Teacher of the Year sex abuse investigation: ‘He was just manipulative’
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A former Harvest Best Academy student accused her middle school English teacher of "grooming" and sexually abusing her months after he had been named Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2016.
"I think that his status and him being Teacher of the Year really was a reason that a lot of people turned a blind eye," the student said in a recent interview.
The FOX 9 Investigators agreed to refer to the former student as "Jane Doe" in order to protect her identity since she was a minor at the time and is named in court records as a victim of sexual abuse.
What we know:
Abdul Wright was charged with criminal sex conduct last year after Jane Doe’s mother told police that her daughter, who was 14 years old at the time, had been sexually abused by her teacher beginning in January 2017.
According to court records, the abuse lasted almost a year and took place inside a classroom, Wright’s car, and Jane Doe’s family apartment.
"He was taking us to the Timberwolves games, I started babysitting his kids with permission of my mom and that’s when the abuse started," Jane Doe said. "I just don’t think anything that happened was a coincidence. I think it was all premeditated."
What they're saying:
Wright pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sex conduct. In a statement, his attorney said Wright is "looking forward to his day in court."
Citing privacy laws, a spokesperson for Harvest Best Academy said the school could not comment on specific allegations.
Attorney Jeff Anderson says family reported suspicions to charter school
Timeline:
Jane Doe’s father told the FOX 9 Investigators he became suspicious after seeing "hundreds of calls" between his daughter and Wright.
The father said the school "failed tremendously" and his concerns were "dismissed completely" during a meeting with the school’s founder, Eric Mahmoud, during the summer of 2017.
Wright’s personnel file shows no record of any discipline related to the student or the family’s complaint.
Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing Jane Doe, said her family implored the school to take action but were rebuffed because Wright was "revered in the community."
Following that meeting, Jane Doe said the abuse continued.
"I was in eighth grade, and I was expecting to be protected, but I was also naive," she said.
Her father said he didn’t go to the police because the school’s response to the cell phone records made him doubt whether it would be enough to initiate an investigation.
Father of former student sought restraining order against Teacher of the Year
Jane Doe’s father took his concerns to court where he requested a restraining order against Wright.
Wright ultimately agreed to cut off social media contact with Jane Doe and to maintain a "professional" teacher-student relationship, according to a settlement agreement Wright signed in December 2017.
The FOX 9 Investigators asked if Best Academy was made aware of the court order involving its teacher.
"The Academy will not be providing any statement regarding this matter," a public relations firm said in a statement.
Dig deeper:
When Jane Doe confided in her family last year about the details of the alleged abuse, they confronted Wright. In an excerpt of a recorded conversation, Wright can be heard begging the family not to pursue legal action and that he had never done anything like that before.
"I thank God this morning when I didn't have the police at my door, I swear to God I did," Wright said on the recording, which is included in the court file.
Wright eventually went on to teach at St. Louis Park High School but resigned shortly after criminal charges were filed against him last year. According to the school, there were no records of complaints or discipline while employed there.
What's next:
Wright’s trial date has not yet been set. As Jane Doe waits for the criminal case against her former teacher to move forward, she hopes sharing her story will help her "pick up the pieces" from her past.
"I feel like I grew up way too fast," she said. "And I really wish that I got to be a child longer."
The Source: Information cited in this story is attributed to Minnesota court records and personnel files obtained from Harvest Best Academy.