Former 'Teacher Of The Year' Sexually Abused Girl, 14, In Twin Cities: Judge

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A former Minnesota Teacher of the Year has been convicted by a judge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Hennepin County.

Abdul Jameel Wright, 39, was honored with the state’s top teaching award in 2016 while working at Harvest Best Academy in Minneapolis.

Prosecutors said that the following year, while teaching eighth-grade English, Wright groomed and sexually abused a 14-year-old student for nearly a year.

Under Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines, Wright faces a presumptive sentence of 144 months in prison, though the court could increase that to 172 months. He will also be required to register as a predatory offender and serve 10 years of conditional release following his prison term.

Wright’s sentencing is scheduled for October 8 at 9 a.m.

According to court documents, Wright gave the girl special treatment, calling her daily and meeting with her privately at school.

He also built a close relationship with her mother, convincing her to trust him enough to let her daughter spend time with him outside of school, including babysitting his children. That trust allowed him frequent access to the victim, which he used to escalate the relationship into repeated sexual abuse.

The victim testified that the assaults happened in multiple places, including at the school, in Wright’s car, at his temporary residence, and at her home. The abuse continued throughout much of her eighth-grade year before it stopped when she entered high school. She and her mother reported the conduct to Minneapolis police in May 2024, launching the investigation that led to Wright’s conviction.

Wright left Harvest Best Academy in 2021 and later taught at St. Louis Park High School until his resignation in June 2024, KSTP reported.

"My thoughts are with the victim of Mr. Wright’s harmful and grossly inappropriate conduct. Her testimony was an act of courage," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement.

"Mr. Wright abused his authority, and the trust placed in him as a teacher. The sentence that follows will protect our community and hold him accountable for his actions."