Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

THUMBNAIL-LAW

Agence France-Presse

<div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Supreme Court found a school in Dagupan, Pangasinan civilly liable for its negligence in handling a punching incident involving its pupils.</p><p>In a decision of the Second Division promulgated on January 20, 2025, the court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeals and the Regional Trial Court and dismissed the appeal filed by the  Mother Goose Special School System, Inc.</p><p>The high court ordered the school to pay the parents of the victim P650,000 for damages and attorney’s fees.</p><p>The court noted that every parent entrusts their child to a learning institution with the assurance that the school will protect the child from harm or will promptly address similar incidents. </p><p>“Unfortunately, Mother Goose School failed in this regard,” the court said in the decision penned by Associate Justice Mario Lopez.</p><p>The court however noted that the word “bullying” used by the CA should be construed in a generic sense, which is the “abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger” and  not the definition under the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, which was not yet in force when the incident took place.</p><p>The case stemmed from the failure of the school to address the punching incident in 2007 involving three of its students inside a classroom. </p><p>During a computer class, two students repeatedly punched one of their classmates while the teacher was in the comfort room, following a case of a missing pencil.</p><p>When the victim’s parents raised the matter with the school, their concerns were dismissed as the school concluded that the incident was mere “teasing” or “rough play” among pupils.</p><p>The RTC ruled that the school and the teacher-in-charge were both liable but the CA cleared the teacher who was absent when the incident happened.</p><p>The SC affirmed the CA’s ruling because of the contractual obligation of schools to ensure a safe learning environment for its pupils.</p><p>The court noted that the school does not have a protocol to address harm committed against its students, no updates were sent to the victim’s parents regarding the investigation, and the probe was replete with inaccurate information, among others.</p><p>“By failing to address the harm committed by one student against another and by negligently handling the punching incident after it had already happened, Mother Goose School failed to exercise the diligence of a good father of the family in providing a safe learning environment to its students,” the court said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MORE STORIES:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong></strong><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/31/sc-urged-to-mandate-congress-to-pass-law-against-political-dynasties-1837">SC urged to mandate Congress to pass law against political dynasties</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/8/kitty-duterte-asks-sc-to-set-oral-arguments-on-petition-for-dad-digong-s-return-1027">Kitty Duterte asks Supreme Court to set oral arguments on habeas corpus petition for dad Digong</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/11/us-supreme-court-orders-govt-to-facilitate-return-of-wrongly-deported-man-1645">US Supreme Court orders govt to &#x27;facilitate&#x27; return of wrongly deported man</a><strong> </strong></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div>

<p>The Supreme Court found a school in Dagupan, Pangasinan civilly liable for negligence in handling a punching incident involving its pupils.</p>

The Supreme Court found a school in Dagupan, Pangasinan civilly liable for negligence in handling a punching incident involving its pupils.

School fined by Supreme Court for negligence on punching incident involving students

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School fined by Supreme Court for negligence on punching incident involving students

Agence France-Presse

Published Apr 29, 2025 10:30 AM PHT

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Updated Apr 29, 2025 01:55 PM PHT

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