B.C. teacher had sexual relationship with student 'within days' of graduation: resolution agreement

(File)

VANCOUVER — A B.C. man has agreed not to teach for at least 20 years following a report that he'd had a relationship with a student within days of their graduation.

According to the summary of a disciplinary hearing posted online earlier this week, the teacher has agreed he will not apply for a certificate of qualification, an independent school teaching certificate or any other authorization to teach.

The B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation wrote in a summary that the teacher, who has not been named to protect the identity of the student involved, was the subject of a superintendent's report back in November 2019.

The consent resolution summary says the teacher entered into some type of "inappropriate relationship" with a student that year. The student was someone he'd taught in Grade 8, and again in Grade 12.

The BCCTR does not say where the teacher was working.

According to the summary, the teacher made a "physical and romantic gesture" toward the student in late June of the school year.

"Within days of the student graduating, the teacher commenced a sexual relationship with the student," the resolution summary says.

Following a report to the BCCTR, the teacher entered into a consent resolution agreement in which he agreed that his behaviour constituted "professional misconduct."

The commissioner, Howard Kushner, said he considered the following factors in determining an appropriate penalty: that the conduct was a "serious breach of his position of power and trust," and that he "exploited the student-teacher relationship."

Taking that into account, the commissioner decided on a 20-year ban on reapplication for teaching certification, a penalty the teacher agreed to.

Thus the matter was resolved in a consent resolution, avoiding the need for a citation and formal hearing.

A consent resolution is a voluntary process which results in a written agreement that includes what was decided and how it will impact the teacher.