Do an Internet search of lawsuits involving educators and their employers and you might get the impression that teachers, professors and administrators spend more time in courtrooms than classroom.
A random sample of cases in the news in just the past few years include:
- Parents of students at a Texas school district brought a lawsuit against the district and its superintendent alleging that the top administrator unfairly changed students’ grades. Included in the lawsuit were the parents of a student who lost her valedictorian status because of the superintendent’s alleged actions.
- The parents of a Massachusetts teenager sued his social studies teacher, who accused him of cheating by using an artificial intelligence (AI) tool on an assignment.
- In Maryland, allegations that a former teacher did nothing while a fifth-grade student was physically and verbally assaulted by other students led to a lawsuit.
- On the flip side, A Miami-Dade County teacher was criminally charged after he allegedly fractured a child's arm while trying to break up a student fight.
- A parent sued a first-grade teacher in Oregon for allegedly hitting a child on the "lower backside" numerous times after the student stood up on a chair; the suit is seeking $1.4 million in damages plus attorney's fees and costs.
- Two Michigan State students filed a lawsuit accusing a professor of requiring them to pay a $99 subscription for course material that violated their religious beliefs.
- A gym teacher in Iowa was sued for negligence when a student injured during a class exercise; the case was settled for $55,000.
- A jury in New York awarded $59 million to the family of a high school student after the student was severely burned during an experiment in a science class.
- A student’s family in Connecticut was awarded $41.5 million by a jury after the student received insect bites during a class nature trip that caused encephalitis and subsequent brain damage.
You get the idea. It doesn’t take much for education professionals to be on the wrong side of a lawsuit nowadays. Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, a jury may not see it that way. Even if a judge or jury finds in your favor, your attorneys will still require payment.
Many educators assume their school or organization will defend them in a legal conflict. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Not all schools have liability coverage for their employees. Those that do may not have adequate coverage to fully protect an employee if a lawsuit arises. And, your school may decide not to defend you under its liability policy.
Chances are your existing coverage may not be enough when the worst-case scenario occurs.
To protect your livelihood and assets against these threats, educators and administrators need professional liability insurance. Those that have coverage likely need more.
TIEʼs professional liability program has you covered
Educators professional liability insurance is the solution to uncertain or inadequate liability coverage. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that if your school district doesn’t have sufficient coverage or refuses to defend you, your back-up plan is in place. Your association’s affiliation with the Trust for Insuring Educators (TIE) makes this valuable member benefit possible.
Professional liability insurancee protects you against a broad range of exposures associated with your educational duties, such as:
- Injuries to students under your supervision
- Improper placement of students
- Hiring unqualified people
- Defamation
- Failure to educate
- Failure to promote students or grant credit
- Violation of student civil rights
- Improper methods employed in instruction, counseling, research design, etc.
- Negative consequences in implementing the recommendations of research studies
The program offers the following coverage options:
Educators Professional Liability Plan offers personalized protection for educators who are employees of educational institutions. Rates start as low as $108 per year for $1 million in liability coverage. The plan pays all your defense costs in addition to liability limit for professional liability claims. It also provides job protection benefits if you're subjected to a demotion, transfer, reassignment or dismissal.
Private Practice Professional Liability is for self-employed educators or those engaged in education-related partnerships, limited liability companies, or corporations. Choose from three liability limits and three deductible levels for economical protection that meets your needs. Optional off-premises liability coverage is available if you provide services at locations other than those you own or rent.
Student Educator Professional Liability Plan is required by many colleges and universities. This plan satisfies the insurance liability requirement for students participating in internships, practicums and other teacher training programs. This value-priced plan provides $1 million of professional liability coverage for only $29 per year and pays all defense costs in addition to the limit of liability.
To learn more about the Educators Professional Liability Plan and to apply online, follow the link below.