Opinion ID: 1147963
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Question of Failure to Exhaust Administrative Remedy.

Text: The Religious appellees next urge this suit could not be maintained against them for violation of Sec. 55-1102, supra, until the plaintiffs had exhausted their administrative remedies provided by statute. Section 55-1113, N.M.S.A. 1941 Comp., reads: No teacher having a written contract shall be discharged except upon good cause and after hearing on written charges, which, together with written notice of the time and place of hearing, shall be served upon said teacher at least five (5) days prior to such hearing. Such teacher shall have the right to appeal within ten (10) days to the state board of education, which board shall hear the matter de novo at a time and place to be by it fixed and the decision of such state board of education shall be final. Pending its decision upon appeal, such teacher shall be entitled to receive the salary contracted for. Section 55-105, N.M.S.A. 1941 Comp., provides the State Board of Education shall have certain powers, and subsection (g) thereof is as follows: 1. To revoke teachers' certificates for incompetency, immorality or for any cause which would have withheld its issuance in the first instance, but action hereunder shall only be taken after service of the accusation upon the accused person and hearing or opportunity to be heard thereon shall have been given the accused. The procedure established by Sec. 55-1113, supra, is in general use by various boards and we have required such use before a teacher may be discharged. See Stapleton v. Huff, 50 N.M. 208, 173 P.2d 612. It is adequate where a board desires to discharge a teacher for cause, or to dispense with future services of one having tenure. However, no provision is made therein for proceedings by a dissatisfied taxpayer or citizen, and we are advised no rules for hearings on protests or action thereon have been established by the State Board of Education or any local board. The plaintiffs did attempt to use the machinery of such section in connection with the operation of the Dixon school and appeared before the Rio Arriba County Board of Education. As heretofore stated, they were denied a hearing by both the county and state boards. It is true they might have brought mandamus against the County Board, but with the violations that were known and condoned by the local board, and with no right of appeal to the state board from an adverse decision, such action would, indeed, have been an idle gesture. The same is true in the other counties where there were violations. With the known attitude of the state board and its violations of the Constitution with regard to a single system of text books and its aid to the Roman Catholic schools, an appeal to it would likewise have been an idle gesture. The provision for an appeal by the teacher only strongly indicates Sec. 55-1113, supra, is intended only for use by the local board when a majority of its members determines a hearing shall be held to decide whether the services of a teacher are to be discontinued. The people of the State of New Mexico are not by this administrative act to be denied their constitutional rights to prevent the teaching of sectarian religion in their public schools and the expenditure of public funds in aid of sectarian or denominational schools, and to invoke a penalty for so doing.