B.C. teacher suspended for ‘inappropriate comments’ to students on social media

A B.C. teacher has been suspended for two months for making inappropriate comments to students on social media and telling the students to keep the messages secret.

According to an Oct. 18 B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation decision, the teacher taught high school in B.C. and the events took place during the 2019 and 2020 school year.

The teaching regulator said the teacher began teaching in 2016 but does not name the teacher or say where in B.C. he taught.

According to the decision the teacher communicated with students on social media and made "inappropriate comments" to them including keeping the communications a secret.

The regular said the teacher failed to maintain professional boundaries in several different ways.

"The teacher met individual students on multiple occasions, alone in his office and with the door shut. In most of these one-on-one meetings, the student was upset and the teacher talked with these students about the student’s personal matters, including about their family or other relationships," the decision read.

"On a few occasions, the teacher placed his hand on a student’s hand, knee or thigh. The teacher was aware from these discussions that some of the students had significant personal issues, but he did not direct any of them to a school counsellor nor advise a school counsellor or administration about his discussions with any of these students.

"His conduct occurred with more than one student and over a significant period of time."

The school district suspended the teacher for 15 days and ordered him to complete courses on professional boundaries.

The teacher has now signed a consent resolution agreement with the regulator agreeing to a two months suspension.

No other details are given in the decision.

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