The founder and long-time leader of Harvest Best Academy Charter School in North Minneapolis, Eric Mahmoud, has been removed from his position by the school’s board of directors following a second lawsuit alleging sexual abuse at the school.
The legal complaint, filed the week of March 20, accuses Mahmoud and other school leaders of turning a blind eye to repeated warnings about former teacher Abdul Wright, who was honored as Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2016. According to the lawsuit, Mahmoud failed to act despite complaints from staff and parents about Wright’s inappropriate conduct.
In response, the board voted Friday to end Mahmoud’s more than three-decade tenure at the helm of the institution. Board Chair Ezra Hyland expressed that the decision, though difficult, was necessary for the future of the school. “Eric has made significant contributions, and we recognize his decades of service,” Hyland said in a statement. “However, it is time for new leadership to guide the school forward.”
“Yesterday, we said it was a time for reckoning,” said Jeff Anderson, whose law firm is recognized for representing victims of childhood sexual abuse. “Today, there is a reckoning and real accountability. Best Academy is now a safer place for children.”
“The voices of the survivors and their families have been heard,” said attorney Molly Burke. “They can take comfort knowing that their courage has led to this change and that children are safer today than they were yesterday.”
Background
Approximately March 20, a lawsuit was filed against Harvest Best Academy and Abdul Wright, a former teacher and winner of 2016’s Award for Minnesota Teacher of the Year. The lawsuit in question was filed by a former student, identified in court documents as “Doe 605,” who alleges that Mahmoud and other administrators were aware of inappropriate behavior by Wright but failed to report it or take necessary action.
“Wright, 38, was criminally charged in August for allegedly sexually assaulting a former student between March and September 2017 when the victim was 14 and 15 years old. He denies the charges and is scheduled for a trial in June.
Aaron Hjermstad, who was a coach and teacher at Harvest Best Academy, is currently serving a 12-year sentence for his sexual abuse of four boys. Before sentencing, Hjermstad fled Minnesota and was arrested in Idaho with several electronic items and thousands of videos of Hjermstad assaulting children between 2013 to 2021.
Stemming from the videos, Hjermstad has been indicted on 12 additional counts of criminal sexual conduct with 12 additional victims.
Mahmoud’s statement
Eric Mahmoud did tell MSR that he would not be going into detail about his removal from Harvest Best Academy and accusations of complicity. Mahmoud did provide a statement reflecting on his years of service and the legacy of the school he founded, detailing his dedication to the Black community and his contributions to education:
“Hotep Community, after nearly forty years of life-giving and life-changing work in the Black community, I am writing to share that I will no longer be leading the school I founded and love — Harvest Best Academy.
“I have dedicated my life to this cause, and I have no regrets. Together, we have accomplished incredible things:
- Founding the first African-Centered school in Minnesota
- Launching the first Boys-focused charter school in the state
- Creating an institution that became the largest Black-led employer in Minnesota
- Recognizing the school as one of the top in the nation for educating Black boys
- Contributing over $1.5 million to families during the COVID crisis
- Providing groundbreaking education through our Mobile Innovation Lab, ‘The Beast’
- Helping thousands of Black children graduate college-ready
- Establishing Wakanda Virtual Academy, a leading hybrid school.
“These achievements were made possible by our dedicated staff, and while I am stepping down, the team that built this legacy will continue.“
Jeff Anderson, the attorney representing the plaintiff, criticized the school’s leadership for enabling such behavior. “For years, Mahmoud and his staff protected offenders instead of the children they were supposed to serve,” Anderson said. “This is a reckoning for the Harvest Best community, and it’s time for accountability.”
In the wake of this lawsuit, the Harvest Best Academy administration has expressed its commitment to reviewing the claims carefully and ensuring the safety and well-being of all its students. The legal team is currently assessing the next steps as the case progresses.
As Harvest Best moves forward, the focus will remain on addressing the legal challenges at hand, the future of the school, and ensuring changes in policy and leadership.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.