The Pressure of Title IX Violations at Catholic Schools

At any school, accusations of discriminatory behavior can be incredibly damaging to a person’s reputation and standing within their community. However, such accusations – especially those relating to sexual misconduct – can add even more pressure at Catholic schools where there are high moral expectations. Facing Title IX violations may result in friends, confidants, and even family members disassociating themselves with you due to public scrutiny. Even worse, there is an unspoken assumption of your guilt before you are given the chance to defend yourself.

If you are a student or faculty member of the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., it is important that you understand what you will face when responding to a case handled by your school regarding title IX allegations. You should speak with an attorney as soon as possible. The Department of Education has shown a keen interest in how allegations of sexual misconduct are being handled. It has accused schools in the past of sweeping such incidents under the rug. In response, many higher education institutions have taken Sexual misconduct allegations very seriously, lest they lose federal funding.

Catholic University of America Sexual Misconduct Policy

According to the Catholic University of America’s sexual misconduct policy, all forms of this misbehavior – whether it be sexual assault, violence, harassment or rape related – is “unacceptable behavior that will not be tolerated.” The policy goes on to explain that when violations occur they will be adjudicated fully.

The school has set up procedures for dealing proactively with reported incidents pertaining to sexual misconduct claims- launching an investigation procedure right away at the time of submission,.Whenever complaints about such allegations come up or someone files a report as either alleged victim (complainant) or respondent (alleged offender), the process begins straight away. To comply with Title IX requirements all institutions have an obligation to provide resources for everyone involved in order to protect them and meet their individual needs particularly the complainant and respondents. The school makes available supporting resources examples of which include no-contact orders, campus psychiatrists, and counselors for both complainants/respondents.

Investigations

Usually investigations into allegations launched by Catholic University of America are handled by the school’s Title IX coordinator. A designated investigator takes over from the coordinator; this person is responsible for looking into that case to determine exactly what happened using inputs from both parties involved. Once enough evidence is gathered then hearings may be scheduled to deal with the issue.

Hearings

The aim of a hearing is for a panel comprising students, staff, and faculty to determine the guilt or innocence of the respondent based on a preponderance of evidence. During this stage, each side has an opportunity to present witnesses and evidence that supports their version of events as well as cross-examine each other. After each party has had an opportunity to be heard the Panel will make its final decision after careful deliberation.

Title IX Advisor

If you are facing allegations of Title IX violations-particularly sexual misconduct- at Catholic University in DC or any other institution elsewhere it can often feel overwhelming being asked to take on such charges alone;. It is important therefore that you select someone whom you think would make a good advisor like Attorney Todd Spodek who has years of experience helping students fight against accusations leveled against them in universities all over America. He will not settle for something less than justice until he is sure his clients have received everything they deserve including complete confidence in him as their advisor.

It cannot be overstated how life-changing Title IX violations and related charges can be if not properly defended especially early enough during disciplinary proceedings regardless of whether you are guilty or innocent. Attorney Todd Spodek has nearly ten years under his belt fighting passionately while also guiding clients through every step of the process when dealing with Title IX issues in schools and universities across the Nation. He will listen his clients’ needs and ensure that he always prioritizes their well-being over everything else by working tirelessly to obtain justice for them. As a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania and New Jersey Joseph is also admitted as an accredited Pro Hac Vice attorney in state or federal court when it is necessary representing clients nationwide. The interests of you or other students facing any disciplinary issues nationally should be protected and Attorney Todd Spodek would be happy to help.