AB v. Rhinebeck Central School District

224 F.R.D. 144, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17716, 2004 WL 1944338
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedAugust 24, 2004
DocketNo. 03 CIV. 3241(SCR)
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 224 F.R.D. 144 (AB v. Rhinebeck Central School District) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
AB v. Rhinebeck Central School District, 224 F.R.D. 144, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17716, 2004 WL 1944338 (S.D.N.Y. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER

ROBINSON, District Judge.

I. BACKGROUND:

There are currently two motions pending before this Court in connection with this matter. First, the Rhinebeck Central School District (the “District”) has filed a motion to dismiss (the “District’s Motion”) certain aspects of the Plaintiffs’ complaint (the “Complaint”). Second, the United States of America (the “Government”) has filed a Motion to Intervene (the “Government’s Motion”). Before addressing the merits of those motions, a brief discussion of the factual and procedural history of this matter is necessary.

A. Factual Background:

The District hired Thomas Mawhinney (“Mr. Mawhinney”) in 1993 to serve as the [147]*147principal at Rhinebeck High School (“RHS”) and he served in this capacity until June 2003. During the fall of 1993, shortly after his hiring, female students at RHS began complaining to various school officials, including the guidance counselor and the guidance secretary, that Mr. Mawhinney’s conduct made them feel uncomfortable. In the summer of 1994, several teachers and/or guidance counselors attempted to raise the issue of sexual harassment at a faculty meeting but were prevented from doing so by Mr. Mawhinney, who stated that sexual harassment was not an issue at RHS.

From 1993 to 1995, the faculty members reported various incidents of sexual harassment to the District Superintendent, Joseph L. Phelan (“Mr. Phelan”).1 In February and March 1996, several parents, guidance counselors, and teachers made numerous reports to Mr. Phelan and the Board of Education (the “Board”) regarding Mr. Mawhinney’s inappropriate sexual behavior toward students. During the 1995-1996 school year, a student filed a formal complaint with the District claiming that Mr. Mawhinney made a statement to her to the effect that he would welcome oral sex with her. The District investigated this complaint, but ultimately decided the investigation was “inconclusive.” (Complaint at 4). In 1996, the parents of this female student filed a complaint with the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (the “OCR”). While this complaint was being investigated by the OCR, parents of RHS students attended a meeting of the Board and asked the Board to delay the vote to grant Mr. Mawhinney tenure until all investigations of his conduct were completed. The Board denied this request and granted Mr. Mawhinney tenure earlier than is customary. (Complaint at 4-5). The OCR investigation resulted in the District signing a Resolution Agreement assuring the OCR that it would revise its grievance procedures, provide continuing training for employees and students on issues of gender and sexual harassment, requiring counseling and sensitivity training for Mr. Mawhinney, closely monitor Mr. Mawhinney’s behavior, and not retaliate against any complainants.

In the ease before this Court,2 the plaintiffs consist of four students from RHS, identified as AB, EF, GH, and KL, and Cathy Conley (“Ms. Conley”), the attendance staff member of RHS (collectively, AB, EF, GH, KL and Ms. Conley are referred to herein as, the “Plaintiffs”). Both AB and GH are minors.3 AB is represented by her aunt and legal guardian, identified as CD; GH is represented by her father and natural guardian, identified as IJ.

AB attended RHS from 2000 to 2002, at which time she withdrew because of the alleged harassment by Mr. Mawhinney. AB claims that soon after she began attending RHS, Mr. Mawhinney became sexually interested in her, regularly engaging in unwelcome touching, including rubbing her back, placing his arm around her shoulder and hugging her. While touching her, Mr. Mawhinney made comments to AB such as “You’re my favorite student” and “How ya doin’, buddy?” (Complaint at 5). According to AB, Mr. Mawhinney regularly stopped her in the hallway to talk to her; he seemed to follow her around school, coming into her classes to make sure she was there. Sometime in January 2002, Mr. Mawhinney came up to AB in the cafeteria, wrapped his arms around her and rubbed his cheek against hers. At the end of February 2002, Mr. Mawhinney chose AB to travel with him to the Church of Messiah to sell senior citizen prom tickets. Wdiile in the car, AB alleges [148]*148that Mr. Mawhinney reached over and began rubbing her thigh. AB pulled away from Mr. Mawhinney, and he stopped touching her after about a minute. When Mr. Mawhinney and AB returned to school, Mr. Mawhinney told AB she could skip her Math and English classes that day because he was the “proper authority.” (Complaint at 6).

As a result of this alleged harassment, AB began to avoid Mr. Mawhinney, choosing not to eat in the cafeteria because he was often there, trying not to go into the school’s main office where his office was located, planning her routes from class to class to avoid him, and surrounding herself with a group of students when walking in the hallways. Despite these efforts, AB claims Mr. Mawhinney found her and displayed his unwelcome interest in her. AB claims that, as a result of this sexual harassment by Mr. Mawhinney, her grades dropped because she could not focus in class or on her homework. AB also says she began to withdraw socially, believing that what was happening to her was somehow her fault.

On or about June 13, 2002, AB reported Mr. Mawhinney’s harassment of her to a social worker. The matter was later referred to Mr. Phelan, for investigation. Mr. Phelan interviewed AB, who told him about many of the incidents set forth above, and he issued a report in August 2002 clearing Mr. Mawhinney of any charges of sexual harassment. However, Mr. Phelan claims he issued a counseling letter to Mr. Mawhinney and required Mr. Mawhinney to participate in a refresher course in the avoidance of sexual harassment, which consisted of a single, two-hour session.

At the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year, AB claims Mr. Mawhinney retaliated against her, following her around, scrutinizing her behavior, and trying to find fault with her conduct. On or about September 20, 2002, Mr. Mawhinney allegedly summoned AB to his office, pulled his chair very close to AB’s chair and told her he wanted to discuss the situation. AB claims she told Mr. Mawhinney she was uncomfortable, slid her chair away from his, and asked to leave his office. Mr. Mawhinney told her he was not happy with what AB had done. After spending approximately 15 minutes in his office, AB claims she fled in tears. AB’s mother complained to Mr. Phelan about this meeting, but Mr. Phelan said he did not think the incident constituted harassment or retaliation.

In late September 2002, AB withdrew from RHS. She was home tutored for several months and then transferred to a different school district. AB’s family could not afford to pay the tuition charged to an “out of district” student and AB was placed under the legal guardianship of her aunt, CD, and moved from her family home to her aunt’s home in order to reside in a different school district. (Complaint at 8). AB attends psychological counseling and anger management classes. (Id.)

EF was a student at RHS from 1999 to Spring 2002, at which time she withdrew, citing harassment by Mr. Mawhinney as the principal reason for her withdrawal. EF claims that soon after she began her freshman year, she both heard reports of and observed Mr. Mawhinney inappropriately touch female students. Thus, EF tried to avoid Mr. Mawhinney. EF claims Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
224 F.R.D. 144, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17716, 2004 WL 1944338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ab-v-rhinebeck-central-school-district-nysd-2004.