Walker-Hynes v. Poore et al

Filing 44

ORDER Adopting 42 Recommended Disposition in all respects. Defendant Michael Poore's 30 Motion for Summary Judgment is granted. Plaintiff's claims are dismissed with prejudice. Signed by Judge James M. Moody Jr. on 3/27/2018. (mcz)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
WESTERN DIVISION
STEPHANIE WALKER-HYNES
V.

PLAINTIFF

CASE NO. 4:16-CV-920-JM-BD

MICHAEL POORE,
Individually and Officially as
Superintendent of Little Rock School District

DEFENDANT

ORDER
The Court has carefully reviewed the Recommended Disposition filed by
Magistrate Judge Beth Deere. After careful consideration of the Recommendation and
Plaintiff Stephanie Walker-Hynes’s timely objections, and after a de novo review of the
record, the Court concludes that the Recommendation should be, and hereby is, approved
and adopted as this Court’s findings in all respects.
In addition to the adopted findings, the Court concludes that even if Plaintiff had
made a prima facie case of retaliation, she has not offered proof that Defendant’s reasons
for the decision to eliminate her position were pretextual. Plaintiff does not contest the
need for the LRSD to eliminate positions in anticipation of the loss of the desegregation
funding.
Furthermore, the Court agrees that any retaliation claim that Plaintiff might have
attempted to assert as a result of her reassignment to the adult education department in
April of 2013 would be barred by her failure to exhaust her administrative remedies
related to that employment action.
Defendant Michael Poore’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 30) is

GRANTED. Plaintiff Stephanie Walker-Hynes’s claims are DISMISSED WITH
PREJUDICE.
IT IS SO ORDERED this 27th day of March, 2018.

________________________________
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE