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Home My WebLink AboutOCDSB defends itself against series of lawsuits alleging abuse by three teachers - Ottawa Citizen - 11/21/2018 - Ottawa Citizen - 11/21/201811/21/2018 OCDSB files defence lawsuits alleging abuse teachers Bell High School I Ottawa Citizen OCDSB defends itself against series of lawsuits alleging abuse by three teachers VITO PILIECI (HTTPS://OTTAWACITIZEN.COM/AUTHOR/VPILIECISBITSANDBYTESBLOG) Go 0awri ".1 y�<0f h [ t',l r� The Ottawa Carleton District School Board plans to vigorously defend itself against several lawsuits that allege abuse by three teachers who taught at Bell High School over the past 50 years. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ocdsb-defends-itself-agai nst-series-of-lawsu its -al Iegi ng -abuse -by -three -teachers 1/5 11/21/2018 OCDSB files defence lawsuits alleging abuse teachers Bell High School I Ottawa Citizen Four separate lawsuits are seeking millions of dollars in damages from the school board, the teachers who are alleged to have abused their students and, in two cases in which the teachers have died, their estates. The first lawsuit was filed March 16 against the estate of Donald Greenham and the school board. Greenham, who died of a heart attack on March 4, had been facing 54 charges related to at least 14 former students for alleged incidents that occurred between 1970 and 1982, while he was a teacher and guidance counsellor at Bayshore Public School and a basketball coach at Bell High School. According to the statement of claim, the plaintiff, identified only as D.I.J., is seeking more than $2 million in damages. It alleges that Greenham was the plaintiff's teacher and guidance counsellor. A second statement of claim was filed Nov. 7 against Robert E. Clarke, a former music teacher at Bell High School. The statement of claim says "on several occasions" Clarke exposed himself and fondled his genitalia "in the direct view" of the plaintiff. The plaintiff attended Bell High School between 1975 and 1979. He is seeking more than $4.8 million in damages. The statement of claim also names the plaintiff's daughter and wife as additional plaintiffs in the case. They are seeking an additional $250,000 in damages. The statement of claim alleges that the "school board created a system in which teachers were placed in a position of trust and authority over children and permitted to have close, regular and intimate contact with children. As a result, the school board is vicariously responsible liable for the actions of Clarke." In two more lawsuits, plaintiffs allege that Timothy Stanutz, a well -like music teacher who taught at Bell High School in the 1990s and early 2000s, "groomed, abused, assaulted and molested" students at Bell High School. A few months before his planned retirement in 2016, Stanutz was charged several counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation amid allegations https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ocdsb-defends-itself-against-series-of-lawsuits-alleging-abuse-by-three-teachers 2/5 11/21/2018 OCDSB files defence lawsuits alleging abuse teachers Bell High School I Ottawa Citizen that he inappropriately touched at least two of his students while he was at work. Stanutz died in a car crash in May 2017 before the criminal case was heard in court. The lawsuit names his estate as well as the OCDSB as defendants. None of the allegations in any of the lawsuits has been proven in court. In two separate statements of defence, lawyers for the school board deny several of the allegations against Stanutz. They say Stanutz was seen as a "model professional educator" during his time at Bell High School. "The school board states that throughout the tenure of Timothy Stanutz as a teacher employed by the school board, Mr. Stanutz was universally seen to be a model professional educator, respected and admired by students, parents, co-workers, and other educators," reads the statement of defence. "The school board has no reason to doubt his teaching abilities or conduct." Sharlene Hunter, a spokeswoman for the OCDSB said the board would be vigorously defending itself against the "multiple statements of claim" that have been filed with the courts in recent months. "The district will be dealing with these matters in the course of the litigation process and will be working with all parties in a manner consistent with the board's view that abuse should never happen, especially not to a child and not at school, where children should be able to learn in a safe environment," she said in an emailed statement. Hunter also clarified that the school board carries general liability insurance to protect it in case it ever has to pay damages as a result of lawsuits, including the ones it is now facing. This Week's Flyers https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ocdsb-defends-itself-against-series-of-lawsuits-alleging-abuse-by-three-teachers 3/5 11/21/2018 OCDSB files defence lawsuits alleging abuse teachers Bell High School I Ottawa Citizen �NNNNN�hhhnnn��llllllllllllllllllll Olmpq= dillllllllllllllllllllllllll 1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII rosy P xk B G omn oiom FRIDAY 99*1 Hover four' IlF11yeur Comments 11 lover for I1F:1yeur' Poweired Irby We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/story.htmi?id=7195492) for more information. 0 Comments Add a comment... Facebook Comments IPllugin M https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ocdsb-defends-itself-against-series-of-lawsuits-alleging-abuse-by-three-teachers 4/5 11/21/2018 OCDSB Res defence lawsuits alleging abuse teachers Bell High School I Ottawa Citizen TIP"4)"1 `vl[', v HIATj 365 FN o o r S I L T ci-,,,) I "[ krr, ("") �"J' I AI /,,, i - 4 �i, ,/,/ ;;1 I r I I ',"/' d", , ") o r n UnaWmAd OsMoOhn, trarsmis on or muj..jbl cifif''jin �"Jilcdy n I & I , n"(" CaTp a Qq MHO 20FDo a A20 ;MM te vKM ate u t mmayn https://ottawacitizen.com/news/Iocal-news/ocdsb-defends-itself-against-series-of-lawsuits-alIeging-abuse-by-three-teachers 5/5