KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A sexual harassment lawsuit against Kalamazoo Public Schools and a former Loy Norrix High School principal has been dropped.
Federal court records show the district and Rodney Prewitt agreed to a settlement with a former school counselor who claimed Prewitt sexually harassed her and other women at the school. The former counselor said Prewitt retaliated when she ignored his advances.
Prewitt was placed on administrative leave in October and resigned in November, after he was named in the federal sexual harassment lawsuit.
That month, the district also asked a federal judge to toss out part of the lawsuit, saying the former school counselor didn't previously file complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Kalamazoo Public Schools also said two of the four counts didn't apply because the counselor and Prewitt had previously been in a relationship.
In 2001, Prewitt lost his teaching certificate in Florida after sexual harassment allegations surfaced there. At a public meeting in late October, the KPS superintendent said he didn't know about that until about two years ago, when Prewitt had already been with the district for about a couple years.
The superintendent said the situation is leading the district to change how it checks the background of applicants.
As part of the settlement, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the same case cannot be refiled in court.