Full Breakdown
Teacher Charged with Multiple Assaults at Pictou County Elementary School
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Alleged Incidents at Dr. W.A. MacLeod Consolidated School
RCMP allege that Matthew Robert Donahoe, 53, a teacher at Dr. W.A. MacLeod Consolidated School in Riverton, Nova Scotia, committed a series of assaults involving four students during the first week of classes. The accusations include sexual assault, choking, administering the anti-anxiety medication lorazepam without prescription, and using a chair as a weapon. A publication ban prevents identification of the victims, some of whom have disabilities and complex needs. The school district removed Donahoe’s access to the building and placed him on unpaid leave while the investigation continues.
Legal Proceedings and Intended Class Action
Donahoe was charged with ten offences, encompassing assault by choking, sexual assault, and administering a noxious substance. He appeared in Pictou Provincial Court, was released on conditions prohibiting contact with ten individuals and any contact with persons under 18, and is scheduled to return to court later this month for a plea hearing.
MacGillivray Injury and Insurance Law announced it is serving notice of an intended class-action lawsuit against the Chignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education (CCRCE) and Donahoe on behalf of affected students. The firm seeks to hear from parents of students who attended the school from the start of the current academic year and from families of students at other schools where Donahoe taught. The claim will allege unauthorized administration of a sedative and the use of chokeholds and excessive force. CCRCE, a Crown agency, must receive two months’ notice before legal action can proceed; the firm plans to file a statement of claim in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia after that period.
Official Responses
A spokesperson for CCRCE said the agency is taking the charges “very seriously” and that the teacher has been placed on leave while the RCMP investigation proceeds. The district also indicated it will provide additional supports at the school in the coming week. RCMP confirmed the report of assault was received in early September and that additional victims may be identified.
Verbatim Quote
- “The parents of these vulnerable, special-needs children are scared and upset.” — Jamie MacGillivray, founder and CEO of MacGillivray Injury and Insurance Law
Next Steps
Donahoe’s next court appearance is slated for later this month, where he will enter a plea. The law firm expects to file its class-action claim after the required two-month notice period expires, seeking certification in Nova Scotia’s Supreme Court.