The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) conducted a year-long investigation into the Christian Centre Academy (CCA) and discovered 18 alleged cases of abuse, including a violent exorcism, says a CBC report..In May 2004, it's alleged the school’s director interrogated student Coy Nolin about “gay demons” living inside him, with the director calling Coy “evil” and “an abomination.”.Three days later, Coy and his mother went to a house at the request of the school, according to CBC..Coy’s mother thought the purpose of the house meeting was to discuss Coy’s suspension from the school, instead, it was an exorcism..As soon as they entered the house, four men from the school grabbed Coy and placed their hands on him..The men yelled, grunted, and spoke in “tongues” trying to exorcise the “gay demons” from inside of Coy..After more than an hour when it didn't work, the director took a large wooden paddle, put Coy over his lap and spanked him..It left Coy severely bruised and he limped while trying to walk..His mother cried in the corner during the experience and could not stop them..Coy described the “exorcism” as one of the worst days of his life..“That was one of the worst days of my life. Even now, just thinking about it, I go numb. This was abuse. This was a hate crime,” Coy told the CBC..Eighteen former students filed criminal abuse complaints and the SPS turned its investigation over to the Crown prosecutors..It's now up to the Crown to decide if charges will be laid, however, the Supreme Court outlawed corporal punishment by educators at public or private schools, without religious exemptions. .Some of the student complaints included alleged coercion, traumatizing rituals, and solitary confinement. .The first student to go to the police was Caitlin Erickson, who described the school as a cult..“It’s taken a long time for people to speak up. I mean, it was a cult. It was essentially a cult,” said Erickson, to the CBC..The control from the school and church officials included physical, financial, social, and emotional abuse..The CCA released a statement about the alleged complaints telling the students to go to the police..“We are grieved to learn of former students who feel they were subjected to abuse during their time at CCA. We encourage and support any former student who feels this way to file a report with the police so these matters can be investigated and dealt with properly and legally,” wrote the CCA in a statement..Erickson said the school and church both changed their names, which she says is rebranding and not a change in how the school operates..“They simply changed the name. It’s just a rebranding,” said Erickson..CCA received Saskatchewan government school funding for the past decade..Most of the complaints were between 1995 and 2010. .In school abuse situations, there is no statute of limitations in Saskatchewan..The school says the key staff during that time period left CCA, but a former principal and school director are teaching at other Saskatchewan Christian schools..The church connected to the school sold a manual for “spiritual discipline” and paddles in the gift shop..In the “forms of discipline” section of the new student handbook, it does not include any form of corporal punishment..The investigation is ongoing and any students who have allegations against the school are asked to go to the SPS for further investigation.
