Court rejects assault charge against staff at Saskatoon private Christian school

A charge of assault against a teaching assistant at a private Christian school in Saskatoon has been dismissed after the 44-year-old student went through an alternative measures program.

Terra Macewan was charged with assault in September for an incident that occurred in May at then-Legacy Christian Academy. The school’s name was later changed to Valor Academy.

Court officials confirmed on November 14 that the charge was dismissed after Macewan went through an alternative measures programme. This option allows the defendant to avoid trial and a potential criminal record by taking a specific program.

Laurissa Gerritse previously told CBC that the incident traumatized her son, who was seven at the time. Gerritse said she remembers that “terrible” day when she picked up her son after school in May.

“He got in the car and closed the door, broke down and started screaming,” she said.

“And I was like, ‘Hey, what happened? Are you okay?’ And he said: ‘I have a terrible headache and I can’t stop the pain.'”

He said he asked the boy if he had hit his head on the playground. He said no, he had hit the teacher “twice with a yellow baton in the gym” for not listening.

“I was in shock,” Gerritse said. “I said, ‘Are you sure? It’s a very serious allegation to say that about your teacher.'”

The boy said yes he was sure and pointed to the spot on his head. The boy cried out when Gerritse touched that spot, and Gerritse could already feel “a very big goose egg.”

“I was pretty angry. I recognized that look in his eyes. I knew he wasn’t making it up. He was legitimately scared,” he said.

He said he took her home and applied ice.

“He said, ‘I don’t want to go back there, mom.'” And I said, ‘You’ll never have to step foot in that school again.’ And I kept that promise.”

Gerritse said this week that explaining the court process to her son was challenging. He said Macewan eventually regretted what happened.

“We told him that he said he was sorry and that we would tell or show him what we could about it. Try to explain to him that just like he made mistakes, everyone makes mistakes,” she said. an interview.

“I just wanted it to be acknowledged and have some consequences for it, and it did. He’s participating and I hope it’s a learning experience for him.”

Three other former school officials were also charged with the shooting. All have pleaded not guilty and these cases are ongoing. Another former teacher pleaded guilty last year to sexual assault and abuse of a student.