B.C. teacher suspended for ‘boundary issues’ with student

A B.C. teacher has agreed to have their licence suspended for 30 days after messaging a student on social media to discuss personal relationships with other students.

During the 2016/2017 school year, the high school teacher engaged in "boundary violations" which included describing a student as being their favourite, complementing their looks and intelligence, appointing the student as a tutor in one of their classes even though the student was not strong in the subject and messaging the student on social media, exchanging messages with them about their friendship with classmates, according to a consent resolution agreement from the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation.

The teacher discussed personal issues with the student in a manner of a friend, not a teacher, was alone with the student during a personal crisis and hugged them, allowed the student and a friend to come on a personal errand and allowed the student to drive them on three occasions, according to the agreement.

In June 2017, the district issued a letter to the teacher, requiring them to complete a boundaries course which the teacher completed in August 2018.

The teacher agreed to a 30-day suspension as they "failed to maintain professional and appropriate boundaries in their interaction with a student" and "established a paternal-like relationship with the student," the agreement reads.

Neither the teacher nor the school district were identified in the consent resolution agreement.

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