A parent who is suing a Methodist school in federal court over claims that the school violated her children's civil rights has agreed to try to settle the matter out of court through a mediator.

A person identified as Gail S. sued Butler Wesleyan Academy on Protzman Road in September over claims that her two children were harassed and discriminated against because of their mixed-race ancestry.

According to the suit, Gail's children were enrolled at the school from 2017 to 2019. In early August, the school announced that it would not open for the 2020-21 school year but that its officials hoped to open the following year.

On Tuesday, the two sides agreed to take their case through the Alternative Dispute Resolution, where a neutral mediator will help negotiate a settlement.

The lawsuit claims that during the school years of 2017-18 and 2018-19, teachers and students on several occasions told Gail's two children that they hated them, asked them if they were Black, told them they didn't belong there and called them “Black trash,” according to the suit. The two children are identified in the lawsuit as being of East Indian and Jewish ancestry and the only children at the school who were not Caucasian.

As a result of these alleged racially charged attacks, the children's mother claims their civil rights were violated and their educational experiences were damaged. In the academy's response to the suit, they deny these accusations, demanding a trial to show proof of these allegations.

The academy also denies the claim that Gail's children are of mixed race but concedes that “they are not Caucasian.” The academy also denies that Gail's children were the only non-Caucasian children who attended the school and demands proof of this claim. Previously, the academy asked a judge to rule in its favor and drop the lawsuit.

The school and one of its lawyers could not be reached for comment.

The lawsuit also named Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connections, which is a Methodist denomination that is affiliated with two campgrounds; 16 Christian schools, including the Butler school; and many churches throughout the region. The church is based out of Ohio.

They, too, deny the allegations.

Along with the institutions, the lawsuit names the Rev. Paul Fish, pastor and chairman of the school's board; Teddy Zeigler, the school's principal and a board member; Sally Zeigler, the school's administrator and board member; Kimberly Fish, the school's treasurer; and board members Dennis Ballock, Dave Patterson and Curt Field.