Grigsby v. North Mississippi Medical Center Reply Brief
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May 10, 1977

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Brief Collection, LDF Court Filings. Walton v. Nashville Arkansas Special School District No. 1 Brief for Appellant, 1968. fc83536c-c89a-ee11-be36-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/23f416bb-0c50-4265-89c8-31c34b5dd814/walton-v-nashville-arkansas-special-school-district-no-1-brief-for-appellant. Accessed August 19, 2025.
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p ^ IN THE United States Court of Appeals POE THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT Nos. 19062 and 19061 E arn estin e "Walton , M ajor R eynolds W h ite and Claude E . K ing , J r. ___________ Appellants v. T h e N ash ville , A rkansas S pecial S chool D istrict N o. 1, a P ublic C orporate, and E . T . M oody, S u perintendent oe N ash ville , A rkansas , S pecial S chool D istrict No 1 ___________________________ __________ Appellees APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS, TEXARKANA DIVISION BRIEF FOR APPELLANT J ohn W. W alker N orman J . C h a c h k in 1304-B Wright Ave. Little Rock, Arkansas 72206 J ack G reenberg J ames M. N abrit , III M ichael M . M eltsner 10 Columbus Circle New York, N. Y. 10019 Attorneys for Appellant PARAGON PR INT IN G CO., LITTLE ROCK I N D E X Page Statement of Case --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Statement of Points To Be Argued ------------------------------------------- 13 Argument --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16 I. Appellees’ Termination of Major Reynolds White was basically unfair and racially motivated in violation of the due process and equal protection of the laws clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment ---------------------------- 16 II. Appellees termination of Appellants without making the required objective evaluation of their qualifica tions in comparison with all other teachers in the system violated Appellees plan of desegregation and otherwise deprived Appellants of equal protection of the law s_______________________________________________- 22 III. Because of Appellees unconstitutional treatment of Appellants and because of Appellees refusel to comply with their desegregation plan, Appellants are entitled to the relief of reinstatement, damages, attorneys fees, costs; or appropriate alternative relief -------------------- ------- 30 Conclusion ------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------ 3^ TABLE OF CASES Armstrong v. Manzo, 380 U.S. 545 (1965)------------------------------------- 18 Augustus v. Board of Public Instruction, 306 F.2d 862 (5 Cir. 1962) 21 Bell v. School Board of Powhatan County, Va., 321 F.2d 494 (4 Cir. 1963)_______________________ ______ _________________ 30 Bradley v. School Board of Richmond, 382 U.S. 103 (4 Cir. 1965)— 20 Brooks v. School Dist. of City of Moberly, 267 F.2d 733 (8 Cir. 1959) _______________________________________________ 17, 19 Brown v. Board of Education, 349 U.S. 294 (1955)------------------------ 20 Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Educ., 364 F.2d 189 (4 Cir. 1966)______________________________________________17. 19 Clark v. Board of Educ. of Little Rock, 369 F.2d 661 (8 Cir. 1965) — 21 In Re Gault, _____U.S— _ _ --------S.Ct--------- , 18 L.Ed. 2d 527 (1967) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16 INDEX (Continued) Page In Re Oliver, 333 U.S. 257 (1948)________________________________ 18 Johnson v. Branch, 364 F.2d 177 (4 Cir. 1966) __________________ 24 Kelley v. Altheimer, 378 F.2d 483 (8 Cir. 1967) ________________ 31 Rios v. Hackney, Civ. No. CA-3-1852 (N.D. Tex., Nov. 30, 1967)._„ 20 Rogers v. Paul 382 U.S. 198 (1965) ____________________________ 20, 23 Shelton v. Tucker, 364 U.S. 479 (1960) _________________-_________ 16 Slochower v. Board of Educ. of N.Y., 350 U.S. 551 (1956) --------- 18 Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, 365 F.2d 770 (8 Cir. 1965) 17, 20 Sperser v. Randall, 357 U.S. 513 (1958)------------------------------------- 18 Stell «. Savannah-Chatham Board of Educ., 333 F.2d 55 (5 Cir. 1964) ___________________________________ _______________ 21 Wall v. Stanly County Board of Educ.-------F .2 d _ — (4 Cir. 1967) 30 Yarbrough v. Hulbert—West Memphis School Dist. No. 4, 380 F.2d 962 (8 Cir. 1967) — _____________________________ ____— _ 29 CONSTITUTION AND STATUTES United States Constitution, Fourteenth Amendment 28 U.S.C., Rule 52(a), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ------------ 26 OTHER AUTHORITY Note, discrimination in the hiring and assignment of teachers in the public school systems, 64 Mich. L.R. 692 (1966)------------ 30 IN THE United States Court of Appeals FOE THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT Nos. 19062 and 19061 E AR N E S T IN E W A L T O N , M a JO R R E Y N O L D S W h ite and Claude E. K in g , Jr. ___________Appellants v. T h e N ash ville , A rkansas S pecial S chool D istrict N o. 1, a P ublic C orporate, and E. T. M oody, S u perin ten den t oe N ash ville , A rkansas, S pecial S chool D istrict No 1 _______________________________________ Appellees APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS, TEXARKANA DIVISION BRIEF FOR APPELLANT STATEMENT OF THE CASE Number 19062 is an appeal from a judgment of the District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, Tex arkana Division, denying injunctive relief, reinstatement, damages and attorney’s fees sought by Negro plaintiffs- appellants following their discharge as teachers by the appellees, Nashville, Arkansas Special School District No. 1 and Nashville Superintendent E. T. Moody. Plaintiffs- Appellants had filed suit challenging the legality of their dismissals under the due process and equal protection of the laws clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Number 19061 is an appeal taken on behalf of Negro plaintiffs-appellants against the same appellees from the order of the district court deny ing their prayer to have the all-Negro Nashville school closed because it is inferior and inadequate. These ap pellants move to dismiss this aspect of their appeal on the ground that, on information and belief, said school will be closed at the end of the current school term and the Negro pupils assigned to the existing and superior pre dominantly white schools operated by appellee school district. A summary of previous litigation involving ap pellees is set out below to place this entire matter in per spective. I. histoky : Through the 1965-66 school term the boundaries of the Nashville Special School District No. 1 and the Childress Special School District No. 39 overlapped cover ing substantially the same geographic territory (R.4). Nashville’s faculty, staff and student body were all white; likewise, Childress’ faculty, staff and student body were all-Negro (R.6). E. T. Moody, a white person, was superintendent of Nashville Schools; Tommy Walton, a Negro, was super intendent of Childress Schools (R.6). Moreover, school taxes were assessed and assigned to each school district on a racial basis (R.4). Nashville’s school system had the North Central Association’s highest accreditation; Childress, a much smaller and poorer school system, was unaccredited by North Central and merited only a “ C ” rating from the Arkansas State Education Department (E. 98). In 1965, both school districts represented to the De partment of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW ) 'that they were in compliance with that body’s regulations on school desegregation promulgated pursuant to the Civil Rights’ Act of 1964, in that each district was educating all pupils within its boundaries without discrimination. Accordingly both districts continued to receive federal financial assistance (E.5, 21, 22). On December 20, 1965, Negro pupils filed suit chal lenging the legality of overlapping districts established on the basis of race. They also sought to establish their right to attend Nashville public schools, on a desegregated basis; and to have the Nashville district adopt and im plement a comprehensive plan of desegregation. Their suit resulted in a stipulation for dismissal, approved by the district court on March 3, 1966, pursuant to the adop tion of a desegregation plan (E.4-10, 28) which, among other things, provided: (1) That the Childress School District would cease to exist on June 30, 1966; (2) That the Nashville School District would assume responsibility for providing education for all pupils re siding within the Nashville district beginning on July 1, 1966; (3) That the Nashville School District would assume the obligations, assets and liabilities of the Childress School District as they existed on June 30, 1966; (4) That the district would move toward the estab lishment of a unitary school system by implementing a 4 limited, freedom of choice plan at the start of the 1966-67 school term; and (5) That the district would take steps to insure that faculty desegregation was achieved and that in the pro cess, “ Teachers and other professional staff will not be dismissed, demoted, or passed over for re tention, promotion, or rehiring, on the ground of race or color. If consolidation of the Nashville and Childress districts and the unification of the schools result in a surplus of teachers, or if for any other reason related to desegregation it be comes necessary to dismiss or pass over teachers for retention, a teacher will be dismissed or passed over only upon a determination that his qualifica tions are inferior as compared with all other teach ers in the consolidated system” (E.10). After the Court decree, Appellees made no effort to communicate their desegregation plans to the Negro teach ers (E.44). II. T E R M IN A T IO N OE M A JO R REYN OLDS W H IT E : During the 1965-66 school term, the Childress School District offered a full school program for grades one through twelve. Consequently, appellants and a number of other Negroes were employed as teachers; Tommy Walton was the Superintendent of the Childress district. Appellant Major Eeynolds White taught high school social studies during 1965-66; appellant Earnestine Walton taught high school home economics; and appellant Claude E. King, Jr., taught high school agriculture (E.18). Near the close of the 1965-66 school term, pursuant to the Court approved freedom of choice plan, a large num ber of Negro pupils chose to transfer to the white Nash ville schools. Consequently, Nashville decided to reduce the faculty of Childress by at least one teacher. For as Superintendent Moody stated: “ We knew that we were going to have to hire some of them [Negro teachers] and we studied their transcripts of the ones we had available” (R.116). The teacher eliminated was Major Reynolds White (R.24). Although Nashville was not to assume operational control of the Childress School (later renamed as the Southside School) until July 1, 1966, the Nashville Board and Superintendent began to screen the Negro teachers in May of 1966 by viewing and studying their transcripts (R.116, 149, 150). Nashville Superintendent Moody asked the Childress Superintendent Walton to furnish copies of the transcripts of the Childress-Southside teach ers. No such request was made of the white Nashville principal, and Mr. Moody gave Mr. Walton no explanation for his request (R.115). Later in the year at a Childress- Southside faculty meeting, Mr. Walton announced that fac ulty members should provide copies of their transcripts for “ the office” . He did not advise the teachers that the transcripts were wanted by Mr. Moody nor of the pos sible consequence of failure to produce the transcripts: retention or dismissal (R. 73, 74, 76, 115). Mr. Moody did not have any direct communication with the Negro teach ers about the contemplated faculty reduction or the necessity for Negro faculty members to provide Nashville with copies of their transcripts (R.74). Apparently, Major Reynolds White was the only Negro teacher whose transcript was not on file. How ever, copies of his transcripts were on file in the County 5 6 Board of Education and the Arkansas State Education Department.1 Although Mr. White made prompt efforts to obtain copies of his transcript from Philander Smith College (where he obtained his B. A. degree) and from the University of Arkansas graduate school, and explained to Mr. Walton that May was a very busy month for colleges and that delay was to be expected, (R.74), he was term inated by appellees on or about June 2, 1966 for the reason that he did not provide the district with copies of his transcripts. It was not until on or about June 12, 1966 that he received the requested copies of his transcript. After his termination, Mr. White sought unsuccessful ly to have the Nashville Board reconsider their decision to terminate his employment (R.75, 103). The Board did not advise Mr. White of any vacancies which occurred in the system nor give him an opportunity to return to Nashville as a teacher if he qualified for any such vacan cy (R.119). Mr. White obtained employment as a sub stitute teacher in the nearby Prescott School District dur ing the 1966-67 school term (R.81).2 During the summer of 1966, a position as social studies teacher at the Southside School became vacant for the 1966-67 school year. Although this is the subject that Major White had taught, neither the Nashville Sup erintendent nor the Board considered rehiring Mr. White. Nor did Nashville consider employing or assigning a white teacher to fill the vacancy (R.117, 118). Conse 1 The District was aware that Mr. White was a college gradu ate properly licensed and certified by the State of Arkansas. Mr. White is a graduate of Philander Smith College who had at time of trial, nine graduate hours of study at the University of Arkansas. He has teaching experience of ten years, all but two in the Childress School District (R. 70, 71, 72, 75). 2 At the time of trial, August 17, 1967, Mr. White had not obtained another teaching position (R.86). quently, the Negro pupils at Southside were completely deprived of a social studies teacher for more than a month (R.30, 31, 67), and then “ kept” by a Negro teach er, four years retired, for about two months (R.68). The superintendent “ thought she would be better than noth ing” (R.117). It was not until December of 1966 that those Negro pupils were afforded the benefit of a com petent teacher, Artka Shaw3, who, himself, was terminated at the close of the school year (R.30, 32, 33, 94). During the summer of 1966, subsequent to Mr. White’s termination, a vacancy occurred in the white elementary school. Mr. Moody did not consider Mr. White for that vacancy because he “ didn’t think Major would be in terested in a first grade job ” (R.119). The district court upheld appellees’ termination of Mr. White on the grounds that: 1. Mr. White was “ requested [by appellees] to fur nish certain information” and that he did not do so; 2. the appellees followed “ well adopted and well- known procedures” in terminating him: and that 3. the appellees did not abuse. their authority (R. 160, 161). I l l T H E D ISM ISSALS OE A P P E L L A N T S : During the freedom of choice period held by Nash ville near the close of the 1966-67 school term, most of the Negro pupils then attending Southside School in grades 3 However, Mr. Shaw was a beginning teacher without ex perience and without graduate training (R.107). Compare Mr. White’s paper qualifications, (R.71-73) and cf. R.20 where Mr. Moody states that he didn’t know whether Mr. White was more or less competent than Mr. Shaw. 8 nine through twelve made choices to transfer to the pre dominantly white Nashville high school. Nashville then decided to abolish those grades at Southside and to as sign the Negro pupils therein to the Nashville High School for the 1967-68 school year (R.33). After deciding to close the top four grades at South- side, Nashville decided to reduce Southside’s faculty and staff. As Mr. Moody stated: “ . . . I talked to them [the Negro teachers] individually, privately, that we were go ing to have to abolish some of the positions down there, and there wouldn’t be as large a faculty as we had . . . ” (R.127). Consequently, the Negro principal, who had formerly been superintendent of Childress before the court decree, was terminated as were his wife, Earnestine Walton, the home economics teacher; Claude E. King, Jr., the agriculture teacher, and Altha Shaw, the social studies teacher who had filled the vacancy created by the termination of appellant Major Reynolds White (R.33). The Secretary of the Nashville Board stated that had a greater number of Negro pupils chosen to attend South- side, the dismissed Negro teachers ‘ ‘ would have [been] retained . . . in the system” (R.39). The Negro high school coach and physical education instructor, Prentiss Counts, was reassigned from the high school to the Southside elementary school. He was not considered for a coaching position in the white high school (R.128, 129) although two coaching positions, one of head coach and the other of assistant coach, became vacant there during the summer of 1966, (R.37, 129). The former assistant coach was promoted to the head coaching posi tion. The assistant coach named, a Mr. Dale, was new to the Nashville system (R.38). Superintendent Moody defended Nashville’s action by stating: “ He [Counts] 9 couldn’t fill that position anyway . . . that is a football position and he is a basketball coach, has no experience in football” (R.130). Southside never had a football pro gram. Shortly after the close of the 1966-67 school year Superintendent Moody retired. Nashville then created the position of coordinator of federal projects and named Mr. Moody to fill it (R.110). Mr. Moody’s successor as superintendent was the principal of the Nashville High School, Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones’ successor as principal was the white agriculture teacher, Mr. Stavely (R.36). Although at least six vacancies (superintendent, principal, agriculture teacher, coach, assistant coach, and the vacan cy created by the assistant coach moving up to coach (R. 32-39) occurred in the Nashville system shortly after the close of the 1966-67 school term, appellees neither serious ly considered any of the dismissed Negro teachers for either vacancy; nor did appellees encourage or even ad vise the dismissed teachers to reapply, and that if they did so, that they would be given the first opportunities to fill those or other vacancies which occurred within the system (R.38). A. The Cases of Tommy Walton and Altha Shaw: Tommy Walton was principal of Southside during 1966-67. Nashville was aware that Mr. Moody would be retiring at the close of the 1966-67 school year and that Mr. "Walton had previous experience as a school superin tendent. However, Nashville’s Board did not consider Mr. Walton for the position of superintendent. Like wise, after the decision was made to promote the white principal to the superintendent’s post, the Nashville Board did not consider Mr. Walton for the position of principal of Nashville high school although he had previous ex 10 perience as a high school principal. Moreover, Nash ville’s school construction plans promise reorganization of the school system so that at the beginning of the 1968- 69 school year, a junior high school principal will be needed (R.49, 50). However, Mr. Walton was not ad vised that he will be considered for the junior high vacancy when it occurs. Nor that he could apply for it. Nor were his qualifications compared with those of the white ele mentary principal (R.123). Despite the fact that Mr. Walton had a good academic background (R.97), Mr. Moody testified that, “ we didn’t consider Mr. Walton for any position” (R.122). (cf. also (R.39). [Discus sion of the facts surrounding Altha Shaw’s dismissal is omitted.] Mr. Walton and Mr. Shaw did not appear for trial and their action was dismissed by counsel. B. The Case of (M rs.) Earnestine Walton: Appellant Earnestine Walton taught home economics in the Southside school during the 1966-67 school term (R. 99). Although Mrs. Marie Stavely, home economics teacher at the white high school, had considerably more experience than Mrs. Walton (R.100), neither Mr. Moody nor the Nashville Board made a careful, detailed com parison of their qualifications. Nor clid appellees ob jectively compare Airs. Walton’s qualifications with those of all other teachers in the system (R.130, 44, 125, 126, 143, 149). Further, although at least one white ele mentary teacher resigned during the summer of 1967, and although a number of teachers were teaching outside their fields of study (R.124, 125, 135) neither Mrs. Walton nor the other Negro teachers were offered the opportunity to fill this vacancy. Only white applicants were considered (R.33, 34). The reason given for not offering this po sition to either displaced Negro teacher was that an elementary certificate was required and they held high 11 school certificates (R.34). This reason did not prevent appellees from assigning Prentiss Counts from the Negro high school to the Negro elementary school (R.128). The district court in upholding appellees’ termina tion of Mrs. Walton stated: The Court is concerned with this provision which requires that a termination be made on the basis of qualifications which are inferior as com pared with all other teachers . . . The Court is only concerned as to whether or not there was a com parison made and a determination upon the basis of the qualifications of one person as against an other person. [But see R.130, and discussion, supra]. The evidence is very clear that the ac tion by [appellees] . . . was with well-established procedures on the basis of comparison of quali fications. . . . the party who has the position that Mrs. Walton is interested in had some fifteen years [experience] . . . (R.160). C. The Case of Claude E. King, Jr. : Appellant King taught vocational agriculture during the 1966-67 school year at the Southside high school (R. 55). At the close of the school year, when he was terminated by appellees, Mr. King obtained work as a truck driver. This was not customary summer employ ment for him, for vocational agriculture teachers were employed on a twelve month basis (R.55). (Mr. King was thus not employed by Nashville for a period from July 1, 1967, through at least the date of the trial, August 17, 1967.) 12 At the time Mr. King was terminated, appellees did not compare his qualifications with those of all other teachers in the system (K.36, 103). Mr. Herman Stavely, the white vocational agriculture teacher who was re tained through the school year, was made principal of the Nashville high school during the summer of 1967 (R.58). Although Mr. King had taught in the system previously he was neither hired nor given the first op portunity to fill the vacancy created by Mr. Stavely’s promotion (R.58, 59, 62, 130, 131). Instead, a Mr. Dugan who was new to the system filled that vacancy (R.131). In fact, the need for a second agriculture teacher was occasioned by the large number of Negro pupils who pre registered during the summer for vocational agriculture (R.131). It was only after this action was filed and went to trial that appellees officially offered Mr. King the opportunity to fill the second vacancy in the agreiulture department (R.55). The district court took the position that the appellees’ offer of employment to Mr. King should satisfy his com plaint. The court did not consider the issue of dam ages which Mr. King sustained, costs, attorneys’ fees, nor the legality of Mr. K ing’s termination (R.159). Judgment was entered on August 23, 1967, by the Honorable Oren E. Harris, District Judge, dismissing the complaint on the condition that defendants tender Claude E. King, Jr., a contract for the 1967-68 school term. Notice of appeal was filed on September 14, 1967 (R. 167). POINTS TO BE RELIED ON Appellees termination of Major Reynold White was bas ically unfair and racially motivated in violation of the due process and equal protection of the laws clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, 365 F. 2d 770 (8 Cir. 1965) Brooks v. School Dist. of City of Moberly, 267 F. 2d 733 (8 Cir. 1959) cert, den., 361 U.S. 894 (1959) Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Educ., 364 F. 2d 189 (4 Cir. 1966) In Re Gault, ______U.S. _______ , ______ S. Ct. ______ , 18 L. Ed. 2d 527 (1967) Armstrong v. Manzo, 380 U.S. 545 (1965) Augustus v. Board of Public Instruction, 306 F. 2d 862 (5 Cir. 1962) Bradley v. School Board of Richmond, 382 U.S. 103 (4 Cir. 1965) Brown v. Board of Education, 349 U.S. 294 (1955) Clark v. Board of Educ. of Little Rock, 369 F. 2d 661 (8 Cir. 1965) In Re Oliver, 333 U.S. 257 (1948) 14 Rios v. Hackney, Civ. No., CA-3-1852, (N.D. Tex. Nov. 30, 1967) Rogers v. Paul, 382 U.S. 198 (1965) Shelton v. Tucker, 364 U.S. 479 (1960) Slochower v. Board, of Educ. of N. J ., 350 U.S. 551 (1956) Speisef v. Randall, 357 U.S. 513 (1958) Stell v. Savannah-Chatham Board of Educ., 333 F. 2d 55 (5 Cir. 1964) i i Appellees termination of Appellants Walton and King without making the required objective evaluation of their qualifications in comparison with all other teachers in the system violated Appellees plan of desegregation and otherwise deprived Appellants of equal protection of the laws. Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, 365 F. 2d 770 (8 Cir. 1965) Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Educ., 364 F. 2d 189 (4 Cir. 1966) Brooks v. School District of City of Moberly, 267 F. 2d 733 (8 Cir. 1959) Franklin v. County School of Giles County, 360 F. 2d 325 (4 Cir. 1966) Johnson v. Branch, 364 F. 2d 177 (4 Cir. 1966) Rogers v. Paid, 382 U.S. 192 (1965) TFoM v. Stanly County Board of Educ. - ....-....F. 2 d ---------- (4 Cir. 1967) Yarbrough v. Hulbert-West Memphis School Dist., No. 4 380 F. 2d 962 (8 Cir. 1967) 28 U.S.C. Rule 52(a), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure O TH E R A U T H O R IT Y Note, Discrimination in the Hiring and Assignment of Teachers in the Public School Systems 64 Midi. L.R. 692 (1966) h i Because of Appellees unconstitutional treatment of A p pellants and because of Appellees refusal to comply with . their desegregation plan, Appellants are en titled to the relief of reinstatement, damages, at torneys’ fees, costs; or appropriate alternative relief. Bell v. School Board of Powhatan County, Va., 321 F. 2d 494 (4 Cir. 1963) Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, 365 F. 2d 770, (8 Cir. 1966) Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Educ., 364 F. 2d 189 (4 Cir. 1966) Kelley v. Altheimer, 378 F. 2d 483 (8 Cir. 1967) Johnson v. Branch, 364 F. 2d 177 (4 Cir. 1966) 16 ARGUMENT i Appellees termination of Major Reynold White was bas ically unfair and racially motivated in violation of the due process and equal protection of the laws clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Major Reynolds White had been employed by the all- Negro Childress School District for seven years as a social studies teacher. His qualifications as a teacher had never been questioned. He was licensed as a teacher by the state Department of Education and the County Board of Education. Both agencies required a tran script as a condition for licensing a teacher. In antici pation of the merger of the two districts lying within the same geographic territory, the all-white Nashville Board and its superintendent, E. T. Moody, decided in May of 1966 to reduce the Childress faculty by one because of the large number of Negro pupils who exercised “ freedom of choice” to attend the white schools (R.29). Mr. Moody then requested Mr. Tommy Walton, superintendent of Childress (later principal of Childress when it was ab sorbed by Nashville and renamed Southside) to provide him copies of transcripts of all the Negro teachers. Mr. Moody had copies of transcripts of white teachers from previous years. Mr. Moody did not advise Mr. Walton (who -was then Mr. Moody’s equal) of the uses to which the transcripts would be put nor did he advise him that faculty reduction was contemplated. In turn, neither did Mr. Walton so advise his teachers. Thus, Mr. White did not know what appellees expected him to do to main tain his position as a teacher, [of. Shelton v. Tucker 364 U.S. 479, 486, 487 81 S. Ct. 247, 5 L. Ed 2d 231 (I960)]. 17 Mr. White was apparently the only teacher for whom there was not a transcript on file with Mr. Walton and by the time he obtained copies of his transcripts from his colleges, he had been terminated for the very reason that he had not produced them before June 2, 1966, prior to the date appellees were to assume control of the Childress School. Moreover, the only criterion used by appellees to make a comparative determination between the Negro and white teachers of their qualifications was whether or not, as of May 1966, a teacher’s transcript was in the hands of Mr. Moody. Clearly this criterion could only apply to Negro teachers for Mr. Moody knew that all of the white teachers in Nashville had transcripts on file. Thus, the criterion was based on the prohibited basis of race. Smith v. Board of Education of Morrilton, 365 F. 2d 770 (8 Cir. 1965). Further support for this conclusion is seen in appellees belief that faculty reduc tion was necessary because of the transfers of the Negro pupils from the Negro high school to the white high school. Appellees specific termination of Mr. White was based and defended solely on the grounds that Mr. Moody had not been provided with a copy of Mr. White’s transcript. This is certainly not the ebjective evaluation re quired, Brooks v. School District of Moberly, 267 F. 2d 733, 736 (8 Cir. 1959), cert, den., 361 IX.S. 894; Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Education, 364 F. 2d 189 (4 Cir. 1966), especially when coupled with the facts that appellees never gave Mr. White notice that his transcript was needed, or wanted for the purpose of objectively eval uating teachers to determine which teachers would be retained or released; nor gave him an opportunity to ex plain difficulties experienced in attempting to obtain it from his colleges. Nashville’s failure to give Mr. White adequate notice of appellees requirements for continued 18 employment in the district or to grant him a pre-termina tion hearing under the circumstances constituted depriva tion of his livelihood1 without due process of law. In Re Gault, ____ U.S. ____, ____ S. Ct. ____, 18 L. Ed. 2d 527, 549 (1967); Armstrong v. Manzo, 380 U.S. 545, 85 S. Ct. 1187, 14 L. Ed. 2d 62, (1965), Speiser v. Randall, 357 U.S. 513, 78 S. Ct. 1332, 2 L. Ed. 2d 1460 (1958); Re Oliver, 333 U.S. 257, 68 S. Ct. 499, 92 L. Ed. 682 (1948); Slochower v. Roard of Educ. of N. Y., 350 U.S. 551, 76 S. Ct. 637, 100 L. Ed 692 (1956). The basic unfairness and racial motivation of ap pellees in their termination of Mr. White is seen in the events which follow his termination. After appellees notified Mr. White that his contract would not be renewed, Mr. White went before them with his transcripts, sought and received an audience of sorts, but was neither rein stated nor advised that, in the event of a later vacancy in the system he would be considered for it. During the summer of 1966, at least two vacancies occurred in the system — one in the white elementary school; the other in the Southside (Negro) school. Only white applicants were considered for the elementary position. Mr. White was not considered because Mr. Moody “ didn’t think Major would be interested in a first grade job ” (R.119). Ironically, the Southside vacancy was for a social studies teacher, the position occupied by Mr. White during the previous years. Instead of contacting Mr. White to ascertain his availability to fill it, appellees left the po sition unfilled for more than a month after school began; and it was more than three months before a competent, qualified Negro teacher was named to fill the vacancy. i Ones’ livelihood is just as important, in many circumstances as his life, liberty or property and indeed involves them all. 19 Appellees did not consider filling the vacancy with a white teacher (R.117, 118), despite their commitment of March 3, 1966 that “ Race or color will henceforth not be a factor on the hiring, assignment, reassignment, promotion, de motion, or dismissal of teachers . . . (R.9). These factors, coupled with others,2 constitute ‘ ‘ pos itive evidence” that appellees (1) were influenced by im proper racial considerations in the matter of employing, retaining and reassigning teachers, Brooks v. School Dis trict of Moherly, Missouri, 267 F. 2d 733 (8th Cir., 1959); Chambers v. Hendersonville City Bd. of Educ., 364 F. 2d 189 (4 Cir., 1966); and (2) flagrantly deprived Mr. White of fundamental due process rights no less important than notice to a juvenile of the charges against him, or of his right to counsel and to a hearing before he could be com mitted to a juvenile institution, In Re Gault, supra; or the right to a public trial, In Re Oliver, supra; or the right not to be denied a liquor license without being 2 Other factors include: a. The racial pattern of previous school assignments, and the necessity for litigation to bring about a change in said pattern; b. The subterfuge of appellees in representing to the U. S. Department of HEW that Nashville was in compliance with that office’s guidelines on school desegregation; c. The fact that but little faculty desegregation was con templated or achieved during the first year after a commitment was made by appellees to cease faculty discrimination; d. The fact that teacher reduction was undertaken because of Negro pupil transfers; e. The fact that appellees never formally advised the Negro teachers of appellees desegregation plan; f. The fact that no formal notice was given the Negro teachers in 1966 including Mr. White of the contemplated faculty reduction; g. The fact that the reduction did not occur; and h. The fact that no objective comparison of all teachers in the system per appellees commitment was made. 20 afforded due process, Hornsby v. Allen, 326 F. 2d 605, 608 (5 Cir. 1964); or the right to continue receiving welfare benefits unless same are withdrawn or denied in accord ance with due process requirements, Rios v. Hackney, Cir. No. CA 3-1852, (N D. Tex., Dallas Div., Nov. 30, 1967). It is now well settled that Brown v. Board of Educa tion, 349 U.S. 294, 75 S. Ct. 753, 99 L. Ed. 2d 1083, (1955) extends to faculty as well as pupil desegregation. Rogers v. Paul, 382 U.S. 198, 200, 86 S. Ct. 358, 15 L. Ed. 2d 265 (1965) ; Bradley v. School Board of Richmond, 382 U. S. 103, 86 S. Ct. 224, 15 L. Ed. 2d 187 (1965). Thus, racial discrimination in the employment, assignment, utiliaztion, retention or dismissal of teachers is clearly proscribed, Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, Ark., supra, as was recognized by the appellees in their stipu lation for dismissal and approval of the District Court’s decree (R.5). Apparently, the District Court did not view the ap pellees conduct as being racially motivated for the Court made no finding of facts on the racial issue. Instead, the Court disposed of Mr. White’s complaint by holding that Mr. White did not comply and the appellees did comply with appellees “ well adopted and well-known procedures” (R. 161). The Court did not state what those proeeedures were but if the Court was referring to the desegregation plan it approved, certainly the details of the plan were not well-known and well publicized, for the appellees never explained it to or discussed it with the Negro teachers. Moreover, 1966 was the first year that appellees had undertaken to integrate Negro pupils and teachers into their system. The process was therefore new to all concerned. It is for this reason that appellees owed - an especial duty to widely publicize its plan in a suf ficient manner to drive home to the affected teachers, especially Mr. White — no less than it did to pupils — their rights thereunder and how the district proposed to pi’otect those rights. Clark v. Board of Educ. of Little Rock, 369 F. 2d 661, 668 (8 Cir. 1965); 8 tell v. Savannah- Chatham County Bd. of Educ. 333 F. 2d 55, 65 (5 Cir. 1964); Augustus v. Bd. of Public Instruction of Escambia County, 306 F. 2d 862 (5 Cir. 1962). Further, the Court supported its decision against Mr. White in part by stating: “ For some reason that has not been explained, Mr. White did (not) see fit to submit the infor mation, even though there seems to have been some question raised even during the summer of 1966. Regardless of that, it appears that he has not sought to even provide the information to this date.” But testimony is to the contrary for Mr. White testi fied that he obtained the transcripts during the summer, appeared before appellees and advised appellees that he had his transcripts, (R.75), and Mr. Moody corroborated Mr. Whites’ testimony (R.103, 104). The Court reasoned further: “ Furthermore, he (Mr. White) proceeded to go to another place, obtain a job, and a whole school year has passed . . . ” The Court clearly overlooks the duty placed upon a displaced teacher to mitigate his damages. Smith v. Board of Educ. of Mor- rilton, supra. In conclusion, appellant White’s termination by ap pellees is (a) clearly based on race and (b) devoid of the basic rudiments of fairness. The cited cases dictate reversal. 21 22 XI Appellees termination of Appellants Walton and King without making the required objective evaluation of their qualifications in comparison with all other teachers in the system violated Appellees plan of desegregation and otherwise deprived Appellants of equal protection of the laws. Appellees violated their policy, agreed to by consent stipulation, re dismissal of teachers when they termniated appellants. That policy read: “ (b) Dismissals. Teachers and other pro fessional staff will not be dismissed, demoted, or passed over for retention, promotion, or rehiring on the ground of race or color. I f consolidation . . . and the unification of the schools result in a surplus of teachers, or if for any reason related to desegregation, it becomes necessary to dismiss or pass over teachers for retention, a teacher will be dismissed only upon a determination that his qualifications are inferior as compared with all other teachers in the consolidated system.” [Em phasis added.] The facts convincingly establish that the all-white Nashville school district absorbed th e all-N egro Childress school district and, that, in the process, at the close of the 1966-67 school term, a large number of Negro high school pupils chose to attend the white Nash ville high school. Appellees then decided to close the top four grades at Southside, assign all of the Negro pupils in those grades to Nashville, and terminate or demote the Negro high school teachers and principal. Mr. Moody, Nashville Superintendent stated that after the decision was made to close the top four grades at the Negro school, “ I talked to them (the Negro teachers) in dividually, privately, that we were going to have to abolish some of the positions down there, and there wouldn’t be as large a faculty as we had . . . ” (R.127). The ap- pelle secretary corroborated this by stating that appellees '-would have retained them (the Negro teachers) in the system” had it not been for the pro-integration choices of the Negro pupils (R.39). (See Rogers v. Paul, 382 U.S. 192, 86 S. Ct. 358, 15 L. Ed. 2d 265 (1965); Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, 365 F. 2d 770 (8 Cir. 1965) cited for proposition that faculty dismissals brought about by the exercise o f pro-integration choices of pupils, when, in whole or in part, based on race may impede further progress in pupil desegregation). In face of appellees’ previous patterns, practices and policies of racial discrimination (see footnote 2, supra), and their failure to voluntarily initiate desegregation, appellees’ conduct in terminating appellants must clearly be characterized as racially motivated. This Court has indicated that the facts of each case of this type must be carefully examined Brooks v. School District of City of Moberly, 267 F. 2d 733 (8 Cir. 1959). A careful examination of the facts here compels the con clusion that race was the sole reason for appellants’ termination and the manner in which they were otherwise treated. Although not presented for decision in this appeal, the cases of Tommie Walton, Altha Shaw and Prentiss Counts present convincing evidence that the pattern and practice of treatment of Southside teachers by appellee was racial. First, Tommie Walton had previous experience as both a school superintendent and principal in this community. He also had a good academic background (R.97). Moreover, the appellees 23 . 24 knew that one or both positions would soon be vacant by the retirement of Mr. Moody and the probable promotion of the Nashville principal to the superintendent’s position. Appellees also knew that in September, 1968, a junior high principalship would be vacant. Despite these factors, Mr. Walton was not considered “ for any position” (R. 39). There is no explanation in the record for appellees failure to consider Mr. Walton for any position other that it would not be necessary to have a full time principal at Southside (R.121). Appellant submits that no conclu sion is possible other than that Mr. Walton was previously employed by appellants solely for the Negro school rather than for the entire school system. Johnson v. Branch, 364 F. 2d 177 (4 Cir. 1966) ; Franklin v. County School Board of Giles County, 360 F. 2d 325, (4 Cir. 1966). The Court did not make any finding of fact re appellees’ termination of Mr. Walton. Second, plaintiff Altha Shaw, a negro social science teacher who filled the vacancy created by the termination of appellant Major Reynolds White at the close of the 1965-66 school term had his qualifications compared in the words of Arkansas Circuit Judge Bobby Steel, a board member of appellee school district: “ As I recall, the information provided to the school hoard by Mr. Moody . . . was that Mr. Shaw had some seven months experience as a teacher in comparison with a teacher who had been with our school system several years, and there was no doubt in our superintendent’s mind to which one was a better qualified teacher” (R.144). There is no explanation on the record as to why the comparison was limited to just one teacher who had been in the white system a number of years. Absent any ex planation for failure to follow their plan, and under the facts herein, a strong inference is raised that race is the sole reason for Mr. Shaw’s termination. Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Educ. 364 F. 2d 189, 192 (4 Cir. 1966). Third, Prentiss Counts had been coach and physical education teacher at Southside High School in previous years. He was not dismissed at the close of the 1966-67 school term but neither was he considered for a compar able position in the white high school. Instead, he was demoted to the Negro elementary school. During the summer of 1966, the Nashville coaching position became vacant, a foreseeable event by appellees, but Mr. Counts was not considered for it; instead, the white assistant coach was promoted to coach. Neither was Mr. Counts considered for the assistant coach vacancy; instead, a white person from another school district was named to fill it. The reason given by Mr. Moody was that Mr. Counts could not “ fill that position anyway . . . that is a football position and he is a basketball coach, has no ex perience in football” (R.130). Clearly, Mr. Counts was employed by appellees, as were appellants, as a Negro teacher for Negro pupils rather than as teacher for the system. The district court did not indicate that it placed any weight upon the evidence re Mr. Counts. Moreover, appellees do not plan to advise Mr. Walton and Mr. Shaw that they will be given any consideration in the event that future vacancies for which they are qual ified occur within the system, Smith v. MorriUon, supra. Nothing demonstrates appellees’ callousness and unfair ness in their treatment of Negro teachers unless, of course, it is their treatment of Mr. White, Mr. King and Mrs. Walton. 25 . 26 The district court found that appellees had made the required comprehensive comparison of Mrs. Walton’s qualifications with all other teachers in the system in ac cordance with “ well established procedures.” (See dis cussion in argument I, supra). But the testimony con tradicts the Court’s ruling and finding. When Mr. Moody was asked: “ Did you say . . . you did not com pare Mrs. Walton’s qualifications with those other teach ers?” He answered: “ Not all other teachers,” (R. 130; see also R.154). This was corroborated by Judge Steel who stated: “ It was my understanding as a school board member that when Mrs. Walton’s notification was written that we were comparing her qualifications with those of Mrs. Marie Stavely, who has been a member of our faculty for some several years to my knowledge and who is highly regarded by all who know her, not only as a splendid teacher, but as a lovely lady and a Christian lady, and we felt that she had better qualifications than did Mrs. Wlaton. It was our determination that if it was a matter of one of the two teachers, we pre ferred Mrs. Stavely” (R.144). There is no testimony to the contrary on this point. Moreover, it is corroborated by the treatment appellees accorded Mr. Walton, Mr. Shaw, (see discussion, supra) and Mr. King.3 Thus, the Court’s finding and ruling that appellees made an objective, system wide compar ison between Mrs. Walton and all other teachers in the system “ is clearly erroneous.” 28 U.S.C. Rule 52(a), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Although the treat 3 Following the answer to the question re comparison of Mrs. Walton’s qualifications with all other teachers in the system, the following colloquy occurred between Mr. Moody and counsel: “Q. And that is true with regard to Mr. King, isn’t it? A. That’s right” (R.130). 27 ment accorded Mr. King was similar to that accorded Mrs. Walton, the trial court made no finding re the legality of Mr. K ing’s dismissal, damages sustained, costs or attorney’s fees. Finally, appellees treatment of Mr. King and Mrs. Walton subsequent to their termination reflects unequal treatment between teachers who occupied equal status during the 1966-67 school term. Assuming arguendo that Mrs. Walton and Mr. King were less qualified for their positions than their white counterparts, this is not con clusive proof that they were less qualified than all other teachers in the system. Even assuming that they were also the least qualified teachers in the system, there were vacancies which occurred in the system which they may have been able to fill had they been given the opportunity to do so. Especially is this true when many teachers in Nashville were teaching outside their field of prepara tion. For example, the position of agriculture teacher in the white school was left vacant by that person’s pro motion to the principalship of Nashville high school. Appellees did not consider assigning Mr. King to fill it. Instead, they employed a white person from outside the system in preference to Mr. King who met necessary qualifications. Furthermore, Mr. King was not consid ered for any of the other vacancies which occurred prior to trial. Had it not been for the large number of Negro pupils preregistering to take vocational agriculture, Mr. King would not have been afforded the job offered him as agriculture teacher on the date of trial. Mrs. Walton was not so fortunate because apparently home economics was not as popular with the Negro girls as vocational agriculture was with the Negro boys. Moreover, ap pellees gave her no consideration for the vacancy in the white elementary school. 28 This case is factually somewhere between the two post -Brown cases in this circuit involving dismissal of Negro teachers as a result of unification of a dual school system. Brooks v. School District of City of Moberly, 267 F. 2d 733 (8 Cir. 1959); Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, supra. Both cases deny that race is a legiti mate consideration for the employment, utilization or termination of teachers. In Brooks where dismissals were sustained, the appellees had: (a) promptly moved to desegrated by 1955; (b) found it necessary to terminate a number of teachers; (c) advised each teacher of its plans; and (d) made a careful study of the qualifications of all teachers in the system. Although the eleven teachers found to be least qualified were Negro, a result characterized by the Court as “ unusual and somewhat startling,” 267 F. 2d at 739, the Court found no “ positive evidence that the Board was influenced by racial consid erations in the matter of employing its teachers.” The Court went on to state: “ There are a number of factors tending to negative any racial prejudice on the part of the Board. The integration was completed in a man ner satisfactory to all concerned. The wishes of the Negroes as to the integration were fully con sidered and observed. Before integration the Negro teachers were paid salaries equal to those of the white teachers, and the Negro school was furnished with the same type of equipment and supplies as the white schools.” id at P. 740. The standard invoked by the Brooks Court for de termination of the legality of teacher dismissals in the present context was whether the Board was motivated by “ unreasonable, arbitrary or . . . racial consideration.” id at 740. Smith stands for the proposition that after desegregation has begun, all teachers have equal footing. 29 Thus, it is required that where a Negro school is closed due to pupil integration pursuant to a freedom of choice plan, the displaced personnel must be absorbed at a min imum into the other schools in the system, Yarbrough v. Ilulbert-West Memphis Sch. Dist. No. 4, 380 F. 2d 962, 967 (8 Cir. 1967), unless the Brooks type of objective comparative evaluation of all teachers in the system is made. In Brooks, the superintendent provided Ms Board with detailed information about not only the Negro teach ers but about all teachers. The Board then considered that information independently along with the recom mendation of the Superintendent, Here, the Board was never confronted with detailed information about any of the teachers, made no independent consideration and re lied instead solely on the recommendation of the Super intendent who himself did not compare the qualifications of all the districts’ teachers. Only with such detailed information can the required objective comparison be made, especially in this school system where the white superintendent has only had brief, limited contact with the Negro schools. Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Edu,, supra; Franklin v. County School Board of Giles County, supra; Smith v. Board of Educ. of Mor- rilton, supra. Furthermore, appellees procedures in filling vacancies fall short of constitutional standards. First, Mr. Moody failed to advise the displaced teachers that to be consid ered for any future vacancy they must reapply. Second, appellees were willing to hire Mr. King after this litiga tion was initiated without his completing a new appli cation. Third, Mrs. Walton was considered for a posi tion in the Negro elementary school before her termina tion but there were no vacancies. These factors strongly suggest race as the lone motive for appellees conduct and thus disclose “ an unconstitutional selection process.” 30 Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, supra at Pp. 782, 783; Franklin v. County School Board of Giles Comity, supra; Wall v. Stanly County Board of Educ., F. 2d ___ , (4 Cir. 1967); Chambers v. Hendersonville City Board of Educ., 364 F. 2d 189 (4 Cir. 1966). See also, Note, Discrimination in the Hiring and Assignment of Teachers in the Public School Systems, 64 Mich. L. R. 692 (1966). Reversal is thus clearly warranted because of appellees “ invidious,” racially discriminatory and ar bitrary treatment of appellants. iii Because of Appellees unconstitutional treatment of A p pellants and because of Appellees refusal to comply with their desegregation plan, Appellants are en titled to the relief of reinstatement, damages, at torneys’ fees, costs; or appropriate alternative relief. The record discloses strong evidence of appellees’ invidious and unfair racial prejudice in their termination and other actions of and toward appellants. In deed, in a previous case, appellees agreed to a faculty desegregation dismissal provision as a con dition for the entering of a dismissal order by the district court which, as shown, supra, was flagrant ly and callously violated. Appellants were thus forced into this litigation to protect their rights. Thus, appel lants are entitled to the equitable relief of damages, at torneys’ fees, and costs. Bell v. School Board of Pow hatan County, Va., 321 F. 2d 494, 500 (4 Cir. 1963); Smith v. Board of Educ. of Morrilton, 365 F. 2d 770, 784 (8 Cir. 1966); Chambers v, Hendersonville City Board of Educ., 364 F. 2d 189, 193 (4 Cir. 1966); Johnson v. Branch, 364 F. 2d 177, 182 (4 Cir. 1966). 31 Moreover, equity requires that Mr. White and Mrs. Walton also be reinstated; or that relief more appropriate be fashioned as was done by this Court in Smith. See also, Kelley v. Altheimer, 378 F. 2d 483 (8 Cir, 1967). Further, under the circumstances, if this court grants the requested relief, petitioners are further entitled to a protective order from this court which enjoins appellees from punishing or attempting to penalize them because appellants prosecuted this action. 32 CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, appellants respectfully pray for an order of reversal. Respectfully submitted, J ohn W . W alker N orman J . C h a c h k in 1304-B Wright Ave. Little Rock, Arkansas 72206 J ack G reenberg J am es M . N abrit , III M ichael M . M eltsner 10 Columbus Circle New York, N. Y. 10019 Attorneys for Appellant CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that I haim served two copies of this brief upon Mr. Boyd Tackett, Texarkana, Arkansas, by depositing same addressed to him in the U. S. Mail, post age prepaid, this 23rd day of January, 1968. John W. Walker Attorney for Appellants ,*• ■