P.G. v. Rutherford Cnty. Bd. of Educ.

313 F. Supp. 3d 891
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Tennessee
DecidedMay 29, 2018
DocketNO. 3:17–cv–01115
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 313 F. Supp. 3d 891 (P.G. v. Rutherford Cnty. Bd. of Educ.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
P.G. v. Rutherford Cnty. Bd. of Educ., 313 F. Supp. 3d 891 (M.D. Tenn. 2018).

Opinion

WAVERLY D. CRENSHAW, JR., CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

MEMORANDUM OPINION

P.G., by and through his parents R.G. and A.G., and each parent individually, bring suit against the Rutherford County Board of Education ("RCBOE"). This case arises out of alleged mistreatment of P.G. by school personnel. Plaintiffs bring suit under (1) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA"), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq., and the Special Education Behavior Supports Act ("SEBSA"), Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-10-1304, et seq. which is incorporated therein; (2) Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), 42 U.S.C. § 12131 et seq. ; (3) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (" Section 504"), 29 U.S.C. § 794 ; and (4) Tennessee common law of negligence. Before the Court is RCBOE's Motion to Dismiss. (Doc. No. 15.) Plaintiffs have responded in opposition (Doc. No. 19) and RCBOE has replied (Doc. No. 22). For the following reasons, the motion will be granted in part and denied in part.

*895I. Background 1

P.G. is a six year old boy with autism and developmental delay. (Doc. No. 13 at ¶ 4.) Running, escaping, or wandering behavior is common to such young children. (Id. at n. 1) P.G. has behavioral challenges including limitations on interacting with others, being confrontational, and being non-verbal. (Id. at ¶ 7.) P.G. receives special education services under the IDEA. (Id. at ¶ 4.) P.G. has a "disability" under the ADA and Section 504. (Id.)

In May 2016, P.G.'s teacher at Barfield Elementary School put him in a "mechanical restraint" and fed him crackers in order to keep him still during a preschool graduation ceremony, even though P.G. was not misbehaving. (Id. at ¶ 5.) The mechanical restraints illegally restricted P.G.'s movement and humiliated him. (Id. at ¶ 5 & n. 3.)

During the 2016-17 school year, P.G. attended Brown's Chapel Elementary School ("BCES") for kindergarten. (Id. at ¶ 7.) There, because of his disability, "P.G.'s classroom teacher began abusing him." (Id.) This was different than how the teacher treated children who were not confrontational or who were verbal. (Id.) The teacher's aggressive behaviors toward P.G. included "rough handling, scratching or choking his neck." (Id.) On the morning of September 8, 2016, the teacher struck P.G. in the face. (Id. at ¶ 8.) This incident was witnessed by one or more educational assistants who reported it to police and the school. (Id.) P.G.'s parents were called several hours later. (Id.)

The Amended Complaint also alleges that the RCBOE (1) failed to "properly train teachers in handling challenging behaviors," causing emotional and physical injury to P.G; (2) should not have allowed the teacher to be in the classroom on September 8, 2016, and (3) failed to take remedial measures such as offering counseling or support. (Id. at ¶ 9.)

II. Legal Standard

The Defendant has not specified which Federal Rule of Civil Procedure it relies upon for dismissal. Many courts have found that, in this situation, "Rule 12(b)(1) is not an appropriate avenue" for dismissal, Gibson v. Forest Hills Local Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ., 655 Fed.Appx. 423, 430 (6th Cir. 2016) (collecting cases), because the IDEA's exhaustion requirement is waiveable. The Court agrees and finds the proper vehicle for dismissal in this circumstance to be Rule 12(b)(6), not Rule 12(b)(1). Sophie G. v. Wilson Cty. Schs., 265 F.Supp.3d 765, 768 (M.D. Tenn. 2017).2

*896To survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, " 'a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.' " Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) ). The plausibility standard is not akin to a 'probability requirement,' but it asks for more than a sheer possibility that a defendant has acted unlawfully." Id. (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 557, 127 S.Ct. 1955 ). "If the plaintiffs do not nudge their claims across the line from conceivable to plausible, their complaint must be dismissed." Lutz v. Chesapeake Appalachia, L.L.C., 717 F.3d 459, 464 (6th Cir. 2013) (citation and brackets omitted). Dismissal is likewise appropriate where the complaint, however factually detailed, fails to state a claim as a matter of law. Mitchell v. McNeil, 487 F.3d 374, 379 (6th Cir.

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313 F. Supp. 3d 891, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pg-v-rutherford-cnty-bd-of-educ-tnmd-2018.