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	Fort Worth Roman Catholic Diocese Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit By Darren Barbee Fort Worth Star-Telegram January 24, 2009 http://www.star-telegram.com/religion/story/1162299.html The Fort Worth Roman Catholic Diocese settled a sexual harassment lawsuit this week accusing its superintendent of schools of making inappropriate remarks and creating a "sexually hostile working environment." Former diocese employee Laura Judd said that Superintendent Don Miller made demeaning comments about her and said her success was based on her being a "buxom blonde" with "good looks." The diocese, but not Miller, was named as a party to the lawsuit. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed because of a confidentiality agreement. A trial was in progress when the settlement was announced. A message left with Miller was returned by a diocese spokesman, who referred comment to attorney Barry Moscowitz of Dallas. Moscowitz said none of the accusations against Miller involved teachers, students or the operation or administration of schools. "The diocese’s position throughout the lawsuit, as well as Don Miller’s, was that nothing took place that was inappropriate or illegal," Moscowitz said. Judd’s attorney, Rod Tanner of Fort Worth, said Judd and the diocese agreed to resolve their differences and declined to comment further. Miller has been superintendent since July 2004, according to the lawsuit. He oversees 20 schools. Judd was associate director of stewardship and development from September 2003 to April 2007, court documents show. In October 2006, he and another diocese official wanted to reprimand Judd for the way she was dressed, referring to her cleavage, according to Judd’s lawsuit. Other diocese employees did not believe that she had dressed inappropriately, her lawsuit says. The lawsuit also said that other female employees had complained about Miller’s "hostile treatment of female employees." It also stated that Judd’s fundraising efforts yielded $276,000, exceeding the goal of $125,000. In a court filing, the diocese responded by saying Miller had changed Judd’s duties to keep her employed "after her lack of focus and frequent distraction from her duties had become extremely frustrating to her supervisor." After the shift in her duties, Miller became frustrated with Judd’s failure to make phone calls and follow up on donation prospects, the diocese filing states. Miller and another diocese official expressed those frustrations to Judd. "These discussions related strictly to .?.?. [Judd’s] failure to perform and did not occur because of .?.?. [her] gender," the filing said. The diocese’s position .?.?. was that nothing took place that was inappropriate or illegal." Barry Moscowitz, a Dallas attorney DARREN BARBEE, 817-390-7126 dbarbee@star-telegram.com
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