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Originally appeared in the CAS Weekly Newsletter
Dear Legal Mailbag:
I spent a semester in law school before going to graduate school in education, and given that experience, I am a bit of a "jailhouse lawyer" here at the middle school where I serve as an assistant principal. Earlier this year, for example, my principal asked me to update our field trip permission slip form, which I was only too happy to do.
The old permission slip form simply notified parents of the proposed field trip and asked them to give permission for their child to participate. Surprisingly, the form did not ask parents to waive liability for injuries that may occur on the trip. Given how litigious people are these days, I took the opportunity to correct that deficiency. I don't mean to brag, but the revised form gives the school district significant protection against liability claims. Now parents must sign the following acknowledgement and waiver: "I recognize that accidents happen, and, in...
