A tenured history professor, Matthew Garrett, from Bakersfield College in California, has secured a $2.4 million settlement from the Kern Community College District (KCCD) following his dismissal over disagreements on diversity initiatives. Garrett’s termination came more than a year ago after he was charged with “dishonesty” and “unprofessional conduct” for opposing a proposed “racial climate task force” that aimed to replace the stalled diversity committee on which he served.
Garrett and fellow history professor Erin Miller sued the district over three years ago, alleging retaliation for their criticism of the college’s spending on social justice programs. They argued that their opposition was interpreted as false accusations against progressive colleagues, alleging misuse of grant funds. The conflict between the Renegade Institute for Liberty, co-led by Garrett and Miller, and the Social Justice Institute at Bakersfield College has been ongoing since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The district’s board of trustees supported the Social Justice Institute, with Vice President John Corkins making controversial comments implying that Renegade faculty were like livestock to be culled, a statement he later apologized for. Last fall, a federal judge allowed a related First Amendment lawsuit by historian Daymon Johnson, also from the Renegade Institute, against KCCD’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, prompting the trustees to hold an emergency meeting with their legal counsel.
The settlement between Garrett and KCCD was reached as they awaited the results of a 21-day proceeding before an administrative law judge regarding Garrett’s firing. Dated July 10 and made available last week through a California Records Act request, the settlement includes a $154,520 payment to Garrett for back wages and medical benefits since his dismissal, followed by monthly payments of nearly $10,300 for the next 20 years.
As part of the agreement, KCCD will withdraw all disciplinary actions against Garrett, including a 2020 determination regarding complaints of unlawful activity and a 2022 notice alleging unprofessional conduct. These documents will be sealed in Garrett’s personnel file, accessible only with specific authorization.
Garrett announced he would be withdrawing from the shared federal lawsuit with Miller, who will continue the litigation alone. He claimed that Miller continues to face retaliation from the administration, including the alleged cancellation of several of her classes.
“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 told The College Fix. He emphasized that KCCD opted for settlement to avoid a potentially costly ruling against them.
In his comments to The College Fix, Garrett encouraged his colleagues nationwide to persist in their battles, asserting that they are gradually winning their cases.
KCCD has not responded to queries from Just the News regarding Garrett’s remarks, the treatment of Miller, or their stance on the settlement and ongoing litigation.
