Opinion ID: 1109219
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Subsection 11-46-9(1)(g)adequate governmental services

Text: ¶ 30. Section 11-46-9(1)(g) provides that the school district shall not be liable for any claim [a]rising out of the exercise of discretion in determining whether or not to seek or provide the resources necessary for the purchase of equipment, the construction or maintenance of facilities, the hiring of personnel and, in general, the provision of adequate governmental services. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-9(1)(g) (Supp.1998) (emphasis added). ¶ 31. Lang asserts the school district is required by statute to construct and maintain the school district's real property. Section 37-7-301(d) states that the school board is [t]o have the responsibility for the erection, repairing and equipping of school facilities and the making of necessary school improvements. Miss.Code Ann. § 37-7-301(d) (1996). Also specified is the school board's duty [t]o be the custodians of real and personal school property and to manage, control and care for the same. Miss.Code Ann. § 37-7-301(c) (1996). Lang again argues the fact that such duties are required by statute removes them from the realm of discretion and places them squarely in the area of mandatory or ministerial duties. ¶ 32. The school district argues the express language of Subsection 11-46-9(1)(g) evinces that the Legislature has already found that any determin[ation] of whether or not to seek or provide the resources necessary for the purchase of equipment, the construction or maintenance of facilities, the hiring of personnel and, in general, the provision of adequate governmental services is the exercise of discretion. The school district claims this subsection is applicable to any of Lang's allegations that the school district is obligated to provide necessary supervision and a safe place, because it provides immunity for hiring decisions and adequacy of governmental services. Additionally, the school district claims Lang's allegation concerning the school district's obligation to provide a safe place from the standpoint of the actual facility would be covered under the clause concerning construction or maintenance of facilities. ¶ 33. While Section 11-46-9(1)(g) provides the school district is immune for certain policy decisions, such as how much money to allocate to this or that, it does not immunize the school district for failure to fulfill its statutory obligations. The school board is required by statute to erect, repair and equip school facilities as well as maintain, control and care for the same. Section 11-46-9(1)(b) provides the school district and its employees are protected from liability while performing or failing to perform such statutory duties so long as ordinary care is exercised. Whether ordinary care was, in fact, exercised is a question for the trial court, sitting without a jury, to decide. See Miss. Code Ann. § 11-46-13(1) (Supp.1998).