(Mark Edwards, former SOTO Teacher)
Another headache for the School of the Osage District…first the district lost four students in a Lake Ozark house fire, second a teacher is brought up on criminal charges in connection to sexual contact with a 13-year-old student, and now a civil lawsuit is filed by the father of the juvenile student who was, allegedly, violated several times by the longtime teacher. The suit, filed in Miller County, alleges that Mark Alan Edwards began a pattern of sexual harassment and a process commonly referred to as “grooming” while employed by the district. The suit also alleges that Edwards attempted video chats, had female students compete to be his favorite, gave some female students quiz and test answers in exchange for being able to look down their shirts and being flirtatious with him, and accuses the school district and board of education of being deliberately indifferent to Edwards preying upon students and not adequately training staff to recognize the signs of sexual abuse and harassment. Each of the five counts in the lawsuit seeks compensation and damages plus court costs and attorney fees in excess of $25,000.
