Aldridge v. Tougaloo College

847 F. Supp. 480, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3965, 64 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 43,144, 64 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 708, 1994 WL 108441
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Mississippi
DecidedFebruary 1, 1994
Docket2:93-cv-00208
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 847 F. Supp. 480 (Aldridge v. Tougaloo College) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Aldridge v. Tougaloo College, 847 F. Supp. 480, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3965, 64 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 43,144, 64 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 708, 1994 WL 108441 (S.D. Miss. 1994).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

WINGATE, District Judge.

Before the court is the motion of the defendant, Tougaloo College, for dismissal of this lawsuit pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), 1 or, alternatively, for summary judgment under Rule 56(c), 2 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. On April 30, 1993, plaintiff filed this action against the defendant alleging that defendant had violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, reasonable costs and attorney fees, plaintiff accuses defendant of retaliatory discrimination. She specifically charges the following: that she was denied the position of Educational Talent Search Coordinator in February, 1991, when the job was awarded to another; that afterwards, in March, 1991, she lodged a written grievance complaining of her non-selection; and that as a result of this filed grievance defendant wrongfully refused to select her for the position in July, 1992, when the job again became vacant. Defendant asserts that under the applicable law and undisputed facts it is entitled to summary judgment. This court agrees.

I. JURISDICTION

Plaintiff Carla Aldridge is an African American female whose employer since 1990 has been the defendant. The defendant here is Tougaloo College, a private, historically black institution of higher learning located in the State of Mississippi.

This court has jurisdiction of the claims and parties herein under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1334, 2201, and 2202, as well as 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, et seq.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Tougaloo College hired plaintiff Carla Aldridge on February 12, 1990, as an Educational Talent Search Recruiter/Counselor. The position required her to plan services and activities designed to encourage the retention of first-generation college students. Almost a year after she was hired, plaintiff applied for the position of Educational Talent Search Coordinator, a position responsible for supervising all talent search counselors and otherwise coordinating all program activities. In February, 1991, Tougaloo College hired Daniel Genous, an African American male, to fill this position.

*482 On March 29, 1991, plaintiff filed a written grievance in accordance with the procedure set forth in the Educational Support Staff-Salaried and Hourly Employee Handbook of Tougaloo College. Plaintiff’s two-page grievance began as follows:

This [grievance] is to state my dissatisfaction with the manner in which [my supervisor] Mrs. Belinda Lee has sought to unilaterally use her position and authority for mistreatment, and discriminatory actions towards me and the Talent Search Department.

With respect to the denied promotion, plaintiff stated:

2. [Educational] Talent Search [Coordinator] vacancy was not posted in the manner that prior promotional opportunities were posted.
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡
Factor # 2 — Normally, promotional opportunities are posted openly on the employees [sic] bulletin board. The [Educational] Talent Search Coordinator vacancy was posted on a board behind the secretary’s door. Therefore, I became aware of this vacancy through word of mouth. After inquiring about the vacancy announcement, I was informed by the secretary that the vacancy was posted on a board behind her door.

The above excerpts from plaintiffs grievance constitute the whole of plaintiffs allegations regarding the College’s hiring of a new Educational Talent Search Coordinator in 1991.

The position of Educational Talent Search Coordinator became available again in June, 1992. The written job posting for the position announced the same job qualifications that were in place a year earlier, as follows: “Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling preferred, Educational Administration, or related Behavioral Science considered.” Nine individuals, both male and female, applied for the job, and all nine were rejected, including plaintiff. By letter dated July 16, 1992, Tougaloo College informed plaintiff, as well as all the other rejected applicants, that although they had not been selected, the College was reopening the job search and they could reapply for the position.

After rejecting plaintiff and the nine other candidates, Tougaloo College revised the job qualifications for Educational Talent Search Coordinator so that, in addition to counseling experience, the position required an individual who had at least three years of experience in an administrative supervisory capacity in higher education.

On July 17,1992, plaintiff re-expressed her interest in the position and again was informed by letter dated August 20, 1992, that she had not been selected for the job. Instead, Tougaloo College hired Gloria Blount, an African American female, who met the revised job qualifications.

III. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On September 8, 1992, plaintiff filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e. In this charge, she alleged that her grievance- filed on March 29, 1991, was a factor in Tougaloo College’s decision to change the job qualifications for Educational Talent Search Coordinator in July, 1992, and that she was denied the promotion in retaliation for having filed the grievance. Plaintiff characterized her grievance as a complaint against sex discrimination by the College. In a letter dated February 22,1993, plaintiff, through her retained attorney, asked the EEOC to end its investigation of her charges and to issue a right-to-sue letter as provided by statute, which it did on March 31, 1993.

On April 30,1993, plaintiff filed this action alleging that Tougaloo College’s “maintenance of a pattern and practice of discrimination on the bases of intentional retaliatory discrimination directed to Plaintiff Aldridge” violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C.

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Bluebook (online)
847 F. Supp. 480, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3965, 64 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 43,144, 64 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 708, 1994 WL 108441, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/aldridge-v-tougaloo-college-mssd-1994.