$2 Million Settlement For Marshmallow Choking (moved from ATSNN)

In Glenview, IL, a settlement has been reached between the parents of a sixth-grader and Glenview School District 34 for $2 Million for the choking death of their daughter in class on marshmallows. The students began to play a game when the teacher, Kevin Dorken, left the classroom and the children started to see who could stick the most marshmallows into their mouths and say, "chubby bunny." Catherine "Casey" Fish began to choke. After students ran to get another teacher upon seeing her lips turning blue, she was rushed to a hospital. She died several hours later. The parents sued the school stating the school was responsible for any dangerous games played with or without supervision.



This is truly a tragic story of what most would consider a childish childrens game gone horribly awry. This also seems, however, to perpetuate this mentality that money can solve all problems. While the parents claimed they were doing it to for the principle, they were willing to settle for $2 million.

While I don't have all the details of the settlement, nothing was mentioned about any change in policy or any laws being written, not that there are any I can think of which would prevent kids from being kids. The lawyer for the family said, "This case was never about money. This case has been about getting the message across to America that dangerous games should not be played in school, with or without supervision." He also mentioned he was surprised with the settlement because the family had been seeking $2 million for their daughter's life.


[edit on 6-2-2005 by junglejake]

These parents should have thought their own dumbass kid not to "play dangerous games in a classroom with or without supervision" instead of trying to tell the rest of america they should teach their kids that.

I seriously hate stuff like this. People trying to 'send a message' to other people instead of looking at themselves and learning they are the only ones that are to blame and they are the only ones that should have known in the first place that its their job, as parents to teach their children not to be complete dumbasses up to the point where they kill themself in their stuppid behaviour.
Or at least, if they did that in the first place, its still not the school or anyone else to blame, but that accidents happen and noone is to blame.

These parents should have thought their own dumbass kid not to "play dangerous games in a classroom with or without supervision" instead of trying to tell the rest of america they should teach their kids that.

That actually reminds me of a South Park episode where the parents were saying kids needed to be taught about sex ed, but by the schools. In this case, it's the school's responsability to teach the kids common sense, and failing to do so will be extremely expensive for them.