Callis
O'Fallon School District #203 has asked a Madison County judge to stay action in a lawsuit filed by the mother of a girl who allegedly had a sexual relationship with her music teacher while it appeals an order that kept the suit in Madison County.
O'Fallon filed its motion on Nov. 4 to stay the suit brought by plaintiff Jane Doe.
The plaintiff is suing O'Fallon, its teachers' union and former music teacher Matthew Lang for counts related to Lang's relationship with her teenage daughter, Mary Doe, while Lang was a music teacher in the Alton schools.
The Alton school district was also named as a defendant in the case.
Alton was dropped from the suit earlier this year.
Jane Doe claims that O'Fallon and its teachers' union concealed Lang's previous inappropriate sexual relationships with students from Alton officials when they inquired about Lang before it hired him.
Lang pled guilty to criminal charges in connection with his relations with Mary Doe.
The suit seeks damages in excess of $50,000 per count.
O'Fallon had tried unsuccessfully to have the counts against it severed from those pending against Lang.
O'Fallon had also asked that Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis send the suit against it to St. Clair County, contending that all of the alleged actions took place there.
Callis denied that move in September.
In its Nov. 4 motion, O'Fallon asks for the stay while the appellate court considers whether to uphold or reverse Callis' order.
The plaintiff's response is not yet in the case file.
Thomas Falb represents Jane Doe.
James Craney and David Bub represent the O'Fallon school district.
Chris Kolker represents O'Fallon Federation of Teachers.
Lang has no representation listed in the civil suit.
The case is Madison case number 09-L-886.