Norwalk Core v. Norwalk Board of Education

298 F. Supp. 210, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7920
District Court, D. Connecticut·Decided October 28, 1968·No. Civ. No. 12624·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

CLASS ACTION ORDER

TIMBERS, Chief Judge.

Plaintiffs, by their amended complaint, having alleged that plaintiff Timothy Blunt, by his parents, natural guardians and next friends, William Blunt and Dollie Blunt, has brought this action on behalf of himself and all other Black public elementary school students in the City who do not attend a neighborhood school and for whom the privilege and right of a neighborhood school would exist but for the action of defendant in denying them that privilege and right, and having further alleged that plaintiff Nicholas Hernandez, by his parents, natural guardians and next friends, Antonio Hernandez and Lucy Hernandez, has brought this action on behalf of himself and all other Puerto Rican public elementary school students in the City who do not attend a neighborhood school and for whom the privilege and right of a neighborhood school would exist but for the action of defendant in denying them that privilege and right; and

Defendant Board of Education having stipulated to the facts that plaintiffs Timothy Blunt and Nicholas Hernandez are being transported to elementary schools in school districts in which they do not reside, and that the elementary school in their district is closed to elementary education; and

The Court having heard evidence on the merits of plaintiffs’ claims in a consolidated hearing held pursuant to Rule 65(a) (2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and plaintiffs having rested ; and

The Court having heard counsel for plaintiffs and counsel for defendant on the question of whether this action can be maintained as a class action; and

After due deliberation, the Court having found that plaintiffs Blunt and Hernandez have met each of the four prerequisites of Rule 23(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and that the action comes within Rule 23(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; it is

ORDERED, pursuant to Rule 23(c) (1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, that plaintiffs’ action may be maintained and hereby is recognized as being maintained as a class action, Rule 23(b) (2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, on behalf of a class comprised of plaintiff Blunt and all other Black public elementary school students in the City who do not attend a neighborhood school and for whom a neighborhood school would exist but for the action of defendant in denying them a neighborhood school, and on behalf of a class comprised of plaintiff Hernandez and all other Puerto Rican public elementary school students in the City who do not attend a neighborhood school and for whom a neighborhood school would exist but for the action of defendant in denying them a neighborhood school; and it is

FURTHER ORDERED, that there be mailed to all members of the said classes, in the native language or languages of the members of the said classes, copies of the attached “NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF CLASS ACTION”, dated October 28, 1968, which notice has been approved by the undersigned Chief Judge of this Court; and it is

FURTHER ORDERED, that defendant furnish plaintiffs’ counsel with an accurate and current list of the names and addresses of all members of the classes, and that plaintiffs mail the notice to all members under the supervision of the Clerk of this Court, or, in the alternative, that defendant file with this Court a copy of the said list, and that defendant mail [212]*212such notice under the supervision of the Clerk of this Court; and it is

FURTHER ORDERED, that the costs of preparing the notice, its mailing and any other reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in connection therewith, will be borne by plaintiffs in the first instance, such costs and expenses to be taxable as costs to abide the event of judgment to be entered herein.

NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF CLASS ACTION

TO: ALL BLACK AND PUERTO RI-CAN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN OF THE CITY OF NORWALK WHO ATTEND A SCHOOL IN A DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY DO NOT RESIDE:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to an order of the above Court dated October 28, 1968 issued under Rule 23(c)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, notice is hereby given that an action has been commenced in the above Court by the above-named plaintiffs against the above-named defendant to declare unconstitutional the policy and practice of the defendant in denying only Black and Puerto Rican public elementary school children an integrated neighborhood school while at the same time establishing and maintaining for all white public elementary school children such schools; and

That the action was commenced on or about June 27, 1968 by service of summons and complaint upon defendant and thereafter the matter came on for hearing before the above Court on September 26 and 27, and October 17, 18 and 28, 1968; and

That the Court by an order filed September 4, 1968 has denied plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order to prevent the closing of the Nathaniel Ely School pending the outcome of this action; and

That the Court by an order filed September 17, 1968 has denied an application by certain Black and Puerto Rican citizens to intervene as defendants in the present action; and

That plaintiffs and defendant have concluded the presentation of their respective cases, subject to the filing of briefs as ordered by the Court; and

That the Court has determined by its order of October 28, 1968 that Timothy Blunt represents in this action all of the Black public elementary school students of the City of Norwalk who attend a school in a district in which they do not reside and that Nicholas Hernandez represents in this action all of the Puerto Rican public elementary school students of the City of Norwalk who attend a school in a district in which they do not reside; and

This notice is to advise you of the pendency of this action and to provide you with an opportunity, if you so desire, to show cause (to come before this Court and demonstrate) why this action should not continue as a class action in which your interests will be fairly and adequately represented by the existing parties. Accordingly,

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that:

1. Unless the Court receives a written communication from you on or before November 15, 1968, the Court will assume that you do not object to being represented by one of the existing parties to this proceeding and their counsel. Thus, those who do not object will continue to be represented by counsel already participating on behalf of their class. Any communications with the Court as hereinafter specified should be addressed to Gilbert C. Earl, Clerk, United States District Court, District of Connecticut, Federal Building, New Haven, Connecticut, 06505.

2.

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Norwalk Core v. Norwalk Board of Education, 298 F. Supp. 210, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7920 (D. Conn. 1968).

298 F. Supp. 210 (Norwalk Core v. Norwalk Board of Education) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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