Arizona Supreme Court Rules Schools Not Liable For Off-Campus Student Injuries

The Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled that schools are not liable for student safety when students are off campus or not under the school's custody or control, such as when crossing public streets on their way to school. The case involved a student from Phoenix Union High School District who was seriously injured while jaywalking across a street adjacent to Betty Fairfax High School. Although the school district was aware that some parents were dropping students off in a dirt lot across the street to avoid lines, the court found no legal duty for the school to protect students in such circumstances. Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer emphasized that the district's responsibility begins only when students are on school grounds or under direct supervision. This ruling overturns a previous Court of Appeals decision that had allowed the student's parents to sue the district. The decision sets a new precedent clarifying that risks encountered off campus do not impose liability on schools for student injuries.