Chaffee school administrator sues district, alleges discrimination, retaliation

On Monday, as Chaffee, Missouri students arrived for the first day of classes, the school district was formally served with a lawsuit by one of its administrators — Mary Hall, assistant principal and curriculum director.

Hall of Jackson, in a news release prepared by her attorney, J.P. Clubb of Cape Girardeau and submitted to the Southeast Missourian, alleges Chaffee condoned sexual harassment, created a hostile work environment and "retaliated against her for standing up for her rights and for those of the Chaffee students."

Hall, whom the release said has 11 years of experience in education, reported to school administration in early 2021 being sexually harassed by a co-worker.

In response, the 23-page lawsuit contends, "Chaffee began retaliating and discriminating against Ms. Hall," further alleging that following Hall expressing opposition to an administrative hire made in summer 2021, Chaffee "further retaliated against her (by) making false and defamatory accusations about (Hall's) private life, locking her out of her work accounts, suspending her, changing her job duties and generally making her professional life miserable," according to lawyer Clubb.

Hall, who in 2019 was named a regional teacher of the year by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), continues to work for Chaffee schools and remains listed on the chaffee.k12.mo.us website.

The civil action asks for a jury trial in Scott County Circuit Court.

Among other things, Hall seeks $25,000 for emotional distress, an additional $25,000 in lost wages and benefits, plus court costs and attorney fees.

The Southeast Missourian was unable to reach Chaffee administration for comment on Hall's lawsuit Monday afternoon.

Chaffee School District had 638 students in all levels during the 2021-2022 school year, a figure representing the most recent DESE statistics available online for the district.