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Teachers' Group Offers Homicide Insurance

$150,000 For 'Unlawful Homicide' While On The Job

WASHINGTON, 6:19 p.m. EDT July 25, 2001 -- The possibility that they may be shot at work has prompted the National Education Association to offer teachers and other school workers murdered on the job a special $150,000 benefit.

The NEA's new, free "unlawful homicide" benefit will be announced to the union's 2.5 million members in a September newsletter. Randy Martin, who handles risk management for the nation's largest teachers union, says the new coverage isn't the result of any single incident, just a recognition of what's going on. A smaller union, the American Federation of Teachers, says it may consider the same benefit. The National School Safety Center, which keeps statistics for the government, says 28 school staff members -- including teachers, administrators, custodians and nurses -- have been killed violently at work since 1992.

-- Anonymous, July 25, 2001