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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - A former student testified in court on Tuesday that 2016 Minnesota Teacher of the Year Abdul Wright sexually abused her dozens of times, sent her explicit photos and had her take emergency contraceptives weekly.

Abdul Wright was charged with criminal sex conduct last year after the student’s mother told police that her daughter had been sexually abused by her teacher beginning in January 2017.

The student testified on Tuesday that Wright sexually abused her at least "50 times" over the course of several months, and that he sent her explicit photos via Snapchat.

The abuse lasted almost a year and took place inside a classroom at Best Academy in Minneapolis, inside Wright’s car and at the student’s family apartment, according to court records.

Wright’s defense attorneys questioned her about why she did not report the abuse seven years earlier, when she was 14 years old. The student testified she came forward in 2024 because she, "Couldn’t carry the burden alone anymore… I felt like it was destroying me."

The FOX 9 Investigators agreed to refer to the former student as "Jane Doe" to protect her identity, since she was a minor at the time and is named in court records as a victim of sexual abuse.

"I think that his status and him being Teacher of the Year really was a reason that a lot of people turned a blind eye," Jane Doe said in a recent interview.

Audio recording reveals confrontation between teacher, family
An audio recording obtained by the FOX 9 Investigators reveals what happened when Jane Doe’s mother confronted Wright about the allegations.

The records were played in open court Tuesday.

In an excerpt of the recorded conversation, Wright can be heard begging the family not to pursue legal action and that he had never done anything like that before.

"I thank God this morning when I didn’t have the police at my door, I swear to God I did," Wright said on the recording, which is included in the court file.

Wright pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sex conduct.

His defense team argued in opening statements that the student lied, in part, for monetary gain.

The backstory:
The FOX 9 Investigators previously reported how Jane Doe’s father took his concerns about Wright to school leadership and ultimately sought a restraining order.

Jane Doe is now suing Wright alongside his former employer Best Academy and the school’s former leadership. The civil lawsuit claims the Minneapolis charter school "knew or should have known that Wright was a danger to children."

Records obtained by the FOX 9 Investigators show two former Best Academy teachers told police Wright sexually assaulted them inside the school several years earlier.

Wright was not charged with a crime in either case.

He resigned from his teaching position at Best Academy in 2012, but was allowed to return to the school shortly afterward, according to personnel records.

The criminal trial continues Wednesday morning, when additional testimony and evidence is expected to be presented. The judge will ultimately decide the outcome of the case alone since Wright waived his right to a jury trial.

https://www.fox9.com/news/student-testi ... cit-photos