Former principal of Legacy Christian Academy, Duff Friesen, made his first appearance in Saskatoon Provincial Court Thursday afternoon after turning himself into police.
He was charged with 11 counts of historical assault with a weapon by the Saskatoon Police Service.
Sixty-five-year-old Friesen is named in a $25 million class action lawsuit against Legacy Christian Academy, a school run by Mile Two Church. Former students are alleging a history of physical and sexual abuse.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
“Sitting there in court, it’s a bit surreal that this day has finally come,” said former Legacy Christian Academy student Caitlin Erickson. “This just validates what everyone has been saying and police have done their due diligence investigating.”
Erickson, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, went to see Friesen face his charges in Saskatoon court Thursday along with three other former Legacy students.
“We have two now from that school now that have been charged by police,” Erickson said.
Former athletic director of Legacy Christian Academy, Aaron Benneweis, also named in the lawsuit, is facing charges of sexual assault and sexual exploitation.
He was arrested on Feb. 2.
“I’m sure, based on the individuals that have been charged already, that there are more charges coming,” Erickson added.
She said more than 60 complaints were made to police between herself and other former students that she has been made aware of through correspondence with other victims.
A court document filed in the lawsuit alleges that corporal punishment was used as a correctional tool and said that this was reflective in the publications of Mile Two Church Inc.
It hasn’t been confirmed that corporal punishment is what Friesen is being accused of.
“When we are talking some of the offenses that these kids did, we have documents from former students, cumulative files that say they were spanked for things like turning around in their chair, taking too long in the bathroom, not being able to do their academic work at the level that the school thought they should be able to do it at because they might have had a learning disability,” Erickson claimed.
“They were a power that everyone feared. So definitely, seeing (Friesen) sitting in the box today, the power dynamic has shifted.”
Despite the situation, the former students agreed that standing together as a group has brought them confidence and validation.
“I had left really isolated in my own experiences as I was really fully understanding the severity of what happened to me, so being able to reconnect with former students has just allowed me to feel like I can find my voice,” said former student Robynne Cuthbert.
“This is really just the start,” Erickson said. “This just backs up what we have been saying since we came forward.”
Friesen was released from police custody on conditions Thursday afternoon. His next appearance is scheduled for July 17.
The first date for the civil court case is July 7.
– With files from Global News’ Brody Langager
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