A California community college district recently reached a $2.4 million settlement with a conservative professor after an extended legal dispute between the parties.
Matthew Garrett, formerly a tenured history professor at Bakersfield College in Southern California, initiated a federal lawsuit against the Kern Community College District (KCCD) in 2021. Garrett alleged that school officials retaliated against him and a colleague for raising concerns about the potential misuse of grant funds to support social justice initiatives on campus.
— Matthew Garrett (@DrMattGarrett) July 27, 2024
“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,” Garrett said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Facing an imminent ruling in my favor and the prospect of paying millions of dollars in damages, KCCD had only one viable option: settlement.”
In his lawsuit, Garrett alleged that he and other members of a campus free speech coalition were subjected to false accusations after raising concerns during a diversity meeting in October 2022.
In April 2023, the district’s board of trustees voted to terminate Garrett, citing “immoral and unprofessional conduct,” which Garrett strongly refuted.
— Matthew Garrett (@DrMattGarrett) July 27, 2024
Garrett challenged his suspension in court, leading to a settlement agreement last month that resolved all disputes related to his employment. After Garrett’s legal team presented his case before an administrative law judge in May, the district agreed to a $2.4 million settlement.
The settlement, obtained by Fox News Digital, includes compensation for “alleged general and emotional distress damages” as well as attorney fees. It also covers a one-time payment of $154,520.00 for back wages and medical benefits since his termination.
As part of the settlement, Garrett agreed to step down from his position within the district. In return, the administration consented to retract its reports and accusations of unprofessional conduct from Garrett’s record, as well as to seal documents related to any punitive actions taken against him in his personnel file.
“I am grateful to the many who stood by my side during this difficult time and invite them to join in our triumph. To my colleagues at Bakersfield College and nationwide, I say: Keep the faith; we are winning the battle, one case at a time,” Garrett said.
The settlement explicitly states that the agreement does not constitute “an admission of any wrongdoing or liability by either the District or Garrett.”
“The Kern Community College District (KCCD) has settled all issues with Matthew Garrett. Matthew Garrett has voluntarily resigned from his employment and all litigation on this matter has been resolved,” a spokesperson for KCCD said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “KCCD 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. To be clear, the dispute with Matthew Garrett was a disciplinary matter due to his disruptive actions on campus, none of which concerned freedom of speech. Kern Community College District unequivocally supports the right for our students and faculty to share their views and opinions on campus and elsewhere. As a District, we create an environment that provides our diverse students and communities with the opportunity to professionally engage with new ideas.”
