The principal and president of St. Michael’s College School resigned Thursday, following intense criticism over the administration’s handling of alleged assaults and sexual assaults on campus.

The resignations of Principal Greg Reeves and President Father Jefferson Thompson are effective immediately, according to a statement from the elite private boys school.

“Having fulfilled their moral and ethical obligations to manage the immediate crisis and engage our school community, this courageous decision allows us to move forward with our goals: understanding how these events could have occurred, regaining the trust of our community and bringing cultural change to our school,” said Michael Forsayeth, the chair of the board of directors.

The stunning turn of events comes a day after the board announced its unanimous support for both men, even noting they had received a standing ovation at an alumni meeting earlier this week.

The board says it is now searching for new permanent leadership, with its highest priority being to implement the findings of an independent review that will look deep into the school’s culture. In the interim, Father Andrew Leung will serve as president and vice-principals Emile John and David Lee will act as co-principals.

The scandal erupted last week, when media began reporting on two videos — one showing an alleged assault in a washroom and the other an alleged sexual assault in a locker-room — that had been circulating on social media. It was also revealed that Reeves launched an internal investigation, and did not immediately tell police about the video of the alleged sexual assault, which he received on the evening of Nov. 12. Police say they learned about that video from the media. When police arrived at school on Nov. 14, Reeves gave them the video.

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Education Minister Lisa Thompson keeping ‘very close eye’ on St. Mike’s abuse cases

St. Michael's statement on resignations of president, principal View document on Scribd

This week, six boys were charged with assault, gang sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon. Police are now investigating six incidents at the school: two alleged sexual assaults, three alleged assaults and one incident related to threatening. Police have four videos, and want anyone with information to come forward.

Kyle Fraser, a former student who left school after being verbally bullied, had publicly called for Reeves to step down at the alumni meeting. He wasn’t alone. Others there also criticized the school’s leadership, but some threw their full support behind it. When Fraser learned of the resignation, he was relieved, saying he hopes it ends a culture of “toxic masculinity.”

“The work, for now, has paid off, but there is still so much work to do,” the 21-year-old told the Star. “We have to move forward, to grow and get better.”

Mayor John Tory spoke of the “unfortunate series of events,” but said he hopes it marks a “new chapter,” following what he described as “a real tragedy for everyone.”

“Even if it isn’t your personal duty to look after every detail, or it wasn’t something you personally did, in the end, when you’re in a position of leadership, you have to take a degree of responsibility and sometimes that includes resignation,” he told reporters.

Reeves was repeatedly questioned about waiting a full day to tell police about the alleged sexual assault in the locker room. Ontario’s Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA), clearly spells out that anyone who works with children and suspects abuse must immediately notify a children’s aid society.

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“How could this piece of legislation not be tattooed in the brain of every teacher there?” asks Toronto lawyer and family law expert Steve Benmor.

The language in the Act is “very deliberate” and says there is a duty to report “forthwith,” which Benmor explains is legalese for immediately. Childen’s Aid then decides whether to investigate and involve police.

Hours before the resignations, Education Minister Lisa Thompson said her office is “very, very closely monitoring” the circumstances at St. Michael’s, a grades 7-12 school, located at Bathurst St. and St. Clair Ave. W.

“First and foremost, we absolutely put our heart out to the individuals and families impacted,” she told reporters at Queen’s Park. “Secondly, I would like to share with you that we’re monitoring very closely — as you know, there’s a police investigation so we have to be very cognizant of what can and can’t be said — but private schools must adhere to the Education Act” as well as the CYFSA, she added.

The Education Act includes the need for schools to create a positive school climate and prevent behaviour such as bullying and sexual assault. Meanwhile the CYFSA covers all professionals working with children, which includes teachers, early childhood educators, coaches and principals. Under the CYFSA, those who fail to report can be fined, if convicted, up to $5,000.

In Ontario, all publicly-funded school boards have protocols on when they should contact authorities, which specify incidents, such as sexual assault, that require disclosure. Although private schools operate as businesses or non-profit organizations, independent of the Ministry of Education, and are not required to follow the protocol, they are still bound by law to immediately report a sexual assault of a child to the authorities.

Inspector Domenic Sinopoli with the Toronto police sex crimes unit, said Tuesday that he welcomes the chance to establish similar protocols with private schools.

“Perhaps this is an opportunity where some of these private schools, like St. Mike’s, partner with the Toronto Police Service in developing a protocol for joint investigations.”

In the past week, Reeves had become the face of the scandal, fielding tough questions from the public.

The longtime educator had stepped out of retirement in 2015 to become the principal of his alma mater. According to an alumni magazine, he spent the first 37 years of his career in publicly-funded Catholic schools, working in different boards and in various roles, including teacher, vice-principal, principal, superintendent and even director of education for the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board.

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—With files from Wendy Gillis