You are here: / / BARE ALLEGATIONS THAT A SCHOOL KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF A TEACHER’S...
, ,

BARE ALLEGATIONS THAT A SCHOOL KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF A TEACHER’S PROPENSITY TO ABUSE STUDENTS, UNSUPPORTED BY ANY FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS, ARE NOT ENOUGH TO STATE A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR NEGLIGENCE OR NEGLIGENT RETENTION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court in this Child Victims Act case against a school (Central Yeshiva), determined the complaint did not state causes of action for negligence or negligent retention of the teacher (Charitonov) who allegedly sexually abused the plaintiff. Bare allegations that the school knew or should have known of the teacher’s propensity for abuse are not enough to avoid dismissal:

Here, the complaint failed to state causes of action alleging negligence and negligent retention, supervision, and direction against Central Yeshiva, as the complaint did not sufficiently plead that Central Yeshiva knew or should have known of Charitonov’s propensity to commit the alleged wrongful acts and failed to provide any factual allegations from which it could be inferred that Central Yeshiva had prior notice of similar conduct at its dormitory … . The complaint merely asserted bare legal conclusions that Central Yeshiva knew or should have known of Charitonov’s propensity for improper conduct without providing any factual allegations that Charitonov’s abuse of the plaintiff was foreseeable … . Moreover, the plaintiff failed to adequately demonstrate any basis to allow him to conduct discovery prior to directing dismissal of those causes of action (see CPLR 3211[d] …). Doe v Educational Inst. Oholei Torah, 2025 NY Slip Op 00948, Second Dept 2-19-25

Practice Point: In a Child Victims Act case against a school stemming from the abuse of a child by a teacher, bare allegations that the school knew or should have known of the teacher’s propensity for abuse do not state a cause of action for negligence or negligent retention. The complaint must include supporting factual allegations.

 

You might also like
Causes of Action Not in Notice of Claim Dismissed.
THE EVIDENCE OF “PHYSICAL INJURY” WAS LEGALLY INSUFFICIENT, ASSAULT 2ND CONVICTION REVERSED (SECOND DEPT).
DEFENDANTS’ PROOF DEMONSTRATED THE SNOW STORM WAS OVER 12 HOURS BEFORE PLAINTIFF’S SLIP AND FALL, DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT UNDER THE STORM IN PROGRESS RULE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).
DEFENDANT WAS ENTITLED TO A HEARING ON WHETHER HE SHOULD BE OFFERED ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AS AN ELEMENT OF HIS SENTENCE; THE ISSUE SURVIVED DEFENDANT’S GUILTY PLEA (SECOND DEPT).
FAMILY COURT SHOULD HAVE MADE FINDINGS TO ENABLE THE CHILD TO PETITION FOR SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS (SIJS) SUCH THAT THE CHILD WOULD NOT BE RETURNED TO GUATEMALA (SECOND DEPT).
Late Notice of Claim Allowed.
QUESTIONS OF FACT WHETHER THE WORK ON A BOILER WAS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE (NOT COVERED BY LABOR LAW 240 (1)) AND WHETHER A SAFETY DEVICE WAS REQUIRED, CONTRACTOR’S DEFAULT CONSTITUTED AN ADMISSION TO THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE COMPLAINT, INCLUDING THAT PLAINTIFF SUFFERED A GRAVE INJURY (TAKING THE INJURY OUT FROM UNDER THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW) (SECOND DEPT).
THE HOMEOWNER AND THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY TO BE LIABLE IN THIS LABOR LAW 200 AND COMMON-LAW NEGLIGENCE ACTION STEMMING FROM A SCAFFOLD COLLAPSE (SECOND DEPT).

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

WHERE THE ONLY RELIEF SOUGHT FOR BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY IS MONEY DAMAGES,... DENYING FATHER’S REQUEST FOR AN ADJOURNMENT IN THIS CUSTODY MODIFICATION...