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B.C. teacher banned after sexual assault on student

The teacher ignored a previous disciplinary action for "failing to maintain appropriate professional boundaries."
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The teacher was certified by the B.C. College of Teachers in 2007 and worked in a high school at an undisclosed district.

A B.C. teacher who pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault against a student has formally been banned for life from the profession, following a ruling from the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation.

To protect the identity of the student, the teacher’s own identity will only remain known with the state, court and regulator, as a publication ban is placed on the criminal case.

The teacher was certified by the B.C. College of Teachers in 2007 and worked in a high school at an undisclosed district.

“In 2018, the teacher failed to observe appropriate professional boundaries when he formed an inappropriately close relationship with a former student, who was a minor (“Student A”). The teacher exploited this relationship to engage in inappropriate sexual contact with Student A,” the ruling states.

The document also states how the teacher was previously disciplined for "failing to maintain appropriate professional boundaries" with students. The teacher’s sexual activity with Student A spanned “several months,” according to the ruling.

In October 2018, the district reported the teacher to the commissioner, who then received a written undertaking from them not to teach in any role or position requiring a certificate of qualification.

On June 14, 2021, the teacher pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault towards a young person. Those proceedings are also anonymized.

The ruling is posted online.

gwood@glaciermedia.ca