A conservative college professor has agreed to settle his lawsuit against a California community college district for $2.4 million after a long legal battle. Matthew Garrett, a former history professor at Bakersfield College, about 120 miles north of L.A., filed the suit against Kern Community College District (KCCD) in 2021, arguing that school officials retaliated against him and a colleague after the two questioned whether grant money was being improperly used to fund woke social justice initiatives.
Garrett told The College Fix, "After five years of administrative misconduct, a decisive courtroom display exonerated me of all allegations and exposed that Kern Community College District engaged in flagrant retaliation for my questioning of partisan policies and wasteful expenditures."
He said, "Facing an imminent ruling in my favor and the prospect of paying millions of dollars in damages, KCCD had only one viable option: settlement. I am grateful to the many who stood by my side during this difficult time and invite them to join in our triumph," according to the report.
Under the July 10 settlement agreement, Garrett will receive more than $2.2 million divided into monthly payments for the next 20 years, as well as an immediate one-time payment of $154,520 as "compensation for back wages and medical benefits since [his] dismissal."
Garrett also agreed to resign from his job, while administrators in turn have withdrawn and sealed any and all accusations and reports accusing him of "unprofessional conduct."
In a statement, KCCD said it "believes the settlement is in the best interest of the District and allows us to focus on the future and continue to deliver quality higher education for students of Kern County without any further legal distractions."
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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