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Take 100 middle school students, dozens of soccer balls, and one confined space and what do you get? A lawsuit! The staff at Intermediate School 219 in the Bronx used that dangerous recipe to pass by a rainy day last year. One dodgeball expert told the Daily News, "The force of those balls going across the gymnasium, especially thrown by middle school students, could be quite strong."
Surely enough, 12-year-old Shane Reese was hit in the face. He had been sitting out the game on the bleachers because he just had some teeth repaired after a car crash — but when he was stuck in the face by the soccer ball his new bridgework broke.
Now the city is offering him $20,000 to head off a lawsuit — a judge will decide if that's a fair settlement. Meanwhile, an Education Department spokesman told the paper that dodgeball has been discouraged in schools since 2006, but there is no formal ban.
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There shouldn't be a ban, but playing with a soccer ball is pretty friggin' stupid.
exactly what I was going to say
I'm pretty sure $20k covers the dental work and maybe some vacation time to say sorry for all the agonizing pain, again. Someone, please tell me that $20k covers the dental surgery...?
There's a good chance that if he's uninsured, 20k wouldn't cover everything. Reconstructive dental procedures will blow out a retirement fund.
20k is a lowball to see how stupid the family is. Hopefully they have a decent lawyer.
Why would he need reconstructive work? All I see in the article is that the ball broke his bridgework. Replacing it might be expensive but not $20,000 worth.
Really believe that kids nowadays need to "Man" up... I'm 32(so not that old) but when I got hit by a ball in the gym or playground, you sucked it up! All these petty lawsuits is annoying me. Banning monkey bars, jungle gyms and pretty soon dodge ball...what are kids supposed to play when they go out?? I really feel bad for the kids growing up nowadays..bunch of sissy's!!
I agree about the out of control lawsuits. However, this kid was in a car accident and got his teeth knocked out. He then went through hours of painful dentistry to have the teeth replaced, and when he returned to school, had them knocked out again in gym class. This lawsuit is actually valid. Don't tell this kid to "man up." I actually feel pretty sorry for him.
The article says his "bridgework" broke. It doesn't says dental implants. Short of having a impression taken and new bridgework made I don't see how he's going to have to endure anything a second time. Am I missing something?
Yeah, but c'mon...think this category falls in the "sh!t happens". The kid was sitting out the game in the bleachers and the ball accidentally got to him. Blame this on plain o bad luck. Don't know what else the school could have done but kept him in the classroom by himself alone and not with the other classmates at gym.
Ban...come on. All they need to do is use the correct dodgeballs, not soccer balls!
what is a "dodgeball expert"? Are you kidding me?
If the school district is going to ban anything, it should ban teachers stupid enough to have kids play dodge ball with soccer balls.