Family Sues Philly School District For Former Teacher’s Death

Family Sues Philadelphia School District Over Retired Teacher’s Death at Roxborough High Athletic Complex

The family of a retired Philadelphia-area teacher who was killed when a utility pole collapsed at Roxborough High School’s athletic complex has filed a negligence lawsuit against the Philadelphia School District and a consulting firm hired to assess school facilities.

According to the lawsuit, 73-year-old Paula Budin was walking on the Roxborough High track on the morning of Dec. 5, 2024, when a 45-foot wooden pole snapped at its base and fell on her. A passerby found Budin unresponsive and bleeding on the ground and called for help, but paramedics were unable to revive her. She died from blunt-force trauma injuries, the suit alleges.

Budin, a retired teacher who had worked at Germantown Academy and the Community Partnership School, was using a track near her home that is generally open to the public, according to the report.

The lawsuit claims the School District knew or should have known the pole posed a serious danger, arguing there were visible signs of decay dating back as far as 2014. The complaint alleges the district failed to inspect, maintain, repair, or warn the public about the deteriorating pole despite the risk of catastrophic harm.

The family’s lawyers also named Parsons Corp. in the suit, saying the company had been hired in 2015 to conduct facilities condition assessments across district properties, including the Roxborough fields, but failed to inspect the poles even after multiple visits.

According to the lawsuit, the fallen pole was positioned in grass near a storm drain on a slope by the track. The complaint contends the drain was clogged with debris, causing standing water to collect around the base of the pole over long periods and accelerating rot and deterioration.

The suit further alleges that after the accident, the district removed the three remaining poles from the property. Attorneys for Budin’s family say a later inspection found the poles had no inspection tags, which they argue indicates they had not been inspected before the fatal incident.

The School District of Philadelphia and Parsons both declined to comment publicly, citing pending litigation.1

The lawsuit seeks financial damages and raises new scrutiny over facility oversight in a school system long challenged by aging infrastructure and maintenance issues.

Family Sues Philadelphia School District Over Retired Teacher’s Death at Roxborough High Athletic Complex was originally published on rnbphilly.com