Image sources: Elias Gordon Farley, courtesy of Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Donna Klein Jewish Academy, courtesy of Homes.com.
A former science teacher at Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, has been arrested for the alleged sexual abuse of a student.
Elias Gordon Farley, 26, was booked in the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center on December 4, 2025, and remains held on a total bond of $500,000.
Farley is charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor and offense against a student by an authority figure. Each charge carries a $250,000 bond.
Digital Evidence in the Case
According to the probable cause affidavit, Farley began interacting with the victim in June of 2025. The student reported that she “often stayed after class to engage in conversations with teachers, including Elias, about various topics, including psychology and personality disorders.” The victim “stated these conversations remained within the teacher-student dynamic at that time.”
During the summer of 2025, however, the “nature of their conversations” reportedly shifted. Over the summer, Farley allegedly began communicating with the student through a shared Google Document, which was used in place of a phone number. According to the affidavit, detectives later obtained a warrant for the documents and received them on December 3, 2025. Authorities confirmed that the documents contained conversations between Farley and the student and that the accounts involved were linked to Farley.
Allegations Against Elias Farley
When the new school year began in August 2025, the student had Farley on her schedule nearly every day. According to the affidavit, she often stayed late at school to work on college essays and writing assignments, and Farley used these after-school hours to meet with her privately in his office or in Room 209, a small classroom next to the lab.
The student told investigators that around mid-September, Farley began “grappling” with her in his office, which “involved wrestling-like behavior, during which Elias restrained her” and then touched beneath her pants. She reported that similar contact occurred repeatedly in the weeks that followed. According to the affidavit, the conduct escalated, and the unlawful sexual activity continued into October in both his office and Room 209.
The affidavit also states that the victim was at Farley’s apartment on two occasions in early November, including one time when his roommate was away. One of the times, the victim reported, “Elias bit her on the stomach and inner thigh, leaving visible marks.”
The victim said that she and Farley continued to communicate through the shared Google Document that Farley created into November. She no longer had access to the document after November 17, when her parents changed the password to her account.
Disclosure of Farley’s Abuse
On November 14, the student disclosed the situation to an art teacher. She identified Elias on the school’s staff directory on the teacher’s computer and “lifted her shirt to show her bruises and bite marks on their stomach and arm, which she claimed were caused by Elias.”
A school administrator later contacted the teacher to obtain more information and reported the matter to the Florida Department of Children and Families. She also notified the victim’s mother.
Investigation and Corroborating Evidence
Detectives executed a search warrant at Farley’s apartment on December 1, 2025. Crime scene investigators took photographs and collected items of evidentiary value. The living room and bedroom furnishings matched the description the student had given of Farley’s apartment, and investigators recovered sheets and condom wrappers from the scene.
Farley’s roommate told investigators he had not been home on the dates the student reported being at the apartment.
According to the affidavit, when detectives attempted to interview Farley, he said he had been advised not to speak with police if he did not know the reason for the interview. After learning that the inquiry related to his suspension from the school, he said he intended to contact his family and an attorney and declined to give a statement.
Farley was arrested on December 4 and booked into the Palm Beach County jail, where he remains in custody. Authorities are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office at 561-688-3000.
Understanding Grooming in School Settings
Grooming is a gradual process in which an adult builds trust, access, and emotional reliance with a child in order to abuse them. In school environments, grooming often begins with seemingly ordinary interactions such as extra help after class, personal conversations, or special attention that sets a student apart. Adults who engage in grooming may also create private communication channels or seek out moments when they can meet with a student alone.
The affidavit in this case describes several behaviors that align with common grooming patterns, including increased after-school contact, one-on-one meetings in isolated locations, and the use of an unmonitored digital communication platform. These tactics can make it difficult for a student to recognize the situation as unsafe, especially when the adult is a teacher or someone in a position of authority.
Donna Klein’s Response
Donna Klein Jewish Academy released a public statement to WPTV acknowledging “a former teacher’s” arrest. The school described the situation as “a difficult time” for the Donna Klein community. The school noted that they could not share additional information because the matter is ongoing.
However, this statement does not meaningfully address the issues raised in the affidavit. For many families, such limited responses can feel superficial and leave important questions unanswered.
The affidavit describes repeated instances of private access, after-hours meetings, and communication between a teacher and student occurring outside official school channels. Yet the school’s public statement does not explain how these circumstances were able to develop or what internal reviews, if any, will take place. A generic message is rarely enough to address community concerns or rebuild trust.
Donna Klein Jewish Academy operates on what it describes as “secure, 100-acre campus of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, the largest Jewish campus in the country,” adding that their “students benefit from an environment rich in resources, safety, and Jewish life.”
The allegations outlined in the affidavit raise understandable questions for families. Reports of repeated private contact, after-hours meetings, and communication outside official channels do not readily align with the school’s portrayal of a safe environment. In these kinds of cases, families reasonably seek clarity about how abuse was able to occur and what steps the institution will take to protect students moving forward.
Civil Liability
While the criminal case addresses Farley’s individual actions, a civil case can examine whether Donna Klein Jewish Academy failed in its legal responsibility to protect students from foreseeable harm. Schools have a legal obligation to create and enforce policies that prevent students from abuse by teachers or other staff.
Donna Klein Jewish Academy presents itself as a secure environment, but civil cases evaluate whether an institution actually fulfilled its duty of care, not merely how it describes itself. When a teacher is alleged to have repeatedly abused a student, civil investigations focus on whether the school missed indicators of misconduct, failed to enforce its own policies, or allowed opportunities for abuse to develop unchecked.
Ultimately, civil law exists to hold institutions accountable when they fail to act reasonably to protect children in their care.
Support for School Sexual Abuse Victims
If you or your child experienced boundary violations, sexual contact, or any interaction with Elias Gordon Farley that made you feel unsafe or unsure, you are not alone. Many survivors, especially those harmed by a teacher or another trusted adult, struggle to make sense of what happened or to speak about it.
Coming forward is an act of courage, and support is available.
Andreozzi + Foote represents survivors of sexual abuse in Florida and nationwide in cases involving schools and other institutions responsible for protection. A civil claim can help uncover what occurred inside a system that allowed abuse to occur, hold the responsible parties accountable, and seek compensation for the emotional and physical harm caused.
We offer free and confidential consultations to help survivors understand their rights, ask questions, and explore the next steps toward healing and justice.
All consultations are free and completely confidential.
Contact us today.
