Former Minnesota Teacher of the Year accused of attacking student in 2017

MINNEAPOLIS – A former Minnesota Teacher of the Year is now facing charges of criminal sexual conduct involving one of his students.

Abdul Wright, 38, of Brooklyn Park, was honored as the state’s best teacher in 2016The alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl is said to have occurred in 2017, when Wright was an English teacher at Harvest Best Academy in north Minneapolis.

The girl said the sexual abuse lasted for nearly a year when she was in eighth grade. She said some of the abuse happened in the classroom. She said Wright called her “every day” and also worked on building a close relationship with her mother, “so he would be trusted to take (her) place.”

When he was voted Teacher of the Year, Wright became the first-ever private school teacher to be chosen.

Wright is not stuck.

Following the filing of the lawsuit, a Best Academy spokesperson released a statement claiming he had not worked with them since 2021 and that they were still gathering information regarding the allegations.

“We understand that these allegations may be concerning, and our highest 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 of our students and staff.

“Harvest Best Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Minneapolis that builds a strong foundation to help students graduate from high school, complete college, and successfully transition into careers. It is one of the highest performing schools for African Americans in Minnesota and is built on a culture of high expectations for its students that also celebrates academic achievement.”

WCCO has reached out to an attorney representing Wright for comment but has not yet heard back.