State Representative Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, has been appointed to the Make Sexual Abuse Fully Extinct (Make S.A.F.E.) Task Force to address issues concerning the sexual abuse of students in school-related settings. Keicher’s appointment was made today by Illinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs.
“Sexual abuse and exploitation of students must absolutely be eradicated,” Representative Keicher said. “It is long past time that the State of Illinois make this a priority. It deserves our full attention. We saw recently the devastating revelations of sexual abuse in the Chicago Public Schools system. This cannot be allowed to occur again anywhere in our state. I have seen firsthand the devastation sexual abuse can have on the life of a child. The absolute horror my cousin was subjected to that the family was unaware of and the struggles she faced her entire life as a result cannot be put into words. I will utilize my role on this task force to defend our children and be certain there are not any gaps in our protection of them.”
The Make S.A.F.E. Task Force is required to review the best practices for preventing the sexual abuse of students in a school-related setting or by school-related perpetrators, including school district employees or other students, how to best address that abuse, and the proper support for students who have suffered from that abuse. The review must examine the best practices at all schools maintaining prekindergarten through grade 12, regardless of whether the school is a public school, nonpublic school, or charter school. The task force must report the findings of its review to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before September 15, 2020.
If any members of the community have specific concerns, recommendations or feedback they wish to share with Representative Keicher for the task force to consider, please call the district office at (815) 748-3494 or e-mail keicher@ilhousegop.org.
The Make S.A.F.E. Task Force was created by Public Act 101-0531, signed into law by Governor Pritzker on August 23.