Sexual abuse is the single largest liability risk schools face, with one in every 10 K-12 students experiencing school employee sexual misconduct. And, as of January 1, 2021, the statute of limitations for California students to pursue sexual abuse lawsuits was extended to age 40. That’s why now, more than ever, it’s critical that districts develop a strong foundation for preventing sexual abuse, according to Ron Martin, vice president of Keenan, a CASBO Premier Plus Partner.
Keenan offers a number of programs and platforms to address the issue and help prevent damaging and costly claims.
Keenan’s online mandated reporter course helps districts meet the legal requirements in AB 1432 that require school district personnel to be trained within the first six weeks of school and/or hiring. These trainings are included in the “Keenan SafeSchools” curriculum that includes over 300 courses focusing on all aspects of school risk and compliance.
In recent years, Keenan partnered with the Schools Association for Excess Risk (SAFER) to create a series of 13 micro-courses for California school systems. Today, the micro-learning offering includes 22 online courses, each consisting of 3-4 minute bursts of information.
Designed to fit an adult’s busy schedule, the courses help a district employee recognize the behavior of sex abusers, define and foster appropriate boundaries between students and adults, and intercede when something appears awry between a peer and a student. Keenan recently launched a social media component to the program that keeps pace with the ever-evolving digital world.
In addition to these programs, Keenan offers webinars in collaboration with government and nonprofit entities on critical topics like “Protecting Students During the Pandemic: Detecting, Preventing, and Addressing Child Abuse in the Online Classroom.” This recent webinar covered grooming behaviors as well as social media boundaries that should be implemented to keep kids safe.
Keenan has been providing innovative insurance and financial solutions for schools since 1972. They are the experts you can rely on when it comes to risk management, employee benefits, claims services and technology.
CASBO partners are committed to providing solutions to the challenges facing our school business leaders and serving as “thought leaders” who share valuable information that promotes the professional development of our members. If your company is interested in becoming a CASBO partner, we encourage you to learn more about the program and consider playing a critical role within our network and building strong, lasting business partnerships with education professionals!