Mnyofu v. Board of Education

832 F. Supp. 2d 940, 2011 WL 2182247, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61463
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedJune 2, 2011
DocketCase No. 10-cv-7870
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 832 F. Supp. 2d 940 (Mnyofu v. Board of Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mnyofu v. Board of Education, 832 F. Supp. 2d 940, 2011 WL 2182247, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61463 (N.D. Ill. 2011).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

JOHN W. DARRAH, District Judge.

Plaintiff, Komaa Mnyofu, filed a Complaint against the Board of Education of Rich Township High School District 227 (the “Board”); Howard Hunigan; Sonya Norwood; Nathaniel Motten, Jr.; Donna Leak; and Paul Winfrey (the “Individual Defendants”), pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging violations of his rights under the First Amendment. Specifically, Mnyofu brings the following claims against all Defendants: First Amendment Violations (Count I); Conspiracy (Count II); Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (Count III); and Breach of October 2008 Settlement Agreement (Count IV). Before the Court are the Individual Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss and the Board’s Motion to Dismiss.

BACKGROUND

The following facts are drawn from Plaintiffs Complaint and are accepted as true for purposes of the Motions to Dismiss, See Reger Dev., LLC v. Nat’l City Bank, 592 F.3d 759, 763 (7th Cir.2010). Mnyofu is a resident of Richton Park, Illinois, who regularly attended and participated in bi-monthly public Rich Township High School District 227 (the “District”) meetings. (Compl. ¶¶ 6, 13.) The public District meetings are a forum for citizens to voice their concerns and opinions about the District and the Board. (Id. ¶ 13.) Hunigan and Leak were the Superintendents of the District until July 2010. (Id. ¶¶ 8, 11.) Norwood is the President of the Board. (Id. ¶ 9) Officer Winfrey is a police officer with the Park Forest Police Department. (Id. ¶ 12.)

This is not Mnyofu’s first time in this court, nor is this his first lawsuit against some of these Defendants. In December 2003, Mnyofu brought a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action in this district, making similar allegations to those he makes in his instant Complaint, against the Board, then-Board Superintendent, and various other Board employees. See Mnyofu, v. Bd. of Education, No. 03-cv-2005 (N.D.Ill.). Mnyofu alleged that defendants prevented him from attending and speaking at Board meetings and threatened him with arrest and prosecution if he went on or near the premises of the schools located in the District. (Compl. ¶ 15.) In 2005, Hunigan issued a “Notice of No Trespass” banning Mnyofu from communicating with District employees and from approaching District school grounds. (Id. ¶ 12.) In 2008, the parties entered into a settlement agreement (the “2008 Settlement Agreement”), under which Mnyofu agreed to dismiss his claims and defendants agreed to pay Mnyofu a confidential monetary amount and notify the local police department that the prohibition against Mnyofu’s attendance at District meetings was lifted.

On May 13, 2009, Matteson School District 162’s counsel sent Hunigan a letter requesting documents relating to the resolution of the dispute between Mnyofu and the District pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1, et seq. (Compl., Ex. C.) On May 27, 2009, counsel for the District responded to the 5/13/09 request by sending a letter, enclosing the 2008 Settlement Agreement. In the letter, counsel acknowledged that the Matteson District needed the document in order to proceed in some form of a public [944]*944hearing involving Mnyofu. (Id., Ex. D.) The 2008 Settlement Agreement contains a liquidated damages clause, which awards $15,000 to the non-breaching party in the event the other party discloses the settlement amount in violation of the agreement. (Id. ¶ 17.)1

On October 1, 2009, Mnyofu went to the District meeting held at Rich Central High School and was scheduled to speak during the “public forum” portion of the meeting. (Id.'i 19.) Mnyofu voiced concern that the Superintendent selection process had been conducted unfairly in the past. (Id.) After the meeting, Motten approached Mnyofu, claiming to be a police officer, showed Mnyofu his gun in a confrontational manner, threatened him with arrest, and ejected Mnyofu from school grounds. (Id.)

On October 20, 2009, Mnyofu was again scheduled to speak at a District meeting held at Rich Central High School. (Id. ¶21.) Before the meeting, Mnyofu was approached by police officers and ordered to leave the school grounds. (Id.) Mnyofu alleges that Officer Mark Akiyama indicated to him that he was acting under the instructions of Hunigan. (Id.) Mnyofu subsequently left the school grounds and did not speak at the District meeting. (Id.) That same day, the Board’s counsel sent him a letter regarding a flier Mnyofu circulated. (Id. ¶ 24.) The flier made several allegations against the Board, one of which was that the Cook County State’s Attorney was investigating allegations of a kickback scheme involving Board members, including Hunigan. (Compl., Ex. A.) According to the Board’s counsel, Mnyofu’s name appeared at the bottom of the flier. (Id.) The 10/20/09 letter asked Mnyofu to provide to the Board’s counsel any evidence supporting the flier’s allegations and the name of the Assistant State’s Attorney who was involved in the alleged investigation to the Board’s counsel. (Id.) Otherwise, Mnyofu was asked to cease and desist from publishing such accusations. (Id.)

On October 21, 2009, Hunigan issued a “Notice of No Trespass” letter, banning Mnyofu from all District property where a Board meeting is being held beginning one hour before the start of the meeting and continuing until one hour after the meeting is adjourned. (Compl., Ex. B.) The 10/21/09 letter stated that Mnyofu had disrupted the 10/1/09 Board meeting “by shouting, speaking out of turn, and acting in a threatening manner that made several people fearful for their safety,” (Id.) The 10/21/09 letter further stated that if Mnyofu wished to address the Board, he may do so in writing sent directly to Hunigan. (Id.)

On November 17, 2009, Mnyofu distributed informational leaflets to those attending the meeting and placed leaflets on the windshields of parked cars in the parking lot of Rich South High school. (M1126.) Mnyofu was approached by Officer Winfrey, who referenced the “Notice of No Trespass,” and asked Mnyofu to stop distributing leaflets and leave the school grounds. (Id.) Mnyofu alleges that Winfrey threatened to arrest him if he failed to comply with his request. (Id.)

Thereafter, Mnyofu alleges, between November 17, 2009 and April 19, 2010, Mnyofu did not attend any District meetings because of the “Notice of No Trespass” and the threat of arrest. (Id. ¶ 27.) Then on April 20, 2010, Mnyofu attended another District meeting at Rich East High School. (Id. ¶ 28.) Although Mnyo[945]*945fu initially met resistance from the police to enter, he was eventually permitted into the school. (Id.) On May 6, 2010, Mnyofu attended another District meeting and spoke during the “public forum” portion of the meeting. (Id. ¶ 29.) During his speech, Mnyofu raised concerns about a teacher who was formerly employed by the District who had been convicted of raping a student; he raised inquiries as to what procedures the Board was taking to protect students. (Id.)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
832 F. Supp. 2d 940, 2011 WL 2182247, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61463, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mnyofu-v-board-of-education-ilnd-2011.