A former St. James R-1 Board of Education member was recently dismissed  as a defendant in a lawsuit filed against him and the school district by another local resident who alleged discrimination.

Jon Rapp, former board of education president, was dismissed on Aug. 5 as a defendant in a lawsuit leveled against him and the school district by Donna Olson, a local resident who is suing over claims that they falsely accused her of harassment. While Rapp has been dismissed as a defendant and is no longer party to the lawsuit, it is still moving forward with the St. James R-1 School District as the sole defendant.

According to Olson’s petition, she alleges that Rapp and the school district violated Missouri’s Sunshine Law, which gives citizens the right to access public records. Olson claims that the school district failed to provide certain documents substantiating the claim of harassment.

In the lawsuit, filed on Nov. 8, 2025, in Phelps County’s 25th Circuit Court,  Olson leveled four separate accusations against Rapp and the school district.

• Count 1 claims that Rapp and the school district violated the Missouri Sunshine Law.

• Count 2 claims defamation.

• Count 3 claims injurious falsehood.

• Count 4 claims negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Her lawsuit requests $25,000 in damages and that the school district pay for her attorney fees and costs incurred.

The lawsuit centers around an email written by Rapp and sent to Olson in August 2024, in which Rapp accused Olson’s household of harassment.

According to the email, Rapp wrote, “During our investigation we found that there were threats made to two employees of our district from someone living in your household…If there is continued harassment or threats from you, or anyone in your home, you and anyone associated with those threats will be asked to not be on school grounds at any time.”

Olson’s petition alleges that the email was spread among district employees and St. James community members, harming her reputation and causing emotional distress.

On Dec. 11, 2025, both Rapp and the school district filed motions to be dismissed from the case. Rapp’s motion for dismissal argued that Rapp is not liable under the Missouri Sunshine Law because he is neither a public government body nor a custodian of records.

The St. James R-1 School District filed a motion to dismiss all four counts on grounds that it is protected by sovereign immunity, which shields government entities from being sued for civil injuries.

Of its alleged violation of the Missouri Sunshine Law, in which Olson claims the school district failed to produce records she requested, the school district did not dispute that it withheld certain documents. The district argued in an April 9 filing that it acted in good faith to comply with Olson’s records request. The filing argued that Olson was not entitled to certain records she requested and that the school district had legal grounds to redact or withhold certain records that were requested.

Of Olson’s defamation claim, the district argued that the statements made by Rapp were either true or could be reasonably believed to be true, and that defendants did not knowingly transmit false information. The legal standard for defamation lawsuits typically require that statements made be knowingly and verifiably false.

The school district made a similar defense against Counts 3 and 4 that alleged injurious falsehood and negligent infliction of emotional distress, denying allegations that would establish liability, and relying on the broader argument that statements made by Rapp were true, or could be reasonably believed to be true.

On March 30, Olson subsequently filed an amended petition that argued against Rapp’s motion to dismiss, to which Rapp replied with another motion to dismiss on April 9, 2026. After another counter-argument filed by Olson’s attorney on April 30, Rapp replied with arguments in support of his dismissal on May 5, which, on Aug. 5, was granted.

In support of Rapp’s dismissal, the May 5 filing read, “Jon Rapp respectfully requests that the court dismiss the petition against him. No facts point to his involvement in responding to Sunshine Law requests, and he is not a public entity — he’s a person, and Count I should be dismissed.

“Because the petition does not make factual allegations that Mr. Rapp intended to cause actual harm to plaintiff, the petition lacks any pleading of malice. Failing to plead specific facts showing her claims fall within an exception to official immunity requires that Count 2, 3 and 4 to be dismissed as to Mr. Rapp. Mr. Rapp respectfully requests an Order dismissing all counts asserted against him and for further and other relief as the court deems just and proper.”

While Rapp’s motion to be dismissed from the lawsuit was granted, the school district’s was not.

The lawsuit will go to trial under Judge Zachary Hamilton Armfield, who is overseeing the case. Armfield set the trial for at 9 a.m. on Sept. 24 in the Phelps County Circuit Court.