Families entrust schools to keep their children safe and to keep their best interests at heart, and when that trust is broken, it can be traumatic experience psyches are left scarred for life. Schools are responsible for providing an environment where students can thrive in their learning, and when schools fail to live up to their end of that bargain, the consequences can be devastating, both to victims and their families. If your child was a victim of school misconduct, the legal professionals at Okabe and Haushalter can connect you with a school misconduct lawyer in Long Beach or anywhere else in the greater Los Angeles area, so you can learn more about your legal options in the civil court.
School misconduct can wear many faces. Abuse or harassment by staff or fellow students could be considered misconduct under both federal law and under California’s Education Code, and schools may be held liable if they are determined to have been negligent in providing a safe haven for students to learn and grow in.
Sexual abuse between a staff member and a student or even between a student and another student is in violation of state law. Section 220 of California’s Education Code states that if school staff are informed of repeated acts of sexual abuse or harassment from one student to another and do not report the abuse or harassment, they may be held considered negligent and can be sued in civil court.
Disabled students have the right to equal treatment under the law as guaranteed by the ADA and IDEA laws. If a member of the school faculty interferes with the rights of a disabled student or behaves in a way that is verbally, emotionally, physically or sexually abusive toward that student, both that staff member and the school may be held liable in civil court. If the school is determined to have been negligent, victims and their families may receive financial compensation for the damages that stemmed from the abuse.
School faculty are legally required to report abuse and negligence when they suspect it or when they witness it themselves. If a staff member is made aware of overt misconduct or negligence and fails to report the misconduct or negligence to authorities, they may themselves be found negligent for that failure to report. For example, if a custodian overhears a teacher in the staff lounge describing abuse toward an unruly student and does not report what they heard, the custodian could be considered negligent under civil law.
If you need a school misconduct lawyer in Long Beach, the attorneys at Okabe and Haushalter can assist you with your case. You deserve to get justice for the pain and suffering your family has endured, and holding the responsible parties accountable in the civil court is one way we can help you achieve that goal. Money cannot heal the pain, but we will fight to get our clients the maximum financial award possible so that your family can get some closure at last. We offer free consultations to all potential clients, so contact us today to learn more about how we can help you pursue a civil case.
