When we hear the words “not guilty,” some may assume that means the criminal case is closed and nothing further can be done. But in the context of alleged child sex abuse by former third-grade math teacher Matthew Schlegel, “not guilty” in a courtroom doesn’t necessarily mean he can walk away without accountability.
One way he can be held accountable is through Title IX—a system built not on criminal punishment, but on protecting survivors and ensuring safe educational environments.
In fact, he was initially found responsible for violating Anne Arundel County Public School’s Nondiscrimination Policy for Sexual Assault for sexual abuse allegations, as a preponderance of the evidence supported this determination. Schlegel is appealing this decision.
According to news reports from August 2025, Schlegel is not assigned to a classroom for the 2025-2026 school year but has been assigned to a location with no students.
Title IX Isn’t About Jail Time—It’s About Safety
Unlike a criminal trial, Title IX proceedings are not about proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Instead, schools use the preponderance of the evidence standard—meaning investigators ask: is it more likely than not that misconduct or abuse occurred?
This lower standard exists for a reason: school sexual abuse and assault are often underreported, difficult to prove in a criminal setting, and deeply disruptive to a survivor’s ability to learn.
A teacher’s harmful actions, even if not rising to the level of a criminal conviction, can create a hostile and disrupted environment for a child.
Title IX requires schools to act before that harm silences survivors or pushes them out of their education.
Why Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Need a Different System
- Criminal courts fail many survivors. The overwhelming majority of sexual assaults never lead to a conviction. High evidentiary standards and systemic biases often leave survivors with no legal recognition of what they endured.
- Education is the priority. Survivors have a right to education in an environment free from intimidation, retaliation, or trauma triggers. Title IX ensures that their ability to learn isn’t treated as collateral damage.
- Patterns of harm matter. Title IX can examine broader behaviors—unwanted touching, verbal harassment, coercion—that might not be “criminal” but still undermine a survivor’s safety and dignity.
Accountability Isn’t Always a Courtroom Verdict
For survivors, “not guilty” in a criminal matter doesn’t erase the harm done. Title IX provides another path—one that acknowledges that safety and equality in education matter more than whether something can be prosecuted as a crime.
Accountability under Title IX can lead to a wide range of accommodations for a child, ensuring they have access to education.
These aren’t punishments in the criminal sense—they’re safeguards. They ensure that survivors aren’t forced to share classrooms with someone who has caused them harm.
Centering Survivors in the Process
Shifting the focus back to survivors reminds us of the core truth: survivors should not have to carry the burden of leaving school, changing classes, or living in fear while pursuing their education.
Title IX exists to rebalance that scale.
Unreported and Unaddressed: Child Sexual Abuse in Maryland’s School System
Child sexual abuse in schools is a deeply troubling issue that affects communities across Maryland, with both national and local data highlighting its prevalence.
According to the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA), while comprehensive data on K-12 schools is limited, research shows that more than 1 in 8 students experience sexual assault during their college years.
The rates in K-12 settings are harder to quantify, but national statistics suggest that 1 in 9 girls and 1 in 53 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault at the hands of an adult.
In Maryland, the issue is significant enough that the state regularly updates its policies and reporting requirements for schools and youth-serving organizations.
A 2021 MCASA fact sheet notes that the vast majority of child sexual abuse goes unreported, with only about 38% of child victims disclosing the abuse, and even fewer cases leading to criminal charges or convictions.
Addressing Sexual Abuse in Maryland’s Educational Institutions
The impacts of Child Sex Abuse are devastating and long-lasting. It contributes to mental health challenges such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety.
Recent testimony to the Maryland General Assembly recounted the experience of a survivor abused at The Heights School. The survivor developed severe depression and PTSD as a result of the abuse and institutional neglect.
Maryland has seen several high-profile cases in recent years, including lawsuits against private schools where administrators failed to act on reports of abuse.
In one case, the Key School in Annapolis faced allegations of a “wider pattern of serialized child abuse” that went unaddressed for years. This further underscores the urgent need for transparency and reform in school environments.
For more detailed statistics and survivor stories:
- MCASA Fact Sheet: Incidence of Child Sexual Abuse in Maryland
- National Statistics on Child Abuse (National Children’s Alliance)
- Maryland Child Victims Act
Final Thoughts from The Yost Legal Group in Baltimore
A “not guilty” verdict in court may end a legal battle, but it doesn’t mean there was no harm—or that survivors should have to navigate unsafe environments alone.
Title IX steps in where the criminal system falls short. It ensures that schools uphold their responsibility to:
- protect students
- safeguard education
- provide survivors with the right to continue learning without fear.
The Yost Legal Group assists victims of sexual abuse in many ways. Our sexual abuse attorneys work hard to protect children. We help seek compensation through the civil justice system and Title IX proceedings.
Just as The Yost Legal Group helped children navigate the Title IX process related to Matthew Schlegel, we can help you, too.
Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers – Molestation Claims – Baltimore Abuse Attorneys – Child Sex Abuse
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