FULLERTON : District Settles Suit Filed by Ex-Principal

After more than five years of legal wrangling, the lawsuit filed by former Valencia Park Elementary School Principal John Roseman against the Fullerton School District has been settled.

But both parties declined to disclose details, saying that they have agreed to keep it confidential.

Roseman filed a $1-million claim against the district, alleging that he suffered heavy financial and emotional losses when the district demoted him in 1983 from principal to teacher. His demotion arose out of an incident in which a 5-year-old girl and her parents alleged that Roseman had molested the child.

Prosecutors dropped charges against Roseman when it was disclosed that he was simply cleaning up the 5-year-old girl, who had soiled her pants.

But the board demoted Roseman from principal to teacher anyway, claiming that he had exercised poor judgment in the handling of the incident. Roseman quit his job at the school and filed suit.

Earlier this year, attorneys for the school district tried unsuccessfully to have Roseman’s claims for unspecified damages thrown out of the Orange County Superior Court lawsuit.

J. Michael Declues, lawyer for the district, confirmed Thursday that a settlement had been reached but said the agreement barred the parties from providing details.