Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Abuse by Former Moss Bluff Principal; School Board Denies Prior Knowledge
MOSS BLUFF, La. — A civil lawsuit filed May 12, 2026, alleges that a former Moss Bluff Middle School principal repeatedly sexually abused a student during the late 1970s. The Calcasieu Parish School Board has denied prior knowledge of the alleged misconduct.
The plaintiff, whose identity The Calcasieu Post is withholding because the allegations involve childhood sexual abuse, claims former principal Joel Kelly began abusing him during the 1977–1978 school year, when he was approximately 12 years old.
According to the petition, the alleged abuse began during a disciplinary visit to the principal’s office. Kelly subsequently summoned the student to his office under various pretexts, where the abuse allegedly continued approximately once a week.
The student alleges he deliberately began misbehaving to avoid being sent to Kelly’s office and was eventually expelled.
He returned the following school year to repeat seventh grade. The lawsuit alleges the abuse resumed and continued into eighth grade.
The petition further claims that numerous students and teachers knew about the alleged abuse, although the student did not disclose it to his family until approximately three years later.
School Board Responds to Allegations
In a formal response filed August 13, the Calcasieu Parish School Board denied having prior knowledge or notice of the alleged misconduct.
The Board also asserted that, to the extent Kelly committed the alleged criminal acts, those actions were motivated by personal reasons and unrelated to School Board business.
The plaintiff’s allegations and the Board’s defenses have not been resolved by the court.
Mental Health Assessment Submitted
A certificate of merit accompanying the lawsuit includes a statement from a Louisiana-licensed clinical social worker who interviewed the plaintiff.
The professional expressed an opinion that there was a reasonable basis to believe the plaintiff experienced childhood sexual abuse.
The lawsuit alleges lasting psychological injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The assessment is not an independent judicial determination that the alleged abuse occurred.
Questions Remain About Principal’s Departure
The original petition alleged that Kelly was later removed from the school system in connection with abuse involving another student.
A subsequent amended petition states that the School Board removed Kelly but does not repeat the allegation concerning another student.
The circumstances surrounding his departure have not been independently verified.
Case Remains Open
Court records provided to The Calcasieu Post identify the lawsuit as an open civil damages case in Division B of the 14th Judicial District Court, before Judge J. Lee Hoffoss Jr.
The School Board’s response includes denials and legal defenses. No determination of liability appears in the records reviewed.
Individuals with firsthand knowledge of events involving Joel Kelly at Moss Bluff Middle School during the late 1970s may contact the attorneys identified in the public court filings.
Slater Slater Schulman LLPAttorneys Daniel A. Meyer and Justin Lacour. Telephone: (504) 334-8522
The Calcasieu Post is not affiliated with either party or their legal representatives.
Editor’s note: The allegations described in this article are drawn from publicly filed court documents. They remain disputed and have not been established as fact. The plaintiff’s name and case number have been intentionally omitted to limit unnecessary identification.
