PCVA Files Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Abuse by Former Canarsie High School Staff Member

Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a woman who alleges she was sexually abused by Kevin Gilford Orr while she was a student at Canarsie High School in Brooklyn. The complaint, filed September 24, 2026 in Kings County Supreme Court, names the City of New York, the New York City Department of Education, and the city’s Boards of Education as defendants.

According to the complaint, Orr worked at the school as a teacher, dean, or aide, and used that position to groom and sexually abuse the plaintiff on school property from approximately 2005 to 2009, beginning when she was a minor. The lawsuit alleges that the school system had received complaints of sexual abuse against Orr and ignored them, failing to remove him, report him to police, or keep him away from students.

The lawsuit was filed under New York City’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law. These are allegations in a civil complaint and have not been proven in court.

PCVA Is Seeking Witnesses

PCVA is asking anyone with information about Orr’s time at Canarsie High School to come forward. That includes former students, parents, teachers, and staff who saw or heard something concerning, or who raised concerns about Orr with the school. Canarsie High School closed in 2011, and the building at 1600 Rockaway Parkway now houses the Canarsie Educational Campus.

If You or a Loved One Was Affected

If you or a loved one experienced abuse by Orr at Canarsie High School, PCVA would like to hear from you. A civil claim against an institution does not depend on whether criminal charges were ever filed, and depending on the circumstances, survivors may have legal options even when the abuse happened many years ago. Reaching out is free and confidential, and you do not need to have every detail to start the conversation.