Are schools liable

Anto222

Are schools liable for the actions of their pupils at lunchtime outside the school when in the school uniform?

afkasurfjunkie

no. that what parents are for.

Fizzical

Depends what you mean by 'liable'.

Schools often take the view that behaviour of pupils in the school uniform reflects on the school and take a dim view of misbehaviour. Check the school rules for the particular school.

But legally liable for pupils' actions? Don't see how the school could be. Yard supervision ends at the gate.

highly1111

My understanding is no. Not once they're off school property and have permission to be off the property if that makes sense. In my school the 6th years are allowed out for lunch and we often see some of them smoking around the vacinty - and there's nothing we can do. Which is a disgrace as I firmly believe they're lowering the tone of the school. I think the rule should apply if they're smoking in uniform. Anyway you're obviously not talking about smoking.

byhookorbycrook

No, unless on a school activity,like a match or whatever.

Anto222

afkasurfjunkie wrote: »

no. that what parents are for.

So when my child is bullied at lunch time (because he goes home for his lunch)the school can't do anything about it even though the protagonists are from the same school.

Fizzical

Anto222 wrote: »

So when my child is bullied at lunch time (because he goes home for his lunch)the school can't do anything about it even though the protagonists are from the same school.

Of course they can help.

As I said before "Depends what you mean by 'liable'. Schools often take the view that behaviour of pupils in the school uniform reflects on the school and take a dim view of misbehaviour. Check the school rules for the particular school."

They can help, even though they are not liable.

Talk to the Principal.

cofy

I'm just a parent, but if this is happening outside the school gate, it's impossible for the school to supervise this. As far as I can see with this horrible situation, the best they can do is be extra vigilant as to what happens on school grounds.

I do understand your way of thinking, with regard to the uniform. When an adult goes to work wearing a uniform, they are represeting the company they work for, but when it comes to (for want of a better word) minors, the rules are different, as it could be argued that children have not yet learned certain social skills.

MyKeyG

Anto222 wrote: »

So when my child is bullied at lunch time (because he goes home for his lunch)the school can't do anything about it even though the protagonists are from the same school.

They are not responsible and I don't think they should be BUT invariably they WILL take responsibility if an offence is witnessed by a member of the faculty or reported by a member of the public. In my school if a teacher caught us doing something we shouldn't have been doing while wearing the school uniform we would get into trouble no ifs, buts or letting me ask the wife!

spurious

Anto222 wrote: »

So when my child is bullied at lunch time (because he goes home for his lunch)the school can't do anything about it even though the protagonists are from the same school.

In our school, we would take a role in tackling this. We would not admit liability in a 'go ahead and sue us' sense, but definitely we would consider it a school bullying incident and deal with it as such.
We wouldn't care if they were in uniform or not. It is happening because they are in the same school - our school.

Anto222

spurious wrote: »

Anto222 wrote: »

So when my child is bullied at lunch time (because he goes home for his lunch)the school can't do anything about it even though the protagonists are from the same school.

In our school, we would take a role in tackling this. We would not admit liability in a 'go ahead and sue us' sense, but definitely we would consider it a school bullying incident and deal with it as such.
We wouldn't care if they were in uniform or not. It is happening because they are in the same school - our school.[/Quote


Sorry, liable is probably too strong a phrase, "a duty to act" possibly more apt. I am happy to say the school has intervened in a meaningful manner

Fuinseog

Anto222 wrote: »

So when my child is bullied at lunch time (because he goes home for his lunch)the school can't do anything about it even though the protagonists are from the same school.

that would be a garda matter.

lestat21

It is my understanding that if an issue of bullying is raised and all the young people involved were students of the same school, then the school management would take it upon themselves to look at the issue. Bullying is a very serious issue and its taken very seriously by (most) schools. They might not be able to suspend students as this activity happened off school grounds but they could definately inform the parents of students involved.

Should point out that I am referring to how I've seen one school respond to this particular issue and I am really hoping that other schools would take the same proactive approach.