Kluge v. Brownsburg Community School Corporation

Indiana music and orchestra teacher John Kluge is challenging the legality of Brownsburg Community School Corporation’s decision to revoke his religious accommodation over students’ pronoun usage. When the school district mandated that teachers call students by their preferred gender pronouns and names, Kluge requested a religious accommodation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to call all his students by their last names only—like a coach—instead of referring to female students with male names and pronouns and vice versa. The school district granted Kluge’s request based on his religious beliefs, and Kluge successfully continued teaching under the religious accommodation for an entire school year. But in response to the grumblings of a few students and faculty, the school district revoked the religious accommodation and forced Kluge to resign, ending his teaching career.

Case Timeline

• May 2018: John Kluge was forced to resign from his position as an orchestra teacher at Brownsburg High School.
• June 2019: John filed a lawsuit against Brownsburg Community School Corporation
• July 2021: A federal district court in Indiana ruled in favor of the school district and ended the lawsuit.
• October 2021: John filed his opening brief asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit to reverse the lower court’s decision.
• January 2022: The 7th Circuit heard oral argument for the case.
• April 2023: A split 7th Circuit panel of judges ruled against John. ADF attorneys then filed a petition asking the full court to hear the case, and the court said it would wait for the Supreme Court’s decision in Groff before it decides whether to grant full-court review.
• June 2023: The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of stronger Title VII protection for religious employees.
• July 2023: In light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Groff, the 7th Circuit vacated its ruling (and the district court’s prior ruling) and ordered the lower court to reevaluate John’s case.
• July 2024: After the district court again denied John’s request to protect his religious freedom, ADF attorneys filed their opening brief with the 7th Circuit.
• January 2025: ADF attorneys presented oral argument before the 7th Circuit.
• August 2025: The 7th Circuit ruled that Brownsburg Community School Corporation must face a jury for the way it treated former high school music teacher John Kluge.