Doe ex rel. Doe v. Northside I.S.D.

884 F. Supp. 2d 485, 2012 WL 3236003, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109867
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedAugust 6, 2012
DocketNo. SA-11-CV-412-XR
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 884 F. Supp. 2d 485 (Doe ex rel. Doe v. Northside I.S.D.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doe ex rel. Doe v. Northside I.S.D., 884 F. Supp. 2d 485, 2012 WL 3236003, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109867 (W.D. Tex. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

XAVIER RODRIGUEZ, District Judge.

On this day came on to be considered Defendants’ motion for summary judgment (doc. no. 49), Defendants’ motion to exclude expert testimony (doc. no. 51), and Plaintiffs’ motion for sanctions (doc. no. 52).

Background

Sarah Doe was a middle school student in a Northside I.S.D. school.1 Nora Martinez was a teacher at NISD’s middle school for approximately 7 years.2 Sarah Doe’s parents allege that on January 23, 2011, they discovered that Nora Martinez,3 was having an inappropriate relationship with Sarah. The next day they went to the school and relayed their concerns and showed school administrators the cell phone text messages that they discovered. [488]*488On January 24, 2011, Ms. Martinez admitted to an improper relationship and resigned her employment.4 School officials thereafter contacted Texas Child and Protective Custody officials and law enforcement officials.

Sarah Doe’s parents complain that the District and school vice-principal David Aslin failed to warn them that Ms. Martinez was engaged in inappropriate acts with Sarah. In addition, Plaintiffs allege that the Defendants were deliberately indifferent to Sarah Doe.

Plaintiffs allege that as early as 2006, Ms. Martinez was using district computers to communicate with students via My Space and Facebook in violation of NISD policy.5 Plaintiffs further allege that Mr. Aslin knew that on November 10, 2010, Sarah Doe spent 15 to 20 minutes in Ms. Martinez’s classroom for no authorized reason.6 Plaintiffs allege that on November 12, 2010, department coordinator Donna Rogers “observed and raised concerns about Ms. Martinez having students in her classroom and behind her desk after 4:00 p.m.”7 Sometime in late October or November, 2010, Ms. Rogers also counseled Ms. Martinez about sending texts to students.8

Plaintiffs also allege that in November or December 2010, a student informed school administration staff that an inappropriate relationship existed between Ms. Martinez and Sarah Doe.9

Plaintiffs further allege that in November or December 2010, NISD officials reviewed a “surveillance video of Ms. Martinez and Sarah Doe exhibiting inappropriate physical contact after school [489]*489hours and on school premises.”10 In addition, Plaintiffs allege that on December 2, 2010, and December 6, 201011, Mr. Aslin received information that Ms. Martinez was continuing to allow students, including Sarah Doe, behind her desk after 4:00 p.m.12

On December 13, 2010, Mr. Liendo sent an email to Sandra Marks in NISD Human Resources Department containing video attachments. The email stated that “Here are some of the video dates and times that cause some concern.”13 On December 14, 2010, Mr. Liendo again counseled Martinez.14

On January 12, 2011, Mr. Liendo sent an email to Martinez again instructing her not to allow students near her desk area because of possible FERPA privacy violations.15

Plaintiffs’ Complaint

Plaintiffs brings claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against NISD, David Aslin and Nora Martinez. Specifically, Plaintiff pleads as follows: (1) David Aslin violated 42 U.S.C. § 1983 by denying “Sarah Doe’s [14th Amendment] rights to equal protection of the laws by discriminating against her in her student capacity at [] Middle School on the basis of her sex by indifference to Ms. Martinez’s sexual harassment and assault of student Sarah Doe”; (2) David Aslin violated “Sarah Doe’s constitutionally protected right to bodily integrity and to be free from intrusions while attending a public, required course of education”; (3) David Aslin “was deliberately indifferent to the risk that Martinez would sexual harass and assault minor students, [sic] as Sarah Doe, and denied Sarah Doe her right to equal protection under laws by discriminating against Sarah Doe on the basis of her sex”; and (4) “Sarah Doe’s sexual assault and deprivation of constitutional rights resulted from the NISD School Board, as NISD policy maker, and through its designated Title IX compliance coordinator, Vice Principal David Aslin and, head of the math department and Martinez supervisor, Donna Rogers that their custom, policy and/or practice of failing to report, investigate and discipline Martinez for previous complaints of improper actions towards students, including [490]*490Sarah Doe. The NISD designation of Vice Principal Aslin amounted to a designation of policy-making authority.”

Plaintiffs also bring a claim under Title IX, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681, et seq. against NISD alleging that the District was “deliberately indifferent to the sexual harassment and discrimination against Sarah Doe.”

Finally, Plaintiff brings state law claims of assault, battery and improper relationship between educator and student against Nora Martinez.

Summary Judgment Standard

Summary judgment is proper only when the movant can demonstrate that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that she is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. A genuine issue of material fact exists if a reasonable jury could enter a verdict for the non-moving party. To defeat a properly pled motion for summary judgment, the nonmovant must go beyond the pleadings and designate specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial. Little v. Liquid Air Corp., 37 F.3d 1069, 1075 (5th Cir.1994) (en banc) (citing Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986)). The court must resolve factual controversies in favor of the nonmoving party. However, the nonmoving party cannot satisfy its burden merely by establishing some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts, by conclusory allegations in affidavits, or by only a scintilla of evidence.

Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment

Defendants NISD and Aslin argue: (1) “Plaintiffs cannot demonstrate that NISD is liable under § 1983 because they cannot show that Sarah Doe’s alleged constitutional deprivations were the result of the actions of an official policymaker for NISD. Nor can she demonstrate that any NISD official policy or custom was the ‘moving force’ behind her alleged constitutional deprivations”; (2) “Plaintiffs cannot demonstrate that Vice Principal Aslin is liable under § 1983 because they cannot prove that he had actual knowledge of sexual abuse, or that he acted with deliberate indifference to Sarah Doe’s constitutional rights”; (3) “Plaintiffs’ § 1983 claim against Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
884 F. Supp. 2d 485, 2012 WL 3236003, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 109867, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doe-ex-rel-doe-v-northside-isd-txwd-2012.