Marilyn Childs vs. Roane County Board of Education, et al.

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I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE FILED EASTERN SECTI ON April 24, 1996 M ARI LYN CHI LDS, Pl a i nt i f f - Appe l l a nt , v. ROANE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATI ON, ET AL. , De f e nda nt s - Appe l l e e s . ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Cecil Crowson, Jr. C/ A NO. 03A01-Appellate C ourt Clerk 9512- CH- 00431 ROANE CHANCERY HON. W LLI AM E. LANTRI P, I CHANCELLOR AFFI RM ED AND REM ANDED DAVI D A. STUART, STUART & VAN RI PER, Cl i nt on, f or Pl a i nt i f f Ap p e l l a nt . ROBERT G. W HEELER, J R. , a nd CHARLES W CAGLE, LEW S, KI NG, . I KRI EG, W ALDROP & CATRON, Na s hvi l l e , a nd J . SCOTT M CLUEN, c Ha r r i ma n, f or De f e nda nt s - Appe l l e e s . O P I N I O N Fr a nks . J . The Roa ne Count y Boa r d of Educ a t i on ( Boa r d) d i s mi s s e d pl a i nt i f f f r om he r pos i t i on a s a t e nur e d t e a c he r , a n d s he br ought t hi s a c t i on c l a i mi ng t he Boa r d vi ol a t e d t he Te a c he r Te nur e Ac t i n t ha t t he Boa r d s de c i s i on wa s a r bi t r a r y a n d c a pr i c i ous a nd t ha t he r di s mi s s a l di d not c ompor t wi t h d u e pr oc e s s . The Cha nc e l l or de t e r mi ne d t he e vi de nc e s uppor t e d t h e Bo a r d s f i ndi ngs t ha t Pl a i nt i f f ha d c ommi t t e d a c t s whi c h d e mo n s t r a t e d i ne f f i c i e nc y, i nc ompe t e nc e , ne gl e c t of dut y, a n d i n s u b o r di na t i on. He a l s o de t e r mi ne d t ha t t he he a r i ngs , he l d i n t h r e e s e s s i ons , s a t i s f i e d t he r e qui r e me nt s of t he Te a c he r Te n u r e Ac t a nd me t due pr oc e s s s t a nda r ds . Pl a i nt i f f h a s a ppe a l e d, i n s i s t i ng t he Boa r d s d e c i s i on wa s a r bi t r a r y a nd c a pr i c i ous . Cour t s a r e r e l uc t a nt t o s ubs t i t ut e t he i r j udgme nt f o r t h a t of a s c hool boa r d whe r e i t s e xe r c i s e of j udgme nt d o e s n o t vi ol a t e t he l a w. St a t e e x r e l . Thomps on v . W k e r , 845 al S. W 2 d 752 ( Te nn. App. 19 92) . . I t i s pr e s ume d t ha t a c t i ons of a b o a r d a r e not a r bi t r a r y a nd c a pr i c i ous , but a r e r e a s ona bl e u n l e s s t he r e i s c l e a r e vi de nc e t o t he c ont r a r y. M t c he l l v . i Ga r r e t t , 510 S. W 2d 894, 898 ( Te nn. 1974) . . The r e c or d i s r e pl e t e wi t h t e s t i mony t ha t pl a i nt i f f wa s u n a bl e t o c ont r ol he r c l a s s r oom, ma i nt a i ne d que s t i ona bl e me t h o d s f or de t e r mi ni ng s t ude nt s gr a de s , a nd r e qui r e d e x t r a o r di na r y a s s i s t a nc e f r om s c hool a dmi ni s t r a t or s a nd p a r e n t s t o e nf or c e di s c i pl i ne . Gi ve n t hi s e vi de nc e , t he Bo a r d s f i ndi ng t ha t pl a i nt i f f s i nc ompe t e nc e , i ne f f i c i e nc y , i n s u b o r di na t i on, a nd ne gl e c t of dut y wa r r a nt e d he r di s mi s s a l , wa s n o t a r bi t r a r y a nd c a pr i c i ous . Fol l owi ng t he t r i a l be f or e t he Cha nc e l l or , p l a i nt i f f s o u g h t l e a ve t o a me nd he r pl e a di ngs t o c ha r ge t he vi ol a t i on o f a p o l i c y of t he Roa ne Count y Boa r d of Educ a t i on, whi c h r e q u i r e d t he Sc hool Supe r i nt e nde nt t o pr ovi de a t e nur e d t e a c h e r wi t h a dva nc e d wr i t t e n wa r ni ng pr i or t o di s mi s s a l f r o m e mp l o y me nt . The Tr i a l Cour t ove r r ul e d t he mot i on whi c h 2 p l a i nt i f f i ns i s t s wa s e r r one ous . Pl a i nt i f f a r gue s t ha t t he i s s u e of not i c e by t he s upe r i nt e nde nt , a s r e qui r e d by c ount y p o l i c y, wa s t r i e d by i mpl i e d c ons e nt , a nd t he Tr i a l Cour t s h o u l d ha ve a l l owe d a me ndme nt of t he c ompl a i nt t o i nc l ude t h i s i s s u e , c i t i ng T. R. C. P. 1 5. 02. 1 The Cha nc e l l or s t a t e d t ha t he di d not a l l ow t he a me nd me nt b e c a us e ?f ur t he r a me ndme nt i s unne c e s s a r y. The c o mp l a i nt a l r e a dy s e t s f or t h i n br oa d t e r ms a l l e ga t i ons whi c h s t a t e a c a us e of a c t i on unde r t he s t a t ut e gove r ni ng r e vi e w. ? Th e l a ngua ge of t he c omp l a i nt a l l e ge s s t a t ut or y a nd c o n s t i t ut i ona l vi ol a t i on s ge ne r a l l y a nd t he n goe s on t o s p e c i f y s e ve r a l c ha r ge s . The c ons t i t ut i ona l vi ol a t i ons a l l e g e d i nc l ude due pr o c e s s de pr i va t i ons . Tr i a l of a n i s s ue by i mpl i e d c ons e nt wi l l be f oun d wh e n a pa r t y oppos e d t o t he mot i on kne w or s houl d r e a s ona bl y h a v e k nown of t he e vi de nc e r e l a t i ng t o t he ne w i s s ue , di d no t o b j e c t t o t hi s e vi de nc e , a nd wa s not pr e j udi c e d t he r e by. Zac k Ch e e k Bui l de r s , I nc . V. M Le od, 597 S. W 2d 888 ( Te nn. 1980) . c . He r e t he Pol i c i e s of t h e Roane Count y Boar d of Educ at i on wa s i n t r o d uc e d i nt o e vi de nc e dur i ng t he t r i a l . Howe ve r , i t wa s i n t r o d uc e d i n t he c ont e xt of a di s c us s i on of di s c r e pa nc i e s i n Ap p e l l a nt s pe r s onne l f i l e a nd c ont r a c t pr ovi s i ons s e t t i ng o u t g r i e v a nc e pr oc e dur e s . The r e c or d doe s not s how t ha t t he i s s u e o f a l a c k of wr i t t e n wa r ni ng by t he s upe r i nt e nde nt wa s r a i s e d a t a ny t i me i n t he he a r i ngs . Ha d t he i s s ue be e n c l e a r l y 1 W e n i s s ue s n ot r a i s e d by t he pl e a di ngs h c ons e n t of t he pa r t i e s , t he y s h a l l be t r ha d be e n r a i s e d i n t he pl e a di ngs . Su c h ma y b e n e c e s s a r y t o c a u s e t h e m t o c o n f o r t h e s e i s s u e s ma y b e ma d e u p o n mo t i o n o f a f t e r j u d g me n t ; b u t f a i l u r e s o t o a me n d t he t r i a l of t he s e i s s ue s . 3 a r e t r i e d b y e x p r e s s o r i mp l i e d e a t e d i n a l l r e s p e c t s a s i f t he y a me n d me n t o f t h e p l e a d i n g s a s m t o t he e vi de nc e a nd t o r a i s e a n y p a r t y a t a n y t i me , e v e n does not af f e c t t he r e s ul t of r a i s e d or e ve n me nt i one d, a ddi t i ona l t e s t i mony mi ght ha ve b e e n e l i c i t e d f r om t he s upe r i nt e nde nt t o de a l wi t h t hi s i s s ue . Th e Bo a r d c oul d not ha ve r e a s ona bl y known t ha t t he pol i c y v i o l a t i on wa s be i ng r a i s e d a nd t he a me ndme nt s houl d not be b a s e d on t hos e gr ounds . Se e Lapr ay v . Smi t h, 804 S. W 2d 87 . ( Te n n . App. 1990) . Howe ve r , t he Cha nc e l l or s f i ndi ng t ha t t h e v a g u e l y wor de d c ompl a i nt r a i s i ng due pr oc e s s i s s ue s s uf f i c e d t o r a i s e t he vi ol a t i on o f t he Boa r d s pol i c y i s a ppr opr i a t e u n d e r t he c i r c ums t a nc e s of t hi s c a s e . Pl a i nt i f f s t r e nuous l y i ns i s t s t ha t t he Boa r d s a c t i o n wa s a de ni a l of he r due pr oc e s s r i ght s . The pol i c y o f t h e Ro a ne Count y Boa r d o f Educ a t i on Ar t . I V. §C( 16) , p. 305, 1 9 7 5 , r e qui r e s t ha t : Any t i me t he pe r f or ma nc e of a n e mpl oye e ha s r e a c he d t he l e ve l c ons i de r e d uns a t i s f a c t or y a nd whi c h c ou l d l e a d t o d i s mi s s a l , t h e s upe r i nt e nde nt s ha l l i s s ue a wr i t t e n wa r ni ng t o t he e mpl oye e i nvol ve d. Af t e r wa r ni ng i s gi ve n, t he e mpl oye e s ha l l be gi ve n a r e a s ona bl e t i me t o i mpr ove hi s [ s i c ] pe r f or ma nc e . The Boa r d c onc e de s t ha t s uc h not i c e wa s not gi ve n . Th e r e c or d s hows t ha t t he onl y wr i t t e n not i c e Appe l l a nt r e c e i v e d f r om t he s upe r i nt e nde nt of s c hool s wa s a l e t t e r da t e d Au g u s t 28, 1992, i nf or mi ng he r of t he c ha r ge s t o be c ons i de r e d b y t h e Boa r d of Educ a t i on a nd he r r i ght s unde r t he di s mi s s a l p r o c e d ur e s of t he Te a c he r Te nur e l a w, ( T. C. A. § 49- 5- 511) . The r e c a n b e l i t t l e doubt t ha t f a i l ur e t o f ol l ow p o l i c y c a n be a due pr o c e s s vi ol a t i on. Se e Vi t ar e l l i v . S e a t o n , 359 U. S. 535, 79 S. Ct . 963, 3 L. Ed. 2d 1012 ( 1959) . 1959) . ( Se c r e t a r y of I nt e r i or wa s bound by r e gul a t i ons whi c h h e h a d pr omul ga t e d f or di s mi s s a l s on gr ounds of s e c ur i t y, e v e n t h o u g h he woul d not ha v e ha d t o c ompl y wi t h s uc h gui de l i ne s i f 4 h e h a d pr oc e e de d a ga i ns t t he e mpl oye e on di f f e r e nt gr ounds ) . Ho we v e r , i t i s i mpor t a nt t o not e t ha t Vi t ar e l l i di d not n e c e s s a r i l y r e qui r e s t r i c t a dhe r e nc e t o t he a ddi t i ona l d i s mi s s a l pol i c y. The Cour t f ound t ha t t he di s mi s s a l i n t ha t c a s e wa s v oi d b e c a us e t he pr oc e e di ngs f e l l ?s ubs t a nt i a l l y s h o r t of r e qui r e me nt s ?. At 9 7 5 . Vi t ar e l l i , 359 U. S. At 544, 79 S. Ct . The Roa ne Count y Boa r d of Educ a t i on wa s bound by i t s p o l i c y, b ut we c onc l ude i t s ubs t a nt i a l l y c ompl i e d wi t h i t s p o l i c y. The a c t i ons of t he pr i nc i pa l s ubs t a nt i a l l y s e r ve d t h e p u r pos e s be hi nd t he Count y pol i c y, by r e pe a t e d wa r ni ngs a n d t he a mount of t i me gi ve n f or i mpr ove me nt . Pl a i nt i f f s t e s t i mony a t he r di s mi s s a l he a r i ng a n d wr i t t e n r e c or ds ke pt by t he pr i nc i pa l s how t ha t e a r l y i n t he s c ho o l y e a r p l a i nt i f f wa s ma de a wa r e t ha t he r j ob wa s i n j e o p a r dy. She t e s t i f i e d t ha t dur i ng he r s e c ond ye a r a t Ro c k wo od J uni or Hi gh, ?i n t he f a l l M . Thomps on be ga n t e l l i n g r me t h a t he c oul d not r e c omme nd me ba c k ne xt ye a r a nd t ha t I wo u l d not ha ve a j ob f or t he ne xt ye a r ?. She a l s o s t a t e d ?M . r Th o mp s on wa s ve r y ups e t wi t h me be c a us e my c l a s s r oom wa s n t b e i n g r un be t t e r , a nd he l e t me know t ha t on a da i l y ba s i s . ? Th e r e c or d s hows t ha t t he pr i nc i pa l ga ve pl a i nt i f f nume r ous wr i t t e n not i c e s of uns a t i s f a c t or y pe r f or ma nc e s a nd pr obl e ms . Th e s e wa r ni ngs we r e ma d e ove r a pe r i od of mont hs , a nd r a i s e d n u me r ous c onc e r ns a bout pl a i nt i f f s pe r f or ma nc e . W c onc l u d e e t h e s e wa r ni ngs we r e s uf f i c i e nt l y nume r ous , s pe c i f i c , a nd s e r i o u s s o a s t o wa r n p l a i nt i f f t ha t s he ha d t o i mpr ove he r p e r f o r ma nc e or l os e he r pos i t i on. The s e not i c e s we r e gi ve n mo n t h s be f or e t he e nd of t he s c hool ye a r a nd ga ve Appe l l a nt 5 ?r e a s ona bl e t i me t o i mpr ove . ? Our Supr e me Co ur t ha s s a i d t ha t c our t s s houl d not i n t e r f e r e wi t h t he a c t i o n of a Boa r d of Educ a t i on on p r o c e d ur a l gr ounds e xc e p t i n ?t he c l e a r e s t c a s e of ma t e r i a l d i s r e g a r d by t he Boa r d of t he pr oc e dur a l r e qui r e me nt s of t he s t a t u t e [ t he Te a c he r Te nur e Ac t ] or a s howi ng of pr e j udi c e . ? Po t t s v . Gi bs on, 469 S. W 2d 130 ( Te nn. 1971) . . The r e qui r e me n t o f a s howi ng of pr e j udi c e ha s not be e n de ve l ope d f ur t he r by o u r c our t s . Howe ve r , t he ha r ml e s s e r r or s t a nda r d c ompor t s wi t h t he r e a s oni ng ot he r c our t s ha ve e mpl oye d i n de a l i ng wi t h d u e p r oc e s s r e qui r e me nt s . Se e Gi l be r t s on v . M Al i s t e r , 383 c F. Su p p . 1107 ( D. Conn. 1 974 ) ; 9 0 0 P. 2d 850( Ka n. App. 19 95) ; ( Ka n . 1 990) . W k e r v . Boar d of Educ at i on, al S t at e v . W t e , 785 P. 2d 950 hi M e ove r , a s t a t ut or y e r r or ma y be ha r ml e s s i f i t or d o e s not pr e j udi c e t he s ubs t a nt i ve r i ght s of a pa r t y. Tampl i n v . S t ar Lumbe r and Suppl y Co. , 836 P. 2d 1102 ( Ka n. 1992) . Pl a i nt i f f s t e s t i mony s hows t ha t pl a i nt i f f s uf f e r e d n o p r e j udi c e by t he Coun t y s f a i l ur e t o f ol l ow i t s r ul e t ha t wr i t t e n not i c e be i s s ue d by t he Supe r i nt e nde nt . She ha d a b u n d a nt not i c e , a t l e a s t s i x mont hs be f or e t he e nd of t he s c h o o l ye a r , t ha t he r wor k wa s not s a t i s f a c t or y a nd t ha t t h e s e p r o b l e ms woul d l e a d t o he r di s mi s s a l . The a ppa r e nt pur pos e o f t h e Co unt y pol i c y, t o c onve y t he t hr e a t of di s mi s s a l a nd t o g i v e t he t e a c he r r e a s on a bl e t i me t o c or r e c t t he s i t ua t i on, wa s s a t i s f i e d by t he pr i nc i pa l s wa r ni ngs . W c onc l ude t ha t e p l a i n t i f f wa s not pr e j u di c e d by t he l a c k of not i c e a nd f a i l u r e t o f o l l ow t he me nt i one d pol i c y c ons t i t ut e d ha r ml e s s e r r or . The p l a i nt i f f c ha r ge s ot he r i r r e gul a r i t i e s i n t he h e a r i n gs be f or e t he Boa r d, whi c h we ha ve c ons i de r e d a nd f i n d 6 t o b e wi t hout m r i t . e The j udgme nt of t he Tr i a l Cour t i s a f f i r me d, a nd t h e c a us e r e ma nde d wi t h t he c os t of t he a ppe a l a s s e s s e d t o t he a pp e l l a nt . ______________________ _ _ He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J . CONCUR: _ _ _ _ _ ___________________ ___ Ho u s t o n M Godda r d, P. J . . _ _ _ _ _ _ __________________ ___ Ch a r l e s D. Sus a no, J r . , J . 7

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