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.
“After almost five and a half years, common sense has prevailed at Brownsburg,” said ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman. “This settlement confirms what the law has always said: Public schools cannot force teachers to violate their religious beliefs. Title VII requires employers to accommodate their employees’ religious beliefs and practices. When they fail to do so—or worse, announce that they will grant no religious accommodations, as Brownsburg did—they can be held accountable. 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.”
Kluge taught orchestra and music theory at Brownsburg High School for several years before the school district mandated that he use terminology that violated his religious beliefs. He initially reached an agreement with school officials in 2017 that would allow him to address students by their last name—like a coach—but after a few students and teachers complained, Brownsburg announced a new policy that rejected all religious accommodations, revoked its accommodation for Kluge, and forced him to resign. The lawsuit argued that Brownsburg’s actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, a federal law prohibiting discrimination against employees on the basis of religion.
In light of the settlement, the parties filed a joint stipulation of dismissal Tuesday in Kluge v. Brownsburg Community School Corporation.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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