Cretin-derham Hall Sued by Man Claiming Mistreatment after Teacher Abuse

Pioneer Press
November 3, 2014

http://www.twincities.com/education/ci_26861102/cretin-derham-hall-sued-by-man-claiming-mistreatment

A former student is suing a St. Paul high school, saying it failed to provide a safe environment after he was sexually abused by a teacher while in his teens.

Cameron Clarkson was abused by Gail Gagne when he was a 16-year-old high school student and football player at Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul. Clarkson said the abuse lasted two months during his sophomore year. Gagne was 25 at the time and working as a supervisor in the school's weight room.

Gagne was fired and eventually convicted of having sex with a student and ordered to register as a sex offender. Clarkson's name wasn't released and was mentioned only as C.L.C. in court documents because he was a juvenile.

Clarkson, who's now 22 and a senior in college, said he decided to come forward so the public knows what happened, WCCO-TV reported.

"That's a fact that has been swept under the rug by Cretin-Derham Hall for the past five years," he said. "They have a saying that says, 'All are welcome.' But it's not only a statement about what they value, but also a statement about who they don't value."

Clarkson claims Cretin-Derham mistreated him after the abuse came to light. He said that he was overlooked for leadership positions and that his concerns weren't taken seriously because of his skin color.

At the beginning of his senior year, he said, someone smeared peanut butter on his car and wrote the teacher's name on his lawn.

"I'm severely allergic to peanut butter," Clarkson said. "My mom was crying and had to clean it up. That image stays with me. The worst part is, when I brought it to the police and the school, no one did anything."

He's set to take Cretin- Derham to court at the beginning of next month. Clarkson said he wants the school to take responsibility for its inaction and to pay his mother for the money she spent on his tuition.

A message seeking comment was left at the school Tuesday morning. The school sent a letter to parents saying a settlement could not be reached and the case is going to trial.

The Associated Press does not usually name victims of sexual assault but is identifying Clarkson because he chose to speak out about his case.