CALIFORNIA — A case attempting to hold a yearbook adviser responsible for misspelling a student’s middle name was thrown out of court in November.
Parent Jacqueline Ackerman bought a $250 advertisement in the yearbook at San Gorgonio High School for her daughter, Shannon Christel Ackerman. When her middle name was accidentally misspelled as “Christee,” the parent blamed the adviser.
The parent filed a complaint with the school district demanding that Marilyn Sabens’ salary for advising the yearbook for the previous year be revoked. She also demanded that the school pay damages to her for pain and suffering.
The school agreed to refund approximately half of the payment of the ad and the cost of Shannon’s yearbook. When the student never came to pick up the money, Sabens’ thought the issue was over until she was notified that she was being sued in small claims court for $3,500.
Principal Phil Haley who appeared before the court along with a school district representative on Sabens’ behalf, said the judge threw out the case.
According to Haley, the judge said the school had done enough by attempting to compensate the Ackermans for the cost of the ad and the yearbook.
Haley added that the judge commented, “students edit the yearbook also, not just the adviser. The annual was a school project. It isn’t fair to blame just one person, especially the adviser.”