Teaching Responsibilities

[MisterMike]

Has anyone thought about the possibilites of a school/teacher being held responsible for the injury of a student outside of the school?

For instance, does it have to be expressly written that there are no guarantees that what you are learning will actually work?

I just figure that since we live in the days of lawyers, sooner or later someone is going to sue(sp) becuase what they learned didn't work.

At the risk of sounding Orwellian, does anyone think that some day schools will be outlawed, or some sort of government standard will have to be met before what you teach can be considered "safe" for the public?

The seasoned practitioners among us will know that there are good schools and bad. But to someone first starting, what is in place to protect them from the wrong decision?

Will all schools have to go under the guise of an "Art" (most do - so maybe that's their saving grace) or will there someday be an official stamp of approval.

There are some schools/individuals who train law enforcment. There are others that the police wouldn't go near with a 10 foot pole. What does that really say?

TIA

 

[Michael Billings]

I sure hope not. You may be called to testify as an expert witness, then if you said something stupid, well, nothing can keep you from being sued. That does not mean the jury would find you civilly liable, which means a lot of money for attorneys, and not much left for them to get. They have to prove negligence basically, your teaching the material, with appropriate warnings and emphasis (which other students or instructors could attest to) should keep you liability free. But one lawsuit can close a school, even if you win.

Did I menion, I HATE our litiguous society, reference McDonald's coffee lawsuit, later overturned on appeal fortunatly, but if you live in California, beware of the attorney gathering places, unless you too are a shark.

-Michael

 

[MisterMike]

Ahhhh...thank you Michael. That makes sense.

 

[Disco]

On legal advice, the school has a section within the contract/liability section that deals with off school responsibility. It includes enroute to and from classes and self training outside of or engaging in an actual combat situation. From my understanding, it was tested only once by an opposing attorney. After reading the contract, it was dropped and it never saw a courtroom.