Saskatchewan’s education minister says cabinet has approved a number of regulation changes for independent schools, including appointing an administrator for a private Saskatoon school facing abuse claims, as well as two other schools.
This comes after multiple students have come forward with allegations of physical and sexual abuse while they attended the Legacy Christian Academy.
Read more:
$25 million lawsuit filed alleging abuse and sexual assault from Sask. school
A class action lawsuit for $25 million has been launched against Mile Two Church Inc. that operates LCA and police have also confirmed they are investigating.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Minister Dustin Duncan said the allegations are “troubling” and announced Thursday morning that qualified independent schools, including LCA, will also see an increase in unannounced, supervised inspections – up to 10 per school year from three previously.
Duncan said over the last number of weeks, the government has identified some gaps in independent school regulations.
The government has faced scrutiny from former students and the Official Opposition for their handling of the situation.
Duncan said independent schools will also now have to notify the minister within 24 hours once they are aware that the school or someone working at the school is subject to a criminal investigation.
“The new regulations will also allow me to appoint an administrator in the event that there are allegations that will require additional administration or supervision of an independent school in the province,” Duncan told reporters.
An administrator will be appointed to Legacy Christian Academy, Regent Academy and Grace Christian School.
“There are three individuals named in the statement of claim that are associated with those three schools in operation today, and so those are the three schools that will have an administrator,” Duncan said.
Read more:
Sask. NDP renews call for more government scrutiny of Legacy Christian Academy
Duncan said once the government received a copy of the statement of claim filed against Mile Two Church Inc., he directed the ministry to forward the names of the defendants to the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory body to ensure they had the names of any licensed teachers named in the statement of claim.
More to come …
— with a file from Global News’ Brody Langager