Two of B.C.’s most prestigious private schools have been named as a defendant in a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit alleging teacher sexual abuse of a Grade 7 student.
The claim names as defendants Raymond Thomas Clavin, St. George’s School, Vancouver College, now-dead Father John Kilty and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver, A Corporation sole.
The plaintiff, identified as N.C., now 51, in the April 7 notice of civil claim filed by lawyer Sandra Kovacs alleges Clavin, then a teacher at Vancouver’s all-boys St. George’s, groomed and later violently sexually penetrated the child.
The claim alleges that after the boy began at St. George’s in 1986, Clavin began picking him up in North Vancouver and driving him to basketball practice.
The claim alleges Clavin befriended the boy's widowed mother and the West Vancouver chief of police who was a friend of the family, engaged in “replacement fathering” the boy, eroded boundaries through hugging and slept in the same bed on a team trip.
The claim alleges St. George’s engaged in negligence, failing to investigate Clavin, not having systems to detect child sexual abusers and failing to have a reporting system, among other issues.
The claim said Clavin earlier abused boys at North Vancouver’s Holy Trinity Elementary School. Kilty was also named in that case.
In that case, the church reached a settlement in February 2024 with a B.C. man who says a North Vancouver priest and a coach sexually abused him.
The claim said Clavin worked at the college from 1975 to 1984 before moving to St. George’s.
“In 1994, Clavin pleaded guilty and was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault related to the sexual abuse of three adolescent boys who were students at Vancouver College,” the claim said.
The lawsuit said the college and church failed to take measures to protect students.
Clavin is believed to be living in Northern Ireland, according to the claim.
Kilty died June 15, 1983.
“On Dec. 14, 2020, the Archbishop of Vancouver J. Michael Miller publicly acknowledged and admitted that Kilty himself was credibly accused of historical clergy sexual abuse of children,” the claim said.
Responses to lawsuit
A statement from St. George’s said it was saddened to hear of the lawsuit. It said the school has retained legal counsel.
“It is the school’s intent to treat the lawsuit and the claimant with the utmost respect and care,” it said. “For reasons of privacy, we will not be commenting further at this time.”
It said with the alleged incidents being 40 years old, the school has little information about what is alleged to have happened.
“The allegations described in the lawsuit are deeply upsetting to the school,” the statement to Glacier Media said. “Ensuring the safety and well-being of every child is our highest priority.”
The archdiocese said it extends “heartfelt sympathy to all survivors of abuse.”
“As this particular case is now before the courts, we are unable to comment on its specifics,” spokesman Matthew Furtado said in a statement to Glacier Media. “However, we hope the increased attention will encourage other survivors to come forward and seek the healing and support they deserve.”
He said Vancouver’s Catholic community is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and caring environment.
“Over the past several years, the archdiocese has implemented comprehensive measures and policies to prevent abuse and to respond promptly and compassionately to any allegations,” he said.
A letter from David Young, the head of St. George's School, was sent out to the community stating the school has "limited records from that period."
"Our priority now is to resolve the matter with an abundance of care and compassion, offering our fullest support and cooperation to the process," reads the letter.
Young writes that he recognizes that this may be very upsetting news.
"We believe that today, your experience of St. George’s School is one of a school that seeks to foster a culture of integrity, respect, and empathy as our staff and faculty collaborate to create an environment where children can thrive and learn."
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
With a file from Alanna Kelly
