

Paul Johnston, CP24.com





Parents of students at a secondary school in Etobicoke have been advised of the arrest of an employee on sex-related charges earlier this week.

In a letter sent out Thursday afternoon, Martingrove Collegiate Institute principal Ralph Nigro said that a special needs assistant at the school was arrested by police Wednesday.

“While it is important to remember that laying criminal charges does not constitute guilt, and that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, we also cannot and do not take these allegations lightly,” the release reads.

“Our practice in a situation like this is to share as much information as we can with you. Please keep in mind that, because this is a police matter, there is much that we cannot share or do not know.”

A meeting for parents will be held Monday night from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the school’s auditorium.

The assistant is currently on home assignment pending the outcome of the police investigation, a representative with the Toronto District School Board told CP24.

According to the release, Rick Ford faces charges of sexual exploitation, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.