Trial for former Saskatoon Christian school director begins today

The five-day trial for a former staff member at a Saskatoon Christian school who is accused of striking students with a wooden paddle more than 20 years ago is set to begin on Monday at Court of King’s Bench.

In January of 2024, former director and vice-principal of Christian Centre Academy, Ken Schultz, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and assault with a weapon charges.

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The school, formerly known as Legacy Christian Academy, has since been renamed Valour Academy. Its affiliated church, Mile Two Church, has been renamed Encounter Church.

The trial of Schultz was originally scheduled for May 2025 but was cancelled. At that time, he had elected to proceed by jury trial. However, in early May 2025 he re-elected to be tried by judge alone.

Schultz is not the only staff member embroiled in the controversy stemming from the Saskatoon faith-based school.

In November 2025 at Saskatoon provincial court, former director of Legacy Christian Academy John Olubobokun was found guilty of nine counts of assault with a weapon and handed an 18-month conditional sentence for paddling former students.

In December 2025 at Saskatoon’s court of King’s Bench, Duff Arthur Friesen was handed a six-month conditional sentence for also assaulting former students with a wooden paddle. He was found guilty on one of four charges of assault with a weapon for an incident during his tenure at the school between 2003 and 2004.

A publication ban was imposed to prevent the media from reporting on any evidence, submissions, exhibits, or victim impact statements presented during Friesen’s trial in order to protect the integrity of a separate, upcoming trial involving similar charges scheduled for September 2026.

In October 2023, Aaron Travis Benneweis, the school’s former athletic director, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor, and was handed a two-year sentence.

More to come …

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