“Yesterday, we said it was a time for reckoning. Today, there is a reckoning and real accountability. Best Academy is now a safer place for children.” – Jeff Anderson
(St. Paul, MN) – Today, the Harvest Best Academy Board of directors voted to relieve Chief Executive Officer Eric Mahmoud of his duties with the school. This update comes after two teachers, Aaron Hjermstad and Abdul Wright, have been named in civil lawsuits alleging the sexual abuse of students.
This development is a credit to the courageous survivors and their families who have spoken out to expose the truth. With the truth exposed, children at Best Academy are safer.
“The voices of the survivors and their families have been heard. They can take comfort knowing that their courage has led to this change and that children are safter today than they were yesterday. – Molly Burke, attorney
Background:
Earlier this week, a lawsuit was filed against Best Academy Charter School and Abdul Wright, a former teacher and winner of 2016’s Award for Minnesota Teacher of the Year. From 2016 to 2017, Wright used his position as an educator to target, groom, and engage in countless boundary violations of a minor student.
Aaron Hjermstad, who was a coach and teacher at Best Academy, is currently serving a 12-year sentence for his sexual abuse of four boys. Before sentencing, Hjermstad fled Minnesota and was arrested in Idaho with several electronic items and thousands of videos of Hjermstad assaulting children. Stemming from the videos, Hjermstad has been indicted on 12 additional counts of criminal sexual conduct of 12 additional victims.