D.F. ex rel. Finkle v. Board of Education of Syosset Central School District

386 F. Supp. 2d 119, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19917
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedSeptember 12, 2005
DocketNo. CV-04-4251
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 386 F. Supp. 2d 119 (D.F. ex rel. Finkle v. Board of Education of Syosset Central School District) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
D.F. ex rel. Finkle v. Board of Education of Syosset Central School District, 386 F. Supp. 2d 119, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19917 (E.D.N.Y. 2005).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

PLATT, District District Judge.

Before this Court is the Board of Education of Syosset Central School District (“Board of Education”), James Kassebaum (“Kassebaum”), and Carole G. Hankin’s (“Hankin”), (collectively “Defendants”), motions to dismiss Plaintiff D.F.’s (“Plaintiff’ or “D.F.”) amended complaint pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6).1 Defendants move [123]*123to dismiss, claiming there has been no violation of: Plaintiffs right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment, Plaintiffs right to procedural or substantive due process under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, Plaintiffs right to equal protection under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, Plaintiffs right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment, Plaintiffs rights under New York Public Health Law § 2504, or Plaintiffs rights under the New York State Constitution. Defendants also move on the ground that a suit for damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 is barred by the Eleventh Amendment, and that they are protected by qualified immunity. Defendant Kassebaum joins in the Defendants’ motion and additionally moves to dismiss the defamation claim against him.

For the following reasons, Defendants’ motion to dismiss is GRANTED as to all of Plaintiffs claims.

Factual Background

Plaintiff D.F. is a 12 year-old boy who brings this suit by his parent and guardian, Andrew Finkle. The case arises from the following events. At the start of the 2003-2004 school year, Philip Kaiser (“Kaiser”), Plaintiffs English teacher, assigned his sixth grade students to keep a long-term journal “expressing thoughts, concerns, or feelings.” (Am.Compl.f 9) Kaiser told the students that they could utilize such forums as poems or short stories. (Am.Compl^ 10) As part of his journal assignment, Plaintiff wrote the fictional story entitled, “Costume Party,” which he says is modeled after the horror movie Halloween. (Def. Hankin’s Mem. Dis. at 2) The story involved a boy named “Dylan,” a horror movie fan who was bullied by other children at school and desired revenge. (Def. Hankin’s Ex. B) In the third chapter of the story, Dylan, wearing a costume similar to that worn by the villain in Halloween, stabs a boy named “Matt Cohen” (described as a “mean kid”) in the head. (Id.) Dylan then goes on a killing spree, stabbing other “bad kids.” (Id.) At one point in the story a female student is described kissing a boy with her shirt off. (Id.) Dylan later walks in on this same girl while she is engaging in intercourse with another student, and chops off the girl’s head with an axe. (Id.) Some of the characters in the story were named after actual students with whom Plaintiff went to school. (Am.ComplJ 15) Plaintiff had no prior disciplinary record at the time of writing the story. (Am.Compl.t 16)

On October 3, 2003, Kaiser arrived late to class and found Plaintiff reading the story to the other students in the class. (Am.ComplA 17) Kaiser first asked Plaintiff to sit down, but then allowed him to continue reading the story because he was preoccupied with checking attendance. (Id.) The same day, while Plaintiff was at a voluntary program called “Latin at Lunch,” Plaintiff asked permission to read his story to the other approximately sixteen (16) students present. (Am. ComplJ 21) The instructor, Ms. St. Johns (“StJohns”), requested that she read the story to herself first. (Def. Hankin’s Mem. Dis. at 3) St. Johns was disturbed by the story, and brought the story to Principal Kassebaum. (Id.) Kassebaum then suspended Plaintiff for five (5) days (Am. Comply 26) and sent a notice to Plaintiffs parents informing them of the dates of the suspension. (Am.Compl.t 28) The day before the suspension was to begin, however, Plaintiff was not allowed to attend his classes. (Am.Compl.129) Also, at the direction of the School District and Kasseb-aum, a school psychiatrist performed a number of psychological tests on Plaintiff. (Id.) Plaintiffs parents were neither informed of nor given the opportunity to consent to the psychological testing. (Am. Comply 30) According to the complaint, on October 8, 2003, Kassebaum communicated [124]*124with the parents of two (2) other students and told them that Plaintiff had engaged in “threatening behavior” towards their children and “harassment of a deviant sexual nature.” (Am.Compl^ 32)

On October 21, 2003, after the five-day suspension, a Superintendent’s hearing was held. (Am.Compl^ 37) At the hearing, the School District alleged three (3) violations of the School District’s Code of Conduct: (i) threatening the use of a weapon, (ii) harassment, and (iii) intent to intimidate or threaten other students. (Id.) Plaintiffs parents were informed beforehand that a Superintendent’s Hearing would be held. (Am.ComplY 35) According to the complaint, Plaintiffs parents had notice of all of the charges except for the harassment charge. (Am.ComplY 37) The School District chose Sharon Berlin, Esq. (“Berlin”) as the Hearing Officer. (Am.ComplY 38) Berlin was an attorney with Rains & Pogrebin, P.C., a firm routinely hired by the School District. (Am. ComplJ 39)

At the hearing, no students testified to being threatened or harassed by Plaintiff. (Am.ComplJ 47) However, the School District introduced-over the objection of Plaintiffs attorney-statements from students describing their reaction to Plaintiffs story. (Am Compl. ¶ 50) The students who made the proffered statements were never identified and Plaintiffs attorney was never permitted to question these students. (Am.ComplY 51) Kaiser, St. Johns, Kassebaum, Ms. Grenzig, the Assistant Principal, and Plaintiffs parents all testified at the hearing. (Def. Hankin’s Mem. Dis. at 4) Berlin concluded that Plaintiffs “story was designed to place individuals in fear of bodily harm” and Plaintiff, through his story, was guilty of “threatened use and/or contemplated use of a weapon in violation of the Code of Conduct.” (Def. Hankin’s Ex. D at 200-202) Berlin recommended sustaining all three (3) charges brought against Plaintiff and that Plaintiff be suspended from school for thirty (30) days. (Am. Comply 54) Hankin followed the recommendation and subsequently suspended Plaintiff for thirty days. (Am.Compl^ 59)

Plaintiff alleges violations of his First, Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Plaintiff also brings claims for violation of New York Public Health Law § 2504, and the Constitution of the State of New York. Plaintiff brings a State law claim for defamation against Defendant Kassebaum. Lastly, Plaintiff brings a claim for damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Procedural Background

Plaintiff appealed the thirty-day suspension by letter to the School Board, dated October 28, 2003. The School Board denied the appeal. Plaintiff then appealed the decision to the Commissioner of Education, who also denied the appeal. On October 1, 2004, Plaintiff filed a complaint in this court and on March 3, 2005 filed an amended complaint. On July 18, 2005, Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. Oral argument was heard on the motion on July 28, 2005, and decision was reserved.

Discussion

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Finkle v. BOARD OF EDUC. OF SYOSSET CENT. SCHOOL
386 F. Supp. 2d 119 (E.D. New York, 2005)

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Bluebook (online)
386 F. Supp. 2d 119, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19917, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/df-ex-rel-finkle-v-board-of-education-of-syosset-central-school-nyed-2005.