Court Opinion

ID: 9793739
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:52:11.447413+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:06:43.108848
License: Public Domain

BAKES, Justice,
concurring specially:
I have the same concerns with regard to the so-called “educational malpractice” cause of action as is expressed by Chief Justice Donaldson in his dissenting opinion as to Part II. However, the opinion of the Court, in footnote 1, specifically rejects the notion that Idaho recognizes such a cause of action and, accordingly, the Chief Justice’s concern, while well expressed, is unnecessary in view of the express rejection in the majority opinion of the so-called “educational malpractice” cause of action.
The opinion of Chief Justice Donaldson does “recognize that there may be narrow circumstances where an action for breach of contract may lie, such as where an educational institution accepts a student’s tuition and thereafter provides no educational services at all. Similarly, if the contract— whether express or implied — with the school provides for certain specified services, such as designated number of days or hours of instruction, and the school fails to meet this obligation, then an action for a breach of contract may be available.” Accordingly, the Court appears unanimous that, at least under certain narrow circumstances, a cause of action for breach of contract will lie against an educational institution for failure to provide educational services. However, as the Court’s opinion points out, in the case at hand “neither the record nor the complaint disclosed the facts by which appellants contend the college-student contract was breached. There is no mention of how the course might have failed to comply with the terms of the contract as found in the school bulletin or catalog.” Accordingly, today’s case is totally inappropriate to determine what the “narrow circumstances” may be whereby an action for breach of contract may lie against an educational institution. To attempt to set out the factual conditions for such a cause of action in this case would be pure dicta. Accordingly, I join the Court’s opinion, noting that there is very little difference between it and the dissenting opinion of Chief Justice Donaldson, except that the majority opinion would allow the plaintiff the opportunity to file an amended *454complaint in an effort to allege a cause of action for breach of contract.