Vadnais Heights charter school to pay $325,000 after teacher sexually harassed, assaulted student

A charter school in Vadnais Heights has agreed to pay $325,000 to a student who was sexually harassed and assaulted by a teacher in 2019.

The settlement announced Tuesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights comes after an investigation found that the principal and multiple teachers at the Academy for Sciences and Agriculture (AFSA) High School were aware of the teacher's inappropriate interactions and did not intervene. The department said that by failing to prevent and address sexual harassment and assault, they violated Minnesota's civil rights law.

The teacher, Michael Wahlstedt, 29, was convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2020. He was fired from the school in July 2019.

In a statement on Tuesday, school leaders wrote that "AFSA disagrees with the characterization of the investigation, the accusations of wrongdoing and conclusions drawn by the MDHR."

The school has and will continue to follow the law and takes complaints of harassment or discrimination seriously, "including investigating any allegations of wrongdoing and taking appropriate discipline," according to the statement. The school makes it a "top priority to create an educational environment that is safe and supportive for everyone."

The settlement requires the school to train its school board, executive director, teachers, and volunteers on "their role in creating a learning environment that is free from sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination," according to the Department of Human Rights. The school must also create a digital system for students, staff, and volunteers to report harassment and discrimination and follow district policies for reporting, investigating and informing parents of problematic behavior.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights will monitor the school's compliance with the agreement through the 2028-2029 school year.

AFSA was founded in 2001 and opened its Vadnais Heights location in 2005. The school aims to provide agricultural literacy to students in the north metro area.

According to court documents, school staff noticed Wahlstedt spending "long periods of time" with the student in March 2019. School leaders told him to "set appropriate boundaries" and avoid being alone with the student.

In July 2019, Wahlstedt brought the student to his home in South St. Paul, where the assault occurred.

The student, who was a ninth-grader at the time of the harassment and assault, wrote in a statement that students are often told to turn to school staff if they feel unsafe.

"But there was no safe place, and the result caused significant damage," the student wrote. "It is not the victim's responsibility to make the change, but if the change involves protecting yourself it is absolutely worth demanding something be done. Don't let anyone intimidate you into thinking the harm that was done was not real."