Franck v. Board of Education

33 Misc. 2d 754, 227 N.Y.S.2d 614, 1962 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3525
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedApril 12, 1962
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 33 Misc. 2d 754 (Franck v. Board of Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Franck v. Board of Education, 33 Misc. 2d 754, 227 N.Y.S.2d 614, 1962 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3525 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1962).

Opinion

Anthony J. Di Gtovanna, J.

This is an article 78 (Civ. Prac. Act) proceeding in which the following relief is sought: (1) an order directing the Board of Education to comply with the order of this court dated July 6,1960; (2) directing the Board of Education of the City of New York to furnish petitioner with copies of all findings, all official reports, and all medical reports pertaining to petitioner; (3) permitting petitioner and her representative to examine her personnel file; (4) declaring the Principal’s report to be null and void; (5) declaring the hearing held on December 8,1961 to be null and void; (6) declaring any resolution adopted by the Board of Education or the Superintendent of Schools requesting the Medical Board of the Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York for a medical examination of the petitioner to be null and void; and (7) directing the Board of Education to withdraw its request from the Medical Board of the Teachers’ Retirement System for a medical examination of the petitioner.

In paragraph 38 of the petition it is alleged: ‘1 that the report of the Principal, dated February 27, 1961 * # * which was prepared and delivered to petitioner after the Principal received copies from the Board of Education and the Board’s resolution (Petitioner’s Ex. 2) was part of a design and scheme to force petitioner to retire and that the report of the Principal was without foundation since petitioner had been in the school for only 15 working days and petitioner alleges that the Principal’s report was contradictory and illegal since said Principal had given petitioner a satisfactory rating for the period involved.”

Paragraph 34 et seq., of the petition refer to a prior proceeding for similar relief which resulted in an order of this court on [756]*756July 6, 1960 by Mr. Justice Brown (33 Misc 2d 1075) nullifying the prior and similar actions of the respondents. The Board of Education will hereinafter be referred to as Board, and the Teachers’ Retirement System as Retirement.

In order to understand the contentions it is necessary to analyze the prior proceedings and for that purpose the record contained in the Kings County Clerk’s office, Index No. 492/1960, is incorporated herein.

The prior petition alleged that petitioner was appointed on December 1, 1925 to the position of teacher-clerk which title has since been changed to school secretary; she holds tenure, and is a member of the Teachers’ Retirement System administered by the respondent, Retirement Board.

On May 1, 1959 she received a copy of a letter from the Acting Junior Principal of Public School No. 4 addressed to the Division of Personnel wherein was requested a medical and physical examination of petitioner. The grounds stated for such request were “ The reasons of frequent illnesses and absences, constant complaints about the state of her health, the physical conditions of the office and her refusal to sign the timeboolc accurately.” By letter dated May 8, 1959 she was directed to report at the office of the Board of Education headquarters on May 11,1959. On her appearance she was reassigned to the “In-Service Training Division ” located at the central office of the Board.

On May 20 she was directed to appear before the Medical Director of the Board. She did so appear and was examined. She was then directed to appear for a further examination before a Dr. Bernard Shulman at his office on June 4, 1959 and did so appear and was examined. On September 9, 1959 the petitioner requested in writing an opportunity to see her personnel file as well as medical reports, but in response she received a letter dated September 14, 1959 from the Associate Superintendent requesting that she call at his office on September 25, 1959 “ in reference to her ability to render continuous and efficient service as a teacher in the public schools of the City of New York ”. It was further stated in the letter as follows: “ Permit me to inform you that under the provisions of Section 105(a) of the by-laws of the Board of Education, you are hereby permitted to be accompanied by and advised by an employee of the Board of Education. If you desire to be accompanied by such advisor, you must inform me of the name of the school of such advisor at least 3 days prior to the date set for the interview.” According to the petition she did so appear “ and answer questions put to her ’ ’.

[757]*757By letter dated October 22,1959 the secretary of the Board sent her a letter in which the following resolution appeared: “ Resolved, that in accordance with the provisions of Section B20-42.0 of the Administrative Code, the Board of Education requests the Teachers Retirement System, to retire, because of disability, Esther Frank, school secretary, assigned to Public School 4, Brooklyn.” She then retained the present attorneys who, on October 26,1959 addressed a letter to the Superintendent of Schools containing the following request: “ Will you be kind enough to submit a statement to my office, setting forth the nature of the disability, with as much of a detailed summary as possible.” Instead of complying with the request of the petitioner, a letter was addressed to the attorneys on November 6, 1959 by the law secretary of the Board in which the following appears: “ Please be informed that it is contrary to the practice of this Department to disclose the nature of the disability which prompted the Board’s request to the Teachers’ Retirement Board.”

On November 20, 1959 the Retirement addressed a letter to the petitioner advising her of the resolution concerning her retirement, requesting the furnishing of information on stated forms and calling her attention to section 104 of the by-laws of the Board of Education which provided as follows: “ A member of the Teachers’ Retirement System shall submit to a medical examination by the Medical Board of the Retirement Board when requested so to do by the Retirement Board pursuant to an application by the Board of Education under Sec. B20-42.0 of the Administrative Code, that said teacher be retired for disability. Neglect, refusal or failure to submit to such medical examination shall be deemed an act of insubordination.” In a postscript to the letter her attention was called to the fact that an opportunity was being given to her to retire on her own application making it unnecessary to undergo further medical examination. In response thereto the petitioner wrote to Retirement through her attorneys on December 3, 1959 and the following appears therein: “At no time has the Board of Education advised Miss Frank of the nature of the alleged disability.” Attention is focused in this letter to the various other communications previously sent which had denied her requests for inspection of her records. The attorneys said in such letter: ‘1 Under such circumstances, I think that you will readily admit that it would be virtually impossible for Miss Frank to file any forms with you.” Retirement was further advised that the petitioner did not desire to retire for disability or service and a further request was made for inspection of the [758]*758records. Instead of responding properly to that letter, a further letter was sent recalling her attention to section 104 of the bylaws and again refusing permission to inspect. Her attorneys then sent a letter to the Superintendent of Schools, dated December 8,1959 again asking for 1 a statement * * * setting forth the nature of the disability with as much of a detailed summary as possible.” Miss Frank, at no time, had received any report by the Board of Education relating to such alleged disability.

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Related

Gordon v. Board of Education of City School District
26 A.D.2d 545 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1966)
Munter v. Gross
42 Misc. 2d 690 (New York Supreme Court, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
33 Misc. 2d 754, 227 N.Y.S.2d 614, 1962 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3525, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/franck-v-board-of-education-nysupct-1962.