How One Student's Texting Led to a Bizarre School Negligence Claim

If you've read more than one of my articles regarding school negligence, it's no secret that I am all for holding schools accountable for their actions - or inaction - when they are negligent, and fail in their duty to stand in the parents shoes, and protect their students. But some people take the concept of school negligence way too far. And a lawsuit that was recently filed by a high school student's grandparents in Prince Albert in Canada is exactly one such case.

Apparently, after having confiscated the student's cell phone for texting during class, the principal read the message which indicated that the student had some information regarding a stolen car. The police were called, and they in turn pushed the student to respond to the message, which then led to their locating the stolen car.

Here's where it gets interesting.

The grandparents claim that their grandson has now been "blackballed," and therefore, they seek compensation for their need to drive him to a distant school to assure his well-being.

While I don't condone the principal prying into the student's private cell phone without good cause, I find it hard to sympathize with a teenager who feels threatened after having involvement - even if only tangentially - with a stolen vehicle. And I don't see how that rises to the level of school negligence, such that the school should be compelled to compensate him or his guardians for his poor choices.