“We hope this settlement shows teachers that they do not have to bow the knee to ideological mandates that violate their religious beliefs. And schools should learn that refusing to accommodate religious employees can be illegal and expensive.”—ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—An Indiana school district agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a music teacher after school officials forced him to resign for declining to refer to students using terms that were inconsistent with their sex, which violated his religious beliefs. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent John Kluge in his successful challenge against Brownsburg Community School Corporation officials, along with allied attorneys Michael Cork, Kevin Green, and Ros Stovall. As part of the settlement agreement, Brownsburg will also train its senior staff on how Title VII protects religious employees against discrimination.

In August of last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled that, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy, Kluge’s case should go to trial before a jury. Ultimately, Brownsburg decided to settle the lawsuit.

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