Stephenson v. School Bd. of Polk County, 84-935

Decision Date01 May 1985
Docket NumberNo. 84-935,84-935
Parties24 Ed. Law Rep. 1091, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1117 Michael S. STEPHENSON and Barbara Stephenson, his wife, Appellants, v. SCHOOL BOARD OF POLK COUNTY, Florida, a subdivision of the State of Florida, Appellee.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Joseph G. Hern, Jr., of Wendel & Chritton, Chartered, Lakeland, for appellants.

A.H. Lane of Lane, Trohn, Clarke, Bertrand & Williams, P.A., Lakeland, for appellee.

OTT, Judge.

Appellants appeal an order of the trial court granting summary final judgment in favor of the school board in this action for damages against the school board, two of its employees, and two students. For the reasons stated below, we affirm.

The pleadings and the proofs evidence that the acts of the school board's employees were, at best, committed within the scope of employment, but "in bad faith or with malicious purpose or in a manner exhibiting wanton and willful disregard of human rights, safety, or property." § 768.28, Fla.Stat. (1975). 1 The school board cannot be held liable for such acts; therefore, summary judgment in its favor was proper. District School Board v. Talmadge, 381 So.2d 698, 702-703 (Fla.1980); Rupp v. Bryant, 417 So.2d 658, 669-670 n. 30 (Fla.1982).

Further, neither the complaint nor the record before the trial court contained sufficient factual allegations to state a cause of action against the school board for the negligent supervision of its employees. There was no indication from the record that the school board was put on notice of the harmful propensities of these two employees. Willis v. Dade County School Board, 411 So.2d 245, 246 n. 1 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982).

Accordingly, the trial court's order granting summary final judgment in favor of the school board is AFFIRMED.

SCHEB, A.C.J., and DANAHY, J., concur.

1 Although appellants' complaint was filed in 1981, the cause of action arose in January, 1977, when the event surrounding the basis of the complaint occurred. As such, we are governed by the state of the law as it existed in 1977. See Rupp v. Bryant, 417 So.2d 658 at 670 (Fla.1982) (Overton, J., concurring specially).

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  • M.V. By and Through W.W. v. Gulf Ridge Council Boy Scouts of America, Inc., s. 87-2731
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 17, 1988
    ...be liable for negligent retention and supervision. See Garcia v. Duffy, 492 So.2d 435 (Fla. 2d DCA 1986); Stephenson v. School Bd. of Polk County, 467 So.2d 1112 (Fla. 2d DCA 1985). The trial judge correctly directed a verdict for appellee on these claims. We further agree that the directed......
  • Total Rehabilitation & Med. Ctrs. v. E.B.O., 3D04-246.
    • United States
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • November 16, 2005
    ..."it [did not have] constructive or actual notice that [he] was unfit to work as a pastor at the [c]hurch"); Stephenson v. School Bd. of Polk County, 467 So.2d 1112 (Fla. 2d DCA 1985)(school board not liable for negligent supervision because "no indication from the record that [it] was put o......

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