Monique Jackson v. Geneva County Board of Education et al.

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REL: 8/30/2013 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , A l a b a m a A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS SPECIAL TERM, 2013 2120549 Monique Jackson v. Geneva County Board o f E d u c a t i o n e t a l . Appeal from Geneva C i r c u i t Court (CV-12-900066) THOMAS, J u d g e . Monique J a c k s o n action against Board"); Becky appeals from t h e Geneva C o u n t y Birdsong, a judgment d i s m i s s i n g h e r Board o f E d u c a t i o n ("the the superintendent o f t h e Geneva C o u n t y S c h o o l S y s t e m ; a n d G r e g T r a w i c k , M a r c i a Solomon, M a r t h a 2120549 Windham, D e r e k W a r r e n , and J o h n n y R e g i s t e r , t h e members o f t h e Board (hereinafter defendants"). On 24, 2012, Jackson f o r d e c l a r a t o r y and writ of referred to as "the affirm. September petition for We collectively mandamus" filed injunctive against d e c l a r a t i o n t h a t the defendants the a "complaint relief and defendants and petition seeking had v i o l a t e d A l a . Code 1975, § 16-24C-4, a s e c t i o n o f t h e S t u d e n t s F i r s t A c t , c o d i f i e d § 16-24C-1 et nonrenewing her based impermissible upon Specifically, seq., Ala. employment Code 1975, c o n t r a c t and political by, she denying and a at alleged, her personal tenure reasons. she a l l e g e d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t s had n o t r e n e w e d h e r employment c o n t r a c t f o r t h e 2012-2013 s c h o o l y e a r because, she who had alleged that the based purely been said, she ousted nonrenewal political status, by of and a l s o sought had supported the her the p r e v i o u s p r i n c i p a l Board. Thus, employment c o n t r a c t was personal reasons. t o be she In the on complaint, Jackson r e i n s t a t e d as a t e a c h e r , t o a t t a i n tenured and t o be a w a r d e d b a c k p a y she a l l e g e d she w o u l d have 2 2120549 been paid had her employment contract not n o n r e n e w e d as she a l l e g e d i n t h e c o m p l a i n t . On October 11, 2012, the dismiss Jackson's complaint. that J a c k s o n had defendants improperly 1 filed a motion I n t h e i r motion, they f a i l e d to state c o u l d be g r a n t e d b e c a u s e , been a claim they contended, to asserted upon w h i c h relief § 16-24C-4 d i d n o t a p p l y t o a p r o b a t i o n a r y e m p l o y e e , s u c h as J a c k s o n , b u t i n s t e a d t h a t § 16-24C-5(c) a p p l i e d to Jackson. Additionally, in their m o t i o n t h e y c l a i m e d t h a t t h e y were e n t i t l e d t o S t a t e i m m u n i t y u n d e r § 14, A l a . C o n s t . filed a response dismiss. On 1901. On November 8, i n opposition 2012, to the d e f e n d a n t s ' motion The d e f e n d a n t s f i l e d a r e p l y t o J a c k s o n ' s January dismissing 3, 2013, Jackson's Specifically, the the trial complaint trial Jackson on court's response. c o u r t e n t e r e d an two alternate January 3, to order grounds. 2013, order d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t s were e n t i t l e d t o i m m u n i t y and alternatively for that J a c k s o n had f a i l e d to state a claim Specifically, i n regard to the c l a i m f o r backpay, J a c k s o n ' s c o m p l a i n t s t a t e d : " [ J a c k s o n ] s e e k s an i n j u n c t i o n o r W r i t o f Mandamus t o r e q u i r e [ t h e d e f e n d a n t s ] t o e x e r c i s e a n o n - d i s c r e t i o n a r y , m i n i s t e r i a l d u t y t o p a y a l i q u i d a t e d sum, m o n i e s owed b e g i n n i n g t h e 2012/2013 s c h o o l term until present." 1 3 2120549 which relief c o u l d be granted because, i t concluded, "the p r o h i b i t i o n of 'personal or p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n s ' p r o v i d e d f o r i n the Students First Act teachers/employees." motion to alter, dismissing argued her that nontenured entered amend, the order her the trial were not 19, Jackson's 2013, apply to original Jackson, order a concluding to nontenured t i m e l y n o t i c e of appeal to t h i s the court the employee. Jackson 4 trial did filed 2013. "'In Nance v. M a t t h e w s , 622 So. 2d 297 ( A l a . 1 9 9 3 ) , [ t h e supreme c o u r t ] s t a t e d t h e s t a n d a r d o f review a p p l i c a b l e to a r u l i n g on a motion to dismiss: "'On appeal, a dismissal i s not e n t i t l e d to a presumption of c o r r e c t n e s s . The a p p r o p r i a t e s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w u n d e r Rule 1 2 ( b ) ( 6 ) [ , A l a . R. C i v . P.,] is whether, when the allegations of the a motion, 16-24C-4 2, to erred trial § c o u r t on A p r i l was Jackson, postjudgment that she entitled c o u r t had apply a order complaint s t a t i n g s e v e r a l a d d i t i o n a l f i n d i n g s that supported court's filed court's the 16-24C-4 d i d n o t denying tenured Jackson t h a t the t r i a l March to postjudgment motion, defendants On only 2013, dismissing c l a i m s , and that § 17, vacate In order employee. an or that concluding relates January complaint. i m m u n i t y upon h e r in On the inconsistent, (SFA) not a 2120549 c o m p l a i n t a r e v i e w e d most s t r o n g l y i n t h e pleader's favor, i t appears that the pleader could prove any set of circumstances t h a t would e n t i t l e [ i t ] to r e l i e f . In making t h i s d e t e r m i n a t i o n , t h i s Court does not consider whether the p l a i n t i f f w i l l u l t i m a t e l y p r e v a i l , but o n l y w h e t h e r [ i t ] may p o s s i b l y p r e v a i l . We n o t e that a Rule 12(b)(6) d i s m i s s a l i s proper o n l y when i t a p p e a r s b e y o n d d o u b t t h a t t h e p l a i n t i f f can p r o v e no s e t o f f a c t s i n support of the c l a i m t h a t would e n t i t l e the p l a i n t i f f to r e l i e f . ' "622 So. Knox v. 2d a t 299 Western World (citations Ins. Co., omitted)." 893 So. 2d 321, 322 (Ala. 2004). In trial her brief court because, erred she this to says, inconsistent, regarding to in (1) trial judgment of the contends dismissing her court's that the complaint judgment is (2) the d e f e n d a n t s are not e n t i t l e d t o immunity her on Jackson reversal claims, and employees, b o t h tenured arguments court, appeal, dismissal (3) § 16-24C-4 and n o n t e n u r e d . we is note that, correct applies In c o n s i d e r i n g " i f the for to a l l any trial reason, these court's we must a f f i r m , even i f the t r i a l c o u r t gave the wrong r e a s o n or i f i t gave no r e a s o n a t a l l . " M o r r i s o n 966 ( A l a . 1995). 5 v. F r a n k l i n , 655 So. 2d 964, 2120549 We court turn to Jackson's third erred i n determining argument that § employees -- because we found teachers, that that such Jackson as had § find 16-24C-4 does the only of that In t h i s case, the trial not resolution apply Jackson. Thus, t h e t r i a l failed state to trial e m p l o y e e s as o p p o s e d t o argument d e t e r m i n a t i v e o f t h e a p p e a l . court t h a t the 16-24C-4 a p p l i e d t o t e n u r e d t e a c h e r s and n o n p r o b a t i o n a r y all a to nontenured court concluded c l a i m f o r which relief c o u l d be g r a n t e d b e c a u s e h e r c l a i m s s o u g h t r e l i e f b a s e d upon t h e l a n g u a g e o f § 16-24C-4, w h i c h to her. Specifically, postjudgment motion, in its the t r i a l i t h e l d was order not a p p l i c a b l e denying Jackson's court stated: "1. T h a t t h e r e i s no s t a t u t o r y d u t y o f t h e B o a r d not to take a c t i o n a g a i n s t the non-tenured teacher i n t h i s case. "2. The Superintendent and the Board have no s t a t u t o r y l e g a l duty not to take a c t i o n a g a i n s t the non-tenured teacher/employee i n t h i s case pursuant to the Student[s] First Act[, § 16-24C-1 e t s e q . , A l a . Code 1975.] "3. The C o u r t f u r t h e r d e c l a r e s t h a t S e c t i o n 16-24C4 of the Student[s] F i r s t Act applies to t e n u r e d t e a c h e r s and c l a s s i f i e d e m p l o y e e s who have o b t a i n e d n o n - p r o b a t i o n a r y s t a t u s . "4. And i t i s f u r t h e r d e c l a r e d t h a t t h e p e t i t i o n e r i s a non-tenured teacher terminated pursuant to S e c t i o n 1 6 - 2 4 C - 5 [ , ] Code o f A l [ a b a m a ] 1975." 6 2120549 We agree w i t h the t r i a l this c o u r t ' s d i s m i s s a l o f t h e c o m p l a i n t on ground. I n S t a t e Farm M u t u a l A u t o m o b i l e I n s u r a n c e Co. v. M o t l e y , 909 So. 2d 806, 813-14 ( A l a . 2 0 0 5 ) , o u r supreme c o u r t s t a t e d : " ' "Words u s e d i n a s t a t u t e must be g i v e n their natural, plain, ordinary, and commonly u n d e r s t o o d m e a n i n g , and where p l a i n language i s used a c o u r t i s bound t o i n t e r p r e t t h a t l a n g u a g e t o mean e x a c t l y what i t s a y s . I f t h e l a n g u a g e of the s t a t u t e i s u n a m b i g u o u s , t h e n t h e r e i s no room f o r j u d i c i a l c o n s t r u c t i o n and the c l e a r l y expressed i n t e n t of the L e g i s l a t u r e must be g i v e n e f f e c t . " ' " B l u e C r o s s & B l u e S h i e l d v. N i e l s e n , 714 So. 2d 293, 296 ( A l a . 1998) ( q u o t i n g IMED C o r p . v. S y s t e m s Eng'g A s s o c s . C o r p . , 602 So. 2d 344, 346 ( A l a . 1992)). "'Of course, the rule is well r e c o g n i z e d t h a t i n the c o n s t r u c t i o n of a s t a t u t e , t h e l e g i s l a t i v e i n t e n t i s t o be d e t e r m i n e d from a c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the whole a c t w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o the s u b j e c t matter to which i t applies and the p a r t i c u l a r t o p i c under which the language i n q u e s t i o n i s f o u n d . The i n t e n t so d e d u c e d from the whole w i l l p r e v a i l over t h a t of a particular part considered separately.' " B l a i r v. G r e e n e , 689 ( 1 9 4 4 ) . 246 A l a . 28, 30, 18 So. 2d " ' I t i s w e l l s e t t l e d t h a t when i t i s i n t e r p r e t i n g a s t a t u t e t h i s Court seeks t o give effect to the intent of the L e g i s l a t u r e , as d e t e r m i n e d p r i m a r i l y f r o m 7 688, 2120549 the language o f t h e s t a t u t e i t s e l f . Beavers v. C o u n t y o f W a l k e r , 645 So. 2d 1365, 1376 (Ala. 1994) ( c i t i n g Ex p a r t e M c C a l l , 596 So. 2d 2 ( A l a . C i v . App. 199[1])); V o l k s w a g e n o f A m e r i c a , I n c . v. D i l l a r d , 57 9 So. 2d 1301 ( A l a . 1991) . A l s o , o u r r u l e s o f s t a t u t o r y c o n s t r u c t i o n d i r e c t us t o l o o k a t t h e s t a t u t e as a w h o l e t o d e t e r m i n e t h e m e a n i n g o f c e r t a i n l a n g u a g e t h a t i s , when viewed in isolation, susceptible to m u l t i p l e r e a s o n a b l e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . McRae v. S e c u r i t y P a c . Hous. S e r v s . , I n c . , 62 8 So. 2d 429 ( A l a . 1 9 9 3 ) . ' "Ex p a r t e A l f a F i n . C o r p . , 762 So. 2d 850, 853 ( A l a . 1999) . "'"When i n t e r p r e t i n g a s t a t u t e , [a c o u r t ] must r e a d t h e s t a t u t e as a w h o l e because statutory language depends on context; [a c o u r t ] w i l l presume t h a t t h e L e g i s l a t u r e knew t h e m e a n i n g o f words i t u s e d when i t e n a c t e d t h e s t a t u t e . " ' "Ex p a r t e USX C o r p . , 881 So. 2d 437, 442 ( A l a . 2003) ( q u o t i n g Bean D r e d g i n g , L.L.C. v. A l a b a m a Dep't o f Revenue, 855 So. 2d 513, 517 ( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) ) . " Section 16-24C-4, entitled "Tenure of teachers; n o n p r o b a t i o n a r y s t a t u s o f c l a s s i f i e d employees," a p a r t of the Students F i r s t Act, states, i n pertinent part: "No a c t i o n may be p r o p o s e d o r a p p r o v e d b a s e d upon p e r s o n a l o r p o l i t i c a l r e a s o n s on t h e p a r t o f the employer, c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r , o r g o v e r n i n g board. A teacher shall attain tenure, and a c l a s s i f i e d employee s h a l l a t t a i n n o n p r o b a t i o n a r y s t a t u s as f o l l o w s : 8 2120549 "(1) E x c e p t as o t h e r w i s e p r o v i d e d by S e c t i o n 16-23-3, a t e a c h e r who i s n o t an employee of a two-year educational i n s t i t u t i o n operated under the a u t h o r i t y and control of the Department of Postsecondary Education, shall attain tenure upon the completion of three complete, consecutive school years of f u l l - t i m e employment as a t e a c h e r w i t h t h e same e m p l o y e r u n l e s s t h e g o v e r n i n g board a p p r o v e s and issues written notice of t e r m i n a t i o n t o t h e t e a c h e r on o r b e f o r e t h e last day of the teacher's third consecutive, complete school year of employment. ..." (Emphasis added.) As that applied § 16-24C-4 nonprobationary noted "Termination and b e n e f i t s , " only to court tenured e m p l o y e e s b e c a u s e § 16-24C-5 was a probationary teacher, entitled above, the t r i a l states, 2 such as J a c k s o n . o f employment -- concluded teachers and a p p l i c a b l e to S e c t i o n 16-24C-5, Notice; compensation in pertinent part: " ( c ) P r o b a t i o n a r y t e a c h e r s ... may be t e r m i n a t e d a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e e m p l o y e r upon t h e w r i t t e n recommendation of the c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r , a m a j o r i t y v o t e o f t h e g o v e r n i n g b o a r d , and i s s u a n c e o f w r i t t e n n o t i c e o f t e r m i n a t i o n t o t h e t e a c h e r on or b e f o r e the fifteenth day of June. ... The employment o f any probationary teacher may be t e r m i n a t e d b e f o r e the completion of the s c h o o l year upon a t l e a s t 30 c a l e n d a r d a y s ' w r i t t e n n o t i c e o f Section probationary tenure." 2 1 6 - 2 4 C - 3 ( 8 ) , A l a . Code teacher i s a teacher 9 1975, s t a t e s t h a t " [ a ] who has not a t t a i n e d 2120549 the d a t e on w h i c h t h e g o v e r n i n g b o a r d i s s c h e d u l e d t o v o t e on s u c h r e c o m m e n d a t i o n . Upon i s s u a n c e o f such n o t i c e , t h e t e a c h e r may submit a w r i t t e n s t a t e m e n t t o t h e c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r and t h e g o v e r n i n g b o a r d e x p l a i n i n g why s u c h a c t i o n s h o u l d n o t be t a k e n . ... "(d) The d e c i s i o n t o t e r m i n a t e t h e employment o f any p r o b a t i o n a r y e m p l o y e e s h a l l be f i n a l (Emphasis added.) On a p p e a l , J a c k s o n a r g u e s t h a t , u n d e r t h e p l a i n of § 16-24C-4, the p r o h i b i t i o n against personnel b e i n g made b a s e d upon " p e r s o n a l o r p o l i t i c a l language decisions reasons" applies t o b o t h t e n u r e d and n o n t e n u r e d t e a c h e r s b e c a u s e , she s a y s , t h e p l a i n language of t h a t s t a t u t e c l e a r l y s t a t e s : be proposed or approved based upon r e a s o n s on t h e p a r t o f t h e e m p l o y e r , or governing board." political chief executive officer, the defendants i m p r o p e r l y d e n i e d h e r t e n u r e by t e r m i n a t i n g her employment prior her essence, p e r s o n a l or may that to In "No a c t i o n she "completion contends of three complete, c o n s e c u t i v e s c h o o l y e a r s o f f u l l - t i m e employment as a t e a c h e r " b a s e d on i m p e r m i s s i b l e " p o l i t i c a l and p e r s o n a l r e a s o n s . " § 1624C-4(1). In c o n t r a s t , the defendants contend that Jackson's argument i s m i s g u i d e d b e c a u s e i t f o c u s e s on one s e n t e n c e o f § 16-24C-4 i n i s o l a t i o n w h i l e t h e p l a i n l a n g u a g e o f t h e S t u d e n t s 10 2120549 First Act as a whole supports the trial court's conclusion t h a t § 16-24C-4 does n o t a p p l y t o a p r o b a t i o n a r y t e a c h e r , as J a c k s o n , b u t i n s t e a d t h a t § 1 6 - 2 4 C - 5 ( c ) a p p l i e s t o We Jackson. t u r n t o the r u l e s of s t a t u t o r y i n s t r u c t i o n to c o n s i d e r a r g u m e n t s on Looking 4(1) clearly such the appeal. to the p l a i n states language of the that a statute, probationary § 16-24C- employee a t t a i n t e n u r e d s t a t u s "upon t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f t h r e e "shall" complete, c o n s e c u t i v e s c h o o l y e a r s o f f u l l - t i m e employment as a t e a c h e r w i t h t h e same e m p l o y e r . " Thus, p u r s u a n t of status i s automatic the statute, completion tenured of working to the p l a i n language b a s e d upon as a t e a c h e r f o r a s p e c i f i c the consecutive p e r i o d and c a n n o t be a t t a i n e d b a s e d on " p o l i t i c a l o r p e r s o n a l reasons." S e c t i o n 16-24C-4 i s a g e n e r a l s t a t u t e g o v e r n i n g the manner i n w h i c h a p r o b a t i o n a r y e m p l o y e e , d e p e n d i n g upon h i s o r her classification, the Students statutes automatically attains tenure. However, F i r s t A c t c o n t a i n s s e v e r a l o t h e r more detailing the procedure e m p l o y e e b a s e d upon h i s o r h e r for termination classification. specific of an It i s a well s e t t l e d r u l e of s t a t u t o r y c o n s t r u c t i o n t h a t "[w]here s t a t u t e s in p a r i materia are g e n e r a l and 11 specific, t h e more specific 2120549 statute controls Springle, In 631 So. this the more 2d 880, case, i t probationary teacher she was As 882 is statute." ha[d] Crawford v. ( A l a . 1993). undisputed at the "a t e a c h e r who 3(8). general time that of her Jackson was a t e r m i n a t i o n because n o t a t t a i n e d t e n u r e . " § 16-24C- n o t e d p r e v i o u s l y , § 16-24C-5 p r o v i d e s t h e specific p r o v i s i o n r e g a r d i n g the t e r m i n a t i o n of a p r o b a t i o n a r y t e a c h e r , such as Jackson, status. prior Section t o h i s or her 16-24C-5(c) attainment states that a of tenured probationary t e a c h e r "may be t e r m i n a t e d a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e e m p l o y e r . " Thus, provision this terminate the explicitly a probationary teacher employee's attaining allows an employer at h i s d i s c r e t i o n tenured status prior without to to any p r o h i b i t i o n t h a t t h e t e r m i n a t i o n n o t be b a s e d on p o l i t i c a l or personal to state reasons. that teacher In Additionally, any discretionary " s h a l l be § 16-24C-5(d) § 16-24C-6 provides the a on final." contrast, t e r m i n a t i o n of goes probationary procedure t e r m i n a t i o n of a tenured teacher or nonprobationary e m p l o y e e and states, classified in pertinent part: "(a) Tenured teachers and nonprobationary c l a s s i f i e d e m p l o y e e s may be t e r m i n a t e d a t any t i m e 12 for 2120549 b e c a u s e o f a j u s t i f i a b l e d e c r e a s e i n t h e number o f positions or f o r incompetency, insubordination, n e g l e c t of duty, i m m o r a l i t y , f a i l u r e to perform d u t i e s i n a s a t i s f a c t o r y manner, o r o t h e r good and j u s t c a u s e , s u b j e c t t o t h e r i g h t s and p r o c e d u r e s h e r e i n a f t e r p r o v i d e d . However, a v o t e o r d e c i s i o n t o a p p r o v e a recommended t e r m i n a t i o n on t h e p a r t o f ... t h e g o v e r n i n g b o a r d s h a l l n o t be made f o r p o l i t i c a l or p e r s o n a l r e a s o n s. " (Emphasis added.) Moreover, d e t a i l e d procedures f o r an § 16-24C-6 goes on appeal of a tenured to provide teacher's n o n p r o b a t i o n a r y c l a s s i f i e d employee's t e r m i n a t i o n . or Thus, we must c o n c l u d e t h a t i f t h e l e g i s l a t u r e had w i s h e d t o s t a t e t h a t probationary teachers c o u l d n o t be t e r m i n a t e d for p o l i t i c a l or p e r s o n a l r e a s o n s i n t h e l a n g u a g e o f § 16-24C-5, i t knew how to do so b e c a u s e i t c l e a r l y i n c l u d e d t h a t l a n g u a g e i n § 16-24C-6. Accordingly, whole, as we looking must do, to the because § Students First 16-24C-5 is Act the as specific provision that provides an e m p l o y e r a u t h o r i t y t o t e r m i n a t e probationary at employee employee's a t t a i n m e n t its of tenure control and, that the trial to s t a t u t e under the the rules c o n c l u d e t h a t § 16-24C-4 does Jackson's termination thus, prior a and b e c a u s e t h e more s p e c i f i c s t a t u t e c o n t r o l s t h e more g e n e r a l s t a t u t o r y c o n s t r u c t i o n , we discretion a under the court 13 did not Students F i r s t err in of not Act, dismissing 2120549 Jackson's 132 c o m p l a i n t . See Ex p a r t e M c C o r m i c k , 932 So. 2d 124, (Ala. 2005) ("In construction, our statute, i f the meaning plain, trial and inquiry any case begins of o u r a n a l y s i s ends t h e r e . " ) . involving with the statutory the language statutory of the language i s T h e r e f o r e , we a f f i r m t h e c o u r t ' s judgment. AFFIRMED. Thompson, P . J . , and P i t t m a n and Moore, J J . , c o n c u r . Donaldson, J . , concurs i n the r e s u l t , without w r i t i n g . 14

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