The article title focuses on the school-based work program, but that was just giving him credit for the job he already had.

Derrik had worked at Rotschy, a large construction company in southwestern Washington, for about nine months prior to his injury, and had recently joined a school program that allowed him to earn class credit for hours on the job.

The real problem was the company ignoring safety regulation.

Rotschy, which routinely hired teenage workers amid recent labor shortages, violated the law when supervisors assigned tasks known to be dangerous and prohibited for minors to perform. The Battle Ground School District, where Derrik attended, did not conduct an initial site inspection as required by the program. The state Department of Labor & Industries and school district officials disagree on who bears responsibility for ongoing safety monitoring.

The school was also wrong to not conduct an initial site inspection, although my guess is that the company wouldn’t have the kids doing the illegal stuff during the inspection. So the school was also wrong, but not nearly at the same level as the company.