A former Calgary teacher in his 80s, Fred Archer, is facing new sexual assault charges dating back to the 1980s. Court records reveal that Archer is accused of sexual assault and exploitation involving one male complainant between 1985 and 1986. These charges coincide with a $15-million class-action lawsuit nearing settlement for around 40 individuals alleging abuse by Archer or another former teacher at John Ware Junior High School.
According to RCMP spokesperson Gina Slaney, the recent allegations stem from Archer’s tenure as a guidance counselor at Springbank Middle School in the 1980s and 1990s before moving to John Ware.
Archer’s defense lawyer, Timothy Dunlap, mentioned that his client denies the charges and is gearing up to contest them. Dunlap expressed concerns about the timing of the allegations, suggesting that the availability of a substantial settlement could incentivize people to come forward with allegations.
Archer has previously served a three-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting former students and pleaded guilty to multiple charges in 2009. The parole board noted Archer’s acknowledgment of the potential for additional victims to emerge during a 2010 hearing. The ongoing class-action lawsuit also implicates another former teacher at John Ware, Michael Gregory, who faced criminal charges before his death by suicide in 2021.
The lawsuit alleges that Archer and Gregory collaborated and that the Calgary Board of Education was aware of the abuse but failed to intervene. In 2025, Archer was hit with five criminal charges, including sexual assault, sexual interference, and invitation to sexual touching, involving incidents with two 12-year-old students at John Ware. A trial for these charges is scheduled for the upcoming summer.
