‘What I did was wrong’: Former Kitchener, Ont. principal found guilty of sexual assault addresses court before sentencing

CTV’s Spencer Turcotte was at court as sentencing submissions were made for a former principal found guilty of sexual assault.

Victim impact statements were read and sentencing submissions were made in court Friday for the former elementary school principal in Kitchener, Ont. found guilty of sexual assault involving students.

In May, Justice Brennan found Rodney Eckert guilty of sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

During victim impact statements, Crown Matt McLean read a statement on behalf of the mother of a victim.

“You were not acting as an educator, you were acting inappropriately,” she said. “The impact on my son has been profound, his self confidence has plummeted.”

The mother expressed her own guilt after the incident.

“I was unknowingly sending my son into the hands of someone who was hurting him,” she said.

Another statement read by Crown McLean, talked about the impact the incident had on the victim.

“I just want it to all go away. But this is not something you can just forget,” the statement read. “The texts he sent me are burned into my memory.”

The victim discussed how difficult it was to continue at school after everything that happened.

“The questions, the stares, the whispers have made it all feel impossible,” the victim said. “I look at every adult male, except close family, and wonder if they might hurt someone too.”

Sentencing submissions

The Crown said three years of imprisonment is appropriate for Eckert.

“Instead of keeping students safe, he used them for his own sexual gratification,” McLean said.

McLean is also asking for Eckert to not have access to children and no contact with victims while incarcerated. He also asked for a weapons ban.

Defense Richard Marchak suggested that two years is an appropriate sentence as Eckert is 60-years-old with no previous record.

Marchak also asked that if Eckert becomes a grandparent, he should be allowed to be in the company of his grandchildren.

Eckert speaks

Eckert stood, wearing a grey suit, before addressing the court.

“I take full responsibility for what I did,” he said. “I know I broke your trust …What I did was wrong. I know better … This experience has been a wakeup call for me.”

Eckert noted that he has been attending counselling and is understanding his actions better.

“I wish I could go back and change everything … I am committed to putting in the work and the time to be a better person,” Eckert said.

Eckert was recently diagnosed with skin cancer, according to his lawyer.

“Should he be sentenced today, there is no guarantee to where his place of residence will be,” said Marchak.

A date in August for sentencing was an option, but his lawyer said he has an important cancer-related appointment that day.

Eckert is expected to be sentenced September 10, 2025.

History of the case

Two of the incidents happened at Saint John Paul II Catholic Elementary School between 2021 and 2022.

In one, Eckert touched a student’s penis and testicles. Court heard that while examining a boy after an accident, he laughed and commented, “Is it always that big?” His lawyer argued Eckert was only referring to swelling and touched the student’s testicles out of concern for his physical wellbeing. The student testified in court that he felt the comment was in reference to his penis.

The second incident happened in a changeroom at the school. Eckert gave a student, who was muddy, a change of clothes. Court heard Eckert pulled down the child’s shorts, exposing their buttocks, and said, “look at that white butt.”

Justice Brennan said in her decision that Eckert and the child “were both alone in that room” and pulling down the student’s pants impacted their sexual integrity. Again, the judge said the evidence supported a guilty verdict for sexual assault and sexual interference.

The third incident involved an online conversation in 2023 between Eckert, who was at that time retired, and another male student.

Eckert told the child: “Just promise me that you are masturbating to release the pressure.”

His lawyer said the comment was joke meant to make the student laugh.

Justice Brennan ultimately sided with the Crown that joking could be a form of grooming. She felt the witnesses were telling the truth about their interactions with Eckert.

In total, Eckert was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference and one count of invitation to sexual touching.