Court Opinion

ID: 9490142
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 13:34:09.957124+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:53:55.313621
License: Public Domain

ALSOP, District Judge,
dissenting in part and concurring in part.
Because I believe the District Court correctly granted summary judgment to the University on Smith’s sexual harassment claim by finding that the University took adequate remedial measures after Dr. Smith reported Dr. Schweiss’s alleged harassment, I respectfully dissent. I concur, however, with the majority’s decision to reverse and remand on Smith’s retaliation claim.
“Once an employer becomes aware of sexual harassment, it must promptly take remedial action which is reasonably calculated to end the harassment.” Kopp v. Samaritan Health Sys., Inc., 13 F.3d 264, 269 (8th Cir. 1993). Appropriate remedial action may mean different things under different circumstances. “Just as in conventional tort law a potential injurer is required to take more care, other things being equal, to prevent catastrophic accidents than to prevent minor ones, so an employer is required to take more care, other things being equal, to protect its female employees from serious sexual harassment than to protect them from trivial harassment.” Baskerville v. Culligan Int’l Co., 50 F.3d 428, 432 (7th Cir.1995).
The District Court concluded that the University’s response to Dr. Smith’s complaint was appropriate under the circumstances of this case. I agree. The facts regarding the University’s response are straightforward, and are not, as suggested by the majority, disputed by the parties. The evidence shows Dr. Smith first reported Dr. Schweiss’s behavior on or about December 1, 1993 to the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Mootz. Dr. Mootz met with Dr. Smith in January of 1994, and then referred Dr. Smith to Dean Monteleone, the Acting Dean of the Medical School. Dean Monteleone met with Dr. Smith on February 3, 1994. On March 22, Dean Monteleone met with Dr. Schweiss to discuss Dr. Smith’s allegations. Dean Monteleone also investigated the complaint by meeting with other members of the anesthesiology department. On April 21, Dean Monteleone met with Dr. Smith again. During this final meeting, Dr. Smith declined Dean Monteleone’s offer to file a more formal complaint and appeared pleased by the actions taken by Dean Monteleone on her behalf. In response to Dr. Smith’s complaint, Dean Monteleone took steps to revise the procedure for handling sexual harassment procedures, told Dr. Schweiss he was not to retaliate against Dr. Smith, and instituted training regarding inappropriate language in letters of reference written on behalf of residents. Each of these steps were proper and were calculated to end the harassment alleged to have been experienced by Dr. Smith. The record shows that St. Louis University did more than simply place “the harasser in charge of stopping the harassment” as suggested by the majority.
Summary judgment in employment discrimination cases, as in all cases, is appropriate when an examination of the evidence in a light most favorable to the non-moving part reveals no genuine issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552-53, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986), Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). As the Supreme Court explained in Anderson, “summary judgment should be granted where the evidence is such that it would require a directed verdict for the moving party.” 477 U.S. at 251, 106 S.Ct. at 2512 (citations omitted). To say that summary judgment should seldom be used in employment discrimination cases does not further a district court’s analysis of whether granting summary judgment is suitable in a particular case. Given the volume of employment discrimination cases filed, the myriad causes of action alleged in each, and the fact that virtually each such case generates a motion for summary judgment, it is essential that courts employ Rule *126856, when appropriate, to dismiss claims that are unsupported by law or fact.
Finally, the facts of this case do not parallel the egregious facts of the Kopp decision referred to by the majority. Dr. Smith continued with her residency program without any further abuse, even though her interaction with Dr. Schweiss did not cease. There was also no evidence in this case that the University knew of prior instances of alleged harassment by Dr. Schweiss. Dean Monteleone treated Dr. Smith’s complaint seriously and treated Dr. Smith respectfully. The steps taken by the University were prompt and adequate responses to Dr. Smith’s claim. Accordingly, I believe the University is entitled to summary judgment on Dr. Smith’s sexual harassment claim, and I respectfully dissent.