SASKATOON (CANADA)
Christian Post [Washington DC]
August 18, 2022
By Nicole Alcindor
A Canadian church plans to terminate a rental agreement with a Christian school due to its connection to a lawsuit involving former students accusing local private school officials of abuse.
Forest Grove Community Church of Saskatoon made a public announcement Monday that it will terminate Grace Christian School’s lease next month.
At issue is a Grace Christian employee being named in a class-action lawsuit by several former students of another school, Legacy Christian Academy, over allegations of abuse by school officials, including allegations of forced exorcisms.
The termination comes after it was discovered that Grace Christian School had hired staff who previously worked at LCA. Last week, Saskatchewan’s education ministry appointed administrators to oversee LCA, Grace Christian and a third school that employs someone named in the lawsuit, Regent Academy in Prince Albert.
“Forest Grove Community Church’s operations staff and church leadership have reviewed our rental agreement with Grace Capstone Ministries and have made the decision to terminate our lease contract with Grace Christian School, effective September 2022,” the statement reads. “We are grieved for the students and families that will be affected and did not make this decision lightly.”
Formerly known as Christian Centre Academy until 2013, LCA made international headlines in recent weeks after former students alleged teachers and staff coerced them to be part of exorcisms and subjected them to corporal punishment at the hands of school officials.
Caitlin Erickson, a former student of LCA who stepped forward with abuse allegations, told CBC News that she believes the church’s decision to end the lease was the right one to make.
“I think it’s very commendable,” Erickson said, noting that she realizes the church will likely lose significant revenue. “I’m hoping that there are others who take the lead after seeing Forest Grove do the right thing, and they come forward and do the right thing as well.”
Earlier this month, Erickson and other former students of LCA told CBC News their stories of alleged abuse at the hands of LCA officials.