Scher v. Board of Education
Scher v. Board of Education
Opinion of the Court
OPINION OF THE COURT
The appeal here is from the allowance of defendants’ motion to dismiss plain
The complaint of John Scher, the infant plaintiff and of his father and mother as his guardians ad. litem and as individuals states that “this action arises out of the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. Jurisdiction is conferred on this Court under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Sections 1331 and 1343 of Title 28 of the United States Code and Sections 1981 and 1983 of Title 42 of the United States Code.
In the presentation of the motion to dismiss it was categorically stated to the hearing judge that “Plaintiff relies solely upon the alleged jurisdiction of this Court under 28 U.S.C. 1343(3) and upon the substantive rights alleged to be con
As above detailed the complaint in its first paragraph of its first count affirmatively sets out that “this action arises out of the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.” It goes on to also include as authority for the suit Sections 1331 and 1343 of Title 28 and Sections 1981 and 1983 of Title 42. Further on in the complaint it is flatly charged that the expulsion of John Scher was “a violation of his constitutional rights, *
The defense theory given the Court and resulting in the dismissal of the complaint was erroneous. 42 U.S.C.A. § 1983 above quoted protects “any citizen of the United States from the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws * * It does say that “Every person who under color of any statute, * * * subjects or causes to be subjected any citizen, * * * shall be liable to the party injured, * * 28 U.S.C. 1343(3) also quoted gives the District Courts jurisdiction of any civil action authorized by law to be commenced by any person “To redress the deprivation under color of any State law, statute, ordinance, regulation, custom or usage, of any right, * * * secured by the Constitution of the United States or by any Act of Congress providing for equal rights of citizens, * * (Emphasis supplied.)
The above statutes are not limited to dealing with racial or religious discrimination. There is a passing allusion by appellants that might possibly be considered as looking towards the latter but there is no accusation in the complaint of either racial or religious discrimination. The defendant School Board in any event says it cannot be sued under § 1983 because it is not a person. Monroe v. Pape [365 U.S. 167, 81 S.Ct. 473, 5 L.Ed.2d 492] is cited in support of this but there, it was the City of Chicago itself which was ruled to be not within the reach of § 1983. The Board also asserts that, the decision in Bomar v. Keyes, 162 F.2d 136 (2 Cir. 1947) “held that a cause of action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for depriving a teacher of her privileges will not lie against the Board of Education since it is an arm of the municipality performing municipal functions. Therefore if Federal jurisdiction is found under the facts at bar,
Still concerning ourselves with the Civil Rights statutes we find the explicit language of § 1983 covers “the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws.” This Circuit in Basista v. Weir, 340 F.2d 74, 79, (3 Cir. 1965) categorically so holds. There was no element of racial or religious discrimination in that litigation. Randell v. Newark Housing Authority, 384 F.2d 151 (3 Cir. 1967) stands for the same sound interpretation of Section 1983. In 1968 the Second Circuit aptly ruled in a quite similar situation to ours that “A case brought under the Civil Rights Act should not be dismissed at the pleading stage' unless it appears to a certainty that the plaintiff would be entitled to no relief under any state of facts which could be proved in support of his claim.” Holmes v. N. Y. C. Housing Authority, 2 Cir., 398 F.2d 262, 265.
While the Civil Rights law is rightfully stressed in the complaint, violation of the Fifth, Sixth and especially the Fourteenth Amendments are firmly a part of the plaintiffs’ cause and are never discarded. The language of the complaint could have perhaps been sharper in spots but that is no dispositive Federal practice error. As it stands the complaint makes the clear charge that John Scher was not accorded due process under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. As late as March 23, 1970, the United States Supreme Court in comparable circumstances held that a public assistance recipient is entitled to a full, fair evidentiary hearing, including cross-examination, in compliance with the procedural due process guaranteed by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Goldberg, Commissioner, appellant v. Kelly et al., 397 U.S. 254, 90 S.Ct. 1011, 25 L.Ed.2d 287.
We express no opinion whatsoever with respect to the merits of this action. We note that the defendants have demanded a jury “on all of the issues.” The judgment of the District Court will be vacated and this case will be remanded to that Court for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
. Section 1343(3), 28 U.S.C. reads:
“§ 1343. Civil rights and elective franchise
(3) To redress the deprivation, under color of any State law, statute, ordinance, regulation, custom or usage, of any right, privilege or immunity secured by the Constitution of the United States or by any Act of Congress providing for equal rights of citizens or of all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States; * *
Section 1983, 42 U.S.C.A. reads:
“§ 1983. Civil action for deprivation of. rights
Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress. R.S. § 1979.”
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John SCHER, an infant by his Guardians ad Litem Jack Scher and Jane Scher, and Jack Scher and Jane Scher, Individually v. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF the TOWN OF WEST ORANGE, John Curry as Principal of Mountain High School, and Theodore D'Alessio as Superintendent of Public Schools in the Town of West Orange
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published