Elite Montreal school rocked by another sex scandal

An elite Montreal private school has been hit by another sex scandal after the school said one of its teachers has been arrested in the U.S. on child pornography charges and for the online solicitation of a 13-year-old boy.

Parents of students at Selwyn House were informed Friday afternoon in an email sent by headmaster William Mitchell.
Mitchell wrote that he was informed by police that Richard Doucet, an elementary teacher at the school since 1999, had been arrested in Virginia.

Mitchell told CTV News Friday that Doucet had been at a teachers' conference in Virginia when he came to the attention of police.

The email said that Doucet did not have a previous criminal record. Police said that the teacher indicated that he did not engage in any illicit activities with Selwyn House students, it said.

"All of us at Selwyn House are struggling with this challenging situation," Mitchell wrote. "We remain committed to providing students with a safe and secure environment."

The school has already been rocked by allegations in recent years that three of its former teachers repeatedly molested students during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

In February, Selwyn House agreed to a $5-million settlement in a class-action lawsuit launched by former students who alleged they were victims of sexual abuse.

Faculty and parents expressed surprise at the arrest.

"I got to know him very well as my son's teacher and he was a wonderful teacher and very nice to my son and the boys," a mother told CTV News. "I really liked him a lot."

"He was an extraordinarily good teacher and very effective. So it comes as a huge surprise," Mitchell told CTV News.

Detective John Chapman of the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was the officer that informed the school of the arrest. He told the school that he acted as undercover agent, posing as a minor on the Internet.

James Morton
1100 - 5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4