Broken School Gym Equipment: Are Parents Automatically Liable for the Bill?

A gymnastics bench broke during a physical education lesson at a school in Latvia, and the pupil's family has been told they must pay for the damaged equipment. The boy's mother, Arita, contacted the news portal LA.LV to ask whether a school can demand money from parents straight away. The portal passed these questions to the Ministry of Education and Science, which explained how such cases should be handled.

What happened

According to her son, he stepped onto the bench during an exercise and one of its legs broke. He says he used it as intended and did not throw it or try to break it deliberately. His mother admits she did not witness the incident and does not want to automatically take her child's side. She was surprised at how quickly the conversation turned to money. She also asks who decides the amount owed, whether the bench could have been repaired, and whether its age and wear were considered.

She stresses that she would accept responsibility if it turned out her son had damaged the equipment on purpose.

What the ministry says

The ministry states that a school cannot assume parents must pay for everything. Each case must be assessed individually: first the circumstances and the actions of those involved must be established, including whether the damage resulted from an accident, carelessness or deliberate action. The mere fact that an item broke while a child was using it does not oblige parents to pay.

If deliberate damage is established and the restoration cost is known, school management may agree with parents on repair, replacement or financial compensation. If there is no agreement, the school cannot force the family to pay. The institution, working with its founder, most often the local municipality, can then seek to recover the losses in court.

The ministry also reminds schools of their own duties: equipment must meet safety requirements and be adequately secured to avoid injury risks, so its technical condition must be examined too. Parents who disagree with the school's actions can take the matter to the school's founder.

Parents have the right to know what facts the claim is based on: how the incident happened, whether the act was deliberate, what condition the item was in and how the amount was calculated.