FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT OCTOB ER 16, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 07- 11345 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 2 2 3 9 - CV - T- 2 4 - TBM D E B R A A . S A T C H E L , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s S C H O O L B O A R D O F H I L L S B O R O U G H C O U N T Y , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( O c t ob e r 16, 2007) B efo re T JO F L A T , W IL S O N an d P R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: D ebraA . S at chel i s a n A fr i ca n-A m er i ca n w om an w ho w as em pl oyed by the2

H ills b o r o u g h C o u n ty S c h o o l B o a r d f r o m N o v e m b e r7 , 1 9 8 3 to O c to b e r1 3 , 2 0 0 4 . D uri ng thatt i m e, she w orked as at ea cheratse vera l hi gh sc ho ol s, as a per sonn el spec i al i stfor the sc ho ol di stri ct ’ s H um an R es ou rc es D epartm ent , and as a n e m pl oy e e a tthe O f

f i c e of P r of e s s i ona l S t a nda r ds . O n J une 22, 2004, the S upe r i nt e nde ntof

S c hool s i nf

orm e d S a t c he l tha the w a s r e c om m e ndi ng t o the S c hool B oa r d tha ts he be di s m i s s e d f or , a m ong othe rthi ngs , i ns ubor di na t i on, v i o l at i o n o f o r w i l l fu l refu sal t o o b ey l aw s o r p o l i ci es rel at i n g t o p u b l i c sch o o l s, and fai l ure t o d em on stra t e c om pet encyt o p er form her dut i es . F ol l ow i ng an adm i ni stra t i ve heari ng t o con si der the S up er i nt endent ’ s r ec om m endat i on – at w hi c h S a t c he l , r e pr e s e nt e d by c ouns e l , a nd tw e l ve w i tne s s e s t e s t i f i e d, the S c hool B o a r d v o te d u n a n im o u s ly to te rm in a te S a tc h e l’s e m p lo y m e n t. S at chel , proceedi ng pro se, there af t erbrou gh tthi s l aw sui t . In a thi rd a m e n d e d c o m p la in t ( “c o m p la in t” ) , s h e a s s e r te d c la im s u n d e rT itle V I I o f th e C iv il R i ght s A c tof

1964 ( “ T i t l e V I I ” ) , a l l e gi ng tha tthe S c hool B oa r d di s c ha r ge d he r( 1) a s ar e t a l i a t ory m e a s ur e be c a us e s he e nga ge d i n a c t i vi ty pr ot e c t e d by T i t l e V I I ; ( 2) be c a us e s he ha d r e que s t e d tha tthe S c hool B oa r d m a ke a c c om m oda t i ons unde rthe A m e r ic a n s w ith D is ab ilitie s A c t ( “A D A ” ) f o rh e rd is ab ilitie s , to - w it: P o s tT raum at i c S tre ss D i sorder(“ P T S D ”) and d epre ss i on ; and (3) thatshe had suff er edThe c omplaint also asserted a claim for breach of contract, which the c ourt dismissed 1 un der F e d. R. C iv. P. 1 2(b) (6 ). Th at c laim i s n ot b e fo reus in t hisa pp e al. 3 a host i l e w ork env i ronm enton ac coun tof her r ac e. 1 T he di stri ctcourt , i n an o rderent er ed on A ug ust25 , 20 06 , di sm i ss ed S at chel ’ s c l ai m of re t al i at i on base d o n rac e f or fa i l ure t o st at e acause of a ct i on . In an order ent er ed on F ebruary20 , 20 07 , the courtgrant ed the S choo l B oard s um m a ry j udgm e nton he rr e t a l i a t i on c l a i m ba s e d on he rr e que s tf or a c c om m oda t i ons a nd he rc l a i m of hos t i l e w ork e nvi r onm e ntba s e d on r a c e . S he n o w ap p e a l s . W e a f

f i rm. I . D is m is s a l o f

T it le V I I R e t a lia t io n C la im

“ W e r e vi e w de novo the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s gr a ntof am ot i on t o di s m i s s f

or f a i l ur e t o s t a t e ac l a i m , a c c e pt i ng the a l l e ga t i ons i n the c om pl a i nta s true a nd c ons trui ng the m i n the l i ghtm os tf a vor abl e t o the nonm ovi ng pa r ty . ” K i z z i r e v. B apt i s tH e a l th S y s t e m , I nc . , 441 F . 3d 1306, 1308 ( 11th C i r . 2006) . T o e s t abl i s h a p r im af a c ie c a s e o f

r e ta lia tio n f

o rb id d e n b y T itle V I I , th e p la in tif f m u s t s h o w th a t: (1) s he part i ci pat ed i n an act i vi ty prot ec t ed by T i t l e V II ; (2) s he suff er ed an a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on; a nd ( 3) the r e i s ac a us a l c onne c t i on be tw e e n the p a r tic ip a tio n in th e p r o te c te d a c tiv ity a n d th e a d v e r s e e m p lo y m e n t d e c is io n . G u p ta v . F la . B d . o f

R e g e n ts , 2 1 2 F .3 d 5 7 1 , 5 8 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 0 ) . T h e a c tiv itie s c ite d in S at chel ’ s c om pl ai nt , i ncl ud i ng fi l i ng a uni on gri evance, fi l i ng an i nform al4

com pl ai ntof hara ss m entby a c o-w orker, and w ri t i ng l ett er s t o the edi t or of l ocal n e w s p ap e r s , d o n o t c o n s titu te th e ty p e o f p r o te c te d a c tiv ity c o n te m p la te d b y T itle V II b ecau se S at ch el fai l ed t o al l eg e th atth e co m p l ai n t s i n cl u d ed i n th ese do cum ent s had any r el at i on shi p t o rac e or otherw i se i nd i ca t e thatthe S choo l B oard w a s e nga ge d i n unl a w f

ul e m pl oy m e ntpr a c t i c e s . A l though s he e ve ntua l l y f i l e d a com pl ai ntw i th the E qu al E m pl oym entO pp ortun i ty C om m i ss i on (“ E E O C ”) al l egi ng ra ce , age, and d i sabi l i ty di sc ri m i nat i on , she f i l ed thatcom pl ai nti n M ar ch 2 0 0 5 , m o n th s a f

t e rs h e wa s t e rm i n a t e d f r o m e m p l o y m e n t . Wh i l e a n E E OC c o m p la in t c o n s titu te s p r o te c te d a c tiv ity u n d e rT itle V I I , S a tc h e l d id n o t e n g a g e in thi s a ct i vi ty w hi l e s he w as st i l l em pl oyed by the S choo l B oard and, thu s, has f ai l ed t o e s t abl i s h ac a us a l c onne c t i on be tw e e n the pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty a nd he rt e rm i na t i on f r om e m pl oy m e nt , w hi c h i s ne c e s s a ry t o s us t a i n ac l a i m of r e t a l i a t i on. I I . S u m m a r y J u d g m e n t a s t o A D A R e t a lia t io n C la im W e r e v ie w th e g r a n t o f

s u m m a ry ju d g m e n t d e n o v o , v ie w in g th e e v id e n c e in th e lig h t m o s t f

a v o r ab le to th e n o n - m o v in g p a r ty . J o h n s o n v . G o v e rn o ro f F la ., 405 F . 3d 1214, 1217 ( 11th C i r . 2005) ( e n ba nc ) . S um m a ry j udgm e nts houl d be gr a nt e d onl y w he n “ the pl e a di ngs , de pos i t i ons , a ns w e r s t o i nt e rr oga t or i e s , a nd a dm i s s i ons on f

i l e , t oge the rw i th the a f

f i da vi t s , i f

a ny , s how tha tthe r e i s no ge nui ne i s s ue a s t o a ny m a t e r i a l f a c ta nd tha tthe m ovi ng pa r ty i s e nt i t l e d t o a5

ju d g m e n t a s am a tte ro f la w .” F e d .R .C iv .P . 5 6 ( c ) . T he A D A pr ovi de s tha t“ [ n] o pe r s on s ha l l di s c r i m i na t e a ga i ns ta ny i ndi vi dua l be c a us e s uc h i ndi vi dua l ha s oppos e d a ny a c torpr a c t i c e m a de unl a w f ul by [ the A D A ] orbe c a us e s uc h i ndi vi dua l m a de ac ha r ge . . . unde r[ the A D A ] . ” 42 U . S . C . § 12203( a ) . “ T hi s pr ovi s i on c r e a t e s apr ohi bi t i on on r e t a l i a t i on unde rthe A D A tha ti s s i m i l a rt o T i t l e V I I ’ s pr ohi bi t i on on r e t a l i a t i on. ” S t e w a r tv. H appy H e rm a n ’s C h e s h ir e B r id g e , I n c ., 1 1 7 F .3 d 1 2 7 8 , 1 2 8 7 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 7 ) . A cc ordi ng l y, w e a ss es s A D A re t al i at i on cl ai m s und erthe sa m e f ra m ew ork e mp l o y e d f

o rr e t a l i a t i o n c l a i ms a r i s i n g u n d e rTi t l e VI I . St a n d a r d v . A. B. E. L. S e rv ic e s , I n c , 1 6 1 F .3 d 1 3 1 8 , 1 3 2 8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 8 ) . T o e s tab lis h ap r im af a c ie c a s e o f A D A r e ta lia tio n , ap la in tif f m u s t s h o w : “( 1 ) th a t [ s ]h e e n g a g e d in s t a tut or i l y pr ot e c t e d a c t i vi ty ; ( 2) tha t[ s ] he s uf f e r e d a n a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on; a n d ( 3 ) ac a u s a l lin k b e tw e e n th e p r o te c te d a c tiv ity a n d th e a d v e r s e a c tio n .” I d .

“ O nce apl ai nt i ff

has e st abl i shed a pri m a f ac i e c as e [ of re t al i at i on ] , the em pl oyer the n ha s a n oppor tuni ty t o a r t i c ul a t e al e gi t i m a t e , non- r e t a l i a t ory r e a s on f orthe c ha l l e nge d e m pl oy m e nta c t i on. ” P e nni ngt on v. C i ty of H unt s vi l l e , 261 F . 3d 1262, 1 2 6 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) . I f a c c o m p lis h e d , th e p la in tif f th e n b e a r s th e u ltim a te bur de n of

pr ovi ng by apr e ponde r a nc e of the e vi de nc e tha tthe r e a s on pr ovi de d by the e m pl oy e ri s apr e t e xtf orpr ohi bi t e d, r e t a l i a t ory c onduc t . I d.6

“ [T ] he m er e e xi st ence of a [ m ent al ] i m pai rm entdo es no tconst i tut e a di sabi l i ty und erthe A D A ; the i m pai rm entm ustsubst ant i al l y l i m i ta m aj or l i fe a c t i vi ty . ” S t a nda r d, 161 F . 3d a t1328. I n de t e rm i ni ng w he the ra n i m pa i rm e nt s ubs t a nt i a l l y l i m i t s am a j orl i f e a c t i vi ty , w e c ons i de r“ ( 1) the na tur e a nd s e ve r i ty of the i m pa i rm e nt ; ( 2) the dur a t i on ore xpe c t e d dur a t i on of the i m pa i rm e nt ; a nd ( 3) the perm anentor l on g t erm i m pact , or the expect ed perm anentor l on g t erm i m pact o f o rr e s u ltin g f

r o m th e im p a irm e n t.” I d . ( q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) . T he r e c or d i ndi c a t e s tha tS a t c he l s ubm i tt e d ar e que s tf ora c c om m oda t i ons base d o n h erpsyc hi atri st ’ s di agno si s of P T S D and d epre ss i on . A l tho ug h the l ett er i ndi c a t e s tha tS a t c he l ’ s P T S D a nd de pr e s s i on a r e “ c hr oni c ” c ondi t i ons , the r e i s no evi dence i n ei ther the l ett er , or the re m ai nd erof the re cord, t o i nd i ca t e that S a tc h e l’s p s y c h ia tr is t o ro th e r s d e te rm in e d th a t th o s e c o n d itio n s w o u ld s u b s ta n tia lly lim it S a tc h e l’s ab ility to w o rk e ith e rlo n g te rm o rp e rm a n e n tly . A cc ordi ng l y, S at chel fa i l ed t o est abl i sh thather s ubj ec t i ve bel i ef thatshe w as e n title d to a c c o m m o d a tio n s b e c a u s e o f h e rP T S D a n d d e p r e s s io n w a s o b je c tiv e ly r e a s o n ab le . F urther, al tho ug h S at chel w as t erm i nat ed fr om em pl oym ent , const i tut i ng an a dve r s e e m pl oy m e nta c t i on, he rt e rm i na t i on oc c urr e d i n O c t obe r2004, ap p r o x im a te ly tw o y e a r s a f te rs h e s u b m itte d h e rr e q u e s t f o ra c c o m m o d a tio n s in7

J ul y 2002. T hus , S a t c he l f a i l e d t o de m ons tr a t e the e xi s t e nc e of ac a us a l c onne c t i on be tw e e n the tw o e ve nt s . A c c or di ngl y , S a t c he l c a nnote s t abl i s h e i the rthe f i r s tor the thi r d e l e m e ntne c e s s a ry t o s us t a i n apr i m af a c i e c a s e of

r e t a l i a t i on unde rthe A D A . M o r e o v e r , a s id e f r o m h e ro w n u n s u p p o r te d a s s e r tio n s , S a tc h e l f a ile d to pr e s e nte vi de nc e t o s how tha tthe S c hool B oa r d’ s non- r e t a l i a t ory r e a s ons f or te rm in a tin g h e re m p lo y m e n t w e r e ap r e te x t f o rd is c r im in a tio n . I I I . S u m m a r y J u d g m e n t a s t o T it le V I I H o s t ile - W o r k- E n v ir o n m e n t C la im

“ A hos t i l e w ork e nvi r onm e ntc l a i m unde rT i t l e V I I i s e s t abl i s he d upon pr oof tha tthe w orkpl a c e i s pe rm e a t e d w i th di s c r i m i na t ory i nt i m i da t i on, r i di c ul e , a nd in su lt , th at is su ff

icien tl y s ev er e o r p er v as iv e to alter th e c o n d it io n s o f th e v icti m ’s e m pl oy m e nta nd c r e a t e a n abus i ve w orki ng e nvi r onm e nt . ” M i l l e rv. K e nw or th of D othan, Inc. , 27 7 F . 3d 12 69 , 12 75 (11th C i r. 20 02 ) ( qu ot at i on om i tt ed). T i t l e V II i s notm ea ntt o serve as “ a genera l ci vi l i ty c od e. ” S ee O ncal e v. S un do w ner O f f s hor e S e rvs . , I nc . , 523 U . S . 75, 81, 118 S . C t . 998, 1002, 140 L . E d. 2d 201 ( 1 9 9 8 ) . I n o r d e rto e s tab lis h ap r im af a c ie c la im o f

ah o s tile w o rk e n v ir o n m e n t, a pl a i nt i f f m us te s t abl i s h: (1) that[s ] he bel on gs t o a prot ec t ed grou p; (2) that[s ] he has been subj ec tt o u nw el com e har as sm ent ; (3) thatthe haras sm ent[w as ] base d on apr ot e c t e d c ha r a c t e r i s t i c of the e m pl oy e e . . . ; ( 4) tha tthe ha r a s s m e ntw a s s uf

f i c i e nt l y s e ve r e orpe rva s i ve t o a l t e rthe t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of

e m pl oy m e nta nd c r e a t e adi s c r i m i na t or i l y abus i ve w orki ng e nvi r onm e nt ; a nd ( 5) tha tthe e m pl oy e ri s r e s pons i bl e f or8

such envi ronm entun der e i ther atheory of vi ca ri ou s or of di re ct l i ab i l i ty. M i l l e r , 277 F . 3d a t1275. T he f our th e l e m e nt–tha tthe ha r a s s m e nta l t e r e d the t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of e m pl oy m e nt–c ont a i ns both as ubj e c t i ve a nd a n obj e c t i ve c om pone nt . M e ndoz av. B o r d e n , I n c ., 1 9 5 F .3 d 1 2 3 8 , 1 2 4 6 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 9 9 ) . T h u s , to s a tis f y th is e le m e n t, the em pl oyee m ustshow thatshe s ubj ec t i vel y per ce i ved the haras sm entas se vere a nd pe rva s i ve e nough t o c ha nge the t e rm s orc ondi t i ons of e m pl oy m e nta nd pres entfa ct s s uffi ci entfor the di stri ctcourtt o fi nd thatthi s per ce pt i on w as obj e c t i ve l y r e a s onabl e . I d. I n m a ki ng thi s obj e c t i ve de t e rm i na t i on, the f ol l ow i ng f a c t or s s houl d be c ons i de r e d: “ ( 1) the f r e que nc y of

the c onduc t ; ( 2) the s e ve r i ty of the cond uct ; (3) w hether the cond ucti s physi ca l l y threa t eni ng or hu m i l i at i ng , or a m e r e o f f e n s iv e u tte r a n c e ; a n d ( 4 ) w h e th e rth e c o n d u c t u n r e a s o n ab ly in te r f e r e s w ith the e m pl oy e e ’ s j ob pe r f orm a nc e . ” I d. T he S upr e m e C our tha s not e d tha tt e a s i ng, offhand com m ent s a nd i sol at ed i nci dent s do n otconst i tut e di sc ri m i nat ory c hang es i n the t e rm s a nd c ondi t i ons of e m pl oy m e nt . F a r a ghe rv. C i ty of B oc aR a t on, 524 U . S . 77 5, 78 8, 11 8 S . C t . 22 75 , 22 84 , 14 1 L . E d. 2d 66 2 (19 98 ). S at ch el ap p ears t o est ab l i sh th e fi rsttw o el em en t s o f th e p ri m a faci e case because s he i s am em ber of aprot ec t ed grou p and she a ss ert ed thatshe e xp er i ence d ha r a s s m e ntf

r om s e ve r a l c o- w orke r s . T he onl y e vi de nc e i n the r e c or d c onc e rni ng9

the thi rd el em entof the pri m a f ac i e c as e, ho w ever , consi st s of S at chel ’ s c on cl usory s t a t e m e nt s a nd be l i e f

s tha tone of

he rc o- w orke r s w a s “ ar a c i s t , ” a nd tha tthe sc ho ol di stri ctw as af

fe ct ed by i nst i tut i on al ra ci sm . S at chel adm i t s, ho w ever , that s he di d notknow w ha tm ot i va t e d the ha r a s s m e ntf r om the r e m a i nde rof

he rc ow orke r s a nd tha tthe be ha vi ors he obs e rve d a nd e xpe r i e nc e d di d notc ons i s tof a ny r a c ia lly d e r o g a to ry s ta te m e n ts o ra c ts . F u rth er, S at ch el can n o tsat i sfy th e fo u rth el em en to f th e p ri m a faci e case because s he di d n otpres entevi dence t o sho w thatthe haras sm entshe e xp er i ence d w a s s e ve r e a nd pe rva s i ve . T he ha r a s s m e ntS a t c he l c om pl a i ne d of c ons i s t e d of s pe c i f i c , i s ol a t e d i nc i de nt s w hi c h oc c urr e d ove rape r i od of y e a r s a tdi f

f e r e nt s c h o o ls . I n a d d itio n , n o n e o f th e in c id e n ts c o m p la in e d o f w e r e p h y s ic a lly thr e a t e ni ng ors e ve r e . T o the c ontr a ry , the e vi de nc e i n the r e c or d s how s tha tm a ny of the i nc i de nt s c i t e d i n S a t c he l ’ s c om pl a i nt , m ot i on, a nd br i e f on appe a l c ons i s tof w orkpl a c e di s put e s c onc e rni ng a tt e nda nc e pr oc e dur e s , c l a s s r oom m a na ge m e nt , a nd c o m p lia n c e w ith p o lic ie s s u c h a s n o t le a v in g s tu d e n ts u n a tte n d e d in th e c la s s r o o m . A l tho ug h these di sput es and con fr on t at i on s w er e s ubj ec t i vel y per ce i ved b y S at chel to c o n s titu te ah o s tile w o rk e n v ir o n m e n t, s u c h ap e r c e p tio n w a s n o t o b je c tiv e ly r e a s o n ab le . A c c o r d in g ly , S a tc h e l f a ile d to e s tab lis h ap r im af a c ie c a s e o f

h o s tile w ork env i ronm entbase d o n rac e.10

AF F I RME D.