A Central Texas College teacher who filed a federal lawsuit against the institution alleging age discrimination said he would drop his suit and accept an out-of-court settlement.

Gerhard Reissig, a German Headstart teacher, didn’t disclose details of the settlement but said it would include a cash amount enough to cover his legal fees and back pay. In exchange, Reissig would resign his post as a part-time teacher after more than six years on staff.

“I have to settle out of court,” Reissig said Wednesday. “There is no other way.”

A preliminary settlement was to be signed by both sides this week, according to Reissig.

Fred J. Ostertag, dean of the European operation for CTC, said in a telephone interview Wednesday that he knew nothing of the pending agreement.

“That’s news to me,” Ostertag said.

An attorney for the college declined to comment on the settlement, saying she had not spoken with her client.

The Army veteran’s two-year battle with Central Texas College began as a dispute over hourly wages. Reissig said officials unjustly cut his hourly salary when they reversed a previous decision to pay him more for prior teaching experience. When he complained, he said, the college retaliated, taking steps that ultimately cost him the logistical support he received from the college.

Reissig’s lawsuit claimed preferential treatment was given to younger teachers. In the end, however, Reissig said he and his lawyers felt they probably didn’t have enough evidence to prevail in court.

Reissig, 57, characterized the dispute with CTC as “a nightmare,” and he still maintains officials were “screwing with his pay” in a disparaging way for discriminatory reasons.

Reissig taught his final German Headstart course — mandatory for all incoming troops — last week. As one of the course’s original instructors, Reissig indicated he will miss teaching the 30-hour introductory course on German culture.

“Obviously,” Reissig said, the ordeal has left “a bad taste in my mouth.”

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