Iowa teachers suspended over viral student-run drag show reach settlement before trial

Teachers in the Ankeny Community School District in Iowa who were suspended after a student-run drag show at their school went viral have reached a settlement with the district, avoiding a trial in the discrimination lawsuit they had filed. The case had drawn national attention amid broader debates in the US over gender-related school policies, parental rights and how districts handle LGBTQ-themed student activities.

Limited details of the settlement terms have been disclosed. The dispute originated when footage of the drag performance, organised by students, spread online, prompting the district to suspend the teachers involved; they subsequently sued alleging discrimination, a claim the district has now resolved without going to court.