Georgia has agreed to a $250,000 settlement with a former Georgia Southern University employee who alleged she was fired after objecting to university decisions affecting transgender students.

A former Georgia Southern University administrator who alleged that she was fired after challenging university decisions affecting transgender students has reached a $250,000 settlement with the state of Georgia

Gemma Skuraton, formerly Georgia Southern’s director of student wellness and health promotion, sued the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and university Vice President for Student Affairs Shay Little. Skuraton alleged that her termination followed disagreements involving LGBTQ-related student resources and a rejected proposal that would have provided free chest binders to students. The defendants denied wrongdoing.

Bottom Line: The $250,000 agreement resolves Skuraton’s retaliation lawsuit without a trial or finding that Georgia Southern or its officials violated the law. The settlement also changes her termination to a voluntary resignation and provides employment-record protections that could affect her future career.

Editorial Note

This article discusses allegations contained in civil litigation and a negotiated settlement. A settlement is not a judicial finding that either defendant violated the First Amendment, Title IX, or other law.

New To Education has not independently determined the disputed facts surrounding Skuraton’s termination. References to retaliation, discrimination, or improper conduct describe allegations unless otherwise stated.

This article is provided for educational and informational purposes and is not legal advice.

What We Know

Skuraton worked for Georgia Southern University for nearly a decade and became director of student wellness and health promotion in 2020. Her work included initiatives involving student health and engagement with vulnerable campus communities, including LGBTQ students.

According to her lawsuit, one major dispute developed after Georgia Southern declined to support a grant proposal that Skuraton had helped prepare. The grant would have provided free chest binders to students.

Skuraton alleged that she told university leadership that rejecting the proposal could raise Title IX concerns. She also claimed that administrators later believed she had encouraged students to raise concerns publicly or contact the media regarding university policies affecting transgender students.

Skuraton was terminated on July 1, 2025.

According to her complaint, university leadership attributed the decision to concerns about her leadership history. Skuraton disputed that explanation and alleged that her advocacy and objections to university decisions were the actual reason for her dismissal.

The Federal Lawsuit

The case became Skuraton v. Board of Regents, University System of Georgia et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-02215, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Federal docket records show the case was removed to federal court on April 22, 2026 and assigned to U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross. The docket classifies the matter as a civil-rights employment case.

Skuraton asserted claims involving the First Amendment and Title IX, arguing that she had been retaliated against after opposing what she believed was discriminatory treatment affecting students.

The case did not reach a trial or final judicial determination on those claims.

What the $250,000 Settlement Includes

The settlement totals $250,000.

According to the reported agreement:

• $144,365.36 is designated for Skuraton as damages.
• $105,634.36 is designated for attorneys’ fees and expenses.
• Her termination will be changed to a voluntary resignation.
• Her termination letter will be removed from her personnel file where permitted by law.
• The Board of Regents will provide a neutral employment reference.

Skuraton agreed to permanently dismiss the lawsuit after receipt of the settlement payment.

These nonfinancial provisions are significant.

For education professionals, a termination can affect future applications, reference checks, leadership opportunities, and professional reputation. Changing the official separation from termination to resignation can therefore have consequences beyond the immediate monetary payment.

Why Title IX Matters Here

Title IX is often discussed in connection with student athletics, sexual harassment, and discrimination against students.

Its protections can also extend to retaliation.

In Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court held in 2005 that Title IX permits a retaliation claim when an individual alleges adverse treatment because that individual complained about sex discrimination.

The case involved a teacher and basketball coach who claimed he was retaliated against after raising concerns about unequal treatment of a girls’ basketball team. The Supreme Court held that retaliation for complaining about sex discrimination can fall within Title IX’s prohibition against intentional sex discrimination.

That precedent matters because Skuraton alleged that she raised concerns she believed implicated Title IX and was later terminated because of those objections.

Her settlement, however, means the court never determined whether she could prove that claim.

The First Amendment Issue

Because Georgia Southern is a public university, Skuraton also invoked the First Amendment.

Public employees retain constitutional speech protections, but those protections are not unlimited.

Courts often distinguish between speech made by an employee as a private citizen on a matter of public concern and speech made as part of the employee’s official job responsibilities.

That distinction can be particularly difficult in higher education.

A student-wellness administrator may be expected to raise concerns about student health, institutional policy, and student services as part of the position itself. At the same time, public employees may also participate in broader discussions involving civil rights and government policy.

Skuraton’s lawsuit placed that tension at the center of the dispute, but because the case settled, no court issued a final decision explaining how First Amendment doctrine applied to her particular conduct.

Settlement Does Not Equal a Finding of Wrongdoing

The distinction between a settlement and a court judgment is important.

Georgia agreed to pay $250,000 and modify Skuraton’s employment record.

That does not mean a judge or jury determined that Georgia Southern unlawfully retaliated against her.

The defendants denied wrongdoing, and the settlement resolved the litigation without an admission of liability.

Organizations and individuals settle lawsuits for many reasons, including litigation costs, uncertainty, discovery burdens, reputational considerations, and the desire to resolve a dispute without continuing toward trial.

Likewise, settlement does not establish that the plaintiff’s allegations lacked merit.

It means the parties chose a negotiated resolution instead of asking a court or jury to decide the dispute.

Why This Matters for Colleges and Universities

This case illustrates a recurring challenge in higher education: employees may be responsible for advising institutions about student welfare while simultaneously disagreeing with administrators about what institutional policy or federal law requires.

Those disputes can involve issues such as:

• student health;
• discrimination;
• disability accommodations;
• campus speech;
• athletics;
• religious expression;
• race or gender policy; and
• student protests.

When an employee raises a civil-rights concern and later faces discipline or termination, documentation becomes especially important.

Performance evaluations, prior disciplinary records, emails, meeting notes, established procedures, and the timing of employment decisions can become central evidence in a retaliation case.

Employment Records Can Matter as Much as Money

One of the most notable features of this settlement is what happened to Skuraton’s personnel record.

The agreement reportedly changes her termination to a voluntary resignation, removes the termination letter where legally permissible, and provides a neutral reference.

That highlights something educators may overlook when thinking about employment settlements.

A negotiated resolution can involve much more than money.

Depending on the case, parties may negotiate over personnel files, references, resignation language, reinstatement, back pay, benefits, confidentiality, or future eligibility for employment.

For an education professional planning to remain in the field, those terms can have long-lasting consequences.

Key Takeaways

• Former Georgia Southern administrator Gemma Skuraton alleged that she was terminated after opposing university decisions affecting transgender students.
• Her federal lawsuit included First Amendment and Title IX retaliation claims.
• Georgia agreed to a $250,000 settlement, including damages and attorneys’ fees.
• The settlement also changes her termination to a voluntary resignation and provides personnel-file and reference protections.
• The defendants denied wrongdoing, and no court ruled that Georgia Southern violated the law.

What to Watch Next

Skuraton’s individual case appears headed toward dismissal under the settlement terms rather than further litigation. The reported agreement requires her to permanently dismiss the case after receiving payment.

The broader issue remains unresolved.

Public colleges and universities continue to navigate disputes involving employee speech, student advocacy, Title IX obligations, changing state policies, and institutional authority.

Future cases may provide more guidance on when an employee’s advocacy constitutes protected activity and when an institution may lawfully treat the same conduct as part of ordinary workplace management.

FAQ

Did Georgia Southern admit it wrongfully fired Skuraton?

No. The defendants denied wrongdoing, and the settlement does not constitute an admission of liability.

How much is Skuraton receiving?

The settlement totals $250,000. About $144,365 is designated as damages for Skuraton, while approximately $105,634 is designated for attorneys’ fees and expenses.

Is she being reinstated?

The reported settlement does not provide for reinstatement. Instead, her termination is being changed to a voluntary resignation and she will receive a neutral reference.

Why was Title IX involved?

Skuraton alleged that she raised concerns about conduct she believed constituted sex discrimination. The Supreme Court has recognized that retaliation against an individual for complaining about sex discrimination can support a Title IX claim.

Final Thoughts

The Georgia Southern settlement leaves an important legal question unanswered: whether Skuraton’s termination actually violated Title IX or the First Amendment.

What the agreement does demonstrate is how consequential disputes over employee advocacy can become for public educational institutions.

For universities, strong documentation and consistent personnel procedures remain critical. For employees, the case is also a reminder that settlement terms involving references and personnel records can sometimes matter nearly as much as the financial payment.

Related Articles

DeKalb County School Leaders Sue District, Alleging Improper Suspensions, Demotions and Due-Process Failures
A related Georgia education-employment dispute involving personnel decisions, administrator discipline, and alleged due-process violations.

Key Documents

Federal Docket — Skuraton v. Board of Regents, University System of Georgia et al., Case No. 1:26-cv-02215
The federal docket confirms the April 22, 2026 removal filing and identifies the case as Civil Action No. 1:26-CV-2215.

Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education, 544 U.S. 167 (2005)
The U.S. Supreme Court decision recognizing that Title IX’s private right of action encompasses retaliation claims based on complaints about sex discrimination.

Sources

Atlanta Journal-Constitution — Georgia Southern University employee gets $250,000 in transgender student rights case
September 4, 2026. Reporting on the settlement, lawsuit allegations, and circumstances surrounding Skuraton’s termination.

CBS News Atlanta — Former Georgia Southern employee who defended LGBTQ students receives $250,000 settlement
August 27, 2026. Detailed reporting on the financial terms, employment-record changes, and defendants’ denial of wrongdoing.

WTOC — Georgia University System settles LGBTQ retaliation lawsuit at Ga Southern for $250K
August 27, 2026. Local reporting on the settlement amount, personnel-file provisions, neutral reference, and planned dismissal.

The Current — Former Georgia Southern employee awarded $250,000 in wrongful termination suit
August 28, 2026. Background reporting on Skuraton’s employment history and allegations surrounding the dispute.

Law360 — Skuraton v. Board of Regents, University System of Georgia et al.
Case information confirming Case No. 1:26-cv-02215, the federal court, assigned judge, and nature of the suit.

Cornell Legal Information Institute — Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education
Primary legal authority explaining Title IX retaliation protections.