A public school & school district expert could be the difference between costly, time-consuming litigation and incident prevention. If matters have escalated, a public school expert witness or school district expert witness can provide testimony, reports, and consultation on behalf of the defendant or plaintiff to address the professional standard of care. At School Liability Expert Group, we have been at the forefront of education and child supervision liability matters since 1993. Our experts have extensive, diversified knowledge and experience in this field and routinely have additional training. Public schools and school districts must comply with many complicated sectors, such as Title IX regulations and school premises maintenance. Enlist a public school & school district expert from School Liability Expert Group today. Book a call to discuss your specific situation.
Discrimination and Civil Rights Liability
School districts are not only responsible for educating students but also have a legal responsibility to protect their civil rights and foster a healthy learning environment free from discriminatory harassment. Federal laws, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, define students’ civil rights related to discrimination.
According to public school & school district expert witnesses, schools and school districts may face liability if they are aware of but indifferent to discriminatory conduct. For example, suppose a school receives reports of a student experiencing racial discrimination in the form of verbal acts and threats but fails to act on that information promptly. In that case, a civil rights lawsuit is more likely. As a result, school districts must take proactive measures to prevent harassment and discriminatory conduct. School districts must provide training to the larger school community to ensure that all students, their families, and faculty understand how to recognize and report harassment. A public school & school district expert witness from School Liability Expert Group can assist in designing and providing necessary compliant training programs.
School districts with fifteen or more employees must designate a Title IX and Section 504 coordinator to disseminate information to parents, provide staff with training and information about harassment policies, and ensure that the district’s practices and procedures comply with state and federal laws. We recommend keeping up with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which guarantees equal access to education by enforcing student civil rights laws, including Title VI, Title II, and Title IX. Home to their own public school & school district experts, the OCR will issue guidance documents, policy statements, and other communications to inform school districts and educational institutions receiving federal funds of their legal obligations to protect students’ civil rights.
A public school expert witness may be called in to testify on precedent-setting cases that clarify these critical laws. When this happens, the OCR issues a letter with supplementary material to assist K through 12 school districts in understanding how those court decisions affect them. These communications guide institutions and school districts to adjust their policies and practices to enhance civil rights protections and avoid violations.
Hiring Practices and Administration
Public school & school district expert witness services not only apply to students’ civil rights but also to school hiring practices and administration. From school bus drivers to school police and security guards, school districts must maintain compliant hiring practices. School volunteers should undergo safety screenings and background checks to protect students’ safety. Our firm has reviewed and provided public school expert witness services in cases involving harm, injury, negligent supervision, and sexual abuse of children by volunteers.
In one case, a school accepted a volunteer who had a history of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student at a previous volunteer post. According to our public school & school district experts involved, the school had conducted a standard criminal background check. Still, it did not conduct interviews with supervisors at the previous school, despite it being listed on that particular volunteer’s application. The school argued that there was no state requirement for a district to apply the same scrutiny to volunteers when it hires teachers. Had the school done so, it likely would not have compromised the safety of its students by hiring this volunteer.
The professional standard of care in school administration and student supervision may seem complicated. Still, our school district and public school expert witnesses can help. Book a call with a public school & school district expert from School Liability Expert Group. We understand the vast array of compliance issues public schools and school districts face, from bullying and hazing to student injury or death.
Enlist Our Services
School Liability Expert Group offers individualized, prompt, and reliable consultation services to schools, parents, and attorneys. Since 1993, our firm’s experts, who are court-qualified in education administration and supervision, have reviewed and analyzed cases to determine the professional standard of care in schools, colleges, daycare centers, and other agencies responsible for child supervision. We provide consultation from case inception to resolution, including public school & school district expert reports, deposition, and trial testimony.
We can also conduct reviews of school and agency management systems, evaluate program quality and compliance, and make recommendations to help schools operate more effectively with minimized litigation risk. On behalf of parents, we can also review student records, assess current and potential school placement, and evaluate program quality. This includes issues related to child custody matters and special education. Our general areas of expertise include standard of care, personnel matters, accidents, sexual abuse, special education programs, and school evaluation in custody matters.
Talk with a public school & school district expert about compliance and liability today.