As insurers and schools become ever more concerned with liability in these areas, training has been recognized as an essential and effective way to prevent these problems and to shield non-profits from potential claims resulting from actions by their staff.
After the Penn State scandal, in which officials are accused of looking the other way when a former coach was accused of pedophilia, and one at the Horace Mann School in New York City, where some students ridiculed faculty online, the risk of child abuse has become a focus of the public’s attention.
The best advice for school employees is the airport catchphrase, “If you see something, say something.” The suicide of a Rutgers student after his privacy was violated has made the prevention of bullying an ever present concern in schools.
As the Rutgers and Horace Mann School cases show, the internet has complicated the bullying problem by allowing students to engage in such activity with near anonymity and little sense of the effect of their words and actions. I have represented public and private schools for over 30 years and I have never seen the threat of liability for harassment, abuse and bullying at such a level as I see today.
Constant attention and training are both essential, to controlling these menaces and their potential liability. If your school is interested in training to prevent harassment, intimidation and bullying, you can call me at (609) 779-6118 or write me at dgraziano@szaferman.com .
