Sask. to appoint administrator to oversee school following abuse allegations
Saskatchewan's education ministry is appointing an administrator to oversee a Saskatoon Christian school at the centre of a criminal investigation of a proposed class action lawsuit.
Legacy Christian Academy (LCA), along with two other schools which employ individuals named in the lawsuit, will have a ministry administrator appointed.
"Student safety is of the utmost importance, and we take all allegations and complaints seriously," Education Minister Dustin Duncan said in a news release.
"We have taken action to ensure that all students can feel safe, protected and respected no matter what school they attend."
Former students of LCA, previously known as Saskatoon Christian Centre Academy, have recently come forward alleging that staff routinely paddled students and engaged in "controlling and abusive" behaviour — including a "gay exorcism."
The proposed class action lawsuit alleges sexual abuse occurred in connection with the school.
Saskatoon Police Service has confirmed an investigation into historical claims involving students has been turned over to Crown prosecutors.
In addition to the appointed administrator LCA, Grace Christian School and Regent Academy will be subject an unscheduled visit once per month.
In a statement, LCA said it has "always had a positive and collaborative working relationship with government officials"
"We understand the government’s obligation to ensure that students in any educational setting are safe and receive quality education," the statement said.
"We are confident that any additional oversight implemented by the government will be encouraged by the current approach to education at Legacy Christian Academy."
In order to appoint the administrator, the province said it amended its Registered Independent Schools Regulations "to increase accountability of Qualified Independent Schools."
The changes to the rules governing such schools also give the education minister the power to put private schools on probation and suspend a school's certification — effectively shutting them down.
The amendments also require the schools to notify the ministry within 24 hours if there are allegations of criminal activity or a criminal charge involving a staff member.
Opposition NDP education critic Matt Love said the government's response did not go far enough. Love said the school's funding should be suspended.
“This government’s first priority should be ensuring the safety of our children. To neither shut off the tap to Legacy Christian Academy, nor remove alleged abusers from positions of authority is an utter failure of leadership," Love said.
"Safety of our children is paramount; there’s no room for half-measures and passing the buck.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Advocate questions whether Air Canada has 'cultural problem' after issue with teen's wheelchair
Flying over the Grand Canyon was a highlight for the Gellisen family during their trip to Phoenix, but their flight home to Toronto was a much different experience, with several family members forced off of the flight over tensions related to a teen's wheelchair.

Military under fire as thousands of troops face lost cost-of-living allowance
The Canadian Armed Forces is under fire for its plan to cut thousands of troops off a cost-of-living allowance without much notice.
Lettuce prices likely to rise again amid California flooding, experts say
Lettuce prices are likely to rise next month and could stay high into the summer, agriculture experts say, as flooding in a key California farming area becomes the latest example of extreme weather's effect on the food chain.
Burial plots in Metro Vancouver are now so expensive, they’re being compared to real estate
Burial plots have become such a hot commodity in Metro Vancouver, one spot in a Burnaby cemetery is being sold privately online for $54,000.
'Reconciliation through art': Campaign aims to get an Indigenous woman on Canada's $20 bill
A new campaign is aiming to get an Indigenous woman honoured on the next $20 bill in Canada for the first time.
Singh 'not satisfied' with confidence-and-supply agreement
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he's 'not satisfied' with his party's confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals — signed a year ago this week — because it's shown him he could do a better job running the country than the current government.
Is the David porn? Come see, Italians tell Florida parents
The Florence museum housing Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece the 'David' invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign.
5 things to know for Monday, March 27, 2023
Ukraine demands an emergency UN meeting, a former governor of the Bank of Canada weighs in on the risk of a hard landing for the country's economy, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh reflects on the year since the signing of the confidence-and-supply agreement. Here's what you need to know to start your day.
Twitter: Parts of source code leaked online
Some parts of Twitter's source code -- the fundamental computer code on which the social network runs -- were leaked online, the social media company said in a legal filing on Sunday.