VICKI MILES-LaGRANGE, Chief Judge.
Before the Court is the Motion to Dismiss by Defendants Lynn Fitz ("Fitz") and John Whittington ("Whittington") with Combined Brief in Support ("Mtn. to Dis."), filed May 30, 2013. Plaintiffs filed their response ("Pls.' Resp.") on June 20, 2013, and Fitz and Whittington replied on June 26, 2013. Based on the parties' submissions, the Court makes its determination.
Plaintiffs, Ted and Bella Carroll, the parents and next friends of AKC
Plaintiffs further allege that the school's principal, as well as Fitz and Whittington, were aware of Cantrell's conduct and that plaintiffs were never notified of any disciplinary issues involving AKC. Plaintiffs allege that as a result of Cantrell's conduct and the District's inaction, AKC refuses to go into the school and gets upset and agitated when she enters the building, and that her overall academic progress has been impacted, as well as her ability to
Based on these allegations, plaintiffs assert claims of negligence and conspiracy against Fitz and Whittington. Fitz and Whittington move this Court to dismiss plaintiffs' claims, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6).
Regarding the standard for determining whether to dismiss a claim pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), the United States Supreme Court has held:
Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (internal quotations and citations omitted). Further, "where the well-pleaded facts do not permit the court to infer more than the mere possibility of misconduct, the complaint has alleged—but it has not shown— that the pleader is entitled to relief." Id. at 679, 129 S.Ct. 1937 (internal quotations and citations omitted). Additionally, "[a] pleading that offers labels and conclusions or a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do. Nor does a complaint suffice if it tenders naked assertion[s] devoid of further factual enhancement." Id. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937 (internal quotations and citations omitted). "While the 12(b)(6) standard does not require that Plaintiff establish a prima facie case in her complaint, the elements of each alleged cause of action help to determine whether Plaintiff has set forth a plausible claim." Khalik v. United Air Lines, 671 F.3d 1188, 1192 (10th Cir.2012). Finally, "[a] court reviewing the sufficiency of a complaint presumes all of plaintiff's factual allegations are true and construes them in the light most favorable to the plaintiff." Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d 1106, 1109 (10th Cir. 1991).
It is well established that the Oklahoma Governmental Tort Claims Act ("GTCA") is the exclusive remedy for an injured plaintiff to recover against a governmental entity in tort. Tuffy's, Inc. v. City of Okla. City, 212 P.3d 1158, 1163 (Okla.2009). Under the GTCA, a governmental entity is liable for torts for which a private person would be liable, unless the torts are committed outside the course and scope of employment or unless they are committed in bad faith or in a malicious manner. Id. Scope of employment is defined as an act where the employee performed the act in good faith within the duties of his office or employment. Id. More specifically, an employee is said to be acting within the scope of employment if the employee is doing that which is customary within the particular trade, engaging in work assigned, or doing that which
Fitz and Whittington assert that plaintiffs have "failed to specifically allege that they engaged in conduct outside their scope of employment or that a `special relationship' or `duty' existed between the plaintiffs and Fitz and Whittington outside the school setting." Mtn. to Dis. at 3. Plaintiffs assert that the GTCA does not protect Fitz and Whittington because they engaged in willful and wanton conduct. The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals found in Hull v. Wellston Indep. Sch. Dist. I 004, 46 P.3d 180 (Okla.Civ.App.2001) that:
Id. at 184. The Oklahoma Supreme Court defined wanton as:
Foster v. Emery, 495 P.2d 390, 392-93 (Okla.1972).
Having carefully reviewed plaintiffs' Complaint, and presuming all of plaintiffs' factual allegations are true and construing them in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, the Court finds that plaintiffs have not set forth sufficient allegations to show that Fitz and Whittington acted with willful and wanton negligence. In their Complaint, plaintiffs allege that "Fitz and Whittington failed to take any remedial and/or corrective action to stop the abuse," allegedly committed by Cantrell, and that "all defendants' actions were made with reckless disregard as to AKC's well-being and rights." Compl. ¶¶ 49 & 52. The Court finds that plaintiffs have failed to plead any facts to show that Fitz and Whittington's alleged action/or inaction was outside the scope of their employment or that their conduct was made with willful or wanton negligence. These statements as to Fitz and Whittington's actions or inactions are nothing more than mere conclusory statements. Accordingly, for the reasons set forth above, plaintiffs' claims of negligence against Fitz and Whittington are dismissed.
"A civil conspiracy consists of a combination of two or more persons to do an unlawful act or to do a lawful act by unlawful means. . . . In order to be liable the conspirators must pursue an independently unlawful purpose or use an independently unlawful means." Gaylord Entm't Co. v. Thompson, 958 P.2d 128, 148 (Okla. 1998). A civil conspiracy claim must "allege specific facts showing an agreement and concerted action amongst the defendants," and "the manner in which the conspiracy operated." Montgomery v. City of Ardmore, 365 F.3d 926, 940 (10th Cir. 2004). In their Complaint, plaintiffs assert that Cantrell, Fitz, and Whittington conspired to cover up the alleged abuse that occurred in Cantrell's classroom, in violation of Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 1-2-101(C).
Having carefully reviewed plaintiffs' Complaint, and presuming all of plaintiffs' factual allegations are true and construing them in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, the Court finds that plaintiffs have insufficiently pled a claim of civil conspiracy against Fitz and Whittington.
Accordingly, for the reasons set forth above, the Court GRANTS the Motion to Dismiss by Defendants Lynn Fitz and John Whittington with Combined Brief in Support [docket no. 19] and DISMISSES plaintiffs' negligence and civil conspiracy claims against defendants Fitz and Whittington.
Okla. Stat. tit. 10A, § 1-2-101(C).