Julien v. St. John the Baptist Parish School System

District Court, E.D. Louisiana·Decided December 20, 2023·No. 2:21-cv-01081·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

CHARLES JULIEN CIVIL ACTION

VERSUS NUMBER: 21-1081

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM, ET AL. DIVISION “5” ORDER AND REASONS

Before the Court is the Motion for Summary Judgment (rec. doc. 88) filed by Defendant St. John the Baptist Parish School Board (the “School Board”). Plaintiff Charles Julien filed an opposition to the motion (rec. doc. 97) and the School Board filed a reply. (Rec. doc. 100). Having thoroughly reviewed the pleadings and the case law, the Court 1 rI.u les asB faocllkogwrso.u n d

The School Board owns and operates East St. John High School in St. John the Baptist Parish. (Rec. doc. 88-5). In August 2017 Plaintiff was hired to work as an English teacher at East St. John High School and he also began coaching the boys’ basketball team. (Rec. docs. 89-2 at 1, 97 at 1). Coaching the boys’ basketball team is not a full-time position but an additional duty, and the person holding the position is paid a stipend. (Rec. doc. 89-4 at ¶ 7). The coaching position is at-will and can be discontinued for any reason or for no reason at all, regardless of whether theI dp.erson who holds the position is also employed by the School Board in another position. ( at ¶ 8). Id. Plaintiff replaced Yussef Jasmine as head coach of the basketball team. ( at ¶¶ 11- 13). Jasmine, who coached the team for 10 seasons, posted an overall regular season win- 1 loss record of 98-51, won multiple district championships, and participated in the LIodu.isiana High School Athletic Association (“LHSAA”) basketball playoffs for nine seasons. (Id. at ¶ 111). Julien failed to maintain Jasmine’s level of success during his tenure as coach.

( at ¶¶ 13-15). IDd.uring Plaintiff’s first season as coach, the team finished with an overall record of 15-18. ( at ¶ 13). Id. High school athletic teams in Louisiana are bound by the rules of the LHSAA. ( at ¶ 4). In the fall of 2018, Principal Christopher Mayes investigated Plaintiff for possible LHSAA rules violations, including violation of cash-handling protocols, requiring students to practice on Sunday in violation of the LHSAA’s regulations, and requiring students to practice in excess of three hours per day – the daily limit imposed by the LHSAA for engaging in collective activity. (Rec. docs. 88-9, 88-10). Upon conclusion of his

investigation, Mayes relieved Plaintiff of his duties as basketball coach on October 26, 2018. (Rec. doc. 88-11). Three days after Mayes relieved him of his coaching duties, Julien sent a text message to the School Board’s Superintendent, Kevin George, claiming that Mayes sexually harassed him. (Rec. doc. 88-12). Superintendent George assigned the investigation of that complaint to Serina Duke, the Human Resources Director. (Rec. Iddo. c. 88-13). Duke requested that Julien submit a full report to enable the investigation. ( ). Julien submitted his formal complaint on October 30, 2018. (RIde.c. doc. 88-14). The

report identified no witness to the alleged sexual harassment. ( ). As part of her investigation, Duke obtained statements from both Mayes and Brown. (Rec. docs. 88-15, 88-16). Mayes vehemently denied Plaintiff’s allegations, noting that he was not present with Plaintiff on many of the dates and times on which Plaintiff alleged that Mayes sexually harassed him. (Rec. doc. 88-1Id5.). He also noted that Brown was present during many of his interactions with Plaintiff. ( ). In his own statement, Brown corroborated his presence during many of Mayes’ interactions with Plaintiff and attested that he had never witnessed

inappropriate behavior by Mayes vis-à-vis Plaintiff. (Rec. doc. 88-16). After a full and complete review of the information presented, and Julien’s failure to submit the names of any witnesses or other evidence as requested, Julien’s claims were determined to be unsubstantiated. (Rec. doc. 88-17). Notwithstanding that Mayes believed that he had relieved Plaintiff of his coaching duties for just cause, on November 26, 2018, Superintendent George opted to reinstate Julien’s coaching duties to avoid the students missing their basketball season for lack of a coach. (Rec. doc. 89-4 at ¶ 27). Despite this second chance, circumstances did not improve for Plaintiff or the

basketball team. The team finished with a record of 9-21 during Plaintiff’s secIodn. d season as head coach and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade. ( at ¶ 14). During the summer of 2019, Brown received verbal and written complaints from both players andId .their parents claiming that Plaintiff was bullying and harassing student athletes. ( at ¶ 45); (Rec. doc. 88-19). Based on these complaints, Julien’s coaching record, and the overall culture of the basketball program, Brown decided to hire another coach to lead the basketball program and to relieve Plaintiff of his coaching duties. (Rec. doc. 89-4 at ¶¶ 47-48). The decision to relieve Plaintiff of his duties was based solely on

Brown’s iIndd.ependent assessment of the boys’ basketball program at East St. John High School. ( at ¶ 48). Brown did not consult with or receive any dirIedc.tive from Mayes before deciding that Plaintiff should be relieved of his coaching duties. ( at ¶ 49). Brown’s decision did not affect Plaintiff’s position as an English teacher. (Rec. doc. 1 at ¶ 1). Other than a brief transfer to East St. John Preparatory School by Dr. Lynette Hoofkin based on the uncomfortable working relationship between Plaintiff and Brown

after Plaintiff filed suit, Plaintiff has remained employed at East St. John High School as an English teacher. (Rec. doc. 52-2). On June 3, 2021, Plaintiff filed his Complaint against the School Board, Mayes, 2 Brown, Cory Butler, and Heidi Trosclair. (Rec. doc. 1). In his Complaint, Plaintiff alleges retaliation for reporting the alleged sexual hara sestm seenq.t byId M. ayes in violation of Title VII of 3 the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e ( at ¶¶ 25-29). Plaintiff alleges that the retaliation consisted of locking Plaintiff and his basketball team out of the workout and practice facilities, requiring Plaintiff to obtain additional insurance for the boys from other feeder schools who practiced at the School Board’s facilities, refusing to allow the basketball team to participaItde. in Athletic Physical Education, and by ultimately relieving him of his coaching duties. ( at ¶¶ 14-17). On January 10, 2022, Plaintiff filed his First Supplemental and Amended Complaint, in which he alleged retaliation in violation of Title VII and Louisiana Revised Statute § 23:967 for filing this lawsuit, as well as whistleblower violations under Louisiana Revised Statute § 42:1169. (Rec. doc. 28 Iadt. ¶ 36). He also added Hoofkin – the newly-hired Superintendent – as a Defendant. ( ).

2 3 Butler and Trosclair were Interim Superintendents during the relevaIndt. time periods. (Rec. doc. 1 at ¶¶ 7-8). According to the pleadings, Plaintiff Ifdi.led an administrative complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) on or about February 11, 2020. ( at ¶ 10). On April 6, 2021, the EEOC issued a right to sue letter to Plaintiff. ( ). The Court notes that the referenced EEOC complaint and the On October 29, 2021, Defendants Brown, Mayes, and the School Board filed a Motion to Dismiss Pursuant to Rules 12(b)(6), 12(b)(5), and 12(b)(2) (rec. doc. 12), which this Court granted. (Rec. doc. 49). On February 1, 2022, Plaintiff filed a Motion to Dismiss Cory

Butler and Heidi Trosclair as Defendants (rec. doc. 34), which this Court also granted. (Rec. doc. 36). On April 12, 2022, Hoofkin answered Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint and asserted a counterclaim against Plaintiff for bad faith. (Rec. doc. 42).

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Julien v. St. John the Baptist Parish School System, (E.D. La. 2023).

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