Stark v. St. Cloud State University

604 F. Supp. 1555, 24 Educ. L. Rep. 105, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21214
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedMarch 29, 1985
DocketCiv. 4-83-681
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 604 F. Supp. 1555 (Stark v. St. Cloud State University) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stark v. St. Cloud State University, 604 F. Supp. 1555, 24 Educ. L. Rep. 105, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21214 (mnd 1985).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

DIANA E. MURPHY, District Judge.

Plaintiffs, Matthew Stark and Erma Sentz, brought this action for declaratory and permanent injunctive relief and attorney’s fees alleging that defendants are funding and administering a program which advances religion in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Jurisdiction in the original complaint was alleged under 27 U.S.C. § 1343(3) and 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The case has previously been before the court on defendants’ motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, for summary judgment. In an order dated December 31, 1983, the court dismissed the complaint against defendant Minnesota State Board of Teaching for failure to state a claim, but denied all other motions to dismiss on the basis that the plaintiffs should be allowed to amend their compláint to allege federal question jurisdiction. An amended complaint was filed and jurisdiction is alleged under federal question jurisdiction, 28 U.S.C. § 1331, and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. This matter is now before the court on cross-motions for summary judgment brought by all parties. 1

Background

The facts are basically undisputed. This action arises out of a student teaching program administered by defendant St. Cloud State University (the University). Larry Putbrese, Field Experience Coordinator at the University, is the administrator of the program. The program allows students to satisfy their student teaching requirement at private and private parochial • schools.

Plaintiff Erma Sentz is a resident of Minnesota and an educator and employee of the University. She is presently on a three year leave of absence from the University. She expects to return to her position as of January 1, 1986. Sentz is an instructor and professor in the Department of Teacher Development (Department) and has been a Student Teaching Supervisor responsible for the coordination of student teaching *1557 centers. Sentz is also President of the Central Minnesota Teacher Education Council (CMIEC). CMIEC is a non-profit corporation established by the University for the purpose of promoting the improvement of teacher education with emphasis on student teaching. CMIEC functions as an advisory board for the student teaching program at the University. Affidavit of Erma Sentz.

The other plaintiff Matthew Stark is an individual taxpayer residing in the State of Minnesota who alleges that he has been directly affected by the student teacher policy administered by the University. 2

Except for Larry Putbrese, defendants are all state agencies. Defendant Minnesota State University Board supervises the state universities. See Minn.Stat. §§ 136.-03, 136.12, and 136.14. The University is a state agency under the board. Minn.Stat, § 16.011. Funds for operation of the University program are provided in part from the State of Minnesota’s general operating fund pursuant to Article 11, § 1 of the Minnesota Constitution and Minn.Stat. §§ 16A.095-.il and 16A.57.

The University’s Student Teaching Program

The University’s teacher preparation program has been established and approved in accordance with the rules of the Minnesota Board of Teaching. In the student teaching phase of the program, students are assigned for a full quarter to work in the classroom. The student teacher begins the quarter observing and gradually takes over teaching responsibilities until they are actually teaching the class. The placement is coordinated by a university supervisor in connection with the local school district and the cooperating teacher whose class the student teacher is to take over. The supervisor arranges the placement and visits the classroom on approximately a weekly basis to observe and evaluate the student teacher. The cooperating teacher works with the student teacher on a daily basis first demonstrating and explaining his or her own teaching methods. As the quarter progresses, the cooperating teacher gives feedback on the student teaching performance and, in some instances, assistance with lesson plans. Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey 38-39; Deposition of Jack Jones 23-24. The student teacher is also expected to become familiar with the normal routine of the school and in general do the things that teachers are required to do. Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey 39.

At present, the University is utilizing the school districts with which it has student teaching agreements on a rotating basis rather than using all of the districts each quarter. Deposition of Larry Putbrese 18. The University pays a participating district $6.00 per quarter hour for each student placed in the school district. Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey' Exhibit 1. Payment is made by a requisition form completed by the Department. The University then issues a check to the school district. Once a check is issued, no limitation is placed on how the recipient school district uses the funds. Deposition of Robert Becker 14-17; Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey 42-44; Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey Exhibits 7-8. The funds for this program are received by the College of Education through the University budget appropriations from the state legislature. Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey 40-41; Deposition of Robert Becker 14; Defendants’ Interrogatory Response *1558 Exhibits 21-24. Since the fall of 1980, the University has placed two students at parochial schools for their student teaching experience. These schools have received $96 per student per quarter in public funds from the University for the participation in the program.' These are tax funds appropriated by the state legislature. Deposition of Robert Becker 14-17; Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey 42-44.

Involvement of Parochial Schools

In the late 1970’s the University received several inquiries from St. Cloud Cathedral High School (Cathedral), a private parochial school about the possibility of it becoming a student teaching site. Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey Exhibits 3-5. Cathedral’s request was initially denied because the Department had decided not to establish any new student teaching sites in light of the continued decline in enrollment in the program. Id. Exhibit 3. Subsequently, the Department researched issues raised by using private schools, including any potential legal problems. Deposition of Robert Becker 8.

Eventually, in spite of opposition from the director of the student teaching program and others, arrangements were made for a student teaching placement in English to be made at Cathedral in the spring of 1980. See Deposition of James Jones 15, 32; Affidavit of Erma Sentz. A student teaching agreement with Cathedral was executed in April of 1980 on the University’s standard form agreement. Deposition of Kenneth Kelsey Exhibit 1. Following the execution of this agreement the University adopted a formal policy entitled the “St.

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Related

Opinion No. Oag 53-87, (1987)
76 Op. Att'y Gen. 233 (Wisconsin Attorney General Reports, 1987)
Stark v. St. Cloud State University
802 F.2d 1046 (Eighth Circuit, 1986)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
604 F. Supp. 1555, 24 Educ. L. Rep. 105, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21214, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stark-v-st-cloud-state-university-mnd-1985.