Do I owe this person anything? If so how much?

Accidents happen. That's what insurance is for.

The yearbook teacher was ill-advised to let somebody else handle such an expensive camera if she wasn't prepared to deal with the potential damage to it.

Especially since it can probably be repaired for less than 300 dollars. She's trying to rip you off.

edit: Don't listen to Geek Squad, they're wrong more often than they are right, and they know little about camera repairs. Not that I imagine this teacher did, she's just haranguing you. I'm sure you were reasonable careful with the camera, but things go bad, that's why serenity is important, and getting upset about it isn't good.

"@Heldor: But isn't it her responsibility to insure the camera (especially if she is going to loan it out to students to take yearbook pictures) or at least assume a certain amount of risk for doing so?"

No. If it's lend out, then one can expect to get it back in the same condition. It's just the same as with lending out money. If you lend a hundred dollar bill to a friend, then you can expect to get it back. If he says, "oh i accidentally left the note in my pocket when i washed the trousers, it's completely destroyed," then he still owes you a "fully functional" 100 dollar bill. That he ruined it while it was under his care is not your risk. The risk that you take (and on which a bank collects interest to compensate for it) is that the borrower may turn out to be *incapable* of properly returning the borrowed item or sum of money. But if one loses or breaks it, then one still has to try to get a replacement if anyhow possible.

The damage here however would not be the new price of that camera, but the price for the same model on craigslist or ebay, a "used" price.

One aspect applies though - was what you did in some way part of the duties of your job? I think it may be so. In that case you are not personally responsible for damage that you accidentally caused, but your employer is.

First of all the student did not ask you if it was alright to take the filming & also he should have asked for you're permission prior to even starting the camera in you're class, next he did not inform you that the camera was only leant to the school by another person as it was on school property you would expect either the head or someone in higher authority had given permission for the filming of any class of course it was within your power to say no but as you said no one had told you about the camera or any filming & it was of vital importance for you to look at what was taken with the camera did the woman who owned the camera ask if she was allowed to use it during your lesson she should have approached you in the first instance to ask you're permission so she failed to act correctly within the schools boundary the school employees you to make a judgment & you're judgement was to ensure no illicit filming was taken of you're class. It should be covered by schools insurance & if she had not been given the go ahead to use the camera within the school she has no leg to stand on if the head had given her permission it was up to him to ensure the schools policy was adhered to & that the camera was covered by the schools insurance policy you have no legal right or otherwise to pay her anything she on the other hand had not approached you to ask if you minded if your class was filmed you are & cannot be held responsible as you were insuring that the film did not encroach you in any misdemeanours which could have put you & your job on the line she decided to bring the camera in & failed in her duty to obtain you're permission in the 1st place she or the school are solely at risk & it is not you're fault in any way you were in fact carrying out your duty to the school & children were not placed into a liable legal permission many schools ban movie camera's today because of illicit filing has been found in differing ways you are completely correct you don't owe her anything in fact she should be apologising to you because she failed in her duty to the children & school to ask your permission in the 1st place Fact.

You are teacher?

Who dropped the camera?

Why don't you tell me how you would feel if your possession was destroyed? I doubt you will be as cavalier about it as you are now with someone else's loss. Calling her loss trivial is insulting. She has loaned her camera to students who have been careful with it and you who are a teacher ends up destroying it and calling it trivial, expecting full pardon for your negligence without even a contrite or sincere apology. You should be ashamed of yourself. You need a lesson in humility and handling possession that is not yours. You show bad character and undeserving of a title of "teacher".

I hope the other teacher reports you first to the Principal, for you attitude and then take you to Small Claims Court. I hope you get someone like Judge Judy who will tell you off mightily!

Why on earth was the teacher letting students use her personal camera?

Anyway, quit being a pr*ck. Offer to give her at least $150.

Legally, No

Ethically, Yes

Sounds like your department should be paying for it. Go talk to your boss/principal.

You dropped the camera, you owe her the full amount. How could you think otherwise? If it belonged to the school for the use of the yearbook staff then the school should have it insured, in which case you owe her only the excess on the insurance, but it's your responsibility to pay for the camera (maybe look into how much it would cost to repair, instead of replace) but it's definitely on you.