Court Opinion

ID: 9375312
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-27 16:00:40.423111+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:57.394106
License: Public Domain

Case: 22-20260        Document: 00516652634             Page: 1      Date Filed: 02/22/2023

             United States Court of Appeals
                  for the Fifth Circuit
                                                                      United States Court of Appeals
                                                                               Fifth Circuit
                                      No. 22-20260
                                                                             FILED
                                    Summary Calendar                 February 22, 2023
                                                                        Lyle W. Cayce
   Doreatha Walker,                                                          Clerk

                                                                   Plaintiff—Appellant,

                                            versus

   Harmony Public Schools, also known as Cosmos
   Foundation,

                                                                   Defendant—Appellee.

                     Appeal from the United States District Court
                         for the Southern District of Texas
                              USDC No. 4:20-CV-3872

   Before Smith, Dennis, and Southwick, Circuit Judges.
   Per Curiam:*
         In this employment discrimination action, the district court granted
   summary judgment to defendant, Harmony Public Schools. Reviewing the
   record de novo and in a light most favorable to Walker, we agree with the

         *
             This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5.
Case: 22-20260      Document: 00516652634          Page: 2    Date Filed: 02/22/2023

                                    No. 22-20260

   district court that there was no genuine dispute of fact. We affirm the district
   court’s judgment.
                                              I.
          In August 2018, Harmony Public Schools hired Doreatha Walker as a
   science teacher. Walker is an African American woman. In Late February
   2019, Walker began efforts to celebrate Black History Month with a parade.
   The principal informed Walker that due to testing the school did not have
   time for a parade that year. Walker then sent an email filing a discrimination
   grievance against the principal. The following day the principal called a
   meeting with all teachers involved in the parade. While Walker voiced her
   concerns, she was told about the school’s three prong approach to Black
   History Month and provided with an alternative of hanging posters around
   the school. Walker accused the principal of calling the meeting in response to
   her grievance the day prior. Grievances were then filed against Walker.
   Harmony Public Schools then placed Walker on paid leave while they
   investigated the grievances. Walker returned to work two days later.
          Thereafter, Harmony Public Schools received additional grievances
   regarding Walker. These grievances stated that other teachers felt harassed
   and alleged that Walker was creating a hostile work environment. Harmony
   Public Schools placed Walker on leave for a second time while they
   investigated the grievances made by and against Walker. As a result of the
   investigation, the area superintendent terminated Walker’s employment,
   stating that Walker was “unnecessarily confrontational, threatening, and
   with the intent/effect of bullying and intimating coworkers,” and that her
   conduct “created a toxic work environment, which was unacceptable” to the
   school. Harmony Public Schools formally terminated Walker on April 12,
   2019 due to “misconduct.”

                                          2
Case: 22-20260      Document: 00516652634            Page: 3   Date Filed: 02/22/2023

                                    No. 22-20260

          Walker, proceeding pro se, sued Harmony Public Schools for racial
   discrimination and retaliation in violation of Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1981,
   as well as for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The district
   court dismissed Walker’s § 1981 claims and ADA claims as barred by
   sovereign immunity. Following discovery, both parties filed motions for
   summary judgment on Walker’s remaining Title VII claims, which the
   district court granted as to Harmony Public Schools and denied as to Walker.
   Walker timely appealed the district court’s summary judgment order. On
   appeal, she only challenges the disposition of her Title VII claims, of which
   there are three: racial discrimination, hostile work environment, and
   retaliation.
                                              II.
          We review the district court’s grant of summary judgment de novo
   and affirm if “there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the
   movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a);
   Renfroe v. Parker, 974 F.3d 594, 599 (5th Cir. 2020). A fact is material if it
   “might affect the outcome of the suit under governing law,” while a dispute
   about a fact is genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could
   return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477
   U.S. 242, 248 1986. We construe all the evidence and make all reasonable
   inferences in the light most favorable to Walker. Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372,
   378 (2007). If the record “could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for
   [Walker], there is no genuine [dispute] for trial.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co.
   v. Zenith Radio Corp, 475 U.S. 574, 587 (1986) (cleaned up).
                                              III.
          We first consider Walker’s claims of discrimination under Title VII.
   It is unlawful to terminate an employee “because of” her “race…, sex, or
   national origin.” 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1). Since Walker does not present

                                          3
Case: 22-20260      Document: 00516652634          Page: 4   Date Filed: 02/22/2023

                                    No. 22-20260

   direct evidence of discrimination, she must satisfy the McDonnell Douglas
   burden shifting framework. See McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S.
   792, 802-804 (1973); Sanders v. Christwood, 970 F.3d 558, 561 (5th Cir. 2020).
          Under that framework, Walker must make out a prima facie case of
   discrimination. Watkins v. Tregre, 997 F.3d 275, 281 (5th Cir. 2021). If she
   succeeds, Harmony Public Schools must respond with a “legitimate,
   nondiscriminatory reason” for terminating Walker. Id. at 282. The burden
   then shifts back to Walker who must counter with substantial evidence that
   Harmony Public School’s proffered reason is pretextual. Id. To establish a
   prima facie case of discrimination, Walker must show that she (1) is a member
   of a protected class; (2) was qualified for her position; (3) was subject to an
   adverse employment action; and (4) that others similarly situated were
   treated more favorably. Okoye v. Univ. of Tex. Hous. Health Sci. Ctr., 245 F.3d
   507, 512 (5th Cir. 2001).
          Within the fourth element, Walker contends that another white
   teacher was similarly situated and treated more favorably in that Ms. Huff
   was retained despite similar misconduct. To prevail under this theory,
   Walker must raise a question of fact as to whether the disparate employment
   actions were taken under “nearly identical” circumstances. See Lee v. Kan.
   City S. Ry. Co., 574 F.3d 253, 259 (5th Cir. 2009). While each employee’s
   track record does not need to comprise an identical number of infractions,
   the records must be comparable. Walker presents no evidence that Ms. Huff
   holds a comparable track record. Walker also fails to show any history of
   grievances against Ms. Huff as to cause the superintendent to open a similar
   investigation to that opened against Walker. Rather, the sole complaint
   against Ms. Huff was by Walker herself.
          Turning now to the hostile work environment claim, to establish a
   prima face case of a hostile work environment, Walker must show (1) she is a

                                         4
Case: 22-20260      Document: 00516652634           Page: 5   Date Filed: 02/22/2023

                                     No. 22-20260

   member of a protected class; (2) she suffered unwelcomed harassment; (3)
   the harassment was based on her membership in a protected class; (4) the
   harassment affected a term, condition, or privilege of employment; and (5)
   the employer knew or should have known about the harassment and failed to
   take prompt remedial action. Ramsey v. Henderson, 286 F.3d 264, 268 (5th
   Cir. 2002). The court considers the totality of employment circumstances in
   evaluating whether an environment is objectively hostile, including “the
   frequency of the discriminatory conduct; its severity; whether it is physically
   threatening or humiliating, or a mere offensive utterance and whether it
   unreasonably interferes with an employee’s work performance.” Harris v.
   Forklift Sys., 510 U.S. 17, 23 (1993).
          Although Walker subjectively felt bullied and harassed, she fails to
   specify any objectively offensive conduct attributable to her race that was
   sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of her employment.
   The record contains no evidence that Walker was subjected to race-based
   comments, slurs, or derogatory remarks. Occasional workplace critiques and
   banter between two teachers who did not get along are not evidence of the
   type of hostile workplace environment that is proscribed by Title VII. There
   is nothing in the record that would allow a reasonable juror to conclude that
   Walker has put forth summary judgment evidence of actual instances of
   racially motivated harassment.
          Finally, to establish a prima facie case of retaliation Walker must show
   (1) she participated in a protected activity; (2) her employer took an adverse
   employment action against her; and (3) a causal link exists between the
   protected activity and the adverse employment action. Taylor v. United Parcel
   Serv., Inc., 554 F.3d 510, 523 (5th Cir. 2008). Walker presented no summary
   judgment evidence that “but for” her complaint of discrimination she would
   have not been terminated. To the contrary, summary judgment evidence
   supports the superintendent’s finding that Walker created a toxic work

                                            5
Case: 22-20260     Document: 00516652634          Page: 6   Date Filed: 02/22/2023

                                   No. 22-20260

   environment by being confrontational and threatening, with the intent and
   effect of bullying her co-workers. Thus, Harmony Public Schools is entitled
   to summary judgment on Walker’s retaliation claim.
                                            IV.
         Because Walker failed to present any evidence establishing prima facie
   cases of a hostile work environment, racial discrimination, or a retaliatory
   motive, Harmony Public School is entitled to summary judgment. We
   AFFIRM the district court’s judgment.

                                        6