Texas leads the nation in Teacher-Student sexual assaults

A recent survey shows Texas leads the nation in the number of Teacher-Student sexual assault cases. In 2014, there were 116 accusations and convictions.

Why are there so many of these cases? One major reason is social media. Students and teachers, like everyone else, are actively engaged in social media. Teenagers don’t keep secrets and word spreads quickly among students. When these rumors start to spread they are quickly reported to school authorities, who are very aggressive in investigating these cases.

The first step in an investigation is to interview the student. Many times they are reluctant to admit to a sexual relationship. Interviews with other students and teachers about what they may have observed or heard are also come early on in the investigation.  Authorities will also obtain all social media communication from the parties involved. Key evidence can be recovered in the form of text, emails, and instant messaging.

If a teacher comes under investigation for a sexual relationship with a student they should immediately seek the advice of an experienced criminal defense attorney. When first confronted by a school officials or police officers, most teachers will want to cooperate and agree to an interview. Like most people confronted in this situation they believe it would be an admission of guilt if the don’t agree to an interview. This is a mistake. The best way a teacher can protect themselves is to first hire a criminal lawyer with experience in defending against these charges.

A criminal lawyer must first hold a detailed interview with their client and make a determination if or when they may agree to an interview with school or law enforcement authorities. The criminal lawyer must try to obtain copies of any social media contact involved in the case so that they can know the strength of the case. Social media can be damaging, but can also be helpful. The first step is to determine what is out there.

A criminal lawyer can build a solid defense, but that can only happen if they are brought on board early in a case. The defense may be based on a fight over guilt; if there is a great deal of evidence of guilt it may be about avoiding a prison sentence. To be successful, the teacher must seek a criminal lawyer’s advice as quickly as possible.