Mabry v. State Board for Community Colleges & Occupational Education

597 F. Supp. 1235, 36 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 526, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21825, 38 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 35,593
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedNovember 20, 1984
DocketCiv. A. 83-K-852
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 597 F. Supp. 1235 (Mabry v. State Board for Community Colleges & Occupational Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mabry v. State Board for Community Colleges & Occupational Education, 597 F. Supp. 1235, 36 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 526, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21825, 38 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 35,593 (D. Colo. 1984).

Opinion

ORDER

KANE, District Judge.

This civil rights action was brought alleging violation of 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a), 20 U.S.C. § 1681, and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff complains that she was terminated from her employment as a physical education professor at Trinidad State Junior College based on her sex and/or her parental or marital status. She seeks damages, reinstatement with back pay and benefits, attorney fees and costs pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 1988 and 2000e-5(k). This court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and 1343, and 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f)(3).

Mabry was employed at Trinidad in the physical education department from the academic years 1974-75 through 1981-82. She also taught courses in speech and health.

In December 1981 plaintiff received notice from the college that she was being terminated due to a reduction in force requirement. A lack of work and program changes were the reasons given for Mabry’s termination. Mabry complains that during her tenure at the college, she was subjected to sexual-based discrimination because of the nature and quality of the facilities. She also contends that one of the reasons for her termination was that the two remaining physical education instructors were males.

Mabry has pursued administrative remedies and has received a notice of right to sue from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on February 26, 1983. Defendants assert that Mabry was terminated but on justifiable grounds.

The initial determination to terminate Mabry was made by Thomas W. Sullivan, the college president. After receiving notice of her termination, Mabry requested a hearing. Evidently, a hearing was conducted by the Campus Hearing Committee. Its finding was adverse to Sullivan’s position. Sullivan then requested a hearing before a hearing officer. That hearing was conducted April 7 to 9, 1982.

The hearing officer upheld Sullivan’s decision to terminate Mabry. The State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education, defendants herein, reviewed the hearing officer’s findings and conclusions and heard oral argument from counsel. The board issued an order August 11, 1982 affirming the hearing officer. Sullivan is also a named defendant.

In this partial summary judgment motion, defendants argue two points: (1) that the board members were acting solely within judicial capacity with respect to their actions concerning Mabry’s termination; and (2) Mabry’s claims under Title IX and § 1983 should be dismissed because the subjects that Mabry taught were not federally funded, and therefore are not actionable.'

Rule 56 F.R.Civ.P. permits the entry of summary judgment on a claim when there is no genuine issue of material fact outstanding. Adickes v. S.H. Kress Co., 398 U.S. 144, 157-59, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 1608-09, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970); Luckett v. Bethlehem Steel Corporation, 618 F.2d 1373, 1377, 1383 (10th Cir.1980). As a matter of law, the movant must show entitlement to summary disposition beyond all reasonable *1237 doubt. Norton v. Liddel, 620 F.2d 1375, 1381 (10th Cir.1980).

In order to determine the propriety of summary judgment I must construe all pleadings, affidavits, and depositions liberally in favor of the party against whom the motion is made. Id. Summary judgment is not a substitute trial by affidavit. Ando v. Great Western Sugar Company, 475 F.2d 531, 535 (10th Cir.1973). No margin exists for disposition of factual issues, nor does summary judgment serve as a substitute for trial when there are disputed facts, Commercial Iron & Metal Company v. Bache & Company, Inc., 478 F.2d 39, 41 (10th Cir.1973). Where different inferences can be drawn from conflicting affidavits, depositions and pleadings, summary judgment should not be granted. United States v. Diebold, Inc., 369 U.S. 654, 82 S.Ct. 993, 8 L.Ed.2d 176 (1962); Romero v. Union Pacific Railroad, 615 F.2d 1303, 1309 (10th Cir.1980).

IMMUNITY FROM SUIT

Defendants argue that they were acting in a judicial capacity pursuant to their statutory duties and are thus immune from suit. Mabry argues that the actions defendants took with respect to the termination of Mabry were not judicial; that only the hearing officer’s actions could be considered as judicial in nature.

The facts underlying the immunity issue are not disputed. I must determine, as a matter of law, whether defendants were shielded by immunity and, if so, was that privilege vitiated.

There is ample authority in this Circuit to guide me in the resolution of this question of law. In Gilbert v. School District No. 50 Adams County, 485 F.Supp. 505, 508-9 (Colo.1980), a teacher brought a civil rights action alleging deprivation of due process by school officials and the district. I held in Gilbert, supra, that the school board may be liable in its official capacity; and that the individual members could be liable if they knew or reasonably should have known their actions would be violative of the constitutional rights of the person affected, or if they acted with malicious intention, or impermissible motivation or with such disregard of constitutional rights that their actions were not in good faith. This qualified immunity doctrine was articulated in Wood v. Strickland, 420 U.S. 308, 322, 95 S.Ct. 992, 1001, 43 L.Ed.2d 214 (1975), and has been applied in this circuit. For example, in Prebble v. Brodrick, 535 F.2d 605, 612 (10th Cir.1976), qualified immunity was extended to school officials making decisions on nonrenewal of employment or discharge of instructors. Similarly, in Bertot v. School District No. 1 Albany, Wyoming, 522 F.2d 1171, 1185 (10th Cir.1975), qualified immunity under Wood applied. I find and conclude that the Wood

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

DiSalvio v. Lower Merion High School District
158 F. Supp. 2d 553 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 2001)
Seamons v. Snow
84 F.3d 1226 (Tenth Circuit, 1996)
Nelson v. University of Maine System
914 F. Supp. 643 (D. Maine, 1996)
Mennone v. Gordon
889 F. Supp. 53 (D. Connecticut, 1995)
OONA R.-S. BY KATE S. v. Santa Rosa City Schools
890 F. Supp. 1452 (N.D. California, 1995)
Mann v. University of Cincinnati
864 F. Supp. 44 (S.D. Ohio, 1994)
Ruh v. Samerjan
816 F. Supp. 1326 (E.D. Wisconsin, 1993)
Pfeiffer v. Marion Center Area School District
917 F.2d 779 (Third Circuit, 1990)
Pfeifer Ex Rel. Pfeifer v. Marion Center Area School District
700 F. Supp. 269 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 1988)
United States v. The State Of Alabama
828 F.2d 1532 (Eleventh Circuit, 1987)
United States v. Alabama
828 F.2d 1532 (Eleventh Circuit, 1987)
Kathy O'COnnOr v. Peru State College
781 F.2d 632 (Eighth Circuit, 1986)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
597 F. Supp. 1235, 36 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 526, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21825, 38 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 35,593, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mabry-v-state-board-for-community-colleges-occupational-education-cod-1984.