Sexual assault victims to be paid $15.7M in Calgary school board lawsuit

Calgary Board of Education building file photo.

The sexual assault victims of two former employees with the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) will receive $15.7 million as a result of a settlement in a class-action lawsuit against the board.

Officials announced the details of the settlement in the court case related to the former teachers, who were employed at John Ware School between 1988 and 2004.

The total settlement, which is still subject to court approval, means the CBE and its insurers will pay the survivors $15,770,000.00 all-inclusive to the class members.

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“The CBE is sorry for the harm experienced by the class members and the impact of that harm on them,” the board wrote in a news release.

“The CBE commends the strength and courage of the class members who came forward to share their experiences and to participate in the court process. Many of the class members intend to pursue further advocacy to prevent others from experiencing similar harm.”

The former teachers, named in court documents, are Michael Gregory and Fred Henry Archer.

According to court documents, the plaintiffs in the case all attended John Ware Junior High School between 1988 and 2004 and said they were sexually and physically abused by both teachers.

Gregory was employed at the school for approximately 20 years until his licence was revoked in 2006 by the Alberta Teachers’ Association, who said he was engaging in demeaning and disrespectful conduct with his students.

He pleaded guilty to those misconduct charges, but criminal charges were laid against him in February 2021.

Gregory died by suicide five days after charges were announced.

Archer worked at John Ware through the 1990s.

In January, he was charged with two counts of sexual assault with a child under the age of 16, two counts of sexual interference with a child under the age of 16 and one count of invitation to sexual touching with a child under the age of 16.

He was also convicted of abusing boys at a school he worked at previously.