LEGAL MEMOS

I.C. v. Compton Unified School District (2025) 108 Cal.App.5th 688. This is a case in which a high school student’s leg was broken when a teacher stepped in to try to break up a fist fight between the Plaintiff and another student. The jury at the trial court level concluded that the Plaintiff and the other student were each 50% responsible for the harm to the Plaintiff and found no liability on behalf of the District. The Court of Appeal affirmed concluding that substantial evidence supported the verdict and neither the teacher nor the District was negligent. The issue for the jury was whether the teacher had breached the duty to protect the Plaintiff and the duty itself was admitted. The jury concluded that there was not a breach of the duty. The Court noted that the standard of care imposed upon school personnel in carrying out the duty to supervise is identical to that required in the performance of other duties. The uniform standard to which they are held is a degree of care that a person of ordinary prudence, charged with comparable duties, would exercise under the same circumstances. In general one has no duty to control the conduct of others or protect another, unless a special relationship gives rise to such a duty. Because of the special relationship between school personnel and students under their supervision and control, the duty of care includes the duty to use reasonable measures to protect students from foreseeable injury at the hands of third parties acting negligently or intentionally.

/ilc