Opinion ID: 2767413
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Claim against Trojacek

Text: The Pierces allege that Trojacek removed De’Jon from school without their permission, instructed him to ride double on an ATV despite the fact that he did not have a driver’s license, did not properly instruct him on how to operate the ATV, and did not provide him with any safety gear. They also allege that the ATV was improperly maintained. These allegations do not suffice to show deliberate indifference. Trojacek may have been negligent by removing De’Jon from school and instructing him to drive his ATV, but his actions do not reveal a complete disregard for human life and an indifference to a significant risk of death. Nor does our case law support such a conclusion. The cases cited by the Pierces, which relate to sexual abuse and prolonged physical restraint by teachers, are inapposite. See Doe v. Taylor Indep. Sch. Dist., 15 F.3d 443, 451 (5th Cir. 1994); Jefferson v. Ysleta Indep. Sch. Dist., 817 F.2d 303, 305 (5th Cir. 1987). 4 Trojacek did not deliberately abuse, restrain, threaten, or touch De’Jon. Indeed, there is nothing to suggest that Trojacek intended to harm De’Jon at all or even that he foresaw harm and willfully disregarded it. In order to find a violation under these facts, we would be forced to greatly expand the concept of substantive due process, something the Supreme Court has been reluctant to do. See Collins v. City of Harker Heights, 503 U.S. 115, 125 (1992). Accordingly, we conclude that Trojacek did not act with deliberate indifference. For substantially the same reasons, the district court properly concluded that Trojacek was entitled to qualified immunity because he did not violate a 4 On appeal, the Pierces also rely on our decision in Morris v. Dearborne, 181 F.3d 657 (5th Cir. 1999). But we do not think Trojacek’s actions can be properly analogized to a teacher who purposefully fabricated claims that a father sexually abused his four-year-old daughter and thereby caused protective services to suspend the father’s contact with his daughter for three years. See id. at 668. 6 Case: 14-50788 Document: 00512892939 Page: 7 Date Filed: 01/07/2015 No. 14-50788 clearly established constitutional right. See Pearson v. Callahan, 555 U.S. 223, 232 (2009).