ST. LOUIS — A minor student has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Hayti R-II School District and a former teacher of enabling and perpetuating a pattern of sexual abuse, harassment and discrimination during the 2023-2024 academic year.
The civil complaint, filed on behalf of the student identified as Jane Doe, alleges both individual and institutional failures that led to prolonged abuse and emotional trauma.
Jane Doe, a female student under the age of 16, was enrolled in the Hayti R-II School District at the time of the events detailed in the complaint. She claims Maurice Farr was employed as a teacher at Hayti and, through that role, came into contact with her.
The complaint asserts that Farr immediately began grooming Jane Doe through inappropriate comments, emotional manipulation, boundary violations and by initiating contact through her personal phone number and social media accounts.
The plaintiff alleges that Farr’s behavior was motivated by her sex and part of a broader pattern of misconduct directed at multiple female students. The complaint claims Farr abused at least four or more Hayti female students and that school administrators were made aware of his behavior toward at least two of those students.
Despite this, the lawsuit says, the school district failed to take action to stop the abuse.
Jane Doe’s complaint further states that other students reported Farr’s inappropriate conduct to high-ranking school personnel, including high school principals.
Students allegedly told administrators that Farr was attempting to initiate romantic or sexual relationships and engaging with them on social media. Rather than taking steps to investigate or discipline Farr, school officials allegedly advised students to “just try to ignore it” and block Farr online.
The lawsuit asserts that Hayti R-II School District and its personnel were “deliberately indifferent” to Farr’s actions.
The indifference allowed Farr to continue abusing students, including Jane Doe, even after the school was on actual notice of his behavior, according to the suit.
The plaintiff contends that the district’s failure to take preventative or corrective measures constitutes a violation of her rights and contributed directly to her physical and emotional injuries.
The complaint also suggests that the school district may have failed to exercise reasonable diligence during the hiring process.
It states that, upon information and belief, Farr had a history of harassment, discrimination and abuse prior to his employment at Hayti.
The lawsuit argues that a thorough background check would have uncovered this prior conduct, potentially preventing his hiring and subsequent access to students.
Farr was arrested in spring 2024 and criminally charged for the abuse of Hayti students. In 2025, he pled guilty, was convicted beyond a reasonable doubt, and was sentenced to incarceration in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Jane Doe’s lawsuit names Farr in both his official and personal capacities and seeks damages for physical injuries, pain and suffering, emotional distress and economic losses. She is represented by Grant C. Boyd, Thomas L. Stewart and Adam J. Reynolds of O’Brien Law Firm.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Southern Division case number: 1:25-cv-00126
