Recently, a court in Ohio ruled that a school district might be liable for the suicide of a teenage girl who took her own life after other high school students “sexted” a nude picture of the girl around the school. After the girl’s suicide, her parents sued the school under Title IX. The parents alleged the school was deliberately indifferent to their daughter’s complaints about the “sexting.” Five principals and the school’s dean of students were allegedly aware of the harassment, but failed to try and stop it. This, the court said, could mean the school was liable under Title IX. This is a novel case, one of the first of it’s kind, but the court’s reasoning is readily applicable in other states. Title IX is a federal law, which means it applies to all schools that receive federal funds. This, by definition, includes all public schools in the United States. If your child was sexually abused or harassed at school, or was a victim of “sexting,” it is extremely important to consult with an experienced crime victim and sexual abuse attorney with experience bringing Title IX lawsuits. The sooner you consult with a lawyer, the better the chance your rights will be protected.