Teachers play a special role in the lives of young people and must be vigilant when dealing with students to never create suspicion of any wrongdoing. Some states have even banned teacher-student Facebook interactions. A positive teacher-student relationship can help a young person develop intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning, but a negative relationship can affect the student for the rest of their lives.
Unfortunately, accusations of an improper relationship between teacher and student do occur, and it’s important to know what steps to take to defend yourself.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.
What Defines An Improper Relationship Between Teacher and Student?
The term ‘improper’ here can be somewhat vague. To some, any form of interaction outside of the classroom (even at school events) could be improper. Others are laxer in their opinions.
According to Texas law, though, a relationship is ‘improper’ if one of the following scenarios occur between a student and an educator at a public/private school:
- Sexual intercourse (or any other form of sexual contact) between the teacher and the student
- Online solicitation of a student (lewd text messages, phone calls, emails, etc.).
- ‘Grooming,’ whether online or in-person
This last point needs some clarification, so read on to explore the meaning.
What Is Grooming?
By definition, grooming is the process of increasingly gaining the trust of a student to eventually progress the relationship to a sexual level. For example, continually asking a student to stay after class to talk could be a form of grooming.
It can be difficult, though, to clearly define some types of scenarios. Let’s take a look at what it is and what it isn’t.
Grooming is…
- Giving a student gifts, offering them a ride home, etc.
- Asking a student to meet them outside of school campus (even for a seemingly innocent reason)
- Showing obvious favoritism of a certain student, especially in front of others
- Complimenting a student’s appearance inappropriately or making physical contact with them
Grooming is Not…
- Lending an ear and providing objective feedback when a student asks for advice
- Congratulating a student on their outstanding performance
- Making a reasonable exception for a student who needs a helping hand
As you can see, it’s sometimes difficult to know at surface-level if an educator has ulterior motives. This is part of what makes accusations regarding this type of behavior so dangerous for teachers.
What Happens If I’m Accused?
By law, an accusation made by a parent, student, or faculty member must be investigated. It also doesn’t matter how unfounded this claim is, and could be as something as simple as “I think ____ and Mr. _____ are having an inappropriate relationship.”
Trust is something that takes years to cultivate and only seconds to destroy. The issue here is that even if an investigation clears a teacher of any wrongdoing, parents and other students may begin to doubt that faculty member.
Although there may be no evidence supporting the original claims, people may still begin to think things like “why would someone accuse him/her?” or “what if this is happening but the evidence was concealed?”
Additionally, this can easily cause the teacher in question to lose their position (even if investigators found no wrongdoing). It’s also not impossible to both be wrongfully accused and wrongfully convicted due to circumstantial evidence.
Convictions for this type of offense in the state of Texas carry up to 20 years in state prison. This is even a possibility for those who have a clean criminal record.
On top of everything else, you’ll need to register as a sex offender, which will result in lifelong complications even after your release from prison.
Fortunately, though, a proper legal defense will help protect you from any unfair punishment.
What Should I Look For in A Legal Professional?
When searching for a lawyer, it can be difficult to know what to look for. This is especially true in regions where it seems like there’s a law firm on every corner.
Let’s dive into what you need to keep an eye out for.
Experience
An attorney who’s both experienced in the legal industry and has a notable history of winning cases is someone to consider. Additionally, you should make sure that they specialize in this area of law to give you the best results possible.
Accessibility
The easier it is to communicate with your attorney, the stronger they’ll be able to prepare your legal defense. While it’s not realistic to expect your lawyer to always answer texts or emails after business hours, finding one who offers this service will help you feel more comfortable about your case.
Make sure, though, that you find out whether they charge for their response. Otherwise, you could find yourself with a bill much higher than you expected.
Personality
The better your personality meshes with theirs, the better you’ll be able to communicate. It’s important to consider, though, that a headstrong lawyer is often a reliable one.
At the end of the day, as long as you feel at ease when discussing your case with your attorney, you’ll be in good hands.
Defending Yourself Against Accusations Can Seem Difficult
With the above information about the improper relationship between teacher and student in mind, you’ll be well on your way to taking the necessary steps to protect yourself from the associated legal consequences.
Want to learn more about how we can help? Feel free to get in touch with us today to see what we can do.
