Retained by General Counsels for school districts, as well as human resources departments, PII has conducted difficult and complex investigations at all levels of K-12 education. Given the potential impact of these cases on the parties and the surrounding communities, PII approaches these investigations with care and attention. PII’s investigators are always mindful of the unique needs of student witnesses, of the school’s individual culture and demographics, and of the privacy concerns of the involved parties. While PII investigations are generally confidential, the firm has presented detailed findings to public school boards, which have drawn the attention of the community and triggered public debate.
PII has investigated complaints that:
• A high school student was sexually harassing his classmate during a community college program they both attended, creating a hostile educational environment.
• A teacher inappropriately yelled at, and picked on, a special needs student at a middle school.
• A school district did not provide a safe working environment when a high school student suffering from mental health issues threatened one of his teachers.
• A high school science teacher engaged in misconduct by weaving profane language into his lessons.