Heidi Jo Hendrickson v. Moses Lake School District

¶1 School districts have a special duty to protect students in their custody and care. Heidi Jo Hendrickson claims the Moses Lake School District violated this duty when she severed her thumb during shop class. At trial, the court declined to issue a jury instruction on the district’s enhanced duty of care. Instead, the instructions were limited to ordinary principles of duty and contributory negligence. We agree with Ms. Hendrickson that the trial court should have instructed the jury about the district’s heightened duty of care. However, contributory negligence remained applicable. Because…