Violence, whether sexual, physical, or mental, has no place in our schools. Schools must be safe. The last place a student should be concerned with suffering harm is at school.
The Iowa Supreme Court has stated “[t]eaching and learning cannot take place without the physical and mental well-being of the students. The school premises in short, must be safe and welcoming.” For this reason, in Iowa, the law requires that school districts who have the care and control of children, exercise the same standard of care toward the children that a parent of ordinary prudence would observe in comparative circumstances. This means that schools have an affirmative duty to take all reasonable steps to protect students.
Schools have the affirmative duty to protect students from other students, staff, or other employees of a school district. When schools fail to adequately protect students and students are physically harmed as a result, GRL Law takes the fight to the responsible people. When formal litigation is appropriate GRL Law brings the full weight of their team to the table to ensure that school districts are held accountable and positive changes result in safer schools.
When school misconduct does not result in personal injuries warranting formal litigation, there are specialized procedures that GRL Law assists clients through so that a undeniable history is adequately documented. These complaint processes are an efficient way to place school boards on notice of school safety concerns and non-responsive school administrations and should be utilized whenever appropriate. The School Liability experts at GRL Law can assist with these complaint processes.
