Court Opinion

ID: 9742116
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:07:01.137904+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:28.624914
License: Public Domain

Taylor, J.
(dissenting). I would sustain the trial *134court’s opinion and order that ruled that the discharge was justified and that reversed the State Tenure Commission’s reinstatement of respondent Abrahams despite the commission’s tie vote. The reasons given in the Porterfield opinion to support the view that the student witnesses’ testimony was not credible rest on legal error, therefore the findings in the Porterfield opinion should be reversed.
As the majority correctly states, under our limited scope of review of this matter, this Court must determine from the whole record whether there was competent, material, and substantial evidence to support the commission’s finding that there was not reasonable and just cause to reverse respondent’s dismissal. However, we are to hold unlawful and set aside such a decision if it was affected by a substantial and material error of law. Nestell v Bridgeport-Spaulding Community Schools Bd of Ed, 138 Mich App 401, 404; 360 NW2d 200 (1984); MCL 24.306; MSA 3.506(206).
The signers of the Porterfield opinion purport to relate and critique the testimony of several women who were respondent’s students at a time when he was their high school gym teacher. These students alleged that respondent engaged in improper conduct toward them. The signers of the Porterfield opinion ultimátely conclude that each of these witnesses was lying concerning the alleged improper touching or improper comments, although these allegations were made not only at the time of the initial complaints in 1980 but also reiterated by the witnesses at hearings held before the commission in 1986 and 1987.
I note particularly the treatment in the Porter-field opinion of the testimony of "Denise,” which, like that of the other witnesses, was deemed not to be credible. Without exception, the reasons given *135for disbelieving her rest on the fact that her behavior , toward respondent was irrational in light of what she claimed he did. That is, she did not try to avoid him despite his sexual misconduct toward her, appeared to have a good relationship with him, and even went so far as to decorate the environs of his home with toilet paper. The signers of the Porterfield opinion conclude that Denise cannot be believed because of her irrational behavior.
However, the examples given in the Porterfield opinion as the bases for discounting her testimony do nothing more than point out that Denise acted like a teenage girl in her behavior toward her teacher. This entire line of reasoning completely overlooks the fact that Denise was a teenager at the time the misconduct occurred.
The line of reasoning in the Porterfield opinion fundamentally misunderstands our law by applying an adult standard to the conduct of a minor. Our jurisprudence has historically afforded greater protection to those of tender years like Denise. As Justice Cooley said:
Children, wherever they go, must be expected to act upon childish instincts and impulses; and others who are chargeable with a duty of care and caution towards them must calculate upon this, and take precautions accordingly. [Powers v Harlow, 53 Mich 507, 515; 19 NW 257 (1884).]
Children are expected to act like children: it is expected that they may respond inappropriately to the actions of others. By analogy, a child below the age of sixteen cannot, under our law, consent to sexual penetration or contact. MCL 750.520b(1)(b); MSA 28.788(2)(1)(b), MCL 750.520c(1)(b); MSA 28.788(3)(1)(b), and MCL 750.520d(1)(a); MSA *13628.788(4)(1)(a). Evidence that a child purports to consent to sexual acts cannot be used as a defense or to discredit the child’s assertions. It is, in fact, legally irrelevant. In this matter, the fact that Denise responded inappropriately to respondent’s acts of sexual aggression cannot be used to discredit her, because to do so would establish in our law the proposition that the infirmities of minors are not a shield for their protection under the law, but, rather, a sword to discredit them from vindicating their legal rights.
Nevertheless, in direct contravention of this longstanding principle, it is stated in the Porter-field opinion that, in essence, "Teenagers who act like teenagers cannot be believed.”
My review of the Porterfield opinion leads me to conclude that, while facially valid and reasonable factors were given for disbelieving other witnesses, a legally improper factor was the sole reason given for discrediting Denise. This constitutes a substantial and material error of law. Her testimony should stand, and, standing alone, it constitutes evidence sufficient to show reasonable and just cause for discharging respondent.
Accordingly, I would reverse the findings set forth in the Porterfield opinion and order on the ground that, had not the signers of that opinion applied faulty legal reasoning in assessing Denise’s credibility, the inescapable conclusion would have been that respondent had engaged in unprofessional sexual conduct toward one of his young charges. Were it not for the vintage of this case, I would vote to simply remand this case for new fact finding on the existing record. In the alternative, and in light of the age of this case, I would find that the school district succeeded in carrying its burden of proof to demonstrate that reasonable *137and just cause existed for respondent’s discharge. See Couch v Saginaw Malleable Iron, 51 Mich App 317, 321; 214 NW2d 885 (1974). Ascribing the two votes of the Porterfield opinion to the two-vote Hass opinion results in a four to zero vote to discharge respondent, i.e., to deny his petition, in view of which there would be no need to delve into the tie-vote issue as the majority has done.
Again, I would affirm.