Austin Independent School District v. Andrew Lofters ( 2015 )


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  •                                                                           ACCEPTED
    03-14-00071-CV
    5072823
    THIRD COURT OF APPEALS
    AUSTIN, TEXAS
    4/28/2015 5:43:34 PM
    JEFFREY D. KYLE
    CLERK
    No. 03-14-00071-CV
    FILED IN
    3rd COURT OF APPEALS
    AUSTIN, TEXAS
    IN   THE TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS
    4/28/2015 5:43:34 PM
    FOR THE THIRD DISTRICT      JEFFREY D. KYLE
    AUSTIN, TEXAS                Clerk
    AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT,
    Appellant,
    v.
    ANDREW LOFTERS,
    Appellee.
    ON APPEAL FROM THE 419TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
    TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS
    CAUSE NO. D-1-GN-09-003078
    APPELLEE’S MOTION FOR REHEARING
    Potter Bledsoe, LLP
    Gary L. Bledsoe
    State Bar No. 02476500
    garybledsoe@sbcglobal.net
    Harry G. Potter III
    State Bar No. 16175300
    hpotter@potterbledsoe.com
    316 West 12th Street, Suite 307
    Austin, Texas 78701
    Tel: (512) 322-9992
    Fax: (512) 322-0840
    Attorneys for Andrew Lofters
    Table of Contents
    Table of Contents……………………………………………………………….... i
    Index of Authorities……………………………………………………………... ii
    I.      Issues Presented for Review………………………………………………… 1
    II.      Argument and Authorities…………………………………………………… 2
    A. Issue 1: Did the Court err in deciding that the 180 day requirement for
    filing a charge with the EEOC or Workforce Commission started to
    run when Lofters was denied the opportunity to attend the Doctoral
    Program at the University of Texas?................................................. 5
    B. Issue 2: Did the Court err in deciding that Lofters cannot maintain his
    Retaliation Claim?............................................................................. 8
    C. Issue 3: Did the Court err in holding that Equitable Tolling Does Not
    Apply to the 180 day time period requirements in Texas?............... 13
    III.    Prayer…………………………………………………………………….. 15
    i
    Index of Authorities
    Cases
    Arters v. Univision Radio Broad. Tx. L.P.,
    No. 3:07-CV-0957-D, 
    2009 WL 1313285
    , *6 (N.D. Tex. May 12, 2009)… 7
    Davis v. Autonation USA Corp.,
    
    226 S.W.3d 487
    , 493 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006, no pet.)……. 14
    Elgaghil v. Tarrant Cnty. Junior Coll.,
    
    45 S.W.3d 133
    , 142 (Tex. App. 2000)……………………………………. 10
    Gupta v. E. Tex. State Univ.,
    
    654 F.2d 411
    , 414 (5th Cir. 1981)………………………………… 10, 11, 13
    Hennigan v. I.P. Petroleum Co., Inc.,
    
    858 S.W.2d 371
    , 373 (Tex. 1993)………………………………………… 13
    Leach v. Baylor Coll. Of Med.,
    No. H-07-0921, 
    2009 WL 385450
    , *18 (S.D. Tex. Feb. 17, 2009)…….... 7
    Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.,
    
    550 U.S. 618
    , 
    127 S. Ct. 2162
    , 
    167 L. Ed. 2d 982
    (2007),
    overturned due to legislative action (Jan. 29, 2009)……………………. 5, 6
    Messer v. Meno,
    
    130 F.3d 130
    , 135 (5th Cir. 1997)………………………………………….. 8
    National R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Morgan,
    
    536 U.S. 101
    (2002)………………………………………………………. 8
    ii
    Prairie View A&M University v. Chatha,
    
    381 S.W.3d 500
    (Tex. 2012)………………………………………….. 5, 7
    Reeves v. Sanderson,
    
    530 U.S. 133
    , 
    120 S. Ct. 2097
    , 
    147 L. Ed. 2d 105
    (2000)………………… 9
    San Antonio Water Sys. v. Odem,
    No. 04-07-00130-CV, 
    2007 WL 2376147
    , at *2 (Tex. App. Aug. 22,
    2007)……………………………………………………………………… 11
    Sanchez v. Standard Brands, Inc.,
    
    431 F.2d 455
    , 466 (5th Cir. 1970)………………………………………… 10
    Santi v. University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston,
    
    312 S.W.3d 800
    , 805 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st.]…………………... 7, 8, 10
    Saucedo v. University of Texas at Brownsville,
    
    958 F. Supp. 2d 761
    (S.D. Tex. 2013)…………………………………….. 5
    Texas Tech University v. Finley,
    
    223 S.W.3d 510
    , 515 (Ct. App.—Amarillo, 2006)……………………… 13
    Thomas v. Clayton Williams Energy, Inc.,
    
    2 S.W.3d 734
    , 738 (Tex. App. 1999)……………………………………. 11
    Statutes
    Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, § 2 (2)…………………………………... 5, 6
    40 Tex. Admin. Code. Ann. § 819.46…………………………………………… 3
    42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(3)(A)…………………………………………………… 6
    iii
    29 U.S.C. § 626(d)(3)……………………………………………………………. 6
    iv
    Appellee, Andrew Lofters, submits this motion for rehearing in response to
    the opinion issued by the Court on April 1, 2015, and requests that the Court
    consider the following issues:
    ISSUES PRESENTED FOR REVIEW
    Issue 1: Did the Court err in deciding that the 180 day requirement for filing
    a charge with the EEOC or Workforce Commission started to run when Lofters
    was denied the opportunity to attend the Doctoral Program at the University of
    Texas?
    Issue 2: Did the Court err in deciding that Lofters cannot maintain his
    Retaliation Claim?
    Issue 3: Did the Court err in holding that Equitable Tolling Does Not Apply
    to the 180-day time period requirements in Texas?
    1
    ARGUMENT & AUTHORITIES
    Mr. Lofters was not aware of any discrimination when he was denied the
    ability to attend the Educational Doctoral program at the University of Texas at
    Austin. (C.R. 5). Lofters was seeking to obtain a doctoral degree in an area that
    was relevant to a partnership the district created as a result of the issues at
    Johnston. He accepted another position in the District and then observed another
    district employee in one of the classes. (C.R. 105-106). Lofters then made Open
    Records requests for information to make sure that he was correct and that the
    individuals were employees of the district not operating under special
    circumstances. (C.R. 152). He discovered on or about the 4th of April that there
    was an individual who he observed in his class who was still an employee of the
    district. (C.R. 222-254). After declining to permit Mr. Lofters to participate in the
    program, principal Hudson permitted a person of a different race and sex to
    participate in the program at the University of Texas. (C.R. 89-93, 172). Lofters
    went to the EEOC and filed a charge on or about July 25, 2008. (C.R. 99). Prior
    to that he had sent a letter on June 5th to the Human Resources Department of the
    District indicating that he felt he was being discriminated at in the district and that
    he planned to file EEOC charges. (C.R. 130). Lofters received a letter dated June
    11, 2008, that informed him that his assignment had ended for the 2007-2008
    school year (effective June 5th). (C.R. 138). Ironically, the staff were to be
    2
    notified about such matters the week of June 9th through June 16th according to
    AISD’s plan. (C.R. 282-283). Also, the 5th of June was the day that all employees
    were to be contacted to determine their employment interests. (C.R. 281). Lofters
    thought that the timing was curious. (C.R. 50). Lofters filed 179 days after the
    January 28th date according to the Court’s opinion. Lofters made an Open Records
    request to determine the viability of a complaint because seeing Oropez was not
    adequate to inform him if there was a valid claim. EEOC accepted his charge even
    though it had discretionary authority to dismiss the case as being untimely--and not
    accept charges. (40 Tex. Admin. Code. Ann. § 819.46). Lofters formally secured
    counsel and sent a letter to the EEOC to perfect his retaliation charge in November.
    (C.R. 291) It was formally filed in December. (C.R. 294). 40 TAC § 819.41
    provides that complaints are adequate if they include:
    (d) The complaint shall set forth the following information:
    (1) Harm experienced by the complainant as a result of the
    alleged unlawful employment practice;
    (2) Explanation, if any, given by the employer to the
    complainant for the alleged unlawful employment practice;
    (3) A declaration of unlawful discrimination under federal or
    state law;
    (4) Facts upon which the complaint is based, including the date,
    place, and circumstances of the alleged unlawful employment
    practice; and
    3
    (5) Sufficient information to enable CRD to identify the
    employer, e.g., employer ID, business address, and business
    phone.
    40 Tex. Admin. Code § 819.41. This was an amendment to a pre-existing
    complaint and clearly met those requisites. Subsequent to that Lofters provided
    information to the EEOC that detailed AISD’s plan for employees and how it was
    effectively his termination.
    AISD’s plan was to have Human Resources be responsible for all employee
    matters regarding placement in regards to the Johnston employees. (C.R. 282-283
    and see also C.R. 263). HR was required to meet with employees, assist them in
    finding jobs, ensure employees were invited to job fairs, and even facilitate
    interviews. It even required that they seek to place employees who have not been
    placed. (C.R. 281-283). Additionally, AISD was committed to maintaining
    Experienced Teachers. Dr. Lofters had the following experience at the time:
    Education
    1. B.S. (Chemistry-Teaching), University of Maryland (1987)
    2. M.Ed. (Education Administration), University of Texas at Austin
    (2004)
    3. Doctorate Program (CCLP), University of Texas at Austin (entering
    2007)
    Texas Certification
    1. Teaching & Administrative
    Employment Experience
    4. Teacher (Johnston HS), Austin ISD (2007-2008)
    5. Assistant Principal (Austin HS), Austin ISD (2004-2007)
    6. Administrative Intern (served various campuses), Austin ISD (2002-
    2004)
    4
    7. Science Teacher (served various campuses), Austin ISD (1987-2002)
    Issue 1: Did the Court err in deciding that the 180-day requirement for filing
    a charge with the EEOC or Workforce Commission started to run when
    Lofters was denied the opportunity to attend the Doctoral Program at the
    University of Texas?
    Prairie View A&M University v. Chatha, 
    381 S.W.3d 500
    (Tex. 2012), is a
    pay case like Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 
    550 U.S. 618
    , 
    127 S. Ct. 2162
    , 
    167 L. Ed. 2d 982
    (2007), overturned due to legislative action (Jan. 29,
    2009). It involves when the statute starts to run involving a pay case. In Chatha,
    the professor was aware of the discrimination but knowingly deferred the matter to
    the next year to see if the disparity would be fixed. In this case, Lofters was not
    aware of any discrimination. In fact, we do not know if Oropez was even in the
    program at the time that Lofters was told he could not participate in the program so
    how could he file a complaint of discrimination? Saucedo v. University of Texas at
    Brownsville, 
    958 F. Supp. 2d 761
    (S.D. Tex. 2013) provides the proper
    interpretation of Chatha—the time starts to run when you discover the pay
    discrimination. What we know in this case is that Oropez was in the class in
    January but not whether he was in the program prior in time.
    Prairie View A&M University v. Chatha and Ledbetter involve
    compensation decisions based on a discriminatory practice. Congress passed the
    Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in response to the United States Supreme Court’s
    5
    Decision in Ledbetter. Congress found that the Ledbetter decision “ignor[ed] the
    reality of wage discrimination and [was] at odds with the robust application of the
    civil rights laws that Congress intended.” Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, § 2
    (2). The Fair Pay Act provides that every paycheck that reflects the prior
    discriminatory decision triggers a new 180 day limitation period. It applies to
    discriminatory decisions in compensation made on the basis of race, color,
    religion, sex, and national origin as well as age and disability. See 42 U.S.C. §
    2000e-5(e)(3)(A) (“ For purposes of this section, an unlawful employment practice
    occurs, with respect to discrimination in compensation in violation of this
    subchapter, when a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice is
    adopted, when an individual becomes subject to a discriminatory compensation
    decision or other practice, or when an individual is affected by application of a
    discriminatory compensation decision or other practice, including each time wages,
    benefits, or other compensation is paid, resulting in whole or in part from such a
    decision or other practice.”); 29 U.S.C. § 626(d)(3) (“For purposes of this section,
    an unlawful practice occurs, with respect to discrimination in compensation in
    violation of this chapter, when a discriminatory compensation decision or other
    practice is adopted, when a person becomes subject to a discriminatory
    compensation decision or other practice, or when a person is affected by
    application of a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice, including
    6
    each time wages, benefits, or other compensation is paid, resulting in whole or in
    part from such a decision or other practice.”). Federal courts have interpreted the
    Fair Pay Act and held that it does not apply when it is not an act involving
    compensation. See e.g., Leach v. Baylor Coll. Of Med., No. H-07-0921, 
    2009 WL 385450
    , *18 (S.D. Tex. Feb. 17, 2009); see also Arters v. Univision Radio Broad.
    Tx. L.P., No. 3:07-CV-0957-D, 
    2009 WL 1313285
    , *6 (N.D. Tex. May 12, 2009)
    (holding that the Fair Pay Act only applies to “discriminatory compensation
    claims”). In Prairie View A&M University v. Chatha, the Texas Supreme Court
    answered the question of whether the Fair Pay Act applies to wage discrimination
    cases brought under the TCHRA. 
    381 S.W.3d 500
    (Tex. 2012). It refused to adopt
    the federal standard created by Congress in the Fair Pay Act marking an important
    departure from the general practice in Texas of applying federal law and precedent
    to claims under the TCHRA. 
    Id. The Texas
    Supreme Court held that the Fair Pay
    Act does not apply to discrimination claims brought under the TCHRA “where pay
    discrimination complaints are concerned.” 
    Id. at 506-507.
    Another solid reason to determine that the 180-day requirement was met is
    that Texas courts, even recently, have held that “discriminatory practices in
    promotion or transfer that produces effects that may not manifest themselves as
    individually discriminatory except in cumulation over a period of time.” Santi v.
    7
    University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston, 
    312 S.W.3d 800
    , 805 (Tex.
    App.—Houston [1st.].
    Also, if we look at Mr. Hudson and his actions, it is clear that even if we
    were to analyze the claim as a discrete action, the action by Mr. Hudson that raises
    the issue of discrimination did not occur until after he had denied Mr. Lofters.
    (C.R. 89-93, 172). National R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Morgan, 
    536 U.S. 101
    (2002). The limitations bar does not apply where discriminatory practices in
    promotion or transfer produce effects “that may not manifest themselves as
    individually discriminatory except in cumulation over a period of time. Messer v.
    Meno, 
    130 F.3d 130
    , 135 (5th Cir. 1997). In Meno the court indicated that each
    promotion was a discrete action. In this case, Hudson’s act of discrimination was
    too a discrete act that gave rise to a new, separate and discrete cause of action. An
    employee’s complaint should be construed with the utmost liberality. Santi, supra
    at 805.
    Issue 2: Did the Court err in deciding that Lofters cannot maintain his
    Retaliation Claim?
    Lofters engaged in protected activity when he sent the letter to HR on or about
    the 5th of June. (C.R. 130). Curiously, the District sent him a letter bearing a date
    prior to the date when teachers were to be notified of the District’s action. (C.R.
    138). Nonetheless, HR was placed on notice of Mr. Lofters’ intentions. Some
    8
    employees were maintained, so not every employee received the letter. (C.R. 139-
    141). And for the employees who did receive the letter, the district indicated it would
    place them elsewhere in the district as indicated above. In other words, the letters
    were not to be permanent but simply to put you on notice to find another job. HR,
    who received the complaint of retaliation from Mr. Lofters, was responsible for
    placing the employees. The district has suggested that it was the reorganization of
    Johnston that led to his termination, so the allegations the court describes as the
    Failure to Assist items were both the actual termination but also intended to show
    that the justification was a pretext and that they are part of the retaliatory termination
    and do not simply stand alone as separate and distinct adverse actions. The
    assistance issues became his termination because unlike the other teachers in his
    program, who were all kept on (C.R. 75), he was not treated like the others in his
    program, he was terminated and this reveals how the reason provided was a pretext.
    Defendant claims it was a reorganization but they would assist employees to stay.
    (C.R. p. 263). Mr. Lofters would not have been terminated but for the failure of the
    District to treat him as it did the other teachers in his program. In Reeves v.
    Sanderson, 
    530 U.S. 133
    , 
    120 S. Ct. 2097
    , 
    147 L. Ed. 2d 105
    (2000), the court laid
    out a 3rd way to prove discrimination and also a method to defeat claims like the
    district has put forward in this case that are intended to show a legitimate
    nondiscriminatory reason for the action at issue. There was no need to raise them
    9
    separate from the termination; however, they are matters that would be expected to
    grow out of a charge. Sanchez v. Standard Brands, Inc., 
    431 F.2d 455
    , 466 (5th Cir.
    1970) and Santi at p. 635. We should note that as to the retaliatory discharge, the
    law has been and continues to be that there is no need to exhaust. In this case, when
    the district failed to make the June, July or August contacts to work with him to keep
    him employed he became a discharged employee. Just as in Gupta, which also
    involved a teacher, one must know that the original filing quite naturally might lead
    to the termination or failure to assist which was the termination. The Fifth Circuit
    has held that retaliation claims are exhausted when they “grow out of an earlier
    charge.” Gupta v. E. Tex. State Univ., 
    654 F.2d 411
    , 414 (5th Cir. 1981) (holding
    that the court could hear the unexhausted retaliation claim because it arose as a
    consequence of the complainant exhausting his religion and national origin
    discrimination claims). In such a case, the court maintains ancillary jurisdiction to
    hear the retaliation claim. 
    Id. Requiring a
    complainant to file two separate charges only creates a “needless
    procedural barrier”--contrary to the goal of Title VII, which is to eradicate
    discrimination through encouraging private lawsuits to help enforce its provisions.
    
    Id. Texas courts
    have followed Gupta holding that unexhausted retaliation claims
    are not jurisdictionally barred when they arise from an earlier charge of
    discrimination. See, e.g., Elgaghil v. Tarrant Cnty. Junior Coll., 
    45 S.W.3d 133
    ,
    10
    142 (Tex. App. 2000) (relying on Gupta in holding that a separate administrative
    charge for the retaliation claim would be impractical and redundant); Thomas v.
    Clayton Williams Energy, Inc., 
    2 S.W.3d 734
    , 738 (Tex. App. 1999) (following
    Gupta and holding that because the retaliation claim arose due to the complainant
    filing a complaint with the EEOC and TCHR, the complainant was not required to
    also file a complaint on his retaliation claims to exhaust his administrative remedies).
    The San Antonio Court of Appeals has specifically held that the Gupta doctrine
    continues to apply. San Antonio Water Sys. v. Odem, No. 04-07-00130-CV, 
    2007 WL 2376147
    , at *2 (Tex. App. Aug. 22, 2007) (“In Gupta, the plaintiff properly
    filed two charges with the EEOC, the first alleging discrimination and the second
    alleging retaliation for filing the first charge. 
    Id. at 412-13.
    He then filed suit against
    his employer. 
    Id. at 413.
    After filing suit, the employer notified him that his
    teaching contract would not be renewed for the following year. 
    Id. As a
    result, he
    alleged in his suit that the non-renewal of his contract was done in retaliation for his
    filing charges with the EEOC. 
    Id. However, he
    did not file a separate charge with
    the EEOC alleging retaliatory discharge. 
    Id. The court
    held that the lower court had
    ancillary jurisdiction to hear the retaliation claim because the claim grew out of an
    administrative charge that was properly before the lower court. 
    Id. at 413-14.”).
    Once Lofters made known his complaint of discrimination on the 5th of June,
    it is logical to assume that since they were made to the Human Resources
    11
    Department that they may not provide the assistance that he was to be provided (in
    fact they did not even notify him of the availability of such initiatives). (C.R. C.R.
    256-2901, 314 2). Moreover, Lofters did provide this information to the EEOC in his
    Position Statement which states in relevant part:
    And not only was his position discontinued, he was not given notice or
    other options that were made available to other persons who were
    subsequently told that their positions at Johnston High School were
    being eliminated. Though the Commissioner wanted a largely different
    staff in place at the school from the one that was there at the time of the
    closure, he did not order termination of contracts of the staff then at
    Johnston High School. Most of the members of the staff at Johnson
    who were high performers and not old enough to retire were permitted
    to remain with the school district. Lofters was not permitted to remain,
    however, so he left the district involuntarily. On information and belief
    the members of the staff who were retained did not have pending or
    current discrimination allegations against the Austin Independent
    School District.
    (C.R. 328). The same logic appears here where we are talking about obligations on
    the district to ensure that Lofters maintained his employment. The consequence of
    not assisting Lofters was that he was discharged. That is why those matters are
    intended to be read as part of the discharge claim and how they clearly were
    1
    Plaintiff’s Response to Defendant’s Plea to the Jurisdiction (Exhibit D - shows
    Johnston HS employees were supposed to receive assistance from the district that
    was not provided to Lofters).
    2
    Plaintiff’s Response to Defendant’s Plea to the Jurisdiction (“As Mr. Lofters
    mentions in his affidavit, the benefits that other employers were to receive-such as
    meeting with the individual employees, inviting them to group meetings and
    helping them to identify jobs-was not provided to him.”).
    12
    exhausted by the mere filing of the charge to the extent they needed to be exhausted.
    In other words, under Gupta there was no need to exhaust those issues. However,
    they were exhausted by the filing itself.
    A complaint is considered filed even if it is not verified at the time of filing.
    Hennigan v. I.P. Petroleum Co., Inc., 
    858 S.W.2d 371
    , 373 (Tex. 1993). Further,
    amendments to the original charge relate back to the date the original complaint was
    filed. Hennigan, supra at 373. In this case, the retaliation charge was filed no later
    than November 21st but should be considered filed in July. Plaintiff was pro se and
    went to file a discrimination charge and filed one on discrimination and simply
    amended it to include retaliation and the termination (which as expressed above did
    not have to be included). A letter is adequate to constitute a complaint. Texas Tech
    University v. Finley, 
    223 S.W.3d 510
    , 515 (Ct. App.—Amarillo, 2006).
    Issue 3: Did the Court err in holding that Equitable Tolling Does Not Apply to
    the 180-day time period requirements in Texas?
    The evidence will show that the comparator was in school with Lofters shortly
    before he filed. There is no evidence that either of the two comparators was in school
    when Lofters was rejected. It is like a man asking to work from home and being
    rejected, then a request from a woman being accepted 181 days later. We do not
    have a comparator until 181 days later so how could the discrimination charge have
    been filed previously. The person who initially denied Mr. Lofters had a comparator,
    13
    but only months later. The cases are very clear, that even though the 180-day
    requirement has been held to be jurisdictional, it can be equitably tolled. Tolling
    occurs when employers take action like withholding vital information. Davis v.
    Autonation USA Corp., 
    226 S.W.3d 487
    , 493 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006,
    no pet.) Equitable estoppel applies, for example, when the employer hides vital
    information. 
    Id. at 493.
    Davis expressly holds that equitable estoppel is still
    available after acknowledging that in Texas the 180-day requirement has been held
    to be mandatory and jurisdictional. Davis, supra at 491.
    Hudson told Lofters that the decision to deny his participation in the CCLP
    was not his decision, (C.R. 56-57), but in Hudson’s affidavit he stated that the
    decision to deny Lofters’ request was his. Hudson states in his affidavit: “...in my
    decision to deny his request for a schedule adjustment….” (C.R. 172). Hudson
    represented to Lofters that the denial was based on an ironclad rule but given that
    Ms. Garza was later allowed to attend this was clearly not true. The District did not
    permit Blacks to participate in opportunities such as the CCLP. (C.R. 59-60). And
    the Superintendent may have had the final word but Hudson preempted Lofters from
    going to the Superintendent by making it seem like the decision was standard across
    the board. The District also has a policy that prohibits this and they violated their
    own policy. (C.R. 111). In addition, during the course of these proceedings, AISD
    tendered a list that they alleged was assistant principals who were allowed to
    14
    undertake education opportunities, such as the CCLP, but that list turned out to be a
    list of teachers instead. (C.R. 80). The Fifth Circuit has recognized that tolling may
    be appropriate in situations in which the plaintiff is unaware of the facts giving rise
    to the claim because of the defendant’s intentional concealment of them. The Texas
    Supreme Court has also recently cited a U.S. Supreme Court case holding that “filing
    a timely charge of discrimination with the EEOC is not a jurisdictional prerequisite
    to suit . . . but a requirement that, like a statute of limitations, is subject to waiver,
    estoppel, and equitable tolling. In re United Serv. Auto. Ass’n, 
    307 S.W.3d 299
    (Tex.
    2010) (quoting Zipes v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 
    455 U.S. 385
    , 393, 
    102 S. Ct. 1127
    , 
    71 L. Ed. 2d 234
    (1982)).
    PRAYER
    For the reasons stated in this motion, appellee asks the Court to grant this
    motion for rehearing, withdraw its opinion, reverse the trial court’s judgment, and
    either render judgment for appellee or reverse and remand for a new trial.
    Respectfully submitted,
    Potter Bledsoe, LLP
    ___/s/ Gary L. Bledsoe___
    Gary L. Bledsoe
    State Bar No. 02476500
    garybledsoe@sbcglobal.net
    Harry G. Potter III
    15
    State Bar No. 16175300
    hpotter@potterbledsoe.com
    316 West 12th Street, Suite 307
    Austin, Texas 78701
    Tel: (512) 322-9992
    Fax: (512) 322-0840
    Attorneys for Andrew Lofters
    CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
    I certify that this document was produced on a computer using Microsoft Word
    2013 and contains 4338 words, as determined by the computer software's word-
    count function, excluding the sections of the document listed in Texas Rule of
    Appellate Procedure 9.4(i)(1).
    ___/s/ Gary L. Bledsoe___
    Gary L. Bledsoe
    16
    Certificate of Service
    I certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing document was served
    on counsel for Austin Independent School District today, April 28, 2015, through
    the court's electronic filing system and by email to the following addresses:
    Jonathan G. Brush
    jbrush@rmgllp.com
    Richard A. Morris
    rmorris@rmgllp.com
    Rogers, Morris & Grover, L.L.P.
    5718 Westheimer, Suite 1200
    Houston, Texas 77057
    Tel: (713) 960-6000
    Fax: (713) 960-6025
    Attorneys for Austin Independent School District
    ___/s/ Gary L. Bledsoe___
    Gary L. Bledsoe
    17