Matthew Garrett, a former tenured history professor at Bakersfield College in California, has won a $2.4 million settlement from the Kern Community College District (KCCD) following his termination over standing up to the school’s seemingly racist social justice initiatives. Garrett was dismissed more than a year ago on charges of “dishonesty” and “unprofessional conduct” after he opposed a proposed “racial climate task force” and other diversity-related measures at the college.
Garrett, along with fellow history professor Erin Miller, had previously filed a lawsuit against KCCD over three years ago, alleging that the district retaliated against them for their criticisms of the college’s spending on social justice programs. They contended that their objections were wrongly interpreted as false accusations against their progressive colleagues, alleging misappropriation of grant funds. The conflict between Garrett’s Renegade Institute for Liberty and the Social Justice Institute at Bakersfield College has been ongoing since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The KCCD board of trustees largely sided with the Social Justice Institute. During the conflict, Vice President John Corkins made controversial remarks implying that faculty members from the Renegade Institute were expendable, comments he later apologized for. Meanwhile, a related First Amendment lawsuit by another Renegade Institute historian, Daymon Johnson, against KCCD’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies was allowed to proceed by a federal judge last fall, prompting an emergency meeting by the trustees with their legal counsel.
The settlement agreement, reached on July 10, includes a $154,520 payment to Garrett for back wages and medical benefits, with additional monthly payments of nearly $10,300 for the next 20 years. The settlement also mandates that KCCD withdraw all disciplinary actions against Garrett and seal the relevant documents in his personnel file, accessible only with specific authorization.
Garrett has decided to withdraw from the joint federal lawsuit with Miller, who will continue her legal battle independently. He reported that Miller is still facing retaliation, including the cancellation of some of her classes. Garrett expressed that the settlement vindicates his stance and exposes the district’s actions.
“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.
KCCD has not commented on the settlement or Garrett’s statements. This case highlights the ongoing tensions and challenges within academia regarding the implementation and funding of social justice initiatives and the rights of faculty to voice dissenting opinions.
Garrett’s case and the settlement underscore a broader debate within the educational community about balancing progressive social justice initiatives with the rights of faculty members to critique and question administrative decisions. This high-profile case serves as a reminder of the complexities and potential conflicts inherent in academic governance and institutional policy-making.
