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Parental liability

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mbristol1

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

Does parents have liability for their minor kids actions? Specifically, fighting on a school bus - my son gets bullied by another boy (they're both 7) pretty often, to the point that he gets off the bus crying some days. On Monday he said this other boy was beating on him the whole time from the school til he got off the bus. My daughter (9) confirms the story, says my son did nothing to provoke him. I called the school to get advice on actions - they have video tape of all bus actions, and they said they would review it and take appropriate actions. They said due to child privacy, that I couldn't be informed of what the punishment (if any) was for the other child. I'm not sue-happy, I've never pursued legal action against someone, but I don't want my son to have to go through that on a near daily basis, and so far I don't feel the school is addressing the situation appropriately. Especially the physical side - if there does come a day when he needs medical treatment as a result of these actions, I want to know what my options are, and what steps I should be taking now.
 


Hisbabygirl77

Senior Member
If your seriously worried that your son might suffer serious harm why are you asking about the financial side? You should be getting your sons butt out of that school and into a different one. You know if my child were getting beaten up on the bus I wouldnt be thinking hmmm if it happens again can I get money??? Id be doing everything in my power to make sure it didnt happen again. If you dont like the way the school handled the situation then remove your child from that school and place them in another.
 

Isis1

Senior Member
If your seriously worried that your son might suffer serious harm why are you asking about the financial side? You should be getting your sons butt out of that school and into a different one. You know if my child were getting beaten up on the bus I wouldnt be thinking hmmm if it happens again can I get money??? Id be doing everything in my power to make sure it didnt happen again. If you dont like the way the school handled the situation then remove your child from that school and place them in another.
uh oh. i suspect you are not a newbie. and you have common sense. :p

okay, OP if your child is getting assaulted, why on earth are you not providing alternate trasportation to and from school???? at the very least until he is enrolled elsewhere?????
 

JKBee

Member
Parental Liability

I do not understand why others think you should be the one to remove your son. As I understand it, at least in WA, the school is responsible for the child from the time he leaves your door until the time he returns to your door. If you have notified the school that there is a problem, has it been solved by the school or is it still ongoing? If it has been solved, then it doesn't matter how the school handled it. If it is still ongoing, a call to the principal is in order. If not solved then, the school district supervisor is the one to call. If this doesn't solve the problem, call a lawyer and have the lawyer discuss the problem with the school district. I know this makes for a few more episodes of your child being beaten up, but the school district is responsible to see the other child is controlled. Why should you have to remove your child from the school his sister attends? I had a problem with the parents fighting at the bus stop to the point where they were bringing baseball bats and Dobermans. I had to take my child to the bus stop to insure his safety until I got it through to the superintendent that the school was responsible for my child's safety. A few calls from the superintendent to the hostile parents made it safe quite rapidly for the children at the bus stop.

I didn't care how the school solved the problem, I just asked it to be solved. It was.
 

Hisbabygirl77

Senior Member
Ok in the post she said that the principal said they were going to handle the situation but because of privacy issues they could not explain how. Now that being said the poster did not ask what to do if they abuse continued. How can she just keep her child safe ect.... The poster asked how she can get money if it continues. That is the part that I find fishy. If it was my child there would be no if it continues to worry about.

Isabella .... I would say correct on both accounts although I have not been back to this site in ohhh 4 years or so :D
 

Isis1

Senior Member
I do not understand why others think you should be the one to remove your son. As I understand it, at least in WA, the school is responsible for the child from the time he leaves your door until the time he returns to your door. If you have notified the school that there is a problem, has it been solved by the school or is it still ongoing? If it has been solved, then it doesn't matter how the school handled it. If it is still ongoing, a call to the principal is in order. If not solved then, the school district supervisor is the one to call. If this doesn't solve the problem, call a lawyer and have the lawyer discuss the problem with the school district. I know this makes for a few more episodes of your child being beaten up, but the school district is responsible to see the other child is controlled. Why should you have to remove your child from the school his sister attends? I had a problem with the parents fighting at the bus stop to the point where they were bringing baseball bats and Dobermans. I had to take my child to the bus stop to insure his safety until I got it through to the superintendent that the school was responsible for my child's safety. A few calls from the superintendent to the hostile parents made it safe quite rapidly for the children at the bus stop.

I didn't care how the school solved the problem, I just asked it to be solved. It was.
for some stupid reason, i happen to not want my children getting assualted on a daily basis. i'd rather remove the child from harm, and THEN deal with the adults in questions. not wait around for my child to get a broken bone or a concussion.

and for the record, i am responsible for my child's safety 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even while i leave them at school. or at the park, or the library. it is my responsiblity to ensure where i leave them is safe. i don't just drop them off and say, "you're problem now"
 

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