Rogers v. Christina School District

73 A.3d 1, 2013 WL 3722554, 2013 Del. LEXIS 364
CourtSupreme Court of Delaware
DecidedJuly 16, 2013
DocketNo. 45, 2012
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 73 A.3d 1 (Rogers v. Christina School District) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rogers v. Christina School District, 73 A.3d 1, 2013 WL 3722554, 2013 Del. LEXIS 364 (Del. 2013).

Opinion

RIDGELY, Justice:

A sixteen-year-old student at Newark High School explained in writing to a school counselor that, while at school the day before, he wanted to hurt himself and others and that he was feeling alone and unloved. He admitted to the counselor that he had actually attempted suicide just two days earlier.

After four hours with the student, the counselor decided the student was no longer suicidal and sent him back to class. She explained in an e-mail to his teachers, the Assistant Principal, and other school counselors that she had met with the student and did not believe he was a threat to himself. State Department of Education and School District regulations require a parent or guardian to be notified of a crisis [5]*5situation involving a student. A crisis situation includes suicidal or homicidal statements or actions. The school did not notify the student’s parent or guardian. After the student went home, he hanged himself.

The student’s family and the administrators of his estate brought this wrongful death and survival action against the school district, the superintendent, the high school, its principal, and the school counselor (collectively, as defendants, “School”). The Superior Court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants, finding no duty to the student and no wrongful act under the Delaware Wrongful Death Statute. The plaintiffs have appealed, asserting common law duties based upon the existence of a special relationship between a school and its students. In response to an inquiry from this Court, the plaintiffs also assert negligence per se based upon Defendants’ violation of the school district regulations.

We find no merit to the appeal except for the negligence per se claim. The alleged violations of the State Department of Education’s and the School District’s mandatory requirements to notify a parent or guardian of the student’s crisis situation state a claim of negligence per se. The regulations were enacted for the safety of others and have the force and effect of law.

Accordingly, the judgment of the Superior Court is reversed and this matter is remanded for further proceedings.

Facts and Procedural History

On November 2, 2009, Aigner Walker, a friend of Roger “Mac” Ellerbe, informed Newark High School teacher Robert Newman that a friend was having problems and was contemplating suicide. Newman reported this conversation to Margette Finney, the School’s Intervention Specialist. Finney is the owner and sole employee of Holistic Family Services, LLC, which was under contract with the School District to offer services to the School as a behavior interventionist.

The next day, Finney met with Walker to learn the identity of the student in question. Walker informed her that El-lerbe was considering committing suicide and that he had tried to suffocate himself the previous weekend. Finney then located Ellerbe and called him into her office. Ellerbe confirmed that he had attempted suicide the previous weekend.

Finney then called Marlyna Melendez, Ellerbe’s former girlfriend and classmate. Finney talked to Melendez about her relationship with Ellerbe and Finney informed her that Ellerbe was contemplating suicide. After gathering information from Melendez, Finney instructed her to return to class.

With just Ellerbe in her office, Finney began to counsel Ellerbe, asking him to write down everything he was feeling at the time. Ellerbe wrote that when he came to school the day before he had a desire to hurt himself and others, and that he felt alone. Finney talked with Ellerbe for over four hours. Finney noticed, over that time, that Ellerbe’s mood and demeanor were improving. Finney asked Ellerbe to again write down what he was feeling. This time Ellerbe explained that he was feeling better and that he was ready for school. Finney then sent El-lerbe back to class.

Following this conversation, Finney emailed Ellerbe’s teachers, the Assistant Principal, and other school counselors informing them of her conversation with El-lerbe. The e-mail states:

Good Morning Everyone,
After talking with Roger Ellerbe in great detail I feel that he is not a threat to himself. Roger was having a bad day yesterday with build [sic] up anxiety [6]*6from home and girl friend issues. His girl friend broke up with him on Sunday he couldn’t handle what was happening to him leading to him thinking that no one cares about him.... When Roger got home from school he sat his Grandmother down who’s his guardian talking things out with her and reconciling his different [sic] with girl friend [sic] thus making up. I got Roger and Marlyna Melenndez [sic] (girls [sic] friend) together to talk about their relationship and will call Grandmother letting her know what’s going on. I also gave Roger a packet for the wellness center to get filled out and return [sic] back to me. Roger agreed to come to me, Mr. Newman or the wellness center if he has any concerns. I had Roger write a statement as to how he was feeling yesterday and today. Aigner Walker was the student who brought this to our attention she also wrote a statement on what she observed yesterday. If anyone [sic] of you think we should do anything else please let me know.
Keeping you all informed!
Mrs. Finney1

There is no indication in the record that Finney contacted Ellerbe’s grandmother or took any additional action. Finney has no training in adolescent psychology, teenage depression, or adolescent suicide. Finney was unaware of the School District’s established protocol for how to deal with a student in crisis.

After school, Ellerbe returned home. He spoke with his grandmother, Linda Rogers. He did not tell Rogers about his suicidal thoughts and Rogers did not notice any signs of depression in Ellerbe. That evening, Ellerbe hanged himself in the basement of the Rogers’ home.

After these events, wrongful death claim was filed under the Delaware Wrongful Death Statute,2 and the School filed a Motion to Dismiss under Superior Court Rule 12(b)(6). The Superior Court converted the Motion to one for Summary Judgment pursuant to Superior Court Civil Rule 56 since it was necessary to consider matters outside of the pleadings.

The Superior Court granted the School’s motion for summary judgment, finding no duty to the student and no wrongful act because there was no special relationship between Ellerbe and the School.3 This appeal followed.

Discussion

We review a grant of summary judgment de novo.4

In order for Rogers to recover damages under the Delaware Wrongful Death Statute,5 Rogers must show that the School was negligent. “Negligent behavior is usually defined as the failure to meet the standard of care which the law re[7]*7quires. However, liability for negligence is limited by the scope of the legally defined duty.”6 Therefore, before liability may be imposed, “an antecedent duty of care with respect to the interest involved must be established.”7- The issue of whether a school district can be liable for the suicide of a student committed off of the school’s property is an issue of first impression in Delaware.

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Bluebook (online)
73 A.3d 1, 2013 WL 3722554, 2013 Del. LEXIS 364, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rogers-v-christina-school-district-del-2013.