While performing a stunt during cheerleading practice, Cassandra Williams was injured when she fell on her school gym's wood floor.
After she filed her negligence case against the Clinton Central School District , the latter asked for the case's dismissal and the Oneida County Supreme Court acquiesced.
On appeal, the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, reiterated that while schools must exercise reasonable care to protect student athletes, when risks are "open and obvious," kids are assumed to have accepted the possibility of harm when they participate in a sporting activity.
In this case, the AD4 found Williams engaged in maneuvers which were obviously dangerous when performed on a bare wood floor and rejected her "speculative and conclusory" argument the school increased the risk of harm by failing to provide practice mats.
Not very sportsmanlike.
To download a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: Williams v. Clinton Cent. School Dist.