Boatright v. Glynn County Sch. Dist.

The trial court properly granted summary judgment to the defendants in the plaintiff's action alleging that their decision to terminate her employment violated her due process and liberty rights, as adequate state remedies were available to enforce such rights.

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

Harriet Whitener Boatright filed suit against the Glynn County School District and Michael Bull, in his individual capacity and as Superintendent of the Glynn County Board of Education, collectively, hereinafter, “Glynn County” seeking to hold them liable for alleged violations of her due process and liberty rights in connection with their decision to terminate her employment as a paraprofessional. Glynn County filed a motion to dismiss or in the alternative for summary judgment, which the trial court granted. Boatright appeals. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm. Because the trial court considered evidence outside Boatright’s complaint, we find that it decided the motion as one seeking summary judgment and therefore we apply the following standard of review: “Summary judgment is proper when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.1 We review the grant of summary judgment de novo, construing the evidence in favor of the nonmovant.”2

So viewed, the record reflects that Boatright was employed by the Glynn County School District as a paraprofessional for nearly three years before she received notice of her termination. Though she was not given written notice of the reason for her termination, Boatright was fired shortly after a student encounter, in which she contends she was attacked by the student and physically injured. She requested a hearing before the county board of education concerning her termination, but was not afforded one prior to filing suit. Boatright was a classified employee and thus could be terminated only “for just cause,” pursuant to an employee handbook she had been given.

Boatright v. Glynn County Sch. Dist.

The trial court properly granted summary judgment to the defendants in the plaintiff's action alleging that their decision to terminate her employment violated her due process and liberty rights, as adequate state remedies were available to enforce such rights.

Share with Email

Thank you for sharing!

Trending Stories

More From ALM

Subscribe to Daily Report