Lawyer Comments: In the second part of this story, school sex abuse lawyer Michael Haggard discusses the legal options available to students sexually abused by teachers.
37-year-old Navarre High School teacher Meghan Mary Rodriguez was arrested on June 11th for allegedly having sex with a student at the school in summer 2019. She has been charged with sexual assault.
Rodriguez's arrest report says that the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office received an anonymous tip in Anjalih, accusing Rodriguez of having sex with a 17-year-old student of her's last summer.
Police spoke with the student, who told them that he had been regularly texting with Rodriguez and that these messages started out friendly before turning sexual. He confirmed what the anonymous tip said, that he and Rodriguez had sex at the high school in summer 2019.
Attorney contributor Michael Haggard represents sex abuse victims and their families in civil lawsuits, including student victims of sexual abuse by teachers and other school employees. Here are some of Michael's thoughts on the legal rights of these victims and their families:
Our nation's schools have widespread problems with sexual abuse, as teachers, coaches, and other school employees have been charged with sex crimes against students in all 50 states. School officials must do everything they can to address this problem and keep their students safe from sexual predators.
When a teacher is charged with sexually abusing a student, the school should also be investigated for possible negligence. Some cases of student sex abuse only happen because of negligence, such as failing to run background checks. In cases of negligence, the victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit.
If you or your child is a victim of sexual abuse by a school employee, you can learn more about your legal rights in a free consultation.
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