B.C. kindergarten teacher reprimanded for vaping in school bathrooms

A woman is seen vaping in this Bloomberg file photo.

A teacher at a Metro Vancouver elementary school has been reprimanded for vaping in the bathroom adjacent to her kindergarten classroom on “multiple occasions,” according to the professional regulator.

Stephanie Kastoris admitted to the misconduct and agreed to disciplinary measures in a consent agreement with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, which was posted online Tuesday.

The school district reported the misconduct in 2024, after it had suspended the teacher for three days without pay, according to the agreement.

“On multiple occasions, Kastoris used the bathroom attached to her classroom in order to vape. After she did so, there was a lingering scent in the air in both the bathroom and the classroom, which her students noticed,” the agreement said.

“While Kastoris did not vape in front of her students, on one occasion she was vaping when they were lining up outside the washroom door, waiting to go outside.”

The teacher also admitted to vaping in two staff bathrooms at the school, according to the agreement. The teacher’s actions constituted misconduct because it “did not role model appropriate behaviour” and “put student safety at risk,” according to the agreement.

Kastoris agreed to a reprimand, which the regulator found was an appropriate penalty given her co-operation with the investigation and admission of wrongdoing.

RELATED STORY: B.C. massage therapist disciplined for using cellphone, vaping while providing treatment