Legacy Christian Academy (LCA), formerly called Christian Centre Academy, and the Saskatchewan government’s response to the alleged abuse is being investigated by the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth (SACY)..Education Minister Dustin Duncan has “instructed the schools involved to fully co-operate with the investigation” and the “ministry will be co-operating fully with her office to provide information that her office requires as part of the investigation.”.READ MORE Alleged abuse revealed at Saskatchewan Christian school, including exorcisms.Duncan said that the government did not wait for the outcome of the police investigation to make changes to the oversight of independent schools and appoint administrators to the three schools involved in the police investigation..“We didn’t wait for that work to be done before changing the regulations to provide … for additional oversight, to increase the number of unannounced inspections at the three schools that is now two schools,” said Duncan..READ MORE New regulations for Sask independent schools following abuse allegations at Christian school.Grace Christian School lost its education certificate and will not be operating this fall. The ministry will be working closely with the families of those students to find a school for their children..READ MORE Christian school loses lease, NDP wants all teachers in lawsuit removed from classrooms.Duncan said he is “unaware of any issues in the past five years” in independent schools regarding alleged abuse..NDP Opposition Leader Carla Beck applauded SACY for opening an investigation..“By increasing funding to these schools and sweeping allegations of abuse under the rug, it is clear the Sask Party government is not focused on the safety and best interests of our kids,” said Beck. .“An independent investigation into qualified independent schools, the Legacy Christian Academy, and the Sask Party government’s shameful mishandling of these abuse allegations is welcome and long overdue.”.According to the Star Phoenix, another former teacher had reported allegations of abuse to the ministry of Education back in 2016..Duncan repeatedly said that the abuse allegations were “historical in nature” and predated the government funding and oversight in 2012..Opposition Education Critic Matt Love said that while the government starved the public and separate schools of funding, it increased funding to schools with a culture of alleged abuses..“On one hand, the Sask Party government is starving our public and separate school systems of funding and forcing them to cut essential staff and introduce lunchroom fees. On the other hand, they are increasing funding to schools with alleged cultures of abuse,” said Opposition Education Critic Matt Love. .“If this doesn’t scream failed leadership, I don’t know what does," he said..Beck said he hopes the Saskatchewan government works with the SACY investigation..“I sincerely hope the Sask Party government will cooperate with the Advocate’s investigation and heed their recommendations. In the meantime, we need answers from Scott Moe and his Education Minister on their shameful failure to act,” said Beck..Duncan looks forward to the SACY recommendations, which he expects will take between 6-10 months..“We look forward to her recommendations from that work,” said Duncan..Duncan plans to meet with the students involved in the civil lawsuit against LCA, but they have set no date. .“I am, but we have not reached out … there is no timeline at this point. But this fall,” said Duncan..The SACY investigation has begun and the results and recommendations will come in 2023.
