ÿWPCø …# VUNa %¯ 0(µU:Ý4 + : U:: w@t ´ 0J¼ 0T 0^Z 0h¸ 0r 0|’ 0† 0” 1u$ U,™ 0dÅ U,)U>UU*“B)½ BæDC AMFü“v~ D3 vÓ@ 0@ AOSÆ¢ 0Dh D/¬ BÛ˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular;p‚ tember3|x‰`"Arial Regular uRvRwDxUyDzD{D|D}~Ó€2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d d$$$$7Border 1dd€-&Cþÿ << Gÿÿ òÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€"ÔÝ  ÝÔ€#ÔÔ€#ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€#XÔÌÌò òMay€9,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€#ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@%%%%'ÿÿdxdStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA Op Monaco Ò("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€!!X„d&ÓÑ#€!!Xd#ÑÔ€"ÔÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑÔ€#ÔÑ7€ ýà XXdædÈ7ÑÙ€€ÙßL€'(&;+'h|` Å `€€Lß›à@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OFÏAPPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€ATÏJACKSONÌÌÌJOYCE€ANN€NEAL,€Individuallyà à)Ìand€as€parent€and€next€of€kin€of€à à)Ìthe€minor€child,€BRANDONà àà à)ÌDEVORIS€NEAL,à àà àà àà à)€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àó óPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà àò ò)€Fayette€Circuit€No.€3189Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€€Appeal€No.€02A01„9412„CV„00271Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌFAYETTE€COUNTY€BOARD€OFà àà à)ÌEDUCATION,€DALE€SUMMITT,à àà à)ÌSuperintendent€of€Schools,à àà à)ÌWILLIAM€A.€WEDDLE,€Principalà à)Ìof€Northwest€Elementary€School,à à)ÌJEAN€BELLE,€Teacher,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àó óDefendants/Appellees.à àò ò)ó óÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€FAYETTE€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€œSOMERVILLE,€›TENNESSEEÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€JON€KERRY€BLACKWOOD,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌÌÌò òDOROTHY€W.€MCARTHURó óÌò òKIM,€WILLCOX€&€MCARTHURÌó óMemphis,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Plaintiff/AppellantÌÌÌò òJAMES€I.€PENTECOSTÌWALDROP€AND€HALL,€P.A.Ìó óJackson,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Defendants/Appelleesò òÌó óÌÌÌÌÌò òAFFIRMEDÌÌÌó óà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àò òALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ÌÌHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.ó óœà àÌÓÓà àThis€matter€arose€out€of€a€personal€injury€action€brought€against€Fayette€CountyÏÑ7€ýàXXdæ XXdæ7ÑBoard€of€Education€by€plaintiff,€Joyce€Ann€Neal,€as€parent€and€next€of€kin€of€BrandonÏNeal,€a€minor.€€Brandon,€age€eleven,€was€injured€while€playing€basketball€when€hisÏfinger€became€caught€in€the€goal.€€€Reasoning€that€the€goal€was€neither€dangerous€norÏdefective€and€that€Brandon€caused€his€own€injuries€through€his€misuse€of€the€goal,€theÏtrial€court€held€in€favor€of€the€school€board.€On€appeal,€plaintiff€contends€that€theÏevidence€preponderates€against€the€trial€court's€determination€that€the€goal€was€notÏdangerous€or€defective.€€Plaintiff€further€alleges€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€failing€to€findÏthat€the€school€board€was€negligent.€€For€the€reasons€stated€below,€we€find€theseÏcontentions€to€be€without€merit;€therefore,€we€affirm€the€trial€court's€judgment.ÌÌà àOn€May€11,€1992,€Brandon€Neal,€a€fifth„grade€student,€was€injured€duringÏphysical€education€period€at€school€when,€after€making€several€attempts€to€dunk€theÏbasketball€into€the€goal,€€his€"pinky"€finger€became€lodged€in€a€crevice€in€the€goal.€€AsÏa€result,€his€finger€was€partially€amputated€above€the€first€joint.ÌÌà àAt€the€time€of€the€injury,€P.E.€class€was€supervised€by€two€fifth„grade€teachers,ÏMs.€Belle€and€Ms.€Rhea.€€Ms.€Rhea€supervised€the€boys€on€the€playground,€while€Ms.ÏBelle€supervised€the€girls€inside€the€classroom€and€on€the€adjacent€porch.€Ms.€RheaÏwas€standing€about€twelve€feet€from€the€goal€at€the€time€of€Brandon's€injury.€Ìà àÌà àIn€support€of€her€contentions,€plaintiff€relies€heavily€on€the€fact€that€two€studentsÏhad€previously€suffered€similar€injuries€on€the€basketball€goal.€€Approximately€oneÏyear€after€the€goal€was€installed€in€1981,€Daryl€Campbell,€an€eighth„grade€student,Ïsevered€his€pinky€finger€when€it€became€lodged€in€the€same€"V"„shaped€crevice€thatÏcaused€Brandon's€injury.€Like€Brandon,€Daryl€Campbell€was€attempting€to€dunk€theÏball€when€his€injury€occurred.€€Ten€years€later,€in€1991,€Antwone€Taylor,€a€fifth„gradeÏstudent€at€the€school,€broke€his€finger€in€the€crevice€of€the€goal€while€he€was€trying€toÏdunk€the€ball.ÌÌà àAt€trial,€defendant€relied€on€the€doctrine€of€sovereign€immunity€to€shield€it€fromÏliability.€€Plaintiff€argues€that€defendant€was€not€entitled€to€immunity€because€immunityÏis€removed€for€dangerous€or€defective€structures€and€for€some€negligent€acts€andÏomissions€of€employees.€€The€applicable€provisions€are€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 àò òà8 àRemoval€of€immunity€for€injury€from€dangerousÏstructures€„„€Exception€„„€Notice€required.€„„ó ó€(a)ÏImmunity€from€suit€of€a€governmental€entity€is€removed€forÏany€injury€caused€by€the€dangerous€or€defective€conditionÏof€any€public€building,€structure,€dam,€reservoir€or€otherÏpublic€improvement€owned€and€controlled€by€suchÏgovernmental€entity.Ìà8 àà8 à(b)€€Immunity€is€not€removed€for€latent€defective€conditions,Ïnor€shall€this€section€apply€unless€constructive€and/orÏactual€notice€to€the€governmental€entity€of€such€condition€beÏalleged€and€proved€in€addition€to€the€procedural€noticeÏrequired€by€Sec.€29„20„302.ÌÌÓÓT.C.A.€ðð€29„20„204€(1980).ÌÓÓà8 àò òà8 àRemoval€of€immunity€caused€by€negligent€act€orÏomission€of€employees€„„€Exceptions.ó ó€ò ò„„ó ó€ImmunityÏfrom€suit€of€all€governmental€entities€is€removed€for€injuryÏproximately€caused€by€a€negligent€act€or€omission€of€anyÏemployee€within€the€scope€of€his€employment€except€if€theÏinjury:Ìà8 àà8 à(1)€Arises€out€of€the€exercise€or€performance€or€the€failure€toÏexercise€or€perform€a€discretionary€function,€whether€or€notÏthe€discretion€is€abused....ÌÌÓÓT.C.A.€ðð€29„20„205€(1980).ÌÌà àWe€will€first€address€plaintiff's€contention€that€governmental€immunity€isÏremoved€in€the€present€case€because€the€goal€was€dangerous€and/or€defective.€€Ìà àÌà àBecause€this€case€was€tried€by€the€court€sitting€without€a€jury,€we€review€theÏcase€€òòde€novoóó€upon€the€record€with€a€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€trial€court'sÏfindings€of€fact.€€T.R.A.P.€13(d).€€ÌÌà àIn€the€context€of€the€Governmental€Tort€Liability€Act,€Tennessee€courts€haveÏheld€that€items€such€as€an€electrical€line,€òòMcGaughy€v.€City€of€Memphisóó,€823€S.W.€2dÏ209€(Tenn.€App.€1991),€an€improperly€constructed€and€installed€drainage€system,ÏòòRediker€v.€Gillespieóó,€No.€86„367„II,€1987€WL€11763€(Tenn.€App.€June€5,€1987),€and€aÏbroken€and€cracked€manhole€cover,€òòBradford€v.€City€of€Clarksvilleóó,€885€S.W.€2d€78Í(Tenn.€App.€1994),€were€defective€or€dangerous,€thereby€resulting€in€removal€ofÏgovernmental€immunity.ÌÌà àIn€this€case,€however,€the€structure€at€issue€is€neither€inherently€dangerous€norÏbroken.€€At€the€time€of€the€accident,€the€basketball€goal€was€in€the€same€condition€as€itÏwas€when€it€was€installed€in€1981.€€There€were€no€cracks,€breaks,€or€other€problemsÏwith€the€goal.€€In€fact,€the€sole€defect€that€Brandon€was€able€to€identify€was€the€fact€thatÏthe€goal€was€rusty.€€€Numerous€school€officials€testified€that€they€did€not€feel€that€theÏgoal€constituted€any€danger€or€threat€to€the€students.€No€teacher€had€ever€complainedÏabout€the€goal€or€requested€its€removal.€€Plaintiff€presented€no€evidence,€expert€orÏotherwise,€that€the€goal€was€dangerous€or€defective.€€The€fact€that€two€previousÏinjuries€occurred,€standing€alone,€is€insufficient€to€establish€a€dangerous€or€defectiveÏcondition,€especially€when€the€previous€injuries€occurred€solely€due€to€the€students'Ïmisuse€of€the€goal.Ìà àÌà àAn€intact€basketball€goal€is€completely€dissimilar€to€structures€such€as€powerÏlines€or€other€structures€that€of€themselves€create€danger.€€We€hold€that€a€basketballÏgoal€is€not€a€dangerous€or€defective€structure€within€the€meaning€of€the€GovernmentalÏTort€Liability€Act€when€it€is€not€in€a€defective€condition€and€when€it€is€used€in€itsÏintended€manner.€€Consequently,€sovereign€immunity€may€not€be€removed€on€thisÏbasis.ÌÌà àPlaintiff€next€contends€that€the€defendant€was€negligent€in€failing€to€adequatelyÍsupervise€the€students,€failing€to€warn€Brandon€of€the€goal's€dangerous€propensities,Ïfailing€to€properly€instruct€Brandon€on€how€to€use€the€goal,€and€failing€to€remove€theÏgoal€after€two€previous€injuries€had€occurred.ÌÌà àIn€order€to€sustain€a€claim€for€negligence,€plaintiff€must€prove€that€defendantsÏhad€a€legally€recognized€duty€to€him,€that€such€duty€was€breached,€and€that€the€breachÏcaused€his€injuries.€€òòRoberts€v.€Robertson€County€Board€of€Educationóó,€692€S.W.€2dÏ863,€869€(Tenn.€App.€1985).ÌÌà àTeachers€and€school€officials€are€not€required€to€be€insurers€of€the€safety€ofÏstudents.€òòId.óó€at€870.€They€are,€however,€required€to€exercise€such€care€as€ordinarilyÏreasonable€and€prudent€persons€would€exercise€under€the€same€or€similarÏcircumstances.€€òòId.óó€ÌÌà àIn€the€present€case,€two€fifth„grade€teachers€were€supervising€the€studentsÏduring€physical€education€period.€€There€was€testimony€to€the€effect€that€all€of€theÏstudents,€including€Brandon,€had€been€instructed€not€to€play€rough€and€not€to€dunk€onÏthe€goal.€€Although€Brandon€testified€that€he€was€never€warned€about€dunking€orÏrough„housing,€one€of€plaintiff's€witnesses,€a€€classmate€of€Brandon's€and€a€fellowÏfifth„grade€student,€testified€that€their€teacher€had€warned€them€about€playing€rough€onÏthe€goal€and€would€chastise€students€for€dunking€the€ball.€In€light€of€the€foregoing,€weÏfind€no€merit€in€plaintiff's€contention€that€defendant€was€negligent€in€failing€toÏsupervise,€warn,€or€instruct€Brandon€regarding€the€basketball€goal.Ìà àà àÌà àSchool€children€invariably€suffer€a€myriad€of€injuries€on€all€types€of€playgroundÏequipment.€€These€injuries€can€and€do€occur€without€regard€to€the€condition€of€theÏequipment.€€A€school€cannot€anticipate€the€varied€and€unexpected€acts€that€occur€dailyÏin€and€about€school€premises€and€courts€do€not€impose€upon€teachers€a€duty€"toÏanticipate€or€foresee€the€hundreds€of€unexpected€student€acts€that€occur€daily."€ÏòòRobertsóó,€692€S.W.2d€at€872.€€To€hold€the€school€board€liable€in€the€present€case€wouldÏbe€tantamount€to€making€the€school€board€an€insurer€of€the€safety€of€children,€whichÏwe€decline€to€do.€Ìà àÌà àWe€also€agree€with€the€trial€court€that€plaintiff€has€failed€to€demonstrate€anyÏlegal€causal€connection€between€the€defendant's€alleged€actions€or€inactions€andÏBrandon's€injury.€€Where€the€time€between€a€student's€act€and€the€resulting€injury€is€soÏbrief€that€the€teacher€has€no€opportunity€to€prevent€such€injury,€it€cannot€be€said€thatÏthe€teacher's€negligence€is€the€proximate€cause€of€the€injury.€€It€is€apparent€from€theÏrecord€that€Brandon's€misuse€of€the€goal€in€attempting€to€slam„dunk€the€ball€causedÏhis€injury.ÌÌà àFinally,€any€alleged€negligence€on€the€part€of€the€defendant€in€failing€to€removeÏthe€goal€after€the€previous€injuries€would€not€be€actionable€because€the€decisionÏwhether€to€remove€the€goal€would€be€a€discretionary€function€for€which€governmentalÏimmunity€is€not€removed.€€òòBowers€ex€rel.€Bowers€v.€City€of€Chattanoogaóó,€826€S.W.2dÏ427€(Tenn.€1992).€€òòSeeóó€òòalsoóó,€òòO'Guin€v.€Corbinóó,€777€S.W.2d€697€(Tenn.€App.Í1989)(holding€that€decision€as€to€whether€to€place€a€traffic€control€device€at€anÏintersection€was€discretionary);€òòDoe€v.€Board€of€Educationóó,€799€S.W.2d€246€(Tenn.ÏApp.€1990)(holding€that€decision€to€leave€school€door€unlocked€was€discretionaryÏfunction).ÌÌà àBased€upon€our€review€of€the€record,€we€conclude€that€the€evidence€does€notÏpreponderate€against€the€determination€of€the€trial€court€that€the€goal€was€neitherÏdangerous€nor€defective,€that€the€defendants€did€not€breach€their€duty€to€Brandon,€andÏthat€Brandon€caused€his€own€injuries.€€Accordingly,€the€trial€court's€judgment€isÏaffirmed.€€Costs€are€adjudged€against€plaintiff.ÌÌÓÓÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ïóóà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌLILLARD,€J.