A former high school student suing a Winnipeg school division for negligence alleges they were sexually and psychologically abused for years by a former teacher and coach who is now a convicted sex offender, and that the division turned a blind eye to the abuse.

The former student, who is unnamed in the lawsuit, attended Vincent Massey Collegiate between 2014 and 2018 and was involved in the school’s varsity football team, a statement of claim filed at the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench on Friday says.

Kelsey McKay was the former student’s coach and gym teacher throughout that period, the suit says. McKay, who is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2024 for sexually abusing nine players over 13 years.

The lawsuit alleges McKay sexually assaulted and “psychologically abused, manipulated, bullied, groomed, lured, exploited and harassed” the student from 2014 to 2021.

“McKay was afforded an opportunity to foster a trusting relationship with the plaintiff and engage in the aforementioned behaviours, thereby putting the plaintiff at risk of being harassed, exploited and assaulted by McKay,” it says.

The school division is vicariously liable for McKay’s actions, which breached the duty of care that the division owed to the former student, the suit alleges.

None of the allegations have been proven in court. A statement of defence has not yet been filed.

A Pembina Trails School Division spokesperson said it is aware of the lawsuit but declined to comment while it’s before the courts.

The lawsuit alleges the school division “inadequately addressed” concerns and complaints about McKay raised by parents of students and players before the student graduated in 2018.

McKay was able to continue with his inappropriate behaviour because of the inadequate response by the school division, the suit claims.

The school division failed to properly screen McKay before and during his time as a teacher and coach, to supervise and monitor him, and to define and enforce the boundaries of his relationships with students and players, the lawsuit claims.

“It allowed McKay to carry out activities with students and players for his own gratification,” the suit says.

The division also “ignored, or failed to effectively react” to information, suspicions and/or complaints about McKay’s misconduct and didn’t set up an adequate system for students to report incidents of abuse, the lawsuit says.

Pembina Trails knew, or should have known, McKay had the ability to “engage in such deviant behaviours” because of the concerns raised about him, his difficulties with his sexuality, and how often he was with students for activities that were off-field and out of school, the suit alleges.

The student says they suffered humiliation, shame, depression, disturbed sleep and the loss of a normal adolescence and adulthood because of the school division’s actions.

They’re seeking past and future damages, including general, special, aggravated and punitive damages, as well as compensatory damages for out-of-pocket expenses such as counselling costs.

Three former high school students launched a lawsuit against the division last September, alleging it failed to provide them with a safe environment after they were groomed, harassed and exploited by McKay over a period of years.