Missouri AG gets court order to close Agape Boarding School after years of reported abuse

Kansas City Star ^ | September 8, 2022 | Neil Nakahodo | Judy L. Thomas | Laura Bauer

[Morgana]

A southwest Missouri judge signed an order late Wednesday to close the embattled Agape Boarding School, but early Thursday said he wanted more information before the order is carried out.

Attorney General Eric Schmitt and the Department of Social Services filed a petition in Cedar County Circuit Court asking the judge to shut down the school, citing concerns about the safety of students. The request for the court injunction Wednesday came after an Agape staff member was placed on the state’s Central Registry for physical abuse, The Star has learned.

Judge David Munton signed the order calling for the immediate shutdown, but early Thursday instructed the Cedar County Sheriff to go to the Agape campus near Stockton to verify that the employee still works there. If the employee does, the order will be executed, Munton said in a court docket entry Thursday morning.

A hearing on the matter was first set for Thursday, but at the request of Agape’s attorney, who is currently out of state, it was rescheduled for Monday.

The order is on hold until then. The Attorney General’s office opposed the delay, according to the court docket, but did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

[Babba Gi]

We attended a small church with a small school in rural community. We were looked at askew because our children went to public school. We found out later that our friends children were sexually abused there. I didn’t enroll my children there because the couple that taught there seemed illiterate. When I see the word Agape in any business title I move on.

[fatboy]

Your insights and wisdom are amazing.

[Theophilus 7]

Agreed! Please do not enroll your children in any school with the name agape or any other Christian School nomenclature. By all means keep them in the government schools!