Deseret News | Lehi mom sues Alpine School District over bats

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Lehi mom sues Alpine School District over bats

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SLC'er | 12:21 a.m. July 17, 2008

So what are the damages that they are claiming? The cost of the rabies shots for the kid? Howell seems to be just trying to get a fee on this one - what a baseless lawsuit, the kid was contributorily negligent if anything. I know housing prices are falling and you need to find some way to pay for that shady mortgage on that big lot in Lehi, but a lawsuit for a couple hundred dollars worth of rabies shots seems a little ridiculous.

Dude | 1:20 a.m. July 17, 2008

It said the rabies shots cost about $2,000. And the School District paid for about 7 students (6,800) about 1,000 per student. But it was not clear if they paid for Howell's clients or not.

Anonymous | 3:20 a.m. July 17, 2008

Survival of the fittest.

Comments continue below

DLG | 5:52 a.m. July 17, 2008

Just another sue happy person who thinks that they will get rich or get a couple thousand dollars of spent money by sueing others. Sounds like the school did everything they could to make sure things were covered in cause someone got bit or something. Her kid more then likely heard the overheads and classes annoucncments and ignored them cause he wanted to play with a bat. Anyone with commen sense at that age should know you don't handle or play with bats. Besides the whole thing is a act of Nature. It is as bad as saying I am going to sue a city that is build on a flat plain cause I might get hit by lighting. Any how I am sick and tired of people sueing over every little thing that happens to them. It's called life people! It's one thing to sue if they ignored the problem, but they didn't so it is stupid to sue!

Anonymous | 5:51 a.m. July 17, 2008

Isnï¿½t this typical in our society?

Sam in Brussels | 5:57 a.m. July 17, 2008

I think that the district should file a countersuit for dereliction of duty by the mother. It's not the school's responsibility to teach her son not to be stupid and catch bats--it's the mother's!

Timj | 6:51 a.m. July 17, 2008

Definitely looks like another case of kids being stupid.

uncannygunman | 6:52 a.m. July 17, 2008

If only there was some source of common sense in this kid's life besides the school district. When I was growing up, there were these two adults in my life who kept telling me things like "Don't mess with wild animals, you might get rabies." I'm not sure, but I think they were called my parents!

Poor kid | 7:09 a.m. July 17, 2008

Wow - this poor kid will now get ostracized because of a mother's crazy actions! Like teenagers need more reasons to make them unpopular and geeky.

Doodles | 7:31 a.m. July 17, 2008

The real problem solvers America needs are parents. Only a parent is connected to a child every day and can teach them the life skills necessary: teaching often, teaching by example andteaching with love. Government programs cannot do this. The courts and society are not able to replicate this opportunity.

The problems facing our society today can best be addressed through the responsibility of the parents. Instead of looking for someone else to "fix" the problems, take up the challenge and be a great leader in your own family.

Hope she loses | 7:37 a.m. July 17, 2008

I hope her lawyer charges her a big fat sum of money, and that she doesn't get a dime from the district. If I had a kid stupid enough to play with a bat I wouldn't want that many people to know about it, let alone alert the press. Our country has too many lawyers who take on too many stupid cases, and it's getting pretty ridiculous. I hope she loses.

Where's my check? | 7:37 a.m. July 17, 2008

I think the Government should have a fund to pay parents every time there kids act like idiots and the parent hasn't done there job of teaching common sense. Where is my check. I had six kids. I am sure they did several things I a "owed" for.

High School Teacher | 7:38 a.m. July 17, 2008

This case has no merit. It is a stupid high school kid trying to be cool to his friends. The school made plenty of announcements to the students and teachers. The mother is just trying to get money. We have become a very sue happy society. I hope the judge throws the case out before it gets to trial.

Sue Happy | 7:36 a.m. July 17, 2008

This suit sounds as if it will hinge on the notification. Mom claims to not have heard anything. School claims announcments, flyers, warnings, and action. Hard to believe that the bat story wouldn't have spread through town via word of mouth.

Mother and lawyer are in for an uphill battle.

doofus | 7:38 a.m. July 17, 2008

is this the same attorney that is on the simpson's show?

Bill Martin | 7:39 a.m. July 17, 2008

Give me break. Another lawsuit.

Let's sue lawyers so they have to charge sales tax on their $200 per hourly rates and use the money for education.

Count your blessings | 7:44 a.m. July 17, 2008

This mother needs to drop this ridiculous lawsuit and look at the big picture. In spite of the fact that her son made a bad decision, and played with a wild bat, he will be fine. He got treatment, he won't get rabies, and life will go on. That should be all the reward she needs.

Bruce Wayne--NOT!!! | 7:44 a.m. July 17, 2008

The kid played with the bat for two hours?! What an idiot! He is in high school and lacks the common sense to leave it alone? If he was attacked by a bat, maybe I could see a reason to sue. But how can they fault the school for his playing with a bat for two hours...must have been after school.

Did the kid not go to the "Batman Returns" movie? He didn't play with the bats--had common sense enough to avoid them. Sounds more like Ace Ventura.

paul | 7:48 a.m. July 17, 2008

i found a dead bird on the sidewalk in front of my house and my kid tried to pick it up and play with it....i am going to sue the city...give me the name of your ambulance chaser....sorry i mean your attorney!

Danny C. | 8:25 a.m. July 17, 2008

I think the lawsuit is frivolous, but Lehi High ought to do something about its infestation. What if it were rats or insects? Perhaps suing the district will get them on the ball.

G*star | 8:34 a.m. July 17, 2008

"The defendant did nothing to warn students of the severe danger that bats pose to humans and to instruct students to avoid contact with the bats or the bats' after-effects."

Um, Traci, why don't we reword your lawyer's statement to read "The mother did nothing to warn her son of the severe danger that bats pose to humans ..."

My mom did before I reached age 5. What's your deal? Your kid is in high school and plays with a dead bat for TWO HOURS and that's the school's fault?

Honey, please.

Bill | 8:41 a.m. July 17, 2008

Nothing like spending tax-payer dollars to defend against riduculous lawsuit when it sounds like the school has been handling it the only way they could. This woman needs to get a life and stop wasting tax payer money and the school's time

Helen Crump | 8:41 a.m. July 17, 2008

Is this the same mother and (Simpsons)attorney who is suing the bear in the woods that ripped through the tent when they were out of the designated camping area with food open? Be kind Bruce Wayne a High School kid that plays with a bat for two hours must be a special needs student. Where was his aide? Sue special ed!

Shame on them | 8:43 a.m. July 17, 2008

Shame on the mother and even worse shame on the attorney for agreeing to such a ridiculous lawsuit. Why is it that parents will stick up for their children even when the child is clearly in the wrong? My father and mother-in-law are teachers and my mother works in the front office of a school and taught title I for years. You should hear the stories they have of parents whose kids are clearly in the wrong yet their parents still still want to blame the school. Their kid can never be wrong. If you want to know what part of the problem with our schools is, look to the parents who want the schools to raise their kids and take no responsibility besides actually being the means of bringing the child into the world.

Matthew | 8:58 a.m. July 17, 2008

I agree that the mother in this story should feel very ashamed that she either didn't teach her son to not play with bats or that he is so disobedient/foolish that he did it anyway. That would certainly be my reaction if it had been my child.
This is the kind of lawsuit where the judge should simply point the lawyer to the door without uttering a word.

Cheryl | 9:00 a.m. July 17, 2008

It seems that if any reasonable person saw a bat, they would not catch it and play with it for two hours. Time to catch some common sense.

Welcome | 9:00 a.m. July 17, 2008

Welcome to the world of school administrators.

Sue who? | 9:07 a.m. July 17, 2008

Sounds like this mother needs to sue her son for stupidity (a high schooler?), or herself for parental negligence.

Jack | 9:15 a.m. July 17, 2008

Money is the root of all evil when involves greed.
Go mother, son and lawyer it is the way of getting rich fast for doing nothing...we all know you have no case but with a good lawyer you will get a few mills.

Jessica | 9:14 a.m. July 17, 2008

Two Words:

Frivolous Lawsuit

educrat | 9:19 a.m. July 17, 2008

Parental negligence is evident in this article, as it is the responsibility of the parent to teach the child about rabies. My parents did when I was very young. I have also seen warnings about this and bird flu on television countless times. How is it that this child, who is approaching adulthood, could not have known? The parents bare the sole responsibility for damages, and the young man should have the right to sue his parents. However, I fail to see what the damages are, beside the glaring lack of basic knowledge.

Ernest T. Bass | 9:23 a.m. July 17, 2008

Sounds like Traci's kid isn't very bright. Maybe she should sue herself.

HarvardLaw | 9:44 a.m. July 17, 2008

Well, after all is said and done, only one thing is evident- we don't know all the facts! Do you know how often a school is sued and they say "we sent out flyers and did everything by the book" and in all actuality they did nothing near that! So unless you know EVERY last fact of discovery in this case you really can't say anything! It's the news reporting and we all know that they ALWAYS report everything correct the first time with every detail!

Anonymous | 9:56 a.m. July 17, 2008

At this age why would you play with a bat?

West Jordan Citizen | 10:10 a.m. July 17, 2008

They should have closed the school and fumigated to get rid of all the bats. The district got lucky that there are no causalities.

Cici | 10:23 a.m. July 17, 2008

Sue? Is this mother for real? It isn't as though Lehi High "invited" the bats to habitat for educational purposes. "Creatures happen" and Alpine School District took the appropriate steps to warn and rid the bat problem. There is no blame here. I grow weary of a society that takes no personal responsiblitly and always wants "someone" else to pay. Where is the damage? This lawsuit will take a social worker, counselor, a school nurse and delay more pay for our educators because the money to "defend" this lawsuit comes from the same "pot." Common Traci...think of something besides your wallet! It seem obvious that your concern doesn't really lay with the welfare of the kids! Perhaps you could be part of the solution, not the problem...service, it's a great thing!

Helen Crump is a bigot! | 10:52 a.m. July 17, 2008

"...a High School kid that plays with a bat for two hours must be a special needs student. Where was his aide? Sue special ed!"

Shame on you Helen! Your bigoted ideas are not only rude but inaccurate. The need for Special Education services doesn't mean a person is "stupid" or unable to make a rational decision. My son receives special education services for dyslexia. He doesn't have an aide and attends most "regular" classes and has more common sense than the average person and has an above average IQ.

You could learn a lot from him!

I was aware of Rabies | 10:57 a.m. July 17, 2008

Because of the Dunder Mifflin 'Race for Rabies Awareness' I'm shocked more people are not aware!

HarvardLaw- This is sorta a no-brainer. The school has financial records and hundreds of witnesses to back up the announcement claims.

It was nice of you to sign up to be the mom's lawyer, though.

I had a similar situation... | 11:14 a.m. July 17, 2008

Years ago our children, through a "comedy of errors", were locked in the backyard for awhile with a babysitter and were exposed to a bat (we think one of them stepped on it with barefeet).

When they told us about it the next day, we found the bat and put it in a container. However it was Sunday and Animal Control was closed and were told call the police who said the kids were in no danger and to dispose of the bat. We didn't agree and called animal control the next day. They were very concerned and came and got the bat. Due to the delay, the rabies testing was inconclusive and all our children had to receive the rabies shot series.

I was very angry, but instead of suing I called the city manager and demanded they do something about not being able to get help after hours. The next month's town newsletter had an article about how animal control could now be reached after hours.

It was upsetting, our kids HATED the shots but instead of making some money, we changed the system.

Bill | 11:19 a.m. July 17, 2008

Judges have the power in most cases--but rarely enforce it--to impose attorney's fees and costs on the plaintiffs in frivolous lawsuits. That should occur here.

Alternate | 11:20 a.m. July 17, 2008

What was the name of the attorney again. Ambulance chasing at its best. Sorry but I believe this is a case of a individual and her lawyer trying to make a quick buck at the expense of taxpayers.

Attorney | 11:25 a.m. July 17, 2008

People please remember that it is a tough economy right now. Me and my "Harvard Law" buddy need to make some coin. The world needs more people like us because we know everything or almost everything. If we don't know something we will sue someone for not educating us. We need to remember that nothing is the fault of my family or me we don't make bad choices. We should sue anyone to get what we want it's the American way.

Anonymous | 11:44 a.m. July 17, 2008

So the school offered to pay for rabies vaccinations for any students who felt they were exposed to the bats; seven students approached the school for rabies vaccination compensation and the school paid out $6,818.97 for the vaccinations; and yet Traci and her attorney claim that the school

"...did nothing to warn students of the severe danger that bats pose to humans and to instruct students to avoid contact with the bats or the bats' after-effects..."

Sounds like Traci and her attorney are lying through their teeth and just looking to make a quick buck from the rest of us.

Anon. | 11:45 a.m. July 17, 2008

Wow this must ony be at Lehi. Pleasant Grove High School has had bats for years, but you don't see any of those kids playing around with them.

bigot? | 12:37 p.m. July 17, 2008

To Helen Crump is a bigot at 10:52 a.m. Does your son play with bats for two hours? Probably not. If he did play with dead animals for two hours at a time while he was supposed to be in school he would need an assistant. I think that is Helen was saying nothing against learning disabilities.

Harry Back | 12:39 p.m. July 17, 2008

To Helen Crump is a bigot at 10:52 a.m. My child has disabilities too but I don't teach him name calling what a great role model!

Anonymous | 12:54 p.m. July 17, 2008

Natural selection at work here. If the kid is dumb enough to play with a wild animal that is sick enough to act unafraid of him he will probably weed himself from the gene pool one way or another anyway. The only dumber people are the ones who think we should get rid of the bats which eat tons of insects every night during the summer.

Suit for all seasons | 2:03 p.m. July 17, 2008

Wow, just when I thought I'd seen it all...What's next? Is this same woman or someone else going to start suing the state or county for West Nile cases if people go outside and getting bit. We know Mosquitos are out there, but we still want to enjoy the outdoors. Should it be the county's bill for medical expenses? Maybe we can make a giant dome around the whole valley to "protect" us. I'd like to also see who this lady would file a lawsuit against if there was a natural disaster.

I wonder if the reason this lady is suing is to afford a nanny to raise her children...apparently she doesn't want to teach them about the dangers out there.

Anonymous | 3:50 p.m. July 17, 2008

Traci,
You are making a public fool of yourself and son for a buck. When school begins he will be known as bat boy! Start sewing a cape. Parents often cause the reasons for kids to be bullied. Like the rich mother who bought her son his own tent to stay in it himself at Scout Camp. All he got was laughs! Thanks mom!!!

Anonymous | 3:59 p.m. July 17, 2008

Another broken home with a mother who is less than a mother. This person just wants money and the attorney she has must think money is GOD. Mr. Joe public paid all cost for the shots for the kids. Another thing the son caught the bat it was not like it landed on him and tried to bite him. These are the things that make me mad. So what are the damages to the son and his so called mother. Just another way for the low class broken home greedy mother to get money for her meth habit, her food stamps and her live in boy friend, isn't the public paying enough. The mother needs to get a life. Beleive me this is not the last we've heard about sueing the school board. I hope she has to pay down the line for filing the charges.

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