Kerns v. Independent School District No. 31

44 F. Supp. 3d 1110, 2014 WL 4411178
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 8, 2014
DocketCase No. 13-CV-290-TCK-PJC
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 44 F. Supp. 3d 1110 (Kerns v. Independent School District No. 31) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kerns v. Independent School District No. 31, 44 F. Supp. 3d 1110, 2014 WL 4411178 (N.D. Okla. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

TERENCE KERN, District Judge.

Before the Court is Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 37). For reasons explained below, the Court grants summary judgment on the constitutional claim and denies summary judgment on the negligence claim.

I. Procedural History

This suit was brought in state court by Plaintiffs Duane and Donna Kerns (“Parents”), individually and as the next of kin and natural parents of their deceased son, Colton Kerns (“Colton”), against Independent School District No. 31 of Ottawa County (“School District”) and Superintendent Mark Alexander (“Alexander”) (“Defendants”). Colton died in a one-vehicle rollover accident after being released from a school function by Alexander, as explained in more detail in Part II. Parents assert a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claim for violation of Colton’s Fourteenth Amendment rights against Alexander and School District (“constitutional claim”) and a negligence claim against School District (“negligence claim”). Parents seek both actual and punitive damages. Following removal, Defendants moved to dismiss the constitutional claim and any claim for punitive damages. The Court dismissed the claim for punitive damages against the School District but otherwise denied the motion. Kerns v. Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 31 of Ottawa Cnty., 984 F.Supp.2d 1144, 1155 (N.D.Okla.2013). School District did not move to dismiss the negligence claim, and [1114]*1114the Court did not issue any rulings on such claim.

In denying the motion to dismiss, the Court issued four holdings. First, the Court held that Parents’ allegations were sufficient to state a “danger-creation” claim, which is a type of Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process claim predicated on reckless or intentional injury-causing state action which shocks the conscience. Id. at 1149 (citing Armijo v. Wagon Mound Pub. Sch., 159 F.3d 1253, 1262 (10th Cir.1998)). Addressing Defendants’ challenge to the first element of a danger-creation claim—whether Alexander’s alleged conduct created or increased the danger to Colton—the Court reasoned that “Alexander allegedly made affirmative decisions and took affirmative actions that impacted the situation in' a manner that at least potentially increased the danger Col-ton faced, and this states a plausible claim of ‘danger creation’ under Tenth Circuit law.” Id. at 1150. Addressing Defendants’ challenge to the sixth element of a danger-creation claim—whether Alexander’s alleged conduct was conscience shocking to federal judges—the Court concluded that Defendants’ allegations were sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss but cautioned that “federal law imposes an extremely high standard, and that the record evidence must be particularly egregious in order to shock the conscience.” Id. at 1152.

Second, the Court rejected the School District’s argument that only a school board, and not a superintendent, may be deemed a final policymaker for purposes of imposing municipal liability upon an Oklahoma school district. See id. at 1153.2 Third, the Court rejected Alexander’s argument that he was entitled to qualified immunity due to the lack of any clearly established constitutional right. The Court reasoned that “the alleged facts are close enough to Armijo to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion as to whether Alexander was on notice that his conduct could violate a constitutional right.” Id. at 1155 (explaining similarities between Armijo and Parents’ alleged facts). Finally, the Court held that Parents could not recover punitive damages on their constitutional claim against the School District. Id. at 1155. The parties conducted discovery, and Defendants now move the Court for summary judgment on both the negligence and constitutional claims.

II. Summary Judgment Record

Viewed in a light most favorable to Plaintiffs, the summary judgment record contains the following facts. Colton was a junior at Fairland High School, where Jerry Johnson (“Johnson”) was the principal. On Friday, April 20, 2012, Colton picked up his friend and classmate Beth Ann Burch (“Beth Ann”). Colton was driving his father’s Chevy truck (“Chevy”). Col-ton’s own truck was a smaller Mitsubishi truck (“Mitsubishi”), which was at his home in Grove, Oklahoma (“Grove home”). Colton and Beth Ann arrived at Fairland High School around 8:00 a.m., along with some other classmates. Classes were not in session, but juniors were at school to decorate for the prom the next day.3 [1115]*1115While Beth Ann went to another car, another student and Mend of Colton’s, Keith Gurley (“Keith”), got into the Chevy. Col-ton had a half-gallon bottle of vodka in the floor board of the Chevy. Colton and Keith made mixed drinks of vodka and orange pop and remained in the car for close to an hour. When a teacher arrived and opened the cafeteria, the students went inside. Two teachers, Gala Miller (“Miller”) and Alisha Brodrick (“Bro-drick”), supervised the prom decorating process.

Around 10:00 a.m., Miller ironed tablecloths with Colton and did not notice any suspicious behavior. Sometime before lunch, Colton and Keith went back to the Chevy to drink more alcohol. Sometime around noon, Miller left to pick up pizza for lunch. When leaving, Miller observed Colton and Keith sitting in the Chevy and told them to get back inside. While Miller was gone, a student named Lauren (“Lauren”) reported to Brodrick that Colton was acting different and smelled like alcohol. Brodrick went outside to her vehicle to call Miller and seek guidance.4 Before she made the call, she observed Colton and Keith in the Chevy driving too fast while moving items to a nearby school building. She then called Miller and reported Lauren’s suspicion. Miller said she was on her way back and would report the problem to Alexander when she returned.5 While awaiting Miller’s arrival, Brodrick ordered Colton and Keith to come inside. During this time, Brodrick engaged in conversation with Colton and smelled alcohol on him.

After delivering the pizza to the cafeteria, Miller went to Alexander’s office. Miller did not conduct any investigation, and it does not appear that Brodrick told Miller she had smelled alcohol on Colton.6 Regarding her conversation with Alexander, Miller testified: “I went into [Alexander’s] office and I—I think I said something like, We have a problem.’ And I told him what [Brodrick] told me, and then he and I walked back over to the cafeteria together.” (Miller Dep. 21:6-9.)7 In reporting Colton’s suspected drinking to Alexander, Miller followed state law and the School District’s policy. See Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 24-138 (requmng teacher to report suspected alcohol use by a student to the school principal or his designee); Fair-land School District Policy, Ex. 3 to Defs.’ Mot. for Summ. J. (same). Alexander testified that he did not ask Miller any questions about why she suspected Colton of drinking.

Upon arriving in the cafeteria, Alexander did not speak with Brodrick or any other students.

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44 F. Supp. 3d 1110, 2014 WL 4411178, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kerns-v-independent-school-district-no-31-oknd-2014.