An Iowa school district will pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by three high school teachers who were disciplined for their involvement in student-run drug shows.
Under the July 1 settlement, teachers Jill Bjorklund, Molly Jo Brafunka and PJ Hurley will each receive $27,700, with an additional $67,000 going toward attorney fees, the paper said. des moines register.
The teachers’ lawsuit says Brafunka reviewed and approved the drag performers’ songs, and the students’ families did not raise concerns before the event. Participants later told the school board that nothing sexually explicit or lewd occurred during the performance or elsewhere at the party.
“At no point during the celebration did anyone expose themselves to students, engage in anything lewd or inappropriate, or engage in any behavior that disrupted the school’s educational environment,” the complaint states.
But after photos and videos of the performance were posted online, there was a huge backlash from conservatives and anti-LGBTQ activists. They accused teachers of “grooming” children and exposing them to inappropriate content.
In response to the outcry, the Ankeny Community School District declared the drag show “unlicensed” and launched an investigation against the teachers. They were placed on administrative leave until the end of the school year and missed graduation ceremonies and other events.
Björklund received an additional five-day suspension the following year, and Brahunka received a three-day suspension. All three teachers were prohibited from sponsoring student activities, and the district threatened to fire them if they violated additional policies.
The district also filed ethics complaints against the teachers with the Iowa Board of Educational Review. The board then voted to dismiss all three lawsuits.
Teachers filed suit in state court in early 2023; federal courtaccused the district of discriminating against them based on their sexual orientation and association with LGBTQ people.
Teachers alleged that anti-LGBTQ community backlash over student-led drag performances led to harassment and bullying of students at both GSAs. It also argued that the disciplinary action “sent a clear message to all LGBTQ+ students and staff that they are unwelcome and dangerous at their schools.”
After years of legal wrangling, the teacher and school district reached a settlement weeks before a trial scheduled for July 20. Details other than financial terms have not been made public.
The teacher’s attorney did not respond. registerThis is a comment request from . Ankeny Community School District spokeswoman Samantha Oaks told the newspaper: “This matter was resolved to the satisfaction of all involved.”
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
