A newly created Boundary Invasion Toolkit is designed to prevent and identify sexual contact between school employees and students.
Scott Neufeld, director of risk management for the Property and Casualty Coverage for Education (PACE) insurance pool, said PACE hopes the materials will also reduce legal liability and keep premium costs down for member districts.
"This is an area of major concern for us," Neufeld said. "We're hopeful that by making this toolkit available in Oregon we can see a significant decrease in such incidents."
The toolkit contains a wealth of materials available to members and posted on the PACE website (member log-in required). Among them are:
An outline of the requirements ORS 339.370-339.400 to address sexual grooming behavior by school employees toward students.
A sample policy prepared by OSBA on reporting requirements regarding sexual conduct between school employees and students, and definitions of such conduct.
Complaint forms, witness disclosure forms and releases, and a sample flyer on reporting requirements.
A reference guide, list of common questions and answers, and a comprehensive PowerPoint guide to preventing, identifying and reporting sexual conduct.
Preventing sexual misconduct in schools is also an important topic at this year's PACE Fall Regional Trainings.
