Opinion ID: 220659
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Other Remarks by Board Members

Text: Dulin also relied on evidence of comments made by various Board members at occasions outside of the League meeting to show that his race was a motivating factor in the Board's decision. Dulin testified that Malouf approached him the day following the League meeting and stated that Flaggs, Foster, and Parker wanted to replace him. Malouf then suggested that Dulin submit a letter to the Board declaring his intention to retire at some point in the future. Dulin testified that he did submit such a letter and the Board did not respond. Malouf's comments to Dulin were not proximate in time to Dulin's termination. They also fail the first prong of the test because they did not mention race. Next, Moore and Flaggs both testified that they had a conversation approximately three months prior to the League meeting in which Moore suggested that the Board replace Dulin. These comments also were not proximate in time to the Board's decisions on Dulin and did not include any mention of Dulin's race. Moreover, Flaggs did not respond to, much less agree to implement, Moore's suggestion. Similarly, Moore and Parker testified that they had a very similar conversation approximately three months after the League meeting. Moore's comments and Parker's non-response were not proximate in time to the Board's employment decision and did not mention race. Neither Flaggs nor Parker attended the League meeting and Dulin offered no other evidence that their decisions to terminate Dulin's contract were motivated by racial animus. Finally, all five Board members discussed Dulin at the August 2006 Board meeting and decided that he should resign or retire within thirty to ninety days. Their comments, while proximate in time, fail the first prong of the test because the only statements that relate in any way to race expressed that: (1) the League was out of bounds in requesting that the Board fire Dulin; (2) the Board should not have fired Dulin after the League meeting; (3) the League has its own agenda; (4) the League had no influence over the Board's decisions; (5) the League had treated the Board members badly at that meeting; and (6) the Board members would not be returning to League meetings.