Vocational, Technical & Adult Education, District 13 v. Department of Industry

251 N.W.2d 41, 76 Wis. 2d 230, 1977 Wisc. LEXIS 1350
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 1, 1977
DocketNo. 75-321
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 251 N.W.2d 41 (Vocational, Technical & Adult Education, District 13 v. Department of Industry) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vocational, Technical & Adult Education, District 13 v. Department of Industry, 251 N.W.2d 41, 76 Wis. 2d 230, 1977 Wisc. LEXIS 1350 (Wis. 1977).

Opinion

CONNOR T. HANSEN, J.

The Vocational, Technical & Adult Education District No. 13 (hereinafter respondent) , has a facility located at Green Bay, Wisconsin, known as the Northeast Wisconsin Technical Institute (hereinafter NWTI). Gosy had been employed by NWTI as a data processing department teacher. The subject he taught was required for a person who wished to complete the data processing course.

• Prior to October 16, 1973, Gosy had experienced some difficulties with Ronald Raddix, a student enrolled in the course he taught. The difficulties centered around Rad-dix’s absence from class eight times, his missing of a six-week exam, and statements made by Raddix which Gosy perceived to be threats. Gosy discussed the matter with Raddix’s advisor, Mr. Jacobs, on October 15th.

On October 16th, Gosy presented a drop slip to his immediate supervisor, Ernest DeRoche, to remove Raddix from his class. The drop slip was a standard form used by NWTI whenever a student withdrew from a course. It required three signatures to be effective, the instructor’s, the student advisor’s and DeRoehe’s. The drop slip had both Gosy’s and Jacobs’ signatures when submitted to DeRoche. DeRoche signed the drop slip on October 16.

On October 17th or 18th, Gosy informed DeRoche that he had received, additional threats from Raddix and that Raddix was protesting being dropped from the class. DeRoche called a conference with Gosy, Raddix, Jacobs and Henry Wallace, the student services supervisor, to discuss the problem. DeRoche testified that when a difficulty arose between an instructor and a student, his role would be to hear both sides of the conflict and to make recommendations to both parties.

At the meeting, the reasons for dropping Raddix were discussed and at the conclusion of the meeting, DeRoche orally made his recommendation. The record does not reflect the content of DeRoche’s oral recommendation, [233]*233but he did reduce it to writing on October 18th and it was delivered to Gosy. The October 18th memo represented the only written instruction ever received from anybody by Gosy relative to the reinstatement of Raddix. In pertinent part, it stated:

“After considerable reflection on today’s conference in my office, I request that you withdraw your drop slip for the student in question and re-admit him to class.
“I base my request upon the following factors:
“1. I do not believe that the number of absences is so great that, with diligent application, the student cannot succeed in the course.
“2. I do not believe at this point that the one examination is sufficient indication that the student will ultimately fail.
“3. If the student wishes to continue in the Data Processing Program, which is apparently his desire, he cannot, of course, succeed in completing the requirements of the program without this course.
' “If, after more time has elasped [sic], and evidence from succeeding quizzes, projects, and tests indicate failing work, I believe that it would be in the student’s best interest that he drop the course and apply his time to more suitable pursuits. I believe, too, that at this point it should be relatively easy to re-admit the student without suffering any loss of authority or image before the class.
“May I have your response to this request as soon as it is possible for you to do so.” (Emphasis added.)

Gosy received the memo on October 19th. Gosy stated that he did not understand the memo to be an order to reinstate Raddix but that he believed that the question of reinstatement was still open.

DeRoche sent a report about the October 17th meeting to Dennis Humphreys, the administrator of NWTI, which report Humphreys received on October 18th. Humphreys called a meeting on October 19th with Gosy, DeRoche and two or three representatives of the faculty grievance [234]*234committee, including Mr. Howlett. The purpose of the meeting was to review the report from DeRoche. Hum-phreys testified, in effect, that he had the responsibility for making the final decision of whether Raddix should be accepted back into Gosy’s class. Humphreys listened to DeRoche and to Gosy. At the end of the meeting, he . . instructed Mr. Gosy to place in writing the reasons why he could not honor Mr. DeRoche’s direct order to accept the student back into class.” Humphreys also stated, “. . . I had told Mr. Gosy that until I would hear all sides of this, until,a final decision was made I would have to honor Mr. DeRoche’s decision and actions.’’ (Emphasis added.) In response to the question of whether he had told Gosy on October 19th to let Raddix back into class, Humphreys stated: “I related this through Mr. Howlett, the faculty representative.” Howlett was not in the supervisory chain of command.

Gosy testified that at the October 19th meeting he told Humphreys that he was not going to take Raddix back into class. Gosy stated that he did not consider Hum-phreys’ statement to be a direct order to readmit Raddix because of “. . . the way it was said,” and that although Howlett told him that his refusal to take Raddix back into his class would result in his suspension, Gosy considered that to be Howlett’s opinion only.

Shortly after the meeting Gosy submitted to Hum-phreys, in writing, the reasons why he could not honor DeRoche’s October 18th request. Humphreys reviewed the response from Gosy and decided that a further meeting with Raddix, Jacobs and Wallace was required. It was, however, too late in the afternoon to call the meeting, so Humphreys held it over until October 22nd.

On the morning of October 22nd, Humphreys reviewed Gosy’s memo and reply to DeRoche’s report; discussed the situation with Raddix, Wallace, the student service supervisor, and Jacobs, the student advisor; and made the final decision to “. . . stay with Mr. DeRoche.” That [235]*235meant “. . . to allow the student back in class.” Gosy was not present and was not informed of the decision because it was not made until shortly before his class was scheduled to start. Humphreys stated “. . . however, Mr. Gosy had been relayed this information on Friday that until he heard further from me, that my decision was to honor Mr. DeRoche’s decision of accepting the student into class.”

Humphreys did convey his final decision to Wallace. Wallace told Raddix to attend Gosy’s class and to report back if it created any disruption. Raddix left and came back shortly with a report that Gosy stated that he would dismiss the whole class if Raddix attended. Wallace took a statement to that effect from Raddix and gave it to Humphreys. Humphreys summoned Gosy to his office, summarized the situation, and informed Gosy that because of his refusal to admit Raddix into his class, he was suspended for insubordination. The suspension was followed by a written termination of employment because of insubordination.

After Gosy had been told he was suspended and before he was given his written notice of termination, Gosy said he would not let the student back into class even though the coordinator and others were of the opinion the student should be readmitted.

Under these facts, the ILHR Department found:

“In this case, the employe was merely requested and was not ordered to reinstate the student.

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VOCATION. TECH. &ADULT ED. DIST. 13 v. ILHR Dept.
251 N.W.2d 41 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1977)

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Bluebook (online)
251 N.W.2d 41, 76 Wis. 2d 230, 1977 Wisc. LEXIS 1350, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vocational-technical-adult-education-district-13-v-department-of-wis-1977.