Court Opinion

ID: 9608313
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 03:10:18.976707+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:45.176490
License: Public Domain

SCHROEDER, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent from the Court’s decision that the record supports the Commission’s determination that Folks’ conduct did not constitute a disregard of the standards of behavior which the District had a right to expect. The Commission’s sanitized version of the events do not convey the flavor of Lee’s conduct as well as the following findings by the Board of Trustees of the Moscow School District:
1. That over the last four to five years, Marsha Folks has engaged in a continuous course of conduct at the Moscow Junior High School which involved vulgar outbursts by Mrs. Folks during which time she falsely accused her direct supervisor, Principal Alan Lee, of misdeeds and used profane, unprofessional and inappropriate language despite being requested to refrain from such usage.
2. That over the last eight years, Mrs. Folks has verbally abused and screamed at students including using profanity in certain cases.
3. That in 1988, Marsha Folks in the presence of Ken LeBlane and within the hearing of K.C. Albright referred to high school Principal K.C. Albright as a “fucking son of a bitch”.
4. That while performing services at Moscow High School, Mrs. Folks [sic] personality was abusive, intimidating and confrontational and she continuously used profane language within the confines of the school building including, but not limited to, frequent use of the words “fucking” and “bull shit”.
*8415. That on April 21, 1993, Marsha Folks verbally attacked her direct supervisor, Alan T. Lee, in the teacher’s lounge in the Moscow Junior High School, commencing at approximately 1:25 p.m.
6. That such outburst was in the presence of teachers of the District, a teacher’s aide of the District, a student teacher of the District and was heard by students of the District. During such outburst, Mrs. Folks wrongfully accused Principal Lee of undermining her programs, called him a “fucking asshole” and a “son of a bitch” and communicated in loud screaming language frequently using other profane words such as “goddamned” and “bullshit”.
7. That during such outburst, Principal Lee requested that Marsha Folks complete the discussion with Principal Lee in his office outside the hearing range of others which she refused to do.
These findings were not disavowed by the Commission. There are several points of concern that warrant comment about the Commission’s decision and this Court’s acceptance of that position:
First, a dangerous precedent is established in the determination that Lee’s tolerance of Folks’ prior outbursts rendered the Districts’ expectations that Folks not use profane language unreasonable. Instead of Folks’ prior poor conduct weighing against her, as it should, it weighs against her employer. Employers had best be warned that kindness is an imprudent trap. According to the Commission’s logic missteps must be disciplined. Otherwise the tolerant employer has given up the right to expect a decent standard in the future and to finally say “enough is enough.” It is clear that Folks had many problems and acute psychiatric difficulties that warranted sympathy and understanding. The logic in this case is that the employer erred in being tolerant of her behavior in the past. Tolerance became a trap. No reasonable person can believe that the employer intended to lower conduct standards to the level exhibited in this case, but that is the effect of the Commission decision.
The next problem is the Commission’s willingness to take literary license and turn facts topsy-turvy in its “Conclusions of Law.” The Commission concluded that Lee provoked the outburst by Folks. The “provocation” amounted to Lee asking Folks, “if she was not speaking today,” after she did not respond to him. The Commission made an unusual Conclusion of Law: “Mr. Lee’s attempt to speak to Claimant on April 21 was inappropriate.” The two were in the teachers’ lounge. They had known each other for years. He was her boss. But according to the Commission he should not have spoken to her. Employers had best develop a litmus test to determine if on a particular day they may speak to their employees and colleagues in an informal setting.
According to the Commission Lee “pulled rank” on Folks when she began to shout obscenities which were audible to other staff and students. The Commission does not give us a finding of fact or conclusion of law as to how he should have responded to the outburst. “Pulling rank” was clearly in order when the outburst began.
In its effort to make the irrational sound rational, the Commission made the following statement in its “Conclusions of Law” concerning Lee and Folks’ conduct: “He for some reason, took it upon himself to explore how Claimant was feeling — i.e. whether she was still talking to him — and he got exactly what he asked for — her feelings at that moment.” This is an unusual conclusion of law, if treated as such. If treated as a finding of fact, it is without support. There is no evidence that he asked for her feelings at that moment. The Commission’s “Conclusion of Law” is hyperbole intended to make the unreasonable sound reasonable.
This Court shows extreme respect for the findings of the Commission, even when the Commission casts them as conclusions of law. That is proper. But the conclusions of the Commission in this ease are not supported by the facts. The conduct of the employee fell below a reasonable standard of behavior and constituted misconduct.