RayKnightv.

BoardofEducation
Portfolio#3
KyleeHess
EDU210
February12,2016

RayKnightisastudentatamiddleschool.Hewassuspended,dueto
unexcusedabsences.Schoolpolicydictatesthatparentsaretobeimmediatelynotified,
bothbytelephoneandanoticethatissentthroughmail.However,theschoolonlysent
anoticehomewiththestudent,whothenthrewitaway.Theparentswerenotaware
thattheirsonwassuspendedfromschool.Onthefirstdayofhissuspension,Raywent
toafriendshouse,wherehewasaccidentallyshot.Asaresult,Raysparentsare
seekingrepercussionsfromtheschool.
RayKnightsparentsarguethatthisaccidentcouldhavebeenavoided,hadthey
knownabouttheirsonssuspension.InthecourtcaseofJerkinsExRel.Jerkinsv
AndersonandthePleasantvilleBoardofEducation,asimilaraccidentoccurred.Joseph
Jenkinswas9yearsoldandattendedSouthMainStreetelementaryinPleasantville,
NewJersey.Josephwasnormallywalkedtoandfromschoolbyanadult.Onthis
particularday,schoolwasreleasedearly.Josephsparentsmaintainthattheywerenot
madeawareofthisschedulechange.Asaresult,Josephdidnothaveanyonetowalk
himhome,andhewasstruckbyacar.Thecourtsfoundadutyonthepartoftheschool
districttoadheretoareasonabledismissalsupervisionpolicyandcomplywithparents
reasonablerequestsregardingdismissal.(JerkinsExRel.Jerkinsv.Anderson,922
A.2d1279,191N.J.285CourtListener.com.(n.d.).
Similarly,inthecaseof
Hoyemv.ManhattanBeachCitySchoolDistrict,a
10yearoldboyleftbeforetheendofclasses.Hewastheninjuredbyamotorcycleina

publicintersection.Thecourtsupheldthatitwasthislackofsupervisionthatputsthe
schooldistrictatfault.(Pernav.ConejoValleyUnifiedSchoolDist.(1983).(n.d.).Had
theyprovidedthenecessarycare,thisboywouldnothavebeeninasituationwherehe
wouldbeinjuredduringschoolhours.
InthecaseofColletteV.TollesonUnifiedHighSchoolDistrict,anautomobile
accidentleftonehighschoolstudentandseveralothersseriouslyinjured.Theplaintiff
allegedthattheschoolwasnegligentinthattheyallowedstudentstoleavecampusfor
lunch.Thiswasagainstthemodifiedclosedcampuspolicythatwasinplace,meaning
thatstudentshadtohavespecificparentalpermission.However,thecourtsruledin
favorofthedefendant.TheUnifiedHighSchoolDistrictarguedthatnothingtheydidto
thestudentimpairedhisdriving.Thestudentwasnotdrivingavehiclesuppliedtohim
bytheschooldistrict,andhehadavaliddriverslicense.Theyhadnoauthorizationto
controlwhichstudentsareallowedtodriveonpublichighways,andwhicharenot.
(FindLaw'sCourtofAppealsofArizonacaseandopinions.(n.d.).
InthecaseofHoffv.VacavilleUnifiedSchoolDistrict,theschooldistrictwasalso
foundatnofault.Asastudentwascomingoutfromtheschoolparkinglot,hiscar
jumpedacurbandinjuredapedestrian.ThepedestrianthensuedtheVacavilleUnified
SchoolDistrictforinjuries.Thecourtsdeclaredthattheschoolisnotresponsibleforthe
waythatstudentsdrivewhentheyhaveleftschoolproperty,noraretheyresponsiblefor
outsideparties.
Foraplaintifftowinanegligencelawsuitagainstaschool,fourelementsof
negligencemustbeestablished:duty,breachofduty,causation,andinjury.

(Underwood,Webb,p100)InthecaseconcerningRayKnight,Ibelievethatthecourts
willfindinhisfavor.Theschoolwasnegligentinthatadministratorswentagainst
policiesthatwereputinplace.HadRayKnightsparentsbeenproperlynotifiedofhis
suspension,hewouldnothavebeenatafriendshouse,unsupervisedduringtheday.
Whenthereisaseriesofeventsleadinguptoaninjury,thepersonstartingthatchain
ofeventsmaybeliablefortheresultantinjuryifitwasaforeseeableresultofhis
negligence.(Underwood,Webb,p105)Thereisnoquestionleftastowhetherornot
RayKnightsparentsdeservecompensation.

References

Pernav.ConejoValleyUnifiedSchoolDist.(1983).(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary
12,2016,from
http://law.justia.com/cases/california/courtofappeal/3d/143/292.html

JerkinsExRel.Jerkinsv.Anderson,922A.2d1279,191N.J.285
CourtListener.com.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary09,2016,from
https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2074297/jerkinsexreljerkinsvanderson/

FindLaw'sCourtofAppealsofArizonacaseandopinions.(n.d.).Retrieved
February12,2016,from
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/azcourtofappeals/1291266.html

Underwood,J.,&Webb,L.(2006).TeachersRights.In
SchoolLawforTeachers
(pp.100,105).UpperSaddleRiver,NewJersey:PearsonEducation.