EAST ST. LOUIS – Mascoutah school district and volleyball coach Todd Gober settled with former student Brooke Junker on her claim that she was demoralized and degraded by a volleyball coach.
Former magistrate judge Stephen Williams reported to U.S. District Judge David Dugan that he successfully mediated their dispute on Aug. 24.
Junker sued the district and Gober last August, alleging discrimination, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In September, Dugan set trial next March and referred the dispute to mediation.
In October, the district and Gober moved to dismiss the complaint.
Dugan denied the motion this July, finding Junker plausibly alleged misconduct due to her sex and for reasons related to intimidation, humiliation, power, and control.
District counsel Julie Bruch of Northbrook answered the complaint on Aug. 21.
She wrote that to the extent that any conduct violated Title IX, “the district cannot be held liable because its response was not clearly unreasonable in light of known circumstances.”
“Plaintiff’s claims of retaliation are without merit because Defendants’ conduct at all times was based on legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons,” she wrote.
Bruch wrote that if any allegations of unlawful conduct were found to have merit, defendants took prompt and effective action to remedy such acts and had no liability for them.
After Williams reported that a settlement had been reached, Dugan gave the parties 60 days to prepare documents.
Marie Pudlowski, Mark Schuver, Montana Sinn, and Natalie Lorenz, all of Mathis, Marifian and Richter in Belleville, represented Junker.
Lawrence Neyland of Northbrook represented the district along with Bruch.