Alberta RCMP currently has no files on Calgary teacher who admitted abuse, despite ATA claims

The Alberta RCMP says it has no files on a Calgary educator who admitted abuse in 2006.

Mounties confirmed that to CityNews on Wednesday, saying that could be because the system has now deleted them — but serious files have longer retention periods.

This is the latest revelation in a case that has sparked a class-action lawsuit and prompted the education minister to blast the ATA.

CityNews learned the Alberta Teachers’ Association was made aware of separate instances of misconduct by Michael Gregory, who admitted to them more than a decade ago. Among the misconduct were acts of headbutting students, pummelling them on the ground, and force feeding them his belly button hair.

Despite this, the ATA never filed a formal police report.

Shortly after our coverage, the ATA said the RCMP and Calgary Board of Education knew of the allegations against Gregory and “elements of the case.”

The former junior high school teacher was formally investigated by the ATA and his license was suspended in 2006.

He was charged with 17 sexual offences earlier this year. Gregory died by suicide shortly after.

None of the claims were proven in court.

On Monday, former students announced they were launching a class-action lawsuit against the Calgary Board of Education and Gregory’s estate, seeking damages amounting to $40 million.

The lawsuit says the CBE should have reported allegations sooner and the actions of the board effectively discouraged victims from coming forward.

Related article: 

• ATA didn’t report abusive Calgary teacher to police in 2006

• Former students sue CBE for failing to investigate abusive teacher

• Alberta education minister takes on ATA after Calgary teacher wasn’t reported to police in 2006

The CPS has since received reports from 10 additional victims and 35 witnesses, who called them from coast to coast to coast and the U.S. after seeing media reports.

On Tuesday, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange took to Twitter to call out the ATA and say she was “extremely concerned to hear the allegations” brought forward.

“We trust teachers with our children every day and when this trust is broken, it needs to be taken seriously, and action needs to happen,” LaGrange said in her online thread, adding “That’s why just last week we passed The Students First Act.”

She previously told CityNews that while she was not the education minister at the time of the alleged incidents, she would have taken action had she been in charge then.