As a school security expert witness and litigation consultant on school safety lawsuits, there are some weeks where I receive more inquiries for services from attorneys than I do from superintendents and other school leaders. Suffice to say that a number of parents today are taking their allegations and grievances about school safety from the schoolhouse to the courthouse.
My forensic expert witness consulting includes analysis of a variety of types of school crime, violence and related school safety cases. Some cases include allegations of wrongful death, violent assaults with injuries, gang-involved attacks and other crimes and serious school-related disciplinary incidents. School sexual assaults, rapes and related sex offense cases are also the subject of a number of plaintiff and defense attorney inquiries.
Allegations of school employee sexual misconduct with students persist
Sadly, it is not uncommon to learn of cases of alleged school employee sexual misconduct with students. Fortunately, the vast majority of our teachers and school staff are good, caring professionals who would never conduct themselves inappropriately with students. When they do learn of such misconduct, they too find it to be repulsive and reject such unprofessional actions.
Still, we see more cases of alleged school employee sexual misconduct than any parent, safety official or educator would care to see. Recent headlines of such allegations, for example, include:
- NH attorney and former state rep files federal suit in New England prep school sex abuse case
- Ousted over sexual misconduct claims, and on to the next teaching job
- Police: Conestoga high school staffer sexually assaulted student
While allegations by students of inappropriate staff conduct can and have been found to be unsubstantiated, it is fair to say that there are far too many substantiated allegations than we would ever want to see occur.
School sexual assault, rape cases moving from the schoolhouse to the courthouse
I have also reviewed cases and/or discussed with attorneys cases involving school rape, sexual assault and related matters. School rape, sex assault or other sexual incidents have occurred on school buses, after school in school buildings or on school campuses, or in school buildings during school hours.
Recent examples of school rape and sexual assault incidents, including some with attorneys involved, include:
- Austin school police miss clues in possible campus rape of 4-year-old
- Claim of child sexual assault in Somerset ISD school bathroom
- Girl’s sexual assault on bus was covered up by school: lawsuit
While the allegations, facts and issues vary case to case, we are seeing school sexual assault, rape and other sex incidents being taken by the parents from the schoolhouse to the courthouse. It is there that questions of security adequacy, reasonableness of the actions of school employees and safety officials, and related issues are dissected, analyzed and ultimately resolved through settlements or adjudication.
Are you discussing school sexual assaults, rapes and other potential sexual incidents in your school safety planning?
Ken Trump
National School Safety and Security Services
Experts You Can Trust!
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