Pittsburgh-area Schools Settling Pay Bias Lawsuit

A Pittsburgh-area school district will settle a gender pay discrimination suit after a federal judge scolded officials for reneging on a deal first reached in July.

Teachers Clay Karadus, hired in 2004, and Steven Large, hired in 2002, sued in February claiming the Steel Valley School district had an unwritten policy of paying newly hired female teachers more than males. Attorneys settled out of court after a mediation session in July, but the school board rejected the settlement last week saying it would cost too much money.

That prompting a seven-hour hearing Tuesday at which U.S. District Judge Nora Barry Fischer persuaded school officials to reconsider.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says terms of the settlement won’t be released until the school board meets again on Oct. 12 to vote on it.

The teachers want back pay, damages, and court costs.