Woman files $3-million lawsuit against former St-Laurent high school coaches, school service centre

A woman has filed a $3-million lawsuit against former St-Laurent High School coaches and the school service centre.

Shebeka Taylor is the woman who denounced three Montreal basketball coaches in 2022 that she claims put her through physical and psychological abuse allegedly while she studied at the Ecole Secondaire St-Laurent.

Charles-Xavier Boilard has already pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation. Daniel Lacasse was acquitted of similar charges. A third coach, who was not charged, has been named in the lawsuit.

Taylor is suing all three former coaches, and the Marguerite-Bourgeois school service centre for $3 million.

The lawsuit claims the coaches controlled her on the basketball court but also in her personal life.

The lawsuit, filed by Tarik-Alexandre Chbani of the Lactot Avocats Law Firm, states that: “The three defendants were authority figures and manipulated the plaintiff to reach their goal, which was to undermine the victim so she would no longer see she was being abused.”

Taylor also accuses the Marguerite Bourgeoys school service centre of “willfull blindness, negligence and casualness while failing in its mission to care for and protect youths in its care.”

The events allegedly took place between 2006 and 2012, when the teenager was part of the school’s elite sports program.

Taylor, who’s now 31, says the trauma has led her to failure in studies and professional life.

In a statement to CTV News, Taylor wrote: “As a young Black woman, I was abandoned by a system that was supposed to protect me. The power placed in the hands of my former coaches was used against me,”

The Marguerite Bourgeoys school service centre would not comment on the lawsuit but said in a statement that “these alleged events have shaken our community. We’re taking this very seriously, and corrective measures are already in place (...) authorities can count on our full cooperation.”

There is no trial date set yet and none of the allegations in this lawsuit have been proven in court.