Former Minnesota Teacher of the Year charged with assaulting student in 2017
MINNEAPOLIS – A former Minnesota Teacher of the Year is now charged with criminal sexual conduct involving one of his students.
Abdul Wright, 38, of Brooklyn Park, was honored as the state's best teacher in 2016. The alleged sexual assault with a 14-year-old girl was said to have taken place in 2017, when Wright was an English teacher at Harvest Best Academy in north Minneapolis.
The girl said the sexual abuse went on for almost a year when she was in eighth grade. She said some of the abuse happened inside the classroom. She said that Wright would call her "every day," and worked to build a close relationship with her mother as well, "so that he would be trusted to take (her) places."
When he was named Teacher of the Year, Wright was the first-ever charter school teacher to be selected.
Wright is not in custody.
Following the filing of the charges, a spokesperson with Best Academy issued a statement that claimed he had not been employed there since 2021, and said they are still gathering information related to the allegations.
"We understand these allegations may be concerning, and our top priority remains the safety and security of our school community. We are committed to ensuring that our learning environment remains safe, supportive, and conducive to the success of all our students and staff members.
"Harvest Best Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Minneapolis that builds strong foundations to help students graduate from high school, graduate from college, and successfully transition to a career. It is among the highest-performing schools for African Americans in Minnesota and is founded on a culture of high expectations for its students that also celebrates academic achievement."
A spokesperson with the St. Louis Park District told WCCO Wright had recently been hired at St. Louis Park High School, but had been placed on administrative leave after "a concerning social media post." He resigned from there in June.
Wright's attorney told WCCO, "While we acknowledge the serious allegations, without having seen the evidence, now is not the appropriate time to comment on the case."
