Asheville Christian Academy Sued for Negligence in Sex Abuse Case 

School is being sued for failing to report alleged abuse by a coach, who was arrested in June 2024 

A lawsuit against Asheville Christian Academy, claiming it was negligent in failing to report and intervene in a sexual abuse situation involving a student, was filed on January 10 in Buncombe County, North Carolina.

Asheville Christian Academy photo via Google Photos / Insert of Samuel Jason Ingle

The lawsuit involves accusations of sexual activity with a student, Jane Doe, by former coach Samuel Jason Ingle, who was charged with a felony in June 2024, according to reporting by KEYT.

In addition to naming Asheville Christian Academy as a defendant in the lawsuit, it also names William George, the founder and former head of school; Taylor Bell,  “director of social, emotional and spiritual care”; Wade Tapp, former associate head of school; Alexis Zanias, an upper school teacher; and Ingle, the former coach and “dean of spiritual formation.”

According to the lawsuit, the staff at Asheville Christian Academy “unconscionably allowed this egregious and outrageous conduct to continue without taking any steps to report, intervene, investigate, discipline, pursue criminal charges, stop the grooming, abuse and exploitation or take any other steps to protect Plaintiff Jane Doe.”

The lawsuit also asserts that the school’s staff worked together to cover up the alleged abuse.

The plaintiff became a student at the academy in 2016 when she was 10 years old, and the alleged sexual activity took place during her senior year.

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The complaint alleges that Ingle, who was Doe’s track coach, began grooming her and “showing her special attention” in order to lower her inhibitions.

“Defendant Ingle’s abhorrent behaviors were not hidden,” the lawsuit asserts, claiming the school’s staff were aware of his behavior toward Doe and failed to intervene.

During a school trip to Greece, another student allegedly found Doe’s personal journal with entries about her sexual relationship with Ingle. The student claims to have reported the matter to Bell, who allegedly attempted “to downplay or cover-up” Ingle’s actions.

However, on March 24, the school sent an email to families explaining that Ingle would be taking a leave of absence to “rest and recover from the inherent emotional depletion associated with his pastoral and counseling responsibilities.”

After Ingle’s arrest in June 2024, Asheville Christian Academy released a statement, saying, “We want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our students is our top priority. We take any allegations seriously. Any misconduct is a glaring violation of our school’s mission and core values. Our leadership team is actively working to determine the best way forward for our school and community[…]We are deeply saddened by this situation and are praying for all involved.”

George was the head of school until July 2024, and according to his LinkedIn profile he is now an educational consultant.

According to its website, “For more than 60 years, Asheville Christian Academy has provided a Gospel-centered education to students in the greater Asheville area. Your children will experience top-quality instruction and heart-changing discipleship in an environment focused on bringing God honor through our excellence.”

In the MinistryWatch database, Asheville Christian Academy receives a donor confidence score of 78 out of 100, an “A” transparency grade, and a 2-star financial efficiency rating.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Why does MinistryWatch report on sex crimes? These stories are tough to read and sometimes even tougher to report, but we think they are vital to our mission to bring transparency, accountability, and credibility to the evangelical church. To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.” You can find that story here.

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