Orange v. County of Grundy

950 F. Supp. 1365, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19922, 1996 WL 766563
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Tennessee
DecidedApril 12, 1996
Docket4:94-cv-00078
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 950 F. Supp. 1365 (Orange v. County of Grundy) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Orange v. County of Grundy, 950 F. Supp. 1365, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19922, 1996 WL 766563 (E.D. Tenn. 1996).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JARVIS, Chief Judge.

This is a civil rights action brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. It is brought by two former students at Grundy County High School claiming that their procedural and substantive due process rights were violated when they were held in “isolation” in small supply rooms as punishment for leaving school without permission. All defendants have moved for summary judgment contending that plaintiffs failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. The individual defendants, Ronald K. Fults and Pamela Pickett, also moved for summary judgment on the grounds of qualified immunity [Court File # 39]. For the reasons that follow, the motion for summary judgment will be denied.

I.

Grundy County’s “In-School Suspension” Program

Grundy County High School is a public secondary school located in Tracy City, Tennessee. It operates under the direction of the Grundy County Board of Education. Defendant Ronald K. Fults is the Superintendent of Schools for Grundy County, while defendant Pamela Pickett has been employed as either a teacher or assistant principal at Grundy County High School. Prior to the 1993-94 school year, the principals and assistant principals employed by Grundy County disciplined students by the use of both in-school and out-of-school suspension. Out-of-school suspension consisted of the student not being allowed on school premises for a predetermined period of time. Under this form of discipline, the school days missed applied against the student’s minimum attendance and academic requirements. In-school suspension, on the other hand, required the offending student to be partially segregated from other students, but allowed to obtain and work on class assignments for a *1368 predetermined period of time. This form of discipline was administered on school grounds and monitored by faculty members, incident to which the students were still able to receive attendance and academic credit for the classes missed. The students were not isolated from other students during in-school suspension.

For part of the 1993-94 school year, Grundy County administered a form of discipline known as “alternative school.” With “alternative school,” the students were required to go to the field house and complete their school work at desks placed throughout the building for that purpose. It does not appear that there was much if any difference between “alternative school” and “in-school suspension.” Prior to the 1993-94 school year, the Grundy County High School field house was used as the alternative school not just for Grundy County High School, but for all public schools supervised by the Board of Education in Grundy County. The Grundy County Board of Education has posted and maintained a full-time position for an alternative school teacher.

The defendants claim that during the spring semester of 1992-93, Superintendent Fults was approached by Board of Education member James Griswald about the use of out-of-sehool suspension for students caught skipping school. Mr. Griswald was critical of students being disciplined for skipping class by being made to miss more classes. Mr. Griswald’s complaints were raised at the Board of Education’s May 20, 1993, meeting, and a work group including Mr. Fults was appointed to find a way to reduce out-of-school suspensions.

During the late summer of 1993, Grundy County’s baseball coach and athletic director, Ted Ladd, was appointed as Grundy County High School principal. At Ladd’s request, Jody Hargis’was appointed assistant principal. Mr. Griswald made his case for adoption of a new policy on student discipline to Mr. Ladd, who along with Mr. Hargis implemented “student isolation” as an alternative form of in-school suspension. Defendants contend that this was in part necessitated by the absence of an alternative school for the fall semester, due to the previous year’s alternative school teacher having left the system.

At the beginning of the 1993-94 school year, Principal Ladd called a student assembly. As part of his address to the student body, Principal Ladd told the students that in-sehool suspension by means of isolation would be used as a form of student discipline.

As initially implemented under Principal Ladd, isolation as a form of punishment consisted of placing the offending student at a desk in the text book storage room adjacent to Mr. Hargis’ office. Use of that room began to interfere with the performance of Mr. Hargis’ duties as assistant principal, and it later resulted in text book storage rooms off of Coach Ray’s classroom and the library being used. Students in isolation were to bring their lunch to school. Defendants contend that students in isolation were allowed to go to the bathroom after obtaining permission from the monitoring faculty member, although when in isolation they were not allowed to go to the bathroom between classes or when other students were out in the halls. Only the principal and assistant principal were allowed to administer suspension. Coach Ray, the librarian, and, when necessary, other teachers were instructed to monitor students assigned to in-school suspension. The text book storage rooms off of Coach Ray’s classroom measured eight-by-five feet and twelve-by-five feet, respectively. Each storage room was equipped with a student desk and fluorescent lighting. When in isolation, the offending students were not required to close the doors to the respective text book storage rooms.

During its September 7, 1993 meeting of the Board of Education, the Board rescinded its vote hiring Mr. Ladd as Grundy County High School principal. This resulted in Darryl Brown being asked to fill two positions, a new administrative position with the Board of Education and his old position as principal of Grundy County High School, until a permanent replacement could be found for Mr. Ladd. When Mr. Brown was reappointed as principal, Pamela Pickett was unofficially reappointed as assistant principal, a position she shared with Mr. Hargis for the remainder of the 1993-94 school year.

*1369 II.

The Claim of Robin Parsons Orange 1

Plaintiff Robin Orange has suffered with a bladder disorder since she was in elementary school. During the eight years of elementary school, she was allowed by Principal Ronnie Fults to use a private restroom where she could eatheterize herself to avoid risking embarrassment and ridicule by other students. Fults later became Superintendent of the school system.

When plaintiff began high school in 1989, her mother discussed her bladder condition with the assistant principal, Ms. Pickett, and provided her with a doctor’s statement regarding plaintiffs medical condition. Plaintiffs mother requested the same accommodation for privacy that had been made at the elementary school, but this was denied. However, Ms. Pickett did accommodate plaintiffs parents’ request that plaintiff be excused from class to go to the restroom as necessary. Defendants contend that Ms. Pickett advised the teachers of plaintiffs urological condition and she was allowed to leave class as necessary.

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950 F. Supp. 1365, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19922, 1996 WL 766563, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/orange-v-county-of-grundy-tned-1996.