Teacher Tea
Navigating the Transition: Student Rights
What protections do students have as they transition into independent adulthood?
A Benedict College student, Ansel Postell, was awarded nearly $700,000 in damages by a jury after his landlord, Campus Advantage, improperly discarded his belongings. Benedict College is located in Columbia, South Carolina. You can read more about this story in The State (“Benedict College Student Wins $692,000 Jury Award for Landlord’s Tossing his Belongings,” by John Monk). Postell had paid six months' rent in advance but returned to find his apartment emptied. The landlord refused to compensate him for his lost possessions, leading to a lawsuit. The jury ultimately found Campus Advantage liable for violating South Carolina's Unfair Trade Practices Act and awarded Postell both actual and punitive damages. The verdict serves as a warning to landlords about the potential consequences of mishandling tenants' belongings, particularly when it comes to more vulnerable tenants, like students who have fewer resources of their own.
Reliable housing is a cornerstone of a student's academic journey. When students are worried about where they'll sleep or how they'll pay rent, their focus shifts from learning to survival. To set students up for success, communities, families, and schools must prioritize reliable housing and demand accountability from those in positions of power.