High School Title IX Advisor - Vermont

When you sent your Vermont teenager off to high school, you likely had very specific hopes and expectations regarding their safety, their relationships with their friends, and their experience at their high school. After all, every Vermont high school has a responsibility towards each of its students - to keep them safe and help them achieve their goals.

If your student stands accused of sexual misconduct at a Vermont high school, you may be surprised to find how quickly your student's school seems to distance itself from your student. Sexual misconduct traumatizes and devastates all those involved. If your student faces sexual misconduct or Title IX charges, you need to be as proactive as possible to make sure that your student's future is not destroyed as well.

Title IX Cases in Vermont High Schools: An Unfortunate Reality

While it may be easy to believe that your child is too young or your student's school too small or remote to get involved in Title IX cases, that's simply not the case. While Title IX may seem like a removed, technical or legal term, it just refers to the law which governs how public schools across the nation handle allegations of sexual misconduct. Ultimately, even if your Vermont high school seems safe and incident-free, that impression may not align with reality.

For example, according to local news, two Vermont teenagers recently faced charges after an alleged incident of sexual assault involving a peer at their high school. In another case, a senior at a Vermont high school reported that a classmate had raped her at a party. These incidents reflect every parent's worst nightmare - but it is important to realize that these incidents do happen.

If your child faces accusations of sexual misconduct, you need to prepare yourself and your family to work towards a favorable outcome for your student.

What Happens After a Vermont High School Allegation of Sexual Assault?

Perhaps the first thing you wondered when you learned that your student faces sexual misconduct allegations is simply this: What happens next?

The answer to this question depends on the policies at your specific VT high school. The United States Office of Civil Rights has noted that all schools that receive federal funding must follow Title IX regulations. However, the Office also notes that each state has its own unique populations and challenges. Since this is the case, the Office of Civil Rights has issued policy guidance materials, instead of strict universal policies.

For you, this means that checking your school's student handbook or code of conduct is the best way to know what will happen in your student's case, as your Vermont high school's procedures may differ greatly from those of any other school. What will not differ from school to school is your involvement. In order to make sure that you're prepared to protect your student's rights and their future as best as you can, you need to hire a seasoned Title IX advisor as early as is possible.

After your student finds out that they stand accused of sexual misconduct, your Vermont high school may proceed immediately to disciplinary measures. Your high school may also give your student the chance to make a statement, represent themselves or seek external counsel, question any evidence your school identifies, and appeal any decisions that your student's school makes.

According to one Vermont high school's code of conduct, your school may punish your student for any sexual misconduct that materially affects another student's educational experience. At the end of a thorough investigation by the school, the school will suggest restorative actions. These actions may include a wide variety of punitive measures, which may include:

• Suspension
• Expulsion or termination
• A ban from school property
• Loss of privileges
• Mediation
• Mandatory behavioral therapy
• A behavioral contract

Working to Keep Your Vermont High School Accountable to Your Student's Rights

The ACLU of Vermont, as well as the State of Vermont Agency of Education, both have extensive resources that make it clear: Your Vermont high school needs to remember that your student has rights, even if they stand accused of inappropriate behavior.

Since your VT high school may risk losing federal funding if it does not manage your student's sexual misconduct case in a timely fashion, it is not uncommon for high schools to forget to act in a way that respects your child. This means that there's a lot at stake - and it's up to you and your representation to make sure that your child receives fair treatment.

Your Vermont high school may offer in-house representation to your student, but it's vital to work with a legal team that is loyal to you - not your school. Hiring a legal professional well-versed in Title IX issues has other benefits, including:

• Years of expertise: A sexual misconduct and Title IX advisor will have up-to-date knowledge regarding specific school policies and nationwide recommendations for these types of cases.
• Confidentiality: If your advisor works for you, instead of your school, you stand a much higher chance of protecting your student's immediate and future reputation.
• Assistance, representation, and support: You and your student are likely worried. The last thing you need to do is figure out how to draft and file important, lengthy, and vitally important statements on your own. Your Title IX advisor can assist with interviews, research, due process, and more to help you relax as much as you possibly can.

A Hard-Working Vermont Title IX Advisor

When your Vermont high school student faces allegations of sexual misconduct, it can be very easy to feel frustrated, confused, and scared. If you're trying to figure out a way to make sure that one incident doesn't impact your student's entire future, you need to work with a legal team that has direct experience successfully managing student sexual misconduct cases. For years, Joseph D. Lento has worked with thousands of students, providing aggressive defenses in high school Title IX cases. Whether your student's high school adjudicates their case though an investigation or a formal hearing, Joseph D. Lento will help your student work through the process to a favorable outcome. Contact the Lento Law Firm today by calling 888-535-3686, or, alternatively, you can fill out our online form to learn more.

Vermont high schools where Joseph D. Lento can help as your child's Title IX advisor during investigations, hearings and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following school districts:

A

• Addison Rutland Supervisory Union
• Addison School District
• Albany School District
• Alburg School District
• Arlington School District
• Athens/Grafton Contract School District

B

• Bakersfield School District
• Barnard School District
• Barnet School District
• Barre City School District
• Barre Supervisory District
• Barre Town School District
• Barstow Joint Contract District
• Barton Id School District
• Battenkill Valley S.U.
• Bellows Falls Union High School District 27
• Bennington Id School District
• Benson School District
• Berkshire School District
• Berlin School District
• Bethel School District
• Bfa Union High School 48
• Black River Unified School District 39
• Blue Mountain Supervisory District
• Blue Mountain Unified School District 21
• Bradford Id School District
• Braintree School District
• Brandon School District
• Brattleboro School District
• Brattleboro Union High School District 6
• Bridgewater School District
• Bridport School District
• Brighton School District
• Bristol School District
• Brookfield School District
• Brookline School District
• Brownington School District
• Burke School District
• Burlington School District
• Burlington Supervisory District
• Burr & Burton Seminary

C

• Cabot School District
• Calais School District
• Caledonia Central Supervisory Union
• Caledonia North Supervisory Union
• Cambridge School District
• Canaan School District
• Castleton-Hubbardton Unified School District 42
• Cavendish School District
• Champlain Valley Union High School District 15
• Charleston School District
• Charlotte School District
• Chelsea School District
• Chester-Andover Unified School District 29
• Chittenden East Supervisory Union
• Chittenden South Supervisory Union
• Clarendon School District
• Colchester School District
• Colchester Supervisory District
• Concord School District
• Cornwall School District
• Coventry School District
• Craftsbury School District
• Currier Memorial Unified School District 23

D

• Danville School District
• Derby School District
• Dorset School District
• Dover School District
• Dummerston School District
• Duxbury/Waterbury Union 45

E

• East Haven School District
• East Montpelier School District
• Eden School District
• Elmore School District
• Enosburg Falls Id School District
• Essex Caledonia Supervisory Union
• Essex Community Education Center
• Essex Junction Id School District
• Essex Town School District
• Essex Town Supervisory Union

F

• Fair Haven School District
• Fair Haven Union High School District 16
• Fairfax School District
• Fairfield School District
• Fayston School District
• Ferrisburg School District
• Fletcher School District
• Flood Brook Unified School District 20
• Franklin Central Supervisory Union
• Franklin School District
•   Franklin West Supervisory Union

G

• Georgia School District
• Glover School District
• Granby School District
• Grand Isle School District
• Granville/Hancock Joint Contract District
• Green Mountain Union High School District 35
• Guildhall School District
• Guilford School District

H

• Halifax School District
• Hardwick School District
• Hartford School District
• Hartford Supervisory District
• Hartland School District
• Harwood Union High School District 19
• Hazen Union High School District 26
• Highgate School District
• Hinesburg School District
• Holland School District
• Hyde Park School District

I

• Irasburg School District
• Isle La Motte School District

J

• Jamaica School District
• Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary
• Johnson School District

K

• Killington School District

L

• Lake Region Union High School District 24
• Lakeview Unified School District 43
• Lamoille North Supervisory Union
• Lamoille Union High School District 18
• Leicester School District
• Leland and Gray Union High School District 34
• Lincoln School District
• Lowell School District
• Ludlow School District
• Lunenburg School District
• Lyndon Institute
• Lyndon School District

M

• Manchester School District
• Marlboro School District
• Mettawee Community School
• Middlebury Id School District
• Middlebury Union High School District 3
• Middlesex School District
• Middletown Springs School District
• Mill River Unified School District 40
• Millers Run Unified School District 37
• Milton Id School District
• Missisquoi Valley Union High School District 7
• Monkton School District
• Montgomery School District
• Montpelier School District
• Moretown School District
• Morgan School District
• Morristown School District
• Mount Abraham Union High School District 28
• Mount Anthony Union High School District 14
• Mount Holly School District
• Mount Mansfield Union School District

N

• New Haven School District
• Newark School District
• Newbury School District
• Newfane School District
• Newport City School District
• Newport Town School District
• North Bennington Id School District
• North Country Junior Union High School District 22
• North Country Senior Union High School District 22
• North Hero School District
• Northfield School District
• Norwich School District

O

• Orange North Supervisory Union
• Orange School District
• Orleans Essex North Supervisory Union
• Orleans Id School District
• Orwell School District
• Otter Valley Union High School District 8
• Oxbow Union High School District 30

P

• Patricia Hannaford Career Center School District
• Peacham School District
• Pittsford School District
• Plymouth School District
• Pomfret School District
• Poultney School District
• Pownal School District
• Proctor School District
• Putney School District

R

• Randolph School District
• Randolph Union High School District 2
• Reading School District
• Readsboro School District
• Richford School District
• Ripton School District
• Rochester School District
• Rockingham School District
• Roxbury School District
• Royalton School District
• Rutland City School District
• Rutland Town School District

S

• Salisbury School District
• Shaftsbury School District
• Sharon School District
• Shelburne School District
• Sheldon School District
• Shoreham School District
• Shrewsbury School District
• South Burlington School District
• South Hero School District
• Spaulding Union High School District 41
• Springfield School District
• Stamford School District
• Starksboro School District
• Stockbridge School District
• Stowe School District
• Strafford School District
• Sudbury School District
• Sunderland School District
• Sutton School District
• Swanton School District

T

• Thetford Academy
• Thetford School District
• Tinmouth School District
• Townshend School District
• Troy School District
• Tunbridge School District
• Twinfield Unified School District 33

U

• Union High School District 32

V

• Vergennes UESD 44
• Vergennes Union High School District 5
• Vernon School District

W

• Waits River Valley Unified School District 36
• Waitsfield School District
• Walden School District
• Wallingford School District
• Wardsboro School District
• Warren School District
• Washington Northeast Supervisory Union
• Washington School District
• Washington South Supervisory Union
• Washington West Supervisory Union
• Waterford School District
• Waterville School District
• Weathersfield School District
• Wells School District
• West Rutland School District
• West Windsor School District
• Westford School District
• Westminster School District
• Weybridge School District
• Whiting School District
• Whitingham/Wilmington Joint District
• Williamstown School District
• Williston School District
• Wilmington School District
• Windham School District
• Windham Southeast Supervisory Union
• Windham Southwest Supervisory Union
• Windsor Central Supervisory Union
• Windsor School District
• Winooski School District
• Winooski Supervisory District
• Wolcott School District
• Woodbury School District
• Woodford School District
• Woodstock School District
• Woodstock Union High School District 4
• Worcester School District

It is critical to make certain the Title IX investigation at your child's Vermont 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 Vermont 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.