Former Maryville Apostolic teacher Kade Abbott to plead guilty to sexual abuse charges

Former Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse Charges

Joseph “Kade” Abbot, a former middle school teacher at Maryville Apostolic Christian Academy, has agreed to plead guilty to charges of sexual abuse by an authority figure, according to his attorney, Jonathan Cooper.

1. Abbott was charged in 2023 with three counts of sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl.
2. The charges were filed in both Blount and Sevier counties and were consolidated in Blount County, where Abbott will be sentenced.

The girl’s family is suing Abbott and First Apostolic Church of Maryville, which houses the school, over the assault.

Background and Allegations

• Abbott was arrested in January 2023 and had previously taught at the school.
• Knox News has reported on the church’s culture of downplaying or covering up sexual assault.
• Multiple individuals have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct within the church.
• The church has been accused of encouraging relationships between adult men and teenage girls.
• Members are discouraged from questioning the pastor’s authority.
• Knox News has published the stories of 10 individuals who claim to have suffered abuse at either the Maryville or Knoxville Apostolic churches.

Case Details and Plea Agreement

Abbott taught the 14-year-old girl at the School of Music at the academy, where they had weekly one-on-one meetings.

The original charge was filed in Blount County, where the church is located, while the other two charges are from Sevier County, where Abbott chaperoned students at a national school competition.

Abbott is accused of sexually assaulting the girl multiple times during the competition week, including in a hotel stairwell in Gatlinburg.

No court date has been announced for Abbott’s sentencing.

Lawsuit Alleges Church Negligence

The girl’s family filed a lawsuit in August 2022, claiming that the church and school leaders knew or should have known about the abuse.

• The lawsuit alleges that Abbott sexually assaulted the girl multiple times in 2022, causing her and her parents significant distress.
• The family is seeking $4.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

Evidence of Church Leaders’ Knowledge

Recordings reveal that top leaders at the school were aware of inappropriate messages sent by Abbott to the 14-year-old girl.

• Abbott was suspended twice but parents were not informed about the messages, and there is no evidence that police were notified.
• After learning about the messages, church leaders failed to inform the girl’s parents, and Abbott went on to sexually assault her multiple times.

Blount County District Attorney Ryan Desmond and Sevier County District Attorney Jimmy Dunn have not provided comments on the case.

Tyler Whetstone is an investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Connect with Tyler by emailing him at tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tyler_whetstone.

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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 4: Quality Education

The issue of sexual abuse by a teacher in a school setting is connected to SDG 4, which focuses on ensuring quality education for all. The article mentions that the accused teacher was a staff member at a school and had one-on-one contact with the victim. This highlights the importance of creating safe and inclusive learning environments.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

The article discusses the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl by her teacher, highlighting the issue of violence against women and girls. This is connected to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The article mentions that the family of the victim is suing the teacher and the church for their alleged role in the assault. This highlights the importance of strong institutions and access to justice for victims of abuse. SDG 16 focuses on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles.

The article highlights the need for education that promotes sustainable development and addresses issues such as gender equality and human rights. Target 4.7 emphasizes the importance of integrating education for sustainable development into national policies, curricula, teacher education, and student assessment.

Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.

The article discusses the sexual assault of a teenage girl, highlighting the need to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. Target 5.2 focuses on ending violence and exploitation of women and girls, including trafficking and sexual abuse.

Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

The article discusses the sexual abuse of a minor, highlighting the need to end abuse and exploitation of children. Target 16.2 aims to end all forms of violence against children, including abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and torture.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not explicitly mention any indicators related to the identified targets. However, potential indicators that could be used to measure progress towards these targets include:

• Extent to which global citizenship education and education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in national education policies, curricula, teacher education, and student assessment (Indicator 4.7.1)
• Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls subjected to physical, sexual, or psychological violence by an intimate partner (Indicator 5.2.1)
• Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age, and form of exploitation (Indicator 16.2.2)

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: knoxnews.com

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