CANTON ‒ The Canton City School District has settled local and federal lawsuits filed over the May 2021 discipline of a McKinley High School football player that involved him eating a pepperoni pizza, even though his religious beliefs prohibit the consumption of pork.
The settlement agreement calls for $125,000 to be paid to the former player and his parents, Kenneth Walker and Lori Cruz. It provides for the payment to be made by the school district and its insurance carrier, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., and sent to the family's attorney Edward L. Gilbert of Akron.
The document, finalized in June, states the school district denies all allegations of wrongdoing made by the family in the litigation.
The suits were filed in Stark County Common Pleas Court and U.S. District Court.
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