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The former CEO of Edison School of the Arts who sued the school over defamation after his termination in 2023 has reached a deal with the school to receive a judgment of about $269,000 in his favor.
The judgment that both parties agreed to, which was finalized in federal court last week, marks an end to a lawsuit Nathan Tuttle brought against certain Edison staff members and the school.
Tuttle filed the lawsuit last year after the school board terminated his employment following allegations that he used a racial slur when speaking with students in March 2023. Tuttle later said that he did not direct the slur at students, but was speaking to a student who had used a racial slur and told that student not to do so.
“This judgment affirms what we have maintained from the outset: that Mr. Tuttle was treated unfairly and in violation of his civil rights,” Tuttle and his attorney, Chip Clark, said in a statement. “While no monetary compensation can undo the pain and disruption caused by Edison’s actions, the outcome offers a meaningful sense of validation and accountability.”
Through a spokesperson, the Edison board declined to comment. The K-8 school on the west side is part of the Indianapolis Public Schools network of autonomous Innovation schools — one of the few that is not a charter school but is run by a nonprofit with its own board.
Tuttle now serves as principal at the K-8 Matchbook Learning school, which is also in the IPS Innovation Network.
The allegations against Tuttle generated a public outcry. During a lengthy public meeting a few days after the March 2023 incident, parents, students, and staff described a hostile working environment under Tuttle and his administration. Edison’s board fired Tuttle roughly two weeks after the allegations came to light.
Tuttle’s lawsuit, which alleged defamation and discrimination, claimed that the school board allowed defamatory statements about his character at the meeting. His complaint also alleged that certain school staff also allowed students to chant homophobic slurs aimed at Tuttle, who is gay, during a protest.
In addition, the lawsuit claimed the school deprived Tuttle of due process by ending his three-year contract without a termination hearing and the opportunity to correct any issues.
Tuttle’s job status at Innovation Network school disputed
Part of the parties’ disagreement stemmed from the state’s law on Innovation Network schools, which operate autonomously.
The school previously argued that Tuttle was an at-will employee of the nonprofit that operates Edison as an Innovation School, which by state law is exempt from a number of state statutes that are applicable to traditional public school districts.
But the lawsuit claimed that before he was fired, the school’s leadership team changed Tuttle’s status from being an at-will employee to a contracted one, a change that included statutory due process rights if his contract were terminated.
The complaint initially listed IPS as a defendant, but the district was later dropped from the lawsuit, according to court filings. Two current and former Edison employees were also dropped from the lawsuit.
In the judgment, both parties agreed that Tuttle would not receive compensation for any of his claims against the three remaining Edison staff members named in the lawsuit.
The judgment includes $211,500 for Tuttle and $57,718 in attorney’s fees.
Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.
