Norman v. Beaumont ISD

── Norman v. Beaumont ISD ── Court: Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Date: April 30, 2026 Category: Civil Rights Case: 25-40215 Document: 51-1 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/30/2026 United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit ____________ FILED April 30, 2026 No. 25-40215 Lyle W. Cayce ____________ Clerk Shanter Norman, Plaintiff—Appellant, versus Beaumont Independent School District; Beaumont Independent School District Police Department; Shannon Allen, Doctor, Superintendent, Individually and in her Official Capacity; Joseph Malbrough, Chief, Individually and in his Official Capacity, Defendants—Appellees. ______________________________ Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas USDC No. 1:24-CV-7 ______________________________ Before Stewart, Engelhardt, and Douglas, Circuit Judges. Kurt D. Engelhardt, Circuit Judge:* It is no secret that “the plaintiff is the master of his complaint.” Cody v. Allstate Fire & Cas. Ins., 19 F.4th 712, 715 (5th Cir. 2021) (citation modified). Plaintiff Shanter Norman has tried to bob and weave his way _____________________ * This opinion is not designated for publication. See 5th Cir. R. 47.5. Case: 25-40215 Document: 51-1 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/30/2026 No. 25-40215 around pleading requirements in federal court, rather than alleging a factual basis for his claims. The district court said, “no more.” We AFFIRM. I. Norman asserted First- and Fourteenth-Amendment-based 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claims, along with retaliation, disparate treatment, and hostile work environment claims under the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (“TCHRA”) against the Beaumont Independent School District (“BISD”), BISD Police Department, Superintendent Shannon Allen, and BISD Police Department Chief Joseph Malbrough. In a truncated Amended Complaint, Norman alleged BISD terminated his position with the BISD Police Department following an internal investigation into a Facebook post he made. This post allegedly “pray[ed] for integrity and accountability for those in positions of power.” Am. Compl. ¶ 6. After Norman published the post, he alleges a supervisor “constructed false allegations that [Norman] had been disrespectful about his past and present supervisors.” Id. That supervisor also purportedly “contrived reports of anonymous complaints” against Norman. Id. Norman was suspended without pay while leadership investigated him. From there, he concludes he “was subjected to harassment, bullying, and discriminatory acts.” Id. ¶ 20. Norman provides no details about the nature of this harassment. He was discharged from employment on January 5, 2023. After his termination, Norman filed charges of discrimination with the Texas Workforce Commission and the EEOC and received a right to sue letter. He filed this action in Texas state court, and Defendants promptly removed to federal court. Defendants moved to dismiss Norman’s Amended Complaint under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), attaching the Facebook post and EEOC charge as exhibits. After all, Norman’s Amended Complaint alleged 2 Case: 25-40215 Document: 51-1 Page: 3 Date Filed: 04/30/