Friday was the first day in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench for the proposed class action lawsuit which alleges physical, psychological and sexual abuse at Christian Centre Academy, now known as Legacy Christian Academy, and Mile Two Church.

One of the former students, Caitlin Erickson, says they filed a statement of claim last August and it felt good to finally be in court. About 120 to 130 former students have submitted their claims and more are in the process. Erickson attended from Kindergarten to Grade 12. She says she experienced sexual abuse by one of the Sunday School teachers and physical, emotional and psychological abuse throughout her years there.

Erickson states their intent with this lawsuit is to make sure no one else has to go through this, because in her words, people have done some very egregious things. “There is a lot of former students living every day with the traumas of the things that these people have done. You know, those people need to be held accountable.”

On Friday, the judge reserved his decision on when the statements of defence need to be in, so there is no concrete next court date yet. Erickson notes that no one named as a defendant has submitted a statement, even though they were served almost a year ago.

Three former staff been criminally charged. They are former coach and athletics director Aaron Benneweis, former principal Duff Friesen, and former director John Olubobokun.