Former Chaffee assistant principal wins settlement

The Chaffee (Missouri)School District will pay a nearly $375,000 settlement to a former administrator to bring an end to two lawsuits she filed against the district.

Mary Hall, former Chaffee assistant principal and curriculum coordinator, sued the district in August for emotional distress and lost wages. She filed a second suit in February under a whistleblower statute. Both were related to a 2021 incident involving a student and former teacher at Chaffee.

A female student reported to school officials November 2021 that teacher Todd Cabral had touched her backside while she was at his desk. Cabral later resigned from his position at Chaffee and was charged with misdemeanor assault. According to previous reporting from the Southeast Missourian, Cabral stated the touching was unintentional during the initial investigation before later acknowledging it was intentional.

He entered a not guilty plea in February 2022.

Hall's lawsuits allege that the school's administration took action against her for speaking out about the failure to report child abuse and the district's "gross mismanagement" of the incident between Cabral and the student. Hall claims school officials failed to report the allegations to the Missouri Children's Division -- which is required under Section 210.11, RSMo.

The former administrator said she reported the allegations and claims the school subsequently "embarked on a campaign of disciplinary action and character assassination" against her in an attempt to "silence her and destroy her career."

The Chaffee Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the settlement agreement during closed session of a Friday, March 31, meeting. Board members Blaine Swinford and John Swinford were absent from the meeting.

The $373,863.70 payout is broken down into numerous categories. Around $200,000 are earmarked for damages to Hall -- she sought $25,000 in her initial suit. Another $23,863.70 is for lost wages and around $150,000 to pay for legal fees accrued by Hall.

Also outlined in the agreement, Hall resigned from her post at the school -- that resignation was unanimously approved by the board -- and school superintendent Shawn Nix wrote Hall a positive letter of recommendation.

The district also removed a January letter of reprimand from Hall's personnel file.

Both parties agreed to a non-disparagement clause and will make no public statements regarding the settlement.