Pete v. Tacoma School District No. 10

198 F. Supp. 3d 1206, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99800, 2016 WL 4061571
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedJuly 29, 2016
DocketCASE NO. 3:16-cv-05403-RJB
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 198 F. Supp. 3d 1206 (Pete v. Tacoma School District No. 10) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pete v. Tacoma School District No. 10, 198 F. Supp. 3d 1206, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99800, 2016 WL 4061571 (W.D. Wash. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS PURSUANT TO FED. R. CIV. P. 12(B)(6)

ROBERT J. BRYAN, United States District Judge

This matter comes before the Court on Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). Dkt. 6. The Court has considered the motion, Defendants’ request for judicial notice in support of their motion (Dkt. 7), Plaintiffs’ Response (Dkt. 10), Defendants’ Reply (Dkt. 12), and the remainder of the file herein. Defendants’ motion should be granted in part and denied in part.

BACKGROUND

The Complaint is lengthy. See Dkt. 1-2. The Complaint is sixty-three pages, plus another sixty-four page Appendix, and it is hardly a “short and plain statement” as contemplated by Fed. R. Civ. P. 8 and WA CR8. For the sake of clarity and brevity, specific factual allegations are discussed with relation to each cause of action. The case stems from a conflict between Plaintiffs, employed as counselors (Pete and McGatlin) and a teacher (Gavigan), and Defendants, the Tacoma School District (“the District”), along with administrators, Superintendent Santorno, Principal Erwin, [1211]*1211Assistant Principal Burke, HR Director Elijah, Assistant HR Superintendants Ro-sellini and Nolan, and General Counsel McMinimee (the “individually named defendants”).

The Complaint alleges eight causes of action. The First Cause of Action, brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleges constitutional violations of Plaintiffs’ rights to free speech and to substantive and procedural Due Process. Dkt. 1-2 at ¶¶5.1-5.58. The Complaint enumerates twenty-two alleged free speech deprivations. Id. at ¶¶5.36-5.44. The Complaint alleges substantive Due Process violations of Plaintiffs’ property interest in continued employment and Plaintiffs’ liberty interest in their good names and reputations. Id. at ¶¶5.46, 5.47. The Complaint alleges that Defendants violated Plaintiffs’ procedural Due Process on a number of grounds: refusing to acknowledge Plaintiffs as whistleblowers, suing Plaintiffs “to invade their attorney client privilege and confidential communications,” discriminating against Plaintiffs for relying on independent counsel rather than counsel from their union, accusing Plaintiffs of falsely stealing school records and disclosing confidential records in the press, criticizing and unfairly scrutinizing Plaintiffs’ medical documentation for leave requests, and unfairly taking disciplinary action against Plaintiffs. Id. at ¶¶5.48-5.53.

The First Cause of Action alleges claims, organized as follows: “Claims Against Individuals in Individual Capacity,” “Claims Against District Based on Final Policy Maker,” “Claims Against Pierce County Based on Ratification,” “Claims Against District Based on Official Policy, Practice, or Custom,” and “Claims Against District Based on a Failure to Supervise and Train.” Dkt. 1-2 at ¶¶5.15-5.35.

The Complaint alleges seven state law causes of action: abuse of process, invasion of privacy/false light/defamation, constructive discharge in violation of public policy, breach of contract, outrage, discrimination on the basis of age, disability, and race in violation of the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), and violations of the Public Records Act (PRA). Dkt. 1-2 at ¶¶5.59-5.120.

REQUEST FOR JUDICIAL NOTICE

The request for judicial notice is supported by the law and the facts and should be granted.

STANDARD FOR MOTION TO DISMISS

Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b) motions to dismiss may be based on either the lack of a cognizable legal theory or the absence of sufficient facts alleged under a cognizable legal theory. Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Department, 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir.1990). Material allegations are taken as admitted and the complaint is construed in the plaintiff’s favor. Keniston v. Roberts, 717 F.2d 1295 (9th Cir.1983). “While a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiffs obligation to provide the grounds of his entitlement to relief requires more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 1964-65, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)(intemal citations omitted). “Factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level, on the assumption that all the allegations in the complaint are true (even if doubtful in fact).” Id. at 1965. Plaintiffs must allege “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Id. at 1974.

If a claim is based on a proper legal theory but fails to allege sufficient facts, the plaintiff should be afforded the opportunity to amend the complaint before [1212]*1212dismissal. Keniston v. Roberts, 717 F.2d 1295, 1300 (9th Cir.1983). If the claim is not based on a proper legal theory, the claim should be dismissed. Id. “Dismissal without leave to amend is improper unless it is clear, upon de novo review, that the complaint could not be saved by any amendment.” Moss v. U.S. Secret Service, 572 F.3d 962, 972 (9th Cir.2009).

DISCUSSION

1. Constitutional Violations

To state a civil rights claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must set forth the specific factual bases upon which she claims each defendant is liable. Aldabe v. Aldabe, 616 F.2d 1089, 1092 (9th Cir.1980). Vague and conclusory allegations of official participation in civil rights violations are not sufficient to support a claim under § 1983. Ivey v. Board of Regents of Univ. of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266 (9th Cir. 1982). A complaint must allege that (1) the conduct complained of was committed by a person acting under color of state law, and that (2) the conduct deprived a person of a right, privilege, or immunity secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States. Parratt v. Taylor, 451 U.S. 527, 535, 101 S.Ct. 1908, 68 L.Ed.2d 420 (1981), overruled on other grounds, Daniels v. Williams, 474 U.S. 327, 106 S.Ct. 662, 88 L.Ed.2d 662 (1986).

Government actors may be excepted from § 1983 claims if they are shielded by qualified immunity.

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Bluebook (online)
198 F. Supp. 3d 1206, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99800, 2016 WL 4061571, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pete-v-tacoma-school-district-no-10-wawd-2016.