‘Girls like older men’: B.C. teacher banned 1 year for behaviour around students

Undated photo of empty classroom chairs (Photo by Pixabay)

A teacher from B.C.’s Lower Mainland has been disciplined for a series of incidents that included putting his hand around one student’s waist, comparing another to a model, and telling others that “girls like older men.”

John Peter Rocca was teaching math in the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School District when the incidents took place between the 2018-19 and 2020-21 school years, according to a consent agreement he signed with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation.

The incidents mostly involved three students, who are only identified in the document as Student A, Student B and Student C to protect their privacy.

Rocca began putting his hand on Student A’s waist or shoulder while Student A was in Grade 7, according to the agreement. He would visit Student A’s locker the following school year, sometimes leaning against Student A’s shoulder and asking questions about Student A’s personal life.

At one point, Rocca joked to one of his classes that if he won the lottery, he would start a school in Hawaii for his favourite students – who included Student A and no one else present.

Student A reported feeling uncomfortable because of Rocca’s behaviour.

The consent agreement notes that Rocca had previously been suspended over allegations of unnecessary physical contact with students in the same district back in 2003.

“Rocca agreed to conditions upon his return to work, including that he would not touch female students,” the consent agreement says.

The teacher was also accused of “improper touching of students” while working for the Langley School District in 1988, according to the document, but resigned before an investigation into the allegations could be completed.

Incidents with other students

Rocca’s interactions with Student B included approaching Student B from behind and placing his hand on Student B’s shoulder multiple times.

He once said to Student B, “Can you smile? You should smile more, you have such a nice smile,” according to the document.

Rocca would “get very close” when speaking to Student C, and once told Student C, “Oh, you’re like a model” while balancing papers on Student C’s head.

The consent agreement also details one incident in which Rocca was reprimanding two boys for immature behaviour, and made comments about how “older men are better,” and that’s why “girls like older men.” During the same interaction, he referred to female students as “adorable,” “sweet,” and “cute.”

Rocca retired from the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School District in July 2021. The Commissioner for Teacher Regulation ordered an investigation into his interactions with students that fall, finding his behaviour constituted professional misconduct.

Rocca agreed to a one-year ban on teaching in either public or private schools in the province.

In deciding on the appropriate consequences, the commissioner considered a number of factors, including that Rocca “failed to create a positive learning environment,” “engaged in a repeated pattern of similar conduct,” and “caused physical and emotional harm to students,” according to the agreement.