15 years after serving prison sentence, former Alberta teacher charged with more sexual offences
Fred Archer, 80, also named as defendant in lawsuit filed by former students
While serving a prison sentence in 2010 for sexually assaulting students, former Calgary teacher Fred Archer told the Parole Board of Canada that should more sexual assault victims come forward, "so be it."
On Wednesday, 15 years after that comment, the Calgary Police Service confirmed that Archer, now 80 years old, is facing five new charges, stemming from alleged incidents in the 1990s, including sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.
Police say two men came forward in 2024, alleging that Archer sexually assaulted them between 1991 and 1995 when they were 12-year-old students in Grade 7 at John Ware School.
Police allege Archer inappropriately touched the first alleged victim during tutoring sessions.
The second complainant alleges he was assaulted at Archer's home and in his vehicle.
'Two other victims could come forward'
Parole Board of Canada documents obtained by CBC News reveal details about Archer's previous convictions and the fact that he suspected "two other victims could come forward."
"You further explained that you will deal with the charges if they choose to come forward, and if further incarceration is the outcome, then so be it, you will take it as it comes."
The new charges were investigated after complainants came forward to participate in a recently certified class-action lawsuit filed by former students against the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and former teachers Archer and Michael Gregory.
Gregory, a teacher at John Ware Junior High School between 1986 and 2006, died by suicide in 2021, five days after he was charged with 17 counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation involving six former students.
The lawsuit also accuses Archer, who also worked at John Ware in the 1990s, of sexually and physically abusing male students at the school.
The statement of claim alleges the two men worked together and "provided cover" for each other. It also claims that several CBE employees, including a vice-principal, were well aware of the abuse and should have protected the students.
3-year prison sentence
Initially, only Gregory and the CBE were named as defendants. But the lawsuit was amended last year to include Archer after former John Ware students came forward, according to David Corrigan and Meagan Potier with HMC Lawyers LLP, the law firm representing the plaintiffs.
While Archer is most recently accused of working with Gregory at John Ware middle school, his first crimes took place at Springbank Middle School, where he worked as a guidance counsellor between 1984 and 1990 and admitted to abusing boys there during that time.
But it wasn't until 2006 when the incidents were first reported.
In 2009, Archer pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and one charge of gross indecency.
In 2010, the Alberta Court of Appeal overturned his non-custodial sentence and handed Archer a three-year prison sentence.
Archer remorseful, board notes
Nine months later, the Parole Board of Canada granted Archer full parole.
In its seven-page decision, the board noted Archer had accepted responsibility for his crimes, was remorseful and "demonstrated a responsible and mature approach in ensuring that your offences will never be repeated."
The board also reviewed the circumstances that led to the convictions.
While working as a guidance counsellor at the Springbank school, Archer's victims were referred to him because they were having problems at school or at home.
His conduct progressed from asking inappropriate questions to touching to sexual encounters with male students, the board noted.
'This was not right'
One student was victimized over a two-year period with assaults taking place both at school and at the boy's home, according to the parole board.
"When your last victim adamantly refused to participate in sexual acts with you, the event was a form of revelation to you that this was not right, that you were hurting them as opposed to helping them," the board wrote.
"You accept the sentence, and were able to explain that when all is considered, you got off easy compared to the damage you caused to your victims and the hurt and disappointment that you caused to your family. The board noted your remorse and your sincerity when discussing your offences."
Archer did not respond to CBC's requests for comment.
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