator
- Referral to Faculty Honor Committee
- Detention
- In‐school suspension
- Out-of-school suspension
- Academic Probation
- Referral to Alternative Education
- Mandatory behavioral contract
- Mandatory counseling
- Referral to external law enforcement
Many of these consequences could mar your child's day-to-day high school experience. Some could reduce your child's chances of getting into their dream school, or embarking upon their long-awaited career. To protect your child from these unfair ramifications, consult a seasoned Title IX and code of conduct attorney-advisor as early on in your child's disciplinary proceedings as possible.
Your Student's Rights in a Title IX Investigation
When your school notifies you that your child faces disciplinary proceedings, they may offer to appoint you legal advisement on their terms. It's a good idea to get counsel of your own, as counsel you seek personally won't have a bias benefiting the school.
An experienced legal advisor will be able to help you with several steps of your child's Title IX investigation. Some possible benefits include that your advisor may be able to:
- Go with your family to any meetings with the school administration
- Go with your family to any grievance proceedings the school holds (including a formal investigation and hearing)
- Assist you with collection and analysis of all evidence against your child
- Guide you through the steps of putting together a good defense
- Work tirelessly to ensure that your school provides your child with their due process rights.
When your child's bright future is on the line, you must be as proactive as you can. Unfortunately, it may be up to you to protect your child's rights. Otherwise, it could be all to easy for your school to steamroll your child and quickly mete out unfair punishment.
Don't let a rushed investigative process take away your child's future. When your family faces Title IX proceedings, talk to a hard-working Title IX and code of conduct advisor as early as you possibly can.
An Experienced Title IX and Code of Conduct Attorney-Advisor
When you need professional help to guide you through a high school Title IX investigation, you need the best help available. Joseph D. Lento is a legal advisor who has years of experience successfully dealing with student rights cases across the nation. Whether you need assistance with the Title IX investigative process or with adjudication through a hearing, Joseph D. Lento will be able to assist. He has fundamentally handled thousands of cases under Title IX and will work tirelessly to ensure your child receives their due process rights. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 to learn more, or simply fill out our brief online form to request more information.
Kansas 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
- Abilene USD 435
- Alma USD 329
- Altoona-Midway USD 387
- Andover USD 385
- Anthony-Harper USD 361
- Arkansas City USD 470
- Ashland USD 220
- Atchison USD 409
- Atchison County Community USD 377
- Attica USD 511
- Auburn-Washburn USD 437
- Augusta USD 402
- Axtell USD 488
B
- B & B USD 451
- Baldwin City USD 348
- Barber County North USD 254
- Barnes USD 223
- Basehor-Linwood USD 458
- Baxter Springs USD 508
- Bazine USD 304
- Belle Plaine USD 357
- Belleville USD 109
- Beloit USD 273
- Blue Valley Unified School District 229
- Blue Valley USD 384
- Bluestem USD 205
- Bonner Springs USD 204
- Brewster USD 314
- Brown County USD 430
- Bucklin USD 459
- Buhler USD 313
- Burlingame USD 454
- Burlington USD 244
- Burrton USD 369
C
- Caldwell USD 360
- Caney Valley USD 436
- Canton-Galva USD 419
- Cedar Vale USD 285
- Central Heights USD 288
- Central USD 462
- Centre USD 397, Kansas|Centre High School| Centre USD 397
- Chanute Public Schools USD 413
- Chapman USD 473
- Chase County USD 284
- Chautauqua USD 286
- Cheney USD 268
- Cherokee USD 247
- Cherryvale-Thayer USD 447
- Chetopa-St.Paul USD 505
- Cheylin USD 103
- Cimarron-Ensign USD 102
- Circle USD 375
- Claflin USD 354
- Clay County USD 379
- Clearwater USD 264
- Clifton-Clyde USD 224
- Coffeyville USD 445
- Colby USD 315
- Columbus USD 493
- Comanche County USD 300
- Concordia USD 333
- Conway Springs USD 356
- Copeland USD 476
- Crest USD 479
- Cunningham USD 332
D
- De Soto School District USD 232
- Deerfield USD 216
- Derby USD 260
- Dexter USD 471
- Dighton USD 482
- Dodge City USD 443
- Douglass USD 396
- Durham Hillsboro USD 410
E
- Easton USD 449
- El Dorado USD 490
- Elk Valley USD 283
- Elkhart USD 218
- Ell-Saline USD 307
- Ellinwood USD 355
- Ellis USD 388
- Ellsworth USD 327
- Elwood USD 486
- Emporia USD 253
- Erie-Galesburg USD 101
- Eudora USD 491
- Eureka USD 389
F
- Fairfield USD 310
- Flinthills USD 492
- Fort Larned USD 495
- Fort Leavenworth USD 207
- Fort Scott USD 234
- Fowler USD 225
- Fredonia USD 484
- Frontenac USD 249
G
- Galena USD 499
- Garden City USD 457
- Gardner-Edgerton USD 231
- Garnett USD 365
- Girard USD 248
- Goessel USD 411
- Goddard USD 265
- Golden Plains USD 316
- Goodland USD 352
- Grainfield USD 292
- Great Bend USD 428
- Greeley County USD 200
- Greensburg USD 422
- Grinnell USD 291
H
- Halstead USD 440
- Hamilton USD 390
- Hanston USD 228
- Haven USD 312
- Haviland USD 474
- Hays USD 489
- Haysville USD 261
- Healy USD 468
- Herington USD 487
- Hesston USD 460
- Hiawatha USD 415
- Highland USD 425
- Hill City USD 281
- Hillcrest USD 190
- Hillsboro USD 410
- Hoisington USD 431
- Holcomb USD 363
- Holton USD 336
- Hoxie USD 412
- Hugoton USD 210
- Humboldt USD 258
- Hutchinson USD 308
I
- Independence USD 446
- Ingalls USD 477
- Inman USD 448
- Iola USD 257
J
- Jayhawk USD 346
- Jefferson County North USD 339
- Jefferson West USD 340
- Jetmore USD 227
- Jewell USD 279
- Junction City USD 475
K
- Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
- Kaw Valley School District USD 321
- Kingman USD 331
- Kinsley-Offerle USD 347
- Kismet-Plains USD 483
L
- Labette County USD 506
- LaCrosse USD 395
- Lakin USD 215
- Lansing USD 469
- Lawrence Public Schools
- Leavenworth USD 453
- Lebo-Waverly USD 243
- Leoti USD 467
- Leroy-Gridley USD 245
- Lewis USD 502
- Liberal USD 480
- Lincoln USD 298
- Little River USD 444
- Logan USD 326
- Lorraine (Quivira Heights) USD 328
- Louisburg USD 416
- Lyndon USD 421
- Lyons USD 405
M
- Macksville USD 351
- Madison-Virgil USD 386
- Maize USD 266
- Manhattan USD 383
- Mankato USD 278
- Marais des Cygnes Valley USD 456
- Marion USD 408
- Marmaton Valley USD 256
- Marysville USD 364
- McLouth USD 342
- McPherson USD 418
- Meade USD 226
- Midway USD 433
- Mill Creek Valley USD 329
- Minneola USD 219
- Mission Valley USD 330
- Montezuma (South Gray) USD 371
- Morris County USD 417
- Moscow USD 209
- Moundridge USD 423
- Mullinville USD 424
- Mulvane USD 263
N
- Nemaha Valley USD 442
- Neodesha USD 461
- Nes Tre La Go USD 301
- Ness City USD 303
- Newton USD 373
- Nickerson USD 309
- North Central USD 221
- North Jackson USD 335
- North Lyon County USD 251
- North Ottawa County USD 239
- Northeast USD 246
- Northern Valley USD 212
- Norton USD 211
O
- Oakley USD 274
- Oberlin USD 294
- Olathe School District USD 233
- Onaga USD 322
- Osage City USD 420
- Osawatomie USD 367
- Osborne USD 392
- Oskaloosa USD 341
- Oswego USD 504
- Otis-Bison USD 403
- Ottawa USD 290
- Oxford USD 358
P
- Palco USD 269
- Paola USD 368
- Paradise USD 399
- Parsons USD 503
- Pawnee Heights USD 496
- Peabody-Burns USD 398
- Perry USD 343
- Phillipsburg USD 325
- Pike Valley USD 426
- Piper USD 203
- Pittsburg USD 250
- Plainville USD 270
- Pleasanton USD 344
- Prairie Heights USD 295
- Prairie View USD 362
- Pratt USD 382
- Pretty Prairie USD 311
Q
- Quinter USD 293
R
- Rawlins County USD 105
- Remington USD 206
- Renwick USD 267
- Republic County USD 109
- Riley County USD 378
- Riverton USD 404
- Rock Creek Schools USD 323
- Rock Hills USD 107
- Rolla USD 217
- Rose Hill USD 394
- Royal Valley USD 337
- Rural Vista USD 481
- Russell USD 407
S
- Sabetha Wetmore USD 441
- Saint John-Hudson USD 350
- Salina USD 305
- Santa Fe Trail USD 434
- Satanta USD 507
- Scott County USD 466
- Seaman USD 345
- Shawnee Heights USD 450
- Silver Lake USD 372
- Sedgwick Public Schools USD 439
- Shawnee Mission School District
- Skyline USD 438
- Smith Center USD 237
- Smokey Valley USD 400
- Smoky Hill USD 302
- Solomon USD 393
- South Barber County USD 255
- South Haven USD 509
- Southeast of Saline USD 306
- Southern Cloud County USD 334
- Southern Lyon County USD 252
- Spearville USD 381
- Spring Hill USD 230
- Francis Schools USD 297
- Stanton County USD 452
- Sterling USD 376
- Stockton USD 271
- Stafford USD 349
- Sublette USD 374
- Sylvan Grove USD 299
- Syracuse USD 494
T
- Thunder Ridge USD 110
- Tonganoxie USD 464
- Topeka Public Schools
- Triplains USD 275
- Troy USD 429
- Turner USD 202
- Twin Valley USD 240
U
- Udall USD 463
- Ulysses USD 214
- Uniontown USD 235
V
- Valley Center USD 262
- Valley Falls USD 338
- Valley Heights USD 498
- Vermillion USD 380
- Victoria USD 432
W
- Wabaunsee East USD 330
- Waconda USD 272
- WaKeeney USD 208
- Wallace USD 241
- Wamego USD 320
- Washington County USD 108
- Wathena USD 406
- Wellsville USD 289
- Wellington USD 353
- Weskan USD 242
- West Franklin USD 287
- West Smith County USD 238
- West Solomon USD 213
- Western Plains USD 106
- White Rock USD 104
- Wichita Public Schools
- Winfield USD 465
- Woodson USD 366
It is critical to make certain the Title IX investigation at your child's Kansas 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 Kansas 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.
