An Indiana school district has agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a former music teacher who said he was forced to resign after declining to refer to students using names and pronouns inconsistent with their biological sex.
The lawsuit was filed by John Kluge, who previously worked at Brownsburg High School. Kluge was represented by attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom, along with allied attorneys Michael Cork, Kevin Green, and Ros Stovall.
Kluge alleged that officials with the Brownsburg Community School Corporation violated his religious rights by requiring him to use preferred names and pronouns for transgender students, which he argued conflicted with his Christian beliefs. According to court filings, Kluge initially reached an accommodation with the district to address students by last names only. However, the district later rescinded that accommodation, and Kluge ultimately resigned in 2018.
As part of the settlement agreement, Brownsburg will pay $650,000 and provide training to senior staff on how Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects employees from religious discrimination.
The case drew renewed attention in August of last year when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy, Kluge’s claims should proceed to trial before a jury. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Groff clarified the standard employers must meet to deny religious accommodations under Title VII, raising the threshold for what constitutes an undue hardship.
Following the appellate court’s decision, the Brownsburg district chose to settle rather than continue litigation.