School and state sued over student's injuries

The Louisiana State Department of Education and the Recovery School District are being blamed for injuries sustained by an elementary school student in June 2009, according to a suit filed in Orleans Parish District Court on April 5.

The suit, filed by New Orleans attorney Kenneth Orie on behalf of Dawn Robinson and her minor child, Gerald Hunt Jr., claims that Hunt "was sitting in a classroom writing the L.E.A.P. test when Ronnie Caldwell came into the classroom and started hitting Gerald with a weapon," knocking him to the ground, the suit claims.

An unnamed teacher at St. Julien Elementary School allegedly "failed or was unable to intervene to protect Gerald" and it wasn't until other students in the classroom "started shouting that the principle and other staff came to the scene," the suit claims.

The suit also alleges that Hunt was no given medical attention at the school, but that Robinson was called to take Hunt to Oschner Hospital.

The unnamed teacher is allegedly liable for negligence for "failing to keep intruders out of the classroom" and "failing to call for help including security and medical assistance," among other allegations in the suit.

The suit claims that the Louisiana State Department of Education and the Recovery School District are liable for failing to provide adequate security to protect students and failing to properly supervise the minor children. Caldwell's parents and/or guardians are also named as defendants in the suit.

Orleans Parish Case 2010-03311