L'Hommedieu v. Board of Regents of the University

276 A.D.2d 494

Opinion

Heffernan, J.

This proceeding was instituted pursuant to the provisions of article 78 of the Civil Practice Act by five persons who are presently employed in the school system of the city of New York and one retired teacher. The relief sought by respondents is a determination directing the appellants to disregard chapter 360 of the Laws of 1949 and to' refrain from taking any action for its enforcement.

Appellants made objections in point of law to the petition upon the ground that it does not state facts sufficient to entitle respondents to the relief demanded and also moved that certain allegations be stricken from the petition upon the ground that they are irrelevant, immaterial and redundant. Both motions were denied in the court below.

The issue in this proceeding is precisely the same as that involved in Thompson v. Wallin (276 App. Div. 463) that is, whether the Constitution of the State or Nation compels the employment, as teachers of children in our public schools, of persons found to advocate the overthrow of our Government by force, violence or other unlawful means, and whether it is unconstitutional to provide that membership in an organization which, after appropriate notice and hearing, the Board of Regents finds to advocate the overthrow of our Government by force, is prima facie evidence of disqualification for appointment or retention as teachers in the public schools.

In the Thompson case (supra) the action was brought by plaintiffs, as chairman and secretary, respectively, of the “ Communist Party of the State of New York ” for a declaratory judgment and injunction restraining- the enforcement of the statute.

The appellants in this proceeding are the same as the appellants in the Thompson case with the exception of the Commissioner of Education who is one of the appellants in the present proceeding but was not named as a party in the Thompson case.

Both cases were heard together by the Special Term and one opinion was written covering both. Appeals were argued in both cases together in our court and will be decided simultaneously.

There is just one point in this proceeding which is different from the Thompson case in form only.

In their petition in the instant proceeding respondents have incorporated numerous allegations which appellants assert have no bearing on the issues involved. These allegations, which appellants moved to strike out may be grouped as follows

[499]*4991. Allegations pleading the educational background, the religious affiliation, and the political affiliation of each party petitioner, and an allegation setting forth the reason why all this has been pleaded.

2. An allegation as to the period of time which the Legislature considered the bill, when after passage by the Legislature it was signed by the Governor, whether or not hearings were held upon it by the Legislature and the Governor, whether memoranda concerning it were submitted and petitioners’ version of the reasons why the Legislature passed the law.

. 3. An allegation that there already are laws in effect in this State which would accomplish the purpose of the Feinberg Law.

4. Allegations concerning the hearing which the Board of Regents has already held under the Feinberg Law and what transpired at that hearing.

5. Allegations as to what the boards of education have thus far done under the Feinberg Law and observations as the results which petitioners foresee from compliance with the rules adopted by the Board of Regents and from enforcement of the law.

Whether or not a particular statute is needed to deal with a situation in the light of other existing statutory provisions is for the legislative body to decide and the courts will not disturb that decision (Dunne v. United, States, 138 F. 2d 137, certiorari denied 320 U. S. 790).

Since the Regents have made no determination listing an organization, since they have not completed their hearings, what the Regents have done has no bearing upon the constitutionality of the law, in a proceeding brought prior to the completion of the hearings by the Board of Regents, prior to the listing of any organization by the Board of Regents and when the Regents have been restrained from concluding their hearings and reaching a determination.

Since no teacher has been disqualified or even accused under the Feinberg Law, what any board of education has done any more than what the Regents have done under the Feinberg Law thus far, and certainly petitioners’ ideas as to the consequences of enforcement of the law have no bearing upon its constitutionality.

Obviously these allegations have no place in a pleading in a legal proceeding and should have been stricken out.

The period of time which the Legislature considered the proposed law, whether or not hearings were held in connection with it by the Legislature or the Governor have nothing to do "with its constitutionality or unconstitutionality.

[500]*500In 1917, the Legislature enacted a statute which now constitutes section 3021 of the Education Law and which reads as follows: “ A person employed as superintendent of schools, teacher or employee in the public schools, in any city or school district of the state, shall be removed from such position for the utterance of any treasonable or seditious word or words or the doing of any treasonable or seditious act or acts while holding such position.”

There has, since 1939, been in the Civil Service Law, section 12-a. Tins section applies to all persons in the service of the State or of any civil division or city, as well as to persons in the public school system or in any other State educational institution. It bars appointment or retention of any person in such employment who:

(a) By word of mouth or writing wilfully and deliberately advocates, advises or teaches the doctrine that the government of the United States or of any state or of any political subdivision thereof should be overthrown or overturned by force, violence or any unlawful means: or
“ (b) Prints, publishes, edits, issues or sells, any book-, paper, document or written or printed matter in any form containing or advocating, advising or teaching the doctrine that the government of the United States or of any state or of any political subdivision thereof should be overthrown by force, violence or any unlawful means, and who advocates, advises, teaches, or embraces the duty, necessity or propriety of adopting the doctrine contained therein:
(c) Organizes or helps to organize or becomes a member of any society or group of persons which teaches or advocates that the government of the United States or of any state or of any' political subdivision thereof shall be overthrown by force or violence, or by any unlawful means ”.

The operative provisions of the Feinbérg Law constitute an amendment of the Education Law adding a new section 3022 thereto. The provisions of that statute are:

Subdivision 1. The Board of Regents is directed to adopt rules and regulations for the disqualification or removal of teachers and others in the public school system who violate section 3021 of the Education Law, or who are ineligible for appointment or retention under section 12-a of the Civil Service Law.

Subdivision 2.

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L'Hommedieu v. Board of Regents of the University, 276 A.D.2d 494 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1950).

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