CARNEYS POINT -- A teacher who sued a South Jersey school district for racial discrimination alleging that officials told him he wasn't hired because he is white has settled his lawsuit for $145,000.

The news was first reported by NJ Civil Settlements, which provides a partial list of settlements paid by New Jersey government agencies and their insurers to those who have sued them.

Both the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Superintendent Joseph Massare and the Field Elementary school principal Mary Kwiatkowski had recommended hiring Brian Shields following interviews in the summer of 2013, court papers say.

A board of education meeting to approve the hiring weeks before the new school year is typically a formality, but several people attending the meeting began accusing board members of "not hiring enough minorities at the school," according to the suit.

Even though the superintendent pointed out the district had recently hired several minorities, the board rejected the recommendation to hire Shields, the lawsuit said.

Shields said Massare later told him he wasn't hired because of his race, the suit says. Before the meeting, Massare also allegedly told Shields the board always approved his recommendations.

Shields, a Logan Township resident, will receive $83,778.21 while his attorney will receive $61,229.79.

The defendants in the suit were former board of education president Gregory T. Wright and the district. Massare and Kwiatkowski were not named as defendants.

In agreeing to the settlement on July 30, the school district admitted no wrongdoing. The suit was filed April 3, 2014.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.