Court dismisses assault charge against staff member of Saskatoon private Christian school

An assault charge against an educational assistant at a Saskatoon private Christian school has been dismissed after the 44-year-old went through an alternative measures program.

Terra Macewan was charged with assault in September in relation to an incident in May at then-Legacy Christian Academy. The school has since changed its name to Valour Academy.

Court officials confirmed Nov. 14 that the charge was dismissed after Macewan went through the alternative measures program. This option allows an accused to avoid a trial and potential criminal record by taking specific programming.

Laurissa Gerritse previously told CBC that the incident traumatized her son, who was seven years old at the time. Gerritse said she remembers that "horrible" day back in May when she picked her son up at the end of the school day.

"He got in the car and he shut the door and he just broke and started bawling," she said.

"And I was like, 'Hey, what, what happened. Are you OK?' And he said, 'My head hurts so bad and I can't get it to stop hurting.'"

She said she asked the boy if he bumped his head on the playground structure. He said no, his teacher had hit him "twice with the yellow baton in gym" because he wasn't listening.

"I was in shock," Gerritse said. "I'm like, 'Are you sure? That's a very serious allegation to say that about your teacher.'"

The boy said yes, he was sure, and pointed to the spot on his head. When Gerritse touched the spot, the boy yelled and she could already feel a "very sizable goose egg."

"I was quite angry. That look in his eyes — I recognized that look. I knew he wasn't making it up. He was legitimately scared," she said.

She said she took him home and applied ice.

"He said, 'I don't wanna go back there, Mommy.' And I said, 'You're never gonna have to step foot in that school again.' And I've kept that promise."

Gerritse said this week that explaining the court process to her son has been a challenge. In the end, she said that Macewan has shown remorse for what happened.

"We told him that she said she's sorry and we're going to tell him, or show him, what we can of that. Just try to explain to him that, just like he makes mistakes, everybody makes mistakes," she said in an interview.

"I just wanted there to be, like, an admission of that, and there to be some consequences for that and it seems there has been. She's participating, and I'm hopeful this has been a learning experience for her."

Three other former school officials have been charged with assault with a weapon. They have all pleaded not guilty and those cases are ongoing. Another former teacher pleaded guilty last year to sexually assaulting and exploiting a student.