Anthony Stratton, by his father, Richard Stratton, filed a petition in the circuit court of Marshall County seeking a writ of certiorari, declaratory relief, and an injunction to prevent Anthony’s expulsion from Wenona Community Unit District No. 1 (District). The circuit court issued the writ of
Pursuant to a March 26, 1987, vote of the District’s board of education, Anthony Stratton was expelled from high school for “gross misconduct.” Thereafter, on April 2, 1987,
The petition alleged, in essence, that (1) notice of the expulsion
On April 22, 1987, the date set for hearing, the Strattons were granted leave to amend their petition. The amended petition identified two bases for the action which were not included in the Strattons’ original petition. The amended petition stated in pertinent part:
“This action is brought requesting the Court to grant certiorari and grant declaratory relief and an injunction pursuant to Illinois Code of Civil Procedure §11 — 101 et seq. This action is also brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983.”
In preliminary argument, counsel for the Strattons moved to strike references in the District’s answer to anything beyond the minutes of the board meeting of March 26, 1987. Counsel explained the “two-fold” nature of the Strattons’ petition which he claimed justified his motion. First, the Strattons requested the court to “grant certiorari” and review the proceedings of the board solely upon an inspection of its record, i.e., the board’s minutes or matters incorporated therein. No evidence
The District’s counsel noted that the answer the District had filed was in response to the original petition, not the amended petition raising certiorari; therefore the motion to strike was inappropriate. Further, counsel argued that the Strattons had to prove the board acted arbitrarily or capriciously, regardless of the type of action involved.
The court rejected the Strattons’ position, ruling that evidence would not be limited to the “record.” The court defined “record” as “the record of the school district in the proceedings recorded at the school in the transcript.”
The Strattons then had four exhibits marked for identification. Exhibit No. 1 was the minutes of the board’s executive session held on March 26, 1987, wherein matters relating to expulsion were considered; Exhibit No. 2 was the minutes of the open meeting held on the same date, wherein the vote on expulsion was announced; Exhibit No. 3 was an authorization and request for Anthony’s school records; and Exhibit No. 4 was a letter, signed by Superintendent Fred Sams, .informing Mr. and Mrs. Stratton of the impending expulsion hearing. The exhibits were admitted into evidence, and the Strattons rested.
The Strattons then moved for a directed verdict. Contending that the entire record of the expulsion proceeding was before the court for purposes of certiorari review, the Strattons argued that the board of education acted without jurisdiction and proceeded illegally “under the Fourteenth Amendment, the Open Meetings Act, and the Illinois School Code.” The Strattons challenged the sufficiency of the minutes in that the letter providing
The circuit court took the Strattons’ motion under advisement and proceeded to hear additional evidence pursuant to section 3(b) of the Open Meetings Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 102, par. 43(b)), which provides that a court “may examine in camera any portion of the minutes of a meeting at which a violation of the Act is alleged to have occurred, and may take such additional evidence as it deems necessary.” The District proceeded to call witnesses who testified regarding matters referred to in the minutes of the board of education and subjects beyond the minutes.
Fred Sams, district superintendent, testified that he prepared and kept the minutes of the board of education. Sams identified the official board minutes for March 9, 17, 23 and 26, 1987, July 14 and August 20, 1986, and November 11, 1985. Superintendent Sams identified a parent/student handbook which set forth rules of student conduct and which had been adopted by the board as evidenced by the board’s August 20 minutes. Sams also identified the District’s policy manual which had been adopted by the board at its November 11,1985, meeting.
Superintendent Sams then identified a packet of documents which, he testified, had been presented at the expulsion hearing for the board’s consideration and, among other things, included a chronological history of Anthony Stratton’s behavior problems as compiled by Principal Lorin Stevens and Superintendent Sams, as well as various letters to Anthony’s parents pertaining to Anthony’s behavioral problems. The Strattons objected to consideration
During the course of Sams’ testimony, the circuit court granted a writ of certiorari, but held that formal requirements were not necessary and proceeded to hear evidence beyond the board’s minutes.
Robert Sanders, the district guidance counselor, testified that he had appeared at the March 26, 1987, meeting of the board of education and had recounted an incident involving Anthony which had occurred approximately one week earlier. Sanders provided Anthony counseling for truancy.
Lorin Stevens, the district principal, testified as to what he had told the board on the evening of March 26, 1987. Stevens related three incidents of misconduct and rule violations involving Anthony. The first incident arose from a confrontation between Anthony and another student in a physical education class on December 4, 1986. Stevens was summoned by Mr. Beckman, Anthony’s teacher. When Stevens requested that Anthony come over to where Stevens was standing, Anthony walked away from him, and stated, “I don’t have to kiss anybody’s ass just because I’m on probation.” When Stevens told Anthony to go home and get his mother, Anthony responded by saying, either to Stevens or Beckman, “If I go back to jail, I’ll get even with you.” Stevens told Anthony he had a witness to
On March 24, 1987, Stevens met with Anthony’s father. At the meeting, Mr. Stratton was given a letter, serving notice of a March 26 hearing to consider expulsion of Anthony. Stevens had been meeting regularly with Mr. Stratton to discuss Anthony’s conduct.
Stevens testified that Anthony had received the parent/student manual and he identified a document bearing Anthony’s signature attesting to that fact. Mr. Stevens also identified suspension notices he had issued to Anthony and letters he had sent to Anthony’s parents apprising them of the suspensions. Stevens further testified regarding various other meetings with the Strattons wherein their son’s misconduct was discussed.
Sharon Stratton, Anthony’s mother, was called as an adverse witness by the District. She acknowledged that she had been notified of Anthony’s out-of-school suspension on March 20, 1987, and that she had actual notice as of March 25 of the impending March 26 expulsion
The District rested its case and moved for admission of its exhibits. The Strattons objected on grounds that many of the exhibits were beyond the minutes of the board meeting. The exhibits were admitted.
The Strattons presented rebuttal evidence, after noting that the court had “gone way beyond” the scope of certiorari proceedings. The court noted the Strattons’ continuing objection regarding the limits of certiorari review, following which the' Strattons presented evidence of their own beyond the board’s minutes.
The board secretary, Sam Kimpling, testified that the meeting of March 26 began as a special meeting within which there was an executive session dealing with Anthony. However, all votes were recorded in the open session of the special meeting. The board had decided on March 23 to proceed with an expulsion hearing on March 26 and had authorized the superintendent to give notice to the parents. At the inception of the meeting, board members received an informational packet and a copy of the notification letter to Anthony’s parents. Kimpling said he voted for expulsion because of Anthony’s defiance and disobedience. Prominent in his decision to vote for expulsion was the incident in the physical education class.
The board president, Vaun Meinhold, agreed that the superintendent had been authorized to give notice to Anthony’s parents. Meinhold considered the entire informational packet in his decision, but he was primarily concerned about the three incidents of misbehavior addressed by Stevens in his testimony before the board. Stevens said he had lost control over Anthony.
Anthony Stratton was called as a witness. The District objected on relevancy grounds, claiming that the issue was the propriety of the board’s decision and, since Anthony did not testify before the board at the expulsion hearing, his testimony should not be considered. Counsel for the Strattons noted that review should have been confined to the record on certiorari, but that, given the court’s ruling in that regard, Anthony should be allowed to testify. The District reiterated its position that evidence should be confined to that which was before the board. The court ruled Anthony’s testimony irrelevant and immaterial. The Strattons’ counsel continued to argue the point, contending that Anthony’s testimony would be relevant as it related to the circumstances surrounding the imposition of suspensions which formed part of the basis for his expulsion. If the suspensions were arbitrary, counsel argued, the expulsion based upon the suspensions must have been arbitrary. The court allowed Anthony’s testimony as an offer of proof and, in the course of the testimony, the court “reversed its position” and “allowed everything that [had] been said by [the] witness to be introduced into evidence.”
Anthony was allowed to testify regarding incidents which formed the basis for his expulsion. Anthony claimed that he was absent March 16 through 18 because he was counseling a friend who was contemplating suicide. He tried to explain the reason for his absence to Stevens, but Stevens would not listen. Anthony admitted the use of profanity on March 19, but said he did not know Stevens was in the area. He testified he was
Sharon Stratton was recalled as a witness, testifying concerning support services provided to her son by the District. She also testified, in the form of an offer of proof, regarding a change in school officials’ attitudes toward Anthony which she perceived after a fight involving Anthony and Brett Sams, the superintendent’s son.
Victor Lenkaitis, a probation officer, was allowed to testify concerning certain conversations he had with Anthony in March of 1987. The conversations centered on Anthony’s concern about teenage suicide, a matter which Anthony addressed in his own testimony.
Following Lenkaitis’ testimony, some of which was admitted only as an offer of proof, closing arguments were heard. Counsel for the Strattons again raised the issue of the limited scope of review on certiorari and then proceeded to argue evidence beyond the board’s minutes. The District’s counsel confined his argument primarily to whether the board’s expulsion decision was arbitrary and whether Anthony was afforded due process. Counsel briefly addressed review by certiorari, suggesting that the “record” could be amended “right up in the hearing on the certiorari.”
The court found that the board’s decision was not arbitrary and that due process was afforded to Anthony. The court entered judgment for the District. The Strattons appealed.
The appellate court reversed. After delineating what it believed to be the proper scope of inquiry under review by a writ of certiorari, the appellate court found that the trial court had erred in allowing extrinsic evidence beyond the board’s minutes to be admitted. Although
We disagree with the appellate court, both with respect to the appropriate scope of circuit court review and the school board’s compliance with the requirements of due process. We believe the Strattons could not, given the facts of this case, restrict the circuit court’s review to the school board’s minutes by invoking common law certiorari. Moreover, we find the Strattons were not denied due process of law.
The common law writ of certiorari was developed to provide a means whereby a petitioner who was without avenue of appeal or direct review could obtain limited review over action by a court or other tribunal exercising quasi-judicial functions. (People ex rel. Loomis v. Wilkinson (1852),
However, there is no absolute right to review by certiorari. As in equity, where the sound discretion of the court is the controlling guide of judicial action in every phase of a suit (Chicago v. Fieldcrest Dairies, Inc. (1942),
The Strattons brought their action, in part, under 42 U.S.C. §1983 (1988). Unlike a certiorari proceeding, a section 1983 action is not a review proceeding even when, as here, it challenges administrative action that has an adjudicative component (Hameetman v. City of Chicago (7th Cir. 1985),
Given the overlap of issues and the inconsistent procedural posture of the case, we believe the circuit court was warranted in exercising its discretion and hearing evidence beyond the school board’s minutes. Since the presence of the section 1983 claim warranted the taking of additional, but substantially similar, evidence (Hameetman,
Before we address the merits of this case, a few words regarding the scope of review are in order. The Strattons filed a notice of appeal from the circuit court’s judgment finding that the board’s expulsion of Anthony was not “arbitrary and capricious” and that the requirements of due process were met in the expulsion proceedings. Although the Strattons apparently argued other matters as well before the circuit and appellate courts, as they now do before us, the circuit court decided only the aforementioned issues and the appellate court addressed only certiorari and due process. We will similarly restrict the scope of our review, addressing other matters raised by the Strattons only as those matters relate to the issues properly before us. We believe a party who has received an adverse decision in the circuit court has a responsibility to obtain a court ruling upon those matters which he wishes to raise on appeal. (See Belfield v. Coop (1956),
We will, however, briefly address at this juncture the Strattons’ contention that the school board lacked jurisdiction to expel Anthony. We have reviewed the authorities cited by the Strattons (The Homefinders, Inc. v. City of Evanston (1976),
The Strattons cite Litin in support of an alternative jurisdictional contention: that the board lacked jurisdiction to act because the superintendent, rather than the board, served notice on them. While the Strattons’ citation to Litin provides a refreshing interlude, in that it is factually similar to this case and actually stands in support of the proposition for which it is cited, we believe Litin is distinguishable on its facts. In Litin, the sole issue was whether a written notice, warning a teacher of
We now turn to the due process question and, thereafter, the issue of whether the board’s expulsion of Anthony was arbitrary and capricious.
A student’s legitimate entitlement to a public education is a property interest which is protected by due process guarantees and which may not be arbitrarily taken away without adherence to minimal procedural safeguards. (Goss v. Lopez (1975),
Procedural due process in an administrative setting does not always require application of the judicial model (Dixon v. Love (1977),
Essentially, the Strattons contend that notice was neither timely given, nor sufficiently specific. We disagree. Neither the timing nor specificity of the notice denied the Strattons their rights to due process.
Two days’ notice gave the Strattons sufficient time to prepare for the hearing in view of the fact that both the parents and Anthony were well aware of the instances of Anthony’s misconduct leading up to the expulsion.
Notice was also sufficiently specific. The notice given to the Strattons indicated that the board would consider expelling Anthony “for gross misconduct, disobedience, and-disrespect,” substantially tracking the language of the statute providing for expulsion (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 122, par. 10 — 22.6(a)), which employs the terms “gross disobedience and misconduct.” At the March 24, 1987, meeting with school officials, wherein he was given notice of the expulsion hearing, Mr. Stratton was brought up to date on Anthony’s most recent acts of misconduct. There were no acts of misconduct of which the Strattons were unaware. The Strattons knew that the proceeding represented the culmination of a pattern of misbehavior by Anthony, rather than punishment for
The Strattons were given adequate notice of the expulsion hearing and an opportunity to attend. It was their choice, apparently on the advice of their counsel, not to participate in the evidentiary portion of the hearing. Thus, the testimony before the board consisted primarily of that given by Principal Stevens, who related essentially three incidents of Anthony’s misconduct, upon which board members placed great weight in deciding to expel Anthony. We have previously set forth Stevens’ testimony at length and need not reiterate it here; however, we believe Stevens’ testimony furnished an evidentiary basis to support the decision to expel Anthony. Therefore, the decision is sustainable under either the section 1983 standard or the standard employed in certiorari cases since it is supported by evidence and is thus neither arbitrary nor capricious.
We believe the Strattons were accorded their rights to due process of law. Those issues which the Strattons have raised, and which we have heretofore declined to address, would not alter our decision because they did not result in substantial prejudice and therefore cannot be used to establish a denial of procedural due process. (Keough v. Tate County Board of Education (5th Cir. 1984),
For all the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the appellate court is reversed and that of the circuit court affirmed.
Appellate court judgment reversed; circuit court judgment affirmed.
JUSTICE RYAN took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.