Please read this story...sad news
www.wenatcheeworld.com/.../
(NOTE: If the link doesn't get you to the story, click on the "HOME" button on the newspaper website, it'll be the "front page story". It's being updated frequently, so this link could be ever changing.)
Very very sad story and circumstance that happened today at the high school pool. :( I really feel sorry for the parents of this person, and I'm sure a lawsuit of some kind will be coming. I'm just glad I wasn't one of the teachers who was supposed to be "watching" the class.
I swim with my masters group every morning in this pool, and for the remainder of the month, ALL groups are out of the pool. Apparently the high school P.E. classes that use the pool for their swimming portion of the year, do so with the regular P.E. teachers supervising. Not a trained lifeguard, water instructor, etc. type of person. Just a regular old teacher.
I just talked with my masters coach, and she got the call from the school that said we are out, along with the swim team is out, and every user group out till the end of the month while they "do an investigation".
Basically what is going to be happening, is that they are going to require having a paid lifeguard on deck while all groups are using the pool. Not a problem for us to pay for that in the morning for masters, but kinda sucks that we're out till December. Hopefully we'll be able to return then, if not sooner!
I will still be able to swim in the afternoons at the YMCA pool, but I do enjoy my mornings.
It was a swimming class -- presumably that would be a safe place for an almost adult who couldn't swim but wanted to learn.
Yes..."swimming class", but not truely a class about learning to swim. It was more of "get in the water and 'do this'," not even being taught by water instructors.
Years ago, I was in the high school swimming classes (10th grade) when my P.E. class took their session in the pool (I was at a different H.S. and pool than the one in this case). There was a guard on deck, and the students (approx. 30 of us) were divided up into classes just like they do with the little kids. Each group was approx. 10 students with a separate teacher for each class. I know these teachers were competent, because I used to work with them during my high school years as a guard and instructor.
I of course was in the advanced group, and we basically just swam laps. I didn't really pay attention to the lesser classes, but I'm assuming the beginners were the non swimmers, and they worked on just getting comfortable in the water, learning to hold breath/blow out, float, push off the bottom back to shallow water, basic paddling and kicking, etc. This is the kind of lessons that should be done, no matter what age the beginning student is.
I know in the tragic accident at the Wenatchee H.S., this couldn't have been the case, with almost 40 students and one set of eyes watching them all. And then playing games in the water like waterpolo (in a pool with a 12 foot deep end)...especially when some of these kids are the "beginners", or "nonswimmers". It was just a disaster what happened.
asking for such a large sum is more likely to produce some answers.
Not buying that. While nobody likely knows the details of this particular case, I can say firsthand, "answers" and "the truth" are not what anybody's on the plaintiff's side is looking for. In fact, that needs to be blurred as much as possible in order for a big payout and a good old fashioned lynching to occur.
I assume the school district will have governmental immunity and any recovery will be limited to the amount allowed by the state legislature under a statute allowing certain claims, but limiting the amount of recovery. In Texas that would be $250k. There are federal claims that can be made, but they are harder to make and prove.
Depending on the law of the state, there is probably little chance of significant liability for the school district.
"Estimates indicate that today, U.S. lifeguards rescue more than an estimated 100,000 persons from drowning annually."
An "estimate" of give or take 100,000...now that is a piece of evidence:)
So what exactly do you guys propose? The school district saying "we're really sorry" doesn't really cut it if you ask me.
Where were the parents? Are you kidding? This happened while the kid was in school. The school has a responsibility to keep kids safe while they are in school and they failed to do that.
I'm not a fan of frivolous lawsuits, either, but this one would appear to have merit in my opinion.
Is there any evidence their presence helps?
"Estimates indicate that today, U.S. lifeguards rescue more than an estimated 100,000 persons from drowning annually."
Branche CM, Stewart S. (Editors). Lifeguard Effectiveness: A Report of the Working Group. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2001.
Well said Kurt,
The planitffs and the scumbag lawyers likely set the whole thing up for a big payday. Meanwhile, the defendants are looking for the truth.
After all, who would have thought to provide safety around water? This type of incident doesn't happen often, and the taxpayers certainly shouldn't need to pay for the support of expensive rules and regulations at a public childrens facility. We are taxed enough. Children need to take some responsibility for their actions, and where were this kids parents anyway?
All an investigation will accomplish is finger pointing and more expensive rule changes.
Good old fashion lynching indeed.
