Goodwin v. Pennridge Sch. Dist.

309 F. Supp. 3d 367
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 6, 2018
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 17–2431
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 309 F. Supp. 3d 367 (Goodwin v. Pennridge Sch. Dist.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Goodwin v. Pennridge Sch. Dist., 309 F. Supp. 3d 367 (E.D. Pa. 2018).

Opinion

TIMOTHY R. RICE, U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Defendants Pennridge School District (PSD), Superintendent Jacqueline Rattigan, and Principal Gina DeBona move to dismiss (doc. 10) pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 12(b)(6), contending Plaintiff Darbianne Goodwin's Amended Complaint (doc. 8) fails to adequately state claims brought pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq. ("Title IX"), 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and state law. See Am. Compl. at 19-28. The motion is granted in part and denied in part. Goodwin has stated claims for relief under the federal statutes, but failed to allege conduct sufficiently severe to support a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress under Pennsylvania law.

I. LEGAL STANDARD

Goodwin asserts five claims against various defendants: (1) violation of Title IX (against PSD); (2) violation of § 1983 and the Equal Protection Clause for allowing a hostile environment (against PSD, Rattigan, and DeBona); (3) violation of § 1983 and the Equal Protection Clause for failure to train (against PSD, Rattigan, and DeBona); (4) violation of § 1983 and the Equal Protection Clause for supervisory liability (against Rattigan and DeBona); and (5) intentional infliction of emotional distress (against PSD, Rattigan, and DeBona). Id. at ¶¶ 80-124.

When reviewing a motion to dismiss, I undertake a two-step process; the first is to separate the factual and legal averments. Fowler v. UPMC Shadyside, 578 F.3d 203, 210-11 (3d Cir. 2009) (citing Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) ). The legal statements are then set aside and the facts are analyzed to determine whether they constitute a "plausibl[e]," not merely possible, claim. Robinson v. Family Dollar, Inc., 679 Fed.Appx. 126, 131 (3d Cir. 2017).

I assume all facts pled by the plaintiff are true. Fowler, 578 F.3d at 211 (citing Pryor v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, 288 F.3d 548, 559 (3d Cir. 2002) ). Further, I make "all reasonable inferences that can be drawn" from the facts, and "constru[e] them in the light most favorable" to the plaintiff. McDermott v. Clondalkin Grp., Inc., 649 Fed.Appx. 263, 266 (3d Cir. 2016) (citing Foglia v. Renal Ventures Mgmt., LLC, 754 F.3d 153, 154 n.1 (3d Cir. 2014) ).

II. FACTS

During December of her sophomore year at Pennridge High School (PHS), Goodwin was raped by H., a PHS junior, outside school hours and off school grounds. Am. Compl. ¶ 14. Goodwin then discovered H.'s friends had been spreading rumors that she had consented to have sex with multiple PHS students the night of the rape. Id. at ¶ 16. About six weeks after the assault, in February 2015, Goodwin *372told her mother and therapist about it. Id. at ¶ 17. In March 2015, Goodwin reported the rape to the police, who investigated the incident but never prosecuted it. Id. at ¶ 18. That same month, Goodwin's mother met with Assistant Principal Scott Hegen, the "grade principal" for Goodwin's sophomore class, and reported the rape. Id. at ¶ 19. Hegen told Goodwin's mother that, because the assault took place off campus and H. had not been prosecuted, PHS could not take any disciplinary actions against H. or offer any accommodations to Goodwin. Id.

Hegen's advice to Goodwin's mother was contrary to PSD policy, which specifically authorized the school to investigate reports of off-campus behavior. Id. at ¶ 20. PHS students regularly report harassment that involves off-campus behavior. Id. at ¶ 23. PSD failed to supervise and train its employees regarding its actual off-campus behavior policy, id. at ¶¶ 23-24, and also failed to train its staff and administrators in their obligations under Title IX to address sexual harassment, id. at ¶ 26.

In May 2015, a friend of Goodwin's sent her screen shots of text messages showing that H. and his friends intended to physically harm her. Id. at ¶ 28 (messages from B. stated Goodwin " 'is getting jumped' and 'needs to learn her place' "). On another occasion, H. confronted Goodwin in the hallway during school hours using expletives and gender-specific language. Id. at ¶ 29. Goodwin reported the harassment to Hegen and DeBona, who met with Goodwin to discuss the incidents, and then informed H.'s family. Id. at 30. No disciplinary action or remedial plan was undertaken. Id. DeBona has unreviewable authority to resolve harassment complaints. Id. at ¶ 31.

By May 2015, Goodwin was regularly missing classes. Id. at ¶ 32. She submitted a letter to Hegen from her psychiatrist and therapist stating that her absences were due to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Id. at ¶ 33. PSD did not propose an individualized education plan or safety plan to accommodate Goodwin's PTSD. Id. at ¶ 34. Goodwin completed her sophomore year at home and returned only for final examinations. Id. at ¶ 35.

In August 2015, Goodwin's mother contacted Hegen and asked PHS to ensure Goodwin's safety at school during the coming year. Id. at ¶ 36. She also asked for the contact information for PSD's Title IX coordinator. Id. at ¶ 37. Hegen did not know who the Title IX coordinator was or what she did. Id. at ¶ 38.

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309 F. Supp. 3d 367, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goodwin-v-pennridge-sch-dist-paed-2018.