Fort Lauderdale Injury Lawyer Blog

Usually a school is thought of as a safe haven where students are protected from the types predators who roam outside the campus. Sometimes, however, the danger to students can come from within.

At Atlantic High School in Delray Beach, Florida, the track and football coach was arrested recently on misdemeanor battery charges, accused of groping one student and biting another, according to records.

James "Andre" Thaddies, 40, was arrested on March 3. According to school police two female students reported Thaddies touched them inappropriately without their permission. One track student reported Thaddies tried to touch her, she resisted, and he then grabbed her by the wrist and called her "retarded." The second student said that Thaddies bit her in the neck area, but did not break skin, according to the report.

The Palm Beach County school district assigned Thaddies administrative duties and no longer allowed him to teach students, effective Feb. 24. The Atlantic High football team, under Thaddies, enjoyed winning seasons.

Thaddies, it appears, had a suspected background of inappropriate conduct with female students at a Minnesota high school where similar accusations were made. According to Minnesota court documents filed in 2000, Thaddies, admitted to providing alcohol to an underaged gil and resigned after being suspended. Police investigated, but Thaddies was not charged with any sexual misconduct.

High schools in the State of Florida have the legal duty to investigate the background of teachers and other potential employees who may be in contact with their students. This is because teachers and administrators stand in the shoes of the parents while a minor student is on school grounds. Mandatory schooling has forced parents into relying on teachers to protect children during school activity. Accordingly, where the school fails to adequately investigate the background of a school teacher or administrator who abuses a student on school grounds, the school may be liable for negligent hiring and/or supervision.

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The State of Florida has the highest drowning death rate in the US for children ages 1-4 years (8.9/100,000) and during 1999-2003 recorded 356 unintentional drowning deaths among children in this age group according to the Florida Department of Health.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, pool drownings for young children have increased dramatically. Nationwide, an average of about 300 children under 5 years old drowned in pools nationwide annually. Most of these deaths occurred in the summer months. Drowning is the second leading cause of death to young children after motor vehicle incidents. Another 2,700 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for near-drowning incidents. Most of these cases involve residential pools.

Unfortunately, these tragedies can, and do occur all too quickly -- many times before parents and caretakers are even aware that their toddlers are no longer in the house. Whenever a pool is nearby, constant adult supervision is vital. Even if a young child has been taught to swim, it is still necessary for an adult to be watching.

The key to preventing these tragedies is to have multiple levels of protection. This includes placing barriers around your pool to prevent access, using alarms on doors that access the pool, installing child proof locks on all doors leading to the pool and being prepared in case of an emergency. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has specific recommendations to reduce the incidence of childhood drownings.

Pool drowning cases present unique issues for attorneys representing parents. Frequently, they involve death or brain damage to the child. Although others may be responsible for their child's drowning, most parents tend to experience feelings of guilt. Accordingly, these cases need to be handled in a manner designed to minimize the trauma to the family and to provide closure.

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